We’re still working on getting the audio/video stuff posted.  In the meantime, here’s the information packet that Greg provided.  There are some great resources in this Resource Package, feel free to print it off for yourself or your small group or read them online here. 

• Your friends can Know Christ as you
  • Share the awesome news with your friends
  • Invest in your friends lives
  • Serve your friends needs
  • Actually (really!) (yep… clearly!) Invite your friends

1. Share the awesome news with your friends – Isaiah 52

                                                               i.      2 Ways to Live

                                                              ii.      Article – Aroma Therapy

                                                            iii.      3:1:M Friends Prayer List (Mention – Paths of Gold)

1. Invest in your friends lives – Sheep without a shepherd

                                                               i.      Article – A Disciple’s Vision

                                                              ii.      Small Group – Luke 15:1-10 Lost Items

1. Serve your friends needs – John 1

                                                               i.      Servant Evangelism Matrix

                                                              ii.      Small Group – Ambassador 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2

                                                            iii.      A Change of View Questions

                                                             iv.      Article – Do talk to strangers

1. Actually (really!) (yep… clearly!) Invite your friends!  – Romans How will they know if someone doesn’t tell

                                                               i.      Article – 100% Natural

Two Ways to Live

  God is the loving ruler of the world

He made the world

He made us the rulers of the world, under him

Genesis 1:31  Revelation 4:11

The first point of the Christian message is that God is in charge of the world. Unlike human rulers, however, God always does what is best for his subjects. He also made us like himself, and put us in charge of the world—to rule it, to care for it, and to enjoy all its beauty and goodness. But everything is obviously not right—with the world or us. What happened??

We all reject the ruler

We want God’s job

We fail in ruling ourselves or the world.

Romans 3:1-12; 23

People everywhere reject God by doing things their own way. We don’t like someone telling us what to do or how to live—least of all God—and so we rebel against him. This rebellious, self-sufficient attitude is what the Bible calls ‘sin’. The trouble is, if everyone does their own thing… the result is misery. By rebelling against God, we’ve made a terrible mess of things.

The question is: what will God do about it? 

God won’t let us rebel forever

God’s punishment for rebellion is death and judgment.  

Romans 6:23   Hebrews 9:27

God cares enough about humanity to take our rebellion seriously. In rebellion we are saying to God, “Go away. I don’t want you telling me what to do. Leave me alone.” God’s judgment on rebels is to withdraw from them—permanently. But since God is the source of life and all good things, being cut off from him means death and hell. Is that it then? Are we all destined for death and everlasting ruin?

 Because of His love, God sent His Son

Jesus always lived under God’s rule

By dying He took our punishment and brought forgiveness

Romans 5:8           1 Peter 3:18

Because of his great love, God did not leave us to suffer the consequences of our foolish rebellion. He did something to save us. He sent his own divine son into our world to become a man—Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus didn’t rebel and did not deserve death.

Yet Jesus did die. Why? Although he had the power to heal the sick, walk on water and even raise the dead, Jesus allowed himself to be executed on a cross. Jesus died as a substitute for rebels like us. The debt that we owed God, Jesus paid by dying in our place, so that forgiveness and pardon might be available to us. It is a generous gift, from start to finish.

God raised Jesus to life again as ruler of all

Jesus conquered death and now offers life

1 Peter 1:3 John 3:16-17

God accepted Jesus’ death as payment in full for our sins, and raised him from the dead. The risen Jesus is now what humanity was always meant to be: God’s ruler of the world. As God’s ruler, Jesus offers us new life, both now and eternally. Now, our sins can be forgiven through Jesus’ death, and we can make a fresh start with God, no longer as rebels but as friends.

Two ways to live

A. Our way

Reject the ruler – God

Try to run our own life

Result? Separation from God

B. God’s way (John 3:36)

Admit you can’t be the ruler

Believe that Jesus died in your place

Confess publicly that He’s in charge

Result? Forgiveness and Eternal Life

So ask yourself… Which way do I want to live?

3:1:M Prayer Guide 

Use these pages as a reminder to pray for your friends who don’t yet know Christ!

3 Names – 1 Chair – Many Prayers

Always have an empty chair at small group and pray that God will fill that chair with YOUR friend!

Choose 5 friends who live close by and don’t Know Christ

Talk with each friend individually let them know you’re working on your prayer life, and then ask if they have any needs or concerns that you can pray about.

If appropriate, share some of the prayer requests with your small group.  (You can leave out names too.)

Using the prayers below, or your own prayers…PRAY – PRAY – PRAY!!!

From time to time, check back with each friend to let them know you’ve been praying and to see if anything has changed.

When it is appropriate, invite your friend to join you at a church sponsored event. (Sunday morning worship, small group, outreach event, BBQ, etc.)

Prayers for seeking friends

Heart Surgery – May they understand their need…

May _____ know that he/she cannot stand on his/her own righteousness. No one can because there is no one righteous, not even one. (Ro. 3:10)

May _____ know You are Lord; and there is no Savior besides You (Is 43:11)

Repentance — May they be brought to repentance…

May _______ know that his/her sin has caused a separation between him/her and You, God. (Is. 59:2)

Help _______ to understand that he/she can have forgiveness through the blood of Christ

Salvation — May they trust the Lord for their salvation…

May ____ understand that he/she can be saved by grace and that it is a free gift from You (Eph. 2:8)

Father, I pray _____ will repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)

Laborers — May there be people who will share the Gospel…

Father, please send a faithful witness who can go to _____ and preach the gospel (Mk. 16:15) 

Teach me to make the most of every opportunity I have to share the gospel with _____ (Col. 4:5)

The Reluctant Biker’s Guide to Evangelism

The power of meeting people where they are 

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by Betty Veldman Wieland  Issue #145 January/February 2005 

The sun warmed my skin, the wind had my senses on full alert, and I felt one with God¹s creation as I sat securely behind my husband, David, on his motorcycle.

I had not always enjoyed riding like this, in part because I thought biking was only for gear heads and Hell’s Angels. It’s embarrassing to recall how snobbish and judgmental I used to be. But God intervened by bringing people into my life who love Him and who enjoy motorcycle riding. David is one of them.

When we started dating three years ago, I feigned interest in riding with David. After we married, however, I made excuses and rode less. So David rode with his buddies instead. He rearranged his schedule to attend a regular lunch meeting at which the guys talk bikes, joke, and gibe one another––with an underlying affection, mutual appreciation, and acceptance.

Their wives also love to ride and support their husbands’ biking. At first this intimidated me. Would I fit in if we went on a couples’ trip? Would I have to fake an interest? Would they see through that and reject me? Eventually I ran out of reasons for not joining them when the group planned a trip to Key West, Florida, only a few hours from our winter home. David was in charge of trip details, and the other wives assumed I would go. Not participating would be a snub against the group and David.

I prayed fervently for God to alter my lousy attitude. I didn’t want to tolerate the trip––I wanted to enjoy it. God answered my prayer above and beyond anything I could have imagined.

Bonding on Bikes

I was welcomed warmly by everyone in our 10-person group. Gradually I began to relax and enjoy myself. I learned our road-trip routine: washing and polishing the motorcycles each evening; then packing up every morning, placing each item to be carried in a designated spot on our bikes. Initially I was embarrassed that I had packed considerably more stuff than any of the other women. But I was blessed by their acceptance–they kindly looked the other way.

Connecting spiritually was the most rewarding part. Our group consisted mostly of “quiet” Christians who had grown up in the church. They had a personal relationship with Jesus but didn’t talk about it much. Some were active in their churches; others were less connected but still attended worship services regularly––except for Tom and Meg. This couple seemed spiritually distant and almost defiant in rejecting anything related to church. For example, while the rest of our group prayed before each meal, Tom and Meg ignored us and ate.

On Saturday evening, the third day of our trip, I asked everyone, “What do we do about worship tomorrow?” David glanced my way but remained quiet.

“We worship while we ride,” offered one of the wives.

“What about worshiping together on the beach?” I suggested, knowing our first stop early Sunday would be the southernmost tip of the United States.

“Are you going to preach?” one of the guys teased.

“Sure!” I gulped, smiling. What was I getting myself into? I wondered. Though I had no idea, I believed God was leading me.

“I’ll take the offering,” someone chimed in. The banter seemed to indicate openness to exploring a new way of worshiping as friends. Only Tom and Meg remained silent.

As we traveled to the designated spot on Sunday morning, I anticipated worship overlooking the vast ocean. To my dismay, the beach was small and crowded––with no place for our group to gather. No one mentioned the worship idea. Disappointed, I dropped my plans.

Encountering God

After breakfast, we rode to our next motel. Tom and Meg’s room was next to ours. David and I settled in and then joined them to sit in the sunshine. Tom spoke first: “I thought we were going to have church this morning.”

I tried not to show surprise. I hadn’t expected Tom to be the one to comment on the change of plans. “There wasn’t much of a place for us to gather,” I admitted. “Let’s do it at the motel tonight, when we can reflect on the day. We can share with each other where we saw God at work.”

“Personally, I think religion is private,” was all Tom volunteered.

Still, I communicated the “assignment” to the others in the group. As we rode deep into the Everglades that afternoon, soaring birds, alligators, and rivers of grass greeted us. God shouted through His creation, and I concentrated on answering the question: Where do I see God at work this day?

At our motel that evening, we gathered outside our rooms––boots, black-leather vests, and gear––to share our thoughts. Some sat on chairs, others on the curb. Tom and Meg, who often left the group early in the evening, lingered nearby.

I began by reading Psalm 8. The psalmist’s words seemed an appropriate way to begin. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (v. 1). Then, one by one, we shared where we had seen God at work that day.

“When I looked in the mirror this morning, I saw God at work in me,” offered one person.

“When I looked at my husband, I saw God at work,” said someone else.

Others shared how they had seen God at work in nature. The interaction was easy and warm. Tom and Meg sat on the fringe and listened.

I asked, “What do you think hinders people from seeing God at work? There were a few suggestions from the group. Then, I shared how someone in my past had told me that hypocrisy and inconsistency between what Christians say and how they act contributed to his unbelief.

Tom nodded slightly; my story had struck a nerve.

“How do you think those of us here might keep people from seeing God at work?” I asked. There was silence, so I volunteered, “I know that I haven¹t always lived my faith in a way that would draw others to Jesus.” I glanced at my husband. “David and I have lived through the pain of divorce. There are nonChristians who have done much better at marriage than we have, and we both have felt the shame and pain of our failures. Yet those very failures are what keep driving us to the cross. We are the grateful recipients of grace. We need it daily. Maybe others of you have experienced God’s grace too?”

Slowly, the others revealed ways their personal failures may have compromised the gospel message. It was not a conventional worship service, but there was no mistaking God’s presence with us. We ended by reading from Isaiah 53.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. . . . He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.    –vv. 4-6

God’s Word powerfully touched us. Together we affirmed that the gospel is not about the inadequacy of Christians––a given––but about the adequacy of Jesus. We stood in a circle, held hands––including Tom and Meg––and I led a closing prayer. As we made our way to our rooms for the night, Tom circled around behind me and casually squeezed my shoulder. It was enough. God was at work.

On the last evening of the trip, we related to one another in a new way. We met for a final dinner, held hands, and prayed aloud together. Tom and Meg gladly joined our circle.

