My Life's Meaning

³³Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
³⁴"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
³⁵"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
³⁶For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Romans 11:33-36.

Yeah for the Bible

I think that I may have to do the unthinkable, and actually write a book. I am not writer, I do not enjoy writing, and I have no desire to become famous or leave my church every other weekend to go preach to other pastors when I could be preaching to lost people who have never heard the Gospel. However, enough people have been begging me, and the Spirit is prompting me to author a book on the Scriptures.

In our day and age, no one reads their bibles, which includes most pastors. Instead they prefer to read "Christian" inspirationals, or books written by "Christians" that are supposedly about "Christian" topics with "Christian" answers, when in reality they are just repacked New Age junk they stole off Oprah. No one simple reads the Bible and the WORLD is dying...

I ask that you please pray for me and this new course of action that might be happening. If a book is to be penned by me, it MUST be God's will, and it MUST be full of His Word and His Wisdom only.

Church Leadership

Pitfalls in Church Planting: Leadership, Part 1

Barry Keldie

Continued from Pitfalls in Church Planting: Finances.

Leadership is one of the biggest pitfalls in church planting because the effects of leadership are so pronounced. Good leaders brighten your church-planting world. Good leaders can overcome a lack of resources, difficult situations or limited staffing. Similarly, bad leaders can’t win a fixed game. With bad leaders you can’t raise enough money or gather enough people to plant a strong church. Finding good leaders for every level of your church is key to planting well. Let’s take a look at two key levels: elders and staff.

Installing Elders

Every planter is frantically looking for teammates and help as he plants the church, but don’t install elders too quickly. This usually leads to hiring people who are not qualified or ready to lead, or giving authority to people who are not completely in sync with your mission and values. I know a church planter in North Carolina who hastily installed a group of elders who proceeded to fire him in their first elders’ meeting. Your first elders should be picked with almost as much care as your wife (unless you got married in Vegas)!

A Distinct Call

Your elders should feel a distinct call to pastor “your church,” not just “a church.” When you plant your church, it should be because you heard a distinct call from God to do so. Your elders should have had a similar experience. Lots of guys install their closest friends as elders, but don’t assume that someone else has experienced that call just because they like you and want to do ministry. Your best friend may not be called to your church, and he may not know it until he’s been there a year or so. If you’ve given him the title of elder, it will be a major ordeal if he needs to leave. Give him a staff role or a seat on the leadership team, but don’t give away the title of elder lightly.

Be slow to give power and authority, and be quick to take it away (1 Tim. 5:22). A man should be tested and approved in your church before you give the title of elder to him.

XMConference 08

We just concluded our first XM Ministry Conference here in New York City. Twenty-five pastors from the Tri-State area came out for an afternoon of conversation and refocusing. It was a great success and my deepest "thanks!" to all who made it possible.

See you all back for the next one!

Blogging over at FHCChurch.blogspot

hey,

I am placing this BLOG on "hold," until I get time to be consistent.

In the meanwhile, I am regularly blogging at Fhcchurch.blogspot.com

Check it,
jeremy

Manly Men for Jesus

So, this past Sunday ROCKED at FHCC. There were just so many good things that took place, and the message was super cool.

here is a snipet of that message, and I highly encourage everyone to visit iTunes or our website for the complete sermon.

God Desires are being revealed in Hawaii

How awesome is our God and His love for NYCity???

I have never been to Hawaii, nor do I know anyone in Hawaii, but somehow, word of Forest Hills Community Church spread to a church in Hawaii. They heard of the passion and zeal that our church leadership team has for Jesus and His people in Forest Hills, and they knew that God is wanting to do something big in Queens. So this incredible church in Hawaii, has recently begun praying for our little church, and beseeching the Lord to have His way in our hearts and city. How awesome is our God and HIS church!!!

Now, to all of us at FHCC: let's not disappoint. Let's not handle church, and our relationship with Jesus, like everything else in our life. Let's not turn this incredible opportunity into a fad or a religious event. Let's seek Jesus! Let's live like Jesus! Let's allow Jesus to change our city and our world FOREVER!!!!