Prayer Partners

Yesterday I sent this e-mail to a number of people and so far have had a good response. If you'd like to join the prayer team e-mail me at quakepbj@hotmail.com.
If you know anyone you think would like to join who hasn't received an e-mail from me, cut and paste this to them. Thanks

Dear Reader:

This is an invitation to partner with Severn River Church (SRC) as a prayer partner. This distribution list is generated from people who have offered to pray or have shown an interest in SRC. It is a bold request, I know, to ask those who are on this list to step beyond just praying for SRC to making a commitment to pray, but that is the purpose of this e-mail. As you read below, please consider your commitment to joining the Prayer Partner Team.



I’m convinced that prayer is the power of any church, and especially necessary for the gestation and birth of a new church. I’d like to ask you to commit to praying every day for whatever amount of time you’d determine for Severn River Church by name, out loud.



I’ll be refining this list because I’d like to contact this team with regularly updated and important prayer needs for SRC. If you’d be willing to commit to remaining on this list please reply asap.



PS. Lyle Schaller said, “The first 100 people of your church, will determine the next 300.” I’m looking to raise 100+ Prayer Partners who commit to pray daily for SRC by name, out loud. If you know people you think would be interested in this venture, please pass this on to them, or let me know and I can contact them.

Thanks

Thirty Warriors…Deepest Treachery

I’ve been reading 2 Samuel over the last several days. I got to an interesting passage I had never reflected on before. In 2 Samuel 23 a list is given of David’s “Thirty Warriors”. There are two distinctions among the 600 men that were David’s Band of Brothers; the “Three Warriors” and the “Thirty Warriors”. Both groups were highly esteemed and famous throughout Israel.

Each that is listed, is as an act of honor and Respect for their part in serving David. (He was referred to by his men as the “Light of Israel”. They fought so that his flame would not go out.)

Near the end of the Hall of Fame, is the name of a guy that I didn’t expect to see. Uriah the Hittite. Uriah was one of the top fighters in the nation, one of David’s, “Thirty Warriors”. He was a man among men, a hero to the boys of Jerusalem, close friend and defender of David, and (oh, by the way) husband of Bathsheba.

Bathsheba, you may recall, was the woman that King David saw bathing herself. He lusted after her and had her brought to the palace so that he could commit adultery with her, while Uriah the Hittite was out fighting for the “light of Israel”. David’s sin was on the verge of becoming public because she became pregnant, so David had Uriah killed. David told his commander Joab to put Uriah in the front, where the fighting was worst., then to withdraw from him so that he would be killed. It happened just that way.

A couple random observations:
1. David cheated with one of his best supporter’s wives. Probably the reason that they lived so close to the palace was because of Uriah’s high position in the Army.
2. David set up one of his most devout fighters.
3. David killed him in a way the Uriah was not expecting. It was no surprise to him that he would lead the battle in the fiercest area of the battlefield. He was one of the “Thirty Warriors”.
4. This story has always seemed treacherous to me, but seeing that it was against Uriah the Hittite, worthy of being recorded by name in scripture, one of the greatest warriors in the army, and the kicker…He had his life taken by a friend he would have willingly given his life for. –Ouch

Jesus willingly offered his life for me. Do I deal with Him treacherously?

--Ben

Get the code at www.winterrowd.com

A Weekend to Remember

A Weekend to Remember....

This weekend Corie and I got away for an investment in our marriage. Family Life Today offers weekend retreats for improving marriage. Corie and I aren't struggling in marriage, but we agreed two years ago when we first attended this conference that we would invest in ourselves every other year through a weekend like this. I figure, if you've made a lifetime commitment, you should work to make it the best it can be.

Hey look a picture -->

Doug G. helped me figure out how to post my picture to my profile.
Dear Google, Myspace is much easier.

--Ben

Reloaded

Hey everyone, I kinda weenied out of the blog for the last week. Some major things are going on in my life, and they really have me distracted. But I'm not going into that. But also, I felt weird because of the posts for prayer for Mrs. SanGiovanni. It kinda felt like my thoughts or updates paled in importance to her need for prayer. Anywhooo!

