Check out the project photos here!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/intersection2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Summer Project Update #2
Summer Project Wrap Up!
The last student just left for home.
We are tired but rejoicing.
God showed up in a significant way these last three weeks in Compton on the Intersections/Project Revolution - 2007 Summer Project.
Instead of me rambling on let me share with you what the students said... (This is a lot of text, but if you take the time to read it all you will be blessed!)
What an amazing project.
The last student just left for home.
We are tired but rejoicing.
God showed up in a significant way these last three weeks in Compton on the Intersections/Project Revolution - 2007 Summer Project.
Instead of me rambling on let me share with you what the students said... (This is a lot of text, but if you take the time to read it all you will be blessed!)
“I learned a lot on this trip. I learned a lot about myself..a lot about God’s heart. The solid truths that I have heard before have become heart knowledge instead of just head knowledge. I experienced the grace of God and saw what it truly means and what it looks like. The Lord has proven himself faithful. I have seen more of him. I loved this trip because I was able to meet a lot of other people and work at different ministry sites. It gave me a glimpse of other people’s experiences with God and has left me yearning to know more about him.”
Ashley- Akron, OH
“I learned about myself and my heart during this trip. I’ve always wanted to serve the community but learned that to truly serve the community that I must be be ONE with them. Eat, live, suffer and experience joy with them.”
Dalia- Paramount, CA
“I think God is opening my eyes and calling me to change my city- to be a leader in my community. God has really shown me a lot about cultures through the unity in this group. I have different eyes. I know now that I need to feel more compassion for people who are suffering and living in poverty. If we just stop and try to help out people who are suffering…we are doing what we have been called out to do. God is really helping me to understand that we can all really do something to help….One person can affect a family, that family can affect a community, that community can affect a city and that city can affect a nation. God sees something that is going on in Compton. I am happy to be a part of that. I challenge you all to be a light. Be strong. You can make that difference.”
Ramiro- Compton, CA
“I just feel that God has really spoken to me…that I really need to let God do whatever he wants with my life. This week I have experienced dwelling in the presence of God with such peace. I am so glad that I was able to be honest and speak about my life. I am so thankful for the community that I have become a part of. I can just dwell and listen to what God is trying to say to me. God is good.”
America- Paramount, CA
“This trip has flipped my heart and mind 180 degrees. I had a plan for my future, however, this trip has opened my heart to working in the ministry and serving communities like Compton. I feel like God has spoken to me and given me a new passion for life.”
Caylee- Atlanta, GA
“This week has affirmed and made the importance of community resonate within my heart. We got a chance to get away from all the noise and witness true Christianity in its purest form. I was a part of a diverse group of believers who all had 1 vision -to see justice from oppression and salvation through Christ.”
Ahmad- Lynwood, CA
“I came on this trip with the intentions of sharing God’s love with others but rather I experienced God pouring his love into me. That is the most overwhelming feeling I have ever experienced. That is what the inner city did for me.”
Hannah- Canoga Park, CA
“The whole experience has been about being able to hear God. God will put things in my mind, where I would be holding back to say things and others would say them and it would affirm my beliefs. It was amazing that I was able to spend a week with a group of people and feel like I have known them my whole life. I have been able to be myself and I truly appreciate the fact that I was able to have good conversations with people who I just met. What God has been challenging me with is…when all this is over…then what? It is something we really need to think about. We need to serve the community on a daily basis. Our actions of love and for justice don’t always have to be called a revolution or justice…it is our OBLIGATION. Its about love…not only justice. God spoke to our group and we ran with it. This is where its at! If you’re not a part of project revolution this summer then you’re not having fun.”
Celestine- Los Angeles, CA
“The hunger and the extensive physiological changes my body went through made me truly reflect upon the poverty that exists here in LA.”
Sunghee- Los Angeles, CA
“I realized how self absorbed I am through the poverty simulation. I do put a lot of emphasis on my outer appearance and what the simulation revealed to me was that I had a lot of work to do on my inner perception of myself.”
Esther- Buena Park, CA
What an amazing project.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Summer Project Update #1
From Day 4 of the Project:
Wow, we're off to an amazing start! God is already doing huge things in and through the lives of the college students here.
We have;
Five students are from out of state (Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina), all the rest are locals with six from Emmanuel Reformed Church (our church!) who has adopted Compton for the next 40 years. These students are here as part of that strategy.
