stockbridge boiler room

Jordan wasn't at church

Do you want to become his disciples, too?  John 9:27

To be clear, he wasn't at the simple church gathering Thursday night.  He missed our monthly worship, storytelling and study of John 9 because a coffee meeting he had broke out into three hours of simple church.  And Jordan was faithful to the Holy Spirit as he looked to link arms with two guys who want to become Jesus' disciples too.  

Jordan had worked with Nate at Sharpe BMW previous to his call to the Boiler Room.  Nate through this friendship with Jordan and interest in running hard after Jesus came to a Love Feast a couple months ago where he met Harvey, a neighborhood friend who had been coming to the Love Feast for a couple months.  Nate returned to the Love Feast on Wednesday and hooked back up with Harvey.  They both stayed for worship and prayer after dinner.  

At the end of the Love Feast they decided to get together with Jordan late Thursday afternoon for coffee.  And that's when church broke out.  3 hours later, they had shared stories about their challenges, talked about the Lord and encouraged with Scripture.  They left there considering making it a regular occurrence.

This is what we mean by simple and real.  

Neil Cole in Cultivating a Life for God lays out some very useful principles for us as we explore simple churches. We like this term more than Cole's term Life Transformation Groups.  We're feeling like we don't want to run away from the fact that church can happen in every part of our week.  Coles also suggests that these groups remain fluid and changing in order to multiply easily or disband.  Rather than fighting off change or extinction, these groups should be led by the Spirit to change.  

And when we can be led by the Spirit to get together for coffee with some men of peace, we can open ourselves up to calling others to being His disciples too.  We don't have to achingly search(or sit back merely hoping) to find the perfect group, the perfect church etc.  We have found the perfect bridegroom and as we wash ourselves in the Word, we will become blameless and pure for that Wedding Feast of the Lamb.  That is what we're hoping for.  

That is what Jordan was working toward when he wasn't at church.

Do you want to become His disciples too?

::tony::

simple church gathering tonight

We'll be studying John 9 to see how Jesus makes disciples and sends them tonight.  Hope you can join.

pray for Sarah Jayne and her friends

We just received the following prayer request at 4:25p EDT.   Join us in praying for our brothers and sisters on mission in Africa.

Luanshya Prayer Request

The Luanshya team has been working in a village/community for the past week or two. Yesterday, we all went into the village in the afternoon, to do some prayer walking and to meet with some people who had asked them to come share with them. However, the atmosphere in the village was kind of strange. A few of the team members even had some nasty experiences with the children of the village. The children are all usually very open and friendly, but yesterday they were hiding away, telling us to “get out of here” and “we are not your friends anymore” and glaring. The team couldn’t figure out what was wrong until they met with one family who explained the change in attitude…

A few days ago Kyle and Thandi went and met with a 19 year old boy who appears mentally disturbed. He used to be a star student, but apparently his grandfather put a curse on him, and in the last few months he has become a bit crazy. He would shout and curse God, but then talk about things normally, and then often throw stones at family etc. So just really not all there. Thandi and Kyle prayed for him, for a sound mind.

Then, over the weekend something happened, and the boy was tied up and taken away by the police. When some of the villagers, and his mother, saw this happen, they blamed it on the team, because they think he got worse after the prayer, and they are now accusing the Luanshya team of being Satanists and causing this boy to go even more crazy! What an attack!!

Apparently, there have been other people, a team of black and white (similar to the Luanshya team) who have come into the village before and said they were there to preach about Jesus and the Word, but turned out to be Satanists. So, now a portion of the village thinks the Luanshya team is the same, and they are warning their children to stay away from the team.

 

After a lot of debrief, prayer and discussion last night, the team has decided to prayerfully move forward. Sydney, Willy, Kyle, Sarah and Eric (a representative sample of the team), together with Aaron Mulenga (some of you met him when he visited CPx) are going to go and try find the village chief/headman this morning. They had not yet introduced themselves, and realized now would be a really good time. So they are going to find him, explain what they are doing (and not doing) in the community and ask for his blessing. They are also going to see if they can get to the bottom of where the rumour started, and get advice on the best way to deal with this.

 

Please pray!

That God will be with those going into the village this morning, will protect them, and will help them find the chief.

That the chief will be receptive and welcoming.

