by Aarron Pina | Jul 1, 2011 | Uncategorized
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| Coral & Rory Martin |
The Two Shall Become One Flesh
As we’ve walked with a variety of men and women over these years, it’s been a unique pleasure to see the truth of God’s word and the power of the Holy Spirit facilitate not only minor course corrections, but drastic transformation in their lives. Cristine has been meeting with Coral for the past couple of years and as a couple, we’ve been so impressed by the changes God has made in her life as she’s responded to Him in loving obedience. Rory Martin is a son of a pastor and a man whose heart beats for preaching, reaching the lost, and prison ministry. Aarron has been meeting with Rory for several months now. On May 14th, we witnessed an awesome step in a new direction as the two said their vows and were joined in marriage at a wedding ceremony in Cashiers, NC.
We are incredibly excited to have a front row seat’s view into what God has been doing and will be doing in their life together. We know we’re not responsible for bringing the two together, but we know their marriage is a win for discipleship because these are two people chasing after God, transparent with their flaws, growing in their gifts, and wise enough to surround themselves with godly counsel. May the Lord bless them and keep them. We invite you to keep them in your prayers!
Toby Mac? …and Beyond!
Last week, thanks to your generosity, Seasons of Life Ministries was able to send 5 middle and high school students to Gwinnett Arena to attend the Forward Conference, 2011. Over 12,000 students, leaders, and volunteers packed the arena to capacity to hear speakers from Jentezen Franklin to Judah Smith to Reggie Dabbs. Multiple Grammy Award winner Israel Houghton teamed up with Rory Comtois and Free Chapel’s worship team for a live recording session, Grammy and Dove nominated rapper Flame kicked it Jesus-style, PlanetShakers and Matt Redman brought worship favorites to life, but the clear favorite performances were by TobyMac, whose “Echo” will be echoing through the airwaves for the foreseeable future.
Our students were not only impressed by the move of God in the arena through worship, but were moved and transformed by the speakers and the truth. One of them, a high schooler, placed his faith in Christ the very day after the conference! Praise the Lord and to those of you who give, thank you for making this possible. You’ve got 5 students whose passion for the Lord is growing wild! Next year, we hope to send even more students Forward – to the Georgia Dome. Rumor has it that attendance was so high this year, Gwinnett Arena will not be a large enough venue to host Forward 2012.
More Updates:
The Way Forward – Recap and Upcoming
Speak Life: She Got the Car, Her Mom Got a Future
Where Does it Hurt?
by Aarron Pina | Jul 1, 2011 | Uncategorized
Pain Takes Many Forms
In discipleship as well as DivorceCare groups, we spend a good amount of time talking about the places in our lives where God wants to bring truth to counteract lies, comfort to the wounded, discernment to the naive. The question “where does it hurt?” is part and parcel of the calling. Often, those in pastoral ministry, counseling, and other helping vocations have a tendency to take great care of others and terrible care of themselves.
Guilty as charged. “Healer, heal yourself!”
Two months ago, I began reading “Leading on Empty” and “Soul Custody”. Our staff quickly realized we had been ourselves approaching burnout and needed a day off, a week off, perhaps even a month. Last month, we each scheduled a day at a local monastery where we knew we could be in silence long enough to silence every voice in our heads but God’s. After these days of solitude, silence, and simplicity, it was clear that July would be a wise time for us to “come home from the mission field”. Kind of hard to do when your home is part of the mission field.
With that in mind, we found a compromise. For the month of July, we’ll be out of our normal discipleship schedule with no extra classes or involvement, so that we can recharge and renew our minds. We’ve invited a handful of people to come by for a low-key “grill and chill” and will maintain an open door policy for the month to fellowship with some people who’ve fallen off the radar of our lives. If you feel like we’ve fallen off your radar since we got married, stepped out into ministry, and had a bunch of babies, send us an email or give us a call and we’ll save some space on the couch, pull up a chair in the backyard, and lay out a burnt offering on the grill!
Good News & Bad News
In the meantime, I’m compelled to let you know where it hurts – where we could use your prayer and support. Financially, things are tight – they always have been, but God has always provided. We’re just at one of those crossroads again where we’re looking up at Him saying “We don’t know how You’re going to pull this off, but we’re open to Your plan.” Right now, we have about $750 in matching funds available for the month of June – if you’re considering giving to SOLM, every dollar you contribute this month will help us capture a dollar of that matching gift. Overall need for the ministry is over $2,250 for June, but we’re confident that this gift can create enough momentum to exceed that, if people prayerfully engage with us in it.
