J17 Ministries
in collaboration with various
ministries in Tucson and beyond
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IN THIS ISSUE
New
News about J17 Ministries
Harmony Hub
Collaboration Corner
Upcoming Events
John 17 Weekends
Church of the Week
J17 Ministries Open House
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Greetings!
Many of you have heard me tell the supernatural story of how J17 Ministries officially started on October 20, 2018.
Today feels like the start of chapter 2.
In Chapter 1, all of the following happened:
- God clearly called three of us to staff positions - Karen, Tasha, and me.
- God saw that we needed an office space, spoke it into existence, and it was good.
- All the necessary infrastructure has been put into place.
- Four high-impact programs have successfully migrated into this new platform and environment.
Chapter 1 was good - really good. But I
can't wait
to dive into Chapter 2. How far can we get by simply focusing on one thing - the same thing Jesus focused on in prayer on the eve of His life-giving sacrifice for us all? We're about to find out.
Here's my number one prayer request: I'm filled to overflowing with ideas, most of which I think are great ideas, naturally. Please pray that daily, hourly, I would join in Jesus' other prayer that night - not my will but Yours be done, Father.
Dave Drum, Founder
J17 Ministries
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New
News about
J17 MINISTRIES
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Welcome
to our new subscribers this week from the International Wholistic Missions Conference, from Goshen Church International, and elsewhere!
Fundraising update
: Thank you to all of you who prayed and donated during our 50 day campaign! We're not where we need to be, but we're not where we were, either! And God has specifically and tangibly both promised and proven His faithfulness. God is raising up additional people, churches, or organizations right now who He wants to invest in J17 Ministries. We'll keep updating the website on our progress.
New office
: Even though it's been available to us for a week, we've been too busy to move in! But in the next couple of days we'll be setting up shop at the
HSL Center of Opportunity
. The Lord has great plans of restoration to happen there! If you have any new or gently-used office furniture that you would like to donate, please let us know. See below for our open house!
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Kingdom First
The leadership team at our church just updated our core all-church values this past year. If a value is a true operating value and not just an aspiration, then that value drives how we live and act. Values shape how we make decisions, and how we use our time and resources. Here’s one of our key values:
Kingdom first.
Being kingdom first drives us beyond our own church community.
We strive to join God wherever He is at work.
Church is who we are wherever we are.
Before I dive into this value, I think it’s critical to remember that the focus of Jesus was the establishment and advancement of the kingdom of God. Some folks will disagree with that and I understand why. We usually think that Jesus’s focus was to be the Savior of the world through his death and resurrection. Of course that is at the core. There would be no kingdom or kingdom advancement without that.
But you can’t read the Gospels and not see how Jesus declares over and over that his focus is the kingdom. Jesus’ very first words recorded as he began his public ministry are found in Matthew 4:17 -
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. “
Repent” means we can’t go on living the way we did, for the kingdom will now direct how we live. Then in verse 23 we have a summary of his ministry and the summary of all that he taught. Jesus came
proclaiming the good news of the kingdom
. When Jesus sent the twelve disciples on their first mission he tells them to preach this:
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near
(Mt. 10:7)
.
He taught seven specific parables that describe the kingdom of God. The New Testament uses the word “kingdom” 147 times! And, Jesus actually commanded that we “seek first the kingdom” before anything else (Mt. 6:33). We must be a kingdom-first people!
At my church, this kingdom-first value drives our radical commitment to unity, cooperation and collaboration with other churches and organizations. This “kingdom-first” value requires that we look beyond the work and responsibilities of our own congregation or organization to those of the larger kingdom of God. God’s kingdom is bigger than my church or your church or any Christ-centered organization. The kingdom is anywhere Jesus has influence, God is at work and the Holy Spirit is moving. And while we can’t join God everywhere he’s at work in our city, we do need to be attentive to where he is asking us to join him to make a difference for the larger kingdom.
May our prayer as a kingdom-first people, be the prayer that Jesus asked us to pray -
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
(Mt. 6:10)
.
May God’s kingdom come to Tucson and may God’s influence invade every aspect of our city just like it is in heaven right now. Together, in unity, cooperation and collaboration, we are to do the will of God so his presence and influence can’t be missed!
Harmony Hub Contributor:
Glen Elliott, Lead Pastor, Pantano Christian Church
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A Rwandan Pastor and a Tucson Boy Walked Into a...
...Missions Conference workshop track in Kansas City. No joke! Pastors Celestin Musekura and Dave Drum had the privilege of co-leading a series of workshops under the title: John 17 as Strategic Mission. In our wrap-up workshop entitled, "Practical Ways to be Unity Evangelists", we each listed principles and programs we used in our own ministries in Africa and Arizona. And many of them were identical!
Listed here are the principles for unity and collaboration that I highlighted, which are explained in further detail in
If It Was Easy, Jesus Wouldn't Have Prayed For It.
- Conviction - When a person is convicted that unity/harmony is not only strategic but faithful Christian living, they're also convicted that anything less is not only short-sighted but faithless and disobedient.
- Humility- Unity/harmony goes as far as humility takes it, and no farther. We never get to graduate from humility.
- Transparency - Transparency is one of the key ways humility manifests itself by leveling the playing field and disarming some of the enemy's chief tools: pride, jealousy, and envy.
- Listening - Listening honors and values the other party. A simple phrase like "Help me understand" can both prevent conflict and navigate through conflict when it surfaces.
- Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving creates a culture of honor where we regularly praise God and thank others. C.S. Lewis defined praise as "inner health made audible"; a culture of honor improves the health of the whole body of Christ.
- Service - Service is the sweet spot everyone understands. The best way to preach an unconditional gospel is unconditionally. The best way to make our unity/harmony visible is through unconditional service.
- Prayer - When we hear a brother or sister in Christ cry out to God for similar desires as our own, our hearts are immediately knit together. What better way to align with Jesus' John 17 prayer than through prayer?
Collaboration Corner Contributor:
Dave Drum, the Tucson boy
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Check out the latest opportunities to strengthen
your faith and connect with the community.
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Highlighted here
are events coming up immediately.
Click the button below
for a complete listing of events.
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What's happening for
everyone
?
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What's happening for
pastors
?
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If you are part of an area event promoting unity and collaboration among the citywide Body of Christ and beyond and would like it included in an upcoming newsletter, please click
HERE
to submit your request.
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Men's weekend: July 18-21
Women's weekend: July 25-28
The weekends are less than 3 months away, and already more than 1/4 of the spots have been filled. Even if you aren't 100% certain you can attend, if you want to save a spot, now is the time to apply.
Submit your application now and be part this year's Tucson-area Christian discipleship weekend that emphasizes the essentials of the Christian life and walk.
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J17 Ministries Open House
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We are excited about being a part of what is happening at the Center of Opportunity in Tucson, AZ, by having our office space on site, and we are inviting everyone to stop in at any point during our celebration open-house. We would love to see and chat with you! Light refreshments will be provided.
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HSL Center of Opportunity
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