Neighboring Well

Neighboring Well

Hello, my name is Dave Fuller and I am neighboring well in my local community. I currently live in a relatively large metropolitan area of western Washington, Seattle, U.S.A. I was told once that this part of the state is one of the most irreligious areas of the country, especially when it comes to Christianity. To serve others in the community is good, but to mention that it was done in the name of Jesus is indifferent to our culture. What most of our culture does not know, however, is that doing good for others is the Christian call. So this is where I find myself today, with help from my local church and Pastor, to love my neighbor and do it well.

I came to the Lord a bit more than ten years ago. I knew from the beginning that I was being called to share my faith. My calling was to evangelize as the Lord leads. In those days, He did in so many ways. My dream is still the same today but in a different way. With my first calling, I traveled in my job and preached the gospel whenever I had a chance, which was often. Today, I am learning to share my faith through good works in my local community by neighboring well. As I demonstrate the love of Christ to my neighbor, I share my faith by giving a reason for the hope that is within me. When asked why I volunteer to help when so many others don’t, I have an opportunity to share about Jesus.

Christian Leaders Institute offers a structure for me as a point of discipline. I am not pursuing pastoral ministry or ordination, but rather a place that I might learn to become a stronger leader in my community as I am neighboring well. The church I belong to has a different form of worship and gathering than the traditional style. We meet in our homes two or three times a month and gather as a whole body once a month in what we call our “Celebration Service.” This style is what we call a missional community (house church), where we eat a meal, worship, participate in the preaching and teaching of God’s word and fellowship together on a frequent basis. The benefit is that those that meet in homes are with not more than 30 people, men, women, and children. They fellowship with one another and are encouraged to utilize their gifts more often. In contrast, whenever I have personally gathered with larger groups, it has been much easier to hide, fit in with the crowd and not have to participate.

I am hopeful, that with my studies here at CLI, I will learn what it takes to be a leader, learn how to utilize my gifts the way God has called me and to make disciples in my community by neighboring well.

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