3rd Annual New Year's Eve Party
at the Allebach's
New Years Eve
8pm
710 Northridge Dr. Norristown, Pa 19403
215.805.8288
It's time to break out your little black dress (or tie)! Come out to our 3rd annual New Year's Eve party and champagne toast.
Dress is formal.
Bring a fancy hors d'oeuvre (crablegs, crudités, sushi, ...or whatever Rachael Ray suggests) .
Drinks and champagne provided.
RSVP to Rachel at sleeplessnights82@msn.com or 215.805.8288
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Airport Anyone?
Sarah & I are flying out of the PHL airport on Friday, December 22 to go to TX for Christmas and we need to be there at 4pm. Would anyone be willing to take us and/or pick us up (December 26 @ 3:28pm)? Figured this would be the place to ask. Thanks for everything guys, we love you!
Monday, December 11, 2006
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Blood Diamond
For those of you who have not seen the new movie "Blood Diamond" with Leo DiCaprio, I suggest you see it! It was very good... about smuggling diamonds out of Africa. Lots of good information in it. Some parts were hard to watch but overall it was an excellent movie!
Friday, December 08, 2006
Emerging community
Check out how this community formed.
Sound familiar?
http://benedictine-baptist.blogspot.com/2006/12/new-monasticism-day-notes-number-of.html
Sound familiar?
http://benedictine-baptist.blogspot.com/2006/12/new-monasticism-day-notes-number-of.html
Sunday, November 26, 2006
11.26.06 Convesation
Emerging Leaders in Missions: Characteristics of the next generation of ministry leadership and how they’re changing the face of missions.
Peter Greer, HOPE International
The differences with today’s ministry leaders go deeper than the casual dress, occasional body piercings or long hair. There is an emerging group of leaders who are beginning to influence and shape how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is seen in the West and they often do not look or act like the previous generation. Sometimes they’re feared, sometimes criticized, sometimes embraced. What do these individuals mean for the world’s missions movement? What will be their influence?
In some ways, these leaders bear similarities to the early church, the Jesus movement, and the post-modern culture in which they live. The following characteristics are generalizations and will not fit any one leader or organization. However, they represent trends from a growing number of young ministry leaders as noticed at a recent gathering.
1. Relational: There’s a renewed focus on community, in some ways resembling the Jesus movement of the seventies. Many are realizing that how they live and relate to each other is as important as what their ministry “does.”
2. Nondenominational: Young ministry leaders are reaching across denominational lines and often are wary of hierarchical church structures. Few of these new organizations are tied to denominations or care to be.
3. Word plus Deed: The majority of emerging ministries are designed with a dual focus of physical service and sharing Jesus. Social activism is intimately tied with their understanding of Jesus’ mission of redemption.
4. Theologically Vague: Often, there is a dislike of theological debates that divide rather than unite. Most ministry leaders are not seminary trained and have not spent hours studying church history. The focus is on living out the example of Jesus and seeking to better understand and apply His Word.
5. Not “Christian” but “followers of Jesus.” Many recognize that social trappings that are associated with the label “Christian” and instead have chosen to be associated solely with Jesus of Nazareth.
6. Video: The power of these new leaders to convey their messages is often tied to their masterful use of video. College students armed with digital cameras and a willingness to travel to remote places of the globe are bringing the needs of the world to America’s living rooms.
7. Motivated: Most leaders are leaving much higher paying opportunities to become involved in nonprofit ministries. Many explicitly state that they have no desire of waiting until “Halftime” to be involved with missions or following Christ’s call on their lives.
8. Personal: Almost without exception, today’s ministry leaders had their hearts touched by traveling. Short-term trips to visit the majority world where they worked alongside Mother Theresa or listened to children talk about their need for clean water left indelible impressions. Experiences, more than books or magazines, are setting hearts on fire.
9. International: Associated with the increasing number of short-term opportunities, many are recognizing the enormous wealth that the West enjoys. The result is that most organizations are focused on the suffering and hurting parts of the world and a much greater awareness of poverty.
