Leaning Forward

Mentors

Andy Giessman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Every now and then God will bring somebody into your life that will have radical influence. I have had the fortune of many such encounters. God has certainly blessed with a long list of encouragers, listeners, prophets, teachers, preachers, and prodders. At the top of that list would be my bride! I am reluctant to start naming names because I would certainly miss someone!

Yesterday I had the awesome blessing of spending 2.5 hours with my mentor - Ken Rudolph. Apart from my dad, this man has had THE most influence in my life, thinking, and ministry philosophy. Allow me to tell the story of how one life can be significantly altered by the power of godly influence.

Fourteen years ago this May began my journey of engaging with high school students while learning how to be a college representative, quasi traveling youth speaker, and more recently and importantly, a pastor. At that time Ken was, in my eyes, a superhero. He had already challenged and influenced a generation to leap into ministry and try the impossible in the name of the King! I went to Baptist Bible College largely as a result of Ken. Fast forward a few years...by being in the right place at the right time (thank you, God) I was hired to work in the same department at BBC with Ken. I was awed that I sat in departmental meetings with this guy!

Within a few months I was sharing an office with Ken. I think I just stared at him for the first few days. Soon we realized that we shared a love for history, great stories, food, and the the thought of attempting the radical for Christ. The only problem was I had no idea how to do that last part. I wanted to but really did not have the skill sets to even think about it.

As a master communicator, Ken has taught God's word thousands of times to thousands of people both student and adult in just about every conceivable setting. He has truly made an art out of teaching. For some reason God prompted Ken's heart to speak truth into me and spend time with me to help me learn how to engage my world with the Truth. This guy whose name is synonymous with effective communication and teaching decided to coalesce and crystallize his life and ministry into the life of a punk kid!

The interesting part is that I realized, and this is still stupefies me, that Ken is not a superhero. He is just a dude called to do what God has called him to do. As we spent time together the picture was made complete that he is on the same journey with its attendant issues just like everyone else. One of the greatest lessons he taught me comes straight from the pen of Paul, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Corinthians 12:9-10). Be and become who God has made and is continuing to make you to be.

Yesterday, as we both enjoyed a thing we love - steak and cheese hoagies, I had the same epiphany. Ken is still just a dude called by God to do what God has called him to do. I watched as he welled up with tears thinking, again, about what this generation could do for the kingdom if they just engage! Yup, lesson learned.

If you have or had a mentor you need to find some tangible way to say 'thank you'. Get out their address, find them on facebook, hire a private detective, whatever...find them and THANK THEM. So help me, don't you dare just send a facebook message either! Weak sauce. At least write an honest to goodness thank you note. Remember those? If they are nearby, and if you have the means, take him or her out for a meal or a cup of coffee, look him in the eye and tell them how God has used them to shape who you are. Step number two, get on your face and thank God (right now) that he used someone to build into you.

Some reading suggestions

Andy Giessman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:56:00 GMT

I thought I would post some of the titles of books I have read in the past 9 months as part of the grad school work I have been doing. These are definitely "thinkers". If anybody wants to discuss any of these just give me a shout.

The Early History of Rome I-V
Livy

The Nature of Things
Lucretius

The Aeneid
Virgil

The Brothers Karamazov
Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fear and Trembling
Soren Kierkegaard

Leviathan
Hobbes

Emile or On Education
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Friedrich Nietzsche

Confessions
Augustine

Paradise Lost
John Milton

The Divine Comedy (Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise)
Dante Alighieri

Follow your heart (NOT!)

Andy Giessman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:37:00 GMT

For once I was glad my nephew really wasn't paying attention. My wife, in-laws, and I were sitting (and sweating) on typical bleachers in a typical gymnasium at a typical upstate New York high school for one of humanities rites of passage: graduation. It has been quite a few years since I was last at a high school graduation so I was very interested in what was to be said to these young men and women as they got ready to launch into the world.

Every single speaker from the principal to the key note to the salutatorian said the same thing. Their message was clear and it was certainly united. Even though each came from a different point of view they each reminded the graduates that no one ought ever to tell them what to do. They were also encouraged to go out and make mistakes. The key note speaker told them to make the biggest mistakes possible. The saving grace was that this is perfectly acceptable and even preferred as long as they/we learn from our missteps.

My mind was racing to keep up with each and every well intentioned orator. Scripture kept erupting in my mind and screaming into my soul. I know it is the American ideal to do things our own way and be the master of our destinies but that is not what God's word says. Proverbs tells us over and over that we can choose our own path but that path leads to destruction and death not peace and life. Jesus informs the crowds that were waiting around for him to do His next miracle that true discipleship requires giving up rights. Paul writes to a church telling them to put others needs ahead of their own because that is Christlike.

I later asked my nephew if he understood the difference between being self confident and true self reliance. He does. He told me not to worry. He wasn't really listening to all the speeches anyway.

