Where are you living?

“Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.”
~C.T. Studd

Goodbye January

Today I say goodbye to January. As I took a few moments to think about the past month I was amazed at how many things we did and how little we accomplished in relation to all that activity. This little revelation really has gotten me thinking about how I am spending my time.

We have definitely had some good things happened this month. We continued to have our weekly Gospel Community Group on Thursday evenings and I believe that our time has been fruitful. We also began Launch Team Training on Saturday mornings. This too has been a profitable time of teaching and growing in relationship with our team.

My mentor and good friend, John Nyquist, often could be heard saying, "Ministry would be great if it wasn't for the people!" The point he was making was that ministry is the people and ministry is hard because people can be hard to deal with.

Church planting is interesting for a number of reasons. One of them being the people that are drawn to the mission. People have many different reasons for becoming a part of a church plant and many of them are not good reasons.

There are only two good reasons I can think of to be a part of a church plant. 1) God has called you to partner with other faithful men, women and children to plant a new church. & 2) You have come to saving faith in Jesus Christ through the ministry of a church plant. If people become a part of a church plant for any other reason it is best for the health of the church plant for the church planter/pastor to direct them to a place where God may be calling them.

Church planting is hard. It takes wholehearted commitment. You cannot dabble in church planting. If you do you will be completely unsatisfied with the experience and you will hold back the work that the LORD God Almighty wants to do through that church plant.

January has been a good month for us. It has been a difficult and heartbreaking month in some ways. It has been an adventurous and exciting month in some ways. It has been a faith stretching month in every way. There have been high highs and low lows. Through it all Jesus Christ has been faithful to build Pointway Church both deeper and wider.

As I think of how I have spent my time in the past month I am going to need to refocus on some crucial things and set aside some of the lesser things. Brainerd/Baxter is filled with people who are going to hell if they do not repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am going to do everything I can to make it difficult for them to go to hell. If they are to go to hell they are going to have to do so while ignoring my pleas for them to receive the gift of salvation that comes from Jesus Christ alone.

I will do this even if I am the only one willing. I will remain faithful whether people stand along with me or not.

For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
~1 Corinthians 9:16

Goodbye January! Thank You Jesus for everything.

X Factor 2

Behavior 2 – Trust God to Provide

Acts 1:8-8:1 – The earliest days of the church.

1. Trust God by exercising prayer (1:14; 4:24).

2. Trust God by hearing from God while together (2:1, 46).

3. Trust God by learning through the apostles’ teaching (2:42).

4. Trust God by allowing Him to reveal Himself (5:29).

Acts 16:6 and 19:10 – God’s very specific hand of direction.

1. The Holy Spirit keeps Paul and companions from Asia.

2. Now the people of Asia hear the good news.

Acts 5:1-11 – The antithesis…the couple that did not trust God to provide.

1. In succession Ananias and Sapphira keep something back for personal security.

2. They lied to Peter; perhaps they lied to themselves (and they lied to the Holy Spirit).

Bottom Line:

The Early Church leaders always had their antennas high. The listened to God, and they trusted Him for specific direction. Today more than ever we need to hear from God and receive His direction. This concept of trust is not easy. The sooner we acknowledge that whatever is from God cannot be stopped, the sooner we will trust Him to multiply the Church. One more note – holding back is not a good option.

Welcome to the Erickson Residence!!!

We just purchased this mission outpost on Glenwood Drive in Baxter

Burrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Again

I woke up this morning to -20 degrees. You gotta love the frozen tundra of central Minnesota!!!

What is Prayer for?

“Prayer is for the accomplishment of a wartime mission. It is as though the field commander (Jesus) called in the troops, gave them a crucial mission (go and bear fruit), handed each of them a personal transmitter coded to the frequency of the General’s headquarters, and said, ‘Comrades, the General has a mission for you…And to that end he has authorized me to give each of you personal access to him through these transmitters. If you stay true to his mission and seek his victory first, he will always be as close as your transmitter, to give tactical advice and to send air cover when you need it.”

~ John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad, p.49

Feel the Burn

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
~Hebrews 12:28-29

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
~1 Peter 1:6-7

Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: "Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.
~Jeremiah 5:14

The Devil's fiery arrows fall to the ground harmlessly, but fear the LORD who is a Consuming Fire! Feel the Burn! Consume me Jesus, set me on fire and let people watch me burn!!!

X Factor 1

Behavior 1 – Wait for the Holy Spirit’s Power

Acts 1:4 – Initial instruction from Jesus himself to WAIT.

