Back to the Bagh

Jennifer, Isaac, and I were so blessed to have dinner Tuesday night with our dear friend Brennen.  It was the eve of his return to Baghdad for another term of service.  No, he is not in the military, but he works with the military all day.  No, he is not a general contactor, but he does handle defense spending contracts all day long.

He is a tent-maker.  Some might ask, “What is a tent-maker?  Do Iraqi’s need tents?  What exactly does that mean?”

It means Brennen has two full time jobs. 

 Job 1 – Ministry.  Brennen is called to be salt and light (Matthew 5) to the Iraqi people, specially those living in the Red Zone of Baghdad.  He shares the Good News with all the he can.  He is actively developing relationships with new believers (Praise the Lord there are new believers in Baghdad) and helping them learn the basics of the truth.   He devotes his time simply being a radical born-again believer in Jesus in a land where Christianity is sparce.

Job 2 – He serves as a Senior Development Leader for the Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce.  As one of the best chambers in the WORLD, Brennen’s company works closely with the US and Iraqi governments forming contractual commerical partnerships.  Another major part of his job is training Iraqi businessmen how to form new companies and be successful leaders in the global market.  From all reports, there are over a hundred Iraqis in the training program.  Brennen oversees their training.

So like the Apostle Paul, who was a maker of tents by trade–hence we get the term “tent-maker,” Brennen lives and works on the mission field, supporting himself by working in a very intense job all so the glory of God can be spread among the nations.

Brennen’s days are very long and very stressful.  He is working in the theater of war, constantly facing insurgent battles and bombs going off.  He plays business “football” with military generals, Iraqi nationals & parlimentarians and US government officials.  He is overworked, overburdened, and UNDER paid, but he offers everyday “unto the Lord.”  This is not simply a job for Brennen, it is a field white unto harvest.  One with many dangers, but one set out before Him by the Lord Almighty.

Isaac has added a new line to his nightly prayers after Tuesday’s dinner.  It now goes something like this.  “Dear God.  Help Stephy.  Help Uncle Brennen.  Help Baby Brother.  I love Jesus.  Amen.”  I agreed wholeheartedly with my son.

A Night at the Ballpark

Two Friday’s ago, my nephew Dalten came up with my dad and his wife to enjoy a little Cincinnati Red’s baseball action.  We enjoyed our time in great seats, eating hotdogs and  gummy worms, watching the Red’s beat the Texas Rangers.

It was great to hang out with this fine young man.  He had just returned from church camp and smoked me on naming all the books of the Bible in order.  He did it in 60 second flat.  I got stuck somewhere in the minor prophets.

We talked about the upcoming Transformers movie, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter books.  He is very bright and reads a ton of books, plus he plays sports like baseball, basketball, and football.  He is a top student in his class and a very respectful young man.  I am very proud of my nephew D. 

2 Pictures are Worth a 1000 Words

Our little boy wanted to show his business to us, the nurse, and all creation. 

Peek-a-boo…I see you.

Main Street Edu. Ministry Transition #2

Welcome back to the 2nd of 5 blog posts concerning the Main Street Education Ministry.  Over the course of the next 6 months, we will transition several of our Education Ministry offerings and opportunities.

Today’s transition spotlight:

Transition #2 – Consoldiate Several On-Going Sunday Morning Classes

The explanation:
When we transitioned to 2 Bible Study/Worship hours back in April 2006, we had a very strategic and purposed goal in mind.  We wanted to encourage FAMILIES WORSHIPPING TOGETHER.  Don’t split the family up because their class is only offered once.  This strategy meant we had to offer duplicate classes for all existing Sunday morning Bible study classes.  So for example we offered a 1st Grade I & II, High School I & II, Life Lessons I & II and so on.  Basically, you could choose either worship hour (9:30 or 11) and find the class you previously attended when we only had 1 worship hour.

Three classes were not multiplied (the T.E.L., Wisdom Seekers & 6th Grade) and these classes had very specific reasons to be offered only once.  Even the members of these classes had plenty of options to choose from. 

The FAMILIES WORSHIPPING TOGETHER model created more space, opportunities for new teachers to be put into action, and offered our people more Bible study options and choices. 

 So 18 Months later, how are we doing?

