Growing up in Christ

As I reviewed this blog I grew to like it a lot. This topic, helping people grow in maturity and use their God given gifts more effectively, has been my focus for decades. I think we did a very good job of it back at College Hill Presbyterian Church in the late Seventies and all the Eighties.

I am biased, of course, but there are many people who were never at CHPC who agree with my assessment because they have seen the fruit of our ministry all over Greater Cincinnati and the the world. In fact, just this morning I heard from another Seasoned Believer that CHPC was unique in training and releasing lay men and women into all kind of ministries. They went on to say that we were still a model for a lot of churches today.

What was it we did that worked? First, we had a balanced ministry of preaching, teaching and practicing the ministry of Jesus. Before the Ascension, Jesus told His followers to "Go into the world and teach everything He taught and do everything He did. Well, we tried.

There are four things that every successful congregation covers if it wants to have balanced ministry.

1. God's truth in scripture and in the world

2. Practice and teach the fruit of the Spirit

3. Facilitate understanding of and the universal practice of the gifts of the Spirit

4. Promote the understanding and release of God's power in every way possible

We clearly attempted to not only practice these four aspects of Christianity but we also told our members what we were attempting to do. We made our intentions clear. We did not skip the "hard teachings" or water down the controversial aspects of our approach. Additionally, we asked people to go to another church if they disagreed with our stands.

Go to my other active blog

Brave Heart

http://garysweetenblogspotcom.blogspot.com for additional information on my ideas.

A Friend and Mentor Meets Jesus

'A mighty warrior for Jesus'
BY REBECCA GOODMAN RGOODMAN@ENQUIRER.COM

MOUNT WASHINGTON - In 1994, the Rev. F. Murray Hastings quit the priesthood to form a new church because he felt the Episcopal denomination was no longer true to its calling. At the time, he was rector of the Church of the Advent in Walnut Hills. Most of the congregation followed him and became members of the nondenominational Fellowship of Jesus Christ. Rev. Hastings served as pastor until 2005.

"He was a mighty warrior for Jesus," said his wife, Alixe.

Rev. Hastings died Monday at Mercy Anderson Hospital of undetermined causes. The Mount Washington resident was 78.

"He always stood for truth, justice and equality for all," said his daughter Joyce Pasley, of College Hill. "He spoke out on many occasions in defense of these principles."

He was a local leader in the ecumenical movement, according to Gary Sweeten of Symmes Township. "He's been one of the most influential ministers in Cincinnati in the area of taking the church out of the four walls of the church and into people's lives," he said.

Back in the 1960s, Rev. Hastings invited African-American pastors and their congregations to the Church of the Advent, which was an upper-middle class, mostly white church.

"He was very much a change agent," Sweeten said. "Anything that went on in Cincinnati from the point of the ecumenical movement, Murray was on the forefront. From Billy Graham's work here to every large movement, he was on the steering committee. He was one of the wise people and networkers that brought people together."

Rev. Hastings was rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Bond Hill from 1955 until 1960, when he went to Church of the Advent.

After leaving the Episcopal ministry, he created a ministry at Fellowship of Jesus Christ that was a blend of evangelical preaching; charismatic prayer that included speaking in tongues; and social outreach for the mentally ill, hungry, homeless and pregnant teenagers. He championed holistic health, healing and pastoral care, Sweeten said.

"He made everyone around him feel important and loved," said his daughter.
His wife said, "He was a man before his time - a leader for racial reconciliation. He was resolutely firm in his faith."

The Boston native was a graduate of Phillips Academy and Trinity College. He was ordained at St. Matthew's Church in 1955 after receiving a master's of divinity from Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Mass.

He enjoyed sailing, golf and classical music.

Other survivors include daughters, Cinny Roy of Sycamore Township, Kit Campbell of Broadview Heights, Ohio, and Jennifer Williamson of West Chester Township; and 10 grandchildren.

The funeral was 11 a.m. Friday at Norman Chapel at Spring Grove Cemetery.
Memorials: CityCure, 1947 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45219 or Eve Center, P.O. Box 36483, Cincinnati, OH 45236.--

>http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080425/NEWS0104/804250411/1060&template=printpicart-->

Facing Death and Eternity with God

Steve Judah has been a good friend as well as a professional colleague for many years. Although he and I grew up across the Wabash River from each other, he in Indiana and I in Illinois, we met in Columbus, Ohio. I became involved with Steve Griebling, a Clinical Counselor at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in Columbus, and that led to a long friendship with Dr. Judah.


