Book Review #2 - When Necessary Use Words

In reading and looking into the book, When Necessary Use Words by Mike Pilavachi, I never really thought of life that way.  Mike Pilavachi with Liza Hoeksma gives us this view of When Necessary Use Words.  We can change lives through worship, justice and evangelism but it is up to us to do so.  

I feel that the best way we can worship God is by how we live our lives and what we do.  It is always good to read our Bibles and sing him but it’s more about that lifestyle of worship that is important.  It says all throughout the book of Psalms to worship the Lord with joyful hearts and any time we need him.  The thing is that we should need him all the time.  As we follow God we must also be following his commands, his laws, clearly his word.  His word, The Bible should be one of the biggest parts of our lives.  It is from that that we know how to live a life like Jesus Christ did.  We need to be living, giving God all the honor and glory for everything good in our lives.

Something about worshiping God in everything we do may not always be a new thing but it’s a refreshing time to have.  Worship is a lifestyle.  Worshiping God means putting him first and remembering that he is more important than anything or anyone else (pg. 23).  Worship isn’t just the music during a church service.  The music is only part of worship.  I was always confused with that until this year because I always thought when someone said worship, it was music.  A team who play music is called a worship team at church.  “The rest of the service and indeed how we live can be worship too (pg. 31).  It’s in true worship that we can get closer and to the heart of God.  “Our worship must go far beyond the music, it must infuse our lives” (pg. 52).  If you think about it, another way of worship is through making a covenant to God, taking communion and praying.  In following God, we worship by following His Ten Commandments.  What you can always conclude from talking about worship is that it isn’t about receiving all the time but it’s about what we can be offering to God.  We can offer ourselves to God in any good or bad situation.  What we need to do is follow and trust in Him.

Something about evangelism is that we really need to pay attention.  It’s crazy to think that when I took my spiritual gifts survey 2 times in the past year or 2, my top gift is evangelism.  I haven’t seen that come out yet.  I’m very confused to that because I thought it would be hospitality or something else.  I was very surprised that that was my top gift.  Pilavachi communicates to us that Jesus’ life was through evangelism.  “Jesus…showed us a very different way.  When He chose his disciples, He called them to follow Him way before their behavior changed….They didn’t even understand who Jesus was for a long time; but right from the start, Jesus let them know that they belonged with Him, believing and behaving, or not” (pg 80).  Evangelism to me, is now reaching out to the lost.  Reaching out to people who do not know Christ and speaking out, proclaiming his greatness.  Evangelism to me now is going out and preaching the word of God and sharing it with anyone who needs/wants to hear it.

Something about justice that I’ve learned is that you only do what is said in the Bible.  We should be preaching the gospel at all times.  When we speak of and share God’s love to those around us, we are one step closer to helping a hurting/broken world.  When we as believers of Christ, who have a relationship with him show love, worship, and a desire to go all out for God, people will eventually want that too.  Our world needs to see this all happen before they believe it.  Let’s now follow God, go out and worship as well as evangelize to the world for the Kingdom of God!

Read about half of the book.  It was very enjoyable but I was sadly starting to run out of time.

Class Response - Lee Rodgers (Youth Alive Ministries)

This week we had the pleasure to hear from Lee Rodgers!
Lee, is on Youth Alive Ministries Director for PennDel.  He currently resides in Mt. Holly Springs, PA right near Carlisle.  He was assistant pastor at Bethel AG in Carlisle from 2004-2011 and then became the director for YAM.  He and his wife travel here and there together and they've loved working with this ministry.  He graduated from Big Springs High School, went on to Valley Forge Christian College and is working on his Master's degree through Regeant University.
Big Springs is where he had/learned his foundations on faith and following Christ at the age of 14.  He talked about how culture, church and school has changed but how can we change it for the glory of God?  "We are Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their difference and enter into God's work of making things right between them (2 Corinthians 5:20).  He gave us some statistics that are interesting for me to see because I never really look enough at statistics.  He shared with us that 99.5% of the U.S. population go through the public school system.  About 8 out of 10 Christians make their decision to follow Christ before graduation from high school.  1,125,000 middle and high school students in Pennsylvania and Delaware.  I like how he reminded us of two things we are instructed to do to show our faith.  We are to be baptized and partake in communion.  These are the foundations of faith.
I never knew that in there Merge Leadership Network they run SYATP, Train, Organize, Baccalaureate, and School Assemblies they are involved in.  They are fully engaged in campus ministries.  Youth Alive started in 1979 as a way to engage the school system within our churches.  Four tasks evolve in this ministry.  The logo for Youth Alive have different colors and they each mean an important task.  The blue represents campus missionaries.  The green represents campus clubs.  The red stands for 7 project/ outreach.  Finally the yellow stands for PrayerZone Partner.  I love what each color and part of the logo means.  It's very unique and makes me empowered to help reach other schools no matter what.  Nothing stops God, so therefore what he works in me, he works into the students who I can lead.
Mr. Rodgers seemed very enthusiastic of this ministry and I pray to one day be as hard-working as successful as he seems to have been.  I really enjoyed his time with us and just love the idea of campus missionaries.

