My TV appearance, New Church Website, Renovation Overdrive and Missions Rethink
2 Comments Published by Bryce Ashlin-Mayo on Friday, August 29, 2008 at 9:49 AM.
My TV Appearance
I was recently on TV talking about "The Edge," our Youth Drop-In Center, at Parkview. It was a cool experience to talk about our church's vision for engaging our community by meeting practical needs within. It was facinating to have talked for several minutes on camera and then only see two small clips on TV - but there were good clips:)
New Church Website
Our church is going through a major website overhaul and are launching our new (very cool) site in a few day. If you get a chance check it out www.parkviewalliance.com. We still have a lot of "polishing" to do and the potential of things we can do through it is amazing.
Renovation Overdrive
I been in renovation mode in our house for the last couple months since moving it, but for the next few weeks, I officially move into "renovation overdrive" as I complete our upstairs installing counter tops, new flooring, painting, shelving, lighting, building cabinets and cabinet doors. I like doing it but the pace is a bit much these days.
Mission Re-Think
I have been facinated with world missions lately which has trusted my into several books that I will post about together soon. There are:
I was recently on TV talking about "The Edge," our Youth Drop-In Center, at Parkview. It was a cool experience to talk about our church's vision for engaging our community by meeting practical needs within. It was facinating to have talked for several minutes on camera and then only see two small clips on TV - but there were good clips:)
New Church Website
Our church is going through a major website overhaul and are launching our new (very cool) site in a few day. If you get a chance check it out www.parkviewalliance.com. We still have a lot of "polishing" to do and the potential of things we can do through it is amazing.
Renovation Overdrive
I been in renovation mode in our house for the last couple months since moving it, but for the next few weeks, I officially move into "renovation overdrive" as I complete our upstairs installing counter tops, new flooring, painting, shelving, lighting, building cabinets and cabinet doors. I like doing it but the pace is a bit much these days.
Mission Re-Think
I have been facinated with world missions lately which has trusted my into several books that I will post about together soon. There are:
- Glocalization by Bob Roberts Jr.
- GloboChrist by Carl Raschke
- Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan
Labels: misc
Colonial Carry-Over
4 Comments Published by Bryce Ashlin-Mayo on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 9:21 PM.
I had a great conversation with one of our church leaders the other night about the possibility of bringing someone from overseas to do a short-term ministry in our church sometime in the future. In other words, reverse the traditional North American mission's model - which would be interesting to say the least. In the midst our conversation, I began to realize how much our culture's colonial roots still exist in my thinking. I talked about the appropriate concern of making sure that this person was ready for a ministry like this and then I thought: Why don't we assume that when we send a team to a different country that they would have those questions of us? Do we just assume that they should be grateful to have a group of North Americans minister to them? I guess it has just made me think about some of the things we assume when we interact with other cultures - often without even realizing it. Maybe our ancestor's colonial worldview still lingers closer than we think.Labels: article
Satellite Church Article
0 Comments Published by Bryce Ashlin-Mayo on Monday, August 18, 2008 at 8:22 PM.
I stumbled across this article on satellite churches that is asking some of the same questions I have been asking. I am not against satellite churches per say, by why aren't these question and potential problems discussed more?
Also, the article mentions Shane Hipp's book, Hidden Power of Electronic Culture, which I would highly recommend - you can read my review of it here.
Also, the article mentions Shane Hipp's book, Hidden Power of Electronic Culture, which I would highly recommend - you can read my review of it here.
Labels: article
Haggai: Re-Trace Follow-up (Prayer of Examine)
0 Comments Published by Bryce Ashlin-Mayo on at 12:38 PM.
As part of our current sermon series on Haggai, this morning we talked about the idea of RE-Tracing our spiritual journey and how God has worked in our lives (individually and together as a community) so that we can then see our present and future with a new perspective.As part of RE-Tracing our past, I mentioned the Ignatius Prayer of Examine and so I thought I would include a few links here:
- Written Prayer of Examine that you can use to reflect on the end of your day.
