Agenda for Annual Meeting

Of course, every church, imaginary and real, has to have an annual meeting. Read on for Plant City’s proposed agenda.

Annually we will meet together to pray and discuss our last year’s successes and failures.

• We’ll discern (through fasting and prayer) where we need to focus the coming year.
• Finally, we will end this time with a period of thanksgiving to our faithful God who worked in and through us, His Body, a bunch of branches.

“W” of G.R.O.W.

Finally, Plant City Church (like all churches) has something to say about how services are conducted. We call our services worship gatherings.

Worship gatherings

• Sunday morning worship is a corporate expression of our passion for God.
• Our desire is to reflect the diversity of our congregation and our metropolitan culture in an interactive, participation time of singing, prayer, teaching, communion and discussion.
• Our gatherings aim to touch the heart, mind, soul and strength of each participant.
  (Psalm 86:9; John 4:24).

What to expect:

• Come to the gathering (a.k.a. service) and participate as you feel led and/or comfortable.
• Attend the post-meal event. Everyone is welcome to this pot-luck style lunch. Indoor and outdoor activities will be offered. Grab a few people to talk. Bring your instrument to join those who will be having a free-style jam session.

The “O” in G.R.O.W.

At hypothetical Plant City Church outreach is a must. In fact it’s a must for all churches, don’t you think?

Outreach into the schools, workplace, neighborhoods and relationships around us.

• The demographic of our community is as follows: 31% Caucasian, 22% African American, 32% Hispanic, and 15% Asian.
• As we grow (spiritually, relationally and corporately) we need to spread our roots in order to reach a lost world for Christ.
• Let’s expose them to a healthy Vine (church) and the Vinedresser (God).        (I John 3: 17-18)

Ways to get involved . . .

• Training in the types of evangelism (there’s at least 4 types)
• Engage the world around us by providing church-wide, small group and individual service project opportunities
• Annual Cultural Festival – provide fun, educational opportunities and activities about a culture. Find a way(s) to thoughtfully and in a non-threatening manner to present the gospel –even just a “toe-hold idea.
• Pray for what we are to do, if anything, with the needs in our community. Don’t be need driven but prayer driven.
• Annual Retreat – great way to build relationships and to go deeper in Christ. This would be appropriate event to invite the un-saved, too.

The “R” of G.R.O.W.

Here at imaginary Plant City Church relationships are key. In fact, I think they are key to most church growth.

Relationships through small groups . . .

New members are trained and established Believers are encouraged to mature.

• We started this church as a small group.
• We all have first hand knowledge of how effective it is in keeping us connected and free from sin.
• We want to retain this effectiveness by making it an integral part of our body life.
• It will help all us branches to remain in the One True Vine.

“I do not think it is an exaggeration, says Brian Hathaway,  ”to say that small groups, Christian family or fellowship groups are indispensable for our growth into spiritual maturity…After all, the original small group was Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”   (Hebrews 3:13)

Small Groups to get involved in . . .

• Pastor’s Sermons - Small groups will track pastor’s sermons. In these groups Christian applications of principles will be explored (and not merely ethnic).
• Leadership Development - It is our intention that everyone in the church body go through this since everyone is a leader somewhere.
• Discipleship - Discipleship in basic doctrine, spiritual disciplines, spiritual warfare, and hospitality - a majority of our present congregation is new to Christ and we have four distinct ethnicities in our congregation. Again, there will be an emphasis on application that is Christian and not culturally-based.
• Cultural Education - Small groups will study a different culture one time year and culminate in mission trip to that area and festival.
• Apologetics - Evolution, abortion and other topics that would help our congregation engage thoughtfully with their culture on campus, at work, with family and in the neighborhood.

The “G” of G.R.O.W.

Although this is a made up church, I can see how churches in general encourage such a message.

Get involved in church ministries . . .

• We each need to give of our time, talents, and money, to the body here at Plant City.
• These are the things that have lasting value.
• These are the fruit of spiritual growth.
• As we appropriately and cheerfully give our time, talents, and money we are pleasing God and storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven (Mt. 6:19-21).

How you can get involved . . .

• College ministry
• Cultural ministry
• Prayer

Finished with Church Plant Project!

My Thinking Theologically about Ministry Class required that each group plant a church. My group worked on a plan for Plant City, CA about 10 miles east of Los Angeles.

Our mission statement is …. Inviting all to grow in Christ.

Every good church needs an acronym so ours is G.R.O.W.

• Get involved in church ministries
• Relationships through small groups
• Outreach
• Worship Gatherings

I am off to bed. I’ll share more later!

My Puny 1 Week Attempt at Christian Meditation

I first tried the narrative and didactic visualizations. This was a failure and I felt frustrated. I couldn’t get my mind to cooperate in visualizing the animate details of the passage either as the original event or as personal attainment. I will try this again because it seems like great spiritual power can be drawn upon in the successful use of visualization.

Personalizing and praying Scripture are things I already do and so this was a successful way for me to meditate the following night. Doing this helped me to sense God’s voice and direction for prayer.

