the [living] room is a church in columbus, indiana that exists to extend the Kingdom of God through community and relationships, justice and mercy, beauty and creativity, grace and love.the Kingdom of God has
broken into history to destroy the works of Satan and to reclaim what is rightfully God's. We, as God's children, pillage and plunder by taking everything back for heaven. we are bringers of heaven on earth. we are the
first fruits of new creation. we are the embodiment of the new covenant. we are ministers of reconciliation. we are the body of Christ in the world. we look, act, behave like Jesus in any and all situations... and work to
expand his Kingdom right now...with each and every breath we take...with each and every step we take...in every single situation and circumstance.. we begin living in the present as we will in the future bringing the
justice, hope, peace, love, forgiveness, and mercy of Jesus into the world as it is in heaven. we prepare and await for the great wedding between the bride and the bridegroom. we prepare for the marriage of heaven
and earth. we patiently and eagerly await the consummation of all things and the birth of new creation as God originally intended. we prepare this place for his entry. that is what we work for. that is what we hope
for. there are systems that crush and oppress people. there are addictions that consume us and shackle us. there are global economies that help the rich get richer and the poor get even poorer. we have an endless
quest for peace, yet we continue to war generation after generation. deep inside, everyone knows that the world could be a better place, but we do not have the capacity to make it a reality. The kingdoms of the world
have demonic forces at work to destroy God's good creation. That is why humanity's hope in ANY kingdom of the world, whether it is kingdoms, governments, political parties, or politicians, should always be
approached with caution. God's rescue and restoration plan came through Jesus Christ, breaking into the kingdoms of this world, destroying the works of satan and establishing the Kingdom of God. Jesus broke into our
time-space reality and awakened people to the good news that there is new Kingdom in town, and it looks and acts like him. this kingdom cannot be seen or destroyed because it is within his followers. through Jesus,
God is in the process creating a Kingdom of people who have died to the old ways of sin and destruction and are made into a new creation. this Kingdom life, which always looks and acts like Jesus, loves people self-
sacrificially, not just friends but also enemies. this Kingdom turns the other cheek and chooses to not respond with violence. this Kingdom chooses to walk the extra mile. this kingdom does not just give the coat off our
backs to someone, but also our shirts. this Kingdom chooses to repay evil with good. this Kingdom never stops forgiving people even when they continue to betray us. this Kingdom is full of the meek, the humble, the
selfless and the poor in spirit. this Kingdom does not depend on political, governmental, or economic systems. this Kingdom unites diverse groups of people from all walks of life and does not divide based upon
religious systems, rules, regulations, traditions, politics, or dogmas. this Kingdom has one Lord and King whose followers look and act like him in everything they do. we, in the church, have been looking and searching
for so long trying to discover what exactly it is that the world is looking for and have come up empty-handed too many times. we have put our faith... hope... and trust in our systems, plans, and styles... rather than living
Kingdom oriented lives that look different than what the kingdoms of this world already offer. what the world is looking for is an alternative to the hollow, self-seeking, oppressive kingdoms of the world, and it is found in
the beautiful Kingdom of God. there is a danger in operating by labels... or letting labels define us. just because one calls him or herself a Christian does not necessarily mean that he or she is a Christian. i suppose
the label "Christian" ought to imply that one has decided to give up his or her own individual way and instead decided to follow the way of Jesus. consequently... as one decides to take on the teachings
and life of Jesus through the guidance of the Holy Spirit... there is sacrifice involved. there is a sacrifice of the old life. there is a sacrifice of the old ways. there is a sacrifice of the old self. maybe this concept would
better be understood through the words of Jesus, "those who want to find life, will lose their lives." if one wants to find true life... it must involve sacrifice. when one runs around in endless circles on the periphery of life
chasing those things defined by our culture as "life-giving" or "meaningful," there are only so many circles that can be run until exhaustion sets in and the questions of life begin. what is life all about? isn't there
anymore to this life? is there any point in living? one is no closer to finding life at the beginning of running in circles as one is at the end. the lie we grow up believing in our culture is that to be fulfilled... or to find
life... we must get, accumulate, or receive things. it isn't true... not even if one can afford it. there is profound wisdom in pursuing a life in which one sacrifices everything. only there will one end up with nothing and
everything. that is where life is found. one problem is that we have not been told that becoming a disciple of Jesus involves sacrifice. people join our churches and have the disjointed idea that when they accept
Jesus... they are now entitled members who receive their own personal Jesus. it is a personal Jesus that we can carry around with us and pull out at our convenience to prove we are Christians. we like to beat up others
with our personal Jesus at times, but we keep it a safe distance from our own personal lives. we want a personal Jesus because another kind of Jesus might ask us to begin denying ourselves. we like a personal Jesus
that doesn't push us or challenge us or make us sacrifice anything. Deitrich Bonhoeffer calls this "cheap grace" rather than "costly grace." is it any wonder why there are so many people in the church who are
disgruntled with the church? when we look to the church to provide life... and when we believe that finding life involves entitlement and getting things... we will always be disappointed with the church that can't meet
