Hey all! I am still alive. Been extremely busy trying to get to UTAH. [that still doesn't look quite right].
What have I been up to?
*Working for Crosspoint and this Amazing Dude.
*Visiting at home in Ohio with friends, family and our CHURCH.
*Did a wedding for our Programming/Arts Director Patrick and Leah [Reep] Sprague
*Trying to raise funds for MISSION WEST. Will you be in for the 22 cities without 1 church? [not a typo]
*Selling our house. YES! PRAISE GOD! done.
*Finding a house in Utah. YES! PRAISE GOD! done.
*Spending time with my amazing WIFE and KIDS. What a gift!
*Hosting a STICKS ROUND TABLE. What a blessing that was! Thanks Dave and Crosspoint!
*Doing all the things necessary to prepare to move.
*Working to help get our Launch Team West...Patrick and Leah have been on the ground for 5 days now in SLC! [midvale, UT]
*And so much more...
I hope to get back on the blog train in the next few weeks or months when we get settled. Thanks for your prayers and support!
Speaking of support...anyone want to begin talking about staff opportunities at the new church we will be planting in Utah?
We will be hiring the following positions one of these dayzzz:
1. Director of Spiritual Development/Assimilation
2. Director of Children's Ministries
3. Director of Operations/Executive Pastor
Do we have the funds right now? Nope.
Do we plan to have funds? Yep.
Will you have to raise support? Yep.
Will we help? Yep.
Are you ready to go to a mission field? _______?
Have others done this? Yep.
Are they crazy? Sure.
Is God wild? Absolutely.
If this is you...let's talk. Who knows where it will lead. We currently have 2 major partners supporting the plant, and a parent church on the ground in SLC. We also have 3 staff people on board already...
We plan to launch in the fall of 2010...so there is plenty of time to gather support and prepare. If this thing has tweaked your spirit...let's chat.
Send your resume and propaganda/etc. to: chazzdaddy17@gmail.com
this post is as good as Scripture if i might say so myself.
"For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.
We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world." [1 cor. 4.9-13]
Do we live it?
Or do we "justify" our actions?
We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world." [1 cor. 4.9-13]
Do we live it?
Or do we "justify" our actions?
There's Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life!
The 2 campaigns [from London] pictured here [top one says: THERE'S PROBABLY NO GOD. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.][The bottom one says: THERE DEFINITELY IS A GOD. So join the Christian party and enjoy your life].
The humanists/atheist group CREATED the original ad and of course Christians REACTED as we normally do instead of CREATING.
This made me think about how we might start better communicating the love of Jesus without being "reactionary."
In our next calling to Utah, this is especially important...
People might ask if we are going to Utah to [react to] convert the LDS.
Nope.
Our goal is "to seek and to save the lost". Someone else had that as their mission...[Luke 19.11]
and to USHER IN [create] the KINGDOM of GOD, not just another church that has relevant and inspiring services, great children's ministry, does servant evangelism and recovery programs, etc.
SO...how do we engage [create] without reacting?
Any thoughts?
HUGE UTAH NEWS!
I pray that you will see that often and you will if you go to: www.missionwest.tv and sign up for our e-newsletter. [very short newsletter, trust me!] Follow the journey in-depth from your inbox.
And by the way, we do have some HUGE news in the next addition!
Also follow us on twitter [@mission_west] if you are a tweetfreak.
Lastly...lease pray for our team! We are heading to an area where there are entire CITIES without 1 Protestant church in them! And yes, this is REALLY in AMERICA! That's why we left our FAMILIES, FRIENDS and a CHURCH WE LOVED to set out on this WILD GODventure.
So if you are interested in JOINING THIS WILD LAUNCH TEAM and/or GIVING TO MISSION WEST, let me know! Join the ride of reaching people where there is no witness.
"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Who will I send and who will go for us...and I said, HERE AM I, send me!'" [Isaiah 6.8]
Seriously...right now you can make a decision to be a life-changer. No amount of giving is too big or too small...we need YOU to make this happen! We really do. We set out in FAITH trusting that the BODY of CHRIST would rise up! How bout it? [e-mail: chazzdaddy17@gmail.com]
He might not be calling you across the country, but maybe just across the street or across the hall...whatever...are you willing to go on your GODventure?
Maybe He is tugging at you now to be a part of our support team...are you willing? I pray that you are...because you will truly make this dream a reality.
Thanks for your prayers and your support. We wouldn't be doing this without you!
Together we CAN change ETERNITY!
And by the way, we do have some HUGE news in the next addition!
Also follow us on twitter [@mission_west] if you are a tweetfreak.
Lastly...lease pray for our team! We are heading to an area where there are entire CITIES without 1 Protestant church in them! And yes, this is REALLY in AMERICA! That's why we left our FAMILIES, FRIENDS and a CHURCH WE LOVED to set out on this WILD GODventure.
So if you are interested in JOINING THIS WILD LAUNCH TEAM and/or GIVING TO MISSION WEST, let me know! Join the ride of reaching people where there is no witness.
"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Who will I send and who will go for us...and I said, HERE AM I, send me!'" [Isaiah 6.8]
Seriously...right now you can make a decision to be a life-changer. No amount of giving is too big or too small...we need YOU to make this happen! We really do. We set out in FAITH trusting that the BODY of CHRIST would rise up! How bout it? [e-mail: chazzdaddy17@gmail.com]
He might not be calling you across the country, but maybe just across the street or across the hall...whatever...are you willing to go on your GODventure?