- Free MP3 Prayer of Examine that you can listen to with your Ipod, Mp3, media or CD player at the end of your day.
As always, I hope my messages get to the route of what the word "sermon" stems from (conversation) and that they would truly start spiritual conversations. Thus. I would always invite your comments, concerns, stories, prayer requests, etc. as we pursue life together.
I'm Back and Thinking
0 Comments Published by Bryce Ashlin-Mayo on Friday, August 15, 2008 at 9:33 AM.
Well, I back to the blogging world after a bit of a hiatus. With moving, doing a bunch of work on our new house and starting my new role (Lead Pastor of Parkview Alliance Church), things have been busy to say the least. Although things have been busy, I am feeling like I am getting into a routine and looking forward to reentering the blogging world. With that being said, I am still trying to decipher the direction my blog should take. I have some interesting thoughts and ideas that I have been working through and at least for know, I am looking forward to examining them here.Labels: misc
In a few days I will be back regularly posting on incipiosermo.com. I am getting more and more settled and a routine is emerging. I'm looking forward to re-engaging the online blogging world.Posting soon,
Bryce
Labels: misc
As you may have noticed I have been taking a bit of a break lately with my blog. With school over and with starting a new ministry in a week, I thought I would take a well deserved break from the blogosphere.For those who check regularly, I am not gone completely and will return soon.
Thanks for reading.
Labels: misc
Question #41: Why are these so similar
1 Comments Published by Bryce Ashlin-Mayo on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 1:13 PM.
My friend Jon has invited people to an interesting discussion on his brilliant blog about the similarities of theme in both our Valedictorian addresses. Like him, I am not sure if the similarities are because we are both friends, we read each other's blogs, have similar experiences before seminary, or if it is symptomatic of a wider questioning of "success" in ministry. Take a read of his address and feel free to comment on his discussion here.
Is this a growing common theme? What does it mean? Is it good or bad? Where will it lead?
Is this a growing common theme? What does it mean? Is it good or bad? Where will it lead?
Labels: questions
This last week was Graduation weekend and it was awesome on so many levels. I was honored to be Valedictorian of this year's graduating class, giving the Valedictorian address at the Graduation Banquet the evening before the commencement ceremonies. Because not everyone was able to attend the banquet, I thought I would post a written copy of my address here...
Good evening Board of Trustees, Faculty, Staff, family, friends, honored guests and most importantly, those we are honoring tonight: the Taylor Seminary Graduating Class of 2008.
As I was reflecting on my words for this evening, Taylor’s mission to develop Christ-minded leaders who make a difference in the world kept coming to mind. Consequently, I want to share a couple observations from the New Testament story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch about some important and vital truths we all must remember as we seek to serve God in his world.
Many of you will probably be familiar with this story that is found in Acts Chapter 8 and I am also sure there are some here who are less than familiar with it. Therefore, let me set the stage for the narrative we will look at this evening.
At the beginning of Chapter 8 we find Phillip ministering in Samaria with great success. We read that “crowds” were coming out to hear him speak and perform miracles. In fact, Luke tells us that not only were crowds gathering, but Phillip’s ministry saw a difference being made in his world. Luke even describes the mood of the entire city being transformed into one of “great joy.” In all accounts, Phillip was experiencing numerical success in ministry that would have gotten him acclaim, popularity, and if this took place in our culture today: interviews on popular TV programs and most definitely a book deal with Zondervan. He was experiencing numerical success and in that success, God does something completely unexpected, He sends an angel to tell Phillip to “Go south on the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
As Phillip walks along the road he notices an important Ethiopian official reading the Book of Isaiah and the Spirit tells Phillip to go and stay near him. God calls Phillip away from a ministry to thousands in order to travel to a ministry of one. As Phillip asks the Ethiopian questions and explains the meaning of Isaiah, the Ethiopian comes to know Christ and like a good Baptist, he sees water on their journey and asks to be baptized.
