July 11, 2010
Exciting News…
Over the last few months I have been on a journey of seeking God and where he is taking out church!
During that time God began to speak to me about who we are as a church and what His plans are for our body of believers. With the help of our advisory team we began to explore what kind of disciples He wants us to develop, and what the next phase of ministry would be for Overflow Church.
As this process proceeded we could tell that God was birthing something new, and wanted to eliminate some of the roadblocks and barriers. One of those barriers over the last year has been our name Overflow Church. People, believers and non-believers, have had a hard time understanding the meaning behind Overflow Church. Another roadblock in creating disciples was not having a formal systematic process of creating disciples who passionately connected with God, and engage their community.
God began to speak to me about the various people in scripture where a name change was indicative of a new level of faith or authority. Some samples include Sarai to Sarah, Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter, and Saul to Paul.
Through this process we realized we needed to bring clarity, movement, alignment, and focus. This new process would not change the DNA of who we are, nor would it change the vision or direction that God has been leading us! Instead it brings clarify that would allow us to more effectively transform lives and reach people for the Kingdom.
The clarity required for a simple combination of our vision, mission, purpose, and process.
Our new vision, mission, and process statement is: Connect, Grow, & Engage.
The process has not only birthed a new process, but also a new name: Hope Fellowship
Effective Immediately: Overflow Church will be Hope Fellowship.
Check out our new website at: www.hopefellowshipfc.com
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Appleton, Church, Family, Leadership | Tagged: Appleton, Church, hope, hope fellowship, Overflow, spirit | 
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Posted by kevinjbradford
February 27, 2009
As I have been traveling and praying here in Nashville the last couple days I am beginning to get a sense of urgency for somethings, and a feeling of patience for others.
I believe for our church, and really The Church we are in a now time.
So… Overflowers
What have you been believing God for in 2009?
When you pray do you have a sense of urgency or a sense of patience?
If you feel a sense of urgency, what are you doing about it? Are you building or pushing toward it, or cowering away and waiting on God?
To many people I know are waiting on God to do something He has already told them to do. When God commmands or gives us direction it is not a request.
If God calls someone to be a doctor they cannot set around until God sets a coat and scope around their neck. They have to get off their butt and go to school.
If God gives someone a dream to see their neighbors have a relationship with Jesus, then they can not just sit around and pray.
You see it is a now time in the Kingdom of God. Are you going to get up and advance the Kingdom or sit back and force God to use someone else?
4 Comments | Challenging, Church, Inspirational, Leadership, Life | Tagged: believing, Challenging, doing, Life, Overflow | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
February 4, 2009
I cannot believe how quickly the last few weeks have flown by. I have not blogged as much as I have wanted to due to pouring every spare minute into developing the first few series in the Renovate Semester, and outlining the 2nd half of Renovate. Now that the majority of that is done, I can blog again.
Tonight, I will put down a few thoughts, and then I want to link some blogs that I read recently, and thought I should recommend them to you!
- Life Group on Wednesday Night Rocked! Maybe best Life Group Ever! Some people really got touched by God!
- Sunday Morning…. What can I say, God showed up in a powerful way! I believe some people really got set free, and some fuel was added to others fire!
- The SuperBowl did not disappoint. (The Game or the commercials) What was your favorite commercial?
- God is so good! He has been showing me things each day. I honestly do not have enough outlets to teach all that I am getting. Reason for blog!
- Today I realized that a lot of people I work with are really getting attacked by sickness, strife, and such (Satan, basically). Then as I was praying about it, God began to speak to me about what can be shaken. At that moment Ashlee called to tell me during her prayer time today God spoke to her about what can be shaken will be shaken! How awesome is God, using my wife to confirm what He was speaking to me like that!
- This Sunday’s sermon will blow people’s minds. I finished re-drafting the first half of the message today. Oh..My… It was really ministering to me.
- Sunday February 15th will be a new series title “The Message” and it will be awesome! Designed for those who do not attend church for what ever reason, and those Far from God!
- I have a hectic schedule the next few days. I have worked 8 AM until 8 or 9 PM since Sunday, and it will last through this Saturday. Please pray for my family!
Those are my reflections for tonight! On to some blogs you should read! These are great reads.
- Please read this post if your pastor is married! To read go here!
- This post by Lisa Shea on how to pray for your pastor.
- Another great post on Stevenfurtick.com about worship. Read Here!
