Community | Imago Dei Church

Thanks To Give

November 22, 2019/in Community /by Pete

Blaze Orange hung outside? Check.

Gigantic turkey thawing inside? Check.

Stretchy pants available for your backside? Check.

If you’ve been asking yourself questions like these, you must be getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in Wisconsin.

There is something nostalgic about the idea of enjoying the company of loved ones while enjoying a banquet of food. Why is that? Can’t you almost smell the pumpkin pie? Hear the sound of the kids laughing? Feel the warmth of grandma’s hug? See the chair where grandpa will be sleeping after dinner?

Why does this scene cause an entire nation to interrupt their regular routines to gather with friends and family around a feast?

Our hearts long for this because we have been created in the image of God. God loves to celebrate, feast, and enjoy the company of His people. When we experience a good meal with good friends, we have the opportunity to see a glimpse of Jesus Himself.

While our memories and expectations for Thanksgiving may be filled with nostalgia, the reality can often be filled with disappointment. Can’t you almost smell a pumpkin pie burning? Hear the kids on the verge of screaming? Miss feeling the warmth of grandma’s hug?

Thanksgiving like the rest of this life is an odd mix of joy and pain, laughter and tears, hope and anxiety.

Because we have been created in the image of God, we have the opportunity to experience deep joy in the things that bring joy to God. But because we live in a world that has fallen away from God, we experience the pain of the things that push us away from God. Thankfully, Jesus was pushed as far away from God as possible – when He died on the cross. In that one sacrificial act, Jesus brought those of us who were far from God, back to God.

A Thanksgiving feast, in many ways, is an echo of the Kingdom that is coming.

One day, we will feast at the heavenly banquet with Jesus and His people in paradise. On that day, there will be no crying, no pain, no memories to miss, and no burnt pumpkin pies! It will be perfect.

Did you know that this feast is being prepared right now? The joy and the pain of Thanksgiving is a longing that God has placed in our hearts to continually remind us that we were created for something more than this world.

We were created for Him.

And through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we have the ability to be brought near to God and other people. For this, we will be eternally thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Celebrate well!

Partner over Planting

January 25, 2019/in Church Partnership, Community, Milwaukee Church /by Pete

How long does it take to build trust? How long does it take to understand the culture of a block? A neighborhood? A city? These are some of the more pressing questions that must be asked when starting a new church. From personal experience, I can tell you the answer. It’s longer than you’d think or prefer!

In an effort to build trust on my block, I plowed all the snow all winter. I wanted to demonstrate with my actions what I had communicated with my words – our new church was here to serve! I thought it went great. Every time it snowed, I rushed to my snow blower to make sure I got to everyone’s sidewalk before they even knew what hit ‘em. Folks came home after a long day of work to a clean sidewalk. They must have felt cared for. And I for sure felt like a snow covered hero. Until spring.

When our winter hibernation ended and the neighbors finally came out of their caves, I was able to talk to Alphonso, who I hadn’t seen in months. I said something to the effect of, “it’s great to see you. Feels like it’s been forever!” To which he replied, “yeah, normally all the neighbors come out and chat during the big snow storms while we all shovel together. But this year, someone plowed the snow every time.” Gulp. I messed this one up!

Do you know who wouldn’t have made that same mistake? Someone who knew the culture. This is one small, goofy example, but it helps to illustrate why we should prioritize partnering with existing churches in under resourced areas. Many churches in tough places already have trust and credibility built in their neighborhoods – and they understand the culture. Because they are the culture. They intuitively and experientially understand what the real issues are that need to be confronted – and what the real strengths are that need to be built off.

“We are praying that we might have the privilege of learning from them and serving with them. “

How much more effective will it be for us to partner with under resourced, gospel-centered churches in tough areas than starting new churches in tough neighborhoods? It may take more time to build relationships with these churches than it would to identify a church planter, but it will take those churches far less time to make an impact in their neighborhoods than a new church would.

We are asking God to give us the grace to partner with faithful, Bible believing, gospel centered churches in under resourced areas. We are praying that we might have the privilege of learning from them and serving with them. We are begging God to let us watch Him transform this city from the inside out – as we serve WITH existing churches.

