Town Hall for Hope

Last evening, in place of our normal class, we watched the nation-wide broadcast of Dave Ramsey's "Town Hall for Hope".

Mr. Ramsey spoke about how the country has worked itself into a tizzy (my translation) and that a spirit of fear has taken over many. He said that fear is not a fruit of the Spirit and that it is the antithesis of hope.

Mr. Ramsey felt some people are trusting the government to turn things around or to bail them out, but it's really up to us individually to do that. We need to take personal responsibility for the debt we have accumulated or the bad business choices we have made. To me, that's a no-brainer. You wouldn't expect your neighbor to bail you out financially because you made poor choices. Also, I know little about how business, economics, or the government operates, but when people elevate the government to a "god status" and place their faith in it, rather than in God and what He tells us to do, I think we're just asking for trouble.

Mr. Ramsey offered what seemed like sound advice. I have never taken any business or economic classes so I was happy to receive the information he shared about how much money you should have saved, as well as what extra money you should have for emergencies. Since I haven't been able to sock that kind of money away yet, I was wondering how realistic that is for a lot of people? Although we put money in savings, it seems sometimes that we no sooner start to get ahead, when we end up having something major happen that requires us to use what we've accumulated. Good thing my trust is in God.

Mr. Ramsey gave several tips and things to do if you are struggling: 1)Get up. Take action. Be proactive. 2)Don't participate in loser talk. 3)Learn to give again in time and/or talents. I liked this last one especially, for two reasons: 1) It was something that was taught to me, by example, by both my parents; and, 2) It reiterates a sermon series that our pastor did not too long ago. When you are busy giving to others your focus is removed from yourself and your own troubles. It is also another opportunity to honor and worship God through your giving. When our eyes are off ourselves and placed on God, hope is restored.

Because I believe some of what takes place in the physical realm speaks to what happens in the spiritual realm, and is thus prophetic in a bigger way back into the physical, I enjoyed hearing about the Jewish ceremony where they pour wine into a glass that is sitting in a saucer. They fill their glass to overflowing so that it pours out into the saucer as a representation of God's abundance. God pours out to them in abundance so they can give out of the overflow to others. Sweet!!!

Unchurched Friend # 4 Interview

This interview was with Erin, a Catholic by faith, who admits she hasn't been to church in years. She is also a housekeeper and has four children, ages 13, 11, 4, and 2.

1) What do you think is the greatest need in your area?

Something for kids to do. More community involvement for the kids. There's nothing around here for kids to do.

2) Are you actively attending any church?

No.

3) What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?

Children. My children. They're my life. I like to read a lot. I like to read anything, as long as it's well written.

4) Why do you think most people don't attend church?

I think a lot of people have lost faith in God.

I made a comment about people maybe needing to be in church in order to receive faith. Erin got this funny look on her face, like a lightbulb went off, and she agreed, that might be true.

5) If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?

Acceptingness. Welcoming (We grew up going to Annunciation and they're snooty about the way you dress. I haven't been back because of it). What religion it is.

6) What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?

Talk to the people; not just during the sermon, but afterwards. Be involved in their lives...not just when they go to church.


After interviewing Erin, my first thought was that she didn't have too much to say and I wasn't sure if I would be able to write too much about what she DID say. However, in thinking back about the interview, there was a lot communicated without words...

Erin was the only person I interviewed who was immediately willing to BE interviewed. She agreed without hesitation; without getting "puffed up" in any way. It seemed as though she was doing it with a servant's heart (I don't know quite how to express the attitude she conveyed when she agreed)...It was as though she was doing it because it was something that was expected of her and part of her job, but she was also putting aside her own need to finish what she was doing in order to satisfy my need to interview someone. If someone had spilled something on the floor and I had asked her if she could mop it up, her type of response and willingness to respond would have been the same. I guess the way she responded makes me think about the passage of scripture (I had to look it up, it's Philippians 2:3-4) that says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." It made me start thinking about that kind of an attitude and what makes us good (or not-so-good) servants when it comes to serving God. It's an area I want to contemplate a while longer...

In reviewing Erin's answers, and in reading between the lines, you can see that she might have that same mindset at home: her concern is for her children (and other kids in the community) and their needs. She's aware of injustice (is that the word I want? Maybe condemnation or judgement. Hurtfulness.), even within the body of Christ, when others look down on you because something about you is different or not up to their standard. It makes me wonder with what measure they will be measured? Or with what measure I might be measured? It makes me wonder if I might have carelessly said or done something that ended up keeping someone out of church or away from God? That's a scary thought(God, forgive me if I have)!

There also seems to be a misconception among alot of people that God is Catholic (or Methodist or Lutheran or whatever or a Republican or...) and if you're a catholic, that's your free ticket into heaven. I don't remember reading that in my Bible...I just remember reading that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." It isn't our good deeds that get us to heaven. It's Jesus' good deeds that gets us there.

Erin also seems as though she would like to be pursued. To have someone (pastor, priest, God? Someone. Anyone...)show her that they think she's worth enough to take an active interest in, outside the church setting. In church, there is a certain (distant?) relationship that is expected with the people there; but is that where the relationship stays? Is it only good for church on a Sunday, or is she worth more than that? Is she worth pursuing and building relationship with? Is the Bride of Christ worth wooing? I am, for whatever reason, reminded of Abraham's servant who was charged with going out and getting a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac. We are God's servant in this same respect, charged with going out and getting the Bride for God's son, the Bridegroom. God, the Father, sends the Holy Spirit out before us, just as the angel went out before the servant of Abraham, in order that he would have success in his mission. And just as the servant of Abraham was given all kinds of good things from his master in order to woo Rebekah, God also gives us all kinds of gifts in order to woo the Bride He has in mind for His Son. We are only released from pusuit of that particular "bride" if they are unwilling to come. Are we willing to be that kind of servant?

New Believer # 4 Interview

This interview was with Phil.

1) Tell me about your journey to faith in Christ?

I always had faith in Christ. I was brought up in church. God always showed me He loved me. I've been shot, stabbed, and was in a bad car accident. God has a plan for me.

2) What helped you the most to step over the line and make the commitment?

I was sitting in jail...a couple of the guys got drugs in. I asked myself if this was it? Should I do something to change? The mother of my youngest son wrote a letter and we got back together. God gave me a reason and a purpose to change.

3) What has been the best part of becoming a Christ follower for you?

I'm free of all the devil's bondage.

4) What has been the most challenging part of following Christ?

Living by His words when I still want to do my will. Every moment. Every day. I pray and pray and pray.

5) What do you think is helping you grow the most in your faith?

The guys in the House help me a lot. showing me how much people DO care. How God works in their lives. I can have that happiness, too. When I don't feel like going out and doing something, they make sure I do.

He also voiced that there is accountability with the guys at Freedom House.

6) What advice do you have for me in helping others like you to grow in their faith?

Talk to them. Talk to newcomers. Be welcoming.


This interview was short and interupted several times because Phil was trying to watch two of his sons, but I believe that I learned some valuable things. One of the things that I learned was about myself. I had made the assumption that Phil didn't know God because he was at Freedom House. That was hugely wrong on my part. I shouldn't have assumed anything of the sort. You can have knowledge of God and still make wrong choices; which, when I think about that, realize we all do that everyday to some extent. I think it comes down to how serious a person is in wanting to make a true commitment to that relationship with Christ. It was also a reminder to me not to judge. Or at least not to have pre-conceived ideas about people, which maybe I do more than I was aware. Sorry God.

The second thing I got, was Phil's sincerity in wanting to do what was right in God's eyes, even when it was opposite of what he wanted. I was impressed by his desire to put God's will above his own. Every moment of every day. Wow. I try and do that, too, but I don't know that I'm as focused on the moment-by-moment submission to God as Phil seems to be. I don't know why, but that seems like a really big thing I need to think about. Maybe I need to be asking God to help me with that.

The third thing that struck me was what Phil said at the end about what I could do for helping others to grow in their faith. Talking to newcomers and welcoming them. That seems like such a simple thing to do, but he's right. There are an awful lot of people walking around, oppressed by the enemy, feeling depressed, dejected, angry, biter, rejected, etc.. All they need to get them started on the road to Christ is to have someone show that they genuinely care and maybe walk that road with them. Showing interest in someone is an easy thing to do. It's something I can do.

Church Rater Survey # 3

Developing Outreach and Discipleship Programs
Church Rater Survey


The Church
What Church did you visit?

I visited Beit Meshekaynu at Freedom Valley Worship Center for their celebration of the Passover Seder.

What city or town is this Church located?

Gettysburg, PA.

What date and service did you attend?

Thursday, April 9, 2009, 6 PM.



Evaluating
How would you rate this church?



Please provide ratings based on your own experience. Yes, I realize this is subjective and your '1′ might be someone else's '5′. That's ok. It's your rating and I really want your opinion.

