Shaun

Love for Orphans Transforms

Unwanted infants in ancient Rome were often disposed of via the practice of “exposing.”  Whether undesirable because it was malformed, female or simply inconvenient, the child would be left alone, outside the city walls, without defense before glaring sun, icy winds or roving animals.

In 374 AD, the Christian emperor Valentinian banned the practice.  But for centuries prior, a marginalized group gained a reputation for rescuing these children:  Christians.  The early church was known, even among many who despised it, as a people who defended the orphan.  Believers went outside the city to find infants abandoned there, taking them in, and often raising them as their own.  This witness was one powerful factor in the vibrant life and growth of Christianity in its first 300 years, and at other high points in history as well.  It can be that way again.

Last month, 1,200 Christian orphan advocates from across America and beyond gathered in Minneapolis.  At moments, the ethos and interactions felt almost electric.  As one band leader expressed, “It felt like that was the first time I’d been worshipping and every person in the room was really a Christian.”   I understood what he meant.  From families with adopted HIV+ children, to foster parents, to individuals serving the fatherless around the globe, the spirit of that community carried the feel of the early days after Pentecost.  As best I can discern, here are four key reasons why:

Caring for orphans reflects the heart of God. From Isaiah’s call to “defend the cause of the fatherless” (1:17) to James’ placement of orphan care at the heart of “pure and undefiled religion” (1:27), the biblical mandate is clear.   But this is not merely God’s expectation of us; it is a mirroring of His own character.  “He defends the fatherless,” declares Deuteronomy 10:18.  Describes the Psalmist, “He places the lonely in families.”  To be like our heavenly Father, we’re invited to do the same.

Caring for orphans makes the Gospel visible. At the heart of the Christian story is the God who pursued us when we were destitute and alone.  He adopted us as His children, and invites us to live as His sons and daughters.  Perhaps nothing makes this truth more tangible than when Christians follow in their Father’s footsteps, opening heart and home in unconditional affection to the child that has no claim upon them but love.

Caring for orphans defies the gods of our age. Darwinism’s sole ethical imperative is to ensure one’s own genetic material carries forward.  So like Gideon tearing down his father’s idols (Judges 6), we assault this dictate when we seek to ensure the survival, and thriving, of a child that does not share our genes.  Meanwhile, the purposeful sacrifices required to love this child flout the demands of other gods also, from materialism to self-actualization to comfort.  The cost must be counted.  But—compared to the depth and richness found along the path of caring for orphans—these false gods are shown to be as lifeless and unsatisfying as statues of bronze or wood.

Caring for orphans invites a journey of discipleship. “I see these kids changed,” explained a woman who helps Christians get involved with foster care, “But I think the parents are changed even more.”  It’s true.  Every family I know that’s opened themselves to parentless children has not gone unaltered.  And though the road can be hard, even painful, virtually always it leads closer to Jesus.  Expressed one adoptive mom recently, “People have said, ‘Oh, aren’t they lucky, you rescued them from whatever.’  And I think, Are you kidding?  I’m the lucky one.  I get to be their mom.  And I get to be daily rescued from my selfishness, and my impatience, and things that are just as disease-ridden in my soul.”

Ultimately, here’s the result I see again and again:  love for orphans transforms.   It transforms children as they experience love and nurture they’ve come to live without.  It transforms individual Christians, as we encounter Jesus deeply and personally in a destitute child.  It transforms the broader community of believers as well, pulling us corporately beyond a religion of self-development to a costly-but-muscular faith.  Finally, love for orphans transforms a watching world, as it sees—perhaps for the first time—the Gospel embodied.

Close friends from Washington, DC, Tom and Leah, adopted a little boy from an African nation two years ago.  He’d been found, abandoned, at the edge of a forest, umbilical cord still attached.  “He was left for the hyena,” described the old woman who discovered him when the newborn’s cry startled her milk cow.