Service Learning Componant

The Plan:
a. Who did we serve? (Our target population)
         We aimed to serve families, specifically children, who will be in the hospital over the Christmas holidays.


b. How did we serve them? 
(Was there a style of service or specific act of service that most effectively ministered to our target population?)
        We served them by using our creativity in making fun cards with notes that will hopefully encourage them to have a wonderful Christmas and New Years.  We want them to know that owe love and care for them.  We are still going to pray over and give them the children, but we have to wait for an ok.  It would be wonderful to do that really soon so they don't loose the holiday spirit.
What level of evangelism is this on the E-scale of evangelism?
          This probably was an E-1 Evangelism being that it was outside of our church but still in our home area.
         

c. Where did you serve them? Was there a location or a specific event where our target population gathers that is more effective for us in serving them there than any other location?
          We made cards and did much planning at church.  Since we are still waiting to hear back from Gettysburg and Hanover hospital, we plan to deliver the cards as soon as possible and hopefully some candy while being able to share God's love to them.  We really believe this will bring hope to them though they might not see it yet.

        
d. When did you serve them? Was there a particular day and/or time that was better than others?
         Monday, is when we made the cards.  We weren't able to deliver the cards yet but plan to do it next week before Christmas break.

500-700 word report on the outreach as well as a critique of our planning and execution that will include 3 things that were planned or executed well and three things that could be improved.

My Report:
          So, the girls and I have had a tough time in figuring out what to do with our Community Outreach.  We thought of doing an outreach event in Biglerville or surrounding areas.  None of those plans worked.  We then thought about doing it at the church but didn't think that would really work.  We wanted to go out from the church, not exactly in it.
Eventually, Bonnie came up with making cards for kids in the hospital.  We have been working on a date to take them in.  We have Christmas, New Years holiday cards made up for little kids.  One afternoon, Kimmy, Kriston, Bonnie and I sat down and made the cards.  We did about 5 cards each, that's how many I've done.  I'm also trying think up and research where we can drop the cards off at.  My part in this was making the cards and having an idea of writing encouragement and inspirational verses or quotes.  We aren't sure if we can do that yet, however it's a wonderful idea.  Kriston brought markers, crayons, and colored pencils.  I believe Kimmy may have called the hospital or brought things but not sure.  We all made at least 5 cards and planned on taking them in together.
What I've learned from this assignment, is that we do want to reach our church with hope and faith and love.  One of the most important things is going out into the community reaching those who may have never heard the gospel, may have given up hope in church, God, or even themselves.  Where these cards go, it will make a young kid happy and hopefully they can have a wonderful holiday season as well as a blessed New Year.  Hopefully they can pray and thank God for all they do have.  If not, at least that they can be happy through the holidays, because we know also how hard holidays can be.

