Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Interview with Jordan Magee about Prophetic Dance
Jordan Magee is a singer, songwriter, dancer, and
now a dance drama playwright and choreographer.
It's also exciting to see how others got involved with the
dance drama.
Monday, December 06, 2010
Living Like The Future Is Now
In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael Gerber relates a story he had heard about what Tom Watson, the founder of IBM, had said concerning the success of IBM. It is said that Tom answered his questioner as follows:
IBM is what it is today for three reasons. The first reason is that, at the beginning, I had a very clear picture of what the company would look like when it was finally done. I had a model in my mind of what it would look like when the dream—my vision—was in place.
The second reason was that once I had that picture, I then asked myself how a company, which looked like that, would have to act. I then created a picture of how IBM would act when it was finally done.
The third reason IBM has been so successful was that once I had a picture of how IBM would look when the dream was in place and how such a company would have to act, I then realized that, unless we began to act that was from the very beginning, we would never get there.
In other words, I realized that for IBM to become a great company it would have to act like a great company long before it ever became one.
From the very outset, IBM was fashioned after the template of my vision. And each and every day we attempted to model the company after that template. At the end of each day, we asked ourselves how well we did, discovered the disparity between where we were and where we had committed ourselves to be, and, at the start of the following day, set out to make up for the difference.
Every day at IBM was a day devoted to business development, not doing business. We didn’t do business at IBM; we built one.
(emphasis mine)
From The E-Myth Revisited, pages 69-70, 1995
CHRIST IN US, THE HOPE OF GLORY. "God willed to make known among the nations the riches of the glory of this mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations but now has been revealed to his saints. It is Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col 1:26-27).
The IBM vision of Tom Watson is a good illustration of this
passage. If we live today as if we really are seated in Christ
what would our everyday lives look like? It just might be that
living like we were already mature would cause us to mature
more quickly. Imagine that you and I are the adopted sons
and daughters of God Most High. Wait a minute, WE ARE
ADOPTED SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD MOST HIGH!!!
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Saturday, December 04, 2010
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Our Values (The Ones We Know)
OUR VALUES
Introduction
Every house is built upon a foundation. Gadsden Vineyard Church, GVC, is built upon the foundation of conservative, evangelical Christian theology (see GVC's Statement of Faith). We actively stress certain ideas and attitudes that govern our choices about how we use our time, energy and resources. These are our values.
Our primary value can be stated in one word - RELATIONSHIP. We are committed to growth in intimacy with God and with our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ and to growing His Family - extending His kingdom throughout our community and the world. We want to know God and our fellow brothers and sisters better! We believe our relationship with God and each other is the primary value from which everything else in our fellowship flows. (Matthew 22:37-39) Therefore, God and His children are not to be used to meet our own personal ambitions. We prefer rather to learn to relate to Him and to them in a way that will bring wholeness to our lives. From this basic value come all the other things that we value.
A. We value the PURSUIT OF GOD. We are hungry to know God’s presence, to hear His voice, and to follow hard after Him. (Psalm 63:1-3)
B. We value CHRISTLIKENESS. We desire that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ love, mercy, grace, truth, purity, power, and integrity would shine through all that we do. (Ephesians 5:1-2)
C. We value BEING SPIRIT-LED. We honor Jesus as our head and the Holy Spirit as our counselor-teacher. We seek to be responsive to the Holy Spirit in life and ministry. (Galatians 5:22-25)
D. We value PRAYER essentially because it is our primary means of communing with God and because it is God’s primary means of accomplishing His purposes in the world. We expect God to answer prayer and often experience healing and restoration in people’s lives.
E. We value DISCIPLESHIP and aim first to grow as disciples of Jesus ourselves and then to make disciples of others. To enable people to learn more quickly and with greater awareness, we use a clinic model of teaching and demonstrating in everything we do. (Philemon 6; Matthew 28:18-20)
F. We value THE KINGDOM OF GOD. We believe that when we meet the unconverted and serve them, that God will back up our message with signs and wonders - Power Evangelism. As we love
H. We value INTEGRITY. We seek to speak truthfully, deal honestly, and live uprightly with God, with each other, and with ourselves. (Ephesians 4:14-15)
I. We value SERVANT LEADERSHIP. We believe that Christ has put significant leadership authority in the hands of the senior pastor and leadership team. We aim to exercise that authority with humility, selflessness, grace, care for the sheep and a sincere desire to build up the Body of Christ. (II Timothy 2:24-25; John 10:11b)
J. We value the INDIVIDUAL, single or married, adult or child. We believe that all people will someday stand before God and have their life examined to disclose the degree of stewardship they have exercised in their lives and work. We want everyone we know to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21)
We plan to help one another strive to do all we are called to do in our generation. We believe everyone can and should minister; therefore, equipping the body is a goal in all of our actions.
