Mid-Atlantic District    
Volume 17, Issue 05

THE
MONDAY
MEMO
March / 12 / 2018
Trying, Training and Trusting
From Rev. Doug Conley,  District Superintendent

When I was a teenager (in the days before digital was invented) I listened to many talks about how to live authentically as a follower of Jesus. The single most common theme of those messages (apart from don't have sex) was the theme of "try harder." Try harder to read the Bible regularly. Try harder to pray. Try harder to resist temptation. The unspoken message of "try harder" is it's all up to you. It was all up to me to love God. It was all up to me to live a holy life. It was all up to me to respond as Jesus responded. By the time I was in my early 20's I was worn out from carrying the burden trying harder to keep the salvation that was a free gift of God's grace.

John Ortberg took the concept of "try harder" in a new and better direction. He suggested that some things are developed in a person's life only by training. Using the analogy of lifting weights, he talked about starting with a weight you could lift and then slowly increasing it until you had built the muscle needed to lift the heavy object. This really made a lot of sense to me. I couldn't read the Bible and pray for an hour, but I could start with 10 minutes and add a little each week to increase my time with the Lord. It may have been very difficult to resist a strong temptation, but if I were willing to resist even the small ones my capacity to resist temptation would increase. Ortberg was right about some things. I did need to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling (Php. 2:12).

Having grown up in the Alliance it was disappointing to me that it took me so long to discover that I had another option. I had probably heard it preached. I know I had been singing about the other option for years, but I didn't put it together for the longest time. The other option can be summarized in so many ways: surrender, the deeper life, walking in the Spirit, and the Biblical concept of "Christ in you, the hope of glory..." Col. 1:27 It is acclaimed in our logo - Christ our Sanctifier. The message of trying and even the message of training (as good as it might be for some things) is really a message that says: you must be your own sanctifier. That is not the message of the Bible nor is it the teaching of the Alliance.

The power to become what we desire to be rests in the indwelling Christ. We cannot manage it for ourselves. We cannot even imagine the transformation that Christ desires to accomplish in us. He is the one who has the power to change our hearts, to transform our souls, to satisfy the deepest longings of our most hidden selves. He has the power to enable us to overcome temptation. He invites us to stop trying and trust him for all that we need to be his fully devoted follower.

My wife's aunt and uncle lived on the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter, FL. From their dock I watched a change occur on the other side of the river. Small modest homes were slowly being sold. The owners were doing what every seller does. They cleaned up the landscaping, repainted, installed new carpeting and generally made the houses look their best. But an odd thing occurred. Those nicely appointed houses were being torn down to make room for larger, more sophisticated housing. The buyers didn't really care about the improvements of the original owners because they wanted to do something far beyond the dreams of those owners.

I believe this is an imperfect picture of what Christ wants to do in us. We try harder and make all kinds of superficial improvements. We can look rather good to others and we can feel good about ourselves. In the end God is not interested in what we can do, He is interested in His vision for us. All our trying and even our training is something He wants to do away with so He can build what He envisions for our lives. It is only in the power of the indwelling Christ that we can become what He intends us to be! Present yourselves as living sacrifices and see what He wants to accomplish in you! Invite people you lead to stop trying and trust him fully.
Lifestyle & Conduct of C&MA Official Workers

At their meeting in February, the Board of Directors adopted the "Lifestyle and Conduct of C&MA Official Workers" policy. You will notice that this policy covers more than just alcohol, but it does address that subject.

Please click here to view the policy. This document will also be available on our website in the Official Worker & Church Resources page. 
leaderLIFE Certification Training: 
Registration is Open

Leadership is largely a relational endeavor.  To lead effectively, one must have a keen sense of self-awareness.  leaderLIFE Certification Training, provided by Changed2Lead, will open doors to self-discovery at the soul level, and equip you to relate effectively with those you lead.  Upon completion of the course the participant will qualify for certification which provides the following benefits:

A license with TotalSDI  to facilitate three powerful psychometric inventories in the context of your community (a $3,700 value)
 

  • Three complete courses to implement training for all your church members (Church Tool Box)
    • leaderLIFE for your leaders
    • groupLIFE for your small groups
    • memberLIFE for all your members
       
