One Region, One Church, One Mission
Sunday, March 17, 2013
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Bible Series Continues on History Channel
The program tonight ended with the beheading of John the Baptist and continues to share the truth of God's word with the masses.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Create a Mobile Website
Friday, March 15, 2013
Daryl Largis to Speak at Business Men's Fellowship Monthly Meeting
Register by Phone: Jeff @ 716-548-5869
Daryl is currently serving as Co-Pastor for Mission Advancement at The Chapel at CrossPoint (www.thechapel.com). In this new role he is responsible for extendings i the mission of the Chapel, locally, regionally, nationally and globally while still providing senior leadership oversight to The Chapel. He also serves on the Executive Leadership Team of the Global Fellowship which is ministry working with national church leaders around the world (www.gfmission.com). Previously, Daryl served as the Executive Pastor at The Chapel. Prior to his ministry endeavors, Daryl was a manufacturing director/plant manager for a global chemical company who has a manufacturing facility located in WNY. Over the course of his business career, Daryl has held positions in senior manufacturing plant management, marketing, sales, supply chain, strategic planning, research/development and engineering. He has a BS in Chemical Engineering and a Masters degree in Christian Leadership. He is married with two daughters and resides in Lockport, NY.
Feed the Children is coming to Buffalo
They will be partnering with the Buffalo Dream Center and the Belle Center to provide food and hygiene products to 800 families on the west side of Buffalo.
The event will take place next to The Belle Center (104 Maryland Street, Buffalo NY 14201) on Busti Avenue near the corner of Maryland St.)
The Dream Center needs volunteers from 11:00am until 3:30pm. As a volunteer you will be helping people to collect their boxes and get them to their house or vehicle.
Volunteers of all ages are welcome. It is a great opportunity to serve the community, if you are interested in volunteering you can call the church office and leave a message (854-1001).
Great Quotes
“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
― Michael Jordan
Mark Batterson to Speak in Lima
Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington, DC is coming to Rochester for EMBRACE, Elim Fellowship's Leadership Conference in Lima, NY May 21-23. One church with seven locations, Batterson's church NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations. The vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the DC area. NCC also owns and operates the largest coffeehouse on Capitol Hill.
Mark has two Masters Degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of the best-selling books: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity, and Soulprint.
Other speakers at this year's Leadership Conference include Roderick Hennings, Paul Johansson, Michael Cavanaugh and Ron and Judy Burgio.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Update on Buffalo Christian Center Plans
(see original document)
The Buffalo Christian Center
March, 2013
Dear Friend,
We write to you today with both deep remorse and uninhibited optimism about the future of the
Buffalo Christian Center. At the end of 2012, the BCC was faced with an unforeseen financial issue,
forcing BCC leadership to make some very tough decisions about the future of the organization. The
difficult reality was that unless something was done, the BCC would have had to close its doors by late
spring 2013. For this reason, the BCC was forced to let go of staff and programs that had served the inner
city of Buffalo faithfully for many years. Programs let go included Friday Bible study lunches, summer
camp, and the bookstore. Even though the bookstore was a staple in downtown Buffalo for many years and
had a dedicated staff, the BCC was no longer able to financially sustain this ministry. Much like Borders and
other bookstores around the nation, we were simply unable to keep up with online book retailers.
The BCC can firmly say that these actions, although drastic, have put the BCC on sound financial
footing moving forward.
The current offering of BCC programs, although smaller, are making a large impact in the
community, especially amongst the at-risk youth of Buffalo.
Merge, which is our Friday night youth program, has seen over 250 youth attend in the past year.
Children who have often never stepped foot into a church hear the gospel message, have group discussions
on relevant topics—such as how to handle conflict resolution—and eat a free pizza dinner provided by the
BCC.
Teen MOPS (Teen Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers) continues to grow in quality and quantity.
