Bruised Reeds and Smouldering Wicks

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

We need each other

Alexis De Tocqueville

If each undertook himself to form all his opinions and to pursue the truth in isolation down paths cleared by him alone, it is not probable that a great number of men would ever unite in any common belief. . . without common ideas there is no common action, and without common action men still exist but a social body does not.

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One of the best posts on being a leader

Just finished reading Michael Hyatt’s blog post on Advice to a new leader. One of the best I’ve ever read.

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=52d5c7778a3adfda535c3b349&id=527ece7616&e=b5fc4a0be3

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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Together We Can and We Will!

Just this morning I have had the incredible blessing of reading reports from several church planters who make Stadia what it is.

Scott Bloyer, in Aurora, CO, just spent a wonderful day at Children's Hospital with the leading MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and Grudge match fighters, praying with the children and their families and sharing Christ with the families and with the Grudge trainers (I'm not quite sure what Grudge trainers do-- I don't need anyone to help me hold a grudge-- but I think it has to do with professional fighting on TV). As you can tell by my comment, I could probably never touch a grudge fighter for Jesus, but Scott and his team of MMA fighters do it all the time. So, together we can and we will!

Scott Pugh and Velocity Christian Church in South Euclid, OH have served their community so well that not only have 42 people been baptized in the past 20 months, but one of the Cleveland Browns players has agreed to do a football camp for all the youth of S. Euclid. I don't know any Cleveland Browns players, but Scott does, so, Together we can and we will!

Recently Tom Jones and Brent Foulke came back from Ecuador where more than 14 of our church plants and church planting partners are transforming 4 villages where no church exists. By April, these four villages will have churches bringing the gospel as well as clean water and education to the citizens. I don't speak Spanish, but the four church planting couples who will lead these works do, so, together we can and we will!

It's all about synergy which is a fancy word for saying that together we are better and accomplish more than we can alone.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

This gospel will be preached in the whole world.

It's been a long time since I posted. Blogging is not a natural activity for me. I have promised myself to do better in 2011. A friend of mine describes three kinds of people in the digital world, those over 55 are normally digital fugitives, those from 35 to 55 are digital immigrants, and those under 35 are digital natives. I'm almost 60!

Nevertheless, I am going to try to be more consistent in writing this year.

In my Bible reading today I came to this passage which inspired me.

Matt 24:12-14
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
NIV

It reminded me that God loves the Sudanese refugee as much as my neighbor across the street. He loves the villager in Manta, Ecuador who earns $1 per day as the "millionaire next door".

I saw a motorhome billboard driving down the street last week proclaiming that Jesus was coming on May 21, 2011. I doubt it, there are too many places in the world where the gospel is not yet preached. Part of me wants Jesus to come on that date, but part of me prays, "Lord tarry a little longer, there are so many who do not know you."

And while I'm quite sure that the guy who is predicting the end of the world is wrong (he also predicted 1988 and 1989--- OOPS!) I do know that the end of the world will come, with judgment day. I pray that many millions more will come to know Jesus as Savior before then.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day

How can we forget that only a mother can love certain kinds of faces? Chocolate faces, runny-nosed faces, crying faces, or sometimes a combination of all three.

Friday, May 7, 2010

First day of my sabbatical

Wow! I’m kind of scared. What do I do or better yet, what do I not do on a sabbatical. I’ve been reading “The Rest of God” And resonate with the thought that a Sabbath dedicates the time to God. So, during my sabbatical I am trying to be fully present in my relationship with God. (Not even sure what all the implications of that are.)

I find myself wrestling with my own arrogance when I wonder if God really can get by without me. I’d never voice it that way, it sounds so bad, but when I look at my attitude I wonder if that isn’t really what a dark corner of my heart believes. Father, forgive me.

Anyway, stay tuned. I may need someone to talk me off the ledge after a couple of weeks.

Marcus Bigelow

President

Stadia: New Church Strategies

Office: 916-626-3090

Cell: 707-718-3730

Email: mbigelow@stadia.cc

Facebook: Facebook | Marcus Bigelow

Blog: http://bruisedreedsandsmoulderingwicks.blogspot.com/

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