PR's Rant

This Sunday & A Promised Link!

2011-10-28T12:17:00.001-04:00

The past several weeks at Element Church, we have been immersed in the "Storytellers" Series, and we have been hearing stories that have been incredibly inspiring. The stories have told of the "highs & lows" of life, and as each person has shared, it has been clear that what has brought them through each situation has been their relationship with a God who loves them.

As each person has shared, we have highlighted a different discipline that strong Christ-followers need to have invested in their life. The themes, and some of the teaching and inspiration has come from a book called, "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard J. Foster.

If you are interested in diving in deeper into this study, let me encourage you to order this book. Some of the best prices on the book that I have found have been at Amazon.com.

Here is a link:

This Sunday at Element Church, we will be continuing this series by hearing some brief stories of our baptism candidates. Baptism Sunday is one of the absolute BEST Sundays of the year, and I PROMISE...you will not want to miss it! Right now, we have 4 people signed-up for baptism, but if you are interested in joining them and want the world to know what a change God has made in you, it is not too late! Send me a quick email at richj@theelementchurch.com and I will get you all of the info you need.

Looking forward to a GREAT SUNDAY with you all!

Loving this

2011-09-28T09:15:00.001-04:00

Not a long post today, but I wanted to give some props to Switchfoot for their new CD. I've only been listening to it for a couple of days, but it seems that every time I turn on the recording, I find another new favorite song! This morning I was listening to the opening track, "Afterlife" and it challenged me in a couple of ways. Check out these lyrics:

"Afterlife" - Switchfoot
I’ve tasted fire I’m ready to come alive
I can’t just shut it up and fake that I’m alright
I’m ready now
I’m not waiting for the afterlife

Let it burn the way the sunlight burns my skin
The way I feel inside, the way the day begins
I’m ready now
I’m not waiting for the other side cause…

- Chorus –
Everyday
The world is made
A chance to change
But I feel the same
And I wonder why
would I wait till I die
to come alive?
I’m ready now
I’m not waiting for the afterlife
I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
Forever now
I still believe in us together
You and I we’re here together now
Forever now
Forever now
Or never now

Everyday
A choice is made
Everyday
I choose my fate
And I wonder why
Would I wait till I die
to come alive?
to come alive
Everyday
Everyday
I still feel the same
I’m ready now
I’m not waiting for the afterlife
I’m ready now
I’m ready now

I love that on the opening track, the band declares their life's goal of not waiting for the afterlife to begin living! What a great thing to remember as this day begins, that TODAY, RIGHT NOW is the time to make up your mind about eternity. Quit living your life as though you have the rest of your days to decide to make that choice. Remember how precious every breath of this life really is, and the CHOOSE to live it to the fullest FOR GOD!

The other thought I had was that at this point in their career, Switchfoot has the attention of the world any time they release a recording. As Christians who perform music, they could just make music that speaks to life, love, and daily struggles and just go soft on the personal decisions they have made to follow Jesus. BUT THEY DIDN'T! The album is blatantly full of their faith and I personally applaud that decision to speak boldly!

This is definitely a recording to add to your collection, but more than that, PRAY for Switchfoot as they tour, and pray that God will give them great influence as they speak during interviews. Pray that their music will have great influence on our culture as people, Christ-followers & others, check out their sound and download such a positive message.

Oh yeah...one more thing I almost neglected to mention. The music definitely ROCKS!

Check them out on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/vice-verses/id450987801

A Movie Worth Seeing

2011-09-27T16:56:00.002-04:00

To be honest with you, most movies that I have see that were produced by Christian companies have left me feeling as though they were pretty lame. While I appreciate the efforts of the writers to put together a story that is compelling, as well as full of the hope of the Gospel, the movies usually come up pretty short either in the storyline or the production value. Therefore, most of them have been somewhat hard to really feel good about inviting friends to who don't already share my beliefs as a Christ-follower.

The movie I want to tell you about right now, however, breaks through that mold. "Courageous", which opens nationwide in theaters this weekend, is a movie I intend on promoting as greatly as I am able. Sure, there are a couple of moments where I wish the story was told differently, but overall the story is engaging, exciting, and a huge leap forward for movies with a Christ-centered message. I saw the movie at an early screening, and everyone in the room had their eyes glued to the screen for the duration of the film.

Although the film sports a PG-13 rating, mainly for scenes of police violence, I had no issue at all having my 10 year-old & 16 year-old daughters attend the screening with me. The violence was not graphic, and did seem that it was necessary to tell the story. However it seemed no worse than many of the police dramas on network television.

Lastly, I want to encourage you to go because as most of the readers of my blog would agree, we need more quality, family-friendly films to choose from in the future. Hollywood is listening to communities of faith, and the more that we continue to affirm their decision to produce and distribute family-friendly films like this, the more they will produce.

Check out the movie trailer below:

If you are interested in going to the movie this Sunday night, some people from Element Church will be going to the 7:30 PM showing at Lowe's AMC at the Waterfront on Sunday, October 2. Let me know via email (richj@theelementchurch.com) if you're interested in joining us!

You're Gifted!

2011-09-26T19:30:00.001-04:00

Yesterday at Element Church we talked a lot about friendship, about choosing the right friends, as well as being a great friend to others. We also said that one of the characteristics of a great friend is that they recognize the spiritual gifts that you have, and that they validate those gifts.

In an effort to help many of you at Element Church who are interested in being used by God, but are yet unaware of how God has gifted you, I promised to post a link to a resource that will help you in your discovery process.

Here's the link: SPIRITUAL GIFTS TEST

After you take the test, I would like to encourage you to share them with us, so we can help you to discover a place that you could be involved at Element Church or wherever God wants to use you. You can print off the test results and share them with us when you come to church, or you can save them as a .pdf file and email them to us. Either way, we would LOVE to help you find a place of serving others and we would love to encourage you to grow in the areas God has gifted you!

After you take the test, email the results to mikey@theelementchurch.com or show a copy of them to Mike Yusko on Sunday.

Looking forward to learning about how YOU are GIFTED!!!

Equip Conference Resources

2011-09-26T18:02:00.005-04:00

If you were in my sessions at the Equip Conference on Saturday in Monroeville, I promised in the youth seminars to post some youth ministry tools on this site. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a way to upload them to this blog page because this blog doesn't have the ability to host the files.

So, if you are interested in the resources, simply email me here: richj@theelementchurch.com, I will send you a folder containing all of the files.

Thanks for checking in, and let me know if I can ever do anything to help you as you minister to students!

- Rich

Equip Conference, Monroeville

2011-09-24T18:18:00.001-04:00

Please check back tomorrow or Monday for the information I promised at the Equip Conference today. I do not have the time to post today, but I will get the info & downloads to you asap. Thanks!

- Rich

A Miracle Story...

2011-08-12T18:49:00.005-04:00

One of the things I love the most is when you can see a life that has been completely changed by God. Over the past two years, this is something that I have watched happen countless times in the lives of the people at Element Church. How awesome it is that God gives us the opportunity to be used in HIS work! It is not something that we can ever take credit for, but the credit all goes back to Him. It is cool, however, when God gives us a part in the grand performance that he plays out in the lives of others.

About a year ago, Patty came to Element Church one Sunday morning. She had reluctantly poked her head in the door, hoping to see what it was like, but was caught peeking by one of our greeting team, Fran. Fran happened to know Patty from when they had worked together at a local restaurant, and welcomed Patty into the building. Patty hesitantly stayed, and that morning she encountered the love and forgiveness of God. Many others that morning reached out to make Patty feel welcome, and after the service, Patty shared with me her struggle and addiction to heroin.

We talked about some options to help her break free from the addiction, and Patty said she would think about entering the Women's Home at Pittsburgh City Outreach. I called that day to see if there might be availability for Patty. Pastor Brian Bolt at PCO was able to find a bed for her, and God used PCO and all of the great people at the Women's home to transform her life into a miracle.

Check out this video detailing Patty's transformation:

Are YOU "ALL IN???"

2011-04-20T11:11:00.000-04:00

I'm not much of a gambler, but it's hard not to catch on with some of the terms that people who are into the poker craze these days. The term, "ALL IN" is something we hear all the time. People say it in relation to all sorts of areas, but they use it most often when they are describing how important something in their lives is. They use it to speak of their complete commitment to some action or ideal.

Usually when someone goes "ALL IN" in playing poker, they are so certain that their hand will win, that they are willing to risk everything for the big win in one shot. They place their cards face-down on the table, and push all of their chips into the middle of the table in an all-or-nothing move to gain all, and in some cases to win the game. It's the ultimate move for people with a great opportunity.

But, let me ask you a question.

