I often read blogs, books, and writings from pastors and authors who communicate concepts I think, but in a more effective manner. So, rather than try to compete, I just repost theirs.
Great thoughts by Pastor Steve about the focus, philosophy, and Cause of The Church and why we do what we do! Enjoy!
Here's a great blogpost by Steve Furtick of Elevation Church from February 7th on Leadership, Ministry Perspective:
- - -
People ask me all the time how we’ve been able to see so many people come to Christ in five years.
Outside of the favor of God, I could give you a lot of specifics. Tell you a lot of things that we’ve done. But none of it will help you until you make a decision we made in the early days of our church.
And that was the decision to be more focused on the people we’re trying to reach than on the people we’re trying to keep. As others have said, to be fishers of men, not just keepers of the aquarium.
We’re not going to cater to the personal preferences of the few in our pursuit of the salvation of the many.
And that includes if the few is ten people when we’re pursuing one hundred.
Or 5,000 when we’re pursuing 10,000.
Or 10,000 when we’re pursuing 20,000.
Most people and churches aren’t willing to do that. They’re keepers of the aquarium. They say they want to reach people, but in reality they’re more focused on preservation than expansion. On keeping people rather than reaching them.
They let saved people dictate style. Saved people dictate focus. Saved people dictate vision.
The result is a room full of saved people. Not people getting saved. Why? Because the people you’re trying to reach aren’t interested in the church that has been created by the people you’re trying to keep. If they were, they’d be coming. But they’re not.
For some reason, right here is where people usually play the discipleship card. They’re trying to disciple the people they’re trying to keep. They accuse you of pitting evangelism against discipleship.
But that isn’t the case. I just believe true disciples should care more about making disciples than freeze framing the church the way it was when they became one. Or wanting twenty-six programs customized to their liking. If the mark of Christian maturity is a bunch of people who want to create a museum glorifying and preserving their personal preferences and then sanctify it by calling it a church, count me out.
Some people say why can’t we have both? You can. Focus on the people you want to reach and you’ll keep the people you want to keep. Let the rest walk. They’ll find a church elsewhere to graze.
The way I see it is they’re just occupying the space of a person who needs to hear the gospel. You’ll fill their seat.
And it will be with the person who needs it the most.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Water Baptisms THIS SUNDAY!
|
Friday, September 23, 2011
Hagerstown Convoy of Hope TONIGHT & TOMORROW!
Calling all churches and volunteers!
It is now just 1 DAY until Hagerstown Convoy of Hope 2011. Two last minute reminders:
1. Tonight, Friday, September 23, 7:00 p.m. – Volunteer rally – LifeHouse Bethel, 515 E. Wilson Blvd., Hagerstown. There will be a LOVE OFFERING taken to help with Convoy expenses. We are trusting God to help us meet the remaining budget needs with your help!
All volunteers are invited to join us tonight!
2. Tomorrow, Saturday, September 24, 7:00 a.m. – Volunteers should arrive at Hagerstown Fairgrounds Park ready to serve in the power and strength of the Lord!
Invite anyone in need of HELP and/or HOPE!
THIS weekend, there are NO individual churches, just an army of Christians serving one Christ and one Church in a revolution of love!
It is now just 1 DAY until Hagerstown Convoy of Hope 2011. Two last minute reminders:
1. Tonight, Friday, September 23, 7:00 p.m. – Volunteer rally – LifeHouse Bethel, 515 E. Wilson Blvd., Hagerstown. There will be a LOVE OFFERING taken to help with Convoy expenses. We are trusting God to help us meet the remaining budget needs with your help!
All volunteers are invited to join us tonight!
2. Tomorrow, Saturday, September 24, 7:00 a.m. – Volunteers should arrive at Hagerstown Fairgrounds Park ready to serve in the power and strength of the Lord!
Invite anyone in need of HELP and/or HOPE!
THIS weekend, there are NO individual churches, just an army of Christians serving one Christ and one Church in a revolution of love!
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Themes for this week of Fasting & Prayer
Themes for fasting and prayer.
Day 1 - Emphasis in prayer (for LHCE team- Monday, August 29th)
As we begin this week of fasting and prayer, I want to invite you to first focus your prayer and attention on your personal relationship with God.
Take time today to pray, fast, repent, and examine your heart before God. Allow God to encourage you as well as expose any areas in your heart and life that are not in alignment with His Word.
Ask: how “red hot” is my love for God?
Ask in prayer: “God, what areas of my heart are not right with You? Are there hidden, unconfessed sins? Reveal any attitudes or thoughts that I need to repent of or invite You to change.”
May Psalm 15 reflect our prayer for holiness and Psalm 51 for forgiveness.
As I prepared to take the bold step into both pastoral ministry and marriage (within 2 weeks of each other), I had one overriding concern. While I knew my heart was right, I worried that someday I would change and fail. I had read Psalm 26, where David states,
“I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. 2 Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3 for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”
While not quite as confident as David, I certainly felt that my heart and conscience were right before God. My fear? That there would be a Psalm 51 in my life, where David repents for the sin of adultery and murder,
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
How could David have fallen so far, and how could I be confident that I would fall as well? My conclusion and peace are found in a few simple thoughts:
Day 2 - Emphasis in prayer: our leadership team and for the development of new leaders, (for LHCE team- Tuesday, August 30th)
Day 3- Emphasis in Prayer: Unity of vision and growth in relationships among Lifehouse, (for LHCE team- Wednesday, August 31st)
Day 4- Emphasis in Prayer: Kingdom of God to be advanced through the salvation/ discipling of the unchurched/ de-churched/ and un-reached. (for LHCE team- Thursday, September 1st)
Day 5- Emphasis in Prayer: Fruitfulness in THE Church (for LHCE team- Friday, September 2nd)
Thank you for your prayers and commitment to fasting.
