We read in the scriptures in Acts 4:32 "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note thats these men had been with Jesus"
This is a scripture that excites me yet at the same time haunts me. It is the truth that is reveled when we have been with Jesus. It is the very nature of who we are when we spend time in intimate communion with the Lord. It was said of these men, Peter and John, that they had been with Jesus. Are these the words that are spoken about me when people come into contact with me? Are these the things that are noticed about me in my daily living? Is it being said that I have been with Jesus? Lord teach me to walk in your way. I know your ways are full of loving kindness and truth. My prayer today is that people willo notice that I have been with YOU
Monday, June 16, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
mission statement
To live communal, think missional and worship authentically for the name and renown of Jesus Christ.
This is our current mission statement at Gateway Fellowship in Royse City, Texas. The questions that I find myself asking are simply:
- How well are we doing life together?
- Are we really missional in our thinking?
- How real are we?
My hope and desire is that these biblical principles are prevalent and practiced with due diligence in our community of believers. It is the call that the Lord has put on the church. It is the key to a balanced and biblical church. I pray that the community that we serve sees us as just that.
This is our current mission statement at Gateway Fellowship in Royse City, Texas. The questions that I find myself asking are simply:
- How well are we doing life together?
- Are we really missional in our thinking?
- How real are we?
My hope and desire is that these biblical principles are prevalent and practiced with due diligence in our community of believers. It is the call that the Lord has put on the church. It is the key to a balanced and biblical church. I pray that the community that we serve sees us as just that.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Holes- as given by Kerry Mackey
“identifying holes in our assimilation strategy“.
1st - don’t think like a Christ follower or church goer. You know where you are going and for the most part church goers know what to expect. Think like those who have never been to your church before.
2nd - know what you want people to know, where you want them to go, and how you want them to grow. Another words “NEXT STEPS”. Know before you start trying to communicate it to someone else.
3rd - evaluate EVERY piece of communication - oral, print, broadcast, and digital media. Brand it, message it, and unify it across campuses with a non church goer in mind. Remember, if you have to interpret it for someone it isn’t very good. They need to be able to understand it without your assistance.
4th - make sure your staff knows the plan - everyone must be on the same page and it needs to be transferable across campuses. Cross training is imperative. Multiple systems cause multiple problems so unify.
5th - get plenty of input from plenty of people - think tanks and way finding groups are very important. Gather groups for information; however, don’t gather groups for decisions. Take the information and have a smaller team decide, develop, and deliver.
6th - show up palms up - don’t go into this with predetermined agendas. Agendas don’t grow…they control. We don’t do control. We do ministry
1st - don’t think like a Christ follower or church goer. You know where you are going and for the most part church goers know what to expect. Think like those who have never been to your church before.
2nd - know what you want people to know, where you want them to go, and how you want them to grow. Another words “NEXT STEPS”. Know before you start trying to communicate it to someone else.
3rd - evaluate EVERY piece of communication - oral, print, broadcast, and digital media. Brand it, message it, and unify it across campuses with a non church goer in mind. Remember, if you have to interpret it for someone it isn’t very good. They need to be able to understand it without your assistance.
4th - make sure your staff knows the plan - everyone must be on the same page and it needs to be transferable across campuses. Cross training is imperative. Multiple systems cause multiple problems so unify.
5th - get plenty of input from plenty of people - think tanks and way finding groups are very important. Gather groups for information; however, don’t gather groups for decisions. Take the information and have a smaller team decide, develop, and deliver.
6th - show up palms up - don’t go into this with predetermined agendas. Agendas don’t grow…they control. We don’t do control. We do ministry
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Irresistible Revolution: living as an ordinary radical
I am reading a book called "The Irresistible Revoltion: living as an ordinary radical" written by Shane Claiborne. I have to say that after about the first 3 or 4 chapters, I needed to put the book down in an attempt to really reflect on where I am and how I am living. I love these statements that he makes;
"We can admire and worship Jesus without doing what He did. We can applaud what He preached and stood for without caring about the same things. We can adore His cross without taking up ours" - Shane Claiborne
"Jesus teaches that it is nothing extraordinary to love our friends and relatives, people who think like us. He says that even the pagans and sinners love their friends (Matt 5:46-47) But we are to be extraordinary; we are to love people who don't think and look like us, even our enemies" - Shane Claiborne
"When we look through the eyes of Jesus, we see new things in people. In the murderers, we see our own hatred. In the addicts, we see our own addictions. In the saints, we catch glimpses of our own holiness. We can see our own brokenness, our own violence, our own ability to destroy, and we can see our own sacredness, our own capacity to love and forgive. When we realize that we are both wretched and beautiful, we are freed up to see others the same way" - Shane Claiborne
"We can admire and worship Jesus without doing what He did. We can applaud what He preached and stood for without caring about the same things. We can adore His cross without taking up ours" - Shane Claiborne
"Jesus teaches that it is nothing extraordinary to love our friends and relatives, people who think like us. He says that even the pagans and sinners love their friends (Matt 5:46-47) But we are to be extraordinary; we are to love people who don't think and look like us, even our enemies" - Shane Claiborne
"When we look through the eyes of Jesus, we see new things in people. In the murderers, we see our own hatred. In the addicts, we see our own addictions. In the saints, we catch glimpses of our own holiness. We can see our own brokenness, our own violence, our own ability to destroy, and we can see our own sacredness, our own capacity to love and forgive. When we realize that we are both wretched and beautiful, we are freed up to see others the same way" - Shane Claiborne
Monday, May 5, 2008
the question
In our attempt to become more communal and missional in our churches, is it possible to lose sight of the One who gave us the mission and desire for community?
Friday, April 11, 2008
Louie Giglio -Laminin
This blew me away! A snippet from a great message entitled How great is our God! by Louie Giglio, this section talks about Laminin, an amazing molecule in the human body. A must see!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Three Questions
Three questions we need to ask ourselves. These questions came from a sermon preached by Perry Noble @ the Unleashed Conference. He preached from the story of the Prodigal Son taken from Luke 15.
1. What is it that God wants to do in the church he has called us to shepherd?
-- are we working so hard for the Father that have forgotten the heart of the Father
-- is God working all around us but we are missing it because of "our hard work"
-- are working out of inspiration as opposed to revelation?
2. What are the barriers that stand in the way?
-- do we refuse to change? (personal preferences)
-- do we celebrate where God is moving?
-- do we lack in "our understanding"? (are we the older son?)
3. What do we want to celebrate?
-- our main job as the church is to lift up the name of Jesus
-- are we stuck on public and political issues or are we celebrating life change?
1. What is it that God wants to do in the church he has called us to shepherd?
-- are we working so hard for the Father that have forgotten the heart of the Father
-- is God working all around us but we are missing it because of "our hard work"
-- are working out of inspiration as opposed to revelation?
2. What are the barriers that stand in the way?
-- do we refuse to change? (personal preferences)
-- do we celebrate where God is moving?
-- do we lack in "our understanding"? (are we the older son?)
3. What do we want to celebrate?
-- our main job as the church is to lift up the name of Jesus
-- are we stuck on public and political issues or are we celebrating life change?
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