the Journey

Reflections from the Gospel Hip-Hop Awards

The video above is from the Gospel Hip-Hop Awards (at the BJCC, on October 31, 2009). I was invited to participate as a presenter of the first award- as well as to make an appeal to all of the artists and attenders present to help became a lead / launch team that will do some things that the Lord has been stirring in my Spirit to expand our work downtown for quite some time. As I have handed off the day-to-day operations of The Village, my time is freeing to pray and dream of other things.

One of the highlights of this night was the exposure to so many brothers & sisters in Christ who sing, dress, and look differently on the outside... but have a common calling in Christ. 

I imagine what my grandparents must of felt the first time they heard someone hit a snare drum in the sanctuary- or the first time "As the Deer," "From the Rising of the Sun," and "I Love You, Lord" (if you remember those songs) came through the sounds of the "praise team." The new sound takes some getting used to- but it is holy and reverent- even if loud and rhythmic all in one.

I never envisioned having a team of co-laborers with names like 4-Given, Short-Tee, Theo Soul, Major, D.J. M-Pack... but that is what the Lord is putting together... I've been praying for 50 leaders, many of whom will start praying together with us in the near future.

I'm excited about leveraging the gifts of many of these leaders to take the Gospel to the streets of our city, allowing to cross cultural barriers we have not been able to cross before. And, I'm learning so much from them about the various cultures downtown, even in a city I already knew relatively well.

The Downtown Trading Co.- thrift store, community center?, and church?

OK. Actual picture taken this week. You can provide the caption. I didn't know if we were getting a ticket... if the officer was just sitting there... or what. It happened after we couldn't park directly in front of our trading co. building due to city workers on the street cutting through gas lines...

The end result was not ticket. But, still...

Here's the latest on the trading company- I'm sharing so that you can pray.

1) We are moving towards opening soon. In fact, we need to actually get rid of some stuff immediately so that we can open. However we organize it, there's stuff stacked on stuff. And, our garage (that was supposed to be a sorting area where we could also park work vehicles) is now full. Look for a "yard sale" blow-out, give-away- or something like that very soon.

2) We're going to use the space for more than just the "store." It's evident after being there for just a few weeks that we can use it for meetings and other things... like a community center might be used. This means the following:

* We will likely begin holding a women's Bible study there on Saturday mornings in the near future. And, 

* Pastor Short-Tee and others have spoken of launching a Hip-Hop Church (not a typo- I did use the word Hip-Hop) before "church" out of the space in the near future as well. If we do it, we'll gather a launch team, etc., and look at a Sunday evening blow-out. Odd thing is... we already have the sound equipment that can stay there, we have been given furniture that works perfectly... we have the space... This would be a no-cost launch!

Pray. These are all incredible opportunities.

The irony: former inmate swaps sides, now renovating the police station

OK. Sounds odd. But, it's true. Last night, around 11:00 pm or so, Pastor Rodney and I swung through The Village and I ran into a guy I'll simply refer to here as Thomas. I asked Thomas if he was ready to start the construction job tomorrow (remember, it was Tuesday night when I asked him- he is starting on Wednesday).

I was referring to a job he's doing, where we've got a crew joining a Birmingham-based commercial contractor to extensively remodel the Talladega Police Station. 

"I sure am!" he replied. "Strange thing... I got my start there..."

"Your start?" I asked. "Didn't know you've done construction before... thought this was your first time..."

"No," he clarified. "I caught my case there... That's where I first got locked up."

Then the pieces all came together. 

"Well, go tell them that you've flipped sides. Joined the other team. Say hello to the officers... to the secretaries..."

Then it hit him- that he had come a long way. Moreover, that God had brought him a long, long way. The fact that this man who had once been running against the Law was now helping and serving those set in place to help serve and protect us...

This same man was baptized a few weeks ago at The Downtown Church on Sunday morning. All things, for him, are becoming new... This is part of what I get to see everyday at The Village. God is so good, and His mercies are real.

Monday night is date night; few exceptions. Here was one...

Monday night is date night. Cristy and I pretty well keep it- few exceptions. No other appointments, no other people... again, few exceptions.

