And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 ESV)

I am so glad that some of the forefathers of the faith and the Church never gave up.  Here are some stories of what the apostels faced and what they went through to finally get to Harvest.  Let them be both a sobering moment for you but also an encouragement of what took place to build the Church of today.

James was put to death with the sword, likely a reference to beheading.

Peter  was crucified upside-down on an x-shaped cross in Rome in fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy (John 21:18).

Matthew suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword wound.

John faced martyrdom when he was boiled in a huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then exiled to the mines on the prison island of Patmos.  He later died as an old man, the only apostle to die of natural causes

James, the brother of Jesus (not officially an apostle), was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. He was thrown from the southeast pinnacle of the temple (over a hundred feet down) when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with clubs.

Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed in present-day Turkey and was martyred for his preaching in Armenia, being flayed to death by a whip.

Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers, they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: “I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.” He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he died.

Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church there.

Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero in Rome in A.D. 67.

The fact that all of the apostles were willing to die horrible deaths, refusing to renounce their faith in Christ, is tremendous evidence that they had truly witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here are a few things you need to know or might find interesting coming out of yesterday:

- We have a new Children’s director that will officially start June 1.  Our new staff member is Michelle Lloyd and we are excited to have her joining our staff.  Michelle brings a wealth of experience from spending time as a school teacher and as the Children’s director at a large church in Iowa for several years.  If you happen to see her around the building please give her a big Harvest welcome.

- Some of you might be wondering what happened to Brian Baker?  Nothing.  Brian is still with us and will be moving to the position of our full-time youth pastor.  Harvest is growing and we are excited for the changes that are taking place.

- Coming June 9th…we will begin to offer a Junior High service during our third hour.  So parents, begin to make plans now to connect your teen with this awesome program.  Secondly, help us get the word out too.

- Please continue to pray for the details to come together to purchase our current facility.  An offer has been presented and we are waiting to hear back from the board of decision makers.

Great things are happening and even better things are on the horizon.  I love my church and love being your Pastor.  Have a blessed week!

So how do you measure your effectiveness in reaching out?  I came across a recent article written by Carey Nieuwhof. Carey writes an article about 9 things to watch for to know that you are ready to reach out to those with little or no church background.  You can read his article here.

Below is a look at those 9 things through the eyes of Harvest:

1. Teenagers and the younger crowd enjoy coming to the main service.

2. Regular attendees actually have friends that aren’t church people.

3. People are ready to be warm to whoever walks in the doors.

4. Authenticity is part of the culture. (from the very top down.)

5. Questions are welcomed and prepared for in advance.

6. The next steps for people are strategic and obvious.

7. There are no assumptions about what people know when it comes to church.

8. When outreach is more than just a program.

9. People are flexible and adaptable at all levels.

Looking at that list.  How do you think we are doing?  How can you help us get better?

He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray. (Proverbs 5:23)

This past Sunday we talked about the importance of discipline when it comes to our relationship with God.  There are certain disciplines that help us build trust in who God is- which help us trust in His work in us and around us.  Below is a list of daily disciplines that have helped me.  I am far from perfecting any of these disciplines, but they are disciplines that will help you overcome barriers in your life and help you continue down the path of building a great life.

1. Eliminate any entitlement mentality. (Achievement takes hard work)

2. Practice delayed gratification. (Do the hard work first so that you can enjoy the benefits later)

3. Wean yourself off the need to be entertained. (Entertainment can be a time thief)

4. Make your time work for you. (Keep a schedule and follow it)

5. Be on time. (Other people’s time is important too, being continuously late is a form of selfishness)

6. Do the hardest task first. (It is probably the most important)

7. See things to completion. (Often the greatest break throughs come at the finish line)

8. Volunteer. (Serving reminds you that life isn’t about you)

9. Make advance decisions about your life. (Thinking about the future can be a great motivator in the present)

10. Be honest. (Do things when you say you will do them. This will cause you to be disciplined in thought and commitments)

In talking about judgment it is first important to define our working definition of what judgement is. Webster’s dictionary defines the word judgment as:

a formal utterance of an authoritative opinion; the process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing

Judgment is on of those things that is naturally apart of what it means to be human. Let’s face it, it is a necessary fact of life. We make judgment calls every day of our lives. Just try to make it through an entire day without making one single judgment. I promise you it cannot be done! Why can’t it be done?

