Month: August 2022

August 28, 2022 The Homeschool Ministry

Having conversations with our kids is a crucial part of their discipleship. We should be instructing them, and part of this instruction is talking to them to know how they are doing and finding out what they believe. This is not something that is happening amongst a lot of proclaimed Christian families. Read the following quote from the below linked article. The quote is in reference to a survey done with 600 American parents in January of this year.

“While 67 percent of parents with children younger than 13 identified as Christians, just 2 percent of those surveyed subscribed to a biblical worldview as defined by the researchers. According to the report, a biblical worldview ‘emerges from accepting the Bible as a relevant and authoritative guide for life.”

T. A. McMahon

2% is a small number. While I am sure there are more statics that could be looked at and this was just one study done, there is no doubt that a small number of kids today are being raised to look at the world around us through the lens of the Bible. (I recall some teaching recently on Biblical paradigms…)  Certainly, there is a lot that goes into raising our kids, but the article below referenced the need for asking good questions to our kids and pointed out that grandparents can play a role in this as well.  With that in mind, the below article from the Berean Call is a good resource for the parents to read on this issue, but also for anyone that would like to be part of raising kids to know Jesus and live as a Christian in the world around us. The article ends with some examples of questions that could be asked to kids to see how they respond.

Conversations with Our Children – The Berean Call

So next time you talk to one of the kids of the church ask them some good questions!

August 24, 2022 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read the latest news from Shofar Missions in the Philippines.

Teamwork

The first team since COVID began arrived at the beginning of August. We held three Ministry Training Institute classes for pastors and church leaders, a Street Level Summit for college students, a Youth Summit, attended a regional pastors meeting in Cebu City, worked on updates to the office, and installed our fourth cable TV station. We’ve made a lot of new ministry contacts and caught up with old friends. We’re thankful for all the time spent with the team. Please pray that the team’s work would have a major impact on the lives of whom we ministered to!

Street Level Ministries

In August, we released Issue 90 of Word on the Street Magazine! It was finished just in time for our ventures around the island, so we distributed copies to a lot of young people and their pastors. Both branches of SLM had members of the team join for a Friday night meeting. At the SLM Summit, a few members went live on Street Level Radio in between sessions. As students return to classes, we plan to get out on the streets with WOTS distribution and remote broadcasts next month. Please pray for students to hear about SLM and get connected.

Exploring Creation Science

At the beginning of August, the school administrator from Banawa Nazarene School stopped by for a short visit. Before we leave a visit to Southern Bethany has been planned along with a chance to catch up with students at a youth event. Exploring Creation Science lessons were part of the Shofar TV content update and new station installation when we traveled with the team. They will begin playing this Saturday. Tuesday marked the return to the classroom for many students since COVID began. All of the schools we work with will begin limited in-person classes on September 5. Schools have begun though with orientation for parents. We are looking forward to getting back in the classroom when we return next month!

Shofar Youth Network

At the end of July, the Inayawan Church of the Nazarene celebrated the 9th Anniversary of their 3D JAM (Jesus And Me). This is an event where they invite youth from other churches and the community to gather for worship, a short teaching, food, and fellowship. Their goal is to encourage the youth to pursue a strong relationship with Jesus and connect to a local church where they can grow. Through the Shofar Youth Network, we were able to help sponsor the event and shared a little bit about the youth network with those who attended.

August 13, 2022 Believers Church Duluth

I promise I won’t talk about the weather, but upon further thought I suppose me saying that means I just broke my promise (Can one really live in Duluth and NOT mention weather?).

July has come and gone and we are into August now.

Thinking back on the last month, a lot has happened. If you really think about it, we are very lucky to be able to be involved in everything we are involved in. To be able to serve God in the capacity we are able to (or even at all). Most of us are blessed with healthy bodies, minds and a fair bit of youthfulness left still.

Summer can be a busy time, and sometimes you can get a little tired and be challenged, but if you think in Kingdom terms, everything we have done for the Lord in the last month has been an eternal investment. For one short month of expending our time, money and energy for Jesus, one day, we will be rewarded eternally with eternal treasure (not to mention 100 fold in this life for giving any of that up if we have done it for His sake). How awesome is that? More than we can probably realize, but now is a good time to reflect on that I think.

God has been good and faithful. It’s His work, but He lets us take part in it. He’s been slowly adding to our small fellowship.

So what has God been up to? What have we been up to? Speaking of eternal treasure, we’ve been going through the sermon on the Mount. This has been a theme. On Wednesdays we are often found going to parks taking part in “Rewind” sessions. This is where we review the sermon from Sunday, then break out into small groups to talk about it. This is a good opportunity to open up and encourage each other and better understand how to personally apply these things to our lives. We’ve also started up in the book of Psalms on certain Wednesdays, as well as Men’s/Women’s studies. (Enjoy being able to meet outside while it lasts.)

One mission team has returned, and another recently left for the Philippines (Pray for them!)

On Sundays it seems like we’ve had a lot of visitors, both temporary (travelers) and those from the area. It’s cool to see so many new faces coming into church all the time, the number of people we’ve been able to minister to just in that capacity has been many. One Sunday we headed to Lester Park for lunch, kickball, and a lemonade giveaway.

National Night Out was great. The Matthy’s hosted it at their new house (their backyard is basically a giant park with lions nearby. I doubt many others in the church can make that boast). A great many neighbors and others that people knew came by, and overall I think it was a great night, and that God did some cool things there.

