Dear Urban Church Family & Friends,

I am so blessed by all of you and your prayers, support, emails, phone calls and text messages today in light of the fire that has consumed our meeting auditorium and 80% of all our equipment. – Thank you I appreciate you all!

On Tuesday at 12am in the morning I received a text that Birney Elementary, the school that we meet in on Sunday mornings was on fire which now has been confirmed was arson. I quickly called one of our leaders and we made our way over to Birney and discovered that the area consumed by flames was indeed the auditorium we meet in. I was there that morning until about 2am hoping to find out if we could assist Birney Elementary in any way and to see if the equipment we leave there survived. I was unable to find out anything so we decided to leave.

Katie and I headed back to Birney the next morning at 8:30am and met with the Principle to see how we could assist. We were then interviewed by the Metro Arson Strike Team to try and help determine if this arson is in any way connected to a string of arsons that have occurred in the area. From there we were eventually allowed in to work with the insurance adjusters and property restoration company that was on sight. After doing a walk through with them their preliminary assessment is that all of our stuff we store there is lost to smoke and soot damage. The total estimated loss to us is approximately $50,000 as all of our audio, visual and lighting was stored there along with all of our signs, banners and welcome center etc. The school itself sustained major fire, smoke and water damage rendering it unusable by both of the after school programs and Urban.

We have been working with the school to see how we can assist them while at the same time making plans for us to continue meeting as a church. We are determined to not allow this or any other weapon the enemy may try to bring against us to stop the great momentum we have. I firmly believe that what the devil has meant for evil God will turn it around for our good (Gen 50:20). I also know that “God works all things together for good to those who love him and are the called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28). God has opened a great temporary door for us just 500 hundred yards away from where we currently we meet. We will be meeting at the Board of Education Auditorium for the next 2 weeks while we wait to hear how long it will take to rebuild the auditorium at Birney.

Church, we are so grateful that no one was hurt during these fires and we believe that the person responsible will be brought to justice. We must rally together as a church community and stand against the enemy and let him know that we will not shrink back in the face of opposition. We must stand firm in prayer for the detectives that they will have the wisdom they need to catch these people, for Birney and all of the kids and staff that they will be protected and for Urban that God will give us guidance.

As your pastor I am asking you to pray for me as well. I need you all right now and I need your prayers. We have insurance that will cover most of our loss but as you know this can take some time. I need your prayers for wisdom on what to do in the meantime. I also need your prayers because today has been a very emotional day for me. Feeling somewhat paralyzed by our own loss yet wanting to reach out to Prime Time and ICES (two after school programs) that have also lost all of their equipment while also being some kind of support to the principal at Birney. To be honest I am emotionally drained.

Many of you have been contacting me and asking how and what you can do to help. First and foremost the greatest way you can help is by doing what you are doing, letting me know that you are with me and that you are willing to stand with me in the face of adversity. Your words of encouragement are huge at this time. Another way you can help is by coming THIS SUNDAY and worshipping with me, letting the devil no that he cannot stop the work that God is doing at Urban Church.

Practically you can help by praying and asking God what you can give financially to help rent the equipment we need until the insurance money comes in which at the earliest will be 2 months.  There will also be other added costs that are not in our typical monthly budget. If you are able and feel led to give you can go here to do so.

I am reminded today of the children of Israel when they were in captivity in Egypt and how the greater they were oppressed the larger their number grew and the stronger they became (Exodus 1:12).  Church we will rise up stronger than ever before! We will not be sidetracked from our mission of reaching those far from God. We will regroup quickly, have our needs met and stay true to being “an access point for people to discover Jesus Christ. We will not be sad in what we have lost but will beat down the devil with the greatest evangelistic thrust Urban has ever seen. We are the church and WE WIN because if HE is for us who can be against us! (Romans 8:31).

We are the church and we will stand strong and we will endure. Let’s reach people for HIM! Let’s make this the greatest year Urban has ever had!

Dream Big

Ben Brinkman

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Indecent Exposure

Hebrews 4

When I was younger I would, like any good older sibling, mercilessly give my two younger sisters a hard time.  Really it was only T, youngest sister that would get the brunt of my teasing because the S, the middle sister, learned quickly to team up with whatever side was winning at the given moment. She would pick on my sister with me but then when it came time to share responsibility in the punishment she would side with T and somehow escape my mother’s correction.

