Hangin with the Hebrews - Part II

This weekend saw an incredible miracle take place. Spirit-filled Gentiles hit the parks and streets of the neighborhood inviting Jewish people to our upcoming Passover service. That alone is really cool, but what put the icing on the cake was the manner in which the FHCC crew approached the Jewish community, and the overwhelming favor in which they were received. Haredi were actually thanking us for inviting them to our Seder dinner! It was an amazing testimony to the faithfulness and favor of God.

Please pray with us for the upcoming Seder service. While there were many who were grateful for the invite, there were also several who were less than thrilled about the idea of Christians inviting Jews to a Seder meal. We understand that this may not be a "orthodox" practice, but it is biblical. Our soul desire is that of the Torah: to proclaim the saving power of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is who we are celebrating, and it is because of Him we are saved and brought into Covenant. Pray that many in our community will join us for a night of proclaiming the goodness of God over His meal.

PS> Deadline to secure a seat for the Seder Meal is Wednesday, March 24.

Passover Seder
Tuesday, March 30 @ 6:30pm
INSIDE the FHCC Campus (6708 Ingram St)
www.fhcchurch.com

Hanging with the Hebrews - Part I

Many of the FHCC family have been hanging out with the local Hebrew (Jewish) population recently. This is because for the first time our church is holding a Passover Seder meal, and our people are seeking guests. They have many stories and questions as a result of these spiritual interactions, and it is a revealing a lot of what is right and wrong inside the modern church.

For many, this dialogue with Jewish people is the first time they have held a serious conversation about Jesus with someone of another religion. While this may seem odd or a bit of an overstatement, consider your own life. How many times have YOU had a pointed conversation about Jesus with someone who was of another faith? I am not talking about a passing comment on religious affiliation; I am talking about intentional witnessing. Chances are the occurrences are not that many, and here is why...

The fact is that we live in a "PC" world. We are told that certain topics and words are "off limits" due to the feelings of others. Our world has told us that Jesus,and the teachings of Christianity are to be kept private and personal, as they might offend someone who does not know or share this worldview. Whether we cognitively know it or not, the average American Christian has adopted this position as well. We may put up a "Jesus fish" on our bumper or screen saver, but we simply will not engage people on the key elements of Christianity.

While I am all for showing compassion to my fellow man, I can think of no higher offense than not sharing the personhood and teachings of Jesus with another, especially one who is another faith. First of all, Jesus alone is good! Every other religion teaches/relies on human interest and activity. People spend their whole lives trying to create perfection, create justice, ore create love, and all they end up with is rules, disappointment, class-envy and dictatorships. The story of Jesus is the complete opposite. Jesus is no mere man or teacher. He is God incarnate who chose to leave His home in heaven (where He reigns in a place of perfection) to take on the fullness of man. He did this for the sole purpose of dying in the place of all humanity for the offense that all have committed willingly against Him so that all may be brought near to Him in faith alone. There are no classes of people, requirements of works, or intermediaries. Jesus alone saves, and that is very Good News!

Second, to not share Jesus is not only offense to a world stuck in religion and self-disappointment, but it is also highly offensive to Jesus! When we sit silently and do not share the significance of Jesus with others, we are declaring by our silence that Jesus is not worth sharing. People who love baseball always talk about baseball; why? Because they love baseball and believe that it is worth talking about. Grandparents cannot keep quiet about their grandkids. They talk to every person they meet (young, old, married, single) about their grandkids because they love their grandkids and believe firmly that their grandkids are worth talking about. Jesus is greater than baseball and grandkids, yet we consistently sit quietly while the world goes to hell. That is offensive!

We've bitten the apple and have bought into the lie that God is not really God. For many of us, He may be "our" God, but He is not "The" God who rules and reigns over all. We've bought into the lie of political correctness and have used this excuse to hide our own shame, fear and disbelief. We've sinned, and now the world is dying in ignorance as a result.

Brothers and sisters in Jesus, let's get out there and preach! Don't just sit around and chat with fellow believers; be like Jesus and go find someone to whom you can preach. Be a Christian, and live life as a missionary. Be like Jesus, and PREACH because He alone is worth talking about.

God is Faithful, even in the Rain

What an incredible weekend at FHCC. The weather was beyond horrific and never-ending, we lost an hour of sleep,and we discovered a new law banning signs on the street. It was a trying time to say the least; however, despite all the circumstantial setbacks, God spoke and did amazing things in His people.

This weekend, over 1,500 invitations to the Spring Holiday services were handed out, two new families joined the church, and we wrestled with a piece of Scripture that would make your head spin. God has been exceedingly good to us despite all the challenges and shortcomings taking place.

Today is new day. Today the sun is shining, there is a gentle breeze (if any), the temperature is suppose to rest round 60 degrees, and God is still on His throne. If He could use us in miserable conditions, what can He do with these favorable conditions?

I want to encourage all of you to keep allowing God to use you. Swing by the campus today and pick up some more "Invite Cards" for the Holiday services. Read your Bible today for the treasure that it is, not selling the time off to some others temporal pleasure. (Don't be like Esau!) God this day, and every day, for the Glory of God. He desires to do great things in and through your life, but you must obediently treasure Him at all times.

Q - What is God going to do with 55 radical Christians today?...

Pastor's School and Campuses

God keeps refining the vision and ministry here in New York City. It's always been about the Lost, particularly among the Jewish people, but with each passing the day the strategy for carrying out this task gets clearer and clearer. God has been so good to us and the church plant here in Forest Hills, and when I think about His success so far it humbles me.

I'm sure to many our ministry looks rather dinky. We are young, hip, tech savvy, Pentecostal/Evangelical and living amongst 72,000 in a city of 9 million, yet we only draw a weekly crowd of 70. We don't have a building, a kid's church, a homeless ministry, or even a membership program. To the modern church planting and evangelical world it would seem as though we are missing something; however, nothing could be further from the truth!

When I look out on our crowd of 70 each week, I see people who only weeks ago were living in sin and an eternity away from God. Now they are not only saved, but they are striving for righteousness and living each day on mission for God. (Our people love to witness!) Each week we have new people visiting the church, and each week it's the new converts who are the most eager to welcome them in and answer their questions. The family of God is alive and well in Forest Hills, and it just keeps growing.

When I look at the success of God here in Forest Hills and compare it to that which the world calls success, they seem like polar opposites. But, I'd rather have what God is doing in Forest Hills any day, because here you can see the complete life cycle of ministry being carried out. We don't just have a crowd of people, we have a crop of new ministers being trained up and sent out each week. The fullness of the ministry is taking place; God is having His success!

As we get ready to enter in our third year of ministry this fall, I am convinced we don't need more megachurches, we simply need more churches where Jesus is preached, the Spirit is free to move and the sovereignty of God is cherished. As a result, we are now taking steps to begin an "in house" training program to raise up pastors to plant more churches here in NYC. (We already have secured our first candidates!) God is having His success in Forest Hills!!!