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Go10 Walk Comes To An End

Well, my 5 days as Regional Coordinator for Go10 Walk has come to an end. Kudos to my 5 Day Coordinators: Darrell Renfro, Daniel Renfro, Matt Lappin, Josh Ham and Troy Beringer - you guys did an amazing job! Thanks for all your hard work!

Also, let me give a shout-out to our Illinois FWB churches, you guys showed up in an amazing way! Thanks to all of you who participated in Go10 during the last 5 days.

One last thanks to Joe Wilson, Bill Ezell, and Jim Daniels - the Go10 team traveling the country - you guys are amazing! Keep it up and stay strong.

Now, I'm headed home to my family!

Blog posted here.

MY GO10 WALK EXPERIENCE

Well, I did it! I walked the last segment of Day 61 of the Go10 Walk for the World.  Immediately after my 10 mile walk Go10 Project Manager, Joe Wilson stood in front of me with a video camera and asked for my thoughts concerning this walk and how I felt.  For one of the first times in my life I was speechless.  There were many reasons why: walking 10 miles, heat exhaustion, fatigue, not to mention my mind was flooded with thoughts concerning this huge endeavor for Free Will Baptist called the Go10 Walk.

Therefore, in this post I would like to answer Joe's question, "Jon, as the Regional Coordinator for Go10, after working with the first two 10 mile segments in a support vehicle, and now after actually having walked a 10 mile segment, what does this mean to you and what are your thoughts?"

Well Joe, and others who may be curious to the answer to the question, I will attempt to share my thoughts.

The first thought which kept running through my mind is, "Why are we doing this?  Why am I doing this?  Why did I just challenge myself physically to walk 10 miles?"

It all begins with the purpose of Go10.  The purpose is to challenge young people to consider their role in reaching the nations with the gospel in their generation. The year 2010 is the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of our modern missions program. Laura Belle Barnard was sent out as our first missionary to India in 1935. To commemorate this event, we are walking a 10-mile segment of a 2,500-mile course. 

Why 2,500 miles? Laura Belle Barnard traveled nearly 10,000 miles on her entire journey to India! Since the walk calls for at least four participants to walk each 10-mile segment, the total miles walked will be a symbolic equivalent of her sacrificial journey to the people of India (2,500 x 4 = 10,000).

As I was walking, my mind kept racing back to what I have read of Laura Belle Barnard.  I kept thinking of the sacrifice she made, and was willing to make, just to carry the Gospel to the people of South India. How she, in the dark, walking out on Pier 58 in New York City, climbed a rope ladder to board a cargo ship only to discover she was on the wrong ship.  She then climbed back down, picked up her luggage and proceeded to the next cargo ship. While still in the dark, she climbed another rope ladder to board another ship to discover this was the one sailing to India. She then gathered her luggage on board and set sail to share the wonderful story of Christ with a people in which she did not know, in a land which was not her own.

As I was walking this portion of Laura Belle's life kept flooding my mind.  I told myself, if Laura Belle had that much determination and was willing to sacrifice everything to share the love of Christ with the people of India, then surely I could and must walk this 10 mile segment!

The second thought which came to my mind was the Tamil Bible I carried.

Tamil is the language of the people of South India.  This Bible you see pictured has been carried every mile thus far, and will be carried for the entire 2500 mile walk.  I thought that was amazing! 

As I was carrying the Bible during my segment of the walk there were a couple thoughts racing through my mind:

1. The Tamil language.  As I was walking, I opened and browsed through the pages of this Bible.  Then I thought about Laura Belle. She had to learn to speak and read this new language in order to share Christ.  I thought of the countless hours she must have spent just learning this new language; the many prayers she must have prayed asking the Lord to help her with this new language.

Then, I imagined Laura Belle opening a Tamil Bible, just like this one, and sharing the wonderful stories of our great God. Oh, the sacrifices, commitment, and dedication Laura Belle made just to be a faithful servant of Christ.

As I was carrying the Tamil Bible, I prayed and asked the Lord to help me be that sacrificial, committed, and dedicated servant of His.  I must tell you, it was a very spiritually moving time for me.

2. Then I thought about all the Go10 participants which have actually carried the same Tamil Bible I was carrying. As I was walking, carrying this Bible, I began to wonder, "What did they experience while carrying this same Bible in the Go10 Walk? Why were they even walking? What personal struggles are they facing? What spiritual experience did they have? How did it impact their life? What will change for them as a result of carrying this Bible?"  Therefore, while carrying the Tamil Bible during my walk I entered into a season of intercessory prayer for those individuals.

Another thought that came to my mind was the vision of our International Missions Director, James Forlines.

Wow! What a great visionary!  As I walked I spent time praying for Brother James and thinking about the passage of Scripture in Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish." James has tremendous vision and passion.  As a Free Will Baptist minister I have never been more proud of our denomination as I am today. As I thought of the International Missions Department and what they (we) have going on this summer: Go10 Walk, E-Teams literally around the world serving, and many more ministry projects, it lifted my spirits.  Thank you Brother James for having great vision and being a great leader!

As participants of the Go10 Walk we are given prayer cards for our missionaries and are encouraged to pray for them while we walk.  I spent some time interceding for a missionary couple, whose name I'm not free to share because they are serving in a very dangerous part of the world. Once again this was a blessing to partner with them in prayer ministry.

Another thought I had was of the dedicated workers like Joe Wilson, Jim Daniels, Bill Ezell, the Regional and Day Coordinators, and hundreds of others working together.

As I was walking - especially as they would pass by in their support vehicles, pull off on the side of the road a little ahead of us, then cheer us on as we walked by - I thought of Joe, Jim, and Bill doing this everyday, except Sunday since April!  Guys, I commend you!  You have done and are doing a great job. So, as I was walking I prayed for them individually.  I know they miss their families and their families miss them.  Guys once again, thank you!

Then I thought of all the Go10 Regional Coordinators.  I could picture them in my mind as we sat around U-shaped tables in Nashville, TN for Go10 training last fall. I thought of the challenges each of them have had in their particular areas.  I thought of the RC's yet to be involved.  Then I spent some time praying for them.  Thanks to the RC's of Go10!

