I can recall a few years in my life where I was so happy to see the end come that the New Year's Party was a celebration of survival, with a huge does of, "Thank You God for bringing an end to this, let's get on with what's next!!"
1989 - While happy I graduated from college, my world was crushed by a broken engagement. I was happy to see the new decade begin.
1993 - One year married, being asked to leave a ministry job where I was successful because of church politics, homeless on our first anniversary, three different churches on my resume' in six months, and a move to Riverside, CA. Couldn't wait to be done with that year.
2000 - Started the year with struggles at church and at home, Beth with a difficult prengancy (that produced a beautiful baby girl!), and ended with shingles and massive stress. Partied like it was 1999 (yep, Prince reference...)!
2004 - Went from needing hernia surgery in January to needing chemotherapy and radiation in February to needing IV antibiotics for menengitis in May, and finally getting the hernia surgery in October. Words fail to describe how much I wanted that year over.
But as I write this, I don't think 2010 qualifies for this list. There were hard things for sure, like candidating at a new church, leaving the people I loved for 14 years in Pocatello, seeing the pain that has ensued since I left there, leading my family to start a new life in a new place, selling our house in a crappy market, then trying to buy one is a different kind of crappy market, adjusting to a new job, dealing with layoffs and credit union policies - to be sure, the transitions of my life this year have been many, varied, at times difficult, and full of surprises.
But in reality, there were just as many good times: finding out that God still had a plan for my life, and seeing it unfold each day, knowing I am right where He wants me, receiving the loving send off from friends and church family that we will never forget, knowing that our time in Pocatello was not wasted but very effective, being received with love by a great church family here, seeing the grace of God grow in my kids, watching my wife blossom in this new environment, seeing my own gifts of leadership and teaching affirmed and blessed as leaders around me grow and prosper, making new friends and having new adventures, and growing as much as I've ever grown in my life. All of that more than balances the scales.
No, 2010 is not a year I want to run from. It is going to be one that I will cherish, hard parts included. God is good, the rest is details. I'm going to celebrate the close of this year with some looks back over the next week, then lay into the year to come. Feel free to comment...
12.31.2010
12.28.2010
Rolling Into The New Year
Christmas Eve behind us, and a wonderful Thank You weekend, too (again, thanks to all of the LifePoint volunteers who make this place run each week, hope you enjoyed your weekend off!!), it's time to roll full tilt into the New Year!
I'm fired up about the series we're starting, called, "This Is YOUR Year!" Those habits and actions you've been putting off in your spiritual life, your relationships, even your health - This Is YOUR Year to get started on the healthy changes you want to see in your life. We're going to start the year off by team-teaching the message this weekend, so make plans to be here, it's going to be great!
What has me even MORE fired up is Warm-Up Weekend. Wear your favorite sweatshirt to services this weekend, and bring one (or more) to give away! We'd like to collect coats, sweatshirts, even sweat pants, either new or used in good condition, and we'll give them away to agencies in our valley that can give them away to people in need. Call it a generosity jump start to the year!
For the record, my family and I took the opportunity afforded us from Thank You weekend to go visit Pastor Jack Negrette and the gang out at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship, our daughter church in Dayton. Great message by Pastor Jack, and we received a warm, friendly welcome from the folks up there. They are doing an awesome job of reaching that community, keep them in your prayers!
I'm fired up about the series we're starting, called, "This Is YOUR Year!" Those habits and actions you've been putting off in your spiritual life, your relationships, even your health - This Is YOUR Year to get started on the healthy changes you want to see in your life. We're going to start the year off by team-teaching the message this weekend, so make plans to be here, it's going to be great!
What has me even MORE fired up is Warm-Up Weekend. Wear your favorite sweatshirt to services this weekend, and bring one (or more) to give away! We'd like to collect coats, sweatshirts, even sweat pants, either new or used in good condition, and we'll give them away to agencies in our valley that can give them away to people in need. Call it a generosity jump start to the year!
For the record, my family and I took the opportunity afforded us from Thank You weekend to go visit Pastor Jack Negrette and the gang out at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship, our daughter church in Dayton. Great message by Pastor Jack, and we received a warm, friendly welcome from the folks up there. They are doing an awesome job of reaching that community, keep them in your prayers!
12.25.2010
Merry Christmas!!
The lyric that keeps running through my head is from the Chris Tomlin version of Joy to the World: "Joy! Unspeakable JOY! An overflowing well, No tongue can tell! Joy! Unspeakable Joy! Rises in my soul, Never lets me go!"
Ever since we started working on our Christmas Eve services, that song has been in my head and heart. Unspeakable Joy! God loves us so much, He wouldn't let us alone. He gave the most expensive, beautiful, amazing, personal, thoughtful gift ever: Jesus! Angels sang because the joy is too much to just say, it had to be sung! The shepherds didn't just listen to the news, they had to see it for themselves. The Magi saw the star and didn't just imagine what it was about, they had to go see the newborn King.
So when people ask why we did six Christmas Eve services, it's simple: it's because we had to. We had to celebrate the gift of love that God gave us in Jesus. We had to share with our community the joy we feel for what God has done and is doing in us. We had to remind ourselves that it's not about us, but about the Best Gift Ever.
We had over 2600 people come to our services the last three days, including an overflow crowd of 800+ for the 4:30 service yesterday. Lots of new faces, lots of folks bringing their friends, neighbors and co-workers to come share the JOY. Such a great turn out has to be the work of tons of Lifers making the effort to invite people. Way to GO!
