The Front PorchThe Front Porchhttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2011-11-21T15:14:48ZSquarespace"Storming the Gates of Hell" - Nathan Cookhttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2011/11/21/storming-the-gates-of-hell-nathan-cook.htmlAdministrator2011-11-21T15:11:27Z2011-11-21T15:11:27Z

Check out Nathan Cook's challenging talk from the Global Health Missions Conference

]]>Refugee Jewelry Programhttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2011/9/27/refugee-jewelry-program.htmlAdministrator2011-09-27T17:04:41Z2011-09-27T17:04:41Z

 

There are hundreds of refugee women in Memphis... women who want to contribute to their families financially, learn new skills, become more independent, and build friendships with other women. Our hope is to see women achieve these goals through creating and selling handmade jewelry.

To date we have spent one year brainstorming, researching, learning, preparing, and finally teaching a small group (10+women) the skills of jewelry-making. We just finished our 8 week course of basic skills, and it's so exciting to see many of the women advancing, and taking ownership of their new talent! We hope that early next year we will have a group of women proficient in their skills, ready to sell their jewelry to make an income for them and their families. 

We are currently looking for venues from which to sell our product, and ideas on how we can make this ministry as successfull as possible for these women!

If you have ideas, questions, are interested in hosting a fundraiser, or are interested in purchasing, please contact: 

Steve Moses

steve@ministri.es

If you would like to donate so we can purchase supplies, tools, and other necessities for this project, you can do so below!

*Just make sure to use the designation "jewelry" when donating*

 

 

]]>BINGHAMPTON BAYOU BASH 2011http://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2011/3/28/binghampton-bayou-bash-2011.htmlAdministrator2011-03-28T17:28:31Z2011-03-28T17:28:31ZJoin us this year for crawfish and a cornhole tournament. Each team's registration is $35 (2 players) and includes a double-elimination cornhole tournament plus a crawfish meal. If you don't want to play (but who doesn't), then you can still enjoy the crawfish for $15. 

Click for more info & to register

]]>We have put together another website for our urban farms project. Check it out at www.urbanfarmsmemphis.orghttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2010/7/2/we-have-put-together-another-website-for-our-urban-farms-pro.htmlAdministrator2010-07-02T16:55:29Z2010-07-02T16:55:29Zhttp://www.urbanfarmsmemphis.org/

 

]]>Where would Jesus live?http://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2010/1/19/where-would-jesus-live.htmlAdministrator2010-01-19T16:43:39Z2010-01-19T16:43:39ZClick the picture below for a link to a video done recently on our Binghampton neighborhood.

http://www.commissionstories.com/stories/283

Where would Jesus live?

 

 

]]>Urban Farmshttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2009/12/9/urban-farms.htmlAdministrator2009-12-09T18:38:06Z2009-12-09T18:38:06ZWe have started working in collaboration with the Binghampton Development Corporation to create a new ministry called Urban Farms. Check out this link to learn more, www.ministri.es/urban_farms/.

]]>T-bird the thankful turkeyhttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2009/11/26/t-bird-the-thankful-turkey.htmlAdministrator2009-11-26T20:39:45Z2009-11-26T20:39:45Z

Nancy, a friend from house church, suggested starting a new family tradition for Thanksgiving this year. We made a turkey out of a pine cone and constuction paper. Last night everyone in our family took a turkey feather and wrote what they were thankful for on it and then put the feather back in the bird. It worked. We were all thankful. Another successful Thanksgiving in the books.

]]>Global Missions Health Conferencehttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2009/11/13/global-missions-health-conference.htmlAdministrator2009-11-13T14:59:15Z2009-11-13T14:59:15ZDr. Chuck was the opening plenary speaker last night at the GMHC Conference last night. He did an excellent job of setting the tone for the conference, defining a disciple as one who loves Jesus more than family, more than possessions, more than life itself (Luke 14). A disciple should expect and embrace suffering in this world. These are tough words that are worthy of reflection, contemplation, and action.

For those of you who are students at this years conference...if you are interested in doing a medical rotation at Christ Community Health Services this year, please feel free to contact me at nathan@ministri.es. We combine clinical experience with discipleship and community engagement. I look forward to hearing from you.

]]>Total Church Chapter Eight - Pastoral Carehttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2009/8/25/total-church-chapter-eight-pastoral-care.htmlNathan Cook2009-08-25T11:00:28Z2009-08-25T11:00:28ZIn this chapter the authors make the case that the gospel word and the gospel community are the best starting places for providing pastoral care to people suffering from depression and other mental disorders, stating that "there is no better place to start than with the word of God skillfully applied by the Spirit of God among the people of God" (128).

As one who occasionally suffers with boughts of depression, I can say with experience that my greatest comfort has come from prayerfully reflecting on the word of God and from others, particularly my wife, encouraging me and exhorting me with the word of God. It seems that in my particular case, depression arises when I focus on the circumstances surrounding my life, my environment, or my job, and when I take my eyes off of the sovereignty of God. 

One passage of scripture that has been helpful for me to meditate on in times of depression and "forgetfulness" is Isaiah 6. Isaiah sees a majestic vision of the holiness and sovereignty of God. Isaiah's vision of God brings conviction of his own sinfulness. God mercifully reaches out to Isaiah, cleansing him of his sin.

Isaiah rightfully views God as his sovereign king, who has the right to do with his life whatever God desires. He lays his life before God, volunteering to serve God in whatever capacity God sees fit. Isaiah responds to God before being given a "job description." Isaiah is given a very difficult calling, to preach a message of repentance to his kinsmen knowing that God is going to deafen their ears and harden their hearts. In response to God's calling, Isaiah cries out with more than a hint of discouragement in his voice, "How long oh Lord?" God responds essentially saying until I have brought total destruction upon your people. The rest of the book of Isaiah demonstrates that the prophet was faithful to carry out the difficult task put before him.

I often ask myself, "How was Isaiah able to persevere in preaching to a people that he knew would not respond to his message of repentance." I imagine that Isaiah repeatedly returned to the vision that God had given him of his sovereignty, majesty, beauty and holiness. Isaiah preached, knowing that he was pleasing his sovereign despite the apparent "fruitlessness" of his ministry. This picture of God's sovereignty provides a good corrective to our pragmatic culture that values successful outcomes over perseverance and faithfulness, and a great personal reminder that God has called me to minister to him faithfully despite what I see with my eyes or feel in my heart.

]]>Total Church Study Guidehttp://www.ministri.es/the-front-porch/2009/8/24/total-church-study-guide.htmlNathan Cook2009-08-24T15:27:53Z2009-08-24T15:27:53ZFor those of you who have been reading Total Church, here is a link to a free online study guide, sent to me via Robert Grishom. Thanks Robert for passing this along. A pdf file will begin downloading when you click on the link.

]]>