Friday, December 31, 2010

August Gate in the Media

Hey Guys!

Its been a long time since I've posted on here and I wanted to apologize! However, my New Years resolution will be to keep up with you all more...

In the meantime, I would like to post an article about what is happening at August Gate that I was interviewed for last night. Enjoy the read and feel free to leave feedback for me and let me know what you think!

Read Here: August Gate


Thursday, September 16, 2010

Chasing Rebels

I have been really frustrated with some of my options lately. I can't turn on the radio and hear three songs that sound much different from one another. I can't turn on the TV without seeing some ridiculous spinoff reality show that makes my stomach turn. Like America's Got Talent, are you kidding me with this show... does anyone really think these people are that talented? I'm honestly more impressed with the Stupid Pet Tricks on David Letterman.

Netflix and some good books have been my oasis in the desert of summer television. Friday Night Lights and the Dillon Panthers along with some C.S. Lewis have kept me going since the departure of my beloved Oceanic 815 passengers left me (if you don't get the reference just Wiki it).

So, if you find yourself flippin' the channels tonight looking for something worth while, or just have enough time to watch some of the lame stuff on television tonight, watch this: Chasing Rebels. Its a beautiful story of a great guy that I work with. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Jesus | Culture | Evangelism

These are some notes I took earlier today at a brief lunch lecture by Jerram Barrs. I hope they make sense and you enjoy.


Jerram Barrs, Professor @ Covenant Seminary 9/16/2010 -- Brown Bag Lunch

As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
(John 17:18 ESV)

Jesus prays that we will be in the world as he was in the world
- this is the mission of every Christian
- Jesus Prays
- that we will be protected from the evil one
- that won’t be in the world as others are , but as Jesus was

Jesus was in the world as a friend to sinners/tax collectors
- this brings the most scorn or criticism on his head
- but this is his call to you and me
- eating together shows personal intimacy, these are my friends (like the Lords’s

Supper)

- Jesus delights in the company of sinner
- for evangelism to be effective in any church, members must take Jesus

prayer personally, he calls us to be friends with unbelievers/sinners.


*On of Jerrams Most controversial teachings
- Jesus tells us to teach our kids to be friends of sinners
- People respond to this by saying no, we are to keep our kids safe and protected
- While there are many things we are to protect our kids from, Jesus calls us to teach our

children to reach out to those around them to the lonely, broken, and hurting with the

Gospel

- this sounds like a scary thing, but it isn’t, Jesus prays that we will be protected from the evil one, and Jesus’ prays get answered

- These children will begin to love your home, because of the love there


There is no biblical holiness, no christian purity, no genuinely faithful xtian life that does not have at its heart mercy
- our calling is to be in the world being merciful
- not taking ourselves out of the world for protection
While in the world our calling is to treat the people with love, mercy, kindness and compassion
- the people Jesus challenges about their lives and calls out sin are those in the church
- * the more broken someones life by sin, idolatry, unbelief, the more dignity and honor

Jesus brings to them


As you build relationships with people, giving yourself to people, our calling is that as we go and build relationships with unbelievers, our point of contact with them will be what is beautiful in their lives, not what is broken in their lives. Jesus comes to people beginning with their strengths, beauties in their lives, not through attacking their sin.

Phillipians: Taking Pauls words, “Whatever is admirable, pure.... think of these things” As we engage unbelievers, this should be our challenge, to point out these things, not their brokenness. These are areas where the Holy Spirit is already working in these areas are a testimony to his work in their lives.

God is patient, he isn’t slow as we think of slowness, he isn’t in a hurry to save people, he is in a hurry to change you. Investing our time in others is to be looked at as a way to serve Jesus and see him change us and pray that he would save others.


Q/A

What are some things to get to a spiritual conversation?
- Pray... Only the Lord can lead it to that place, and only the Lord can give us those

opportunities

- People are constantly watching us (if we have publicly made it know we are a Xtian) to

see if we are who we say we are, “Is this person real?”

- For some people you just have to wait (build relationship, hold on, be patient), for some

people you need to push (some situations are urgent)

- Jesus is far more excited to save people than we are, trust in the Lord and allow him to

work


“Lead with affirmation, grace, love” How do you use specific sin to lead to spiritual conversation?
- if you are loving people, being meriful to those around you, you will be the one they

come to when there is need (ie, crisis, marriage, death, birth, disaster) but you can’t

necessarily force yourself in


How does post modernism effect our evangelism?
- We are in a setting where the most fundamental characteristics of PM Americans

believe that they are answerable only to themselves, we have no sense of accountability

to God only to ourselves

- Not only among unbelievers, but also Christians
- This is the fundamental issue of challenge if people are going to come to the Lord, who

do we serve

- In the apostles and acts, we see the disciples and Jesus challenging the idols in

peoples lives, not the superficial sins, but rather who they are serving


How do you speak to evangelism formulas (tracts, campus crusade, four spiritual laws)
- The lord has and can use these things
- Modernism is what has affected these approaches, that everything has a formula
this is not a biblical answer to evangelism, but rather a modernist one that there is a

technique

- There is no technique, the NT doesn’t have one either.
- These formulas became ineffective in Europe 50 years ago because they became

postmodern much earlier than the US.

