stockbridge boiler room

began: third in a 247 series

 

. . . he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Big things happen during 247 weeks.  We continue to be amazed at God and how He reveals where He is carrying His good work along.  

Readers of this blog and friends of the Boiler Room will remember Don Inderlied.  Don first came into contact with the Boiler Room during our first week of 247 in October of 2007.  (Read more in Signs on November 1, 2007)  God has provided our community with great encouragement as we witness how the good work He began in Don has been carrying forward.  

In June, Don went to Mission Bible Training Center to seek freedom in Christ from his addiction to alcohol.  Don graduated eight months later.  The clear word he heard from God at the end of his time was to take care of his responsibilities to his family by securing a job and living a life of freedom in Christ.  He returned to the Boiler Room two and half weeks ago.  In this transitional time, Don has secured nearby housing at Recovery Road, a transitional house, for men coming out of rehab.  With Missy Van Klompenberg's help, he is starting tomorrow at a temp job as he works toward securing full time employment.  He has gotten reconnected with friends like Rick Dehaan at Crossroads Bible Church.   Bill Boynton has accepted Don's invitation to be his AA sponsor.  After walking with Don for months last year, this relationship as a sponsor makes good sense.  Through Brad Klaver's counsel, Don will begin attending Band of Brothers at the church office on Wednesdays.  He has already started to plan on regular weekly evening prayer times.  God has mobilized a community to help Don along in the good work He has begun.  And we praise Him for it.

Please pray for a job for Don as well as spiritual protection as he transitions back to the neighborhood.  Eventually, we'd ask you to pray for safe and affordable housing for Don.  

May God carry us all along until the day of Christ Jesus.

::tony::

when you reap: second in a 247 series

" 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.' " (Leviticus 23:22)

Rod asked Monday, "Where are you cutting corners?"

It's a good question.  We've been grappling with it at the Boiler Room.  One of the central practices of the Boiler Room is Justice and Mercy.  And we're just starting to learn about it.  Certainly planting ourselves here on the Westside has something to do with putting our community in the middle of places in need of mercy and justice. We have hourly opportunities to practice justice and mercy throughout our week.   But we still have a lot more to learn.

God provided me with one opportunity at 3a Sunday.  

---

As I was walking up to the garage, I noticed that Jake and Amanda were praying in their car parked next to the garage.  I thought the Spirit had just convicted them to keep praying as they left from garage to car.  

Upon opening the door, I realized that something had led them to pray in their car.  Dave was passed out on the couch in the prayer garage.  Apparently there was a gap in between prayer participants and before Jake and Amanda arrived, Dave took the opportunity to try to sleep off his intoxication.  Jake and Amanda came in and explained that they didn't want to wake Dave.

After thanking them for their faithfulness, I closed the door and asked Dave to wake up.  

"Dave, we're in the middle of a week of unbroken prayer.  We have folks coming in for the next six days.  We can't have people sleeping on the couch."

"I know, I'm sorry Tone.  But I just had it.  I've had it.  It's a madhouse at Mel's.  I can't get any sleep.  It's crazy."And he went on to vent about his experiences with the other folks seeking shelter at Mel Trotter's.  He had nothing but good things to say about the staff but he felt like it wasn't a stable place for him to try and get into a regular rhythm of taking the job offer to work at Maggie's Kitchen.   And Dave was upset.  His inebriation led him to bitter ranting after a while.  

I half-heartedly offered him a place to sleep on the Boiler Room's dining room floor.  But I wasn't enthusiastic about the offer, knowing that Don–fresh from long term rehab for his alcohol addiction–was sleeping on a couch in the next room.  Dave recognized my luke warm hospitality and took his cue to go after a half hour of railing against the system.  

And I let him go into the winter night.  

Seeing his cigarette disappear around the corner,  I was left with this challenge from God.  I heard James 3:16 "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed" echoing in my head.  I asked God to reveal his wisdom about this conundrum.  In saying that Dave couldn't pass out on our couch, was I saying "Go, I wish you well?"

The Lord let me stew in this for a while during prayer and during the beginning of this week.  I prayed for peace at Mel Trotters.  I prayed for God to provide a place for Dave to live.  I prayed for God to break Dave's addiction to alcohol.  

I left the garage that morning unresolved.  But I did feel like God was telling me to be transparent about this encounter.  So I shared it with Rod and Joel, and Brad and Jenn and Danmike and Chelsea and Brooke and Michael.  And now I'm sharing it with you all.  I felt like God was presenting this to our community to think about.  

