Outside the Gate

Neighborhood Party

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Here are some pictures from the party. It was great. Over 35 volunteers from 7 local congregations. Lots of folks from the neighborhood joined us. Some say there were over 250 people in Betty's back yard. I don't know. I didn't count.

I do know that people were touched by the Love of God. I do know that people had lots of fun, and got free hot dogs, groceries, and clothing. I know that we all were encouraged! When's the next one?

Neighborhood Party 10/3/2008

Doug's Ministry to Individuals

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:25:00 +0000

Here are the audio from Doug's ministry to individuals that took place at Outside the Gate.

Friday Night - October 3, 2008

You can play streaming audio using this control ...

Or download by right clicking on this link Doug's Personal Ministry Friday Night and selecting "save as"

Saturday Night - October 4, 2008

You can play streaming audio using this control ...

Or download by right clicking on this link Doug's Personal Ministry Saturday Night and selecting "save as"

Feeding Homeless Folks on Tryon & 8th

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:28:00 +0000

Yesterday I went down to the United Methodist Church on Tryon and 8th St in Charlotte. That is where Mat Rogers and a crew of people were setting up to serve dinner to a bunch of hungry people in Uptown Charlotte. The lines were long, and the spaghetti was good and held out till everyone was fed. It was nothing fancy. After folks went through the line many of them sat on the steps of the church to eat.

Mat prayed before we got started. One of the things he asked was that we would gain the trust of the folks we were serving over time and they would "let us in". This petition struck me as he prayed. It embodied a desire to do more than a good deed, but to develop a level of friendship between me and another that would change both our lives. To me this is what living missionally is. Living "in such a way" that through our serving, our listening, our friendship and love we participate with God in drawing people to Jesus.

It seems that Mat has been doing this for around 7 years. When I met his mom she told me how he and a buddy began going down the streets of uptown looking for hungry hidden homeless people to serve. It seems that now he has more friends to feed and more to help him feed them.

Mat is an art teacher at Independence High school. I look forward to his coming to spend some time with us on Friday night at Outside the gate. Can wait hear his story and be inspired and motivated to find ways to live our lives more connected to God's mission.

Adding to Our Conversations

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:04:00 +0000

On Saturday you will meet my friend, Debbie Somjack. She will be part of our "Be the Message" segment that evening. I have invited her to come and join us specifically because I have come to believe strongly that a lot of our communication is surface. We rarely communicate heart to heart. But, I also believe that people long to be heard. They long to know someone cares. They long to be joined at a heart level, without judgement. Knowing that someone else feels along with us and knows our heart is a key to moving people along in their spiritual journey. God's love calls us to slow down and listen with our heart. I have asked Debbie to come share about how she became a Biblical counsellor and how listening and joining a person, heart to heart, brings healing and draws people to the Lord.

Update on Saturday Morning Outreach

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:02:00 +0000

Today I heard from a couple friends who are going to be joining us for the Neighborhood Party in Monroe. Pat Haigler is bringing some young friends who will be helping to keep the atmosphere fun, especially for the littler ones. Unfortunately my 18 year old son will probably have to hide in the corner. We now have a troupe of clowns joining us!

Also, Redeem Christian Center will be manning the grill cooking hot dogs and giving away soda. They are also going to bring their mobile "King's Closet" and will beginning away clothing. I know that will be a blessing to the neighbors.

Chris Price will be bringing his guitar and playing some music. Chris has a great heart for the Latino world and so will be sharing some in Spanish as well. Joining him will be McKinley Sanford playing his sax and singing out strong and clear.

We are going to ROCK the place with God's love!

Justify Steps Praise Dance Team to be at OTG 08

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:00:00 +0000

I just got off the phone with Shelly Knox of Redeem Christian Center in Monroe. The praise dance team from their church. Justify Steps, will be joining us on Friday night. I am looking forward to their leading us in saying yes to God and to what he is calling us to in our community. Our participation with God in his mission of reconciliation and redemption can take many forms. One is to inspire our imagination through the arts in worship.

