tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254220682024-03-12T19:23:13.155-07:00James' Random, Stimulating, Missional, Spiritual Thoughts<a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/my/atm/James%20Nored/James%20Random%2C%20Stimulating%2C%20Missional%2C%20Spiritual%20Thoughts/*http://add.my.yahoo.com/rss?url=http%3A//www.jamesnored.blogspot.com"><img src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/my/addtomyyahoo4.gif" width="91" height="17" border="0" align="middle" alt="Add to My Yahoo!"></a>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.comBlogger565125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-48521857246798939052011-02-14T21:11:00.000-08:002011-02-14T21:12:40.455-08:00Move to Missional Outreach NetworkHi guys. As you have probably seen, I have moved most all of my blog posting over to my website, the <a href="http://www.MissionalOutreachNetwork.com">Missional Outreach Network</a>. Please look for my postings over there!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-57375369892597023502010-08-12T08:23:00.000-07:002010-08-12T08:32:47.112-07:00Death by Ministry? By Eugene Cho<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqZ61dwh2cXeiJaHPHKgeVNzLPs52L553kE4OAvPYhlGvgCD4EMBRHjQ0HjPJPfKHiTG98bK5RX6EJMrmPLx-fvkVz7GdbRHF3i3kuQz48O2p6WxJ9Txw96HsFUnXBt6sIssh/s1600/nazaritevow.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqZ61dwh2cXeiJaHPHKgeVNzLPs52L553kE4OAvPYhlGvgCD4EMBRHjQ0HjPJPfKHiTG98bK5RX6EJMrmPLx-fvkVz7GdbRHF3i3kuQz48O2p6WxJ9Txw96HsFUnXBt6sIssh/s400/nazaritevow.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504546251066794530" /></a><div>As I have studied on health, articles on ministry, ministers, and health keep popping up. Here is an article that came through my Twitter newspaper yesterday with, again, some startling statistics. This article is called <a href="http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/death-by-ministry/">"Death by Ministry?</a> by Eugene Cho. I have copied it here (hope this is okay, Eugene.)</div><div><br /></div><br />Several years ago, I spent several hours/week doing research (and meeting with other pastors) about pastoral health and vitality for my denomination.<br /><br />I chose to spend some time doing that for selfish reasons. I was and am still learning how to take better care of myself in ministry (as evidenced by the scary picture above) – while completely acknowledging that sometimes, it’s not supposed to feel right.<br /><br />What I learned was pretty shocking and heartbreaking but one of the conclusions I came to was that as ministry leaders, pastors and other pursuers of God’s work, it helps to understand some of the challenges ahead and to be proactive rather than reactive.<br /><br />Yesterday, I posted Part I of this post entitled, Why is Being a Pastor so Unhealthy. The reasons are complex and I’ll acknowledge that when one looks for “doom and gloom,” you’ll find some discouraging things. I can focus an entry purely on the joys and blessings of pastoral ministry and feel confident I can write a compelling piece. But these statistics (and stories that many of us are aware of) and our personal stories are hard to ignore.<br /><br />Here’s a summary of what I learned and shared:<br /><br />There are varying reports from different sources but I believe most will agree that the ministerial profession (life as pastors) is now considered one of the most dangerous or unhealthiest professions. It’s usually rated last or second to last. Read this from a local Northwest minister,Mark, on a comment on an earlier post:<br /><br />“At the first church I served we had an insurance agent who was a member of the congregation. When I went to see him about some auto insurance needs, he said “Hey, wanna see something that will scare the crap out of you?”…He pulled out a form that had various professions rated for their risk of giving life insurance policies too…Anyway, to make a lengthening story shorter, he showed me that clergy members were in the same category as Deep Sea Welders and Loggers as the second highest risk group to give life insurance policies to. We were behind crab fishermen but ahead of munitions workers.<br /><br />It was a little disturbing to know that statistically I was gonna die due to my profession before someone who builds explosives. This was back in 1994 the statistics may be better (or worse) now.”<br /><br />If you don’t believe the above comment, read some of these statistics:<br /><br />48% of them think their work is hazardous to their family’s well being. Another 45.5% will experience burnout or depression that will make them leave their jobs. And 70% say their self-esteem is lower now than when they started their position. They have the 2nd highest divorce rate among professions. Who are they? They are pastors. Here are some more overwhelming statistics from this article.<br /><br /><ul><li>80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with spouse and that ministry has a negative effect on their family.</li><li>40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner once a month.</li><li>33% say that being in ministry is an outright hazard to their family.</li><li>75% report they’ve had significant stress-related crisis at least once in their ministry.</li><li>58% of pastors indicate that their spouse needs to work either part time or full time to supplement the family income.</li><li>56% of pastors’ wives say they have no close friends.</li><li>Pastors who work fewer than 50 hrs/week are 35% more likely to be terminated.</li><li>40% of pastors considered leaving the pastorate in the past three months.</li></ul>Feeling dizzy? Take a breath. Here’s some more statistics:<br /><br /><ul><li>Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.</li><li>Fifty percent of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce.</li><li>Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.</li><li>Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.</li><li>Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.</li><li>Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.</li><li>Almost forty percent polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.</li><li>Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons. [compiled by Darrin Patrick]</li></ul>While I love being a pastor and even more, being called to be a pastor, I want folks to know how incredibly difficult it is at times to handle the complexities and stress of being a minister. Finally, at the of 36, I feel more at peace at how to create boundaries, love my church, better care for my wife and children, support my fellow staff, handle criticism, etc. but there are times, I feel clueless and overwhelmed. I’ve been having occasional visitors from a bhog started by and for pastors’ wives [couldn't find one for pastors' husbands]. Some of their comments have been difficult to read because they hit so close to home. I will not post a link to their blog here but here are but two comments:<br /><br />“Oh, and the financial part is tough. We live on poverty level. I don’t know how we are going to pay all the bills sometimes, much less buy groceries. The Lord always comes through, though, and on a really tough week, someone in the church will anonymously give us a gift. We have no in between at our church. It’s either people trying to help us out, (it’s all there what we make each week – in black and white) or it’s people that have this attitude - ‘Pastors are supposed to suffer and sacrifice. It’s part of the job.’ Has anyone else noticed that mentality? I don’t know where it comes from, and it is one of my biggest pet peeves. Pastors aren’t supposed to drive nice cars, have nice houses, or buy new clothes. And we are always supposed to be worried about making ends meet I wonder if it is just half of my church that thinks that way.”<br /><br />Here’s the second comment:<br /><br />“Today my son approached my husband and randomly said “I guess you’re going back to church now.” And he wasn’t going anywhere! During seminary, he would walk around the house saying “Bye bye Daddy. Bye bye daddy!” So sad, but very true. It’s definitely a calling, isn’t it? I told my husband the other day: “In my classes that I took to prepare me to be a minister’s wife, they told me over and over again ‘it is the loneliest job in the world,’ but I never realized it until we were in the role…<br /><br />While I feel solid support from my staff, my elder board, and the church as a whole, I know that many of my peers do not feel this way.<br /><br />Simply, pastors are often underpaid, underappreciated, and at times, undermined.<br /><br />There is strain on their marriages and families. Two other incredibly real factors that add complexities to the ministerial calling are: 1) the cultural complexity and dynamic of the 21st century and 2) the nebulous but real nature of the spiritual realm & battle. The reality is that being a pastor is not just merely a job nor should it be one. Ministry is a calling. It’s both amazing and incredibly difficult. While it isn’t my desire to over dramatize the significance of ministry, I do believe that the Evil One seeks to impede and harm the work that is to take place through ministers and pastors.<br /><br />As for the “cultural complexity of the 21st century,” I think this quote captures my sentiment:<br /><br />“My viewpoint tends to be more organizational, so my take on being a pastor is that it is an impossible job. Here you are asked to be the lead preacher and teacher, available for counseling sessions, leading a staff of people that can span such responsibilities as missions and janitorial, serving as the public face for your organization in the community, networking with other leaders at Christian conferences and denominational gatherings. That’s a lot of hats! … Let’s finally consider the financial issues. I don’t believe pastors are paid very well, so that’s obviously a downer. And if you are paid well, and sometimes even if you aren’t, that has its own issues, for congregants can quite easily feel they own you, since they’re paying your way. What other organizations is the person at top in such an awkward financial relationship with his or her co-workers and clients?” [h/t Lee H]<br /><br />My point is very simple:<br /><br />Please care, pray, and love your pastors (and church staff) in your churches.<br /><br />Seriously, give them a nice pay raise, more time off, regular opportunities to get away for even a day retreat to pray, buy them some dinner certificates, honor their spouses, love their children, pray for them, and regularly share your appreciation and affirmation.<br /><br />Now, I know that this can easily be intended to perpetuate the victim language or mentality, but it’s a two-way street. Churches must seek to honor and care for its pastors and staff and build healthy structures to ensure such care. Similarly, pastors and their families must make choices to be holistically healthy! We must rest, Sabbath, enjoy God, love the Scriptures not simply for the sake of sermon preparations, be in deep friendships and community, exercise, work on your jump shot, continue to be a reader and learner, love and honor our spouses, nurture our children, laugh and have fun, eat healthy and drink good refreshments [use your imagination here], examine and repent of any possible addictions, and [add your contribution here].<br /><br />We need to lean on God; stop our self-sufficiency and repent of the idolatry to please all those around us. Easier said than done but it needs to begin somewhere. Why not now?<br /><br />Some good news:<br /><br />Despite the intense nature of pastoral ministry, it is also immensely fulfilling. Huh? It makes total sense to me. According to a recent survey, the top five professions are clergy, physical therapists, firefighters, education administrators, and painters/sculptors:<br /><br />Clergy ranked by far the most satisfied and the most generally happy of 198 occupations. Eighty-seven percent of clergy said they were “very satisfied” with their work, compared with an average 47 percent for all workers. Sixty-seven percent reported being “very happy,” compared with an average 33 percent for all workers.Jackson Carroll, Williams professor emeritus of religion and society at Duke Divinity School, found similarly high satisfaction when he studied Protestant and Catholic clergy, despite relatively modest salaries and long hours.“<br /><br />They look at their occupation as a calling,” Carroll said. “A pastor does get called on to enter into some of the deepest moments of a person’s life, celebrating a birth and sitting with people at times of illness or death. There’s a lot of fulfillment.” [read the entire article]<br /><br />So, while pastoral ministry is at times exhausting, draining, depressing, and overwhelming, it’s also meaningful and fulfilling.<br /><br />May God grant you grace, courage, and strength.<br /><br />God bless you pastors. God bless your spouses and your children. May you bless your flock and may you be blessed by them. And together, may you bless the Lord as you seek to bless His creation.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-38148953548756495382010-08-11T21:49:00.000-07:002010-08-11T21:50:41.139-07:00Back to Church Sunday - Missional or Not?