What I'm most proud of is the amazing group of volunteers who gave of themselves to build the sets, play the songs, usher the crowds, care for the kids, bake the cookies, serve the coffee and cocoa, play the nativity scene parts, dance their legs off, sing their hearts out and generally give of their gifts to celebrate the Gift of Jesus this year. I was so blessed and blown away by the hearts of those who came early, stayed late, sweated the details and gave their best to make the services a great experience for all who came.
To the volunteers: THANK YOU for all you gave to make it wonderful! (take the weekend off, you deserve it!!) To the staff: THANK YOU for your incredible servant-leadership. You blessed and blessed, gave and gave. I'm proud to be a part of your team! To all who came and brought friends and neighbors: THANK YOU for making the effort, taking the chance, and filling the house, just like Jesus said to!
Merry Christmas, everyone! May God's Best Gift be yours in fuller and fuller measure this year, and may your hearts be full of Unspeakable Joy!!
Ever since we started working on our Christmas Eve services, that song has been in my head and heart. Unspeakable Joy! God loves us so much, He wouldn't let us alone. He gave the most expensive, beautiful, amazing, personal, thoughtful gift ever: Jesus! Angels sang because the joy is too much to just say, it had to be sung! The shepherds didn't just listen to the news, they had to see it for themselves. The Magi saw the star and didn't just imagine what it was about, they had to go see the newborn King.
So when people ask why we did six Christmas Eve services, it's simple: it's because we had to. We had to celebrate the gift of love that God gave us in Jesus. We had to share with our community the joy we feel for what God has done and is doing in us. We had to remind ourselves that it's not about us, but about the Best Gift Ever.
We had over 2600 people come to our services the last three days, including an overflow crowd of 800+ for the 4:30 service yesterday. Lots of new faces, lots of folks bringing their friends, neighbors and co-workers to come share the JOY. Such a great turn out has to be the work of tons of Lifers making the effort to invite people. Way to GO!
What I'm most proud of is the amazing group of volunteers who gave of themselves to build the sets, play the songs, usher the crowds, care for the kids, bake the cookies, serve the coffee and cocoa, play the nativity scene parts, dance their legs off, sing their hearts out and generally give of their gifts to celebrate the Gift of Jesus this year. I was so blessed and blown away by the hearts of those who came early, stayed late, sweated the details and gave their best to make the services a great experience for all who came.
To the volunteers: THANK YOU for all you gave to make it wonderful! (take the weekend off, you deserve it!!) To the staff: THANK YOU for your incredible servant-leadership. You blessed and blessed, gave and gave. I'm proud to be a part of your team! To all who came and brought friends and neighbors: THANK YOU for making the effort, taking the chance, and filling the house, just like Jesus said to!
Merry Christmas, everyone! May God's Best Gift be yours in fuller and fuller measure this year, and may your hearts be full of Unspeakable Joy!!
12.20.2010
Just Got Back From Dress Rehersal
So glad we get to rehearse first, because working the bugs out is important, but after our dress rehearsal tonight, I'm excited. We're going to offer six Christmas Eve services at LifePoint Church, and the music, dancing, drama, all of it will be an opportunity to celebrate the gift of God's love in Jesus. And from the shepherds to the singers, the wise men to the tech crew, we're fired up to share God's love with the people who come.
If you are coming to our services, please get there early, bring a friend, sit up close, and be ready to enjoy the celebration! If you can't make it (all my Idaho, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington peeps!), please pray for us! We have an opportunity to share God's love with thousands of people this year, and we want to do our best for God's glory.
It's going to be great, don't miss it! I'll try to blog after each night's services and let you know how it goes.
Merry Christmas, and All God's Best!!
If you are coming to our services, please get there early, bring a friend, sit up close, and be ready to enjoy the celebration! If you can't make it (all my Idaho, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington peeps!), please pray for us! We have an opportunity to share God's love with thousands of people this year, and we want to do our best for God's glory.
It's going to be great, don't miss it! I'll try to blog after each night's services and let you know how it goes.
Merry Christmas, and All God's Best!!
12.14.2010
Giving Myself a Gift This Christmas
I figured out what I need for Christmas. I'm not sure what I want (I want a lot of things, but they are just that... wants. And not many are going to fit in the budget, but that's a post for a different day), but I know what I need.
I need permission.
I have some feelings. I'm a guy, so I have a harder time verbalizing them or even recognizing them, but I recognize the symptoms of having them. I'm feeling those symptoms today, so I know that there are some feelings rattling around in my life.
So I was talking to a friend today, and they said that I needed to give myself permission to feel those feelings. It was the most simple thought, but it was huge for me, an epiphany, "like lightning hit my brain!"
I am going to give myself permission this Christmas to feel my feelings. I'm going to be okay with having them, with acknowledging them, and with dealing with them. Period. It will be the best present I can give myself this year. Permission to feel? GRANTED! I can feel what it is like to be in a new place for Christmas, what it feels like to miss my friends, what it feels like to want to be with my family and know that I can't. I can feel anticipation for Christmas and the little nervousness of wanting to do well my first time at LifePoint Church on Christmas Eve. I can feel the awkwardness of new friendships and the distance of old ones. I give myself permission.
I was reminded that emotions and feelings are all over the Bible, even among leaders of God's people. So I'm in good company. Moses, David, Jeremiah, even Jesus had feelings. Mary was scared, so the angel said, "Don't be afraid." Peter got mad, Paul got frustrated, and on down the list. We all have feelings.
