Body of Christ
The Bible clearly states that as followers of Jesus, as Christians that we are the body of Christ. It is clear that Jesus is the head of His body, that we are not under subjection to priests or pastors or any man, but only under Jesus Christ Himself. He is the head he motivates our responses and actions as part of the body. It ultimately comes from the head and the brain, being Jesus. Furthur proving the point that there is nothing in us that is good, but it all simply flows from Jesus. We are just the conduits in which He has chosen to reveal himself in the world today. This is a very awesome opportunity, this means we actually get to have God live through us. That He has chosen to now intervene with this fallen world through us, of course mainly through Jesus. But we being the body have a part of this. The head is what motivates the action. But the body is what is seen doing the action. We have the awesome opportunity to have our lives used by God to show Himself to the world. So when we really think about phrases like "preaching with your life", "living out your christianity" or things like this. This is really what we are called to do. We are not called to do it on our own. We have Jesus. God actually lives through us. It is our job to be humble enough to admit that we are just the body that we can do nothing without the head. That we can't function without it. That the head must get all the credit for what the body does. So we need to stop trying to live our lives for God and just let God live through us. We need to recognize that we ourselves can not do any good a part from Christ. This is a difficult thing to swallow sometimes as human beings, that the first step to honoring God is not doing good things for Him. but rather admiting our frailties and our inabilities and then just being obedient and letting God live through us.This task of being the body of Christ is very challenging at the same time. That often times being the body of Christ and claim that we are, all eyes will be upon us and that is what should happen when we let others around us know that we are followers of a living God who choses to reveal and interact with mankind and has chosen us as followers of him to live our lives in a way that points to Him. But with all the eyes on us, people will often see how often we fall and misrepresent Christ. And this happens a lot. This bothers me a lot too. Becuase of all the people who claim to follow Jesus, but yet refuse to yeild their bodies and lives to allow God to live through them and to be living glimpses of God and redemption to people aroudn them through the way they live their lives. But I also must remember being human beings, being prideful, which is at the sinful nature of every human being I believe, we will fall and misrepresent Christ often times. And this is unfortunate, but this happens all the time to even the most passionate followers of Christ. This happens when our fallen sinful nature wins out over our redeemed, new nature that Christ has given us in salvation.The whole concept of Jesus being the head of the church also has implications in the realm of the structure of churches today. The question that has been buggin me lately is the concept of the pastor leading and running a church. Nowhere in the Bible is the term pastor a position, it is used mostly as a verb. Yes there is the need to for church planters, apostles, prophets and teachers today. But is the way we have churches set- up unbiblical having one person run the church, the body. Shouldn't the body function as a unit, each memeber contributing equally, with Christ as the head?Anyway enough rambling.....Confessions of a recovering pharisee, hopeful church planter, young adult/college group co-ordinator, follower of Jesus.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Body of Christ
The Bible clearly states that as followers of Jesus, as Christians that we are the body of Christ. It is clear that Jesus is the head of His body, that we are not under subjection to priests or pastors or any man, but only under Jesus Christ Himself. He is the head he motivates our responses and actions as part of the body. It ultimately comes from the head and the brain, being Jesus. Furthur proving the point that there is nothing in us that is good, but it all simply flows from Jesus. We are just the conduits in which He has chosen to reveal himself in the world today. This is a very awesome opportunity, this means we actually get to have God live through us. That He has chosen to now intervene with this fallen world through us, of course mainly through Jesus. But we being the body have a part of this. The head is what motivates the action. But the body is what is seen doing the action. We have the awesome opportunity to have our lives used by God to show Himself to the world. So when we really think about phrases like "preaching with your life", "living out your christianity" or things like this. This is really what we are called to do. We are not called to do it on our own. We have Jesus. God actually lives through us. It is our job to be humble enough to admit that we are just the body that we can do nothing without the head. That we can't function without it. That the head must get all the credit for what the body does. So we need to stop trying to live our lives for God and just let God live through us. We need to recognize that we ourselves can not do any good a part from Christ. This is a difficult thing to swallow sometimes as human beings, that the first step to honoring God is not doing good things for Him. but rather admiting our frailties and our inabilities and then just being obedient and letting God live through us.This task of being the body of Christ is very challenging at the same time. That often times being the body of Christ and claim that we are, all eyes will be upon us and that is what should happen when we let others around us know that we are followers of a living God who choses to reveal and interact with mankind and has chosen us as followers of him to live our lives in a way that points to Him. But with all the eyes on us, people will often see how often we fall and misrepresent Christ. And this happens a lot. This bothers me a lot too. Becuase of all the people who claim to follow Jesus, but yet refuse to yeild their bodies and lives to allow God to live through them and to be living glimpses of God and redemption to people aroudn them through the way they live their lives. But I also must remember being human beings, being prideful, which is at the sinful nature of every human being I believe, we will fall and misrepresent Christ often times. And this is unfortunate, but this happens all the time to even the most passionate followers of Christ. This happens when our fallen sinful nature wins out over our redeemed, new nature that Christ has given us in salvation.The whole concept of Jesus being the head of the church also has implications in the realm of the structure of churches today. The question that has been buggin me lately is the concept of the pastor leading and running a church. Nowhere in the Bible is the term pastor a position, it is used mostly as a verb. Yes there is the need to for church planters, apostles, prophets and teachers today. But is the way we have churches set- up unbiblical having one person run the church, the body. Shouldn't the body function as a unit, each memeber contributing equally, with Christ as the head?Anyway enough rambling.....Confessions of a recovering pharisee, hopeful church planter, young adult/college group co-ordinator, follower of Jesus.
