WEBVTT 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:08.640 Hello, I'm Pastor Crayton, and thank you for tuning in to USun Churches Podcast. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:15.359 We're a gospel center church in Portugal, Ontario, proclaiming the true and life-giving word of Jesus as we love and serve our neighbors. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:18.079 May God bless you today through his life-giving word. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:28.800 Our second reading this morning is from the book of 1 Peter, chapter 1, verses 13 to 15. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:33.840 Therefore, preparing your mind for action and being sober-minded. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:42.240 Let your whole at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:57.679 But as he who calls you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:02.560 Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:04.319 The word of the Lord. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:16.560 This morning it's my pleasure, my privilege to welcome a dear friend of our parish, uh Patty Bowman Kingsley, is familiar to many of us. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:26.480 Patty is a visual artist who lives in Bowmanville and works both in blending together studio practice, community life, and education. 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:38.560 She was born and raised in Edmonton, now lives, as I say, in Bowmanville and has spent more than 40 years creating art through studio work, collaborations, live art, community projects. 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:46.239 Her work often explores the meeting place of divinity and humanity, inviting reflection and transformation. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:55.920 In everything that Patty is involved in, she lives by the conviction that art has a job to do, which is a missional statement if ever I've heard one. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.959 Building community, inspiring meaningful change. 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:03.599 Patty, it's a pleasure to have you join us and open up the word with us this morning. 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:04.640 Can I pray for you? 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:06.480 And we will open up the word together. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:07.200 Come on up. 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:11.439 Lord Jesus, we give you thanks for our sister Patty. 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:17.599 We uh thank you, Lord, for uh the gifts that you have given her and how it is, Lord, that you have empowered her uh to serve you. 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:25.280 And we pray, Lord, that you would open up our hearts to your word once again, that we would catch uh a greater glimpse of your heavenly beauty. 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:26.879 And in Jesus' name we pray. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:27.520 Amen. 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:29.120 Thank you so much. 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:29.919 Thank you, Patty. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:39.039 Starting with this up here so that you would have something to look at while I'm getting ready, and it's to clearly test your IQ. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:45.840 So, for those of you who aren't familiar with this, I'm told people with an IQ of 130 up can solve this with no problem. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:50.319 Um, sometimes you have to turn things upside down in order to find solutions, right? 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:51.360 So, yeah, there you go. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:54.159 You can take that home and try it at your leisure. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:03:17.919 In earnest, these last couple years, the folks within the charity I lead, my local church, your local church, uh, intercessors, prayer partners, donors, they have all been trying to discern with me how to explore leadership and care, what kind of model we might use in order to design outreach within local communities and within this nation and be informational difference in someone's lives. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:19.680 What have what do we have? 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:23.759 So we're going to talk this morning about double-click, there we go. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:24.800 Sacred architecture. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:26.560 I think everything just caught up. 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:32.240 Um and sacred architecture is about changing or designing the reach to reach humanity. 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:33.680 It could be in many forms. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:35.840 In our case, in my case, it's the arts. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:44.800 Um, in specific, it's I have to drill down because of the length of my runway versus my on-ramp, which means I'm focusing specifically on visual artists. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:50.000 But this model works in breadth across many areas of service within this congregation and beyond. 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:56.719 And FYI, if you listen to things on 1.5 speed, that's about how fast I have to talk to be able to get everything in here in 15 minutes. 00:03:57.840 --> 00:03:59.680 So, yeah, sacred architecture. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:03.039 Um, my assignment is to work with makers and mystics, right? 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:10.879 Uh to engage culture with the love of God, and we engage in community models focused on transforming the well-being of individuals we serve. 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:11.439 Right? 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:14.319 So, for yourselves, why sacred architecture? 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:19.839 Well, architecture is in this context, it's it's where outreach occurs. 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:27.920 It refers to the intentional design of physical of spaces that foster purpose, reflection, and collaboration. 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:32.639 And I've also just realized that my text is going to be too small in everything I've prepped. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:33.360 There we go. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:35.759 Uh, too small to see here. 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:45.279 Um But um in this context, what makes the forms of architecture sacred, it's not about there, we're gonna we're gonna figure this out, guys. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:46.399 Hang on with me. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:50.639 You'd almost think this was my first time working a PowerPoint deck. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:59.519 Um so what we're gonna look at is what makes the architecture sacred is not um the object itself or the container itself. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:04.399 It could be a method, it could be a meeting framework, it could be an operational plan. