Blog https://www.newanthemchurch.com Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:53:15 -0400 http://churchplantmedia.com/ Things will get better... and New Anthem will be better when they do! https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/things-will-get-better https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/things-will-get-better#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2020 17:00:00 -0400 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/things-will-get-better Hot weather makes me cranky. But it also makes me introspective. Probably because I spend so much time cooped up inside because I CLEARLY need to be in air conditioning if it’s going to even think about being warmer than 82 degrees.

I had to work sans air conditioning on Monday at the office. Fortunately, I was the only one in the office, so no one had to hear how bitter I was about the lack of climate control. If any of you have been around New Anthem lately, you’ve realized that the air conditioning is an ongoing saga of epic proportions. The building is old; the units are old. And our A/C man seems to enjoy hanging around so he leaves himself extra work each week.

You may be wondering why I’m complaining about trivial things. Or talking about the part of ministry that doesn’t matter. If the lighting isn’t perfect, or it’s too hot, or we don’t have enough toilet paper, will ministry stop in its tracks? Will Pastor Landon stop preaching the gospel?

Short answer: no. These details don’t affect our overall mission (the Great Commission) or our vision (Connecting People to God’s Purpose). BUT as I mentioned in my opening paragraph, I’ve been introspective lately. A lot has happened in the last six months, and at the same time, there’s even more to come.

Here’s what’s happened: we got kicked out of our meeting space. We were told we couldn’t meet corporately as a church for 12 weeks. We lost the ability to meet in person with our small groups. We had good people walk away from New Anthem Church.

You know what else has happened? We found a new meeting space directly north of our current office, allowing us to not have to set-up and tear-down every Sunday. Can I get an AMEN! We hired a new Worship Coordinator, Jeremy Spring (If you haven’t met the guy, take a moment to introduce yourself. The dude is awesome. I’m very excited to work alongside him). We launched home church sites (and we still have 3 locations meeting each week)! Our attendance has grown. We’ve had people attend NEXT, people commit to New Anthem as church members, and many express interest in joining Surge Groups this fall. We donated a HUGE gift to King’s Cross Church in Lyons, KS, the church plant that will launch in October. We’re connecting with more Park City/Valley Center/Wichita people. We’re helping Meals on Wheels in Park City. We’ve offered financial assistance to those in need during the pandemic.

Pastor Landon has been sharing Wednesday Refresh each week, and he asserts that “things will get better. Will you be better when they do?” I firmly believe that New Anthem will be better. Each day is a new day for us to tackle a new problem. Our space isn’t perfect (not even close!), but we are striving for small improvements each week. Online streaming still needs a lot of help- we have a plan in place for that. The facility isn’t in the best shape- we are developing a plan for that too. Each day we explore ways to be more impactful in our ministry, discover how to create deeper connections, and stay focused on the big picture.

YOU GUYS, God is moving New Anthem forward. I am excited for what’s happened just during the month of August, and I am pumped for what’s in store this fall. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned during 2020 is that my timing is not God’s timing, and I just need to be faithful and patient in the process. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

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Hot weather makes me cranky. But it also makes me introspective. Probably because I spend so much time cooped up inside because I CLEARLY need to be in air conditioning if it’s going to even think about being warmer than 82 degrees.

I had to work sans air conditioning on Monday at the office. Fortunately, I was the only one in the office, so no one had to hear how bitter I was about the lack of climate control. If any of you have been around New Anthem lately, you’ve realized that the air conditioning is an ongoing saga of epic proportions. The building is old; the units are old. And our A/C man seems to enjoy hanging around so he leaves himself extra work each week.

You may be wondering why I’m complaining about trivial things. Or talking about the part of ministry that doesn’t matter. If the lighting isn’t perfect, or it’s too hot, or we don’t have enough toilet paper, will ministry stop in its tracks? Will Pastor Landon stop preaching the gospel?

Short answer: no. These details don’t affect our overall mission (the Great Commission) or our vision (Connecting People to God’s Purpose). BUT as I mentioned in my opening paragraph, I’ve been introspective lately. A lot has happened in the last six months, and at the same time, there’s even more to come.

Here’s what’s happened: we got kicked out of our meeting space. We were told we couldn’t meet corporately as a church for 12 weeks. We lost the ability to meet in person with our small groups. We had good people walk away from New Anthem Church.

You know what else has happened? We found a new meeting space directly north of our current office, allowing us to not have to set-up and tear-down every Sunday. Can I get an AMEN! We hired a new Worship Coordinator, Jeremy Spring (If you haven’t met the guy, take a moment to introduce yourself. The dude is awesome. I’m very excited to work alongside him). We launched home church sites (and we still have 3 locations meeting each week)! Our attendance has grown. We’ve had people attend NEXT, people commit to New Anthem as church members, and many express interest in joining Surge Groups this fall. We donated a HUGE gift to King’s Cross Church in Lyons, KS, the church plant that will launch in October. We’re connecting with more Park City/Valley Center/Wichita people. We’re helping Meals on Wheels in Park City. We’ve offered financial assistance to those in need during the pandemic.

Pastor Landon has been sharing Wednesday Refresh each week, and he asserts that “things will get better. Will you be better when they do?” I firmly believe that New Anthem will be better. Each day is a new day for us to tackle a new problem. Our space isn’t perfect (not even close!), but we are striving for small improvements each week. Online streaming still needs a lot of help- we have a plan in place for that. The facility isn’t in the best shape- we are developing a plan for that too. Each day we explore ways to be more impactful in our ministry, discover how to create deeper connections, and stay focused on the big picture.

YOU GUYS, God is moving New Anthem forward. I am excited for what’s happened just during the month of August, and I am pumped for what’s in store this fall. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned during 2020 is that my timing is not God’s timing, and I just need to be faithful and patient in the process. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

]]>
Cinco de Mayo y tu https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/cinco-de-mayo https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/cinco-de-mayo#comments Mon, 04 May 2020 14:00:00 -0400 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/cinco-de-mayo Cinco de Mayo. It rhymes.

And that’s the extent of my knowledge on the 5th of May. Now, don't forget it's occurring on Taco Tuesday this year, which (in my mind) makes it significantly more important—but apparently, the actual event has nothing to do with food.

A quick google search revealed that Cinco de Mayo is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. We ('merica) beat the French way before that. Matter of fact, we weren’t even a country when we sent the Poilu’s packing, but thank God we kept their bagels…and fries…and kisses—which you should only do if you’re married…but what I’m trying to say is when it comes to war, a popular phrase is, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." I can’t help but wonder if this whole coronavirus pandemic isn’t uniting enemies in a way that will benefit humanity. Enemies are becoming friends under this health crisis.

To that point, I also believe that a common vision can unite a group just like a common enemy can. I’ll say it this way: fighting FOR something is no different than fighting AGAINST something.

And while the world is busy fighting against a pandemic, maybe we can get caught fighting for the Gospel. Maybe we can be caught fighting for the love of our neighbor. Maybe we can be found fighting for the cause of Jesus.

Furthermore, what I know with complete certainty is that Jesus didn’t die for a building. To be clear, he destroyed the temple and it’s never recovered.

That’s why we (New Anthem) are in no real hurry to rush you in to a building somewhere. Buildings don’t change lives…God does. Sunday isn’t the vision. It’s a tool to communicate the vision. See, God’s vision has always been about making you more like His Son. It’s why He wants you in a community of Believers. Because life change happens when information meets community. And community isn’t an hour on a Sunday.

Here’s all I’m trying to get you to understand: I’m not an architect with a blueprint. I’m an army general with a battle plan (except once grenades start going off, I want to make sure I’m like the Mexican Army, not the French Army, on Cinco de Mayo. So plans will change, but the vision won’t). Things change in our approach as information changes.

We’re still trying to connect you to God’s purpose. For now, until social distancing restrictions are lifted, this is primarily going to happen in small groups in people’s homes. We’re currently working on locations, and when sites are finalized, we will share them on all of our social media and email platforms.

Until then, please let us know how we can best serve you and your family. Let’s keep praying and believing that the best is yet to come.

]]>
Cinco de Mayo. It rhymes.

And that’s the extent of my knowledge on the 5th of May. Now, don't forget it's occurring on Taco Tuesday this year, which (in my mind) makes it significantly more important—but apparently, the actual event has nothing to do with food.

A quick google search revealed that Cinco de Mayo is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. We ('merica) beat the French way before that. Matter of fact, we weren’t even a country when we sent the Poilu’s packing, but thank God we kept their bagels…and fries…and kisses—which you should only do if you’re married…but what I’m trying to say is when it comes to war, a popular phrase is, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." I can’t help but wonder if this whole coronavirus pandemic isn’t uniting enemies in a way that will benefit humanity. Enemies are becoming friends under this health crisis.

To that point, I also believe that a common vision can unite a group just like a common enemy can. I’ll say it this way: fighting FOR something is no different than fighting AGAINST something.

And while the world is busy fighting against a pandemic, maybe we can get caught fighting for the Gospel. Maybe we can be caught fighting for the love of our neighbor. Maybe we can be found fighting for the cause of Jesus.

Furthermore, what I know with complete certainty is that Jesus didn’t die for a building. To be clear, he destroyed the temple and it’s never recovered.

That’s why we (New Anthem) are in no real hurry to rush you in to a building somewhere. Buildings don’t change lives…God does. Sunday isn’t the vision. It’s a tool to communicate the vision. See, God’s vision has always been about making you more like His Son. It’s why He wants you in a community of Believers. Because life change happens when information meets community. And community isn’t an hour on a Sunday.

Here’s all I’m trying to get you to understand: I’m not an architect with a blueprint. I’m an army general with a battle plan (except once grenades start going off, I want to make sure I’m like the Mexican Army, not the French Army, on Cinco de Mayo. So plans will change, but the vision won’t). Things change in our approach as information changes.

We’re still trying to connect you to God’s purpose. For now, until social distancing restrictions are lifted, this is primarily going to happen in small groups in people’s homes. We’re currently working on locations, and when sites are finalized, we will share them on all of our social media and email platforms.

Until then, please let us know how we can best serve you and your family. Let’s keep praying and believing that the best is yet to come.

]]>
Time Well Spent https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/a-time-well-spent https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/a-time-well-spent#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0400 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/a-time-well-spent If you are like me, you suddenly find yourself with lots of time on your hands, and very few places to (ethically) go.  Three weeks ago, when we realized that we were going to have to stay away from others and be inside our homes for a while….my first thought was, “I want to make this time count.”  When I look back on this pandemic in a year, or five years, or ten, I want to be able to tell the story of how this time was well-spent.  

 

Maybe you’ve had that same burden?  If so, then one of the best ways we can use this time is to spend it in the worthy endeavor of becoming more like our friend, Jesus.  And the best way I know to do that is to spend time with him.  Prayer--whether you are talking to God or listening to Him--opens the pathways for us to be made more into His likeness.  

 

At New Anthem, we are joining what so many around the country are doing--and spending considerable time praying--for healing, for provision, and for an awakening of God’s Spirit among us.   This excerpt, from “A Liturgy for those Flooded by Too Much Information” (Douglas McKelvey in his book, “Every Moment Holy”), gives words to what many of us may be feeling:

 

“Give us discernment in the face 

of troubling news reports. 

Give us discernment to know 

when to pray, 

when to speak out, 

when to act, 

and when to simply shut off our screens 

and our devices, 

and to sit quietly in your presence, 

casting the burdens of this world 

upon the strong shoulders of the one 

who alone 

is able to bear them up.

 

Amen”

 

We have likely spent time mourning what’s been lost, tuning in to what’s going on around our country and world, and creating a new normal.  And today we can decide to spend time in prayer.

 

There are many ways you can join us!  We’ve linked three of them below.  

 

  1. Download the 7 Days of Prayer card from Lifeway. It leads us to pray for the sick, for medical workers, for the vulnerable, and many others who are directly affected by this pandemic.
  2. Visit www.unite714.com and sign up to pray twice a day at 7:14 (morning and night).  Check out their resources, too!
  3. Sign up for a time slot on New Anthem Church’s Fifteen-Minute Fridays. Fifteen-Minute Fridays is our commitment as a church to spend time praying for healing and restoration. Our goal is to have someone from our church family praying at any moment during the 12 hours from 7:14am to 7:14pm (based on the Unite714.com challenge). 

 

Thank you for considering taking this time with Christ!

]]>
If you are like me, you suddenly find yourself with lots of time on your hands, and very few places to (ethically) go.  Three weeks ago, when we realized that we were going to have to stay away from others and be inside our homes for a while….my first thought was, “I want to make this time count.”  When I look back on this pandemic in a year, or five years, or ten, I want to be able to tell the story of how this time was well-spent.  

 

Maybe you’ve had that same burden?  If so, then one of the best ways we can use this time is to spend it in the worthy endeavor of becoming more like our friend, Jesus.  And the best way I know to do that is to spend time with him.  Prayer--whether you are talking to God or listening to Him--opens the pathways for us to be made more into His likeness.  

 

At New Anthem, we are joining what so many around the country are doing--and spending considerable time praying--for healing, for provision, and for an awakening of God’s Spirit among us.   This excerpt, from “A Liturgy for those Flooded by Too Much Information” (Douglas McKelvey in his book, “Every Moment Holy”), gives words to what many of us may be feeling:

 

“Give us discernment in the face 

of troubling news reports. 

