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.
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Marching Band, Extracurriculars, and Learning to Live
Marching Band
My daughter is a flautist (I just love that word-It sounds like your beating someone up with something like a garden hose.) It actually means you play the flute.
Anyway, my daughter is a flautist in the local high school band. The band has gone through some changes in the past couple of years. They have an ambitious leader and some policies have been changed. For example, pretty much every student that is part of the band is now required to be in the marching band.
I'm not sure about requiring it but I think it's generally a good idea.
I think that extra-curriculars are about service. I know. Our nation has trended toward the worldly thought that leadership is not about humility. If our society remembered that leadership is about service then it would see extracurriculars as training for leadership. A person is a better person because he serves others. He is a better person because he wants to serve others.
Service forgotten
However, our current social condition as a country seems to forget the service aspect. This is probably because schools have now become a baby-sitting service for over-employed parents or otherwise occupied anyway. Academics as well as extracurriculars which should be geared toward making a productive member of society (and in our school system as far as I can see they are.) But, this is not the entire battle. People need to be trained for charitable service. True charitable service is grueling. When you are through, you fall on your bed exhausted.
Students mostly need not practice their extracurricular on their own. They should but they don't because to them it is not about being the best you can be or serving others with a true servants heart. Factually, even Christian students who should be doing their work as if they were doing it for God rarely go the extra mile. This is probably because things in their life vie for their time and actively pursuing skill in representing your school in service in a certain area does not outweigh the cultural barrage.
Was there a day when students were encouraged by their parents and teachers to serve their fellow students with untiring effort? Did students regularly practice their instruments, their cheers, and whatever other extra-curricular abilities? Not sure actually...
However, I know that if it existed under a public school system like the one we have now it was somewhere between the need for twelve year olds to drop out and get employed and the need for eighteen year olds to stay in and grow up.
If we encouraged our children to make their extracurriculars about serving others would we look freakishly odd? Maybe the student body doesn't want to be served. Maybe in today's world it is assumed that persons who participate are doing it because they like to do it-because they were wired to do it. How does being uniquely equipped to do something disqualify you from using your gift for others' benefit?
The world has been turned upside down from what the King (God) would want. I suppose that's why people have to be BORN AGAIN (Fresh Start in Christ) because they have been raised in a world of different values from the Kingdom values. I suppose that's why parents of Christian families always have to wonder whether their children would be better off in a private school.
Here's my cry to educators. Stop and examine why you do what you do. Tomorrow is at stake.
Bible removed from Schools
When today was at stake we outlawed teaching the original text book (The Bible.) We lost sight of unique values that genuinely make a world better even when the person is not sold out for Christ. Most self help books are somehow based in things one could learn from the Bible. The strength to aggressively follow what the Bible says comes from the Holy Spirit but every person could get value out of a life style of service and doing unto others what they would have done to them.
So, cut the sovereignty of God and the fear of judgment if you must. Cut the TRUTH but at least lets get back the self-improvement texts can't we?
Oh, I guess it's even worse than that. In the pursuit of knowledge (Which puffs up by the way) we have even written off most of the old sayings. I remember my teachers teaching me 'a stitch in time saves nine' and 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' and so on. What happened to that?
Is it possible that somewhere along the way education became about knowledge and not wisdom? Did someone figure out that wisdom can not be taught?
If so, I disagree!
Our younger generation is dying in many senses. In a society that uses their kids as an excuse but watches TV instead of spending time with their kids, parents who have forgotten more wisdom than their children will ever be taught in school depend heartily on a governmental education system to keep their kids out of their hair and to produce mature, effective citizens.
Parents in Education
It's not gonna work. It is the responsibility of parents to teach their children and the more that we stray away from that the more the next generation is doomed to suffer the same fate only multiplied.
So, what's the solution?
1-It's time extracurriculars became about service again.
2-Someone needs to tell kids and parents that a full school education will not by itself equip them to be successful in life. It's admitting weakness on the part of the administration but it should be maybe the first lesson and repeated over and over more than- say- how to spell your name.
3-Return wisdom to the curriculum. Teach the truths of the Bible. Even if the TRUTH (Jesus) is not taught then teach the wisdom of the Bible and let children, teens, and eventually young adults ask the questions how can this be and what do I do now? Education can not only minister to the mind and if that's all it does then why does the school day last so long?
4-Teach students and parents that education is about the next question not about the last answer. Runners running at high speed lean forward. Students learning at high speed should be leaning forward in their mental posture. [Don't get me started on the whole grades thing.] Teaching minds to reach is challenging but not teaching them to reach is the same as locking them in a cage.
My disclaimer. I am not a teacher. I do not lead a marching band (no rhythm.) I am not a superintendent of schools. My degree is not in education although it is an education degree. I dropped out of college twice before I was a Christian and didn't learn much (including motivation) about being a good student until I was near to finishing my undergraduate degree.
