Community and Disillusionment

A community that cannot bear and cannot survive... disillusionment, clinging instead to it's idealized image, when that should be done away with, loses at the same time the promise of durable Christian community. Sooner or later it is bound to collapse.

Every human idealized image that is brought into the Christian community is a hindrance to genuine Christian community and must be broken up so that genuine community can survive.

Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their personal intentions may be ever so honest, earnest, and sacrificial.

God hates this wishful dreaming because it makes the dreamer proud and pretentious.

Those who dream of this idealized community demand that it be fulfilled by God, by others, and by themselves. They enter the community of Christians with their demands, set up their own law, and judge one another and even God accordingly.

They stand adamant, a living reproach to all others in the Christian community, as if their visionary ideal binds the people together. Whatever does not go their way, they call a failure.

When their idealized image is shattered, they see the community breaking into pieces. So they first become accusers of other Christians in the community, then accusers of God, and finally the desperate accusers of themselves.
~ from Life Together, 35-36 // taken from A Year w/ Dietrich Bonhoeffer May 22

Every Christian at some point somehow develops a vision of what kind of congregation, what kind of people, what kind of Christians they would like to be around and in community with at a church. Almost everyone creates some kind of vision for how small groups ought to go, how Sunday school ought to go, how worship ought to go, how fellowship events or Bible studies or accountability relationships ought to go. We all tend to form our preferences for Christian community. I'm very guilty of it.

When I first read these words of Bonhoeffer in 2007, they hit me like a hammer on the head. I've reread this text many many times, prayerfully asking for forgiveness from God and help from Christ to not fuel an idealized image.

As the Gospel continues to embrace the lost and broken, the poor and marginalized, the humbled and struggling, the community that Christ creates will not be ideal. But it will be real, it will be with Christ, and it will be in honesty as sinners who are learning and stumbling forward to be reconciled to God.

Grace, love, truth, peace, and righteousness are hallmarks of Christian community; but they are thus because we the people are originally ungraceful, unloving, untruthful, unpeaceful, and unrighteous. We may bring forms of good with us to church, but only Christ can put in us and draw out of us His grace, love, truth, peace and righteousness. And we only grow in it by meeting sin in the other, and responding like Christ.

In our consumerist society, it is too easy to justify finding a Christian community that comes closest to meeting your "ideal" needs. It is really difficult for a Christian to let himself/herself be guided into Christian community by the Spirit of Christ - for it requires blocking your ears to the Sirens of Consumerism. To participate or depart a Christian community should not be based on disillusionment, but rather as part of Christ's mission in the world.

But if you are disappointed or disillusioned in a church, aside from outright sin and corruption by evil, you have to ask: how much of the frustration is fueled by my consumerist-spiritual cravings, and how much is part of God's ongoing work to transform me by placing me in a real Christian community where sin and mistakes and bungling is present and we are all learning how to be reconciled to one another just as God reconciled himself to us.

Making More Mature Disciples

Maturity: a significant priority of Anchor Community Church shall be helping followers of Jesus become more mature disciples as they grow in their understanding of the Scriptures and fully participate in the body of Jesus.

It's with much joy that we look around Anchor and see more and more people from the community joining us for worship on Sundays, or small groups during the week, or benefiting from our Community Connections ministry. And it's a real joy to hear the Because of Jesus stories, of how people are experiencing the life-changing power of Jesus in their life.

But there is still a big question mark that hangs over all of this joy: what is it that helps people become more mature disciples of Jesus? We love to have more people join us for worship, to have more people baptized, to have more people share a Because of Jesus story. However, we remember the old adage: God loves us just the way we are, but he loves us too much to leave us that way.

What does maturity look like? How do you track the trajectory of maturity? 

What does the journey look like from immaturity in all things to maturity in all things? Is there a standard pace? Is it always in a straight line? How do you differentiate personality and culture from true Christian maturity? And how does a congregation measure maturity? How do we talk about becoming more mature? Who has the permission to decide what is immature or mature?

I ask all these questions to make a point: for all of you who are confident about what maturity is and is not (for example, you yourself are the example of maturity...), and for all of you who have lots of "reasons" for why you are not more mature in your faith ("I'm just so busy...) - there is a tension between what we want to see in others and what we are willing to seen in ourselves. We know maturity when we see it, but it is hard to define - especially in others. 

There are two key ways we define maturity (and immaturity) at Anchor: through your growing understanding of the Scriptures and your participation in the body of Jesus. 

An immature version of this would read: be busy always reading your Bible and showing up at the church whenever the doors open.

A mature version of this would read: what action have you taken in response to a prompting from God because you were reading Scripture?


In what ways is your local congregation or other Christians you are connected with better off because of what you have been reading in Scripture and applying to your own life? Do these two understandings make sense?