How do we seek justice and mercy for people who are poor, for the aliens in our midst?

I've gotten clarity in talking with friends that the prayer garage isn't a place for people to sleep off their binges. The prayer garage is the heart of our field.  It's not a corner.  It's not some extra space but it's at the center of our community.  Our friends who make pilgrimages to the garage, like Amanda and Jake, deserve a space dedicated to prayer rather than simply a convenient place to get out of the cold.  

At the same time, what has been emerging in my heart has been a wondering about how could the Boiler Room community be a part of providing some sort of transitional housing for friends like Dave who need a corner from which to glean, from which to make a fresh start.  It's clear that Dave's desire to have a sane housing situation is important for holding down a job but it also would need to be linked to some kind of support for deliverance from his addiction.    Could part of our efforts as a community be the justice of helping friends get support for deliverance, housing and employment?  

The Source Boiler Room in Minneapolis has a transitional housing program that we might learn from.  During our pilgrimage to Minnesota in May, we'll take some time to learn from them.  

So God has provided is a prompt for our community to consider.  "What corners might we provide as a practice of justice and mercy?"  Perhaps the Holy Spirit is prompting you as an intercessor for justice and mercy on the Westside.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit is prompting you to join us in dreaming about some practices in response to this call for justice and mercy.  Perhaps you have some corner to share with others.  

Dave, as a child of God, deserves the dignity of a job and housing.  He needs help getting free from his addiction. And as friends of Dave, we need to learn how to join with him as a just and merciful community.

May God's harvest bounty bless us all.

::tony:: 

see: first in a 247 series

 In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.  Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.  (Isaiah 29:18-19)

Jenn had plugged in the white Christmas lights on our porch.  Now, February 20 isn't a likely day for plugging in; but it was the right night, and the right time.  And as I came home, I saw.  

I saw back to more than one year ago when I was walking back a night of 247 prayer at the old Boiler Room at 737 Davis (the prayer room that is now Chip's bedroom-Praise God).  I had been joined at 4 in the morning by Pat, who decided to follow Jesus that morning.  Pat, who continues to join Joel at pub church, is still challenged by the idea of following Jesus.  But on that morning, the lights were on and I prayed for another hour on the porch in the December cold, thanking God for the opportunity to witness Pat making this first step.  I will never get enough of moments like those.  

I saw the lights, this very night as well.  I saw the lights that Paul described for the Philippian church when he wrote them saying, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.  But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.  So you too should be glad and rejoice with me."  I saw the lights throughout the prayer garage as we gathered with the Bridge Street House of Prayer and the Gold Ave crew.  

Based on promptings from Gold, we've begun to pray together and eat together.  We want to build up our friendships in the Gospel.  Before any dreaming as a prayer movement, we want to, as Ryan prayed, "learn to love each other."  And as we spent time together, we told stories of how God was breaking through as well as breaking us down.  We asked questions and offered opportunities.  We listened and we laughed.  And we ate great guacamole (thanks Brooke!).  

Most stunningly, as I looked around the room and saw an obedient group of children of God.  I saw them shining like stars in the universe as they were telling stories of holding out the word of life to Gold Ave neighbors across the dinner table and to scary teenagers dabbling in evil things sipping coffee at the Pavillion.  The Lord has put these lights, these stars in this dark, abandoned Westside.  And my eyes have seen it this night.  

He even brought Joe Oakes in out of the darkness.  Slightly inebriated but inexplicably drawn back to the God who loves him.   Join us in praying for Joe who can't escape the hound of Heaven that is still pursuing him.  Instead of disappointment with Joe's continued relapses, I was simply blessed by his affection for us and his clear regard for the Lord.  

All week, this theme of light has bubbled up.  At the Love Feast, I shared the John 8 verse, ""I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  And on this first night of 247, I thank God for His light.  

May His light shine for each of us who make the pilgrimage down to the prayer garage as well as those who join us in prayer from afar.  May we shine like that Philippian church in the face of martyrdom.  May Jesus shine through us in this darkness.

::tony::

then your light will break forth

 Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:  to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 58:6-8)

We're wrapping up our study of what the Vision and Vow has to say about discipleship at the beginning of March. Our next study will focus on justice and mercy as we read Shane Claiborne's story of the Simple Way community in Irresistible Revolution.   We realize that we have a lot to learn about the practice of justice and mercy as a Boiler Room community.  We're hoping Claiborne's story will help us understand and imagine practices for our community.  

