Ministry Today- Drinking from a Fire Hydrant

There are so many different opportunities to serve. There are so many things to do. There are so many people to meet with.

WHERE DO WE START!!

Ministry in todays world looks way different than it did 10 years ago. It is busier for sure. The ability to communicate almost anywhere on the planet, at anytime is one of the biggest changes. Todays Culture expects to have information, at their finger tips (or even voice command) and within seconds. I'm telling you if Google takes 5 seconds to load a page, I'm emotionally distraught.

Where does this put you and me?
Drinking from a fire hydrant.

The National Incident Management System, says you can only handle between 3-7 areas at one given time. In an article  called "8 Things really efficient people do" says very few can focus on 1 or 2 tasks, that require focus and depth.

In a recent conversation with one of our Student Ministry Workers, I made the comment we need to figure out what we want to do and do it well. And even if we decide that we want to do 4 things, but cant do them well, we either do away or delegate.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (HCSB)

Consistency in the Christian Life

¹⁵ Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

So we must continually be evaluating or reevaluating our efforts and ministries. But that also means doing the same for us as individuals, FIRST.

How are you doing? Are you feeling over whelmed? What are or has God changed your spiritual gifts, you're operating in today. You can take a spiritual gifts quiz here- bring me the results and lets talk.

Take a few moments and pray and revaluate your relationship with God and the Church.  Be effective not overwhelmed, God has our back- connect with Him today.

Love Pastor David & Krista and the Boys.

 
 

Church Family Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and then the new year will be here. For many people its a time of Family, Friends, and Reflection. The focus on these tree things is a magnifier for your life. You either immediately thought of positive things or negative things. That big family Thanksgiving or that empty place at the table and in your heart.

One thing that should be a positive and big portion of those memories is your Church Family. This is an excerpt from a website called "Got Questions" -

So what does the Bible say about family? The physical family is the most important building block to human society, and as such, it should be nurtured and protected. But more important than that is the new creation that God is making in Christ, which is comprised of a spiritual family, the Church, made up of all people who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. This is a family drawn "from every nation, tribe, people and language" (Revelation 7:9), and the defining characteristic of this spiritual family is love for one another: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-family.html#ixzz3L8C627tp

It has become brutally clear in our Youth Group that we as a Church need to reestablish the picture of Family.

The "Tailgate Party" we had a while ago was a great picture of the just that. A Church Family coming together to support and love on each other.

Another opportunity for that will be December 21st- An evening of Christmas music, Fun and Food. But most importantly an opportunity to just hang out with each other.
So watch for more details and come to Mehan Church on Sunday Evening December 21st.

Love from the Family- David, Krista, Kash, and Kody

Sermons on Purpose

My sermon preparation has changed over the years.

I used to pray that God would give me to Words to speak, and I still do but I've added what I believe is an important element to the process.

What if, God's purpose though His word, was bigger than we thought? I mean, once you know Jesus and you've read through the bible, what's next?

I pray over my food and go to church every week. I'm a good Christian.

So what is this new element to the process of "sermon preparation"?

What does God want the modern day Church to look like? And why?

The modern day church, the church of the last 100 years, has grown like most Americans, dependent or reliant on someone else. Just as the people of the United States have been trusting the government for provision, security, and retirement, the church followed suit.

The church has blindly learned to follow the "Gospel" as handed out to them week to week, just like watching the news. We tune in, usually every week, with itching ears, checking off some internal checkbox, that my little world is ok.

OK - Sit down- The modern day church must die for Christianity to continue.

We must become spiritually independent from the church, but at the same time reestablish a interdependent Church.

Now that doesn't make sense, unless you're willing to throw out church as you've known it your whole life.

Church must become a part of your everyday life. In the recent news from Houston, where the church is openly being persecuted, you can see the future of the Church. We are being persecuted in the United States, now.

The Church becoming a part of your everyday life will automatically drive a "small group' atmosphere. These "small groups" or home churches should be developed now order to maintain the strength of the Church in desperate times. Impressed with this idea? Skeptical?  If you read Acts and other books of the Bible, you'll see a very similar picture.

