2tim2

"Where do you sometimes see a gap between what you know is true and what you functionally believe in..."

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:15:44 -0700

““Where do you sometimes see a gap between what you know is true and what you functionally believe in a given moment?””

- Pastor Mike Wilkerson (I think)

War on God

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:31:16 -0700

Why do we think we are God?

You are probaly thinking: “I never think I am God”.

Have you ever disagreed with Jesus on what would make you happy? If you determine what will really make you happy, you play God. If you believe that porn or that person, or that job will satisfy you, you play God, determining what will make you happy.

Have you ever determined what was true? Have you ever disagreed with what God says to be true? When you try and determine what is true, you play God. Do you disagree with God about Hell, gender roles or sexuality? When you try and determine what is true, you think you are God, the Truth.

Have you ever punished yourself for your sin? Have you cut yourself? Have you starved yourself? Have you isolated yourself because “you are not worthy to be in public”? When you try to be your own judge or redeemer, you play God.

You may not be the drug dealer or the drunk, but do you think you are God? When you think you are the judge, the arbiter of truth or what satisfies, you worship yourself, believing you are God.

Believing this lie is to believe the original lie: “…you will be like God…” (Gen. 3:5).

The truth is Jesus is God, He satisfies, He is the Truth, He is our Redeemer and Judge. He is such a better God than we are. He has come and died for our sin, our self-worship, to set us free, to be satisified in Him, to believe Him, to let Him be the Judge and Redeemer.

Sparks

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:30:00 -0700

I have talked to College Pastors from 3 big churches in the last 2 days, here are some of the topics that sparked up, and helped me. Hopefully they will casue you to think fresh or new, about some awesome Gospel work.

Serving the city as the front face of the church.
Student led, staff owned vs. Staff led, student owned, mixture
Adult led college groups vs. student led groups
Student led, but adult hosted.
Freshman group that meets together one night a week as a big group.
There is difference between structuring for growth vs. structuring for control.
Weekly Service as Rallying point
Small groups as Microcosm of the Church
Integrating: Community, Discipleship, Evangelism, Worship
Trying not pigeon hole groups as just Bible study
Groups led by adult and paired with a student leader.
Mentoring: Life long commitment vs. 3 month rotation with some being life-long

Holistic and Developmental

Holistic: Community, Discipleship, Evangelism, Worship

Developmental: Can never transition from “kidult” to adult unless they have older more mature believers leading them.

Serving is vital to discover spiritual gifts.
Local and global mission.
Retreats throughout the year, international trips in the summer.
Calendaring = Seeing everything in three seasons. Fall, Winter, Summer or 4 Seasons Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Calendaring series, events in the right season
Strategically aligning the small groups on certain teaching pieces.
Reinvent or re-org every season for growth and as new leaders rise and transition out.
Summer groups are helpful, but don’t stick completely in the fall.
Sub-Grouping in larger groups vs. replication.
Reggie McNeal — The Future Present / Missional Renaissance

Order of service for a weekly gathering. (Notice the amount of music!)

2 Songs
- Pastoral Welcome
Greet the new People:
Why are we here:
Read some scripture
“I am here for God” segment
3 Songs.
Sermon
2 Songs
Announcements on Back end

Most People say “:: Decide target audience” But is that true?
Sunday Night Service of young adults can be a front door to College Ministry
Having an “Add-on” that is very intentional to what happens before and after the services as a bridge to where you want to take them next…
“After thought”, an after service small gathering lead by a small group leader that can transition into a small group . Meet small group leader at the “after thought”.
The Marginalized
Full Time Paid Staff
Core Student Leadership Team
Students have different leadership roles.
Let students speak into literally everything we do.
Support of leaders and on going training.
Dinner meeting an hour before the weekly meeting with leaders to discuss roadblocks and evidences of God’s grace.

Makings of a Young Leader

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:15:00 -0700

Here’s a list of 29 qualities of a leader from 2 Timothy Chapters 1 & 2. 2 Timothy has been one of my favorite books of the Bible for the last few years. I shared this list with the College Mission leaders Monday night.

