Response to A29 vs. the SBC

Earlier today I was forwarded a blog and decided to share my thoughts. I don't always do this but felt I needed to share because of my connection with both entities.

Here is the blog: http://sbcvoices.com/acts-29-vs-the-sbc-one-year-later/comment-page-1/#comment-1337

Here is my response:

Great article. Thanks for the follow up. We are planting Vintage Church with the LBC in New Orleans and we are currently in the candidate phase of becoming part of Acts 29. Our experience with A29 has been great.

About the situation in MO: I have gotten to know Darrin Patrick (pastor of The Journey in St. Louis). Before we decided to join up with A29, I talked with him about the controversy. He admitted that there were some tough times but that he was encouraged about the future. Darrin has great respect for the SBC and has no desire to leave. He encouraged us to stay with the LBC and join up with the network.

About the A29 movement: A29 has no desire to be a denomination. Driscoll reiterated in Dallas last fall about the fact that they are a network and a movement. When I have received any resistance by my SBC friends for partnering with A29, all I had to tell them was that A29 is extremely similar to the "Purpose-Driven Movement" in function and purpose. This has helped a lot of my older-generational friends. A29 desires for each partnering church to not only sustain their denominational identity, but to also respect and follow their rules and convictions. Do most of the A29 churches endorse the freedom to drink alcohol? Of course. However, A29 encourages those planters who are planting through a denomination that is against this freedom to abide by those rules and regulations. Here is the official response by A29 at the end of their Alcohol statement online:
"In conclusion, there are different views on alcohol in our network and even on our board. We recognize that this is an issue where Christians can and do disagree, so we have no position on alcohol other than that people should have their conscience captive to the word of God, submit to the leadership of their church or denomination, and do everything for God's glory."

My conclusion: I am not burdened by this battle, but by the fact that the SBC is a dying denomination that needs a major reformation through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is no secret. Even the most hardcore old-schoolers would agree with this. Something radical has to be done. Instead of attacking a Bible-based Network that is making an strong impact around the world, we should be focusing on the fact that our own churches are failing in making an impact. Our church pursued partnership with A29 because we have a desire to grow a vibrant church in the heart of New Orleans that is making disciples. In an urban context, these guys are the leading voice. We would have loved to learn from an SBC entity or church, but I am not aware of any that provide the brotherhood and resource (in particular for Urban Church Planting) I would love to hear any recommendations within the SBC circles.

To my fellow young SBC church planters...don't jump ship. The theological, cooperative, and missional conviction of the SBC is solid. There is a great need for a reformation. We can't do anything about those who resist change and create conflict over things that don't really matter. Focus on planting a church that glorifies God. Focus on reaching the least and the lost. Trust me, nothing speaks louder than the transformation of a community by the Gospel. Launch your church, seek out Godly counsel from the SBC and other Biblical entities, evangelize your community, and then have a rocking baptism celebration. Reality is...even if you baptize 5 people it will probably be more baptisms than most of the churches in your association in years.

Headed Home

Hey Vintage Church,

Annabeth, Bolt, and I are on our way home. We have had a great time of rest and refueling. Everytime I travel around the world I am reminded of the greatness of God as well as the size of the mission that He has entrusted to us. I am writing everyone from the Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia. EDMUND'S MOTHER LAND! Believe it or not, I just had a caramel macchiato at Starbucks. We will be leaving here in a few hours to Shanghai, China...hang out there for 2 hours...and then a 15 hour flight to ATL. Then a 7 hour drive home. I can't wait to be back.

There are a couple of major things that have been confirmed in my life on this trip:

#1: I love Annabeth and Bolt! Without them I am absolutely a mess. Bolt has been amazing and we have literally dragged him all over the outback from camping on a beach, to watching a cricket match with crazy crowds, to even going through about a million security checks at the airports. You are going to be blown away by how much he has grown up. His new habit is sticking his tongue out when he is happy. I have included a picture of him doing this with AB. On the way to Australia he slept 12 out of the 15 hours from ATL to Shanghai. Please Lord, grant us this mercy again. Secondly, I have loved being with my wife. She is the most amazing person in the world. Watching her raise our little man and love me at the same time has made me fall even more in love with her. I will never apologize for taking time away to be with them. Outside of Christ, they are number 1. Thanks for allowing me to set aside a couple of weeks to live this out in my life.

