Course adjustment

However I sense in my spirit that this is part of a bigger, deeper, much needed “course adjustment” God is working out for our church which will include a revamping of our leadership and recalibration of how we go about our mission.  I have a feeling that what may appear to be a big step backward for us is actually God’s grace working among us.

The Bible calls this pruning. Although very uncomfortable and at times painful, it’s necessary for continued wellbeing and growth of individuals as well as for entire church communities. Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit.” (John 15:1-2, CEV)

Rather than this being a setback it’s the Lord’s way of positioning and freeing us to be able to take big bold steps forward in the days ahead. I truly believe this. I feel it in my bones and I know some of you have been sensing this as well.

Great anticipation

I have to be honest with you, I’m a bit anxious but I’m mostly excited. Losing the office is not a setback it’s an opportunity! Like I said, I’m sensing God is making a course adjustment, which for some will feel like a new direction but it’s not. Our finances and the loss of a significant number of core members over the last year or so has taken some of the steam out of our engine and now we need to refuel and get out the map again and see where we’re going. So I’m pressing the “pause” button to take time out to seek the Lord together as a community at this important juncture. God has gotten our attention with this office business. Now we dare not move unless God speaks and gives us direction.

A rooftop gathering

In light of this I’m calling for a rooftop prayer and worship gathering on Thursday evening, August 12th from 7:30 – 9:30pm, where we can look out over the neighborhood and ask the Lord to use us in new and exciting ways. I’m confident that he has terrific plans for us and that we just need to get a fresh perspective to get moving again. I excited to see what the Lord will begin showing us and do if together we’ll seek his face, be honest about our shortcomings and start asking some new questions.

If you attend our church I cannot stress the importance of your presence at this gathering is. This will be an key moment in the life of our church and you need to be there. Please clear your calendars, arrange baby-sitting, bring your child if you’d like. I just ask that you give it your best effort to attend.

In His service,

Mike T

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Subversion

We’ve just begun a new sermon series on the Parables. Jesus was a master at subversion. He appeared harmless enough – A carpenter from the backwoods of Galilee turned itinerate rabbi. At first glance he seemed ordinary but a closer look revealed more, much more. Below the surface, hidden from plain view he was starting a revolution whereby one kingdom would be thrown out and another put in its place; a kingdom that was much more livable than the present one. And he would do this without the means of military force or democratic elections. He would act subversively. Working from the inside out. Capturing and changing human hearts which eventually, like a growing seed or a bit of yeast in dough, would influence and change the whole culture.

One of Jesus’ favorite tools of subversion were parables. They were casual, rather ordinary stories about familiar everyday life. Theyweren’t overtly about God so there was nothing threatening about them. His audience could relax and listen with an open mind. They were free to think, wonder, and use their imaginations… And then without warning, like a booby trap setting off in their unprotected hearts, they suddenly would realize, “Oh my gosh, he’s talking about God… he’s talking about me!” They had been subverted. They had been invaded. The revolution had begun in them!

My life

I want to be a subversive. A kingdom of God subversive. I want to be part of a subversive community. I want to be a living parable. I want God to use my life to bring his revolution to the people around me. Not in an in your face, you-better- listen-to-me-I-know-what’s-best, sort of way that turns off so many people today. No, I want to be a subversive; subtle like a parable. I want to be a regular person as far as everyone else can see. Not having anything weird or threatening about me. I don’t want to make a big religious hell, fire and brimstone commotion. I want to work quietly, hiddenly, and patiently doing the small things, carrying subtle messages, planting seeds, pointing people towards something more, something better. Naturally supernatural, like parables.

I want my life to have the strange, subversive attractionthat Jesus’ parables had. I want to carry around the love, justice and beauty of God’s kingdom wherever I go, changing the mood a little bit towards belief and hope. Helping people to honestly think about God and use their imaginations when considering his kingdom. Letting God use my small, sacrificial, subversive acts of kindness to slip his love past their defenses in order to perform its subversive work in their hearts.

…Just  something I’ve been thinking about that I thought you might want to consider for yourself. See you Sunday. I’ll be talking about the subversive story Jesus told the time a woman with a rather questionable reputation anointed him with her tears.

