It’s been exciting to see God working so strongly in emergence as we have gone deep in His word thinking about what it means for us to be Jesus’ DISCIPLE(S). We’ve had many, many responses from people who have begun to think and act differently because they now see more clearly what it means to be a follower of Jesus. I believe that at emergence we’re beginning to understand more fully God’s call to live fruitful, obedient lives and to do so together in community for the sake of the gospel - in Northern New Jersey and around the world.

One example of this is Renata Ruzsilla, who has over the years developed a passion for ministering to children in Central Europe. God has prompted her to return to Hungary this summer. She is single-handedly putting together a team to join up with a local Hungarian children’s camp ministry, and has asked me to share with you an opportunity to join her team in July. Check it out-


Ready, Set, Action!
The main theme this year at Dorcas Camp in Debrecen, Hungary is MOVIES!  Dorcas Camp will be hosting 2 teams from the US (Cedarville, Ohio and New Jersey!) to help inspire children to learn English, play sports and learn about the love of God!  So, if you enjoy creating films, film editing, are a teacher or an aspiring teacher, or love sports, come join us in HUNGARY!

We will be serving for one week at Dorcas Camp, which is run by a Christian couple, Andrea and Dani Feher. This is a sleep-away camp for children from ages 8-18 coming from various backgrounds and neighboring villages, including orphanages and gypsy children.

What will we do?
Each day will begin with devotionals and group prayer for the visiting teams. Each morning we will help the campers learn English based on the MOVIES! theme, with each group of campers producing their own movie over the course of the week. GoodSports, a local Hungarian sports ministry will provide afternoon sports activities.  So we’ll be involved all day in activities that help us build friendships with the children - many of whom have no prior experience with the gospel of Jesus. Each day we’ll end with worship and fellowship around a campfire.

The week will end with a viewing of the various movies made by the teams and holding an “Oscars” award ceremony!

What are the dates?
We will fly out Friday, July 6th and return Monday, July 16th.  We will be staying at the camp, which provides us with lodging and 3 meals a day.  The first day of camp officially begins on Sunday, July 8th.  Camp ends on Friday, July 14th and then we will have a chance to spend two days in the capital of Hungary, Budapest.

Who can come?
The trip is open to anyone college age and older. Bring your cameras, teaching skills and sports enthusiasm and come serve the people of Hungary for the sake of the Gospel and God’s glory! Matthew 28:19

For more information contact Renata here.

Much of the planning and thinking through the first baptism we would ever hold in the new building began long before we relocated to Totowa. In fact, the original intention was to hold a baptism in the new building sometime in November, with the thinking that it would be one of the first things we get the chance to do in the new space--celebrate the life that Jesus brings through the Gospel. As you know, we didn't get into the new space until a week before Christmas. This meant at the eariest, we would be looking at a baptism sometime in January. 

As plans began to come together, we decided it would be best to hold off on the baptisms until after Easter. This would give us an opportunity to plan well for remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus and then celebrate tangible resurrection together through baptism. The day was set for April 22. 

In the past, we have always held baptisms off-site in a backyard pool during the summer. It has always been one of our favorite events, but came with a few downsides. First, only about a third of the congregation ever made it out to see the baptisms. This was always a bummer, as so much of what we exist for is seen in the way God moves and changes people through Jesus. For everyone to miss these stories from the peoples' own mouths is such a loss! We wanted to make it a situation that everyone could come to be a part of. Second, having the event off-site always had its issues: loud music disturbing neghbors, clogging up roads, parking in a way that almost disables a neghborhood, the potential for rain, imposing on someone's home (even though they were always more than willing!), porta-potties, and more. But how would we hold it in the new building? 

The first question to answer was "what in the world will we use to dunk people in?" Every consideration was given to any viable suggestion. We talked about hot tubs, kiddie pools, inflatable pools, homemade creations, giant vats, old school wooden baptistries, and even more far-fetched solutions. Eventually, we gleaned a tip from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. They held a large outdoor baptism at Quest Field in Seattle last year on Easter and used a portable baptistry that seemed practical and would serve us well. We did a little more research and settled in on it--in black, of course. :-)

Meanwhile, we got to work on two other concurrent streams of work. We began working with our Creative Director, Matt Novak, to discuss the shirt design (we've always given the people being baptized shirts). We also began opening up the signups to people who were interested in being baptized. For those interested, we use wufoo.com for all of our web signup stuff, and it always serves us pretty well. The signups began to come in. That's when the fun stuff begins. We receive the signups, send out information sheets to those who request the info, and ask them for their testimonies:

"What was life like before you knew Jesus?"
"What was the unique way God worked through your life and through others to bring you to a knowledge and response to the Gospel?"
"How has life changed since trustng in Jesus' saving work to reconcile you to God?"

The responses that came in were amazing. Though we'd love to be able to share every single one, we knew we had to narrow it down for both time, and for Matt's sanity, as he and the media team would have to work to document those that were chosen to be recorded. We chose 8 different stories with 11 people total in them to record and have edited for the service, and those people met with Matt and Daniel Folgado during the two weeks before the baptism to film their stories so they could be ready for baptism Sunday. 

