 | Freedom on Just saying!!! |
 | Mark on Jesus was not a Christian |
 | dina on You are old enough to feed… |
| dina on Monday morning |
 | Motherbear LizH on Person Stretching Me Late… |
1. What is your church like?
2. How do you get so many young people to come to church
3. Where is your church building
4. Is your church Charismatic?
5. What are you doing that is growing the church
6. You do a lot of Community programs, where do you get all the money from
7. How long have you been pastoring?
8. How do you balance family time and church time?
9. How old is the church?
10. What is your church denomination?
Two weeks ago I started asking people why they keep coming to LifeChurch. I gave them a fill in the blank question. I Love my church because___________________
Here’s what I’ve received so far:
| A family that works hard for the cause of salvation |
| A place of learning |
| Accepts me |
| Always new |
| Are committed to excellence |
| Are committed to God |
| Are courageous |
| Are exuberant (enthusiastic, excited, lively, energetic) |
| Are full of life |
| Are full of worship |
| Are fun and full of funny things |
| Are in love with God |
| Are overcomers |
| Are passionate |
| Are victorious |
| COMMITTED to serving the Lord |
| DOING IT! |
| Emphasis on using spiritual gifts |
| Everybody wants to do rubbish collection |
| Everyone is important especially children |
| Excited to learn more of God |
| Family church |
| Good teaching |
| Great fellowship |
| Great Word |
| Growth in the Lord and Leadership believing in sharing Jesus’ Good news with the community. |
| He allowed me to live for His purpose |
| I get encouraged |
| I know my Pastor very well |
| I like the way we run the church in different ministries in different ways |
| I love family members attending too |
| I love it – it’s the place to be on Sunday |
| I LOVE MY CHURCH because I enjoy worshipping with people that love the same God that I care passionately and devoted my life to. |
| I received the Lord in my life in this church |
| I wake up excited for church, to go to church |
| INSPIRING |
| It changed my life and my family |
| It feeds my spiritual needs through the preaching of the word, etc. |
| It gives me opportunities to be in ministry to others and to the lost souls |
| It gives me opportunities to be part of a team training ground. |
| It grows my spiritual life |
| It has a Vision for the lost |
| It has great leadership |
| It is a family that I belong to |
| It stretches me |
| It supports youth |
| It’s a moving church |
| It’s a positive environment |
| It’s community focused |
| It’s filled with people hunger for the Lord |
| It’s full of imperfect people like me |
| It’s new every Sunday |
| It’s real |
| Its current for today |
| Jesus is the Head of the church. |
| Leaders are driven and motivated to serve God in ways that are always creative and unique. |
| Leaders are trained probably |
| Life – God gives us life and this is life – |
| Life changing |
| Lifegroup facilitates growth |
| Love my Pastor – the way he preaches the word of God and the Vision God has put in his heart. |
| Love the people, adults, Lifekids and the children, pastors, youth, leaders |
| Love to give cheerfully |
| Love to serve the Lord by serving the community |
| Loves me |
| Morning tea |
| My church accepts me for who I am |
| Not programmed |
| Of the great leaders we have that push comfort zones |
| Of the people |
| Of the Vision |
| Of the youth |
| Our decisions are based on the Bible |
| PASSIONATE |
| Pastors are real people |
| People – they matter to God, they are a problem and without God in life, people go to hell. |
| People give a lot – “too much” for some! |
| People love each other |
| People love God |
| Preaching of the word – Perfect |
| Put up with all sorts of people |
| Reach out and love to go the extra mile |
| Remember my name and helps me heaps spiritually (101) |
| Serve God |
| Serve the community |
| Support each other |
| The church that it’s people are connected to fulfill and serve God’s purpose, and are dream builders. |
| The constant and regular discussion of the word means that we who desire to live authentic lives are empowered and equipped to live ‘dangerously’ for God. |
| The heart of the church is His word |
| The opportunity to serve His children, |
| The people are friendly and real |
| The youth are on fire and the children are just as passionate. |
| There is unity in our church |
| They have morning tea every Sunday morning |
| They have old people and adults who shake hands with me and say Hi! to me |
