ForwardMotion

Plans . . .

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 12:41:00 +0000

Really liked and could connect with what John Ortberg had to say below . . . Believe what you read below and then live like you believe it! Life has a lot of yield signs and red lights, but if we're traveling with Jesus there are no dead ends!!

A Better Plan from a Better Planner

By John Ortberg

It’s almost Thanksgiving, with Christmas right behind. Often on the holidays we become aware that life does not go the way we plan. We think to ourselves:

I was supposed to be married by now.

I was supposed to be promoted by now.

I was supposed to have retired, or to have children, or to have achieved this dream-

Or, I wasn’t supposed to go bankrupt. I wasn’t supposed to lose my job, or get divorced, or get cancer.

What do you do when life doesn’t turn out the way you planned?

One of the great statements of the Bible reads: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD. Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope, and a future.’

Jeremiah 29:11

We all have plans. But God does not say: “I know the plans YOU have for you…”

In the Bible, God is always interrupting somebody’s plan.

Adam didn’t plan on getting created.

Noah didn’t plan on building an ark.

Abraham didn’t plan on becoming the father of a new nation in his 90’s.

Esther didn’t plan on stopping genocide.

Moses didn’t plan on defying Pharaoh.

Mary didn’t plan on getting pregnant.

Not a single story in the Bible begins: “Then someone had a great plan…”

But God has a plan.

Better than our plan.

So even if we have many disappointments, we have something else, something to be grateful for. We are part of somebody else's plan; a better plan, from a Better Planner. His plan is better than we could invent ourselves in a million years.

Gratitude is one of the best parts of the plan.

Blog Break

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:41:00 +0000

Yes, for some obvious reasons, I've been taking a little blog break. My family is doing great and we're spending a few thankful days with the girls :)

I do plan on continuing this blog journey . . . a little at a time . . .

One way I'm staying 'in the game' right now is by continuing to send my sporadic texts of encouragement and challenge. If you're not getting those and want to then text me at 361.877.6461 and just say 'I'm In.'

Blessings on your family and your Thanksgiving!!

A Road Being Traveled . . .

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:19:00 +0000

The end of one journey is really just the beginning of another.

This past Sunday was difficult. Very. When one journey ends, it's always difficult. Especially when you have been doing something you love for 11 1/2 years and have been loved so much while doing it. It was very difficult to stand up on Sunday morning - after being up there nearly 600 times - and tell you that I was no longer going to be the Pastor of Oso Creek.

Our family has been so very blessed during our years at Oso Creek . . . our kids have grown up in an incredible community . . . we have been loved and encouraged.

And yet . . . it's time. Several weeks ago now, I sensed God whispering that it was time. One season was ending and another beginning.

"For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace."

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

I wish I could say that I fully understood it all right now. But I don't.

But I feel confident that it's time for another exciting season of the journey for Oso Creek. One like Oso Creek has never known before.

And time for another adventure for Cindy, Luke and I.

I cannot explain the mystery of God. I can only seek to follow Him as I best know how.
And in that posture we are all going to experience Him in the journey as we never have before!

The Feast and the Fast

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:19:00 +0000

Recently a friend sent me the book excerpt below that was written by Jen Hatmaker. Jen is a friend, an author and a speaker whom God speaks through powerfully.

Below is an excerpt from her next Book Seven which is not even out yet. If you want to know more check out Jen's website: www.jenhatmaker.com

And if you want to be challenged in following Jesus, keep reading about Feasting and Fasting . . . .

Day 25

I am a word girl. I’m English/Language Arts/creative writing/history. I am fully right-brained; the left half is just a dormant holding cell for the Pythagorean theorem and some business about isotopes I forgot twenty years ago, approximately three seconds after I learned it. I correct misspelled words when I text. When there is a grammatical error on the power point during worship, I have to close my eyes so I won’t be derailed by this language failure. If I lost access to a thesaurus, I would undoubtedly quit writing.

Consequently, it is words that move me. God and I do our best business in the Bible, and the power of story has changed my life. One well-crafted sentence can sustain me for weeks. Like this one we sang for the first time Sunday at ANC:

“God, may we be focused on the least; a people balancing the fasting and the feast.”

I almost came undone.

