Funny how clarity works.
I started going to Venue Church April 2014. I just started a new job, got a dog and bought my first car. Too many changes for my brain to keep up with. In between looking in the lot for cars and having a panic attack inside the dealership, I noticed people outside with big orange signs promoting a church. Great, just what Chattanooga needs, another church. But instantly it was different. There were young men excited about a church. That's a rarity, I'd never seen that before. I put it in the back of my mind and thought nothing else of it.
A few weeks later, the Saturday after Easter, something told me to find that Church. I didn't know the name, I just remembered the big Orange signs. I found something on Facebook of course that said the name of the new Church was Venue. I went and I can honestly say my life has been forever changed.
Fast forward to this morning. Pastor Tavner started a new series, " All in" and the first message was about the culture of Venue Church, the Venue way. Of course I knew it. I did my research back in April, I heard it while volunteering with Venue kids but it finally hit me this morning. Everything started to make sense again. Why I moved back to Chattanooga when I was on the path to leave the city again, why I was drawn to the Church, why I felt God every single time I entered the Church. Everything I have wanted and fought so hard for in myself and life is wrapped up in the vision of this Church, and the vision that God has for me. Sounds cheesy but its true.
1) " We serve like crazy"- I have always had the heart to serve, and knew that it was a major part of who I am. My 27months in PeaceCorps was no accident, Zambia was no accident. I prayed for it, wanted it more than anything. Not every PeaceCorps volunteer makes it. Its not an easy thing to do. New country, new language, new life for 2 yrs. I didn't see my family for 2yrs and was completely out of my comfort zone. No electricity or plumbing, living and working in a rural village adapting to a new way of life. This isn't a sympathy ploy, just the reality that while serving is amazing and fulfilling it is also a huge sacrifice. More so then I ever expected. But it also made me who I am now, so I know there was method to the madness.
2)" We are radically Obedient"- This is something I want so badly and have been striving for since coming home from Peace Corps. Knowing God has a plan but being unafraid to follow. I was so caught up in leaving again, not wanting to stay in Chattanooga. I was born here, raised here, left here for a reason, but was called back. I lost my job in Feb and could have used that as a one way ticket out of this town, but I knew that I was suppose to stay here for a reason.
3) "We give until it hurts"- One of my favorite things about Venue is how excited everyone gets when its Tithe and Offering time. At first, I didn't get it. I though it was silly but then after I realized that your heart was tied to your wallet, it all made sense. What you spend your money on is what matters most to you. Makes sense right? So we spend all our money on cars, clothes, food and then complain about how "broke" we are. We've placed materialistic things and addictions before God, but if we would be Obedient and give back a portion of what we have been given then it would be returned to us ten fold. I also love how Pastor Tavner points out that its God's money anyway.
4) " We honor everyone"- I have never felt honored in Church until now. I have always dreaded going to church because I was going to have to sit for hours and listen to how Christians are better than Muslims and Americans are better than everyone else and how if I sin differently than you I am automatically worse. My heart is too big and too open for that. This mindset is what lead me to hate church and even be embarrassed to be a Christian. The second I walked into Venue I was surrounded by some of the most awesome people in Chattanooga, all radically different than I but invested in the same vision. "We honor in, honor out, honor up."
5) " We strive for excellence"- Pretty simple concept. Venue talks about living your fullest life and that is what God always intended for us. I always strive to be the best version of myself possible. Such a basic concept that is highly overlooked and underrated. Striving for excellence isn't about being better than anyone else or being perfect. Its about giving yourself a chance to be your best self, Its an outward expression of your inner self.
6) "We pay it forward"- I hear this and I think of the pay it forward concept of buying someone coffee or donating to a charity. Today Pastor Tavner went deeper with his and it hit me hard. Paying it forward is a willingness to be vulnerable and tell your story. As a pretend writer, I believe everyone has a story worth hearing but also worth telling. Today I was reminded that I have an obligation to tell my story. You are healed by opening up to others. I use to be afraid to tell my story because I was embarrassed by it. I've struggled with anxiety for as long I can remember, never telling anyone. Trying to hold off panic attacks so that no one would see. Then I heard Pastor Tavner's story and it was almost as if a weight was lifted off of me. I can be confused, imperfect, bruised and still be used to help others. Growing up surrounded by church goers, that was never the case. You never know who needs to hear what you've been through to get themselves through. We're all in this together. "Every number has a name, every name has a story and every story matters to God."
