Ministry Character vs. Comfort or Sucess

From Church Planting Wife – Claudia Barba’s Monday Morning Club… http://www.ipresson.com/  Get on her mailing list..it’s a blessing!

The disciples were doing what He told them to do—no more, no less. “Get into the boat, and go to the other side,” Jesus had said, and they had obeyed. So when a terrifying storm began when they reached the middle of the lake, they must have been as bewildered as they were panicked. What was going on? Why would Jesus send them out onto deep water, knowing that just as they got to the farthest point from safety, winds and waves would threaten their lives? No matter how quickly they bailed or how vigorously they rowed, they were going to die. Two tempests raged that day: one on the sea and the other in their hearts. I don’t know which was worse. I have never been in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, but I have felt like it—at least once. At that memorably low moment following a line of ministry squalls, I complained to my longsuffering husband, “This is a very strange way for the Lord to treat servants who are just doing what they were told. Where has He gone, and why has He left us here to die?” I was repeating the disciples’ mistake (and maybe yours) of believing that I knew what God was supposed to be doing. At Jesus’ command, the disciples took off rowing, assuming that His goal was for them to arrive at the opposite shore. But His plan actually was to teach them something on the way. He directed them into that storm to prove that He is the Master of tempests. He planted them in the middle of a tumult to demonstrate that He would always, eventually, come walking on the water. We had embarked on our ministry believing we knew what God was planning to do–that since He had called us to build a church, big numbers, large offerings, and continual victory were surely His will. But God’s definition of success was not the same as ours. He wasn’t just building a church; He was building us. His construction tools included storms that made no sense to us but made perfect sense to Him. I thought that trying circumstances were hindering us from accomplishing His purpose, when they actually were His purpose, for His concern (as always) was not our comfort or success, but our character. The disciples eventually reached the other side, but when they arrived, they were different men. The Lord did build our church, but by the time the steeple was in place, the ministry couple inside had been thoroughly changed. All that bailing and rowing had made us stronger and softer. Our spirits had grown sturdier as we learned to distinguish His face even in the murkiest skies. And we had become much more compassionate, our ears tuned to the cries of other sailors floundering in other gales.

A storm is a stressful, scary place for disciples in a little boat, but when they are there at His direction, there’s no better place to learn from the Master.   Matthew 14:22-33 – with thanks to Oswald Chambers

Paul’s Power List for Church Planters

I picked up this power list lately from Dr Doran’s Blog…Very good!!

All that said, let me just drop a bullet point outline of what I think is Paul’s basic missionary strategy. A lot more could be said, but I think these were important factors in how Paul pursued an indigenous church planting movement (i.e., he planted churches that would plant churches):

•  Bold preaching that called for genuine conversion, 1 Ths 1:6-10.
• Accepting only those professions of faith which were credible, 1 Ths 1:4-5; 3:5; Acts 26:20; cf. 1 John.
•  Concentrating on core doctrine and practice, Gal 1:6-9; Rom 16:17-18; 2 Ths 2:15; 3:6; 1 Cor 11
• Carefully balancing warning and encouragement about their continuing in the Faith, Acts 14:22; Phil 2:12-13; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Eph 5:5-6; Gal 5:19-21.
• Developing godly, gifted leaders to shepherd the flock, Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28-30; Titus 1:5-16; Eph 4:11-16.
• Emphasizing moral principles applied with spiritual discernment under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Phil 1:9-11; Eph 5:7-15; Rom 14:5-9; Gal 5:13-26.
• Teaching the believers and congregations to take responsibility for their doctrinal, moral, and ministerial growth and progress, Acts 20:28-32; Rom 16:17-19; Phil 3:15-16; 1 Cor 5; 1 Ths 5:12-22.

Charles Spurgeon talks about Himself

“Once I had nothing but a heart of stone, and although through grace I now have a new and fleshy heart, much of my former obduracy remains. I am not affected by the death of Jesus as I ought to be; neither am I moved by the ruin of my fellow men, the wickedness of the times, the chastisement of my heavenly Father, and my own failures, as I should be. O that my heart would melt at the recital of my Saviour’s sufferings and death. Would to God I were rid of this nether millstone within me, this hateful body of death. Blessed be the name of the Lord, the disease is not incurable, the Saviour’s precious blood is the universal solvent, and me, even me, it will effectually soften, till my heart melts as wax before the fire. (Charles H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening : April 28 PM)

The Influenza Pandemic of 1918

“The 1918 has gone: a year momentous as the termination of the most cruel war in the annals of the human race; a year which marked, the end at least for a time, of man’s destruction of man; unfortunately a year in which developed a most fatal infectious disease causing the death of hundreds of thousands of human beings. Medical science for four and one-half years devoted itself to putting men on the firing line and keeping them there. Now it must turn with its whole might to combating the greatest enemy of all–infectious disease,” (12/28/1918).

Read about the 1918 Influenza Pandemic which killed 1/5 of the world’s population  http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/

Happy Easter!

