Easter Worship @ Clearview Cinemas @ Headquarters Plaza

Well, what can I say? The EASTER WORSHIP SERVICE AT CLEARVIEW CINEMAS IN HEADQUARTERS PLAZA WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS! We had 112 people in attendance, and the spirit of the worship service was a spirit of celebration of new life, renew hope and renewed joy! Remember- this was only a "practice worship service"- that is, it was not our "launch" (we still have a lot to do to get organized)- but we truly had an uplifting Easter worship service. The theme of the day was, "What Jesus came to do was to die and rise again!" And, that is also the process by which we grow as believers in Christ- we also die and rise again- many times! [message attached] I want to ask you to say a special prayer of thanks for the leadership team- Parking Attendants, Ushers, Set-up and Take-down team, Sound and Computer Techs, Worship Team, Decorations team, Refreshments team, etc.- about 30 people worked together and worked hard to make it a celebration that exceeded our expectations! Also, remember to thank God for our PRAYER TEAM- throughout the weekend, you saw people in various places praying, pouring out their hearts to God, asking for God's blessing on our church and on our worship service. So many things threatened to interrupt our schedule, and "take people out"- yet, none of it hindered the work, or took any of us out of the game. Especially, thank God for Pastor Dave. Time and time again this week, Sue and I found ourselves saying, "How would we have ever done it without him?" He did more behind the scenes than I could have ever dreamed of accomplishing! But, when I think also of everyone on the leadership team, they ALL worked their best to present this as their BEST offering, to the one who gave His life for us. Yet, not one of us said, "This was the result of this person or this great plan." ALL of us recognized that GOD SHOWED UP! All I can say is- Ephesians 3:20-21- "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." PTL! If you want to see some pictures of the event (taken by Henry Will), click on the link below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/henrywill4/WellChristianMinistryEaster2007

Our next worship service at Clearview Cinemas @ HQP will be on Sunday, May 6th @ 9:30AM (Coffee & Bagels), 10:00AM Worship

Easter Sunday Worship

Easter Sunday, April 8th- we will hold our worship service at Clearview Cinemas in Headquarters Plaza in Morristown. We will have one worship service at 10:00AM, in Theater 7 at Clearview Cinemas, on the north end of Headquarters Plaza in Morristown. Children are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please park on the "P-2" level, entrance from the Water St. parking entrance.Signs and parking attendants will direct you to the parking area, and up to the elevator to "Clearview Cinemas". People will be there to answer questions and direct you to the worship area. Pray for this "trial worship" service, and for services at Clearview Cinemas on the first Sunday of every month through the summer. Pray as we take this next step toward our "launch" in Morristown.
Directions to Clearview Cinemas in Headquarters Plaza- From Rt. 80- Take Rt. 80 to Rt. 287 south to Exit 36- "Morris Ave, Ridgedale Ave exit"- follow signs that lead you straight through to Morris Ave, through two lights, at third light by Duncan Donuts, turn right on to Spring St., at next light (at the bottom of the hill), turn left on to Water Street, up hill to 2nd entrance on right into the parking lot, go through ticket booth, straight through to the other side of Headquarters Plaza- Parking Lot "P-2"- follow signs- parking attendants will direct you!
From Sussex Turnpike- Take Sussex Turnpike east to the end, Speedwell Ave, turn right, 1/4 mile, to 2nd light, Spring St., (you will see "Clearview Cinemas" right in front of you) turn left, 1/4 mile, at 2nd light (at the bottom of the hill), turn right on to Water Street, up hill to 2nd entrance on right into the parking lot, go through ticket booth, straight through to the other side of Headquarters Plaza- Parking Lot "P-2"- follow signs- parking attendants will direct you!
From Rt. 24 (Rt. 510)- Take Rt. 24/510 East to center of Morristown, "The Green" will be on your left, turn left at light after the Green, through light, straight down hill (Morris Ave.) to next light, by Duncan Donuts, turn left on to Spring St., at next light (at the bottom of the hill), turn left on to Water Street, up hill to 2nd entrance on right into the parking lot, go through ticket booth, straight through to the other side of Headquarters Plaza- Parking Lot "P-2"- follow signs- parking attendants will direct you!

