Get Back Loretta

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Nov 24, 2005 in Culture | 0 comments

Get Back Loretta was recently dubbed “Best New Artist” at the San Diego Music Awards. (A friend is in the band.) Congratulations, and I’d encourage all of you to check out their music.

Listen at myspace.com/getbackloretta

Chazown

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Nov 24, 2005 in Church, Culture | 2 comments

I just got an advanced reader copy of Chazown. It should be an interesting read about Pastor Craig Groeschel, who planted a church that is now multi-site.

Chazown Book Description
Vision and Purpose: Dream It, Live It, Attain It Do you wake up each day motivated by knowing exactly why you were created? Guided by intention in every step? Enter: chazown. Hebrew for “vision,” God wants to give His for you, and this book will reveal it! Living God’s dream will rock your world and align every area of your life from your relationships to your finances and health. Chazown is packed with storytelling graphics, in-your-face honesty, bite-sized chapterettes, step-by-step guidance, surprising self-assessments, and scarcely containable energy in a fast-paced style that will drive you forward with purpose! Craig Groeschel cowrote this book, but he’s waiting for his partner – you. Because only you can discover how the book ends and the rest of your life begins…

About Craig Groeschel (Author)
Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, one of the country’s first multi-campus churches, with twenty-three weekly worship experiences at five locations. Craig, his wife, Amy, and their six children live in the Edmond, Oklahoma, area where LifeChurch.tv began in 1996. Craig and Amy’s passion, to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ, is the driving force behind his down-to-earth teaching that touches thousands of people weekly. Craig earned his BA in marketing from Oklahoma City University and his MDiv from Phillips Theological Seminary

NOTE: The book is scheduled to be released March 4, 2006.

Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Nov 22, 2005 in Church | 0 comments

I've begun reading a book by Pastor Tim Keller (Redeemer NY) and I highly recommend it. Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road is a dose of what every church needs as we move toward bringing the gospel to our communities in the form of mercy in serving and social justice. This book is a must read.

New Life Presbyterian Church

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Nov 22, 2005 in Church Technology, Sheep&Goats | 0 comments

“Christians can’t fight battles of sin alone. I failed miserably when I tried to deal with sin on my own. I felt alone. I was fearful of sharing my struggles with others,” said Jim Allsop, New Life Church’s treasurer. Allsop said he appreciates New Life because of the community’s involvement in his life and assistance in his fight against sin. “It’s the body of Christ working together.” Jim Allsop has experienced this community since his arrival in 1991. “A friend introduced me to New Life. At the time, I wanted to find a church that was willing to take on the hard questions about the Bible.” Allsop said one of the difficult questions he came across involved limited atonement. Limited atonement is the belief that Christ’s death on the cross was sufficient only for those who are part of the church. “I always thought Christ had died for everyone. But as I studied the scripture, it became clear that God knew who he was going to save before time began.” Allsop said this belief changed his Christian faith. “This really shook me up. It made me rethink my view of God. I now recognize that I’m so desperate for his grace and mercy every day for the sin that remains in my heart. I’m constantly trying to kill the old [sinful] man and put on the new [Christian] man. It is a daily war.”

Pastor Brian Tallman preached behind the large pulpit, only his chest and head visible to the congregation. “Today, we are examining 1 John 3:4–10,” began Pastor Tallman. “In this text, the children of God and the children of the devil are made obvious by John.” Tallman observed that unlike in John’s time, it has become difficult in the church today to determine who is a Christian. “Today, in the church, there is no distinction in behavior from those inside and outside of the church. According to The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience , those proclaiming to be Christian are no different in their racism, divorce rates, sexual immorality, or physical abuse in the home.” Tallman suggested two reasons why the church has demised: the lack of church discipline and preachers who offer cheap grace. “Preachers today tell people that they can live any way they want. That Jesus makes no demands on how you should live,” said Tallman. Tallman concluded that Christians need to believe the right things about the Bible, love their brothers, and that their faith should manifest itself in how they live.”

Full Article: New Life Presbyterian Church

Church Plant Reality Show

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Nov 17, 2005 in Church, Church Planting | 5 comments

I'm sure many of you have seen this: Hi, I'm a casting director with Bunim-Murray Productions (Real World, Starting Over, The Scholar), and I'm currently working on a TV show about a pastor who is starting a new church. I found your church information on the Emergent Church website and since this is the type of church we'd like to document I thought you may have some good suggestions for pastors who are hoping to start a new church in the coming year. We are still in the developmental stage of this process, but we're looking for a dynamic pastor that we can follow as he plants a church over the course of the year. Some of the costs for the first year will be covered by our production company. If this is something of interest to you or if you can recommend someone else with whom I could speak, please feel free to email or call so that we can discuss this further. Thanks for your time. Best, Jaye Pace Casting Director Bunim-Murray Productions [EDIT : I omitted the Contact Information.]