Students making students

Posted on March 8, 2023 by jwfisch

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

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Disciple: a follower or student of a teacher

If you are a believer, Jesus calls you a disciple — one of His followers or students. That means at least two things.

You will be learning. That’s what it means to be a disciple of Jesus — you are a student of Jesus. I like to think of us as students because it is a more purposeful word. A follower can just tag along, but a student is learning, studying, taking notes, observing, asking questions, debating. A student is engaged in the learning process and the process is never over.

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The First Church of Boomers and Millennials

Posted on March 7, 2023 by jwfisch

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I first proposed this idea in a Catch three years ago to the day. It came out of a lunch I had with a pastor, an attorney who is an influential church leader, and a Christian college professor with a PhD from Oxford. They all love Jesus, but none of them are having a satisfactory church experience. The professor is on disability, the church leader can no longer stomach his church, and the pastor is tired of Christians and can’t wait to retire in three months. None of them are very hopeful about where the church in America is going. What’s wrong with this picture? You could say I just had an unfortunate group of people who are all having individual struggles for some reason, but Barna’s research would say I had lunch with a typical cross-section of Christians in America. All of them agree on one thing: The boomers have it; the millennials are looking for it; and most everybody in between too busy with life to bother.

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A long winding valley

Posted on March 3, 2023 by jwfisch

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also. 2 Corinthians 6:13

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by Marti Fischer

My heart hurts for the loss of Ethan. I embrace what C. S. Lewis wrote, “Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new landscape.” And indeed it is a journey, one I will not cut short.

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And that goes for EVERYTHING

Posted on March 2, 2023 by jwfisch

by Marti Fischer

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Grief has hit our home hard. A dear friend of Chandler’s has taken his life.

Ethan Vinograd was a sensitive young man who was loved by his Mom and Dad, his sisters and twin brother.

Here are his last words written 4 days before his birthday, which is today.  He writes to all of us: “When you forgive those who have hurt you, you are forgiving yourself. EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE, will be fighting battles they do not discuss. Allow yourself to be the gift of compassion and empathy. No ‘side’ can be victorious unless all ‘sides’ are. And that goes for EVERYTHING.”

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Jesus whisperer

Posted on March 1, 2023 by jwfisch

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“I think it’s wonderful we have the free will and the ability to have a relationship with God. When I read the Gospel I hear the Lord talking to me and teaching me, and it’s not all that difficult to understand what He’s saying.” – Mark Spoelstra

If you don’t know who Mark Spoelstra is, you can “Catch up” by reading about him below, and then, most importantly, by reading his words which have been compiled from an extensive interview by Joy Ward, who is skilled at getting a person out of their head and into their heart. Although Mark is no longer with us, he remains to be a very important friend of the Catch. And as we are hearing these days from original Jesus Music people, bringing the message forward, it only makes sense that we should hear again from Mark.

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‘Times of refreshing’

Posted on February 28, 2023 by jwfisch

by John & Marti Fischer

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Historically, when you look at revivals, prayer precedes revival, and God knows we have been praying for revival since September 2021 and dreaming about it for more than 50 years.

Prayer and repentance are the two major elements of any revival.

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19-20).

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Why the lady pouring coffee is a good model for a Christian

Posted on February 27, 2023 by jwfisch

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And the lady pouring coffee, she knows the regulars by name

And if she doesn’t know you, she calls you “Honey” just the same

The lady who pours you coffee, knows your name, and calls you “Honey” if she doesn’t, should be the model for all Christians in the marketplace. Think about it.

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Get your head in the Game!

Posted on February 24, 2023 by jwfisch

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It’s time for baseball. The longest season in all of professional sports is about to begin. Think about it. With spring training starting the end of February and the World Series now stretching into early November, there are only two months out of the year without a professional baseball game scheduled. We are about to enter 10 months of baseball. No wonder Marti doesn’t like this sport. Not only does she think the games are long and boring, the season, in her opinion, is long and boring, too.

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Sinful pagan or half-baked Christian?

Posted on February 23, 2023 by jwfisch

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“Oh ‘spew thee out of my mouth!’”

Growing up on King James English, at least where the Bible was concerned, this used to be one our favorite sayings among my Christian friends: “Oh ‘spew thee out of my mouth!’” We used it when we were not happy with someone. It’s a phrase that definitely gets your attention. I understand this at a visceral level. I’ll drink coffee hot or iced, but coffee that’s been sitting there for a while and is now at room temperature, or even partially warm, I’ll get it in my mouth and just spit it out. I used to think this verse was about regurgitation, but I think it’s more at an introductory level. God’s relationship with someone with a mediocre commitment is not going to go very far. I think that’s the picture here.

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Grace test

Posted on February 22, 2023 by jwfisch

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My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins — and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 1John2:1-2

Think about that. If Christ’s sacrifice on the cross atones for the sins of all the world, then if everybody believed, repented and accepted God’s sacrificial offering for sin by Jesus Christ, then everybody would be saved. Which raises an interesting question: What would we feel about that?

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