Church
Rewritten
Sep/16/2011 10:32 AM
I am really thrilled to get started on this new series. This one will really be a challenge to us in very different ways than some others. Why? Three reasons… Ephesians contains:
- DEEP theology. We will cover the nature of our salvation, (it’s different than what you might think!) the blessings of our riches in Christ, and look at predestination vs. free will!
- PRACTICAL teaching. Paul (the author of Ephesians) takes that deep theology and works it into nearly every area of your life: your relationship with your spouse, your kids, your parents, your job, your individual life, and the way you do church.
- BATTLE prep. BECAUSE that deep theology is working into your practical life, you have an enemy that wants to stop you. SO Paul tells us exactly how we are to prepare to fight the good fight.
I have been away for the last few days praying, studying, and writing. I’m trying to be as prepared as possible for this very important series.
Are you ready? You need to be. Frankly, some of this stuff is pretty heavy, and will knock you down if you aren’t ready. So how can you be prepared?
- Be praying.
- Read ahead. Start this week in Ephesians 1 and read the whole chapter. I will be using the New Living Translation and the ESV during this series.
- You Version. Get on their APP with your iPhone or your Android and let it READ Ephesians to you! It is awesome.
- Life Group. This will get intense quick. I’m just sayin’. You will need to talk it out with close friends. There is no better format than LifeGroup. If you aren’t in one, we will link you up with a LifeGroup leader this Sunday morning. Just ask at the information desk!
I hope this helps! See you on Sunday!
Five Strands of Evidence
Aug/27/2011 11:11 AM
Here is an excerpt from one of John Piper’s messages about church membership. He presents “Five Strands of Evidence” from the New Testament that formal church membership is a presumption for all Christians. He says, “Each of these reveals something in the New Testament which would be minimized or denied if there were no definable local church membership.”
I thought it was great background info and thought it would supplement this weekend’s message nicely. You can find this entire message online in audio and HTML right here.
1. The Church Is To Discipline It’s Members
Church membership is implied by the way the church is supposed to discipline its members. Consider the implication of Matthew 18:15–17 where “the church” (ekklesia) appears to be the final court of appeal in matters of church authority as it relates to membership.
If there is no church membership, how can you define the group that will take up this sensitive and weighty matter of exhorting the unrepentant person and finally rendering a judgment about his standing in the community? It’s hard to believe that just anyone who showed up claiming to be a Christian could be a part of that gathering. Surely, “the church” must be a definable group to handle such a weighty matter. You know who you mean when you “take it to the church.”
2. Excommunication Exists
Church membership is implied by the simple fact that excommunication even exists. Paul implies this in 1 Corinthians 5:12–13 where he deals with the necessity of putting someone out of the church. He says, “What have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’”
There are two implications here: One is that there is an “in the church” group and an “outside the church” group. Being in the church is definable. The other implication is that a person can be removed from being “in the church.” Such a formal removal would not be possible if there were no such thing as a clear membership—who is an accountable part of this body, and who is not?
3. Christians Required to Submit To Their Leaders
Church membership is implied in the biblical requirement of Christians to be submitted to a group of church leaders, elders, or pastors. The point here is that without membership, who is it that the New Testament is referring to who must submit to a specific group of leaders? Some kind of expressed willingness or covenant or agreement or commitment (that is, membership) has to precede a person’s submission to a group of leaders.
Consider the way the New Testament talks about the relationship of the church to her leaders.
Hebrews 13:17
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
1 Timothy 5:17
How is this leadership and this submission going to work if there is no membership defining who has made the commitment to be led and who has been chosen as leaders? If we downplay the importance of membership, it is difficult to see how we could take these commands to submit and to lead seriously and practically.
4. Shepherds Required to Care For Their Flock
Church membership is implied in the way the New Testament requires elders to care for the flock in their charge. Of course elders can extend their love to anyone and everyone, and should, within the limits of their ability. But the question is whether the Bible tells elders that they are to have a special responsibility and care for a certain group—a group of members. Consider Acts 20:28 where Paul tells the elders how to care for their flock.
This verse does not say elders cannot visit unbelievers or those who are not yet members. But it does make clear that their first responsibility is to a particular flock. How are they to know who their flock is? Who are we as elders and pastors responsible for? For whom will we give an account to God?
The way Peter speaks to the elders in 1 Peter 5 is even more clear on this point. Verses 2–3: “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge (tov kleron), but being examples to the flock.”
“Those in your charge” (your portion, your lot) implies that the elders knew whom they were responsible for. This is just another way of talking about membership. If a person does not want to be held accountable by a group of elders or be the special focus of the care of a group of elders, they will resist the idea of membership. And they will resist God’s appointed way for them to live and be sustained in their faith.
5. The Metaphor Of The Body
Church membership is implied in the metaphor of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12–31. The original meaning of the word member is member of a body, like hand and foot and eye and ear. That’s the imagery behind the word member in the text. Verse 12: “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”
So the question this imagery raises for the local church that Paul is describing in 1 Corinthians 12 is: Who intends to be treated as a hand or foot or eye or ear of this body? There is a unity and organic relationship implied in the imagery of the body. There is something unnatural about a Christian attaching himself to a body of believers and not being a member of the body.
Expectation For All Believers
So for these five reasons and more we believe that membership is a New Testament expectation for all believers. Each of us should be a member of a local body of believers. That is God’s plan for us and for this church. That’s what we mean by membership. All of those aspects of membership are rooted in the truth that the local church is an expression of the universal church. Part of what it means to belong to the body of Christ is to belong to a body.
I thought it was great background info and thought it would supplement this weekend’s message nicely. You can find this entire message online in audio and HTML right here.
1. The Church Is To Discipline It’s Members
Church membership is implied by the way the church is supposed to discipline its members. Consider the implication of Matthew 18:15–17 where “the church” (ekklesia) appears to be the final court of appeal in matters of church authority as it relates to membership.
If there is no church membership, how can you define the group that will take up this sensitive and weighty matter of exhorting the unrepentant person and finally rendering a judgment about his standing in the community? It’s hard to believe that just anyone who showed up claiming to be a Christian could be a part of that gathering. Surely, “the church” must be a definable group to handle such a weighty matter. You know who you mean when you “take it to the church.”
2. Excommunication Exists
Church membership is implied by the simple fact that excommunication even exists. Paul implies this in 1 Corinthians 5:12–13 where he deals with the necessity of putting someone out of the church. He says, “What have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’”
There are two implications here: One is that there is an “in the church” group and an “outside the church” group. Being in the church is definable. The other implication is that a person can be removed from being “in the church.” Such a formal removal would not be possible if there were no such thing as a clear membership—who is an accountable part of this body, and who is not?