Then my mind went to my Day Coordinator, Darrell Renfro and his wife Linda.  Now Darrell not only was a DC for the day, but he also walked the last segment with me. I watched throughout the day as they worked with the walkers of Go10.  They shuttled people, water, Gatorade, ice-soaked towels, snacks and gave smiles and encouragement as each walker passed by.  Therefore, as I was walking I prayed for Darrell and Linda, and I also prayed for my other Day Coordinators: Daniel Renfro, Matt Lappin, Josh Ham, and Troy Beringer.  Thanks guys for all you have done and are doing!

I believe the Go10 Walk for the World project is a great example of what we as FWB can accomplish IF we would all work together. It troubles me so very much to see all the "little, non-essentials" divide us into this group, that group and the other.  May the Lord speak to our hearts and lead us toward standing shoulder-to-shoulder, side-by-side, heart-to-heart, servant-to-servant, brother-to-brother, and sister-to-sister as we serve our Lord together as a Free Will Baptist Denomination.

Well, Joe, these are just a few of my thoughts after walking my 10 mile segment.  I wish I could have just said all this immediately after my walk, while the camera was in my face, but all I could say at that time was, "It's long!"

Let's continue raising money for our missionaries! Please visit my Go10 Walk for the World page and help me raise $500.00 for missions!

THE MISSIONAL CHURCH

Priorities Matter Ministies (PMM) is a ministry the Lord laid on my heart to begin in 2009.  Our purpose is to first and foremost assist the local church in fulfilling their God-given mission.  We have a tremendous desire to come along side the local church, pastors, and fellow Christ followers to encourage, train, and equip them so they can "walk in God's favor!"  

In 2 Samuel 7:29, King David went in and sat in the presence of the Lord.  He then asked, "Now, please bless your servant's house so that it will continue before You forever."  In short, David was asking for God's favor!

Throughout God's Word, the Bible, there are examples of individuals upon whom God's favor would rest.  It's the purpose of PMM to assist, equip, and train in the areas which will allow the blessing (favor) of God to flow in your life, family, secular career and/or ministry.

In order to "walk in God's" favor PMM focuses on four (4) areas of your life which we call priorities (click on each of the priorities in order to see how PMM is able to assist you):

Priority #1: Your relationship with Christ

Priority #2: Your relationship with your spouse

Priority #3: Your relationship with your children

Priority #4: Your career and/or ministry

Beginning in 2010, I am available to assist you in all four (4) of these priorities.  To schedule a service, or to gather more information, please send an email to [email protected] or call 618.581.1391 and we will be more than glad to share with you how PMM can assist you and your ministry.

Feel free to visit our PMM website for more information.  God bless!

SACRIFICE 2 VENTI LATTE'S AT STARBUCKS - Give $10 for Go10 Walk for the World

Join me in giving up two "Venti Peppermint Mocha Latte's" (or whatever you favorite coffee may be) in order to give $10.00 to help spread the Gospel to the unreached people groups around the world!

Go10 Walk for the World is an invitation to young people to experience a life-changing commitment to missions through a 2,500-mile walk for the world.  Each walker is raising $500.00 for the purpose of spreading the Gospel. An anonymous donor has pledged to match all monies raised through this walk—up to $500,000. Therefore, this walk provides an opportunity to raise over $1,000,000... that’s one million dollars!... to share the Gospel with those who have never heard it.

I am going to walk in this event and I would love for you to sponsor me!  Just click here and it will take you to my Go10 Walk website and you can give online.

Thanks for assisting me in spreading the Gospel!  Click here to learn more about Go10 Walk for the World.

Go10 Walk for the World

Go10 Walk for the World is a challenge to young people to consider their role in reaching the nations with the gospel in their generation.

The year 2010 is the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of FWBIM’s modern missions program. Laura Belle Barnard was sent out as our first missionary to India in 1935.

To commemorate this event, we are challenging Free Will Baptist young people to a life-changing commitment. They commit to walk a 10-mile segment of a 2,500-mile course. Teens will also commit to a 40-day prayer and devotional journey in preparation for the walk.

Would you like to participate in this walk?  If so, click here.

Maybe you cannot walk, so why not prayerfully consider sponsoring me in the walk to reach the world - click here to make a donation.

Thanks for all you do to assist us in this endeavor.  Please keep Go10 Walk as a top priority on your prayer list!

RESPONSE LETTER FROM SOMEONE VICTORY SERVED LAST WEEKEND WRAPPING GIFTS AT THE MALL

Just this week I received a letter from someone Victory Church served last weekend at the mall.  Victory's Christmas outreach project is "Free Gift Wrapping" every weekend and Christmas Eve at the St. Clair Square Mall in Fairview Heights, IL.

This was a very rewarding and refreshing letter!  Enjoy!

Dear Jon,
 
On Saturday my son and I finally got time to get some Christmas shopping done. We live in Litchfield and had decided to go to Fairview Heights to the mall. The traffic was horrible, the crowd was larger than I had thought it would be and to top it all off, my wife had a house full of women baking Christmas cookies and candy and now I had to figure out how to get her gifts inside and wrapped before she began snooping.
 
Then one of your church members approached me and offered to wrap my gifts. What a Blessing! All of my gifts were wrapped and ready to go under our tree when I arrived home, and all of the gifts looked great. All of the people there were so friendly and joyful that having my gifts wrapped was the highlight of my trip. You have a wonderful church family. I am always so amazed how God can know my need and provide for it, before I even know I have the need.
 
I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you what a wonderful idea I thought the gift wrapping was and how much I appreciated it. All of the wrappers were wonderful and through them, I could truly feel God’s love. By the time I left the wrapping station, I felt as if you had done all of that just for me. Please tell everyone Job well done!
 
Lee Jarman

Thanks Lee for the encouraging note and Merry Christmas!

KRISTEN CANNON SELECTED TO SERVE ON 2010 E-TEAM Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

My daughter, Kristen Cannon has recently been selected to serve on the Free Will Baptist E-Team to Brazil in June 2010!  She is very excited and grateful for this opportunity to serve on the mission field.

Free Will Baptist have had a ministry presence in Brazil since the mid 1950's when pioneer missionary Thomas Willey visited Brazil. His findings prompted the FWB Board of Foreign Missions to send missionaries to share the good news with Brazilians.

Kristen will be traveling with seven other high school students to Brazil.  They will begin with a week of training at the Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville, Tennessee, then travel to Ribeirão Preto, Brazil for two weeks of ministry.

Kristen needs to raise $2,990.00 to go on this trip.  We are working now to get her scheduled in as many churches as possible to share about her opportunity and ask for a prayerful and financial partnership. 