2 Comments | Appleton, Challenging, Church, Family, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow, Random Thoughts, Uncategorized | Tagged: Family, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow, reflections, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
January 30, 2009
A few days ago I posted Leadership Lessons Via Dora. I had some good feedback and a few people who thought it was a good lesson. The next morning I was praying during my quiet time, and God began to speak to me about another leadership lesson that can be learned from Dora. So over the last couple of days I have been asking God about it.
These are the observations God has brought to my attention from Dora the Explorer, and especially Wii Dora saves the Snow Princess.
- When Dora begins an adventure she is always with that special someone, that sidekick, Boots. Boots is who climbs all the trees, goes into all the holes, or catches balls in the show and the game.
- Who are you going to call when you don’t know where to go? The Map! The Map!
- When Dora needs something to accomplish a her quest, she calls upon backpack.
- The Fiesta Trio celebrate and congratulate Dora each time she accomplishes a portion of her quest.
Can I tell you that I was completely blown away by why God was showing me through Dora.
This little girl “Dora” is showing some leadership skills that few leaders in the corporate world possess, let alone in the church!
- Dora is definitely the leader, but she has no problem delegating tasks to someone that is better at them than her. A monkey is always going to be a better tree climber, hands down. So why should Dora even attempt it.
- Dora does not even attempt to act like she knows where she is going. She always seeks out the map on what direction to take to accomplish a task. Then along the way, she checks it often. (Vision for your life, company, church?)
- This chick has one cool backpack. It carries ladders, snow boots, coats, etc… Dora never leaves for an adventure without the right equipment. How many times as leaders do we set out on a path, without even asking what tools will be needed.
- Dora is surrounded by people who will cheer her on as she accomplishes parts of her quest. In the corporate and church world, we rarely find those that are there as an encouragement as we see parts of our vision accomplished. Typically we only here about the negative stuff.
The final and maybe overall lesson God was trying to teach me was this, Dora maybe the star of the show (game), but there are several other characters that are equally important in accomplishing the quests they set out on.
Romans 12:4-5 says, “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”
In the body of Christ we need to build a caste of characters (not shady) around us to help us accomplish the quest that God has set before us. Each one of us, just like in Dora, do not have the same function but are equally important in accomplishing God’s will for our church.
1 Comment | Challenging, Church, Family, God, Inspirational, Leadership, Life | Tagged: Dora, Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Wii | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
January 28, 2009
The last seven days has been extremely amazing. God has been so good in the past few days.
- God has been setting me on fire this last week.
- We launched our 2009 Life Groups this past week. Wednesday Nights will be every week, and Saturday Nights will be the 1st and 3rd Saturday’s of each month.
- Friday the girls went to have a Diva For A Day Treatment at a local kids Spa! So I had to take them out for a Night Out with Mommy and Daddy. We went out to to El Azteca a local authentic Mexican restaurant the girls love.
- Saturday we spent the day playing Wii and me reading and praying through various things that have been on my heart.
- Sunday was awesome! I preached a message called “The Kingdom of God” which was the first message in a series called The Design For Life!
- I was really unsure about this message, because it was a hard-core teaching and not the inspirational, practical type of preaching I normally bring on Sundays.
- Can I tell you, people got touched on Sunday. God proved that if you simply speak what Father says, people will be rocked.
- God continued His faithfulness yesterday. I got the scriptures and basic outline for my next two sermons during my prayer time.
- The next two services are The Kingdom of God – Refine & Align and then Define & Design
Well those are my reflections for tonight. Overall, the tone of the week has been that God is good and we are in a season of recieving His blessings.
Check back this week for blogs on: Leadership Via Dora 2, All things are lawful but may not be helpful, and things God taught me through parenting.
Has God lit a fire in you lately about something?
1 Comment | Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts | Tagged: Dora, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts, Tuesday Night Relfections, Wii | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
January 27, 2009
About a week ago I was playing Wii with the kids (big surprise I know).
We played several different games, and finally ended up playing Dora Saves the Snow Princess Wii game. There is a portion of the game called Dora’s Forest Adventure. It is basically snow sledding down hill for coins. You can also race with a dog sled. At the end of each race the game counts your coins and gives you either a bronze, silver, or gold medal.
I had to go and spend a few precious Facebook moments and the girls were playing with the dog sleds and at the end of each race my youngest was upset that she only had a few coins and would only get a bronze. While my oldest daughter would have a ton of coins, and get a gold medal.
So I told her I would sit and watch the following race to give her some desperately requested advice in the game. The following is the list of my observations.
- She simply set there with the remote and allowed Dora to slide down one side of the course for 1/4 of the hill, then she would change sides.
- She would not move toward the coins.
