Front Porch Perspectives

Tonight, we held our second Front Porch Bible Study which is, as the name implies, a Bible study on our front porch. 10 neighborhood teens, 3 of whom have never been to CityView, and a number of Shoreway leaders attended. We discussed what it means to be “living dead” - physically alive people who are spiritually dead apart from Christ’s work in and through the gospel. Following the study, a time of fellowship naturally occurred and included snow cones, PB&J, conversations, card games, and even more teens (thank God for a large parking lot to allow for social distancing). 

From my limited and earthly perspective, this evening was a success. It would be easy to walk away and think “We really are doing something right. 10 teens willingly attended a Bible study. We got this!” But this viewpoint wrongly inflates our role and limits the ability to see the fullness of God’s hand at work. 

This evening was what it was because God called His church to be generous, they (many of you reading this) obeyed, and He orchestrated something bigger than anyone of us imagined. To those passing by, it probably seemed like a chaotic, hodge-podge of people and items. But to God, it was His masterpiece forged through His body’s obedience and love for one another. We sat on chairs and couches donated by sister churches, watched videos on a TV sent by a member at a local church, ate snow cones from a donated machine and PB&Js supplied by people over an hour away, played on a gifted Xbox, and hung out on land owned by the Church of the Nazarene. Truly, this mission does not belong to us or CityView, it belongs to the Kingdom. 

Ephesians 4:16, NLT He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.