Our Life Group began tonight and it went really good. We had 22 people - wow! and 2 couples couldn't make it. We don't plan on "multiplying" to split the group anytime soon. We want to focus on building relationships with everyone and whenever we need to make the group smaller, we will. (I did some study and the 1st century NT house churches were about 30 people strong according to several Bible historians). Sometimes we multiply too quick and it has a reverse effect.
Anyway, 2 of the couples are engaged to be married and 3 have been married less than a year. (what's weird is that i married 3 of the couples in the group). Pretty neat.
Church was good this weekend. We are talking about "A True Church". I pray that in 2008 we become just that and find out what FC is supposed to be like.
God did a really cool thing and gave our church a house. We plan to fix it up and sell it. That will put us over the $1 mil mark on the building fund. I'm in charge of the fix up (i'm delegating most of the work if anyone is interested). God is good.
It would be neat if we could get a house and use it for ministry needs - families going through tough times, abuse shelter, people getting out of prision, etc. Maybe we can incorporate that in the next build. Now that's real ministry.
I've been praying for a while for God to show me another ministry to sow into financially. Haley and I tithe faithfully and give to our building fund. I want to do something above and beyond that, but there is so much out there. I'm considering Livada Orphan Care (www.livada.org). If you aren't familiar with it its orphan care to abandoned kids in Romania. Brian Briley is the U.S. Executive director and recruiter/intern trainer. He and his family lived here a little over a year and move just about a year ago to rejoin that ministry. We'll see what God wants us to do. In the meantime, I'm praying for the Romanian government to lift its restrictions on adopting its kids and for more workers/aid/money to be funneled into this wonderful minsitry.
Thats it for now.
A True Church? What have you been up until now?
ReplyDeleteAbout the house- I don't get a non-profit organization flipping a house for profit. I think you are right on aobut using it for ministry. If that cannot be done, maybe the church should not have a hand it it. Members could but it, fix it, sell it, and give the profit as a gift. That seems to hold more integrity.
Did you know I worked with Livada when I was in Romania?
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