10. Creative: Church planting and crusades are not the methods commonly embraced by the new leaders in sharing the Gospel. Business as missions and skate parks are almost more common. The emphasis is often on meeting the world where they are and not expecting them to come into Church buildings.
11. Little Strategic Planning: Most of these new leaders and ministries are in rapid stages of change and growth. There is recognition that the Lord put a key issue in their heart and they spend more time seeking His leading than crafting formal strategies.
To say that these changes are “good” or “bad” would be naively simplistic. It could be argued that elements of our relativistic society have crept into some organizations or that the emphasis on the social work has been done to the exclusion of presenting God’s plan of salvation. Yet the very fact that a growing number of individuals are lit by a passion for Jesus and are seeking to share His love in this hurting world should be celebrated and these leaders nurtured, encouraged and challenged.
Peter Greer, HOPE International
The differences with today’s ministry leaders go deeper than the casual dress, occasional body piercings or long hair. There is an emerging group of leaders who are beginning to influence and shape how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is seen in the West and they often do not look or act like the previous generation. Sometimes they’re feared, sometimes criticized, sometimes embraced. What do these individuals mean for the world’s missions movement? What will be their influence?
In some ways, these leaders bear similarities to the early church, the Jesus movement, and the post-modern culture in which they live. The following characteristics are generalizations and will not fit any one leader or organization. However, they represent trends from a growing number of young ministry leaders as noticed at a recent gathering.
1. Relational: There’s a renewed focus on community, in some ways resembling the Jesus movement of the seventies. Many are realizing that how they live and relate to each other is as important as what their ministry “does.”
2. Nondenominational: Young ministry leaders are reaching across denominational lines and often are wary of hierarchical church structures. Few of these new organizations are tied to denominations or care to be.
3. Word plus Deed: The majority of emerging ministries are designed with a dual focus of physical service and sharing Jesus. Social activism is intimately tied with their understanding of Jesus’ mission of redemption.
4. Theologically Vague: Often, there is a dislike of theological debates that divide rather than unite. Most ministry leaders are not seminary trained and have not spent hours studying church history. The focus is on living out the example of Jesus and seeking to better understand and apply His Word.
5. Not “Christian” but “followers of Jesus.” Many recognize that social trappings that are associated with the label “Christian” and instead have chosen to be associated solely with Jesus of Nazareth.
6. Video: The power of these new leaders to convey their messages is often tied to their masterful use of video. College students armed with digital cameras and a willingness to travel to remote places of the globe are bringing the needs of the world to America’s living rooms.
7. Motivated: Most leaders are leaving much higher paying opportunities to become involved in nonprofit ministries. Many explicitly state that they have no desire of waiting until “Halftime” to be involved with missions or following Christ’s call on their lives.
8. Personal: Almost without exception, today’s ministry leaders had their hearts touched by traveling. Short-term trips to visit the majority world where they worked alongside Mother Theresa or listened to children talk about their need for clean water left indelible impressions. Experiences, more than books or magazines, are setting hearts on fire.
9. International: Associated with the increasing number of short-term opportunities, many are recognizing the enormous wealth that the West enjoys. The result is that most organizations are focused on the suffering and hurting parts of the world and a much greater awareness of poverty.
10. Creative: Church planting and crusades are not the methods commonly embraced by the new leaders in sharing the Gospel. Business as missions and skate parks are almost more common. The emphasis is often on meeting the world where they are and not expecting them to come into Church buildings.
11. Little Strategic Planning: Most of these new leaders and ministries are in rapid stages of change and growth. There is recognition that the Lord put a key issue in their heart and they spend more time seeking His leading than crafting formal strategies.
