California, pt. 2

Betsey and her brother and sister-in-law. These kind people allow 7 people (Dirkses) to live with them for a few days.

Climbing trees in a park in Pasadena waiting for dinner.

The only vehicle that fits two families when you have the Dirkses along for the ride!

In-and Out Burgers - a taste of California

California Christmas Vacation

It was a beautiful day when we left Rockford on our trip Christmas morning - clear blue skies...a good preparation for the warm sunshine of Southern California.


It turned out that Christmas Day was one of the longest days of the year for us. We left Rockford 9:15 AM and finally got picked up at the airport at 10:3o PM (that's 12:30 AM Rockford time). We were a little tired after all of that!

Every Christians' Library

Every Christian is a theologian; how good of one are you? Theology is the study of God so therefore, when you read the Bible you are doing theology - coming to conclusions about who God is and what He expects. There are are ways to improve your ability as a theologian. Learn from others through book reading. Through books, you can have conversations with great Christian leaders from all over the world and with those who lived centuries before. Let them be your mentor by reading their works.

Here is a list of books that I believe are foundational for every Christian's library...yes, everyone should have a library, not just the pastor.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - Edited by Jerome H. Smith
This is a fabulous cross-referencing tool.

Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible - Edited by David and Pat Alexander
Handbooks like this one will give you historical background material to help you understand the passage along with lots of pictures and illustrations.

Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties - by Gleason Archer
This book gives solid answers for the passages that seem to contradict other portions of Scripture.

Systematic Theology - by Wayne Grudem
Theology is the study of God which is the great pursuit of every Christian. Wayne Grudem is a man who can take you deeper without boring you or confusing you. This is a very readable book. One doesn’t have to read this book from beginning to end like a novel for it to be effective. It can be used as a reference tool when you have a question about the nature of Christ, divine elction, the formation of the canon, angels, demons, end-times, etc.

Evangelical Dictionary of Theology - Edited by Walter Elwell
When you have a specific question concerning theology, this book is helpful and is alphabetized (of course) for easy access. The book also gives a brief biography on key theologians throughout church history.

International Dictionary of the Christian Church - Edited by J. D. Douglas
This book gives you knowledge of Christian leaders, movements, and events from the first century to the twentieth century.

Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 vol.) - by the Dallas Theological Seminary Faculty
Everyone should have a solid commentary of the whole Bible in their library and this is a good one.

Newest Staff Member!

Back in March, the elders were praying about what to do in the High School ministry as Matt Christiansen was planning to step back after serving for two years. We couldn’t afford to pay a full time HS pastor, and we had no one on the “short list” of potential volunteers. It was at that time that I got a call from Big Harvest in Rolling Meadows. They told me of a man named Mike Warren who was in their School of Ministry and needed a year to season a bit before being sent out as a church planter. It was a godsend for us because the Fellowship promised to underwrite a good portion of his salary and we were provided with a HS pastor and administrative help for an entire year… yet it also meant that another change would occur in the spring of ’08.

As early as May of this year, the elders began planning for this change. I received a call that same month from a friend currently attending seminary (graduates Dec. 07) who had ministered with me in Spokane, Washington. He spoke of his desire to come join me in the work here. The more I talked with him the more excited I became.

The man that I speak of is Andy Tobin. Andy is 27 years old, married to Arianna, has a two-month old son named Liam, and pastored the college ministry back in Spokane. To have him at Harvest is a dream come true because Andy is one of those guys that you just know God will use in big ways. He’s been in the back of my mind to keep watch on out of joyful curiosity, but never did I imagine that God would unite us in ministry together.

Andy and company will arrive in Rockford the first part of February, and he will be employed full-time as Associate Pastor overseeing High School ministry, Life Groups, and various other things that fall to associates. Andy’s first responsibility will be to speak at our Junior High/High School Winter Retreat (Feb. 8-10). If you would like to know more about them, you could follow their blog – (toblogin.blogspot.com).

Back to Sunday AM

We plan on returning to a Sunday AM format starting February 3. We have been sharing the facility with the former owner, Windsor Heights Community Church, who will be moving to their new location at the end of January. This frees up the Sunday AM slot for us. Though Saturday evening services have had some advantages for us (people awake, time to linger afterwards), we are finding out that Saturday is not as “sacred” for people as Sunday AM - our attendance has suffered because of school, family, business related things that happen on Saturday.

When there is a second service needed in the future (most likey Fall '08), we will probably lean towards having two on Sunday rather than one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Advent Starts Today

About 6 years ago, I was introduced to Advent. Sure, I had seen an advent wreath as a boy growing up around the church but I never really understood the meaning behind it.