Hey, when should people be baptized? Should it be soon after, directly after someone prays the sinners prayer? Should it be after they have belonged, believed and behaved like a Christian? When should this religious rite be used, when is its symbolism most effective in 21st Century Spiritual Formation?

--Ben

Prayer Update

Re: Mrs. SanGiovanni

I accidentally relayed her condition involving a non-functioning liver. It is actually her kidney's that are not functioning well. The Dr. said today that there is room for improvement to heal itself, but I had the chance to pray with her today by phone, and believe that God doesn't need room to make improvement. He can make room ex nihilo.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Ben

Pre-commitment meeting

Last night SRC held a pre-commitment meeting at our house. Wow! Where could we fit 17 people in my little house? But we did. Not everyone was there. There were about 4 spouses who were unable to be there, and some children weren’t there.

We took some time to introduce ourselves, to introduce Matt and Laurie and welcome them. Then talked through the perspective of what the new church will look like in Large Group, small group, and prayer group. It was a good discussion. Doug said, “The questions people asked showed they’re really thinking it through.” It was good to hear from people who are excited about the new church.

One person said they thought of a step of faith. Another person said they think of young people who will be reached for Christ. Another person said they think of more involvement than they’ve ever had.

We had a great time, but let me tell you my favorite part. After the meeting everyone stood around, talked, laughed, and ate the tremendous food that Corie made. (Food Helps!) At one point I kinda drifted over to the front door and just looked around at the people who were enjoying each other in community. I’m excited to see what God can accomplish through us.

Coming up I’ll be having interviews with each person that’s considering coming. I look forward to those meetings and coming to a solid perspective of who our launch team is.

Matt and Laurie were greatly encouraged and told us after the meeting how much they enjoyed meeting everyone that was there and that it excited them about the ministry that they’ll be part of at SRC.

--Ben
What did you think? Leave a comment.

Continued Prayer

Marc called today to let me know that in addition to heart failure, his mom's liver is failing, with elevated White Blood cell counts. Please continue to pray as they run tests to find the problem and correct it.
--Ben

Urgent Prayer Need

Please Pray for Mrs. SanGiovanni. She is the mother of a friend of our ministry. He posts as MSG. His mother is at the hospital with heart failure. Please pray for God's healing and peace for the family.

--Ben

Capital Christian Fellowship

Last night I had the chance to go and speak with a group of believers at CCF (see above). The Meeting was in reference to the church plant, and I was asked to share about who I am, how God called me to church planting, and even how we could partner going forward.

It is an unusual thing, unfortunately, for churches of different denominations to come together to look at these kinds of issues together. But what a rush. From the first person "J" who showed me into the meeting, and wasn't satisfied with a handshake, but insisted on a hug; to the warm questions and hands that they laid on me to pray for God's blessing. What a wonderful experience.

I told my story. (Corie lamented it when I came home and told her. I said, "I never get tired of hearing this story.) They asked some good questions looking ahead to when they'll launch a new church. 1. How long from inception does a new church take to launch, 2. what are needs of a new church, etc.

Another highlight of the evening was to come home and find that my small group was still at my house, just hanging out and wanted to know about my meeting and how things went. What an encouragement.

Someone asked me a question. Thought I'd post about it. "What are we going to do for children?"

-- I believe children need age approriate teaching of God's word.
-- I have friends (successful children's ministers) who want to volunteer to train our children's workers.
-- We are giving location thought to how to have a children's area.
-- Children are a high priority for us. Children will ultimately follow the same Vision Path as the rest of the church Large group, Small group, and prayer group. But I'll be relying on the heart of the adults God's bringing us to really put meat on the bones of what it will look like.


--Ben

"How I Work" Report Part 2

A. G. Lafley (Chairman, President and CEO, Procter & Gamble): “It’s the kind of interval training that an athlete does.” Lafley, used to work all the time, including Saturdays and Sundays. Now he’s learned he’s more effective if he only works for an hour and a half at a time and then takes a 5-15 minute break to walk around and talk to people. He rarely sends e-mails, and prefers conversations.
I have to discipline myself to do this I think. I generally would avoid conversations. Not because I don’t like to talk to people, I just get caught up in working and don’t take the time. Important information requires more. Person to person is the best form of communication. Then voice to voice I think. Computer to computer can sometimes lead to hand to hand.

