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Jonatha just recently made a decision to accept Jesus as her Savior. This was a very special time for us. Our church family made it even more special. We were doing communion at our church service and they made a special presentation to Jonatha;a bouquet of white roses. Pastor Kris used this time to explain why we take communion and who gets to participate. It was good for the kids to see what was going on and also for the adults to remember how important communion is in our lives. I know Jonatha will remember this night for a long time.

Blog taken from Tighe's thru my eyes

God Is Always Faithful

God has been revealing himself to me in such a new and a deeper way. Since we've moved here to Colorado the spiritual warfare has been strong. Not in a confrontational in your face way, but a lot more subtly. So much so that most of the time I was completely unaware. Which is a very dangerous place for a Christian to be. Satan has no problem with us if we are unaware of what he is doing in our lives. We can go right along like everything is fine but underneath in the hidden places of our hearts we slip further and further away from God until we almost forget how to communicate with him altogether. It's a dangerous place indeed and that's where I was heading, but thanks be to God he woke me up. He showed me the schemes of the enemy and how deceitful he is. God has really introduced me to a sweet fellowship with him that I have really been missing. My time digging into his word has been awesome. My thoughts have been far more focused. Even my marriage has been sweeter. God is truly good.

Blog taken from Just A Thought

What is the Missional Life?

Welcome to my neighborhood. Here’s what it looks like:

the lady ringing up my order at Panera Bread who is a lesbian;

the neighbor with everything that life seems to offer—the big house, the Lexus, the beautiful wife, the straight-A kids;

the guy next to me in the gym who is committing adultery and destroying the lives of himself and his family;

the guy who works in the bike shop with whom I am pursuing a friendship;

Phyllis, the 78-year-old woman who just lost her husband of 54 years.

Keep looking and you’ll find just about everyone. The atheist. The mocker. The scoffer. The intellectual. The ignorant. These are people that need Jesus. These are the people that I have been called to reach. They are my mission field.

What does your mission field look like? I’m sure the faces are different, but the state of their soul before God is not.

Pastor, God has called you to more than just the people in your church. He wants to mobilize you and your people to reach another people. The people next door. Your little culture.
Many Christians have been giving a lot of attention to places like the "10/40 window," for which we should praise God. We should also keep praying that the Lord would send more workers into overseas harvest fields. But in our own post-Christian society in America there is an emerging unreached people-group. They’re not in a foreign country. They live right down the street.
Sometimes I think the most unreached people-group in the world are the ones next door.
The primary mission field for most of us is not far away, it’s in the routine of our daily lives. God doesn’t save us to be passive spectators. He saves us and then sends us out into the world to tell other people about Jesus. Each of us is called to play a part in God’s mission to save sinners—the same sinners we meet on a daily basis.
God’s kingdom—his inbreaking, redemptive rule—is advancing all around us. Paul says in Colossians 1, "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (vv. 13-14). What an incredible picture. God is doing the work of transferring people from the clutches of Satan and this world into a new kingdom. His kingdom.
Don’t you want to be involved in that? God invites you and your church to be involved in this glorious process of bringing people into his kingdom. We get to play a small part in what God is doing. How? By living like missionaries who are sent by God. We are not just going, we are sent.
We don’t just go to the gym. We don’t just go to Panera Bread, or the bike store, or the neighborhood barbeque. We don’t just go to work or the classroom. We don’t even just go home for Christmas. Thinking missionally changes our perspective. It reminds us that God, the sovereign ruler of this world, sends us to each of these places. He sends all those who belong to him into this world to help usher people from darkness to his kingdom of light.
Our job as pastors is to help our church members see that God has a heart for the non-Christians all around them, and that his divine hand has brought these non-Christians directly into their every-day communities with this purpose of mission. Sunday’s are assuredly for hearing the preached word and caring for one another. But Sundays should also be sending days for the church—a day to remember that the mission is not over, that we are being "sent" as missionaries into the world to reveal God’s glorious kingdom.
So how do we teach the members of our churches to be effective missionaries? God instructs us in Colossians 4 that we must teach our people to pray, to live, and to talk.
Continue steadfastly in prayer being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word to declare the mystery of Christ on account of which I am in prison that I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person (Col. 4:2-6).

