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Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts

The Connecting Church 2.0: Beyond Small Groups to Authentic Community By Randy Frazee



In The Connecting Church 2.0, Randy Frazee explored the configuration of the church in today’s times and how over the years it has changed dramatically. This version of the book is a revised edition. Randy Frazee begins the book by introducing characters Bob and Karen. They have two children and both spouses work busy filled jobs. Like most Americans, they struggling with having enough time during the day to get everything completed. Most nights they fix frozen meals because they don’t have the time to cook and prepare proper meals. Sometimes they even are bringing home work. They attend a small group that meets every other week. They are wanting to have deeper friendships and more meaningful relationships. But the small group setting just isn’t enough connection to make lasting relationships. They are longing and looking for more but they don’t know how to obtain it.

 

Randy Frazee pointed out that God has created us for community and connection with other people. He backed this up with research on the importance of community. One study at the Ohio State University Medical Center revealed that marriage improves your health, boosts immune systems, and you heal faster from sickness. Having intimacy in our marriages is more important than we may realize. Another study conducted has shown that males that provide and take care of their children have attachment hormones and they bond to them. Positive relationship is what all of us long for but many of us struggle to find people we can be real with, hang out with, and share our deepest secrets.

 

The book stated that God is consisted of three persons known as the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He desires to know each person He created intimately. Adam was created from the dust of the earth and God knew that it wasn’t good for man to be alone. Some of us like to be independent and we believe that we can survive in this life without letting anyone know the real us. Connecting with others require risk that not everyone is willing to take. God has written the book of Acts to prove that we need others and community.

 

The book covered “Five Characteristics of Community Around a Common Place”. Some of these included frequency, sharing meals, availably, and more. The book also included ways and suggestions on how to create an authentic community and reach out to your fellow neighbors.

 

I would recommend this helpful resource to anyone who are longing to find noteworthy relationship with your neighbors and community. Time have changed and most of us don’t even know our neighbors names. I can honestly say this was talking about me because I don’t know many of them. I live on my own land so it’s a little bit more challenging to find people to start a friendship with. But really I haven’t tried. The biggest concept that I found myself agreeing with was the author’s findings on how important uniting with others truly is. I thought the suggestion of inviting people over to share a meal, pray, read the word, pray together, and serve our neighbors was immensely beneficial. I believe that Randy Frazee is living what the book preaches and I would love to be able to experience the deep connection among my neighbors that he has. This book will change churches and communities for the better if we apply the principles presented. Authentic communities are something most of us are looking for and it’s been around us the whole time and it’s still possible to have deep friendships! This book will inspire you to reach out to others, get to know more people, and develop a community. If everyone would form a friendship and create a community of believers with their neighbors imagine, how much the world would be happier and fulfilled.

 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of The Connecting Church 2.0, then check it out on Amazon.com:

 


 

“I received this book for free from Cross Focused Reviews / Zondervan for this review”.

Soul Print: Discovering Your Divine Destiny by Mark Batterson Book Review

Mark Batterson investigates the life of David and teaches readers how to be the unique person God created them to be. No one is going to be just like you, and everyone is unique to God. He encourages readers to have a holy confidence in what God can do and not to have a confidence in your own self. Mark conveys that God must be the one where you get your identify from. Mark describes his own personal life symbols in his office to remind him of his past. He believes that you need to look at your past to remember where you have been. The past will help reveal who you are today. David’s story is shown throughout the different chapters of the book to be an example of how God can take your own personal story and use it for his Kingdom.


Soul Print also has a discussion guide to help you absorb the knowledge of becoming the person God created you to be. Mark will guide you in the process by prompting you to answer the questions after each chapter.

I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t like themselves. God has made you to be yourself. And we are all created in his image. I love how Mark utilized the story of David and portrayed it. Mark showed how David had to go through some disappointments but God still loved him. Even when you make a mistake God will never give up on us. I enjoyed that Mark demonstrated the whole story of David in Soul Print. He showed the good times and the bad times of the life of David. Soul Print will inspire you to become the whole person God made you to be and not to compare yourself to others. If you struggle with self image problems, this book will lead you to see that even though we are fallible human beings God still loves us. The past doesn’t have to define us if you are in Christ you are forgiven.

“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.

Download Chapter 1 of Soul Print:


http://multnomahemails.com/wbmlt/pdf/SneakPeek_Soulprint.pdf

Here is a video describing the book Soul Print:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfHP_TOUJzQ

If you would like to purchase a copy of Soul Print it is available on Amazon.com:


http://www.amazon.com/Soulprint-Discovering-Your-Divine-Destiny/dp/1601420390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296936950&sr=8-1

If you would like to rate my review, check out the link below:

http://www.waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/3242

Love Revolution Shown by a Church

This Love Revolution story is about a church who gave itself away. I have been looking for a church to attend for quite a while. This past two months I stopped going to church all together. Every church I have went to hasn’t felt like home to me. But this church holds a back to school Christian event for the county along with many churches in the area. I had no idea that God would bring someone to my doorstep but he did. They are giving away a prize at the back to school event and when I entered the contest. One of the question asked, “If I had a church I go to”. I clicked no. They also asked, “If I wanted more info on the churches in the area”. I clicked yes. Then God showed up! I had no idea this church member from one of the churches would come actually to my door. I thought they would send a flyer not a person to my house. J But I am glad they did. He brought me homemade bread, info about the church, a message series, and a worship team CD of the church. Why would someone randomly do that? After all they had no idea who I was. I haven’t been to a church service there before. I honestly had no idea where it was located even! They were starting a love revolution! I haven’t ever heard of churches doing anything like that in my entire life. I felt the LOVE of God for the first time in a long time. It was the God in him. So I decided to give church another try. It just takes one!


