Pastor in Christiana, PA. The community is diverse made up mainly of entrepreneurial blue-collar people. When he as 28 he became senior pastor of the AG church in Christiana.
"Meritocrat" One who bases everything on the merit: right or wrong. You won't be in your position long because everything has a political aspect. I most definitely agree. Most people don't understand this until they learn it the hard way. I'm mildly impressed that he was able to learn it by observation at only 28.
"Cultural relevance is not optional"
He has spent a long time talking about his church and it's organizational structure. He also talked alot about the business side of a church. This is a great thing to know, but I personally have had to suffer through this type of things in another class and thus, it was not that fulfilling.
Concerning the funeral he did. He did the funeral of a girl from a parishioner's neighbor. At the funeral there were many unsaved people. The message he gave was not cliche, it was culturally relevant. It reached the people where they were.
"Comedy is of high value, so we should use it."
"Irrelevance is irreverence." He spoke to a woman that had never heard the story of Adam and Eve. There are many people in the world who, if spoken to under the assumptions that Christians make, would simply be confused and feel rejected and therefore never be changed by God.
He, like many others, emphasises the family relationship over every other relationship. No matter what has happened or how involved int he church or ministry a person is, his or her relationship to their spouse and children is most important.
Overall, he is a very genuine, if not overly so, man who is really concerned with reaching the lost at all costs. My only question is how well he could adapt, culturally, to the discipleship of someone who has been in the church for many years. The "old fogies" have their own culture, and you must not leave them behind in the attempt to be culturally relevant tot he ever changing culture of now.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Interview with Bill Fray
Bill Fray is an '83 graduate of VFCC, and a father of 4. He worked in a home-church in the area while in college. He worked as a youth pastor in Connecticut for a while. Eventually, he was interviewed by Cardone. Because he had gone to a "Bible college" they thought he was good with people. They hired him in the HR department. I constantly think that many people truly use what they majored in in college.
Cardone is a business that remanufacturers auto parts. They call themselves a Christian company. Honoring God is one of their main aims, but they are also a business. Bill Fray is an HR rep, and that is apparent in the way he is careful about his language.
The class, really isn't that exciting, nor is it very helpful. He has talked almost entirely about the problems of being a Christian business. The only "helpful" thing said has been the cliche idea of the best way to evangelize is by your life / lifestyle. He didn't even explain how that is lived out. He should have some perspective on it being that he works with a ton of Christians.
"God's will is doing the best you can, right where you are at, right now" A quote from one of his professors that really impacted his life. That seems like a good idea, but it also wastes alot of energy. You must ALWAYS have a goal in mind. If you want to know God's will for your life seek revelation. Do your best where you are while you wait, but always have the futue in mind. "Always start with the end in mind."
Overall, it was nice as a buisness / self-motivation session, but i don't think it really belongs in a class that is desigen to prepare students to reach the unreached for Christ.
Cardone is a business that remanufacturers auto parts. They call themselves a Christian company. Honoring God is one of their main aims, but they are also a business. Bill Fray is an HR rep, and that is apparent in the way he is careful about his language.
The class, really isn't that exciting, nor is it very helpful. He has talked almost entirely about the problems of being a Christian business. The only "helpful" thing said has been the cliche idea of the best way to evangelize is by your life / lifestyle. He didn't even explain how that is lived out. He should have some perspective on it being that he works with a ton of Christians.
"God's will is doing the best you can, right where you are at, right now" A quote from one of his professors that really impacted his life. That seems like a good idea, but it also wastes alot of energy. You must ALWAYS have a goal in mind. If you want to know God's will for your life seek revelation. Do your best where you are while you wait, but always have the futue in mind. "Always start with the end in mind."
Overall, it was nice as a buisness / self-motivation session, but i don't think it really belongs in a class that is desigen to prepare students to reach the unreached for Christ.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Interview with Mike Hammer
Pastor of Celebration Community Church, Dillsburg, PA
Mike Hammer, raised catholic, turned AG when he was 8. Most of his ministry has been traveling with 4 other families as traveling ministers to families.
"Alot of [church] staff persons have the most issues within their families." "The staff people took a vacation when the family ministry came in." I have heard things to this effect alot. I could imagine that those most involved would somewhat be forced to neglect their families at least to some degree.
He saw that there was a need for something for the highschool age kids to do. He found and rented a building that he made into a student center. It's just a safe place for teenagers to hang out. Through this, he was able to meet the mayor, speak in front of the school board. It is a seperate non-profit entity so that other area churches can use it and be involved. I think that's awesome. So many churchs plant youth centers that are focussed toward the youth of their church, but this one has open arms to the youth who don't want to be home and also all of the youth of all the churches in the area.
"people hide behind God and never deal with real life issues" "It's not about lecture, notes and information, it is experiencial weekend. These are his comments concerning "Bridges." It is an intense weekend of inward focus. It is a "non-religious" weekend of dealing with Real problem in people's lives. There is no "God-talk" allowed. I love it. Christians ask for God to take away their problems, but they are never willing to deal with them even in "secular" ways.
Mike Hammer, raised catholic, turned AG when he was 8. Most of his ministry has been traveling with 4 other families as traveling ministers to families.
"Alot of [church] staff persons have the most issues within their families." "The staff people took a vacation when the family ministry came in." I have heard things to this effect alot. I could imagine that those most involved would somewhat be forced to neglect their families at least to some degree.
He saw that there was a need for something for the highschool age kids to do. He found and rented a building that he made into a student center. It's just a safe place for teenagers to hang out. Through this, he was able to meet the mayor, speak in front of the school board. It is a seperate non-profit entity so that other area churches can use it and be involved. I think that's awesome. So many churchs plant youth centers that are focussed toward the youth of their church, but this one has open arms to the youth who don't want to be home and also all of the youth of all the churches in the area.
"people hide behind God and never deal with real life issues" "It's not about lecture, notes and information, it is experiencial weekend. These are his comments concerning "Bridges." It is an intense weekend of inward focus. It is a "non-religious" weekend of dealing with Real problem in people's lives. There is no "God-talk" allowed. I love it. Christians ask for God to take away their problems, but they are never willing to deal with them even in "secular" ways.
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