Do you need permission to feel this Christmas? It's okay, give yourself the gift of feeling your feelings. Then, each time you do, say a prayer and ask God to show you if there is bitterness, or fear, or unforgiveness or something else under those feelings that needs to be rooted out and dealt with. Because the greatest gift you could give yourself is the freedom that comes from allowing God's help into your life to deal with difficult emotions, feelings and situations.
This Christmas, enjoy the gift of feeling. Feel all of it: the wonder, the love, the grace, the amazement of the gift of Jesus Christ. Feel it all. Take it all in, and give great thanks to the giver of all good gifts.
I need permission.
I have some feelings. I'm a guy, so I have a harder time verbalizing them or even recognizing them, but I recognize the symptoms of having them. I'm feeling those symptoms today, so I know that there are some feelings rattling around in my life.
So I was talking to a friend today, and they said that I needed to give myself permission to feel those feelings. It was the most simple thought, but it was huge for me, an epiphany, "like lightning hit my brain!"
I am going to give myself permission this Christmas to feel my feelings. I'm going to be okay with having them, with acknowledging them, and with dealing with them. Period. It will be the best present I can give myself this year. Permission to feel? GRANTED! I can feel what it is like to be in a new place for Christmas, what it feels like to miss my friends, what it feels like to want to be with my family and know that I can't. I can feel anticipation for Christmas and the little nervousness of wanting to do well my first time at LifePoint Church on Christmas Eve. I can feel the awkwardness of new friendships and the distance of old ones. I give myself permission.
I was reminded that emotions and feelings are all over the Bible, even among leaders of God's people. So I'm in good company. Moses, David, Jeremiah, even Jesus had feelings. Mary was scared, so the angel said, "Don't be afraid." Peter got mad, Paul got frustrated, and on down the list. We all have feelings.
Do you need permission to feel this Christmas? It's okay, give yourself the gift of feeling your feelings. Then, each time you do, say a prayer and ask God to show you if there is bitterness, or fear, or unforgiveness or something else under those feelings that needs to be rooted out and dealt with. Because the greatest gift you could give yourself is the freedom that comes from allowing God's help into your life to deal with difficult emotions, feelings and situations.
This Christmas, enjoy the gift of feeling. Feel all of it: the wonder, the love, the grace, the amazement of the gift of Jesus Christ. Feel it all. Take it all in, and give great thanks to the giver of all good gifts.
12.10.2010
It's the Waiting...
I'm excited for this weekend. The second in our Thoughtful Gifts series is coming (aren't you at least a little curious what Frankincense is all about?), the announcement I get to make about the food pantry is so cool, and the song right before the teaching will be...
But it's Christmas, so we have to wait. No peaking! No hints, no pinching the presents, no shaking the packages.
That's one place where Easter and Christmas are so different. Easter is a weekend, perhaps a whole week. Christmas is a season. It is weeks long, even if you have the patience to wait for Thanksgiving to be over before you start. We have a whole season of Christmas, which means a lot of waiting until the big day.
In some churches, they celebrate the waiting with the tradition of Advent, the time right before Christmas, leading up to and waiting for the coming Savior. Can you imagine, celebrating waiting? But we wait at Christmas. We wait through the season to the celebration. We wait to unwrap the gifts under the tree. We wait.
Just like the world waited for a Savior. Just like Israel waited for Messiah. Just like we wait today for the return of our triumphant King of Glory. Waiting isn't my favorite part, but it is a big part of Christmas and following Jesus.
Merry waiting. May the time we spend be time not wasted, but time invested in the now and coming Kingdom of God.
But it's Christmas, so we have to wait. No peaking! No hints, no pinching the presents, no shaking the packages.
That's one place where Easter and Christmas are so different. Easter is a weekend, perhaps a whole week. Christmas is a season. It is weeks long, even if you have the patience to wait for Thanksgiving to be over before you start. We have a whole season of Christmas, which means a lot of waiting until the big day.
In some churches, they celebrate the waiting with the tradition of Advent, the time right before Christmas, leading up to and waiting for the coming Savior. Can you imagine, celebrating waiting? But we wait at Christmas. We wait through the season to the celebration. We wait to unwrap the gifts under the tree. We wait.
Just like the world waited for a Savior. Just like Israel waited for Messiah. Just like we wait today for the return of our triumphant King of Glory. Waiting isn't my favorite part, but it is a big part of Christmas and following Jesus.
Merry waiting. May the time we spend be time not wasted, but time invested in the now and coming Kingdom of God.
12.05.2010
Weekend Wrap
Some thoughts at the end of a great weekend at LifePoint Church:
- I love Christmas! (not news, but I just like saying it!!)
- I love the Christmas platform set! The great volunteers, under the direction of Wanda and with great leadership by Sunny have transformed the platform into a warm and inviting, fun place to share Jesus.
- I loved the worship this weekend! I don't normally look for more banjo in my life, but this weekend's set was both spectacular musically AND deeply worshipful. It can be hard to enter into worship with Christmas songs, but the team did a fantastic job of leading us to do just that.
- I saw the ushers setting up more seats in the back. Just sayin...
- I thought the Spirit was great this weekend, lots of people stepping up to volunteer to help with Christmas Eve services, lots of great conversations, and new faces all over the place.
- Hearing great things about our Home Warmers delivering fire wood and inviting people to church.
