07.16.08
All one in Christ Jesus
“for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:27-28
Some Mountain Christian Church folks attended Dudley Rutherford’s NACC presentation on diversity in the congregation he serves, Shepherd of the Hills Church. This energized the already-present desire among MCC’s leadership to reach more disciples by becoming better disciples by genuinely welcoming those from different cultural, racial, socio-economic backgrounds.
In the Spirit’s providence, the very next week, MCC’s Student Ministry, led by Matt Silver and Jenna Howell and some great volunteers (including my wife Heather), guided our 8th & 9th graders through a Short Term Mission trip. In partnership w/ Youthworks, many of the students (including my daughter Olivia), came to a deeper understanding of the race-based sins of the past, and the need to become better disciples in reaching & connecting w/ others across all barriers, the way Jesus did. Heather & Olivia told me about learning the story of civil rights leader Fred Shuttlesworth, seeing the tragically historic Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, and meeting and hearing the “Yay God” life testimony of Stephen Manyama and Family
Life Center.
As Olivia & I talked about the trip, I asked, “now that all this happened, what would you like to do?” – a tough question to turn around on myself…
07.10.08
NACC: better disciples and Bible tools
More NACC take-aways from disciples a step or ten ahead of me in walking w/ the Word:
Chatted w/ Jon Weatherly (friend and NT professor @ Cincinnati Christian University) about his blog – check this recent post about free resources available from Institute for Christian Research, one of which is his lectures on Introduction to the Gospels.
As an example of the “making connections” that happens at gatherings like the NACC, MCC teammate and co-blogger Ethan Magness mentioned ICR director & Ozark Christian College NT professor Mark Moore’s How to Read and Study the Bible (soon to be available to MCC small group leaders via our Adult Small Groups resource library).
I also had the privilege of sitting next to Bruce Shields at the European Evangelistic Society Walker Lectures breakfast (thanks to my host MCC lead pastor Ben Cachiaras). Bruce’s influence led Ben to prompt me to explore storying as teaching method for MCC small groups.
These connections were just a fraction of the many at the NACC – no wonder it’s titled The Connecting Place.
07.09.08
Dangerously Transforming the World
At last week’s North American Chr Conv, Wed PM speaker Ajai Lall (preached @ MCC in the past ) spoke passionately about the our “Dangerous Call”, especially highlighting our brothers & sisters around the world suffering persecution. And then last Sunday in our Cook Auditorium venue, Rob Kastens (who will be making a Short Term Mission trip to work alongside Central India Chr Mission later this year) prayed for those around the world who don’t have the same freedom to worship that we Americans have prized since July 4, 1776.
This spring Mountain committed to Transform the World – and we’re doing it w/ prayers, dollars, and people: Short Term Missions for adults and students (Dominican Republic July 18-26) AND Mountain folks going long-term like Sandy & Valerie Lamm. MCC’s partnership in the Dominican Republic takes another step forward because they answered the Spirit’s “dangerous call.”
07.08.08
NACC take-away: tech tips + blog
A friend jokingly posted on my Facebook Wall “teach me oh lord (small “l”) of the internet” – suffice to say I am not nearly that net-savvy. One of the many blessings of the North American Chr Conv is interacting w/ those who are a step or two ahead of me in different walks, including using tech for ministry. I’ve added Chris Blair’s blog to my blog-roll, check his site for material from his two workshops – you probably know someone (net-newbie-parent of net-savvy-adolescent?) who could benefit from Virus, SPAM and Porn Oh My!
07.02.08
NACC-08 Dangerous Group resources p2 links
a few equipping sites
NACC 08 presenter Michael Mack’s smallgroups.com and Christianity Today’s small groups ministry section are good places to start.
languageofbelonging.com by Joseph Myers, author of 2 of the workshop recommended books.
Willow Creek Association’s group life site including the REVEAL finding Jon mentioned
Aptly titled whydidntyouwarnme.com by Pat Sikora, author of a book from Standard’s series on small group ministry, which includes Dan Lentz’s Let’s Get Started: How to Begin Your Small Groups Ministry. Dan is also director @ smallgroups.com
a few curriculum sites
Groupcurriculum.org Northpoint’s curriculum recommendations, but more than just their own material
Standard Publishing’s Life on Loan is a good church-wide campaign, and Faith Cafe captures some of the flavor of the popular Nooma series. Standard also offers the On Demand Bible Studies series by NACC 08 presenter Bob Russell, who also coauthors College Press’ 3:16 study on Titus with Rusty Russell.
UPDATE: pursuit.org, which generously sponsored our workshop, has some quality church-wide campaign material like the Why? Pursuing Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions series (used by Parkview & Mountain) and the hot off the press Deadly Viper: Character Assassins series, especially useful for men’s groups.
a few church databases
People Driven Software PDS (used by MCC) (web-based)
Others: Nspire (formerly used by MCC)
fellowshiptech (web-based)
CCB (web-based)
a few web communication resources
Facebook web 2.0 social networking for two-way communication w/ many people simultaneously
Google documents free resource to share Excel-compatible spreadsheets for record keeping
07.01.08
NACC08 “Dangerous Small Groups” resources p1
Along w/ Jon Zabrocki (Community Life Director @ Parkview Christian Church Orland Park, IL) , I’m leading a North American Chr Convention workshop on “Dangerous Groups: Shaping Church Environments for Life-Changing Relationships.” I’ll be posting resources and links from the workshop – here’s the printed handout we’re using:NACC 08 Dangerous Groups printed handout
Here’s the powerpoint presentation: NACC 08 Dangerous Groups powerpoint
08.30.07
Minister & Spouse Retreat
Thanks to gracious and anonymous circumstances, Heather & I attended the NACC Minister & Spouse Retreat last week. My program highlight was the music of 2 or More, but I also connected w/ Ryan Dobson’s 2nd main session presentation. In some ways, he was “preaching to the choir,” but some times I appreciate a grace-sprinkled pep talk about truth-speaking-to-controversial-issues AND the way he wove his personal story into his advocacy.
07.13.07
Why I’ve finally started blogging
Family (Patrick Gerber) and friends (Pat Rock) have been blogging for a while, and co-worker Ethan Magness started a somewhat-MCC-work-related blog recently, but my “tipping point” was Arron Chambers workshop Blogging, Enewsletters, and Podcasting @ the 07 NACC. I wanted to offer a blog as a follow-up to my workshop on Databases and Websites, and chatting w/ Arron before & after his workshop, I role-model “taking the leap” in a tech area in which I had been interested but not active.
07.12.07
Personal favorite from NACC
I had posted which NACC presentation best applied to my ministry (in the task / team sense), but the one that sticks w/ me was Alan Ahlgrim’s “It’s Time to Listen Up!”
He boldly talked about hearing God’s voice – not merely in the not-simply-through-reading-the-Bible-or-counsel-from-Christians way, but specific prompting to act. My personality and background makes me inherently skeptical, but his message was a challenging though-provoker.
07.11.07
Technology the double-edged sword “Handle With Care!”
I just led a tech-related workshop @ the NACC, partly because I’ve long been interested in how to use tech to make better-more disciples. Two articles, not in contradiction, but different perspectives: Is Video Technology in Church Manipulative? and How iPods Are Changing Church.