2 more witnessing stories (from my bus driving adventures)

I wanted to share a couple of stories from my travels at Aristocrat:
Recently, I met with a young man named J.J. He works for another bus company, Vanderhoof. We did a trip to Trenton together last spring, and we ate lunch together and shot the breeze back then. A week ago Friday, I was doing a trip to Camelback Ski Area, and J.J. parked right in front of me. He waved, I waved (I didn't recognize him right away). Then, he came on the bus, and we recounted our bus trip to Trenton together. When I asked how he was doing, he said, "Actually, not that good. My mom died October 24th..." I said, "J.J., MY mom died October 24th. It was a Tuesday, right?" "Right" he said, "I'll never forget it" I asked, "How old was she?" He said, "82." I said, "She was born in 1924, right?" "Right", he said. "J.J., MY mom was born in 1924." Was this just a coincidence, or was it a divine appointment- what do you think? Then, I asked him how he dealt with it- he told me how difficult it was- I agreed. Then, he said, "I am having a difficult time dealing with death, and what happens next..." Ahh- an opportunity! So, I asked him, "Can I tell you some of the insights from 1 Corinthians 15 that have given me comfort and assurance?" And, I began to share with him some insights from the word of God about life after death. We only had a few minutes before I had to leave to pick up my group. But, before he left, he said, "It was no accident that I met with you today!" I agree! Those "coincidences" are divine appointments, if we are ready to listen and plug in to when and where the Holy Spirit leads.
Again this week, I was on my weekly Line Run from Roxbury to West Orange, and one of the "regulars" is a man named Jack. We usually talk about sports and news and weather and family and kids and grandchildren, etc.- but, today, he began talking about the death of his wife 7 years ago...I just listened, and asked how he dealt with it- it turns out that he was raised in Bloomfield by his mom as a Baptist, in the former congregation of one of my mentors, Rev. Bob Becker- BLOOMFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH. He expressed that although he had gotten away from church, he still had his faith in the Lord. He shared how a pastor met with him shortly after his wife's death and told him that the Lord still had a purpose for his life, and to memorize Proverbs 3:5-6- We recited it together- "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR WAY STRAIGHT!" We talked a little bit about what that verse meant, and then we arrived at the final stop in our line run. Again, I was not "looking" for opportunities to share, but rather the Holy Spirit helped me to "recognize" opportunities to tap into what He already was doing in people's lives. What a blessing! So, Pray for J.J. and Jack, that the words I shared would give them comfort and peace, and will draw them closer to Christ.

What strategy will we use for outreach for "The Well"?

The model that we will be using for our church plant was inspired by a book, “The Master Plan of Evangelism” (a book that we are now studying in our small group meetings on Sunday Evening). This has been a foundation of my approach to ministry over the years. It is a disciplemaking model- that is, the model that Jesus used, focusing on relationships through small group ministries and one-to-one discipleship. We also envision our church becoming a “church without walls”- that is, that we will focus on the ministry that we do when we are “outside of the walls” of a church building, among the people that we are with on a daily basis- in our homes, at our places of work, at our schools, in our communities and neighborhoods.

Why plant a church in Morristown

Why Plant a Church in Morristown?
-Morristown is the county seat, and a place of major influence and opportunity for our entire county
-Morristown is a small city, rather than a large town, with lots of redevelopment and building in the area.
-There are over 112,000 people within a 5 mile radius of the town center ("The Green")
-There is more ethnic diversity in this town than many other towns in Morris County
-Morristown also has a long influential history, dating back to the time of the revolutionary period of our nation. George Washington's headquarters were in Morristown during the major turning point of the Revolutionary War.
-Although there are many churches in the town of Morristown (about 30), there is a significant need for a different approach to reach the many unreached people in the town of Morristown.
-Morristown has a number of vital ministries that impact the entire county, including Market St. Mission, First Choice Women's center, Prison Ministries, branches of Habitat for Humanity & Salvation Army, etc. These ministries provide opportunities for service for people from our church to be involved in.
-We are engaged in discussions with the General Manager of "Clearview Cinemas" about meeting in the Clearview Cinema in Headquarters plaza for worship. This setting is well-know to people throughout the town and throughout the county.