Sunday, we attended Faith Inspirational Missionary Baptist Church and the students were blown away. We spent the Sunday School hour with the Pastor, Rafer Owens and his staff hearing his amazing vision for Compton and all of what his church is doing. Then we went into service. Most of the students have never had the opportunity to experience worship in an African-American church before. One of the team leaders came up to me about mid-way through th worship and asked, "Is this ALWAYS this way?" with a huge smile on her face. I smiled back and said , "Yeah, it is".
After the sermon, Pastor Owens called Tonya and I up to talk about the project and what the students were doing here in Compton. We had a few moments to share the vision for the project and what we all are working towards in Compton. Then he had all the students also come up to the platform and told them the church had been praying for them for 10 years to come and help them! It was a huge vision-casting moment for the students as well as the congregation showing both sides that God is doing something big and it's definitely bigger than any one church or group.
Pastor Owens called the group his "Angels". And that he was so touched and energized that they would give up their summer time and come serve in Compton.
The students still have not stopped talking about that, and I don't think they will!
Yesterday, the three teams started their ministry sites. They're doing very well!
Please continue to pray that we will love Compton well, serve our ministry partners and learn more of God's heart as how to reach Compton in the long-term.
-more to come!
Wow, we're off to an amazing start! God is already doing huge things in and through the lives of the college students here.
We have;
- Three African-American students.
- Five Hispanic students.
- One Filipino student.
- Three White students.
Five students are from out of state (Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina), all the rest are locals with six from Emmanuel Reformed Church (our church!) who has adopted Compton for the next 40 years. These students are here as part of that strategy.
Sunday, we attended Faith Inspirational Missionary Baptist Church and the students were blown away. We spent the Sunday School hour with the Pastor, Rafer Owens and his staff hearing his amazing vision for Compton and all of what his church is doing. Then we went into service. Most of the students have never had the opportunity to experience worship in an African-American church before. One of the team leaders came up to me about mid-way through th worship and asked, "Is this ALWAYS this way?" with a huge smile on her face. I smiled back and said , "Yeah, it is".
After the sermon, Pastor Owens called Tonya and I up to talk about the project and what the students were doing here in Compton. We had a few moments to share the vision for the project and what we all are working towards in Compton. Then he had all the students also come up to the platform and told them the church had been praying for them for 10 years to come and help them! It was a huge vision-casting moment for the students as well as the congregation showing both sides that God is doing something big and it's definitely bigger than any one church or group.
Pastor Owens called the group his "Angels". And that he was so touched and energized that they would give up their summer time and come serve in Compton.
The students still have not stopped talking about that, and I don't think they will!
Yesterday, the three teams started their ministry sites. They're doing very well!
Please continue to pray that we will love Compton well, serve our ministry partners and learn more of God's heart as how to reach Compton in the long-term.
-more to come!
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Bible in the Public School & How We Do It
The chairman of the religion department of Boston University [link=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-prothero14mar14,0,5385607.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail]argues that the Bible should be taught in public schools[/link]. Even though his in not Evangelical reasoning, he has quite interesting points.
Biblical illiteracy is not just a religious problem. It is a civic problem with political consequences...
But barren of the Bible is just what our public school curriculums are. According to a study by the Bible Literacy Project, which publishes a Bible textbook for secondary schools, only 8% of U.S. high school students have access to an elective Bible course. As a result, an entire generation of Americans is growing up almost entirely ignorant of the most influential book in world history, unable to understand the 1,300 biblical allusions in Shakespeare, the scriptural oratory of President Lincoln and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. or even the prominence of Ezekiel 25:17 (actually a mishmash of this verse and passages from Genesis, Psalms and other books) in the film "Pulp Fiction."
This past week some of our staff helped in piloting the domestic version of [link=http://www.charactersolutions.org/index.html] Character Solutions International's curriculum at the notorious Fremont High School of the Los Angeles Unified District. They taught over 30 kids for one full week, all day long this faith-based character curriculum. They shared their testimonies, prayed, discussed church, etc., all in a public high school with parents and staff in attendance.
These kids were somewhat of a captive audience this was part their first two weeks "off-track" meaning they are in year-round school and they are now on starting a two month break and they could come for two additional weeks and participate in this program to work off a $250 truancy debt.
However, our staff reported the students were lively, enthusiastic and excited about what they were learning.
Donna, one of our senior women staff heard a girl say, "I'm gonna keep being late if it means I can go to special classes like this one!"