- LOVED sharing the Food Pantry stats: 39 families per month, 9 new families per month, and almost 2800 people fed this year. Going to break 3000 with YOUR HELP!!
Alright, I'm done. Heading for bed. God is working, Lives are changing, Jesus is coming!!
12.02.2010
Christmas Time Is Here...
All day, that song from the Peanut's Christmas special is in my head. I've always been a "no Christmas until after Thanksgiving" guy, but this year is different. First, all the prep work for Christmas had to be started on much earlier for me than I'm used to, and second, the constant unpacking of boxes in our house has meant that its felt a lot like Christmas for a while anyway.
One of the boxes we have unpacked is the gift my staff and elders in Pocatello gave us as a going away present. It's a wonderful nativity scene, with wise men and shepherds, cows and baby Jesus. Beth collects nativity scenes, but this one is obviously special to us. The staff each wrote a message on the back of bottom of the characters, and I purposely didn't read them until we pulled the set out this year. I wanted to save some of the joy for later, and now it was suddenly later. It was good to think about my friends back in Idaho, and to remember their generosity and grace to us.
All of Christmas is like that. We spend a lot of time being nostalgic, thinking back to Christmases past, remembering friends and loved ones, sharing thoughts of good times we had. And hopefully, we also spend a little time thinking about the greatest gift we've ever received, Jesus Christ coming to Earth to be our Savior. Maybe, in all the hustle and bustle, above the nostalgia and the memories, we can also take some time to think ahead to the day we get to unwrap the rest of the gift of Jesus, the day we see Him face to face. Maybe in the midst of it all, you and I can find some time to think about what waits for us in the future, too. All the generosity of God's grace isn't contained in the past, or even in the present. There's a future to grace, a future with Christ in Heaven, looking at Jesus the way the shepherds did, singing to Him like the angels did, and touching His had like Mary and Joseph must have in that stable.
Just a Christmas thought to start your month.
One of the boxes we have unpacked is the gift my staff and elders in Pocatello gave us as a going away present. It's a wonderful nativity scene, with wise men and shepherds, cows and baby Jesus. Beth collects nativity scenes, but this one is obviously special to us. The staff each wrote a message on the back of bottom of the characters, and I purposely didn't read them until we pulled the set out this year. I wanted to save some of the joy for later, and now it was suddenly later. It was good to think about my friends back in Idaho, and to remember their generosity and grace to us.
All of Christmas is like that. We spend a lot of time being nostalgic, thinking back to Christmases past, remembering friends and loved ones, sharing thoughts of good times we had. And hopefully, we also spend a little time thinking about the greatest gift we've ever received, Jesus Christ coming to Earth to be our Savior. Maybe, in all the hustle and bustle, above the nostalgia and the memories, we can also take some time to think ahead to the day we get to unwrap the rest of the gift of Jesus, the day we see Him face to face. Maybe in the midst of it all, you and I can find some time to think about what waits for us in the future, too. All the generosity of God's grace isn't contained in the past, or even in the present. There's a future to grace, a future with Christ in Heaven, looking at Jesus the way the shepherds did, singing to Him like the angels did, and touching His had like Mary and Joseph must have in that stable.
Just a Christmas thought to start your month.
11.30.2010
Out Of Context
After a week of stay-cation (and a great celebration of Thanksgiving, coming from my heart full of gratitude for ALL God has done in my life), I got to go to another church last weekend. Pastor Roy Conover was teaching at LifePoint Church, I was on vacation, so I went down the road to another church in the valley to see what was going on there. Saw some cool stuff, heard a message on praising and giving thanks to God, and went home encouraged. God is doing good work in churches in the Carson Valley.
Now, as I write this, I'm in a hotel room in Minneapolis, MN, waiting to meet with Pastor Leith Anderson of Wooddale Church. I'm here with some other leaders from Growing Healthy Churches, a network of folks committed to seeing the message of Jesus spread across our region, our nation and our world. There were seven of us at dinner tonight from very different churches in very different situations and cultures, including one from Napa, CA, and one from Charlotte, NC.
What I love about these types of experiences is how great it is to get out of my own context and see what God is up to in other places. I learn boatloads from pastors in different places, doing different types and styles of ministry. I learn from seeing the place where it happens and, whenever I can, experiencing worship with a church family that is not mine, just to see how they bring their worship to God. Those kinds of "out of context" experiences teach me lots of lessons: I get to see what is going right in other churches, and what answers other wise folks have gotten to the questions of how to love like Jesus in their community. I also get a fresh perspective on my own church family, what we're doing really right and what needs work. If I never go anywhere or experience another church doing the ministry God gave them to do, then I miss out on all that God can teach me in another context.
So if you're out of town on a weekend, let me encourage you to stop in an experience another church family. When we at LifePoint Church do our Thank You Weekend on December 25 and 26, take advantage of that Sunday to go explore what other churches are doing. Don't miss the chance to learn something new, or get a fresh perspective on what God is doing back home in your church. It won't matter if the experience is great or awful, exciting or boring; in the experience, God will have an opportunity to show you something. Take Him up on the offer!
I'll tell you what I learned from this trip later this week. (yep, I'm getting back in the blog habit...)
Now, as I write this, I'm in a hotel room in Minneapolis, MN, waiting to meet with Pastor Leith Anderson of Wooddale Church. I'm here with some other leaders from Growing Healthy Churches, a network of folks committed to seeing the message of Jesus spread across our region, our nation and our world. There were seven of us at dinner tonight from very different churches in very different situations and cultures, including one from Napa, CA, and one from Charlotte, NC.