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to her account, please contact the Victory Church office 618.622.9360.  Please keep Kristen in your prayers.  Thanks and God bless! 

Click here to read the history of FWB in Brazil.

VICTORY CHURCH OFFERS FREE GIFT WRAPPING THIS CHRISTMAS AT ST. CLAIR SQUARE MALL!

Tonight marks the beginning of our Christmas servant evangelism project here at Victory Church.  We are offering "Free Gift Wrapping" at the St. Clair Square Shopping Mall in Fairview Heights, IL.

The hours we are serving are as follows: Friday (tonight) 5:00 PM -9:00 PM, Saturday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM, and Sunday 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM. We will offer "free gift wrapping" every weekend in December and will also be serving Christmas Eve from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM.

This is a great way to "show God's love in a practical way" this Christmas season.  Please pray for us as we serve and look for opportunities to share the real reason for the season - Jesus!

Go10Walk - Walk for the World

Make plans now to experience a life-changing commitment to missions through a three month (April - July 2010), 2500 mile walk for the world!  

What is the Go10Walk?  The purpose is to challenge young people to consider their role in reaching the nations with the Gospel in their generation. The year 2010 is the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Free Will Baptist missions program. Laura Belle Barnard was sent out as our first missionary to India in 1935.

To commemorate this event, we are challenging Free Will Baptist young people to a life-changing commitment. They will be asked to commit to walk a 10-mile segment of a 2,500-mile course. Teens will also commit to a 40-day prayer and devotional journey in preparation for the walk.

Go to the Go10 website and pick your day to walk! For more information click here.

PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES

After a season of prayer, I feel the Lord has led me to begin a new ministry called "PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES (PMM)." 

I am a Free Will Baptist pastor and former church planter, and one of my greatest desires is to be an encouragement to the local church pastor and congregation.  The purpose of PMM is to first and foremost assist the local church in fulfilling their God-given mission.

Through PMM, I am able to come along side the local church and minister in a variety of ways: 

• Revivals / Camp Meetings / Bible Conferences / Mission Conferences
• Stewardship Seminars / Discipleship Training Seminars
• Marriage Retreats or Seminars
• Men’s and Ladies’ Retreats
• Youth Camps, Retreats or Rally’s
• Parenting Conferences or Seminars
• Leadership Seminars, Conferences or Retreats
• Local Church Leadership Team Strategic Planning Retreats

To learn more about me personally and PMM, please take time to visit my webpage at www.PrioritiesMatterMinistries.org. 

If you have questions about this ministry please give me a call; I would love to speak with you about ways we can serve you and your church.  I am scheduling now into 2010, but I do have some openings for the remainder of 2009. 

Just contact me and I would be thrilled to travel and speak in whatever venue you feel is needed.  May God richly bless you and your ministry!

SHOWING GOD'S LOVE IN A PRACTICAL WAY!

Yesterday, was the first of the season Servant Evangelism outreach effort for Victory Church.  We initially were going to "wash windshields" however, it was raining.  Therefore, we went to Ace hardware to "volunteer and serve" for about an hour and a half.  We cleaned bathrooms, swept and mopped floors, stocked shelves, placed sale price tags on items, put together a gas grill, cleaned the storage room, ran scanners and did some inventory, unloaded pallets of products... all in the name of "showing God's love in a practical way!"

Mark 10:45 says that Jesus came to serve, not be served (paraphrase). That is the spirit we took into the community, a spirit of simply serving.  Our people love it! 

We will continue to do this on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM, so make plans to come out and join us!  It really is more of a blessing to give than to receive!  Below are a few pictures from last evening.

To see more pictures of "Victory In Action" please click link below!

TABERNACLE OFFERING AND SERVANT EVANGELISM AT VICTORY!

Yesterday at Victory Church I shared with our congregation what must take place in order to begin building on our church property.  Primarily there are two areas of focus:

1. Debt reduction on the 21 acres of land we recently purchased.

2. Average 300 in our weekend service through servant evangelism is the key.

To address the subject of debt reduction, I spoke from Exodus 35 and 35.  What a great read for anyone going through a building project. 

Moses ask the people, "whose hearts were willing" to bring an offering for the building of the Tabernacle.  Everyone "whose hearts were willing" brought an offering. Some great, some small, but the key was everyone "whose heart was willing" brought something.  Now, wouldn't you know it!  There was a problem!  What was the problem?  The offering was too large!  The people brought MORE THAN WAS NEEDED!

PRINCIPLE #1: When the hearts of the people are willing, there is always more than is needed for ministry.

Beginning next Sunday at Victory, we are having our weekly "Tabernacle Freewill Offering March."  I have asked everyone to to sacrifice either a cup of coffee, a Diet Coke, a RC Cola and a moon pie, or whatever may cost you $2.oo!  I am asking everyone to bring, at a minimum, $2.oo for our "Tabernacle Freewill Offering."  This offering is to be above the tithe, and all of the Tabernacle Offering will go directly to the land debt!

Now, addressing the second area of focus: averaging 300 in our weekly worship service we are aggressively stepping out into our community to "SERVE."  Mark 10:45 says that Jesus "...came to serve, not to be served..."  We are relaunching our "Servant Evangelism" strategy.  Every Wednesday evening at 6PM we are meeting at the church office. Everyone is to wear their Victory t-shirts and we are going out to wash windshields.  We also have several nurses in our congregation, so we are planning a "Free Health Service" week.  We also are going to business in our community and are going to offer free service for them.  The exciting thing is that we are going to have opportunities to share Christ with those we are serving.

PRINCIPLE #2: You are never closed to the heart of our Lord than when you are meeting the physical needs of people!

ARE YOU SEEKING AFTER JESUS?

Listen to this passage of Scripture in Mark 1:36:

"Simon and his companions went searching for Him."

Simon Peter is well known to us for his foolish, extemporaneous statements throughout the Gospels (Matt. 16:22; 17:4; 26:33). But Peter was always seeking after Jesus.

• Peter followed Jesus from afar during the night of Jesus' crucifixion (Matt. 26:58).
• Peter ran to the tomb when he heard Jesus had risen (Luke 24:12). 
• Peter swam in the sea in his haste to get to Jesus (John 21:7).
• Peter even walked on water in order to join Jesus (Matt. 14:29).

