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10 Dec

December 10, 2008 |

Our annual staff Christmas party is next Tuesday, December 16. This would have been the first one for Jeff Bleijerveld, who joined us last spring as Director of Global Ministries. But he decided to skip out on us. Instead, he’s going to Africa.

Jeff left today for  Sierra Leone. Though he has seen much of the world in his career in mission work, he has not yet visited Africa. So this will be a new experience for him (and probably a lot more interesting than our staff Christmas party). 

The Sierra National Conference will meet during his visit. In addition, Billy Simbo, head of the Sierra Leone Conference, has a busy schedule of travel awaiting him. Jeff will be seeing the country in a whirlwind. 

But first, Jeff is heading to Germany, where he’ll spend a couple days with a family who have applied as endorsed UB missionaries.

Jeff will return to the States on December 23, just in time for Christmas with his wife, children, and two grandchildren.

10 Dec

December 10, 2008 |

On November 30, Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.) dedicated a 12-unit former assisted living facility two miles from the church. It was donated by three member families who had owned and managed the facility known as Drews Place.

The church is developing plans to expand its outreach ministry in the community by partnering with Domestic Harmony to use the building. Domestic Harmony is a local shelter for abused women and children.

10 Dec

December 10, 2008 |

Steve Dennie, Communications Director

And now, one final thought on momentum from Andy Stanley. I promise–no more.

Momentum is never triggered by tweaking something old. It is triggered by introducing something new. Human nature prefers the old to the new. So our default action, when we want to become more effective, is to tweak what we’re already doing. More training, different schedule, new materials, whatever. B-o-r-i-n-g.

Perhaps it would be better to think, “What is something we’re not doing, something not even on our radar, that we should try?”

I think of our new church in Grand Ledge, Mich., which held a Vacation Bible School this summer in a trailer park. Rather than ask people to come to the church for two hours of wonderful programs, they took everything right to their target audience.

Imagine the logistics–equipment, food, shelter in case of rain, etc. But they did it, and people were saved. Such a simple idea that makes imminent sense. And it had never before crossed my mind. 

As one of those computer companies says, Think Different. (And don’t get upset by the missing “ly.”)

09 Dec

December 9, 2008 |

Pastor Edner Antoine, from our church in Philadelphia, God’s Church by the Faith, informs us that his wife is experiencing kidney failure. He’s been spending a great deal of time going back and forth to the hospital. We told him we would add her to our prayer list.

09 Dec

December 9, 2008 |

Sandie Birdsall has had her ups and downs since entering a Minnesota ICU on Monday, December 1. Her husband, Brent, posts regularly to his Facebook page about Sandie’s condition. She still in the ICU.

At 11:23 this morning, Brent posted the following:

Sandie just underwent her fifth angiogram. Her doctor said tomorrow’s angiogram should be her last. She also had an angiogram last night and the doctor has been satisfied with the results. They go in initially to observe the blood vessels, using a special dye. They want to measure the level of vascular constriction/spasm. Then they apply a special med that relaxes/enlarges the vessels, thus allowing better blood flow.

Her vital signs have been improving. Her rest was better last night. She communicates well with her eyebrows, shoulder shrugs, and toe wiggles. She is still intubated (a machine assures that her breathing is steady and not stressful), but the doctor also talks about getting her off that machine in a day or so.

Yesterday the doctor mentioned (not promised) that Sandie may be out of ICU by the end of the week. I’m hopeful that she has come through the worst of it. I’m still not ready to hang out the “Mission Accomplished” banner; that will have to wait until we get her home.

For you dear friends who have been faithfully praying, I want you to know that Sandie shows all the signs of being on the upswing of the recovery process. Thanks again for your love and concern. It means so much to Sandie, myself and the whole family.

08 Dec

December 8, 2008 |

Steve Dennie, Communications Director
Here is another thought on momentum from Andy Stanley, adding to the others I mentioned here.

If you have momentum and you don’t know why–you are one stupid decision away from killing it.

I love my church. But right now, I think my pastor and most of us would agree, Anchor lacks momentum. We’re nowhere close to being a dead, status quo, business-as-usual church, and lots of ministry still happens. But momentum? Not so much, right now.

When Anchor (my church) started over ten years ago, we definitely had momentum. But I’m not sure why. And I’m wondering if we did something to kill it. Did we make a “stupid decision” somewhere along the line? I can’t think of anything offhand, but I’m gonna keep pondering.

Can you point to a stupid decision your church made which, looking back, may account for your lack of momentum?

05 Dec

December 5, 2008 |

kopp_danDan Kopp, senior pastor, NorthPointe Community Church
Dan Kopp, pastor of NorthPointe Community Church (Lewis Center, Ohio), writes about a tremendous way the congregation helped a single mother in the church the weekend of November 14-16.

We have a single mother who was basically deserted by her ex. She goes to work every day, is raising two beautiful boys in the church, and serves the Lord with passion and faithfulness.

In November, she went on a spiritual retreat. Her Home Group discovered that her trailer had many key flaws, including holes in the floor of the boys’ room. Literally, it was only old carpet covering some key areas, with air circulating below. Deterioration in the bathroom and elsewhere ate away the home’s heating and cooling.

The Spirit moved. While the mother was gone, God’s folks got to work.

They tore out the flooring and insulation. Quality carpet, tile, flooring, and cash was donated. A few people took an entire Friday off work, and some worked nearly around the clock.

The cleaning crews showed up by 3 p.m. Sunday for her evening return.  The tears and rejoicing upon her return were beyond describing, and God was greatly glorified.

Mom said,  “For the first time ever, the boys feel like they can invite over friends. They’ve never had a sleepover.”

A special blessing is that the driving force in this Makeover was a couple who’d experienced spiritual makeover in the Xtreme. Completely lost and unchurched, this couple–who have now seen their parents, sibling, and very close friends also come to Christ at NorthPointe–can be blamed for this amazing act of love.

We continue to rejoice that this past Sunday, four adults and four children (most of whom were reached in an outreach effort to the nearest government subsidized housing) let us know they desire to be baptized (or dedicated) as soon as possible!  PTL!

04 Dec

December 4, 2008 |

Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries
In the previous two posts:

  • We examined the deception of thinking, “This is my church.”
  • We substantiated that the church, including the church you attend, belongs to Jesus.

Now: how can you properly say, “This is my church”?

Now that we our attitude is straight, we can rejoice in the following:

  • It is MY church because I get the privilege of worshiping there with other believers.
  • It is MY church because I can honor the Lord with my finances and sacrificial giving there.
  • It is MY church because I get to use my spiritual gifts there to build up the body of believers.
  • It is MY church because I have the privilege of speaking things that build up others there.
  • It is MY church because I come under the authority of those who are exercising spiritual leadership there.
  • It is MY church because it’s where I have chosen to join with others in transforming my community for Christ by reaching lost people with the Good News.

There are many more ways we could celebrate being a part of a church, but notice that they all involve a privilege and responsibility–and not a right of control.

So enjoy your church. Love the church in which you serve. But always acknowledge the ownership of the Lord over your church and don’t allow yourself to get deceived.

03 Dec

December 3, 2008 |

Brent and Sandie BirdsasllSandie Birdsall is currently in an Intensive Care Unit in Edina, Minn., having undergone emergency surgery for an aneurysm on Monday, December 1. Sandie and her husband, Brent, served as UB missionaries in Sierra Leone and, until 2007, as senior pastor and wife at College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind. Brent is currently on staff with a non-UB church in Minnesota.

On Tuesday, December 2, Brent gave a detailed description of things on his Facebook page, and then added an update today (Wednesday). You can read it after the link below.

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