We've been telling you for months that REVOLUTION Church will be wonderfully different than anything the Ohio Valley has ever seen...and it WILL be-we promise! But since our Fall/Winter public launch seems like such a long way off, we thought we'd give you a glance of what "different" and "unexpected" can look like in the middle of an average world! Enjoy!!

From Steven Furtick:
Acts 3:2
Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

Acts 3:6-7
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

These two verses are interesting when you look at them side by side. I think they kind of reflect two different ministry philosophies.

There’s a crippled man. He needs help.
One group of people decides to help him by carrying him to the gate to beg everyday.
Peter and John decided to help him by reaching down, pulling him up on his feet, and telling him to walk.

Our ministry philosophy at Elevation (sub REVOLUTION) is more like the latter. We don’t really have much interest in carrying people to the gate to beg. We don’t coddle and cater and spoon feed.

We’ll reach down and help you. We’ll impart the healing power of Jesus to you. But you’ve got to get up and walk. You’ve got to make a personal investment into studying God’s Word for yourself.

How about you? Are you investing too much time in carrying people to the gate and dropping them off to beg? Are you the one doing the begging when you should be lifting somebody else’s burden?

Take some advice from Peter.

In the name of Jesus, walk.

Courtesy of Elevation Church. LOVE IT!

http://www.flowerdust.net/2010/01/11/breaking-news-new-survey-says-christians-give-poor-people-the-shaft/

Above is the link to a blog by Anne Jackson that has some stats (that may or may not be true) about the what Christian activists view as important compared to the average activist.

This type of information reminds me why we are starting Revolution Church to not be based or focused on issues such as abortion, homosexuality, politics, war, health care, etc...

We want to LOVE PEOPLE...ALL PEOPLE...and let God deal with the issues. In fact, the most REVOLUTIONARY part of Revolution Church will be the fact that two people with opposite opinions on any "issue" will be able to worship the God of all Creation in the SAME ROOM and not be attacked or told that they are wrong. I want people who disagree with ME to stand WITH ME and worship. THAT shows the WORLD that we truly love GOD and PEOPLE more than we disagree with people's ideas, choices, lifestyles, or actions. Think about the impact that will have on people who don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ because they view the church as judgemental and "anti" everything...

Maybe...just maybe...it will change the world...

Ever try to read the Bible and it didn't make ANY sense to you? All you could think was, "I don't talk like this. What does that MEAN!?" You know, all the "Thee" and "Thou" and "Shalt" language that isn't used today? It's pretty discouraging when that happens and people tend to stop reading because it doesn't feel like it is worth their time. I don't want you to be discouraged as we start "New Thru 30" and as you start to regularly read your Bible (a good habit) and I want you to understand at least PART of what you read, so check this out...

This is not meant to be a scholarly article on the accuracy of various translations of the Bible…it’s just some insight that may help you.

First of all, the Bible was not written in English, so every Bible sold is what you call a "translation" or a "version" of the Bible. Some of those "translations" or "versions" are easier to understand than others and when you read them, some are phrased more in modern English than others. This all affects how much you will understand when you read your Bible.

If you go get your Bible and look at the front cover, the binding, or the first few pages of the book, you will see something like "New King James", "New American Standard". "King James", "New Living Translation", "English Century", "New International Version", etc... or you may see letters like "NKJV", "KJV", "ESV", NIV", "NASB", etc... Those words or letters tell you what version of the Bible you own.

So here's what happened...

A person or a group of people took the original text (which were written mostly in Hebrew and Greek) and translated them into English. There are several different translations, ranging from "word for word translations" like the "English Standard Version", to "paraphrases" (that make it more like a story) like the "New Living Translation" or "The Message".

Some people are really committed to their favorite translation. For example, there’s a small group of people that believe the King James Bible (originally published in 1611) is the only real God-inspired translation. This is pretty stupid, because it would have to mean that people didn’t have a real Bible in 1610. I don’t think you will go wrong with any translation of the Bible, and God will honor you if you read and follow His Word. The trick is picking a translation that makes sense to you.

Here are a few translations I recommend to readers, listed here in order from the simpler to the more advanced.

1. The Message - This is one of the newest translations available. It reads like a book and is written like we talk today. It is very easy to understand if you are reading for a quick overview of the Bible like "New Thru 30", but is often not great for "studying" because a lot of what people study in the Bible is the historic language and it's meaning in the culture it was written.

