verge

There's this electricity in the air. Some people are saying its just muggy (cause its 100 degrees, finally!) But it's even thicker than the humidity.

We're balanced on the edge of the greatest revival Kitsap county has ever seen.

That's what I think.

We're on the verge of something great. Something bigger than any one person could imagine. Something only God could orchestrate.

A few weeks ago, there were young adults stationed at all of the busiest stop lights in Silverdale. They sat in lawn chairs. Most wore university sweatshirts (because its been cold most of the summer). People started to gossip about what they were doing. A bunch of my friends had facebook posts about "those people by the stop lights". Turns out, it was a traffic survey. There was even a story about it in the local newspaper.

The buzz created by the stoplight-people got me thinking. What if the church could live in such a way that it stands out? What if we could be so peculiar in our kindness that the world notices? What if we could unite as the hands and feet of Christ to our community?

Now, Jesus specifically talks about doing "religious" things to get attention. ""When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room,close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Matthew 6:5-8 (right before "The Lord's Prayer")

So, I've struggled with this tension: how to raise up a peculiar prayer army without being self-righteous. The answer I've come to: Jesus. No, for real.

Just like Jesus prayed over Jerusalem, we need to pray over our community. Not to get attention, not to promote ourselves, not for any personal gain. But for Kingdom gain. Our community needs prayer.

Each week at our church gathering we have a space to write prayer requests. It's called "the info card".
Yesterday, one of our pastors drove my car for a hiking trip. He saw an info card sticking out of my dashboard and asked me, "how did this get here?" I told him that I'd forgotten to turn it in one Sunday, so I kept it in my car to remember to pray for my co-workers and students. He was really confused. "But, I got this card and kept it, too. I still pray for your school." Every week I write a variation of the same request: "Pray for revival at Ridgetop Junior High. Pray for God's Spirit to radically transform the lives of staff, students and families. Pray for peace and healing."

The reminder that other people are praying for the Ridgetop community, too, renewed my passion! I am so so so excited for staff days to come. So excited for school to begin on September 1st! I'm ready to see God's crazy love transform Ridgetop Junior High.

During tonight's sermon, I had this image of standing at the top of a cliff. Think: rapelling. Think: bungee jumping. Think: hang gliding.

Kitsap county is on the verge of revival. Let's pray for our community. Let's pray for our neighbors, be the hands and feet of Christ to them. Let's pray for our poor, and then give them food and water.

Monday night. 7 pm. Silverdale Waterfront. Pray over Kitsap.

If you can come, spread the word and look for people wearing red. If you can't, join in prayer for lives in Kitsap to be transformed by the Gospel.