Is there ANYTHING in life worth being more "ALL IN" about than the opportunity to introduce your friends to God?

I think that sometimes we over-emphasize the fear associated with taking the risk involved in asking someone to come to church with you, or even bringing up matters of faith. Sure, they might say no when you ask them, but really...is that the worst thing that could happen? Not to minimize the anxiety you might feel, but is it really worth it when you consider the benefits of stepping out and taking the risk of inviting someone this Sunday?

Think about what a great experience you have had in life since turning your life over to God. Do you remember how incredibly freeing that very first moment was when you asked Jesus to forgive your sins? Do you remember giving all of the guilt of your past to Him, and walking out of church (or wherever you were that day) knowing that your past mistakes were just that...in the past? Isn't it amazing to know that since you have connected to God that you have a family of people who will stand with you in the hard times? Can't you think of at least one person in your life that needs to know and feel that way, too?

Then I have an opportunity for you that you just CAN NOT PASS UP!

This Sunday, almost everyone is thinking about going to church.

It's true. They might not actually go, but almost everyone is thinking about it. They usually think about it, but then decide not to go, because of one reason or another. They might not want to risk going and being ignored at the church they have visited before. They might not want to deal with the guilt they feel. They might not even want to go because the last time they went to church they were so incredibly bored, they never want to sit through that again! Whatever the case, though, they ARE thinking about it.

This is where our opportunity lies. What if you and I were to take our hand and put it onto the table, and gather all of our chips, and slowly push them to the center of the table in an action of going "ALL IN" with our attempts at inviting people to Element Church this Sunday? Could you imagine what might happen? Could you imagine that neighbor of yours starting a new life with God? Could you imagine your husband, son, aunt or other family member finally finding the peace that they have been searching for? Could you see your boss at work or another coworker actually begin to change as they begin to live their lives in a God-honoring way, all because you went "ALL IN" and invited them to church on Easter 2011?

It's going to happen like that for people who take the risk and invite people this Sunday. I promise you this...church this Sunday is going to be a SURE THING. We work hard every week to have an engaging program to help you connect with and grow toward God. But THIS SUNDAY, Easter Sunday, will have an incredible impact on all who attend. If you go "ALL IN" in getting people to church, both you and they will not be disappointed. We WILL see the miracle of people coming to Jesus. We WILL experience the power & presence of Jesus, not in a "weird" way, but in a very REAL & down-to-earth way that we always do at Element Church. This Sunday is going to be AWESOME.

So...will you join me? Will you lay down your hand? Will you push the chips into the center of the table? Will you go all in & invite EVERYONE you see to Element Church this Sunday?

I'm doing it. I'm dialing my friend Mark right now. (412) 951-XXXX.

Random Thoughts

2011-04-11T08:00:00.005-04:00

In an effort to be more consistent with my blogging, I am going to start a format of posting that I've always enjoyed reading on other people's blogs: some type of "random thoughts" posts. Here goes!

In case you don't already know, I'm pretty pumped that baseball is back. I don't obsess over it, but I do love to go to the ball park, and I love the beginning of the season where it feels like every team has a shot at winning.
It was sad to me to say goodbye to Billy Chester today. (He's moving to Sweden soon, but moving home to be with family before he goes.) I really appreciate all he has invested in helping us start Element Church. God bless you, bro!
Jacki (our 10 year-old) is playing softball this year. I am one of her assistant coaches. It gives us some great time together, and it gives me another way to get to know people in the community. Jacki is going to be a slugger!
We stayed to the very end of the Pirates game on Friday night. Bucs won in the bottom of the 14th, but it was so COLD! Great ending, and it was fun hanging out with everyone from Element & a couple former Revolution students.
JoLyn (our 15 year-old) has been in New York City since Thursday. She is a majorette in the Shaler High School marching band. The majorettes competed and won first place in the competition. I'm really looking forward to her coming home tomorrow night.
Today I started working on my motorcycle. I was able to get it started but unfortunately, the battery wouldn't hold a charge. So I'll need to get a battery. It's going to cost some money to get it ready to ride again, but I'll bet I save at least that much on gas once I get it running again. I miss riding!
I have to say that I love serving at Element Church! I am so proud of the great job that our pastors team has done over the past several weeks. The last series we did, they did some team-teaching with me, and they all did an incredible job. I am humbled that they work so hard outside the church in other jobs so that they can serve with me at Element Church. They are truly "Lion Chasers"!

Baptism...there's NOTHING like it!

2011-04-06T12:41:00.001-04:00

One of the things I love the most about being a part of Element Church is watching the life-change that goes on in people. It is exciting to see people of all ages begin to take steps of faith, and to see them grow toward God daily. A couple of weeks ago, we celebrated another water baptism event, and seven more people used that day to tell the world about what God has done in their lives. Below are a couple of videos that tell those stories, as well as show them actually being baptized.

Also, I have included a VERY SPECIAL video from our fall baptism in October. The only one who was baptized at that time was Noah Stump. Our very own KidzRock Pastor, Peter Kettering, did the honors in a homemade tank in the Stump's back yard. The video is awesome, and you really need to watch it for yourself.

Just want wrap up by saying how PROUD I am of all who followed Jesus by getting baptized. You guys ROCK!

Videos from Sunday - 03.27.11

2011-03-30T08:49:00.002-04:00

MAN TACO NIGHT...

2011-03-29T11:43:00.003-04:00

You NEED to come hang out with us TONIGHT, (03.29.11) and come ready to pound some tacos, and hang with some of the best bros around! We'll meet outside the Millvale Community Center at 6:30 PM and we'll carpool to Don Pablo's in Robinson. The tacos are $6.99 for all-you-can-eat, but don't forget some extra cash for your drink & tip.

Good times, good bros, and some God-talk. Doesn't get any better. See you then!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T20:23:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from Element Church!

2010-12-25T16:26:00.001-05:00

Are you coming???

2010-12-07T00:45:00.003-05:00

The Link 12.05.10

2010-12-07T00:38:00.000-05:00

The Link 12.05.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

Give Thanks Video Resource

2010-11-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

Looking for a video for your church to use during this Thanksgiving season or really any time of the year you might cover thankfulness? Then check out this video that the Element Church Media Team put together!

Give Thanks from Element Church on Vimeo.

As a recently started church plant, we have been searching for some alternative ways to create revenue for the church, and we thought that this video and others like it to come in the future could help us to do just that. We are in the process of setting up an account with Sermon Spice, as well as with other media outlets. However, their pricing structures will force us to distribute the videos at a much higher price, than if we are able to provide them directly through churches connected to us relationally.

That being said, we would like to extend an invitation to you and your church to use the "Give Thanks" video for your church for a donation of at least $10 to Element Church. Since this is our first attempt, we are not set up with our own website just yet, but the process to get the video is still very simple. Just follow these steps:

Watch the sample video here, if you have not already done so.
Go to the Element Church donation page and submit a donation for at least $10 to Element Church.
We will then email you a link with a password to be able to download the video (without the Element Church watermark).

That's it! I hope you enjoy the video, and that it helps to meet your needs right now, or at any other time that you cover the idea of thankfulness throughout the year. Thanks, and may God bless you and your ministry as you serve Him!

Element Church Announcements - 11.06.10

2010-11-06T17:00:00.004-04:00

Hey Element! Just a couple of important announcements I wanted to make you guys aware of!

1. Don't forget to TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK TONIGHT!!! That's right, we have ordered an EXTRA HOUR of sleep for everyone at Element Church tonight, and we don't want you to miss out! If you do forget, you'll just be early and you can help us set up the church, so that's not all bad! :)

2. We want YOU to be an Element Church Partner! What's it mean? It means we want YOU on the Element Church team! It's all about the difference between watching the game, and playing on the team. When you become a partner, you join us in making a commitment to serving God at Element, and believe me...it's way better scoring with the team than it is just watching the rest of the team do it all.

So, if this gets your interest, then here's all you have to do:

Contact Mike Yusko mikey@theelementchurch.com and tell him you want more info about becoming a Partner with us.

Watch the online classes (Mike will give you the link - they talk about everything our church believes, why we do the things we do as a church, etc.)

Let Mike know when you've finished, and we will be receiving new Element Partners on Sunday, November 21st.

I really hope you'll do it! As an added incentive, anyone who completes the process before 2011 will be listed on the official Element Church Charter Partner List, which will be listed as the originating Partners of Element Church. So do it...MAKE HISTORY with us!

See you tomorrow at Element Church!

- Pastor Rich

Don't Miss THIS SUNDAY at Element Church!

2010-09-04T08:07:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for this weekend???

Element Church is kicking-off this Labor Day weekend RIGHT with a great Sunday morning, and we want YOU to join us!

