Kenny Rager

What to do with Santa?

2011-12-22T12:38:00.001-08:00

As a Pastor, every Christmas I'm asked the same question by at least one person..."what about Santa?" It's already happened this year! I was thinking about writing an email giving my personal thoughts but never got around to it. What sparked me today was the new Western Recorder (our state Baptist Paper) that came out. In it was a very interesting article entitled "The real Santa Claus is worth remembering"

The article can be found here

http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=36780

Ultimately you need to let the Spirit guide your conscience in your decision about Santa, but remember we are "not under the law but under grace" (Romans 6:14-15). I would challenge you to at least teach your kids about the real Santa this year. What most people do not know is the fact that Jolly Old Saint Nick, was actually a real historical person. On top of that he was a real historical person who LOVED JESUS!

If you read the article above you will discover that Nick was a passionate man of God who was a Pastor. That's right, Santa Claus was a Pastor! St. Nick actually saved young women from a life of prostitution by paying their wedding dowries, he defended the Orthodox view of Jesus Christ as God, and he faithfully preached God's word and lead churches.

The mythology of Santa Claus stems from the real man St. Nick. It is no coincidence that Nick gets associated with Christmas, due to his passionate belief in the "incarnation" (God becoming man) and his giving of gifts to help the poor and broken. Regardless of how you handle "Santa" in your home, I encourage you tell your children of Santa's origins as a passionate preacher of God's Word who loved Jesus and gave gifts to help people. By doing so, Santa takes his rightful place at Christmas.....a man who honors the Christ child.

Another great article (highly recommended) is this one entitled "What we tell our kids about Santa":

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/mark_driscoll/2010/12/what_we_tell_our_kids_about_santa.html

I hope these articles are helpful to you, as they are to me. What a comforting thought that Jolly Old Saint Nick was a passionate Man of God!

Merry Christmas

Bro. Kenny

In the Name of Jesus

2011-11-03T22:26:00.001-07:00

Tonight I had the privilege of sending off one of our church members on the Emmaus walk with two other church members. The walk is such a tremendous experience for those who participate as they grow closer to God

After returning home and spending some quality time with my family, my little girl was put to bed and Taran fell asleep on the couch. I took this moment of quietness in the house to read a small book from my library entitled "in the name of Jesus" by Henri Nouwen.

You should check it out especially of you find yourself in Christian leadership. It challenges the believer to fight the temptation of pursuing a ministry that is about trends and popularity, and to seek a ministry of contemplative prayer, and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

What makes this book very intriguing is the fact that it's written by a man, who by many would be considered successful in ministry and education, who left the lime light to minister to the mentality disabled. His cause for leaving the intellectuals and the prestigious roles? Burn out.

Instead he finds fulfilling and real ministry amongst those who many, especially after teaching in a seminary, would never go to. Check this book out. You can read it in one sitting. It's wonderful.

Race Day

2011-09-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Not posted in a while, but thought I would post today. We had "RACE DAY" at our church today, Living Faith. It was a race car themed day (with several race cars on site). We began a new sermon series entitled "LIFE IS A RACE, RUN IT". We will be preaching on several passages where we are encouraged to "Run the Race" for the next few weeks.The video below was the preface to the sermon today. Needless to say, the part you don't see on the video is me riding into the sanctuary to deliver a plan of salvation. Hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mliCGGuTPQ

New Post and Domain Renewal

2011-04-13T18:57:00.001-07:00

Blogging. Not very good at it. Nevertheless, I have renewed my domain subscription for kennyrager.com, was it worth the cash? You let me know...does anyone follow my blog?

Gearing up for new Summer Small Group Semesters

2010-07-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

As you can read from my last post (which was a while ago), we completed our first semester of small groups at Living Faith. We are gearing up for a "micro-term", of six weeks, starting next Sunday. All groups will be reading the book "FOUND: God's Will" by John MacArthur. I will also be preaching a sermon series based on the book itself. I'm very excited for the next semester. God really used the last one to shape and transform lives.

For my church leader buddies, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas's book "Activate". This method of small groups is very successful and is structured for life-change.

First Small Group Semester a Success!

2010-05-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

Living Faith is nearing the end of her first small group semester of the year. It was an amazing time. We had several groups and many people participated in it. My group studied "Chasing Daylight" by Erwin McManus. Chasing Daylight is a powerful book, and I highly recommend it.

Last night, we did an outdoor worship service while giving testimonies about the small groups that met. It seemed like every group had an awesome time.

If your church is curious about doing small groups, I recommend "Activate" by Nelson Searcy. We used his model of small groups and we really liked them. It's a semester based group with a beginning and ending date. Pick up his book.

Sermon Ilustrations

2010-04-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

Found a great website for my preacher buddies who struggle for sermon illustrations.

http://www.crosswalk.com/pastors/illustrations/

This site has a wonderful selection of illustrations. I find it very useful in my ministry.

RESURRECTION SUNDAY @ LIVING FAITH

2010-04-05T20:28:00.001-07:00

This Easter was an amazing Easter at Living Faith. The challenge was made to the church to invite 2 unchurched friends with them to celebrate Easter. It was amazing how well people responded, we broke our attendance goal and had the highest attended service in Living Faith's history. But that's not the best part!

Living Faith participated in the evangelistic campaign "FIND IT HERE". It was a state wide effort to present the gospel to every home in the state of Kentucky. I truly believe that when a church gets serious about the gospel God blesses. We were encouraged by two that made their salvation public and one that came to receive Christ! I hope that every church that participated also saw God's blessings.

We live in age where God is actively moving! Why? Because He is alive.

IGNITE by Nelson Searcy

2010-03-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

Recently I have discovered the wonderful resources of Church Leaders Insights. Nelson Searcy, lead pastor at the Joinery in NYC heads up this organization by offering different church growth resources for church leaders. One of those resources is a book called "IGNITE" by Searcy.

God has used this book to really shape the ministry at Living Faith for this new year. It introduces the concept of "BIG DAYS". Intentional High Attendance Days that pack the church house in order to attract the unchurched and to build evangelism prospects. We have already done "one big day" and we are excited about our next "big day" on Easter. Seracy really encourages the pastor to turn up the evangelistic heat in the church. We have already seen great results from our first big day and cannot wait to see how the next one comes.

On an additional note Searcy just doesn't focus on practical methodology, he also brings it back home with prayer, fasting, and seeking God. I love it that he produces solid methods while always keeping the focus on Jesus.

Searcy has re sparked the fire in my life towards church growth. I really recommend that you pick up a copy of this book either from the church leader insights website or from amazon.

I have also read two other books by Searcy that I may post about in upcoming blogs. I hope you check it out.

Gracie Ruth Rager has arrived

2010-03-15T18:56:00.001-07:00

Greetings! I know it's been a long time since I've posted, and it probably seems that this blog is forsaken. Yet I assure you that kennyrager.com is alive and well. Life has been very hectic as of lately, as we have seen the arrival of our first daughter, Gracie Ruth Rager. We are so excited about this little one that has already changed our life for the better. We are praying that God's will and love will always reign over her life.

Expelled

2009-10-02T22:14:00.001-07:00

What's better than "Win Ben Stein's Money?"...that would have to be his film "EXPELLED: NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED".

I know I haven't posted a blog in a good month, let's say it's been hectic. Beyond that I haven't really had any burning topics to post about. Our life, lately, has been very focused on the upcoming baby, our family, seminary, and the great things God is doing at Living Faith. But tonight, I found a topic to blog about.

One of the youth from our church loaned us a copy of EXPELLED, the Ben Stein Documentary. Needless to say this was a very interesting movie to watch. I would say that Ben Stein has hit a home run with this movie. (I really couldn't have watched this movie at a better time, since I visited the Creation Museum for the second time last Monday).

This movie takes a look at the scientific community's response to Intelligent Design. The movie is very clear that Intelligent Design is NOT creationism. Though I personally hold a literal seven day creation view, learning about the Intelligent Design school of thought, though different from creationism, was very interesting.

From what I gathered from the movie, Intelligent Design (ID), is just the thought that there was some sort of intelligent design behind the universe. This does mean that you are a Creationist, a Christian, or even an adherent to religion, it just simply means that you see a trace of intelligence in the creation of the universe.

According to the movie many scientists in the scientific community have been laughed at and "expelled" from their teaching positions and careers. The movie points out, what seems to be, a clear political and pushing of a Darwinistic worldview from our culture. I can't really do the film justice, but I would highly encourage you to watch it.

One scene of the movie that intrigued me dealt with some scientist who began discussing worldviews. I found that interesting, since worldviews are more on a philosophical level than scientific. The scientist said that the worldview that one has results in the science that they find. Once again, I cannot do the film justice, but it seemed to be implying that the worldview came first (NOT THE SCIENCE!). As a result of holding to an atheistic worldview, atheistic explanations that voided a Creator from the conversation was put forth. Now that's food for thought!

I know it's been out for a while, but go and watch it. A word of caution, if you remember Ben Stein from Ferris Buehler's day off.....the movie might be a little dry for you, I found the style and humor wonderful.

Update on Summer

2009-08-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Let's just be honest, I've not updated my blog very much this summer! Please forgive a brother, as it has been a very busy busy summer. But let me take a few moments to give you an update

At the beginning of the summer me and Taran took a trip to Cocoa Beach Florida, wow! It was a great Trip. We went to Universal Studios, Island of Adventures, and The beach. It was a great trip that I got to spend with my wife.
I was also blessed with being able to go on my eighth trip to Central America, Honduras. In Honduras we saw several people make public professions of Christ. We were so blessed in how God moved on our trip.
We also participated in the Daviess McClean County Associational camp, at Camp Schaffer. Kyle Franklin preached for us, it was a great camp.
As summer winded down, our church went into full swing. We have currently started a new sermon series called "Back to the Basics". In this sermon series we are covering the Basics of what Christians believe. So far we have talked about "The Word, God, and Salvation". I will be continuing to preach this series for a few more weeks.

One of the hardest moments of the summer came with the passing of my Grandfather, L.C. Gray, or Pap. Pap was a great man of God whom I am proud to call my grandfather. He was a tremendous influence on my life and taught me much of the scriptures. He will be greatly missed.

As summer is over, we are now pressing forward with a new semester at Liberty, Upward Flag Football and looking forward to "Find it Here". If you are not familiar with "Find it Here", you can find out about "find it here" on the website www.findithere.com. Did you like that? That's a lot of finding isn't it?

Hopefully we can all take a big deep breathe and embrace grat times of refreshing from the Lord. Be checking the blog often, b/c I have plans to update more.

More Free Sermon Media

2009-07-31T14:46:00.001-07:00

Found this link on a blog...thought I would pass it on. Great stuff

http://neobaptist.com/2008/04/29/free-graphics-resources-for-churches/

Ed Stetzer on the Role of a Pastor

2009-07-24T23:32:00.001-07:00

Ed Stetzer recently blogged about what the role of a pastor is. It's a good reminder to us pastors and to our congregations.

http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2009/07/whats-a-pastor-to-do-a-look-at.html

Bethels?

2009-07-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the privilege of co-directing our associational camp, at Camp Schaffer in Pellville Ky. Our theme was "Ignition". It was an incredible week. Overall we had 9 professions of faith, 30+ recommitments and one from our church called into the ministry. It was an amazing week.
Camp Schaffer is a very special place to me, because this is where God called me into the ministry at. I was explaining to Kyle Franklin, who was our camp pastor, that God will give us Bethels. Remember the story with Jacob and God wrestling? He named that place Bethel. Schaffer in many ways is my Bethel. This is place where I met God in a powerful way. There is nothing special about a Bethel, except it is the place where you met God. I'm thankful that my mind always recalls that great week that I experienced when I stepped foot on that camp ground. I pray that many of the kids from last week, will also have found memories.

Back from Honduras, Busy Summer, and a Baby?

2009-07-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Our '09 Honduras Trip has come and gone. Every year God is so good to us as we venture out with "Baptist Medical and Dental Missions International" on an evangelistic team.
This year we had a team of eighteen that stepped up to the plate to serve. We worked with missionaries John and Tina Woods as we worked in the city of La Esperanza. Working with a new church plant, whose name translates out to "TRANSFORMATION", we saw 60 professions of faith in Jesus Christ. It was truly amazing.
The city of La Esperanza was a very large place (20,000 people). It was also very wet. It rained about every day. During the rain I was reminded of the awesome power of God. We had the chance to minister in a school one day, during what seemed like a massive flood. Sadly as a result of the rain the kids were not allowed to cross the courtyard to come to the assembly that we were conducting. After waiting for almost a hour, we did what we should have done from the beginning. We asked God to stop the rain. And He did. I praise The Lord for being faithful to answer prayer. The kids were able to come, and we had 200 kids that were able to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in a school. Our God is so amazing.
This trip was no doubt a wonderful time with Jesus! I was very thankful that we had two of our deacons from Living Faith, my wife, some from my previous church, and many other friends that I have acquired throughout the year. It was a great time!

