West Cocoa Chat

I have always been a proponent of being open and honest as a church, as a movement in the United States, Florida, and in Central Florida when it comes to our “history.” When someone who isn’t familiar with any of the aforementioned, asks me “who we are,” I quickly affirm the positives and negatives of that answer as I’ve come to learn it and, or experience it. I’m sure all of us could write multiple posts on the positives and negatives of Churches of Christ. I’d like to add a new positive.

This past weekend we were host to a (http://www.hofvdc.org/) “Via de Cristo.” A Via de Cristo is an interdenominational group that holds 4 “Retreats” a year, two in the Fall for men and then women and then 2 in the Spring, again one for men and one for women. This past week was the Fall Retreat for the men. The “candidates” as they are referred to, met at a local Methodist Church, were prayed over and then bussed to our building on that Thursday. They then spent Thursday evening, all day Friday and Saturday, and then “graduate” on Sunday afternoon.

The purpose of the retreat is to draw these men closer to God to be better husbands, dads, and church members. In fact, one of the last assignments they’re given is to go back to their local church and ask their Preacher what they can do for them to help them minister to their church.

Don relayed to me how one of the “graduated candidates” came by our building during his lunch break the other day. He asked Don if he could come inside and spend some time in prayer. He told Don that when he drives by our building, it reminds him of his “Via de Cristo” weekend and how he is now trying to walk closer to God.

I was encouraged when Don relayed this story to me. I found it a nice contrast to some other things that Don told me concerning our visitors. Don said many of them were “surprised” that a Church of Christ would allow them to use their facility. Seems “we” have this reputation as being at the very least, unfriendly when it comes to other Christians from other denominations and at the very worst, down right convinced that “we” are the only ones walking with the Lord.

As I said in an earlier post, between the workers (one from our church) and the candidates (one from our church), 45 different churches were represented. At the Graduation Ceremony, one of the speakers pointed out Don who was running the sound for them, as being the Pastor of “this” church. Don said everyone (over 200) stood and gave him a standing ovation. I wish I had been in our auditorium to hear that ovation.

I guess I do hear it everytime I think about the men who drive by our building now and look at it as a reminder of their re-newed commitment to Jesus.

Have a good weekend family