2. The NLT (New Living Translation) is a great Bible. This is a very readable Bible as the translators focused on making it easy to read and understand. You won’t find “thee’s and thou’s” in this one. If you’re a new Christian or want a great starting point, then this translation is a good one. A lot of people in my small group use this version.

3. The NIV (New International Version) is probably the most popular translation. It’s still pretty readable, but it’s a little MORE of a word-for-word translation. It’s been around for about 25 years or so and is good to read. I recommend this to people who want a deeper understanding of scripture but aren't really advanced in their Bible knowledge. Almost everyone in my small group that doesn't use the NLT uses the NIV.

4. The ESV (English Standard Version) is the most accurate translation available. The goal of the ESV was to translate the Bible as close to the original writings as possible. This translation is very similar to the King James Version (the KJV has the "Thee, Thou, and Shalt" language that you often hear people quote), but it’s more accurate.

Lots of publishers publish all these translations so you’ll find them all with many kinds of covers and in all kinds of formats.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET A STUDY BIBLE (I can't say this enough!!!), and there’s a good study Bible for all of these translations. A study Bible will have notes, maps and charts…so when you come across something that is confusing, there will be some footnotes or articles to help you understand what is going on.

As you do "New Thru 30" and get into your Bible more, you will find that it is like exercise. It is hard to read at first, but if you stick with it, you will finish stronger. Reading the Bible literally takes practice. You learn new things EVERY TIME you read it.

If you are struggling to find a Bible that you can understand or if you are struggling to figure out what kind of Bible you have, let me know and I will help you figure it out. =)

Hope this helps....good luck!

Vanessa
vanessa@ohiovalleyrevolution.com

I LOVE Mark Batterson. He is an INCREDIBLE leader and pastor! This is his blog from today and it's RIGHT ON. Check it out...and if you want to follow him just head over to evotional.com

Thou Shalt Offend Pharisees
from The Batterson Blog - Thoughts on Life and Leadership by Mark Batterson

I have a mantra: thou shalt offend pharisees.

Isn't that the example Jesus set? He didn't have the time of day for self-righteousness. Seems like he hated nothing more. The Pharisees turned everything into an argument. They found something wrong with everything--even miracles. And they were all about image. They looked totally righteous on the outside. They said the right things. They did the right things. But Jesus called them whitewashed tombs.

Abraham Lincoln said, "You can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time."

So good. So true.

So here's the question: who are you offending?

Most of us are far more concerned about offending Pharisees than offending sinners. But is that the example Jesus set? He didn't offend prostitutes or tax collectors. He shared meals with them. He restored their dignity. But he wasn't afraid to call a pharisee a pharisee.

Having said that let me say this: make sure you have people in your lives that can speak the truth in love. You need accountability. Why? Because no one is above reproach or above rebuke. So make sure you listen to the voice of the prophet. But don't listen to the self-righteousness pharisee. Don't dialogue with them. Don't listen to them. Don't give them the time of day. Why? Because Jesus didn't.

Hope that helps someone who is fighting Pharisees.

It's the Christmas season and everyone around me is caught in the hustle and bustle! Shopping, baking, cleaning, traveling, decorating, parties, go, go, go, buy, buy, buy, do, do, do...the list goes on and on. So the Holidays are exciting and fun and fast-paced!

If you're like me, many of those things bring you great joy. But sometimes, I feel like the Holiday season swings me around by the tail..."gotta be here, gotta hurry, running behind, Oops-I forgot____". So the Holidays are also about difficult relatives demanding more of us than we can give, crowded stores and spending more than we want or should...so it's often about being frazzled and frustrated or even torn.

Through all of it, I manage to center myself (eventually) on the meaning of Christmas. I remember that Jesus was born on a cold night, so that He could grow up, show us how to live and love, and then die an excruciating death, after being mocked and scorned- all so our sins could be forgiven...all because without HIM we all fall short of being "good enough". And I am thankful. And grateful. And humbled. And broken. And, oh so unworthy. And I promise to try to do better at living a life that was worth the death He died. And again, I fall short.

If you are a Christian, just take a minute and thank Him again for all he's done for you.

(I'll wait.)

Ahhh, that's nice. Isn't it?

But that's not ALL that being a Christian is about.

Jesus commands us to GO and MAKE DISCIPLES. Not just sit around on our ever-widening bottoms, in our feel-good churches, like pew potatoes who punch their Sunday, Christmas, and Easter time cards, singing "Deck the Halls" and delighting in how great we have it and what good people we are.

We're SPOILED!