The week before the baptism, we held the baptism class. About 75 people showed up to hear what baptism is and isn't, as well as get a walk through of the logistics of the baptism Sunday. As part of the class, each person initialed and signed a baptism beliefs covenant, outlining the entire Gospel, and opening up the door for any questions of clarification that were necessary to ensure this was a right step for each person. 

Beginning the Monday after the class, we began putting together the final touches for the event. The baptismal was put into place. We placed large water absorption rugs/mats under the tank and to and from the dressing rooms with plastic liner underneath to protect the (still pretty much brand new!) carpeting. We finalized the plans for the dressing rooms, using stand up privacy tents backstage in women's and men's changing rooms created for the event. 

On Wednesday, we began filing the baptismal with 435 galons of water. We ran a hose from our building's management office--and our landlords, as usual, were amazing to allow us to do so. We started up the heater, which raised the temp about 1 degree an hour (to a maximum of 95 degrees at the 9am service), checked the pH levels, and began the chlorine treatment. 

During the course of the week, we personally reached out to each person being baptized to discuss what they would be comfortable sharing. In the past, there have been people who were unwilling to share because of sheer stage fright. I was amazed this year, as every single person who was baptized was not only excited to share their love for Jesus, but also was willing to speak before hundreds and hundreds of people, reggardless of their anxiety. What a testimony! 

As is usual, the Enemy was hard at work trying to thwart the work. While editing the tons of video footage, Matt and his entire family was whacked with the stomach flu. Even still, all the videos were finished, with the final video for Sunday night being edited and uploaded to the media computer on Sunday afternoon. 

Sunday morning came, and while it was craziness, it was amazing. People showed up, came to the back, changed their clothes, checked the order of baptisms, and got ready to proclaim Jesus as Lord. Even while 4 people were unable to make it to Emergence because of transportation and personal issues, 12 others decided on Sunday to spontaneously be a part of the baptisms. Those who responded were brought to the office, walked through the Gospel, confirmed in what they believed, given a shirt (and shorts... a last minute provision by Katherine Kim who ran to the store!) and then waited for their turn to be a part. 

In between services, the rugs were shop-vac'd, areas toweled dry, and the whole thing reset for another round. 

By today, the tub is drained, the liner sanitized, the rugs rolled up, the baptismal taken apart, and the stage restored to its previous conditon--until the next time we get to celebrate the baptisms of those who have been pursued by, bought by, and changed by Jesus. 

In the past few years at Emergence, nearly 200 people have been baptized, marriages have been restored, lives have been saved, people have come to better understand their role as missonaries in their world, and Jesus has been praised as the source of life countless times. When people ask us how we're doing, sometime we jokingly say "living the dream"... turns out, it really isn't a joke. What an amazing thing we all get to see and be a part of--the God of the universe, making things right. 

What an amazing year 2011 has been! As in the past, one of the prominent avenues of ministry for Emergence has been the website. Tens of thousands of sermons and songs were downloaded. 

Through the magic of the internet, we can tell you which sermons were downloaded the most. Here are the top ten sermons of 2011, as chosen by you--since you clicked em'.

Thank you for a great year on the site. Looking forward to '12.

#1. September 18, 2011 - Vision Part One: Love Jesus (Ryan)

#2. March 20, 2011 - The Question of the King (Steve)

#3. October 30, 2011 - God's Love, Our Response (Ryan)

#4. November 6, 2011 - Priests of Dung (Ryan)

#5. November 13, 2011 - Covenant Keeper (Ryan)

#6. May 15, 2011 - Hell (Ryan)

#7. October 23, 2011 - Partner, Posture, Proclaim (Ryan)

#8. October 9, 2011 - A Covenant Community (Ryan)

#9. December 4, 2011 - Hearing Well (Ryan)

#10. September 25, 2011 - Vision Part Two: Love People (Ryan)

We'd like to help them out for a few hours this Saturday:

• When:  9 am - 1 pm, this Saturday the 26th -  We'll go to lunch at The Little Food Cafe in PPlains for food and fellowship afterwards.
• Contact person:  Jeff Hull, jeff.w.hull@gmail.com,  cell 973-610-5744 - please use email first.  I'll be onsite on Brookside at the address below.
• Where?  Meet either at:

29 Brookside Ave, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444-1807 - or....

The families you served back in September right after Irene.  We'd prefer that you continue to develop those relationships whether in Pompton Lks, Wayne, Lincoln Pk, Pequannock Twp, etc.

• What will we be doing? 

You'll be assigned to a block, hopefully going back to homes we've helped out in the past, and just knocking on doors asking if you can help with the skills you have.  You might not be able to help physically, but you might assist with household organization or babysitting.

Yard clean up - cut up branches that came down in the snowstorm and clean up leaves if homeowners haven't been able to do so. Bring gloves, string; loppers, clippers, and chain saws to cut branches; blowers, gas, and leaf rakes and leaf bags.

Inside work - stock your cars with tools ready to help out with tile work, dry walling, insulation, kitchen installations, etc.  So masks, gloves, utility knives, tape measure, snap lines, drywall blades, trowels for floor adhesive, etc may be needed    Since we don't have time for assessments, just be ready to help.

