Archive for: ministry

Letters from Jail: Ephesians – Part 2

Posted by Jeff on Saturday, February 5th, 2011 | Comments (0)

We’re still moving through Ephesians, but not quickly. Here’s the questions for this week:

Chapter 3

3:1-13
What is the “mystery” (3) of which Paul is given “administration” (2, NIV) or “stewardship” (2, ESV) over? (Look where it shows up later in this chapter too.) To whom is this mystery now made known? How long has this been a part of God’s plans?

How did Paul come to know the Gospel? To what extent can we learn the same way? Does this mean we should get rid of commentaries, group discussion, classes or Bible study? Why or why not?

How does Paul describe the Gentiles in verse 6? Why does Paul focus on this theme in this letter? Why might the readers have needed to hear it repeated? What types of people might feel awkward or uncomfortable in church today? How can we break down those barriers?

What is the role of the church in God’s plan (6, 10)?

Paul writes that we have boldness and confidence though faith in Christ (12). What does that result in? Is that always easy? Why or why not? How would you explain the Gospel to someone using verse 12?

What is Paul’s all-consuming desire? How do we know what it is? How would friends describe your all-consuming desire?

3:14-20
What is the biggest thing you can think of? What is the biggest thing in the universe? How would you describe it?

What does Paul pray for the Ephesians? Outline the elements of this prayer.

What does it look like for God to strengthen the “inner man”?

Considering 2:19-22, why does Paul pray the way he does here? Is Christ dwelling in our hearts permanent or temporary? How should that change us?

Have you ever been overwhelmed by God’s love? What does it mean that this love “surpasses knowledge”? What is the result of this in our lives?

Which of the above elements of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians have you most felt the need for in the past? Which do you need the most right now? Which are your family or friends most in need of?

Paul’s prayer life and ministry might be described here as feasting. Are most believers feasting or fasting on God’s love?

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Categories : curriculum, ministry, small groups

Back to Blogging…

Posted by Jeff on Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 | Comments (0)

For the most part my blog has been silent for a while. While there have often been things worth writing, all my energy has been focused on writing what we came to call “The Paper”. Finding out that my project was approved by the outside reader (as required by the program) was an early Christmas present. So, I am officially on track to graduate in the spring. And although I have a few minor tasks left for school, including a presentation at graduation, I am about to not be a student–for the first time in a long time!

A few pieces of “The Paper” will show up on the blog. Since I had to cut off so much of it to fit the maximum number of pages, you may get the unedited version from time to time.

For now, I’d like to leave everyone with a few thoughts from the Acknowledgments section of the project:

I cannot begin to thank all the people in my community or a part of the church I currently serve or the churches, communities, and ministries I have served in the past. It has been a privilege to serve you as I serve Christ and try to live out the gospel, following Paul’s model of sharing the gospel and my life (1 Thess. 2:8). Thanks for putting up with the drafts of this project. You may not have read them, but you heard them in my preaching, leadership coaching, Bible studies, small group meetings, and countless conversations over coffee.

Most of all, I thank God, who not only created me, giving me the intellect and will to pursue education, but transformed my life. An encounter with the life-giving grace offered through Jesus changed my heart, mind, and career plans. It has been an unmerited privilege to follow and serve Him in ministry while being molded, shaped, and led by the Holy Spirit.

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Categories : life online, ministry

Into the Deep-How Sermons Typically Come Together for Me

Posted by Jeff on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 | Comments (6)

I had the opportunity to preach this Sunday. I love preaching. It’s challenging and rewarding. I’m always blown away at how God uses my personal time seeking Him to challenge and encourage others in their faith.

From the beginning of my life as a blogger, I have always sought to share my life and what God is doing in it. Preaching is an enigma to most people. The average person who listens to sermons gets up, goes to church, hears a sermon–and probably has no idea how that sermon came to be. While I can’t speak for others, I can show you how the sermon I preached this morning came to be–and through the convenience of mp3s, you can even listen to the final product.

