Category Archives: Ministry

May 26, 2012

5 Things To Know For Soma Tomorrow!

By Jones

I can’t wait for Soma in the morning!  I love the band and I love the environment but most of all, I love getting together with the body – YOU – to spend time in the presence of the Spirit together.  And I hope you’re looking forward to a great weekend too!  Here are 5 things you need to know about this weekend…

1. Worship will be awesome!

Over the past couple of months, I’ve loved seeing how we’re gelling as a family and every single weekend I’m blown away at hearing voices raised with more and more confidence.  Let’s blow the roof off the place tomorrow!

2. God’s gonna show up in an unexpected way!

I am absolutely convinced that growing churches all have one thing in common…  They show up expecting God to do the unexpected.  Our plans are great, but the Spirit has something even better in the works!

3. God’s gonna challenge your attitude about money!

Whether you’re a 15 year old with a summer job, a 35 year old with a young family or a 58 year old looking at retirement, tomorrow’s message is aimed at YOU!

4. It’s the PERFECT weekend to invite your neighbor!

Sure, it’s Memorial Day weekend, but not everyone’s traveling.  Invite your neighbor to Soma and then to a cookout at your house!

5. Out of rest comes revelation!

It IS a long weekend, so live it up and rest with your family.  When we withdraw from our worries and rest our souls, we’re much more likely to hear God’s voice revealing His Will in our lives, so come in the morning ready to rest with the body!

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May 14, 2012

Poorly Solved Problems Multiply…

By Jones

2 Samuel 6:6-7

When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.  The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.

In verse 6, Uzzah is in perfect health, serving the Lord.  By the end of verse 7, he’s stone-cold dead as an example to Israel.  And why?

Because he…  Did his job?  Kept the Ark out of the mud?  Did the obvious and logical thing?

Why did Uzzah have to die?  

The answer is, at once, incredibly simple and equally condemning.  He had to die because he did something that I – and probably you – do everyday.

Uzzah saw a situation and he immediately reacted.  And in that one moment of rash action, Uzzah sealed his fate.

I often brag about my ability to “see a problem and fix a problem.”  But in seeing and fixing a “problem,” I often create an even bigger problem.  I might quickly solve the present situation but by not taking God’s eternal perspective into consideration, I inadvertently remove myself from His Will.

When Uzzah saw the Ark teetering, the most pressing problem from his perspective was the symbol of God’s glory falling into the mud.  He saw the problem and fixed the problem by reaching out a hand and lifting it up.  But when Uzzah failed to consider God’s law against touching the Ark, the problem multiplied a hundredfold.  He saw a problem and fixed a problem but he fixed it with a human solution.  And he was punished for it.

By the way, Uzzah’s “situation” was caused because an earlier problem of how to transport the ark was solved with a human solution.  Putting the Ark on a cart seemed like a great idea but it wasn’t God’s idea.  If the men moving the Ark had first considered God, the Ark would have been mounted on poles on the shoulders of Levites and Uzzah would have never had a problem to solve.

Poorly solved problems multiply.  And eventually men die.  Maybe physically.  Probably spiritually.

What problems have you solved poorly?  What “solutions” have grown into bigger problems than the original?

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Devotion, Ministry

May 8, 2012

Sneak Peek Of Soma

By Jones

Here’s a sneak peek at Soma’s worship service…  This video is from May 6, 2012 and the songs are “Rise,” “Forever Reign,” “White Flag,” and “Arms Open Wide.”

I LOVE what’s happening with this community as we learn to worship together!  If you’re in the Brown County, OH area and don’t have a church, we would love to meet you this coming weekend…  God longs to adopt YOU into His family so you can worship right alongside us!

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May 2, 2012

BE and DO work best together…

By Jones

Too often, evangelism is approached with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” mentality.  Basically, it amounts to a flurry of activity and investment in leading someone to Christ, just so that we can show them to a great seat on the front pew.  Once there, we fully expect they will enjoy being preached at for the rest of their lives.  And we move on to a “new project.”

The end result is that someone is invited to BE a Christian but they’re not challenged to DO anything worth dying for.  They’re comfortable and they’re cozy, but they’re not learning to be a disciple.

