Nomad

Need Help for a Brother in Our Network

2011-05-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am going to keep this brief. Terrence, my brother who has been walking with Jesus two years now, and who is one of the most passionate and obedient church planters I'm seeing God raise up, is in a difficult situation. He is in Los Angeles. His mother is in Philadelphia. She is being basically held hostage in her duplex. Some people who live in the adjoining apartment have told her that if she leaves her apartment, they'll kill her - this has happened many times and they have shot at her. She has lung problems and is sick, lives alone, and doesn't have a support network in Philadelphia. Well, yesterday she texted me and said she feels like giving up. The young man in the group told her he was coming to get her "bitch" and that when he saw her, he'd shoot her and kill her.

Can we rally together and do something for this woman? Maybe you know someone in Philly who can get to her and help?! Maybe you just had a plane ticket donated to you or you've got a frequent flier ticket you can give away. I would love to send Terrence home for a week to help his mother. He's not in classes right now and could go, but is poor and can't afford a ticket.

This is an awesome chance for those connected to nomad to do something for this family.

Send an email through this blog or email nomadchurchblog@gmail.com

God bless - Keep running! We have been trasfered from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of God's beloved Son! Let's get forceful together!

PS She is calling the police, and she has been calling them for weeks and weeks. When they come, they don't do anything to deter the terrorism, and it ends up worse for her because it angers her neighbors so. I have counseled her to bug them until she gets a thorough response, but at this point I'm not sensing God needs to send law enforcement - he needs to mobilize his church! Please consider what you can do prayerfully!!

Here is a story about Terrence's involvement in our church network:

http://www.cmaresources.org/article/nomad-a-church-without-a-home_john-huddle

Published an Article!

2011-03-07T00:07:00.000-08:00

Nomad - The Church With No Home

Check this out! Got an article published about my main man Terrence!

Good Times

2010-02-19T16:01:00.000-08:00

Been a while since we had a nomad blog, so here goes. Things have been interesting to say the least. One of God's biggest miracles in our midst these past six months is, of course, a transformed life! And this man just moved to Phoenix. He was on the street, Jesus got a hold of him, to put it very simply, and he transformed before our eyes. Since then, the fixed action of the park continues: guys sitting around on concrete benches, rubber-necking beneath trees, lifting bottles of hidden liquor from trashcans and bushes and flowers.

Now whenever someone has been totally transformed by Jesus, the discussion often navigates in that direction - it's like he won the lotto or got drafted by the NBA.

"Hey, let him know I said what's up!"

"Yo, what's life like for him these days?"

"When's he coming through?"

There are other Nomads gathering, and I realize this blog often focuses too much on the group gathering at the park. More updates will come from these other groups soon. But let me just say that transformation blinds those who think they truly see (when they don't) and it shuts up the mouth of doubters and it amazes the cynic. There is nothing like it.

If you are interested in gathering with us, comment on the blog. Someone - probably John - will totally contact you and hook you up. But - seriously - why don't you just "Go!" Don't walk into a park or coffee shop and expect everyone turn their heads, be amazed at you gracing their presence, and then suddenly go all Ninevah, but you never know! Spend time cultivating that ground. Don't keep the gospel during this time. Don't be afraid to listen, as well, and avoid all rabbit trail back-you-into-a-corner religions conversations. I tend to kill rabbit trails with my fav thesis: "Religion is a system designed to make bad people good; Jesus came to our planet and lived among us and drunk our drink and ate our meat to do much more than make us good. He came to make the dead live."

If folks want to talk religion, let them. But don't show excitement in such a conversation. Simply be present and listen. From my perspective, I'm leaving the tear in the veil - I'm not sewing that thing back up! But the moment one of these dudes quotes a scripture or wonders something about Jesus, I light up. And because I'm there, tracking with them, they allow it. I think most of the time, they expect it.

If you can simply be with folks, listening to them, allowing them to engage and dropping truth right into their lives, you will see them connect with Jesus. You will see the four soils in a way you've never seen them before, and you'll be truly farming.

Nomad - January 2010 Update

2010-01-19T10:38:00.000-08:00

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That verse has been dominating my mind for a week. Someone shared during our church gathering that it is tempting to doubt the promise that God allows us to be tested according to what we can bear, and he will always provide a way out. This verse - "I can do all things through Christ..." - is the answer to that doubt.

I don't know if you followed boxing in the eighties or if you remember much about Mike Tyson, but he was possibly the most powerful speed-puncher of all time. I won't gush his whole story here, but it is an amazing story; and one aspect sticks out. Tyson figured he'd be dead by his mid-twenties. He never imagined that by then he would have smashed the record books as a unified boxing champ. One knockout - in the Olympics, at age fourteen - came 8 seconds into the match. A knockout in 8 seconds!

