Over the years I've had to do quite a few plumbing projects around my house...replacing faucets, diverter valves, and even the floaty ball thing that's in the back of your toilet. After getting my hands dirty and feeling the thrill of victory upon a job well done, I can still declare with authority that I am NOT a plumber. I merely dabble in plumbing when the need arises.
Here's a thought: Don't most Christians identify with Christ the way I identify with plumbing? Perhaps we dabble in the great commission of preaching the gospel with signs following. Maybe we offer to pray for a mere percentage of the folks who complain about physical symptoms of sickness or disease. On a rare occasion, we might share a kind word to someone in need of encouragement.
I don't call myself a plumber. I do call myself a Christian. In essence, I am Christ to my world. Jesus said this in John 14:12 "Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do...and even greater works!" Let's stop dabbling and start doing!
3.03.2010
3.01.2010
.a culture of miracles
We've had an awesome beginning to 2010 here at Good News Church! Pastor Matt shared with us how God told him it would be a monumental year and we have really latched on to it. One of my volunteers gave me a book to read way before last summer. I promised I would, then stuck it in a drawer until it made its way to the very bottom. As part of this monumental year, I made a goal to read 30 books. When asking via facebook for some book suggestions, this volunteer brought up the book she had loaned me. So I read it. In a few short days, I devoured "They Told Me Their Stories" by Tommy Welchel. It sparked something in me that would set ablaze my entire philosophy of ministry.
God spoke to my heart and told me that we should create a culture of miracles here in our youth ministry. After all, what is youth ministry? Ministry to youth or youth DOING ministry? I prefer the latter. So, we're committed to having a culture of miracles here and we ARE having it! As a matter of fact, at every O2 service we've had this year, there have been miracles...instant healings, salvations and students filled with the Spirit. Last month, a student was healed of Crohn's disease, among others who were healed of all kinds of ailments.
The early church was built on a platform of miracles through sharing the gospel, so why shouldn't today's church be built that way as well?
God spoke to my heart and told me that we should create a culture of miracles here in our youth ministry. After all, what is youth ministry? Ministry to youth or youth DOING ministry? I prefer the latter. So, we're committed to having a culture of miracles here and we ARE having it! As a matter of fact, at every O2 service we've had this year, there have been miracles...instant healings, salvations and students filled with the Spirit. Last month, a student was healed of Crohn's disease, among others who were healed of all kinds of ailments.
The early church was built on a platform of miracles through sharing the gospel, so why shouldn't today's church be built that way as well?
11.23.2009
.it's been a while
How long has it been since your last post? For me, over four months! Wow!
I personally subscribe to a particular blogger that updates his post every single day. It's not long, but it's potent. It's not time-consuming to read, but I imagine the thoughts contained took a little while to pen. What if we all took a little time each day to reflect on the things that we've learned that could help someone else? What if we shared those ideas with others and actually helped them? What if we stopped focusing on ourselves so much and looked outward to influence a generation? Maybe there's one thought you could share today that would impact someone for a long time to come. Be a fork in the road and force those you encounter to make a decision on where their lives are headed.
I personally subscribe to a particular blogger that updates his post every single day. It's not long, but it's potent. It's not time-consuming to read, but I imagine the thoughts contained took a little while to pen. What if we all took a little time each day to reflect on the things that we've learned that could help someone else? What if we shared those ideas with others and actually helped them? What if we stopped focusing on ourselves so much and looked outward to influence a generation? Maybe there's one thought you could share today that would impact someone for a long time to come. Be a fork in the road and force those you encounter to make a decision on where their lives are headed.
7.21.2009
.something to work with
We just finished our eleventh IMPACT service at Good News Church tonight. We've spent 6 days on the streets offering to pray for people & sharing the gospel with them. We've had services every night since Sunday, July 12. All in all we've had 953 people saved through the ministry at the church in just a week and a half!
It's so true that if you just give God something to work with, He'll use you and it will blow your mind what He can do in and through you. Here's the breakdown of people being saved:
Impact Services - 26
Wild n Wacky Kids Services - 45
Blast Kids Camp - 7
Individuals praying with others - 12 (that have been reported to us)
Outreach on the streets - 863
We've seen God do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think and He's not finished with us yet!