Here's what we want you to do:

1. Come to church this Sunday.

2. Invite & BRING someone with you! (You do have friends, right? OF COURSE you do, so don't just invite them...BRING THEM WITH YOU!!!)

3. STAY FOR LUNCH! (After church, we're having a BBQ BASH right outside of Mr. Small's on the front steps. Great food & great friends...what a combo!)

4. Bring a dish to share. It's ok if you can't bring something, or you get this message late --we want you to come anyway! However, if you can help us out by bringing a side dish or a dessert to share, that would help us all to have plenty of food to go around. (Besides, this way you get to show off your inner-chef skills, right?) Element will provide plenty of hot dogs and BBQ pulled pork, as well as the drinks.

Just so that we don't have too much of one thing, let's plan on doing it this way: if your last name starts with the letters A to M, plan on bringing a side dish to share. If your last name begins with N to Z then plan on bringing a dessert. If you really feel like showing off your "mad cooking skillz", then bring both...we'll eat it all!

I can't believe that summer is over, but let's not let it end!!! Come out this Sunday and be a part of Element Church!

Love you guys,
Pastor Rich

Vote for Element Church!

2010-09-02T18:00:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys!

Every year the City Paper does a “Best of Pittsburgh” list featuring the city’s best restaurants and bars. That gave me a thought…what if we nominated Element Church as the best church in the Burgh? At the very least, maybe someone in the city would notice that we’re here, and would help us as we serve our community!

All you need to do is go to the link I’ll provide at the bottom, and answer the survey questions you want to. The very last question is a “write-in” category where you can write in “BEST CHURCH” and our name, “ELEMENT CHURCH” and tell them why you think that to be true.

Here’s the link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KSNF599

Thanks for your help!

- Pastor Rich

It's Time To PAR-TAY!!!

2010-08-14T03:43:00.000-04:00

Hey Element Church!

Guess what...IT'S HERE!!!!!

Element Church turns one year old THIS SUNDAY, and we want and need YOU to help us celebrate!
Here's how:

1. Come to church this Sunday.

2. Invite & BRING someone with you! (THIS SUNDAY is a pretty big deal, so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't come alone! It's going to be a GREAT WEEK, too!)

3. STAY FOR LUNCH! (After church, we're having a BBQ BASH in the same park where we had City Reach to celebrate what God has done in this past year, so plan on partying with us!)

4. Bring a dish to share. It's ok if you can't bring something, or you get this message late --we want you to come anyway! However, if you can help us out by bringing a side dish or a dessert to share, that would help us all to have plenty of food to go around. (Besides, this way you get to show off your inner-chef skills, right?) Element will provide plenty of hot dogs and BBQ pulled pork, as well as the drinks.

Just so that we don't have too much of one thing, let's plan on doing it this way: if your last name starts with the letters A to M, plan on bringing a dessert to share. If your last name begins with N to Z then plan on bringing a side dish. If you really feel like showing off your "mad cooking skillz", then bring both...we'll eat it all!

That's all for now. I'm so pumped for Sunday. City Reach was awesome. Thanks to all who prayed, gave, and served to make it such an incredible success. Now, we look to Sunday and ONE BIG PARTY to celebrate all that Jesus has done for us, and the fact that we get to tell Millvale about it. Are you ready for this? I am SOOOO ready!

Love you guys,
Pastor Rich

WE NEED YOU!!!

2010-07-29T13:11:00.000-04:00

The Element Church Street Team needs YOU tonight to help us get the word out about City Reach! Meet us tonight outside the Millvale Community Center and help us out from 6 PM to 8 PM.

Hope to see you there!

2010-07-08T11:47:00.000-04:00

READ: Exodus 9

Stupid, stupid, stupid…THAT’S what I think when I read this part of Exodus. Beginning in Exodus 7 we see how patient God was, even with the continued disobedience of Pharaoh. Ten times God showed his power over the elements, each time relenting when Pharaoh said he would release God’s people to go and worship in the wilderness. However, when the “plague of the day” was lifted, Pharaoh would again harden his heart toward God and Israel, and the answer was always “no” to them leaving.

What an ego this character, Pharaoh, must have had! This guy was having Moses & Aaron showing up asking to let the people of Israel go to worship their God, and upon being told no, they instantly display a natural disaster. I think that if I were Pharaoh, it would have not taken me ten different plagues to recognize God was upset! Maybe once or twice, but seriously, by plague number four or five, I’m definitely crying “UNCLE!” But, not this guy! Pharaoh was a god…or so he thought.

As we find ourselves stuck in the middle of this showdown of epic proportions, I love the way God throws some commentary out to bring Pharaoh down to size:

Exodus 9:15-16
“By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth.16 But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my powers and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”

The only thing missing from this message from God in my estimation might be the phrase, “Go ahead, punk…make my day!” God puts Pharaoh in his place by reminding him here exactly who is in charge. He says, “Hey Pharaoh…you only live today because I LET you live. You have decided to reject the easy way? Fine. Let’s do this the hard way.” Pharaoh’s resistance to God’s plan will only serve to make God famous, as the surrounding nations hear what happens to the people of Egypt. To make matters worse for Pharaoh and the Egyptians, it is notable to see that God spares the people of Israel from having to deal with the plagues. The plagues take place everywhere except in the land of Goshen, where Israel resides.

What about Moses? Can you imagine having to fill his shoes and deliver a scathing message from God to the most powerful ruler in the known world? Pretty tough even for the bravest of us, but if you know anything about Moses, brave is not a word most would use to characterize him. Moses was just an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances by the Almighty, but he too makes God famous in a whole other way! Moses’ obedience to the Lord in these extreme circumstances is just what God uses to free His people from the tyrannical hand of Pharaoh.

I want to make God famous, but not in the way that Pharaoh did! Pharaoh could have experienced the blessing of God had he decided to bless the people of Israel and to let them go to worship. Instead, God used his hardened heart to speak volumes to the surrounding nations, and to us today. Instead, I think I’ll choose the road Moses took, and I will watch how He defends, promotes, and protects me as I lean into His direction.

What about you?

Questions
1. How are you making God famous today?

2. Are there ways that you have been resisting the gentle leading of God’s voice?

3. What steps can you take to follow God’s direction for your life today?

2010-07-06T08:30:00.021-04:00

Recently at Element Church the pastoral team and interns have been busy blogging their way through a reading schedule that we have challenged everyone at Element to read through. Below is my first entry, but if you're interested, check out all of the great posts by our team here: ELEMENT CHURCH BLOG

READ: Genesis 1 & 2

When I read the origins of all that we know as accounted in Genesis 1 & 2, my imagination begins to pop. I mean, can you just begin to get your mind around what that must have been like? I love the wording of the Message Bible:

Genesis 1:1-2 (MSG)
"First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see."

"First this: God..." --- maybe we should stop right there for a moment. We like to imagine ourselves pretty important in this world, but what tops that statement? At the beginning of it all...God. He was there. It all began from Him...out of all of that nothingness, all that we see & don't see in this world came from Him. When we sing at church of Him "Holding it all together", what about considering also that all that we know came from Him! At the elemental root of all that we see, taste, touch, experience, have, and hold dear, we must remember that without Him we have nothing and really are nothing.

Feeling small yet? I hope so, because compared to the unbelievable power of the God who brought it all together in the first place....you are.

You. are. small.

We all are.

But, as we take that step back and realize the greatness of the One who created it all by SPEAKING it all into existence, I am blown away by the idea of what we read next.

Genesis 1 continues with the story of all that God does in creating our world. Creation doesn't just happen, it BURSTS onto the scene merely by God mentioning what He wants to happen. God speaks and creation responds: Light. Dark. Sky. Oceans. Land. Plants. Animals. Good...He calls it all very good.

Having said and done all of that, God takes all that He has made and He does the most unlikely thing that I can imagine. The ALL-POWERFUL, CREATIVE, LIFE-SPEAKING GOD of the UNIVERSE takes all of His creation and gives it to us.

Genesis 2:15 (New Living Translation)
"The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it."

I think it might have been in much better hands before we got to it, what do you think? Regardless of what we think, the facts remain that God has entrusted a valuable thing in giving us this planet. But, He didn't just place us here to exist, He had so much more in mind than that. God TRUSTS us to take care of it. He gave it to us to manage, and care for, and in doing so the Earth produces what we need to live. What a wonderful gift and what incredible benefits we are provided when we manage well what God has given us.

The exact opposite is true when we do not correctly care for what God has entrusted to us. When we foolishly neglect our planet, we can expect that things will die, and sometimes unthinkable and unrepairable damage occurs to our planet...the same one that HE -- the CREATOR of it all -- gave us to take care of.