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:08.000 That can also be designed and architectural if you like. 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:12.000 Um so whether people know God or they don't know God, they are sacred. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:12.639 Right? 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:20.480 So if they're designed in his likeness and image, which we are, Genesis 1.27, that means everyone has been created in his likeness and image. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:28.079 Whether or not people yet believe in Christ or they don't believe in Christ, my job is not to convince them of that, though I'll give it a good try. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:41.040 My job is to introduce people that to the connection they can have with God Himself, who will speak, who has spoken, who has worked and has done a work in my life and has done one in yours. 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:54.720 But it isn't to um clobber people, it's to collaborate in communities, serving one another, serving the greater common goods, trusting that the Holy Spirit will in fact do what he has said he would do in his love for us. 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:58.800 So, service here is a model of outreach that's key to transformation. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:02.560 Okay, so I believe many of you know that if you want to have authority, serve. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:04.959 If you want to have influence, serve. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:08.480 And look at how you're serving if you want your influence to expand. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:12.720 If you're finding you don't get traction with people, well, I look in the mirror. 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:16.399 I don't know about any of you, but that's where I go to check that out. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:19.360 So we l we heard this word this morning already. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:21.439 Therefore, prepare your minds for action. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:25.120 I love this because Peter the Apostle is speaking directly to us. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:27.360 Prepare your mind our minds for action. 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:37.439 And commentators will tell us that this passage was written literally to the electors of the diaspora in the provinces of what we now know as Turkey. 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:40.480 So talk about relevant for us. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:47.680 Be sober-minded, set our mind, our hope fully on the grace to be given us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:51.519 But just as he who was called is holy, so we are to be holy. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:53.680 Be holy because I am holy. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:07:02.800 What has been quickened for me in this as I was approaching 2026 was that it just lifed my being to say, I can prepare my mind for action. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:06.879 I have a mind that sometimes gets in the way of progress. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.959 And sometimes I get hung up on things and I have to go so deep or broad. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:16.480 But you know what, for all those of you who are tend to be a bit more cerebral, it takes minds and hearts. 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:20.160 But this is an affirmation that we get to use our mind for the purposes of God. 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:32.079 We get to discern with Him, with Holy Spirit, how it is that we're supposed to know what we're supposed to know, do and be like as we're connecting within our church frameworks, in our families, in our communities, in our businesses. 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:43.519 So, in short, I read this as saying we are to deliver action in marketplace settings as the diaspora of the kingdom of God within the context of holiness. 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:46.639 Now, where we have holiness, I believe we have wholeness. 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:49.199 I don't believe we can have one without the other. 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:53.040 But it does require his transformational holiness in my life. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:58.079 For those who are listening, you may not believe the same things I believe, you may not follow Christ. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:07:59.199 And that's okay. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:08.319 I just want to get to know you truly, because this is my passion, and I'm honored that here we can sit in this setting, and we may not always agree on every detail. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:12.480 We may not always know the same God, even when we're working a community. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:14.800 But how is it that we can come to know? 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:22.240 How is it people can come to know what we believe, and if in fact we do not put ourselves in a place where we're connecting with the community at large? 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:27.920 Again, who are all made in his likeness and image if we believe the full counsel of Scripture. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:30.480 So here we're going slowly. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:34.320 I'm going to use my computer because apparently my clicker decided it's not working. 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:36.480 Um, and now I've resumed on ahead. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.519 Wow, super, super fragile clicker today. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:47.919 So when we talk about being sober-minded, it's about being thought out and thought through in our methods for action so that we have traction in a community. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:50.240 If you're business owners, you understand this. 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:54.399 If you're not having traction in the marketplace, well, we look at why not. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:55.039 Right? 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:56.159 Why is there no traction? 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:57.279 Why people aren't responding? 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:58.639 Why aren't they buying this? 00:08:58.879 --> 00:08:59.519 But you know what? 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:01.039 Sometimes in the kingdom we don't look at that. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:04.559 We just go, yeah, no, no, I'm out there preaching the word, I'm out there doing it, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:06.559 Okay, but we have no traction. 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:09.440 Which may be the voice crying in the wilderness. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:14.960 But sometimes maybe we thought we were the voice crying in the wilderness and we just were not being heard. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:26.320 You know, maybe there's something we can look at and examine in our sober second thoughts, in our sober first thought, where we think out, we think through what it is that God is asking us to do. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:36.720 And so, as I mentioned, as we started, for two years I've really been pressing in with colleagues and friends saying, God, what is it you want to do with this life? 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:45.600 What is it that you wish me to do with the lives of those you've walked that are walking with me, that have been assembled, if you like, collectively? 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:49.840 And you know, that's a tad scary because it actually you have to be responsible for influence. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:59.919 But as again you get closer to the end of your life, and yeah, I'm 62, no big shock there, but it's it does cause me to reflect and say, who have I deposited in? 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:01.840 What has come out of this life? 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:04.000 What has come out of our lives? 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:05.600 And what is it we want to do? 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:12.080 Now that means if I've been doing a homework group every Friday afternoon in a local community, believe me, you're done. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:21.759 If you have affected, no, that's me speaking, not necessarily Holy Spirit, but if you've literally been showing up for young people every Friday of your life, yeah, you go. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:24.240 Because you're done. 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:28.559 That's an enormous contribution to influence and shape a nation. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:44.720 And you may not know that, but I want to say that publicly because I want you to know that for me, where I sit, I watch what happens to young people who have had that kind of influence and consistency and constancy of the presence of someone who loves them in their life. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:49.600 So, transformation requires architects, weavers, dreamers, alchemists. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.200 We ponder things. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:54.799 Um, and you may say I'm a dreamer, but I I know I'm not the only one. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:57.039 And we I I know I'm not the only one. 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:59.600 Like literally, you're all dreamers in this house. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:04.720 Um, so we look through the window of God's provision and his purposes and his word, and we say, what is it you want? 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:09.679 What is it you have for the vast landscape of time here to be realized in our lifetime? 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.279 Well, if you're looking on the left, you can see a finished tapestry. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:16.000 Oh, it shows up better on your screen than it does on my computer. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:21.519 If you're on the right and you like that better, I might suggest that you might be a culture worker. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:33.440 You could be a culture worker because if you actually see vision for what's coming on the other side from the underside, Pastor, you might actually be a culture worker. 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:44.720 Because you watch the transformation of people's lives, everything that everyone else doesn't see, and then you get to you get to present them within a congregation where we all see their beauty. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:47.600 But boy, we know you've seen everything else. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:49.440 And you still love us. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.360 That's what it means. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:55.120 So in the tent of meeting, the call was specific to Betzel, a holy abbot. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:12:02.480 I've preached on this before, and all those whom God had given skill, as well as everyone who was willing to work on the tent of meeting. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:03.840 Well, for what purpose? 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:10.320 The purpose was to host the holiness of God in proximity to his people for a habitational relationship with them. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.679 So I submit to you that his heart is the same today as it was then. 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:16.080 It was the same in creation when he walked in the garden. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:17.840 It was the same in the tent of meeting. 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:20.320 It is the same all throughout scripture. 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:23.840 Psalm 84, she builds herself a nest near the throne of God. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:28.159 Her responsibility to build the nest, habitation near proximity to the throne of God. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:31.440 That is what he's been trying to do in all of us forever. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:32.960 Nothing's changed. 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:38.080 And not to oversimplify the word, but it's everywhere in Scripture. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:46.000 So that being said, I have a dream that he is going to do the same thing in us. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:53.360 In Romans 10, 14 to 17, in the message, it says that this is, and uh actually, this isn't in your bulletin. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:58.960 For some reason I thought it was going to be, but I wanted to reference it because how can people call for help? 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:07.919 In the message translation, it says if they don't know who to trust, and how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the one who can be trusted? 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:10.399 And how can they hear if nobody tells them? 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:13.519 And how is anyone going to tell them? 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:16.000 Unless someone is sent to do it. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:19.600 That's why scripture exclaims, a sight to take your breath away. 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:23.279 Grand processions of people telling all the good things of God. 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:29.919 When I read your bulletin and your announcements, and I see that you're on Queen Street for Bible study, I'm going, yo, yes. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:35.200 That means you're actually in culture, not just here, in this house. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:48.559 Which, for some organized church frameworks, the fountain has become a fortress where we come and we enter in ourselves for encouragement, where people in the community may or may not see us the same way we see this place. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:53.440 But you guys are taking the fountain and you're sharing what it is that you have. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:57.600 You share your building, like you literally share your building with the community. 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:03.279 How incredible is that that the fountain the fortress has become a fountain for the community. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:10.320 And as we push into 2026, I want to press this further with you guys by saying that I believe we share DNA. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:14.960 We have a common DNA strand, and it's the divine nurturing assignment for artists. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:15.679 Plural. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.039 Okay, did you catch that? 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:19.600 The divine nurturing assignment. 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:24.240 The DNA of my heart, I believe the DNA of this house. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.679 So I would submit to you this paraphrase from Ed Zavoso. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:35.600 We're here to transform any system within our spheres of influence that keeps people poor spiritually, relationally, materially, and motivationally. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:39.440 We have a divine nurturing assignment. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:52.480 For me, for you, in many aspects of this assembly, but not the complete picture, I would substitute the word artist here. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:58.320 My passion and commitment is that artists would be transformed spiritually, relationally, materially, and motivationally. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:00.639 It doesn't take a lot to transform a life. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:02.799 You actually only have to influence one of those things. 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:08.399 You press, you put your foot on that, you put your foot on one of those things, motivation. 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:15.120 You put it on relations, you put it on materials, you put it on motivation, you'll transform someone's life. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:24.799 It's amazing if you give them just that little extra emphasis, the care, the nurture in one area, how it opens up every area of their lives. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:29.440 So if you like, this is my picture of evangelism based on Genesis 127. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:39.679 If God gives us all the same equipment, something that functions to receive the frequency of heaven in our inner being, we should also be able to all hear. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:40.879 Right? 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:49.120 So my job, our assignment, is to encourage people to recognize that there could be a God who loves them and that they have the God-given equipment to hear him. 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:52.399 Is that oversimplified? 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.879 As you notice, the job is to encourage people to plug in their equipment. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:02.000 Well, once they've plugged in the equipment, can I leave it to him? 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:07.039 I mean, honestly, if I have a tight relationship, I'm gonna go to the mat with one of my friends. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.159 We're gonna wrestle. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:17.600 We're gonna wrestle this or that, or what God is saying, or what he has for them, or I'm gonna get frustrated and they love me enough that they'll excuse my frustration to have a conversation. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:26.639 But the average person we're seeers serving, they just need to know the difference between this picture and this one. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.759 Like it just isn't rocket science. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:36.320 But you can you can use the yellow arrow if you need to to just try and make it as clear as we can. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:47.679 But do we actually believe that the God we read about in scripture this morning, he will bring justice, he will not cry aloud or lift, he he will a bruised reed, he will not break. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:50.399 Do you see he's not like a smash and grab guy? 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:55.600 I mean, there's times in scripture I know where you can see that aspect of his ferocious nature. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:17:00.960 The voice of the Lord strips the forest bear, one beat of the tambourine, puts the enemy to flight. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:07.279 We see his power, but here I read today a bruised reed, he will not break. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:10.480 Those bruised reeds, those are the people that I'm called to serve. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.960 That's what my assignment is. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:16.960 And I believe it's yeah, I believe it's a shared assignment, as I've already said. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:27.039 So my job is to convince people to consider that there could be a God, that he loves them, he has plans for them, and that they have the equipment to hear that directly from him. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:30.240 And they have to plug their equipment in to hear his voice. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:31.839 Just that simple. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:37.599 Now, we exchange, but for the grace of God, uh, for that person. 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:39.680 Can we just use that a bit more? 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:41.839 I have found myself wanting to use that a bit more. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.319 I'm not omniscient, I'm not omnipresent. 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:45.200 I'm not. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:46.640 I'm just not God. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:55.119 I'm supposed to be like him, I'm supposed to be reflection, but boy, you know, when I'm frustrated with some human and I'm looking over at them and I realize they've missed this and they didn't get this. 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:58.160 Oh, right, because they're not omniscient, are they? 00:17:58.400 --> 00:17:59.839 And they're not omnipresent. 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.759 Oh, they might forget things like me. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.759 They might miss a social cue. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:09.440 They may not have the equipment you have, they might not have the resources we have. 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:15.599 They could be the woman at the well, or they could be the one who buried their talent. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:24.720 Now, I'm already at the end of my time, but I want you to uh uh just for a moment um doors unlock with the key that fits the door. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:35.279 Okay, so we're designing with intention, going back to that original text service, authenticity, and values that will make a difference in people's lives. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:38.960 I believe it is key for us here in Port Perry, in Skew Gog. 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.839 I live in Durham, I don't live in Port, not to pretend I do. 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:57.119 But we're gonna introduce to you today, and we have before this concept of artists learning communities, to identify specific strategic needs and provide feedback, verifying what we've heard, to connect to community partners who care for artists, because we're not the only ones who care at all. 00:18:57.279 --> 00:19:00.160 And we're not even the only ones who care in Jesus' name, right? 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:02.319 There's a lot of people who care about artists. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:04.640 So, how do we connect and partner in community? 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:20.319 Because everyone is made in his likeness and image, that means the common good and the common grace of God applies to everyone for the benefit and the well-being of communities, just like our governors are expected to see the water level rise for everyone, not just for one group over another, right? 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.400 That's our commitment to the human endeavor. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:29.119 So we structure opportunities for artists to gather and work in community with a clear focus on skill development, well-being, and spiritual care. 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:30.079 What's that look like? 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:34.400 That means that hey, I may not understand what someone believes. 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:41.119 And they may come here as an example to a learning community, and they might say, Well, I don't believe in what you believe in. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:42.400 Okay, what do you believe in? 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:42.960 Great. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:45.440 Can I sit down and can we just have coffee? 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:46.319 I want to hear. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:47.359 I want to listen. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:52.880 I was outside the RMG the other day, and a young man said, Oh, I believe I said, Where do you get your spiritual guidance? 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:58.480 Where do you get your the care to keep yourself in peace as you're serving your family and serving the community? 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:00.799 He said, um, martial arts. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:02.640 I said, Oh man, see, I want to listen. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:03.839 I want to hear about that. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:09.279 Because I get mine from the tech the scriptural, my scriptural background framework, my relationship with God. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.400 I'm a Christ follower. 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:11.359 I can say that. 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:15.440 I'm not convincing him of anything, but we're having a conversation. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:19.440 And those are the kinds of conversations I believe will transform nations. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:21.920 So there we go. 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:29.279 I put the acts scripture in black and white so you could see it in black and white, but connection, respect, trust, partnership. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:30.880 That's what we're after. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:36.160 And um we often hear about a lament about how society is going. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:40.640 I would really challenge us that for my life, it's to become a lament. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:43.359 It's to mirror Jeremiah. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:51.119 And to say, when he says, hey, if you mistake this attitude of despair and self-pity, oh man, what's happening with the church? 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.680 Well, you know, you're less than 10% of the population, church. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.000 Like what's happening? 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:56.799 You know what? 00:20:57.039 --> 00:21:06.720 Perhaps perhaps God is doing something in us that in humility we would become a lament for our communities instead of lamenting. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:21.680 May we embody the grief and the intercession that's necessary to love people from the moment we meet them and greet them through to the place where they may or may not choose transformation, but it isn't up to us. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:25.519 It was never up to someone else whether or not we believed in God. 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:27.440 It was always up to us. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:36.720 And no matter what we tried to do to convince someone else, we will never convince a partner, a spouse, a family member, or a stranger. 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:39.839 God is the one who will convince. 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:43.839 He is the one who is seeking to save all who are lost. 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:48.079 Can we partner with him in this common good and this grace? 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:50.880 Because what does it cost to reach the soul of a city? 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:54.000 Well, what does it cost if we don't? 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:56.640 That's my question. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.319 Thank you. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:05.200 We hope that you've been blessed by God's word today. 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:10.720 If you live in the Port Perry area, we hope that you'll come and worship with us in person on Sunday at 10 a.m. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:14.480 If you'd like to learn more about Newsong Church, we'd love to connect with you. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:19.440 Please find our contact information at newsongportperry.ca and reach out to us. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:24.880 Newsong's ministry is entirely funded by the generous giving of those who worship and journey with us. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:33.200 If you feel called to support our ministry with a financial gift, please go to newsongportperry.ca slash giving to make your contribution. 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:36.079 Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.