- Then she would get 3/4 down and just sit down the remote completely and run for a drink of water.
- My older daughter however had an intense grip on the remote, game face on, and determined to get as many coins as possible.
Later that night I was praying and asking God about our leadership team at Overflow. During that prayer time I began to realize that many Christians out there are living the same way my daughter was playing Dora.
- They simply went one direction with no specific goal or plan, until they decided they were tired of going that way, so they change direction.
- At some point many Christians get discouraged or bored with the path and they abandon it completely.
- Another thing I have noticed is that many of those same people are very frustrated that others seem to be winning or doing well in this life.
- They get frustrated and seek advice on how to be like, act like, or achieve what those successful Christians or people are doing.
The reality of the situation is this, all they have to do is simply grab the reigns and begin to go for it. They need to understand what they are trying to accomplish and then pursue it with intensity.
1 Corinthians 9:24 state, ” Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
You see in this life, we must seek God’s plan and destiny for our lives. Once we hear God and understand the prize (goal) we must pursue relentlessly so that you can obtain it.
The concept is really simple. Hear God, and pursue it!
LEADERSHIP VIA DORA!
3 Comments | Challenging, Church, Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts | Tagged: Dora, Family, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts, Vision, Wii | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
January 16, 2009
I am so excited about this coming Sunday’s Vision Sunday. I have been away from blogging this week, so I could spend extra time preparing and seeking God for this service.
I finished up last night. I will still go over it I am sure before Sunday, but I am done!
Invite
I wanted to invite everyone in the Appleton area to come to this Sunday’s Vision Sunday Service at 10 AM. We will be having a discussion time concerning our 2009 Vision and Strategy at our Life Group on Wednesday January 21st at 6:30 PM. The vision Sunday is designed to communicate what we are developing for 2009 here at Overflow Church. We have spent many hours in prayer and begging God for wisdom for this up coming year.
We will kick our year off with a winter/spring semester called Renovate. The definition of renovate is to make new again, to restore to freshness, to give new life to, to rejuvenate, to reinvigorate, and recreate. I personally believe that renovation is what many people need in their life to feel refreshed and full of joy.
Most people I meet are searching for happiness, but that fluctuates so much based on what is happening. I believe most of them are actually searching for an overriding JOY that comes from a relationship with Jesus.
During our Renovation Semester it is my prayer that people begin to tap into the JOY of a deeper or new relationship with Jesus Christ.
I believe Romans 8:28 when it says that all things work together for good to those who love God. In these struggling times of our country God is still relentlessly pursuing you! I hope to help you pursue Him in 2009
Leave a Comment » | Appleton, Church, Leadership, Overflow, Vision | Tagged: 2009, Inspirational, Overflow, Vision | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
December 30, 2008
Tonight I am going to be busy most of the evening, so I decided to post something this morning.
Early Morning Reflections
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.(Matthew 5:6) Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. (Luke 6:25)
- God has been rocking my world lately with these simply verses. Am I filled with things that are curbing my hunger?
- 2008 was a year of extreme blessing in my family! Don’t get me wrong, the year was full or challenges and warfare, but it was a very blessed year by God!
- In 2008 our family grew stronger, our church has grown, God has done awesome things, many material needs and desires were fulfilled, and God has increasingly been speaking to Ash and I over the last couple of months!
- I am expecting 2009 to be an amazing year for the Bradford family, and the Overflow family.
- In 2009 our church is going to stretch those in our body like never before, God is going to become real to more people in our midst, and our church body will double in size!
2009 Goals (Not Resolutions)
- To work out 4 to 5 days a week!
- To eat healthier all the time!
- To ride my bike 2 days a week over the spring, summer, and fall.
- To read 14 books.
- To stay caught up, and maybe ahead in school.
- To be a better husband, father, pastor, and friend!
What things have you been blessed with in 2008? Was it a blessed year?
What are your 2009 goals?
Leave a Comment » | Appleton, Challenging, Church, Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow | Tagged: Family, Inspirational, Leadership, Life, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
December 19, 2008
Have you ever been in a situation where you were just being a sponge, and suddenly you realized your soaking a lot of it up into your spirit (which is good), but in your mind your not learning a thing?
That is the realization that hit me today. (Wednesday Dec 17, 2008). I realized that God has been taking me to the woodshed for 2 weeks now, and He has been disciplining me, counseling me, comforting me, and breathing life into me. My spirit has loved it, but my soul (mind, will, and emotions) was still lagging way behind.
NOT ANYMORE! PRAISE GOD! Today, I had breakthrough revelation that will shape the way I spend the rest of my life.
