games web site

http://www.group-games.com/

Prayer from FO

God,
Thank you for the worthiness you have given me to pray to you brought to me through the mercy displayed in your Son's sacrifice on the cross and the grace of the resurrection of me in the Spirit that you have given me access to.
Thank you for the creative way you make each one of us and the way you uniquely knit me in love. I ask you to give me security in the way you made me. To have peace and joy for the gifts of questioning and truth seeking and caring for people. I am sorry for the times I doubted the gifts you put in me and did not use them to love others. I am sorry for the times that I used them to prove my worth and identity to myself and others. I thank you for putting in me the pursuit of truth which comes from you. Thanks for showing me a perfect love that I can imperfectly love others with.
Please show me more clearly how you made me and give me eyes and ears to your spirit with discernment of when and how to act.
Amen
Adam

unity- one body

Start- story of my faith;
Jesus, Lord and Savior. Isa43:11 "I, even I, am the Lord,and apart from me there is no savior.12I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you."
Division in family over Catholic /Christian.
But miss Jesus in their traditions. Adventures in missing the point.
It breaks my heart to see people loose Jesus in the details or the form. Don't you get it? It's not about

John 17:23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.

Ephesians 4:3-5 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

How many hopes do we have? Does youth group have a different hope than ICCP?
Does the Catholic church have a different Spirit than the Christian church? Are we many bodies because there is one head and that is Jesus.

Will people tune me out when I mention a certain author or use a line from his book like adventure of missing the point? Will we turn against each other?
Will we keep the relationships in mind? Keep Jesus in mind? How many men do we have faith in? ONE
One God and Father of all.

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Exodus 20:2-6 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3“You shall have no other gods beforea me.

4“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. (What are we putting before Jesus? Why are we not thinking of the kingdom? He is one)

One body
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Find Christ is the head of the church

1 Corinthians 12- we as one body

This is how they will know you are mine is that you love one another.

Prayer in the garden. Blood dripping out his pours about to be crucified and three times he prayes for unity.

"10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephasa”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized intob the name of Paul? 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”c

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. " 1Cor 1:10-24

And What is the wisdom of our age? Do we follow a type of church model? A book? an insight as accurate as it might be

ICCP Testamonies of change in their lives, grace and abiding

Natalie Cunningham (Murray State KY) wroteon August 13, 2007 at 5:10am
Some of the staff may have remembered me when I first came to France, I thought I was going to change the world. I was going to revalutionize my study abroad program, people were going to be saved and filled with the Holy Spirit left and right. I never expected that I was going to be the one doing the changing. This seems like a story that I've relived over and over again, but I geuss until now that I have never learned my lesson.

The first thing I remember thinking about ICCP was, "well it'll be good to worship in english from time to time, but I probebly wont be challenged here, its one of those 'Grace Churches." Oh how the righteous fall and how God can humble those who chose not to humble themselves.

I believe I can honestly say that my semester in Aix was by far my most spiritally challenging semester of my college career. In a different country away from my church culture I was left to question EVERYTHING!!! If I was made to do it alone I don't know what I would have done. I look back on it now and I see every step of the way ICCP was there for me if i would only ask.

I realize now that this church, that I expected to be this small part of my study abroad experience, has become the one body of people that have taught me the most. It's all I talk about here at home. Uganda, how my ideas have changed, the fun we've had, etc.

EXAMPLE OF WISDOM:
Last night I had a friend over who I haven't spoken to in quiet a while. She moved in with her boyfriend and fell off the face of the earth. I found that the reason she refused to talk to people was because of her fear of what they would think. On one of my last days in France I had an amazing coffee with Tasha. There she told me many things, but one that I was able to use to help my friend. She told me "You never have to apologize to anyone for your sin. It is between you and God." Once I told my friend that you could just see the wheels in her head turning. SHe had never thought about it in that way. We were both brought up in a world were perfection was the goal and anything less was a disapointment to your elders and spiritual authorities.

If people take there sin and run, becasue they fear the response of their peers then no healing or repentence can happen. I fully believe in confession of sins, but it shouldn't result in disappointment but love and mourning together for sin.

That was just one thing, not to mention the Pettyjohns taking me in last minute when I got kicked out of my apartment, or the countless fun times; on the roof of the castle, on the roof of Dom's, at Apryl and Tim's
It really did make a difference for me, it was the difference of sitting home watching the clock till I could go to sleep and feeling like i had something to do and people to hang out with.

This was my long drawn out way to say that everyone at ICCP has changed me, soften me and shown me what Grace was all about.
Darren, Julie, Dom, Andy, Keri, Lindsey, Pat, Tasha, Adam, April, Tim, Teal, Meagan, and the Bates family who also loved me while I was there
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing. You are making a difference and world will feel a change from all the work you are doing.