Advent means the Lord’s coming. Throughout church history, the celebration of Advent spanned the four Sundays leading up to Christmas in which we look back to the OT in order to relive the anticipation for a deliverer. Why? To stir afresh a heart of gratitude for the blessings received in Jesus. It calls to mind the longings in our heart before we were brought to Jesus to find deliverance from sin.

There is another reason to celebrate advent. We, like Israel in the OT, await the Lord’s coming. All is not right. There are many things still left undone and we await the Lord’s return to set things in order and for righteousness to reign.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:20-21)

Presently in my home, we celebrate advent with an Advent wreath and calendar. Each day, the kids open up a neatly folded slip of paper in one of the 25 pouches of the calendar to read a passage of Scripture and attach a symbolic ornament. Each week, we light an additional candle on the wreath until the the Christ candle is light on Christmas Eve (5 candles total). We usually light the candle during dinner time and then read an Advent story, poem, or Scripture.

If you have younger kids at home, I highly recommend these Advent story books:

Jotham's Journey or Barththolomew's Passage, both of them by Arnold Ytreeide

Advent Poems that I've found to be breathtaking are by John Piper. I can't say enough good things about them especially one called "The Innkeeper."

Here's the link: www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Poems/ByDate/

Why Life Groups, pt. 6

It encourages the use of spiritual gifts
It is amazing to me to see the wealth of gifts that God has given to the church. All of us have been given spiritual gifts to be used in building up the faith of others (1 Cor. 12:4-7) but we don’t all exercise them as we should. Some of the reticence is due to the notion that others are better equipped than we are and so we pull back and watch. We become spectators instead of participants. Life Groups make it harder to stay on the “sidelines” because there are no professionals to hand the responsibilities to. Spiritual gifts blossom in this environment, and when spiritual gifts blossom so do the lives of those participating (Eph. 4:16).

"Base Camp" Capital Drive Total

Praise God!

We raised over $300,000 for the down payment and $531,000 so far in pledges (3 year commitment)

David - After God's Heart

This Sunday I get to start a new series called "After God's Heart" which will drop us down into the life of King David through 1 and 2 Samuel. Not that I'm going to preach through both books but only certain episodes in his life. I love it. These are my favorite Old Testament books - the ones that I push on my kids when they are looking for a good place to read in the Bible.

Why is David so appealing to read about? I think it is because his faith runs through the same cycles as ours. There is a humanness to his relationship with God so that we read about his bravery in 1 Sam. 17 and then see his fear in 1 Sam. 21. We read his triumphant Psalms and then we read the despairing ones where God seemed far away to him. We know of his high moments like bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6) and of the lowest - his sinful relationship with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11-12).

There is encouragement here. If David is said to be a "man after God's own heart" with his storied past, there is hope for us.

Hard to Believe it!

It's still hard to believe that we're in a building of our own. I sat studying in my new office today with boxes of books all around, waiting for shelves to arrive, sniffing new paint (whew!), so I decide to snoop in the kitchen...we have a kitchen! There on the island rested the remains of our moving party food last Saturday so I snitch some banana bread...ahh...this is great. It is just starting to hit me. Several times today I looked out on our 10 acre spread and walked around inside the building (it was too cold and windy to go outside) and pondered God's goodness.

Bless this place for Your use, Lord.

Getting out of Debt

Last Saturday, I preached on "Eliminating My Debt. As I was researching the web for information, I found several things that were useful but I didn't include in the sermon. Take a look at these links...

Listen to Helen Nelson's testimony of how the Lord helped her out of debt: http://www.crown.org/

Also, this article gives you principles to help you out of debt:
http://www.crown.org/LIBRARY/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=382

Building Update #2

Now that the building is ours, here's what you expect over the next few weeks:

• Harvest Bible Chapel sign will be out by the street soon
• New paint colors in the foyer area and staff offices
• Staff to move their offices into the new building the first weekend of November

The Building is ours now!

Last Saturday night we needed to raise an additional $28,000 to have enough for the down-payment of $290,000 to purchase our new church building. When the offerings were totaled by the end of the service, we had raised $66,000 - more than enough for the down-payment! We are so thankful to God for His incredible love towards us.

Just today, we signed all the papers, and now the building and property are officially ours for God's glory.

What to do with Mark 16:17-18

According to Mk. 16:17-18, it says that “these signs” with accompany those who believe. What if I don’t experience those signs; what does that say about the validity of my faith?