He ascribed all of his success to his manager and trainer (during his early years), and the man who would become his legal guardian, Cus D'Amato. Cus loved Mike, took him in, invested his life into the young man. At one point he made the comment that Mike was "keeping him alive." He was an older guy while training Mike, but felt Mike gave him a purpose - and Mike said the same thing about him. Beautiful story, right? I think so.

But there is a problem with stories like this, and the problem isn't subtle, and the problem is so definitive that - I would humbly suggest - it taints the good thing. The problem: death. If I wrap up my life, say, in my wife, or my mentor, or a prof from college, and I am one of the rare few who receives the same kind of investment from the other - free of charge, full of love - I'll experience a life-changing (maybe a life saving) relationship.

But when death comes, and the availability of that one person is lost to us, what then? You've heard Tyson's story. You know about his marriages, the rape conviction, the drugs and the partying, stating openly on ESPN that he ONLY fought to pay his bills, his tatoos - which he said he got to intimidate people (He's Mike Tyson! Why would he need tatoos!). When he speaks of this collapse - and he calls it a disaster - he always returns to Cus. His life saved Tyson's. His death was, in a way, Tyson's death. And no one ever filled that gap again. For Mike, it was "I can do all things through Cus who strengthens me..." Until the end, I think Cus would have said the same about Mike.

One really cannot generalize about a church family, but I can say here that this is kind of where Nomad is at. We are all realizing we make terrible saviors. Our weaknesses are legion, and any kind of pretense to self-based strength is merely cleaning up the outside of our cup. The month of December has been a transitional time and a learning time. God has blessed a few of us with a renewed desire for Christ-like compassion for those who are in collapse. I'm seeing incredible fruits, and yet there is a long journey before us. Sometimes the intensity of the harvest can create moments when we long for the shade of the barn, especially when we see Tyson-like collapses in the lives of those around us and we lose sight of Jesus walking ahead. Our minds wander, "Can I help this guy?" and the answer is a conditional, "In a way..."

We want the impossible. Total help. Total transformation. A renewed heart. We want back the years the locusts devoured.

And God is able to do the impossible; and he is not far off. Jesus literally walks with us; his Spirit is perfectly available; and in the midst of a sea of weaknesses his strength and presence hushes storms and clarifies our vision. When our Life Transformation Groups gather, he shows up in a palpable, almost freaky way. He sits at the table. Our discussions of the word become - believe it or not - more powerful than any podcast. It's like our hearts are opened, and the impossible change we long for happens live, right there.

Maybe you imagine a chasm of weakness between you and God - as if he has died and you are now on your own. But there is no chasm. Make no mistake, Jesus died. But he rose again. And he rose to be with you, and to lead you out. You are not alone.

Perhaps you have become so habitually disobedient to the Great Commission that any 'sense' of God's conviction instantly morphs into guilt. In your mind, well, there is no breaking the cycle. You are not alone. Maybe if you would stop relying on your own strength, and begin being simply obedient to Christ, things would change. Resurrection is tough, man. You gotta go to a graveyard, push and leverage away the tombstone, pray to God (from your heart), and then even after you are raised again there is the matter of getting out of the grave, losing the grave clothes, and getting back to the process of living. The good, good news is that Jesus provides all we need for each stage. We need nothing in ourselves. He gives us all we need.

Nomad has been gathering in a few homes and locations, and then at Westchester Park. The Park meeting has been at nine AM on Friday mornings. Comment on the blog if you want more info. Love to you all.

Weakness Works - More on UAE

2009-12-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

When you fly east, you lose time. I get kind of sad about it, actually, even when it's just a flight to Denver or Houston. When I flew to the UAE, I lost a day. Left on a Friday, got there 12:30 am Sunday morning.

Walking off the plane I saw my friends, Jacob and Amy. Jacob has been a brother of mine for a long time, and Amy is the Youth For Christ front-liner who helped make all of this possible. She came up with the Desert Challenge idea years ago. She also designed the theme I spoke on, as well as basic themes for each talk. The title of the conference was WAKE UP. The talks looked liked this:

1. Wake up to God's presence in the universe and to the majesty of his creation.
2. Wake up to the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection.
3. Wake up to who you are in Jesus.
4. Wake up to Jesus as the Eikon or Image of the living God.
5. Wake up to the cost and mission of being a disciples of Jesus.

The story I want to tell you right now has everything to do with waking up, though it doesn't necessarily delve into the talks themselves.

I had trouble sleeping on the planes.

In fact, I couldn't sleep. I think I dozed on the first plane, falling off when Harry and Dumbledore finally recover the true memory of Voldemort and then waking up t0 the quietly spoken words, 'I am the half blood prince," at the end. The food was great, the flights where great, and at 12:30 am I was feeling great. Walked off the plane, there were my friends, we drive out of the airport, and the car breaks down. Overheats. That makes me nervous. I've split a block driving an overheated car, and that happened in freezing winter. We're in Dubai, in the middle of severe desert, and though the temperature was kind wonderful, I was very happy when we pulled over to a fuel station and spent then next couple hours drinking orange juice and quoting The Office.