Sincere Faith 1:5
Spirit Empowered 1:6
No fear, but power, love, & self control 1:7
Not ashamed 1:8
Shares in suffering for the gospel 1:8
Called to a holy calling 1:9
Follow the scriptures “sound words” 1:13
Guards the gospel 1:14
Makes disciple making disciples 2:2
Shares in suffering as a “good solider” 2:3
Not entangled in civilian pursuits 2:4
Competes according to the rules 2:5
Works hard 2:6
Thinks hard 2:7
Remembers Jesus 2:8
Reminds people of the gospel 2:14
Charges people, doesn’t just make suggestions 2:15
Rightly handles the word 2:15
Avoids irreverent babble 2:16
Sanctified for service 2:21
Flees youthful passions 2:22
Pursues righteousness 2:22
Avoids foolish controversy 2:23
Kind to everyone 2:24
Able to teach 2:24
Patiently endures evil 2:24
Corrects opponents with gentleness 2:25
Leads towards repentance 2:25
Leads away from lies of Satan 2:26

Summer Training

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:40:21 -0700

We had a great time last night at Summer Training. I will debrief the fishbowls later, but I had a a ton of fun. Hard to believe last years Summer Training could all gather around one conference table!

Fishbowls

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:45:01 -0700

Eating Elephants

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:40:00 -0700

How do you eat an elephant? Answer: piece by piece.

Summer is plan and prepare season for me and the College Mission. This illustration has been helpful to me since I heard it Sunday. You can tackle almost anything if you break it down into small enough chunks, but if you try to figure out how to swallow the whole thing at once, you are done.

Simple, I know, but for someone that is into results, not the planning, this motivates me to plan, so I can eat lots of big elephants. (This picture was chosen over this pic of the lady standing over an elephant she killed with a bow and arrow. I live in Seattle, and don’t want a riot outside my house.)

Are you planning or just hoping things work out? Are you thinking about things like: “Reverse Engineering”, “Milestones”, “Quarterly Goals” and “Monthly Goals”? I don’t trust in my plans, but I am planning because I trust that Jesus is going to “do work” here next year.

Look for future posts on “Playbooks”, “Launch Plans”, and “Missional Goals”.

"A typical night looks like this: As I make my way home, I pass by young women arm-in-arm with a..."

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:57:41 -0700

““A typical night looks like this: As I make my way home, I pass by young women arm-in-arm with a friend that is incapacitated from a night of drinking. They struggle to hold her up as they walk and try to decide whether to call a cab or not. A little further and I come across a few students on the street corner smoking pot. Yet a little further and a group of young men pass by and I overhear them bantering about a girl they slept with, a guy they fought, and how much they drank “that one time”. When I get back to my apartment, I lay in bed with the cool summer breeze flowing in through my window. In with the air comes the bass from the party next door along with the screams of girls, police sirens, and the occasional gunshot. Jesus is needed here. Desperately.””

- From Devin’s New Website

1001 rules for my unborn son

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:15:03 -0700

Some good stuff here.

war on god

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:38:00 -0700

When I stop making war on my pride, I make war on God.

“You save a humble people,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.” (2 Samuel 22:28)

“God opposes the proud…” (1Peter 5:5)

Pride has been manifesting itself in my heart recently with selfish ambition. In addition to thinking about the ministry I am called to serve in, I drift towards thinking about my influence and platform. Ironically, the men I respect the most seem to think very little about their platform and influence and just lead and do what they are called to do with humility and self forgetfulness.

James 3:13 “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Convicting questions for me:

1. Am I trying to put myself “before the great” or let God exalt me at the right time?

Proverbs 18:16 “A man’s gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.”

1 Peter 5:6 6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you…”

2. Why am I so concerned about getting the credit?

“The tension between these two dangers (Acclaim for Christ vs. Craving Praise) calls for wisdom and humility. Our aim is that people would “glorify God,” not us (Matthew 5:16). On the one hand, we know that reputation matters: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1). On the other hand, we know that people-pleasing reveals idolatry: “… not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord” (Colossians 3:22).

