Grocery shopping with the family. Our daughter is amazingly beautiful. It is quite amazing how much you can love someone or in my case two ppl. God is amazing with giving us the option and free will to love.
Did I mention how talented I am to write this and push the buggy and play with the kid all at one, the champion of multi-tasking.
What is “it” in church that some have and some don’t? • The “it” is the thing/essence/atmosphere/spirit that people feel @ church. • Something so special of God that when people encounter “it” they would meet Christ. • The Spir”it” of God. • Someone can kill it, it is not a system, not a model, not a purpose deal or seeker deal, not an emergent deal, it can be found in all those types of places. Some can catch it, some can lose it. • “it” happens, and sometimes it doesn’t. • Dude falls out of a window when church is boring and dies, then they raise them from the dead, that is “it”. • Acts 2:42-47 - 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. There are certain qualities that exist when “it” is present: • Ministries has a Razor Focus. o Don’t have 287 ministries, that is not better. Better ministries are better. o To reach people that no ones is reaching then you have to do things that no one is doing. But in order to do things that no one is doing then we can’t do what everyone else is doing. o What ministries are working and are producing maturing disciples? o The 5 areas of focus of Lifechurch.tv • Weekend Worship Experience, Small Group, Kids Ministry, Student Ministry, Missions. o What are you doing that you need to stop doing? • They see Obstacles as Opportunities o You have everything that God needs in order for you to do everything he needs. o God often guides by what He doesn’t provide. • They are Willing to Fail. o Failure is a Necessity. o When you fail is when you see God. • If Peter didn’t fail he wouldn’t have believed in Jesus in the way he did. o God may want you to do something but there may be three steps of failure to get to what God has for you. • They are lead by people that have “it”. o Your ministry will not have it if you do not have it. o We have to be careful to not lose it. o “I had become a full time pastor and a part-time follower of Christ.” o If you've lost IT- getting back to center/core is part of the process to get back o You need to have IT for your ministry to get IT. Ministry can kill IT... when we focus on building our ministry rather than His Kingdom- we can start losing IT. Leaders that have IT seem to draw people because they want to be part of IT.
Pathetic? Maybe. Creative? More so. I have been challenged for many years to fulfill my Masters degree. I have been contemplating where and which degree for a long time. I have narrowed the degree to Ministerial Leadership. I know God has equipped me with a large amount of leadership skills. I don't take this lightly, as a matter of fact I know that in order to be a leader one must continue to be a learner. I love to learn and grow, it is not optional for me, I make it a requirement for my living. I am always reading a book, typically two or three at a time. Books are not nearly enough, that is the reason for pursuing my academia.
The things that God has called me to in my life are quite amazing. God gives vision that is much bigger than myself or my own dreams. I have also come to the conclusion that when God calls you to something you must be moldable in life so that you can fulfill His desire. I never have felt adequate to be a fulfiller of His desires yet I can't be comfortable in life to simply just waste time. His visions for my life cause me to live with conviction to pursue the desires of my heart, those desire that ultimately came from Him. He is beautiful, unchanging, big, beyond explanation, beyond understanding, without beginning and end, He is my best friend, my redeemer, my best friend, my comforter, my all compassing help in every moment of need. To Him I owe my life for everything I have done wrong. He has help salvage my life that was becoming a wasteland of trash and smutt. God, thank you for challenging my heart to pursue what you have for me. Thanks you for your word that was recorded in the anals of time and your word that beacme flesh and dwelt among us. Always hold me to the vision you have for my life. I can do nothing else in life than to continue in pursuit of learning and growing.
If you feel the need, the challenge, or the desire to donate to a worthy cause (me), then follow this link and you can donate to my PayPal account.
Our team is at a soup kitchen around 116th upper Mahattan to feed the homeless. This is a tough area with some tough people. This area doesn't really have a lot of legal accountability. It is kind of a don't ask, don't tell society here. There are drug dealers, gang affiliated people, hard life guys, etc. We are instructed to not openly discuss God and our testimony. We have to be in one accord and trust the Holy Spirit to guide our speech, body language, etc. The hope is that they ask us questions but no matter what we are here to serve!