| They keep knocking |
| They like me to work together with other leaders in the church |
| They listen to my needs and help out |
| They look after my kids |
| They love God |
| They love God, love people, love life |
| They love imperfect people |
| They love me |
| They love people because they love God |
| They love the Lord, |
| They love to serve the Manurewa community |
| They make breakfast |
| They make room for me to grow spiritually in Christ |
| They put love into action by reaching out into the community, lost souls and always striving towards The Vision God has for our church |
| They SMILE |
| They trust me to drive the LifeChurch truck |
| They trust me to teach their kids |
| They value people |
| They work together |
| Try new things |
| TRY their best |
| Try to do their best |
| Walk the talk – talk the walk – walk the walk – serving God – Talk the talk – Faith into action |
| Warm fellowship |
| We are a action faith in church |
| We are a church on fire for God – stretches me spiritually and emotionally. |
| We believe in the vision |
| We can wear what is comfortable |
| We care about every generations especially the young people |
| We have a Vision |
| We have a Vision |
| We have FUN |
| We have fun together |
| We have strong leadership |
| We love God with a passion and with real action |
| We love the Lord and love people |
| We love to worship |
| We reach out to those who need us in the community |
| We serve |
| We strive to reach the unreachable |
| We support one another |
| We try to do our best |
| We try to do the undoable |
| We work in harmony and unison |
| We worship |
| We worship Him however we want to – singing, praying, etc. |
| We’re crazy about the Lord |
| We’re not perfect and we love all of God |
| Women are involved in the church |
| Work together |
| Worship is awesome |
On of our Values as a church here at LifeChurch is ‘Relevance’. I know that’s a dirty word to some, especially those who think that in order to be relevant you need to compromise. I don’t think so! My desire is to teach/ preach the word of God without compromise. We just need to be able to relate to people’s situation, and environment. It is vital that we the church seek to communicate truth in ways that they will be able to listen, hear and understand. We need to be Relevant not Religious.
Over the next 6 months we will be teaching/ preaching on some issues we believe are relevant not only to our congregation but also to our community here in Manurewa and South Auckland.
Here are some of the themes. We are yet to finalise the Series titles.
1. The Supernatural: Angels, demons, evil, spirit world, horoscope, miraculous etc….
2. Sex: Opposite Sex, Pornography, Relationships,
3. God: Who, where, when, how etc….
4: Death: Abortions, stillborn, life after death..etc…..
I asked the church the other day during church to txt me their questions. and issues they need answers to. Over the next 6 months we will bring answers from the Word of God to those questions and issues!
I think that’s being relevant!
Lastly, on a Vision Statement #8 we say:
“We see a Church a with a clear and bold biblical message that changes lives. A message that is relevant to every situation of our lives. A message that brings restoration and healings in every relationship”.
Our Goal is Changed Lives!!
I am a leader.
God wired me that way and personally I don’t like management. But just because I don’t like management it does not mean that I shouldn’t be doing it. Its like taking out rubbish.
Just because you don’t like taking out the rubbish on the collection morning it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do it.
Like or not we still need to manage. Church management is not the most exciting part of ministry. I think most people prefer to preach, teach, lead, pray for people and so on, …….. for me I don’t like meetings and minutes, I don’t like budget and forcasts, I don’t like boards and governance. The truth is we still need to do the budget and plan and take out the rubbish ruglarly.
Leadership creates movement. Management sustains movement and make things happen. I admire the patience of managers.
A well managed home brings joy to the family and visitors at the same time, while the parents provide leadership and direction.
A well managed business results in profit while its owner is still looking for new opportunities to trade.
Church should be managed and lead at the same time. Ministry and management go together under under great leadership.