This program provides teen mothers with a support group, teaching good parenting skills and offering
encouragement. Recently, every mother in the group raised her hand to indicate she wanted to know Christ
or turn back to Him! What a great foundation for good parenting.
Bills Night Out is our unique partnership with the Buffalo Bills. This year over 400 youth had the
opportunity hear the gospel from some of the most prominent current Buffalo Bills players, including C.J.
Spiller, Stevie Johnson, and Rian Lindell.
Besides the services that we provide, we also make it possible for other organizations to use our
facility at discounted rates. For example, the Buffalo Dream Center continues to have Sunday church
services and an after-school program at the BCC.
Although we are excited about the focus and growth of our current mix of programs, the future of the
organization is the brightest it has been in many years due to a few key developments.
First, the BCC has rejuvenated the board by bringing on new board members in January. Boards are
essential to the health of a non-profit: they are responsible for driving the mission and helping the Executive
Director guide the organization. The new board members are passionate about at-risk youth in Buffalo and
bring new talents to the table. New members include a wealth manager at a local Buffalo financial firm, a
Buffalo police captain, a manager at Moog in East Aurora, the head of men’s ministry at a local church, and
a former Buffalo Bills player. The entire board is committed to the long-term success of the BCC and is
looking forward to aiding in its future growth.
Second, an anonymous donor has come forward recently and promised to MATCH every new dollar
donated by you and our other donors to the BCC before April 30. This matching gift is up to $25,000
dollars. We are excited about this opportunity to have every donor’s gift make “double” the impact. We ask
that you prayerfully consider any gift, large or small, before April 30.
Finally, the BCC has been blessed to receive the pro-bono services of a consulting team. This team
will be working with the BCC over the next five months to evaluate what new programs could be offered at
the BCC to further help at-risk youth. This has been a great blessing for us, as a consulting group with
similar expertise would have cost the organization over $100,000 in fees!
We look forward to sharing the consulting group’s results with you when the project has been
completed in June. We have no doubt that the recommendations will be bold and exciting, providing ways
for the BCC to make an even larger impact on the local community. In the mean time, please feel free to
contact us at with any questions. We would be happy to talk with you about the exciting future of the BCC.
Our hope is that you will continue to play a large part in the BCC serving Buffalo’s at-risk youth.
Regards,
Executive Director and the BCC Board
Jim Swearingen
Leroy Wiggins
Scott Lezynski
Ryan Kozey
Bill Deacon
Brad Butler
David Stabler
512 Pearl St. Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 856-7495
Fax: (716) 856-7497
www.thebcc.org
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Financial Peace Seminar
The duo will also have a Q&A session at the end of the seminar.Refreshments and light appetizers will be served. Please feel free to invite as many people as you would like to attend with you. Just make sure you register yourself and your guests as seating is limited.
Register Now
Additionally another class will be held Thursday April 4 at the Orchard Park Country Club from 7-9PM
Help The Homeless
You Can Make a
Difference for the Homeless in Need!
Gently used
clothing is an ongoing need.
Personal
Care
- Bras
- Denture Cream (25)
- Dental Floss (25)
- Deodorant: aerosol (25)
- Desitin and or A and D Ointment (10)
- Boxers (Men’s
to size 54)
- Foot powder: Medicated (25)
- Gym Shorts (size lg and xlg) (15
pairs)
- Gym Sneakers (size 10 and up)
- Pajamas (Ladies
sizes sm, med, 2x and 3x)
- Razors (disposable)
(25)
- Soap:
- Bar (regular
and hotel size 25)
- Dish soap (15)
- Socks (Men’s only)
- Hats and gloves (Men’s only)
- T-shirts (Men’s size 2x, 3x, 4x 5x)
- Underwear (ladies
sizes 5 and 11)
- Wipes:
- Diaper (25)
- Disinfectant (25)
Facilities
- Batteries: AA (5-20 packs), AAA (5-10
packs), C (25), D (100), 9 volt (used for CO Detectors)
- Bibles NIV, NLT, The Open Bible
- Dish racks and Drain Boards (20)
- Sheets and
pillowcases: white
twin size, flat and fitted (25)
- Sterilite Storage Containers (54 quart see through with
lids 50 needed)
- Bath and Hand Towels:
White
- Dish towels and Dish clothes
- Scrubbies
- Help
our piano make beautiful music.