God at Work

January 4, 2019/in Community, Milwaukee Church /by Mason Eddy

HOW GOD HAS USED MY BAPTISM TO GROW HIS KINGDOM

As a follower of Christ, a husband, an employee, and a business owner, I have been blessed with the opportunity to network within the Milwaukee Community, sometimes dozens of people per week. From the day I made my decision to be baptized, the Gospel as become part of my story. See, in the business world, one of my passions and God-given desires is to learn people’s stories, to take a genuine interest in them. To learn where they came from and where they are going and why they desire change. The blessing is that many times I am able to share my story which includes how God clenched my heart and lead me to taking a step into obedience by being baptized.

My Story:

From the day I was born until 18 my family raised me in a loving home and “the Church”. As I went to college, my parents had a falling out with the Church and I had a falling out in terms of growing with God. In my last years of college God started to work on my heart through one broken relationship that lead me to many new relationships, one after another in the business world. It took a specific moment, a business that was going backwards, for me to take action. As God’s timing would have it; some very successful business men spoke to me about the most important relationship, Jesus.

By the time I was 23, my heart was yearning to know Him better. A few years later, I met the woman who would become my wife, Ali. She was raised to know Christ, but I was fortunate enough to be there when she got baptized in her early 20’s. As we got to know each other, became really good friends, she exposed me to the difference between a “Religion” and a real, living relationship with our Creator. Over a few years of being in community at Imago Dei I was baptized at the age of 31 and was able to express outwardly the internal, burning desire of Christ in my heart.

My Hope:

It is important to note that my journey was a 31-year process. Interestingly, from 23 to 31 if anyone would have asked me if I was a Christian, I would have said yes. I struggled with “being a Christian” and then the view of being a “Christian” and being baptized. I had to study and learn what baptism really meant and not let my pride get in the way of God’s grace. While that was my biggest struggle, it has also shown up through God’s perfect plan as the topic that has led to more curiosity of family and friends around me. It is my hope and prayer that if you relate to my story and have struggled in similar ways, that you would take some time to ask God for people that can answer your questions. Then take a step into obedience with me so we can share His grace.

Mason Eddy

Ordinary Christmas

November 24, 2015/in Community, Milwaukee Church /by Pete

Why do we seem to think that this will be the Christmas that changes everything? Why do we hope for that? Or maybe fear it? Have you ever wondered why it is so tempting to set our hopes on a moment, or a season to fix everything? To change everything?

What if all this time, while you and I have been waiting for a moment, or an experience to change our lives, we have missed the beauty and joy all around us, in our ordinary lives; the beauty that makes life worth living?

This Christmas can be different. Not in a way that changes your life, circumstantially … But in a way that changes your heart, so that you can enjoy the glorious moments that fill your ordinary life.

Join us this Christmas season as we follow Jesus together, and learn how we can see the splendor and majesty of God in our ordinary lives. I don’t know about you, but I have a feeling that this is going to be the most ordinary Christmas ever.

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Better Hope: Living Restoration Together

September 22, 2015/in Community, Milwaukee Church /by Pete

Have you ever noticed how many windows are in this city? Some are decorated, some are broken. Some invite you in, some warn you to stay out. Some scream of their power, some whisper of pain. What do you see when you take the time to notice the windows? I see hope.

The Bible says that in the person of Jesus, the infinite God of the Universe took on flesh, that is, He became a person, and moved into the neighborhood. Because of His life, death, and resurrection, His Spirit is now compelling us and empowering us to do the same thing.

I don’t know what your experience of church has been, but at Imago Dei Church, we believe that church isn’t an event to attend on a Sunday, but it’s a community of hope, life, and love, empowered by God Himself to care for the city, the neighborhood that He moves us into.

Our hope is to experience and extend the presence of God in this place by caring for each other like a family, serving this city like we’ve got nothing to lose, and worshiping God fully, in every area of our lives.

Will you join us in front of these windows? These windows are inviting you in so that we, together, can be empowered and equipped to be sent out to live out the image of God together. We’ll see you Sunday.

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