The great issue here is our heart. We have all heard people going on and on about how they mean for God to get the glory as they do their public ministry, but it sounded hollow. The very words seemed part of the act. Yet public ministry is inevitable and good. The focus should not be on techniques of self-effacement. The focus should be on our hearts. What do we really crave? Really. Have we been broken by our sin? Are we overflowing with thankfulness for truly all the good we don’t deserve? Do we really stand in awe of Christ? Is his reputation a happy burden to us?” (DG Article)

Chinese Calvinism flourishes

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:09:59 -0700

“”The communist, socialist critique of traditional religion, and of Confucianism has been effective”, she says: “The youngsters think it is very cool to be Christian. Communism has removed all the obstacles for them to come to Christianity.”“

“The most conservative estimates of the new converts to Christianity is 500,000; there is a new church built every month. Calvinist Christianity has a culture of phenomenal industry. Calvin himself, in his time in Geneva, preached every day and twice on Sundays: shorthand writers at the foot of his pulpit took down 108 volumes of his sermons, though most of these have been lost and his reputation rests on the books and pamphlets that he wrote himself. In China now, this kind of Christianity is seen as forward-looking, rational, intellectually serious, and favourable to making money.

“Very soon”, said Dr Tan, “Christians will become the majority of university students … that could happen.”“

So amazing! May Jesus be worshipped in China!

Very interesting article. Also worth noting that the future of the entire nation coming to know Jesus, hugely invovles the university students.

HT: Glen Davis

Is your life too valuable to go to the hardest places?

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:45:00 -0700

That’s what I am asking myself after listening to Piper’s first sermon, Let the Nations Be Glad Pt. 1, from Advance 09’.

Pic from Gabriel Boone, more at Flickr.

Sermon Jam DWYL

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:03:48 -0700

The Don’t Waste Your Life site is worth your time.

Meet.....Me.

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:59:00 -0700

Meet the Staff: Matt Jensen

By: Terri Maria Amos

When did Jesus change your life?

Early in my life, Jesus was just a sort of legend, a good man, maybe God even, but I didn’t care. I gave my life to him as the real living God of my life when I was 17. God began to draw me mainly through my now wife, Amy. She went to church, so I went to church; she was interested in God, so I became interested and open to God because I was into her.

But then “all hell broke loose” in my family and I didn’t have the luxury of a “hypothetical God.” My dad became a Christian and was asking me to consider the truths of the Gospel. After processing things for a while, I still did not want to submit to the truth of the Gospel–that I was really jacked up and God’s plan for my life was different (and better) than mine. But after hearing the Gospel preached again, specifically about the cost of forgiveness of sin through the crucifixion of Jesus, I was destroyed by the weight of my sin, and given a new heart that believed he died for my sin, and was my Lord. But I didn’t understand how it exactly happened.

How has your life changed since meeting Jesus?

The biggest change in my life was conviction from the Holy Spirit. Some things changed instantly, but most things changed slowly as God led me to true repentance and transformation. To my shame, I was a really terrible boyfriend to Amy and led her into sexual sin before I was a Christian, and we struggled with finding comfort and identity in each other for a good bit after I was born again. This was the big deal when I was saved, and our relationship was one of the biggest idols in my life at that point. Praise Jesus He didn’t leave us there and continues to change us.

If Jesus hadn’t grabbed me by the neck, I really can’t imagine what I’d be doing right now. I think I’d be a workaholic in one miserable relationship after another and banking on the things of the world for happiness.

How long have you been a member of MHC?

Two years.

When were you called to serve Jesus at MHC?

God called Amy and me in October of 2006 to move to Seattle from Florida so I could do an internship with Acts 29. The way God called me into “full-time ministry” was through Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

What ministry are you currently serving in?

Currently I lead the College Mission out of the Ballard campus.

What is your biggest challenge in this ministry?

Sin…Idolatry. Sounds obvious but students have been told to fix themselves, and believe in themselves, and that’s pride. Jesus is their hope and savior, not their giftedness, girlfriend, their roommates, or their major.

