we seem to struggle a little bit at keeping this updated, but lets be honest, who reads this anyone?
we are just coming off of our first part of REVOLUTION round two. we did our campus tour last year and have now "gone into the world" to college campuses. our first venture took us to Oakland University. and it was a great experience. we learned a lot about what to do and what not to do in working with a college and college students. and I believe the Lord really blessed the event.
we had around 150 people, many of whom I did not recognize, which is always exciting. we tried some new things during the program and took some risks and I think for the most part it worked. (I can't wait to practice the next iBand song)
it was a great night for me because i was blessed to not have to go through any of the stress of setup. -- I'm trying to figure out how I can do that again next time. I was out of the country all week at a friends wedding and got back to Detroit an hour before REVOLUTION started. But I also know that God worked it out to get me there on time, and for that I am extremely thankful. and also props to Bryan Haley for his wicked mad driving skills.
so now we are revamping what is round two. we had originally planned to do 3-4 college campus events and end the year with a homecoming of sorts. but OU went so well, they asked when we are going to come back. so we have changed the plan a little to make that possible.
we are in the process of booking and scheduling U of M Flint for a January event. then we hope to return to OU in march, and likely back to U of M at the end of April. everything is still a little in the air, but we know that God works all those things out.
so in this transition time, pray for the students that we met at OU as well as the students we will meet at U of M. I can't wait to see what will happen as God continues to grow this ministry...
- jeff
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
What is Revolution?
Hello,
This past Sunday morning I had the privilege of meeting with the Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church young adult group. I began sharing who I was and the heart of this ministry while fighting back my gift to be long winded. I began to share the vision, where we are as a ministry and the hope of what God could do with it in the future. I'm telling them that 8 million young adults who were active in their youth group will no longer be in church by their 30th birthday. I'm telling them that only 22% of them attend church on a typical week, and less that 25% of them have read their bible this week.
Just as I'm sharing about the night of Revolution and what that all entails, In my "simple" mind (according to Jeff), I'm realizing that Revolution doesn't take place on a specific night at a specific place. I'm realizing it doesn't entail, cafes, booths, bands, t-shirts, games, or anything else that happens on that night. I realized that Revolution takes place in the heart of a person who recognizes a burden and feels empowered to do whatever it takes to make it work. Just talking to a handful of young adults and seeing God renew a passion and excitement for a ministry that is struggling and in need of Him, it dawned on me that Revolution happens in those moments. It happens when 18-30's of any percentage of any population decides to act together over a time toward a common cause and that affects the population. It happens in our homes, communities, schools, jobs, and wherever else life takes us. It happens when a relatively small group acts, begins to grow and eventually affects the whole.
They believed they could have a part in the story that God is telling and as God is moving we are just a small percentage of people who are going with Him. God just spoke to me in that moment and I heard him loud and clear. They began talking about what they could have following the event on May 30th, how they can change the culture of there church and offer more opportunities for young adults to stay connected. My prayer is that we embrace that for our lives, that we understand Revolution doesn't start at 7:30 on a particular Friday night and end late that Friday night or early Saturday morning. That is starts now and doesn't end until we're with the One this is all for.
A.W. Tozer says, "God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we as well as He can in divine communion enjoy the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities. He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile."
What an answer to the question, what is revolution?
Grace and Peace,
Chris
This past Sunday morning I had the privilege of meeting with the Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church young adult group. I began sharing who I was and the heart of this ministry while fighting back my gift to be long winded. I began to share the vision, where we are as a ministry and the hope of what God could do with it in the future. I'm telling them that 8 million young adults who were active in their youth group will no longer be in church by their 30th birthday. I'm telling them that only 22% of them attend church on a typical week, and less that 25% of them have read their bible this week.
Just as I'm sharing about the night of Revolution and what that all entails, In my "simple" mind (according to Jeff), I'm realizing that Revolution doesn't take place on a specific night at a specific place. I'm realizing it doesn't entail, cafes, booths, bands, t-shirts, games, or anything else that happens on that night. I realized that Revolution takes place in the heart of a person who recognizes a burden and feels empowered to do whatever it takes to make it work. Just talking to a handful of young adults and seeing God renew a passion and excitement for a ministry that is struggling and in need of Him, it dawned on me that Revolution happens in those moments. It happens when 18-30's of any percentage of any population decides to act together over a time toward a common cause and that affects the population. It happens in our homes, communities, schools, jobs, and wherever else life takes us. It happens when a relatively small group acts, begins to grow and eventually affects the whole.
