usiNg mY otHeR bloG

Update: Just wanted to let everyone know I will primarily be using my other blog. Every once in a while I will come back to here to write my more personal updates but in the meantime check out www.jonathanlaberdia.com. Thanks

FREEbook!

Have you ever wanted something for FREE! Well, know is your chance. I will be picking one winner of the text to win a free book giveaway. No strings attached! Text freebook to 41411. The book that will be given away is Death by Love! An amazing book written by Mark Driscoll. Good luck and I hope you win!

reFinIng tHe daRk

I went to go visit my family in Ohio this weekend. Wow, what an amazing, refreshing, exciting time. Sarah and I visited a church on Sunday, CedarCreek. It was done with excellence, the service was very relevant, and it had good foundational speaking. The speaker over the weekend talked about trials. Something I have heard 100's of times but it still pierced my heart. He talked about how without darkness, fruit would not be able to produce abundantly. Without trials, hard times, and difficulties we would not be able to produce the amazing fruits of the spirit. Yes, hard times are hard! But without those refining moments in our life we would be basic people. For those of you who are going through a hard time make sure that you are in prayer, reading the word, and running after God. God knows what he is doing.

riChaRd

In college I partnered with some amazing friends to try and launch this ministry called "Making Visible Ministries" The ministry existed to make the bulletin board missionary come to life and to empower the Church congregation to make a visible difference for the voiceless heros. While at Moody we were the first team of Moody students to ever propose a ministry to the college. (We had 3 min. to sell it to the executive board of directors.) Moody did not invest in it but they did offer all of us jobs to farther the institute. Which was awesome but we all turned them down. The ministry went on the back burner for a long time. Until a few weeks ago I just started thinking about it. This is an amazing ministry that just needs some wheels. So, I e-mailed James and asked him to send me the video we made to give people a taste of what they could do to make a difference in the world. (The video was made with limited resources but I think it turned out well.) If you know of anyone who would want to put wheels on this, learn more about it, or just thinks we are crazy. Please send me an e-mail, jlaberdia@gmail.com
---Check it out below---

beComIng moRe proFesSioNal

Well, recently I have decided that it is time I become more professional. I started up a new site called JonathanLaBerdia.com. I will post different types of blogs than my personal blog (this one), adding some podcasts of lessons I have taught, and other tidbits. Hope you enjoy the site and if you have any questions, comments, or critiques. Please let me know.

Check it out

JonathanLaBerdia.com

niGhtliNe faCe-oFf

Mark Driscoll was on a Nightline Face-off regarding the question, "Does Satan Exsist?" Watch it, think about it, and study the Bible.

Summary about what a Nightline Face-off is:
"The "Face-Off" is a recurring series where opposing sides debate hot topics. In 2008, Ron Jeremy and Vivid porn star Monique Alexander debated "porn pastor" Craig Gross and former porn producer Donny Pauling about America's addiction to porn. In 2007, the first "Nightline Face-Off: Does God Exist?" pitted actor and evangelical Kirk Cameron and his partner at the Way of the Master against two self-proclaimed atheists. In this third installment, philosopher Deepak Chopra and Bishop Carlton Pearson will face-off against Pastor Mark Driscoll of the Mars Hill Church and Annie Lobert, founder of the Christian ministry "Hookers for Jesus" about the existence of the Devil." (Copied from the ABCnews webpage.)

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

Note: It is very scary to watch Bishop Pearson. If I have ever seen a wolf in sheep's clothing this is it. I am glad that God is the judge and not me. Pray for him and his view of God, God's Word, and God's Creation.

a grEat sTatEmeNt

I was looking at blogs this weekend and ran across one my favorite speakers and old pastor. (James McDonald) He has a statement on his blog that says, "First Vertical, Then Missional" This is not new news or a new thought. This comes from Matthew 22 when Jesus talks about the greatest commandment. We are to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." And then Jesus continues to tell us the second greatest commandment. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." You can't have the second without the first! We must be worshiping God with our whole heart before we can truly love our neighbors. It concerns me sometimes when churches emphasize the second one and forget the first. They challenge people to go to their community when they themselves don't even love God. The flip side of that is some churches emphasize so much on being internal they forget the community and neighbor God has placed around them. We need to find a greater balance. We need to go vertical, then missional. Think about that, wrestle with it, and keep running after God.