I savored the memories as we headed back home. I was grateful that God had answered my prayers. He had changed me on this trip. As I drank in the orange blossoms’ scent, Paul’s words to the Corinthians came to mind with new meaning:

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. –2 Cor. 2:14-15

Aroma Principles

That’s what this motorcycle trip had been about: learning the right ways to “spread . . . the knowledge of him.” God provided a wealth of principles that continue to guide me as I spread His fragrance through other “divine encounters.”

Examine your heart. I wasn¹t open to how God could use me until I faced my own stereotypes and rebellious heart, repented, and submitted to God’s plan. Rather than focusing on others’ faults, we should take the “plank” from our own eyes so we can see clearly where God is leading (Mt. 7:5).

Accept people where they are. It is tempting to have expectations of people, but our starting point––like Jesus’––needs to be where people are, not where we want them to be. Jesus modeled this in His interactions with Nicodemus (Jn. 3:1-21), with Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:1-10), with the woman taken in adultery (Jn. 8:3-11), and with others. Relating to people where they are shows respect for them and respect for what God is doing in their lives.

Be willing to risk. I tend to be a people-pleaser. I could have kept quiet about Sunday worship and been intimidated by negative attitudes toward Christians. I needed to die to my fears of not being liked or being misunderstood. I believed God was asking me to trust Him (Prov. 3:5-6).

Adapt to the situation. Tom and Meg weren’t going to be reached in a church because they weren’t willing to go, so we took “church” to them. When our original plan––meeting at the beach–didn’t work out, we adapted and met elsewhere. We are challenged to “become all things to all men so that by all possible means [we] might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22). We also need to “be wise in the way [we] act” and “make the most of every opportunity” (Col. 4:5).

Be open, vulnerable, and await God’s timing. God used our trip to build relationships and make us comfortable with one another. Thus my husband and I could say, “We’re not ashamed that we don’t have it all together. Even though we have failed, we have also been embraced in God’s love and are grateful recipients of grace.” The Apostle Paul asserted the same truth in 2 Corinthians 11.

Expect God to speak through His Word. I could have protested that I wasn’t qualified to lead the worship service. But God speaks through His Word and His Spirit, and I was confident He would use whatever seeds I sowed if I focused on Him and Scripture.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, . . . it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  –Heb. 4:12

Be appropriately bold. After admitting our own failures, we needed to ask, “Have you taken a close look at Jesus? What will you do with Him?” We need to honor where people are but also stretch their thinking in appropriate ways.

Leave the results to God. How God would touch Tom and Meg’s lives was up to Him. We didn’t worship together just for Tom and Meg’s sake; we met because God was working in all of us. We must be obedient to what God asks us to do and die to any personal agenda.

David continues to meet with his motorcycle group. “It’s different now,” he says. “The conversation is deeper, more spiritual.” Tom and Meg have begun attending church. God is shaping them in wonderful ways; their joy is a delight to see.

When we respond to God’s call to be the aroma of Christ, His results will be better than anything we plan. In fact, we can relax and enjoy the ride.

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About the author:

——————————————————————————–

Betty Veldman Wieland is recently retired from Christian Reformed Home Missions after 24 years of ministry as the international director of Coffee Break Evangelism, the director of small-group ministries, and the director of established-church development. Betty coauthored Growing People Through Small Groups (Bethany House) with David Stark.

Session #2 Invest in your friend’s lives

Small Group Questions 

Open

Anything you get involved in today seems to require you to fill out a sheet on your medical history. So it seems we have been remiss! Look over the “highly scientific”, but not-so-rare diseases listed below and share the ones you’ve experienced.

Internet-it is – Staring at a monitor for hours while typing messages to people you’ve never met

Monotone-eosis – Having people move away from your like you have the plague when you sing the “Star Spangled Banner”

Chocoholism – Snarling when people suggest that you share your “chocolate decadence” dessert

Chargecard-it is – A Strong compulsion to hand plastic to anyone standing behind a store counter

ESPN Deficiency Syndrome – Going into convulsions when you haven’t heard the sports scores in too long a time

Channelsurf-eosis – Cramps in your index finger from pushing the remote control buttons so much. Often makes one couch or bed ridden.

Dig (Luke 15:1-10)

1. When you were a child or adolescent, what do you remember losing that caused you anguish? (pet? Bicycle? Money saved? Jewelry? Gift?)

2. What do you remember doing to search for that object, and how did things turn out?

3. What was Jesus saying through his parables about the tax collectors and sinners he was spending time with?

4. What does this passage reveal about the attitude Jesus had toward “sinners”?

5. If Jesus were to minister on earth today like he did in New Testament times, who would he eat with and spend time with?

6. What is God saying to you through this study?

Apply

1. What hurting person do you know who might appreciate spending time with you this week?

2. The author of the article “A Disciple’s Vision” suggests that we, “Go stand on your porch. Pray for the people in the houses around you, even if you don’t know their names. Ask God to send someone to them. Make this a habit. See what happens! It’s your mission as a disciple.”  What do you think about that suggestion? Has you small group taken a walk around your neighborhood to see what needs the Lord might point out? What people is God trying to minister to in your neighborhood?

Article: A Disciple’s Vision

Jesus’ followers see the world through His eyes.

Jim Petersen

One day, as Jesus was going about His usual business of traveling from town to town, He stopped and called something to the attention of His disciples. They were in the midst of a crowd, yet the disciples were apparently oblivious to the people around them, like we are when we’re in a crowded mall.

Jesus, however, was seeing the people. He saw them as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt. 9:36 ). He saw their frustration, anger, and sorrow. He saw that they were busy going nowhere in particular. I can imagine Him saying to His unseeing disciples: “Look at that woman over there. See her face? What do you suppose life is like for her? And that man. Do you see what he is doing? What does that tell you about him?”

Then Jesus made a statement that captures the essence of the basic problem in the world “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (v. 37 ). People are destroying themselves and those around them in their lostness. But workers who can help such people are scarce. Jesus offered an equally succinct solution: “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (v. 38 ).

The next thing we read about the twelve is that they are paired up and traveling through the villages of Galilee. They had become the workers Jesus had told them to ask God for. This tends to happen to people who pray for workers!

In this brief scenario, we see Jesus’ heart for people. Because of His great compassion, He spent His days tirelessly working at two things: taking the good news to every town and preparing a handful of disciples who would do the same after He was gone.

A DISCIPLE’S MISSION

Generations of disciples were at the heart of Jesus’ plan. The only way such a plan can work is for each generation to disciple the next. That is why Jesus’ parting words were, “Make disciples of all nations. Teach them to obey everything I taught you” (see Mt. 28:18-20 ). It is not enough to preach the gospel to all nations.

Those who believe must also be taught to obey all that Christ has taught.

The people whom the twelve evangelized and discipled were every bit as strategic to the progress of the gospel as the original disciples were. These new believers were the insiders to their communities, with natural connections with families, society, and the workplace. They were the locals. As such, they were positioned to take the gospel into the very crevices of their society—something the apostles could not do.

Each one of us is uniquely connected to a network of lost people who constitute our calling. We can be like the twelve were at first—blind to the people around us. Or we can become what the twelve became— workers sent by God to those who are lost. If the gospel is truly to penetrate a place, it will be through the people Jesus calls salt, light, and good seed—people for whom indifference has been replaced by love and concern.

This is the mission of the disciple. It’s a bigger mission than we can handle adequately in this article. So we’ll focus here on identifying three essentials that must characterize such people.

A DISCIPLE IS AVAILABLE TO CHRIST.

Jesus said, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be” an. 12:26 ). To follow Jesus is to be available to Him.

This means taking the time to be in His presence. Often that’s the last thing we want to do. We may have an agenda of our own that we’d like to follow instead, or perhaps something is going on inside us that we are ashamed of. But in order to follow Christ as His disciples, we need to submit to God’s Word and allow it to judge “the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12 ). Then we see our waywardness and recommit ourselves to God’s plans and purposes. The goal, according to Jesus, is to be an attentive servant, ready to respond to His prompting. In Paul’s words, it is keeping “in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25 ).

How much time in private does this take? Enough time so that God’s Word holds the predominant influence over our minds. I have read and studied the Scriptures for more than 40 years. The accumulated understanding I’ve gained certainly helps, but it is not the solution to my willfulness. Encounters with Christ need to be fresh, frequent, and honest.

It is in being where He is that we get our orientation for service. Where else will we gain the kind of compassion and love that Jesus felt for people? Where would any sense of urgency come from if not from a deepening love for Christ and a deeper understanding of the gospel? Our mission must be driven from within. The words we use, and the boldness to speak them, must also come from Him. To gain the mind and heart of Christ, and to access the power He promised in the Great Commission, I must spend time with Him.

I find, however, that I can only go so far with this realigning of my mind and life alone in my closet. I also need the help of my sisters and brothers. The Apostle John writes, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship [a living bond] with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7 ). There is something about stepping into the light with one’s needs, in the safety of a loving community, that has no substitute. As a result of this kind of fellowship, the blood of Christ purifies from every sin! We need one another to be truly delivered from our sins. We need one another to stay motivated and focused, too. Disciples were never meant to be lone rangers.

A DISCIPLE LIVES AS A CITIZEN OF GOD’S KINGDOM.

Jesus announced the arrival of the kingdom: the eternal, unshakable rule of God over all that exists. Salvation is being “rescued … from the dominion of darkness and brought … into the kingdom of the Son” (Col. 1:13 ). It transforms us from prisoners into citizens, members of the royal household, and heirs!

We are citizens of a different place. We should live accordingly. The ways of the kingdom run counter to the ways of our society. The kingdom leaves nothing in our lives untouched. It instructs the way we think, go about our work, raise our children, use our time and money, and even relate to our enemies. Our citizenship is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week affair. It closes the gap between our spiritual lives and our material concerns. Every action, every attitude, should be a statement to the world that there is a better way to live.

Living as worthy citizens is essential to our mission. In Jesus, “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us an 1:14 ). When people saw Him, they saw grace and truth in flesh and blood. They saw God!

People today need to see the gospel lived out if they are to truly comprehend it. It takes more than words. We are called to live in such a way that we “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10 ).

Where we live is almost as important as how we live. Of what good are we to a lost world if we keep ourselves within the confines of the Christian community? We cannot hope to accomplish our mission if we are not loving the lost and living among them. They need to be able to see our light shining.

A DISCIPLE GIVES HIS OR HER LIFE TO PEOPLE.

In one of His last conversations with His disciples, Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (Jn. 12:24 ).

Jesus was talking about Himself. He was saying, “If I don’t go to the cross, if I do not die, there will be only this single seed.” But He did die—and here we are, billions of us across the centuries! We are the seeds from His surrendered life.

In the next verse, Jesus applied the same rule to us: “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (v. 25 ).

What does it mean to love one’s life? What does that look like? It is getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home, going through the daily drill, playing some golf on the weekends, going to church, and taking a vacation now and then. It is living life and keeping one’s discretionary time for one’s self.

Jesus died for a lost world. He calls on us to do the same. That means drawing in the people who need Him most. But the cost for doing this is the death of our own self-centered lifestyles.

Ten years ago my wife, Marge, and I were faced with a choice. We had moved from Brazil to Colorado Springs to help lead the international work of The Navigators. All my colleagues would be Christians—and they were also very good friends! We knew the workload would be heavy and discretionary time scarce.

So I went to my brothers and explained that Marge and I needed to find our friendships among people who didn’t know Christ. I told them, “I’ll see you in heaven!”