It's so true that if you just give God something to work with, He'll use you and it will blow your mind what He can do in and through you. Here's the breakdown of people being saved:
Impact Services - 26
Wild n Wacky Kids Services - 45
Blast Kids Camp - 7
Individuals praying with others - 12 (that have been reported to us)
Outreach on the streets - 863
We've seen God do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think and He's not finished with us yet!
6.26.2009
.blinded
According to 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, the "god of this world," our enemy otherwise known as satan, has blinded the minds of unbelievers. Blinded them to the gospel. In order to effectively share the gospel, we must exercise our authority by commanding the blinders to be removed!
But what about believers? Could it be that we are sporting our own special set of spiritual blinders? Could it be that we fail to see what’s right in front of our very eyes? Yes, indeed!
John 4:34-36 NIV 34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
This interaction between Jesus and his disciples occurred shortly after Jesus’ dealings with the “woman at the well.” You remember the story? Read the entire chapter for a refresher.
The disciples just didn’t get it. They were concerned about Jesus getting some lunch. Yet Jesus was concerned about the spiritual harvest that was right before them! What happened after Jesus said these things to his disciples? The people from the town came and many of them became believers!
The same kind of thing happened over in Matthew 9. (Read Matthew 9:35-Matthew 10:1) Even after Jesus spent time preaching the good news and healing the sick, he was MOVED WITH COMPASSION. Why? Because there were so many people and he knew he couldn't do it all alone. He said, "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray for 'HARVEST HANDS!'" But he didn't stop there, he proceeded to give them authority.
A lot of people think that if they just pray for the laborers, they are doing their part. NOT SO! Jesus said pray for the workers, but then he turned around and essentially said, "BE THE WORKERS!"
It's time for we as believers to open our eyes to the spiritual harvest right in front of us. What about the guy on the other side of the cubicle? What about the lady behind you in line at the supermarket? What about the student sitting across from you in class? Could their hearts be ripe for the harvest? Open your eyes and look!
For further reading along these lines, check out Luke 10:1-3!
But what about believers? Could it be that we are sporting our own special set of spiritual blinders? Could it be that we fail to see what’s right in front of our very eyes? Yes, indeed!
John 4:34-36 NIV 34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
This interaction between Jesus and his disciples occurred shortly after Jesus’ dealings with the “woman at the well.” You remember the story? Read the entire chapter for a refresher.
The disciples just didn’t get it. They were concerned about Jesus getting some lunch. Yet Jesus was concerned about the spiritual harvest that was right before them! What happened after Jesus said these things to his disciples? The people from the town came and many of them became believers!
The same kind of thing happened over in Matthew 9. (Read Matthew 9:35-Matthew 10:1) Even after Jesus spent time preaching the good news and healing the sick, he was MOVED WITH COMPASSION. Why? Because there were so many people and he knew he couldn't do it all alone. He said, "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray for 'HARVEST HANDS!'" But he didn't stop there, he proceeded to give them authority.
A lot of people think that if they just pray for the laborers, they are doing their part. NOT SO! Jesus said pray for the workers, but then he turned around and essentially said, "BE THE WORKERS!"
It's time for we as believers to open our eyes to the spiritual harvest right in front of us. What about the guy on the other side of the cubicle? What about the lady behind you in line at the supermarket? What about the student sitting across from you in class? Could their hearts be ripe for the harvest? Open your eyes and look!
For further reading along these lines, check out Luke 10:1-3!
5.29.2009
.holding nothing back
It's time for believers everywhere to give ourselves over to the concept of reckless abandon.
reckless abandon - a complete surrender to SUPERnatural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition or conventionality.
This concept is more than a concept. It's an attitude, an action and more importantly, a state of being. It says, in essence, "I choose not to allow anything or anyone, including myself, to hold me back from living my life as God designed...in abundance and complete surrender to His purpose and plan!"
In this life, there are countless obstacles that would present themselves in order to dissuade or distract us from living the abundant life. Obstacles brought about by the enemy or just obstacles from life itself. However, many times the obstacle standing in our way is in fact ourselves.
I've identified several ways that we as believers hold back:
1. Caring Too Much About What People Think
What will they think if I lift my hands in worship? Everybody will stare at me if I "jump for joy." I can't share the gospel, what will my friends say?