That they will be able to deal with the rumour, and get to the bottom of the situation.

That the Truth will prevail! That satan will not get any footing to use against the good work God has called the team to in this village.

That those who were faced with the ugliness yesterday will remember it no more, and be able to walk more abundantly in love.

For unity as the team deals with this.

That there will be no fear, in the team or the village, and that love and a sound mind will prevail!

 

The team was hurting a little yesterday, but after chatting and praying they are encouraged to face this battle with courage and boldness.

 

Adrian and Ro-anne

All Nations - intoAfrica, Cape Town

www.all-nations.co.za

intoAfrica@all-nations.co.za

 

slam

We're heading to Minneapolis Tuesday morning at 6a.  

The 247 tribe is getting together for a week of worship, conversation, prayer and celebration.  

The Boiler Room will reopen next Tuesday May 25 

at 7a with Community Prayer.  

Pray that God might pour out His Spirit of wisdom and zeal upon us.  

::tony::

provision of dunamis

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."  He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:  17-20)

One of our goals is to be a community that continues to learn about prayer.  Over these first 20 months, we've experienced a dimension of spiritual warfare more concrete than anything we've experienced before the Westside. From Willie busting into to community prayer yelling that we should not listen to Jesus to Wayne speaking in multiple voices to Brad and Clare while blaspheming the Father to Jeff's multiple and divisive production of lies to Joe speaking condemnation over the gathered community in prayer—we have all seen phenomena that has some distinct whiff of the Enemy.  

After hearing us tell enough of these kinds of stories, our friend Theo suggested that I attend the Dunamis Project's Spiritual Deliverance and Kingdom Advancement.  Put on by PRMI (Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International), The Dunamis Project has as its fundamental purpose the equipping of an extended fellowship of Christians, both clergy and laity, in the ministry of the Holy Spirit all of which is for the glory of Jesus Christ.

The Dunamis Project provides a setting where Christians not only receive teaching, but also begin to experience the reality of spiritual leadership as promised to us by Jesus Christ  that is to have the Holy Spirit within us for salvation and Christian character formation, and upon us for the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit enabling us to witness to Jesus Christ.

The PRMI website is rich and informative.  It's well worth a read to hear what our brothers and sisters are working on in a most thoughtful way.  

Starting with the title, Spiritual Deliverance and Kingdom Advancement, God taught me a great deal about linking these two dimensions of following Jesus.  Previously, I had heard about deliverance ministry and thought it was only for the Truth Is Out There kinds of ministry engagements.  But as I went back to Luke 10 and saw Jesus at the start of his ministry, He sent His disciples out to help people get free of spiritual oppression in order that they might know Jesus in all of His fullness.  

Throughout the four days (yes, four days), the Dunamis folks shared the deep biblical foundations for warfare and kingdom advancement.  The manual is detailed and exhaustive.  The teachers Nick Krantz from Seattle and Jeannie Kraak from North Carolina were personable and knowledgeable.  The sessions were set up with very wise process moving from teaching to workshop to reflection and then back to teaching.  An intercessory team was praying throughout the four days.  All of this knowledge will take months to process.  One way I'll be processing it is to teach it to and think about it with others.  I'm in the midst of sharing chunks of the scriptural basis with whoever wants to come on Wednesday mornings from 9-10a (except the week of the 17th of May)  

I've also appreciated some of the process pieces that are central for Dunamis ministry.  One idea was how they proceed in doing deliverance prayer ministry as well as healing prayer ministry.  Their list from the website is as follows.  

Seven Effective Habits for People in Ministry

We hold as crucial the unique personhood of all Gods people, and diligently work to preserve this principle. This means that in ministry, we must act only in ways that honor, respect, and affirm one another. To this end, we use 7 Effective Habits for People in Ministry.

    * Ministry is best done in small ministry teams [Luke 10:1ff].

Scripture teaches this principle, and experience teaches that teams of two to four persons normally are the optimal ones. Larger teams often are fertile grounds for confusion. Several people all feeling led to minister in different ways at the same time cannot operate in any sort of spiritual unity.

    * Ministry teams have only one leader or point person [Ex.7:1].

One team member serves as the leader or point person within a ministry team. The Holy Spirit often works through all members of the team, but only one member leads ministry and makes ministry decisions. This provides clear direction and avoids diversion of focus.

