Today in class, Chad Furlong skyped in all the way from San Diego, California and I was so blessed by two hours he spent "with" us. :)
I connected with Chad's love of discipleship right away. The majority of our class time was spent on question one, "What is the underlying philosophy to your discipleship?", and I'm so glad it was. Chad took the time to guide us through what he considers the16 values of discipleship.Nearly every value and its description brought some kind of "aha!" moment. It seems my notes will take some time to really process through so tonight, about 12 hours after sitting in class... I'd like to share just a little bit about how I'd like God to use 3 of these 16 values to develop my discipleship.
1. We value love & We choose to see the good in one another & are quick to give praise: I was struck by this truth found in John 13:34-35: Jesus said... "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Chad reminded us that true discipleship is found within relationship. Throughout the class I kept picturing our current GMC team. I wonder what the way we love each other says about our desire for God.If it's impatient and conditional... we're probably only seeking the best for ourselves. The key word is "team". We're journeying through this year of discipleship and ministry training together and it's not just to love God more... but to love people, too. I'm asking God for ways I can encourage our team to be full of love and grace for one another. When we spend as much time as we do together (I am so thankful for that time!) we will definitely see the good and the bad. And that's OK. What an awesome opportunity we have in this program to learn to CHOOSE to see the best in others and to speak words of blessing over them. What an awesome opportunity to learn to love unconditionally and grow together... never isolating ourselves or going at it alone. I absolutely loved Chad's accountability sheets the students fill out with prayer needs and updates about how they're doing. Chad's practice of praying over them on Thursdays seems like it would build in him such a heart for his students each week... I'd love to do something like that.
2. We value laughing: I love that this is a core value for Chad's ministry and I am confident it delights God's heart, too. When I go through this program with our students I don't want them to leave thinking God is someone we can only be serious around, only be intensely focused around... He's fun and following him is an adventure! I love what we've got going here in the program... but I am determined to find new ways to help our students really enjoy this season of their lives. God is so good. we have so much to celebrate, and He is so good to celebrate with. :)
3. We value balance: This seems to be a topic that so many people are hungry to know the answer to. Chad gave an awesome illustration of a yard stick. Personal life (me as a daughter of God, a future wife, future mom, etc.) is on one side of the ruler and my calling (or ministry life) is on the other side.I think people get so frustrated with balance because they think if they find just one point of balance, they'll always be able to keep it there and they'll be fine. But that just doesn't work. Life brings surprises, seasons change, and we have to be ready to adapt. This point holds so much importance in a discipleship program like ours. We could always add more work or rules... but it just wouldn't be realistic. It's so important that we walk with students through their lives while they're here and help them understand how to live a healthy lifestyle. We're all going through the student's time at Gettysburg MC together... and I'm amazed by the common theme of working together to make more effective and healing discipleship happen.
I am so excited about what the Lord is doing already this year in our program. We are doing so many things well and I feel like God is encouraging me in that tonight. I always want to stay open to the idea that there could be a better way out there yet to be discovered that would connect to a student's heart in a way we couldn't before. I love that! Chad's teaching and testimony on discipleship was full of ideas and little sparks that I believe the Holy Spirit will ignite in our program to make it something even greater.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Class Response Two: Jeremiah and Cori Herbert
The Holy Spirit is turning the wheels in my heart and mind tonight for outreach and discipleship after conversing with Jeremiah and Cori in class this morning.
I took pages of notes, but with only 250 words I'll have to be pretty picky about what I write. About halfway through class, after our break, Jeremiah and Cori sat down with us at the table and asked about where God is leading each of us in ministry. I shared God's call on my life for counseling and my love of what I'm doing now with bringing students into ministry and starting the active discipleship process with them. I'm not sure where that will all specifically lead... but I know something else for sure. God has made my heart for the town of Gettysburg.
Jeremiah and Cori's heart for loving and giving to Gettysburg inspires me. Beyond that even, it makes my heart come alive. Like the Holy Spirit was reminding me of how exciting ministry gets when I ask God to make me his partner in reaching the people that we (God and me) love with the gifts and passions and beautiful vision that he's given me (and wants to keep growing in me as I use it).
As we left the grocery store tonight, I told Luke a lot about what the Holy Spirit was doing in me during our class today. I told him I've always been a little frustrated and even discouraged about my involvement in evangelism. I have a hard time connecting with the idea of doing my evangelism with door to door methods or other "in and out quick" techniques. I'm very, very open to opportunities to pray over someone I don't know on the street or follow a word God gives me... sometimes for me it's just harder to really apply that to my everyday life. The Herberts are confident that God uses them most effectively through relationships to evangelize the lost. Luke and I believe this is where we're at, too. Our hearts really connect with the lifestyle of building relationships in our community to evangelize... which then turns into discipleship.
I felt so, so hungry during class for God to open the door in my life to relationships with the unsaved in Gettysburg. I spend almost all my time around Christians doing ministry at Freedom Valley. And that's ok. I know I'm in the right place... but I am so excited about some of these wheels God is now turning in my head. Jeremiah said he went through a season of being really frustrated about just being around people who already love Jesus. He saw that when he was willing to go out of his comfort zone and take that step to build relationships, God blessed him, led him to people and people to him.
