God is going to move in Louisburg

I believe that God is getting ready to move in our community in a big way.  Here is why I believe that:

1. This small group has a goal of serving those in need in our community.

Our small group will seek out the opportunities to serve the community.  Some activities will be fun, some serious but all will point to Jesus.

2. New Life church is preparing for a drive to meet the needs of the hurting in the community and to reach the missing.

New Life is preparing to launch three Life Groups that will provide a place for people to give and receive ministry.  God's Holy Spirit is going to move in this community in a way that will stir people to seek Jesus as their savior and King.

Greater things will be done in this city!

Come join us as we have fun in maturing in the knowledge and truth of Jesus.

Wildcats - A day in the park.

Mike Behrhorst pauses from his work to replace park bench seats Saturday morning and scans the vacant lot at South Second and Mulberry streets.

He envisions a sand volleyball court, a kickball field and other improvements where a former school and later City Hall once stood before the building was torn down years ago.

“Mike has been eyeing this lot ever since we moved to town a little over a year ago,” his wife, Kandace Behrhorst, said as she rakes along the edge of the flower garden in the southwest corner of the grassy tract some call Farmers Market Park. Vendors soon will sell their produce and other wares at Louisburg Farmers Market on the south side of the plot, which encompasses a city block.

Nearby, Behrhorst’s 11-month-old daughter, Addison, supervises the work Mom, Kat Clark and Cecily French are doing in the flower garden from her vantage point in a stroller. The group will be replacing mulch and adding three rose bushes to the flower garden, planted by the Louisburg Garden Club.

Across the way, several men are replacing park bench seats, trimming trees, putting in a rock garden around the farmers market sign and resetting parking-stall blocks at the park, just west of the downtown business district.

“Our hometown in Iowa has parks where festivals and other activities are held, and we weren’t sure what type of activities and festivals took place in Louisburg when we moved here last March,” said Mike Behrhorst, who hails from Iowa Falls, Iowa. “We walked by this park early last summer and thought it would be a great place for sand volleyball and kickball, where people could come together and meet and make new friends. Or, after events like the car show, come sit in the park and have a picnic.”

The Behrhorsts and Kat and Larry Clark started the Wildcats Bible Study Group. Members of the group, which meets Sunday evenings at the Behrhorsts’ home in Prairie Crossings, were performing the work Saturday as a community service project. Wildcats stands for “Walking In the Lord’s Divine Command Always willing To Serve,” and its members come from various denominations.

“We plan to do more projects at the park and elsewhere,” Kat Clark said. “We’re hoping others will want to come and help us in the future.”

Mike Behrhorst said the group will take its plans for the sand volleyball court and kickball field to the Louisburg Parks Commission in the future. The city would have to approve any amenities the group wants to add to the park.

After eating a plate of biscuits and gravy at the Louisburg High School band’s nearby garage sale in the West Gym, Sandy Peterson stops to offer her assistance to the ladies working in the flower garden. She drops to her knees to help prepare the garden for new mulch, half of which Orscheln Farm & Home donated for the project.

“I’m just doing something I love to do,” says Peterson, a gardening enthusiast. “We moved to Louisburg two years ago (from Anderson, Mo.,) and just love it here. It’s a very community-minded town.”

To learn more about the Bible study group or volunteer to work at its community service projects, call (913) 636-1862.

Serving Plans

At our last meeting we set a goal to clean up the Farmer's Market Park on May 9th. Our next meeting will be 5pm April 19th at 1620 Chadwick Cover here in Louisburg.

We will be looking at the third chapter of Devotional Classics. In this chapter Jonathan Edwards talks about "Encouragement of the Heart." In these times that we live in encouragement sometimes is hard to come by.

If you want more information about "Wildcats" small group please contact Larry Clark at 913-271-3854 or email lnclark@mokancomm.net.

This evening our small group grew by one couple. We began the group by talking about what we believe the group is being lead to do. See the March 2nd post.

Then we introduced the book, "Devotional Classics" which we plan to use over the next few studies.

Some of the things we discussed was:

"We always need to point the glory to God."

"When serving others we always need to check our motive."

"We need to keep things simple."

"We need to do what Matthew 5:14-16 says and be lights to the world."

We closed by acknowledging that we thought anyone would have been comfortable and would have been able to identify with the lesson this evening.

Our next study will be 5 pm April 5th and we will meet at 1620 Chadwick Cove, Louisburg, KS. Please drop in and check us out. We hope to see you then.

And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes. -Jude 24-25

Sunday - March 1st

We discussed what type of group we wanted to be based on what we believe God is calling us to be. The Louisburg High School mascot is the wildcat so one couple made an accostic out of the word to make a motto for our group.

W alking
I n the
L ord's
D ivine
C ommand
A lways
T hankful to
S erve

Scriptures we will use for the foundation of the group.

Galatians 5: 13-15 Love your neighbor as yourself

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but throughlove serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another.

Deuteronomy 11: 13-14 Serve Him with all your heart

And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that He will give rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil.

1 Peter 4: 8-11 Serve with strength from God

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.

Ephesians 6: 7-8 Serve wholeheartedly

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men. knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

James 3: 17-18 How to serve

But the wisdom from above is first pour, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy, and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The foundation for our group is service without expectations of gaining anything in return. Whatever we do we will do to bring glory to God and not ourselves.