    * Ministry teams always respect the dignity of people [Rom. 13: 7].

This dignity is preserved more easily when men minister to men, and women to women. Ministry teams with mixed sexes are also effective. In those cases, persons of the sex opposite to the one receiving ministry may be asked to excuse themselves to allow 'personal' ministry matters to be effected.

    * Ministry may be effected through the laying on of hands and anointing [Heb. 6: 1,2; James 5: 14,15].

There is Biblical precedent for these practices, but there is none requiring either. There are many times when the laying on of hands may cause undue anxiety on the part of the one seeking prayer.

When either practice accompanies prayer, it should always be done in a polite, proper, decorous and respectful manner, and with permission of the person seeking ministry and healing.

    * Ministry should always done with permission [Mark 10:51].

We affirm the necessity of receiving permission before moving into any ministry. This means that we move forward in a trust relationship, within bounds that are comfortable to the one seeking prayer.

Always ask for permission to touch the one seeking prayer. Always ask for permission to move ahead in a particular area of ministry.

Ministry is always effected within the authorized limits set by the one in spiritual authority [Matt. 21: 23ff].

All ministry is conducted within the limits set out by the Dunamis leadership.

    * Ministry is learned in an atmosphere of mutual accountability [Mark 6:30].

One of the other solid practices that they provided for me in the midst of exploring this field of spiritual warfare and Kingdom advancement is a highlight on discernment and reflection.  The potential for confusion and worse is high if one engages in this work in a less that thoughtful manner.  Again, at the end of each day, we would spend time debriefing and I found this to be really worthwhile as they focused on these four questions on their website.  

The best way to learn about ministry is by doing it, and a part of learning is to discover some things that usually are helpful to do and some things that usually are helpful not to do. Learning involves doing, and doing often involves making mistakes.

So, we are all responsible to each other and need to talk about what happened or didn't happen through us, as well as what happened to us and questions that arise. This is why the evening debriefing sessions are an essential and crucial ingredient of the Dunamis Project.

 Four Guidelines for Discernment of the Holy Spirit

1. Does it give Glory to Jesus Christ in the present and in the future?

John 14:26
John 16:13-14

2. Is it consistent with the intentions and character of God as revealed in Scripture?

John 2:22
2 Tim 3:14-17

3. Do other people who are filled with the Holy Spirit have a confirming witness?

1 Cor 14:29

4. Is there confirmation in objectively verifiable events or facts?

Deut 18:21-22
Isa 55:10-11

At the end of the session, they asked if anyone was feeling called to deliverance ministry.  Three days before, that would have been the furthest thing from my head.  But one hour before the session ended, I was walking on the beach and I had the distinct impression that God was calling me to bring this dimension of prayer to the Boiler Room.  

So they prayed for those of us who felt this particular call. Groups of people prayed over each of us.  For me,  they prayed for a spirit of humility, compassion, authority, discernment, protection and wisdom.  And as I was being prayed for I felt this electric shower up and down my back.  And looking back it felt like this particular week was God providing a fuller glimpse of who He is, of who He is calling me to be, of who He is calling the Boiler Room to be.  

And I rejoice that He knows my name and that I know His.  

May God be glorified as His Spirit teaches us more and more.  

::tony::

true blue

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. 

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  (1 Corinthians 13:12)

The blue fence in our neighborhood suggests a bright fullness;  but time and a lack of mercy undermine what it should be.   

We well understand that we are in the in-between time where Jesus has said, "it is finished" and the arrival of the new heaven and the new earth.  Dave left rehab and showed up in our alley the other day decrying his bad attitude.  "It's not them, it's me."

Occasionally, God provides us glimpses of true blue. 

He gave us some blue at the Love Feast this past week;  and we praise Him for it.

---  

It started with our friends who have a simple church that meets at Founders Brewery.  They come on the first Wednesday of each month to prepare and serve the meal.  They've gotten the reputation as the "creative" cooks with meals like breakfast for dinner.  This week their creativity led them to try shiskabobs.  An extravagance in the alabaster jar category.  

Pat was ruing his idea for shiskabobs at midnight on Tuesday as he was still skewering meat.  But in a moment of blue he declared, "I'm not going to wash anyone's feet, so I guess I can skewer some shishkabobs."

