Thursday I left home at around 8:00 a.m. I was scheduled to meet with a couple of different people at the school and so I wanted to arrive there before 9:00. When I pulled into USA High School, there was no one around. Upon driving into town I learned that school had been canceled for the day because the girls' volleyball team was playing in the state semi-finals that day in Battle Creek.
For those of you who have never been part of a small town, there is always an excitement that sweeps through a community when a team advances that far into the state playoffs. Every business had a sign out to congratulate and encourage the team. It is one of those times when, if you are part of that community, there is a closeness that is so encouraging.
I called the other people I was scheduled to meet to see if they were still in town. They were, but it still left me with a lot of open time because obviously the time I would normally spend at the school was now empty.
It was good though to sit at a couple of different locations in town and catch up on some reading and simply talked to the people who were still left around town about the possibility of another State Championship.
No question, there is something special about a small town. Wouldn't it be great if we could capture that kind of excitement in our spiritual lives. (I did learn later that day that the USA ladies had lost, but to make it that far is always special.)
Praises:
The three active discipling opportunities that I have going at the moment
God's faithfulness
Thanksgiving and the time to remember
Concerns:
That some doors would open
For the factory workers at the plant that just closed in Sebewaing
For safety as the crop harvest concludes
For workers as the soul harvest continues
Your Servant in Christ,
Brian
Friday, November 21, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Enemy of the Best
November 13
I started my weekly visit to Sebewaing this week by checking in with Casey at his home in Pigeon. I have not had the opportunity, because of conflicting schedules, to sit down with him since early in September. Just to remind you the reader, Casey has been trying to be obedient to God as God leads him down a path in which the idea of church and disciple-making really will look different than it has in the past. Last summer Casey and I have kind of made the commitment to one another to visit from time to time just to bounce ideas off each other and see what God is doing in our lives.
I was really encouraged by our visit on a number of levels. First I was excited to hear what God has been doing in Casey's life. Over these last several months God has led him to write a book on his experiences in his skate park ministry. (I am looking forward to reading it.). As he explained it to me, he identifies three areas in the church today. The traditional church, the new emerging church and its various forms, and the people who will be the bridge between the two. This is where he and I kind of find ourselves these day, as bridge builders.
Secondly, I was excited to see a new enthusiasm in Casey for a ministry in Bad Axe. He knows that God has something for him there, and he is working to discern what his role might look like while still honoring his commitments to family and friends.
The third thing that I was encouraged about was Casey checking my spirit. One of the real problems I have is that I am always looking for the formula to get done what I am suppose to do. As I have been working on this discipling process in Sebewaing, I have been tempted at times to just use a program and get started. Every time that I meet with Casey he encourages me not to settle for something that might be good, but to wait for God's best. Thanks, Casey.
Praises:
For people like Casey who just want to follow God
For the discipling relationship that I have started in Sebewaing
For the relationships that I continue to build with the group of young men in the alternative ed program
For long term relationships that continue to grow strong
Concerns:
For more workers
For an openness with the churches of the Sebewaing area
For wisdom as we try to wait on the Lord and discern his will
For Casey as he tries to interpret the things God has in front of him
I started my weekly visit to Sebewaing this week by checking in with Casey at his home in Pigeon. I have not had the opportunity, because of conflicting schedules, to sit down with him since early in September. Just to remind you the reader, Casey has been trying to be obedient to God as God leads him down a path in which the idea of church and disciple-making really will look different than it has in the past. Last summer Casey and I have kind of made the commitment to one another to visit from time to time just to bounce ideas off each other and see what God is doing in our lives.
I was really encouraged by our visit on a number of levels. First I was excited to hear what God has been doing in Casey's life. Over these last several months God has led him to write a book on his experiences in his skate park ministry. (I am looking forward to reading it.). As he explained it to me, he identifies three areas in the church today. The traditional church, the new emerging church and its various forms, and the people who will be the bridge between the two. This is where he and I kind of find ourselves these day, as bridge builders.