Give us discernment to know 

when to pray, 

when to speak out, 

when to act, 

and when to simply shut off our screens 

and our devices, 

and to sit quietly in your presence, 

casting the burdens of this world 

upon the strong shoulders of the one 

who alone 

is able to bear them up.

 

Amen”

 

We have likely spent time mourning what’s been lost, tuning in to what’s going on around our country and world, and creating a new normal.  And today we can decide to spend time in prayer.

 

There are many ways you can join us!  We’ve linked three of them below.  

 

  1. Download the 7 Days of Prayer card from Lifeway. It leads us to pray for the sick, for medical workers, for the vulnerable, and many others who are directly affected by this pandemic.
  2. Visit www.unite714.com and sign up to pray twice a day at 7:14 (morning and night).  Check out their resources, too!
  3. Sign up for a time slot on New Anthem Church’s Fifteen-Minute Fridays. Fifteen-Minute Fridays is our commitment as a church to spend time praying for healing and restoration. Our goal is to have someone from our church family praying at any moment during the 12 hours from 7:14am to 7:14pm (based on the Unite714.com challenge). 

 

Thank you for considering taking this time with Christ!

]]>
Have you considered church with no pants? https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/have-you-considered-church-with-no-pants https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/have-you-considered-church-with-no-pants#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2020 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/have-you-considered-church-with-no-pants There's a lot of news out there--and a lot of things going on that may scare you, or may make you question humanity (like why is there no toilet paper?). So in light of that, I just wanted to give you a brief update on how we're handling things at New Anthem. 

First of all, our church is not a service. We have a service--but it's only a small part of what we do. And as I was reading, and praying, and fasting about how we can continue connecting people to God's purpose (because we believe all people matter to God, and to our church) these words from Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 struck me:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us11 as you help us by your prayers.

There's a lot in there, but pay careful attention to verses 9-11. Paul, who went through a lot of hardship in his life, came to the point where he despaired of life itself. In other words, death looked more appealing to him than going through what he was facing. And yet, he focused on one thing: God HAD delivered him, He WILL deliver him again, and He will CONTINUE to deliver him as people pray. He says, this taught us to rely on God. 

I hope you're relying on God right now. We have what this whole world is looking for. A cure for the most dangerous virus the world has ever known. It's the virus of sin. And through Jesus, his death, burial, and resurrection, we have been set free from all its side effects.

Which, here's my point, other people need this hope of deliverance. And for thousands of years this message has endured. Nothing has slowed it down. Remember, God gives us comfort so that we can comfort others. Please don't let this message stop with you.

So what do? That's the question. 

Well, letter A, We pray. Paul told us that. He says, we help each other with our prayers. So don't hesitate in doing that. I'd much rather you pray 10 times a day for 1 minute, than 1 time for 10 minutes--but number 2: have you considered church with no pants? I'm being a bit facetious, but I can tell you we won't be together, at all, for the next 15 days. The county, state, and nation have all requested no meetings over 50 people, and we are obviously going to honor that. However, we will be posting our services online (you won't even have to get out of bed, or dressed, to participate). You can follow this link to our website, or, for an interactive experience, go to newanthem.online.church.

Now, I know this quarantine sounds awful to many of you, while to others of you it sounds amazing; because you won't have to see anybody, ever. Please don't let that happen. Reach out to your friends, neighbors, family. Pray for others. Call or write notes to people to encourage them. I don't like the phrase social distancing--you should physically distance yourself, but please do not socially isolate! Scripture tells us it is not good that man should be alone.

Tertiarily (is that a word?) as quarantines and social gathering restrictions are lifted we will re-assess our situation. One of the things we're considering--particularly if we're limited to 50 or less people--is hosting "home church" locations. In short we will gather as small groups in homes and stream the services online--in this scenario, you MUST wear pants.  

In addtion to that, if you're still interested in giving, you can do it a variety of ways:

  1. Online via the website, just click on give in the top right corner, or click on the online giving icon in the middle of the page.
  2. You can text any amount to 84321 
  3. You can mail a check to the office. 425 E 61st St N, STE 3; Park City, KS 67219

The reason I bring that up is because if people have needs, we want to try and meet them. 

So here's what I know. I know we're better together. I know you all matter to God. And I know all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Furthermore, I know that we should look different than the world. Lets point people's fears to Faith. We can do this!

Love you all!

pLJ

 

]]>
There's a lot of news out there--and a lot of things going on that may scare you, or may make you question humanity (like why is there no toilet paper?). So in light of that, I just wanted to give you a brief update on how we're handling things at New Anthem. 

First of all, our church is not a service. We have a service--but it's only a small part of what we do. And as I was reading, and praying, and fasting about how we can continue connecting people to God's purpose (because we believe all people matter to God, and to our church) these words from Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 struck me:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us11 as you help us by your prayers.

There's a lot in there, but pay careful attention to verses 9-11. Paul, who went through a lot of hardship in his life, came to the point where he despaired of life itself. In other words, death looked more appealing to him than going through what he was facing. And yet, he focused on one thing: God HAD delivered him, He WILL deliver him again, and He will CONTINUE to deliver him as people pray. He says, this taught us to rely on God. 

I hope you're relying on God right now. We have what this whole world is looking for. A cure for the most dangerous virus the world has ever known. It's the virus of sin. And through Jesus, his death, burial, and resurrection, we have been set free from all its side effects.

Which, here's my point, other people need this hope of deliverance. And for thousands of years this message has endured. Nothing has slowed it down. Remember, God gives us comfort so that we can comfort others. Please don't let this message stop with you.

So what do? That's the question. 

Well, letter A, We pray. Paul told us that. He says, we help each other with our prayers. So don't hesitate in doing that. I'd much rather you pray 10 times a day for 1 minute, than 1 time for 10 minutes--but number 2: have you considered church with no pants? I'm being a bit facetious, but I can tell you we won't be together, at all, for the next 15 days. The county, state, and nation have all requested no meetings over 50 people, and we are obviously going to honor that. However, we will be posting our services online (you won't even have to get out of bed, or dressed, to participate). You can follow this link to our website, or, for an interactive experience, go to newanthem.online.church.

Now, I know this quarantine sounds awful to many of you, while to others of you it sounds amazing; because you won't have to see anybody, ever. Please don't let that happen. Reach out to your friends, neighbors, family. Pray for others. Call or write notes to people to encourage them. I don't like the phrase social distancing--you should physically distance yourself, but please do not socially isolate! Scripture tells us it is not good that man should be alone.

Tertiarily (is that a word?) as quarantines and social gathering restrictions are lifted we will re-assess our situation. One of the things we're considering--particularly if we're limited to 50 or less people--is hosting "home church" locations. In short we will gather as small groups in homes and stream the services online--in this scenario, you MUST wear pants.  