Rate the following from 1 to 5. 1 is not effective, 5 is very effective!
Overall: _____3______ Friendliness ______2_______ Singing ______3______ Preaching ____3_____


First Impressions
Outside:
Was the building easy to find?

It was easy since I go to church at FV, but if we hadn't been invited by Ken and Marcia Strickhouser, I would not have known that Rabbi Ed's congregation even meets at our church. I saw "Beit Meshekaynu" in our bulletin, but I had no idea what that was.

Was it difficult to find parking? No.
How about the interior or exterior signage- what would you do differently?

I would advertise out front that they meet there since Sunday's "King of Kings" service gets billing.

What did the appearance, style, or construction of the building communicate to you?

Honestly?? I love Freedom Valley, and I know why it was built the way it was (in order to be cost effective and so that it could be changed easily, which I appreciate), but pole buildings have always felt to me as though they would blow away if a good stiff wind came along. The only wind I hope that comes in force is the Pneuma of the Holy Spirit.

Before the service:
Did anyone approach you and speak to you before the service got underway? Yes.

If someone did speak to you, how did you feel about that?

Mixed feelings. Only because Rabbi Ed was the only one from Beit Meshekaynu who came up and said hello. Otherwise, we were greeted by people we already knew from our church. Oh! And my longtime friend Chris Abrams and her husband, Dave, who I normally don't see, but of late, we keep crossing paths. Do you suppose God has a reason for that?


Can you share their names?

Sure. As mentioned, Chris and Dave, also Ken and Marcia Strickhouser, Cindy Janczyk, Robin Wilson, John and Jenn Vintigni (sp?), Andy Leister (Chris's brother), and John and Phil from Freedom House. After the seder had started, Julie Stoltzfoos, came in and joined us.


Did you know them before the visit? Yes. All of them.




General observations:


As you observed the people "doing their church thing", what went through your mind?

That there was still a dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles. For the most part, the Jewish congregation sat on one side of the room and the Gentiles sat on the other side of the room. The only exception I saw to that, and I certainly may be wrong, was Chris and her family who were sitting with the friends of theirs who had invited them, Len I-don't-know-who and his family. Len is Jewish. Actually, Dave has Jewish ancestry and was there so they could learn more about that ancestry.


Were you able to understand why they do what they do?

Yes. I really appreciated the "Haggadah" that someone had taken the time to make. It was a very detailed explanation of the Passover Seder, why they celebrate it, the order in which each of the elements are celebrated, and what each element is representative of. It made the Bible become more alive and gave me added insight into both the Jewish faith and parts of the Old Testament that I didn't fully (and maybe still don't) comprehend before.


Do they seem sincere? Yes. Certainly.


What do you think about the overall presentation of the service? (the liturgy, program or flow of the service)

Since it was a Passover Seder, I'm sure it was probably different from their normal services, but the flow was still good. It was a little long...still going after 10 PM...and there was a time or two when Rabbi Ed did some teaching along the way for those of us who may not have known or understood certain things in the Haggadah. He also took the time to share the miracle of his family's torah and how they came to receive it, which is always a pleasure to hear.




Bulletin and communications:


Is there anything in the church bulletin that you find confusing or offensive?

In place of a "normal" bulletin they had the "Haggadah". It was not at all confusing or offensive. It was well thought out and very much appreciated.


If this were your "business", how would you improve the communication part of it- the bulletin especially?

I don't think I could improve on what they did.


Were announcements clear, and interesting (did you want to sign up for anything)?

Not applicable.




Children's Ministry


Does this church appear kid-friendly?

I don't really remember seeing too many kids, but I remember Rabbi Ed having said before that they love children and that they consider them such a blessing.


Did you bring any children with you to the service?

No.


If so, ask them about their experience. What did they tell you?

Not applicable.



Music and Prayer


How would you describe the music?

Different. It was Jewish worship music that Rabbi Ed's son, Nick, sang. It was totally different from the type of worship music that I'm used to hearing since some of it was in Hebrew. One of the songs had "Henani(sp?)" in it, which means "Here am I". The gist of it, I believe, was, "Here am I, send me"...allow me to be Your servant and messenger. I found that song to be very moving.


Did you enjoy any of it? Yes, and humbling in a way.


Did you feel like you connected with God during any part of it? Yes.

How was it different from what you are used to?

Some of it was in Hebrew, so it was not as easy to catch the meaning behind all of it. Yet, it was still powerful enough to make me feel humbled.

Would you enjoy worshiping like that often?

Only if I knew more Hebrew and more about the Jewish culture. Otherwise, not so much.

What did you think of the prayers that were offered in the service?

The prayers were written in Hebrew, spelled out phonetically below, and below that in English. It was interesting because Michael and I were chosen to be the "abba" and "imma" at the table where we sat, and so had to try and say the prayer in both Hebrew and then English. I was so focused on trying to pronounce the Hebrew rendition that I'm afraid not much of the meaning soaked in. One reason I was thankful for the Haggadah...I can go back and look at the prayers. They were all prayers of blessing and thanksgiving.


As you listened to the prayers, what did you learn about how that church might think of people, or of God?

Just from the prayers I would say that they are people who like to "bless" and give thanks to God. I would imagine that they would also be a people who like to "bless" others. If that is the case, I can only imagine that they would be very hurt or perhaps angered, by someone saying something unkind or by the curses that some people habitually use.




The Speaker's Presentation




Did the Pastor or speaker seem likable? Yes.


Is he/she a person you might enjoy having coffee with? Why?

Yes. We have actually had the pleasure of having dinner with Rabbi Ed and his wife, Janet, before. I'd love learning more about Jewish history and culture because of the insight it provides me. I would get a better understanding of who Jesus was, the time in which he lived, the mindset, why they might have done certain things that they did. Some things in the Bible would end up just making more sense.


Did he/she seem engaged/sincere/condescending?

Yes. Yes. No. Rabbi Ed is very moved by the Word of God. He breaks down in tears when he reads it because it has such deep meaning for him. It would be a good thing if more people were so affected by the words of God.


Were you motivated to do or think anything differently because of the talk?

Yes, actually. The next morning I felt as though God was prompting me to celebrate Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread by removing all things that were full of leaven (representative of sin)from our house. It was difficult to do because we had just gone to the grocery store and it meant tossing out a lot of things what we had just bought. The first thought was to give the loaves of bread, crescent rolls, etc, that we had just bought, to someone else so that they wouldn't be wasted. But I quickly realized that passing "sin" on to someone else was not something I wanted to be doing. There was more to it than just throwing out bread with yeast. There was hidden "sin", too. Anything with baking powder or baking soda had to go, too. I thought I had gotten all of it, but didn't realize that certain things still contained leavening agents/"sin". Katherine, in her ignorance, immediately found and partook of pancakes made with some kind of leaven. I was mortified that I hadn't gotten rid of all the "sin" after all. I took that outside, but didn't at first throw it out. I kept it "hidden" in the trunk of my car until God convicted me and I ended up throwing that out as well. After part of the week went by, I discovered there was still(!) hidden "sin" in tortillas (of all places!)! I had to throw that out, too, and repent. After trying to get rid of all the "sin" in our household and even being mindful about it, I discovered that it was next to impossible to do so. It made me think more deeply about the real sin I allow in my life, knowingly or unknowingly, what I do with my knowledge of sin (do I try to hide it, as I did in my car), or do I make an honest effort to get rid of it? It was a good excercise and I'm even more appreciative of what Jesus did by dying on the cross for me.


What could they have done to make it more enjoyable or useful?

Shortened it just a bit.


Please erase any of the following descriptors that did not apply to the talk: Enjoyable, Thought-provoking, Boring, Relevant, Energetic, Credible, Slow, Sad, Upbeat, Useful, Life-changing,




The Message


What was the main idea of the message?

The reason for celebrating Passover: God "passing over" His chosen people because of the blood of the Lamb that was poured out as a sacrifice, placed on the doorframe of the houses where they ate the lamb, and their deliverance from death. It wan't really mentioned, but it's easy to see that God does the same thing with us today if we believe in Jesus dying on the cross as a blood sacrifice for us and how His blood is then used to cover our "spiritual" doorfames so that God passes over us, sparing us from death.


What action did the speaker want you to take or consider taking?

There wasn't so much an action that we were encouraged to consider taking, but, as I mentioned earlier, I felt as though God prompted me to take specific action.


Did the talk itself (the subject matter) hold your attention? Yes.


Did any part of the talk stand out to you in a positive or negative way?

Yes. It made me more thoughtfully consider sin.


What is the one thing the speaker could do that would improve his/her presentation?

Perhaps shorten it just a bit.


Do you think that you particularly will remember anything that was taught?

Yes. The sin thing.


Do you understand God or people better because of it?