Still, even in a school system as good as my home town's we've got real problems. I'm not saying I see them clearly. the list above is not all-inclusive. But our education system needs to be born again (a fresh start) in certain areas if we are going to survive and prosper for as much time as we have left.
Pastor Dan Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
My daughter is a flautist (I just love that word-It sounds like your beating someone up with something like a garden hose.) It actually means you play the flute.
Anyway, my daughter is a flautist in the local high school band. The band has gone through some changes in the past couple of years. They have an ambitious leader and some policies have been changed. For example, pretty much every student that is part of the band is now required to be in the marching band.
I'm not sure about requiring it but I think it's generally a good idea.
Service in extracurriculars
Anyway, I have a few thoughts about band and extra-curriculars in general (I could almost hear my daughter groan when I wrote that...) If only I had a blog or something to share my thoughts...Well, would you look at that. Well, hear goes.
I think that extra-curriculars are about service. I know. Our nation has trended toward the worldly thought that leadership is not about humility. If our society remembered that leadership is about service then it would see extracurriculars as training for leadership. A person is a better person because he serves others. He is a better person because he wants to serve others.
Service forgotten
However, our current social condition as a country seems to forget the service aspect. This is probably because schools have now become a baby-sitting service for over-employed parents or otherwise occupied anyway. Academics as well as extracurriculars which should be geared toward making a productive member of society (and in our school system as far as I can see they are.) But, this is not the entire battle. People need to be trained for charitable service. True charitable service is grueling. When you are through, you fall on your bed exhausted.
Students mostly need not practice their extracurricular on their own. They should but they don't because to them it is not about being the best you can be or serving others with a true servants heart. Factually, even Christian students who should be doing their work as if they were doing it for God rarely go the extra mile. This is probably because things in their life vie for their time and actively pursuing skill in representing your school in service in a certain area does not outweigh the cultural barrage.
Was there a day when students were encouraged by their parents and teachers to serve their fellow students with untiring effort? Did students regularly practice their instruments, their cheers, and whatever other extra-curricular abilities? Not sure actually...
However, I know that if it existed under a public school system like the one we have now it was somewhere between the need for twelve year olds to drop out and get employed and the need for eighteen year olds to stay in and grow up.
If we encouraged our children to make their extracurriculars about serving others would we look freakishly odd? Maybe the student body doesn't want to be served. Maybe in today's world it is assumed that persons who participate are doing it because they like to do it-because they were wired to do it. How does being uniquely equipped to do something disqualify you from using your gift for others' benefit?
The world has been turned upside down from what the King (God) would want. I suppose that's why people have to be BORN AGAIN (Fresh Start in Christ) because they have been raised in a world of different values from the Kingdom values. I suppose that's why parents of Christian families always have to wonder whether their children would be better off in a private school.
Here's my cry to educators. Stop and examine why you do what you do. Tomorrow is at stake.
Bible removed from Schools
When today was at stake we outlawed teaching the original text book (The Bible.) We lost sight of unique values that genuinely make a world better even when the person is not sold out for Christ. Most self help books are somehow based in things one could learn from the Bible. The strength to aggressively follow what the Bible says comes from the Holy Spirit but every person could get value out of a life style of service and doing unto others what they would have done to them.
So, cut the sovereignty of God and the fear of judgment if you must. Cut the TRUTH but at least lets get back the self-improvement texts can't we?
Oh, I guess it's even worse than that. In the pursuit of knowledge (Which puffs up by the way) we have even written off most of the old sayings. I remember my teachers teaching me 'a stitch in time saves nine' and 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' and so on. What happened to that?
Is it possible that somewhere along the way education became about knowledge and not wisdom? Did someone figure out that wisdom can not be taught?
If so, I disagree!
Our younger generation is dying in many senses. In a society that uses their kids as an excuse but watches TV instead of spending time with their kids, parents who have forgotten more wisdom than their children will ever be taught in school depend heartily on a governmental education system to keep their kids out of their hair and to produce mature, effective citizens.
Parents in Education
It's not gonna work. It is the responsibility of parents to teach their children and the more that we stray away from that the more the next generation is doomed to suffer the same fate only multiplied.
So, what's the solution?
1-It's time extracurriculars became about service again.
2-Someone needs to tell kids and parents that a full school education will not by itself equip them to be successful in life. It's admitting weakness on the part of the administration but it should be maybe the first lesson and repeated over and over more than- say- how to spell your name.
3-Return wisdom to the curriculum. Teach the truths of the Bible. Even if the TRUTH (Jesus) is not taught then teach the wisdom of the Bible and let children, teens, and eventually young adults ask the questions how can this be and what do I do now? Education can not only minister to the mind and if that's all it does then why does the school day last so long?