“And these signs will accompany those who have believed; in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Though there is compelling evidence that 16:9-20 is not part of Mark’s original gospel[1] the question can be answered without discounting its veracity. Consider the following:

1. It does not necessitate that each believer (individually) must perform all these signs.

I believe that Mark is saying that these signs will accompany the believing community. These signs will be seen among Christians. That does not mean that every single church must handle snakes and drink deadly poison to be legitimate, but it does mean that God will work and has worked in this way through the believing community throughout the ages. You would be hard pressed to find many churches that have experienced snake handling and the drinking of poison, because most do not have to. Instead of looking at it as a litmus test for every single believer or every local church, it would make more sense to say that supernatural phenomena accompany the church of God universal; and when you find yourself in a situation while presenting the gospel that you need protection from snakes and poison, God can give it. Furthermore, all of these signs were experienced by the first century church and were written down (with the exception of drinking deadly poison) in Scripture.

2. Making the performance of these signs a litmus test for every single believer would contradict 1 Cor. 12:27-31.

In this passage, God is the one sovereign over the distribution of spiritual gifts which include ministries of healing, miracles, and tongue speaking. He has given them gifts according to His divine will. It is by his appointment (12:11; 12:28) which means that not everyone gets the gifts Mark 16:17-18 speaks of. And if there is any doubt about this, the apostle Paul continues in 1 Cor. 12:29-31:

“All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.”

Paul is using a literary devise called a “rhetorical question.” It is a question that begs an obvious answer. The context in 1 Cor. 12 would urge us to give the resounding answer of “no!” No, not all have these gifts, but you can desire them and even pray for them (14:1) though God may not grant your request.

[1] Though the majority of the Greek manuscripts contain this section, the oldest and most reliable ones do not. John MacArthur, in his notes contained in his Study Bible says, “Fourth century church fathers Eusebius and Jerome noted that almost all Greek manuscripts available to them lacked vv. 9-20.”

Spiritual Gifts - Miraculous Gifts for Today?

Last Saturday PM I preached on the topic of spiritual gifts and introduced the controversial subject of the miraculous gifts (Prophecy, Healings, Tongues, Miracles). After a year and a half of study with the Elders of HBC, we have concluded that sign gifts (or miraculous gifts) have not outlived their purpose or usefulness but are intended for today. For those who understand the various positions and their names, HBC holds to an "open but cautious" position. If you would like to hear what I said, you can access the sermon via our church's website (www.harvestrockford.org).

For further study on this issue pick up the book, "Are Miraculous Gifts For Today - 4 Views," edited by Stanley N. Gundry and Wayne Grudem which is published by Zondervan. This a wonderful book that has four authors of differing views presenting their own view and critiquing the other three.

Also check out John Piper's sermon manuscript on the subject:

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1990/711_Are_Signs_and_Wonders_for_Today/

Why Life Groups, pt. 5

It kindles loving relationships
Love is a defining mark in the life of a believer. Jesus said to his disciples near the end of his life:

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you…You are my friends, if you do what I command you” (Jn. 15:12, 14).

Love has been placed within the heart of every believer (Rom. 5:5; 1Jn. 4:7) by the work of the Holy Spirit and it is to be shared with others. Life Groups give opportunity for the love of God to be manifested because the hurts, pains, fears, and needs of others only become evident in these close relationships. I have seen weeks of meals collected for the families of newborns, hundreds of dollars collected for a member in need, cars fixed, houses painted or repaired, and children of other families watched and cared for over long periods of time while the parents are away or hospitalized. These extraordinary acts of love are in addition to the weekly demonstrations of love through listening, praying, and encouraging.

Why Life Groups, pt. 4

It knits our hearts together in prayer
Prayer is the oxygen of the soul. Fellowship with other Christians takes on a deeper dimension when you pray. Prayer is intimate. It is the heart’s response to truth. If the heart has been engaged in the study of the word, it will breathe out holy yearnings for God. Our minds and hearts are stimulated by the study of God’s word, but corporate prayer knits our hearts together because we can hear the echo of our own longing for God in the prayers of others which lets us know we are not alone in this journey.

Why Life Groups, pt. 3

It stimulates dialogue over truth
When you discuss the truth in an interactive format, there is a sharpening of one another that cannot come from simply listening to truth. The process of reading the Word, thinking about its meaning, writing down your discoveries and then sharing them with others is a powerful process that the Spirit uses to change us. All of us who are a part of a Life Group know how many times God uses the insights of others to convict, encourage, and comfort us.

