Posts made in February, 2012

Church services on Sunday, February 5th, will be held by house church as it is "Super Bowl Sunday". Following each service will be a party held in light of the football game where snacks and drinks will be provided. (Contact house church leader for any questions).

Listed below are also the times and addresses for each house church. (Note: not all services start at the same time.)  

South & Vancouver House Church – 12:00pm Ron Harding: 503-954-4904 8865 Sw 69th Ave. Portland, OR 97223 – For directions click here  

East House Church – 11:00am Stephen Holladay: 503-901-4375 2161 NE Multnomah St. Portland, OR 97232 – For directions click here  

West House Church – 12:00pm James Haynes: 360-566-5818 14265 SW Downing St. Beaverton, OR 97006 – For directions click here  

Campus Ministry House Church – lunch at 12:00pm and service immediately following Dustin Miller: 503-569-0538 2031 SW 10th Ave, Apt #30 Portland, OR 97201 – For directions click here    

Come join us in celebrating Valentines Day with that special someone! This years Marrieds Valentines Dinner will be themed "MURDER MYSTERY" Childcare will not be provided at this event, therefor arrangements should be made prior to it. Come enjoy a romantic dinner with your significant other and the exhilerating fellowship of married couples just like yourself! This isn't just limited to just you and your special someone though, please invite your friends to come join as well!

Location: McMenamins

               5736 NE 33rd Ave

               Portland, OR 97211

Time: 7:30pm – 10:30pm

Price: $55 per couple

"SATURDAY NIGHT FERVOR"

You heard it!! It's that time of year again campus students! Time to break out your best dance moves because we're about to kick off the dance parties of the year with our Campus & Singles Valentines Dance Party!

Get ready for a fun night of food, games, music, and did we mentioned it's themed?? This years theme is "SaturdayNight Fervor" and will require 70s apparel! That's right, we're kickin' it old school!

This event is one that you don't want to miss out on! Valentine or no valentine, it will be unforgettable and will blow your mind! Please invite your friends as anyone is welcome.

LOCATION:

The Harding's Residence

8865 SW. 69th Ave.

Portland, OR 97223

TIME: 7:30pm – 10:30pm

“This is the gospel that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.” Colossians 1:23

Immediately before Paul was baptized, Ananias shared with him God’s destiny for his life, “The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will… You will be His witness to ALL MEN of what you have seen and heard.” (Acts 22:14-15) At the end of his life, Paul was so grateful to God that He had enabled Paul to fulfill this destiny. Just a short time before his execution in early 67 AD, Paul writes, “The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ALL GENTILES might hear it.” (2 Timothy 4:17) Clearly, Paul believed that the world was evangelized during his lifetime – ONE GENERATION!

Cory Blackwell preaches to a record attendance of 239 at our Winter Workshop!

Sadly, many have derided the vision –the evangelization of the nations in THIS generation. One prominent false teacher in our former fellowship has simply called it “impossible.” Another stated in the closing sermon of their 2005 Leadership Conference, “I see no plan or strategy in the Bible for the evangelization of the world in a generation.” Disciples have been led astray by these faithless proclamations, because they teach an “easier path” to Heaven, as if there is one. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) Abandoned is the call to go anywhere, do anything, and give up everything for Jesus, His church, and His mission. Without the goal of Jesus’ dream – “Go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS and baptize them” – disciples become greedy, worldly, lazy and apathetic. Collectively, they evolve into denominational community churches that are concerned only about their own well-being. Of these wandering sheep, the proverb is true, “Without vision the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)

What does it mean “to evangelize the nations?” It simply means that everyone has heard of Jesus and His church. It does not mean that everyone has become a Christian, or even that everyone has gone through the First Principles Study Series! When Paul rejoices that “this is the gospel that has been proclaimed to EVERY CREATURE UNDER HEAVEN,” he does not mean through the preaching of disciples only, but largely through the negative proclamation of persecutors. Jesus alludes to this as He shares with the apostles, “You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death and you will be hated by ALL NATIONS because of me… And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the WHOLE WORLD as a testimony to ALL NATIONS, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:9-14) Most scholars agree, “the end” of which Jesus speaks is the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Therefore, Jesus prophesies – and all His prophesies come true – that “ALL NATIONS” will hate the apostles and be evangelized by 70 AD, the Apostles’ generation!

Everyone’s hearts were moved by the sharing about Yvette’s love for God!

Since we believe that the known world was evangelized in ONE GENERATION, and that Paul was commissioned by God at his baptism to lead this charge to get the message to ALL MEN – which he said he did – then what strategies did Paul employ to accomplish this “impossible” task?

