Overpowering passion.....

Wow.... what a day. 5:37 pm Eastern standard time and I sit here feeling as though my heart has just been calibrated? Charged? Super open.... So many things that I could say but the one thing that I must reflect on is my understanding of why? God has placed a particular passion within me and I'm not quite sure what to do, say or even understand it..... So it's honestly as if I have this ball of anxious, curious, passionate yarn interweaving God and I :) And even that is a beautiful image :)

Time to break it down
        As I've been taking a Gospel and Culture class, we are reading a book called Rediscovering Christianity by Donovan (The greatest book I've ever read on missions). The author is a priest who has been called to take the Masai people in Tanzania Africa. Throughout the book He gives such great points on where we stand as the body of Christ:
1. Weak (The American culture, in itself, stands weak in the sense that we are 2 things: Individualistic and Bound by Organization)
2. Segregated (Denominationalism represent visible borders)
3.Westernized (We are a people who have the mentality of taking our Christianity to the rest of the world)
    He speaks so much about cultural salvation which entails preaching Christ and Him crucified and resurrected. Then Baptism and a Holy Life governed by the Holy Spirit. There is so much more I could share with this particular book but i want to focus on point #2.

Denominationalism
    At the age of 20, I became apart of the Pentecostal church. In fact, it was an Apostolic family that first shared with me the gift of speaking in tongues. And it just made sense that because the Lord gave me the gift of speaking in tongues the next night, that I was meant to be apart of a denomination that spoke in tongues?
   At the age of 21 the Lord gave me the great privilege of attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where I attend currently and over the past 3 years, I have noticed 2 main things: 1)I've noticed that a lot of other denominations are open to fellowship and even serving with other denominations and 2) I've noticed how denominantionalism serves more as a bondage--- once in always in don't talk to strangers.
    In so many ways I feel bad for even saying that, but when you have a heart of missions, as God has given me, I don't see 'Denomination?' as I don't see race or gender? Before I began here at MVNU I never thought this way, but because He pulled me out and introduced me to others, I get the opportunity to witness the wide scope of the Church.
So What is Truth?
   Truth is represented in Jesus Christ. I'm not confused of what I believe, nor am I trying to put myself in a situation that would be detrimental to my Spiritual man. Truth is this:

• There is One God who is represented in 3 persons: Father, Son and Holy Ghost
• The Bible is the infallible Word of God
• Jesus and God are One
• Salvation comes through first Believing (Faith) that Christ is the Son of God. Confessing with your mouth that He died for your sin. Repenting of your sinful nature. Baptism for the remission of sin. Submission to the Holy Ghost for the sanctification/purification of your life. 
• A person who is Saved will exemplify fruits of the Spirit
• The Spiritual Gifts represented in 1 Corinthians 12 are still manifested today and are distributed by the Spirit of God (But test each Spirit)
• Speaking in tongues is an active gift that is also used as personal worship with the person and God. ( I do not believe you must speak in tongues in order to get into heaven)
• Communion- Do this in memory of Jesus. Serves as a sign of receiving the Grace that Jesus has bestowed upon us in breaking His body and spilling His blood
• We are called to Missions- A church not partaking in Missions outside of the church is not partaking in what we have been called to be
• True Religion- Caring for the Orphan and Widow... The forgotten
• The Way- Paul, before the High Priest in Acts 9 requests to take in to prison anyone who followed "THE WAY"...

THE WAY---

    Lord please forgive me if this is out of a rebellious spirit, but now when anyone asks me what denomination I am, I say I'm not. I am a follower of THE WAY. I am a follower of Christ, known as a Christian and I don't believe in any other subcategories :) 

Traditional

    I'm over traditional anything :) Father, you know my desire, that if you ever call me into ministry, as a missionary or in whatever aspect, I don't want a title nor a church building. I want to be apart of the Church without Walls movement. Walls to me symbolize an uninvited interpretation. Walls and doors, to me represent a way of separation :) That's why I love the way Jesus appeared for the first time before His disciples post-resurrection... He didn't open the door :) He walked through it... Signifying that He is the door and nothing stops Him :) 

   Unfortunately, we the American church have forgotten the mission. We have become content... and I'm tired of the secure routine of Sunday mornings :) I want to follow the activities Christ partook in.... Deserts, Stairs, Meadows and even boats by the water were all settings Christ used when compelling men to believe in Him :) Why? Thy synagogue was there? .... Because He could reach so much more people out there.... Mind you, not everyone felt invited into the synagogue or temple? So He brought Himself to them... or they brought themselves to Him :)

Where am I going with this?

   In no way am I trying to rebel, I just want the world to receive this invitation to know Christ. To love Christ and to receive that eternal promise of life. So Lord, where do I start? Please show me how to be community focused here and now! 

I love you soooo much and I'm so thankful for how you have given me the vision to be community minded which is to respond to the mission. Please help me to not forget, nor give up on the promise you've given me. I'm not a radical, but to do your will, I believe means stepping out of the traditional setting. I won't settle for anything less. And on a special not, Father, if it is your desire for me to marry, I pray that you would please refine, clarify and refuel my brother and future husbands passion for nontraditional missions/ministry :) I know He will be the one because He too will possess this call :) And there's only a few of us! Have your way both now and always and thank you for letting me babble on :) 

Your daughter,

Nontraditional