Stage 1: Reading & Praying
I read the Bible–and I love to study it. It’s the primary way God speaks to me. When I read it, often passages stand out. When they Read More→

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Categories : ministry, sermons, spiritual formation
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Preaching to Young Adults-The Interview Project Conclusions

Posted by Jeff on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 | Comments (0)

After the first trip, including the visit to Frontline, I performed a wedding for a friend who lives in Washington D.C. and works as a lawyer. His former law professor and current employer was seated with me at the reception. In making conversation, we talked about the “Interview Project” and my recent visit to the Washington D.C. suburbs. Very interested in the project, the older gentleman asked if it was necessary to be younger to reach the younger generations. Most American churches interested in attracting and retaining significant populations of twenty-somethings either explicitly or implicitly respond to that question. Many churches do not seem to notice the missing 18-35 year olds in the church or dismiss it as a temporary situation. The churches that do notice and take action mostly respond by hiring a young, cool, hip guy to reach twenty-somethings, thereby implying that it is a job best accomplished by a younger generation. While hiring a younger person often means there will be a common culture, Read More→

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Categories : Interview Project, interviews, ministry, road trips, young adults
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Preaching to Young Adults-The Interview Project #5

Posted by Jeff on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 | Comments (0)

ADVENTURE #4: VALLEY CHURCH (ALLENTOWN, PA)

Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Valley Church originally existed as Christian Life Community Church. Under Eric Miller’s leadership, the church transformed into Valley Church. Eric’s brother Craig served on staff at a large Assemblies of God church near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After leaving staff, Craig relocated to Allentown to work alongside his brother at Valley Church. When Craig relocated, a group of young adults decided to move as well. Quitting their jobs, they moved across the state to find new employment and serve as volunteers at Valley Church. While not technically a church plant, this variation of the Team Planting model demonstrates the commitment to community and mission, which affects the nature of the church.  When asked about the change in dynamics, Eric notes that the contingent from Harrisburg brings servanthood and loyalty to the table—but to others it can appear to be Craig’s posse. The addition of Craig to the staff frees Eric from being solo pastor and having to have a hand in everything. Craig’s unstructured and creative nature balances Eric’s structured and academic personality. Their chemistry and complementary relationship creates a unique dynamic that others notice and appreciate.1 Read More→

  1. Ed Stetzer, Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2003), 64-69. [↩]
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Categories : Interview Project, interviews, ministry, young adults
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Preaching to Young Adults-The Interview Project #4

Posted by Jeff on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 | Comments (0)

ADVENTURE # 3: LCBC (MANHEIM, PA)

LCBC originally stood for Lancaster County Bible Church. At some point, the meaning behind these letters became Lives Changed by Christ, which better reflects the current vision and reach of the congregation. LCBC broadcasts their sermons live to a multi-site about an hour away. Since each uses a live band, this requires coordination of the timing between services. A high-energy feeling permeates the sanctuary. Broadcast quality lighting, stage décor and professional sounding musicians produce a worship experience equivalent to or better than many concerts. Read More→

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Categories : Interview Project, ministry, young adults
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Preaching to Young Adults-The Interview Project #2

Posted by Jeff on Thursday, April 30th, 2009 | Comments (1)

ADVENTURE #1: MERCYHILL (STATE COLLEGE, PA)

mercyhillchurchThe start of many churches contains unique elements. Mercy Hill’s genesis is perhaps the most unique church in the Penn-Del Conference of the Assemblies of God. In order to reach the population of twenty-somethings not attending State College Assembly of God (SCAG), Mercy Hill began through a staff member of SCAG, Keith Davis. With SCAG’s permission and blessing, Mercy Hill launched as an independent congregation within the same college town as SCAG. While operating independently, the two churches continue ties. In fact, SCAG serves Mercy Hill by brewing and delivering the weekly coffee for Mercy Hill’s services.

Mercy Hill meets in a movie theater in State College. Storefront churches have long been a part of American church planting. High visibility in the midst of where people already congregate allows churches easy access to potential “customers”. This merging of the marketplace and faith is attractive to younger generations, making the movie theater the new storefront. Read More→

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Categories : Interview Project, ministry, road trips, young adults
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Preaching to Young Adults-The Interview Project #1

Posted by Jeff on Friday, April 24th, 2009 | Comments (2)

