Hokey religions and ancient weapons.

Last night was the dinner for the New Thing reproducing church team. Needless to say - information was flying. Some great and some very humbling. What caught me the most (worst) was this little tidbit. In 1900, there was one church for every 358 people. In 2004, that number has dropped, or risen, based on how you look at it, to one church for every 909 people. That's not very good. Being that stuffed, we can see how people can feel forgotten in the body of Christ, ultimately turning away. Then Aaron Monts talked about the San Francisco project and the desire to plant a church in a city where 99% do not attend church. Stuffed?? How about empty? There is a city crying out for a need. And that need must start somewhere.

Anyhow - what is the world does this blog subject have to do with the dinner? Well, I am sitting with John and Carrie Larson, Carrie's sister Lena, and a couple they knew, Scott and Dani. (Side note - I stink with names, so +5 to me remembering them). Well, we are sitting there and Dave Ferguson sees me, comes over, hits me on the arm, offers his hand for greeting and says "JediJeff, how you doing?" Do you see that??? Dave doesn't greet me by name - he greets me by nickname. Here is the head of my church, a church highly regarded in the US, and he knows me on a personal level. That's what I love about being here... not just CCC, but God's Kingdom. When you are in it, you are in it and good. And trust me - I'm no great and wonderful person. I have flaws. Big time flaws. But people here still see something in me they like, and want to be a friend to me.


Then again - Tim Sutherland is a pastor here. Maybe we're just a church started by Bellevue escapees.