The age old question of what is church, can be answered quite basically.

EMMANUEL.

In East Timor I met a man called Emmanuel, and another man called Ignatio, and I’m determined to called my second son these. He will be the answer to what is Church. Emmanuel being – “God with us”. Ignatio coming from the word “fire”. The church is God with us on fire. It is obedient sons and daughters of the king, ON FIRE. Passionate, innovative, creative, bringing warmth and new growth, destroying death and apathy. Bringing the kingdom of Gods presence and will.

So as God with us on fire, what stops most christians from being church, being almost the opposite of that –
“who is God? #lukewarm”

Revolutionary love. Sacrifice that makes love real. A fear that seeks to protect our own weak, insecure, cavernously empty egos, instead of letting our loving God fill us to overflowing with solid, soaking truth.

We are loved.

And with that love, and filled with the truth and the spirit of power, our God with us-ness, is set on fire.

Come on church. Lets be God with us on fire.