The best part about ministry is that you can’t lead where you’re not willing to go. And God doesn’t let me speak to anyone about sin and repentance without showing me how jacked up I am, and how much I need the same Gospel I am preaching to students. I mentioned that college students are prideful; well so am I, so Jesus is transforming me in this as I minster, not before.

What is your greatest joy while serving in this ministry?

Seeing students “get” the Gospel and worship Jesus. He gives joy and freedom–things most college students don’t really have.

What are you looking forward to seeing God do in this ministry?

I’m looking forward to when the students involved now are equipped and seeing their friends meet Jesus, and those friends lead other people to Jesus. That’s what I’m in this for.

What do you and your wife do for fun?

Amy and I love going out to eat, and walking around the parks in Seattle; Florida’s parks weren’t so great. But, contrary to what the world tells me, I don’t have much time for hobbies, which is why I’m glad I love what I do. I tell people that I feel like I’m on permanent recess working at Mars Hill. We work super hard, but I love it.

What’s playing in your iPod right now?

I’m pretty easy to please, music-wise. I usually just start up Pandora and let it run. But Lecrae’s most recent album is pretty sick.

From the “Meet the Staff” series at the Mars Hill Ballard Blog.

wii what?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:25:38 -0700

This is going to be sick nasty.

TOP 10 WAYS TO BUILD UP YOUNG GUNS PT. 5

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:07:31 -0700

If you missed Part 1 , 2 , 3 or 4.

2. Teach them to how to do missional ministry, without compromising the Gospel.

Most leaders tend to sway towards license or legalism when it comes to missional ministry.

If a leader was developed in a slow paced, insulated church, a leader may react and become too loose when it comes to seeing the Gospel go forward in culture. This can compromise the message and preach a false Gospel that says “Christians are not changed by the Holy Spirit and love sin”.

On the other hand, if a leader has seen freedom in Christ abused, they may react and see culture as something to abstain from and isolate themselves. This leaves the people in the culture to come to them or go to hell.

The Elders at Mars Hill seek to walk this line everyday, following the example of Jesus and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When I sway one way or the other they are quick to call me back to Biblical faithfulness, without loosing any passion to see people meet Jesus. (1 Corinthians 9:19-26, Jude 3)

1. Show them Jesus is the Senior Pastor.

The Elders at Mars Hill continually point me to Jesus, especially when things aren’t working the way I think they should. When leaders aren’t stepping up, when people are unrepentantly engulfed in life altering sin, Jesus is still on the throne and is enough. As a young buck I tend to want to fix everything and wait for nothing. It’s Jesus’ church, he knows what’s up, and I need to humbly wait and work behind his lead. (1 Peter 5)

Eating Disorders

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:29:38 -0700

Many students I know struggle with eating disorders. The Gospel changes everything, including the way we see food, comfort, and ourselves. This article helps put some categories to the struggle, and shows the way out.

“In this article, Ed Welch describes how easy it is, in a weight-conscious world that also uses food for comfort, to take the small steps that lead to a full blown eating disorder. He gives a road map for dealing with this difficult problem that includes understanding the thoughts and emotions that trigger destructive eating habits and then encouraging those who struggle with food addictions to take the big step of trusting God, instead of food rules and rituals.”

Get the full booklet here for cheap.

HT: Justin Taylor

Just Do Something

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:40:36 -0700

Get the book here.

Summer Read : Jim Elliot

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:38:53 -0700

This dude was a weapon. If you don’t know about Jim Elliot, you should, and his story will blow your mind. His life was the complete opposite of the American dream. Dude’s passion for Jesus was stronger in middle school than most Pastors I know.

Pick up Shadow of the Almighty, but be warned, Elliot was HARDCORE.

Red Letter : God is Our Strength Most hardcore song I have...

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:50:00 -0700

Red Letter : God is Our Strength

Most hardcore song I have ever heard played in a church service.

Get more Red Letter from the Re:Sound Sampler EP.