1. PRAYER – “I urge then that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for EVERYONE – for kings and all those in authority… This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants ALL MEN to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for ALL MEN… and for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle.” (1Timothy 2:1-7) Paul admonished the early Christians to pray for their political leaders, because war – conflict between political leaders – and laws that prohibit the free proclamation of the Word could cripple or even stop the spread of the gospel. Also, prayer moves God to lead us to open people. (Colossians 4:3)

2. SELECTION OF SOLD-OUT MISSION TEAMS – On the first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas ask John Mark to accompany them. (Acts 12:25) Sadly, John Mark deserted them when the journey became too difficult for him. (Acts 13:13) Perhaps from this incident, Paul learned that one could not sentimentally choose a mission team, as John Mark was Barnabas’ cousin. (Colossians 4:10) Therefore, for the second missionary journey, Paul selected Silas, a prophet (Acts 15:32), and Timothy, of whom the brothers in two churches “spoke well of.” (Acts 16:2)

3. THE CITY EVANGELIZES THE SURROUNDING REGION  – On the first missionary journey, Paul preached in Pisidian Antioch, the largest city in that area. Then, “the Word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” (Acts 13:49) This principle is also seen in the third missionary travels in Paul’s ministry in Ephesus – called in that day, “The first and greatest Metropolis of Asia.” In just two years “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the Word of the Lord.” (Acts 19:10)

4. TARGET THE MAJOR CITIES – Having understood that the natural influence of a city will evangelize the entire geographic region of its influence, Paul – commanded in a dream to evangelize Macedonia – passed through the small seaport of Neapolis without preaching, and traveled nine miles to “Philippi… the leading city of that district in Macedonia.” (Acts 16:12) Next, Paul walked 100 miles as he passed by the smaller cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia to preach in Thessalonica. Thessalonica was the seat of the Roman governor, capital of the province of Macedonia, and Macedonia’s largest city. (Strabo) Later, Paul went to Athens – the intellectual capital of the world; Corinth – the capital of the Roman province of Achaia; and Ephesus – the leading city of the most prosperous province of the Roman Empire, as well as the Empire’s fourth largest city behind Rome, Alexandria (Egypt), and Antioch (Syria). By the end of the third missionary journey, Paul strategized going to Rome (Acts 19:21) – the city that influenced the entire known world. Interestingly, after preaching while jailed in Rome for two years, Paul wrote in about 61 AD, “This is the gospel that has been proclaimed to EVERY CREATURE UNDER HEAVEN.”

Yvette celebrates after her baptism!

5. TARGET OPINION LEADERS – On the first missionary journey on the island of Cyprus, Paul converted the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. During his second missionary trip in Philippi, he converted Lydia, a high-powered business woman, who then converted her family. (Acts 16:14) Paul also baptized the “Jail Superintendent” and his family. (Acts 16:33) In both Thessalonica and Berea many “prominent women and many Greek men” were converted. (Acts 17:4, 12)

In Athens, Paul baptized “Dionysius, a member of the [prestigious] Areopagus.” (Acts 17:34) (The Christian historian Eusebius wrote in 170 AD that Dionysius became the “first bishop of Athens.”) In Corinth, Paul baptized “Crispus, the synagogue ruler and his entire household” (Acts 18:8), as well as Crispus’ replacement as synagogue ruler, the persecutor – Sosthenes. (Acts 18:17) Later Sosthenes becomes a preacher and helps Paul write the letter of 1 Corinthians! (1 Corinthians 1:1)

Also at Paul’s conversion, Paul was told that he was God’s “chosen instrument to carry His name before the Gentiles and their kings.” (Acts 9:15) The Holy Spirit allowed Paul to be arrested, and through a series of trials, Paul preached to governors – Felix and Festus (Acts 24-25), as well as kings – King Agrippa (Acts 25) and because of his appeal, perhaps even Caesar himself – the man who influenced the entire known world! (Acts 25:12) The conversion of opinion leaders gave the early church talented and charismatic disciples that through the Spirit would not only multiply disciples, but multiply churches!

6. TARGET HEADS OF FAMILIES – As mentioned above, when the leader of the family was baptized, as with Crispus, his entire household – wife, children and servants – was converted as well.

7. TARGET THE CAMPUS – In Ephesus, “Paul took the disciples with him and had daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.” (Acts 19:9) Once more, Paul was trying to get to opinion leaders that would take the message back to their home towns and home nations. College students are given to ideas and causes. Energetic, idealistic and ambitious, they are unencumbered by family duties, financial responsibilities and past personal failures. Therefore, it should not surprise us that in two years time as Paul converts and trains these dynamic souls, “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the Word of the Lord.” Most likely, it is during this time that the other “six churches of Asia” are planted! (Revelation 1:4) If we are to evangelize the nations, campus ministry should be one of our top priorities to focus our resources of leadership, money and most precious of all – time. For from the campuses will come future evangelists, elders, deacons and women leaders.

