Birth and Rebirth...

Today I am reflecting on two Churches that are on my heart. Please pray for authentic revival, worship, and the work of His Spirit.

First - LifeTree Church in Hiram, GA. This is a new church "plant" that Karen and I have been a part of since February 2007. We have spent a lot of time praying for this community and getting to know several wonderful friends in the birth of this awesome new body of believers. I recently traveled to Dallas, GA to help with the launch of LifeTree during the very first practice service.

(You can see the images here).

The birth of LifeTree actually happened a while back when we began meeting in our homes and studying God's word together. However, the unveiling of LifeTree in a meeting place was wonderful in itself as well. We came together as believers with a mission. A mission to teach our families and spread the Gospel message. We started with the bare minimums - used sound equipment, borrowed chairs, school gymnasium, and self-printed brochures. Yet, the best thing we had was the power of an awesome God. In Acts, just as the "Church" is birthed God sent HIS Spirit to clothe the Apostles and missionaries with HIS power. I believe that this same power was working during this service and is available for us today. We were expecting little results since this was just a practice service and we had not promoted it in any way except by word of mouth. However, several families from the community came including a man (with wife and child) who is a professed Buddhist. LifeTree was birthed giving God glory for his work in the Paulding County area. Isn't it wonderful to be surprised by the work of God? (a fringe benefit)

Second - First Baptist Church of Saint Rose, LA. I recently spoke with the current Pastor (via email) who is helping this church to be "rebirthed". The church lost members due to the effects of Katrina. Mainly, the children and youth ministries of the Church have slid off because of lack of interest. The interim pastor is looking for a "team" of ministers to come in and help revive the small church - a real rebirth.

I do not doubt a revival. Believe it or not there are hints of revival happening right now (yes only hints, just the surface layer of conversation with Church leaders) I have talked with at least 3 other Pastors in the southern Louisiana/NOLA area about what seems to be happening in their Churches. What I do know is:

• New believers are coming to the Churches in great numbers since the storm
• The legacy membership of Churches are begging for change and have a "do whatever it takes to stay alive" kind of attitude.

No doubt that the effects of losing everything you have and seeing friends and others leave has had an effect on the body of Christ. Forsaking all for the Glory of God is much easier when you seem to have nothing to forsake. When you are down to the bare minimum in family, friends, sustenance, and leadership. Why does it have to be this way?

The lesson here is to forsake it all now. Should we not as Christians? As believers - if you see the power of God move in your life, your Church, or your family should you not forsake it all? Did they not forsake all they had at the birth of the Church in Acts?

Act 2:41-45 NASB So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. (42) They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (43) Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. (44) And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; (45) and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

I am not asking you to go out and sell all your worldly belongings. What I am saying is that just as these believers saw the awesome POWER of GOD moving and changing lives the worldly things just didn't seem as important anymore. That's what has happened in this area of Southern LA. Take away those things that were once important, a house, a car, a neighbor, a job, a friend, and where do you end up? Right now, there are a lot people realizing again that God does matter and when everything is stripped away - we find ourselves right where God wants us - seeking HIM.

Blessings,
Brian

What is your discipleship mindset?

The person who wrote this piece below is unknown to me. His name is Jeremy Pryor. I found his blog recently and noticed he has some very intriguing thoughts on the way Churches and ministries today "do business". The analogy to the military is great! It certainly makes me think about my methods and purpose. A clip is below but you can read the whole thing here.

...if discipleship is the mission, then is it appropriate to build ministries that are detached from that central mission? Feeding the poor with no strategy to disciple them. Building Christian community apart from a clear discipleship process. Launching a worship service as the primary goal of the church instead of making disciples. Isn’t this the problem?

Isn’t this the reason the country with the most ministries, the most churches, the most seminaries is having a decreasing impact on the lives of professing Christians? What if 100% of people involved in ministry in the United States only continued if their ministry was structured and driven by the goal of making disciples. I believe 95% of them would cease to exist. And then what would happen? Those gifted people would be forced to reconstitute their ministries in alignment with our mission. The food kitchen worker would only continue if they worked hand in glove with those willing to pour time into these souls not just food into stomachs. Imagine the worship leaders, prayer warriors and mercy ministers all coordinating their efforts in line with an intentional discipleship process that actually transformed people’s lives. Imagine the massive change this would create and the Kingdom fruit that would result.

But who wants to design a coordinated focussed attack around a clear mission when we can all simply group up with people who share a like-minded passion for a mini-mission? It would be like in war where all the pilots went to one battlefield, the mechanics to another, and the fuel supply to a third. When they begin to fail at their mission and the general tries to bring them into alignment or orders them to disband they might cry out “But what we’re doing is so important.”. Yes, but it’s not as important as the mission and you’ve been given gifts and training for the purpose of the mission.

Thoughts on change of mission...

Reading of the relationship of Paul, John-Mark, and Barnabas I am intrigued by the events that transpired between them (disagreements) but mainly by the plain fact that both teams of Paul/Barnabas and Paul/Silas were going in one direction with unity and passion - then for certain reasons the mission changes.

First, the events in Acts have Paul and Barnabas going out to plant churches in unity and suddenly they get to a point of disagreement (Acts 15:36). Barnabas wants to bring John-Mark along and Paul does not. At this time, due to this disagreement, they are split and Paul proceeds on with Silas. This seems like a very harsh thing on the surface but it results in the planting of other churches (a multiplication event). In Timothy (2 Tim 4:11), we see that Paul has been reconciled with Mark and considers him a capable and useful worker.

Secondly, as Paul and Silas start out on their mission they seem to have great momentum and then the Holy Spirit stops them from going where they evidently fully believe they should have been going.

Why would God have us for the past nine months get prepared to plant, pray for a community of people, envision dreams of ministry and a new Church, spend almost $2000 in preparation for moving and buying a home and in the end not grant us the ability to integrate in this venture (unable to purchase 2 homes and applied for over 100 jobs)? We do not have any disagreements or issues with anyone from LifeTree Church.

Once again, looking at the scripture I can only see that as a result of this process the planting momentum is being multiplied. Could it be that we should be taking this vision of "Family discipling" and planting this vision here as well? Not sure yet but it is worth seeking more guidance as we seek to stay in God's will. As I read a recent post from Mo Leverett, I could only feel a closeness to him as he talked of broken and shattered dreams. I think this says it all...it is through pain that God purges the yielded of inferior affections and shows Himself the only deserving object of our primary passion. For that purging, that pruning...I am thankful - yes thankful even for shattered dreams. (Full Post here)

Any thoughts?

Please pray for our family,
In His service
Brian