The Latest and Greatest from Resound Church

The last few weeks have been very exciting, we got approval to meet in Regal Evergreen theater in the Tanasbourne area  for our preview services, our Launch and also for when we start “regular” services. We have two auditoriums at 10am Sunday mornings, one for Adults and the other for a killer children’s ministry.



One of the biggest updates is that I led someone to Jesus yesterday outside of Starbucks and I actually led someone to Jesus today at Chipolte which means I have led 4 people outside of Cafe’s and Restaurants in the last few weeks. We are attracting lost people that are getting on fire for God.

Also this Sunday night and Sunday morning we will be sharing with one of the most kingdom minded churches in the Portland Metro area, Sonrise Church.

Our Launch team meetings are going great we are getting 5-8 new people every week, there is great momentum with our Sunday nights, God is stirring people. We out grew our living room and moved our meetings to Westport Church.

On the youth front…. the youth team has started their planning meetings and there are some great things that are developing.

We are also beginning to develop our new people, parking lot team, welcome team, set up/ tear down team and our tech team.

We are aiming to have our Small Groups launched in the next 4 weeks.

Our Worship ministry is growing and sounding amazing, what a miracle that God had tugged at the hearts of amazing singers and musicians to be apart of Resound

Children’s Ministry is starting to take shape and on October 31^st We will be doing our Fall Children’s outreach called Amp’d Costume Party which will be at a place called PUMP IT UP which is a giant place filled with giant inflatable’s, I think I will probably have the most fun of anyone. BRING ON THE GIANT SLIDES

God is giving us some great opportunities to serve our community through meals, free clinics, school clean up days and community events. Our heart beat is not to just create another “option” Sunday mornings but we want the lost to be found and the broken to be healed.

Here are some key dates to keep in mind and prayer:

Friday’s September 17th:               Friday morning trimet ministry starts

Saturday’s October 16/23/30:     Amp’d Door hanger walks

Sunday October 31st:                       Amp’d Kids Costume Party @ pump it up

Sunday November 9th:                   Preview Service

Sunday November 21st:                  Preview Service

Sunday December 5th:                     Preview Service

Friday December 24th:                    Christmas Eve Service

Saturday’s January 2/8/16/22     Prayer/ Door Hanger Walk

Sunday January 9th:                         Preview Service

Sunday January 23rd:                      Resound Church Launch

We are also beginning to develop our Welcome team, Set Up/ Tear down team and our Tech team.

God is giving us some great opportunities to serve our community through meals, free clinics, school clean up days and community events. Our heart beat is not to just create another “option” Sunday mornings but we want our community to not just hear about God’s love but to actually see it.

Update and Upcoming Events

So we have some exciting things happening in the next few weeks:

1) We have outgrown our living room, kitchen, dining room so this Sunday and the next 5 Sundays  we will be meeting at Westport Church at 20085 Northwest Tanasbourne Drive, Hillsboro, OR for our Launch Team Meetings.

2) This Saturday we will be Packing Backpacks full of stationary for underprivileged students and we will also be gardening, cleaning and landscaping Hillsboro High School, please email me for further details.

3) We are Starting a Prayer Meeting at my house Wednesday Night at 6:30pm for 1 hr.

4) Our worship ministry has taken shape and they started practicing 3 weeks ago, they meet every Wednesday Night

5) Our Small Groups, Youth Ministry, Welcome ministry, Sound and lighting team and Children’s ministry is taking Shape

6) Here is some of the things that will be happening in the next few months:

  
November 9th:     Preview Service 
November 21st:   Preview Service 
December 5th:     Preview Service 
December 24th:   Christmas Eve Service 
January 2nd:        Prayer/ Door Hanger Walk
January 8th:         Prayer/ Door Hanger Walk
January 9th:         Preview Service 
January 16th:       Prayer/ Door Hanger Walk
January 22nd:      Prayer/ Door Hanger Walk
January 23rd:       Resound Church Launch 

To give to Resound Church you can go to the “partner with us” page at www.resoundchurch.com or send Checks to P.O. Box 5752, Beaverton, OR 97006.

