I'm grateful today to God for allowing me and others to see His activity so evidently in the lives of people around me. Yesterday was an incredible day at UCity Fellowship. Celebrating the journeys of four very dear friends (Lonnie and Angela Clouse and Trent and Carmen Post) is an honor. I will miss them all tremendously, but I am so excited to be a part of the next thing that God has for them as they establish and lead orphan care initiatives in Ethiopia and Mexico. I look forward to visiting them in their new works and planning effective partnerships for the Kingdom.
To follow a morning like that with a Baptism Celebration - was amazing. The way God continues to transform the lives of people young and old just completely floors me at times. Here is an email I received last week from a man who was baptized yesterday.
David,
I’m writing to you because of the deep connection that my wife and I have felt since attending UCF for the past month. I can’t speak for Nancy but for me, the moment that I walked through the doors, for the first time, I knew that there was something powerful working and that I belonged.
I was raised in an Episcopal church and ran as fast and as far as I could when I turned sixteen. While I never stopped talking to God all of these years, I have not attended a church since long ago because the message that I kept hearing didn’t jive with what I knew to be true; it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’ve come from, or what you’ve done but it’s what’s in your heart.
We used to live in a small town named Stanfield. Nancy worked in Concord and I was self-employed working all over the area. Our oldest son was struggling in the local school system and we were struggling financially. One day on her way home, she still can’t explain it; she was passing First Assembly and pulled in. She walked into the school office and asked for a tour, it was pajama day and the Principal happily gave her a tour; in his pajamas!
She promptly came home and proclaimed that we were sending Blake, our only child then, to that school; HOW! was my reaction…? Well, we stepped off the edge and SOMEHOW we found a way.
It was Blake’s sixth-grade year that this occurred and now he is going into his senior year at college and the part that God has played in his life is almost overwhelming.
I recount that story, and of course there’s many more, just to acknowledge the role that God has always played in our lives but that I have never truly served HIM.
Listening to the Rhodes’ story Sunday was something that Nancy and I are way TOO familiar with. I know and believe that as Tim said, “God has been breaking me down”, over the past three years which has left a huge hole in my life, and I think Nancy’s too. That’s what got me to the doors of UCF a month ago. The really cool thing….since we’ve been attending, some of the stuff that I care about deeply, veterans and Marines in particular, has entered my life at UCF. Something wonderful happened with this on Sunday and I spent most of the gathering crying!
As I look back over the years, it is so obvious that God has played such a huge roll in our lives, because there really is no other explanation. And because of the love He has shone to us, Nancy and I know it’s time to get off the sidelines.
I have listened to the cd and read the booklet but I have to say that when I saw this booklet a couple of weeks ago, before even reading it, I knew what I was to do. The cd sealed my commitment. I am ready to make “a public declaration to a new association with Jesus Christ” and be washed. Since revealing my desire for Baptism to my family, Nancy has also expressed her desire to be baptized.
My oldest son Blake has never waivered from the path; he has been an amazing example of Gods’ handy work and, if you accept our request for Baptism, I would like for him to be involved, if possible.
Thank you for this ministry,
Ron DuDonis
And if this was the only story like this, it would blow me away. But there are so many more amazing stories of God's activity.
Again ... I am grateful... just very grateful.
Showing posts with label church planting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church planting. Show all posts
6.07.2010
4.29.2010
UCity :: Transforming cities, neighborhoods and families... one person at a time!
What does it take to transform a city in a way that those who are being transformed AND those who don't want to be transformed (or feel that they don't need transformation) all agree that the transformation is a good thing? Many churches aren't attempting city transformation at all. In fact, their transformation strategy is simply "for everyone to come to our church and agree with our leader, then we will all be changed." Others churches seem to think that transforming cities is all about changing laws and forming political action committees. And while those who are being changed by this see it as a good thing, those who aren't being changed are repulsed by the arrogance and the judgment that comes from these churches. These churches tend to focus their money and leadership energy on the programs of their church, building buildings for people to come to, and sheltering their kids from the "evils" of the world around them.