In many respects I find an unresurrected Jesus easier to accept. Easter makes him dangerous. Because of Easter I have to listen to his extravagant claims and can no longer pick and choose from his sayings. Moreover, Easter means he must be loose out there somewhere.
Philip Yancey

Taking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no single historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ.
B.F. Westcott

The Easter message is a word about God, a grand Te Deum that joyfully declares that God is still the master in his own household.
Ernest W. Saunders

Thus we may say of our ministers and Christian friends, yet a little while, and we shall not see them, either they must leave us or we must leave them, but it is certain that we must part shortly, and yet not part forever. It is but a good night to those we hope to see with joy in the morning.
Matthew Henry

The Resurrection is the central theme in every Christian sermon reported in the Acts…The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say that they have seen the Resurrection.
C.S. Lewis

The great value God gives to the body is best shown by the physical resurrection. We will be physical for eternity.
Jerram Barrs and Ranald MacCaulay

The Gospels do not explain the resurrection; the resurrection explains the Gospels. Belief in the resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian faith; it is the Christian faith.
J.S. Whale

Please don’t come to our church just yet!

We have such a great unity in our group right now but there is also a little nervousness about space.  Primarily, about places for people to set when they come to our home meeting.   

We are concerned that a few people might not want to come back if they come to our study and there is no room for them to set. Brazilians are the most hospitable people on the planet. The Brazilians are beginning to express their concern.  We have several people checking us out right now and several that are thinking about coming and many that are dying to invite friends.  Last Sunday, Esperanza, Patty’s mother prayed that no more would come and that there would not be a need of some to set on the floor. The Lord answered and all the seats were full but that meant that some did not come.  Have you ever prayed, “Lord, help them not to come to our church this Sunday”.  Well, while we want more people to come we don’t want people to have a bad first impression of our service.

Truly, we don’t need to fear but rather believe that God knows we are in need of a location and that when it is right He will open the doors of Hope a little wider so more in the community can fit in. 

Lord, give us patience to endure just a little longer!

THE GOSPEL IS THE KEY TO REAL CHANGE

I don’t agree with all that Pastor Tim Keller teaches but I love to meditade on the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! FYI – I removed his concluding thoughts. 

Pastor Tim writes,

THE GOSPEL: KEY TO CHANGE

The Greek term “gospel” (ev-angelion) distinguished the Christian message from that of other religions. An ‘ev-angel’ was news of a great historical event, such as a victory in war or the ascension of a new king, that changed the listeners’ condition and required a response from the listener. So the gospel is news of what God has done to reach us. It is not advice about what we must do to reach God. What is this news? God has entered the world in Jesus Christ to achieve a salvation that we could not achieve for ourselves which now 1) converts and transforms individuals, forming them into a new humanity, and eventually 2) will renew the whole world and all creation. This is the ‘good news’—the gospel. And it is good news in three important ways.

1. The gospel is the good news of gracious acceptance.

Jesus lived the life we should live. He also paid the penalty we owe for the rebellious life we do live. He did this in our place (Isaiah 53:4-10; 2 Cor 5:21; Mark 10:45). We are not reconciled to God through our efforts and record, as in all other religions, but through his efforts and record. Christians who trust in Christ for their acceptance with God, rather than in their own moral character, commitment, or performance, are simul iustus et peccator- simultaneously sinful yet accepted. We are more flawed and sinful than we ever dared believe, yet we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope at the same time.

Without this unique understanding of grace-salvation, religions have to paint God as either a demanding, holy God who is placated by back-breaking moral effort, or as what C.S. Lewis calls ‘a senile, old benevolence’ who tolerates everyone no matter how they live. The problem is that if I think I have a relationship with God because I am living morally according to his standards, it does not move me to the depths to think of my salvation. I earned it. There is no joy, amazement, or tears. I am not galvanized and transformed from the inside. On the other hand, if I think I have a relationship with God because the Divine just embraces us all, no matter what how we live— that also does not move me to the depths. I simply have the attitude of Voltaire, who, on his deathbed famously said, “Of course God forgives—that’s his job.” Any effort to take away the idea of Christ’s substitutionary atonement and replace it with a moralism (i.e., being moral, working for others, imitating Jesus) robs the gospel of its power to change us from the inside out.

The gospel is, therefore, radically different from religion. Religion operates on the principle: “I obey, therefore I am accepted”. The gospel operates on the principle: “I am accepted through Christ, therefore I obey.” So the gospel differs from both religion and irreligion. Not only can you seek to be your own ‘lord and savior’ by breaking the law of God (i.e., through irreligion), you can also do so by keeping the law in order to earn your salvation (i.e., through religion). A lack of deep belief in the gospel is the main cause of spiritual deadness, fear, and pride in Christians, because our hearts continue to act on the basis “I obey, therefore, I am accepted.” If we fail to forgive others–that is not simply a lack of obedience, but a failure to believe we are saved by grace, too. If we lie in order to cover up a mistake–that is not simply a lack of obedience, but a failure to find our acceptance in God rather than in human approval. So we do not ‘get saved’ by believing the gospel and then ‘grow’ by trying hard to live according to Biblical principles. Believing the gospel is not only the way to meet God, but also the way to grow into him.