Secondly, I was excited to see a new enthusiasm in Casey for a ministry in Bad Axe. He knows that God has something for him there, and he is working to discern what his role might look like while still honoring his commitments to family and friends.
The third thing that I was encouraged about was Casey checking my spirit. One of the real problems I have is that I am always looking for the formula to get done what I am suppose to do. As I have been working on this discipling process in Sebewaing, I have been tempted at times to just use a program and get started. Every time that I meet with Casey he encourages me not to settle for something that might be good, but to wait for God's best. Thanks, Casey.
Praises:
For people like Casey who just want to follow God
For the discipling relationship that I have started in Sebewaing
For the relationships that I continue to build with the group of young men in the alternative ed program
For long term relationships that continue to grow strong
Concerns:
For more workers
For an openness with the churches of the Sebewaing area
For wisdom as we try to wait on the Lord and discern his will
For Casey as he tries to interpret the things God has in front of him
Friday, November 7, 2008
From the Drawing Board to the Real World
Thursday, November 6 became the day that I began to put into practice some of the stuff that I have been learning about over these last couple of months. Let me explain.
Back in September I was given two books to read: Cultivating a Life for God and Organic Church Growing Faith where Life Happens. These are books written by Neil Cole. Both books encourage multiplying disciples of Christ. The cultivating book advocates the multiplying of disciples through Life Transformation Groups. A Life Transformation group is a group of between 2 and 4 same gender people who meet on a regular basis. The content of those meetings includes going through some accountability questions each week and reading 30 chapters of scripture. If one or more of the members does not finish the scripture reading, then the entire group rereads the same 30 chapters. The idea of the 30 chapters is that God's word has the power to change lives more than any book. Also the idea is that the entire group rereads the 30 chapters if one member does not complete them because perhaps there is something more that God wants to reveal to the group from that scripture.
Joe and I took the first steps to starting one of these kinds of groups yesterday. We had met previously but had not gone over the guidelines very well, and for yesterday's meeting Joe had not finished the reading. I assured him that was alright, and we would stick with the same chapters for next week.
I also had an idea that came out of the Pastor's Retreat I had attended in October. The idea involved doing discipling in the context of married couples. (Thanks, Kaye.) Last evening my wife and I started that process. We are attempting to work with some friends of ours from the Sebewaing area on creating a model that will allow this type of discipling to work. We had talked last week and assigned some scripture reading, and then we sat and talked about them over dinner last night. Our conversations were over 3 hours in length as we focused on 3 scripture verses we had looked at and the implications of those verses in the life of a disciple. We are excited about the possibilities of this ministry.
The other event that I am trying to figure out from yesterday is something that I cannot share in a public manner yet because it was shared in confidence. As I listened to this information from two different people, I had a distinct impression that what seems like a bad situation at the moment, God may well be able to use in a new way. Some of the ideas from the Organic Church book leaped out at me, and I am praying that we can come along side some people in a way that will minister to them and advance the Kingdom.
Praises:
These new ministry opportunities and groups
For fall harvest which are nearing completion
For the opportunity to involve my wife in a much more direct way in this ministry
For the continued support of the church
Concerns:
For hurting people in Sebewaing with the loss of jobs from the closing of a factory
For God's protection on Joe as he steps out into this LTG (life transformation group)
For John, Rhonda, Deb, and I as we try to put into practice the idea of couples discipling
For my appointment next week with a pastor from a church in the area
For new workers for the harvest (Matt. 9:37-38)
Your Servant in Christ,
Brian
Back in September I was given two books to read: Cultivating a Life for God and Organic Church Growing Faith where Life Happens. These are books written by Neil Cole. Both books encourage multiplying disciples of Christ. The cultivating book advocates the multiplying of disciples through Life Transformation Groups. A Life Transformation group is a group of between 2 and 4 same gender people who meet on a regular basis. The content of those meetings includes going through some accountability questions each week and reading 30 chapters of scripture. If one or more of the members does not finish the scripture reading, then the entire group rereads the same 30 chapters. The idea of the 30 chapters is that God's word has the power to change lives more than any book. Also the idea is that the entire group rereads the 30 chapters if one member does not complete them because perhaps there is something more that God wants to reveal to the group from that scripture.