         Three things that were executed well:
             1. I think the overall idea was great!  I loved being able to get creative and work with my best friends on reaching out to families before break.  I enjoy making cards, and hopefully being able to get them and their families to come to church.
               2. The actual cards were a great idea.  In that we were able to create our own ideas in how to make the cards and see the cards in a powerful way to reach little kids.
                3. The last thing is probably just the quality time spent with my 2nd year/staff girls.  I love our whole GMC team but I feel it's nice when we sometimes split and have small group time.  It's truly a blessing to me that I was able to make cards, to reach out to kids, families, with my best friends in the world.  This is the way we share the Gospel of Jesus.
         Three Things that could be improved:
             1. Probably better communication with places we wanted to reach out to.  We should have called a lot sooner as well as continue to try and get a hold of them.
              2. I know I was sort of unclear in what each of our jobs were.  We all did something but we could have planned better.
               3. Last thing is timing.  I think with us up in the air about one outreach and changing to the next, it didn't help my brain personally.  I already had much to think about, without this.  Next time hopefully we can start planning and grasping what we want to do within the first week we get the assignment.  That is where the brainstorming power comes in!

Class Response - Peter Almqvist (Mission SOS)

On Thursday, we were able to skype with Peter Almqvist!

I always love when we can skype/talk to people we already know.  Peter is such a great man of God following what God has called him to do with Mission SOS.  Mission SOS is a ministry that was started by Johannes Amritzer back in 1996.  Peter became the US and Festival Coordinator at Mission SOS International a while back and currently works at Allison Park Church in Pittsburg, PA lead by Pastor Jeff Leake.  Peter is married to his wife Martina and they have four adorable little kids.  This is what he said about the ministry he's involved with.

He says that following Matthew 25 and all of Acts is a great fundamental way we should be sharing the gospel.  What I love about Peter and people in Missions SOS is that they want to establish a training school, church panters and missionaries.  He was asked how to measure a win in his ministry and he said its by bring lost souls to Christ.  They want to do more advertising in countries for their festivals.  What kind of help do they need to do the work they do?  It seems like its like every other ministry I've heard.  They need prayer, finances, willing people and working hard leaders.  I know what he means in that.  I think some of the most important aspects you need in a ministry is prayer and willing people.  You also need balance.  One of the difficult aspects of his ministry is balancing ministry and family.  He said it's hard but essential to do.  I believe him in that and somewhat relate.  I have a hard time balancing right now but it is do-able.  I feel we need to read more up on evangelists and just the ministry of Jesus to realize that the best thing we can do is save people one person at a time.  I can also definitely relate to how he loves working behind the scenes.  I know how that is and I enjoy it.  We just need to always remember we may be serving under or with someone but we ultimately are serving our God.

I really enjoyed listening to what he had to say and I can't wait to see them all again.  It was a great learning experience during this class time.  It doesn't matter if you have the most glorious or dirtiest job.  If you are doing it for God, he will make you shine, especially when you give him all the glory!

Unchurched Friends - Interview #2

Age: 19 years old

Sex: Male

1. Have you ever gone to church before?  If so, where?
1. Answer: Yes, but i'm not sure where.
2. What was it like being a part of that church?
1. Answer: Interesting. A lot of friendliness.
3. Have you/or friends been involved in serving in ministries anywhere at/for church?  How much did that make a difference for you or your friend?
1. Answer: No, it doesn't really make a difference to him.
4. What do you believe churches do well at?
1. Answer: Preaching. They bring the good out of people's lifestyles. Make you feel welcomed and love like you are a really good person inside.
5. Why do you think people don't attend church regularly or why don't you?
1. Answer: He doesn't because it's too early, doesn't fit his schedule. Other people though, too early and depends on there beliefs.
6. What doesn't make sense to you about Christians?  Do you see a difference from people who have a relationship with God to ones who don't?
1. Answer: He says it actually makes perfect sense to him what Christians believe. Yes, very big difference. When they have a relationship with God, they are kind and friendly. Thinks everyone finds religion at some point and time.
7. What are your beliefs on church and God?
1. Answer: He thinks God is 100% real and watching and loving all of us. He put us on the earth for one good reason. If you've done something wrong, he forgives you.
8. If there was something you could change about church, what would it be?
1. Answer: He says what he has seen they are really good. Have more environments for all age groups.
9. How is your life going right now and do you think it could be better if you were a disciple of Christ?
1. Answer: For the past couple months dated someone and then after, decided he wanted to change. He loves his life right now. Not dating but feels God is saying I have someone special for you.
10. What do you think churches could do around the community that people would like?
1. Answer: Have parties such as movie parties. Put it somewhere neutral.

Response:

Surprised and Amazed!