In the book of Acts 2:47 it is said of the first believers that they "enjoyed the favor of all the people." The first followers of Jesus, lived their lives in such a way that everyone around them (whether they agreed with them or not) thought that what they were doing was a good thing. At UCity - we are focused on transforming cities, neighborhoods and families... one person at a time. It is a community of transformation. We are a "fellowship" (a united group of people) seeking to serve the world around us in a manner that everyone can see our love.
I have read the book The Tangible Kingdom. In it the author talks about how he helps people who are used to going to other churches around get familiar with his church that is pursuing city transformation. I have quoted him and added to it. I like it.... a lot.
"I just want you to know that we're not a church, we're a mission to Harrisburg/Concord/University City. I don't feel any compulsion to feed you spiritually, but I will look after your spiritual formation. I believe you won't grow unless you live like Jesus lived and try to do what he did with people. This mission probably has nothing to offer you. However, I am interested in finding out if God brought you to us, and what your part in serving this city might be. And I am fully confident that if you open yourself up to imitating Jesus, you will begin opening your lives and your homes to those in need around you. As you do participate in this missional community, you will find friends surrounding you and a life that is true life."
Get ready for a focused city transformation... UCity.
In the book of Acts 2:47 it is said of the first believers that they "enjoyed the favor of all the people." The first followers of Jesus, lived their lives in such a way that everyone around them (whether they agreed with them or not) thought that what they were doing was a good thing. At UCity - we are focused on transforming cities, neighborhoods and families... one person at a time. It is a community of transformation. We are a "fellowship" (a united group of people) seeking to serve the world around us in a manner that everyone can see our love.
I have read the book The Tangible Kingdom. In it the author talks about how he helps people who are used to going to other churches around get familiar with his church that is pursuing city transformation. I have quoted him and added to it. I like it.... a lot.
"I just want you to know that we're not a church, we're a mission to Harrisburg/Concord/University City. I don't feel any compulsion to feed you spiritually, but I will look after your spiritual formation. I believe you won't grow unless you live like Jesus lived and try to do what he did with people. This mission probably has nothing to offer you. However, I am interested in finding out if God brought you to us, and what your part in serving this city might be. And I am fully confident that if you open yourself up to imitating Jesus, you will begin opening your lives and your homes to those in need around you. As you do participate in this missional community, you will find friends surrounding you and a life that is true life."
Get ready for a focused city transformation... UCity.
4.27.2009
ReJesus :: Penetrating Conversations - Missions
This post is in response to a group learning activity that we had during out Neighborhood Gathering on April 26. I said I would post responses to the penetrating questions we used here so you could know what I think. There are five questions and I will create a new post for each question.
Why are we so concerned about people in Ethiopia and Mexico when there are lots of people with needs right here in America?
First of all I will address the question and then I will address the real reason I think people ask it. As followers of Christ we, don’t get to pick and choose who we will serve and who we will not serve. We are “humanity's slave” which is actually our next mini-series in the ReJesus series. We are servants of everyone, everywhere. There is a blindness in the church planting / new church movement AND IT IS THE LACK OF FOREIGN MISSION ENGAGEMENT. Lord willing, we will never fall into this blindness. Most of the focus and money that comes into a new church is spent on the ministries of that church itself. This is especially true if that church is focusing on purchasing land and building buildings. The lead team at UCF is wrestling with what it looks like to love people around us as much as we love ourselves when it comes to finances at UCF. Currently we probably give/spend about $100,000 per year on our missional projects in Ethiopia and Mexico. The majority of this is outside our regular operating budget. We also provide one full time salary for a ministry leader in Ethiopia for every full time staff position we have at UCF through our regular operating budget.