Hank Paulson (Chairman and CEO, Goldman Sachs): “I’m a huge voicemail user. I do a couple hundred voicemails a day. And I return every call right away, whether it’s a client or someone in the firm.” I love voicemail too. The importance I gained from Paulson is his emphasis on being in touch with people. After his vacation in Dec. He called 60 CEO's to wish them a Happy New Year. I want to be in touch with all the leaders in the new church.

Bottom line I guess is that as I look down the barrel of becoming lead pastor of SRC, I want to be the best that I can be, but I’m so lacking in experience. The leaders in this article have had years to become who they are. The best I can offer is my best. I don’t think that I’ll have all the answers. I hope that the new congregation will be patient with me.

--Ben

"How I Work" Report Part 1

Over the last two days I’ve been studying an article from Fortune magazine. (I know Jeff, “why is a pastor reading Fortune?” ) But it is exactly this type of article that really connects me to the magazine.

I believe that leadership is a key ingredient in a successful pastor. “The world defines success as 1. How many people can I control, 2. How much money can I make. Success in the Kingdom of God is defined as 1. How many people can I serve, 2. How much money can I give away.” – Dr. H. Robert Rhoden

The article is called “How I Work”. It is a study of leaders in Business and Government and habits that they use in leading. The following are my reflections based on their interviews:

Carlos Ghosn (CEO Nissan and Renault): “It is also important to me to take a distance from the problem.” Mr. Ghosn doesn’t bring work home and spends time with his children and family on weekends. He believes that this distance helps him when he reengages the problem on Monday.

Marissa Mayer (VP, Google): “I pace myself by taking a weeklong vacation every four months.” I like this. Not just the idea of vacation, but pacing myself. I try to work hard. In fact, I fight against working too much. When people make comments about me not working hard enough (even jokingly) it drives me to work harder. My wife, Corie, has told me repeatedly that the biggest fear that she has going into church planting is that I’ll work too much and not be around for my family. That is a big challenge to me. I’m committed to pacing myself, and the better I do that, the better Father, Husband, and Pastor I’ll be.

Bill Gross (CIO, Pimco): “I don’t want to be connected—I want to be disconnected.” Specifically, Bill follows information on investments. Tickers and scrolling are a constant part of his job. He is in a 70 person trading room. There can, I’m sure, be quite a bit of overload. Though this work is not directly applicable to me, I do think that sometimes pastors can be too surrounded with the noise of the church rather than disconnecting and hearing the quiet cries of the lost. In turn pastors spend way too much time in their office, and should be in the harvest field.
Further, Gross works out for an hour and a half every day between 8:30-10:00. Anyone who knows me, know that I have a weight problem. I’m currently working out and trying to lose some weight. But mainly, I’m trying to increase strength and stamina. The better I can be physically, the better leader I can be. I believe that the toll ministry takes will only further emphasize the need for physical fitness and health.

Ok… To be continued. Your thoughts? Leave a comment.

Ben Rainey with Daddy's girl

People that I didn’t even know…are praying

Today a friend came in a spoke with me about ministry that we have planned for Easter. She is working with the children’s ministry for that day. We talked for a while about that, her family, schooling and I prayed for her with some concerns she had.

As she was leaving she said, “You know a lot of people are supporting you and praying for your church plant.” Then she offered to pray for me.

When she prayed, she nervously (she was nervous praying for her pastor, which is an unfortunate phenomenon, because we’re just people too.) prayed that God would use the new church to reach lost people. I was so thankful for that. This is what it’s all about. It’s about reaching the lost…Making disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey.

Keep up the banter, I love the comments.
Ben

The Power of Prayer Partners:

We’ve expressed through all the information about SRC that our vision path is based out of Acts 2:42-47. The early church met in large groups, small groups, and prayer groups.

The Prayer group is of importance to me most right now, because Matt asked me a couple weeks ago, “What do prayer groups look like?” I told him that It was expressed through prayer partners, but I wasn’t sure that I had ever really seen that modeled, and that we would have to break ground ourselves and try to figure it out. There is no doubt though that the new church prayed all the time together.

