Nothing deeply spiritual about this one. Sometimes you just need help with the basics.
What else is there to do on a late Thursday night in Pocahontas, IL?
-jordan
Canada Reflections
Published July 7, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: A Pastor's Discovery of the Power of Partnership, Alan Nelson, C.J. Mahaney, Canada, Crawford Loritts, Leadership as an Identity, Me to We, Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World, The Four Traits of Those Who Wield Lasting Influence, Worldliness
Pic: My cousin Ron, his fish, and Me at Rainy Lake Ontario
Well, I’m back in America and feeling the heat. Here’s some reflections from the past week of “going dark”.
- I need to constantly evaluate my worldly intake. Even as I sit here at my desk checking my e-mails (145 of them), RSS feeds (175 of them), and other social networking sites (aka Facebook), I have to wonder; Is it worth it?
- People need to ask questions about topics they know little about. Few people do this which leads to misconceptions and arrivals at “truth” that are often false or incorrect. I asked a lot of questions to the guys in Canada and gain a lot of insightful information when I kept my heart open.
- We can never lose the heart for the lost. People are dying all around us and going to hell. We can’t forget the call to reach them.
- With that said, in the quest to reach the lost, we can’t forget about how many Christians need aid also.
- I might not be anything until I lose everything.
- God is still working on breaking me. It’s a painful process but extremely vital for growth. I have to keep remembering that although the pain only lasts for moments, the return is promising (even if it never comes in this life).
- Brokenness is constantly learning that my way might not always be right.
- I need to make time to let God speak to me more. I fear that this process is becoming “work related” and not “spiritually related”.
- Serving God means serving others. Who am I not serving right now and how can I serve them more?
- When the Spirit speaks, I must act. Hesitation only leads to frustration.
- God loves me.
Canada was beautiful and loaded with brush strokes of God’s glory. I sat in constant amazement at His divine creation.
But wait, there’s more!
Some book recommendations for my friends that I read this past week while I was away…
- Christian brothers and sisters: Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World by C. J. Mahaney
- Leadership Gurus: Leadership as an Identity: The Four Traits of Those Who Wield Lasting Influence by Crawford Loritts
- Pastors: Me to We: A Pastor’s Discovery of the Power of Partnership by Alan Nelson
All of these are great reads. I highlighted the Alan Nelson book. Check that one out as soon as you can!
To God be the Glory.
-jordan
3 Basic Principles (Part 3)
Published June 26, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Ecclesiastes 9:10, Philippians 1:6, Sir Francis Drake
Principle 3: It is a sin to do less than your best. It is wrong to do [merely] well.
Philippians 1:6 – “For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 states, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might”.
Personal Application
No matter what age you are, keep busy doing what God wants you to do. Again, remember the call. Work with all of your might until the day of Christ Jesus to see people come to know and grow in Christ. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Whatever you are be a good one.” God says, “Whatever you are, be a great one.”
Application to the Church
It is our duty as a body to give your best. Not just on a Sunday morning but all throughout the week. No matter what age we are, we give our best to God because he gave his best to us. Being good or doing good is not enough. We must be great. People need to see that.
Such a simple truth that needs reiterated again and again.
Wrap it Up
3 Basic Principles.
- Do What is Right.
- The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition.
- Don’t Coast. Do things great for the kingdom of God.
In 1577, Sir Francis Drake set out from England with five ships, bound eventually for the Pacific Ocean through the Strait of Magellan on the southern tip of South America. Three years and 36,000 miles later, at the perennial risk of their lives, he and his men had circumnavigated the globe.
This prayer motivated his courage:
Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love
Can you pray that same thing?
Think about it.
-jordan
3 Basic Principles (Part 2)
Published June 25, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: 1 timothy, 1 Timothy 6:6-12, opposition, success
Principle 2: The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition.
1 Timothy 6:6-12 – “But you, man of God, flee from all this (opposition), and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
The sad reality about life is that people constantly convey the message that some things are impossible. Sometimes this message is deliberate and sometimes it’s unintentional. However, it still hurts. Paul gives Timothy a charge here in the passage above. “Timothy.”, he tells him. “Feast of the opposition that coming in. It’s a good thing. Pursue your relationship with the Jesus Christ. Hang on. You’re doing a going thing and good things are happening despite the opposition your facing.”
