Saturday, November 28, 2009 Advent Conspiracy: Love All

The true story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and revolutionary love.

"When Jesus loved, He loved in ways never imagined. Though rich, he became poor to love the poor, the forgotten, the overlooked and the sick. He played to the margins.

By spending less at Christmas we have the opportunity to join Him in giving resources to those who need help the most."

We challenge you to buy one less gift this year or even one less latte this week, and you can help streetwalkers in Ecuador find a new life, point people toward God in India, or provide a present for a Filipino child who has never received a Christmas gift. It will be one unbelievable present in the name of Christ. Here's how:

FIRST CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR A FILIPINO CHILD

On December 19, 2009, Mt. Moriah Camp in Malaybalay City, Philippines will be having a Christmas party for the underprivileged children that attend their fellowship. You may know Jaxi and Nathan Howes who have been serving there in the last week.

Many of these kids may have never attended a party or received a Christmas present in their entire lives. Can you be a part of a blessing that will give meaning to their Christmas?

The camp is preparing 300 gift packages for the children and their families containing sardines, noodles, biscuits, candles, toothpaste, tooth brushes, clothes, soap, toys, and more. The cost of a package is just $3.50 each.

Will you sponsor one, two, or more Christmas packages before December 15? DONATE THROUGH ENCOUNTER HERE and be sure to mention that your donation goes to the "Mt. Moriah Camp".

A SIMPLE WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

There are over 5,500 missionaries — as well as churches, volunteers, and local believers — that are finding creative ways to overcome spiritual and physical barriers and share God's crazy love all over the world.

In Ecuador, missionary Barbara Rivers helps street prostitutes escape a lifeless existence and discover that Jesus’ love isn’t for sale, but free. Just $3 a day can help Barbara lead these women in a u-turn that changes lives. [read more]

Amid India’s poverty, filth and noise, there is lostness. People there worship all kinds of so-called gods in a desperate attempt to cover their bases. Just $5 an hour helps a missionary named "Moses" point them toward the one true God. [view video]

With land almost too poor to farm and no electricity or running water, the villagers of this undisclosed location find strength in a legend that a “precious gift” would be shared with them. A missionary "Michael Martin" hopes to blanket this remote location with hundreds of cassette tapes. These tapes that share the "precious gift" of Christ are just $1 each. [view video]

We encourage you to help these missionaries make a difference. DONATE THROUGH ENCOUNTER HERE and be sure to mention that your donation goes to the "Lottie Moon Christmas offering".

We challenge you to enter the story of God's love. Enter the Advent Conspiracy.

Advent Conspiracy: Spend Less and Give More

The true story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and revolutionary love.

As we challenge you to worship fully this Christmas by spending less and giving yourself, I don't want you to think that we're "getting all Scrooge on you."

SPEND LESS

Let me be clear, I like gifts. My kids like gifts. But as we consider that America spends an average of $450 billion a year every Christmas, think about this.

How often have you bought a gift out of obligation?

A nice tie for your boss. A tin of popcorn for your co-worker. Too often, we are giving and receiving gifts out of obligation — and that misses the entire point of Christmas. Our worship of Christ at Christmas has nothing to do with obligation, and everything to do with adoration!

After venturing out on Black Friday yesterday morning (later, not earlier), it is clear that we are too involved in the materialism of Christmas instead of the miracle of Christmas. That is why we are challenging you to consider buying ONE LESS GIFT this Christmas. Just one. Choose your gifts thoughtfully and carefully as an expression of God's free gift to us, and allow yourself to be more available to celebrate Christ during the advent season.

GIVE MORE

As we give away less things, it opens up the door to give more of that one thing that people so desperately need — time in relationship. Instead of giving that sweater that no one really wants, why not give our friends and family the gift of relationship. It can't be found at WalMart, or Target, or Bob Wards. Relationship is God's gift to us through Christ, and we can give back in the most memorable ways possible.

Why not write your mom a letter? Create and decorate some ornaments with the kids. Take a friend out for coffee and have a long conversation. Bake really good cookies and sing really bad Christmas carols. Click here and see what others have done to give more during the advent season.

And then finally, remember the money you didn't spend?

Why not take some of that money and help others experience the love Christ this Christmas? While there are many opportunities out there, let me suggest just a couple in the next article. Listen, nobody wants a Christmas worth forgetting.

