January 2008 Entries
Giants in the Super Bowl!

It took me three days to come to my senses -- I thought i was in a dream! The New york Giants are in the Super Bowl -- can you believe it?  Just go back to the third week of the season the G-Men were 0-3...fans wanted to sacrifice Eli at the altar and dismember Coach Coughlin and place a piece of him in all five boroughs of NYC!  But they made a magnificant recovery -- not to mention have won 10 straight games ON THE ROAD!  I think that is a record!!  Amazing! So how will these Giants defeat Pretty Boy Brady and the Patri-NOTS.....three simple steps:

1) Establish a black and blue running attack - they must bang away and bang away at the running game! 3 yards...5 yards...4 yrads...all day long.  This will keep there defense on the field and where them down.

2) Pressure Brady in the pocket - The Giants did this well in the last game of the season. They must sack him four times to win the game.

3) Don't list to the Media or even watch TV - Belicheck and the Pats are masters at using the media to psych out the competition. Even this week, Brady is walking around with a fake foot immobilizer. Coughlin's tough mindedness and dogged style will work well to fight the frenzy of the big game.

Wonder if Belicheck will wear his ratty grey hoody in the 80 degree weather of Arizona...probably?

posted @ Thursday, January 24, 2008 4:12 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Television
Participating in an Unequally Yoked Wedding
This past Saturday I was conducting a training event with our church’s top guns (Ministry Community). One of the training tools that I use is writing ministry case studies and discuss how to handle the situations. One of those was the following. As you will see this is a very real situation that when I asked, “who here has faced a situation like this?” more than 75% of the people acknowledged they had. Read it and let me share some thoughts….
 
More “I won’t’s” then I Do’s”
Your good friends at church, Jake and Karin Mitchell call one night and ask if they could come over and talk. Evidently they need to talk about their 20-something daughter and the relationship she is involved with. Anna grew up at NewSong, graduated HS and went off to college. A matter of fact, you remember the night she was baptized as a junior higher. Once out of school, she started dating Albert. Albert is not a believer. To make thing more complicated, Albert and Anna are living together. The Mitchells have always publicly decried the relationship and the living arrangement. When they arrive they share that Albert and Anna want to get married. Anna wants their blessing and asked for financial help with the wedding. She also told her mom how she has dreamed of Jake giving her away and wanted her to talk to Jake for her. As they tell you the situation it is obvious that Jake and Karin are in conflict. Jake says that if you show support and pay for the wedding you are giving approval to the marriage. Karin does not want to push their only child away. She says that Anna is an adult and is going to make her own decision and that if we want to stay in her life so they can have some input, we have to show her the love of Christ and support her. Things get heated and Jake fires back that it is over his dead body will he walk her down the aisle and he won’t be apart of it. What would you say to them? What counsel would you give?
 
What is the real issue? From my experience the issue that has to be focused on Anna’s spiritual condition or really what she considers her condition to be – saved or not saved? Anna supposedly made a profession of faith when she was younger. That could be true and the only way to know for sure is to watch what fruit comes forth. That is what Jesus was saying in Matthew 7…
 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” Matthew 7:16-23
 
Obviously it is troubling that she is dating an unbeliever and worst living (and probably fornicating) with him as well. Anna needs to be confronted about her relationship with Christ. If she is a member of a church, she needs to be disciplined by the church. This is where you will lose most parents. Most parents I have dealt with in the church will refuse to do the hard work of confronting the child’s spiritual condition. They will be upset with their choices and living arrangement but for the sake of “keeping the relationship or continuing a dialogue with the erring child” they will not ask the hard questions or worst come to a place of saying that their child is NOT a believer. To be honest that is the hardest thing to do but the best and in the long run easiest. You see once you determine that Anna is not a believer, you can understand why she is making the decisions that she is, because she is unregenerate. You will be able to pray more directly and you will be able to know how you should act on the other issues at hand. See if Anna would come to a place of acknowledging that she is not a true believer then she is an unbeliever marrying an unbeliever. She is not outright “unequally yoked” – though it is still not ideal. As a parent you could still participate and not violate your conscience and convictions. You may or may not determine to walk her down the aisle and you may or may not decide to give to the wedding, but at least you know where she stands. I would suggest that you can be benevolent, generous and show the love of Christ to her for evangelistic purposes.
                However, if she is unwilling to surrender the claim that she is a believer then it makes it harder. You see as you look at the scriptures it is clear that when a believer is in sin, being disobedient to the scriptures and is unrepentant to any kind of rebuke, we are never to reward but discipline. This is very hard to do but this is what Paul was suggesting in 2 Thessalonians 3….If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.2 Thessalonians 3:14-15. You see that….the disapproval and rebuke will bring shame and possibly change their behavior.
If Jake and Karin were to confront Anna and she continues to insist that she is a believer, like many have done over the years, they have every Biblical right to withhold any blessings. It would be wrong to give her away under the idea that you as a father are approving of this union. It would be wrong for you to give money to promote and encourage the celebration. As hard as it maybe, you may not even what to attend, depending upon Anna’s attitude. But Anna’s insistence that she is a believer and what she is doing is not sin is a real problem. I believe, as the Bible states, the pressure of a parents’ stand and discipline will either bring her to her senses or it clearly reveals her spiritual condition.
 