TEACH THEM TO PRAY
First, we must teach our churches to pray. Paul says in verse 2 that our prayers should be steadfast and watchful. God wants us to understand that our communion with him through prayer is the key to mission work. In other words, effective evangelism begins with diligent, watchful prayer. God wants us to talk to him before we go out in the world and talk about him.
Paul then transitions from this teaching on prayer to asking for prayer. Specifically, he asks the Colossian church to "pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ." Paul is in prison, but he does not ask them to pray that the prison door be opened so that he could be released. No, he asks for the door of opportunity to be opened so that he can tell of the mystery of Christ. Paul basically says, "I might be in jail, but the word can never be imprisoned. Christ must be preached—even in jail. So please pray that, as I reach out to these people in this jail, the door of their hearts would be opened."
Do you see what vision for God’s kingdom and mission can do? It takes jail time and turns it into opportunity! Paul loved being a part of the kingdom, because he loved the King. And he was so radically changed by salvation that he was more concerned about the life and eternal destiny of the jailer holding the key to his jail cell than about getting out of jail himself!
Paul believed that he was sent. Rome didn’t put him in jail. God did. Why? Because God wanted his kingdom to be revealed in a Roman prison. To Paul, this was opportunity.
What can we learn? Effective mission work begins with appealing to the King for opportunities to tell people about his kingdom and the gospel that makes a relationship with him possible. We must model and teach our people that effective mission work begins with faith-filled prayers and petitions for opportunities. Every day that we wake up and go to work or go to the gym is an opportunity to share the gospel. So encourage your people to pray for opportunities in their lives.
But this point needs a warning label underneath it: enter at your own risk. If you pray for opportunities, they will happen. And often they will happen at the most awkward, inconvenient moments. Remember, Paul received his opportunity in jail. So teach your people that often it may be the very circumstances that are inconvenient and interruptions to their normal lives that are the opportunities that God is giving them to share his gospel! So teach your people to be watchful.
Around the time I began wrestling with the concept of mission and kingdom and praying diligently for opportunities, a friend named Andrew and I were driving across the country. We tried getting into Rocky Mountain National Park to go camping, but God decided to send ten inches of snow—even though it was June.
So we holed up for the night in Grand Lake, Colorado. We were dead tired, we were starving, and the only place open was…the Saloon. I kid you not: the Saloon. When Andrew and I walked through the double doors it felt like the record player scratched to a stop. Everybody turned to look at us, and I think they knew that we were not from around those parts.
Andrew and I hurried over to the corner, doing our best not to make eye contact. Near us was a group of about six people. They probably had twenty shot glasses on their table (that means they were drunk). And they were toasting, one shot at a time. One of the gentleman toasted, "To Jesus Christ, and to Satan, his brother."
I had prayed that morning for an opportunity to share the gospel. But this was not what I had in mind.
I looked at Andrew and said, "You know what? I have no clue what to do. I just know that he toasted Jesus and Satan, and I know that I just prayed about an opportunity this morning." I had a tract in my pocket, so I walked over. "Hey, how are you?" I said, making as little eye contact as possible. "You know, I heard you toast Jesus, and this is about Jesus. You might want to read it. I’ll be over there. If you have any questions, come on over."
I hurried back to our table, almost jumped into my chair, and started shoveling food into my mouth so that we could exit as quickly as possible. But sure enough, Kevin—the guy—and his girlfriend came over, and we started talking about Jesus. Kevin was belligerent, angry, and aggressive. But his girlfriend was open. She asked sincere questions about Jesus.
God used my prayers from that morning! He sent two idiots to Colorado, made it snow in Rocky Mountain National Park in June so that we couldn’t camp, led us to a saloon, and created an opportunity for us to tell this lady about Jesus. We got to pray with her that night as she professed Jesus. We left that saloon in awe.
So teach and model such prayer for your congregation. Start in private and let your public prayers be an overflow of that private passion for mission. Then publicly share stories of how God answered those prayers in your own life. Share stories of your failures and stories of God’s powerful work. As you share, the faith of others will be inspired, and they will step out in their mission to reach the world next door.

TEACH THEM TO LIVE
Second, we must teach our people how to live. Remember this: effective missionaries live distinct lives among a specific culture of people. God tells us, "Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the best use of the time."
There’s a huge assumption in this passage: that you and I live among people who don’t know Jesus (the outsiders). What is Paul implicitly telling us to do? Be where the non-Christians are. Go to where those on the outside of the family of God are. Be missionaries to them. Live where they live. Be friends with them.
Think about it for a moment. What kind of missionary would go to a foreign city, find a place to live, find a source of income, find where to buy food, maybe find a hobby and a wife, and then kick back and enjoy his surroundings, never befriending the locals. We wouldn’t call him a missionary. We’d call him a resident.
Some of us have lost the fact that all of us are missionaries, and we have taken up residency.
More explicitly, Paul tells us to live wisely toward outsiders so as to make good use of the time. That means living a distinctly different life. I think Paul is applying Colossians 1:10—"Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him"—to evangelism. In other words, as we live our lives in relationship with people who do not know Jesus, the world should get a glimpse of Jesus and his character from the way we live. Our people should know that they are billboards for Christ—billboards that reveal how worthy Christ is. That he is worthy of all of our life.
When a person who does not know Jesus scratches the surface of our life and witnesses our actions, our motives, our decisions, as well as how we handle our money, our time, our energy, our pleasure, and, most importantly of all, our sin, that person should be struck by how glorious Jesus is and how amazing the salvation he offers is. A transformed life through the Spirit’s power is one of the most strategic and effective tools for evangelism. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, self-control—all of these things will provoke outsiders. A joyful Christian walking through testing and trial will provoke people who are watching.
Does your church understand this? Do they understand why obedience and the fruit of the Spirit are so important? Obedience is not about winning points. It’s about looking like Jesus and imitating him. And as pastors this must start first with our own lives. Does your church understand how holiness has a greater end than just an "abundant" life? A holy life is God’s proof to a dying world that his kingdom really exists and living in his kingdom through Christ is far more satisfying than any life this world has to offer.
"Okay," you ask, "So, what about being relevant?" The topic of cultural relevance is thrown around a lot these days, and I am glad it is. It’s an important conversation to have when it comes to our mission. We need to know our surrounding area and the people that inhabit it, so that we can understand what conversations they’re having, and what conversations we should have with them.
But relevance is a packaging for truth. It is important, but it is certainly not as essential as the truth itself. The truth is essential.
Not only that, godliness and the fruit of the Spirit are far more important than "being relevant." Honestly, it’s easy to be relevant in our culture. Get a tattoo, get a nose ring, wear tight pants, and listen to the band Coldplay. Okay, great! Now you’re ready for the mission. You’re relevant and everybody around you is going to get saved, right?
Tight pants and a nose ring don’t compare to the power of the Spirit. If you own a Coldplay t-shirt and have a nose ring, that’s great. We need all kinds of people working in the kingdom, and I mean that sincerely. It’s very important not to moralize our preferences when it comes to appearance. It can turn people off to the gospel very quickly. But we do need to emphasize in our churches where the power resides for evangelism. It’s not the package, it’s the truth inside the package. It’s not the clothes that give us power, it’s the changed life that has been radically altered by Jesus.
We need to keep what is primary, primary. When those things that are secondary start pushing out what is primary in evangelism, danger is near. The emphasis should never be more on the shell and the packaging than on the message itself.
I love packaging. I really do. I still have the box from the iPod I got three years ago. It’s a brilliant piece of packaging: Smooth lines. Simple graphics. Pieces that fit perfectly together. Secret compartments. I could play with it for hours.
Packaging is great. But if the unbelievers around you open the package and see nothing different inside then there’s a problem. Your life has compromised the mission. Jesus Christ died on a cross so that what is on the inside of the package would be radically different.
If an unbeliever gets to know you—opens the package—and finds love, joy and humility, it will open up a whole new world for them. That’s relevant. As you talk to them about the grace of Jesus Christ as shown on the cross and how his grace changed you; and as you talk to them about what you were, about your anger, your pride, and how those things manifested themselves in your life; and as they get to know the real you changed by Jesus, grace will become amazing to them.
Teach your church that missionaries live distinct lives in a specific culture.

