Making a meal out of FAITHFULNESS

Ps 37:3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.NKJV

I found this little nugget at early morning prayer today. I decided to feast on God's faithfulness. There is so much to say here . . . He does not lie (Num. 23:19), He is faithful when we are faithless (2 Tim. 2:11). This meal left me satisfied to know that the one I put my trust and confidence in is totally trustworthy.

God just totally showed off last Wed. night at CFC/NXL SOUTH. 600 in attendance and 27 salvations. A total revolution is taking place where students are moving from belief (head stuff) into conviction (refusal to negotiate). Parental support was amazing.

Thanks to Pastor Zac, Anna, and all the interns for making it so easy to minister. If you want to check this link cuz "Sex Ain't Free" http://tinyurl.com/d2s2sm

New Converts

Out of the service that you see in this picture there where 11 first time conversions and 2 or 3 prodigals who came home. It was amazing to me how great our God is since I preached about moving beyond belief to conviction in the area of sexual purity. Then gave them hope of God's call and will for their lives and the Holy Spirit did the rest. God continually amazes me. This all happened at NXL the youth Ministry of Christian Faith Center North where Jeremy Carpenter is the youth pastor and Casey Treat is the Senior leader.

Believe with as tonight Pastor Zac Gandara is believing for 50 first time salvations and 450 in attendance at the south CFC / NXL campus. I am call it done!

My faith is at such a high level right now. When you hang around people that are doing it right before your very eyes, which has been the case for me the last 3 weeks (LWFC / 24-7 in Raleigh and CFC / NXL in Seattle) it helps to believe and know that it can happen for you. No single answer as to how to do it but just be faithful and grow everyday and the Lord gives the increase.

I am excited because I have a great wife to work with me. I have a great team around me that will only get better with time. I live in a place where there are still a lot of people going to hell and I want to rescue them.

Loving God and Loving People,

Ed

The MESSAGE . . . is where?

I saw this sign and it made me really think . . . maybe it will do the same for you.
Matt 5:13-16
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. NKJV
I am pretty sure that our message is supposed to be outside the building. Maybe this is what is wrong with the "church" as we know it. We have thought that the only place to find the message is inside a church building. I seem to recall that someone pretty central to our faith told us to "Go into all the world . . ." Oh that was Jesus that said that,(sorry for the sarcasm) but I just do not get it. Yes, I am a preacher but would it not just be the most awesome thing in the world to know that the people you were preaching to got it. Got what? The message that we are to be a living epistle (message) read by all men (2 Corinthians 3:2).
In defense of the church sign above let me say that I know we must preach and teach the message inside the church. Come on church let's all get fired up about taking the Gospel to the world.
1. How much money do we spend on the 99 that we have instead of going after the one that is lost?
2. How much time, energy, and effort do spend to go after the lost?
3. What about all the prodigals that will not come to a church?
The answer to all these questions can be found in Luke 15.
The message is take the MESSAGE outside the four walls and then we will not be able to contain the harvest.
So much more could be said about the message of this sign, but I will allow you to fill that part in yourself.
I hope I stirred up your pure mind.

A Stirred up BELIEVER

Loving the MINISTRY

A shout out to Pastor Steve and Connie Caronna!! Thirteen yrs. at Living Word Family Church and they have seen it grow from 116 at his first service to the place where they average over 1000 every weekend. Lives are being changed. I love hanging out with these people. They challenge me, charge me and in general just make me want to be better in the ministry. Amazingly enough I am allowed the privilege of ministering to their flock and their leaders. This is humbling and I am grateful. I pray that I encouraged them as much as they encourage me. www.lwfc.org

More in Love with Jesus today?
Ed

Renewing my MIND

I know this is an old subject but always a worth while one to deal with. Why? We are ALL bombarded daily with images, messages, and agendas that are not good for us. Come on now admit it you struggle with your thought life just like I do . . . I know that I am not the only one that deals with this. I am not just talking about all the "evil" stuff (porn, drugs, etc.) but this includes stuff like "nobody likes me," "I am no good and the world would be a better place with out me," "I can't do this." You get the idea. So here goes, I have been meditating on these keys to thinking correctly.

