This was the first year since 2007
that the I Want God Conference (IWGC) hasn’t been held in
Bloomington, Indiana. What is IWGC? It is a ministry organized by
those in the Bloomington community who desired to work together across
denominational lines. We incorporated numerous churches and organizations
in a two day conference that ministered to teens and young adults. In
workshops, service projects, and concerts, we remind one another that we are
all God’s children and that there is strength when brothers and sisters dwell
together in unity – Psalm
133:1.
Though this exciting endeavor didn’t
happen this year, I don’t believe God is finished with this movement.
Many are seeing that there is God in a church that works together. In
fact, with significant populations from Asia to Africa to South
America, the church is more diverse now than it has ever been. [Pause.
Please check out the link for this - it explains the connections between
wealth, poverty, HIV, and Christianity. This is VERY insightful considering tomorrow (Dec. 1) is World AIDS Day.]
Indeed, this is an exciting and
challenging time for the church of Jesus Christ. For those of us who
confess Christ, we have attached ourselves to a heritage that is far richer
than our many differences. The divine activity in the many manifestations
of God’s children shouldn't be discouraged, but celebrated and used to
transform the world. Our unity can bring justice (love in
action). Bloomington God-Wanters, I’m grateful that for five years, we celebrated
this together. Let's keep living the movement!
Lord, thank You for the witness in
unity that you reveal through John 17. Thank You for looking beyond our
color and our sex to see our souls. Thank you for giving us variety that
we may create community. We apologize for leading others to
division. We are sorry for our own inclinations of separation. We
ask that You grant us the courage to bring people together and to challenge our
communities to embrace the “others” around them. To the One
who is united and diverse, one and three, be all glory and praise. Amen.
Video from
IWGC 2008 (band view)-
Remembering,
j.a.g.
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Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