During class I had a few images and ideas I believe the Holy Spirit was using to speak to me about these areas of my life. Starting tomorrow, Luke and I are going to go to the ragged edge or another down town coffee shop on the morning ( or evening) of our day off and just sit. We'll use it as time to spend together, time to talk, pray, read... time to let God just connect our hearts over and over with the people, culture, and "everything" of Gettysburg. I'm praying that as we consistently go to 1 or 2 places, we make connections. I'm praying that we'll start to talk with employees and have opportunities to just love people and, while God ministers to our hearts, minister to the people of the town we just love so much. We're both seeing God highlight our creative gifts and really believe He'll use that to reach our generation. Coffee shop environments are so great for connecting with creativity... God is up to something very, very good. :)
I think this seemingly simple step is going to open big doors for us. It feels good to follow His leading. So here's to going after God-given dreams and many prayer times and conversation times to come. :) I'm sure I'll have updates soon about how God uses this is Luke and I's lives. Thank you, Lord.
I took pages of notes, but with only 250 words I'll have to be pretty picky about what I write. About halfway through class, after our break, Jeremiah and Cori sat down with us at the table and asked about where God is leading each of us in ministry. I shared God's call on my life for counseling and my love of what I'm doing now with bringing students into ministry and starting the active discipleship process with them. I'm not sure where that will all specifically lead... but I know something else for sure. God has made my heart for the town of Gettysburg.
Jeremiah and Cori's heart for loving and giving to Gettysburg inspires me. Beyond that even, it makes my heart come alive. Like the Holy Spirit was reminding me of how exciting ministry gets when I ask God to make me his partner in reaching the people that we (God and me) love with the gifts and passions and beautiful vision that he's given me (and wants to keep growing in me as I use it).
As we left the grocery store tonight, I told Luke a lot about what the Holy Spirit was doing in me during our class today. I told him I've always been a little frustrated and even discouraged about my involvement in evangelism. I have a hard time connecting with the idea of doing my evangelism with door to door methods or other "in and out quick" techniques. I'm very, very open to opportunities to pray over someone I don't know on the street or follow a word God gives me... sometimes for me it's just harder to really apply that to my everyday life. The Herberts are confident that God uses them most effectively through relationships to evangelize the lost. Luke and I believe this is where we're at, too. Our hearts really connect with the lifestyle of building relationships in our community to evangelize... which then turns into discipleship.
I felt so, so hungry during class for God to open the door in my life to relationships with the unsaved in Gettysburg. I spend almost all my time around Christians doing ministry at Freedom Valley. And that's ok. I know I'm in the right place... but I am so excited about some of these wheels God is now turning in my head. Jeremiah said he went through a season of being really frustrated about just being around people who already love Jesus. He saw that when he was willing to go out of his comfort zone and take that step to build relationships, God blessed him, led him to people and people to him.
During class I had a few images and ideas I believe the Holy Spirit was using to speak to me about these areas of my life. Starting tomorrow, Luke and I are going to go to the ragged edge or another down town coffee shop on the morning ( or evening) of our day off and just sit. We'll use it as time to spend together, time to talk, pray, read... time to let God just connect our hearts over and over with the people, culture, and "everything" of Gettysburg. I'm praying that as we consistently go to 1 or 2 places, we make connections. I'm praying that we'll start to talk with employees and have opportunities to just love people and, while God ministers to our hearts, minister to the people of the town we just love so much. We're both seeing God highlight our creative gifts and really believe He'll use that to reach our generation. Coffee shop environments are so great for connecting with creativity... God is up to something very, very good. :)
I think this seemingly simple step is going to open big doors for us. It feels good to follow His leading. So here's to going after God-given dreams and many prayer times and conversation times to come. :) I'm sure I'll have updates soon about how God uses this is Luke and I's lives. Thank you, Lord.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
10 Questions for Unchurched Friends
1. Have you had any past experience attending a christian church? What was your experience like? (Please include the church denomination, if possible)
2. Have you had past experience with serving in a church? Where did you serve/what did you do?
3. Why do you choose to not attend church regularly?
4. What are some issues you see in the christian church right now that may be keeping you from attending a church?
5. What is something, or some things, that you see the church is currently doing well?
6. Do you think there is any advantage to serving in a church and attending, rather than simply attending without serving in a ministry?
7. In your opinion, what should the church's role be in the community? How about in the world?
8. How would you describe Jesus?
9. Why do you think attending church is important to many people?
10. How could a local Christian church change, or what could they add, that would interest you in attending the church or getting involved?
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Class Response One: Jan Workman
I absolutely loved this session with Jan Workman, the children's pastor at Christian Life Assembly! Even though I watched over video, I could still feel her passion for being used by God to creatively disciple and evangelize. Every time Jan's words speed up and she rubs her hands together, the wheels start turning faster in my head about how I can be more creative in my ministry at Gettysburg Master's Commission.