2. The gospel is the good news of changed lives.

Paul says to Christians, ‘your life is hid with Christ in God’ (Col 3:3), and in numerous places he says that we are now ‘in Him.’ This means, on the one hand, that the Father accepts us in Christ and treats us as if we had done all that Jesus has done (cf. Col 3:2a). But this is also means Christ’s life comes into us by the Spirit and shapes us into a new kind of person. The gospel is not just a truth about us that we affirm with our minds, it is also a reality we must experience in our hearts and souls. For example, In 2 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 Paul wants the people to give an offering to the poor. He says, “I don’t want to order you. I don’t want this offering to simply be the response to my demand.” He doesn’t put pressure directly on the will (saying ‘I’m an apostle and this is your duty to me!’) nor pressure directly on the emotions (telling them stories about how much the poor are suffering and how much more they have than the sufferers). Instead, Paul vividly and unforgettably says, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). When he says ‘you know the grace’—he uses a powerful image, bringing Jesus’ salvation into the realm of money and wealth and poverty. He moves them by a ‘spiritual recollection’ of the gospel. Paul is saying, ‘Think on his costly grace. Think on that grace until you are changed into generous people by the gospel in your hearts.’ So the solution to stinginess is a re-orientation to the generosity of Christ in the gospel, where he poured out his wealth for you. Now you don’t have to worry about money—the cross proves God’s care for you and gives you security. Now you don’t have to envy any one else’s money. Jesus’ love and salvation confers on you a remarkable status—one that money cannot give you.

Paul does the same thing in Ephesians 5:25ff, where he urges husbands to be faithful to their wives. What is the point? What makes you a sexually faithful spouse, a generous-not avariciousperson, a good parent and/or child is not just redoubled effort to follow the example of Christ. Rather, it is deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ and living out of the changes that understanding makes in your heart—the seat of your mind, will, and emotions. Faith in the gospel re-structures our motivations, our self-understanding and identity, and our view of the world. Behavioral compliance to rules without heart-change will be superficial and fleeting. The gospel changes your heart.

3. The gospel is the good news of the new world coming.

The plot-line of the Bible is this: 1) God created the world, 2) The world and humanity fell into sin and decay, 3) But God sends his Son to redeem the world and create a new humanity, and 4) Eventually the whole world will be renewed. Death, decay, injustice, and suffering will be all removed. The gospel then is not just about individual happiness and fulfillment. It is not just a wonderful plan for ‘my life’ but a wonderful plan for the world. It is about the coming of God’s kingdom to renew everything. Gospel-centered churches do not only urge individuals to be converted, but also to seek peace and justice in our cities and in our world Christ wins our salvation through losing, achieves power through weakness and service, and comes to wealth via giving all away. Those who receive his salvation are not the strong and accomplished but those who admit that they are weak and lost. This pattern creates an ‘alternate kingdom’ or ‘city’ (Matt.5:14-16). in which there is a complete reversal of the values of the world with regard to power, recognition, status, and wealth. When we understand that we are saved by sheer grace through Christ, we stop seeking salvation in these things. The reversal of the cross, therefore, liberates us from bondage to the power of material things and worldly status in our lives. The gospel, therefore, creates a people with a whole alternate way of being human. Racial and class superiority, accrual of money and power at the expense of others, yearning for popularity and recognition–all these things are marks of living in the world, and are the opposite of the mindset of the kingdom (Luke 6:20-26).

How are People Reached?

How People are reached?

 The institute for American Church Growth recently asked over 10,000 lay people this question:

“What was responsible for your coming to Christ and this church?”

Here are the results:

I had a special need – 2%

I just walked in – 3%

I like the minister – 6%

I visited there – 1%

I liked the Sunday school – 5%

I attended a revival service – 0.5%

I liked the programs – 3%

A friend or relative invited me – 79%

Have some dinner with them!

Jesus Eating with Sinners

Matthew 9:11

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

Matthew 11:18-19

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.”

Mark 2:15-16 

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

Luke 7:37

When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume,

Luke 15:2

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

It pays to wait….getting closer to our location!

So far this has been our most hopeful prospect.  This would be renting a comercial office that has access to an event center in the building with an auditorium that seats 50, 3 levels of parking, two rooms with tables and chairs, bathrooms, small kitchen, sound system,  air conditioning, multimedia equip, men’s and women’s bathrooms, small kitchen for snack prep…very complete…and in our price range. 

Front Entrance with covered drop off

Street Entrance

Another view

Front Entrance

Auditorium with Air, Sound, Video Projector, complete

Front of Auditorium

Attached to the Auditorium are two conf. rooms with chairs and table

The building has high security

We would rent primarily a small office in the building with one bathroom. This we would use as the church office and address to establish our tax ID number and church documents. We need an official address to do this. Since we rent this office we have access to the entire building each Sunday. Sunday there is no building use because this is a comercial property.

Main parking entrance...190 parking spaces.

There are three levels in the parking garage...all if this will be empty on Sundays and available for our use