The Fellowship Blog

What's going on here!?!

2 Mar 2012
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Bruce Fellowship Groups love relationships small groups

There is a strategic shift taking place in the Fellowship!

Now, I wouldn't say this represents a completely new paradigm on the part of the leadership. Rather it is a strategy to achieve what we believe in. Let me give some background.

"...in the temple and from house to house..." Acts 2:46, 5:42, 20:20

The New Testament Church had this pattern of meeting together on both a larger scale and in small groups. Because of the different dynamics of each setting, there is important stuff that takes place in each. The Church of the 20th and now 21st centuries has had more of an emphasis on the "big" gathering, even referring to it as "the main meeting" and relegating the small gatherings as optional. In the New Testament, however, the small, relationally-geared meetings from house to house were a vital and regular part of their lives in Christ.

Most of how God instructs us to live--to be understood as, the fullness of life--cannot be learned or carried out in the big gatherings, significant and life-giving as they are. Consider these truths:

The priority of God's heart is love. (1 John 4:16)
The commandment to love fulfills every other command God gives us. (Romans 13:8-10)
Love is the distinguishing mark that we are His disciples. (John 13:34-35)
Love is learned in the context of relationships. (Romans 12:10)
There are over 30 different "one another" directives in the New Testament. (Such as Romans 12:10 above)
Most of the New Testament is instruction on how to care for one another. (Matthew-Revelation)

To this end, we are making a shift. We want to create environments that foster valuable, life-giving Christian relationships, which we're calling Fellowship Groups. We want this to be a priority--as much a priority as our Celebration service!--so much so that, when this all kicks off on March 25th, we are suspending virtually everything else other than our Sunday Celebration and Fellowship Groups. Our goal is that everyone who calls the Upper Room Fellowship their home would be connected with others on a weekly basis in a small relational context. Such is the value of these relationships. Love is the reward.

So stay tuned. Next week, I'll cover the practical details of how this is all going to work.

Now may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you, so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

New Sunday morning class - Fruit of the Spirit

22 Mar 2011
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Bruce Equipping Fruit of the Spirit Know God Serve others Share life

At The Fellowship, we are being equipped to reign in life. Jesus came that we would have life in its fullness. Anything less and everyone misses out--you, your friends, the world.

A new Sunday morning class will be starting March 27th. I'll be teaching on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22 & 23, but from a little different angle. We'll be discussing things like love and joy and peace. Most Christians see these as qualities we need to work on. The goal of this class is that everyone participating would be confident in living under the smile of God.

So come on out this Sunday at 9:30 AM. Grab a bagel and a coffee at the Cafe. The class will convene immediately after the Cafe worship in the Destiny Room.

--Bruce

What do you think?

11 Jul 2010
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Bruce

In this country and around the world, there are places where revival is taking place. To hear the events of these places would put you in mind of the book of Acts. People are being healed. Folks are coming to know the Lord. Lives are being changed. Cities are experiencing transformation. What triggers all this? Does God arbitrarily show up in certain spots? Does it just “happen”? What do you think? Is it a matter of Divine whim? Does God simply pick certain spots or is there something more? God is so overflowing with mercy, I am sure that in His grace and joy, He just surprises people by showing up in amazing ways and pouring out His love. God is always anxious to show kindness. Yet in most places another dynamic seems to be at work. This dynamic amazes me. It is completely astounding! God is… responding. The Sovereign Lord of the universe is responding to ordinary people like you and me, made from the dust of the earth. He is listening for their cries. He is scanning the whole earth looking for those whose hearts are wholly His. He is responding to people who are longing for Him and crying for His Kingdom to invade their sphere. A.W. Tozer said it this way, “God waits to be wanted.” God wants us to take initiative toward Him. He is looking for it, even waiting for it. Indeed the Scriptures are full of these invitations:

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Js 4:8).
“If you seek Him, He will let you find Him” (2 Chr 15:2).
“The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chr 16:9).
“You will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and soul” (Deut 4:29).
“He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6).
“If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chr 7:14).

We hear about revivals after they hit the newspapers. What we don’t see is what took place first. Throughout history all the major revivals were preceded by people who sought God for them. There were people who yearned for the presence of God and earnestly prayed for His Kingdom to come as it is in Heaven. My question is Why not here? Why not now? Why don’t we become the people that God is waiting to respond to? Why don’t we become the people that God knows He can trust with an outpouring because we are longing for Him? Why don’t we set up the groundwork for a major Kingdom breakthrough here? We are. And we won’t stop until God breaks through. That’s why we have set aside an entire week for continual prayer and worship, July 18-25. That is why we are gathering people from churches all over this region to seek His face. That day and night, an unbroken cry would go up from this place, “God, we want you here!” And that is why you are invited—no, urged—to be a part. Revival is waiting. The world is wanting. God is watching.

The LORD longs to be gracious to you.

He waits on high to have compassion on you.

For the LORD is a God of justice.

How blessed are all those who long for Him! (Isa 30:18)

To be a part of hastening revival right here, join the escalating cry that is going up to heaven for His Kingdom to come. As you know, it is not our intent that gets rewarded, it is action. A practical way you can be actively involved in bringing real breakthrough to this area is to register and participate in the approaching 24/7 Regional Prayer (www.urfellowship.com). We long for His kingdom to be released here!

The glory of the Lord revealed

23 Jun 2010
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Bruce

As I was seeking the Lord about the approaching 24/7 prayer for this region July 18-25, He directed me to several passages that are to be a theme for our time in His presence. The passages are verses 1-3 of Isaiah 60, 61, and 62. Really, the whole chapters are applicable and help to give context to what the Lord is saying. As Isaiah 60 describes, nations are going to see the brightness of the Lord’s glory because it will be revealed through His people. It is the Lord’s intention to make known what He is like through us. The world needs who God is—they need His wisdom, His insight, His grace, and His favor. The Lord is going to use us in strategic places—at the right place, at the right time, with wisdom from heaven—to effect businesses, families, governments, media, education, arts and entertainment, both here locally and beyond. Isaiah 61 talks about the anointing that will be on God’s people to bring deliverance and freedom. As Jesus proclaimed, we will do the works that He did and even greater ones. Motivated by compassion, God is releasing a greater anointing for healing, miracles, and deliverance from all kinds of bondages in our cities. The world is desperate for those who can bring them Hope and Life. This will come through a people who have been set free themselves and are full of the Holy Spirit and abundant joy. What triggers the release of all these things, as Isaiah 62 expresses, is a people whose hearts relentlessly pursue the Lord and won’t let Him go until heaven touches earth and His glory is released upon the world. “All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isa 62: 6,7). This is why a week has been set aside for continual prayer and worship. This why we carve out time and do whatever it takes to seek His face. We love His presence and long for His Kingdom to come here as it is in heaven. We are thrilled that He has chosen to reveal His glory by placing it upon us. We yearn for others to be touched by His kindness and for society to be changed by His goodness. So, oh Lord our God, let Your kingdom come, Your will be done, here as it is in heaven.

—Bruce Stryffeler

Isaiah 60
¹Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.²For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you.³Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah 61
¹The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; ²To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, ³To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting so they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 62
¹For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning. ²The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the LORD will designate. ³You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Why is it a secret?

23 Feb 2010
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Bruce

We have been talking about the secret place quite a bit lately. What makes it a secret? I mean, anyone who has access to a Bible can read how abundant fruitfulness comes from being with Jesus and drawing from Him (John 15:5). (Translate fruitfulness as being able to bless others out of one's own completeness, fulfillment, and wholeness.) To those who give themselves to the secret place, Jesus instructed, "Ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7). That is AWESOME! But it's no secret. Anyone can discover that. I think it's a secret because, though it is there for all the world to partake of, few people do. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those that find it" (Matthew 7:13,14). It's not that the way to life is not available to anyone and everyone. It is. It's just that few choose it. We settle for a life that is less than abundant and fruitful because of our neglect of the secret place. Believers who have known the Lord for decades live well below what Jesus purchased and died for. We accept a substandard existence as normal. We have seen so few examples of anything different that we think those people who are the exceptions must be special. We come to worship services, read books, and listen to teachings looking to get what only abiding in Him can supply. Yet we long for more and wonder why we aren't experiencing a fuller life. The secret is in connecting with the author of life, abiding in Him. As you do, you too will discover the secret. "In Him was life and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).

Introduction to BS

9 Feb 2010
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Bruce leadership ordinary

I suppose I should start by clarifying that BS here stands for Bruce Stryffeler. Hopefully the other descriptive words that come to mind will be put to rest. Many people look at those in leadership as if they are made out of different stuff than everyone else. Somehow they have what it takes. They are wired differently. They have connections, even with God, that no one else is privy to. The truth is God only uses ordinary people. He takes broken and dysfunctional lives and makes them into something astounding. That’s His specialty! My life is certainly testimony to that. (Well, at least the broken, dysfunctional part… on the way to astounding!) I am about as ordinary as they come. In fact, I am so ordinary you could say I’m extra-ordinary—Meaning, more ordinary than most. Not particularly gifted. No charismatic personality. No blazing talents. Pretty plain really. The cool thing is God likes the way He made me. (I used to loathe who I was and long to be somebody—anybody—different. That’s the enemy’s lie, the script he wants you to read from.) God isn’t looking for great people. He’s looking for people He can make great. He particularly likes to take people who don’t have a whole lot going for them, like me, and do something fantastic. It’s a journey, for sure. It centers on pursuing God for who He is—He loves to be pursued! And amazingly, He transforms us “into His likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor. 3:18). In Him, you are—and will become—more than you ever dreamed of. So when you see those who have Godly characteristics you admire, glean from them, bless them, honor them, and know that they are ordinary people who are living testimonies of God’s grace and goodness. And also know that in this hour God is raising up a generation of ordinary people who will change the world. And know that He wants you to be in that company of people He is raising up. People who will be influencers in society and culture. People who will positively affect businesses. People who will generate powerful ideas. People who are changing neighborhoods, shaping regions, and transforming nations. If you are ordinary, you qualify. With God, all things are possible. “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Cor. 1:26-29)

What's going on here!?!

New Sunday morning class - Fruit of the Spirit

What do you think?

The glory of the Lord revealed

Why is it a secret?

Introduction to BS

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