#2: I love Vintage Church and the city of New Orleans! Australia is a great place. We spent the majority of our time on the Sunshine Coast (just north of Brisbane). It is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Over 15 years ago we connected with a family called the Scales. They rolled out the red carpet for us and we had the time of our lives. I even did some surfing, but yesterday broke my toe on the surf-board. This has not made my trip home any easier. With all that being said, there is no place like home. My personal time with Christ was spent reading 3 great books, listened to preaching podcasts (great job Page), starting a new year in the One-Year Bible, reading the book of Acts in preparation for our upcoming series "Be the Church", and receiving dreams and visions for our mission with Vintage Church in the city of New Orleans. I don't want to go into too much detail, but I believe that when we come to this point next year we are going to be blown away by all the things that Christ is going to do through our church in 2009. I am praying for Christ to use us to the fullest and that we would pursue at all costs the TRANSFORMATION OF PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGH THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL FOR THE EXCLUSIVE GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST. I spent a lot of time praying and thanking God for this opportunity to serve and minister in the city of New Orleans. There are a lot of people who need Jesus. What a great mission! Let's get to work.

Thanks again for all the prayers during our time away. Christ has renewed our hearts towards His. See you Sunday as we begin "BE THE CHURCH".

Surrounded by Good Men

I have the blessing of learning from some great pastors in New Orleans. There are some great men in this city that have been fighting the good fight for a long time. Most people love to complain about the churches in this city and they talk like they know what it takes to reach NOLA. We appreciate all prayers, love, and advice but you really don't understand how to do things unless you are actually in the trenches. Two guys who are in the trenches with me are David Crosby (Pastor of FBC New Orleans) and Jerry Kramer (Pastor of Church of the Annunciation). I have enjoyed having coffee with these guys and learning from their experience.

Here are two recent blogs that I received from their ministries:

THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS By David E. Crosby, Pastor January 6, 2009

The Feast of Epiphany, celebrated the twelfth day after Christmas, is in part about the New Year’s youngest murder victim, Ja’Shawn Powell, the two-year-old boy whose body was found Sunday in an athletic bag on Jackson Avenue. The king cakes we are enjoying in this season have a hidden baby inside because Joseph and Mary hid the infant Jesus from the evil King. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod was jealous of the baby and sought to destroy him. Thus unfolds the slaughter of the innocents when King Herod murdered all baby boys in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger. The two greatest figures in the Bible, Jesus and Moses, were both protected by their parents from kings who tried to kill them. These parents believed deeply that their baby boys were very special and important people. They risked their own lives to save them. We are not as far from Herod’s day as we want to think. The killing of babies continues in our world. It is an indication of our own moral bankruptcy, our failure to acknowledge the value of the little ones among us. When life gets hard it is just too easy to view the little children as threats to our own well-being and set them aside. Infants have been the targets of violence in every age and every culture on earth. I have stood in the ruins of Aztec and Incan temples where hundreds of little skulls were found. Religious authorities have sacrificed children along with political authorities. It is a scourge upon the planet, our treatment of the children. Any culture may begin to view the children as an unnecessary burden or an economic threat. Infanticide is historically one method of birth control and sex selection. Worldwide, infant girls are more likely to be left on the ice to freeze or thrown in the river to drown or suffocated with wet cloths over their faces or grass stuffed in their mouths. These practices are so common that they give birth to a specialized vocabulary—“decimate,” to kill one out of ten children; mabiki, to pull plants from a garden; and “baby water,” the bucket of water used to drown newborns. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have always taught that killing infants is a sin. Roman law elevated infanticide to a capital offense in 374 C.E. Despite religious and legal sanctions, the practice of infanticide continued throughout history and right up to the present. Largely now through abortion and the abandonment of newborns, Americans and others around the planet eliminate the inconvenience and economic burden of new mouths to feed. The hidden baby in the king cake is a message from Mary and Joseph to each of us. Every little life has infinite worth and should be protected. God gives life. It is not our prerogative to take it. Herod killed three of his own sons among many others. With his heart hardened toward his own offspring, it takes no imagination to see him wielding his political influence against innocent children. Communities may develop attitudes and practices that marginalize children whose basic needs compete for limited tax dollars. Schools become dilapidated while more “adult” facilities become pristine. Playgrounds take a backseat to golf courses. Day care facilities limp along without strong support as health spas and social clubs sparkle and shine. Every culture and community publishes its assessment of the value of children through such facilities. The median age of our population is older in post-Katrina New Orleans. Many of our young families fled the flood and never returned. Let’s resist the temptation, as adults who have already reared our children, to forget or marginalize the little ones among us. The children who live here are “our” kids, not “their” kids. Each little life possesses incalculable value. The children among us will always make do, usually without protest, when we redirect our time and money to more adult activities and facilities. Children do not usually show up at city council meetings or church business sessions. Part of restoring the mental, emotional, and physical health of our community is making the little ones our highest priority. Sometimes the children in a community become invisible to its power-brokers—like that baby hidden in the tasty pastry. Let Ja’Shawn’s murder be a wake up call to us all. Mary and Joseph took the right course. They adjusted their lives so that their child would flourish.