We are at a park in a tough area doing an outereach with about 500-600 people. Stomp, breakdancing, preaching and a rap fest. Teen Challenge does an incredible job with these Rock the Block outreaches. Their teams are incredibly abled; we are glad to be able to be working with them. The pastor is sharing the story of when he was 26 he loaded his brother's arm with 3 hits of heroine and he watched his brother die in his arms. God revived his brother in the ambulance and has changed his life ever since. His story, like ours, has the testimony of changing lives because of what God has done. About a hundred responded for salvation and many for healing. The students are getting the ability to pray at the altars, hand out bibles, and walk people throught the salvation prayer. God is showing up and moving in this outreach and with our team.
We are at a homeless mission/church. This is the 3rd oldest church in New York with an almost 40' pipe organ. This missio was founded by Rev. Albert G. Ruliffson in Nov. 1879 and was active in it's work until Sept. 1895 and was laid to rest in May 2nd 1897. This mission seats approx. 225 people and serves as a homeless mission. This truly a beautiful mission with detailed architecture in stone and wood.
Our group will be conducting the service this morning. Lukus will be leading in worship with the team singing with him. Chris R. will be preaching and Chris G. Doing the closing prayer and altar service.
LOL Moment:
We were at Gino's (possibly the best NY Pizza here).
Aubrey went to go get a fork and knife to eat her food. She grabbed them out of the cups that was near the napkins and salt & pepper. As she retuned to her seat to eat she realized that her utensils were VERY dirty and used. What she failed to realize is that the cup for utensils was structly for dirty ones. The actual clean ones were in thew drawer in your typical silverware drawer at home.
Come one Aubrey everybody knows the dirty ones are in the cup and clean ones are in the drawers. That's what drawers are for.
We went out to Prospect Park to ask questions in a survey that hopefully leaves with students asking about if they would like to know more about Jesus. The weather is awesome and it is a beautiful park. I asked each student to pray for each person as they go to them. Prayer and trusting in the Holy Spirit is the only thing that we have as a tool. It is through the HS that comes conviction, the knowledge of our mistakes and knowing that we have failed God's expectations for our lives.
We went to a couple parts of New York that are Jewish communities. It is a very different world then we had thought about. We approached three Jewish guys in front of a synagogue and our approach was that we were hear to experience their culture. Our leader is a Jewish missionary and is very smart. We dialogued for a while then asked if we could go inside.
I have NEVER truly understood deeply the issues that Jesus had to deal with when he would debate an challenge the pharisees. It seemed that they were always out to get him and never listen, but that was because everthing that Jesus the Messiah is for was against their legalism.
"I am a Pharisee" was the first words out of the mouth of one of the guys who was quick to try to eat us apart and simplify our beliefs to everything short of the gospel and Jesus the Messiah. I was baffled at how much they are against Christians. I spent another 45 minutes dialoguing after I was called an infadel and terrorist to Judiasm. It actually was a very good conversation and an eye opener for us all.
The particular Synagogue was Lubavitch and they believe that Schneerson was their Mosiach, their messiah. "Long live our Master, our Teacher, our Rebbe, King Moshiach Forever and Ever. Very interesting!!!
LOL Moment:
We were going to go to Brighton Boardwalk/Beach to minister to Jews.
We arer getting to experience Chinatown. This is a very fun place. We split up our team and are shopping. One group waved us into Teariffic, a chinese fingerfood and exteme tea bar... I think without alcohol, just kidding, teenage safe.
We are at Ground Zero. This is a very sobering place. It is crazy to see how life goes on and people moving and hustling and bustling. Two years ago I was here and this place was literally a 7 story hole. There is much progress. The building wrapped with mesh in the background is the same as I saw two years ago. The building had a huge mold problem and nobody was allowed to go in to remodel and it appears they are making some progress but still is wrapped and boarded up.
We should never forget the loss on Sept. 11, however let's be reminded about the lives that are lost everyday to evil and sin and death apart from God. We are here in NY to help make a change, maybe very small but our hope is to make an impact; to disturb what Satan is trying to destroy.
