Netcast Tithing Position
"Every good and perfect gift is from above" James 1:17
All that we have belongs to God.We believe that nothing is our own. We are not owners, rather, we are investors. God has charged us to invest His resources while we are here on earth. This is a tremendous responsibility and opportunity!
"Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required" Luke 12:48
It is from this perspective that we approach the Biblical principal of tithing.
The "tithe' is a standard set by God in the Old Testament which was also affirmed by Jesus in the New Testament. The word “tithe” literally means "tenth", and it called the nation of Israel to honor God by giving the first 10% of their income back to God.
The Old Testament encourages us to be givers of our "first fruits" (Proverbs 3:9-10). This reference is made in the context of farmers who brought an offering of their first harvest. The intention was to bring the absolute best of the best before God. Today it is still a powerful acknowledgement that God is the ultimate Provider in every area of our lives.
Jesus affirms the tithe...Matthew 23:23
Jesus always raised the bar when referring to the Old Testament law. He didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it with a more complete perspective (Matthew 5:17).
Concerning 10%
At Netcast, we believe that the tithe is only a starting point for Christians. The 10% figure is a tool to help us become expert investors of God's resources. It's not an end goal. It's a spotlight that reveals where we are hoarding resources or have become undisciplined financially. It’s a number that confronts our attitude towards investing God’s resources. However, 10% is not an end goal. New Testament Christians gave lavishly, often selling entire houses and land in order support the work of the Kingdom in their city and beyond (Acts 4:36ff)
Jesus downplays exact figures (amounts)
While observing people give in the temple, Jesus commented that the poor widow who gave a single penny actually gave more than all of the other wealthy people combined! Jesus downplays an exact figure of giving, while focusing on the attitude and faith of the giver. (Mark 12:41ff)
Lest we think that Jesus lowered the standard of giving in this passage, we must remember that the widow was commended because she gave all that she had to live on, despite her poverty. If anything, this challenges us to be more lavish investors with God’s resources. A figure like 10% helps us take stock of where we invest God's resources. Ultimately, it gives us the ability to see what our heart desires, "where your treasure is, there you heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21).
Goal of Netcast Church
Our position on giving is best summed up by the apostle Paul "... as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in (love) — see that you excel in this act of grace (giving) also. (2 Corinthians 8:7 ESV) If we truly love Jesus with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, we will make a way to invest joyfully, sacrificially and regularly in His church and those in need around us.
Investing in Christ's church and others is one way of "bringing glory to Jesus by cultivating gospel-centered worshipful communities."
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Netcast Halloween Trick or Treating
As we continue to build community among the people who God has sent our way, we would love to invite you out to Trick or Treat with us. We'll all meet at 15 1/2 Pierce Ave and head out together. It will be a fun time to just hang and connect with eachother. You can dress up or be cooler than the rest of us and dress normal. Feel free to bring anyone who'd you like to bring with you. Can't wait.
Netcast Halloween Trick or Treating
October 31st 2010 @ 5:30pm
15 1/2 Pierce Ave. Beverly, MA
Netcast Halloween Trick or Treating
October 31st 2010 @ 5:30pm
15 1/2 Pierce Ave. Beverly, MA
Divine Order: Christ has gone ahead of us.
Hello Everyone from Greater Boston.
We have arrived safe and sound. There is so much to tell and just by writing this to you, it is not enough to get across the excitement and joy that we have already. In Matthew 26 Jesus says this; "But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you" and we have seen the evidence of this grace since the minute we got here.
Before we were even able to begin unloading the truck we had a divine appointment with a man at Panera Bread. This man began telling us how he and his wife just lost their son who was only 6 weeks old. We had a opportunity to pray with him in Panera Bread. Then the next day I was emailed by someone who has been following me on Facebook and Twitter. He said that he was assigned the Christmas Issue for the North Shore Magazine and wanted to do a piece on us and Netcast Church. He said that he doesn't understand why someone would pack up their family and move to the most liberal and pagan area of the United States to start a christian church. Christ has gone ahead of us.
Last week we went to eat breakfast at a local spot and Beth started talking to the lady sitting at the table next to us. Turns out that her little daughter and Abby have the same Kindergarten teacher and she wants to get the kids together for play-dates. She is a single mother who just moved from LA with her 2 adopted children. Beth and her exchanged email addresses. Christ has gone ahead of us.
Pertaining to our housing. Last month was probably the hardest month that we've had since starting to plan for the church plant. We couldn't find a spot to live that was suitable to our family and in the area we felt that God wanted us to plant Netcast. Literally, the only spot available was a disgusting 4 bedroom apartment in which was so nasty, that one of the contractors recently told us that he would frequently have to take breaks from cleaning the house out because the maggots were making him nauseous. Not to mention that the asking price was way out of our price range. It didn't seem like much of an option as we walked through the house as Beth cried just thinking of having to raise the kids there.
If you read Nehemiah 1 and 2 you will see how God puts it on the Kings heart to help Nehemiah in rebuilding the walls of Jeresulem. The King sent workers and funded the whole mission as well as leaving Nehemiah in charge of managing the project. It seems something similar is going on here with our landlord. He has spent about $50,000 in remodeling the new unit. On top of that, Beth was able to pick out the flooring, all appliances, all paint, etc. Since he lives in LA, he has put me in charge of working with the General Contractor and managing the project. Plus, we are getting the unit for significantly less per month and it includes all utilities, cable and internet; which is an absolute steal here. Then on Friday, we were eating Chinese food and had our landlord over and he said "I dont know why, but I am happy to do all of this work for you because I feel like you are family." Christ has gone ahead of us.
On Saturday, we went to the YMCA to get a tour and talk about getting our family signed up. The woman giving us the tour asked why we just moved so I was able to explain it to her. She asked where our church was going to meet when we begin to gather. She was very excited about the idea of us meeting at the downtown Beverly YMCA which is a prime location. She said she would be very negotiable on any pricing. We are scheduled to meet with her on Wednesday morning to take a tour of the building. Christ has gone ahead of us.
Keep up to date with us. We love you and are so thankful for your faithfulness in following along with Netcast Church.
We have arrived safe and sound. There is so much to tell and just by writing this to you, it is not enough to get across the excitement and joy that we have already. In Matthew 26 Jesus says this; "But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you" and we have seen the evidence of this grace since the minute we got here.
