Praying Mantis, Praying Mantis, Praying Mantis

Praying Mantis thoughts for Friday, July 27, 2007

The Most Horrible and Wonderful thing About Church Planting

7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

--- 2 Corinthians 4:7 (King James Version)

Death. Separation. Movement. There is nothing quite like an adventure with friends, especially when it is a quest for some buried treasure. Especially when the quest is initiated by something bigger than you, someone bigger than you ...someone who has chosen you for the quest, not because you were worthy - but because you were small and incapable. And quests are no good alone - and so the most important part of a journey, the most important part of the adventure becomes the friends that lead you, that you walk along with, that you share your doubts and fears with, or that help lift you up when
you think there is just no way you can go on. Every resting point where your heart collides with the hearts of your friends becomes a place where you are made stronger, even when death comes.

I have long believed, even before the church plant began, that the part I would hate the worse would be the loss of my friends. I don't mean loss resulting from disputes - though inevitably that will be a part of the whole plan. But, I mean the point in time when one's journey must go down another path...for their journey is not the same as yours any longer. I have prepared my heart for this from the beginning, or He has - somehow I have set my heart on a pillar waiting for that day when the hammer of separation would come - anticipating it as I did the prophesy that I don't dare utter for the truth that might reside even in the speaking of the words.

I can remember God hardening my heart (or was it softening) with one of my journeymen named Luke. He told me his journey was taking him to a new church plant in Kansas. I quickly said "that is great," because it was exactly the type of thing I had been apprenticing those around me for - to jump at oppportunities to serve the Lord on the edges of service and love. some of the people looked shocked because they knew his value, shocked that I would say "great." I then had to explain how
grevious the wound was to me despite my excitement for this moment of the "call," because I was in love with the friend, and beyond appreciation for his participation in the gospel from the day we had met, the day that he was nothing more than a younger brother in high school to a prince in the rebellion we had started in the town of Tempe. You see this is how major battles are won - they are won with minor character is sub-plots whose ears perk up - as the eternal battle rages, for though they seem small at the moment, they are just the types of people that God will use...they are inspired by the kingdom, they are emboldened by adversity, rather then turned away. When friends fall at their side, they grieve more deeply then can be manifested in skin and bone...but the call becomes even more clear, the reason even more influential.

And how must the church plant on the high desert plateau have felt when I did leave a year after I arrived, just as I had promised for sure...but, it still must have been hard. For their hearts had planted deep - and my part had alawys been a small role - but we became soldiers together as we did prayer walks around the neighborhoods, as we gathered for baptisms near the stream in Winslow. Separation will kill the strong - but the weak retreat further into the task at hand.

Even now, I prepare my heart for the loss of a prince - who is looking for lands more beautiful, where he can raise a boy and a girl in a place that makes your eyes sharp and your senses more alive. The original word for farm dwellers was pagan, because the gospel did not always make itself go out of the city - an irony really, since we all know the chaos that reigns in the cities - the place of the "fame of man." And I know there is a great death awaiting people in both the cities and the rural areas...but there is no greater death then the loss of a family member, and separation from friends can be just an woe-ful.

The beauty of friends are like flowers- impossible to appreciate if you are fearing the fact that they will only last for a time...and so, when they bloom you must just look at them as deeply as possible, and take as much time as you can for that moment, enjoying the moment that you are together because everything fades, everything passes and you were and never will be guiding yourself on any path that was not determined for you before hand - no doubt you make the choices that lead you where you are going - you are no meat-puppets, but likewise every step you take has been accounted for - and the
unfolding of your life has been known, prepared for, accounted for my the ancient magic of Yahweh - protections sent by angelic instructions, and countless tragedies watched and allowed, never any surprises to an omnipotent King that started the whole ball of wax rolling. There is deep love and deep magic in a creator watching His creation who allows both free will and divine providence to entertwine. That is why I can rest in my sorrow as my friends are taken down the stream by currents that are bigger than my mistakes, my inattentiveness, my lack of knowledge about how to encourage, train and serve.

It is a sadness too deep to contemplate losing a good friend, and a joy too important to ignore.

