Everyone loves and needs encouragement.  Who wouldn't want to be appreciated and honored?  Who wouldn't want to hear people are grateful for the fruit of our labor?  As we continue to pray about who God wants our MC Group to bless, here are some thoughts to consider.

Mike Breen, one of the pioneers of the Missional Community concept posted the following on his blog:

Jesus teaches us about the idea of People of Peace in Luke 10:1-11 (centered around verse 6).  A very brief summary would show us that a Person of Peace is someone who:

• Welcomes you
• Receives you (and, unknowingly, Jesus in you)
• Serves you
• You mutually connect with
• Opens doorways into their network of relationships
• Consequently, you intentionally prioritize your friendship with them.

My unsophisticated summary for all this is, ‘They like you and you like them’!

OK, it is not always totally that black and white, but that is a very good starting point.  The principle Jesus teaches us is that the fields are so white for harvest that we should start with the easiest pickings first.  Those will be different for different people, which should mean that if everyone plays their part, the whole field will be harvested!

Your role is to work out where you are meant to be focusing at this time.  Essentially, Jesus asks:

-  Where do you have favor?
-  Who is already responding positively to you?
-  Where do you think you will easily connect and impact lives?

Therefore, as you are thinking about where you should be witnessing and planting a Missional Community, a key indicator is, where are your People (or Person) of Peace?

Who do you know that welcomes you, serves you, connects with you, and may open doorways into their network of relationships? 

Do you have a positive relationship with someone who works in a "serving" occupation?

Do you have a positive relationship with someone who works in an under-appreciated occupation?

What an awesome privilege and joy it is to extend God's Hand of love and blessing to others! 

I can't wait to see who Jesus leads us to bless and how He leads us to bless them!

Keep praying!  We may know as early as Wednesday night!

Hebrews 10: 24,25

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Welcome to our Shoreland MC Group Blog!  I will be using this space to offer Scripture, teaching, prayer and thoughts about the whole idea of "community with a purpose".  It is my hope that we will be able to stay connected and continue to seek God together about our mission of being a blessing to a segment of our community.

In a sense, we are living out the call the author of Hebrews is making in Hebrews 10: 24,25.  Now, as we ask the Holy Spirit to show us who we should bless, we are indeed considering how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  It is awesome to think about how loved and encouraged those we bless will feel by our "good deeds".  We will continue to meet (not give up meeting as some are in the habit of doing) and encourage one another as we plan our blessing through the leading of the Holy Spirit.  

I will let you know of future posts by email initially, but the easiest way to keep up to date with our blog is to follow!

Have a great day on this beautiful Friday. Today is yet another opportunity for each of us to love God, love people, and serve both!