Why Life Groups, pt. 2

Most of my spiritual mile-markers, the turning points in my life, have come through close interaction with godly people. Rarely, is it otherwise. We need each other for the maturing of our faith. God has designed it this way (Eph. 4:16). The enabling graces that we pray for will often come to us through the vehicle of obedient, Spirit-led Christians. They become the conduit for God’s blessings to flow to us.

However, if we are isolated from healthy Christian fellowship, we can fall prey to the deadening influences of the world and its God-belittling values. I thank God for the men whom He sent to arouse my heart and beckon me upward by their life and testimony. Understand, I would never have been influenced by them had I stayed to myself, hesitant to be vulnerable. Involving yourself in a Life Group is one way to come in close proximity to godly influences. Though Life Groups can be intimidating, they are greenhouses for life-change.

Why Life Groups?

My wife and I just returned from our first Life Group meeting this fall in Roscoe. The first thing our leader did was have people share something about themselves (work, family, history, etc). It was amazing to hear similar themes, common paths and pains as the stories unfolded. When the night came to a close with prayer, the people continued afterwards in conversations with those whose life situation paralleled their own.

In reflection over what transpired that evening, I realized again how important real Christian friendships are for spiritual growth. When we find out that we are not alone in this world and that our struggles are similar to others who attend the same church, there is a sense of hope that stirs within. Spiritual gifts are activated as we endeavor to love each other through the hardships of life. Paul said to the church at Rome,

"For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you...that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine" (Rom. 1:11-12).

Paul longed for the spiritual encouragement he would give and receive by close interaction with other believers. Do you find that surprising for an apostle? Should we not long for the same thing? Spiritual growth is a community project (Eph. 4:16). How about joining a Life Group soon ?

Which Way is the Wind Blowing?

Ever notice that you are rarely aware of the wind when it’s at your back? This not so profound observation registered in my mind today during my morning jog. While running north on the Perryville Trail, I was enjoying the subtle transition taking place as the trees begin changing color for fall. As I progressed down the trail, it never occurred to me that there was a wind at my back propelling me on my way. Not until I turned around to head home did I realize there was a wind, and a significant one at that.

As I fought the resistance I began reflecting upon my life and how frequently this situation played out in my walk with Christ. Often, when life is going well, I fall into the trap of self sufficiency. Though God, like the wind, is propelling me forward, I tend to over estimate my influence on good circumstances, while underestimating (or even discounting altogether) the enormous contribution of God. Unfortunately, I’m sad to admit, it’s only when I feel the resistance that I begin to focus on the One who is truly in charge.

Now I believe there are two reasons God brings resistance into our lives. First, we may be heading in a bad direction. When this occurs, God allows us to experience difficult circumstances in order to get our attention that we may turn back toward his way and experience his blessing. However, a difficult circumstance of God’s wind in our faces is not always an indication that we are heading in a wrong direction.

The other reason God allows difficult circumstances to enter into our lives is to give us an opportunity to trust Him, to rest in His strength, and to experience sanctification. In this way, the wind of resistance has the effect like that on a kite. Without that stiff wind, we would not be able to soar to new heights. The key then is to rightly discern which way the wind is blowing, and why.

Passion

Ask most people to define passion and they will tell you that it is an intense love toward something. However, this definition does not do justice to the word. “Passion” comes from the Latin root “Passus” which means “suffered”. When you feel passion for something, you love it to the point of suffering. Is it any wonder that Passion (with a capitol P) is used to describe Christ’s suffering on the cross? Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to suffer – facing the ultimate adversity of death on the cross. Incidentally, this is why the week before Easter is referred to as Passion Week. Jesus did whatever it took, suffering in the depth of love.

In athletics, a passion is an intense love for the game – to the point of suffering. Champions push themselves to the point of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. Why? Because they love the game! They love the challenge of overcoming both internal and external adversities, and are willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to achieve their desires! Champions also give all they have for the success of the team by giving their best effort in EVERYTHING and encouraging teammates toward their best as well.

