Agape Church of Christ We’Re on a Mission from God

Agape Church of Christ We’re On A Mission From God

Attendance: August 2008 Volume 2:10 July 6 67 July 13 58 Summer Wedding Bells July 20 67 This summer has been a time for vacations, regrouping, and love. Lori, the boys, and I July 27 48 returned for 17 days to the Midwest to raise funds, vacation, and share in marriage celebrations for two of our couples at Agape. Avg = 60 Dave Sears and Karissa Gaer were married July 12 in Harlan, Iowa. The wedding was held at a farm near Karissa’s home town. To all our surprise the temperature was 79 degrees Prayers and a light breeze blew across the cornfields and the pasture Growth of our new home on this beautiful farm. communities.

Leadership development in our home communities.

Those studying to be bap- tized.

Recovery Communities The next week, July 20, Kevin Thompson and Lia Elliott were also married outside of West Linn, Oregon on a small farm. Agape Blitz August 22-24 and The weather was also beautiful and a sunny 85 degrees. September 5-7.

Fundraising for an office and part time administrative ministry/assistant.

In this issue: Both weddings reminded Lori and I that as Agape grows, so will our responsibilities to develop marriage and family ministries. Equally we, and our leadership must model Wedding Bells 1 strong and healthy marriages. The Thompsons and Sears will transition from our pre-

Calendar 2 marital home community to join a new young married’s community. They also will be part of our ministry to guide engaged and dating couples. Portland Needs 3 Recovery Communities At Agape we believe that Jesus’ relationship with the church is reflected by healthy marriages. Tapeinos Ministry 4 While we seek to reach out to those who are hurting, we also know that God has called us to empower dysfunctional marriages and families to health and wholeness in Jesus. While some believe that every marriage is dysfunctional at Agape we plan to prove this false. Core Values: August 2008 Agape Love Relationship

Empowerment SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

Mailing: 11124 NE Halsey #635

Portland, OR 97220 1 2 Worship: Sunday 10am Friday Fast Lincoln High School Day Tel: 503-313-5329 www.missionagape.com E-mail: [email protected] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Teens 9am

Woods WE’RE ON A MISSION Barbarick Clark FROM GOD. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Upcoming dates: HC Leaders Clark commu-

8/1 Agape Fast Day nity to serve at Crownover Anawim 8/10 Home Community Leaders 6:30pm 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 8/23 Agape Blitz Teens 9am Clark Agape Blitz 8/24 5pm Picnic and celebra- Woods Crownover Agape Blitz tion Barbarick

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Clark Beavers Crownover

Home Community Picnic Game Meetings:

*Barbarick : Northeast 29Teens 30 Portland 9am Woods *Clark: Southeast Barbarick Portland *Dignity Village *Crownover : Central We want to thank all of you who are praying for us in Portland *Woods: Northwest this ministry. We also thank our individual supporters Portland *Poole: West Portland/ who are financially contributing to Agape and sharing Aloha *Teens in our dream. The Churches that have also helped us *Next Step Pre- marital: Ron and Lori financially start and the park Plaza Church which Clark’s home *Sunday Lunch for continues to provide our ministry salary. Kairos Church Single Women Planting also has blessed us greatly with coaching *Young Marrieds: Starbucks and training in the early stages of this vision and dream to follow the great commission. Agape Needs and Prayers

Office space: Agape is seeking to rent office space in downtown Portland. While we plan to continue worshipping at Lin- coln High School my office has been Starbucks or my home. Having an office space will provide us with extra rooms to host support groups and allow community support groups an opportunity to use our space. We are seeking to raise support this year for both office space and a part time ad- ministration minister. We estimate the cost to be about Agape Blitz $20,000 per year. Please keep this in prayer. August 23 & September 6 Women’s Minister: Imagine 150 people from Agape, our home com- Many people have blessed munities, and their friends working in Portland Agape by sending support for Lori to serve as women’s min- building, painting, cleaning, sharing, and serving our ister. God has provided and city. Imagine 150 people giving themselves for a she will begin her part-time ministry in August. We are ex- cited about this and know that God will use this to build a day because Jesus gave his life for eternity. Imagine strong ministry to empower and develop women to reach 150 people working hard and expecting nothing in out into the community for Jesus. Please continue to pray return. Imagine 150 people serving together: some for the women who will be strengthened through this ministry for Jesus. from a church, others visiting, others just joining us New Fall Ministries: because they think what is happening is cool. Old Testament Survey It can happen! Dr. Kilnam Cha, professor at Cascade Col- lege, will begin a new class A Study of the Old Testament this September. This is the It will happen! first class in our new School of Biblical Stud- ies ministry at Agape. Will you be there?

