Someone once told me that ministry was building bridges to help people get from where they are to where God wants them to be.   Being a hack carpenter- building decks for my house that may not be the most sturdy or level, I know how inadequate I would be at building a bridge of any scope.  Bridges come in all shapes and sizes and accomplish things as simple as providing a way for a person to walk over a shallow creek (like the cool little suspension bridge on the back side of the island at New Life Ranch).  They can also be massive in scope and require unbelievable vision, resources, and energy to produce.

The other thing that is interesting about bridges is that in order for them to fulfill their purpose, people need to take responsibility to move across them.  The bridge doesn’t take people, or cars, or whatever, and move them from one side to the other.  It provides a way for the person to engage, to move forward under their own power, to get to the other side.  The bridge makes it possible- and yet the “bridge crosser” is responsible.  This is a beautiful thing in that a given in this equation is the ability and strength of the bridge crosser to make it over.  It’s the bridge builder’s responsibility to create a way across.

Bridges require people to give input at various levels in order to be constructed, right?  I can be the project manager, builder, purchaser, quality control officer, and HR dude when I make a bridge across a ditch in my back yard.  And a fine bridge it will be!

However- the bigger the bridge that I am involved in building- the less I am involved in the entire operation.  I am best operating in a specific role and trusting others to fulfill their own specific role.  Some valleys, or rivers, or spans require big time vision- and big time operation.  Might this be your bridge?

Or maybe this is the one that looks more like you:

What I know now is this:  getting in on doing ministry is a beautiful thing.  It is worth being thankful for.  And, there can come times where your purpose is  to build new bridges.

CQ Missional, and our educational projects the CML and GPS Tulsa are bridges.  They are designed to help people who are in a specific stage of life, with specific needs- move from where they are, to where God wants them to be.  Students in Tulsa looking for life direction, for a vocation, for some purpose, for some people to share this search with- get the opportunity to walk across the bridge of GPS Tulsa together.  We get the privilege of creating the context for this discovery.  By the way- this will be a blast to get going!  People who are young adults but a little farther along, perhaps they have graduated college, or have been working a job for a few years, get the opportunity to walk across the bridge of the CML together- serving a community, creating new life in neighborhoods, and taking a chance on their own vocation shift.

Right now we are putting together what looks like a foot bridge, the kind you can wear sandals while walking across, or even go barefoot in the process!  However- the span between where 1000s of 20 somethings are, and where they could be is huge.  I pray for wisdom and community to join in building the right bridge to help you adults figure out their purpose in life.  This is a Golden Gate type of need.

Whats next in the bridge?  Raise more scholarship money, raise awareness of how we can serve young adults, make more friends and offer real support to help our clients make courageous decisions.  In other words, keep moving forward.

I am thankful today to be a bridge builder.  What does your bridge look like today?  Are you walking across one?  Are you in the middle of building one?  What does Ministry look like to you?

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4×6 cqmissional As we talk with new prospective students for our next Certificate in Missional Leadership program coming this fall, as well as the exciting news of connecting with local community college students looking towards their next stage of life, I’m reminded of what it means to move.

Our work is about helping people engage the adventure of change, and helping them grow and have courage- entering into vocation and ways of being that are unique to them.  I believe these ways have been created by God and reserved for each person.  It is our responsibility to move into places where new vocation and new ways of being are possible.  It’s called getting out of your comfort zone.  Henri Nouwen calls it voluntary displacement.

He says in his book, Spiritual Direction: “Following Jesus involves leaving the comfortable place and going to a place that is outside our comfort zone.  Spiritual displacement is what is called for.  The dictionary says that to displace is to move or to shift from the ordinary or proper place.  As a ship at sea displaces water, so are we displaced when something grater than ourselves moves us in a new direction or state of being.  For displacement to be a real discipline, it has to be voluntary.  Voluntary displacement prevents us from being caught in the net of the ordinary and proper   It is the discipline essential to remembering who we really are and remaining in touch with our greatest gifts of gratitude and compassion.”

For some of us this means making a real move into a new life.  For others, it means letting go of some life we may have fantasized about but does not lead to life for us and others.  For some the displacement is involuntary and our responsibility is coming to grips with what God hopes for us right now, and what our view is of our circumstance.

This year, please join us as we help people move.  Join us in considering yourself  what voluntary displacement could be for you and get outside your comfort zone.  This will create community, and you will not be able to help but see yourself as a part of a much bigger story.  Lets engage that adventure!

We have 2 unique opportunities that will help people and help CQM move forward.  We looking for:

A tenant to share small office space at the Quaker 4 plex where our Certificate students are living.  It is zoned for dual use, and one unit in particular will work well for small business space for someone who needs a quiet space in a very cool location.

Also- we have a space for new residents in a unit that can help offset the cost of officing there for CQM.  Its a chance for folks in their 20s who want to live in community, not expensive, and have access to great places to serve.

Folks in the Quaker House don’t have to be in our program- they just live as renters in this very cool place. This will allow us to house students, and access some good meeting space for 20s to gather, hang out, talk life direction.

No strings- just wanting good folks to be renters.

Its in an awesome spot- about 200 yards from Jason’s Deli right by 15th and Peoria (Cherry St). The owners want to support CQ Missional by being generous in offering their place up to us to fill it up with young people who love God, love people, and want to make the world a better place.   Its got a little pool and great deck in the back, close to Cherry St, Downtown, and River Activities- as well as beautiful opportunities to serve (the church 2 doors down serves free meals to the tulsa urban population every Friday).
Units are 2 bedroom (small) and there are washer/dryer hookups.

CQM people there as well as the owner of the property have a hospitable heart and will welcome new renters or residents.   This should be a great place to be this year. the address is 1430 S Quaker, Tulsa.

If you’re needing office space- it will be a good quite space to share with our leaders, making phone calls, working online, and having the occasional meeting.  If you need living space, this is a place where CQ Missional will gather in their 20s, and it will be a safe and warm place to live.

Let me know if you’re interested, and please shoot this to any friends who may benefit.   We hope to rent (and help the owners) space as soon as possible, and start basing operations here.

Questions?  Call Chris at 918-557-6128.

Ben is in our Certificate in Missional Leadership program.  He is spending a year, getting a grad level education, personal counseling about his place in the world, and is immersed in an east Tulsa community at Garnett Church of Christ.  He has a big project where he is creating opportunities for stories to be told within the congregation, and beyond into the community.  His project is making a contribution to this community- people are connecting, and learning to care better for God’s children.  He’s learning a ton- and making a difference in the process. Here’s his first video.

Food Pantry and Clothing Closet from Ben West on Vimeo.