Serenity in June.

Last month I attended a surprise birthday party for my father. No, he'd never had a surprise party before. Yes, he was genuinely shocked. Quickly, here is what transpired. Except for my "gang," all of my other family members live within 40 min of each other. We had decided to meet at one of my father's favorite Tai restaurants to have a small birthday dinner together. What my Dad didn't know was that 50 of his good friends were going to be there to help him mark 60 years of living. So, with party hats, streamers, decorated tables, and a really big cake, we waited for the birthday boy to arrive. During this time, my Mom had to carefully direct a fella who is used to being in control. She was the one who had to play as if getting to the celebration wasn't a big deal, while making sure that they weren't too late or too early. She had to "handle" him without him knowing he was being handled. It ended up being a bit tricky.

Have you ever been led into something wonderful, surprising, and festive, all without even knowing what lay before you? Maybe it is like having children? (I'm trying to be really optimistic here - go with me.) You have a shadowy expectation of what parenthood, and loving your kid, might look like, or even feel like, but until you do it...WOW! The expectation isn't remotely comparable to the real thing. Anyway, my parents went into Ft. Walton Beach early to sort of piddle around. It was a Spring Break week so traffic was akin to homemade molasses, so slow and thick that it almost doesn't move. At 7:00 pm, all the partiers were in their place; hats on, paper horns ready to unroll and honk, waiting to throw down, but no birthday boy. At 7:10 - still no guest of honor.

At the same moment, miles away, my Dad is driving toward the restaurant; oblivious to the party that awaits him. He can't understand why it is my Mom seems a bit anxious and in more of a hurry than is warranted for the situation. "It's just the kids waiting, Honey. They'll be fine," he says, trying to alleviate some of her pent up frustration. Slowly they meander their way through the syrupy mix of combustible engines; my Mother urging a heavier foot, quicker turns, and yellow lights that really mean, "Speed up!"

Led. My Father was being led. O.k, maybe a bit uncautiously, but he was directed nonetheless, toward something wonderful, and he really had no idea. Just to finish, the party was great. My Dad was surprised, humbled, and grateful. I was glad to be there.

There are things going on in the circumstances of my life right now that seem closely parallel to that evening of the Birthday Surprise. They have to do with being led and parties. All around me - and even including me - people are being led into something wonderful, surprising, and festive, and we really have no idea what it will be like. Oh, there is an inkling, a shadow, of expectation, but until we are there it is just a hope. Led. We are being led to a party of sorts; although, in this instance the party isn't specifically for us, but for others too. Led. Led by God into a place, into a space, into a ministry that is quite unlike anything I've ever experienced before. (I've "churched" in a lot of ways and in a lot of places in the last 38 years - but never like I'm going to in a few weeks.)

On June 3rd a new church is going to be birthed. There is a whole lot that probably should be said about how the embryonic church got to this point, the impetus, the divine drawing together of principle characters, the specific recovery design for ministry it will have, but all I'm going to say is that all involved are being led.

So, one coming Saturday Night, on June 3rd, I'm going to stand up as a profoundly broken human and tell other lost, bent, hurting and dying humans, there is hope in and for this life. On June 3rd Serenity Church launches. The tag line we've been using over the past few months as we've discussed this baby, and move toward the big B-Day is: POWER FOR THE POWERLESS. It is a really exciting time.

Led. Led by God to do a new thing for Him. A thing that none of us could do without being led. This new party won't be celebrated with streamers or hats, but with worship and the Cross. It won't be just our close friends that swarm around the table to eat cake, but it will be the oppressed by life, the addicts, and abusers that unworthily slink toward communion with eyes and head hung low because of the shame they internalize. We are being led to minister in Jesus' name and in His power to those whose lives have spun out of control. I'm really clinging to Jesus' words in Lk 4 to lead us in making those words a reality.

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Led. I'm praying that just as He has led us to birth this desprately needed Serenity Church, He will lead those who need it to the party.

To see more of where God is leading a small group of Christians check out the website.
serenitychurch.net

Peace.