Open Door Ministries Blog

Roger's in the Paper!

Check out what finally ran in the local paper about our newest full-time staff addition! 

Click here!

You Got Questions....We Have Answers

Are you single and have questions about life,love and relationships? Ask away! 

This coming Sunday (2.28) Pastor Greg Kennedy is closing out our series XOXO and wants to answer the questions you have in our special message just for singles! 

Click here ask your question.

Fundraiser Success!

Last week, I was checking the forecast and saw that they were calling for sunshine and 60 degree weather on Sunday, the day of our fundraiser. I was thinking "That's not possible! In February! C'mon on God!" Sure enough, we had beautiful weather! No rain, sun was shining and it felt incredible outside! 

Sunday marked the first time we had ever done a fund raiser with Adam's Auto-wash and ODM showed up! Adam's tallied 121 Open Door cars but that does not even include those of you who came in the morning. We were able to raise over $1,300 for AMP/418!! John McGuiness, manager of Adam's Auto-wash, said it was the best fundraiser that they had done yet.  

What really got me stoked was when he talked about how nice and respectful our people were to his staff. It is a blessing to be apart of a church that is living out its mission, loving God and loving people. This fundraiser could not have been as successful as it was without your support. It amazes me how giving and loving our church truly is. From all the staff here at Open Door, we want to say a BIG THANK YOU for every thing you guys do! 

Click here to comment.

 God bless, 

 John.

Reaching Out

As many of you know the recent earthquakes in Haiti have been extremely close to our heart. 

Hundreds of thousands of people are suffering without food, shelter, and proper medical care. 

Sometimes if feels like no matter what we do it doesn't touch the people in need as much as we want it too. We know one way. 

Gail Booker a nurse that is one of the ODM family is leaving this Saturday (2.20) to go to Port-Au-Prince to lend a helping hand. She is traveling with a medical team of 32 members that include: doctors, nurses, pharmacists, intercessors, and support staff. 

They are expected to see over 1000 patients a day. 

As many of you can probably guess this means extremely long hours on their feet in near 100 degree weather day and night. 

Your prayers are needed. 

Prayer for their families while they're gone. Pray for strength. Pray for them to touch lives and share the love and light of our Savior. 

Click here to give encouraging words to the team.

Amp/418 Parents

"No one is more cherished in this world than someone who lightens the burden of another. Thank you." ~Author Unknown 

This past week, we had AMP on a Sunday morning due to the Super Bowl that night which, was a major let down since the Colts lost! 

Earlier in the week, I had a parent approach me and ask if there was anything they could do to help. I of course said YES! She made the most incredible, delicious cupcakes in the world and the service awesome. 

This week I had another parent email me asking if there was anything they could do!  I just mentioned to spread the word about our upcoming fundraiser with Adams Auto Wash on February 21, 2010 from 10:30-4:45.(I had to get that plug in there!!) He replied saying he would spread the word and it really got me stoked about the parents at this church. 

These are just two recent stories.  If I had to blog about all the other ones I would never leave my computer! You (parents) are so important to everything we do in our youth ministry and I cannot tell you how much you have blessed the leaders and myself of AMP and 418. So I am writing this to tell you that your help, prayers, and support mean so much to us.  Thank you so much!! 

God bless,

John.

Doing Life Better Together

It is our desire at Open Door Ministries to connect every person who attends our Sunday morning services to a Life Group. We believe this is the maturity tract, which the first church in Acts chapter two modeled for us.

We have agreed on six irreducible minimums for healthy Life Groups. So for our Life Group leaders...this is how you define what a healthy Life Group is.

• Think Life Change – Create an environment where participants experience authentic community and spiritual growth. 
• Cultivate Relationships – Relationships are like bank accounts they don’t just happen they require regular intentional deposits. 
• Promote Participation – Be a navigator of discussion, not just a teacher of curriculum. Asking open ending questions invites participation. More than sharing right answers, we want people to share their lives 
• Replace Yourself – Choose an apprentice within the first six months and prepare for multiplication at the end of the covenant period of 18 to 24 months. 
• Provide Care - Support. Encourage. Comfort 
• Multiply Influence – By multiplying your life group every 18-24 months, within six years over 300 people will have been influenced by your life group ministry. 

Hopefully you will find these helpful as you continue to do life with your Life Group! 

Click here to comment. 

 Roger

Fixing Vs. Seeing

Thanks to an Alert Listener to last week’s teaching on ‘Family Sin’, the following is up for discussion.

Of special note is that our ‘Alert Listener’ is a teen from our AMP Youth Program…be prepared to be amazed at the thought and maturity exhibited! 

She shares. “After hearing about the sins that can be in my family line, I know there actually are some. What do I do with this information? How can I determine if the things I’m already dealing with might be related to this? Can I deal with them between me and God, or do I always have to suffer from the effects of those sins that my family committed? How do I walk forward in life without having these things hang over me? What do I do now?” 

So, first let me, yet again, pick myself up off the floor! Followed by, I am SO glad you asked! I’m opening this discussion with these thoughts and trusting that you and others will join in with your own thoughts, opinions, answers and additional questions! 

Jesus wants us to be enlightened by His truth alive in us. I John 1: 7 say, ‘If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.’ When light is present, you can see, you’re aware of dangers and obstacles and can make adjustments to respond or act either offensively or defensively. But darkness leaves us so vulnerable…. we can’t see, so things kinda creep up on us or trip us up. Life nor light are always about being able to ‘fix’ something, but about being able to see, adjust and move forward; awareness. The fellowship with one another is talking about our relationship with Jesus but also to one another; we’re in this thing together. For now, a lot of your cues will come from your family, friends and others like your AMP Leaders. 

Relationships are so important at every stage in life! Having heard this message, you’re already aware or at least tuned in to places/thoughts/opinions/stories you’ve heard or comparisons you’ve made that are worth taking a deeper look at. First, I’d strongly recommend that you read a book by Joyce Meyer, ‘Battlefield of the Mind for Teens’. Remember, the first series of steps will be information gathering.... so here we go!

Click here to join in this discussion!

Deana