Before we were even able to begin unloading the truck we had a divine appointment with a man at Panera Bread. This man began telling us how he and his wife just lost their son who was only 6 weeks old. We had a opportunity to pray with him in Panera Bread. Then the next day I was emailed by someone who has been following me on Facebook and Twitter. He said that he was assigned the Christmas Issue for the North Shore Magazine and wanted to do a piece on us and Netcast Church. He said that he doesn't understand why someone would pack up their family and move to the most liberal and pagan area of the United States to start a christian church. Christ has gone ahead of us.
Last week we went to eat breakfast at a local spot and Beth started talking to the lady sitting at the table next to us. Turns out that her little daughter and Abby have the same Kindergarten teacher and she wants to get the kids together for play-dates. She is a single mother who just moved from LA with her 2 adopted children. Beth and her exchanged email addresses. Christ has gone ahead of us.
Pertaining to our housing. Last month was probably the hardest month that we've had since starting to plan for the church plant. We couldn't find a spot to live that was suitable to our family and in the area we felt that God wanted us to plant Netcast. Literally, the only spot available was a disgusting 4 bedroom apartment in which was so nasty, that one of the contractors recently told us that he would frequently have to take breaks from cleaning the house out because the maggots were making him nauseous. Not to mention that the asking price was way out of our price range. It didn't seem like much of an option as we walked through the house as Beth cried just thinking of having to raise the kids there.
If you read Nehemiah 1 and 2 you will see how God puts it on the Kings heart to help Nehemiah in rebuilding the walls of Jeresulem. The King sent workers and funded the whole mission as well as leaving Nehemiah in charge of managing the project. It seems something similar is going on here with our landlord. He has spent about $50,000 in remodeling the new unit. On top of that, Beth was able to pick out the flooring, all appliances, all paint, etc. Since he lives in LA, he has put me in charge of working with the General Contractor and managing the project. Plus, we are getting the unit for significantly less per month and it includes all utilities, cable and internet; which is an absolute steal here. Then on Friday, we were eating Chinese food and had our landlord over and he said "I dont know why, but I am happy to do all of this work for you because I feel like you are family." Christ has gone ahead of us.
On Saturday, we went to the YMCA to get a tour and talk about getting our family signed up. The woman giving us the tour asked why we just moved so I was able to explain it to her. She asked where our church was going to meet when we begin to gather. She was very excited about the idea of us meeting at the downtown Beverly YMCA which is a prime location. She said she would be very negotiable on any pricing. We are scheduled to meet with her on Wednesday morning to take a tour of the building. Christ has gone ahead of us.
Keep up to date with us. We love you and are so thankful for your faithfulness in following along with Netcast Church.
Thank You Netcast Partners
I just wanted to drop you a note and say Thank You for helping us move forward.
This past year has been an incredible journey for Beth and I. We have finished up our internship at 1.21 Church in Winston Salem and are in the process of moving to North Shore Boston to plant Netcast Church. Of all that we learned and been through this year, none of it would have been possible without you. You believed enough in what Christ was doing in us and financially supported us in a generous way so that we would be most prepared for this challenge. Thank you for that.
As we move forward to the future I am sure that there will be more needs. Currently, for the next year, we already have over 50% of our budget committed by some of our financial partners, so we are off to a great start. Right now, I am not asking for anything specific until we actually move and have more of an idea what our needs are. Most church plants take 2-3 years before they are able to support themselves without any outside income.
Thank you for all that you have sacrificed to help us. I will share with you a great section of scripture that Paul wrote to those who financially supported him.
Philippians 4:18-19 "I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
Thank you for being a partner with us in this journey. You may not feel as much of a part of our progress as you are, but let me assure you that without you, none of this would be possible. We love you dearly.
Matt and Beth
This past year has been an incredible journey for Beth and I. We have finished up our internship at 1.21 Church in Winston Salem and are in the process of moving to North Shore Boston to plant Netcast Church. Of all that we learned and been through this year, none of it would have been possible without you. You believed enough in what Christ was doing in us and financially supported us in a generous way so that we would be most prepared for this challenge. Thank you for that.
As we move forward to the future I am sure that there will be more needs. Currently, for the next year, we already have over 50% of our budget committed by some of our financial partners, so we are off to a great start. Right now, I am not asking for anything specific until we actually move and have more of an idea what our needs are. Most church plants take 2-3 years before they are able to support themselves without any outside income.
Thank you for all that you have sacrificed to help us. I will share with you a great section of scripture that Paul wrote to those who financially supported him.
Philippians 4:18-19 "I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
Thank you for being a partner with us in this journey. You may not feel as much of a part of our progress as you are, but let me assure you that without you, none of this would be possible. We love you dearly.
Matt and Beth
Final Update from Greensboro, NC
Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to give an update to everyone on what the latest news is with Netcast Church. This is probably the last email that I will be sending out from Greensboro, as we are all set to move in the beginning of August. The past month we have seen some unbelievable things pertaining to the church plant. We have had an amazing family commit to fund 1/2 of our 1st years budget and we have found a home on the North Shore of Boston. Beth and I spent a week in Boston last month, preaching and finishing up the assessment with the North American Mission Board.
In all, Beth and I are doing well emotionally. We are excited to get moved and settled in. Beth is excited to get the kids all set up for school as this is Abby's first year in public school and Daniel will be in 1st grade.
Please keep us in yoru prayers as we give our lives to spreading the wonderful news of Christ to the Greater Boston area. I would recommend that you check out www.netcastchurch.org/#/video-and-media where we have 9 video's in which we answer some of the main questions that Bostonians are asking us. The questions were polled from non-church people on the North Shore. Enjoy.
To Christ be all credit and glory.
Matt
-------------------------
Matt Chewning
Lead Pastor of Netcast Church
www.netcastchurch.org matt@netcastchurch.org
336-362-5662
Just wanted to give an update to everyone on what the latest news is with Netcast Church. This is probably the last email that I will be sending out from Greensboro, as we are all set to move in the beginning of August. The past month we have seen some unbelievable things pertaining to the church plant. We have had an amazing family commit to fund 1/2 of our 1st years budget and we have found a home on the North Shore of Boston. Beth and I spent a week in Boston last month, preaching and finishing up the assessment with the North American Mission Board.
In all, Beth and I are doing well emotionally. We are excited to get moved and settled in. Beth is excited to get the kids all set up for school as this is Abby's first year in public school and Daniel will be in 1st grade.
Please keep us in yoru prayers as we give our lives to spreading the wonderful news of Christ to the Greater Boston area. I would recommend that you check out www.netcastchurch.org/#/video-and-media where we have 9 video's in which we answer some of the main questions that Bostonians are asking us. The questions were polled from non-church people on the North Shore. Enjoy.
To Christ be all credit and glory.