See you Sunday,
Mike T

Over the last few Sundays we’ve been going through a series of sermons we’ve called, “Faith In The Face Of Suffering”. Someone said that a faith that only works when things are going good and doesn’t help us when times are bad is not worth holding on to. So we’ve been exploring a faith in God that helps us “suffer well” and found that it looks like Jesus. We’ve seen that when our trust in God allows us to respond to adversity like Jesus would or when we allow it to make us more like him, it can be said that we’re suffering well.

Suffering can be an isolating and lonely experience. And it’s easy to make the mistake of facing it alone. But this coming Sunday our final talk is going to be on how suffering well means suffering together as a believing community. You won’t want to miss this one. I think it’s going to be really helpful.

Suffering well as worship?

The topic of faith in the face of suffering is a big one and we’ve only been able to scratch the surface. Hopefully it’s given you a broader more hopeful perspective that will serve you well the next time you face tough times (by the way if you’ve missed any of the talks they’re on our website). But I had one more quick thought that I wanted to share with you on the subject… the idea that suffering well is worship. It goes like this…

Ultimately suffering well is a matter of surrendering ourselves and our painful situation to God.  It means offering ourselves to God as ‘living sacrifices’. Being willing to entrust ourselves to his will, oversight and care. This kind of surrender is the very essence of worship. When we respond to suffering his way rather than our way; when we depend on his grace rather than on our own strength to eliminate it or endure it, it becomes true worship.

I bet few of you have ever thought of suffering well as worship but it is. By responding in a worshipful way, suffering becomes a pathway to  experiencing God’s grace in deeper more meaningful ways as well as providing a means of becoming more like Jesus Christ himself. Worship is a lifestyle of surrender and service to God. When we put our lives at his disposal, even suffering and pain can become opportunities for God to bring his kingdom to us and to those around us.

See you Sunday,
Mike T

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Anyone is invited to have a free hot dog, $1 PBR (for those over 21) & hang out.

Our goal is to meet more people around, be hospitable & get word out about church at the Trash Bar. So come, hangout. Word is there will be some live music on the street too.

If you’re interested in helping us put this on, please contact Mike Turrigiano (miket@nycvineyard.org).

Mike & Brendon will be talking about our perspective on God, how to suffer well, dealing with disappointment & the wrongdoing of others, how to even celebrate in suffering.

Our hope is that this series will provide pastoral help because all of us meet suffering at different points in life.

Join us Sunday morning and/or evenings as we explore these topics through June!

We call them the “Core” because they are the foundation of our church community. Twice a year they’re invited to share a meal and to hear reports on church business as well as help brainstorm issues that our leadership is grappling with. The following is the vision talk pastor Mike gave to the group that evening…

Something precious

I want to remind us all of the preciousness of what God has given us as a community that we’ve found worth committing to and sacrificing for. We have something wonderful that shouldn’t be taken for granted because unfortunately it’s in short supply in many Christian circles today. When I think of it I’m reminded of a story found in the gospels…

Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?”

Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” (Matthew 9:10-13, The Message)

A community gift

God’s made us “connectors”. We connect well with one another and with outsiders – those that are far away from mainstream Christian religion. For whatever reason we don’t scare away people that have written-off Christianity or who themselves have been written-off by the church. People that are far away or have been wounded by the Church. That’s what I see in Jesus in this passage I just read. He went after and connected well with outsiders. In fact some of you here tonight were outsiders at one time and if it weren’t for our church community you wouldn’t be following Jesus like you are today.
I believe God has given us a gift that helps us connect well with outsiders by simply building relationships and including them in our community. We’re good at making people feel at home and at making friends.  God has helped us create a safe and welcoming environment where people can come just as they are and move towards Jesus at their own speed without fear of rejection because they don’t measure up or toe the religion line.

I look around this room and I see individuals that are uniquely fit to exercise this gift and connect with outsiders because many of you have been outsiders yourselves (maybe still are). You know what its like. You know how it feels. And you know how wonderful it is to be welcomed home.

And because of this gift it’s not unusual to find individuals among us who belong before they actually believe. Jesus was like that… We might take this for granted because we’ve gotten used to it but sad to say, this is not something that goes on in every church. This is a gift that, can I dare say, is unique and that the Lord wants us to be good stewards of… he wants us to cherish it, nourish it as well as celebrate it.