Worship for January 28th & the month of February

We will continue this series on "The Well" and John 4 for one more week- Pastor Dave will be speaking on the topic of "The Well" itself. Also, we will continue our study on "Why I believe" during the Sunday School hour- "Why I Believe: The Lord's Supper". We have had lots of lively discussion, and a free exchange of ideas as we prepare to formulate our doctinal statement for "The Well Christian Ministry".
Our Worship & SS schedule is:
9:30AM- Sunday School/Adult Bible Study (continuing our study on "Why I Believe- The Lord's Supper")
10:30AM- Worship
Worship for January 28th will be at the Mescalls-
Directions to the Mescalls- 6 Gunther St.- Go to the center of Mendham (Intersection of Rt. 24 & Rt. 525/Mountain Ave.), heading east on Rt. 24 toward Morristown, light at the corner by the Black Horse Inn- go LEFT(North) for 2 blocks- turn LEFT on Wilson St., 1 block, RIGHT on Gunther St., follow road around (will turn left then right), 1st house after you make the right turn around the bend is #6- white house, blue shutters, basketball hoop in driveway, 973-543-6038
Worship for the month of February (February 4, 11, 18, 25) will be at the Zoltners- 4 King Hill Ct. Denville- (Rt. 10 heading EAST, past light by Franklin Rd, past Denville Auto dealers (Acura, Infiniti, Saturn), to light at the top of the hill- make U-turn, head WEST on Rt. 10, down hill, RIGHT on HILL RD, 1st RIGHT- King Hill Ct, 2nd house on the LEFT.)
Please pray for us as we continue in our "House Church" format.

Our Name- "The Well Christian Ministry"

Well....
That's right- that's our name! We now have a "name" for our new church- "The Well Christian Ministry". It is a name based on the story of Jesus and his encounter with the woman at the well. Remember all the story in John 4- how Jesus met her where she was and spoke to her about eternal life? He went to a public place- "the Well"- and He spoke to her words that changed her life. That is what we seek to do as we move into Morristown and seek out new people- people who may not be attached to a traditional church, people who may be of a different ethnic or denominational background, or people without any church background- and lead them to Christ to give them the "living water that leads to eternal life". That is what it means to be a "Church without walls"!
Our specific vision, and how it relates to the story of Jesus and the woman at The Well:
[John 4:4] We envision a “Church without walls”- a church based on influencing people for Christ by going to people where they are, and drawing them into a relationship with Christ through service, involvement and relationships with other believers
[John 4:7] We envision a church where the “dividing wall” that separates people of different races will be broken down by forgiveness, reconciliation and acceptance.
[John 4:14] We envision a church where the “dividing wall” that separates God and man will be broken down, and people experience the fullness of freedom and the abundant life that Christ intended them to have.
[John 4:16-19] We envision a church where the “dividing wall” that separates members of families from one another will be broken down by forgiveness, faith and “the blessing”.
[John 4:15] We envision a church where the “dividing wall” between believers and unbelievers will be broken down, and people will experience a sense of belonging in an atmosphere of total acceptance, love and support.
[John 4:20-24] We envision a church where the “dividing wall” of denominationalism will be broken down by mutual prayer, cooperation and support with people of other Christian faiths.
[John 4:39] We envision a church where the “dividing wall” that separates people from fulfilling their dreams will be broken down by faith, and by the discovery and use of their spiritual gifts.
[John 4:25-29] We envision a church where the “dividing wall” that keeps broken and hurting people from experiencing the fullness of life that God intended for them will be broken down as they find a home among people who welcome them with open arms.
Pray for us as we move into this next phase in church planting!

2 Witnessing Stories (from my Bus driving adventures)

I wanted to relate to you two stories of ministry that occurred recently at my work at Aristocrat Limo and Bus Company:

1st- This past Spring, I sent out the following e-mail in my June 4th "Prayer Notes": "Pray for a man named Greg- the husband of my tour guide in Philadelphia this week, Candi. As we were talking, she mentioned that her husband had non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and that he was receiving a Stem Cell transplant next week. As many of you know, Sue's brother, George, received a stem cell transplant over 25 years ago, when it was a relatively new procedure. So, I had lots to share with her about our experience. When I mentioned about putting his name on my "Prayer Notes" e-mail, she broke down, and cried. You could see that she was deeply moved that many perfect strangers would bring his name up to the Lord in prayer. So, pray for him, that his treatment would go well, and that this entire process would draw both of them closer to the Lord." Well, I saw Candi again recently while taking a tour group to Philadelphia. I recognized the name, and when I saw her, I said, "I remember you from a previous tour- how are you?" Well, she remembered me, and remembered our talk, and in about 3 minutes, she related how she remembered that we had prayed for her husband, and that OUR PRAYERS WORKED. She said that he had the transplant, and that he is doing much better. She had taken the summer off to be with him, and help him with his rehabilitation. Now she is back to the work she loves- leading tour groups through Philadelphia. She related how much it meant to her that we would pray for her and her husband. She hoped that she would see me again to tell me how he did. Wow, my friends, sometimes we need to remember how deeply our prayers affect people, and how much they accomplish for the Kingdom! Keep up the good work of praying for these people.

