mission 18/72
I'm going to
Haiti.
In August.
For 3 weeks.
We're running 3 one-week trips, called
Mission 18/72.
Who wants to come with me?
(comment, email, text, or call. space is limited)
This is not a joke.
Labels: haiti
power of prayer
Last weekend I was hanging out with my friends Karly & Erin here in Winona. My heart was burdened over a situation, and they listened, encouraged, and gave some good advice.
This week I prayed over the advice they gave me and acted on it. I got in touch with Karly and Erin that same day to let them know, and Karly said,
'I'm so glad! I was praying last night about that.'
Such a simple statement. But those words took the wind right out of me. To know that my friend was thinking about me, praying for me and my situation -- what a blessing.
Prayer is so powerful. It can move the heart and hand of God. That's big.
But it also can encourage and strengthen the hearts of people. To know that friends are petitioning the God of the universe on my behalf--now that's friendship.
Who are you praying for today?
You should let them know.
That encouragement may be just what they need to act boldly today.
(Thanks Karly & Erin. Love you both.)
Labels: intercessory prayer, prayer
in the works
Talked to a few people recently who are looking to train adults (or student leaders) in the process of discipleship. You all know by now that we are big fans of
Organic Disciplemaking (It's like discipleship for dummies. Seriously.) I'm working on putting together a short study -- about 6 weeks/lessons -- based on that book. You can take it, use it, use parts of it, write something totally new stuff based off it-I really don't care. Sometimes I just appreciate having something premade to use as a springboard.
I plan to make that available online before summer hits. Just want to continue to provide anything we can to assist you in training people in discipleship. Keep checking the blog. It'll be linked through here.
Labels: curriculum, discipleship, Organic Disciplemaking
who wants a new resource?
Last week I finished up a book (that I got for free at
CELS) called
Simple Student Ministry. It's by Eric Geiger (one of the guys who co-authored
Simple Church) and Jeff Borton (Geiger's youth pastor).
If you are in ministry, particularly student ministry,
I think this is a must read.
The premise is this:
...without a clear understanding of discipleship as a process, student ministry leaders have the tendency to offer programs and events with no understanding of how all they offer fits into a comprehensive plan or process for discipleship.
These guys are not trying to promote a new program. Not in the least. They are simply asking us to evaluate what we're doing, and to simplify. To not have programs for the sake of programs, but to only put time and energy into those programs that move students along the path of discipleship.
I think this is a great exercise to walk through. You may not agree with everything they say, you may not land with a ministry that is as 'stripped down' as they recommend -- but isn't it healthy to take a step back and ask 'What is the purpose behind these programs?' If you can't answer that for one (or more) of your programs, it's time to trim the fat.
The book walks you through the process of making the transition to simple:
1. Clarity design a simple process
(Draw the blueprint. Don't start demolition or building yet.)
2. Movement place key program along the process
(How does the programming you already have in place fit into your new process?)
3. Alignment unite all ministries around the process
(Everyone, in each aspect of your ministry, needs to be on the same page.)
4. Focus begin to eliminate
(Now it's time. Kill the unnecessary programs.)
I think
Simple Student Ministry is well written and, well, simple (pun-y, huh). There are some good case studies and examples, and the process presented leaves plenty of room for creativity and freedom.
If you're a ministry leader who knows your ministry needs an overhaul, or, maybe even more importantly, a ministry leader who thinks your ministry is perfectly assembled, you should check out this book. Super insightful.
Labels: discipleship, resource
God is the gospel.
I can't get enough of books. Read this a couple weeks ago:
I love being married, but I love being married because it unites me with my wife. In the same way, I love the gospel, but I love the gospel because it unites me with my Savior.
Just yesterday I listened to the
first part of a sermon by John Piper that talked about the same idea.
(I'm planning to listen to the second part today. And these sermons grew from his book, God is the Gospel, which I read last year. Heavy read, but totally worth it.) This idea that the heart of the gospel, the thing that we should be treasuring above all else, is God. Certainly we receive many beautiful, important things from the gospel -- justification, propitiation, sanctification, eternal life, freedom from sin... the list goes on and on. But if any of those things become central, become the thing that I value above all else, become ultimate, then I'm missing the point.
I love the gospel because it unites me with my Savior.
That should be the cry of each one of us.
Not
- I love the gospel because it gives me peace.
- I love the gospel because I'm going to heaven.
- I love the gospel because I'm not going to hell.
- I love the gospel because I've found a place to belong.
- I love the gospel because I'm free from sin.
- I love the gospel because I'm declared holy and righteous.
All of these things are true. And I rejoice in all of these things.
But they are not ultimate.
I love the gospel because it unites me with my Savior.