<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/PkhyFn0Gr0-F73keXCgoEXPEti7-uXLtWtHjNe6kYF3nRezLcwohxlBCqSvMZy-pEWiIGrd1VvJMnrsskyJPVKefHvW71hNS/BacktoChurchSunday.jpg" alt="" /></p><div>Looking for a fall outreach idea? Outreach is promoting a "Back to Church Sunday." <a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/resources/resources_events/3643-More-Than-Million-Invitations-Anticipated-for-National-Back-Church-Sunday.html" target="_blank">Read the story here</a>. Outreach says that churches that participated in this Sunday last year averaged a 20% higher attendance on this day. I'm considering this for our church (though not this particular flyer--I'll probably design our own). While we do not want to substitute direct mail for personal invitations, we must also remember that the Spirit has already been sent out into the world ahead of us, and he has already touched many people's hearts.</div><br />While it is probable that the "dechurched" and lapsed Christians are more likely to respond to this invitation than the totally unchurched, this group would be great to help them re-connect with God. This too is missional. What would not be missional would be just relying upon this approach, targeting Christians from other churches, failing to be involved in the community, failing to serve or help heal areas of brokenness, or failing to share the gospel. And the primary way that we invite is still by personal invitation. Direct mail can reach some, but personal connections are always the most effective.<br /><div><i><br /></i></div><br /><div><i>So--what do you think about the "Back to Church" concept? Is it missional or not?</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-65551808310801714732010-08-09T16:08:00.000-07:002010-08-09T16:12:18.162-07:00Outlive Your Life - By Max Lucado<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1JhG8ChfapI&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1JhG8ChfapI&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />This is the video trailer for Max Lucado's new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outlive-Your-Life-Were-Difference/dp/0849920698/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281395409&sr=8-1">Outlive Your Life</a>. Looks interesting.<br /><br />Here is the Amazon.com book summary:<br /><br />"These are difficult days in our world's history. 1.75 billion people are desperately poor, natural disasters are gouging entire nations, and economic uncertainty still reigns across the globe. But you and I have been given an opportunity to make a big difference. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope? Infiltrated all corners with God's love and life? We are created by a great God to do great works. He invites us to outlive our lives, not just in heaven, but here on earth. Let's live our lives in such a way that the world will be glad we did."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Have you read or ordered this book? What do you think of the trailer/summary?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-64933761815677996142010-08-09T15:50:00.000-07:002010-08-09T15:51:19.943-07:00Just for Fun - A Chimpanzee Solves a Problem<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ySMh1mBi3cI&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ySMh1mBi3cI&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-33687806365994664782010-08-09T14:59:00.000-07:002010-08-09T15:47:54.370-07:00Reasons Ministers Quit the Ministry - Part 1<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://api.ning.com/files/cV0DiXF1GlakONzLIztdZiBuoPput9tg1FKRUxgVtNsNcQd1lVir-sTW03hjdGURUIlfVMPSXDKiQDTMcF3A78h5*zQz51cM/happy.gif" /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p>In studying about minister health, I have come across some startling statistics and studies. One such statistic is that nearly 1400 ministers across America quit ministry every month. At a time when churches are shrinking and good ministers are hard to find, this is a disturbing statistic. And these ministers are not being replaced, particularly preachers. In my own fellowship, Harding University has commissioned a study for why so few people are going into preaching. The reason undoubtedly has to do with the poor experiences that so many ministers have. </p><p><br /></p><p>Fuller and <a href="http://pastoralcareinc.com/MR/Books/EBooks.php">Pastoral Care Inc</a> have reported research about reasons why ministers leave the ministry. Here are the top 5 of 10 reasons that they give, with quotes.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><strong>1. The Ministers Have a Vision that the Church Does Not Share.</strong></p><blockquote style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><p>"The most disheartening thing ministers go through is to feel they have a message and direction from God for their church but the people are not willing to listen or respond. In one survey, ministers and laity were asked the purpose of the church. <strong>90% of the pastors state the purpose of the church was to reach the lost but when asking the laity, 90% report the purpose is to meet their own needs! Only 10% of the laity stated the purpose was to reach the los</strong>t."</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p>When I saw these statistics, I was blown away. Jesus stated that his mission was to reach the lost. Without this mission, there would not even be a church, and we would not have salvation. Of course this is our mission. And yet, 90% of church members believe that the purpose of the church is to meet their own needs--despite Jesus' clear call to his disciples to "deny themselvs." No wonder so many ministers quit. It is frustrating to constantly try to get people to believe and do what they clearly do not want to believe and do. Most ministers are high on vision and integrity, and so they just finally get so frustrated with lack of support for Christ's mission and the inward nature of members that they just quit.</p></blockquote><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>2. Lack of Denominational Support.</strong><br /></p><blockquote style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><p style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr">For Churches of Christ, this translates into a feeling of lack of support from elders, other ministers, or influential "informal leaders."</p><p style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"> </p></blockquote><p style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><strong></strong></p><p style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><strong>3. Feeling All Alone.</strong><br /></p><blockquote style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><p>"A pastor's work is never done. They report working between 55 to 75 hours a week, often burning a candle at both ends. <strong>Most of the calls a minister receives is not to check on how their pastor is doing but because of problems either in the church or in their lives. Complaints seem to come in on a daily basis.</strong> 40% of the ministers report having serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month! Over time, pastors report feeling that others are only caring about themselves, complaining about most everything, and have attitudes of “what have you done for me lately”. Most pastors feel unappreciated. They give so much time to others but who is there for the pastor?"</p><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Loneliness comes, in part, from reason #1 - feeling like no one proactively supports the vision of reaching the lost. Elijah felt this way (1 Kings 19), partly because he was so exhausted. In response, the angel of the Lord told him to eat and rest. And God told him that he had reserved 7000 who "shared his vision." Ministers can better deal with this lonely feeling if they take better care of themselves and make sure that they "have a life"--do fun, non-ministry related things. Still, this is a problem. To work 55-75 hours a week, striving to help others in every way, and to receive daily complaints and serious conflicts every month is enough to make ministers quit.</p></blockquote><br /><p><strong>4. Stress on the Family and Health</strong><br /></p><blockquote style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><p>"Most people never think about how the ministry demands affect the pastor and his/her family, especially long term. As mentioned before, <strong>94% of the minister's families feel the pressures of the pastor's ministry. 80% report that it has negatively affected them.</strong> Children of pastors often report having negative experiences and many do not attend church anywhere today because of those negative experiences!"</p><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Ministry ought to be a blessing to families, but for many, it is a significant source of stress and conflict. I'm blessed with a wife who is supportive of my ministry, and who is independent enough to not resent the nights that I'm away. I seek to have "songs, prayers, and Bible stories"--a family devotional time with my kids five nights a week, and to take my day off during the week. But kids and spouses experience enough problems from ministry that they report it is at best a mixed blessing.</p><p></p><p><br /></p><p>When those who are not in ministry "go to church," they can find help, healing, and encouragement. For ministers, there is no separation between work, family, and church, and the latter is often a source of conflict.</p></blockquote><br /><p><strong>5. Must Be the Most Spiritual/Can't Be Real</strong></p><blockquote style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"><p>"While ministers should set standards high enough for others to follow and want to achieve, the very nature of double standards propel ministers to further distant themselves among others within the church. According to statistics, <strong>66% of church members expect a minister and his/her family to live by a higher moral standard than they do.</strong> This pervasive thought lends itself unrealistic, and when accompanied by the demands of the ministry, ministers and their families feel the pressures and desire to further distance themselves even more!"</p><p><br /></p><p>Where do ministers go when they face life, ministry, or moral challenges? I have been blessed to always have an elder or two that I was particularly close to that I could share with. Still, every minister knows that he must be extremely careful who he talks to about any kind of struggle. Sometimes this is because certain things are only appropriate to be discussed in leadership circles, and other times it is because there is a fear that what they say may end up being shared inappropriately.</p></blockquote><br /><br /><p><em>What is most surprising or concerning about the above statistics? How can we help ministers stay encouraged and stay in ministry?</em></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-40276488164152634452010-08-09T07:32:00.000-07:002010-08-09T07:35:55.772-07:00"Congregations Gone Wild"<img hspace="10" alt="" vspace="10" align="top" src="http://api.ning.com/files/8FAg*5xqslUBGsvzxfQz3uoNwo30pnx7imLU3w4d388dPXYJedSqgXGA0Mv5L-tTtOWPQ9oS3durhQSx49-614Ev8Z-NN0uT/pd_stress_070508_ms.jpg" /><br />The NY Times had an article today called, "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/opinion/08macdonald.html?_r=1">Congregations Gone Wild</a>." This article followed a previous NT Times article on clergy, in which a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/nyregion/02burnout.html">study was cited</a> that showed clergy have higher than normal rates of depression, obesity, and anxiety.<br /><br /><div> </div><div>In Congregations Gone Wild, the author, Jeffrey MacDonald, a United Church of Christ minister, writes about how ministers are encouraged to give in to a consumeristic, entertainment-oriented membership: <i>"In the early 2000s, the advisory committee of my small congregation in Massachusetts told me to keep my sermons to 10 minutes, tell funny stories and leave people feeling great about themselves. The unspoken message in such instructions is clear: give us the comforting, amusing fare we want or we’ll get our spiritual leadership from someone else</i> . . . </div><br /><div><i>Ministry is a profession in which the greatest rewards include meaningfulness and integrity. When those fade under pressure from churchgoers who don’t want to be challenged or edified, pastors become candidates for stress and depression. </i></div><div><i></i> </div><br /><div><i><b>Clergy need parishioners who understand that the church exists, as it always has, to save souls by elevating people’s values and desires. They need churchgoers to ask for personal challenges, in areas like daily devotions and outreach ministries.</b>"</i> <i><br /></i></div><br /><div>As a minister, I can indeed say that there is pressure to not challenge people, to not call them to sacrifice and service, to concentrate on members' wants and ignore the lost. While we might expect this from members who are not very spiritually mature, or who perhaps are hurting so much that they cannot see beyond themselves, this is most challenging when these pressures come from those that we expect would be supportive of these things. As the article indicates, this can be a source of stress.</div><div><br /> </div><div>Overall, ministry a great joy. But this is one of the stresses that ministers must learn to deal with or they will quit the ministry, as so many have unfortunately done. We must, like Christ, our example, continue to preach and teach Christ's message and mission.<br /></div><br /><div><i>So, what stresses do you think that ministers face? How can these stresses be helped?