(p.s. please don't be offended if i happened to misspell your name, obviously spelling has never been my strong point)Report
Post #2Darrin Jones (France) replied to Natalie's poston August 27, 2007 at 12:48am
Natalie - thank you for your encouragement...
Amazing what God can do in a "Grace Church" isn't it??
After all, it's only in an atmosphere of grace that we can honestly deal with our real stuff.
Keep spreading the "infection" girl - you are awesome!!Report
Post #3Lindsey Pettyjohn (Indiana) replied to Natalie's poston August 31, 2007 at 10:30am
natalie,

that part where you said: "We were both brought up in a world were perfection was the goal and anything less was a disapointment to your elders and spiritual authorities."?...

i can totally relate...and the sad part is that that's totally what Jesus was NOT about...look at all the people he hung out with...the "unperfects". i think it's great that you can be there for your friend. keep on doing it. and remember that our goal is Jesus and living for him, not just pleasing our elders and spiritual leaders--'cause they're just as messed up as the rest of us. ;O)

Report
Post #4Rebecca Pearson Rudy (Eastern) wroteon September 29, 2008 at 2:43pm
My husband and I are going through a struggle of grace at our church and I am constantly encouraged remembering my experience at ICCP as well. The message of grace and "abiding in Christ" has been one point that keeps me moving forward in my own church. I have shared podcasts with my husband who is equally encouraged depsite that he has never been in fellowship at ICCP. I just want to second the complement to ICCP of being spiritually challenging and want to pray blessings to rain down in Aix.

Hil's notes on Morris

Download the original attachment
Hil & Dom breakfast with Linus & Sharron Morris:


-for ICCP, how do we reach more people than we’re losing?

(gradually build up the core of people staying)


-In MINISTRY, Linus and Sharron learned to set boundaries the hard way. Here are their examples:

*turn off phones at dinner

*email and make phone calls in one or two blocks of time a day, and that’s it- this allows you to have more emotional and relational time/creates space

*take days off


-In MINISTRY over the years, Linus & Sharron saw each other as a team…”we are in ministry together”



STAFF MEETING WITH LINUS & SHARRON:


-view transient community as an opportunity- NOT a future loss…view it as if you are making a “deposit” into these people’s lives


-ask God to always make what I am doing “fresh”


-Linus talked for a bit about Corey Ten Boom (look her up...the movie “The Hiding Place” was made from her autobiography)


-God uses friction!!

When there is friction in someone’s life, it is a sign that it is the beginning of God trying to do something in their life. The person has probably been pushing it away for a while. If you don’t deal with it/lean into it, then it will just cycle back. The person is only delaying the inevitable and ultimately, making life harder on themselves.


-Linus talked about how Christians can be ”crazy making” – a person who is not self-reflective, open to learn and to be taught and hear the ‘hard stuff’ (truth) often starts feeling “crazy” when we talk with them because what we are pushing doesn’t fit into their life’s perspective.


-PARENTING IN MINISTRY.

With parenting, view the entire family as being in ministry- kids, too. Bring the kids into it, do not try and protect them and have them off to the side away from adults and ministry (struggles and pain are a part of life!)


-----LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT-----


*Ask “in 5 years from now, what do we want to see?”

1) Continue to look out, reach out, and draw people in

2) Build a strong community

3) Watch for who will potentially rise up into leadership positions to help sustain (mixed marriages, French people, long term stays)

-develop them so that they take responsibility for some part of the ministry

-have the perspective of “WHAT WILL OUTLIVE US? Continue on without us?”

4) Ask “How do you develop those people along the way (in both organic and linear ways)?”

-last step…those people mature into leadership




-----5 OLYMIC RINGS-----


1) Ministry Development: understand passions, spiritual gifts, etc.

2) strategic Development: having some goals and outcomes in view (steps)…from coaching use the

S=

M=measurable

A=attainable

R=

T=

3) Character Development: the alignment of what we profess and project on the outside VS. what we have going on inside

-DO THE WORK, you’ve got yourself on your hands

-LEAN INTO IT!

-irritants (Hud keeps poking away at stuff we don’t even realize are issues)

4) Emotional Development (E.Q. not I.Q.)

-Ask “What is my intent?” and “What is my impact?”

5) Spiritual Development: being consistently connected with God- not mechanically either (being open to sensing His love, be out in nature, etc.)