TEACH THEM TO TALK
We pray, we live, and thirdly, we talk. "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."
How can you be an effective and relevant missionary? Simple. Have conversations with unbelievers. Share your life with them. And in time share the gospel of Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross with them. And make sure when you share you speak so that they can understand.
A few years ago, I was talking on the phone with my uncle, whom I love, but who does not yet know Jesus. We were talking about my dad, and I said to my uncle, "You know, my dad is so relational and relatable." There was silence on the other end of the phone. Then I heard my uncle say, "What the heck does that mean? Did you just say ‘relational and relatable’?" I responded, "Oh, that’s bad pastor talk. I’m sorry. You know I’ve got that pastor hat on sometimes." And I asked him to correct me every time I talk like that.
We Christians need to learn how to communicate. Sometimes what works in our church doesn’t necessarily translate out there, as with terms like "relational and relatable." When that happens, we can just look at our non-Christian friends and say, "I’m sorry. That’s just Christian talk, here’s what I mean…"
But that does not mean that we accept the culture’s language in its entirety. There are certain elements that need to be rejected outright. Someone once told me that he curses around unbelievers because it makes non-Christians feel more comfortable. Now I’m grateful for this man’s evangelistic zeal. But cursing around non-Christians is not right, because Scripture clearly tells us, "Let no unwholesome speech come out of our mouth." Our lives and words must be distinct from the culture around us.
At times, I become concerned when the whole thrust of our churches’ teaching on evangelism is "be bold." I am all for being bold. Sharing your life and Jesus with unbelievers takes boldness. But in our desire to be bold, we can sometimes be arrogant. Scripture teaches us to be bold and to be humble. Every time you speak to an unbeliever, concentrate on how you say things. Concentrate on your attitude and your motive. Let the words you speak be marked by a humble—not arrogant—orthodoxy. Remember our motive needs to match our message.
Paul also says to let our conversations be seasoned with salt. Do you know what "salty" means? It means "witty and full of life." Let your conversations with unbelievers be witty and full of life. Let your joy come forth, so that they can see it.
There’s a young man in our church named Mike. He is one of the most joy-filled missionaries I know. One day Mike was supposed to lead an evangelistic Bible study at a local college campus. But when he entered the room he had reserved, there were about eight gamers sitting around. Gamers are the types who like to wear black—black trench coats, black eye makeup, black fingernails, black everything.
Mike walked in, and said in a friendly tone, "Hey guys, it’s our turn. Can I have the room?"
In response, a tall man in a trench coat screamed, "No!" He ripped his shirt open and bared his chest, and his girlfriend came over and stuck a pin in his chest.
Then he stood up, looked at Mike and said, "I wanna eat your soul." (I’m not exaggerating; this really happened.)
Here was Mike’s Spirit-led salty remark: "Well, don’t fill up on soul, because we’ve got plenty of free pizza."
Immediately, the man’s buddies started falling over themselves with laughter. That salty remark defused a scary situation. And the gamers? They all stayed for the Bible study.
Why does Jesus want our conversations to be salty and gracious? Because most of the time God intends for us to be seed-sowers rather than reapers. And God wants every encounter with one of his children to be a moment where that unbeliever experiences grace and wit and joy. So let’s do the next Christian a favor and not ruin it for them by being arrogant.
There was a young lady named Colleen that I and a number of other from our church were reaching out to at Starbucks. She didn’t know Jesus, but she loved to be a part of our campus planning meetings. I would say to her, "Colleen, come on over and tell us what we Christians are doing wrong. We need your input. We’re just trying to save you anyway."
And she loved it. She loved the people, and she loved hanging out with us. We got involved in her life. We gave her money to participate in an AIDS walk. It was a genuine friendship. But eventually she moved away to New York. I didn’t see her get saved, and it broke my heart.
Three years later, I was greeting people at the door of our church, and I saw Colleen walk in. Previously, she would never have set foot in a church. But there she was walking toward me with a huge smile and tears in her eyes. She was 8 months pregnant and unmarried.
She said, "Eric, I’ve heard that it takes a person 85 times to hear the gospel before they’re saved. Well, it took 86 for me. Thank you for telling me about Jesus."
I didn’t lead Colleen to the Lord, but I was part of it. One more person transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Amazing grace.
Whether your church is in Dallas, Texas or Sydney, Australia, Philly or New York, La Paz or Orlando, God has strategically placed you and the members of your church in that place. He has radically converted you and called you to be missionaries. Why? Because he wants his kingdom to be revealed, he wants the lost to be saved. And your church gets to play a part in it. What a mission!

