Shared Ministry

“Every Member is a Minister.”

(Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 2:5, 9)

We believe God has equipped every Christ-Follower with gifts and passions so they can become difference makers for Jesus Christ. We will encourage everyone to use and develop their gifts and talents in service to our church, community and world. We believe that even leaders serve in community as a team of friends together.

Transformed Lives

“Living the Bible, Not Just Knowing the Bible.”

(Romans 8:29; 2 Cor. 5:17; 13:8; 1 John 2:6)

We believe the Bible is God’s Word to our world. Therefore, as disciples of Jesus, we must live and practice the life changing principles we discover. God gave us His Word in order to equip us and change us for His glory and our benefit.

Intentional Evangelism

“Lost People Matter to God, So Lost People Matter to Us.”

(Matt 28:16-20; Acts 1:8)

God demonstrated the high value He places on people when he gave His very best, His Son, to provide the gift of salvation. Wellsprings intentionally purposes to individually and corporately, locally and globally share the message of this good news in all our spheres of influence.

Intentional Evangelism

“Lost People Matter to God, So Lost People Matter to Us.”

(Matt 28:16-20; Acts 1:8)

God demonstrated the high value He places on people when he gave His very best, His Son, to provide the gift of salvation. Wellsprings intentionally purposes to individually and corporately, locally and globally share the message of this good news in all our spheres of influence.

Relational Community

“Doing Life Together.”

(Psalm 68:6; Acts 2:42-48; 1 Thessalonians 2:8)

We believe real authenticity is best described as openness with others about our strengths and weaknesses. Through hospitality and Productive Fellowship, we will help people find their way from anonymity into authentic relationships where people do life together. Come and find your extended family in a church where NO ONE stands alone.

Happy, Healthy and Holy Families

“Raising Men Up, Honoring Women, Building Solid Marriages, Training Children in Godliness."

(Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Matt 19:14; Ephesians 5:21-31)

We want to help households grow Happy, Healthy and Holy together. We foresee this happening best in an environment that fosters and coaches men/husband/father in his role as the proactive spiritual leader of his household seeking to lead, love and train those under his authority to follow Christ.

Creative Bible Teaching

“Revealing Truth in a Relevant and Meaningful Way.”

(Matt 13:34-35; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 4:2)

God’s Word is central to our Message, so we strive to communicate the truth of the Bible through various means in order to bring clarity, passion, conviction and understanding to its hearers in order to embrace God’s perspective on life.

Core Values of Wellsprings Church

"Core values are the constant, passionate, biblical core beliefs that drive the ministry."
- Dr. Aubrey Malphurs in Advanced Strategic Planning: A New Model for Church and Ministry Leaders

We value CHRIST.

This is an acronym for:
Creative Bible Teaching
Happy, Healthy, Holy Families
Relational Community
Intentional Evangelism
Shared Ministry
Transformed Living

The following several posts will explain in more detail.

Wanna Be Encouraging?

How to Skillfully Encourage People

"Man does not live on bread alone," right?

People need food for the spirit as well as for the body. Remember how you feel when a kind word or compliment is given you?

Remember how your whole day or evening is brightened up by that kind word or compliment?

Remember how long the good feeling lasts?

Well, others will react just as you do. So--say the kind of things that people need to hear (we hear enough negative, so let's stay positive and uplifting, although don't feel the need to be fake and sappy either). They will love you for saying kind things and you will feel good for having brightened their step and giving them hope.

BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR PRAISE!
Look for somebody and something to praise and then DO IT!

But--

1. The praise must be sincere: if it isn't, then don't give it.

2. Praise the act, not the person.

Praise the act avoids embarrassment and confusion, it has a much more sincere ring to it, and it avoids charges of favoritism and it creates an incentive for more of the same act.

For example, "Hey Shawn, your work this past year has truly been excellent" (rather than "Shawn, you are a good man." Sounds kinda flat and generalized, huh?

"Michelle, you did a splendid job on your homework!" Rather than "Michelle's a good student."

"Mr. Smith, your lawn and landscaping is simply beautiful" rather than "Mr. Smith, you work hard!"

Make the praise specific--pinpoint it.

HAPPINESS FORMULA
Get into the habit of saying daily one kind thing to at least three different people (Spouse, child, co-worker, etc.). Then see how YOU feel for having done so!

This is a happiness formula for YOU!

When you see the happiness and gratitude and pleasure you bring others by doing this YOU will reap the benefits too. There is more joy in giving than receiving after all.

Try it.

Jesus Paid IT ALL

They say "Pictures Say A Thousand Words." How true. What about this one?

