The Journey Now Updates – Church in Johnson City, Gray, Kingsport, TN
Grace! Because of Jesus’ Life, Death, Resurrection. Johnson City, Gray, Boones Creek, Colonial Heights, TN, 37615Archive for johnson city
Servant Evangelism Explained
Get Ready for the GREAT SUNSCREEN GIVE-AWAY. June 21st, 10:10 a.m. from The Journey.
Background on Servant Evangelism –Compiled by Wade Byington
To get a complete understanding of Servant Evangelism, you should order and read Conspiracy of Kindness by Steve Sjogren, founding pastor of a church that grew from a handful to an average attendance of 7,500 in just fifteen years. Such things happen now and then. What makes this story unusual is that this happened in Cincinnati, Ohio — a city that has long been known for its in-your-face unfriendliness! Mark Twain spent a good deal of time in this city on the Ohio River and often commented about how rude people were. When this church was launched, Cincinnati was ranked as the third most unfriendly city in America. After serving about 12 million people over those fifteen years the, tone of the city literally changed and that change had made a permanent impact on the city in innumerable ways. Servant Evangelism (SE) connects people to people in a natural, easy, low-risk, high grace way.
Who doesn’t like to be given a cold Coke on a hot day? Especially by someone who is smiling, happy and having fun. Read the rest of this entry »
The True Gospel
Tim Keller spoke at our Church Planter’s Conference in Orlando this year. He wrote an article for Christianity Today about the true gospel which is right on. Here’s a bit to picque your interest. A link to the article is here.
The gospel has been described as a pool in which a toddler can wade and yet an elephant can swim. It is both simple enough to tell to a child and profound enough for the greatest minds to explore. Indeed, even angels never tire of looking into it (1 Peter 1:12). Humans are by no means angels, however, so rather than contemplating it, we argue about it.
A generation ago evangelicals agreed on “the simple gospel”: (1) God made you and wants to have a relationship with you, (2) but your sin separates you from God. (3) Jesus took the punishment your sins deserved, (4) so if you repent from sins and trust in him for your salvation, you will be forgiven, justified, and accepted freely by grace, and indwelt with his Spirit until you die and go to heaven.
Vision: Servant Evangelism
Will your Cell Group do something for people that serves and sparks conversations?
Here are some ideas:
- 500 target homes
- Lemonade Brigade on Saturdays at parks, festivals, sporting events
- Sun screen Give Away at the lake
- Free Meal for the Hungry
- Kingsport Funfest Skateboard Competition Booth July 12
- Gray Community Block Party Servants July 12
- Deliver brownies to boaters on the water
- Host a cook out for neighbors at your house or apartment
- Help with the Farmer’s Market at the Pavilion on Saturdays
The vision: Every Cell Group Sponsor two Servant Evangelism projects for the summer. 500 significant conversations with people. 100 new people attend a Cell Group, worship or more. Journeyites love the serving.
Vision: Music
Hey Everyone,
I thought practice went well on Wed. Thank you all for the hard work you put in. I’m going to try to do a better job communicating about music stuff with you guys. Here are some things to keep in mind. We are trying to get 25 people on board the music ministry we have.
It is our goal to have:
1. Musicians for the coffee house.
2. Musicians for our Sunday mornings.
3. Musicians for the New Church Launch in the future.
I appreciate you all. I look forward to Sunday morning with everyone. Let me know if I can help you guys in any way.
“Let everything that has breath Praise the LORD”.
Lewy
Memorial Day Thanks
My Dad, a Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces during WWII, said he felt guilty he didn’t fight at Normandy and he assigned men to overseas duty. I always think of him as a hero. A physical condition (a hernia?) kept him in St. John’s, New Brunswick. He told stories of men snoring so loudly, the train was drowned out. His Sergeant during mortar training got the mortar stuck in the tube. He typed the orders while in a tent. His officer’s mess was patterned after a British pub. He served for six years until he was 32.