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Thursday, July 26, 2007

Baby Liberty was born last night. Dark black hair. Beautiful and strong.

New baby Liberty
Sweet Baby liberty
Of thee I sing
Joy of your father's life
Peace in your mother's eyes
Oh Lord, hope of our lives
to Thee we sing.

Hold baby liberty
by your spirit free
to Thee we sing.
Joy of all our lives
watched by your loving eyes
Oh Lord, reveal yourself
to we who sing.

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Wednesday, July 25, 2007

In the Gospel & Mission Class

an attendee spoke about how they had read over this weeks section on reformed theology and how they had felt free for the first time in their life. This person had come out of a particular church that is works based and how they had never felt like they had measured up to God's standard. But seeing the word of God say over and over again that it was God who pursued us, and not us who were the ones responsible to measure up to some "spiritual standard" was liberating. This person spoke of the fredom that comes from knowing that "belief" was a gift of God that had been given to them - and that all they really needed to do was to "maybe ask for more from God." You could see a deep joy spread over this person - like there was a God that had cared enough about them to be wooing him - rather than a mysterious God who they were chasing but never quite finding in their own actions.

Time and time again I see old timey Christians who resist this thought that is so clear in scripture - so did I, when I used to have control of the wheel. But what is interesting are the newbies that aren't entrenched in the "performance church" culture and how readily they embrace God's word of liberty and freedom that comes from a knowlegde that it is by grace we are saved, not of ourselves, but a gift of God - not of works so that anyone would boast.

Last session of class, a few months ago - somebody said "nobody ever told me that you weren't saved just because you are a good person - I always thought everyone went to heaven - who knew it was about a relationship with Christ - not a set of behaviors - not about just being a "good" guy. This really changes everything.

And indeed it does.
Labels: Reformed Thinking

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Saturday, July 21, 2007

This is just a brainstorming idea

What if there was a way to incorporate the Gospel & Misson of a church with Biblical Instruction in Good Orthodoxy, Kingdom level ministry practice in real life scenarios, and good missional training --- all in a very intentional way that helped bridge the gap between doing ministry abd being trained in ministry. And what if it was specifically geared towards youth who wanted to gain a Biblical education with an inclusive practicum during their high school years. This is what I have been thinking it might look like. And all it really is, is a roadmap of what we are doing - but not necessarily clearly defined.

Some of the end results of this would be:

1) Solid education
2) Amazing ministry experience
3) A significant library would be built that the kids would have upon graduating from high school
4) A Scholarship towards post HS education - $2000

Amadeo Bible College

=========================================
Fresh Year:

Missional Texts:

Biblical: Jonah
Biographical: Cameron Townsend Bibliography,
Scholarly: Matthew Henry Commentary, Spirit Filled Commentary, Vines Bible Dictionary
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $120

Missional Experience:
1) Camp Barnabase - $400 - special needs camp
2) Mexico - 2 Weekends at Orphanage - $80
3) Weekly Drop in Center for Youth

Reformed Texts:

Biblical: John, Romans 9, 12, Genesis, Word Studies on Chosen, Sin, Predestined,
Scholarly: Jonathan Edwards
Costs of Books for this Unit: $60
Media: Download Driscoll, Limited/Unlimited Atonement
Memory Verses: list 3 here

Kingdom Theology Texts:

Biblical: Luke, Acts, Daniel - Word Study on Kingdom
Scholarly: Surprised by the Power of the Spirit - Jack Deere
Media: John Wimber
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $30

Total Costs for Year 1 = $690

=========================================

Sophomore Year:

Missional Texts:

Biblical: Genesis 12, Word Study: Disciple, nations
Biographical: William Carey Bibliography
Scholarly: Reformission
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $60

Missional Experience:
1) Camp Barnabase - $200 (with $200 Scholarship for completing 1st year) - special needs camp
2) Mexico - 2 Weekends at Orphanage - $80
3) Weekly Drop in Center for Youth

Reformed Texts:

Biblical: John, Romans 9, 12, Genesis, Word Studies on Grace, Gifts, Salvation, Atonement, Propitiation, Expiation
Scholarly:Martin Luther
Costs of Books for this Unit: $60
Memory Verses: list 3 here