Matt
-------------------------
Matt Chewning
Lead Pastor of Netcast Church
www.netcastchurch.org matt@netcastchurch.org
336-362-5662
Newest Netcast News!!
Here we are at the beginning of 2010 and we have been 100% donation supported since the end of August 09'. I still remember the day that God clearly spoke to us about leaving my job and trusting that he would provide. We were terrified to say the least! However, here's the deal; our family still has health-care, our kids haven't missed a meal yet, and although we're tighter than ever, Christ has shown us favor and grace.
This past year we have gained some incredible new friends who are passionate about seeing our family love Jesus more and do community better. By our generous partners giving to the church plant, it has allowed me to intern with 1.21 Church and be in a much stronger position to plant in Greater Boston aka "The preachers graveyard".
The newest development in our efforts to move and plant is that we will be putting our home up for sale the second week of January. The average home in Guilford county takes 5 1/2 - 6 months to sell. The selling of our home will determine a lot. We believe that if we are to be in Boston sooner than June, than our home will sell and things will move along faster than originally anticipated. We are currently working through our 2010 budget and praying that Christ will lead people to support us monthly after we move. 2010 is set out to be both one of the most exciting and terrifying years in the life of me and my family. We plan to move a family of 6 to an area of the country that historically has not be successful in the world of church planting. We are leaving just about every bit of security this world has to offer. What a way to start out a new decade. Christ, be with us.
The newest development in our efforts to move and plant is that we will be putting our home up for sale the second week of January. The average home in Guilford county takes 5 1/2 - 6 months to sell. The selling of our home will determine a lot. We believe that if we are to be in Boston sooner than June, than our home will sell and things will move along faster than originally anticipated. We are currently working through our 2010 budget and praying that Christ will lead people to support us monthly after we move. 2010 is set out to be both one of the most exciting and terrifying years in the life of me and my family. We plan to move a family of 6 to an area of the country that historically has not be successful in the world of church planting. We are leaving just about every bit of security this world has to offer. What a way to start out a new decade. Christ, be with us.
Please pray for our finances, family, and the souls of those who we will interact with as we move. Most importantly I pray that we will define our success not by people and money, but by obedience to Christ who is is calling and leading us. Let the results be of Christ. Thank you dearly for being a part of our lives.
****Important Note**** Netcast Church has officially become a legal non-profit entity. We now have our own EIN and Bank Account. All checks need to be made out to "Netcast Church" and sent to 4604 Ridegfall Rd, Greensboro, NC 27410 or to the PO Box below.
Romans 15:20,
Matt and Beth
This Easter 2009
Happy Easter everyone.About 9 years ago, Easter would have had no meaning to me at all. It was just another day for me to have a off of school or work and maybe get a little candy in a basket. Today, Easter has become one of the most important holidays to me. Everything a Christian believes, hinges on what happened on the day of Easter. Easter is the day that Jesus rose from the dead. Without that day, there would be no Christianity. Personally, my experience with Jesus begun in 2000. It was totally unexpected and very different. I was with a friend and through a series of circumstances, asked Christ into my life. That was the beginning of a brand new life for me.
Over the years I have learned so much about my faith and belief in God. Most importantly, I have learned of the freedom that comes in Christ. Christianity is quite simple and for too long our culture has turned it into a moralistic, dogmatic, fundamental (with no fun) religion, that lacks life, depth, and real love. Christianity is so much more than that. Instead it is a risky, rebellious, love affair with Christ, that propels you to do things that in your right mind you would never do (Such as share your faith or write a company wide e-mail; haha). I am by no means perfect or even a great person, but instead, I am doing all I know to pursue Christ with all my being.
This Easter, I challenge everyone, myself included, to not just let this holiday pass us by as a day off or a family event with a bunny (which the Chewning kids will definitely do), but take a moment to remember what we are celebrating. God came to earth to live perfectly, die horrifically, and rise gloriously, so that we may know him deeply. We all have different views on what the bible is. Some say it is a story, some say it is a book written by man about God, others say it is God's specific word given to us so that we may know him. Nonetheless, we cannot deny that it has been the most influential writings in all the history of mankind. Nothing has more effected our society than the bible.
My favorite part in all of the bible is Colossians 1:13-23 which says:
God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves (Christ), in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.
Anyway, regardless of what you may or may not believe, I want you to know that I love all of you. I consider all of you very close friends to me, and you've all played a part in who I am today; both personally and professionally. For that, I thank all of you. If you don't have a church that you'll be attending on Sunday, you're all invited to come with me. We go to a great, fun church full of a young crowd. Its up-beat, exciting and real. I'd love for you to join me. Go to http://www.daystarcf.org/ for details and directions. Either way, have a blessed Easter Holiday.
A Dialog between a "Consumer Focused" Pastor vs "Christ Centered" Pastor
This is a real conversation that is taking place between a pastor who is focused on growing his church and a pastor who is focused on trying to teach his church to be more like Jesus.Jesus Focused pastor (aka Chris) wrote:
Dear Pastor Connor, (Consumer Focused),
I wanted to take a minute out of my day and congratulate you on all of the growth that you are seeing at your church. I drove by your facility yesterday and I saw all of the construction that was taking place; it looks amazing. The word around town is that God is really doing something in your church. I hear that you are seeing more and more people every Sunday attend. That's awesome. You have only been established for 3 years and already have probably 10 times the amount of attendees that we have on a given Sunday and your charasima, so I hear, is extremely motivating. My daughter went to visit your church while visiting from college and said that your Worship was out of this world. Everything was perfectly put together and the sound was awesome, she said.
I just wanted to hear from you, how you are seeing all of your success. I am an older guy who has been in ministry for 20 years and have never seen the success that you are seeing. Whats your secret? How are you drawing so many people? How are you leading such a monster?
Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you.
Bless you in Christ,
Pastor Chris, (Christ Centered)
To see the remainder of the conversation, look under the comments section.
Facts about BOSTON !!
The Greater Boston Area
1. 4th most densely populated city in the country
2. Public school system is the oldest in the country
3. 22nd most populated city in country in 2008
4. 20% of Boston City population live below poverty level
5. 5th best city for young business professionals
6. Over 100 college’s / universities and 300,000 students
7. Irish Americans are a major influence on Boston's politics and religious institutions.
1. 4th most densely populated city in the country
2. Public school system is the oldest in the country
3. 22nd most populated city in country in 2008
4. 20% of Boston City population live below poverty level
5. 5th best city for young business professionals
6. Over 100 college’s / universities and 300,000 students
7. Irish Americans are a major influence on Boston's politics and religious institutions.
Of the 4 regions of the United States; someone in the Northeast (Greater Boston area) is the least likely to do the following: (Barna Group)
· Pray
· Read the Bible
· Attend a Small Group
· Volunteer at a Church
· Claim to be Born Again
· Pray
· Read the Bible
· Attend a Small Group
· Volunteer at a Church
· Claim to be Born Again
Calling all potential team member (Please Read)
I wanted to write a quick blog to anyone who may read this and considers themselves someone who may be interested in being a part of our church plant in Greater Boston. You can be a part in 3 ways that I will list below.
