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You can hear Noel and myself talking to Michael Spencer on his podcast

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We’ll miss you Melissa~ Thanks for joining our family for the last 12 months. Learn a lot about Jesus!

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I’m sitting here at in Mike Spencer’s house (Internet Monk) catching up on email etc…

Oneida Baptist School is probably one of the most unique places I’ve ever been. It’s a Christian bording school in rural Kentucky that has students from all over the US and international students from many, many countries. About half the kids are Christians.

In talking to a sweet lady, Mrs. Smith, on our way from the airport, she told me “most come in not Christians, and most leave as Christians.” I can see why. There are great kids here from all backgrounds. Everyone is exposed to many cultures. There are kids here from broken homes, missionary kids getting an American education, locals who don’t like the public schools. These kids are primed in many ways for an answer to lives where they can’t understand their pasts. Some feel stuck. Some will remain stuck for the rest of their lives. But, I can tell that the faculty and staff here take every opportunity for the gospel to work in these kids lives.

Three kids gave their lives to Christ after the service last night. Today, Noel and I talked to about five kids working through stuff in their past. Oh, and it’s not simple stuff like “my dad didn’t pay attention to me” (well I guess that’s not simple). But their problems are hard, it’s going to be a long road. Hopefully they will grasp onto what Mr. Spencer and the school here are pointing to, trust in Jesus.

Pray for the school here, the kids, our work etc… OBI is always looking for groups of volunteers to come here and help build stuff too. If you have a group that could help out, contact them on their website.

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I’ll be out of town with Noel at a conference in Kentucky all week. See you soon!

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Most people don’t love being around conflict, although some people thrive in it. Conflict if part of life. How you deal with it will tell much about your charactor. You have to respond in some way to conflict. You might:

accept it
fight it
egg it on
or ignore it…

I think the last one is a tendency that many people have and justify it in their lives. The bible gives much wisdom on how to deal with different kinds of conflict. The goal is always peace.

If you are in a situation where someone has hurt you, please read Jesus’s words in Matthew 18:15-20. There is so much wisdom in these words. I have seen so many people ignore conflict which builds up resentment and I really think it ends up hurting the person spritiually. It’s hard, but that’s life.

Heb 12:14 Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Ro 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.
Ro 14:19 Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

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It’s so interesting. I meet new people all the time at Riverview. Many times they ask for some kind of leadership position or to be mentored. This is normal in a lot of churches. Someone comes in who happened to be a youth pastor in New York, and they naturally step into the job when they come to your church. Riverview is a bit different in this. We really do want people with leadership ability. We do want people who have minstry skill to step in and take stuff. The thing is, is that it takes a little bit more work and a little bit more time for us to allow people into places of leadership. Here are, in my mind, some steps to take in leading.

1. Serve–Like Noel said this weekend “change poopy diapers”
2. Serve–Instead of telling us what a great teacher you are, show that you live a life of teaching/encouragment/exhorting. Teach through your example. When people have hard questions about their faith, teach them one-on-one through the Bible.
3. Serve–Take on stuff yourself. Lead a small group, without taking up tons of time from the leadership. Do tasks with excellence and without too much need for instruction. Basically, be self-motivated, and own a ministry.
4. Ask–desiring more leadership is a good thing. Just make sure there is a proven record of faithfulness, and character for the leaders to trust you, remember the elders are responsible before God for the lives that you may help in leading.
5. Serve–Don’t use your position, once you obtain it to “lord it over” people. Go out of your way to serve.

I’m really encouraged with some of the guys that I’m working with who are really catching this. I think we have some very promising leaders who are growing in Knowledge, Ministry and Character. Please pray for more people that we can entrust the church and the gospel to for the future.

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It will be a good thing. Read more about it here

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This weekend a crazy thing is happening. Riverview is recognizing me as a pastor/elder.

It’s a weird thing to think about. I’m at once completely honored that the pastors here would want me on their team and at the same time overwhelmed by the thought of being an elder. It also doesn’t change much about my job role around here. The difference, I guess is the responsibilty. When you read about what it means to be a shepherd, what it means to be an overseer and when you read about the fact that teachers will be judged more harshly, I think it’s safe to say that this is a gift to be used carefully.

The weird part is that I never really wanted to be a pastor. It’s not been a goal in my life, but now it just seems like a natural thing. I’m excited to serve the church in whatever way possible and I’m excited to be teamed up with a group of elders who have a passion for Jesus and a passion to pass it on to the next generation.

So if you are around Lansing this weekend, I’m getting frocked.

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We are running out of space at church. It’s hard to invite people when there’s a good chance they will be standing in the back. That’s why this is cool.

Click for a larger version.

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