Austin+IG+Snow=adventure

The Snow family is finally settled in Austin! As many of you know this is the third city for IG to extend to through long-term, physical presence. While here we have a two-fold purpose on local level:

1) To make new disciples in our apartment community, and watch as the Holy Spirit births a new faith community (Simple Church) right out of the harvest!

2) To continue mentoring, discipling, and pouring into the students here in Austin who went through Student CPx back in August. They are continually seeing God move in powerful ways as they seek to make disciples & birth new faith communities on campus at UT. We’ve already had a chance to re-connect with them and begin discussing what this relationship will look like…

Of course, we will continue pursuing everything that God is doing through IG on a national level as well…

At our National Gathering of Student Church Planter’s in St. Louis in January…

Where we saw a student Baptize another student in the hotel pool!

This is a busy time for us as a family, and IG as an organization. Along with the SCPx National Elder team we are doing “iSCPx” in 13 cities nation-wide in the Spring. I have already been to San Diego, Los Angeles, & am in Orlando right now.

(Brain Orme, Aaron Snow, & Brad Mckoy in San Diego for iSPCx)

(The Orme’s – part of the team in SD where we’re hosting a SCPx this summer!)

We’ll host one more “iSCPx” in Austin next weekend to conclude our 4 cities. (The rest of the team will cover the other cities). This is an exciting time for our organization as God is building His Church in fresh/new ways. We are blessed to be a part of it, and grateful for those of you who support us on this journey.

Orlando & Austin…

As you know we have planned “iSCPx” (Intro to Student Church Planting Experience) in 13 cities across the nation during the Spring. We’ve already made it to SoCal, and I will be heading to Orlando this weekend to be with our team there for “iSCPx Orlando”! The following weekend we will be here in Austin with our awesome group of “SCPx grads” from last summer. They will be helping me host “iSCPx Austin” here on UT’s campus! See http://studentcpx.org for info about the other cities! God is moving across the nation!

(Details for “iSCPx Austin” below)

Humbled.

What would it take for me as a believer to walk in the truth of your Spirit’s leading every moment of every day as if I were a missionary to another country? I bet if I lived overseas in as missionaries everything would be an opportunity for the Gospel to be proclaimed or demonstrated. Everything would be worthy of prayer, and seeking you. Leaving the house would require a “sent off” prayer, and time of asking for the Spirit’s leading. Why don’t I do that here? It’s as if my life is too busy with the things of this world that I still have two separate lives. One of them is my passionate pursuit of you, and the other is the life/world that I’ve created for myself just to “get by” on this earth until I go to heaven. What it be like if I lived each moment as if it were an opportunity to usher in the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven?

Lord, I want that. I earnestly desire that. Do I desire it enough to wake up early in the mornings to pray and seek you earnestly? Hmmmm….Do I desire it enough to step out in faith hundreds of times each day to pray over someone, share the Gospel, or speak a word of truth/knowledge into someone else’s life? I can hardly step out to follow through with simple things you’ve given me to do like pray over my wife/baby/family…much less random strangers. Lord, do a work in me today, please, that pushes me (by the power of your Spirit) to begin a more disciplined, pro-active, and diligent pursuit of living a constant kingdom lifestyle. Continue to show me how that can grow and blossom more each day. Protect me from the busyness of this life, and from my own self-created “responsibilities”. May you begin to show me what YOU desire, and may that begin to be bigger/more important than my own desires. I trust that it doesn’t take a “special trip” overseas, or a weekend away with you, but a simple availability to the power of your Holy Spirit’s activity in my life. Challenge me and humble me more and more each day. Give me a humility that allows others to speak into my life and challenge the ruts I allow myself to slip into. At the same time give me a discernment that knows what is from you, and what is from the enemy. Remind me daily of the promises you’ve made in your word, and through revelation. Blow me away by the power of your Spirit in my life and the lives of those around me. Do this today Jesus. I make my self completely available to you right now, in this moment. May this moment last for the rest of my life. When the moment slips away countless times throughout the day place in me an awareness of you that hinders the absence of the moment from lasting a blink. This is my prayer this morning…

“One things I ask, one thing I desire, is to know you, and be known by you. Single minded, whole-hearted, one thing I ask…is to be single minded…whole-hearted.”

May this pursuit take place within the reality that you have already accomplished this in my life. What YOU have already done for me means that I already have victory in these areas of life. May this pursuit be partnered only with the weightlessness of the cross that you bore. May it carry with it the truth that “your burden is easy and your yoke is light”. The moment I chose you began this journey that begins and ends in victory.

