I’ve used this mind dump posting style before and sometimes I like it other times I don’t but for now it will do.

My wife left an article out of the paper for me on the table the other day and told me I’d like to read it, that it was about African Churches sending Missionaries to the US to reach the lost. I made some time to pick it up that night and read the whole article (click here to read it yourself). I was amazed but not really shocked that people around the world are worried about the declining number of Christians in America and the American church’s some what apathetic dealing with the issue. Sunday Adelaja a Nigerian born minister who planted a church in Kiev, Ukraine 13 years ago and has started planting churches all over the world including 20 here in the US says.
-”We are surprised that the Americans who preached to us, the passion they had is almost already gone.”
-”As America goes, so goes the world. We shouldn’t allow the Christian influence to diminish in this country.”
-”America is fast becoming a mission ground again.”

It saddens me that for the most part (the greatest percentage of churches in America) that American churches are not willing to change methods that they are comfortable with to reach lost people which is a principle of the Christian faith. We have a lot of focusing on God to do till we reflect the image of Him and His mission (to seek and save the lost) becomes our mission.

On another thought I got to help out with a benevolence call this afternoon which I don’t get to do much of but it is always an amazing feeling when you help someone who is need and it reminded me of a passage in Hebrews 13: 1&2 that talks about being helpful to strangers in need for you never know when you are entertaining angels.

My daughter is almost 5 (can’t believe that) and we’ve been teaching her about helping those in need as Jesus taught in Matthew 25: 31-46. So we look for ways to go out of our way to help when we see a need in front of the supermarket, or for a friend, or wherever. This month we started to keep a small bag of food in the car (nothing perishable) and I took her to Feed the Hungry with me at the Interfaith Kitchen this month to help. She was so helpful and did whatever she could the whole time we were their. It was really cool to see how some of the people interacted with her: smiling and waving, talking with her or telling me about their families and children or grandchildren. It was a great feeling to serve along side my daughter and I can’t wait to see her grow because of experiences like these throughout her formidable years and God lays the foundation for who she is going to be in Christ. I completely recommend this kind of experience to any parent.

I’m watching a theme come out of my devotions the last couple of weeks. Whether I’m reading about taking up my cross, forgiving those who sin against me, or the rich young ruler and all in between. God has been teaching me about total reliance. Its not that I’ve naught thought about total reliance before but never consistently lived it out. Which bums me out. What have I missed? What did I go through that could have been easier had I relied completely on God? What have other’s missed or gone through because talking about and living the example has not been a consistent part of my life as a leader in the church? Thank God for His patients! It feels like I’m starting a whole new chapter in life which is exciting and scary at the same time. I’ll let you how its going from time to time.

Now playing: Newsboys - Entertaing Angels via FoxyTunes

I just wanted everyone to know what a great weekend we had at FCYC (Florida Christian Youth Convention). I’ve been amazed this year at how opened our students eyes have been this year through the two major conference we’ve been to ‘07 (CIY and FCYC). The theme was out of Revelation 7:9 about the Multitude before the throne. The whole conference was focused on what the Multitude is and how we can be it now as we await the return of Christ. One girl came out talking about what it means to BE the church not just going to church. Another talked about how the multitude was multi-ethnic and how most churches aren’t and that she needed to be more open to people who are different than her. WOW! Others were making connections and strengthening bonds that were already there. It was a first trip with the whole youth ministry for our 7th graders and to see how good of a time they had was great. It was a really good time overall for everyone that went but we sorely missed those who couldn’t make it.

Here are a few photos from the trip.

The Challenge- On Sunday morning we started a new 3 week study called Retro looking at different aspects of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s for ways we can better align our lives with God. So for the 60’s we talk about how that generation is marked by rebellion against authority and talked about two songs that came out of the 60’s, “I fought the law” by the Bobby Fuller Four in ‘65 and “I did it my way” by Frank Sinatra in ‘68 and how do we respond to Jesus as our ultimate authority in life. At the end of the large group teaching time I challenged the 7th - 12th graders to give their complete life to God for the rest of December (which at that point was 29 days) by connecting with God daily through reading His word and praying and also to look at each situation that they are presented with and ask themselves how would God handle this. If they don’t know the answer they are to ask some that might (parent, some one they trust at church, their small group leader, or me) and then decide how to deal with it. As an example and encouragement I decided to start a blog just for my time with God called “My Day W/ Jesus”. You can follow along if you like and I’m hoping to get some of the teens to send me something from their time with God and post it up there also.

http://mydaywithjesus.voxtropolis.com