Some examples of how this would work with Anchor: 
* to say that we are a follower of Jesus means we are becoming familiar with the teachings of Jesus and can give examples how how we are implementing it in our life. 

If you aren't meditating on the Sermon on the Mount, it's going to be difficult for you to know the key teachings of Jesus, and thus almost impossible for you to follow the way of Jesus. Jesus' understanding of love, forgiveness, prayer, giving money to the poor, adultery and lust, murder and anger, honesty, etc.


* to say that we are a disciple means that we are student of Jesus, which means we set time and energy to read, discuss, and apply what we learn. 

There is thus a schedule in our life by which we listen to the voice of Jesus through Scriptures, prayer, life experience, and the wisdom of other Christians.

But as a student, we don't go merely as a passive sponge - for we know that the most important learning that comes in life is from doing, from our own experiences and attempts.

So as a student, we schedule into our life time to work and give in the name of Jesus. Whether it is a ministry opportunity with your local church or through your local church (like with Habitat or NeighborLink), or it is a task you do on your own or with other Christians you know that aren't apart of Anchor - your intentionality reveals your maturity.

Passivity and maturity don't often go hand in hand.


* a more mature disciple takes initiative to respond to a need that they see. 

They've been shaped by the Scriptures, they've got a history with a local church, and they've both witnessed and been part of work to help others in need. Thus, based on their understanding of Scriptures and their participation in they body of Jesus they've been trained and empowered to be Jesus to the people in their life.

The willingness and skill to do this is a sign of ongoing maturity.

What Anchor Wants

What guides Anchor's ministry? When we put into words what we sense the Spirit of Jesus doing in us and through us, what would we write? What explains the decisions we make, the values we hold, the priorities we emphasize? 

Below is a simple guide to what shapes our ministry as Anchor, some potent sentences that serve like seeds for what we do in response to the work God has started in us, work that God will continue through us.

Anchor Community Church wants hundreds of their friends and family to become fully devoted followers of Jesus who are a helpful blessing to our city through our loving God and neighbor. 

You already are connected to many people who are strangers to Jesus, or estranged. With the people God has already placed in your life, we want ministry to result in helping connect people with Jesus.

This connecting, well we want it to feel like a blessing - to our homes, our community, to our city. And what's the best way to connect as a blessing? Love. Jesus showed us what love looks like - love to God and neighbor, he taught about it, and then commanded us to imitate him. And so we go. And look to find ways to include many more with us in our loving, our blessing, our following Jesus.

When it comes to living out this mission as the hands and feet of Jesus, there are four ways we go about this, four priorities that guide us forward:

Community: our highest priority as Anchor Community Church shall be connecting with people we know and those in our city who need to be welcomed into the body of Jesus.

Maturity: a significant priority of Anchor Community Church shall be helping followers of Jesus become more mature disciples as they grow in their understanding of the Scriptures and fully participate in the body of Jesus.

Ministry: another significant priority of Anchor shall be developing and sending each disciple for a significant ministry through their God-given skills, resources, and experiences to be used in their home, local community, church, and world.

Kingdom Focus: the other significant priority of Anchor shall be collaborating with like-minded churches, local ministries, community and business organizations and selected government agencies to further the influence of the Gospel in our city. 

What's the Spirit of Jesus doing in you? How can Anchor help you in fully devoting your life to Jesus? If and when there is an opportunity for Anchor to be a blessing to you, to help you, to give you a love which you pass on to others - well we will celebrate that experience. Those are the kinds of stories we love to share.

Here are a few stories worth sharing:

* when we baptized ten Christians in June, most of them brought friends and family to witness the event. Some of those who came are not part of a church, are not Christians. All who walked away from that event felt the Spirit of Jesus at work. We celebrate that experience!

* through our small groups this Spring, Christians who were resistant to following Jesus became more involved in Anchor. Some made the decision to start worshipping with us on Sundays every week. Others chose to lead a small group - a big step of trust which God honored. One group started a ministry that continues once a month - singing and fellowshipping with the elderly members of Coventry Meadows! 

* one of our members shared how, as a cashier at a small grocery store, she intentionally ministers to every customer. She sees her place of employment as a place to minister. More than just being a polite employee, she is motivated to serve and greet and work to the glory of God and as a blessing, an instrument of the love of Jesus. 

*  In July we will worship with Grace Presbyterian Church on their front yard - a witness to our community of our oneness in Christ and our unity in loving our neighbor. In September we will worship in Hamilton Park with about eight neighborhood congregations, along with Rescue Mission and Charis House. Last year we partnered with Associated Churches for this worship event. 

This is what is guiding Anchor, helping generate story after story of Jesus at work in us and through us. If you have a story, please share it. And if you want to help generate more stories - well, then welcome!

