The Screen on the Green at Lincoln Park last night was awesome! I think we gave out more than 300 bags of popcorn and also gave people a customized bag of microwave popcorn with the 411 on NCC on the way out. Such a great way to bring the community together.

I’ve really been chewing on Matthew 10:12-13 lately as a modus operandi for ministry. Jesus sends out his disciples on their inaugural mission with these words: “Whenever you enter a town or village, search for a worthy man and stay in his home until you leave for the next town. When you are invited into someone’s home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing.”

In too many instances, the church has it backwards. We expect people to belong before blessing. Jesus instructed his disciples to bless before belonging. Fundamentally, we are called to be a blessing. It’s the Abrahamic Covenant. But I think we’re so afraid of blessing the wrong people that we tend to withhold the blessing. Jesus tells us to bless everything that moves! And if they aren’t worthy, we take the blessing back. If they are, the blessing stands!

I feel like Screen on the Green is a simple way to bless our community. So cool to see families and couples on blankets enjoying an evening out in Lincoln Park. It brings everybody together. And what is so exciting about being a blessing is that you never know how God is going to use it. Some of those people will land at NCC and God will transform their lives.

By the way, huge props to all the volunteers who made it happen. Amazing team effort. Definitely blessed our family!