That single statement sums up all my tension, all my hopes for the American Christ-follower, the American church, the American me. With good intentions but misguided theology, the church spends most of our time and energy and resources and prayer words and programs and sermons and conferences and Bible studies and attention on the feast, our feast to be exact.

Now certainly, there is a feast in the economy of Jesus, and thank you God for it. Where brokenness and starvation once consumed us, God redeems our bankruptcy and sets us at a new table:

“Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” (Psalm 36: 5-9)

This is the feast of the redeemed; Jesus made it possible for the wretched to dine at the same table with the Most High, neither offending his holiness nor compromising his justice. When he looks at those adopted into the family by grace and faith, he no longer sees an ounce of our failures or omissions; he only sees the righteousness that Jesus covered us with. We stand safely in the shadow of Christ, made absolutely white-as-snow-perfect because of his substitution on the cross.

The currency of salvation includes blessings, redemption, fulfillment, peace, healing, sustenance, forgiveness, and hope. It’s a spiritual jackpot. For those of us salvaged from the gutter by Jesus, these are new mercies every morning. We are easily overwhelmed by the goodness of God, which evidently knows no bounds. The gospel is so beautiful and liberating, it is worthy of adoration every single second of every single hour of every single day forever. We will never be the same. This is indeed the feast, and to celebrate it is utterly Christian.

But the feast has a partner in the rhythm of the gospel: the fast.

Its practice is unmistakable in Scripture. Hundreds of times we see the reduction, the pouring out, the abstinence, the restraint. We find our heroes of the Bible fasting from food – David, Esther, Nehemiah, Jesus. We read about the Philippian church fasting from self-preservation, sending Paul money to sustain his mission in spite of their own poverty, a true sacrifice. John the Baptist tells us that if we have two coats, one of them belongs to the poor. We watch the early church sell all their possessions and live communally, caring for one another and the broken people in their cities. We see God explain his idea of a fast: justice, freedom, food for the hungry, clothes for the naked. This balance is a given in Scripture.

If we ignored the current framework of the church we see and instead just opened up the Bible for a new definition, we see the faith community adopt the fast mere moments after discovering the feast. What we don’t see is a church who hoards the feast for themselves, gorging, getting fatter and fatter and asking for still more; more Bible studies, more sermons, more programs, more classes, more training, more conferences, more information, more feasting for us.

I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point, the church stopped living the Bible and decided to just study it, culling the feast parts and whitewashing the fast parts. We are addicted to the buffet, skillfully discarding the radical simplicity and generosity and costly discipleship required after consuming. The feast is supposed to sustain the fast, but we go back for seconds and thirds and fourths, stuffed to the brim and fat with inactivity. All this is for me. All this is for me. My goodness, my blessings, my privileges, my happiness, my success. Just one more plate.

Not so with the early church who stunned their Roman neighbors and leaders with their generosity, constantly curbing their own appetites for the sake of the mission of Jesus. There was no end of their self-denial in order to alleviate human misery. In the Shepard of Hermas, a well-respected Christian literary work written in the early 100s, believers were instructed to fast one day a week:

“Having fulfilled what is written, in the day on which you fast you will taste nothing but bread and water; and having reckoned up the price of the dishes of that day which you intended to have eaten, you will give it to a widow, or an orphan, or to some person in want, and thus you will exhibit humility of mind, so that he who has received benefit from your humility may fill his own soul, and pray for you to the Lord.”

In the early 200s, Tertullian reports that Christians had a voluntary common fund they contributed to monthly. That fund was then used to support widows, the disabled, orphans, the sick, the elderly, shipwrecked sailors, prisoners, teachers, burials for the poor, and even for the release of slaves. [i]

The difference between Romans and Christians on the practice of charity was widely recognized by unbelievers of the time. The pagan satirist Lucian (130-200 c.e.) mocked Christians for their kindness: “The earnestness with which the people of this religion help one another in their needs is incredible. They spare themselves nothing for this end. Their first lawgiver put it into their heads that they were all brethren.”