In the middle of great numerical success, God calls Phillip to take a lonely journey down a dusty desert road and moves Phillip from ministry to hundreds/thousands to a ministry of one, shattering what I term the “exaltation of efficiency.”
We live in a culture that values efficiency at a rapidly growing pace. In fact, recent studies say that fuel efficiency has now become the number one customer concern for new cars, topping safety which has led the way for many years. You see this translated into appliance and furnace purchases, employer/employee relationship strategies, leadership material, and time management programs. The value of efficiency is pervasive and even sneaks its way into “ministry” as well. Although we will all serve and lead in different ways and in different ministries, we will all be faced with this “exaltation of efficiency” at some point as we lead.
Some of us will face the “exaltation of efficiency” when our ministries are not experiencing numerical growth. We serve in a culture (Evangelical Church culture) that often defines ministry success solely in numerical terms. If God is calling you to be a pastor, you will experience this with attendance, commitment, membership, or baptism numbers. If God is calling you to be a missionary, you will experience this when you come home from the mission field as people ask you how many people came to Christ. If God calls you to be a Sunday school teacher or Bible study leader, people will ask how many are coming to your class every week. And sadly, it is not just those on the outside who ask these questions but we ask them of ourselves (consciously and sub-consciously), often making decisions on our future and self-worth solely based on a numerical evaluative scale. The problem is that success is not simply numbers. Success must always be holistic in nature. The problem is that, we as leaders, too often assume our definition of success is God’s definition. Phillip’s ministry to the Ethiopian was no less successful than Philip’s ministry to the crowds in Samaria. We must always remember that in God’s economy the ministry to the one is equally important as the ninety-nine.
Some of us will face the “exaltation of efficiency” when God calls us to a ministry that doesn’t make earthly sense. In the story of Phillip and the Ethiopian, we notice Phillip being called by God from a large ministry to a ministry of one. In our culture where we exalt efficiency, it is difficult to imagine moving down the “corporate ladder” of ministry; however, I would suggest there are times when God might be calling us to do just that. God may call one of us to walk down the corporate ministry ladder and walk alone on a dusty road, not because he is punishing us but because in his economy efficiency and productivity are viewed on a different dimension. May we have the courage to follow God’s call wherever it leads, even if it breaks our culture’s view of what we should be doing or what is “successful.”
Some of us will face the “exaltation of efficiency” when ministry is extremely difficult - when we struggle with discouragement and disillusionment. Some of us will serve in ministries that are less than numerically successful and will be tempted to quit. Some of us will be called to serve in places that make no earthly or career sense. But all of us will experience the fact that ministry and leadership is hard, ministry and leadership is demanding, and serving against the tide of efficiency can be very, very difficult.
As we attempt, with God’s help and empowerment, to be Christ minded leaders who make a difference in our world, we must always have a Christ-centered view of ministry that understands the one as equally important as the ninety-nine, we must always be willing to serve and at times follow God down the corporate ladder, and we must always remember that although it is hard, we are not alone and it is worth it.
Our world is in desperate need of Christ-minded leaders who will not just make a difference but who are radically different in both their character and their perspective.
May we be those kind of leaders, seeking God’s glory and not our own.
Good evening Board of Trustees, Faculty, Staff, family, friends, honored guests and most importantly, those we are honoring tonight: the Taylor Seminary Graduating Class of 2008.
As I was reflecting on my words for this evening, Taylor’s mission to develop Christ-minded leaders who make a difference in the world kept coming to mind. Consequently, I want to share a couple observations from the New Testament story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch about some important and vital truths we all must remember as we seek to serve God in his world.
Many of you will probably be familiar with this story that is found in Acts Chapter 8 and I am also sure there are some here who are less than familiar with it. Therefore, let me set the stage for the narrative we will look at this evening.
