Community Pastor

Help Us Save Lives!

2010-01-18T13:45:00.009-05:00

We will be hosting our Second Annual Blood Drive in Winston-Salem
on Saturday, February 13th from 9:30 AM until 1:30 PM.

Please sign up to give by emailing Christie.

Sponsor Location: Heavenview
1410 West Clemmonsville Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27127

It is so important...

2009-12-27T00:47:00.004-05:00

It is so important for The Church to connect with non-profits to make a lasting positive impression on those who have great needs that CAN BE MET with a unified movement - of CARING.

We currently partner with the following organizations: (in random order)

The Salvation Army
The Red Cross
Aids Care Services
Salem Terrace Assisted Living
Wake Forest (students feeding the homeless in Winston-Salem)
Victory Junction
Samaritan Ministries (Shelter/Cornerstone)
Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministries
Griffith Academy
Second Harvest Food Bank
Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home
The Ronald McDonald House

In 2010, we hope to continue partnering with these organizations - and add a few too!

We believe in collaborating with non-profits in Winston-Salem to give them an added "go-to" for volunteers and resources.

We'll try to keep you posted on how this list develops in 2010...

Happy Collaborating!

God's Original Masterpiece

2009-08-24T08:40:00.001-04:00

This videos goes with my message last Sunday "The Inconvenient Truth".

Elevation's Easter Opener

2009-06-03T15:58:00.002-04:00

I know I'm a little late for Easter but I did want to share this to my readers. The message is intense!

Elevation Church Easter Opener from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Lessons from Anthony Mangun

2009-05-14T09:20:00.002-04:00

This is a great post by Matt Maddix from his blog about one of the great pastors in our time. I think you'll be inspired!

"The last couple weeks have been the most transformational, impacting, and enlightening two weeks of my life. I’ve had the opportunity to spend the month of February with Anthony Mangun and the Pentecostals of Alexandria. It will be a month that I’ll forever cherish and remember as long as I live. They’ve all expressed what a “blessing” that I’ve been to them and how much I’ve impacted the church for Soul Winning, Guest Follow Up, Home Bible Studies, and Discipleship. However, it’s actually been the other way around; I’ve been the recipient of blessing, encouragement, training, and empowerment. I’m going to share with you five powerful lessons that I learned from Anthony Mangun:

1. Consistency –

I’m not sure if I’ve ever met someone that is more consistent than Anthony & Mickey Mangun. I remember having Gentury Mangun down in St. Petersburg with us for a few weeks, and Anthony called every night to pray for his son. I’ve been in a close mentorship with Anthony Mangun for the past 4 years, and I can tell you that he is the most consistent person that I’ve ever..." [Read the rest of this post at Matt's blog]

e-Evangelism and Rev. Harold Linder

2009-04-30T10:49:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to share with my readers a great new blog. Being a part of the team at Heavenview UPC (a great Winston Salem Church!), I initiated an e-Evangelism effort for the pastoral staff. The hope is to begin to build a strong internet presence utilizing social media, blogging and our core website to be the dominate voice in the Winston Salem region for Biblical truth.

One of the first efforts was to ask our Senior Pastor, Harold Linder to lead us by starting a blog. The purpose of this blog would be to expand his ministry and spiritual voice outside the realm of the pulpit and into the e-Evangelism space. I am absolutely thrilled and inspired at the results! Pastor Harold Linder has embraced this effort with some of the best spiritual blogging I have seen to date!

Take a moment to visit HaroldLinder.com to see the rich, deep and powerful blogging from this anointed man of God! Be sure to subscribe to get automatic updates to keep you in tune with the message of hope for Winston Salem and the world!

Let's Connect

2009-04-23T15:52:00.008-04:00

We see guests at each of our services at Heavenview.

We believe that our guests are gifts from God. They are people who obviously want something MORE in their lives, they have been given to us to care for and walk with on the journey of faith.

How many times have you tried to connect with someone, only to find out that you have NOTHING to write your number on? It's happened to me WAY TOO MANY TIMES. It's not fair to the guest to keep them waiting while you fumble through your purse or wallet finding a torn piece of old gum wrapper on which to write a number that is hardly legible.

That's not cool with the guest and I don't think it's cool with God either.

We should be as well prepared as possible when a guest comes. We should be able to connect with them in a meaningful way.

Here is what we have come up with:

This will be used in conjunction with our Guest Welcome packet.

When a guest enters Heavenview a member of our First Impressions Team meets them, shows them where the nursery is, where the restrooms are, gives them a welcome packet, and directs them to their seat.

Our Welcome Packet includes several pieces of written material about Heavenview. One of our pieces is called a WOW CARD. Our WOW CARD is a piece that allows our guests to write their contact information down so we can WOW them on two different occasions within a week of them visiting our church.