</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-62679181155057174352010-08-06T21:39:00.000-07:002010-08-06T21:42:02.492-07:00Atheist Christopher Hitchens Talks About God and Cancer<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zeiS7hYbb8c&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zeiS7hYbb8c&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Christopher Hitchens is a well-known atheist who was recently diagnosed with cancer. In this CNN interview, he speaks against smoking, drinking, and burning the candle at both ends. However, he says that he still does not believe in God. And if he has a death bed conversion, don't believe it. He would not be himself then. Sad.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />What do you think about this interview with Hitchens?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-62810659579996983952010-07-30T02:33:00.000-07:002010-07-30T02:42:34.603-07:00Author Anne Rice Quits Christianity--But is Still a Believer<img src="http://api.ning.com/files/RemLkJNGy8NzFWeThjZnTJL4CUR1TFG6ZxrXp3dcvY6NN2RVJFyeNIJJNbTo4w3Nj38N2k1GtCy14wNue6Nwd0*-tprHwcto/AnneRice.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" alt="" /><p class="MsoNormal">Now here is an interesting article. Anne Rice, a one time author of graphic vampire novels, made headlines a few years ago for converting to Christianity. Because of her conversion, she ceased writing these types of novels.<br /><br />Today she made headlines by announcing that she was renouncing Christianity and being a Christian:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>"In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control," the author wrote Wednesday on her Facebook page. "In the name of ... Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen."</i><span><i> </i></span><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100730/ap_en_ot/us_books_anne_rice;_ylt=Aog5MAAOr7mMeBbG5niJC59k24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTM3a25mYjYwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNzMwL3VzX2Jvb2tzX2FubmVfcmljZQRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzEEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNub3ZlbGlzdGFubmU-"><i> Read the AP story here</i></a><i>.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal">Here is another quote from Anne Rice's Facebook page:</p><blockquote class="webkit-indent-blockquote" style="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><i>For those who care, and I understand if you don't: </i><b><i>Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity.</i></b><i> It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For tenyears, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.</i><br /></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">And yet, the article report this: "Although no longer part of any denomination, she remains a believer and continues to read theology and post Biblical passages on her Facebook page."<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">So, what does this say about the perception of "Christianity" and "Christian"? I am reminded of a joke I heard once in which someone said this in trying to define Christians: "They are against things and go to a lot of meetings." It is interesting that Anne Rice defined Christianity and being a Christian entirely as being against things.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Now, there are things that Christians should be against. But we ought to be known primarily for what we are for.</b> Jesus said that we would be known as his disciples by our love for one another. He said that we should do our good deeds before people so that they would praise the Father in heaven. When Anne Rice thought of quiting Christianity and being a Christian, why did she not think of quitting loving one another or doing good deeds? The reason is simple. Whether we like it or not, the reality is that a great percentage of non-Christians define Christians as being against things and being judgmental.(Check our David Kinnamon's book UnChristian for stats on this.)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">It is interesting that Rice says, "In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being a Christian." This seems to confirm that she is making a distinction between what Christ was actually for and about, and what she perceives Christianity and Christians are all about. I'm not sure if she is actually for homosexuality, or is just against being "anti-gay." The Bible, of course, says that this behavior is sinful.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> Perhaps she is confronting mean-spirited behavior towards gays. It has been said that we should love the sinner and hate the sin. Sounds like a good idea. But so many times, sadly, it seems that people end of hating the sinner, or at least act and speak against "sinners" in a hateful manner. It is interesting that "sinners" seemed to really like Jesus, where as those who fall into the "sinners" category today often run from, well, Christians and Christianity.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Rice is defined by the writer of the AP article as still being a believer, and the writer notes that Rice continues to post biblical passages on her <a href="http://www.facebook.com/annericefanpage?ref=ts">Facebook page</a>.</b> Rice also writes:<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>"My faith in Christ is central to my life</i></b><i>. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me."</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I am glad that Rice took renounced atheism and has made her faith in Christ central to her life. Praise God! I do not know all the rest of her beliefs, and am not here to defend them--that is really beside the point I am making. <b>The point I am making is this--we need to be known primarily for the things Jesus said that we would be known for, such as our love for one another, doing good deeds in the community, etc.</b> We have a huge PR problem, and many non-Christians do not see us as a positive force in the world.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>What do you think is the cause of the world's negative perception of "Christians" and "Christianity"? How can we change this perception?</i></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-13157892817181030942010-07-27T21:51:00.001-07:002010-07-28T08:36:40.081-07:00Missional, Evangelism, and the Kingdom of Heaven<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://api.ning.com/files/oKc21U3N3s7LbJtjS1hv9sIb81RCpkkIlNR8Fmdp-RYeUtGGN-B6meHjKFPKdSrDjtNj-In9SRn5neyAH-qHRDlzbqPTZvaC/tshirtjesusreplliedthekingdomofgodisamongyou.jpg" /></p><br /><br />Here is a pretty decent post, <a href="http://raincitypastor.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/missional-evangelism/">Missional & Evangelism</a> by Richard Dahlstrom. In this post, Dahlstrom quotes The Message, which is a paraphrase of the NT:<em><strong><br /><br />“Don’t begin by traveling to some far off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. God to the lost, confused people rigfht here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.”</strong></em> (Matthew 9:5-7).<br /><br />I'm preaching on the "Limited Commission" on Sunday (Mt. 10), which covers similar themes that are found in this passage--being missional (sent), evangelism, and the kingdom of heaven/kingdom of God.<br /><br />From looking at Jesus' life and mission, I have often held up three primary things as being central to the missional concept: seeking the lost, serving the community, and sharing the good news of Jesus and the kingdom of God. Without an active seeking, there is no missional thrust that compels us into the world. Without service and acts of healing, we fail to demonstrate the kingdom of God--that God's kingdom is filled with love, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. And in today's world, sharing without serving often places us in the same category as telemarketers and pushy salesmen. Without service, our sincerity is questioned and we may never get a hearing.<br /><br />At the same time, if we serve without sharing the good news, or evangelism, we fail to give people the hope of their ultimate salvation. The gospel, or good news, is fundamentally about two things: 1) Jesus' life, death, burial, and resurrection; and 2) the kingdom of God. The first might be called the gospel about Jesus, while the second might be called the gospel of Jesus, or Jesus' gospel.<br /><br />Sadly, the message of the kingdom is often neglected or absent today. But where it is preached and taught, it has a powerful effect. People begin to get a glimpse of a God who is powerful and able to infinitely more than them. They begin to get a taste of a life free of worry, stress, and anxiety, where cares are cast upon the Lord. They begin to find fulfillment in self-sacrifice and serving others.<br /><br />Let us not forget all three of these aspects of mission--seeking, serving, and sharing.<br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">What do you see is the link between "missional" and evangelism?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-1995107137901072182010-07-19T11:06:00.001-07:002010-07-19T11:08:15.772-07:00The Desire for Simplicity - How can the church respond?<img src="http://api.ning.com/files/fDZlHiWb6HU8H3RyALr39uETeeqjqwYzH6rmO41RVLlDZBXFJ0mKRXHvCv9CBUc2AhpUjBDAvMXFoO2WZmHFYQiosj*LvIUf/simple.png" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" alt="" />We live in an incredibly complex world. We have gone from the big 3 broadcast channels to hundreds of cable and satellite channels. <div><br /></div><div>The amount of digital information in the world doubles every 11 hours--an unfathomable rate (<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/2010-data-doubling-every-11-hours/4497">see story</a>).</div><br /><div>The Internet has brought virtually unlimited amounts news, pictures, books, blogs, videos, and social sites. <div><br /></div><div>And we feel the overwhelming weight of all of this <i>noise.</i> We dread opening our email. There is too much junk email to go through. Too many forwards that are not funny or worth the effort. Too many people who ask questions that require two page answers. Too many people we don't know, with their own agenda, cluttering up our lives.</div><br /><div>And the daily choices we have to make--while great in some ways--are overwhelming. Remember the add that highlighted the question at the check out stand, "paper of plastic"? In an overly complex world, even these types of choices can start to overwhelm us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our world is longing for simplicity.</div><div><br /></div><div>For years, consumers responded to having more choices. The more offerings, the greater the appeal to different people. And this is still often the case. But consider the appeal of Google's home page. A single, unadorned text box with no advertising. Simple. No pretense. Nothing else clamoring for our time or attention. Studies have shown that the more you have on your home page, the less people go to it. (Which is one reason I will be reducing the number of choices on MON's home page.)</div><div><br /></div><div>And despite all of the interest in customization--still a huge desire--it is ironic that the Iphone, with its 100,000 apps, is not able to be customized in its software (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/business/yourmoney/29ping.html">see story</a>). People seem not to have minded. In fact, by having a closed system, Apple has eliminated hackers and spammers. Aren't you glad that you don't have to deal with this on your Iphone?</div><br /><div>Businesses--often the first to note cultural trends--are responding to our world's desire for simplicity. There are email filtering technologies. Closet organization systems. Simple billing (cell, Internet, and cable on one bill). Simple diets. Simple exercise routines. Simple wills. Sadly, last week I even saw multiple signs for "Simple Divorce" along the highway.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is much I want to say and apply to the church on this subject of simplicity. But I don't want to do too much at once. I "simply want to ask:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>In seeking to be servants, what areas of people's lives can we--individually and as a church--help simplify? Where do people seem overwhelmed in their time, organization, or choices?</i></div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-70870929303651571222010-06-26T05:22:00.000-07:002010-06-26T05:54:45.974-07:00In Defense of Missional - Why Is this still an important term?<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94);font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/-pZ1VS-M0TIchJBthffviRpmZiH17AlqAngBse4Qjy2OrYchrgo18MWBfulAQjZ4XnwyxluUSkxsyTvRsnUFhfOn26AnIVw5/MissionalChurch.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" alt="" /></span>So what is the big deal about "missional"? Why is this term even needed?</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">The term missional was not coined by marketers trying to sell religious books.