Piano repair person is needed to
repair 4 broken hammers.
For the details please call Doug at
854-8181 x428.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Finding Financial Peace
By Ryan Loos, Dave Ramsey Certified Financial Counselor, www.rklfinancial.com
In today’s economy, how
can we experience true financial peace? Many of us have lost homes, jobs, and retirement
funds, while others may be behind on specific payments and uncertain as to how
to handle the persistent calls from their creditors. In this time of economic crisis,
it is crucial for us to remember that we have hope through Jesus Christ. Not
only in the eternal scheme of things, but Christ is alive and present with
us even in our current circumstance. By His Holy Spirit we can gain wisdom and
be empowered to live above the cultural norm—to live debt free!
In the book of 2 Peter,
Peter emphasizes the importance of gaining knowledge in Christ for the purpose
of detecting the deceit of the false teachers. Unfortunately, we are bombarded
with media influences that can easily sway us from God’s truths regarding our
finances.
The Bible says, “Your ENEMY the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”(1 Peter 5:8). The salesmen, debt-relief
agencies, and creditors in secular America
The captions in the advertisements
promise guilt–free purchasing by offering zero percent financing, with no money
down and no interest, for six months. The creditors promise lower interest
rates and great rewards for purchases made on their company’s credit card. And
let’s not forget the corporate ladder that promises years of financial
prosperity for those who are willing to forgo family, friends and the Church for
the cause of the company.
What all of these companies fail to tell you is that 79% of
consumers never pay off the 0% loan on time. What they don’t tell you is that the
average
balance per credit card-holding household is $9,300. To top it all off they certainly do not tell you that according to the
Wall Street Journal nearly 70% of all consumers live from paycheck to paycheck.
For years I thought that I could use a credit card, pay-off the balance in full each month, and reap the credit card rewards of air miles, cash back, or money down towards a new vehicle. While we were able to pay-off the balance each month my wife and I calculated that we were spending approximately $300 more than we needed to spend a month simply because it was easier to swipe a card than hand out cash. No credit card reward ever added up or even came close to the $300 a month that we are saving, now that we are operating on a budget and only using cash.
Furthermore, years ago,
I was that accountant, earnestly seeking to climb the corporate ladder and
leave my mark in this world. I traveled and worked countless hours to prove
that I was deserving of promotions and special perks, but unfortunately, this
was at the expense of my family. My wife
and I felt so distant from each other and I missed months with my first child,
who needed a father’s influence just as much as she needed her mother.
I believe wholeheartedly
that the foundation for experiencing true financial peace begins with the
understanding that everything we have, including our income, is from the Lord.
The Bible says in Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its
fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” When we allow God to plant this truth in our
hearts He begins to transform our lives in such a way that we no longer spend
for ourselves, but we begin to realize the importance of tithing, meeting our family’s
needs (spiritually, emotionally and financially) and saving for our family’s
future.
True financial peace
comes when we know we are giving, saving and spending as Christ would have us
do.
I encourage you to go
against the grain! Make the decision today to give your finances over to the
Lord! Change your spending habits and find someone to help hold you
accountable. Husbands and wives, work at managing your finances together, so that
there are no surprises. Continue to seek God in all things and He will give you
financial peace beyond all measure!
Resource Review
Once again Camp teamed up with award-winning producer Brown Bannister to create a heartfelt, worshipful project. Returning to his worship music roots, he co-wrote with other notable worship leaders Matt Maher, Reuben Morgan (Hillsong) and Brenton Brown. "It is an overwhelming joy to see how the Lord has been faithful even though I am undeserving of it,” shared Camp regarding his latest release We Cry Out.
