Closing the Doors of Doxology

On February 5th, in a beautifully lit ballroom with antique hardwood floors and glowing Edison bulbs hung perfectly to light the richly warm brick walls, Doxology gathered for the last time as a church. 100 people gathered in this beautiful space to pour out something precious, to let go of something incredible. 

I'd like to tell you why. 

Over 10 years ago an amazing group of people created a church like no other called Doxology in Corvallis Oregon. They met in a night club downtown and welcomed any and all who needed a place to wrestle with God. It became a shaping experience for many who invested in the mission to 'Introduce the City to a Person', Doxology was known throughout the Willamette Valley as an innovative and courageous church, willing to do things that hadn't been done before. The ministry this church was a part of was phenomenal. So much so, that when I heard they were looking to replant and rebuild their church 2 years ago I jumped at the opportunity to lead the replanting effort.  Dox quickly became precious to my family and I as we poured all we had into this beautiful community. 

When I sit down and try to understand and explain why Doxology closed, the easy answer is that we didn't have enough capital in the bank to sustain the planting efforts. But, it is more complex than that and I think many can sense this, so allow me to share from a passage that has been helpful for me. 

John 12 describes Jesus in the last stages of his life, before offering up his life for humanity, spending some time in a home with friends. As they are reclining around the table one of the guests, Mary is overcome with the beauty of the moment seeing her once lost brother Lazarus sitting, eating and laughing with his rescuer Jesus. Driven by gratitude she runs to get her most prized possession a flask of perfume. This was not just any flask of perfume this was special perfume imported from India, costing a life savings. This perfume was precious it was likely the thing that had brought her joy in owning it, comfort in knowing its value and hope for a use worthy of its specialness. The story tells how she takes this flask and breaks it over the feet of Jesus. 

The thing most precious to Mary broken and poured out to fragrance the feet of One going to His death...

Waisted? 

Judas thought so... "why was this not sold for the poor?" 

Mary didn't seem to think so... If you read the story she breaks the jar, pours out the perfume and the room is filled with the aroma of her love as she kneels down to rub what is most precious to her into the feet of Jesus with her hair. 

Waisted? 

Jesus didn't think so.  “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me." (Mt. 26:10)

Over the last two years we have seen God do some incredible things among the church community, friends and City. We saw God draw some unchurched, dechurched and unbelieving lives into communion with Himself. We celebrated new inroads in the City and saw a number of people get baptized. More than anything I am proud of, I am proud that we were a faithful presence of Jesus in the difficult City of Corvallis. We showed people a picture of Jesus that I believe honored who He really is. 

We like Mary tasted a bit of heaven as we saw the power of Jesus bringing new life and healing and we are so filled with gratitude for this. Doxology for myself and many others was more than a church, more than a community. If was an expression of Heaven, a thin place where heaven and earth would consistently draw near each other. And that is why I don't fully understand why God put his finger on something so precious, so valuable, so comforting and said it is right for us to pour it out on the feet of Jesus. 

All I know is holding onto anything other than Jesus is ugly, even if it's a beautiful Church. So we humbly loosened our grip and offered up what was never ours. 

If there is a fitting picture, it is the picture of open hands, the church was never mine, always His and I trust Him. 

"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
                                                                                                                        - Job 1:21

As a family we stand in awe of God and all that he allowed us to be a part of over the last two years. We ask that you join us in prayer as we seek to see where God may be leading us to further expand His Kingdom.

If you would like to send any financial support or letters of encouragement to bless our family in this season please mail to:

6985 NW Concord Dr.
Corvallis Oregon 
97330

Optimistic Jesus, Are you?

 “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” -Winston Churchill

Jesus in this way is an optimist and he invites us to be the same. Ephesians 3:20 gives us the reason for such optimism; simply put, God “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” 

This verse is a dramatic statement. We as creative humans are pretty good at looking around us and finding something new to want or experience, there is no shortage of longing for more. Wanting more is not my problem, sometimes I find myself caught in this space where I want something, I can even picture myself enjoying it, but don’t really have any legitimate way of acquiring said thing, so it stays just there, I leave it at that, a want, a dream, a what if. Most of the time I move on and completely forget about the item or experience. This is called contentment, leaving things behind that don’t belong to us as we journey forward with Jesus. But is this how we should handle our spiritual aspirations?

All too often I come to Scriptural promises with this same attitude; sure it says that 'Jesus came to give life in abundance' but is that for me? Maybe I’ll conjure up an image of what I believe abundant life to look like (a life full of joy, courage, risk, reward and genuine meaning and impact). But the question is close at hand even as I dream, 'Is that promise for me?' I often will clearly see the vision of what could be but quickly become overwhelmed by the mountain that seems to lead me there. The trail is dark and unclear, I don’t even know if I could get there if I tried. The sacrifices are too real the possibility too small.

And so, I often pocket dreams of the life that could be, the life of untouchable joy and unshakable peace. The life of embodying Jesus through selfless love and justice which leads to the richest satisfaction. I put it on the shelf because I doubt it really could be mine. The realness of the now and the faintness of what could be force me into a vile twisting of contentment. Apathy. 

The words of Paul assault this apathetic posture by stating firstly, Our optimism about our life should not be bound to what we can imagine or envision, much less the path to get there. We have a very limited ability to see clearly all that God has planned for us, but He can see. And His vision for you is far greater than you can imagine. Read Ephesians 3:20 again if you need to. God “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” 

Secondly, when we dream about our spiritual future our dreams should not be tethered to our limited strength. We should not be hedging our spiritual goals and aspirations with easily met goals. I am all for small achievable goal setting, but what I mean is this, when it comes to spiritual possibilities we are not primarily working with our strength, we are working with the “power [that is] at work within us.” 

This power is the same power exuded when Jesus was raised from the dead. This power is resurrection power. This power is one that goes where all hope is lost and enlivens life. This power is the power that goes to the cold places that are locked off to all others because of the death within and warms that place with new life.

This power is at work within you and I. Working to do far above what we could imagine or ask for.

            TRUTH

What area do you want to see that power move, change or enliven this year?

                 What is your #1 Spiritual goal this year?

Don’t keep your goal private share it, talk about, it pray for it.

*If you are reading this together with others in your community please take a moment to practice the following expression of shared faith.

What is everyone’s personal Goal for the coming year and what is everyone’s spiritual goal for the coming year?

Spend a few minutes praying for each other and these goals.