Tag Archive for 'Jim Henderson'

Words that drive me, “Is this what your Jesus told you to do?”

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on February 28, 2010
in Street to the Seat
. 0 Comments

These were the words Matt Casper asked me in the fall of 2007.  I will always be grateful to Matt for challenging me.  I hear them ringing in my ears each and every day of my life since.

Is this what your Jesus told you to do?

Probably the greatest question I’ve been asked in 15 years of being a pastor.  I really believe it is what fueled my desire to plant Hope Crossing Community Church with Pat Giraldin.

Here are 7 more things that have fueled me.

I wish church were:

1. not just a sermon, but a dialog & discussion

2. respectful of my intelligence

3. not about a building

4. less programming & more prayer

5. loving and safe place for all

6. carrying for the poor and the environment

7. a place where more Jesus was taught

These 7 things describe mine and Pat’s vision & mission for Hope Crossing Community Church in San Juan Capistrano, CA.  If this is who you are as well… come be a “mover” with us.  Jesus was about a movement … not an institution.  Jim Henderson & Matt Casper taught me that… be a mover with us.


“The people Jesus misses most” and “Is this what your Jesus told you to do.”

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on April 14, 2008
in B.E.L.O.N.G., Community and Connection
. 1 Comment

I’ve hi-jacked this phrase from Jim Henderson at Off the Map, “The People Jesus Misses Most“. When I pair that with Matt Casper’s phrase, “Is this what your Jesus told you to do” it causes me focus in on asking questions about creating organic community to use Joseph Myers terminology, that moves persons in the direction of Jesus.

I find myself asking more critical questions about why we do what we do the way we do it. A discussion this past weekend triggered me to ask myself even more questions about topics that Jim, Matt, and Joseph are speaking of.

I was reminded of, “the people Jesus misses most” when I proposed the question to some clergy of how their church might react to someone who enters their church with tattoos and piercings. When the clergy replied, “they wouldn’t be welcome”. Why not, I asked? The clergy replied, “they would feel out of place, our people wouldn’t know how to respond to them and people like that just don’t come to our churches.”

My response was, “then I wouldn’t be made to feel welcome would I, because I have 2 half-sleeve tattoos from my shoulders to my elbows”. You can imagine the facial response. I responded by saying, “Do you get my point”. We have put limits on who we feel comfortable with in our services, how we treat them, and our expectations of them. This goes way beyond tattoos and piercings to persons of different ethic backgrounds, mix race marriages, persons living a different lifestyle, persons with criminal records, and the list goes on.

That begs the question, if we are to focus on, “the people Jesus misses most” - (to clarify, I’m referring to persons who are not moving toward Jesus) - it has nothing to do with piercings or tattoos, then we most ask ourselves the question. Is what we are doing the way we are doing it, “what your Jesus told you to do”?

As you look at the week ahead critically evaluated what you are doing and ask yourself these two questions:

1. Does this address the needs of the people Jesus misses most?

2. Is this what my Jesus told me to do?

Discussion in East Texas with Pastor Kerry and “Is this what your Jesus told you to do?” brings mixed trains of thought.

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on March 3, 2008
in Street to the Seat
. 0 Comments

Our talk yesterday in North East Texas had several hundred in attendance and the response to the talk, “Is this what your Jesus told you to do?” came with mixed reviews. I would estimate that 50% of the crowd was right in the middle of understanding and evaluating their next steps to better engage their community and the other 50% of the crowd were probably a little uncomfortable with the discussion.

That’s OK…getting back to the basics of what Jesus asked us to do is right where we need to be.

It is interesting; however, how ones up bringing and culture affects ones interpretation of the bible. I’m finding the more I travel, engage different people and communities the more varied we are on what we perceive Jesus to be saying based on our current surroundings.

I recall from my seminar days Dr. Lee (New Testament Professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) reminding us to keep biblical content in context. A good reminder for us I think. When we begin to take scripture out of context we lose perspective on who Jesus was talking to and for what purpose.

Just a thought from my discovery this weekend.

Off the Map Live Conference - Day 2 Webcast with Kerry Mackey & Tony Steward

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on November 3, 2007
in Video Podcast
. 1 Comment

Tony and I summarize our full day of discussions and learnings during Off the Map Live.

Connection Ideas: Riders4Christ and In the Dirt