The problem- this process, puts the operation of the church back on The Church.

Now what- Pray over your circle of friends and influence. If the government stopped church as we know it today, would church go on? What would you do this Sunday? Is God leading you now to establish a small group?

Consider today how you could take on a small group as apart of your normal church going activities. Discuss the Word you hear at church, talk about your problems, your fears, your victories. Share your food, your time, your heart.

Good Luck & God Speed-

The Church - NOTW

This past week Krista and I had the opportunity to sit down with several of our Senior Class leaders and some others who have taken on leadership roles and ask them about Youth Group.

Here are some of the responses-

We are closer, there are less divisions or sub-groups within the group. The group as a whole is closer to being family.

We are more mature- This is two different ways, both emotional maturity that we know how to act, but also spiritual maturity where the group is ready to engage in church and Christ at deeper level than before.

That we are going to grow- a lot- They recognize space is an issue but they see growth in the numbers of the people in attendance. They also see, like the grown in maturity, that spiritually will continue to grow.

What is the driving theme, feeling, or verse that they see powering the group this year or semester- That we are not of this world. That thought may will mean different things for different people. But once we take on Jesus we are apart of an heavenly kingdom in which we are sent from and are apart of for eternity. We are Not Of This World.

We were very excited to hear about their thoughts on ministry and seeing them take owner ship in the spiritual direction of the group. Our Youth truly understand that it is the people that are the Church and not the building in which we meet.

Please continue to pray for the Church, See you at the Pole is this Wednesday, and pray for Krista the boys and I.

We absolutely love our Church Family and cant wait to see you soon.

Love- David, Krista, Kash, and Kody.

Faith and Sacrifice

We have had some interesting conversations in our house over the past few weeks.  Children's Church, Youth, Church, our Calling, Girls Ministry, Finances, kids, school, selling our house, where are we going to live, some of these seem big- some not so much.
 
So lets pick out "selling our house" and "where are we going to live" those seem like somewhat important details.

 

First the verses that have come up-

 

1 Samuel 15:22 (HCSB)

²² Then Samuel said:Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrificesas much as in obeying the Lord?

Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,to pay attention is better than the fat of rams

 

'Matthew 6:19-21(HCSB)

God and Possessions

¹⁹ “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

From the time we are born into this world we are told of the American dream- FREEDOM. Buying the things you want and need, a land of plenty. But Freedom in Christ and the American dream we are sold are not the same. The more things you have, the more time and finances it takes just to keep up with them.

For our family, we feel God is calling us to be free from so many possessions, possibly including our house. You see, our part, (the obedience) is sticking the for sale sign out in the yard. (having faith) God's part is sending the buyer. Our part is going through the contents of our house, deciding what we need, and preparing to move.

Where we going? Maybe moving in with you! Again, our part, we believe, is to be ready to go. God's part to provide our needs, He says He'll provide everything we need. He's done way more than that so far. Krista and I believe His provision will not cease.

So there is a little glimpse into our lives. and a shameless plug- Our house is for sale.

2600 Sq Ft- Multi level
3 Bedrooms (could be 4) 2 down / 2 up
Formal living room upstairs
2 other living areas - 1 down / 1 up
2 Bath
3.8 acres
Paved Road
Rural Water available
Stillwater Schools
New HVAC
New roof 2009
Detached two car garage
We are till working on several projects, you can take over where we leave off. (New windows and siding repairs underway)
$180,000 - (comp'd at $182,500 in 2012)
100% financing available through Rural Development- The Bank NA
Operating DHS Home daycare - Start your own business.
Some furnishings may go with house- negotiable.


Ministry on Purpose

 
 One of my favorite quotes from the basketball side lines is "Move with purpose". I like it a lot. It is a statement that can be implemented in every aspect of our lives, including ministry.

Moving with a purpose - Defined
So what does moving with a purpose mean for ministry? You have a specific goal and a plan to achieve it with practiced steps and team work.