3. Christians Required to Submit To Their Leaders
Church membership is implied in the biblical requirement of Christians to be submitted to a group of church leaders, elders, or pastors. The point here is that without membership, who is it that the New Testament is referring to who must submit to a specific group of leaders? Some kind of expressed willingness or covenant or agreement or commitment (that is, membership) has to precede a person’s submission to a group of leaders.
Consider the way the New Testament talks about the relationship of the church to her leaders.
Hebrews 13:17
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
1 Timothy 5:17
How is this leadership and this submission going to work if there is no membership defining who has made the commitment to be led and who has been chosen as leaders? If we downplay the importance of membership, it is difficult to see how we could take these commands to submit and to lead seriously and practically.
4. Shepherds Required to Care For Their Flock
Church membership is implied in the way the New Testament requires elders to care for the flock in their charge. Of course elders can extend their love to anyone and everyone, and should, within the limits of their ability. But the question is whether the Bible tells elders that they are to have a special responsibility and care for a certain group—a group of members. Consider Acts 20:28 where Paul tells the elders how to care for their flock.
This verse does not say elders cannot visit unbelievers or those who are not yet members. But it does make clear that their first responsibility is to a particular flock. How are they to know who their flock is? Who are we as elders and pastors responsible for? For whom will we give an account to God?
The way Peter speaks to the elders in 1 Peter 5 is even more clear on this point. Verses 2–3: “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge (tov kleron), but being examples to the flock.”
“Those in your charge” (your portion, your lot) implies that the elders knew whom they were responsible for. This is just another way of talking about membership. If a person does not want to be held accountable by a group of elders or be the special focus of the care of a group of elders, they will resist the idea of membership. And they will resist God’s appointed way for them to live and be sustained in their faith.
5. The Metaphor Of The Body
Church membership is implied in the metaphor of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12–31. The original meaning of the word member is member of a body, like hand and foot and eye and ear. That’s the imagery behind the word member in the text. Verse 12: “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”
So the question this imagery raises for the local church that Paul is describing in 1 Corinthians 12 is: Who intends to be treated as a hand or foot or eye or ear of this body? There is a unity and organic relationship implied in the imagery of the body. There is something unnatural about a Christian attaching himself to a body of believers and not being a member of the body.
Expectation For All Believers
So for these five reasons and more we believe that membership is a New Testament expectation for all believers. Each of us should be a member of a local body of believers. That is God’s plan for us and for this church. That’s what we mean by membership. All of those aspects of membership are rooted in the truth that the local church is an expression of the universal church. Part of what it means to belong to the body of Christ is to belong to a body.
Forward Thinking
Aug/26/2011 04:15 PM
I was thinking about a friend’s very, very traditional church this morning. They are stuck in their old old mud and refuse to ever change. It reminded me of this great quote from Erwin McManus in “The Unstoppable Force.”
He also says, “the Scriptures are a document about change.” and to the church he says “We must go beyond accepting changes of reality and become agents of change.”
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” -2 Cor. 5:17
Mcmanus also says
If you don’t like change, you’d better not become a Christian. Once you belong to Jesus, change is inevitable. Our whole Christian experience is an experience of change. it is an experience of putting off the old and putting on the new. It is an experience of no longer being conformed to the pattern of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds.
He also says, “the Scriptures are a document about change.” and to the church he says “We must go beyond accepting changes of reality and become agents of change.”
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” -2 Cor. 5:17
Mcmanus also says
We must never forget that we serve the changeless God of change. God is not satisfied with the status quo. He is not trying to keep up with culture. His greatest ambition is not for the church to become a great imitator of generational trends. He is the God of creativity, the God of imagination, and the God that chose- through his Son- to ignite a revolution. The implications that begin on a personal level always extend to the whole of the people of God.
Study Week!
Jul/10/2011 04:46 PM
Well, my family is leaving me.
Okay... It’s just temporary. But it will feel like forever, I bet. My girls (Sherry and Lauren) are heading to Florida for two weeks, and my son, Zac is out of town for the week, leaving me at home here in Ellijay all alone with the dogs. Man, it will be QUIET around our house!
I am actually looking forward to it a little bit... I’m planning to hole up here at home for the week, without the cellphone or TV, just focusing in on the upcoming school year. I am praying through, reading, studying, and mapping out what may be the next message series or two. Here is what I’m thinking right now... It will be interesting to see if God confirms or readjusts during the week.
“Questions” series: July 31- September 4
Ephesians: “Rewritten” September - January??
“2012” series January??
“Making Love Last” February
“Parables” March - April
??? May - July
Please pray for me during the week. I will let you know how it goes!
Okay... It’s just temporary. But it will feel like forever, I bet. My girls (Sherry and Lauren) are heading to Florida for two weeks, and my son, Zac is out of town for the week, leaving me at home here in Ellijay all alone with the dogs. Man, it will be QUIET around our house!
I am actually looking forward to it a little bit... I’m planning to hole up here at home for the week, without the cellphone or TV, just focusing in on the upcoming school year. I am praying through, reading, studying, and mapping out what may be the next message series or two. Here is what I’m thinking right now... It will be interesting to see if God confirms or readjusts during the week.
“Questions” series: July 31- September 4
Ephesians: “Rewritten” September - January??
“2012” series January??
“Making Love Last” February
“Parables” March - April
??? May - July
Please pray for me during the week. I will let you know how it goes!
Turning Two...
Apr/26/2011 07:47 PM
Has it been two years already?
Our first “official” worship service in the movie theater. It was Easter Sunday, 2009. We had been praying, planning, and working hard at getting started for several months. Our very diligent launch team had mailed out several waves of postcards, had ads in the newspaper, and had been talking to anyone that would listen. But twenty minutes before the service, NOBODY WAS THERE! My friend Doug and I had just come back downstairs from setting something up, or getting something ready... I don’t remember what. But we looked out the front window of the movie theater, and the parking lot was empty. Had we failed? Did Ellijay want nothing to do with us? This was going to be much harder than we thought. We prayed. “God, we will obey you, even if nobody but us show up.”
By the time we looked up from our prayer, the parking lot was filling up, and people were streaming into the building. We launched The Orchard Church officially that day with about 120 people in attendance. Many of them are still with us two years later. (Some I’ve never seen again!)
I remember a lot of great things about these first two years... Our first baptism service. (The river was COLD!) Cleaning the theater late on Saturdays. (and calling Mucho’s our “fellowship hall”) The movie mini-series that we did our first summer in the theater. (Wish we’d done Star Trek) Starting the BRANCH ministry, launching Lifegroups and youth ministry. Watching God provide the money to buy all our portable gear, and moving into the school. (Back to one service!)
Yep, there have been a lot of changes at The Orchard Church. There will always be change. But the MOST IMPORTANT thing will always stay the same...
