Hey Element Church! This is the missions video from Aaron Brakefield that we couldn't show Sunday. If you want to see more from their mission field you can watch it.
Showing posts with label Missions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Missions. Show all posts
Monday, May 26, 2008
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Simple Church and Missions Philosophy
We have taken on some different church philosophies around Element Church. We have done this intentionally. As a new church with limited resources (money, people, time) we want to do our best to maximize our impact to the city of Cheyenne. Really all churches should have impact in mind when determining what and how they do things. So, here is my take of simple church and my missions philosophy.
Simple Church: We have chosen to pursue three main programs at Element Church. The Worship Experience, Life Groups, and Servant Evangelism (missions, outreach). Now there are a few exceptions of things that we do which revolves around these three things. For example: We have First Friday (prayer night for ministry of Element Church and the Cheyenne area on the first Friday of each month), The Tour (our connecting point for first time guests once a month), etc. Pretty much other than our three essentials we are going to say "NO" to everything else! There are lots of great ministries that we will probably never do because we don't feel that's what God has us here for. For instance: I don't know if we'll ever do MOPS program. Why? There are several churches doing great jobs with them already. Why don't we support THEM in what they are doing. VBS: What if we volunteered our services to another churches VBS instead of adding another one to the PLETHORA already happening. It amazes me how many VBS' the same week were doing the same curriculum. Nothing wrong with doing those ministries, and it doesn't mean we NEVER will, we just are choosing to focus on three main ministries. This allows our time, energy, and finances to be focused in three areas. It hopefully will help us maximize our impact.
Missions: In Acts 1 Jesus tells his disciples "...and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the world." Now, I'm not saying this is Jesus' missionary strategy but it is ours. We want to be good missionaries to Cheyenne (Jerusalem) first before we ever take our message and serving around the globe. I've said several times that if we aren't good missionaries to our city FIRST we'll never be good ones to another country. Our first calling is Cheyenne. That's why we will put money and effort into organizations such as Life Choice Pregnancy Center, Needs Inc., and into serving the City of Cheyenne. Notice the scope of what Jesus said. Jerusalem (home city), Judea (area or state), Samaria (region, country), ends of earth. If each of us would work from that circle the ends of the earth will be reached. For far too long I think we've placed our major missionary efforts on overseas missions while the whole time the spiritual health of our countries, states and towns were fast deteriorating. SO, we as Element Church are going to pour efforts, finances and time here in Cheyenne. Please don't tell me I'm not concerned about overseas works. My wife and I financially support missionaries in Brazil each month. WE WILL NOT NEGLECT OUR CITY. PERIOD! That is our missions strategy.
Our goal is to do one major outreach/service/serving project once a quarter to our city. We will fill in monthly things and things as they arise as well to serve Cheyenne.
There it is. Simple church and missions strategy. You maybe didn't even want to know, but now you do. HA!
Following Christ,
Jeff
Simple Church: We have chosen to pursue three main programs at Element Church. The Worship Experience, Life Groups, and Servant Evangelism (missions, outreach). Now there are a few exceptions of things that we do which revolves around these three things. For example: We have First Friday (prayer night for ministry of Element Church and the Cheyenne area on the first Friday of each month), The Tour (our connecting point for first time guests once a month), etc. Pretty much other than our three essentials we are going to say "NO" to everything else! There are lots of great ministries that we will probably never do because we don't feel that's what God has us here for. For instance: I don't know if we'll ever do MOPS program. Why? There are several churches doing great jobs with them already. Why don't we support THEM in what they are doing. VBS: What if we volunteered our services to another churches VBS instead of adding another one to the PLETHORA already happening. It amazes me how many VBS' the same week were doing the same curriculum. Nothing wrong with doing those ministries, and it doesn't mean we NEVER will, we just are choosing to focus on three main ministries. This allows our time, energy, and finances to be focused in three areas. It hopefully will help us maximize our impact.
Missions: In Acts 1 Jesus tells his disciples "...and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the world." Now, I'm not saying this is Jesus' missionary strategy but it is ours. We want to be good missionaries to Cheyenne (Jerusalem) first before we ever take our message and serving around the globe. I've said several times that if we aren't good missionaries to our city FIRST we'll never be good ones to another country. Our first calling is Cheyenne. That's why we will put money and effort into organizations such as Life Choice Pregnancy Center, Needs Inc., and into serving the City of Cheyenne. Notice the scope of what Jesus said. Jerusalem (home city), Judea (area or state), Samaria (region, country), ends of earth. If each of us would work from that circle the ends of the earth will be reached. For far too long I think we've placed our major missionary efforts on overseas missions while the whole time the spiritual health of our countries, states and towns were fast deteriorating. SO, we as Element Church are going to pour efforts, finances and time here in Cheyenne. Please don't tell me I'm not concerned about overseas works. My wife and I financially support missionaries in Brazil each month. WE WILL NOT NEGLECT OUR CITY. PERIOD! That is our missions strategy.