Kingdom Theology Texts:

Biblical: Various Epistles - Word Study on Kingdom, Gifts
Scholarly: Powe Healing - by John Wimber
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $30

Total Costs for Year 1 = $630

=========================================

Junior Year:

Missional Texts:

Biblical: Hosea - Missional living as seen in the Bible
Biographical: Hudson Taylor Bibliography
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $60

Missional Experience:
1) Northern Ireland - Summer Serve - $1800 ($500 scholarhship, normally $2300)
2) Mexico - 1 Weekend at Orphanage - $40
3) Weekly Drop in Center for Youth

Reformed Texts:

Biblical: Ruth, Esther
Scholarly: John Calvin - Selected Essays
Costs of Books for this Unit: $60
Memory Verses: list 3 here

Kingdom Theology Texts:

Biblical: Various Epistles - Word Study on Kingdom, Gifts
Scholarly: Christianity with Power - Church Kraft
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $30

Total Costs for Year 1 = $1990

=========================================

Senior Year:

Missional Texts:

Biblical: Hosea - Missional living as seen in the Bible
Biographical: George Muehler - Bibliography
Scholarly: Servant Evangelism - Stve Sjogren
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $60

Missional Experience:
1) Northern Ireland - Y1 (Year long experience) - $7000 ($2400 scholarhship)
2) Mexico - 1 Weekend at Orphanage - $40
3) Weekly Drop in Center for Youth

Reformed Texts:

Biblical: Ruth, Esther
Scholarly: St Augustine, John Piper - Selected Essays
Costs of Books for this Unit: $60
Memory Verses: list 3 here

Kingdom Theology Texts:

Biblical: Various Epistles - Strange Works of God
Scholarly: Power Evangelism
Memory Verses: list 3 here
Costs of Books for this Unit: $30

Total Costs for Year 1 = $7190

Reality is kids probably wouldn't have time for this as a program. And the monies would seem to intimidating - but there would be instruction on support letters - just like we do anyways with kids we train up.

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Resistance came with the initial push to do global missions - but God pushed us through doubt- delivered his riches according to His timing and did mighty works over seas...

and so now - I feel the resistance again...
and I pray for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done -

as the new missional experience of church growth
and global and local missions requires
faith and risk -
sacrifice and daring -
hope and faith...

stepping out on the waters...
seems a foolish thing to do.

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Alert to the world - if you haven't heard already.

I put in my two weeks notice at General Dynamics - my engineering career is coming to a close. It is time to dream new dreams.

I will start being the pastor at our little church plant full time in August. Thanks for all your prayers and encouragements along the way.

Ben

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Day Dream Believer #2 - in a series:

Every Sunday starts the same. The alarm goes off at 5:30am. I get up and I notice the clothes I laid out the night before, usually a pair of American Eagle Jeans and a button down shirt that has been dry cleaned. That is the luxury I afford Mandy and I now (well maybe more me then her) - dry cleaned shirts for a sermon - at least a new buttoned down shirt once every two to three months. Usually from Ross. After I pass my clothes I turn on the shower - it is a snail shower, in a snail sized house - 1600 square feet and six of us in three bedrooms. Rediculous. People in the bustees of India would think it was a mansion, most people in American would think a Software Engineer must have made a mistake to end up in such a small house at 36 when he has the equivalent of a doctorate - but that is where God has led me, somewhere totally different from where I was planning on going. This was a transition house, an investment house - not a place to land and then stay. And so we are like a sand crab now, six of us piled into a little shell that people in Africa would die for but we just want to loosen our tie and throw our shoes off.

This Sunday the sun rose quick and the heat came fast - five days of 115 degrees - and no chance of changing for months because it is July 17th - and the Indian Summer doesn't come until October. So inside the ac is at 79 and outside it is already 88 degrees and it is only 5:30am. I get dressed, shave, get my guitar, worship music and laptop in the car and I drive to Power Ranch Elementary parking lot where I am the first one there at 6:30, if you come one morning you will see it is so. I park the car and have to leave it running to keep the ac on - or I will be boiled like a clam. I put on worship music, review my sermon, and then pray for God to help redeem this sermon - cause although it has 15-20 hours in it already - I know it is still crafted by me and I need Jesus to come - or I'm quitting - cause my best isn't good enough no matter what the life coaches tell you - I need something more than my best - I need His kingdom to come.