The events of the past few weeks regarding the oil spil in the Gulf of Mexico have been devastating to watch. The plants and animals of the Gulf are now swimming in waters that once provided a healthy ecosystem, but are now polluted in such a way that will affect marine, plant, and human life for years to come. Such is the consequence that we face when we do not properly care for our planet and it's resources. Too often we have left a horrible blight upon the world that our Creator has entrusted to us. We all know that the future of our planet rests in our own hands.

As I revisited the Creation story today, the question that leaped out at me was whether or not there are areas in my life where I could do a better job of caring for the world we all live in. The answer is definitely yes.

Now, I don't claim to be a "tree-hugger" in the sense that many who carry the banner of environmental issues would be, but I do absolutely recognize the responsibility that we ALL need to take in caring for the creation that God has given us. As I have studied the Bible throughout my life, I have recognized the importance of caring for the things God has given us, including being faithful in managing our finances, in caring for friends and family, and in caring for others in general. As I read today in Genesis 1 & 2, I believe it is also essential that I place equal emphasis on caring for the world God has given me to live in.

I'm planning on doing my part. Will you?

Questions
1. How important do you think caring for the planet God gave us is to him?

2. What steps can you take to care for the world we have been given?

Videos from Element Church - 06/06/10

2010-06-09T02:45:00.001-04:00

The Link 06-06-10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

Element Church Has A New Drummer!

2010-06-04T21:21:00.000-04:00

Watch this guy - it starts slow, but I promise you will be laughing SO HARD by the end!

Element Church Baptism Candidate Videos - 05.02.10

2010-05-23T03:10:00.000-04:00

Element Church Baptism Review Video - 05.02.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.
One thing that I absolutely love is watching people change, as they encounter Jesus and the truth of God's Word. It has been a genuine privilege to get to baptize 15 people so far this year at Element Church! I am amazed to think of the ways that God is working in and through the team of people who attend and serve with us.

On Sunday, May 2, 2010, we had another great baptism service. Originally we had 3 people scheduled to be baptized, and you can see their stories here. However, before we started I invited anyone who wanted to be baptized that day --prepared or not, to take the "plunge" and let the world know what Jesus was doing in them. One local Millvale resident and regular attendee, Rachel Covington, took me up on the challenge. Although she is not in the testimonial video, she is in the Baptism Service Review video.

I am so proud of Bob Kauffman, Shannon Doven, Ben Laws, & Rachel Covington for taking this step of obedience in following Jesus! I am believing God to do great things in all of you!

What about you? Ready to "take the plunge" and follow Jesus by being baptized? Let us know, and we will put your name on the list for our Summer schedule!

Baptism Candidates 05.02.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

Element Church Softball - Opening Day 2010

2010-05-15T07:52:00.000-04:00

Element Church Softball - 04.25.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

Recent Announcement Videos

2010-05-15T07:08:00.000-04:00

The Link - 05.09.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

The Link - 05.02.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

The Link - 04.25.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

The Link - 04.11.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

Videos from Element Church - Easter Sunday

2010-04-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

Videos from Element Church - Last couple of weeks

2010-04-06T01:09:00.000-04:00

FREE STUFF --> Check it out!!! Breakthrough to Clarity Bible Contest

2010-03-23T15:33:00.006-04:00

Want to win some great prizes? Check out the New Living Translation Bible page on Facebook to have an opportunity. Check out the details below!

-------------------

The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway

Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation and click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes”

Fill out a simple form, take a quick Bible clarity survey, invite your friends to join and you’ll be entered to win one of our exciting prizes.

With each fan number milestone a new prize will be given away.

Grand Prize

Apple iPad 64G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fifth milestone
Retail Value: $829.00

2nd Prize - Already awarded

32G iPod Touch and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fourth milestone
Retail Value: $300.00

3rd Prize – Will be awarded when fan count hits: 3500

Kindle DX and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the third milestone
Retail Value: $489.00

4th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD

Apple iPad 16G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the New Living Translation Fan Page hits the second milestone
Retail Value: $499.00

5th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD

Apple iPad 32G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the first milestone
Retail Value: $599.00

Prize Eligibility – Recently updated to include more countries

Sweepstakes participants and winner(s) can be U.S. residents of the 50 United States, or residents of any country that is NOT embargoed by the United States, but cannot be residents of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India. In addition, participants and winner(s) must be at least 18 years old, as determined by the Company.

Sweepstakes Starts

March 17, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Sweepstakes Ends

April 30, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Book Review: "Start Here"

2010-03-20T11:39:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I had the opportunity to blog about a new book, but this one caught my eye when the publisher sent me the invitation to check it out. (That being said, I must also post that this book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, so thanks, guys!)

I was interested in reading this book because I had heard a little bit about the back-story of the authors a couple of years ago, and I was wondering what they were up to now. Alex and Brett Harris are twin brothers who, wrote a book at age 18 called, "Do Hard Things." The book was a call to young people everywhere to not give into the idea that they were supposed to just slack-off in their teen years, and get serious once they entered adulthood. Instead, the book challenged young people to see their current place in life as the starting place, and challenged them to do GREAT THINGS for God right now. Pretty awesome stuff!

Their latest book, "Start Here" chronicles the next steps in the process, and gives incredibly practical advise to people who feel called to accept the call to step out and do great things for God. Whatever the task you feel that God would want you to complete, whether it seems great or small in the eyes of others, this book gives young people the practical counsel to achieve those goals and ambitions. Not only that, but if students are looking for a place to start - maybe not even aware of what type of things God might ask them to do - Alex and Brett offer some great ideas of things others have done in the appendix of the book.

From a stylistic writing approach, the book definitely seems aimed at the teenage or young adult market, but as a middle-aged man with dreams and ideals of my own, I was also inspired by the authors. The easy-to-read flow of the book is so practical and yet, challenging to readers to stop talking about doing something, and it gives the reader the steps and encouragement to put those dreams into action.

I would greatly suggest this book to anyone interested in investing in the next generation, or to students who want to see God do something great with their life. Youth pastors and young adult pastors could see this book become a catalyst to helping them take students to another level in living for God and serving Him with their whole hearts. For that reason, I greatly recommend this book.

If you're interested in buying the book, you can do so in a couple of ways.

1. You could buy it right here from Amazon.com

2. You could purchase it directly from the publisher's site.

3. Visit any fine retail bookstore and find it on the bookshelf.

A good, quick, practical read. Get it. All the cool kids are doing it.

Publisher's Promo Spot:

At the age of eighteen, Alex and Brett Harris wrote Do Hard Things—and launched a movement that would change a generation. Young people around the world were ready to be inspired, ready to move beyond complacency, ready to rebel against society’s low expectations.

Now the highly anticipated companion book, Start Here, answers the questions Alex and Brett have received from thousands of teens on their worldwide conference tour and popular online community: How do I get started? What hard things does God want me to do? How do I keep from getting discouraged or burned out? What is the best way to inspire others?

Filled with stories and insights from Alex, Brett, and other real-life rebelutionaries, Start Here is a powerful and practical guide for young people who are ready to take the next step and blast past apathy. Let the rebelution continue.

Author Bio:
Alex and Brett Harris are the coauthors of the best-selling book Do Hard Things, which they wrote at age eighteen. Today the twins speak regularly to audiences of thousands on The Rebelution Tour, maintain a hugely popular online presence through their blog, TheRebelution.com, and have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and in the New York Times. Raised in Portland, Oregon, the brothers currently attend Patrick Henry College in Virginia.

Videos from Element Church

2010-03-08T22:15:00.000-05:00

If you would like to see the "Debunked - Ark" video we showed during the message, use THIS LINK to go to the website we purchased it from. Enjoy!

Videos from Sunday, 02.28.10

2010-03-02T21:36:00.000-05:00

The Link 02.21.10 - Element Church's Announcement Video

2010-02-21T23:33:00.002-05:00

Videos from Sunday, 02.14.10

2010-02-14T20:46:00.001-05:00

Here are the videos from today at Element Church. Enjoy!

The last video we showed today was from a company called "The Veracity Project, and all I could do was link to it. CLICK HERE to see the "Agape" video.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT RE: ELEMENT CHURCH

2010-02-06T16:07:00.000-05:00

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT RE: ELEMENT CHURCH

Unfortunately, due to the amount of snow we received in Millvale last night, we have to cancel our service tomorrow, February 7th, as well as our Super Bowl party on Sunday night at Mr. Small's.

There are several contributing factors including power & heating at Mr. Small's, the roads in Millvale and the possibility that they may still not be clear in the morning, and parking...since there is nowhere to put the snow in order to open up spaces!

