re|thinking end-times

Since we haven't posted a blog entry in a while, we thought we would re-post this thought-provoking blog entry that we stumbled across. Enjoy.

Groans from Within: Conversations on Joining God's Mission in the Way of Jesus...

How to Make an Eternal Impact... Kid-Style

A little girl decided to sell an old scooter that she had in the garage. A friend from down the street bought it from her for ten dollars.

The girl put the ten dollars into a glass jar. She is collecting money to give to her church's building campaign, called Impact (see previous post).

Her father asked why she was willing to donate the whole ten dollars. "You don't have to give all of it," he said. "Just give a part of it."

"I want to give the whole ten dollars," the little girl said. "The church needs more space for kids, and we need a bigger youth room, too!"

Lord, what do you want to do through me to accomplish your will?

Impact: kid-style

Kids at Emmanuel are learning that they can have an impact, too: through the power of a penny or through individual acts of kindness.

Every Sunday, until May 16th, children will be encouraged to give two kinds of special offerings to the Lord: Acts of Kindness & Service to Others, and Gifts of Money.

The children are encouraged to write their act of service toward someone on a piece of paper. They can put these offerings to the Lord in a special offering jug, which will be presented as an offering to God at Emmanuel's Impact Celebration on May 16th.

Our children are learning that anything we offer to God can be used for His glory and purpose!

Command them to be good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

Evangelical Activism

An interesting article appeared in this month's issue of Faith Today, the magazine published by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. It points to a shift in the focus of evangelicals toward a broader view of the Gospel.

Author Bruce Clemenger had this to say about the social conscience of evangelicals following the establishment of a government social safety net that seemed to have replaced (displaced?) the Christian's responsibility:

Many began to “keep their faith to themselves” while serving in these agencies. Some began new ministries to fill emerging gaps. So there was a shifting and splitting of opportunities and expression which in turn led to the idea that faith was something that could be split from everyday life or that it only expressed itself in private or charitable terms. This again is shifting. There is a renewal of a broader understanding of the gospel and its implications for all of life – and with this latest shift, evangelical activism has been refocused.

I think he's talking about -- dare I say it? -- a servolution! Read the entire article here.

Matthew 5:13-16

What if we really lived the way that Jesus wants us to? Everytime I go back to the words of Jesus, and really reflect on my own life in light of his teaching... Well, if I'm completely honest, I fall way short. We all do. That's why we need grace. That's why, when he tells us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, his words are founded on what he says first: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). To be a Christ-follower is to recognize and acknowledge our own poverty of spirit before almighty God. We have nothing to offer Him, and yet He gives us grace.
The words that follow are about our response. If we have acknowledged our own poverty to God and accepted His grace through His everlasting mercy, then the change in our heart, the change in the very fibre of our being, changes how we look at the world and how we live in the world. A Christian is defined by their regenerated life (see Galatians 2:20), but we're fooling ourselves and just paying lip-service to Jesus if the new life He gives us is not demonstrated in every aspect of how we live.

The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. (1 John 2:4-5)

It is right to stress evangelism as the mission of the Church. It is equally right to stress "good works" and social justice as the mission of the Church. How can this be so? Evangelism and good works are like the two sides of the same coin... Faith in Christ and the resulting actions in the life of the believer are like the two wings of an airplane. If one is missing, what will happen to the airplane? That's what John is saying in the quote above. Knowing Jesus means obeying Jesus. Obeying Jesus means telling others about Him and caring for the poor, the oppressed, the sick, and the imprisoned... While salt of the earth is meant to preserve, and therefore act to arrest the decaying action of sin, light of the world is meant to actively display Christ and the holy, loving, royal kingdom of God's reign in the people and community that He has established.
Bible scholar and renouned preacher John Stott says it like this:

Good works are works of love as well as of faith. They express not only our loyalty to God, but our care for our fellows as well. Indeed, the primary meaning of 'works' must be practical, visible deeds of compassion. It is when people see these, Jesus said, that they will glorify God, for they embody the good news of his love which we proclaim. Without them our gospel loses its credibility and our God his honour. ("The Message of the Sermon on the Mount", John R.W. Stott,62).

What if we really lived the way Jesus wants us to? If you believe in Jesus, if you have acknowledged your poverty of spirit and believe that Jesus has given you new life, the challenge today is to act on it and to be the Christians that we say we are. The needs are all around us. Go, now, and shine your light.

Haiti Mission Update

Due to a complicated government situation, the mandate for Josh's mission trip has changed and the orphanage has been closed. Many displaced orphans have been reunited with extended family. Josh will continue to be involved with the local church as they distribute the container of donations to local families in desperate need.

