tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post6154403847848457870..comments2024-03-04T00:50:02.182-08:00Comments on KeithGiles.com: Optimistically OrganicKeith Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328300571647154699noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-45642871335203420292016-06-13T21:49:10.133-07:002016-06-13T21:49:10.133-07:00So glad I stumbled across this. As a former surfer...So glad I stumbled across this. As a former surfer, I chase 5 kids now, I resonate with this idea of staying in the water and with the secret of waiting. I've always been exceedingly hopeful. I was the girl who went to the beach on flat days and just waited. I just wanted to be in the water! Often you don't even see the big wave coming, you see little waves and theres a feeling, or hope if you will, that the big one is just behind them. The Lord is doing something here in our little beach town and I'm still hopeful. Hopeful because I know he's faithful & this is what He's spoken into my heart & the hearts of these people. Im learning that waiting can be beautiful & it's even more beautiful when you have others who wait with you.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16591900722623494324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-50805511413243046542016-05-06T07:59:15.970-07:002016-05-06T07:59:15.970-07:00Thanks. I used to feel very anxious about being &...Thanks. I used to feel very anxious about being "out of fellowship." But I remain in contact via email many times a day with long distance Christian friends. So for now I tell myself that the Lord knows my needs and has always been faithful to give me what I need when I need it. So this too is in His hands. And I pray continually for the Bride of Christ because I know she is beloved of the Father. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13124566013761397175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-84451197826790390402016-05-02T12:23:07.925-07:002016-05-02T12:23:07.925-07:00Dona: I feel your pain. It's not easy to find ...Dona: I feel your pain. It's not easy to find other Christians who are more in love with Jesus than with their politics or traditional ideas of what "church" should look like.<br /><br />I hope this doesn't sound trite, but prayer is really all that works in these cases. Jesus said he would build his church, and I am convinced that he is telling the truth.<br /><br />Start meeting by yourself or whomever else you can find who is on the same page. Pray and ask the Lord to connect you to others who are like-minded.<br /><br />When new people come, make sure you explain to them exactly who you are and what you're about - just as you did here on this comment thread. Don't allow them to focus on politics or traditions of men, or anything other than simply Jesus. <br /><br />I do believe that there really ARE other Christians near you who feel the same way. I'll pray along with you that the Lord starts to connect you all with one another.<br /><br />Let me know what else I can do to help!<br /><br />PS: Where are you living now? Maybe I can help you find others!Keith Gileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00328300571647154699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-67095079041235646482016-05-02T00:43:50.886-07:002016-05-02T00:43:50.886-07:00Spot on.Spot on.Wesley Rostollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14110189635576168594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-82194084047420312162016-04-30T11:41:39.678-07:002016-04-30T11:41:39.678-07:00Great thanks, I'm with you in the water too! T...Great thanks, I'm with you in the water too! There are two things I'd like to say: <br /><br />1.) I DO sense by the Spirit that the waves of revival ARE beginning to move. I believe now is a season of "The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few." So it is time to pray the Lord of the harvest thrust out laborers, and be thrust out ourselves. <br /><br />2.) I believe wholehearted in simple organic church and can't imagine ever going back, however that is NOT my mountain to die on. We must NEVER allow this to become a divisive topic in the larger expression of the Body of Christ. The Lord will open the eyes others in His time, just as He has opened ours. <br /><br />When Revival is in full swing it will not limited to organic churches only. The Lord spoke to my heart earlier this year that He is giving us our community! That is exciting but brought up questions in my mind: what does that look like? exactly who are You giving it to? our church? another church?? all the churches??? The Lord responded to my questions with this thought: "I am giving it to whoever is willing to take it." In other words: the laborers, the ones willing to pray and contend and reach out with the Gospel. This is obviously not limited to organic church or any one church. <br /><br />So my response to what the Lord is saying and doing now is to stay true to my convictions on organic church, continue meeting, worshiping, fellowshiping organically. To continue to reach out to others with God's love power truth. ALSO during this season to cultivate relationships with other christian leaders in our community, to pray together, to work together to reach our community. Sadly some churches may not respond positively to what God is doing, which usually happens in times of revival historically. But I will continue to love them and invite them, the rest is up to God.<br /><br />So hold onto your surfboard we're in for one huge wave! And have fun!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13713468977623058473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-84439467364819688232016-04-30T09:11:23.254-07:002016-04-30T09:11:23.254-07:00Excellent post, Keith, echoing most of my own sent...Excellent post, Keith, echoing most of my own sentiments. I appreciate you taking the time to respond so well. I'm with you in the water...rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12116951994861164977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-75352483335356108262016-04-30T06:45:01.403-07:002016-04-30T06:45:01.403-07:00I have nearly but not completely given up all hope...I have nearly but not completely given up all hope of being part of a genuine expression of the Body of Christ. (I will not even refer to institutional churches as such.) I was part of a struggling but very real expression of the Body of Christ meeting in our home in the early '70's but nothing even close since then. There are a few groups meeting in homes in my area but the devotion to religious ritual and religious law (like "women must not teach men" or even that we must have a formal sermon each and every time we gather, or the insistence that we pour grape juice into teeny cups and eat tiny squares of cut up bread!) absolutely wears me out as it quenches the Spirit of God as completely and clearly as it does inside the walls of any institutional church. I always hear "start your own" and marvel. Where am I supposed to meet these people? The assumption is that I have the ability to do this which I absolutely do not. And then there's the possibility that Frank is correct on some level. Because I can't remember the last time I met and talked to another Believer who actually sounded like Christ was even equally as important to him or her as, for example, the abortion issue or who is running for president or--- I don't know--- ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE!!! So, the question really becomes, exactly how do FIND people who actually love the Lord at least a teeny tiny bit more than EVERYTHING ELSE. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13124566013761397175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9926207.post-80011211391722195382016-04-30T06:20:04.466-07:002016-04-30T06:20:04.466-07:00Better, much better. I was really bewildered by Fr...Better, much better. I was really bewildered by Frank's article. Thanks for bring this refreshing narrative as a kinda damage control. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com