Our team had an incredible day on yesterday.  

After an early morning bicycle-rickshaw  ride down to the Ganges river and auto-rickshaw ride back, we headed out to the Varanasi Church Planter Training Center.   This is what we were all waiting for.  What a morning together with these dear believers!  

 

 

 

We were greeted with singing, dancing and flower leis and then had a chance to share the Word and our hearts with these young, committed, passionate men in training.  

Over the course of the meeting 6 of our team did an excellent job sharing what God had laid on their hearts to share with these men.  One spoke from the story of Elijah confronting the prophets of Baal.  One spoke about the importance of Scripture memory.  Another spoke about the greatness of God and his care for us from Isaiah chapter 40.  I spoke of the blessing of Abraham in Genesis 12 and its fulfillment in Christ and our shared mission to bring the blessing to the nations from Matthew 28.  

Around 1:00 we left the training center and travelled around an hour to visit an Empart ladies sewing center.  Again our hearts were stirred to see village women being simply taught to sew to provide for themselves.  Many of these women don't yet know the Lord, but are hearing the Gospel day after day as they receive their training.  This sewing center, like all Empart Sewing Centers, is the outgrowth of a local church, planted and pastored by a trained church planter.

 

 

Next we visited an Empart Children's Home, yet another expression of ministry of a local church.  This home consisted of 8 boys, some orphaned, some who could not be cared for by their parents, living in the home of an Empart Church Planter, his wife and their 4 children.  The boys were joyful and well behaved, and obviously very loved.  

 

The work of God in North India came alive for our team today!   They all said, "Pictures and videos don't capture it.  You have to see it for yourself."

Thanks for sending us to North India.  You are partners in this Gospel work.   It is a great joy and privilege to share and serve these dear brothers and sisters who are giving their lives to bring the Gospel to the lost millions of North India.  We will miss worshipping with you on Sunday, but know our hearts are with you.  Tomorrow we will board a 5 hour train for the Training Center we as a church support in Patna.   Thanks for your prayers.  

Because of and for the Gospel. . . Pastor Tim

My friends, Jason and Christy, asked how they could pray for our India 2012 Team as we head out February 1-10.   I thought I would share with the entire GraceSLO Family.  Here's 6 ways to pray for us. . . 

1. Pray for health and safety. 
    
2. Pray for the care of families back home and that our team would be "fully present" in India and free from worry.
    
3. Pray for the quick cultural adjustment, flexibility and joy of our team. 
    
4. Pray for the unity and personal growth for our team. 
    
5. Pray that God would use us in a mighty way to encourage and serve our Indian brothers and sisters in Christ. 
    
6. Pray that our team would catch a vision for the great commission of "making disciples who make disciples" both globally and back here in SLO . . . and that the vision might be contagious to you, the family of GraceSLO. 

Some go, some give. . . all pray.  Thanks for your part. . . Tim

On Sunday I preached on James 1:2-4 about "Trials". . . a text, like most of James, that is fairly familiar and staightforward, but worth considering again. . . .

This week I've been encouraged to hear about folks in so many Growth Groups sharing their lives, talking about their very real trials and grappling together about what it means to "consider it all joy."  Very good stuff! 

But I was especially touched by this note I received from a mom about how her child was thinking about and applying God's Word to their "trial."  Here's the note, used by permission with names removed to protect the innocent . . .

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the great sermon yesterday! Our family was in second service, including my 8 year old son ?????, and I wanted to share with you a conversation he had with me yesterday afternoon.

I'd told ????? to clean his room and he wasn't happy about it. After about half an hour of complaining and procrastinating in his room he came into the living room with a smile on his face and he said to me, "Mommy, I've decided to do what he said in second service and I'm going to 'consider it pure joy' while I clean my room. " He then skipped back to his room and got it all cleaned up in about 15 minutes, all with a big smile on his face.

Now I'm fairly sure that neither you or James were thinking about room cleaning when you spoke of "trials," but I was tickled by ?????'s application of the sermon, and I thought you might be too.

I hope you have a happy Monday and thanks for all you do!

Sincerely,

?????

I love this.  Here's why. . .

• This 8 year old was in the worship service. (We are committed to Family Worship at GraceSLO!)
   
• This 8 year old was listening to the message/text and "got it."
   
• This 8 year old applied the message/text.
   
• This 8 year old connected God's Word to his circumstance (we talked about that in the message).
   
• This 8 year old realized he had a decision about how to see and experience his "trial."
   
• This 8 year old decided to choose to "consider it all joy when he encountered the trial of cleaning his room."
   
• This 8 years old was connected enough to his mom, to talk about God's Word and his processing of it. 
  
   

This is what it's all about.  This is following Jesus . . . for children . . . and adults. . . . regularly hearing God's Word (because it leaks and the world "preaches" to us continually) and seeking to apply in incremental ways to our life in the real world.   