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">While there were forerunners to the missional concept such as Leslie Newbigin</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">and David Bosch, the seminal work that introduced the term was</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Missional-Church-Sending-America-Culture/dp/0802843506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277533631&sr=8-1-spell">Missional</a> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Missional-Church-Sending-America-Culture/dp/0802843506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277533631&sr=8-1-spell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. In this work, written by the Gospel and Our Culture Network, the authors were seeking to describe the fundamental sent nature of the church, particularly in light of what the church in</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">North America</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">had become-a vendor of religious goods and services.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The term missional is from the Latin word,</span> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">missio</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">,</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">which means "sent." From this term we derive the words</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">"missionary" and "missions." While these terms are not</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">translated as such in English Bibles, they could be, for they are roughly</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">equivalent to the generic use of the term</span> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">apostolos</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, or apostle, which</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">also means one who is sent. See Barnabas (Acts 14:14), Silas (1 Thes. 2:6), and</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Andronicus and Junias, who were “outstanding among the apostles” (Rom. 16:6). All</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">of the gospels and the book of Acts have versions of the Great Commission, in</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">which the disciples, which represent the church, are sent into the world (Mt.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">28:18-20; Mk. 16:8; Lk. 24:45-48). John’s gospel particularly brings out the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family:Arial;">concept of sending.</span><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!</span></i></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As the</span> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Father has sent</span></b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">me,</span> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am sending you</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">” (Jn. 20:21)</span></i></span></li><br /><li><i><span style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94);font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your</span></span></i> <i><span style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94);font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the</span> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Counselor</span></b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">will not come</span></span></i> <i><span style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94);font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">to you; but if I go, I will</span> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">send him</span></b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world</span></span></i> <i><span style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94);font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">of guilt a in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment (Jn. 16:7-8).</span></span></i></li><br /></ul><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">The Father sends the Son, the Son sends the Spirit, and the Son sends us. Thus,</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">mission is rooted in the very nature of God. God is a sending God, and we are a</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">sent people. The authors of</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Missional</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Church</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">state this: “’</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mission</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">’ is not something the church does, apart of its total program. No, the church’s essense is missional, for the calling and sending action of God forms its identity.” –Missional Church</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">What are we sent to do? Well, Jesus, of course is our model for mission. And from</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Jesus’ own words, he came to do at least these three things: 1) seek and save</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">the lost; 2) serve and give his life for others; and 3)</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">proclaim the</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">good news of Jesus and the</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">kingdom</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">of</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">God</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. The church is missional when its life and mission is modeled after the life and mission of Jesus Christ and does these things. There is much more, of course, to being a missional church, but this is a starting point.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">So why is this such a necessary concept? Well, for centuries the church failed to</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">see itself as being in a mission context. Under Christendom--where there was a</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">blending of church and state and everyone was viewed to be Christian--churches</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">were not set up aroudn mission. Their structure, budget, etc. was set up to be</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">religious vendors, serving existing Christians. In the 18th century and on,</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">there was a revival of "missions," but this was relegated to reaching </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family:Arial;">the lost overseas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In 20</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">th</span></sup> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">century, the number of Christians and church goers began to</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">shrink. With this environment, churches began to market themselves to</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Christians, seeking to attract more “consumers” (who were already Christian)</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">for their product. Reaching the lost and serving the community was forgotten or</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">relegated to a small sub-section of the church. Meanwhile,</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">America</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">became</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">more and more unchurched.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The writers of</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Missional</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Church</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">saw this</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">environment and what the church had begun and wrote this work. They saw the</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">need to “send” people across the street, as the</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">US</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">is now the 5</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">th</span></sup></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">largest mission field in the world. By using the term missional church they</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">wanted to help reshape people’s imagination from what the church had become—an</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">inward-focused, vendor of religious goods and services to consumeristic</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Christians—to what God had intended for the church—to be a people whose purpose</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">was to fulfill the mission of God. They write:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style=" color: rgb(94, 94, 94);font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mission</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">' means 'sending,' and it is the central biblical theme describing the purpose of God's action in history . . . It has taken us decades to realize that mission is not just a program of the church. It defines the church as God's sent people. (p. 4-6)</span></span></i></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;">So why keep the term?</span><br /><br /><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It helps people to check their idea of what church is.</span></span></i> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It does not exist for itself, but for God’s purposes for the world.</span></span></li><br /><li class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It helps reshape the imagination.</span></span></i> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is incredible power in language, which postmodernism has taught us. This term helps people imagine what the church is supposed to be.</span></span></li><br /><li class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It provides an opportunity for teaching.</span></span></i> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For those who are unfamiliar with the term, it provides a teaching moment to share God’s original vision for the church.</span></span></li><br /><li class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It challenges the status quo</span></span></i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. People may be comfortable with what their experience of church has been. They may not want anything to change in the church, because the rest of their lives have so much change. But change is absolutely necessary. We now live in a world in which for the first time in modern history we have 6 generations alive at the same time. The amount of information in the world doubles nearly every years. If we are to stay current, we must change. And God’s people have always grown the most when they have gotten outside of their comfort zone—when they are in the desert or facing persecution.</span></span></li><br /><li class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It puts up front and center what the church is called to be—the people of God on mission.</span></span></i> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">By referring to ourselves as a missional church, there should be no ambiguity as to what our central purpose should be. Those who are most excited about mission will get this. Those who are most consumeristic or believe that the church exists to serve itself will be the most resistant.</span></span></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">I recognize that missional church is a conceptual thought, and those that are intuitive, conceptual</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">thinkers will be most drawn to it. Those that are more concrete thinkers will</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">need to have more explanation. But this is good, as it provides a teaching</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">moment. As I give Missional Outreach seminars around the country, I encourage</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">people to use the term, as it is helpful, but to also explain the concept in</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">many different ways. Always, of course, we should point people back to the life</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">and mission of Jesus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For myself, this is a profound part of my journey. I can remember reading</span> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Missional Church</span></i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">in</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">2000 as a part of, of all things, a congregational ministry class. Having grown</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">up going on mission trips with Let’s Start Talking, it struck me, that</span> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">this</span></i></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">was exactly what the church was supposed to be.</span></i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That we must see</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">North America</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">as a mission field, and all that we do</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">should focus upon this mission. I know others that were struck by this as well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Are some people jumping on a missional bandwagon and using the term in ways that they do not understand?</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Sure. But whether the term itself does or not, missional is a profoundly</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">biblical-theological concept that will stand the test of time. And as for me?