Our location, style, and schedule may change from time to time, but the Gospel will always remain the center of everything we do. It’s in our DNA. it is who we are. That’s not our definition. That is God’s. That’s why the church is the hope of the world. It isn’t about good teaching, or social justice. It isn’t about being “the place to be.” It is about believers walking in the pattern of the Gospel and preaching that Gospel to a generation desperate to know Him.
Two years? We’re just getting started.
Our first “official” worship service in the movie theater. It was Easter Sunday, 2009. We had been praying, planning, and working hard at getting started for several months. Our very diligent launch team had mailed out several waves of postcards, had ads in the newspaper, and had been talking to anyone that would listen. But twenty minutes before the service, NOBODY WAS THERE! My friend Doug and I had just come back downstairs from setting something up, or getting something ready... I don’t remember what. But we looked out the front window of the movie theater, and the parking lot was empty. Had we failed? Did Ellijay want nothing to do with us? This was going to be much harder than we thought. We prayed. “God, we will obey you, even if nobody but us show up.”
By the time we looked up from our prayer, the parking lot was filling up, and people were streaming into the building. We launched The Orchard Church officially that day with about 120 people in attendance. Many of them are still with us two years later. (Some I’ve never seen again!)
I remember a lot of great things about these first two years... Our first baptism service. (The river was COLD!) Cleaning the theater late on Saturdays. (and calling Mucho’s our “fellowship hall”) The movie mini-series that we did our first summer in the theater. (Wish we’d done Star Trek) Starting the BRANCH ministry, launching Lifegroups and youth ministry. Watching God provide the money to buy all our portable gear, and moving into the school. (Back to one service!)
Yep, there have been a lot of changes at The Orchard Church. There will always be change. But the MOST IMPORTANT thing will always stay the same...
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. -1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Our location, style, and schedule may change from time to time, but the Gospel will always remain the center of everything we do. It’s in our DNA. it is who we are. That’s not our definition. That is God’s. That’s why the church is the hope of the world. It isn’t about good teaching, or social justice. It isn’t about being “the place to be.” It is about believers walking in the pattern of the Gospel and preaching that Gospel to a generation desperate to know Him.
Two years? We’re just getting started.
EPIC Trailer online!
Aug/07/2010 02:10 PM
It’s here! The awesome trailer for our new “EPIC” series that begins on September 12! Show it fullscreen to all your friends!
Final Answer: The Resurrection
Aug/06/2010 01:33 PM
“If the cross is the payment for our sin, then the empty tomb is the receipt!”
-unknown
You probably know that the Gospels tell seemingly very different stories about the resurrection. IN fact, to the casual reader, it seems almost like this is where the whole Jesus story breaks down. We’re getting ready to deal with the resurrection on Sunday, and I thought I’d pass on a couple of great resources for you to read up on the apparent discrepancies. There is good news! The SCRIPTURE is proven true once again!
This first article is a LONG study of the evidence and testimonies of the Gospel writers. It cites arguments from an historical and legal perspective. It is an awesome read, but will take you a while.
Do the Resurrection accounts HOPELESSLY contradict one another?
The second is a much more concise rendering of the Gospel accounts into one cohesive progression. This is a shorter read, but I highly recommend at least skimming the first one before looking at the second.
Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized?
-unknown
You probably know that the Gospels tell seemingly very different stories about the resurrection. IN fact, to the casual reader, it seems almost like this is where the whole Jesus story breaks down. We’re getting ready to deal with the resurrection on Sunday, and I thought I’d pass on a couple of great resources for you to read up on the apparent discrepancies. There is good news! The SCRIPTURE is proven true once again!
This first article is a LONG study of the evidence and testimonies of the Gospel writers. It cites arguments from an historical and legal perspective. It is an awesome read, but will take you a while.
Do the Resurrection accounts HOPELESSLY contradict one another?
The second is a much more concise rendering of the Gospel accounts into one cohesive progression. This is a shorter read, but I highly recommend at least skimming the first one before looking at the second.
Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized?
The Other Jesus
Aug/06/2010 01:06 PM
The OTHER JESUS series is coming to a close this Sunday. We’re on our FINAL installment in the book of Mark. It has been great to run on this track for the past year. It has been an awesome study, and I have really enjoyed it. I hope you have too.
When we originally started this series, I thought it would last from August to November. I figured we’d move on to something completely different for Christmas... BUT God had other plans. As God led me to draw this out more and more in order to go deeper and deeper into the Word, I decided to break this (now very, very long) series up into a bunch of MINI-SERIES. Here is a quick look back at those series titles. OF COURSE, you can download ALL of the messages in The Other Jesus series from our Podcast page.
When we originally started this series, I thought it would last from August to November. I figured we’d move on to something completely different for Christmas... BUT God had other plans. As God led me to draw this out more and more in order to go deeper and deeper into the Word, I decided to break this (now very, very long) series up into a bunch of MINI-SERIES. Here is a quick look back at those series titles. OF COURSE, you can download ALL of the messages in The Other Jesus series from our Podcast page.
Bold Moves Family Meeting
Jul/29/2010 01:05 PM
Thanks to EVERYONE who came out despite the heavy rain and took part in the family meeting on July 25. A BUNCH of you have called or emailed and requested the info that we passed out there... SO, I thought I would create a little “video blog” and communicate it. Just watch the 10-minute video below for MOST of what we covered last Sunday.
Bold Moves Update!
Jul/06/2010 07:09 AM
Things are really rolling along as we get ready to roll out our big, BOLD MOVES! Last week was HUGE for progress on Bold Move #3, “Moving into a new field.” I am SO proud of our board, because we have all agreed that our greatest resource is not money, but people. We would rather spend money and save people, than spend people and save money. You may know that we currently spend HOURS on logistics each weekend, moving things around, cleaning things up, patching cables, etc. I’ll just be honest... Weekends are hard. BUT, we had a consultant come in from “Portable Church Industries,” who showed us a LOT of things about reducing our effort and maximizing our potential. We are VERY excited.
One of the many things we saw were these amazing cases that roll into a venue (say, preschool, for example) and contain everything you need for the morning! These things are an amazing time saver, equipment saver, and effort saver!
They make cases for everything that we will need as we move into the elementary school. If you have 8 minutes, you should definitely check out this video... It shows what an “efficiency upgrade” (like the one we’re getting) looks like!
One of the many things we saw were these amazing cases that roll into a venue (say, preschool, for example) and contain everything you need for the morning! These things are an amazing time saver, equipment saver, and effort saver!
They make cases for everything that we will need as we move into the elementary school. If you have 8 minutes, you should definitely check out this video... It shows what an “efficiency upgrade” (like the one we’re getting) looks like!
Bold Moves Update!
Jun/11/2010 07:27 PM
Okay, here is the first quick update on our THREE Bold Moves that we’ve undertaken. It is summer, and some of these things are starting off slowly, but we are building up steam quickly.
