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  • "Think Orange" by Reggie Joyner 

    Tommy Parke 2:27 AM on June 30, 2009 Permalink | Reply

    think orange image
    Reggie Joyner is a former Student Pastor and has previously worked for North Point Community Church as their Executive Director of Family Ministries. Now he is the founder of the reThink Group.

    Think Orange is the description of Joyner’s learnings and insights into how leaders in the church and families can become Orange thinkers.

    Light + heart
    Yellow + Red = Orange

    Joyner starts by describing the essence of God’s calling for the family. Practical examples are pointed out through modern day examples of Deuteronomy 6 through:

    1. Meal time – When You Sit at Home
    2. Drive Time – When You Walk Along the Road
    3. Bed Time – When You Lie Down
    4. Morning Time – When you Get Up

    He goes on to explain the 5 Orange Essentials:

    1. Integrate Strategy to create synergy
    2. Refine the Message to amplify what is important
    3. Reactivate the Family to build an everyday faith
    4. Elevate Community to increase the odds
    5. Leverage Influence to mobilize generations

    Each essential is fleshed out in detail throughout the rest of the book, with a brief chapter called Orange-ality and Concentrate notes at the end to bring clearer direction from the concepts in his challenge to the church and family.

    To join in on the Orange discussion, you can follow the blog at:

    OrangeLeaders.com

    Or attend the annual Orange Conference in Duluth, GA, led by Reggie Joyner and the church leadership guru, Andy Stanley. Stay tuned to their Twitter for more information.

     

  • Easter @ Christ Fellowship Miami 

    Tommy Parke 12:54 AM on April 5, 2009 Permalink | Reply

    easter_ver2
    If you’re in the Miami area, please come and check out one of our 15 services.

    All services are identical at each campus.

    DOWNTOWN
    Wednesday, April 8th
    Service @ 12:00 PM

    Sunday, April 12th
    Service @ 9:30 AM & 11:00 AM
    Family Easter Activities @ 12:30 PM
    Located @ 500 NE 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33132

    HOMESTEAD
    Saturday, April 11th
    Family Easter Activities from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
    Service @ 5:30 PM
    Located @ Waterstone Charter School, 855 East Waterstone Way, Homestead, FL 33034

    Sunday, April 12th
    Service @ 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM
    Located @ Campbell Drive Middle, 900 NE 23rd Avenue, Homestead, FL 33033

    PALMETTO BAY
    Friday, April 10th
    Service @ 7:00 PM

    Saturday, April 11th
    Family Easter Activities from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
    Service @ 6:30 PM

    Sunday, April 12th
    Service @ 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM & 12:30 PM
    Located @ 8900 SW 168th Street, Miami, FL 33157

    REDLAND
    Saturday, April 5th
    Family Easter Activities @ 1:00 PM
    Located at South Dade Park, 16350 SW 280th Street, Homestead, FL 33031

    Sunday, April 12th
    Service @ 9:00 AM & 10:30 AM
    Family Easter Activites @ 12:00 PM
    Located @ 16390 SW 248th Street, Redland, FL 33031

    WEST KENDALL
    Sunday, April 12th
    Service @ 8:30 AM & 10:00 AM
    Located in The Regal Kendall Village Theater, 8595 SW 124th Avenue, Miami, FL 33183

    Click here for more information

     

  • How to Ruin Your Life 

    Tommy Parke 1:54 AM on February 19, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: How to Ruin Your Life

    How to Ruin Your Life

    From Pastor Eric Geiger:

    “Dear Friend,

    Hey! You are invited to join us this weekend at Christ Fellowship for the launch of our new series — “How to ruin your life.”

    Even if you feel your life is not totally messed up — greed, pride, lust, malice, jealousy, and guilt threaten to eat away at the core of who we are, and essentially ruin our lives. Join us as we tackle these big issues from a biblical perspective and discover joy and victory in Jesus Christ.

    I also encourage you to bring a friend or family member with you. We are looking forward to a great weekend at Christ Fellowship.

    God Bless,

    Pastor Eric”

     

  • Live @ CF Two: Because of His Great Love 

    Tommy Parke 10:00 PM on February 18, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Live @ CF


    My Worship Pastor Abiel Mir from last year’s Live @ CF.

