Dave is enrolled at the University of Penn
Tell me about your journey to faith in Christ?
o My parents and I never went to church. It wasn’t until I came to college that I met a friend who bought me to church with him.
What helped you the most to step over the line and make the commitment?
o I felt like I needed help from somewhere else than normal. I needed to confide in something bigger than myself. I was overwhelmed (in a good way) during the night that I gave my heart to God. I felt at peace that night.
What has been the best part of becoming a Christ follower for you?
o I feel stabile. I know that when I feel like I have no one else by my side that God is always there.
What has been the most challenging part of following Christ?
o Convincing my family that this is the way to live. They think it’s a joke sometimes. It’s really discouraging.
What do you think is helping you grow the most in your faith?
o Knowing the emotions I felt before I knew Christ, and comparing that to how much easier it is to live now that I do know Him. My life is complete and in control only through God.
What advice do you have for me in helping others like you to grow in their faith?
o Keep Christ in your mind always. The more you think of Him in every disicion you make, the easier it will get. Once He's considered first and above all, your faith with continue to increase.
A place for my thoughts, concerns, and defenses for the Christian faith.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Unchurched Friend #2
Interview of Andy (High School senior @ CAT)
Are you actively attending any church?
o Currently, No. We moved into the area here several years ago and just haven't really found a church we'd like to call home.
What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
o I like how the church plays large role in helping the needs of people; helping to straighten out their lives; giving the younger people something to do with offering youth groups.
Why do you think most people don’t attend church?
o They don’t believe, or maybe too busy, at least they might think they're are too busy.
If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?
o A Pastor who brings life into their sermons, helping to unify members of the same age group as well as other generations and introducing different kinds of activities other than just traditional services.
What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
o Be down to earth, and get to know people before you try and “fix” them. I think a lot of people are afraid to get close to their pastors because they don't feel they are genuine enough as a real person to them.
Are you actively attending any church?
o Currently, No. We moved into the area here several years ago and just haven't really found a church we'd like to call home.
What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
o I like how the church plays large role in helping the needs of people; helping to straighten out their lives; giving the younger people something to do with offering youth groups.
Why do you think most people don’t attend church?
o They don’t believe, or maybe too busy, at least they might think they're are too busy.
If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?
o A Pastor who brings life into their sermons, helping to unify members of the same age group as well as other generations and introducing different kinds of activities other than just traditional services.
What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
o Be down to earth, and get to know people before you try and “fix” them. I think a lot of people are afraid to get close to their pastors because they don't feel they are genuine enough as a real person to them.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Jason Lamer
Background: Saved @ 2 years old, practically born with his bible in hand. Early years he would follow his father around evangelizing starting @ 5 y/o. His father would go out to places like Westminster, MD. Growing up his childhood seemed ideal until he was a junior in high school. His father took a stand in the church where there would then be difficult transition. He found this was the point where he really found his faith; difficult but noteworthy in the development of his walk. He saw his father as a great role model. (His father was the associate pastor of the church)
Dissention: Growing up his father was one of the factors which helped the church work through its problems rather than splitting. This helped to influence Jason's view on how to remain dedicated to the ministry.
Went to North Central. He was @ a National Fine Arts Festival where he met Dr. Meyer. From North Central he returned to Gettysburg and he eventually met up with Don Immel who eventually hired him as their youth pastor in Uniontown. His attitude was persistent to believe that God's direction was always active.
Uniontown Church: a great church whose pastor had already been there 10 years. When Jason got there the congregation was to about 400-450. Most of the congregants who came to Uniontown (70% were first time converts who remained in the congregation) thanks to the outreach ministries conducted by the church.
Most Important Lesson: "to find my identity in Christ" All he knew was that he had a heart for God and knew God had a purpose for him.
His Biggest Impression: Dramatic Presentations of the Gospel (plays) & Outreaches in parks
Outreaches were successful when the ambition set its sights on places where people already were, not where they could set up a stage and draw people to them. "It wasn't enough just to say come and see, but I learned that I had to also go and tell!"
Development of their youth ministry: it started with Jason asking if he could come to the high school to talk to kids and have lunch with them. This, of course didn't fly because of all the red tape with legal issues. The eventually just started pulling up to the schools after school and asked kids if they'd want to come to youth group. They soon found that they needed more vans and there were up to 30 kids helping prepare for the service right after school before youth group started.
7Project: A school outreach project
Youth Alive Strategy
Prayer Zone Partners: make people aware that the school is a mission field (moms, dads, brothers, sisters, friends, pastors…etc.
Campus Missionaries: this is where we identify campus missionaries in their home churches. They make a 1 year commitment to:
Pray
Give
Tell
Serve
Live
Campus Clubs: common meeting places where Christian students can assemble to pray and discuss how to win their peers to Christ and get them in the door of an outreach.