Move 1: Mentor Training
On Sunday, Gail is holding our first Mentor Training since we set our goal of thirty mentors in the Gilmer County School System this coming year. She’s received a lot of support and response on this, and it seems very exciting! We still have room for more mentors, though... If you haven’t already planned to do so, please plan to be at the Deli Junction after the second service for the training.
Move 2: Family Ministry Core Team
Doug held the first core team meeting on Sunday at the Log Home Sales Center in East Ellijay. His turnout was good, and everybody there had a definite sense of excitement. WE NEED MEN! We aren’t doing classes or anything boring on Sunday mornings. We are going to be pouring into the lives of some young ones in a fun and engaging way. Guys will LOVE this. If you want to get involved, you should email Doug
Move 3: Moving Sunday Morning Services
Wow! Logistically, this is going to be a big, big deal. We’ve got to buy a BUNCH of equipment and gear to add children’s ministry, and to make ourselves portable. We’ve decided the best way we can be good stewards of our people is to NOT burn them out, so we’re meeting with a portable church consultant in a couple of weeks. He will come out from Tennessee and evaluate what we want to do and help us figure out the best way to go about doing it. We’ve got to figure out lighting, stage/set design, projection, and lots of other things. I will let you know how it’s going.
Move 1: Mentor Training
On Sunday, Gail is holding our first Mentor Training since we set our goal of thirty mentors in the Gilmer County School System this coming year. She’s received a lot of support and response on this, and it seems very exciting! We still have room for more mentors, though... If you haven’t already planned to do so, please plan to be at the Deli Junction after the second service for the training.
Move 2: Family Ministry Core Team
Doug held the first core team meeting on Sunday at the Log Home Sales Center in East Ellijay. His turnout was good, and everybody there had a definite sense of excitement. WE NEED MEN! We aren’t doing classes or anything boring on Sunday mornings. We are going to be pouring into the lives of some young ones in a fun and engaging way. Guys will LOVE this. If you want to get involved, you should email Doug
Move 3: Moving Sunday Morning Services
Wow! Logistically, this is going to be a big, big deal. We’ve got to buy a BUNCH of equipment and gear to add children’s ministry, and to make ourselves portable. We’ve decided the best way we can be good stewards of our people is to NOT burn them out, so we’re meeting with a portable church consultant in a couple of weeks. He will come out from Tennessee and evaluate what we want to do and help us figure out the best way to go about doing it. We’ve got to figure out lighting, stage/set design, projection, and lots of other things. I will let you know how it’s going.
Bold Move #3
Jun/05/2010 08:44 PM
Man, I am just as thrilled as I can be to announce that beginning in September we will be meeting in the Ellijay Elementary School on Sunday mornings! This big, bold move will allow us to go back to having ONE service, AND allow us the space to do ministry with all ages of children!!
A year ago, meeting in the school was simply not possible. For whatever reason, God has seen fit to throw the doors open for us to be in this beautiful auditorium right near downtown. You’ll be hearing LOTS more about this in the coming weeks! (our first Sunday will be September 12... That’s 14 weeks from now!)
A year ago, meeting in the school was simply not possible. For whatever reason, God has seen fit to throw the doors open for us to be in this beautiful auditorium right near downtown. You’ll be hearing LOTS more about this in the coming weeks! (our first Sunday will be September 12... That’s 14 weeks from now!)
Bold Move #2
May/24/2010 10:13 PM
Open our Arms to All Children
That’s right... We’ve been talking about adding “children’s ministry” for about a year now.. But God has kept that door firmly shut. BUT NOW THINGS ARE CHANGING! Not only has God thrown open doors in miraculous ways for us (read: Bold Move #3) BUT, He has clearly given us a vision for HOW we are to go about it.
Here’s the deal. Parents want the church to influence their kids for Christ, right? The truth is that we only have about 40 hours per year to influence them, compared with a parent’s 3000 hours! Seems like very little influence. Well, what if we teamed our 40 hours with mom & dad’s 3000 hours to send a single cohesive message all the time? If we can resource parents on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, wouldn’t that make for much more powerful influence?
This fall, we’re NOT “adding” children’s ministry to our lineup. We aren’t creating a whole new department. We are putting together a cohesive strategy to influence kids Sunday through Saturday every single week from diapers to graduation. Doug gave us the brief overview on Sunday... You can listen to the podcast here. (it’s OtherJesus37.mp3)
What this will mean is a whole new scope of ministry for us at The Orchard! We are now going to be able to have a reach into the lives of parents with kids all over Gilmer County! HOW in the heck are we going to do that? I hope you’ll join us this coming Sunday to find out in Bold Move #3!
That’s right... We’ve been talking about adding “children’s ministry” for about a year now.. But God has kept that door firmly shut. BUT NOW THINGS ARE CHANGING! Not only has God thrown open doors in miraculous ways for us (read: Bold Move #3) BUT, He has clearly given us a vision for HOW we are to go about it.
Here’s the deal. Parents want the church to influence their kids for Christ, right? The truth is that we only have about 40 hours per year to influence them, compared with a parent’s 3000 hours! Seems like very little influence. Well, what if we teamed our 40 hours with mom & dad’s 3000 hours to send a single cohesive message all the time? If we can resource parents on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, wouldn’t that make for much more powerful influence?
This fall, we’re NOT “adding” children’s ministry to our lineup. We aren’t creating a whole new department. We are putting together a cohesive strategy to influence kids Sunday through Saturday every single week from diapers to graduation. Doug gave us the brief overview on Sunday... You can listen to the podcast here. (it’s OtherJesus37.mp3)
What this will mean is a whole new scope of ministry for us at The Orchard! We are now going to be able to have a reach into the lives of parents with kids all over Gilmer County! HOW in the heck are we going to do that? I hope you’ll join us this coming Sunday to find out in Bold Move #3!
Bold Move #1
May/19/2010 04:38 PM
Branch Wide Into the Community
I know it sounds a little vague... Maybe it doesn’t even make any sense. I wanted to let you know about the FIRST BOLD MOVE that we are making as a church here in our community.
We have a UNIQUE opportunity! A few of us began mentoring some students at Clear Creek Middle School a little over a year ago, and we got HOOKED! We have seen some real life change begin to happen, and it is awesome. I wish I could just begin to go into some of the details... But suffice it to say that THIS is the KEY ELEMENT of our BRANCH ministry. It is all about Building Relationships, Answering Needs, and Changing Hearts.
The big problem has been the system of red tape. We’ve been severely impaired by a system that hasn’t been able to handle more than a few people getting processed to get into the schools. It has been a long-term issue for us... but we have been patient and prayed for God to open the door.