Over these 10 years we have watched in wonder as the power of the gospel has transformed one neighbor after another. The cost of that choice we made is a pittance compared to the joy we are experiencing with these people.

OPEN YOUR EYES.

The people of Jerusalem were judged because they ignored the day God visited them (Lk. 19:41-44 ). Our country was founded upon biblical religion. Today that foundation has all but vanished. In fact, the very idea of truth has eroded to the point where we no longer know the difference between good and evil.

We who are Christ’s need to open our eyes and see what is happening. Jesus’ analysis still stands. The harvest is plentiful, and the workers few. His solution also still stands.

Go stand on your porch. Pray for the people in the houses around you, even if you don’t know their names. Ask God to send someone to them. Make this a habit. See what happens! It’s your mission as a disciple.

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About the Author

Jim Petersen is an international vice president with The Navigator s. His personal ministry includes evangelistic Bible studies, small groups that encourage discipleship, and equipping individuals to help others grow spiritually.

Jim reads widely and wishes more Christians read secular books that address the issues of our society and give insight into the minds and lives of the people around us.

Servant Evangelism Ideas!

Public Places

Soft Drink Giveaways
Newspapers
Vinyl Gloves
Umbrella Escorts
Windshield Washing
Coffee Giveaways
Restroom Cleaning
Urinal Screens
Restroom Deodorizer
Grocery Bag Loading Assistance
Bag Packing at Self-Serve Grocers
Grocery Cart Returns
Quarters Attached to Cards for Phone Calls or Parking Meters
Donut Giveaway during Morning Traffic
Cookies
Lifesavers
Dollar Drop
Quarter Drop
Chewing Gum
Lollipops / Blow Pops
Small Bags of Taffy
Gourmet Chocolates (Truffles)
Bottled Water Giveaway
Flower Seeds
Freshen-up Packs – (mints & moist towelettes)

Sporting Events

Coffee Giveaways
Soft Drink Giveaways
Popcorn
Popsicles
Windshield Washing
Peanuts
Sunglasses (cheap ones!)
Hand Cleaning Towelettes
Freshen-up packs – (mints & moist towelettes)
Trash Pick Up
Bottled Water Giveaway
Glow in the Dark Necklace Giveaway

Downtown

Windshield Washing
Soft Drinks for Shoppers
Parking Meter Feeding
Umbrella Escorts
Business Window Washing
Toilet Cleaning
Cart Token for Shopping Carts
Soft Drink Giveaway to Employees
Cookies
Cappuccino
Polaroid Photos at Carriage Rides
Shoe Shines
Hand Cleaning Towelettes
Stamps in Front of Post Office
Business Blasts
Seeds on Cars

Parks

Doggie Treats
Pet Festivals
Hot Dog Grilling
Helium Balloons for Kids
Polaroid Family Photos
Picnic
Ice Cream Coupons
Gatorade at Biking Trails
Pictionary in the Park
Flower Seed Packets
Face Painting
Doggie Dirt Cleanup
Doggie Wash
Golf Balls
Golf Tees
Golf Ball Cleaning
Pump-up Spray Water Bottles
Lambs Lunch
Matthew’s Party
Clowning
Bottled Water Giveaway

Automobiles

Car Wash
Windshield Washing
Check Oil and Fill
Single Mom’s Oil Change
Washer Fluid Fill
Tire Pressure Check
Interior Vacuuming
Interior Window Cleaning
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Ice Scraping at Apartment Complexes
Windshield Ice Scrapers
Freeing Cars Stuck in the Snow
Car Drying at Car Washes
Windshield Washing at Self-Serve Gas Stations
Buy Down Gas to Bargain Price
Hand Cleaning Towelettes at Gas Pumps

Roadsides & Traffic Lights

Parking Meter Feeding
Summer Car Washes
Coke Giveaways
Winter Car Washes/ Desalting
Popsicle Giveaways
Trash Pickup with “Kindness in Progress” Signs
Towelettes Giveaway on Side of the Road

College Campuses

Bike Fix-Up
Pen and Pencil Giveaways
Post Cards and Stamps
Photocopying
Floppy Discs
Tutoring
Soft Drinks, Gatorade, and Lemonade at Class Sign-up
Dorm Room Cleaning
Drinks at Intramural Athletic Events
Drinks at Greek Events
Breakfast Pop Tarts
Test Essay Booklets
Exam Answer Sheets
Coffee and Tea during Late Night Study Sessions
Pizza on Move-In Day at Dorms
Quarter Drop
Phone Cards for Long Distance Calls
Ice Cream Coupons
Care Packages for Students
Gum, Blow Pops
Snacks (chips, crackers)

Malls & Shopping Centers

Christmas Gift Wrapping
Dollar Drop
Meal Purchasing at the Food Court
Quarters in Coin Returns
Long Distance Phone Cards
Ice Cream Cone Coupons
Package Check-In
Childcare during Christmas Shopping
Coffee/Hot Chocolate Coupons
Boxes to Merchants with your Logo and Number Imprinted
Business Blast

Holidays

Chocolate Hearts on Valentine’s Day
Roses on Valentine’s Day
Green Foiled Coins at St. Patrick’s Day Parades
Easter Baskets for Business Blast Door to Door
Butterfly Cocoons for Easter
Easter Candy Giveaway
Flower Seeds for Spring
Mother’s / Father’s Day Carnation Giveaways
Independence Day Festival Giveaways: Glow in the Dark Necklaces
Independence Day Picnics House to House
Independence Day Festival Giveaways: Blow Pops, Gum Balls
Labor Day – School Supplies House to House
Halloween – Reverse Trick or Treat (House to House to give them candy)
Thanksgiving – Door to Door Holiday
Thanksgiving – Door to Door Turkey
Door to Door: Mums
Fall Candy Giveaway
Fall Leaf Raking
Christmas: Gift Wrap at Mall
Christmas: Giveaway Special Christmas Candy
Christmas: Caroling and Candy Canes
Christmas: Door to Door Poinsettias
Christmas: Giveaway Scotch Tape
Christmas: Tree Giveaway
Winter: Snow Shoveling
Winter: Winter Survival Kit

High School and College Sports Teams

Oranges for High School Football Practice
High School Sports Party
Watermelon after practice
Gatorade after a hard practice
Facilitate a community service project
Make hospital visits
Greet students and parents and help the freshmen move in
Baby-sit for the coaches
Physical therapy rehab
Care packages during finals week
Offer tutoring
Honor a team at your athletic meeting
Shag, throw and rebound
Shovel manure
Go to lesser followed sports
Set up social settings
Copy great talks and hand them out to the athletes
Capture seasonal times with high touch ideas
Take a camera to practice/games
Make up your own Appreciation Day
Clean up after a sporting event
Meet with the freshmen for a coke
Organize surprise mini-birthday parties
Give away peanuts/popcorn at sporting events
Offer to do videoing of a team’s practice
Offer to keep stats
Free car washes for the athletic department

House to House

Fruit give away
Sunday Morning Paper and Coffee Giveaways
Leaf Raking
Lawn Mowing
Grass Edging
Screen Cleaning
Rain Gutter Cleaning
Garbage Can Return from the Curb
Food Delivery to Shut -Ins
Kitchen Cleanup
General Yard Cleanup
Door to Door Carnation Giveaway
Tulip Bulbs
Potted Plant Giveaways
Flower Seed Packet Giveaways
Sidewalk Sweeping
Windshield Washing
Snow Removal from Walks and Drives
Window Washing
Minor House Repairs
General Interior Cleaning
Community Dinner
Doggie Yard Cleanup
Weed Spraying
Tree Limb Trimming
Light Bulb Replacement
Seal Blacktop Driveways
Fireplace Ash Removal
Radon Detectors
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smoke Detector Batteries
Fragrance Spraying
Dog Washing
Filter Change for AC / Heater
Garage Cleaning
Fireplace Kindling
Bark and Mulch for Yards
Salt for Snowy Driveways
House Number Painting on Curbs
Shopping Assistance for Shut-ins
Poinsettias at Christmas
Picnics at Independence Day
Easter Baskets

Miscellaneous

Steaks and Salmon for Firefighters
Gasoline for Your Neighbor
Cleaning Up at Food Courts
Toilet Seat Covers
Birthday Party Organizing
Pay Library Fines
Winter Survival Kit
Suntan Lotion
Surf Wax
Summer Survival Kit
“Biggie Size” Food Orders in Fast Food Drive Thru Lanes
Blood Pressure Screening
Mother’s Day Carnation Giveaways
Car Drying at Self-Serve Car Washes
Grocery Store Bag Packing
Free Bird Feeders and Refills to Convalescent Home Residents
Christmas Tree Collection
Christmas Tree Giveaways
Bait at Local Fishing Spots
Coffee at Bus or Subway Stops
Pay Laundromat Washer and Dryer
Memorial Service for Unchurched
Carnations to Cemetery Visitors
Easter Baskets
Pizza on Moving Day at Apartments
Move In Welcoming Party
Lawn Mower Tune-up
Time Change Reminder Flyer
Cocoons on Good Friday
Church Match Books
Scotch Tape at Christmas

A Change of View

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by Charles M. Stone  Issue #136 July/August 2003 

Second Corinthians 5 gives a key to evangelism consistency: a genuine concern for the hearts of spiritual seekers. In that chapter, Paul describes each of us as an ambassador imploring people to be reconciled to God. We develop a heart for others as we no longer “evaluate people by what they have or how they look” (v. 16, The Message). When I shift my thoughts from the physical to the spiritual, my heart changes in response, and evangelism flows more freely.

To help me make this shift and deepen my heart for the lost, I now ask myself three questions when I interact with someone.

1. Does this person matter to God? I know the answer is obvious, but this question shifts my perception from my view of the person to God’s view.

2. Does this person matter to me? This question can transform a casual encounter into one that invites my personal involvement.

3. Is God opening a door with this person? Openings vary with each encounter. The door may open only wide enough for me to give the Wal–Mart clerk a genuine greeting or engage a parent at my daughter’s soccer match in conversation. Or God may swing the door wide, allowing me to share my spiritual story—or the entire gospel.

To grow a sensitive heart, listen to God, and then walk through any doors He opens for you. Try these questions for one week, and you’ll see the people you encounter in a new way.

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Small Group Questions

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Small Group Questions: 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2

Accountability

• Are you praying for a 3:1:M friend? How are they doing?

Open / Scripture

1. If you were appointed as an ambassador, where would you like to be sent?

Observation

1. As you read this passage (2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2) what verse, phrase, or picture jumps out at you, causes you to celebrate, raises questions, or clarifies something?

2. What is Paul’s motive for evangelism in verses 10-11? In verse 14? How do they fit together? How would someone motivated by these values stand in contrast to someone motivated by those mentioned in 2:17 and 5:12?

3. What does “reconciliation” mean? What story from your life illustrates this?

4. What does God do through Christ (v.18)? Through us (v.20)? For us (vv. 17-18)

Application

1. What motivation does Paul give to share your faith (see 6:1-2)? What motivates you? What inhibits you?

2. In light of your experiences of alienation and reconciliation in other relationships, at what stage is your relationship with God: A family feud, a truce, or have you made up?