What I love about these types of experiences is how great it is to get out of my own context and see what God is up to in other places. I learn boatloads from pastors in different places, doing different types and styles of ministry. I learn from seeing the place where it happens and, whenever I can, experiencing worship with a church family that is not mine, just to see how they bring their worship to God. Those kinds of "out of context" experiences teach me lots of lessons: I get to see what is going right in other churches, and what answers other wise folks have gotten to the questions of how to love like Jesus in their community. I also get a fresh perspective on my own church family, what we're doing really right and what needs work. If I never go anywhere or experience another church doing the ministry God gave them to do, then I miss out on all that God can teach me in another context.
So if you're out of town on a weekend, let me encourage you to stop in an experience another church family. When we at LifePoint Church do our Thank You Weekend on December 25 and 26, take advantage of that Sunday to go explore what other churches are doing. Don't miss the chance to learn something new, or get a fresh perspective on what God is doing back home in your church. It won't matter if the experience is great or awful, exciting or boring; in the experience, God will have an opportunity to show you something. Take Him up on the offer!
I'll tell you what I learned from this trip later this week. (yep, I'm getting back in the blog habit...)
11.21.2010
Weekend Wrap
Some thoughts at the end of a snowy weekend at LifePoint:
- Weather or not...: We had a great turn out for the first snow weekend of the year. Saturday night was a lively bunch, and 10:45 was pretty full this morning. 9 AM is a little early for dealing with snow, but for all who made it, God showed up this weekend. Thanks to all who could make it for showing up and bringing your worship!
- Group Sighting: Pastor Mark Marsella had more than two dozen small group leaders meet for training, encouragement, and some vision casting. I poked my head in, and there was great energy, passion and focus in the room. Hearing good things coming out of that meeting, looking forward to God unleashing in our small groups!
- Sporting a 'Tude: Great feedback today from folks about the teaching - lots of folks catching on to the idea that a generous attitude is a part of God's work in us and through us. Can't wait to see how this impacts our church over the next few years. Yeah, I said it, we WILL become the MOST generous church in NEVADA!!
- One More: Next week, Pastor Roy teaches on Gratitude. Lots of great pieces in place for that service, DO NOT MISS IT!!
- Construction Starting: I've been getting updates from Sunny Cain that the Christmas set is starting to come together. There's a LOT of excitement building for our 6 (SIX) Christmas Eve services, and all the great stuff leading up to them. The theme: Thoughtful Gifts. Bring your friends and family to hear about the best gift ever!!
- 'Thank You Weekend': We announced that the weekend of Christmas (Saturday the 25th, Sunday the 26th) we will be honoring our hundreds of volunteers by giving them the weekend off (they will need it after the 6 (six!!) Christmas Eve services). No services that weekend, so our volunteers can spend time with their families. And from all of us to all the volunteers, "THANK YOU!!"
That's all my brain can do right now. have a great Thanksgiving Holiday if I don't see you, and All God's Best to you!
11.17.2010
Catching Up
Okay first, thanks for hanging in and being patient with me. Things have been intense lately, and I haven't had moments to read blogs, much less write one. So, here's the update, and the plan going forward:
After a process that tried my patience to the MAXIMUM, Beth and I were able to purchase a house last month. It's a very nice three bedroom home with a great kitchen, and a back yard full of... potential. It was bank owned, so the yard was abandoned months and months ago, leaving the grass and most of the trees dead. It will be a project for the spring, but some nice folks from church put in new grass in the front yard, so the neighbors like us right away. The house is closer to the church and in a nice neighborhood, close to Rachel's school and Mac's best friends. I just tried out the walking trail this morning, it is in great shape. I, however, am not.
We have spent the last month packing up, moving our stuff over, unpacking and setting up the new house, so workouts and just about anything else has been on the back burner. Other than cheering the SF Giants to the World Series win (while unpacking boxes), there's been little on the 'fun' side of the ledger. I'm so tired of cardboard right now...
Also while all the packing and moving and unpacking has gone on, we've been working on the budget for LifePoint Church. We're changing our fiscal year to start in July, so we're doing a 'mini-budget' for January through June. It's been a challenge to change how we think about budgeting and to try to forecast our congregation's giving going into the New Year. What's the economy going to do here? What's the excitement level going to be for what God is unveiling to us about the future?
The move of placing Pastor Mark Marsella over our small group ministry and take him out of Worship Arts has already paid dividends. We're seeing a huge influx of people wanting to be in groups, and we're praying and looking for leaders to rising to the surface to take on those groups. Mark and Gayle just went to a training event in Stockton this week, so progress and a plan for the future are both being made.
I'm excited about the current series, "Name That 'Tude," and Pastor Roy gets another opportunity to teach in this one. The Christmas series, set design, Christmas Eve services and all that are coming together very nicely right now, and the energy is building. I'm fired up to see what the end of this year and the start of 2011 have in store for us in God's plan.
Okay, that will get you (mostly) caught up. I'm going to try to blog two to three times a week, and we'll see what comes out of it. God is teaching me some great lessons, reminding me of some more great lessons I learned along my journey, and preparing me for more lessons to learn. It's an exciting time, and a time to learn to trust God more and more.