Much needed update

Andy Giessman — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:16:00 GMT

God gave me the gift of two fantastic weeks of ministry. First, two weeks ago, I spoke for Teen Week at Independent Bible Church in Martinsburg, WV. Those guys did such a good job. Props to Brad Haecock for all the work and energy he put into reaching students with the truth of God's Word.

This past week Becky and I were at Camp Patmos in Ohio. This is one of my favorite places to minister and enjoy life. Gotta love being on an island on Lake Erie for a week! My friends, Andy Chouinard and Tim Richardson, have worked really hard at making Patmos a place where everyone fits in!

Whiteboard Sessions

Andy Giessman — Sat, 24 May 2008 01:32:00 GMT

Becky and I had the chance to attend the Whiteboard Sessions. 8 speakers had 1/2 hour each to share an idea. Great time to get away and think.

Reading

Andy Giessman — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:34:00 GMT

Monday was a good day to read. I have a passion for books and especially those that cover history and communication. I believe we can understand the future if we are familiar with our past. It is also a core value of mine that whatever gift God has given to us must be honed and sharpened. So for what its worth, here is what I am reading right now...

From Achilles To Christ: Why Christians Should Read the Pagan Classics - Louis Markos
Preaching Parables to Postmoderns - Brian Stiller
Forever a Soldier - Tom Wiener

3 Activities of a God Who Invades History

Andy Giessman — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:40:00 GMT

Sermon #3 from the Exposed series (we didn't record #2, oops).

Ephesians 2:1-10

3 Exposures of Grace

Andy Giessman — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:45:03 GMT

Here is the first in the Exposed series from NLBC.

Ephesians 1:1-14

Soul Exposure

Andy Giessman — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:46:00 GMT

My friend Christina shamed me into posting a new blog. I think I had a combination of writers block and acute laziness. Thanks, Christina. I needed that.

We finished week 6 of the 8 for the series in Ephesians. One of the huge lessons I have learned is the idea of identity. Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus was received by a people who were looking to belong. Ephesus was a giant city that was probably the third largest in the Roman Empire. They were a culture that wanted to understand the "mystery" of a deeper life. The only way to discover that mystery was to be involved in the cult of Artemis. Social, economic, religious, and political life was all centered around the goddess' temple. Life was found there.

For three chapters Paul digs a deep foundation to help us understand who we are. He exposes our soul in the light of the Gospel.

It is God who has initiated the relationship with humanity.
The light inside our hearts can turn on to help us understand spiritual things.
The outrageous grace of God eliminates the stench of death.
The grace of God unites all believers world-wide
God has chosen the church to be the means for the world to hear about Grace
There is a huge contrast between the mind of one who does not know Christ and one who does.

Again and again as the soul is exposed we see the great investment that God has made so that we can know him. Coming to grips with truth always tells us what we need to do.

My new Fav...

Andy Giessman — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:11:00 GMT

I have a new favorite drink at Starbucks. Today I tried the latte with soy milk. I thought I would hate it but it was great! I have Becky to thank for making the suggestion. Low fat, low sugar, LOADS of flavor.

Fearless

Andy Giessman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:01:00 GMT

Our second Sunday with two services went very well! The first service had about the same attendance and the second was down a little. It was one of those weeks when lots of people were out out town.

We saw, again, first time guests join us and we are now able to give them a gift. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel is a great way to introduce people to Jesus. I pray that God will use this tool along with the weekly ministries of our church and people to see many take the next step.

It is important to keep in mind that the enemy does not want what is happening in Scranton to continue. Anytime God works and people's lives are being changed the enemy will throw lots of roadblocks at you to discourage you.

In Ephesians 6 Paul reminds us that our battles are truly spiritual. As we hold up the shield of faith lets remember that God expects us to use that particular piece of armor to push forward not stand in one place!

Taking Off!

Andy Giessman — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:36:00 GMT

I would be lying if I said I woke up yesterday without fear. My first waking, and irrational thought, was "what have we done?". I was trying to figure out a way to contact everybody and tell them that we were just going to have our regular worship service at 10:30. Like I said, irrational.

So here is what happened with yesterday's second service launch at New Life

* We got there early
* Nobody else did
* It was getting closer to nine
* The auditorium was less than full - empty is a good word
* We prayed
* People came!

We had 57 in the first service with 140+ in the second. We had over 200 people total! We were actually running out of room for the second service! If this keeps up maybe we will need to add a third....

Two Words

Andy Giessman — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Two words: Launch Day! Tomorrow we launch our 2nd Worship Service! I can't even begin to tell you how excited and nervous I am all at the same time!

We have had quite a week. The enemy has thrown some pretty significant roadblocks at us. There are lots of people in the hospital and we had a funeral yesterday. It adds up! One thing I remember, though - Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon formed against us shall prosper". That's right. Bring it!

Please pray about the services for tomorrow. I have no idea how they will even out or if they will be even.

Also pray for Steamtown Community Church. They are launching their first public worship service tomorrow as well. Go get 'em, Dennis!

Coming Soon...