You can also contact me at luke@resoundchurch.com or call 503 724 1688.

Please continue to pray for us,

Luke

The Devil, Identity and a Latte

Today I am writing this blog from a cafe in Beaverton, which happens to be one of my many offices/cafes in the Portland metro area. I must say that for now I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love that in the midst of planning and starting a church I am surrounded by the people I am trying to reach, I think it actually gives you a great perspective of what it’s all about 1) God and 2) People.

Today’s thought comes from something I shared about Sunday night at our Resound meeting last Sunday night and the text is found in Luke 4:1-2, 9 & 14

1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry……………..9The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here………………………14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit

The key idea that I would like to highlight, is that Jesus entered the desert “full” of the Holy Spirit and after his desert experience he left in “the power of the Spirit”.

I believe the reason he entered the desert full and left functioning in the power of the Holy Spirit is because of what happens in the desert.

In the desert the devil could have tempted Jesus with any sin. It’s fascinating that of all the devil could have used; he primarily chose the temptation of identity. The devil tried to make Jesus validate who he was on the inside by performing miracles on the outside.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was a redemptive work that changed the effects set in motion by the ‘first Adam’. Adam, like Jesus, was tempted with an identity issue by the devil “eat this and you will be like God” even though in Genesis 1, God says “let us make man in our image (or likeness)”.

So the devil tempted Adam with something he already was, which was being like God. Jesus was tempted in the same way, yet fulfilled his role as the ‘second Adam’ in not succumbing to the same temptation.

Many of us face the same temptation that Jesus did, in that we get tempted with having to do something to prove our relationship with God outwardly. Jesus was asked “if you are the son of God” then told to perform a miracle and for us this often looks like “if you are a Christian then why don’t you……..? Or why do you………?”. We constantly face the pressure to perform on the outside to prove who we are on the inside.

The truth is that our son ship doesn’t come from what we do or don’t do but what Christ has already done. Therefore we don’t have to perform do’s and don’ts to become a son and daughter of God; instead we change our behavior because we are sons and daughters of God.

God’s plan is that we change from the inside out and not the outside in.

I believe that many of us walk in the fullness of the Spirit but aren’t functioning in the power of the Spirit because we don’t understand who we are and fall short when we are tempted with an “identity issue”.

I was once told that “if you don’t tell yourself who you are in Christ someone else will”. We need to be confident in who we are in Christ and not allow negativity, circumstance, un-healthy people or the devil to define who we are. Let’s walk in the confidence of who we truly are in Christ, being careful not to allow money, arguments, work situations, issues at school or even negative family members to define the strength of your marriage, your finances, your walk with God or who you are in Him.

Please visit www.resoundchurch.com to give (You can now give Directly to Resound Church via check or online and we are a 501 (c) (3)), pray, contact or join us in Starting a Church that will touch one of the “darkest” area’s in North America.

Bless Ya,

Luke

New City and New Thoughts

This time, one week ago, we arrived with some of the team to Portland and I must say we now live in one of the greatest cities in America. We are close to forests, ocean beaches, waterfalls and mountains. We have killer coffee with outdoor cafés everywhere, but above all, the most exciting part of living here, is the opportunity to impact a lot of lives.

We have been busy unpacking and settling into a rhythm in our new city. There is an incredible sense of the divine being here in Portland; we know that God is up to something.

Over the next few months we will be focusing on three key areas:

1)    Prayer:

This is a spiritual battle and we cannot achieve what God has called us to do without His empowerment.

2)    Connecting:

We will be building relationships with the “lost”, building our core launch team while connecting with community and church leaders.

3)    Planning:

There is a crazy amount of planning that goes into starting a Church. We will be focusing on our discipleship process, our advertising, our launch on the 23^rd of January, preview services, worship, our children’s programs, small groups, outreaches and our venue.