2nd- I thank God for my conversation with another driver at Aristocrat named Joe. Joe was the man who trained me when I began work with Aristocrat. He is a retired policeman from Irvington, NJ (now living in Long Valley). We ended up doing a lot of local jobs together. We would sometimes get coffee together, and just talk. Again, I did the "asking questions" thing- just entered into his story, and kept on asking questions including the "faith question" (he is of a Catholic background). Last week, we had a cross country meet at Freedom Park in Randolph. And, while the runners were running, we just began talking. Soon, we began talking about our moms and dads. Both of his parents have died- dad in the late 1980's and mom in the late 1990's. Once again, I asked about how his faith impacted him at these moments. We began talking about life after death. I told him about my study entitled, "Life After Death". I started to relate to him some of the specifics about what the Bible teaches about the afterlife. Joe was really tracking with me, and said he never knew all of this. I talked about personal faith, about the faith of my mom & dad and my grampa (a Lutheran Minister who had a deep impact on me as a child), about how it was transmitted down to me, and how we were transmitting it down to our kids, etc. Then, Joe began to "unload" about some of the stuff he experienced as a cop- the first death he witnessed (as he was the first responder to a 19 year old kid who "OD'ed" on drugs), about the first time he ever had to draw his gun (fortunately, he didn't have to shoot), about some harrowing and "close call" times he had in his 25 years as a cop. Wow- I don't know that he ever had someone to "unload" all of this to- it just seemed to come out of him. He just was looking for someone to listen to. We both spoke about how much comfort and peace our faith gives us, especially at times of grieving and loss, etc., etc. Needless to say, this was a witnessing opportunity that the Lord had orchestrated...and, then, before you knew it- the kids came back from their cross country meet. Once again, my friends, I learned the importance of witnessing through listening and praying. Just listen to people- listen to their story- and bring in the "faith question" when you get the chance! And, pray for these people. Believe me- the Lord is working on them and in them, if you are ready to hear it and respond to it! Again, I thank God for the many opportunities I get to witness even in my everyday work driving a bus for Aristocrat! Little did I know when I took this job how much this would be a forum for ministry and a learning experience for me in relating ministry to everyday life.

Transition into a "House Church"

For the Christmas and New Year Holidays, we will be moving into a "house church" worship format after the final Bible Study and Prayer meeting. We will have Sunday School for the children and youth at 6:00PM, and Adult Bible study on issues regarding our proposed Statement of Faith. This will be followed by worship at 7:00PM (with messages on the Christmas holidays). Then, on December 31st (New Years Eve) we will move into a Sunday morning Sunday School/Adult Bible Study and Worship service. Here is a schedule for the next few weeks:
Sunday, December 3rd- 7:00PM- Final prayer meeting and Bible study- [Epilogue-"Master Plan"] (Address-Tom & Suzann Zoltner- 4 King Hill Ct. Denville)
Sunday, December 10th- 6:00PM- Sunday School for the Children and youth; Adult Bible study on our proposed Statement of Faith (Including such topics as The Bible, The Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Salvation, the Church, the etc. The first topic of study will be the section on "Means of Grace", specifically Baptism and Holy Communion)
7:00PM- Worship (Zoltners- 4 King Hill Ct., Denville)- message on the Christmas theme
Sunday, December 17th- 6:00PM- Sunday School/Adult Bible Study
7:00PM- Worship (Mescalls- 6 Gunther Rd., Mendham)-message on the Christmas theme
Saturday, December 23rd (note change in day)- 5:00PM- family dinner
7:00PM- Worship (Location- Our Home- 1A Point Pleasant Rd)- message on the Christmas theme
Sunday, December 31st- begin morning Sunday School/Adult Bible Study & Worship
9:30AM- Sunday School/Adult Bible Study
10:30AM- Worship (Location- Our home- 1A Point Pleasant Rd.)
Sunday, January 7th- 9:30AM- Sunday School/Adult Bible Study
10:30AM- Worship (Location- Mescalls- 6 Gunther Rd., Mendham)
Please pray for us as we make this transition into our "House Church" format.