The GREAT news is that HE HAS opened the door in a HUGE way! The Orchard Church, and ONLY The Orchard Church has been given special permission to operate under a different system! NOW we can answer the loud call for MORE MENTORS in the school. Not only that, we’ve also been contacted by Gilmer Middle School... They are asking for mentors over there as well! Our goal is to have THIRTY mentors in the schools this fall!
This is an AMAZING thing. Some churches’ mission is to feed people. Others are to do door-to-door evangelism. Our call from God is to build relationships, answer needs, and change hearts. I’ve talked with pastors from all over the country, and it seems like NOBODY else has this kind of connection to the schools! What an incredible opportunity!
There is SO much more to it than I can share in a short blog entry. If you can, please take some time to listen to more details from the most recent podcast located here. It’s called “OtherJesus36” and the caption is “Bold Moves 1.”
This is such a vital move for us... A BOLD move. This is who we are, and God is using us in the lives of middle schoolers and their families. Join us! If you’d like to become a mentor, let us know via email. We will hook you up!
I know it sounds a little vague... Maybe it doesn’t even make any sense. I wanted to let you know about the FIRST BOLD MOVE that we are making as a church here in our community.
We have a UNIQUE opportunity! A few of us began mentoring some students at Clear Creek Middle School a little over a year ago, and we got HOOKED! We have seen some real life change begin to happen, and it is awesome. I wish I could just begin to go into some of the details... But suffice it to say that THIS is the KEY ELEMENT of our BRANCH ministry. It is all about Building Relationships, Answering Needs, and Changing Hearts.
The big problem has been the system of red tape. We’ve been severely impaired by a system that hasn’t been able to handle more than a few people getting processed to get into the schools. It has been a long-term issue for us... but we have been patient and prayed for God to open the door.
The GREAT news is that HE HAS opened the door in a HUGE way! The Orchard Church, and ONLY The Orchard Church has been given special permission to operate under a different system! NOW we can answer the loud call for MORE MENTORS in the school. Not only that, we’ve also been contacted by Gilmer Middle School... They are asking for mentors over there as well! Our goal is to have THIRTY mentors in the schools this fall!
This is an AMAZING thing. Some churches’ mission is to feed people. Others are to do door-to-door evangelism. Our call from God is to build relationships, answer needs, and change hearts. I’ve talked with pastors from all over the country, and it seems like NOBODY else has this kind of connection to the schools! What an incredible opportunity!
There is SO much more to it than I can share in a short blog entry. If you can, please take some time to listen to more details from the most recent podcast located here. It’s called “OtherJesus36” and the caption is “Bold Moves 1.”
This is such a vital move for us... A BOLD move. This is who we are, and God is using us in the lives of middle schoolers and their families. Join us! If you’d like to become a mentor, let us know via email. We will hook you up!
Bold Moves
May/15/2010 01:53 PM
It started on an airplane two weeks ago.
I was flying back from a church planter's Conference in Florida when God rocked my world. Frankly, I had come to feel pretty good about how things were going at The Orchard. We were just about to celebrate our first year of ministry, we had just baptized another small wave of people, our numbers were good, and everyone seemed generally happy. At the conference, everything I heard and saw told me that we were doing great!
That's when God rattled my cage. The Holy Spirit began to call my name on that airplane. He reminded me once again that building the Body of Christ was HIS job... Not mine. He also showed me that He was at work all around me, and that HE WAS JUST GETTING STARTED! He began to stir in my heart on that plane about making some big changes in what we're doing.
Over the next two weeks, as I prayed and investigated... HE continued to reveal ways that He was working, and to show me things that I had been blind to. Here's the kicker. Over the last two weeks, GOD has opened some doors that had been FIRMLY SHUT before that airplane ride. Miraculously, God has begun to make possible what seemed impossible.
I hope you can join us for this THREE-WEEK MINI SERIES here at the end of May about three bold moves that I believe God is calling us to.
That's when God rattled my cage. The Holy Spirit began to call my name on that airplane. He reminded me once again that building the Body of Christ was HIS job... Not mine. He also showed me that He was at work all around me, and that HE WAS JUST GETTING STARTED! He began to stir in my heart on that plane about making some big changes in what we're doing.
Over the next two weeks, as I prayed and investigated... HE continued to reveal ways that He was working, and to show me things that I had been blind to. Here's the kicker. Over the last two weeks, GOD has opened some doors that had been FIRMLY SHUT before that airplane ride. Miraculously, God has begun to make possible what seemed impossible.
I hope you can join us for this THREE-WEEK MINI SERIES here at the end of May about three bold moves that I believe God is calling us to.
Easter is Coming!
Mar/02/2010 05:05 PM
Wow! It is MARCH, and we got our brand-new mini-series kicked off this past Sunday! This will be a good series to be in for a few weeks, and we find Jesus doing a full-court press with miracle after miracle that are very important. This series is also important, because it will take us all the way up to EASTER, which is just a five Sundays away!
Speaking of Easter... You know, that is a really big deal for us. It is the holiest of holy days for all believers, and we want to treat it right. We’ve already begun to pray and to talk about what that morning will look like at The Orchard Church, and we know that God will show up in a big way! BUT, we also have a bunch of other stuff that we need to get on top of! We will most likely have a record attendance that day... Where will we put all those people? We’re already feeling pretty full in both services! Should we add a third service for that morning? What about video projection in the other theater? Would that just be awful? Will the parking lot be able to handle all the cars? Should we offer nursery and preschool in TWO hours? What about the already crowded lobby? How will we get 200+ people through there? I know, I know. Easter is about GOD and the incredible miracle of redemption because of his blood. BUT, we DO have to plan for everyone to get together and celebrate, too... And there is an awful lot of planning to do! Do you have any good suggestions about it? email me!
Speaking of Easter... You know, that is a really big deal for us. It is the holiest of holy days for all believers, and we want to treat it right. We’ve already begun to pray and to talk about what that morning will look like at The Orchard Church, and we know that God will show up in a big way! BUT, we also have a bunch of other stuff that we need to get on top of! We will most likely have a record attendance that day... Where will we put all those people? We’re already feeling pretty full in both services! Should we add a third service for that morning? What about video projection in the other theater? Would that just be awful? Will the parking lot be able to handle all the cars? Should we offer nursery and preschool in TWO hours? What about the already crowded lobby? How will we get 200+ people through there? I know, I know. Easter is about GOD and the incredible miracle of redemption because of his blood. BUT, we DO have to plan for everyone to get together and celebrate, too... And there is an awful lot of planning to do! Do you have any good suggestions about it? email me!
sixtyforty
Feb/24/2010 10:49 PM
A group of us spent an awesome couple of days at the Velocity 2010 Conference at Mountain Lake Church. It was my second time to this conference. I learned so much, and came back with my head just SWIMMING with stuff to process.