</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Well, I was missional before missional was cool. And as one who has led two</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">churches directly in becoming outward-focused, and as one who gives missional</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">outreach seminars around the country and attend conferences on this around the</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">country, I can say that it is a term that helps reshape the imagination and</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">motivate many people towards mission. It is not the only way to get across the</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">concept, but it is a helpful term.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We absolutely cannot stay with the status quo. Church attendance in the</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">US</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">is 18%-20% and falling. Read my</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">last blog post for additional stats. If we keep people in their comfort zone,</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">we will continue to fail to reach the world for Christ. And our own children</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">will suffer for it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;">Go missional!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><i>What do you think are good reasons for using the term missional?</i></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-32233009931640873762010-06-24T12:07:00.001-07:002010-06-24T12:07:46.656-07:00The Kingdom of God and the Parable of the Sower<div><p style="text-align: left; display: inline !important;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/Y-ToY87N*1THtTrOmx11FT6no5*iukqZjyprybua9JYESdl*7FmGCIVrzB4UU-B-GkolLyn7vJx1Y67bAl83PbTlxLKl08Yl/iStock_000002804908XSmall.jpg" align="right" vspace="10" hspace="10" alt="" /></span></b></p></div><div>Matthew's gospel has the most extensive teaching on the kingdom of God, which he refers to primarily as the kingdom of (the) heaven(s). The central message of Jesus, of course, was that the kingdom of God, or kingdom of the heaven(s), was near-at hand--all around--in your midst. by using the plural form of heaven, the heavens, Matthew emphasized this nearness (Mt. 3:17). The ancient view of heaven was that there were (at least) three heavens. The 1st heaven is simply the air, the spiritual world that surrounds us. The second heaven is the stars, planets, etc.--the celestial realm. The third heaven is the throne of God, or what we often typically think of as heaven.<div><br /></div></div><div><div><b>Why is repentance linked with the kingdom of the heavens?</b> If God is all around us, if the power and peace of his kingdom is readily available to us, then we need to repent--to change our heart and minds, to open our minds--to his way and this new reality. The kingdom of God is God's rule or reign, and we must repent of trying to rule our own lives, and instead follow God and his ways, and depend upon his power.</div></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>If we do not understand this, then we miss most of Matthew's gospel, which is filled with parables and teachings about the kingdom. So now I want to take <b>the parable of the sower.</b> The sower sows seeds, and this seed is the message of the kingdom--that God and his kingdom power is all around us. Note Jesus' explanation of this parable:</div></div><div><blockquote class="webkit-indent-blockquote" style="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><sup><span lang="en-us"><br /></span></sup></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><sup><span lang="en-us"><i>18</i></span></sup><span lang="en-us"><i>“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:</i></span> <sup><span lang="en-us"><i>19</i></span></sup> <span lang="en-us"><i>When anyone</i> <b><i>hears the message about the kingdom</i></b> <i>and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.</i></span> <sup><span lang="en-us"><i>20</i></span></sup> <span lang="en-us"><i>The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.</i></span> <sup><span lang="en-us"><i>21</i></span></sup> <span lang="en-us"><i>But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.</i></span> <sup><span lang="en-us"><i>22</i></span></sup> <span lang="en-us"><i>The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the</i></span> <span lang="en-us"><i>worries</i></span> <span lang="en-us"><i>of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.</i></span> <sup><span lang="en-us"><i>23</i></span></sup> <span lang="en-us"><i>But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" (Mt. 13:18-23).</i></span></div></div><div></div></blockquote></div><div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"></div></div><div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-us"><br /></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><b>1st Group - Some people hear this message about the kingdom, and they don't understand it</b>. How can God be near us? How can he have any real impact upon our lives? They live their lives as if there is no spiritual reality. They do not pray expecting God to do much, if they pray at all. They think that what they achieve is done by their own power, intelligence, and hard work. They live secular lives.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><b>2nd Group - The second group gets excited about the message that God and his kingdom is near.</b> They want to live spiritual lives, dependent upon God. But they are rather shallow--perhaps thinking that God can be manipulated, or prayer works like magic, where God can be forced to do our will by having the right formulas or saying the right words. And when hard times come, they just give up the whole thing.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><b>3rd Group - The third group also gets excited. But they fail to really trust God.</b> They worry about things, rather than depending upon God. They pursue wealth as a means of empowerment, rather than trusting God for their power in daily living. And so, while they may still have an outward belief in this message, they are unfruitful. Nothing comes of it, because their loyalties are divided.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><b>4th Group - The fourth group understands this message of the kingdom and lives by it.</b> They really believe that God and his kingdom are all around. They trust in his power when difficulties arise. They pray fervently and expectantly. They have great understanding. And because of this faith, <i>he</i> produces a crop that is 100 times what is sown. Notice that in this case, God uses the faithful believer in the message to do amazing things.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 9pt; line-height: normal;"><i>So my question for you is, which group do you fall into? Do you know and understand the message that the kingdom of the heavens is near? Do you trust in God's presence and power in your life? Or do you trust in your own power? Are you stressed and worried? Or do you trust in God?</i></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-72237928836037827692010-06-22T10:32:00.000-07:002010-06-22T10:33:19.261-07:00Some Startling Statisfics on the Decline of Christianity in the US & the Need for Church Planting<a href="http://www.missionalive.org/">Mission Alive</a> has put out the following statistics on population growth, church decline, the fall of Christianity in the US, and the opportunity and need for church planting. Note the following:<br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/Zk6KEebIvky9ScHgGgYfxs7gBvN4AgBmZqP8NmOTmTAQfEAXbfxFjQybx4ZjbRK--EHA*dqPS7zHsdj2bvSbcFrL-lsKcwKt/plant01.jpg" alt="" vspace="10" align="right" hspace="10" /></p><br />Here is the bad news:<br /><ul><li>Between 1990 and 2000 there was a net gain of 4600 churches in the US; however, to simply maintain the pace with population growth a gain<br /> of 38,800 was needed.</li><li>Between 80-85% of churches in the US are in numeric decline.</li><li>From 1990-2001 the percentage of Americans identifying themselves as "Christian" dropped nearly 10%. At that rate, non-Christians will outnumber Christians of any denomination by 2042.</li><li>Many churches struggle with our changing society and increasingly post-modern culture. Perhaps out of fear, many turn inward and are unable to reach their community with the good news.</li></ul> Here is some demographic data:<br /><ul><li>The US population is expected to reach 392 million by 2050, up from 300 million in 2006. Most of the increase will be in metropolitan areas. This represents a 31% increase in 42 years.</li><li>10 US metro areas grew in excess of 40% in the past decade: metro areas as divergent as Naples, FL., Yuma, AZ, Fayetteville, AR, and Boise, ID.</li><li>Estimates are that 60% of the population increase in the US in the next 50 years will be among immigrant peoples.</li><li>By 2050, less than 53 percent will be non-Hispanic White, 16 percent will be Black; 23 percent will be Hispanic; 10 percent will be Asian and Pacific Islander.</li></ul> Here are the opportunities:<br /><ul><li>American suburban life is changing to be characterized by isolation, individualism, and consumerism, providing both challenges and entree points for the gospel.</li><li>New churches tend to grow faster than existing churches, have a greater percentage of young people and incorporate people faster than existing churches.</li><li>Churches less than 15 years old gain 60%-80% of their members from people not attending any worshiping body, while in churches more than 15 years old 80%-90% of new members transfer from other churches.</li></ul> It is clear from these statistics that Christianity in America is on a dramatic downward trend. Only God can reduce this decline. The influx of immigrants represents both a challenge and an opportunity for us. Legal immigration has been very good for America. In fact, this country was built by immigrants, who came motivated and inspired to life a better way of life. As far as minorities and churches, historically, our fellowship has not done a good job of reaching the non-White population. But immigrants are often very open to new faith, as the rest of their lives are in flux already. This is why groups such as <a href="http://www.genalliance.org/">Genesis Alliance</a>, a Latino church planting group that I'm on the board of, are so important. We need to plant many new "minority" churches to reach these growing populations.<br /><br />It is also clear that predominantly white churches and established churches of all ethnicities are needed to plant churches. The sad fact is, very few churches are growing at all, and those that are are growing through transfer growth. Unfortunately, most churches are satisfied if they merely meet the budget and gain members through transfer growth.<br /><br />We need to plant many, many new churches, as this is one of the best evangelistic methods there is.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What stands out to you about these statistics?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-6600447989648037642010-05-19T20:03:00.000-07:002010-05-19T20:06:20.469-07:00An Unbelievable Story of God Sending Latino Church Planters from Columbia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8PMsLIv5254plt2YPsBRK07ddfJYd5MQFtSZYsdQFxCm9whYeNdOih2LFOwHrcwENmV9abv9fxdZInAeZHmJ7Co8J5zFIg57WaHTkTmQi9pnHbfMToSSmPSkOth1lWCqykN5/s1600/IMG_0868+(Cropped).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8PMsLIv5254plt2YPsBRK07ddfJYd5MQFtSZYsdQFxCm9whYeNdOih2LFOwHrcwENmV9abv9fxdZInAeZHmJ7Co8J5zFIg57WaHTkTmQi9pnHbfMToSSmPSkOth1lWCqykN5/s400/IMG_0868+(Cropped).JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473183221891157650" /></a><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><br /><br />Okay, this is quite an amazing story.<div><br /></div><div>A couple of months ago, I took a trip with Paul Newhouse, who is our missions coordinator, and Sixto Rivera, the Executive Director of <a href="http://www.genalliance.org/">Genesis Alliance</a> over to El Salvador. When I came back, inspired by the trip, I featured the work in El Salvador in my Sunday morning sermon. I also had us sing an El Salvadoran song, Bien Benito (I'm so Happy song) in Spanish.</div><br /><div>A young lady named Christian came up to me after the service who was Hispanic. She thanked me for singing this song and for our love for the Latino people. She explained that she was from Columbia and had recently moved here. Her first Sunday was during the run-up to Harvest Sunday, when we were highlighting the work of Genesis Alliance and our Hispanic church plant with Carlos Lopez (Iglesia de Cristo in Plano, TX). On that day, she and her husband, Ober Ochoa, met Sixto Rivera. Sixto talked with them, found out their background, and began to look at them as potential Latino church planters.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Monday, I met with Ober and Christina and Sixto in my office. Now, let me back up and explain the rest of the story.