I hope so. There are sinful areas in our life that we are both aware, and unaware of; the initial reaction is to not let go of the sin because it will cost you somehow; there is sin that we enjoy and don't WANT to get rid of; there are areas in our life where we think that a little bit of sin won't hurt us, or if we keep sin "hidden" that nobody will know and it still won't hurt us. The sacrifice that Jesus made for me, and paid for me, is so beyond my comprehension; there are no words that adequately describe how that makes me feel...


Did it make you feel like you wanted to preach someday yourself ?

This one just makes me feel too humbled to think I could even do that.

New Believer # 3 Interview

This interview was with Deon, who prayed the prayer of salvation February 7, 2009, when Johannes was here, and plans on getting baptized. She wants Gabe to help dunk her.

1) Tell me about your journey to faith in Christ?

"It started when Becky (her girlfriend) took me to youth group to date Ben and with going to church. It really developed here (Freedom Valley) and with reading the Bible. It sunk in more here. Heart and soul paying attention and internalizing everything."

2) What helped you the most to step over the line and make the commitment?

"When Jon and I separated. All the pain I was going through helped me to connect better. A deeper level of belief. It was a process."

3) What has been the best part of becoming a Christ follower for you?

"The hope and freedom I have. Knowing that no matter what I do, I'm forgiven. I have a clean slate every day. I feel like I have a higher purpose."

4) What has been the most challenging part of following Christ?

"Keeping a routine going. Making sure I pray and read my Bible every day. Staying connected with everything that's going on in my life. It's the hardest thing I've ever done."

5) What do you think is helping you grow the most in your faith?

"Having people around me like you (Elizabeth) and my friend, Heather, at school, to keep me focused. To keep looking ahead."

6) What advice do you have for me in helping others like you to grow in their faith?

"To have patience for people you're trying to bring to Christ and quiet persistence. For new believers: have a time and schedule to read and pray. Surround yourself with people who love you and support you and help you get to church every week."


Deon holds a special place in my heart since she's the mother of my grandson. She feels like one of my own and I connect with her in a way I can't explain. Her hurts have been my hurts; her joys my joys. The feelings I have for her in no way take away from the feelings I have for my son and his wife, although I think it's a little difficult for them to understand sometimes. It has been my great privilege to be her second mom, to be someone she could turn to, the person who's shoulder she's cried on, a person she has turned to for guidance and for prayer. It gave me a lot of joy when she came and grabbed me by the hand to go up front with her to say the prayer of salvation and ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit when Johannes was here. This may sound strange, but I feel as though I gave her away in marriage.

It also gives me pleasure and satisfaction knowing that my grandson has a mom, a dad, and a second mom (in my daughter-in-law), all of whom love Gabe and desire to raise him up knowing the love and admonition of the Lord.

It is my desire to continue to be an influence to Deon (as it is with all my kids)and to watch her mature in Christ. It feels to me as though anyone you invest in spiritually, becomes your child spiritually. It's wonderful to know that you have been part of the process in influencing someone for Christ. I hope to have a million more.

Unchurched Friend Interview # 3

This interview was with Jerry. Jerry is a highly intelligent man, was raised Pentecostal, went to a Christian school, states he used to believe, but is now an avowed atheist. He also grew up in an abusive home.

1) What do you think is the greatest need in your area?

"Personally, I think there should be less organized religion. People are looking to individuals to tell them what to believe. People should do their own research. When I started asking questions, people got very offended."

Jerry had difficulty with the concept of God as Father. He questioned, "How can a loving Father condemn ANY of His children to eternal damnation?" In asking difficult questions of those in spiritual authority over him, he found that they didn't know the answers and rather than admit they didn't know, they pretty much just shut him down.

2) Are you actively attending any church?

"I haven't been in any church in probably 6 years."

Jerry also said that he has a family member who is a missionary and that when they're around, it's almost like being in church. He has also admitted to writing several sermons that this family member still uses. His wife is a believer and has given up on (openly) trying to convince him to go to church.

3) What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?

"History. There's truth in history. History of religion. Mythology."

4) Why do you think most people don't attend church?

"Too difficult. There's hypocrisy between what a person professes on Sunday and how they act the rest of the week."

5) If you were to look for a church to attend, what kinds of things would you look for?

"A church where you can ask questions. Question religion period."

6) What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?

"To realize that faith is a constantly replenishing thing. People just need to question."

Jerry went on to say, "I understand intellectually, but just don't have anything to hold onto anymore (we were talking about faith). I don't understand what faith is anymore. Maybe I don't believe there is anything to have faith in."

He also told me that as he was driving in to work that morning that he was thinking that he wished that he could believe.


This interview was a little intimidating to me because Jerry has so much Biblical knowledge and is highly intelligent, but I also enjoyed it because I believe that underneath all his questions, doubts and "wisdom" there is a true desire to know Christ. To experience Christ from the heart rather than just through wisdom. Although he professes to be an atheist and told me that "this life is all there is", I believe that he still wants to believe. It felt to me as though he's just waiting for the person who can come along and convince him otherwise.

Perhaps a week or so after the interview had been done, I was rehashing some of the things Jerry had discussed. In my spirit, I felt as though there was something unsettled. Something that made me feel as though he really was searching and wanted to believe in God even though he professes otherwise. I believe I know what that is now. One of the things that I know about Jerry, that he didn't tell me in his interview, is that he has invested heavily in "ghost-hunting" equipment. He has gone on several ghost-hunting expeditions and is now trying to get a group together to go to a place in Tennessee that is supposed to be one of the most haunted places in America. The question that I would now like to ask Jerry is, "If you believe that this life is all there is, why do you search for ghosts?" Aren't ghosts supposed to be the spirits of dead people? I think, whether he realizes it or not, that Jerry wants to find ghosts because it would mean that this life isn't all there is.

Although Jerry has much head knowledge of the Bible and its history, I feel as though there has never been a heart connection. Perhaps some of the disconnect has to do with the abuse he suffered at home growing up and wanting to disprove that a loving God could allow that. The Bible verse that kept coming to mind is the one in Proverbs: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." I will be praying for life.

David Kennard Interview

David Kennard, from Riverside Community Church, was our guest last evening. David is the site pastor for the Pittsburg Mills Mall site of RCC. Besides being site pastor, David is also the Adult Ministries Pastor for both the Oakmont RCC and the Pittsburg Mills RCC. As with most pastors, he wears multiple hats and fills numerous roles.

Riverside Community Church provides a unique spin on church, serving a populace who may not have been planning on going to church that morning, but because it was where they were (at the mall) and they felt compelled, curious, or welcomed, decided to check it out.

During the interview, the comment was made that, "Church is about the Presence of God and relationship". I would think that one of the biggest challenges would be to establish relationship with someone who may have been just walking by and not actually planning to go inside. I never considered before the importance of a greeter. I thought anyone can stand there, open the door, smile, be polite, and hand out bulletins. However, in a unique setting such as this, the greeter may have the most important role in pointing someone toward Jesus. They have to be likeable and sincere enough in reflecting Christ that people WANT to come in. And once inside, those connections must be continued in order for people to keep coming back for more of God. I sure hope David has God's best people standing at the door. And I hope I never overlook the importance of even the "smallest" jobs again.

Something I appreciated about David was that he took the time to notice people. He phones first-time visitors, which is huge in forming connections, but he also takes the time to notice and connect with regular attendees and volunteers by sending a word of encouragement or a thank you. How wonderful to be noticed and cared for! Noticing and caring about people is something Jesus seemed to do on a daily basis in order to show the love of our Father. Something else I yearn to do better.

One more thing that hit home: David said that Pastor Bill Ellis taught him to "Lead from a position of weakness (rather than from a position of strength)". Everyone can identify with weakness, but not everyone can identify with strength. Leading from a position of weakness takes humility. In that weakness and humility, everyone is placed on the same level, and only God is lifted up.

Thanks for coming, David. Be blessed.

Church Rater # 2

Developing Outreach and Discipleship Programs
Church Rater Survey


The Church
What Church did you visit?

Harvest Chapel

What city or town is this Church located?

Abbottstown,PA

What date and service did you attend?

Saturday, February 14,2009 at 7 PM.


Evaluating
How would you rate this church?



Please provide ratings based on your own experience. Yes, I realize this is subjective and your '1′ might be someone else's '5′. That's ok. It's your rating and I really want your opinion.

Rate the following from 1 to 5. 1 is not effective, 5 is very effective!
Overall: _____4______ Friendliness _____1________ Singing _____5_______ Preaching ____4_____


First Impressions
Outside:
Was the building easy to find?

Yes, only because I knew where it was.

Was it difficult to find parking? No

How about the interior or exterior signage- what would you do differently?

The sign along Route 30 was small to medium in size, was lower to the ground than some of the others close by it, back away from the road a little bit, but well lit. I am guessing that they had restrictions about how close to the road the sign was allowed to be. Also, if their sign was a different size or placed higher, than it would have been competing with the other signs and would have either been blocked visually or blocking one of the other signs.


