The Journey Home (To The Shire)
Jeremy asked me to post a letter that I had written about the Eugene Church following the 2004 Portland Jubilee. I hope you enjoy it and I plan on writing a follow-up letter in the near future.
The Lord of the Fellowship Conference…
The Journey Home (To the Shire)
On the 2 ½ hour drive to our home in Eugene, after attending The Lord of The Fellowship conference in Portland, I sat next to a brother (his wife was riding with my wife) that I had not seen in seven years, a person who had for four years led a region in San Diego that we were a part of. On a wild whim and to the resistance of many in their church, this brother and his wife had driven 17 hours non-stop to Portland to attend the conference. The last I had known of them was that they had been asked to step out of leadership and shortly thereafter had returned home to Las Vegas. Had we been close back then? Not really. Were there great kingdom memories that we had shared during those four years? Sadly, none come to mind. Yet with God’s grace, in three short days we had formed a fellowship and spiritual bond that we had never had in San Diego. They changed their travel plans and spent the night with us in Eugene before heading home.
That evening and the next morning we prayed together and we prayed separately. We shared meals and we shared our dreams and hurts together. We confessed our sins to each other as well as our weaknesses and fears. We had been different people only 4 days earlier. Yet what we saw, what we heard, what we shared, and the personal decisions and choices we made had changed us, we were different. We were joyful, we were excited, we were renewed in faith and hope… we had repented.
Being an avid Lord of the Rings junky, as they drove away the next morning, I couldn’t help but think of Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry in one of the final scenes together after they had returned home to the Shire from their incredible journey and adventure through middle earth. The Shire was the same as when they had left it, yet they had each changed. They understood that what they had seen and experienced could not be easily shared, nor would they even have been believed. In the same way, this brother and sister were returning home and would neither be welcomed as hero’s, nor would many believe what they would eventually share with their brothers and sisters about their journey and decisions. But their friends far off would understand, as would the other brothers and sisters that had stepped out on faith and/or hope and had courageously attended the conference. We were all changed; we are all different as a result of it.
Even the invited leaders from other churches who walked into the conference Friday night appearing as tired and weary men, stood tall and refreshed Sunday morning. Were they perfectly united in mind and thought? No. But they were far closer than they had been in years and it showed. They were changed men. As the weekend unfolded, the singing grew louder, the conversations were less guarded, the walls came down and the joy and faith swelled to overflowing. The Fellowship had changed. As the Sunday contribution plate was passed, those there were asked not to give in place of what they would give in their churches, only if they felt like giving in addition. Portland’s normal weekly giving is $6,000. The Sunday’s total came to $34,000+. Our hearts had changed.
What about those that did not make the conference or who had refused to let members of their congregation attend? Is there hope that we can all once again be united in mind, spirit and purpose? Without a doubt. Do I say this because of the words preached during the conference? No, but they were all great. I say them based on the prior example and experiences of being a part of the Eugene Church Mission Team. A group of disciples that demonstrated that we can be united no matter what the condition you find your church leadership or members to be in.
1 Corinthians 1:27: But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
As a member of the Eugene Church planting, I hope you “naysayers” will hold your judgment of me and my words until you learn a little more of the Eugene Church planting and who the members consist of. Unlike past church plantings that most of us have seen go out through the years, the Eugene Church was NOT formed by selecting “The best of the best” of the Portland disciples. Instead, we are the refuse of the world, a pooling together of some of the weakest and most rejected, by men, of God’s children. Because of all those less than endearing attributes, and when you compare them to Biblical examples of who God tends to choose to use, those of us in Eugene believe that we are the perfect mission team, as only God can get the glory with this group! You don’t believe me? Let me elaborate on who we are.
As I describe our initial rag tag group of 14, I do not believe you will find a better cross-section, a science Petri dish if you will, of disciples that better represents the condition and makeup of the churches and disciples from around the world (including all the varying opinions and attributes). The incredible part is that’s the good news! It will inspire you, convict you and give you hope that no matter what condition you or your congregation may find yourselves in, we can once again be united in spite of our differences and be victorious over Satan and his schemes.
Let me read to you our church resume (I have to tell you I’m laughing as I write this):
Team Leaders: The couple that leads the Eugene Church had failed in two previous attempts at leading churches. Trained in San Francisco, they attribute their past failures to inexperience, harshness in their leadership style and inability to relate to various ministries other than campus. Why were they selected to lead this team? They were the only couple that was willing to go (after much prodding) that the Eugene church could afford to support (they are even working part-time to make ends meet). As you can see, they are perfect! As only God can get the glory here.
Couple #1: This couple and their children (2 under 10) spent 13 “comfortable” years in the same region in the San Diego church. They represent the Jonah’s of the Kingdom and had left the San Diego church and moved to Eugene 9 months prior to the mission team being planted, mostly under the guise of getting a “new start” and with the distant hope of quietly “sailing away” from the church structure. As you mature Christians can attest to, you can generate a lot of opinions and feelings about how to lead a church in 13 years (even though most of us have never lead one ourselves). Prideful, critical, materialistic and selfish, they were perfect for the team!
Couple #2: This couple and their 2 children (one pre-teen), best represents the “church hopping” disciples. In their 15+ years as disciples, they have had both the pleasure and challenge of dividing their history with many different churches across the nation resulting in great experiences and bad ones. They also moved up 9 months prior to the mission team being planted. Strongly against and vocal about “one over one” discipling relationships, this family also had physical, family and marital challenges. They would have been last on most mission team lists, but they were perfect for God’s list.
