Uphill/7 notes

We don't see the New Testament church hoarding the feast for themselves, gorging, getting fatter and fatter and asking for more; more Bible studies, more sermons, more programs, classes, training, conferences, information, more feasting for us.

At some point, the church stopped living the Bible and decided just to study it, culling the feast parts and whitewashing the fast parts.  We are addicted to the buffet, skillfully discarding the costly discipleship required after consuming.  The feast is suppose to sustain the fast, but we go back for seconds and thirds and fourths, stuffed to the brim and fat with inactivity.  All this is for me.  My goodness, my blessings, my privileges, my happiness, my success.  Just one more plate.

Not so with the early church who stunned their Roman neighbors and leaders with generosity, curbing their own appetites for the mission of Jesus. -Jen Hatmaker