by Josh Monda | Jul 3, 2009 | Uncategorized
Many times I feel one of the greatest failures in Christian live is our inability to love one another.  In addition it is also our inability to show the world that we love one another.  We all know the verse right  ”By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).  I know alot of Christians that say they love one another.  I mean that is an easy thing to say right “I love you” well it might be easier for some then others.  The reality of it is we do not have to work that heard many times to tell someone we love them.  We hear it from Christians all the time “I love you in the Lord”  not sure why we need to add in the Lord, but we say that.  I think it has become all to common place to say it and not really show it. Â
I often think of this when someone is hurting and I hear someone say “they love the person” and often I want to ask “really how are you showing it”. Â Why do we get caught into this trap of saying we love others but not displaying that love. Â I am so often reminded of
James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
Sure we may not do something that seems so drastic but we do this very thing all the time. Â We know someone hurting or in need and we know we are called to show love but instead we make excuse.
This verse has been on my mind lately “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8)
This verse very plainly and clearly ells us to have a “fervent” love for one another.  The word for fervent ther is (eketenes) which is an athletic word.  It means to stretch and to reach out; to strain and exert to the utmost degree just like an athlete in a race.  This is telling us to be passionate about loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.  This is not just some warm fuzzy feeling that we often have or that we say to one another it goes beyond that.  It is more then just even having some sentimental or caring feeling for another person. Â
This verse is commanding us to love with this great love this love of fervency.  But here is what is even greater the verse says “above all” this love is to be put in front of anything else.  This is the most important duty of a believer in Jesus Christ.  We are to put every once of energy in our minds and hearts to love.  This means that we love others even when they have hurt us, or abuse us, or persecute us, or oppose us, or ridicule us, or speak bad about us, or injure us, or make fun of us.  We choose to love regardless of circumstances.
You know what the greatest part about all of this is. Â When we love each other with this fervent love “it covers a multitude of sins.” Wow only if Christians to grasp on to this. Â Only if we could understand what it means to love in this way. what does it mean?
- It means that we are not saying we love and at the same time hating, and reacting, and sinning.
- it means that we are loving with a spirit of forgiveness, not living with some sort of sinful unforgiving spirit.
- It means that this kind of love will help us to reach those who do evil to us and win them to Christ. Â
I pray I will love like this love with a fervent love instead of the typical love I see christians proclaiming.
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by Josh Monda | Jun 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
Apr 27
Posted by Josh
Yesterday (4-26) I had the awesome privilege of being a room host at our Regional Teens Involved.  If you are not familiar with Teens Involved it is a competition that is hosted by Word Of Life (if you are not familiar with them then that can be another blog) anyway at this competition teens can compete in 23 different categories.  Yesterday I hosted the instrumental room which was a riot for me because I know very little about music.  What I was so impressed with was the quality of teens that were in this competition. I had the wonderful opportunity to pray with every teen before they performed and to chat with them briefly and wow.  We hear so much bout our teens doing bad things and this and that but these teens wanted to be there.  These teens wanted to give what they had to the Lord.  Specifically I remember one young lady playing her violin and I was nearly moved to tears.  My heart was encouraged being with those teens.
My heart was also encouraged as I had the opportunity to hear two young men preach.  These young men are special to me as I have had the opportunity to be a part of their life and have even lead one of them to Christ.  It was so awesome to hear them clearly lay out the gospel and clearly give a plan of salvation.  It was neat to hear that they had taken my advice.  Though I am saddened to not be their Youth Pastor anymore do to my recent resignation (thats another blog), I am excited to see them live for the Lord.  Both these guys and many others hold a special place in my heart more so then they or anyone else will probably ever know.  Guys if you read this you did an awesome job and I am so proud of you,
Teens are the church of now and into the future and it is a joy to see them serve. Â I would encourage you if you are involved in a church what are you passing on to those that are below you. Â Look for someone to get involved with and pass the things of God on to them.
My Thoughts, Spiritual Application, Uncategorized
by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
Apr 27
Posted by Josh
Yesterday (4-26) I had the awesome privilege of being a room host at our Regional Teens Involved.  If you are not familiar with Teens Involved it is a competition that is hosted by Word Of Life (if you are not familiar with them then that can be another blog) anyway at this competition teens can compete in 23 different categories.  Yesterday I hosted the instrumental room which was a riot for me because I know very little about music.  What I was so impressed with was the quality of teens that were in this competition. I had the wonderful opportunity to pray with every teen before they performed and to chat with them briefly and wow.  We hear so much bout our teens doing bad things and this and that but these teens wanted to be there.  These teens wanted to give what they had to the Lord.  Specifically I remember one young lady playing her violin and I was nearly moved to tears.  My heart was encouraged being with those teens.
My heart was also encouraged as I had the opportunity to hear two young men preach.  These young men are special to me as I have had the opportunity to be a part of their life and have even lead one of them to Christ.  It was so awesome to hear them clearly lay out the gospel and clearly give a plan of salvation.  It was neat to hear that they had taken my advice.  Though I am saddened to not be their Youth Pastor anymore do to my recent resignation (thats another blog), I am excited to see them live for the Lord.  Both these guys and many others hold a special place in my heart more so then they or anyone else will probably ever know.  Guys if you read this you did an awesome job and I am so proud of you,
Teens are the church of now and into the future and it is a joy to see them serve. Â I would encourage you if you are involved in a church what are you passing on to those that are below you. Â Look for someone to get involved with and pass the things of God on to them.