They believed they could have a part in the story that God is telling and as God is moving we are just a small percentage of people who are going with Him. God just spoke to me in that moment and I heard him loud and clear. They began talking about what they could have following the event on May 30th, how they can change the culture of there church and offer more opportunities for young adults to stay connected. My prayer is that we embrace that for our lives, that we understand Revolution doesn't start at 7:30 on a particular Friday night and end late that Friday night or early Saturday morning. That is starts now and doesn't end until we're with the One this is all for.
A.W. Tozer says, "God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we as well as He can in divine communion enjoy the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities. He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile."
What an answer to the question, what is revolution?
Grace and Peace,
Chris
Monday, April 28, 2008
What's Next?
well, i'm taking the initiative to write the first blog. and before i do that i need to make a couple things clear. i am opposed to capitalization. i often use periods where commas should be. i am quite fond of the dash. and i am obsessed with "..."
that being said...
this past weekend, chris mentioned, although incorrectly, that we were at the anniversary of the conception of REVOLUTION. really i think he was a little hasty. i believe the anniversary would be closer to the third of may - although, who am i to say that the idea wasn't previously hatched in chris's head? (after all it may take two to conceive a child, but great ideas can be born out of one simple mind.) but i do remember being in alpharetta, georgia with chris, shad and mark kerr (what a great trip) and chris saying in a rather prophetic tone "i think i know what REVOLUTION is supposed to be." that is probably where i would mark the official conception of REVOLUTION.
from there, a lot still had to be done to get us to the birth. (am i taking this analogy too far?) and, to tell you the truth, i don't remember a lot of the details of planning. but what i do remember is how excited we were when September 28 finally came. and this thing that we had been talking about and planning for for months was finally happening. to quote one of my fav's*..."i may not see in front of me, but i can see for miles when i look over my shoulder. and Lord, it's clear, You've brought me here, so faithful every step of the way."
i can already see so much of what GOD has done in this ministry. i really have no idea what is coming next, but i am amazed already to see where we've been. everything may not always go as we plan it, but i see more people connected to the body of Christ. i see friends i would have never imagined coming into a church. i see people excited about serving Christ. i see believers excited about what GOD is doing all around them.
all that to say, What's Next? that is what i am most excited about. being able to witness what God has done only makes me more excited to wonder what He will do. i have no idea where He will take this ministry. i know we all have our thoughts and ideas of what we think it should be. but i can't wait to see what GOD has planned. He has done a lot in such a short time, so i just want to know...What's Next?
-jeff
*oh yeah, that was from "I Am Found in You" by my boy Steven Curtis Chapman.
that being said...
this past weekend, chris mentioned, although incorrectly, that we were at the anniversary of the conception of REVOLUTION. really i think he was a little hasty. i believe the anniversary would be closer to the third of may - although, who am i to say that the idea wasn't previously hatched in chris's head? (after all it may take two to conceive a child, but great ideas can be born out of one simple mind.) but i do remember being in alpharetta, georgia with chris, shad and mark kerr (what a great trip) and chris saying in a rather prophetic tone "i think i know what REVOLUTION is supposed to be." that is probably where i would mark the official conception of REVOLUTION.
from there, a lot still had to be done to get us to the birth. (am i taking this analogy too far?) and, to tell you the truth, i don't remember a lot of the details of planning. but what i do remember is how excited we were when September 28 finally came. and this thing that we had been talking about and planning for for months was finally happening. to quote one of my fav's*..."i may not see in front of me, but i can see for miles when i look over my shoulder. and Lord, it's clear, You've brought me here, so faithful every step of the way."
i can already see so much of what GOD has done in this ministry. i really have no idea what is coming next, but i am amazed already to see where we've been. everything may not always go as we plan it, but i see more people connected to the body of Christ. i see friends i would have never imagined coming into a church. i see people excited about serving Christ. i see believers excited about what GOD is doing all around them.
all that to say, What's Next? that is what i am most excited about. being able to witness what God has done only makes me more excited to wonder what He will do. i have no idea where He will take this ministry. i know we all have our thoughts and ideas of what we think it should be. but i can't wait to see what GOD has planned. He has done a lot in such a short time, so i just want to know...What's Next?
-jeff
*oh yeah, that was from "I Am Found in You" by my boy Steven Curtis Chapman.
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