Life Station Newsletter second quarter overcoming evil

“NWOBA Overcoming Evil in Toledo” “As an act of Love, the Life Station will meet actual needs in the area of food, clothing, Bible Training, Financial lay counseling, employment research/training, evangelism, and Prayer support. The Life Station will assess the needs of persons requesting help from the Life Station and will network partners and volunteers to meet these actual needs. The life Station will seek to overcome evil in the areas of poverty, hunger, ignorance, isolation, and Spiritual Warfare.” -From the Life Station Strategy Document In God’s sovereignty He has chosen to impact Toledo and pursue kingdom advance through the Life Station. Churches, individuals, families, and mission teams from across the U.S. use this powerful work of God to reach people for the cause of Christ. Pray: Beg God that He will continue to provide the resources necessary and the opportunity of fertile soil for the gospel to reach Toledo through the Life Station. We run dangerously low on supplies and are struggling daily to help those who come to us for help. Consider: volunteering, donating, or supporting the Life Station with regular financial gifts. What we can do together in Inner City Toledo exceeds what any one individual could accomplish alone. Dozens of people have accepted Christ this quarter. We desperately need someone to consistently make calls to churches and businesses to ask if they will receive a packet of information and consider partnering with us. A systematic strategy with developing action plans is in place. You can see the strategy on line at thinkingcrazy4christ.blogspot.com In other news: Ariana Rae Stevenson was born May 25th, 2014- a healthy baby girl. Pastor Dan has published a book entitled Think Again: Finding Happiness and Wholeness in a world of brokenness. It is available through Amazon and on Kindle, or by request through your local book retailer- Persons can donate by Credit card at Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org/store. Persons can like the Life Station at Facebook.com/LifestationToledo. Overcoming Evil: Specifically, the Life Station currently provides an emergency food supply for persons demonstrating need, Operates a clothing pantry, and provides emergency toiletries and job search help. All persons involved are offered salvation through Christ and encouraged to grow through training and finding a local church. We help hundreds monthly! When a man has nothing to eat, he becomes desperate. When a man has no clothing, he becomes desperate. When a man has no knowledge of the Lord he becomes desperate. When a man has no hope of employment he becomes desperate. When a man can not provide for his family and his children begin to cry, he becomes desperate. Overcoming evil is about doing the good to triumph over the enemy’s attempt to make men desperate. True hope is found in Jesus and about that I pray we will never sit down and shut up. Wherever you are, whenever you are, whoever, you are, get in the fight. …….Romans 12:21 Facebook.com/lifestationtoledo newheightsfellowshipchurch.org Buy Think Again

Strategy continued for Overcoming Evil (Life Station)