Seven Project: a hosted event where the social atmosphere of students come together to have wholesome fun & fellowship.
checkout http://thesevenproject.com
Dissention: Growing up his father was one of the factors which helped the church work through its problems rather than splitting. This helped to influence Jason's view on how to remain dedicated to the ministry.
Went to North Central. He was @ a National Fine Arts Festival where he met Dr. Meyer. From North Central he returned to Gettysburg and he eventually met up with Don Immel who eventually hired him as their youth pastor in Uniontown. His attitude was persistent to believe that God's direction was always active.
Uniontown Church: a great church whose pastor had already been there 10 years. When Jason got there the congregation was to about 400-450. Most of the congregants who came to Uniontown (70% were first time converts who remained in the congregation) thanks to the outreach ministries conducted by the church.
Most Important Lesson: "to find my identity in Christ" All he knew was that he had a heart for God and knew God had a purpose for him.
His Biggest Impression: Dramatic Presentations of the Gospel (plays) & Outreaches in parks
Outreaches were successful when the ambition set its sights on places where people already were, not where they could set up a stage and draw people to them. "It wasn't enough just to say come and see, but I learned that I had to also go and tell!"
Development of their youth ministry: it started with Jason asking if he could come to the high school to talk to kids and have lunch with them. This, of course didn't fly because of all the red tape with legal issues. The eventually just started pulling up to the schools after school and asked kids if they'd want to come to youth group. They soon found that they needed more vans and there were up to 30 kids helping prepare for the service right after school before youth group started.
7Project: A school outreach project
Youth Alive Strategy
Prayer Zone Partners: make people aware that the school is a mission field (moms, dads, brothers, sisters, friends, pastors…etc.
Campus Missionaries: this is where we identify campus missionaries in their home churches. They make a 1 year commitment to:
Pray
Give
Tell
Serve
Live
Campus Clubs: common meeting places where Christian students can assemble to pray and discuss how to win their peers to Christ and get them in the door of an outreach.
Seven Project: a hosted event where the social atmosphere of students come together to have wholesome fun & fellowship.
checkout http://thesevenproject.com
David Kennard
Small groups: (connect groups, catalyst groups and coach groups)
Meet 4 x's/yr
His Testimony: Southwest Missouri state in Springfield. He studied religion. He found the A.G. through some friends who he hadn't seen in a few years. One day he met with one of them in an O.T. class. They talked and Dave realized
that his friend no longer did some of the things he used to in his youth. He later came to attend Nixon Assembly.
Things he learned in his trek through ministry:
Prayer & Fasting
Riverside: David has learned that people will follow you more sincerely, more consistently and more determinedly when the leader takes a humble approach and is not afraid to share his own personal weaknesses with the members of the church.
One of the most impressive things I learned from David was his transparency. He was successful to deliver the package of knowing it will take weakness to exemplify God's true strength. Its through the difficult circumstances of life that we will either learn or repeat mistakes that only make the process longer. David revealed to me that it takes the art of yeilding to Christ to master any successful outreach.
I liked the breakdown on how he proposes the success of how small groups work.
Meet 4 x's/yr
His Testimony: Southwest Missouri state in Springfield. He studied religion. He found the A.G. through some friends who he hadn't seen in a few years. One day he met with one of them in an O.T. class. They talked and Dave realized
that his friend no longer did some of the things he used to in his youth. He later came to attend Nixon Assembly.
Things he learned in his trek through ministry:
Prayer & Fasting
Riverside: David has learned that people will follow you more sincerely, more consistently and more determinedly when the leader takes a humble approach and is not afraid to share his own personal weaknesses with the members of the church.
One of the most impressive things I learned from David was his transparency. He was successful to deliver the package of knowing it will take weakness to exemplify God's true strength. Its through the difficult circumstances of life that we will either learn or repeat mistakes that only make the process longer. David revealed to me that it takes the art of yeilding to Christ to master any successful outreach.
I liked the breakdown on how he proposes the success of how small groups work.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Unchurched Friend: Susan Cohen
Q. Are you actively attending any church? Or do you watch any church programs broadcasted over television?
a. NO but I have been watching the Sunday mass on channel 6 in the mornings (Roman Catholic). And I do watch some of the preachers on channel 48. I tend to relate what they say with some of the doctrines and things that I already know. I feel they have a tendency to be a little eccentric.
Q. What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
a. Sometimes I feel they talk about the same old, same old. Pat Robertson strikes me as a phony more times than not. Some ministers can have a personality that leaves an impression based on some of the illustrations that they bring to the pulpit. Major Dupree loved football and would often relate biblical principles into football terms.