Here is an article written about my friend Jerry's church. He is an amazing example to us all.

NOT A CRISIS, A MOMENT OF FAITH January 6, 2009

Visiting the Free Church of the Annunciation always makes me feel hopeful. Even now, when it's having its worst financial crisis since the storm, it's a happy, uplifting place. "This is just another moment of faith," Duane Nettles said. "We kind of feel like this is what folks in New Orleans go through all the time." Duane, 31, runs the Annunciation Ministry at the Episcopal church in the heart of Broadmoor. He also crunches numbers, helps parishioners solve problems and tries to keep up with the Rev. Jerry Kramer, pastor of the church. "You know how a job description sometimes has 'And other duties as assigned' at the end?" Duane said. "This is the only place I've ever worked where those other duties make up about 90 percent of my job." --- Paycheck or paint? --- Duane isn't complaining. He loves being where he is and doing what he does. He grew up in New Orleans and is glad to be playing a part in its rebirth. He is also a seminarian at Nashotah House in Nashotah, Wis., an Episcopal seminary that allows students to do field work while they study to become ordained priests. He goes there four times a year. "I work full-time and go to school full-time," he said. Last week, he and Father Jerry didn't get a paycheck. "My choice was to pay us or buy materials so 45 volunteers could rebuild people's houses," he said. "I bought paint." It isn't the first time he has made such a decision. The ministry has struggled since the storm, when Father Jerry decided the church needed to play a vital part in rebuilding the Broadmoor neighborhood. "We often rob Peter to pay Paul," Duane said. --- Loaves and fishes --- Duane isn't really worried. He knows he and Father Jerry will keep operating on faith. He told me about the toys that poured into the church from around the country to provide Christmas presents for more than 1,000 of the city's neediest children. "It was like the story of the loaves and fishes," he said. "Santa kept handing them out, and the pile never went down." He talked about the 2,200 volunteers who came to Annunciation in 2008 to help rebuild New Orleans. "You're just so encouraged by these people who could go anywhere and choose to come here," he said. "They write us to say 'Thank you' when they get home. We write them back and say, 'You inspired us to go on working another week.' " And that's how they'll get through 2009: One week after another, one small miracle at a time.

Thanks guys for your friendship to Vintage and commitment to New Orleans.

Meeting Dr. Billy Graham

Today my dad gave me a great Christmas gift. He took me to see Dr. Billy Graham. The Graham house is located in Montreat, NC. The whole experience was incredible.

Here are a few things that I'll never forget about the trip.

• The home is very secluded and hidden in the mountains. We had to go through an electric gate. They have a lot of land, but the home is extremely simple. This must have been an amazing place of rest and retreat for Dr. Graham.
• One of Dr. Graham's staff led us up the mountain to his home. His name is Morey. He has served on the mountain assisting the Graham family for over 30 years. I was blown away by his love and dedication for this family and ministry.
  
• Over the last few weeks Dr. Graham hasn't been feeling that great, but today he was wide awake and sitting in his office chair. From the moment we walked in the room, Dr. Graham was focused upon us and made us feel extremely important. Wow. Dr. Graham made me feel important. Talk about a lesson in humility.
• When my dad introduced me to him, he remembered that I had preached for dad a couple of weeks ago. I am glad I only found that out after I preached. Talk about adding some extra pressure to preaching. He said that he will be praying for our ministry and church in New Orleans.
  
• I was amazed at the love he had for my dad. He must of kissed him a dozen times. Over the last decade my dad has served as his pastor. They have an incredible bond. They talked about everything from his health to world issues to my dad's messages. The biggest surprise was when he told my dad that he wanted to become a member of FBC Spartanburg. He worships with them each week through the TV ministry. This brought my dad to tears. What an honor!
• When my dad asked him how we could pray for him. Here were his two requests: SPIRITUAL RENEWAL and that he would be FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. This blew me away. This a man who is suffering physically and near the end of his life, and he is still pressing on toward the goal of Christlikeness. Thank you Jesus for Billy Graham! May I learn from his devotion and pursuit of you.