In addtion to that, if you're still interested in giving, you can do it a variety of ways:

  1. Online via the website, just click on give in the top right corner, or click on the online giving icon in the middle of the page.
  2. You can text any amount to 84321 
  3. You can mail a check to the office. 425 E 61st St N, STE 3; Park City, KS 67219

The reason I bring that up is because if people have needs, we want to try and meet them. 

So here's what I know. I know we're better together. I know you all matter to God. And I know all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Furthermore, I know that we should look different than the world. Lets point people's fears to Faith. We can do this!

Love you all!

pLJ

 

]]>
Compassion Sunday https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/compassion-sunday https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/compassion-sunday#comments Wed, 08 Jan 2020 10:00:00 -0500 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/compassion-sunday  

April 29th is a special day. It’s the day Joan of Arc arrived to relieve the French forces in the Siege of Orleans. Not New Orleans, just Orleans. It’s French. You eat their bread and potatoes. What’s that have to do with anything you ask? Absolutely nothing. It’s just an interesting bit of history.

However, April 29th is also special because it’s the day we will be holding our first Compassion Sunday. I guess if I tried hard enough I could draw a parallel about how Joan of Arc did not have compassion on the English army, but we’re called to have compassion—it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you should seriously, and prayerfully, consider being a part of this event.

In short, we are using this day to help sponsor children in Bolivia. The cool part about that, is unlike other organizations, Compassion International will allow you to go meet your child. We’re actually working on a date in 2020 for that to happen. But what I really want you to know is how much of a difference your sponsorship actually makes.

When I was in Bolivia, I, like many of you, questioned the validity of child sponsorships and asked what $38/month could really mean for a child. Quite frankly, it means a ton! On my trip, I walked in to a shanty no bigger than a bedroom here, it had 3 grungy beds, no electricity, no bathroom, only a pile of clothes, and a propane cooking stove. Buried in the corner, a mom dug out for me all the letters they had received from their sponsor, neatly wrapped in a ziplock bag so if rain came through the thatched straw roof, it wouldn’t damage the written communications.

Now, don’t get me wrong, your sponsorship does more than just provide emotional joy in the form of a letter. It buys family’s groceries and helps get them in school where they can learn to read and write, and hopefully, eventually, break the circle of poverty, but what’s more is it helps spread the Gospel. It changes eternities. I think we’d all agree there’s no price tag for that.

So I don’t want you to get emotionally charged up only to regret your decision later, but what I would like to do is let you know that Laura and I sponsor a child for each one of our children and we’ve never regretted the decision. Sure, $114/mo would be nice, but what’s going to be nicer is to hear the stories in heaven about how such a small act made such a big difference.

That being said…Pray. Ask God, and if you have peace about it, then I’d invite you, join us in making an impact. I think together we can more than meet the goal I’ve set of 20 children sponsored.

 

Blessings.

https://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/

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April 29th is a special day. It’s the day Joan of Arc arrived to relieve the French forces in the Siege of Orleans. Not New Orleans, just Orleans. It’s French. You eat their bread and potatoes. What’s that have to do with anything you ask? Absolutely nothing. It’s just an interesting bit of history.

However, April 29th is also special because it’s the day we will be holding our first Compassion Sunday. I guess if I tried hard enough I could draw a parallel about how Joan of Arc did not have compassion on the English army, but we’re called to have compassion—it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you should seriously, and prayerfully, consider being a part of this event.

In short, we are using this day to help sponsor children in Bolivia. The cool part about that, is unlike other organizations, Compassion International will allow you to go meet your child. We’re actually working on a date in 2020 for that to happen. But what I really want you to know is how much of a difference your sponsorship actually makes.

When I was in Bolivia, I, like many of you, questioned the validity of child sponsorships and asked what $38/month could really mean for a child. Quite frankly, it means a ton! On my trip, I walked in to a shanty no bigger than a bedroom here, it had 3 grungy beds, no electricity, no bathroom, only a pile of clothes, and a propane cooking stove. Buried in the corner, a mom dug out for me all the letters they had received from their sponsor, neatly wrapped in a ziplock bag so if rain came through the thatched straw roof, it wouldn’t damage the written communications.

Now, don’t get me wrong, your sponsorship does more than just provide emotional joy in the form of a letter. It buys family’s groceries and helps get them in school where they can learn to read and write, and hopefully, eventually, break the circle of poverty, but what’s more is it helps spread the Gospel. It changes eternities. I think we’d all agree there’s no price tag for that.

So I don’t want you to get emotionally charged up only to regret your decision later, but what I would like to do is let you know that Laura and I sponsor a child for each one of our children and we’ve never regretted the decision. Sure, $114/mo would be nice, but what’s going to be nicer is to hear the stories in heaven about how such a small act made such a big difference.

That being said…Pray. Ask God, and if you have peace about it, then I’d invite you, join us in making an impact. I think together we can more than meet the goal I’ve set of 20 children sponsored.

 

Blessings.

https://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/

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Why I fasted... and why you should too https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/why-i-fasted-and-why-you-should-too https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/why-i-fasted-and-why-you-should-too#comments Mon, 30 Dec 2019 17:00:00 -0500 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/why-i-fasted-and-why-you-should-too I don't know how familiar you are with the concept of fasting. My experience was rather limited, given my upbringing in American culture, where we want our food, and we want it now.

I remember my first experience fasting, a 24-hour challenge given at a Bible Camp where I was employed as a 19 year old. The fast was a mandatory time to prepare for summer campers. You guys... it was WEIRD. It was set up to be ultra-spiritual. I felt out of place, that I didn't quite belong on the same spiritual tier as my peers. Although I never felt hungry, I did find plenty of space in my schedule to focus on prayer. All in all, it was effective. However, it was a "one and done" situation for me. I chalked it up as an experience and moved along with my life.

Fast forward to the late 2010s, when my employment at New Anthem Church began. I was expected to participate in the fast, as I should be practicing what I encourage others to do. My first time I chose to do a partial fast and abstain from chocolate. During my second attempt, Pastor Landon challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and do a full fast, which I did for 3 days. These may seem very different from each other, but God showed up in big ways through each.

For my partial fast, I chose to skip the chocolate. As one of my friends teased me, "oh, how cute! You're giving up something easy." BUT... BUT... giving up chocolate was not easy. At all. I had a habit of reaching for chocolate for breakfast (hello fiber one bars), lunch (Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel), and the occasional post supper bowl of ice cream. I don't have a sweet tooth, I have sweet teeth. A sweet jaw. Choosing to give up chocolate was very difficult, and God spoke in a very real and tangible way to me. Whenever I wanted to grab a chocolate, I chose to pray. And as I prayed, I recognized that chocolate was a coping mechanism. If I was stressed, I reached for the sweets. If I was tired or overwhelmed, hello, ice cream! In those three weeks, I learned to turn to Christ, instead of sweets, for sustinance.