- From the NT we need to see how to communicate to people around us who have no

idea of the Bible, which means getting to know people well and how to speak into their

lives


How do we persevere in evangelism with a person who has insulted our faith and our lifestlyle?
- we are called to love them and serve them in any way we can
- Jesus tells us we will be insulted and scorned because he was, what do you expect
- but we as sinners still insult and scorn Jesus, but he continues to pursue us with love,

mercy and grace and he calls us to do the same as He


How can we be sure that relationships with nonbelievers are genuine?
- If they see we aren’t genuine, they won’t be our friends anyway, they will cut us off.
- We are called to GENUINELY love people, this is why time is so significant
- Our commitment to love people must be genuine and in ways that are costly

How do we address those with other beliefs (religious or unreligious)?
- Don’t avoid them. Be happy that Jesus has brought all of these people around us.
- Engage them, go where they go, but don’t believe the things they believe, love them and

pray for them.... don’t be frightened by what they believe, don’t attack them,

- I will disagree with you, but I won’t attack you, I will die for you and your ability to

disagree with me. (paraphrase - Francis Schaeffer)


Should we disciple those whom we evangelize?
- YESSSSS! It is your responsibility.
- Paul didn’t convert people and then leave, he stayed places for a time and then would

go back and write to them... He felt responsible to these people till he died

- if you lead someone to faith you have a responsibility to follow up with them and those

they love


How do we share the Gospel with those who have seen us sin?
- Stop acting perfect! Stop acting like you don’t sin!
- People shouldn’t see us as sinless...
- The Lord requires you to be vulnerable with those who aren’t believers, if you do this

they will be vulnerable with you

- You don’t have to put all your business out there, but stop acting like you have it all

together.

- If someone has seen you sin, it is an opportunity for them to see you ask for forginess and be forgiven (the Gospel)

- Look to scripture that talks about peoples sin (ie, Peter rebuking Jesus, David committing adultery) this should be encouraging to us, because these are the kind of people we are.



Thursday, August 26, 2010

August Gate in the Press!

I wanted to give you all an opportunity to see a cool article that just came out in our neighborhood newspaper.



Its amazing how with a some love and a hard work how we are being embraced by our community. And I love the last sentence in the article.... "A visit to their website and it is clear that their mission statement (It is the mission of August Gate Church to be a church community that loves God because of the Gospel, loves people toward the Gospel and restores the city with the Gospel.) is being fulfilled. Awesome!

I just want to say a special thank you to Jeff Kimes and Cana Baptist Church for all their help, Christine Killgore for the photos, and Richard Eaton for his encouraging article!

Love you guys
Todd

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Soulard September Saturdays!


The first 3 Saturdays in September, we have the opportunity to serve along
side others in the Soulard Neighborhood. Let me know if you would like to meet up and get sweaty, lovin' our neighborhood!!!

Sat Sep 4,11,& 18 -
10 a.m.– Beautification Work Session – Join neighbors for weeding, mulching and preparing gardens at Pontiac Park, Market Park, and the SRG building at 12th & Gravois. Meet at the bandstand in Market Park at 10 a.m. Bring gloves, tools, water and anything else you think might help OR if you don’t have those things, just show up!! Show up for a half hour or for a few hours – whatever time you have! This effort is to prepare the gardens for a tour of AIB (America in Bloom) symposium attendees.

Much Love
Todd

I'm listening to the new Jars of Clay album today, due out in October! You can listen to it streaming right now HERE.

Its a cool concept for an album, and especially intriguing to me as we dive further into community here at August Gate. Here is what the band has to say about their pending release.

Our upcoming album, The Shelter (Oct. 5), was deeply inspired by an old Irish proverb that says, “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” Both physical and spiritual community are ideas that are a part of every song on this project. We would love to hear your stories of community: What does it mean to you? What is your community story? How are you living in community?


I would love to hear your responses to the questions they ask.... tell me about how you are engaged in community!

much love
Todd



Friday, August 13, 2010

We've Only Just Begun

I just wanted everyone to know how great it is to be a part of a community (group of people) that you really love!

The past three months, we have had people come over to our house on Monday nights to study the person and work of Jesus. It has been incredible. A group that started out with 5 people, turned into a group of around 18 people during that time!

God did some amazing things in the lives of the people in our group, and in the life of August Gate during the course of our Summer session... Can't wait to see where it goes from here!

I would love to tell you more about what has been happening in our church, but I would rather spread the love, so here you go!

Check out our house this past Monday night: HERE

Stories from a some peeps @ August Gate: HERE and HERE

Its all happening...
Todd