Q. Why do you think most people don't attend church?
a. They don't think its important enough in their lives. They don't make it a high enough priority. But when something goes wrong they're right there on their knees praying "O' God help me…"
b. They don't feel welcome or wanted… people have an inferiority complex where the people of the church have a tendency to judge them before they even know them.
Q. If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?
a. Easy access… something relatively close.
b. Will the church welcome a single mother who has a Jewish background?
c. The congregation has to be of an age where she would feel that she wouldn't be out of place… (i.e. church congregation may be mostly college kids)
d. Familiarity makes it easier: I know the Salvation Army and I feel comfortable with its people.
Q. What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
a. Get to know their patrons (congregation members). Sometimes the pastors aren't around long enough to get to know their congregation members well enough.
b. Try to treat the members of the church more like a close-knit family rather than a business full of customers. Be more personable with people-don't be afraid to be transparent.
c. Be more involved with the community. Go out and meet people in their community-knock on doors. Try and organize transportation for the community to bring them to services.
d. Maintain an excellent children's program to occupy the kids during after school hours and over the weekends.
Q. Are you actively attending any church? Or do you watch any church programs broadcasted over television?
a. NO but I have been watching the Sunday mass on channel 6 in the mornings (Roman Catholic). And I do watch some of the preachers on channel 48. I tend to relate what they say with some of the doctrines and things that I already know. I feel they have a tendency to be a little eccentric.
Q. What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?
a. Sometimes I feel they talk about the same old, same old. Pat Robertson strikes me as a phony more times than not. Some ministers can have a personality that leaves an impression based on some of the illustrations that they bring to the pulpit. Major Dupree loved football and would often relate biblical principles into football terms.
Q. Why do you think most people don't attend church?
a. They don't think its important enough in their lives. They don't make it a high enough priority. But when something goes wrong they're right there on their knees praying "O' God help me…"
b. They don't feel welcome or wanted… people have an inferiority complex where the people of the church have a tendency to judge them before they even know them.
Q. If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?
a. Easy access… something relatively close.
b. Will the church welcome a single mother who has a Jewish background?
c. The congregation has to be of an age where she would feel that she wouldn't be out of place… (i.e. church congregation may be mostly college kids)
d. Familiarity makes it easier: I know the Salvation Army and I feel comfortable with its people.
Q. What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?
a. Get to know their patrons (congregation members). Sometimes the pastors aren't around long enough to get to know their congregation members well enough.
b. Try to treat the members of the church more like a close-knit family rather than a business full of customers. Be more personable with people-don't be afraid to be transparent.
c. Be more involved with the community. Go out and meet people in their community-knock on doors. Try and organize transportation for the community to bring them to services.
d. Maintain an excellent children's program to occupy the kids during after school hours and over the weekends.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tim Halbfoerster
Churches have conflict issues. Tim said a certain church that he was involved with was one of the hardest two 1/2 years of his life/ministry (Penn Del district). He had the idea of having a conflict resolution ministry in the district-now they have a ministry across the state & Delaware where they train ministers and congregations how to manage and resolve conflicts.
Bridge Builders ministry
Tim: "I encourage new ministers to strike a strong relationship with your senior pastor."
Tom: "What if you think your pastor is a jerk?"
Tim: "Commit or get out- it won't work unless you're with your senior pastor. Without him/her nothing will get done and it will ultimately be a lose-lose scenario."
Tom: "what if a member of the congregation approaches you with criticism about the Senior Pastor?" and what if you agree with them?"
Tim: "the most important reason you are @ the church is to help the Senior Pastor carry out his ministry-if you happen to agree with the congregant, then don't ever let them know it."
Tim has used pyrotechnics to enhance the delivery of ministerial drama. They never charge for anything because you never see any biblical model use "fund-raisers" to benefit the church. If you're going to do an outreach do 2 or 3 events over the course of 2 - 3 days (it builds with momentum for reaching people)=reaches hundreds of people.
Ideas: mechanical bull, sumo wrestler outfits, face-painting, Velcro-walls, handouts of literature, free coffee, cake, baked goods, pizza…etc.
Light the Night: during Halloween- puppets, dramas, games & activities- however, Tim noted that they evaluated this particular outreach and it was not resulting in a good turnout.
Evaluation: Evaluate what was good, what was bad, and what was confused.
Questions Concerning Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Tim says he doesn't know how a church can effectively minister the Word of God without an active Baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, I felt he used this term synonymously with a more specific gesture of "Speaking in Tongues". My question is: "Can he therefore not see how a church can effectively minister the Word of God without speaking in Tongues?"