Thanks,
Jeff Hull

• It is God's design to use the local church to proclaim the gospel, and display the realities of the coming Kingdom to the world. (Mt 16)
• Local churches are lead by Godly elders and Christians who identify with that local church. (Heb 13)
• The local church, proclaims God's wisdom to the world and the cosmos (Eph 3:10)

What Covenant membership is all about is as Christians in a local church, we are committed towards both identifying with that local church, and striving towards biblical obedience for the Christian. Covenant members agree to:

• The Gospel is man's only hope for Salvation
• Agreement with the doctrinal statement of Emergence
• A Covenant relationship to push towards biblical obedience

The most important thing to understand about entering covenant, is by doing so you are choosing to identify with this local church. As a local church we are committed to walking with our covenant members, loving, encouraging and spurring one another on towards love and good deeds.

We realize as imperfect people, we will have seasons where we will struggle to attain to the commitments of the covenant... in those moments our hope as a church is not to judge, condemn, or be legalistic... but rather to support, and encourage the body to continue to pursue a God who loves his children with an unsearchable love.

The most exciting thing about covenant membership is that it is, an opportunity to move your faith and walk with Jesus into a family, that wants to love and serve you and with you... to impact North Jersey for the fame of Jesus.

If you weren't in Sunday's gatherings to receive the covenant, or if you need an additional copy, you may download one here.

The window for membership is open until October 30th. You may turn your completed covenant in the box in the back of the room at Emergence through that date. Following that date, no more members will be received until the fall of 2012.

We hope that you'll consider joining as a founding member in order to place yourself into an accountable relationship with those at Emergence and formally identify yourself as someone in pursuit of Jesus with this community.

One of the core values we hold at emergence is to be "on mission." When pressed we attempt to clarify that by saying that the mission we are on is "Jesus' mission of redeeming and reconciling all things to himself." (Col. 1:15-20) And we talk about that A LOT at emergence. It's the foundation of the gospel, so we should.

Yet, it's a huge and rather vague concept, this whole idea of us being used by Jesus to redeem and reconcile 'all things' to himself, especially when you try to get down to the "so what does that mean for me?" part. It's no surprise that practically speaking many (if not most) of us have a really hard time trying to envision (much less enact) what that truly means.

I believe strongly that a big percentage of that difficulty lies in our ability to imagine. As believers we simply can't imagine ourselves as God's agents for bringing hope, healing and forgiveness to a desperate world. If we could imagine ourselves in that role (and in so doing believe the scriptures which declare that we are) we are on our way to the solution.

An acquaintance recently told me, "if you want to find out what mission God has made you passionate for ask yourself 'what, when I see it, makes me weep and pound the table and want to see a change?'" That's a great question for every person and every missional community at emergence to be asking of themselves... constantly.

So then, another big piece of the puzzle is being able to "see." The ability to see with God's perspective the world He has created, it's current state of brokenness and His sacrificial and unconditional love for it. It also really helps to "see" (and hear) the stories of those whom God is using in that way. Perhaps it's because of our cowardice, or our disobedience, or maybe just due to our shrivelled imaginations, but we seem to need stories from those who have been obedient to God and have seen Him work to move us to action. Somehow seeing and hearing stories sharpens our ability to sense God speaking to us saying, "I'd like to do that through you, too."

I received this story in an email from someone at emergence. It is powerful and inspiring - especially since the person who wrote it is not in any program or ministry emergence has manufactured to help people serve. She didn't wait on me or anyone else to help (or even suggest) her to serve. However, she is a passionate "table pounder" who wants to make a difference for Jesus.

I share her story with you for a few reasons: to inspire you to prayerful clarity and passionate embrace of your roll in Jesus' mission, to pray for the "rescued" individual, and to provide you the opportunity to connect with the author of this account. Please contact me here.

On Wednesday night I went to Paterson (in the rain) & met up with the Outreach Director and 3 gals from the Walter Hoving Home. (Garrison, NY)
We started by Rosa Parks Blvd. around 8:30 PM & wandered down Broadway, past the Good Shepherd Mission and wound up by the Library.
We had spoken to 2 women on the street, when this gal with a broken umbrella started to walk by us.
Rebecca (the Outreach Director) asked her her name and that started the whole series of events.

