The days left until ICOM 2016 begins are numbered. As we prepare to meet together in Lexington and MOBILIZE as disciples making disciples, I’d like to announce the release of The RISE Project’s small group study be∙coming∙us: Enlarging the Circle to Welcome Everyone.
It’s time for us to stop thinking in terms of us and them. Instead, let’s think about us. We’re all God’s children, all living in this world, all facing both joy and hardship. We need each other. While The RISE Project focuses on two specific populations—people with refugee status and international students, we all know there are immigrants in between them on the spectrum of people coming to “our” country. Let’s find ways to look at them as Jesus would, to reach out in love without any other agenda, and welcome our neighbors into relationships where both parties are valued and needed.
As my friend Kyle Idleman wrote recently, “You can’t confine God. He’s too big for that. He’s not a capitalist, a socialist, a republican, or a democrat. Everyone wants to say God’s on their side, but God’s on His side. He doesn’t need us to make him famous or convince people that He is creative or cool or relevant. You can’t label Him. He’s the Lord of all, and He sits enthroned in heaven. You can’t restrain His will; you can’t restrict His power or limit His jurisdiction. He uses the world as a footstool. Nothing surprises Him, shocks Him, or catches Him off-guard…. He is above all, through all, and in all. He is all-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful. Like pawns on a chess board God moves kings and queens and entire nations.”
Watch for Kyle as he introduces the segments on international students and people with refugee status in be∙coming∙us: Enlarging the Circle to Welcome Everyone and as our main session speaker on Saturday night. I hope you, your small group, and church will join us in making the circle big enough for everyone.
The promotional video for the small group study series is available here, and I hope you’ll also visit our website www.theriseproject.com to learn more and see how you can make a difference.