When I heard that story, I couldn’t help thinking of the early Christians, going outside the city walls to take in abandoned infants.  I feel the same about what’s going on in Colorado, where so many Christians have adopted from the foster system that the number of children waiting for adoption has been cut from nearly 800 in 2008 to just 365 today.  The same goes for countless partnerships between U.S. Christians and churches abroad to care for orphans within their home countries as well.

Christians are again becoming known as a people who defend the cause of the fatherless.  As we do, the world won’t be left unchanged.  Neither will we.

I think it was actually the first time I’ve been on the receiving end of a mission trip. Well, I always receive more than I give when I go, but you know what I mean. The Sunday service was amazing, but I think the best part was spending time with Betty, Grace, and Hannah (and Collett, their leader), who stayed in our home for the weekend. My girls and I learned so much from them. I don’t think we ever imagined hosting them would be so special. We had so much fun going swimming, tubing, watching them dance and sing, and just having great conversations with them (did I mention they’ve only been in the US for about 3 weeks!), but I really enjoyed looking at their pictures of home. It was humbling to see what an incredibly simple life they live: Dirt floors, no electricity, cars, or running water. Yet they are genuinely excited about life. I think the simplicity helps them see life for what it really is.

I have actually been trying to work out a trip to Kenya for about a year. Now, I’m more determined than ever to go see what God is doing over there. We’ve always said we didn’t start a new church so church people would have another option on Sunday. We have a mission and a purpose, and when we work TOGETHER we can help others connect to a God that loves them, both here, in Kenya, and who knows where else. Thanks Daraja Choir for raising the bar for us. I hope we can do for others what you have done for us!

So, instead of an official Beachside beach day, let’s Rock the Beach!

And don’t forget about part 2 of Everybody. Everybody’s Included Sunday at 10:30am.

Q: Tell us a little about Sarah Canterbury. Where are you from, where have you been living, are you married, kids, etc…?
Sarah: I am from Canton, Mississippi. Bring on the jokes, I can take them. For the past 3 years my husband, Ryan and I have been living in Greenville, South Carolina. We don’t have any kids. We do have a dog, Baxter (yes, his name is from Anchorman).

Q: What do you like to do for fun?
Sarah: I like to jog, hike, read, bake, play games and eat meals with friends.

Q: Do you like the beach?
Sarah: In general I love being outside, mountains or beach I am happy. I can spend all day reading on the beach!

Q: What is your favorite food?
Sarah: I don’t think it is fair to pick one specific favorite food. I could always eat dessert instead of a meal, and Sushi, Indian and Mexican food can make any day a better day.

Q: What really gets on your nerves?
Sarah: Hair! I hate hair. I married someone who could pass as Chubacka and I have an inside dog.

Q: What brings you to Fort Walton Beach?
Sarah: About 6 months ago, a friend told Ryan and I about Beachside and we began to pray about it. God was using us in some amazing ways through our community in Greenville. We spent the next few months praying for God to lead us in our marriage and show us what He wanted us to do for His Kingdom. We knew that He was preparing for us to leave, so we just began looking into cities and communities to see if that is where God was moving. After that, everything fell into place for us. Ryan got a job with a company, Innovative Sight and Sound, and I was offered the opportunity to do Family Ministry at Beachside. We are thrilled to be moving to Fort Walton and start this next chapter of our lives.

Q: So, why do you like NPM Strategic Partner churches?
Sarah: I love the NPM strategic partners for so many reasons. I love living in community with people who are seeking God, and that together we can work to create a place to invite our friends to meet God that is comfortable and relatable to them. I also love the family ministry model, and by that I mean the intentionality behind each environment that is created for each phase of a child’s life. Also I love that this model is committed to partnering with parents to truly equip parents with tools to be spiritual leaders.

Q: What do you hope to see happen with Beachside Community Church?
Sarah: I hope to see families’ lives changed, whether they have never experienced God or have been burnt by religion before. I want to see Beachside volunteers grow, because people are finding fulfillment in serving God. I hope to see and be a part of a community within Beachside that loves each other well and serves others well. I would love to see parents filled with joy that their preschooler knows “God made me and God loves me!” I would love to see some boys and girls so excited about what God is doing in their lives that they can’t wait to tell their small group leaders.

