bittersweet evening...

Bittersweet. That is the word I would use to describe my evening tonight. We had the last single, large community group for our college ministry. It's been an incredible summer going through Christ's I AM statements in John, having intense small group time and praying together. God has grown the group, though, to the point that we have to split off and form another group. The house we are meeting in is becoming very tight, and not in the ghetto sense! People are being invited and we are growing more than we expected. That's a definite plus, but the downer is it feels like the relationships we've formed and strengthened....

Tonight was a good ending, though. We had a common meal, then broke into small groups, had the large group study and a short time of worship. It was extremely encouraging for me as a leader, and I think it was for those participating. We had intense discussion over some deep issues regarding God's love, Him pruning us and what it means for us to "abide" in Christ within a community of believers. The discussion was a mixture of deep talk, humor and questioning life and the circumstances we find ourselves in. What I love about it, though, is I'm not the one giving the answers. We answer each other's questions, meet each other's needs, and hug each other's next. Each person was both ministered to and a minister to another.

It's a blessing to have the need to split into small groups. It means a larger community. It means God is growing us and bringing more workers to this harvest field. It's exciting as we plan for this semester and make preparations for the direction God is leading. It is bitter in the fact that we have to split the group. It doesn't mean we cannot continue cultivating the community and relationships God has given us through it, though.

In looking at where God has taken us, we must look to where He is taking us. I guess we must remember the past fondly, live the present boldly and hope for the future passionately. I like that...I might have to put it on a bumper sticker. I'll put it next to the one that says, "In case of rapture, I owe Tim LaHaye a BIG apology!" Even in the bittersweet we can have humor and inspiration.

until Christ is formed in us...

--mike