Therefore, Element Church is planning on attending the 11 AM service at Allison Park Church together tomorrow morning! We will plan on meeting in the lobby area around 10:45 AM near the Nursery windows, and then going in to find seats together.

After church, several of us are planning on going out to get something to eat together at the Chinese Buffet in Allison Park (Rt. 8), so if you're able, why not hang out for lunch with us!

As always, canceling a service does offer us a challenge, because many of the expenses of the church are still present. So, let me encourage you to continue to give to Element Church this week! (By the way...last week's offering was AMAZING -- the highest since our preview services! Thanks for your generosity, and for your obedience to God with your giving!) We have several ways that you can continue to give, even though we won't be meeting at Mr. Small's this week:

Give in the offering at Allison Park Church, but put it in an envelope and mark it for Element Church. Also, if you write a check, you can still make it out to Element Church, just like you would if we met at Mr. Small's.
You can hand it to me directly, either at church or at the restaurant if you're only able to meet us for lunch, and I will make certain it gets turned in.
You can give online this weekend by going to the MCM Website. Click on the "GIVE" tab at the top of the page, and anything that comes in over the weekend will be given to Element Church. If you want to give online later in the week, let me know, and I will tell them to be looking for a donation for Element Church at that time.
Lastly, you can always mail a check to Element Church at this address: P.O. Box 5863, Pittsburgh, PA 15209.

As always, thanks for your commitment & dedication to being and becoming a GREAT CHURCH in Millvale! I love worshipping with you guys every week, and I hope to see you tomorrow. If not, know this...

NEXT WEEK @ ELEMENT CHURCH

IS GOING TO BE AWESOME,

SO BRING SOMEONE!!!

Baptism Review Video

2010-02-01T12:57:00.000-05:00

It's been two weeks since our baptism service, but yesterday we showed this music video of highlights from our baptism service. I'm so proud of all of you who stepped forward to take this step in following Jesus! If you're a part of Element Church and you think you might be interested in getting baptized in the future, stay tuned! We will have another opportunity for you in a couple of months!

Video from Sunday, 01.31.10

2010-01-31T23:11:00.000-05:00

Videos from Sunday, 01.24.10

2010-01-27T09:40:00.002-05:00

"The Link" - our weekly announcement video. FYI...no animals were harmed DURING the filming of this video. We might have just used some roadkill...

The Link - 01.24.10 from Element Church on Vimeo.

The Fool Speaks - King of Queens - Workout Fight

"Things You Don't Say To Your Wife" - Tim Hawkins

"Shopping In Pittsburgh"

Give, pray, or join us on the mission!

2010-01-25T01:11:00.001-05:00

I LOVE serving at Element Church! There is such an incredible atmosphere of teamwork & a sense of mission that is embraced my every member of our team. Every week, I am humbled by the way that they go to work serving the people of our church and of our community. I am truly blessed to be able to link arms with them and serve alongside them.

The other thing I love about Element is the way God has been moving in the lives of people at our church. We have put together a video highlighting just a few of the stories, and I hope you'll take a few moments to watch.

At the end of the video, there is a request for your continued support in a couple of ways. First, we are looking for people who are willing to pray. Additionally, we are looking for some help financially, should God impress upon you to be involved with us in that way. If you as an individual, or your church, or even as a business that is interested in investing in a church reaching the people of Millvale and young adults from around the city of Pittsburgh, please contact me at richj@TheElementChurch.com and let me know.

Thanks for watching, and for your continued support!

Element Church Promo Video - January 2010 from Element Church on Vimeo.

The BEST DAY so far.

2010-01-18T08:00:00.003-05:00

It is no secret that the day that we launched Element Church, August 16, 2009, was one of the most amazing days of my life. It was the day that a dream that God had placed in my heart, and in the hearts of so many others for Millvale came to pass. It was the day that a church was opened in a building that had years before housed a different church. It was a day that for some people, marked the beginning of a journey that would begin to fill the empty places deep within their souls, and where they would finally recognize that the missing "Element" in their lives was a vibrant, growing, relationship with their Creator.

While that day will continue to reign as special in our lives, today, January 17, 2010, we added another that may well have surpassed the significance of even that great opening moment. Today we celebrated our first-ever baptism service at Element Church. It all began with such a flurry of activity, as we hustled to not only get our regular responsibilities for Sunday morning accomplished, but we had the added task of getting everything needed to bring in a portable tank, fill it, and be ready for the 12 people looking forward to follow Jesus in getting baptized! Christopher Santoro and his team did an amazing job at pulling it all together -- I LOVE THIS TEAM! So many of them stayed until the very end, serving well past lunch time, to make sure everything was taken care of after the service, as well.

I was also so proud of everyone who chose to follow Jesus in baptism today! It is so cool to see how God has been bringing them along, and I am pumped to think of what the future may hold for them! It was also a special moment for me personally, as the very first person ever baptized at Element Church was my youngest daughter, Jacki. She is an awesome young woman of God, and I love thinking about the decision she made today. I can't wait to see how God will use her as she grows up!

Element Church is made up of a lot of people who come from different kinds of religious backgrounds, so we thought it best to explain how we do baptism, and to get into some of the "why's" behind what we do, as well. We also established what a great "celebration" moment this really is, and that we want to be know as a church that celebrates the kind of change in people's lives like this, that only Jesus can bring. And then it was time...

Prior to each baptism, we had pre-recorded a brief story from each person, detailing why they wanted to be baptized. We've included those stories, as well as another video we used to introduce the baptism portion of the service, appropriately titled, "Baptism" by Restoration Videos. We used the video because it explained in a few words what we tell the world when we are following Christ in baptism. That video is immediately followed by the stories from members of Element Church who were being baptized on January 17, 2010.

It was overwhelming to hear the way everyone at Element CELEBRATED with cheers, and shouting encouragement for each one as they came out of the water. I don't think I've ever been a part of a baptism service where it was ever such fun! The look of happiness & joy on each person as they came out of the water...man, it was priceless! I wish you ALL could have been here!

One more thing...after the baptism service today, we gave a brief time of response for people in the crowd to receive Christ, and 7 people --several of them first-time guests, gave their hearts to Christ! I'm beginning to think this Jesus stuff might be contagious, and I can't wait to treat it with baptism service #2!

Element Church Videos from 01.17.10

2010-01-17T23:34:00.005-05:00

Want to give to Convoy of Hope's efforts in Haiti? CLICK HERE

Element Church Videos from 01.10.10

2010-01-17T23:24:00.002-05:00

Element Church Videos from 01.03.10

2010-01-05T02:01:00.000-05:00

I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!

2009-12-26T01:33:00.001-05:00

Drew Horne was kind enough to take this photo a couple of weeks ago, featuring most of our ministry team at Element Church. These people come early, stay late, and serve the people of Element Church every week! I am so proud to serve with such an amazing team. Love you guys!

A Christmas Story

2009-12-25T07:26:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas - Rich Jones from Element Church on Vimeo.

Who wants a FREE 32" Vizio LCD TV???

2009-12-19T19:16:00.001-05:00

Hey Element!

Just wanted to pass along a request for you to help me help YOU invite someone to church tomorrow!

Tomorrow will be the FIRST TIME Element Church celebrates Christmas, and I am telling you, it is going to be seriously AWESOME! From the music the band has prepared, to the KidzRock choir, to Christmas communion, to the amazing media-driven message we are bringing to you tomorrow --you do NOT want to miss this service!!!

Not only that, but you will WANT TO INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!!!

On top of all of that, we have made it EXTREMELY EASY for you to invite them because, we are giving away 2 $50 Gift Cards & 2 BRAND NEW 32" Vizio LCD Television!

What makes it even easier to invite someone is this: IT'S CHRISTMAS!!! Think about it...most people in America are going to go to church tomorrow, so why not our church? Think of someone RIGHT NOW who you can call, email, text, tackle, or whatever...but DO IT...INVITE SOMEONE RIGHT NOW!!!

I DARE you!!!

Some Christmas Announcements N'@

2009-12-16T12:28:00.000-05:00

Don't miss the Element Church Christmas Party, THIS THURSDAY at 6:30 PM! It's going to be a great time of food, fun, and getting to know each other better as we celebrate the birth of Jesus!

There is NO COST for the party, but there are a few things you might want to bring with you:
1) Bring some kind of "sweet treat" to share. (Cookies, cake, pie, candy, or some other kind of dessert item to share.)
2) Bring a "WHITE ELEPHANT" gift for our gift exchange. You don't actually have to go out and buy something, but you could bring something from your house you don't use (it could be a funny or a serious gift) and wrap it up as a Christmas gift. We will then play a game as we exchange those gifts. If you do not want to participate, you do not HAVE to bring a gift, but I promise...if you do bring something, it will be fun!

