Why Georgia?

If you haven't yet heard the news, I'm moving to Lawrenceville, Georgia in September. As I was visiting with family over post-summer break I realized my own family members do not know why I am making this move. If they are not sure, then others probably are not as well.

Many have asked, Do you have a job there? No. I do not have a job. I am actively pursuing a job as a high school math teacher but have not been very successful. Will I still move to Georgia even if I don't find a job? Yes. I am not moving to Georgia for a job, but because the Lord is asking me to be a part of a community who lives out Christianity and does "church" differently than what most have experience. I am trusting the Lord to provide the job.

Hearing that, people then ask why I'm moving to Georgia. I usually give them the "short" answer - there is a house church and community there I feel called to be a part of. After I give this answer, I have received varied responses.

God has been pulling me away from institutional Christianity for many years. It started in middle school when I felt displaced in my church, grew in college as I was involved in a small church that encouraged community, and grew more when I moved to Korea and was exposed yet to another community and chose a house church as my body of believers (a choice I had to defend on several occasions). Now I am living in a residential care facility for troubled teens and those who I live with are my community. Most of my LeadTime class considers the community we live in as our "church". Most would agree that we feel the community here has challenged our growth in Christ more than any of our previous church experiences. Through all of these experiences, the Lord has built a growing feeling that there is "more" to church than what is commonly experienced on Sunday mornings.

What is this "more" you are talking about? There is a church movement that is becoming known as the "organic" church. Below is an excerpt that describes it.

[It is a] church that is born out of spiritual life instead of being constructed by human institutions and held together by religious programs. Organic church life is a grassroots experience that is marked by face-to-face community, every-member functioning, open-participatory meetings (as opposed to pastor-to-pew services), nonhierarchical leadership, and the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ as the functional Leader and Head of the gathering. (see "What is an 'Organic' church?" at housechurchresource.org)

The other key to an organic church is that of apostolic leadership. This style of leadership functions by providing a glorious revelation of Christ as a foundation, assisting the church in growing into every-member functioning, and watching out for problems that will inevitably arise. Apostolic leadership instructs the church in how to live by divine life, how to experience the fellowship of the divine community, and prepares and equips others for apostolic work. These principles are not based on modern or ancient ideals of leadership, but on the foundation of how Christ trained the apostles and how they trained their successors to spread and express the Kingdom of God.

Many house churches lack a commitment to organic church life. Fewer still have any kind of apostolic leadership or even a desire for one.

While I do believe the Lord has "more" for believers than what they are currently experiencing, and I long to share that with others; I have no idea how to share it with people. I know many who have struggled to share with others what God has revealed to them, but others just have not grasped it or understood it. It is hard to get people to be on board with something and crave and desire something that they have not yet experienced. And it is hard for me to share it with others when I feel I am still so new and growing in it myself.

So why Georgia? To move near like-minded people. To grow in community. To learn from people who are further along in this than myself. I am sure there are like-minded people in other areas of this country, however, this is the group that I feel the Lord has called me to be a part of. I know a couple there, Britt and Becca Mooney. They were the directors of the Hospitality House my first year in Korea. Britt also taught Secondary History at my school. These are the people I know there and are part of the community that I am moving to Georgia to be a part of.

The Lord placed it in my heart to contact Britt and Becca months before I actually e-mailed them about joining them. Moving to be a part of a "house church" sounds a little crazy. It's not the reason most people move to a new city.

But God didn't leave me alone, and He kept planting this idea in my head until I one night I finally e-mailed the Mooney's. From that point on, the Lord through a few different things has confirmed this move in my heart. Though at times I still feel like it doesn't make sense... Though at times I struggle with purposefully choosing to live so far from family and not being able to be a part of their everyday lives...I know I need to be obedient to where the Lord has called me. I must seek Him first. Even when it doesn't make sense to others.

I am moving to further experience the very thing that God has revealed to me and laid on my heart. It is not something I can initiate without having experienced it more. As much as I wish I could experience that in Texas-- I do not know where to find it.

I don't know where there Lord is taking me in this journey of community and knowing Him better through His people. How long will I be in Georgia? And where will I go from there? Only God knows. I do know that He has a plan for my life. I know that this is where He is leading me next. I would be crazy not to follow His leading.

I hope this helps you understand a little more why I am moving to Georgia. Perhaps it just raised new questions. If you have questions, I would love to answer them.