Peter did not always say or do the right things, but he did constantly seek to be with Jesus. Because of this, he was continually encountering his Lord and growing to be a more faithful disciple. Whenever we see Peter coming to Jesus he is always accompanied by others. Because Peter was seeking Jesus, others sought Him, too.

Evaluate yourself:

• What are you known for by those who know you best?
• Do they see you searching for fame, power, success, or happiness? 
• Are you known as a person who seeks after Jesus? God promises: "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13).
• Did you begin today intent on encountering Jesus? 
• Is your search for Him halfhearted, or are you seeking Him with all your heart? 
• Have others grown closer to Jesus because they followed your example and sought Jesus?

If your heart is set on pursuing Jesus, you will always find Him. "And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' And let him who thirsts come" (Rev. 22:17).

I encourage you to post a comment on how the Lord spoke to you through this devotion.

21 IRREFUTABLE LAWS OF COMMUNICATION

As pastors, teachers, and leaders we must be continually developing our skills in the area of communication.  After all, for us pastors, it's what we do every week!

Therefore, I would like to share with you a great article I just read by Dr. James O. Davis titled "21 Irrefutable Laws of Communication."  Although I do not know a great deal about this man, I do think he is right on target when it comes to connecting and communicating from the pulpit.  (I have posted the entire article for you to review...enjoy!)

MORE OF GOD'S LOVE - INTERSTATE BATTERIES COMMERCIAL

Check out this great video just released by Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries. That's it, I'm in! It's Interstate Batteries for me from here on out!

OPERATION SATURATION II

This afternoon we had another "Operation Saturation." We placed 2000 doorhangers on the doors of homes in O'Fallon inviting them to Victory Church. Pictured is my wife Debbie after just placing a doorhanger on a home.

VICTORY'S OPERATION SATURATION REACHES 2000 HOMES!

Over the weekend about 65 "warriors" from Victory Church showed up at O'Fallon Family Sports Park to receive their door hangers, maps, and marching orders.  In about an hour we placed "monster-size door hangers" on the doors of 2000 homes!  Following the saturation we gathered back for a cook-out.  What a great time we had!  Thanks guys, you all are awesome! Kudo's to Darrell and Linda Renfro for organizing this event!  

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS IN TWO DAYS!

The countdown continues...TWO DAYS and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

PRACTICE #3: BUILD KINGDOM LEADERS

After observing churches that have effectively used Sunday school in a strategic way, Ken Hemphill shares with us the top ten practices.  Practice #3: "Build Kingdom Leaders."

As pastors and church leaders, we must build Kingdom leaders who are committed to Sunday school strategy as an expression of faithfulness to Christ, His church, and the mission mandate He has given us by...

• Praying for God to call out leaders for kingdom service through Sunday school ministry.
• Implementing a leader-enlistment approach that focuses on helping people respond to their personal call from God rather than an approach that is primarily concerned with filling church or organizational positions.
• Enlisting leaders who themselves are committed to cultivating and multiplying new leaders.
• Devoting major attention to leadership meetings that focus on the mission, on relationships, and on Bible study.
• Providing training that equips leaders for their work and enhances the quality of their leadership.
• Calling out people who will give their lives to evangelizing the lost and who are willing to participate in ongoing evangelism training and multiplication of evangelism leaders.

Feel free to leave any thoughts or comments on this subject; and be sure to check back soon as I post the remaining seven practices.

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS IN THREE DAYS!

The countdown continues...THREE DAYS and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS IN FOUR DAYS!

The countdown continues...four days and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS IN FIVE DAYS!

The countdown begins!!  Five days and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

FAITH EVANGELISM BEGINS SUNDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER!

The countdown begins!!  Six days and counting ...

FAITH Evangelism begins at Victory Church this Sunday, 21 September at 3:00 PM!

DR. BOBBY WELCH PREACHES AT FWB CONVENTION

Dr. Bobby Welch, Founder of FAITH evangelism strategy, preached at our FWB National Convention - Pastors/Laypersons meeting.

Dr. Welch preached two sessions and both were very dynamic!  He preached two messages on the reality of Hell and why we should be involved in evangelism. 

I am pictured with him here between the two sermons.  I was sitting on about the fifth row and immediately after Bro. Bobby's message, I jumped up on the platform and spoke with him.  He gave me some encouraging words of advice. 

Thanks Bro. Bobby for your passion for souls! 

SOUTHSIDE CHURCH YOUTH CAMP - COROLLA, NC

Last week my family and I traveled to Corolla which is located on the outer banks of North Carolina.  I was invited there to preach for the second annual Southside Church youth camp in which James Lindsey is the pastor.  I preached for their youth camp last year and it was a privilege to be invited back to share with them again.

(Pictured above is the house we stayed in, just one block off the beach!)

We had a great week with the youth and youth leaders from Southside.  The Lord really moved and worked among those teenagers.  By the end of the week there were 15 rededications, 2 salvation decisions, and 6 baptisms!  Those teens really experienced revival.

Love Hung on a Cross

It goes without saying the greatest verse in the Bible is John 3:16.    

Often you will see this verse referenced on signs at sporting events and immediately everyone takes notice.  Why?  Because this verse gives us insight to the very heart of God.  It reveals His love for each of us - His love for the entire world!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NIV)

Just think about the love God displayed through His Son while hanging on the cross.  Max Lucado has a great thought on this; listen as he shares from the book In the Eye of the Storm:

He looked around the hill and foresaw a scene.  Three figures hung on three crosses.  Arms spread wide.  Heads fallen forward.  They moaned with the wind.

Men clad in soldier's garb sat on the ground near the trio...

Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill,...faces tear-streaked.

All heaven stood to fight.  All nature rose to rescue.  All eternity poised to protect.  But the Creator gave no command.

"It must be done," He said, and withdrew.

The angel spoke again.  "It would be less painful..."  The Creator interrupted softly, "But it wouldn't be love."

Have you experienced God's love?  Have you accepted His gift of love?  Why not ask Christ into your life this Easter season.  He loves you!

Join us Easter Sunday morning for our 10:30 worship service.  I will be giving everyone who attends Max Lucado's new book 3:16 The Numbers of Hope.   Be sure to invite your co-workers, friends, and family to join you this Sunday at Victory Church.

Relocation Process - Article 5

Last week I shared with the congregation of Victory Church that we have a signed contract with the City of Mascoutah to purchase our facility for $450,000.00 and our closing date is set for June 29, 2007. We have agreed to lease back our facility for a period of one year.   This will give us time to make a smoother transition in relocating.

