here is the first letter I sent to Todd Hiestand
via email after my two year stint in TX.
Todd,
I have visited your site several times and hesitate to write, for fear of sounding like one of those guys. You know the over excited one who wants to be accepted into the club.
My Spiritual Journey was rocked many times through out my short time on earth. Most recently when my wife and I moved back to Souderton Pa after spending two years in TX as a Jr. High youth pastor. Our time there we were able to meet amazing people, like Chris Seay and Don Miller, I wont name more, because that is name dropping, and I am am afraid I will sound like “that guy.”
Needless to say our paradigm of how to be the church shifted through living life in a modern mega church mindset. We were able to develop community in our short time there and start a service inside the larger church I worked at called “Teleos.” When I looked of your pictures it reminded me of our times together. I am sure God is doing amazing things in your midst.
Currently we are in the process of developing community with a missional focus. This time it is looking a lot different. One it is growing much faster than anticipated. I do not say this as though that is the goal, we simple tell people that we want this to be a safe environment and all are welcome as we gather to live our loving God and loving neighbor. That is our focus.
The funny thing about the group is that we all have diverse theological backgrounds so we can only agree on the over arching theme of the Gospel, which is great.
Here is my point. You are the only church I can find in the greater Philadelphia area that is living missionaly. Well there is Liberti, and circle of hope, but the guys a liberti are way busy and I went to school with a lot of the people that go to circle of hope and there mission is a little different.
So I was wondering if we could start a conversation. If you are to busy that is cool. I am currently taking a class with Joe Thomas at Biblical and plan on starting in the Fall full time in the lead program.
I would love to come down sometime and share in your worship experience. One of the guys in our group has turned us onto invisible children and we are going to have a viewing at branchcreek. Some of us work there, but “Missio Dei Community” is not a Branchcreek thing. Just a bunch of Ragamuffins, trying to love God and the world. I thought maybe we could do it together some how.
much love
Scott Hackman
This was before The Living Room, which is simular to missio dei.
I enjoy this new blog, thanks Todd.
