Saturday, December 16, 2017

Join us in GIVING financially this year!





"Would you like to join me at my church this Sunday? "  
                                                          And what if they say no?  Then what?

It’s a simple enough request.  Actually, it’s probably one of the most oft encouragements of homework that pastors give their congregations every week - Remember to invite someone back to church with you next Sunday!

So what happens when the invited persons say no.  Other than our asking again and again, there seems to be a dramatic distance between this Plan A and any kind of alternative thought.

Yet, our faith compels us to look for other opportunities to share our faith.  Jesus called us in Matthew 28 to ‘go’ and that requires us to put some further effort into this responsibility of sharing the Good News.

At DTPHX Church, we’ve heard a lot of the stories of people being invited to church.  From those conversations, there only seems to be a growing number of those that have turned their backs on the invitation and are thoroughly done with anything to do with the church.  Some aren’t walking away from their faith, mature or immature as it may be.  But they ARE walking away from attending a church.  So, the strategic alternatives Christians use to “will you go to church with me next Sunday” are few and far between.

So, are we to give up, satisfied that we tried but failed?  Paul exhorts us to try again.  In fact, Paul writes to encourage one another and all the more as we see the day of Christ’s return approaching. 

Greeting ASU students
‘Every day’ is one of five core values Downtown Phoenix Church operates under.  We want to utilize every day of the week to share Christ and converse with people about His love.  When we do host ‘church’, we host it in Open Spaces so anyone and all can observe without obligation to join in but can begin their journey by observing.  We are depending on the Holy Spirit to move in their hearts as they listen in.  We also tend to meet in Smaller Groups so we can move more efficiently into shared, temporary spaces where the very people we hope to reach are already moving about.  Rather than beckon people to follow one of us to church, we want to bring church to them … an alternative for the thousands that will never begin a spiritual journey inside one of today’s church buildings.  

Jesus continually displayed ministry through his personal encounters.  The gospels give us perspectives into the lives of individuals.  Two thousand years later, we recall them personally by their circumstances and measures of faith: The woman at the well, the man blind from birth, the woman caught in adultery, the hemorrhagic woman,  the paralytic at Bethesda.  Zaccheus, Nicodemus, Martha.  Individually with personal lessons to teach us.  Even recounting the feeding of the 5,000 people focusses in on the faith of one boy and lack of faith for the 12 disciples.

Popup Church at Ro2 Park
Even if we were given the use of a free building, we'd still be doing it the same way - Building relationships. - In the community.
-Talking to the ones that have given up ever going to an organized church.  -Talking to the ones that never have gone to church.  -Or those spurned by a church.  -Spending time with those out and about who think about anything other than 'church' on Sunday mornings. We choose to act as community missionaries.

  • And teaching those that join in our calling how to share their faith daily.
    • Encouraging ALL to be disciple-makers themselves.
      • Missional with our first dollars investing into people and ministry rather than overhead and expenses.



Colleen at one of the Roosevelt Art  pieces
We continue to notice that there are a lot more people around us NEVER going to church than those going.



______________________________
Colleen and I have made it a personal decision to fund our ministry largely-separated from the DTPHX Church's budget.  This allows us to discuss stewardship without sounding self-serving, especially to the skeptical we attempt to reach.  

*Dollars given to DTPHX Church General Fund are utilized to support ministry in open
Bethany Hatch providing music at MADE
spaces
where all can observe and hear.  We support ministry on the downtown campus of Arizona State University,  partner with businesses in downtown Phoenix for events, support community relationships of generosity with music, and minister in smaller spaces to reach into our neighborhood.

*Dollars given to Colleen's and my ministry support us and also fund us for our personal interaction throughout the week.

Please go online to https://giving.ncsservices.org/g3/ and choose how you would like to donate.  And as you give, know that your gift is being matched by our family (up to $5000) to double it's value between now and the end of 2017!  

 

Saturday, December 9, 2017

At the "WHAT SHOULD GO HERE" Popup Park



Our God Saves

Verse

In the name of the Father in the name of the Son
In the name of the Spirit Lord we come
We're gather'd together to lift up Your name
To call on our Savior to fall on Your grace
Hear the joyful sound of our offering
As Your saints bow down as Your people sing
We will rise with You lifted on Your wings
And the world will see that

Chorus

Our God saves our God saves
There is hope in Your name
Mourning turns to songs of praise
Our God saves our God saves

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Strategic Partnerships

Hobs Nobs for July 23, 2017

DTPHX Church Values
#OpenSpaces
#StrategicPartnerships
#SmallGroups
#HappyGenerosity
#EveryDay 

Blessed Be Your Name

Verse 1

Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Verse 2

Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name

Pre-Chorus

Ev’ry blessing You pour out I’ll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in Lord
Still I will say

Chorus

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Verse 3

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

Verse 4

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Bridge

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name

__________________________

You Are My King (Amazing Love)

Verse

I'm forgiven
Because You were forsaken
I'm accepted
You were condemned
I'm alive and well
Your Spirit is within me
Because You died
And rose again

Chorus

Amazing love
How can it be
That You my King
Would die for me
Amazing love
I know it's true
It's my joy to honor You
In all I do I honor You

Ending

You are my King
You are my King
Jesus You are my King
Jesus You are my King

___________________________

All Creatures Of Our God And King

Verse 1

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him alleluia
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him O praise Him
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Verse 2

Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heav'n along
O praise Him alleluia
Thou rising moon in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening find a voice
O praise Him O praise Him
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Verse 3

Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him alleluia
Praise praise the Father praise the Son
And praise the Spirit three in One
O praise Him O praise Him
Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Ending

O alleluia alleluia
O alleluia alleluia
O alleluia alleluia
O alleluia alleluia alleluia
__________________________

How Great Is Our God

Verse 1

The splendor of the King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice
He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
And trembles at His voice

Chorus

How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see how great
How great is our God

Verse 2

And age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the End
Beginning and the End
The Godhead three in one
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

Bridge

Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God

______________________
We are all called to be missionaries in our daily lives.  Ultimately, we believe that the only true peace comes from the one who IS peace.  We are DTPHX Church and live to bring the #PeaceOfChrist as our mission.  Ask yourself, this week, where can I be used as a vessel of Your peace, O Lord?  Where do I need to grow so that others will see your reflection in my actions and faith?