One of the single biggest things that really stuck with me was something that Alan Hirsch, one of the speakers talked about while we were there. He gave a long, highly intellectual, academic discussion about who the church really reaching with the Gospel... He had studied and studied, and had come up with some very interesting results.
Alan stated that in our culture in the United States today, “The Church” has a pretty clearly defined target: people who are LIKE THEM. Most churches fit within a clearly established “norm,” with similar dynamics of family, socio-economic context, style, and other factors. In other words, the way we “do church” really appeals to a CERTAIN group of people within our population. His calculations put this group at around 40% of the whole. Churches are “attractional” to this group. We attract approximately FORTY percent of the population... Those that are similar to us. ALL churches do this.
In other words, ALL churches are working hard to try to attract the SAME 40% of our population... Which means that NOBODY is fighting for the OTHER SIXTY! Are you serious??? Can that really be true?
It really made our group head back to the hotel and question what we are really all about, and who we are trying to reach.
What we discovered is that in reality, we don’t need to be just planting “a church.” We need to be planting THE GOSPEL. THE GOSPEL RESULTS in the church. It isn’t that the Church has a mission... The MISSION has a church! We are the result of the Gospel being planted, and our job is to plant the Gospel.
So, in our community, WHO IS the “Other Sixty?” How can we plant The Gospel for these people? We’ve got some great ideas, and we even have some things going on already... Do you have any thoughts on that? Email me!
One of the single biggest things that really stuck with me was something that Alan Hirsch, one of the speakers talked about while we were there. He gave a long, highly intellectual, academic discussion about who the church really reaching with the Gospel... He had studied and studied, and had come up with some very interesting results.
Alan stated that in our culture in the United States today, “The Church” has a pretty clearly defined target: people who are LIKE THEM. Most churches fit within a clearly established “norm,” with similar dynamics of family, socio-economic context, style, and other factors. In other words, the way we “do church” really appeals to a CERTAIN group of people within our population. His calculations put this group at around 40% of the whole. Churches are “attractional” to this group. We attract approximately FORTY percent of the population... Those that are similar to us. ALL churches do this.
In other words, ALL churches are working hard to try to attract the SAME 40% of our population... Which means that NOBODY is fighting for the OTHER SIXTY! Are you serious??? Can that really be true?
It really made our group head back to the hotel and question what we are really all about, and who we are trying to reach.
What we discovered is that in reality, we don’t need to be just planting “a church.” We need to be planting THE GOSPEL. THE GOSPEL RESULTS in the church. It isn’t that the Church has a mission... The MISSION has a church! We are the result of the Gospel being planted, and our job is to plant the Gospel.
So, in our community, WHO IS the “Other Sixty?” How can we plant The Gospel for these people? We’ve got some great ideas, and we even have some things going on already... Do you have any thoughts on that? Email me!
Sunday Rundown
Feb/08/2010 03:58 PM
The “Sent” series has been been great so far, hasn’t it? Thanks so much for all of your positive, encouraging comments about it. I really feel that this has been a great mini-study. We’re not done yet! There is still another week in the series!
Okay, here is the quick rundown from Sunday morning:
Okay, here is the quick rundown from Sunday morning:
- GREAT to have a week with no threat of snow, ice, or even dew.
- GREAT to see so many people that we haven’t connected with is quite a while... The weather has been so UNPREDICTABLE that we’ve just not been able to do what we always do!
- The band sounded better than ever! Finally, thanks to the continuing efforts of John Crawford, we have ALL SOUND coming through the main speakers, and NO sound being heard from amps on the stage. The sound was awesome.
- Casey was really sick yesterday, but he just did what he does. Thanks, Casey!
- Okay, so, beyond the sound and the sickness... The worship was really wonderful. I love worshipping together with the body!
- Paul and Mary Berger just rock my world.
- Thanks to everyone who hung around after the 2nd service to help with the clean-up. It went pretty quickly! You are greatly appreciated.
- We had a bunch of visitors! I hope you guys enjoyed it! AND, I hope you like the little something I put in the mail to you today!
- How insensitive of us! It was Super Bowl Sunday, and we didn’t even mention it in the service!! In fact, I had a big basketball illustration in the message.
- Most importantly, we had at least one person turn her life over to Christ for the first time on Sunday! Praise the Lord! That’s what it is all about.
Snow Days
Jan/13/2010 10:02 AM
You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail
Proverbs 19:21
Who would have figured that a little snow would have effected Gilmer County the way it has? Once again this morning, all of us are at home... The family sleeping in due to the fact that school is out yet again. Today marks 4-1/2 SNOW days that we’ve experienced. Some roads are still reportedly impassable. Some people have yet to leave their homes since last week’s snow event.
Of course, it isn’t the snow alone... It’s the temperatures. Yesterday was the first day in over a week that we saw temperatures above freezing! It isn’t the AMOUNT of snow... but it’s resilience. We’re used to snow falling, then melting right away. We just aren’t accustomed to seeing snow hang around day after day.
And of course, the roads are shut down at a time when we as a church have been so poised to launch such a big, new phase of our ministry. On the big “SNOW Sunday” we had two services for the first time. Tonight we are set to relaunch youth ministry, but haven’t had the chance to actually invite students, due to school being out. This coming Sunday is our LifeGroup Connection, where we hope to connect people into community.
It seems like we’ve just picked the absolute worst time for just everything, doesn’t it? Did we miss it? Should we have done something different? Was our two-service schedule a mistake for this past week? Will our youth ministry kick off with a whimper instead of a roar?
You might not have known it on Sunday, but we had more first time visitors on our big snow day than we’ve had on any one Sunday in months! Not only that, but we presented the truth of God’s love and grace, and we saw one of those first time guests turn their life over to Christ for the first time! Praise God!
We may not have posted our best-ever numbers on Sunday morning, but ETERNITY was changed that day. So, if you’re all into sheer numbers, maybe you’re counting the wrong thing. Life change is what counts, and THAT is what God had planned for Sunday.
Maybe tonight at the youth ministry launch, we won’t have a ton of kids... But GOD will do the work that HE wants to do, DESPITE what our numbers show. Our plans are good, but God’s purpose will prevail!
Proverbs 19:21
Who would have figured that a little snow would have effected Gilmer County the way it has? Once again this morning, all of us are at home... The family sleeping in due to the fact that school is out yet again. Today marks 4-1/2 SNOW days that we’ve experienced. Some roads are still reportedly impassable. Some people have yet to leave their homes since last week’s snow event.
Of course, it isn’t the snow alone... It’s the temperatures. Yesterday was the first day in over a week that we saw temperatures above freezing! It isn’t the AMOUNT of snow... but it’s resilience. We’re used to snow falling, then melting right away. We just aren’t accustomed to seeing snow hang around day after day.
