As we discussed from the beginning at Indy Metro and during the 40 Days of Prayer specifically, we’ve always been a church for the whole city. Both during our 40 Days of Prayer as a pastoral team and reviewing the many responses we received from the Indy Metro community, it became clear that we are to move forward increasing our commitment to Indy’s eastside.

With great passion and a shared burden by many we are moving forward in faith! The pastoral leadership has begun to make plans towards increasing our emphasis on Indy’s east side initially focused on Community Heights, Emerson Heights, Little Flower, and Irvington.

We want to answer the very basic questions of how we currently are planning to move forward. How will Indy Metro move to expand our presence on the eastside?

The east side needs to see the church in action through SMALL acts of service with a LARGE amount of love! The people of Indy Metro committing to specific acts of service together to be visible servants of the east side’s multi-generational multi-ethnic community. Beginning January 2010, through engaging local artists, serving families and marginalized residents we will serve together as a church. We encourage everyone at Indy Metro, whether residents of the eastside or not, to consider being involved in some form. For our friends online, I certainly hope you will begin to follow us and consider how to support as well.

Establishing a Sunday evening weekly public gathering by Easter, April 4^th, 2010 will be a critical component of expanding our presence on the east side. Our first Sunday evening gathering will be Sunday, January 10^th with location to be determined. Initially, we will be focused on simply building our relationships together as a CityGroup through learning, playing, and serving together on the eastside.

For people who want to be involved on the eastside with Indy Metro what is your next step?

1. Cultivate your spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and meditating on Scripture. Our commitment to corporate prayer and fasting must continue as a house of prayer of the Lord. Please begin to pray for clarity on how to serve, seeking a potential weekly gathering, identifying the needed resources to prepare the way and provide the needed discipling for the team, and for the Lord to cultivate the hearts of people far from Him to be open to the Gospel.
2. Identify yourself to the pastoral leadership before the end of the year. No secret servants, but instead we are establishing the initial team to prepare together. Our desire is to identify 20-25 people who will focus to Indy Metro’s eastside presence in January 2010. If you’re genuinely committed to the east side movement and want to be an intricate part of it please let me know directly. Contact me at aaron@indymetro.org to confirm your commitment or share questions you may have still as we move forward.

Regardless of your own personal involvement, perhaps you know a small business owner, resident, or someone with roots in or near the eastside communities we’re focused on who doesn’t have a church family already. Pray and consider how you might make people aware of Indy Metro’s eastside commitment in January 2010.

If you are passionate about this movement I invite you’re responsive posts. What are your thoughts?

Recently, I started a teaching series at Indy Metro Church in the Book of Ruth. Both a drama and love story, the Book of Ruth is a literary masterpiece. While this is perhaps the most well told story of the overarching purpose of redemption, this takes place in a messy time period in the history of the Lord’s people.

Overall, this is a message of hope during the times of uncertainty! However, one truth which became evident to me from the first few verses is a cycle that can take place in the believer who becomes disconnected from relationships both in and outside of the church.

As the story goes, Elimelek (quite a name, huh?) moved his family into Moab in response to a great famine which had struck Bethlehem. Living in Moab, they were quite potentially the only believers in the land of people living among people who we’re considered enemies of the Israelites.  

While this appears on a minor act, it turned out to be quite detrimental to the whole family. Larger than that though is the cycle which occurs that is truly a universal truth.

Regardless of your life stage, age, ethnicity, or economic standard of living this cycle applies. This pattern of sin unfolds:  Sins of omission lead to isolation which often leads to sins of commission. This is the cycle of sin

• Sins of omission- For the follower of Christ to not being obedient the essentials of the Christian faith that the Lord clear which will lead you into deeper relationship with the Lord. Simply stated, omitting the actions that the believer knows will lead you closer to the Lord can be sin.
• Most often omission leads to isolation- To not do what you know you need to do as a Christ follower usually leads you to directly to sins of commission but often starts with being in place of isolation. Either perceived isolation (“no one understands this”) or actual separation from people. And to say you can walk with the Lord alone, don’t need a church family, etc. is foolish and only leads you to isolation.
• Isolation nearly always leads to sins of commission- Sins of commission as a believer involve direct rejection of the commands, decrees, etc you know you to be true. It comes in either outright rebellion or passive aggressive rejection. Nothing good comes from allowing oneself to be isolated for any period of time.