Maybe He is tugging at you now to be a part of our support team...are you willing? I pray that you are...because you will truly make this dream a reality.
Thanks for your prayers and your support. We wouldn't be doing this without you!
Together we CAN change ETERNITY!
wordle.
So these are the primary words I have used recently on this blog.
I guess church planters should be willing to reach PEOPLE by doing ANYTHING it takes in Jesus name, even if it is just ONE.
www.wordle.net
shrooms.
Not those kind you wacks. I LOVE MUSHROOMS...one of most favorite foods.
I think that following Christ is more like a mushroom than anything else. Right?
Where do mushrooms grow best?
Yep...In the DARK and the DUNG.
We are more like mushrooms than anything else. The glory comes after the growth!
How bout it? A huge grilled portobello is awaiting us if we are patient enough. (with some balsamic vinaigrette of course...not to mention the big fat medium,-rare hardwood cooked steak that accompanies it :)
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers [and sisters], whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." [James 1.2-4]
I think that following Christ is more like a mushroom than anything else. Right?
Where do mushrooms grow best?
Yep...In the DARK and the DUNG.
We are more like mushrooms than anything else. The glory comes after the growth!
How bout it? A huge grilled portobello is awaiting us if we are patient enough. (with some balsamic vinaigrette of course...not to mention the big fat medium,-rare hardwood cooked steak that accompanies it :)
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers [and sisters], whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." [James 1.2-4]
Disappointed with God?
I have been lately, but probably more with others who say they are leaders and/or say they are Christians. Been there with me before?
Very few people are motivated beyond themselves...tough stuff to digest and see played out at times.
Are you there or have you been? This video was done for a series at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas. If you are Disappointed with God...you might check out the entire series online.
This has been a very tough road for us...but we know God is fully in control. But sometimes knowing something and resting in it are two different things.
Very few people are motivated beyond themselves...tough stuff to digest and see played out at times.
Are you there or have you been? This video was done for a series at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas. If you are Disappointed with God...you might check out the entire series online.
This has been a very tough road for us...but we know God is fully in control. But sometimes knowing something and resting in it are two different things.
this 1 thing will kill your church.
Looking for some staff guidance? Mark Driscoll lays out an amazing overview of what will hurt a church or staff more than anything else.
I can vouch that this 1 thing would have radically changed many mistakes I/we made over the years.
Whether you are in ministry vocationally or lead as a volunteer this will set the tone for what you are doing.
CHECK IT OUT HERE.
postscript: I do believe that by "negatives" he is referring to people with sin in their lives and attitudes sowing discord and not handling it Biblically, and not just people who "disagree" with the leader. Disagreement is a healthy part of the process. Enjoy!
I can vouch that this 1 thing would have radically changed many mistakes I/we made over the years.
Whether you are in ministry vocationally or lead as a volunteer this will set the tone for what you are doing.
CHECK IT OUT HERE.
postscript: I do believe that by "negatives" he is referring to people with sin in their lives and attitudes sowing discord and not handling it Biblically, and not just people who "disagree" with the leader. Disagreement is a healthy part of the process. Enjoy!
unbelieveable.
There are probably 300-400+ churches in the town where I am serving right now in Hartselle, AL [population: 50,0000. [side note---there are very few engaging the culture there. this one is.]
In the greater Salt Lake area there are 2.1 million people [and as the fastest-growing state in the country it is projected to grow to over 4 million people in the next 20 years!]
How many churches here? 231 [yes, two hundred and thirty one].
and 60% of those are less than 50 people.
UNBELIEVEABLE.
will you help do something about that?
go to www.missionwest.tv and sign up to hear about this church-planting project we are engaged in. you don't have to go overseas to find one of the biggest unchurched population on the planet.
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" [romans 10.14-15]
In the greater Salt Lake area there are 2.1 million people [and as the fastest-growing state in the country it is projected to grow to over 4 million people in the next 20 years!]
How many churches here? 231 [yes, two hundred and thirty one].
and 60% of those are less than 50 people.
UNBELIEVEABLE.
will you help do something about that?
go to www.missionwest.tv and sign up to hear about this church-planting project we are engaged in. you don't have to go overseas to find one of the biggest unchurched population on the planet.
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" [romans 10.14-15]
salute.
there was once a navy man,newly married,
2 kids.
he was a fighter test pilot and aspired to be an astronaut.
the pilot volunteered to fly a plane for his friend who was having a child,
but the plane blew up just after take off.
the 2nd child of the pilot was a girl who was 6 months old at the time,
and she never knew him.
her only desire was to and wrap her arms around him and call him "daddy" just 1 time.
she went on to have 3 kids of her own.
the eldest grandson only knew him through the stories,
and his deep desire is to spend just 1 day together...
and of course...to SALUTE him.
that pilots name was MacFaddin Moise, United State Air Force.
and so today I give a humble, yet strong SALUTE to the man my mother never got to call "daddy",
and the grandfather i deeply desire to spend just 1 day with.
yes, today I SALUTE you deeply.
THANK YOU for keeping me FREE and SURRENDERING your life for my FREEDOM.
[and to my other 2 grandpa's [1 army, 1 air force] that i had to privilege to know very well...i salute you as well and miss you very much.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
