Blogging Blues & News

Well, I've been an irresponsible blog parent lately ... felt like my "blog voice" has been a little hoarse. Being unemployed has given me plenty of time, but my mind has gone to mush and I've got less to rant and rave about. Here's some stuff going on in my world. TECHNICAL DIRECTOR I'm in Springfield, MA this weekend working for a friend who owns a production company. We're doing an Assemblies of God youth event. I'm the video technical director. I'm the guy who controls what goes up on the big screens at the arena. Not that I have a clue what I'm doing and I'm a little worried about the ADD thing kicking in ... but we'll learn tomorrow. AMIA Had a wonderful conversation today with Bishop Thad Barnum of the AMiA. What a gracious, godly man! I was encouraging him to pray into planting more churches in upstate NY. I believe wholeheartedly that evangelical Anglican churches that mix the best of traditional liturgy with the best of evangelical theology and solid contemporary music will flourish here. Upstate NY is a solidly dechurched population from traditional church backgrounds that are desperate for a message of Christian hope. Bp. Barnum has a great heart for ministry. He said they are currently planting or adopting a new church every three weeks!!! That's stunning. CATALYST CHURCH I preached at Catalyst Church last week from Luke 24 -- The Emmaus Road passage. It's not up on the Catalyst Church web site yet but I'm sure it will be there in the next week or two. MY NEXT GIG ... I'm really not sure what my next full time paying gig will be. I've got no real leads at the moment. If I wanted to raise my own support, I have at least one strong possibility but I really don't want to do that -- especially in this economy. Next month I have an evangelistic speaking event lined up at Stoneridge Covenant Church in Allison Park, PA outside of Pittsburgh. Just started plans for a fall speaking event in Ohio for a evangelism seminar. If any of you would like to have an evangelism seminar at your church contact me and we create something that will meet your church's needs. I have 4-10 hours of material and can do 1-3 events. What I feel compelled to do is church planting but all the pieces have just not fallen together for that. I think I'm going to have to branch out of the networks I've been swimming in. Obviously I'd love to plant a Covenant Church but I would be interested in working with the Vineyard or the AMIA. MY FAITH God has stunningly increased my faith and taught me about faith and dependence over these past months of not being employed. Some things He has taught me previously have been drilled home: God doesn't need me to work to provide for me. Not that he doesn't want me to work but He doesn't need me to. He has money in places I have no clue about. God provides for my family. I don't. All income that comes to me is grace. None of it is really earned. The money that comes to me when I am unemployed via gifts from family and friends or from unemployment is no different than the income I receive when I am working. It's all graciously given by God. It just appears more miraculous when I'm not working. That being said, God isn't limited by the worldwide economic crisis. I don't want to take a job where I would have to raise my own support. That's scary to me. But God can provide. Being unemployed and involved in the welfare system is arduous. You cannot believe what a nightmare and hassle being involved with public assistance can be. If you have never been down this road, be compassionate to those that have. It's not fun. It can be embarrassing and the bureaucratic red tape nightmare is mind boggling. I've been praying for more spiritual gifts and have seen an increase. Kinda cool. Time for bed. Staying in a Holiday Inn Express in Windsor Locks, CT outside of Springfield, MA. Tell somebody that you don't normally do so that you love them. We all need tell more people more often that we love them. Be at peace. I love you.