For 5 months I have been developing a relational foundation in Uptown.  I love my community and am honored to be getting to know wonderful people.

Reluctantly (for fear of getting caught up in "programing" things) I have begun to spread the word about a "space" I can offer for people who wanted to have conversations about Jesus.  People who don't know Jesus, people who have lost touch with their faith in Jesus or people who are clinging to Jesus every day.

The first week - no one came.  Disappointing? Sure. But I had nothing to lose to come back again this week.  Offering "space" and conversation is not a big sacrifice. 

This morning 11 of us gathered with pastries and coffee and had a good hour and half conversation about Jesus.

As we went around and shared our initial thoughts about Jesus, it was clear that each of the 11 of us have come from different places and different experiences of Jesus.  It was a beautiful learning experience.  I LOVE to see how Christ has weaved himself through individual life journeys.  One guy talked about experiencing Jesus in a tornado in FL while in the penitentiary.  Another guy talked about associating Jesus with the cross and hearing that God is love - hoping that if God is a God of love, He would also be a God of forgiveness.

Our conversation after that was centered around the first 17 verses in the New Testament.  That's the genealogy of Jesus.  You might think I'm crazy to begin a weekly conversation time centered around the most boring passage in the New Testament, but it proved to be deeply thought provoking, and hopefully provided some freedom for all of us as we considered our own dysfunctional family trees!

If the skeletons in Jesus' family closet set the stage for the entire New Testament - then I hope we can find courage to shed some light on the skeletons in our family closets and allow the Holy Spirit to bring freedom and healing to the generations impacted by scandal, dysfunction, betrayal and all the other shameful things we typically try to hide in our families.

The reality is our family trees do look a LOT like Jesus'.  Prostitution, interratial/interreligious marriage, deception, betrayal, murder, scandal and shame.

I'm writing this note with a bit of awkwardness.  I had intended not to talk about this "conversations about Jesus" because I don't want to glamorize an "event".  However, after this morning - after hearing how God is working in the lives of the precious people in this community - I'm not sure it's not my pride that's holding me back.

Caution is a good thing - and I thank God for the last 5 months of patient relationship building.  But if I allow caution to keep me from stepping out and offering something as simple as "space" that can encourage the very soul fiber of the men and women in this community - I'm a thief.  I'm also not using my leadership to help raise up a community that pastors itself!  THAT is a KEY goal - to see those in this community who follow Jesus to take on the mission of Jesus in this community.  I cannot do that by playing cards alone.  there must be some intentionality.

I loved one of the first questions right after we sat down that one man asked; "So Sher, what are we doing here? Are we trying to START something?" I believe there might be a group in this community ready to see God move in a way they have not seen.  I told him that God is free to start something, and we will follow His lead in this community in whatever expression He guides us in!

It's an exciting day in my life.  I know whatever we're on the brink of isn't guaranteed to be "successful" or easy.... but today I met with some men and women who are experiencing God working in their hearts and lives.  So today I am celebrating THAT!!

And with humble caution, we will continue to step forward and pray to be vessels of Jesus to this community!