What did the appearance, style, or construction of the building communicate to you?

The exterior center portion of the church was solid looking. To either side of the center portion, the building was "pole building style". I like when churches have either brick or rock in their construction. It makes me feel as though the church is solid and not planning on going anywhere. It gives the impression that it is not only solid physically, but spiritually, as well.

Before the service:
Did anyone approach you and speak to you before the service got underway?

The senior pastor walked by and recognized us from the time when the twelve churches got together at Bethel. He stopped and greeted us. Otherwise, no other human did before the service started (my brother-in-law came in after worship had just started and greeted me). Although, I do want to mention that the Presence of God came very noticeably into the sanctuary before the service started. So much so that I turned to Michael and remarked that God just came into the sanctuary. Does God count as someone that approached me before the service?

If someone did speak to you, how did you feel about that?

It was nice that the pastor remembered us from the meeting at Bethel, but I was a little disappointed that no one else bothered to approach us.


Can you share their names?

Pastor Don Wolabaugh.


Did you know them before the visit?

We had met him briefly at Bethel.


General observations:


As you observed the people "doing their church thing", what went through your mind?

That they love to worship!


Were you able to understand why they do what they do?

Yes! They love God and coming into His Presence!


Do they seem sincere? Yes.


What do you think about the overall presentation of the service? (the liturgy, program or flow of the service)

I really liked the flow of the service. It was well thought out and its flow works even better than ours. They had a few announcements; Pastor Wolabaugh prayed; they had an absolutely awesome, spirit-filled time of worship; another short prayer before the tithes and offerings were taken (worship music continued to be played while attendees took their tithes/offerings to baskets up front); Pastor Dan Mohler gave the message, and then, at the VERY end of the service, you could go up front and receive prayer. I especially liked the prayer at the end of the service because it was not a shouting match to be heard above the worship music and also because everyone got to enjoy God's Presence during worship. I love worship at our church, but often feel as though prayer at that time is in competition with being drawn into God's Presence or the worship then becomes a big distraction to those who are trying to hear prayer requests and the prayers offered up on their behalf. It creates a certain degree of strife. Prayer at the end of the service solves both dilemmas and one doesn't end up battling against the other. It creates a much more peaceful atmosphere.


Bulletin and communications:


Is there anything in the church bulletin that you find confusing or offensive?

There was no bulletin.


If this were your "business", how would you improve the communication part of it- the bulletin especially?

I am guessing that they probably have a bulletin for the Sunday service, but it would be nice to have one for the Saturday service as well...just to know something about the church, who the pastors were, what programs they offer, etc.

Were announcements clear, and interesting (did you want to sign up for anything)?

They announced a baptism was going to be held at the YMCA in Hanover that sounded like it would have been fun to attend.




Children's Ministry


Does this church appear kid-friendly?

I passed by what looked like a small nursery when I came in. I believe there was a Toddler Rooom as well, but that was all I saw. They may have had something else for older kids, but I didn't see it.


Did you bring any children with you to the service? No.


If so, ask them about their experience. What did they tell you? Not applicable.




Music and Prayer


How would you describe the music?

Very spirit-filled!! They played/sang some songs I hadn't heard before, but they also played some new Kim Walker releases and did some Misty Edwards-style worship.


Did you enjoy any of it?

I loved it!!!


Did you feel like you connected with God during any part of it?

I was connecting with God before the service even started (or was He connecting with me??).

How was it different from what you are used to?

They had five members that evening in their worship band so their style of worship was not as loud and crazy as ours, but they did use more current and up-to-date songs than we have been. Ours is still good, but new songs are always nice.


Would you enjoy worshiping like that often? Yes.


What did you think of the prayers that were offered in the service?

I don't so much remember what was prayed, but remember that the prayer was rapid-fire.


As you listened to the prayers, what did you learn about how that church might think of people, or of God?

They prayed in agreement (out loud), which tells me that they were were not afraid of what people thought and that they wanted God to hear their prayer and answer.



The Speaker's Presentation




Did the Pastor or speaker seem likable?

Dan Mohler was the speaker. And, yes, he's very likeable. Even though he's my brother-in-law, I've never heard him preach before and was amazed at how God uses him when he stands up to preach. He's kind of like Johannes, in that he tells a good story and is able to draw people into the story, but in a different way. He is also totally unlike anyone else I have ever heard preach before. The quiet, unassuming, nature-loving Danny that I knew before I heard him preach became this powerful, knowledgable, on-fire, man-of-God, that seems to have the Word of God engraved into every cell of his being. I'm still blown away by the experience over a month afterwards. I felt like I was hit by rapid-fire bullets that left me laying there wondering what the heck just hit me and feeling the need to just lay there and think about it until it sank in and I was strong enough to stand again.

Is he/she a person you might enjoy having coffee with? Why?

Yes! I want to find out HOW, WHAT, WHERE, WHY, and WHEN God did all this to him and I want some of it to rub off on ME!!! I knew some of his testimony already, but I had no idea that God uses Dan like this! Holy Cow!

Did he/she seem engaged/sincere/condescending?

Danny was most definitely engaged and sincere. Condescending? Never!

Were you motivated to do or think anything differently because of the talk?

I'm still laying on the ground (in the spirit) trying to figure out what hit me...knowing God's Word will not return void; but what I took away is that if my belief in God is strong enough, I should be doing the same things (and more) that Jesus did. Leaving me to consider why that isn't always so...yet.


What could they have done to make it more enjoyable or useful?

The Word of God and His principles are so deeply engraved in Dan (it feels as though God took His finger and wrote them upon his heart Himself), that when he spits out the Word, rapid fire as he does, it's almost difficult to keep up with what he's saying. Just as I was wrapping my brain around one thing, he seemed to be on to twenty other things. To Danny, what he was saying was simple and plain, and it was, but he spit it out so quickly, that I didn't have as much time to savor God's Word as I would have liked. So slowing down a bit would have been more effectual...at least for me. I think a new believer may have been totally lost.


Please erase any of the following descriptors that did not apply to the talk: Enjoyable, Thought-provoking, Relevant, Energetic, Credible, Upbeat, Humorous, Useful, Life-changing, funny,




The Message


What was the main idea of the message?

Healing.


What action did the speaker want you to take or consider taking?

To come with expectation of healing and act upon it (either receiving or offering healing) in Jesus' name. Dan covered much more than this, but that was the main gist.

Did the talk itself (the subject matter) hold your attention?

Yes. i didn't dare divert my attention or I would have missed too much.


Did any part of the talk stand out to you in a positive or negative way?

Yes. One thing that stuck out to me, which wasn't even directly related to the main topic, was when Dan said that Jesus died for something that was worth it--ME! I love God!


What is the one thing the speaker could do that would improve his/her presentation?

Keep his subject matter more focused.


Do you think that you particularly will remember anything that was taught?

Yes. That we should come to God in expectation of His wanting to bless those who believe!


Do you understand God or people better because of it?

I don't know that I understand God any better, but my measure of faith that all things are possible with God has increased. I also feel as though I have gained some valuable insight into my own measure of trust/belief in God over the last several weeks, with a particularly BIG breakthrough, last evening.


Did it make you feel like you wanted to preach someday yourself ?

My head is spinning too much right now to even think about that.

Jason Lamer Interview

This week's class interview was with Jason Lamer, a Youth Alive missionary. Youth Alive is a "multi-faceted strategy to bring Jesus Christ, the message of Hope, to our middle school, junior high and high school campuses". Youth Alive provides the students with the means and support to reach their friends and classmates with the gospel. Their (Jason and his wife)focus is on the public schools in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

This ministry is great for several reasons: 1) The events are pre-prayed for weeks in advance (great battle-winning strategy); 2)schools, churches, and communities come together in support of an event that has the potential for not just impacting the kids in that community for Christ, but the whole community itself; 3)Since it's student-led, the students develop leadership skills that will go with them into adulthood; 4)There is follow-up afterwards: the students that gave their lives to Christ can get plugged into a local church and continue to grow spiritually; and 5)campus missionaries get campus clubs started to live, pray, tell, serve, and give more of Jesus.

It's apparent the way Jason's eyes light up when he talks that he loves what he does. I like that he gets his family involved in this ministry; that they WANT to be involved. Not only are they serving the Lord together, but they are teaching valuable lessons to their kids about God and His love, relationship building, leadership skills, how to have a servant's heart, placing other's needs above your own, and I'm sure many more. Not only do they get to hear about what the Bible teaches, they get to see it put into action. That's a priceless gift.