The Bible clearly states that as followers of Jesus, as Christians that we are the body of Christ. It is clear that Jesus is the head of His body, that we are not under subjection to priests or pastors or any man, but only under Jesus Christ Himself. He is the head he motivates our responses and actions as part of the body. It ultimately comes from the head and the brain, being Jesus. Furthur proving the point that there is nothing in us that is good, but it all simply flows from Jesus. We are just the conduits in which He has chosen to reveal himself in the world today. This is a very awesome opportunity, this means we actually get to have God live through us. That He has chosen to now intervene with this fallen world through us, of course mainly through Jesus. But we being the body have a part of this. The head is what motivates the action. But the body is what is seen doing the action. We have the awesome opportunity to have our lives used by God to show Himself to the world. So when we really think about phrases like "preaching with your life", "living out your christianity" or things like this. This is really what we are called to do. We are not called to do it on our own. We have Jesus. God actually lives through us. It is our job to be humble enough to admit that we are just the body that we can do nothing without the head. That we can't function without it. That the head must get all the credit for what the body does. So we need to stop trying to live our lives for God and just let God live through us. We need to recognize that we ourselves can not do any good a part from Christ. This is a difficult thing to swallow sometimes as human beings, that the first step to honoring God is not doing good things for Him. but rather admiting our frailties and our inabilities and then just being obedient and letting God live through us.This task of being the body of Christ is very challenging at the same time. That often times being the body of Christ and claim that we are, all eyes will be upon us and that is what should happen when we let others around us know that we are followers of a living God who choses to reveal and interact with mankind and has chosen us as followers of him to live our lives in a way that points to Him. But with all the eyes on us, people will often see how often we fall and misrepresent Christ. And this happens a lot. This bothers me a lot too. Becuase of all the people who claim to follow Jesus, but yet refuse to yeild their bodies and lives to allow God to live through them and to be living glimpses of God and redemption to people aroudn them through the way they live their lives. But I also must remember being human beings, being prideful, which is at the sinful nature of every human being I believe, we will fall and misrepresent Christ often times. And this is unfortunate, but this happens all the time to even the most passionate followers of Christ. This happens when our fallen sinful nature wins out over our redeemed, new nature that Christ has given us in salvation.The whole concept of Jesus being the head of the church also has implications in the realm of the structure of churches today. The question that has been buggin me lately is the concept of the pastor leading and running a church. Nowhere in the Bible is the term pastor a position, it is used mostly as a verb. Yes there is the need to for church planters, apostles, prophets and teachers today. But is the way we have churches set- up unbiblical having one person run the church, the body. Shouldn't the body function as a unit, each memeber contributing equally, with Christ as the head?Anyway enough rambling.....Confessions of a recovering pharisee, hopeful church planter, young adult/college group co-ordinator, follower of Jesus.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Re-Jesus
Oh yea forgot to mention that the reason I feel like this young adult ministry will be able to partner with other churches and denominations is becuase we want to focus on the person of Jesus and Re-Jesus ourselves and go back to the founder of our churches Jesus and actually try to live out his teachings and recognize him as truly God, which we often forget. We want to major on the majors and we feel there is not better place to start than that of Jesus.
Hope for people who have given up on church. Re-calibrating ourselves around the person of Jesus and submitting ourselves to his teachings. A community for young adults that provides a safe place to ask spiritual questions. To know Jesus and make him known. To love God and love people. - This is the mission statement of a young adult ministry i'm starting at my church. Now I jus need a name for the group that describes this. And it can't be something too churchy and un-original. I want it to be so that you can't recognize that this a a church related group at first, just by the name.
God is really beginning to broaden the vision for this young adult ministry. And it is a lot bigger than me, calvary, the young adult ministry, the AG, our jus the immediate area. I feel like this is gonna be about young adults all over the philly, wyncote, glenside, jenkintown area and its gonna involve other churches and other denominations which is awesome to see churches able to partner like that. And its starting to take shape in some talks with other college ministries in the area. We must not forget the big picture of what God is doin in an area, not just our own ministry or church or denomination. God do your thing, thanks for letting me be apart of it.