Personal Application
When opposition comes in your ministry, we need to consider it pure joy. Some would say that we must remain grounded in fighting the good fight. I would say you need to remain grounded to the call you answered. We need to understand that in the Christian life we can be successful for the kingdom at any age, at any time, and in a variety of ways. If we’re still having an impact on people because of our relationship with Christ, expect opposition. However, don’t get bogged down in the negativity. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness now more than ever. Don’t listen to people who tell you things are impossible. All things are possible with God, in His time, and in His way.
Application to the church
As a follower of Christ, please understand the commitment to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to your community (not just your church). This commitment is something few people do anymore. True commitment to Jesus Christ comes from hard work, dedication to the truth, patience, and countless number of acts of mercy and grace.
Please understand that there are no shortcuts in the Christian walk. The Christian life has bumps in it. Remember that as the church we need to be principled people, not endlessly adapting to culture and falling into the patterns of this world. As opposition comes, cling harder to the cross.
This is how we will be successful as Christians;
- Clinging to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Preach it, teach it, make sure it never gets old.
- Never take a shortcuts. A relationship with Christ takes time, discipline, and patience. Three step programs will only get you three steps closer to confusion.
- Expect criticism. People are going to hate you because you deliver a message of conviction.
- Remain grounded in the call. Go and make disciples.
Fight the good fight so people can come to know and grow in the relationship that Jesus Christ. Suck it up and expect the negativity.
The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition.
-jordan
3 Basic Principles (Part 1)
Published June 24, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: doing whats right, how to do whats right, Galatians 6:9-10, Galatians
Principle 1: There is only one thing to do about anything; that is the right thing. Do what is right.
Galatians 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good (what is right), for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good (what is right) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
We will always face difficult situations in life. No matter what line of “work” you are in there’s going to be rough spots. How we handle those rough situations in life is what matters. In the ministry, it’s eternal work. The ministry is different than any other job out there. It is not a profession or a career, but a calling. It’s the toughest job in the world because as a pastor you’re accountable to God, not man. That accountability and demand is something we have to deliver that is not always what’s popular among the people.
Personal Application
My father has worked through some of the most difficult situations in his life. He lost his first wife to Lupus. He worked two jobs to see a church grow and a family survive. He has encountered countless number individual problems with people. He’s taken criticism and negativity, backbiting and slander. However, he continue to do what’s right, even if it isn’t popular. He continues to pursue biblical truth. He does what Gods wants him to do.
Application to the Church
A Christian must continue to do what’s right, even if it isn’t popular. He or she must continue to pursue biblical truth. We as a body must do what God wants you to do. Do not become weary with doing what’s good. Remember to do what is right.
Seek to see the truth presented in scripture. Become a student of the Word of God and of the men and women of God around you. Without limitations, without personal judgment, and without our personal agendas. Do what’s right in the sight of the Lord.
-jordan
11 Questions
Published June 23, 2009 Uncategorized 1 CommentTags: Advance 2009, Idolatry, repentance, the gospel
Take two hours, examine yourself, and answer these 11 questions.
- Does your joy change when your attendance changes?
- Do you feel that God needs you and uses you because you are skilled?
- Do you consider yourself more righteous or less righteous than other Christians?
- Do you point to your success as God’s approval of who you are?
- Do the traditions that you are upholding hinder the work of the gospel?
- Do you worship your method as your mediator?
- Are you motivated by God’s glory or your title?
- Is winning what motivates you at the deepest level?
- Do you use the pressure of ministry to walk with God? Do you walk because you love Him or because your forced to love Him?
- Does it matter to you that your ministry be “unique”? Why do you want to be unique?
- Who other than Christ are you trying to be like? Were you created to reflect them or reflect Christ? Who are you serving, them or God?
Answering “yes” to these questions is not a good thing. Watch what you worship. Are the idols in your life or in yourself hindering the advance of the gospel?
Repent.
“Repentance is not what we preach, it’s first what we practice.” -MD
jordan
To ALL the Teenagers…
Published June 22, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Alex Harris, C.J. Mahaney, C.S. Lewis, devotions, Elisabeth Elliot, Francis Chan, GeNESIS, john piper, Lorraine Peterson, Phil Chalmers, quite time, spiritual disciplines, Summer reading, youth
With Summer here, GeNESIS takes a month to rest. We choose to pause so that we can recharge our batteries for another season. In that rest, we encourage all youth to embrace some summer reading and establish spiritual disciplines. Summer is a great chance to solidify practices such as quiet time, bible reading, and prayer. We embrace these disciplines so that our relationship with Christ can increase. The following is a list of materials to help you grow spiritually during the time of rest that we are taking as a community.