Monday, March 11, 2013
NDP Prayer Rally Tonight
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Bible Series Continues
The Bible series continues to draw a large following of viewers to the History Channel, as part two of the miniseries premiered tonight, featuring the life of David. The miniseries continues next Sunday on the History channel from 8PM-10PM.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Buffalo Christian Center Staff Laid Off
The Buffalo Christian last month laid off the majority of their staff, in a reorganization effort by Executive Director Jim Swearingen and Chairman of the board Brad Butler. The ministry is looking to restructure its model of support for the 60,000 square foot facility. The bookstore is temporarily open during limited hours and the Buffalo Dream Center continues to operate within the facility. More details to come.
Resource Review
Since the Toronto rock band’s worldwide launch in 2003, listeners have felt a connection to lead singer Trevor McNevan, drummer Steve Augustine, and bassist Joel Bruyer’s unique approach to music. With five successful projects under their belts, “The End Is Where We Begin” is the band’s first independent release.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Regional Prayer Outpouring 2012
"Jesus ruined every funeral He went to - including His own!" - Bill Johnson
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
Have you ever noticed that God’s answers to your prayers seldom look like what you expected? If you are like me, when you pray, you have a rough idea of what God’s response should resemble. But God often colors outside of my lines.
Allow me to illustrate. In April, 1995, an unusual prayer outpouring facilitated by Pastor, now Bishop, Troy Bronner began at a church in Buffalo. It was aptly named ‘Early Morning Prayer.’ We began attending in 1997. It was powerful, unlike any prayer meeting we had ever attended. At times, attendance was 700+ in the wee hours of the morning, with everyone sharing the same passion for Jesus.
At that time, I thought we had discovered the secret to resurrect Buffalo – bring every Buffalo Christian to Early Morning Prayer. Surely this was the key to transforming our city.
God corrected me in a vision. In the vision, I was looking over what seemed to be a Pacific island during World War II that had been overgrown by the jungle. I sensed that the Allied troops had pushed the Japanese out, and immediately needed to clear a runway to land support planes. As the troops began clearing jungle overgrowth, it was thicker than they expected. This meant that it took longer so the runway was not finished until after dark. The troops lit barrels on fire to outline the runway for night landings. When I looked down, there were actually 2 runways in the shape of a cross, and I saw the ‘cross’ runways outlined by these multiplied bonfires.
I sensed the Lord explain what I was seeing. No one fire of prayer, no matter how large, could illuminate His landing strip for our city. Rather He instructed me to watch and wait for a season when there would be countless prayer fires, some larger, some smaller, some I would never even know about. When this season of spontaneous prayer fires exploded among us, all the fires together would make a safe runway for the Holy Ghost to land in our city.
My prophetic radar went off last November (2011) when Bonnie Chavda declared the following at an Eagles Wings Ministries conference:
I believe that Buffalo has been sleeping and I honestly believe that the Lord has shown that this is the time of awakening. I believe that by the end of this year there are going to be signs in the various communities around this city, around this region, of awakening.
Deb and I believe that the prayer fires are burning brightly right now. Over the next several issues, we will be focusing on prayer fires in Erie County, Niagara County, city, suburbs, among different denominations, racial groups, and age groups. Some of these prayer fires are even burning in the Marketplace!!
The purpose of these articles will be to increase prayer and to increase faith that our prayers are making a difference. One of the words the Lord gave us for 2012 is that We Are Better TOGETHER! The very gates of hell are not safe against His praying Church on the march and on the move.
WARNING: The verse with which we opened contains a caution, ‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?’ Isaiah 43:19
Could God do a ‘new thing’ in Buffalo, and His Church fail to perceive or recognize it? Will we embrace the prayer fires of God if they happen outside our religious boxes?