I will always remember December 24, 2008. Thank you dad for this amazing experience. Thank you Dr. Graham for your testimony and witness for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


Here is a great website about the life of Dr. Billy Graham:

http://www.lifeway.com/billygraham/life.htm

Bolt the Superhero

Check out my latest video of Bolt. He is growing up quick.



You can see more videos at www.youtube.com/IMNEWORLEANS.

Vintage Christmas Adopt

This Sunday (December 21st), Vintage Church is celebrating VINTAGE CHRISTMAS ADOPT. I just got word that our church membership and staff have stepped it up and adopted 34 children for Christmas. WOW!

One of our church members (Tamara) came to me last month with a ministry need. She works throughout the year with children that have parents in the Jefferson Parrish Correctional Center. Her heart and commitment to this ministry in incredible. Tamara came to me with the desire to see our church reach out to these children over Christmas.

We decided to dedicate this Sunday as Vintage Christmas Adopt. Last Sunday, we only brought 19 names to the table. Those children were adopted extremely fast by our community. Our team went back and throughout the week we gathered some more names. I am proud to brag on our young church for adopting 34 kids for this coming Sunday.

An unexpected need was brought to our attention a couple of days ago. When we called to follow up with one of our kids, we found out that their home was destroyed by a fire just the day before. After church yesterday, we took out the mom and her daughter to lunch in order to find out how we can meet their needs. This mom has another little boy, her sister with three children under 11, her grandmother and mother living in this house with her. The men have either left or are in jail. She is basically the only provider in the family. Our church is excited to adopt this entire family and work with other local churches to meet their needs. Please pray that Christ would expose His grace to this family during this time.

Every person who is adopting a child will call and visit their home, buy $30 worth of gifts (the prison ministry wants all the kids to have the same amount of gifts), and pick up their kid and any family member that wants to come to church this Sunday. At church we are going to have a Christmas worship, lunch, games, and I even think Santa might show his face with some gifts. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Thanks Tamara, Wendy, and Matt for your leadership with this event. I am praying for Christ to use us as we bless these families and share with them about the "reason" for this season.

If you are in New Orleans this Sunday, come and join us at 10am. If you would like to give towards this ministry please email info@vintagenola.org.

Drink Up You Hypocrites!

I just got home from my longest run (5.21 miles), you can see the stats on the side of my blog. I got in the zone on a beautiful day in NOLA. Plus I had a lot of Mexican and Ice Cream last night. Extra motivation. I always run different routes from my house to Temple Gym where I lift weights. Temple is right below Vintage Church (see pic below). After I lift weights I usually have a cool down walk or jog back home.

While I was wrapping up my workout at Temple I looked across the street at the local bar, Jax. There were two guys fighting. One was the old owner and another was a young guy. Basically, this guy had been drinking all night and morning and was wasted beyond understanding. He was outside damaging people's cars. The owner and his other drunk boys were holding him down as they called the cops. Eventually the cops showed up and aggressively cuffed the man and tossed him in their car. Believe it or not, that is probably the 50th time I have see someone arrested since we moved into Uptown. Each and every one brings me an overwhelming burden and motivation to proclaim the Gospel in this area.

While all this went down, I began to talk with my friend that trains people at Temple. He began to talk about how funny and HYPOCRITICAL it was that the old man and all his friends were yelling at the drunk guy becuase they were the ones who served him the alcohol all night long. I have actually talked with the owner about his need to set up some perimeters, but it hasn't really worked. Every Sunday, our church gets a little crap from these guys across the street. Most of the neighborhood (Christian or not) despises this place.

As I walked home praying over this situation, God placed an unbelievable burden upon my heart in regard to Vintage Church. This situation brought some questions to my mind even about the Church universal. Let these marinate for a little while:

• Is it possible, that the world views the HYPOCRISY of the church in the same way that my community views this bar?
• Are we truly living out what we are preaching?
• As pastors...is our only concern that people come to our buildings once a week to get drunk off our words and performance with very little concern about what they do during the week?
• How does your community view what happens at your church?
• Are you spitting out a product of people that care about Loving God and Loving People...or are you spitting out a product of people that are vomiting all over your community?
• Are you a serving as a stumbling block to your community?
  

Check out these verses:

Matthew 6:2
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Matthew 23:13
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.

Mark 7:6
And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

I am writing these things in great humility. God has convicted me of the importance of living out the Gospel in Uptown NOLA. I pray that you and your church represent (through the power of the Holy Spirit) a true picture of God's amazing truth and love. May we not just preach the Gospel, may we live it out.