In the last month, thousands of people have been affected by devastating tornado destruction. Hundreds have died – in fact, almost 500 deaths from tornadoes just this year. What if that were you? I urge you to listen/watch this video and experience only PART of what these tornadoes can do. Even better, turn up your speakers and close your eyes.

Now, imagine if you were there. After the terror from the tornado, you walk out – as a survivor – to what.

Devastation.

While Joplin, MO and Tuscaloosa, AL have been the top stories, there are thousands of people across a dozen or more states that need help. Yes, we can offer our prayers, but these people need physical and monetary help too. While many had insurance, there are those that did not. Given the current state of the economy, many may have lost the last things they had left. Now, in addition to losing jobs and being in financial trouble, these same individuals are dealing with this tragedy.

But, how can we help?

Many organizations have set up donation locations where you can drop off food, water, clothing and other necessities. Look for one in your town.

If you want to financially support organizations that are on the ground providing direct relief, here are several worthy organizations to consider:

North American Mission Board Disaster Relief from the Southern Baptist Convention.  Teams from states around the region are on site with self contained feeding units capable of serving thousands of meals per day, chainsaw teams, mudout teams and counselors.

Donate here.

Most of us are familiar with Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child.  This group does SO much more related to relief work around the world.  Teams are on the ground in tornado damaged areas providing supplies, cleanup and assistance.

Donate here.

 

The American Red Cross does much more than collect blood donations.  Currently, the ARC is providing relief supplies, operating and maintaining shelters, and coordinating other relief efforts.

Donate here.

These agencies and their volunteers are working hard and providing relief where they can.  However, a combination of a tough economy, which decreases financial support, and a higher number of weather related disasters this spring, makes their job even tougher.

There are many other agencies working to provide relief as well.  If you are familiar with one of those, please list the contact info in the comments.

Please help if you can.

How can you be different when normal is all you know?

Answering that question is the challenge we are facing with Palmetto Gatherings Home Fellowship.

When we started Palmetto Gatherings, we felt led to start something different for a number of reasons.  First, there are many people that may feel uncomfortable stepping into a church, but are just fine with stepping into our family room. Second, there are those out there that have become disillusioned with or have been hurt by “church”.

Jesus didn’t come to start a church or an organization, he came to start a relationship – with each of us.

So…how do we apply that and do something different? Something personal? Something that creates relationships and helps those in our community?

Well, being a house church network is different. That is true.  Especially here in the Southeast aka “The Bible Belt”. But, beyond that.  How do you become different when normal is all you know? Most of us involved in launching PG have been part of a traditional church.  That is the model we know.  How do we break away from that mold?

For the past 4 weeks, Lifechurch.tv has been doing a series called WEiRD.  This series is based on the book by their pastor Craig Groeschel – Weird: Because normal isn’t working anymore. This series has challenged me even more in this area. One thing Craig said has stuck with me:

If you want what many people have, do what many people do.  If you want what few people have, do what few people do.

So, I’m opening the discussion.  Help PG become WEiRD. Finish one of the following statements in the comments:

1. To be different, a church should…
2. I think it would be weird but successful if a church…
3. People would be happily surprised if a church…
4. No church has ever done this, but I wish they would…

Thanks for your help!

Average:

“approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value”

or

“a statistic describing the location of a distribution”

or

“around the middle of a scale of evaluation”

We are all familiar with the term average. We use it to compute final grades, compare pricing, and compare athletes. But what about us.  No one wants to be considered average. Average has the connotation of being unexceptional, normal…even boring.

But we are all average.

There is an adage that says:

You are the average of your five closest friends.

In other words, your beliefs, actions, values, etc generally come out to be the average of those of your five closest friends.  If you struggle with certain things in life, addictions, work ethic, etc., it’s a good bet that this average plays a part in that. But, it’s not all negative.  We can also exhibit an average of the good qualities – work ethic, work/family balance, how we treat our spouses and children.

But none of those are my question.

At one of the Catalyst Conferences I attended, we were asked to get out our cell phones and scroll through the phone book.  We were challenged to review that list to determine if we were solely surrounded by other Christians.  If there were no non-Christians in the list, why not? How could we possibly reach others for Jesus if our circle of friends only included Christians.

Well….here is the main question I’m pondering. And, no I don’t have the answers….I would love your feedback.

As a Christian, should I only include Christians in that five closest friends circle?

Of course that has all kinds of sub-questions.  How do I manage the influence that my non-Christian friends may have on my beliefs, etc? Do I need to regularly evaluate my five closest friends since I am the average of their beliefs, etc?  How do I evaluate myself and the contribution I make to this circle? Those are just a few.

What do you think?

 

You have probably heard of this website/movement before, but if you haven’t I urge you to check out I Am Second.  The project is awesome.  Their films focus on one person at a time that is dealing with….well, life.  Struggles, addictions, blessings, tragedies, you name it.

Many of the people featured in the films are popular actors, athletes or musicians.  Others are like your next door neighbor.  But they have all dealt with something in their lives that others can identify with.

The best part is that each of these people have realized that they could not be where they are today without Jesus.  It’s not about them. It’s about Him. They are second.  Here are a couple to watch, so you get the idea.

Brant Hansen – Radio Host, Mornings with Brant on WAY-FM

and

Vitor Belfort – mixed martial arts fighter

I want to be second.

For Jesus to truly change my life, I need to be second.

What about you? Are you first in your life or are you second?

What if we fed the hungry?

What if we gave drink to the thirsty?

What if we welcomed strangers?

What if we gave clothes to those that have none?

What if we took care of the sick?

What if we visited those in prison?

What if we helped those that weren’t like us?

What if we didn’t care what others thought about us as we served others?

What if we stopped to consider the needs of others before the wants of ourselves?

What if we quit talking about our faith and started walking out our faith?

What if…

 

 

As we continue to get things in place for Palmetto Gatherings, we are tying to increase the number of ways for us to share information and keep people updated on events, mission projects and gatherings. There are now two options.

Our Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/palmettoathome

And now, our email updates.  Email updates will include Event information, Reminders, Announcements and general updates. Sign up now!