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One of the dangers in having a group of folks who are so feelings focused (roughly 90% of our folks our feelers, not thinkers) is it makes it difficult to have a focused conversation. You only need to attend one of our house church gatherings to understand the implications of this. We chase rabbits endlessly and often you will end up with a statement about, "well, that is just something I don't need to understand."

Now that is a feeler position, NOT a thinker position. A thinker will lie awake at night pondering these things, while the feeler, having shared his/her feelings on the subject will sleep like a baby. So, rather than throwing things open this past weekend, I decided to have a focused discussion, using the 'Creative Whack Pack.' This did two things. First, it gave a funnel to our discussion time, which as it was still required Saturday Night and Sunday Morning for everyone to share. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it encouraged everyone not to take the first right answer. Usually the first right answer is our teddy bear, that thing we reach for when we don't know what else to do. I wanted to avoid that and encourage everyone to listen and stretch farther.

In looking over the results of our brainstorming, it seemed to me that three categories were clearly invoked. I heard a sense of greater personal discipleship, which I am sure would manifest itself within the greater group in powerful ways.

Second, the challenge to be Christ in our own league, in our own backyard. Earl is scanning an article by Robert Fulghum that might help you understand the flavor of what we discussed at the retreat.

The third focus seems to be on the integration of rhythm of life wed together with ancient disciplines. The interweaving of a rhythm of spirituality into our ongoing life, as an individual and as a community.

Acts 7 says that they chose up from among them those filled with the Holy Spirit, and gave them the job of caring for the widows and the orphans. I would like to ask each of you to pray this week over these three areas and see if God might lead you to a name within our group that might be a good choice to help us be involved in these areas in a larger way.

Here are the statements that were brought up during our brainstorming time...

GREATER PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP:

* Our faith life needs to be a path of transformation to a person we are BEING -- to see our walk with God as a way of life.

* These changes are NOT A QUICK FIX

* To KNOW = CHANGE

* The Church has had an overemphasis on the conversion moment, and not enough emphasis on what type of person we are becoming!

* We need to slay the dragons of fear, especially regarding our own personal comfort zones

* Avoid the blind spots as we use our imagination

* Reduce our personal stuff

* We need to BE the metaphor and find the relatability

* What is out of whack? ME (Anne)

* We need to approach as a lifestyle as opposed to something we sign up for

* Ask ourselves the question - what are we doing personally in the kingdom? Not only $, but also time, and share with the group.

* Need to seek out unknown relationships, even within the group (Corwin)

* Need to consider the difference between want and need -- for ourselves as well as others.

* FOCUS: truth, acceptance and seek what the word really says, not what we want it to say

BE CHRIST IN OUR OWN LEAGUE:

* We need to give back (tithe - Donna), make a commitment to simple service

* Determine what we can do and DO IT

* Leave the house and leave a trail

* Cultivate an awareness of real life, and the struggles and blessings within our community and those around us

* Cultivate and talk about reality, even when it involves panties and boogers

* Develop an ear to listen and help those in need

* Be there for others and inspire confidence

* Relationship - find the metaphor that speaks to this person?

* Cultivate a different perspective as we ask what can we do for our neighborhood

* Take our common meal outside

* We need to combine our ideas (ex. nursing home) and bring together people of different strengths

* We need to fight for it...we may be small, but through God we can be mighty! We need to address needs in our community, like drops in the ocean.

* We need to help people find the aha - change venues, make our own videos, use creative talents of our group (Greg F)

* We need to stay and play in our league and neighborhood

* Can you sell it (Donna) - we are selling ourselves, and what God is doing among us. How does reaching out meet the needs of the group.

* We need to focus on one thing while allowing people to be who they are - where they are

* We need to decide how will we handle it when God brings us a black hole of neediness...and figure out what it means to truly love our neighbor. How will we handle it when the most loving response is to say no?

RHYTHM OF LIFE AND DISCIPLINES

* Develop a rhythm of disciplines

* Put ancient practices into our daily life

* Be attentive to the Holy Spirit and join God

* Look to nature to define systems that can help us: consider spiritual disciplines, mentoring and transparency. How can we create systems that nurture these.

* LOOK - LISTEN - RESPOND

* We need to conform to God’s rhythm

* We need to do the unexpected and live it, be in the moment.

* We need to let the word of God speak as we are involved in other folks lives

* We need to do something because God is calling us. To daily be aware and be Jesus.

MISCELLANEOUS:

* Think through the instincts of a child

* We need to dream, and not allow the fear of the unknown or our comfort zones

* Pig at an islamic funeral (bobby h) - no idea what the context was, but that was hilarious

* BEWARE - there are positive as well as negative results of implementing an idea.

HOMEWORK:

1. Check out http://www.adullamdenver.com/

2. Pray over these lists as we prepare to choose leaders