Abundant Grace Church in Fort Scott, KS is a part of a world-wide family of churches called Newfrontiers. Beginning Thursday February 25 the leaders of churches across the US, Mexico and Canada will be gathering in St. Louis for Equipped for Mission.
This year we are taking 11 leaders and wives to this conference for refreshing times of worship, encouraging and challenging teaching and just a heck of a good time with our extended family. I am incredibly excited about this trip. I am excited because of the fun I am going to have, but I am also pumped about the impact being with other leaders is going to have on those going and the long-range impact on our mission to Fort Scott, Bourbon County and the world.
Another aspect of this conference that will make a big difference is that we will be bringing John and Flor Evans from Guadalajara, MX. I am full of expectation about what they are going to impart to us as a church. I am also anticipating we will impart somethings to them.
On Sunday evening we will be praying at 5. John and Flor will join us and we can spend some extended time praying for their new adventures in church planting in Rio.
What a great family we have! Want to learn more? click on Newfrontiers or NewfrontiersUSA
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Centered
Often when I feel uncertain and threatened, I put myself in a position of defense of putting my back against the wall. I figure if something is threatening my security I want to see it and be able to face it. If I am with a group of people we might all put our backs together each facing outward to defend each other. But what if there were a different position to take? What if our focus was shifted to someone who was greater and could effectively deal with our enemies?
The Old Testament sometimes challenges us in unexpected ways. I was reading this morning in the book of Numbers. It begins the story of Israel's conquest two years after being set free from slavery to Egypt. In chapter 2 God commands the people to arrange themselves around the tabernacle, the place of God's presence. They are going into unknown territory and there will be opposition so I assumed that they would be arranged with their focus outward toward the potential dangers. God commands them this way, "They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side."
This is amazing. God is taking His people whom He loves into dangerous and unknown territory (from our perspective) and commanding them to face Him, not their dangers. Why? The greatest danger is not the enemy outside. The greatest danger is forgetting God; letting other things occupy our focus than Him.
What dangers are you facing? What worries occupy your mind? Rather than trying to face them in your own strength, you should face God and worship Him. The wonderful news is that because of Jesus, we don't need an external temple. God has chosen, by His Spirit, to be with us in every circumstance of life. Re-orient your life toward Jesus. He is your strength and protection.
The Old Testament sometimes challenges us in unexpected ways. I was reading this morning in the book of Numbers. It begins the story of Israel's conquest two years after being set free from slavery to Egypt. In chapter 2 God commands the people to arrange themselves around the tabernacle, the place of God's presence. They are going into unknown territory and there will be opposition so I assumed that they would be arranged with their focus outward toward the potential dangers. God commands them this way, "They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side."
This is amazing. God is taking His people whom He loves into dangerous and unknown territory (from our perspective) and commanding them to face Him, not their dangers. Why? The greatest danger is not the enemy outside. The greatest danger is forgetting God; letting other things occupy our focus than Him.
What dangers are you facing? What worries occupy your mind? Rather than trying to face them in your own strength, you should face God and worship Him. The wonderful news is that because of Jesus, we don't need an external temple. God has chosen, by His Spirit, to be with us in every circumstance of life. Re-orient your life toward Jesus. He is your strength and protection.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sarah and Ezra FSCH Chapel
My kids singing their first duet in chapel at their school. The guitar's a little loud, but I am proud of them for going for it.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Conuquerors and Cowards
Revelation 21:7-8 reveal two groups of people: conquerors and cowards. I am glad the bible uses those words so I can't take credit for the alliteration. Conquerors have great promise: they can lay claim to God as being theirs and they have God calling them sons. To be a son is a great thing (I will try to remember to post about this at another time). These great promises are made more clear because of the contrasting statements concerning those God calls cowards (vs. 8). Being called a coward by anyone hurts, but being called a coward by God has dire consequences. The outcome for cowards is not good. I will let you read it for yourself.
What makes us cowards rather than conquerors? Cowards have no faith. There is a list of sins that is included in this cowardice, but primarily, they are faithless. They won't face their own broken humanity and realize that they need a savior. This is true cowardice. They won't believe that God is good and that through his grace they can truly be conquerors.
You may begin to think that conquerors are buff warriors with brilliant character. That would not be accurate. They are men and women who realize they are broken and can only be made whole by Jesus. Conquerors are weak and fragile recognizing that their strength and their hope is in God, not in their ability to keep the rules, nor in their disability to do so. The gospel writer, John, says that we overcome the world by faith.
Conquerors simply believe God. We believe him when he says that we are in need of a savior. We believe him when he says that we are no longer children of wrath, but beloved of God. We believe that we are free from the law of sin and death. We are made alive in Christ.
Believe him today. "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith."--1 John 5:4 (ESV)
What makes us cowards rather than conquerors? Cowards have no faith. There is a list of sins that is included in this cowardice, but primarily, they are faithless. They won't face their own broken humanity and realize that they need a savior. This is true cowardice. They won't believe that God is good and that through his grace they can truly be conquerors.