Innovative Church Conference- Granger, Indiana

Well, I did promise you a report on the "Innovative Church Conference"in Granger, Indiana- in summary, it was GREAT! Not only was it excellent in its presentation and content, but David and I found that we were ministered to by the conference! It was a place of healing and strengthening and vision for us. I think that the one thing about the Granger Church that David and I were most impressed with was the ATMOSPHERE at the church. Everyone you met- from the parking attendant to the usher to the welcome attendant to the one who served you coffee in their "Starbucks" style coffee shop- seemed to be someone who genuinely cared.

The primary principle of evangelism that they used was STORY- that is, that there are three stories- MY story, YOUR story, and GOD'S story- and, the place where they intersect is a very powerful place! It is obvious that they trained these people in how to talk with new people, and how to "engage" them in telling their story- just by asking simple questions (where are you from, what do you do, who is in your family, etc.), and allowing them to go as far or as deep as they wanted to go. You could literally enter into conversation with many different people in many different settings, and find yourself "intersecting" with these 3 stories in multiple settings with anyone there!

The other thing that was so refreshing and "ministering" to us was the openness and vulnerability of the leaders of the conference. I must admit that I went to the conference feeling somewhat inadequate, losing confidence, even questioning certain tenets of my faith at times. I just listened for a while- but, before I knew it, I felt I could just "be myself", and be open with others about these things because it was NOT ABOUT ME- it is about GOD in me! Other leaders felt these things- they were all "in process", and "on a journey"- and, maybe they had gone to places similar to where I was headed, and they could pull up alongside of me and help me to make the NEXT STEP that I needed to make to follow the Lord's leading. But, it was not about a prescribed plan, or a 10 step process to become successful in ministry. It was about REAL people, with REAL problems (as well as gifts), serving a REAL God!

A third thing that we got out of the conference was EXCELLENCE and CREATIVITY in the use of the arts to communicate the message of Christ! The productions, the dramas, the videos, the music was of professional quality. The transitions between the message and the use of various art forms was seamless. It was not "gimmicky"- believe me! It was EXCELLENT in its use of pictures and music to enhance the presentation of the message, not distract from it. I found that these things brought out memories and emotions that truly engaged me with the theme of the message, and caused me to connect in very real ways not just with the speaker, but with the Holy Spirit. They did not compromise the message, or even compromise the presentation of the message, but rather they "leveraged" the culture to truly engage people with the message.

The fourth thing that I got out of this event was time to get to know David Griffith. Spending 3 days together, having hours of discussion together, riding in the car together through traffic jams and commuter delays, getting stuck in the airport together for 5 hours, processing this conference together helped us to hear each other's hearts, and I can truly say that we are of one heart and mind in reaching people in our area for Christ! This man is the real deal (Dave, if you are reading this, tell your wife I said you are the real deal...), and I believe that the Lord put us together for a purpose- both at the right time, both going through similar experiences, both with the same passion for reaching "postmoderns" with the gospel. Quite frankly, we needed each other, just to affirm that we are not crazy! Outside of the box, maybe- off the charts, maybe...but, both of us feel that God is doing something new and different- and we are also "In Process" to discern what that is, and then to have the courage to DO IT!

So, once again, we thank God for you, and for those of you who gave so that we could attend, and for those of you who prayed that God would speak to us through this conference.

Fasting and Praying on Wednesdays

Sue and I want to thank God for some of our "Prayer Partners" who have dedicated every Wednesday as a day of fasting to joining with us in focusing our prayers on our future plans regarding church planting. If you would like to join us in this effort, we will fast from breakfast Wednesday to breakfast Thursday (24 hours) and use the extra time that we would have spent eating lunch and dinner on Wednesday for prayer!

Movie- "The End of the Spear"

Sue and I watched an incredible movie Sunday evening, after the bible study and prayer meeting- "The End of the Spear". It was about Jim Elliot, Nate Saint and 3 other missionaries who went to the Wadani Indians in Ecuador, a violent tribe defined by revenge killing. These 5 men were killed by them in their first face to face encounter. But, some of the men in the tribe were touched by the Holy Spirit and converted. And, the wives and children of the missionaries who were killed went to the Wadani, and won them for Christ- and, many in that tribe are believers today and their entire way of life has been completely transformed. When I see a movie like this, and I see the price paid for by others to win people to Christ, I recognize that the price we sometimes pay to present the gospel is but a feather compared to the sacrifice made by these incredible men and women. Trust me- RENT OR BUY THIS MOVIE, AND WATCH IT AS SOON AS YOU GET A CHANCE. It will move you to tears, and change your perspective on "paying the price" to get the message of Christ to lost people!