K. We value UNITY. We are convinced that all who belong to Christ are one in His Body, the Church. We aim to maintain unity by honoring all who call on Jesus’ name and by seeking reconciliation with all parts of His church. (John 17:21-23)
L. We value COMMUNITY, a “sense of belonging.” We are honored by every person whom God adds to the Gadsden Vineyard Church and desire that he or she participate in a small group where he or she can live and grow in a community of love and acceptance. In small groups people learn to love one another and to share in the ministry of reaching the unchurched. (I Corinthians 13:4-7; Colossians 3:12-14)
M. We value REALITY. We aim to walk in the Spirit and expect to see real supernatural works of God. We aim also to function on the natural plane based on God’s leading and excellent, rational thinking. (James 1:5) We strive to hear the Holy Spirit and walk by faith. We also believe that the Spirit’s promptings will go hand in hand with realistic, rational thinking.
N. We value SIMPLICITY. We desire to do nothing for religious effect but rather to operate in a natural low-key, unpretentious manner. We want every expression of ours—whether our speech, our music, our behaviors, and our physical environment to be non-hyped and reality based. We enjoy showmanship and stage presence but value it only as good theater and entertaining. (Philippians 4:4-8)
O. We value BEING CULTURE CURRENT. We aim to develop an atmosphere of ease and to speak, act, and dress in ways to which our culture can respond positively. We want to use music, terminology, and technology to stay in touch with our communities and meet their needs. (I Corinthians 9:19-23)
P. We value DUTY. We believe that as Christians we have moral obligations to perform regardless of what our emotions dictate. (Hebrews 10:25)
Q. We value LOYALTY that is an ever enduring, steadfast, faithful, patient, persevering attitude and action toward other Christians. (John 15:13; Proverbs 17:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-11; I Corinthians 13:4-7)
R. We value EFFICIENCY. We want to get as many people involved in the ministry as is possible. (Current research shows that only fifteen to twenty percent is involved in ministry in the average traditional church setting.) We strive to discover one another's spiritual gifts and calling to encourage each other to grow in Kingdom ministry.
S. We value EVANGELISM and want to PERMEATE OUR CITY and OUR REGION with Kingdom ideals. We want to take the Christian lifestyle out into the lives of the people in our area by meeting in homes and other places. We don’t want to wait until people find their way into a church service. We believe friendship, worship and service evangelism will build relational bridges to the unchurched lives.
T. We value being part of a MOVEMENT. We believe God is going to change the activities and behaviors of current Christianity into a more biblically functional form in this generation. We believe the small group movement is a plan of the Holy Spirit to reach different people groups all over the earth. We value the accountability and exchange with others that being in a movement brings. We believe that existing permanently, as an independent church, can be dangerous and with time could allow a church to drift away from orthodox Christianity.
U. We value being BUILDING (FACILITIES) CONSCIENTIOUS. We will use any space necessary to get the job done to equip our people. We believe the main work of the church takes place in small groups. We have no desire to build a fancy building for attracting people or to prove we have arrived; we prefer our “form to follow the function” when it comes to the spaces we rent or purchase. We work at establishing Kingdom authority over facilities for which we are responsible. We also aim at making our environs as aesthetically pleasing as is reasonable.
V. We value ACCOUNTABILITY. Small group meetings commonly focus on a Biblical teaching related to a life problem. Because one cannot hide in a small group, there is a natural relational accountability in this environment. We believe the leaders and members stay spiritually healthy through close accountability and transparent relationships.
W. We value GENEROSITY. We are committed to freely give away all that we have freely received from God.
X. We value HUMILITY. We know that humility and thankfulness leads to being healthy, mature Christians who aren’t judgmental but lead by the love of Christ.