A prophetic word

Years ago, a prophet spoke over Char and I and said in essence that we would lead a community of believers “out of the box and off the map” – away from the mainstream of Christian religion, beyond the borders of the traditional church, going against the current of pop Christian culture, in uncomfortable, unsafe territory, outside the camp where the outsiders are. Like Jesus did at Matthew’s party. I believe that we are that community, this is the time and this is the place for this prophecy to be fulfilled.

There is something challenging and exciting about being an ‘out of the box and off the map community’. It’s very appealing and  invigorating. But it comes at a price. The very unique nature of how we connect and who we connect with, makes this hard – spiritually hard, emotionally hard, logistically hard, communally hard, financially hard – Hard but not impossible or harmful. Actually I think it’s spiritually beneficial. However it does require unusual commitment, dedication and conviction. And I have seen that commitment, dedication and conviction it in you here tonight. That’s why you’re here.

Just what we need

There’s something precious and special about our church community but at the moment it’s very fragile and at risk… What can we do? In order to climb out of this we need to strengthen our Core – thefoundation of our community. We need to attract and develop more people like you. People willing to buy in and take ownership of this special mission we have. People willing to become partners in this endeavor: committing to showing up regularly not just occasionally, willing to give generously and at times sacrificially because they believe what we’re doing is God’s business, and who will help shoulder the responsibility to lead and to serve faithfully despite their own busyness and inconvenience. More people like you.

You’ve found what we share together here in the NBV so important and valuable that you’ve made an investment of your time, energy and money. Thank you. You represent the cream of the crop. We need more people like you. Now how do we get them?

Americans have always had a thing about happiness. We all have certain unalienable rights declares our Declaration of Independence. Among them, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

So then, a couple of centuries into the chase, how are we doing? Alas, only so-so. A recent Pew Research Center survey showed that just a third (34%) of adults in this country say their very happy. Another half say they are pretty happy and 15% consider themselves not too happy.

Church and happiness

It seems some of us are happier than others. Not surprising the same survey showed that frequent churchgoers are happier than those who don’t.  People who attend church weekly or more often are happier than are those attending less often. Those who seldom or never attend services are the least likely to say they are very happy.

Well most any pastor worth his salt could’ve told you that.  After 30 plus years of pastoring I’ve found that people who attend church regularly feel more supported in life and have more meaningful relationships than those who don’t.  In line with that, frequent churchgoers seem to do better with the uncertainties of life or when ambused by unexpected crises. Couples that attend regularly seem to manage the rough patches in their marriages and aren’t as easily overwhelmed by the challenges of parenthood than those that don’t attend regularly. And I’ve found that people who are at church more often than not to be more spiritually vibrant and way more mature than those who aren’t. They are generally more joyful and upbeat and less likely to fall into deep, extended emotional funks compared to those that attend sporadically.

Interestingly they show up regularly not because it’s any easier or convenient for them than those that only attend now and then.  It’s not. When asked, most say they find the benefits of showing up and participating well worth the effort and outweigh the sacrifices they make getting to church on Sundays. They often speak of it as a ‘good habit’ they’re glad they’ve developed. They say their happier and better off because of it, not to mention feeling closer to God.

Plugged in?

How about you? A lot of you guys have been staying away from church lately. Honestly, how’s that working for you? How are things going between you and God? If not so good maybe you’re feeling the effects of being away.

The church is the local Body of Christ. I’m not talking about a building but the community of fellow believers is the place God does most of his work in our lives. As imperfect as it may be or as difficult as it might be to show up and participate in, the local church remains God’s only way to live the life Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead to give you. Many of you reading this need to seriously consider developing the good habit of regular church attendance. Or if in recent times you’ve fallen off for whatever reason, climb back on the fellowship wagon. You won’t be sorry.