    For more info: CFMiami.org

     

  • 25 Things about Me 

    Tommy Parke 2:35 AM on February 9, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: 25, About, Random

    1. Jesus is the reason why I am alive and why I live.

    2. My family is amazing. From my dad’s ability to love through providing, to my mom’s ability to love through serving and my sister’s ability to love through protecting. Also I hope to meet with my sister Heather in heaven to see the amazing woman that God created her to be.

    3. I have a heart for students (middle school through college) and want to get them to understand the love of God and His love for people through missions because it explains perfectly that God is the God of every nation.

    4. I am a virgin and will not kiss my wife until our wedding day. I cannot give her my first kiss ever, but she will be my last first kiss. I count it a privilege and an honor to not kiss anymore in order to protect the purity and value of my relationship to my wife.

    5. Other than middle school “girlfriends,” I have never had a relationship. Though extreme, I have realized the importance of friendships and the ability to narrow down who my close friends are through my passions. My passion will lead me to my wife.

    6. Favorites of movies and music are “Singing in the Rain” & Tenth Avenue North. I love dancing and SITR is such a warm-hearted movie. Mike can put into words the beauty of wrestling with the truth that Jesus’ love never fails.

    7. I am an intent listener. Within the last year it has gotten extremely difficult to remember everything, but I will never stop listening.

    8. I have been to 5 out of 7 continents. Australia & Antarctica are left.

    9. Panda Bears are my favorite animal. 3 reasons why. I had a Panda blanket as a kid. They are adorable, and they also have the ability to destroy. Pretty sweet combination.

    10. I am an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

    11. My favorite sports in order are futbol (soccer in all forms from outdoor, indoor to futsol), hockey, spearfishing, basketball, football (States’ version), baseball and skiing.

    12. I love dogs. My favorite kinds are the Bernese Mountain dog, Australian Shepherd, Alaskan Malamute, German Shepherd, and the Labrador.

    13. Listening to music is one of my favorite things in the world to do. I enjoy different types from heavy metal to classical. I tend to listen to metal more than anything. Follow my choices on http://www.last.fm/user/tommyparke

    14. Reading is very fun to me. Favorite writers are Andy Stanley, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, John MacArthur, Stephen Arterburn, Craig Gross, Charles Spurgeon, and C.S. Lewis.

    15. I intend to write two books on lessons I’ve learned in life. One for my son and the other for my daughter. Hopefully more, but those are the two most important.

    16. I have become a stickler for time. Every minute is given by God and if I can control stewardship of it, especially when it comes to others’ time, I will try to stay on schedule.

    17. I hate sarcasm. I use it like most people because it’s become a language in itself, but the meaning of sarcasm has gotten lost and it’s an easy tool to use to mask the way you truly feel or to distance yourself from a situation/idea.

    18. I’ve broken 10 bones in my life (Skull, Left tibia, right fibula, sternum, 3 ribs, 3 costovertebral joints), sprained both ankles, a concussion, and a heat stroke.

    19. The three sickest times I’ve felt in my stomach through circumstances were when I came back from El Salvador from my first missions trip overseas, when I held an orphaned boy in Tanzania that was saved from a dumpster, and when I realized I could lose my daughter to sexual trafficking.

    20. African culture from my Tanzanian experience is the most beautiful culture I’ve seen.

    21. I’ve never had a cavity thanks to my mom making me take fluoride vitamins as kid and daily brushing.

    22. I’ve had a beard since 5th grade.

    23. Ben Stiller and Steve Carrell are my celebrity look-a-likes.

    24. I use social networking sites as a way to stay connected anyway I can. If God has allowed me to meet you in some fashion, then the least I can do is at least try and keep that connection so I can help in anyway possible. There is a meaning for every person, place and thing in your life.

    25. I’ve studied the Bible in school from kindergarten to college. I love teaching the Bible and I will continue on until I die.

     

  • Why I Believe in First Priority 

    Tommy Parke 5:18 PM on November 21, 2008 Permalink | Reply

    The following letter is from the Broward/Miami-Dade County Director for First Priority of South Florida, Fred Revell, concerning the events that took place on November 12 at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For more information on this event, visit:

    10th grader fatally shot at Broward high school

    “Dear Board Members, Founders Fellowship and friends of First Priority,

    Many of us were struck by the tragedy of the shooting on a public school campus in Broward County last week as a 15 year old girl lost her life. Our hearts were saddened as we learned some of the details of a life cut short because another female student, confused with gender identification issues, believed it appropriate to gun down young Amanda Collette for not responding to her advances over the course of several days. Our team struggled with the reality, as we have in the past; that we face insurmountable odds as we equip and encourage student missionaries to pray for and strive to be the catalyst for spiritual awakening on these campuses. As the details of Amanda’s story continued to unfold over the following days our staff and Campus Coaches were guided by the Holy Spirit to renew our fervor and encourage First Priority students to do all they can to fulfill the Great Commission by being salt and light at their schools…even if it means offering the ultimate sacrifice.