When we got back home we were greeted with still a little more hectic summer to get through. We are gearing up for VBS, next week and very excited about the chance to minister to more children. We also have youth camp with the Daviess McClean Association the week after. Whew! It's all for Jesus!

Now...some great news. Taran and I found out that we are going to be parents in nine months. Apparently we took the little one to Honduras with us. How awesome is it that one of the first things our kid did was go on a foreign mission trip? Be in prayer for us as it is still very early. We want to be good parents that show the love of Jesus.

God is great.

East to West and then down South

2009-06-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a busy week! Living Faith is sending out four mission teams this month. Our first one was a group to Eastern Kentucky, Lynch and Cumberland. They helped out with a large medical clinic that was conducted by the KBC. Taran and I drove down to visit the group on Thursday and came back on Friday night. It was a great blessing to see our group ministering with joy before The Lord. I had never really been to Eastern Kentucky, except for to preach in Pikeville (I literally drove in and out the same day), so it was really neat to see a lot of the ministries that are going on there.
We currently have another group ministering at Kentucky Changers in Princeton Kentucky. Today was their first day and they will be ministering throughout the week. Me and the wife just got back from worshipping with them tonight. It was a great service.
So we have traveled to the east of Kentucky and then to the west of Kentucky. Somewhere in the midst of this craziness I was able to work on my message for tomorrow. I'm preaching on Spiritual Leadership, focusing on Pastors and Deacons. I'm very excited about preaching on this subject, b/c it always makes me point the finger back at myself. A wake up call, so to speak.

We are preparing for Honduras as well. This upcoming trip will be my eighth and Tarans second. Please be in prayer for us. The fourth team that Living Faith is sending out this month will be a group of teenage girls that are going to Eastern Kentucky, they will be working in the ministries that we got to see. So we have traveled to the west to the east in one week, and soon to the south. Busy but rewarding!

What Would Jesus Tweet?

2009-05-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

As hinted on in my last post I have recently signed up for Twitter. If you have not begun to "tweet" yet, and have no idea what I'm talking about, cruise over to www.twitter.com. To my understanding Twitter is very similar to a "facebook status" that you constantly update. When you update your twitter it saves the last status. It doesn't really sound too exciting, but everybody is doing it. And well...if everybody is doing we all should right? (Pun Intended).

One thing that I find fascinating about our world is how digital we have come and how digital we are going. I remember when AOL instant messenger first came out. (Does anybody remember ICQ?). Chatrooms, instant messaging, etc. would give birth to our texting revolution and digital age that we are moving forward in. I suppose my question to all of this is....how does the church respond to such a fast paced digital revolution? Specifically how does my church Living Faith in Hartford Kentucky, where high speed Internet is not even available, respond to a cultural digital revolution. Here are some suggestions.

1. Embrace Change. Understand that we are constant time-travelers. We do not have the power to move backwards or even stand still. We are constantly pressing forward. Begin to create a theology of change, understand that God has made us to be agents of change.

2. Look for ways to evangelize. What would Jesus Tweet (yet another pun intended)? Could we use social networking like myspace, facebook, and twitter to further the cause of the gospel? I know that many are already doing this. Find friends on facebook or twitter and begin to ignite conversations about Christ. Invite them to church.

3. Never allow the digital revolution to replace real relationships. Remind yourself...I still need community! This is so important. I do not buy into cyber church. I believe the Internet and digital tech can be embraced to advance the cause of the ministry, but we still need real flesh and blood relationships. We need a church where we can worship together, take communion together, and hear God's word preached (IN REAL TIME). Get involved in a sunday school class or small group. Leave facebook for a while.

4. Redeem. Remember that the church has been in the habit of redeeming things from the world ever since Jesus came back from the grave. As we have taken different styles of music, art, and literature and used them for the Lord begin to think how we can incorporate new advances in technology in the church. How can we better our communication and administration by using technology. From Flannel graph to texting, we still have a long way to come.

5. Use Moderation. As with anything don't absorbed in the tech world. As stated earlier if you sit in front of the computer and deny real relationships you really will suffer. Also if our main form of communication is through texting we would become very boring people. Remember to go outside, plant a garden, and have fun. Most importantly above anything else never allow the tech world to become an idol in your life. Always put Christ first, never second. Read the bible more than you text.

Just some ramblings.

Long Time No Post...some ramblings from Kenny

2009-05-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

Looks like it's been a while since I've given a post here on the blog. Taran and I just recently returned from a week vacation from Cocoa Beach Florida. I had never been to Cocoa before, but we really enjoyed it. It was a great time of being together and just having our batteries recharged to embrace the coming summer.
During that time I was able to read another Erwin McManus book entitled "Seizing Your Divine Moment", I'm really starting to dig Erwin more and more. This is the the fourth book I've read by him (the others are Unstoppable Force, Barbarian Way and Soul Cravings) and probably the best so far. I listen to the Mosaic Podcast quite often and I'm very impressed by Erwin's unique ways of teaching and bringing forth scriptural truth. Our Pastor Group is currently reading through "Unstoppable Force"

I request your prayers as we are getting ready for our upcoming trip to Honduras. This will be my eight trip to Central America and we are expecting a great one! We praise God for the provision for our trip that He has provided for both me and Taran. This upcoming trip will be in the village of La Esperanza, and we will again be working with John and Tina Woods. We have been blessed to have a HUGE amount of beans, rice, and Bibles. Our prayer is that many will be fed both physically and spiritually.

Be also in prayer for Living Faith as we have other trips that are going out. One team is going to be headed to Lynch Kentucky and another to Princeton Kentucky for Kentucky Changers. I am so thankful for my church as they are engaging the world around them.

By the way...what's up with Twitter? I started an account updated it once and now everyone is "following me" I don't understand Twitter. I like facebook and my blog, but why Twitter? Why does everyone care about what I'm doing every fifteen minutes? I am baffled by the tweet.

An Unstoppable Force book review

2009-04-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

I just completed "An Unstoppable Force" by Erwin McManus. I'm not for sure if you know much about Erwin and his church out in L.A.(Mosaic) but it looks like some great stuff is going on out there. It's a community of believers that really reach out to the "artsy" crowd of L.A. with a passionate message of Christ.
"An Unstoppable Force" is a pretty good read. If you have ever read Erwin before you will know that he has his own style about him. It's different, but it's good!
The book helps us understand that within each congregation there is an "ethos" that is really to be developed into a Godly community. It reminds us that the church should be ahead of culture, being used by God and producing wonderful people full of creativity. The Church should not be an institution but a mighty movement of God! An Unstoppable Force!
I think it's a very encouraging read, especially since we hear that 80% of all churches are either declined and or plateaued. This book is not meant for you to copy Mosaic's style, but for you to unlock what God has in your community, with their values, their cutlure, and their style.
It's a great read. So give it a shot and see what you think about unlocking a Godly "ethos" in your community.
Check out their website and listen to Erwin speak, you'll enjoy.

http://mosaic.org/

Easter Sunday

2009-04-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday was no doubt a wonderful Resurrection day! As we began multiple services, I was so happy to see how the Lord was moving. In our 8:30 service we had five join the church, and two of those came to be baptized. In our 11:00 service we had one rededicate her life to Christ. What an encouragement as we saw God move and do great things in our midst. Our youth helped me out with the famous "Lifehouse Skit". They did wonderful! Take a few moments to watch the video. Also, I'm including a video of them leading worship from youth sunday the week before. I am so happy with how God is moving at Living Faith. I continue to pray that we will be a church that is truly "Growing, Going, and Glorifying".

Skit performed by Living Faith Youth Group

2009-04-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

This is a skit which was done by our youth group at Living Faith. I was very proud of them for leading us in worship. Please Enjoy!

Campbellsville Uniersity Revival and Youth Sunday at Living Faith

2009-04-06T11:40:00.001-07:00

What a busy week! From Monday through Wednesday Taran and I had the privilege of being able to go back to Cville University for their campus revival. I am really grateful for campus Minister Ed Pavy. He's been a great friend of mine and mentor and it was wonderful to see him and many more of my friends.
I believed God really moved in the services at the revival. We had one profession of faith and fifteen re dedications. I praise the Lord for the Spirit of revival that was present in those meetings.

Yesterday was also a great day. The Living Faith youth conducted our entire service. I was so very proud of them. They led the worship, made a great video, did a powerful skit, and Jordan Boiling preached his first message. I was so thankful that Living Faith got to see their youth in action.

Early on Saturday morning, we received word that Henry Wilkins, one of our deacons at Living Faith, went home to be with The Lord. Our hearts were heavy for we will miss our brother. Henry was one of the charter members of Living Faith and was very knowledgeable of God's word. Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. at Living Faith on Wednesday.

I believed the timing of Youth Sunday could not have been better. What a great witness of Henry being one of our charter members (some eleven years ago), and having the next generation conducting the worship services. A tremendous testimony that the hardwork that men like Henry did was not in vain. God blessed it.

Free album download from Phil Wickham

2009-03-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the "Crossing" Christian radio on my AIM music player today and heard this cool tune from Phil Wickham called "Desire". I decided to look him up and discovered that you can download the entire Phil Wickham album from his website for free. All you have to do is just sign up for his newsletter. Very generous from Phil. I haven't listened to the whole album yet but "Desire" is an excellent song. I'm looking forward to getting to listen to it.

You can download it from his site

http://philwickham.com

DLP @ Liberty University

2009-03-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

I am currently doing my seminary work at Liberty University through their Distance Learning Program. I must say that this is incredible schooling and I love every minute of it. God has been teaching me so much through these classes, I feel challenged, and I feel better equipped for ministry.
I'm currently in a Church Growth IV class. These church growth classes are amazing! I've actually changed my emphasis to Church Planting and Evangelism (which is part of the Church Growth Program).
As for online classes go, I must say that the way Liberty does classes is pretty neat. They are in 8 week segments, which leaves room for little procrastination. It's a great education that is Christ centered. If you are looking for a good seminary I highly recommend Liberty. They are all about winning people to Christ!

www.liberty.edu

In God We Trust: Recap of faith in an economic crisis

2009-03-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we just completed a three week series entitled "In God We Trust" In this series we took a look at how God would ask us to respond to the current economic crisis and what the Bible would teach us about times of "Recession".
The first week we discussed that The Lord expects us not to worry. The Bible is very clear that if God takes care of things like birds and flowers, He will provide for us, He will take care of us.
The second message dealt with what we do with the provisions that God has given us. Using the parable of the "talents", we discussed Biblical Stewardship. It's important that we give what belongs to God while also paying our bills and taking care of our families. It's of the most importance that we do not become wasteful during an economic crisis, but remain responsible.
Finally, yesterday, we concluded the series with being generous. 2 Corinthians 8-9 are two powerful chapters about giving in the New Testament. Using the Macedonian church as an example, we see a church that was in an economic ruin but never lost their spirit of helping people. Out of extreme poverty they gave with joy. Oh if we would all have that spirit? What if everyone did give?

The link below is a link to a John Piper Sermon (in text). This sermon deals with understanding the Recession and what God is trying to teach us through it. I think you mike like it, very interesting look at the what God might be doing with the Recession.

What is the Recession For by John Piper

You can listen to the "In God We Trust" sermon series on our site.
Living Faith

K.P. Yohannan video

2009-03-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

K.P. Yohannan is the founder of Gospel For Asia ministries. If you have never received one of their free copies of the book "Revolution in world Missions" I highly encourage you to go to their website, www.gfa.org This is a sample of one of the messages that K.P. has preached. I think you will enjoy it.

Funny Worship Leader Video

2009-03-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, this was sent to me over facebook and I must say I found it very funny. If you went to a Christian college, you know that everyone wanted to lead worship and sometimes not for the right reasons. This video is funny....because it's so true. Take it for what it's worth...a good laugh.