Y. We value OUR CHURCH CULTURE. We love who we are and our evolving unique church culture.
them, God will meet their needs through our actions and prayers, and we will see God heal and work wonders through His mighty presence and His Spirit’s gifts to all. (Mark 1:14-15)
G. We value the MERCY OF GOD. We believe that mercy is fundamental to all that God does in salvation.Therefore, we aim to extend mercy to one another and to all to whom we minister. (Colossians 3:12-13)
H. We value INTEGRITY. We seek to speak truthfully, deal honestly, and live uprightly with God, with each other, and with ourselves. (Ephesians 4:14-15)
I. We value SERVANT LEADERSHIP. We believe that Christ has put significant leadership authority in the hands of the senior pastor and leadership team. We aim to exercise that authority with humility, selflessness, grace, care for the sheep and a sincere desire to build up the Body of Christ. (II Timothy 2:24-25; John 10:11b)
J. We value the INDIVIDUAL, single or married, adult or child. We believe that all people will someday stand before God and have their life examined to disclose the degree of stewardship they have exercised in their lives and work. We want everyone we know to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21)
We plan to help one another strive to do all we are called to do in our generation. We believe everyone can and should minister; therefore, equipping the body is a goal in all of our actions.
K. We value UNITY. We are convinced that all who belong to Christ are one in His Body, the Church. We aim to maintain unity by honoring all who call on Jesus’ name and by seeking reconciliation with all parts of His church. (John 17:21-23)
L. We value COMMUNITY, a “sense of belonging.” We are honored by every person whom God adds to the Gadsden Vineyard Church and desire that he or she participate in a small group where he or she can live and grow in a community of love and acceptance. In small groups people learn to love one another and to share in the ministry of reaching the unchurched. (I Corinthians 13:4-7; Colossians 3:12-14)
M. We value REALITY. We aim to walk in the Spirit and expect to see real supernatural works of God. We aim also to function on the natural plane based on God’s leading and excellent, rational thinking. (James 1:5) We strive to hear the Holy Spirit and walk by faith. We also believe that the Spirit’s promptings will go hand in hand with realistic, rational thinking.
N. We value SIMPLICITY. We desire to do nothing for religious effect but rather to operate in a natural low-key, unpretentious manner. We want every expression of ours—whether our speech, our music, our behaviors, and our physical environment to be non-hyped and reality based. We enjoy showmanship and stage presence but value it only as good theater and entertaining. (Philippians 4:4-8)
O. We value BEING CULTURE CURRENT. We aim to develop an atmosphere of ease and to speak, act, and dress in ways to which our culture can respond positively. We want to use music, terminology, and technology to stay in touch with our communities and meet their needs. (I Corinthians 9:19-23)
P. We value DUTY. We believe that as Christians we have moral obligations to perform regardless of what our emotions dictate. (Hebrews 10:25)
Q. We value LOYALTY that is an ever enduring, steadfast, faithful, patient, persevering attitude and action toward other Christians. (John 15:13; Proverbs 17:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-11; I Corinthians 13:4-7)
R. We value EFFICIENCY. We want to get as many people involved in the ministry as is possible. (Current research shows that only fifteen to twenty percent is involved in ministry in the average traditional church setting.) We strive to discover one another's spiritual gifts and calling to encourage each other to grow in Kingdom ministry.
S. We value EVANGELISM and want to PERMEATE OUR CITY and OUR REGION with Kingdom ideals. We want to take the Christian lifestyle out into the lives of the people in our area by meeting in homes and other places. We don’t want to wait until people find their way into a church service. We believe friendship, worship and service evangelism will build relational bridges to the unchurched lives.
T. We value being part of a MOVEMENT. We believe God is going to change the activities and behaviors of current Christianity into a more biblically functional form in this generation. We believe the small group movement is a plan of the Holy Spirit to reach different people groups all over the earth. We value the accountability and exchange with others that being in a movement brings. We believe that existing permanently, as an independent church, can be dangerous and with time could allow a church to drift away from orthodox Christianity.
U. We value being BUILDING (FACILITIES) CONSCIENTIOUS. We will use any space necessary to get the job done to equip our people. We believe the main work of the church takes place in small groups. We have no desire to build a fancy building for attracting people or to prove we have arrived; we prefer our “form to follow the function” when it comes to the spaces we rent or purchase. We work at establishing Kingdom authority over facilities for which we are responsible. We also aim at making our environs as aesthetically pleasing as is reasonable.
V. We value ACCOUNTABILITY. Small group meetings commonly focus on a Biblical teaching related to a life problem. Because one cannot hide in a small group, there is a natural relational accountability in this environment. We believe the leaders and members stay spiritually healthy through close accountability and transparent relationships.
W. We value GENEROSITY. We are committed to freely give away all that we have freely received from God.
X. We value HUMILITY. We know that humility and thankfulness leads to being healthy, mature Christians who aren’t judgmental but lead by the love of Christ.
