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Check out this promo video from Advent Conspiracy. It is amazing what could happen if we would simply rethink how we do Christmas! Check out the site at adventconspiracy.org to see how you might “conspire” to have Christmas be different and better this year.
There are also some great ideas on how to give affordable gifts that you have made this Christmas at rethinkingchristmas.com.
This story breaks my heart. Just days after one of the biggest “Black Fridays” in history, there are millions of Americans who are out of work and living in their cars. This is the reality of ministry here in the Glades. This piece from 60 Minutes that aired last night looks at the situation through the eyes of the children involved. It is truly amazing to see the resolve in these children–but just as amazing to see them speaking as adults…dealing with adult problems as children.
As with anything in life, you can look at it as a problem or an opportunity. I hope that God will help me and others in the Church in Belle Glade to look at these “problems” as “opportunities” for God to do something extraordinary here in the Glades. This 60 Minutes piece is a powerful story of the reality of life for many people here in central and south Florida, but also many other places all across the country. I pray that this recession will force us to look to the Lord of Heaven and of Earth with fresh eyes and look to Him alone for help. May the song of the Psalmist be our prayer.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121:1-2 ESV)
Here is a little update from Andy Stanley on North Point Community Church’s Be Rich Campaign. They had a goal of $1 million that would go to four specific causes. The second part of the campaign besides simply raising a bunch of money was for their church to serve a ton of hours all over the world. Check it out and marvel at what happens when God’s people get together to do something only God can do through them. Wouldn’t it be amazing if these kinds of things would happen in YOUR community too? I think it could happen…if we took the Bible and the Holy Spirit seriously about what we are truly called to be as the Body of Christ.
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[pullquote] Command them to do good, to BE RICH in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18) [/pullquote] I am currently in a coaching network and feel like I am drinking out of a fire hydrant right now with all I am learning. One of the big ideas over the last month or so is on stewardship and specifically the idea of a Christmas Offering. Many churches are in the process of gearing up for their annual Christmas Offering and North Point Community Church is no different. They have been doing their “Be Rich” campaign almost from the beginning of the church. It is based on the scripture out of 1 Timothy, where Paul tells us to “Command them to do good, to BE RICH in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)
I “went to church” on Sunday night after NEEWOLLAH online and watched the message as they kicked off this year’s “Be Rich” campaign. It is great to see the passion to reach people starting there in Atlanta, GA, where they are located and then that passion spreading all around the world. I really like the way they have settled on 4 main issues that they are going to focus on with the offering: Sickness, Hunger, Poverty, and Children At Risk.
We are gearing up for our new budget year and it is astounding what could happen if we would all do our part to share with others. Here is a great promo video for their campaign with a great song written by Eddie Kirkland as its theme.
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