A Moment To Breath…

…Is what I would like, but not something that seems like it will happen-for a few more weeks at least. We have gotten somewhat settled in Austin, but have been going non-stop the entire time. I have wanted to blog so much, but just have not had time. I leave tomorrow morning for SoCal, then return to leave for DFW the next day, home for a week for “Verge” (In Austin), then off to Orlando, FL. (See what I mean?) I did want to post an update about some exciting things coming up:

“iSCPx” (Intro to Student Church Planting Experience) will be held in about 13 cities all over the country between now and March 2010. Brad McKoy from the Student Church National Elder team as well as myself will be in San Diego and Los Angeles this weekend to host the first “iSCPx’s” on the USCD & UCLA campuses. I am also responsible for Orlando, FL. (along with our local contact and friends, Thomas & Lian Day), and Austin, Tx. Here’s some more info. about “iSCPx”:

Imagine a geographic area so strategic, in one square mile you can influence the nations.  Imagine a place where the future leaders of the world live together in temporary communities, open to new spiritual realities and worldviews.  It’s a reality – the university campus.

Now imagine 2,600 university campuses across the U.S.

Now imagine millions of students gathered on universities across the world.

If we reach the campus, we will change the world.

How can we reach these strategic training centers of the world with limited staff and budgets, not to mention declining overall Christian population from year to year on most college campuses?

What if students could do all the works of ministry? What if, — instead of planning a weekly meeting – campus ministry staff could mobilize and mentor students to start 25-50 simple churches across their campus?

A shift has begun across several campuses in the last few years. Churches and ministries have begun sending out students to make disciples on their campus. The result has been a growing movement of student-led churches.

Students preach the gospel and make disciples. They hold 24-hour prayer vigils for the nations. They baptize other students. They pray for the sick. They branch out to unreached people groups and start simple, reproducible churches in dorms, apartments, and fraternities – any area students do life together.

We see college campuses as small nations, composed of multiple unreached people groups. Together with mission agencies and a growing network of friends across the world, we are working to mobilize a student led church planting movement that will influence every university in the world to reach the nations for Christ.

iSCPx is a four hour seminar that will introduce you to the movement.

You’ll be invited to help mobilize student churches on your campus this year.

Does your heart beat for the nations, yet you feel called to the college campus? You are not alone!

Learn the History.

Catch the Vision.

Join the Movement.

To register in a city near you go to http://studentcpx.org

A Kingdom Paradox {one of many}

A quick thought from my personal worship time with Christ this morning…thoughts?

It seems that we have pursued (Been taught to pursue) personal fulfillment, comfort, “self-help”, & our own happiness in our religious pursuits. Because of this we do not know how to actually hear God’s voice and be obedient. Even if we learn to hear/know God’s voice (based upon scripture, prayer & other disciplines) we don’t seem to have the capacity/faith to obey it because it usually is not what is easy/comfortable. (Most of what we have been taught in our Christian pursuit is how to manage our personal relationship with God, avoid sin, and be “happy” as a Christian) Everything we’ve pursued in our Christian life was in pursuit of comfort and an “easier” life. If something “hard” does come along we write it off as “persecution”, and the enemy trying to attack us.

“Lord, continue to teach me how to hear your voice, and obey even if it goes completely against what seems logical at the moment. Grow my faith to trust what you’re up to. I can say it all day, but I want you to give me opportunities to act out those tough decisions in real life. Thank you that there is grace for it all.”

National Church…?

As has been the case with many of you, God has totally been wrecking all of the preconceived thoughts I’ve had about what His Church is, and what He desires it to be. The things we have seen happen in the past 3 years of our lives, and the life of Intentional Gatherings have been incredible. From serving the poor to community discipleship houses, and training others across the nation to make disciples & plant new churches we can only assume God has something big in store…
Through Student CPx we, along with the help of several other organizations, have seen hundreds of students trained to make disciples and plant LAY-led faith communities in their context as new believers encounter Jesus. After the students are trained we pair them up with a “seasoned practitioner” to mentor & disciple them. We have elders and leaders spread out in different regions of the country to help shepherd and pastor these apostolic missionaries…

This past weekend in St. Louis we gathered together (with those who could make it) many of these disciple makers/church planters for a time of celebration of what God has done, and edifying one another before going back out into the harvest. As the national elder team and I were chatting we realized something really neat…we have a Nationwide Church of Churches on our hands! There are hubs where traveling teams can be sent out from, and return to for rejuvenation. Not to mention the many Baptisms and hundreds of powerful stories of God moving on campuses & in neighborhoods.
Realizing what God is doing has, once again, completely shifted how I view His Church. I can’t help but think about the early Church in the New Testament, and how it must have been spread out all over the region with thousands of believers, elders, traveling apostolic leaders, BRAND new believers, and many individual church communities spread out all over the place. I’m learning that God grows & builds His church in many ways when we LET HIM. When we get our of His way & remove Him from the box we put Him in He can really amaze us. There really are ways for “growth” outside of how many people gather at a weekly service! (Imagine that! =) It brought a smile to my face, and much peace to my soul to look and see what God has built in the past couple of years – we are humbled and blessed to be a part of it…

If you look closely at the picture you’ll notice FOUR generations present. By the grace of God we have Spiritual grandparents all the way down to small children and infants who are a part of our growing national spiritual family!