The truth is that we are not doing the best.  The theory behind FAMILIES WORSHIPPING TOGETHER was right…in theory, but in practically, Sunday morning Bible study attendance has dropped off in the Adult department drastically.  The children are exploding and the youth are maintaining.  On any given Sunday in 2007, we have averaged the following breakdown of Adult, Youth, and Children in Sunday morning Bible Study:

80 Adults (all classes)
45 Youth (6th - 12th grade)
130 Children (birth through 5th grade)

This breakdown is simply not a good sign.  We must think differently about how we are doing Sunday morning Bible study.  The second transition planned for September 2007 is that we are going to consolidate several of the on-going Sunday morning adult and youth classes.  WE MUST KEEP 2 Worship hours, no question about it (…think of 130 kids in ONE hour….Yikes!…), but we can limit several of the on-going class options.  Our hope is that this will to create some energy, momentum, and cohension within the class.  Maybe with more people in a class, less choices, and more familiarity, we will see our attendance rise, especially in the Adult department. 

So here is pdf of the layout:

classroom-layout-sept-9-2007.pdf

Consolidation – our Transition #2.

Transition #3 will be explained on Monday, July 2.

Off to Help a Friend

I am off in the morning to Eatonton, Georgia.  Not expected, but a thrill and a joy nonetheless.  Our Youth Pastor is having to return home early from a middle school mission trip to be with his wife who was admitted to the hospital.  So I am being called up to serve as Team Coordinator/Youth Leader for the rest of the week.

I have not been in Youth Ministry land for nearly 4 years.  My last youth mission trip was to Georgetown, TX back in the summer of 2003 with my former church, Trinity Bapt. Church of Fort Worth, TX.  It was during that trip one of my youth parents (and also the church custodian) cussed me out for not keeping the kids under control.  He really used cuss words.  I think back now and laugh…but it was NOT funny then.  I doubt any of the present leaders will do any cussing on this trip.  At least not at me…the kids on the other hand…we shall see.

It is an honor and a great priviledge to serve in a church where TEAM WORK and partnership are so tangible.  Just last week our Worship Pastor took a bunch of teens to the Icthus music festival.  Our Senior Pastor is taking the youth to camp later in July.  It looks like everyone will get make some memories with the teens this summer.

I love my church and my team of Brothers and Sisters in Christ who serve God’s kingdom with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.  I will share some trip stories when I return to the information age on Saturday.  In Eatonton…no cell phones, internet, wi-fi…how am I going to stay connected to the world?

…on the road again, I just can’t wait to get on the road again…

Main Street Edu. Ministry Transition #1

Welcome to the first of 5 blog postings concerning the Main Street Education Ministry.  Over the course of the next 6 months, we will transition several of our Education Ministry offerings and opportunities.

The purpose of this posting is to describe the first transition which will begin in theory August 2007, but in practicality in January of 2008.  I will explain fully in a moment.

Transition #1 – THE SMALL GROUP PARADIGM

We have some good news and some not-so-good news.  You always get the not-so-good news first, right?  The not-so-good news is that many people can not attend a Sunday morning Bible study for a variety of reasons (i.e. work schedules, serving elsewhere in teaching or worship, children requirements, etc).  They want to be involved in a small group study, but their life situation limits them from doing that.  Some experts say as many as 40% of a congregation can not attend a Sunday morning study.  So there is a need for ANOTHER TIME.

The not-so-good news continues.  Some Sunday morning classes do not have the posibility for REAL, DEEP relationships to be formed amongst all the classmembers.  Time constraints, different people every week, different teachers each quarter, and being stuck to the lesson, all hinder deep community from forming within a group of people.

Finally, Sunday morning is often viewed as TOO formal.  Inside the church walls, in padded chairs, with study books can cause people to not open up and be themselves.  They want to share about their lives, their interests, their struggles, their successes…but the mindset of “we have to GET THROUGH THE LESSON!” can stop them from doing so.

SO what is the GOOD NEWS?

The GOOD NEWS is…there are other options being formed.  One such option is called THE SMALL GROUP PARADIGM (SGP).   What is the SGP?  Here is a brief listing of what a small group looks like.

 Small Group Paradigm

• •  In home, casual environment
• •  Discussion focused
• •  Limited # – 12 to 15 max. adults
• •  Off campus (not Sunday AM)
• •  Childcare provided by group members
• •  Equal time given for fellowship, Bible study & discussion
• •  Intentionally multiplying
•   4 to 6 month time commitment
•   Covenantal aggreement among members

There is a whole lot to say about each of these points.  I could write a paragraph about each, but trust me when I say I will be explaining this fully in our August 25th meeting.  This is only a preview.