Prayer Fire – an outside-the-box example
Nik Wallenda, high-wire walking between Niagara Falls, NY, and Niagara Falls, Ontario. ‘What? How can that be a prayer fire, a move of God??’ you may ask. Could a daredevil’s stunt be an answer to our prayers?
For those of you who watched on June 15th, you were among 20 million viewers in the U.S. and Canada. As Christians, we were amazed that as Nik walked, the ABC live microphone recorded Nik praying and quoting Scripture. “Oh God. How I praise You, Jesus. Oh Lord, You are my Savior, You are my King. You are my Jesus. You are my Counselor, You are my wisdom. Praise You Jesus.”
As my wife Deb and I watched and listened to Nik, it dawned on us that we were observing the most surprising move of God that we have ever witnessed. In fact, the article we wrote for national publication was entitled, “Nik Wallenda: Taking Prayer Walking to new Heights over Niagara Falls.” Nick prayed and prophesied over two nations as the world held its collective breath.
Even ‘secular’ news sources reported on Nik’s faith in their coverage.
Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press “A born-again Christian, Wallenda said he stays calm on the wire by talking to God, quoting scripture and praying.”
Nik did his part, and in the coming months we will introduce you to other non-conventional spontaneous prayer fires. What is your part? Ask God for spiritual eyes to recognize the prayer fires among us. Expect God to answer your prayers, and to birth prayer in unexpected ways in unexpected places through ordinary believers. Get ready to celebrate the new season of acceleration among us!! We Are Better TOGETHER!
"So there was great joy in that city." Acts 8:8
Revs. Al & Deb Warner are the founders and directors of Set Free Inc. Set Free is a networking ministry connecting business,governmental and church leaders for a Nehemiah-like rebuilding
and transformation of our city. Al and Deb have over 30 years experience pastoring local churches and working as missionaries in Hong Kong. In 1997, God laid a burden on their heart to bring
the regional church of greater Buffalo/Niagara Falls, NY, together. As they obeyed, God birthed their ministry, Set Free Inc. The Warners have led multiple prayer and training events over the years, including National Day of Prayer.
To contact them, email: info@setfreeinc.org
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Good Friday Speakers
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Details on Good Friday Together: There will be a mass community choir, and guest speakers from local WNY churches and the Christian community such as Pat Jones, Marty Macdonald, Roderick Hennings, Jill Kelly, Darius Pridgen, Angel Gautier, and Jerry Gillis. Along with all of these speakers and churches gathering together, an offering will be taken to help fulfill needs in the city of Buffalo, in areas such as education, sustainable housing, healthcare, and teen mentoring.
Resource Review: Full Disclosure
Ann Silver is a cop's cop. As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region's most trusted investigative positions.
Paul Falcon is the FBI's top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder.
Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn't expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention. Paul wonders just what secrets Ann is keeping, until she shows him the John Doe Killer case file, and he starts to realize just who this lady he is falling in love with really is.
Monday, March 4, 2013
God Loves You
Dr. David Jeremiah reveals that not fully understanding and appreciating every critical dimension of God's love can lead to missed opportunities to experience His love. He explains how even the so-called negative dimension of God's actions can only be rightly understood by viewing them in light of God's true love.