Eric Simmons leads the singles ministry at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD. Along with Joshua Harris, Eric also leads New Attitude—a conference for young Christians seeking to promote Humble Orthodoxy. For more information go to www.newattitude.org.

Doing Life Together

By Dr. James MacDonald
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3

We have a commitment within our church family to "do life together." It's now an 18-year experiment which asks, "Is there a group of people who will love one another no matter what and keep on going together for God?" That's the vision God has given to us-to love, forbear with, and forgive each other, growing together in Christ year after year. As you would expect, it takes a lot of sweat and tears.

Ephesians 4:2-3 hits the bull's-eye of how this commitment works. "Walk . . . with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Eager to maintain means I am willing to work hard at unity-no matter what it costs me. This kind of sacrifice isn't about money or time, it drills down to the core of who you are. The strength behind this pledge is in the sacrifice of yourself.

Your opinions, your entitlements, your injured feelings-these are what you give up for the sake of unity. This is how far you will go to "do life" with your brother and sister in Christ. Always caring, always trying to work it out, always helping. Why, because you like the person? Not always. You do it because you want to honor God.

This concept of sacrificing yourself for the good of your brother was so foreign to the Greek and Roman culture at the time Ephesians was written that Paul had to coin a new word to describe it. He called this attitude humility-the choice to carry a weight rather than inflict a wrong. You may say, "But his opinion is wrong!" Perhaps. But if it's not a doctrinal issue or in conflict with what the Bible clearly teaches, swallow your argument and agree to disagree. What clearer evidence could there be that God is at work in you?

But what if someone disappoints you again after years of patience and love? You may say in frustration, "Do I still have to put up with this?" The answer is, "Yes, you do." God is watching how we treat each other and honors every time we roll up our sleeves to do the hard thing.

That's what we've signed up for in our church body. Though it's easier to tap dance out of relationships as soon as our weaknesses begin to show, we've decided to be followers of Christ who love each other anyway. We don't always get it right, but we're working hard at unity. Why? Because our eyes are on Christ and we want the One who humbled Himself and became obedient unto death to get the greater glory.

Children are a blessing...

I am just starting to understand how much of a blessing children are. I am learning more and more who my heavenly Father is through parenting and loving my own children. In God's awesome way He gives me a gift in Taylor and Jocelyn and then uses those two gifts to teach me like He never has before. I am learning what grace is and how discipline and love work hand in hand. I learn about trust by seeing how explicitely Jocey and Taylor trust me with everything.

I also am learning how to surrender something so precious as my children to the Father. He alone truly knows what they need, and knows how to protect them. I keep needing to put them back in His capable, strong hands. There is no better place to be.

Blog take from A Joyful Life

This church is for us...

This is church for us...in Jeff and Tara's house we meet once a week. The whole family sings together, learns together, and prays together, then the kiddos go downstairs with one of the couples to have some kids time while we have some leadership training time. The rest of being the church is discipling eachother, encouraging eachother, building friendships, and meeting together to pray together, study God's Word, and enjoy eachother and our Amazing Heavenly Father. God's plans are huge, we're just along for the ride.

Blog taken from A Joyful Life

Knowledge of the Holy-A.W. Tozer

The man who comes to a right belief about God is relieved of ten thousand temporal problems, for he sees at once that these have to do with matters which at the most cannot concern him for very long; but even if the multiple burdens of time may be lifted from him, the one mighty single burden of eternity begins to press down upon him with a weight more crushing than all the woes of the world piled one upon another. That mighty burden is his obligation to God. It includes an instant and lifelong duty to love God with every power of mind and soul, to obey Him perfectly, and to worship Him acceptably. And when the man’s laboring conscience tells him that he has done none of these things, but has from childhood been guilty of foul revolt against the Majesty in the heavens, the inner pressure of self-accusation may become too heavy to bear.

The gospel can lift this destroying burden from the mind, give beauty for ashes, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and no burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them.

"As Iron Sharpens Iron"

I posted this picture recently and decided to post it again. Last night I was reminded how sweet it is to fellowship with my brothers. The men met last night at Josh's apartment and spent time in prayer and study of God's Word until 11:00pm. Last week we met at my apartment and spent nearly two hours straight praying together. On neither occasion did anyone complain at the time spent in prayer or the late hour of study.

Last night, we all spent some time in confession together and sharing our concerns and God was in our midst! I cried tears of joy last night as I participated in the prayer time, meditating on God's Word and being reminded that I could not ask for a better group of men to serve with in ministry. And wouldn't you know it? God revealed once again he is in the middle of the details of our lives when Kris was led to read Job 38 during our prayer time. I just happened to read those very verses a few hours before (see blog below). I asked Kris if he had read the same devotional and he said no, he just felt led to read those verses. The Spirit does, indeed, lead us when we don't know how to pray (Romans 8:26).

If you do not have a smaller group of people you meet with regularly for fellowship and accountability, find one now. My life has been enriched greatly this year through this group of men, and I am thankful for what God has been doing in my life through them. Praise God!

