Just got this on my Facebook. This, my friends, is what I live for, why God created me, and why I am in existence! I can live a LONG time on kind words like these and the opportunity to do this kind of work. Thank you Jesus for allowing me to live this life!

Notes like this help me forgive myself for all the dumb things I should have done differently, and leadership mistakes I have made in the past...

Michelle (name withheld) December 13 at 7:01pm Report

Thank you for being our pastor ....I thank the Lord for you and your family and Freedom Valley!! you guys are truely life savers! Your family and church are very important to us for this is where all of my children accepted Christ in their hearts, were baptized in water and the Holy Spirit....and are growing in their walks and relationship with the Lord....I am truely grateful, thankful, and blessed to be at Freedom Valley! Thanks a bunch!

Elevate Ministry School exciting announcement!

Hey learners!

     I am pleased to announce a new piece to our effort to train men and women for ministry. Starting this month, we are offering all of our Elevate Ministry School courses on-line as well as live. That is, a student could take these ministry classes from home at their computer. and earn college credits at a huge discount! What we are most excited about, is that these students can be trained in the local church, while using their gifts right there where God planted them- serving and practicing their gifts while they learn!

     Acts 1 states that Jesus began to "do and teach". Our hope is that these classes can help students learn while doing the work of the ministry in their own local church, "doing and being taught". If Jesus linked those two together, perhaps we can do it to!

     Here's how it works: Internet students will have access to lectures within 4 hours of delivery. They will then have6 days to listen to the lecture and classroom discussion, and produce notes that must be submitted as proof of having participated. This will delivery a learning experience very close to being there in person!

     The financial benefit: these classes are vastly less expensive than attending any Bible school, or secular college. Each class represents a huge discount (scholarship) while offering a high quality education with credits accruing by Valley Forge Christian College! It is as if each student receives a more than 75% scholarship! This make sit possible for students to save large amounts of money, hold down a regular job, and get a huge jump on their education. One parent told us that by taking all that we have to offer here before moving to VFCC or another college, a family could save more than $6000! As a father with three young adults in college, I can deeply appreciate the value this represents!

     What's more, each student can take all the classes needed for credentialing with the Penn-Del District as a certified minister. Additional credits are also offered. Classes offered as of this Fall are: OT Survey, Biblical Interpretation, Public Speaking, Gospels, Theology I, Acts, Biblical Foundations of Missions, Worldviews, Intro to Social Sciences, Music Theory. 10 exciting courses classes!

     For more info, go to www.freedomvalley.org

The DR challenge

Mike Fleming has been reaching out to the witches and warlocks of Padre Las Casa. And he, his family, and the church have been under attack for it as you can imagine.

Normal people would run away from a battle like this. But that is not what God called us to do, is it? We are called to run TO the battle, not away from it. And that is what about 20 of us are doing this week. We are heading into the issues that enslave children, ruin families, and hold people in poverty in Padre Las Casa.

This week, many will find freedom. Then later this Fall, hundreds more will stream into the Kingdom of God in our huge Fall crusade there.

This is worth risking everything for. After all, that is exactly what Jesus did, and the example He gave us to follow.

nice blog from http://churchmultiplication.us/

Cool blog from the church planting people at CMN. God is very nice to me...

This Journey Hasn’t Been Without Challenges

By Leo CrosbyTuesday July 6, 2010

“83% of my state are going to hell and it breaks my heart,” Pastor Gerry Stoltzfoos shares in response to why church planting is such a vital component of Freedom Valley Church in Gettysburg, PA. Since planting Freedom Valley in 1992, they have grown as a church of six sites. Beyond simply having multiple sites they have also parented and partnered with a total of 26 church plants since 1992. Their goal is to plant 100 churches by 2020.

Their journey hasn’t been without challenges. 38 of his congregation chose to move to Tulsa for their most recent plant. “It’s breathtakingly painful,” Gerry says. Beyond the life long friends that have been made that choose to go to a different site or plant the most recent plant hit directly at home for Gerry. His then executive pastor, now church planter Jason Fitch asked about the policy of there being no limit on who he could recruit from the congregation. Gerry’s response was that was the policy, to which Jason said he was glad because he was going to ask Gerry’s daughter and son-in-law to go as worship leaders.Freedom Valley Tulsa was blessed with not only the new worship leaders but Gerry’s son also decided to join the team. Gerry reflects, “It’s also unbelievably rewarding. I just keep repeating the mantra, ‘this is about winning souls for the Kingdom.”

Recently Pastor Gerry was able to baptize a single father. When he had a chance to ask him his story the father shared that three months ago thought he was going to be an atheist and thought pastors like [Gerry] were “worse than Hitler” and the real deceivers of our culture. A few months ago a family from Freedom Valley Church invited my 10 year-old dauther to come to church. She came home that Sunday and told her dad she gave her heart to Jesus. He wanted to be supportive of his daughter and chose not to belittle what she had shared with him. Over the next few weeks he said she changed so much in front of his eyes. The anger and resentment over her parents recent divorce seemed to disappear.She became a person of love and forgiveness, changing her personality completely. It was then that he asked himself, “Why would I not want that in my life?”

Freedom Valley Church is set to launch two more sites in 2010. Pastor Gerry’s advice to other pastors, “You have to keep yourself on kingdom multiplication and not allow yourself to feel you are the only thing out there.”

The Medical Detectives show taping today

Miracle Detective is a brand new book by Randall Sullivan. It is also becoming a TV show for Ophra's new network which begins early next year.

Because of the piece that Nightline did on me with the medical study which seems to medically show that tongues does not come from the message center of the brain, Miracle Detectives contacted me to see if they can do an episode on the relationship between speaking in tongues, and miracles.

Today more than a dozen of us gathered in the sanctuary to pray together, in tongues and in English while they taped us and interviewed some of us afterward. It was an interesting experience.

None of the 7 crew members claimed to be believers in Christ, but both of the two that I ask, said they felt His presence in the room as we prayed. God really moved into our little prayer time, making Himself felt as we called on him in English and in our prayer language.

