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.