A Poem for Anchor

A is for our amazing grace,
N is for never alone,
Cis for caring people,
H is for our second home.
O is for our Savior that we worship together each week,
R is for the respect we have for our pastor we love to hear speak.

If you are feeling lost or all alone,
if you have a problem you just can' seem to fix,
they understand at Anchor, so come jump on our ship.

We have a worship team who sings like angels,
worshipping the Lord,
a laid back place to give thanks to Christ,
through every note and chord.

Our pastor is a big fan of Starbucks,
so if not here you may find him there;
he's even brought back to Anchor
their tables and their chairs!

He has helped so many people
in so many different ways,
well to thank him,
I just don't know what to say.

Tim and his family are an inspiration to us all,
here at Anchor we love you
and will always be here
to catch you if you fall.

So thank you all for everything,
I just thought I would try to express my thanks with this little rhyme;
I fell I owe you all so much,
so when in need, just ask me anytime!

~ Tracy Fink, Sunday June 10th, 2012

The Servant-Leader

There seems to be a lack of great leaders in our society. It's easy to be the person in charge, it's easy to be named head-honcho, but it's a totally other thing to have the skill and knowledge to do the next right thing as a leader. In politics, where are the great leaders? In business, where are the great leaders? In culture, where are the great leaders? In religion, where are the great leaders?

Yes, there are people calling the shots, but where are the people with the courage, the integrity, the wisdom to call to make the right decisions? The temptation is to not consider yourself a leader, to avoid the responsibilities of leading those in need around you. Maybe there is a lack of great leaders because too many give in to the temptation to stay quiet, to not get too involved, to not care so much.

For all Christians who serve and care and get involved in the messiness of other people's lives, we must learn to be great leaders. Not just great leaders, but servant-leaders like Jesus.  Henri Nouwen reflects on this:

After having asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" Jesus says, "Feed my lambs, look after my sheep, feed my sheep." Having been assured of Peter's love, Jesus gives him the task of ministry. In the context of our culture we might hear this in a very individualistic way as if Peter now was being sent on a heroic mission.

But when Jesus speaks about shepherding, he does not want us to think about a brave, lonely shepherd who takes care of a large flock of obedient sheep. In many ways, he makes it clear that ministry is communal and mutual experience.

First of all, Jesus sends the twelve out in pairs. We keep forgetting that we are being sent out two by two. We cannot bring good news on our own. We are called to proclaim the Gospel together, in community.

I need my brothers and sisters to pray with me, to speak with me about the spiritual task at hand, and to challenge me to stay pure in mind, heart, and body. But far more importantly, it is Jesus who heals, not I; Jesus who speaks words of truth, not I; Jesus who is Lord, not I. This is very clearly made visible when we proclaim the redeeming power of God together.

Ministry is not only a communal experience, it is also a mutual experience. Jesus, speaking about his own shepherding ministry, says, "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep." As Jesus ministers, so he wants us to minister.

He wants Peter to feed his sheep and care for them, not as "professionals" who know their clients' problems and take care of them, but as vulnerable brothers and sisters who know and are known, who care and are cared for, who forgive and are being forgiven, who love and are being loved. Somehow we have come to believe that good leadership requires a safe distance from those we are called to lead.

But how can anyone lay down his life for those with whom he is not even allowed to enter into a deep relationship? Laying down your life means making your own faith and doubt, hope and despair, joy and sadness, courage and fear available to others as ways of getting in touch with the Lord of life.

We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who need as much care as anyone we care for. The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited and unconditional love of God.

Therefore true ministry must be mutual. When the members of a community of faith cannot truly know and love their shepherd, shepherding quickly becomes a subtle way of exercising power over others and begins to show authoritarian and dictatorial traits. The world in which we live - a world of efficiency and control - has no models to offer to show who wants to be shepherds in the way Jesus was a shepherd.

The leadership about which Jesus speaks is of a radically different kind from the leadership offered by the world. It is a servant leadership in which the leader is a vulnerable servant who needs the people as much as they need him or her.

From this it is clear that a whole new type of leadership is asked for in the Church of tomorrow, a leadership which is not modeled on the power games of the world, but on the servant-leader, Jesus, who came to give his life for the salvation of many.
~In the Name of Jesus, pg39-45

Parish Nurse Notes: Cyber-Bullying

My previous blog dealt with the subject of bullying, its various forms and the signs that it is taking place. In this blog I would like to talk about one of the more insidious forms of bullying, cyberbullying.

As we all know, we live in a world full of technology. Computers, cell phones and so forth are evolving every day as more and more technology boosts our ability to communicate, do business, and have fun. But there is also a very sinister side to all this technology. As always sin crouches at every opportunity to use whatever means possible to do evil.

