Comments for Greg Ishmael

Comment on BE PRESENT… by Dave Martin

Dave Martin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:07:07 +0000

The ancient faith communities that set out to change the history of the world did so without church programs, without paid staff, without Web sites, without brochures, blogs, or buildings. When you don’t have all the “stuff”, you’re left with a lot of time to spend with people. -The Tangible Kingdom

Comment on Bothered Enough? by Dave Martin

Dave Martin — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:50:49 +0000

For those that have sat in churches for years and received what would equate to at least a BA degree must awaken to the fact that there are million upon millions of lost people within our country and abroad. It’s not enough anymore to drop a token in the passing plate or say a quick “bless them Lord” when prompted by the pastor.
Believers have gone before and paved a way for others to follow and yet there are still unreached people in the world. It’s high time to shed the saddles of debt, free ourselves from the bonds that keep us down; and ask God to show his heart and bring opportunity to us so that we may capture His vision. We MUST do something, the fields are white for harvest.

“How many do you have?
That’s the first thing they say,
When you pastor a church
In America today.

It seems we’re successful
By how many we HOLD.
But, if this is our theory,
Who will tell the untold?

If we get one to stay
It is said, “we are growing!”
We thrive on our reaping
But, what about our sowing?

It’s time for the churches
To start a new trend.
Let’s measure the success
By how many we SEND!

Let’s train up our people
So they become ‘world reachers’.
We’ll send them to nations
As missionaries and teachers.

They’ll begin to reach thousands
With the message they preach,
And the more that we send
The more that we’ll reach.

“How many do you have?”
Someone now may say –
Our church is INNUMERABLE!
Cause we send them away.

Kevin Kinchen

When it’s all said and done, may our lives be all about demonstrating the God-kind of love that reaches out to others, makes the first move, propels us to action, and ultimately brings freedom to a world desperately searching for it.

Comment on Bothered Enough? by Robin

Robin — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:22:58 +0000

Over the past 40yrs? we have been lulled into believing that like the government, is not only responsible for the poverty in the WORLD but also the only ones who can us out of it!
We (not the government) need to create the jobs, we need to teach what Spiritual tools and life skills one needs to be successful. It all starts right here, right now; and I am honored to be a part of it.

Comment on How Are We Doing? by Mike Cairati

Mike Cairati — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 06:11:08 +0000

How are we doing? I think we are heading in the right direction but I would probably put our score closer to a 5… There are many that are coming to similar realizations about how we are missing God’s best in the body of Christ, indicated by books like “Radical” by David Platt, “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan and Charles Swindoll’s latest book called “The Church Awakening” just to name a few. These authors share their journey about how the Father has brought them to this realization and challenged them to reevaluate their focus as leaders of local congregations. As I said, I see signs that we are heading in the right direction, from the books of these authors, but also from more and more fellow believers sharing about how they are experiencing similar restlessness that I recently experienced. God brought this to a head for me last year and now I am excited about what he has next. However, I think we have a lot of work to do to renew our minds about what it means to be a Christian and the recent experience I had when I got my haircut illustrates this.

I was making some small talk with the girl cutting my hair and then begin to ask her questions about her spiritual standing. She told me about how she had a 3 year old daughter and I asked her “didn’t having a daughter cause you to reevaluate what is important in life? Do you find yourself thinking about that very often or about God?” She said “oh, yeah I go to church.” How many believers consider “going to church” their main expression of being a Christian? And if what we offer to unbelievers is a “Going to church” life, it is not surprising that our “churches” are in decline. I, for one, want to return to God’s design for the body of Christ, to return to being a community of believers that are doing the “work of the ministry” together. But it is going to take work, and a willingness on our part to look at the word of God and what it says about the church with fresh eyes.

Comment on Reflections On Tomorrow (Literally) by Mike Cairati

Mike Cairati — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:35:24 +0000

Congratulations grandpa!

Comment on The Test / The Mission by Mike Cairati

Mike Cairati — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:31:41 +0000

Amen! and it really strikes something that the Lord has been dealing with me about recently. I mentioned in a previous post’s response about how we were picking up garbage on the street and a man across the street from us was prompted to pick up his own cigarette butt because of it. Well, what if we get outside the walls of our churches and homes and love our kids where the world can see us! Just as you highlighted here “train your children and future family to observe God’s way of life” I think one other step in the mission is to do it outside the walls of our churches and outside the confines of our times of fellowship, to let our light shine before men or to quote an old Steven Curtis Chapman song, to “Live out Loud”.

Comment on HOLY SMILES by Mike Cairati

Mike Cairati — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 21:05:21 +0000

This is an easy one right now and can be seen more in my blog as I believe we, the church, need a reformation no less significant than in the days of Martin Luther.

With a mixture of “Sad” and “Mad” because we, the church, have been given the grace, love and power of God, the authority of the name of Jesus to ask anything in His name. But we, for the most part, do not ask for much more than what makes us comfortable. We actually seem to focus on those things that Jesus said not to even worry about, “the Father knows we need all these things” (Mt 6:32). “Sad/Mad” because I have walked with the Lord for almost 30 years now and have in my heart, a burden in my Spirit, for the church to be a community of people doing the “work of the ministry” but consistently find the church institution focused on “equipping” but doing little. There are always a few people doing some good works but I have yet to be a part of a community of people, joined together, outside the walls of the church building. God has a design for the body of Christ! Will we align ourselves with His design or keep telling Him “Holy Spirit these are your boundaries so please stay within them and help us minister to one another”. “Holy Smiles ” – when my 5 yr old daughter says “mom, we do not go to church we are the church”, receiving a letter from my nephew in prison talking about the Lord, seeing someone reconciled to God, watching the weight of guilt be lifted from the shoulders of a new believer, water baptisms, gathering together in His name…

Comment on Changing the World by Building Bridges by Mike Cairati

Mike Cairati — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:53:21 +0000

You know, sometimes, I think it does not look that significant and I think your message about the “ripple effect” really captures it. Everyday we have an opportunity to make a ripple effect, as Jesus said “as you go, make disciples of all nations”. I recently joined a few other believers for kembilio (still not sure how that is spelled) and what we ended up doing is going through downtown Snohomish picking up garbage, and mainly cigarette butts! (had to be over 1k in a half a block area on 1st St). Well one of the people noticed how there was a guy across the street that picked up his cigarette butt after noticing us picking them up! It struck me that if we were not out in the street picking up garbage that guys cigarette butt would still be on the street and if we, the church, continue to stay in our buildings and away from “the world” how can we have any impact and how can we have a ripple effect in our community? Simply “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your God in heaven” Mt 5:16

Comment on Changing the World by Building Bridges by Carolina

Carolina — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:11:31 +0000

I am so blessed to be a part of what is calling US to do… TO CHANGE THE WORLD!! … and thankful that God has place YOU with an extraordinary vision to lead us. A vision that will definitely shake us from our comfort zones, but also (if we are willing to take the challenge to “Obey God”) will only make us stronger. Jesus died in that cross for us, BUT NOT JUST FOR US, there is a world around us that need to know it and/or be reminded of it. Let’s do it!!! Let’s change the World… one person at a time. How about we start with us?

Comment on HOLY SMILES by Jennifer Duke-Stearns

Jennifer Duke-Stearns — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:05:40 +0000

I loved that book! I read it and The Hole in Our Gospel at the same time and thought they complimented each other nicely. I think one of my favorite quotes was, “Compassion is the ultimate apologetic. There is no defense against it.” And to answer your question, loving on the kids in Nicaragua makes me have Holy Smiles.