In Compton, I (Mike) had a lunch time Bible study in a local middle school for years before I became the director. And it was at the administrations request! We had the former LA (and St. Louis) Ram Jackie Slater come in and he laid out the Gospel with every student and teacher present in the auditorium without anyone batting an eye.
Just a week and a half ago, I was just able to introduce the Compton Unified School District to the [link=http://www.josephsoninstitute.org/]Josephson Institute of Ethics (and their well known Character Counts program[/link]), whom I have admired from afar and providentially just recently met. Pray with us that these two organizations will continue to be as positive as they are now with each other about working together in some very significant ways.
In the inner city both the African American and Hispanic cultures in general hold spirituality in high regard, its almost an insult not to. So we can get away with a lot more than the suburbs can. And in the schools, principals will allow almost anything that can give them some extra help. But than can be good and bad.
As Christians, we must take advantage of these opportunities as much as possible, while the windows are open. In this post (or post-post depending on who you talk to) Christian society we don’t know how long we will have this window, even in the inner city.
Biblical illiteracy is not just a religious problem. It is a civic problem with political consequences...
But barren of the Bible is just what our public school curriculums are. According to a study by the Bible Literacy Project, which publishes a Bible textbook for secondary schools, only 8% of U.S. high school students have access to an elective Bible course. As a result, an entire generation of Americans is growing up almost entirely ignorant of the most influential book in world history, unable to understand the 1,300 biblical allusions in Shakespeare, the scriptural oratory of President Lincoln and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. or even the prominence of Ezekiel 25:17 (actually a mishmash of this verse and passages from Genesis, Psalms and other books) in the film "Pulp Fiction."
This past week some of our staff helped in piloting the domestic version of [link=http://www.charactersolutions.org/index.html] Character Solutions International's curriculum at the notorious Fremont High School of the Los Angeles Unified District. They taught over 30 kids for one full week, all day long this faith-based character curriculum. They shared their testimonies, prayed, discussed church, etc., all in a public high school with parents and staff in attendance.
These kids were somewhat of a captive audience this was part their first two weeks "off-track" meaning they are in year-round school and they are now on starting a two month break and they could come for two additional weeks and participate in this program to work off a $250 truancy debt.
However, our staff reported the students were lively, enthusiastic and excited about what they were learning.
Donna, one of our senior women staff heard a girl say, "I'm gonna keep being late if it means I can go to special classes like this one!"
In Compton, I (Mike) had a lunch time Bible study in a local middle school for years before I became the director. And it was at the administrations request! We had the former LA (and St. Louis) Ram Jackie Slater come in and he laid out the Gospel with every student and teacher present in the auditorium without anyone batting an eye.
Just a week and a half ago, I was just able to introduce the Compton Unified School District to the [link=http://www.josephsoninstitute.org/]Josephson Institute of Ethics (and their well known Character Counts program[/link]), whom I have admired from afar and providentially just recently met. Pray with us that these two organizations will continue to be as positive as they are now with each other about working together in some very significant ways.
In the inner city both the African American and Hispanic cultures in general hold spirituality in high regard, its almost an insult not to. So we can get away with a lot more than the suburbs can. And in the schools, principals will allow almost anything that can give them some extra help. But than can be good and bad.
As Christians, we must take advantage of these opportunities as much as possible, while the windows are open. In this post (or post-post depending on who you talk to) Christian society we don’t know how long we will have this window, even in the inner city.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Lord, Help Me to See
Every once in a while I catch something like what Thompson describes here. I want to slow down and catch more.
Do you believe that God is present in the smile of a child, in the tears of a parent's grief over a suffering adolescent, in the sudden breakthrough of understanding between quarreling spouses? Eternal truths can be learned by observing the most common elements of life: nursing an infant may be a window into God's nurturing care for each of us; bandaging a cut can help us know the healing desire of God; playing games may speak of the divine playfulness that knows our need for recreation; tending a garden may teach us the dynamics of growth. Families learn that they are sacred communities when they begin to name and claim the many forms of God's grace in their daily life.
