Sunday, August 31, 2003

September "Crossroads":
Just finished reading Sept Issue of Crossroads Newsletter. It sents chill down my spine it was so good! May God continue to encourage Cindy as she trusts in Him, as she collaborates with others, and exhibits the humility it takes sometimes to move forward in the Christian community (even).

I pray that the Christian community here in Greater Indianapolis steps up and supports this new magazine-style publication.

Likewise, Indiana Christian News (newspaper style). Awesome -- both of you. Independent publications, yet one in Christ. What an encouragement.

We're inviting these newly birthed organizations and their sponsors to also join in on New Year's, for the citywide "Reunion of Driven Christians in the Racing Capital of the World"... as we promised we'd return and praise Him for EXTRAORDINARY intervention in Indianapolis in 2003. Certainly these 2 new publications have been a great blessing already this year.

Saturday, August 30, 2003

Too Awesome:

Since I'm not much of a writer, I can't really do it justice to try to describe the goosebumps that ran through me this morning, as we prayed together at the Urban Collaborative Center. We're continuing to pray that God will do an EXTRAORDINARY work here in Indianapolis this year, especially as a result of Christians working TOGETHER. And we've marked our calendars for the 12/31/2003 "2nd Annual Renunion Party" for all the 'driven Christians in the Racing Capital of the World".

We were pleasantly surprised this morning to be joined by Angela Bolen and the WAC (We All Care) group of urban Christians preparing to put on next Saturday's "Hope for the Hopeless", right there at the center (12th x Central). We exchanged hugs, prayers and all sorts of information in our short time together --urban & suburban, techs & non-techs, black & white, male & female.... all with one thing very much in common... we love Jesus and want to offer "Hope for the Hopeless". It was a stirring time of prayer. Stay tuned for next Saturday's journal entry.

Tuesday, August 26, 2003

A Nigerian pastor came to town today...,
He said 18 years ago God told him he would pastor in Indianapolis someday. An email came to us over the weekend from Paul Hoy, another 'city-reacher' in Columbus OH who asked if someone here could meet him and find accommodations for him. I passed it along to Eldon Kibbey and to our Nigerian Missions professor at Crossroads Bible College. Other emails flew. And as a result, today, a different Nigerian pastor already here in town (whom I'd not yet met) picked him up at the bus station, and arranged for the lodging accommodations that were needed. He then brought him to the Reformation Society luncheon I'd invited them to. There they both met 50 other solid pastors (studying God's word together -- how cool is that?). Some invited them to come preach at their churches. Another said he'd help them raise funds. Afterward we went to the college to meet with my friend there. How exciting it was to join with them, holding hands in prayer in that small office. Who knows just how God will work this into an extraordinary blessing for our city. Pray with us to that end. And praise God for all the great ministries mentioned... and for His linking us together in His love. All in a day's work.

Thursday, August 21, 2003

Not Un-related...

Here's a great article re Christians partnering at the speed of light. Its author participates in our global internet evangelism egroup. Solid, solid concept. [Actually, now that I think of it, perhaps Jesus first said it.]
Bush Campaign Reaching Out To Bloggers:

Hey wait a minute. If Gore invented the Internet, what's 'W' doing with it? Here's what.

Reflecting back... It doesn't seem that long ago (January), that we held a "Innovation Forum" here in Indianapolis, and among other brainstormed-topics introduced 'blogging' to some Christian leaders, and we demonstrated the potential impact, by producing an emerging Christian leader at a local university... Josh Claybourn. And Josh's network of bloggers... well validating the power of linkage and worldwide publishing.

And just in case there are some existing leaders still on the fringe about the power of the internet, or about its ability to raise Truth to the highlest level (as cream rises to the top)... stay tuned, and keep thinking.


Monday, August 18, 2003

Crossroads Live !


While it may seem like just another opportunity, I counted it a special privilege yesterday to be the first interview guest on the new interactive radio program... "Crossroads Live!". An affiliate of the Transform Indiana initiative, Cindy Strickland has not only started a new monthly magazine/newsletter for Greater Indianapolis Christians, but now has taken it into the LIVE interactive radio media, weekly on WNTS 1590 AM.

The growing number of Transform Indiana affiliates share the common goal of connecting the body of Christ, to change lives & communities. May we increasingly be harmonized as ONE in Christ, as Jesus commanded us.

Accordingly, yesterday the show played some city-focused Christian music, our interview -- including the spreading concept of a "Community Prayer Siren", some event announcements, and then opened the phone lines for live interaction. Cindy will of course be interviewing new guests from around the Christian community each week, so tune-in and get connected. Stand ready to call in with your questions for Cindy & her guests.... every Sunday at 4pm.

We're wishing Cindy the best with this new venture, and pray that God will use it in an EXTRAORDINARY way this year.... "Connecting the Greater Indianapolis Christian Community".

Thursday, August 14, 2003

"No Pain, No Gain"

This is not a theological treatise re the 'problem of pain'... (but then again, maybe it is).
Maybe it's more aimed at the Biblical warning... "If you think you stand, be careful lest you fall."


Bottom line, here I am, the so-called tech adept 'change-agent-wannabee'... hit big-time by the 'Blaster' internet worm that so far has infected appx 300,000 users across the globe. Yeah, yeah, yeah, (Sgt Friday!) I know, I know -- I should have updated my XP the moment Microsoft put us on notice a month ago. But good night, if we ran for cover everytime MS had a security bug, we'd sleep 24x7 with the blanket pulled up over our heads, or do nothing all day but upload updates. Gimme a break; doesn't there have to be a happy medium somewhere?

Oh well. Actually I'm thankful for this worm. Bottom line, it wasn't too effectively damaging anything, and it did issue a stern wake-up call that some of us needed to hear. And spend 2 days getting fixed.

The good from it all? It was the catalyst I needed, to spur me to finally move entirely onto my XP laptop from my half-hearted reliance on my Win98 desktop machine. And that makes me more efficient for the future. So praise God for worms. **smile**

Yeah, maybe there is an application to be found here somewhere in all this, as to why God allows (or even introduces) pain into our lives. After all, even God experiences pain. What a mind-boggling concept... an almighty, all-powerful God... experiencing grief & pain. Wow. How is that even possible? And why would He do it on our behalf? Truly He loves us. And a mark of His Messiahship, was His acts of mercy, identifying with our pain, and His healing us from our (eternal) pain. Awesome.

Sunday, August 03, 2003

Under the Heading: "It's A Small World"

Yesterday, we drove nearly 75 miles to a wedding reception down in the backwoods near Gosport, Indiana. Only the Lord and a hand-picked few of his friends (LOL) know where Gosport is. To make a long story short... we drove up & down the hills & hollers... and went by the cabin of my 'mentor' to get to the reception... which turns out to be a nearby farm owned by a missionary-guy I'd already met at an unrelated luncheon here in Indy. Yesterday I found out he used to teach at the college I'm now associated with. Stranger yet, we realize this was the childhood family farm of he & his sister -- who had invited us to the reception... our longtime missionary-friend & neighbor from our Florida days. And their new son-in-law's best man at the (Hawaiin) wedding had co-taught with Jan here in Indy. We left before it could get completely out-of-hand spooky. **smile**

Yep. A very small world.
IndyBlogs?

It was inevitable -- a team of bloggers have started an Indy-based (secular) team blog at IndyBlogs.com.

And it was inevitable -- I'd join. **smile** How about you? Especially all you guys/gals from the "Wireless Coffee" blog here among community-driven Christian techs.

My thanks to Brian Groce, a featured blogger at IndyChristian.com.