1. Core Team Member
2. Prayer Support
3. Financial Support
As we get closer to the move to Boston I would like to gather those who may fall into 1 of those 3 categories so I can keep you personally updated on our direction as a church plant. I will rely on this group for feedback of things like Logo, Website, Time frame, Planning, Direction, and anything else that will help in our efforts to move forward. Also, I will write monthly e-mail updates on the latest of God's work in our Church Plant. There is already a lot to tell, but the Blog is not the right setting.
If you feel like you would like to be a part of this group, please e-mail me your personal e-mail address at mwchewning@yahoo.com, hit me up at Facebook, or just leave a comment on the blog.
1. Core Team Member
2. Prayer Support
3. Financial Support
As we get closer to the move to Boston I would like to gather those who may fall into 1 of those 3 categories so I can keep you personally updated on our direction as a church plant. I will rely on this group for feedback of things like Logo, Website, Time frame, Planning, Direction, and anything else that will help in our efforts to move forward. Also, I will write monthly e-mail updates on the latest of God's work in our Church Plant. There is already a lot to tell, but the Blog is not the right setting.
If you feel like you would like to be a part of this group, please e-mail me your personal e-mail address at mwchewning@yahoo.com, hit me up at Facebook, or just leave a comment on the blog.
I look forward to working together to do massive things in Boston and impacting the world with the power of teh gospel of Jesus.
Factors For A Successful Race
Several common ingredients can be found in the lives of godly, effective leaders. Here are a few.
1. Learning Attitude. Effective leaders are coachable. It is hard to imagine that we have it all figured out. I was just having a conversation with my brother who is looking to land a new job. He just received an offer letter from a company with a contract and I asked him to review it. His initial reaction was that I didn't feel he was smart enough to make a decision on his own. However, that was not the case at all. Instead I wanted to help put him in the best possible position to make the best possible decision. The same is true in our ministry. I think it is important to always have an attitude of humility and coachability. As believers, we should lean on each other to put ourselves in the best possible position to be used for the Glory of Christ.
The most successful Christian leaders continue to grow, right to the very end of their lives. Hebrews writes, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (13:7,8) The growing leader will carefully observe how other spiritual leaders have overcome and will then equip himself to run in a similar fashion. I do things like this by studying Biblical leaders, by reading biographies (John Edwards, Calvin, Lewis, Spurgeoun, have been some of my favorites and articles on these guys can be found at desiringgod.com) or by drawing near to godly leaders around me. Utilize the Godly people that God has surrounded you with, he hasn't put them there by mistake.
2. Spiritual Renewal. Jesus modeled the importance of pulling away from ministry activity in order to seek fresh intimacy and direction from the Father. In order to finish well, leaders need repeated times of inner renewal. The alternative is a drift toward complacency and a plateauing of growth. I love to go to things like Catalyst Conference, where thousands of church leaders get together to renew their mind on culture, leadership and ministry. For the past 3 years God has used that conference to fuel my soul and stir my affections for Christ. I also love to get away from work, family, and friends to just get alone with the Father. While in NJ for my grandfathers funeral, I spent hours in airports, in hotels, etc just alone with Jesus. He used those times to grow my faith, encourage my heart and increase my passion.
3. Disciplines. Leaders who finish well have learned the value of the spiritual disciplines. The basic disciplines involving the devotional life and the study of the Bible, along with such practices as solitude and fasting can deeply shape character and increase the probability of a good finish. After he had been in ministry for about 21 years, Paul wrote, "I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Cor. 9:27) Some 15 years later, when he was probably between 65 and 70, Paul shared time-tested advice with Pastor Timothy, "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." Lifelong spiritual training made it possible for Paul to finish strongly.
Lets be honest, discipline at times totally sucks. However, if as leaders we will not discipline ourselves for Godliness, than we have no business leading. We NEED to be in his word, Everyday! We should desire his word more than our food. We need to be feeding ourselves. I hear Christians all over say that their not being fed; that is a maturity issue. Babies can cry because they are not being fed; however, adults need to get up and go make food. Feed Yourself. Their are a ton of ways to do this. Podcasts, Worship Music, Bible Study, Books, Bible on audio, etc. Discipline yourself and make this a priority.
4. Accountability. The issue of accountability is critically important anywhere you go, and probably what I am most passionate about. No one can survive all by himself. We need one another. If I'm going to overcome moral problems, there has to be a group of people that I confide in. A group that I can be open with. We all face our own struggles, these struggles are overcome, not only because we read our Bibles and talk to God, but also because we talk to other Christians about our problems. And we know that they will minister to us in these areas. A lone ranger is a dead ranger! You will die; scripture confirms that.
Here is the real freakin deal on accountability. You've got to want it. If you don't want it than it wont matter. As leaders, we should want to protect our freedom so bad that accountability is something that is natural. If you are a leader and do not have several people who you have confessed your struggles to and have given them an open line to say anything and everything that may concern them about you; than you have missed it. YOU WILL FAIL!!! Just two days ago, Beth called me and said, "We're not moving to Boston." I was like what? She said, "Yeah, you have no accountability out there." She is right, however here is the key. If I want accountability, it is not hard to find. However, if I am passive about this area, accountability will never find me. When I move, my #1 priority before anything is to grow an accountability group. That comes before a core launch team or anything else that comes with planting a church.
A top Zimbabwean church planter reflects, "When God called me to ministry, the first thing I needed was to surround myself with godly men. I gave them permission to counsel and rebuke me. These are my mentors. As busy as I am, I try to get time with these men to pray with them and share my problems and successes. They are the secret to my effectiveness. Wherever there is a successful man, there are good mentors behind him."
Research has revealed that most leaders who have finished well have had ten to 15 significant people who came alongside to help them at various stages in life. Dr. Richard Clinton advises, "Simply put, if you are serious about finishing well, you need to find mentors who can hold you accountable in every area of your life and ministry and who will help you avoid the pitfalls that will arise as you move through life. An effective mentor will ensure that you continue to grow and develop." (R. Clinton, p.24)
God's Desire
How do you want to finish your ministry?