Then they interviewed Ed Funk and Daniel Barnard about how their lives changed after they were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Earlier they had also interviewed Sandy Cullison about her medically verifiable healing from tumors, and  other health issues. Cindy Janczyk told about her experience with The Holy Spirit, as did Matt Topper, Jason Shue, and Tyler Belfiore, who just started speaking in tongues last week!

Of course we don't know how editors will spin it, and what the final product will look like. I know that I am a goofy enough guy that they could use these things a lot of different ways. But however God chooses to use me, I am confident that He will orchestrate our feeble efforts for His higher good!

That you-all, who prayed with me.

Things that make me cry on Father's Day

Lot's of Dad's feel so much pain on Father's Day because of choices their kids made. I, too, cry a lot each year these days, but not because of bad choices my kids made. Quite the opposite.

And please forgive me if this sounds braggadocious. God has been extraordinarily good to me with my kids, and this proves it. And in case you worry, please know that I am well aware that I do not deserve all these kinds words that my kids lavish on me (in this case Candace), but I feel I would be somehow just wrong if I didn't honor HIM by sharing it. She (they) makes me cry in the best sort of ways.

3 John 1:4 has become a favorite verse recently: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth".

So here goes the nice things Candace wrote me this evening:

Hi Dad,

I've gotten so many compliments on what a great job I did during Harvest Cry.  People complimenting my leadership left and right, my way with kids, my organization, my work ethic, even the decorations, which I barely even touched!  When I protest about the decorations and try to give Izetta credit, they just shake their heads and chalk it up to "delegation".  haha, I am so very blessed.

And so, I want to thank you.  I have grown up under the best leader I know, and I seem to have amazing insights that come very easily to me, but shock the socks off of people! You and mom taught me those things that come second nature.  I didn't realize until this past year how differently I think than most people...even most Christians. You taught me basic leadership skills from as early as I can remember.  Things that seem so simple!  And I remember learning things right along with you and mom all along the way.  You included us in your learning processes a lot, and in your relationship with God, I just can't seem to get over the blessings that have come from that!!  You prayed favor over us constantly, in which I am now living and leading!  

After Johannes' message in the 9:15 service, I realized that I rely on the Holy Spirit for answers constantly with kids, and He always comes through for me!  Just last night, I had two girls who wanted to get baptized AGAIN, and their parents didn't know what to tell them.  Neither did I, but they were looking to me for answers, so I took a deep breath, confidently marched over to the girls, and started talking.  I had no idea what I was going to tell them, I was feeling a little panic-y, but after I bumbled through it for a minute, suddenly, I was giving them a GREAT answer!  I didn't know what I was saying until I said it, and it was at that moment, not before, that I realized I told them exactly what they all needed to hear.  That was the Holy Spirit!  He comes through for me like that CONSTANTLY, and I have you to thank for teaching me to rely on him.

You are such an inspiring man of God, and I just keep reaping the rewards from your life of service to him. I am soooooo blessed to be your daughter AND employee.  Thank you for giving me to opportunity to serve your church alongside you.  I'm tearing up as I write this, because I don't know how I can ever thank you enough for trusting me with such a big job, at such a young age.  You saw and prophesied the leadership in me before I could even dream it. You've always believed in us, given us big jobs, and taught us to be leaders.  I will never stop receiving the blessings for that as long as I live.  My children will know those blessings as well!  

Thank you, thank you, thank you Dad.

I love you.

Growth of the Kingdom in Adam's County

Below is a report from The American Religious Data Archive that details some surprising stuff. For example, since 1990, Adam's county grew 16% in population and 22% in total church adherence. The AG in Adam's County, grew 330%!


Here's the report:  http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/counties/42001_compare80.asp

But while I am glad there are huge gains in 'market share' (percentages of people connecting to church), the report also details what I want to focus on next- more of the 41,000 who are still disconnected, feeling unloved, unwanted, or out of order with God.


Adam's County is part of the Cold Northeast. That is, we are part of the least evangelized portion of America. 54 million people live here in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.


An estimated 45 million of them will spend eternity in Hell. 


THAT is the number that calls out to my soul morning, noon, and night. These are friends, colleagues, family members, and total strangers, but all of them matter deeply to God -and to every person who loves Him!


"With the right lever, I could move the world" is something like Aristotle or somebody said.


I believe strategy is that lever. I also believe that one day, God will give that lever to someone He can trust with His precious people, and that this person will be hugely instrumental in bringing them in.


If you are a parent, you may be raising that person. If you care enough about your neighbor to invite them to church, you may be inviting that person.


Or you may be that person. I pray that you are. God give us strategy to make a difference for the 45 million.




Source: http://www.pray4gcr.com/downloads/GCRTF_Progress_Report.pdf

God spoke in Oklahoma

Today as I was riding to Tulsa on my motorcycle (thank you Jesus for that wonderful gift! Please bless Tom today for bring a giver. I pray that he will receive back 2 motorcycles, both better than this one), I was listening through the Old Testament. Then I re-listened to some favorites again. Nahum, Micah, Obadiah, Ezra, Nehemiah. Good stuff.

In the second chapter of Nehemiah, shortly after I crossed the Oklahoma line, I was musing to myself what a leader Nehemiah was; strategic, organized, purposeful, and courageous. All stuff I want to grow in.

"Wow God", I said out loud to the wind rushing by my head. "I like these qualities in this leader."

Suddenly, as I was trying to adjust myself in the saddle that I had been in for the past 1100 miles, God spoke right there on the middle of Rt. 44: "Who does that remind you of?"

"Jason Fitch", I said, suddenly hugely aware that God was hanging out with a biker. It was stinkin' hot, but I was getting chills.

"Me too", God said right back. "Same spirit, same calling, and a man through whom I plan to have similar results. He will rebuild the ancient ruins in the heart of my nation. He will be a wall builder, who devises ways to keep the enemy out."

"Generations of families will look back and thank this man for his visionary sacrifice and hard work on their behalf," the Lord went on. "Like the walls of Jerusalem, he will rebuild the framework of the city (country) destroyed because of it's disobedience. Rebuilding the walls will usher in the courage to rebuild the temple, which will rebuild the character of a once great nation.