</div><div><br /></div><div>Christina and Ober are both from Columbia. While she was still single, Christina applied for a visa to come to the US. She has family in the Houston area. When she and Ober got married, they prayed one day that her visa might be accepted. Three days later, it was accepted! But only Christina could come, as she had applied while she was single. So they wrote a letter to the US Conciliar asking for Ober and their child to be given visas as well. They were approved the very day that the conciliar had received the application. This was nothing short of a miracle. As they said to me, you have to be from El Salvador or Columbia or the like to understand how amazing this was. They took this as a sign from God to come to the US.</div><div><br /></div><div>A bit more on Ober. Ober was brought to faith in Christ when he went to a house church in Columbia. He served faithfully as a member for 5-6 years, and then was made a pastor. His passion is in outreach and evangelism. In fact, he converted his wife, Christina. I asked him if he only studied with beautiful women. I also said that this was an outreach strategy that could only work once! :) (Only one wife is needed!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Continuing the story . . . When their visas were accepted, they were seeking direction of where to go in the US. Someone suggested McKinney. They said, "McKinney?" So they got on Google and googled McKinney and up came a picture of Towne Lake. Someone in Columbia had a sister in McKinney, so they moved in with her in her apartment complex.</div><div><br /></div><div>This apartment complex happened to be managed by Marsha Miller, one of our members and a long time family friend. When the Ochoas needed some furniture, Marsha gave them a couch. (Our clothes closet ministry often helps with these types of things.) The person that they were staying with went to McKinney Bible Fellowship. But Marsha said to them one day, in a way that only she could, "Hey--I gave you a couch. Why don't you come to my church?" And so they did. </div><br /><div>When their host family asked why they went to High Pointe and not to her church they said that they just sensed an overwhelming love for the Latino people. If I may also share, Christina also said that she felt that I was leading the church to love all peoples, and that this really touched her. For a Caucasian congregation to devote two services to the Latino was just amazing to her. I was very personally touched by this. It reminded me that this work really does have an impact upon people.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ober and Christina share our view of baptism and even worship. They are a very talented couple that could make great church planters. They are very interested in working with Genesis Alliance and Sixto, and we are very interested in working with them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Praise God! Clearly, he is at work in mighty ways, bringing together people to fulfill God's mission. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>What do you think of this story?!</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-3976897877894770962010-05-05T14:38:00.000-07:002010-05-05T14:54:45.132-07:00A Love for Scripture - Something My Mother Taught Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPUS3FMw33lml3LOJJ4G164LM3Qlx9VRoynKAYrUs6ruH-stK2rQSVr4QT4e7q7nJQoefEVouLL_NI-v-jA8Rk5xd_NhO8VMCK7IeJ0cGfaODGQ138djvp8QqRNn21uvKwOyP/s1600/Bible,+close+up+1200+pixels.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPUS3FMw33lml3LOJJ4G164LM3Qlx9VRoynKAYrUs6ruH-stK2rQSVr4QT4e7q7nJQoefEVouLL_NI-v-jA8Rk5xd_NhO8VMCK7IeJ0cGfaODGQ138djvp8QqRNn21uvKwOyP/s400/Bible,+close+up+1200+pixels.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467907609436694434" /></a><br /><div><div><div>As mother's day approaches, I am reminded of my mother, of course. One of the things that always stood out to me was the importance of Scripture and following God's word.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible, of course, does not claim to be an ordinary book. As the word of God, the Bible claims and is inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. The Bible is not merely a human product, for “prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). </div><div><br /></div><div>Scripture’s origination from God is so thorough that it is described as “God-breathed” and is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). For the one whose heart is open, God’s Word points a person unmistakably to Christ, and it is the means for faith. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible also was written by humans (2 Pet. 3:15), and it reflects that human authorship. It is written in the context of human cultures (ancient near eastern, Greco-Roman) in human languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek). Furthermore, even a superficial examination of the Bible reveals that the books of the Bible differ considerably in style, vocabulary, and sentence structure. </div><div><br /></div><div>This mysterious combination of the divine and the human is a reflection of the incarnation, through which Jesus, who is God, also became human. </div><div><br /></div><div>I firmly believe in Scripture. I have been blessed to grow up in a home where my mother regularly read Bible stories to me as a child. And in everyday conversation and interaction, biblical truths were regularly worked in.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a legacy that Becki and I have sought to pass down to our children. We regularly read to our children Bible stories, memorize Bible verses, draw application from Bible verses, and talk about God's truths. There may be people, ministers, or families out there who do not believe or want to follow Scripture, but this preacher, his mom, and his family is not one of them!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>What did your mom teach you about Scripture?</i></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-71498352648318983052010-04-15T20:52:00.000-07:002010-04-15T21:08:28.615-07:00A little love, human kindness, and prayer opens doors to Clothes Closet Bible study<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikdP6SeiWRxqWoUFz6D4NDriBpXdppQmT7Ezpy7Yz0akzb3geYZxkIlcuj8yBOr7ppoodjL90euMQEhyphenhyphent-Cj8ZPL-u5qfwDuye1VKow1RVzb-iGEK2r1FQVBz8GLrjG3OwQfC/s1600/IMG_0812.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikdP6SeiWRxqWoUFz6D4NDriBpXdppQmT7Ezpy7Yz0akzb3geYZxkIlcuj8yBOr7ppoodjL90euMQEhyphenhyphent-Cj8ZPL-u5qfwDuye1VKow1RVzb-iGEK2r1FQVBz8GLrjG3OwQfC/s400/IMG_0812.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460582321522486882" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today we began having our a devotional time with our Clothes Closet customers. We divided the customers into an English-speaking and a Spanish-speaking group, and had each go to different a portable. Then Glenda Lopez, wife of Carlos Lopez, our Hispanic church planter, gave a devotional in Spanish, while I worked with the English-speakers.</div><div><br />By going into rooms, the customers were able to sit down. This immediately eliminated the "waiting in line," which can be dehumanizing. It certainly does not lead to interaction</div><div>.<br />I had those in the room introduce themselves and tell a bit about themselves. We then did a type of Discovery Bible study. I wrote up a verse on the board which covered the greatest commands. Then I asked them to rewrite this in their own words (they told me this orally). And then I asked them how they could apply it.<br /><br /></div><div>They said that the verse meant to love God with their whole being, and to love others--which they translated into praying for others. I also asked them for their prayer requests. These are what they shared:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Morayna – my cousin Oscar has cancer<br />Reyna – father-in-law has a heart condition<br />Terri – Family and mother<br />Shery – Cousin Tammy has cancer<br />Velma – son in California and sister that has cancer and diabetes<br />Diana – Mom just out of surgery – Dad has cancer<br />Tracy – Dad seeing heart specialist<br />Donna – Mom with diabetes<br /><br />Prayers for the world, others, don’t judge people who are different, and prayers for our enemies were also requested.<br /><br />One lady, Diana Brock, said that she didn't know where she was in her relationship with God, clearly feeling distant from him. But she said that she wanted to come and visit our church. She just needs a ride. (Please let me know if you can help give her a ride. She lives off 380 toward Princeton . Her address is1800 Private Road 5461, McKinney.)<br /><br />I met another lady named Shery who was part of a cowboy church. The minister of this church set up a 30 day fast and a tent down in Van Alystine over Christmas. Shery had been Jewish, but after encountering this minister, she and her family studied and they were baptized--immersed--in a horse trough! She was very open and sincere about her faith.<br /><br /></div><div>Next week I'll seek to continue to build this group up to form a type of Christian community. Please be praying for this ministry, and especially Diana at this time.<br /><br />Praise God for all that he is doing!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>What ideas do you have about how to draw this group closer to God, one another, and the church?</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-86299302131634830972010-04-14T08:05:00.000-07:002010-04-14T08:07:26.685-07:00Angels Unaware - Food Pantry Inspires People in Community to Give<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"></p><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/sy7v4SG5fAFkyJ3bSrtpWcNvgzQt3WUBKaMkcceT6yQUtYjFbRrJsI1SgoQIikrNysIuR99SNRlxeTzFBBbY4MdDh-WXhrkV/Groceryaisle.jpg" alt="" /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Today, Linda Hardin, our church secretary and food pantry ministry leader, wrote this about her experience in a checkout stand while buying groceries for our food pantry. Here is Linda's story:</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Angels unaware. Do you believe in them? I sure do. God sends people into our lives to help or encourage us. Many times it's family members or friends, but every once in a while a total stranger delivers a message straight from God. And it seems to happen at the most unexpected time or place. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">That was my experience one day this week after work when I stopped by the </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271256432_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">grocery store</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> to pick up some sale items for the </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271256432_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">food pantry</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. My basket was stocked to the top and so heavy that a young man at the store pushed it up to the checkout for me. It contained 48 cans of spaghetti sauce, 48 boxes of mac & cheese and 96 canned vegetables. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A lady behind me asked me if I was going to feed an army. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> As the checker counted and totaled, I took a minute to tell her about our food pantry and how one afternoon a week we give a bag of groceries to approximately 50-60 families. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">S</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">he asked me the name of my church and where it was located. By this time the checker announced my total - $128. As I was digging in my purse for my ATM card, this stranger quickly stepped in front of me and swiped her card. </span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'" size="12pt" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">At first I didn't realize what happened and thought maybe she was cutting in line, but then it dawned on me - she paid my bill. She stepped right up and did a </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271256432_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">good deed</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, no a great deed! God touched this lady’s heart and she wanted to be a part of our ministry. I grabbed this total stranger and gave her the biggest hug ever and asked her name.</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Then I told her I would say a special prayer of thanksgiving for her and ask God to bless her life. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> So, thank you God for Stacey, my angel unaware."</span></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'" size="12pt" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Isn't this amazing? </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have always said that often times the people we reach through acts of service and benevolence is not the people that we are serving, but others who are touched by these acts and who want to be a part of a church/community that serves others in this way.</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> In fact, many church plants begin by going around and asking people in the community to donate food or clothing. Not only does it raise awareness of this church, but it gives people in the community a chance to be generous--which is part of being a disciple--and helping those who are in need.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'" size="12pt" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'" size="12pt" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Thank you, Linda, for sharing this. And praise God for his mighty works!