And so I do a bit of begging and pleading with God mixed with a "what the crap...couldn't you have made Phoenix a little bit cooler then this." And then I remember I am here praying for the sermon and refocus. The second one to church is usually Mark Bogumill, or Jeremy and sometimes I have to race in before them cause I want to arrange the chairs in some new origami shape so that people won't get stuck sitting in the same place every week - cause Lord knows ruts aren't good for anything other then waking you up when you start falling asleep and go off the side of the road.

This Sunday we are setting up the chairs, the directional signs, the tithe box that sits in the back and the book table and we are praying for new people and as the lights dim, and the people come to sit down I say "welcome home friends, let's pray." And as I do every Sunday I say, "Holy Spirit Come." But as my eyes are closed I hear thumping going on all around the room and a few gasps. I open my eyes like a good vineyard boy should do any times he prays anyways - and about 8 people are lying on the floor like they are dead. Bill Shipman is walking out of his wheel chair in the back of the room cussing up a storm, and I would think something was wrong except that he is dancing and smiling and tears are going down his face. I think to myself "what if," and put my guitar down and run into Jennah's classroom.

I say come here Jennah and she runs up to me and says, "what daddy?" I say Jennah what do you want to be when you grow up? She says, "You know I have been thinking it would be pretty special to be a nurse so that I could love and serve people who have special needs," there is no studder and the words are flowing so smooth, "but I would be satisfied with just being the best mom I could." She stops for a second and you can see she is thinking about what she wants to say next. " Daddy, I love you so much and thank you for loving me all those years when I was unable to communicate just exactly what I was feeling - thanks for loving me even when I wasn't perfect."

"You were always perfect," I say blubbering because it is my signature, my achilles, "it was me that needed healing, thank you for loving me when I wasn't perfect."

"You are the best dad ever no matter your special needs," Jennah says with flawless sincerity and perfect gentlesness "and I will always love you." All of the sudden she looks 16 and my heart is broken.

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Monday, July 16, 2007

I had come home to a crisp blue sky just as fall's gentle breath had begun to chase that cruel Indian summer away. I had let go of my labors of the past five years and three months later I had just actually barely began to smell the creative inspirations that can only come from a life change and having the time to be still before the God of infinite possibilities. And as I turned the radio off and pulled the keys from the ignition I saw the package next to the wood bench near my front door. It was bowling ball size, with tan paper and a label that said "Pastor Cloud."

As I picked it up I could smell the freshly cut lawn and hear the rumble of a train in the distance just past Power Ranch. The box was light for the size, like it was empty - but I could hear the shifting in the box as I carried it inside - like a book. There were no orders left as far as I could remember - the guitar amp had come in for the worship team, and the books on ending world poverty (ha!) had all arrived - I wondered if there was something I had forgot.

My kids heard me opening the refridgerator to get a diet Dr. Pepper - and they being tuned into the kitchen sounds - came down the stairs and around the corner, Annah with her shy (or is it sly) smile and required hug, her hair matted in curls - her eyes and round face reflecting like a mirror off of my own...poor thing. And next Jennah came down the stairs with her ritualized greeting of "Hi, love-eee Beh-nuhvy," and the "whatcha eating?" As Annah was kissing me on the cheek Jennah spotted the package, "what's this dad...it's a...it's a...it's a present for you?" I'm not sure I said taking a drink of my soda - just as my stomach kicked in and informed me it was time to go to the restroom. There are biological and environmental patterns that just seem to never change and one of those is the daily mail-slash-restroom ritual when I get home. I grabbed the mail on the counter that Noah had gotten as one of his chores and went to the bathroom.