Ultimately, discipleship done right creates a culture with high invitation to BE like Christ and high challenge to DO the work of discipling others.  Forget the constant invitation or worthwhile challenge and your culture winds up bored, stressed or cozy.  People burn out, give up or zone out.  And the church falters in its mission to spread the Kingdom by making disciples.

You have been called to contribute to the Kingdom’s discipling culture.  Invite your family, your neighbors and your co-workers to BE a child of God and then challenge them to DO the work of the King.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Devotion, Ministry, Uncategorized

April 27, 2012

Embrace The Mess…Because It’s Ministry

By Jones

John 9:6-7

[Jesus] spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.  “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”).  So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

When God heals brokenness and pain, there’s always a mess to clean up…  Mud on the face, drowned pigs, doubting family, skepticism from those who consider themselves “religious.”  There is ALWAYS a mess.

To be pure…holy…we have to strip away the junk and crud that’s been covering us.  But stripping away the mess is, well, messy.  It’ll clutter up our nice, neat plans.  It’ll leave our pristine image looking just a little scruffier.

It would be so nice to put up walls and barriers to the mess, so we can enjoy our spotless chapels and our carefully planned programs.  But that’s not what the Church is called to do!

The Church is called to stand in the Pool of Siloam, washing the mud off eyes that Jesus has healed.

We aren’t the Healer, we are the cleaners.  When the Healer works, there will always be a mess and it’s our job to help the healed clean it up. 

The Church isn’t a quiet, unsoiled, unstained sanctuary.  It’s a magnificent mess, desperately trying to turn disorder into something resembling the Divine.

Embrace the mess…because it’s ministry.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Devotion, Ministry, Uncategorized

April 13, 2012

Soma: DNA Of The Body

By Jones

This weekend is the 14th gathering for Soma!  The first 13 have been an awesome experience in “the body” and I’m pumped to see where God is leading us over the next 13 weeks.  I’ve learned and planned enough to be absolutely confident of two things:  It will be unexpected and it will be led by the Spirit.  If God has reinforced anything in my mind over the past 13 weeks, it’s been this…  Plans are made to be changed and the Holy Spirit is a MUCH better leader than I am!

As we head into this next season as Soma, I want to publicly share the DNA that has been directing who we are.  Remember, Soma means “the body” in Greek and just like a physical body, it needs a set of core DNA to survive and thrive in the way it was created to be.  So, here’s the 6 DNA of Soma…

1. We are fine dining, not a cheap buffet. 

  • Our gatherings should be done with the utmost planning, quality and excellence.
  • The church should be the most creative place on the planet.

2. We are laser-focused. 

  • Our #1 goal is to reproduce disciples – not merely attenders – who love God with all they have.
  • Our #2 goal is to be a beacon of light and justice in a broken world. 
  • ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  (Mt 22)

3. We are known for what we are FOR. 

  • We should be known for what we are FOR…not what we are AGAINST.
  • Paul walked into the Areopagus in Athens, in the middle of a corrupt, idol-worshiping culture and preached what he was FOR – Jesus – instead of condemning what he was AGAINST.  (Acts 17)

4. We are all about the numbers. 

  • Every number has a name and every name desperately needs God.
  • Growing numbers don’t increase our prestige, they increase God’s glory in His Kingdom.  We count the numbers so we can celebrate the growth of the Kingdom!

5. We are a generation of honor. 

  • We freely and humbly give honor to those above us, beside us and under us.
  • We will NOT attack other churches, leaders or ministries.

6. We are not done. 

  • There are ways of “doing” church that no one has thought of yet.
  • Culture is still changing…and, therefore, our methods are too.

4 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Ministry, Uncategorized

April 12, 2012

Why I Do Student Ministry…

By Jones

I don’t do student ministry for the fun and games.  I don’t do it for all the late nights and teenage drama.  I don’t do it for all the trips and traveling.  I don’t even do it for the pizza.  :)

I do student ministry because of the future.