Y. We value OUR CHURCH CULTURE. We love who we are and our evolving unique church culture.
We have a list of about 25 values. Of course, there are move than 25 that go unstated in our local church culture.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Walking Out The Prophetic
Starting a few months ago one of the guys in our church that I have know for a few years gives me "a word" that I should start doing Live Streaming. "Thanks for the word. I'll pray about it." I did pray - a little. A month later he gives me the same word. "Thanks, I will work on it." (I planned to work on it but didn't get around to it.) About another month goes by and he says as he leaves Sunday morning, "The LORD wants you to stream as soon as possible." "I will do the research necessary next week." I start researching. I buy a hundred foot Cat 5 cable. That's where I stop. Life moves on. We are having a speaker come in the next week.
The second night of the conference A. J. Nichols comes in with his PC and says they are going to stream tonight. "You'll need a cable that can handle 100mps, I say." I have one that I got last week. In 30 minutes we had strung the cable, using two ladders, a projector cart and some Duct Tape. We were on the Internet - Live. We continue to stream and little by little are getting better with it. When John Crowder comes a few weeks later a guy in Russia is watching John in real time.
This blog had about 2700 hits in it's first five years. It now has been averaging 50 visitors a day. I bet you can guess when the change started - when we stepped out and leaned into "the word".
Same guy has given me a new "word". Here it is: "The LORD wants you to set up a LCD 50 inch large screen monitor in a front window and show worship and teaching around the clock. A visual sending the Word out into the streets."
I think I learned from the last time that it isn't so much HOW you fulfill the word as it is TRYING to move on the word the best you know how to do it.
Today I stopped by Walmart and looked for a large screen monitor. I talked with the Spirit as we looked at the screens. The most peace was on a Sony 45.9 inch unit. It was priced at $748.97. I'm starting a fund today toward this flat screen. "God pays for what He orders." That's what Kenn Gulliksen would tell us in the early days of the Vineyard movement. If He speaks to you on this, well, cool. If He does not, well, cool. I will let you know what happens next.
The second night of the conference A. J. Nichols comes in with his PC and says they are going to stream tonight. "You'll need a cable that can handle 100mps, I say." I have one that I got last week. In 30 minutes we had strung the cable, using two ladders, a projector cart and some Duct Tape. We were on the Internet - Live. We continue to stream and little by little are getting better with it. When John Crowder comes a few weeks later a guy in Russia is watching John in real time.
This blog had about 2700 hits in it's first five years. It now has been averaging 50 visitors a day. I bet you can guess when the change started - when we stepped out and leaned into "the word".
I think I learned from the last time that it isn't so much HOW you fulfill the word as it is TRYING to move on the word the best you know how to do it.
Today I stopped by Walmart and looked for a large screen monitor. I talked with the Spirit as we looked at the screens. The most peace was on a Sony 45.9 inch unit. It was priced at $748.97. I'm starting a fund today toward this flat screen. "God pays for what He orders." That's what Kenn Gulliksen would tell us in the early days of the Vineyard movement. If He speaks to you on this, well, cool. If He does not, well, cool. I will let you know what happens next.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Rachel Muller - Single: Gaze (All The Days)
or at CD Baby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rachelmuller or at Amazon Music http://www.amazon.com/Gaze-All-the-Days/dp/B004CTCG6Q/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290384157&sr=301-1
It's like God's timing for releasing music. I hear there are more tunes coming in the next few weeks from more of our songwriters.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Scott Parker Songs on Itunes and CD Baby
Scott has released two of his tunes you can now download. At CD Baby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/scottparker1 and at Itunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/psalms-103/id404886762 and at Amazon Music http://www.amazon.com/Psalms-103/dp/B004CV6V3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1290381827&sr=8-1-catcorr Song titles include: Psalm 103 and The King Is Here.Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 08, 2010
Organic First Fruits Worship
Taste and Hear. More of last night's Organic First Fruits Worship at Ustream. Look under Connects over on the right side and down.
The Archippus Within
Yesterday I taught from Chapter 3 and 4 of Colossians. I so like that we get to find out that Onesimus (4:9) is restored. (Part of his story is in Philemon) And that John Mark, Barnabas's cousin is back on the mission field (John Mark's story is in Acts).
In the next to last verse of Chapter 4 (4:17) there's a personal message to Archippus. Mr. Paul says to him, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may continually fulfil it." NASB
The NASB leaves out 'continually' but it applies in our time and culture. So many things continually calling our name, pulling us aside from the important. Don't you find it hard to stay on track? There's a Tat for you to put down your arm: "Take Heed To Stay On Track". What kind of font to use? Maybe in a 1967 Poster style.
In the next to last verse of Chapter 4 (4:17) there's a personal message to Archippus. Mr. Paul says to him, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may continually fulfil it." NASB
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