Please continue to be in prayer for Josh, for the orphans, and for the people of Haiti who have been impacted by the tragic event of the recent earthquake there.

Haiti Mission Update

Our missionary, Josh, has landed in Haiti on the weekend with Emmanuel's Wish Foundation (EWF). His initial reaction, he told us, is this:

The kids (at the orphanage) are unreal and it was amazing meeting them. They literally mauled me...they've never seen someone with "rouge" hair before and they noticed everything about me. Chris and Johanne (the missionary couple) are amazing but the condition of this country is horrible, beyond what I ever would of thought. Chris and Johanne are real tight for money and there's a lot of things they need that they cannot get. They live day to day and they need continuous money in order to keep these orphans alive.....

The orphanage is desperate for immediate financial assistance. Here are some of the top needs:

• A generator: This will provide water at the childrens' home as well as provide electricity at the church (one-time cost of $1000);


• 27 Direct-debit sponsors at $35 per month to feed and clothe the children. Download a sponsorship form here;


• An individual, business, or church comittment of $400 monthly to send all of the orphans to school;


• Support for the local missionaries in Haiti: There is currently a $500/month shortfall, and the funds are being taken from other programmes that are also in need.

Christine Eisses, President of EWF, says that "we have a lot of desperate life or death needs over there right now", and has asked for immediate assistance with the above list.

Religion that God our FAther accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27 NIV)

Motivation - the Heart of Servolution

At the heart of servolution lies this important question: What motivates me? Am I really motivated to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness"...? Do I pray with conviction the words given to us by Jesus: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven"?

In the first chapter of his book Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World, C.J. Mahaney writes this about being set apart from the world:

What are your goals? Do they drive you forward--to financial security, more friends, successful kids, a certain position at work, learning a craft or trade? Or do they drive you upward--to obeying and glorifiying God above all else? What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Try this: What dominates your mind and stirs your heart? Is it discontentment with your life? Longings for earthly pleasures? Does outward prosperity appeal to you more than growth in godliness? Or is your prayer life characterized by heartfelt supplications for God's will to be done and his kingdom to come?

Demonstrating sacrificial love, as Jesus taught us, isn't about trying to earn favour with God or boasting about the work we do for Him... It's the result of the internal change of a regenerated life through Christ. If we're really following Christ, if we're really focused on His eternal Kingdom, and if His love is really at work inside of us, then that is going to be expressed visibly in our lives.

The most loving thing that we could ever do for someone is to share the Gospel message with them, but at the same time, God cares about their circumstances now... If we don't show the world that we care enough to get involved, why would they listen to our message? God is a god of justice and mercy and love and compassion.



What motivates us? Is it to demonstrate those Godly characteristics and to invest in the eternal Kingdom? Are we working for the Kingdom as we wait for Jesus to return, or are we too focused on our own earthly kingdoms?




"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8 NIV)

Responding to the Call

Josh is going to Haiti to work with Emmanuel's Wish Foundation to help establish an orphanage to meet the tangible needs of orphans of the Haiti earthquake.

On Sunday, February 14th, Josh shared with the young adults at Emmanuel Baptist Church about how God has led him to respond to the need in Haiti. Josh shared how he feels like he doesn't a have choice but to respond in obedience to God's call on his life to go and serve the least of these in Haiti.

This trip is happening on very short notice, and it's amazing to see how God has not only called Josh to respond, but how He has opened the doors for Josh's mission and even his travel. We heard how no new teams are being allowed to travel into the area, but Josh's travel plans have already been set. Josh will be on the ground for at least three months, doing whatever needs to be done there in order to meet the needs around him. Please see our previous posts about Josh's plans and the need in Haiti.

Please be in prayer for Josh as he travels later this week and as he begins the work in Haiti.

Josh sharing to a group of young adults on Sunday evening.

Josh being commissioned and prayed for by his peers.

"Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18 NIV).

An Outpouring of Love - Part 2

The response to the need of the emergency orphanage in Haiti has been awesome! Servolution has had to suspend the acceptance of any further donations of items on behalf of Emmanuel's Wish Foundation until they can deal with the logistics at their own facility. Please see our previous update about this outpouring of love here.


Thank you to all who gave toward the needs list that we published previously. Monetary donations are still being accepted directly through Emmanuel's Wish.