Blog Taken From Tighe Tales

Who am I ?

Who am I to question why certain events occur in my life? God's providence is his, not mine...yet I often want in on the knowledge of why he does what he does. I am reminded today it's simply not my place. Just when I feel I am in a valley, I find an abyss. Yet, I am comforted because I know my earthly woes do not hold a candle to Jesus' suffering for me. What blessing we have when faced with trials and hardship. It is through them that we are brought into an intimate fellowship with our Savior!
Peter
From Truth for Life...
HAVE YOU ENTERED INTO THE SPRINGS OF THE SEA? Job 38:16 Some things in nature remain a mystery even to the most intelligent and enterprising investigators. Human knowledge has boundaries beyond which it cannot pass. Universal knowledge is for God alone. If this is true in the things that are seen and temporal, I can be certain that it is even more so in spiritual and eternal matters. Why, then, have I been torturing my brain with speculations about divine sovereignty and human responsibility? These deep and dark truths I am no more able to comprehend than to discover the source from which the ocean draws her watery supplies. Why am I so curious to know the reason for my Lord's providences, the motive of His actions, the design of His visitations? Will I ever be able to clasp the sun in my fist or hold the universe in my palm? Yet these are as a drop in a bucket compared with the Lord my God. Do not let me strive to understand the infinite, but spend my strength in love. What I cannot gain by intellect I can possess by affection, and that should be enough for me. I cannot penetrate the heart of the sea, but I can enjoy the healthy breezes that sweep across it, and I can sail over its blue waves with propitious winds. If I could enter the springs of the sea, the feat would serve no useful purpose either to myself or to others; it would not save the sinking ship or restore the drowned sailor to his weeping wife and children. Neither would my solving deep mysteries avail me a single whit. The simplest act of obedience to Him is better than the profoundest knowledge. My Lord, I leave the infinite to You and ask You to put far from me a love for the tree of knowledge that would keep me from the tree of life.

Taken From Tighe Tales

The Emmaus Girls...so far...

Let me introduce you to Julie Luse, Jan Tighe, Tara Kautz, myself, and Michelle Brinker. We are having a blast getting to know eachother and getting to know Colorado too. We all say, Come Visit!

Blog taken from A Joy-Full Life

Home Sweet Boulder

We are offocially residents of Boulder, Colorado. God provided us with a beatiful townhome with an even more beautiful view! We are just three blocks away from open space that you can hike up right to the flatirons. We have learned that "open space" is what the rest of us call the countryside and the "flatirons" are the amazing rock formations jutting up out of the foothills of the rockies. We are in awe of God's creation and hope we never take for granted the blessing of living in such beauty.Kris and I don't want to discount the beauty we grew up in though....there is still nothing like a huge blue sky over a golden wheatfield in North Dakota (especially when you are viewing it from atop a horse)....and you can't beat the sun setting over the lake as you throw one more cast on a peaceful Nebraska lake. We are blessed.

Blog taken From A Joyful Life

DO NOT BE AFRAID...

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO GO DOWN TO EGYPT, FOR THERE I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A GREAT NATION. I MYSELF WILL GO DOWN WITH YOU TO EGYPT, AND I WILL ALSO BRING YOU UP AGAIN.

Genesis 46:3-4

Jacob must have shuddered at the thought of leaving the land of his fathers to live among heathen strangers. It was a new scene, and likely to be a trying one: Who shall venture among citizens of a foreign power without some anxiety? Yet the way was evidently appointed for him, and therefore he resolved to go. This is frequently the experience of believers; they are called to face perils and temptations. At such times let them imitate Jacob's example by offering sacrifices of prayer to God and seeking His direction. Let them not take a step until they have waited upon the Lord for His blessing: Then they will have Jacob's companion to be their friend and helper. How blessed to feel assured that the Lord is with us in all our ways and condescends to enter into our humiliations and banishments! Even at such times we may bask in the sunshine of our Father's love. We need not hesitate to go where He promises His presence; even the darkest valley grows bright with the radiance of this assurance. Marching onward with faith in their God, believers shall have Jacob's promise. They will be brought up again, whether it be from the troubles of life or the chambers of death. Jacob's offspring came out of Egypt in due time, and so shall all the faithful pass unscathed through the tribulations of life and the terror of death. Let us exercise Jacob's confidence. "Do not be afraid" is the Lord's command and His divine encouragement to those who at His bidding are launching upon new seas; God's presence and preservation forbid so much as one unbelieving fear. Without our God we would be afraid to move; but when He bids us to, it would be dangerous to linger. Reader, go forward, and do not be afraid. Psalm 138:6, Galatians 6:7

Taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c) 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth for Life with written permission. Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright (c) 2001, Good News Publishers.

I AM A ROSE OF SHARON.

