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AD33Today: A Search in Modern America
We, a group of ordinary people who believe in Jesus Christ, choose to leave behind our modern American lifestyles for one year to seek God's face, presence and love with all our hearts; as one body, praying to be bound together in love and to be led by the Holy Spirit. We will battle the elements of the southern Rocky Mountains as we attempt to simulate the lifestyle of the first century disciples as they were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria because of intense persecution. Leaving most everything they owned, they were forced to begin their lives again, but this time as communities of those trusting in Jesus Christ, filled with the Spirit. In the same manner, our AD33 Today journey begins in Acts 2 as we listen to Peter's message (Acts 2:14-47). Those of us who accept his message will be added to the number of believers. While enjoying a few days of peace, praising God together and asking Him to fill us with His Spirit, we will be trained and prepared to begin our quest. Then, similar to how the great persecution scattered the believers in Acts 8:1, we will embark on a two to three day walk, leaving everything, in order to inhabit the land prepared for us and begin the process of building our homes and community. For the year following, we will encounter many trials as we, who just days before were strangers, attempt to blend as if one body united. We will be challenged by all the physical elements of the project: sun, rain, snow, nature, food, shelter, getting in shape, building homes, planting gardens, possibly taking care of farm animals?almost all the things that our modern lifestyles shelter us from. AD33 Today is an attempt to recreate the heart, spirit and lifestyle of the first century disciples in our modern times. While participating in this project we seek the following to occur: 1) To see His glory with the eyes or our hearts as He desires: ("I have given them the glory that you gave me...John 17:22; Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world." John 17:24) 2) To have God manifest within us the same love that He put in Jesus' disciples along with the rich indwelling of Jesus Christ: ("I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:26) 3) To let the world know through our lives with each other, not our clanging symbols, that God sent Jesus and He loves them, just as He has loved His son: (I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:22-23) 4) To experience one year of living without most of our modern conveniences, building homes with our own hands, planting crops, chopping wood and fetching water while relying on each other to survive (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). The goal is not to be historically exacting, but to create certain survival conditions and a first century Christian lifestyle (Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-35) mixed with some of the realities of our times in order to create a reliance on one another without excluding health and cleanliness. To this, we forsake all else for at least one year with the hopes that God will fulfill Jesus' prayers and fully form Christ in us. ************************************************ AD33 Today is a project under consideration. It's concepts along with the website are still being developed. There are many unknowns, one being should it actually take place or not. AD33 Today is certainly not suited for everyone but only those who have a strong desire to participate and shed their 21st century lifestyle for at least a year. Your thoughts are welcome, both positive and negative, along with suggestions that may add to or enhance the description of AD33 Today. We hope that this project will not be construed by anyone as an attempt at creating a religion or denomination. There is no leader to follow except Jesus. It's more likened to a group experiment of sorts, in modern America, to see how we, as one of the wealthy nations of the world, might do living similar to how the first century disciples may have lived or even as a large percentage of the world. (When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God ! Luke 18:23-24). We may not really know how much we love something until we attempt to give it up. The AD33 Today project knows of no denomination or differences between those seeking God. This project is not sponsored by any religious group and claims no affiliation with any organized entity or movement. All are welcome to apply to become a participant. The only requirement is a desire to seek God with all your heart and leave your modern lifestyle and doctrines for one year. Bob Bigelow
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