"Jane" (not her real name) started crying and told us that she was homeless.
She had been on the streets for 4 days and was wearing clothes that someone had given to her.
She was in a bad way physically.
Her husband had just been sent to jail for a LONG time....she hadn't eaten in 3 days and she was scared.
She is in her 30's and struggling with multiple physical, mental and emotional issues on top of some addictions.
She also has children, somewhere.....
She had $3 on her and her plan was to go buy herself one last drink and then kill herself.
Rebecca, another gal currently in the program, and myself just started talking truth to her and telling her about the Home and how God loves her.
We got her to go up the steps of the Library to the entrance area and out of the rain where we did the majority of the counseling.
She prayed with us and then said that she had "some things she needed to attend to first; then she would call the Home hotline #."
(very typical - they don't want to leave what they know, even if it's really bad.)
We watched her go down the steps and the gals both said "Oh, we were soooooooo close" (to getting her to come back with them)
"Jane" did say she might "change her mind" so we told her we would be out walking around for a while in case she had a change of heart.
As she got down to the sidewalk, I don't even think she took 2 steps when she turned right around and came back up to where we were still standing and said "I need help and I need it now."
Praise God!
We just kept hugging her and telling her it would be OK.
They kept showing her the brochure with the pictures of the Home and all that is available there for the women in the program.
I kept telling her that God loves her, that He wants her to have her life back, that He wants to give her hope, that He has a plan for her life & that we all come to God on our knees...broken and humbled...so true!
She did tell us that she has an Aunt who wanted her to go to a Christian rehab...well THERE was a prayer answered!!!
Rebecca made the intake call, they spoke to her right then and there, took her info, and one of the gals from the Home volunteered to be her "Big Sister."
Everything was approved, so we just praised God, in the RAIN, and started to walk back to the van.
She was thirsty, so I got her a Dr. Pepper and then we went to our vans.
I had made a dozen muffins for them to enjoy on the way back to the Home (quite a drive).
I was glad at least she would have something to eat.
Meanwhile they were busy @ the Home prepping for her arrival.
She was given the bunk underneath where her Big Sister sleeps.
It was completely amazing watching her get into the van and go off with the 4 gals from the Home.
It was 9:30.
We had been out on Broadway for an hour.
I cried tears of joy all the way home, arriving soggy from the rain and from my tears....ALL GOOD!!!
I had prayed beforehand that God would give us just one girl or woman that night and HE DID!
What a night!
Another lamb was rescued from the mouth of the lion, snatched from the fire.
This is God's calling for all of us: to rescue the perishing and care for the dying.
Jesus is amazing!

Later tonight we are going to the celebration party to conclude the big volunteer week. I'm quite sure my friend will be there. Now that I have had a few hours to think about our experience together, I want to tell him to continue looking for Jesus. And not just a picture of Him - the real One.

I want to tell him that just like in the worship station where he didn't see Him at first,  he has already been looking at Jesus this whole week. He has seen an imperfect reflection of the heart of Jesus. He has seen Jesus' hands and feet. And he has seen the body of Jesus at work.

I want to tell him to keep pursuing Jesus.  To keep looking intently at His body and seeking Him in His Word.

Because in that very Word He promises to reward those who seek him.

Today, we were sent an update from Nate Dorka. He's one of the team embers in Brussels, and he also happens to be a member of the Rwanda team. He flew straight from Africa to Brussels to join the crew.

Enjoy his thoughts below. We'll get more updates from the team soon!

In my experience, One thing that can always be expected when serving outside your normal context is that God will bring glory to Himself in a way you haven’t seen before.
Kaitlyn and I recently left Rwanda and met up with a handful of Emergence folk in Brussels. In Rwanda we were partnering with our friends at Hope for a Thousand Hills (hopeforathousandhills.org) in the process of building into the community of a coffee plantation in Cymbili that was destroyed during the 94’ Genocide. We helped teach English to primary students, played soccer (futbol) with secondary students, sang songs with hundreds of folks, and everything else in between. These were all things I hoped and planned to experience.

Here in Brussels I hoped and planned to serve “the least of these”… the widow and the orphan.

Yesterday a handful of us found ourselves at a place called the Rafael Center, a Catholic run facility that houses a good amount of families, and charges them only what they can afford to pay as rent. There are two women there that work the kitchen… a 75 year old woman, and the very unique, energetic (understatement) (did I mention understatement?) Gertrude who is no spring chicken herself.

Gertrude is the kitchen equivalent of the comic book hero “The Flash”. She does  23,345 things at a time, and doesn’t stop for a moment. Gertrude had Mike K and myself prepping food for 300 families that come every so often to pick up enough food to feed their families for a week or two. On top of feeding those in need, Gertrude and her senior-side-kick feed 40-50 other mouths daily.

The Rafael Center, like most buildings in Brussels, is quite old, and the electricity recently went out in half of the kitchen. So when we were finished prepping the food, Gertrude asked if we would be willing to help her organize some of the 20+ freezes so the food wouldn’t spoil. So we, along with others that joined us, shifted all the food around; which not only saved the food, but made Gertrude’s life much easier with all the scattered food now sorted.
Here’s the kicker
Gertrude’s partner is planning on going on vacation for the next two weeks. Apparently the two usually holiday at the same time, but because of the power crisis at the center Gertrude was expecting to spend the next two weeks doing what our team did in the two previous hours. She told us “If it wasn’t for your help, I wouldn’t have had a vacation at all this year.”

We were sent here to serve Gertrude.

That was a very humbling realization. I’ve noticed that we can often look for the BIG, EXCITING, SEXY time, place, and situation to serve. That we need to get that picture that just WOWs everyone… I think that couldn’t be any further from the heart of Jesus. He ate with the poor. He washed the feet of the people who didn’t deserve it. He put himself in a social position below the lowest of the low.

He didn’t seek the big, exciting thing, but rather to serve those in need when a situation presented itself.

We’ve got to do a lot more of that.

On June 30th emergence is sending a team of dynamic leaders to Brussels, Belgium.