I tried singing Scripture on the third night. I was most comfortable with singing Scripture already set in real songs. In fact, this is one of my favorite ways to worship because I am actually thinking about and using the very words of God! I did try to make up my own songs, but felt embarrassed at my lack of harmony and vocal grace. I doubt I’ll try this one again.

The last technique I tried was recording insights. I love ideas, generating them, looking for them and thinking about them. This brought me in touch with God’s voice and it felt intellectually satisfying.

Since I am not an artist, I didn’t try the diagram/draw technique. My biggest liability was an overactive mind.

I didn’t realize until this class that praying- and singing-Scripture, and personalization are considered meditation.

Types of Christian Meditation

For this post, I’ll just list them. And when I have time, I’ll update with definitions.

I have three majour papers left and 2 minor ones and homework for Monday’s class (Theo 1).

These are from Spiritual Disciplines of a C.H.R.I.S.T.I.A.N. by Gil Stieglitz.

This is not an exhaustive list.

• Confessionalize Scripture
• Visualize Scripture - two types (a) didactic and (b) narrative
• Personalize Scripture
• Record Insights
• Pray Scripture
• Harmonize (singing)

10 Helpful Offerings from Habakkuk

Last week I asked y’all to think with me on this book on the following question: What does this passage offer to aid me in my Christian growth and how will I apply it?

Here are my answers. 

• When times are going badly, it is good to review the mighty deeds God has done for me and others. This will encourage me to trust God in my today and tomorrow. This week when I’m discouraged, I will review God’s deeds and thank Him.
• When Habakkuk was pained by life’s injustices, he honestly talked to God about them. This week I will do the same when doubting God’s presence, goodness and ability. I’ll go to God in prayer and honestly say what I’m feeling.
• After Habakkuk prayed, he confidently waited for the answer. I want to do the same. This week when I pray, I want to confidently wait upon God for the answer.
• Constantly hearing about the evil in the world discourages and frightens me. I need to remember that I have a choice as to what I see and hear. This week, I want to be mindful of what type of news I am listening to. I want to make sure that the “good” news takes precedence.
• Many times justice does not happen as I think it should. This psalm and other places in the Bible make it clear that evil will not go unpunished. This week when I am tempted to doubt God’s justice, I want to read psalms like this one and remember that God is watching and at His given time there will be justice, which might not be on earth.
• It is a dumb thing to worship an idol. Unbelievers are not the only ones to worship them. I worship “things” that I dumbly think will rescue me. I need to tell myself the truth about gods versus God. This week, I want to remember and rehearse (in my mind) how much stronger, alive and willing my God is by going over past victories and relevant Scripture.
• When I get weary of the evil on this earth, I want to remember that this is but a dot in time. This week I want to worship by meditating on the idea of God’s glory filling the earth.
• Sometimes God is silent to the cries of Believers, even to my cries. This does not mean God is unloving, weak, displeased, etc. This week I want to take God’s silence in stride. I want to tell myself that God’s plans are not mine. And when I don’t hear back from Him, I can still trust and rejoice in Him.
• Sometimes Believers experience evil. I’ve been the butt of evil. These types of experiences can cause one to doubt God’s goodness and/or sovereignty. This week when I doubt God, I want to discern what lies I believe. Then I want to replace those lies with truth from Scripture.
• Habakkuk ended his book with deciding to rejoice in the Lord despite the evil around him. His rejoicing took the form of reviewing God’s mighty deeds in song. This week I want to choose to be joyful in the Lord. Some of that rejoicing will be in song.

Would you share your gleanings?

Seminary Has Started

For those of you who don’t know - school is in session.

I am taking 4 classes this time around. While I’ll be swamped, it will be an awesome learning time. Many of the books I get to read, I would’ve wanted to read anyway. I’ll share as I go along.

I am taking . . .

1. Thinking Theologically About Ministry - One goal is to have the students look at ministry with fresh eyes. Are we doing the expected traditional stuff because it is the expected traditional stuff? Or because that is the Spirit’s leading?
2. Practising Prayer & Other Disciplines - Our prof’s goal is to have God explode in our quiet times because of the addition of these disciplines. For two weeks I’ll be concentrating on Confession and Holy Spirit Guidance.
3. Theology 1 - LOTS of heavy reading. One of the goals is to develop a theo-centric worldview.  I think I have one, but examination (from this class) will show whether or not I truly have God in the middle of all my life’s thoughts and actions. I am looking forward to discovering what I don’t know and then seeing how learning it impacts my worldview and life.
4. Old Testament 1 - This prof is passionate about Christians knowing the Old Testament especially the first five books. In one class he showed how knowing the Old Testament and geography (yes, geography) expands, enriches and enlivens the New Testament. Wow! I guess memorizing map stuff will be worth that.

Lots and lots of reading.

Please pray that I . . .

• Read quickly
• Retain the important info
• Re-organize my schedule for maximum effectiveness between school and every other part if my life
• Meet with God daily in my personal time with Him

What are you reading right now? Learning in your quiet times? I’d love to hear.