Tag Archives for church

This post is going to get me into trouble.

I want to plant a church. A church that is full of degenerates, gays, atheists, drunkards, addicts, abusers and agnostics. I want this church to do nothing but hear and talk about the Gospel. The Truth. Nothing else added to the “service.” No other impositions will be held on those that belong. I might go so far as to encourage sinful acts and behavior!

The point?

To remove any and all traces of the problems that are incubated and birthed in our current churches. Those problems: thinking that we, as sinners (or saints) have ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR SALVATION. When Paul said that: ”For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9 HCSB) he meant it. Read it again. You are saved by Grace. Not your grace. His. His gift to you. SO THAT YOU CAN NOT BOAST. (Yes I am yelling.)

Imagine a church that was so full of sin, it had a reputation. Sinners. No one telling them they needed to behave better when they attended. They came as they were. Sinners, fallen. ”For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 HCSB) All of us have fallen short. ALL.

Have a look at the first verses of Romans 2. “Therefore, any one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. He will repay each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth but are obeying unrighteousness; affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. There is no favoritism with God.” Romans 2:1–11 HCSB

There is so much in those verses. Too much to write about now, but I have italicized the ones I wanted you to focus on: You do the same things. YOU SIN. Also, what leads to repentance? What leads us from turning away from sin? God’s Kindness! Not His wrath! Do you love God because you fear hell? Then I would question your salvation.

I know that this is an over correction to a problem. I know that I cannot gather a bunch of people together, encourage them to sin, and preach the Gospel to them. Mainly because the Bible still teaches that we shouldn’t sin. It would be wrong for me to encourage it. But hear this: IT IS ALSO WRONG FOR YOU TO BOAST IN ANYWAY ABOUT YOUR SALVATION. You had nothing to do with it.

“And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10 HCSB)

Your ability to do “good” works starts with Him. What about Philippians 2:12 you say? You know the verse: “So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Now read 13:

“For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13 HCSB)

“So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.” (Romans 9:16 HCSB)

Burping Women

Last night we watched a video and discussed the ramifications of what it represented. Here is the video if you are curious or if watching it 4 times last night wasn’t enough:

I originally ran across this video on the website, A Little Leaven.

The question, “How can you market the gospel?”

In other words, how does one make the betrayal and murder of Christ, His resurrection and our submission to Him, a thing that is more than it is, more easy to digest, or even desirable?

Some of the scriptures brought up:

“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1–2 HCSB

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance.” 1 Peter 1:14 HCSB

When God Moves the Heart of His People

A while back we sat in a circle and discussed what God might be laying on our hearts. In that conversation, Veronica mentioned that she had an idea to host a baby shower where the proceeds would benefit mothers that were in need. That idea has become a reality. Please read the description below and see if you can help make it a success:

You are invited to a fun, casual baby shower to benefit Sanford Crisis Pregnancy Center!

This fantastic organization helps women at a very scary time of their lives with free pregnancy tests, one-on-one counseling, and education.

All of the gifts collected at this event will be helping stock the Boutique at the center. SCPC has an “Earn While You Learn” program which helps educate expecting mothers (and fathers) on how to care for a child throughout pregnancy and beyond! As video and worksheets are completed, Boutique Bucks are earned and can be used to “buy” practical items like maternity clothes, baby clothes, diapers, formula and other supplies for a newborn. Larger items such as cribs, strollers and furniture are also available on occasion.

The Boutique is stocked by donations from the community… that’s where this shower comes in!

Swing by this “open house” with a friend… bring a gift, grab a delicious snack and learn a bit about what this great group is doing in our community.

This is an open event, so Share the Love and spread the word! See you there!

Please register on the Facebook event if you can make it: https://www.facebook.com/events/308631379181715/

A New Environment

JesusThis week at BRIC House I would like to do something different.

I would like to try and create a more specific environment. One that is more ordered and reverent. The lighting will be different and the reading/scriptures will be more directed. You can download the prayers before Thursday to read and meditate on them.

This is not an effort to change who we are, but to acknowledge who He is. What I am proposing isn’t a permanent change, but a temporary one. I still love seeing us laugh and play. I love seeing us just being friends and not having any kind of constraints. We joke and poke and everyone enjoys it.

