A great friend of mine has just released his new Christmas album, “Christmas Dreaming“. This is a must have around the house this year.
Tim Davis has been a studio singer for the past 12 years. Starting out in
You have heard Tim on commercials for radio and television, and recently, as the entire “cast” of voices on the Halloween Fireworks Show at
In addition to his industry work, Tim works at
I was watching an interview with a young dude this morning named, Dan Smith. His approach to “street to the seat” intrigued me with his ministry Southpaw and his new church plant Momentum Church. He has a great approach to being in the street and doing biblical community. Way to go Dan!
I love his vision for Momentum Church, “Love god, Love People, Serve the World.” What a simple way of communicating what you are about. He also says it this way, “Momentum is a church for people who hate going to church.”
As I think of how STS can assist you in basic steps in addressing conversations in community, creating safe places for seekers, improving ones welcoming environments, small groups, as well as development of appropriate assimilation strategies I think about how creative Dan has become in reaching his community.
MO info on Dan Smith:
Much taller than a hobbit, Dan Smith is a storyteller-preacher, comedy-writer, and the lead minister of Momentum Christian Church. Armed with a witty sense of humor, Smitty shares the teachings of Jesus with people in a refreshing down-to-earth manner and sometimes uses cool words like “plethora.” Dan has a unique perspective on faith because he didn’t grow up in a religious home. He came to his conclusions about God when he was a 15-year-old hellion in Toledo, Ohio. Dan spends much of his spare time taking walks with his lovely wife (and baby mama) – Shannon, his first begotten son – Zion, his baby-girl – Azlan, and the final child in the trilogy – a baby boy named Journey. Contrary to rumor, Dan never fought in the Clone Wars. His favorite light gas is helium.
I’m always looking for tools that I believe will help when I came across this article by Tim Wall on Church Marketing Sucks and thought I pass it along.
This is part 2 of a 4 part series on using your marketing budget effectively. You can read the original post to get a better understanding of Tim’s money-saving advice.
I was reading Acts 14 today about Paul and Barnabas journey. They faced a situation in Iconium very similar to their time in Pisidian Antioch. While many Jews and Gentiles believed, opposition intensified to the point that they had to flee for their lives.
But look what happens in Acts 14:21-23, “They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.”
What caught my attention was that, “living churches reproduce”. A living church helps change a persons life by assisting them in choosing to be a Christ follower (evangelism & discipleship), strengthens & encourages them (fellowship), as well as appoints elders to provide oversight (ministry), prays, fasts, and commits them to the Lord (worship).
Are you reproducing?
If not, then please let us help you take your next steps to a healthier church. Contact Us
With all the changes in mine and Stephanie’s life these past couple of weeks I’ve been reading back through Gilbert Bilezikian’s book, “Community 101”. It fascinates me to learn more about what true biblical community should look like. I really think he has hit the nail on the head when he alludes to the fact that we just aren’t doing real biblical community the way scripture intended.
That leads me to today posts on seeing biblical community lived out. This past weekend my wife and I took our boys out for the weekend with a group who are doing biblical community at an all time high, right in the dirt. Literally, they are being the church “in the dirt” where by they have created a very healthy community that Acts 2 speaks about.
Jim & Jamie McNeff created, “In The Dirt” (www.inthedirt.org) to connect dirt riding recreational enthusiasts who love Jesus Christ, and to reach other riders who are seeking the truth about the life of Christ, and what His life means to us today. Check it out!
Jim & Jamie say this about In The Dirt, “In the Dirt consists of a variety of singles and family groups. We have a range from younger families with kids in diapers, to veteran families that have three generations participating in our rides. We have men who race everywhere and men who shadow the kids around. We have women who ride, and women who love to “hold down the fort” in camp. We have teenagers overtaking their fathers, and peewees scraping their knees for the first time.
We are a family friendly ministry that combines dirt bike/quad riding with camping. We lace our outings with relational relevance along with Biblical teaching and prayer. The mix of riding and in depth interaction combines our hobby with our love for the Lord and our desire to use the gifts He has given us for His eternal glory. So if you are a beginner, or a veteran, a recreational rider, or a racer, ride a bike, a quad, drive a Jeep, a sand rail, or a dune buggy, we would love you to join us for a weekend IN THE DIRT.”
“The key words in the Mission Statement are CONNECT and REACH. Connect is another way to communicate fellowship. Connect, or fellowship, is a key ingredient to In the Dirt. We value the relationships that are being developed as a result of this ministry and we are living the Biblical principal that we are better together than riding solo!
Reach is another way to communicate evangelism. Reach, or evangelism, is also a key ingredient to In the Dirt. We believe the life of Jesus Christ is the good news that needs to be lived and shared - Evangelism. So, we want to reach other riders with our simple story that God has changed our lives with the promises found in His Word, the Bible, and claiming the promises that give us hope and assurance in our eternal destination.”
In addition to connecting (belong), and reach (share) this past weekend I participated in grow, serve, and worship. It was a complete balance of the purposes of scripture. It was “Church” at its best. We had worship and bible study around the campfire at night as well as spiritual growth living itself out throughout the days events. With some 100 people living out the five purposes where they were, it was biblical community to the core. No walls required.
This is so important to my family that we are booking out the rest of our year to be with In The Dirt the first weekend of every month. It is a healthy example of biblical community and we know it is pleasing to God.
Where might you engage your community with just such a ministry? Just a thought.
A great friend of mine just wrote an article that is great for all of us. Pastor Lance Witt, Founder of Replenish Ministries and former Executive Pastor at Saddleback Church is writing a series for www.pastors.com that I’ll keep you up to date on through STS.
CLICK HERE for a direct link to the article.
It’s no longer safe
to assume that people
in ministry have healthy souls and just need
a little coaching in the
leadership area.
Pastor Lance Witt
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