Top 5 Leadership Reads of 2012
1. Movements That Change The World by Steve Addisson.
2. Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker.
3. The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.
4. 7 by Jen Hatmaker.
5. The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni. […]
Greg is President of Stadia and Visionary Leader of the RiverTree Movement
Actually his name is Edino–but for us gringos, Eddie is an acceptable pronunciation. He is five years old and lives on the island of Pampanal. When I first heard about Pampanal, God wrecked my heart. Several thousand people, descended from slaves, now living in slavery to abject poverty. Houses built on stilts because their island floods several times every month. AND, no church! No hope that Jesus brings. Until Stadia and Compassion enter the story.
I knew that I was supposed to allow God to make a difference through me . . . to plant a church and care for the children of Pampanal Island. And so, my wife, Julie, and I raised money by climbing Mount Whitney for my 50th birthday. By God’s grace, enough funds were raised to accomplish our goal. This past Saturday, the new structure was complete and the church opened! This past December, RiverTree Church sponsored every registered child on the island so that they could be cared for by Compassion. […]
I love what God is doing right now through church leaders in Los Angeles!
This month, the LA CPM started its first of many churches. Praise Chapel Los Angeles, led by planters Ruben & Meghann Nuño, is located in Westlake, the most densely populated neighborhood west of Mississippi. The neighborhood’s 130,000 people are mostly newly arrived Latino immigrants. There are many Spanish speaking churches in the area, but none are English speaking other than a few ethnic churches that have added on English services for their kids.
Praise Chapel is the first of the Los Angeles Church Planting Movement’s (LA CPM) church plants. The first of many Catalytic Movements Stadia is targeting in large US metropolitan areas, the LA CPM has a vision of starting a gospel proclaiming church in every neighborhood of metro Los Angeles.
Most people in Los Angeles identify where they live by naming one of the 200 neighborhoods in and around metro LA. […]
This week Stadia’s Leadership Team joined other Provision Ministry Group leaders to strategize how God can change the world through us.
Provision provides direction, leadership and support to a related group of non-profit ministries that serve Christian churches and ministries around the world. It’s really an honor for Stadia to be part of the Provision Ministry Group family. The collective wisdom, experience and vision of these world-changers makes Stadia – and thus our church planting mission – stronger and more effective.
Let me tell you about these ministries:
BUILDING/ARCHITECTURAL EVANGELISM
Visioneering Studios is often called the most revolutionary ministry in the Provision Family. Visioneering is a unique design-based ministry, established in 2002 to expand CDF’s commitment to “helping people build churches and helping churches build people.” Already their passion for creating environments with eternal impact is connecting with the hearts of church leaders everywhere.
FUNDING LOANS & INVESTMENTS
For nearly 60 years Church Development Fund has provided financing for the expansion, building and growth of churches and ministries all across the United States, thanks to thousands of individuals who have invested approximately $650 million. […]
For many followers of Jesus, the new year brings a fresh commitment to Bible reading. Maybe you’re scheduling a short daily devotional reading or perhaps you plan to read through the entire Bible this year.
If discipleship is hearing Jesus and obeying Him, and if the primary way Jesus is revealed is through the Bible, then we need to learn how to hear and obey His voice whenever we read Scripture.
Therefore, when I read something in the Bible, the key questions are, ‘What is Jesus saying to me? And what am I going to do about it?’ My goal is not to gather more knowledge (although that is helpful) – my goal is to become more like Jesus, which means I respond to His word to me that I am reading or hearing.
As we disciple others to read the Bible, we need to show them how to always be attentive to this ‘So what?’ question – what difference is this going to make in my life today? […]
The video you are about to watch is one I’ve seen several times … and every time I’ve smiled thinking about how much God loves the 7 Billion people on the planet. He desires for every single one of them to have access to the Hope of Jesus … and so do we at Stadia.
We know that the church is God’s instrument to bring this hope … and so many people in our world do not have access to a Jesus-loving, Bible-teaching church. That’s why in 2012 Stadia and our partners planted 22 new churches in the US and Ecuador and we connected over 4,000 kids to better health and education through churches partnering with Compassion sponsors.
Yes, 2012 has resulted in powerful life and community transformation, but we believe that Stadia is poised for really huge opportunities in 2013. Doors are opening in cities across the U.S. and in countries around the world … all of them in urgent need of the hope of Jesus. […]
I love hearing about the acts of kindness and compassion that families in our church are doing in honor of Jesus this Christmas. We’ve started a new tradition at Rivertree … writing these gifts down and placing them in a sparkle box … our gift to Jesus this Christmas, His birthday.
As another way to celebrate these gifts and to encourage each other, we’ve created a web site.
Here you can anonymously tell about acts of kindness that are listed (sponsoring a Compassion child, purchasing Water of Life filters, giving to the food pantry) or you can add a different gift, like a way your GoCommunity served together or something your children did as an act of kindness.
Take some time throughout the Christmas season to visit the site. As I’ve seen the gifts add up, I’ve really been encouraged by the generosity of our church family. I think you will be too. […]
In Matthew 25 Jesus teaches us that whatever we do for the least of these . . . we do for Him. In other words, when we bless those in need, right here and right now, we’re blessing Jesus. When we give gifts of love, and kindness, listening and meeting needs . . . we’re giving gifts to Jesus.
This December at RiverTree we’ve been imagining . . .
Imagine Christmas . . . where no-one is hungry. And as a result, 260 children were sponsored through Compassion International. 260 children that will not be hungry!
Imagine Christmas . . . where no-one is thirsty. And as a result, nearly 600 Water of Life filters were purchased. Filters that will provide clean, safe drinking water for more than 7000 people for life. 7000 people that will not be thirsty!
Imagine Christmas . . . where no-one is lonely. And as a result, hundreds of fleece blanket kits were purchased, put together and delivered to people around us who needed a loving touch. […]
When news of the vicious and tragic deaths of 20 children in Newtown, Connecticut came across my desk Friday morning, I sat and cried. Stunned. Thinking of my own two children who were in their own school settings. Imagining what this would do to the families of the victims. Praying.
I speak and write often about children at risk. Children who senselessly die around the globe every day as a result of poverty or poverty related preventable diseases–18,000 every 24 hours. And certainly these children are at risk. But I am convinced that ALL CHILDREN ARE AT RISK.
Children living in third-world poverty around the globe are at risk, and children living in your local community are at risk. Unfortunately, the children living in our own homes are at risk. All children are at risk.
There is a poverty that comes from children enduring the hopelessness caused by having too little and there is a poverty that comes from the spiritual emptiness of children having too much. […]
We’re winding down with only a few shopping days left before Christmas. In my opinion, one of the best gifts we can give to someone is a great book to read. Just this week I gave each of RiverTree’s Elders three of my favorite reads of the year: Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker, 7 by Jen Hatmaker and The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.
So, if you’re still searching for that perfect gift or simply want to pick up a great read for yourself . . . here are a few I recommend.
Calico Joe by John Grisham. Grisham remains one of my favorite authors–I read everything he puts out. Calico Joe is a heartwarming story with a wonderfully redemptive conclusion. Sports fans will love it. Give it to fathers or sons.
Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker. Brandon offers practical advice about what it means to “be the church” in a culture that is decidedly post-Christian. […]
Greg's Books