Like Nehemiah, I have sent him far away from the post he once had. He will lead the leaders to do the work they have always wanted to do, but never found the courage and organization to do it. He will get it done. I sent him with the provision that he needed, and more is being sent. I have sent troops to protect him, and letters with orders to cause others to give whether they want to or not.

Like Nehemiah, he will be opposed, but with wisdom and focus, he will continue in the work he has been called to do, no matter what anyone else says or does. And he will fully accomplish the purposes for which he was sent. Like Nehemiah, he has not even been able to tell people yet, what I have planned to do through him, because they would not be able to take it in.

Also like Nehemiah, I have sent an Ezra (Jake) to work with him. This man will teach the people the things of God, and will purify the people that God has sent. He will also raise up leaders around him who will carry his work and his fame far beyond the actual things that he himself does.

I am rejoicing over these men, because their obedience now means that I can trust them with far greater things later. In them is the heart of a priest who is a king-maker, and an advisor to rulers of the nation of nations".

Jason, your name comes from the same root as the name 'Jesus', or Joshua meaning 'healer', or 'the Lord is salvation'.  This is important for what God said next.

"You have not been named by your father or mother, but by my own mouth", says the Lord. Jesus is seen in you, but will be seen even greater, and many will come to the "Lord our salvation' because of what I have called you to do."

needs tension

God is teaching me about various resistances that I have received in life.

When Julie and I announced our engagement, a Sunday School teacher got critical of us. "what are you thinking?", he laughed. "You are way too young!!" Truth be told, we were only 19 and 17 at that point.

I was angry with him for telling me I am not smart. But what that interaction did was cause me to think deeply about my choices and make sure I was ready for it. Julie and I agreed to break up for a short time and see if we could stand it. We couldn't, and because of that confrontation and subsequent soul searching I would not easily change my mind later at the first sign of challenge to our love.

And then there was the pastor who told me "that is the worst vision I ever heard", when I told him about my desire to help people who have given up on church. He told me that I would have a church full of hurting people, who would in turn hurt each other because hurting people do that.

I wonder if I would even remember the value of my vision to reach people who have given up on church, if I had not received the criticism, and been therefore forced to think deeply about it, pray it more carefully, and make it a sure thing. That pastor helped me so much by honestly reflecting his thoughts that day.

And the pastor who told me that he and his board prayed about us, and God spoke. He said God told them that I had made a mistake and wanted to move back home, so they took up an offering and presented me with $150 bucks to rent the truck to get back home.

What his action did, was cause me to carefully think and pray about why I was here in Adam's County and why I had not started this church somewhere else. After that prayer season, I never really doubted it again, and instead rehearsed over and over all the reasons I was sure God sent us here.

The tension each of these situations created, were intense and not fun. But the results were, God made Himself even more clear in my heart, and I ended up very clear about what I was to do.

I should have thanked these guys. Too many times a brilliant thought has come... and was lost for lack of creative tension. Unopposed, these thoughts went quickly forgotten.

At least I guess they did, but since there was no tension, I'm not sure, because I don't remember!

I got my share of critics now, who tell me about all that I am not doing well. I should thank them, when usually I let them stir that old spirit of rejection inside of me, and feel sorry for myself. And fear. And resentment.

I'm sorry God.

the making of a man of God

Almost every year these days, I get to be in an ordination service, as one of my team members gets ordained. I have been attending them since I started ministry in 1983. Tonight, Rick Roth and Al DiSalvatore got ordained! I am very proud of these guys.

It takes me back to my own ordination. In the past 27 years, I have desperately hung onto the hope that we are prevailing and winning in the Kingdom of God. I was excited when the 90's were about the Decade of Harvest, and when various other changes, ideas, and programs to reach people were rolled out.

But one more time today, I was handed a report that read that 83% of the people in Pennsylvania are unsaved. My district (the fellowship that I am part of) has almost exactly the same number of churches that it has had for decades. Less and less people per capita, are bound for eternal life. For the past 27 years that I have been in ministry, we have lost ground pretty much every year!

So I was in Panera the other day and a young man sort of asked me for advice for a young guy starting out. I thought for a moment and said "don't listen to anyone my age". He was a little startled, but I pressed on: "in my ministry lifetime, my ministry colleagues and I have lost the battle. Half as many people attend church as did when I started ministry in '83. How is that not a failure? The worst thing that could happen is for guys your age to listen to guys my age to learn ministry. You might get infected with the ideas that kept us from prevailing and getting the job done! We have failed!"

So, to the 23 ordained tonight, here's the deal. You certainly have a harvest field that is plentiful. You have so many people to reach! We need you so badly, to help us, and to go beyond us, and to not listen to closely to whatever flimsy ideas we have, because we did not get the job done!

I'm sorry about that.

But you are our hope, you are God's answer, you are what we need- more workers in the Harvest Field! May God help you go much further than we ever have and reach far more people than we did! We need you to help us figure out how to win!

18 years of Freedom Valley

Today it's been 18 years.

I forgot about it, actually. We were going about our business and it was a wonderful weekend. I just didn't think about it being our birthday until later. We were busy teaching on forgiveness, graduating a new (and incredibly bright, talented, and anointed) class of Master's Commission students, and celebrating the launch of our newest sites to notice.

On the one hand I wish we had celebrated. On the other hand, we have always been far more about the future than about the past. I love what God did, and that He let me ride along, but I also feel like I have a lot to do to accomplish what He put us here for.

I hate goodbyes, endings, funerals, and most everything else about the past. It's the future that I really prefer to dwell on. The past has an unsavory finality and painful healing to it. I am not a great planner, and make ridiculous amounts of mistakes that lurk there in my past like an old smelly shoe. The future has hope, vision, and unlimited possibility. I like the future.

It's not complicated, what I see for the future. I am asking God for 100 new churches, many of which will hopefully pass Freedom Valley quickly in every significant way. The 10 years after that, I am asking the God that prefers bold requests, for 1000 churches, and some way to affect our culture with permanent Heaven-populating movement toward God.

