A BAD WORD?
Dear Reader,
Thanks for being a subscriber to The Three Taverns!
A BAD WORD?
There are certain words we use in our vocabulary that, to some, are like scraping your fingernails on a chalkboard.
"Moist" is listed as the most unpleasant word in the English vocabulary. I remember the first time someone told me they hate the sound of that word and I had never heard that. It made me laugh and then I heard it from other people as well.
Other people hate "bulbous" or "phlegm" or "gurgle" or "maggot" or "squirt."
In fact there are lists of words that people hate that are easy to find on the Internet.
One word that many people hate is the word "church."
To many people church is full of wonderful memories of stability, life-long friends, family togetherness, and spiritual teaching from people you could admire.
But for others church is full of painful memories of spiritual abuse, political maneuvering, rank hypocrisy and arguments over money and authority.
In God's mind, church was not supposed to be a "something" you added to an already busy life, an activity or an event. It was never about priests who lorded it over the people, who manipulated people for money and influence. It doesn't require ear-blasting music, electric light shows, laser beams, rah-rah sessions to rival a Tony Robbins meeting. Many times these very things keep you from diving deep and discovering the Life of the church within you, to discern between your soul and the Spirit.
"...when I came to proclaim to you God’s secret purpose, I did not come equipped with any brilliance of speech or intellect. You may as well know now that it was my secret determination to concentrate entirely on Jesus Christ and the fact of his death upon the cross. As a matter of fact, in myself I was feeling far from strong; I was nervous and rather shaky. What I said and preached had none of the attractiveness of the clever mind, but it was a demonstration of the power of the Spirit! Plainly God’s purpose was that your faith should not rest upon man’s cleverness but upon the power of God."
(I Cor. 2:1-5, Phillips)
The church was always simply about a Person living in and through His people. It is not a place at all, it is a family, a house made of human beings who let God live through them by His Spirit. In its purest reality the church is the Body of Jesus Christ on planet earth.
Church is a Person in plural form. Church is who we are, not where we go.
CHRIST IN CULLEOKA
Culleoka, TN is a beautiful community 10 minutes south of Columbia. Emily and I have been making friends here in this place and I have been pastoring/teaching at a small church called Sweetwater Church.
It is full of families with young children, with some young adults growing in the Lord, and a group of mature believers who encourage each other daily. It is a wonderful fellowship that we are growing to love.
We meet at 11:30am on Sunday mornings. I actually love the later time because it makes for a very relaxed Sunday morning! We meet in the Glendale United Methodist church building at 1423 Culleoka Hwy, Columbia TN.
Come join us as we learn to walk together as the body of Christ.
TAVERN TALKS TUESDAYS
Summer is a great time for Tavern Talks because a lot of the guys that do the school runs during the school year can join us! It is awesome to have these guys back with us even if for only a couple of months.
We are going to start hearing from some guys on their second round of sharing. Round one everyone tells their story, where they came from, how their life has taken shape, what has influenced them, how God has encountered them along the way.
Round two will be guys sharing “What God is Teaching Me In My Life Now.”
COMING UP:
June 17- Lance Welch- My Story
June 24- John Mathis- What God is Teaching Me
We look forward to every week together.
Tavern Talks is about our stories and God’s story. It’s not about perfect people with perfect stories but authentic working out this salvation in our lives.
Each Tuesday morning at 7am you will find two to three dozen men gathered to hear each other’s stories, to encourage one another, to teach scripture and pray together.
This gathering is at The Mission Cigar & Social in Spring Hill.
Bring your coffee, your Bible, Febreze if you go to the office after, an open mind and open heart. You can purchase a cigar as well to enjoy your first cigar of the day.
We are really grateful to Mark, Monte and Willie for opening up The Mission early each Tuesday and participating in Tavern Talks!
Looking Up!
Tod Bell
P.S.
