News

The Casebolts are behind on their blog (2 years 5 months behind). We are about to add a fourth (baby boy #3 due December 10), and we are still looking for a name. I (Rich) continue to work full time with Eleos Coffee House and Ministries on the Avenue. God is good, therefore life is good. Enough said.

ESL (English as a Second Language) at Eleos Coffee House

ESL at Eleos

Full day at Eleos Coffee House with Bikers for Christ and some extended time with Angel Montes.  Angel shared with T.J. and would have shared his testimony with everybody on the street who was willing to listen.  How amazing to see God working in Angel's life in this way.  Please pray for Angel.  Pray for TJ, for Reggie, for Larry, Kim, Irene & Lawrence.  There are so many struggling with addictions to drugs and alcohol.  Had my first run way today (Chauncy, fresh from chemical rehab, quickly walked away when I pursued him to talk).   Please pray for the ministry of Eleos!

Friday Night at Eleos

Just a quick reminder of our continuing book discussion group at Eleos Coffee House. We will meet at 6:30pm tomorrow night (Friday) at 3401 Independence Ave. 64124 to finish our discussion on Edwards essay and then we will chose the next book. My recommendation is A Christian Manifesto by Francis Shaeffer.You can get that here:

http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Manifesto-Francis-A-Schaeffer/dp/1581346921/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331265170&sr=8-1

I'm open to suggestions for other books though.

What? Book discussion group

Where? Eleos Coffee house

When? 6:30pm-7:30pm

Why? Loving God with heart, soul, MIND, and strength and learning to think.

Hope to see you there!

People Teams Vision

People Teams is passionate about mobilizing disciples of Jesus into His harvest field, equipping cross-cultural workers to take the Gospel to the people groups in Kansas City.

Upcoming Events:

· Thursday, September 1st 6-9pm - People Teams Monthly Meeting o 6-7pm.

Share a meal. Bring something to share! *Eleos coffeehouse is hosting the meeting. Coffee, latte, blenders, and sandwiches available by donation to this ministry. o 7-8pm. Worship, training and sharing time. o 8-9pm. Break into small groups and pray together.

· Because Ashlee and David will be moving soon, we are changing the location of this meeting. It will be held at Eleos Coffeeshop at 3401 Independence Ave Kansas City, MO 64124.

Event name: Workers in the Harvest

Purpose: Addressing lostness and the least reached in KC through People Teams

Location: Koehn-Myers Center for Evangelism, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Date: Saturday September 24

Time: 9am-3pm

Lunch provided at no charge.

Reply to this email to register.

We Are What We Worship

I Went to the Jasjid Al--Huda Mosque on Van Brunt street. Was struck by the monolithic religious display of Friday afternoon prayer in this last week of Ramadan. We heard a talk on the greatness and mercy of the one god they believe in- and how he forgives the sins of those who work. Amazing contrast to the Bible- which says our work- when done in an attempt either to be forgiven or in some other God-ignoring way- is sin. The wages of sin (wages are what we receive for our work) is death (Romans 6:23) but the FREE gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Overall, I was reminded that we become what we worship. The Thais and other South East Asians worship a gender-less Deity- cold, dead, deaf, unable to walk or help them- and so often their hearts reflect these characteristics - even to the point of believing they can choose their gender- choose their sex. Today, however, we see the worship of a monad deity- and the community worshiping this deity is monolithic, robotic, almost like an army of Borg soldiers calling out "we are Borg- you will be assimilated!" This is uniformity- and Christianity's critiques often make the accusation that Christians are too robotic, similar, homogeneous. I wonder if these critiques have ever visited a mosque? Muslims have uniformity- that is evident, but they will never know true unity. They have no need for unity.

I believe it was Ravi Zacharias who said that in a cause and effect world, the only way we can find a world reflecting unity and diversity (not to be mistaken for coloring outside of God's moral boundaries, i.e. the sin of homosexuality) is from a First Cause Who existed as a unity in diversity- the Trinity. The very word universe and university means unity in diversity. E Pluribus Unum is not just a sentiment, it is reality.

We reflect the likeness of whatever we worship. Psalm 115:8 says "Those who make them (idols) become like them; so do all who trust in them." Today was a vivid picture of that truth. It is my prayer that we will worship Jesus, the Christ, God's Son, Who is in the image and glory of the Father. Worship Jesus!