Greetings,
Hey checkout this new book from Threads ministry called "Tough Sayings of Jesus II."
I think this is interesting and challenging.
Michael Kelley and The Tough Sayings of Jesus II
Check out the interview with Michael Kelly, the author of a new curriculum through Lifeway called, The Tough Sayings of Jesus II. In the interview Kelly explains why he wrote the material.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mROZBOFK-FM
Rev. Fred
Friday, May 30, 2008
HEROS OF THE FAITH!
Hello Friends,
Yesterday Terry and I met the Wade Family at Orlando International Airport on their way back home from the mission field. Chris, Renee, and their children Kelsey, Jeremy, Isaac, Micah, Simon and Noah are missionaries to Croatia.
They complete their first tour and will itinerate in order to return to Croatia and continue the work of reaching Croatia for Christ.
It was a blessing and welcome them home at the airport and hug their children and thank them for completing their task.
Please keep Chris and his beautiful family in the root of your prayers. They are truly trophies of His kingdom.
Rev. Fred
Saturday, May 24, 2008
BREAKING THE MISSIONAL CODE....
Hello friends,
I trust you are enjoying the beginning of a great weekend. Terry and I want to thank all those that were in the military and/or still serving our country. You are always in our prayers.
During this weekend I have been reading this book by Ed Stetzer. He has great information in this book about missions and I recommend it, be a part of your library for ministry resources. This book is great for:
Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Community
I placed the web-site info below in order to help you find it AT A GREAT PRICE!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ed+stetzers
Enjoy your reading and weekend. Talk to you soon, you can tell me what you think about this book and how it can help you understand/reach the community you are commissioned to disciple.
Rev. Fred
I trust you are enjoying the beginning of a great weekend. Terry and I want to thank all those that were in the military and/or still serving our country. You are always in our prayers.
During this weekend I have been reading this book by Ed Stetzer. He has great information in this book about missions and I recommend it, be a part of your library for ministry resources. This book is great for:
Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Community
I placed the web-site info below in order to help you find it AT A GREAT PRICE!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ed+stetzers
Enjoy your reading and weekend. Talk to you soon, you can tell me what you think about this book and how it can help you understand/reach the community you are commissioned to disciple.
Rev. Fred
MINISTRY MARKETING TOOLS...
Hello friends,
I found this resource while surfing the net on one of my friend's blog. I want to share the info with you.
Chris Forbes from MinistryMarketingCoach.com has put together a handy guide to "Facebook for Pastors" you might like to check out. Download the pdf (E-book page, direct link here). The 31 page e-book makes a case for why pastors should consider using the social networking site in their ministry and has tips and ideas for making the most of having a profile on Facebook. Chris is a ministry media strategist and marketing consultant based in Oklahoma who works globally with missionaries, churches, and ministries in reaching people of all kinds.
Rev. Fred
I found this resource while surfing the net on one of my friend's blog. I want to share the info with you.
Chris Forbes from MinistryMarketingCoach.com has put together a handy guide to "Facebook for Pastors" you might like to check out. Download the pdf (E-book page, direct link here). The 31 page e-book makes a case for why pastors should consider using the social networking site in their ministry and has tips and ideas for making the most of having a profile on Facebook. Chris is a ministry media strategist and marketing consultant based in Oklahoma who works globally with missionaries, churches, and ministries in reaching people of all kinds.
Rev. Fred
Friday, May 23, 2008
SERVING CHRIST AND LOVING PROPLE!
Hello fellow harvesters,
On our Church Multiplication blog my mentor Rev. Steve Pike of Assemblies of God U.S. Missions Springfield posted this blog I found interesting"
I remember a conversation I had about 8 years ago. I was talking to a creative leader who had a passion for tangibly bringing God’s love to lost and forgotten young adults in a particular urban community. I asked him to describe what he wanted to do. With much waving of the arms and vigorous expressions of the face, he proceeded to describe what he believed needed to happen in this particular community. “First,” he said, “I need to connect with these kids on a personal, non-judgmental basis. They’ve got to know they are loved. That’s what’s missing in their life. Once they are absolutely convinced that they are loved, then I need to help them understand why they are loved. They need to know Jesus. Once they meet Jesus, then I’m going to help them follow Him where ever He leads. I don’t know what you call that, but that’s what God has laid on my heart.”