 All that being said one of the best tricks we played on T was when she was probably around the age of ten. We were in Idaho visiting my Grandma and Gramps. Every summer we would go for about a month and one of the things my Gramps would do for us would take us to the Filer Idaho public pool. Well we were all in the house getting ready and T was running around the house in just a towel taking forever to get ready per usual. S and I were waiting on her and I’m not sure how the plan was made, but without a word being exchanged and only a few glances we attacked. As T came running around the corner looking for something in one fell swoop we managed to scoot her out the door and take her towel. Now it is not like my Grandma and Gramps’ house was in the city. Their place was way out in the country and the nearest neighbors were a quarter mile away in each direction. T however was not really thinking about it when my Gramps came up saved the day and let her back into the house. He did however play along when we told T that the cute neighbor boy had rode past on his  dirt bike to check the canal when she was hanging out outside in her birthday suit. Needless to say she was livid with us and was a shade of red I’ve never quite scene again from embarrassment and anger.

None of us like to be exposed. It all started in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose to sin their eyes were open and they were allowed to feel guilt and shame, their nakedness was exposed and their first move was to cover it up. Once T got into the house that day you would never have believed how fast she covered up in clothes. I think she would have worn a turtleneck and parka if she had one and it wasn’t 100 degrees outside.

What do you do when you feel exposed and vulnerable? I hate it. We recently did quarterly reviews as a leadership team and it was hard. Weaknesses and things that I maybe did not want to deal with right at the moment were talked about and brought to the surface. It made me uncomfortable. I have always struggled with being transparent about my weaknesses and struggles because of a need to appear strong, when I do not feel strong I feel exposed. When God has me deal with sin issues I feel the weight of being exposed and naked before him. Sometimes the first reaction is to cover it up and say; “not now God I’ll deal with this later.”

Adam and Eve did this. They knew what they did because they felt exposed, they tried to cover it up by making stuff for themselves and then they hid from God! Can you imagine trying to hide from God? It seems so silly but I bet you you’ve done the same thing in an area of your life. You’ve stuffed something in the back of the closet of your heart thinking God won’t see and he won’t try to get there. Just like God found Adam and Eve he’ll find you too. Not because he wants to smite you, but because he loves you.

Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”

God and his word will expose us. It will show us our heart, our thoughts and motivations and he will hold us accountable to that. It says that the word of God doesn’t go out void. When we allow God and his word to work in us it produces change. 1 Peter 2:9 says that “we are called out of darkness into his marvelous light.” When we allow God to expose things in our life we are allowing God to bring us into not just his light but his marvelous light! And what is cool that yes everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, but it goes on to tell us in Hebrews 4:16, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Praying that as God’s word works in you, you will allow your life to be more fully exposed to his marvelous light and you will experience God’s mercy and grace in a new and greater way!

Live Life Extraordinary,

Alayna

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 Bible Reading:  Joshua 9

Winging It On Your Own

Joshua 9 is an interesting story.  The Israelites were in their Promised Land and were beginning to conquer the nations around them.  The walls of Jericho fallen and they destroyed the city and took possession of the land.  They conquered Ai (after losing one battle with them because someone in the Israelite camp had sinned).  Their fame was spreading; all the other kings in the surrounding area heard about their exploits, and even what God had done for them in Egypt 40 years earlier.

The Gibeonites decided that it would be best to make a treaty with Israel before they were attacked.  So they used deception to achieve their purposes.  They were from neighboring cities but sent a delegation dressed in rags with moldy provisions in their knapsacks, and old, cracked wineskins, and told the Israelites that they had traveled from a far country to make a treaty with them.  They said their provisions had been fresh when they started out and their clothes in good condition, but because of their very long journey everything had worn out. 

Verse 7 sounds like some of the Israelites had a glimmer of doubt about the Gibeonites because they said, “Perhaps you live near us.  How then can we make a treaty with you?” But the Gibeonites convinced them with their old provisions and worn out clothes that they had indeed come from a far country.  Verse 14 is very revealing.  “The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.”  Big mistake!!!

Instead of asking the Lord what they should do, they trusted in their own observations and instincts.  Things aren’t always as they seem.  Joshua did make the Gibeonites into servants to serve as woodcutters and water carriers and they continued to live with the Israelites.  In 2 Samuel 21 there was famine in the land for 3 years because Saul had put some Gibeonites to death.  They had made this treaty with the Gibeonites on their own and God made them honor it.

Psa. 37:5 says “Commit your way to the Lord.”  Prov. 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  We can make big mistakes when we take matters into our own hands and make decisions without first bringing them to the Lord in prayer and asking for his direction and guidance.  God can see past the deception.  He knows the end from the beginning.  We might think we’re making the right decision but God knows where that decision will lead us, and sometimes that’s into detrimental situations.  Choices we make now can come back to haunt us years down the road just as this decision did with the Israelites. 

It doesn’t pay to wing it on our own.  And why would we when we have the Holy Spirit who has been sent to be our helper?  But sometimes, just as it happened with the Israelites, things seem so obvious that we feel we don’t need to bother God with it.  The Israelites didn’t inquire of the Lord.

The Lord is a great counselor (that’s one of His names – Isa. 9:6).  Don’t try to wing it on your own, but consult with the One who knows all things.

God is good all the time,

Naomi Brinkman

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            It’s amazing the hope that a new year brings for people. It is a blank slate, a clean page and new beginning for many. Every year I continue to be astounded by the New Year’s resolutions people have. The most popular resolutions are as follows:

-Drink less alcohol

-Eat healthy

-Get a better education

-Get a better job

-Get fit

-Lose weight

-Manage debt better

-Manage stress

-Quit smoking

-Save money

-Take a trip

Unfortunately for the many resolutions made most people will not keep their resolution. One study says that out of 75% of people that make a resolution most failed their first attempt. While another study polled that out of 52% making a resolution only 12% kept their resolution.

            I have never quite believed in resolutions. The only resolution I’ve actually made was to run my first half marathon and that was because of coercion by a couple friends that wanted to do it too and I ended up the only one actually running a half marathon that year. The thing about the resolutions above is that while they are good goals they are not the real resolution that should have been made. They are good ideas but some have wrong motivation and others stem from other root causes that need to be addressed first.

            Resolve means to come to a determination; make up one’s mind; determine. It indicates that a resolution or a determination has been made as to follow some course of action. It is a firmness of purpose or intent, continued determination. Seeing as the word determination came up multiple times the definition of determination is the act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose.

            One of my friends recently wrote to me and what she said really got me thinking. She had said that while resolutions are not her thing she had decided to make one and it’s the most important one, “And you must love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all your soul, and all your strength” Deuteronomy 6:5 Because if we get this down then we would love ourselves more and take care of our body, we would love our friends more and invest in our relationships, we would love people more and make more of an impact at our work places and in our families because the love of God would be flowing in and through us.

            So I’m yes and amening her resolution. Based on the brevity of the definition of resolve. When we resolve to do something it should not be something easily broken or changed because we have made and settled a purpose in our hearts to commit to it. This year commit to God. Resolve to do Deuteronomy 6:5. Determine this year to love God with everything you have. What if you did? What could happen if you settled in your heart to love God more, to chase after him and to give him everything you have?

Live Life Extraordinary,

Alayna

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Bible Reading:  Joshua 1

Be Strong and Courageous

After the death of Moses, his aide, Joshua was chosen by the Lord to lead the Israelites.  They were on the banks of the Jordan River and ready to cross over into the land that God had promised them.  The Lord promised to be with Joshua as he was with Moses.  He gave this command to Joshua three times:  “Be strong and courageous.” (Verses 6, 7, and 9).  In fact in verse 7 he said “Be strong and very courageous.” 

Joshua addressed the people and gave instructions about crossing the Jordan.  The people agreed to follow Joshua just as they had followed and obeyed Moses, but they requested that the Lord would be with him as He was with Moses and that Joshua would be strong and courageous.

One of my Bible College teachers used to say, “When God says something more that once, listen with both of your ears.”  Here in this chapter the Lord told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous and the people repeated that request.  Four times in one chapter.

What does it mean to be strong and courageous?  To be “very courageous?”  This is the meaning of “strong” in the Hebrew:  to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute. To me, this means that the Lord and the people wanted Joshua to be a firm leader, to know what God said to him and stick with his guns even when the going got rough.  He was not be someone who backed down from what he knew was right and the direction of the Lord, even in adversity. 

“Courageous” in the Hebrew means:  to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, hard.  Very similar to “strong”.  I think it meant that Joshua had to be courageous, brave and bold enough to believe what God was telling him.  How would you react if God told you to have three million people march around a city for seven days and not say a word, only have a bunch of trumpets blowing?  And then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times and then have all the people shout and expect that the strong walls of a city would crumble.  These weren’t dinky walls.  They were wide enough for chariots to travel on them.  People built their houses on them.  It took a lot of courage for Joshua to believe what God told him and to pass that on to the people and expect them to believe and act on it.  No wonder that in verse 7 the Lord told him to be “very courageous,” exceedingly courageous.

Perhaps you’re thinking, “Joshua was leader.  He needed to be strong.”  But the Lord tells us to be strong too.  1 Cor. 16:13 says, “Be men of courage; be strong.”  (Men in this sense is talking about men and women.)  Eph. 6:10 says “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” 

Just as Joshua was to be strong in adversity and courageous enough to believe what God was saying to him, we should be also.  Joshua’s strength and courage wasn’t something he had to drum up and manufacture, he was able to have these qualities because God was with him and empowering him.  The same is true for us today.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit available to us to help us be strong.  The rest of Eph. 6, after admonishing us to be strong, gives a detailed list of the armor God has provided for us in order that we will be strong.  “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” 2 Cor. 10:4.

We are only one week into 2012.  This is a good time to reaffirm our strength and courage in the Lord.  Resolve to use the weapons and armor that God has given us, and be courageous enough to believe what God is saying.

God is good, all the time,

Naomi Brinkman

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Bible Reading:  2 Corinthians 5

The God of New Beginnings

Today begins a brand new year – 2012.  A lot of people see a new year as a time to start with a clean slate, make resolutions to do things differently, and get a fresh start.  The problem with that is that those resolutions usually don’t make it through the first month.  It isn’t long before the clean slate isn’t clean any more and the same old mistakes are being made.

When we enter into a relationship with God we don’t have to wait for the beginning of a new year to have a fresh start.  2 Cor. 5:17 is a familiar verse but really says it all.  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  “All” is an inclusive word and doesn’t leave anything out.  When we come to Christ not only does our situation change, we change.  We become “new creatures.” 

I wrote about Lam. 3:23 not too long ago, but this is another verse that emphasizes how God is the God of new beginnings.  His mercies and compassion are new every morning.  No need to wait for a new year and make resolutions.  Every morning we can start off with a clean slate.

I love the picture of new beginnings that is portrayed in Leviticus 25 where the Year of Jubilee is described.  Every 50^th year was a time of new beginnings for Israel.  All properties were returned to the original owners, debts we absolved and slaves or bondservants were released.  The land had a Sabbath when no crops were sown.  But we don’t have to wait 50 years to experience that kind of liberty and freedom in the Lord.  Every day can be a jubilee for us as we yield our hearts and lives to the Lord and let him release us from debts and bondages.

Jer. 18:1-4 is another picture of God making things new.  It describes a potter shaping a vessel from clay.  When the clay was marred, the potter formed it into something entirely new.  That’s the business God is still in today. When we make mistakes, he can take our lives and reform them into new lives “as it seems best to him.”  All it takes is some yielded clay!!!

God won’t be out of the business of making things new until the very end.  Rev. 21:5 says “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new’” 

So as we begin 2012, give God what you have, whether it is marred, broken, scarred, or a mess.  Or perhaps it’s just a dream you have given up on.  Maybe you don’t have any problems – just give him your life and let him guide every step you take in 2012.  It will surprise you what God can do with what you would discard.  What an awesome thought that you can have every step you take in 2012 guided and directed by the Lord.  Psa. 37:23

Happy New Year!

God is good all the time,

Naomi Brinkman

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Philippians 3

The last day of the year tends to be consumed with reflection. At least that’s how I tend to approach it. I think of all the great things that happened the past year, I contemplate the failures and missed opportunities. I ruminate over the friendships I’ve made and the friendships I’ve kept and the relationship I am still waiting for. After I ponder the previous year I tend to wonder at the next year and what it holds. A whole new year always holds such hope and expectation for me. Whatever failures I found in my previous year I have the opportunity to make right in the next year and who knows what could happen in another 365 days.

Maybe this past year your you has been extremely difficult or sorrowful and maybe instead of a new year of hope this new year is fear or anxiety at the unknown. Be encouraged, “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith (3:1).” I can not tell you why this year was hard or why for some people it was great. Unfortunately I cannot tell you what this next year holds for you either. I choose to believe that this is going to be one of the best years for our church both corporately and individually and that God is going to take us to new levels of faith and ability to accomplish his purposes. I profess that to you now, but I know that along the way things do happen.

I can tell you all the things that I don’t know about what tomorrow holds or I can tell you this, whatever does happen tomorrow, next month and year, rejoice! When we rejoice it helps protect our faith. Remember Nehemiah 8 tells us that when we have the joy of the Lord we have strength. As much as we rejoice in the good, we rejoice in the bad because when we have trials it is producing endurance and once our endurance has become fully developed we will be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).

Not only that but whatever happened this past year, leave it in this year and don’t take it into the new year. My colombian friends were telling me about one of their traditions is to bring a suitcase and then when it strikes midnight you go run around the block with it. It’s supposed to mean that you’ll have safe travels or something like that, but to me it’s just a picture of what we do all to often with our baggage. We pack it up and bring it with us into the new year.

In Philippians 3:13-14 Paul says, “No dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing; Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” I’m not sure how this last year was for you but I know for me it was full of joy and success but also disappointment and heartache. I’m choosing to forget this past year both the good and the bad because God has something tremendous lying ahead of that and I’m going to be a lot slower to reach the end of the race if I’m being weighed down with baggage.

Wherever you are I am believing for you that this is going to be a great year, but whatever happens rejoice, forget the past and look ahead to the future.

Live Life Extraordinary,

Alayna

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