With that being said, I have been writing for several weeks on the “church” in particular, and “relocation articles” on the move of Victory Church.  If you have missed the previous articles you can read them here on my blog; just search for the “Relocation Articles.” 

In my previous articles I have shared about the description, ownership, and mobility of the church.  Today I would like to focus on the mission of the church. 

• What is the mission of the church?
• Why are we here anyway?
• What are we to be doing as a church?

To answer in short, our mission is world evangelism!  World evangelism is the main work of the whole church until Christ returns.  This means that every decision we make as a congregation should be made in light of that decision’s impact on the successful execution of our mission—world evangelism.

World evangelism means that we are concerned with every people group, every nation, every culture, and every language group.  Listen to what the Apostle Paul said, “I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” (Romans 1:14 KJV).

What Paul was saying is that he, and we, are obligated to reach every people group with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ!  Therefore, if we can best accomplish our God-given mission of world evangelism by relocating, then it is a simple matter of obedience to do so!

So, in closing, what is at the heart of Victory Church relocating?  A mandate from our Lord, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel” (Mark 16:15)!  We are relocating so that Victory Church can better carry out the great commission of reaching people for Christ and seeing their lives radically transformed.

Lifting the Lid(s) on the Church

I just read a great article over on the MMI blog.  I have posted it below, but be sure to go there and read the comments from other church planters and pastors.  We have expereinced all three of these lids at Victory Church.  We are now working very hard to lift the lids once again by relocating (be sure to read my reloaction articles posted on this blog). 

In their book "Simply Strategic Stuff", Tony Morgan and Tim Stevens of Granger Community Church discuss three ‘lids’ that they say will prevent your church from sustaining continued growth.  According to Tony and Tim, it doesn’t matter how great your weekend services are, or how organized and successful your youth ministry is… if you aren’t able to address these three ‘lids’ on a continual basis, your church will eventually stop growing.  Here’s what Tim has to say about ‘lids’…

LID #1 -- Parking
If it's difficult for newcomers to go to your church, they won't go. If they have a bad experience getting into your building or getting out of the parking lot, they won't return. Lifelong church attendees may not care if they have to park in the gravel and walk three blocks, but if you are going to reach new people, you will need to make their experience pleasant.

LID #2 -- Children
If you have a space problem, either real or perceived, then your growth will be limited until the problem is addressed. Parents care about their children and therefore want them in a safe, secure environment. They want them to have personal attention. They want them to succeed and to thrive. If it looks like a child is entering a room that is too small, understaffed, or unsafe, then the parents of that child will not return. As a result, your growth will be hindered.

LID #3 -- Seats
We've all heard the "80 percent rule." Church experts have said for decades, "When your auditorium reaches 80 percent full, you are at capacity." Your growth will begin to level off when your space is 80 percent full. For years, I tried to disprove this theory. I found it to be true of Granger as well. At 80 percent capactiy in our auditorium, a married couple or a family of three will not be able to sit together. It's not likely that their experience will be enjoyable and they probably won't return.

Any thoughts?  Leave a comment.

Invest and Invite

Yesterday, I introduced and set in place Victory's "Invest and Invite" evangelism strategy.  I used the Scripture in John chapter one where Andrew invited Peter, and Philip invited Nathaniel to "come and see" the Lord. 

I also shared with our congregation our five circles of influence: immediate family, relatives, close friends, work associates and neighbors, and acquaintances.   I challenged everyone to write down the names of five people in each circle; then I encouraged them to "Invest and Invite" each of those people to their small groups, our weekend celebration service, but most importantly to our Easter Celebration on Sunday, April 8th!  Let's go gang! Start "investing and inviting"!   

New Church Plant in Collinsville, IL

I just spent time doing what I love the most (outside of spending time with my wife and kids of course!) and that is spending time with a church planter.  Steve Gray is planting a Purpose-Driven church called "Discovery Family Church" in Collinsville, Illinois; his first "preview" service is this Sunday and he is very excited.  We here at Victory Church are assisting him with our resources and talents in preparing and printing off some promotional materials for him. 

Please pray for Steve and his launch team as the Lord uses them to dig out another PDC (purpose-driven church) in the Metro-east.  If you would like to encourage him by sending an email just click here, I'm sure he would love to hear from you and know that you are praying for him.  Keep up the good work Steve!

Leadership Team at Victory Doing the Shuffle

As Victory Church continues to grow, there is a tremendous need for new leaders to rise to the top.  We are in the process of changing a few things around in our infrastructure. 

Therefore, I am very excited to share with you, that after having lunch today with  Daniel and Beverly Renfro, they have accepted the position as our Evangelism Leaders.  Also, Darrell and Linda Renfro have accepted the position of Student Ministry Leaders.  I am very excited to have these families in very crucial and important leadership positions at Victory.  Please pray for them both as they step into new territory. 

New Fellowship Series Team Ed Young and Hulk Hogan

You gotta love it!  Ed Young, Senior Pastor of Fellowship Church began a new sermon series last Sunday titled "Larger than Life."  He made a promotional video for his series with larger than life wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.  This it totally creative and innovative...way to go Ed!  Keep blazing the trail!  You can view the video trailer--just click here.

Great Testimony from Coach Richt

I'm sure many of you, like me enjoy spending your Saturday afternoons watching college football.  In all the hoop-la of the game, sometimes we forget that the players and coaches are real people with real troubles and many are wondering through life searching for just that...life!

If you would life to read a refreshing testimony from Coach Mark Richt of the Georgia Bulldogs just click here.  Coach Richt is a Christian man and you (as college football fans) will find it interesting how he came to know and accept Christ as his Savior.  Enjoy reading. 

By the way...wasn't the Rutgers vs. Louisville game exciting last night!  I was at a basketball game watching my daughter cheer, but was able to catch the end of the Rutgers/Louisville game at a friends house.  Pretty exciting!  College football...gotta love it!

Salt Cellars vs. Salt Shakers

At Victory Church yesterday I spoke on the subject of "Witnessing as Salt and Light."

Acts 1:8 records one of the five great commissions in Scripture and Jesus said there that we are to be "witnesses." The question then is this, "How are we to witness?" I believe the answer can be found in the great "Sermon on the Mount" that begins in Matthew chapter 5.  Jesus said this: "you are the salt of the earth" and "you are the light of the world."