Andy Giessman — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:38:00 GMT

OK, pretty excited. Next week is Launch Day for our 2nd Worhsip Servce at New Life. This is quite an adventure for our church and I am not sure what is going to happen. I do think God is doing something!

Here is a sneek peak at our new teaching series...

We will explore together how Christ gives everyone a new beginning.

Lots 'O Room

Andy Giessman — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:43:00 GMT

You just gotta love being in the airport long before dawn only to find out you have to use a completely different airline and be totally rerouted. There is, however, a bright side...

I am on my way to Kentucky to speak for a Snow Camp for Vertical Student Ministries. When I got on the plane in Philly the flight attendant asked me if I wanted to sit in the emergency exit row all by myself! With all that extra room I was able to spread out and work on some of our upcoming teaching series at New Life. Sometimes God looks favorably upon those of us with long legs!

We will finish up our series on Generosity next week and then move into a series on the theology of Christ (Christology). All of those talks will come from Luke's Gospel, and this series will kick off our 2nd Worship Service Launch.

Speaking of generosity, our community at New Life has really stepped up to the plate! We passed a pretty aggressive budget a few weeks ago and so far we are making it! Praise God!

For 8 weeks, beginning April 6th, we will explore Ephesians together in a series we are calling Uprising. The core of that series comes from Eph 5:14, "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." That sentence stirs something deep within me. I am really praying and dreaming about how to present this material in a creative and memorable way. For now lets just say it might involve gladiators or priestesses (uh, that's a nice way of saying prostitutes - no seriously).

Treasure Test

Andy Giessman — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:07:00 GMT

We had a great day at New Life yesterday. Great turnout, great atmosphere, and an awesome spirit as we continued our series on generosity.

From the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Jesus teaches regular people about extraordinary stuff. He teaches about their relationship with each other and with God. He broaches some pretty touchy issues. But they are issues everyone needs to deal with.

Money is one of those hot button issues. In verse 24 Jesus teaches we cannot have equal allegiance to both God and our wallets. He doesn't start there, however. In verses 19-20 he reminds us that we all make investments. We can either invest in stuff here or invest in things eternally. As we mentioned before everything dies. Every single thing on this planet has an expiration date. Everything. So what does an eternal investment look like? What lasts? The answer is two things - The Word and people. God's word will outlast everything. God has preserved it this far and will continue to after we are gone. People last forever. Not our bodies, of course. Some of us realize that we are falling apart and there is definitely an expiration date. The souls of all human beings will exist in one place or another. When someone crosses the threshold of eternity they will either be with God forever in Heaven or they will exist in darkness and torment apart from God. There is no in between.

What investments are we making?

Treasure

Andy Giessman — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:51:00 GMT

I am getting ready to preach on Matthew 6:19-24 tomorrow. This will be week two for our series on Generosity. God is really teaching me about this business of storing up treasure. I have never been a person that chases money. That is not my treasure. The word means the amassing of something of value. The fundamental question is this: What do I value?

Everything dies, wears out, breaks, fades, or frays. Nothing we want to keep we keep. Like the axiom states, "He who dies with the most toys, still dies".

Looking forward to more meditation on "Seeking first the Kingdom of God".

Idea Piracy (a good thing, arr)

Andy Giessman — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:12:00 GMT

I can relate with John Nash. He is the lead character in the movie A Beautiful Mind. In the on screen adaptation of this true story, Nash is a mathematical genius (uh, that is not the part I relate to) who has to learn to deal with schizophrenia. While he is studying for his post-graduate degree he is obsessed with developing an "original idea" in the field of mathematics. He is driven by the need to create a formula or theory that is completely new and revolutionary.

In the world of ministry I struggle with the same thing. I read books, articles, and blogs about people who have these great ideas and make them work! I wonder when that will happen to me. When will I have that great idea? The answer: Maybe never.

In our search for innovation, lets not forget that other people have great ideas that are often given freely to us. Use them! Conversely, lets not forget to ask God to do more than we can imagine. There is no ministry obstacle that God does not have a creative solution for!

Speaking of great ideas...Becky and I are planning on going to a new one-day conference in Northern VA. Check out The White Board Sessions.

Weekend in New Hampshire

Andy Giessman — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:41:00 GMT

I had the opportunity to minister at Snow Camp this weekend. Over 250 students and leaders converged on the campus of Rumney Bible Conference for a few days to recharge and renew. Many students indicated they wanted to enter into a relationship with Christ. God was moving!

It was also a great weekend because I was able to bring a ministry team from Baptist Bible College to lead worship. Redemption has begun to travel on weekends representing the school and will be on the road all summer ministering in camps and churches. They proved they are both very capable musicians and more importantly, flexible ministers.

Encouragement

Andy Giessman — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:45:00 GMT

I am really thankful for those times when God brings someone into your life that just ministers to you with encouragement. That has happened to me recently with my friends Dave, Brady, and Bill.

On Monday night I found myself on an airplane sitting next to a fellow pastor who chose to build into my life for a solid 90 minutes. God knows what we need when we need it.