Church Planting Patterns

There are a lot of patterns we (church planters) can get! God has blessed us with brilliant church leaders! Distantly they are mentoring us! In one of my talks with another pastor he said that we can learn in just a click of a mouse (Bible writers called it 'wink of an eye'). One thing that Arnold & I discovered...it is very good to learn & imitate, yet it is best to adapt and internalize the patterns given by other church leaders, then fit it to our nature as leaders and the culture & needs of our church then apply it. Hard work but fulfilling & we know it is what the Lord wanted us to do!

Corporate Wisdom for our Church

After the Celebration Sunday yesterday I was treated a dinner by my cousin, who is a regular of Grace Place now. He is accomplished in his medical profession & a very successful entrepreneur after fighting over his failures.

I am so much blessed to know that he is concern with Grace Place & its growth. I guess that was the reason why he brought me to dinner last night to share with me his corporate wisdom. A church maybe a non-profit organization but a business too – The Business of God!

My cousin talked with me about 4 important Ps in a business: Product, People, Place & Promotion.

This is how I relate it to our church family:

I am confident of the Products of Grace Place because these are the Word of God, packaged in a relevant presentation wherein people will not be confused & Changed Lives of people who are enjoying their lives even if the world isn't an ideal place to live.

People-wise, some of us grace placers may not be confident & equipped yet to do the service for God. But as I reflect on this, I ask the question who were confident & equipped among the disciples of Jesus? They were first trained by the Master Teacher Himself for three years & FYI we are going to three years, I believe He is training us the best way possible.

Our Place (meeting venue), I know that you know the Lord is leading us to a new strategic place where we will not be ashamed to invite our friends & family. This year we are gearing all our efforts to it! Also with our Grace Groups, we strategically & financially located our groups so that you will feel comfortable on both.

In Promotion, I am still convince that the best marketing tool is word of mouth & referral though media can be a big help for name recall. We are still deciding what medium should we use.

I thank the Lord that He sent you to our church family. I thank Him for your concern with Grace Place. I thank Him for your selfless service you contribute. I thank Him for all the money He is pouring to us through your generosity.

We still have a lot of things to learn & discover as we fulfill His vision for us in this church. We still need more faith to exercise & service to contribute. Thank you my dear grace Placers for what you have given & will give in the future! Be stay blessed this week!

Exactly What I Needed?

There are times I know I am not worthy of my service to God because I hurt people that I care for the most. I feel ruin & desolate [19], bereaved (very sad), barren (useless), rejected & left alone [21]. At times I feel like I have labored to no purpose & spent my strength in vain & for nothing [4]. And I even despise & abhor myself [7]...

But my Word reading today, Isaiah 49, responded exactly to what I needed! It says...

The LORD, my Savior, Redeemer, the Mighty One, the One & Only (holy), the One who formed me in the womb [5], called me even before I was born, made mention of my name at my birth (gave my identity) [1]...He is very faithful [7] that He won't forget me, because at the cross, He engraved me in the palm of His hands [16]. And like a breastfeeding mother who doesn't forget her baby, He will not forget nor abandon me more than her [15]. THAT IS SUPERB!

I find honor in His eyes [5] that even if I am not worthy He chose me to be His servant & through me will display His splendor (greatness) [3]. He will use me to bring back His people to Him so that they may see His Salvation [5,6] & restore broken lives [8].

Though I maybe afflicted as I serve Him, He will comfort me & show His compassion on me [13]. I should only put my hope in Him so that I will not be disappointed [23] for He is my strength [5].

In His time He will show His favor. He will answer & help me [8] and I will receive a reward from Him [4]!

Isn't that AWESOME! Shouldn't I even say now: THAT IS MORE THAN WHAT I NEEDED!

Note: The inserted numbers are the verses where I got the line of thoughts.

Leadership In-placed!

When you pray for a leader in a certain ministry the Lord really provides!

God placed Deo in the Grace Group Ministry! He was/is the answer for the big help needed in discipleship area!

We just had our Leadership Meeting tonight casting the vision for next year's new system in the said ministry & I was amazed how Deo presented the methods to be applied!

Though he was completely busy in his job for the past few months he devoted himself to our one on one meetings where I shared with him our vision for the grace group ministry. He even had a special time to seat in some grace groups to see its effectiveness!

I praise God for His assignment of the right Leader in Grace Place this year!

(There will be features of other Grace Place leaders in this blog site)

Anguish of Soul

It clutched...my soul!

It gripped...my heart!

It dried my tears!

No words said...

No thoughts described...

Ahhh...How can it be?

Let .. & let ...!!!

A new creation!

It's not that I made a new world! Or in a sense I did!

Arnold suggested that I put up here at blog spot a new space where I can place my thoughts in a different site!

I think I will love this!

See you around here guys!