Daniel Farrell

I’ve had some good thoughts lately on mission. First, a hypothetical question: What would this country look like if we followers of Christ took our first and primary mission to be those we lived near? If you live in an apartment, those in your building… Or if you live in a house, those on your street. Then beyond them, those in your complex/neighbourhood. What would America look like if all the christians in this country did that?

My thoughts on mission follow that. I tend to think it would radically change the country. I’m not speaking from experience here. I have not seen this done and I am not yet doing it. I’ve realized that I have no training in how to even really befriend my neighbours. It is something that I want to do though. Alicia and I have talked about it some, and we both want to be good at it. She is quite a bit better at it than I am. I credit that to growing up in a small town where you are supposed to know your neighbours. I blaim my current lack of skill on growing up in suburbs where it doesn’t seem strange to not even know your neighbours. I think growing up in the suburbs makes one communally-challenged.

Alicia and I are going to be trying to befriend our neighbours. Befriending them, serving them, praying for them and just generally loving them is going to be our primary mission. I’ll let you know how it goes.

You guys are gonna get sick of me talking about Dallas Willard soon. But this is good stuff. I just finished readin his article Living in the Vision of God. It is about why the vision of groups and individuals die out and become just a shell of what they were, and how to avoid it. I suggest it to everyone who is doing or is going to be doing ministry.

While looking for websites to respond to a post on a message board I found a really awesome website. It is the website for the Servant Leadership School that was started by Church of the Saviour in DC. I have some desire to do some kind of underground seminary as a part of Simple Pilgrimage so this interests me quite a bit.

For another example of an underground seminary, Palmer and the Landing Place crew are doing an underground seminary of their own.

I love reading anything by Dallas Willard. Talk about a smart man. Wow. I have been very shaped by his writings for the past few years. I recommend all of his books: Hearing God, Spirit of the Disciplines, Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart. If you want something to wet your whistle a little he has a number of articles on his website.

I’ve read a few of the articles recently. One that really stood out to me was The Human Body and Spiritual Growth. Give it a read and let me know what you think. Maybe we can have a discussion about it on the forum.

Man, cars/trucks/suv’s are such money pits. Alicia’s Explorer broke down this morning on her way to work. Okay, so it’s 8 years old, it can break down once in a while, right? Ummm… not when you just put $2100 into fixing it last week. It is getting towed back to the shop to be fixed again… We are waiting to see what the damage is, but are thinking we’ll need to look for another car for Alicia.

I would love to have a job where I could walk or bike to work everyday. I dream of the day…