1. Entertain It - hang out with it.

2. Examine It - This is always done underneath the bright lights of the Word of God.

3. Embrace or Embarrass It - which ever category it fits in depends on what you do with it. Embrace it so you can keep it. Embarrass it so it will run away.

4. Incorporate It - If your thought has survived this far then it must be a worthy thought so we must get it working and moving in our own life.

5. Express It - There is major power in your words to bring that thought to life.

Taken from my journal notes over the last two weeks. I am pretty sure that most of you can flesh out the Bible verses that go with these ideas. I have been writing them down but I felt for the purposes of this blog that you could have a little homework if you thought it was a worthy task.

But then again maybe this was just good spiritual therapy for me. I would be interested in your feedback.

Moving with Him,

Ed

Longevity . . . A GREAT QUESTION.

I have been at Christ For The Nations (where I went to school) for an ALUMNI/FMC CONF. I was asked to speak for little bit in a third year class at Youth For The Nations. This was done along with Ron & Judy Radachy from the The Oasis in Hollywood. We talked and told our stories of youth ministry and then came the question and answer time. The teacher asked us how we have stayed in youth ministry so long. Hence the title. I cannot get this question off of my mind so I thought I would write out my answer.

1. Know that you know you are called by God. (not grandma, or even the need).
- The call of God does not guarantee ease of ministry it just guarantees that He will see you through all the tough times.
- NEVER LOSE YOUR FIRST LOVE. We were all Christians way before we were ever Pastors, lets think, love, and act like Christ followers.

2. Marry the right person.
- Can you do ministry single? of course. There are too many challenges in this to talk about here but know it is still possible.
- Since these thoughts are about longevity the comparison to marriage really works.
- The right person for a life partner makes or breaks a lot of ministry.
- It is tough to always be torn in ministry. Ministry or my wife (husband)?? It is not a questions of which one. The right answer is both.
- Marry the right one.

3. Decide to stay in the game.
- Quitting cannot be in your vocabulary. Notice I did not say in your mind.
- Make the decision to stay in the game daily and the decision will make you.

4. Get coached, mentored, discipled . . . which ever term floats your boat.
- This is the Jesus way.
- Learn from others mistakes
“Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.” Oscar Wilde
- This is more than just getting the latest and greatest idea from someone or even going to conferences.

5. Be followable. (I know that is not a word)
- Check out 1 Corinthians 11:1)
- Of course this is more than just getting people to follow you. (that is good)
- Have the kind of character that others would want to copy.

WE TEACH WHAT WE KNOW, BUT WE REPRODUCE WHO WE ARE.

6. Have the right kind of thinking about numbers. (COUNTING AND MONEY).
- Always look at growth in percentages. Think and speak percentages publicly and privately think and speak faith number.
- God is into numbers (whole book in the Bible) so know that growth is what He wants.
- Be comfortable with money and those who have it.
- INTEGRITY, INTEGRITY, INTEGRITY

Longevity is what makes the most impact.
Ed

Mentor??? responses

WOW!! The responses were awesome and what great friends I have. It was very encouraging to hear from so many of you. I am convinced that we have to focus on discipleship (mentoring) more than ever before. Jesus discipled 12 guys and then left them in charge of the whole thing and just think they did such a good job that you and I became Christ followers.

New subject - I have just learned how to add Twitter to a bunch of things so check me out at weainsworth on twitter.com.

I remember Brian Houston preaching at VISION in 2005 and telling us that Pastoring is just not that hard. Just be a good leader and make disciples is basically what he taught. He is a living example of that thought. Hillsongs is all over the world.

Prayer is when earth kisses heaven and heaven kisses back. Prayer is always a two way street.

A fired up CHRIST FOLLOWER!!
Ed