In my history of leading ministries, I have seen a lot of models of engaging the world around us. I think Matthew 28:19-20 among many other verses in the Bible, lays out a strategy that involves local AND global engagement. Our strategy of investing in a few global areas over a long period of time has come about through much seeking, much experience and much prayer. Currently these areas are Ethiopia and Mexico. I realize there are needs everywhere around us in this country, but the scale of NEED reaches entirely different levels when you travel out of our country into places where people live on $1-3 a day, have no access to clean drinking water and little or no opportunity to hear the message of Jesus Christ. The bible continually urges us to serve those in need and we cannot confine that to just those “in our country.” And still the large majority of our focus is spent on reaching out to people right hear in our own city and our own neighborhood. We serve a weekly meal to our homeless friends and have for the last five years. We throw a neighborhood party for families called Movies in the Park and we have a staff that serves – children, middle school students, high school students and college students. When you think of it like this we do more for our own country than we do for other countries.
The majority of the times I have heard this question, it comes mostly from a person who isn’t very engaged in serving people around the world or in this country. And honestly, the question comes off pretty empty to me. Conviction comes when we present needs and many people try to deflect this conviction by pointing out other needs that we aren’t doing something about. They present this as if to say, “If we were serving people in say Texas, THEN I would jump in and help!” The problem is when we do go to Texas (like we did this month) they don’t seem to jump in there either. If you have a passion for serving people we currently don’t serve and are willing to lead us to engage in new places, we are ready to listen and help you plan. Like I said, we are “humanity’s slave” and the more people we can serve the better. It takes a lot of persistence and tenacity to forge new works that consistently serve people around us but we are better when everyone is engaged. Jesus said something like, "the harvest is huge but the workers are few, so pray to God who controls the harvest to send more workers." Pray and then join the work.
Some people at UCF are currently working on a new idea to serve people all over the United States called U.S. I-27. Ask me about it.
Why are we so concerned about people in Ethiopia and Mexico when there are lots of people with needs right here in America?
First of all I will address the question and then I will address the real reason I think people ask it. As followers of Christ we, don’t get to pick and choose who we will serve and who we will not serve. We are “humanity's slave” which is actually our next mini-series in the ReJesus series. We are servants of everyone, everywhere. There is a blindness in the church planting / new church movement AND IT IS THE LACK OF FOREIGN MISSION ENGAGEMENT. Lord willing, we will never fall into this blindness. Most of the focus and money that comes into a new church is spent on the ministries of that church itself. This is especially true if that church is focusing on purchasing land and building buildings. The lead team at UCF is wrestling with what it looks like to love people around us as much as we love ourselves when it comes to finances at UCF. Currently we probably give/spend about $100,000 per year on our missional projects in Ethiopia and Mexico. The majority of this is outside our regular operating budget. We also provide one full time salary for a ministry leader in Ethiopia for every full time staff position we have at UCF through our regular operating budget.
In my history of leading ministries, I have seen a lot of models of engaging the world around us. I think Matthew 28:19-20 among many other verses in the Bible, lays out a strategy that involves local AND global engagement. Our strategy of investing in a few global areas over a long period of time has come about through much seeking, much experience and much prayer. Currently these areas are Ethiopia and Mexico. I realize there are needs everywhere around us in this country, but the scale of NEED reaches entirely different levels when you travel out of our country into places where people live on $1-3 a day, have no access to clean drinking water and little or no opportunity to hear the message of Jesus Christ. The bible continually urges us to serve those in need and we cannot confine that to just those “in our country.” And still the large majority of our focus is spent on reaching out to people right hear in our own city and our own neighborhood. We serve a weekly meal to our homeless friends and have for the last five years. We throw a neighborhood party for families called Movies in the Park and we have a staff that serves – children, middle school students, high school students and college students. When you think of it like this we do more for our own country than we do for other countries.
The majority of the times I have heard this question, it comes mostly from a person who isn’t very engaged in serving people around the world or in this country. And honestly, the question comes off pretty empty to me. Conviction comes when we present needs and many people try to deflect this conviction by pointing out other needs that we aren’t doing something about. They present this as if to say, “If we were serving people in say Texas, THEN I would jump in and help!” The problem is when we do go to Texas (like we did this month) they don’t seem to jump in there either. If you have a passion for serving people we currently don’t serve and are willing to lead us to engage in new places, we are ready to listen and help you plan. Like I said, we are “humanity’s slave” and the more people we can serve the better. It takes a lot of persistence and tenacity to forge new works that consistently serve people around us but we are better when everyone is engaged. Jesus said something like, "the harvest is huge but the workers are few, so pray to God who controls the harvest to send more workers." Pray and then join the work.