Resource Review: Deep and Wide
With surprising candor and transparency pastor Andy Stanley explains how one of America's largest churches began with a high-profile divorce and a church split. But that's just the beginning. Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategy for creating churches unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Andy writes, 'Our goal is to create weekend experiences so compelling and helpful that even the most skeptical individuals in our community would walk away with every intention of returning the following week.with a friend ' Later he says, 'I want people to fall in love with the Author of Scripture. And while we can't make anyone fall in love, we can certainly arrange a date.' For the first time, Andy explains his strategy for preaching and programming to 'dual audiences': mature believers and cynical unbelievers. He argues that preaching to dual audiences doesn't require communicators to 'dumb down' the content. According to Stanley, it's all in the approach. You'll be introduced to North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Resource Review: Gospel in Life
Join author and pastor Timothy Keller in an eight-week video-based study of the gospel and how to live it out in everyday life. In week one you and your group will study the city, your home now, the world that is. Week eight closes with the theme of the eternal city, your heavenly home, the world that is to come. In between you'll learn how the gospel can change your heart, your community, and how you live in this world. The Gospel in Life Participant's Guide is designed to help you and your group engage with and discuss the topics presented on the Gospel in Life DVD.Gospel in Life session titles: Session 1, City-The World That IsSession 2, Heart-Three Ways to LiveSession 3, Idolatry-The Sin BeneathSession 4, Community-The Context for ChangeSession 5, Witness-An Alternate CitySession 6, Work-Cultivating the GardenSession 7, Justice-A People for OthersSession 8, Eternity-The World That Is To Come
sponsored and available at Bender's Parable Christian Store
Famine In The Land
“Behold, I long for Your precepts…” Psalm 119:40. Oh that the people of God would take up this same cry. We are wrung out and dry, dying because of the same famine in the land that the prophet Amos spoke about when he said, “Not of food for hunger, nor of water for thirst, but for the Word of the Lord.” (Amos 8:11) Amos was watching a vision of our day, he spoke of ‘strong young men’ and ‘fair virgins’ fainting from thirst. The rate of teenage depression and suicide in our day is higher than it has ever been. We have 16 year olds stumbling around drunk in the streets at 4 in the afternoon where I minister in South Buffalo. Amos was speaking in a time that couldn’t be more like America in our day. It was a time of complacency, prosperity, oppression of the poor, and religious rote and rituals. That is our time.
Beloved, the famine that I’m talking about is not a lack of Bibles. Statistically, the average American Christian has 9 Bibles, whereas the average third world Pastor has no Bible at all. There are over 50 English translations of the Bible. In America there are approximately 15 Bibles (on and off the shelves) to every one person, whereas in Asia there is one Bible to every fifteen people. We have too many Bibles. The famine is because we have become a lazy and satisfied generation and in our pride think we have all we need. A woman came up to me after a service that I had preached at in tears, she told me that she had been planning to leave her church. After inquiring as to why, she couldn’t really explain it, she said, “I don’t really know what it is.” Even in church her family was dying of thirst for the Word. David had a hunger for the Word of God. He wrote, “My tears have been my food…when can I go and meet with my God?” One of my favorite preachers, David Wilkerson said that he observed most Christians “leave God’s house empty, unsatisfied and weak.” What must we do that we might wake up and develop a hunger for Jesus?
In Mark 10:46-52, there is a man that was hungry to hear a word from Jesus. It says that Jesus was walking with his disciples and a many others. Jesus was at the height of His popularity, we all know this didn’t last long, but anyway, he had his disciples, his followers, his fans, and the press all around him. What time would he have for a blind beggar? The first thing that we must do as those who long for a hunger for Jesus is humble ourselves before him. Stop being in denial! You are a blind beggar without him, are you not? You can’t see spiritually, and you’re spiritually bankrupt and destitute. This man, named Bartimaeus knew his state and cried out from the side of the road, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” If you will not recognize that you need his mercy, you will never get it. Bartimaeus could have sat there by the road, wallowing in his misery and grumbled ‘oh here comes that big shot, well I’m doing just fine without him.’ And thus many of us do. Not that we say this, but the way we spend our time, our money, our energy, how we go days without praying, a week without opening His Holy Word. It’s the non-verbals that are killing us! So he’s there crying out to God.. When’s the last time you cried out to God? Desperation is the master key to breakthrough. We’re often all too satisfied with doing it on our own, never do we let ourselves get to a point where we just go to our room, shut the door, collapse into the arms of God and say ‘HELP!’ He wants to hear a cry from His people! Like the Israelites in Egypt, 400 years and they finally started to cry out to God and God says in Exodus 3:9, “Behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come unto me…”
The hungry cry of the people of God peaks his attention. Watch what happens in Mark 10. Verse 49 says, “So Jesus stood still.” Jesus stopped! Jesus was on his way somewhere, where? He was on his way to Jerusalem to enter as king, riding on a donkey. Jesus had places to go, people to see. Jesus had the cross on his mind as it was only a week away and he knew what he had to face. He had a noisy boisterous crowd all around him trying to get a piece of him. It was probably a hot day and this unashamed and hungry cry moved the heart of Almighty God to stop in his tracks! How powerful is that? Jesus saw that some people had tried to shut him up, but he was far too desperate to let them stop him from his cry. Let me tell you something, when you take up a desperate and hungry cry for God, the religious people around you aren’t going to like it. It ruffles religious feathers, because your cry is exposing their complacency. You might have people, even in church, trying to drag you down into their spiritual tomb with them. They are dead and dry and satisfied with mere religious games and they like it that way. You may offend a lot of people.