Our Dream of A CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS

Ephesians 2:14- “For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall…”

We dream of a “Church Without Walls”-

- a church based on influencing people for Christ by going to people where they are, and drawing them into a relationship with Christ through service, involvement and relationships with other believers

-a church where the “dividing wall” that separates God and man will be broken down, and people experience the fullness of freedom and the abundant life that Christ intended them to have.

-a church where the “dividing wall” between believers and unbelievers will be broken down, and people will experience a sense of belonging in an atmosphere of total acceptance, love and support.

-a church where the “dividing wall” that separates members of families from one another will be broken down by forgiveness, faith and “the blessing”.

-a church where the “dividing wall” that separates people of different races will be broken down by forgiveness, reconciliation and acceptance.

-a church where the “dividing wall” of denominationalism will be broken down by mutual prayer, cooperation and support with people of other Christian faiths.

-a church where the “dividing wall” that separates people from fulfilling their dreams will be broken down by faith, and by the discovery and use of their spiritual gifts.

-a church where the “dividing wall” that keeps broken and hurting people from experiencing the fullness of life that God intended for them will be broken down as they find a home among people who welcome them with open arms.

Bible Study-Master Plan of Evangelism

As we enter the next phase of our exploration for a possible church plant in the Morristown area, Sue and I will begin a weekly Bible study and Prayer Meeting (for the next 10-12 weeks), Sunday evenings (7:00-9:00PM) Beginning September 10th at our home (for the first month) on the book, "Master Plan of Evangelism" by Robert Coleman. This book would be a blueprint for any church plant, based on the principle of the Discipleship model that Jesus used (as presented in the gospels). If you are interested in this study, please write back and let me know so I can make sure that we have enough books ordered.

Also, David Griffith and I will be going to "Innovative Church Conference" at the "Granger Church" in Granger, Ind. (Notre Dame country) September 21-22! We want to thank the Lord for those who generously donated enough so that we could go. The conference offers seminars such as "First Impressions: creating 'Wow' Experiences in Your Church", "Who are You Talking to: Selecting Your Target Audience", "Purpose Driven Church Basic", "Creative Teaching" and "Multi-site/Theater Church Ministry". Some great topics, and a great conference. David went last year and loved it. Thank the Lord for this opportunity! We'll have a lot to report in a future Blog.

Another visit to Vroom St. Church, Jersey City

This week, Sue & I want to thank God for another worship experience at the Vroom Street Evangelical Free Church, Vroom St., Jersey City, NJ. As I mentioned in a precious blog, this is one of the most ethnically diverse churches in the heart of Jersey City. My friend, Pastor Bill Sweeting, has been the pastor there now for a year, and already there are significant signs of new life and vibrancy at this church. They have a new worship team ("Grace Notes") that plays a variety of hymns and choruses. They are truly committed to reaching out in their community for Jesus Christ. I gave the morning message, about Abraham, and what it is to walk by faith- Hebrews 11:8-10- "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." I believe that it was an encouragement to all of us and a reminder that we need to live our lives totally surrendered to Him! After worship, we went with our "Jersey City family" (Soni, Patrick, M.G. and India) to lunch along with the Sweeting family. Bill was healed, as we had prayed (he had a fever for three days last week), and was well on his way to full strength, and he enjoyed a full meal with us. Pray for this vital ministry, and that it will continue to be a beacon of light for the Jersey City area!