  • You will experience transformation in these three areas (5 year study with demonstrable results to be published in 2018)
    • You will grow significantly in your soul identity which is foundational to spiritual growth
    • You will grow significantly in your ability to relate to others and reduce conflict
    • You will be able to navigate conflict with confidence and insight 

  • A thoroughly Biblical understanding of the soul and a pathway to deeper discipleship and understanding of the Gospel
     
  • Even though this is not a marriage course, we promise you that your understanding of your spouse will soar and your marriage will improve
     
  • Your learning will be applied to eight key leadership functions of a pastor
This two and a half day course is delivered in an active adult learning model which is participatory.  You will take three separate inventories prior to the course which will be unpacked in the context of the learning environment.  This course has consistently received 4.9 stars by participants. 

Testimonial:
"Bruce has done a masterful job at integrating the SDI instrument with care for the soul. I expect to find multiple applications to my life and those i am called to serve. The training was top shelf, and i have been to almost every training available to the Christian world over the last 25 years."
-Rev. Micheal Noel, D.Min.

District Superintendent, Charlotte, NC.


The cost for the training is $150. 

Envision Summit

May 7-11, 2018 Vancouver, BC
The Envision Summit is a 4-day leadership conference focused on development and soul care for young leaders between the ages of 25 and 34. The event is highly interactive and will provide significant opportunities for collective learning, processing, and dialogue through-out the week.

Conference speakers include:
David Hearn, Lisa Rodriguez Watson, Rob Reimer, Stan-ley John, Vania Levans, Reggie Screen, and Andy Lambkin.

For information, visit the Envision Summit Webpage
Alliance Purchasing Program

Together we can do more and spend less! Click here to view/download the Purchasing Program Flyer. 
In This Issue
March 20
DEXCOM
District Office, 10am
March 30
Good Friday
OFFICE CLOSED

ChurchEXCEL

From Ken Baldes/Vice President for Operations/Treasurer

As a former church treasurer and leader in my local Alliance church, I know the various challenges church leaders face serving their local church, including finances and administration.

The Alliance has been a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) since 1988, and we continue to enjoy a growing relationship with this organization. I am excited to tell you that ECFA is now providing a FREE ChurchEXCEL subscription to Alliance church leaders to help equip you in your church's financial administration. This re-source offers eBooks, webinars-on-demand, electronic tax guides, and so much more.

These tools will:
  • Increase Confidence
  • Save Time & Money
  • Navigate Red-Tape
SEEK 2018
 
The U.S. Alliance family is invited to attend SEEK 2018: An Alliance Regional Deeper Life and Missions Event. This conference, coordinated by four Alliance districts (The Alliance Southeast, Eastern Pennsylvania, Great Lakes, and Midwest) and the National Office, is intended for those who earnestly seek a fuller, richer life in the Holy Spirit. Join President Stumbo, International Ministries Vice President Tim Crouch, conference speaker Sunder Krishnan, and several Alliance international workers as together we press into the deeper, abiding presence of God's Holy Spirit.

Dates and Locations:
May 4-5, 2018 - Deltona (FL) Alliance Church
June 1-2, 2018 - Lancaster (PA) Bible College
June 8-9, 2018 - Westgate Chapel, Toledo, Ohio
November 2-3, 2018 - Eagle Church, Zionsville, Indiana

For more information, Click Here.
All In 2018 Recap

Rev. Ira Towns shares a brief recap of All In 2018! Will you join us next year?

To watch the video, Click Here.
Immigrant Hope

Immigrant Pathway Institute will host its first 40-hour training session in 2018, for nonprofit workers hoping to be certified by the Department of Justice to assist immigrants in finding a pathway to legal residency. This class is open to a wide range of people, from attorneys seeking a foundation in immigration law to pastors or administrators exploring whether to open an immigration program in their church or organization.

For more information,  Click Here

To register,  Click Here.

Contact Karla Hannant, karla.hannant@immigranthope.org, or (612) 516-5422 for questions or info on a registration discount for groups of two or more.

Fair Share and Church Multiplication Update
 
February 2018

Fair Share (YTD): 
Budget: $245,962.91
Received: $240,091.54
Deficit: $5,871.37

Church Multiplication (YTD): 
Budget: $97,666.67
Received: $53,622.99
Deficit: $44,043.68
Quicklinks:  


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