Make Disciples.  

That's the mission of the church (Matthew 28:18-20).  This local church. . . GraceSLO.  Every local church.  Everything we do serves the purpose in some way.  (If it doesn't, why are we doing it?) 

Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19)  Thats a call to discipleship.  A disciple is one who is . . .

1.  Following Jesus

2.  Being changed by Jesus

3.  Committed to the disciple-making mission of Jesus

We believe Growth Groups are settings for discipleship.  We gather together to help one another follow Jesus, be changed by Jesus and commit together to the mission of Jesus.    

(The endgame is disciples who make disciples. . . . not mere sermon rehashing. . . not simply care. . . not only prayer.) 

This Winter both Tim Arlen and I are working hard to intentionally invest ourselves in our Growth Group shepherds.  We want to be discipling the disciplemakers.   To that end, we have created 4 weekly settings to connect, challenge and disciple current and potential shepherds.

I am meeting with shepherds . . . 

• Tuesdays from 6:15 - 7:15 AM at Starbucks by Walmart In A.G. 

• Thursdays from 6:30 - 7:30 AM in my office here at GraceSLO 

Tim Arlen is meeting wth shepherds . . .

• Tuesday from 4 - 5 PM here at GraceSLO

• Wednesday from 6:30 -7:30 AM in my office at GraceSLO 

These are awesome times together, sharing what's happening in our groups this quarter and talking about what it means to be be intentional disciplemakers.  I come away encouraged every time we meet.   

This quarter we have 36 faithful, growing shepherds.  We need 50!   If you are an aspring Growth Group shepherd, fire Tim Arlen an email at tima@graceslo.org.   We want to have you join us in one of these settings this winter.  

Here's a pic of our South County Shepherds meeting together this Tuesday.  Love these guys. . .  Glenn Oden, Jeff Martin, Kory Carroll, Matt Regusci, Cade Newman, Andy Gibson, Aaron Barker and myself. . . 
 

Finally, here's a pic of Sean Cheney in action leading the kid's time in our Growth Group this last Monday night.  This quarter, I'm trying to let all our guys take a turn leading, coaching them along the way. . . 
 

• As I meditate on James 1:2-4 this week in preparation for Sunday, I realize the more I read and study the Bible, the more and more appalling it becomes to me.   The more and more comforting, too.  But still shocking!   (That sort of sounds like a sermon introduction . . . better save it!) 
   
• It was great to gather with our Growth Group for the first week of the quarter on Monday night.  The kids dig it.  We all need it.  The longer we're together, the more relaxed and close we get, but we're also beginning to talk about splitting to create room for more. It will be hard and there will be grief, but Spring will come again!   
   
• Our attendance last Sunday was 144 more than the same Sunday one year ago and it was a 3 day holiday weekend.  (The book of James or my email tease or what?  Our staff often can't pinpoint our numbers swings.)    Our numbers have been up this Fall for sure, We seem to be slowly growing.  Thats fun and encouraging.   I've learned to not get too excited about spikes and not too freaked out by the troughs.   Is it more fun to worship in a crowded house with people sitting on the back stairs or is it more comfortable to have some elbow room?   If the Lord should grow our numbers more, should we think about a 3rd service again or an overflow option?   Keep reaching out and inviting folks you know!   Keep welcoming folks around you at church that you don't know.  
   
• Our trip to India is just two weeks away.  I've been focussed on the new year stuff and haven't been thinking about the trip much.  I'm excited about spending some concentrated time with our team of 10 and being blown away at the work of God in North India. 
   
• We want to know about your use of technology at church.    Click over to our facebook page and let us know.  While you're there, like GraceSLO.  (Are you using social media to share your faith and invite people into the body of Christ at GraceSLO?  If not, why not?)  
   
• We had such a great time on vacation.  Was it really only a couple of weeks ago.  Here's a picture of my crew + a newphew. . . post surf.  Good times!  

Have a good Wednesday.

(NOTE:  This is part 4 in an ongoing, but occasional, blog series on our commitment to Covenant Membership.  To read earlier posts in the series, CLICK HERE.)

So, you've recently started attending GraceSLO
and you've been hearing this buzz
about Covenant Membership. . .

You're wondering what its all about?  

OR 

You're a long time attender here at GraceSLO,
but you're still nervous and fearful or resistant
to the idea of church membership . . .

You're wondering if this is even Biblical?

So, what do you do?  Where do you turn?  

Why not give these two messages I preached at the top of 2010 a first or fresh listen?  

The Biblical Basis for Covenant Membership

The Benefits & Blessings of Covenant Membership

 After you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts.  

How's your Monday?  As usual, I'm battling back from an exhausting Sunday.   I've got my to-do lists and I'm trying to keep the balls moving up the field and make the most of this day for the glory of God. 

