All that glitters…

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1. 

Here’s what John Piper thinks about the health, wealth and prosperity gospel.

Any thoughts???

Elevation & Pastor Steven Furtick

 Wow check out what pastor Steven Furtick was up to this past month. Read the article from the Charlotte Observer and also check out what this 27 year old preacher is blogging about.  You can click here to go to it. Also check out the homepage of his church- here-one of the fastest growing in the U.S.

 

SOUTH CHARLOTTE CONGREGATION

For church, giving back is its 1st step

Pastor starts capital campaign by giving parishioners $40,000, with orders to use the money to do good

CELESTE SMITH

cesmith@charlotteobserver.com

If you found an envelope of money on your car seat last week, or if someone anonymously paid for your lunch in the fast-food line, you may have been a beneficiary of the Bless Back Project.

Elevation Church in south Charlotte — with no home of its own — funded $40,000 worth of kind acts around the city last week.

The church, celebrating services today as always on high school campuses, gave the equivalent of a typical Sunday collection back to its congregation last week.

When pastor Steven Furtick instructed members to pluck from the collection bowls, filled with envelopes containing $5, $10, $20, $50 or $100, some people didn’t believe it. One person at each of the five services even got an envelope with $1,000.

Members looked at Furtick like “What’s the punchline?” he recalled. “Then the creative wheels started turning.”

The money isn’t to keep, Furtick told them. Instead, members were to go out and do something random for someone else.

Get inventive, he said, and tell us about it.

For Furtick, unleashing more than 2,000 members on an unsuspecting city, in an idea borrowed from a Cincinnati church, seemed a perfect match for Elevation. The Southern Baptist church worships in nontraditional ways with, for instance, its loud rock band playing praise music before and after Furtick’s sermons. Elevation ranks eighth on a list of fastest-growing churches in America compiled by Outreach magazine, which writes about “outreach-oriented” churches.

Now, examples of the church’s Bless Back Project are filling its Web site, www.blessbackproject.com.

Some kicked in hundreds of their own dollars, or combined their envelopes with others for more of an impact.

One couple spent more than $400 of their own money to buy Wal-Mart gift cards for teenage moms. Another group of friends pooled envelopes to get $70 in groceries for a co-worker staying in a pay-by-the-week motel.

“Now we are ready for our next challenge,” wrote one family, who kicked in their own money to send $160 to a woman with a sick husband.

“Bring it on Elevation … Let’s DOMINATE.”

A funny way to raise money

This isn’t the way churches usually launch fundraisers, and Furtick wasn’t initially sure his two-year-old church, which doesn’t even have land or its own building, should kick off its first capital campaign with a mega-giveaway.”I had to pray about that one for weeks,” said Furtick, 27, who preaches from the auditorium stage at Providence and Butler high schools in jeans and close-cropped dyed blond hair. “It was a very difficult financial move for us to do.”

The move also models his message to set aside money first to give to church and charity.

Furtick, from Moncks Corner, S.C., said he was inspired at 16 to start a church. He and his wife, Holly, live in Matthews with their 2-week-old son, Graham, named in honor of Billy Graham, and 3-year-old son, Elijah.

Previously, while in Shelby working for Crossroads Worldwide, an interdenominational ministry, Furtick invited seven other families to move to the south Charlotte region and start a church. The 13-member staff, about half comprised of the founding families, works out of a 6,000-square-foot office in the Lake Park section of Union County, said Larry Brey, who was part of one of the original families.

The first Sunday service in February 2006 had 121 people, Brey said.

“It’s been nonstop explosive growth” ever since, said Brey, the church’s leadership development pastor.

Eighty-five percent of the church’s newcomers show up because someone invited them, said Brey, citing an Elevation Church survey done two months ago. In the early months, the church rarely drew anyone over 40. Then the high school-age students who were regulars brought their curious parents.

“Our church exists for the people who haven’t been here yet. … People who have a sense of religion, but who don’t have a relationship” with a church, Brey said.

Elevation is drawing members like Barry Bertram, 40, who wasn’t sure the pastor could relate to him. “I was a little skeptical at first. The pastor is a very young guy. I don’t know why that bothered me,” Bertram said. Six months later, he’s hooked. He likes the church leader’s let’s-rock-Charlotte style, like the $40,000 giveaway. And he says Furtick’s approach gets Bertram thinking about being more giving.

Elevation set a goal of $3 million in its capital campaign — putting the church in the position to jump on a land purchase opportunity, or renovate warehouses as permanent space, or continue to set up campuses at high schools in south Charlotte, Brey said.

