We are setting up our newest program, TechExchange a computer refurbishing center. We just put the first page of the website up. This is keeping us busy for sure!
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Our Pastor makes the LA Times!
Compton Pastor Taps Into Youths' Passion for Sports (registration is required)
This has been our church in Compton for over 10 years.
This has been our church in Compton for over 10 years.
Our Agenda or God'a Agenda?
"So if I want to be on mission it’s really about getting on God's agenda. " Read this whole interview.
I see this a lot; people in ministry with their own plan and they ask God to bless it. We try to see what God is doing in the city and get into that stream. A bit subtle, but important.
I see this a lot; people in ministry with their own plan and they ask God to bless it. We try to see what God is doing in the city and get into that stream. A bit subtle, but important.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
A Good Read
"Taking a compelling look at where the church is today and where God wants it to be, McManus argues convincingly that we have chosen convenience and comfort and the result is deadness. He challenges churches to go beyond accepting the new reality of the changing world we live in to actually doing something about it. He offers insight about the negatives and positives of megachurches. Each chapter concludes with some excellent discussion questions."
Just got this book, looking forward to sitting down with it.
Just got this book, looking forward to sitting down with it.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Unreached people in the US targets of evangelism
USA (MNN) -- Meanwhile, If you can believe it…there are unreached people in the United States. American Missionary Fellowship is aware of the situation and they're doing something about it. Beginning in March, AMF will begin training missionaries to start US based 'Learning Communities'.
AMF's Ed Henderson. "We believe it's a time in America that we need to create a new spin on Bible studies and we're calling them learning communities. We want them to focus on reaching some unreached people groups in the U-S." Henderson says many Americans and international students on college campuses have never heard the Gospel. He says that's not the only place the unreached can be found. "There are those in our inner cities and our suburbs that are unreached because no one has taken the Gospel into those communities. Neighborhood after neighborhood where there is no influence of the church whatsoever." Full Story
There are kids and adults in our neighborhood who have never seen snow, never been to the beach (even though it is a 10 minute drive away) and have never heard about Jesus.
Who is going to church?
According to Leadership Magazine:
People over 50 are more likely to go to church, but are also more resistant to the Gospel.
Younger people are more likely to have an interest in spiritual things, but less likely to attend church.
AMF's Ed Henderson. "We believe it's a time in America that we need to create a new spin on Bible studies and we're calling them learning communities. We want them to focus on reaching some unreached people groups in the U-S." Henderson says many Americans and international students on college campuses have never heard the Gospel. He says that's not the only place the unreached can be found. "There are those in our inner cities and our suburbs that are unreached because no one has taken the Gospel into those communities. Neighborhood after neighborhood where there is no influence of the church whatsoever." Full Story
There are kids and adults in our neighborhood who have never seen snow, never been to the beach (even though it is a 10 minute drive away) and have never heard about Jesus.
Who is going to church?
According to Leadership Magazine:
People over 50 are more likely to go to church, but are also more resistant to the Gospel.
Younger people are more likely to have an interest in spiritual things, but less likely to attend church.
How does your church rate?
A church newsletter mentioned a man who visited eighteen different churches on successive Sundays. He was trying to find out what the churches were really like. He said, "I sat near the front. After the service, I walked slowly to the rear, then returned to the front and went back to the foyer using another aisle. I smiled and was neatly dressed. I asked one person to direct me to a specific place: a fellowship hall, pastor's study, etc. I remained for coffee if served. I used a scale to rate the reception I received. I awarded points on the following basis:
10 for a smile from a worshiper
10 for a greeting from someone sitting nearby
100 for an exchange of names
200 for an invitation to have coffee
200 for an invitation to return
1000 for an introduction to another worshiper
2000 for an invitation to meet the pastor
On this scale, eleven of the eighteen churches earned fewer than 100 points. Five actually received less than 20.
The conclusion: The doctrine may be biblical, the singing inspirational, the sermon uplifting, but when a visitor finds nobody who cares whether he's here, he is not likely to come back."