</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Have you had people in your community give in response to something that the church is doing?</span></i></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style=" ;font-size:12pt;color:black;"> </span></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-25856541917322547042010-04-07T19:56:00.000-07:002010-04-07T20:47:22.874-07:00Inviting the Community into Our Fellowship - Family, Faith, and FriendsFor the last two years at High Pointe, we have been actively seeking ways to serve and impact our community. This has involved many different types of service outreaches, from Habitat for Humanity to FriendSpeak to singing in the nursing home. Three of our biggest service outreaches have been our food pantry, which gave out 2000+ bags of groceries last year, our clothes closet, which clothed over 4400 families, and our outreach to Vega Elementary School, where we help mentor, clothe, feed, and play with kids. <div><br /></div><div>These outreaches have been hugely supported by our members with incredible generosity and active service in these ministries. And visitors to High Pointe and people in the community, from school officials to the local Red Cross, have noted High Pointe's service. </div><div><br /></div><div>But relationships are the key to sharing the gospel.</div><div><br /></div><div>So our outreach team, ministry leaders, and staff began to ask the question, how can we relationally connect with those that we are serving? We began praying for those who came in with needs. And then we decided to offer a fellowship meal, once a month on Wednesday night, and invite those from our food pantry, clothes closet, and Vega Elementary to enjoy a free meal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight was our first such fellowship meal, called "Family, Faith, and Friends." We really had no idea what to expect. We did not know if any would come, but we wanted to try. </div><div><br /></div><div>Praise God--we had a great turnout of both members and people in the community! </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFZjndmZ-OAwpJiF-hdEtTh8uOcaFjJvpnh4H4SoSRfz1qQU4C20RmLrSfFNR9l2QEW3joNvMWo6krDFcK-N8atEhqaiUgf9ZeFjgMPUYrBof60VSa7Ttp5KeiPiEeJvCvIGK/s1600/115_0129.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFZjndmZ-OAwpJiF-hdEtTh8uOcaFjJvpnh4H4SoSRfz1qQU4C20RmLrSfFNR9l2QEW3joNvMWo6krDFcK-N8atEhqaiUgf9ZeFjgMPUYrBof60VSa7Ttp5KeiPiEeJvCvIGK/s400/115_0129.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457602318952643090" /><br /></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFZjndmZ-OAwpJiF-hdEtTh8uOcaFjJvpnh4H4SoSRfz1qQU4C20RmLrSfFNR9l2QEW3joNvMWo6krDFcK-N8atEhqaiUgf9ZeFjgMPUYrBof60VSa7Ttp5KeiPiEeJvCvIGK/s1600/115_0129.JPG"><br /></a>The Hispanic family on the right came to us from Vega Elementary school. The mother's name is Maria Garcia. She said that she had been wanting to come to visit us on a Wednesday night for some time. She works on Sunday, but her husband had said, why not go to the church down the road on Wednesdays? Her husband stayed at home working with some homework with the fifth child. In their conversation, they said that this church was non-denominational, and the church that they had gone to some time ago was non-denominational. It sounded like she had said that this previous church was a church that they had helped start. Interesting--I will have to explore this more.<br /><br />Maria had said that she was tired this night, but that her son Christopher had encouraged her to go. You have to love those kids! Maria, unlike many of the other Latinos who came on this night, spoke good English. I got her contact information and will follow up with her.<br /><br />We had a great turnout of people from the community, and I was so glad to see our members mixing so well with those who came. In this picture is Bob Renfro, one of our shepherds, Mary Lou Lively (whose granddaughter was baptized last year) , and Laura Cooper (a mentor for Habitat).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7m_G5WDAo8lRHy6u-mc7y_j9q7VEkV36jo75xuzEOM8RbQV57BfipnLNymeOqrJA7n2mKcMySx-NUTpbsLub7Fi-l0LM65Z5Kj6G2Rm3HZqydF3X1FPMd7M4IDzM_GW7dBSgG/s1600/115_0134.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7m_G5WDAo8lRHy6u-mc7y_j9q7VEkV36jo75xuzEOM8RbQV57BfipnLNymeOqrJA7n2mKcMySx-NUTpbsLub7Fi-l0LM65Z5Kj6G2Rm3HZqydF3X1FPMd7M4IDzM_GW7dBSgG/s400/115_0134.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457605119444123858" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is Early B. Milstead and his wife Lena, daughter Holly, with an African-American family from the community. It was great to see these families sharing this meal and actively engaged with one another. What a great example to the world!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8ScR1G94lz27mRLgzntnE6F92KMh5hP8ROSsiWQ_hPWrJxC-FS9eGLRxuMMqw_QkpkPm70AW44gdv_KLaAzQq5yrkzsXWNicx2L_qlLvdZQaJ6uufGrFgRZ_rnOGsV6_UNYI/s1600/115_0133.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8ScR1G94lz27mRLgzntnE6F92KMh5hP8ROSsiWQ_hPWrJxC-FS9eGLRxuMMqw_QkpkPm70AW44gdv_KLaAzQq5yrkzsXWNicx2L_qlLvdZQaJ6uufGrFgRZ_rnOGsV6_UNYI/s400/115_0133.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457604222979945666" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">On the right of this picture is Mike Shuttlesworth, a former missionary to Hungary who just returned and placed membership with his family at High Pointe. Mike is sharing his table and meal with another Latino family from our community.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div>All in all, it was a great night! We'll follow up with more relationship building, prayer, and Bible study. Tonight was a vivid illustration of what it means to be a Christ-centered community that draws all people together--regardless of race, class, background, or gender--under the cross of Christ.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29225" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><br /></sup></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29225" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><i>11</i></sup><i>Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)—</i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29226" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><i>12</i></sup><i>remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. </i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29227" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><i>13</i></sup><i>But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.</i><p><i> </i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29228" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top; "><i><b>14</b></i></sup><i><b>For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one</b> and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, </i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29229" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><i>15</i></sup><i>by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, </i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29230" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><i>16</i></sup><i><b>and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.</b></i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29231" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><i>17</i></sup><i>He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. </i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29232" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; "><i>18</i></sup><i>For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:11f)</i></p></span><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>How can we build relationships with people in our community whom we serve?</i></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-62028317768811889882010-03-09T07:31:00.000-08:002010-03-09T07:33:06.224-08:00Love and Mission: Compelled by Christ's Love to Reach Out<img src="http://api.ning.com/files/ddjanUXD-BBzorWVjsdi*hr81MWrAmcFjGtMXB0zkLsiRbUNiM3LG6k0fyTlfCETXZ4L3sSEuZBO-YTTXIpY7w5atGOhIxKh/iStock_000001673165Medium500pixels.jpg" alt="" /><div><br /></div><br /><div>Love and Mission, Love and Mission, go together like a horse and carriage.<br />Okay, this is a bad adaptation of the song "Love and Marriage" (But not as bad as the suggestion I read the other day for adapting Olivia Newton John's song, Let's Get Physical, and making it, Let's Get Missional, Missional."<br /><br />But love and mission do go together. Note this passage from Paul in 2 Corinthains 5:4f.<br /><br /><i>4For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.<br /><br />16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.</i><br /><br />If we have not been convicted by Christ's love for us, we will remain selfish. In order to reach out to others, we must first die to ourselves. And this is tough. It is tough to be selfless in our marriage. We are usually concerned with our needs being met. And we do have certain needs. But the point is, it is hard to be selfless.<br /><br />And as if it were not enough of a challenge to love others, we apparently struggle to even love one another very well. A study by Lifeway indicates that 58 percent of people who had attended church for at least a year in high school and then dropped out of worship attendance said that they did so because of relationship problems":<br /><ul><li>26% said that they didn't feel connected to people in the church.</li><br /><li>15% said churches were either unfriendly, unwelcoming, or cliquish.</li></ul>Without a conviction of Christ's love for us, we will always struggle to be selfless. And if our own people do not feel love, how well will we love others whom we encounter?<br /><i><br />So, what can we do to increase our love for one another and for others, and be compelled by Christ's love so that we can be better ambassadors of Christ?</i></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-32145850562838127472010-03-05T04:11:00.000-08:002010-03-05T04:13:55.975-08:00If we are not discipling others, we fail to grow<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img hspace="10" alt="" vspace="10" align="right" src="http://api.ning.com/files/MJfGY1HdbLB9YrDjCKf7*oRdynrJbwoK2C8YItb7AyrolHrRpxY8acXHBiblThCtObi9Rj50AijELE5v9Z*ryjz2elipz04b/iStock_000003534757XSmallsquare.jpg" /></p><br /><p><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">T</span></strong> oday I had another Bible study with--I'll call him Paul Smith. Paul was baptized into Christ 4-5 months ago. Paul had been angry with God for years because he and his wife had suffered two miscarriages and had not been able to have children. Paul came to us because he and his wife at the time were headed towards divorce. This divorce is now finalized, despite his wishes.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Paul was helped in his faith walk initially by the Celebrate Recovery group. Then we studied the Story of Redemption together with a friend that he had developed in Celebrate Recovery. <strong>He accepted Christ and was baptized.</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I have continued to <strong>meet with Paul almost every week since his baptism. He comes each week with questions--lots of questions. He has questions about how to deal with his wife, his boss, his neighbor.</strong> He has had many questions from the numerous sermons that he listens to and the book that he is reading now, The Purpose-Driven Life. He continues to wrestle with God.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Paul came to our study today with a question about when life begins, and when a body has a soul. Is it at birth?</strong> Is it sometime in the womb? Is it at conception? When is the age of accountability? Did I believe in this concept. And would children be in heaven? Would they be resurrected as an adult or as a child?<br /></p><p>It took me a few minutes into the discussion before I realized that these were not just intellectual questions for Paul . <strong>He wanted to know these answers because his wife had had two miscarriages</strong>. He always wanted to be a father, and he would often curse God whenever he saw a school bus go by.</p><p></p><p>As I sought to listen and answer these questions, I had to deal with issues like God's knowledge of the future, God's active involvement in the world, God's love and his discipline, the nature of the Psalms, the resurrection, love for our enemies, forgiveness and more.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>And as I went through these topics with Paul, I could feel that my own faith was affirmed. And it <strong>struck me. If we are not discipling other Christians, we ourselves fail to grow.</strong> These truths which I have studied for years gained new life as I thought about them in light of Paul's very real situation.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>This is how God intended the church to be. <strong>A church that does not evangelize does not have new Christians. And without this influx of "new blood," we fail to grow spiritually. So evangelism is essential not only in reaching new Christians, but in Spiritually forming longtime Christians.</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><em>Who are you helping to disciple? How much do you think that discipling others help us to grow spiritually?</em></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-46936094522151011242010-01-29T12:44:00.001-08:002010-01-29T12:44:37.192-08:00The Pope Dives Into Social Networking-What about your church?