Food The life Station will provide an emergency food supply to those requesting it. We will serve 43609 at a worship service. We will maintain scheduled hours in which referrals may come to receive help. These referral s will be accepted in written form from any government agency or faith-based organization. We will maintain policies to control the flow of resources and to ensure consistent service across demographics. • Food Service, • Emergency food bags • Food Bank Partnership • Referral letters • “Empuzzlement” Partnership • Records • Transportation of supplies • Lead Staff member • Donations Clothing Distribution Life Station will operate a clothing pantry. The clothing pantry will be available to persons coming by referral and to the neighborhood at a designated time. Policies will be put in place to ensure that persons coming to utilize the clothing pantry are not abusing it and that persons have equal opportunity to receive aid from the pantry across demographics. A devotion or short lesson will be presented at the beginning of open time for the pantry. • Clothing Donations • Lead Volunteer • Opening Devotions • Volunteers • Referrals • Sign-in sheet • Questionnaire Toiletries Distribution Life Station will distribute toiletries when they are available. Persons receiving referrals, persons expressing a need, and persons receiving a food supply will be eligible to receive toiletries. The toiletries will be limited in the case of recurring customers to every other month and will be limited by supplies on hand. • Toiletries bags • Records • Donations • Toothpaste, Shampoo, Soap, Toilet paper, deodorant, toothbrushes • Partnerships   Bible Teaching The Life Station will endeavor to make available, teach the meaning of, and live out the principles of God’s word. Volunteers and staff will demonstrate and when possible instill these principles in others. We will treat the truths of scripture as a reality that is not always accepted or understood but is always real regardless of ignorance or distrust. • Mail-in Bible Study (ARM) • Occasional Seminars • Facilities usage • Distribution of Bibles • Baptismal services • Local preachers for sermons • Lay Counseling • Bible memorization (monthly) • Testimonials • Tracks • Printed circulation • What’s your question? Worship The Life Station will host a worship service weekly. When possible, this worship will utilize live vocals and instruments. Volunteers and staff worship leaders will lead those attending the service to worship. Persons will be required to participate in a non-obtrusive way say that others may worship. When possible resources will be devoted to enhance this worship experience. • Vocalists • Instruments • Chairs • Clean sanctuary • Sound System • Bibles • Overhead/power point • Schedule of Speakers • Desk person/sign-in • Records • Reading Psalms Cleaning Life Station will maintain a clean work environment. The sanctuary will be maintained clean at all times in preparation for class, worship, or any meeting. Cleaning checklists and daily walk-thrus will be conducted by volunteers and staff to ensure that the building remains in a welcoming state. • Volunteers • Checklists • Walk-thrus • Organization • Labeling • Clear floors • Wet Floor signs Curb Appeal Life Station will maintain an attractive, outside the building presence in the community. The color scheme, signage, weeds, sidewalks, lawn, and overall condition of the building will be included in this initiative. • Maintenance checklist • Yard work Check list • Lawn Care equipment • Shed Maintained • Arrange for Lawn mowing Services • Professional Looking Signage • Regular walk around Building Maintenance Life Station will maintain and improve the facility located at 402 South as well as the houses owned by Life Station. Maintaining the Building will be seen as necessary to the ongoing function and the continuing existence of the Life Station. Maintaining improving the building will also serve to make persons using the Life Station have a successful experience, removing barriers to their willingness and ability to listen. • Maintenance Check list • Lead Staff Member • Walk-Thrus Scheduled • Repairs needed list • Improvements possible checklist • Tools • Supplies • Workbench • Volunteer profile Network Volunteers Life Station will research, enlist, and organize volunteers from all walks of life. Life station will maintain an active volunteer list which will include those who have offered to volunteer, who have volunteered successfully in the last sixty days, and inactive volunteers being those who volunteered previously and have not recently. The list will contain enough information about the volunteer to further their ability to volunteer and the staff’s ability to relate to them while doing so. • Recent Volunteer list • Master Volunteer list • Activities available list • Records • Lead Staff member • Possible sources of Volunteers list • Volunteer information packet • Volunteer sign-in sheet • Volunteer Registration packet • Volunteer Profile maintained • Volunteer appreciation plan/log Network Financial Partners Life Station will draw together and make best use of Financial partners. Life station will handle banking practices with integrity and honesty. Life Station will inform partners (see communication,) will continually solicit new partnerships (see research,) will flow finances to the ministry as efficiently as possible (see budgeting.) • Partnership Packet • Association reporting • Newsletter article • Secretary • Budget • Email Blasts • Mailings • On-line research • Telephone scripts • Monthly/Quarterly/Yearly Financial Review Budgeting Life Station will engage in Strategic planning of Finances. The budget will attempt to plan for Finances donated, take into account community needs, and redistribute resources as necessary to avoid any financial hurdles. • Budget • Monthly Statement • Food Funds account assessment • Secretary • Director Communications Life Station will accurately communicate details of the ministry. The communications will be scheduled, formatted, and maintained in order to inform partners, potential partners, clients, community members, staff, and volunteers of needs, current affairs, opportunities for involvement, and shifts in available resources, training opportunities, and more. • Monthly reports to SCBO/NAMB • Monthly reports to director • Monthly reports to Leadership Council • Monthly newsletter internal • Quarterly newsletter external • Quarterly newsletter association • Partnership packet-possible new • Partnership Packet-ongoing • Needs list-ongoing • Research-Who has interest • Recorded testimonies • Written testimonies • Updates to agencies • Appreciation efforts • Master partner list • Business Cards • Flyers-partnership • Appeal letter • Website Research community resources Life Station will maintain a database of available community resources. These will include resources that clients may have need of and resources that Life Station may have need of. This master list of resources will be updated frequently and made available to clients who have needs. The portion of the list addressing needs that may be used by Life Station will be accessed to gather resources to further this strategy. • Community Resource List- Separated by criteria of use • Research • Phone Calls • Contacts • Follow-up • Check back on every list on the resource bi-annually Research possible partnerships Life Station will be continually researching additional partnerships. Partners may include anyone who wishes to add resources to support the strategy. The Life Station will not forego any portion of this strategy (especially not preaching/teaching the gospel) in order to enlist a partner. The Life Station will promote its tax exempt status as a benefit to those considering donating. Life Station will break partner research down into several subcategories: Past Financial partner, Current Financial partner, Potential financial partner, Past Resource partner, Current resource partner, Potential Resource partner, Past Manpower partner, Current manpower partner, Potential manpower partner, Past Prayer partner, Current prayer partner, Potential prayer partner. A profile will be maintained on every partner to aid staff in relating to the partner and promoting life station to the partner. • Partnership agreement • Phone calls • Email blast • Website • Internet Research • Personal visits • Ask: Who do you know who? • Communications (as above) • Partnership Profile • Records • Master partnership list • Segmented Partnership list Future Direction and Possibilities We own a house that needs torn down. We own the land sufficient to build a community center. We would like to start a second food service. We would like to hire more staff, equip more volunteers, plant another church out of the Life Station (Meetings begun 11/2013), and win more souls to Jesus! We would like to expand our regular teaching opportunities to include more times, material, and people. Facebook.com/Lifestationtoledo Buy Think Again: Finding Wholeness and Happiness in a World of Brokenness Daniel Stevenson