            No way!  I can not believe the awesome interview I just had with this old friend.  This friend is someone who I knew growing up in school and we ended up working together for about a year at Jane's Market in Biglerville, PA.  I never knew anything about his relationships or "religious" views.  Something really cool he and I have in common are the same high schools, same job, same friends and same football team!  Yes he is an Eagles fan!  It was such a random yet great person to talk to.  He was/is always nice to me and takes the initiative to talk to people and make their day better.

              I am just so surprised and amazed by his answers and it means so much to me more than people would know.  I like how he has really seemed to grow since I last talked to him in just how he carries himself in his life.  He's gone through a lot in the relationship area but God has healed and worked with him on that!  God I believe is working in his life now more than he knows.  I didn't know what his religious beliefs really were until we had this interview.

                I am so happy to know and hear that this friend believes in God and that he can forgive us of all our sins.  I pray for him that what he went through in his past, he has asked God for guidance in that.  His answers were just very sweet and to the point.

                 Something now that i'm going to do to reconnect with him is get him to come to church, meet my wonderful boyfriend and friends.  I cannot wait to see how God is going to really bless him very soon and in a powerful way.  Thank you God for this wonderful interview tonight!

Class Response #8 - Cullen Allen (APC)

Wow!  What a way to run a ministry going after God!  Cullen Allen is a Pastor who oversees Kids, Youth, and Young Adult ministries as well as running MCM for Mission SOS at Allison Park Church, Pittsburgh, PA.

He has such a heart for living out what God has planned for him and the ministries he's in.  I love how the way they are teaching their students is by living out the book of Acts and in the way they teach personal discipline is by using the Matthew 18 principle.  I love that they call their prayer time Warfare Prayer.  It has such a ring to it!

I really feel that as he was talking to us, I was picturing/thinking how are ministry school is as well as others I've heard about.  Everything he said was just so good!  I love that in about every class period, every speaker has talked about the verse to "go out and make disciples..."  It is part of The Great Commission and we need to be getting others to follow Christ in our ministries.  His quote of reproducing a person, a student, a leader was such a refresher for me.  I feel that I haven't really thought that much of reproducing myself, teaching others how I've learned so that was such an eye opener for me!  Those points were the ones that stuck out to me the most!  Here are some other notes I took through the class...

- Their underlying philosophy or basis for their training is: Raising up spiritual warriors for the kingdom of God to teach them how to live out the book of Acts in signs, wonders, and miracles.

-  9 month training ministry school

            Training in life, spiritual, and academic skills

            Hands on ministry training, real life work

            Personal discipline

                        Timeliness and being on time: Prayer School (Warfare Prayer) 40 min.

                                    -using the Matthew 18 principle

- A recent success story: about students who had bad pasts and are not redeemed and in full time ministry. 

- There needs to be flexibility and necessary pieces in each one.

- Students come in from a church background or who have a past.  They define a win to the student that they cease on some of the self destructive habits they have in their life or maybe just need to pray out loud.  Maybe there’s looking internal, or speaking in front of others for the first time.  Understanding who they are in Christ.

- Creating students to be what God called them to be.

- Discipleship is important to him because it was important to Jesus.  “Go out and make disciples…”  It’s part of the Great Commission.  Reproducing a person, a student, a leader!

-     He needs help with the program.  He needs leaders that will invest back into the students.  Teachers, leaders, administrative, counseling, prayer leaders, disciplers. 

-          Discipleship is the hardest thing to do but totally worth it.  That is a difficult aspect as well as confrontation.

-          Follow through and discipline.

-How he balances family and ministry.  He constantly has to work at it.  Be engaged and updating your family, spending time with them.  Constant process of tweaking.  Continual and constantly working on it.

- He’s had high level of discipline and requirements.  You must always have consequences with the standards and discipline and requirements.  That’s what makes it effective.

- Maybe a great thing to do is to teach them the core values, core principles.  You make that commitment and covenant at the beginning, so keep it.

- How do you build your ministry team?  You build them from the school of people who stand out, who model what they are doing.

- Who are the heroes in your ministry?  People you look up to you in your ministry, church, family, friends.

            Force yourself to confront as soon as possible. Tone, approach, etc.  How can I please God in this moment?  How can I keep this person’s best interest at heart?  How can they benefit?