7) " We Pray until something happens"- There is a difference in hope and faith. Hope is when you think something can happened and faith is when you know something will happen. I have been working on this a lot lately. I know in my heart that if I let go and leave things to God it all works out. I have been taught for so long that if it's Gods will it will happen regardless. This doesn't mean be a slave to meritocracy. You have to help God help you and if you aren't bold and brave to come to God with the things you want it will never happen. If you want a promotion and you never speak up, you'll never get it. That doesn't mean you don't deserve it, you were complacent. Parents want the best for their kids and will do anything to proved that. God sent his son, He did everything to give us the best, same concept. Sometimes I feel like God isn't listening but that's not the case. If you are passive aggressive about prayers and what you want/need how do you expect Him to help? Its not that He doesn't want to, you are giving Him the chance to. Prayer is vulnerability as well. Admitting that you need help and you can't do it alone isn't easy. You either stay stagnant and are consumed in fear, anxiety and confusion or you pray loud and drown everything else out. Bold prayers will be answered, you just have to have faith.
8) "We know the truth"- I have literally travelled the world searching for my truth. People reach their truth when they are ready. If you would have told me a few years ago that I was suppose to be in Chattanooga during this season of my life, I would have given you the "judgment face". But this is where I am suppose to be right now. And since I have accepted it, awesome things have happened.
9) "We are Bringers"- I have never been excited about Church or very vocal about my beliefs but all that has changed since going to Venue. I thought that I would walk through the doors of church and combust.. based on what Church experiences were like before. Now I feel so at home at Venue. I love my church, I look forward to Sundays. Its not a stale environment with judgmental people. Its a place full of open hearted quirky people like me! ( I mean that in the best possible way). Its a place full of life, love and community. Its nice to feel like I don't have to through life alone.
10) "We are never finished"- We are all a work in progress and God is not finished using us, using me. I feel a shift happening. In my city, absolutely but in myself as well. I feel like I am getting my spunk back. I feel like I can hear God more. I feel like I am beginning to live my fullest life.
These are the 10 principles that Venue lives by, but principles that I have always lived by as well. Its amazing to be around so many different but like minded people who get it. God has a way of making you see things clearly, when you're ready. A few months ago, I was in a haze. Nothing was wrong, I just felt lost. I can feel a change within myself. Its all starting to make sense now. It feels good to be " all in" whole heartedly striving to be who you were meant to be.
I started going to Venue Church April 2014. I just started a new job, got a dog and bought my first car. Too many changes for my brain to keep up with. In between looking in the lot for cars and having a panic attack inside the dealership, I noticed people outside with big orange signs promoting a church. Great, just what Chattanooga needs, another church. But instantly it was different. There were young men excited about a church. That's a rarity, I'd never seen that before. I put it in the back of my mind and thought nothing else of it.
A few weeks later, the Saturday after Easter, something told me to find that Church. I didn't know the name, I just remembered the big Orange signs. I found something on Facebook of course that said the name of the new Church was Venue. I went and I can honestly say my life has been forever changed.
Fast forward to this morning. Pastor Tavner started a new series, " All in" and the first message was about the culture of Venue Church, the Venue way. Of course I knew it. I did my research back in April, I heard it while volunteering with Venue kids but it finally hit me this morning. Everything started to make sense again. Why I moved back to Chattanooga when I was on the path to leave the city again, why I was drawn to the Church, why I felt God every single time I entered the Church. Everything I have wanted and fought so hard for in myself and life is wrapped up in the vision of this Church, and the vision that God has for me. Sounds cheesy but its true.
1) " We serve like crazy"- I have always had the heart to serve, and knew that it was a major part of who I am. My 27months in PeaceCorps was no accident, Zambia was no accident. I prayed for it, wanted it more than anything. Not every PeaceCorps volunteer makes it. Its not an easy thing to do. New country, new language, new life for 2 yrs. I didn't see my family for 2yrs and was completely out of my comfort zone. No electricity or plumbing, living and working in a rural village adapting to a new way of life. This isn't a sympathy ploy, just the reality that while serving is amazing and fulfilling it is also a huge sacrifice. More so then I ever expected. But it also made me who I am now, so I know there was method to the madness.
2)" We are radically Obedient"- This is something I want so badly and have been striving for since coming home from Peace Corps. Knowing God has a plan but being unafraid to follow. I was so caught up in leaving again, not wanting to stay in Chattanooga. I was born here, raised here, left here for a reason, but was called back. I lost my job in Feb and could have used that as a one way ticket out of this town, but I knew that I was suppose to stay here for a reason.