"Be the Message"

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:44:00 +0000

"Be the Message" is an integral part of our time together at OTG. This is a series of short discussions with folks being the message of Jesus outside the gates of our churches. Some have started ministries, others are just loving people they come in contact with, some are having parties, some are just being an ear to a friend, but all of these folks will encourage you to engage your community in practical ways by loving people and serving God.

This year some of the folks we will hear from include Dom Duarte with Restoration Houses helping men in transition. Donna Ginn with Healing Broken Places who a couple weeks back put together a party in her apartment complex that blessed a lot of folks. My friend Robin Black will share about how God connected her with a family she never met before, while Jeff Wolfe shares his vision for The Barn and how TNT Garage touches teens lives. A new friend, I haven't met yet, Matt Rogers will share about feeding homeless folks on the steps of a church in Uptown Charlotte every Saturday. And I am still working on a couple more to round out our time.

The reason we will hear the stories of folks like these is so that our imaginations can be stirred, and our hearts prompted to conspire with others to be the message of Jesus in our community. Can't wait!

Speakers at OTG 08

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:49:00 +0000

We are glad to have Jonathan Martin as our main speaker on Saturday night at OTG 08. A couple years ago he & his wife Amanda with 40 other dreamers planted Renovatus, a church for people under renovation, in the Plaza - Midwood area of Charlotte. Jonathan, a 3rd generation Church of God pastor, is leading this growing congregation in engaging their community through providing a "Toiletry Pantry" for AIDS workers, and fundraising for the AIDS Consortium, just to name two. RenovatusCommunity.com is the church website and his blog is at JonatanMartin.wordpress.com

Doug Roberts will be the main speaker on Friday Evening and will minister throughout our time together at OTG 08. He resides in Frederick,OK with his wife Rita. He regularly travels throughout the US and the world sharing prophetically and encouraging Christians to be the Church, not just go to church. Recent travels include Brazil, Peru and Cuba working with and teaching leaders of their local churches. We look forward to his return and the great encouragement he brings. Check out his blog at TimeWithDoug.blogspot.com.

Keith Adams, together with his wife Debra, started Common Heart Missional Community as a dream yet to be fulfilled. Its practical outreach, Common Cupboard, equips local churches and lovers of Jesus to demonstrate God's love in a very practical way by providing groceries to people in need. Outside the Gate is an outgrowth of the vision to see local churches and believers equipped to live missional lives and actively participate in God's mission to transform lives and our world. You can read his blog at NotesAlongTheWay.blogspot.com

Dear Friends,

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:37:00 +0000

We are getting down to the wire, and everything is pulling together for Outside the Gate. I hope you have made plans to join us for at least one of our evening gatherings or our Saturday morning outreach.

The evening meetings will feature our guest speakers, Doug Roberts and Jonathan Martin. I know that what they share will be a definite encouragement to you as you fulfill your part of God's mission in your world today.

As excited as I am to have these men share with us, I am just as excited about those who will be sharing during our "Be the Message" segments. During these segments our imaginations will be stirred by the stories we hear. We will also be inspired to find new avenues to break down barriers between God and the people he loves.

Our time of worship will set the stage for us to hear from God's heart. Together with our time of prayer and commissioning on Saturday evening we are sure to be spiritually encouraged and equipped for serving in our communities.

This year we decided that the best way to do a gathering called Outside the Gate, is to actually go "outside the gate" into a neighborhood in Monroe. So our focus on Saturday morning is to interact with folks at a neighborhood party that The Commonplace and Redeem Christian Center will be throwing in "Betty's back yard". This will be a totally awesome experience as we give "with no strings attached" to a needy, racially and ethnically diverse neighborhood in Monroe.

So we have a lot of things planned. I hope you will come, bring a friend and a leader from your local congregation.