- Marjorie J. Thompson from "Family: The Forming Center"
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Recent Update We Sent Out
VICTORIES & PRAISES:
We have seen incredible unity and coming together of churches here in Compton. We hosted "Lift Up America", a huge food give-a-way sponsored by Tyson Foods in December and invited over 30 ministries from Compton, many of which we had not known before. This brought a renewed since of hope, purpose and camaraderie amongst the ministries here. Our church has brought between 150-350 volunteers every 2 months for the last year to help paint and rehab churches and homes in Compton. We work on 10-12 sites each work day. This has started an incredible movement that has sparked other churches, civic groups and even the city council to get out and “do good” as is the theme. People are being touched in Jesus’ name and I believe we are at the beginning of an amazing movement of God.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
• That this movement would continue and grow in Compton
• For Ramiro (19) who lives with us, as he goes to college and plays soccer – that he would begin to see himself as God sees him & make long lasting Christian friendships
• For our families health, we have been bothered by a lot of little things (sicknesses) lately
• Our main family vehicle (minivan) is having a lot of engine & transmission problems (again)
• Balance in ministry and life
• For Sydney & Zachary (all of us really!) to know Jesus intimately
• For our Compton United Soccer Club to reach lives and families
FINANCIAL REQUESTS/NEEDS:
We need to raise about $800 a month+ but finding/making the time to do it is very challenging
FAMILY NEWS:
We have really enjoyed having Ramiro in our home. He has been a delight. Sydney is doing VERY well in 2nd grade and has an excellent teacher (that could be teaching college) that has really pushed her and she has simply rose to the challenge. Zach was moved to a different school during the first part of kindergarten (a risk of being on an interdistrict permit outside of our district), so that slowed him down a bit. But he likes his newer teacher and things are going well. He is typical boy and never stops! Both Syd and Zach are playing club soccer with Compton United the soccer club we started as an outreach to our community. They are doing well and learning Spanish too!
We are meeting tons of community families, more than we ever have living here through the club. Compton United has opened so many doors and God has exploded the opportunities for it to grow. It’s been amazing and scary at the same time. We are going from one team last year to probably 12 teams this year! Pray for us!
We have seen incredible unity and coming together of churches here in Compton. We hosted "Lift Up America", a huge food give-a-way sponsored by Tyson Foods in December and invited over 30 ministries from Compton, many of which we had not known before. This brought a renewed since of hope, purpose and camaraderie amongst the ministries here. Our church has brought between 150-350 volunteers every 2 months for the last year to help paint and rehab churches and homes in Compton. We work on 10-12 sites each work day. This has started an incredible movement that has sparked other churches, civic groups and even the city council to get out and “do good” as is the theme. People are being touched in Jesus’ name and I believe we are at the beginning of an amazing movement of God.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
• That this movement would continue and grow in Compton
• For Ramiro (19) who lives with us, as he goes to college and plays soccer – that he would begin to see himself as God sees him & make long lasting Christian friendships
• For our families health, we have been bothered by a lot of little things (sicknesses) lately
• Our main family vehicle (minivan) is having a lot of engine & transmission problems (again)
• Balance in ministry and life
• For Sydney & Zachary (all of us really!) to know Jesus intimately
• For our Compton United Soccer Club to reach lives and families
FINANCIAL REQUESTS/NEEDS:
We need to raise about $800 a month+ but finding/making the time to do it is very challenging
FAMILY NEWS:
We have really enjoyed having Ramiro in our home. He has been a delight. Sydney is doing VERY well in 2nd grade and has an excellent teacher (that could be teaching college) that has really pushed her and she has simply rose to the challenge. Zach was moved to a different school during the first part of kindergarten (a risk of being on an interdistrict permit outside of our district), so that slowed him down a bit. But he likes his newer teacher and things are going well. He is typical boy and never stops! Both Syd and Zach are playing club soccer with Compton United the soccer club we started as an outreach to our community. They are doing well and learning Spanish too!
We are meeting tons of community families, more than we ever have living here through the club. Compton United has opened so many doors and God has exploded the opportunities for it to grow. It’s been amazing and scary at the same time. We are going from one team last year to probably 12 teams this year! Pray for us!
2.56 Percent???
If Christians had given a 10 percent tithe to their churches in 2004, instead of the actual 2.56 percent, there would have been an extra $164 billion. And if churches spent $70 to $80 billion of that on missions and humanitarian works, the basic needs of every person on the globe would be provided.
(Relevant, Nov./Dec. 2006, p. 30)
(Relevant, Nov./Dec. 2006, p. 30)
Thursday, February 08, 2007
What happens to the Superbowl Losers Tshirts?
Very Interesting.