GIFT CARDS for North Hills Community Outreach
If you had originally planned on bringing a gift card to donate to NHCO for needy families in our area, but didn't get a chance to do so, please bring it to the Christmas Party on Thursday, or to church on Sunday. If you haven't had a chance to get out & get a card, but still want to donate, you can bring cash, and we will go out and buy a gift card for you.

Element Church's Videos - 12.13.09

2009-12-13T10:36:00.002-05:00

The Bribe.

2009-12-12T19:50:00.001-05:00

Element Church Videos from 12.06.09

2009-12-06T21:51:00.004-05:00

Here are some of the videos from our service today. The first one is our weekly announcement video, and it was produced by our Media Director, Billy Chester.

This second video was produced by Brian Lippert, and was supposed to introduce our message today. Unfortunately, technical difficulties kept that from happening, but here's the video anyway!

ACTS One from Allison Park Church on Vimeo.

This last video was produced by BluefishTV.com. We showed it today to illustrate Jesus' "I'll be back!" moment as He ascended to heaven. A funny video you will want to check out!

What a world we live in!

2009-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Element Church Videos from 11.29.09

2009-11-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of the videos we showed today at Element. Enjoy!

My Thanksgiving 25

2009-11-26T19:04:00.000-05:00

Just thinking about the things I'm grateful for today. Not even close to an exhaustive list, nor is it really in any kind of order, but I'm certainly grateful for these...

1. God's love for me.
2. My best friend, Jodi.
3. My girls - JoLyn & Jacki
4. My family.
5. A church family (I love my Element Church family!)
6. Baseball
7. Friends
8. Mentors who believe in me.
9. That I don't get what I deserve.
10. Mexican food
11. Funny videos
12. Cheesesteaks
13. Riding my motorcycle
14. Spending time with the fam
15. Chili's salsa
16. Podcasts
17. My PS2 (but I would give it up for a PS3)
18. Barbecue, BBQ, or However you prefer - you make it, I'll eat it.
19. Phillies, Eagles, & Flyers
20. Watching people grow in God
21. Potato rolls & BUTTER
22. Steak
23. Watching my kids on Christmas day
24. Gadgets
25. Seeing people decide to follow Christ

Thanksgiving Video

2009-11-26T18:30:00.000-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

2009-11-26T13:07:00.001-05:00

Hey youth pastors!!!

2009-11-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to pass along a GREAT opportunity to any of my youth pastor friends, or pastors of churches without a youth pastor. If you are looking for an awesome New Year's Eve experience for your jr & sr high school students, in a safe & fun environment, this is it! Check out the video and go to www.thenyebash.com for more info!

I'm thankful for...

2009-11-25T09:22:00.001-05:00

Great video that asks the question, "What are YOU thankful for?"

Element Church Videos from 11.22.09

2009-11-25T00:55:00.002-05:00

Here are the videos from Element Church this week. Make sure you check out the video we showed during the message, "A Love Issue." It's incredibly powerful.

Steelers Party - THIS SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH!

2009-11-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hey Element Church!

This Sunday, November 22nd, many of us will be hanging out after church to watch the Steelers game at 1 PM on the "big screen" at Mr. Small's.

The cost is free, but you might want to bring some cash to buy lunch at the snack bar.

See you Sunday!

Pre-Turkey Turkey.

2009-11-21T03:32:00.004-05:00

Ok, now I know this picture doesn't really tell the whole story of what Thursday night was like at Element Church's ConNEXTion Group Thanksgiving party, but you have to believe me when I tell you that it was awesome!

It was only a year ago when we held our first Thanksgiving party, and just to see the kind of genuine community that has been brought together, and to see so many people from Millvale and the surrounding areas come together was awesome!

I remember that last years as we held this event, it was actually the first time it seemed like we were becoming a church. Now, just a year later, it's clear to see that we're more than a church...we're a family!

There's nothing like sharing a meal together to bring people together. Here's to many more!

Greek Rocket War

2009-11-08T18:52:00.000-05:00

Check out this video from Greece. I think we're going to try this in Millvale...look out Methodists across the street! :)

Greek Rocket War - The best video clips are here

PR's Rant Gets a Facelift!

2009-11-05T08:30:00.002-05:00

Ok, so it's not Rich Jones who got a facelift, but it's my BLOG that got one. So...what do you think?

Recent Videos From Element Church

2009-11-02T18:19:00.004-05:00

Here are some of the recent videos we've shown at Element Church. Enjoy!

We have a winner...

2009-10-09T00:19:00.003-04:00

I know that you are all wondering who actually won the copy of the Mosaic Bible, so I will get right to the point today:

Lee Rogers, a youth pastor from Carlisle, PA is our winner!

Thanks to everyone who posted a comment, or who just stopped by to enter the contest!

If you're interested in obtaining your own copy, feel free to click the link below that will take you to Amazon.com, where you can purchase one for a great price.

Stay tuned... I will be reviewing and giving away more books soon!

WIN A NEW BIBLE!!!

2009-10-08T08:00:00.004-04:00

Want to win a FREE COPY of the new MOSAIC BIBLE from Tyndale House Publishing? Keep reading to find out how!

Recently, I was given the opportunity to preview a new and unique type of study Bible from Tyndale called the "Mosaic" Bible.

A mosaic is a collection of little bits of broken glass and stone that seem inconsequential on their own, but when brought together form an image of beauty.

The Mosaic Bible combines weekly thematic readings, traditional artwork from around the world, areas for journaling and note-taking, and writings of meditation and reflection, all set to the New Living Translation (NLT) Bible (my personal favorite).

Personally, I think that one of the coolest things about the Mosaic Bible is the fact that it couples the modern, easy to read language of the New Living Translation (NLT) Bible and couples it with more traditional and ageless themes and meditations of the church through the ages.

The Bible packaging lists the price as being $29.95 for the hardcover edition, however, it can be ordered from Amazon (see the link on this page) for only $19.79 (hardcover).

Want to win a FREE COPY of the Mosaic Bible?
Today the comment section of my blog will be visited by guest blogger, Keith Williams. Keith is the General Editor of the Mosaic Bible, is a Bible reference editor at Tyndale, and has an M.A. in Biblical Exegesis. Keith will be moderating the comment section of this post, and he will be available to answer any questions you might have regarding Mosaic.

Tyndale House Publishing has provided the opportunity for me to give away a FREE COPY of the Mosaic Bible (hardcover). All you need to do to win is to post a comment or question connected to this post, and you will be added to the drawing!

Additionally, if you are on Twitter and you "Tweet" that people should visit www.prsrant.com to win the Mosaic Bible, I will add an additional entry for each time you tweet!

Hope you win! Comment away!

Videos from Sunday 09.20.09

2009-09-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday was another great week, as we began a new series focusing on the vision God has given us for Element Church, called, "BROKEN CHURCH." The series asks the question, "If church is dead, is God dying with it?" Our answer is, of course not, but that God has called "broken" people to reach a broken world. There are three main ideas that we want everyone who comes to our church to know and participate in. The first of those ideas was presented this week, and this first video was the introduction to that idea. "Engage." - We are called to engage people in Millvale and the surrounding areas, so that we might have the opportunity to lead them to the missing "ELEMENT" in their life...a relationship with Jesus Christ. Check out the video:

The next video is "The Link" announcement video for this week, shot on-location at Millvale Days.

Our last video is a general video of some of the highlights of the Millvale Days experience.

Videos From Sunday 09.13.09

2009-09-14T05:44:00.007-04:00

Sunday was a great week at Element Church! I am amazed at God and how incredibly He works in the lives of people. Again, we are seeing new people every week, and we see several giving their hearts to Jesus EVERY WEEK! I love watching God at work in the hearts and lives of everyone who comes!

I also love all of the "firsts" associated with starting a new church. Today was our first Communion Service, and it was exciting to get to celebrate it with Element Church. Dan and the Element band played a song by Third Day appropriately titled, "Communion," while we showed a video with images from the Passion of the Christ. It was very effective and created the perfect atmosphere.

That said, check out the following videos we used this week at Element Church:

The first video features some instruction and a welcome from myself and my daughter, JoLyn's video debut. She's a natural!

"The Link" is our weekly announcement video, appropriately named both because we hold our services on Lincoln Avenue in Millvale, and because this video is our "Link" to the information that people need each week. It is important to note this week, however, that due to a miscommunication on my part, the announcement that we have a "Street Team Meeting" this week is incorrect. Instead, we will be participating with Millvale Days. Check it out:

This is the video intro Billy Chester shot to illustrate the opening of this week's message, "Don't Fall Out The Window." Billy did a great job, and I love his creativity. Unfortunately, we had some lighting issues, but I love the talent he has, and I am looking forward to more creative moments like this from him!