Treating Mom's great

This weekend kicks off a 2 week "blessing-of-the-Mom's" event at Freedom Valley York Road.

This weekend we will be washing cars for single Mom's before, during, and after all services here at York Road.   Because I believe if Jesus were walking the streets of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania these days, He would be more likely to wash a car than to wash feet. We're gonna be helping Him do it!

Next weekend is a full court press to bless Mom's. Free coffee for Mom's, a gift at the door (they can shop for and pick their own). Single Mom's will also get a $10 gift card.

If you know a Mom, bring her! Guest Mom's also get the usual $5 gift card from Guest Central.

sex talk out takes, experiences, and left overs

I read somewhere that most parents say they had the sex talk with their kids. Most kids say they never had the sex talk with their parents. Interesting discrepancy.

I would guess that Pastors are the same- believe they have taught their people about sex better or more than they really have.

So this weekend we are working at it, at our sites and services. And we are trying to do it in a positive way, talking about how God provided for great sex through marriage, about how men and women should consider it their responsibility to meet each others needs. AND, about how singleness is a gift, not an abnormality or a problem.

I prayed a lot of prayers afterward, with people who have huge regrets concerning their sex lives, or are struggling through a spouse's affair, or cannot seem to get functional again after someone committed a sexual crime on them. And quite a few who messed up sexually but have a very tough time admitting it.

Cause when sex is bad, it can destroy a life. When it is good, it literally adds years to a life. And if you follow the societal shtick about sex these days, you are statistically certain to get very little of it, and regret what you got deeply.

We need a sexual life swap- a whole new way of thinking. The Bible has it, and with the grace of God, I hope to try to set some people  free this week.

Certain letters that I get, must be re-read often. This is one of those. It underscores the wonder of the "Life Swap" that happens when a person meets Jesus for the first time.

I have not asked for permission to print this, so some details have been slightly changed and the names blocked out so that I do not reveal someone's too personal stuff. But I treasure letters like this and wanted to share it with someone. God help us get more of these!


hi pastor Gerry 


my name is *************.  u might not recognize me but i have been to freedom valley 2 times with my fiance. I am writing to u about an experience i had about a week ago. Recently my great uncle passed away, god bless his soul, and i attended his funeral. His name is *********. but my other uncle is a preacher where the funeral was held. Now i have only been to church 3 times in my life, 1 time when i was a child for easter candy and 2 times at freedom valley. 


i am as u said a few weeks ago, a watcher. i am giving it a shot and just come to listen right now to see what it is all about. But anyways back to my happening. i was sitting in the funeral service and towards the end the pastor was talking about how life can end in a flash and where u put yourself to be in heaven or hell. he had everybody bow their heads and he said a prayor. toward the end of the prayor he asked for the ones who wanted to change the ways they r and face the sight of being a sinner and come forward to be saved and join the quest toward heaven when time comes. 


he asked for those people to raise their head... so as i was listening i decided to be curious and give it a shot and see what it is all about. i lived a very regretful life, trouble with law, drugs, just all the bad stuff i hate myself for mainly because i let all the ones i love and care about the most down. so i raised my head and looked at the pastor and then looked around, i was the only 1 with my head up. 


i then looked back at the pastor and went into almost what seemed to be a tunnel vision, everything around the pastor was a blur except him and he had a light glow around him. so i looked at the window and around to focus on something else... i couldnt focus on anything it was all blurry. so i rubbed my eyes and looked around again... nothing but blur. i then looked back at the preacher and he was still glowing... every move he made it follow and as he looked at me finishing the prayor the glow grew brighter and made me feel warmer. to be honest it freaked me out a lil but i just cant picture or explain what it could have been. 


so i talked to the 1 guy i work with he is going to school and classes to be a preacher, but i told him and he explained it as the bible says "that the scales have been wiped for my eyes" he was saying it is a way i was saved to be accept by god. now today as lindsae and i went to the storyu there is a bilboard by our house with a picture of jesus that reads "he lived to die"... before this happening it looked like an oil painting... today it looked like he was actually popping out like 3-d.I am letting u kno all this to see what your reaction is and what u think the situation is. the guy i work with was so excited and blessed that he started jumping up and down and praying. and whatever your reaction i will accept but i am just trying to be heard and find out what it is. Thank u for listening and hope to see u at church soon

Sincerely

******.

Things to say in front of Jesus

In our Creating Outreach and Evangelism class this morning, Tom Rees opened by directing us to the Southern Baptists' report on the Great Commission. (here) It is sobering and challenging stuff.

Here are some findings: 83% of people in Northeast are lost. The population of these states (basically Pennsylvania and north) is 55 million. 83% of this population will be in Hell unless we do something. Currently, there is no growth in numbers of people in this area attending church, so it seems unlikely that we will reach them in my lifetime. They are likely to remain lost.

What will I say when I stand before Jesus, and we talk about the sad fact that in my lifetime, church attendance has slidden to far less than half the numbers that there were when I started ministry?

What will Pastor's say when they stand in front of the One who gave everything to get them to eternal life? What might be the top ten list of excuses that we mumble out to "Him with whom we have to do"?

1. It was too hard.
2. I didn't know what to do
3. I was busy doing church stuff
4. My church wasn't yet large enough to plant another one
5. Really, there are lost people in America?
6. I didn't have the money
7. My church needed me!
8. I tried to reach some, but I'm not very good at it.
9. That other church tried some stuff, but it was a joke.
10. My fellowship didn't tell me what to do!

I am sick to death of my own stupid excuses. Jesus gave it all, so the least I can do is give more, work harder, stop doing stupid religious stuff, and  resolve to flounder my way toward some kind of progress.

Any body with me?

from 3 sites to 8

I have a confession to make. I've been hiding some progress that God has given us. It just got easier not to talk about it for awhile, because I am tired of being told that I'm crazy, that is cannot be done, and that it will destroy me or destroy this church.

But I gotta give God proper credit for something He did and is doing.