Last night we made one. I have a spiritual father in the faith, of sorts, a man I came in contact with just a few years ago. I was in a time in my life when I was wrestling with what my background in the Southern Baptist Church in which I was raised told me to do: "We're people of the Bible; do whatever the Bible tells you to do!" And, wrestling with the tension of what the Bible was actually telling me to do- heal the sick, cast out demons, preach the Gospel boldly, see cities transformed... (This is not a slam on my heritage- I am grateful for the foundation that was laid and have written about it here).

In other words, my background told me to lean into the Scripture- not experience. Yet, now, the Scripture was showing me things that the experience in my background had not prepared me for... Odd.

Lamar Junkins was- is- a gentle man who is humble and full of grace. He pastors a church not far from us. God brought him into my life at a time when I needed someone to offer guidance and counsel- and prayer. The story is longer that I'll post here. And, there's much more that I'm grateful for...

He taught me about the Holy Spirit while sitting in Ruby Tuesday in 5 Points South- we took the table for about four hours, and he left the waitress a great tip for the "rent."

He convinced me that we could pray for healing for the wife of a staff member who was "unable to bear children," according to the doctors. They now have two girls.

He showed me that you could trust that God would speak a word of wisdom, insight, or (dare I say it) prophecy through you to another person. You could trust that God would speak...

Last night we went to see him at St. Vincent's hospital, where he's recovering from a bypass surgery, neuropathy in his heel that led to a blister gone awry, and a gall bladder issue. We went to encourage and love him; we left with him encouraging and praying for us.

Completely backwards. And completely like Jesus.

Praying for your healing, Lamar. Thanks.

Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, & The Bible make the list of Satanic books to be burned!

Interesting... Amazing Grace Baptist Church is celebrating Halloween with... a book burning. No Fall Festival, no "trunk or treat" non-sense- just straight out "burn the books." I'm shocked by what made the list (and a bit confused by what did not).

The weekend war cry

Quick audio post. Testing out a new gadget we got this week to help out with the recording of The Village classes and the Linn Park worship service on Sunday. This thing (about the size of an iPod) plugs into the sound system- and goes straight mp3 recording... but, can record open air, as well. On the way home from The Guitar Center, where our own Andy Greenfield runs the show, I hit "record"... and caught the "weekend war cry" on WDJC, which is how Ronnie Bruce kicks of the weekend- officially- at 1:00 pm. 

Here it is. Go ahead and listen in- It'll move you.

Download 10-09-2009 Weekend war cry

"Youth groups are holding tanks with pizza," says Ed...

Seventy percent of Protestants age 18 to 30 drop out of church before age 23 and give multiple reasons for their departure. Why they leave• Wanted a break from church: 27%• Found church members judgmental or hypocritical: 26%• Moved to college: 25% • Tied up with work: 23%• Moved too far away from home church: 22%• Too busy: 22% • Felt disconnected to people at church: 20% • Disagreed with church's stance on political/social issues: 18%• Spent more time with friends outside church: 17% • Only went before to please others: 17%Reasons cited by the 30% who kept attending church:• It's vital to my relationship with God: 65%• It helps guide my decision in everyday life: 58% • It helps me become a better person: 50%• I am following a family member's example: 43%• Church activities were a big part of my life: 35%• It helps in getting through a difficult time: 30%• I fear living without spiritual guidance: 24%Source: LifeWay Research survey of 1,023 Protestants, conducted April and May 2007. Margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

via www.usatoday.com

Ed Stetzer, Pastor Rodney's new best friend from the Taiwan trip, just posted the above story- and quote- in USA Today (link above) and on his blog. 

In his book, Family-Driven Faith, Voddie Baucham also goes into great detail about the trend. He mentions that the average American family today has 2 kids... and that only 25% of kids who grow up in church make it through adulthood involved in any expression of church (notice this matches closely with Stetzer's research that says 70% drop out). This means, according to the numbers, that it takes two families to launch one Christian into the next generation.

Obviously, something is amiss with the "system" that we've created. Free pizza, "chubby bunny" games, and lock-ins do not create disciples...

I'll post more later on the Biblical directives here...

Grateful for Hilldale

There is probably not a church I love more than Hilldale Baptist Church. It will never win any awards for being the coolest, slickest, most innovative, or any other thing... but, the church is incredible. 

I went back tonight for a 50th year reunion. It's quite remarkable, since the church has endured a changing neighborhood (several times), the passing of generations... the "flight" to other suburbs... and, the fact that about 3,000 churches actually close their doors each year.

