gotta be a God thing

If this is gonna happen- if we are going to be able to plant 10 churches in partnership with other churches in the community, well, it is going to HAVE to be a God thing.

I am more and more aware of how difficult it can be for churches to work together closely on a project such as this. I am not amazed that it doesn't happen more.

I guess the bottom line is, we are asking churches to trust us that we will make this a win for them, and will do everything we can to make it something that will cause their churches to grow, even while they plant another one.

We are trusting in God to make that happen. Not because it's our idea (planting churches). It's His. And He will do it -build His church- with or without us.

I want it to be with.

Christianity Today Top Ten books for ministry leaders 2008

Here is a link to an interesting list of books from Christianity Today to provoke thought and conversation for ministry leaders.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/fall/21.76.html

From the article: "Charles Spurgeon counseled his students to be discriminating about what they read, and to bathe in good books "until they saturate you." He said, "A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books merely skimmed." But which books to choose? Each year in ministry, leaders find there are more books to read and less time to read them. That is why Leadership is presenting the ten books of 2008 deemed most valuable for church leaders. The titles were compiled from submissions by a diverse group of more than 100 pastors from across the country. Our contributing editors then voted to determine the winners in two categories: The Leader's Inner World, and The Leader's Outer World. We hope this canon contributes to your development as both a follower of Christ and a leader of his church. And yes, we know canon means "list" and not "artillery," but we still liked the image."

ALSO- for those interested in growing your library cheaply with local library Book Sales sign up here for automatic notification of sales in your area. Books typically sell for between $1-3 for hardcovers, and .50c and $1.50 for paperbacks at these sales, but arrive early.

http://www.booksalefinder.com/

God is so good!

Well the first step went very well. We have a long way to go.

But today's meeting with 12 key Pastors in our community went extremely well. Jim Ruddy delivered an amazing teaching on how Abraham was called to go out to a place he did not know, and that God would give him that land for his inheritance. The Holy Spirit stirred our souls with excitement about what it feels like to walk in uncomfortable places, in faith.

There was a powerful feeling of possibility on the room. Several Pastors commented on how important it was that we were all working together on something as Kingdom-powerful as reaching thousands of new believers and starting 10 new church in the next 18 months. All seemed honored to be part of something on this scale- something that has never been done in America- some thing that could raise the water level of faith in our community. I could almost see the Holy Spirit walking among us, tapping our shoulders, gaining our attention.

We are hoping that many of these churches will mother their first church plant, that all will grow, and all will experience fresh anointing that comes when we do something out of our comfort zone, that God cares so much about.

Thanks everyone for your kind expressions of prayer and support. Amazing things are happening!

I need prayer!!

Friends,

Tommorrow, Nov 18, at 12 noon, Jim Ruddy and I are gathering about 12 very influential Pastors in the Gettysburg area, to present to them an idea that we think has great potential. 

May I ask you to pray with us? I have never felt as small, or more needy of God's help.

God seems to have given us a glimpse of an idea that we think has potential to reach thousands of new believers, and start 10 new churches.

Our Swedish friend, Evangelist Johannes Amritzer is holding Signs & Wonders crusades around the world that result in hundreds or thousands of salvations, and often 10 or more new churches at a time. 

Could that heppen here in America?

We are asking God for it, and we are asking you to pray for us. Would you please? You may know how challenging it is to get churches to work together on projects, and how often  those projects can be side tracked into endless christian trivia that does not necessarily reach the harvest.

That is why I am asking (begging) for your help in prayer. A hundred years from now, we hope that you will meet some believers in Heaven that you prayed for.

 I know you have busy lives and so much to do. I know you are doing Kingdom-growing things as well, many of which are far better ideas than this. I will pray for you when I hear of them, and ask God for your success in the eternal work that we do.

Thank you for considering it.

Gerry Stoltzfoos

Freedom Valley Worship Center

Gettysburg, PA. 

Communitas: intimacy through adventure

Many of us crave teamwork, adventure and risk in our leadership environment, but most of the time these are sorely missing. We are caught between our need for stability and success in ministry, and the powerful lure to live an edgier form of Christianity, like we imagine Jesus Himself and the apostles lived.

How many times have we bemoaned the lack of commitment we see from church folks? No matter how hard we promote and cajole, it seems like the same folks always make up the core of volunteers. There must be a better way to carry out Christ's mission. What began as an amazing safari turns into a tedious trip to the zoo.