This Thursday however, I would like to invite you to think of yourselves as entering the Presence/House of God, not my house mind you, or that there is anything sacred about 1341 Stanley Street. There isn’t.

You are sacred. We are sacred. We are His bride! His Church. This Thursday, we will follow an “order of worship.” We will pray together, and read together. We will confess together (silent or aloud) and we will study together. Please bring, by God’s grace, humility and brotherly love.

See you all soon.

Bringing it all into Focus

During last night’s BRIC House we sat in a circle and listened to what Jesus has been saying to each of us. Consider this verse:

“Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”—James 1:27 HCSB

We talked about what we can do to respond to Jesus’ command of loving God and loving others. Some of the things we came up with were:

  • Creating a teaching/rehabilitation environment that takes ex-convicts, trains them with usable, marketable skills then places them in real employment opportunities.
  • Some of us talked about creating a women’s pregnancy/abuse crisis center.
  • Joining in on a prison ministry.
  • A Children’s Home; A boys and girls club.
  • Christian Counseling.
  • Guided Prayer; Spiritual Formation.
  • A Marriage round-table with workshops and conferences.
  • Possibly using existing community centers, volunteering to make a difference in our local communities.
This is a sample of what Jesus is impressing on our collective heart. It my prayer that we would help enable each other to accomplish what Jesus would have us do.
Will you join us in prayer and support?

Organic Greenhouse Church Planting Training

I wanted to share some of my thoughts regarding the recent Organic Greenhouse Church Planting Training.

Neil Cole teaching

Neil Cole Teaching

It was wonderful! There were about 10-12 of us in the 2nd Story. The teaching built upon the previous taught foundation (The First Story) and like its predecessor, was full of spiritual truth married with a great practical applications.

We discussed:

  • Foundations for Leadership Development
  • Tending Churches for Health and Fruitfulness
  • Harvesting Crops of Disciplemaking Leaders and Churches
  • Propagating Teams for the Discipling of the Nations

I can’t recommend these sessions enough. It was great to listen to Neil Cole. He is an excellent teacher exhibiting both intellect and heart. (I actually cried at one point.) Things that I walked away with:

  • The challenge of not allowing myself to settle into a plateau.
  • Always be a student.
  • Be willing to die daily.
  • Paul’s missionary travels have so much to teach!

I hope I can share some of the things I learned with you over the course of the next few weeks. The next time one comes back through, definitely check it out!

Do we know much of love?

I was having a conversation recently with someone and the topic of love came up. We talked about how the world has many meanings for love. But as a Christ follower, what do we know of love? The Bible gives it to us plainly:

[4] Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. [7] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. [9] For we know in part and we prophesy in part, [10] but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. [11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. [12] For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. [13] So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:4-13 ESV)

So there you have it. Love explained. Here are a couple of other verses:

[28] And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” [29] Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ [31] The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” [32] And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. [33] And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” [34] And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34 ESV)

Now look at the introduction to the above verses (Corinthians):

[13:1] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. [3] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV)

Makes me wonder how much of love do we really know? Love will be the topic of our next few weeks at BRIC House.

A people sent.

I have always invisioned a house church, a body of committed Christ followers working together to better the community they were a part of. It can be very easy to get into a routine and to have our focus be all about ourselves.

So to help avoid that, here is a list of some ministry opportunities that I would love for our group to think about doing together! Here are some ideas:

Give Kids the World – April 30

Time: 5:15pm – 9:00pm
Details: GKTW Village creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. SERVE DINNER to children and their families at the Gingerbread house! Must be over 12 years of age. Waiver & application form is mandatory for this project. Background checks will be performed. Registration Deadline for this project is Friday, April 8th. Team leader will email you all forms and details for this project.

Volunteers needed for Wekiva Riverfest – April 9th

Time: 10:00 AM – 02:00 PM
Details: Greeters, parking attendants, activity helpers, and many more opportunities available at this fun environmental event.

Volunteers needed to help with community breakfast – Apr 29, 2011

Time: 07:00 AM – 09:00 AM
Details: Help with this breakfast event for citizens to benefit a local charity. Opportunity takes place in Longwood.

If none of these seem like something we can all do, please have a look at the following sources and please suggest some to the group at the next gathering.