Some people at UCF are currently working on a new idea to serve people all over the United States called U.S. I-27. Ask me about it.
3.26.2009
Mind Dump
Several things are beating around in my head this morning.
One – We have an amazing collection of people that serve as the lead team of UCF. This morning we just had an incredible conversation about trust, accountability and mission. I love how God has molded this group into a subtly powerful force for the kingdom. Not in the normal sense that you might think of from other church leadership groups, but in a serving, giving, not-settling-for-the-status-quo kind of way that is very energizing and challenging to me. We meet every Thursday at 6 AM to continue a dialogue about what God is doing in us personally and collectively in this spiritual community called University City Fellowship. I am simply amazed at how the individual gifts of each person combine to form a very effective serving group. This was the hardest part of planting a church. Our first run at forming a lead team was a complete disaster. We had the wrong people with the wrong idea of what we were trying to create and form. I learned a ton from this failure and because of it I am that much more grateful for what God has formed over the last five years.
Two – I love the conversations that usually take place after our lead team even more. Mostly because these people are aware of and respond to the activity of God in their own lives and wonder out loud what it means for our community. I know God is birthing something very transformational. I have prayed for it and I have sensed it for a year or two, but now he is beginning to awaken others and call them to the same transformational pursuit. I cannot express the form that it will take, I only know that this morning’s conversations with Todd and Gray put me on a whole new level. After those conversations, I felt a lot less pressure to try to communicate what I think God wants us to do, because He is already preparing these guys for what is next. (And by the way, God has a way of communicating that is just a whole lot better than what I would come up with.) There is a burden to make sure our lives live up to their full redemptive potential that God had planned for us all. To be all in and go all out. To not let anything stand in the way of God’s full reign in us, so that He can lead us easily into the next opportunity. It is happening and it is humbling to feel like I am supposed to be the one leading this thing from a human perspective.
Three – I am reading and re-reading a book that resonates so deeply within my soul, that I can’t wait to get to the next page, but I keep finding myself re-reading pages because they so clearly express things that God has been building in my heart for years. I will try to write some of them down here so hopefully you can join the journey. The book is The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch. Some of this stuff describes our community to a T and other parts of it challenge us to become something different – never settling for the safety and security of what we have done in the last 8 years. Get ready for a wild ride.
One – We have an amazing collection of people that serve as the lead team of UCF. This morning we just had an incredible conversation about trust, accountability and mission. I love how God has molded this group into a subtly powerful force for the kingdom. Not in the normal sense that you might think of from other church leadership groups, but in a serving, giving, not-settling-for-the-status-quo kind of way that is very energizing and challenging to me. We meet every Thursday at 6 AM to continue a dialogue about what God is doing in us personally and collectively in this spiritual community called University City Fellowship. I am simply amazed at how the individual gifts of each person combine to form a very effective serving group. This was the hardest part of planting a church. Our first run at forming a lead team was a complete disaster. We had the wrong people with the wrong idea of what we were trying to create and form. I learned a ton from this failure and because of it I am that much more grateful for what God has formed over the last five years.
Two – I love the conversations that usually take place after our lead team even more. Mostly because these people are aware of and respond to the activity of God in their own lives and wonder out loud what it means for our community. I know God is birthing something very transformational. I have prayed for it and I have sensed it for a year or two, but now he is beginning to awaken others and call them to the same transformational pursuit. I cannot express the form that it will take, I only know that this morning’s conversations with Todd and Gray put me on a whole new level. After those conversations, I felt a lot less pressure to try to communicate what I think God wants us to do, because He is already preparing these guys for what is next. (And by the way, God has a way of communicating that is just a whole lot better than what I would come up with.) There is a burden to make sure our lives live up to their full redemptive potential that God had planned for us all. To be all in and go all out. To not let anything stand in the way of God’s full reign in us, so that He can lead us easily into the next opportunity. It is happening and it is humbling to feel like I am supposed to be the one leading this thing from a human perspective.
