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Once again this past weekend I was blessed to be a part of the Indian Hills Community in North Little Rock. And even though I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado – I claim them as my ‘home’ church.
This group is special. Very special. And their pastor, Dick King (and no, we really aren’t related!) is one of the most outstanding people I’ve ever met. At 65 years of age he has the look of a kind fatherly figure combined with a youthful zest and enthusiasm for life and the kingdom that is nothing short of infectious.
The best thing about Dick and his pastoral leadership style is his grasp of knowing exactly what community consists of – safety. His is a safe place. His is a place where people learn to be and reflect their true identities, their true selves. Instead of being like so many other churches who believe themselves to be in the ‘sin management’ business, the folks at Indian Hills know they are perfect even though often this occurs in the midst of being perfectly messed up!
At Indian Hills, the message is an inclusive one – a message of embrace and acceptance built of the conviction that God is now “all in all.” And that means there is no such thing as an ‘other’ or an ‘outcast’ or a need to hide behind a ‘scapegoat.’
Because of this there is an all-pervading spirit of openness that oozes from this group. Their assemblies are not hushed and sacred and quiet – instead they are open and joyous and celebratory and affirming with a certain amount of give-and-take between those giving the message and those receiving it. In every sense of the word, theirs is truly an ongoing conversation of life and love.
Indian Hills is a safe place because, for Dick, there is only one message (love) and one function of such a message (to cast out all fear). Can you imagine a community such as that? One that loves in order to cast out all fear?
I wish everyone who reads this blog could be a part of this fellowship at least once – and maybe when we all gather there this summer (June 10-14) for our annual conference you can be. There is nothing, I repeat, ‘nothing’ that is better than knowing the joy of loving acceptance. And there has never been a time I’ve visited there when I didn’t receive that and more… and this past weekend was no exception.
So, Indian Hills community – thank you for your love, your acceptance, your sense of humor, your joy and peace, your openness, your vulnerability, your authenticity. Thank you for working diligently to make your place, a safe place, where everyone can be who they are.
YOU are what community IS.
7 comments to “What Community IS”
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That is why I stayed for church after last years gathering, to see how the message of presence would manifest itself at a meeting of the fellowship. I agree with you about Dick and admire him and the congregation. The contact with a home fellowship was very real that afternoon.
Don
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This is a very encouraging post. I did a search and located their website and, was again pleasantly surprised with what I found…I can see why you would want to make Indian Hills your home church.
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All y’all “should” consider coming to the Presence gathering there in June … FABulous way to spend four days!!! This will be my third trip, and it’s a “must go” for me … wanting to find a way to get all 8 of our kids there as well … (oh, to sprout wings!). Great music (Redding Brothers!), great sharings/teachings, great connections … and a great opportunity to experience what it feels like in an atmosphere wherein “heresy” is NORMAL!!!
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Thanks for keeping the vision in front of us, concretely. (This very well supplements my abstractions).
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Looking forward to being there again in June! Last year was incredible!
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Like Joe I also found and visited the website — what an incredible purpose they have!
I have to laugh the at the irony of seeing a church I’d like to be a part of, and then realizing it’s a Baptist church in Little Rock!
(I grew up in Jonesboro, went to college in Searcy, and now my brother lives in Fayetteville)
Sounds like a good place to go…I will check it out sometime in the future. Little Rock is about 3 hours from here, we have not been there in a while and I’m ready for a road trip…
Alicia