You may begin to think that conquerors are buff warriors with brilliant character. That would not be accurate. They are men and women who realize they are broken and can only be made whole by Jesus. Conquerors are weak and fragile recognizing that their strength and their hope is in God, not in their ability to keep the rules, nor in their disability to do so. The gospel writer, John, says that we overcome the world by faith.
Conquerors simply believe God. We believe him when he says that we are in need of a savior. We believe him when he says that we are no longer children of wrath, but beloved of God. We believe that we are free from the law of sin and death. We are made alive in Christ.
Believe him today. "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith."--1 John 5:4 (ESV)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Pray Big, Live Big
I was recently at a pastor's prayer meeting and as we were praying I had a recollection of my high school basketball coach reminding me when I post up to get big and stay big. I was 6'3" 175 pounds and when the ball went to the corner my arms were to be outstretched and I was to have a wide stance so that the man with the ball could see me and potentially pass to me and theoretically I would turn and score a high percentage basket.
That's when the words in my mind changed to pray big, live big. I like to pray big prayers. I am a part of a relatively small group of churches called Newfrontiers. We like to pray big prayers. What I mean is that we pray for things like planting churches in top 100 churches in the US even though we just now have ten of those top cities. We pray for churches that will reproduce and plant more churches. We hold to promises that the knowledge of God's glory will cover the earth like water covers the sea. We pray for harvesters to get into the work of harvesting souls. That means when people become Christ followers, we want them to join us in the mission of being disciples who make disciples.
All of this praying for big things must be followed by living big. We live big by believing that this is the kind of stuff that is in line with the character of Christ and we can actually take bold steps and big risks because God will give us what we need. This is the part that really impresses me. It doesn't do much good to pray for big things then be fearful of talking to our friends about Jesus or talking to the church about a new idea to serve the community, or asking someone to take a new responsibility in the church.
Fear causes us to live small. It doesn't make any sense to pray these big prayers then not have any confidence in our great big God.
Let's pray big. Let's live big. Let's have faith in a great big God.
That's when the words in my mind changed to pray big, live big. I like to pray big prayers. I am a part of a relatively small group of churches called Newfrontiers. We like to pray big prayers. What I mean is that we pray for things like planting churches in top 100 churches in the US even though we just now have ten of those top cities. We pray for churches that will reproduce and plant more churches. We hold to promises that the knowledge of God's glory will cover the earth like water covers the sea. We pray for harvesters to get into the work of harvesting souls. That means when people become Christ followers, we want them to join us in the mission of being disciples who make disciples.
All of this praying for big things must be followed by living big. We live big by believing that this is the kind of stuff that is in line with the character of Christ and we can actually take bold steps and big risks because God will give us what we need. This is the part that really impresses me. It doesn't do much good to pray for big things then be fearful of talking to our friends about Jesus or talking to the church about a new idea to serve the community, or asking someone to take a new responsibility in the church.
Fear causes us to live small. It doesn't make any sense to pray these big prayers then not have any confidence in our great big God.
Let's pray big. Let's live big. Let's have faith in a great big God.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Getting Started
I am a diver. I don't mean I am very good at it, I just mean that I usually dive into things rather than dabble and wade in slowly. I am also very good at procrastinating. These may seem like they are mutually exclusive ideas, but they aren't.
Procrastination is not the same as research and good planning. It just means you waste a lot of time making excuses and hoping that if you wait long enough you won't have to. Some people take their time making decisions because they are researching and considering a problem from different angles so that they can make a well informed and intelligent decision. I am not usually that careful. I spend time wishing I didn't have to do something, or trying to figure out how I can get out of doing something. Eventually, either the pressure passes and I have made a non-decision (I waited for the opportunity to pass) or I give into the pressure (internal or external) and dive in.
This blog is a good example. I haven't really researched how to blog. I don't know exactly what all I am going to say, but here I am jumping in. I hope it is helpful to people.
I guess sometimes we just need to jump in and do things even if we don't feel prepared. God wants people who are willing and daring enough to believe him and do what he asks them to. Sometimes we call it a leap of faith. Usually, they are just steps, but whatever you call them just jump in. The water is fine.
Procrastination is not the same as research and good planning. It just means you waste a lot of time making excuses and hoping that if you wait long enough you won't have to. Some people take their time making decisions because they are researching and considering a problem from different angles so that they can make a well informed and intelligent decision. I am not usually that careful. I spend time wishing I didn't have to do something, or trying to figure out how I can get out of doing something. Eventually, either the pressure passes and I have made a non-decision (I waited for the opportunity to pass) or I give into the pressure (internal or external) and dive in.
This blog is a good example. I haven't really researched how to blog. I don't know exactly what all I am going to say, but here I am jumping in. I hope it is helpful to people.
I guess sometimes we just need to jump in and do things even if we don't feel prepared. God wants people who are willing and daring enough to believe him and do what he asks them to. Sometimes we call it a leap of faith. Usually, they are just steps, but whatever you call them just jump in. The water is fine.
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