This past Easter was a little disappointing in that I thought we would hit 2000 for the first time, in all of our sites and services. We didn't quite make it. We only got 1841. Which is wonderful and even incredible, but not quite what we had set our hearts on!

But there is another story that is also important to glorify God for. In the past 6 months, we have quietly gone from being a church of 3 sites (Red Lion, York Road Gettysburg, and South Hanover). to being a church of 8 sites! And there are more on the way!

So we are struggling with new benchmarks and new ways to delineate growth and be good shepherds of the flock God has given us. The God who put the book of Numbers in His Bible, obviously cares about these things so we should too. And this Easter, we are setting for ourselves new benchmarks for each of the sites and services. 1841 people in 8 sites.

Those sites now are York Road-1287, South Hanover-73, Red Lion-105, The Intersection-68, Tulsa-45, YW-23, House of our Messiah-40, Bedford-200-total 1841. Another important benchmark- 1631 are committed to being part of a small group!

Butwal, Nepal, will never be the same

Right now, a bunch of Pastors are sitting together to figure out how to take care of about 2000 decisions for Christ here in Butwal, Nepal.

What a wonderful problem! The options might include planting more churches, which generally happens if current churches get overwhelmed with follow up. But they are working on what has to be any Pastor's favorite problem ever.

The three day Butwal Signs and Wonders Festival is over. We asked God and believed for at least 1500 salvations, but ended up handing out all 2000 decision booklets that were provided by SOS, Johannes Amritzer's ministry. Now the churches get to figure out how to handle it all.

I think the number I heard was that hundreds got filled with the Holy Spirit, including many Pastors. Several hundred Pastors were trained in seminars. Many healings were documented, and I forget- maybe 70 (?) were delivered of evil spirits.

And I can see why Jeff Leake told me I would be permanently addicted to these events. It was breath-taking to me. I wept a lot as I watched hundreds stream into the Kingdom of God each night.

And then I felt something unexpected. Jealousy! I felt jealousy for my city! I want to see hundreds or thousands stream into the Kingdom (over three days) in Gettysburg! I want to see demons cast out by the score, and healings documented, and baptisms in the Holy Spirit, and ... Pastors sitting around trying to figure out what to do with all the harvest.

What would it take to do this? We were dreaming up some ideas... just to see if we could dream it. Like, how about if we planned a festival like this outdoors somewhere in the Gburg area. Maybe we could bring in some national recording artists to draw a crowd, then have Johannes preach. Maybe each night should be a different target crowd, (or like three events back to back). One might be like with the Jonas Brothers, to target the very young. Another night might be with Carrie Underwood to reach the Country music crowd. Maybe a Nascar night, or a Civil War Re-enactors night, or a Biker's thing, or ... I don't know. ... Creative types, help me!

If a way could be found to bring in hundreds or even thousands into The Kingdom, would we do it?

Could we NOT do it?

only healthy, well planned, perfect babies wanted...

It's a beautiful thing when a healthy young couple plans carefully, saves money, and prepares well for a wonderful new child. Baby things are gathered, the financial cost is counted and prepared for, and the extended family is carefully informed.

But for whatever reason(s), babies don't often come that way. Some come unplanned, even to the couple carefully! Some come when many things are not right and maybe even the parents did not prepare even a healthy parental relationship (marriage) for the new child to be born into.

But however they come, all children are a heritage of the Lord, and a blessing. As believers we celebrate the little life and rejoice that God sent them into the world to care for it and make it better, as Genesis tells us we were created to do. As we know from simple life experience that many who were "unplanned" by the parents, are nevertheless huge blessing to their world!

Maybe churches are like that too. Some are well-planned, beautifully orchestrated, and well put together. Baby things are gathered, and finances are well prepared. The extended family is carefully informed and everyone is happy about the birth. Right?

But then there are those churches that came about the wrong way. Not so well planned, without enough finances and a shock to many people around them.

Yet God uses them.

Acts has all kinds of examples. The Bereans studied, the Jerusalem church exploded, and so many others seemed so well done. Then along comes Ephesus, born out of a riot, lies about the founding Pastor, and all kinds of ugliness.

But each one, however they come, have potential to become a house of great repute, and a recycling station for hurting lives. They are God's idea to rock the world, and create new disciples.

Outreach magazine last month quoted Ed Stetzer: The American Church is on birth control". It is unnatural and wrong, Stetzer went on say, that most church do not procreate. He said they seem to worry too much about doing it right and making every effort a success.

I like his way of thinking. Maybe we should be more desperate about being barren, than we are about doing everything perfect.

my first Festival with Johannes

Last night I participated with my first SOS festival with Johannes. It was the moving experience that I expected.

We arrived at the Festival site around 4pm to a crowd of thousands. Local choirs and worship leaders were leading the pumped crowd in worship. We were told that people started bringing their sick loved ones for healing as early as 10 am! Temperatures were around 100 sweltering degrees, and almost no shade to be found.

Off to the side, 4 generators were grinding away, producing electricity for sounds systems. There was a stage setup, and a tent where troubled souls were being taken for extended deliverance prayers. It was over full with Pastors helping people as fast as they could.

Johannes preached a powerful salvations message, while dealing with spotty sound systems, an interpreter that was really struggling to keep up, and endless other issues going on all around him. He stayed amazingly focused and incredibly in his element. You can really feel that he was born for this AND he that he has carefully developed and protected his gift. It really is awesome to see that in anybody.

But above and beyond all that, I felt the Holy Spirit's dancing, singing, and crying with sheer joy! There was joy over eternal life about to be found in the hearts of hundreds of people that He had brought. I felt Him tremble with excitement that hundreds would find eternal life tonight, and be healed. It is such an incredible, indescribable, powerful joy to feel Him in that kind of mood. I am a complete addict to that experience.

And it came. First salvations- hundreds of them. As Johannes gave the altar call, hundreds of people with tears streaming down their faces, came. And the healings. I was too busy working with people to get it all, but I saw a lady pushing her own  wheelchair home, and heard stories of blind eyes being opened. The atmosphere was charged with the sense that any crazy good thing might happen.