Our team got the great opportunity of going to a cerbral palsy center in Brooklyn southeast of Manhattan. We got to sing some worship songs like Amazing Grace, How Great Is Our God, The Lord Reigns and of couse the old classic, You Are My Sunshine as one of the ladies grabbed Ranissa to dance.
We also brought crafts and helped all the ladies make butterflies out of paper plates. The ladies had more love for us and was so happy to see us more than I have ever seen. It truly was a memory maker in our hearts.
BTW... The other team went to do ministry too. At least that is what they are calling it. They went to Central Park and did a survey; asking people questions. Did I mention there was a free outdoor Bon Jovi concert?? I don't think they are ministering... I would call it walking around talking at a concert... Lemme know what you think ;)
LOL moment:
As we were putting stickers on the butterflies. There were different size of stickers.
PShaun: Wow, those stickers are miny (my-nee).
Aubrey: Pastor Shaun, I think you meant mini.
PShaun: No, miny (my-nee), you know like tiny and mini all together.
Here is our first subway. Our team of 19 students got split into two teams. We are on our way to our first outreach. Going to set up a booth, doing clowning, face painting, balloon animals.
LOL moment:
Leader: we will be going under the Manhattan River.
Caitlyn: Awesome. Will we get to see fish, like in a big tube?
Our group of 97 students and then leaders. There are some amazing things that are amazing on the schedule this week. "Ministry begins when the thrill leaves" - Brandon Watkiss
Just got subway cards, going through House Hot Thoughts (tricky words that mean house rules) and common sense rules/safety. I have never been on a missions trip that is this full of ministry. We will be bringing home tired kids, keep 'em in your prayers. This team is an amazing group.
Well we always hope to get a running start. This trip was a bit of a stumble at first but the team is doing awesome. Arizona is one of those states where when it rains nobody knows what to do. The first bit of news was that we would be about 30 minutes late. No big deal, we had 1 hour and 5 minutes for our connection flight. Well 2 hours later we actually took off.
As Ray M so eloquently put it, "It was a lesson of patience of God." In that meantime Joe T had fell asleep as the plane was backing out, about an hour and a half later he woke up to the plane moving again still on the tarmac and he thought he was already in Atlanta, not realizing that it would be light out. They quickly assured him NOTHING has happened since he fell asleep.
Currently we are sitting in Atlanta Concourse B waiting for our flight out at 240p, which puts us into New York around 5ish ET tonight.
Check back often, we will be updating this blog whenever we have time or anything changes, we will also post pictures too. Don't forget to follow my twitters of this trip HERE, or you can text message 40404, and type "follow shaunmayfield". Those updates will be sent out much more frequent.
Here is the TwitterNotes of Week 3 of Encounters With God where we discuss altars.
Encounters With God - Self Sacrifice
The central issue of life is worship.
Romans 12.1 - I urge you in view of God and his mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.
Some people sacrifice their bodies to meaningless and trivial things.
Their hands, feet, eyes, ears, tongues and hearts are sacrificed to time-consuming activities that are largely insignificant
John 15:10 - If you keep my commands you’ll remain intimately at home in my love, that’s what I've (Jesus) done - kept my Fathers commands and made myself at home in his love.
Matthew22:37-39 - Jesus said "Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence" and "Love others as well as you love yourself
If God doesn’t exist then worship is insanity. But if God does exist then nothing is more logical or reasonable than worship.
If worship is sacrifice, and true worship is self-sacrifice then it is time that we begin sacrifice our desires.
This is a conversation of a good friend of mine, a student in Atlanta Masters Commission, RC. He is a great kid (a 21 year-old man), with an awesome heart, loves to bike freestyle and MTB, and even enjoys disc golf.