Last year was my first full fast. I chose three days, because 1) it was my first time, and 2) I was still living an active lifestyle. I had to strategically plan my work day and exercise load around the lack of food in my diet. Three days was all I could handle. To be honest, I never felt hungry even though I successfully went three days with just water. Instead, I was weak. Exhausted, actually. I had problems sleeping. And in those moments of journaling on my couch at 3am, God opened my heart. My sins were exposed. I felt vulnerable, and more important, repentant. God broke down my pride, bitterness, arrogance, and faulty thinking. I enjoyed a deep sense of intimacy with my Savior through this experience.

Why am I sharing all this with you? What's the point of fasting?

Please remember, Christian fasting isn't some kind of a "work" that's commanded by Christ or required by Scripture. However, it is a recommended part of our spiritual growth. The Book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:414:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:375:33).

The purpose of fasting is to take our eyes off the things of this world, and instead, focus on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God and to ourselves that we are serious about our relationship with Him. If you're intentional about growing your relationship with God, pray. Fast. My personal experience showed me that eliminating something from my routine helped me rely on Christ and draw nearer to Him in my moments of weakness.

In order for you to be successful in your fast, here are a few tips I picked up:

  1. Start simple. If you've never fasted before, don't start with a 7-day fast. Try 24 hours, or 2-3 days. Choose a partial fast. Anything you try is better than not trying at all.
  2. Don't go it alone. Ask a spouse, sibling, or close friend to hold you accountable. Participate with your Surge Group at New Anthem. Find someone to call or text routinely throughout the day. I had two friends (thank you, Laura Jordan and Tina Montonye), who checked in with me throughout the experience and lifted me up in prayer.
  3. Have your Bible and journal handy at all times. You never know when your moments of weakness will strike!
  4. Don't just focus on what you're removing, focus on what you're gaining. Listen to your body. LISTEN to God. Journal your prayers. Most importantly, turn to God in your suffering. Go to him with your struggles, and wait in His presence. He provides!

Have you fasted? Are you interested in fasting? Make 2020 a year to jump start your relationship with Christ. Pray for real life change. Pursue Jesus!

]]>
I don't know how familiar you are with the concept of fasting. My experience was rather limited, given my upbringing in American culture, where we want our food, and we want it now.

I remember my first experience fasting, a 24-hour challenge given at a Bible Camp where I was employed as a 19 year old. The fast was a mandatory time to prepare for summer campers. You guys... it was WEIRD. It was set up to be ultra-spiritual. I felt out of place, that I didn't quite belong on the same spiritual tier as my peers. Although I never felt hungry, I did find plenty of space in my schedule to focus on prayer. All in all, it was effective. However, it was a "one and done" situation for me. I chalked it up as an experience and moved along with my life.

Fast forward to the late 2010s, when my employment at New Anthem Church began. I was expected to participate in the fast, as I should be practicing what I encourage others to do. My first time I chose to do a partial fast and abstain from chocolate. During my second attempt, Pastor Landon challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and do a full fast, which I did for 3 days. These may seem very different from each other, but God showed up in big ways through each.

For my partial fast, I chose to skip the chocolate. As one of my friends teased me, "oh, how cute! You're giving up something easy." BUT... BUT... giving up chocolate was not easy. At all. I had a habit of reaching for chocolate for breakfast (hello fiber one bars), lunch (Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel), and the occasional post supper bowl of ice cream. I don't have a sweet tooth, I have sweet teeth. A sweet jaw. Choosing to give up chocolate was very difficult, and God spoke in a very real and tangible way to me. Whenever I wanted to grab a chocolate, I chose to pray. And as I prayed, I recognized that chocolate was a coping mechanism. If I was stressed, I reached for the sweets. If I was tired or overwhelmed, hello, ice cream! In those three weeks, I learned to turn to Christ, instead of sweets, for sustinance.

Last year was my first full fast. I chose three days, because 1) it was my first time, and 2) I was still living an active lifestyle. I had to strategically plan my work day and exercise load around the lack of food in my diet. Three days was all I could handle. To be honest, I never felt hungry even though I successfully went three days with just water. Instead, I was weak. Exhausted, actually. I had problems sleeping. And in those moments of journaling on my couch at 3am, God opened my heart. My sins were exposed. I felt vulnerable, and more important, repentant. God broke down my pride, bitterness, arrogance, and faulty thinking. I enjoyed a deep sense of intimacy with my Savior through this experience.

Why am I sharing all this with you? What's the point of fasting?

Please remember, Christian fasting isn't some kind of a "work" that's commanded by Christ or required by Scripture. However, it is a recommended part of our spiritual growth. The Book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:414:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:375:33).

The purpose of fasting is to take our eyes off the things of this world, and instead, focus on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God and to ourselves that we are serious about our relationship with Him. If you're intentional about growing your relationship with God, pray. Fast. My personal experience showed me that eliminating something from my routine helped me rely on Christ and draw nearer to Him in my moments of weakness.

In order for you to be successful in your fast, here are a few tips I picked up:

  1. Start simple. If you've never fasted before, don't start with a 7-day fast. Try 24 hours, or 2-3 days. Choose a partial fast. Anything you try is better than not trying at all.
  2. Don't go it alone. Ask a spouse, sibling, or close friend to hold you accountable. Participate with your Surge Group at New Anthem. Find someone to call or text routinely throughout the day. I had two friends (thank you, Laura Jordan and Tina Montonye), who checked in with me throughout the experience and lifted me up in prayer.
  3. Have your Bible and journal handy at all times. You never know when your moments of weakness will strike!
  4. Don't just focus on what you're removing, focus on what you're gaining. Listen to your body. LISTEN to God. Journal your prayers. Most importantly, turn to God in your suffering. Go to him with your struggles, and wait in His presence. He provides!

Have you fasted? Are you interested in fasting? Make 2020 a year to jump start your relationship with Christ. Pray for real life change. Pursue Jesus!

]]>
So, are you ready for your kids to go back to school? https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/so-are-you-ready-for-your-kids-to-go-back-to-school https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/so-are-you-ready-for-your-kids-to-go-back-to-school#comments Mon, 04 Nov 2019 13:05:59 -0500 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/so-are-you-ready-for-your-kids-to-go-back-to-school “So, are you ready for your kids to go back to school?”

I have two children, a 4th grader and 5th grader. We’ve enjoyed our summer. Much time was spent on the farm, as my son loves to drive the grain cart and both kiddos love to be with their dad during the workday. Much time was spent in water. Swimming pools, waterparks, swim team, lake time, you name it, we did it. We spent time visiting family in Michigan. The kids spent hours riding bikes and hanging out with neighborhood kids.