That in itself is intriguing and to me it brings up more questions, like, "How are we to be salt?  What does that mean?  How are we to be light and what is the meaning behind it all?"  Well, I believe it can be summed up this way: salt is influence and light is your testimony.

Salt has a profound influence on everything it comes in contact with, therefore, we as Christians should have the same type of influence as salt.  Listed are several attributes of salt that we as Christians should resemble:

1. Salt is pure.  We as Christians should strive to live pure lives with a pure heart (1 Timothy 1:5) and a pure conscience (1 Timothy 3:9).
2. Salt cleanses.  As Christians, with the attitudes mentioned in Matthew 5:1-12,we should have a cleansing effect on everyone around us; at home, on the job and throughout the community.
3. Salt seasons.  Salt changes the flavor of things and we as Christians should have a seasoning influence.
4. Salt makes it's presence known.  You know immediately if you food is too salty.  In the same way, we as Christians should make our presence known simply by how we live our lives. Here are some ways: pay your bills on time, work hard, do not steal from the company (whether it's a pen or time), do not gossip, etc.
5. Salt makes you thirsty.  If we are the right kind of Christian we will make unbelievers and unchurched people "thirsty" for what we have!
6. Salt is an irritant. When we are living out our Christian lives we may irritate some people; especially those who are living sinful lifestyles.  There is an old fashion word for that called -- conviction!
7. Salt must be spread around.  Too many churches are like the picture you see above; we have become "salt cellars."  We as Christians, have enough salt to influence the world if we can get it out of the cellars and into the shakers!

Will you be a salt shaker for Christ?  Be a person of Godly influence. You can listen to this message via our podcast. To listen just click here.

Operation Christmas Child

Here at Victory Church we are focusing on children around the world, therefore, we have joined with Samaritan's Purse and their international project called Operation Christmas Child.

OCC brings joy and hope to children around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the good news of God's love for them.  This unique project provides everyone an opportunity to be involved in a simple, hands-on missions outreach while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas -- Jesus Christ, God's greatest gift.  Along with the gift-filled shoe boxes, millions of children will receive Gospel booklets in their own language.  Last year 7.6 million children in 95 different countries received shoe box gifts and the gospel of Jesus Christ...now that's evangelism!

For those that have chosen to participate in Operation Christmas Child we are asking that you bring your shoe boxes (filled with goodies) to Victory Church on Sunday, November 12th.  During our 10:30 worship service we will have a time of prayer for each child that will receive one of these boxes. 

If you would like more information please feel free to contact me via e-mail or call the church office at 618.566.8518, someone in the office will be glad to assist you.

Witnesses...Not Judges...

   "...you shall be witnesses..." (Acts. 1:8) 

These are the last words that Christ spoke to His disciples before His ascension.  Question: "What is it that Christ has called us to be?"  Answer: witnesses!  Christ has called us to be witnesses, not judges, prosecuting or defense attorneys, just witnesses! In other words, we just share with everyone what we have seen and heard.This is what I spoke about yesterday morning at Victory Church (you can listen to the message via our podcast).

Witnesses, this is what we are to be as Christians.  There is a word for witnessing, actually it is one of our five purposes of life and one of the five purposes of the church...evangelism!  Unfortunately, evangelism has a negative cognition in our culture today and many Christians are disappearing as witnesses, but that is exactly what Christ is calling us to do. 

There are five (5) "Great Commissions" or "calls" in Scripture where Christ pleads with His followers to share about Him, (one I have already brought to your attention in Acts 1:8).  The other four can be found in the Gospels and with each Great Commission there is a promise!

1. Promise of His Presence (Matthew 28:18-20).
2. Promise of His Protection (Mark 16:15-18).
3. Promise of His Power (Luke 24:46-49).
4. Promise of His Peace (John 20:21-23). 

Wow!  What awesome promises Christ gives to us as we go about carrying out His commission.  But the question still remains, "How are we to witness?" 

I will be the first to admit that there are many methods of evangelism, and to be quite frank with you, after watching how some Christians go about evangelism, it is not a surprise to me why there is a negative cognition when the topic of evangelism is mentioned.

So, how does Christ tell us to witness?  Look what He says in Matthew 5:13-16: salt and light.  He says that we as Christians are the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world."  What is salt and light?  Here it is...salt is influence and light is our testimony! 

So, the questions now are, "Are you influencing those around you for Christ?  Are you sharing your testimony when the opportunity presents itself?"  This is what I believe is missing in many Christians lives...influence and testimony.  This in short is called lifestyle evangelism.

Why not today make a vow to the Lord that you will begin making a positive influence for Christ in your workplace, school, community, home, or wherever you may be.  Also, look for those opportunities to share your testimony.  That is, just tell someone what the Lord has done for you and how He has helped you through different situations and phases of life.

Together let's be witnesses for Christ!

My List...

Do you ever sit down and make a list of things?  Well, today is one of those days when I just started thinking about all the things that I wanted Victory Church to be and accomplish for the Lord.  I thought I would share that list with you. (Disclaimer: the list is not in any particular order...it's just a list).

I dream and I'm working towards Victory Church being...

1. A church that sees 100's & 1000's of people come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

I have a tremendous desire to bring people into a relationship with Christ.  Why?  Because I have seen too many people and churches turn this entire thing in a religious practice.  It's not about religion, it's about a relationship with Christ and others!  Why? Because I know the difference Jesus can make in a life, and I know the desire that He has to have a relationship with everyone.  How much desire does He have?  So much that He gave His life.  I want to be used up and spent completely in this endeavor to bring people to Jesus.

2.  A Church that trains and equips believer's to share their faith.

I have a strong desire to train believers and members here at Victory to share their faith.  The passage of Scripture in Ephesians 4:11-12 is what makes me and drives me to get out of bed every morning.  God has called me to equip His people for the work of the ministry.  I've given my life to this call and I still have a desire to train and equip believers.  How awesome it would be that every Sunday we have believer's bringing their unsaved and unchurched friends to Victory to introduce them to Christ.

3. A church that has 100% of members involved in ministry.

There are many different ministries here at Victory and my desire is to see 100% of members (those that have taken CLASS 101 and became members of Victory) involved and serving in a ministry.  We are not there yet, but that is a goal that I sincerely believe can be achieved.