1. Learning Attitude. Effective leaders are coachable. It is hard to imagine that we have it all figured out. I was just having a conversation with my brother who is looking to land a new job. He just received an offer letter from a company with a contract and I asked him to review it. His initial reaction was that I didn't feel he was smart enough to make a decision on his own. However, that was not the case at all. Instead I wanted to help put him in the best possible position to make the best possible decision. The same is true in our ministry. I think it is important to always have an attitude of humility and coachability. As believers, we should lean on each other to put ourselves in the best possible position to be used for the Glory of Christ.
The most successful Christian leaders continue to grow, right to the very end of their lives. Hebrews writes, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (13:7,8) The growing leader will carefully observe how other spiritual leaders have overcome and will then equip himself to run in a similar fashion. I do things like this by studying Biblical leaders, by reading biographies (John Edwards, Calvin, Lewis, Spurgeoun, have been some of my favorites and articles on these guys can be found at desiringgod.com) or by drawing near to godly leaders around me. Utilize the Godly people that God has surrounded you with, he hasn't put them there by mistake.
2. Spiritual Renewal. Jesus modeled the importance of pulling away from ministry activity in order to seek fresh intimacy and direction from the Father. In order to finish well, leaders need repeated times of inner renewal. The alternative is a drift toward complacency and a plateauing of growth. I love to go to things like Catalyst Conference, where thousands of church leaders get together to renew their mind on culture, leadership and ministry. For the past 3 years God has used that conference to fuel my soul and stir my affections for Christ. I also love to get away from work, family, and friends to just get alone with the Father. While in NJ for my grandfathers funeral, I spent hours in airports, in hotels, etc just alone with Jesus. He used those times to grow my faith, encourage my heart and increase my passion.
3. Disciplines. Leaders who finish well have learned the value of the spiritual disciplines. The basic disciplines involving the devotional life and the study of the Bible, along with such practices as solitude and fasting can deeply shape character and increase the probability of a good finish. After he had been in ministry for about 21 years, Paul wrote, "I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Cor. 9:27) Some 15 years later, when he was probably between 65 and 70, Paul shared time-tested advice with Pastor Timothy, "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." Lifelong spiritual training made it possible for Paul to finish strongly.
Lets be honest, discipline at times totally sucks. However, if as leaders we will not discipline ourselves for Godliness, than we have no business leading. We NEED to be in his word, Everyday! We should desire his word more than our food. We need to be feeding ourselves. I hear Christians all over say that their not being fed; that is a maturity issue. Babies can cry because they are not being fed; however, adults need to get up and go make food. Feed Yourself. Their are a ton of ways to do this. Podcasts, Worship Music, Bible Study, Books, Bible on audio, etc. Discipline yourself and make this a priority.
4. Accountability. The issue of accountability is critically important anywhere you go, and probably what I am most passionate about. No one can survive all by himself. We need one another. If I'm going to overcome moral problems, there has to be a group of people that I confide in. A group that I can be open with. We all face our own struggles, these struggles are overcome, not only because we read our Bibles and talk to God, but also because we talk to other Christians about our problems. And we know that they will minister to us in these areas. A lone ranger is a dead ranger! You will die; scripture confirms that.
Here is the real freakin deal on accountability. You've got to want it. If you don't want it than it wont matter. As leaders, we should want to protect our freedom so bad that accountability is something that is natural. If you are a leader and do not have several people who you have confessed your struggles to and have given them an open line to say anything and everything that may concern them about you; than you have missed it. YOU WILL FAIL!!! Just two days ago, Beth called me and said, "We're not moving to Boston." I was like what? She said, "Yeah, you have no accountability out there." She is right, however here is the key. If I want accountability, it is not hard to find. However, if I am passive about this area, accountability will never find me. When I move, my #1 priority before anything is to grow an accountability group. That comes before a core launch team or anything else that comes with planting a church.
A top Zimbabwean church planter reflects, "When God called me to ministry, the first thing I needed was to surround myself with godly men. I gave them permission to counsel and rebuke me. These are my mentors. As busy as I am, I try to get time with these men to pray with them and share my problems and successes. They are the secret to my effectiveness. Wherever there is a successful man, there are good mentors behind him."
Research has revealed that most leaders who have finished well have had ten to 15 significant people who came alongside to help them at various stages in life. Dr. Richard Clinton advises, "Simply put, if you are serious about finishing well, you need to find mentors who can hold you accountable in every area of your life and ministry and who will help you avoid the pitfalls that will arise as you move through life. An effective mentor will ensure that you continue to grow and develop." (R. Clinton, p.24)
God's Desire
How do you want to finish your ministry?
Are you encouraged by the trends in your life or are crucial changes needed?
What practices and safeguards are being built into your leadership now that will make for a good finish later?
Take heart! God wants you to finish well! He is earnestly committed to develop you toward maximum potential as a godly leader. And if you fully cooperate with His shaping wok, you will join those who run successfully to the finish. May Paul's passion as a leader burn within our hearts, "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."
Six Barriers to a Good Finish
1. The Misuse of Money Many leaders are careless in the handling of finances, both in their personal lives and ministry. Greed can sway sound judgment, leading to sin and eventual downfall. Too often God's resources have been diverted to personal use. Clothes donated to the poor have been taken by those handling them. Pastor's salaries have been supplemented from funds for evangelism. I really hope that God will protect me against this. In my career, I have had the ability to make above average money, and I do not want that to hinder what God wants to do through. It will be so easy to turn things that are wants and put them in the category of needs. I love this quote from Francis Chan; "We need to be less concerned with our standard of living and more concerned with other people actually living."
2. The Abuse of Power There is a tendency for leaders to wield power over followers beyond its intended use and to view special privileges as their personal right. Their leadership style is more reflective of a "chief" than a "shepherd." Rather than empowering followers for service, they lead for their own personal benefit. Usually these leaders have no accountability system. They stand at great risk. This is another area that can be any man/woman's downfall. Being only 25 and in leadership is very dangerous if I do not have the right people around me to lead and guide me through this.
3. Pride Success in ministry can pave the way for inappropriate pride to develop within a leader. Self-centeredness can set in, leading to poor decisions and ungodly behavior. We do well to heed James' counsel, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (Jas. 4:l0) Of everything on this list, I think that this is what I am most prone to. Since I got to college, I just about had success in every area of my life. Sports, Career, Ministry, Family, etc. This is dangerous because at times I consider my success "MY" success. I forget that without the grace of God, nothing is possible. he had gifted me in certain areas, but without his gifts and continued hand on me, I am nothing.
4. Sexual Misconduct Illicit sexual relationships have been a powerful tool in the enemy's hands against God's leaders. David's sin with Bathsheba has been repeated countless times in our generation, with no less devastating effects. Sexual sin has absolutely destroyed some of our best Christian men. Personally, I am not naive enough to think that I will not be tempted in this area. I tell Beth often, that the goal is not to "not Cheat"; that's a bad goal. "The goal is to never even allow myself to be in a possible position where being unfaithful is something that is a remote possibility." I refuse to allow my life and ministry to be destroyed because I cannot keep my pants on. Just shooting straight.
5. Family Issues Unresolved conflicts between husband and wife or between parents and children can have repercussions on leadership effectiveness. Leaders such as Eli and David, paid a dear price in leadership due to family problems. 1 Timothy 3 says that what qualifies me and you as a pastor is our homes. If I cannot lead my family, I cannot lead God's flock. If I cannot be a Godly Husband, how am I to lead the husbands? If I cannot be a Godly Dad, how am I to lead the Dads? If I can't make God saturated decisions in my home, how am I to do that in my church?
6. Complacency As a leader becomes complacent in ministry there is often a tendency to relax and rely on the successes of the past. I cannot lead people further than I have gone yourself. I cannot take people (spiritually) where I am not going. There is always work to be done; there is always a deeper measure of Jesus that we need to strive for.
It is important to note that each barrier is deeply rooted in character issues, rather than in lack of ministry skills. Personal integrity lies at the heart of the matter.
Tomorrow I will share what leads people a good finish.
How will you finish the race?
1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way to get the prize."Did you know that only 30% of leaders in the Bible finished well. This means that 70% fell short of God's plan for their lives. This fact should jolt any present day leader who desires to count for God. These leaders are categorized below according to how they finished their ministry.Ways They Finished
1. Running Leaders like Abraham, Joshua, Daniel, Paul and Peter enjoyed deepening intimacy with God throughout life. They never stopped learning and growing, even as mature leaders. They led with spiritual authority, for their followers recognized God's hand on their lives. Fully submitted to the Lord, they were developed toward full potential and used significantly to advance His purposes. They completed what God gave them to do.
2. Walking Other leaders were slowed down in their ministry because of sin. They fell short of what God intended for their lives. The ramifications of disobedience to God at some point in their leadership continued to plague them, even though they may have been walking with God at the end. Such persons may include David, Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah.
3. Limping These leaders finished the race in poor shape. They were on a decline in the latter phase of their ministry. This may have been reflected in their inner life with God or in their ministry effectiveness. Leaders in this category include Gideon, Eli and Solomon.
4. Disqualified Some leaders were taken out of the race prematurely. They were removed from leadership by assassination, killed in battle, denounced or overthrown. We are not referring here to an honorable end like that of Stephen. Rather, God removed leaders such as Samson, Absalom and Ahab because He was not pleased with them. It is a tragic thing when God regrets placing someone in leadership. The price is great: personal shame for the 1eaderd and damage to God's Kingdom.While the interpretation of the date may be open for debate, the overall conclusion is abundantly clear. Few leaders finish well!
Only one in three biblical leaders fully cooperated with God over the long haul and experienced the corresponding results in ministry. Do you think the ratio has improved over the past 2,000 years? A quick survey of scandals in involving Christian leaders today would indicate that the situation hasn't improved at all.
A recent study that I read has detailed analysis on the lives of over 1,200 contemporary and historical Christian leaders. When compared with the study of Biblical leaders, it is clear that there are certain barriers that commonly prevent leaders from finishing well. I will post them tomorrow.
Church Plant Info
Blog: ww.chewningjourney.blogspot.com
Mission Statement:
“Whatever it takes to see people transformed by Jesus and empowered to change their world.”
Acts 29 Network candidate
www.acts29network.com
Timeline:
Pre-Move: Build a team of at least 3 people/families that will move with us for the purpose of planting a church.
Move to Boston (North Shore): Summer 2009
6 Bi-weekly Interest Meetings: Winter 2009
3 Monthly Services: Spring 2010
Public Launch: September 2010
Facts about Greater Boston Area: Taken from Boston Area Connect website.
1. 4th most densely populated city in the country
2. Public school system is the oldest in the country
3. 22nd most populated city in country in 2007
4. 20% of Boston City population live below poverty level
5. Irish Americans are a major influence on Boston's politics and religious institutions and consequently on the rest of Massachusetts.
6. Forbes.com listed Boston as the #5 best city for young business professionals.
7. Colleges and Universities: Over 100 schools and 300,000 students.
www.acts29network.com
Timeline:
Pre-Move: Build a team of at least 3 people/families that will move with us for the purpose of planting a church.
Move to Boston (North Shore): Summer 2009
6 Bi-weekly Interest Meetings: Winter 2009
3 Monthly Services: Spring 2010
Public Launch: September 2010
Facts about Greater Boston Area: Taken from Boston Area Connect website.
1. 4th most densely populated city in the country
2. Public school system is the oldest in the country
3. 22nd most populated city in country in 2007
4. 20% of Boston City population live below poverty level
5. Irish Americans are a major influence on Boston's politics and religious institutions and consequently on the rest of Massachusetts.
6. Forbes.com listed Boston as the #5 best city for young business professionals.
7. Colleges and Universities: Over 100 schools and 300,000 students.
Take off the mask and "Do Work"
I got a chance to preach this past weekend and it was one of that hardest messages to get across. My text came out of James 5:13-16. James is probably one of my favorite books in the bible because he is an application guy. I think that too often we portray Christianity as a Faith thing and not a works thing. James says "I'll show you my faith by what I do." I love that.This text was so difficult because it deals with people's inner most secrets. It touches their darkest moments. Those things that you have done and will never tell anyone; the things that have been done to you that you are to ashamed to share. This text offers the way of healing from our darkest moments in life and promises a God transformation. However, it is on us to take the step. It is on us to do the hard work. God allows us to make a choice on whether or not we will be healed. Healing is not easy, usually it is the hardest thing we could ever do. Here's what the text says.
James 5:13-16
13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James is talking about being sick. As you can see in vs 15 he is not just speaking of just physical sickness; but physical, emotional, and most importantly spiritual sickness. You can see that when he says "If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." I think it is important that we all agree that we are sick, depraved, and broken from those moments that we weren't walking w/ God or when we experienced things in our life that deep down destroyed us. But here; it is so beautiful what James says. He offers the ingredient for healing. Nowhere else in scripture is such a clear ingredient of healing offered. Then he says it....."Confess it, tell someone, expose yourself, take off the mask"
My immediate reaction is no way, I'll confess to God, but definitely not to other people. But the text does not say to confess to God. Actually to confess to God is not really confession at all because it's not like God didn't already know.