There were two topics Jan discussed in depth that are really sticking to my heart this afternoon. The first was a program called 'Adopt-a-block'. This idea was borrowed from Tommy and Matthew Barnett who founded The Dream Center in Los Angeles. Jan's son in law, Tommy Arnold, and his young adults ministry "adopted" an apartment complex near Harrisburg. God has really opened doors up to this community as the young adults ministry, youth ministry, Jan and her team, and many other people from CLA have faithfully gone and just loved the people there without asking for anything in return. They were very purposeful in the way they began to reach out to the people of Orchard Springs. They had a Mega Sports Camp event that would draw families and eventually open doors to ask the parents to allow their kids to come on Wednesdays, being picked up by a CLA church member. I loved Jan's simple approach to outreach here. She stressed that outreach doesn't have to be a big "once and then done" event. Choose a low income neighborhood, a place in distress, or any where that obviously needs help and just go. No matter where you are, there are always people you can reach and love for Christ.
The second subject that grabbed my attention was the topic of team building. Izetta asked Jan who she would put on her staff if she was starting a children's ministry from scratch. Jan was very aware, and confident, in her gifts and I think that makes her a great recruiter! She knows what God has gifted her and called her to do and she doesn't try to take on more than she should. Instead, she has built into her life the principles of delegating jobs and building teams. She recognizes the value of recruiting people that are different than her, too, because it brings balance to a team. I was really encouraged when Jan said she would also look for the young people with a spark in their eye who had a passion for the ministry but just needed some training. I feel like that is so me right now! This is something I always want to do... speaking life into the dreams and vision God is giving young people for ministry.
Some key concepts I gained from Jan's session that I'll apply include...
1. Being real. In any place in ministry it is so easy to think you have to have all the answers and act perfect or your ministry will fall apart. This was a good reminder that humility, honesty, and accountability go a long way.
2. Go after the heart of God. Don't over work yourself or over complicate things. Just start at the place the Holy Spirt has led you and trust that he'll keep leading you. Be faithful when he opens doors.
3. Be creative! It makes ministry and building relationships with your students a lot more fun and opens doors for students to see they can be creative in the way they reach people, too!
4. Take good care of yourself! Ministry will burn you out if you let it. Exercise, eat well, guard your day off, laugh and have fun with friends and family.
5. Jan's philosophy about children's ministry did something great in my heart... "Kids are capable of glorifying God, understanding scripture & and articulating it, and Kids can receive spiritual things from the Holy Spirit (capable of walking in the Holy Spirit)."
It was such a joy to watch Jan's presentation. I'm not sure I can express in words even half of the things she said that are really stirring my heart and getting my creativity going today. :)
There were two topics Jan discussed in depth that are really sticking to my heart this afternoon. The first was a program called 'Adopt-a-block'. This idea was borrowed from Tommy and Matthew Barnett who founded The Dream Center in Los Angeles. Jan's son in law, Tommy Arnold, and his young adults ministry "adopted" an apartment complex near Harrisburg. God has really opened doors up to this community as the young adults ministry, youth ministry, Jan and her team, and many other people from CLA have faithfully gone and just loved the people there without asking for anything in return. They were very purposeful in the way they began to reach out to the people of Orchard Springs. They had a Mega Sports Camp event that would draw families and eventually open doors to ask the parents to allow their kids to come on Wednesdays, being picked up by a CLA church member. I loved Jan's simple approach to outreach here. She stressed that outreach doesn't have to be a big "once and then done" event. Choose a low income neighborhood, a place in distress, or any where that obviously needs help and just go. No matter where you are, there are always people you can reach and love for Christ.
The second subject that grabbed my attention was the topic of team building. Izetta asked Jan who she would put on her staff if she was starting a children's ministry from scratch. Jan was very aware, and confident, in her gifts and I think that makes her a great recruiter! She knows what God has gifted her and called her to do and she doesn't try to take on more than she should. Instead, she has built into her life the principles of delegating jobs and building teams. She recognizes the value of recruiting people that are different than her, too, because it brings balance to a team. I was really encouraged when Jan said she would also look for the young people with a spark in their eye who had a passion for the ministry but just needed some training. I feel like that is so me right now! This is something I always want to do... speaking life into the dreams and vision God is giving young people for ministry.
Some key concepts I gained from Jan's session that I'll apply include...
1. Being real. In any place in ministry it is so easy to think you have to have all the answers and act perfect or your ministry will fall apart. This was a good reminder that humility, honesty, and accountability go a long way.
2. Go after the heart of God. Don't over work yourself or over complicate things. Just start at the place the Holy Spirt has led you and trust that he'll keep leading you. Be faithful when he opens doors.
3. Be creative! It makes ministry and building relationships with your students a lot more fun and opens doors for students to see they can be creative in the way they reach people, too!
4. Take good care of yourself! Ministry will burn you out if you let it. Exercise, eat well, guard your day off, laugh and have fun with friends and family.
5. Jan's philosophy about children's ministry did something great in my heart... "Kids are capable of glorifying God, understanding scripture & and articulating it, and Kids can receive spiritual things from the Holy Spirit (capable of walking in the Holy Spirit)."
It was such a joy to watch Jan's presentation. I'm not sure I can express in words even half of the things she said that are really stirring my heart and getting my creativity going today. :)
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