We attempt to receive their contact information, but it would be so good for the members of our church to be able to feel like they have their own personal business card when they feel like they would like to connect with a newcomer on their own time.

Our Connect Cards will be placed in the lobby for all of our regular attenders to use as they please.

We feel that this is a HUGE way to encourage EVERYONE to get involved in caring for our newcomers.

To learn more, email Dan or Christie.

A Barnabas and A Timothy - Part One

2009-03-16T15:20:00.004-04:00

2 Timothy 2:2 - KJV
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

2 Timothy 2:2 - NLT
“You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.”

There are few things stronger than the bonds of a close, and carefully nurtured relationship of a mentor and a mentee.

What is a mentor?
The word mentor originates from Homer's Odyssey where Mentor had the role of bringing up Telemachus while his father was away at war. While mentoring relationships take many forms, the one familiar to most people is when an older person (the mentor) guides, tutors, coaches, or otherwise influences a younger person (the protege). This is the kind of relationship Mentor had with Telemachus and that Paul had with Timothy.

The level of empowerment that results from mentoring is directly proportional to the depth of the relationship.

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, a shoulder to cry on, and a kick in the pants.” - Richard Tyre

People do what we inspect, rather than what we expect.

There are numerous benefits to being in a mentoring relationship:
• A mentor promotes genuine growth and change
• A mentor provides a model to follow after
• A mentor helps you reach your goals
• A mentor plays a key role in God's pattern for your growth
• A mentor's influence benefits others in your life

Mentoring in the Bible
There’s few better life examples of the Biblical mode of mentorship than the Apostle Paul’s life.

Paul’s journey into the inner circle of early church leadership clearly hinged upon his relationship with Barnabas.

Before the apostle Paul was ever the leader of the Gentile church, the great preacher and church planter, he was someone who needed a mentor.

We don’t think of Barnabas as a prominent New Testament figure. His name is not one of the first that we think of when we contemplate the most powerful Biblical figures. But the fact of the matter is without Barnabas, there would have never been a Paul.

This means there would have never been a book of Romans, Corinthians, Galatians or Ephesians. No Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians or the rest of the epistles in the Bible.

God has a plan for raising up great men and women in His kingdom and that plan is personal mentorship. I’m glad His plan isn’t politics, or wealth… I’m glad God’s plan doesn’t leave me out in left field all by myself to figure out my gifts and callings.

God has outlined a clear plan of mentorship for you to become all that He called you to be!

Before Paul was an anointed apostle, he was Saul… on the road to Damascus. He was a man looking for the fulfillment of his calling and meets God in dramatic fashion on this lonely road.

God doesn’t expect us to find our way from Damascus to Jerusalem alone!

He has sent men and women into our lives from whom we can glean strength and endurance for the great things God has in store for us and for those to whom we will one day minister.

Check back soon for Part Two of A Barnabas and A Timothy.

Leading Together

2009-03-02T17:22:00.002-05:00

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity...From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work" (Ephesians 4:11-13a, 16).

Consider the different spiritual gifts that God places under the hood of the leaders of the church. God doesn't honor one "silver bullet" style of leadership. God didn't intend these leaders to go off into their own corner of the church and do their own thing. Verse 16 paints a picture of the unity that a diverse team of leaders can enjoy. Some leaders provide muscle. Some provide bone. Some supply the ligaments and tendons. All weave themselves together and grow in love until only one things is visible—Jesus.

I can't accomplish that type of beauty all by myself. In all my years of serving, I will never be able to transform my department into the Body of Christ—not by myself. Neither can you.

We desperately need to operate in teams if we ever want the product of our energy to be Jesus. The good people that God has surrounded you with weren't placed there to be extensions of you. And for that they are thankful.

You might very well be the point person. But you aren't the only leader in your ministry. God gives leadership to churches and ministries in sets of two or more. Do you remember when Elijah had his emotional meltdown on Mount Horeb and told God that he was the only one doing the Lord's work. Somehow he'd forgotten his conversation with Obadiah where 100 of God's prophets had been protected. That's 101 leaders (counting Obadiah) with whom Elijah could do ministry. When God ended Elijah's retreat at Camp Prozac, he instructed Elijah to create a mentoring team with Elisha.

God is not so cruel to make you do ministry alone.

These ideas were adapted from the book Lead the Way God Made You.

Leading Together
Larry Shallenberger

Heavenview's Community Efforts

2009-02-18T12:29:00.001-05:00

Blood Drive

2009-02-16T15:24:00.005-05:00

This past Saturday we hosted a regional Red Cross blood drive at our church. We had over 40 people come through and 31 pints of blood were collected. Overall the event was a great success. This is a very simple yet effective way to accomplish your goal as a community pastor in your church in two ways; 1) it creates another opportunity for church members to connect to the physical need of people's lives in their communities and 2) creates a great opportunity to bring brand new people to connect in a real and meaningful way to your church's ministries.