Jesus says this, "he who the Son sets free is free". Paul says this, "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free" and James says this, "if you wanna be free, tell someone."
Pretty scary stuff.
Would you be willing to do this? Would you be willing to confess the things that are holding you back, the things that consume your thoughts when you are trying to worship, the things that you know you are not free from? Maybe its pornography, molestation, rape, hatred, pride, approval, drugs; whatever it is for you, will you expose it? Will you take the mask off and live in freedom?
"Confession enables healing and healing empowers freedom."
Lets get free!
Catholic Priest or Protestant Pastor
JESUS IS
MY HIGH PRIESTI had someone very dear to me ask the question "How can someone other than a Catholic Priest be the leader of a church?" I thought I would post my answer.
In the old testament a priest was needed to mediate between man and God. It was thought that man was sinful and therefore separated from God so people would take their best lamb and give it to the priest to be sacrificed. After traditional rituals the priest would sacrifice the animal as a representation of the appropriate consequence of sin against a Holy God was is death (eternal separation from God not immediate death). Therefore through the sacrifice of a perfect animal, sin was erased, and man was considered righteous before God. However, that was before God came down to earth as Jesus. John 1:14 says this "The Word (God) became flesh (Jesus) and made his dwelling among us."
In the New Testament, Jesus came and was called the "Lamb of God." This title represents Jesus being the final sacrifice for sin and our high priest. Jesus lived a perfect life. He lived the life that we could not live, died the death that we should have died, and established a relationship with God that without him we would not have or deserve (aka Grace)
Hebrews 7 puts it like this "Such a high priest (Jesus) meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests (in the Old Testament), he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself (on the cross)."
A christian is someone who believes that their faith in Christ is what allows them to have eternal life and live life to the fullest on earth in relationship with God. John 3:16 says "God loved the world so much that he sent Jesus, and if you believe in him you will have eternal life" and John 10:10 says "Jesus has come that you may experience life to the fullest".
Now when someone accepts Jesus for who the bible declares he is, the Holy Spirit (3rd person of the trinity) comes to live in the believer; which means that God comes to live in us.
1 Corinthians 6:19 says that "Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in us because we are bought with a price. Everyone who has been purchased (redeemed) by the blood of Christ also has the Spirit of God dwelling in him."
So what does this have to do with a priest? This is what this means.....There is no longer a need for a priest. Jesus came to be our final sacrifice so that we do not need to go through another person (Priest) to connect with God. Instead through a relationship w/ Jesus who is always interceding for us (Hebrews 7) we can now go directly to God. So now, since you do not need a priest, the bible calls elders (aka pastors) to lead the church.
The qualifications of a pastor is found in 1 Timothy 3 in which I believe I am qualified. Here is what it says "Now the overseer (pastor, elder, church leader) must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap."
So that is the case for not having a need for a priest anymore. With that being says, most catholics don't look to the bible as the reasoning of their beliefs instead they look to traditions. So eventually what you end up with is a faith or works argument.
Here's what I mean. Is someone justified by their good works or faith in Jesus? In other words; to know God (or have a relationship with him) do you need to go to church, have a priest talk to God for you, be nice to people, take the sacraments (wine and bread at church), be baptized, feed the poor, be nice to your momma, etc? The answer is that you dont need to do anything to know God except accept Jesus and have faith in him. However, if one knows Jesus and lives in relationship with him, the works will happen. A Christian who is intimate with Jesus will naturally Go to church (because they desire to worship God and learn about him), be nice to people (because the fruit of knowing Jesus is Love, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, and self control...Galatians 5); be baptized (because baptism is a public declaration of your allegiance to Jesus), read their bible (because it is the Word of God); be nice to their momma (no need to explain that one; I love your bones)the list can go on forever.
Anyway, I thought I would write this to you so you know why I believe what I believe pertaining to the priest thing. It is a pretty straight forward biblical argument and typically if a catholic believes the bible (which most do, but they just dont read it or know what it says) than they feel the same way. For example, my Grandma Alice believes everything that I wrote, however she is accustomed to catholic church because that is what she grew up in and the catholic traditions is how she connects with God on Sunday's. However if you talk to her, you can tell that she is a women who often connects with God throughout the week and she does not need a priest to connect with God or to go to confession, instead she can always go directly to God for anything.
Questions
Well I had a great conversation with my pastor yesterday about a bunch of stuff including the church plant. It was so good to talk to him about it some more. I am one who believes that God uses other people to talk to us and sometimes when you are speaking with people about God's direction, he will use that person to speak to you about something without the person even knowing it.
Yesterday was one of those days. Allen really encouraged me to continue to seek God's specific will within the details. A lot of what I am doing is blind faith. I believe that I have heard the voice of God for the major decisions but a lot of the small details are in the dark. For example, I have heard move to Boston, but where? I have heard plant a church, but when? I have heard build a team, but who? I have heard, go to school but when and where? Raise money, but how much? I do think there there is some value in Hebrews 11 "without faith, you cannot please God" however, I also believe that God loves to speak to his children. With that being said, Allen really encouraged me to seek God with some big questions and see if he will give me answers. On top of that, he asked me to make a list of questions that need answers and he will seek God for them with me.
I am reminded of Psalm 133:1 "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity." I thank God that he has given me great men of God who have been responsible for my life and my direction and on top of that, men who will work with me to seek the will of God for my family.
Here are my questions thus far:
1. When are we to move?
2. Where in Boston are we to move?
3. Am I moving with the 1st priority to plant or go to school?
4. Who should we ask to join us?
5. Who will mentor me through this process?
6. Is this God's calling for me?
7. Should I raise full support? Partial Support? No Support?
8. How long do we wait to launch once we move out there?
9. Am I qualified according to Paul's letters in 1 Timothy and Titus?
10. What part should Daystar play in sending me if I am to go?
Yesterday was one of those days. Allen really encouraged me to continue to seek God's specific will within the details. A lot of what I am doing is blind faith. I believe that I have heard the voice of God for the major decisions but a lot of the small details are in the dark. For example, I have heard move to Boston, but where? I have heard plant a church, but when? I have heard build a team, but who? I have heard, go to school but when and where? Raise money, but how much? I do think there there is some value in Hebrews 11 "without faith, you cannot please God" however, I also believe that God loves to speak to his children. With that being said, Allen really encouraged me to seek God with some big questions and see if he will give me answers. On top of that, he asked me to make a list of questions that need answers and he will seek God for them with me.