“So, are you ready for your kids to go back to school?”

I heard this question multiple times from people during the last week of July. We still had 3 full weeks of summer break. No, I wasn’t ready for my kids to go back to school. We read books. They camped in the tent in the basement. We lit off fireworks with my husband’s family. Kiddos completed a triathlon, we got together with our small group. We played on playgrounds, watched movies, read books, caught lightning bugs, did yard work, stayed up late, slept in late, at a lot of ice cream, played board games, and did life together.

I love my kids. But I’ll be honest, I’m not this super creative mom, nor would I even consider myself a hands-on mom. I don’t treat each moment like it’s special and precious. BUT throughout motherhood, I’ve been reminded to live intentionally paced.

What does it mean to be intentionally paced? To me, it means to remember that there is the same amount of time in each calendar day. It means to be fully present in the moment. It means to choose gratitude. It means that I recognize that God is in control of every situation, every timely moment with my children, and every disciplinary opportunity. It means that I recognize God’s presence in my priorities. It means that I share God’s love through every smile, hug, or cuddle moment (and we have a lot of that!).

What I’m trying to say is, it feels like our culture and society is always rushing for the next thing. Why do we look forward to the weekend when God is present in our work day? Why are we wishing our children were still babies, or pray for the day when our kiddos are back at school? Why do we always seek more, when we can be grateful for what we have RIGHT NOW?

The question posed was “so, are you ready for your kids to go back to school?” Guess what- I am. I was, actually. Because they started school today. I chose to pray with them, and for them, last night, that God would be honored through their school studies and attitudes this year. This morning, I greeted them with a smile and a high five before they biked to school. I welcomed them home with hugs and kisses and skittles (who doesn’t love a sugar boost in the afternoon??). I was ready, because it was the right moment to be ready. Because I am choosing to live intentionally paced. I shared this passage from Matthew 6 in one of our Sunday morning huddles, and I’d like to share it with you right now:

“What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax… people who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matthew 6:30-34 MSG)

Let’s live this way. Let’s focus on what God is doing right now, let’s be ready for today.

]]>
“So, are you ready for your kids to go back to school?”

I have two children, a 4th grader and 5th grader. We’ve enjoyed our summer. Much time was spent on the farm, as my son loves to drive the grain cart and both kiddos love to be with their dad during the workday. Much time was spent in water. Swimming pools, waterparks, swim team, lake time, you name it, we did it. We spent time visiting family in Michigan. The kids spent hours riding bikes and hanging out with neighborhood kids.

“So, are you ready for your kids to go back to school?”

I heard this question multiple times from people during the last week of July. We still had 3 full weeks of summer break. No, I wasn’t ready for my kids to go back to school. We read books. They camped in the tent in the basement. We lit off fireworks with my husband’s family. Kiddos completed a triathlon, we got together with our small group. We played on playgrounds, watched movies, read books, caught lightning bugs, did yard work, stayed up late, slept in late, at a lot of ice cream, played board games, and did life together.

I love my kids. But I’ll be honest, I’m not this super creative mom, nor would I even consider myself a hands-on mom. I don’t treat each moment like it’s special and precious. BUT throughout motherhood, I’ve been reminded to live intentionally paced.

What does it mean to be intentionally paced? To me, it means to remember that there is the same amount of time in each calendar day. It means to be fully present in the moment. It means to choose gratitude. It means that I recognize that God is in control of every situation, every timely moment with my children, and every disciplinary opportunity. It means that I recognize God’s presence in my priorities. It means that I share God’s love through every smile, hug, or cuddle moment (and we have a lot of that!).

What I’m trying to say is, it feels like our culture and society is always rushing for the next thing. Why do we look forward to the weekend when God is present in our work day? Why are we wishing our children were still babies, or pray for the day when our kiddos are back at school? Why do we always seek more, when we can be grateful for what we have RIGHT NOW?

The question posed was “so, are you ready for your kids to go back to school?” Guess what- I am. I was, actually. Because they started school today. I chose to pray with them, and for them, last night, that God would be honored through their school studies and attitudes this year. This morning, I greeted them with a smile and a high five before they biked to school. I welcomed them home with hugs and kisses and skittles (who doesn’t love a sugar boost in the afternoon??). I was ready, because it was the right moment to be ready. Because I am choosing to live intentionally paced. I shared this passage from Matthew 6 in one of our Sunday morning huddles, and I’d like to share it with you right now:

“What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax… people who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matthew 6:30-34 MSG)

Let’s live this way. Let’s focus on what God is doing right now, let’s be ready for today.

]]>
Vision 2020 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/vision-2020 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/vision-2020#comments Mon, 04 Nov 2019 13:00:00 -0500 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/vision-2020 Picture with me, in your mind, a desirable vacation spot. Money is no object—so be very specific. Where is it? What do you do? When do you go? Imagine the food, the drinks, the sand, the mountains, the water—whatever it is. How do you get there? How long do you stay? I know your kids aren’t with you because that’s called a trip, not a vacation, but visualize who’s going with you. 

 

By thinking about these things, in that kind of detail, what you’ve just done, is articulated a vision. A vision is a description of the future as you see it. Which. Why is vision an important thing for us to consider? Because:

 

Everybody ends up SOMEWHERE, but very few people end up somewhere on PURPOSE

 

In other words, very few people take the time to really dig in to figuring out where does the decision I’m making now, lead me in the future?

Like, what happens if I go in debt to make this purchase, and then I lose my job? What happens if I don’t include my spouse on this decision and they really hate it? What happens if I don’t study for that test or procrastinate that paper or forget to have that important conversation? You’ll end up somewhere. You just won’t likely end up where you wanted to be. 

 

Now. Back to the vacation. Imagine if we were getting a cup of coffee and you were trying to convince me to go with you, but you only had one sentence to do it. And not like a run-on sentence, as I’m accustomed to using, if you haven’t noticed yet, but you only have an 8-word sentence with no proper nouns. I’m guessing that would be very difficult, and I would have a hard time figuring out where you were going. This is why, when it comes to vision, clarity is probably the biggest factor on determining the success of said vision. 

 

So let me be clear. New Anthem Community Church exists to connect people to God’s purpose. That’s our vision. I (Pastor Landon) am like a spiritual tour guide trying to move people from where they are now to where God wants them to be. It also means I have to equip everybody else to do the same. I’ll say it like this: New Anthem is about God, New Anthem is for people, and therefore New Anthem is going to connect people to God’s purpose. 

 

Why? Because everybody ends up somewhere, but very few people end up somewhere on purpose. I want you to end up in God’s divinely appointed purpose for your life. 