Starting New Churches on Purpose (book review)

2009-02-26T18:29:00.000-08:00

I recently read "Starting New Churches on Purpose" by Ron Sylvia. This is an excellent read for anyone that is interested in understanding how the Purpose Driven Model is incorporated through Church planting.
I'm a huge fan of Rick Warren, I like the guy. Most people are very familiar with the Purpose Driven Life, but few layman are familiar with the Purpose Driven "CHURCH". PDC is an excellent book by itself, with wonderful insight on how church can be done. Though Warren did not write "Starting New Churches on Purpose" you do have the story of a man, named Ron Sylvia, who did plant a Purpose Driven Church. This is a wonderful read.
If I was planting a church from the ground up I would use the PD model. It's an excellent model with a very different approach to how church is done. The PD model might be hard to incorporate into an established church, but through church planting the PD could be effectively put into play.
This book reminds me of the class system that Warren mentioned in Purpose Driven Church. By having a clear goal of where disciples are moving, in my opinion, is an excellent way to have simple church.
If you are interested in Church planting please read this book, if for anything just to gain an understanding of the PD model. If you are a pastor of an established church, like myself, you will be reminded of the need to continue to reach out to the unchurched and the necessity of discipleship.
Good read.

How are you spiritually?

2009-02-19T13:07:00.000-08:00

I found this really neat website called "My Next Steps" It focuses on how you are doing as a Christian and is produced by the SeaCoast Church. I recommend you going to the site and clicking on the spiritual assesment. This could be a wonderful tool for your church members to use to understand how they are doing spiritually. There is also a leadership assesment

My Next Steps

I was hungry and you fed me....

2009-02-13T18:52:00.000-08:00

We had a unique chance to do great ministry during the ice disaster in Hartford Kentucky. Our entire community was without power, and when Sunday rolled around many people were down in their spirits and hungry! The week before I just preached a message on the importance of ministering in the community. I encouraged the congregation to bless three people that week. Our music minister, Steve Kibbons, had the opportunity to chainsaw his neighbors out of their drive way. They were so blessed by this, that they asked how they could return the favor. Steve told them that he was just blessing in the Name of Jesus. They then informed Steve that they a hundred pounds of beef and pork that was going to go bad and wanted to donate it to the church.

This sparked a God moment! We had already canceled services for Sunday, but when I heard that we had a hundred pounds of beef and pork given to us, we decided to call church back on, but in the parking lot with Grills! We then had another church member donate half a cow and another church member donate a whole pig. We had several grills in the parking lot, and we were only one of the few buildings that had power.

We called every radio station that we could and told them that we were giving away free Ribeys, T-bones, Pork Burgers, Shoulders, and every beef product you could imagine. News spread! From 11:00 Sunday all the way till 5:00 that night, we fed the entire community. We ran out of every piece of food that we had. We wondered if someone would eat the Beef Liver, and an elderly man requested it, and it was even eaten! All free, no donations at all! God really moved in a powerful way.

People came and even got food to take back to their neighbors and friends. The Hospital even called the Radio station and requested that we bring some burgers to them. One lady told me that she had been eating canned food that was heated by a candle, and that was her first hot meal since Tuesday.

We are trying to be a Church that is Growing, Going, and Glorifying. Growing Disciples for God, Going on Mission for God, and Glorifying God through Worship. I was so proud of Living Faith. And to think, all this was sparked by just showing the love of Jesus. There is power in loving your neighbor.

Ice Disaster in Kentucky

2009-01-30T11:12:00.000-08:00

You have probably read on the news about the ice storm that has crashed through our home. I am currently writing this blog post from my dads house in Russellville. Hartford was hit extremely hard. Our County was one of the first to be declared State of Diaster, but the Storm has hit from the west side all the way to Louisville and Central Kentucky.
It basically looks like a war-zone. They are estimating that we could be without power for weeks. Taran and I are very blessed with the ability to stay at my dads house, but many (even those in our church) are huddled around kerosene heaters and old wood burning stoves. Taran and I plan on getting back to Ohio County to check on things tomorrow, especially our seniors and those that are walled in. We personally are okay for the time being, but our community needs your prayers.

How to pray for our community.
Pray that our communication will be back up and running. Land lines and cell phones are hit and miss.

Second, pray for our Electric workers. You can lift Brother David Coleman (who is a member of our church and an electrical worker) up to the Lord specifically.

Third, pray for all those that are suffering right now. Because they are. This is a really bad time. Water, food, and fuel is becoming scarce.

Yet in the midst of all this, I read this in my Bible study today from Psalm 57:1

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed"

We serve a great Big God who will protect us in the shadow of his wings.

Thoughts on sharing your faith

2009-01-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Just been busy.
Shea called me the other day and told me about this really neat video that he watched on YouTube. You might have already seen it by now, since it has circulated around the web, but it features "PENN" from the magic entertainment group "PENN AND TELLER"
Penn is a devout atheist, and you can tell from his talking that he is, but in this video he gives his opinion of a man that shared with him. Even though he is an atheist, his response might shock you. He did not become a Christian after this, but he does give all Christians a large challenge.

An atheist reminds us Christians, that it is our job to share the gospel.

Let me know what you think.

Vision Casting and the Outreach Challenge

2009-01-04T14:05:00.001-08:00

Today we set the proposed
"VISION" in front of the body at Living Faith. We are focusing on "GROWING, GOING, and GLORIFYING". We are praying to "fix our eyes on Jesus" by "Growing disciples and families, Going on Mission for God, and Glorifying God through Worship". These three "G's" I pray will be a tool that God uses to focus the direction we move in as a church.

Also we are beginning the "OUTREACH CHALLENGE" We are going to survey and minister to our five mile radius around the church. Taran (my beautiful and artsy wife) had this idea and Cody edited it. I hope you enjoy!

Delight over Duty.

2008-12-31T14:02:00.000-08:00

I recently found out about a really neat church in NYC called "GRAFFITI CHURCH" from one of our ladies at the church who is very active in Missions.
you can view their website here.
http://www.graffitichurch.org/

They seem to be a church that is ministering right in the cracks and holes of NYC. Offering hope and joy. I have never been to GRAFFITI CHURCH, but it sounds like a great place. Their pastor wrote this article for Christianity today and it truly touched my heart. You noticed I wrote "DELIGHT OVER DUTY" as the blog post title, well you have to read the article to understand why. Please read it and let me know what you think.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/outreach/articles/graffitipastor.html

Free Church Media

2008-12-29T20:55:00.000-08:00

Media is a tool that we can use in our churches to help captivate more of our senses in the worship experience. I often use sermon slides for my sermons that illustrate what I'm preaching and constantly seeking out new, artistic, and good quality media.

Sometimes it becomes very difficult working on your sermon all week and then trying to find the right picture and media to go with it. There are a lot of sites out there offer great media resources but most come at a price. If you a ministering in a church where every dollar is accounted for, there might not be a lot of room to buy five to six dollar pictures to go with one sermon. It goes the same for countdowns as well.
I found these sites to offer up to all of my pastor/media buddies out there. This is free media that can be used within the church. Let me know what you think.

http://www.freecountdowns.net/

http://www.openresources.org/

Unwrapping Christmas

2008-12-22T06:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we concluded our sermon series "Unwrapping Christmas". We looked at three aspects of the Christmas story and the great "gifts" that they bring. As we unwrapped Christmas we discovered three important gifts; the gift of Calling, the gift of Comfort, and the gift of Evangelism. Though many more messages and themes can be preached about Christmas, I felt led for Living Faith to focus on those three important Gifts.
We first saw the Gift of Calling with the young Mary. It was interesting to note that the word "favored" meant that Mary was one who had grace on her. Just like Mary we have a great calling on us to do great things for The Lord, and His Grace will be enough to get us through it.
The next gift was the gift of comfort. When Joseph first heard the news about Mary he was not too happy. He was actually distressed and more than likely had anxiety, yet Christmas brought Joe comfort. The gift of Comfort is for all who embrace Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
And finally we unwrapped the gift of evangelism. The Shepherds heard the news of the baby, hurried off to see Him, and they went and shared. Christmas reminds us of the great responsibility we have to take the gospel to the nations. Some will reject but some will receive, and then some will not just receive but will become Evangelist themselves.
The Gifts of Christmas is so wonderful! I just encourage you not to play with the wrappings and the bows, but to really unwrap Christmas and to discover these great gifts that Jesus brings.

You can listen to some of the sermons on our church site www.livingfaithworship.org

The day of Christ Birth

2008-12-17T20:34:00.001-08:00

Tonight I conducted a Bible study on Christmas. We discussed common beliefs about Christmas, which many are not biblical but only traditional. It's just pretty neat when you start studying the birth you see such a great picture of how God was moving. A question was posed tonight that if we were able to look at John's Father Zechariah in the temple could we project a date of the birth of Christ? It is commonly believed that Jesus was not born on December 25th but at a later time. I found this really interesting study based on Zechariah in the temple and the connection to Jesus birth. It suggest maybe Christ was born sometime in September or October. The other link is a look at the census, which gives us a clue to the birth. It's just really neat food for thought. Regardless of what the actual birth date of Jesus was, we celebrate Christmas to remember that God became flesh for us. It's a wonderful time of the year that directs hearts and minds towards our Savior who was the ultimate gift for us! Check out these sites and let me know what you think.

http://biblelight.net/sukkoth.htm
http://www.new-life.net/chrtms10.htm

A good word on Sexuality

2008-12-16T13:42:00.002-08:00

I found this interview of Joshua Harris on the Desiring God website. I believe it's a good word for our generation. I know I've been heavy on posting videos, but I do hope they are enjoyable.

Peace and Blessings!

Steve Harvey introduces Jesus

2008-12-05T06:21:00.001-08:00

I first heard about this last summer. I don't know much about Steve Harvey but this is great! Hope you like it.

David Crowder (GUITAR HERO)

2008-12-03T10:56:00.001-08:00

Found this on the web today and thought it was a lot of fun. Not only is David Crowder a talented muscian, amazing worship leader, but now we discover that he is the true "Guitar Hero"

Growing forks and hanging out with missionaries

2008-11-25T18:40:00.000-08:00

This weekend was an amazing weekend. We had the privilege of having John and Tina Woods, Missionaries to Honduras through Baptist Medical and Dental Missions International, to speak at our church. They did wonderful.
We worked with John and Tina last year in Honduras and were blessed to get to know them. John and Tina originally come from Mississippi then transfer ed to North Carolina and now Tegucigalpa Honduras.
John brought an amazing message on trusting in the Lord. I joked around with John before he came, telling him that he had to preach a message on "The Exegetical response to Leviticus on Contemporary Evangelism" and to my surprise he actually quoted some Leviticus in his sermon. He's a great guy.
John and Tina and many other missionaries in Honduras have really taken a step of faith by allowing God to use them. They spoke of selling their home, trusting that God was going to send them on the mission field. "God Provides" John said.
This is so encouraging to me, because often in the ministry The Lord may lay an idea or thought on my mind. "Will this work?" "What if it fails and flops? What will the church think?" John reminded me that we allow God to provide for our every needs. Not just with church and church stuff, but with our families, our jobs, our callings, and our everyday lives. If two Mississippians can sell their home and everything they have except for two boxes and a pickup truck , then we can trust God too! Check out their site

www.sowafewseeds.com

On a funnier note, we discovered that there is an amazing agricultural market in Hartford Kentucky. When we bought our house we had no idea that we were setting on a prime piece of real-estate that was actually a pre-planted "Fork Farm". On Saturday morning apparently the forks sprouted, much to our surprise. We have already harvested this crop, but if we continue to have such a plentiful harvest I may quit the ministry and go into Fork Sales. We waited for John and Tina to see the abundant crop before we harvested them. If you are in the market for 450 plastic forks, let a brother know.

The Unexpected Journey

2008-11-14T12:03:00.001-08:00

I recently completed reading

"The Unexpected Journey"

by Thom Rainer. This is a wonderful read that I would highly recommend for you to get your hands on. Rainer usually writes more on church stats and church growth type issues, "The unexpected Journey" is very different.

Him and his wife took to the road to interview people that were involved in cults and other major world religions only to "unexpectedly" find Christ. In this book you will discover the stories of a former Mormon who was translator for the main temple in Utah, A Jehovah Witness that was willing to let his child die, a witch that started with Wicca and found Egyptian gods, and a suicidal satanist. All of these people found Jesus Christ and gave their lives to Him.