Song Of Solomon 2:1

Whatever beauty there may be in the material world, Jesus Christ possesses all of that in the spiritual world to the nth degree. Among flowers the rose is regarded as the sweetest, but Jesus is infinitely more beautiful in the garden of the soul than a rose in the gardens of earth. He takes the first place as the fairest among ten thousand. He is the sun, and all others are the stars; the heavens and the day are dark in comparison with Him, for the King in His beauty transcends all. "I am a rose of Sharon." This was the best and rarest of roses. Jesus simply is not "a rose"; He is "a rose of Sharon," just as He calls His righteousness "gold," and then adds, "the gold of Ophir"1--the best of the best. He is positively lovely, and superlatively the loveliest. There is variety in His beauty. The rose is delightful to the eye, and its scent is pleasant and refreshing; so each of the senses of the soul, whether it be the taste or feeling, the hearing, the sight, or the spiritual smell, finds appropriate gratification in Jesus. Even the recollection of His love is sweet. Take a rose of Sharon, pull it leaf from leaf, and place the leaves in the jar of memory, and you will find each leaf retains its fragrance, filling the house with perfume. Christ satisfies the highest taste of the most educated spirit to the full. The greatest amateur in perfumes is quite satisfied with a rose: And when the soul has arrived at her highest pitch of true taste, she will still be content with Christ; indeed, she shall be more able to appreciate Him. Heaven itself possesses nothing that excels a rose of Sharon. What emblem can fully set forth His beauty? Human speech and earthborn things fail to tell of Him. Earth's choicest beauties combine to provide ultimately a feeble picture of His glory. Blessed rose, bloom in my heart forever!1 1 Chronicles 29:4

Taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c) 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth for Life with written permission. Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright (c) 2001, Good News Publishers.

Crucified giving changes the world

Two main themes are currently determining the future of Christianity: firstly, the rediscovery of the original nature and organic structure of Church, and secondly, the rediscovery of New Testament financial principles. When much of Christianity follows money instead of the Lord, what is the effect on the original aim and mission of the Church? Could it be that its operating system - its financial principles - is damaged?

"Everything you've heard about work and money in the church is wrong!" That was the background of a 2005 book by Dr. Thomas Giudici and Wolfgang Simson, examining materialistic 'Mammon-addiction' in both individuals' lives and the Church (in German, "Der Preis des Geldes", www.preisdesgeldes.net). Constructive criticism isn't enough, though, so the book also suggests alternative financial models. One of those models is "apostolic finances", principles for work and finances which support the mission of the Church, not its self-centred or even pleasure-seeking status quo.

Around the world in the course of the past decade, well over 100,000 churches have been planted according to an entirely new model, as described in the two most recent issues of the Friday Fax 2: house churches and regional apostolic networks. Baptist researcher Dr. Jim Slack has shown that all current and past effective long-term missionary models are house church movements - or at least were in their initial phases.

In 2001, following two years of research in India funded by American Christian foundations, Dr. David Barrett discovered that investing in multiplicative organic house church movements has the highest RoI (Return on Investment). Traditional churches, with their astronomical running costs, can never win so many people to Christ and disciple them at such low cost.

What did it cost to start these 100,000 churches? Churches with no building or parking lot, no paid pastor or youth leader, no overhead projector? Totalling the costs for all the travel required, seminars, training, research projects, equipping of the few key people and multipliers, plus emergency welfare assistance, we arrive at no more than US$ 30 million per year, or around US$ 300 million over the past decade.

In comparison: traditional Christianity, with its countless programmes, mountains of paper, training, permanent evangelistic events, church buildings and maintenance costs, salaries of church employees and budgets for welfare and mission, cost an incredible US$ 286 billion per year, according to Dr. David Barrett, or US$ 2,860 billion over the decade. US$ 300 million is one ten thousandth of that sum! What would happen if Christians changed their giving habits over the next ten years, so that instead of 0.01%, 10% of Christian finances were invested in strategic multiplicative church planting movements? It would lead to a missionary explosion of incredible proportions.

In order for that to happen, we believe that a 'financial salvation' or 'financial repentance' is necessary. We call it 'crucified giving'. The cross is not logical, uncrucified giving is: it demands hard facts, reasons to expect a return on investment, a business plan and visible, rapid results. The cross is hidden, uncrucified giving finances the shiningly obvious. The cross is weak, uncrucified giving finances the strong. Crucified giving knows that we are strong when we are weak, and recognises that desert experiences are often the most important times for God's plans. Crucified giving is glad when a grain of wheat falls in the ground and dies because it knows God's promises; uncrucified giving wants a depot full of combine harvesters. Crucified giving recognises that Jesus knows what the money is for better than we do, and submits to his principles.

God's at Work!

God has been at work already in the life of Emmaus here in CO. I personally have seen his awesome power at work through my life in building a foundation of relationships. The Lord has given me several opportunities to share the gospel, but let me share one of them which occurred recently.

I was invited by a few co-workers to go skiing last weekend. One of those co-workers, Patrick, and I met up at a park-n-ride to head out to the mountain together and to meet another caravan of friends. While waiting, Patrick began sharing some personal issues regarding his relationship with his live-in girlfriend. He made a comment regarding his imperfections and I affirmed mine as well, but told him that's why we need a Savior who is perfect. He paused in disbelief for a moment and then began asking me questions about my beliefs in mankind and creation. I shared with him some truths from Genesis and the NT and we began a 50 minute discussion on creation, faith, salvation, and eternity. We certainly did not agree on all points, but I believe, through listening to his points and positions, God gave me the opportunity to share the truth in love.

God is faithful. He is perfect. His word is powerful. When we build a foundation of trust with people, and meet them where they are, watch out! God will give us a chance to share the truth and not have to be worried so much about the resistance.

People are searching, people are longing. People need to be loved. I am confident that through my expression of love to a new friend and caring about his life, the sharing of my faith comes easily and readily and is welcomed, despite the fact that he may not agree with my faith. I am amazed at how powerful God is. He reveals himself to people in ways we cannot explain. I am reminded that I am just a mere vessel for his love and truth to flow through. I must continuously depend on him to move in people's hearts and believe he can use me to change a life forever.