The Super Bowl will end about 10 p.m. Sunday, and by 10:01 every player on the winning team — along with coaches, executives, family members and ball boys — could be outfitted in colorful T-shirts and caps proclaiming them champions.
The other set of championship gear — the 288 T-shirts and caps made for the team that did not win — will be hidden behind a locked door at Dolphin Stadium. By order of the National Football League, those items are never to appear on television or on eBay. They are never even to be seen on American soil.
They will be shipped Monday morning to a warehouse in Sewickley, Pa., near Pittsburgh, where they will become property of [link=http://www.worldvision.org/]World Vision[/link], a relief organization that will package the clothing in wooden boxes and send it to a developing nation, usually in Africa.
[link=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/sports/football/04gear.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin]The whole story from the NY Times.[/link]
Our family is proud to sponsor children from [link=http://www.worldvision.org/] World Vision specifically in the Sithobela Area Development Project in Swaziland.
Hi Nelly!
The Super Bowl will end about 10 p.m. Sunday, and by 10:01 every player on the winning team — along with coaches, executives, family members and ball boys — could be outfitted in colorful T-shirts and caps proclaiming them champions.
The other set of championship gear — the 288 T-shirts and caps made for the team that did not win — will be hidden behind a locked door at Dolphin Stadium. By order of the National Football League, those items are never to appear on television or on eBay. They are never even to be seen on American soil.
They will be shipped Monday morning to a warehouse in Sewickley, Pa., near Pittsburgh, where they will become property of [link=http://www.worldvision.org/]World Vision[/link], a relief organization that will package the clothing in wooden boxes and send it to a developing nation, usually in Africa.
[link=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/sports/football/04gear.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin]The whole story from the NY Times.[/link]
Our family is proud to sponsor children from [link=http://www.worldvision.org/] World Vision specifically in the Sithobela Area Development Project in Swaziland.
Hi Nelly!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
For First Time, More Poor Live in Suburbs Than Cities
Very Interesting...
Full story at NPR's site @ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6598999
All Things Considered, December 8, 2006
A move from the city to the suburbs used to signal prosperity for American families. But last year, the number of poor suburbanites outnumbered poor people in cities by 1 million for the first time. That startling statistic is part of a new report that examines poverty trends in the first part of the decade...
Full story at NPR's site @ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6598999
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Boxes of Love
Boxes of Love are this week. We will distribute about 5000 boxes on Saturday. We also have about 250 people serving 11 churches and private homes in Compton, painting, rehabing and cleaning up.
Pray for God's hand of transformation and revival as we love His people of Compton and South Central.
Look forward to some awesome stories soon!
Pray for God's hand of transformation and revival as we love His people of Compton and South Central.
Look forward to some awesome stories soon!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Mini-Church Tonight
Led our mini church-- small group tonight. It's an awesome group of former gang members, criminals, chikdren from tough -- some very tough backgrounds and we're all striving to love and follow Jesus together.
We talked about how we often view our own relationship with God as the primary aspect of our walk; our prayer closet, quiet times, personal retreats, "being alone w/ Him", etc. But that was never the intent of the biblical writers. The intent was scripture to always be interpreted in community -- the letters to the churches of the New Testament, the Gospel accounts for all to read and be aware, even Old Testament accounts to be accounts to pass on for the generations after. The writers never dreamed of the modern day miracles of the printing press, where everyone could have their own copy of the Holy Book, much less several copies around the house, on their palm pilot, on the web and in every hotel!
We talk alot about 'doing life together', taking each others kids to school when needed, helping one another move, hospital visits, financially when possible, etc. But we also need each other, in community to help make the word real, understandable, relavant and more accurate than I could all by myself. My perspective is narrow. I need John who has spend years in prison to help me understand grace and mercy better. I need Joey who is a recovering white supremest to help me understand forgiveness, etc., etc.
My culture teaches me to focus on independence and individualism but I'm trying to break out of that and learn more about community and how much I need the people that I live with.
We talked about how we often view our own relationship with God as the primary aspect of our walk; our prayer closet, quiet times, personal retreats, "being alone w/ Him", etc. But that was never the intent of the biblical writers. The intent was scripture to always be interpreted in community -- the letters to the churches of the New Testament, the Gospel accounts for all to read and be aware, even Old Testament accounts to be accounts to pass on for the generations after. The writers never dreamed of the modern day miracles of the printing press, where everyone could have their own copy of the Holy Book, much less several copies around the house, on their palm pilot, on the web and in every hotel!