There are many denominations who do not emphasize "Tongues" to be synonymous with being Baptized in the Holy Spirit (i.e. Salvation Army, Baptists…etc.) Billy Graham did not speak in tongues, or at least from what is known of him. I just wonder how much more effective is a Pentecostal in ministry to the world in reaching the lost for Christ than the non-Pentecostal denominational churches who also greatly impact the world for Christ.
How can we get past the comparison of Pentecostals over Non-Pentecostals to be somehow more "enabled" to minister the Word of God. Can you be baptized in the Holy Spirit without the evidence of Speaking in Tongues?
Bridge Builders ministry
Tim: "I encourage new ministers to strike a strong relationship with your senior pastor."
Tom: "What if you think your pastor is a jerk?"
Tim: "Commit or get out- it won't work unless you're with your senior pastor. Without him/her nothing will get done and it will ultimately be a lose-lose scenario."
Tom: "what if a member of the congregation approaches you with criticism about the Senior Pastor?" and what if you agree with them?"
Tim: "the most important reason you are @ the church is to help the Senior Pastor carry out his ministry-if you happen to agree with the congregant, then don't ever let them know it."
Tim has used pyrotechnics to enhance the delivery of ministerial drama. They never charge for anything because you never see any biblical model use "fund-raisers" to benefit the church. If you're going to do an outreach do 2 or 3 events over the course of 2 - 3 days (it builds with momentum for reaching people)=reaches hundreds of people.
Ideas: mechanical bull, sumo wrestler outfits, face-painting, Velcro-walls, handouts of literature, free coffee, cake, baked goods, pizza…etc.
Light the Night: during Halloween- puppets, dramas, games & activities- however, Tim noted that they evaluated this particular outreach and it was not resulting in a good turnout.
Evaluation: Evaluate what was good, what was bad, and what was confused.
Questions Concerning Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Tim says he doesn't know how a church can effectively minister the Word of God without an active Baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, I felt he used this term synonymously with a more specific gesture of "Speaking in Tongues". My question is: "Can he therefore not see how a church can effectively minister the Word of God without speaking in Tongues?"
There are many denominations who do not emphasize "Tongues" to be synonymous with being Baptized in the Holy Spirit (i.e. Salvation Army, Baptists…etc.) Billy Graham did not speak in tongues, or at least from what is known of him. I just wonder how much more effective is a Pentecostal in ministry to the world in reaching the lost for Christ than the non-Pentecostal denominational churches who also greatly impact the world for Christ.
How can we get past the comparison of Pentecostals over Non-Pentecostals to be somehow more "enabled" to minister the Word of God. Can you be baptized in the Holy Spirit without the evidence of Speaking in Tongues?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Joel Hunter
Joel Graduated CBC & Evangel. Itinerated over 50 different churches across the nation, but nothing was happening. He was hammered with difficult church outreach stories where he made grandious efforts to draw people into his church where God seemed to be telling him it wasn't about the thousands, nor the hundreds… but the one!
He had to give a family the darkest decision they would ever have to face with making the decision to cut the life support to their brain dead daughter who was thrown 40 feet from a car speeding @ 85 miles/hour.
Time and time again there were what seemed to be failed attempts to draw people into the church.
One cold day in December in Texas, a construction crew had a mishap where they had 8 dump trucks full of extra crushed concrete that they no longer had any use for. This cowboy came and asked Joel if he wanted it. Joel said yes and that night they had more than 170 people attend their church service.
God is BIG on teaching lessons to His children. Sometimes the ones that need the most education are the ones that claim no need for it. Nothing could be closer to the truth! We cannot place ourselves in the position where we believe we have it figured out. There will always be things that we overlook. Success is not a packaged formula- especially spiritual success. Joel emparts to us the knowledge that all ministers must understand in a practical sense: Never Stop & Never Stop Learning from God! We need to remain faithful in spite of our frustration to know that God is in control.
He had to give a family the darkest decision they would ever have to face with making the decision to cut the life support to their brain dead daughter who was thrown 40 feet from a car speeding @ 85 miles/hour.
Time and time again there were what seemed to be failed attempts to draw people into the church.
One cold day in December in Texas, a construction crew had a mishap where they had 8 dump trucks full of extra crushed concrete that they no longer had any use for. This cowboy came and asked Joel if he wanted it. Joel said yes and that night they had more than 170 people attend their church service.
God is BIG on teaching lessons to His children. Sometimes the ones that need the most education are the ones that claim no need for it. Nothing could be closer to the truth! We cannot place ourselves in the position where we believe we have it figured out. There will always be things that we overlook. Success is not a packaged formula- especially spiritual success. Joel emparts to us the knowledge that all ministers must understand in a practical sense: Never Stop & Never Stop Learning from God! We need to remain faithful in spite of our frustration to know that God is in control.
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