So then after Jesus has stopped in his tracks, Jesus does something amazing. “So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.” Essentially Jesus is saying, ‘I want that man!’ When God sees that you’re hungry for his presence, He wants your presence. God will not call people who are not hungry for him. If you are waiting for a call from God, wait in hunger and it will surely come soon. Fast, pray, delve into His Word and take up wherever you are as your mission field, don’t wait for a call to start laboring for the Lord. Too many wait for God’s call and in the meantime they become sluggish and pursue meaningless relationships, watch mind numbing TV, doubt God, entertain gossip and philosophies that are against God, and before too long they wouldn’t want a call from God even if he wrote in the sky for them. “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Oh that the people of God would let out a cry “God help, we need You! Where are you, we are desperate for your presence, we have abused your grace, we have blasphemed your Name and we have grieved your Holy Spirit. Have mercy Son of David! Look on our blindness and spiritual destitution and come have your way in us. ” Oh that the people of God would turn to Him with fasting and weeping and mourning! This famine is killing us and we must humble ourselves and offer desperate prayers to the Captain of our salvation.
Ben Tagg is married to his beautiful wife Ruth. Together they serve as Directors of Ministry at Steps Ministry located in South Buffalo. Originally from England Ben is a missionary to the United States and raises his own support as a full time missionary in the Seneca Babcock Neighborhood of South Buffalo.
Peace of the City: Living the Gospel
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Pictured: (above) Mark and Diane Cerbone along with two students from their after school program.
Picture 2: Homework club Picture 3: Megan McClain Kwacz shares with high school students in after school training.
Article and Photos by Kyle Patterson
The term “incarnational ministry” has become a buzz word in many Christian circles but for Mark and Diane Cerbone it’s something they’ve been living out for over 30 years, before it became a trend word in Christian ministry. The couple, along with their three daughters have spent the majority of their lives serving the under resourced of Buffalo’s West Side, a community known for its incredible diversity, a melting pot of cultures in Buffalo, but for those familiar with the area, also an area of incredible need and deeply under resourced.
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The ministry they founded in 1992, Peace of the City combines a biblical vision for social justice-- Jesus’s call to love your neighbor and the call to discipleship, explained Mark Cerbone on a recent visit to their ministry base within Our Lady of Loretta Ministry Center on 14th Street in Buffalo’s West Side. “Discipleship for me means all of you for all of your life. It’s not a young phase that you step out of when you get married or when kids come along. We believe in the notion of lifetime discipleship,” explained Mark.
The Cerbones, along with 12 year program director Megan McClain Kwacz have purposely made serving the West Side of Buffalo their life’s calling. “We understand clearly the limitations on folks however well intentioned who come in from the suburbs to paint some walls, operate a bounce house or paint faces. Those aren’t bad things, they’re inherently good things but where
Mark explained that all change starts with literacy which is why Peace of the City has focused on it for as long as the ministry has been around. Once literate, education can begin to take place, leading to employment, leading to renting an affordable apartment and finally leading to home ownership. It’s this vision for systemic change and breaking the cycle of poverty and family patterns that have plagued Buffalo’s West Side for years that keeps the Cerbones and their team doing what they do. The ministry offers just about every program free of charge to the community. The bulk of their support comes from local churches who see the value of utilizing the arts and relational ministry that the team at Peace of the City engages in, to reach into the lives of these young people and change the course of their future. Their programs like Shakespeare Comes to 716, led by Megan McClain Kwacz (who is also the daughter of Hamburg Wesleyan Pastor Greg McLain) has become incredibly successful with their annual community performances.