It’s always a great time to join us as a seasonal (3 months only) giver and if you give online, your gift can be designated as such. Seasonal givers will have the added bonus of counting toward the matching gift. Additionally, local “realigners” Drs. Colin & Claudia Roopnarine have offered to donate half the proceeds of all July office visits to any chiropractic patient who mentions Seasons of Life Ministries. Connect with them at www.nptcc.com on North Point Parkway in Alpharetta. Help yourself & help us! 770-993-4464
by Aarron Pina | Jun 30, 2011 | Uncategorized
“Becky” was a single mom of three working hard to provide for her kids when her own mother was told she would need to begin dialysis and may need a kidney transplant. Becky had been growing in her walk with Christ and began attending a women’s small group bible study. Her small group had been praying for her needs, but what they didn’t know was something that came to another woman in a dream.
A friend of Seasons of Life Ministries (anonymous) had a dream about Becky’s car having trouble. She knew it seemed strange and was easy enough to dismiss it as “just a dream”, but on a whim contacted Becky and asked if she’d been having any car trouble. Becky was more than a little surprised and said “yes, I was actually going to let my small group know to start praying for me to get a new car.” Becky had also moved in with her mom, who now needed her help in the dialysis process. As a part of taking care of her mom, she’d be required to have “reliable transportation”.
It turns out that Becky’s friend who’d had the dream also had an extra car. She explained Becky’s situation and the story of her dream to her husband, who quickly replied – “I guess the Lord wants us to give her our car.” How great is our God? Recently, Becky’s mom was told she would need a kidney transplant. By the grace of God, the help of Seasons of Life Ministries and an oddly prophetic dream, Becky now has “reliable transportation” to bring her mom to dialysis!
What’s so amazing about discipleship to us is that God so often impresses on the hearts of believers “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10.8, italics mine)” God prepares hearts, knows our needs, and provides perfectly! We are so grateful to have a ring side seat to watch God knock out the enemy and provide for His children as any good Father would. Praise God and keep “Becky” in your prayers. He’ll know who you mean!
Seasons of Life could use your help to handle a few of incidental expenses in passing on this vehicle, but we’d also love to be able to help Becky with a gas card or an oil change. This month, if you’d consider giving to our “Speak Life” initiative, we’ll be committing a large percentage of that program’s resources to making sure Becky’s transition is a smooth ride. To help support, go to www.seasonsoflifeministries.org/SOLM/support.html!
AP
by Aarron Pina | Jun 30, 2011 | Uncategorized
Ministry Update, Plans Moving Forward, & Prayer Feast
As I mentioned in the “What Does Ministry Look Like?” post, we hold our plans with open hands. God has authored our past far better than we could, so as we talk about the way forward, let me include a few highlights from the recent past:
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Aarron, Cristine, and Pastor Marvin Jinks at Free Chapel’s
School of Discipleship |
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School of D – Aarron and Cristine completed phase four of Free Chapel’s School of Discipleship and will receive certificates of graduation in a few weeks. SoD is a four phase course offered at Free Chapel to anyone who wishes to understand spiritual foundations, transformation, formation, and impartation. It’s required for all small group and care leaders and we are grateful for the church’s scrutiny in developing new leaders. We gained a lot of formal terminology and understanding of the spiritual growth process, but like holding our plans with open hands, we know God doesn’t fit in a box and will not mature any two believers the same.
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Mentor, be Mentored – Aarron had an opportunity to meet with Pastor Marvin Jinks, head of Free Chapel’s small groups and Pastor Marvin has agreed to meet with him on a more regular basis to further mentor Aarron as a discipler of men and leader in the body of Christ. For years, we’ve made it a practice to not just be disciplers, but to also be discipled; not just mentor, but be mentored; not just pastor, but also to be pastored. This is an exciting new relationship for us and we ask for your prayers moving forward. “I’m so humbled to be a part of of how the Lord is going to use you in the days ahead”, Pastor said. We, too.