You might say, “I know she is not a believer…why does she have to admit it?” First because the Bible says it is important. She has to personally deal with her sin and spiritual condition. This will lead to genuine repentance or help her see she is not guaranteed redemption.  Secondly, you are making a huge assumption, what if she is a believer and it will be your rebuke and stand that brings her out of this carnal fog. It is my experience that well-intentioned “over loving and protecting” parents get in the way of God doing His disciplining work in the lives of wayward believers.
 
                You might say, “this is all too hard, I will take my chances. Hopefully my kid will come around and come back to the Lord and maybe my new son/daughter in law will come to Christ.” Look anything is possible, but we have more cases that show couples NOT come around or worst….the Anna’s of the world do come to their senses and wake up in a marriage with an unbeliever and it is a mess. Divorce is ten times as likely and if there are grandkids involved, enough said! On the contrary, I have heard more times, when people take a stand; it bothers the couple getting married. Some forego a wedding and break up. Some get married and the broken relationship with a parent haunts them until they get right. Some unbelievers come to Christ because of the consist convictions they see. We are not to be ugly, arrogant or harsh with an erring child, but firm and unwavering.
 
                Finally, whatever the spiritual condition, if a child asks for your help and desires you to walk them down the aisle make it on your terms. Demand that they separate and live apart for a period of time. If they refuse, their attitude quickly tells you they only are concerned with their wishes and desires and not your feelings.  Demand that they get counseling with your pastor. I personally love those kinds of opportunities. I make it clear that I will not marry them but I will do the premarriage counseling. You as a parent have the right, especially if your child wants money or participation to expect your child to do the things that you want for them. These are not easy situations, but always remember a person’s state and standing with Christ is always the biggest issue. And depending where they stand on that question, you must proceed and deal with them on that basis.
posted @ Tuesday, January 22, 2008 3:35 AM | Feedback (2) | Tags: Family In-Laws
James MacDonald Rocks the POMOS!

I love James MacDonald!!  Did i tell you that before? James is the pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel (IL) -- he is a fantastic expositor of the Word and Pastor's Pastor! On his blog - jamesmacdonald.com (little egotistical, huh?) he had a fabulous blog on the pomo's - post moderns/emergent church types.... I have dropped it in below, I know you will enjoy it....

MARS HILL AND THE POST MODERN CHURCH

I am embarassed to say that through the years I had come to hate Acts 17. Every conference I attended, every pastor's gathering, every book on church growth . . . everywhere I turned, people were using Paul's message to the philosophers in Athens as a biblical defense of Scripture-light sermons that appeal to secular people on secular terms. How silly of me. Why didn't I just study Acts 17 for myself, like I did last week . . .?

I applaud every church that wants to win seekers, connect postmoderns with Jesus, and impact baby boomers or generation X or millennials or whatever. God loves people and they all need Christ regardless of their culture or their background or whatever. The problem I have had through the years is with the notion that if you are really serious about reaching these secular generations you have to somehow get beyond the Bible. Churches pride themselves on their cultural relevancy as they play Beatles songs in the Sunday service, and jettison the Bible to the back seat in favor of felt-need talks on subjects of supposed interest to the secular mind. This philosophy has divided countless churches across our country as Christians and God's Spirit within them are starving to be fed biblical depth and challenge. Jesus' commands to "feed my sheep" are skirted in favor of the priority of preaching to lost secular people without the Word of God. All of this is defended from the Mars Hill sermon of Acts 17. Many churches call themselves "Mars Hill" as a way of anchoring themselves to this mission of reaching postmoderns, etc. The defense that has been given for this diluted, "less is more" philosophy of ministry is Paul's message on Mars Hill in Acts 17.

Here are five ways they are totally getting the Mars Hill sermon wrong:

1) The name is wrong: The Greek term, Ares Pagios is actually two words. Modern versions transliterate the location of this sermon and call it "the Areopagos." Ares is "the god of war" and Pagios means "hill." When the King James version was translated, Christianity was a very Roman religion so they substituted the Roman God of war who is Mars. That's where the term Mars Hill came from, ironically a pretty awful translation. (Obviously not all churches bearing the name "Mars Hill" subscribe to the misinterpretation of Acts 17).

