The Bible in 90 Days

The jubilee city elders and staff just finished an insane two-month period of hard work in getting our location ready for two services that launched on Sept 13 (going very well so far). Instead of all going on vacations, we've decided to due something different - go on a spiritual adventure by reading through the Bible in 90 days starting tomorrow.

Over the next 90 days I'll be sharing with you some insights of our process and hopefully have a guest blogger or two along the way.

If you want to join us, follow this link: Bible in 90 Days

Getting Ready for Gift Day

In light of our upcoming Gift Days (9/27 & 10/4), Rick Hein (a Jubilee elder and Wentzville Location Pastor), posted this blog recently and I found it personally helpful:

Once a year Jubilee Church St. Louis receives an offering above and beyond our normal contributions. Though established years ago, this Gift Day continues to be practiced, not because the church is in dire straits, because we're not. It's been an ongoing practice of Jubilee's because it reinforces in our minds and hearts that everything we have has been given to us by God. The realization of this truth affects every facet of our lives.

Every year when Gayle and I prayerfully consider what God would want us to give for theGift Day offering we keep coming back to the fact that all we have is from God (1 Chronicles 29:12) and belongs to God (Revelation 4:11). This gracious reminder solidifies so many things in our hearts, such as...

• Our very lives are not ours, but God's (1 Corinthians 6:20)
• Purpose in life is about glorifying God (1 Corinthians 10:31), not riches. Hording stuff glorifies our stuff. Generosity towards God glorifies God.
• It's a way to increase our own joy because "God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

If you're like Gayle and me you don't have much, if any "extra" money laying around. On a personal note in the past week and a half Gayle and I have been hit by our two largest car repair bills of the year. We are grateful for God's provision, though it put a sizable dent in our finances. Nonetheless, we will be doing what we do every year at this time, praying what God would want us to give on Gift Day.

Plans are to use Gift Day funds for future staff, building improvements at the City Location and freeing up resources for future locations of Jubilee Church. Ask God what He wants you to give and then give it with a joyful heart. The Gift Day offering will be received Sunday, September 27 and Sunday, October 4.

Why Go to an Action Track?

Action Tracks are a HUGE part of what we do at Jubilee. They are not just a great next step to get more involved, they are the door way to many other things we do as a church like praying together, serving the community together, discipleship, spiritual formation and the list goes on. In fact, speaking of lists, let me give you 10 reasons why you MUST sign up for an Action Track if you call Jubilee "your church".

10. It's the best way to meet new friends at Jubilee

9 . You will learn more about Jesus with other people than you could ever do on your own

8. You will have an opportunity to serve the St. Louis community with others (very Christ-like)

7. It's an opportunity to receive prayer for your daily concerns

6. It will require you to put others first (very Christ-like)

5. It will multiply what you get out of the Sunday morning messages (note: all Action Tracks in the fall trimester will be following the fall sermon series "God Series")

4. You can be a friend to someone else who really needs one

3. It's a place to use your spiritual gifts (serving, mercy, encouragement, leadership, etc)

2. It's the primary way you will receive care

1. Because God never called us to go it alone...you need others and others needs you

Here's how to sign up:

1. Sign-up during our Sunday morning service beginning Sunday, September 13th, 2009.
2. Sign-up online beginning Sunday, September 13th, 2009. REGISTER TODAY!

It's Been A While

My goal is to make 1 or 2 blog posts a week...it's been almost 3 weeks since my last one. The reason why is because, along with the rest of the elders and staff, I have been crazy busy with the launch of two services at Jubilee Church St. Louis in the City, which turned out great (btw). We had good crowds at both services and John Lanferman delivered a "must listen to" message if you call Jubilee home.

Along with the launch two services, we also took the opportunity to update our bulletin, interior signage, website, and the J Kids check-in process. It was all possible because of a great staff and a lot of volunteerism. I am very proud to be a member of Jubilee Church! More posts will becoming soon.

Volunteer Appreciation

I am truly grateful for the volunteerism that happens at Jubilee Church St. Louis. Week in and week out, hundreds of hours are logged collectively by more than 120 people. The other day I got curious and figured out that if we paid minimum wage for every volunteer hour (and most of our volunteer jobs are worth far more), it would cost the church nearly $100,000 per year! But more than saving a few bucks, the high level of volunteerism has enabled us to reach more people and participate more in life transformation. Our children's ministry, that is almost exclusively run by volunteers, has effected the lives of hundreds of kids. All of our graphic designers are volunteers and have helped us communicate our message and have been instrumental in attracting and gathering. Our Sunday morning teams are all volunteers and show such great hospitality and create a warm friendly environment (which, by the way, is the first thing people mention in describing our church). And the list of life-impacting volunteerism goes on and on.

Some might say, "God doesn't need us. He can build the church just fine on His own." To that, I would say a big, "Amen!" However, let us never use God's sovereignty as an excuse for our apathy. God could do it all by Himself, but He hasn't choosen to do it that way. It must be that it's such a thrill and a joy to participate in changing someone's life for all eternity, He wanted to let us in on it.

So if you have every volunteered at Jubilee, thank you for doing so. If you haven't joined the fun yet, what are you waiting for?

Leaders Wanted Audio and Notes

If you missed Leaders Wanted last Saturday, but would like the audio recording as well as the notes and worksheet, you can download them separately below:

Session One Audio
Session Two Audio
Session Three Audio

Notes

Worksheet

Leaders Wanted

The popular view of leadership is that is for the select view - Ghandi, Obama, Martin Luther King, and William Wallace quickly come to mind. No doubt these men are (were) very powerful leaders. However, I would contend that 99% of all leadership comes from the middle and not the top. Everyone is in a position to provide leadership for their family, their workplace, their neighborhood and the church. You just have to understand your role and how you can best play our role.

For the Christian, leadership is more than just a possibility, it's a calling. We are instructed by Jesus to go into all the world and make disciples (lead people). In Matthew 5, Jesus said that we are to be salt and light. That is we are to be an influence in society for his glory. Therefore, I believe it is crucial that we undertand what it takes to be a leader and to be the most effective leader we can be.

If you're in St. Louis this Saturday, I will be doing a seminar on leadership titled, "Leaders Wanted" from 9 am to noon at Jubilee Church St. Louis City. Hope to see you there!