Our goal is to do one major outreach/service/serving project once a quarter to our city. We will fill in monthly things and things as they arise as well to serve Cheyenne.
There it is. Simple church and missions strategy. You maybe didn't even want to know, but now you do. HA!
Following Christ,
Jeff
Christmas Outreach and outreach thoughts
Hey Elementers! Don't forget to go to Wal-Mart or Target and start supporting the moms and their families that we are providing Christmas for. Reagan has done a phenomenal job of setting all of this up. We have found needs, wants and desires for these moms. All four moms are soon to have, or recently had children in which they chose LIFE for those Children. We found the moms by partnering with and working through LifeChoice Pregnancy Center. Check out their web-site and see what they do. They are an awesome organization. Element was one of a few churches who sponsored tables at their recent fundraising banquet in October.
We are not supporting these ladies to get them to Element, or even to get them to Christ. We ARE doing this to BE Christ to them. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. That's all. Would we welcome them at Element? YES! Do we want them to receive Christ? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! Simply put, this is part of going to our Jerusalem. Being missionaries to our city. I'll be posting tomorrow on my missions philosophy.
This outreach may not be a gas-buydown in which hundreds of people are served and the news airs it and the city reads about it, but that doesn't make it any less outreach. We are meeting a practical need for some moms who are IN need. Sometimes our serving the city will be a big project. Other times it will be smaller. EVERY TIME it will help bring life to individuals and to our city.
Starting in January we are going to be on the ground floor of a new program to help keep the food pantry stocked at "Needs Inc." here in Cheyenne. Needs is a community non-profit serving the needy of Cheyenne. I'm not sure I'm at liberty to share details but I will when I can. We are the first church in on this program and it will be a HUGE service to this community group and to the needy of Cheyenne. NEEDS also knows they can include us in any service needs they may have.
We are continuing to develop our relationship with the City of Cheyenne. We have asked to be involved in the Easter Egg hunt again this year and even added an idea of our own, that if pulled off, would seriously be the BIGGEST Easter egg hunt this city has every seen. (Not sure the city is on board with the idea...we'll see) We have offered our service to the city, not only at events, but to clean parks, clear brush, paint over any vandalism (graffiti), etc. We want to serve... just to serve.
Anyway, I don't want to just give from our church during the Holidays, but all year long! We are starting our ability to do that. We are 8 weeks old and we have provided inflatable games for the city Easter Egg Hunt (snowed out), held one gas buy down (2 hours, 200 vehicles), provided free inflatable games at the city SuperDay, held anther gas buy down (4 hours, over 400 vehicles), provided prizes to the city Goblinwalk, Sponsored three tables at the Life Choice fundraiser, adopted 4 moms and families to provide for Christmas, and starting in January, this new NEEDS Inc. food pantry deal. I'd say we are building this into our DNA. Wouldn't want it any other way. And we're not done yet. Still developing other ideas and always open to knew opportunities to serve.
Following Christ,
Jeff
We are not supporting these ladies to get them to Element, or even to get them to Christ. We ARE doing this to BE Christ to them. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. That's all. Would we welcome them at Element? YES! Do we want them to receive Christ? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! Simply put, this is part of going to our Jerusalem. Being missionaries to our city. I'll be posting tomorrow on my missions philosophy.
This outreach may not be a gas-buydown in which hundreds of people are served and the news airs it and the city reads about it, but that doesn't make it any less outreach. We are meeting a practical need for some moms who are IN need. Sometimes our serving the city will be a big project. Other times it will be smaller. EVERY TIME it will help bring life to individuals and to our city.
Starting in January we are going to be on the ground floor of a new program to help keep the food pantry stocked at "Needs Inc." here in Cheyenne. Needs is a community non-profit serving the needy of Cheyenne. I'm not sure I'm at liberty to share details but I will when I can. We are the first church in on this program and it will be a HUGE service to this community group and to the needy of Cheyenne. NEEDS also knows they can include us in any service needs they may have.
We are continuing to develop our relationship with the City of Cheyenne. We have asked to be involved in the Easter Egg hunt again this year and even added an idea of our own, that if pulled off, would seriously be the BIGGEST Easter egg hunt this city has every seen. (Not sure the city is on board with the idea...we'll see) We have offered our service to the city, not only at events, but to clean parks, clear brush, paint over any vandalism (graffiti), etc. We want to serve... just to serve.
Anyway, I don't want to just give from our church during the Holidays, but all year long! We are starting our ability to do that. We are 8 weeks old and we have provided inflatable games for the city Easter Egg Hunt (snowed out), held one gas buy down (2 hours, 200 vehicles), provided free inflatable games at the city SuperDay, held anther gas buy down (4 hours, over 400 vehicles), provided prizes to the city Goblinwalk, Sponsored three tables at the Life Choice fundraiser, adopted 4 moms and families to provide for Christmas, and starting in January, this new NEEDS Inc. food pantry deal. I'd say we are building this into our DNA. Wouldn't want it any other way. And we're not done yet. Still developing other ideas and always open to knew opportunities to serve.
Following Christ,
Jeff
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