This year I have been doing some guest teaching at various schools, and grades in the Fort Wayne area. I have been amazed at the technology that kids bring in their pockets every day. One day I inquired at the office of a moderately large school. My question was what to do when I am teaching a class, and I find kids actively using various forms of technology, ie. cell phones and iPods. To my amazement the answer given was “Well if the student using the device isn’t bothering anybody we usually don’t do anything.” I was amazed at the number of kids who were ignoring the lesson at hand, in order to use these devices on a regular basis.

Bullies have also seized upon technology to aid in their misdeeds. Cyber-bullying is a form of bullying does not require the bully to be face to face with his/her victim. This form of bullying has been shown to peak around the end of middle school, and the beginning of high school.

Examples of cyberbullying include but are not limited to:
-sending rude, threatening, and abusive messages via cell phone or computer.
-the use of “social networks” to spread lies, rumors, or other false information.
-using websites to post videos or other social media with the goal of humiliating, and embarrassing others.

This form of bullying is insidious because it can take place at any time of the day or night. It can be spread to many different audiences, and can be spread anonymously.

This problem has major social consequences for its victims. Some problems include skipping school, poor grades, low self esteem, and various physical and mental issues. Students who are victimized have higher rates of alcohol and drug use and are more likely to have face to face interaction with the bully.

One of the best tools we have to help stem this bullying is to listen to our kids. Be proactive and question them if there is any problem either face to face, or through technology.

In conclusion: Cyberbullying is on the rise every day. Its victims may be hesitant to reveal the issue due to embarrassment or fear of retribution.

Visit  this website - it has a lot of helpful information: stopbullying.gov

Keep watching your kids. We cannot depend on school systems, and organizations for kids to keep watch, and deal effectively with this issue. Parents and other family members have the advantage to be the ones who help stem the tide of this growing issue.

Scott G. Eddy, RN BSN

Connecting to the Community: with Jocelyn Smith

For our third Lenten gathering, the 46808 Neighborhood Churches met at Trinity United Methodist Church with Jocelyn Smith of Rising Stars, a ministry of Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County. Jocelyn is the Community Connector for our neighborhood, and works with four local elementary schools: Washington, Nebraska, Bloomingdale, and Franke Park. Jocelyn was joined by the Rising Stars Director, Sarah Adams.

Together the two of them presented to the gathered churches the origins of Rising Stars, the difference it is currently making in the community, and what is next. It was great to have Grace Presbyterian, First Mennonite, Anchor Community, United Faith Presbyterian, and members from Trinity United Methodist come together to strengthen our partnership with Rising Stars and as members of the Associated Churches.

Rising Stars is doing great work in our local elementary schools - and providing a great opportunity for collaboration with neighborhood churches. Community Connectors like Jocelyn Smith build relationships with schools and churches, becoming a link for support and fulfilling needs. Schools always needs supplies for their students, and sometimes they need help with clothing and other essentials. But the biggest need that has surfaced is support for the parents - training opportunities that improve parenting skills, strengthen families, and nurture a better performing school.

Recently, in partnership with Youth Services Bureau and the Fort Wayne Fatherhood Coalition, Rising Stars was able to start parenting classes in a number of local elementary schools, including Nebraska Elementary School, which is ten blocks south of Anchor. These STEP classes are taught by facilitators trained through YSB and funded by Fort Wayne Fatherhood Coalition. Rising Stars then works with local churches like Anchor and Trinity, to help pay for food costs, provide volunteers and help with incentives. Parents are getting help, the Aha! moments are happening - this is neighborhood collaboration at its best! 

Sarah Adams shared some compelling stories:
*A Bloomingdale student came to school irregularly - she had to share her wintercoat with a sibling. When news reached the school, Rising Stars stepped in to provide a coat so that both students could go to school everyday wearing their own warm winter coats.
*At a different school, a family had split up - and then all their possessions were destroyed in a fire. Through the school, Rising Stars was able to provide gift cards to help them recover. The family got the help they needed, they have come back together, are in a different home, part of a local church, and have started a new life together.
*A principal shared that different teachers said they could feel the presence of God in their classrooms. The love and support they get from Rising Stars is like a big huge hug!

Churches can do more together. God does some of his best work through congregations that collaborate in their city to serve and love in the name of Jesus. To learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference for good, check out these links below:

Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County

Rising Stars Ministry

Nebraska Elementary School


Fort Wayne Fatherhood Coalition

Youth Services Bureau


Trinity United Methodist Church

Grace Presbyterian Church

Anchor Community Church



Also: NeighborLink Fort Wayne

Parish Nurse Notes: Bullying

Anchor Community has been collaborating with 46808 Neighborhood Churches with the purpose of helping build a stronger, responsible, and healthier neighborhood. There are many subjects and issues that can be addressed. Among those issues are raising great teens who will grow up one day to be responsible citizens in our own neighborhoods and towns.