2) The tone is wrong: Paul showed great wisdom when he began his sermon with an appeal to the common ground of their belief in a particular idol, "the unknown God," but we know that he was anything but warm in his actual feelings. Acts 17:16, "Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols." Inside Paul was grieved and outraged at the proliferation of pagan idolatry. The word for "provoked" is the same word used in the Septuagint translation of Exodus 34:14, "For the Lord whose name is Jealous is a jealous God." Paul was not passive or indifferent to the wickedness of their idolatry; he was deeply troubled about it, yet he showed enough self-control not to alienate them as he began.

3) The use of secular materials is wrong: While Paul did quote from two Greek poets familiar to his hearers in the body of his sermon (Epimenides and Aratus), he used quotes that supported biblical concepts of God. More common in our day is using secular sources, i.e. film clips, pop music, and Hollywood personalities to support concepts that are more psychological than biblical, more secular than scriptural.

4) The avoidance of Paul's conclusion is wrong: The most glaring misuse of the Mars Hill sermon as a model is the failure to end where Paul ended. Churches use Acts 17 as a defense of their secular sermons without Christ or the cross, without scriptural substance and without authoritative contradiction of the secular mindset. All of these things however appear in the end of Paul's Acts 17 Mars Hill message. Paul told them idolatry was wrong, completely contradicting their world view, (v. 29). Paul told them God commanded them to repent, (v. 30) and Paul told them that Jesus was raised from the dead as proof of God's intent to hold them accountable (v. 31).

5) The absence of urgency is wrong. Many modern churches that buy into the misuse of Mars Hill claim that secular seekers need a lot of time to weigh the options and consider the claims of Christ before deciding. That may be true, but it is not an excuse for draining the urgency from our pulpit appeals each week. There were many on Mars Hill that said to Paul "we will hear you about this again" (v. 32), but Paul's tone was also strong enough that "some mocked" (v. 32). He told them that God had overlooked their ignorance for a time but now commanded all to repent (v. 30). He told them they would face personal judgment for their failure to act on what they were hearing in that moment (v. 31). In short he pressed them to decide on the spot what they would do about what they were hearing.

In summary we can learn much from Acts 17. Churches with a desire to reach pagans in any culture would do well to approach people with sensitivity and a genuine appeal to any common ground that can be found. Acts 17 however does not support sermons without Scripture, without the cross, without contradiction or authority, and without an URGENT CALL TO PERSONAL CONVERSION TO CHRIST ON THE SPOT!

Acts 17:30, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent!"

I AM EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT JAMES WILL BE OUR TENTH ANNIVERSARY SPEAKER - SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2008

posted @ Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:59 PM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Post modern/Emergent
Why can't we find a Pastor of Next Generation Development?

Since last summer we have been on a hunt for new pastor on our staff.  His job would oversee the youth, young adults, ministry interns and family development.  We have been looking for a pastor who is 35-45, married with  children (teenagers prefered). Someone who doesn't need to have heavy interactions with students to be effective but who can do leadership training and work through his volunteers. He needs to be a resource and develop a system that will work without him being in the center of all activities.

Well we continue to talk with a few guys and at different levels of interview and interest. KEEP PRAYING! However i have been surprised by the lack of candidates. Today I ran into a friend and he asked how the search was going and I told him. He ask... "Why do you think its so hard to find a person?"  Good question -- here is my best shot at understanding.

1. The best candidates would be youth guys who have worked with kids for 10 years. Most either want OUT of working with youth or they want to be Senior Pastors (they need to talk with me first!).

2. Too many of the potential candidates have been bitten by the "Post Modern" bug known as emergen-dilecibla.  So many of the potentially greatguys have been screwed up by the McLarens, Genzs, Seays, Kimballs, Frankes of the emergent world!

3. There "seems" to be a drought of quality pastors in the age range we are looking for.  Especially the 40-something crowd.  Something must have happened with this generation.  There are some possible 20-somethings and a number of 50-somethings, but not too many 40-somethings!  Not sure why....but it is alarming!