Lastly, this is the video we used from YouTube during Communion. We used the video without the audio track and had the Element band play live. I thought it was powerfully effective.

9.11

2009-09-11T11:38:00.005-04:00

Just a reminder to pray for the families who still suffer from the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

The image to the left was taken from the space station after the planes had crashed into the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan. Plumes of smoke can be seen rising from the crash site.

For a better view of the photo, click here.

Let us never forget.

New Song

2009-09-10T09:15:00.002-04:00

Switchfoot just released a new song. Awesome!

The Link - 09.06.09

2009-09-07T06:16:00.002-04:00

Here's our announcement video for Element Church. Billy Chester, our new media director, tried his hand at our weekly announcement video. Check it out!

Videos from last Sunday

2009-09-05T13:54:00.006-04:00

I just realized we didn't post some of our videos from last week at Element Church. Check them out!

Twitty-Four

2009-08-23T23:26:00.002-04:00

We used a snippet of this video today to promote our new Element Church Twitter account. (Add @Element_Church if you want to follow us.) We'll be showing the video in it's entirety next Week at Element, so if you read the blog, you get a sneak-peek. Enjoy!

Sunday Videos

2009-08-23T20:07:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple of the videos we used for our services today at Element Church:

Father & Daughter

2009-08-19T00:10:00.006-04:00

Please allow me to pause and say how much I love my daughter, JoLyn! She turned 14 today (08.18.09) and I could not be more proud of her! She loves God, her family, her friends, and is one of the most fun people in the world to be around!

To celebrate her birthday, check out this video I made of her and I a couple of years ago.

I love you, JoLyn!!!

Birth of a Church, Part 3 - Videos

2009-08-17T08:54:00.000-04:00

Birth of a Church, Part 2 - Videos

2009-08-17T07:03:00.001-04:00

A couple of the videos from Element Church - Week 1. More to come, as they upload...

The Birth of a Church, Pt. 1

2009-08-17T05:40:00.005-04:00

This will be just a quick post about the birth of Element Church, basically because there is so much to say, but I don't have time right now to give proper detail. Let it suffice for me to state that Sunday was one of the most rewarding, amazing, and overwhelmingly incredible days of my life, as I was able to be a small part of what God is doing in the birth of Element Church. It was amazing to watch such a dedicated team of people just give their all this week, and lay all of their talents on the line for God's glory, and to see a community clearly impacted by the presence of Jesus in a town.

Thanks to Pastor Jeff Leake for believing in us, and for being wiling to take a chance on Element Church.

I will give more detail later, but for people who were wondering, Sunday was amazing. God filled the house with His presence, Element Church was birthed, and our team is tired, yet fulfilled in seeing God move. Wow...stay tuned..more to come!!!

Where My Youth Ministers?

2009-08-12T10:01:00.002-04:00

Here's to all of my youth pastor friends. Not enough thanks to go around for all you do! Consider it an "awkward side-hug" from me to you. You're going to love this!!!

Element Church - Promo Video

2009-08-07T12:14:00.001-04:00

Check out the Element Church promo video! (Thanks, Brian!)

Mae Interview for Element Church

2009-07-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I attended the Mae concert at Mr. Small's. After the show, I asked the lead singer, Dave Elkins, if he would give us an interview about their latest project that they released on their website, in order to raise money for charity. Enjoy!

Countdown to LAUNCH!!!

2009-07-29T01:05:00.014-04:00

Element Church held it's final monthly preview service on Sunday, July 19th, and what a great day it was!

The day before the service, we had about 220 people from Allison Park Church, The Crave (the young adult group from Christian Life Assembly in Camp Hill, PA), and Element Church who served our community in so many ways for MPACT Millvale Day. It has been so rewarding to hear reports from many different sources about lives that were touched in our community. THANK YOU to everyone who came to care for our neighbors, and to let Millvale know that God cares about them, and that so does Element Church! You guys are the BEST!

What was even more rewarding, was the influx of guests we received at our July monthly preview service at Element Church. One new friend from Millvale named John seemed to really connect with us. After the service, he jumped right in to help out with our tear-down team. I encouraged him to come and join our Street Team on Thursdays, and to make sure to invite any friends and family that he had. John informed me that he was new to the area, and that he didn't really have any friends here, but that he really liked the idea of being a part of us. John began that day very alone in the world, but left that afternoon knowing that he was part of our family!

I think that's one of the things that excites me about serving in Millvale. I don't mean that I enjoy the pain that so many people experience in their daily lives, but rather the God we have the opportunity to introduce them to who meets them in the midst of that pain. For so many people, their view of God has been one that has left them with feelings of emptiness or unfair judgement by a "celestial cop" who is looking for them to mess up. We have the opportunity to introduce them to a God who loves them unconditionally, and who has gone to incredible lengths to reach out to them! Don't you love that???

As far as the service itself, I am continually blessed to think about the team that God has assembled to serve at Element Church. They are the most committed and dedicated servant-minded individuals I know! Every time we meet, they do all they can to prepare a venue for people to come near to God, and they do it with such excellence!

As I finish this post, I am so grateful for the journey that has brought us to this point. A journey that began with a handful of people who believed in serving an area of Pittsburgh that so many people overlook. A journey that began with those people hoping to do something that would leave a mark on a town. A journey that would begin with serving like Jesus would, by going to serve whoever was in need. And lastly, a journey that would look to the future and instead of seeing a that was, would believe in a town that would be forever changed by Jesus. Get ready, Millvale...Element Church is here to stay!

The preview services are over, and that means one thing...IT'S GO TIME!

ELEMENT CHURCH'S GRAND OPENING

AUGUST 16, 2009

DON'T MISS IT!!!

"The Link" - Element Church's Announcement Video - 07.19.09

2009-07-24T18:13:00.000-04:00

MPACT Millvale Day

2009-07-20T13:09:00.003-04:00

This weekend was AMAZING! I am so incredibly grateful to all of the groups from Allison Park Church, The Crave, and everyone from Element Church who were a part of the day of service in Millvale. Thank you all for serving our community!

So much was accomplished, including cleaning up some empty lots, general clean-up of the town, a firemen & police BBQ, free car wash, sprucing up the community park, affixing decals over the community drainage systems, and much more!

Enjoy the following video featuring some photos taken throughout the day!

MPACT Millvale Video from Element Church on Vimeo.

The United Countries of Baseball...

2009-07-04T14:05:00.006-04:00

What
do you
think???

Element Church - Monthly Service #3

2009-07-04T13:26:00.004-04:00

A week ago this past Sunday, (June 21), Element Church hosted it's third monthly preview service. Let me begin by thanking and praising the God who all of this church stuff is about in the first place. I'm certain I speak for our entire team when I say what I am about to say.

I can't believe I get to do this.

There is something about finding that "one thing" that God has created you to do, and being given what it takes to accomplish it. Understand that in all of this I am realistic...I know that hard times will come. There will be bad days, hard weeks, and maybe even unbearable periods when we will hold on to these moments. In those times it will be important to remember how good it is to be doing what God has called us to. But right now, it's "sunny with a high of 75," and I'm loving it!

I guess I might sound kind of repetitive, but It really is incredible to work with everyone at Element Church. They are the hardest working, deeply caring, most dedicated team I know, and I am so blessed to serve along side of them. It's crazy to consider that just a few brief months ago, Element Church was not much more than an idea, or a at best, a dream. We stand today just 43 days away from getting to have church every week, and I must admit, I CAN'T WAIT!

If you haven't had the opportunity to check out Element Church yet, why not come to our next service? We meet again on Sunday, July 19th. Even better...would you consider not being satisfied with just "going to church"? Would you consider making "church" something you don't just attend, but the place where you find purpose in giving your life to reach people who don't yet know Christ. That's what the people on our "Street Team" have done...they are not satisfied to just "go to church." Instead, they have invested themselves in creating a church experience for others that is so different and relevant to people who don't go to church. We're on a mission to reach Millvale, and the surrounding communities with the life-changing message of God's love and forgiveness, and it would be incredible to have you on the team.

What do you say? I dare you.

Happy 4th of July - The Greatest Play in Baseball

2009-07-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

High Quality H20

2009-07-03T16:37:00.002-04:00

I'm totally going to start drinking more water.

BBQ & YOU!

2009-07-02T06:58:00.003-04:00

I hope you have next Thursday free, because I want to invite YOU to come to our first-annual Millvale Family BBQ!

Whether you are already a part of Element Church, are thinking about checking us out some time, or you support us in some other way, we're hoping to get everyone together for a great time of food and fun!