This is an incredibly hopeful book for those who are actively engaging in evangelism. It's an easy read and will leave you wanting more. "The unexpected Journey" is a must for your library.

thoughts on the election

2008-11-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

Well the election is over and we now have a new president elect that will be taking office soon. For some this was a dream come true and for others terrifying. There are such a range of thoughts and emotions that people are feeling today.
As for me personally I would have preferred someone who was more conservative, pro-life, and believed in the definition of marriage being between a man and woman. Yet the vote has been cast and the decision has been made. So what would the bible say about government anyway?

Romans 13:1 states this..."Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

When Paul wrote this, there was a tyrannical evil man on the throne in Rome. Nero was executing Christians and persecuting the church, how in the world could this man have been established by God? The answer to this question all lies in an understanding of the Sovereignty of God.
When understanding sovereignty we would define it "in control, having power, or having authority". The Bible would teach us that this is the God we serve, a God who "has power and is in control"

Though we cannot explain why God allows somethings to happen we must trust that He is in control. The Bible even mentions of the evil King Nebuchadnezzar being used as a servant of God. I truly believe that God will use and orchestrate world government and leaders, but they will still have to answer for how they governed and how their relationship to God was.

The reason for writing this post is to assure all of those who are upset and feel like the world is ending due to this election, that God is still in control. Nothing goes unchecked with The Lord.

It is our duty to live out our Christianity in whatever culture or citizenship we find ourselves in. It would be awful to forget our Christianity while we are complaining about the government. Be encouraged that God is still in control.

We will be in covenant today that we will live as good citizens on earth without compromising our citizenship in Heaven.

Sunday Night with the Cecils

2008-11-05T05:31:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday night we had the privelage of having our friends the Cecils with us at Living Faith for our evening service. Daniel and Bethany Cecil are preparing to be missionaries to Brazil. They will be leaving as soon as possible. Daniel brought a challenging message on what missions are all about.
I would like to link the Cecil family blog to you so you to can have a chance to pray for themand encourage them as they prepare for thier mission work. God is going to use them in a powerful way.

The Cecils Family Blog

New House and New Dog!

2008-11-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

Hey folks. I hope everyone is doing great out there. I have not had the chance to blog in a while simply because life is in WARP SPEED right now. It's been very hectic and busy but at the same time very rewarding and wonderful!

My wife and I have been able to buy a house in Hartford. Hartford and Beaver Dam are kind of the same community, but they are different town. They kind of run into each other. Our church is in Hartford so it's nice to be out of the rental and into our own place.

This is the first house we have ever bought and it's very exciting. We have been putting up paint and unpacking boxes like it's going out of style. This on top of the normal church work and my seminary has caused a little bit of stress, but I know that God is in control and His Hand is always guiding.

On top of that I would like to introduce to you all (OFFICIALLY ON MY BLOG) Reba Rager. Reba is our Boston Terrier that also adds to stress in our family. Yet she is a good dog and is wonderful. I've always wanted a Boston and I'm glad my wife let me get one ;-)

It seems just like yesterday I was in high school. I can't believe I'm married, a full time pastor, bought a house, and now I have a puppy. It's great to look back and see God's unseen hand guiding every direction of my life. I assure you that He is guiding you and leading you too. I by no means have arrived but I'm thankful for the journey thus far. Christ is a wonderful Lord.

Sky Angel Cowboy

2008-10-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is an old post that has circulated through the Internet several times. One of our teenagers from our church sent me the link, and I really liked it. I decided to post up here for you guys. It's a little boy who calls a Christian radio station to talk about what God has taught him. I hope you enjoy.

online evangelistic tools

2008-10-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post some online sites that you could easily email or send to a friend or loved one that does not know Jesus Christ. These would be very helpful for anyone that you are concerned about but can only communicate to them through email or the phone. Though they are great sites and tools, they are simply that...tools. Remember that personal communication, contact, and follow up is very important. Nevertheless I hope you enjoy these sites

The Way of the Master - Good person test

The Good News (NAMB site) - creative flash presentations

Evangelism Cube demonstration

Fireproof

2008-10-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

Last night our church went to go see the movie "Fireproof". This film was made by the same people who made "Facing the Giants". Even though I only caught the movie about halfway through (b/c I had to pray at the varsity soccer match for Ohio County) I was able to catch the main jest of the movie, and one word comes to mind "impressed".
Christian entertainment has sometimes been at a real low, with cheesy acting and bad plots, but fireproof really pulled through. Some of the acting is "not so great" but it's not bad. There is humor in the movie and some mild action scenes. But the main reason to view the movie is it's message.
The message of Fireproof is wonderful. If you are married this is a movie to watch, forget the fact that it's not a high budgeted movie but that it's a drama that is packed with purpose. It's not chick-flicky and it Will hold your attention, but it will challenge you.
I actually heard that Kirk Cameron took no pay for this movie, which goes to show you that everyone that was involved treated this as a ministry. The Gospel is presented in a really neat way, tough issues are dealt with, challenges are proclaimed, and even a website at the end of the movie that is intended for you to help your marriage.
Go see this flick with your family. For Christian or non Christian this movie will pack an eternal significance and God's view of Marriage.
I'm also very happy to see it doing really good at the box office. I hope they keep making movies like this!

Fire Proof My Marriage website (featured at the end of the film)

Apologetics

2008-09-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share this incredible site that the North American Mission Board offers. It's an apologetic site (which means it's a defense for our faith). It covers issues from Islam to Mormonism to The Accuracy of God's Word. I think you will find it very helpful.

www.4truth.net

Share Jesus without Fear

2008-09-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

My new classes at Liberty are really opening up great ministry opps for me. I'm really enjoying my education a lot! In my contemporary evangelism class we have been discussing the "SHARE JESUS WITHOUT FEAR" Evangelism approach by Bill Fay. I must say that this is one the best techniques to use while evangelizing. I actually tried this method the other day and it worked wonderfully. Basically it allows God to do the convicting and the scriptures to speak.

You begin with these five basic questions to get you into a spiritual conversation.

1. Do you have any spiritual beliefs?
2. Who is Jesus to you?
3. Do you believe in Heaven and Hell?
4. If you were to die where would you go? Why?
5. If you were wrong would you want someone to tell you the truth?

This approach literally leaves the person asking you to evangelize to them. I really believe it's God anointed. There is then a walk down the Roman Road with the people reading the scripture and God doing the convicting.

I would encourage my pastor buddies to take a look at the program to begin to train their members on a easy way to share the gospel. I would encourage anyone who feels like they lack "boldness" or "Courage" to go and pick up the book. I really think it's great!

A response to alarming reports

2008-09-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered some stats that have very much alarmed me as a pastor in North America. These stats are from the Barna Group and I learned of them through my Contemporary Evangelism Class at Liberty. Listen to these stats.

-Estimated American Unchurched Population is 195 Million People
-While the US Population increased 11.4% Church Membership declined 9.5%
Evangelical Churches have failed to gain an additional two percent of the population over the past fifty years.
-No County in America has a greater percentage of church persons today than a decade ago.
-Half of all churches last year did not add one new member throw "conversion growth
-In 2004 there were eleven churches for every 10,000 people
-North America is the only continent where Christianity is not growing
-We loose 72 churches per week or 10.27 per day. We gain 24 churches per week or 3.42 per day. That is a net loss of 46 churches per week or 6.85 per day
-The U.S. is the largest post-Christian nation on earth
-The U.S. is the third largest unchruched nation

These stats are no doubt troubling to a pastor and should be to any born again Christian. But as I read these stats I have been thinking very deeply about how the North American Church should respond to such alarming data.
The Conclusion that I come to is the need for more church planting. A major argument in many rural communities is that "we don't need anymore churches!".
Please remember that even though a physical church building may occupy land somewhere this does not mean that the church is doing it's job in the Great Commission.

Sadly, the time I spent as an Evangelist I noticed many churches that desperately needed to change or they were going to die in the process. I am not giving up hope for those churches, because I know that God is in control and He can revive those churches, but I am also reminded of what Jesus said. Christ spoke about "new wine not fitting in old wine skins" Could it be that some churches just simply cannot have new wine poured into it? If they do not want I am sure Christ will not give it.

Maybe a practical solution would be church planting. For established churches to get excited about building the kingdom of God instead of buildings. Wouldn't it be marvelous for a church to create a spin off church in across town. Not a church split but an actual church plant. No tradition, no baggage, not wanting transfer growth, but just ready to win new people to Christ.

As these stats are alarming we should be ready to engage the lost and dying world around us. Maybe that means trying new and innovative ways to make sure "new wine" is flowing in our churches. Perhaps a New Service, New Sunday Schools, New outreaches, or new events? Perhaps this flowing of "new wine" will keep our churches fresh and relevant while still being biblical. I would encourage all churches to pray about starting new plants and new work ministry. I will encourage my church in the upcoming days to be prayerful about new and effective ways of winning the lost around us.

the summer in review

2008-09-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

Wow! The Summer has come and is now officially on it's way out. I know we have a few more days left in the official season, but September is here which means fall is on it's way.
This could possibly be the shortest summer I have ever experienced due to the life changes that occurred. It was no doubt a great summer, it just went by REALLY fast.
Back in May we made our move from Campbellsville/Greensburg to Beaver Dam/Hartford. The process of moving can sometimes be mind numbing (having to pack and box everything) but we did it. That was the official kick start for me and Taran this summer.
When we got to Beaver Dam we spent a couple of weeks here before we started Living Faith. It was really good for us just to have that time together before we started the ministry at Living Faith. I remember that we went to Holiday World, and I'm so glad that we did. In the process of a busy summer that ended up being our only "vacation" that we had.
We also were able to go on a Mission trip this summer. After only three weeks at Living Faith we took off to Honduras for my seventh mission trip. It was so wonderful because I was able to take my wife with me for the first time. This last trip we took ended up being one of the best trips we have ever taken to Honduras. It was simply amazing!
The rest of the summer was spent getting to know our new church family at Living Faith, going out to eat, playing some softball, driving to Mayseville to hang out with the Kentucky Changers, and making new friends. We have truly been blessed by our new Church family and already love them dearly.
Of course me and Taran like to get out and do things, so many weekends of this summer were spent going to Bowling Green or to Etown to see her parents or just to hang out, but over all it was a great summer and we enjoyed it so much.
We also were able to be in Thom and Tiffany Brown and Shea and Allison Allens weddings! Congrats for those guys!
It's also been wonderful to be closer to my dad, my grandparents, and many of my high school friends. What a great summer.
Also! We found a new favorite Mexican restraunt, LOS AMIGOS. For all of my campbellsville buddies out there, I think it's better than Fiesta and Panchos!

Growth Barriers in the local church

2008-08-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

I'm taking an evangelism and church growth class this semester at Liberty and I wanted to share some very insightful views out there for my pastor buddies and my congregants. I hope this is helpful in understanding barriers that often halt a Church from reaching the potential God has for it. I'll cover the small church then move on to the Middle-sized church. This material is taken from my Church Growth II class at Liberty.

Growth Barriers in a Small Church

1. The desire to preserve social intimacy
2. The desire to maintain control.
3. The desire to conserve memories.
4. The desire to protect turf. (this is our church no new people!)

Growth Barriers in a middle sized church

1. Comfortitis (we like the way it is)
2. Participatory democracy.
3. The power group syndrome.
4. The not like us malady.
5. Ministry misplacement (too few doing all the ministry)
6. The pastoral care pastor (church will grow only to the point where the pastor can give some level of attention to all active members)
7. Biblical Blindness
8. Small Church Mentality
9. The stepping stone pastor (he's only there for two or three years)
10. Staff Shortage
11. No one knows vision and mission.
12. The church's membership no longer reflects the community
13. Church has run out of room for further growth
14. Conflict of how money is spent.
15. The dissenting minority.
16. Ghost town disease (sick churches in communties that are dying)

Thankfully the notes give some great suggestions for overcoming these.

1. Add an additional service.
2. Add Sunday School classes or small groups.
3. Begin specialized ministries
4. Hire a functional specialist
5. Move into an enlarged building.
6. Innovation and change
7. Assimilation and bonding.
8. Find new ways to market the church
9. Expand the organization and add new programs.
10.Offer excellence.

Thought that this might be helpful. Once again they come from my notes and I have found them very intriguing. Of course God's hand and a seeking of Him is always necessary.

Two great reads for your ministry

2008-08-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

I just began seminary this week through Liberty (www.liberty.edu) DLP, so I had to finish all my prior reading as quickly as I could. I wanted to tell you about the two books that I just recently read and hopefully it will help your ministry. The two books are "UnChristian" by David Kinamman and "Visioneering" by Andy Stanley.