Q: What about this idea of partnering with parents? Why is that important?
Sarah: Partnering with parents, I could talk for several hours on this topic. Basically, God created the family and placed parents as the spiritual leaders, and then He gave us the church. It only makes sense that the two should work together to grow a child spiritually. Reggie Joiner says, “Two combined influences make a greater impact than just two influences.” I am passionate about making this happen. I want to help equip parents with tools to be leaders at home, and I want to work hard to ensure that our environments on Sunday morning for children are excellent in every way.

Q: What is your favorite verse in the Bible?
Sarah: Favorite verse right now in the Bible: “He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10. It is a great reminder to me that God sacrificed His Son so that we can live together. I want to live with God in every moment and every decision of my day.

Thanks Sarah! We are glad you are here and are excited to see how God uses you at Beachside as we continue to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you want to connect more with Sarah, feel free to leave comments below or connect with Sarah on Facebook.

As incredible a day as we had together on Easter, and as excited as we are that we will finally have weekly services, we have to admit that we really haven’t yet arrived. Actually, we know we never will. This is just another step in an ongoing process. Our goal was never to just start a new church in Fort Walton Beach. We want to be a catalyst that helps change what the church IS in Fort Walton Beach. We know there are already plenty of places where church people can go on Sunday, but our desire is to create opportunities for us to BE the church TOGETHER. What this community needs are environments…

• that are engaging, relevant, and helpful
• for people who don’t like church
• where you don’t have to be an insider to fit in
• that are easy to come to and easy to invite friends
• where you can ask honest questions about faith and life
• where you can build meaningful relationships
• where you aren’t judged
• where you are cared for and prayed for
• that challenge people to live out God’s Word
• that expect and facilitate life change
• that lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ

Sound interesting? You can see what it’s all about THIS SUNDAY!

Children of Casa Hogar Elim

One of the partnerships we’ve formed at Beachside Community Church is with Casa Hogar Elim in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Casa Hogar Elim is an amazing orphanage that provides for about 100 children. The orphanage was started in the home of “Mama Lupita” and still survives solely on the support of individuals and churches. In October, 2010, we are carrying 15 of the older children from the orphanage ON a mission trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mx. That’s another story altogether (you can find more info here). But, before we go to Puerto Vallarta, we are going to be spending a week at Casa Hogar Elim loving on all of these kids and doing some light construction work.

July 17-24, 2010 we will be partnering with Shalimar United Methodist Church for this project. One of the things I love to do most is introduce new people to Casa Hogar Elim, and most of the people of SUMC and Beachside have never met these beautiful children. I can’t wait to see the smiles, hear the stories, watch new friendships form, and witness God’s grace pour out through His people to His people. It’s going to be awesome!

If you’re looking for an opportunity to trade a week of your vacation for one of the most rewarding experiences you could imagine, then you need to prayerfully consider this trip. Details will be put on the website soon, or you can email info@beachsidecc.org anytime.

And so the obligation: don’t settle.

To have all these advantages, all this momentum, all these opportunities and then settle for mediocre and then defend the status quo and then worry about corporate politics—what a waste”  -Seth Godin, Tribes

Godin goes on to say that some people talk about how much opportunity we have. I know I’ve said that a million times. I’ve always felt that here in Fort Walton Beach we have tons of opportunity to do something significant for the Kingdom of God. I think that’s true in every city around the U.S., but certainly nowhere is it more evident than here. The resources are abundant, and the need is evident. People are hurting. They need to know there is a God who loves them. They need environments that are engaging, relevant, and helpful, but most importantly, they need a passionate group of people who care less about religious politics and pettiness and more about loving others.

But, Godin says it’s not opportunity we have as much as it is an obligation. When we’ve been given so much we simply can’t waste it. And he’s right.