How many soldiers do you know? They are all heroes. Even my friend who has battled alcoholism since his marine unit was destroyed in Lebanon in ‘82. Even my friend who was discharged for smoking pot. Especially my brother-in-law who has two silver stars from Viet Nam. Especially our friend, Kari, who trained soldiers as a Drill Sergeant. Especially my brother-in-law who served for six years in the Air Force in North Dakota and Alaska. Especially our friend, Doug, a career officer, Lieutenant Colonel, in the Air Force. Especially our friend Scot, an Army Chaplain who has served in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq right along with the troops in the front lines. Even our friend and fellow softball player, Scott, who leaves in the next couple of weeks for the Air Force.
War is NG, very NG (no good). Yet, evil people and people with agendas of annihilation will always be with us. Our nation is on the edge of more terrorist attacks, yet since 1991, we have had no attacks on our soil. I am thankful for our vigilant men and women in the military. I am thankful for the level of freedom their sacrifice has gained.
We must thank our service men and women.
We must remember the sacrifices: those who died, those who fought, those who support and serve.
We must remember the price of freedom. (408,306 in WWII alone)
We must be thankful for the level of security we enjoy.
We must be thankful that this freedom has made us the most generous nation in the world.
We must continue to pray for our leaders as commanded by God!
Dynamic Holy Spirit Weekend
“
The Kingdom of God is the foundation for the operation of God’s power.” Dr. Steve Hooper (Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary)
Seven music missionaries, one travelling pastor/teacher and two professional equippers visited this past weekend. We got stuffed! If you took advantage of the dynamic, spirit-led interactions you
know the quality of each event.
Here’s a picture of Lewy with Mary Kennedy, our Sunday night equipper/trainer for Cell Group leaders. She’s the one on the right. When we walked into the Roundback Cafe, Mary and Charles had turned it into a cacophony of colors and toys. We couldn’t believe the number of ways they were able to show us better leadership and teaching skills.
Dr. Hooper taught clear, Biblical understanding about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Key points were the meaning of the Kingdom of God as the “foundation for the operation of God’s power”, and when Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire, the fire is what begins the process of cleansing what is a barrier to God in our lives. The baptism of the Spirit is given when asked for or someone prays for you with the laying on of hands. Sometimes, the effects are noticeable immediately. Some begin to speak in an unknown tongue. The evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the working out of God’s Kingdom in our lives, as the Holy Spirit develops the nine fruit of the Spirit in us.
CTI lived with some of us for two days and gave a concert on Friday night. Their worship style fit right in with ours. Their youthful and professional exuberance inspired. We loved their testimonies and the ministry of the Word of God they brought, as well. We’ll be praying for them as they travel across the Northeast this Spring and to different parts of the world this summer.
Cell Group Leaders
Every other Sunday night (Next: April 20) at 6:30 p.m. at The Journey. All leaders and leaders-to-be meet to study, pray and grow in leadership skills.
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Mary and Charles Kennedy teach us on April 20th. She and her husband, Charles, are experts in Small Group interactions. Mary and Charles will fill a room with visuals, fill an hour and a half with fun, turn on the spiritual gifts we all have and leave us with so many ideas that our cell groups will multiply into the hundreds!
Seed Packet Give Away
To 1,000 homes!
After the success of giving away 522 eggs filled with Chocolate and an invitation to worship on Easter, we target those homes and another 500.
April 26th
10:10 a.m.
We give spring flower packets away, trusting God to put us in someone’s life he’s been leading to Him. The joy of salvation must be shared!
We drive through neighborhoods. We meet people. We share grace.
Meet at The Journey at 10:10 a.m. for prayer and a quick “How-to-briefing”. Then, return by noon for lunch together.
Reserve a spot by emailing office @ thejourneynow . org
Baptism
Baptism is one of the most important ways to demonstrate your commitment to Christ. Why not if you have not?
1. Write out a short history of your experience about what brought you to Christ.
2. Read a theological article to make sure you know more about Baptism
3. Read what , God the Son and Paul say about baptism. (Did you know Jesus was baptized to start his public ministry?)
Please talk to one of the pastors about your decision to follow Christ in obedience. Baptism is an outward sign of God’s inward work in your life!