These seven strategies are presently being applied in all of the congregations in the SoldOut Movement. In the States, we have dynamic discipling ministries in America’s four most influential cities – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and DC. All of our Stateside efforts – including Charlotte, Eugene, Hilo, Honolulu, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego and Syracuse – are all working together to provide leadership and money for the forceful advancement of the movement, especially in building, supporting and sending out mission teams. Though the SoldOut Movement is only five years old, the evangelization of America is well under way.

Our world differs from Paul’s in one significant aspect; there is not “one Rome,” but perhaps 10 to 14 around the world. Therefore, we set before all the disciples in God’s new movement, the Crown of Thorns Project which targets the modern-day “Romes” – Cairo, Chennai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Santiago, Sao Paulo and Sydney. Though discipling churches have been planted in London, Santiago and Sao Paulo, prayerfully, dynamic churches with our same “life and doctrine” will also be established in the remaining nine cities in the next four years or so! In turn, these churches will influence all the nations around them – all 195 nations of the world! Then we will be able to “boast in the Lord” like our brother Paul, “ALL OVER THE WORLD this gospel is bearing fruit and growing.” (Colossians 1:6)

Portland Church, let us “always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because we know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) Nike, Coca-Cola and Britney Spears have evangelized the world in our day. That’s not to say that everyone wears Nike shoes, or drinks Coke or listens to Britney Spears – it simply means, they have heard about these entities. Therefore, as the people of God who are empowered by His Spirit, can we not do the “impossible” and evangelize the nations in THIS GENERATION? I believe we can. I believe we must. And I believe we will. And to God be all the glory!

“When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem [to Antioch], taking with them John, also called Mark.” Acts 12:25

We closed out last week seeing 3 people’s lives changed forever as they received the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of he Holy Spirit in their Baptisms!

One of the most inspirational lives recorded in the Scriptures is John Mark. This is the same brother who writes the first widely accepted “Gospel of Jesus,” which is known to this day as the Book of Mark. His Hebrew name, John, would be translated, “Yohanan” which means grace. His Latin name was Marcus which probably indicates that he was a Roman citizen. Most likely, in his younger years, he was known primarily as “John Mark” to distinguish him from others who had the common Jewish name of John. Throughout his life, he was privileged to walk besides not only Jesus, but the most gallant preachers of the early church: Barnabas – the son of encouragement, Peter – the apostle to the Jews, and Paul – the apostle to the Gentiles.

The Coptic (Egyptian Orthodox) Church tradition, backed by Alfred Edershim’s extensively researched book The Life And Times Of Jesus The Messiah, holds that Jesus and His Twelve had their last Passover meal together in the “upper room” in the home of Mary and her husband, the parents of a teenage John Mark. (Mark 14:12-16) Most believe that John Mark was perhaps 14 or 15 years old. Some even connect the Passover’s “upper room” of Mark and Luke 22, to be one and the same “upper room” as Luke mentions in Acts 1-2, where the 120 gathered led by the Twelve after Jesus’ ascension. Here, they collectively receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

However, not one scholar doubts that we are “officially” first introduced to John Mark in his gospel when Judas – accompanied by the temple guards and “a crowd armed with swords and clubs” – has Jesus arrested. Only Mark of the four gospel evangelists records that after “everyone deserted [Jesus] and fled” that there was a “young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, [that] was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.” This is Mark humbly introducing himself to his readers. His point is simply, if you leave Jesus, you have nothing. This is a lesson, he himself would learn years later.

In 42 AD, King Herod puts James the apostle to death. Immediately following, he arrests and imprisons Peter. All of the house churches throughout Jerusalem were praying for Peter’s release. (Acts 12:5) Upon being miraculously rescued by an angel, Peter goes “to the house of Mary, the mother of John, also called Mark.” (Acts 12:12) Seemingly, by this time, John Mark is about 25 years old and his father has passed away, some traditions say by martyrdom. Peter must have been a frequent visitor to the house, because even the servant girl Rhoda recognized his voice as he tried to gain entrance to the house church. From this passage, we can surmise that John Mark comes from a wealthy family as his home is a large two-story dwelling and his family has servants. (Luke 22:10; Acts 12:13) And yes, John Mark is what we would call a “Kingdom Kid!”

The West sisters celebrate Sahar’s baptism!

From the epistles, we also learn that “Mark” is the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), and at some point becomes Peter’s son in the faith. (1 Peter 5:13) Mark must have been a young disciple of great promise because, “When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission [to bring relief funds to the Jerusalem Church – during which was Peter’s release from prison] they returned [to Antioch], taking with them John, also called Mark.” (Acts 12:25) So in 44 AD, Mark goes to be “an intern” in Antioch. Perhaps, about three years later in 47 AD, the Holy Spirit sets apart Barnabas and Saul from the other leaders of the Antioch Church for the first planned missionary journey. Luke simply records, “John was with them as their helper.” (Acts 13:5)

The Latin Ministry continues to grow with the baptism of Fernando!