Leaders focus on vision, mission and strategies while managers are working together to make sure goals are achieved, objectives are met, and mission accomplished.
I have been writing a regular column on Samoa Times Newspaper for the last six years. The last two years I have been teaching on the Book of Revelation. I am now on Chapter 21.
After all the doom and gloom stuff, deception, wars, rebellion, killing people and so on……Chapter 21 starts with “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth……..” then it talks about the new heaven and God wiping every tear…no more pain…. And so on…all encouraging stuff….. Until I came to verse 8. It talks about the people that will die a second death ( a less gory way of saying ‘thrown in the lake of fire where there is gnashing of teeth and will be tormented forever and ever…)
Anyway the disturbing thing for me is the fact that the list of the type of people that will die a second death, starts with the Cowards.
I can understand the unbelieving, the murderers, the sexual perverts, the sorcerers, liars….and all those people going to hell. But why Cowards???
The fact is this God hates cowardness. (my spellchecker says it incorrect spelling, …no such word……try cowardice..,I like the sound of cowardness better).
I have been thinking about where we are as Christians in this hour.
As followers of Christ are we living an adventurers, dangerous, fearless, no shame, no holding back, hell shaking, devil mouth kicking, soul rescuing type lives. Are we part of a church that is bold enough, brave enough, crazy enough to do whatever it takes to reach people with the love of Jesus Christ and transform community, (by shifting cultures and breaking traditions, even changing the order of the service in order to connect with people, ).
or are we a tired, irrelevant, ineffective, toothless, boring, stuck and stuck up, cowardness, religious heavenly minded with no earthly good type church.
If cowardness is listed together in the same level as liars, sexual immorals, idolaters etc…. then here this:
COWARDNESS is SIN.
Here’s my ‘hell fire and brimstone’ message for today.
REPENT!!!
This Weekend we kick off a new series called ‘One Prayer’. We will be looking at the attributes of God. Basicly getting to know God more, who he is!! Did you know that 1665 other churches around the world will be doing the same series at the same time?? That is incredible!! Its the Kingdom of God!
LifeChurch Folks this Sunday is also ‘Bring a Friend Sunday’. There’s plenty of seats in the theatre and I am sure your friemds and families will appreciate your invitation to join us this weekend. We have been praying for you and your friends, our Intercessory prayer team have been praying for your friends.
Give them an opportunity to hear about God and why you are so passionate about him.
This weekend also we will be hearing from Tai Simati. You don’t wanna miss her story!! For those who don’t know Tai,… She is a young teenage mother who lost her only child in a house fire Jan 2009. Since then Tai has made a journey toward God ………………………You need to hear it for yourself!!! Powerful stuff!!
We will also be hearing from the SWITCH Leadership Boot Camp Recruits!!
I also have a big announcement to make this Sunday about whats coming up!!!
So make those connections now!!! I look forward to seeing you this weekend!
2 Cor. 5:20. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, …….”
I have been meditating on this verse for a while now. ‘Ambassador for Christ’
We are called to be representatives of Jesus Christ
Let’s ask ourselves today “How WELL are we doing?
How WELL are we representing Christ?
Do we say what’s in his heart? Do we speak for ourselves and try to argue our own opinion or do we say and speak the truth of God’s Word .
Are we doing what he did and wanting us to do? As good ambassadors do we report back to him and check with him to make sure that we are on the same page with God or we do what we think is best to gain popularity and please people.
Is our agenda different from that of Christ’s
How about the way we conduct ourselves both privately and publicly. Have you checked lately how Jesus conducted himself, even when things turned ugly for him. He maintained godly composure. He even asked God to ‘forgive them for they do not know what they do….’
Remember as ambassadors for Christ ‘We are sent to Represent”
Do WELL today!!
Rachael Laufiso is discussing. 
Rachael Laufiso 7:49 am on July 18, 2009 Permalink |
its comfortable and welcoming.. awesome bunch of people