Friday, September 24, 2010

'WHAT IF?"

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." - Joel 12:28

Wednesday night at our BURN Student Ministry worship gathering, Jeremy (our Youth Director) began a series called "What If?"  He challenged the kids to expand their vision of who God is, what God is doing, and "what if" the kids decided to truly let God work in and through them. The results were very amazing in terms of the kids' response to this challenge. One girl wrote:

"I came home so pumped up about what God's gonna do through the burn ministry that while telling my mom every little detail of the night I had to pace around my kitchen to keep my thoughts strait (sic)"


More awesomely, a young man texted Jeremy with these words:

“I was praying for my cousin. He is one of the people I wrote on my on paper that I want to see come to GOD. He is going through a tough time right now and it felt so good to pray for him cause I felt like God was right there in front of me. It felt like I was talking to my best friend face to face and then I felt the pain of my cousin and what he is going through. It was unlike anything else and it was incredibly awesome.

Jeremy's response:
ALL OF BURN— YOU HAVE YOUR MISSION, WILL YOU EXCEPT THE CHALLENGE….? WHAT IF…?


When was the last time we sensed that challenge in our lives as adults? When was the last time we actually prayed that God would lift us from the familiar and the comfortable, to step out on faith and really see who God is and what He is able to do?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

GOD'S HEART FOR THE BROKEN-HEARTED


“A broken and a contrite heart you will not despise.” – Palm 51.17
Back in the office this morning after an all-too-quick “end of the summer” vacation. Spent a nice time with Christi, Tim and Jake in Florence KY. I was in Fort Wayne IN Friday after through Sunday morning at one of my previous churches, Anthony Wayne Church of God, to unite my cousin Kelly and her fiancĂ©e Michael Gomes in marriage. They are a unique couple—Michael is a truck driver and part of a motorcycle club of men who were once on drugs and now many of them live boldly as Christians. Kelly was my Music Director at AWC and teaches elementary music. She has an incredible voice and has sung with Kenny Rogers. Here’s a photo of the happy couple, both members of First Assembly of God in Ft Wayne and who have a heart for people others often write off.




Visiting with their wedding guests – soldiers and their wives, a Starbucks barrista, highly educated teachers, bikers who had been married for more than 40 years, Vietnamese refugees, and the chef of a five star restaurant, former drugs addicts who could sing Amazing Grace with great gusto and pray The Lord’s Prayer with great heart – I was reminded of the call of Christ to be people who build redemptive relationships with all kinds of people so that you might influence those friends to find Jesus Christ. Both Kelly and Michael have stories to tell—stories of brokenness and stories of God’s healing grace. Who are we building relationships with? Are we willing to tell our stories of brokenness and grace? Who are we influencing to turn their lives over to Jesus?

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

HAVE A LITTLE FUN WITH MARK LOWERY MEETING AN ATHEIST

I've been on vacation and my creative juices have been a little thin. Enjoy Mark Lowery until I am back on track. - Steve