I think I may have found an answer in what Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost call "Communitas". Dictionary.com defines it as "the sense of sharing and intimacy that develops among persons who experience liminality as a group." "Liminality" refers to a place of threshhold, where a group is out of their normal environment and culture and moving into a new phase of experience.

Communitas describes what I felt on the cold and wet soccer field or in the suffocating wrestling room as my fellow athletes struggled together chasing the elusive goal of greatness. It is found in perhaps its most extreme form on the field of battle, when soldiers very lives depend upon their intimate relationships with their comrades.

I have always wondered why I have not found a greater sense of teamwork and closeness in church life, even among peers in our denomination. I have found most relationships to be pretty much surface level, and cooperation to be short-lived. I know I am not alone.

As a fraternity brother in the 1970's the pursuit of communitas in the house was very intentional. In fact, it was the main goal when bringing new members into the house. The hazing and rituals were all about creating a "brotherhood" through liminality. While Christ's methods and goals are very different from those of a secular fraternity, lessons can be drawn from what they are able to achieve.

There have been times when I felt a greater sense of communitas, as opposed to the shallow and paltry sense of "Community" we usually end up with in the church context. Short-term missions trips produce this level of relationship because they place us in a foreign environment with limited resources and uncertain outcomes. Folks feel united, exhilirated and renewed after such an experience, and are generally disappointed when they return to "normal" church.

But I have identified a few other practical ways to promote and create communitas in our churches and lives. Group fasting creates a type of communitas, as do retreats, certain types of small groups, spiritual discipline groups, and intentional missional outreaches. Articulating purpose and vision and plunging into it with others is what these ordeals are all about, and they energize people. There are innumerable ways to do this.

The idea of liminality is crucial because while we go to great lengths to make people comfortable in church, the way to intimacy and greater commitment may lie in calling them, counterintuitively, to a higher level of separation and sacrifice.

I am still researching this idea, but believe that the renewal of our movement and churches may lie in pursuing communitas. Paul had communitas in the churches he planted, and in his planting team. Jesus had it with His disciples, and when given the chance to opt out of it they replied, "Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life." John 6:68

Jeff Leake's event

I should start this with a disclaimer: Jeff Leake did not authorize me to do this. I could be messing up some of his plans, I don't know. I lifted this off his blog directly.

But I have been to his events similar to this in the last few years, and find them incredibly life giving. I think you should know about them. I'd love to see you there.

His new church planting school, and growing vision through his church planting network, is really excellent, and rare. I think it would be cool to see a couple of you visionary types there next week!

Gerry Stoltzfoos

Coming Soon: HARVESTCRY 2008

Next month, Allison Park Church is going to host our first HARVESTCRY event in partnership with Mission SOS.

What is HARVESTCRY?

It is three nights of services/events to celebrate what God is doing around the world and to focus our attention on the cry of those unreached with the gospel.

It is also an opportunity for prospective students to check out the MCM Ministry School by attending the MCM Classes for a day.

What happens each night?

THURSDAY 7PM - Jeff Deyo in concert. Jeff was formerly the lead singer for SONICFLOOD. He has written some powerful songs like BLESS THE LORD and JESUS I SURRENDER. The concert is FREE to all.

FRIDAY 7PM - David Santistevan will lead us in worship and Johannes Amritzer from Mission SOS will be our special guest speaker. Before and after the service the concourse will be filled with inflatables and lots of fun.

SATURDAY 6PM - APC Missions Celebration Service - during this evening service, we will celebrate some of the happenings and testimonies from our missions endeavors around the world. Johannes will again be our speaker for this special evening.

SUNDAY 9 AND 11AM SERVICES - This weekend the Saturday and Sunday services will be distinct. Johannes will speak on Saturday night. I will speak on Sunday morning. During the Sunday services we have some special testimonies planned and we will celebrate communion together to conclude this wonderful week.

What about the MCM MInistry School?

The School will be highlighted at all the evening events. But Friday morning will be something special. ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE SCHOOL IN THE FUTURE, can attend the MCM classes on Friday morning.

If you want more information, or would like to sign up for this MCM Ministry School Experience, CLICK HERE.

Before He Speaks

Special thanks to Jim Pentz for passing this along!