Natalie Grant is starting a LOVE REVOLUTION! Joyce Meyer is also trying to start one. I think it’s a wonderful idea. So I posted this story on Natalie Grant’s Love Revolution website.

http://startaloverevolution.com/
If you have a love revolution story about you or others post it on her site. You might be wondering what in the world a love revolution is. It means everyone coming together and helping one another in small ways. Some examples would include feeding the hunger, donating to charities, helping out at church, holding open doors for one another, buying someone a coffee, talking to someone who is lonely, and anything else you can come up with.

Sad Times But There's Still Hope

Day 4 – Monday, May 24

I went a total of 2.51 miles today. I burned a sum of 158 calories. I took a whole total of 5302 steps.

Day 5 – Tuesday, May 25

I had to go to a love ones funeral today. It was a very sad day. But she lived a long life. She was one of the nicest ladies you could ever meet. She always went to church and she helped spread the love. That is what church is all about. I know her family misses her very much. But she is in a place with no pain now. She is sitting up there with Jesus and dancing away. I got to see some of my family and her friends. It’s kind of sad you only see this many people when someone dies. We should always be this close, when we are alive. I know many people are busy making a living, but take some time to spend it well with people you love. Think of how many people we could reach out to, if we just would do it. I remember how she used to get me off the bus sometimes. I also remember hanging out with my cousins at her house many times. This song was a song I thought fit her life. She had a lot of love to go around. I wanted to put this song on a family slideshow we did for my whole family at Christmastime. But we found other ones to include on it instead. But my point is I had the honor and privilege to be a part of my family’s history. She sat near my dad at my family Christmas dinner. He had to tell her who most of the people were. But she knew some. Her memory has been going for a while. But I know now in Heaven she remembers everything. She knows her family. The song is called, “Some Things Never Change” by Sara Evans. I want to thank the pastors and the church members who helped provide food for her huge family and friends. They had two rows of maybe 6 tables. They had to add another row. We had that many people. I didn’t count the tables I am estimating. But anyone who came saw a lot of people. Thank you. Thank you to the pastors who said nice things about her. Thank you to the people who sung at the funeral. Thank you for your prayers and your condolences.

Here is “Some Things Never Change”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkIWI1YH3nI

Another song that popped in my mind during these crazy times was a song by Mandisa. The song is called, “You Wouldn’t Cry (Andrew’s Song)”. The song is a about someone who is already in Heaven. He or she is telling that it is going to be okay. Jesus has them and you. Sometimes we get stuck in wanting to know why. I can’t answer that question. All I know is if I died I am going to Heaven. I know it’s hard when you lose someone you love. But we have to have hope that one day we will see them again someday. I know it hurts when someone leaves us on this earth. But if they knew Jesus and you do then you will see them again.

Listen to Mandisa’s “You Wouldn’t Cry (Andrew’s Song)”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFOdA52sjFA

Some of the lyrics are listed below:

“All you saw was pain All you saw was rain But you should see me now Moments filled with tears Lasted all those years disappeared somehow You never said goodbye On your knees you cry You’re still asking why, but Blue has never been bluer True has never been truer Honey never tasted so sweet There’s a song in the breeze A million voices in praise A rose has never smelled redder The sun has never been brighter If I could find the right words to say If you could look at my face If you could just see this place You wouldn’t cry for me today.”

If you like to see Andrew’s Story, check out the link below: Mandisa shares the message behind the song.

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=980a2cb94bf283772d30

Day 6 – Wednesday, May 26

I went a grand total of 3.00 miles today. I smoked a total of 206 calories. 6347 steps were taken by me today.

Day 7 – Thursday, May 27

All I have today is a song to share.

Here is some of the lyrics of “You're Gonna Be” By Reba McEntire.

You're gonna fly with every dream you chase You're gonna cry, but know that that's okay Sometimes life's not fair, but if you hang in there You're gonna see that sometimes bad is good We just have to believe things work out like they should Life has no guarantees, but always loved by me You're gonna be

Here is the video for “You’re Gonna Be”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kLs4VdfFlQ

“‘Cause anything worth doing is worth doing all the way Just know you'll have to live with all the choices that you make So make sure you're always givin' way more than you're takin'”

So let’s listen to these lyrics! That is the truth.

You can be whoever you choose to be. You can choose to love or choose to hate. It’s all a decision.

Check out:

http://sites.google.com/site/theofficialandrewsmith/week6