Transition into the working world

This past summer was very crazy.  For some reason God told me I would have a job by end of August. Poof! It happen.  I have been working at Starbucks on Washington Square in Canton since the end of August.  It has been my goal to work here for about 2 years now.  I have had this vision of working at a Starbucks as part of my missional approach.  That is, I wanted to meet people in their comfortable environments instead of trying to attract them first to the church building, then have discussions about God.

Observations:

• This job is hard!  There are over 8,000 drink combinations and that doesn’t include the crazy drinks the regulars want like a “yada yada” or a “nano nano.”
• I meet a lot of different people here. This store is the crossroads for 2 universities, 2 high schools, the parents of those high school kids, judges and lawyers, business owners, and various grumpy unhappy people.
• I made three women cry in the drive through becauase I asked if they were okay.  One just started to work at a inner city school as a counselor and found it rough.  The next she was losing her house and her boyfriend dumped her.  The last was a person who is very grumpy but cried because her father died.  I listened to them all.
• Did i say this is hard work?  My body is getting used to constantly being on the go.

My Fund Raising Letter

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20

Dear friends,

I have recently made the exciting decision to become a Post-Christian Missionary to Canton, Ohio. I will become a consultant to Church of the Savior UMC (www.mysaviorrocks.com). I will engage the church members and the nonchurched people in the Canton area in discussion about Jesus, what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and how to serve in the name of Jesus.

In the sixteen years that I have done ministry in Minnesota, Kentucky, England and Ohio, I have come to realize that we live in a post-Christian world, i.e., Christianity is no longer the dominant religion of our society, nor is any religion. In this postmodern world it is being taught that there is no ultimate truth. But I truly believe that God pursues us to have a relationship with each of us, despite what is being taught in media, school, etc. What we need is to learn how to help others recognize God in their midst. I believe what Dan Kimball says in his book, They Love Jesus But Not the Church, that most non-church attenders really do like the concept of Jesus Christ, but they do not understand or appreciate what goes on in Church. In addition, I believe that many church members do not know how to explain why they love Jesus or why they do what they do at church.

So here is what I feel what God has called me to do: my goal will be to work outside of the building of Church of the Savior, by going to environments that people consider comfortable, e.g., coffee shops, college organizations, etc. The age group I will be focusing on meeting is 18- to 35-year-olds. I hope to create and develop deep relationships that will lead to a stronger relationship with Jesus, then to connect them with the church at large. In addition, I will take with me people from the church to teach them how to connect with people and share their faith through genuine listening and love.

In order to do this I need to raise my salary and upfront costs, such as computer and mobile phone use. I cannot accomplish this task alone, so please join me with your prayers. I am praying specifically that I will have boldness in sharing my testimony, that I will raise all funds needed, that I will meet people prepared to hear the Gospel, and for safety for me and the people with whom I minister.

I am asking you to be a part of this mission by investing in my life and in the lives of the people I reach in Canton, Ohio. During the next several months, I will be working very hard to raise the finances to accomplish this mission. Any amount you give will be greatly appreciated. If you would like to pay with a credit or debit card, please go to this link, Donation Page, and towards the bottom there is a spot entitled Post Christian Missions with my name below it.

If you would like to pay with a check, please make all checks payable to Church of the Savior. All donations to Church of the Savior are tax-deductible. In order for you to receive a tax deduction for your donation, please do not write my name on the check. Instead, include a note with my name or Post Christian Missions. You can send all donations to Church of the Savior, 120 Cleveland Ave SW, Canton, OH, 44702. Donations are non-refundable and non-transferable regardless of any cancellation circumstances.

If you have any questions or comments, you can get a hold of me at 330-705-2119 or kick4jc@gmail.com You can also call Rev. Ed Fashbaugh at Church of the Savior at 330-455-0153 or rev_ed_fashbaugh@sbcglobal.net

Thank you so much for your consideration. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated!

God Bless You,

Lee J. Nicholson

Why we’re not emergent?

I think this is a great article on emergent movement in the church.

Lee

Conversion

I had a thought stuck in my head the past few days….In a Post-Christian culture, how do you define Conversion?

In the Christian world we have become a Holy Club, Members Only, Gentleman’s club mentality. As soon as they come to the altar, we pray over them, cry with them, then we teach them the secret handshake, pat them on the back, give them their offering envelopes, and say “See ya next Sunday.”

I’m working through this as I think about becoming a Post-Christian Missionary.