Today I got free from conforming, doing things to please _____, selling out my calling in order to recreate someone elses vision, among other things. In the future this blog will consist of my Tuesday Night Reflections, and hopefully some entertaining blogs, but most importantly it will be used to let you guys know what God has been speaking to me, doing in me, and directing me into. It will also let you know my weaknesses and the things I am struggling with, so that you can go to war with/for me.
To start:
2 weeks ago today God gave me a prophetic word for the church today. It was a prophetic word for Overflow, but also, I believe a word for THE church. So this past Sunday I lent my time for preaching to the battle that is going on in the heavenlies for those Christians who have fallen away from faith.
It was powerful. Even before that Sunday we started to see some fruit from me praying the declarations in my private time with God. Since, Sunday we have seen some fruit.
This week I have also been begging God and making some prophetic declarations over some of my friends situations, and I am anticipating the GOOD NEWS that comes from their testimonies about how God came through for them. Please guys, share any testimonies with me, I want to hear all the GOOD NEWS in the Kingdom.
Then today, I began to get the revelation that puts together all of these different things I have been praying for, hearing, and declaring into the heavenlies. It was absolutely amazing. God began to speak to me so clearly, and quickly I was almost dizzy. (Praise God)
God answered my prayers for a new vision statement to help define who we are. Out of it, came this amazing revelation. “I had to repent for trying to recreate something that was meant for Clyde, Texas. We are the same DNA, and want to build the same type of church, but to recreate it was simply selling out and being lazy to what God has called me to do here in Appleton. God began to show me how that has hindered our growth and more importantly His presence in some of the things we have done.
Here is a declaration of what I am going to be doing in 2009!
- I am going to “Dream Big Dreams ” – I am no longer going to cap the size of church I want, or the amount of growth I want. I have been limiting an unlimited God!
- I am going to beg God to come through on those dreams.
- I am going to walk a dangerous, risk taking journey toward my destiny, allowing God to build the bridges in my life.
- I am going to beg God to show up in a manifest presence that allows us to worship Him freely.
- I am going to pray “stupid” prayers
- I am going to ask people for commitment
- I am going to cast the vision of leadership and hold them to it!
- Invite everyone to something (Life Group, Sunday Service). I mean everyone. What have I got to lose?
- I am not going to be ashamed to just let people know that I am totally in love with Jesus. I just love Jesus!
- I am going to love Jesus without abandon (like a man/woman trying to win someone’s heart in a sappy love story)
- I am finally going to be ME!
Join me on this journey! I need you to partner with me.
God is about to do some awesome stuff. I am ready for the ride, are you? (Either way, buckle up!)
Leave a Comment » | Challenging, Church, God, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow, Prayer, Vision | Tagged: God, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Overflow, Random Thoughts | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
December 10, 2008
It’s been a long week already, so here are a few thoughts before bed!
- Sunday I felt like I got hit by a truck. I slept most of the day!
- I am so thankful God knows what He is doing, and Ashlee was already planned to preach.
- The only hour I was up was the end of the Steeler’s Game! What a portion of a game to watch! It was awesome, and the Steelers were awesome!
- Still ranked # 1 in the Fantasy League with the play-offs starting Sunday!
- The snow is unbelievable this year. We are already 11 inches over average and it is only Dec 9th. I expected a lot of snow this year, but not this early!
- We had an amazing leadership meeting on Sunday. I am excited about where God is taking us in the near future.
- God is calling us to stand in Faith for the believers who have fallen away from the Faith. I believe that 2009 is going to be a year of restoration for those beleivers. They love Jesus, but simply do not attend church, spend time in prayer, or read His word for one reason or another.
- I believe there are thousands of these believers in every city, and God wants to bring them back into the fold!
- I am very excited about our new Life Group Format and the 1st semester that starts in Jan. I am excited to release the theme and message topics tomorrow night at our Wednesday Night Life Group.
- In the last 7 days, God has really been revealing some things to me, some good and some bad. He has used several blogs I read to really slap me up side the head. He has taken me to the woodshed a couple of times, and other times He has poured out His love.
- I am so thankful that we serve a might God who is willing to discipline us and love us in the same day, so that we can be more like Him.
- Jesus Christ is the prophetic picture of my destiny! I am Blessed, Blessed, Blessed.
What has God been speaking to you lately?
In His Favor,
Kevin
P.S. More from the book of Acts tomorrow.
1 Comment | Challenging, Church, God, Jesus, Leadership, Overflow, Random Thoughts | Tagged: Leadership, Overflow, Random Thoughts, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