I honestly think it is a necessary part of life. God created us with this ability and with purpose. We could never fulfill His purpose for our lives, coupled with freewill, without the capacity to make a judgment. However, the important thing is that we need to glorify God by learning what the specific purpose of judgment is and learning how to discern the use of it.

The challenge is all of us live in a society that is plagued by bad judgment. One never has to look very far to glimpse of how bad it is…just watch the evening news. But if judgment is part of the world we live in and part fulfilling our created purpose…how do we make sense of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7?

Judge not, that you be not judged. (Matthew 7:1)

The apostle Paul actually captures the same idea in Romans 2:1:

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

Based on the passages above, do we have the right, as humans, to make a judgment? The answer to this question is Yes! Let me explain. First, we must understand that there is a difference between human judgment and Godly judgment. God always judges with righteousness. Humans on the other hand…no so much.

Below are a few passages that deal with God’s ability to judge:

God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. (Psalm 7:11)

He [God] judges the world with righteousness; He judges the peoples with uprightness. (Psalm 9:8)

And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments! (Revelation 16:7)

When talking about judgment…a righteous judgment is the greatest form of judgment because its very foundation is God’s truth. Furthermore, God is forever faithful in the patterns He sets for us. Since God’s judgments are always right and just, we too must learn from His example when it comes to how we exercise our own judgments. How can we ever think of making right and just judgments without the help of God himself? We can’t! Righteous judgment cannot happen without the indwelling and direction of the Holy Spirit. Jesus even advised his followers to make a righteous judgment, which by context seems to be the direct opposite of judging by mere appearances.

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. (John 7:24)

Where do we go from here? How does this practically apply to our every day lives? Here are a few important thoughts and words of cation.Be careful not to appoint yourself as the “sheriff” whose sole ministry is to try to correct every perceived problem/sin that you may become aware of…both in and out of the church. Always strive to be positive and balanced when dealing with others. James put it best when he called us to be quick to listen and slow to speak.  Lastly, work hard at separating the behavior from the person.

In the end…know it is ok and even good to make righteous judgments under the leading of the Holy Spirit. However, making constant righteous judgments is not something that comes to us overnight. It really takes a lifetime of learning and practice to grow in this discipline. As in everything we do as followers of Jesus…we must emulate Jesus and we should be asking for His daily assistance and power as we journey through this life.

Therefore, when you judge…make it a righteous judgment.

If you’re like many Christians, you’ve been or are currently discouraged by your current You may find that you make a commitment to read the Bible regularly, but struggle to carry out the discipline. Or when you do, you may have read a chapter of the Bible but minutes later you couldn’t really say anything meaningful about what you just read. Doing daily devotions re-patterns the away we think and transforms the spirit of the mind. The following technique will help you to read the Bible in a way that leads to personal application and life transformation.

Key to the success of the SOAP technique is that you journal. You can do this in the pen and paper fashion, or use your computer and keep a digital journal using a word-processor or application like Evernote. If you’re not “the journaling type”, get over it. It’s worth the effort! There are tremendous benefits to using the SOAP journaling technique with your daily devotions.

Whether you’re reading through a chapter a day, or on a Bible reading plan that takes you through the Bible in a year, you can apply this technique to your study time.

4 Key Elements to doing a personal Bible Study

Scripture

As you read through your daily reading, allow God to speak to you. Look for a verse or two from your reading that stand out to you particularly. You may want to highlight those as you read. After you’re reading, take time to write out the verse or perhaps even shorter statement that particularly spoke to you.

Observation

Write out this verse in your own words. This practice will help you dive deeper into the actual words of the text. If you can, write down any interesting observations you find in the text. Write out a description about the setting or context of what you read. What’s going on? Who’s doing what?

