Ridgell's Originals

 People are asking what is going on at Hillcrest.  We are baptizing lots of people.  We are reaching the marginalized people in our society.  I think they are looking for a program or technique to use .  The obvious reason is that we do not have a program or any technique we teach.  We do pray.  A lot.  We pray for God to bring us people that are seeking Him.  We pray for courage to speak.  We pray for eyes to see.  And here is the only other suggestion I could give.

Go find you some Vaughns, Stones, Battens, and Varners.  None of these are on staff at Hillcrest.  They are just couples who want people to know Jesus.  One is a reatired couple and he served for years as an elder.  One couple spent some time in fulltime ministry and are now enjoying some of the greatest ministry of their lives.  The other has done ministry and they very much consider themselves ministers even if they are not being paid by the church. Another has overcome some amazing handicaps to spend their time talking to the marginalized about Jesus.  

They are really nothing alike except for their passion to live as disciple makers in their world.  Co-workers, friends, clients, family, neighbors.  People that show up at our building wanting to know more.  People they meet at coffee shops.  Or halfway houses.

They are constantly asking, inviting, studying, witnessing, sharing their testimony.  

All four of these couples (and both spouses) believe they have a mission and a purpose in life.

And I probably ought to include us in this.  I am part-time staff at Hillcrest to talk about Jesus, but Marsha is not.  If you know us, you would correctly assume I do most of the teaching.  But Marsha does most of the inviting, hosting, welcoming.  We both want people to know Jesus.

And there are many more.  I have just been really involved with these couples over the past few months.

Each of these have different ways of sharing their faith.  Some use the old topical studies.  Some teach the great themes of Scripture.  Some do verse by verse studies.  Some share stories.  Some just talk about Jesus in the midst of doing for others.  But all of them teach Jesus.

So if you want to see you church really start growing, pray lots.

Then turn loose your Varners, Stones, Battens, Vaughns, and Ridgells.

God will take care of everything else.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM