Here’s what you can expect at this year’s RE:FORM Conference 2009 …

Vineyard Boise pastor Tri Robinson explains the vision of RE:FORM and the heart behind this growing network of like-minded and like-hearted Christians.

Now that you know who J.A.M.E.S is, we want to hear your thoughts on Sunday’s message. What do you think about some of the perceptions of who James is? Judgmental? Antagonistic? Mean-spirited? Exclusive? Self-righteous?

Give James a call. He’s got a message 4 u … 208.631.2245

Tri is snowed in today (possibly both literally and figuratively), so I (Jason, the techno guy) am filling in for him on the blog.

As our discussion online has progressed through a number of ways Christians can reach culture through showing care and concern about things that are important to the heart of God, the way we accomplish that can bring scrutiny at times, oftentimes from within the Christian community. Earlier this week, Tri began writing a blog for The Huffington Post. Though some people were excited about this, there were still a handful of Christians who held his posting suspect due to content and the medium through which it was delivered.

This is the type of scrutiny Jesus endured–the religious leaders of his day criticized Him for hanging out with people they viewed as “unclean.” In today’s society, the “unclean” would be anything that isn’t deemed “Christian.” But isn’t that the point? Isn’t the church unique in its mission as one that, while still supporting and encouraging its members, it’s also designed to reach out to its “non-members” in a loving, non-judgmental way to show others the love, grace and freedom that comes through relationship with Jesus?

Feel free to share your thoughts as well as respond to the following:
1) How have you been criticized for reaching out to others outside the church?
2) In what ways have you reached out to those around you who might be held suspect by some people inside the church?

For today’s conversation, please take a few minutes to watch this video with Chuck Colson, Greg Boyd and Shane Claiborne having a very open and honest discussion that needs to take place in the church.

As we’ve been going through our Please Forgive James series, one of the discussions we’ve been having is about how we reach into a culture that seems to be ostracized and hurt by the church.
Our church in particular reaches out to many people whose lives have been devastated through various addictions, such as drugs and alcohol. In what ways can we reach out to other groups of people who have been ostracized or hurt by the church both personally and as a church in general without in any way compromising who we are?

As some of the conversations emerge around Monday’s post, there were some reoccuring themes that people shared. So, I thought I would mine this a little more today.

A number of posters commented on yesterday’s blog entry that they weren’t sure how risky they were really being. One person also mentioned how being risky meant risking more than “things.” And I agree. Oftentimes, the biggest risk we take isn’t one that’s financial or one of security, but that of reputation.

Simply by being open and sharing their thoughts in this forum, the very people who shied away from calling themselves risk takers or worried about not being risky enough were the very ones taking a big risk. That’s being a risk taker–risking your reputation.

Paul challenged the Corinthians to be more transparent. The key to reaching a broken world is through humility and transparency. The world is looking for people who are real. They want to know that the Truth you ascribe to is actually making a difference in the way you live your life.

So, for today’s discussion purposes, answer one or some of these questions:

1) Is being transparent difficult for you? Why or why not?

2) What is the greatest obstacle you face in being transparent before others?

3) How have you been transparent in the past and experienced and opportunity to share your faith with someone as a result?

- Tri

In order to have a broken heart for a broken world, we must come to a place where we are not only willing to represent Christ but where we strive to represent Him well. We must be ambassadors of Christ and the good news that Jesus brought to the earth. (Read Ephesians 4:17-32.)

Determining what kind of ambassador you will be hinges upon how you answer the five questions we talked about on Sunday:

• Do you care?
• Do you believe?
• Do you do?
• Will you risk?
• Will you go?

For today’s discussion purposes, share your thoughts on the following questions:

1) Which of the five questions above is the area where you struggle the most?
2) What does it mean to you to be an ambassador?
3) In what ways do you accurately represent Christ? What areas are more difficult for you?

- Tri

Jason continues his search for James, who has a new message and new clues on his voice mail.

As the week is drawing to a close, reflect back over Sunday’s closing prayer:

“Holy Spirit, we ask that you would come right now in a very real way. Literally give us a picture of those folks who we’ve had a difficult time with, who are resistant to You, that at times we may have even been angry with. Help us to see them as You see them. Help us to see past the wall, the veneer, that the enemy has put up to keep the reality of who they are and who You created them to be from us. Help us to see them as You see them. Give us Your heart.

“Lord, would You give us the circumstances and the words to minister authentically and sincerely and genuinely out of a heart of brokenness and humility? Take from us, Lord, any anger or judgmental spirit. Help us, Lord, to have a deep desire to see them come to know You. We ask Lord that you would give us the words. …

“Help us, Lord, so that we don’t rehearse and try to figure it all out but rely on You in those moments of divine appointments where we bump into folks. Whether it be through email or by telephone or just in person, we ask that You would give us the heart to speak and the words to say. Break our hearts for a broken world that we might be agents of change in a very real way. We commit this to You, God. We ask your anointing over this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Here are some questions for today’s discussion:
1) What has happened in your life this week in the way of your relationships with non-believers?
2) How has God answered this prayer in your life?

- Tri