Chris, Johanne, and Hannah Ried: Emmanuel's Wish Missionaries on the ground in Haiti

Christine Eisses, President of Emmanuel's Wish Foundation, with some of the children of Deskotye, Haiti (prior to the earthquake)

Then the King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40 NIV)

Compassion in Haiti

Please pray for the children in Haiti.

Click here for the latest update from Compassion Canada.

An Outpouring of Love

It's awesome to see God work through His people!

Here are some highlights from the past few days and weeks:

• The Emmanuel church family has donated over $10,000 dollars to FAIR for Haiti Relief. This amount will be matched by the Canadian government, and will be used in a coordinated effort by this fellowship of churches;



• Christians from across Barrie participated in the Barrie Cares: Hope for Haiti concert last Saturday at Mapleview Community Church. Almost $27,000 was raised!



• The Atrium of Emmanuel Baptist Church was used as a donation point for the Emmanuel's Wish Foundation Haiti Relief effort. Truckloads of donated items from the needs list were delivered to Emmanuel's Wish to be transported by container to their emergency orphanage;



• A young man from Emmanuel Baptist Church has stepped forward and is making plans to travel to Haiti very soon to assist with the immediate "hands and feet" work at the emergency orphanage set up by Emmanuel's Wish.

To further assist in these efforts, please contribute directly to Emmanuel's Wish or your charity of choice. Please read more about what your donations to the Fellowship FAIR programme are doing here. Thank you to all who stepped up to sacrificially give their items, money, and time.

Just some of the donated items that will be loaded into a container for the orphanage in Haiti.

Follow You

Listen to it. Pray it. Share it.

You live among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy
For me to turn away
All my needs You have supplied
When I was dead You gave me life
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll...
Follow You into the homes of the broken
Follow You into the world
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
Follow You into the world

Use my hands, use my feet
To make Your kingdom come
To the corners of the earth
Until Your work is done
Faith without works is dead
On the cross Your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?

And I give all myself
I give all myself
I give all myself to You

Servolution is not associated with Youtube, Leeland, Brandon Heath, or whomever posted the video, and the opinions expressed in the youtube comments or any of its links do not necessarily reflect the views of servolution... We just think that it's a very appropriate song.

Perspective

Emmanuel's Wish Foundation is accepting donations for their Haiti container directly at:
The Teamworks Building
164 Innisfil Street
Barrie

Drop-off Saturdays 9:00am - 12:00pm

Donated items can also be dropped off at Emmanuel during normal business hours, or on Sunday mornings.
Emmanuel Baptist Church
4120 Salem Road
at Essa Road
Barrie

The Haiti earthquake is tragic, and the people affected need both immediate and long-term aid. We are very privileged and blessed to be able to respond, especially for the orphans that we have comitted to help.

The Bible says that God "comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" (2 Corinthians 1:4 NIV).

Meanwhile, let's not forget this: "As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people" (Galatians 6:10 NIV).

The spirit of Servolution is to be aware of the social, physical, and spiritual needs around us... to reach out and to intentionally help others in their need, because we want to share the love of Christ with everyone. Don't stop offering a helping hand, a word of encouragement, or a visit or donation to the people and organizations right here in our own communities. Point people to the servolution website, where they can choose to explore the love of Christ further, or even decide to join this revolution of love and get involved! Read the About Us page to find out why we do what we do, and tell us your stories of how God gave you the opportunity to serve someone, or how God used someone to serve you in your time of need.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

(1 John 3:16-18 NIV)

Is Santa Really REAL?

Here's a letter from a 7 year old girl to Santa because she had doubts about his existence. Don't miss the jolly old elf's response! (Re-posted from The Church of No People).



"Dear Santa, I need to prove that you are real, so if you will sign here that would be great!
Love Rachel
P.S. I love Christmas!"



On Christmas morning, the letter was signed and the cookies were eaten, but Mr. Kringle also wrote this letter:

My Dearest Rachel:

Thank you so much for your letter. It was so nice of you to take the time to write me. Your mom and dad have been very proud of you and your brother this year. Even though you don't always get along, I know that you love each other very much. Sometimes brothers and sisters just get on each other's nerves! You are such a sweet girl. I especially love the way you are always concerned about someone else's feelings, even when they have been unkind to you. It takes a very special person to love that way.

Now as to your question of whether or not I am real. The simple answer is yes, I am. The complete answer requires a bit more complicated explanation. There are many boys and girls of all ages that either believed in me at one time, then stopped believing, or simply have never believed in me. There are even some boys and girls that have never heard of me, if you can believe that! Rachel, what I would like you to understand is that your belief in me makes me real. For as long as your heart tells you that there is a Santa Claus, that is where I will be. For those who say I am not real, I do not exist; for those who believe, I do exist.