As the de facto capital of the European Union and NATO, Brussels is a huge and influential melting pot of culture. People are drawn to the city from everywhere around the globe. Some come as diplomats, politicians and bankers. Many others are drawn from North Africa and the Middle East as refugees from oppression or violence (i.e. Libya and Afghanistan) - often to seek political asylum. It is another of those cities we at emergence call "culturally upstream" (like New York) where decisions, culture and trends flow out of Brussels to impact the rest of Europe.

As with most of Europe, Brussels has very little evangelical gospel witness. Most people have minimal exposure to the truth of Jesus. And most of what they do know about "church" and "christianity" is tarnished by hundreds of years of bloody conflict between warring christians. As a result the church has lost it's voice in European culture; most people give no thought at all to Jesus, much less His love, grace and forgiveness.

Though small in number, some churches in Brussels are on mission to change that.

We will be joining them along with other visiting volunteers from around Europe, South Africa and the US to participate in “Serve the City Big Volunteer Week.”  It’s a gathering of hundreds of people who will descend on Brussels with the aim of helping the needy, caring for the elderly, feeding the homeless, etc. - sharing God’s unconditional love in word and deed - with everyone we meet. It is a tangible way to begin demonstrating the goodness of God's kingdom for all to see.

In addition, Serve the City openly invites local non church-going residents to serve with us. In this way we not only bless those we serve, but more importantly we connect both those in need and those who meet needs to our friends in the local churches of Brussels. Over time, those connecting relationships can and do bear fruit for the gospel.

Our goal is to help our team of leaders learn new ways to see and hear people. To know their needs, to begin wrestling with how to meet them - and to bring that learning home to powerful gospel impact in our local communities.

In order to accomplish this we need support. We need your prayers and we require financial resources. There are seven on our team and the cost for our trip is approximately $2400 per person.

If you would like to support the team financially you can make a donation through paypal or send a check (payable to Jacksonville Chapel) to:

Brussels STC Trip
c/o Emergence
264 Jacksonville Rd.
Lincoln Park, NJ 07035

And please remember to pray for the safety and effectiveness of our team! We fly to Brussels on June 30th and return July 12th. Thanks!

Before I jump into the latest updates, it would be good to let you know this: if you want the absolute latest news and info, including videos of progress and last minute changes to anything at Emergence, check out the Emergence Facebook Page. If you're not connected there, you're missing a lot...

With that said, here's some of what you may have missed.

In March, we showed you the latest updates to the Reaching Further Campaign, including the first look inside the new building. Back then, there were still walls to be taken down and prep work to be done before construction. If you didn't get a chance to see it, check it out below:

for those viewing this on the iPhone, iPad or Android App, click here.

By the time April rolled around, we began to see some major progress being made. The demolition was done, and there was a large demising wall put up to mark the boundary of our unit. Utilities were separated, and the way was paved for building to begin!

iPhone, iPad and Android link

When we got to May, things started to be framed out, and the areas were all laid out so you can start to see how much space is in each area. This was the groundwork for sheetrock to be hung and this whole thing start to take shape.

iPhone, iPad and Android link

The latest update is from this week. Sheetrock is beginning to go up. the walls of the kid's ministry area (eTown) are starting to go up, and plumbing is being prepared to add sinks to the nursery and other spots. This 3 year long process is seeing some fruit!

iPhone, iPad and Android link

As always, if you have any questions about the relocation, the buildout, or anything else, you can drop us an email, post it on the Facebook page wall, or even add a question to the building FAQ page.

More updates to come!

Below, you can see the full 16 minute update. Check it out! More updates to come!

We've been looking forward to sharing this with you for a while. At Emergence, we have always tried to get the message out in whatever way we can. We also have tried over the years to make sure everyone at Emergence can get some key tools to use as you pursue Jesus throughout the week.

That's why we're super excited to share with you that Emergence has just released a brand new iPhone app!

Many of you may remember when the iPhone first debuted Emergence had an app in the app store, but it was not much more than a place to get links to the website. It was, however, a step forward in mobile computing for us. Since then, we introduced a mobile webapp, which can still be found at m.emergencenj.org if you head there from your internet-enabled cell phone.

Even with those options, we still weren't thrilled. So, we got to work on finding a better solution.

Not long ago, a church whose media we listen to--Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington--released a new iPhone app. It didn't take long for us to realize this is the solution we were hoping for. We got a hold of the people who designed the Mars Hill app--Subsplash Consulting--and began a relationship that has resulted in the new app! 

