On September 23rd, Karis will be hosting another Central Missouri Acts 29 Quarterly.  There is a growing number of planters in our area.  This is a way to get them together to offer support and encouragement.  I (Kevin Larson) will be giving a brief talk about vision-casting in a church plant.  All planters, pastors and other interested people are invited.  Join us at the Forge and Vine in downtown Columbia at noon.  Admission is free.  However, participants are strongly encouraged to purchase a meal from the restaurant.  Download the attached flyer and spread the word!

Check out the eight great breakout sessions from our recent men’s event, Man Up 2010:

Culture Making - Men and the Arts by Matt Ballou

Fighting Sin - Men and Accountability by Jeremy Linneman and Bobby Schembre

Understanding Manhood - Biblical Foundations by Trey Herweck

Culture Making - Men in the Workplace by Aarik Danielsen

Leader Building - Men and Mentoring by Steev Inge

Managing Money - Men and Stewardship by Luke Daugherty and Brandon Wright

Seeking Shalom - Men and Mercy by Josh Wilson

Digging Deep - Men and Doctrine by Mike Hubbard

In addition, if you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the main sessions:

“Man Up - In Your Heart” - Scott Thomas

“Man Up - For Your Home” - John Ryan

“Man Up - For Your Church” - Kevin Larson

“Man Up - For Your City” - Scott Thomas

Man Up 2010 was amazing.  Scott Thomas, Acts 29’s President, was our main speaker.  What a blessing it was to have him with us.  John Ryan of Summit Community Church in O’Fallon also joined us and did a fabulous job.  I, Kevin Larson, Lead Pastor of Karis, did another session, also.  Eight breakout sessions were led by some Karis leaders, as well as other Acts 29 pastors in the state.  It was a great day.  We had close to 200 guys there.  I heard much positive feedback from the men who came.  Guys were challenged.  They were encouraged.  God and His gospel were lifted up and honored.

The main sessions have now been posted on the Karis website.  Links are below.  You can also find them through the Karis podcast in iTunes.  The breakout sessions will be posted this week.

“Man Up - In Your Heart” - Scott Thomas

“Man Up - For Your Home” - John Ryan

“Man Up - For Your Church” - Kevin Larson

“Man Up - For Your City” - Scott Thomas

Amy and I had the privilege of hosting Scott Thomas in our home.  It was such an encouragement to spend time with him.  He is such a gracious, loving man.  He has such a playful spirit about him.  The kids absolutely loved him.  In fact, I came home after Man Up without Scott, and my 2-year-old bursted into tears.  I’ve heard John Piper say that you can tell a lot about a man’s heart by observing how he interacts with children.  If that’s the case, Scott makes me even more excited about being a part of the Acts 29 Network.  Below are also links to the two (quite different) sermons he delivered on Sunday at Karis.

“The Great Commission” (morning) - Scott Thomas

“The Great Commission” (evening) - Scott Thomas

Check out the article here.  The reporter did a great job.  More thoughts about the event later.

Men, don’t miss Man Up 2010 coming this Saturday.  There is a great line-up of main sessions and breakout sessions listed here.  Scott Thomas, President of the Acts 29 Network, is our main speaker.  Please visit manupcolumbia.org and register and pay the small $12 fee online.

In addition, Thomas will be preaching at both worship Gatherings this Sunday (10 a.m. and 6 p.m.) at Karis Community Church at the Tiger Hotel, near 8th and Cherry, in downtown Columbia.

Join us for Man Up 2010 Saturday, April 17th on the Mizzou campus.  You can find out more information here or here.  Cost is only $12 which includes lunch.  Featured speakers are Scott Thomas, President of Acts 29 and a pastor at Mars Hill Church (Seattle, WA), John Ryan, Preaching Pastor of Summit Community Church (O’Fallon, MO), and Kevin Larson, Lead Pastor of Karis Community Church of Columbia.

In addition eight breakout sessions will be offered.

• Karis’s Jeremy Linneman (Deacon of C-Groups) and Bobby Schembre (Worship Intern) will lead a session on “Fighting Sin: Men and Accountability.”
• Trey Herweck, Lead Pastor, of The Refuge in St. Charles, MO will lead a session on “Understanding Manhood: Biblical Foundations.”
• Luke Daugherty (Pastor for Worship and Mission) and Brandon Wright (Deacon of Finance) of Karis Community Church will lead “Managing Money: Men and Stewardship.”
• Steev Inge, Lead Pastor of Mystery Church of Joplin, MO, will teach “Leader Building: Men and Mentoring.”
• Josh Wilson, Executive Director of Mission St. Louis, will lead a breakout session on “Seeking Shalom: Men and Mercy.”
• Matt Ballou, a Visiting Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing at the University of Missouri, will teach on “Culture Making: Men and the Arts.”
• Aarik Danielsen, Karis elder and Arts Reporter at the Columbia Daily Tribune, will lead a session entitled, “Culture Making: Men in the Workplace.”
• Mike Hubbard, Lead Pastor of Genesis Church of Eureka, MO will teach on “Digging Deep: Men and Doctrine.”

Please visit manupcolumbia.org and register and pay.  There will be walk-up registrations allowed, but registering now will help us greatly in planning for the event.

Head on over to the Man Up website and register for Man Up 2010, coming April 17th!  Join Scott Thomas and others for a day discussing biblical masculinity.  Cost is only $12, which includes lunch and some other perks.  Don’t miss it!

Join us tonight (Wednesday) at 7:00 p.m. in Middlebush Auditorium on the University of Missouri campus (9th and University) for the first session of “Illicit Worship: Escaping Spiritual Adultery.”  Ray is a well-known pastor and scholar, the church planter of Immanuel Church in Nashville and a former Old Testament professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  A main area of study for Ray has been spiritual adultery in the Old Testament.  He’ll be sharing on that topic tonight and Friday night.  Go here to get more details about the rest of our time with Ray.  This is a great privilege for Karis and Columbia. Join us!

Jonathan McIntosh, who leads Rethink Mission, will be preaching at Karis’s worship Gathering this Sunday.   He is a former pastor at The Journey in St. Louis and the Midwest Director of the Acts 29 Network.  Jonathan is a friend of Karis, having coached Kevin in church planting the past couple of years.  Jonathan is a gifted leader and preacher.  Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. in the Tiger Hotel.  You’ll be challenged and encouraged.

Jonathan is preaching this week at Karis.  Check out what people are saying here.