We must be engaged in the mission if we are to fulfill God's calling to us as lights of the world. To briefly modify an old Christian saying, "We are blessed to be a blessing outside the gate!" I hope to see you at Monroe Christian Worship Center on Friday & Saturday nights at 7 pm and for the outreach Saturday morning at 9 am.

Yours, sharing a common heart,

Keith

PS. There is also an invite to join us for dinner on Saturday night at 5:30 PM. Love to have you join us.
--
Keith Adams
Common Heart Missional Community
kadams720@gmail.com
704-458-3744

Saturday Morning: Going Outside the Gate

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:53:00 +0000

Over a year ago I met Betty. Betty has one of these hearts that reaches out across racial, religious, ethnic divides to help people in need. I would bring Betty some groceries. The next day she would call me and explain that she gave some of her groceries to a Latino family that needed some food. I would be out the next day with some more for her and a large box for them. She lived in this small apartment in a complex we regularly reach out too. During the winter, she always had a couple people with no home sleeping on her couch. Others would show up around breakfast or lunch and she would feed them a warm meal.

Well, over the summer she moved. She moved across the street. She now lives in a nice small house with a big corner yard. I was visiting her this weekend. While there she introduced me to a Latino pastor and got me on the phone with a African-American pastor. You see, they were conspiring together with Betty to do some kind of outreach, some time soon in Betty's yard. Well, she figured I would want to be involve. You bet, I would. I love conspiring with others to bring about a demonstration of God's amazing love.

What Betty didn't know was that I was stopping by to see if we could use her yard for our neighborhood party and a Free Market outreach. Who, knew ... God did. Needless to say, we are all joining forces to bless this neighborhood.

So, I hope you can join us. Here are the details for this outreach from an email I put out today....

As part of Outside The Gate we are having a "Neighborhood Party & Free Market". We will be joining up with a couple churches and reaching out to a neighborhood off Walkup in Monroe with 2 apartment complexes and a mobile home park. There will be music, kid fun, free groceries given out, hot dogs, and anything we can do to demonstrate God's love in the area.

We can use your help...
1. We need Spanish speaking people to join us.
2. We need clowns, skits, and face painting for the kids. I may even resurrect an old character I used to play "Farmer Abraham".
3. We need folks to man the "Free Market" & cook hot dogs. As well as to help set up and take down.
4. Items to give away. Small toys, books, personal care items, small household stuff.
5. Folks to pass out flyers during the week to invite folks to the party!
6. We need plenty of arms to pass out hugs!

We will meet Saturday, October 4 at Monroe Christian Worship Center at 9 am for prep and prayer. Around 10:00 am we will head over to the neighborhood, set up, party, & clean up at 12:30.

Outside the Gate is right around the corner. I am so excited. It will be a time of refreshing, encouragement, envisioning, and commissioning for taking up a vital part of God's mission for our community. So don't forget to come to our gatherings on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7 pm. On Saturday we will share a meal together at 5:30 pm. I hope you will come.

If you have any other ideas or can help please email me at kadams720@gmail.com or call 704-458-3744.

Your Invited

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:45:00 +0000

Dear Friends,

You are invited! Please mark your calendar for Outside the Gate, October 3rd-4th in Monroe. We will be gathering again this year at Monroe Christian Worship Center (MAP) on Friday evening for a time of worship, encouragement, and ministry, Saturday morning workshops & outreach, Saturday Lunch, and end with a Saturday night gathering including a prayer and commissioning time.

I would love to see everyone who has had some connection with Common Heart or Common Cupboard join us for this time of of encouragement, inspiration, equipping, and commissioning as we continue to reach out to the local community.

OTG '08 is also time for all those who share a common heart for reaching outside the gates of our local churches to gather. Together we will gain new strength, share ideas and increase our vision in advancing the kingdom of God. So I encourage you to invite any of your friends who may be (or would like to be) involved in "local missions" work, or who live a missional Christian lifestyle.

Additionally it is an excellent opportunity to introduce or update the leaders of your church about what is going on at Common Cupboard and other missional endeavors in our community. We love to have pastors join in the conversation as we re-imagine how to walk in the ways of the One who said, "As the Father sent me, so send I you."

Hope you will be there, bring a friend and a church leader! Mark your calendars - Oct 3-4, 2008.

Yours, sharing a common heart,

Keith
--
Keith Adams

With Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:27:00 +0000

There is a great song I have been singing since I heard it in January at "Everything Must Change" conference in Charlotte. I have asked the Music team to learn it and lead us in singing it at OTG 08. Here is a video that was recently posted of the song, "With Kindness". I mentioned the song in an article I wrote on one of the foundtional pricnicples of Common Heart on my blog. After you listen and watch you may want to pop on over to "Invisibility" at NotesAlongTheWay.blogspot.com and read about it.

Live your Faith. Share your Life.

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:07:00 +0000

Recently as I was doing some Internet research in preparation for Outside the Gate 2008: a gathering of missional christians. I ran into a blog called Subversive Influence. The thing that grabbed me in a post I read was his short definition of the word missional. It is also the subtitle of the blog. "Live your faith. Share your life."

It dawned on me that was not what I was taught as a typical white American Evangelical. We were taught to "Share our faith. Live our life." ...

To read more hop on over to NotesAlongTheWay.blogspot.com where I originally posted this article. - Keith

Music at OTG

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:39:00 +0000

I spoke with two of my friends last night and I am excited as Harry Walden and Chris Price put together a band for Outside the Gate. The band this year will be made up of musicians, singers and worship leaders from a variety of local churches. Since we are meeting in the fellowship hall at Monroe Christian Worship Center this year, we will have a more intimate worship experience. I like that.

So as this all pulls together, pray for these guys & gals who will be leading us in worship as we gather on Oct 3 & 4.

Two of the Local Ministries to be spotlighted at OTG

noreply@blogger.com (Keith Adams) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:57:00 +0000

Got news yesterday that Restoration House Ministries will be joining us at OTG. Pastor Dom Duarte (bio) leads this ministry that has grown up around a prison aftercare ministry. The purpose of Restoration House is to reach out to lost and broken people. Our immediate focus is the homeless, men and women who have been released from the prisons, jails and are coming off the streets. We seek to provide them an environment conducive to building and discipling them for the Lord. The house is just the start of what they do in the community. Their Monday dinners at the house grew to the point that a couple years ago they moved it out and currently meet on Monday nights at Monroe Christian Worship Center.

They are one of the main forces behind the "Lord of the Harvest" community Thanksgiving dinner that has taken place for years in Monroe. This effort connects many local churches with a practical outreach to home bound folks who they deliver meals to and to the larger community at their dinner at Wendy's on Hwy 74 in Monroe.

I look forward to having an opportunity to spotlight this missional endeavor that has been transforming lives for years. You can read in greater detail about Restoration House Ministries at their website, RestorationHouses.org

-- • -- • -- + -- • -- • --

One of our own, Donna Ginn, will also share with us about a ministry, Healing Broken Places that she has started "to support, empower, educate and fund those with Klinefelters Syndrome and their families who are struggling with life." Although unlike Autism it is primarily a genetic disorder, some of those who have this syndrome also deal with developmental and social issues similar to an Autism spectrum disorder. This ministry has grown out of years of trying to connect her own son, and others with whom she has come in contact, with the help that would benefit them greatly in overcoming their personal challenges associated with KS. You can read more about Healing Broken Places at a blog she has started klinefelterssyndromexxy.org

Donna first connected with Common Cupboard, through 'accidentally" showing up at last year's Outside the Gate. Since that time she has been regularly helping people in her neighborhood and through her church with food from the cupboard. Just this weekend she has instigated and organized a community party that will bring together several ministries, local Christian radio, and community organizations to reach out to her apartments. There will not only be hot dogs but some free school supplies and groceries, horse rides, a prayer table, and more. This is the kind of community action needed to touch our cities, villages and neighborhoods for Christ!