Couple #3: This military couple and their 2 children best represented the fringe disciple. Living an hour away and having a special needs child, the challenge and difficulties that come from pulling them into the fellowship would be impossible. So they were perfect!
Single Brother #1: Sent down from Portland, this 1+ year old brother joined the mission team following an emotional breakup between him and his former girlfriend in Portland. He felt unresolved with it and it was his key emotional focus. Another perfect mission team member for God!
Single Brother #2: This 9+ year old Portland brother, although talented, had never had a successful dating relationship in the kingdom. He was critical, bitter and undisciplined. We believe he was hand picked by God!
Non-married Couple: Even after a bitter interaction between the Portland and San Francisco church leadership, this couple still volunteered to join the mission team. Having recently becoming boyfriend and girlfriend and spiritually strong, there would no doubt be plenty of opportunities for Satan to try to work harmfully through it.
Single Sister #1: This sister was a veteran of Desert Storm and had witnessed the horror via the medical corps. She was primarily coming to Eugene to be close to her ailing father and her mother who was later diagnosed with cancer.
Single Sister #2: This relatively young sister was stable, mature, happy, excited, motivated, faithful, spiritual and evangelistic… were not sure how she made the team! But God had plans!
Now, if there were a mission team destined to fail in man’s eyes, it was this one. Much like the churches across the kingdom and their individual members, this group appeared to have little or no hope in being unified let alone growing. Yet in spite of all the differences, all the challenges, all the sin, all the attitudes and hurts and feelings and weaknesses… God has unified this team in mind and purpose.
Don’t get me wrong, it has not been easy. As if we didn’t have enough challenges of battling through our individual differences and issues, at the same time we were being slandered personally and as a group. We had the local and campus newspapers writing articles, flyers being distributed on campus about us, the “Wormtongues” of the world were in high gear. For those of you unfamiliar with the Lord of the Rings movies, Wormtongue was a dangerous and evil advisor to the King of Rohan, who for personal gain and power spent all his time poisoning the Kings mind with twisted, bitter thoughts towards those that were trying to help him. But all that the world threw at us was insignificant compared to what we battled through with each other. Was it worth it? Without a doubt.
Judges 7:2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her,
Now I don’t know what you may have heard or read online regarding the theories and goals of the Eugene Mission Team being sent out; but let me share from my perspective as one that was here before those 6 disciples from Portland arrived. They were a gift from God… not Kip (but thanks Portland!). In spite of all the financial and spiritual challenges that the Portland Church was going through, they did not turn away from helping us. Instead, they sent people, money and prayers. I am so grateful that the Portland Church did not take the path of least resistance as many churches have and focus just on themselves, but they took the high road.
Over the past 5 months, this group of “scraped together” disciples has seen miracles unfolding around them. The brother that had never had a successful relationship is now dating the sister that somehow slipped into the mission team in spite of her strong credentials (she is continuing to inspire us all). In spite of the attacks, the dating couple has stayed pure and is an inspiration to the other singles. The “Desert Storm” sister through prayer and faith has seen her father recover and the doctors successfully remove her mother’s cancer. The single brother is now resolved and once again has Jesus as his first love and plays a vital role in the fellowship. The “military” couple rarely miss a time of fellowship and in spite of their distance, are known as some of the greatest servants. The “Church Hopping” couple is doing better spiritually and physically than they have in years and want to renew their marital vows in the near future. The “Jonah” couple is now a deacon and administrator of the church and the “Failed Leaders” are winning the hearts and minds of the rag tag team back to Jesus.
As far as miracles go outside the group? God has blessed the group with an incredible new single sister via baptism. The parents of one of the couples, seeing the difference, have switched from their traditional Church of Christ membership and are now an active and important part of the fellowship. A new brother was baptized and his wife, who had fallen away years ago, is being restored. We’ve had a couple move in from the Los Angeles church and have seen them revitalize their dreams and purpose for God and his kingdom. We are studying the Bible with people and helping people find a relationship with God. Have we reached perfection? Hardly. For the most part we are still the same group of sinners that are on the above “resume” but we continue to strive to glorify God in spite of all of our “baggage”.
“Men of Gondor and Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails… when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship… but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when all hope comes crashing down, but it is NOT this day! This day, we fight! For all that you hold dear, stand, Men of the West!”
- Aragorn, at the Black Gate
As far as the Lord of the Fellowship Conference goes? It was icing on God’s cake for us. So if you find yourself still wanting to play that same old faithless recording about how the kingdom is dead and the movement is over, that there are too many challenges or differences to heal the wounds or to forgive the hurt feelings and relationships. Don’t play it around me or the Eugene Church, because it’s not true. It’s time we each take personal responsibility for making it happen. I’ve been there and I know the only person to truly blame if it does fail is not leadership, not the committees and boards that may now be running your church, not even the members of the church, but myself. It means I quit trying.
Well this hobbit needs to bet back to work as I have lots of new seeds to plant and mature ones to water in the Eugene Shire. The “Son” is always out, so I’m sure he will continue to make it all grow. Come and visit us at the Shire sometime and we can sit on the porch and share old wounds and compare scars and adventures together. I promise you will go away refreshed and more faithful. Oh, and be sure to bring your sword, as you never know what new adventure we might drag you into while you’re here.
Richard & Stephanie Hackett
Eugene Church of Christ
541-935-2159
Rhackett2@qwest.net
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