Application

Ask yourself the questions: How does this passage apply directly to my life? Is there something this is calling me to know or do? Is there a truth or promise I can hold on to? Is there something about God I can celebrate?

Prayer

End by taking time to pray over the passage by thanking God and worshiping Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He is still going to do. Note: You might find it easier to keep a prayer journal or to even write down your prayers if you find your mind likes to wander.

Here’s a short example:

Scripture

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39, 40 ESV)

Observation

The Jews were looking for a good thing the wrong way. I think of the old song “looking for love in all the wrong places…” They are looking to the scriptures, hoping and believing that the law holds the key to eternal life. The fact is that the scriptures all point to Jesus!

Application

Sadly it is possible to do something quite similar even as a Christian. One can read the New Testament scriptures and not glorify Jesus in them. In my own life I have at times made scripture an idol. I have sought them as life in themselves, rather than as the words of God–who gives life, through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible by itself is not the source of life, Jesus is.

Prayer

Jesus I need your life and your strength today. You are better than anything else that I could desire. Help me to really love you more than anything in my life. I trust you to provide everything I need in this life, and I remind myself today that you are enough.

2. Do you find yourself bored with life and wishing that there was more to experience?

3. Are you doing anything right now that is going to be remembered once you are gone?

This coming Sunday we are kicking off a new series entitled, “iLife” and we are going to be diving head first into issues that help us move forward in building a great life…the life God designed us to live.  Some of the issues we are going to take time to talk about are…

- Is it possible to have joy even in difficult circumstances?

- My past always seems to get in my way…how do I overcome and move past my past?

- I am tired of feeling like I am never achieving anything that really matters…can I make a real difference?

I am telling you that this series and this Easter Sunday is going to be the best ever!!!  I can’t wait to get started.  See you Sunday.

(oh…and please come early because the way we are starting the service is going to rock!  You won’t want to miss it.)

Church staffing is never an easy endeavor.  But placed in the context of church planting…watch out.  If you have planted a church or been part of a new church staff you are well aware that church planting has enough of its own challenges without the added pressure of hiring new staff.

Some of those challenges can be avoided if the right staff are on board.  However, that is easier said then done.  Here are ten things to consider when looking to staff a church plant.

1. Pay attention to the BIG C’s (Chemistry, character, and competency) – One thing that will prove hugely helpful…spend time thinking, planning, and writing down the kind of staff culture you are trying to create.  The next step…hire people that fit that culture.  The culture of your church is the most important thing about your organization so hire appropriately.

2. Develop a compensation philosophy early – A  philosophy compensation should always come before a policy is written.

3. Hire generalist early and specialist later – Those that are apart of the church staff in the early stages need be people that are flexible and that have the band width to oversee multiple ministries and projects.  Only as the church begins to grow and expectations grow hire specialists.

4. Volunteers are worth every cent – Consider paying people to be volunteer specialists.  Have the idea that every paid staff person (and hopefully every volunteer leader) should be able to recruit, train, deploy, and encourage volunteers. In fact, this should be in everyone’s job description in every church. This is living out the Ephesians chapter 4 model of ministry.  (Helpful tip: Most volunteers don’t want to be involved in administrative processes…they want close contact to life change)

5. Don’t overstaff – Over staffing creates many problems including: A budget strain, less opportunities for volunteers, and can create negative impact when staff transition out.  In a church plant you will budget heavy in the early days towards staff…move as quickly as you can to getting the budget between 50-55% of the budget as designated staff.

6. Hire people that you can fire, in other words don’t hire your friends –  Count the cost and put some hiring safeguards in place to help you double check each hiring decision.

7. Don’t hurry – Remember that challenging moments are the moments creativity is birthed.  Moving to quickly to hire can easily backfire when creativity could easily solve the problem and save money and relationships.

8. Hire where you need the most accountability – A few areas will be so crucial to the mission that if they don’t get done on time and with quality, the whole ministry will suffer. The clearer your vision the easier it will be to predict what these hirings will be.