One issue has come to the forefront for almost all teens in one way or another: bullying. In recent research 43,321 teens were surveyed. The age range was 15-18 in 78 different public schools, and 22 private schools. Amazingly, a full 24% reported that they feared going to school, and found school to be an unhappy, and unsafe place to be. It was also found that 37% of boys and 19% of girls felt violence in schools was okay.

In other research, it has been found that as many as 100,000 students have gone to school while carrying firearms. 77% of students in one research group admitted to being bullied at some point. It is estimated that as many as half the incidents of bullying are never reported…..even considering that as many as 14% of students have had severe negative events related to bullying.

One big problem with bullying in 2011 is that it is no longer limited to just verbal threats and physical violence. Bullying has many faces including:
-relational...ie. withdrawing emotional, social, and friendship benefits to punish a victim
-racial...indirect racial slurs, graffiti, exclusion from various social settings and activities, and harassment
-sexual...sexual remarks, inappropriate touching,
-cyberbullying...threats and harassment over various internet social sites such as Facebook etc.

Very serious problems can result for bullied teens including physical harm as well as depression and social isolation. In the next couple of blogs I will discuss more in depth the problems related to bullying….and some of the steps we can take both in the Church, and in the community to help stem the epidemic which is overtaking so many of our teens.

Scott G. Eddy, RN BSN


Reference: USA Live Headlines.Com

Connecting to the Community: with Megan Kelly

Tonight we met at Grace Presbyterian Church with Megan Kelly of Great KIDS make Great COMMUNITIES. Megan presented an overview of the 40 Developmental Assets, particularly those that congregations can build into kids and youth. It was a lot of good information, a very empowering session. Our 46808 Neighborhood Churches want to make our neighborhood a better place to live - and building assets into children and teens is a key investment.

Here's some highlights from the evening:
* the average American kid has about 19 assets in their life
* kids and youth who are involved in their local church have on average about 21 assets in their life
* kids and youth who are not involved in a local church have on average about 15 assets in their life
* while the ideal goal is for each child and teen to have all forty developmental assets in their life, having at least 30 will make a big difference in their life
* churches can make a key difference in the life of a child and teen directly, and indirectly through supporting parents and other local agencies.

The 40 Developmental Assets are a result of research done by the Search Institute. You can read about all the assets by clicking here. Search Institute has identified these building blocks of healthy development - known as Developmental Assets - that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. The research shows that the more positive experiences children have in their lives, the greater the likelihood that they will succeed developmentally.


What are the developmental assets that congregations can naturally build into young people?
*provide support through other adult relationships: young people need to receive support from three or more nonparent adults
*empowerment through fostering a place of safety: young people need to feel safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood
*availability of adult role models: young people need parents and other adults to model positive, responsible behavior

*nurture a constructive use of time through involvement in a religious community: young people ought to spend at least one or more hours per week in activities with a religious institution
*demonstrate positive values like caring and helping others, equality and justice for others in need, integrity with convictions, honesty when it's not easy, accepting responsibility, and showing restraint towards unhealthy behaviors
* foster a sense of purpose: young people need to feel like their life has a meaningful purpose

For a great list of specific activities of what congregations can do to build into kids and youth, click here.

In what ways has Anchor been building assets into the life of our children and teens over the past bunch of years? Here's some observations. What would you add to the list?
* serve on the worship team as singers, Scripture readers, and instrumentalists
* serve as candlelighters, ushers, and communion servers
* serve on community service projects in the neighborhood

* raise their own funds for youth trips and projects
* raise funds for people in need - in our community and around the world
* participate in small groups led by caring, fun, responsible adults
* enjoy a safe place to spend their morning singing, learning, and praying
* worship and serve alongside adults ranging from young to old

Connecting to the Community: With Judge Pratt

Churches in the 46808 Neighborhood gathered together tonight at First Mennonite Church to meet with Judge Charles Pratt. He was joined by his assistant Kate Rusher, the Assistant Chief Juvenile Probation Officer at Allen Superior Court.

Here's an overview of some of the material Judge Pratt shared with us in regard to reporting child abuse and neglect:
First: is the child under the age of 18?
Second: which of these in the "general neglect category" apply -
* Food
* Clothing
* Shelter
* Supervision
* Medical Care
* Education

Third: Does the neglect have a corresponding serious harm to the child?
Fourth: Has your congregation's offer to help or help from other agencies been ignored or refused?
Fifth: Has there been an act - or a failure to act - that resulted in injury (an injury that is not typical given the age, the place of the injury, and the extent of it)?
Sixth: Has there been injuries from an act of domestic violence (or has the child been exposed to domestic violence)?

When reporting, be sure to:
* Give specific conditions of the home if you deem it to be unsafe
* Articulate clearly the circumstances that you deem to of serious harm (untreated medical care, failure to provide food, inadequate shelter, children left alone, etc.)
* Call the child abuse and neglect hotline as soon as you have compiled your information: 1-800-800-5556. If you think the child is in immediate danger, call your local police.