There is NO CHARGE for the event, but if you'd like to bring a side dish or a dessert to share, it would help. (Element Church is providing all of the burgers, hot dogs, buns, and drinks.)

This would be a GREAT event to invite new friends to! If you've been wanting to invite someone to check out Element Church, why not bring them to this event first?

One more thing...CLICK HERE to let us know you're coming, so we can have plenty of food for all!

My 200th Post

2009-07-01T18:26:00.003-04:00

Well, I really debated on what to post as my 200th post, being that it is a milestone of sorts, and I decided to make two video posts to commemorate this momentous occasion. The first is for everyone, but I must give warning on the second video: it's somewhat gross. Unless you have somewhat of a strong stomach, you should skip it. Should you view both videos and find it unseemly...don't say I didn't warn you!

Element Church - "The Link - 06.21.09"

2009-06-26T04:10:00.001-04:00

Check out the Element Church Announcements from our third monthly preview service:

Element Church - The Link 06.21.09 from Element Church on Vimeo.

GREAT Song!

2009-06-25T16:04:00.002-04:00

I saw this band at the Penn-Del Youth Convention, but I was reminded of their music while shuffling through my iPhone today. AWESOME tune. Check it out, and let it play while you surf to other pages today!

An Amazing Trick

2009-06-19T23:41:00.000-04:00

So...I'm Pretty Much Famous Now...

2009-06-15T22:52:00.004-04:00

Ok, so not really, but I did get asked by the Church Multiplication Network (the Assembly of God National church planting office) to expand on a twitter post I made during the recent church planting boot camp. I made the statement that we were getting ready to draw the "body map" and that it was the "a-ha" moment for me when I had previously attended. So, they asked me to expand on that thought. Here's the link to the article on their website, and below is the article itself.

---------------------

"My 'a-ha' Moment at Boot Camp"
You know the feeling…you said “yes” to something before you had all of the facts—before you really had any of the facts? Almost a year ago, my wife and I answered God’s call to plant a church in Pittsburgh. We knew we were supposed to go, but overall, we shared the feeling of not knowing how we were supposed to go about reaching the community of Millvale with the gospel.

I remember telling my wife that I never felt more out of control in my life, and that I had no idea how we would actually go about starting a church. In the past, I had always known where to start, and how to do my part as a member of a church staff, but this was different. This time, there was no church system to observe and figure out where we fit. The new challenge was to establish all of that from nothing, but how?

That’s how I felt when my wife and I left for Church Multiplication Network’s Boot Camp last fall. We had so many questions and insecurities about whether we would be able to do it. How do you start a launch team? Where do the people come from? Why would they leave their comfortable, established churches to help us? Who would pay the bills? Where do you even start? I could go on and on. I just remember sitting at Boot Camp and wondering what I was doing there.

As we started through the material, I could see that many of my questions were going to be addressed, and hopefully answered. I also loved the hands-on approach that the instructors used in leading us through the process. The exercises and table discussion not only sparked my creativity, but it really helped us to know that we were not in this alone. It was great to watch other ministry teams developing the model of ministry that God was giving them, as well as seeing ours develop.

I think the big “a-ha!” moment for us occurred during the body map exercise. Prior to going to the camp, we had been doing research and demographic studies of our community. Utilizing that information, we were instructed to trace our body outline on a sheet of paper and divide it into three sections. The head was to represent who the people were that we were called to reach. We brainstormed and wrote in the space every detail we could think of that described them. In the chest area, we listed the potential needs of those people. Finally, we listed how we could possibly meet those needs in the legs of the drawing.

For me, this was where I really connected what we were supposed to do. It was so simple to see it all drawn out like that. God had not called us to establish a church with programs that looked like so many other types of churches that were out there. Instead, we had been called to a people, whereby assessing their needs, we could help to meet their needs, and therefore create a means to share Christ with them.

I’d like to say that I left camp with every question answered and a foolproof plan on how to start a church, but I didn’t. I probably have more questions now than I did then. However, it has been the most incredible journey of my life to be here now, with two preview services complete, and two more to go until our launch. God has brought an incredible team of leaders around us who love serving the people of Millvale. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for Element Church.

Rich Jones is the lead pastor at Element Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Best Looking Guy In Pittsburgh...

2009-06-15T09:49:00.005-04:00

My friend, Brian Bolt, was recently featured on the Church Multiplication Network website. They filmed this video, featuring what God is doing at Pittsburgh City Outreach, and a portion of Brian's story. Check it out!

Brian Bolt from Church Multiplication on Vimeo.

A Common Pittsburgh Disorder...

2009-05-26T07:07:00.005-04:00

A guy took a new job in Pittsburgh. His commute was a tiring array of tunnels, bridges, and traffic jams. Thinking to make the trip more bearable, he invited some coworkers to share the ride. However, the commute actually got more stressful, especially the trips through the tunnels.

He consulted the company doctor.

"Doc," the frustrated commuter complained, "I'm fine on the bridges, in the traffic, in the day and at night, and even when Joe forgets to bathe all week. But when I get in the tunnels with those four other guys crowded into the car, I get anxious and dizzy, and I feel like I'm going to explode! What is it, Doc? Am I going insane?"

"No, no, no," said the doctor. "This problem is actually quite common in the 'Burgh."

"Tell me! What is it?"

"You have what is known as Carpool Tunnel Syndrome."

The Hand.

2009-05-20T09:05:00.009-04:00

It's been a couple of days now, but I am still pumped about this past Sunday! This past Sunday morning, Element Church held our second monthly service at Mr. Small's Theater in Millvale. We started out early on Sunday morning with the band loading in at 7:30 AM, while the rest of the team came to set-up at 8:30 AM. We started out with a team prayer, and then everyone was off to work!

I think that's one of the greatest things I enjoy seeing: the team that God has brought together for this adventure. When we finished praying, and committing the day to the Lord, people just jumped into action! It's so cool to see so many people wanting to do all they can to see souls come to Christ! Even the way they go about their tasks...smiling, and having fun along the way...I LOVE IT!!! God has brought us a "dream-team" of people who love God and love people. I am humbled to serve alongside them all.

As far as our attendance for the day, we were down a little in numbers from the previous service, but we were way up in the number of people attending from our community! I even had a call on my phone on Sunday Morning from a guy who was responding to the fliers that were distributed in the community earlier that week (thanks, APC Interns!).

At 10:30 AM, the music dropped, and monthly service # 2 was on it's way! Again, the Element band was tight, and did an incredible job of leading us all into worship. They worked incredibly hard in rehearsal, and it showed. Their energy and passion for leading our church in worshiping our God is incredible!

After the band finished, and the announcement time was complete, we released our children to the KidzRock Children's Ministry program. Sarah Calcara and her team have done a GREAT JOB in creating a fun learning environment for our kids! I asked my daughter, Jacki, what she thought about KidzRock, and she said, "...Same as last month." I said, "You learned the same lesson?" She replied, "No...it was GREAT, just like last time!" I am really excited for our KidzRock program next month, because we get to move the program over to the Millvale Community Center. It's right next door to Mr. Small's, and it's a much bigger environment for KidzRock to really grow! Look out, Millvale...KidzRock is going to take you by storm in June!!!

As far as the message, we've been working through a series called, "The Elements of Life." Last month we stated that God's given us several "elements" or rules for living in order to have that "life to the full" Jesus promised us in John 10:10. In our first monthly service, we talked about being forgiven, and living a life of forgiveness. This month, we explored acceptance...how we need to accept others who are different than us, because that's exactly what Jesus did in accepting us. We concluded by asking Element Church to be "that church"...where people are accepted, regardless of their differences, their strangeness, and even their sin. When we accept others, and preach Jesus, I believe we will see incredible change in others, and in ourselves! I WANT TO BE THAT CHURCH!

The end of the service featured the highlight of what we have been working toward over the last year, ever since the beginning of Millvale Matters, and the genesis of Element Church. At the conclusion of the service, I extended an invitation to know this God who loves and accepts us, just the way we are.

That's when I saw one hand go up.

That's what it's all been about. All of the planning, all of the crazy outreaches, the organizational meetings, the setting up, and the tearing down, and the long rehearsals have been about that hand. The hand that reached out to acknowledge that they needed God's acceptance in their life...to begin a journey with Him. When it all comes down to it, every man-hour invested by this amazing team in preparing, every prayer whispered by so many of you for the people of Milvale, and every dollar invested to see Element Church birthed was for that hand.

Thank you for your prayers, for your support, and for believing in the mission of Element Church.

Thank you for all you did to reach "the one" this past Sunday.

I know that it wil be the first of many more to come.