What does it look like? 
In Youth it looks like the development of student leaders who can take over the church. It means introducing the gospel to new believers and fanning into flame the desire for others to come to know Jesus. To be on mission from God and to serve where ever the opportunity presents itself. To discover your spiritual gift and implement them in your life.

For "BIG Church" building each other up recognizing the need to support the local church, to live out the calling that God has placed on your life and to continue to promote the Gospel in all aspects of our lives. To make disciples through talking about and serving out our faith.  

Children's Church is an area we, as a church, are now working on. What should it look like? Introducing our youngest ministers to the Gospel, giving them the tools they need to live out their faith. A safe, fun, loving, structured environment, that promotes biblical principles such as scripture memory and worship as a part of their service.

As we move forward with restructuring Children's Church be praying about how you can be a part of the ministries of Mehan Church. There are always opportunities to serve!

Love in Christ- David, Krista,and the boys.

Communication

 

Communication - the Lost Art.

 

 

When I decided to start this blog it was to increase the amount of and ease of communication between me and all of our church family and any one else who stumbled across this page.

 

The longer it went on the longer the time span between posts. This last lapse in time, 7 months. I hadn't even though of the Blog in probably five or so. So what happened? Life's distractions, Satan's attempts to derail something good, laziness,.....there could be an endless list I'm sure.

 

But here we are today- New school year started in some communities and ready to start next week.

 

For us in student ministry at Mehan Church this means new faces. New 7th graders coming in and a new group of seniors taking the reins leading our youth.  For this to all work COMMUNICATION IS KEY!

In this fast paced messaging, texting, snap-chating society we've even come up with emoticons to help communicate if people can"t really see our face.

 

We must communicate to build each other up, to build the Church, and to spread the Gospel.

 

 

Praying I'll do better- We love you guys- David, Krista, Kash, and Kody.

 

Romans 10:14-15New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”^[a

 

 



Sate of the Church - Student Edition

As we look forward to what God has in store for us, we also look back to what he Has shown us in the past year.

God has shown our students prayer works. That love does cover a multitude of sins.

 

I have seen our students in a time of prayer on their own time, after church was over. Praying for their friends, specifically, by name, by their situation. I have seen them reach out to the lost and hurting, not only with their own age group, but through serving at our Food Day.

God has shown us that is Church is powerful and essential in the Christian Life.

 

We have seen our attendance, on Wednesday nights, increase. Not just sporadically but steadily, with dedicated, passionate, and driven people. This continued growth has brought about an awesome thing. On Wednesday January 8th we started two Student Ministry service times, 6:30 and 7:45. The second service time is geared towards our older students and young adults. Everyone is welcome.

 

 

As we look forward now at 2014 and the opportunities it will hold we, above all, desire to still draw closer to God. We, my family and our student ministry family, are so excited to be apart of Mehan Union Church. 

 

God is Good and Greater things have yet to come.

 

February 2nd - Pancake Breakfast

February 9th - Valentines Dinner

March we will have a carry out lunch and bake sale. 



New Beginings 2014

2013 went in a flash. Like every year for some it had heartache, for some it was a great year. But in all we serve the same God and He is good, all the time. We stand on His word that He works all things for good for those that love Him. He also has a plan to prosper you.

2014 is bringing something new to the table in Student Ministry at Mehan. Two youth services on Wednesday nights. Our normal meal at 6, a 6:30 service and now an 8pm service. We saw God grow our group in 2013 and we hit the 70 mark and over 70 a few times. We believe this change will help us minister more effectively and will also allow for more people to encounter Jesus. We are so excited about this opportunity.

But wait- Are you looking for another opportunity to worship? Another opportunity to serve? Maybe you just want to see what church is like on Wednesday nights? Maybe this 8 pm  service just fits your schedule. COME ON- You can also come enjoy this time of fellowship and worship with us.

Better things have yet to come-

Love- David, Krista, the boys, and all the leadership of Mehan Student Ministry