<>







---------------

-do not ignore your spiritual conscience, spiritually CHECK-IN, if it doesn’t feel right, then listen to that

*example: Linus having to apologize in front of a large group…a few years ago he was at a conference and he felt that he should not get up and talk, then was pushed into it by one of the other speakers and while he was speaking, seriously put his foot in his mouth and ended up making people really angry, so he had to come back later and apologize- if only he has listened to the initial inner nagging telling him to not get up and speak in front of that group)


-read “Spiritual Leadership” by Sanders


-Ask yourself what you need to KEEP doing,
Ask yourself what you need to STOP doing,
And ask what you need to START doing.


-USE post-its, everyone write down 3 expectations & then put them on the wall…go through them together


-key words for a team: collaborative, humility, graciousness


-read “The Search To Belong” by Myers, we need a combination of the following four spaces…

1) PUBLIC space (ex: a lot of people gathered at a football game)

2) SOCIAL sPACE (small talk, snippets of catch up, serve the city)

3) PERSONAL sPACE (small groups, Alpha course, asking “How did the Connect conference go? What were some highlights?” etc.)

4) INTIMATE space- only a few select people, there’s more safety

*PERSONAL space and INTIMATE space often get confused!!


-Create ‘social space’ before and after the Sunday service or whatever event the church is putting on (a lot of church offer a coffee hour before, or the option of have dinner together afterwards, etc.)


-with serve the city, have a musical concert at the end




-----SINGLE PEOPLE/Women in CA-----

-CA values women in ministry and leadership

(Melinda, Katharine, Ruth Craig, Deb Hirsh, Rita, etc.)


-Singles, let couples be couples & Couples, let singles be singles



-----Tying Shoe Laces VS. Stretching Rubber-Bands-----

-TYING shoe laces (connecting others together) VS. Stretching rubber-bands (when people need to step up and take responsibility: example of child care- “Ok, everyone with a child- both father and mother- need to help out once a month with our Kids Program- then they are getting stretched)


-At a team meeting, check-in with each other about who might have a situation where someone is glomming on/needy, etc. (where you feel trapped)

*Some counselors/churches have an “ONLY 3 MEETINGS” rule, only 3 sessions so you don’t get absorbed by just a few community members (needy, clingy, etc.)


-Constantly communicate your vision- keep it visible!! Vision leaks!

Every message should have an element or reminder of vision

Definition: Vision is a picture of a preferable future




---------

-Why are we different? “we re-engage people”!

-we initiate, some people cannott handle it, they don’t know what to do with it, we’re on the offensive here…it’s a rare thing, most people just react/are defensive


-“AS YOU GO” DISCIPLEHSIP


-1 good purpose I wrote down that Linus said (he mentioned several): “equipping believers for effective ministry”

Bell on forgiveness

Forgiveness different from consequences and justice.
Consequences may be what it takes for them to change their ways.

Tim Keller (the reason for God)- “Agony to refrain from lashing out on someone. It is a form of suffering. You are absorbing the debt, taking the cost completely on yourself instead of taking it out on the other person. It hurts terribly. Many people would say that it leads to a kind of death.
But it is a death that leads to resurrection instead of the life long living death of bitterness and cynicism. You are not giving it any fuel and so the resentment burns lower and lower.”

You can’t be angry with a nameless organization. You are angry at a particular person within the church. To be free from those you need to name those people and forgive.

Forgiveness is a process. Sometimes lasts a lifetime like grief it isn’t just a once and over deal.

Samson ex. of revenge escalating.

Passive revenge
Secret celebrations

Pray for those who persecute you.

1 Peter 2 did not retaliate or issue threats, trusted himself to God who issues justice

Do not repay evil for evil.

Others, they should pay in this way in this timeframe. But me…

Anger builds up, waiting for a recipient to pass it off to. EX of elevator in EQ where they think of all the mean reasons that the elevator is not coming down yet, that someone is being careless with it instead of some benign reason.

There is another option

Say the pain will stop right here with me. Will we take hate, anger, and hurt and keep it in circulation? Enter into the Christ pattern of forgiveness.

Parker Palmer, “The cross says the pain stops here. The way of the cross is a way that absorbs pain and doesn’t pass it on, a way that transforms pain from a destructive impulse into creative power. When Jesus accepted the cross his death opened up a channel for the redeeming power of love.”

Source: Rob Bell at Boyd's church

prayer for the need

I am feeling very heavy hearted about finding a new person to take over youth group when we leave. I feel called to get my education and what to have kids before too long. Where do I go from here? Do we wait? Stay? How will youth group move on? Who will love these kids? Who will walk with them to show them Christ is walking with them? Who will introduce them to a savior? Let them know that our world is broken and in need of a savior? Teach them about the kingdom? Encourage and love them?

I will miss them greatly if I go. Could I even go if they were not cared for? What kind of tradgedy would that be.

Lord,
Bring yours here. Show yourself in them. Reveal them.
Make your self and your will know to us.

We need you in this. We need you.

In love,
Adam