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Lee's Summit Church Shares a Miracle Word "A couple of years ago, I got the distinct impression that God wanted us to do something with Scripture,"says Chuck Arney the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Lee’s Summit. "We’d like to think as churches that we are doing something with Scripture, but it seemed like something else was stirring among us," continues Arney. The Leadership Team of Cornerstone got together and began talking, praying, and thinking. "Let’s call it the ‘Year of the Bible’" but that seemed to bring yawns. No, it seemed like God was drawing in a different direction. Cornerstone has been striving to be "missional" in its ministry and outlook—trying to join with God, Jesus, and the Spirit in making friends with people and joining with them in their lives in the community. What would a "missional" reading of the Bible look like? The Leadership Team continued to listen and then came up with a concept called, "Miracle Word." Through people like William Willimon, Daniel Vestal, Eugene Peterson, Donald Miller, and Rob Bell, and through the study of Scripture, the Leadership team felt like God was calling them as individuals and the church into His Greater Story. A "missional" reading of Scripture moves the individual away from personal need (although God does address us personally) and into God’s Kingdom purposes for the world. Ethan Bryan, Cornerstone’s Youth and Worship Minister, says, "God is calling us, through Scripture, out of our self-centered culture into the neglected areas of hurt and pain." During Miracle Word, which launched on January 1, individuals and communities have the opportunity to read the whole Great Story of Scripture. There are three reading plans: 1. Reading all of Scripture through 2. Reading an overview of the whole of Scripture 3. Reading a Missional Passage of Scripture. Each of the reading plans is accompanied by a "Missional Reflection" written by Arney. The reflection is a tool to help people’s lives be encountered by Scripture. The reflection calls us into the Great Story of Scripture that God intends it to be. Miracle Word is not an academic or doctrinal study; Miracle Word is coming before the Text, which is the Story of God, and being transformed by it. A "Miracle Word" team was formed, and began preparing the church for "Miracle Word." Shortly after the team began to meet they were startled into thinking that "Miracle Word" was not just for them, but it was for them to take to the world—realizing that sounds more than a bit presumptuous. But, Matt O’Connor, a Kansas City attorney, puts it like this, "Everyday, God comes to us in miracle, everyday Scripture is here with us, just a breath away from our soul, everyday we can live in a miracle, and there are many hurting people who need to know that." So, www.miracleword.net was born. The website not only provides the readings and missional reflections, it also provides a forum for community interaction. The team feels like the website and forum give Scripture a unique opportunity to be heard for the first time for some, and to be heard in a new way for others, while giving people a chance to form a community around Scripture. Stacey Crossley, head of the promotion team for "Miracle Word" says, "I’m so excited about this. I have never given the Bible a chance, to see it in its whole. I’m already blogging friends all around the country and getting them ready to participate with me." Even as Miracle Word prepared to launch there were individuals and groups coming together from Florida, Chicago, North Carolina, and Africa. Why did the team choose the name "Miracle Word?" Psalm 119:120 says, "Every word you give me is a miracle word." The "Miracle Word" team is hoping that’s a phrase of the Story that will catch on.
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Giving to CBF of
Missouri:
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