Awaken City Church….. “Awakened Hearts Loving Our City”
Did you know that over 3000 churches close each year? Have you ever wondered why? In fact, I was just reading about a church that at one point drew as many as 9,000 people on Sunday mornings and now are down to just 100 people on Sunday’s, most of whom are beyond retirement age. What does it really take to be an effective church in the millennium? This week we will be to explore these questions with a new series entitled “Do Something!” If you want to better prepare for this Sunday’s message you should read John 5:1-13 and come ready to be challenged to “Do Something!”
Time Change – Don’t forget to move your clock forward before you go to bed this Saturday night.
Small Group Leaders Training – Next Saturday morning, March 20th, we will provide anyone training to anyone interested in leading a small group here at Awaken City Church. Please contact Ray McKinnon for details. Ray@awakencitychurch.com
Homeless Ministry Update
"This is the best day of my life!" spoken with tears by our dear friend Father Time when a group of us arrived at Jules antique Store where he works. When he entered the store we sang to the best of our ability the wonderful happy birthday song. We then took him to the Mellow Mushroom and treated him to a lunch out that he has not had in a long time. He said that he felt like someone. We reassured him that he was, and that he also was very special and we loved him. After we finished lunch we went back to the store and had birthday cake. He was very touched that we thought him so special that people would actually take off work and come spend time with him. I believe this ministry is more than meeting needs, it's actually connecting and developing relationships with those people in need. This is where the real gift is. After this wonderful adventure, we went to the library to find a few more of our friends, and there we spent the rest of the afternoon outside laughing and having a great time with James and Pop. I would say that this day was a gift to all of us.
More homeless news….
Hey Everybody,
I just wanted to give you an update about our needs list. I would like to thank those of you who were part of getting Mr. Simpson's lights and heat turned back on. He came to me Sunday with tears of joy in his eyes and also with a few dollars in his pocket. He came with the intention of paying back at least a few dollars to show his gratitude. That brought tears to my eyes. He hugged me 3 times very tight during our conversation. I could feel the gratitude in those hugs! He is also interested in attending Awaken. I believe there a lot of our friends who would love to as well, so let's pray hard about getting downtown ASAP. We had just enough money donated to cover the cost of his bill. Steve Still, from the Salvation Army was able to provide many of the items on our needs list, and our thanks goes out to him for helping meet our needs. There was a gentleman who received a cane that he had put on the list, and when I gave it to him, you would have thought I just gave him a house! He too gave me a hug, and was so thankful for this need being filled. He said to me, "I'm tired of falling down all the time." God continues to bless this ministry, and meet needs in so many ways, and I am looking so forward to what He will do in the future!
I am sending out the most recent needs list, and if you can provide any of these items please reply all so we know what has been covered. Thank you for your efforts in serving these friends of ours downtown!
God Bless you.
Mary
Bus passes, Large tee-shirts, medium navy and white tee-shirts, jeans size 32x32- there are 2 men in need of this size, work boots waterproof if possible- size 10.5, jeans size 36x30- there are 2 brothers in need of this size, men's sneakers size 8, work boots size 9.5, Size 8 ladies clothing for a new woman who came on Sunday. She is getting into an apartment this week, and came out of an abusive relationship from another state and is starting over.
See you Sunday,
Frank Bishoff
Category:
Weekly Update
Leave a Comment
Awaken City Church….. “Awakened Hearts Loving Our City”
I wanted to write a quick update and let those of you who have been praying know Michelle and Corwin our home! Both are doing fine and adjusting to life out of the hospital.
As we move forward we are trying to only send one church update a week. If you would like to know more about what is happening at Awaken City or with me you can log onto our website and check out the different blogs that are available. I am trying to post about three blog entries a week. One of those entries will be entitled “Sunday Afterthoughts” where I will highlight some thoughts regarding our Sunday Service.