Students are the church of today but they’re the leaders of tomorrow.  By doing student ministry, I get to shepherd hearts for today and mold leaders for tomorrow.  Reproduction is vision for the future and student ministry is daily reproducing myself in the leaders of tomorrow.

When Paul invited Timothy along with him, that’s exactly what he was doing.  While Paul was preaching sermons, planting churches and shepherding hearts around the world, he was molding Timothy to lead tomorrow.

The greatest joy of my student ministry life is watching students move from being “kids” to being “partners.”  Every Sunday morning at Soma, I get to be led in worship by former students and it’s one of the sweetest experiences of my life.  Every Sunday night at Youth Group, I get to serve alongside some former students who are now molding the next generation.  Occasionally, I get phone calls and messages from former students who have moved away and now they’re leading in worship, children and student ministry and hearing their stories swells my heart with pride.

I love students and I enjoy hanging out with them.  But that’s not why I do student ministry.

I do student ministry because I believe in the potential of their future and it’s the most worthwhile investment I can imagine making.

Who’s future are you investing in?

4 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Devotion, Ministry, Personal

March 15, 2012

The Most Important Task Facing The Church…

By Jones

What’s the first thing the Creator said to His creation?  Reproduce…  (Genesis 1:28)

What’s one of the last things Jesus said to His followers?  Reproduce…  (Matthew 28:19)

What does God’s Word say to His Church over and over again?  Reproduce!

1.  Growth is NOT the same as reproduction.  You can’t choose to grow…but you CAN choose to reproduce.

2.  Unhealthy things don’t reproduce well.  Unhealth always breeds unhealth.

3.  Reproduction is vision for the future.  It’s an opportunity to mold the future you’re passionate about seeing.

4.  Reproduction is critical to survival.  Judges 2:10-11

Reproducing disciples is THE most important task facing the Church…  More important than teaching Sunday School, planning retreats, running children’s activies, organizing programs and preaching sermons.  Combined.

The simple truth is this…  If the Church doesn’t reproduce itself, it doesn’t matter how great any of those things are.  When the current generation passes away, it’s game over.

Invest in the future.  Perpetuate the Church.  Reproduce disciples!

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March 6, 2012

Events Are Easy. Discipleship Is Not.

By Jones

Events are easy.

They start on time.  They end on time.  And there’s an easy way to judge success.

Was there a big crowd?  Was there a good vibe?  Was there a good response?  Was there a big finish?

It’s easy to make church into an event.

As a leader, Sunday morning is predictable, controllable and comfortable.

As an attender, Sunday morning is agreeable, acceptable and memorable.

It’s tempting to turn the process of discipleship into an event – not unlike a movie, a basketball game or a family reunion.

DON’T.

As the Kingdom grows, discipleship must remain the process that Jesus modeled for us – messy, unfiltered and occasionally offensive.

As a discipler, I expect to be cussed at, lied to and taken advantage of.  I anticipate disappointment and prepare for pain.  I realize I don’t live in a sterile environment of “Christian-ized” events so I don’t shy from the crud of our culture.

I endure the junk because I know that every collapse if followed by a rebirth.  Some things just have to die before life can really flourish.

It would be so much simpler if the Church was an endless series of events.

But it’s not.

So let the process consume you.  Let discipleship be the core of who you are.  It won’t be easy as the event was but it will change a lot more lives and be infinitely more fulfilling.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Devotion, Ministry, Uncategorized

March 1, 2012

Most Popular Posts For February 2012

By Jones

Here’s the top 10 most popular posts for February 2012.  Hopefully they’re as impactful today as they were originally!

  1. “Forgive And Forget” Is A Terrible Idea (2/20/12)
  2. Unspoken Prayer Requests (5/27/10)
  3. Satan’s Greatest Tool (2/8/12)
  4. ON Does Not Equal IN (2/3/12)
  5. Get Over Yourself (2/22/12)
  6. Who Are You Walking With? (2/29/12)
  7. You’re Not As Big A Deal As You Think You Are (2/7/12)
  8. Repentance Is The Foundation (2/21/12)
  9. There Work To Be Done… (2/23/12)
  10. Pray A New Prayer (2/2/12)

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Devotion, Ministry, Uncategorized

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