Isn't it great to be a participant in God's plan?

Isn't it great to see God at work in our lives?

"To live is Christ, to die is gain..."

Peter

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Fellowship Of The Unashamed

(An African martyr's last words)

I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure.

I'm finished and done with low living, sight-walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.

I won't give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." (Rom. 1:16)

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CO Update

We're moved in and officially live in Superior, CO, about 10 minutes outside of Boulder. The neighborhood, Rock Creek, is very nice and is a newer area. This neighborhood is a former ranch and only 250 people lived here about 10 years ago. Now there's about 10,000.

CO is beautiful, of course, and we are enjoying the scenery. The fam drove up to A-Basin today for some skiing. Jonatha and I (Peter) hit the beginner slopes so Jonatha could work on her skills. Jan and Aidan tried to ice skate in Keystone but couldn't locate the rink unfortunately. We had a nice afternoon and enjoyed sun and snow at 12,000 ft.

God is opening some wonderful doors for new relationships here. It's helping in the adjustment. The kids are so resilient. They had a tough time last weekend, but are clearly beginning to enjoy the new neighborhood. Last week was very tough for us emotionally. Lots of tears in the move, but God is gracious. We are so grateful for his provision, care and love for us. This is definitely a move for his glory and we are excited to see how he will use us to reach out to our neighbors, friends, and co-workers here in CO.

Blog taken from tighe tales

MAN . . . IS FEW OF DAYS AND FULL OF TROUBLE.

Job 14:1
It may be of great service to us, before we fall asleep, to remember this mournful fact, for it may lead us to hold lightly to earthly things. There is nothing very pleasant in the recollection that we are not above the arrows of adversity, but it may humble us and prevent us from boasting like the psalmist that out mountain stands firm, that we shall never be moved. It may prevent us from making our roots too deep in this soil from which we are so soon to be transplanted into the heavenly garden. Let us keep in mind the frail tenure upon which we hold our temporal mercies. If we remember that all the trees of earth are marked for the woodman's axe, we will not be so ready to build our nests in them. We should love, but we should love with the love that expects death, and that reckons upon separations. Our dear relations are simply loaned to us, and the hour when we must return them to the lender's hand may be sooner than we think. This is also true of our worldly goods. Do not riches take to themselves wings and fly away? Our health is equally precarious. Frail flowers of the field, we must not reckon upon blooming forever. There is a time appointed for weakness and sickness, when we will have to glorify God by suffering and not by earnest activity. There is no single point in which we can hope to escape from the sharp arrows of affliction; out of our few days there is not one secure from sorrow. Man's life is a cask full of bitter wine; he who looks for joy in it would be better looking for honey in a salty ocean. Beloved reader, do not set your affections upon things of earth, but seek those things that are above, for here the moth devours, and the thief steals, but there all joys are perpetual and eternal. The path of trouble is the way home. Lord, make this thought a pillow for many a weary head!

Blog taken from kautzbuzz

Better Believe It

Ever eat out at a restaurant, love it, and just gotta tell everyone you know all about it? Why do we do that? Is it because we want everyone we know to blow 50 bills to be catered to, just like us? Who knows! I do know one thing...the same zeal with which we recommend our culinary experiences should be seen in our recommendations for cultivating experiences. Have you met someone new this week? This month? This year? Have you cultivated a friendship with that person so they can experience Jesus in you? My past year or so has been filled with many, many new friendships, and I have to say it has been one of the best experiences. I've seen God open doors for the Gospel more and more as I simply invite other people into my life. It has deepened my desire for God, my desire for authentic friendships, and has challenged me in my thinking because I know better than anyone that often I am wrong in my thinking.

I hope today you'll be thinking about the possibilities that lie in front of you for God to use you to change someone's life for eternity. Are you ready? May we all be ready...

Blog taken from tighe tales

Spurgeon on Church Planting

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” John 12:32
Come, ye workers, be encouraged. You fear that you cannot draw a congregation. Try the preaching of a crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour; for this is the greatest “draw” that was ever yet manifested among men. What drew you to Christ but Christ? What draws you to Him now but His own blessed self? If you have been drawn to religion by anything else, you will soon be drawn away from it; but Jesus has held you, and will hold you even to the end. Why, then, doubt His power to draw others? Go with the name of Jesus to those who have hitherto been stubborn, and see if it does not draw them.

No sort of man is beyond this drawing power. Old and young, rich and poor, ignorant and learned, depraved or amiable — all men shall feel the attractive force. Jesus is the one magnet. Let us not think of any other. Music will not draw to Jesus, neither will eloquence, logic, ceremonial, or noise. Jesus Himself must draw men to Himself; and Jesus is quite equal to the work in every case. Be not tempted by the quackeries of the day; but as workers for the Lord work in His own way, and draw with the Lord’s own cords. Draw to Christ, and draw by Christ, for then Christ will draw by you.

(Taken from Spurgeon’s Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith)

An Evening with Spurgeon

Below are a few selected quotations from All of Grace, the best selling book by C. H. Spurgeon. This is the gospel that I am compelled to share with those in Boulder that have not heard this good news.

"Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. It is a very surprising thing—a thing to be marveled at most of all by those who enjoy it. I know that it is to me even to this day the greatest wonder that I ever heard of, that God should ever justify me. I feel myself to be a lump of unworthiness, a mass of corruption, and a heap of sin, apart from His almighty love. I know by a full assurance that I am justified by faith which is in Christ Jesus, and treated as if I had been perfectly just, and made an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ; and yet by nature I must take my place among the most sinful. I, who am altogether undeserving, am treated as if I had been deserving. I am loved with as much love as if I had always been godly, whereas aforetime I was ungodly. Who can help being astonished at this? Gratitude for such favor stands dressed in robes of wonder.