2. Absence of Trust
How can I follow God's plan for my life when I need x amount of dollars to sustain my comfortable lifestyle? My future is uncertain right now, so I'm going to do what I think is best for me.
See Matthew 6 and start seeking first HIS kingdom...
3. Ignorance of Who We Are in Christ
E.W. Kenyon said “The reason that the majority of Christians are weak, though they are earnest, yet they are weak, is because they have never dared to make a confession of who they are in Christ.”
We have to learn and acknowledge every good thing we have in Christ. (Philemon 1:6)
4. Focusing on Past Mistakes
No one will listen to me because I used to do the same thing they're doing. I can’t witness to my friends because they heard me cuss last week. I acted up in class last year so I won’t do well this year either. I failed 9th grade because I slacked off, I should just drop out.
Let's follow Paul's example in Philippians 3:13-14 by forgetting those things that are behind and moving forward! God has chosen to forget our sins and past mistakes. Let's accept his forgiveness and advance!
If we want to live the abundant life, we have to make a quality decision that we will live our lives with reckless abandon!
reckless abandon - a complete surrender to SUPERnatural impulses without restraint or moderation; freedom from inhibition or conventionality.
This concept is more than a concept. It's an attitude, an action and more importantly, a state of being. It says, in essence, "I choose not to allow anything or anyone, including myself, to hold me back from living my life as God designed...in abundance and complete surrender to His purpose and plan!"
In this life, there are countless obstacles that would present themselves in order to dissuade or distract us from living the abundant life. Obstacles brought about by the enemy or just obstacles from life itself. However, many times the obstacle standing in our way is in fact ourselves.
I've identified several ways that we as believers hold back:
1. Caring Too Much About What People Think
What will they think if I lift my hands in worship? Everybody will stare at me if I "jump for joy." I can't share the gospel, what will my friends say?
2. Absence of Trust
How can I follow God's plan for my life when I need x amount of dollars to sustain my comfortable lifestyle? My future is uncertain right now, so I'm going to do what I think is best for me.
See Matthew 6 and start seeking first HIS kingdom...
3. Ignorance of Who We Are in Christ
E.W. Kenyon said “The reason that the majority of Christians are weak, though they are earnest, yet they are weak, is because they have never dared to make a confession of who they are in Christ.”
We have to learn and acknowledge every good thing we have in Christ. (Philemon 1:6)
4. Focusing on Past Mistakes
No one will listen to me because I used to do the same thing they're doing. I can’t witness to my friends because they heard me cuss last week. I acted up in class last year so I won’t do well this year either. I failed 9th grade because I slacked off, I should just drop out.
Let's follow Paul's example in Philippians 3:13-14 by forgetting those things that are behind and moving forward! God has chosen to forget our sins and past mistakes. Let's accept his forgiveness and advance!
If we want to live the abundant life, we have to make a quality decision that we will live our lives with reckless abandon!
5.20.2009
.fishin' tools
At the beginning of this month, our church started an outreach campaign called Launch. Based on Luke 5:4 where Jesus commanded Peter to "launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch," this campaign is an all-out effort to launch out in our respective worlds and be fishers of men.
So I've been doing a little research on some tools for doing just that in order to help our congregation make fishing a reality in their lives. One such tool that I've discovered is simply to create a link on your web page (i.e. blog, facebook, myspace, twitter, etc.) to one of the sites created by NAMB with a clear and compelling gospel presentation.
Here is a link to one that I like: FLIPZ.
Here are two more: ALIVE. SEEK.
So, go ahead. Launch out and put a link on your page. It may lead one of your friends into a relationship with Jesus Christ!
So I've been doing a little research on some tools for doing just that in order to help our congregation make fishing a reality in their lives. One such tool that I've discovered is simply to create a link on your web page (i.e. blog, facebook, myspace, twitter, etc.) to one of the sites created by NAMB with a clear and compelling gospel presentation.
Here is a link to one that I like: FLIPZ.
Here are two more: ALIVE. SEEK.
So, go ahead. Launch out and put a link on your page. It may lead one of your friends into a relationship with Jesus Christ!
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