As of right now we are in the process of merging my current distribution list with that new and growing list in our church database so of you may receive two e-mails a week. Hopefully, we will be fully converted in the coming week. As always, if you want to be removed from our e-mails please just let us know. If you are receiving this e-mail and would like to continue receiving any updates in the future, even if you do not attend Awaken City the only thing we ask is that you continue to pray for us as a church. The first year of any church plant is always the most critical. Most church plants fail within the first year! Here at Awaken City Church we have been blessed and are off to a very strong start, however, only a strong prayer base will enable us to continue to run after all that God has put in our hearts. Already, the stories continue to come in from people who are being impacted by our church. I wanted to include a few updates along with some powerful stories here:
This week we had several families back from our launch and some who actually signed up for small group and to serve (The good news is already our church is growing)! This past week we were able to give half our offering to the relief efforts in Haiti. We also are planning our first baptism on Super Bowl Sunday with a growing list of those desiring to be baptized. As you know, we are in the midst of a 21 day fast and already we are hearing some incredible stories. I had some phone calls from patients at Moses Cone Hospital this week. One lady, who called me at home, said she wanted to tell me of here encounter with three little angels. This woman is in the hospital because her boyfriend broke her arm. She has had a rough past that includes drug and alcohol abuse along with prostitution. She has been in the hospital for six weeks due to infection. She told me that she was in her room crying out to God because she knew He was here only hope. She said moments later “three ladies from your church came in and told me that they were there to pray for me!” We ended up talking for 45 minutes as she told me how overwhelmed she was by their prayers and by the grace of God! A second man called me to tell me of his friend who had fallen through a ceiling and onto a concrete floor! His friend who is a 50 yr. old female was 95% brain dead on life support. The doctors were one day away from pulling the life support and told the family that if she did live she would be a vegetable! He called to say that two of our teenage boys had found their way to her room and prayed for this woman’s healing. He went on to say that she was making a miraculous recovery! Sunday morning, right before our service started he called me again to say that she was up and talking and the doctors are expecting here to start eating on her own this week and expect her to make a full recovery! He was overwhelmed and told me that the first thing she wanted to do when she was released from the Hospital was come to our church and share here story! We also have a family in our church whose daughter was having tremendous headaches. They finally took her to a neurologist who ended up putting here on medication in hopes it would relieve the pain as they ran more tests to see what was going on. This girl told her parents that she wanted to go on our recent youth retreat because she wanted the youth to pray because she believed God would heal her. Well, I spoke with her parents last week and she end up going on the retreat and that the youth did pray for her. She went on to tell me that she had not had a headache since the retreat and is off all medications! God is truly at work as we are continuing to be a church committed to “loving our city!”
Thanks again to all who are praying, giving and offering your words of encouragement! May every life giving church in our city have a greater impact this year!
Until All Have Heard!
Category:
church update
Leave a Comment
Awaken City Church….. “Awakened Hearts Loving Our City”
What a week! We started the week by celebrating the birth of a brand new church here in the city of Greensboro and yesterday we celebrated the birth of our son Corwin Ezekiel Bishoff! He weighed in at 6 pounds and two ounces and he is 19 1/4 inches long! He is absolutely beautiful! Michelle did great and she is now recovering and enjoying this brand new life! I have to confess sitting here in this room with Corwin right by my side, it’s very hard to take my eyes of him! I can’t help but think about all the potential that this little life holds! What will he become? What will his personality be like? What will be the things in life that he loves to do? So much potential!
You know, I’m convinced God sees us the same way! He sees all the potential in us! He not only sees who we are, but He sees all that we are becoming…all that we will be! I have spent a lot time this week having some of the same thoughts in regards to Awaken City. Sunday was truly amazing and yet, I have found myself daydreaming about who we will become! There truly is so much potential! Can you see it! I think God stands ready to move on behalf of people a people who are gripped by the potential of the church who He still calls His bride!
This week we will start a brand new series called “Jesus Culture.” In this series we will discover all that we were created for and how to respond to that which turns deeper in our hearts! Our prayer is that we would find courage to seize this moment! That we would be a church and a people that rightly re-presents Jesus to our culture and to our world!
See You Sunday!
Category:
church update
Leave a Comment
Awaken City Church….. “Awakened Hearts Loving Our City”
We only have one more day to reach out to our friends and invite them to our public launch tomorrow morning. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you think about who to invite. In light of the current condition of our economy and all the uncertainty in our country, this could be the best time to invite the unchurched. You see, unchurched people are most likely to come to church when they are in trouble, under tension, or in transition. And we have the awesome privilege to be part of God’s redemptive purposes unfolding in their lives! I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew’s Gospel.
"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matt. 9:36-39
People are looking for answers and searching hard for hope! If that is true then the responsibility is ours, the workers! May God empower each of us with all that we need to be effective as those who have been called to re-present Jesus to the world!
