Meeting Mr. Anderson...

Remember that guy form the movie The Matrix; Neo or as his arch nemesis called him, "Mr. Anderson"? Well I didn't meet him today but I did have breakfast with a guy named Sam Anderson and he's almost as cool as Neo.

He's a husband, a dad & is currently a youth pastor in Georgia. So, what is he doing here in Detroit. Well, he is really bad with directions & got lost on his way to a local Starbucks. By the way why does Starbucks coffee seem to get more expensive every time I go in there, but that's another post I guess.

Sam & his family are here in Detroit because in 4 weeks they will be moving here to start a church in the outskirts of Detroit, right on (or near) the "Shady made famous", 8 mile road. So, who is backing him, how much money has he raised, how many people are committed to be a part of it, where will they meet & how will they do it. The answers are....
No one, zero, zero, don't know, not sure.

Of course, all those thing will likely have better answers in the days & weeks to come but at this present moment all Sam has is a deep belief that God is telling him to pack it up, mover here & walk by faith. This shouldn't be abnormal or surprising, I mean look through the bible & time after time these were the details of many who followed the mysterious & seemingly reckless movements of God. Yet, somehow we get all hung up on the details & the need for certainty and success. But, here's this young 25 year old guy with a wife, & a 7 month old baby, & currently a really good job but, he feels the pull of God to step out into what is scary, exciting, uncertain & risky. So, he's putting one foot in front of the other & stepping one step at a time.

I wonder where God is asking me to live this way right now, I wonder where he is asking you too, I wonder where He is asking Paradox to live more this way right now. I wonder what things (comfort, fear, risk, uncertainty, criticism...) will threaten to have us ignore the next time God pulls on us.

One of my friends tries to live by the anthem, "Heroes wanted for a quest to save the universe, safe return doubtful". I think this is exactly what Sam is doing & how he is living, and ya know what, He will experience the power of the living God in ways that will be amazing! May God grant us all the courage to live more like Mr. Anderson.

You'll all meet Sam soon. When he moves here I want to bring him to Paradox to pray for him. I see all kinds of cool opportunities for our two churches to partner together to save the universe :)