And of course, the roads are shut down at a time when we as a church have been so poised to launch such a big, new phase of our ministry. On the big “SNOW Sunday” we had two services for the first time. Tonight we are set to relaunch youth ministry, but haven’t had the chance to actually invite students, due to school being out. This coming Sunday is our LifeGroup Connection, where we hope to connect people into community.
It seems like we’ve just picked the absolute worst time for just everything, doesn’t it? Did we miss it? Should we have done something different? Was our two-service schedule a mistake for this past week? Will our youth ministry kick off with a whimper instead of a roar?
You might not have known it on Sunday, but we had more first time visitors on our big snow day than we’ve had on any one Sunday in months! Not only that, but we presented the truth of God’s love and grace, and we saw one of those first time guests turn their life over to Christ for the first time! Praise God!
We may not have posted our best-ever numbers on Sunday morning, but ETERNITY was changed that day. So, if you’re all into sheer numbers, maybe you’re counting the wrong thing. Life change is what counts, and THAT is what God had planned for Sunday.
Maybe tonight at the youth ministry launch, we won’t have a ton of kids... But GOD will do the work that HE wants to do, DESPITE what our numbers show. Our plans are good, but God’s purpose will prevail!
Happy New Year
Jan/01/2010 12:01 AM
2009 was a wild ride, wasn’t it? We started out with an incredibly historic inauguration in Washington, and ended up with a failed terrorist attempt in the skies over Detroit. Through it all, the economy was on everyone’s mind. We finished off the first decade of this new milennium with a mixed bag, didn’t we?
Here in Ellijay, though, we have seen some incredible things! God is at WORK all around us, isn’t He? I am amazed to see what has started here in The Orchard Church, and am excited about where it is all heading. We’ve really begun to get our feet underneath us, and are beginning to move forward. We started morning worship services back at Easter time, we launched Life Groups in the Fall, and there is even more to come this month.
Like everyone, we reflect a little bit as the new year comes, looking back on where we’ve been, and make resolutions for the new year. Here are some of the things I am praying for in 2010 for The Orchard Church:
Would you join me in praying for these things in the new year?
Here in Ellijay, though, we have seen some incredible things! God is at WORK all around us, isn’t He? I am amazed to see what has started here in The Orchard Church, and am excited about where it is all heading. We’ve really begun to get our feet underneath us, and are beginning to move forward. We started morning worship services back at Easter time, we launched Life Groups in the Fall, and there is even more to come this month.
Like everyone, we reflect a little bit as the new year comes, looking back on where we’ve been, and make resolutions for the new year. Here are some of the things I am praying for in 2010 for The Orchard Church:
- That we would LISTEN to God and follow Him closely
- That Life Groups would become a priority in everyone’s life
- That our ministry would continue to extend into farther reaches; through the Women’s ministry, Youth, Men’s, the Branch, and the partnership in Mexico
- That our Children’s ministry would flourish to minister not only to kids, but to moms and dads
- That God would provide the financial and physical resources not yet present so we can accommodate the growth He is bringing
Would you join me in praying for these things in the new year?
Seven Things in Seven Months
Oct/31/2009 12:17 AM
You may have noticed that my good friend, Tony Balfa built a brand new sign for the corner near the Wal Mart! The new sign is perfect... It is much more permanent in it’s build quality than the old one ever was, and we got a new, RED banner to go in it! It just looks great!
With this new, more permanent sign, I feel like we are making a real statement. Doug Moore calls it “staking a claim on Ellijay,” and I think I like that. We just celebrated our six-month anniversary since our launch, and I feel like we are really getting some momentum going. We are HERE TO STAY, and we are HERE to CHANGE THE WORLD. We have a real heart to see God change hearts in Ellijay, and we just want to be part of it!
They told us that we would probably stall out at around 30. Fifty, if we were lucky. And that is after a year of ministry in Ellijay. The church growth experts say that all churches experience a growth barrier at 65. The next barrier is at 120. Churches all over the world just plain hit these barriers, and tend to stop growing.
The Orchard Church has been amazingly blessed by God. We’ve blown right by all of those expectations. After praying and seeking wise counsel, I believe that our first growth barrier is going to be at 250! Yep, 250. Nobody could have forseen that we would be having over 120 on a regular basis just six months into our ministry here in Ellijay. Nobody would have known that we would see dozens of people turn their lives over to Christ. We literally have people WAITING to be baptized!! How cool is that?? We are feeding families, clothing people, and doing all sorts of ministry in the name of Jesus.
We are SIX months old, and we are already bumping up on the capacity of our auditorium. Our life groups are already filling up. If we don’t watch out, we are going to LIMIT our own growth potential just because we aren’t ready for what God wants to do NEXT.
God has called us to something HUGE!
We’ve only just gotten started, but we have a lot to do. We’re experiencing much more growth that we ever anticipated, and we are seeing God do some incredible things. I was talking with our board this week, and we are setting some pretty high goals, aiming for these SEVEN things over the next SEVEN months. These are BIG things, requiring us to really buckle in and get it done... Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Develop a deeper PRAYER ministry
2. Have several BIG DAYS, including Christmas Eve, Super Bowl Sunday, and Easter
3. Add a SECOND SUNDAY AM SERVICE
4. SECURE and BUILDOUT the ERA for Children’s Ministry
5. Launch Elementary-age Children’s Ministry
6. Launch Youth Ministry
7. Launch more Life Groups!
This represents a lot, and it will mean a lot of people getting in on serving on a regular basis, but we are SEEING GOD WORK, and it is our privilege to partner with Him! Keep watching this space for more detail on what each of these seven things mean for our group. The fact is, we are running out of space in the movie theater, the lobby, and in the preschool area (the ERA next door to the theater). What a great problem to have!
As I look at this list of seven things... I can’t help but think that the answer to all of these things lies with PEOPLE. You know, it isn’t my responsibility to grow the church... it is God’s. Jesus called the ball on that one in Matthew when he said “...I will build my church.” But, I also know that it is my privilege to partner with him in that growth! God has given MANY people with gifts to the church to build it up into maturity and unity in Him! (Check it: Ephesians 4:11-16) So, I have to wonder... As we move into each of these seven things... WHO will God use? Who will God send? Who will God work through? Will it be you?
To see all the “Seven Things” blog entries so far, just click HERE.
With this new, more permanent sign, I feel like we are making a real statement. Doug Moore calls it “staking a claim on Ellijay,” and I think I like that. We just celebrated our six-month anniversary since our launch, and I feel like we are really getting some momentum going. We are HERE TO STAY, and we are HERE to CHANGE THE WORLD. We have a real heart to see God change hearts in Ellijay, and we just want to be part of it!
They told us that we would probably stall out at around 30. Fifty, if we were lucky. And that is after a year of ministry in Ellijay. The church growth experts say that all churches experience a growth barrier at 65. The next barrier is at 120. Churches all over the world just plain hit these barriers, and tend to stop growing.