At the beginning of Chapter 8 we find Phillip ministering in Samaria with great success. We read that “crowds” were coming out to hear him speak and perform miracles. In fact, Luke tells us that not only were crowds gathering, but Phillip’s ministry saw a difference being made in his world. Luke even describes the mood of the entire city being transformed into one of “great joy.” In all accounts, Phillip was experiencing numerical success in ministry that would have gotten him acclaim, popularity, and if this took place in our culture today: interviews on popular TV programs and most definitely a book deal with Zondervan. He was experiencing numerical success and in that success, God does something completely unexpected, He sends an angel to tell Phillip to “Go south on the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
As Phillip walks along the road he notices an important Ethiopian official reading the Book of Isaiah and the Spirit tells Phillip to go and stay near him. God calls Phillip away from a ministry to thousands in order to travel to a ministry of one. As Phillip asks the Ethiopian questions and explains the meaning of Isaiah, the Ethiopian comes to know Christ and like a good Baptist, he sees water on their journey and asks to be baptized.
In the middle of great numerical success, God calls Phillip to take a lonely journey down a dusty desert road and moves Phillip from ministry to hundreds/thousands to a ministry of one, shattering what I term the “exaltation of efficiency.”
We live in a culture that values efficiency at a rapidly growing pace. In fact, recent studies say that fuel efficiency has now become the number one customer concern for new cars, topping safety which has led the way for many years. You see this translated into appliance and furnace purchases, employer/employee relationship strategies, leadership material, and time management programs. The value of efficiency is pervasive and even sneaks its way into “ministry” as well. Although we will all serve and lead in different ways and in different ministries, we will all be faced with this “exaltation of efficiency” at some point as we lead.
Some of us will face the “exaltation of efficiency” when our ministries are not experiencing numerical growth. We serve in a culture (Evangelical Church culture) that often defines ministry success solely in numerical terms. If God is calling you to be a pastor, you will experience this with attendance, commitment, membership, or baptism numbers. If God is calling you to be a missionary, you will experience this when you come home from the mission field as people ask you how many people came to Christ. If God calls you to be a Sunday school teacher or Bible study leader, people will ask how many are coming to your class every week. And sadly, it is not just those on the outside who ask these questions but we ask them of ourselves (consciously and sub-consciously), often making decisions on our future and self-worth solely based on a numerical evaluative scale. The problem is that success is not simply numbers. Success must always be holistic in nature. The problem is that, we as leaders, too often assume our definition of success is God’s definition. Phillip’s ministry to the Ethiopian was no less successful than Philip’s ministry to the crowds in Samaria. We must always remember that in God’s economy the ministry to the one is equally important as the ninety-nine.
Some of us will face the “exaltation of efficiency” when God calls us to a ministry that doesn’t make earthly sense. In the story of Phillip and the Ethiopian, we notice Phillip being called by God from a large ministry to a ministry of one. In our culture where we exalt efficiency, it is difficult to imagine moving down the “corporate ladder” of ministry; however, I would suggest there are times when God might be calling us to do just that. God may call one of us to walk down the corporate ministry ladder and walk alone on a dusty road, not because he is punishing us but because in his economy efficiency and productivity are viewed on a different dimension. May we have the courage to follow God’s call wherever it leads, even if it breaks our culture’s view of what we should be doing or what is “successful.”
Some of us will face the “exaltation of efficiency” when ministry is extremely difficult - when we struggle with discouragement and disillusionment. Some of us will serve in ministries that are less than numerically successful and will be tempted to quit. Some of us will be called to serve in places that make no earthly or career sense. But all of us will experience the fact that ministry and leadership is hard, ministry and leadership is demanding, and serving against the tide of efficiency can be very, very difficult.
As we attempt, with God’s help and empowerment, to be Christ minded leaders who make a difference in our world, we must always have a Christ-centered view of ministry that understands the one as equally important as the ninety-nine, we must always be willing to serve and at times follow God down the corporate ladder, and we must always remember that although it is hard, we are not alone and it is worth it.
Our world is in desperate need of Christ-minded leaders who will not just make a difference but who are radically different in both their character and their perspective.
May we be those kind of leaders, seeking God’s glory and not our own.
Labels: misc
