Posted in Daily Thoughts by Lanny Richardson on 6/29/2009
The Fence
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave
him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he
must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy
had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the
number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered
it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the
fence...
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He
told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull
out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his
father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the
hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son,
but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same.
When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many
times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as
bad as a physical one.
Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and
encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of
praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us."
Posted in Daily Thoughts by Lanny Richardson on 6/8/2009
Watch this podcast recently taped by Youth Specialties featuring Seth and the 5 Secrets of Youth Ministry. Also, stay tuned for Jeremy's devo on Being the Kingdom to your "12".
This is why I am with Adventures In Missions and God has led you to partner with us ...
Posted in Daily Thoughts by Lanny Richardson on 5/14/2009
Every now and then, you hear something that makes you stop and listen to the truth that is reverberating inside of you. This morning as I awoke I heard a quote that caused me to stop and listen. God was calling me to sit down with Him for a while before I began my day. Has God prepared a table for you to feast at today?
It is not enough just to hear something. You must seek to change your behavior as a result of what you heard. This is why Jesus' half brother, James, - the pastor of the Jerusalem Church was inspired to write these words of James 1:22 - "...prove yourselves doers of the (rhema) word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves."
OK, already ... here is the quote. Yet, I must warn you. If you read further, you will be held accountable for what you now hear.
"Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift; that is why we call it the present"
Be a "living sacrifice." What will your "gift" look like, today?
Posted in Mission Trips by Lanny Richardson on 4/7/2009
Mission Trips To Central America, Mexico, and the
U.S. Still Available
Check out our Mission
Trip Update to find dates for your group close to home. We have trips
available around Mexico, Central America, and the United States to help your
group plan a simple, cost-effective mission trip this summer. For details on
trip dates and locations, visit our Mission
Trip Update online now.
Posted in Daily Thoughts by Lanny Richardson on 3/30/2009
In case you haven't heard - there is a REVOLUTION going on in relation to what is happening within the Church across the globe. Massive changes are taking place. These changes impact the models and methods of the local church.
The Missional Movement is just one of the models that is reshaping how we "do" church. In short, church is not where you go ... it is who you are. If you really want to interpret the New Testament correctly in Matthew 28:18, the word "Go" shoudl be interpreted "as you are going".
"Making Disciples" is the key verb in the sentence structure of Matthew 28:18-20. Thereofe, the key to the power & presence Jesus has given us is "make dsiciples" as we go, wherever we go. Missions is not something we do it is who you are. We all are "missionaries". Try this on for size, how we live our daily lives is "worship" unto the Lord.
The root word for "worship" is the same word for "work" in the Genesis 2. Oh, so i God's eyes work and worship are similar. Well, if this be true, in God's eyes is there such a thing as "secular" and "sacred".
The words below are an excert of a blog from the first pastor I serve with over 27 years ago. Chuck Warnock is still being used mightily by God to challenge the status quo in the church, today.
Read these words below and then go to this blog and read the "rest of the story" by Chuck Warnock
" ... Rather than trying to figure out how to get people to do what we
want them to do - attend, give, care, serve, study, and so on - why
don't we talk to people about what they need from God? What they
expect from a community of faith? What they hope their faith will
enable them to be?
Which, of course, brings me to Jesus. He actually did all of
that. Not that he needed to learn, but he used those conversations to
engage the woman at the well, Zacchaeus, blind Bartimaeus, his own
disciples, his friends, his family, and his followers. How did we lose
the simple idea of one person talking to another about things that
matter? How can we move the community of faith back into conversations
with each other and the world? That's the challenge we face. That's
the future of church."
Posted in Daily Thoughts by Lanny Richardson on 3/27/2009
"THE 13/30 WINDOW"
Missiologists have coined the term "the 10/40 Window," defining the
geographical region 10 degrees to 40 degrees north of the Equator, an
area of the globe considered by many to be the most unreached and
unevangelized region of the world.
I want to challenge you with this thought. It is more crucial for us to
consider the "13/30 Window." This window of missional opportunity defines the age group of people between 13 to 30 years old, which is
really the greatest harvest field in the world today.
According to the UN Population Division and the
Population Reference Bureau (2000):
60 percent of the whole world are aged 24 and under.
30 percent (or 1.7 billion) are aged between 10 to 24 years old.
Surveys say, 90% of all people
become Christians before the age of 25. (Barna Research)
This age group is the greatest harvest field because they are the most
likely to become followers of Christ and leaders of the Church, tomorrow.
Who is going to reach them?
This is why I left pulpit ministry 5+ years ago to be apart of the largest awakening in the world. Will you join me? Please be my prayer partner. Please consider becoming one of my senders who give financially so that I can GO!
"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."
Matthew 9:37-38
Posted in Daily Thoughts by Lanny Richardson on 3/26/2009
WARNING! What you are about to see and read - if you watch the video below - is a true move of God among the college students of
America.
From Dallas to Vegas, a marvelous student movement called Intentional Gatherings
is gathering momentum and showing many of us how God is moving among a new
generation of believers.
PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD for what He is doing among this generation and in this hour. For years, I have been hearing in my spirit that there is a new move of coming emerging among the college campuses. I have believed it and now I am seeing it!
See if you can identify with these words, below. These words are shown on the first frame of the video posted on this blog ...