Finally, we made it to the church facility where Desert Challenge was going to happen. We had a 4:30 am staff meeting - no joke. And yes that is early for people in the middle east. The computer guy, Jim, said, "No one would call a meeting like this...except Amy."

Around 5:45 - 6:00am, I was on an air mattress. I woke up around 8:30 am.
The first talk was around 1:30pm. The second talk was around 7:30 pm. I was so completely dead during the second talk, I never stated my thesis. My thesis was (and is, yo): Jesus did not come to make bad people good; he came to make dead people live. Thankfully, this guy, John, a local youth pastor of awesomeness asked me, "Hey, how would you sum up all your talks, in one sentence..." and he asked me that during this late night interview thing when all the students were gathered, and, thank God, I was able to then state the thesis. The thesis IS my answer.

Now, I was also supposed to lay down a verse in a rap competition that was going to be so intense young people would be like running out into the desert screaming my name....but I never did the rap. I had it all figured out, but John later told me that when he looked at me, he saw I'd "done enough that day." Whew.

Let me tell you that God's strength is perfected in our weakness. Even now, at home a couple weeks, there is so much stuff I need to get done because I am behind, unable to finish for x reason and y reason, and that can cause nuclear stress. It can just slay you mentally. But there is a real beauty and grace-infused peace in allowing God to perfect his strength in our weakness.

The Desert Challenge experience was on Thanksgiving weekend. Trust me, folks, I could NOT HAVE PARTICIPATED and have missed Thanksgiving with my family. I had to leave when I left, no sooner and no later. The entire thing was designed from the ground up to exhaust me, and the folks I worked with there were also totally exhausted, running on God's strength. The second day was an epic day - huge responses to the gospel, huge responses to the challenge of making disciples, and an overwhelming sense among all involved that God was coordinating everything each individual had planned into this intensely beautiful textile, something more wonderful than the (pretty awesome) scarves I picked up for Manda at the mall the last day.

There is a tendency in me to have everything worked out, premapped. In fact, Desert Challenge was, pretty much, premapped and worked out. But there were enough variables and enough gaps one could needle away at until numb with worry.

Didn't happen.

Afterwards, I was amazed at how congruent everything felt. I have not listened to any of the talks after the fact - I don't have copies of them - but unless I'm delusional, the Holy Spirit granted us this powerful cohesive unity which wasn't build on sameness but a rich diversity of perspectives and obedience-centered giftedness.

I'm going to write more about this time on this blog so all, what??? four of you (ha ha :) ) can read about it, and I'll have a record laid down. Listen: even my mistakes were blessings. Those of you who know me know I struggle to accept that any mistake I make can be a blessing! But God really did use every moment for the building of his kingdom and the furthering of his purpose: to set the world free from the power of sin and death through resurrection life we are given freely through Jesus' death and resurrection. I know that's a mouthful, but that is the message. These students RISK THEIR LIVES when they share Jesus with others. They are steeped in a culture that tells them to earn. The UAE free market culture is built on similar values our Western 'earning' culture is built on. And there are is a prevalent spiritual ethos that perpetuates a sense that we earn what God gives us; that our strengths determine our success.

I thank God that this was not the case for me in Dubai as he really showed up and perfected his strength in my weakness(es).

UAE

2009-12-04T17:36:00.000-08:00

Guys, I'm back, and my heart is on fire from what God is doing in the United Arab Emirates. In fact, I wasn't ready for what he was going to show me - and that started from the very first moments I stepped off the plane. We were driving from the airport - me, Amy (the head of Desert Challenge and all things YFC in that region), and Jacob who I hadn't seen in a couple months. Our car started hissing and every good person in Dubai who thought we couldn't see the wig of smoke rising from the car hood was blasting horns and pointing. We parked at a gas station, sat on a curb, and drank orange juice. Amy was stressing because she has a conference to plan and I was sitting there IN JOY because, well, I'm in Dubai with Jacob and Amy and I'm sitting on a curb in the middle of the night quoting The Office and telling stories.
Then check this out. Later that night, we:
1) had a meeting at 4:30 am. Yes. Read that one more time, in case you missed it. I was teetering at the meeting but alive and 'myself' and then...
2) we had our minds blown at the videos Jacob and Ray and others put together for DC. Blew away in sense that any fears I had that the normal genre-limitations and cheesiness of contemporary mass-christian art would dominate the tone of this conference were destroyed. Guys, these videos are about four minutes a piece and they rocked. The videos were sick. True accomplisments. They stand up to multiple viewings.
3) I had my mind blown at the love and graciousness, the welcoming spirit, and the desire for these kids to be impacted. This whole spirit came drenched with a sense of edification and establishment: I had every sense that they wanted the talks to go well, my time there to be everything I wanted it to be, and God to be in total control.
Which he was. All these little things happened which kept decentralizing myself from the center of this thing. Listen, that has to happen. Christians love to take any speaker - even the average ones - and place them up high. Not this time. My initial goals for my own talks were dwarfed and forgotten on night #1. I'll be telling these stories here, very soon.
Love to you all. Now I'm back in the city of Angels. Ready to do this.
Keep Running,
John

STING

2009-10-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was a great day. We welcomed a new church into our church facility - Hope Chapel - for their first worship gathering. After, we shared a massive common meal and experienced communion together through the sharing of the Lord's Supper. Both groups participated and there was this palpable joy present: like the joy and the urgency surrounding a final meal before a big trip or a journey or quest.