To say that these changes are “good” or “bad” would be naively simplistic. It could be argued that elements of our relativistic society have crept into some organizations or that the emphasis on the social work has been done to the exclusion of presenting God’s plan of salvation. Yet the very fact that a growing number of individuals are lit by a passion for Jesus and are seeking to share His love in this hurting world should be celebrated and these leaders nurtured, encouraged and challenged.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Faith and Community
A poem by Scott Hackman
At times in life it is impossible to have faith.
All one has to do is look at the world to chaos and calamity.
Governments full of greed and deceit.
Communities treating leaders like gods they fall morally.
Faith in an individual is futile and there is need for change from this perspective.
There is need for individuals believing in more than their abilities to see beyond their own paradigm.
There is need for churches that proclaim fanatical blessings and personal fulfillment to cease.
There is need for institutions who want your time but not your whole person to be brought low.
Society dangles the carrot as though a person can attain fulfillment with enough consumption.
A culture based on personal fulfillment and giving into any desires one might have as a way of life.
No need for faith is something greater than self, when self fulfillment is the greatest goal of mankind.
A contributor to the collective mass, who has ceased to think, ceased to dream other than for personal fulfillment.
Individualism is god and technology is the glue holding people together.
Faith is needed in a transformational community.
When a group of people believe in a greater Kingdom there is hope.
When a group of people believe for the overlooked and under resourced.
There is need for a group of people to see themselves on a mission.
There is need for people to place themselves in the care of a community.
We do not get to pick the people involved in this community.
Those who want to be involved are involved, those who want to believe, believe.
When a community of believers joins a community of unbelievers miracles can happen.
When one person dares to love another not for any personal gain, just because they are human, the Kingdom has come.
Where is such a community of faith?
We are intentionally involving ourselves in one another’s lives. Daring to believe we can create culture in a depraved world. Daring to believe the Kingdom will come on Earth as it is in Heaven.
If all we have is today, how will you live?
If life is the gift, how will you live?
If death is the future, how will you live?
This group is intentional because we get together on purpose.
This group is missional because we are doing this to provide a safe space to ask questions and belong to the Kingdom.
What consumes your thoughts?
What helps you sleep at night and get up in the morning?
What is the driving force in your life?
Who/what do you have faith in?
A poem by Scott Hackman
At times in life it is impossible to have faith.
All one has to do is look at the world to chaos and calamity.
Governments full of greed and deceit.
Communities treating leaders like gods they fall morally.
Faith in an individual is futile and there is need for change from this perspective.
There is need for individuals believing in more than their abilities to see beyond their own paradigm.
There is need for churches that proclaim fanatical blessings and personal fulfillment to cease.
There is need for institutions who want your time but not your whole person to be brought low.
Society dangles the carrot as though a person can attain fulfillment with enough consumption.
A culture based on personal fulfillment and giving into any desires one might have as a way of life.
No need for faith is something greater than self, when self fulfillment is the greatest goal of mankind.
A contributor to the collective mass, who has ceased to think, ceased to dream other than for personal fulfillment.
Individualism is god and technology is the glue holding people together.
Faith is needed in a transformational community.
When a group of people believe in a greater Kingdom there is hope.
When a group of people believe for the overlooked and under resourced.
There is need for a group of people to see themselves on a mission.
There is need for people to place themselves in the care of a community.
We do not get to pick the people involved in this community.
Those who want to be involved are involved, those who want to believe, believe.
When a community of believers joins a community of unbelievers miracles can happen.
When one person dares to love another not for any personal gain, just because they are human, the Kingdom has come.
Where is such a community of faith?
We are intentionally involving ourselves in one another’s lives. Daring to believe we can create culture in a depraved world. Daring to believe the Kingdom will come on Earth as it is in Heaven.
If all we have is today, how will you live?
If life is the gift, how will you live?
If death is the future, how will you live?
This group is intentional because we get together on purpose.
This group is missional because we are doing this to provide a safe space to ask questions and belong to the Kingdom.
What consumes your thoughts?
What helps you sleep at night and get up in the morning?
What is the driving force in your life?
Who/what do you have faith in?
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