What do you have a passion for? 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

The Easy and the Hard

Following is easy. Leading is hard.
Losing is easy. Winning is hard.
Talking is easy. Listening is hard.
Watching TV is easy. Reading is hard.
Giving advice is easy. Taking advice is hard.
Flab is easy. Muscle is hard.
Stop is easy. Go is hard.
Dirty is easy. Clean is hard.
Take is easy. Give is hard.
Dream is easy. Think is hard.
Lying is easy. Truth is hard.
Sleeping is easy. Waking is hard.
Talking about Jesus is easy. Praying to God is hard.
Holding a grudge is easy. Forgiving is hard.
Telling a secret is easy. Keeping a secret is hard.
Play is easy. Work is hard.
Falling is easy. Getting up is hard.
Reaction is easy. Action is hard.
Spending is easy. Saving is hard.
Eating is easy. Dieting is hard.
Doubt is easy. Faith is hard.
Laughter is easy. Tears are hard.
Quitting is easy. Perseverance is hard.
Talking a good game is easy. Playing a good game is hard.
Selfishness is easy. Sacrifice is hard.
Calling is easy. Writing a letter is hard.
Hiding a problem is easy. Asking for help is hard.
Blaming others is easy. Taking responsibility is hard.
Living together is easy. Being married is hard.
Fathering a child is easy. Being a dad is hard.
Running away is easy. Showing up is hard.
Promise is easy. Commitment is hard.
Failure is easy. Success is hard.
Criticizing is easy. Taking criticism is hard.
Letting go is easy. Holding on is hard.
Secret sin is easy. Confession is hard.
Pride is easy. Humility is hard.
Excusing oneself is easy. Excusing others is hard.
Borrowing is easy. Paying back is hard.
Sex is easy. Love is hard.
Argument is easy. Negotiation is hard.
Going along is easy. Walking alone is hard.
Cowardice is easy. Courage is hard.
Messy is easy. Neat is hard.
War is easy. Peace is hard.
Sarcasm is easy. Sincerity is hard.
An F is easy. An A is hard.
Growing weeds is easy. Growing flowers is hard.
Having friends is easy. Being a friend is hard.
Dying is easy. Living is hard.
Nothing in life that is good and worthwhile comes easy.

Live Hard!

ABC's of Prayer

After preaching a message on prayer Saturday PM, I had an individual come up tell me that he didn't know how to pray - that after 60 seconds of prayer there was nothing left to say to God. He yearned for more.
I know there are many others in the same place as this fellow but have lacked the courage to talk to anyone about it. So, for all who feel the same inadequacy, I offer some help (though I am no expert and need to grow myself!):

Preparation

First, set a routine that will work for you each day. Find a particular time in the day that works with your schedule and body clock (some can't do mornings) to set aside for the purpose of talking to God. Give yourself a cushion of time, meaning, if you have been praying for 5 minutes per day, block out 15 minutes; if you have been praying 10 minutes per day, block out 20 minutes so that you are not rushed.

Secondly, find a quiet place where the distractions will be minimal. If there is no quiet place to pray in your house, go on a walk while praying. This may be strange at first but you will get over the novelty quickly and learn to enjoy it.

Thirdly, read your Bible before you pray. This helps your heart get oriented towards God. I made the mistake early in my life to skip reading and get to praying because I thought I knew the Bible well enough. Ha! What a joke that was! Everytime I tried praying first without reading my Bible, my heart was disengaged for the first 15 minutes. I desperately needed the fire of God's Word to defrost my heart in order to pray.

Prayer

Use the previous blog (How to Pray for One Hour) to help you in the very act of prayer. If you want to pray for 30 minutes, simply divide the time allotment of each section by half. If that is still more time in prayer than you can handle for now, divide the time allotment by one third, and so on...you get the idea. For more instruction on prayer, listen to the sermon series I preached back in August 2006 called "Lord, Teach Us To Pray (on Harvest's website - harvestrockford.org).

How To Pray For One Hour

September 16-21 is Prayer Week at Harvest Bible Chapel and we are asking everyone to commit to pray for one hour during this week seeking God's favor and direction for our church.

Some of you may wonder how to continue in prayer for a whole hour. Here's a helpful format guide you. May God pour out blessing upon you as you pray.

.00 Praise (10 min.)
If you run out of things to praise God for, use one of the Psalms (ie. Ps. 103, 145) to form your praise. Mimic the author and pray around their themes.


.10 Confession (5 min.)
Be still before God and allow Him to search your heart of wrongdoing (Ps. 139:23) and then confess, repent of them.


.15 Petition (10 min.)
Pray for the concerns that are on your heart (Phil. 4:6-7) which might include your immediate family, relatives, matters at school or work.


.25 Thanksgiving (5 min.)
Phil. 4:6 tells us that our prayers are to be offered “with thanksgiving” in which we thank God for His provisions and answers in advance. That’s the muscle of faith at work!