Can I say that with honesty today? Can you?
Labels: gospel, John Piper, Total Church
insight from TIME
Believing that a message wrapped in pop-culture packaging was the way to attract teens to their flocks, pastors water down the religious content and boosted the entertainment. But in recent years churches have begun offering their young people a style of religious instruction grounded in Bible study and teachings about the doctrines of their denomination. Their conversation has been sparked by the recognition that sugar-coated Christianity, popular in the 1980s and 1990s, has caused growing numbers of kids to turn away not just from attending youth-fellowship activities but from practicing their faith at all.
An interesting commentary from an article in Time magazine in 2006 that surveyed Christian youth work in our country.
Ground them in the Word. Teach them to be part of the body, not just part of a flashy youth program. I like that this is apparently happening enough that Time recognizes the shift.
Labels: discipleship
priorities...
Steven Furtick is the lead pastor of
Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Elevation (as of 2008) is the
second fastest growing church in the nation. Now I definitely don't believe numbers are everything -- but with the second fastest growing church in the nation, Furtick certainly has plenty of things and people vying for his attention.
Yesterday, his ministries pastor posted an entry on Furtick's blog titled '
Generation'. The sentence that got me was this:
In a meeting at the end of 2009, Pastor Steven looked at me and said, "I want to see every student at Elevation Church in a small group...I'm so passionate about this that I want to lead the charge by having my own student group." -- and so, Generation [Furtick's student group] was born.
Generation was a small group of 12 students who were chosen based on their potential to become great leaders. They met for 10 weeks and went through an intense discipleship process with Furtick. (Read the whole story
here.)
I know you can't always be personally involved in everything that you think is important to your ministry/church. But I also know that your leadership sets the pace. So I love this. I love that Furtick not only says that student small groups are essential, but he then puts action behind his words by leading a student small group. And not only does he lead a group, he leads the most intense, dynamic group those people have probably ever seen.
If you're in ministry, you're busy. There's plenty that you are doing, and even more that you could be doing. I'm not saying add one more thing. Necessarily. But can you step back today, and just ask yourself these 2 questions:
Based on the ultimate goal of [whatever your ministry is],
is there something that is not my priority that should be?
and
Is there something that is my priority that should not be?
Furtick's staff, adults, and youth all now know that student small groups are essential. Not because he said it, but because he showed it. What is 'it' for you?
Labels: discipleship, leadership, small groups, Steven Furtick
number 1
1.Just do itYou didn't know all those Nike commercials were talking about discipleship, did you? Okay, maybe not. But, to put a new twist on one of
TK's sayings,
I like the way I do discipleship
better than the way you don't.
New resources and training and ideas are great--I'm all about people being prepared and being innovative. But the powerhouse discipleship method of church A may be disaster in church B. Find what works with your people, your culture, and then throw yourselves into it. Excel. Be the best at whatever method of discipleship takes root in your church. Steward whatever God gives you. Seriously. Just do it.
Labels: 10 ideas, discipleship
number 2
2.Titus 2 TuesdaysPretty straightforward. Titus 2 is a passage that specifically talks about older men and women living godly lives and then training younger men and women. So, as the name suggests, meet Tuesday evenings for 4-6 weeks to cast vision and train your people on discipleship. This certainly isn't reinventing the wheel; it's just giving it a catchy new name.
Labels: 10 ideas, discipleship
number 3
3.Personal engagement plannerKevin Huggins strikes again (
see idea 4). This is one that we
love. As a part of a 3 year 'journey' to see more involvement and greater discipleship, Kevin's church has provided a free personal engagement planner to every person at the church. This planner is divided into four sections-
worship, grow, serve, invest-which represent critical areas the church wants to develop in its people.
Each section begins with an explanation of the section (what is worship?), and then asks people to evaluate themselves through a series of questions on a detailed scale (for example: 'How well do I enter times of corporate worship with my heart ready and prepared to full engage God?', with answers that range from 'I have trouble most Sunday mornings just wanting to get up and come' through 'Most Sundays I can't imagine being more present and engaged with God').
People are then to write out how God is CALLING them to mature,
and from that, what their GOAL is,
and then to develop ACTION STEPS.
Included in the back of the planner is a list of all the ministries and resources the church offers. People are encouraged to include some of these things in their action steps. (Worship ministries include the band, tech team, dance ministry, etc. Worship resources include specific books and music that can guide and instruct.)
I love this resource because it forces people to take responsibility for their own growth and connectedness, but it also informs people of all the ways the church can assist in growth and connectedness.
AND it's all online.
The text version is here, and the full version (with pictures) is here. Go here to see the full explanation of the 3 year plan. Labels: 10 ideas, discipleship