We’re In St. Louis…

We are gathered in St. Louis with students from all over the country who have been through one of our Student CPx Training Experiences in the last two years. This gathering is specifically for students to minister to one another, be ministered to by elders, share stories, and be refreshed to be sent back out to make more disciples. We are feeling a real sense of family among all of the students, and are excited to continue to build with them…

One of the Arizona State University students recently led one of her friends to Christ about a month ago. She joined her student church, and came to the national gathering. She decided to get Baptized tonight with her “family” at the gathering!

We’ve had a wonderful time so far this weekend, and it’s not over yet. The students are feeling encouraged, and refreshed to go back to their campuses/lives with a new spirit and deep sense of love/affirmation from their Father in heaven.

What Matters More?

Those of you who frequent this blog know that I am a fan of singer/songwriter Derek Webb. On his latest album there is a song called “What Matters More”, and it is INCREDIBLE. Take a few minutes to watch the video while reading the lyrics. Some of you may feel that Derek has a wonderful way of putting words to feelings you have had…

What Matters More – by Derek Webb

You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
‘Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

‘Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn’t be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn’t silently consent when the liars speak
Denyin’ all the dyin’ of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what’s in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it’s about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin’ the wind while the pendulum swings

‘Cause we can talk and debate until we’re blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he’s comin’ to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don’t give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin’ today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

“Injustice Lens”

This is a poem written by a student church planter at UCLA. It’s about Injustice, Christmas, consumerism, etc. I know this is probably a discussion you have already had this Christmas season, and have most likely come to your own conclusions. (appropriate for your own situations, etc.) My reason for posting this is not to convince you that giving/receiving presents is bad or wrong. All I am doing is passing along a well-written perspective that we, as believers in America, must keep in mind throughout the entire year.

“Injustice Lens” – by Myles Hamby

Righteous anger is running through my vein,
Gonna tell you a story ’bout the pain,
That other people go through in their life,
World stands ignorant, neglecting their strife.

Ugandan Rebels took kids from their bed,
Now forced to fight or they’re shot in the head,
Forced to kill their mom and also their dad,
While we’re here searching for the latest fad.

Cambodian girl was raped, ’til she blead,
Brothel owner could care less, if she’s dead,
Pimp video-taped, to sell it online,
World downloads it, pretends ev’rything’s fine.

Chinese child slave, bought ’cause he was cheap,
Working long hours, little or no sleep,
Sews a shirt wrong, beaten for the mistake,
You wear the fixed shirt, while his poor hands ache.

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

Never thought this through, though facts I did know,
Heard ’bout poverty, but went with the flow,
Only filled my mind, when shown on the news,
Didn’t affect me, that was my excuse.

But in recent years, I went through a shift,
Some say it’s a curse, but I say a gift,
Thought ’bout it more, stories stuck in my head,
Think ’bout injustice, while lying in bed.

I look at young boys, playing with their cars,
Instantly start to think, about the scars,
On body and heart, of a child soldier,
Once innocent minded, as these boys are.

When people waste money, on what they don’t need,
I think about the mouths, that they could feed,
The rich get more rich, the poor get more poor,
Yet we stand in line, wastin’ at the store.

In department stores, most just see a dress,
But I see a girl, whose life’s in distress,
Look at the tag, not made in the U.S.,
‘Cause kids are exploited, for the sake of progress.

Humans trafficked, for the sake of profit,
This is the planet’s, third largest market,
Twenty seven million slaves today,
More than the slave trade, back in the day.

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

When you see injustice, throughout your day,
You’re lookin’ through a lens, seein’ a new way,
This injustice lens, is removable,
Some wear it more, if their minds are able.

I wore this lens so much, absorbed into my eye,
Became a part of me ’til the day that I die,
This lens and my eye are now one in the same,
So ingrained in my life, it’s part of my name.

Look into my eyes, through this lens you’ll see,
Not just a world clothed in poverty,
But you’ll see my eyes, attached to my heart,
‘Cause to show them love, from the heart I must start.

To be moved to action, from within it must come,
For too many people, their heart’s become numb,
Awaken your heart, allow love to stir you,
To help the world, and expose what is true.

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

This is how my heart’s wired, I’m fine with that,
‘Cause this is the truth, don’t want to turn back,
But knowledge without action has no gain,
Listen to me now, don’t let me rhyme in vain.

My first request: put yourself in their shoes,
Imagine being raped, used and abused,
Or a slave workin’ for a dime a day
Or a child soldier, killed dad today.

Second request: give love, money and time,
‘Cause more are dying as I write this rhyme,
We can’t sit silent, no more nonchalance,
I’m making the call, what is your response?

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

And finally set all these people free.
God, please set all these people free.

-Myles Hamby-

(thanks buddy)

Las Vegas iPhoto Library…

After looking back through my iPhoto library I couldn’t help but throw together a little slide show of pics from our two year journey in Las Vegas. To those of you who came to our going away party this past Friday, thanks!

more about “Going Away Party… on Vimeo“, posted with vodpod