Challenges: raising more funds; wanting to reach more kids; not having enough time, manpower, and energy to do it all; keeping priorities straight---not being so busy serving God that you mistake that for time just being WITH God. Busyness for God, although important, is not the same thing as being still and knowing God. I wouldn't benefit much from creative, fly-by devotions. This may sound strange to some, but I think the answer to trying to find the time, resources, and energy to do what needs to be done comes by taking/scheduling a long enough time to still yourself and just be with God everyday. He knows what needs we have and will either care for those needs or give us the wisdom and peace we need to accomplish them.

New Believer # 2 Interview

My second new believer interview was with Mike, who was baptized 1/17/09.

Tell me about your journey to faith in Christ.

My mom was a Christian. I was running the street and homeless. There are churches that feed the homeless and the requirement was that you sit and hear the message (before they fed you). I ended up in Allison Park and got saved, but went back to the world again. I went into another Christian recovery home (PCO) run by Brian Bolt and learned how to love myself. From there, I went back out to my old job and fell back into old temptations and started using again for a couple of days. Then I ended up here, at Freedom House.

What helped you the most to step over the line and make the commitment?

I was tired of huting my mom; hurting my family. Didn't want to hurt my family or myself anymore. It was time to step up to the plate.

What has been the best part of becoming a Christ follower for you?

Helping people. It's showing me patience and I don't have to be on the move all the time. The fellowship. Finding friends that you can actually talk to and won't stab you behind your back.

What has been the most challenging part of following christ?

Being in this home with 9 guys; bumping heads; too many guys in the same house. It's been getting easier. Telling old stories brings back thoughts of old habits.

What do you think is helping you grow the most in your faith?

Talking to everybody; getting different opinions; reading my Bible; fellowship with the guys; walking and talking with the Lord.

What advice do you have for me in helping others like you to grow in their faith?

1) Keep your eyes focused. You only get what you put into it. Going backwards is not an option now. I'm not going back. Stay connected.

2) Feeding the homeless at a set time and place once or twice a week, give them the word and pray over them.

3) Form connections.

Although Mike was a little nervous in talking to me at first, he overcame his discomfort and was happy to share with me what was on his mind. From what he was communicating, it seemed that a lot of people will do whatever is necessary in order to feel good. Sometimes it's with drugs and alcohol. Sometimes it's with other behaviors that will provide a temporary "feel good" moment. It's something we all do in one form or another. According to my NIV Bible: "What a man desires is unfailing love." ( Proverbs 19:22). We sometimes go to outlandish lengths to feel good, but the only One and the only thing that can make us feel good is God and the love that He has for us. All other methods will eventually fail because they cannot sustain us.

When I asked Mike the final question in the interview, I thought that he had misunderstood what I was asking and answered out of context. However, in looking back at his answers, I believe that he offers sage advice for me as well. I, too, need to keep my eyes focused (in helping others). I, too, will only get out of it what I put into it. Once started in helping someone, going back is not an option. I'm NOT going back. I need to stay connected. I, too, have a responsibility to feed the homeless, give them the Word, and pray over them. And, I need to continue to form connections. Very wise advice.

Nick Poole Interview

Our guest in class this week was Nick Poole, director of Church Planting, from Allison Park Church in Pittsburgh. Nick was able to address church-planting from two perspectives: 1) the perspective of the church planter, and 2) from the perspective of the parent church.

Nick seems well-able to coach potential church-planters on the process of growing a church, growing leadership, helping them be successful, things/issues to think about, etc. by asking the correct questions in order to get the planters to come up with the solutions themselves. He also talked about what Allison Park and A of G looks for in church planters.

One of the things that resonated with me was when he mentioned a church being "birthed through service". It's a matter of seeing needs in a community and meeting those needs as you are able. It's about bringing hope to people and areas where there is little or no hope (and who are without Christ) by sharing and teaching the love of Christ in ways that are tangible to them. It's about sacrificing of yourself and going the extra mile in order to show them God's love. This is something that I personally feel as though I am lacking in, but that we also lack in as a church. I/we don't make a strong enough effort to impact the community through acts of service. We are willing to serve the church, but who in the community (with no connection to our church) have we served? Whose yard have we cleaned up or whose house have we painted because they were unable to do it themselves? I may not be a church planter, but I can look for these types of things to do. Alone we can do a little, but together we make a bigger impact. I want to start making a bigger impact.

Brian and Angie Bolt Interview

This week's guests were Brian and Angie Bolt from Pittsburgh City Outreach in Pittsburgh, PA. PCO is located in north Pittsburgh, one of the worst inner city areas. PCO wants to raise people off the streets to become pastors and to also fulfill their purposes in Christ. They hope to eventually plant other churches in inner cities.

Having Brian come to see us is always a pleasure, but it was especially much more so this time because he brought his beautiful wife, Angie, along. She just lights up the room with the joy of the Lord. I love that you can see God shining from the inside out in some people, and Angie is one of those people.

Both their testimonies are amazing to hear, but I felt ignited by what Angie had to say because God, over the last few months has been placing a desire within my own heart for a church without walls that ministers to garbage dump people. I have been hesitant to voice this to many people because it seems so "out there" and because, once voiced, seems like it needs to be acted upon in more ways than I already am. God has given me a very definite image of a place--a garbage dump--that is unlike any other of its kind. I am now in that "waiting" period to see what God wants me to do and where He will lead. I know the place does exist, because I found three pictures of it on the internet, but I have no idea where in the world it is. Someone suggested the place is "spiritual". Perhaps. But why was I able to find that exact place on the internet?

Other areas where I related to Angie: we are both nurses who work with the elderly, want to continue our educations, and who believe in bringing healing to body, mind, and spirit; we both pinpoint those who are "tender" and are drawn to them (God has a way of drawing me to moms who are grieving and/or wounded, or drawing them to me); and I, too, feel as though God is calling me to missions. God has also been giving me images of the homeless a lot lately and I often wonder, "Where in the world do you plan to take me, God"?

All that aside, it is exciting to see what God is doing with the Bolts and PCO. I would like to go out and see what they do, help with their new building, and serve the homeless. My husband will love me for this, but I volunteered him as well.

Besides finding enough time for one another separate from ministry, there biggest challenge seems to be in raising finances and materials for their new buildings. I love that they pray and God answers in amazing ways. Getting those they are leading to take pride of ownership and tithe, even if it's a widow's mite, may prove to be a huge blessing, as God always multiplies in unbelievable ways. Perhaps the families they lead and minister to could brainstorm and come up with ideas that they haven't tried. Giving to others out of their own need often brings unbelievable results as well.

In any event, I can't wait to see how God provides for His people in Pittsburgh through PCO!

Unchurched Friend Interview #2.

My second unchurched friend interview was with Bryan, director of an Alzheimer's Unit, in one of the local nursing homes.

Questions:

1) What do you think is the greatest need in your area?

A: Keeping my family physically safe.

2)Are you actively attending any church?

A: No. Bryan also stated that he was raised catholic and asked, "I'm going to hell, aren't I?"

3) What are a few issues or topics that impact/interest you?

A: Alzheimer's: learning and keeping up to date on research, interventions, and behavior; the economy and financial issues; local issues in Hanover, since that's where I live: laws, what they want to build or take away; the school system: how they run it, what they do; if the Steelers will beat the Ravens this weekend (pre-Super Bowl interview).

4) Why do you think most people don't attend church?

A: Laziness (I can partly be put in that area). In these times with husband and wife having to work and bust their butts to make ends meet, they want to just have time to relax. People's outlooks have changed. There's less of an emphasis on God, religion, and going to church because of other things going on. Little kids cause a ruckus and don't know how to be quiet. Not everybody that goes to church is going to heaven.

5) If you were to look for a church to attend, what kind of things would you look for?

A: A pastor or preacher who is enthusiastic, captivating. A nice physical environment- not too cold or too hot. A kid's program where they actually do stuff with the kids.

6) What advice can you give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people?

A: Listen to the person who wants to talk to them- give them their full attention; for them to give a few different suggestions to help them solve their problems. If a family has an issue that is embarrassing, to have the pastor visit the home to counsel them.

I appreciated Bryan's answers. He was willing to open up a little more and put some thought into what he said.

In response to his answers, thoughts, and concerns: I believe some of his concerns (ie, his famiy's safety, whether or not he was going to hell because he didn't attend church, and the issues/topics that make an impact on him) could be alleviated by seeking after God and His Kingdom first. By placing things in proper order and under proper authority (God's), the rest falls into place, and doesn't hold us captive like it did before. Those things no longer rule us. As far as the going-to-hell-because-he-wasn't-going-to-church belief goes, I feel that Bryan has not been taught that our works are not what gets us into heaven. It's our faith in what GOD has done through Christ's sacrifice and the blood He shed for the forgiveness of our sins. It is God's love that does the work of salvation and transformation, not us.

Bryan's observation that not everybody that goes to church will go to heaven was very astute. There are plenty of people who attend church every week who feel they are good enough and that's all God requires or who believe that all they need is to do the good works and that's enough. The Bible tells us in Hosea 4:6 "my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Our ignorance is not an excuse. We need to seek after God and gain knowledge. His knowledge.