Fasting News
Why Fast? While Jesus was here on the earth he devoted much of his time to teaching the disciples the principles of the Kingdom of God. Three of these principles are found in the Matthew 6. Jesus said, “When you give,” and “When you pray,” and “When you fast.” He made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, was a normal part of the Christian life. Remember, Jesus set the example for us when he fasted for 40 days before he started his public ministry. There is something about fasting that empowers us as believers, just like it empowered Jesus, to release supernatural ministry. Again, our goal is not to put our best foot forward to see what we can do. Our goal is to fully surrender to see all that God can do through a people that are fully devoted! If we will stop long enough and just listen to the deeper cry of our hearts, we become aware of the deep desire within all of us to see the impossibilities of men bow to the matchless name of Jesus!
As I have mentioned in recent updates, our desire is that everyone participate at some level. Obviously, that decision is between you and God, but again, we want full participation! To get the most out of this fast you should do something that would be considered a sacrifice. Remember, fasting is not to mistaken for spiritual dieting! Fasting is refraining from something for a spiritual purpose. Fasting brings us into a deeper, more intimate and powerful relationship with God. One last thought about fasting: Fasting could be the one most overlooked secret resource that we as believers have. There are some things that only fasting can release (see Matt. 17:14-21). As we launch Awaken City Church I want the full release of ALL that God has for us.
I have chosen to do the Daniel Fast, however there are a number of options to choose from. Please look over some of former updates if you need some ideas about what you should fast.
I can’t wait until tomorrow! Remember, doors open at 10:00 and our service starts at 10:30!
Until All Have Heard!
Category:
church update
1 Comment
Awaken City Church….. “Awakened Hearts Loving Our City”
Four days and counting…are you exited yet? If not, you may want to check your pulse! Remember, we’re talking about the church! When I think about our city I am overjoyed knowing that God is raising up another life giving church to join the 400+ churches that already exist! Did you know as the church…
·We are the only ones with the message that guarantees eternal life
·We are the only ones with unlimited access to God the Father
·We are the only ones with the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority to negate the influence of demonic strategies
·We are the only ones able to overcome “the gates of Hell”
·We are the only ones in our city that can do his job
·We are the only ones who are exclusively responsible because we are His body, His co-workers, His ambassadors, His friends
As we draw closer to our launch and begin our 21 day fast I am well aware of all of those who have gone before us! I am thankful for the men and woman who have labored in our city for years. During our fast we are praying for the “Church.” We are fasting and believing God that…
·every Sunday as the word is proclaimed it would Awaken the hearts of God’s people
·every Sunday as the word is proclaim those far from God would be rescued and transported from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light
·every Sunday as we worship the true and living God His presence would bring forth healing and deliverance for all
·God would strengthen and encourage every pastor who is losing hope
·every life-giving church would have an abundance of resources even in the midst of our current economy
·there would be a supernatural unity between all the churches here in Greensboro
·that crime will go down
·grades in schools will go up
·unemployment will decrease and prosperity would increase
·homelessness would decrease
·that the demonstration of the Gospel would increase and have a powerful affect of our local government
·that every para-church organization in our city would have more than enough and would have a greater influence
·that our hospitals would be more vacant this year than any other time in history
·that it would be hard for anyone in our city to be outside the influence of the Kingdom of God
Are you ready? This is our city …..it’s time to fight back!!
Make plans now to join the hundreds of other churches who are participating in this 21 day fast!
I want to point you guys to a recent blog entry that may encourage some you who might have questions about what to fast. Fasting and Breakfast In Bed
To see more blog posts you can visit my blog.
Until All Have Heard!
Category:
church update
Leave a Comment
Awaken City Church….. “Awakened Hearts Loving Our City”
Well, we are just days away from launching Awaken City Church! As I have mentioned in some of the past updates, we will also begin a 21 day fast this Sunday. Below is an article about some different fasting options to help you pick a fast that best fits you. Our goal is not trying to get everyone doing the same fast, but rather, that everyone would participate. I believe this year could be a year of Awakening for us as a church and for thousands in our city! Let’s contend for all that God has for us. I have also attached the day 21 day fasting devotional. I will have hard copies of this devotional available for everyone this Sunday morning!
Choosing your fasting plan is a very personal decision. We are all at different places in our walk with God and our spirituality should never be a cause for comparison or competition. There is nothing more “inherently spiritual” about one type of fast as opposed to another. Your personal fast should present a level of challenge to it, but know your body, know your options, and most importantly, seek God in prayer about this and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. It’s also important to not let what you eat or do not eat become the focus of your fast. This is a time to disconnect enough with your regular patterns and habits in order to connect closer to God.
