Bound4Life

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Jul 20, 2005 in Church Technology, Sheep&Goats | 0 comments

“One-third of my generation is dead because of abortion. Forty-five million babies have been murdered,” said Edgar Savage Brown III, 25-year-old founder of the local Bound4Life chapter. Bound4Life’s website claims they are “a nonviolent revolutionary movement of righteousness that will sweep through America and establish a culture of LIFE.” “This grassroots movement is composed of teens and 20-year-olds,” said Brown. “At the events, kids in flip-flops and jeans show up to participate. The movement is inspiring a new generation of young people.” The goal of the movement is to gather ten million people to covenant to pray, vote for pro-life candidates, and obey God. Members commit to praying a 22-word prayer at least five times a day: “Jesus, I plead your blood over my sins and the sins of my nation. God, end abortion and send revival to America.”

Full Article: Bound4Life

Top 50 Most Influential Churches

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Jul 19, 2005 in Church | 2 comments

Wow, Mars Hill (Driscoll) got #23 and another church I attended University Presbyterian Church with Earl Palmer was #45. Kaleo Church must have been 51. :)

Article: Top 50 Most Influential Churches

Emerging Church – From Protest to Proclamation

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Jul 16, 2005 in Church | 4 comments

Modern Reformation’s latest issues focuses on the Emerging Church. ( FAITH A LA CARTE? T H E E M E R G E N T C H U R C H). I found it interesting that D.A Carson’s article, The Emerging Church, cited ‘Protest’ first as to what characterizes the movement. I would have to agree. As I’ve been involved in three church plants personally and a handful of others through relationship often the distinguishing mark is a protest. The preachers typically begin as a reaction against what they’ve experienced. (Sadly, some react from one error to the extreme other side, which is also an error.)

Kaleo made a transition 6-9 months ago from critique, protest and reaction toward a position of wanting to positively lead people. We came up with a (dreaded for some) mission statement:

Kaleo exists to delight in God above all else, to exalt His name among all people, for His glory through Jesus Christ

More important that a mission statement was an attitude shift of ‘let’s stop tearing down what we are against and start building up what we are for’. This shift has radically altered the DNA of our church. More people are getting involved (we doubled in size in the last 6 months), more people are dying to themselves not out of false duty but desire and their is a renewed desire to be the Kingdom of God. There are so many other positive implications that I could list but I wanted to throw this out there for any church planter to consider. Don’t just be marked by protest but be known by what you proclaim with your life.

Schaeffer: Taking the roof off

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Jul 14, 2005 in Church, Culture | 0 comments

Schaeffer is one of my heroes. Great article about his experience reaching the lost, proclaiming the gospel and founding a loving, missional community at L’Abri.

But L’Abri had its genesis in a spiritual crisis that engulfed Schaeffer in 1950-1951. Depressed by church politics and power struggles, Schaeffer wrestled with the question: “How could people stand for truth and purity and God’s holiness without ugliness and harshness?” He became dissatisfied, too, with his own failures to live out the faith as the Bible describes it, according to Mr. Barrs.

Schaeffer felt these problems so deeply that he began to question whether Christianity, if it has so little effect, could be true. Once again, as he did when he was 17, he plunged into Bible reading in search of answers. He found them, becoming convinced that not only salvation but sanctification and the whole of the Christian’s life are by faith. “The sun came out again,” he said, and he found “a new song in my heart.”

Now, in addition to holding Bible studies in the Schaeffer home and working with children, the Schaeffers began discussion groups for their teenage daughters and friends to hear their questions and to tell about the Bible’s answers.

On June 5, 1955, the Schaeffers drew up a plan to turn their home into a place where people could come to work out their problems and to practice “true spirituality.” Without finances and with no assurance that they would be allowed to stay in Switzerland, the Schaeffers purchased property in Huemoz, a rural village high in the mountains with a spectacular view of the Alps.

Ranald Macaulay, a student at Cambridge who became involved with the Schaeffers in the early days (and later married their daughter Susan), said the founding of L’Abri was consistent with its organizing principle: to live in constant dependence on the grace of God. At a March 11-13 Jubilee for L’Abri Fellowship at the America’s Center in St. Louis, Mr. Macaulay said the Schaeffers resolved to do no advertising for workers, no marketing to attract newcomers, no fundraising, and no planning‚Äîprinciples in stark contrast to most other ministries.

The Schaeffers saw L’Abri as a unique experiment‚Äîthey did not necessarily recommend this radical dependence on God’s providence as a pattern for other ministries‚Äîbut the needs always were met. Concerned with reaching individuals, the Schaeffers were content with small numbers. Over time, however, the effect of their work multiplied. Over 1,000 L’Abri alumni attended the jubilee celebration, an event that was equal parts conference and family reunion.

Full Article: Schaeffer: Taking the roof off

Vajrarupini Buddhist Center

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Jul 13, 2005 in Church Technology, Sheep&Goats | 4 comments

“People are Karma-producing machines. That is all we do and all we have ever been doing,” said Jeff Goin, a resident teacher at Vajrarupini Buddhist Center. Karma is the belief that for every action there are effects that occur because of this action. Twenty-five students listened to Goin teach the introductory class, Advice for a Happy Life , based on the teachings of Atisha, a spiritual guide from India. Goin taught on contentment, the third class of a six-part series. “Contentment is happy acceptance of any circumstance we are experiencing. We all want to feel good, to have happiness and contentment. Often we think, ‘I’m a good person. I don’t kick puppies. Why do bad things happen to me?’ It is because of Karma.” Goin said once the students understand Karma, they can understand how the world works and become content. “Karma is built up over multiple lifetimes as you make decisions and later feel the effect of these previous actions. What happens to us is the result of these countless lives before us. Often thousands of years can pass before we will feel the effects of our previous actions. Here lies the key to contentment. If the things you desire do not come, it is due to Karma a long time ago. So keep a happy and relaxed mind. If we are unhappy about someone who is yelling at us, we might as well be unhappy at the tide of the ocean. If we are mad that someone swindled us, we might as well be mad at clouds that bring rain. If you experience praise or blame, if you are poor or have abundant resources, you can be content knowing, I just created the Karma to experience this.”

Full Article: Vajrarupini Buddhist Center