    So the media had its day as some of the facts concerning what happened to Amanda and why had come to light…as some other details may never be made known. But God has blessed us with some information that we wanted you and your family to be aware of, and it is because of our relationship that I am excited to pass along to you the following:

    Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, where this tragedy occurred, has a First Priority club which meets each Monday after school. But the First Priority club students also gather each Wednesday morning before classes at the flag pole to pray for their school. Word had come to us just a few days ago from David Geyer our Area Advisor that our Campus Coach at Dillard High, Rev. Crunch the Student Minister at Mount Olive Baptist Church, had told him young Amanda Collette had attended, for the first time, the prayer event that very day her life was taken. Rev. Crunch went on to share that rumor had it that Amanda had even made a decision for Jesus that morning, but this had yet to be verified. Then on Thursday, November 20th, Sarah Hadjuk, who is our Area Advisor to Northwest Broward, was an invited guest speaker at our Coral Glades High club. She was sharing the story of Amanda and that we were informed of her attendance at the pole prayer the morning of her death, but that we were unsure of her spiritual condition. Sarah went on to challenge the students to take every measure to know the spiritual status of their friends and be willing to lead unsaved friends to salvation. As Sarah was speaking Matt Boone, Campus Coach for the club and Student Minister at Church by the Glades, caught Sarah’s attention and stated, “we know what happened to Amanda that morning”! He continued and shared that one of Amanda’s close friends at Dillard High attends Matt’s student ministry and how he has been helping this young girl work through the pain of losing someone so dear. Matt has had conversations with this student and her mom and he has learned from them that not only had Amanda received Jesus for salvation just hours before she entered eternity but the gospel was preached at her funeral and more than 50 persons responded to an invitation to receive Christ!

    Dear friend, if ever you wonder why God has called us together to function as a team to reach this generation with the Gospel on the public school campus by uniting the church may Amanda’s story be burned into our hearts that if only for her sake the 10 years of service and sacrifice made by so many is truly worth it all. For Amanda alone we can be grateful for God’s mercies and blessings this Thanksgiving season!”

     

    • Jillian 12:53 AM on November 26, 2008 Permalink | Reply

      wow!!! Amen to that. What an amazing story…

    • Big John 3:27 PM on December 9, 2008 Permalink | Reply

      Incredible story Tommy. Keep it up! We’ve seen a big tide turning the past couple years in the wake of tragedies…because this wave of current students is so unchurched, the churches have such an opportunity to shine and show authentic Christianity…a real return to Acts 2.

  • No Need of a Physician 

    Tommy Parke 5:43 AM on November 13, 2008 Permalink | Reply

    With life we have various ways we can live.

    Recklessness. Conformity. 

    Wherever you find yourself, living life is up to you. I see life more often than not in three ways: Past, Present, Future. With this in mind, I will explain why I live the way I do right now using several people that have greatly impacted me to this day.

    Past – I seem to refer to certain people in my life more dominantly than others, but it comes from the familiarity and intimacy I have with them. For example, my dad. Tom Parke is one of the greatest people to ever walk the earth. The more I grow up I see how amazing he was as I was growing up under his direct care. He loved me in the most tangible ways and because of my present understanding how love was, I see clearly how the past has brought me to this point today. He sacrificed so much for my family that I don’t mind sacrificing certain things if it will do more good. I am not what he has been to me, but I hope to be that way in the future more and more everyday.

    Present – This writing comes from a helpful hint from a great guy, Scott. He encouraged me to “Stop and Smell the Roses” occasionally from the pace of life I lead. Scott in himself is a story of how awesome God’s love can change a person. When I moved down to Miami last year, he was seeking God in a intellectual way, but now I continue to see him seek God in personal ways. Through serving in church to being genuine in his relationships with his girlfriend and friends, his present day change is a hope I have for students and people that I work with on a daily basis.

