This weekend there were 11 of us (plus one baby!) at the William Penn House, just blocks from the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC. We had solid representation from DC, Detroit, Philadelphia, New York City, and California, representing the core leadership of the Friends of Jesus Fellowship.
It felt fantastic to be together in one location, dedicating ourselves to worship and shared listening to the Holy Spirit. It was exciting to open the circle wider, inviting all of the active and committed members of the fellowship to participate in our shared evolution in Christ. I feel grateful for the attention, creativity, and joy that each person brought to our time together.
We did some fairly intense discernment about how God is calling us to move forward in the days ahead. How does the Spirit want to use us? What is the unique gift that Friends of Jesus is called to give the world? How will we need to change our lives to embrace this exciting challenge?
While we didn’t receive any shocking new revelations this weekend, there was a quiet power in our midst. Our roots are growing deeper. We can feel more clearly our shared sense of purpose. The Spirit is inviting us into a shared life of prayer, community, and prophetic action, demonstrating the reign of God through our transformed lives.
We are on the edge of something crucial. We’re beginning to understand more fully the kind of radical life change that following Jesus will require of us in the days ahead. It’s time for us to count the cost, to consider whether we are truly prepared to go all the way with Jesus. It will cost us everything – all of our sense of boundaries and control over our lives – but he has promised that we will receive so much more if we have the courage to follow him.
Are you ready to get involved in this community? I hope you’ll join us for the Friends of Jesus Fellowship Spring Gathering this May 12-15 near Indianapolis. Watch for more details soon.