I am reminded of Psalm 133:1 "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity." I thank God that he has given me great men of God who have been responsible for my life and my direction and on top of that, men who will work with me to seek the will of God for my family.
Here are my questions thus far:
1. When are we to move?
2. Where in Boston are we to move?
3. Am I moving with the 1st priority to plant or go to school?
4. Who should we ask to join us?
5. Who will mentor me through this process?
6. Is this God's calling for me?
7. Should I raise full support? Partial Support? No Support?
8. How long do we wait to launch once we move out there?
9. Am I qualified according to Paul's letters in 1 Timothy and Titus?
10. What part should Daystar play in sending me if I am to go?
Mission Statment
I want to do three things here.
"We exist to do whatever it takes to see people who don't know God transformed by a relationship with Christ and empower those people to empty themselves into their community."
whatever it takes: We want to be a church that will do anything outside of sin and within the freedom of scripture to reach people. We feel that to many churches are stuck in their traditional ways, trying to please a congregation of people who already know God, at the neglect of reaching people who don't. (1 Corinthians 9:21-23)
to see people who don't know God, transformed by a relationship w/ Christ: Statistics tell us that there is an unbelievable percentage of people who believe in God; we are a highly spiritual generation. However, it also shows us that we are also a generation who is least likely to be at church on Sundays, read their bible, or live radical lives in following Christ. Here is why we believe this is. I believe that for to long the church has taught the wrong things and mis-represented Christianity. Christianity is not following all of the rules. We preach to many moral rules and moral messages that we have basically made church a rule following organization. "News Flash" nobody likes to follow rules. Instead, we will exist to teach people what it means to walk with God; what it means to know him, pray to him, live for him, hear him, worship him. By doing this, we will see people truly transformed by a relationship with Christ, not people who are trying to follow rules. The rules will eventually come, but only through the relationship. (1 Corinthians 5:17-18)
empower those people: (Acts 1:8)
We want to empower our people to do 3 things:
- 1. Release our mission statement.
- 2. Break it down
- 3. Get some feedback.
"We exist to do whatever it takes to see people who don't know God transformed by a relationship with Christ and empower those people to empty themselves into their community."
whatever it takes: We want to be a church that will do anything outside of sin and within the freedom of scripture to reach people. We feel that to many churches are stuck in their traditional ways, trying to please a congregation of people who already know God, at the neglect of reaching people who don't. (1 Corinthians 9:21-23)
to see people who don't know God, transformed by a relationship w/ Christ: Statistics tell us that there is an unbelievable percentage of people who believe in God; we are a highly spiritual generation. However, it also shows us that we are also a generation who is least likely to be at church on Sundays, read their bible, or live radical lives in following Christ. Here is why we believe this is. I believe that for to long the church has taught the wrong things and mis-represented Christianity. Christianity is not following all of the rules. We preach to many moral rules and moral messages that we have basically made church a rule following organization. "News Flash" nobody likes to follow rules. Instead, we will exist to teach people what it means to walk with God; what it means to know him, pray to him, live for him, hear him, worship him. By doing this, we will see people truly transformed by a relationship with Christ, not people who are trying to follow rules. The rules will eventually come, but only through the relationship. (1 Corinthians 5:17-18)
empower those people: (Acts 1:8)
We want to empower our people to do 3 things:
- Serve their community. Help those in need and love our neighbors. For to long the church has been to self-centered and has not done this well.
- Live missional lives. We are all preachers of the gospel. Church is not a Sunday event, it is a lifestyle. 80% of people who come to Christ do it outside of the walls of a church building.
- Invite friends to service. The more people who get in the doors, the more lives will be changed. We will create an environment that is culturally relevant. For to long the church has been stuck 20 years behind mainstream culture. Everything from our worship music, dress, building design, aesthetics, etc will be geared towards reaching people who don't typically do church. We want to make inviting people an easy and natural thing to do; not a burden or pressure that we feel.
empty themselves in their community: We want to be an outwardly focused group. To empty yourself means to fully give yourself. This can happen in 2 ways. First we will want to be so focused on giving our lives to people in need, that can look different every time its done. We as a church body will do this by giving of our time, money, and talents in order to serve our community. Secondly, we will empty ourselves by sharing God's truths with those around us. Too often has the church only done one of these two things and therefore failed to be the church. Example, if you only serve but don't share the truth, you are failing to share Jesus or allowing God the opportunity to use you to draw people to him. (2 Corinthians 5:20) On the flip side if you only share God's truth, but lose the desire to serve your community, you become inwardly focused and fundamental. (James 2:20) The goal is to do both with true humility.
Feedback is appreciated!!
Elevation Church, Charlotte (Conversation)
Today I had the privledge to have an hour long conversation with Larry Brey at Elevation church. I was able to talk to him about my calling to church plant and get a little perspective from him. He seems like a great guy. A couple of things that I walked away with and questions that I need to confirm from myself are listed below. These are things that he said I need to be able to say "Yes" to before committing to be a church planter.
1. Am I called to be a GREAT preacher of the gospel?
2. Will I be one of a kind or just a Copy and Paste church?
3. Do people confirm the anointing of God on me?
4. Are we (Beth and I) willing to make the sacrifice?
5. Am I willing to tell people to either jump on board or get out of my way because we're doing it anyway?
Also, he said I need these things before launch.
1. What are the things that no matter what will you never change your view or values on?
2. You need to have an army of service orientated believers to fight with you.
For those who don't know. Elevation church is a mega church in Charlotte. It was labeled the fastest growing church in 2007. It went from 120 to 4000 people in 18 months. The pastor is only 28. Larry has invited Beth and I to a behind the scenes at Elevation where we would hang out with him and hs team to see how they get things done. That is a major honor.
I am eager to get in my prayer closet to see what is next for us.
1. Am I called to be a GREAT preacher of the gospel?
2. Will I be one of a kind or just a Copy and Paste church?
3. Do people confirm the anointing of God on me?
4. Are we (Beth and I) willing to make the sacrifice?
5. Am I willing to tell people to either jump on board or get out of my way because we're doing it anyway?
Also, he said I need these things before launch.
1. What are the things that no matter what will you never change your view or values on?
2. You need to have an army of service orientated believers to fight with you.
For those who don't know. Elevation church is a mega church in Charlotte. It was labeled the fastest growing church in 2007. It went from 120 to 4000 people in 18 months. The pastor is only 28. Larry has invited Beth and I to a behind the scenes at Elevation where we would hang out with him and hs team to see how they get things done. That is a major honor.
I am eager to get in my prayer closet to see what is next for us.
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