Another thing that Bryan brought up was that people often feel overwhelmed by work. They sometimes have to work more than one job to make ends meet. They either don't make the time to go to church, are too exhausted to GO to church, or they just don't see it as being that important. Taking rest on the Sabbath is important and sometimes unchurched people do better at resting than churched people. However, I am also reminded of stories in the Bible (Sodom and Gomorrah, Noah and the Ark) where God destroyed civilizations, whole people groups, even wiping out most of the life on earth, because people were going about their daily lives doing what they thought was best, without regard for God or the things of God. How much like this have we, as a nation (and even the world's population), become? Ignorance and lack of knowledge concerning God will be our undoing unless we take seriously Jesus' great commission and love people into the Kingdom. It's time for more of us to speak the truth in love.

Mike Hammer Interview

Mike Hammer, pastor of Celebration Community Church in Dillsburg, PA, was our guest last evening. The church he leads is relatively new (in its second year) and unique. He had to marry two churches and faiths together when his Assembly of God church was invited to take over a United Brethern in Christ congregation who had lost their pastor and was failing.

Mike and his wife, Connie, have an outreach ministry, in addition to their regular church services, called Bridges. They lead people of all faiths (or no faith) who are tired of hiding in their hurt, to dive deep beneath the surface of what they present to the world, to uncover WHY they do what they do. In unmasking the reasons for their hurts in a loving atmosphere, they are able to remove some of the fear these people have had, start the healing process, bring change, and promote growth. This program is something I would be very interested in attending. Although God has brought incredible healing, insight, and growth to me already, there are still three areas that I believe God has shown me exist and lay behind locked doors. Doors that he wants me to unlock in order to discover what's behind them, and why they are there. Bridges might help unlock those doors and take me to the next level.

Mike was a great guest. He didn't pretend to have all the answers. I believe I would be as comfortable in his church for the same reasons I love and am comfortable at Freedom Valley. Mike and Gerry are the only two pastors I have ever encountered who are willing to stand up in front of others and be open and vulnerable. Neither is afraid to admit openly that they have struggles, that they are not perfect, and that God is still at work in them. That kind of attitude and public vulnerability makes it so much easier for the rest of us to WANT a relationship with Christ and to know that there's hope for us, in the form of Jesus Christ, in spite of the sin and mistakes we've made in our lives. God can use our greatest shame(s) for His greatest Glory. That kind of love (God's love)is totally overwhelming to me. God's love and their examples make me want to be that kind of person: one who can inspire love and a desire for relationship with Christ in others.

Mike's challenges seem to be balancing his family life with ministry, developing more key leaders that he can trust and delegate some of his responsibilities to, and helping his congregants develop ideas and vision so that they are put in a position of ownership. Mike is already building relationships of trust and working on raising up leaders within the church. By developing these relationships of trust and leadership over time, it will allow him to delegate more of his responsibilities and aide him in keeping his family life and ministry better balanced. I'm not sure what he has done in an effort to promote ownership, but sometimes it's just a matter of making the church's needs known or allowing people to voice the needs they see and encouraging them to be the solution (Where did I learn that?). Biblical teaching about WHAT God wants, ways to see that happen, and encouragement to step out in faith are key to seeing those things come to fruition.

Thanks for coming, Mike.

Sam Masteller Interview

Sam Masteller came to us from Freedom Life Christian Center in Christiana, PA, where he serves as the lead pastor. He is a likeable young guy, who wants to develop the people in his church so that they can share their faith and help the people in the surrounding area fulfill their destiny in Christ.

Sam has several ideas that I really liked. He believes that when you go to a community, that you are the gatekeeper for that community, and that you should pray that God does not give the people in that community rest until they know Jesus. This is something I want to start putting into practice myself. Something else that really struck a chord with me was that he believes the United States is a mission field. I see many lost, hurting people that need Christ (or someone to be Jesus to them), and I feel that some of our time in church is spent fruitlessly talking about what we should be doing, instead of going out and actually doing it. I would prefer to be out combing the back alleys for those who know they need something more and bringing them to church/Christ (or maybe we should bring church/Christ to them?), than inviting my friends to church, having them say they'll come, and then they don't show. They either don't recognize a need for Jesus in the first place; or they do recognize the need, but don't come because they're too busy. How many times should you invite someone? Once? Twice? Four hundred and thirty-three? Once or twice maybe, but more than that, unless the Spirit leads, will only serve to drive them away. Sam was correct in saying that our theology doesn't need to change, our methodology is what needs to change (at least mine does, or at least my thinking does, because I have not been very successful in this area. Yet. Maybe I'm not allowing enough time to grow relationships, but how long is long enough before you care enough about someone to invite them? Maybe I need to be praying more fervently as a gatekeeper?).

Something else that I liked that Sam did was to look at his church as a newcomer might and tried to design it so that it would be comfortable, inviting, fun, and a place where they not only want to return, but to also invite their friends. I thought the "cry room" for kids was a nice touch. Maybe adults could use private, sound-proof cry rooms as well, for those times when you just have to let it all out or if God calls you to trevail (and you just happen to be at church). One of Sam's goals with the church building is to be more welcoming to those who don't know Jesus. This is an excellent goal, but I believe that Sam also carries this through with the people of his church. I bet they are welcoming as well.

Church location could be a challenge, but I think that with their welcoming ways, people will go out of their way to get there.

Wes Shortridge Interview

This week's guest was Wes Shortridge from Liberty Community Church in Bealeton, Virginia. His church is fairly new (in its sixth year) and, according to Wes, effective at reaching people who are down and out, addicted, and have life problems. His church tries to get people "saved to" a community (small home groups) where needs can be met. Wes sees the home group leaders as the pastors.

I'll be honest, Wes is not someone with whom I connected well during the interview process. From the interview, I was unable to tell if Wes has any compassion for those he leads or if he just wants them "saved to a community". That thought bothers me. Can you be a pastor and not have compassion? I'm hoping and praying that Wes has a huge heart of compassion and that it just did not convey well.

Having said that, and being bothered by the impression I received during the interview, I wanted to give Wes the benefit of the doubt and checked out LCC's website. I'm glad I did. Here are some things that encourage me: God called Wes to specifically serve the Bealeton area; even though he started off with just himself, his own family and two others, he stuck with it and the church has grown to over 200 members; Wes made a comment somewhere on the site that he has served the church more for free than he has for hire (you don't do this unless you truly care); he is reaching a lot of people that might not feel comfortable in a more traditional church; I also appreciate his organizational skills, the fact that he does 4 Sunday services (three in the morning and one in the evening), and that he goes to school. I know Wes is serving God and that my opinion of him doesn't mean a thing, but I think he should get a star on his chart for what he's doing. I'm glad he came.

Church Rater Survey # 1

The Church
What Church did you visit?

Bethel Assembly Of God

What city or town is this Church located?

Littlestown, PA

What date and service did you attend?

Sunday, February 8, 2009, 7 PM

Evaluating
How would you rate this church?



Please provide ratings based on your own experience. Yes, I realize this is subjective and your '1′ might be someone else's '5′. That's ok. It's your rating and I really want your opinion.

Rate the following from 1 to 5. 1 is not effective, 5 is very effective!
Overall: ____5_______ Friendliness _____5________ Singing ____3________ Preaching ____5_____


First Impressions
Outside: Brick and siding
Was the building easy to find? Yes

Was it difficult to find parking? No
How about the interior or exterior signage- what would you do differently?

The sign made it easy to spot and also made it easy to see who was going to be preaching.

What did the appearance, style, or construction of the building communicate to you?

The brick on the lower half of the building told me that this is a solid church with a firm foundation. It is a church that does not plan on moving. It is there for the long haul.

Before the service:
Did anyone approach you and speak to you before the service got underway? Yes
If someone did speak to you, how did you feel about that? Great! Someone noticed me and cared about me! Tammy Crist gave us a personal tour of the Children's Ministry wing and of their Intercessory Prayer rooms, which was really nice.

Can you share their names?

A greeter first approached me and I don't remember their name. In the meeting before the service I met several people: Lois Whisler from Bethel Mennonite, Jake (no last name given) from a church in Harrisburg, Kevin and Cindy Orewiler from Hanover Foursquare, and the following from Bethel A/G: Jim and Meri-Lee Ruddy, Michelle Norris, Tammy Crist, Pastor Deb, Orrin and Kathy Orewiler, Chris Abrams, Russell Hess, Michelle Norris, and Janey White-something-or-other.


Did you know them before the visit? I went through school with Chris Abrams so I knew her. Her sister, Kathy Orewiler, was there, but I didn't recognize her when I first spoke with her, so I had to go back and reintroduce myself as someone she knew.


General observations:


As you observed the people "doing their church thing", what went through your mind?