After listening carefully to his ministry plan, I immediately responded, “What you’ve described is a church! You want to start a church!” Very emphatically he responded with a firm, “No way! One thing for sure. I don’t want to start a church.” At first, his response puzzled me. But after further probing I realized that this very creative, innovative and prophetic leader had a very unbiblical definition of church. When I used the word “church”, he envisioned a group of people sitting in rows, looking at the back of a bunch of heads listening to a guy in a suit preach, preferably using a lot of “thee’s” and “thou’s.” He was convinced that whatever it was God was calling him to do, it was not to start a church. Fortunately, after further discussion and prayer together, he discovered that what he described was more like a church than most churches. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the last time I had a conversation like that with a leader like that. It seems to me like there is a lot of confusion out there about exactly what a church is?
How does a “church” sound? That’s almost like asking “How does “music” sound?” All music has some common elements like rhythm, notes, pitch, key, tones, etc. But last I checked websites like Rhapsody have hundreds of “channels” of different kinds of music. XM and Sirius each have at least 100 different genre’s of music played 24/7. All this variety is wonderful. “Different strokes for different folks.” Thank God that he has given us freedom to develop different kinds of churches for different kinds of people. Do you wonder if I’m just making that up? Consider what the “ultimate” church planter Paul of Tarsus wrote to the Corinthian church. 19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. First Corinthians 9:19-23.
Those are pretty strong words…”make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” What would it look like if every church sounded like that? What if we majored in serving Christ, by serving everyone so that we minimize the chance that anyone is left behind. As I travel around the country, I’m encountering leaders and churches that are weary of “church as usual.” It seems like God is calling His people back to the basics…loving God and loving people. Now that’s a tune that sounds good where ever it is played!
Post your thought, concerns and opinion.
Rev. Fred
U.S Missions
On our Church Multiplication blog my mentor Rev. Steve Pike of Assemblies of God U.S. Missions Springfield posted this blog I found interesting"
I remember a conversation I had about 8 years ago. I was talking to a creative leader who had a passion for tangibly bringing God’s love to lost and forgotten young adults in a particular urban community. I asked him to describe what he wanted to do. With much waving of the arms and vigorous expressions of the face, he proceeded to describe what he believed needed to happen in this particular community. “First,” he said, “I need to connect with these kids on a personal, non-judgmental basis. They’ve got to know they are loved. That’s what’s missing in their life. Once they are absolutely convinced that they are loved, then I need to help them understand why they are loved. They need to know Jesus. Once they meet Jesus, then I’m going to help them follow Him where ever He leads. I don’t know what you call that, but that’s what God has laid on my heart.”
After listening carefully to his ministry plan, I immediately responded, “What you’ve described is a church! You want to start a church!” Very emphatically he responded with a firm, “No way! One thing for sure. I don’t want to start a church.” At first, his response puzzled me. But after further probing I realized that this very creative, innovative and prophetic leader had a very unbiblical definition of church. When I used the word “church”, he envisioned a group of people sitting in rows, looking at the back of a bunch of heads listening to a guy in a suit preach, preferably using a lot of “thee’s” and “thou’s.” He was convinced that whatever it was God was calling him to do, it was not to start a church. Fortunately, after further discussion and prayer together, he discovered that what he described was more like a church than most churches. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the last time I had a conversation like that with a leader like that. It seems to me like there is a lot of confusion out there about exactly what a church is?
How does a “church” sound? That’s almost like asking “How does “music” sound?” All music has some common elements like rhythm, notes, pitch, key, tones, etc. But last I checked websites like Rhapsody have hundreds of “channels” of different kinds of music. XM and Sirius each have at least 100 different genre’s of music played 24/7. All this variety is wonderful. “Different strokes for different folks.” Thank God that he has given us freedom to develop different kinds of churches for different kinds of people. Do you wonder if I’m just making that up? Consider what the “ultimate” church planter Paul of Tarsus wrote to the Corinthian church. 19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. First Corinthians 9:19-23.
Those are pretty strong words…”make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” What would it look like if every church sounded like that? What if we majored in serving Christ, by serving everyone so that we minimize the chance that anyone is left behind. As I travel around the country, I’m encountering leaders and churches that are weary of “church as usual.” It seems like God is calling His people back to the basics…loving God and loving people. Now that’s a tune that sounds good where ever it is played!
Post your thought, concerns and opinion.