If the plan sounds unspecific, he said, that’s because it is. The expense and lack of available land makes it difficult to know if the church will be able to purchase any.

“We don’t know what the next step is,” he said. “We’re not going to tie ourselves to a particular strategy,” because opportunities change.

Funds from the capital campaign go into an external agency overseen by a certified public accountant, Brey said. That’s separate from the three-member ministry leadership team, which includes Furtick, that sets the church budget. The church undergoes an external audit every year, Brey said.

What is definite about the capital campaign, Furtick said, is that 10 percent of what’s raised — or $300,000 if the church makes its goal — will go to five local charities. That giving is happening along the way — Elevation pledged $25,000 to Friendship Trays last week. On Saturday, the church presented a $10,000 check to a family north of uptown Charlotte for home improvements, and $25,000 to Crisis Assistance Ministry.

“We never want to turn inward and turn the focus on us … It’s all God’s stuff anyway,” Furtick said.

Of the $40,000 giveaway to the congregation, Furtick said, “I thought it would be a cool moment in the church’s history. … Not as a gimmick, not as a publicity stunt, but to get it in the DNA of our church to be a blessing to others.

“Now we have people talking about how they can be generous in their everyday lives.”

Stories of Sharing

All week, members have been sharing their stories:

• With Furtick’s charge to “get radical,” Barry Bertram wasn’t sure how, after opening his envelope to find $5. Then the tennis pro decided to take $5 he got from every lesson he taught last week. When clients learned what he was doing, some added an additional five bucks. Ending the week with $475, Bertram plans to donate it to Habitat for Humanity. He wants to hand over the original $5 to the beneficiary family — and ask them to use it to do something for someone else.

• When Jennifer Rinaldo received the $1,000 at last week’s Providence High service, the stay-at-home mom who sells products for a health and wellness company knew exactly what she would do. She had been looking for a way to inspire a friend, a divorced mother of two, to develop a career. Now Rinaldo will use the church money to pay her friend’s airfare, registration and hotel at a job training conference.

• A recipient wrote on the Web site how her friends went grocery shopping for her with their church money, and how the gesture came at a critical time: She is behind on her rent and utility bills. “I have never felt so blessed,” she wrote.

The story sharing no doubt will continue today at a church luncheon following the last service.

Paying it Forward

The church’s Web site lists more than 100 stories of how parishioners have been spending the money. Here are what some of them have done:

• Bought lunch for a co-worker

• Gave roses to a friend

• Bought gas for a friend

• Donated money to charity

• Gave money to the homeless

• Paid for a friend’s hair appointment

• Helped neighbors buy costly prescription drugs

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Enjoying Fall

Time to relax. Took a hike up Tumbling Run in Micheaux State Forest. Enjoyed some of the colors but we’re not at the peak of the colors yet.  Still a great view at the top.  First pic shows that there were a lot of people enjoying the great outdoors too-15 -20 cars there when we arrived.  Yeah that’s Conrad and Jeremy in pics.

Tell them how you feel

I had to share this comment that was the 223 comment on Jeremy Blount’s blog.  Please go and read the comments and please leave a note of encouragement to the families because they DO read them!  Tell them how you feel.  Click here to go to it.  But read this great comment from Kati Wakeland- 

“First let me say that I have never felt the Holy Spirit as I have felt it this week among all of you.
I would like to share a “praise” with you all. Tonight I left the school around 6 or so (after packing up all those 5 billions cookies- i hope you guys are going to be hungry for cookies come monday)
I was called as soon as i walked in my door at home from my work. I was asked if I could come in and transport a critical patient to another hospital. I said yes immediately which I normally would have prefered to stay home with my family. When I arrived at the hospital they had sent someone else in my place but needed my help in labor and delivery. I went to the nursery to take care of a new baby who had no name. Lots of issues with mom and dad agreeing on a name. Finally I hear mom say “Oh my gosh , I just thought of the best name -I love it “she said–Followed by the father of coarse asking ” well what is it ?”
She said Ethan !! I said “what did you just say” and she confirmed that she loved the name and that was it -bottom line – no more guessing ! Immediately the tears rolled down my face and she asked “are you okay ” I began to share with her the story of timmy and ethan and how we had just left the services of these two young warriors for christ . She began to ask more and more questions about the boys and their lives and she began to cry. She then held her baby close and said a pray of thanks for giving her that most majestic name . She is a young woman struggling with her life and decisions that are tough. With the testimony of timmy and ethan she seemed to cling to her son and enjoy realizing the presence ot the Lord in all that was before her. She said to me as I left ” I will always remember this story and I will never be the same.”
I left there thinking – One more life changed !! One more drawn closer to God because of a young man with a mighty faith !!!”-Kati Wakeland

Wow, just another great testimony of how Ethan and Tim’s lives are impacting people.  There are so many more great comments like this so go and check them out.  This songs for Ethan and Tim as we heard that this is one of Ethan’s favorites.