With all Red Cross sponsored blood drives, a post card is sent out to all blood donors in the immediate region asking them to come out and donate blood at your event. We chose to capitalize on this opportunity and we served free food, beverages and offered tours of our new church facilities to all who were interested.

Read more here about how to put together a Red Cross Blood drive at your church and reap the benefits of changing your world by demonstrating God's love in a practical way to your community.

Serving Our Generation Campaign

2008-11-11T17:36:00.006-05:00

"Serving Our Generation" is what we call our Church Campaign for:

1. Fulfilling our Commission

One of the ways we fulfill our commission is by supporting close to 100 foreign and home missionaries who share the saving message of Christ.

2. Freeing our Community

We free our community by serving the members of our community, giving of our time and showing God's love in a practical way.

3. Financing our Construction

We finance our construction by giving to our church building project. Our church burned to the ground a little over two years ago - pledges were received to assist in the reconstruction of our new building.

I am writing today to share with you some of the giveback opportunities we have organized in an effort to "free our community".

We did landscaping for Grace House - a home associated with Aids Care Services.
(October, 2007)

We separated and boxed canned food items at the Second Harvest Food Bank.
(November, 2007 and December, 2007)

We wrapped gifts for at risk children in the holiday store of IMPRINTS for Families.
(December, 2007)

We assisted in the Aids Care Services holiday party by organizing and replenishing food during their holiday event.
(December, 2007)

We served a meal and cleaned the inside and outside of the Ronald McDonald House.
(January, 2008)

We painted rooms at the Salvation Army office space.
(February, 2008)

We volunteered at the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament at the YMCA.
(March, 2008)

We organized the re-store at Habitat for Humanity.
(May, 2008)

We painted a fence and added lattice to a gazebo at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home.
(June, 2008)

We served a meal to the homeless at the Samaritan House.
(July, 2008)

We planted flowers and spent quality time with students at the Children's Home of NC.
(August, 2008)

The list goes on... and our efforts will grow in the upcoming year.

We have an Serving our Generation event on the SECOND SATURDAY of each month from 9 a.m. until noon.

It's a start - we needed to start giving back to our community, and I am pleased at the progress I have seen in the past year.

It is important to show the love of Christ in a practical way - what better way to do this than to serve others and make a lasting positive impression on your community toward Christ.

- You can see pictures of our efforts on http://www.servingourgeneration.com/ -

Group's Body-Bending Guide to Outreach: Stretching out to your Community may help you in your future efforts and you can purchase it by clicking on the book link below.

Cardboard Testimonies

2008-09-18T21:51:00.001-04:00

Plugged?

2008-08-04T12:03:00.008-04:00

We have this Guest Assimilation thing going... man, it feels like it is the RIGHT THING to be doing. I pray that ALL OF US WOULD LET A REVELATION for meeting the needs of and connecting with the unchurched slap us upside the head.

We get so content in our familiar setting each week - and are so focused on US and taking care of "maintaining" (not growing) our relationship with an ever loving never changing Christ and we forget about others.

Here is how we want to make a difference:
We are working every Sunday morning to ensure our first and second time guests are welcomed and, equally as important, reached out to via email within 36 hours of their visit to our church and via handwritten note within 96 hours of their visit.

What can we say? We love Nelson Searcy and his book FUSION.

It has empowered us.

We are still missing a few things... How are we plugging these guests in to our church? We are working on a process - we'll post on this later - we definitely have a plan!

We recently stumbled upon a hole in our process, however.

What about those who are not really first or second time guests - we all have them, I'm talking about those who transfer from one church to another (we are transfers too!, so I am NOT CUTTING ANYONE HERE!) - they are churched, but still need a place to connect with others to strengthen their walk with Christ and to hang out with those who are likeminded - to build lasting relationships that will count in the light of eternity.

"Connections with the Body of Christ are the most effective adhesive for keeping your guests and your church bound together." Fusion "Research has shown that new people must make friends within four to six months, or they will not stick." Fusion

I submit a few cases for our future discussion:

A stay at home mom who is longing for adult social interaction. She MUST HAVE a place to get plugged in.

A dad who works 8 - 5 during the week, busting his butt day in and day out, who needs a liesure getaway once in a while, from all the stress he endures every day. He MUST HAVE a place to get plugged in.

A teenager who hates summer because they are stuck at home on Myspace all day - or watching hours and hours of the latest MTV reality show - come-on even THAT gets boring to most students after a while! They MUST HAVE a place to get plugged in.

I write this to give you the option of brainstorming with me on how this process might work...

I will share with you in time to come the testaments that will be birthed because of our efforts to PLUG people IN - somewhere, somehow...