1. Significance of His final words on earth.

2. Significance of power to the previously powerless.

3. Significance of active waiting (see 1:14, 15, 16-26, 2:1)

4. Significance lessons from some who tried it without THE power (19:13-16)

Bottom Line:

God’s power is not token. It is not a power occasionally available. It is not a power to be fooled with. Spiritual warfare, especially in church multiplication, is real. Therefore, it is critical to wait to be empowered by the Holy Spirit! Satan will aggressively work to thwart your progress. He knows it will lead to the taking of his territory.

Don’t miss the activity surrounding the word WAIT. WAIT did not, and does not, mean to be idle!

Fire Inflaming Your Soul?

“It is the gospel that makes prayer possible. Christ, the Mediator of the new covenant, by whom justification and sanctification are promised, is also the Mediator who makes your prayers accepted by the Father (Hebrews 4:15-16). The Holy Spirit, who gives you the new birth, who unites you to Christ, who sanctifies you, and who shows you the things of Christ, is a Spirit of prayer (Zechariah 12:10, Galatians 4:6). He is like a fire inflaming your soul, and He makes you mount upward in prayer to God. Prayerless people are dead to God.”

~Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, p. 209

Meditation

"...God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." ~ Romans 5:5

As I was meeting with the LORD this morning I was studying Romans 5:1-11. Verse 5 stirred something up deep within me as I considered the application and implication of it.

I share it with you and ask that you consider the following question: How does the truth of this verse impact the way you are living today?

Think about it!!!

Burrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Asher is learning to identify hot and cold. He says, "hhhhhhhhhooot" for hot and "burrr" for cold. For the second morning in a row he has an opportunity to practice "burrr" because for the last two mornings the thermometer read -23 degrees. (yes that is a minus before the 23). This is straight temperature not including wind chill. It is cold out so we are teaching Asher to say, "lets stay inside today."

Annisms

"I almost vomited from my own puke."

Watch StAn (and Anne's Belly) Grow!

13 Weeks

How Do You Demonstrate Leadership?

A Good Friend sent this to me and I thought I would share it with you for your edification.

Fundamental principles underlie the thinking and conduct of all true leaders, and these principles are even sharply defined for leaders within the kingdom of God. From time to time those whom the Lord has chosen for leadership need to examine themselves in the mirror of thought- provoking maxims. These proverbs are designed to help Christian leaders move forward in administrative excellence.What kind of leader are you?·

Responsible leaders do not make irresponsible statements.

· A godly leader speaks out of the presence of God.

· A humble leader never makes light of eternal truths, but esteems them with reverence.

· A wise leader resolves conflicts peacefully, not forcefully.

· An enduring leader withstands insult without anger.

· A wholesome leader is characterized by tolerance, which saves him from hasty decisions in crisis, and retaliations in the face of contrariness.

· The good leader attempts to make friends, not enemies.

· Dealing harshly with opponents causes more aggravation and hostility. A polite leader uses gentleness and kindness.

· A leader who listens well to his subordinates manages them well.

· The greatness of a leader is in his humility before God, not in his eloquence before man.

· A devoted leader gives himself totally to the ones he is leading, helping them to develop their undiscovered potential.

· A patient leader remembers that people's responses vary according to their nature, temperament, and level of development.

· A mature leader shows highest respect for others, irrespective of race or rank.

· A wise leader guards himself against the pitfalls of success, self-assertiveness and over- confidence.

· Broken promises quickly destroy confidence in leadership.

· A wise leader inspires and motivates rather than intimidating and manipulating.

· A weak leader retreats in the face of rising difficulties and loses the respect of his followers.

· Severe trials open the door to new revelation.

· The path of leadership is always lonely.

· The greater the leader the greater his fall when he succumbs to temptations.

· A teachable leader eagerly probes for truth learned by others regardless of their status.

· A relaxed leader relaxes his followers.

· The self-righteous leader lives in a cell made of blocks of deception, hypocrisy, and lies.

· A stubborn leader is a menace who cannot be trusted by his colleagues.

Author Unknown

X Factors from the book of Acts

We are on a Journey to the End of the Earth as we plant Pointway Church in Brainerd/Baxter, MN. This Saturday I will begin Leadership Training with our Launch Team. One of the things that we will be doing as a part of this is studying the book of Acts.

In August I attended the Christian and Missionary Alliances sXt (strategic multiplication training). While there we looked at the key biblical multiplication factors that lead to the explosion of the Christian Church.