These Christians did not limit their assistance to members of their own subculture either. The Emperor Julian, who attempted to lead the Roman Empire back to paganism, was frustrated by the superior compassion shown by the Christians, especially when it came to intervention for the suffering. He famously declared: “The impious Galileans relieve both their own poor and ours…It is shameful that ours should be so destitute of our assistance.”[ii]

I wonder what the early church would think if they walked into some of our buildings today, if they looked through our church websites, if they talked to the average attender? Would they be so confused? Would they wonder why we all had empty spare bedrooms and piles of uneaten food in our trash cans? Would they look upon our hoarded wealth with shock? Would they see the number of orphans in the world and wonder why we haven’t swiftly eradicated that crisis already? Would they be stunned to discover most of us don’t feed the hungry, visit the prisoner, care for the sick, or protect the widow? Would they look at the money we spend on our church buildings and on ourselves and grieve at the extravagant waste while 25,000 people die every day from starvation?

I think they’d barely recognize us as brothers and sisters. If we told them that church is on Sundays and we have an awesome band, this would be horribly perplexing. If we explained how we’re “church shopping” because enough people don’t say hello to us when we walk in the lobby one hour a week, I believe we’d receive dumbfounded stares. If they found out that one-sixth of the entire population on earth claimed to be Christians, I’m not sure they could reconcile the scope of suffering happening on our watch while we’re living in excess. They’d certainly wonder if we had ever read the Bible, or worry it had been tampered with since their time.

But listen Early Church, we put on a monthly event called Mocha Chicks. We have choir practice every Wednesday. We organize retreats and give each other pedicures. We’re raising three million dollars for an outdoor amphitheater. We have catchy t-shirts. We don’t smoke or say the F-word. We go to Bible study every semester. (“And then what, American Church?”) Well, we go to another one the next semester. We’re learning so much. We love Beth Moore.

I think the early church would put on sackcloth, cover their heads with ashes, and grieve and wail over the destruction of Jesus’ beautiful church vision. We’ve taken his Plan A for justice and love to an injured lost planet and neutered it down to clever sermon series and monthly Stitch-and-Chat sessions in the Fellowship Hall, serving the saved and blessing blessed people. If the modern church held to its biblical definition, we would become the answer to all that ails society. We would no longer have to baby-talk and cajole and coax people into our sanctuaries through witty mailers and strategic ads; they’d be running to us. The local church would be the heartbeat of the city, undeniable by even our staunchest critics.

Instead, the American church is dying. We are losing ground in epic proportions. Our country is a graveyard of dead and vanishing churches. We made it acceptable for people to do nothing and still call themselves Christians, and that anemic vision isn’t holding. Last year, 94% of evangelical churches reported loss or no growth in their communities. Almost 4000 churches are closing each year. The American church is losing almost three million people annually, flooding out the back door and never returning. The next generation is downright refusing to come.

Ironically, this is the result of a church that only feasts.

When the fast, the death, the sacrifice of the gospel is omitted from the Christian life, then it isn’t Christian at all. Not only that, it’s boring. If I just want to feel good or get some self-help, I’ll buy a $12 book from Borders and join a gym. The church the Bible described is exciting and adventurous and wrought with sacrifice. It cost believers everything, and they still came. It was good news to the poor and stumped its enemies. The church was patterned after a Savior who didn’t even have a place to lay his head and voluntarily died a brutal death, even knowing one day we would reduce the gospel to a self-serving personal improvement program where people were encouraged to make a truce with their Maker and stop sinning and join the church, when in fact the gospel does not call for a truce but a complete surrender.

Jesus said the kingdom was like a treasure hidden in a field, and once someone truly finds it, he will joyfully sell everything he owns to possess that field; a perfect description of the fasting and the feast. It is supposed to cost us everything, but it is a treasure and an unfathomable joy. This is the balance of the kingdom; to live we must die, to be lifted we must bow, to gain we must lose. There is no alternative definition, no path of least resistance, no treasure in the field without the sacrifice of everything else.

Oh Lord, may we be focused on the least; a people balancing the fasting and the feast.

[i]http://www.christiancadre.org/member_contrib/cp_charity.html
[ii] Epistles of Julian, 49

Peggy's Shawls

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 02:26:00 +0000

Check out this article in the Caller Times about First Friday and how Peggy Moore's shawls -- and her faith in Jesus -- are being spread to ladies all over South Texas!

Thanks Clarence for continuing to share her love and build the legacy that God blessed us with!

Caller Times Article with Peggy

To Save A Life

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:46:00 +0000

Cindy & I watched a great movie last weekend . . .