The Forbes magazine had a picture of Bill Gates with a brief blurb on philanthropy and in a small pop out in the bottom left hand corner was a picture of a blonde girl with the following blurb: "The Future of Hilton?" Three envelopes had bills in them. One was from the HOA, another from the Town of Gilbert, and a third from Liberty Mutual car insurance. I had often wondered what life would be like if everything was paid for in my life - but I could see from these bills that there would never a time in life when everything is paid for. There are two very different responses to riches in this world - the kind that leads to helping others and the kind that leads to entertaining yourself --- and the first is more easily obtained when people work for a living, and the other more of an option for those who get things handed to them on a plate.

There is a certain heart strength that comes from cleansing one's self of excess - and there is a certain joy that comes from choosing the irrational and unsafe path - the road few are willing to tread. Many a poor existential boy or girl has met their demise while throwing caution to the wind...but some have been vessels and instruments for changing the world as we know it. There is very little difference between the psychotic who denies the existence of reason and consquences and He who is the man of faith as it regards the peculiarities of their ability to embrace risk-taking, but the rewards of each are far different. I had determined long ago that if I was in the secular world I would make as much money as possible...but I knew I would give also give it all to God if He would but use me.

As I was reading the bills on the throne, Jennah opened the door with the package in her hand, "I open this for you? I open this for you?" repeating herself. "Get out of here," I roared in my best dissaproving Fatherly voice, "I need my space." The door snapped shut and I laughed, no sense of privacy...really!

As I walked out she was sitting on the couch smiling embarassingly swinging her legs with the package in her lap. "I open this for you...dad, I open?" "Sure," I said grabbing the package, pulling the pocket knife from my pocket, and then cutting the tape and handing it back. Jennah pulled out a frame and said, "Awww....it's a picture...a picture of... what's a picture of dad?" a puzzle look took over her face. I grabbed the frame and saw it was a picture of an empty lot over looking the desert, a small mountain curving over in the background. "Hmmmm," I thought and saw that there was no return address. I looked in the package and there was a largish envelope. In the envelope there was a check. It had an unreasonable amount of digits on it. It said $2,600,000 and the check was written out to our church. My heart broke as I remembered that my God was a rediculous God - an amazingly generous God. "What is it?" Jennah asked and Annah looked sad as she saw a tear rolling down my face. "It is God I told her...it is God."

"Present from God," Jennah asked, "awwww...that God, He so nice, He is a pretty boy."

---From a day dream of faith

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Thursday, July 12, 2007

how inspiring is it
to do the same thing that
several thousands have done before?
not too inspiring I suspect
for those who are suspect of
the intentions of one church being
the same as every other church.

but this is part of growing the church
both deep and wide...

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Sunday, July 08, 2007

A Shocking Tenderness and kindness

Every Sunday is a new opportunity
to display a shocking kindness
like Jesus
eating corn on the sabbath
like Jesus
praying for healing and believing it would happen
like Jesus
saying that the roman non-believer had more faith then all the religious leaders
like Jesus
telling the Jewish people to hang out with Samaritans
like Jesus
writing in the sand and watching the stone throwers walk away
like Jesus
Rebuking the religious leaders calling them a brook of vipers and white washed tombs
like Jesus
Rebuking the disciples for holding back the children
like Jesus
dining with sinners and hanging out with prostitutes
like Jesus
calling Peter to walk on the water
like Jesus
telling them to pass our a few fish and bread to hundreds of people
like Jesus
telling us to go into all nations making disciples and batizing them
like Jesus
telling us no gets to the father except through the son
like Jesus
telling Peter to get behind me Satan
like Jesus
washing their feet
like Jesus
spitting on the dirt and making the blind man to see
like Jesus
dying on the cross...
yeah just like Jesus
to leave me as a model
a Shocking tenderness and kindness

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Saturday, July 07, 2007

L.Q.