God is really beginning to broaden the vision for this young adult ministry. And it is a lot bigger than me, calvary, the young adult ministry, the AG, our jus the immediate area. I feel like this is gonna be about young adults all over the philly, wyncote, glenside, jenkintown area and its gonna involve other churches and other denominations which is awesome to see churches able to partner like that. And its starting to take shape in some talks with other college ministries in the area. We must not forget the big picture of what God is doin in an area, not just our own ministry or church or denomination. God do your thing, thanks for letting me be apart of it.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sermon/Sermon series ideas
Just was thinkg about some sermon/ sermon series ideas to start off our young adult ministry here they are:
-1st week> this is actually the one i'm least sure on, but thinking a gospel passage that talks about Jesus calling his first disciples, to introduce people to who Jesus is and to show that people didn't accept Jesus as God/a savior when they first starting following him. They eventuall found that out, but not right awa
-Luke 15 - the prodigal son, such a great story to show God's love for those who have gone astray and how much He loves them and favors them in some senses over those who have not gone astray
-Matthew 15 > a great passage talking about how obeying God and scriptures should be valued higher than the simple traditions of church. We need to remembe this today. So relevant
-Sermon on the mount and the conclusion with the parable of the two foundations/ builders
talking about actually putting the sermon on the mount into practice, how Jesus intended it
Then thinking about going into a sermon series about Jesus views on different things
Jesus on:
- religion/christianity
-who he is
-the poor
-ethics
-salvation
-following him
- heaven/hell
-the kingdom of God
-the Holy Spirit
Just some ideas, but really feeling God has placed them in my heart.
Grace and Peace,
-1st week> this is actually the one i'm least sure on, but thinking a gospel passage that talks about Jesus calling his first disciples, to introduce people to who Jesus is and to show that people didn't accept Jesus as God/a savior when they first starting following him. They eventuall found that out, but not right awa
-Luke 15 - the prodigal son, such a great story to show God's love for those who have gone astray and how much He loves them and favors them in some senses over those who have not gone astray
-Matthew 15 > a great passage talking about how obeying God and scriptures should be valued higher than the simple traditions of church. We need to remembe this today. So relevant
-Sermon on the mount and the conclusion with the parable of the two foundations/ builders
talking about actually putting the sermon on the mount into practice, how Jesus intended it
Then thinking about going into a sermon series about Jesus views on different things
Jesus on:
- religion/christianity
-who he is
-the poor
-ethics
-salvation
-following him
- heaven/hell
-the kingdom of God
-the Holy Spirit
Just some ideas, but really feeling God has placed them in my heart.
Grace and Peace,
Good to be home
Never really thought I'd be back home in the area hanging out with old friends when I was in college. But God has lead me back to the area for ministry at this time. And it has been really cool to connect again with old friends who I havent seen in a while. Its funny who God works things out sometimes.
a "God thing"
A couple weeks ago I had no idea really what I was going to be doing when I graduated. Me and some friends were talking about planting a church and all and I was all for that. But that didn't exactly develop all that well. So then I really had no idea what I was gonna do. Everyone else was off getting youth pastor positions or other open positions in a church. And I didn't wanna do something I didn't wanna just be a part of a church that is just existing, I have some things I wanna see changed in churches. So there I stood having no where to go upon graduation. But no I am starting a young adult ministry at my church, I am creating sermon series already, meeting with a campus pastor at a local college about connecting with different churches in the area and laying down denominational issues and partnering for the caused of Christ. I have no idea how these all came to be really, all I know is that this a "God thing" as Pastor Gerry Stoltzfoos would say. And he is really just bringing this all together for his glory and his purposes, I am just a vessel to bring about what He is doing. Its easy to forget that it is God doing it all and bringing it all together. We can get exciting about what is going on, but we must not forget that it is God bringing about His plans and purposes, it is nothing that we are doing in or of ourselves. I am definately exciting about what God is doing with this ministry and in this area with college aged students. Its something really big, I can feel it. God wants to reach people in this greater Philadelphia area who may have given up on the church and may have issues with all the stuff that goes on in a church, but wants to bring them back and unite around the person of Jesus. God let your will be done here, let me never forget that it is you bringing about your purposes. "Let him who boasts, boast in Christ alone"
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Balance and Love
We need to be aware and open to all of God's truth in the Bible. In different denominations and movements we can get so wrapped up in certain truths and preach them so much, that we are in some sense putting down other denominations or movements. We so this in the liberal vs. conservative Christians. Rob Bell vs. Mark Driscoll. Emerging Church vs. Reformed movement.
They all focus on truths within the Bible. But we get so wrapped up in having conversations within our own groups that we forget to conversate with the other movements and groups that can focus on other issues. But the truth of the matter is they are all God's truths and we are all family and followers of Christ Jesus. So why the need for denominations or movements today, we do we need to seperate and and form little groups within Christianity that makes us so closed minded to other movements. We tend to only preach out of certain books of the Bible as well tha contain the truths that we like to emphasis. The pentecostal circles have Acts and 1 Cor. as their books that they often preach out of . The reformed movement overuses Romans and Galatians. The liberal and emergent movement emphasis some of the O.T prophets and O.T in their empahsis on social justice.
But we need to preach out of all of the books of the Bible and we need to be about all of the issues that different movements are about today. I love the reformed movement and their leaders >John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chanlder, and the Acts 29 network. But they can be so exlusive at times. Only listening to people within their own movement. And often bashing on some of the liberals like Rob Bell and Brian Mclaren.
I try to take truths from all the movements out there today. But im just so tired of seeing so much division today within the body of Christ. John 13:35 says you will know that they are my disciples by their love for one another. Do we have this today? We get so passionate about some issues that we put down what others are passionate about. And we have no love for one another
We need to have balance in our views today and hold one movement as right or better thatn the others. WE need to be open to all of them and learn from each. I am tired of denominations and moveemtns that just divide Christians today.
Keywords: balance> balance in our views on things, taking the whole Bible into account
love > loving fellow believers, so that unbelievers will see our love for one another and know we are Jesus disciples. not quarelling and causing divisions among us, so that unbelievers may be turned off to our message.
They all focus on truths within the Bible. But we get so wrapped up in having conversations within our own groups that we forget to conversate with the other movements and groups that can focus on other issues. But the truth of the matter is they are all God's truths and we are all family and followers of Christ Jesus. So why the need for denominations or movements today, we do we need to seperate and and form little groups within Christianity that makes us so closed minded to other movements. We tend to only preach out of certain books of the Bible as well tha contain the truths that we like to emphasis. The pentecostal circles have Acts and 1 Cor. as their books that they often preach out of . The reformed movement overuses Romans and Galatians. The liberal and emergent movement emphasis some of the O.T prophets and O.T in their empahsis on social justice.
But we need to preach out of all of the books of the Bible and we need to be about all of the issues that different movements are about today. I love the reformed movement and their leaders >John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chanlder, and the Acts 29 network. But they can be so exlusive at times. Only listening to people within their own movement. And often bashing on some of the liberals like Rob Bell and Brian Mclaren.
I try to take truths from all the movements out there today. But im just so tired of seeing so much division today within the body of Christ. John 13:35 says you will know that they are my disciples by their love for one another. Do we have this today? We get so passionate about some issues that we put down what others are passionate about. And we have no love for one another
We need to have balance in our views today and hold one movement as right or better thatn the others. WE need to be open to all of them and learn from each. I am tired of denominations and moveemtns that just divide Christians today.
Keywords: balance> balance in our views on things, taking the whole Bible into account
love > loving fellow believers, so that unbelievers will see our love for one another and know we are Jesus disciples. not quarelling and causing divisions among us, so that unbelievers may be turned off to our message.
Showing rather then telling
Emodying Christianity and being God's people literally living to represent Him is kinda a new popular thing to emphasis in Christians circles. The come and see the gospel lived out in my life, as opposed to the listen to the story and respond gospel.
There are many reasons for this becoming popular today. One reason I would say is becuase it is biblical and logical and also effective. Another reason would probably be the culture today and that is what people respond to is actions. And also people dont wanna listen to people or they dont see actually living out what they are talking about, we want authenticity. And I am very passionate about embodying the gospel and living it out, truly loving people as I would love myself, blessing those who persecute me, giving to those who steal from me. Praying for terrorists of foreign countries who want to kill us.
But embodying the gospel and living it out is very difficult. This may be why it is so popular today b/c want a challenge theyre tired of the gospel that just gets people to heaven and thats it, they want more than that. They want a radical Christianity that people want today. There bored with the Christianity that says be holy and set apart, put yourself on a high horse above everyone else and live that why for ur life and then you get to go to heaven. People want to embody the gospel that they believe in that has changed the world. We are understand Jesus for who he really was and how he loved. We want a radically challengin Christianity of being able to embody it and actually love people truly and change the this world that we live in.
And we talk about it a lot today becuase it is definately relevant and all these a forementioned things are true. But this is very difficult to do. To truly live your life loving others and God and embodying Christianity is very difficult I have been coming to realize. I have been struggling with this lately how I want to do all this things, but they are honestly just really difficult. My sinful nature totally fights against it and so does everything in this world. So I want to stop talking about it and just be about it. Easier said than done I know. But we need to act. The time is now. Lord help me. It is not me who can do any of this, but you in me Lord
There are many reasons for this becoming popular today. One reason I would say is becuase it is biblical and logical and also effective. Another reason would probably be the culture today and that is what people respond to is actions. And also people dont wanna listen to people or they dont see actually living out what they are talking about, we want authenticity. And I am very passionate about embodying the gospel and living it out, truly loving people as I would love myself, blessing those who persecute me, giving to those who steal from me. Praying for terrorists of foreign countries who want to kill us.
But embodying the gospel and living it out is very difficult. This may be why it is so popular today b/c want a challenge theyre tired of the gospel that just gets people to heaven and thats it, they want more than that. They want a radical Christianity that people want today. There bored with the Christianity that says be holy and set apart, put yourself on a high horse above everyone else and live that why for ur life and then you get to go to heaven. People want to embody the gospel that they believe in that has changed the world. We are understand Jesus for who he really was and how he loved. We want a radically challengin Christianity of being able to embody it and actually love people truly and change the this world that we live in.
And we talk about it a lot today becuase it is definately relevant and all these a forementioned things are true. But this is very difficult to do. To truly live your life loving others and God and embodying Christianity is very difficult I have been coming to realize. I have been struggling with this lately how I want to do all this things, but they are honestly just really difficult. My sinful nature totally fights against it and so does everything in this world. So I want to stop talking about it and just be about it. Easier said than done I know. But we need to act. The time is now. Lord help me. It is not me who can do any of this, but you in me Lord
why are we so passionate about some things?
I have come to notice lately that the things that we are often so passionate about, value highly or are strongly against are often things that we struggle with ourselves. This is often the same case for things that annoy us about people are often the same things that we do ourselves. I don't know why we do this, maybe becuase it is a lot easier to hate and point out the things that bother us in other people, rather than dealing with it in ourselves, becuase we love ourselvs too much and have too much pride. I know theres probably pyschological reasons behing this and all. But I think we need to be aware of this so when we go on rants about things that we are passionate about, that we first check ourselves first and try to live it out ourselves.
This is one thing I struggle with. I can be very passionate about getting people to understand that Christianity needs to be lived out and embodied, not just preached. But this is often one thing I struggle with doing myself. Its a lot harder to be passionate about something and be able to back it up with your lifestyle then just being passionate about something. This is one thing I have been feeling very convicted about lately. And I hope I can change it.
But I think there is something to be said to understand what we are passionate about being related to things we struggle with ourselves. And also I think that the things we are passionate about have alot to do wit the way we were raised or what we have been taught. And then when we get older we realize that what we have been taught is often only one side to the story, so we go to the other extreme and are totally for the other side of the issue.
You can probably tell what a preacher is struggling with by what he is always preaching about or emphasizing within their sermons. I have realized this about myself lately too. We need to be aware of why we are so passionate about some things and must learn to check ourselves first in these areas. And we also need to be balanced about things and learn why we are so passionate about some things.
This is one thing I struggle with. I can be very passionate about getting people to understand that Christianity needs to be lived out and embodied, not just preached. But this is often one thing I struggle with doing myself. Its a lot harder to be passionate about something and be able to back it up with your lifestyle then just being passionate about something. This is one thing I have been feeling very convicted about lately. And I hope I can change it.
But I think there is something to be said to understand what we are passionate about being related to things we struggle with ourselves. And also I think that the things we are passionate about have alot to do wit the way we were raised or what we have been taught. And then when we get older we realize that what we have been taught is often only one side to the story, so we go to the other extreme and are totally for the other side of the issue.
You can probably tell what a preacher is struggling with by what he is always preaching about or emphasizing within their sermons. I have realized this about myself lately too. We need to be aware of why we are so passionate about some things and must learn to check ourselves first in these areas. And we also need to be balanced about things and learn why we are so passionate about some things.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
first thoughts on a college/career group
This is written to some friends of mine who want to start a college/career group. So figured I'd copy and paste the email on here. to share some thoughts. So just ignore it if your not interested.
What does God want to do, what our our motives of us or from God?
-We need to honestly examine our motives
-is this a God idea or is it from our own nature?
-some ideas may be very good, but if they are not of God and God is not behind them they will ultimately fail
-don’t just think that jus b/c it is ministry related and church related that it is necessarly from God, it may not be. So recognize if this is a God idea or not
-how to determine, pray, what our your passions?
-why do u want to do this? Just something to do or to know Jesus more and share him with others?
Who will do it with me?
-donzel, grantley, kyleigh,
-brent? Phil Malone? Marynissi? Chris D?
-to be sponsored by calvary or not??
-weigh pros and cons
-pros and cons of being sponsored >> support (financial, building space, base of people to start with) connections through AG
-pros and cons of not being sponsored >> no enigma of a church and presuppositions, no building to use at first, no connections or umbrella grouping for support through AG
Mission Statement and vision and goals
-hope for people who have given up on church or have negative presuppositions of church
-need to ReJesus and re-imagine church
-starty everything over upon basics of following Jesus
-use intentional language around Jesus
- focus on essential issues, not non-essential
- embody the kingdom of God here on earth
-Highly relation focused
-through small groups
- and ministry to unbelievers
- comteporary/ connects with culture
-open to outsiders, can talk about issues of Bible in language so non-church people can understand
- focused on social justice issues and the poor and disenfranchised
What it will look like
-weekly service >> Sunday afternoons?