Strategy for Overcoming Evil Summary (Life Station)

Life Station Strategy Outline Overcoming Evil by Meeting Actual needs Meeting Perceived Needs Evangelism in Toledo Overcoming Evil by Meeting Actual Needs As an act of Love, the Life Station will meet actual needs in the area of food, clothing, Bible Training, Financial lay counseling, employment research/training, evangelism, Life Coaching, and Prayer support. The Life Station will assess the needs of persons requesting help from the Life Station and will network partners and volunteers to meet these actual needs. The life Station will seek to overcome evil in the areas of poverty, hunger, ignorance, isolation, and Spiritual Warfare. Overcoming Evil by Meeting Perceived Needs We recognize that needs may be presented that are not actual needs and may not be able to be confirmed. It is our intention to meet these “perceived needs” whenever confirmation is not possible and resources persist. In this fashion we hope to gain an audience for the gospel as might be the case with the meeting of actual needs. We know that persons presenting needs that may not be confirmed are doing so because they have actual needs even if these actual needs may not be confirmed and so we will be overcoming evil in meeting their perceived needs even if we are not able in the time we have with them to assess and meet their actual needs. Overcoming Evil with evangelism: Spreading the good news of Jesus Christ is the primary way in which God’s people may overcome evil. Ignorance of the truths of the gospel makes it difficult for persons to respond to these truths. How will they believe if they do not hear? The Life Station will make every effort to distribute, preach, teach, and emphasize the word of God especially the unifying theme of salvation through Jesus Christ. Life Station ministry must be thought of as a diverse set of ministries originating in love. These love-based ministries will be the ongoing, everyday efforts of God’s people to overcome Evil in Toledo. They are listed and detailed on the pages that follow. They may change from time to time or the methods used will change from time to time but the focus will remain the same.   facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Buy ThinkAgain

1 COR 13 paraphrase as quoted by Ernest C. Reisinger

Though I speak with the tongues of scholarship, and though I use approved methods of education, and fail to win other to Christ, or build them up in Christian character, I am become as the moan of the wind in the Syrian desert. And though I have the best of methods and understand all mysteries of religious psychology, and though I have all biblical knowledge, and lose not myself in the task of winning others to Christ, I become as a cloud of mist in an open sea. And though I read all Sunday school literature, and attend Sunday school conventions, institutes, and summer school, and yet am satisfied with less than winning souls to Christ and establishing others in Christian character and service, it profiteth nothing. The soul-winning servant the character-building servant, suffereth long and is kind; He envieth not others who are free from the servant’s task; he vaunteth not himself, is not puffed up with intellectual pride. Such a servant doth not behave himself unseemly between Sundays, seeketh not his own comfort, is not easily provoked. Beareth all things, beleiveth all things, hopeth all things. And now abide knowledge, methods, the Message, these three: But the greatest of all these is the Message. Pastor Daniel Stevenson New Heights Fellowship Life Station Toledo newheightsfellowshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo

Breaking mirrors, Swinging bats, and Spilling syrup

Preaching with Object lessons: So, I like to preach and teach the word of God using whatever object lessons I can dream up.. I like to get people up out of their seats to participate when possible and I know I have a few members who really like it to. I don't think there are any who don't like it. If you are one and you don't like it-There's really no need to burst my bubble... Caged enemy object lesson Bondage and Bars Anyway, this last Sunday one of the sermon points was "The same cage the enemy is trying to trap us with-he is trapped with...And we can use the bars against him. We got five or six people up to represent the bars of the cage and the enemy was inside the cage while the subject (Anna was representing all of us) was outside the cage. I gave the enemy (payed by Kary) the key which represented the keys to the kingdom (the treasure if you will.) As much as Anna wanted the keys she could not get close to the cage because I had given the bars permission to grab her and pull her into the cage. Even when Kary dangled the keys outside Anna could not get close enough to get them without being snatched up by the bars. Then, I took the keys and gave them to Sherri who was still seated by Anna. I told Anna that she could go for the keys and she went and got them easily. From her position inside the bars Kary could do nothing to stop Anna and the bars could not reach Anna. Anna had the keys and I then asked, "So who's in the cage now?" Object lessons and reality That's the way it is. The enemy-let's call him Satan is trapped inside the cage and wants to convince us that he has something we want. He doesn't. Bondage If we get close we just might get snatched up like he did. I talked about how some of the bars are laziness, appearances, pride, self-loathing, settling for less, and anger toward others. I say, not me. How about you? Chosen Last week, I started with a whole mirror tile that said invited on the back and I pointed out that evangelism is about getting people to understand that they are invited. When I flipped the mirror over, I asked can you seee yourself as invited. Can you see yourself here... Being prepared for your object lessons... Then, I had prescored the mirror and I turned and snapped it on the edge of the pulpit down to roughly two-thirds its prevous size. I am not superstitious. Anyway, I explained that some people reject the invitation. Thus the group was smaller. Still others, I snapped the mirror down one more size, are rejected by God because they "say yes" but do not live by what they "say." The remaining group is what the Bible calls "Chosen." I then quickly swapped out the remaining mirror piece with a piece that I had prepared in advance with the word chosen written across in red permanent marker. Then I asked, Can you see yourself here. I went on a few moments talking about what it means to be chosen of God and what that should look like in our lives. Teh Problems with Object lessons This hasn't always gone so well. Once, I attached fishing string to the ceiling tiles which was suposed to break when I pulled on it and when I pulled it resisted breaking. It took me several pulls. Just recently I used little squares of material and placed them in the back of the chairs before service. When the time came I asked people to "throw in the towel" as an indicator of surrender to God's course for their life. The problem was, the material edges were shedding and we are still finding little bits of material all over the church-little gold strings from the freyed edges. I shrug. The answer from God Once a long time ago when I was a youth director at ETBC, I got a game out of a book. The game was a relay where teens would carry bowls on the bare feet by stepping in a light layer of syrup in the bowls. They would walk, run, stumble there way to the other line where they would procede to clean their feet while the next person took the bowls on their feet. Right before the game I was looking for bowls and I got the bright idea to use stainless steel mixing bowls so that they would be easier to clean after. However, Syrup does not stick to stainless steel very well and the resulting catastrophe spread syrup all over the carpet in small droplets and I do mean all over. I got down on my knees and scrubbed every last spot with a wet rag. I did this without help primarily because I felt stupid. I decide to pray while I was down there and you know what God said back to me during my prayer time scrubbing syrup out of the carpet. He said, "It needed to be done." No, not the syrup, not the scrubbing, but the ministry. I may be a screw up sometimes, but the reality is that a chosen person's screw up is better than a rejecting person's excellence. Once, when I used a bat and large paper banners to represent breaking free from sin. I swung the bat just one time while I let others do it all but that once. Meanwhile someone was holding each side of the paper banner and the bat was supposed to demolish the banner which had the name of something that has the tendancy to lead people into bondage. It worked every time except, except for the one time I swung. I hit one of the guys holding the banner in the knee with the bat. The paper tore but the swing was off course and I clocked him in the knee. Well, he's still in the church today and he can almost walk normal now. No, actually it wasn't near that bad, but I'll bet it hurt and everyone saw it. I will not quit Here's my commitment to everyone who cares. I will keep screwing up for God as long as He wants me to. I will try anything and everything that is not sin to get the gospel out and to make it clear and understandable. So, watch your knees, I'm bringing the gospel. Is that Maple Syrup I smell? Psator Daniel Stevenson Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org New Heights Church, Church Planting,and Life Station afamilyofgod@bex.net

Flyers

My boys are growing up with a different image of serving Jesus. In their minds a person who loves God (and follows His commands) knocks on doors. They wait to see if someone comes and if no one does they leave a flyer.