These are people who love Jesus. They felt like family to me.


Were you able to understand why they do what they do?

I believe so. They love Jesus and were worshipping in ways that felt comfortable to them.


Do they seem sincere? Yes.


What do you think about the overall presentation of the service? (the liturgy, program or flow of the service)

There was worship music, introductions, more music, further introductions, collection for Johannes somewhere in there, prayer, the message, and then the altar call. It seemed like there were a lot of introductions, which I suppose were necessary due to what had happened before the service, but it seemed a little "choppy" to me because the introductions were seperated. It also seemed choppy to me because the music was also interrupted by introductions and the offering.


Bulletin and communications:


Is there anything in the church bulletin that you find confusing or offensive?

I did not see a bulltin at all.


If this were your "business", how would you improve the communication part of it- the bulletin especially?

From having been to Bethel before, I know that they do their announcements on the big screens up front. Pastor Ruddy normally also announces different things that are happening. I do like to have a printed bulletin, though, because my short-term memory isn't so hot, and it helps to have a bulletin that I can refer back to.


Were announcements clear, and interesting (did you want to sign up for anything)?

I didn't hear or see annoncements, but because of an invitation Michael and I received, we will probably go back to take part in their intercessory prayer.


Children's Ministry

Does this church appear kid-friendly? Yes. Very much so.


Did you bring any children with you to the service? No.


If so, ask them about their experience. What did they tell you? N/A


Music and Prayer


How would you describe the music? The worship music was okay, heartfelt for some, and it was easy to follow on the screens up front, but it lacked passion.


Did you enjoy any of it? Yes. The lyrics.


Did you feel like you connected with God during any part of it? Yes, the lyrics spoke more to me than the music itself, which all sounded pretty much the same.

How was it different from what you are used to?

The worship team was all one age group. I didn't notice anyone younger. The music was all the same style and didn't reflect the heartfelt passion I'm sure the musicians and members of the church must have for Christ. Different styles of music, I think, would have the capability to touch and reach a wider base of people.

Would you enjoy worshiping like that often? No.


What did you think of the prayers that were offered in the service?

I remember that Pastor Ruddy and one of the other pastors prayed, but I couldn't tell you about what. I do remember Johannes' prayers asking God to break addictions, chains, and curses better because he was very bold in the way he prayed. I think I also remembered them because when I pray, I often ask God to break chains, break down walls, barriers, hearts, doubt and unbelief, etc. I'm just not as loud in my boldness. At least not without a microphone.

As you listened to the prayers, what did you learn about how that church might think of people, or of God?

I listened to people around me pray quietly (and sometimes loudly when encouraged to pray loudly)in support of what was being prayed at the pulpit. From that experience, I would say that they are both respectful and supportive of people. I also feel as though they believe that God is well able to do anything.


The Speaker's Presentation


Did the Pastor or speaker seem likable?

Yes. Johannes draws his audience in by making himself one of us and also by telling stories in such a way that make the listener part of the story. You're there in the story, experiencing all the little details.


Is he/she a person you might enjoy having coffee with? Why?

Yes. I would like to learn more from Johannes: how to connect better with people in ways that will be meaningful to them, so that they can see their need for Jesus; how to use stories that will connect with people and that they will remember; how to take people inside those stories.

Did he/she seem engaged/sincere/condescending?

Johannes always seems engaged and sincere (Pastor Ruddy did as well. You can tell he is a real people person.). Johannes is not at all condescending. He came from "the bottom of the barrel", so to speak, and is not at all prideful because of what God has chosen to do through him.


Were you motivated to do or think anything differently because of the talk?

Because my own personal story deals with and centers around FORGIVENESS, this is a message that is huge to me. Not forgiving places people in bondage. Most people don't even recognize that. Forgiveness is the key that opens the spiritual celldoor so that the person can walk in freedom. As far as being motivated to do or think anything different...I don't know that I would necessarily think anything differently, but I am motivated to share more my message of God's love and forgiveness.


What could they have done to make it more enjoyable or useful?

I think Johannes did a super job.


Please erase any of the following descriptors that did not apply to the talk: Enjoyable, Angry, Thought-provoking, Relevant, Gloomy, Energetic, Credible, Slow, Sad, Upbeat, Humorous, Useful, Life-changing, funny,

It had elements of all these, except for boring.


The Message


What was the main idea of the message? FORGIVENESS


What action did the speaker want you to take or consider taking?

To seek forgiveness from God through Christ; also to forgive others.


Did the talk itself (the subject matter) hold your attention? Yes


Did any part of the talk stand out to you in a positive or negative way?

The way Johannes is open with his emotions and feelings was positive in that it allows people to connect with him. The message of forgiveness sinks in and finds its mark.


What is the one thing the speaker could do that would improve his/her presentation?

I understand that Johannes likes to come down on the same level with everyone, but because I am vertically challenged and can't see over heads, there were times when I couldn't see him very well. I still think it's good that he physically puts himself on the same level as everyone else because subconsciously he is doing the same thing. I just need to get into the sanctuary sooner to find a seat where I can see.


Do you think that you particularly will remember anything that was taught?

The message content and stories, yes, but more so the importance of other things: placing yourself on an equal plane with others; connecting with people and making a positive impact for Christ; planting seeds, through story-telling, that people can take home and think about; being yourself; sharing yourself from your heart; sharing that what God has done for you, He can do for them; be led by the Holy Spirit; and finally, when God leads you to do something, don't hold back. Dare to be bold.


Do you understand God or people better because of it?

I don't know that I understand God or people in a new way, but I feel as though I understand a little better how God wants me to relate to people.


Did it make you feel like you wanted to preach someday yourself ?

I feel we all preach in some way, shape, or form every day. Sometimes it's a good message, sometimes not so good. Could I stand up in front of a crowd and preach? Yes, I believe I could. If God calls me to do that, He will also equip me. I do know that as the bride of Christ, I want to produce an abundance of spiritual children for Him, and I most definitely want them to look like their Father.

Jonatan and Anna Kvist Interview

Jonatan and Anna Kvist, missionary evangelists from Mission SOS in Stockholm, were our most recent guests. Their passion and focus is going on the evangelistic festivals that Mission SOS has all over the world to bring the Gospel to unreached people groups.

This young couple are incredibly likeable. It's very easy to relate to them. They are friendly, kind, make easy connections, and have several qualities and interests that reflect those of my own children. They both have huge hearts for others to come to know Christ. It was obvious that Anna, in particular, has a tremendous compassion for those who believe they have no hope. I was also excited to learn that they enjoy taking "church" outside of the church. This has been something that God has been putting in my heart since sometime right around Jocelyn's welcome home party (and my own birthday).

Besides just enjoying them, I learned a lot from Anna and Jonatan. They had a lot of great tips for creative outreach. It was also helpful to hear how they research the people, culture, history, and the countries to which they travel so that they can relate better, form a connection with the people groups they share the gospel with, and tailor their efforts to that particular audience. The Mission SOS team has a vision, a purpose, a plan, and are guided well by the Holy Spirit.

A few valuable lessons stood out: 1)Give people your heart; 2)Fear God more than you fear the people to whom you are ministering; and 3)Make the way to Jesus as short as possible.

Finally, a big challenge that I see for the Mission SOS team is not in reaching the unsaved, but in keeping their families connected and close when there is so much travel. From what I have observed, the families do try to travel together as much as possible, for short periods of time, and there always seems to be accountability, but even so, there is a certain amount of stress that goes with being away from home, working so hard (even if it is out of your love and passion for God), and trying to meet the needs of your family. Do they provide enough time for families to stay connected and "rest" outside of their calling? In what ways do they provide emotional support and ways for families to connect when one spouse travels and the other has to stay at home, especially with such a busy schedule? In what ways do they support the spouse and/or children that stay at home? Do families ever get sent to "hotspots" together or do they save those places for the single men only?

Thank you for the opportunity to meet and connect with Jonatan and Anna and to learn and grow.

New Believer Interview # 1

My first new believer interview was with Chad, who was baptized January 17, 2009. Some answers are paraphrased.

Questions:

1)Tell me about your journey to faith in Christ?

Chad always went to church when he was younger, but got away from it. He always had a belief in God, but wondered, while he was using (drugs), why he had that lifestyle.
He had been in rehab, ran out of funding, and ended up coming to Freedom House.

2)What helped you the most to step over the line and make the commitment?

Chad said that he knew he needed a change in life. Rehab and detox didn't work. Coming to Freedom House and making a commitment for Christ seem to be working (he's only been there a short while). He wanted to make the change for himself, but he also wanted to make the change for his daughter, who is due March 9th.

3)What has been the best part of becoming a Christ follower for you?

Chad says that the best part has been that it has given him a new outlook on life. "You don't know if you'll be here tomorrow. You live your life one day at a time. Don't dwell on the past."