our needs. maybe that is why so many people walk around in our churches who say they are not "growing spiritually" or are not "being fed." what if the beginning point of growing in our spiritual lives is realizing that it
isn't what the church can give us, as much as it is our recognizing that we need to begin sacrificing? what would it look like to be confessional with other brothers and sisters about our sinfulness? what would happen if
we were committed to a disciplined prayer life that cries out to God in brokenness and steadfastness? what if we actually began to deny our bodies of their wants, needs, and desires by fasting and living lives that are
simpler? what if we were hungry and desperate for God in each and every aspect of our lives each and every moment? if we are to call ourselves Christians, it is more than just a neat little label or title. taking on the
way of Jesus is a continual sacrifice of our lives in order to find true and meaningful life. in the new testament... there is a greek word used for worship: proskuneo. proskuneo means to lie prostrate before someone who
is worthy. did you get that? it means to take your body and lie flat with your face pressed to the ground in submission to one who is worthy. when i have that sort of understanding about worship... it sounds selfless. it
sounds sacrificial. it sounds like i need to understand my position before this worthy one. it sounds like i need to remember that i am dirt with Divine breath. it sounds like it has nothing to do with my wants, needs, and
desires... because i have set them aside for the one who is worthy. and all of a sudden... worship doesn't seem so much like an interchangeable word for music and singing as much as a position that gets ME out of the
way and opens the door for God's Glory and Divinity to finally be welcomed to work through my entire life... .my hands... my feet... my voice... when Paul writes that our battle is not against flesh and bone... but against
the powers and principalities of evil... how do you think that battle is fought? it is through worship. it is by our selfish, carnal selves getting out of the way and inviting the Spirit of God to work in us... .through
us... around us. we are a living sacrifice... continually sacrificing our own wants, needs, and desires and becoming a walking, breathing conduit of God's blessing, healing, love, and transformation in the world. when
you worship through serving... God is breaking down strongholds and invading enemy space by using your hands. every praise you sing together is a spiritual battle for the person dealing with depression sitting next to
you. every mile you walk with your legs to visit the orphaned and widowed is your spiritual act of worship. every worshipful prayer offered with the abused wife allows God another avenue to heal a wounded soul.
worship is the means by which God is manifest to a broken world in need of healing. the position of worship is prostrate before a God who is worthy. it is not about you... get it? it is NOT ABOUT YOU! it is NOT
ABOUT YOU! it is not about your wants, needs, and desires being met within the context of a church service. that cheapens worship... and it cheapens what you think a church is all about! let us fall to the ground with
our faces to the ground prostrate before God and say... You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
broken into history to destroy the works of Satan and to reclaim what is rightfully God's. We, as God's children, pillage and plunder by taking everything back for heaven. we are bringers of heaven on earth. we are the
first fruits of new creation. we are the embodiment of the new covenant. we are ministers of reconciliation. we are the body of Christ in the world. we look, act, behave like Jesus in any and all situations... and work to
expand his Kingdom right now...with each and every breath we take...with each and every step we take...in every single situation and circumstance.. we begin living in the present as we will in the future bringing the
justice, hope, peace, love, forgiveness, and mercy of Jesus into the world as it is in heaven. we prepare and await for the great wedding between the bride and the bridegroom. we prepare for the marriage of heaven
and earth. we patiently and eagerly await the consummation of all things and the birth of new creation as God originally intended. we prepare this place for his entry. that is what we work for. that is what we hope
for. there are systems that crush and oppress people. there are addictions that consume us and shackle us. there are global economies that help the rich get richer and the poor get even poorer. we have an endless
quest for peace, yet we continue to war generation after generation. deep inside, everyone knows that the world could be a better place, but we do not have the capacity to make it a reality. The kingdoms of the world
have demonic forces at work to destroy God's good creation. That is why humanity's hope in ANY kingdom of the world, whether it is kingdoms, governments, political parties, or politicians, should always be
approached with caution. God's rescue and restoration plan came through Jesus Christ, breaking into the kingdoms of this world, destroying the works of satan and establishing the Kingdom of God. Jesus broke into our
time-space reality and awakened people to the good news that there is new Kingdom in town, and it looks and acts like him. this kingdom cannot be seen or destroyed because it is within his followers. through Jesus,
God is in the process creating a Kingdom of people who have died to the old ways of sin and destruction and are made into a new creation. this Kingdom life, which always looks and acts like Jesus, loves people self-
sacrificially, not just friends but also enemies. this Kingdom turns the other cheek and chooses to not respond with violence. this Kingdom chooses to walk the extra mile. this kingdom does not just give the coat off our
backs to someone, but also our shirts. this Kingdom chooses to repay evil with good. this Kingdom never stops forgiving people even when they continue to betray us. this Kingdom is full of the meek, the humble, the
selfless and the poor in spirit. this Kingdom does not depend on political, governmental, or economic systems. this Kingdom unites diverse groups of people from all walks of life and does not divide based upon
religious systems, rules, regulations, traditions, politics, or dogmas. this Kingdom has one Lord and King whose followers look and act like him in everything they do. we, in the church, have been looking and searching