Rev. Fred
U.S Missions
Thursday, May 22, 2008
A TRUE MOSAIC
Greetings partners in the harvest...
During my devotion I came across to verse:
"In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right" (Acts 10:35)
Let me share this story with you.....
The Los Angeles church now called Mosaic began as a mainly white congregation in what evolved into a Hispanic neighborhood. When Tom Wolf became its pastor in 1971, he motivated its members to aggressively evangelize their Hispanic neighbors. The church grew from an average attendance of 40 to 500, with 70 to 80 percent Latino.
When Wolf left the church to serve in missions overseas in 19996, Erwin McManus, a Hispanic born in El Salvador, became pastor. But despite their numerical minority, whites retained most of the church leadership. McManus took steps to integrate the leadership of the congregation, attracting more persons of color. Also, a large pocket of Asian Americans surfaced in near the church. McManus encouraged Mosaic's members to reach out to that community, expanding its largely white-Hispanic racial mix to one that today is roughly 30 percent each white, Asian-American, and Latino, and 10 percent from other racial group.
Finally, without neglecting its traditional overseas missions emphasis, local ministry has been assigned a higher priority, extending outreach beyond the local community to the greater L.A. urban area.
This leaves me to challenge you with this question.
Your response: I believe a spiritual neglected part of my community is...........
Looking to hear your comment.....
Rev. Fred
During my devotion I came across to verse:
"In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right" (Acts 10:35)
Let me share this story with you.....
The Los Angeles church now called Mosaic began as a mainly white congregation in what evolved into a Hispanic neighborhood. When Tom Wolf became its pastor in 1971, he motivated its members to aggressively evangelize their Hispanic neighbors. The church grew from an average attendance of 40 to 500, with 70 to 80 percent Latino.
When Wolf left the church to serve in missions overseas in 19996, Erwin McManus, a Hispanic born in El Salvador, became pastor. But despite their numerical minority, whites retained most of the church leadership. McManus took steps to integrate the leadership of the congregation, attracting more persons of color. Also, a large pocket of Asian Americans surfaced in near the church. McManus encouraged Mosaic's members to reach out to that community, expanding its largely white-Hispanic racial mix to one that today is roughly 30 percent each white, Asian-American, and Latino, and 10 percent from other racial group.
Finally, without neglecting its traditional overseas missions emphasis, local ministry has been assigned a higher priority, extending outreach beyond the local community to the greater L.A. urban area.
This leaves me to challenge you with this question.
Your response: I believe a spiritual neglected part of my community is...........
Looking to hear your comment.....
Rev. Fred
Monday, May 19, 2008
WHOEVER SHUTS HIS EARS......
Hello friends,
Terry and I had a great service in our home congregation Faith Assembly in Orlando FL. Our Senior Pastor Carl Stephens added one more service to our original 3 services on Sunday morning. This service starts at 1pm and we are seeing a great respond during this service.
This service is growing weekly and needs are being met(PTL).
Today is my day off, I will go to the Orlando State Prison and preach/disciple the church behind the walls. I came across this scripture this morning:
NKJ Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. God impressed in my heart that one of the things that grabs His attention is the poor, sick, hungry, lost SOULS in prisons.
Check-out this verse-- I hope it speaks to your heart:
'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me (Matthew 25:43-45 NKJ).
I'm out....... going to get BLESSED
Terry and I had a great service in our home congregation Faith Assembly in Orlando FL. Our Senior Pastor Carl Stephens added one more service to our original 3 services on Sunday morning. This service starts at 1pm and we are seeing a great respond during this service.
This service is growing weekly and needs are being met(PTL).
Today is my day off, I will go to the Orlando State Prison and preach/disciple the church behind the walls. I came across this scripture this morning:
NKJ Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. God impressed in my heart that one of the things that grabs His attention is the poor, sick, hungry, lost SOULS in prisons.
Check-out this verse-- I hope it speaks to your heart:
'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me (Matthew 25:43-45 NKJ).
I'm out....... going to get BLESSED
Taking the Church to the people..........
Your for others!
Pastor Fred
Saturday, May 17, 2008
CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER........
Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?(NKJ Amos 3:3)
This morning i came across this scripture during my devotion that spoke volumes to my heart and journey with Jesus.
Terry and I are in agreement with Jesus in fulfilling the "Great Commission."