UnChristian is a startling read of the unchurched and their outside views of Christianity. You will discover that many hold beliefs about Christianity that are actually "UnChristian". To better define that, they would say that many Christians are actually UnChristian in their views and is causing serious damage to the gospel. You will read insights of how they feel Christians are being "Too Political" "Judgemental" "Unaware" and "Caring only about converting you". These surprising insights will help us really to practice what we preach.

The other great book is "Visoneering" by Andy Stanley. This is the third Stanley book that I have read and I am always blessed by him. This book chronicles the story of Nehemiah who is trying to build the wall and the vision that God laid on this mans heart. It encourages us to seek God for our vision, not just about church and ministry but for your family and your life. How to deliver your vision, know it's from God, and how to deal with the naysayers in a biblical way. A Great book.

I am currently taking a Church Growth Class at Liberty, and I'm reading "Surprising Insights from the Unchurched" by Thom Rainer and "Perimeters of Light" by Elmer Towns and Ed Stetzer. These books are EXCELLENT! A Must read for church growth! I will comment more on them later. God bless!

Focus on the Family/ first five years of marriage

2008-08-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

In researching for my upcoming sermon this sunday I spent a little time on the "Focus on the Family" website. Being a newlywed (since October 20th of 2007) and having lots of friends just now getting married, I found this page very helpful and worth while. It concerns the first five years of marriage. Enjoy!

First Five Years of Marriage

Great Short Term Mission Trip website

2008-08-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this today and thought it was great. It's part of the North American Mission Board and their attempt to conduct short term missions. Very helpful!

http://thebridge.namb.net/

Levitical Wrap up

2008-08-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in another post, I have recently been reading Leviticus. As of the other day I finished the book and have been meaning to write a blog posting about it.

I actually avoided rereading Leviticus for quite sometime. I knew that it was a very tedious book and very challenging, so every time it was time to read Leviticus I always just jumped into the New Testament. This time around I felt like God was telling me to read it. I'm glad I did.

I really saw some great things in Leviticus that I noticed for the first time that I haven't really noticed before. I wanted to share some of that with you (because we often joke about Leviticus as a book that is irrelevant to us).

I really thought it was interesting that when the people made a sacrifice they laid their hands on the animals head. Really interesting, b/c this signified that the animal was taking their "sins" upon it. This reminded me of Jesus. Our sins were transferred to him on the cross.

I also noticed that when the High Priest sinned that he had to give the sacrifice of a bull, when common folk were required to give a sacrifice of a ram, goat, or sheep. A bull was much more costly than a ram or goat, and this was the payment the priest had to make, because when the High Priest sinned God viewed the whole community in sin. This spoke to me as a leader, because we often forget that the leader of any flock can very easily mislead their people. A Leader has a high calling on Him, and in James we are told they will be judged more harshly.

And lastly in my levitical wrap up, I was very thankful for Jesus. I'm glad that He was the fulfillment of the law and writes the law on my heart as opposed to me trying to obtain perfection by the law. I'm glad that I can eat pork and cat fish, live in a moldy house if i choose too, won't ever have to worry about my christian brother and sisters physically killing me with rocks if I mess up, and for the freedom Christ gives.

I'm thankful that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice on the cross. The law (Leviticus) teaches us that we can never truly live a life of perfection and we do need a substitute. Christ was our substitute and he has set us free from the law. I love what it says in Galatians 2:19-20

"For through the law I died to the law so that might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

I'm glad I read Leviticus. Don't skip the book, look for Jesus. He's there.

The end as we know it? I feel fine.

2008-07-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

The other night my wife and I were driving home from Elizabethtown in our new Bright Yellow Pontiac Aztec (don't knock we like it!), when I heard an old familiar song from yester year by the band REM.

It's the end of the world as we know it.
Let's quote some...

"It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine."

Of course I could quote some of the really weird random stuff in the song like...

"Look at that low plane! Fine then. Uh oh, overflow, population,
common group, but it'll do. Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its
own needs, listen to your heart bleed. Tell me with the rapture and the
reverent in the right - right. You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright
light, feeling pretty psyched"

To me this part is nonsense. But the other part really was intriguing. What if the world was ending tonight? If everything you knew crashed and burned and went out with a bang.

In the days of oil prices sky high and economy on the edge of recession while turmoil is happening in the middle east, you can't help but to ask yourself...is the end near?

But what about the things that happening every day life that seem like the World is ending? Things that seem like the end of the world. When life blows out that tire, as you are soaring down the highway? When that friend or family member lets you down. When all of life seems like it comes screeching to an end.

Do you feel fine?

Probably not. And it's okay not to. But I want to encourage you that there is God who gives peace in the most unlikely of circumstances. A God who became flesh and knows what its like to feel rejection, abandonment, and even death.

Yeah the world could be coming to an end, but I have a friend named Jesus. Through Jesus I can do all things. So regardless of birds, snakes, and aeroplanes, I have a Jesus who helps me. Gives me peace.

Be encouraged today. If the end is coming just know Christ is going to be at the finish line.

Listen to these lyrics by David Crowder from the song awake.

"You are not the only one
Who feels like the only one
Night soon will be lifted friend
Just be quiet and wait for the voice that will say
Come awake
From sleep, arise
You were dead
You’ve come alive
Wake up wake up
Open your eyes
Climb from your grave
Into the light
Bring us back to life"

that makes me feel fine.

Why Jesus wrapped up and a little bit of Leviticus

2008-07-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we finished our sermon series "WHY JESUS" I really enjoyed working on this sermon series as it allowed a chance for me to dig deeper into the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The three aspects that we covered were...

1. Jesus is God. We spoke from John 1 "In the beginning was THE WORD, and THE WORD, was with God, and THE WORD was God.

2. Jesus is our Healer. From here we discussed the woman with the issue of blood. I took the route that sin is a deadly killer and an awful sickness and Christ is our only cure.

and the third one was...

3. Jesus is alive. I really enjoyed studying about the resurrection. I preached about Thomas and how he had doubted Jesus, but when faced with the Resurrection He believed. The Resurrection of Jesus offers us a receipt of the complete payment of our sins, victory for our everyday lives, and the hope of a new Resurrection body!

All of our sermons can be found on our church's website at

www.livingfaithworship.org

On another note I've been studying the book of Leviticus recently. To be honest with you I dreaded reading the book of Leviticus when I knew it was time. It is not the lightest reading that you can read, but it's been amazing to reap some wonderful truths this time around by reading it.

It's allowed me to take a deep look at the culture of Israel and how God was really making them a separate people and a Holy people. With all of the sacrifices and all of the rituals, it makes me even more glad for my Jesus.
I guess I could have done a "WHY JESUS" message on Leviticus...but I spared the fine folks of Living Faith from my Leviitical preaching. But on a personal I've never had a better time reading Leviticus.

Pray at the Pump!

2008-07-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

When I first saw this video, I thought it was going to be another mindless funny Internet video. But to my surprise I thought it was pretty amazing.

I believe one of the purposes of prayer is for us to take our needs to our Heavenly Father. To confess we can't do it on our own.
Gas Prices are continually rising and I'm sure many people are having serious difficultes as a result of it. For some this is a major problem that is very scary, it effects their jobs, families, and the way of life. I Peter 5:7 tells us this...

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you"
I love a God who lets us cast all of our worries and anxieties onto Him. What a great example of His love for you. Be thankful for a God who listens to you.

A Group in Washington is really taking their concerns for gas prices to the next level. God Himself!

Enjoy this awesome video.

Podcast Available on Church Site

2008-07-11T05:36:00.001-07:00

I've been blessed with some great guys at the church who are working on our website. You can now go to our Church's Homepage and listen to our recent sermons. Another big thanks to Cody and Bill.

www.livingfaithworship.org

Calling all Preachers!

2008-07-08T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today was lawn mowing day. I really enjoy lawn mowing day because it gives me a chance to catch up on the podcasts that I subscribe to. So as I prep the lawn mower and push it on its merry way, I plug my ear buds in and listen to the latest sermon that I've downloaded from my list of preachers that I enjoy.

Mark Driscoll is one of my favorite preachers to listen to. His messages always encourage me and set my heart on fire for The Lord. Driscoll is the preaching pastor of Mars Hill Church located in Seattle Washington.

Some have criticised Mark for his blunt presentation of The Word and for his views on theology. I personally love the message being presented in bold and powerful ways, I cut my teeth on preaching like that and it stirs my soul. Even though I wouldn't agree completely with all of Mark's theology (concerning Calvinism), but I believe his messages are one that are needed for the generation that we live in.

In this message he preachers to pastors and preachers. WOW! So stirring in my soul. This generation of preachers are so tempted to engage in "conversation" instead of gospel preaching. This message is a call for preachers to start preaching The Word! To be strong and courageous while leading their churches.

He also goes into the definition of what a church is and why we need pastors in the church. This message is a must hear! Please download it, as it is offered for free from the Mars Hill website. I'll be posting a couple of links where you can download it. Let this encourage all of my preacher buddies.

LOVE IT!

Click here to download the sermon

Why Jesus?

2008-07-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

What a great day yesterday! I feel like I am now able to "hit the ground running" at Living Faith. We have returned from Honduras, I've finished a couple of prior engagements with speaking, and I feel very free to minister as God would have me at Living Faith.
We began a new sermon series at Living Faith called "WHY JESUS?". I felt The Lord leading me into preaching on reasons why Christians follow Christ. Yesterday I spoke about "THE WORD" from John 1:1. We know that Scripture teaches us that Jesus just didn't appear in Bethlehem, but He is the eternal God.
In my studies I discovered that the word "LOGOS" is used for Jesus in John 1:1. Logos is an amazing way to think about Jesus.
When the Hebrews would have read "THE WORD" or "LOGOS" they would have immediately thought of the spoken Word of God, the great power that called forth Creation. But when the Greeks would have read "LOGOS" they would have though something very different. They would have thought about the "unspoken word", the word that is still in your mind, logic, and reason.

I think it's so amazing to think of Jesus in both ways, He is power! He is strong and mighty, but he is also REASON. He is logical. He makes since.
You gotta love Jesus! He is our Savior and He is our redeemer.
I'm very grateful to Cody Corley as he is working on Podcasting for Living Faith, so we hope to be able to get these sermons up as soon as we can. I'm very blessed to be at Living Faith and I'm excited to see what God is doing!

You can check out our website at

www.livingfaithworship.org

Honduras Report and Video

2008-06-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

We are back safe and sound from Central America and have returned with a great report of what God did.
We had somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-40 people accept Christ as Savior.
This was probably one of the best trips that The Lord has allowed me to lead.

We ministered in the city of Talanga in Honduras. This looked like many of the villages we have worked in, but it was very large and had mass amounts of people in it. We had three ministries going on during the day. Door to door, where we handed out beans and rice and shared the gospel, A True Love Waits presentation in the schools, where we were allowed to SHARE THE GOSPEL, a hair ministry, where we gave free hair cuts, painted little girls finger nails and braided hair, and a revival service at night with a children's church going on at the same time.

It was an amazing trip and I was happy to have my wife go with me. Taran was able to lead a woman to the Lord, look for a picture in the video of Taran, an elderly lady, and a translator. The lady in the middle is the one she led to The Lord.

I praise The Lord for everything he did. It was amazing trip and I'm very grateful for all those who prayed for us. I'm already planning for next year.

Please enjoy this video. It was made by BMDMI Missionary Bruce Johnson. Creating these are part of his ministry.

Honduras Bound!

2008-06-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Just wanted to take a few minutes and let everyone know that me and Taran will be heading off to Central America Honduras on Tuesday the 17th. We are really excited about what God has for us.
This will be my seventh trip to Honduras, and my sixth trip leading a team. Taran has never been out of the country before so it's going to be really exciting for her.
If you are not familiar with the group I go with, their name is "Baptist Medical and Dental Missions International" Normally they do medical trips but we have been blessed to be able to do evangelistic trips. This is no exception as we will have a school ministry doing "TRUE LOVE WAITS", a Hair cutting ministry, and door to door. Not to mention the revival service at night.
Talanga, as we have been told, is a spiritually dark city. So please be in prayer for us as we are expecting The Lord to move in a powerful way. I know Satan will try to hinder the work that God is doing, but we know that God is greater than the enemy.
So we ask you to pray for us as we travel to Central America.