<img src="http://api.ning.com/files/ox0VPUb*a*vJYe7s5ySNkf0CU0zy3EYtPmfIuZPdxV1gSGR15KlZiLi2TVCWNWoEOIu9qni948cgYZ6F-RmyzVhy1q0DFW*x/pope_benedict_xvi.jpg" /><br /><br />Here is a recent <a href="http://www.canada.com/technology/media+spread+gospel+Pope+Benedict+tells+priests/2481955/story.html">article in which the pope encourages priests</a> to use social networking to spread the gospel.<br /><br />The Pope said, "Priests are thus challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the<br />latest generation of audiovisual resources -- images, videos, animated features, blogs, websites -- which, alongside traditional means, can open up broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization and catechesis," he said.<br /><br />If the Pope, who is 82 and no technology buff, is calling on people to use social media, what about us?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">How is your church using social media to share the gospel? What help can you offer or do you need?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-31583370085895303072010-01-05T20:28:00.001-08:002010-01-05T21:22:04.535-08:00Colleges seeking to make degrees more relevant-what about churches?I recovering from a nose job that I had last week. Ha, ha. :) Actually, I had surgery to correct a deviated septum. They removed my stints today-yikes! I hope to be back to full strength in a few days. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.<br /><div></div><br /><div>I really have been trying to rest, but I came across an article today in the New York Times entitled, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/education/edlife/03careerism-t.html">Making College Relevant</a>. The article cites various examples of colleges increasingly seeking to be directly "relevant" in the majors that they offer. <strong>The University of Louisiana, for instance, is eliminating their philosophy major, and the University of Michigan is eliminating American Studies and Classics majors.</strong> The reasons? Decline of students majoring in these fields.</div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423490997023742882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1Y5HeZeqPRYqjNoTVfzHZBBK0KQ9LqLx_kNTWXuPS3S-KDkre5i8boLS6cKFX3adOT64X9HcVyY_eVvlezjyL8u4PwJyx33WPBF_-UeF_8JXnJH5aDCPwUHFR03xbq1CNRFG/s400/THE_PRAGMATIC_A.jpeg" /> <div></div><div><strong>Increasingly, students--and their parents who are paying <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">exorbitant</span> tuition rates--are asking, how will this major help me get a job?</strong> No one can afford $100,000 to get a degree in Sand Script and then work at StarBucks. The loans cost too much. So economic reality is driving this shift in part.</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>However, there is another cultural force driving this shift--the collapse of Western thought and the rise of pragmatism.</strong> Western philosophy was built upon thinkers such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descartes">Rene Descartes.</a> Descartes doubted everything until he could find the one thing which he could not doubt--that he thought. Upon this absolute foundation, he then built additional thoughts and conclusions. This led to the rise of "foundationalism," deduction, and rational thought.</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>In case you had not noticed, no one is buying anyone else's deductions these days.</strong> Deductions are viewed to be a way of manipulating and controlling arguments. Not only is there skepticism of the deducers, but we are moving into a post-literate, narrative, image based society where deduction and logic are rarely the primary forms of communication.<br /><br />For instance, <strong>when was the last time you saw a TV show or movie where the form was people making statements and then seeking to prove them?</strong> Purely deductive sermons--once the norm in churches--are now death for communication. No speaker comes in to an audience--even a Christian audience--with enough clout to pull this off consistently. People are already skeptical.</div><div></div><br /><div>At the same time, people are skeptical of induction to form conclusions as well. Science claims to be inductive, based upon emperical evidence. <strong>But as the recent scandal on global warming shows, data can and is often manipulated by humans</strong>--whether scientists or other mere mortals--to fit pre-conceived conclusions.</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>What are we left with, then, if both deduction and induction are viewed skeptically today? Pragmatism. What really works.</strong> People don't have time or patience for theories or knowledge for knowledge's sake. Give me something that works, and that I can see that works. </div><br /><div></div><div>This has huge implications for "how we do church."</div><br /><ul><li><strong>Sermons</strong> need to have practical application and inspire people to actually take action.</li><li><strong>Bible classes</strong> need to be much less about knowledge--which can be found anywhere on the Internet--and more about real life issues - marriage, relationships, child raising, friendship, Christianity in the workplace, how to reach out. And because people are dealing with different issues, we need all kinds of "classes" in all kinds of places.</li><li><strong>Elders</strong> need to spiritual life coaches, not board of directors. Younger people are dying for mentors, role models, marriage examples, and people who care about them.</li></ul><p><strong>People today say, don't tell me about the doctrine of grace. Tell me how grace can help me forgive my wife or husband</strong>. Or make me not beat myself up. Or be kind to my children when they are acting like little rebels!<br /><br /><br /></p><p>Many college administrators are bemoaning the fact that college students are not that interested in philosophy and are so pragmatic. They want college students to receive a broad based foundation that goes beyond an immediate job and helps them learn how to think. There is value in this. But if no one signs up--whether for a major or for something church related--then this thinking does no good. <strong>A more integrated "curriculum" that provides broad based thinking while emphasizing practical application may be a necessity for today's pragmatic society.<br /></strong></p><p><br />And, after all, shouldn't Christianity "work?"</p><p><em><br />What do you think of the pragmatic emphasis in culture? How should this be applied in the church? What should be avoided? What is good about this?</em></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-89026135410226222262009-12-26T16:31:00.000-08:002009-12-26T17:14:35.100-08:00Carolers Bring Joy to Colonial Lodge Nursing Home!Last Wednesday night, we did not have Bible classes at High Pointe. But the church still met. The church, of course, is present wherever two or three Christians are gathered in Christ's name.<br /><br /><strong>A great group of singers from the High Pointe Church of Christ met at the Colonial Lodge, a nursing home in McKinney, to sing Christmas carols</strong> and bring a little Christmas joy to the residents and workers. It was a good mix of young and older Christians, with whole families singing together.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419707451787881586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQQGh3RNrdnqy1kpJHwbyr1S6omhJTvZQD21Yu833B72WaRtQKAsrVCw41bDhCWiIqrpDwgqw84uBj5Ie-ljugj5gr0sn-mD9Kzc4cSkkDSPVvhaMUp6vYGP_g2Gj0pTumKsV/s400/Singing+at+Nursing+Home+(Colonial+Center+1).JPG" border="0" /><br />For some time, High Pointe has had singers meeting together on Wednesday night to sing and learn new songs. But Phil Prosser, who leads this group, and these singers have started going out about every other Wednesday to sing at nursing homes. <strong>This is a great example of taking a group that could be just inward focused, and making it outward focused. </strong><br /><br /><strong>You see, every group, Bible class, and ministry ought to adopt some type of outreach or service.</strong> We are really going to encourage this adoption this year at High Pointe. Doing acts of outreach and service can foster Spiritual formation, as well as helping the church in its mission. All of us, as individuals and groups, need something or someone outside of ourselves to serve. Without this, we become stagnant and stale. With it, we build up memorable experiences and bond as a group.<br /><br />I am so appreciative of these singers! I have been engaged in evangelistic Bible studies on Wednesday nights, and I was off of work this week. But Gina (my 8 year old daughter) and I were able to join the group on this night. It was good for all of us to remember how blessed we are, and for all of the kids to "learn" about blessing others through this singing.<br /><br />It was great to carol together. And the nursing home residents were very appreciative. <strong>One of the older ladies gave me a kiss on my cheek and said, "I haven't kissed a man in years!"</strong> This was a night to remember!<br /><br /><em>"27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27).<br /></em><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419708461676837602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IB4w41ssLqw6q4IlmGZL67ayNpfQwmeFBXhoZ2gybdoiR0TS3hg9Q6v58Do9OQg47UdahcXdBUzj6a3rGUYlnEk1hA9vmZ8aSkeBrEqV-2pr67ub14978uSZxzPF-V6-A9ne/s400/Singing+at+Nursing+Home+(Colonial+Lodge+3).JPG" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzsqoIfYiyxpMqQAhTs7jpMNPwhhpnu706qhkOEkSbOuidPaFJuwFya3j4haz7s1WcWUZ67VBK-TtxSttn17ZdU6ZOf76oA3Qzn-9dBqUehf4of7M4jrZ0zxGFm-Za2UUgbh4/s1600-h/Singing+at+the+Nursing+Home+(Colonial+Lodge+5).JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419708974207922962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzsqoIfYiyxpMqQAhTs7jpMNPwhhpnu706qhkOEkSbOuidPaFJuwFya3j4haz7s1WcWUZ67VBK-TtxSttn17ZdU6ZOf76oA3Qzn-9dBqUehf4of7M4jrZ0zxGFm-Za2UUgbh4/s400/Singing+at+the+Nursing+Home+(Colonial+Lodge+5).JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLgJYoeQVKKKx7_ScQ5JPDHo5exQa3CgT6A3q7umdvK1N-z7s6EB4q6GIYn3NCGvilZ0qLtpDRYp882Bm9pyQLmYTYGk3UTLFbAmIt8QFYzVU1eUPkMAjknLmweoV-ZC0Fxtl/s1600-h/Singing+at+Nursing+Home+(Colonial+Lodge+4).JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419708788036885378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLgJYoeQVKKKx7_ScQ5JPDHo5exQa3CgT6A3q7umdvK1N-z7s6EB4q6GIYn3NCGvilZ0qLtpDRYp882Bm9pyQLmYTYGk3UTLFbAmIt8QFYzVU1eUPkMAjknLmweoV-ZC0Fxtl/s400/Singing+at+Nursing+Home+(Colonial+Lodge+4).JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419707819889610242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtixL2TyuV3WX9HmT8fS_cYPA1nxx1W1Rg1N_P2yt0ZoU8iFRx0PIq-AIcBTJ-hCxWTNFLvizGpwtWV-j_wWTqk11uIXdFCe5-h_9J2kD4rpVAdjB89uyslvs2hxqGXV7i9hiW/s400/Singing+at+Nursing+Home+(Colonial+Center+2).JPG" border="0" /> <div><div><div></div><div><em>What experiences have you had singing for others? With widows or the elderly? What do you think is the relationship between outreach and service and spiritual formation?</em></div></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25422068.post-80305091848222519972009-12-16T21:08:00.000-08:002009-12-16T21:31:02.161-08:00Daniel Ursey baptized into Christ! (Facebook contact)<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"></p><br />Daniel was baptized into Christ on Sunday, 12/13/09. It was such a great day! I spoke on "The Community of the Christ Child," and how Christ draws together all people (wise men and shepherds). We had a graduation for Dyanmic Marriage, and then Daniel was baptized.<br /><br />Daniel and I have been studying together, going through the <a href="http://www.storyofredemption.com/">Story of Redemption</a>. Originally, Daniel came into contact with the church through a girlfriend that worships at High Pointe. Then he asked to friend me on Facebook, and he sent me a Facebook message asking about studying together. He said that he wanted to become a better person.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416073151523699794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKuT9krLV9ua59rV7_1D8fO0YazALo83LfGC5u9gf0cAB2298sTFU8o31hyphenhyphenYVe2dSAlukGKtnptbged1PvgCzDl0jFjSAcS90eMHuSNCFrVOng_31l7Xl28A3ArlpXDCjGawh/s400/IMG_0586.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />It is important for ministers and churches to stay current with culture, communication, and technology. When we speak someone's "language," it shows that we care about them. Facebook and texting are the language of new generations.<br /><br />I am so glad that Daniel has put Christ on in baptism. He has come from a long way off, with almost no church background. It is great to see his tranformation. He is very excited about his new walk with Christ. Please pray for Daniel as he starts his new life in Christ.<br /><br />Daniel will be transferring to Texas Tech in January. We will get him hooked up with a church in Lubbock. And we will try to reach out to his family that lives here in McKinney. I will miss him. Tonight he and and another new convert sat next to me at our "Celebration of Blessings." And someone else I'm studying with, Will, came tonight and told me that he plans on being baptized on Dec. 27. God is at work!<br /><br /><em>Does your minister or church use Facebook to help connect with people?</em><div class="blogger-post-footer">Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.</div>James Noredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707292759635770946noreply@blogger.com0