Article: Do Talk To Strangers 

How to initiate spiritual conversations naturally

Steven R. Jones

 “Don’t talk to strangers!” These admonishing words from our mothers have shaped our attitude toward the people who share our world. But what if Mom was wrong? What if the action she warned against in our childhood is the very thing that our Lord encourages? We find an answer to this question in an unexpected place.

When the Apostle Paul wrote Timothy about the character traits that define a Christian leader, he placed hospitable in the center of the list (1 Tim. 3:2 ). A Bible dictionary explains that hospitable means “friend of strangers.” A leader in Jesus’ church must be a friend to strangers!

This places our relationship with strangers in a different light than Mom ever expected. Perhaps it’s time we take a closer look at the everyday conversations of the friendly carpenter from Galilee.

When Jesus spoke to a stranger by a well, He gently confronted her about her multiple marriages and her current living situation, then offered her hope (John 4 ). When a wealthy and powerful yuppie sought to justify his lifestyle by claiming to have conquered the commandments, Jesus didn’t snap back at him or walk away from the encounter. He quietly gave the stranger two more commands: “Sell your possessions, and come follow Me” (Mk. 10:17-22 ).

After Jesus returned to heaven, the church’s leaders clearly modeled Jesus’ willingness to interact with strangers. The book of Acts is rich with such encounters.

Today we, too, are encouraged to follow His example of everyday evangelism.

But how can we interact more freely with our acquaintances without being abrasive? We can learn from Jesus’ example of extending love to others, even when His dialogue required a certain directness.

Approach with the right attitude.

First, we must maintain an attitude that clearly shows we hold no malice toward those we encounter. Jesus was immensely popular with the crowds. As Mk. 12:37 tells us, “The large crowd listened to him with delight.” Clearly, Jesus’ attitude didn’t turn people off. Indeed, they seemed to line up to square off with Him. Of course, not everyone received Jesus’ words well, but we never get a hint that Jesus’ attitude was the cause of people rejecting His message.

In the same way, we must pray that God will give us an attitude of cheerful questioning when we interact with others, rather than a defensive or combative tone. Some people may disagree with our points, but the results can be fascinating.

I overheard a woman in a convenience store vigorously defending Hillary Clinton’s use of imaginary conversations with Eleanor Roosevelt. As I stood behind the woman in line, I asked, “Why do you think she chose to get her ideas from an imaginary conversation?”

“Everyone’s got to get ideas somewhere; we’re not just born with them!” she replied. This opening permitted me to share a few thoughts about how important it is for our leaders to get their ideas from the only source of unchanging truth. She walked out a few moments later still disagreeing with me, but we hadn’t argued. I stirred her thinking without closing her mind to biblical truth.

Encourage whenever possible.

Jesus liked to encourage the people with whom He conversed. “You have answered correctly!” He told an expert in the law, who had expressed a good answer (Lk. 10:28 ). To another inquisitive teacher of the law, Jesus exclaimed, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk. 12:34 ). When a Greek woman gave a witty response to Jesus’ gentle probing of her faith, He responded in Mt. 15:28 , “Woman, you have great faith!” And Mark tells us that He added, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter” (Mk. 7:29 ).

When conversing with nonbelievers, never miss an opportunity to tell them you agree with them, or that they have given a thoughtful answer. If you get a chance to deliver a sincere compliment, take it!

Occasionally I have even told someone, “Wow, I like the way you said that. Let me jot that down!” Enjoy the things that people say well, and you will find a greater openness when you gently need to question mistaken viewpoints about the Lord.

Keep love and truth in balance.

Once when Jesus was sitting by a well, He quietly asked a woman to go find her husband. When she demurred with the half-truth that she didn’t have a husband, Jesus responded with a gentle clarification. “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true” an. 4:17-18 ). A closer look at this clever response by Jesus shows us that He began and ended by kindly telling the woman where she was right. Yet He still uncovered the complete truth she had tried to conceal.

Practice the art of correcting false ideas in a way that expresses kindness. We can’t be so loving that we let error pass as truth. On the other hand, we must not be so impatient to correct error that others lose sight of our love as we insist on the truth.

Draw out others viewpoints.

Our Lord loved to ask questions, even in response to questions. To one man who asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus responded with two questions of His own. “What is written in the Law? … How do you read it?” (Lk. 10:26 ).

Sincere questions draw people out, rather than make them defensive. Recently, I failed to see a stop sign and caused a fender bender. As I backed out of the intersection, the other fellow jumped out of his car and began yelling, “What’s the matter with you?”

I responded quietly with a question of my own, although my heart was racing. “First things first. Are you all right?” I said. “I know I was at fault, and I sure hope I didn’t cause you to be hurt.” When the other driver saw that I really cared whether he was all right, his anger melted away and he reassured me that he was fine.

As we waited for the police to take a report, I treated Benny to some ice cream from a passing ice cream truck. Soon we were laughing together, seated on the hood of my car. By the time the officer arrived, Benny had shared with me his life story, and we had prayed together about his difficult circumstances. The Lord used a gentle question about Benny’s safety to help him get past his defensiveness and to eventually recommit his life to Christ and begin attending our church.

Be alert to the Holy Spirt’s involvement.

A wealthy tax collector named Zacchaeus was so intent on seeing Jesus that he abandoned his dignity and clambered up into a sycamore tree. When Jesus came by, He astonished everyone by inviting Himself to Zacchaeus’ house for dinner! Jesus’ cheerful interaction with this despised stranger so moved Zacchaeus that he publicly announced his repentance and promised restitution to everyone he had wronged. Jesus must have beamed as He exclaimed, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Lk. 19:9 ).

The Holy Spirit is at work among the strangers who surround us every day. If we want to follow Christ’s example, we need to scan our own crowds as well, looking carefully for people who are hungry to meet Jesus. To hurting and lonely strangers, the warmth of a cheerful conversation and the power of public acceptance and love is often all that is needed to bring salvation home to them.

A few weeks ago, I had an early breakfast at a neighborhood restaurant. As I stood in line to pay, a well-dressed, middle-aged man walked up behind me and began talking. “I don’t know why my wife doesn’t want me to go to our office party,” he exclaimed. “I’ve never given her any occasion to doubt my faithfulness, and she knows it’s important to me. Why do you think she is so bent out of shape over this?”

I was so astonished by the man’s abrupt words that I looked around to see whether he was speaking to someone behind me. But it was clear he was talking to me—a complete stranger! I said a quick, silent prayer and stumbled through a response to his unexpected outburst. I tried my best to inject my faith, but I didn’t do too well.

That unplanned encounter affected me deeply. I began to realize that our world is full of people who are so starved for a listening ear that they will pour out their hearts to complete strangers. It became clear to me that we need to soak our day in prayer before it begins, so we will be ready for any conversation that the Holy Spirit schedules.

When I shared with some friends at church about my impromptu conversation at Denny’s, we decided to begin a churchwide program of talking to strangers. We determined that if all 300 of us would speak to one person a day, we could contact virtually every person in our city with the love of Jesus in one year’s time! Starting on New Year’s Day, we made a commitment to chat with at least one stranger every day this year. While most of our conversations remain superficial and don’t lead to spiritual discussions, we have received many reports of conversations that developed into tremendous opportunities to share our faith.

We’ve concluded that Jesus still wants to strike up conversations with strangers. The members of the body of Christ are now His eyes, His smile, and His mouth, so we must be alert for His leading. The Holy Spirit’s command in Heb. 13:2 rings true across the centuries and across the cultures: “Do not forget to entertain strangers.”

We live in a society increasingly darkened by isolation and loneliness. We will shine like beacons on a hill as we listen to the Holy Spirit and love the strangers around us by initiating conversations wherever we go.

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About the Author

Steven R. Jones is senior pastor of Kalamazoo Missionary Church. He is passionate about striking up conversations with strangers and evangelizing outside his comfort zone. He wishes more believers understood and acted on the truth that “being a hero for Christ is possible to anyone who will follow Him wholeheartedly.”

Small Group Questions 

Open

1. Why do questions draw people into conversation more effectively that statements of facts or opinions?

Dig

2. Read Col. 4:2-6 . What instructions does Paul give regarding the way we relate to outsiders?

Apply

Think about how someone would describe your attitude toward “outsiders” if they watched you for a week.

3. Read 1 Pet. 3:15-16 . What characteristics mark a Christian’s attitude toward others?

4. What can you do to cultivate awareness of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people around you? 

Session #4 – Actually (really!) (yep… clearly!) Invite your friends!

Small Group Questions: John 1:35-51

Open / Scripture

1. When you get some good news, who is the first person you want to share it with? Why?

2. As a child, what would it take for you to believe something your brother or sister told you?

Observation

1. As you read this passage (John 1:35-51) what verse, phrase, or picture jumps out at you, causes you to celebrate, raises questions, or clarifies something?

2. In light of verses 30-31, how do you think John felt when his disciples left him to follow Jesus? What does this say about John?

3. What motivated the disciples of John to follow Jesus? What motivated Andrew to tell Simon about him?

4. How do you think Simon felt when Jesus changed his name to Cephas (meaning “rock”)?

5. What type of person is Nathanael? Why would Jesus call Philip and Nathanael in such different ways? How do you think Nathanael felt when Jesus spoke to him?

6. Of the five people in verses 35-48 to follow Jesus: a) How was the contact made for each one? b) How much did each one know about Jesus when he decided to follow him? C) How does each decision for Christ illustrate the point of the prologue (vv. 1-17) about the light of John and the true light of Christ?

Application

1. What was your motive for initially following Jesus? What were the circumstance that led you to do so? How much did you know about him?

2. Consider v. 48. In your life, how has Jesus shown his ability to know all about you?

3. Who do you need to go, find, and share Christ with, like Philip did?  

Prayer

1. How can we as a group help you as you invite your 3:1:M friend to come to church

100 Percent Natural

Relax: Evangelism doesn’t have to be stressful. 

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by Stephen W. Sorenson  Issue #57 May/June 1990 

I stood in our small, two-bedroom apartment, holding a letter out to Amanda, my wife of one month. “Dear Stephen,” the letter began. “I know you’re married now, but I want to come see you during my vacation. I’ve told several friends that I may go see a guy in Colorado, and they said, ‘Great.’ Then I tell them you’re married, and they ask, ‘Why visit a guy who’s married?’ Stephen, can I come?”

Amanda and I looked at each other. The spare bedroom was our office; books were piled everywhere; guests had to sleep on the floor; and Amanda had never met Barbara. But as I explained more about Barbara, Amanda agreed to invite her.

I had met Barbara on a bus in Washington, D.C. Something about her caught my eye. Her face was hard, but her eyes reflected a softness mixed with pain. Right then, I determined I’d get to know her better. Since we rode the same bus every morning, it wasn’t hard to sit across from her and talk. After a few weeks, we sat together nearly every day.

Over time she learned I was a Christian; I learned why I had seen pain in her eyes. Her father had tried to burn the family’s house down—with family members still inside—to collect insurance money. One brother had disappeared; another brother had been in and out of psychiatric hospitals. And Barbara’s search for love had led her through a myriad of sexual encounters with men she hardly knew.

I recall few heavy discussions about Christ during the year Barbara and I rode the bus together. Somehow, being spiritually aggressive didn’t seem appropriate.

Now, she’d be in our lives for a week.