Joe and I took the first steps to starting one of these kinds of groups yesterday. We had met previously but had not gone over the guidelines very well, and for yesterday's meeting Joe had not finished the reading. I assured him that was alright, and we would stick with the same chapters for next week.
I also had an idea that came out of the Pastor's Retreat I had attended in October. The idea involved doing discipling in the context of married couples. (Thanks, Kaye.) Last evening my wife and I started that process. We are attempting to work with some friends of ours from the Sebewaing area on creating a model that will allow this type of discipling to work. We had talked last week and assigned some scripture reading, and then we sat and talked about them over dinner last night. Our conversations were over 3 hours in length as we focused on 3 scripture verses we had looked at and the implications of those verses in the life of a disciple. We are excited about the possibilities of this ministry.
The other event that I am trying to figure out from yesterday is something that I cannot share in a public manner yet because it was shared in confidence. As I listened to this information from two different people, I had a distinct impression that what seems like a bad situation at the moment, God may well be able to use in a new way. Some of the ideas from the Organic Church book leaped out at me, and I am praying that we can come along side some people in a way that will minister to them and advance the Kingdom.
Praises:
These new ministry opportunities and groups
For fall harvest which are nearing completion
For the opportunity to involve my wife in a much more direct way in this ministry
For the continued support of the church
Concerns:
For hurting people in Sebewaing with the loss of jobs from the closing of a factory
For God's protection on Joe as he steps out into this LTG (life transformation group)
For John, Rhonda, Deb, and I as we try to put into practice the idea of couples discipling
For my appointment next week with a pastor from a church in the area
For new workers for the harvest (Matt. 9:37-38)
Your Servant in Christ,
Brian
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Running too Fast
The last few weeks have been pretty busy. I have run from one thing to the next, and I have not gotten to posting about the work in Sebewaing even though I was there two out of the last three weeks. I have felt a little like the 6 point buck I saw running the streets of Sebewaing last Thursday-- (true story ask me about it some time) -- a little hurried, but just as he finally got to the right spot, I too am getting settled in.
Rather than trying to catch up on all the things that happened over my last two visits, I am simply going to take a moment to inform you on a couple of things happening this week as I prepare to go to Sebewaing tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning as I prayer walk around Sebewaing, I will be taking part in my first life transformation group opportunity that has shown itself. I will be walking and praying with an old friend of mine. We have each committed to reading the book of Matthew for tomorrow and to go through the accountability questions. This is one of the tools that we are looking at to create a disciple making movement. So please pray for Joe and me.
Also tomorrow evening my wife and I will be meeting with another couple to begin the process of building a model that we can use for discipling married couples. I am excited about both of these possibilities and ask you to pray for them. At this point I think I should be able to get back to a regular schedule and post my encounters each week.
Thanks for praying.
Your Servant in Christ,
Brian Reinhardt
Rather than trying to catch up on all the things that happened over my last two visits, I am simply going to take a moment to inform you on a couple of things happening this week as I prepare to go to Sebewaing tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning as I prayer walk around Sebewaing, I will be taking part in my first life transformation group opportunity that has shown itself. I will be walking and praying with an old friend of mine. We have each committed to reading the book of Matthew for tomorrow and to go through the accountability questions. This is one of the tools that we are looking at to create a disciple making movement. So please pray for Joe and me.
Also tomorrow evening my wife and I will be meeting with another couple to begin the process of building a model that we can use for discipling married couples. I am excited about both of these possibilities and ask you to pray for them. At this point I think I should be able to get back to a regular schedule and post my encounters each week.
Thanks for praying.
Your Servant in Christ,
Brian Reinhardt
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