You can check out our team blog at

http://ragerteam.blogspot.com

The Mission's website is
http://www.bmdmi.org

Be in prayer for us!

Great times ahead, in Ohio County

2008-06-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

Well we are finally here! We are settled in, have already began Living Faith, and we even have the internet(and cable!). We are ready for Jesus to do great things in Ohio County.
We had a wonderful first sunday at Living Faith as we saw God's hand move and unite. Taran and I are very excited about the future that we have here. Be in prayer for Taran as she is seeking out the right job for her in Ohio County. Please pray for her that God will open up the right door.
We were very thankful for all the guys who helped move us to Beaver Dam. There was actually even a group of people waiting at the house to help us unpack. It must be a world record, because the very next day all we lacked were hanging pictures on the wall (we also thank Taran's family who helped us in the moving process as well).
I feel like God is going to do a great work in Ohio County. Living Faith seems to be oozing with God potential. I know that the Lord has a great and marvelous plan for this church. We are just very excited to be part of it.
Next week is Vacation Bible School. There have been folks at the church this week painting, decorating, and preparing for our vbs. I look very forward to it next week.

Update

2008-05-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

just wanted everyone to know we begin our new ministry this Sunday at Living Faith. We are very excited and happy to see what God is going to do. Currently we do not have the internet (i'm writing this post from Taran's parents house), until monday. Be in prayer for what God wants to do at Living Faith. I feel like it's a church that God is going to do an amazing work in! God bless

The Don't Song

2008-05-21T15:24:00.001-07:00

lots of Godly wisdom in this video

Great Commission Video....wonderful!

2008-05-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

My friend Brother Bruce Underhill showed me this video about evangelism. I believe it offers an amazing point of how we need to conduct evangelism. It's done in a fun little way, but packs a powerful message. Enjoy!

...pressing on

2008-05-16T15:27:00.001-07:00

Looking back over the last two and half years I have been so blessed to be part of The South Greensburg Baptist Church in Greensburg Kentuck. I truly believe that we have seen God do great and marvelous things and I trust and believe that God will continue to do great things.
This upcoming Sunday will be my last sunday at South G, but I'm praying that God will move in a strong way.
I am very excited about the new oppurtunties that The Lord will have for us at Living Faith. I feel that God is going to great things as we are pressing on to His will.
If you know me, you know I'm fan of different types of music. One of my favorite types of music to listen to is Bob Dylan's Gospel music. I've posted some Dylan music on my blog before, but I hope this song really blesses you. I feel like it's so appropriate for my season of life. It starts off slow, but wait till about three minutes into the song. Keep Pressing On for Jesus!

Becoming a Contageous Christian (BOOK REVIEW)

2008-05-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

My wife had a required reading of Bill Hybles and Mark Mittleburg's book "Becoming a Contagious Christian" for her evangelism class. After she finished reading it, it set on my kitchen table for a few weeks. I was very intrigued by the cover and the back of the book and decided to read it for myself.

After finishing "Becoming a Contagious Christian" a must say that this book is a MUST READ for helping you polish your personal evangelism. The Book breaks down evangelism into an easy formula that will help you to have maximum impact in your personal evangelism.

HP+CP+CC=MI. High Potency (walking close to God and living out your faith) plus Close Proximity (being around those that do not have a relationship with Christ, befriending them and loving them), plus Clear Communication (presenting the gospel in a way that answers questions and is easy to understand) will in turn pay off with Maximum impact.

I'm not the biggest fans of formulas, acronyms, and other things like that, but I really do like the way the book explained the formula. It really is the gospel. If you are in Close Proximity to those that don't know Christ and are Clearly communicating, yet you lack the personal walk with God and integrity then they won't listen. Also if you have a strong walk with God, yet you never share the message with them, how can people believe?

The book gives great illustrations like "THE MATTHEW PARTY" which is doing events with people who don't know Christ to spark relationships and share the gospel wit them. It also gives great illustrations to use when sharing your faith that makes the gospel very easy to understand.

I know Willowcreek recently found that the number of disciples they wanted to produce was not achieved, but regardless of how you feel about willowcreek I feel this book will be very helpful in helping you share the gospel.

The best part about this book, hands down, is that my wife bought and then I read it. Nothing like a free good read!

ministry update

2008-05-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

I wanted to take a few minutes and update everyone on what God has been doing in mine and Tarans life.

As many of you know we have tried to faithfully serve The Lord at South Greensburg Baptist Church in Greensburg Kentucky. This has been a wonderful place for ministry and we have had a wonderful 2 and a half years there. We love the people with all of our hearts and are thankful for all that they have done.

But The Lord has called us to another church. We receieved a 100% vote from Living Faith Baptist Church in Hartford Kentucky (this is about 20 miles south of Owensboro in Ohio County). We are very excited to be able to be part of this church as we look forward to great things that God is going to do!

We will be starting Living Faith the first Sunday in June. Our last Sunday will be on May 18th at South G. We will miss our people at South G very much. They have been very special to us and so wonderful. They will always have a special place in our hearts and we will always have much love for them. Please be praying for them as they will be seeking a pastor.

Thank you all for being such a great support for us and friends. We hope that you are doing good as The Lord continues to move and do great things in our lives! God bless you!

Kenny and Taran

Wonderful Mondays!

2008-04-28T06:37:00.001-07:00

Had a great day at Church yesterday. We finished "BIG LESSONS FROM LITTLE CRITTERS" and ended the evening on a great intimate worship. God was really moving as we just prayed and worshiped our great God. Now it's time for wonderful Mondays!

Wonderful Mondays! What?! A lot of people get the "Monday Blues", not me. I actually really enjoy Mondays. Though it may sound weird, I actually use Mondays as my Sabbath. Let me explain.

A lot of people will view the Sabbath day as Sunday and some that are orthodox will view it as on Saturday. For myself Sunday and Saturday is no day of rest. Every Saturday night I'm studying my sermon and getting spiritually and mentally prepared for the next day and obviously on Sunday (which is the busiest day of the week for me) I'm preaching and fulfilling my duties and my joy of pastoring. So what about the sabbath? Am I breaking it?

A lot of people have been confused about what Sabbath really means. Lets look at what the Word says real quick about it. Look at Mark 2:23-27

"One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions."
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

Jesus was teaching the Pharisees what Sabbath really was. It's about recharge, rest, and turning to God for our strength

Remember when God took his Sabbath on the seventh day of creation? He rested. (Here's an additional note, if God can rest you can too!). The sabbath is viewed as our time to recharge and revitalize ourselves for the next coming week. Paul would even say in Romans whatever day you consider Holy, just do it. This is one of the great joys of being FREE in Christ Jesus.

So today is my sabbath. What does it look like? Well rest for me comes in many ways. I'm recharged by studying the word and reading. Yet I also get rest and recharge from things I enjoy doing as well. I enjoy spending time with my wife, going out and doing something fun, working on my blog, hanging out with my friends. This is my spiritual recharge.

I hope you have a time of spiritual recharge. For me today, I'm pumped about Mondays. Love it!

How's your witness?

2008-04-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

Afer listening to a message by John Ortberg about Evangelism, he made reference to this video. It's pretty amazing! What would you do if you were in this womans shoes? And at her age!!! Do you think you would have done what she did?

Locusts

2008-04-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

We are almost done with "BIG LESSONS FROM LITTLE CRITTERS" I've really enjoyed preaching through this section of Proverbs. Yesterday we talked about the "LOCUST" (you can download the message over on the right).
The message was about the importance of teamwork, especially connected with the church. After studying the "Locust" we can easily learn that "flying solo" can get you easily squashed while being connected to a community can be massive "unstoppable force"

I am so thankful for my christian community. To have brothers and sisters that keep me accountable and people that I can share my thoughts and prayers with. I'm thankful for a Christian wife, that prays with me and for me, who loves Jesus! A Christian community is an absolute must.

Last night we had Justin Carter come down and preach for us at the REFUGE. Justin is one of those great Christian friends that have been there for me. He brought a great message about drawing to Christ. I'm glad to have Justin as a person that I can share my thoughts and prayers with. A person that I can be connected to in a Christian community.

I encourage you to find a Christian brother or sister that you can share your thoughts and prayers with. A believer that you can be open with about life and about God. A great place to start is in your community, your church.

We must do life together. Make sure that you have spiritual brothers and sisters that can pray for you and help you along life's journey. Make sure you take a lesson from the Locust, that teamwork can get great things accomplished.

Big Lessons from Little Critters

2008-04-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

A week from yesterday we began a new series called "BIG LESSONS FROM LITTLE CRITTERS" Using the book of Proverbs chapter 30, we are told about four little creatures that have large amounts of wisdom.

So far we've covered the ant and the Rock Badger (we weren't able to record the rock badger yesterday because the mp3 recorder ran out of batteries...thats what I get for not checking!)

But we've been having a lot of fun with it. It's just amazing to think that some little critters can have more wisdom than us humans. It just goes to show us that God is an equipping God, and he can for sure equip us to do everyday task like managing our check books or quiet times, through his help. I'm also thankful for a God who lets me have fun with my messages, but also uses them for his glory and to communicate his word!

We also had a great REFUGE last night (which is our sunday night coffee house church service). We took the Lord's Supper and worshiped Christ. I always love taking the Lord's supper at South G, always done in such a loving and touch way.

I also just bought a new Jason Upton Cd. Jason Upton is an amazing worship leader that happens to be one of my favorites. The Cd "BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE" has not let me down. I encourage you to go and get a copy of it.

God bless you guys and have a great week!

Picture from inside the Empire State building

2008-04-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share a pic of me and Taran from our trip to New York. (thanks Travis!)

www.kennyrager.com

2008-04-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

I finally purchased a domain name. My blog can now be found at www.kennyrager.com

Thanks a lot!

Who is the Reverend Gary Davis?

2008-04-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last night my wife and I were traveling back from Elizabethtown visiting her folks. Whenever we drive home late I always like to listen to talk radio, it helps me stay awake, so I always cruise A.M. Stations or the low NPR stations on F.M. Last night I heard an amazing show called American Routes featuring a section called "JEWS, BLUES, AND BEYOND"

They were showcasing black gospel music featuring the old testament. I heard a man play guitar from the 40's named Reverend Gary Davis.
I had never heard of the Reverend Gary Davis until last night, but I very much enjoyed his music. I don't know much about him, except he was an African American, blind, ragtime guitar player. I bought one of his Cd's off of Itunes and it is filled with great ragtime African American gospel. I really liked it alot. I'm not the biggest fan of ragtime music, but this just struck me and blessed me.

I cruised youtube for The Reverend Gary Davis and I found this rare performance from the 60's on some television show. He is actually playing gospel music in front of the 60's singer "DONOVAN". It's amazing that as this musician is playing in front of a secular audience the gospel is being communicated loud and clear. Enjoy

back from new jersey/new york

2008-03-31T19:57:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a few minutes and let everyone know that my wife and I made it back safe and sound from new jersey. We were able to fly to Philly and then meet up with our good friends Travis and Tiffany Claywell. Travis traveled with me and played piano in revival services for about a year. He's a dear friend and I appreciate his ministry and his family.
We were able to go into New York a couple of days as well. We saw the statue of liberty and the Emprie state building. It was pretty incredible. I had never been to New York before and it was very overwhelming, but very much worth your time.
During this time I celebrated my 25th birthday. My wife got me an amazing Batman Graphic Novel that I've been wanting and my dad hooked me up with a new flat screen monitor!! Not to mention my inlaws and my grandparents that were very generous!
During this entire trip to New Jersey and my excellent birthday gifts, God has totally taught me a lesson in blessing people. So often we ask God to bless us. How does he usually do that? Through people. What if God is wanting to use me to bless someone? I must be a willing instrument to be a blessing in someones life.
We are very materialistic in this country and are so often consumed by getting instead of giving. I encourage you to be a giver, to be a blesser. I really do have too much and I have been encouraged to be a blessing.
I am thankful for my wife, my family, and Travis and Tiffany for teaching me that we must be willing to be vessels of help and encouragement to people.

