Shamwow & the Holy Spirit?!
June 9, 2010
My values are like a Shamwow. You know, the famous “as seen on T.V.” piece of cloth that can dry off an entire boat. There are many imitators, which if used, can lead to disappointment. But the real thing, now that’s something special!
My values, much like the Vineyard movement’s, are like the story of the Shamwow because the movement is all about making the mysterious real. It’s our expectation that people would experience the supernatural presence of God like Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 when he says “I did not come to speak with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the spirit and power.” You see, the Shamwow took off because of an infomercial – Some crazy guy demonstrating the unreal power of this tiny piece of multi-fiber cloth. Something caught America’s attention. Similarly, the Holy Spirit catches our attention and when we yield to Him, he uses us to do something special.
In our consumer driven society cost influences perceived value. If the Shamwow had stopped the infomercial before addressing price, the experience would not have been complete. It wouldn’t have been the success that it is today. People would have thought that something this special is only for those who could afford it or those who just really like to clean. But it wasn’t. The Shamwow wasn’t just for the elites; it was favorably priced for all people at just $19.99. But God one-upped QVC and the Spike TV Saturday morning infomercials. God covered the cost and gave the “Shamwow” away for free so that everyone could experience its power.
Vineyard aligns with my values in that there is a shared belief that Christianity isn’t just for the “Religious Winners”. We believe “everyone can play”. Jesus told Peter “come follow me”. He didn’t apply spiritual measures. Jesus didn’t say “follow me if you have it all together.” You see, we’re not just some ordinary towel that still leaves a mess and can’t dry up the water. We’re something different, something special – we’re a Shamwow. We are able to reach all people because we’ve equipped ourselves to influence people where they are at, and bring them along for the ride.
When I played football at the University of Cincinnati, I would talk to guys about the faith element of their lives and they’d say “I’ll wait till I get right first.” God didn’t call us with strings attached; He wants us all to participate in what he has in store for us. Many people oftentimes feel that they have to be something first. But God wants us to be who we are and who we are created to be. Some people were created to use the Shamwow for drying cars, some for boats and some for simple household chores where a paper towel would suffice. This story is only made real when we are able to share the Gospel, the undiluted Gospel, in practical and relevant ways that reach people who are considered “the missing”.
Vineyard Community Church has scripted on its building “Small things done with great love can change the world.” There is no value greater than loving God and loving His people. Agape love is not about rules or requirements. It’s not based upon expectations or conditions. It is about incorporating love and the leading of the Holy Spirit into everyday life so that real evangelism is based upon being available.
My football history taught me something priceless: success on the field was about community, a shared vision and values despite the wide variety of differences from race, religion, economics or even education. The Vineyard movement embraces these championship values where God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. While no team is perfect, I want to be on a team that embraces the championship mindset and the Vineyard movement has that mindset.
- Chris Flores, Vineyard Cincinnati leader
GO!
June 8, 2010
Go and find the lost. Go serve those who society leaves behind. Go beyond your comfort zone and your own borders. Go and not just talk about, but truly demonstrate, Christ. To the lost. The sick. The broken. The weary. The tired. The one who keeps wanting but is never fulfilled.
“Go!” Boldly and with compassion.
Growing up in a UCC church in a small town it always struck me as odd that we would gather in our Sunday best in the church to sing antiquated songs with lyrics like “doth thou thath wrought” and I remember telling my grandpa as we were leaving one Sunday how I didn’t feel any different or know any more walking out of that church than when I walked in. That feeling of sameness bothered me greatly because I had learned early on in Sunday school about a compassionate and powerful Jesus who healed the sick, comforted the grieving and brought people back from death, but yet, this church it didn’t feel “alive” at all. Something was very wrong here. I knew in my heart there had to be more than this. No, this couldn’t be it. To walk in the doors every Sunday at 10:15, smile at the people, parrot some phrases with the congregation, sing some songs and try to stay awake during the sermon while daydreaming which NFL teams were playing on TV later that day.
My world shifted in 2000 when I came upon the Vineyard in Cincinnati. It was an early fall Saturday and I had been using The Vineyard parking lot as a shortcut to get to work. New in town, I was looking for a new church to join and decided if I was going to use their parking lot, I could at least see what they had to offer. To my shock and amazement, when I walked through the doors they had a huge “ServeFest” going on with at least a dozen outreaches, everything from a Coke outreach to a free car wash to a nursing home visitation, even a bathroom cleaning outreach. All to serve the people outside the church walls to let them know God loves them. It was incredible. This…this is what I had been looking for all my life. This is what I knew Jesus would be about today. This was “Go!”
So how does that snippet of my life fit into the Vineyard core mission? I hope it dovetails nicely. To reach out to people who are broken and heading down the wrong road at a breakneck speed stop so they can experience God to find a more fulfilling, peaceful path. To team up with those who used to want for only for themselves, but now want to serve in the name of something greater than self. To “Go!” and serve in the name of Christ.
Someone once said, “Christianity at its simplest form is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread”. And through the history of the Vineyard movement and at VCC that’s what we’re all about. Now for sure, with a membership as large as VCC, there are people all over the spectrum in regards of serving. But it’s the culture of service and slipping on the dusty sandals of Christ for even a moment to a stranger, a co-worker or the cashier at a Taco Bell, it’s a force of a million light touches of love to demonstrate to people, sometimes on the worst day of their life, that there is a God, He is alive and well, and He loves you so much he would rather go to Hell alone than to be in Heaven without you.
“Go!” It’s the key core value that started with the Vineyard back from its inception and still holds true today. And it’s not just a suggestion from Christ, but a command, “Go and make fishers of men!” It’s pretty much what drives me to help lead with the LA La Viña outreach and when volunteering for Breathe or any of the other programs VCC puts on to reach out to the lost and serve those who live on “the fringe”.
And the best part is I can leave from any service or outreach at VCC and know I am changed, that I have learned something to put into practice that coming week and the weeks to come. And walk out with an attitude that’s focused on Christ so I can do what He asked us all to do in his name. ”Go!”
- Brian G.