This blog is for Nomad, our homeless churches, but today I want to comment a bit on this movement towards the church as a 'journey' or quest experience. The great thing about a quest or a mission is that you don't do it alone (unless you choose to), and there is incredible reward in the journey (and challenge) even during times when you don't seem like you're going to ever arrive at the goal.

But we all know that the goal is near for us. I'm staring death in the face every day. If that line sounds melodramatic to you, well, then you need to look death in the eyes yourself. See what is waiting for you?

Once there was a guy who faced death and submitted to it. He walked willingly into a situation where death was probably inevitable, and it was. No, he didn't commit suicide: he stood up for what he knew was right and perfect and true, and was killed for the stand.

He took his last breath. That cold glaze of lightless sickness surely came over his face. The settling of the eyes in the sockets. His lungs stopped producing oxygen. His heart slowed and the blood stood still in its caves. He died.

Dead.

And then, a few days later, he was alive again.

When I think about facing death, I stand up straight and stick my chest out and try to hide the fear. But this week, talking on the phone with our brother, Mark, I was reminded of something awesome. He said that where he is right now - sober, trusting God, living for today - he fears nothing. Nothing. No one. Not even death. When he said it - on the phone - I believed him. Do you know what I'm saying? Not that he'd lie to me, he wouldn't; but I believed that he beleived death was inevitable and it has NO STING. Why? Because his trust in his the Lord - fully and completely. If he rose from the dead, then he knows what it's like. And if he conquered death, then he can do it in you and me.

And he promises much, much more than "beating death." If you don't know what he promises, come hang with Nomad this week.

Nomad - Big Thangs

2009-10-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hey, all,

Yo, I hope this week you have been responding to God's guidance and leading in your life. I am so stuck on that idea right now - "God, I know I want your power in my life....but do I want to submit to your 'leading'....even if that asks me to do things that are inconvenient?"

Well, this week we have an inconvenience ha ha. The parking lot is unavailable at Westchester Park, so we need to take Nomad. Nomad will not meet at its normal location in the park. When you come down Manchester, turn left into the PUBLIC LIBRARY parking lot. When you park, you will see us at the tables close by, gathered under some trees. We will be starting ON TIME AT 6:00 PM! Also, we may be "mobile" tonight, transitioning to another location after 7. We will either eat there or walk to KFC. If you bring food, that's great! We'll just take it with us.

Tonight is going to be a shorter gathering, but it is REALLY IMPORTANT that we all get together. God is clearly shaking us up and allowing us to re-embrace the idea He's placed at the heart of NOMAD: we are not bound to one location but we are bound to each other in Christ Jesus.

We wouldn't even know Deena, David, Mark, Stan, Kara (and Sara and Maverick), Kelly and Gracie, JB, Mike, Bob, and many others if we had not first gone to the park. Imagine what wold happen if we took the love and transforming message of Jesus to ANOTHER community and had the same result? What if a chain reaction started?

Last week, Amber was with us at the park. Some of you did not know Amber, but she helped facilitate Nomad in the Fall of 2008 and was a regular part of Nomad for a long time leading up to her move to Point Loma Naz University. Now, she's leading a disicpleship group on that campus, and she made a point to say last week, "Remember, ya'll, Nomad planted a group in San Diego!" I love her heart and her sense of connectedness. To think that Nomad has had a role in the incredible things she's sharing in on that campus....that fires me up, ignites my passion, and reminds me of the power we find in sharing the good news of Jesus to others.

My dream is that every single person we meet hears about Jesus in a way they undertand; and every Christian who crosses our path is challenged to follow EVERYTHING Jesus teaches, not just the stuff that pleases them or us! "...love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength."

Love you guys! Let's be looking out for God's creative direction. He's leading us somewhere! He sees what's around the corner, and sometimes when I can't it's scary...but ha ha it's kind of fun!

Nomad - Now's Our Chance!

2009-09-25T10:29:00.001-07:00

Well, I just had a great conversation with Deena, one of our ladies at Nomad in the park. She has been following Jesus this summer, and has been very intentional about reaching out to others. Deena has a sensitive heart full of compassion, and she wants more and more people to know about Jesus and to grow as she has grown.

But Deena may not be able to go to Nomad if we continue to meet at night in the Park. It's simply getting too cold for her. She has some physical challenges and she's not the only one facing such challenges.

