Been a while since I posted… well some 7,000kms on the road – Valencia –> France –> Italy –> Switzerland –> Germany –> Switzerland –> Galicia –> home. Great to be away and awesome to come home even if 37°C is just a little too hot. On the road, computer said ‘My time is over’ so I was not about to write a bunch of posts on my phone. But a good pause – always time to pray, talk with my companion (oh yes the one called, Gayle!), refocus etc., and at the same time holding our breath as the election in Spain took place while we were gone – outcome could have been a lot worse!!
Our main involvement while away was for Gayle to hold, with others, a ‘sanctuary’ in Italy. A safe place for anyone connected to ‘Authentic’ to explore being together, share life and stories. I am amazed at the outcome with genuine transformation. I am also deeply interested to journey with this as those of different faith / no faith get involved – one of the passions I have currently is to discover how can we be inclusive and enable people to encounter (or journey toward) the Jesus who uniquely is the image of the one true God.
In a post-Christendom Europe (so much more like the culture of the NT – maybe the answer to prayers that have been asking for a NT-type expression of faith??? I think so!) the question of how people encounter Jesus without the trappings is ever so central. If we want something that is not boxed, and something that touches those outside the box there is only one alternative – go outside the box. Cornelius did not meet Peter (and through Peter, Jesus) in Joppa… but Peter met Cornelius who met Jesus in Cornelius’ home. In the old days we might have talked about the ‘anointing on the house’, but it is now time to find the anointing that is on Cornelius’ house – and it seems to be an anointing for revelation as Peter said ‘Now I perceive…’
Big days… endless possibilities!!
Sounds like a great trip Martin. Glad you are back posting again!! I heard somebody teaching the other day that we should not be building tabernacles over previous moves of God etc and that’s not where we are now it’s time for new. So encouraging that you found redemptive stuff going on outside ‘Christian’ circles on your travels . It’s incredible that God has so much grace for the world at large. It makes me sad about all the partisan throwing stones at ‘outsider’ groups by some Christian YouTubers especially which is not redemptive at all. They believe they are calling out error etc but mainly preaching to the converted and often condemning of the world . How we bridge the gap between the ever more divided groups in culture wars (left and right etc.) is probably going to be one of the biggest challenges for the body of Christ or at least it should be in my opinion. If we follow the lead of Jesus and Paul too then we do have to approach things in different way. Going out is hard for me though with my challenges so I wonder how I can effect real change where I am sometimes? I can pray but somehow doesn’t seem enough!