After a process that tried my patience to the MAXIMUM, Beth and I were able to purchase a house last month. It's a very nice three bedroom home with a great kitchen, and a back yard full of... potential. It was bank owned, so the yard was abandoned months and months ago, leaving the grass and most of the trees dead. It will be a project for the spring, but some nice folks from church put in new grass in the front yard, so the neighbors like us right away. The house is closer to the church and in a nice neighborhood, close to Rachel's school and Mac's best friends. I just tried out the walking trail this morning, it is in great shape. I, however, am not.
We have spent the last month packing up, moving our stuff over, unpacking and setting up the new house, so workouts and just about anything else has been on the back burner. Other than cheering the SF Giants to the World Series win (while unpacking boxes), there's been little on the 'fun' side of the ledger. I'm so tired of cardboard right now...
Also while all the packing and moving and unpacking has gone on, we've been working on the budget for LifePoint Church. We're changing our fiscal year to start in July, so we're doing a 'mini-budget' for January through June. It's been a challenge to change how we think about budgeting and to try to forecast our congregation's giving going into the New Year. What's the economy going to do here? What's the excitement level going to be for what God is unveiling to us about the future?
The move of placing Pastor Mark Marsella over our small group ministry and take him out of Worship Arts has already paid dividends. We're seeing a huge influx of people wanting to be in groups, and we're praying and looking for leaders to rising to the surface to take on those groups. Mark and Gayle just went to a training event in Stockton this week, so progress and a plan for the future are both being made.
I'm excited about the current series, "Name That 'Tude," and Pastor Roy gets another opportunity to teach in this one. The Christmas series, set design, Christmas Eve services and all that are coming together very nicely right now, and the energy is building. I'm fired up to see what the end of this year and the start of 2011 have in store for us in God's plan.
Okay, that will get you (mostly) caught up. I'm going to try to blog two to three times a week, and we'll see what comes out of it. God is teaching me some great lessons, reminding me of some more great lessons I learned along my journey, and preparing me for more lessons to learn. It's an exciting time, and a time to learn to trust God more and more.
11.06.2010
Life Update
Hey!
Yeah, this hasn't been my hangout of late, but here's the deal: we've bought a house, we're moving into it, and my life is in boxes. On top of that, some of the heavy lifting work of setting up our future ministry and how it's going to look at LifePoint Church has coincided with this move, so my life is full up with transitions, planning, and unpacking in all directions!!
That said, I'm going to do my best to get back on the blog-waggon here around Thanksgiving, when all this has settled down and we're on the run to Christmas.
Thanks for your prayers and for checking back, and we'll have some great, roof crashing stuff here in a bit.
Blessings,
Bill
Yeah, this hasn't been my hangout of late, but here's the deal: we've bought a house, we're moving into it, and my life is in boxes. On top of that, some of the heavy lifting work of setting up our future ministry and how it's going to look at LifePoint Church has coincided with this move, so my life is full up with transitions, planning, and unpacking in all directions!!
That said, I'm going to do my best to get back on the blog-waggon here around Thanksgiving, when all this has settled down and we're on the run to Christmas.
Thanks for your prayers and for checking back, and we'll have some great, roof crashing stuff here in a bit.
Blessings,
Bill
9.19.2010
Thoughts From The Weekend
I'm very excited by what God's doing at LifePoint Church, and before I fade into my bed tonight, here's a sampling:
- I had dozens of people come find me after services this weekend and tell me they were done 'hiding in plain sight.' Folks were looking for places to serve, connect and show that their relationship with Jesus is real to them. There were expressions of generosity and folks making sure to tell me they were working through their issues to be ready to serve. God promises that His Word will accomplish what He intends. This weekend is proof!
- There were a couple dozen people raise their hands to accept Christ as the Leader and Forgiver of their lives - that NEVER gets old!!
- I am loving the response to the whole No Perfect People Allowed series. From the video (the 'confessional' landed on some folks, for sure!) to the responses afterward, people are hearing from God, and I am fired up to see what He does next!!
- Despite some setbacks this week, our Worship Department created an experience for people to enter God's presence and give Him our full attention. Great job, team!
- We had a group of youth and leaders go to the Thriving Musicians Summit in Roseville, learning and growing in their musical abilities and worship leading. Can't wait to hear how this shows up in our Student Ministries.
And as excited as I am about what's going on right now, I can't wait for the Assessment process to let us know what we're doing well and what needs work. Have you taken the survey yet? In my 'end-of-the-weekend-exhausted' state, I just finished it. It won't hurt a bit, and it will help your church to be more effective in the future, so take a few minutes and get this done.
Taking the day off tomorrow, then right back to another week of making Jesus famous in the Carson Valley!! Goodnight!
9.18.2010
The Week That Was
I love this time of year. Selfishly, it's partly because of my birthday being mid-September, but there are other reasons:
In Sports: Baseball becomes meaningful in late August and into September, with pennant races, playoffs on the line, and late season call ups to see how next years rookies are going to look. Basketball talk starts to warm up and preseason camps will start to open soon. But the most important, like changing event is the beginning of football season! (HALLELUJAH CHORUS!!) My heart beats faster at the thought of pads popping and all the sights and sounds of football. It brings me back to many great memories on the field and in the stands. I. LOVE. FOOTBALL.
In Family: The kids are back in the swing of school, they are connecting with friends, doing homework, getting smarter and finding themselves a bit more every day. I am in awe to see the growth and development of my son as he becomes a young man and finds his way around the world. He's making good friends and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. My daughter is showing off her brains again, accepted into a competitive math team (math? really?), and doing great in school.