This city has never had a festival like this before. It is an unreached city- or it was before this week. But after this week, thousands more will know Jesus and we will get to know them in eternity. Tonight, thousands more will gather- probably double the 4500 that might have been there last night. The next night might double again.

The Apostle Paul said we should be addicted to stuff like this- to good works.

Done.

Gutsy people

When I read the writings of the prophet Jeremiah, I get a sense of who I really am.

Nobody likes what he has to say, because he calls them on their sin and implores them to forsake their selfishness. He tells them that they are mixing every other superstition with belief in the real Creator God.

It's other church people who get the most angry! One day the Senior Pastor (okay the High Priest) has him arrested, severely beaten and immobilized in miserable stocks. When Jeremiah gets released, you would think that his tired, hurting, severely traumatized body would be screaming out and that his pain would keep his mouth shut.

It doesn't. On the way out of the jail, he confronts the High Priest AGAIN, before he is even fully released! Fear, pain, and practical thinking doesn't seem to work with this guy!

Gotta be honest- I don't see me being like that. Wish I was. But most days, when even one person is mad at me, I am toast. If there are two people made at me in one day, it's a crisis. And of there are three, who knows what I would do?

When I grow up, I'd like to be somebody who holds true to my convictions at any cost. I'd prefer not to make people mad with the truth, but if it is required, I'd like to be the guy who says the truth no matter how unpopular it makes me. And I would like to see my nation not destroy itself while I am just trying to make everybody happy.

Courageous.

the little foxes

 ¹⁵ Catch for us the foxes,
       the little foxes
       that ruin the vineyards,
       our vineyards that are in bloom.  


                           -Song of Solomon


There are vineyards in bloom at Freedom Valley these days. A bumper crop is looming.


But this week I again became aware of pesky little foxes that destroy the vine with their continual "playing" all around it.


Little foxes like irritants that are carelessly spoken and then take on a life of their own. Complaints, challenges, and poorly seen realities which perhaps an off-duty soldier begins to address and finds herself (or himself) deeper in complaint-ville and grumbling than they thought they should be.


The week started out with me being that guy. I spoke a complaint about last weekend's huge harvest sessions, where what came tumbling out of my mouth was just pure pettiness. I HATE when I'm like that! Hate it, hate it, hate it!!! And I repented before God -and the other guy- for it.


Interesting that it came as an attack right after Johannes' really excellent message on The Happy God and The Laughing Jesus (the Joy of the Lord). Watch in on our website if you have not yet had opportunity. It's the 9:15 message.


I think what happened is, Satan cowered in fear at that message, and decided then and there to undermine it, steal from it, or outright murder it.


But we are choosing Joy, and by choosing it, winning.

God is unfair to me, again

So there are some things I gotta say. Because to not say them would be, well, grossly ungrateful.

Just got a comprehensive report on 2009. To my pleasant surprise, in a year when we had the privilege of sending out perhaps 10 times more people than ever before, our finances nevertheless still GREW by 9%!

Just to put this in perspective (and to brag on God a little more) we added up about $6000 (a month) in tithes that we sent out to church plants or sites. Yet our finances are about as good as or a little more than before! In addition, our attendance is better than ever, and God is sending us great leaders from all over the world (last week one came from Yerevan, Armenia!)

It does not make logical sense. Last year a very smart man sat in our finance team meeting, and reminded me how our plan is "not very well thought through, and doesn't make much sense. You will run out of money and lose people until you won't be able to sustain the "mother church" well enough to keep birthing daughter churches."

I will admit that sometimes I get anxious about the plan God has sent us on. It really is a Wild Goose Chase, to use Mark Batterson's imagery about following the Holy Spirit.

But either giving works, or it doesn't. I believe God is showing us that is does! All I know is this; this is not fair. God is not fair. He treats me much, much, better than I deserve.

ideas rumbling around in my brain

So today we kicked around some new Ministry School ideas. These may sound like slight adjustments, but we get excited about every little idea to get a few more people into their calling. Here's some outlines:

1. We are working on a partnership with Brian Bolt where our students would share some classes via video, and have internships available to them.

2. We are considering a new name City Reach Master's Commission. This new style would make a school available to any church that might want to partner with us to reach their city through discipling leaders and planting churches with dangerous, high-character, highly effective and visionary students. The name would personalize to the city; Gettysburg City Reach, Pittsburgh City Reach, Tulsa City Reach, for example.

3. There is a possibility of bringing Valley Forge Christian College students here for some classes to get them around the church planting spirit and infect them with passionate vision.

4. We are also hoping to develop a serious church planting school for students who wish to plant world, highly effective churches.

Shawna's Tulsa Chapter 1

I loved this email from our daughter Shawna so much, I had to repost it here in case some of you aren't on her email list. I love her writing style and the way I identify new feelings when I read it. She is an amazing young lady who I had the privilege to raise, and am amazed at how she seems okay with that. So here you go...

Tulsa, chapter 1

Hello, fantastic human beings. It is with the happiest sigh and fist-supporting-cheek that I bring you the first of several letters, from a Midwestern town far far away from home.

Tulsa is a city of many opportunities, and I intend to greet them each.  There are so many places for an artsy-fartsy wildebeest like me to find a watering hole. The Blue Dome District, for example, is a little area around 2^nd street where handmade shops and dirty music venues aplenty give me great delight. History lessons have taught me that in the 1920s, the Blue Dome District was originally just a grimy gas station where weary travelers from route 66 would stop at all hours of the night and wake the attendant who lived in the upstairs dome-shaped part of the building, to get some service and travel on. Today, it’s about as charming.

Our life here is a pleasant one. Living with my two very best friends- my husband and my brother- has proved comical and vexatious, encouraging and ball-busting. And I am learning all sorts of things about my friends. I have noticed that Evan makes his bed every day.  Jake, also and as always, is a wonderful person to live with. He has made good friends with an elderly gentleman that lives next door. Norville and his wife, Leeann, are just the sort of neighbors we had hoped for, as they are sweet and eccentric indeed. All around the clock, Norville watches our coming and going from his window, and assures us that he’s keeping an eye out for each of us. He has often reported to us how many times we’d left and came home in a given day, just so we’re aware. On the other side of us is a young single mother, Tiffany, and her little boy, who are equally fine neighbors.