We talk alot about 'doing life together', taking each others kids to school when needed, helping one another move, hospital visits, financially when possible, etc. But we also need each other, in community to help make the word real, understandable, relavant and more accurate than I could all by myself. My perspective is narrow. I need John who has spend years in prison to help me understand grace and mercy better. I need Joey who is a recovering white supremest to help me understand forgiveness, etc., etc.
My culture teaches me to focus on independence and individualism but I'm trying to break out of that and learn more about community and how much I need the people that I live with.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Friday, October 06, 2006
Last Year Crime was High -- better this Year
A list of the most and least dangerous cities overall, as compiled by Morgan Quitno Press, which bases the rankings on FBI figures released in June.
1. St. Louis
2. Detroit
3. Flint, Mich.
4. Compton, Calif.
5. Camden, N.J.
1. St. Louis
2. Detroit
3. Flint, Mich.
4. Compton, Calif.
5. Camden, N.J.
Fresh Start
This past year has been a blur.
Most of the time we didn't know if we were coming or going! So I want to start again, fresh with the blog. Update this with current happenings with our life and ministry (both the same) to keep you posted but also to dialogue with you about what God is doing in not only LA and Compton, but across the inner cities of America.
Most of the time we didn't know if we were coming or going! So I want to start again, fresh with the blog. Update this with current happenings with our life and ministry (both the same) to keep you posted but also to dialogue with you about what God is doing in not only LA and Compton, but across the inner cities of America.
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Republishing the Blog
It's been a while since I posted here. My upsaid.com account was halted because they froze all the free accounts and tried to get people to upgrade and I had to upgrade our free web hosting at doteasy.com because 20 mb was no longer enough.
With the account upgrade they offer free movable type - so I'll probably try that although I'm liking blogger.com's new changes, templates, etc.
With the account upgrade they offer free movable type - so I'll probably try that although I'm liking blogger.com's new changes, templates, etc.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Experiencing Unity in Orlando
It is always fun to get together with other leadership and see what God is doing around the country and world. But this time here has been even a bit more exceptional.
Let me give a little background. Crusade has been known to partner with outside ministries on a national level. However, at the local ministry level we have not only ignored each other we have often competed against each other. The last 4 years I have seen God do amazing things to begin to change this stain with in our ministry's culture.
Here, I have been even more amazed. These meetings are the first time we have facilitated a time where all the ministries (now over 70 of them) get together to focus on working together and even supporting one another in the area of fund development. Praise God!
We have learned through our experience in urban ministry that this not only mandated but also critical for our effectiveness. When you’re talking about life issues such as teenage pregnancy, cycles of poverty, generational addictions, gangs, etc., you can't waste much time on protecting your ministries boundaries. That is simply not often a luxury (although I'm amazed how much I try to do this).
Now Crusade is focused much more in working together and building into each other. A national director of one of our primary ministries just stood up and said to the effect pf, "if we all would raise up one gift for another ministry each year, the resulting unity would be so powerful we wouldn't know what to do". That's God!
As Steve Douglass, our President said today, God is mobilizing His Body for an unprecedented time of harvest. If I wasn't a part of what God is doing in the inner city, I sure would be looking for ways to get involved!
Let me give a little background. Crusade has been known to partner with outside ministries on a national level. However, at the local ministry level we have not only ignored each other we have often competed against each other. The last 4 years I have seen God do amazing things to begin to change this stain with in our ministry's culture.
Here, I have been even more amazed. These meetings are the first time we have facilitated a time where all the ministries (now over 70 of them) get together to focus on working together and even supporting one another in the area of fund development. Praise God!
We have learned through our experience in urban ministry that this not only mandated but also critical for our effectiveness. When you’re talking about life issues such as teenage pregnancy, cycles of poverty, generational addictions, gangs, etc., you can't waste much time on protecting your ministries boundaries. That is simply not often a luxury (although I'm amazed how much I try to do this).
Now Crusade is focused much more in working together and building into each other. A national director of one of our primary ministries just stood up and said to the effect pf, "if we all would raise up one gift for another ministry each year, the resulting unity would be so powerful we wouldn't know what to do". That's God!
As Steve Douglass, our President said today, God is mobilizing His Body for an unprecedented time of harvest. If I wasn't a part of what God is doing in the inner city, I sure would be looking for ways to get involved!