    Future – Some of you may know that I had a friend that I grew up with back home recently commit suicide. We were not the greatest friends, but we knew each other from church and school. His mom was always so encouraging to me whenever I was back home from college and the fact that because her son had lost hope in life has been ripping me apart lately. I do not know the state of his heart with God at the time that he took his life, but the thing that disturbs me in my sleep and keeps me from sleeping well is that in the book of Revelation in the 20th chapter John writes that at the culmination of God’s wrath, those whose names are not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be “tormented day and night forever and ever.” I am so scared for the future that awaits people who do not know the truth about Jesus and if people lose hope in life by not following Jesus then that is what will happen at the end. 

    To end, for those who follow Jesus, remember His words when it comes to the way He lived His life. Think about who you hang out with a majority of the time. Jesus came to people who didn’t know Him. Do we do that? Are we reaching out to them, or at the very least training up people to do it? Jesus had a mission and it was for a certain group of people, the sick. “”Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners.” – Mark 2:17

     

    • nic 2:02 PM on November 14, 2008 Permalink | Reply

      this is great man.
      i love the verse at the end.
      we are constantly being healed of our sickness.

  • Guest Video for Life in Student Ministry on timschmoyer.net 

    Tommy Parke 1:44 PM on October 23, 2008 Permalink | Reply

    Tim let me post a video about a tip for student ministry workers and the best tip I could think of is knowing that you can minister alongside students.

    more about “Guest Video for Life in Student Minis…“, posted with vodpod

     

  • Developing Spiritual Habits: Week 1 

    Tommy Parke 3:32 AM on October 6, 2008 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: CF Students, Christ Fellowship Miami, Developing Spiritual Habits, Turbo Tommy

    Developing Spiritual Habits with Turbo Tommy for CF Students.

     

  • Whatever happens, conduct yourselves... 

    Tommy Parke 4:07 AM on July 15, 2008 Permalink | Reply

    There are a couple of events lately that have been kept on the forefront of my mind. First off, is the new teaching series we are doing at Christ Fellowship in student ministry called "Philippians: The Painful Paradox."

    If you're not familiar with the letter to the Philippian church, this letter was written by the Apostle Paul while he was under house arrest awaiting trial for his personal belief and teaching of Jesus. He wrote to the church about several things, but one thing I would like to concentrate on is the decision that he made for everything he found himself to be apart of in life.

    In chapter 1, verse 27, he writes that the church needs to politeuomai (Greek word for "live") in a lifestyle worthy of the gospel. Since the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, certain words lose meaning and politeuomai is one of them. The idea that politeuomai conveys is citizenship. So in this context, whatever hard circumstance we find ourselves in, our citizenship to the good news of Jesus should change how we live life.

    The second event that's been on my mind are my friends Todd, JoAnn and their daughter Abigail (known around her Christ Fellowship friends and family as Abi Jo). JoAnn and Abi were riding their bicycle this past weekend and a driver ran a red light and hit them, knocking JoAnn and Abi to the ground very hard. As of right now, Abi is in the hospital recovering with a blood build-up around her brain, but things have been improving. It was a blessing that the helmet she was wearing relived a majority of the concussion. I write this part for you to know how to pray for the Breiner family right now. Prayer is always appreciated.

    What they are going through reminded me of when a great mentor to me, Jason Peaks, was hit by a drunk diver in daylight and severely injured him with a broken leg, dislocated shoulder and shattered elbow that is now made of metal. I couldn't help but think of how frustrated he must have been with a situation that was out of his control, but I will never forget what he said during his healing process. He said that in his situation, he wanted the love of God to be shown through this time.

    If I were him, or if we were him, wouldn't we want to get revenge? If we were Todd and JoAnn, wouldn't we want to get revenge on the man who caused pain to their daughter? I would say that would be a completely natural reaction. Although tough realize in times of pain, life has a bigger purpose than just revenge for our injustice.

    Paul wrote to the Philippian church in chains and said that the chains he wore for the glory of God so that all who were around him could hear the gospel that may not have heard it before. Jason had his body damaged horribly but decided instead of inflicting misery to a woman who tried to find relief in alcohol to give her the love of God that had been put in his life. Now Todd and JoAnn have the opportunity to do the same. I ask that you pray for them and their strength to be strong for their daughter. I ask that you pray for Abi and her fears that she is feeling right now. Lastly I ask that we all seek God and find what he wants us to do. Paul tells us plainly that we in any situation,

    Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

     

    • Marsha 12:34 PM on February 12, 2009 Permalink | Reply

      Tommy, you are a writer!

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