Inspired in part by their own personal relationship with Ron Seider and Tony Campolo, the Cerbone’s have taken the road less traveled and it has made all the difference in their lives. From sending their kids to Buffalo Public Schools when their daughter was the only white girl in a class of 40 students, to co-parenting their children together, to making sure they didn’t sacrifice their family on what they call an “altar of ministry,” its these small steps and focus on the vision that has made the ministry successful for over 20 years. Incarnational ministry it turns out means much more than lip service or the occasional visit to the other side of the tracks, it means living out the gospel, every day.
Now for the Cerbones, it’s mentoring and discipling the next generation of leaders. Those leaders include Megan who would never have dreamed that after her Wheaton College education she would be giving her life to urban ministry, but teaching theater and the arts is truly her passion and in the context of connecting people with their Creator, there is nothing better. She said, “There is nothing else that I would rather be doing than teaching theater to these kids, to whoever shows up tomorrow, there is nothing I would rather be doing.”
For Diane, she keeps going because, ‘The need is still there. That which is good is never finished,” she explained. “We’ve built our lives around it, it’s where our kids go to school, it’s where we live, it’s what’s normal for us.”
Friday, March 1, 2013
Matthew Barnett to Keynote Mantime 2013
Matthew Barnett is the author of The Cause Within You and pastor of one of America’s fastest growing churches, is one of the most dynamic voices God is using in Christianity today. Son of Pastor Tommy Barnett, best- selling author, church growth pioneer, and pastor of what Time Magazine noted as “One of the three largest churches in America,” Matthew has learned powerful principles of ministry, which have gifted him in founding The Dream Center in Los Angeles.
The Dream Center began as a typical local church. With the fresh vision and desire to impact the entire city that God birthed in Matthew’s heart, the church grew from 39 members at its conception in September of 1994, to reaching more than 40,000 people each week in the Center’s 40 services and 273 ministries and outreaches today. The Dream Center houses close to 500 people who are being rehabilitated for the glory of God. Every week people receive food and many other services are offered to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the community.
Monday, February 25, 2013
XCEL Leadership Center to Host Vision Luncheon
– On February 27, XCEL Leadership Center, Inc. will host the first of its 2013 Vision Luncheons. Held in The Basement of Renovation Church at 567 Hertel Avenue, XCEL’s Vision Luncheons bring together community leaders, business leaders and service partners to share in the Center’s plans to engage and impact the community throughout the year.
XCEL’s February Vision Luncheon will focus on the Center’s exciting new program initiatives and strategic partnerships to catalyze a movement of leader development
among the children, youth and families in Buffalo. The event will also provide information and news about the Center’s unique Kids With Cameras: Through Our Eyes project, launched earlier this month. Featured presenters = include Scott Hunt, president of Jack Hunt Gold & Silver; William Chapin II, systems manager of website applications, M&T Bank; Brek Cockrell, lead pastor of Renovation Church, and LaTonia Benjamin, XCEL Leadership Center’s executive director.
Located in the northwest corner of Buffalo, XCEL is a faith-based leadership center that helps people unleash their God-given potential, renew their mind, live abundantly and change the community. Its goal is to develop a community of leaders who are being educated, equipped and empowered to transform Buffalo.
Neil Boron Back On the Air!
BREAKING NEWS: NEIL BORON coming back to host all new "LIFELINE" (3-6pm weekdays)...beginning March 11th!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
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