I’ve seen this cycle work through hundreds of times in the lives of Christians and seeing in the characters from the Book of Ruth reminded me on the dangers of this cycle for each of us as followers of Christ. Rejecting the commandments and convictions of the Lord when things look impossible will never remedy your situation. It may temporarily remove you from the pain but it will not draw you closer to the Lord.

Elimelek’s sins of omission led his family into isolation and vulnerable, while his sons sinned (married Moabite women). All the men died, leaving Naomi, Orphah, & Ruth in worst situation possible, broke, widowed and isolated. There wasn’t a worse situation to be placed in!

Though tempted to turn from faith when facing life’s challenges, this only leads to isolation and usually to making decisions which only lead to large problems.  

 “The majority of us begin with the bigger problems outside and forget the one inside. A man has to learn the plague of his own heart before his own problems can be solved.” –Oswald Chambers.

Our journey is first a spiritual journey which require taking the steps to maintain a relationship with the Lord, often while facing insurmountable problems.

This past August, I and 10 others made the first trip for Indy Metro Church from Indianapolis to Magdelana, Guatemala. What birthed out of this exploratory trip was a 3 year commitment of Indy Metro Church to the people of this village.

One of the exciting partnerships I am personally most excited about is our commitment to a local small art school in the village which currently has 18 students for 2 hours a day. Carlos Lopez, the director of the school, started it 3 years ago to bring hope to the community and teach children the arts. In his own words he, “has been praying for God to send resources to expand.” It was humbling for me to realize such a great opportunity for our church.

As a church committed to the arts community here in Indianapolis, we believe this is a natural extension for Indy Metro. On the first trip was local Indianapolis artist and friend, Casey Jo Allies. From the paintings we returned with from the children in the art school and Casey Jo’s own photography, she pulled together the Five Days in Guatemala display in October.

Five Days in Guatemala is an extraordinary art exhibition of  her journey. Casey Jo will not only be showing her photographs from the trip, but also 35 paintings created by the local children. Each painting sold will go back to help support the education and families in this village. Casey Jo’s work can also be seen this month at the Garfield Park Art Center, where she won the best in show award for the Midwest National Abstract Art Exhibition.

Although you may have missed the open house on First Friday, October 2nd, the works remain for the entire month in the ArtSpace at the Athenaeum on 401 East Michigan. The images are very powerful and may prompt you to want to join us in one of our 4 planned trips in 2010!

Lately, I’ve been thinking more specifically about the lifestyle of following Jesus Christ I adhere to as a disciple, and the calling I’ve surrendered to in making disciples of Him. What is a disciple of Jesus Christ?

I’ve come to a simplified Scriptural understanding of a disciple: Someone that publically and privately lives according to the Great Commandment, while living out the Great Commission for God’s glory in everything they do (1 Corinthians 10:31), ALL in response to God’s mercy as the motive not guilt, works based Christianity or religion, etc (Romans 12:1-2).

Reflecting on this caused me to reflect over my journey. When I was hired into the full-time vocational ministry, I wasn’t personally discipling anyone consistently (nor had I ever), wasn’t living as a witness of Jesus Christ to anyone (word or deed) consistently, nor was I loving my neighbor (no matter how you defined who my neighbor was). And truth be told, in the little efforts I had put forth ended up “making disciples” of Aaron and not Jesus. And to think I was supposed to be a public example for other Christians of a disciple in a local church? OUCH!

Obviously, the Lord found use for me , but so much wasted time as I focused to run church programs and not building people first.

Understand, that answering this question about what is a disciple is truly the main thing in our Christian faith! Initially, being a Christian was an accusation based on a lifestyle so counter to culture and committed to modeling what Jesus Christ. We don’t see different levels of the Christian, a disciple of Christ, from the Scripture. There is one standard we are held to as people who publically proclaim ourselves as Christians. What we see in much of Christianity today is legalistic external lifestyle management or the “sin patrol,” religious people who call themselves Christians, or settling completely for less and simply “going to church.”

At Indy Metro Church, we are seeking to redefine what the “the norm” of what both the church and the Christian (a disciple) are to be in our beautiful city. While Acts 2:42-47 describes what happens mostly inside the Christian community in broader public, Acts 11:19-30 describes best what should be happening publically, corporately, outwardly. Both texts provide a great contrast for our modern understanding of what we see being a disciple is around us. Hard swallow to see that as “the norm” based on what we see a disciple to be.

So my encouragement for you is to consider, if you call yourselves a Christian, does your lifestyle mirror His? Ask the hard questions. Are you a disciple of Christ or just attending some “religious” events? How will you know the difference? It is a journey. God’s grace has covered my journey, administered through many people over the years.