Possible victims of sex offenses:
If the child provides you with facts that he or she has been sexually victimized, then do the following:
* Make notes for your later recollection about the child's comments.
* Do not ask the child questions. There is protocol for interviewing the children that requires an expert to complete
* Contact the police and the hotline.
* Assure the child that you are acting to protect him or her.
* Remember that the child - regardless of his or her participation in the abuse - is a victim.

As our churches become more involved in the neighborhood, and as we come alongside more families, we are seeing more children in dire circumstances. The question arises: what's the best way to serve the children and their families? And: how can we best partner with the court system to better serve those involved in abuse and neglect cases? This is how we subvert the powers of injustice.

Jesus commanded his disciples to go preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick. This is motivation for us to meet with Judge Pratt and collaborate with him in better caring for our neighbors. We are a community of churches that want to make our neighborhood a better place to live, in the name of Jesus.

We met with Judge Pratt and Kate Rusher last year - over a period of four weeks they introduced us to the court system from the perspective of children, youth, and adults. They also helped us connect with available resources like Great Communities Make Great Kids, the YWCA: Domestic Violence Services, CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, and others.

This year we wanted to follow up with Judge Pratt and Kate Rusher and learn more about CHINS (Children In Need of Services). Next week we will meet with Megan Kelly who directs Great Communities Make Great Kids - and will do a presentation on the 40 Developmental Assets that church communities can best offer to kids and youth. The following week we'll meet with Jocelyn Smith of Rising Stars, and then the final week we'll meet with Wallace Butts of the Fort Wayne Fatherhood Coalition.

REVEAL: Anchor

In a study of what people need and want from their church and pastor, here are some of the findings from the REVEAL study.

In Summary:

What people want from their church is spiritual guidance and belonging.

What people need from their church is spiritual guidance and accountability/impact.

What people want from their pastor is preaching and casting vision.

What people need from their pastor is spiritual challenge.

What is spiritual guidance? 

* helping you develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

* providing a clear pathway that helps guide your spiritual growth

* helping you understand the Bible in greater depth

What is spiritual challenge?

* challenging you to take the next step spiritually

* encouraging you to take responsibility for your own spiritual growth

As you think about the coming year and your life with God, you may want to consider how to get some more accountability in your life. You are probably already facing some challenges, so the key for you is to let those hard times and difficulties become a platform for trusting God more, getting more wisdom, and building your character. 

People need help in figuring out how to grow spiritually, and they need the church to help them with accountability to take the next steps they know they need to take. And accountability requires relationships, a form of mentoring and friendship, a willingness to care about another person, to check in on them and speak truth in love.

People also need their pastor to help them embrace the challenges of life and let them shape their relationship with God. For those that are comfortable in life, they need their pastor to help them step out of their comfort zone into a life of faith and risky love.

People don't need more programs to grow spiritually. They need to make a decision, and then they need to use everyday life as fodder for loving God and loving their neighbor. Programs can be a helpful tool, but they are for a limited time and purpose. The challenge you accept does not come from a program but a inner choice to grow more mature, to align your character with Christ's. 

At Anchor this year we will be providing you with a place to belong and grow spiritually. You must take the initiative, but we will walk with you. As the pastor, I am committed to challenging you, to helping you accept the challenges of your life, and blossom into a Christ-centered person. The choice is yours, but we will be an anchor for you every step of the way.

A-Z Reasons to Stop Viewing Porn

from XXXCHURCH, by Jay Dennis

26 Destructive Consequences Porn Viewing Has on a Man

The following destructive consequences are the result of a Christian man viewing pornography.
The A to Z format covers the wide range of negative results that porn has on a man who is a follower of Jesus.

Alienates You From God. You no longer feel close to God. You don’t experience the power of God. You no longer have the joy of your salvation.

Blinds You To The Consequences. It temporarily turns off your walk with God, your relationships with your wife, your children, and others. It blinds you to what is going to happen to you spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, vocationally, and relationally.

Creates Unrealistic Expectations. Men begin to think this is what every woman should look like and that this is what your relationships with your wife is to be like.

Distorts Your View Of Sex. It makes you believe that sex is solely for the pleasure of a man and that women are simply objects to be used rather than God’s creations to be honored and respected.

Enough Is Never Enough. Pornography has an escalating effect. Like a drug you need more and more to satisfy the lust. It takes you further down a destructive path and further away from peace, joy, and healthy relationships.

Freedom Over What You Think And Do Is Lost. You become enslaved to your sinful thoughts which lead to sinful actions.

Guilt Comes Upon You After You Look At Porn, But The Guilt Is Not Enough To Prevent You From Doing It The Next Time.

