The Human House

When I was a freshman in college I read a book that changed the way I look at a lot of things; Church, Community, God, Love, Hatred, Enemies, and the very way I live my life. I have since seen this book change the same perspectives in friend and family. I have had the chance to hear the author speak and have even had the blessing of conversing with him on one occasion, I have read more books by him and I have tried my hardest to put the teachings he lays down to practice in my life. The book: The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne.

This book teaches many things, but its main point is to tell about “another way of doing life” (chapter 5). Claiborne talks about the beginnings of their intentional community called The Simple Way. Basically it is a community of people that live together and spend their lives loving and serving in the name of Christ. They have done some amazing stuff but if you want to learn more about The Simple Way go to http://thesimpleway.org/

Anyway, the reason I am talking about this (and the reason I am blogging for the first time in FOREVER!) is because since the day I finished the book, I have been in search of this community in my own live, I knew that I had to find something like what was being described to me in the pages of Irresistible Revolution. I soon gave up completely on churches in my town because I could only see hypocrisy in the way that those people lived their lives; tying to be holy and praise God and love others on Sundays and spend the rest of the week doing whatever they could to get ahead in life, to make more money and to buy more things for themselves. Now, I am not saying that I am not the same but I saw that in myself and I wanted to embrace it rather than run from it. I only needed some like minded people that could join me in this idea. I would read Acts over and over, that was the kind of “church” I wanted to be a part of. (Read Acts, 2:43-47 to understand just what I am talking about there)

Over the years, I would find people here and there that thought similarly to the way I did (most of them also directly influenced by Claiborne’s books and the early church) and we would dream and complain together but it never would go farther than that. Then one day earlier this semester, everything started to change.

About two months ago, I got a call from a friend of mine who told me that he had just met a guy named Christian who had a house and was looking for roommates. I didn’t think much of it at the time except thinking that it would be good to get out of my house and try the whole “living on my own while still in college thing”. But a few weeks went by and my friend and I talked again, he told me that every Saturday night a bunch of our friends were getting together at Christian’s house to make and share a meal and simply engage one another with their company and conversation. I was incredibly intrigued and a couple of weeks later I went over to check it out for myself. I had no idea of the opportunities that were awaiting me in that house.

A group of people sitting around sharing a meal, laughs, thoughts, and love; all of it surrounding a Christ filled atmosphere that would rival any church and any worship service I have been to in a long time. I have gotten to know Christian over the last few weeks and I just wish I could put into word the depth of his vision for this house. Basically, we are working to make it everything we have wanted: an intentional community. A place where people come to live and learn and grow together, all while serving our Lord and loving not only each other, but also every single person who walks through the door (or doesn’t).

I just can’t convey how excited I am about this. The house is in rough shape and will take a lot of work, but that is part of our journey that we have undertaken together. Two people already live in the house, and I am planning on moving in as soon as I can and fully learning another way of doing life.

The house has been named “The Human House” and is Sterling’s first intentional house community of its kind. Our lives are about to change for the better, we are about to dive so deeply into following Jesus in our lives that I would be lying if I didn’t admit it is a little bit scary. It is a welcoming place of rest, where everything we do is done in Christ’s love. Holding each other accountable and loving each other because we are all humans with faults who strive to be better.

I ask anyone that reads this to be in prayer about the Human House Community of Sterling Kansas. We will be facing hard times ahead as we are still in our planning and ideas stage. Pray for community to stay Christ centered and full of LOVE. Pray for financial blessing in the restoration process. Pray that we can be as much of an impact on the community of Sterling as we are planning on being.

I will post pictures as soon as I get some taken and I will also be giving updates in future posts .

LOVE.PEACE.JON