Last Sunday the local church I’m a part of, Indy Metro, hosted another gathering at the Barton Tower. We have been hosting a monthly outreach of love to be Jesus in very practical ways in this urban Indianapolis government housing complex.

Last month (see blog post) was especially powerful and it always seems like I limit how God could possibly “top that.” I guess that explains my continual need to take God out of the box. Also, requires my continual confession of more, is bigger, is better, is more blessed thinking. As if God transforming the heart of one person serving or being served isnt’ enough.

Anywho, this past Sunday a handful of people come down from HC to serve with us. I am moved by the honest feedback from one of the young adults Ali, “I was surprised how open people really were. I got to know a woman named Megan.  Her willing personality made her very easy to talk to and get along with.  Right before the service, she asked if i’d sit with her.  Looking into her eyes I could see years of hurt and rejection.  I gratefully sat next to her.  When worship started everyone stood as they were told.  But Megan stayed sitting.  Holding the packet of papers with the worship lyrics on them, she grabbed my arm and whispered “I can’t stand, because I’m in a wheelchair, I have to sit and sing”.  My heart tugged at me to sit down with her.  I humbly replied “Can I sit with you? I don’t know the words and we could share the lyrics.”  Her face lit up with joy.  I don’t think anything is more rewarding than this.”

Last night IMC hosted a couple of great local artists and graduating Herron students. A quite enjoyable family friendly display developed by a good friend Lisa Kleindorfer and new a friend Brent Aldrich.

Rather than attempting to describe Constructed Realities read their own words…

Once upon a time in a not so faraway land;
Imagination ran free and glittered like sand.

The sun wore sunglasses and the moon was cheddar.
Brent Aldrich brought pie; Lisa Kleindorfer brought butter.

And everyone danced and laughed and did handstands;
For these constructed realities are better than clams.

A while ago I had the opportunity to sit with a young man after the Sunday AM at Indy Metro Church with lots of questions about following Jesus. It is always a joy of mine to listen to someone process questions of faith and probe deeper. He talked about a lot of honest struggles and took great steps towards embracing the Jesus of the Bible.

After we prayed together I gave him a hug. I was so  moved by the sincerity in his search I could think of nothing better to do for my new friend than extend my arms.

To be completely honest though, there was something else unique about him. He smelled really bad. I mean really bad. It was the kind of smell that transformed me and didn’t leave. As I went to lunch with my family and did some running around that day I thought of him quite frequently that day.

Last Sunday, I talked at IMC out the Gospel of John in the Bible. There is this story of all these religious nuts whom caught a woman in the act of adultery. They were so ready to judge her with stones in hand ready to throw….they were utterly surprised in the response of Jesus. Yet, the religious people of the day would prefer to condemn her from her poor choices that see Jesus intercede on her behalf and exhibit great mercy and grace.

It has dawned on me over the past few days in reflecting on this Bible story again that following Jesus truly means following in his actions. And one of those actions is placing ourselves in close enough proximity to in effect “smell” like the person whom Jesus is calling us to love.

The reality is for me today even I face a choice of whether I will only provide support from a distance, or throw stones, or will I get close enough with an attitude of love to truly be used as an instrument of Jesus?

Over the weekend at IMC I dove into a passage in which Jesus did the miracle of feeding the 5,000. A verse in the text Matthew 14:14 describes, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” I am amazed at the compassion of Jesus for people. I read it over and over again in the Gospels. Jesus had compassion on people. His heart was broken in the Scriptures and God’s heart stays broken now. His compassion for us and rejection of sin opened the door for me.

My most favorite part of our Sunday gathering wasn’t what I was able to share, but seeing a friend of mine share her heart as well. Two weeks ago I received this contact card from June and was moved as I read her comments, “I have been having a lot of problems with radiation.  I’ve had 15 treatments and have 23 more to go.  My journey has been long and hard, but praise to my God, He has helped me once again to love this trail of my life.  Please keep praying for me and I will also pray for all of you.  God bless you.” 

That alone is enough faith to move mountains, but I have gotten to know the heart of June over the past year at IMC. She is one of the most compassionate people I know! Her generous spirit and desire to pour herself out like a “drink offering” into others is well known. She has little for money and personal belongings but models what an active follower of Jesus Christ is called to be. I am moved by her example.

As a young leader, who spends time cultivating young leaders, I know this is something that can be taught but best if its caught. This is the kinda thing I want to see go viral in our movement.