Just keep praying and keep a watch out for us!

posted @ Thursday, January 17, 2008 8:05 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: NewSong Church
Discover NewSong Shout Out!
This is to some of the 63 people who attended Discover NewSong these past two weeks at church. Every January, I take a break from preaching and teach our orientation class during all of the services and give new people the opportunity to learn about NewSong and deepen their commitment.  This time around I asked a few who had looked at our website and who has read my BLOG....so here you go....thanks to the following faithful readers...Steve ; Matt; Kim; Nicole; Deb; Jeremiah; Nat; Darly; Donna; Tom....Thanks!
posted @ Thursday, January 17, 2008 7:35 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: NewSong
Giants Win!
What a shocker on Sunday, when the NY Giants defeated "America's Former Team" The Cowgirls!  Now its on to Lambeau Field in Wisconsin. Game time conditions - 5 degrees and snow!  The fact is we are ONE WIN AWAY FROM THE SUPER BOWL> who would have thunk it?
posted @ Thursday, January 17, 2008 7:31 AM | Feedback (0) |
Have you thought about God's Wrath today?

Kind of a depressing title of a blog entry, huh? I guess we think very little about God's wrath especially if you are a believer in Jesus Christ.  That is one of the incredible benefits and blessings of knowing the Lord -- we escape having to face His wrath.  Monday while showering (we have one of those modern inventions of the water resistent radios) I was listening to John MacArthur's National Day of Prayer message on "Has God Abandoned America?"  The message looked at the wrath of God. Dr. Mac explained that there are different types of God's wrath.  There is catalystic wrath that comes from naturual disasters while living in a fallen world. Then there is eternal damnation wrath that is experienced by those who die and do not know Christ. There is eschatological wrath that comes during the end times. There is "sowing and reaping" wrath that occurs when we willfully sin against the Lord and experience his judgement and discipline.  But there is another type of God's wrath and that is when God abandons us.

In Romans 1 Paul describes this kind of wrath.....notice the higlighted phrases...

Romans 1:18-32

 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
25For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
27and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
29being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
32and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.  NASB95

Wow!  How do you like that...?  Paul tells us that there is a wrath of God that occurs when "God gives us over to ourselves" -- we want a certain lifestyle, we want to indulge in a certain sin, we want to be involved with a certain obsession and God stops fighting and lets us have what we want! That is America Mac said on monday. I believe it.  We are experience all kinds of terrible consequences in our land and it started decades ago when we forsaked God and a godly lifestyle and took a swan dive into the cesspool of sin. Because of that wanton sinfulness, God said fine. I won't do anything to you in regards to judgement, discipline or calamity.  I am going to "turn you over to your will" and when we took control of our lives the trouble just started.

So what do we do? Our hope remains in one thing -- THE GOSPEL.  We must preach it; live it and point people to it. Politics will never save America, only Jesus can. We don't need a "pro-life; anti-gay; antri-gambling; anti-same sex marriage" agenda.  We need those who do abortions and those who have had abortions to repent and cry out to God. We need those living a homosexual lifestyle to repent and turn away from their sion and walk into the arms of a forgiving Savior and Lord; we need those who dabble in the lottery and gambling to drop their money at the feet of Christ and repent. Politics can never get God back into America -- from what Romans 1 says, He abandoned us over to our own devices. Our only hope is complete an d utter repenetance to the gospel.

 

posted @ Thursday, January 17, 2008 7:28 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Family Politics Gospel
Yankee Nation: A New Attitude!

Last week the 2008 schedule was posted and I am getting my sights set on some games and some fantastic memorable moments this coming season. We have our entire team back except some secondary players and we have a new manager. So what else do we need....a new attitude.

I am counting on the new manager - JOE GIRADI to breathe some new life into the locker room.  Some of that new attitude was started with the enthusiasm of the younger players last year.  but we need more.  We need the attituded that showed itself a few years ago during their last world series winning streak. Specifically when their were a number of believers in Christ leading the way in the club house.  Giradi should know-- he was a main player then.  People like Bernie williams, Paul O'Neill, Chad Curtis, Mariano and Pettite were vocal about their faith and banded together to raise the spirits of the rest of the team.  I believe when Christ is formed in the lives of a group of players and then presented as a single witness in the clubhouse -- things happen.

Here's my word for the 2008 Yanks -- The Yanks will be GREAT -- if we Let Christ be seen in 2008!

posted @ Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:46 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Yankees Baseball
WDJD: What DID Jesus Do?

The rage in the Christian sub culture a few years ago was the "WWJD" sticks and braclets -- What Would Jesus Do? This simple acrostic was to remind us how we weere to respond to different situations and act like Jesus acted.  I don't know about the rest of us, but my ability to act like Jesus has little to do with me and more to do with JESUS. You see the Bible tells me that "I am crucified with Christ....Christ lives through me!" I can't DO WHAT JESUS DID -- Unless i realize WHAT JESUS DID!

The writer of Hebrews wrote these power truths about Christ and His work....Hebrews 2:14-15 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.  NASB95

So what did Jesus do?

