In the beginning of the Tom Cruise classic, his character is a high rolling, hot-shot sports agent. He seemingly has everything he could ever want. Plagued by his conscience, Jerry decides it is time to turn the game of representing athletes on its ear. A caffeinated fueled evening in front of a computer screen, pounding on the keyboard to create his game changing manifesto is complete as the sun rises on the next morning.
As the office fills with employees to do the status quo work of the previous day or previous year or previous decade, Jerry stands up with this proclamation that it was time to do things different. After a lengthy, heartfelt monologue that the audience sensed would encite the slow clap of willing followers, Jerry is met with ridicule.
Taking with him a single assistant and a goldfish.
This may be that moment in my life, but like Jerry, this is a worthwhile hill to die on.
For the past year, God has opened doors that I could have never opened on my own. The Collectives Co Podcast has placed me in conversation with leaders that I could not have ever gotten in the room with previously. The podcast has fueled the fire that in the local church, even more we need to reach the next generation and the previous one.
To quote the great Popeye, “I just can’t stands it anymore.” One leader calls it Holy Discontent. It is the place where the urge of God becomes so strong on your spirit that you are placed at a crossroads of obedience or disobedience. That is the intersection Rachael and I have found ourselves. We stand at the place where “we just can’t stands it anymore.”
For more than two years, we have opened our hearts and home to a collection of college students and young adults. We have loved every minute of inviting them into our family and investing in their life. Yet, we have quietly wrestled this sense that there was and is more that God has called us to do. So like Jerry, caffeine fueled, prayer covered, counsel sought, we are opening our small discipleship community to everyone of all ages.
Yes, it is what it sounds like, a local church. We do not leave the local house we have attended with contempt. We do not leave with a “we can do it better” belief. Yet, we do leave with a Holy Discontent, that we can do it different. We move forward with a deep desire to see individuals experience an authentic and orderly encounter with the presence of God. We have a deep desire to see the poverty of biblical awareness and understanding overcome. We have a heart-bend to see real community and connection fostered among God’s people. We believe that God still wants to transform hearts and lives of all people no matter socio-economic or social standing.
With all this in mind, we present our manifesto called The Collectives Co. Gathering. A people of discipleship. A people of presence. A people of community. A people of transformation.
With an awareness of the how the movie plays out, I realize not everyone will go with us. In fact, there may be no one that dares to leave the status quo for something new and different, but we just can’t stands it anymore.
Join us Tuesday at 7 PM.