Here's a tour through the functionality of the application:

	When you start up the app, you'll see this screen. It's just a nice reminder of what it's all about.
You'll see a number of tabs at the bottom of the app. From here, you'll be able to launch the different features. For instance, if you hit "sermons", it will take you to a list of the most recent sermons.
	You can also sort by series under the sermons tab by clicking the top button. Here, for instance, is our latest series. Once you click a sermon, you'll also be able to see the Bible passage directly inside the app so you can follow along while you listen.
If you head to the music tab, you'll see a list of all of the most recent Emergence Band recordings posted.
	Once you touch a song name, you'll be taken to the now playing page, where your selected audio will play.
If you click the blogs tab, you'll be able to see the latest blog posts, like the one you're reading now. The blogs are not yet perfectly formatted for iPhone, but we're working on it!
	Click the events tab, and you'll see upcoming events and be able to get all the info you need to be a part of it.
When you click an event, you'll see the details and even be able to share the details of the event on Facebook or Twitter--or via email.
	If you want to share any content in the app on Facebook, just connect with your account and you're ready to go!
On the more tab, you'll find maps, a link for online giving, an announcement button, as well as a twitter and facebook button.
	If you click the map button, you'll see a google map overlay of where we are located now, and the new building. You can even get directions directly to either spot from when you are and use your GPS to find us!
From the more tab, you can also check out the Emergence Facebook page and friend us directly from the app. If you're logged into Facebook, you can post on the wall and interact with others.
	We give twitter some love in the app, too. You can check out the latest tweets and follow directly from the app, as well.
Another cool feature of the app is that you can download sermons and songs to your iPhone for offline listening. That way, no matter where you are, you can catch a tune, or pick up where you left off in the sermon!
	The app is multitasking enabled! Want to listen to a song or sermon while browsing the web or checking your email? The audio will continue running in the background even when you head back to the home screen.

So, there's the news!

The app is available right now inside the App Store. You can download it for your iPhone, or iPod touch--and of course, it's free.

Click the button below to be taken to the App, or you can search for "EmergenceNJ" in iTunes! Happy Apping.

I've spent many a season in churches where a critical spirit is the general disposition.

Music is always one of the targets--but missiles are also aimed at other places: the clothes people wear, the room decorations, the color of the carpet, and pretty much anything else you could think of.

The typical transmitter of constant complaints is usually the same type of churchgoer: the kind who believes that his/her spiritual gift is making critical statements... and is usually a person who is not contributing--not serving, giving, or practicing biblical community. When a person gives him/herself to the work of Jesus, they usually don't have the time to worry about silly things. Their own preference starts to matter less as the preference of our missional Savior consumes them.

It makes me think of a great quote by Theodore Roosevelt:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."  -Theodore Roosevelt, The Man in the Arena, 1910.

While I love the heart of the quote (if you're on mission, you get the privilege of being a part of the work--experiencing the work first-hand. If you stand on the outside, launching grenades at those in the arena, it doesn't count), the one piece I'd change is who gets the credit. The difference is this: the one truly in the arena... the one truly at work... is Jesus. We just get to be used by Him. 

I'm so thankful for the many people making themselves available to God for His use--the

people who set up the room each Sunday... the people who serve the coffee I know I very much appreciate each week... the people who arrive at 7:30am to make sure the equipment is ready to go (and the people who leave at 8pm to make sure it is all put away)... the people who give of their time and their hearts to pray with people after each service...and so many others. Not only would Emergence not exist without them, but they have made a choice to spend their efforts and their time being a part of the solution--not simply standing on the sidelines pointing out problems.

Instead of complaining of overcrowding, some have moved to the 9am service to free up space. Instead of groaning about the lack of a small group community near them, some people have volunteered to host or lead the first one in their neighborhood. Instead of complaining about the music volume, some of our people who love being on mission wear earplugs. Instead of simply coming to "church" and sitting on the sidelines, many people have put their hand in the middle and started being the Church--serving Jesus, who leads us.

One thing to know--our door is always open. Sharing insights or offering concern does not mean you are a complainer. We'd love to learn from the things you see and hear. Your thoughts and suggestions have helped to shape this community. The way to best shape it, however, is to put your hand in the middle and become an integral part of it.

If there was ever a time to join in, it is now. With an exciting missional step of relocation on the way, a momentum in ministry provided by God's movement, and new ways to serve Jesus getting underway (children's ministry, welcome team, facility team, etc), there's room at the table for everyone.

People laying it all down and trusting that God will use them to make a difference--it's another one of the things I love about what Jesus is doing at Emergence.

2010 was a great year! We saw God do some amazing things at Emergence. One of the ways He has been growing this place is through the web site. This year, there were over 43,000 visits to the site, accessing over 90,000 pages. The visitors represented over 40 countries, and every state in the US. Tens of thousands of sermons were downloaded and/or streamed from the site.

Through the magic of the internet, we can tell you which sermons were downloaded the most. Here are the top ten sermons of 2010, as chosen by you--since you clicked em'.

Thank you for a great year on the site. Looking forward to '11.

#1. January 31, 2010 - The Big Pink Elephant in the Room (Ryan)

#2. March 14, 2010 - The Father's Story (Steve)

#3. May 9, 2010 - Mother's Day (Ryan)

#4. September 19, 2010 - Idolatry: Love Exchange (Ryan)

#5. September 12, 2010 - Idolatry: Part One (Ryan)

#6. September 26, 2010 - Idolatry: Pragmatic Economics (Ryan)

#7. March 7, 2010 - The Young Son's Story (Ryan)

#8. January 24, 2010 - Widows & Honor (Ryan)

#9. February 14, 2010 - An Active Faith (Ryan)

#10. September 5, 2010 - Rome at Last (Steve)

There are a few reasons that I've seen. First, we've grown increasingly weary of the consumerism associated with this holiday. We've seen the $450 billion that America spends on Christmas gifts. And for many of us it feels empty and vain.