In Church: All the ministries that lay dormant over the summer spring back to life: kids midweek stuff, Adult Bible study stuff, Women's ministry stuff... all of is comes back like the flowers in spring, only on the other end of the calendar. I love the energy, the excitement of seeing the life changing message of Christ shared in so many venues. It's invigorating, like the crisp air we are beginning to notice in the mornings.
I love this time of year! It is my absolute favorite. Do you love it, or do you prefer something else?
In Sports: Baseball becomes meaningful in late August and into September, with pennant races, playoffs on the line, and late season call ups to see how next years rookies are going to look. Basketball talk starts to warm up and preseason camps will start to open soon. But the most important, like changing event is the beginning of football season! (HALLELUJAH CHORUS!!) My heart beats faster at the thought of pads popping and all the sights and sounds of football. It brings me back to many great memories on the field and in the stands. I. LOVE. FOOTBALL.
In Family: The kids are back in the swing of school, they are connecting with friends, doing homework, getting smarter and finding themselves a bit more every day. I am in awe to see the growth and development of my son as he becomes a young man and finds his way around the world. He's making good friends and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. My daughter is showing off her brains again, accepted into a competitive math team (math? really?), and doing great in school.
In Church: All the ministries that lay dormant over the summer spring back to life: kids midweek stuff, Adult Bible study stuff, Women's ministry stuff... all of is comes back like the flowers in spring, only on the other end of the calendar. I love the energy, the excitement of seeing the life changing message of Christ shared in so many venues. It's invigorating, like the crisp air we are beginning to notice in the mornings.
I love this time of year! It is my absolute favorite. Do you love it, or do you prefer something else?
9.14.2010
Has It REALLY Been Six Months?
I was asked by the Accountability Team here at LifePoint Church to give a six month overview of our ministry at our last meeting this past Saturday. In all the preparation for it, I rushed past the most important part: I've been on the job here for SIX MONTHS!! In one of those "time/space continuum" issues, it feels both longer and shorter than that for me.
It feels a lot longer than six months because I've really come to love this church, the people here, the staff and the leaders. I am drawn more and more to the calling God has placed in my life to be here and lead this church family, and I keep finding new reasons to know in my heart I'm supposed to be here. The hard things as well as the good things connect me to this place, these people and this ministry. I want more than anything to see this church succeed, to prosper in God's plan, and to make Jesus famous in the Carson Valley.
It feels a lot shorter than six months because I still feel like we just landed. I still miss my friends in Idaho, I still feel like there is so much to see and do in this area, and I still feel like I'm learning at a ridiculous pace just to keep even. I constantly need to ask for a history lesson when ideas, suggestions, or issues come up, so that I don't pass over too quickly what I might need to know to make a good decision even better.
I know I'm not alone in this odd, long-and-short-time conundrum. I'm sure that for some, it feels like I've been here forever, and for others, like I just got here yesterday. I think God must laugh at us humans trying to wrap our minds around time and our perception of it. It must be a much better vantage point to be outside of time, look in, see the beginning and the end simultaneously, and know how it all plays out before it starts. I'm glad to know that God knows all, sees all, and is still willing to walk through the middle with us.
In the middle with you,
Bill
It feels a lot longer than six months because I've really come to love this church, the people here, the staff and the leaders. I am drawn more and more to the calling God has placed in my life to be here and lead this church family, and I keep finding new reasons to know in my heart I'm supposed to be here. The hard things as well as the good things connect me to this place, these people and this ministry. I want more than anything to see this church succeed, to prosper in God's plan, and to make Jesus famous in the Carson Valley.
It feels a lot shorter than six months because I still feel like we just landed. I still miss my friends in Idaho, I still feel like there is so much to see and do in this area, and I still feel like I'm learning at a ridiculous pace just to keep even. I constantly need to ask for a history lesson when ideas, suggestions, or issues come up, so that I don't pass over too quickly what I might need to know to make a good decision even better.
I know I'm not alone in this odd, long-and-short-time conundrum. I'm sure that for some, it feels like I've been here forever, and for others, like I just got here yesterday. I think God must laugh at us humans trying to wrap our minds around time and our perception of it. It must be a much better vantage point to be outside of time, look in, see the beginning and the end simultaneously, and know how it all plays out before it starts. I'm glad to know that God knows all, sees all, and is still willing to walk through the middle with us.
In the middle with you,
Bill
9.09.2010
A Powerful, Peaceful Thought
I am always looking for people who are doing better and smarter work than me so I can learn from them. I listen so I can maybe shave a few extra steps off my journey where possible, and overall grow as a person, leader and pastor. I know that if I am limited to using only my own ideas, not only am I in trouble, but so is my church.
So when I got the opportunity to visit with a prominent pastor (name withheld by request), I took it. A small number of other pastors got to hang with him for a day, pick his brain, watch his process, and basically soak in whatever wisdom, leadership and spiritual growth we could carry away. I learned a great deal in that day, and I'm already putting some of it into practice in my life and in my leadership, but one nugget for sure is worth sharing.
He said that one of the thoughts that he holds onto every day is this: "I have nothing to prove and no one to impress."
Seriously, read that again.
This is an impressive guy. He's got an impressive church. He's doing impressive ministry on a national stage, and making a HUGE difference in his community. But his ministry has been built on this idea. He's made choices to not grow his church as fast as it possibly could grow, in favor of sustainability, sanity and health for him and his staff, volunteers and the rest.
