After reading the Introduction and Chapter 1, what are your intial thoughts? Do you think Deer Creek is internally focused or externally focused? Do you think DCC could change our community? How? Feel free to answer these questions, or post any comments about the Introduction and Chapter 1 here.
June 9, 2007 at 12:52 am
Hello everyone. I am excited to be discussing this book with you. I can’t wait to see what God does through this process: in our lives, the lives of our church family, and the community.
Deer Creek has done a good job of serving missionally (Guatemala and Myanmar) and partnering with agencies like Prison Fellowship (Angel Tree) and Compa Food Ministry. We also have a long and varied history of serving in the community through VBS and our Fall Family Festival. As needs and leaders have emerged, we have supported other projects and programs.
What I think is different about what we have been doing and what it means to be externally focused, is what Rucksaw and and Swanson point out on page 24 & 25. That, “Ministry and service are not programs reserved for a few extraordinarily dedicated indviduals but are woven into every aspect of church life.” They go on to say that having an external focus is imbedded in the church’s DNA.
Adding projects and programs will be easy. Changing the DNA is a bit more complicated. Are we up for the task? Yes I say! Yes!
June 20, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I just set up my login data and plan to start reading tonight. Thanks for setting this up! I look forward to discussion and more…
June 25, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Chapter One response: I haven’t been at or involved in Deer Creek long enough to have a strong opinion on their focus – internal or external. I just don’t know that many people yet. I do know that there are some great things that have gone on in the past from Guatemala to Myanmar to the trailer park on Santa Fe to Fall Festival to the ladies Saturday outreach event last year to…? I’m afraid one of the first steps for me is just to find out more about the Deer Creek Community. I think the mentoring program the women’s ministry is introducing is great and could extend outside the walls of the church easily as women learn how to mentor and have opportunity to care for those who are not members or attenders but people in their lives. The core is to be in caring relationship within the church and community.
Discovering who our community is will be one exciting first step. Who is our neighbor? Does the leadership have a strong opinion on where they want to minister? Is it o.k. to partner with churches in the city? Does the church want to stay close or reach out within a certain mileage distance? Where do energies lie among the congregation (economic development, single parenting, transitional housing, children and youth, etc…)?
I have to admit for some reason I have a heart for Southwest Denver and Sheridan/Englewood/Old Littleton. From Alameda south all the way along the Santa Fe/Federal Blvd corridor. I can’t really identify why at this point (probably just through exposure) – but if you are looking for critical mass for an area – that’s mine. I also seem to gravitate toward the working poor. People on the margins is definitely where I am most comfortable. I am much more comfortable sitting next to a homeless old lady with signs of schizophrenia than in a middle class suburban Sunday service. Why God made me that way – I don’t know! I do know He is showing me again and again His incredible love for all of His children in all ranks/roles of life and how inaccurate my perceptions can be when I don’t personally know people. Again – I’m just beginning to learn about the issues and approaches to ministry, but that is where my heart is. God is busting me regularly as He helps to redefine my understandings. I can share more of what I am learning (and how much more I have to learn!!!) in person at a later date.
P.S. Chapter Two is great.
ce
June 29, 2007 at 3:36 am
Thanks Cindy for your great comments. I am really excited to have you be a part of the discussion. I have been on the youth missions trip, hence my slow reply.
Defining our “community” will definitely be a challenge. Like you, I have a heart for the inner city. One thing God has been showing me is that my love for others comes from him, and if I ask him to help me care for the suburban middle class I am confident he can. The process of becoming externally focused will make us all stretch.
July 7, 2007 at 1:11 am
That was my biggest question from Chapter 1 as well–who are our neighbors? (Sound “Biblically” familiar?!) What community(ies) does Deer Creek wish to serve? I just finished Jan Karon’s “At Home in Mitford,” and I suppose I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about our immediate neighborhood. Who are all those people? What are their needs? How can we meet those needs and have relationship with them? Where does my immediate neighborhood fit into all of this (out in Highlands Ranch away from Deer Creek)? America is feeling awfully big these days–gone are the nights on the porch sipping lemonade and catching fireflies as neighbors stop by and chat. Hmmm . . . how do we capture that in our current community? Looking forward to reading more . . .
July 8, 2007 at 11:45 pm
I laughed a bit as I caught up on responses. Yes, I know God will give me a heart for wherever it is He wants to allow me to serve alongside Him. God loves the suburbs and the inner city! My comment was more of a weird identification of how God has me wired at this moment in time (much like we see someone whose passion is for youth or seniors or a mission to a specific area). Remember the stories of people saying please don’t send me to…. and God does – who knows where He will lead – and that is fine. I guess it has just been an interesting internal observation that my excitement and energy are ignited as I pray-think-work-etc… in the area and arena from my previous comment. Now on to Ch. 2 and 3. P.S. – lemonade and fireflies sound great!