--
Fired up,
-Patrick Grach
www.barenakedfaith.blogspot.com
www.lifehousechurcheast.org
www.twitter.com/patrickgrach
Day 1 - Emphasis in prayer (for LHCE team- Monday, August 29th)
As we begin this week of fasting and prayer, I want to invite you to first focus your prayer and attention on your personal relationship with God.
Take time today to pray, fast, repent, and examine your heart before God. Allow God to encourage you as well as expose any areas in your heart and life that are not in alignment with His Word.
Ask: how “red hot” is my love for God?
Ask in prayer: “God, what areas of my heart are not right with You? Are there hidden, unconfessed sins? Reveal any attitudes or thoughts that I need to repent of or invite You to change.”
May Psalm 15 reflect our prayer for holiness and Psalm 51 for forgiveness.
As I prepared to take the bold step into both pastoral ministry and marriage (within 2 weeks of each other), I had one overriding concern. While I knew my heart was right, I worried that someday I would change and fail. I had read Psalm 26, where David states,
“I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. 2 Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3 for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”
While not quite as confident as David, I certainly felt that my heart and conscience were right before God. My fear? That there would be a Psalm 51 in my life, where David repents for the sin of adultery and murder,
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
How could David have fallen so far, and how could I be confident that I would fall as well? My conclusion and peace are found in a few simple thoughts:
- Deal with today. I was worried about what might happen 5, 10, or even 20 years later. Ten years from now is only 365x10 TODAYS. Do right TODAY. Stay pure and right with God TODAY! Shrug off sin and embrace holiness TODAY!
- Keep a short list with God- repent daily. Uproot even the slightest sinful thought, attitude, or desire. Go to bed with a clear conscience each day. Pray, confess, and allow God to cleanse our hearts.
- Stay Accountable! There are areas of temptation and sin that are bigger that I should wrestle with on my own in the privacy of my personal prayer life. For those areas, it’s important to have an accountable relationship with someone of the same sex who has spiritual maturity and a similar responsibility within ministry. Today would be a great day to initiate an accountability relationship with someone you deeply trust.
Day 2 - Emphasis in prayer: our leadership team and for the development of new leaders, (for LHCE team- Tuesday, August 30th)
- Pray for pastoral and ministry leaders, elders, business management team, staff,
- Pray for our leaders protection, over their marriages, children, and private life.
- Pray that God guards them from temptation and sin and keeps them from the strategies of the enemy,
- Pray for God’s blessing over our leaders- spiritual renewal, financial peace and provision, and strength,
- Pray for fresh anointing and wisdom- to lead well, be bold, and lead with creativity and imagination.
Day 3- Emphasis in Prayer: Unity of vision and growth in relationships among Lifehouse, (for LHCE team- Wednesday, August 31st)
- as Lifehouse grows and continues to reach new people- especially the unchurched and de-churched, it is critical that people are connected to each other in relationship and that the unique vision of Lifehouse is guarded and preserved,
- Pray for people to get connected into Life groups as they kick-off on 9/11,
- Pray for those who are on the fringe or feel marginalized, that they would build friendship and grow in a “family of friends.”
- Pray that our leadership will effectively cast the vision of Lifehouse and, most importantly, the Cause of Christ to all new leaders and to Lifehouse broadly,
- Pray for Unity in the Spirit among all that call Lifehouse home. Pray against differing agendas or philosophies of ministry among our team and those being developed into leadership,
Day 4- Emphasis in Prayer: Kingdom of God to be advanced through the salvation/ discipling of the unchurched/ de-churched/ and un-reached. (for LHCE team- Thursday, September 1st)
- pray for effective, fruitful outreach and evangelism efforts through Lifehouse,
- pray that our marketing will be fruitful as a tool of evangelism and a means of reaching those that we could otherwise not reach,
- pray for SOULS to be saved through the impact of Lifehouse and the Church of this region,
- pray for the hearts of those who are NOT yet serving Christ to be open and receptive to the Gospel,
- pray for ALL Lifehousers to be BOLD witnesses of Jesus and to be actively sharing/ showing their faith within their community of influence (to be missionaries),
Day 5- Emphasis in Prayer: Fruitfulness in THE Church (for LHCE team- Friday, September 2nd)
- Pray over The Church of Hagerstown- unity, increase in God’s Kingdom over this entire region through the united church,
- Pray for a decrease in the competitive spirit of pastors through this region and an increase in cooperation and prayer,
- Pray for Hagerstown Convoy of Hope- volunteers, finances, prayer,
- Pray for Lifehouse Network- Hedgesville, Shenandoah, Sykesville, Bethel, West AND the other church plants that we support- Restore Church (Jess Bousa), Missio Dei (Jeff Saferite), Experience Life Church (Jeff Miller), Exponential Church (Gil Thurston).
- Pray for our missionaries through the US and world- for protection and open doors to be Bold witnesses of Jesus and to effectively train leaders and pastors to advance church planting efforts.
Thank you for your prayers and commitment to fasting.
--
Fired up,
-Patrick Grach
www.barenakedfaith.blogspot.com
www.lifehousechurcheast.org
www.twitter.com/patrickgrach
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)