Last month we held the first official gathering of the Trailblazers at my new favorite place--The Lodge on Carmel and Rea Road. In typical fashion, I snuck out of the house way early and found myself waiting at the bar for the rest--if any--of the Trailblazers to arrive.
My drinking beer with a Bible on my lap in the corner of a bar did allow me to meet Adam the barkeep, and scare off two young women.
However, 10 Trailblazers arrived, and I realized that for the most part beyond brief encounters, everyone really did not know each other. So as our group began the awkward, "where do I sit dance?" I intentionally took the middle seat just in case the conversation started to dwindle and I would need to hold court. However, 15 minutes into the meal, I found myself with no one to talk with because everyone else was enjoying each other's company.
This was agony for an extrovert, but God grabbed my heart and told me to sit back and relax because this was what we have been praying for. Then I spouted out my new mantra, "Starting tonight this is no longer Wes and Lindsay's project that we are looking for you all's support, but this our community that God is beginning to shape."
It's my prayer that this thing takes a long slow process to build because genuine community is not formed through a flash but through intentional efforts to build trust, share a mission and share a meal together.
We have begun mapping the course for this adventure, and would like to invite folks to come along this journey with us.
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