One of our assignments on the church plantinh intensive was to preach a 10 minute sermon which fits the city context and speaks to both Christians and non-Christians. I learned a lot both from listening to others and from preparing such a sermon. I preached on Jeremiah 17:5-8.
You can read the written form of the sermon here.
I miss Budapest today. I miss Hungarians too. This course help me love them both. I’m learning to value both of them. I think it has to do with distance. From an outside perspective, I see my people and my city’s values and sins more clearly. But from a distance it’s easier to rejoice in all the positive things and have compassion for the vices in Budapest. I also this is God’s perspective as well.
Tali pont
Here’s the community we’ll work with. There are some visitors and some people missing. This is our church. Not a building but a people. They’re our community now.
The Gospel
The most important and formative learning here so far was a deeper understanding of the gospel. Understanding isn’t the best way though to describe what I went through. Although I had understood the gospel and accepted God’s grace every now and again in my Christian walk, it is something we need to be reminded all the time. So I was reminded to rely on God and not on my own efforts. I believe in God’s grace, yet I am constantly trying to prove my worth to God by living morally, being good.
So the gospel become real to me once again. It is a gospel not only to unbelievers, but also to the religious. I am accepted because of Jesus and not because of my religiosity. As Redeemer would put it: I am more of a sinner than I ever thought, yet I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared to hope.
It’s good to get converted even as a Christian.
I attended the Global Cities Initiative Conference in the last couple of days. It was quiet an experience to worship and fellowship together with leaders from all over the world.
Here are a couple of things I learned here.
1. It takes a movement (a movement of the Holy Spirit) to change a city. (Tim Keller)
2. We have to make an exegesis of the city and observe the people, their passon, and the places. We have to watch the gates of the city (the centers of commerce, culture and social life). (Jeff Fountain)
3. Strategy and prayer go hand in hand. (Rajesh Duthie)
4. Balanced contextualization is when a church listens to both culture and its heritage. (Tim Keller)
5. Cities are more important than nation-states. We have to go to the cities to reach the world. (Tim Keller)
6. God has a redemptive plan for the city. God’s calling for many is to move into the city, but keep one’s spiritual identity and values. (Tim Keller)
7. The city uniquely links us with numbers of people like and numbers of people unlike us. (Tim Keller)
8. There is no one method for renewal. (Tim Keller)
9. Regarding missional partnerships in the city: We must come to a place where we choose not to be offended or provoked. (Tom White)
I also learned that I SHOULD PRAY MORE. I was encouraged to do so by looking at all the Korean, Indonesian and African brothers and sisters…
Here are some pictures about the 8th district. Of course people are more important than the place, but I hope I can show how it feels to walk these streets.
Hoping to show the district at night too…
Our church got a nice apartment from a generous supporter. We watched it with the church one afternoon and it was very exciting to see them as they were pondering the idea of having a church in an apartment, because it’s so unusual in our denomination (reformed).
Nevertheless it is important to enable believers and nonbelievers to meet God in uncommon places. A living room seems to be a good place to start…
There is a lot of work has to be done, but I think it will fit our church’s needs perfectly.
There are some picks here to check out:
Last week I had some time to walk around the neighbourhood we are sent to and pray. (I like to walk and pray. My walking gives some rhythm to my prayers.) I hope I will be able to keep this new habit. Since we are looking fot changed lives and and see the gospel transform our family, friends, and co-workers it’s important to ask God who is able to do that.
While I was praying I realized how many prodigals are in the city. They all need some help to find the way back to our heavenly Father. As I prayed I felt the urgency and need for change in people’s lives. I came to see them as people with an incurable disease. But I still think that no man can help them, but God.
The core group of the church decided to have us as their pastor for the next 5 years with one voice. We were really glad with my wife. Now we feel free to minister to these people and dream our future together.
Though we felt called here, we were uncertain how this community will react to the plans we shared. I really appreciate their courage and I think it was a godly thing to take the risk.
Now I will need the courage to take on the responsibilities and lead wherever I’m led by God. These days the Paul’s letters to Timothy exhort me to be what God called me to be.
It wasn’t easy to start to preach in this community. They started a series about SIN (which is not my favorite topic at all) and since I haven’t preached in 6 months, I was very anxious…
Second time it was different. They asked me to preach about something that’s on my heart right now. So I preached on John 4 (Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well). I had a clear message: to drink is to worship God in Spirit and truth, to eat is to do God’s will (be on a mission) and we need both to live right. (maybe I’ll get back to this message later and give a more detailed explanation)
I guess I have a long journey ahead of me and I feel both sorry and appreciation for those who will bear with me. Hopefully it will worth it both for me and the community… 