Tonight I got a glimpse into what God is doing through prayer partners. My friend rtk4him has been a prayer partner with me since last November. Recently at a lunch we had together, I asked how I could pray for him. He asked me to pray for God to expand his territory in business. His boss had some expectations for him to go to the next level, and rtk4him needed God to intervene.

I started praying for him and a couple weeks later he told me that God had answered prayer. A customer that he sells to called him up and ordered as much in one order as they had the entire previous year. When he told me I said “praise the Lord.” But God wasn’t done. As I’ve continued to pray God has continued to expand rtk4him’s territory. Tonight he told me that now that customer has double already what he purchased last year.

I love stories of answered prayer. It encourages me to keep praying. Get a prayer partner, get praying.

--Ben

Sectional Meeting

Last Night’s Meeting:

Last night was the Eastern Section minister’s meeting. I was given about 10 minutes to share the vision of the new church. It was my chance to make a public presentation of my calling, and present an invitation for churches to partner with me.
I approached my presentation this way:

God’s Person.
In this section I presented my history as a homegrown product of Pasadena A/G and the Eastern Section. I shared the story of my calling. Then I asked Pastor Phil to make a statement.
He shared that he was convinced of my calling, submissive to the district, and Expected every church in the section to support the new church. (Then he paused, and cocked his head sideways and just stood silently, and I said, “Say it Again.” And everyone laughed, and he said it again.”

God’s Provision.
The fact that God is providing:
Matt and Laurie
Open Door and AACC
Families who have committed to come
The Mennonite Church partnership

God’s Partnership.
I shared about Bill Chamberlin saying, “We need 20 churches planted in this area.” That his partnership was a model of what I felt every church in our section should do as they participate.

In all, the meeting was very good. I was really thankful to talk with the pastor’s who were there. I’m thankful for the relationship that our section has. Pastors came and were excited with me. They were talking about how they wanted to help.

Ted Manning, pastor of Ellicott City A/G, has budgeted monies each month for our church plant. The pastor of the Carney Church told me he’d be in touch. Oh….I almost forgot to write the best part of the night.

It was the very beginning. I walked in and Jeff McEllhatan was there. Jeff was one of the presenters for my Church Planting bootcamp. He was a big inspiration for me. He’s planting a church in Colorado. Then! Paul Drost come over and shook my hand. I hadn’t really met Paul before. He can be a bit intimidating. He planted a church in Bel Air, MD and then, years later, was hired to be the National Church Planting Director for the A/G. Now, as of a few months ago, he has come back to the church he planted, and is in our section. He said, “You’re the reason I’m here tonight.”

I said, “Really?”

He said, “Yeah, I was thinking about not coming, but I saw you were on the agenda to talk about church planting, and I wanted to come hear you.”

I said, “Great, no pressure then.” We laughed.

Ok, this post is getting long, but let me just say I had a great dinner with them talking about church planting.

Why do you stutter?

These are the message notes from my message on Sunday Morning.

* Disclaimer: I do not write sermon notes well, a lot of thing role around in my mind, but these notes guide me to where we're going. I cannot be held responsible for the use of these notes dramatically transforming your life, though some Transformation may occur. This is a result of God's word, not my need. My research is not all in these notes. These are the notes I preach from, but I hope that they'll help you.

Why do you stutter?
Exodus 4-7
(4:10, 6:12, 6:30)

1. Pretext?
Moses Is in Midian and he’s at the burning bush. He’s shoeless. At the burning bush.
à How did he get there? Life story – murder
Moses probably lived early in the New Kingdom era (about 1550-1200 B.C.). This time was the cultural and military peak of Egypt's three-thousand-year history. Moses lived within one hundred years of King Tutankhamen (about 1347-1338 B.C.), the boy-king whose undisturbed tomb was discovered in 1922. The magnificent objects found in that tomb are typical of the art, wealth, and workmanship amid which the young Moses lived and which was later represented in much of the artistry of the tabernacle.
Formation (Ex. 25). Moses, placed in a floating basket of reeds, was found by the daughter of Thutmose I, Hatshepsut. Captivated by the infant, she adopted him as her own. Later, when a youth, Hatshepsut seized power from a nephew who had been crowned Thutmose III, and she ruled impressively for 22 years. Moses, secure in the affections of this powerful and brilliant woman ruler, was well trained: “Educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22).