>From: Steve Barack - heb1035@prodigy.net
10 for a smile from a worshiper
10 for a greeting from someone sitting nearby
100 for an exchange of names
200 for an invitation to have coffee
200 for an invitation to return
1000 for an introduction to another worshiper
2000 for an invitation to meet the pastor
On this scale, eleven of the eighteen churches earned fewer than 100 points. Five actually received less than 20.
The conclusion: The doctrine may be biblical, the singing inspirational, the sermon uplifting, but when a visitor finds nobody who cares whether he's here, he is not likely to come back."
>From: Steve Barack - heb1035@prodigy.net
Saturday, March 20, 2004
Passion in the Box Office
I have been looking for a way to chart the success of the movie. Here it is. Blockbuster Showdown - The Passion vs. Return of the King vs. Spider Man vs. Star Wars
Jim Caviezel on playing Jesus
"When this whole thing began--I met one day with Mel [Gibson], and we're talking about other roles, and then stories in the Bible, and he's looking at me. And I said, 'You want me to play Jesus, don't you?' And he said, 'Yeah.' Your life builds up to things. When you're asked a question, when the whole history of your life comes to that moment--You want me to play Christ. don't you?--God gives you a grace inside your heart that says, 'Look, this is where I need you.'
"Miraculous things have happened. When I was hit by lightning [during the filming of a crucifixion scene], it was the one day I didn't have communion. We always had mass and I always received communion but on that one day the priest ran out of hosts. I was up there on the cross and I was hit and we knew I was going to be hit, we could see it coming. And the eyes of the men below me turned glossy. Everything was pink, fire coming from both sides of my head."
The whole article.
"Miraculous things have happened. When I was hit by lightning [during the filming of a crucifixion scene], it was the one day I didn't have communion. We always had mass and I always received communion but on that one day the priest ran out of hosts. I was up there on the cross and I was hit and we knew I was going to be hit, we could see it coming. And the eyes of the men below me turned glossy. Everything was pink, fire coming from both sides of my head."
The whole article.
Urban Immersion
Today about 100 college students from around the country descended into LA for week 2 of this years 4 week urban Immersion Schedule. Urban Immersion is our short term inner city project for college students during spring break.
Tonight I spoke to the group from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. About 30 of them are spending their first night in South Central LA! They are at Lighthouse Community Ministries, an amazing ministry we just found out in the last few months. They house 8-10 women and children in their woman's home, a lifestyle-discipleship program. Pastor and Sister Hall are incredible examples of dedicated heroes of the faith, who have served there for almost 20 years.
The students will do work projects, have evangelistic outreaches and endure a poverty simulation that will give them painful insight into the life of a homeless person on the streets of LA.
We are praying for many lives to be touched these next few weeks!
Tonight I spoke to the group from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. About 30 of them are spending their first night in South Central LA! They are at Lighthouse Community Ministries, an amazing ministry we just found out in the last few months. They house 8-10 women and children in their woman's home, a lifestyle-discipleship program. Pastor and Sister Hall are incredible examples of dedicated heroes of the faith, who have served there for almost 20 years.
The students will do work projects, have evangelistic outreaches and endure a poverty simulation that will give them painful insight into the life of a homeless person on the streets of LA.
We are praying for many lives to be touched these next few weeks!
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Tonya's Home!
Well it has been a slow blogging week! Tonya arrived home from Thailand on Wednesday to an anxious, awaiting family! We were so happy to see her.
She came home with many great stories, many about the incredible women she got to hang out with. At this Global Women's Forum she met many national Campus Crusade staff, many from closed countries. She heard story after story of how women are advancing the gospel far and wide.
They rode elephants, prayed in and around government buildings, were coached in leadership development areas and explored both Chaing Mai and Bangkok. All around a great time. We're proud of her!
Two thirds of the American women there, including Tonya and Erica (our LA team member) got sick. They had some type of food poisoning. Tonya wasn't able to keep anything down for a few days, including the antibiotic to help the infection in an upper molar. So now she is recuperating and trying to find a local dentist that can put Tonya out to perform a root canal! She says that she'd rather go through labor again than go to a dentist. Being the thoughtful and wise husband I am, I don't challenge her on that declaration!