 

Maybe this is a better example: This summer, Laura and I, and a group of our friends went on a road-trip vacation together. We all knew our final destination and we all had a pretty good idea what would happen when we got there—it was spelled F-U-N! But here’s what we didn’t know. How would we get there? See, just because we’re all friends, and we all wanted to go, doesn’t mean we’d all take the same route. Some of us would choose to fly. Some of us would prefer to drive. Depending on who drove, many of the traffic laws would be disobeyed, and we would get there as quickly as possible. If somebody else drove they might opt for the scenic route. The hyper aggressive folks would want to push through and have everybody pee in a bottle. Others would want to rest and nap and stop at all the historical markers. 

 

And here’s the kicker: all of these options could work. No matter what option somebody chose, we’d all get there eventually; but in the interest of clarity and group schedules we needed somebody to make sure that everyone knows that on this trip, we are following this route, and this schedule. 

 

Back to the church. We’re going somewhere. We’re on a trip with Jesus, it’s called the Great Commission, and we know on New Anthem’s trip we’re going to do a couple things. We’re going to BRING people into a saving relationship with Jesus. We’re going to BUILD people up in the faith. We’re going to EQUIP people for ministry. And we’re going to SEND them out into the world to make a difference because we’ve connected them to God’s purpose. 

 

Here’s what else I know: Every church ends up somewhere, but not every church ends up somewhere on purpose.

]]>
Picture with me, in your mind, a desirable vacation spot. Money is no object—so be very specific. Where is it? What do you do? When do you go? Imagine the food, the drinks, the sand, the mountains, the water—whatever it is. How do you get there? How long do you stay? I know your kids aren’t with you because that’s called a trip, not a vacation, but visualize who’s going with you. 

 

By thinking about these things, in that kind of detail, what you’ve just done, is articulated a vision. A vision is a description of the future as you see it. Which. Why is vision an important thing for us to consider? Because:

 

Everybody ends up SOMEWHERE, but very few people end up somewhere on PURPOSE

 

In other words, very few people take the time to really dig in to figuring out where does the decision I’m making now, lead me in the future?

Like, what happens if I go in debt to make this purchase, and then I lose my job? What happens if I don’t include my spouse on this decision and they really hate it? What happens if I don’t study for that test or procrastinate that paper or forget to have that important conversation? You’ll end up somewhere. You just won’t likely end up where you wanted to be. 

 

Now. Back to the vacation. Imagine if we were getting a cup of coffee and you were trying to convince me to go with you, but you only had one sentence to do it. And not like a run-on sentence, as I’m accustomed to using, if you haven’t noticed yet, but you only have an 8-word sentence with no proper nouns. I’m guessing that would be very difficult, and I would have a hard time figuring out where you were going. This is why, when it comes to vision, clarity is probably the biggest factor on determining the success of said vision. 

 

So let me be clear. New Anthem Community Church exists to connect people to God’s purpose. That’s our vision. I (Pastor Landon) am like a spiritual tour guide trying to move people from where they are now to where God wants them to be. It also means I have to equip everybody else to do the same. I’ll say it like this: New Anthem is about God, New Anthem is for people, and therefore New Anthem is going to connect people to God’s purpose. 

 

Why? Because everybody ends up somewhere, but very few people end up somewhere on purpose. I want you to end up in God’s divinely appointed purpose for your life. 

 

Maybe this is a better example: This summer, Laura and I, and a group of our friends went on a road-trip vacation together. We all knew our final destination and we all had a pretty good idea what would happen when we got there—it was spelled F-U-N! But here’s what we didn’t know. How would we get there? See, just because we’re all friends, and we all wanted to go, doesn’t mean we’d all take the same route. Some of us would choose to fly. Some of us would prefer to drive. Depending on who drove, many of the traffic laws would be disobeyed, and we would get there as quickly as possible. If somebody else drove they might opt for the scenic route. The hyper aggressive folks would want to push through and have everybody pee in a bottle. Others would want to rest and nap and stop at all the historical markers. 

 

And here’s the kicker: all of these options could work. No matter what option somebody chose, we’d all get there eventually; but in the interest of clarity and group schedules we needed somebody to make sure that everyone knows that on this trip, we are following this route, and this schedule. 

 

Back to the church. We’re going somewhere. We’re on a trip with Jesus, it’s called the Great Commission, and we know on New Anthem’s trip we’re going to do a couple things. We’re going to BRING people into a saving relationship with Jesus. We’re going to BUILD people up in the faith. We’re going to EQUIP people for ministry. And we’re going to SEND them out into the world to make a difference because we’ve connected them to God’s purpose. 

 

Here’s what else I know: Every church ends up somewhere, but not every church ends up somewhere on purpose.

]]>
Train up your child, and don't forget the watermelon! https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/train-up-your-child-and-dont-forget-the-watermelon https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/train-up-your-child-and-dont-forget-the-watermelon#comments Mon, 27 May 2019 21:00:00 -0400 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/train-up-your-child-and-dont-forget-the-watermelon The Goodness of Summer

 

School bell rings, doors fly open, graded papers and old homework assignments fly through the air, and children burst onto the school lawn ready for the excitement that awaits them during the upcoming Summer months.

This scene, or something similar, is taking place all over the country as children across the United States reach the end of the 2018-2019 school year. With that, it’s time for all the wonderful activities that come with Summer. Swimming (at the lake preferably), Picnics with Ice-Cold Watermelon, Evening Ball Games - just to name a few favorites. And even though the school year has come to an end, one thing that will continue is your child learning.

Kids are always learning! Whether through books, videos, or through what is modeled for them at home. So why not create great experiences WITH your children this summer!?

In that spirit, we as a church want to come alongside you in that adventure as well.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

One thing that sticks out about this verse is the absence of one key piece of information. The author of this passage never gives specific instructions as to WHEN to do these things. This leads me to believe that we are to “talk about them” regularly throughout the year.

How exciting to think that because your children are on summer vacation, their minds will be available to learning new and exciting things about the God who invented all the subjects they just finished learning in school!

“But what can I do to help my child grow in their faith during the summer months?” Glad you asked:

Coming up on June 3-6, We will host three locations for Neighborhood Summer Quest!

Partnering with Grace Community Church, this event is a backyard summer Bible school type event for children ages 4 years-4th grade, filled with games, songs, bible stories, and food.  There will be 10 locations in Newton and Wichita. Anyone over the age of 12 is welcome to serve! Want to register your children or sign up to serve? Contact us.

Another great resource we have for you to make use of is the Summer Activity Guide. This is a 52 page guide PACKED with great ideas for summer fun and faith building. Activities, games, meal ideas, crafts, and more! These can be picked up at the New Family Table on Sunday mornings throughout the summer.