Are you PLUGGED?

Partiality

2007-11-07T15:42:00.001-05:00

I recently read an interesting tidbit. It is about a man that history recalls as a man who changed the world. Specifically, Mahatma Gandhi changed the way people influence power. There are countless who to this day look to Gandhi's techniques to influence great powers. Undoubtedly, a great man, no matter what you believe or think of him.

In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that during his student days he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India. One Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby church and talk to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. “If Christians have caste differences also,” he said, “I might as well remain a Hindu.”

Stop and think with me what our world would be like if one man reacted differently to Mahatma Gandhi's visit to his church. Imagine with me what our world would be like today if one nameless usher acted with the unbiased, unconditional love of Jesus Christ rather than what we even today so often do to people who we encounter that are "not like us".

There are over 837 million Hindus in our world today (about 13% of the world's population). Gandhi easily could have influenced the majority of these to have made different choices in their lives. Think of what might have been...

I think this short read illustrates the importance of every one we come in contact with! Everyone deserves the Gospel... everyone. The first 13 verses of James chapter 2 talk to this point. This isn't something we should address in our lives... it is something we MUST address in our lives!

A good friend of mine wrote in his blog this week and it struck a cord in me.
Please read it.

What's a Community Pastor?

2007-10-22T12:57:00.001-04:00

If you've been reading this blog for the past week or so, you've read about my new job. I thought I would take today's blogging opportunity to address the question that just about everyone asks after they hear "Community Pastor"... "What is a Community Pastor?"

When Pastor Linder and I were brainstorming about this plan months ago we asked ourselves if we had heard of this title/term before. We both agreed that we couldn't remember ever hearing of a Community Pastor before, at least not in this context. The thing is, it fits so well to what both God has burdened Pastor Linder to accomplish through the church in Winston Salem as well as where I felt God was leading me in my ministry.

Over a year ago (sometime in the summer of 2006) Christie and I were thinking of how to better our current ministry efforts. At the time we were the Youth Pastors in a local rural church in North Carolina. Through the 3 or so years that we had been working in this ministry we couldn't seem to get away from the needs of just average people in the community. High school drop outs, underprivileged kids that didn't have a safe place to study, students without mentors, parents that had no help in their homes. Even the elderly and the dying seem to have no one that cares enough to do the simple things.

The world calls it humane acts, but it is nothing like human nature.

An elderly woman who simply has no one to visit her in the last days of her life as she battles terminal cancer. Where does she fall in our "ministries"?

Where does an 18 year old boy who has the mental capacity of a 10 year old (because of years of abusive and neglected surroundings) fall into our "ministries"?

Where does a widowed woman (worth far beyond what I could imagine), who chooses to turn to alcohol in the face of loneliness fall into our "ministries"?

All these lives were ever before our eyes. But it was more than just these people... it was their needs that seemed to be consuming us. I found myself asking, what are we (the Church) doing about all of this? How are we helping people to not suffer? How are we meeting the needs of our communities?

I go to the Word for answers. Jesus stated clearly His mission for coming to earth, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10) It is very clear to most Christians that Jesus' primary goal was to bring the message of salvation to mankind. That is the common theme of His life. It is why He was born into flesh. It's why He lived.

I find an undeniable theme in His ministry. It seems to me that He practiced meeting people's needs before ever presenting a word of doctrine. Before parables were given, miracles were performed. Before instruction was offered, hungry bellies were fed. Prior to any message of the coming salvation was presented, all manners of sicknesses were cured.

I can't help but think that God was trying to tell us something. I know for sure He was trying to tell me something. It's more than an edict to fulfill a need because God just wants us to. I think it is an opportunity! There is no better way to get your community's attention than to start meeting the needs that no one else is paying attention to. I think this is more powerful than the largest newspaper ad, the brightest billboard or the catchiest commercial running in the best prime-time slot. People pay attention to REAL solutions!

So what is a Community Pastor? It is simply a very focused and directed office in a local church to fill this vacancy that seems to have been overlooked in many congregations. People want to help the hurting, they want to feed the hungry... they just need good quality avenues to get plugged into, we are now giving them a way to make this happen. I go one step further, the unconvinced in our communities want to be a part of a solution... they just need to be introduced and plugged in. We need programs and ministry opportunities for the "first time guest" in our churches. Things they can get involved with right away so that they feel like they are a part of The Solution.

We all know that Jesus Christ is the answer. We know that the Church is the solution to our world's problems. The problem is, the members of our community may not know it... with God's help, I am going to show them.

Dan Ponjican
Community Pastor - Heavenview UPC
Winston Salem, NC

Welcome to The Community Pastor Blog

2007-09-18T15:27:00.000-04:00

Stay tuned for upcoming posts.