The visit turned out great. Barbara willingly slept on a roll mat. She and Amanda quickly became friends. As we caught up on what had been happening in our lives, Barbara asked many questions about Christianity. One morning, following a late-night discussion on faith and prayer, she announced, “I’ve become a Christian.” I was as surprised as Amanda at Barbara’s decision! Her conversion had come about naturally. We hadn’t been evangelism experts; we’d just been available for God to use, and He had worked His will through us.

A FAREWELL TO FORMULAS

When Jesus interacted with people, He didn’t depend on evangelistic formulas; He touched the lives and hearts of people in unique ways. In Mt. 8:2–3 we read, “A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and . . . Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.” Jesus entered into the leper’s world so completely that He actually touched the man’s sick body—when no one else would even stand nearby. I believe His touch carries a message for all of us who desire to share Christ’s truth.

Jesus met people on their turf—tax collectors, adulterers, well-educated leaders, little children, physically impaired men and women, common laborers. When He met the troubled Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), Jesus broke a cultural barrier just by associating with her. He asked questions—and listened carefully to her answers. And only after all their discussion and after she said that the Messiah would explain everything did Jesus say, “I who speak to you am He [the Messiah].” He didn’t tell her who He was right away; He took time to get to know her personally.

 It’s easy to substitute formulas for genuine interaction, isn’t it? We learn how to “reach the ‘lost,’” and try to follow methods that work for others. But our plans of evangelism often ring hollow. People we target for evangelism may even radar-detect our motives—knowing what we’re up to before we do.

We set up door-to-door nights, evangelistic meetings, and “fellowship” time when we’re supposed to bring “nonChristians.” But these activities overlook the fact that “nonChristians” prefer to attend more neutral gatherings where they can feel comfortable and be exposed to Christlike people naturally. Formulas and programmed activities can minimize Paul’s mandate in 1 Corinthians 9 to adapt to and identify with people who have not yet experienced Christ’s love. Many Christians have few nonChristian friends—or even none!

“Perhaps we need a new definition of the Church,” Jim Petersen writes in Living Proof “one that draws a large enough circle to include its calling to go into the neighborhoods and the marketplace. . . . If we are going to engage the people of this generation, it will only happen on their turf. They will not come to us.”

Yes, we must be prepared to share our faith. Reading books, discussing approaches with other Christians, and planning events for “nonChristians” are important. But they can’t replace personal interaction in others’ lives—interaction that allows God to work through us in the natural course of a relationship.

A few years ago God showed me how He can use genuine friendship without a preplanned agenda.

Amanda and I shared dinner with Debbie, a freelance designer I worked with, several times. Sometimes we discussed her religious views, which bordered on what is now labeled “New Age,” and we in turn shared biblical perspectives when the opportunity arose. Amanda and I also prayed for her.

One afternoon in the parking lot at work, I shared Christ with Debbie in a simple, natural way. Our conversation lasted all of ten minutes, then she was on her way. She soon completed her design assignment, so I didn’t see her for several months. At Christmas, she sent us a card, which I still have. “I’ve thought of you many times these past few months,” she wrote. “Thank you for helping me find such peace.”

Immediately I called her. “After our talk,” Debbie said, “I kept thinking about what you’d said. Then a friend at work shared about Christ. It all made sense, so I became a Christian.”

That’s what friendship evangelism is all about. And in Debbie’s case, God used other people as well. “One sows and someone else reaps,” Jesus emphasized in Jn. 4:37. Whether or not we know the results, we each can have a vital part in guiding others to the Kingdom.

SHARING FROM A DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP

Another thing I’ve learned about friendship evangelism is that my relationship with God is vital. Years ago, I went through the motions of evangelism without really being close to God—with few results.

If I don’t know it personally, I can’t share it sincerely. If I know all about God but am not really seeking Him every day (and I may be the only person who really knows I’m not), I can’t be enthusiastic and genuine about Him with others.

If I’m not allowing God to change me from the inside out, what right do I have to share Him with others? And what is it I’m sharing—sterile concepts about Him, or dynamic stories of what He is doing in my life right now?

If I’m not listening for God’s direction, how can I be sensitive to His leading as I relate to people and truly open to how He wants to use me in a given situation?

We must model Christ, and then allow Him to do the rest. After all, we can’t drag someone into the Kingdom—no matter how hard we try. We must care what people believe, and realize that evangelism is a way of living—of being available to God in opportunities He gives us.

God is teaching me that walking with Him must be a day-to-day “being” event; I can’t store up my relationship with Him. Like the Israelites and their manna, I must receive from God every day; if I try to hoard it, it will become moldy and inedible.

REAL LOVE

Most people I meet in America know something about the Bible—or at least think they do. Turned off by so-called Christians, many nonChristians ridicule, fear, or ignore traditional evangelism.

Yet these same people hunger for Christian individuals who will love them sincerely, respect their beliefs, and model lives of integrity. In Titus 2:6–8, Paul emphasizes integrity “so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing to say about us.”

In Ro. 12:9, we read, “Love must be sincere.” The dictionary says sincere means “free from deceit, hypocrisy, or falseness; earnest; genuine.” So, although sincere love ought to be easy, for many of us it requires new ways of thinking.

Think about your close friends. Those relationships took time to develop, didn’t they? After Barbara returned home, I realized that Amanda and I had been sincere. We had continued a relationship that had begun years earlier. We had listened without judging. We had opened our home, not knowing how it would work out. But most of all, we had treated Barbara as a regular person, not as a “nonChristian” needing conversion. We had genuinely enjoyed her company, not endured it out of misguided Christian duty.

Since then, I’ve asked God to help me develop a genuine love for nonChristians—a love without hidden agendas or expectations of future spiritual commitment. As Jesus says, “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” Yes, we must be prepared and willing to explain what we believe (1 Pet. 3:15). But God is responsible for the convicting and the results.

The Bible calls us to be like Christ. “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. . . . Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and praise your Father in heaven. . . . In humility consider others better than yourselves . . . Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:27; Mt. 5:16; Phil. 2:3–5). What challenges!

When we recognize nonChristians as people like us and not statistics to whom we must “minister,” exciting things happen! We can truly love others. Instead of being isolated critics of “nonChristians,” we become joyful participants with them—free to understand our society and its trends so we can make Christ’s truths more relevant to a hurting world. We are free to be God’s agents for spiritual change.

And such an attitude makes a difference. John, a friend of ten years, said to me one day, “You’re not like other Christians. You’re not always preaching at me.” At first I wasn’t sure that was a compliment; later I understood it was, and it touched a deep chord in me. I’d been feeling guilty because I had not demanded to know his spiritual beliefs; I had “only” been his friend. Yet by being a sincere friend I had made an impact.

Reflecting Christ’s light takes time. We must earn the right to speak with others—on their level. That may involve weeks of backyard barbecue discussions, helping a friend host a party, inviting people into our homes regularly. When we meet nonChristians on their own turf rather than expecting them to come to ours, it often surprises them—and has great impact.

Nathan, a professional musician and strong agnostic, has had nothing to do with Christians most of his life. But God has given me a deep love for him, and I’m slowly earning the right to speak to him about Christ. When Nathan asked me to help him move a washing machine, I was available. When he needed help moving trash, I drove my truck to the landfill. When his band played locally, I drove twenty-two miles to hear him play and talk with him between sets.

Gradually, Nathan is opening up. Not long ago he invited us over for dinner, and he and his family will soon be coming to our home for dinner. He allows his wife and children to attend church. Last weekend he and I discussed his new business and the foundation of values for two hours.

Nathan isn’t a Christian yet. In fact, he is fairly certain he doesn’t want to become one. But I’m seeking to do my part, and I know that God is doing His.

IMPERFECT VESSELS

As I write this, I’m recovering from severe tendonitis in both wrists.

For two years, I couldn’t pick up my young daughter, carry a log, or even open a twist-off pop bottle. I was shut down—kept from doing the physical things I enjoyed, took pride in, and used to relieve stress.

To make matters worse, Amanda and I—with help from family and friends— were building a major addition to our home when I was injured, and I couldn’t even use a hammer! I was experiencing deep emotional pain, not knowing if I’d ever regain full use of my hands.

One day God used a man named Willy to teach me that He could use me even when I felt pretty worthless.

A retired military musician, Willy met my father-in-law on a plane to Denver and, after learning about our building project, asked if he could help us. Not one to turn down physical help at that point, I invited him and several Christian friends to help us put in a large, second-story window one blustery evening.

Afterward, before the “window crew” began eating dinner, I prayed a simple prayer. Willy listened and watched everyone interact (and later told me he had nearly cried). As he was leaving he said, “People don’t help each other like this anymore.” To which I replied, “Sure they do!”

Willy came back to our house, day after day, to dig up our septic tank, cut diseased trees—and be with us. He understood the pain I was experiencing, and one afternoon as he and I talked in the woods I discovered why. He had lived for his music, but a devastating ear problem cut him off from listening to music of any kind.

Rather than being put off by my injury, Willy was drawn to me on our area of common ground. He knew I was being real, that I wasn’t trying to hide the state I was in. And before our lives went separate ways, Willy became a Christian.

As I look back on that time, I don’t know if I would have taken time to talk with Willy if my wrists had been well. Most likely I’d have been hammering nails or running a chainsaw. So “all” I could do was listen and talk. But in God’s plan that was enough.

When you look around at the nonChristians in your life, thank God for the opportunity to form relationships with them. Don’t stiffen up over formulas; love them in the ways that are right at hand; and relax—God can use you just the way you are.

——————————————————————————–

About the author:

——————————————————————————–

Stephen W. Sorenson, director of marketing for International Students, Inc, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the author of five books.

Goodnight Lenin / Tom Bellamy /Greg Smith
We Love Wednesdays
Bulls Head
Moseley

A happy Wednesday crowd stand ready to have midweek blues scraped from their faces at The Bull’s Head. The promoter responsible for this new love of Wednesdays, Duncan Strain, has put together a musical selection of fine young talent that sit by side perfectly. A treat for your auditory cortex awaits.

Greg Smith is suffering the winter of discontent. Strings flung out, tuning awry yet delivering on soundscapes wrought on his guitar body in red lights. He’s an unassuming presence on stage yet captivating for the audience. One to watch, quietly foot stepping to the beat that engages this pub fresh crowd.

Onto Tom Bellamy, the young singer-songwriter from Bristol, who is an unmistakable presence in The Bull’s Head tonight. He stands quietly and releases on a heavy out breath, songs which wrap us in golden twine. It’s music that speaks bravely into the quiet with emotive lyrics voicing the silence inside. He stands somewhere inside our subconscious, articulating the slipstreams of our sadness. Yet it is his restless push-quick vocals and clever part-percussive guitar work that summons up a bit of fire. The crowd gaze and shiver, comforted.

What can be said about Goodnight Lenin that hasn’t already been eloquently put by Blue Whale already at a recent outing in King’s Heath? They are ones about to buzz in Birmingham, a band of multiple multi-talented multi-instrumentalists ready to unleash a banjo storm. It’s dance dance in The Bull’s Head, a shape shift into the step to guitar land. Watch them soon.

Lindsey Kent

This in from Ed Collard-

Much thanks go out to all the volunteers and businesses who have been helping to make the lobster trap tree a reality.