----

Blue showed up later with three eighth graders and a mom who collected bibles to giveaway at the Love Feast. Daniel was the ring-leader and after he gave thanks for the meal, he and his friends proceeded to hand out forty bibles to folks attending the Love Feast.

With fifty remaining bibles, we will continue to hand out bibles for future Love Feast guests.  

Brandon, our teenage neighbor, immediately went to the bible table and selected a handsome black leather bible. He held on to his new sword of the Spirit throughout the entire Feast.  

Raina went back to the table twice to get bibles for her older siblings.  

---

In the midst of the meal, Pastor George Werkema, our neighbor who runs Matthew's House, a laundromat/computer ministry, came with his friend David.  As they ended their shiskabob, David busted out a balloon.  And quicker than one could spell B-L-U-E, David had a blue balloon dachsund in his hand.  A balloon artist gathers kids faster than the ice cream man.  And he held them spellbound for the next ten minutes.  Later Dave asked if he could come back and perform next week at the Love Feast.  We eagerly await his return.  

---

But the paint still peels.  And in the midst of blue, we still have struggles.  With the new influx of friends have come a group of young boys who are for the most part—well, young boys.  They have a streak of defiance and energetic outbursts that make the relationship building of the Love Feast difficult at times.  We are working on connecting with parents, setting firmer boundaries and building relationships with the boys.  All the while remembering Jesus' call to not prevent the little children from "coming to me. "  We still have a lot to learn.  

May we all come to know in fullness.  

::tony::

 

why this waste?

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. 

"Why this waste?" they asked. (Matthew 26:  6-8) 

Why this waste?

Pouring oneself out on behalf of the captives, on behalf of the voiceless, on behalf of the broken-hearted, in prayer,or  in worship of our Lord.  Extravagance in pouring out may cause some to become indignant.  Yet more and more in our community, I'm seeing the beauty and fullness of love in these small gestures of great love.  

Jordan, our newest intern, baked Denny (pictured above) a birthday cake.  He found out Denny's birthday was coming up.  He asked Denny what his favorite birthday cake was (Angel Food with chocolate frosting).  He researched best recipes and frostings.  He talked cake with Jenn to figure out technique and equipment.  And he spent the afternoon crafting and creating.  And he delivered it to the homeless camp by the river where Denny has lived for the past five years.  

Jordan put great love in a bundt cake sized pan.  And Denny was a little too drunk to fully appreciate it.  But it was a beautiful thing as God was given glory.

May we come to Him.  

::tony::  

devote yourself

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:13)

Spring Arbor University Chapel - Dan Mike

April 20, 2009, 10:10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Location: Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church

Dan Mike, urban missionary at Stockbridge Boiler Room in Grand Rapids, Mich. speaks in chapel.

With a Spiritual Warfare conference and a schedule busy with visitors, there's been little chance to catch everyone up on God's provision.  One of the more exciting things for Jenn and I is the provision of witnessing God working through the folks that have come to spend a season with us in prayer and discipleship.  The Holy Spirit has truly been annointing folks in our community and sending them out to give glory to God.  

Danmike was invited to teach at the Chapel for Spring Arbor.  We teased him that the hype got so big for his visit that he became one of those first name performers like Madonna and Pele (truth be told, they just didn't get the Danmike usage).  Regardless of typos, more than a thousand students gathered and God was glorified through the Prior of the Boiler Room talking about expectations, comfort and sacrifice- exhorting this next generation to run hard after Jesus.  

Judging by emails like this one, Danmike gave God glory.  

Greetings! I don't know who receives the emails at the Stockbridge Boiler Room, but I just wanted to send my thanks to an intern, Danmike Thompson. He was a chapel speaker at Spring Arbor University and I had the privelege of listening. It was truly one of the best chapels, if not the best, that I have been to in my two years as a student. I feel compelled to thank him, so please pass on my appreciation for his inspirational message. God Bless you all and the work you do for God's Kingdom!

May we all bring the Gospel forth like our brother.  

::tony::

Update on the Annual Plan

After four months of listening and following, it seemed wise to reflect upon and assess what God is doing in our midst. As we've done this, the Holy Spirit has pointed us to some fruit that God is growing as well as some things He wants to teach us.  We want to be obedient and testify to God's faithfulness.  Download Sbrreport54

::tony::