4. A church that is multi-site throughout the Metro-East.

You may ask, "What is multi-site?"  It's a church going into every community.  One of my goals is to reproduce everything here at Victory: believers, leaders, ministries, praise team/bands, teachers/preachers...everything and even campuses!  One of my goals is to see Victory Church of Mascoutah, Victory Church of Belleville, Victory Church of O'Fallon, Victory Church of Shiloh, Victory Church of Edwardsville, Victory Church of Waterloo, etc.  The entire metro-east and beyond!

One church with one leadership team, one vision, one goal, one budget but many campuses!

5. A church that has believer's growing and excited about their faith.

A desire I have is for members of Victory Church to have a strong working knowledge of Scripture where they are applying the principles of God's Word to their everyday life.  I also have a desire for God's people to be excited about what He is doing in the lives!

6. A church that preaches/teaches and stands on God's Word.

The bible must always remain the sole authority in our church and in our lives.  Sometimes we will have to make decisions that are not always the easiest decisions to make, but they are the right decisions to make because of what God's Word has to say about the subject.  That's our final authority!

7. A church that is Purpose-Driven.

We are building a purpose-driven church that strives to balance the five biblical purposes within our church as well as in the lives of our people.  What are the five purposes?  I'm glad you asked!  They consist of evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and worship.

Well, these are just some of my thoughts that I have penned down today; I just thought I would share them with you.  God bless!

Celebration Service in Scheve Park!

Tonight at 6:00 PM we are kicking off the Victory fall schedule with an outdoors celebration service in Scheve Park!  We will be center stage at the Depot with the Victory Praise Team leading us in worship and myself bringing a message from the Book of James titled: "FAITH...Do You Have the Real Thing?" 

Be sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets.  You may even want to have a family or small group picnic before the service.  The weather is going to be beautiful, so invite a friend and bring the entire family for this very exciting event.  Let's fill the park with the sounds of praise and worship!  I can hardly wait!

Harvest Crusade with Greg Laurie

Tonight I just finished watching and listening to Greg Laurie as he faithfully presented the gospel of Jesus Christ in a very practical and modern way.  He has been conducting the Harvest Crusades for the past 17 years and literally 1000's of people have given their lives to Christ.  Thank God for men like Greg that have such a burden to share Christ.  For more about Greg Laurie and the Harvest Crusade click here.

Worship Service in Scheve Park

Its final!  On Wednesday, September 6th at 7:00 P.M. Victory Church will be starting our Wednesday evening service back up with a big worship service at Scheve Park in Mascoutah!

We have reserved the depot and park for that evening, therefore, let's do everything in our strength to pack out the park!  The entire praise band and singers will be leading us in worship and then I will be bringing the message from God's Word.

Help me pass the word out to everyone and be sure to invite your neighbors.  Just remember to bring your lawn chairs and/or blankets.  It's going to be a great evening...I can hardly wait!

76 Million Adults in America Never Attend Church!

I was just reading some of George Barna's research articles and I ran across this one that he posted on March 20, 2006.  Wow!  76 million adults never attend church!  That's staggering to say the least.

We have said over and over again that Victory Church is a church for the unchurched, but with 76 million adults never attending church, I question how good are we doing in reaching the unchurched?

What are the religious profiles of the unchurched?

• 62% consider themselves Christians.
• 4% say they are Jewish.
• 4% are associated with an Easter religion.
• 24% claim to be atheist.
• Denominationally, the largest share of unchurched adults are made up of lapsed Catholics: almost 3 out of every 10 unchurched people (29%) associate with Catholicism;  1 out of every 5 (18%) say they are Baptist.

Here are some more interesting facts about the unchurched:

• 62% pray to God.
• 20% read the Bible.
• 5% participate in a small group.

This just reinforces the fact that people are spiritually hungry for God, but they are tired of all the "religious stuff!"

What do the unchurched believe?

• 50% agree that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches.
• 66% agree that their religious faith is very important in their life today.
• 64% contend that Satan is not a living being but is just a symbol of evil.
• 62% believe that a good person can earn eternal salvation.
• 51% believe that Jesus Christ sinned while He lived on earth.
• 61% say their single, most important purpose in life is to love God with all their heart, mind, strength and soul.
• 55% argue that they are totally committed to having a deeper relationship with God and will do whatever it takes to get and maintain that relationship.
• 66% say they are completely committed to making the world, and other people’s lives, better.

Interestingly, nearly one-quarter of the unchurched (23%) say that a person’s faith in God is meant to be developed mainly through involvement in a local church.  To read the complete article by George Barna click here.

Any thoughts or comments?  How can we as a church better reach the unchurched?  What are some of the barriers or obstacles that you have noticed (at Victory or any other church) that would cause 1 of the 76 million not to attend (y)our church? 

Just click on the "comments" link below to leave your thoughts.

Spiritual Health Assessment

Seacoast Church is a purpose-driven church that has developed a great online Spiritual Health Assessment.  Just click here to be directed to their web page; once there, just click on the Take Assessment link on the bottom of the page.  There are about 55 questions for you to answer and once completed it will let you know where you are in each of the five purposes.

Also, once you have made an assessment you can then click on the "x" in the circle and it will let you know where you are in each individual "purpose" and it will also give you resources to help you grow in that area.

This is great...check it out and me know what you think!   

Interesting...Got Spiritual Questions? Yahoo! Answers

Yahoo! Answers is a place where you can ask real questions and get real answers on any topic.  It’s a community-based service where you jump in and share answers to questions you know while other people answer your questions.  Topics range from scientific questions with definitive answers like, Why does helium make your voice sound high?” to not-so-serious questions with opinionated answers like, “Who is the best rock guitarist ever?”

How does this relate to trends in Christian communication?  Click here and read what Pastor Paul Steinbrueck has to say at OurChurch.com and then let me know what you think.

Today's E-vangelism - Godcasting

Let me ask you something, "When you are working out..walking, running, lifting weights, etc... are you working out your spirit also?"  There is a wonderful way to work out your spiritual life while giving your physical body a work out, and the greatest thing - you work them out at the same time!  What am I talking about?  The iPod, or MP3 players!  Just think about it, all you have to do is download some messages, music, or seminars and redeem the time with a little spiritual multitasking!

Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. wrote a great article in the Summer 2006 issue of the Leadership Journal titled: Godcasting.  Here is a little of what he said: More than 12,771 people visited National Community Church last month.  Truth be told, they didn't really visit us, we visited them.  How?  These 12,771 people clicked into our www.theaterchurch.com podcast.