My Latest thought is found in Mark 7:27-30:

²⁶The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” ²⁸“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”²⁹Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”³⁰She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

In this actual story Jesus was quite offensive, the large majority of us with offence would have walked away from Jesus at being compared to a dog but the Syrophoenician woman does something that most people would find hard to do She responded and Jesus makes the Statement “For such a reply, you may go” Her daughter was healed for no other reason than she responded the right way.

This story highlights two clear choices we have in life we can 1) Walk in offence or 2) Respond in Faith.

In starting a church there are a great number of challenges. I truly believe that the way we respond to the challenges we face will drastically impact the outcome of the challenges we face which are essentially opportunities to see the miraculous.

In your marriage, your work place, church life, challenges and your relationships you will find plenty of opportunity to be offended. One thing is clear; while you are focusing on the offence you will be hard pressed to see the miracle. Life is to short; enjoy your spouse, your work, church and your friends by seeing the gold and not the dirt.

The Syrophoenician woman could have missed the miracle by not pushing through a potentially offensive situation. Because she kept a sweet spirit she had a powerful outcome.

Thank you all for your prayer and support.

For more info you can email me at luke@resoundchurch.com,

Or call 503 724 1688 and check out our website at www.resoundchurch.com

Luke Reid

Lead Pastor

Resound Church

Update and Latest Thought

We have had an incredible time in Australia, we traveled to Sydney, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Shell Harbour, Canberra, Wodonga and Melbourne and have loved every part of seeing great family and friends.

We have a little more than 1 week left in Australia and just over 1 week until I visit Cedar Rapids for 2 days then head to Portland via Denver where I will be speaking for a great ministry friend of mine.  We have our accommodation all ready to go and we will be living within walking distance of the streets of Tanasbourne in Beaverton which is where we really felt we needed to live.

Some of the team will be travelling with me and the rest will be joining us in the next couple of months, we are so privileged to be doing ministry with great friends that know what it is to love Jesus and enjoy life.

One of the latest thoughts that God has been speaking to me about is found in Heb 8:5

⁵They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

The original meaning of the word Pattern is like an Architectural design.  As God is the chief Architect in our lives we need to be more focused on His Pattern for our lives and not to allow pressure, need, insecurities, suspicion, tunnel vision,  stress,  greed, selfishness, issues, opportunity, bitterness or agenda to dictate how we build our lives.

In life there is a constant battle for influence and the side that wins is usually determined by who has the loudest voice. The loudest voice usually dictates the pattern we follow in building our lives. That is why it is more important than ever to be familiar with God’s voice so we can build strong lives though healthy patterns.

A formula doesn’t work in every marriage, family, business, individual or ministry because every marriage, family, business, individual and ministry is unique and has a unique purpose, when we are in relationship with God just like any other healthy relationship we can’t afford to do all the talking and asking. We need to be actively listening for direction for godly patterns in our marriages, families, businesses, individual lives, or ministries.

My obvious context for this thought is in being the lead Pastor of Resound Church and more than ever I realize the best consultant, Church strategist, premier researcher is not George Bana  but the voice of God and that is why in the midst of so much need, I need to be listing and not just asking. Prayer is not just a cute thing we do before meals and at bed time, it is fundamental in finding the patterns that build our lives and ministries.

Thank you for all who support and pray for us, you can keep updated and give to Resound Church at www.resoundchurch.com

Luke Reid,

Lead Pastor

Resound Church

Beach Blog

Right now I am writing this blog from a Café right on the beach on the south coast of New South Wales. I have had an amazing time with family and ministering. I have had an incredible time here but the closer I get to July the more excited I am about the new possibilities of what can happen with our blank canvas in Portland.

Our Team has grown a little more and we are making great connections in the Churched and Un-Churched World in Portland.

Last week we had an incredible Vacation with my family in the Blue Mountains and tomorrow we head off to Canberra for two days then we drive down to Victoria.