Now, while this is very surprising, I want you to notice how available it makes the gospel to you and to me. If God justifieth the ungodly, then, dear friend, He can justify you."

"It is truly so, that Jesus seeks and saves that which is lost. He died and made a real atonement for real sinners. When men are not playing with words, or calling themselves "miserable sinners," out of mere compliment, I feel overjoyed to meet with them. I would be glad to talk all night to bona fide sinners. The inn of mercy never closes its doors upon such, neither weekdays nor Sunday. Our Lord Jesus did not die for imaginary sins, but His heart's blood was spilt to wash out deep crimson stains, which nothing else can remove."

"The grandest fact under heaven is this—that Christ by His precious blood does actually put away sin, and that God, for Christ's sake, dealing with men on terms of divine mercy, forgives the guilty and justifies them, not according to anything that He sees in them, or foresees will be in them, but according to the riches of His mercy which lie in His own heart. This we have preached, do preach, and will preach as long as we live."


Blog taken from kautzbuzz

Emmaus Team Meeting

The Emmaus Road core team has been meeting together every other Thursday evening to discuss the church plant and to pray together. It's been so neat to see the team grow! Two other core team families meet with us via speaker phone.Prayer Request: Peter Tighe is going to be starting a job in Denver this coming Tuesday. Jan and kiddos will be staying in NP until their house sells. Please pray for them during this whole process!Pictured here is the team that met last night...Jeff and Tara Kautz, Kris and Natalie Cheek, Peter (taking photo :) and Jan Tighe, Brandon and Michelle Brinker.


Blog taken from kautzbuzz

Why Are We Going?

A beautiful snow fell yesterday. It finally feels like winter again. I often find myself questioning why it is we are leaving the comforts of home to move to someplace as uncomfortable as Boulder. From a wordly perspective it makes no sense at all. I have to remind myself that we are going to do what God has called us to do. A friend called to share a verse with me today and it helped to remind me of our mission.
It is Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,because the Lord has anointed meto preach good news to the poor.he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captivesand release from darkness for the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favorand the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort all who mourn,and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beautyinstead of ashes,tho oil of gladnessinstead of mourning,and a garment of praiseinstead of a spirit of despair.The will be called oaks of righteousness,a planting of the Lordfor the display of his splendor.




Blog taken from Brinker News

Why are we going?

A beautiful snow fell yesterday. It finally feels like winter again. I often find myself questioning why it is we are leaving the comforts of home to move to someplace as uncomfortable as Boulder. From a wordly perspective it makes no sense at all. I have to remind myself that we are going to do what God has called us to do. A friend called to share a verse with me today and it helped to remind me of our mission.

It is Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,because the Lord has anointed meto preach good news to the poor.he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captivesand release from darkness for the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favorand the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort all who mourn,and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beautyinstead of ashes,tho oil of gladnessinstead of mourning,and a garment of praiseinstead of a spirit of despair.The will be called oaks of righteousness,a planting of the Lordfor the display of his splendor.

Blog taken from Brinker News

A God Day

Here are some wise words from Pastor Bryan Clark, "We operate on the level of the supernatural. We are constantly dancing on the edge of this mysterious, unimaginable, unpredictable presence of God, where we understand on any given day the most amazing, miraculous things may happen. Every day there is a sence of anticipation that this will be a "God day" and things that cannot be planned, strategized, understood or explained may happen before our very eyes. That's what God wants from Us."

I think if we all lived everyday thinking that it is a "God day" life would be a lot more exciting!

We hope that everyone is have a wonderful "God day" today!

Blog taken from Brinker News

The Weight of Glory

I just finished reading an essay by C.S. Lewis called, "The Weight of Glory". The reason I am writing is 1: to help me soak in what I have read 2: to begin to apply it and 3: to entice you to read it.

As I read Lewis' writing my thoughts were mostly on how I was swept up to think in areas I have not thought before but I would catch myself thinking, How is this practical?...and then I read the last two pages.

All right, back up!

Before I get to that let me just tell you some ideas that stirred me and some quotes I want to think on more.

He talks of the Christian virtues and that we have gone from a positive virtue, love, to just abstinence from sin, unselfishness. This takes away enjoyment. God wants us to enjoy, to desire. (quote) "Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us...we are far too easily pleased."

So then you wonder about the infinite joy, he is talking about Heaven. I have had many conversations with friends about how there are certain things on earth that we want to experience before Heaven. Lewis talks more about us wanting to expericece beauty, sweetness, intimacy. What I learned is that all of this is just a symbol of what is ahead for the Christian and I will only find it truly when i reach its consummation, Heaven. (quote) "To please God...to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness...to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son- it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is."

As he goes you get more and more ready for heaven and then you find this sentence. "Meanwhile, the crosss comes before the crown and tomorrow is a MONDAY MORNING." Whoosh, back down to earth. But not it gets to living it out.

We may sit and think too much about our own future glory but its impossible for me to think too much about my neighbors future. This should be "laid on my back".

"There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

I am leaving out the last page of this essay whish is truly the best . But I am doing this because I want you to read it. Now pray for me as I now have a responsibility to live out what I've learned. If you read it, you will have this responsibility too. Enjoy!

Blog taken from Natalies MySpace