If you're interested in reading with us, drop us a line at stockbridgeboilerroom@gmail.com.  We're looking at four conversations starting March 19.  We are tentatively thinking of consecutive Thursday nights 7p-8p, with prayer in response afterwards.  We have a couple of extra copies available for loan on a first come, first served basis.

We look forward to what God will teach us all about justice and mercy.

May God use us to loose the chains of injustice.

::tony::

mustard seeds

Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?  It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount  of flour until it worked all through the dough." (Luke 13:18-21)

You may recall from the blog on January 29 that our simple church has multiplied.

It seemed wise to gather these multiplied churches once a month for worship, testimony and teaching.  And a week from tomorrow, on February 26, we will have our first gathering of simple churches.  

These simple churches are striving to be accountable to each other, to be immersed in God's word and to be praying missionally.  We seek to keep them small and when they grow we intend for them to multiply.  

We've adapted our simple church guidelines Download Simple church guidelines from the KC Boiler Room.

During our fall pilot of simple church, together we studied the book of Luke, focusing our discussion on a passage a week.  When we multiplied we left off with Luke 13:18.   We'll be studying the passage above next Thursday.  All are welcome to join the conversation.   

::tony::

lengthen

Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.  (Isaiah 54:12)

Kathleen Trock prayed this prophetic word of Isaiah 54 over the Boiler Room last spring.  As sometimes is the case, we tried to immediately apply it to our life together rather than letting God unfold it in our lives.  We looked at building projects and other physical manifestations as part of our discernment process.  It turns out, God is growing us at His own rate and the lengthened cords don't necessarily have to do with a building expansion.  

What is becoming evident is that God is enlarging, stretching, lengthening and strengthening us in other less visible ways.  We're seeing God extend our capacities as intercessors, apostolic servants, simple church planters, disciples and teachers.  We're seeing simple churches pop up down the street and across the city.  We're seeing groups of friends from around Michigan come to learn more about prayer and dreaming with us.  

And this lengthening comes in the most surprising ways.  As we've lengthened the Love Feast to include some meditation on the Word and some worship in response to the Word, we've been seeing God convict Jonny to ask for help in turning from his current direction.  We've seen another young friend stricken with the realization that he does not know freedom in Christ.  

But the best story of lengthening comes from how this worship is extending into the streets of the Westside.

Last Wednesday, Danmike turned his focus during worship to a black box with the little red light, perched next to the overhead that was projecting lyrics up onto the wall.  He wondered and then returned his gaze to God.

"All for Jesus . . . "

And Tony Montana (above) moved near to the box, listening to the worship, eyes closed.  

A box with a red light in this historical moment might attract more worry, but Danmike was locked in on worship and didn't think another thing about it.  Until Tony picked it up after worship and clicked off the tape recorder.  Tony–who doesn't have a permanent home–was recording worship to bring it with him.  The cords of this worship tent we call the Love Feast were lengthening at that moment.  And that thought hit Danmike-as did the memory of Isaiah 54.  

Now the conspirators among us, might think Tony is an undercover reporter seeking to break a story on the Boiler Room-FOX 17 BREAKING STORY!!.  Unfortunately for those hoping for espionage, the evidence seems to point otherwise.

We, actually, are ready to say that God is lengthening our cords.  He is stretching them to cover the underpass where Tony listens to "I've seen I am, now I know that I am loved . . ."  And we pray that as Tony sees God, he will turn and he will head home toward the open door of the tent, toward the open arms of his Father.  

May we all worship Him in each place we go.

::tony::

freedom

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. "  (Galatians 5:1)

Taking a pilgrimage is wonderful.  But it sure can throw off one's rhythm—as evidenced by my lack of writing this week.  I think I'm back in rhythm.  As the Go-Go's would say, "I've got the beat." 

Monday in Ann Arbor brought me back to my days of undergrad 25 years ago.  And it was fun to revisit U of M with the interns.    25 years ago I was navigating a campus with a somewhat functioning compass.  After years growing up knowing the answers in CCD, I had decided to follow Jesus the previous summer while in the mountains of Colorado with Young Life.  Yet as the hymn describes, I was "prone to wander, Lord I feel it.  Prone to leave the God I love."  And part of that wandering was me.  And part of that wandering was university.  And part of that wandering was Ann Arbor.  Probably not unlike many undergrads on many campuses.  

