Moving Day

The truck is loaded.  After months of an unclear future, Linda and I are ready to take on a new ministry with Cornerstone.  We look forward to getting to know the people in Hagerstown.  


As we go I am overwhelmed by the kindness of so many.  In just a few hours and the truck is loaded.  We have been able to talk with many friends in the past few days.  It is hard to go.  As long as we know God is in this we are good to go.  God is with us.  


I hope that I can see the things that God sees.  I read this morning in II Kings 6:16-17.  It would be easy to be short sighted and only see temporary things.  I know the picture is much bigger than the things in front of me.  So I pray that God will help me to see.  

Gong to a new place

I am so excited about a church with a new direction.  What if a church looked to the Bible as the blueprint for everything they do?  Can churches really drop the traditions?  Can they leave behind programs that no longer work?  Do we really need to save our memories for the next generation. 


That's what I like about Cornerstone.  They are in a transition to become the most biblical and most untraditional church.  There is a high value on relationships and making disciples.  There is a high value on finding and meeting needs.  I feel like I joined a team that has great potential to make an impact for the Kingdom of God.


God has carried us through.  We will be loading a truck on August 15 and moving to our new home in Cavetown, MD.  I told Linda how I would like to live downtown.  I just thought the town would be bigger than 600 people.  We are surrounded by mountains and just 15 minutes from downtown Hagerstown. 


I cannot remember my new job title.  Something like Pastor of youth and life?  Together I will work with Pastor Harald and the elders to lead a church.  I still get to work with students.  Students are changing and will be used by God to put into place this new kind of church.  So much potential. 


Thanks for praying and please don't stop. 

I want to go where ever God leads

I did not want to go.  I have many good freinds here in Tampa.  Many good people who have served together with us to make disciples.  Many people from Gaither High and my friends at the Y.  I will miss this place because of the people.  God has given us a place in Hagerstown with extra space.  I hope people from Tampa will come to visit. 

And now after a few months in Englewood, I am leaving more new friends.  I know
God has great plans here as well.

Letter to Diognetus

In the past few months, I have probably looked at over 100 churches here at my computer.  Everyone is different.  The Bible is the standard for the church.  

One area that I notice is the relationship between the church and the community.  The church has to care about the people in the community.  The church has to know the community.  The church has to go into the community.  What are the needs?  How is the church known?  How is  the church showing the love of Christ.  

I think I heard this from Brent Crowe. I had to go find the letter.  Here is a small part from chapter 5.  This is from before or around 200 A.D. 

Christians are not distinguished from other men by country, language, nor by the customs which they observe. They do not inhabit cities of their own, use a particular way of speaking, nor lead a life marked out by any curiosity. The course of conduct they follow has not been devised by the speculation and deliberation of inquisitive men. The do not, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of merely human doctrines.

Instead, they inhabit both Greek and barbarian cities, however things have fallen to each of them. And it is while following the customs of the natives in clothing, food, and the rest of ordinary life that they display to us their wonderful and admittedly striking way of life.

http://www.christian-history.org/letter-to-diognetus.html

Still thinking on this.  

What do people do after they spend time with Jesus?

Francis Chan: "The only way a church is going to change is if you personally commit to making disciples"
 
This fits. Jesus calls out 12 men and says they will be a fisher of men. They spend time with Jesus so that they will be sent out. What did they do when they were sent out? Did they just spread out and randomly go find people to talk to? They would go out and come back.

Likely they did the same things when they were sent out, as they did when they were with Jesus.

They watched what Jesus did. Maybe they would do things together. Jesus would ask them questions. Often after the crowd was gone.

After about 15 months Jesus sends out 72 disciples. 72 people were trained in less than 1.5 years.

They went out to do the same kind of things that Jesus was doing.

I want to meet with people who are thinking about this. Let me know if you would like to meet. Maybe a week from Wednesday. I think that is January 12. 

who He chose- Mark 3:14, Acts 4:13 day 18

There was a system in place.  A Jewish boy was to memorize the Torah by the age of 9.  If he worked hard in school he would continue on to memorize the rest of the Old Testament.  A Rabbi would choose the best of the students to train them to be like himself.


If I was planning on starting a movement to change the world, I think I would want smart,
successful, leaders.  Jesus chose ordinary unschooled men.  He trained them to make disciples that make disciples.


Too often ordinary people who have not been trained in religion think or feel like they cannot make disciples.  God takes regular people who will walk with Him to continue on a movement that changes lives.


Who wants to spend time with God?  Who has time to study the Bible and who will take time to pray?  Those are people who Jesus might have chosen to be his disciples.  As people trust in God, God does the work to change lives.


still thinking,


I am off to NC to see my brother.  I will still try to blog.


If you are keeping up on the 25 day devotions to look at what Jesus taught about making disciples, let me know.    I want us to meet to discuss what we are learning.

example- John 13- day 16

Jesus says: I have set you and example that you should do as I have done for you.  (vs 15)  


He was a new kind of leader that would serve people.  A leader that would build into the lives of those around him.  A leader that would meet needs of those who were near.  He would also take those he was training and together they would meet needs of those they would find.  


I want to make disciples in the ways of Jesus.  


still thinking about how I can do this even today.