As we work through them as a Launch Team I will share them with you for your edification. One conviction that I hold very deeply is that the contemporary Christian church needs to rediscover its identity. The book of Acts is the best church planting manual I know of and understanding what the Christian church was in the very beginning is the first step in rediscovering who we truly are as followers of the risen and exalted LORD Jesus Christ.

Key Biblical X Factors

(X equals Multiplication)

“And the LORD added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

1. Wait for the Holy Spirit’s Power

2. Trust God to Provide

3. Anticipate Victories Emerging from God’s Control

4. Expect and Discern Divine Appointments

5. Observe and Join what God is Doing

6. Stand Strong Even in the Face of Opposition

7. Praise First In and Out of Adversity

8. Build Bridges to the People

9. Empower and Release Your Best People

10. Relentlessly Focus on Bringing People to Christ and His Kingdom

The first four behaviors (wait, trust, anticipate, discern) are consistently found in multipliers. These four behaviors are all about becoming aligned for God to do His work.

Behaviors five through seven (observe and join, stand strong, praise first) begin the transition into horizontal activity while maintaining a clear eye on God.

The final three behaviors (build bridges, empower and release, relentlessly focus) are deliberate, focused activities resulting in fulfilling God’s purpose and Commission to be His multipliers all over the world.

Take a look at StAn!!!

Take a look at StAn Again!!!

Lion Hunting

Trevor Tobin = Jeremiah Lamphier?

On Monday February 4, 2008 Trevor Tobin will begin a Businessperson's Prayer Gathering in his office in Brainerd/Baxter, MN. Will Edgewood Drive become the next Fulton Street? Will Trevor Tobin become the next Jeremiah Lamphier?

In 1857 New York City was rocked by Revival. Jeremiah Lamphier, a businessman, was appointed by the Dutch Reformed Church as a missionary to the central business district. He organized a weekly prayer meeting in the city.

As the first meeting began Lamphier prayed alone. A half hour passed and five other men joined him. The next week 20 men joined him. The next week it was 40 and they moved to a daily prayer meeting.

Within six months 10,000 people were gathering to pray in over 15o prayer meetings. This prayer meeting is pointed to as the beginning of the Second Great Awakening where it is reported that one million people came to saving faith in the LORD Jesus Christ.

Can it happen again?

Let's find out!!!

Read more about Jeremiah Lamphier HERE.

Storming the Gates of Hell

I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
~Matthew 16:18

The LORD Jesus Christ is building Pointway Church and the gates of hell are being stormed by the army of Kingdom Warriors the King is raising up. I continue to be in awe of the way the LORD is working in our midst. I am absolutely astounded by his grace and his glory.

We are feeling the hot breath of the roaring lion who prowls around looking for someone to devour. We do not fear traveling in lion country because we wear the full armor of the Living God.

It is pure joy to walk on this battlefield as a warrior of the Kingdom of God. I can not think of one other thing that I would rather do with my life than to live in this place, at this time engaging the enemy and bringing the gospel to the walking dead.

May God be glorified in this work and may his name be feared by all.

Soli Deo Gloria

StAn Update

StAn is making his/her presence known.
He/She weighs in at: 0.25 ounces
and measures in at: 1.61 inches

Way to go StAn, keep up the good work!!!

We praise God for your life and we pray for you every day.
We can't wait to meet you!

This is Why I am a Church Planter!!!

This morning I was praying and asking God to give me an "open door" for the gospel. I pray this prayer almost every day and the LORD is good to grant me my request. This morning I also asked the LORD to let me see his salvation come upon someone.

Tonight our community group met and one of our flock, who has been a Christian for only a few months, brought two new friends to the group. He soon got a call from a friend whose car had broken down and was asking for a ride. So he and one of his friends went to help the friend and they left Charlie all alone with us.

We could tell he was a little uncomfortable and we tried to put him at ease. He was eager to be there and we proceeded with our time in the word. Knowing that Charlie was not a follower of Christ we changed our regular format and read our passage and I asked if anyone had any questions about the passage.

Someone asked why Jesus had to suffer and that opened up an opportunity to talk straight forwardly about the gospel. We challenged Charlie with regard to his sin and asked him if he would like to receive the forgiveness that is found in Jesus Christ alone. The Spirit of God was moving powerfully among us and Charlie indicated that he wanted to repent of his sins and commit his life to following Jesus Christ.

Hallelujah!!! The angels are rejoicing in heaven!

Please pray for Charlie. Pray that the LORD would give him new life and that the Holy Spirit would take up residence in his soul.

Praise the LORD! This is Why I am a Church Planter!!!

Mr. Cool