Walking on the Diag, I saw ghosts of my own foolishness past.   So many people wandering.  So many people bound by the chains of ambition, self-sufficiency and busyness.  At the same time, I got to talk with the students who were running a 40 Days of Prayer event, and I was struck by the Kingdom possibility that is introduced by obedient and gifted young brothers and sisters.  And in this juxtaposition, I felt the conviction that David Blackwell, Wendy Andrews and the whole host of Campus America folks feel about this next generation.  These campuses are critical strongholds and these students are the young men and women about whom the prophet Joel writes.   

I find myself wondering how and where the Stockbridge Boiler Room can be a resource and a partner for these burgeoning prayer movements on campuses all across Michigan.  We found ourselves dreaming about a pilgrimage to the Furnace, a prayer room on the MSU campus.  In this process God has provided us with a clearer hunger for supporting friends in the university in the partnership of the Gospel.  

Walking campus 25 years ago, I had a peacetime mentality.  I was just trying to take care of my own needs.  I was worried about my own comfort, my own security.  

But this time, I saw so many people, people that could have been me, that were prisoners in a war.  They assumed that this life of endless, anxious study;  this life of relentless drive for tenure and publication;  this life following the noble, ever-elusive and often changing call justice and equality—was simply natural.  Yet they had this vague sense of that there must be something more.  

And this isn't exclusive to Ann Arbor.  In Grand Rapids, we're held captive by the drive for our own good works and by our religious piety.  This pilgrimage has helped to give me enough detachment to see things that weren't so obvious close up.  I could see Ann Arbor in ways I couldn't 25 years ago.  And upon returning, I can see Grand Rapids in ways that weren't so obvious one week ago. 

  

So we prayed in the prayer room at the Lutheran chapel.  We prayed, as John DeVries suggested at Crossroads a month ago, for God to handcuff the prison guards.  We prayed that He would handcuff the prison guards of ambition, self-sufficiency and busyness.  We prayed for a prison break in Ann Arbor.  We prayed that the abundant life and friendship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit would break out and pour down the steps of the chapel, turning left on South University and angle through the West Engineering Arch onto the Diag.  

And we continue to pray for freedom in Ann Arbor and in Grand Rapids;  because it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  

May  we remember the God who has brought us all out of Egypt.  

::tony::

Stockbridge Boiler Room clears hurdle

We received initial approval from the City Planning Board.  Bless God.  

::tony::

Trusting Our Father's Heart-an invitation

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,Father."   (Galatians 4:6)

This fall and winter, we've been learning how to be sons and daughters.  So many of us in the Boiler Room community have seen ourselves as workers who strive, rather than sons and daughters who rest in the delight of our Father who loves us just because we are His.   We want to spend this next season of 24-7 prayer seeking to work this truth deeper and broader into our lives.  

At the same time, as a community we've also been hearing the question from our Father, "Do you trust me?"  And throughout this new year, individuals and groups have declared "I trust you Lord."  We want this season of 24-7 prayer to help us grow in our trust of our Father's heart.  

Many others will have additional praises, intercessions, thanksgivings and confessions.  And we bless God for the outpouring of His Spirit.  This invitation to trust our Father's heart is simply one place to start for friends who come to the Boiler Room.  We look forward to seeing you.

Opening prayer for the week of 24-7 will begin at 8p on Friday the 20th.  

Prayer : Sign-Ups Log onto: www.google.com/calendar    Type in E-mail: stockbridge247        Type in Password: 247prayer Click on the hour you would like to begin praying In the "what" space, type your name and e-mail address     (example: john doe : jdoe@yahoo.com) Click "create event" and you are now registered. Feel free to register for more than one hour. ::Please remember to log-out after registering your hours:: Questions? Contact us at stockbridgeboilerroom@gmail.com

  

NEWS FLASH: 40 Days of Prayer and schedule tweaking

At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. 

He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. (Mark 1: 12-13)

Our 24-7 friends down in Ann Arbor have been in a season of prayer.  They started back in January–seeking God's face–and they're drawing to a close.  As they end this season, they're interested in hearing more about how they can continue.  They've asked our community to come down and talk about having a sustainable rhythm of prayer. Tomorrow, we'll drive down, pray with them and share some of our story.  Please pray that God will be glorified and the connections within the body of Christ be strengthened.   

We'll have morning prayer on Monday at 7a but the next community prayer will happen on Tuesday at 7a.