Step 1: Morning Quiet Time.
Spend 30 minutes alone with God. No cell phone, ipod, or anything electric on. Just you and your bible. Read a chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to that day. After you have read that chapter, read 5 Psalms. Example: If the date is July 1st you would read Proverbs chapter 1 along with Psalms chapter 1-5.
Step 2: Daily Bible Reading.
Proverbs and Psalms are great but don’t stop there. After your done reading the chapter in Proverbs and the Psalms, read one chapter from John, Hebrews, or any other book of the Bible that sparks your interest.
Step 3: Outside Bible Reading.
Bible reading and morning quiet time are key. Alongside with your reading, check out some of these books for personal growth outside the Bible:
- If God Loves Me, Why Can’t I Get My Locker Open? by Lorraine Peterson
- Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
- CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH by PHIL CHALMERS
- Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex Harris
- Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper
- Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen… by C. J. Mahaney
- Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
- Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Lo… by Elisabeth Elliot
Read these at night before you go to bed or in the afternoon when you have some down time.
Step 4: Journal.
A good idea for the summer reading is to record what God is teaching you by writing everything down in a journal. Be sure to include your thoughts on what you read, what your learning, prayer requests, and other thoughts that jumped out at you on the pages you are processing. This journal will be a great way to talk to others about the things God is teaching you.
Step 5: Prayer.
Don’t forget personal prayer. Spend time alone talking to God and listening to Him. Use your journal to help with this discipline.
Remember young men and women that there are people out there who are older who want to walk along side you as you as you establish these disciplines and deepen your walk with God. Seek out someone who can help to keep you on track as you grow deeper into the Word of God daily!
-Jordan
Camp Recap
Published June 22, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: church camp, faith bible camp, GeNESIS, Jesus, retreat, youth
Some random facts
- Severe storms woke everyone at 4:30 in the morning Thursday. We survived 80 mile an hour winds, trees falling down everywhere, and lighting that didn’t stop.
- Due to the storm, our power was out almost all day Thursday. No showers, no toilets, and no electricity. Regardless, we managed to “session” every time without all the luxuries of the world. Imagine that.
- Friday night we regained power through out the entire camp. Students got showers, staff rejoiced!
- After Friday night was over, 4 students made decisions to follow Jesus Christ and a massive amount of students got right with Jesus through heart change.
- Regardless of all the “problems”, the Word got preached every time. The spiritual disciples were encountered and implemented and we came together to redefine who we are in the body of Christ. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
What an awesome week with the young people!
-jordan
- Over 4 months of planning
- Over 70 students attending
- 3 speakers locked in and geared up to deliver the word
- 4 Spiritual Disciplines implemented
- One awesome camp away from “it all”
- One more day!
I can’t wait to see what God will do this week! Be praying for our young people as they come to encounter Jesus Christ like never before!
-jordan
They Said What?
Published June 15, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Daily Bread, Philip Yancey
“When God spoke to Abram, he obeyed at once, departing for an unknown land based only on a promise. Childless, he trusted God to make of him “a great nation” (Gen. 12:2). God often does His work through “holy fools”—dreamers who strike out in ridiculous faith. Yet I tend to approach my decisions with calculation and restraint. My church in Chicago once scheduled an all-night vigil of prayer during a major crisis. At length we discussed the practicality of the event before finally putting it on the calendar. The poorest members of the congregation, a group of senior citizens from a housing project, responded the most enthusiastically. I wondered how many of their prayers had gone unanswered over the years, yet they showed a childlike trust in the power of prayer. “How long do you want to stay—an hour or two?” we asked, thinking of van shuttles. “Oh, we’ll stay all night,” they replied.
One woman in her 90s explained, “We can pray. We got time, and we got faith. Some of us don’t sleep much anyway. We can pray all night if needs be.” And so they did. Meanwhile, a bunch of yuppies in a downtown church learned an important lesson: Faith often appears where least expected and falters where it ought to thrive.” — Philip Yancey
“Prayer is the voice of faith. Faith looks across the storm—it does not doubt or stop to look at clouds and things without. Faith does not question why when all His ways are hard to understand, but trusts and prays.” —Anon.
I needed that.
-jordan
