Archive for July, 2008

I came across this blog post by Pastor Perry Noble. You can read the whole article here.  Or… for ease of use, I’ll post it right here - just go check out his other posts and give some ‘link love’. I found this very thought provoking! I cant help but say amen! I think its a good wake up call…. we NEED to hear this!

Here are some things I would do…

• I would tell church leaders that “it’s not about the numbers!” That they should be more concerned with quality than quantity. I would make them take pride in the fact that they were reaching no one, and actually get them to criticize the people that are.
• I would convince church leaders that the quality of their worship services do not matter.
• I would tell Christians to not allow themselves to be polluted by the world, but rather to attack it consistently so that those who are in it would be driven further from the church.
• I would convince church leaders to DREAM SMALL!  The last thing I would want would be people realizing that God is honored by people who really do believe that He can do the impossible!  (Craig had an AWESOME post on this!)
• I would get the church to focus on politics, getting them to believe that they are doomed unless a particular political party holds office.
• I would make sure that those who believe in reformed theology and those who don’t hate each other; after all, if they fight with each other they have no time to fight me.
• I would tell bloggers that they are “just” and “right” by setting up websites that do nothing but attack other ministries and tear them down.
• I would tell pastors that it is perfectly acceptable to substitute ministry work for their personal walk with God; after all, He should understand.
• I would convince pastors and church leaders to focus on what other churches are doing “wrong,” thus taking the focus off of their church.
• I would tell churches that boycotting “secular” organizations is the most practical and effective way to reach the world.
• I would tell young church planters that they cannot teach Scripture, call for repentance or take an offering, for that would be offensive. (What I would not tell them is that the only people that ever offends are “Christians!”)
• I would get denominations to focus way more on inwards preferences and religious politics, allowing those who give the most money to call all the shots.
• I would tempt the church to focus on issues and not Jesus.
• I would tempt pastors to buy into the lie that things “will be better at the next church,” thus causing them to never dig roots in a community and build a great work for God.
• I would tell pastors to disguise their jealousy over other pastors with statements like, “I am really concerned with such and such church down the road,” OR, “what you don’t know about THAT church is…”
• I would make churches feel prideful in their particular Bible translation.

Those are just a few things…

Bruce Roberts joins our team this September and his testimony is inspiring, I’m sure you will agree.

Welcome to the team Bruce!! We’re so excited!! 

 I’ll try to make long story short. About 7 years ago I turned my life over to Christ after He got my attention at a Christian rock concert at 40 years of age. He gave me a vision to start a youth network ministry in Arkansas called FLY(Furthering the Lords Youth) and Vertical Fest to reach kids through Christian music which still exists today. He also put on my heart to sell a family tire business. It sold after 3 years of trying and the new ownerwouldn’t buy it unless I stayed 4 years. I told him the Lord had something stirring and I would go after that. Two years ago I felt the Lord needed me in Nashville in September of 2008 and didn’t know the exact need except I knew through prayer and Bible study he would reveal it to me in time.  After opening many doors and windows the Lord weeded out “industry” people and helped me find “the real deal” in Lucas Parry and the GO Concert. His heart of missions and music matched mine and after meeting he and his wife Jody at GMA , we decided to team up. I cant tell you how excited I am to be working with an artist who isn’t concerned about his own agenda and fame but what the Lord needs done and has called him to do. This team is about doing the Lords work and just being blessed by that. We hope you will allow us to share that heart with your ministries.    in CHRIST, bruce roberts

• Being missional means that the church sees itself as being missionaries, rather than having a missions department, and that we see ourselves as missionaries right where we live.
• Being missional means that we see ourselves as representatives of Jesus “sent” into our communities, and that the church aligns everything it does with the mission dei (mission of God).
• Being missional means we see the church not as a place we go only on Sunday, but as something we are throughout the week.
• Being missional means we understand we don’t “bring Jesus” to people but that we realize Jesus is active in our culture and we join him in what he is doing.
• Being missional means we are very much in the world and engaged in culture but are not conforming to the world.
• Being missional means we serve our communities, and that we build relationships with the people in them, rather than seeing them as evangelistic targets.
• Being missional means being all the more dependent on Jesus and the Spirit through prayer, the Scriptures, and each other in community. 

Have any of you been to an X-FUGE camp? Last week I went to Ridgecrest NC with my youth ministry and had an AMAZING time!

If you are a youth pastor and have a heart for mission… and love camps! Take your students on this next year… do yourself and the students a favor….. here’s a blurb from their website - 

XFUGE is committed to small-group Bible study and passionate worship. At the same time, XFUGE allows church groups to stay together in Bible study (led by your own adult leaders) giving them the chance to develop deeper relationships with each other and build group unity. Add to that some of the best speakers and worship leaders around, flexible afternoon activities, exciting evening services and four great locations to choose from and this is bound to be an unforgettable summer experience!XFUGE on Mission is a customized group mission trip within the XFUGE camp experience. This is an opportunity for church groups to take ownership of a mission project by working together and choosing the type of ministry in which they want to serve. Each church group partners with local organizations and ministries in the areas of Children’s Ministry, Social Ministry and Painting, Construction and Yardwork Ministry to create a unique mission experience.

Our students had an amazing time! Dave Edwards was the speaker = AWESOME!! And Rush of Fools led some amazing worship! Combined with some inner city mission in the city of Asheville with kids from disadvantaged homes makes for a life changing week. 

Kudos to Lifeway who organize these camps! You guys are doing a great job!!!

Tomorrow I’m off to NJ! 5am…….