for so long trying to discover what exactly it is that the world is looking for and have come up empty-handed too many times. we have put our faith... hope... and trust in our systems, plans, and styles... rather than living
Kingdom oriented lives that look different than what the kingdoms of this world already offer. what the world is looking for is an alternative to the hollow, self-seeking, oppressive kingdoms of the world, and it is found in
the beautiful Kingdom of God. there is a danger in operating by labels... or letting labels define us. just because one calls him or herself a Christian does not necessarily mean that he or she is a Christian. i suppose
the label "Christian" ought to imply that one has decided to give up his or her own individual way and instead decided to follow the way of Jesus. consequently... as one decides to take on the teachings
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and life of Jesus through the guidance of the Holy Spirit... there is sacrifice involved. there is a sacrifice of the old life. there is a sacrifice of the old ways. there is a sacrifice of the old self. maybe this concept would
better be understood through the words of Jesus, "those who want to find life, will lose their lives." if one wants to find true life... it must involve sacrifice. when one runs around in endless circles on the periphery of life
chasing those things defined by our culture as "life-giving" or "meaningful," there are only so many circles that can be run until exhaustion sets in and the questions of life begin. what is life all about? isn't there
anymore to this life? is there any point in living? one is no closer to finding life at the beginning of running in circles as one is at the end. the lie we grow up believing in our culture is that to be fulfilled... or to find
life... we must get, accumulate, or receive things. it isn't true... not even if one can afford it. there is profound wisdom in pursuing a life in which one sacrifices everything. only there will one end up with nothing and
everything. that is where life is found. one problem is that we have not been told that becoming a disciple of Jesus involves sacrifice. people join our churches and have the disjointed idea that when they accept
Jesus... they are now entitled members who receive their own personal Jesus. it is a personal Jesus that we can carry around with us and pull out at our convenience to prove we are Christians. we like to beat up others
with our personal Jesus at times, but we keep it a safe distance from our own personal lives. we want a personal Jesus because another kind of Jesus might ask us to begin denying ourselves. we like a personal Jesus
that doesn't push us or challenge us or make us sacrifice anything. Deitrich Bonhoeffer calls this "cheap grace" rather than "costly grace." is it any wonder why there are so many people in the church who are
disgruntled with the church? when we look to the church to provide life... and when we believe that finding life involves entitlement and getting things... we will always be disappointed with the church that can't meet
our needs. maybe that is why so many people walk around in our churches who say they are not "growing spiritually" or are not "being fed." what if the beginning point of growing in our spiritual lives is realizing that it
isn't what the church can give us, as much as it is our recognizing that we need to begin sacrificing? what would it look like to be confessional with other brothers and sisters about our sinfulness? what would happen if
we were committed to a disciplined prayer life that cries out to God in brokenness and steadfastness? what if we actually began to deny our bodies of their wants, needs, and desires by fasting and living lives that are
simpler? what if we were hungry and desperate for God in each and every aspect of our lives each and every moment? if we are to call ourselves Christians, it is more than just a neat little label or title. taking on the
way of Jesus is a continual sacrifice of our lives in order to find true and meaningful life. in the new testament... there is a greek word used for worship: proskuneo. proskuneo means to lie prostrate before someone who
is worthy. did you get that? it means to take your body and lie flat with your face pressed to the ground in submission to one who is worthy. when i have that sort of understanding about worship... it sounds selfless. it
sounds sacrificial. it sounds like i need to understand my position before this worthy one. it sounds like i need to remember that i am dirt with Divine breath. it sounds like it has nothing to do with my wants, needs, and
desires... because i have set them aside for the one who is worthy. and all of a sudden... worship doesn't seem so much like an interchangeable word for music and singing as much as a position that gets ME out of the
way and opens the door for God's Glory and Divinity to finally be welcomed to work through my entire life... .my hands... my feet... my voice... when Paul writes that our battle is not against flesh and bone... but against
the powers and principalities of evil... how do you think that battle is fought? it is through worship. it is by our selfish, carnal selves getting out of the way and inviting the Spirit of God to work in us... .through
us... around us. we are a living sacrifice... continually sacrificing our own wants, needs, and desires and becoming a walking, breathing conduit of God's blessing, healing, love, and transformation in the world. when
you worship through serving... God is breaking down strongholds and invading enemy space by using your hands. every praise you sing together is a spiritual battle for the person dealing with depression sitting next to
you. every mile you walk with your legs to visit the orphaned and widowed is your spiritual act of worship. every worshipful prayer offered with the abused wife allows God another avenue to heal a wounded soul.
worship is the means by which God is manifest to a broken world in need of healing. the position of worship is prostrate before a God who is worthy. it is not about you... get it? it is NOT ABOUT YOU! it is NOT
ABOUT YOU! it is not about your wants, needs, and desires being met within the context of a church service. that cheapens worship... and it cheapens what you think a church is all about! let us fall to the ground with
our faces to the ground prostrate before God and say... You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