4-Teach students and parents that education is about the next question not about the last answer. Runners running at high speed lean forward. Students learning at high speed should be leaning forward in their mental posture. [Don't get me started on the whole grades thing.] Teaching minds to reach is challenging but not teaching them to reach is the same as locking them in a cage.
My disclaimer. I am not a teacher. I do not lead a marching band (no rhythm.) I am not a superintendent of schools. My degree is not in education although it is an education degree. I dropped out of college twice before I was a Christian and didn't learn much (including motivation) about being a good student until I was near to finishing my undergraduate degree.
Still, even in a school system as good as my home town's we've got real problems. I'm not saying I see them clearly. the list above is not all-inclusive. But our education system needs to be born again (a fresh start) in certain areas if we are going to survive and prosper for as much time as we have left.
Pastor Dan Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Carolling
Tonight we got all dressed in layers-my kids and I and we went out carolling for New Heights north. We had a very stressful day. There was a certain amount of interpersonal conflict. My book came today which I am supposed to be done reading and have written my paper for Sunday so now I am extremely behind. I had a number of phone calls come in on my cell so many that by the time we left to go to NHN my phone battery was going dead. I had a business snafu that may have cost me the job I was gonna do on Friday (and the people who were working with me and they need the money as much or more than I do.) Dinner was just tv dinners and rushed.
We don't do this all that often cause tv dinners don't have nutrients in large enough quantities to keep people healthy. Sorry TV dinner people...
Anyway, once again things combine to try to keep us from doing what we were supposed to do. I did blow it on reminding some people-don't know if it would really have made any difference. We started carolling at about 6:10 and went to one house before one of the guys who could have been with us. The woman who came to the door was very touched. In fact everyone that we sang for seemed very blessed.
One interesting thing that happened was that people kept letting their kids join us and the kids loved the carolling even though many of them could not read the words and did not sing. Some were rambunctious and we did go back to the community room for hot cocoa and cookies after probably sending home a batch of kids that were hopped up on sugar but hey, sugar burns fast and dies hard so I'm sure it all worked.
In the mean time a brother who has been involved with NHN stayed and played music on his keyboard and sang songs and talked to anyone that came in the community room while we were gone.
Old things that work often still work. Who carols any more. Answer: I do. God can use any act of kindness to touch the heart of someone. We need to be real and that means doing real things as opposed to so many folks who do theoretical things that they never get around to making actual. Old things that work actually usually still work unless there is a specific reason that they won't anymore.
Anyway. despite the struggles we did what we were supposed to do and afterwards we had a fairly peaceful as in less strife, night. I was unable to make a hospital visit in order to spend a little time with my kids which hasn't been happening. My greatest blessing (wife) and my deacon are out of town and I miss having them around (especially my wife!)
Moral of the bloggy (this is like a story but in a blog) Do what God would have you do and take struggles as a sign that you are possibly on the right course. Time will tell for sure.
Further moral: Kids like carolling ( even when they don't know the songs) and older persons like being sung to. Carolling may be an ancient and lost art but it works for me.
Give it a try.
Pastor Dan
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
We don't do this all that often cause tv dinners don't have nutrients in large enough quantities to keep people healthy. Sorry TV dinner people...
Anyway, once again things combine to try to keep us from doing what we were supposed to do. I did blow it on reminding some people-don't know if it would really have made any difference. We started carolling at about 6:10 and went to one house before one of the guys who could have been with us. The woman who came to the door was very touched. In fact everyone that we sang for seemed very blessed.
One interesting thing that happened was that people kept letting their kids join us and the kids loved the carolling even though many of them could not read the words and did not sing. Some were rambunctious and we did go back to the community room for hot cocoa and cookies after probably sending home a batch of kids that were hopped up on sugar but hey, sugar burns fast and dies hard so I'm sure it all worked.
In the mean time a brother who has been involved with NHN stayed and played music on his keyboard and sang songs and talked to anyone that came in the community room while we were gone.
Old things that work often still work. Who carols any more. Answer: I do. God can use any act of kindness to touch the heart of someone. We need to be real and that means doing real things as opposed to so many folks who do theoretical things that they never get around to making actual. Old things that work actually usually still work unless there is a specific reason that they won't anymore.
Anyway. despite the struggles we did what we were supposed to do and afterwards we had a fairly peaceful as in less strife, night. I was unable to make a hospital visit in order to spend a little time with my kids which hasn't been happening. My greatest blessing (wife) and my deacon are out of town and I miss having them around (especially my wife!)
Moral of the bloggy (this is like a story but in a blog) Do what God would have you do and take struggles as a sign that you are possibly on the right course. Time will tell for sure.
Further moral: Kids like carolling ( even when they don't know the songs) and older persons like being sung to. Carolling may be an ancient and lost art but it works for me.
Give it a try.
Pastor Dan
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
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