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DivorceCare – We’re prayerfully considering our DivorceCare involvement for the Fall and Spring – North Point has undergone several changes recently in the Oasis model and staffing in that department, and could use seasoned leaders at this time. But, with the number of available, seasoned leaders at NPCC combined with Free Chapel’s growing program and need for leader-trainers and DivorceCare for Kids leaders, we may find ourselves placing both feet down at Free Chapel for a season or two.
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Prayer Breakfast – As we lean heavily into fellowship over the month of July, we’re excited to announce our first Seasons of Life Ministries Prayer Breakfast at our home, here in Cumming. Saturday, July 16th at 8AM, we invite you to join us for pancakes, eggs, etc., etc., and to pray for God’s work through this ministry, the people in our care and their families, the plans Lord has for our future, and for our family, board, and their families as well. RSVP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/seasonsfb or email prayer@seasonsoflifeministries.org.
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Got BS? Aarron didn’t. After 5 years of undergraduate study, he had accumulated 173 credit hours spread out over 3 majors. When he left college to pursue a business opportunity, the degree was incomplete. After many years in the business world and several years in ministry, he got word from his alma mater that changes had occurred in the university catalog that may allow him to complete his degree with one course. After one phone call, he found out that the situation was even better – the requirement that needed to be filled could be satisfied with a course already on his transcript! Long story short, Aarron will receive his long-overdue diploma from Bridgewater State University in late August of this year!
by Aarron Pina | Mar 31, 2011 | Uncategorized
Computers are either the most useful pieces of technology ever invented or “the biggest piece of crap in the world”! What makes the difference?
It all depends on what day you walk into my office.
Common ground?
I don’t know if you’ve ever had a computer “lock up” on you. But, if you’re breathing in 2011, chances are pretty good that you’ve sat there in front of the screen… just… waiting… forrrrr… ANyThINNNNGG to happen!!! The trick, I was told, when this happens, is to hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete to interrupt the program that’s “not responding” and get yourself out of whatever loop has the computer stuck in an endless cycle.
Lately, I’ve had more than one conversation about something with guys I’m meeting with and Cristine’s brought up the same topic at our staff meetings – “people are getting stuck in conflict and can’t seem to get out”. Someone’s been rude, been overbearing, been demanding, been thoughtless and the other person is refusing to let them back in before they “apologize first”!
One of the most difficult spirits to overcome in the Christian walk is the spirit of entitlement – “you owe me an apology” it’s rooted in pride, chief of all sins. But, when we look at scripture, we see that God is the only one who can lay claim to someone owing an apology, yet He gave us Jesus – slain on the cross, punished for our junk, sacrificed as lamb to end all sacrifices. One of my favorite quotes from Louie Giglio was this: “God owes us nothing… but judgment.”
Alright, I didn’t like it when I first heard it. But, it keeps things in perspective. “…Christ died for the ungodly… While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5.6b,8b)” Last week, my friend, Ron shared with a bunch of guys a letter that Jesus dictated to John the Baptist in the book of Revelation. 90 years after his death, they were already off track. Not completely, though, just enough. He commends them for the things they were doing right – calling out the phonies who came in God’s name, working hard, persevering, etc.
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Rev. 2.4)”
If you can’t say “amen”, you’d better say “ouch”!
Discipleship at Work
The point is, Jesus gives them a very scathing reminder that it’s easy to get wrapped up in a lot of Christian activity and miss Christ. No wonder the world looks at us as hypocrites – we’re starting with Christ and following through with self! This week, I’ve been able to talk to a number of guys about loving their wives as Christ loved the church, considering others better than themselves, etc., all through the lens of “getting unstuck”. God didn’t need to make the first move when it came to reconciling us to Himself. Yet, He did. He sent Jesus to a messed up, prideful, sinful world and gave Him what we deserved – judgment – and gave us what Jesus deserved: forgiveness and sonship.
If you and I didn’t deserve someone taking the first step, but got it anyway, who are we to demand it from others?!
As we’ve talked in discipleship this week, a number of the guys have made a resolve to do what Jesus suggests in the next line of Revelation –
- Remember – who you are and what a mess I brought you out of
- Repent – turn away from the tendency to worship your agenda and to do list over the Creator of all agendas and all there is to do
- Return – to the work you used to do by living by the Spirit (see Romans, chapter 8 – the whole thing.)
Repeat after me – “remember, repent, return”. “Remember, repent, return”. “Ctrl – Alt – Delete.”
Class dismissed.
in Christ,
AP
