Jesus and a pint.

Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?

christian community

i know that sounds like a bit of a funny answer but it is something rhys and i have never really 'tried' as a married couple. we have an amazing community of friends. friends that are more like family. but not a christian community in the way that i was brought up with it.

i was raised in church my whole life, youth group, mission trips and even a christian university. we had amazing small groups and bible studies. i had an incredible support group of christian friends and i even taught sunday school at the church. i always knew moving out of the buckle of the bible belt and into a big city would be different. and i knew that moving to london was the right choice. i just did not imagine what God had in store for us there.

rhys joined a rugby team the second week we were there (2007) and that became our ministry. there was not a single doubt in our minds that jesus had led us to that specific team for a reason. we poured our heart and souls into those boys. they became our family away from family. we ministered to them in unique ways and brought them into our church (we had an amazing church in london) and those boys, with their families, were our community. it was the most amazing community i have ever been a part of. the love, respect, appreciation and consideration shown one another was a biblical model, whether they realised it or not.

we continued on with the rugby boys the remaining 3 years we were there. we felt that was what God wanted us to be committed to. rugby practice and games conflicted with when our church did small groups. we felt like it was the right decision to stay with the team. and it was. several boys were led to the lord and one is now an active member/leader in our church. God did amazing things in that team. and still is doing great things with them.

but now, looking ahead, i want a different sort of community. drinking pints and talking about jesus is great. i wouldnt trade those 4am pub nights for a billion dollars. but it would be good for me, and for us as a couple, to have a community where the 'feeding' is mutual. i would love a small group/community group like i had growing up. a bible study of sorts. it was hard to constantly be the only two standing for God when no one else believed. it was hard to choose to go to the bar when we were tired and would have much rather had the pot luck dinner with a small group. choosing drunk, rowdy pubs and 2 hours of sleep on saturday nights was tiring. amazing, but still challenging. i think in 2011 a different element of community would be good.

dont get me wrong, i do not want to give up my 'rugby' community. rhys and i are already praying to find something similar when we move to america. but in addition to that, i would love a christian community as well. i would like to give that a try.