I would also like to clear up a little rumor about me that has been going around since before I can remember. It is not true that only good boys and girls get presents from Santa. There are many very good children that get very little; there are others who have been very naughty indeed, yet get lots of toys. The decisions about who gets what toys I must leave to their moms and dads. It is not my place to make these choices.

The truth of the matter is that none of us are truly good except for Jesus. And Christmas is about celebrating God coming to earth in the form of a little baby born in Bethlehem. There may come a day when you no longer believe in me, and I want you to know that that is okay with me. Like I said before, I exist in the hearts of those who choose to believe in me. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, has no such limitations. He is real whether you choose to believe in Him or not, and He loves all of us so very much that He left His perfect home with God so we could someday join Him there. I know I am very special to you, and I appreciate that very much. But I also know you understand that Christmas is not about me; it is about celebrating the birth of Jesus -- the very best gift of all. A very Merry Christmas to you.

Love, Santa Claus

The War on Christmas Commercialism

There's a great article from Time on Yahoo News here: Christian Group Launches New Attack on Christmas Commercialism.

Lessons from Pajama Boy

This is reprinted from the Advent Conspiracy blog.
View the original post here.

Lessons from pajama boy.

Last weekend I was putting my five year-old son to bed when he asked me a very big question. “Hey Dad,” he asked, “why do we love Jesus?” What transpired was a ten minute conversation with this little blue eyed boy in pajamas about the love Christ has for us. I’m not sure how well it went because when we got done he moved on to much deeper questions like why Spongebob loves Krabby Patties so much. I mean, maybe some of it sunk in. I hope it did. But for me, it was a gut check moment. Am I loving Jesus by Worshiping Fully? Do I even understand what that means? As you know, that’s the first tenet of [AC]. We really can’t give more, spend less or even love all until we get this one right. I think I often talk more about worshiping God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind than actually doing it. I often catch myself approaching the concept of worship in a very linear fashion. It’s something I do at church. It’s something I do in prayer. How robotic is that? Over time it feels more like I’m punching in my worship time with God, rather than making it something that is as common as breathing. So, last night I picked up the book again and read through it. If you haven’t picked a copy up yet, do so. I promise you it’ll be the best ten bucks you’ve spent in a while. It was for me. Reading it again reminded me why worship is so important and why Worship Fully comes first in this movement. It reminded me why I must be an informed co-conspirator. See, a co-conspirator is one who can share with others that something deeper is happening in the story; someone who understands what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. And while we rebel against the empire of more, in winsome and humble ways, we can invite others to say “yes” to the bigger thing that is happening in our midst. God is still in the business of redeeming and restoring--He is still making things right. And for some reason, He’s invited us into that story. It begins a conversation that goes beyond the holiday wish list and how much money we’re spending or not spending. Our prayer is that the book informs, for sure, but more importantly, that it stirs things up--in dorm rooms, small groups, living rooms, sanctuaries, offices,neighborhoods, and little pajama boys with big questions. From there, a whole bunch of us can then begin articulating what it is we’re saying “yes” to this and every Christmas. This is the conspiracy.
- Posted by Tony Biaggne on 12/15/09

From the Heart - the Church that Loves

New servolution.ca Site is Live!

The new http://www.servolution.ca/ website is live!

We're so excited to have this online presence! It's a tool that each one of us can use to share the love... to invite others to join the movement... to plant a seed so that someone might want to explore further.

Share the link with your friends. Let us know what you think.

There are four ways that you can interact with servolution online:
Comment here on the blog,
Comment anonymously at http://www.servolution.ca/,
Join servolution's facebook fan page, or
Comment via email to servolution@emmanuelbarrie.org

Are you excited to be part of the movement?

Join the Revolution!

Welcome to the servolution.ca blog. This is the place where we will muse about life, about purpose, about love... This is where we will exchange ideas as a community as we seek to follow in the footsteps of Christ, and as we seek transformation in our lives and in the world around us.

From time to time, we will post ideas--ways in which we can impact our world through loving acts. We will share success stories--your success stories--how you served someone, or how someone made an impact on your life by serving you. Sometimes we will share our thoughts on life, philosophy, theology, and maybe even our shared frustrations and challenges

Please join us as we journey together to seek ways in which we can fulfill the plans that God has prepared for us in ages past. Join the conversation by commenting here, or by interacting with us on the servolution.ca website. We're looking forward to hearing from you!