Enter the Conversation. Invite the Question.

It was the subject line that caught my eye.

The email was from Fred Kelley. Fred is one of our gifted and dedicated videographers.  Fred, along with Mike Williams, Nelson Hicks, Mark McWilliams, Doug Thomas and Adam Thomas have spent countless volunteer hours developing what has become a vibrant (and growing) video media ministry. Their tireless efforts, week after week have positioned us as a church to extend our Lord’s message of good news to countless others through our digital outreach. This whole blog post, in fact, could be dedicated to the work of these volunteers. But like I said, it was the subject line that caught my eye.

It read: “I am iMAGINEXTing about video…”

iMAGINEXTing.

I love it.

There is nothing, (I repeat) nothing, more exciting to me, these days, than to hear our people iMAGINEXTing.

See, while Fred went on to share some (brilliant) ideas about what might be next, he is not alone. My inbox has been beautifully populated with messages via email, Facebook and Twitter from numerous members who are doing some iMAGINEXTING of their own. In fact, three times in two Sundays, I actually heard members use the word “iMAGINEXT”  in the opening prayers of their various meetings!

What I love about that is not just that we have a few early adopters to the language we are using, but rather, that many among us are beginning to authentically enter the conversation and invite the question:

To what new and next step of faith is Jesus calling?

Have you taken the time to actually sit with that question awhile?

Have you considered the implications? The impact?

New and next doesn’t always mean packing up and moving to the Congo.

Though, it could.

So, heads up.

But it could very well mean simply allowing Christ to penetrate some part of your life that has not yet been fully open to him.

Where would that be for you?

What would it mean to do some iMAGINEXTing (love that word) in some of the hidden places? Places where we still harbor hurts? Brokeness? Bitterness? Fear? Is it possible that when Jesus says “follow me,” he means out of those dark places of shadows, into a new and next place of life-giving light?

Nobody can tell you what or where your next is. They don’t know.

Maybe neither do you.

Yet.

But there are deliberate ways to enter the conversation; to welcome the question.

1. One way is on our website.  Go to www.jcbc.org. Once there, go to the Get Mobilized tab and click Mobilize Now. You will be guided through a simple questionnaire, designed to help start the conversation.  After you submit the questionnaire, someone will be in touch with you in person to continue the conversation.

2. Another way is to meet with one of our Servant Leaders at the conclusion of any worship service.  They will be visibly accessible at the front of the sanctuary to have a brief conversation, and share resources with you that will help equip you to take a new and next step in your journey.

3. And, of course, another way is to email any of your pastors and let them know you want to enter the conversation and invite the question.

Make the subject line catchy, though. “iMAGINEXTing” will be hard to beat.

Shaun King
Senior Pastor
Johns Creek Baptist Church