Tiresome but great, Holy Week

2008-03-22T13:51:00.001-07:00

This week has no doubt been a very exhausting week, but it has been a wonderful week. I had the privelage of speaking at a revival service in Salem Kentucky for Pinckneyville Baptist Church. We had seven salvations and were thankful how God moved. Brother Jeremiah Burdon is doing a wonderful job preaching and reaching Western Kentucky.
We got home on Wednesday night pretty late, and the next couple of days I had to do some pastoral ministry. We ended the week last night by traveling to see my grandparents.
I'm finally back home now and I'm excited about tomorrow. I love Easter. It's my favorite time of the year. In the midst of a busy schedule I'm pausing to remember the resurrected Savior.
I hope and pray that you take time to remember that Jesus Christ is the Risen Lord and Savior. I know you are busy too, if not busier, but never forgot that He is alive. Because of his Life we have Life.
Praise the Lord He is alive!

Sermon Helps

2008-03-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've added (on the side of the blog) a list of sermon helps. I found these through recommendation of Brother Dale Rose. They are very helpful for online sermon preparation. I hope you can use them. Just go over to the right side of the blog and look for "SERMON HELPS" Everything from Jokes to Stats to Illustrations. God bless!

A Powerful Week!

2008-03-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

WOW!

Last night our revival services concluded with Brother Dale Rose. They were amazing revival services filled with power from Jesus. In conclusion of the services we had seven salvations and many rededications of their faith.
I really believe that God poured his power out during the revival. We spent several weeks in preperation for the revival by teaching, preaching, and prayer. I loved what Brother Dale Rose told me one night "Without prayer you won't have the power. Without publicity you won't have the people"
Brother Dale preaches the Gospel in a very different way. He may carry a bag of rocks or he may raise a six foot Lazarus out of the baptistry. Our people were on the edge of their seats every night, but most importantly God was moving in a way that our church needed.
Last week we attended the evangelism conference in Elizabethtown Kentucky and we heard a stat that was amazing. It is a proven fact that if a church conducts a revival they will baptize more people throughout the year as opposed to a church that does not have a revival. I encourage churches to seek God's spirit and His annointing.
If you are interested in having an amazing speaker at your church I encourage you to contact Brother Dale Rose and invite him. You can get to his website by clicking on the link

Dale Rose's Website

For everyone who prayed for the revival I am very much thankful for you doing that. Yet we cannot forget the revival has just begun. I'm excited to see our upcoming days as God will be moving even more.

This morning as I write this I am very excite to know that God is still actively moving. God is still sending His Spirit. Jesus is STILL ALIVE!

He is worthy of all our praise!

Jesus Saves from What? (Using the law as a form of evangelism)

2008-02-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Northern Kentucky to preach for a youth minister buddy named Thom Brown. We had an incredible night of salvation and fun as we saw many come to know Christ.
I preached a message that I've delivered several times using the ten commandments. In this message we understand that we can never live without breaking these commandments. Because of our sinful nature we are prone to be lawbreakers. We are sinful.
I heard an old preacher once tell me "How can people know that they need Jesus before they know that they are lost?" I think this is a great question to ask. We are often inviting people to come to know Christ and make a decision for Christ without truly explaining WHY we need to make decisions for Christ. When asking someone if they want to follow Jesus is sometimes asking someone to vote for a particular candidate. Why should they vote for this person for no reason, and why should they "just" follow Christ without explanation.
Romans 3:20 tells us

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

By simply reading Romans 3:20 we understand that we cannot earn our salvation by observing the law (or being a good person), but I especially like the later part which states "through the law we become conscious of sin".
The Law of God and the commandments of God are good. Jesus did not come to take away the law but to fulfill the law. When we accept Christ the "Law" is "written on our hearts" as new born again believers. Yet before we make the decision to follow Christ we do understand that the law convicts us of our sins.
Using the ten commandment test when evangelizing to someone is wonderful way of helping them understand their depraved state. When a person understands that they have worshipped several gods (maybe the gods of pride, arrogance, and self) instead of the one true God the Holy Spirit does a "convicting" work of righteousness in their hearts.

I encourage you to help people understand their lost state. Help people know that we by nature our sinners against Gods commands and laws and we deserve death and Hell. Yet because of God's gracious mercy He sends Jesus to die for a lost world so that "whosoever" believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Sharing with someone that Jesus Saves is wonderful. Telling the person what Jesus saves us from is necessary. Without the death of Jesus and the love of God we would always be law breakers without any hope. People that are incapable of following his commands without His grace. Jesus saves us from our just punishment of death and Hell.

When witnessing be thorough with why people need to accept Jesus and the importance of making a decision to follow Christ.

What if we prayed?

2008-02-18T20:10:00.001-08:00

Amazing video about the great Fulton Street Revival with Jeremiah Lamphier

check it out

Preparing for Revival

2008-02-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

South Greensburg's scheduled revival is going to be March 2nd-5th, with evangelist Dale Rose. Dale is an incredible preacher of God's word. You can view his webiste by clicking on this... dale's website

I believe if we really want a genuine revival our hearts need to be ready for God to send it. If you know me, you know that I have a great passion for God sending a powerful awakening in his people.

If God's people truly grasp the greatness of Jesus, I believe a mighty revolution can sweep our nation. In preparing for my sermon, that I preached today, I read about Jonathan Edwards and the time he lived in.
Actually before the great awakening the 1700's were a dark and sinful time. Yet as dark and sinful as it was, the peoples hearts were peirced and God sent a mighty revial. He can do the same today.

What will revival look like if God sends it today? What will it look like in our families and churches? I know he is preparing us. I want to share a couple of great books that will bless you as we talk about revival.

Why Revival Tarries-Leonard Ravenhill

The Heart Cry of Revival- Stephen Olford

Revival Fires- Wesley Duewell

Check out these books as I hope they encourage you seek out revival in your life!

Love this skit

2008-01-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

Okay,

I'm not usually the one to post you tube videos of youth groups doing skits, but I love this one. I think it's amazing. Even if you're not a fan of skits and dramas watch this. Wonderful use of the Lifehouse song-everything.

Kudos to Lindsey and Derek

2008-01-14T08:09:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was a great day. First we had an amazing Sunday Morning at South G. The last three weeks we have had someone join our church, as we've been talking about moving forward with vision, and yesterday we had three new people join. I was so excited to see people taking steps of faith and trusting in God for vision and hope. I know our church will be blessed with this kind of commitment.

Last night I was able to travel to Jamestown First Baptist, and speak their youth group. My long time high school friend Lindsey and her husband Derek are the Youth ministers at the church. It was no doubt an amazing time.

They meet in an old basement in a youth house next to the church. They have built a stage for worship, have a sound system, and the best part.....A DISCO BALL behind the pulpit. AMAZING!

They've been doing an incredible job at reaching kids that maybe a lot of churches wouldn't want to reach. It was incredible to see these kids energy level and enthusiasm, especially since none of them have parents that go to Church.

When it came time for the sermon, the kids were super well behaved,,,,and they got my jokes. Which makes me feel o so special. It was amazing to be able to preach to a crowd of red hair punk rock kids that love Jesus in an old church basement behind a disco ball. It was a great night.

We also want to thank Derek's Brother Dustin for the excellent Arbys last night. Yum Yum Yum!

As me and Taran were talking on the way home, we threw around the idea of what the next generation of church is going to look like. What happens when these saved punk rock kids get a little older and bring their worship and enthusiasm for Christ into the "BIG" Church. What exciting times....I can't wait.

I like preaching with a disco ball behind me. It was pretty cool.

KUDOS TO LINDSEY AND DEREK! They're doing an amazing job for Jesus!

Looking forward to the New Year

2007-12-31T12:13:00.000-08:00

Last night I had a great time at Horse Cave Baptist, Josh Houk invited me to come and preach the word for a couple of services for teenagers, with the green county original permeir band "STEADFAST". We had a pretty good time, one girl made a decision to come back to God after a time of rejection of God. It was a pretty cool night. I think I'm becomming an old man, since I'm married, because at midnight I was totally tired and ready for bed,,,,I never thought the day would come when I went to sleep at 10:30. WOW! What has the world come to.
We also started a new sermon series yesterday at South G..."HELP! I'm spinning my tires in the mud!" A new series focusing on moving on with life and into the direction that God wants. We don't want to waste our time spinning in the mud when we can be going somewhere for God. I'm praying for South G as we move forward into a new year with vision and hopefully lots of movement from God. I'm thankful for my church and I ask God to continually bless it.
It's been a great year. I got married! The biggest highlight of my life! I love my wife and I can't wait for many more years to come,,,She's amazing. The Love of my life.
Tonight we're getting ready to go to Louisville to celebrate News Years with Nate and Leah, our good friends. I'm pretty stoked, I hear we're going to Buca De Beppos? Am i spelling that right? Is it a good place? Huh? I don't really know, but we will find out. We might hit up some bowling or something....I don't know but we'll find something. It'll be a hoot!
Thanks for all the faithful readers out there in blogworld, and a Happy New Years from the Ragers

Christmas Time is coming!!!

2007-12-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

My great Grandpa, Curtis Crenshaw, had a favorite Christmas song. I had never really heard the song till after he passed, but he sung it a lot. It brought him a lot of joy, probably because it was a song from his childhood, but I thought I'd share this old cowboy christmas song on the blog, as a little poem, as we approach Christmas.

Christmas Time's A Coming

Holly's in the window
Home where the wind blows
The cane foam's a-runnin'
Christmas Time's A-Comin'.

Can't you hear them bells ringin', ringin'
Joy, don'tcha hear them singin'
When it's snowin', I'll be goin'
Back to my country home.

Christmas Time's A-Comin'
Christmas Time's A-Comin'
Christmas Time's A-Comin'
And I know I'm goin' home.

White candle's burnin'
My old heart's a-yearnin'
For the folks at home when
Christmas Time's A-Comin'.

Snow flake's a-fallin'
My old heart's a-callin'
Tall pine's a-hummin'
Christmas Time's A-Comin'.

Christmas Time's A-Comin'
Christmas Time's A-Comin'
Christmas Time's A-Comin'
And I know I'm goin' home.

Team Honduras Blog

2007-12-22T13:46:00.001-08:00

I want to update everyone on my upcoming mission trip to Central America, Honduras. This will be my seventh trip to Honduras and if you are feeling God leading you in that direction I would like to steer you towards our team blog

http://ragerteam.blogspot.com

God bless!

FINDING CHRISTMAS JOY

2007-12-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

We began our new sermon Series called "FINDING CHRISTMAS JOY". My original idea was to call it "Christmas: Uncensored and Unedited", but after looking at the topics I was going to get Finding Joy is so much better. In this series we are looking at the things of life that sometimes get us down. Things that will bring despair and brokeness, but if we look at the reason for Christ, King Jesus, we will find real true joy.

Yesterday I spoke about Joseph. Can you imagine how God used Joe? I mean if you read in the text the bible says that he named our Lord Jesus. Of course the angel told him to do this, but what a great privelage he had. But can you imagine how Joe felt when he first found out the news about Mary? I bet he wasn't filled with Joy then, he probably thought his life was ruined.

Thats the thing with God. When we think God ruins our life, something crazy happens and we are brought close to Jesus. God is the master of turning awful situations into blessings, to draw us closer to Christ. Sometimes the situation really isn't bad, it's amazing, like the birth of Christ. But since we can only see the here and now, we think it's bad.

Let the story of Joe remind us, that God works all things for good.

Titus wrapped up!

2007-12-06T18:37:00.001-08:00

The series on Titus has come to an end! It's been a great joy for me, as this is the first whole book of the Bible that I've had the privelage of preaching through. Here's a quick overview of what we learned from Titus.