Worship at two places of healing and hope- Camp Hope & Market St. Mission- August 6th
Sue & I want to thank God for our experiences in worship at two places of healing today, Camp Hope and Market Street Mission. Camp Hope is a drug and alcohol rehab program for women in Oxford, NJ (sponsored by Times Square Church and the Teen Challenge ministry). Market St. Mission is a drug and alcohol rehab program for men in Morristown, NJ.
The morning service at Camp Hope was a blessing in many ways. Worship was simple and heartfelt. The morning message was entitled, "The Simple Life". The pastor spoke on how to simplify our lives by leading lives of total surrender to the Lord, no matter what He wants us to do, no matter where He wants us to go! Such a simple message, but so powerful! Sue and I went forward, and again surrendered our lives to the Lord, to do with our lives and our family whatever He desired, no matter what it may be! What a freeing prayer- I believe that it is the only way to pray and to live. I hope and pray that you will also pray and live this way! (by the way, as you are praying for this ministry, pray for Sue's cousin's daughter, Kristen, who began this program a couple of months ago, but left after a few short weeks- pray that she will come back and give herself completely to the Lord, and to be delivered from her drug addiction)
Then, Sunday evening, we went to the evening worship at Market St. Mission. It was an incredible service- again, simple, but powerful and heartfelt. The pastor (Nelson Seda, a Spanish Pastor from Flemington, NJ) spoke on the story of David vs. Goliath, and what it takes to tackle the "giants" that we face in life- whether it be alcohol and drug addiction, or family problems, or problems at our place of work. We need to face them with the courage and faith of David! Then, we shared communion with the men and women who were gathered with us. What a blessing it was, and how much "at home" we felt as we were welcomed with open arms by these families of God in these ministries of healing.
Pray for these vital ministries, and for the hundreds of men and women who have been set free from their addictions to drugs and alcohol through Camp Hope and Market Street Mission!

Some thought regarding a location for our church plant

We thank the Lord for all those who joined us in our recent Prayer Meeting at our Lake home. It was truly a blessed time! We were joined by about 45 people who spent time together, enjoying good food, fellowship and fun on the water- and then had a rich worship and prayer time. The topic of this week's session was WHERE. Sue and I have been praying and seeking the Lord about this question for the past 7 months now...we believe that the Lord is confirming in our hearts that we seek to plant a church in Morristown. We have researched, prayed, talked with various people, visited various communities. These are the factors that have led us to focus more on Morristown:
-It is outside of the 12 mile radius that was given to us from the May 11th meeting at Hillside
-Because of my involvement in the "Concerts of Prayer" movement in NYC, our hearts are being drawn back toward New York City. Therefore, our hearts are being drawn east rather than west.
-Morristown is the county seat, and a place of major influence and opportunity for our entire county
-There are over 100,000 people within a 5 mile radius of the town center ("The Green")
-There is more ethnic diversity in this town than many other towns in Morris County
-Morristown also has a long influential history, dating back to the time of the revolutionary period of our nation. George Washington's headquarters were in Morristown during the major turning point of the Revolutionary War (Winters of 1777 and 1779-1780).
-Although there are many churches in the town of Morristown (about 30), there is a significant need for a vibrant evangelical church in the town of Morristown at this time. Other mission churches have met the challenge in that area as well-but, only a few.
-Morristown is a small city, rather than a large town, and thus is more likely to accept a ministry that is more "progressive" (a "church without walls?").
-Morristown has a number of vital ministries that impact the entire county, including Market St. Mission, First Choice Women's center, a branch of Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Prison Ministries, etc. These ministries provide opportunities for service for people from our church to be involved in.
-We are engaged in discussions with the General Manager of "Clearview Cinemas" about meeting in the Clearview Cinema in Headquarters plaza for worship (please pray about this!). This setting is well-know to people throughout the town and throughout the county.
-We have met a pastor and his wife, David and June Griffith (they were at our last prayer gathering), who have expressed interest in our church planting efforts. David had resigned from his parish ministry in New Brunswick over a month ago, before he even knew that we were in prayer about our church plant. He felt a strong leading from the Lord to be involved in some way in church planting in the town in which he grew up, Morristown. I liken David to the "man in Macedonia" in Acts 16:6-10, who called upon Paul to "come on over and help us". He also has a network of people who have indicated interest in our church planting efforts.
Pray that the Lord would confirm HIS plans for us. We are always willing to be moved and corrected, but the strong leading that we feel seems to be genuinely from the Lord to move into Morristown.

