Our formation is never for our own benefit alone. It is always for the sake of the world. Trevor Hudson has said, “The kingdom of God is creation healed.” This month, we ask how is each of us being invited to partner with God in that healing. Whether we know exactly where God is inviting us or we have no idea at all, it is our hope this experiment will help us gain clarity on how our formation is leading us to partner with God for the sake of the world.
Week 1: Crafting our experiments
This week, we considered which groans of creation echo most loudly in our lives. Where do we sense an invition to join God’s work of restoration in the world. It may be a deep need in the world or a need close to home.
Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s begin our experiments together. If you need to continue to reflect and craft your experiment, you can download a copy of the handout, or take whetever step or action you discerned for your experiment this week. Remember that we experiment in community. If you are not a part of a Practice Table, we encourage you to either form a group with which you can check in weekly, or let us know and we will include you in a group. Whether you form a group yourself or want to join ours, let us know, so we can suport you on the journey.
Week 2: Children in the foster care system
This week, Gabe Lerma invited us to consider how our stories connect with our experiments, and what God is stirring in us to do this week. I was particularly encouraged to hear from Gabe that it can be hard responding to these groans of creation. I think we all know that, but it’s helpful to hear that we’re not alone, isn’t it?
Kingdom Practice
Week 3: Racial injustice
This week, Troy Jackson from the ministry Undivided invited us to consider how we might open ourselves to allow the groans of creation to move from our heads to our heart and into our gut. (A note about the practice: this was a communal practice that does not translate well to a podcast/livestream, but we really encourage you to find a way to practice it with someone. It was a deeply meaningful practice.)
Kingdom Practice
This week, let’s continue our experiments together. Make some time to consider how our practice might give insight into your experiment and the groan of creation which echoes loudly in your life. And since we are crafting our experiments week to week, reflect on what practice step you might take this week.
If you have not yet crafted an experiment, it’s not too late! You can download a copy of the handout, and engage the teaching/practice from the first week (above). Remember that we experiment in community. If you are not a part of a Practice Table, we encourage you to either form a group with which you can check in weekly, or let us know and we will include you in a group. Whether you form a group yourself or want to join ours, let us know, so we can suport you on the journey.
Week 4: Poverty
This week, Andy King from the Dream Center Peoria invited us to consider how we might listen to those impacted by the groans of creation we have identified.
Kingdom Practice
In this final week of our experiments, let’s continue payingh attention to how God is inviting us to respond. How might we move closer to those impacted buy the groan that echoes loudly in our lives. How can we listen to them and serve them?
This week we had some complications with the
livestream, and unfortunately it is unavailable.
Additional Resources
The Active Life by Parker Palmer
The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen
The Call by Os Guinness
What Makes You Come Alive by Lerita Coleman Brown
Invitation to a Journey by Robert Mulholland
Unfettered by Mandy Smith
Inner Compass by Margret Silf
Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge
So I Send You/Workmen of God by Oswald Chambers
If you have a story to share about how you have been encountering God in this season, we would love to hear it!
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