2. Text?
God tell Moses to go deliver His people.
Moses says, “I can’t I st, st, st, stutter”


We stutter when we hesitate
We all know of Christians who say that they have never doubted. Their lives seem so pale, so far off from the heroic adventure that is faith. The most fruitful believers tell us shamedly of the inner battles that have torn them between doubt and faith. And the great Bible characters from Abraham or Moses right through Jacob, Jeremiah, Peter, and Paul all show us their conflict-filled lives, their revolts against heaven, their refusals to adapt to a God who was too demanding of them. They show us as well their reconciliation to that God. God loves those who don't give in without a fight!
Paul Tournier (1898–1986)
But God has the answer! Haven’t I given you a mouth?

We stutter when we get ahead of God
à My experience as a stutterer.
à Moses was probably thinking, who will listen to me? How will I lead a million people? Will I be killed when I go back to Egypt for the murder I committed all those years ago?


3. Post text?
WHO DOES ALL THE SPEAKING TO PHAROH? MOSES!




Conclusion:
The people who related to God best—Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah—treated him with startling familiarity. They talked to God as if he were sitting in a chair beside them, as one might talk to a counselor, a boss, a parent, or a lover. They treated him like a person.
Philip Yancey (1949– )

Moses took his sandals off because it was Holy ground, but he had to put them on to go do what God had told him too. Put your sandals on, and go and do His work.
(For further reflection study Matt. 28:18-20 and Acts 1:3-8)

Made me Glad

Today during prayer time, I got to talk with Pastor Phil. We haven’t been able to talk very much lately with the amount of time that he’s had to oversee the building project next door. Now that Larry Sames (Our job supervisor) is back, he has less stress on him. As we talked he affirmed a couple things to me. One was that he doesn’t want me muzzled about the new church around PAG. I have to admit that I have felt hampered around the church here, because I don’t want any competition between the churches.

I have had many people ask me to share though about what God is doing. Phil affirmed that. He talked about how he wants to celebrate together every step of the way.

Thanks for all the input on the location. We almost broke double-digit comments…Fantastic.

--Ben

Location Info

For more information on locations around the college, check out...
http://www.aacc.edu/virtualtour/default.html

Location Question

Hey everyone, Could use your help.

I went to the community college today and they seem very interested in working with us. I'd like to give a brief description, and ask your opinion, thoughts, ideas or comments.

They showed me a variety of meeting spaces.

1. Dining Hall.
This is familiar to many of us. It is where we've held events in the past.
Strengths: Wall of windows (I love the feeling it gives, others may disagree), easy clean floor for bagels/coffee, etc.; adjoining room for Children's ministry. Good parking.
Weaknesses: Popular use for Saturday nights means there may occassionally be messes, always movement of tables/chairs, maybe a larger space than we need, Wall of Windows (lighting issues) Somewhat difficult to find.

2. Humanities 112.
This is an 80 seat lecture hall. Stadium seating. Somewhat small. (Too small to me actually)
Even more difficult to find. Longer walk from parking.

3. Cade 100.
This multipurpose room is rectangular, has optional sound and video projection (additonal rental costs) Can easily seat 100 in chairs, lower cieling than dining hall, 2nd largest meeting space I saw. Large windows with dressings. Easiest to find, first building off Ritchie. Outdoor amphiteatre. Outdoor colannade for bagel/breakfast bar attached to room.

4. Calt
Smaller multipurpose room dividing wall to split adults and children. Other rooms in the area for children (rooms are dance studios). Is most direct building off Ritchie, but entrance is in the back of the building.

No price information yet. Our previous agreement rented the dining hall for $200.00. It is the largest room, so I would guess the other rooms will be cheaper, but I'm not sure on that. My contact seemed very interested in working with us and being as reasonable on price as possible. They seem flexible. They have 2 other churches meeting on campus. One of the churches schedules week to week. Both churches are under 50 people.

Well, I know this isn't a lot of information, but even questions that you generate would help me.

Thanks, Ben
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