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This daily post is designed to help you live into our New Room Society covenant of practicing daily prayer together. Below is this week’s theme and daily practice.
Week 16: Practicality
Methodists are known for their no-nonsense, boots-on-the-ground practicality. Will this be a hallmark of your ministry? How will you teach it?
“So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16, The Message (MSG)
Methodist founding father John Wesley wasn’t big on publishing theological volumes. He was a highly practical man. This worked out well given the particular challenges of the North American frontier in the 18th century.
In essence, when something or someone is “practical,” they are grounded in doing (or practicing) rather than thinking of, talking about, or studying about doing. Practice over theory. Action over consideration of action. Raw, unfiltered experience over safe, curated research.
You’ve spent an enormous amount of time in study getting to this point in your ministry. If you were to give yourself a score from one (I’m deeply in study mode) to 10 (I’m in action mode), where are you as you transition deeply into your new faith community?
How hard will it be for you to shift into a higher mode of practice, rather than study? Why will that be a challenge?
How will you reassure your new leaders that they too, must find a balance between study and practice?
Sunday: Hands and feet of Jesus
“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582)
Let this quote from a Carmelite nun be the starting point for your silence before God today. Then share the quote, and any insights that are helpful, with your new faith community leaders.