.30 Sing (5 min.)
Wrapping our praise and thanksgiving to God in melody is a sure say to lift our hearts in faith and intensify our spiritual longings

.35 Intercession (20 min.)

Pray for...

• Church leaders (elders, pastors, teachers, Life Group leaders)
  
• Unbelievers that you are trying to reach with the gospel (Col. 4:2-4)


• Good testimony at work, school, neighborhood
  
• Missionaries


• Ministries at HBC

.55 Praise/Sing (5 min.)

Reflections, Part 2

Yes, I'm still getting used to doing church on Saturday night...but I love it... even though I wake up feeling like a sinner on Sunday. It's just so weird greeting my neighbors Sunday morning as if I no longer attend church. I'm sure they will get used to it and hopefully will end up coming with us!

As I was talking to someone after church at Culver's (Ice Cream, yum!) they mentioned that they perferred meeting 0n Sunday but could see God's hand in moving us to Saturday PM for a while. Why was that? She thought that God would use it to draw us closer as a church family because...

1. People don't have to rush out to feed their kids lunch
2. People can sleep in the following morning so they are more inclined to linger afterwards
3. There isn't a football game for dad to run home for (usually)

I think she is right. Though we intend to switch back to Sunday AM by Feb. 1, I believe God will use this time to bind us together as a family. Let's keep that in mind and be thankful people. God is on the move...

Saturday PM Reflections

Most of you have heard that we have moved our worship service to Saturday 6 PM at Windsor Heights Community Church (we are purchasing their facility) until Feb. 1 at which time we can switch back to Sunday AM. Why are we doing this?

1. The Harlem School strike forced us to find another location temporarily and it was natural to go to our new facility. We are meeting on Saturday PM because Windsor Heights Community Church is still meeting there on Sunday. We will officially own the building on October 18 when we close.


2. We save approximately $1,000 per week by going to Saturday PM.


3. The leadership of Windsor Heights Community Church (WHCC) has agreed to charge us nothing from September to October if we would agree to stay on Saturday PM through February 1 so that they can continue to meet on Sunday while we are sharing the building.

I am so excited to be in our new facility this soon. Wow ! God is so good to us.

Praying for Harvest Bible Chapel

Presence: For God’s presence to lead and to guide us
Exodus 33:16 “For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

Partners: For partners to share in the ministry of building this church
Ephesians 4:11-12 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”

People: For many unbelievers who need to “come and see”
John 1:45-46 “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ 46 Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’”

Peace: For Christ’s peace to rule among us preserving our unity.
Col. 3:14-15 “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”

Re-launching the Church

We are heading into one the most exciting seasons in the life of our church and more than ever we need to keep our hearts focused on our mission. A church building and property are very useful towards the mission when we view them as tools – tools that can make us more effective in accomplishing the mission. They are no more and no less. In order to keep this before us during this crucial season, I will be preaching on our mission Sept. 9 followed by a message on prayer (Sept. 16) at the beginning of our Prayer Week (Sept. 16-21) and then begin a new series called Deliberate Devotion starting Sept. 23 that will run all the way till Nov. 11. This series will also help define us as a church.

Here’s how I would like us to frame this Fall in our minds: we are replanting/re-launching our church. All the things that you do and think about in the early days of a church plant we need to think about again. What do I mean by that? When things are fresh and new you tend to prayer, invite new people, evangelize, reach out to new visitors, and come early to church. Can we stir those things up among us this Fall?

Here’s my challenge for you as a member and fellow missionary:

Prayer team of 10
Form a team of 10 people outside HBC (family and friends) that will pray for this church and you specifically. Have this in place before Sept. 16 (start of our prayer week).

Cultivate a friendship with 1 unbeliever
Purpose to develop a relationship with an unbeliever in order to lead them to Jesus

Invite 5 new people to HBC
(Unbelievers); by Dec. 23, 2007

Meet 1 new person each Saturday PM

Come 10 minutes early on Saturday PM
Be ready as a missionary not a consumer who just watches things happen!

Saturday PM Services?

Ok, this is new for us...a Saturday PM service! Because of the Teacher's Strike at Harlem High School (place where we meet for church) we were told we couldn't be there Aug. 26. While trying to find an alternative location, we decided to meet at our future home (Windsor Heights Community Church) on Saturday PM since Windsor Heights still meets on Sunday (they are moving soon).

Awesome! Never thought I would like a Saturday PM service but it was great. It appears that we will continue to meet on Saturday PM until we close on the church building. I really think our church body loved it. Once we truly own the building, I wonder how difficult it will be to return to Sunday AM?