My friend Josef just sent me this Rick Reilly article from ESPN.com on Tim Tebow, entiltled,  I Believe in Tim Tebow (Yes, one more Tebow thing!)

Tebow and the Broncos got crushed on Saturday by the Patriots and I have seen nothing about Tebow's response to the game, but this article makes it clear what its really about for Tebow.   It brought tears to my eyes on this Monday.  Truly inspiring. 

Here's a quote, but its worth reading the whole article . . .

Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured. He flies these people and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave & Buster's), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard-line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts.

Home or road, win or lose, hero or goat . . .

This whole thing makes no football sense, of course. Most NFL players hardly talk to teammates before a game, much less visit with the sick and dying.

Isn't that a huge distraction?

"Just the opposite," Tebow says. "It's by far the best thing I do to get myself ready. Here you are, about to play a game that the world says is the most important thing in the world. Win and they praise you. Lose and they crush you. And here I have a chance to talk to the coolest, most courageous people. It puts it all into perspective. The game doesn't really matter. I mean, I'll give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money, it's to invest in people's lives, to make a difference."

We have all have platforms, contexts and circles of influence that the Lord has placed us in.  We think its just Tebow, but its not.  Its all of us.  

Your neighborhood is a context. 
Your job or business  is a platform. 
Your material possessions are platforms. 
The sports field is a circle of influence. 
Facebook is a platform.
Your extended family is a circle of influence
Your hobbies and interests are platforms.
Your money is a platorm.
Your time is an opportunity.
Your kid's friends are a circle of influence.
Every day is a platform. 
 

The Biblical challenge is to make the most of every opportunity.  That means, first, seeing every opportunity.   Lift up your eyes on this Monday.  I'll pray for you, if you pray for me. 

This week, I've stumbled across these two great videos at CNN.com. . .

The first is a clear, fair and balanced explanation of the Gospel in John 3:16 . . .

The accompanying article goes on explain how the rainbow wig guy, Rollen Stewart, ended up losing it, takng a hostage and is now serving a life sentence.  I didn't know that.  Sad.   But still, I felt the article and vid were fair. 

The second vid is a profile of Heisman Trophy Winner, Danny Wuerfell, and his battle with a rare neurological condition called Guillian Barre Syndrome, but also his move to ministry with Desire Street Ministries.   Even better than the video is the accompanying article, written by Danny himself, where he testifies to God's presence and purpose in the tough stuff of life.  I love this sober, real, Gospel-centered testimony sitting right there on the CNN website. . .

Life has a lot of seasons, and some of them are filled with joy, gladness and celebration. There are many times to laugh and smile.

But we shouldn’t get swept away by the illusion that life has only one season, and it’s always delightful. Why can’t we be people with the depth, courage and trust to embrace the hard and heavy things of life?

I believe God resides not only in the joy and new life associated with the season of spring, like a reward if we somehow survive winter. We can find him in every season... if we’re willing to look long and hard enough.

I just happen to be in a tough one right now. It’s winter for me.

I trust a new season is on the way. God will bring me spring when He is ready. He just wants to meet me in the winter right now.

Thanks, Danny!  I need the reminder today and every day. 

I'm not sure what's going on with CNN and I don't want to make too much of it, but I'm encouraged to see God using the channel to proclaim the Gospel and get glory for Himself. 

Check this out . . .

I'd say that's almost exact.  Have they been browsing our website or what?  

But don't miss the messaging. . .

•  grace can be found in a bottle. 
•  perfume can energize your spirit and warm your heart
•  it all comes down to one word. . . uh . . bottle

But does it smell good? 

Sounds like selling indulgences to me!  Thank the Lord grace can not be bottled, need not be bought and can't be sold.  Aren't you relieved?  Save your money.  Cast yourself on the Lord of Grace who freely gives it to those who know they need it and often on those who don't know they need it.  
 

But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him,
and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the ages to come He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7

I think I received more positive feedback on "The Life of Jacob" series than any series I've ever preached.  To God be the glory for His wondrous, relevant Word.  I, too, enjoyed the series immensely and am eager to tackle the Life of Joseph. 

Here is your final friendly reminder to go back and pick up any messages you missed in the series.  

Have no fear, the series is now permantly archived and available here at the graceslo.org website.  But I still think it's valuable to finish the story while the rest of it is still fresh in your mind. 

If you're relatively new to GraceSLO, you've missed 2 earlier mini series in our "The Gospel according to Genesis" mega series.  But these messages, too, are available on the website. 

Here's links to all three series. . . .

Genesis:  Beginnings:  Chapters 1-11

The Life of Abraham:  Chapters 12-25

The Life of Jacob:  Chapters 25-33

Enjoy and savor God's life-giving, life-changing Word.