It was really cool speaking with her because she seemed very aware that her so-called 'weakness' might be a huge opportunity for us and for the Kingdom of God. So here is Deena's heart: we need Nomad to meet someplace where we can stay together and perhaps become a part of a new community. She is hoping we stay near the park because that's where she is and that's where her circle of influence is. Perhaps we can do both: stay in the park and move to a new location, essentially starting to go with two groups. ???

You guys know my heart: Nomad is being prodded by God right now...to go. I don't know what it is going to look like, but I have a sense God is directing us to a new group of people.

So what do you think? Please post your comments. This mission is important, guys. People need to know God loves them, and Jesus offers forgiveness and freedom! Jesus offers friendship and hope and true, pure, eternal life!

Where is God leading us?

Nomad is ON tonight at Westchester Park: start around 6pm, get in the word arond 7pm. Can't wait to see you there! Please bring something to share together for our meal!

Peace,

John

Answered Prayers

2009-09-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hey, I hope you all have had a week full of the presence of God. Right now as I type this I am simply exhausted, but it is a great feeling. God has done some incredible things this week - transforming lives, drawing two churches together, a spiritual break through in the life of my LTG partner, and some big things at home, too. Sydney can now moo like a cow, play the chase game - Spooky dad says, "I'm going to get you..." and laughy daughter says, "Yahhhh!" as she runs to her lady bug tent.

Tomorrow is the big Organic Church Seminar in downtown Los Angeles. Tonight, I've got a lot to share with my church. I cannot wait for Nomad, and honestly I don't see how I'll get done all that I need to get done between this moment and tonight. But, yo, I got this email out, and I hope to see ALL of you there Friday night (tonight) at 6 pm.

Westchester Park, on the corner of Lincoln and Manchester, north of where the Farmer's Market operates, south of the pool. We'll meet at 6 pm, share the word at 7 pm, and - exhale - I cannot wait.

Peace to you all! Big Mark update tonight!!!

Detox

2009-09-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

Church family, one of our brother's took a major step today and checked himself into detox. I just got back from dropping him off, and he called me twenty minutes ago to tell me "I'm in." I asked if I could tell ya'll, and he said, "Of course." So I told him we'd be praying.

So tonight at Nomad let's pray. Okay?

6 pm at Westchester Park. 7ish we'll pray. Remember, I asked three questions last week:

1) Why are you with Nomad?
2) What do you want Nomad to do for Jesus?
3) What is an area in your life you need help with spiritually?

One reason our brother checked himself in was, he said, walking with Jesus has taught him that staying in the same place is unacceptable. God has saved our lives, given us life, and he doesn't want to take what God has given him just to throw it away.

We all need to detox at times when our willingness to ignore God's voice overwhelms our lives to the point when the only voice we really heed is our own. Let's get together tonight and encourage one another, and we will pray for detox!

Love you guys. John

First Poll Question Ever - Show Me Love!

2009-09-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

Nomad is at Westchester Park this week, and we are eating from around 6-7, and God will take care of everything after. If you want to bring an instrument to play, bring one! Please bring some food to share. Please come! Can't wait!

Westchester Park is on the corner of Lincoln and Manchester in Los Angeles. We are on the west side (the Lincoln side) near the picnic tables. I'll have the grill there, so bring something you want to grill.

Okay, now, I really need you to do me a favor.... Below are some questions. Please answer one!

August is gone, and September is here, and I cannot believe the summer is basically over. As we prepare to re-engage, what are some good things we can do to help with the heat?

School is back for me (John): I'm teaching at Loyola and West LA and the energy is back up (as I am...in the morning...cause of the 5:30 alarm....yeah.).

Speaking of teaching, last week Nomad helped an educational program for community kids as well as children living in a local shelter. I've been doing educational programs for children for ten years, and that includes serving underpriveledged children, too. This week was an awesome week: the leaders were amazing, the crafts were just incredible - they created a galaxy in a room at the church building - and the children were super responsive, not just to the crafts and games and songs but also to the message. The message is this: that God created the universe, the universe is beautiful, God created these children, they are beautiful...and they can be in a relationship with God.

One night I was sharing about how God loves them like a dad, and he sent his only son to earth to live among us so we could all be his kids, too. There were tears in the eyes of the homeless children, the ones in difficult living situations, and the ones in safe living situations, too. There were some leaders responding, in fact!

So here's my question: so when you have kids with different needs, should you keep them together? Or do you think kids should be grouped and taught according to their needs - effectively separating them? I mean we do it with age groups?

Some of you know there is a reason I'm asking this. I want to get your feedback for a variety of reasons....partly to see just what people think about this issue.

I see parallel questions in the church. Many conventional churches separate families in order to minister to them. The kids go here, the married parents go there, and the single mom's go over there; and the older parents go to the boomer class. Is this an effective structure to minister to people? Are there advantages to keeping people together?