So as Sydney says, "We're all back together again, we're all family again".
She came home with many great stories, many about the incredible women she got to hang out with. At this Global Women's Forum she met many national Campus Crusade staff, many from closed countries. She heard story after story of how women are advancing the gospel far and wide.
They rode elephants, prayed in and around government buildings, were coached in leadership development areas and explored both Chaing Mai and Bangkok. All around a great time. We're proud of her!
Two thirds of the American women there, including Tonya and Erica (our LA team member) got sick. They had some type of food poisoning. Tonya wasn't able to keep anything down for a few days, including the antibiotic to help the infection in an upper molar. So now she is recuperating and trying to find a local dentist that can put Tonya out to perform a root canal! She says that she'd rather go through labor again than go to a dentist. Being the thoughtful and wise husband I am, I don't challenge her on that declaration!
So as Sydney says, "We're all back together again, we're all family again".
Saturday, March 13, 2004
A Nice Slow Day
Today was an intentional slow day. We have been doing so much with Tonya being gone, were taking it easy today. We watched cartoons and then took a trip to Home Depot for some minor home projects. This afternoon we hung out with Ramiro and Jose, played some Bocce ball, ate pizza and watched some Lakers.
Friday, March 12, 2004
Camp Daddy!
Tonya has food poisoning in Thailand!?! Other than that she is having a great time. She has met many Crusade staff women from all over the world. There are many 'Nationals' there, many of whom are 'undercover' missionaries. She will have some amazing stories to share when she gets back!
We miss her! But we are managing. I have had so much fun just hanging out with Syd and Zach! We have camped outside, went to the Aquarium of the Pacific, rode horses, watched movies, it has been Camp Daddy!
Even though we have had fun we can't wait for mommy to get back!
We miss her! But we are managing. I have had so much fun just hanging out with Syd and Zach! We have camped outside, went to the Aquarium of the Pacific, rode horses, watched movies, it has been Camp Daddy!
Even though we have had fun we can't wait for mommy to get back!
Monday, March 08, 2004
Alpha Update
In my February, 22 2004 post I talked about the Alpha retreat and one of the guys in my group who invited Christ into his life.
Yesterday, this guy, his wide and three year old daughter attended our mini-church (small group) for the first time. They had seemed a bit cautious about coming but I could tell they really wanted to come.
They came and we introduced them to everyone and they seemed to have a good time. We all ate together, went through our little lesson and then prayed together. At the end of the prayer time, the wife, who was already in tears, asked if she could say something. She stated that they had never been so accepted before and how much being in this group meant to them. She paused several times between the tears and the hugs she was receiving from the group who immediately responded to her statement. The husband also got choked up and said he wanted to say something, but he was glad his wife did first.
This is just another example of how desperately people want to connect with each other, how much we need each other. Go God!
Yesterday, this guy, his wide and three year old daughter attended our mini-church (small group) for the first time. They had seemed a bit cautious about coming but I could tell they really wanted to come.
They came and we introduced them to everyone and they seemed to have a good time. We all ate together, went through our little lesson and then prayed together. At the end of the prayer time, the wife, who was already in tears, asked if she could say something. She stated that they had never been so accepted before and how much being in this group meant to them. She paused several times between the tears and the hugs she was receiving from the group who immediately responded to her statement. The husband also got choked up and said he wanted to say something, but he was glad his wife did first.
This is just another example of how desperately people want to connect with each other, how much we need each other. Go God!
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Tonya in Thailand!
Today, we took Tonya to Los Angeles International Airport and dropped her off. No, were not mad at her!?! She is headed to Campus Crusade's Women's Global Forum in Chiang Mai, Thailand! She and four other senior staff women (one from our LA team) are representing Here's Life Inner City among about 400 other Crusade women from around the world. They will participate in the Forum from March 10-15.