9. Hire strategically and keep it balanced –  Don’t hire just to get an immediate task completed, keep the big picture in mind.  Secondly, know that people you hire either add or they take from the overall budget.  You have to follow the money trail.

10. Don’t neglect God in the process – God is more invested in your church than you will ever be.  Trust him to lead you to the timing and the person for the next stage.  His timing is always perfect.

Some of the Speaker this year will be…

SCOTT RIDOUT

Scott Ridout is one of the two Lead Pastors (along with Chad Moore) at Sun Valley Community Church in Gilbert, Arizona. He and his wife Lisa have been with the church for 20 years. Scott also invests his time as Director of Generosity for Converge Worldwide, serves on the leadership team of the Vision Arizona church planting movement and trains pastors to break through growth/health barriers through personal coaching. Sun Valley has been named as one of Outreach Magazine’s fastest growing churches in America 4 out of the last 5 years.

LINN WINTERS

Linn Winters is the founder of Cornerstone Church (www.cornerstonechandler.com) in Chandler, Arizona. Cornerstone was recognized by Outreach Magazine, in 2008, as one of the 100 fastest growing churches in America and it has grown from a Bible study to 5,000+ in 15 years. Linn is a graduate of Talbot Theological Seminary.

ED STETZER

Ed Stetzer is the president of LifeWay Research, a prolific author and well-known conference and seminar leader. Stetzer has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches, trained pastors and church planters on six continents, holds two masters degrees and two doctorates and has written dozens of articles and books.
Stetzer is a contributing editor for Christianity Today, a columnist for Outreach Magazine and is frequently cited or interviewed in news outlets such as USAToday and CNN. He is also the executive editor of The Gospel Project, which is used by over 400,000 individuals each week. Stetzer is executive editor of Facts & Trends Magazine, a Christian leadership magazine circulated to over 70,000 individuals each month.
Stetzer is visiting professor of Research and Missiology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, visiting research professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and has taught at many other colleges and seminaries.
He also serves as lead pastor of Grace Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a congregation he planted in 2011.

ALAN HIRSCH

ALAN HIRSCH is the founding director of Forge Mission Training Network. Currently he co-leads Future Travelers, an innovative learning program helping megachurches become missional movements. Known for his innovative approach to mission, Alan is considered to be a thought-leader and key mission strategist for churches across the Western world. Hirsch is the author of The Forgotten Ways and The Forgotten Ways Handbook; co-author of The Shaping of Things to Come, ReJesus and The Faith of Leap. (with Michael Frost); Untamed (with Debra Hirsch); Right Here, Right Now (with Lance Ford): On the Verge (with Dave Ferguson); The Permanent Revolution (with Tim Catchim) His experience includes leading a local church movement among the marginalized, developing training systems for innovative missional leadership, and heading up the mission and revitalization work of his denomination. Alan is co-founder and adjunct faculty for the M.A. in Missional Church Movements at Wheaton College (Illinois). He is also adjunct professor at Fuller Seminary, George Fox Seminary, among others, and he lectures frequently throughout Australia, Europe, and the United States. He is series editor for Baker Books’ Shapevine series , IVP’s Forge line, and a contributing editor of Leadership Journal.

ALBERT TATE

Albert Tate is an eleven-year veteran who has taught and served in variety of strategic pastoral leadership positions.　In the fall of 2011, Albert and his family began the adventure of church planting Fellowship Monrovia in Monrovia, CA.　Albert’s genuine love for the Gospel and God’s people gave him the ingredients needed to answer the call to Monrovia. People of all ages experience the transforming power of the Gospel through his dynamic speaking, which combines both humor and convicting challenge.　Albert and his wife, LaRosa, are still honeymooning after ten years of marriage, and are proud parents of two beautiful daughters, Zoe & Bethany, and their delightful son Isaac.

I am looking forward to our time together as as staff team and time with church planters from all over.  I will be teaching a breakout session on Thursday morning titled “10 Rules for Staffing a Church Plant.” Please pray for our time together and pray for God to do something awesome this week.