Healthy Sexuality Is Numbed Through Porn. Healthy sex is married sex only that includes regular sex, unselfish sex, and loving sex.

Isolates You And Makes You Feel You Are All Alone And Are The Only One Who Struggles With Porn And Lust.

Jeopardizes Your Relationship With Your Wife Or Future Wife (if you are single), Your Witness For Jesus Christ, And Everything In Your Life That Is Important To You. You Put It All On The Line For Pornography.

Keeps You In A Cycle Of Self Destructive Behavior. It may appear to medicate the pain in your life, but it only adds to the pain with more pain. Porn leads you to do things you never thought you would do. Sin will take you further than you want to go. It will keep you longer than you want to stay. And it will cost you more than you want to pay (Unknown Author).

Lust—Sexual Sinful Lust—Leads To Sexual Sinful Actions. Porn put in your mind is like putting fuel on the fire of wrong sexual desire resulting in destructive thoughts and actions.

Masks The Real Wound You Are Seeking To Heal And Makes Things Worse.

Never A Neutral Experience. You cannot look at porn and not be affected by it. That experience is always inconsistent with God’s Word.

Objectifies Women. It makes them a sexual object. Porn hijacks a man’s ability to see an older woman as a mother figure, a same-aged woman as a sister figure, and a younger woman as a daughter figure.

Porn Initially Brings A Very Short-Lived Pleasure, Followed By Pain And More Pain

Quitting Becomes The Struggle Of A Lifetime. Once you allow porn in, there is a raging battle with Satan and your old nature to keep looking. Once you have allowed porn into your life, there will always be a battle. It is a winnable battle, but a daily battle.

Remains Imbedded In Your Mind Forever. Satan uses that image to replay in your mind to create a cycle of sinful lust again and to drive you back to looking at porn. You become bound to an image and a not a person.

Shame Enters Your Life. Guilt is feeling badly for something you have done, shame, however, is based on feeling badly about who you are. Pornography brings shame. God never brings shame. Satan always brings shame.

Trust Is Broken With The People You Love And Respect The Most.

Unlocks The Door To Every Sexual Sin. Porn is a portal, a gateway that leads to nothing good and everything painful such as compulsive masturbation, affairs, dangerous sexual practices, visiting adult-oriented businesses, paying for sex, perverted sexual practices and sexual abuse.

Violates Women. How? You are putting your stamp of approval on an industry that degrades and dehumanizes women.

Wandering Eyes Toward Other Women are Invited .

Xtinguishes Truth. Pornography promotes lying. You lie to others, you lie to God, and you lie to yourself. You lie more to cover up past lies. You become a living lie.

Yokes You To An Image. You become bound and attached to the image instead of your wife or future wife if you are single.