We hope you will come and join us as we journey on this wonderful adventure. Our next meeting will be March 22nd at 5pm. You can email or call for the location.

Sunday - February 15th Study

We were going to study Ephesians 3: 20 and the referenced scriptures to it.

Ephesians 3: 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Romans 16: 25-26 All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter.

2 Corinthians 9: 6-7 Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

8-11 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, "He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God."

12-15 Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!

When we arrived for the study and sat down to begin the study our host and hostess shared about the need of a family in the neighborhood. We decided as a group that instead of doing a study it would be better for us to help them. When we finished helping them they expressed how much it meant for us to help them and that it brought glory to God. When we sat down and talked about what God had just done through and in us.

Later when I got home I realized we had done more than the study I had planned we had lived it. We gave away to another family what God had given to us. We sowed the seeds that could produce fruit in the lives of the other family. Our actions were the study put into practice and it brought glory to God.

Taking what God has given to us and multiplying it in the lives of others is the goal of our small group.

Are you religious? or Are you a Follower of Jesus?

Sometimes people will ask me if I am a religious man. I usually answer no because they are expecting me to talk about how often I attend church or how I worship or what dos and don'ts I believe a Christian should focus on. If we looked honestly at the standard Jesus' brother, James, set for us we would find that most of us are religious by worldly standards but not by God's.

James 1: 26-27 Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. (The Message)

James 1: 26-27 If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person's religious service is worthless religious worship religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world. (Amplified Bible)

James is telling us here that true worship and religion is focus on serving the orphans, the widows and others who are down troddened.

In Matthew 25: 31-46 Jesus tells us that He will separate nations by how they served Him by feeding him when he was hungry, by giving him a drink when he was thirsty, by entertaining him when he was a stranger, by visiting him when he was sick or in prison and by clothing him when he was naked.

We like the people of His day might ask, "When did we do these things for You, Lord?" His answer to us just as it was then is "When you did it to someone else."

So my message is we can sing perfectly the most beautiful of worship songs, pray long deep prayers, read the scriptures daily and do all of the things religious people do and still not be among the ones Jesus calls His sheep.

When was the last time you served a widow, an orphan, the hungry, the homeless or the addicted? That was the last time you were truly a follower of Jesus. I hope you will join us as we serve those who Jesus would serve.

If this stirred anything in you please leave a comment.

Worship Music of the Vineyard

In the Vineyard we use worship songs to prepare our hearts for the message that God wants to bring to use through the sermon or small group study. Following are some of the songs we sing.
I hope that God will speak to you through one of these songs today.

by Jeremy Riddle


by Chris Tomlin


by Brenton Brown


Other examples of Worship Songs we sing






For more information about the worship music of the Vineyard go to Vineyard Music at http://www.vineyardmusic.com/.

In my future posts I will include a worship song at the beginning of the topic we cover in our small group.

If God touched your heart through one of the above songs please share it with us. We would like to pray for you.

Prayer

Our study for this week will be on Prayer. A good movie to watch on this subject is "The List"

The Gospels record several instances of Jesus praying. Read Matthew 14:28; Mark 6:46, 14:32; Luke 6:12, 9:28. Where was Jesus in these verses and who was with Him? Do we have to be in a special prayer room in order to pray?

In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a parable about prayer. Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!' 4-5 "He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.'"
Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"

Ephesians 6:12-13 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

How did God speak to you through these scriptures?

How will you apply this week's lesson to your life?

How can we pray for you today?

Here is the challenge for us: For the next 30 days we will pray for each other seeking God's intervention in our lives. We will not be asking for specific areas but seek God to reveal in a supernatural way the things He wants us to focus on. At the end of the 30 days we will discuss what God did in our lives.

January 25, 2009

This was our first meeting and we discussed the vision and format for the study.

We decided we will meet every other week or more and Larry Clark would be responsible to notify everyone of any changes.

Meeting Guidelines
1. We will respect each other.
2. What is personally shared at the meeting will stay within the group.
3. Every one is encouraged to participate but every one is welcome to keep silent.

Format for Group
Opening Prayer/Announcements 5 minutes
Teaching 10-15 minutes
Discussion 20-30 minutes
Closing 10-20 minutes
Fellowship (Food & Drink) 10-20 minutes

Our Focus for 2009
1. Pray for an out pouring of the Holy Spirit in an unprecedented way in our community.
2.Pray that the people of our community will see Jesus as He really is.
3. Pray that the people of the community would find healing for the wounds caused by the church.
4. Pray that the church would wake up to the needs of the people of the community.
5. Pray that the church would see God's plan for the community.

We want to be a home group that worships God in song and action.
1. James 5: 13-15 Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven—healed inside and out. (The Message version of the Bible)

2. James 1: 26-27 Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. (The Message version of the Bible)

We plan to join with other churches and organizations in Louisburg, KS to serve the poor, the hurting, the addicted and the rejected. We will focus on sharing the good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God without placing shame on people. We believe Christ Kindness and the truth convicts us of sin and the Holy Spirit leads us to repentance and the lies of life condemns us and Satan's world moves us to shame resulting in us hiding and becoming isolated.

We believe God is leading us to grow this group and new groups which will result in a new church plant in the Louisburg, KS area.