Comments are welcome and wanted! Post, post, post...even if it's just about the heat!

Long-Windedness, be GONE!

2009-08-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

So last week, someone got on my case about the length of the last post. She (Manda, cough) was like, "If you want to talk about Organic Church, then blog about it. But Nomad blog is for Nomad announcements and Nomad stuff..."

Well, she has already set me up with another blog: nomadjohn.blogspot.com

So I'll try to keep my longer posts over there.

TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1) September 19th at First Church of the Naz (Downtown L.A.), we will be hosting a seminar entitled, "What Is Organic Church?" I'll be co-teaching with Darrell McLearn, an AWESOME man of God doing work for the Kingdom in Dallas, Texas. It's going to be a huge event and seats are limited. If you're curious about first century church and want to hear what Organic Church is all about, come!

Email me: jhuddle3@gmail.com

2) Organic Church University in Austin, TX. A one day seminar not enough to get your Organic Church fix? Come to the three-day seminar in Austin. Here's a link.

www.newchurchspecialities.org/Organic_Church_University

And the regular junk!

Yo!!!

Nomad! Tomorrow night! Westchester Park (Friday) at 6:00 pm for Football!!! Football ends at 7 and food is eating at 7! Then family time with each other, God's word, maybe some worship. Kids welcome, elderly welcome, disabled welcome, everyone in the city is welcome!

Bring something you'd like to share (talking about food now).

Pray for Hannah who is really sick.

Pray for all the folks at the park, that God would establish a place for us to reach out in love to all around us.

Pray.

Mark 9 - the pluck out your eye, chop off your hand stuff at the end. Violent Jesus...yeah, that's what we're talking about!

Love you all.

Meet Me At The Wrecking Ball

2009-08-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

Had a guy ask me last week, "Sum up organic church in just one sentence."
I said, "What's your sum of church?"
He said, "Worshipping God."
I said, "An activity, cool." Then I hit him up with my one liner: "Doing what missionaries do internationally right here at home, on the domestic level."

That's a good line, I think. But it didn't "stick". So we kept talking. I hit him with some stuff about "ecclesia". Check out nomadjohn.blogspot.com for more on that, but it essentially means "the sent ones." It is a description of a people.

"Eccelsia" is the word Jesus used for "church."

"People who worship?" he asked.

"Of course," I said. "But we're more than that, I think, as a people."

That got him going, in a good way. And the conversation became very rich, very quickly because we got our focus off of Sundays at 10:30am when we sing songs and we put our focus on the ecclesia, the Kingdom of God, and once you land there you have to talk about Jesus.

Jesus says in Matthew 16 that his ecclesia will be at the gates of Hades - and it will prevail over those gates! This means that the ecclesia - the church - should never, ever be on the defense. We are always on the offense.

Now, when you think of "offensive church people"....wow, the mind boggles, doesn't it? Let's just pause there for a moment, please. A little clapboard chest banner action, anyone? Letters in blood red? Maybe a Q-Beam and a fog horn/megaphone?

Not what I mean by offensive. Isaiah puts it best, I think. Check out Isaiah 1:16-20. Here's a brief description of the passage in my own words.

God's talking. He's like,

"Wash yourself, kid, for real, and stop being nasty and smelly. Change your clothes! Don't you know I'm God and you are my child...start acting like it! Get those sins out of my sight. Yes, I said "out of my sight" and, yes, I can see everywhere, child, so, seriouslly, stop it! Stop living crazy! Give up your evil messed up playing round half-stepping ways."

"Learn to do good.

"Seek justice.

"Help the oppressed.

"Defend the cause of orphans.

"Fight for the rights of widows.

"Child, let's take care of this right now..."

Look, without God, we are lost, right? And not "darkness, broken down on the road" lost. No. We're talking total absence of light darkness, and we're slammed into a phone post with car doors, seat belts, glass and engine entwined with our vital organs "messed up", our blood on the stones "messed up", and no one anywhere who can save us. Death coming down the pike for you and for me and, well, there's no way out. Wormfood all the way, in spite of the fact we know - we know, deep inside - that there must be more to this life than this.

And speaking for myself, the life I was living....was all about me. It was "the picture" of a life that rejected God's voice. It was not about justice, helping the oppressed, orphans and widows....it was all about me.

It led me nowhere. Worse.

Jesus met me on that road, used the Jaws of Life, lifted from the wreckage of that pile the mess that once was John and He saved my sorry life. Put me back together, vein by vein and bone by bone.

But the heart was brand new, yo.

Now, we're taking the church to the people. We're trying to find the sight of the accident where the wreckage stands steaming in the street lights and bring God's love and news about His Son....there. At the wrecking ball.

That's where we want to see Nomad go.

Where the wind is blowing. Where lives are changing.

And we don't want one Nomad. We want a network, ever growing, always engaging.

Always on the offense.