3) "We give until it hurts"- One of my favorite things about Venue is how excited everyone gets when its Tithe and Offering time. At first, I didn't get it. I though it was silly but then after I realized that your heart was tied to your wallet, it all made sense. What you spend your money on is what matters most to you. Makes sense right? So we spend all our money on cars, clothes, food and then complain about how "broke" we are. We've placed materialistic things and addictions before God, but if we would be Obedient and give back a portion of what we have been given then it would be returned to us ten fold. I also love how Pastor Tavner points out that its God's money anyway.
4) " We honor everyone"- I have never felt honored in Church until now. I have always dreaded going to church because I was going to have to sit for hours and listen to how Christians are better than Muslims and Americans are better than everyone else and how if I sin differently than you I am automatically worse. My heart is too big and too open for that. This mindset is what lead me to hate church and even be embarrassed to be a Christian. The second I walked into Venue I was surrounded by some of the most awesome people in Chattanooga, all radically different than I but invested in the same vision. "We honor in, honor out, honor up."
5) " We strive for excellence"- Pretty simple concept. Venue talks about living your fullest life and that is what God always intended for us. I always strive to be the best version of myself possible. Such a basic concept that is highly overlooked and underrated. Striving for excellence isn't about being better than anyone else or being perfect. Its about giving yourself a chance to be your best self, Its an outward expression of your inner self.
6) "We pay it forward"- I hear this and I think of the pay it forward concept of buying someone coffee or donating to a charity. Today Pastor Tavner went deeper with his and it hit me hard. Paying it forward is a willingness to be vulnerable and tell your story. As a pretend writer, I believe everyone has a story worth hearing but also worth telling. Today I was reminded that I have an obligation to tell my story. You are healed by opening up to others. I use to be afraid to tell my story because I was embarrassed by it. I've struggled with anxiety for as long I can remember, never telling anyone. Trying to hold off panic attacks so that no one would see. Then I heard Pastor Tavner's story and it was almost as if a weight was lifted off of me. I can be confused, imperfect, bruised and still be used to help others. Growing up surrounded by church goers, that was never the case. You never know who needs to hear what you've been through to get themselves through. We're all in this together. "Every number has a name, every name has a story and every story matters to God."
7) " We Pray until something happens"- There is a difference in hope and faith. Hope is when you think something can happened and faith is when you know something will happen. I have been working on this a lot lately. I know in my heart that if I let go and leave things to God it all works out. I have been taught for so long that if it's Gods will it will happen regardless. This doesn't mean be a slave to meritocracy. You have to help God help you and if you aren't bold and brave to come to God with the things you want it will never happen. If you want a promotion and you never speak up, you'll never get it. That doesn't mean you don't deserve it, you were complacent. Parents want the best for their kids and will do anything to proved that. God sent his son, He did everything to give us the best, same concept. Sometimes I feel like God isn't listening but that's not the case. If you are passive aggressive about prayers and what you want/need how do you expect Him to help? Its not that He doesn't want to, you are giving Him the chance to. Prayer is vulnerability as well. Admitting that you need help and you can't do it alone isn't easy. You either stay stagnant and are consumed in fear, anxiety and confusion or you pray loud and drown everything else out. Bold prayers will be answered, you just have to have faith.
8) "We know the truth"- I have literally travelled the world searching for my truth. People reach their truth when they are ready. If you would have told me a few years ago that I was suppose to be in Chattanooga during this season of my life, I would have given you the "judgment face". But this is where I am suppose to be right now. And since I have accepted it, awesome things have happened.
9) "We are Bringers"- I have never been excited about Church or very vocal about my beliefs but all that has changed since going to Venue. I thought that I would walk through the doors of church and combust.. based on what Church experiences were like before. Now I feel so at home at Venue. I love my church, I look forward to Sundays. Its not a stale environment with judgmental people. Its a place full of open hearted quirky people like me! ( I mean that in the best possible way). Its a place full of life, love and community. Its nice to feel like I don't have to through life alone.
10) "We are never finished"- We are all a work in progress and God is not finished using us, using me. I feel a shift happening. In my city, absolutely but in myself as well. I feel like I am getting my spunk back. I feel like I can hear God more. I feel like I am beginning to live my fullest life.
These are the 10 principles that Venue lives by, but principles that I have always lived by as well. Its amazing to be around so many different but like minded people who get it. God has a way of making you see things clearly, when you're ready. A few months ago, I was in a haze. Nothing was wrong, I just felt lost. I can feel a change within myself. Its all starting to make sense now. It feels good to be " all in" whole heartedly striving to be who you were meant to be.
