We are launching our second online group which will be going through the study "The Tangible Kingdom" by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay beginning every Monday night at 7:30 EST for eight weeks (beginning February 13th).  Here's what I'm jazzed about:

• I have no interest in standing on the sidelines my whole life and missing out on what God has for me- I think this study is going to continue to help me take steps in what God has for my life and the activity He would like me to be part of
• There are millions of people that won't step foot into a church but may not realize they can "be" the Church and grow in their Faith where they are in missional community- I don't know what all it entails but in 8 weeks I'm going to learn a ton
• I'm going to shift 10 hours of my life from TV watching, potato chip eating, brainless grazing of leisure into 10 hours of connecting, learning, and taking steps to learn about something that could shift the vision of my life forever
• We get to do this from the comfort of our home, online style, while still connecting with real people from different parts of our state, country, or world! Yep, all you need is a computer, internet connection, and your favorite chair and you're good to go...   Can we "be" the church online?  Absolutely, spend 8 weeks to see how it works!

What you'll want for sure is the workbook, but I also elected to purchase the book as well.  Try to have in hand by February 13th and we'll get it rolling!  If you'd like to help lead a group at a different time, please leave a comment here and we'll see what we can arrange.  We'll be watching a video and chatting with others throughout the hour time slot.  Looking forward to meeting you!

Mark Meyer

Here's my story:

The time I needed God the most is when my business was crashing down on top of me.  After being burned by over $40,000 from a few different customers, it led to a spiral of bills to be paid, taxes that couldn't be paid, collection calls, and at a time where the value of our inventory decreased 30%.  I remember the intersection I was driving through when I yelled in my car, "God, what is the deal!?"  Immediately a thought crossed in my mind saying, "Are you willing to let go of the business for Me?"  Immediately I shot back (audibly), "am I willing to let go of the business for You?  I don't even know if that's you saying that or if it's my own thought!"

In the 48 hours that followed, I realized the thought that came in my head was not asking in 3rd person.  If it were my thought, I would have asked, "Am I willing to let go of the business for God?"...  He asked, are you willing to let go of the business for Me.  It hit me.

God needed to dump my boat, my business, my warped identity I had about myself in the business, and me holding onto the controls.  It wasn't an easy road for the next few years... they were some of the hardest financially, toughest in our marriage, and I felt like I had to be completely broken to be built back up again.

While I said I loved God, the reality is my business had a lot more mind space, time, money, and energy going into it than anything I was doing for my relationship with Christ.  God knew He had a bigger purpose in my life but had to break me, bust the business, and put my marriage through a refining fire before I could see a view of His bigger picture.

He is faithful,  Thank you Jesus for not leaving me in my busy, stressed out, off purpose, and self centered life I was living.

"We need God the most in the detours of our lives... God is in the detour..."-  Mark Beeson

That's my story of when I needed God the most, how about you?  Feel free to leave a comment here with your story to encourage others...

What an incredible story of former mob boss, Michael Franzese...   Great sharing the weekend with all of you online!

http://www.michaelfranzese.com/

Far too many people, are focused on trying to "fix" people rather than loving them right where they are

How do you feel when you feel "targeted"?  People are not projects.

But our motives are good, right?  We want them to change for the better, we want them to get out of an unhealthy relationship, we want them to know Jesus, go to church, get help for their marriage, stop abusive drinking, and on and on...  Often we have great motives but wrong methods.

• Love is a choice, it's intentional.  Think intentional relationships, not projects.
• Remember the old adage: "I won't care about what you say to me until I know you care about me..."
• Relationships are marathons, not fast-food drive-thrus
• Unfortunately, many people don't and won't change- you're not responsible "for" them, you're responsible "to" them

Questions I'm asking myself:

• Do I focus more on what I want to say to people or do I focus on genuinely caring for people?
• Am I living a life that is attractional?  Do people see something positive and different in my life?
• Do I really spend time praying for those in my circles? 
• Do I invite people to engage in a greater purpose- maybe as simple as a fundraising dinner or a small work project?
• Am I even reaching out to meet new people?  When was the last time I had a new person or couple over for dinner? 
• Would people say I'm encouraging and a "tank filler" or am I self aborbed or a "tank drainer"?

God, help me to genuinely love people as You have loved us.

• "I just want to be respected"
• "I know I can do things, I just need a chance to show what I can do..."
• "I feel invisible."

Ouch.  As a parent that pretty much rips my heart strings.

What does it mean to "belong"?  Where in your life do you truly feel connected or do you too feel invisible?  I believe there are millions upon millions of people that feel alone, invisible, disrespected, or shunned.  It may actually be more common than those who actually feel connected somewhere and with some peers.

As we talk about "Essential" churches, one of the essential elements must be us reaching out and locking arms with others, doing life with them, and accepting them for who they are and wherever they are...  Jesus was all about helping others- if anything, He has a bias for the lowest tier of society.  We must be intentional about this. 

We have a great opportunity to "be the church" online and to connect with those who aren't connected and to make visible the invisible.  We all matter to God.  We all have a purpose that was not meant to be dusted under a rug.

If you feel invisible, you are welcome here.  I don't know what your pain is, who hurt you, who's ignoring you, what failure you've had in your past, how you were raised, or what dream has been shattered.  What I do know is that there is another day, there is a plan for your life, and you are loved by God though it may not feel like it today.

So it's not a gimmick, you can lurk for awhile, and we're not asking anything from you- but we'd like to connect though.  Who's qualified?  You are.

You can email us at idochurchonline@gccwired.com, drop in a service at idochurchonline.com at 12, 6:30, or 8:30 EST every or any Sunday, or connect with me through Facebook:  facebook.com/maximeyer...  You are not alone.

Am I really doing the things I was created to do?

80% of our culture wants us to conform, be "normal", and will discourage and even ridicule you for trying to break the mold.  The problem is "normal" doesn't give Purpose to your life.  "Normal" doesn't change communities or families to be something greater than it could ever imagine.  And "normal" certainly won't allow you to become "the me I want to be".

God has created you for a great purpose that isn't normal.  As we press into this series, take heart, we are for you and praying that you embrace the new plan and roadmap intended for your life.  You can do this.  No, really.... you can and 2011 will be a year you'll forever remember.

Check out Romans 12:1-2 (The Message):

1 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.2 Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

One person can be a catalyst to change a community.

Is it simply a story or a tradition engrained in our culture or is it a game-changer?

Christ came to bring Hope to a world that would otherwise be dark.  Really dark.  Here are five thoughts I'm asking myself moving into 2011:

• If I truly believe what I believe, it changes everything.  What is my role in bring Hope to my community?
• What are the biggest issues around me?  Unemployment?  Homeless?  Disease?  Crime? Hunger?  Marriages in trouble? 
• What am I doing with my time that has no real value?  Where could I repurpose that time?
• What is holding me back from engaging in my neighborhood or city?  What fears do I have?  What voices are in my head giving me excuses to do nothing? 
• Am I taking steps to learn more about Faith, my purpose in Christ, and how that translates in my daily life?

No matter where you live, you have the opportunity to "be the church" right where you live, right where you work, and with the people you already connect with.   Let's do this, our time is short.