Brooklyn Tabernacle

Sue & I want to thank God for our experience in worship at the well-known inner city church, Brooklyn Tabernacle. This vital church is not only known for its choir (The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir), but especially for its commitment to prayer as the foundation for this entire ministry. The pastor's (Jim Cymbala's) book, "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" outlines this strategy and emphasis. Sue and I felt that we were ministered to in a very real way. During the service, we heard from two missionaries. One woman and her husband were ministering to both Israelis and Palestinians in northern Israel. Many of the believers there- both Jewish and Arab- had to meet in secret, since their lives were in danger because of their conversion to Christianity. Then, another pastor spoke about his work among the poor in Peru- literally reaching millions of people through medical missions. Boy, did we feel like wimps whenever we talk about how we have "suffered" for the gospel in the US. We haven't felt 1/10th of the pressure that these people felt every day. But, the Lord is with them, and blessing their ministry in these critical days. Then, during the prayer time, the church dedicated the work of over 120 volunteers who were preparing to work this week at a summer day camp for abused and neglected inner city kids! Pray that their efforts will be a success. There were two altar calls during the morning worship service- one even before the message was preached! The place was "electric" with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, so that dozens of people (including Sue and me) went forward just as an act of submission to the Lord, and an appeal to Him for His will and purpose for our lives to be lived out in us. The message that was shared was on the Holy Spirit, and although it was a basic message from passages of scripture that we were familiar with, yet there was an anointing on the message that made it very real and very personal for us. When Pastor Cymbala called people forward for a second time that day- this time, "for those who feel called to a new and very different type of ministry", we jumped out of our seats and went forward, and dedicated ourselves again to be used whenever and wherever the Lord wanted us. The atmosphere of prayer, and the sweetness of the presence of the Holy Spirit made this vital church one of the most exciting inner-city churches we have visited.
Some of you had expressed that you wanted to attend the prayer meeting at Brooklyn Tabernacle- please send an e-mail back to me if you would like to join us. We will probably go on a Tuesday evening (the prayer meeting begins at 7:00PM) in September or October. Come and join us, if you can, and prepare to be blessed.

Times Square Church- 7-09-06

Website-www.timessquarechurch.org
On Sunday, July 9th, we attended Times Square Church in NYC. What a powerful worship experience! From start to finish, it was impressive. The church is on 51st & 6th Ave in NYC. It is a converted theater, and an annex building right next to the theater, for children's ministries, small groups, offices, etc. The first area that you enter is a large lobby area- a place in which you can get further information, other assistance before the worship service. As you enter into the worship (theater) area, you are impressed with the quality of the decoration and the artwork. It seats about 2,000 people, and it was packed. The first people you meet are the Ushers and Greeters. They wear clearly marked yellow jackets, and they are active throughout the service, greeting people, seating people, AND, keeping the congregation quiet (I discovered as I was one of the talkative ones who was "shushed"!) so that people could come forward for prayer before the service. They carried large signs- "PLEASE KEEP QUIET SO THAT PEOPLE CAN PRAY", and carried them up and down the aisles. People were praying in their seats, they came forward for prayer, they stood, they knelt, they raised their hands, they walked around. When the pastors came out on the stage, they walked the stage and prayed over different parts of the stage area where people would take part in the worship service. I also noticed a prayer gathering underneath the sanctuary, praying for God's anointing on the pastor and worship leaders. You got a feeling of expectation as you realized that this church was "covered" in prayer. Then, the curtain was shut, and the choir and worship team took their places, and when the curtain arose, worship began with great enthusiasm. The entire worship experience was seamless, meaningful, enthusiastic, at times meditative. It had some Messianic Jewish flavor, some Black Gospel flavor, some Latino flavor, some European flavor. The choir, worship leaders and pastoral staff were ethnically diverse (as was the congregation), and the worship matched this diversity. There was a mix of newer choruses, older choruses, hymns sung and performed beautifully, with lots of power. The worship portion lasted almost an hour, but I don't think anyone was looking at their watches. Sue and I found ourselves caught up at times with various emotions- joy, excitement, awe, quietness, tears. We were "prepared" in worship to enter into the "inner sanctuary" with the Lord. The Pastor's message was inspiring and powerful. We heard stories about the church being involved in Ireland and England, as well as Borundi and other parts of Africa. This was genuinely a "world church". The message was on the book of Revelation, and the statement of Jesus in Revelation 1:19- "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later." or as another translation states it, "...what must take place..." There are things that the Lord has promised that He will do, things that must take place. There is a kingdom that is coming, and it must come. All that we need to do is to believe it, and get on board with what the Lord is doing for His kingdom- or, we may miss it entirely! After the service, there was an altar call, and dozens of people went forward for prayer. The Lord is blessing the Times Square area- even the entire city- through this church!