The SGP will begin by me personally training the first generation of leaders in my home during the fall.  From mid-August through November, every Wednesday evening, 12 future small group leaders will be meeting together to learn the ins and outs of small groups and experiencing what it is like to be in a small group themselves.

Then starting in January, March, June and September 2008, these newly trained small group leaders will open up their homes and starts groups of their own. 

And like that…we will implement the Small Group Paradigm at Main Street.  This will supplement the 6 ongoing Sunday morning classes we will have, along with other groups that meet on other days of the week (i.e. 7:59 Men’s on Saturday, Wednesday night Bible study, etc.)

If you would like to preview the presentation I will be making in our August 25th meeting, attached is the PowerPoint (ppt file) for the Small Group Paradigm.

NEXT TRANSITION POSTING:  Monday, June 25

Small Group Paradigm Presentation
      (please click and follow instructions to download file.  If this doesn’t work, email me at shanegarrison@sievechurch.org and I will forward you the file.  You must have PowerPoint to view this file.)

Creation Museum…Top Notch

I just returned from the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY, operated by Answers in Genesis.  The experience was top notch.  The museum offers a wide variety of multi-media presentations, compeling arguments and real answers to tough questions like “where did the dinosaurs go?” and “where did Cain’s wife come from?”

I would recommend the museum to anyone traveling in, or through, the Cincinnati/Northern KY area.  The museum is about 5 miles west of the CVG airport, about 20 minutes from downtown Cincy.

Not the best idea for children under two (such as my son), but all other children, teens and adults will enjoy the experience.

www.creationmuseum.org

www.answersingenesis.com

Main Street Education Ministry Transition

If you are a Bible study teacher at Main Street, I am glad you checked out the blog.  I will post each of the 5 Fall transitions, fully described, fully explained, over the next five weeks.  Check back on Monday (June 18) for the first installment entitled “Education Ministry Transition #1: Small Group Paradigm”

Thanks for all you do,
shane.

Sheep Herding

Today, I was privileged to preach God’s word at Main Street.  My sermon dealt with the highly difficult topic of eternal security or the “perseverance of the saints.”  We are spending the whole summer in deep theological and doctrinal topics.  It should be very fun.

The main portion of today’s message was found in John 10:19-31.  In this passage, Jesus describes HIS SHEEP.  He says HIS sheep hear His voice, are known by Him, and follow Him.  And for His sheep he will give the eternal life, they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of His hands.

What a promise?  What an offer to be one of His sheep?  To owned and possessed by the Savior.  To hear our Shepherd’s voice, to follow His lead, and to be known as one of His.  But stop there and you miss the absolutely amazing part.  The second part are the promises to the sheep.  Eternal life.  No death.  No possible way to ever be snatched out of Jesus’ hands.

I am still reeling over this very fact.  I am owned.  I am saved.  I am kept firmly in the pierced hands of Christ.

Truly GOOD NEWS!

Drop Off/Pick Up VBS Style

As part of this week’s Vacation Bible School, I have been dropping off four or five children each night on the mini-van.  These children are so excited after VBS.  They are singing the songs, showing off their crafts, and talking about the Bible story.  Each of the children are waiting anxiously for the mini-van to pick them up.  They stand on the corner in their western clothing and cowboy hats (western theme this year), counting the minutes till they get to church to hear the music and be loved on by their leaders.

As I have dropped off these kids each night, I look at their parents.  For them, VBS is a BREAK.  Free BABYSITTING.  A safe place with tons of fun for no cost.  Like a money-less Chuck E. Cheese.  Sure they wave and say “thank you” but this will be the only time these children are in church the whole year.  I would dare say these parents also attended VBS when they were kids.

It is a shame.  My life was changed during VBS 20 years ago.  I know some of these parents long for a change in their lives TODAY.

My Favorite Week of the Summer

This week is our church’s VBS.  Every year at this time, I remember back to VBS 1987 in Lewisport, KY.  It was during that week that I gave my heart and life to Jesus.  It has been 20 years of following Jesus and learning what it means to be his disciple. 

I wish I could go back in the annuals of LifeWay’s VBS and see what my church used way back then.  I am sure the music was less interesting, the crafts more simple, and video was not even a question.  Yet the message of VBS doesn’t change.  The message of Jesus Christ coming to earth to die for you and me.  The best message we could ever tell a child.

For the second straight year at Main Street, I will be working with the 4 year olds.  Too much fun.  The most energetic and rambunctious group in the whole lot.  A bit young to understand the Good News, but we strive to offer them an experience at church that will plant a little seed in their hearts about the love of God in Christ Jesus.