Listed below, are some options and variations of different types of fasts you can choose to engage in. As you read over the information provided here, please consider how it applies to your circumstances and convictions. Fasting does require reasonable precautions. If you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning your fast – especially if you are taking medication, have a chronic condition, or if you are pregnant or nursing.
Specific Food or Activity Fast
This type of fast refers to omitting a specific item(s), activity or habit from your time of prayer and fasting. For example, you may choose to eliminate red meat, processed or fast food, or sweets. It could also involve fasting from an activity or habit, such as television watching, or social media.
Daniel Fast
The Daniel fast is a great model to follow that proves to be extremely effective for spiritual focus, bodily discipline and purification in the body and soul. It is probably one of the most commonly referred to types of fasts, however within the term “Daniel Fast”, there is room for broad interpretation. In the book of Daniel, we find two different times where Daniel fasted, once in Daniel 1 and again in Daniel 10. Daniel 1 states that he ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, while the passage does not give a specific list of foods that Daniel ate, it does state that Daniel ate no rich (or choice) foods as well as no meat or wine. So based on these two verses, we can see that either of these, or any variations in between constitutes a fast. Again, there is nothing “inherently spiritual” about one type of fast as opposed to another. It is important to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
Juice Fast
A juice fast is when no solid food is consumed and instead involves the intake of vegetable juices, fruit juices and water.
Water Fast
A water fast is eating no foods and drinking no liquids except water for a period of time. Extreme precautions should be taken with a water fast and should be done under the direction supervision and monitoring of your physician.
Total Fast
A total fast is where nothing – neither liquid, solid food or even water is consumed for a period of time. We do not recommend total fasting as this can be very dangerous to your health. Attempting to go without water especially, for any period of time can be extremely harmful to the body.
Duration and Extent of Your Fast
Awakening is intentionally designed to be flexible. As with choosing what type of fast you will be undertaking, it is important to also decide ahead of time how long you will be fasting and to what extent you will be fasting. Some people may choose to fast at one level all 21 days or culminate with a special 3 day fast at the end. Others choose to fast one week out of the 21 days, or even fast once or twice a week throughout the 21 day period. This is a personal decision and one that should be prayerfully considered.
Expecting great things!
Category:
church update
Leave a Comment
Awaken City Church….. “Awakened Hearts Loving Our City”
Wow! What an awesome weekend! For those who may have missed last night you missed a powerful time as we gathered for a night of worship, prayer, and powerful testimonies of what God has already done! It was also our last meeting in our pre-launch stage! Next Sunday we go “live” and I can hardly wait! Thanks again for all of your support! So many of you have stood with us over the last few months and for that I am forever grateful! Your prayers, words of encouragement, and financial support has positioned us to give birth to Awaken City Church on January 10 …NEXT SUNDAY MORNING!!!!!!! Thank You!
This morning we were able to serve our homeless friends even with the temperature hovering at a frigid 17 degrees! I am blown away by the commitment of so many that week after week display what radical love really looks like! You guys are awesome!
Here are some of the items that I want to make you aware of.
Next Sunday is our launch and again, I want to extend a invitation to you to join us as we celebrate this historic event! Doors open at 10:00AM and our service starts at 10:30.
We will have our first baptism on February 3 (Super Bowl Sunday) If you would like to be baptized please let us know.
February – We will re-launch OFY at Awaken City Church in February so stay tuned for all the epic details!
Awaken City in the news- if you did not see it we were featured on the front page of the Guilford Record in this morning’s newspaper.
21 Day Fast – starts next Sunday – more details forthcoming this week so stay tuned!
Finally, please continue to cover our family in prayer. As you know we give birth to a new church next Sunday and just four days later we give birth to Corwin Ezekiel Bishoff! Please pray for peace and joy as we anticipate this great event! Michelle is scheduled to have a Caesarean section on January 14. This is certainly a most joyful occasion, but one that doesn’t come without memories of the last time were at Woman’s hospital with our son Caden who was born without kidneys and passed away two days after he was born. Please pray for protection over Michelle and that she would be overwhelmed by the grace of God!.
One week and counting…to God be the glory!
Category:
church update
Leave a Comment