To Save A Life is a movie with a spiritual purpose that confronts about a dozen issues that teens and families are facing in real life.

It starts a little slow and there's a couple of awkward places that made me feel like I was watching a cheesy Christian flick, but that was like 4% of the movie.

The other 96% forces you to think about real life. And what I really like, is that it makes you think about how the rest of the world sees the church. How awkward we look when we try to hard to be 'spiritual' and aren't real. Worth the watch just for that.

You probably need to watch it first and decide for yourself about your pre-teens watching it as it tackles real issues without flinching.

But I encourage you to go get it at Red Box and watch and listen . . .

Boys vs. Texans PRE-GAME

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:17:00 +0000

Yep, we're not having any sort of Sunday Funday anymore, it's Pre-Game.

Time to get nourished and focused for the afternoon.

Boys and the Texan at Noon. No worries. Immediately following worship on Sunday we'll have food & pregame discussion.

You can be done by 11:45. Be in your chair by kickoff.

Pre-Game is only $5 a person - $20 max a family (& guests are always free).

If you don't give a rip about the game then hangout with us longer at the building.

See you Sunday!

Empowered Disciples

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:25:00 +0000

Are you asking yourself and God these questions this week:

1) What makes me come alive? (Or, What am I doing when I feel God's pleasure?)

2) What do I do that blesses and encourages other people?

If you're not sure what I'm talking about then click here and listen to Sunday's message about the Oso Creek value of Empowered Disciples.

The bigger question I talked about Sunday and the bigger question for you is . . . 'Is my purpose for living big enough to prepare me for dying?'

Radical

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:06:00 +0000

I told you a few weeks ago that I was going to tell you about a couple of my favorite books of the Summer . . . I told you about Untamed . . . and then I disappeared!

Ok, here's the second: Radical by David Platt.

Fair Warning! He says stuff like this:

* "We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist Him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. A nice, middle-class, American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn't mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. . . . A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts, because, after all, He loves us just the way we are . . ."

* "Based on what we have heard from Jesus in the Gospels, we would have to agree that the cost of discipleship is great. But I wonder if the cost of nondiscipleship is even greater."

* "In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts His people in situations where they come face to face with their need for Him."

* "The goal of the gospel is to make much of God."

* "The key word here again is sacrifice. The challenge is not just ot give away excess stuff that you really don't need anyway. That's not sacrifice. Sacrifice is giving away what it hurts to give. Sacrifice is not giving according to your ability; it's giving beyond your ability."

That's probably enough fair sampling. Platt's book is definitely not for you if you desire to stay entrenched in American consumeristic, easy-believism Christianity.
But I'll warn you that I think that is a dying tribe.

If you want to be stretched to follow Jesus in new ways - and I hope you do - then I would encourage you to get it and get it for a friend.
Both of you read and discuss it (it won't be a quiet conversation :)

Then let God do something with it.

Progress!

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:20:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who gave a few hours tonight to help transform the inside of our building!

Check out the progress that was made . . . .

Click below to sign up to come & be a part of painting later this week . . . or working on the floor next week . . . .

Sign Up Here

Who Believes?

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:30:00 +0000

It amazes me how much of life comes down to this one question: Do we really believe it?

Men & women will die by the thousands in battle if they believe in the cause and their country. (Just think about that for a minute.)

People will give their lives - 50, 60, 70 hours a week for 40 years - to their jobs if they believe that their careers or more money will better their existence.

People will sacrifice $80 a ticket and 10 hours a week to follow their favorite team because they believe it adds meaning to their lives.

Some people will go to prison because they really believe that aborting babies or trafficking human beings is wrong.

Many parents will spend unlimited dollars and time on their children's teams and training and private lessons because they believe that they will be the next Chopin, or Mariah Carey or Albert Pujols.

It always begs the question for me: What do we really believe about Jesus?

I mean, really.

God has been convicting me that if I really believe that no one can live a life of fullness without Him, then why would I ever hesitate in telling someone how they need Him. (Or, maybe worse, apologetically tell them.)

If I really believe that He is our only hope to spend eternity with God, it's unthinkable not to show people around me His love & verbally give them the opportunity to follow Him. Right? Am I missing something?

I'm not writing this to get a reaction or heap guilt. But just to make us think . . . and live.

Bottom line, we can say we believe whatever we want. The truth is that ultimately we live what we really believe.

Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 18:17:00 +0000

"A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great." (Prov 18:16)

We are giving a gift of our creativity and excellence to our friends and neighbors who don't know our God - and we want you to join in!

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to be making some aesthetic changes to our building and on our property - paint, flooring, signage, decorations. Changes designed to give a fresh, exciting look that will energize us, and speak of our God's excitement and passion to those who come!

At my house we have a saying that: Sometimes you help just because help is needed!
This is one of those times and there has been an awesome web page set up where you can volunteer to help the next couple of weeks!

Just click here: Sign Up Page and jump on for a night or two!

Let's give gifts with returns for eternity!

Missing Teenager

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 14:02:00 +0000

This is Lizzie Nogle. She is a Freshman at King High School. Her family just recently moved here from California and they visited Oso Creek a couple of weeks ago.

They have not seen her or heard from her since yesterday (Friday) morning. King HS did verify that she was at school all day Friday.

Please pray for Lizzie and her parents - Curt & Patty.

Pray for God to return Lizzie safely. Pray for God to bless and be near this family.

From Assistant to Champion

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 11:41:00 +0000

On Sunday I introduced Kacey May who is taking over for Jenny McDermott in leading the Oso Creek Admin charge!

Jenny has been our Administrative Assistant for about 3 years and done an incredible job! She has moved the ball far down the field. . .

Kacey is going to continue to run with the ball in an excellent way! She will continue to be the primary Oso Creek contact. But one change is instead of her title being Administrative Assistant, we are calling her Administrative Champion.

That's because what we want to communicate that Kacey's job isn't just to 'do' all the admin duties, but to also engage others and lead them in serving! To empower others to use their gifts & skills for the Kingdom.

This will be Kasey's email: creekadmin@gmail.com
Give her a high-5 as we welcome her to the team!

10.10.10

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:52:00 +0000

Coming on 10.10.10 a fresh opportunity to invite your friends to 'Taste & see that the Lord is good.'

Be praying and watching for who around you needs to experience that God is good.

The Pursuit in Colorado

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:13:00 +0000

Would you pray with me for my friend Alan Reed and the launching of The Pursuit Church in Fort Collins, Colorado this weekend.

Creekers should remember Alan as he filled in for me one Sunday about a year ago.

Check out the Grand Opening announcement here

Pray for God's blessing on their launch . . . that they will come alive in Jesus . . . and that they will be building relationships with many people in Fort Collins who need to be connected to God!

Are You Paying Attention?

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:40:00 +0000

"Think on things above and not things below."

On Sunday I talked about a second 'Value' of Oso Creek . . . Transformation!

We believe that every person has a God-Agenda on this planet and want to see their lives changed so that they come more and more ALIVE . . . . and change the world!

God is the Potter and we are the clay in the Transformation process. He molds & shapes. We Surrender.

And the part of Surrender that I talked about Sunday is what we Pay Attention To. Do we set our minds on things that will allow us to hear God? Or, are we continually distracted by the noise all around us? It's your choice. It's my choice.

We all need to discover what helps us to more fully Pay Attention to God. I would love to be a part of helping everyone I can pay attention. One of the things that I do on a 'spontaneous' basis is send texts to our leaders encouraging them with Scripture or reminding them of something God has been telling us, etc.

I want to invite you to get those texts just as an occasional 'pay attention' reminder.

If you want to be on the list just text me at 877.6461 and say 'I'm in.'

Now: What's going on above?

Show Time

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:58:00 +0000

A few pics from Laura's first college soccer game on Tuesday in Dallas . . .

She plays for John Brown Univ & they tied Northwood College 4-4 . . .

She's #12 in blue . . .

I'm the one in the glasses :)

Good News in a Distant Land

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:28:00 +0000

"Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land." (Prov 25:25)

Wanted to show you a couple of pics of the good news in a distant land that many of you were a part of last week. It will be refreshment - and warmth - for years to come.

The first pic shows some of our team, some of the students, and some of the blankets and mats that you purchased for the students at Ban Ho.

In the second pic is one of the GVI leaders, Tan, who has led us on each trip.

And then below is a story from Stacey Gaines (which she gave me permission to share), who participated in giving for the students. An awesome story about our awesome God . . . And how we're blessed when we listen to the whispers of His Spirit . . .