We challenge you to enter the story of God's love. Enter the Advent Conspiracy.

Sunday, November 22, 2009 Enter The Story. Advent Conspiracy.

As Christmas quickly approaches, I begin to embrace those mixed feelings I experience every year. Excitement, anticipation, and joy are mixed with reluctance, increasing stress, and financial burden.

Even before truly following Jesus, I have always felt that our "celebration" of Christmas falls short of the world-changing event it was meant to be. The true story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and revolutionary love.

How did Jesus celebrate? Simple, He gave Himself.

We challenge you this Christmas to worship fully by spending less and giving yourself. And you will find that you are giving and loving more. Give one less gift this year, buy one less latte this week, and you can help streetwalkers in Ecuador find a new life, point people toward God in India, or provide a present for a Filipino child who has never received a Christmas gift.

Follow along in the upcoming articles this week as I share four simple statements behind a movement called Advent Conspiracy...

Worship fully.
Spend less.
Give more.
Love all.

I guarantee you that by giving yourself fully in these concepts this Christmas, you will encounter Christ's Advent like never before. And you will find yourself making a tangible difference in your family, community, and the world.

Enter the story. Advent Conspiracy.

View the video above or on YouTube here.

Untamed Truth: Night of Worship & Art Afterburn

It seems that Untamed Truth: A Night of Worship & Art was a success! The place was packed with over 50 people. It's about all the place will hold so it was standing room only.

Despite that, it was a nice relaxed atmosphere and the band did great. Had a little snafu with sound system so we started a little late, but not a big deal.

There was some awesome poetry readings by Amber Olsson and Andrik Powell. There was also an amazing sketch artist, Andrew Giulio, who created an art piece the whole time. Just met him last week and just found out that he's legally blind and color blind. Wow!

People were also given a chance to create small artistic expressions throughout the night and then post them in a collage by the end of the night. I think people really got a opportunity to connect with one another and encounter God's creativity.

We heard a lot of comments that the music sounded amazing, the environment was so relaxed, people enjoyed themselves, and I hope they took away something about God's life-giving creativity.




You can find all the great photos on Facebook here.
Check out a Picasa slideshow here.

This night was a entry point and kickoff for a regular small to mid group gathering we'll be having every other week called Friday night FWD. We are already looking for musicians to get involved in one or more gatherings. It starts on December 4, so we could really use your prayer. So many people around here will come to an "event" like a Sunday morning service or a night of worship. But it is much more difficult help people connect for some ongoing spiritual growth.

Untamed Truth: Our God Is A Creative God

There is a deep connection between the creativity we express as humans 
and the creativity of God.

Because our God is a creative God.

And as “image-bearers” of God, as people who are created in His image, we too possess in all of us the ability to be creative.

But here is the problem.

In ancient times people thought of creativity not as something that someone had, but as something someone received from God as inspiration. To allow the creative spirit of God move through you. But we've lost sight of the potential for creativity that God places within us. We've become tamed, we've become civilized, and we've settled for status quo.

But Jesus challenged the status quo. He took Old Testament concepts and unleashed them with New Testament truths. He said this is the way you have been taught, but I offer a better way — a way that leads to an abundant life.

The problem is that we have begun to think of creativity as something that we ourselves possess. We've begun to say that person IS creative, rather than seeing creativity as a gift that flows through us as a vessel or conduit.

And it's unfortunate that we have done the same with our spiritual lives.

We look at good and Godly attributes and we begin to think of them as something we can possess. As something we can create in our personalities, rather than a gift of God that flows through us, as we are surrendered to His Spirit. We have selfishly begun to rely on our own will power to muster up these attributes. We rely in our own ability and we become prideful.

We can't do it on our own.

True creativity, true love, true relationships, and true freedom come through God's working in our life. It comes as we surrender to Jesus and allow His Spirit to create something new in our life — to make a new creation. So if you feel tamed, if you feel caged, if you feel like you've been chained by life as we know it — it's time to stop relying on yourself.

Remember that our God is a creative God.

Jesus specializes in creatively bringing new life from brokenness and helplessness. So lift up your hands and let him unchain you from the things in life you so desperately want to escape. Experience His creativity as He forms you anew from the inside out.