Steve Judah is a Clinical Psychologist with a fine practice in Columbus. He has developed some of the most innovative and creative approaches to mental and emotional health in the World. Steve's commitment to Christ with integration of psychology and theology have been liberating and a witness to Christ. It matched perfectly with that which Steve Griebling and I were doing so we worked together to bring the love, truth and mercy of God to people in pain.


Dr. Judah came down with a terrible form of cancer last year and we have been praying for him, his wife Sharon and kids since we got the news. However, unless God does a radical miracle, Steve will not survive. He is in Hospice and is facing eternity with courage and faith. He recently wrote the following statement on his blog.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Greeting beloved.


This is the most important message I've yet sent to you from my perspective. This morning I had a most surpassing spiritual experience. I want to place it into three parts: (1) the context, (2) the message, (3) and the experience.


(1) The context is that we just decided to pursue hospice care in order to have quality of life for the remainder of my life rather than further treatments or interventions since my diagnosis is terminal. I see this as an opportunity to celebrate the transition between earth and eternity. So with this backdrop I went to sleep at 12:30 am and awakened at 5:30 am with an incredibly crystal clear message.


The message follows: (2) Peace.Life Death. Live a Good Life. Do Good. Accept Salvation through Christ. Die. Live Eternally. Peace.


(3) Lastly let me convey the experience. I had the most overwhelming experience of PEACE that I have ever had in my life. So my wish for you is that you too find Peace as God calls unto you.


Steve, thanks so much for your testimony and thanks be to God for His marvellous grace. May the God of peace keep your heart and soul in His hands.

Gary Sweeten

How to Stop Evangelism

Gary & his students in Asia

This may seen like a strange topic for an Evangelical Minister but I am struck with how few of us do any outreach to the unchurched. The Bible is clear that Cristian's are called to reach out to their neighbors and friends but so very few do so. There must be a reason.

There are almost 900,000 Seasoned Citizens who live around Greater Cincinnati and about 2/3 of them are unchurched. That means that there are 600,000 people our age who are staying away from Christianity on a regular basis. Despite this fact, there is almost no effort by churches or active members to bring them to worship or Bible study. There must be a reason.

Thom Rainier, a Southern Baptist expert in evangelism, says that many of our age wave group are waiting to be asked. His research indicates that many people are thinking about returning to a church but are waiting on an invitation from a friend that never comes.

Several Seasoned Believers have told me of their attempts to start an outreach to invite people to Christ. Most were rebuffed by church officials. I suppose they have a good reason to stop outreach programs, but I cannot imagine what it is.

Maybe new people are too messy. New people, especially those who are not yet trained in "Church Language and Norms" are very messy. They may use bad language or not know the most important factors about Jesus such as the fact that He was a capitalist. And, many are sick, tired, poor and needy. If they all showed up what would the church do?

Maybe the leaders would be uncomfortable if these folks came so they let everyone in the church know that hurting people are not welcome. And, of course, unBelievers in Jesus, will definitely feel out of place and most will never return, so why invite them.

Our Brand

It is hard to communicate in today's world of overwhelming noise. It seems that almost everyone is trying to sell us something and their messages are so many and so frequent that it makes understanding difficult.

We find it difficult to communicate accurately who we are and what we do. One reason is that we have been around so long and done so many things that people get confused. It is not their fault it is ours.

So, here is our latest attempt to communicate who we are and what we do. We teach, train and develop people with the ability to enjoy

"A lifetime of great relationships." TM

Great relationships are central to healthy and growing families, healthy and prosperous businesses, healthy and faithful churches, healthy neighborhoods that lead to dynamic and civil societies.

Ever since I entered college I have been convinced that building peopl and organizations with Great Relationships was key to physical, mental and emotional health. That conviction was strengthened in Graduate School when I studied the power of groups to influence their members. My assent grew even more during doctoral studies when I read volumes of research that confirmed the biblical statement that, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue."

Every one of my books, articles and equipping classes ends up supporting the notion that strong, healthy, uplifting relationships are promoted by the Bible precisely because God created us to love and care for one another.

So, it takes sense that Sweeten Life Systems will focus on developing people, families and organizations that support and build up Great Relationships.

"A Lifetime of great relationships."TM

Sweeten Life Systems is always building

Great relationships with God

Great relationships with family

Great relationships at work

Great relationships with neighbors

Great relationships around the world