AIM IM with RC 7/3/08 4: 11PM
RC hey bud. SM hey man SM outta cali yet? RC nahh SM or stayin for the 4th RC yea RC how's the disc golf? SM went good, nice to get out but a little warm, you ever play? RC I'm jealous, of course, we have the third hardest course in the nation in my hometown SM that is awesome
RC hey, I have a couple questions for you... SM sure.. RC you're married, right? SM yes RC ok, How did you KNOW that your wife was the girl for you? SM God, i know that was the answer u were expecting to hear RC haha, well, I mean, what made it click in your head? like, there had to be something that just TOLD you that she was IT SM i had made a vow that i would not date until it was the girl god wanted me to marry and then when we wanted to date i prayed about it and knew that was what i was suppose to do many said we were young and didnt know, but i knew RC how old were you? SM then, 19 when we started dating RC not bad... yea...I'm just asking cuz, well, I met this girl... and I think she's perfect... well, more than perfect, if that makes sense SM if there was one thing that you could change about her what would it be? RC where she lives, lol, hmm... lets see... I'm really not sure... dang just curious, what is the point that you are trying to make? cuz I think you have one...but I don't know what it is SM haha, sometimes we look at people and wish we could change things about them. No matter how perfect she may seem now, sooner or later you will find something u wont like RC mmk SM you must be able to accept those things that you cant change RC i was just about to ask how you handle that... SM the truth is you cant change someone else, you can only change your perspective of that which you dont like RC wow. thats good SM that will help you not only in marriage but in every relationship you are in! relationship/friendship/etc RC yea... dang, thats good ;0 you're the freaking man... SM in changing our perspective it allows them to keep their own personality and character and be themselves and allows them to live more whole RC wowww. yea, I need to get to AZ. and chill with you for a while SM when we try to change them we force them into our box of perfection then they always are trying to live UP to our standard and then they end up feeling like a failure and in marriage that is not healthy, she then feels like she is hurting you then makes you go on a power trip and puts u in control and not in a healthy manner RC wow.... i never would have thought of something like that SM marriage isnt about power, its actually about submission, "wives submit to your husbands, husbands love your wives" RC loving is submitting, yea? SM in loving our wives we submit to their needs, they submit to our spiritual authority two different kinds of submission RC wow... SM control authority and spiritual authority RC yea SM that will get u mileage in a relationship RC it makes so much sense!! SM good, and know that girls never make sense, haha RC haha, yea, I got that one SM dont ever tell them that, thats not good either, haha j/k RC yea, that would be bad wow... dang dude... how'd you get so smart? like, I'm still shocked. for lack of a better term. SM ran to a wall a lot and too many drugs, lol, no idea i dont see my self as smart as much as i would say i am an observer learn to watch your world and learn from it RC ahhhh SM be experiential and allow everything to be a moment of Ahaa! RC I like that.
SM i want to blog this conversation, is that cool with you? RC I am down for that... whats your blog site? SM www.shaunmayfield.com RC haha...you have a blogger account with your own domain name! Awesome! SM haha, i figured i better get it before someone else does RC haha, yea. I don't know what I would do without friends like you. SM awe, thanks man, that is very cool, im glad we got to know each other in ATL RC haha...yea. I'm very glad for that. I'm gonna blog this convo too, just so ya know SM sweet man. RC You honestly don't know how much this meant to me... I honestly feel a whole lot better..cuz I was worried about so much... SM that is so cool RC yay for friends who are there for each other!! SM haha, woot!
I shared this for a few reasons.
1. Take a good look at how you see people and understand the ability to change our perspective on someone else's 'lack of' and realize that we can either focus on the 90% negative of who they are to us or we can look at the 10% positive and focus on that and begin to change the only one we control... ourselves!
2. Marriage is about love and submission. Wives submit to the control authority, ultimate say so goes to the husband... HOWEVER, and a big however, before any one presumes I am chauvinistic. (Just ask my wife, I am not allowed to be chauvinistic ( that's a joke, get it?!?)) When husbands truly love our wives we then submit to there needs, emotionally, physically and mentally, there creating a balance.
3. I am not smart, as matter of fact, I consider myself to not learn as well as others and I am self-admitted learning disabled (no doctor proof as of yet). However I have learned to observe the world around me. This point deserves a blog on it's own and will quite likely lead to a blog/book/short story of some kind to show how my outlook on life is all from observing; it is what I have coined reasonable deduction (common sense+mathematical calculations+not allowing ignorance to blind me). Be a watcher, soak up your environment, breathe slowly and observe the motion, hear the dialect, watch the mannerisms, be a learner, be a CREATIVE!