- worship, short dialogue (not sermon), break into groups maybe to discuss or just discuss as whole group. – meet in round, not everyone facing stage, in round
-have people involved (priesthood of the believer), have many people involved, even unsaved people in worship, helping out with various things
-not focusing on just core leaders (which there will be) but getting everyone involved, taking ownership
-add weekly small groups in peoples houses as well, as we progress
-have monthly meetings in public settings so unbelievers feel at home and open to ask questions on their on ground
Ex) spiritual shots http://www.spiritualshots.com/
- meeting in a coffee shop, bookstore, bar whatever venue may be and let play some music, have food, and then let outsiders ask spiritual questions and attempt to answer them
-goal to build relationships with those outside the church and talk about spiritual issues, on their terms not ours
-week or bi-weekly ministry to homeless
- make sandwiches and food and go and just hang out with homeless people w/ no agenda of trying to intentionally witness but just hang out with them and share lives together b/c that is what ministry is
Please prayerfully consider the first part of this and if God is behind this. If He is not I don’t want to do it, and I myself am prayerfully considering it. This must be our first and foremost thing to do. Secondly if you feel God is leading you to do this, who else do you think could assist us with this. They don’t have to be people that you would normally think of that would be helping in a church. IF you know someone that can play and instrument that may be neceassarily be a christian, that’s ok. If someone is good with media and all and not a christian that’s ok. But also we do not people who care about truly following Jesus and helping others know Him. People who are good with people and relationships. And also share your heart and God’s heart for this plan with people who might want to attend Christian and nonchristian. But don’t forget people who may have grown up in church or youth group, but now are not wanting anything to do with God. We want to break down peoples presuppositions about what church is about. I feel at least personally that is what our mission statement should be to reach people who have given up on church. Feel free to share this email or word document with anyone you may feel God leading you to. Thank you for your time. Reply with any thoughts, comments, concerns, ideas. Grace and Peace
Andrew Lemon ajlemon123@gmail.com
215 301 2916 ajlemon.blogspot.com
What does God want to do, what our our motives of us or from God?
-We need to honestly examine our motives
-is this a God idea or is it from our own nature?
-some ideas may be very good, but if they are not of God and God is not behind them they will ultimately fail
-don’t just think that jus b/c it is ministry related and church related that it is necessarly from God, it may not be. So recognize if this is a God idea or not
-how to determine, pray, what our your passions?
-why do u want to do this? Just something to do or to know Jesus more and share him with others?
Who will do it with me?
-donzel, grantley, kyleigh,
-brent? Phil Malone? Marynissi? Chris D?
-to be sponsored by calvary or not??
-weigh pros and cons
-pros and cons of being sponsored >> support (financial, building space, base of people to start with) connections through AG
-pros and cons of not being sponsored >> no enigma of a church and presuppositions, no building to use at first, no connections or umbrella grouping for support through AG
Mission Statement and vision and goals
-hope for people who have given up on church or have negative presuppositions of church
-need to ReJesus and re-imagine church
-starty everything over upon basics of following Jesus
-use intentional language around Jesus
- focus on essential issues, not non-essential
- embody the kingdom of God here on earth
-Highly relation focused
-through small groups
- and ministry to unbelievers
- comteporary/ connects with culture
-open to outsiders, can talk about issues of Bible in language so non-church people can understand
- focused on social justice issues and the poor and disenfranchised
What it will look like
-weekly service >> Sunday afternoons?
- worship, short dialogue (not sermon), break into groups maybe to discuss or just discuss as whole group. – meet in round, not everyone facing stage, in round
-have people involved (priesthood of the believer), have many people involved, even unsaved people in worship, helping out with various things
-not focusing on just core leaders (which there will be) but getting everyone involved, taking ownership
-add weekly small groups in peoples houses as well, as we progress
-have monthly meetings in public settings so unbelievers feel at home and open to ask questions on their on ground
Ex) spiritual shots http://www.spiritualshots.com/
- meeting in a coffee shop, bookstore, bar whatever venue may be and let play some music, have food, and then let outsiders ask spiritual questions and attempt to answer them
-goal to build relationships with those outside the church and talk about spiritual issues, on their terms not ours
-week or bi-weekly ministry to homeless
- make sandwiches and food and go and just hang out with homeless people w/ no agenda of trying to intentionally witness but just hang out with them and share lives together b/c that is what ministry is
Please prayerfully consider the first part of this and if God is behind this. If He is not I don’t want to do it, and I myself am prayerfully considering it. This must be our first and foremost thing to do. Secondly if you feel God is leading you to do this, who else do you think could assist us with this. They don’t have to be people that you would normally think of that would be helping in a church. IF you know someone that can play and instrument that may be neceassarily be a christian, that’s ok. If someone is good with media and all and not a christian that’s ok. But also we do not people who care about truly following Jesus and helping others know Him. People who are good with people and relationships. And also share your heart and God’s heart for this plan with people who might want to attend Christian and nonchristian. But don’t forget people who may have grown up in church or youth group, but now are not wanting anything to do with God. We want to break down peoples presuppositions about what church is about. I feel at least personally that is what our mission statement should be to reach people who have given up on church. Feel free to share this email or word document with anyone you may feel God leading you to. Thank you for your time. Reply with any thoughts, comments, concerns, ideas. Grace and Peace
Andrew Lemon ajlemon123@gmail.com
215 301 2916 ajlemon.blogspot.com
Monday, April 13, 2009
the message were presenting
So over the past weekend I went to my 7th PennDel youth convention in a row with my home church b/c they needed an extra chaperone. So this convention was a little better than the ones in the past. But still I question the way they do things with the Penndel youth, especially conventions.