Throw into that the fact that $12.5 billion could provide access to clean drinking water for the 1 billion people in the world who are dying because of this lack of water, and you have something to be jaded about.

Another reason has something to do with children's development. From the time children are born until the time they enter the first grade, their worldview is driven by wonder. There's a sense of awe at the world around them. Christmas naturally feeds into this sense. The "magic," the bright lights, the large number of people that tend to show up, the "newness" of it all—this plays very well into young children's sense of wonder and awe.

As children go through elementary, a new sense begins to drive their worldview: discovery. They discover the story behind Christmas, the reason for all this celebration, and the power and truth in this story. They discover who Jesus is and why we celebrate his advent.

But as children grow into middle and high school, we fail to transition to what's now shaping their worldview: passion. We remain in "discovery mode" and continue to remind them of why we're celebrating Christmas.

What they need is to see how they fit into the Christmas story. What they need is to see that there is something they can be passionate about at this time of year. What they need is to know that there's purpose behind the Christmas story.

Just as Christ came with a purpose, a mission, so we can have a mission at Christmas. He came to save the world and restore all to his Father, and as his ambassadors and heralds of his gospel, we too must do the same.

As your children grow into middle and high school, perhaps it's time to change what Christmas is about at your home. If your children can recite Luke 2 in NIV, KJV, and ESV, maybe it's time to give them something to be passionate about.

What that looks like will be up to you. Maybe it's providing a Christmas dinner for a neighboring family that can't afford a nice dinner. Maybe it's buying Christmas gifts for children who are stuck in a hospital over the holiday. Maybe it's funding a well for a village that has no access to clean water.

Christ came so that we could "have life and have it abundantly" (Jn 10.10). Perhaps one way we can be Christ's body (as Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Corinth) is by living in such a way that those around us can have "abundant moments"—moments where the hardships in their lives are overshadowed by our willingness to love.

Perhaps, in a small way, this could help bring us back to a Christmas we can be excited about.

I'm finding that this year I'm getting a bit more into the Christmas spirit, and looking forward to singing out songs of Jesus' coming with the Emergence community. Those that know me know this is a departure, as Christmas music normally irks me. Don't judge me. God's still working on me (besides... "little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes"? that's just silly. He was a baby. He cried. ok. I'm done)

As such, here are a couple of past recordings of the Emergence Band playing Christmas tunes. Listening to them brought back some good memories. Check it out--and beginning this week, you'll start getting the Christmas flavor at Emergence!

PS - as you listen, compare the recordings to the most recent recordings--you'll appreciate all the work our tech team has put into improving our recording system for the web!

As promised, we have been working on opportunities to engage in being Christ to some people this Christmas.

Service does not equal bringing the good news of Jesus to the world--it does, however, illustrate that the Gospel isn't just something intellectual--the Gospel transforms. Serving people is evidence of that transformation. It also shows the world a tiny piece of the selflessness that Christ exhibited. What better time to show that than at Christmas?

• Interfaith Homeless Shelter Hosted by our own Shelter Care Team in the Gym at the Crossroads Campus from December 12-19. If you're interested in serving there during this time, please contact Christie Vanaria (cvanaria@optonline.net).

• Loaves & Fishes Christmas Gift – Gifts for children of families assisted by the Chapel’s Benevolence Ministry. If interested in contributing, contact Kathy Petonak (kathy@jacksonvillechapel.org) by December 10th!

• Christmas Day Outreach in Newark - Join with others from the Chapel on Christmas morning at Penn Station in Newark, NJ to hand out gift bags for those in need. The group will leave from the Lincoln Park parking lotpromptly at 7:00am and return by 11:00am. For more information, contact Kathy Petonak (kathy@jacksonvillechapel.org).

• An Urgent Need - A family is in need of some emergency roof work done on their home. The problem is severe. If you or someone you know has experience/skills in roof work, or even if you can help by funding part of the work, please let us know. You can contact Steve (steve@jacksonvillechapel.org).

• A Personal Plea for help in Ethiopia - One of the couples from Emergence is leaving in a month to meet the son they will be adopting! It's an extremely exciting time. These government run orphanages in Ethiopia rely on the donations of traveling families to provide all they need for the children--because shipping is too expensive and many things they need are not available in Ethiopia. If you can help, please contribute one or more items below, or simply donate the funds so they can be purchased!
  
  If you would like to help, please contact Jim at j.burt17@gmail.com
  
  DONATION LIST FOR HANNAH'S HOPE ORPHANAGE, ETHIOPIA- (items with ** are especially needed.):
  Infant formula (all kinds)**
  Diapers** 
  Toys for 0-18 month old kids….lots of them!  Things that make noise and are engaging, like rattles, mobiles, etc** 
  clothes and shoes for older, elementary age children- no shorts
  Bottles  (Avent brand is best.)
  Body soaps for older kids
  Paper towels (20-30 rolls)
  Rice cereals
  Towels
  Notebooks
  Laptop computer, new or used
  Men shirts, long or shortsleeved
  Sunglasses for men and women, with UV, 7-10 pairs (the special mothers take the kids outside for sun and they could use them, I am sure)
  Adult-sized slippers (they wear them in the house, no shoes in the houses!)
  All sizes of scrubs for the special mothers
  Organic flaxseed, unground, they grind there and supplement for kids over 5 months in food
  Infant Liquid Vitamins
  Infant Chest Rubs (for colds)
  Powdered Probiotics for kids
  MEDS:
  Hydrocortisone
  Permetrin
  Mupirocin
  Clotrimazol
  Ceftriaxone (250 mg) **
  Miconazole (oral gel) **
  Hyoscine (antispasmodic) **
  Sulbutamol (bronchodilator) **
  Cannula **
  Vitamin D Syrup **
  Powdered Pedialyte (that can be used for all ages of children including infants) **

Authenticity.