Lobster Lady, Greg Smith, Jeff Worthley, Jamie O’Hara, Donna Ardizzoni, Dave Brooks, Dan Brooks, Rosalie Lentini, Steve Noble, John Mazzeo, Lonnie Guest, Aaron Trefley, Hiltz Disposal, Building Center.

and here are a list of the lobstermen who donated traps to use-

Ron Parnell
Jack and Steve Sulton
Geno Mondello
Kevin O’Maley
James Fialho
Aron Tuffley

click picture for the slide show from Thom Falzorano

click for the slide show

Michael Hilton

Hilton Admits: I’m Broke And Had No Corporate Backing for Jail Bid

TPMMuckraker– Zachary Roth | November 2, 2009, 9:57AM

It was October 19, 2009. 23-year-old Greg Smith was out of work, desperate, and needed money. He held Angela Montez at gun point, fully intending to rob a cash advance store, but something miraculous happened. Angela, a mother and grandmother, started crying and began talking to Greg. She told him “‘No, you don’t have to do this. Nothing can be bad enough for you to lower yourself to something so bad.” Even though the cash register was open and Greg could have taken the money and ran, he didn’t. His heart softened and he got down on his knees and prayed with Angela for ten minutes. The two even hugged. He left without taking the money.

Oprah had Greg, who is now in Marion County Jail in Indiana, and Angela, who was in the Harpo Studios with Oprah, on her show on Friday. What unfolded there…and what had unfolded during the planned robbery…was a testimony to what can happen when people let go of fear and see the good in each other.

Out of work for a year, Greg said that he felt like “less than a man” because he couldn’t provide for his family. His driver’s license had been suspended so he lost his job, which required him to drive. Feeling like he had no options, he robbed someone the week before and has since apologized to the woman he robbed.

Something really changed in him when he tried to rob the store where Angela worked. Greg said:

Honestly, it was a feeling when she started talking to me, like I told her, no disrespect to my mother or anyone in my family, but noone has ever talked to me the way that she did. She talked to me like a mother would to her child or a grandmother would to her grandchild. She made me feel comfortable and something just made me open up to her. I don’t know what it was. And I felt honestly something that I had never felt before. Honestly, I don’t even think it was Miss Angela talking to me; I actually think it was the man upstairs talking to me through her.

Upon hearing that, Angela said she wanted to give him a big hug, she forgave him, and that she understood. She told him to take the punishment for what he’s done and “…don’t let the past stop you from being great in the future.” Greg teared up and said “I”m sorry, Miss Angela.” He said he never meant to hurt her. During the encounter in the store, he even gave her the bullet in his gun.

Angela was touched and said “See that is remorse. He has a good heart and good love. You know he has served in the service. You have give four years of your life to our country; we love that. Thank you.” Greg’s mouth was trembling; he too, was touched at the power of forgiveness and love from Angela.

Oprah also had Donna, Greg’s mother, and Sherrie, Greg’s long-time girlfriend and mother of their two-year-old daughter, on the show. Donna saw the video of Greg walking out of the store after the attempted armed robbery on the eleven p.m. news and urged him to turn himself in.

Sherrie, Donna, Angela, and Oprah - Credit: Oprah.com

Donna knew Greg was depressed and was suicidal at one point because he had no work. Yesterday was Greg’s daughter’s birthday and he was distraught that he had no money to buy her a present.

Sherrie works, goes to school, and pays all the bills. She and Greg are both 23 years old and have been together since they were 15. She said she never thought he would do this and partially blamed herself, saying she felt she pushed him over the edge with nagging him to get work.

Donna told her son she loved him and said that she knew he has a big heart. She was sorry she was so wrapped up in her own problems that she didn’t help him. Greg told her he was not mad at her, didn’t blame her, and loved her. He apologized to Sherrie for putting her through this. Their daughter Mya was there…on her 2nd birthday…so precious. She saw Greg on the monitor and gleefully exclaimed “Daddy! Daddy!” Greg said:

I’ve always been a firm believer in God and Christ, but I’ve never walked that walk. I’ve felt like for the longest time I was in control of everything and everything was supposed to go my way. I feel like a lot of the things that I did have before the situation I’m in now I took for granted and I lost it.

Oprah wrapped up the story and told Greg:

We’re hoping the best will come to you really. You seem to have a good heart and you didn’t harm Angela in that circumstance and allowed yourself to have your heart open enough that you could put the gun down and walk away. I know Angela is grateful and we all are grateful too that it worked out this way.

Greg, Sherrie, Mya, Donna, and even Angela have all had their lives impacted because of the economy and the desperation that people can feel from being out of work and not having money. It doesn’t help that Greg is a young black man without a college education and without the creativity and resources to get the help he needs. He is in jail now and is charged with six felony counts and two misdemeanors. On October 22 a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf; he does not have an attorney.

By letting go of fear, opening her heart, and seeing Greg as a human being who needed understanding rather than as a criminal, Angela forevermore changed her life, Greg’s life, and the lives of his mother, girlfriend, and daughter. Most likely, Angela’s love and forgiveness have impacted thousands or millions of others who have heard this story, which has been repeated on other shows in addition to Oprah’s. Angela and Greg are each testaments to us that love is a much more powerful force than fear and that what appears bad can be transformative for good in our lives.

I just watched OPRAH. Her guest was a teller at a check cashing store in Indiana, Angela Montez. On Monday, October 19 she was held up by a gunman. She stared into his eyes and said, “You don’t look like the kind of young man that would do this. Where is your momma? Can’t she help you? Where is your dad? Why are you so desperate that you would stoop to robbery?” Then she prayed, at first to herself, and then out loud, “Jesus help me, keep me alive so I can see my grandbabies.” She looked up from her prayer and noticed that the young man with the gray hoodie had not grabbed the cash from the drawer that she had left open.

He watched her pray with his pistol pointed toward her.

“And help this young man, Jesus. He needs your help! Help him to know your love and forgiveness. Help him to not do this, Jesus!”

Greg Smith put his pistol away, got down on his knees and joined her in prayer, “Would you pray for me, too?” He asked with tears in his eyes.

Maybe you’ve seen the footage. It’s all captured by a security camera. But the powerful scene was when Greg, in an orange jail jumpsuit, (linked by video) asked forgiveness from Angela on OPRAH, who was in studio with his mom and fiancee. Angela responded, “I forgive you, Greg. I love you.”

Even Oprah dabbed her eyes.

The Praying Robber

Greg is in his early twenties, a four-year veteran of the military, skilled as a heating and cooling technician; but his long-term unemployment and depression led to despair. He lost his way. He did something crazy. He did something violent.

When asked why he stopped the robbery, he responded, “Because I heard God speak through Miss Angela. I’ve never heard someone speak to me with that kind of love and care.”

His response echoes recent research from the University of Chicago.

“Children raised in violence tend to be more violent adults. Experts point to parenting classes as one way to help break the cycle of violence. Extensive research from one national study found that children of mothers in high quality parenting programs had an arrest rate 60% lower than their peers.” – Chicago Tribune Sunday, Oct. 11,2009 “Through these classes we help parents gain self-confidence and provide them the skills they need so they can raise children who are less prone to using violence as a solution to a problem,” said Kevin Limbeck, director of Family Focus, a community organization that runs parenting classes.

Our children, even those in their teens and twenties, like Greg, need guidance, love, support and someone to say, “You are more than this,” when they blow it. They desperately need someone to forgive them, but they need to be held responsible for their actions. That’s what good parents do: love and set limits.

Oprah closed her show with BeBe & CeCe Winans singing ‘Grace’ from their new album, Still. They dedicated the song to Greg and Angela. “I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was blind, but now I see.”

Our kids need love, limits and healthy role models; but they also need grace.

Timothy Smith  www.ParentsCoach.org

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Gregory Smith, a 23 year old man, came face to face via video chat with the woman he held at gun point at a check cashing place in Indiana on Oprah.

It would have been an ordinary robbery where the robber takes the cash and leaves, but it ended with Smith on his knees praying for forgiveness.

He even took the bullet out of the gun and handed it to the store employee to prove his remorsefulness.

The reason for the robbery was a dire attempt to provide money for his financially strained fiancée and 2 year old daughter because he was out of a job for almost a year. His fiancée was supporting the whole entire family at the time of the robbery.

Smith has also served in the armed services for four years.

Angela Montez, who is the store employee that prayed with Smith, told Oprah she already forgave him and knew he was a good person.

Montez also said that during the ordeal, something came over her and somehow she was able to talk to Smith that led him to open up to her about his situation.

It could have been described as a divine intervention from a higher power.

By Oprah having this on her show, it might lead people to have a different opinion when judging a person.

With the struggling economy, job cuts and home foreclosures may lead people to decisions that they would not normally do out of character.

Here is another part of the story and look at the comments: click here.

And Oprah link.

So what do you think about this situation?

We continue our WAC men’s basketball preview with a look at #6 Fresno State.

Team: #6 Fresno State

Coach: Steve Cleveland, fifth season (63-63)

Last year’s record: 13-21 (3-13 WAC, 9th)

Returning starters: Three (G/F Paul George, F Sylvester Seay, F Nedeljko Golubovic)

Key losses: G Dwight O’Neil, G Bryce Cartwright

Key newcomers: C Greg Smith, G Steven Shepp

Why they’re here: Stuck last year in the very depths of the conference basement, Fresno State is poised to leap at least into the WAC’s middle tier — and perhaps higher. This season’s Bulldog squad is loaded with young talent inside and outside. Coach Steve Cleveland and his team will be hungry to prove its last-place finish last year was nothing more than a one-year aberration for a program that’s regularly mixed it up at the top of the conference.

Returning are standouts Paul George and Sylvester Seay, who combined to average nearly 30 points per game. The addition of prep star Greg Smith gives the Bulldogs the WAC’s best freshman recruit and JC transfer point guard Steven Shepp fills what had been a gaping hole in Fresno State’s roster. Perhaps the only question mark on the projected starting five is shooting guard Mychal Ladd, whose production and efficiency need to rise.

Fresno State is going to be relying heavily on freshmen and a couple JC transfers to fill in the gaps and spell the starters. None of the Bulldogs’ returning reserves did much of anything last year — combined, they contributed all of 6.6 points per game. Like the Vandals last year, Fresno State’s starting five will have to shoulder a heavy burden and if they falter or get hurt, all bets are off for a Bulldog resurgence.

Why they could finish higher: There’s no shortage of talent in the WAC’s Central Valley outpost this year, and the separation in midpack isn’t great. Particularly if Shepp pans out, the opportunity is there for the Bulldogs to climb into the conference’s top third. A run at the title is unlikely this year, but an Idaho-like laughingstock-to-contender rise would give Fresno State a solid foundation for 2010-11.

Why they could finish lower: The Bulldogs ranked among the bottom third of the conference in both scoring and percentage defense and ended the season with a conference-worst scoring margin of -2.1. With high-scoring run-and-gun offenses looking like the norm in the WAC this season, that doesn’t bode well. If Cleveland can’t fix Fresno State’s defense, the Bulldogs aren’t going to make much of an improvement.

Most Valuable Player: Paul George (14.3 ppg, 1.9 apg, 6.2 rpg) — One of the NCAA’s best freshmen last year, George promises to be even more exciting to watch this year. The versatile swingman has the 6-8 size to play in the post, combined with the agility and shooting prowess of a guard. With better leadership at point guard and a season of experience, George will be a tough man for any WAC defender to guard.

Most Important Player: Steven Shepp (7.4 ppg, 5.8 apg) — One big reason for the Bulldogs’ poor season: ineffective play from point guard Bryce Cartwright. Neither particularly proficient at scoring or dishing, Cartwright’s out the door and Shepp is a shoo-in to take his place. If Shepp can translate his JC prowess into the WAC (no mean feat given the point guard quality in the conference) Fresno State should have a solid season.

