When setting out to try this, my mind was drawn to first meditating on the names of Jesus, the Son of God. Being a very visual person, to help with this I pulled together a list of names for Jesus in a text document.  This list did the trick for me if I had my laptop, but not so well if I did not.  So, what had to be the solution? You guessed it – a series of iPhone Wallpapers.

This is the first of the series.  My plan is to create one for each day of the week.   I hope this might help me take a few moments throughout the day to recalibrate by reflecting on the names and qualities of Christ. If you are a visual sort, perhaps it would be useful to you also.

See this wallpaper on an iPhone and get download instructions here.

… the most important reason why people stay at your church plant is relationships. Hopefully we hammered home the importance of you preparing and implementing strategies to build the relationships necessary to “earn the right” to keep serving these newcomers for our Lord. From David Jacksons Blog on “Five More Reasons Why People Will Stay at Your Church Plant”

At SK Church we break out into home based CE Groups during the week.  Another name for these meetings are Create & Engage Groups.  After SK services on Sunday morning, there is social interaction among the congregation.  However, this is usually not enough time to really find out what is going on in someones life.  This is where CE Groups come in.

Every two weeks, multiple CE Groups meet in homes around Garner, Clayton and Raleigh. The goals are simple – Create Community and Engage Community. What does this mean?

It means we create a community within our group that enjoys meals together, we talk about the highs and lows of the week together, we pray together, and we discuss the most recent message from our pastor together.  It also means that we engage community by planning events that try to put feet to our faith. Engage events range from serving the local Police and EMS families to caring for the needs of Battered Womens Shelters to hosting cookout events for local college students.

Whether its creating or engaging, the goal is to form deeper relationships. Relationships that will build trust that allows for the sharing of the hope that Christ has for us.

If this is the kind of community that interests you then I welcome you to email me at mike.askew@mindablaze.com or check out more information   here. You are always welcome to visit one of our groups.

Meetings 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 7:00-9:00pm.

Next Meeting on October 7th.

Click here for more info about Fight Club.

A gathering of men where it is safe to express need and have need met.What happens at Fight Club, stays at Fight Club, so we gather, pray, and fight for what is important.

The rules of Fight Club is “What happens at FightClub, stays at Fight Club”.  So, I can not give any specific details of conversations from the evening.  What I can share, though, is that I was overwhelmed with how honest the men of our church were with their struggles. Even more astounding was  how willing they where to come alongside each other and help bear burdens.  

Fight Club opened with going around the room with the opportunity for each member to share the “High” and “Low” of his day.  The first couple times we met, this exchange was marked by a cursory sharing of something safe and generic to appear that we were playing along.  But, we are finally past that cautious stage where you wonder if other guys are going to think you are some kind of freakshow for not saying that “its all good!”.  There is not any pretense to this part of the evening anymore.

After the “High/Low” time, we moved into taking requests for prayer for the struggles we have been facing during the week.  After 30 minutes of getting our needs out in the open, it was evident that this group of men was carrying a wide range of  heavy burdens.  It appeared that not many were being spared this week.  Even so, there was hope for some measure of comfort.

As each member of Fight Club slowly began to ask God for his mercies on others around them, the mood began to shift.  The weary, beat-down tone in voices began to lift as  comfort was found in bringing our needs before the throne of God.  Hearing other men intercede with God on your behalf somehow made you feel that you were not alone in the fight.  For me, hearing my friend Troy LaPlante stand in the gap  and pray for my family’s specific needs was well timed comfort.

I thank God for the safe house that he provided for me tonight at Fight Club.  The end of the evening found me feeling able to enter the rest of the week encouraged. I was reminded that I am not alone in my daily struggles.  I have a community of men at Sovereign King who are willing to care for me and my family.  I serve a God who is merciful and promises never to leave me nor forsake me. Tonight, Fight Club was exactly what I needed….