Hi Pastor John,
Just wanted to let you know (again!) how perfectly God provides for His children! Last week as I read your blog about the need in Ban Ho for beds, I immediately sensed in my spirit that we were to give $100. Almost instantly, my flesh chimed in wondering how we could afford to answer this need. My husband was laid off last month, and while God has provided for every need, finances are tight and I honestly didn’t know where the $100 would come from. But I knew God was asking us to help meet this need and was obedient to his calling. The next day, I was scheduled to facilitate a session with our new faculty. I had agreed to do the session as a simple service and wasn’t expecting any compensation. When I arrived that day, the person in charge of the orientation session told me that I was being paid $200 for the session! Not only did God provide for the need He had created, but provided abundantly. I am reminded of the passage in Luke where Jesus talks of giving...”Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap!” (Luke 6:38). I am incredibly thankful to have a Father who challenges me to obey Him when it makes no sense...to love Him...to trust Him.

I hope this encourages you!!

Jesus Changing Lives That Change the World

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:58:00 +0000

On Sunday I shared this battle cry for the next season of Oso Creek . . . (And if you weren't there Sunday I encourage you to go here and listen to the message)

Jesus Changing Lives
That Change the World

Some people call it a mission statement or purpose statement or whatever - but we want to be clear and unified as to what we are about!

We're about people's lives being transformed! We're about people moving from the old to the new, from death to life.

Like I said in a post last week, 'Jesus didn't come to make bad men good, but to make dead men alive!'

November Trip?

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:03:00 +0000

There is one more opportunity this year (2010) to go to Ban Ho, Vietnam and serve these beautiful people for the Kingdom.

The possibility is the first week of November and the deadline is closing quickly. I would need to know of your interest THIS week.

Let me know asap.

Widows & Orphans . . .

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:46:00 +0000

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." (James 1:27)

My friend Tray Pruet (Who did an awesome job speaking at Oso Creek last Sunday!) let me know about a situation with a young lady who wants to give her baby up for adoption.

I want you to see the email exchange below so that you can see:

1) Tray's heart and what they are really doing at ANC
2) A real need that someone may want to fill
3) The power of loving one person, one person at a time and the difference it can make!

I've intentionally left off the personal info about the 'Young Lady' below, but if you want more info about this young lady and this baby email Tray here: tray@austinnewchurch.com

From: Tray Pruet
To: [Young Lady]
Subject: Your Baby

Hi there [Young Lady],

I was sent an email from someone in our church that got a brief history of your story. I know there is no way to understand all of it in a brief email. But I want you to know that our church has been overwhelmed with amazing stories of adoption...and many families in our church are pursuing adoption as we speak.

I understand that you are planning to terminate today and I would ask that you reconsider.

If you will let us....we will walk along side you to find someone in our church or another to adopt your baby.

Please call me as soon as you get this. Number below.

Tray Pruet | Austin New Church

[Email back to Tray]

Tray-

Well, my appointment was scheduled for 7 am today. After spending
some time with my 5 year old son, Evan; I realized that if I had
terminated that pregnancy 6 years ago, I would never have known love
like I know it now.

While I laid in bed, mentally and emotionally shutting down, numbing
myself for the coming morning's activity, a dear friend of mine came
to check on me. We talked at length and I decided I couldn't go
through with it. I just couldn't. There was something inside of me
telling me that if I did this, I wouldn't be right for a while. My
heart just broke. I called the child's father and told him that I
couldn't do it. He was upset because he wanted a quick fix. He
doesn't want to be involved. He just wants it to 'go away'.

I am open to adoption. I am only about 8 weeks along and I am in
great health. I don't drink or do any drugs. I exercise regularly,
and my current mode of transportation is my mountain bike :) I am
trying hard to find a job and might actually have one next..let's hope
so. I am going back to school in the Spring (January) at ACC,
Physical Therapist Assistant. I am college-educated with a AAS in
Medical Office Managament. I graduated from college with a 3.9 GPA.
I was an honor student in high school and served in The U.S.M.C. for 7
years, until I was pregnant with Evan. I was born and raised in the
country and I have one sister. I have never had any serious health
problems, but my mom is obese and has developed some health problems
due to her obesity. My dad died when I was 15, he drank alot, but was
otherwise very healthy. I like to think I am pretty intelligent. My
son, Evan was reading by the time he was 4 years old and reads on
about a 3rd grade level. He has Asperger's Syndrome. I don't know
much about this baby's father's medical or family history, but his mom
did die of cancer about a year ago. So, he is now an organic health
nut :)