 

I wish everyone could have been there

I wish everyone could have been at Tim and Ethan’s funerals today.  The stories of love, hope, family, faith, and forgiveness were incredible.  God’s grace has been poured out on the families.  Lord give them strength through the years. 

Their lives and legacies will continue to inspire and motivate us to live our lives for Christ to the fullest.  No more mediocre.  No more lukewarm.  No more being on the fence.  Sell out for Him.  Live like you know when you’re leaving.  What kind of legacy will you leave behind? One that continues to glorify God even when you’re gone?  Wow, that’s what I want to do.  I want to live a life that glorifies God to the end.  No regrets.

What can I give back to God for all the blessings He’s poured out on me?  All I have is my life-I give it all back to Him.  Psalm 116.

Tribute video for Ethan and Tim @ CVCSBLAZERS.COM

Go to www.cvcsblazers.com to see a great video put together for our boys Ethan and Tim.  Go to Jeremy Blount’s Blog here to post your comments too.

Working through it

“If you were in their place, and your roles were reversed, what would you tell them?”

“I’d tell them to live their life for God.”

In loving memory of Ethan Gunnell and Tim Madeiros

This morning I really don’t know what to say here or how to say it.  Last night we lost 2 of our boys from our student ministry in a car accident.  Last night was a planned teen event that turned into an event of grief sharing and praying together for our loss.  Both boys were part of my small group that meets Wednesday nights.  The only comfort I have right now is that I know at one time in their life they asked Jesus Christ to be Lord of their lives.  And that’s what I’m holding on to right now. 

As leaders, we have a huge task ahead of us.  We need to go into grief counseling mode right now to help the rest of our Open Door Student Ministry and Cumberland Valley Christian School family get through this. So how do we do that.

• Just be there- We need to just be there to listen, let them do the talking.  Right now our words of comfort may just seem hollow to them. Just listen.
• Let them be who they are-  Everyone grieves differently.  Everyone will be in different stages of grief.  Not everyone needs the same thing.  Allow them to be who they are.
• Constant love- We need to be in this for the long haul.  We need to realize that after the funerals there’s going to be an empty space. There are going to be reminders and anniversaries that are going to bring it all back again and we need to be there and keep tellin’ them we still care and are there for them. 
• This is going to take time -  Patience. Not everyone is going to move at the same “speed”.  This isn’t going to be a race. We need to be sensitive and not “push”.  Later on down the road we may need to recognize when to “push” to move on, but right now that seems so far away, and we need to be sensitive and one wrong word or action that looks like we are moving on could seem insensitive and uncaring to one of our teens.
• The little things we can do for them are going to be huge things- Put yourself in their shoes for a while and look for ways you can be there for them.  They may not be able to tell you right now so be observant.
• Talk about the Hope we have- We have the hope right now that Ethan and Tim knew Jesus as their personal Savior and we need to remind them of God’s great love and presence at this time. That we need to run into His arms right now for comfort and not run away.  Share scriptures that deal with grief and loss and please don’t preach at them.  Matthew 26:37-38,  John 11:32-44.
• Prepare ourselves-  We need to  educate ourselves by reading books, looking online for articles, and  talking to others that have gone through this whole process.

 If there is any more advice that someone can offer right now, please leave a comment.  Any words are greatly appreciated.

I really believe that God is going to be glorified through all of this.  I don’t know how but His timing and reasons are perfect.  We don’t have any answers right now.  This will shake us but it won’t break us.  This is going to be huge in the history of CVCS, The Open Door Church , and the Open Door Student Ministry. Thank you to all the teachers, friends and family that showed up last night to pray and share. What a testimony to our school and church.  It was really encouraging.  Continue to pray for the other 3 young men that were that were also in the car and the  person involved in the other vehicle.

Here are 2 pics of Ethan and Tim doing what they loved to do at CVCS.  They will be greatly missed.