I have begun employment at Pier 1, and it has surprised me with its rewards. Kristen is my sales leader, and the sweetest human I’ve ever encountered. Her warm smile and little pregnant belly match her kind words and gentle personality. She is to be wed to a military man, when he comes home from the war in March. Their baby is due in July. There are other coworker friends, too. Jennifer has worked there for three years, and has recently finished her degree. Jared opts to skateboard to work, rather than walk or drive, and lives with some friends in a soon-to-be art gallery/music venue. Margie is my oldest coworker, in her forties, and is married to a geologist. His work has caused them to live in ten different states, and three different countries, including Indonesia, where they lived for six years. When she talks about the adventure of living in so many different places, one can see all of her teeth. I am proud to know such people.

As for our team that is working on the new church, they are terrific. I thank our good God for them daily. It is also a blessing to me that so many of them are children. Last week I got to hang out with five-year-old Annie Trout, and we played Star Wars for hours. Because of our lack of light sabers, we each clutched a bunny slipper in our right hand, and fought like fierce Jedis. The force was strong with her. Earlier this week I spent time with six-year-old Colin Fitch, who told me with all hope and intent that he wants to be a great donut-maker when he grows up. As he described in great detail the kinds of sprinkles he would adorn them with, I knew without a doubt that if anyone can be a great donut-maker, it’s Colin Fitch.

And for now, I’ll leave you with this. I don’t have much money, and my life is not so fancy. I don’t know a lot, as far as smarts generally go. My two ears are very different from one another, in size and location, which causes my sunglasses to tilt noticeably. Sometimes I snore a little. But I am married to a kind, respectable man. I have a generous and caring family. My life is adventurous and decently sensible, and filled with beauty. I’m happy.

I hope you are happy, you fantastic human beings.

Shawna

doing the groundwork for a great outreach

So I spent all this week in the Dominican Republic preparing for a huge crusade in Padre Las Casas this Fall.

I need two huge things to happen here:

1. I want to make many thousands of disciples of Christ in the DR!
2. I want to learn more about asking God for a nation, planting clusters of churches, and doing events that truly make a difference for eternity.

We spent the week looking for a hotel that could handle a large group (found one in San Juan!), a way to feed crowds of people (found it!) a place to hold a crusade of thousands of people (ballpark in Padre Las Casas) and public transportation options to get people there (started the process).

Could you please pray with me that God will protect the ideas He gave us, and make this thing matter for the eternal souls that it will affect? I am very serious about seeking ways to make a difference and ask God for a nation. My faith may be small, but it got to start somewhere and this seems very clearly where God called me so far.

But that isn't all for this year: 1. In April a team will accompany Johannes Amritzer's team to Nepal to reach thousands there. We are asking God to be able to help Johaness with more than $10,000 toward this incredible outreach, and to see many souls reached and discipled there.

2. This summer our youth will do a missions trip- hopefully to the DR as well to prepare for future events.

3. The Dominican Republic trip will happen in October (exact dates to be announced) and we want YOU to come with us and help! You will learn to cast out devils, heal the sick, and watch the Kingdom grow in Book-of-Acts proportions! This will be the trip of a lifetime I think!

and what a weekend it was

Over the past week, I prayed with about 7 people to salvation in Jesus. I am a happy Pastor.

Wait. I just read Harold Eberly's book where he blasts church leaders for trying so hard NOT to use Biblical titles because they don't have the guts to call themselves what they are. But though I am certain that I am called/gifted to be an apostle, it does seem odd, even to me. My sensibilities have definitely been trained by my culture. I even wavered writing this.

But don't mess me up now with trivial things like a job description- I am celebrating!

The Freedom Valley Red Lion site had a HUGE record attendance this weekend (largest attendance in years to be in a weekend service there-97!). Red Lion also experienced salvations, a huge offering, and lots of excitement about the presence of God being experienced in the building! Very exciting stuff, according to Pastor Rob Costello.

At the same time, the Hanover site experienced a huge blessing that will really add excelleration to the work there- a huge financial blessing of $19,000. This will make it so much quicker and more effective for that site to move forward in confidence and momentum. Jeff and Leah Dietrich, along with Daniel and Deanna Scotten, are being confirmed by God week after week with great stuff happening. They recently took a gutsy step to move locations- from the permanent building to a temporary one so that more money could go into effective ministry instead of into rent. Fruit is coming, in so many ways, like the youth ministry's attendance doubling! Good stuff.

Our new youth group at York Road- The Edge, is experiencing something out of the ordinary as well with a powerful team of almost entirely volunteer leaders who work incredibly hard to reach kids for Christ. They are now ministering to more than 140 kids per week, and the main leaders of this thing are still in high school themselves. This is not your ordinary youth group.

And while we are on The Edge, I gotta say this; I have never seen a team of people who have done a better job of choosing to keep their egos in check and bless young people to become leaders themselves, take all the credit, and soar! This team is awesome; Luke, Jordan, Charity, Alisa, Jason, Tiffany, so many more. These guys are amazing.

Growth groups are off to a huge start, and already recruting for the next cycle is in full swing and going well.

God is very, very good to me.

the sending process

Every time we send out a team of church planters and supporters, we go through a celebration process, and then a painful adjustment period. It's maybe something like the celebration when a much wanted pregnancy is announced (yea-a-a!), and then the less pleasant birthing experience happens. There are periods of happiness, and periods of hoping for better times ahead.

I'd say we are in the adjustment time right now. Heroes willing to serve kids are in short supply, as we sent a lot of faithful and excellent people to Tulsa. Finances have been surprisingly good, but we ave not yet seen the increase and multiplication that we have boldly been asking God for. And attendance hasn't soared yet quite to where we hope and believe that it will.

So this is crunch time. There is always a season where a vision is tested and it feels like "maybe it not going to work this time."

It's testing time.