If you’ve been away there’s some things going on at church that you might find helpful to get you in the swing of things again. For whatever reason Sundays might not be your thing right now. We’re gearing-up for our summer small group semester right now. Why not check one out. It’s a good way to get your feet wet again. We’re also having a Wine & Cheese party on the 14th in the Down Under Room at our office. This would be a great no-stress way to reconnect with friends while having a relaxing and enjoyable evening socializing.  Or maybe you just want to just show up this Sunday and get a fresh start. Just remember what the writer of the Letter to the Hebrew Christians wrote:

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Hope to see ya around
Mike T

Unstoppable

The Church has not just held on, it has thrived in the most adverse circumstances. In 1966 the Communists in China closed all the churches and outlawed Christianity. All looked lost. But alas, ten years later, far from being wiped out, the Church had flourished. It couldn’t be stopped. Closed off from the outside world, the number of Christians swelled to fifteen million. The number of churches had grown to 40,000!

What makes the Church so unstoppable? The answer is the Life that flows through it. The Church is the living Body of Christ in the world today. It’s the community of the Holy Spirit – the very life of Jesus Christ gives animates and brings it to life today.

Irreplaceable

It’s the church at its most basic level – Christians living in community – that reveals its genius and strength. Where the Church yields to Christ’s leadership it’s given access to the power of his kingom here and now, defeating darkness, bringing life, love adn justice, spreading like some beautiful, unstoppable life-giving virus.

This powerful otherworldly life – the distinctive characteristic of Jesus himself – is most clearly demonstrated when we serve one another and the world around us. This is how the church becomes God’s answer to today’s problems.

I believe this was the secret of the church in China. When circumstances forced it to rely on the Holy Spirit and to care for one another and to serve their neighbors without the help of professionals, its membership was transformed into a priesthood that multipied the ministry thousands of times and advance the kingdom.

Let’s get it on

I believe that each one of our lives here in the NBV can take on eternal importance. I believe God has a place and a way for each one of you to make a difference because you’re part of an amazing and enduring worldwide community called the Church. You can start by simply getting on board here locally in our church. Commit to showing up regularly. That’s important. You can’t be a part and contribute if you’re not around. Make it a priority to be an active part. Discover and use your spiritual gifts in the service of our church, our neighborhoods, and to our world.

Our church leadership and I are committed to offering you practical help so together we can be the amazing Church Jesus had in mind. We’ve planned sermon series on subjects you’ll find practical and helpful such as: How to do the works of the kingdom; Finding and using your spiritual gifts; Learning spiritual survival skills for urban living and much more. You’ll also be given opportunities to begin putting this all to work by participating in projects that will serve our North Brooklyn neighbors in practical ways.

Leap Of Faith proved just how beneficial and exciting making a concerted effort and putting our faith to work together can be. So come on, let’s get on with the business of being the Church.

See you Sunday
Mike T

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I call this the “post-leap blues” and it doesn’t have to get the best of you. Even though Leap Of Faith is over the good things we learned and experienced don’t have to end.

After the leap

The things about the Leap that made your spiritual life alive and exciting for 40 days are things you can continue to apply everyday. You don’t need a program for good things like committing to going after God in a big way together and putting faith to work together and taking risks together and talking about it in our groups together and encouraging one another to stick with it when it gets hard and of course celebrating it together to happen. Aren’t these the things we can normally expect to happen when we commit to showing up regularly and participating wholeheartedly in the faith-life of a good Jesus community? Aren’t these the very things we shoot for every week here in the NBV?

Continuing on

The Leap was a success. I believe something new was sown into the life of our church that will remain, maybe not at the same level as during The Leap but to a greater level than before it. It could be faith in answered prayer, awareness of God’s love, commitment to praying for your six, commitment to involvement in our community, or all of the above. These things can continue and even grow.

We don’t have any big, formal follow-up plan in mind right now. To be honest, programs can get old and religious real fast. But for those of you who were particularly inspired by the Leap and are asking what’s next, the answer is found in God himself. He’s gotten your attention so why not pray and ask him if there’s any specific next step he’d have you take to keep the momentum going in your life and see what happens. I’m sure he has a way for you to keep the fire burning and avoid those post-Leap blues. Let me know what you end up doing and how it goes.

If you’d like to listen to a few more of my thoughts on life after the Leap, listen here: Post Leap of Faith

We plan on getting feedback from you  at our upcoming Core meeing in May so we can continue to build off of this and get the most out of this wonderful community experience we shared together. Plan on attending. We’d sure like to hear from you.

See you Sunday
Mike T