The only way you won’t mess up is if you don’t ry.  You are growing in it.  Leave earlier.  Go through a series of coaching questions.  Help them to overcome excuses change the behavior patterns.  Our requirements are only as good as consequences allowed them.

Class Response # 7 - Chuck Lenhart

Many are called or chosen but not everyone goes through with it.  We need to go with a sense of purpose.  Jeremiah 29:11.     FOCUS ON THE WORK AND RELATIONSHIP MORE SO OF THE LORD!

Strengthen your team up and focus on Christ.  He needs to be the center.  Don’t be focusing on the unsettling things.  Do the things you tell your team to do.  Don’t just be a leader but be a friend.  Pray as a team when you begin to move into something. – Gift of Discernment 1 Corinthians 12: Spiritual Gifts    Prayer NEEDS to be THE KEY element.  Acts 1:1 picking it up from the book of Luke – after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit through prayer, they became great by giving Holy Spirit instructions to the team.  Stepping out in faith.

Everyone may not always be on the same page or chapter but show them how to carry the vision you have.  You can say any amount of words; they might not get it but practice it.  Pray that when you share the vision that God would give them and you a revelation.  Think about the goals, and long term goals.  Rekindle and restire the passion and love for your ministry.  See it through God’s eyes and not by your own.  The JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH.

1.      The things I am doing, ask God to help us function in everything we do, that he wants us to do in his purpose.

a.       In Chuck talking about chosen, God really spoke that to me last year.

2.      Write down and speak the vision God puts on your heart. Habakkuk 2-3

a.       Read Corinthians

b.      2 Corinthians 3:4-6 – Not about our confidence but our confidence that comes from God.

I think it’s so great that he mentioned this because vision has been a huge word lately for me

We need to influence people through the Holy Spirit.  God is calling us in this generation to humble ourselves, giving God all the honor and glory.

3.      Understand and walk in faith

a.       God gives us the inspiration to be a blessing around people.  Pray God gives you another believer in Christ.  Through our faith, through our prayer, pray and ask God for what you want.

b.      Key in onto God’s economy, not the world’s economy

4.      As God is bringing you up (promoting) be a giver

a.       There is prospering in this.

b.      In our lives, when being faithful to God, there is this door of blessing that continues to provide for us.

c.       Ephesians 14?3-20? – Christ dwell in our hearts through faith.

d.      As we give and let God stretch our faith, he turns on the channel of blessing and pours out his abundance.

e.       Romans 15:3

                    

5.      John 14:16 ( don’t remember the topic )

6.      Go out in the power of the Holy Spirit

a.       Using our spiritual gifts

b.      Luke 4 – Satan and Christ

c.       God is filling us whenever we are in his word

7.      Be flexible and be willing to bend

a.       “blessed are those who…do this”

b.      Galatians 2:20

c.       What is your worldview? How do you define it? What all do you do?

8.      Be true to your call

a.       Do the things God calls you to do. Be who you are in God

b.      DEFINE YOUR CALLING!!!!

c.       Galatians 2:6-10

d.      Is a cultural or cross-cultural call

9.      Know the language in the call

10.  Build a team around you to serve Christ’s great commission/ vision he gave to you.

a.       Build people up around you…the true disciples are made into the kingdom

b.      Being connected and getting to know your team

c.       Bring the guidance

d.      Bring in the stewardship

e.       When scheduling, it isn’t just what’s easier.  Tune your ear into where God wants to go.

f.        Find their gifting, their character…become the empowered through the team.

g.       Don’t allow anyone or anything to get in your way in the way of the will of the Lord for your life.

h.       Be prepared to face rejection

                                                               i.      People you are trying to reach

                                                             ii.      People on your team – humbly serve God and believe he’s going to protect our hearts and it is because he died on the cross for us.

11.  3 Major Items his team functions under

a.       2 Corinthians 3:17 – Walk in the fields God planted us him

b.      John 4 – Samaritan   (Where God wants to plant you pray)

c.       Psalm 127:1 – Building God’s house in his way!!!!

12.  Knowing those among you

a.       A way to build/strengthen your team and not separating

Don’t let ministry be a complete competition.  Though there are different gifted people keep pride away.