Sunday, September 28, 2003

A 'Hope for the Hopeless' Thank You Card...

"Praise the Lord... Romans 12:10. Thank you for your great concern. A good tree BEARS GOOD FRUIT. We as members of We All Care (W.A.C.) just want to thank your group for being laborers with us on our day of 'Hope for the Hopeless'. Thank you. Angela Bollen, Founder."

[Recall, we'd done a 'How To Get To Heaven From The Internet' gig a few weeks ago, based from our Urban Tech Center location at 12th x Central. Shared the gospel with a number of people who apparently really needed to hear it. My thanks go on to Mike Wildey and Don Duncan, especially.]

Friday, September 19, 2003

"Crossover Indiana"...

This is an awesome faith effort coming to Indiana next year. I recently enjoyed sitting in on the praying & planning efforts which are well underway out at SCBI. Crossover Indiana is a prayer & evangelism initiative coming to neighborhoods in the Central Indiana area in the weeks preceding the national convention of Southern Baptists (June). I really admire the Southern Baptists for staying true to the faith and to the common purpose of all Christians, the Great Commission. This not only holds true in the physical world, but they also lead internet efforts to share the faith.

And it's a fine effort that we hope to help, via the growing statewide ministry network... "Transform Indiana". We're looking forward to seeing just how much our Southern Baptist friends are looking to 'crossover' some old dividing lines in the process. Stay tuned.

Sunday, September 14, 2003

Did Someone Knock Our Towers Down?

Yesterday I felt like a friend knocked down a tower or two, symbols of truths I espouse. It hurts even more when it's friends who take the wind out of our sails, but nonetheless, "Truth" continues standing. Just like 911. They can only knock down the symbols; they can never knock down Truth.

Thursday, September 11, 2003

911... Before & After...

I was preparing to go to work and for some unknown reason, I'd called our receptionist. She alerted me that news was breaking in NYC; so I turned on the tv and watched with almost a sense of unbelief. Both towers had been hit.

As the story developed, and as my thoughts developed, I remember going out our back slider onto the deck and looking skyward... "Come quickly, Lord Jesus."

Believing there were 10,000 people still in the towers as we watched them both fall right in front of our very eyes, I cried.

My friend, Liz LeMond, summed it all up in her poem, "911 -- Before & After", featured again today at IndyChristian.com.

Monday, September 08, 2003

Our Neighborhood Website...

We just bought the domain name and launched... WaltersPlaza.com at our expense, and a related egroup to facilitate communications in our block-party-sized neighborhood. Collected email addresses of those who want to 'be in the know' and communicate easily.

We sponsored the site via... WhenYouNeedSomeone.com .

Spark any ideas or comments?

Wednesday, September 03, 2003

"Ministry Leaders Accountability Group"...

[copy of an email I sent to our group's leader, as the group now moves into a new phase after nearly 5 yrs of being together monthly. Btw, that's a LOT of pizza! LOL]

Eldon... Let me quickly say a giant "Thank You", brother, for spear-heading our accountability group effort for these years. Likewise to the original members who made it possible for some of the rest of us to enjoy the group. So thank you.

And I personally do not view it as a shutdown as much as an elevation... into a ACTION group. Transform Indiana is rooted in this group (and no doubt many other various types of mini-networks, and small groups praying for oneness in Christ). Speaking personally, you all have regularly been encouraging to me, and through this group I could see the value of networking (even if I did have to be the drippy faucet about new paradigm 'linking', LOLLLLL). So IndyChristian.com would have never gotten off the ground, nor been able to sustain the effort, had it not been for you guys. I will be forever grateful.

And yes, I'll continue to believe in the importance of accountability among ministry leaders. I'm absolutely no shining example of a leader -- I always only consider myself only a case-study in how NOT to do some things, or at best only a facilitator on behalf of REAL leaders -- but you've helped me via your prayers & brotherhood, more than you'll ever know.

May Transform Indiana continue to flourish via all of your participation(s)... and may it hold high the value of accountability during its meetings -- perhaps as a breakout group, or perhaps spin off some accountability groups for leaders from time to time, as needed.

I appreciate you all for your leadership & comradery because of Christ.

YBIC,
Neil

Monday, September 01, 2003

"Glorify God and Enjoy Him.... TOGETHER."

This is the 2nd article in a series on behalf of Transform Indiana. Ah, the writer comes out in me. No real qualifications to write, no pastoral credentials, and no perfect life that anyone else should want to follow. Perhaps only the standing of a little boy as he called attention to the emperor's new clothes.

And here's the very abbreviated version, as published in Crossroads Newsletter (Sept '03).

Question: What is true? And what will we do about it?