I have had the opportunity to share fairly consistent "meetings" with people to begin the year. It has been absolutely refreshing. Josh Thompson (worship pastor at Hope who doesn't blog or Twitter but is still cool) has built his life upon this. I didn't think I would ever "be with people and Jesus" like he did but deciding to be more intentional about it, I have made quite the habit. It has been fantastic! Some of the time together is to build friendships and others are to function as a mentor (though I hate that word because it makes the relationship feel like a project). Either way, I'm getting to spend time each week with some really cool people who feel in some way that their time with me is worth it (boy have I got them fooled...).

As these relationships would continue, I found that it became really easy to "hang out" and never really feel like anything is being added to the relationship. The only thing we had done is discuss, drink or eat. Though those have their importance (namely survival for the latter), I kept thinking that if two Christian people got together there should be some growth that results from their time together and not simply just hanging out. That happens regardless. In each of the relationships, I try to be intentional to pray at the beginning of each meeting. There is something about inviting Jesus to be a part of it that just seems to be soooo refreshing and enhancing of the conversation. The other part to the conversation is to add some kind of goal at the end. To find some way for each of us to grow within the next week (or until we meet again) and to have another person to hold you accountable to that growth. To say that I am able to meet with a couple of different people is really inspiring me to continue to press forward. In each relationship, someone is keeping me to something different and it makes me into a better man. And a better Christian.

It's easy for this to become programmatic. To begin to build a system by which we acheive maximum results and miss out on the joys of being with someone simply because you enjoy their company. My goal is not to confuse goals with the privelege of fellowship. Instead, it's to take that fellowship and to build off of that desire to be with one another and the common goals we share. It's been really good for me (and for others from what I hear). Give it a run.
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Now playing: Andrew Bird - Not a Robot, But a Ghost