Somehow, we've gotten the idea that "Thy Kingdom Come" is "My Kingdom Come" and that life on Earth is all about getting everything just like we like it...a better car, nicer house, bigger boat, name-brand purses, dinners out (my BIG downfall), and surrounding ourselves with all of our favorite Christian friends (another biggie for me)...but there is MORE! There's more to life than working longer hours to build more and buy more, building a big 401K, buying a boat, and then dying! There's more to life than struggling and striving.

I don't have it all figured out yet, but here's what I DO know:

Our hearts need to break for those who do not know Jesus. Think back to a few minutes ago...what would you do without Him? Where would you be? What would happen if you had to create ALL of your own blessings? What would you be if He didn't save you from yourself?

There are people all over the Ohio Valley who are trying their darnedest to make it through life without Jesus. They've either never heard about Jesus in a way that touches them right where they are OR they've been turned-down or turned-off by some stupid stunt pulled by a well-meaning Christian. And they are suffering.

Read that again. And again. Keep reading it until it doesn't make you angry, or defensive, or righteous and proud. Read THAT until it breaks you.

Think about your co-workers, your relatives, the weird kid with all the piercings who works at the gas station, your nephew, your uncle, your boss, your sister-in-law. What about them? Are they trying to get through life WITHOUT Jesus and without a Community of Faith that LOVES them? Do they understand how much Jesus loves them JUST THE WAY THEY ARE? If not, does it break your heart? It breaks mine.

That's why I'm doing ALL I CAN this year to support Revolution Church by giving, praying, and serving and you should too!

Revolution Church is being intentionally built so that people who don't "do" church will give God and Jesus and church a chance! Revolution accepts ALL people, especially those that have been condemned, mistreated, judged and marginalized by society as a whole. The Christian community over the years has excelled at some areas, but we at Revolution believe there is still room for improvement on what we believe can be a transformational movement between God and the people He is pursuing.

Let's MAKE A DIFFERENCE for Jesus in the Ohio Valley!

If you are a Christian, you need to do 3 things. (Not ONE of the THREE. ALL THREE!)

1. Give generously to REVOLUTION. Reaching the Ohio Valley for Jesus won't happen on pennies and chump change. Budget information has been finalized and will be posted on our site soon. If you want to know more, contact us and we will help you understand where the money goes. Here's a few tidbits:

• At this stage, there are NO salaries or paid positions at REVOLUTION. All staff are REVOLUTION volunteers and support their families through employment elsewhere. There are no definitive plans to pay staff at this time, but we reserve the right to hire as needed.
  
• 10% of all money we take in goes back into the community through our Community Outreach Partners. Your contribution will help support organizations who already work hard to make life better for Ohio Valley residents who are less fortunate.
• You can't "outgive" God. He'll continue to bless you through your generosity and others will be blessed as well. His blessings are recession-proof!
  
• You can visit our website to donate through PayPal or send a check to REVOLUTION Church, P.O. Box 644, St. Clairsville, OH 43950. If you'd rather get together in person, we can do that. Just email me at jessica@ohiovalleyrevolution.com or call me at 740-695-4684.
  

2. Pray generously for REVOLUTION. Revolution is a huge movement of God. People's lives WILL be changed! The people of the Ohio Valley will experience honor and love in the name of Jesus like never before! That will surely be met with resistance. Pray for our protection and that doors will be opened to us throughout the Valley so that ALL people will be reached!

3. Serve generously at REVOLUTION. It's time to get involved! The team that will bring REVOLUTION to life is being formed now. Our first preview service is just 14 short weeks away. You can make a difference! All it takes is a willingness to be a small part of the bigger plan. You can help REVOLUTION by holding a door open for a First-Time Guest or helping on the parking team or setting up chairs, all so that others can hear about the redeeming love of Jesus.

You may be completely content in your church. We love that. If that's you, consider becoming a "Church Plant Missionary" and partnering with us for a few hours a week for Launch Team meetings and Monthly Preview Services until August of 2010. You can still attend your home church. Then help us launch regular weekly services in September through the Winter of 2010. When you return to your home church, know that YOU have made a difference in helping reach out to the Ohio Valley.

If you are feeling that God may be calling you to something different than your current church, that may be Revolution! Or maybe you don't currently have a home church. We'd love to talk with you about exploring the possibilities! You can learn more about us at www.OhioValleyRevolution.com Then drop me an email at jessica@ohiovalleyrevolution.com and we'll get together.

Let's partner together and DO THIS THING! Merry Christmas!! And have a HAPPY and EXCITING NEW YEAR!!!