City Life Starter

Background: We are going through a series on the values of our church. In order to help us think about these values, our City Life Houston Starter Team will answer questions related to each specific value. Let’s see how they do!

Authenticity

Tell us something that you are working through in your faith right now?

The beatitudes are amazing. If we ignore our post-enlightenment cultural lens as we read them, we learn that the highest reality (God and His Kingdom) rewards those that don’t tend to get rewarded in our earthly experience. The meek inherit the Earth? Really? Yeah. It’s simply too beautiful to not be true.

I feel really good about hungering for righteousness. Especially hungering for that guy’s righteousness. Not so much in this guy. This man needs more grace to hunger and thirst for his own righteousness.

More grace. I need it, and yet every day is a struggle to want it.

Generosity

When has someone’s generosity toward you or how you have been generous towards another changed how you see God?

In a tiny town in Kansas, when I was about to start seventh grade, my family was going through a difficult time. There were resignations, plans to move, scrounging for a job and a lease deposit. We were, in a strange series of events, offered the chance to move into the town funeral home, by the owner who lived in a neighboring town. We barely knew him. We stayed there for four years, and he never collected a cent from us, save for our helping out with some funeral operations from time-to-time.

Mr. Murdock, thank you. I’ve always been grateful to God for that miracle, but it was not to be without the Holy Spirit and that generosity working in you.

Excellence

(2 parts) What is one verse that has inspired your walk with God this year? Now, write the shortest reflection and application you can possibly do with the verse stated above.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” – Revelation 2:17 NKJV

Reflection:
Listen -> Overcome
Overcome -> Provision + Identity + Intimacy

Application:
Listen!

Creativity

Write a paragraph POEM using the words, City, Life, and Houston, but that makes no mention of the church.

City life always lifing on dopamine and cortisol
Isolation in crowds
I can’t hear myself thinking about how
Houston is hours away from
Life in the city of Houston
We have a problem
Save One that
By His Word
His Flesh
His Sweat
His Blood
His Life
His Reign
We’re lifing in the city
City of Love
City of God

Diversity

(2 part Question) Given that we have a diverse church as well as a diverse writing team, what stands out to you most about being a part of this team? Why should someone read what we write compared to other Christian blogs?

(One part answer) Ubiquity is boring.

Boldness

I’m not afraid to answer these 6 questions…

1) What’s something about your faith you used to be embarrassed to admit, but aren’t anymore?

Doubt. Belief is a fluid thing because it is based in our perception of reality. Doubt is the space between experience and understanding. It’s a temporary byproduct of the process of revelation.

I used to worry that expressing doubt meant I would be weak in faith. I worried that those more certain than me would ostracize me. I see now that doubt, when surrendered to God, leads us to truth. Truth is a lot better than certainty, a good reputation, or a crowd looking at you.

2) The one area of weakness in your writing?

Just one? Wow. Ok. … Deadlines?

3) Your favorite pizza topping is…?

Pickled red onion

4) What was the last thing you watched on your TV before answering this question?

Ted Lasso

5) You write the best when…(place and time?)

At or near or beyond a deadline.

6) If you had to choose a place to live outside of Houston, where would it be? (Has to be within the U.S.)

Somewhere with great hiking. Perhaps the Pacific Northwest. Though, if I lived there I would want to come here for the food.