Yes, we've dropped the ball. You better know that I'm growing in all this. But week after week, I see a growing awareness and passion for those who need God, who are hurting, who have been neglected by their familes, their cultures, and, sadly, their churches. Some have destroyed themselves.

We want them. We want them because God wants them. And so just like Jesus did, we're going into their neighborhoods.

Check us out Friday in Westchester Park @ 6:20 pm. This is near LAX on the corner of Lincoln and Manchester. We are on the Lincoln side of the park, playing football around 6:20ish and eating over coals at a sorry little grill by 7:00. All are welcome!!! Please bring a bit of food to share, if you can! If not, come on and eat.

Peace.

Why "Nomad"? The Question Rises AGAIN!

2009-07-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

Wow, twenty-four last week!!! And a bunch of new folks hanging out, playing football, jamming some music and sharing about Jesus...sweet time with Nomad, ya'll.

Been getting asked again: "Why do you call it Nomad?"

The short version - there is a long and boring version, for sure - I didn't name it Nomad. It just kind of happened. The more it was repeated, the more "Nomad" made sense. Nomadic people do not stay in the same place. They are on the move. Many Native American tribes were nomadic until they were forced by the government to stay in one physical location. The same thing has happened in Jesus' church: we've forced people to stay in one physical location when he has said, "Go!" from the start.

This is where I squint my eyes and clench the jaw, and my words growl from the throat because there is thunder in this truth and I want you to hear it:

If we do not go, we are not Jesus' people.

If you think the thing that united the disciples during Jesus' life was his teaching....you are dead wrong.

The thing that united their lives, relationships, mission and purpose was always Jesus' road to the cross.

It was always the "Go!" Jesus teachings, his miracles, the fact he fulfills over 300 prophecies...all of those things point to the cross (and, of course, the empty tomb!). Jesus always knew what united his core group....even when they weren't straight on what the core-uniting-element was.

We still can miss the heart of the mission...even today.

Bible studies are good. So are small groups. But there are small groups and Bible studies all over where people sit and "dig deep" and yet never seem to grow - and certainly never, "Go!" - because Jesus mission is not at their core. I've been in these groups, so trust me when I say they exist. I'm sad to say I've facilitated them as well.

Jesus has something simple to say about those kinds of groups. "Why do you call me Lord, Lord....and do not do what I say?" He says spiritual life like that is like building a beautiful house on sand. When the storm comes and the thunder rolls, the house is destroyed.

But those who do what Jesus says....their house is built on rock.

So Nomad goes.

A second question: Where do we go? I'll save that explanation for next week's entry. But being "nomadic" means we are only at home when we are together, and we're only ourselves when we are "going"....as Jesus has commanded.

Follow me. Go, make disciples. I send you to the ends of the earth.

Follow him.

Come on and join us at Westchester Park! That is on the corner of Lincoln and Manchester @ 6:20ish pm. Cooking out! Bring something to share if you can. Be ready for a family-style time of fellows hip and fun, and expect God is going to teach you something when we gather. Because he will.

Jesus' Love - The Best!

2009-07-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! We had an AWESOME men's retreat last weekend. I have so many thoughts rattling around in my brain from the weekend, but one thing I keep coming back to - and in order to tell the story, I have to name names.

One of the guys I met at the campsite - there were hundreds and hundreds of people near Lake Piru where we stayed - told me that our group of guys seemed like they'd been friends for a logn time. He said, You guys are having the time of your lives! I'm sure it did seem that way.

But here's the facts: everyone who went on this trip has met someone in the group in just the last few weeks. No one knew everyone in the group for longer than a month.

I've known Terrance for a couple months, same with David and Chandler; Mark I've known for Three weeks. We aren't a bunch of friends who go way back!

But I know our group gave that impression to a number of people. I mean, we had people coming from other camp sites to eat with us, pray with us, listen to God's word being spoken (one very drunk man bawled in my arms after hearing the gospel - first, he poked a finger in my chest and said, "Convince me..." Then...). Howard was an AMAZING host and cook. It was just a time of total hospitality and love.

This is what Jesus brings to our lives, guys. This is what must soak us. The world is done with Christians who keep toweling off the water of God, so to speak. They want and need to see people doused in his love.

Jesus has so much love that when he's on the cross with his wrist-bones are shattered, and he can barely breathe from the wound in his side, and he can't think with a crown of old Judean thorns pounded into his head, and he can only aleviate pressure on his arms and chest by standing on the spike in his feet, he still loves his neighbors. Father forgive them, he says of the crowd. Behold your mother, he says to John. Surely you will be with me this day in paradise, he says to the criminal beside him.

This Friday, let's talk about the invasiveness and power of God's love. Maybe you have a story of how God has touched your live through someone else. Guys on the retreat, this is on opportunity to share what's happened during that time.

Our text is Mark 9 - please read it two or three times before Friday.

If you want to help with anything - prayer, discussion, food, whatever, comment on the blog or email me!

