Archives For Ministry

Is Age Segregated Ministry Multiplying or Dividing the Church

7.12.2011 — 5 Comments

DIVIDED –

DIVIDED follows young Christian filmmaker Philip Leclerc on a revealing journey as he seeks answers to what has led his generation away from the church. Traveling across the country conducting research and interviewing church kids, youth ministry experts, evangelists, statisticians, social commentators, and pastors, Philip discovers the shockingly sinister roots of modern, age-segregated church programs, and the equally shocking evidence that the pattern in the Bible for training future generations is at odds with modern church practices. He also discovers a growing number of churches that are abandoning age-segregated Sunday school and youth ministry to embrace the discipleship model that God prescribes in His Word.

I am currently watching (listening) to a fantastic documentary, “Divided” that is going to be causing quite a stir in the Church. I’m a bit over halfway through and already knew I needed to post a blog about it and encourage my readers to watch it.

First, the trailer to whet your appetite:

This is especially relevant to my youth ministry and local church ministry friends and family!

The entire film is available to watch for FREE through the month of September – I STRONGLY encourage you to watch this film:

Find out more about the film here – http://dividedthemovie.com or http://www.facebook.com/dividedthemovie

The DVD of this film, Divided is available on Amazon for just $19!

In Family, Ministry, Videos
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Church Membership – is it biblical?

7.11.2011 — 3 Comments

I remember being in grade school and one of my bus drivers picking me up at our house (a church parsonage) and telling me that he was a Christian, but had disassociated himself with the Church. I’m almost positive his reasoning was something about hypocrisy, but I may have been too young to understand such a word. I’m not quite sure why that conversation has stayed with me all of these years, but I have continued to hear of others who have explained away their church involvement (or lack of) due to being ‘disenchanted’ with church due to various reasons.

This morning I read through a terrific article by Pastor Matt Chandler (pastors The Village Church near Dallas, TX) that I think gives some great biblical insight into the subject – and I think you should read it.

Is Church Membership Biblical? by Matt Chandler

One quote to grab your attention –

“When church is just a place you attend without ever joining, like an ecclesiological buffet, you just might consider whether you’re always leaving whenever your heart begins to be exposed by the Spirit, and the real work is beginning to happen.”

The article rightly sets the foundation that church membership IS biblical and that encourages further conversation about what membership requirements look like – encouraging us to look at them through a biblical lens!

What do you think?

In Linkage, Ministry
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Praying for The Mythbusters, President Obama, and for good sleep!

6.26.2011 — 1 Comment

The other night, I managed to record one of Ella’s bedtime prayers:

I love this little girl and the sincerity of her prayer!

(I also love that she loves watching Mythbusters with me!)

In Family, General, Ministry, Videos
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“Jesus Loves Me” in the key of CUTE

6.26.2011 — 1 Comment

Captured these moments after service this morning – Ella and Ezra both needed microphones as they sang “Jesus Loves Me”:

In Family, General, Ministry, Videos
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On the subject of change

6.22.2011 — Leave a comment

I didn’t get to listen to the entire Techology Podcast LIVE this morning. I’m listening to it now here and I just heard something that I had to blog…

Here is the quote:

“Healthy things grow. Growing things change. Changes challenge us. Challenges force us to trust God. Trust leads to obedience. Obedience makes us healthy. Healthy things grow…” (author Tom Clegg)

I had to listen and read that a few times and I’m still allowing it to soak in. And I like it. Do you see the loop?

I also appreciated another statement that author Tom Clegg said in the same podcast, “It’s much more fun to make babies than it is to raise the dead.” while discussing why many young pastors seem to choose church planting over pastoring an established congregation. Good stuff.

Hearing Tom on the podcast today caused me to add his latest book, “Missing in America: Making an Eternal Difference in the World Next Door” to my wishlist.

More information on Tom Clegg at his website, tomclegg.com and missionaltransformationnetwork.com

In General, Linkage, Ministry
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