Three – I am reading and re-reading a book that resonates so deeply within my soul, that I can’t wait to get to the next page, but I keep finding myself re-reading pages because they so clearly express things that God has been building in my heart for years. I will try to write some of them down here so hopefully you can join the journey. The book is The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch. Some of this stuff describes our community to a T and other parts of it challenge us to become something different – never settling for the safety and security of what we have done in the last 8 years. Get ready for a wild ride.
4.07.2008
The Compassion Ripple
This Sunday was one of those days that we had a great plan and everything worked. I know that God is always present (when people say “God showed up” it is always odd to me) but there are sometimes when we are more aware or in tune with his presence than others. Today was one of those days for me. I knew that God wanted me to turn the focus of The Compassion Ripple on the ripple that is closest to us relationally. I look forward to hear the stories of life change as you move with compassionate love toward your spouse, your kids, your neighbors and co-workers. I know that many of you are at the end of yourselves and ready to all God to bring life beyond your wildest dreams into your life. One person who talked to me after the service simply said, “I am so there!” He meant that he is at the point of the end of himself and the beginning of God.
The video of how compassionate UCF is to the world around was incredible. The shots of houses being built in Mexico, homeless being fed in Charlotte and Omaha, houses being built for cancer patients in Hickory and a small party being thrown for 12,000 of our closet friends in Harrisburg… it was incredible. To think all of this took place in the last 20 days is even more amazing. The way that this community moves out into the world with compassionate love absolutely blows me away. That is why I didn’t have to spend much time today challenging UCF to serve the world more… all I had to do was celebrate it. This church is incredible.
We had 37 people at our “New to UCF” lunch. It was a great time of sharing who we are in a creative way that is distinctly UCF. I look forward to seeing how God uses each new person in our community.
A day at Ridge Church. Most of the staff went to Ridge Church on Sunday night. They are a new church (6 months young) that meets in Matthews. I was very excited about how much I knew we would learn from simply being in their environments and seeing how they create an amazing experience for people. We showed up at 2 pm to help them load in and set up for their service at 6 pm. Seeing a group of people who have planned and prayed for a few years to begin a church in itself is an awesome sight. The feelings of 20-30 volunteers doing something that significant with their time is incredible to be around. We are already making notes on what we learned and what it means for UCF. More to come.
The video of how compassionate UCF is to the world around was incredible. The shots of houses being built in Mexico, homeless being fed in Charlotte and Omaha, houses being built for cancer patients in Hickory and a small party being thrown for 12,000 of our closet friends in Harrisburg… it was incredible. To think all of this took place in the last 20 days is even more amazing. The way that this community moves out into the world with compassionate love absolutely blows me away. That is why I didn’t have to spend much time today challenging UCF to serve the world more… all I had to do was celebrate it. This church is incredible.
We had 37 people at our “New to UCF” lunch. It was a great time of sharing who we are in a creative way that is distinctly UCF. I look forward to seeing how God uses each new person in our community.
A day at Ridge Church. Most of the staff went to Ridge Church on Sunday night. They are a new church (6 months young) that meets in Matthews. I was very excited about how much I knew we would learn from simply being in their environments and seeing how they create an amazing experience for people. We showed up at 2 pm to help them load in and set up for their service at 6 pm. Seeing a group of people who have planned and prayed for a few years to begin a church in itself is an awesome sight. The feelings of 20-30 volunteers doing something that significant with their time is incredible to be around. We are already making notes on what we learned and what it means for UCF. More to come.
10.29.2007
Watershed Church and UCF
Today when I got to my desk I had a small package sitting on it. I opened it to find a DVD from Scott Hofert and Matt O’Neil at Watershed Church in uptown Charlotte. The video came as a thank you from them to University City Fellowship on their two year anniversary. It doesn’t seem like that long ago when we helped them launch. And I am filled with joy that we had an opportunity to play a part in getting them off the ground. Now they are a force for the kingdom of God in uptown Charlotte and I don’t know of two better people to lead a church that the uptown area needs other than Scott and Matt.