We’ve also been able to continue to stream Sunday church to the nursing home across the street as well as visit every couple weeks for a Bible study. We may or may not have things in the works for St. Louis County jail as well in the coming months, so that is something to keep in prayer.

There is plenty more but we are out of space for this month.

We have a few upcoming events planned which we will likely cover in next month’s blog so stay tuned for more on that (as well as the campout coming up). And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

-Jason

August 10, 2022 Pastor Justin Thomson - Duluth

Guess what?! I’m 50% more accountable to God this year than I was last year!

Not that I’m particularly thrilled about it, but it’s a reality I can’t ignore. Not without grave consequences anyway. Let me explain…

GROWING PAINS

Not including myself, I’ve now got 18 members at this little church, the last 6 of whom were added since mid-February. In other words, our membership roster has grown by about 50% this year. Now, Hebrews 13:17 reminds me that I will “give an account” for all eighteen of those members. So, if you’re one of them, congratulations, I am now personally responsible to God for how you turn out.

(Woe is me).

Accountability, however, isn’t unique only to the pastor(s) of a church, it’s expected of the members as well. Again, Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your (church) leaders, and submit to them”. It appears that, by sovereign arrangement, your leaders are accountable to God for you, which makes you accountable to your leaders.

(Woe is you).

OLD CLOTHES

What, exactly, does ‘accountability’ mean anyway? Well, the Cambridge dictionary defines it as “being responsible for what you do, and able to give a satisfactory reason for it”. That said, you and I both have somebody in our life to whom we must explain ourselves. We are to be certain that they are satisfied with the choices that we are making. This means that we don’t live our life as we please any longer. It means that we take others into consideration when making personal decisions from now on. It also means that there will be divine consequences if we persist in selfish, independent living.  

Membership here means many things, but among them is accountability.

Biblical accountability is an itchy garment we’re all meant to wear. God has woven it into the fabric of the church, and it’s as comfortable as burlap. Yet refusing to put it on just because of how it makes you feel, is entirely juvenile. Those who won’t, are like spiritual children with no qualms about running around naked in public. They might be enjoying themselves in the moment, but they are oblivious to the fact that somebody else is being held responsible for their behavior.

It’s a concern when this kind of lifestyle goes unaddressed. Those who hold too tightly to their personal freedom are destined to chronic irresponsibility, prolonged immaturity, and shallow relationships. Independence isn’t a mark of Christian adulthood after all, it’s proof of spiritual infancy. The reason you’re not growing up is because you won’t put accountability on.

NEW UNIFORM

Individuality is the air we breathe. Freedom is our life-blood. Answering to someone else is counter-intuitive, counter-cultural, and (in many churches) counter-orthodox. Accountability is a foreign practice in numerous American ministries. But apart from it, you’ll never be anything more than an “average Christian”, and we’ll never be anything more than a run-of-the-mill fellowship. It’s time to trash our old clothes.

The first step in taking responsibility for yourself is to acknowledge that someone else is responsible for you. The next step is to love them enough to make yourself accountable to them. Doing so will transform you into a healthier person, and us together, into a stronger church. Accountability propels us toward maturity.

“A culture of accountability makes a good organization great…and a great organization unstoppable” –Henry Evans

TAILOR FIT

Membership here means many things, but among them is accountability. Not because we like it, but because we need it. Responsibility and accountability are a prickly garb. But only when you put them on will you realize how well they fit. You and I were made to wear them.

Whether our church grows by another 50% next year or not, I hope we’ll recognize the importance of what God has said in Hebrews 13:17, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you”.

Scripture and statistics both indicate that I’m more accountable this year than I was last year.

Is the same true of you?

August 10, 2022 River Falls Ministry

Hello friends. With fall right around the corner, we are taking full advantage of what we have left of summer through grilling, fellowship, and outreaches. Also, we are preparing for the students to come back this fall.

Street Level Ministries in River Falls

We are still meeting at Glen Park for Street Level, grilling out, and going through the book “One at a Time”. The relational concepts in this book should be a helpful lead-in to the school year as we prepare to meet new people. Also, in light of missions season and as an opportunity to fellowship with other Christians, some of our friends from the Menomonie campus are joining us through the month of August.

Additionally, we have been working hard preparing for the students return, and we recently had a fall semester preparation work night. One thing we worked on was preparing postcards to mail to incoming freshman. Like last year, these cards contain information about Street Level and Campus Church as well as a Coffeehouse coupon. Please pray that God is out ahead of us working in the students hearts and that the right people see them.

Street Level Grilling and Fellowshipping on Monday Nights

Wednesday Rewinds

For the rest of the summer we continue to meet Wednesday nights for midweek Rewinds. We handed out ice cream a few times in the park were we meet. Please pray that we would meet people interested in wanting to know more about God and joining the study.

Meeting in Glen Park in River Falls
Wednesday Rewinds in Glen Park, River Falls

The Blind Munchies Coffeehouse

The coffeehouse will continue setting up the kiosk in the community on Thursday nights through August. Coffee, Italian sodas, butterfly lattes, bakery, and conversations are served during this time. It has been fun to see a mixture of people come around the parks. We often get a chance to talk to the same people each week as well as new people. Street Level Radio also attended a Thursday outreach along side the coffeehouse, and had some good interactions. Please pray for continued opportunities to grow relationships with people in the community and that they would want to know God.

Additional Prayer Requests

  • Fall Semester Prep and the first few campus outreaches
  • Campus Church 2.0 – This will be our second year of Campus Church
  • In all things that God would go before us and prepare the way

For Further Information