This is quite an honor for Tonya. The purpose of the Forum is really twofold; they will be discussing the status of women on staff around the world and it is a developmental time for emerging leaders. Tonya will have a coach and look intensely at critical leadership development issues during the conference.
We all are proud of her, but we already miss her! Pray for her and us as were 'on our own' for ten days (really pray for Syd & Zach as there stuck with Dad for ten days).
This is quite an honor for Tonya. The purpose of the Forum is really twofold; they will be discussing the status of women on staff around the world and it is a developmental time for emerging leaders. Tonya will have a coach and look intensely at critical leadership development issues during the conference.
We all are proud of her, but we already miss her! Pray for her and us as were 'on our own' for ten days (really pray for Syd & Zach as there stuck with Dad for ten days).
We just recieved a nice Grant!
We are praising God for opening the doors for a new city-wide project. I (Mike) have dreamed of a computer refurbishing center to help support the ministries we serve for a number of years.
This past week we received a $15,000 grant to do just that. Prayerfully April 24th we will launch the LA Computer Refurbishing Center! We will build out a 400 sq. foot classroom lab to host classes for several computer instructional programs as well as refurbished hardware redistribution to ministries all across LA. Friday we brought on a computer professional who will serve as Refurbishing Center Coordinator and help us ramp the project up.
Please pray with us for some corporate partnerships, additional funds needed and a lot of donated computers to refurbish!
This refurb center is in partnership with the great group of people at TechMission.
This past week we received a $15,000 grant to do just that. Prayerfully April 24th we will launch the LA Computer Refurbishing Center! We will build out a 400 sq. foot classroom lab to host classes for several computer instructional programs as well as refurbished hardware redistribution to ministries all across LA. Friday we brought on a computer professional who will serve as Refurbishing Center Coordinator and help us ramp the project up.
Please pray with us for some corporate partnerships, additional funds needed and a lot of donated computers to refurbish!
This refurb center is in partnership with the great group of people at TechMission.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
A Key to City Reaching
Study shows Protestant ministers want more cooperation among denominations....
(In Illinois Baptist Wednesday, January 21, 2004 Vol. 98 No. 02)
Phoenix, Ariz. Just how "denominational" are denominational churches in the United States? Newly released survey results show that most Protestant church pastors are committed to their denomination but also frustrated at the lack of agreement within their own denomination, as well as the lack of interdenominational cooperation.
Results from the study, conducted by Ellison Research of Phoenix, Ariz., among a nationally representative sample of 567 Protestant ministers, are being released for the first time in the January/February issue of the magazine Facts & Trends, which is published by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. The research was independently funded and conducted by Ellison Research and included churches from all Protestant denominations.
Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research...pointed out that pastors are the ones who must make inter-church cooperation work. "The vast majority of ministers wanted more cooperation among churches of different denominations, but that level of cooperation will not happen just by hoping or desiring. The pastors themselves will have to make this happen. Maybe knowing that there's a strong chance other ministers in their community also want more inter-church cooperation will encourage that cooperation to take place."
More detailed information on the study is available at www.ellisonresearch.com.
(In Illinois Baptist Wednesday, January 21, 2004 Vol. 98 No. 02)
Phoenix, Ariz. Just how "denominational" are denominational churches in the United States? Newly released survey results show that most Protestant church pastors are committed to their denomination but also frustrated at the lack of agreement within their own denomination, as well as the lack of interdenominational cooperation.
Results from the study, conducted by Ellison Research of Phoenix, Ariz., among a nationally representative sample of 567 Protestant ministers, are being released for the first time in the January/February issue of the magazine Facts & Trends, which is published by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. The research was independently funded and conducted by Ellison Research and included churches from all Protestant denominations.
Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research...pointed out that pastors are the ones who must make inter-church cooperation work. "The vast majority of ministers wanted more cooperation among churches of different denominations, but that level of cooperation will not happen just by hoping or desiring. The pastors themselves will have to make this happen. Maybe knowing that there's a strong chance other ministers in their community also want more inter-church cooperation will encourage that cooperation to take place."
More detailed information on the study is available at www.ellisonresearch.com.
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