I laugh when I think of the six months that Scott spent on our staff. I laugh because we called him the “Intern.” He was the “intern” that knew more than all of us combined about what the church should be and how to make that a reality. When Scott and I would talk, I would be the one with making notes and trying to remember what he would say. Scott is one of those guys that I always look forward to hanging out with because they are always rich times. I had lunch last week with him to pick his brain about a Justice type series that I am working on for the early part of ’08.
When I think of opportunities like planting a church - really beginning a mission focused expression of the body of Christ that is set free to explode into a community- I am grateful. I am grateful for the way this changes me and us. They are thanking us (UCF) and all I can think of is thanking them for what they are leading and what they have poured into us.
So many times we miss out on these kind of opportunities because we do a quick cost-benefit analysis and we decide we don’t have time, don’t have the money, don’t have the leadership capacity to help someone or something else out. Situations where we are the strength or establishment or the mentor and we decide that we just can’t help a weaker person, a start-up group or someone in need of help. What we miss out on is the life change that would happen in us, if we would engage and give of ourselves. When we decide we just can’t we cut off the potential for life change.
We (Mendy and I, and our kids) are currently planning on adopting a child from Ethiopia. And while my heart breaks for the present conditions that this child is living in, and while I am fully aware that we will give him hope that he has never experienced, I think I am heading into this looking forward to how this child is going to change us. I can’t wait for a thank you card from a child, thanking us for changing his life. When I receive it… I will just laugh and know in my own heart that I am the one who will have been changed. Let the journey begin.
On a different note: A few things that are blowing me away right now:
1. Dave and Robin Laney (Omaha) – you HAVE TO READ what they are up to weekly
2. Mike and Amy Rodgers (Ethiopia) – simply amazed at their faithful journey and the
weekly updates on their blog
3. Creating a 3rd Space – anyone know what I am talking about
4. Our new family room (UCF’s small groups)
5. Stories from those of you who are investing in relationships and inviting them to church.
I laugh when I think of the six months that Scott spent on our staff. I laugh because we called him the “Intern.” He was the “intern” that knew more than all of us combined about what the church should be and how to make that a reality. When Scott and I would talk, I would be the one with making notes and trying to remember what he would say. Scott is one of those guys that I always look forward to hanging out with because they are always rich times. I had lunch last week with him to pick his brain about a Justice type series that I am working on for the early part of ’08.
When I think of opportunities like planting a church - really beginning a mission focused expression of the body of Christ that is set free to explode into a community- I am grateful. I am grateful for the way this changes me and us. They are thanking us (UCF) and all I can think of is thanking them for what they are leading and what they have poured into us.
So many times we miss out on these kind of opportunities because we do a quick cost-benefit analysis and we decide we don’t have time, don’t have the money, don’t have the leadership capacity to help someone or something else out. Situations where we are the strength or establishment or the mentor and we decide that we just can’t help a weaker person, a start-up group or someone in need of help. What we miss out on is the life change that would happen in us, if we would engage and give of ourselves. When we decide we just can’t we cut off the potential for life change.
We (Mendy and I, and our kids) are currently planning on adopting a child from Ethiopia. And while my heart breaks for the present conditions that this child is living in, and while I am fully aware that we will give him hope that he has never experienced, I think I am heading into this looking forward to how this child is going to change us. I can’t wait for a thank you card from a child, thanking us for changing his life. When I receive it… I will just laugh and know in my own heart that I am the one who will have been changed. Let the journey begin.
On a different note: A few things that are blowing me away right now:
1. Dave and Robin Laney (Omaha) – you HAVE TO READ what they are up to weekly
2. Mike and Amy Rodgers (Ethiopia) – simply amazed at their faithful journey and the
weekly updates on their blog
3. Creating a 3rd Space – anyone know what I am talking about
4. Our new family room (UCF’s small groups)
5. Stories from those of you who are investing in relationships and inviting them to church.
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