We understand that as missionaries we have an obligation to reach the lost in the foreign field with the gospel.
Terry and I will never forget the arenas God has set before us to minister the gospel in the foreign field BUT systematically we have a passion and a desire to reached the un-churched and de-churched in the metropolitan area of Orlando.
Yesterday we partnered with an organization called "Healing the Children" at the "Kids International Expo." Their objective is we have the power to heal children with affliction and infirmities. This organization brings children that need medical treatment in the United States. Terry and I helped distribute filers and meet people interested in helping this organization as host parents for the children coming into the country. Terry and I were host parents to a girl from Guatemala that is with the Lord. Healing the children has been doing tremendous work on the foreign field and in our target area of ministry. One of the needs of the
people in the community we are called to disciple have no medical plan and/or sufficient salaries to pay for medical treatment. Terry and I are partnering with Healing the Children in setting up clinics where the needy can come and receive medical treatment at no charge.
The scripture above reveals to me that God's heart and attention are on the lost, sick, poor and in prison. Terry and i want to be in agreement with the heart beat of God. In return He will lavish His mercy and grace upon those we come in contact with in our missions field whether abroad or here in the greater Orlando Florida area.
What a blessing to be in agreement with God and walk with Him directing our footsteps.
Pastor Fred & Terry
This morning i came across this scripture during my devotion that spoke volumes to my heart and journey with Jesus.
Terry and I are in agreement with Jesus in fulfilling the "Great Commission."
We understand that as missionaries we have an obligation to reach the lost in the foreign field with the gospel.
Terry and I will never forget the arenas God has set before us to minister the gospel in the foreign field BUT systematically we have a passion and a desire to reached the un-churched and de-churched in the metropolitan area of Orlando.
Yesterday we partnered with an organization called "Healing the Children" at the "Kids International Expo." Their objective is we have the power to heal children with affliction and infirmities. This organization brings children that need medical treatment in the United States. Terry and I helped distribute filers and meet people interested in helping this organization as host parents for the children coming into the country. Terry and I were host parents to a girl from Guatemala that is with the Lord. Healing the children has been doing tremendous work on the foreign field and in our target area of ministry. One of the needs of the
people in the community we are called to disciple have no medical plan and/or sufficient salaries to pay for medical treatment. Terry and I are partnering with Healing the Children in setting up clinics where the needy can come and receive medical treatment at no charge.
The scripture above reveals to me that God's heart and attention are on the lost, sick, poor and in prison. Terry and i want to be in agreement with the heart beat of God. In return He will lavish His mercy and grace upon those we come in contact with in our missions field whether abroad or here in the greater Orlando Florida area.
What a blessing to be in agreement with God and walk with Him directing our footsteps.
Pastor Fred & Terry
Thursday, May 15, 2008
FIELDS YIELD NO FOOD!
Hello friends,
Thank you for all the e-mail about our blog. Our system was down for some time and Terry and I been blazing the trail raising prayer and financial support in order to pioneer a congregation in Winter Springs FL. We thank you for your concern, support and prayers.
Terry and I continue to work in our target area connecting with our community. We understand that from our work connecting sociologically a church will evolve from our relationships.
In my devotion this morning I came across this verse that griped my heart about our pionerring and our perseverance raising support in order to birth a healthy congregation.
NKJ Habakkuk 3:17 reads: Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls -v.18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
This is where Terry and I find ourselves at times. Yet we can not comprehend/see God's complete plan for our call we know by faith He will accomplish His desire and Terry and I will always have praise upon our lips......
Talk to you soon!
Rev. Fred U.S. Missions
Thank you for all the e-mail about our blog. Our system was down for some time and Terry and I been blazing the trail raising prayer and financial support in order to pioneer a congregation in Winter Springs FL. We thank you for your concern, support and prayers.
Terry and I continue to work in our target area connecting with our community. We understand that from our work connecting sociologically a church will evolve from our relationships.
In my devotion this morning I came across this verse that griped my heart about our pionerring and our perseverance raising support in order to birth a healthy congregation.
NKJ Habakkuk 3:17 reads: Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls -v.18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
This is where Terry and I find ourselves at times. Yet we can not comprehend/see God's complete plan for our call we know by faith He will accomplish His desire and Terry and I will always have praise upon our lips......
Talk to you soon!
Rev. Fred U.S. Missions
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