Sunday, May 09, 2004
Off to Florida
I go to Florida tomorrow for a Crusade development conference... fun. No really, this time it is fun because Tonya is going with me!
My Mom flew in yesterday and we got to spend Mother's Day together with her (for the first time in a while!) and she will watch Syd and Zach while we're gone!
Tonya will hang out, read, do whatever she wants! Now that's a Mother's Day present!
My Mom flew in yesterday and we got to spend Mother's Day together with her (for the first time in a while!) and she will watch Syd and Zach while we're gone!
Tonya will hang out, read, do whatever she wants! Now that's a Mother's Day present!
Friday, May 07, 2004
Crazy May
Usually May has been a time to slow down a bit, winding down in preparation for summer. This May is not slowing down at all! This has been one of our busiest times of the year!
TechExchange (website in progress) our refurbishing center project has been slow to get off the ground due to the Architects concern of using the roof (inside our warehouse) to store computer donations. So hopefully the build out will begin in the next week of so.
We have been brainstorming with several other interested ministries in coming up with some type of leadership development alliance focused on assessing and developing church planters and indigenous leadership. This is an amazing concept that can literally change the face of urban ministry in LA!
We have been talking to the LA County Sheriffs Department about sort of cooperative with S.A.Y. Yes! Youth Development Centers.
Habitat for Humanity in LA has asked us to help identify four families for their new Compton development project.
We are working with TechMission to facilitate the AC4 West Coast Regional Conference Saturday, June 5, 2004.
And I'm trying to focus on raising our personal support up to where it needs to be. The past two years I have been working very hard on our team's overall budget and have neglected our own support. For that reason and some other factors (increase of health care costs, some supporters unable to continue their support, etc.) our need is now significant.
All of this is on top of the normal busyness!
Family Update
Sydney turned 5 yesterday! At the age of three she decided that when she turned five, she wanted to go to Disneyland! So, last Monday we did. It was only 102 degrees, which greatly reduced the waiting lines!
Syd was so thrilled to meet Cinderella! She kept talking about how nice her voice was! Zach was also excited because he got to meet Buzz Lightyear!
It was hot but we had a great family day!
TechExchange (website in progress) our refurbishing center project has been slow to get off the ground due to the Architects concern of using the roof (inside our warehouse) to store computer donations. So hopefully the build out will begin in the next week of so.
We have been brainstorming with several other interested ministries in coming up with some type of leadership development alliance focused on assessing and developing church planters and indigenous leadership. This is an amazing concept that can literally change the face of urban ministry in LA!
We have been talking to the LA County Sheriffs Department about sort of cooperative with S.A.Y. Yes! Youth Development Centers.
Habitat for Humanity in LA has asked us to help identify four families for their new Compton development project.
We are working with TechMission to facilitate the AC4 West Coast Regional Conference Saturday, June 5, 2004.
And I'm trying to focus on raising our personal support up to where it needs to be. The past two years I have been working very hard on our team's overall budget and have neglected our own support. For that reason and some other factors (increase of health care costs, some supporters unable to continue their support, etc.) our need is now significant.
All of this is on top of the normal busyness!
Family Update
Sydney turned 5 yesterday! At the age of three she decided that when she turned five, she wanted to go to Disneyland! So, last Monday we did. It was only 102 degrees, which greatly reduced the waiting lines!
Syd was so thrilled to meet Cinderella! She kept talking about how nice her voice was! Zach was also excited because he got to meet Buzz Lightyear!
It was hot but we had a great family day!
Saturday, May 01, 2004
Where does all the time go?
Do you ever get to the end of your day and think, "Did I accomplish anything?"
If you're like an average American, in your lifetime you will …
eat out 14,411 times (including 1,811 trips to McDonald's!)
spend 13 years and 4 months watching TV
spend 5 years waiting in lines
spend 1 year looking for misplaced items
attend 35 weddings
drive 413,226 miles
… and a whole lot more!
Time and balance are a constant struggke in urban ministry. Rick Warren has a good little article on it here.
If you're like an average American, in your lifetime you will …
eat out 14,411 times (including 1,811 trips to McDonald's!)
spend 13 years and 4 months watching TV
spend 5 years waiting in lines
spend 1 year looking for misplaced items
attend 35 weddings
drive 413,226 miles
… and a whole lot more!
Time and balance are a constant struggke in urban ministry. Rick Warren has a good little article on it here.
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