Yesterday I chaperoned a middle school dance (The word dance is used very loosely in describing this event.). As God often does, He turned this into a divine appointment. I talked with a lady over the loud music and other distractions about her 7^th grade daughter, who is really her granddaughter, the death of her son, their incredible medical issues, and a dozen other things any one of which I would think too difficult to deal with myself. As I stood there and watched all the kids and heard more stories I just couldn’t quit thinking about the unbelievable opportunity— I mean obligation— that we have.

We can’t continue to settle for mediocrity in the church. We can’t make excuses and give less than the best we have to offer. And, we can’t keep defending the status quo. It’s time to unleash God’s people– all their creativity and energy. Don’t settle. It’s time to wake up Church.

The blogger writes about a rather large church with incredibly engaging services and an appealing environment. Attendance was in the thousands, and people were excited to be there. But he says something significant was missing– community. Here’s where I really started thinking and I couldn’t help but wonder- In most of our churches today do we realize just how important community is? Kevin Ford says “The quality of community is the quintessential test of the health of a church”. That’s pretty strong, but is he right?

I’m really not trying to be judgmental here, but honestly, when I look at most churches today I see a lot of things, but I don’t see strong community. This seems to be true regardless of the denominational affiliation, worship style, or the major demographic of the church. It seems to me that most churches are a loose connection of attenders that work together on certain projects but then go back to their individualness (I think I made up that word) for the rest of their week. I really sat and asked myself: Is this ok? Is there a problem with this pattern? Does this really affect the health of the church?

In terms of institutional health- numerical growth, financial growth, #’s of ministries (Pilates classes to food pantrys), etc… I don’t think this pattern of individualness makes much of a difference. I think this list can be measured on opposite ends of the healthy church spectrum with the same missing ingredient of community. But, in terms of real SPIRITUAL health, I really believe community is vital. The Body of Christ (The Church) is all about community: Deep meaningful relationships that transcend musical preference (disguised as worship style), age, career field, skin color, etc… The Apostle Paul spoke over and over about this. Read what he said to the Ephesians, and to the Corinthians.

So, should we work hard to create excellent environments on Sundays? Absolutely! I believe that is a key component of reaching our unchurched friends and I believe it honors God. However, we can’t use those environments as a gauge for success. Success within Christ’s Church is much more difficult to measure than that. So, just maybe, a great starting point for determining success is looking at the depth of the relationships that are being formed within the church. Maybe it’s through these relationships that we begin to love each other as we would love ourselves. And maybe, just maybe, that love is attractive to unbelievers.

Are you working to intentionally build strong relationships with the people God has put before you? I know I have a lot of work to do, but my deepest desire is that we would see our local church become a body of believers that genuinely loves each other and loves those around us. Love isn’t what we feel, it’s what we do.

I don’t know how to measure it, but somehow I think we’ll know if we achieve it.

Shaun

I see all the shoe boxes at churches, all the offices taking up donations, and the schools filling the need for students. We love to buy new shoes, a pair of jeans, a new game of Yahtzee. Our culture absolutely won’t allow a child to wake up, wipe the sleep out of their eyes, and not find something under the tree. We’ll go to almost any length to make sure that doesn’t happen.

But here’s the question that has been running through my head: Am I just as concerned about these kids having THE Christmas present in their heart as I am of them having A Christmas present under the tree?

Yes, I know that providing a new pair of Reeboks is a great way to show them that I love them. Yes, I can, and should, do it in the name of Jesus. However, if my concern was more for their heart would I stop at delivering the present? Or, would I go to great lengths to make sure they understood WHY I was concerned about them? Would I continue to invest in them, love them, provide for them, and do it all in Jesus’ name? Would it be as fun and easy as buying a cool gift? Or, would it be difficult, messy, time consuming, and costly?

If I’m really honest with myself I have to admit that I’m usually ready to move on once they have the goods. I think I’ve done my duty. I’ve had my fun. I can feel good about myself. But now, I’m wondering, what happens when they go to sleep that last time and wake up in eternity? What gift will they find that morning? Will they know, will I have helped them understand, that Jesus left it hanging on a tree?

I think I have some work to do this Christmas.