In closing, let these word be - if nothing else - an encouragement to you, Parents. God has given you all the tools necessary to disciple your children.

In the meantime - enjoy your summer, “train up your child”, and don’t forget the watermelon!

 

Tanner & Casie Giffin



]]>
The Goodness of Summer

 

School bell rings, doors fly open, graded papers and old homework assignments fly through the air, and children burst onto the school lawn ready for the excitement that awaits them during the upcoming Summer months.

This scene, or something similar, is taking place all over the country as children across the United States reach the end of the 2018-2019 school year. With that, it’s time for all the wonderful activities that come with Summer. Swimming (at the lake preferably), Picnics with Ice-Cold Watermelon, Evening Ball Games - just to name a few favorites. And even though the school year has come to an end, one thing that will continue is your child learning.

Kids are always learning! Whether through books, videos, or through what is modeled for them at home. So why not create great experiences WITH your children this summer!?

In that spirit, we as a church want to come alongside you in that adventure as well.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

One thing that sticks out about this verse is the absence of one key piece of information. The author of this passage never gives specific instructions as to WHEN to do these things. This leads me to believe that we are to “talk about them” regularly throughout the year.

How exciting to think that because your children are on summer vacation, their minds will be available to learning new and exciting things about the God who invented all the subjects they just finished learning in school!

“But what can I do to help my child grow in their faith during the summer months?” Glad you asked:

Coming up on June 3-6, We will host three locations for Neighborhood Summer Quest!

Partnering with Grace Community Church, this event is a backyard summer Bible school type event for children ages 4 years-4th grade, filled with games, songs, bible stories, and food.  There will be 10 locations in Newton and Wichita. Anyone over the age of 12 is welcome to serve! Want to register your children or sign up to serve? Contact us.

Another great resource we have for you to make use of is the Summer Activity Guide. This is a 52 page guide PACKED with great ideas for summer fun and faith building. Activities, games, meal ideas, crafts, and more! These can be picked up at the New Family Table on Sunday mornings throughout the summer.

In closing, let these word be - if nothing else - an encouragement to you, Parents. God has given you all the tools necessary to disciple your children.

In the meantime - enjoy your summer, “train up your child”, and don’t forget the watermelon!

 

Tanner & Casie Giffin



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Parent Commissioning Sunday https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/parent-commissioning-sunday https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/parent-commissioning-sunday#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2019 20:00:00 -0400 https://www.newanthemchurch.com/blog/post/parent-commissioning-sunday One of the things we are passionate about at New Anthem is seeing the world reached with the Gospel (The Good News that Jesus has conquered sin and death and by the power of His resurrection you can have new life). However, we also believe that if we’ve reached the world but not our homes, we’ve failed. Therefore, our hope, for each one of the children who pass through our Rhythm Kidz Ministry, is that they will grow up and give their lives to Jesus and be sent into the world (one day) to make a difference for His mission.

And because we believe that the home is the first mission field, that means our parents are on the front lines every day, and we want our families to know that we’re in this together! We’re committed to locking arms with them and equipping them with the tools necessary to see their kids love Christ! 

Typically we’ve done this by doing a child dedication; where we agree to partner with each other to be good stewards of the little lives God has entrusted to us. However, that will all change this Mother’s Day.

Just as we would commission church planters and/or missionaries to take the gospel to lost people all around the world, on Mother’s Day, we are going to commission parents who are ready to acknowledge their home as their first mission field.

While the “event” will probably look similar to years past, I think the language distinction is important. Perhaps even vital. Parent Commissioning is about parents accepting their God-given responsibility to point their kids to Jesus, and our promise (as a church) to do whatever it can to partner with them.

Psalm 127:3-5 reads, Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. 4 Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

I don’t know what you think about when you think of arrows in a warriors hands, but I’m going right to Kevin Costner in Robin Hood—and that brother knows how to shoot some arrows. Single arrows, multiple arrows, flaming arrows…doesn’t matter…

So if Psalm 127 is right, as Christians, our children should be so powerfully launched by their parents and their churches into the world that they are wreaking havoc on the rulers of this dark age (Ephesians 6:12).

With that being said, I’m no longer satisfied with parading kids up front and telling them “good luck”! Instead, I’m ready to challenge parents and say, “It’s time to step up!” Children are leaving church by the droves! My job is not to entertain your kids. It’s to evangelize them. And to empower them. And help them believe that anything is possible with God, but it starts at home. We’ll help you, but if you’re not willing to put in the work, and skip a few tournaments, and sit out a few games, and teach them about money, and talk to them about sex, and take this job seriously…than this probably isn’t going to be a place that you’ll like to attend.

 

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One of the things we are passionate about at New Anthem is seeing the world reached with the Gospel (The Good News that Jesus has conquered sin and death and by the power of His resurrection you can have new life). However, we also believe that if we’ve reached the world but not our homes, we’ve failed. Therefore, our hope, for each one of the children who pass through our Rhythm Kidz Ministry, is that they will grow up and give their lives to Jesus and be sent into the world (one day) to make a difference for His mission.

And because we believe that the home is the first mission field, that means our parents are on the front lines every day, and we want our families to know that we’re in this together! We’re committed to locking arms with them and equipping them with the tools necessary to see their kids love Christ! 

Typically we’ve done this by doing a child dedication; where we agree to partner with each other to be good stewards of the little lives God has entrusted to us. However, that will all change this Mother’s Day.

Just as we would commission church planters and/or missionaries to take the gospel to lost people all around the world, on Mother’s Day, we are going to commission parents who are ready to acknowledge their home as their first mission field.

While the “event” will probably look similar to years past, I think the language distinction is important. Perhaps even vital. Parent Commissioning is about parents accepting their God-given responsibility to point their kids to Jesus, and our promise (as a church) to do whatever it can to partner with them.

Psalm 127:3-5 reads, Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. 4 Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

I don’t know what you think about when you think of arrows in a warriors hands, but I’m going right to Kevin Costner in Robin Hood—and that brother knows how to shoot some arrows. Single arrows, multiple arrows, flaming arrows…doesn’t matter…

So if Psalm 127 is right, as Christians, our children should be so powerfully launched by their parents and their churches into the world that they are wreaking havoc on the rulers of this dark age (Ephesians 6:12).

With that being said, I’m no longer satisfied with parading kids up front and telling them “good luck”! Instead, I’m ready to challenge parents and say, “It’s time to step up!” Children are leaving church by the droves! My job is not to entertain your kids. It’s to evangelize them. And to empower them. And help them believe that anything is possible with God, but it starts at home. We’ll help you, but if you’re not willing to put in the work, and skip a few tournaments, and sit out a few games, and teach them about money, and talk to them about sex, and take this job seriously…than this probably isn’t going to be a place that you’ll like to attend.

 

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