It's become one of the newest buzzwords in the Church. I feel like it's on the verge of losing its meaning, if it hasn't already. So I want to try to revitalize the word a little bit.

Churches often claim to value authenticity, but there's still an unwillingness to see that authenticity is a two-way street. It's important for those attending a church to be authentic and open—particularly in the small-group setting—in order to obtain any real benefit from being in that community.

But that's not easy to do, especially since churches have a history of being judgmental and even ostracizing broken people.

To their credit, church leaders are beginning to see how important it is to create a safe place for people to be authentic, open, and honest about their shortcomings, failures, and sins. Because in order to heal, people need to acknowledge their brokenness.

And in order to acknowledge their brokenness, people need a safe place to be honest.

But I would argue that churches need to go one step further than simply creating a safe environment—one step further than just not being judgmental.

Churches need to be authentic.

If we're going to expect people to be authentic, we need to give them the gift of going second. What do I mean by that? Simply put, we as a church need to be authentic first. We need to be real with people about our brokenness. We need to be honest about the fact that we've messed up. We need to be open about our own sin.

It's funny how acknowledging our brokenness allows us the opportunity to love people even better. We can love people better because we see that everyone's in the same boat; we're all broken, messed up people in need of saving. And we can love Jesus better because we're reminded of what He saved us from and what He continues to save us from.

In The Message paraphrase of the Bible, James is translated as saying the following: "Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world."

I would argue that the "homeless and loveless" would include those that have been spurned by the Church. They've messed up. They've sinned. And we've turned them away because of it. So they go from community to community hoping to find healing but never being healed because they're afraid to be authentic.

And authenticity is the first step to healing.

The Church is also in need of healing. The Church has given in to pride, arrogance, and a false belief that we are somehow the gatekeepers to the throne room of God.

And if we as a church can be authentic, we can find healing too.

My favorite band wrote a song called "Pins and Needles." In it, the lead singer writes these words: "I'm growing fond of broken people, as I see that I am one of them."

Do we want to be better lovers of the "homeless and loveless"? Then let's be honest with ourselves and admit that we too have sinned.

In much the same way I think our present culture also affects our understanding of spiritual fruit, beginning with the spiritual equivalent of "where do apples come from?" The question is, "where does spiritual fruit come from?" The answer is God, but not in the way that most of us understand it. Typically when we find ourselves lacking fruit (can you say patience?), we feel guilty and head to the spiritual produce aisle. We think that we can just call the produce manager, God, and presto! sink our teeth into some fresh, juicy patience.

John chapter 15 contradicts the spiritual supermarket point of view:

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 15:1-8 NASB

In this passage Jesus describes himself as "the true vine" and promises that any and all fruit we bear will only come from "abiding" in Him. Deep connection to "the vine" fills the branches with life-giving nourishment, prompting them to blossom.

He also promises that there will be no fruit borne by broken-off branches. Once a branch is snapped from a tree it immediately begins to wither and die, because the nutrient flow is interrupted.

God the Father is responsible to groom the orchard, clipping and shaping us to bear maximum fruit. Those who know agriculture know that often the trees that bear the most fruit are those that have been pruned the "hardest." Often the best and most plentiful harvest comes from the most disfigured trees.

If we understand that we can't bear fruit without abiding in the vine, the obvious question becomes "what is abiding?" The answer is found near the end of the above quote where Jesus said, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." Elsewhere in the passage He said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you..."

In other words, abiding means "living in obedience to Jesus." Not to earn anything, for "you are already clean because of the word which I (Jesus) have spoken to you." (v3) Rather, in order to bring glory to the Father and to live in the fullness of His joy.

Thus the depth of our abiding is directly related to the measure of our obeying. It’s only through the seasons of faith – testing, hardship, temptation, celebration, etc. - in other words the surrenderred life actively on mission - that our obedience is forged and the tender blossoms of fruit are formed.

Fortunately, learning to obey, learning to abide is also part of the growth process.


A number of you said you wanted to hear it but couldn't make it. If that's you, here is the audio, as well as a clip he showed during the presentation.

PLEASE NOTE: in an effort to make sure you can hear the comments and questions of those in attendance, we have edited the audio to raise the volume during the interaction, Please be aware that the level of the audio will rise and fall during the interaction.

Click here to hear the audio  Download

Here is the clip he played near the beginning:

We love to bring in our friends who are "experts" in specific areas. Hope it's beneficial to you, as well!