He goes on to say: We were already recording every message on CD.  We simply started uploading them to MP3 format so that people could download them to their iPod.  We only had a few takers when we launched the podcast in July 2005.  Now, months later we're impacting more poeple via our podcast than we are with our weekend services.  It's redefining the way I think about evangelism and discipleship.  Podcasting 101 wasn't offered when I was in seminary.  Neither was Blogging 101.  But the digital revolution has presented us an unprecedented opportunity.

Like John Gutenberg did when he used his new printing press to get more Bibles into more hands.  Why not redeem the iPod into a tool for evangelism or discipleship?  The message is sacred...the medium isn't.  We need to use the resources we've been given to share the gospel with as many people as possible. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Victory Podcast, then listen on-line or download until it's time for your physical and spiritual workout!

An Overview of the Multi-Site Church Concept

The multi-site concept of church growth is something I have been studying and praying about for over 1 ½ years.  I love the idea of reaching more and more people for Christ and seeing their lives transformed by the Word of God.  In short…I love RTL’s!  (Radically Transformed Lives!)

In the business world, Southwest Airlines was born because industry veterans recognized an opportunity for alternate flight routes. Southwest’s new “hub-less” approach made it more appealing for some people to fly. Elsewhere, leaders at Harley-Davidson motorcycles discovered that if they changed the image of their motorcycles, they could attract a whole new clientele toward becoming Harley riders. Yet another sector of the transportation industry, Mercedes-Benz automobiles, became accessible to more types of people by broadening its product line. It still sells distinctive, quality cars, but it now offers everything from an entry-level coupe series to child-friendly SUVs.

Churches today are making similar kinds of adjustments with the places they “do church,” many experiencing new areas of fruitfulness as a result. Their discoveries involve all the dynamics mentioned above—alternate options, increased convenience, modified image, expanded targets, greater accessibility, additional choices—and more. A buzz surrounds this church experimentation even though no single buzzword has emerged yet to define it. The term multi-site may not have monopoly status, but multi-site is often used to describe this new approach to doing church.

More Than Multiple Services...

Most North Americans are familiar with the idea of doing multiple services in the main sanctuary (or equivalent), such as Sunday morning at 9:30 and 11:00, and perhaps Saturday evening as well. But what happens when a church expands farther to include:

·      An on-premises additional venue, such as a live service with video sermon in church gym?

·      An off-premises satellite or branch or regional-campus location, such as a school or converted warehouse across town?

·      A sponsored church, whether in the same community or halfway around the world, where the staff, style, or content comes from the parent campus, and where the church in turn identifies itself as a site of the parent campus?

The term multi-site covers all of these concepts, up to the point of starting a totally new church. A church’s multi-site location might sponsor all the same ministries as the parent campus, or it might offer only worship services at its various sites. The common thread is that the church “happens” at more than one location.  In short, multi-site summarizes today's approach to church where geography is no longer the defining factor.

Gone is the day where gatherings must happen Sunday morning and in the church sanctuary (or equivalent) for it to be called “church.” Both Christians and the general public have accepted this reality.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the multi-site church concept.  Any feedback?

A Southern Baptist and a United Methodist Share the Stage (Oh My!)

This is an article that I just read on the Monday Morning Insight blog.  I found it interesting to say the least and I wanted to get your feedback on it.  Read it below and let me know what you think!

Imagine... joining forces with another church in another denomination to reach people for Christ... read this from the Houston Chronicle about two huge churches in Houston that put any differences aside on Easter to attempt to reach people for Christ...

The Rev. Ed Young of Second Baptist Church and the Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell of Windsor Village United Methodist Church hope to fill the baseball stadium's 42,000 seats Sunday morning for an interracial, interdenominational worship service.

Young and Caldwell, are nationally known pastors of two of the city's biggest churches.

Young, whose church has a membership roll of 42,000, describes the service as ''the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as an outreach to the people of Houston to come to know Christ."

Members of both churches have been encouraged to invite not only family and friends but also those who don't attend either church or any church.

"If this were about Second Baptist and Windsor Village only, I wouldn't do it," said Caldwell, who pastors the largest United Methodist Church in the nation with more than 15,000 members, most of them black.

"This is about bringing men and women, boys and girls under one roof to celebrate the resurrection of our lord and savior Jesus Christ and then encouraging those persons who decide to develop a personal relationship with Jesus to go to the church of their choice," Caldwell said.

It will also be "a history-making moment," Caldwell said of the stadium gathering of the predominantly white and black megachurches. But the event transcends racial and denominational lines.

This fits in perfectly with a comment posted by Wendi over the weekend here at MMI:

"Last year at our church’s mission emphasis month was Latin America. One Sunday afternoon about 100 church leaders gathered to hear a speaker talk about what was happening in Latin America in terms of evangelism. The growth of the gospel was (is) phenomenal. It was a year ago, and I don’t have the stats to quote at my fingertips. Suffice it to say that the growth of THE CHURCH in Latin America is nothing short of miraculous. I have no reason to doubt the statistics, as they were gathered and provided by many different mission organizations.

After his talk, someone from the audience raised their hand during Q & A time. He asked: “Would you attribute the growth to be more through the work of fundamental evangelical mission organizations or Charismatic mission organizations (which have a strong presence in Latin America). Our speaker took a deep breath and a long pause. I obviously cannot recall his words verbatim, but I certainly remember the message therein.

“I will not dignify that question with a response, nor could I answer it if I was inclined to, because in Latin America we are ONE church. We only attribute the growth to the work of the Holy Spirit. We offer different ministry within the local communities we serve, but when it comes to reaching Latin America for Christ – we are one. We are all well aware of doctrinal and theological differences, but these are not discussions we have when determining our mutual strategy for evangelism. The fact that you ask such a ridiculous question may provide a clue as to why North America is the only continent on this planet where the church is shrinking instead of growing. [This line I do remember verbatim]. American evangelicals need to get over themselves.”

[Click here to read more of this article at MondayMorningInsight.com]

Is it possible to do as Ed Young and Kirbyjon Caldwell did yesterday?  Sure, we have theological differences... but do we always have to bring them up when it comes to evangelism when we agree on the basics?  Is it time for us to get over ourselves?  What holds our/your church back from joining together with others to mutually reach your community?

Any comments?  I would love to hear your thoughts on this!