Comments for daveingland.com http://www.daveingland.com about church relevance, culture, life, community, & transformational faith Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:59:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 Comment on 2009, here we come! by Willie Harris http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/26/2009-here-we-come/#comment-210 Willie Harris Sat, 27 Dec 2008 15:41:33 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=390#comment-210 I'm real excited about 2009. In 2008, our focus was on making disciples. I preached, taught, and trained on this topic. For next year, our focus will be on growing to spiritual maturity. One of our key initiatives will be revamping and restructuring our Christian Education ministry to have a curriculum designed to take members from their current level of faith to mature follower of Christ. Of course, we will need to phase this change in over a few years, but I'm excited to cast this vision next month. Please pray for the development of new classes and the much needed teachers. I’m real excited about 2009. In 2008, our focus was on making disciples. I preached, taught, and trained on this topic. For next year, our focus will be on growing to spiritual maturity. One of our key initiatives will be revamping and restructuring our Christian Education ministry to have a curriculum designed to take members from their current level of faith to mature follower of Christ. Of course, we will need to phase this change in over a few years, but I’m excited to cast this vision next month. Please pray for the development of new classes and the much needed teachers.

]]> Comment on Vision: Where there is no vision, the people perish by Willie Harris http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/10/vision-where-there-is-no-vision-the-people-perish/#comment-203 Willie Harris Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:07:11 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=356#comment-203 Dave, I guess you can tell that I love this topic. Thanks for covering it. To perish literally means "to let go", "loosen". Therefore when there's no vision or revelation from God to the people, they will let go of restraint. The NLT says "they run wild". This is why it is so important that pastors and ministry leaders cast the vision that God has given us so that the people won't go off unrestrained doing whatever they want to or whatever they think is right! Dave, I guess you can tell that I love this topic. Thanks for covering it.

To perish literally means “to let go”, “loosen”. Therefore when there’s no vision or revelation from God to the people, they will let go of restraint. The NLT says “they run wild”. This is why it is so important that pastors and ministry leaders cast the vision that God has given us so that the people won’t go off unrestrained doing whatever they want to or whatever they think is right!

]]> Comment on Vision: Engage people’s hearts and gain their commitment by daveingland http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/08/vision-engage-peoples-hearts-and-gain-their-commitment/#comment-202 daveingland Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:32:05 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=353#comment-202 Pastor Harris, what an awesome testimony to how much you care about God's people and won't take excuses. A transportation ministry is an amazing thing to see happen today. I am grateful to our Lord that he has chosen such wise and faithful leaders as you that we may learn from and be encouraged by. You are an amazing witness to the faith and to the correct way of leading people through the vision God has given to you and your community. Thank you so much for your insight this week on the subject of vision! Pastor Harris, what an awesome testimony to how much you care about God’s people and won’t take excuses. A transportation ministry is an amazing thing to see happen today. I am grateful to our Lord that he has chosen such wise and faithful leaders as you that we may learn from and be encouraged by. You are an amazing witness to the faith and to the correct way of leading people through the vision God has given to you and your community. Thank you so much for your insight this week on the subject of vision!

]]> Comment on Vision: Engage people’s hearts and gain their commitment by Willie Harris http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/08/vision-engage-peoples-hearts-and-gain-their-commitment/#comment-201 Willie Harris Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:14:47 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=353#comment-201 Yes, communicating the vision regularly is key. And I have also found that people give towards vision more often than towards a need. There are always needs, but when you can effectively communicate the vision, people are more likely to give towards it, support it, or participate in it. For example, we are working to get our transportation ministry started and we need drivers. But I told the ministry director to not just say, "we need drivers" but to cast the vision that we want to go into neighborhoods to pick up anyone that does not have a way to get to church activities in order for them to hear the Gospel, experience God, and fellowship with others who will love and care for them. I know I would be more willing to drive a van when hearing the vision versus just hearing, "we need drivers". Yes, communicating the vision regularly is key. And I have also found that people give towards vision more often than towards a need. There are always needs, but when you can effectively communicate the vision, people are more likely to give towards it, support it, or participate in it.

For example, we are working to get our transportation ministry started and we need drivers. But I told the ministry director to not just say, “we need drivers” but to cast the vision that we want to go into neighborhoods to pick up anyone that does not have a way to get to church activities in order for them to hear the Gospel, experience God, and fellowship with others who will love and care for them. I know I would be more willing to drive a van when hearing the vision versus just hearing, “we need drivers”.

]]> Comment on Vision: Make it plain on tablets by daveingland http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/05/vision-make-it-plain-on-tablets/#comment-200 daveingland Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:59:07 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=348#comment-200 Thanks to God that he continues to share his vision for his church and his people yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Thanks to God that he continues to share his vision for his church and his people yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

]]> Comment on Vision: Make it plain on tablets by jason http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/05/vision-make-it-plain-on-tablets/#comment-199 jason Sun, 07 Dec 2008 05:52:15 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=348#comment-199 sometimes a God-given vision is all a church planter's got. nice post dave. sometimes a God-given vision is all a church planter’s got.

nice post dave.

]]> Comment on Vision: Make it plain on tablets by daveingland http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/05/vision-make-it-plain-on-tablets/#comment-198 daveingland Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:47:02 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=348#comment-198 Elevator speech is such a great analogy! I'm going to start using elevator language to illustrate this point from now on. Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts Pastor Willie! Elevator speech is such a great analogy! I’m going to start using elevator language to illustrate this point from now on. Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts Pastor Willie!

]]> Comment on Vision: Make it plain on tablets by Willie Harris http://www.daveingland.com/2008/12/05/vision-make-it-plain-on-tablets/#comment-197 Willie Harris Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:39:58 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=348#comment-197 Dave, I agree. I have challenged my ministry leaders to develop their "elevator speech". In the length of time it takes for an elevator to go from one floor to another, they should be able to share the vision of the ministry to potential volunteers or future leaders. Dave,

I agree. I have challenged my ministry leaders to develop their “elevator speech”. In the length of time it takes for an elevator to go from one floor to another, they should be able to share the vision of the ministry to potential volunteers or future leaders.

]]> Comment on More on the subject of hope by Pete Sung http://www.daveingland.com/2008/11/24/more-on-the-subject-of-hope/#comment-196 Pete Sung Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:12:15 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=334#comment-196 Wow, excellent quotes from the book. I'm looking at it right now on my shelf. I bought it like 10 years ago before I was a christian because someone highly recommended it to me. I got about 2/3 of the way through, but it didn't make much sense at the time. Maybe now I'll be able to understand it. Thanks for inspiring me to pick it up! Wow, excellent quotes from the book. I’m looking at it right now on my shelf. I bought it like 10 years ago before I was a christian because someone highly recommended it to me. I got about 2/3 of the way through, but it didn’t make much sense at the time. Maybe now I’ll be able to understand it. Thanks for inspiring me to pick it up!

]]> Comment on The narrow gate is not about doctrinal correctness by daveingland http://www.daveingland.com/2008/11/25/the-narrow-gate-is-not-about-doctrinal-correctness/#comment-195 daveingland Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:00:30 +0000 http://www.daveingland.com/?p=336#comment-195 Thank you Jason! Thank you Jason!

]]>