Dream Awakener

Painting by Asian artist He Qi

A guest post by Geoff Maddock

While serving with others in Lexington, KY as a ham-fisted midwife to a small community of Jesus-people, I have become increasingly fascinated with the amazing work God is doing outside the church – the reality of the Kingdom on earth.  I was raised in the church and have a deep and abiding love for the people who have lived this good news down to me.  I know and believe the church is an instrument of grace, ordained and inspired to articulate the message of Jesus.  I am glad to have witnessed great (not big, but great) evidence of God’s Kingdom coming in church circles and networks.

But I am also glad to see that God hasn’t put all her eggs in one basket.  The scriptures are dotted with instances of Holy love and justice bursting onto the world stage through unlikely agents – see Ruth, Zacchaus, Melchizadek just for a start.  Probably the most famous character who was an outsider to the “religious people” is the Good Samaritan.

Who doesn’t know this story?  It is one of the most familiar narratives in our culture.  It is right up there with the little engine that could and the race between the tortoise and the hare.  But, what of it?  It is my contention that just as our good works can be held in captivity by the story of the Good Samaritan so too can the Church (including the emerging, missional and new monastic expressions) inhibit our imaginings about what God is up to in the world.

I will explain more in the next post.

Geoff makes his home in Lexington, KY, with his wife Sherry and their son Isaac. They work together to serve as missionaries, share in the life of their intentional community (communality), get jobs to pay the bills, and conspire with anyone longing for the love and justice Jesus embodies. Geoff and Sherry also share and learn with Forge America to help others develop the awareness and grace needed for mission in the Western context.