Recovery Home Communities Who will you bring with you? This fall we will begin adding recovery groups to our home communities. Many people struggle with addictions, behavioral issues, and power abuses in their lives. Because of this they cannot clearly see that God loves them and seeks relationship with them. Please pray for us that we might bring the healing power of the Gospel of Jesus to lives searching for community, healing, and empowerment. Tapeinos Ministry

Over the past 3 months God has opened the doors for our outreach and ability to share about the work at Agape. I have spoken at national and state abuse conferences, George Fox University, Lipscomb University in Nashville, the Global Missions’ Conference in Dallas, and will end in Phoenix at the Association of Marriage and Family Ministries. It has been an exciting time presenting research in domestic and sexual abuse, theology, Biblical studies, and church planting. I have observed how theology, ministry, and social justice issues continue to cross paths. In all of these God has clearly shown that compassion, empathy, and empowerment are major ethical qualities in the ministry of Jesus.

In Matthew 23:23 Jesus tells the Pharisees that they neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. It seems that the Pharisees had worked hard to purify and protect the Jewish community. This was their job. They began as a group about 160 BC who committed themselves to making sure that the Jews would not be conformed to the image of their Greek (and later Roman) cultures. Their job was to teach Torah (the first 5 books of our Bibles) and train the Jewish nation to uphold their traditions, teachings, and laws of God. They had done a good job of this and were known as “the separated ones” (the Greek for this is Pharisees). They had devoted their lives to keeping God’s people separated from the sins of the world.

The only problem was that they had separated themselves from sinful people. They had been so successful that they failed to bring the Torah of God among the lower class people. They were wealthy, educated, and spiritual. Unfortunately they were also exclu- sive. Those excluded were the ones whom Jesus reached.

The Greek word Tapeinos means humble or humiliated. In September 2007 God opened the door for myself and another abuse counselor to become team leaders for the Association of Marriage and Family Ministries. This group is one of the largest Marriage and Family ministry groups in America. They reach over 4,000 Evangelical churches and include as Focus on the Family and other family ministries. The fact that they are now wishing to address abuse in their marriage trainings is an act of God. Dr. Patty War- ford and myself will be developing a team of Christian abuse professionals to empower churches throughout the world to address violence in the homes. Agape will be a strong part of this ministry and will be a light in this “Tapeinos Ministry: Healing From Abuse.” We appreciate your prayers as we move forward in August.

We also know that Jesus’ call to focus on the important matters of God such as faithfulness, mercy, and social justice (the meaning of the word for justice) mean that Agape should also involve ministries that target those “traditionally separated from our communities of faith.” While historically the Christian faith has been a light to the world, we have many times become like the Pharisees. In our attempt to become holy and separated we have become a clique. Research among the unchurched in America suggests that Christians are viewed as judgmental, hypocritical, and arrogant. While many are outraged that we would even listen to the unchurched the question must be asked, “Are they right?” We also must ask, “What can we do to change their minds?”

Those in our communities and churches struggle with internet pornography, drug and alcohol use, power and control abuse, healing from trauma and abuse, self destructive behaviors, and depression. Some struggle with sin. Some because of the sins of others. Yet all people are in God’s image and in need of Jesus’ love and faithfulness. Males and females in God’s image struggle because Satan is evil and loves to enslave people.

This fall we would appreciate your prayers for our Recovery Home Communities. These RHC will be part of Agape’s Tapeinos Ministry. We have been called to be like Jesus and reach those who need mercy, justice, and God’s faithfulness. Agape will continue to reach all people for Jesus, but we are intentionally providing communities for those who feel excluded from churches. These RHC will supplement and support those seeking professional treatment. We will not be a substitute for therapy groups but plan to be communities who focus on spiritual development, acceptance, accountability, and healing. We also hope to develop groups tht can provide internships for ministry, counseling, and social work students.

Please keep us in prayer.

Ron