6:20pm Friday Night at Westchester Park. If you are able, bring something to share - we'll have the grill!

Peace,

John

Less Like "Cancelled", More Like "On The Move"

2009-07-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

Unless you can get to Lake Peru, most of you won't be able to hang with Nomad this week. So keep checking the blog but Nomad will not be at Minerva's, Cheri Kay's or the park - unless you blow everyone away and just ignore this email and do it!

Peace...see you soon. Pray for us as we take these guys out of town for a couple days for spiritual renewal - and some serious eats, fishing, etc, etc. We're taking a bunch of guys out for the first ever men's retreat our church has done since I've been hanging in this community. Good times planned, wicked menu, and back at a decent hour on Sunday. Can't wait!

If you're interested in going, too, shoot me an email tonight. Still have a couple spots.

Peace,

John

310-743-6849

Prayer Is A Trip

2009-07-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

So last week, we had no drinks. And you know, I realized that. Yes I very much did, okay. Didn't need Joe saying, "Yo, John...drinkee?" or Marcus knifing his hands and saying, "We must find drinks - how can one eat a meal without liquid sustenance!? John, this is serious..." It was like Marcus was addressing a clean water shortage or something.

But, hey, I agree. If we are going to take the church to the park, and we're inviting anyone who'd like to come to come on and eat....be great to have drinks.

So we prayed right there in the park parking lot: "God, for real, we need some drinks."

Then we set up the gear.

Then Mark picked up the guitar.

Then Tyler threw the frisbee over the pool fence.

And then, my neighbor pulled up. I was thinking, "He's probably bout to walk the dog..." but he opens his trunk and starts lifting out cases of soda (yo, I say "soda", ok - sometimes "sodie", you "pop" weirdies). He looks towards me and waves, with a case of soda under his arm. He sets the cases on the table, busts out this massive box of chips. "You guys are feeding people tonight, right?" I'm like, "Yeah, man, and we needed drinks."

Answer to prayer.

The boys went nuts. It was actually pretty amazing.

So we'll be back at the park tomorrow night. There is a link to the park on the previous post, if you need directions.

MEET AT 6:20ish. PLEASE BRING A BIT O' FOOD TO SHARE. COME AS YOU ARE, AND WE'LL HAVE A GREAT TIME.

Mark 8 - everything after the blind dude Jesus heals.

Can't wait!!!!!

A Note on Nomad at Minerva's

Minerva's Nomad is still officially on, but right now, guys, Johnny's got to be at the park. Can I be blunt: I'm praying everyday that God raises up disciples to pastor this church on the West side. Until then, we've got a person of peace but no disciples to send to her house! I do feel this burning desire to get to Minerva's, but not without God making it clear 'it's time' for me to do so.

Do you remember Luke 10:2-6:

Jesus told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man (or woman) of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house."

So, here's the truth. No one with Nomad can deny this: Minerva is a person of peace!!!! She has allowed our peace to rest on her. Jesus' commands us to, then, "Stay in that house...." Do not move around from house to house, he says. And that doesn't mean, "Don't plant the church in a new house..." It means that old-school method of passing out fliers and then passing on by the, like, two people who get excited about talking to us - that method is not Jesus' method.

Why?

Because we can be the church right there in that home for that family, for the people in that neighborhood, and God can reach people as he desires to - through peace. See peace is kind of like his "clue" that we're on the right track. When people welcome us, we need to stay, even when it's inconvenient or we don't see the big picture.

Some of you are plugged into your weekly worship service, getting your God fix...and during the week you simply aren't reaching out to the community. How can you on our own? Well, when you've got a person of peace you've got a venue. And God will provide the rest, but not unless we respond to his call.

So we need some teachable, obedient folks to begin saying, "I want to make a difference for the kingdom of God on Adams, at Minerva's."

Love you all! See you tomorrow!

Nomad II

2009-07-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

So...the bonfire. Yeah, what about that? Headed down to the beach, all of us nomadic people, and sure enough every single pit was taken. So, a bit saddened, we retreated to Westchester Park where I was schooling some boys in a lil' football and we ate some jalapeno and mango sausage that was off the hook! Good times. Well, it was such a good time that it looks like we're heading back to Westchester Park for a little bit more cooking out!

So tomorrow night, we'll be - listen carefully - on the Lincoln Boulevard side of Westchester Park, the massive park which runs along Manchester and ends at Lincoln. We'll be gathering around 6:20ish and will be eating shortly thereafter.

Tomorrow night, bring your bible and be ready to see what God's got in store. We won't force it, we'll let him do his thing; but it looks like our target text is Mark 8. Now, for those of you who have the Ravi CD - you know who you are - be ready to discuss it. And if you have a nomad bookmark with something to do (uh huh), get er' done.

Last week we had a ton missing and still had 19 at the gathering. That's awesome! Let's keep it up this week - God will take care of the rest.

Peace,
John

Oh, yeah, bring something good to eat, yo!!!