The gym in which the banquet was held was packed. Full of people who love each other, love Jesus, and love that church. As I watched the videos play, simply looked around the buildings, and saw the faces of so many good and gracious people from the past, so many great memories came back.

This is the church where I was raised.

This is the church where I met my wife- the first time I kissed here was there, too : )

This is the church where we were married eight years after that.

This is the church where I became a Christian, on Father's Day... in 1995. I can remember where I was standing, what song was being sung... the entire environment... when the Holy Spirit actually descended on the place, such that you could feel God's tangible presence. That night, in my living room, I repented and Jesus moved into my life. I had just finished my third year of college.

This is the church where I was called into the ministry. In fact, when the Holy Spirit came, He stayed. Many people were saved (people who had occupied pews for years); many were called into ministry. I was one that was hit on both counts...

During the following two years, I remember countless friends being called by God to give their lives and future plans to Him- and to simply serve.

I looked at the table next to me tonight and saw Tim. He's a pastor, now, in Gadsden- at Fairview Baptist. He married a young lady, Danette, that was called, too.

Chase and Janet now lead Agape Baptist Church in Pinson- not too far away. 

Another friend from high school has been traveling with his wife overseas to sensitive areas. I can't post his name & location here, but it was a great honor to share a meal with them over this weekend. He was called during that time.

Steven & Kelly lead the youth, now, at Northpark.

Greg & Ginger lead the youth at Lakeview Baptist in Auburn.

Rodney & Melinda serve with us at The Downtown Church.

Sasha is the Director of The Village (and God has blessed him with wife that came all the way from OK).

I could go on... 

My dad and I counted while we were eating tonight. The church launched over 25 full-time ministers- plus spouses- during the two years after that Father's Day... 

Jay...

Glenn & Marty...

Mike & Stefanie...

Andy... others... incredible. 

Consider the legacy, the ripple effect... the wake that this church, still going, has already launched... and that does include the history & stories of which I'm unaware. That's just the few from the time(s) I remember and can recount right now while writing, late at night. They had a few former leaders come to speak at the church this year at random times. In actuality, the current pastor could have taken a sabbatical for an entire year and had a preacher preach the Gospel that had been launched out of that church without ever missing a week!

This remains the place where, anytime I go back... for any reason... people still know me, and still know what we've been doing. And, they've been praying... praying for the work that God has called us to, that, at some point in the past, they made a major life-investment into by investing deeply and richly into me and to many others...

I am grateful.

Tomorrow I'll be sitting out from preaching downtown- and listen to my Dad. I'll post more thoughts after taking it all in, again, tomorrow.

Is the Era of Age Segmentation Over? | LeadershipJournal.net

The statistics are grim. Rainer Research estimates that 70 percent of young people leave the church by age 22. Barna Group argues that the figure increases to 80 percent by age 30. The Southern Baptist Convention, America's largest denomination, recently observed that growth in their churches is failing to keep up with the birth rate. Taken together, these findings suggest a startling fact: not only are we failing to attract younger worshipers, we're not holding on to the ones we have.

via www.christianitytoday.com

Interesting post that came through email... Interesting to me because I grew up in an incredible  youth ministry- and saw many of my friends go on to become missionaries (we're having dinner with one such friend, his wife, and their five kids on Friday); to become pastors (I regularly here from one on Twitter, I work with another every day); to become Christian leaders actively living their faith in the marketplace... On the other hand, the FBI couldn't find half of those friends that grew up in the dynamic youth ministry... 

Some of those I learned the most from are gone.

So what is the root issue? And how does the Church address it...?

At our church we have intentionally gone in the opposite direction and integrated intergenerationally... maybe not as big of a stretch, b/c we're integrated racially, economically, etc., as well... But, it was an intentional move. Interesting to see what someone else has to say here... particularly the ideas that perhaps we don't expect enough of the kids, today...

The 30-day dash // read the entire Bible 30 days // this September!

[posted by Andrew Jenkins] 

I am offering this schedule in the hopes that many of you will read the Bible in 30 days. For the sake of space, I've provided more info as to what, why, etc., on the pdf download here, along with the reading schedule. 

Download Through the Bible in 30 days

(FYI, if you're in the dark about this, listen to the sermon from August 23, 2009 and it will bring you up to speed.)