My Thoughts, Spiritual Application, Uncategorized
by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
Recently I listened to an interview with Rick Warren and whether you like his stuff or not he had some good things to say in the interview. Â In this interview he commented on many things. Â For instance he spoke on stages they try to take people through at Saddleback. Â They were first to “Know Christ”,Then to Love Christ’s family, then to grow in Christ, then to serve Christ, finally to share Christ. Â This is a process that they attempt to take people through. Â I enjoyed what he had to say about this because it seems in many churches their is not a process, or even a plan for that matter. Â It seems more like a somewhat organized Chaos with no real plan. Â On top of that when asked to put their plan into words most churches can not primarily because they do not have a plan. Â This can be and is counter intuitive to many churches. Â If the people do not know where they are going or where they are being lead then “aren’t they following blindly”.
Really what impressed me most was Warren’s comments on discipleship.  Warren spoke that Saddleback was built on a series of five covenants.  The first is their entry point “Come and See” he said there is no commitment to “Come and See” the only thing you have to do is show up.  You can sit wherever you want, you don’t have to sing any songs you are not forced to say anything you just come and see.  Warren was quick to point out that Jesus never left the people there. Â
“From “Come and See” Jesus would take them through consistent steps.  During this time Jesus is constantly turning up the heat.  As they begin to follow Him Jesus begins to say things like You’re my disciple if…He redefines commitment.  ”You’re my disciple if you love on another.”  ”You’re my disciple if you bear fruit.”  ”You’re my disciple if you take up your cross, deny yourself,  and follow Me.”  And on and on Jesus is turning up the heat.”
“In those days, nobody took up a cross unless the Romans were going to nail him to it. So He’s saying, “Come and die.” There’s a huge difference in commitment between “Come and see” and “Come and die.” He doesn’t say “Come and die” at the very first. He takes three years into a relationship with them. And He’s moving them.”
“Churches have not understood that commitment is sequential, systematic, and processed. And to move them from “Come and see” to “Come and die” is what Purpose Driven is all about.”
“What happens is churches tend to be one or the other. You’re either a “Come and see” church or a “Come and die” church. And the “Come and see” churches bring them in the front door and win a lot of people to Christ, but they don’t deepen them to deeper levels of maturity. The “Come and die” church doesn’t reach anybody for Christ, and they’ve got their frozen chosen that they keep taking deeper and deeper and deeper. But those people have koinitis. They’re so close no one else can break into it.”
“What a church has to do is see that “Come and see” and “Come and die” is the whole spectrum. And how do you get people from “Come and see” to “Come and die?” There are classes. There are covenants. There are commitments. There are cells. There’s coaching.”
“It’s not just one-on-one. It’s not just one to small group. It’s not just one to big crowd. There is a combination. And you have to take into account that people learn in different ways. Most churches have not built the levels of learning into discipleship.”
 So often we have no plan.  Our plan is watch this movie, read this book, take someone else through this book.  That is not really discipleship.  So often there is no process to grow someone in Christ.  They either “Come and See” and never get moved beyond that or we as them to “come and die” and they are not ready for that.  Why is it we seldom move people through a time of discipleship.  Rarely do we really take time to get to know those we are supposedly discipling so how do we really know where to start?  We really need to revolutionize how we look at discipleship and stop wasting time.  We need to strip discipleship of all of its protective gear and stop worrying about people seeing the real us and stop pretending to be something we are not and start invading peoples lives with who Jesus Christ is.  We need to be willing to stick it out for a long haul and show them whatever way it takes for them to understand who Jesus is and move them into the direction of “come and die” then we will have radical committed disciples of Jesus Christ.
Please not that the quoted text are the words of Rick Warren in the interview. Â
by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
It has been along time since I have posted primarily because I have been so busy. I know that is hard to believe that I have been busy without a job but I sure I have been. Rather than update about Mike Erre’s book (I will do that later) I thought I would just give some things that have been going on in my life.
I’ll start with the crusade we recently had. I meet with one of our Pastors pretty regularly and I really enjoy the time I get to spend with him. Leading up to the crusade he asked me if I would like to help with train the counselors I of course jumped at the opportunity because this is the very thing I love to do. So I spent a few nights getting things ready and going over the training and then we trained the counselors for two evenings, to be ready for the response we were expecting during the crusade. The Impact Macon Crusade was February 22-25 and I was there every night. We saw God move in a remarkable way during that week we saw over 100 decisions for Christ and over 90 0n one night. I must say I was not ready for over 90 people to respond to the gospel that night but it was wonderful. Hey they were all counseled to.
Secondly I was asked if I could teach a book of the Bible to the youth what book would it be. I replied I would go through the book of James and the response was “why don’t you teach it” of course I jumped at that any time I get a chance to teach some teens I am going to do it. So on Sunday nights I am taking our Student Overflow through James. I pray and hope they are enjoying it. I have already taught through James so I already have the messages done, but if you know me you know I spend a great deal of time with message prep even if I have already done it before and making sure I am saying what the Lord wants me to say.
Thirdly the first week in March I started taking over the Wednesday evening teaching to the Youth. This has been going great once again I love teaching the teens. On Wednesdays I typically play a game with them and then we go over prayer requests and then I teach. I desire to see both these ministries grow tremendously and I have seen God definitely working on the hearts of some of the teens that come.
Fourthly I received a call from the principal here at Atlanta school and was asked if I could come in and teach Science while the current teacher is away on maternity leave. I accepted the position. Which if you are a teacher you know the work that gos into lessons and so forth. So for the next few weeks I am now a Science teacher. I must say that teaching in the public school is a lot different then teaching in Christian School, or teaching at church, however the kids seem to like me as a teacher and some even thanked me for teaching.
Finally all of this has been happening while still sending out resumes (required for state aid) and while going through an interview process with a church that is interested me. So yeah I have been busy but hey I like being busy. Please pray I will be directed to the church God wants me at and that I will know it and so will the church.