Non-conference degree of difficulty: 3 — For the WAC, the Bulldogs are taking on a solid schedule. Sure, they’ve got a cupcake or two in the form of Cal State-Bakersfield and Pepperdine, but they also face BYU, San Diego State and a 30-win North Dakota State squad. Bonus points are earned for traveling to Corvallis to face a resurgent Oregon State program.

Fun fact: The Bulldogs had just one losing season from 1996 to 2007 and earned consecutive 9-seeds to the Big Dance in 2000 and 2001. But the wheels fell off after that, as Fresno State has lost 19 and 21 games in each of the last two years.

Key games: Dec. 12 vs. BYU; Dec. 23 @ Oregon State; Jan. 2 vs. Boise State; Feb. 17 @ Nevada

Predicted record: 15-16 (7-9 WAC)

The WAC Hoops Preview Countdown:
#9 Hawaii
#8 San Jose State
#7 Boise State
#6 Fresno State
#5 Louisiana Tech
#4 Nevada
#3 New Mexico State
#2 Utah State
#1 Idaho

Rounding out our preseason class rundowns, we’ve got our selections for the Western Athletic Conference’s best freshmen. Our sophomore, junior and senior picks are also available.

Again, picks are based positionally. We’ve selected only a first team and honorable mentions as it’s tough to judge the freshmen below that threshold. Players are judged on the basis of overall performance and potential team impact.

First team:

G: Chris Jones, San Jose State

In what is a fairly thin freshman guard crop in the WAC this year, the Spartans have found two of the best. Jones, a Rivals two-star selection, originally committed to Fresno State but spent a year at a prep academy to boost his academics. The Bulldogs went elsewhere — their loss is San Jose’s gain. A defensive specialist, the Spartans can well put Jones’ talents to use, as they were one of the conference’s worst outfits on the defensive end last year.

G: Aalim Moor, San Jose State

Nominated for CalHiSports’ All-State team, Moor (another Rivals two-star selection) led St. Mary’s High to the California Division IV title game in his junior year. As a prepster, Moor played mainly as a pure point guard, but the recruiting rap says he has serious offensive potential as well. He may not see much playing time behind the Spartans’ starting point guard, Justin Graham, but depth at the 1 spot is never a bad thing to have. Given San Jose State’s turnover woes, having another soft-touch ball-handler will make coach George Nessman happy, too.

F: Corey Stern, Idaho

A huge get for coach Don Verlin’s rebuilding project, Stern is the best freshman recruit landed at Idaho in many years. A Rivals three-star selection, he turned down offers from Colorado, Wyoming, USF and TCU in favor of joining the Vandals. Rated one of Washington’s top-20 prospects, Stern helped lead Rainier Beach High to a Washington 3A State Tournament appearance in his senior year, averaging 13 points, 12 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game. For an Idaho squad that was one of the conference’s worst on the glass last season, Stern could contribute big right out of the gate.

F: B.J. West, New Mexico State

With Troy Gillenwater and Wendell McKines down for at least the non-conference season (and perhaps longer) because of academic issues, West will have to step up bigtime for the Newmags not to have a letdown early in the season. Leading his prep academy squad to a national championship and his high school squad to a Louisiana state title, West clearly has the talent to succeed in the WAC. But he’s going to be thrown straight into New Mexico State’s post mix, squaring off against players like Luke Babbitt, Magnum Rolle and Marvin Jefferson who won’t give him any margin for error.

C: Greg Smith, Fresno State

A Rivals four-star selection (the only such player to land on a WAC squad this year), Smith will provide big size inside for a Bulldog squad that could use a replacement for Dwight O’Neil. The recruiting read on him says he’s more developed defensively than offensively at this point, but that’s precisely where Fresno State could use him. The Bulldogs ranked near the bottom of the WAC in almost every defensive statistic, so Smith’s talents can be put to use right away.

Honorable mentions: Sam Hicks, BSU; Jerry Brown, FSU; Darius Redding, LTU; Joe Kammerer, UI; Tyrone White, USU

APPF SUVs with 'Hardin Police Dept.' decal, 9/30/09

Early Agreement Said APPF Would Provide Hardin With Police Force For $250K

TPM MUCKRAKER– Justin Elliott | October 9, 2009, 10:04AM

Capt. Michael Hilton pitched himself to Hardin as a military veteran and California defense contractor with extensive government contracts who promised to turn the rural city’s empty jail into a cash cow. But now a much different picture of Hilton is emerging from public documents and interviews with his associates and legal adversaries.

Montana’s attorney general launched an investigation Thursday into the American Police Force.

Michael Hilton, who formed Santa Ana, Calif.-based American Police Force in March, came to Hardin last month promising to fill the city’s never-used jail and build a large military and law enforcement training center.

Hilton has a decades-long track record of fraudulent activities and spent several years in a California prison on grand theft charges. A native of Montenegro, he uses at least 17 aliases.

Citing “significant concerns” about the city’s dealings with American Police Force, Attorney General Steve Bullock asked Hardin economic development officials to produce all documents related to their dealings with the American Police Force.

His office made a similar demand of American Police Force, including information that would back up Hilton’s claims of multiple defense contracts with the U.S. government and other agencies.

The launch of the investigation came as some Hardin officials began backing away from American Police Force. The city’s Two Rivers Authority reached a 10-year deal on the jail with the company last month. But that was never ratified by US Bank, the trustee on the construction bonds used to pay for the 464-bed facility.

Attorney Becky Convery, who helped negotiate the deal, said Hilton overstepped his bounds when he showed up in Hardin last week with three Mercedes SUVs marked with fictitious “Hardin Police Department” logos.

He pledged to donate the SUVs to the city and also offered to provide law enforcement for Hardin for $250,000 a year. That prospect has stirred suspicion among critics that rural Hardin, population 3,500, could be transformed into a privately run police state.

Convery said Two Rivers director Greg Smith had a tentative deal with Hilton’s company to provide law enforcement service, but she said it was never finalized and she was uncertain whether it would be legal.

“We are not at all pleased with American Police masquerading as if they were the police for the city of Hardin,” she said.

Hilton — who came to Hardin last week in a black, military-style uniform — portrayed his company as an international player in the security industry. No records have been found of the extensive U.S. government contracts he claims.

Instead, documents and interviews with Hilton’s associates revealed a history of fraud and criminal activity. That includes outstanding judgments against him in three civil cases totaling more than $1.1 million.

“Such schemes you cannot believe,” said Joseph Carella, an Orange County, Calif., doctor and co-defendant with Hilton in a real estate fraud case that resulted in a civil judgment against Hilton and several others.

Carella, described in court documents as a “pawn” in the scheme, said he was never a willing participant. But he acknowledged partnering with Hilton in other failed business deals after being won over by his charm.

“The guy’s brilliant. If he had been able to do honest work, he probably would have been a gazillionaire,” Carella said.

As for Hilton’s military expertise, including his claim to have advised forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, several associates interviewed knew of no such feats, although one said Hilton had talked of being in the special forces in Greece decades ago.

Most who knew him described Hilton alternately as an art dealer, cook, restaurant owner, land developer, loan broker and car salesman.

Hilton did not return numerous calls seeking comment this week. American Police Force attorney Maziar Mafi referred questions to company spokeswoman Becky Shay.

When asked about court records detailing Hilton’s past, Shay replied: “The documents speak for themselves. If anyone has found public documents, the documents are what they are.”

The three SUVs Hilton brought to Montana have yet to be turned over to the city, which does not have a police force of its own but is considering forming one.

At least one is being driven by Shay, a former reporter who abruptly quit her job at the Billings Gazette to work for American Police Force. She said Hilton offered her $60,000 a year.

The jail deal is worth more than $2.6 million a year, according to city leaders.

His criminal record goes back to at least 1988, when Hilton was arrested in Santa Ana, Calif., for writing bad checks. In 1993, Hilton was sentenced to six years in prison in California on a dozen counts of grand theft and attempted grand theft and other charges including illegal diversion of construction funds.

http://onemansthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/more-on-the-situation-in-hardin-montana/

http://onemansthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/it-is-hard-to-understand-what-is-going-on-in-hardin-montana-but-we-need-to-make-sure-that-it-does-not-go-unnoticed/

More than a week has passed since Matt Holliday went to the Cardinals. I wasn’t disappointed to see him go. He is not a particularly good outfielder. Watching him from the left field bleachers at the Coliseum, he always seemed he wasn’t hustling enough. He drove me crazy. In his brief stint with the A’s he did nothing for the first three months. How many times he came to the plate with men on base and failed to get the runner in.

The only thing I am still upset about is the players he was traded for. Carlos Gonzalez, Huston Street and Greg Smith. Granted Greg Smith isn’t even on the major league roster, but he had a great pick-off move. Street has 29 saves and counting and seems to have found a home. While Carlos is the fourth outfielder, he has a fantastic arm and needs time to develop. I still hate that trade.

Matt Holliday goes to the Cardinals and he is suddenly red-hot. In 93 games with the A’s he got his average up to .286. Of course only in the last 4 weeks. In 11 games with the Cards he is at .488. For sure he’s not going to maintain that pace. As for making the Cards making the playoffs, I’m not sure. I don’t want to bet on it, but I think the Cubs might edge them out. The NL Wild Card team will probably come for the NL West with the Giants and Rockies looking to surpass the Dodgers.

I wish Matt Holliday good luck with his new team. But I wished he had a better showing in Oakland. I can’t speak for the fans, but I can’t say I miss Matt Holliday in Oakland.

How about you?

CLASS AAA: SACRAMENTO 7 @ COLORADO SPRINGS 4 – In the first of two doubleheaders that began at 10am the Sky Sox Daniel Ortmeier led the way with 2 for 3 hitting and an RBI. Sky Sox pitching gave up 12 hits with Jason Hirsh taking the loss at 6-7 on the season. Starting pitcher Greg Smith only went 2.2 innings giving up 2 walks and 3 earned runs.

SACRAMENTO 2 @ COLORADO SPRINGS 3 - The Sky Sox scored 2 runs in the 7th inning to win and split the doubleheader with the Rivercats. Esmil Rogers gave up the only 2 runs of the game for the Rivercats over 5 innings and also striking out 4.

CLASS AA: TULSA 4 @ ARKANSAS 7 – The Drillers scored 2 runs in the final inning, but they were not enough. The Drillers only managed 5 hits and Brad Corley was the only player with 2 hits for the Drillers.

CLASS A (ADVANCED): BAKERSFIELD 15 @ MODESTO 12 – 27 runs scored and 40 hits by both teams. The 3 errors by Modesto seemed to be the difference. The Nuts were ahead 6-0 after 3 innings, then 9-3 after five. Bakersfield then scored 12 runs in the 6th, 8th and 9th innings causing Modesto to have to scramble being down by 6 runs. Modesto only managed 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th in the loss. All five Modesto pitchers had no less than 2 earned runs on the night.

CLASS A: DELMARVA 2 @ ASHEVILLE 9 -A huge 5 run inning in the 7th broke the score wide open for the Tourists. Rightfielder Joseph Massey and shortstop Carlos Martinez collectively went 4 for 6 with 4 RBIs on the night.

