Asmt #4

What is my understanding between the relationship of a church and a parachurch? Well first I feel I would have to explain my opinion of what is the trinity, what is a termite, and my belief in what the bible is to me.
    Trinity- is THE GOD three in ONE. Like water is water frozen or steamed, so is my God, God in spirit and in body. God the father is all powerful and keeper of power. The Holy Spirit is God on earth and also in us to help us. God the son or Christ was and is the sacrifice, and is the head of the Church.
    Termites- are considered a pest only because they destroy are houses. when they where made to maintain the down trees, but inside the termite is what is important. It has an organism that coexists with the termite to able the termite to digest the wood they eat, or they would die.
    The Bible- Is the WORDS OF GOD written by man. Not translated or produced, but written.
    The church was created by God with Jesus and continued by Man with the Holy Spirit as Jesus the Example. The Parachuch was made by Man for Man in relation to the times need. and like the termite they coexist. Only the Church does not need the parachurch and that the parachurch is not a church. Last the church was made by man not by God because Jesus in the bible written by God calls us to the church, while the parachurch is not necessary but useful into today's times to help and allow the church to do greater work. so what is the relationship? the relationship is like all good relationships with a goal. To praise God, to raise the effectiveness of the church, and to be available for more than one church. A parachurch is a location that is not defined by congregation but by population. And its effectiveness is not by amount of money, but amount of use and effort.

Asmt #3

     The ? is to, Explain the pros and cons of being a denominational church organization. the first and most easiest to see is the differences in definition or need for allowing only those that agree to follow your statement of faith. the down sides to this is a smaller number of groups that will be able to use the camp so less income. denieing someone for there love of alcohol seem cruel and unloving. I mean where is the ministry there. The ministry is in the body of Christ, toxins are finding there way into the body all the time, but we are able to take care of them given time. If to much is added at once the body becomes weak or even my fall. Our job is to promote the church and not fall. Camp is a pairachurch which was described to me as an extension of the church. and since we are a church that is a camp and not a church building more people are interested in visiting us which helps plant seeds. We may get less income for having a defined audience, but our audience knows are rules and they live them, giving us a greater ability for order, them to have fun, and them to grow. when there is order in a home the kids are trusted and can go off and play. the leaders that book the camp have the same goals which allow us to set the environment for the church for who ever they bring. Making us a ministry, one that may be in place, but strong. But being denominational scares off people to. In EVERYTHING there are pros and cons, with God the pros always outweigh the cons. We may be denominational, we may scare people away, we my say no to those that only want to have a wedding, we may not make in money what we get in understanding God's will a little better, But I sleep really good at night because we our doing what is best for the churches we serve, the ministry we express, and ourselves.

Asmt. #2

       The ? this time is, How does understanding the world view of other religions help you minister to other's needs, even if you never meet someone from those particular faiths?
       I am a big believer in knowledge and experiences. I believe man was made to learn, think, and use that knowledge for future situations. the fact that our brains can hold more than 5 to 10 life's worth of information is incredible. So not only do I feel it is best to learn it just to know it, but how better can we help others or fight off struggles knowing what we are facing. To help someone else have understanding by showing an example that makes sense to them or just letting them know I care so much about what I believe I wanted to make sure of what I have heard and learned. It is almost impossible to truly understand exactly the way someone else's feels. But you can relate in the same way we can relate our belief and knowledge. if someone asks why do I believe what it is that I believe I can say using Gods word and then go back and explain it using there understandings about faith to make a common ground.
       I have found out in my life that people I have talked to say they are a christian because they know of God and went to church, or maybe because they are a certain denomination and I didn't ask anything else. By wanting to no more about other religions or denominations I can move into our differences and peel back the truth. I don't want to push or pull on anybody. So that is why I need to have common ground and show them they are not weird, but that I have a different belief because of what I know of in the bible. so more importantly I need to know my word, and next I need to know theirs to.
      God says be fishers of men, I am not only learning how to fish here, but what my fish maybe thinking so I maybe prepared for the challenges ahead.
     

Asmt. Blog 1

Ryan asked Me to think about the ? (Why should everyone understand a ministries statement of faith.) So here are my thoughts.
         A statement of faith is both an individual statement, or a group statement, written out for all to see and a production of knowledge given or learned now stated outside of the mind. The idea of a statement of faith to me is short and sweet and very neat. It shows your past and where you stand or differ from others. It gives a clear and defined representation of what you stand for and will defend. We for the last 2 days have been going over camps statement of faith and the cci statement of faith which is the christian camp association. The main difference between the two is camps direct statement placing them as a christian Evangelical camp. while the cci are more broad allowing for all denominations to use as a statement of faith and description of belief without segregation. I am glad camp has made there own. I like and prefer camps. I like camps better because God once in name and repeatedly in expression let us know his position in the bible and even more his own statement of faith. He said I am who I am.
        First you should know I do not mean to say nor did we in class talk about this next part but Ryan told me to type what i feel. Second this is a way for me to understand and grasp a closer relationship with God by trying to simplify what I can not fathom. God told Moses He was himself. When God was asked who should I say sent me. God replied I am who I am. which in the English language is a exact definition. To say something is what it is, is an exact definition you cannot under describe or tell what it is not, in that definition. God is all around us in everything, and always helping us in everything. He needs no introduction or broader description. He is and truly is. Not one early civilization that we know of did believe there was not a god. They all have a story, even if it is wrong they could see God, they could feel God, because he has the greatest mission statement of all, in everything he created for us to just enjoy.
        For me though I would say I don't have a complete mission statement. I have followed and am following and believe hidden acres mission statement, but what I believe and who I am and what I want others to know I stand for may still be more. I am not done with the work God has for me. I am just beginning. I love camps, but it is camps, I feel I will need to find my own that tells not only what I believe, but like Gods what I am where ever I am.