I do believe that everything happens for a reason and that God has a
plan for everyone. This child I am carrying may not be for me, but an
answer to someone else's prayers. I am more than happy to carry this
child to term and present it to a loving family. I will most likely
be on government assistance, so no one (except all of us tax payers)
will have to pay for anything. I am also willing to pump the colostrum
after the baby is born, so that he/she will get the antibodies they
need. I know this is no accident. . . . . .

[Young Lady]

Help End Local Poverty . . .

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:41:00 +0000

A few weeks ago we were blessed on Sunday morning by Chris Marlow whose mission is Help End Local Poverty . . .

As Chris presses ahead in keeping the Gospel and Justice forged together, I thought that some of you might want to stay connected with what is going on so that you can pray for him . . . and maybe God is whispering to some of you join the mission in more tangible ways . . .

Here is is Chris' latest blog . . . Chris Marlow's Blog

From Vietnam Team

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:21:00 +0000

Just got email from Greg as they head home that he asked me to share with you . . .

Oso Creek!

Don't have much time before we are leaving - but have to say THANK YOU AND Praise Him! It is with mixed emtions that we prepare for the overseas portion of our travels home because we are finding this leg of our journey to be the hardest; the goodbyes.

Our goodbyes began yesterday in the village of Ban Ho and our final goodbyes will be in just a few moments when we leave for the airport and leave behind our GVI friends. We have met so many amazing people in our journey, from Hanoi to Ban Ho & back again, we have encountered many wonderful and special people.

As we travel to our final stop at our HOME (big H up above), we are confident we will see some of them again and we encourage you all to join us as we focus our thoughts on those we may not see again. Your gifts to the children were so much more than beds, blankets and mats, they were individual expressions of love that will we hope will allow the children to feel more and more at HOME (big H!).

We cannot wait to share so many of our relational stories! Please continue your awesome prayer support for out last leg!

From your humbled Vietnam team

Need in Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (John Bradshaw) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:27:00 +0000

Below is an email I received today from Ed Jump the head of the CC Baptist Association. Just felt like I needed to pass it on.

If there is a whispering of the Spirit in your life about this then contact Raul Elizondo (raul4christ@msn.com) . . . and also 'comment' at the bottom of this post so that you can connect with others who God is whispering to . . .

Brother Ed,
Alejandro Cortinas is the pastor of the church we assisted in building homes during our summer mission trip in Matamoros, Mexico with RHBC and ABC churches. He has contacted me about a church pastored by his brother, Gilberto Cortinas. Giberto's church lost their roof during Hurricane Alex. They would like to build a new roof, but a solid one not one from metal sheets, the cost is approximately $4,000.00. I verified the damage and the cost with Dwight Hendricks, our contact in Brownsville. Gilberto sent pictures of the damage made to the church as well as some of the surrounding houses. Could you please send out this information to our sister churches. The church is 2 hours south of Matamoros. If anyone feels the Lord would like them to help, they can call me and I can provide them with contact information.

Community affected by hurricane Alex:

Ejido Santa Isabel

Municipio Soto La Marina

Ejido Santa Isabel is at few hours south from Matamoros near Ciudad Victoria Tamaulipas. This is a ranch that has approx. 50 homes that live in very poor conditions and that has never had electricity, sewer system or phone lines. All they had was their homes and descent/low income jobs to support their families.

Church affected in the above mentioned community:

Iglesia Bautista Pescadores de Hombres

Pastor Gilberto Cortina

Intermediary - Pastor Alejandro Cortinas (Cell # 011 521 86 81 35 80 73)

Pastor Gilberto has no way of communication from Ejido Santa Isabel. Therefore, he has asked his brother, Pastor Alejandro Cortina from Matamoros, to assist him in getting the help they need. Pastor Alejandro will be using Moises’, his brother, email to communicate and ask for support in the reconstruction of the church in Ejido Santa Isabel. Pastor Alejandro will be sending us more pictures of the affected area via Moises’ email.

Thanks,
Raul Elizondo