But here is what I believe and ask God for: I am asking God for 10 good replacements for every person that we sent to Tulsa. That will be 320 new people added to Freedom Valley sites who sowed into that church plant! I believe they are coming and that we will see many this weekend!

I am also believing God for a major swelling of our finances where we are sowing seed. We have sowed several thousand a week into Tulsa alone. I am asking God for a return of not less than $20,000 a week in our tithes, and additional $10,000 a week into our Hope Initiative building fund.

So this is my notice, Devil, and my statement of request to God: Let there be huge increase so that we can sow and send, and give like never before. There is much to be done, and we are going to do it.

This will be a year unlike any other, and increase will happen all over the place as we Chase the Wild Goose. At least four new plants or sites will open this September after a season of hard work and adjustment. These four are all now being sown into, and we are expecting an unbelievable harvest. This is the period of time others will not see so much, the 'overnight' that they refer to when they say "it grew overnight".

I believe the Wild Goose knows where the harvest is, and is leading us there, right to it!

watching a new site emerge

I feel like I'm in a birthing room.

I'm sitting in the Freedom Valley York Road sanctuary around people that have been Freedom Valley York Road people. There's about 80 people in the room I guess.

But they won't be long. York Road people that is. This is one of the kick off meetings for a new Freedom Valley site, called The Intersection; "where faith and creativity meet". In this meeting Jeremiah is challenging the group to walk by faith into the creation of a new site of Freedom Valley.

In about 6 weeks, this groups will kick off monthly meetings. In about 7 months, they plan to kick off services every Sunday.

You can feel the energy in the room as people step out in scary new faith. There are a lot of possibilities felt. And energy. Everything feels possible, in fact. Faith is running high like the energy after a huge caffeine jolt, where you feel ready to take on something big, and you feel invincible.

We've been involved in the starting of a lot of new sites, churches, re-plants, and ministries. A lot. But this will be different- we hope. This time we will build on the many mistakes, the many false starts, and the many issues that we have had to learn to conquer over the past decade or more.

I think the worst word ever spoken in the house of God is "lay". Lay people, lay ministers, lay whatever. There are no lay people in The Kingdom. We are all ministers. It's tough to describe the difference between ministers and non-ministers because there isn't any. At least not in calling. We are a "Kingdom of priests", where the only differences are where you minister or IF you minister. Not whether you are called.

A new site/plant causes more people to step up and feel needed. More people to use their gifts and develop themselves. More people to ask themselves if they too could step up to greatness in God. More people to begin believing Kingdom truths and living by them. I love that energy and vitality.

And I am sitting in God's birthing room as He does it again.

1422, 117%, and 234

Lots of things are changing at Freedom Valley York Road. I am learning and growing all over the place. recently God gave me a voracious appetite for reading and I have been chewing up books like a crazy man. Good stuff.

On my learning journey over the past months, came the leading from the Holy Spirit that Freedom Valley's growth is being hindered by our structure as well as our space (most services are over 70% full.

So we have been working on some stuff- among which is a need to grow in our small group structure. After some research, we found only one system that has the history and potential to get huge results as measured by percentage of church attendees that sign up for it. Nelson Searcy's system.

Nelson claimed that he could help us get more than 100% of average weekend attendance in small groups. That is a tall order, especially based on the fact that the church that sports the highest numbers that I know of in this area, has only about 50% of it's weekend attendance involved in small groups.

So we took on Nelson Searcy's system and copied it lock, stock, and barrel (not sure what that means but my Dad used to say it and it sounds cool).

The result? 1422 people are signed up to be involved in Growth Groups! Our average attendance is about 1200 here at York Road, so that brings us to 117% of weekend attendance in Growth Groups! 234 people signed up who had never signed up for anything before!

I believe this creates a whole new era for us as a church. More and better disciples, more leaders, and more spiritual development. Exciting stuff!

Three Springs, South Hanover, and Tulsa

Ever hear of Living Waters Christian Outreach in Three Springs Pennsylvania?

Probably not. That would be because it did not exist until last Sunday, even it opened it's doors for the first time! This church opened with 129 people in attendance, in a town that has a population of 420! 10 people got saved and/or rededicated to Christ!!

This church is meeting in a building that has housed Three Springs Assembly of God for the past 100? years. In recent decades, attendance rarely reached 40. These gutsy people gathered with me in early November, mapped out a plan to close and re-open under new leadership, new vision, remodeling, and a whole new effectiveness. The South Central Section under Jeff Kettering, provided many thousands of dollars to make it possible.

Also in Site news; The South Hanover site experienced a growth high while opening their new location at the South Hanover YMCA! Jeff and Leah Deitrich are doing a superb job of leading this newly aggressive site!

Jeremiah and Cori Herbert are set to open up a site somewhere here in the area this Spring. And Jason ans Sara Fitch will open in Tulsa (many of the 32 movers will have moved by this weekend)this Fall! And more churches are coming!

Yesterday I heard of another church grand-baby on the way; the church that opened early this year called The River Church of Juniata County, announced that within the next 9 months or so it plans to give birth to its first daughter church! This will bring us to TWO grand-baby churches this year! (Brian Bolt is also opening the Braddock site).

So I am a happy, happy man today. Jesus is building His church like He promised that He would, and I get to have a little role in it!

emotional adjustments

I have enjoyed the process of dreaming and developing new churches. It is what I live for, and was put on this planet for.

But this morning, about 6 am, we returned from helping Shawna, Jake, and Evan move to Tulsa for the Freedom Valley Tulsa plant there.

I could not be happier. Jason Fitch and his team have an amazing plan. They have researched and read tirelessly, and built a plan like I have never seen. I believe they are on their way to founding an amazing and world changing church there.

Nor could I be sadder. This represents a huge change for Freedom Valley and for me, and I am wildly nostalgic even while being very proud and happy. As we left Tulsa yesterday for the long drive home, I couldn't even speak. Nor am I sure if I can speak now.

I raised my children (spiritual and physical) hoping and praying that they would far exceed me in every way. They are. I am very proud of them and happy. But I also have some huge adjusting to do, and find myself pathetically in need of prayer more than ever.