The Beginning of the Journey

“What type of preaching reaches young adults?” is a question I ask myself repeatedly as I attempt to speak and preach about faith in Christ in a way that connects with twenty-somethings.1  With a variety of styles and values available to a speaker, how and what they choose reflects their own beliefs and values and also influences how the message is heard. The message the majority of American churches preach is not connecting with young adults. Church attendance among the youngest generations continues to decline. Reggie McNeal cites a study by Dawson McAlister, a nationally known youth specialist, on persons actively involved in high school youth groups as teenagers. Ninety percent of those actively participating as teenagers no longer attend church by their sophomore year in college. One third of those never return to church as they mature.2 Using statistics by David Barrett, Stephen Lim notes that globally, the number of committed Christians continues to grow two times faster than the world population. In the United States, however, younger generations decreasingly identify themselves as Christians.3 Thom Rainer surveyed 1300 people in each of the four generational groups. Rainer found that sixty-five percent of Builders (born before 1946), thirty-five percent of Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), fifteen percent of Generation X (born between 1965 and 1976) and only four percent of Generation Y (born between 1976 and 1994) responded to survey questions in such a way as to be identified as born again.4  There is an obvious disconnection between the church and younger generations. This series of blogs is about a journey to observe, experience, evaluate and reflect on ministries and churches that are attracting young adults. Read More→

  1. Although variously defined, young adult normally refers to people approximately 18-35 years old. This term is often used interchangeably with twenty-somethings. However, for the purpose of this series of blogs, twenty-somethings shall refer to the subset of young adults approximately 18-29. [↩]
  2. Reggie McNeal, The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003), 4. [↩]
  3. Lim, Stephen. “Leading Missional Ministry.” Class notes for Core 2 Course at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, MO, June 11-14, 2007. [↩]
  4. Reggie McNeal, The Present Future, 4 [↩]
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Categories : Interview Project, interviews, ministry
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Reaching the Campus Tribes-free eBook

Posted by Jeff on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 | Comments (1)
reaching the Campus tribes

I love road-trips to observe and interview people doing ministry among young adults and twenty-somethings. It’s exciting to see the creativity and passion that God has given people as they connect with younger generations. Benson Hines “recently returned from a yearlong road trip researching Christian college ministry around the U.S. After 181 campuses, 44 states, and hundreds of interviews.” I stumbled upon Benson’s Facebook Group a while back and excitedly joined it. Today, he announced through his Facebook Group that his site was live and his free eBook, Reaching the Campus Tribes (An Opening Inquiry), is ready for downloading. If you’re excited about what God’s doing on college campuses, you will want to check it out.

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Categories : books to read, ministry, road trips, young adults
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Small Groups Roundtable – March 2009

Posted by Jeff on Sunday, March 8th, 2009 | Comments (0)

This week, I had the opportunity to connect with some other small group leaders in the Washington DC area, which as hosted by National Community Church. OK, I don’t live in DC, but I enjoy hanging out with other leaders who are helping other connect in community, so it’s worth the drive and three Metro trains it takes to get there. And, having the meeting at Ebeneezers makes it that much easier to endure the travel.

Of all that we discussed, two questions stood out to me:

How do you measure success in small group ministry?

To be frank, it’s hard to get away from measuring attendance and number of small groups. While number measurements don’t necessarily capture the quality of community or life change, quality community often goes hand in hand with numerical growth. Rather than the number of groups, maybe a better indicator would be the percentage of people involved in groups.

If you could magically change one thing about your small groups ministry, what would it be?

One word: Training! I’ve been to too many “leadership training” events that are fun and encouraging, but send me home no more prepared to lead than when I came. Since I find myself spearheading the small groups leadership training at my church, I want to provide training that really helps leaders lead people into community and life change.

As we discussed the second question above, we talked about resources that might be valuable in designing a leadership development program. Good resources make all the difference in the word. Here are a few to check out:

Leading Life Changing Small Groups, by Bill Donahue
Excellent small group leadership translates into more life-change in community from some of the leaders in small group ministry–Willow Creek.

Coaching Life Changing Leaders, by Bill Donahue
Ideally, small group pastors/directors are responsible for coaching leaders to lead and this book teaches leaders to do that.

Creating Community, by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits
A look at how North Point is creating a culture of community and helping people develop meaningful relationships.

I’m currently surveying small groups pastors that I know about which resources they find most helpful in training leaders. My hope is to build a leadership training system that will equip leaders to lead groups effectively–and equip other leaders to come alongside those leaders and coach them to greater success. This small group leadership pipeline will likley consume most of my reading time in the coming months. So, hopefully this list will be more extensive in the near future…

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Categories : books to read, community, leadership pipeline, ministry, small groups
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