It is amazing what time away can do for your perspective, with all the challenges, opportunities, victories, opinions and idealism that comes with Church planting it is so important to pull back and focus on the point, it is about 1) God and 2) People.  At the end of the day if I am closer to God and loved people I have succeeded. I truly want love to be the measuring stick of  our success as a Church, I think this is a counter cultural thought because it isn’t tangible and is hard to boast about.

1 Cor 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal

Please continue to pray, support  or connect with us at www.resoundchurch.com

Live free,

Luke Reid

Brave New World

We have been in this brave new world of church planting for one week and one week since we had the hard task of leaving our First Assembly family. Thank you all in Cedar Rapids who prayed, encouraged, gave and lined up  around the gym and in the hall way for 1 1/2 hrs to say good bye. After we said our good byes we hopped in the car and drove two thousand miles through 90 degree to 26 degree weather, we were close to a tornado and a few hours later we were driving through a blizzard with 50 + mile hr winds, we saw great plains and incredible mountains  we even saw a coyote but nothing prepared us for what we saw in Oregon, without sounding like a travel agent it is seriously the most beautiful state in America, in the short time we were there we were absolutely humbled by what God has called us to. When we were driving around Portland both Alissa and I were once again reminded of the great opportunity that God has in front of us in working with HIM to build a powerful Church in Portland, OR

Thursday Night at 10pm we departed for Sydney after a 14 hour flight from San Francisco we arrived in Sydney Saturday morning at 6:20am (Australian Eastern Standard Time), we will be spending 1 month Vacationing, Planning, seeing family and Preaching.

We are more convinced than ever of what God is calling us to, I love that we can dream with out limit and believe without bounds. I have never been more excited about serving God and believing for the miraculous, I love that the Resound Team, Alissa and I are DOING HARD THINGS FOR GOD, my prayer is that we inspire you to do the same in your world weather it is simple or extravagant.

I have had people ask me how they can help here is how

1) Pray

2) Give (Regularly or Once off)

100% of funds will be passed on to play part in making Resound Church happen

- We are giving through First Assembly for accountability until we have our board set up which should be ready between 1 – 2 months.

You can give online at:
www.resoundchurch.com

Just go to the “Connect with us” page to give

or You can give by Check:

Make out to:

Resound Church

Send to:

P.O. Box 5752,

Beaverton, OR

97006

3) Join the Launch Team

We are currently building our Launch Team and we would love for you to be apart of this exciting part of the Journey and as Paul the Apostle say’s it best Rom 15:20 “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation”

Please stay in connected to us

email: luke@resoundchurch.com or facebook me.

Luke and Alissa Reid

Resound Church Update

We only have 2 1/2 weeks left in Cedar Rapids, what an incredible Journey we have had in the last 4+ years of living here from moving Countries to having 2 wonderful Children and making lifelong friends. We are getting ready for the long drive to Portland and then the long flight to Sydney, in a 5 day period we will spend 45 hours  traveling, we will spend about a month in Australia ministering and vacationing then we will fly to Portland to meet up with most of the team that is moving out there and begin to build.

Recently we have had some great wins, we now have a full worship ministry (we would be happy to have more though), Children’s/ Youth Pastor, Young Adults/ College leaders and Connections ministry leaders.

We have had some great Churches, ministries and individuals come along side us for support I have been absolutely humbled by the divine favor and generosity that we have seen.

We have had some great ideas about how we can be missional in our community, in the next couple of months we will be announcing some very exciting projects that are sculpted to serve our city.

Key things you can pray for:

1) Portland

2) Divine Appointments

3) Safe Travel

4) Finances for ministry

5) The transition of the team moving to Portland (Homes to sell, jobs etc)

We will be having a Resound Church Farewell on May 16th from 12:30pm – 2:30pm at Coffee emporium on Boyson Rd (Next to Curves) in Hiawatha we would love for you to join us.

Luke Reid

Lead Pastor

What the next few months looks like for us

Over the next couple of months our plans are to finish well at First Assembly and prepare for the big move to Portland.  23rd May will be our last Sunday at First Assembly where I will be preaching my last message to our great Church then hop in our Ford Explorer that Sunday arvo (Australian for Afternoon) and drive the 1500 mile journey to Portland, OR. After a couple of days in Portland we will be flying to Sydney, Australia for the month of June to see family, do some ministry and vacation before we embark on the greatest journey of our lives, then we will be traveling to Portland to live, move into our home and start a Church. Both Alissa and I are excited about the possibilities of what God is going to do as we ask and imagine.

Eph 3:20-21: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

Portland

Welcome to my Blog

In July of this year we will be packing everything up and moving out to Portland, OR to Start a Church.

For the last 4+ years we have been at First Assembly Cedar Rapids and in May we will be moving on from Cedar Rapids to step out in faith to Plant an Assemblies of God Church. In the last year Alissa and I have felt a strong call from the Holy Spirit to go plant a Church and with much prayer we both individually felt led to a city we had never stepped foot in, Portland, Oregon

Portland is located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest between Mount Hood and the Pacific Ocean, Portland is one of the most un-churched cities in America, according to a recent survey done by Gallup * Oregon is the most secular state in the United States with 1 in 4 claiming that they are Atheist, Agnostic or no religion, with a metro area of over 2.2 million people and few large Churches, Portland is in desperate need of a church that is a come as you are, Christ centered community of believers.

In July we will be moving to Beaverton, OR which is a Suburb of Portland  with a team of over 20 skilled people that are gifted in areas from Worship, Children’s Ministry, Young Adults, Small Groups, Youth, Drama and Film and for 6 months we will focus on integration, planning and building community and then launch Resound Church with inspirational excellence on January 23^rd 2011, below is information on what we are planning.

* http://www.gallup.com/poll/122075/Religious-Identity-States-Differ-Widely.aspx#2

2010 – 2011 Resound Church Budget

Outreach (Advertising, Launch, Events etc)                      $50 000

Equipment (Sound Equipment, Lighting, Signage etc)  $30 000

Ministry (Children, New People, Youth etc)                        $25 000

Facilities (Venue Rental)                                                              $28 000

Administration

(Wage, Cushion Fund, Phone, Office Supplies etc)                $63 000

Total Expenditure                                                                       $196 000

Timeline

July

- Move to Portland

- Community outreach

- Team moves and gets integrated into the community

- Start Prayer Strategy.

August – Start regular Sunday morning meetings to build community, eat, pray, study and dream together.

- Begin to build ministry teams (Children’s, Worship, Connections, Young Adult and Youth Teams).

- Meet with Pastors and Community Leaders around the city.

September – Connect with schools, colleges, campus ministries and community groups in the area.

October – Start Young Adult, Youth and Family mid-week small groups.

- Start advertising campaign (Billboards, radio, newspapers etc…)

- Fall Festival and Preview Service

November – Preview Service

December – 1^st – 5^th Community Outreach

- 24^th Christmas Eve Service

January – 23^rd Launch Sunday Services

How you can Help:

1) Pray

We realize that this is not just a physical challenge but also a spiritual one therefore we are believing for a group of people to stand with us in Prayer, I am believing that we will have a group of people regularly praying for Resound

2) Give

This is for People who want to Partner with us financially either though a once off gift on monthly support at www.resoundchurch.com/egive.htm  or send checks to 3233 Blairs Ferry Rd, Cedar Rapids, IA, 52402 and Make the checks out to First Assembly with the memo: Resound Church

3) Team

This is a group of people that feel called to Start Resound Church, we want to start the Church with inspirational excellence which means we need an excellent team, please email me if you feel to Join us.

For more information updates please visit www.resoundchurch.com, email me at luke@resoundchurch.com or call me at 503 724 1688

Luke Reid