1. We are to be a Bible preaching Church- we preach truth. We faithfully preach the word of God 1-3

2. We need Biblical Pastors- Elders that will guide the church with a life that reflects Jesus 4-9

3. We need to be aware of false prophets that creep into the church- Those that retreat to legalism and myths 10-16

4. We all have a role in the church- From young to old we are encouraged to represent Christ Chapter 2

5. We must not forget God's Kindness- we must love the unchurched and non christians, we at one time were them. 3:1-8

6. We press forward- we meet the urgent needs around us. We are relevant, with a future, reaching people, not getting hung up on "silly" issues 9-15

And that was Titus: Building a God Sized Church. I have some of the messages from the series over to the right if you would like to donwload them. Be in prayer for me as we begin a new series entitled "CHRISTMAS: UNCENSORED AND UNCUT"

God bless

The Theology of Coffee

2007-11-28T14:05:00.000-08:00

I've always considered myself somewhat of a coffee drinker, and just recently my passion for the piping hot pot has been reawakened and revived. It all started with this substitute teaching gig that I got, it requires me to wake up early. I don't do mornings. I really don't, ask my wife, I could sleep through the Apocalypse. So when it comes to waking up, I need to constantly hit the snooze button and then to heavily caffeinate myself.
This sometimes comes in the form of Diet Mountain Dew (or since I've been married Diet Citrus Drop, a poor mans diet drink), but since me and Taran received a sleek,stylish new coffee pot for our wedding, I've been using that beast.
So every morning on my way to the school to sub, I load myself up with coffee from the hip trendy coffee pot that sits on my kitchen counter. I will spend the first three periods sipping on my coffee from my Thermos to acquire a nice rank coffee breathe and stained teeth.
I suppose I first started drinking coffee when I lived in Louisville. In the state of Kentucky we really don't have "coffee shops" in rural areas, unless you consider Junior Food Mart or BP a "coffee shop" and that coffee will be served to you, not in a stylish mug, but a stylish styro-foam cup. So when I lived in Louisville I was immediately addicted to the coffee shops, but it wasn't really for coffee, it was more for the social sphere.
You see I drink coffee but I'm addicted to social settings. I love people, I love noise, I love staying out late, I love strangers. So the draw of a coffee shop was not the java, but the people. Ask my friends that live in Louisville about how often I pulled myself out of our apartment and into the coffee sphere, they use to hate it, because they knew I was just using them to get my social bug fix.
Though my time in Louisville was short spent, it actually wasn't full of the social life that I had dreamed it would be. Coming out of college and into seminary was one of the hardest transitions of my life. I didn't have a Faith crises, but looking back, it was no doubt a 'dark' time in my life.
Shea got a job, Nate got a job, Jason had a job, Allison had a job, but I didn't have a job ( I did work with Allison at this place that helped fix spines, but I got fired for being a preacher, so it's okay, I have seen a lot of spineless pastors, maybe this is why). During this short lived time I actually went into a little cocoon. I was having a very difficult time at Seminary and I felt completely bogged down and uninvolved. My friends were there for me, they didn't abandon me, but they were busy, and I was a seminary student that was supposed to be studying but i never did and that's why i did bad. So I found myself for the first time in my life....lonely.
I remember my walk with God had such a strain on it. I felt far and distant from God, even though I was in seminary and I was preaching quite regularly, even driving on the weekends to preach, I still had this pull on my life.
My friends always made fun of me because I wanted to study in coffee shops. Quiet libraries did nothing but make me day dream, fall asleep, and doodle. So my social bug craved social interaction when i had study alone, which drove me straight into the hoards of the coffee shops. This is probably why I consider myself a coffee drinker, because I drank a lot of coffee by myself in those days.
This one time I went to go study is so memorable to me. I was getting ready to start my second semester and the reading that was required was from a book called "THE DOCTRINE OF GOD". 200 Pages had to be read before class even started, and because I felt like a slacker the semester before I was actually going to do my 'required' reading.
I remember reading 4 pages of "The Doctrine of God" and not understanding one word that I read. I read it again. No comprendo. Nada, zip, zilch. This class was forsaken to me already, so I dropped it. I'm an over achiever, I know.
It's funny looking back at how lonely I was during this time in Louisville, yet I was studying about God, learning about God, reading about God in a place that was full of people that God loved. I guess looking back, I was so very selfish.
When I moved out of Louisville to come back to Campbellsville and to pastor a church in the neighboring community, my entire life changed. I believe that no doubt God Himself brought me back to Campbellsville, even after swearing it was 'not for me anymore'. Here in Campbellsville I was able to share a house with one of my best friends Kyle, get to do hands on ministry and learn about the pastorate, network with some local pastors that have become friends, but most importantly continue dating my now wife.
The Move to campbellsville was from God. He saved my attitude and walk with Him. He's so good. But this blog is not about campbellsville, it's about coffee, so let me talk more about coffee.
As I networked with these local pastors it's ironic that we started having a small group at newly opened coffee shop in Campbellsville. Unlike the sleek trendy coffee hubs in Louisville, this was an old house on the edge of town serving sleek trendy coffee. This 'band of brothers' that one of our members often refer to us as, have become life long friends and people that I admire and love deeply. We drink coffee, we talk about life, talk about ministry, God, family, you name it. It's nourishing.
This coffee time that we have is from God. Well the time is from God, not the coffee, because they place we were meeting at closed down, once again in campbellsville if you want coffee you need to get it from a styro-foam cup, but The University now has a "Starbucks coffee cart" in it. But I'm told not to support Star Bucks because they enslave children or something, but I think it's more that I just don't often get over there, and I'm a coffee hypocrite I have a bag of Starbucks coffee grounds in my kitchen, that's what I drank this morning.
Even though the coffee has been removed from our fellowship, that close brand of Christianity I'm experiencing is not removed. It is rich, creamy, and piping hot! (I know that last sentence was really stupid, but you have to remember I'm a baptist preacher and I like cheezy metaphors, they're good for sermon illustrations).
Looking back at my Louisville days, it wasn't because my friends had work or that I was busy at school, I believe it was that I wasn't allowing myself to be open to Christian community. Not just Church, but that true genuine community, faith talks, ministry talks, life talks, etc. I guess I became so self-centered all I really cared about was my need to feed the social bug. I was selfish.
Christians need each other. We need Faith talks, we need the church, we need prayer, we need community with other believers.
It's funny that I look back at a moment when I was reading about God and was drifting from God at this coffee shop and compare it to a moment when I'm in Christian community in an abandoned coffee shop. The coffee is absent, but the taste is so much better.
I suppose I write this to encourage you not to be self-centered. Not to allow yourself to hide in a "social" setting without ever experiencing the intimate relationship that Jesus Christ calls us to. To really have a deep Christ relationship. To allow other Christians to experience that with you. Not to worry about the big stuff, but to allow The Holy Spirit of God to move in you in a refreshing way.
Because of this sub job I have, I can't meet with my preacher boys till January, and I will be drinking a lot of coffee in the mornings, but I can't wait to get back to those guys. I like being in Campbellsville and I like Louisville too, and now in retrospect it doesn't really matter where I'm at,as long as I allow myself to be open to God and to open myself up to other believers, not hiding in a crowd, sipping on coffee, reading about God, while having a cold heart. But to be with Christian Brothers as I try to figure out where I can get a 'good' cup of coffee

new name and new look

2007-11-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

If you have my site on a RSS feed you will immediately realize that the name of my blog went from "Relevance in the Rural" to "Relevance and Revival". I've decided to change the name to open up a whole new door of conversation and discussion.

A major passion of mine has been revival. Not just a three day meeting, but genuine awakening and realization of who Jesus Christ is. So I've decided to kind of "merge" the topic of being "relevant", communicating in an understandable way, with the topic of "revival"

I believe that when we truly realize what God has called us to be, we will then understand the dire importance to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses. When His Spirit is speaking strongly into our lives, we must be relevant in communicating the messages. So I hope this opens up brand new conversation and a new dimension with this blog.

We will still be talking about being relevant in the rural, but I believe this can just open up so much more. I have also obtained a new header at the top of the blog, to spice it up a little. Hope you like it!

VISION FOR THE RURAL!

2007-11-20T13:48:00.000-08:00

Not to long ago I discovered a book entitled "break out churches" By Thom Rainer. This book was very helpful for me as a pastor, on so many levels. But one thing that I really gleaned from the book was the part about vision.

In a nutshell, without being technical, Rainer suggest that we allow "VISION" to discover us. While serving in the ministry and reading book after book, you cannot escape the word "vision".

Vision is our sight. It's the direction of where we are going. How we see it, and how we're going to get there. But have you ever noticed something about vision? Usually you open your eyes, you see whats in front of you, then you go.

If I wanted to see Disney World, the way to see it would not be to shut my eyes, and then open them magically expecting Orlando Florida to be in front of my face. I would first have to look to see where I'm at, and then I would plot my course to arriving at Disney World.

I love the idea of allowing God to show you what your vision is. Many pastors will fall into the awful temptation of wanting a successful suburban church, with upper middle class people in the congregation. But if God has allowed you to live and ministry in the rural, sometimes we just need to "open" our eyes and notice those that are around us.

In the rural, often you have people that have lost their jobs, looking for work, and often disabled. Society has branded folks in the rural "as rednecks" or "white trash", but we know that God does NOT make trash! We might have some country boys around, but they are very valuable and worth so much to God. So much that Jesus would die for them.

While ministering in the rural, we must be ready to meet people where they are. They see the same old town, with the same old stuff in it, EVERYDAY! Make ministry fresh. Exciting. Relevant. How do we communicate the word of God to a people that are rural?

We need to have a vision for our rural ministries. We need to know we're we are going, but we also need to know whats in front of our faces. We need to minister to the people right where they are. They are precious and loved by God.

INCREDIBLE WEEKEND!

2007-11-18T20:16:00.000-08:00

What can I say, except it was a wonderful weekend! This weekend we did our very first "Bible Conference" Basically it was kind of like a mini-revival. But it was no doubt a HUGE success. We had two speakers a night, on Friday Night and Saturday Night, a Total of four. They brought very challenging words from The Lord, that were very relevant and very applicable for our people.

Tonight it ended with a bang, with our missionary that we work with in Honduras, Sam Feazel. He came and shared how God is moving in Central America, and basically REVIVAL BROKE LOOSE! It was incredible. People praying over the missionaries, people on the altar, and people worshipping authentically! What a great weekend!

I wasn't able to record our Sunday sermon today, but keep downloading the messages. I'm not for sure if anyone listens to them or not, feedback would be appreciated, so I can know to keep uploading them or not.

I hope God is blessing you! We had an awesome weekend!

check out this link

http://www.bmdmi.org to find out more about the mission that we work with.

God bless you guys

T.V. Evangelist RAP (Prosperity Gospel)

2007-11-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

A couple of post ago, I posed about being aware of those that are out there that may not be all they seem to be. To be careful and watchful of those that are out for dishonest gain and ripping off the bride of Christ.

This is a rap done by The "MOSAIC" Church In L.A. at Erwin McManus's Church. This is very powerful. A Rap may not be the most relevant tool in the Rural, but I do believe this message needs to be delivered in the rural. We must be ready to teach that true Biblical teaching is needed more than the emotional, money grabbing, health and wealth Gospel, that is out there.

The other video is John Pipers response to the Health and Wealth Gospel. Watch both! They pack a very strong message! Feedback welcomed!

You gotta feed the need to read..

2007-11-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

In the last year I have absorbed myself in reading! Whats really funny is, is that I've read soooo much more than what I did in the couple of semesters I did in Seminary. HA! I was such a slacker, maybe when I go back one day I can apply my habits.

Wanted just to take a few minutes and just recommend some great reads for you all. These books are some that I've read in the last year, and I really wanna just take a few seconds to tell you about them.

Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make: Hans Finzel.

An older book taking a look at leadership gone bad and how we can learn from Mistakes. Easy read, a little technical at times, but some great aspects of Leadership.

Breakout Churches: Thom Rainer.

Excellent book looking at thirteen churches that experienced "BREAK OUT" Breakout is defined in the book as having the same leader in the church, but going through a time of plateau or decline. And How God pulled them out of it.

Soul Cravings: Erwin McManus.

I'm a big fan of McManus, especially his speaking. Sometimes his writings are weird for me to read, but his principles are AMAZING! His outlook on life, view of spirituallity. Wonderful! Soul Cravings is a great book for you if you're a movie buff looking for spiritual applications, or totally emersed in culture. Super Short Chapters, would be great as a devotional.

Purpose Driven Life: Rick Warren.

Okay Okay, this book isn't new at all, but I just read it when our Church went through 40 Days of Purpose. It's hyped for a reason. It's worth it. These timeless principles will help shape and mold you. Read this book if you are a new Christian or a tart seasoned one.

7 Practices for Efective Ministry: Andy Stanley.

A Must for Leadership. But be cautious. Sometimes I find Andy's writings not always applicable for rural ministry. I wasn't a big fan for the communicating book he wrote, but I did reap some principles. This book though is good. Worth your time. Andy is pretty darn amazing.

The Missional Leader: Roxburgh and Romanuk.

Very techincal! I didn't actually finish it. But what I did read of it helped me understand the missional church movement and also guided me in some good principles. If you can get through with it do it!

Mere Christianity: C.S. Lewis

A Classic! Just get through the first 5 chapters and you'll make it!

Well thats my year thus far....in the reading. I'm currently working on COMEBACK CHURCHES by Ed Stetzer. We'll see where that takes me.

Read one and let me know what you think.