CLASS A (SHORT SEASON): TRI CITY 4 @ EVERETT 11 – All 11 runs by Everett were scored in the first 2 innings. Dust Devils starting pitcher Bradley McAtee lasted only through the 1st inning, giving up 5 walks and charged with 9 earned runs. His game ERA was 81.00. McAtee is 0-2 on the season with an ERA of 7.04.

CLASS A (ROOKIE): CASPER 6 @ OREM 8 – Clinton McKinney who lasted a third of an inning took the loss on 4 hits and 4 earned runs. McKinney is 0-3 on the season with an ERA of 9.75.

CLASS AAA: COLORADO SPRINGS 11 @ LAS VEGAS 6 – Eric Young Jr went 3 for 4 with an RBI and scored 3 runs, while Matt Miller had 4 RBIs on 2 for 4 hitting. Jason Hirsh gets his 6th win of the season going 3.1 innings after Greg Smith gave up 5 runs after 2.2 innings.

CLASS AA: SPRINGFIELD 2 @ TULSA 4 – Keith Weiser (6-9) scattered 5 hits and struck out 4 over 7 innings for his 6th win of the season.

CLASS A (ADVANCED): VISALIA 6 @ MODESTO 10 – Wilin Rosario led Modesto with 3 RBIs on 3 for 4 hitting. Connor Graham (7-4) struck out 9 batters in 5 innings.

CLASS A: ASHEVILLE - No game scheduled.

CLASS A (SHORT SEASON): EUGENE 2 @ TRI CITY 6 – Sheng-An Kuo struck out 5 batters and walked 1 in 5.2 innings.

CLASS A (ROOKIE): HELENA 8 @ CASPER 4 - Juan Gonzalez takes the loss after a 6 inning performance that saw him give up 6 hits, 5 runs (3 earned) and a homerun. Gonzalez is 0-2 on the season.

This past offseason we saw a lot of teams wheeling and dealing. There were some blockbuster trades, like the Matt Holliday trade and there were some under-the-radar trades, like the Edwin Jackson trade that are proving to be difference makers.

Now that we are two months into the season, let’s take a look at some of the offseason trades that took place, and which team (so far) has gotten the better of the trade.

The Trade: Matt Holliday traded from the Rockies to the A’s for Huston Street, Greg Smith and Carlos Gonzalez

Advantage: Colorado Rockies

Analysis: After a really slow start, Holliday has turned it on as of late. Holliday is putting up a .275/7/30/.368 hitting line. However, Holliday was brought to the A’s so the A’s could win. The A’s aren’t winning and they are in last place in the AL West.

Another factor in why this is advantage Rockies, is that because of Holliday’s slow start, it doesn’t look like A’s GM Billy Beane will get more back than they gave up, if they decide to trade him at the deadline.

The Rockies got three players for Holliday and all three have performed well for Colorado so far this season. The key to this deal was Carlos Gonzalez and he is putting up Ruthian numbers in Triple A. Gonzalez is hitting .348 with 10 HR’s and 59 RBI in 46 games.

The Rockies could also trade Huston Street (3.38 ERA 8 saves) at the deadline for prospects.

The Trade: Edwin Jackson traded from the Rays to the Tigers for Matt Joyce

Advantage: Detroit Tigers

Analysis: This might be the steal of the offseason. Jackson, along with Justin Verlander have become one of the best one-two punches in the AL. Jackson is currently 5-3 with a 2.30 ERA and has an impressive eight quality starts in 11 total starts.

Matt Joyce on the other hand, has spent the majority of the season in the minors. Granted Joyce did hit .315/5/27/.408 in Triple A, but he has not nearly made the impact that Jackson has had.

The Trade: Coco Crisp traded from the Red Sox to the Royals for Ramon Ramirez.

Advantage: Even

Analysis: Probably the most even trade of the offseason. Both players have done exactly what their teams have asked them to do. This is a very rare occurrence in baseball or in any sport for that matter.

The acquisition of Crisp allowed David Dejesus to shift to LF, which has stabilized the Royals’ outfield defense. Crisp has played a very solid CF, which his 2.9 UZR indicates. The Royals would like Crisp to hit better (.233/3/14), but he does have 11 steals to pace the Royals.

Ramirez has been a rock in the Red Sox bullpen. He is 4-2 with a 1.33 ERA and has seven holds in 24 games. Ramirez has been a very good bridge to closer, Jonathon Papelbon.

The Trade: Mark DeRosa traded from the Cubs to the Indians for Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer and John Gaub.

Advantage: Indians

Analysis: When this trade happened back in December, I thought it was a steal for the Indians. Now that we are in June, I still think the Indians got the better of the Cubs, but not by much.

DeRosa has been solid for the Indians, but the Indians are in last place and look to be seller at the trading deadline. One of the players the Indians might be selling is DeRosa. DeRosa has hit .266 with 8 HR’s and 33 RBI so far this and since he can play multiple positions, he has a lot of value.

Even though Stevens (0-2 1.80 ERA in 19 games), Archer (2-0 1.29 ERA in 9 starts), and Gaub (2-1 3.50 ERA) have pitched well in the minors, the Cubs miss DeRosa’s bat and more importantly, his versatility dearly. Mike Fontenot and Aaron Miles have not been able to fill DeRosa’s shoes so far.

The real winner of this trade will not be determined until we find out how the prospects the Indians get for DeRosa fare (he will be traded) and how the three prospects the Cubs got from the Indians turn out.

The Trade: Nick Swisher and Kanekoa Texeira traded from the White Sox to the Yankees for Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez

Advantage: Yankees

Analysis: The Yankees bought low on Swisher and have gotten great results so far. Not only does Swisher have 10 HR’s and 31 RBI, but has loosened the normally uptight Yankee clubhouse and has brought a “Kevin Millar” type attitude to the bronx.

Many people don’t know the Yankees also got Kanekoa Texeira (no relation to Mark) in this trade as well. Texeira is 5-2 with a 3.55 ERA for Double A Trenton.

Wilson Betemit has been useless for the White Sox.  He is batting .209 and doesn’t fit in the White Sox long-term plans. Jeff Marquez has been terrible in Triple A. Marquez is 0-4 with a 14.54 ERA in four starts. Nunez has been a little better posting a 1-0 record with a 2.97 ERA in 16 games in Double A.

The Trade: Khalil Greene traded from the Padres to the Cardinals for Mark Worrell

Advantage: Nobody

Analysis: Khalil Greene – .200/2/14. Currently on the 15 Day DL

Mark Worrell – 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA

Enough said.

The Trade: JJ Putz, Sean Green and Jeremy Reed traded from the Mariners to the Mets for Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Mike Carp, Maikel Cleto and Ezequiel Carrera. Joe Smith traded from the Mets to the Indians. Franklin Gutierrez traded from the Indians to the Mariners. Luis Valbuena was traded from the Mariners to the Indians.

Advantage: Mariners

Analysis: This trade involved three teams and 12 players. At the end of the day, I like the Mariners side of this deal. They were able to restock their farm system with Carrera and Carp (Carp is hitting .302/9/26/.419 in Triple A, by the way) and the players they got for the major league team have made valuable contributions.

Endy Chavez has hit .284 while swiping eight bases and Jason Vargas is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA and has two quality starts in four starts. The Mariners were also able to flip Heilman to the Cubs for Garrett Olson and Ronny Cedeno. I’ll chalk that one up as a win for the Mariners as well.

JJ Putz and Sean Green have been terrible for the Mets. Putz is 1-4 with a 4.76 ERA and already lost his role as 8th inning set-up guy to Bobby Parnell. Green has been even worse. He has a 6.95 ERA with an 0-2 record. Jeremy Reed is nothing more than a 4th OF/defensive replacement type player.

Joe Smith has been useless for the Indians (7.11 ERA in 9 games) and is currently on the DL. Luis Valbuena looks like a promising second base prospect and put up a .321/3/13/.436 hitting line in Triple A this year.

Valbuena was just recently called up.

So there you have it. There were a lot of trades involving a lot of players and it looks like the Rockies, Indians, Tigers, and Mariners have gotten the better of their deals so far.

I will revisit this post at the end of the year to see if anything has changed.

There were also four matches taking place in Division Two of the County Championship in the midweek. Here is around up of what happened.

Kent vs Northamptonshire

There was a draw at Canterbury, where Kent took on Northants. Northants scored 355 in their first innings, with the captain Boje top scoring with 98, though no other players made it past fifty. Azhar Mahmood was the pick of Kent’s bowlers, with figures of 4-73. Kent replied with a score of 417 all out, Geraint Jones top settling into his new role at number three with 103, with van Jaarsveld also in the runs with 107. It was a slow match, which was always looking like it would be a dull draw, and that was how it ended. Northants’ second innings reached 348-7, with 107 from Stephen Peters, when the captains decided to end the match.

Kent 12 pts, Northamptonshire 11 pts

Gloucestershire vs Essex

A low scoring match took place at Bristol, where Essex were victorious by seven wickets. Ryan ten Doeschate took 5-62 in Gloucestershire’s first innings, where they were bowled out for 155 with only Hamish Marshall in the runs with 64. Essex’s innings wasn’t much better though, ending 177 all out so they had a 22 run lead. The captain Alex Gidman picked up three Essex wickets in this innings, ending with 3-23.

The scores only got lower in the next innings for Gloucestershire; Essex bowling them out for 119. Masters, Chambers and ten Doeschate all picked up three wickets, with the innings only lasting 49.1 overs. This meant Essex had to chase down 97 for victory, which they did with ease. It was probably the best batting performance in the match, as they won by seven wickets with Matt Walker top scoring with 48*.

Essex 17 pts, Gloucestershire 3 pts

Middlesex vs Glamorgan

There was another draw in the County Championship at Lords, where Middlesex faced Glamorgan. Glamorgan’s first innings ended at 505 all out, with centuries from Cosgrove (120) and Wallace (128). Middlesex declared behind in their second innings, hoping to set up a result later in the match, with 414-8. Their top scorer was the Australian Phillip Hughes, looking impressive with 118. Garnett Kruger was Glamorgan’s best bowler, with four wickets.

A result was possible, but after losing quick wickets and falling to 154-7, Glamorgan were defensive. Dalrymple scored 112 against his former county, sharing a partnership of over 100 with Croft. They declared with the score at 278-8, setting a target of 370 for Middlesex. This looked hard to achieve, and despite Phillip Hughes again looking in good touch with 65, Middlesex only got to 94-3 before the match ended in a draw.

Middlesex 11pts, Glamorgan 11 pts

Derbyshire vs Surrey

Derbyshire secured a victory at home to a Surrey team weakened by the loss of some key players. Surrey have been missing Ramprakash (suspension) and Butcher (injured) so far this season, and it showed when they were bowled out for 131, mainly thanks to Graham Wagg (6-35). However, Derbyshire also struggled with the bat when they fell to 88-7 and looked in danger. Yet, a partnership of 102 between Wagg (35) and Smith (94*) held the innings together to manage a lead of 143 over Surrey.

Surrey looked much stronger in their second innings, as a century from Scott Newman (124) and 59 from Uzman Afzaal lead them to a score of 360, and gave them a chance in the match. Chasing down 218, Derbyshire looked settled at the top of the order, where the foundations came with 83 from Stubbings and 50 from Park. Although they did then lose some wickets cheaply, they still looked the better team and won by five wickets.

Derbyshire 19 pts, Surrey 3 pts