But besides complaining about another convention I just wanted to write about a thought that sparked my imagination from convention. On the last night's service the speaker proceeded to tell a story about a kid who went to a secular universtiy and was taking a world religions class. And the professor kept saying how ridiculous Christianity is and how the Bible is a bunch of made up stories and all. And then the kid finally got up enough courage to stand up in class and ask the professor to stop talking about Christians and stated his beliefs. So then another kid stood up and said the same things, he was a Christian and all, and then another and another. And then some kid gets up and says he is not a Christian but would like to learn how to become one. The story is inspirational and all and everyone cheers at the end of the service. And everyone is encouraged to take a stand for their beleifs and all. And we need to reach people by taking a stand and all. While the story is inspirational and all. It just seems to me that we are always triumphing the ideas of telling other people of what we believe in standing up and stating our beliefs. But we never emphasize simply just living them out and acting upon them, following through on our beliefs. We emphasize telling other people that they are going to to hell, if they don't believe what we believe. We focus on taking a stand by just simply what we say and state. Taking a stand for Christ as we present to students is just simply telling other students that Jesus loves them and that we don't agree with what their doing and we won;t do it. We just encourage the attitude of presenting Christians as people who are better than other people, b/c they won't do certain things. But these ideas just encourage unbelievers to view Christians as judgmental and to be just moral people who think they are better than others.
But this is not at all what Jesus did, Jesus loved people through his actions and simply. Jesus gave ther sermon on the mount as an example of how the Kingdom of God is supposed to be lived out on earth. Blessing those who persecute us, praying for our neighboors, giving more to those who take from us. Being humble in spirit, being peacemakers, the beattitudes. Therse were all examples of how the kingdom of God was to be lived out. The Kingdom of God lived out is to be radically counter-cultural. Its not easy at all and we can't do it alone, we must realy on the spirit of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirt. But why don't we emphasize this the actual sayings of Jesus. Instead of encouraging kids to take a stand through simply stating their beliefs, while there is nothing wrong with it, it must be embodied it must be lived out in our lives. Most people in a world religions class aren't going to want to be a follower of Jesus simply becuase you stand up and say you believe in Jesus and all and how He has change your life. But if you demonstrated how He has changed your life, they might. Live and embody Christianity. In the words of St.Francis of Assisi said "preach often, when necessary use words." Love Jesus, Love people. Grace and Peace
Andrew Lemon
But besides complaining about another convention I just wanted to write about a thought that sparked my imagination from convention. On the last night's service the speaker proceeded to tell a story about a kid who went to a secular universtiy and was taking a world religions class. And the professor kept saying how ridiculous Christianity is and how the Bible is a bunch of made up stories and all. And then the kid finally got up enough courage to stand up in class and ask the professor to stop talking about Christians and stated his beliefs. So then another kid stood up and said the same things, he was a Christian and all, and then another and another. And then some kid gets up and says he is not a Christian but would like to learn how to become one. The story is inspirational and all and everyone cheers at the end of the service. And everyone is encouraged to take a stand for their beleifs and all. And we need to reach people by taking a stand and all. While the story is inspirational and all. It just seems to me that we are always triumphing the ideas of telling other people of what we believe in standing up and stating our beliefs. But we never emphasize simply just living them out and acting upon them, following through on our beliefs. We emphasize telling other people that they are going to to hell, if they don't believe what we believe. We focus on taking a stand by just simply what we say and state. Taking a stand for Christ as we present to students is just simply telling other students that Jesus loves them and that we don't agree with what their doing and we won;t do it. We just encourage the attitude of presenting Christians as people who are better than other people, b/c they won't do certain things. But these ideas just encourage unbelievers to view Christians as judgmental and to be just moral people who think they are better than others.
But this is not at all what Jesus did, Jesus loved people through his actions and simply. Jesus gave ther sermon on the mount as an example of how the Kingdom of God is supposed to be lived out on earth. Blessing those who persecute us, praying for our neighboors, giving more to those who take from us. Being humble in spirit, being peacemakers, the beattitudes. Therse were all examples of how the kingdom of God was to be lived out. The Kingdom of God lived out is to be radically counter-cultural. Its not easy at all and we can't do it alone, we must realy on the spirit of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirt. But why don't we emphasize this the actual sayings of Jesus. Instead of encouraging kids to take a stand through simply stating their beliefs, while there is nothing wrong with it, it must be embodied it must be lived out in our lives. Most people in a world religions class aren't going to want to be a follower of Jesus simply becuase you stand up and say you believe in Jesus and all and how He has change your life. But if you demonstrated how He has changed your life, they might. Live and embody Christianity. In the words of St.Francis of Assisi said "preach often, when necessary use words." Love Jesus, Love people. Grace and Peace
Andrew Lemon
Sunday, April 5, 2009
ramblings of an almost Bible college graduate who wants to plant a church in philly
So I want to plant a church in Philadelphia. I have thought over many different models of how church is done, who to reach people who don't like church and have been very critical of other methods that seem to me ineffective. Well I have been coming to notice that there are a lot of different ways and methods to reach people. The key is having them centered around Jesus, without Jesus being the center and focus all methods of doing church are useless and ponitless, even my ideas which I often think are best.