Other than myself, my son Aaron has left more flyers than anyone I know. Even full grown men who love Christ and work for Him when the opportunity arise can't compete. I know that this is no contest. Aaron does not think along these lines. Usually, I do not either (but let a father be proud.)

Why wouldn't a person want to spread the word about the most important thing in the universe? Some people still do not understand the mystery of Christ. God chooses through His great mercy and grace to spread that knowledge by proclamation. So be it-let us proclaim.

New Heights set a goal of a 100,000 touches by April 17th, 2011. It looks like, we are on track to reach more like 200,000 touches. A touch is as Stan would say (Stan's the guy who runs the Anime shop in our focus area-you probably don't know him and he's not the most authoritative source to quote but when you're right you're right) Anyway, Stan says a "Premeditated act of decency makes the world go round." So get decent-Proclaim the gospel.

What about those who don't want to here it? Well, I say whisper when they are around. If they are on their way to hell and they don't want to hear the alternative-or believe in hell at all-then why ruin what little bit of enjoyment they have left by preaching and annoying gospel to them? However, we must speak even when people don't want to hear-but no necessarily to those who don't want to hear. Talk to someone who knows enough to listen.

By the way, there are those who are supposedly listening but really they are just trying to drain the strength of your resolve. Probably best to let them go as well... Look for people who are genuinely interested in something better. They are ripe. How do you find them? Tell everyone and the one's who are genuinely interested will float to the top...

So, we flyer. We put the word out. We knock on doors and talk to anyone who will listen. Sometimes some of us do it instead of say...eating. How important is it? I can not adequately express!

The harvest is ripe-I pray the Lord of the harvest send more workers. I pray He continues to send us.

God Bless your labors for Him.

Pastor Daniel Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org

BTW Community movie night 02/25/11 7 PM different movies for adults/children/youth.
Fore more information get our number from the link above and give us a call or show up.

TV commercials

If we put a TV commercial on and it goes out to X thousand people-Can we count that as that many touches?

Backing up that truck (as a friend of mine used to say.) Our church is in the middle of trying to get 100,000 touches by April 17th. A touch is an act of Kindness. While it might seem like a little thing to hold a door for someone or to smile or to say hi (people even look at me funny sometimes) it is what God meant for us to do. Our people are actively making the world a better place. That being said, April 17th is not that far away and we are only in the 30,000s. We have extensively plans to band together and make a difference in Toledo but 65000 touches in a short time even with all the touches people have forgotten to record, seems like a lot.

However, i have produced a commercial that encourages people to consider God based on Psalm 46:10. It;s a feel good kinda thing. It would surely count as a touch. However, does it count if we put it on the TV and lots of people watch it and should we slightly discount the number of touches since ratings are just estimates? What do you think?

Is anyone there?

Well, I think it should and in the end, I'm the one doing the counting. So, unless someone persuades me otherwise you just might get touched in this way sometime soon. Either way I'm going forward cause the most important thing in all of this is to make the world a better place and of course the only lasting way to do that is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He's a personal friend and I want to tell everyone I can about Him. You should really meet Him. Or maybe you already have...

Weigh in on this issue by leaving a comment. I'll axe anything vulgar or inappropriate but everyone else is welcome.

For the Love of Christ, Tell someone!

Pastor Dan
www.newheightsfellowhipchurch.org

Jacket Evangelism

I have a Spidey Jacket. I hope that's not copyrighted... Anyway, it was a gift from my Brother-in-law. Kindness always serves God but this was really cool cause now people talk to me about Spidey and I talk to them about Jesus. It sounds almost too easy but it really works. So, my question for you is what could you do to your appearance or the way you carry yourself/dress etc. to get people to notice? What could you do that is not sin or otherwise unethical in any way but that will get people commenting?

Whatever it is, you could do it and then when they notice you could talk to them about Jesus! In a nation where "American" and "Christian" is often thought to be identical what does it say that there are so few of us living for Christ in any radical way.

He was radical alright! He came as an invader into enemy territory.

Anyway, do something that gets people's attention and then when you have it-say-Can I talk to you about Jesus.

Some people's life, possibly even yours is depending on it.

Pastor Dan
newheightsfellowshipchurch.org