A Moment at 30,000 feet
While sitting on a plane headed to Portland this past week the flight attendant called for Mary & Larry to come to the front of the plane. Most of us remained oblivious yet curious as to why they were standing in the flight attendant galley. A few minutes later Larry took the microphone and proceeded to pledge his love and devotion towards Mary as he sweetly told her that he feels in the clouds when he is with her and he couldn’t imagine a more perfect place than at 30,000 feet to declare his love to her and asked her to marry him.
She of course said Yes!
The plane, filled with complete strangers all broke out into applause – the pilot came over the loud speaker and congratulated the newly engaged couple and bought them a drink to celebrate. Someone on the plane recorded the proposal on their phone and posted it on you tube so that we could all go back and experience it again.
It was a sweet moment. You could feel the joy and happiness in the air. Businesswomen put down their laptops for a moment to participate. People dropped their papers for a moment so that they could experience the rush in the air that rang of hope and future and love. Larry & Mary were smiling and hugging in front of a full flight of complete strangers applauding their love.
But after the moment passed – Mary & Larry headed back to their seats in economy class, people went back to their laptops, books, and papers, flight attendants starting pouring drinks and the moment was gone. This magical thing that we just corporately experienced did not MOVE any of us anywhere. We went BACK instead of going FORWARD.
The moment did not move us.
What if somehow in that moment we could have all decided that we should at some point in our lives take a risk and publicly declare to another human being how much we love them. Can you imagine the ripple effect?
What if somehow in that moment we could have all decided that we should celebrate when someone else is feeling joy or mourn with those that are experiencing pain . Can you imagine how that might change relational dynamics?
What if we would have each grabbed a note card, sent a quick e-mail, or made a phone call to someone that is in need of hearing some loving encouragement. Can you imagine how that might brighten someone’s day?
At Soul City Church, we are deeply committed to extraordinary moments. In fact, it’s one of our Values. Here’s a brief description taken from our Website.
We look forward to our weekend gatherings where the Vibe is refreshingly casual.
The experience is creatively engaging. The Music & Worship is excellent with both a local and transcendent feel. The Teaching is all at once helpful, conversational, reflective, authentic, and atavistic. The Focus is always around what God has done, is doing, and what’s next. Our kids are safe and protected, actively and creatively engaged, and challenged to take what they experience here and live it out everywhere else. We are excited about creating excellent, inspiring, thoughtful moments – but what is more important to us is what happens when we move. When we leave our space. We long for movements to emerge as a result of our moments together. This is how the world will finally know us by our love -through Moments that lead to Movement.
So to Mary & Larry – Congratulations! It was a joy to share in your proposal on United flight 0667. Thanks for allowing your moment to remind me how powerful Moments can be, and that they are never the POINT, just a PART of the puzzle.
Micro Church
The transformational process that God does in the life of an individual unfortunately can often times remain exclusive to that individual. The temptation to live in isolation – especially when it comes to the matters of our soul are enticing – but to live outside of community is to live outside of the way God created us to live. It becomes a completely different journey when the work that God is doing in your life is aided and assisted and spurred on by a loving intentional community of friends. They become a gift to you, you become a gift to them.
There are a many different Models and Strategies when it comes to Small Groups. Each with their own unique strengths and weakness. Each with their own creative name. We’re not sure what we’ll call it. At this point we’re simply calling the idea – Micro Churches. Because that is truly what they are. Micro Focused, loving, intentional, transformational hubs of community.
When we look to the idea of the First Church as found in Acts 2 it seems like the “Church” is happening in more than just one place at more than just one time. It was happening at Solomon’s Porch (The Carport behind the Temple) where they gathered to hear the disciples teach about the way and truth and life of Jesus. AND it was happening in homes where meals were shared, needs were shared, life was shared. 1000′s of people gathering together At Once and Clusters of people gathering All Over.
We long to see that same idea lived out in the city today. 1000′s of people gather together around the name of Jesus. And Clusters of people (Micro Churches) gathering together around the name of Jesus.
We want to see swarms of people gathering together to do the thing that we are created from (Trinity) and the thing that we are created for (Community). Open Circles of friends where:
- We share life
- We break bread
- We celebrate growth
- We share our resources
- We serve those in need
- We challenge stagnancy
- We pray fervently
- We listen intently
- We talk intentionally
- We laugh uncontrollably
- We cry unapologetically
- We party regularly
- We live authentically
Call it whatever you like, we just long to see God’s intention for our lives to be a reality in the city.
The Value of Moments that lead to Movement
I love a great Moment. I love experiencing it, love co-creating it, love sharing it. However, so often, Moments stay just that – Moments – Singular events that happen – are great – then gone.
What if the Moments we experienced together on Sunday were actually coming FROM other moments that happened all week? And what if the moments we shared together on Sunday sent us OUT to greater moments with God, each other, and our neighborhoods? AND what if the moments that Kids experience, and Parents experience, and Couples experience, and Friends experience are Intentionally Created to push us all in the same direction?
That’s what Soul City Church is trying to figure out – How Moments lead to Movement.
We believe that something unique and transcendent happens when people gather together in one place seeking God. We do all we can to create moments that are not only memorable, but transformational. Moments that move us forward together. Soul City Church is committed to creating excellent environments and experiences where people can encounter God and take steps in their relationship with Him.
- So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
- James 2:17
