What’s in a Name?
Have you ever been lost? It feels so unsettling, doesn’t it? Depending on the severity of the situation, you may feel anything from disoriented to terrified.
I have a terrible sense of direction. But for some reason, I also have unwavering, unearned confidence in my navigational abilities.
It’s just one of the many things my wife loves about me. Especially when we’re hiking. With the kids. And they don’t have enough water.
It’s one thing to get lost on a trip. It’s another to be lost in life. Many know this feeling all too well. Maybe you can relate.
Housing markets crash. Viruses shut down the world. Marriages disappoint. Kids rebel. Bad guys get ahead. Housing becomes unaffordable…
…the list could go on and on.
Doom and Gloom Have Entered the Room
The 21st century presents a far different outlook on the world than I grew up with in the 80’s. Gone are the days of parachute and Zumba pants. Side-ponies too. Somehow, mullets are back in style, though.
Fashion trends aren’t the only thing that’s changed. So has a clear-cut path to happiness. It used to be simple. At least, it was presented that way. The path to happiness used to look something like this:
1. Go to college
2. Get a job
3. Get married
4. Buy a house
5. Start a family
Ask anyone under the age of 20 if this path even exists anymore. It’s become so overgrown that you can’t find it. And even if you could, it has too many obstacles to navigate.
Student debt, toxic work environments, divorce, astronomical housing prices…why bother?
Portland and Pandemic Problems
Portland is an incredible place to live. Apparently, it used to be even better. That’s what the people who have lived here for a while say.
When we tell people that we bought a house in East Portland and are planting a church here, we tend to get responses like this:
“Oh wow! Good for you. You’re like firefighters. Everyone else is running out, but you’re going in.”
“Really? We don’t even go there anymore.”
“Portland? That place is just one beer shy of Sodom and Gomorra!”
“You love Portland now. But let's see if it lasts.”
There are some objectively heartbreaking things about what’s going on in Portland. Houselessness is unprecedented. Drug use is out of control. People are bailing on the city.
Many of the people we talk to look around at the city's condition and say, “Where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?”
The stats tell that story. But a better story is being told by a better Author.
Holistic Restoration that Cannot be Stopped
Do you know how Jesus announced His entrance on the scene? He read this from Isaiah 61.
“He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
God has always been hope-filled. At every turn in the Biblical story, God’s heart bursts with hope. There is never a moment when darkness, doom, or gloom wins the day.
Jesus chose Isaiah 61 to announce His ministry and describe (maybe even define) his ministry.
He will bind up the brokenhearted and bring freedom to the captives. Those aren’t promises you make to people who are doing well, are they?
God took on flesh and anchored His life in a particular place and time. He chose to identify with people who needed their broken hearts healed and their shackles broken off.
This is who God is. This is what Love does. He doesn’t build walls to keep the unclean things out.
He builds bridges to usher beauty and goodness into the places where it’s needed the most.
Who Doesn’t Need at Least Part of Their Life Restored?
In your vulnerable moments, you know you need something restored in your life. No one gets through this world without a few scrapes and bruises.
Many wish they only got bruised or scraped.
For as much beauty as there can be in this world, it can feel like there is an equal but opposite counter to it all. Consider these experiences.
The uncontainable belly laugh of a baby – VS – the unconsolable cry of a child
The breathtaking beauty of the ocean – VS – the heartbreaking devastation of a hurricane
The day she says “I do” – VS – the moment you must say “goodbye”
It can feel like everything in life is vulnerable. Fragile. Perhaps this is why Jesus framed His ministry as one that would comfort, heal, redeem, release, and restore.
I know I’ve needed it. From 2021 – 2023, the Holy Spirit had our entire family lay down in green pastures by still waters so He could RESTORE our souls.
In that season of stillness and surrender, God healed our hearts in ways we didn’t even know we needed. We yearn for more healing and greater depths of restoration.
At the risk of being simplistic or overly reductionistic, I believe that the primary source of restoration we needed was to have our first love restored.
A white hot, passionate, burning – forsaking all other loves kind of affection for Jesus. My capacity for awe and wonder was slowly absorbed by the daily burdens of adult responsibilities, my wounded desire for acceptance, and my immature view of achievement.
But one gentle kiss of grace broke the spell, disarmed my guardedness, exposed my weakness – and overwhelmed my soul to the point of overflowing with love and hope for the world around me.
Now that I think of it, there have been two unmistakably clear moments where God intersected my life.
The first was when God first got a hold of my heart. I distinctly remember feeling like I could actually see for the first time and that a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders.
The second is what I’m attempting to describe here. I honestly feel like the Holy Spirit woke me up from being under a spell.
Kristy and I have experienced the restorative work of God in our lives, marriage, and souls.
It’s what God has promised to do in His Word, has the power to do through His Spirit, and the love to accomplish from His Heart.
Restoration in Surprising Places
Isaiah 61 has been a foundational passage for Kristy ever since God got a hold of her heart. It was a bit confusing for her at first, though.
While on a mission trip to inner-city LA, she sensed the Holy Spirit inviting her to give her life to partnering with Him in restoring long-devastated places.
Primarily, this is about people. But the thing about people is – we have to live in places. And we’re created for community. Designed for good work. Fashioned in God’s image to create.
Kristy has always had a strong desire and exceptional gifting as an artist. Particularly as an interior designer.
She loves creating safe, beautiful, and inspiring places for people to live, work, play, rest, raise their families, celebrate with friends, and worship Jesus.
So how, she wondered, does this desire for interior design fit with a desire to care for those living on the margins of society?
These seemingly contradictory desires express an unexpected and uncontainable synergy in Isaiah 61.
A Gospel with Cosmic Restorative Power
There isn’t a molecule in creation or ethereal being in the heavens that has not been impacted by the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere.
The ancient Jewish hope that the Christian faith is built on is that one day, God will dwell with His people again.
And when that happens, there will be no more pain, suffering, or sorrow.
But consider what will continue.
Relationships
Creativity
Playfulness
Worship
Exploration
Learning
And more and more and more and more and more
The gospel does more than get you into heaven when you die. It gets heaven into you while you live.
When your first love for Jesus is restored – anything is possible. Everything is impacted.
We don’t have any desire to measure the health or effectiveness of our church by platform, programs, or people.
There is only one thing we care about: Are we encountering the presence of God and falling more in love with Jesus?
If so, then that will play out in an uncontainable overflow of living water that refreshes a weary world with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Jesus died to save our souls—no doubt about it. But a saved soul lives in a body. That body lives in a place and among people. Those people form communities, neighborhoods, and cities.
All of it matters to God. He is going to restore all things. We will settle for nothing less than all of what God wants to give.
Restoring the Main Thing to the Main Place
As amazing as it would be to see a city revitalized, that is only the fruit of an even greater restoration. Having our hearts restored to love God more than any and everything.
Paradoxically, loving God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength is THE ONLY WAY to love anything else in this life appropriately.
Nothing compares to encountering God's presence. Regardless of how good things may be in your life, if you don’t experience God's love, you will feel lost.
But when God’s love, His presence, breaks through and meets you in reality, you will know a love that nothing compares to.
Nothing.
One moment in God’s presence will do more for your heart than 10,000 sermons or worship services. The Holy Spirit of God has graciously, gently, uncontainably restored our first love for the Triune God.
This is the mission He’s given to Restoration Church PDX: to follow Jesus in love with Portland.
Whatever that looks like. Whatever it costs. All we want is more of you, Jesus. Let your Kingdom come and will be done in Portland as it is in Heaven.