Zips Your Lips To Praising God, Speaking About Your Faith, And Telling Others How They Can Experience God.

~~~~~

I found this article online and wanted to repost it here. If you know of a man who knows he ought to give up porn, send him this article. And if your friend is willing, I'd be glad to meet with him to talk through his next steps for giving up porn. ~ Tim

Cookbooks for a Cause!

Friends,

Anchor is getting creative in how we can increase the support of our favorite causes. We want to partner with you to further these great causes we care about.

Last year Anchor collaborated...
with Habitat for Humanity - helped a family build a new home;

with Wings of Hope - provided kitchen supplies for women transitioning out of prison;

with Grace Presbyterian Church - provided tons of school supplies for their back to school event;

with A Hope Center - raising funds through their walk-a-thon

with Community Harvest Food Bank - giving away many, many, many food vouchers

with NeighborLink - cleaned up an alley, the backyard of a neighbor along with a front window and an oven

with Literacy Alliance - hosting their GED and literacy classes

Our current project to increase our support to our favorite causes is to create a cookbook; if we can sell three-hundred of them we raise $2,100 - which would almost double what we were able to give away last year.

How can you help? First, submit a recipe. By doing this you will also place a pre-order. We'll be selling each cookbook for $10; when you submit your recipe(s) you also put down $5.

Second, come up with one or two or even three friends or family members that you know would enjoy an Anchor Cookbook. Our goal is to have it published and available by Easter. Which means you'll have it in plenty of time for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Independence Day! :)

Since you are on Facebook, send a message to Cliff Richards or Heidi Richards (search them if you're not a "friend" with them) or hit reply to this message if you are interested.

We need your recipe submitted by Sunday January 24th! Cliff and Heidi will have instructions for you on how to submit it and be able to answer any questions you may have.

This is an exciting project - it's great to have so many people already working to get their recipes in and sharing with us who they'll be giving cookbooks to.

Thanks,

Tim

Making Disciples

Next Sunday we kick off our year long (13 months...) look at the Gospel of Luke. We've invited everyone at Anchor to read one chapter every two weeks, or half a chapter every week, or two chapters a month. The pace is pretty easy - the point is not just to read through the gospel. The point is to reflectively read through the stories and instructions of Jesus so that we can better know what he was all about - and thus so we can better pattern our life after him.

What's exciting about this is the potential of critical mass: when enough people are making time (a precious commodity) to put energy into reflectively reading through Luke - something good will happen. Alot of people don't read the Scriptures because they don't really understand what they read. What is cool about this plan is that we can use Sunday Mornings, this blog, one on one conversations, commentaries and other tools to help more people get more out of the gospel of Luke.

To state the obvious: to make a disciple, one must be a disciple; and at the heart of being a disciple is taking to heart the stories and instructions of Jesus. One of the most powerful catalysts for growing as a disciple is to get Jesus' stories and instructions deep inside your soul and keep striving to live them out in everyday life. I'm excited about this coming year - Anchor is giving everyone a great opportunity to together take a next big step towards becoming more like Jesus. And this matters because we believe that the more we love and serve like Jesus, the better this world will be.

Doing Good in the Neighborhood

Today members of our church walked through the neighborhood picking up the litter alongside the edges of the alleys, sidewalks and streets. 25 of us - age range being 19mos to 75 years old! - took along our trash bags, gloves, poker sticks and wheeled carts for an hour to bless the neighborhood. Albeit our impact was small, but the intent behind it was big - acts of kindness done on purpose are always good.

Anchor used to do this event every year when we first started. One thing led to another and we quit doing it. As a way to celebrate our ten year anniversary this month, we thought it'd be a great idea to bring back one of our original ways of serving our neighbors. Anchor's found plenty of good ways to serve the neighborhood in the past ten years, but what's neat about this task is that it's one for the whole family, and you get to hang out with a bunch of different folks as you walk through the neighborhood.

The neighborhood has changed a little in ten years, some houses and properties look better, others not so much. Still lots of kids in the neighborhood, young families, and plenty of barking dogs! What's important for Anchor to do is keep finding ways to bless our neighbors - in big and small ways - in lots of creative ways, in order to open doors of opportunity.

Here's how it works: God blesses Anchor, and then He makes Anchor a blessing, so that the whole neighborhood/city may be blessed by God through us. Today was one more example of how that worked.

Help, Spirit...

Galatians 6

2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
People reap what they sow.
8 Those who sow to please their sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; those who sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

It just seems like the burden gets heavier and heavier. Especially as more and more people sow to please their sinful nature. So if I continue on in doing good to all people - even those who reap destruction...well what does it look like to keep carrying their burdens?

To paraphrase Shane Claiborne - whenever anyone asks for help, we are obligated to help them; but we are not obligated to help them exactly according to their request.

When I see friends, fellow believers, neighbors sow to please their sinful nature, and THEN they ask me what to do to reduce the pain...well what does it look like to carry that burden? I really, really, really want to do good to all people, especially to the family of believers. Whether it is my role as a pastor or as a Christian man, it seems like the promised harvest is long in coming. I don't want to give up, but it is hard to not grow weary. I suppose the key is: as we have opportunity. I don't want to make that my excuse clause, but on the other hand I also have responsibilities to my immediate friends and family. But...my goal is not to do good according to what I think I am capable, but to sow to please the Spirit.

Help, Spirit.

Why Kid's Ministry is Important

Yes, a ministry to children is important.

At Anchor, there are several reasons why we say yes.

One reason: for some children, they will not hear or learn anything constructive about the Scriptures while at home. Over the years, Anchor has had many children come to church on their own, which means that the importance of our kids ministry skyrockets. Within our public schools, the Associated Churches has a program where they travel around to the elementary schools providing some form of religious education. Fortuantely, many children are given some positive teaching about the Scriptures and Christianity. However, there is nothing that replaces the kind of ministry that can happen as part of a church gathering.

Another reason: many parents of children and youth want to make sure that some form of religious teaching is provided. They personally may not be that interested, but they want it for their kids. We're happy to oblige them. We're also convinced that if we do our kids ministry right, the benefits of it will increase the interest of the parents for their own religious awakening. Some of those parents are interested in their own spiritual growth, so they want to make sure that they are part of a church that can help each member of their family mature in their faith. We want to honor that interest.

And not the final reason: the impressions that children have of church has a lifelong impact. We want to make sure that our kids ministry impresses upon children patient love, contagious fun, helpful lessons. If kids have this kind of experience, they will be more likely to stay interested in church as a youth and as an adult. As teens become adults, they will possibly have some disillusionment with the church - it's just what happens. But despite the disillusionment, we want them to still have good memories; memories that provide a seedbed for hope. As teens become adults, they must shed their child-faith and develop an adult-faith; as they do this, we want them to not shed the memories of love, fun, and helpfulness, but to let those memories sustain their desire to rebuild their faith.