4) What has been the most challenging part of following Christ?

"Getting my belief back that God still loves me. Building my faith back."

5)What do you think is helping you grow the most in your faith?

Chad said that the guys at Freedom House have been the most helpful to him in his faith. They help him, pray for him, answer his questions, and encourage him to pray.

6)What advice do you have for me in helping others like you to grow in their faith?

"Believe and pray." Chad believes that you have to have support. He thinks that it would be helpful to offer a place, either a house or homes, where people can learn and build their faith. He feels that one-on-one or small groups are especially good for users because they have a tendency to want to hide themselves from public view. Chad believes encouragement is also vital in helping others grow in their faith.

I enjoyed interviewing Chad. I am reminded that many of us, who were raised in church and knew OF God, but did not know that He desires a loving and tender relationship with us, tend to go astray. We often have to try every thing we can think of first, and fail miserably at it, before we're willing to give up control and try the one thing that is best for us: belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Relationship that changes everything.

I guess I never saw the importance before of small groups or home churches. They are perhaps more beneficial to some than a larger church setting in that they foster closer relationship among its members, fewer places to "hide" spiritually, much needed support and encouragement, and time for discussion and prayer of personal issues that you wouldn't normally have time for in a church with many members. Small groups give another chance to "put skin on Jesus" as you minister to one another on a more one-to-one basis. I guess I'll be joining (or starting?) a small group. It is my great desire to be one who "puts skin on Jesus" for others who either don't know Him or only know OF Him. I want to make Jesus REAL for people.

Jan Workman-Transforming Kids

Our guest this week was Jan Workman, one of two children's pastors at Christian Life Assembly in Harrisburg, who ministers to approximately 600 kids. Although relatively new to this position, she is helping to transform the way CLA does kid's ministry and making it easier for kids to learn and internalize valuable kingdom lessons. In helping kids to "connect-the-dots" by applying the lessons they learn to their lives, she not only influences and leads them to Christ, she turns them into leaders who, in turn, influence those around them for Christ.

I like the way Jan approaches kids: as people with gifts who need to be using them. She is teaching them to be accountable to God, to themselves, and to one another. To be leaders and the solutions to the needs that they see around them.

Jan is doing a phenomenal job and seeing great results with the older kids, but how are they teaching the wee little ones (birth to kindergarden) differently? And how do they measure those results?

I needed to hear several things that Jan said: Listen to Jesus first; do not let anyone despise what you want to do; give it to God; and ministry is difficult. Although I always try to listen to God first and foremost, I sometimes allow people to despise what I believe my Heavenly Father tells me to do; those are the times that I need to stand up and be strong. Giving "my stuff" over to God is always important and ongoing. If ministry is difficult for seasoned veterans, it makes sense to pick myself up and try again when I stumble and fall flat on my face. One of these days I'll be successful.

Chaplain Will- Transforming the Prison

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Chaplain Will Olsen, from the Adams County Correctional Facility, was the guest speaker this past week. He ministers to male and female inmates, as soon as they make a request, with the intention of bringing souls into the Kingdom. He has led a remarkable 404 so far. He also counsels, ministers, and redirects lives back into the community once they are released.

It was helpful to me to know how he goes about doing this: by responding quickly, being led by the Holy Spirit, discerning hearts through the same Spirit, treating inmates with respect and dignity, making personal connections, and expecting the Holy Spirit to work through him. He also has a captive audience, most of whom recognize that they need help. But probably the most helpful thing he said, at least for me, had to do with the statement he made concerning evangelizing: "Get over the hump...Just do it!"

Chaplain Will faces many challenges: raising his own funds; getting local churches involved; getting volunteers; trying to organize events; trying to meet the spiritual needs of the inmates and staff; AND being a loving husband and dad. I wonder if some of these challenges could be alleviated by having a part-time chaplain (if there is such a thing) or perhaps a well-organized volunteer (or two or three) who could take on some of these tasks (i.e making phone calls or sending out requests for financial support, taking care of banquet details, arranging meetings, updating information on his website, etc.) so that Chaplain Will can better minister to the inmates, staff, and his family?

"Unchurched" Interview # 1

I was quite surprised, but apparently I'm surrounded at work by people who are unchurched. My first interview was with Dave, one of the 11-7 nurses. He's married and he and his wife are expecting their first baby in March. I asked the survey questions from our handout and then asked some questions to try and get Dave to expand on the subject a bit during the time we had allotted.

Dave and his wife used to attend a Quaker church on occasion, but with his wife being pregnant and at high risk, they have not been going.

Dave felt that the greatest need in his area was food and shelter for the homeless. He would like to see churches get more involved with the homeless in whatever way they have the ability to help them (i.e. food, shelter, clothing, etc.).

Issues that are important to him are homelessness, civil rights, and animal rights. He did not expand on these.

He believes that the primary reason people do not attend church is that they lack spiritual conviction.

If he were to look for a church to attend he would want one that is open in their beliefs-less doctrinal or less dogmatic. In other words, "this is what we believe and you have to, too". He thinks that the focus should be on following their own spiritual path and coming to their own conclusions. He would also like a church that has a strong focus on fellowship and is actively involved in helping the community.

When asked what advice he would give to pastors who really want to be helpful to people, Dave thought it important to take the approach to fulfill people's physical needs first and then their spiritual needs.

In interviewing Dave and others where I work, I was amazed at how few people go to church on a regular basis. They believe in God, but God is taking a back seat to other things in their lives. I would like to see God going from the back seat to the driver's seat in their lives.

I must also confess the ignorance I had pertaining to what Quakers believe. I had to look it up on the internet. They believe in God, in Christ Jesus, and in the Inner Light or "that of God in everyone". They believe that everyone has this Inner Light. Truth, to them, is found inside each individual. So, spiritual truth for one person may be different for another. How well you know God seems to be measured by how well you love others. And although I read "Christ Jesus" several times, nothing I read mentioned the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross or what they believed about that. I guess that's one of the things open to their own interpretation.

While I was interviewing Dave and before I googled Quakers, I was drawn to the Bible verse that says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 16:25). A Quaker Friend may or may not believe what is correct according to the Bible, and they may even bear fruit in keeping with the Bible, but the Bible mentions in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 that there are "men who masquerade as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." Quakers, it would seem, operate too much in their own wisdom, and perhaps not on the wisdom of God.

As far as to the issues that were important to Dave, the Bible reiterates time and time again that we are to care for the poor and oppressed and that justice should be served through our just God and through our laws. Animal rights may be covered in the Bible as well because it says in Proverbs 12:10 that "A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel".

After interviewing Dave, I find that I have more questions that I want to ask him about his beliefs and I am hoping that these will open up opportunities to discuss what God's truth is.

Thanks for these open-ended survey questions. They are a great opportunity to discuss what the Bible has to say.

John Wega, US Christian Commission, Gettysburg

WOW! If I could use one word to describe our guest speaker, John Wega, it would be PASSION! Passion for God, passion for Christ, passion for Civil War history(particularly that of the heroes of faith that were part of the US Christian Commission) and passion for the visitors who come to Gettysburg to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

John, through 7 years of research in an attempt to answer the questions "What type of ministry took place during the Civil War, in the midst of 600,000 lives lost to eternity?" and "Whose side was God on?", has unearthed the history and stories of the US Christian Commission and its heroes of faith who went into the battlefields and hospitals with "Bibles, bandages and the love of Christ" in an effort to alleviate the physical and spiritual suffering of both Union and Confederate soldiers, lead them to salvation, and bring them encouragement in the midst of this war.

John, after reading story after story of these heroes of faith, realized that this was lost Christian history that needed to be told. He re-founded the US Christian Commission, now getting ready to celebrate its fourth year, to impact the 3 million + visitors that come to Gettysburg with the historical accuracy of these stories and the salvation message. His passsion for God, for Christ, for this portion of history, for the "river of people" that flow through Gettysburg, and the message of Jesus Christ, makes all of these things come alive and is the only one of its kind in the whole country. The USCC's accurate portrayal of these events serves as an amazingly effective evangelistic tool to the tourists in Gettysburg. John IS a Civil War chaplain in the year 2009. He, his wife, and the people that aide them, do this through their museum, chapel services, living history demonstrations, faith based tours of Gettysburg, prayer and ministy nights at the museum, and with bottled water handed out with an invitation to come for chapel services.

As mentioned previously, he ministers primarily to the tourists, which somewhat narrows his efforts at bringing the Gospel message. However, he does this very effectively and reaches a lot of people, hopefully inspiring many of them to become "heroes of the faith". Because the USCC operates with little help, it is difficult for them to expand as they envision. With God's continued favor, prayer, John's passion, and increased, wider-ranging publicity of the USCC, I have no doubt that Gettysburg will once again become the "altar of the nation" as people are drawn to God and the principles on which our nation were founded.