Price of Love
This picture, from www.kenduncan.com, reminds me the PRICE that Jesus paid for me--an often mocking, selfish, deceitful, spoiled, lazy and un-heavenly minded punk. Whoa. What suffering! What sacrifice! What pain! What... love. WHOA!

Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this--while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Particular Redemption
Some Christians in the Calvinist persuasion say that Christ died only for the Elect--those who are chosen by God and who trust in Him for salvation. I am convinced that Jesus died for the "whole world;" remember John 3:16? His death was for every human being that ever lived! Jesus paid IT ALL... ON BEHALF OF all.

However, it's a horrifying fact that most people reject His offer of total forgiveness and atonement of ALL their sins. Therefore, although Christ died for the whole world--offering this incredible gift of salvation to all humans--the effects of His death (which is atonement, salvation, justification) are reserved for only those who trust in Him.

Yep. Salvation is pretty darn exclusive. Jesus said it was that way when He told His followers: "I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father (gets to heaven) except through me." (John 14:6). Jesus is the only way to heaven. Believe in Him!

How about you?

What does this picture evoke within you?

Wellsprings Church Needs Your Help!

As you know, I'm a supporter of Wellsprings Church and as you can imagine nonprofits and schools are facing a fundraising crisis this past year.

The good news is that more than 900 of the top Internet retailers and travel sites including Amazon, eBay, Target, Apple, Expedia and more have joined forces with GoodShop.com to donate part of every purchase to your favorite charity or school at no additional cost to you (more than 72,000 nonprofits are now on-board)!

It takes just a few seconds to go to www.goodshop.com, select your charity (will you consider Wellsprings Church?), and then click through to your favorite store and shop as usual.

Also, Yahoo has teamed up with GoodShop's sister site, GoodSearch.com, to donate a penny to your cause every time you search the web. This is totally free as the money comes from advertisers.

To give you a sense of how the money can add up, the ASPCA has already earned more than $23,000!

Please tell 10 friends about GoodShop and GoodSearch today. They've been featured in the NY Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Oprah Magazine and more.

Charities need our help to spread the word now more than ever!

Another Hat... The Air National Guard Chaplaincy

This morning, I answered the phone like most mornings when I get a call: "Good morning, this is Neil." The voice on the other end of the phone sounded upbeat and vigorous. "Good morning, Chaplain." The voice was that of the Chief of Chaplains of the Air National Guard, Ch. Robert Marciano (Col.).

That's all I needed to hear. I'm swearing in! Finally, after ten years of deliberation and prayerful consideration; and after six months of processing, interviews, paperwork, licensing counsels and dropping about 40 lbs, the end of the process will come next Tuesday, January 20th. How ironic that I swear in the same day as President-Elect Barack Obama becomes the President of the United States of America. Wow. On that day, my life (and that of my family) will forever be changed. I will become Chaplain Neil Schultz (1st Lieutenant) ANG on the Wing Staff of the 124th Wing of the Idaho Air National Guard. My family will be a military ministry homeschooling family.

Another hat to wear, which will add to our family, our country and hopefully will bring much glory to God and expand His Kingdom. It is a unique and very interesting ministry, to say the least. In case you're wondering, I will be involved in the following:

CHAPLAIN CORPS MISSION STATEMENT: "While serving as a visible reminder of the Holy, the Air Force Chaplain Corps provides spiritual care and the opportunity for Air Force members and their families to exercise their constitutional right to freedom of religion."

Our new CHAPLAIN CORPS VISION STATEMENT consists of three energizing phrases that call us toward an even greater outward ministry focus and a posture of servant leadership: "Glorifying God, Serving Airmen, Pursuing Excellence." These words provide a "job description" for chaplains and chaplain assistants serving around the globe and they point the way ahead for our strategic planning.

Upon swearing-in, I will begin Drilling on the first weekend of the month in Boise and then serving for two weeks in the Summers. This year will be a full year however, as I will attend Commissioned Officer Training (COT) for 5 weeks March 10th-April 10th. Then in the Summer, I will have to attend Chaplaincy School for about 6 weeks.

Once you read this, will you please consider praying for my family's well-being and God's ministry through me to the Airmen of the Air National Guard?

Spiritual Goals for 2009

In a coordinated effort with God, my wife, and my fellow elder at Wellsprings Church, I am committing to the development of three main areas in my character that need special development this year. Each of these three areas have subcategories. Each of these three main areas have a reading goal consisting of a few books, which I believe are conversations with authors who serve as my mentors in their title's subject.