***Please show your support to the families touched by this tragedy by joining us at The Open Door Church Auditorium (600 Miller Street, Chambersburg), Saturday, October 20th, at 3pm, for a Prayer Gathering.*** 

This Generation

I’ve been thinking about some of the kids in our Youth Ministry that have recently given their life to Christ in the last month or two. Some have also recommited.  I can’t help but think of the struggle they would be going thru right now.  A young person-new to the faith-a new believer- and they don’t probably realize the battle going on for their attention right now.  Things are happening in their life right now to intentionally pull them away.  There is so much going on in this world (local and global) that pulls them from a deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  We, as leaders, need to keep praying for our teens and try to think back to a time when someone may have helped strengthen you in your faith and helped you through a hard time.  If you can’t think of a time when that happened,-think about how you WOULD have felt if someone did take the time to tell you they were praying for you.  This week tell at least 1 teen you’re praying for them AND DO IT.

   

There is something more
Hello, We’re going down the hallway to the door
We know there’s something more.
Our soul has got a hole, we know, but what’s it waiting for?

Scattered in the streets like dreams and gasoline
The things we wanna be, are scattered in the streets
And if we’re coming clean, we seem to know we’re incomplete

How do we feel? How do we feel?
My Generation is aching for real
Dying for love, crying for truth
My Generation is aching for You

A country of our own, is all we’re asking for
A place to call our home, a country of our own
We know it must be close, our souls are searching through the cold, the cold, the cold…

     

Hiking with some buds

Yeah went hiking today around noon with some buds in Micheaux State Forest up to a great lookout.  It was a blast. Laughed the whole way up and down. Not sure why seeing someone fall is so funny but it is-especially when they fall in the water. Nice one Roberto!  This is the same trail we will be hiking up on Oct 28 at the Youth Family Hike.  The view is incredible and well worth the hard work. Hope to see a lot of our youth come to this.  Nothing like seeing God’s creation from up high.  Keep checking Jeremy Blount’s blog soon for links to see the video we shot for promoting the get together.   Here are some pics for what you can look forward to if you go.

 

Jeremys best imitation of J Blount’s waterfall pose!

Psalm 32

Psalm 32

 1 Blessed is he
       whose transgressions are forgiven,
       whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man
       whose sin the LORD does not count against him
       and in whose spirit is no deceit.

 3 When I kept silent,
       my bones wasted away
       through my groaning all day long.

 4 For day and night
       your hand was heavy upon me;
       my strength was sapped
       as in the heat of summer.
       Selah

 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
       and did not cover up my iniquity.
       I said, “I will confess
       my transgressions to the LORD “—
       and you forgave
       the guilt of my sin.
       Selah

 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
       while you may be found;
       surely when the mighty waters rise,
       they will not reach him.

 7 You are my hiding place;
       you will protect me from trouble
       and surround me with songs of deliverance.
       Selah

 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
       I will counsel you and watch over you.

 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
       which have no understanding
       but must be controlled by bit and bridle
       or they will not come to you.

 10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
       but the LORD’s unfailing love
       surrounds the man who trusts in him.

 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
       sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Funny Friday-more funny commercials

O.K. it’s been a long hard week, the weekends finally here and it’s time to laugh!  I just couldn’t decide which one was funnier. 

Casting our crowns at His feet

I heard a great sermon Sunday night about the 5 crowns that believers can receive.  I will stand before Christ one day to give an account of how I lived.  1 Cor. 3:13-15.  Things that I did for Christ, but for the wrong reasons and motives will be burned up when tested for it’s quality.  I need to constantly examine my heart and ask myself “Why am I doing this!?  What are my motives? Why am I helping someone in need? Is it because I have a sincere love for others and I want to serve and obey God? Why am I serving in a certain ministry in the church? Is it for recognition, a pat on the back, or to steal God’s glory?  Forgive me Lord where I have done this.

5 crowns

• Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4:8 To all who have kept the faith and longed and loved for His return
• Crown of Rejoicing 1Thes. 2:19 To all who have helped bring others to Christ
• Crown of Life James 1:12 To all who endure temptation & are faithful through trials and to those that love Him
• Crown of glory 1 Peter 5:1-4  To all that serve and shepherd God’s people
• The imperishable or eternal crown 1 Cor. 9:25 To those who have had self-control in all things and subdued the old sinful nature.

Now these are not crowns that we will wear and parade around in.  These crowns are going to be cast down at Jesus’ feet, to the one that is worthy to be praised.  He is the one that made all these things possible. Rev 4:9-11.

We fall down
We lay our crowns
At the feet of Jesus
The greatness of mercy and love
At the feet of Jesus
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
Is the lamb