The Orchard Church has been amazingly blessed by God. We’ve blown right by all of those expectations. After praying and seeking wise counsel, I believe that our first growth barrier is going to be at 250! Yep, 250. Nobody could have forseen that we would be having over 120 on a regular basis just six months into our ministry here in Ellijay. Nobody would have known that we would see dozens of people turn their lives over to Christ. We literally have people WAITING to be baptized!! How cool is that?? We are feeding families, clothing people, and doing all sorts of ministry in the name of Jesus.
We are SIX months old, and we are already bumping up on the capacity of our auditorium. Our life groups are already filling up. If we don’t watch out, we are going to LIMIT our own growth potential just because we aren’t ready for what God wants to do NEXT.
God has called us to something HUGE!
We’ve only just gotten started, but we have a lot to do. We’re experiencing much more growth that we ever anticipated, and we are seeing God do some incredible things. I was talking with our board this week, and we are setting some pretty high goals, aiming for these SEVEN things over the next SEVEN months. These are BIG things, requiring us to really buckle in and get it done... Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Develop a deeper PRAYER ministry
2. Have several BIG DAYS, including Christmas Eve, Super Bowl Sunday, and Easter
3. Add a SECOND SUNDAY AM SERVICE
4. SECURE and BUILDOUT the ERA for Children’s Ministry
5. Launch Elementary-age Children’s Ministry
6. Launch Youth Ministry
7. Launch more Life Groups!
This represents a lot, and it will mean a lot of people getting in on serving on a regular basis, but we are SEEING GOD WORK, and it is our privilege to partner with Him! Keep watching this space for more detail on what each of these seven things mean for our group. The fact is, we are running out of space in the movie theater, the lobby, and in the preschool area (the ERA next door to the theater). What a great problem to have!
As I look at this list of seven things... I can’t help but think that the answer to all of these things lies with PEOPLE. You know, it isn’t my responsibility to grow the church... it is God’s. Jesus called the ball on that one in Matthew when he said “...I will build my church.” But, I also know that it is my privilege to partner with him in that growth! God has given MANY people with gifts to the church to build it up into maturity and unity in Him! (Check it: Ephesians 4:11-16) So, I have to wonder... As we move into each of these seven things... WHO will God use? Who will God send? Who will God work through? Will it be you?
To see all the “Seven Things” blog entries so far, just click HERE.
Summer Lovin'
Jun/14/2009 06:38 PM
This morning was really a lot of fun. We had a great service... The band sounded awesome, and we had a ton of great people there! It was awesome to have the group from Camp Highlands come for a visit... I know they’re sort of checking out different churches in the area, but I sure hope they come back. I know summer is here and people are away on vacations, or out of town for whatever reason... Seems like the size of our group fluctuates pretty dramatically.
I am really having a good time with this marriage series that we’re doing right now. It is really a big challenge for me in several areas. Having been a youth pastor for such a long time, I’ve never really had the chance to do a marriage series before. I owe a big thanks to Patrick Lencioni, who wrote the great book, “The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team,” which has a bunch of the principles that we’re studying in this series. This morning, I asked people in our group to write some nuggets of marriage wisdom on cards and pass them in to me... Man, there were some great thoughts on those. I am looking forward to sharing some of them with the group next week.
I am really having a good time with this marriage series that we’re doing right now. It is really a big challenge for me in several areas. Having been a youth pastor for such a long time, I’ve never really had the chance to do a marriage series before. I owe a big thanks to Patrick Lencioni, who wrote the great book, “The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team,” which has a bunch of the principles that we’re studying in this series. This morning, I asked people in our group to write some nuggets of marriage wisdom on cards and pass them in to me... Man, there were some great thoughts on those. I am looking forward to sharing some of them with the group next week.
Church Hop
May/11/2009 11:03 PM
Someone emailed me this week with a really good question. She says that she goes to one church on Sundays and another on Wednesdays. Neither of them “feels right” to her, and she had just received an invitation to come to The Orchard Church. She was conflicted, and didn’t know what to do about it.
I emailed her a response back, and I thought I would share my thoughts on this with you.
First of all, I never really liked the whole “church hopping” thing. I don’t think that is good for you. I am pretty sure it isn’t God’s plan for you, either. See, I am convinced that God creates each and every one of us with a specific purpose... A specific way that YOU will function in the Body of Christ. He couples that with a gift (or gifts) to be used intentionally for HIM. It is your ministry... The way you impact the KINGDOM. If you are a follower of Christ, YOU have a purpose... And it is all about HIM.
Your purpose in The Kingdom, and your gift is to be used as part of the Body of Christ, otherwise known as The Church. This is where we get tripped up. We think we “find a church that we like” and we “go there” to “get fed,” or whatever. With American consumerism, it is easy to fall into this trap of thinking.
The reality is that GOD places you into a local body on purpose. Your church experience shouldn't be based on what "feels right" to you, but on where GOD has CALLED you to be. Has God called you to the church you are in now? How do you know? What is your ministry there? How is HE using you among those people?
If you aren't in a church now, please, BY ALL MEANS check out The Orchard... But before you join our church, or any church... Seek God's will on it. He won't put you in a place by accident. He wants the BEST for you... And HIS BEST is always when HE is bringing out HIs best in YOU.
1 Corinthians 2:7 (Message)
God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene.
Romans 12:3-8 (NLT)
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
I emailed her a response back, and I thought I would share my thoughts on this with you.
First of all, I never really liked the whole “church hopping” thing. I don’t think that is good for you. I am pretty sure it isn’t God’s plan for you, either. See, I am convinced that God creates each and every one of us with a specific purpose... A specific way that YOU will function in the Body of Christ. He couples that with a gift (or gifts) to be used intentionally for HIM. It is your ministry... The way you impact the KINGDOM. If you are a follower of Christ, YOU have a purpose... And it is all about HIM.
Your purpose in The Kingdom, and your gift is to be used as part of the Body of Christ, otherwise known as The Church. This is where we get tripped up. We think we “find a church that we like” and we “go there” to “get fed,” or whatever. With American consumerism, it is easy to fall into this trap of thinking.
The reality is that GOD places you into a local body on purpose. Your church experience shouldn't be based on what "feels right" to you, but on where GOD has CALLED you to be. Has God called you to the church you are in now? How do you know? What is your ministry there? How is HE using you among those people?
If you aren't in a church now, please, BY ALL MEANS check out The Orchard... But before you join our church, or any church... Seek God's will on it. He won't put you in a place by accident. He wants the BEST for you... And HIS BEST is always when HE is bringing out HIs best in YOU.
1 Corinthians 2:7 (Message)
God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene.
Romans 12:3-8 (NLT)
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.