1. Partook in Human Suffering - he put on flesh and dwelt amoung us.  Not just hanging out in our world but He actually took on humanity and with it all the limitations and difficulties that go along with it!  That encourages me that He loved me enough to do that but that if He did that and could make it through -- I can face whatever difficult I face.

2. Performed the Ultimate Sacrifice - It says "through death" -- that was the ultimate and praise God the complete sacrifice needed for salvation. I think sometimes we talk about redemption and salvation in such a way that we take for granted what the cost of salvation was. It cost Christ everything - he was scourged, beaten, hung from the cross, speared and sacrificed. And not for his sin -- but our sin! Because of this ultimate sacrifice I can live victorious over sin and death.

3. Preeminient over satan - I use a small "s' becuase he is not worthy of a capital. It states - "He rendered POWERLESS him who has power" - Christ is now exalted and has authority over satan and his ilk because he vanquished death. because there was a resurrection -- we can have ETERNAL LIFE -- we will never die. All fear is gone -- because there is no death. All my hope is in His ressurection over death and not in the hopeless of the world. You see, I can take risks for Christ, knowing that whatever happens to me is nothing -- I can never die!

4. Provided freedom over Slavery - I am no longer a slave to sin, becuase Christ gave me victory. Before christ I was in bondage and living a meager life of a slave of satan. But when Christ died and rose again, my chains were broken, my cell door sprung open and I was free at last. As a free man, I live in joy, peace and ful;fillment.  I am not a guilty man or man bond with shame -- all of that is gone in Christ.  Now satan tries to handcuff me every now and then....but he can not do it when I stand firm on the freedom i have in Christ.

There you have it! I don't need to ask "What Would Jesus Do" -- better ask "What HAs Jesus DONE!"  In that truth we find the confidence and pow4er to live like Jesus and for Jesus!

posted @ Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:38 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Spiritual Growth Gospel
2007 Gone but Not Forgotten

Sorry its taken me a number of days to reflect on the past year.  Normmally you will see TV programs looking back on a certain year the last week of December, here I am a week into the new year. Nevertheless, it is important to take some time and think about all that has occurred.  Much of my reflection surrounds my ministry at NewSong. Nevertheless, here we go...

1.       Sabbatical - After nine years of ministry at NewSong, I was able to take a three month sabbatical from the church. I learned that even though you are a leave....you NEVER leave. But it was a tremendous break from the day to day, week to week grind of getting sermons written, counseling and emotionally working through decisions. The staff did a fantastic job while I was away and I got to visit 14 different churches.  And most importantly, I launched this blog!
2.       Lobby Expansion Project/OTHOTD - Our church completed a major remodeling and construction project - which expanded our lobby 2500 sq/ft. It has made such a difference. Also we completely remodeled all our bathrooms and children's ministry area!  Best is that we paid off more than half of the project and we are way ahead of the three year campaign goal!
3.       Delna Helland’s Home going - In May, our founding member and prayer warrior Delna Helland went home to be with the Lord.  Fortunately her battle with cancer was not long nor too painful. Her funeral was an incredible experience -- I got to speak as probably one of the most significant funerals in my career....why?  Because of who Delna was!  It wasd also a major event in our church's life -- this is only the second founding member who passed since the church began.
4.       Truth Project - In September, I began teaching a parent/sr. high student mentoring group using the Truth Project.  This has been a real ministry highlight.  To watch parents and kids learning together has been tremendous.  It also poop-poops what the "experts" say should hap
5.       Golf mania - Alex and I have become golf fanatics.  Alex plays for the HS team and he works at the local golf course -- allowing Dad the opportunities to play FREE! I love that word - free! We will be going to a golf school in FL this year in hopes of really improving our short game!
6.       Church Planting and New Pastor Search - We started palnning for two major goals in 2008 but the upfront work has begun....we decided to plant a new church in this coming year so we needed to find a church planter -- we did and now we are deciding on direction and location. Also with the resignation of our youth pastor, we decided to hire a new Pastor of Next Generation Development. This new pastor would work with our young people and interns to touch the future of NewSOng. Both are gutsy moves and take great leadership. It is also a clear indication of a vision that says we are willling to try anything to make ministry work.
7.       Gene Getz Conference - We hosted the legend Gene getz this fall.  It was thrilling to have my old grad school prof with us and allow his wisdom to touch this generation of believer.  Also we had our first pastor's conference and 135 leaders showed up. What a blessing!
8.       Kenya Visit - 6 from our church visited our work in Tseikuru.  What a blessing. We need to remember these dear people as they face major crisis in their country.
posted @ Saturday, January 05, 2008 7:41 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Life Lessons