On Christmas Eve, we encouraged our members to go out with their families or small groups and bless the lives of someone who was working that evening. We had members take pizzas to hospitals, and one member took 18 coffee mugs with candy to her workers.
Our family put together a care basket filled with a lot of food and snacks and took it to a nursing home that…
Hello and merry Christmas to everyone! I wanted to share with you some of the interesting missional outreach trends and developments from the view of the Missional Outreach Network for 2010.
The Missional Outreach Network topped 700 members. Wow! Thank you so much for your passion and dedication to missional outreach, and for…
(Gainesville State players douse head coach Mark Williams in celebration.)
Many people get the mistaken idea that the only way to be missional is to plant a church in a crime ridden, poverty-stricken area. All churches should be missional, including suburban churches! I grew up in suburbia, so I know of the brokenness there--lack of community/relationships, lack of…
Ministers, Christian authors, academics, and cultural observers have been noting for some time the nominal nature of Christianity in the US. Not only do far more people claim to be Christians than those who "attend church," but those who do attend often report little daily awareness of God and few spiritual practices outside of the official church times.
Few tithe. Few volunteer. Few regularly read their Bibles. Few regularly have family…
You may recall some recent posts that I had on Tonya Fisher and Orlando (see picture above). Tonya was recently released from prison. She came through our clothes closet, and the church provided clothing and furniture for her. Orlando is a mechanic who is out of work. He recently came through our food pantry.
I could tell with both Tonya and Orlando that they had good hearts, and we prayed with them when they came…
The above video shows the persecution that Christians face around the world for their faith. We need to especially pray for those Christians who are working in Muslim countries, as their lives are in danger.
While we in America do not face death for our faith, we should nevertheless know that if we are seeking to do God's will, we will face persecution. Jesus said this to his disciples:11…Continue
Added by James Nored on November 22, 2010 at 10:00am —
No Comments
I must confess--Christmas is my favorite holiday. I went and did a bit of shopping today with Becki, and there I saw the Christmas items already out.
I used to get irritated when people would skip Thanksgiving and start Christmas early. But, as I have grown to love Christmas more and more, I think, why not? I stood enchanted in front of a…
I know that many people are looking for practical ways to be missional in their daily lives. It is often difficult to begin a spiritual conversation with people whom we come into contact with. One of the best ways that I have found to both impact people and open up conversations is to find simple ways to bless their lives.…
In North American culture we have long tried to take people who gather for worship and then divide them up into small groups. With some notable exceptions in a few churches, this has not worked all that well. In most churches, there are many more involved in worship than in small groups.
Why is this a problem? Because it is usually only in smaller communities that true, lasting transformation takes place. I am not denying the power…
You have probably heard of St. Patrick of Ireland and St. Patrick's Day. But Patrick is a lot more importantthan the color green. He and his "Celtic Way of Evangelism" are very instructive for us in how to be missional today.
Patrick was English, and when he was 16, Celtic pirates captured him and carried him over to Ireland…
If you understand missional theology, you know that the Spirit of God has already been sent out into the world ahead of us. Therefore, God is at work in our culture in big and profound ways.
This has to mean that God is at work in technology. Yes, technology can be used for evil. But it can be used for great good, and that is certainly how God will (and is) using…
You can use Facebook as a broadcast medium, shouting out messages about your church, telling them about upcoming activities, etc.
But in reality, these are somewhat limited in value. I am reminded of what my Twitter friend, @MarketerMikeE said on this. Take a look at your last 20 tweets. Would you want to follow you? Does it scream me, me, me? Or are you being truly helpful to others. The same is true for Facebook.
You see, what people are really looking for in a… Continue
Added by James Nored on October 10, 2010 at 10:00pm —
No Comments
Suburbia is centered around safety, security, and kids, among other things. People move to the suburbs so that their kids can have a better life, get away from the drugs and violence of the city.
Of course, this fails to recognize that there are all kinds of drugs in suburbs, because that is where the money is. And if violence is lower in the suburbs, materialism is rampant there and a far greater threat to the soul.
But the love of kids, while often genuine,… Continue
Added by James Nored on October 8, 2010 at 12:30pm —
No Comments
Being missional goes far beyond ministries and programs. It is about a way of life for individuals, as well as what the church does together. And yet, to tell people to go out "be missional" may just create guilt, as most people do not know how to live this out.
This is why helping people develop "missional rhythms" or a set of…
The Great Commission as it is found in Matthew 28:19-20 is this: "Therefore go and m
ake disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Mt.…
Last Wednesday night we started a new Story of Redemption small group study in Melissa, TX. I used to do most of these studies with just the seeker and their Christian friend who introduced them to us. And the conversion rate from this has been about 90%. It is still a good way to share faith.
However, I have discovered the multiplying power of sharing the…
"Father in the name of Jesus Christ restore mobility back too her life restore ordor back and finally This will make a Differance in her hold life Give her you father for my sister Kishinev Davis and my sister tanksley Dovie. Amen"