But recently I have been noticing I am so focused on the ideas of how to follow Jesus and they plans to show other people how to follow Jesus, I often forget to follow Him and really listen to Him. I was just reading this book Victorious Christian Service by Redpath about Nehemiah. And I was talking about how we often need to weep over the city and the ruins before we can do anything. We need to have a heart for the city and the ruins that is in and the people who live there. And I have been noticing that I need to take the time to rely upon God and take time in prayer to ask God what He would have me to do, what I can do for Him. How often I want to go ahead and do things for God, but without first taking the time in prayer to see what God really wants me to do. We have no reliance upon God. We need to recognize that "unless God builds the house, the laborers build in vain." God needs to establish His plans through us. Too often we seek to do something for God and then ask Him to bless it.
I have plans and ideas of how I can change Philadelphia through the message of Jesus. But the problem is I am relying too much upon myself. God break me and my heart, so that I may rely fully upon you.
But recently I have been noticing I am so focused on the ideas of how to follow Jesus and they plans to show other people how to follow Jesus, I often forget to follow Him and really listen to Him. I was just reading this book Victorious Christian Service by Redpath about Nehemiah. And I was talking about how we often need to weep over the city and the ruins before we can do anything. We need to have a heart for the city and the ruins that is in and the people who live there. And I have been noticing that I need to take the time to rely upon God and take time in prayer to ask God what He would have me to do, what I can do for Him. How often I want to go ahead and do things for God, but without first taking the time in prayer to see what God really wants me to do. We have no reliance upon God. We need to recognize that "unless God builds the house, the laborers build in vain." God needs to establish His plans through us. Too often we seek to do something for God and then ask Him to bless it.
I have plans and ideas of how I can change Philadelphia through the message of Jesus. But the problem is I am relying too much upon myself. God break me and my heart, so that I may rely fully upon you.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
frustrations of an almost graduate of a Bible college
So originally this blog was for a class I was in at Valley Forge Christian College. We were supposed to blog about the people who came and spoke in classes and all and our thoughts about them and the ministries that they are doing. So thats kinda cool if you wanna check that out.
But now I have decided to start using this blog again to put down my thoughts and ideas that I feel about life and ministry and Jesus and all. Nothing mind-blowing just thoughts as I process life.
Today I was jus thinking about how I am so worried about graduation and starting in ministry and what is the right fit for me and all. And what I will be doing with my life and all. But I have been realizing lately life is just meant to be lived. We focus so much on "getting our lives together and figured" whatever that means. Especially when graduating from a Bible college. But life isn't so cookie cutter. We focus so much on the titles of what your job will be, if your married, if you have money, what your major was, what your job is. We let this determine who we are and we focus on trying to figure these things out. But I feel more and more lately life is just meant to be lived. To rely on Jesus and just do things that He has asked us to do, like the sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount was supposed to be theorized about and thought about 2,000 years later. I was meant to be lived out. We focus so much on figuring life out before we live it. I think sometimes we just need to live it. Just love Jesus and love people.
Lord, let my goal in life be to know you and to make you known to people. Whatever it looks like, help me to live out and embody the Kingdom of God on earth. Let me truly represent you through my life.
Signed, a confused, frustrated about to be college graduate of a Bible college, who is feeling the pressures of having to have my life all figured in the next 5 weeks of school.
But now I have decided to start using this blog again to put down my thoughts and ideas that I feel about life and ministry and Jesus and all. Nothing mind-blowing just thoughts as I process life.
Today I was jus thinking about how I am so worried about graduation and starting in ministry and what is the right fit for me and all. And what I will be doing with my life and all. But I have been realizing lately life is just meant to be lived. We focus so much on "getting our lives together and figured" whatever that means. Especially when graduating from a Bible college. But life isn't so cookie cutter. We focus so much on the titles of what your job will be, if your married, if you have money, what your major was, what your job is. We let this determine who we are and we focus on trying to figure these things out. But I feel more and more lately life is just meant to be lived. To rely on Jesus and just do things that He has asked us to do, like the sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount was supposed to be theorized about and thought about 2,000 years later. I was meant to be lived out. We focus so much on figuring life out before we live it. I think sometimes we just need to live it. Just love Jesus and love people.
Lord, let my goal in life be to know you and to make you known to people. Whatever it looks like, help me to live out and embody the Kingdom of God on earth. Let me truly represent you through my life.
Signed, a confused, frustrated about to be college graduate of a Bible college, who is feeling the pressures of having to have my life all figured in the next 5 weeks of school.
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