This missionary journey began by sailing to Cyprus, Barnabas’ home nation, where they established churches in the cities of Salamis and Paphos. Amazingly in Paphos, despite strong opposition to the gospel from the wicked Elymas the sorcerer (ironically named Bar-Jesus – son of Jesus – but blinded and called “Bar-Devil” – son of the Devil – by Paul), the proconsul Sergius Paulus becomes a disciple! After these amazing events, Barnabas, Paul and John Mark sail on to what is in our modern world, the southern coast of central Turkey. During this second phase of the first missionary journey, the Galatian churches of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe would be planted! However, before Barnabas and Paul had begun to travel to the first Galatian city of Pisidian Antioch, when they docked at the coastal city of Perga, “John left them to return to Jerusalem.”

This unexplained but unquestioned desertion from the mission of Jesus would be to John Mark’s shame for years to come. Having seen so many miracles and conversions in Cyprus, let alone all the answered prayers which included Peter’s release from prison, having been raised by awesome Christian parents, and even having been there at Jesus’ arrest and seeing Jesus’ courage was simply not enough to stop him from turning back. He lost his “first love” and his faith. What devastation to the church, as the man who was mentored to be “the next great preacher” was now labeled a coward and a failure.

A few years later shortly after the great Jerusalem Council in 49 AD, Paul and Barnabas wanted to revisit the churches they had planted in Cyprus and Galatia, thus beginning their second missionary journey. However, “Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him because he deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.” Afterwards, “Barnabas took Mark and sailed [home] to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left commended by the brothers.” (Acts 15:37-40) From my experience, I believe Paul was correct in his “hard-line stand” on who should be on a mission team. It seems that “the brothers” agreed with this, as only Paul not Barnabas was “commended” by them. However, Barnabas’s heart to disciple, heal, and “believe in” John Mark must now be vindicated, as by 61 AD, Mark is again ministering with and to Paul in his first imprisonment in Rome. (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24) Interestingly, a few years later in 64 AD, he is mentioned in Peter’s first epistle as a son in the faith to Peter himself and most likely, since he was highly educated coming from a rich family, he served as Peter’s amanuensis.

No matter what troubles you have, the miracle of a baptism warms the heart!

Evidently, the Roman disciples pleaded with John Mark to put in writing what Peter had taught them about his days of walking with Jesus. Most agree that the outline of this book was approved by Peter, but since Peter died in 67 AD, he did not see the “final product” of the Gospel bearing Mark’s name. Of note, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Eusebius, Tertullian and St. Jerome all signify that Peter was indeed the true author. This is the reason the Book of Mark is wholeheartedly accepted to be included in the New Testament canon is that in substance it was Peter’s Gospel, except for the description of Jesus’ arrest, as Mark was an eyewitness .

Later, during his second imprisonment in Rome when Paul is quite lonely and senses his impending martyrdom, he writes to Timothy, the “Lead Evangelist” in Ephesus in late 66 AD before his death in early 67 AD, that “only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he’s helpful to me in my ministry.” At the end of his life, Paul had his faithful friend Luke with him and desired only two other disciples to share his last days – his beloved Timothy and the now forgiven and much appreciated John Mark!

More Families come together in Portland as Seve Baptizes her sister Juanita!

Very few disciples can say they never failed the Lord. Failure and the shame that’s attached to it often discourage disciples to never strive to once again do great things for God. However, this would not be the epitaph of our brother John Mark. Not only does he pen the Gospel of Mark from which Matthew and Luke borrow heavily, early church history records that Mark travels to Alexandria, Egypt where he preaches the Word with incredible fervor that only grace can bring. In 70 AD, he confronts a pagan parade in honor of the god Serapis. The mob ruthlessly seizes this seasoned and steeled preacher now 55 years old, and ties him with ropes to the back of a chariot dragging him to pieces ending his earthly life. It is then that John Mark is welcomed into glory by our Savior Jesus who presents to him the victor’s “crown of righteousness,” and is joyfully received into Heaven’s hallowed fellowship with hugs from the giants of the faith who preceded him – Barnabas, Peter, Paul, his dad and his beloved mother Mary.

As a disciple that has woefully failed, John Mark is an inspiring upward call to me. I have learned from him how to overcome failure and the ensuing “deadly sin of acedia,” which usually manifests itself in lethargic depression and spiritual numbness. As with John Mark, when you fail the Lord, repent and accept God’s grace shedding all shame, draw close to strong disciples who desire to help you, believe that God will use you in even greater ways, and never, never, never, never look back, but only look forward to bringing “as many as possible” to Heaven. If we do this without self-pity, then we too will be welcomed into “our Father’s house” with the words, “Well done good and faithful servant. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21) And we too will be hugged by all the champions of the faith – including our brother John Mark! And to God be the glory!