Three Main Character Areas for 2009
1. God-Centeredness
2. Leadership
3. Discretion

Explanation
God-Centeredness - I want to think constantly "God-First" as it relates to decision-making and my daily activities of exercising leadership of my self, my family, my business and the church we serve. I tend to decide first, pray for God to bless AFTER. Oops. God wants me to come to Him FIRST in prayer, THEN decide based on what He tells me!

The practices I want to re-engage in consistently are:
a. Prayer first
b. Bible memorization
c. Decision-making

Leadership - Priesthood of my Family, Eldership of our Church, Entrepreneurship in business. These are the three "Realms" of my world. They are my main roles. I live these concepts and principles every day. I want to be BETTER at them!

Discretion - In conversation with others, in our decision-making, and in finances. One of my character flaws that I've struggled with consistently in my life has been "foot-in-mouth disease." Proverbs 10:19 tells us that "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." A friend of mine once said, "Sometimes, you've got to hold your cards close to your chest." In other words, when with people, USE DISCRETION! :) We also need discretion in our finances and how we give, save and spend the income God has given us.

Reading Plan
God-Centeredness
1. Your God Is Too Small (JB Phillips)
2. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (John Piper)
3. The Treasure Principle (Randy Alcorn)

Leadership
1. Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God (Voddie Baucham)
2. How to Best Get Better (Dan Sullivan)
3. Unique Ability (Dan Sullivan)
4. Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership (Alexander Strauch)

Discretion
1. The Godly Man's Picture (Thomas Watson)
2. The Mortification of Sin (John Owen)
3. The Total Money Makeover (Dave Ramsey)

How about you? What are your spiritual / reading goals for this year?

Leadership Greenhouses: From Babbling Infants to World-Influencing Leaders

Our church is a Family-Integrated Church. It became one through a painful process of metamorphosis. Through a long journey that began roughly back in 2000, God impressed upon me to one day follow Him into beginning a new work. Church planting has been on my heart and mind since then, but through various circumstances, the opportunity had not presented itself until 2006 when we were assessed by the Evangelical Free Church of America and were approved as Church Planters. Upon our departure from a comfortable life and church staff position at a wonderful church in Southern California, we arrived April 1, 2007 to Middleton, Idaho. Back then, we had not yet settled on a uniform vision of how we thought the church should look like and be. However, through a series of events and relationships, we have come to the conclusion that we need to be Family-Integrated. Family-Integrated is simply one of several defining components of who we are; it is not the only one. We hope to be defined and described by others as much more than just being “Family-Integrated.”

However, we believe what God said in Proverbs 22:15 is true, where He said through King Solomon that “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child” (ESV). We have children sit with us during our worship service and simply do not offer Sunday school or Children’s classes. We believe that putting children together in classes separated by age is a detriment to their growth. A general rule of thumb is what Proverbs 29:15 (NET) says where “a child who is unrestrained brings shame to his mother.” Truly, children are prone to behave foolishly when alone together.

Proverbs 13:20 (ESV) tells us that “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” If children are with their parents, their inclination is to improve their behavior, pay more attention to what is being taught or even becoming involved in serving their church family and others. The main idea is that we want children to live UP (ideally through the influence of their parents and other influential adults) rather than look to their peers for their spiritual direction and behavior. The onus of that responsibility was given by God to us dads.

Do we minister to children? Absolutely! We ensure that every teaching session, worship service or small group includes children with our language and actions, working hard to ensure that children understand the content of our teaching and are active participants in what we are doing.

We believe Jesus loves children. We believe He places them as a high priority in the Body of Christ, NOT as mere distractions or nuisances. The Church, as She is realized in a local expression of the Body of Christ, is a Leadership Greenhouse. The elders, the men and the women of each local church sees a multi-generational vision of what their children will one day be to their worlds, not just what they are right now. They recognize that one day their children will grow up and take their place as leaders in their own families, their local church, their neighborhoods, their workplace and even their world.

May the Lord bless Wellsprings Church to be a true Leadership Greenhouse as we seek to train our babbling infants into becoming world-influencing leaders.

Neil Schultz

Teaching Elder and Church Planter

Wellsprings Church

Fireproof

Go see this movie! If you do what Capt. Caleb Holt does with his wife (The 40 Day Love Dare), your marriage will benefit.

Men... One caution: BE PERSISTENT and don't give up! Rescuing the Beauty in your life may be the most difficult adventure you ever undertake. She may even spit in your face! Remember the crushing weight of your own sins before you react negatively to her. Jesus forgave you TRILLIONS, compared to the thousands of sins your wife has grieved you with (Matthew 18:21-35).

For help through the 40 Day Love Dare, see www.FireproofMyMarriage.com.