With all this new found understanding of intelligences beyond the IQ such as EI (Emotional Intelligence) and SQ (Social Intelligence), I thought I would throw my two cents in with LQ - your (Love Quotience), or LI (Love Intelligence) - in Other words how deep is our understanding of Love. Does our love quotient have a place for:

*Innocent Suffering
*God's wrath and demand for justice
*A recognition of the importance of rebukes and encouragement
*The importance of praise and humility
*Sacrifice as a means of showing love
*Service as a sign of true love
*Hell - God justness is a sign of love
*Intentionality of orthodoxy - there is a right and wrong
*Liberality of symbology in secular texts and art mediums - that God is displaying his truth through non-believers

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Praying Mantis thoughts for Friday, July 06, 2007

The Integration of the Mind & the Spirit

Faith & Reason
Science & the Spirit
Secular & The Sacred
Logic & the Love
Stewardship & Walking by Faith
Kingdom Now & the Kingdom to Come
Leadership & Submission
Surgery & Laying on of hands
Studying & Doing
Rebuking & Holding your Tongue
Sending Out Yearlings & Training Them in House
Local Missions, Global Missions, Neighborhood MIssionality
Servant Evangelism & Power Evangelism

I never love as much as I love
when my heart and mind is in it.
I love the doctor who loves with mercy
and I love the Rophe, who when He wills
chooses to be the healer...
I love the faith that does,
and the light shining
from the darkness...
this is reason that leads to love,
and love that leads to reason...
I love the pushing out of the nest
and I love the home training which is the rest...
There is a science of spirituality
drawing near and being drawn,
choosing that which was predestined,
deciding to follow with my intellect
He who was drawing my spirit in...
a Pied Piper Holy Spirit
that calls me when I hear U2,
or when I watch a secular movie,
or sing bar songs as at a Gaelic Storm Concert...
my joy is the most complete
in the secular world - where I lay hands on a sick man
who has left the faith - but his back "hurts like S&IT," he says
so he is willing to let me pray
after a sideways glance that says,
"are you crazy?"
I have been in the temple more times
in chance encounters on a street then in
actual Sunday Services
and still I love them both...
I love being "On the road,"
with the beat poets and
truck stop heroes...
and I love singing
old hymns...
I love the catholic mass,
and the Baptist insistence on world missions
and Benevolence.
I love hanging out with the poor
and dream of living in a big house...
I am irresistably in love with
the world He has placed me in,
and the promise of a better place.
I study and poke my nose in books
and then I throw the damn things in the fire
and run into the arms of faith and actions
and the experience of existential spiritual and logical path taking.
Blind fold me,
drag me,
try to keep up,
try to wake me in my sabbath rests,
run so as to win the prize,
I'll race, I'll give
I'll go forward,
and then scream out loud
that faith has nothing to do with works...
and everything to do with it....

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Kindness Touches....

I have heard of the these churches that try to purposefully, intentionally have over 100,000 touches of kindness by either do free car washes, wrapping christmas presents, mowing lawns, cleaning toilets, etc - so I thought I would try to see how we are doing according to this little standard - of course being kind and serving is something that has to happen 24*7 but getting at the fore-front of our mind can never hurt...

At AMADEO we have done:

880 Flags
300 Faces Painted (over two events)
500 Kids and families at a bouncy event we put on
80 Sodas/waters to car show people
3 people at free prayer booth
210 Bags of groceries to sonoqui wash
50 Blankets for the poor
1 Persons house fixed up
6 People in a family blessed
1 Girl going to cheer camp helped out
140 People over to house for dinners
18 Free juices/waters at Circle K and grocery store
4 Hospitol visits
80 people who received free stuff at our free garage sell
11 marriage counseling session
45 meails taken to sick/pregnant people
100 hotdogs - done by youth drop in
85 ice pops/popsicles done by youth drop in
100 free sodas done by youth drop in
12 Serving disabled kids at camp barnabas
>200 Touches of various orphans through Casa De Elizabeth
--------------
>2200 touches of outward focused activties in my little community of faith that I can think of off hand...

I know we are a wee small church plant of ~100 so if you said an average big church is 1000, then 10 * 2200 that would equal 22,000 touches....

It is rediculous to try to quantify this I know...but I like dreaming about the idea of being able to bless 200,000 people a year in small ways while we of course are doing the other things of: global missions, training of our own family, meeting spiritual needs and areas of ministry, etc.

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo

Everyone add Todd Baio if you haven't yet - he has a cool blog called the kindness kitchen.

Check it out:

Todd B

praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo