Tag: africa for jesus

Serving others

What organizations are you most proud to support/serve right now?

Here are mine:

Grace Community Church – Love my church!

Africa For Jesus – Ryan has single handedly changed the way I think about global missions.

Mission Clarksville – Patrick and Catherine Smith have launched this organization in Clarksville with the aim of giving meaningful, rigorous work to local students from each of the high schools…for the purpose of investing and maturing them.

Manna Cafe – Kenny York is bringing his passion and giftings with ministering to the homeless community to Clarksville.  Instead of asking the homeless to come to a central location, Kenny will be traveling (with hot meals) to them, aiming to meet physical and spiritual needs.

Leave a comment, and let everybody know what organizations you believe in!

 

Outside the Box

I don’t know about you, but I tend to box myself in.  I find something that works, then stick with that plan 100% until I have completely run it into the ground.

And that’s not a good thing.

When it comes to serving in ministry, “boxes” are helpful, but should constantly be evaluated…and burned if necessary.

That’s why I’m offering, for free, a leadership training event called “Outside the Box.”  I’ve created the event to help us think outside of the normal way of operating.  To not accept mediocre.  To push for excellence.  And to not rely on yesterday’s ideas to accomplish today’s problems.  Because yesterday’s ideas worked really well….yesterday.

In order to continue to grow as a ministry at Grace Community Church, we need to think outside the box.

Especially when it comes to the idea of being missional.

Here is the lineup of speakers:

Kenny York – Kenny is launching a new ministry in Clarksville to minister to the homeless.  Instead of asking the homeless to come to a centralized location…he’s going to them, bringing hot meals to where they are.  You can read more about Manna Cafe Ministries HERE.

Ryan Chappalear – Ryan is Founder/International Director of Africa for Jesus.  Ryan, and the way he has led AFJ to plant churches and train local pastors in Africa, has changed the way I think about international missions.  You can read about the ministry that Ryan leads HERE.

Rick Howerton – Rick is one of the premier leaders in the small-group movement. Having facilitated an untold number of small-group journeys over the last 17 years, his passion is contagious. This guy honestly believes that small groups can and will change the world!  He blogs HERE.

This event is designed for our small group leaders (and volunteers) at Grace Community Church.  If you lead a small group but you don’t go to Grace, we’d still love to have you!  Just call the church office at 931-647-6800 and ask for Ben Reed.

Hope to see you there!

 

Coca Cola and the Gospel

I’m reading through a book that will soon be released.  Written by Ryan Chappalear (founder of Africa For Jesus), it is being published right now.  In the book, Ryan is comparing the spread of Coca Cola with the spread of the Gospel.  I’ll put a full review together for my blog later, but wanted to share this extended quote with you.  I hope that it begins to change the way you think about effectively spreading the Gospel to the ends of the world.

When Coca-Cola expands, they understand that in order for their brand to be embraced, it must be looked upon as a local product.  That is why most bottling plants are operated by local businessmen and jobs are filled by locals.  One or two Coke reps from the USA may visit now and again, but in order for Coca-Cola to have the greatest impact in the local market, it must appear indigenous.

I first realized this when I was in Bible school.  My plans were to live in an African village, learn the language, learn the culture, and then preach the Gospel.  I thought that in my lifetime, I could reach five villages with the Gospel.  But God showed me a new way.  A better idea. I learned that for 100 years, God had sent Western missionaries to Africa to train them.  There are now literally thousands of Bible training schools across Africa, effectively preparing their own people to spread the Gospel.

After discovering this, it no longer made sense for me to go myself.  I could only reach five villages.  But if I helped locals become missionaries, I could literally help reach thousands of villages with the Gospel.  Almost immediately, I knew my purpose in life:  To empower the African Church to reach their own people. (chapter 2, pages 1-2)

Like to read the whole book?  It’s coming out soon.  Check HERE for updates.  In the meantime, why not sponsor a native missionary?

 

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