When I took the role of Lead Pastor at LifePoint Church 6 months ago, I realized that I could easily fall into the trap of pushing to 'earn' what I had been given me. Much like grace, sometimes we want to earn what God has freely given us by our own good works, even though the Bible teaches we cannot add anything to what Christ has done for us. As a pastor, it's easy to think to yourself, "I'm saved by grace, but I minister by works" as if God will not love me if I'm not killing myself, over-committing, and burning the candle at both end's and in the middle, too. There's always something to do, always someone to talk to, always one more box to check. But who am I trying to impress with my schedule? What am I trying to prove with my hectic, worried pace? Does it make me a better pastor? A better leader? A better Christ-follower? I don't think so.
Hearing this obviously successful leader admit that he's trying to continue to live by this axiom, and hearing how he succeeds at that most of the time, I was able to take a huge, deep breath of peace. I do not have to impress anyone, either. I don't have to earn what has been given to me. I didn't hear this as a call to be a slacker (Proverbs calls them "sluggards"). Certainly, I must do what I've been called to do, and do it to the best of my abilities. But no more than that. I have no one to impress (meaning if God is happy with me, who else matters?), and nothing to prove (I can't add to what God has done for me, so what else is there?)
I feel like I'm giving my best to God in this new adventure, and I feel like I'm honoring Him with my time. At the same time, I am feeling a peace with myself and my life that can only be explained as supernatural. God is giving me peace, because I'm able to say: I have nothing to prove, and no one to impress.
This thought has layered peace on my heart. I hope it does the same for you.
So when I got the opportunity to visit with a prominent pastor (name withheld by request), I took it. A small number of other pastors got to hang with him for a day, pick his brain, watch his process, and basically soak in whatever wisdom, leadership and spiritual growth we could carry away. I learned a great deal in that day, and I'm already putting some of it into practice in my life and in my leadership, but one nugget for sure is worth sharing.
He said that one of the thoughts that he holds onto every day is this: "I have nothing to prove and no one to impress."
Seriously, read that again.
This is an impressive guy. He's got an impressive church. He's doing impressive ministry on a national stage, and making a HUGE difference in his community. But his ministry has been built on this idea. He's made choices to not grow his church as fast as it possibly could grow, in favor of sustainability, sanity and health for him and his staff, volunteers and the rest.
When I took the role of Lead Pastor at LifePoint Church 6 months ago, I realized that I could easily fall into the trap of pushing to 'earn' what I had been given me. Much like grace, sometimes we want to earn what God has freely given us by our own good works, even though the Bible teaches we cannot add anything to what Christ has done for us. As a pastor, it's easy to think to yourself, "I'm saved by grace, but I minister by works" as if God will not love me if I'm not killing myself, over-committing, and burning the candle at both end's and in the middle, too. There's always something to do, always someone to talk to, always one more box to check. But who am I trying to impress with my schedule? What am I trying to prove with my hectic, worried pace? Does it make me a better pastor? A better leader? A better Christ-follower? I don't think so.
Hearing this obviously successful leader admit that he's trying to continue to live by this axiom, and hearing how he succeeds at that most of the time, I was able to take a huge, deep breath of peace. I do not have to impress anyone, either. I don't have to earn what has been given to me. I didn't hear this as a call to be a slacker (Proverbs calls them "sluggards"). Certainly, I must do what I've been called to do, and do it to the best of my abilities. But no more than that. I have no one to impress (meaning if God is happy with me, who else matters?), and nothing to prove (I can't add to what God has done for me, so what else is there?)
I feel like I'm giving my best to God in this new adventure, and I feel like I'm honoring Him with my time. At the same time, I am feeling a peace with myself and my life that can only be explained as supernatural. God is giving me peace, because I'm able to say: I have nothing to prove, and no one to impress.
This thought has layered peace on my heart. I hope it does the same for you.
9.07.2010
LifeNight at LifePoint
I'm wired and wiped at the same time. We held a night of worship and praise at LifePoint Church tonight, and it was AWESOME! We called it LifeNight: A Divine Appointment, and I think it more than lived up to it's name.
I'm all for any extended time of singing praise and worship, but because I know it's not every one's cup of tea, we don't do it every single week. Personally, I've always enjoyed concerts of praise, sing-a-longs or whatever will allow for a long musical worship experience (I even sang in cantatas back in the day...), so I was pumped for this. But it was more than just the worship music that made it special:
I'm all for any extended time of singing praise and worship, but because I know it's not every one's cup of tea, we don't do it every single week. Personally, I've always enjoyed concerts of praise, sing-a-longs or whatever will allow for a long musical worship experience (I even sang in cantatas back in the day...), so I was pumped for this. But it was more than just the worship music that made it special:
- There was much prayer - Before, all during the preparation, all during rehearsals, from people on the platform and off, there were lots of prayers going up for this event. Then during the event, people willing to pray with folks, folks coming to the steps of the stage to pray, and leaders praying from the platform all made it a prayer concert as much as a musical one.
- One of the best testimony videos I've seen - six Lifers shared their stories of God's redeeming work in their lives. From drug addiction to gangs, from marriage issues to unemployment, the stories were real, raw and relatable. I watched the audience dial into the narratives and no one budged. The gasps as one woman shared that she was healed of a debilitating disease were audible. The joy of a soul set free was infectious. It was the shortest 8 minute video I've ever seen, and it was WORSHIP!! The rescued voices lifting their stories to the glory of God!!
- The sweetest sound ever - The sign of a good meeting/service/event is always the same: how long do people stick around afterward and talk? If everyone bolts right away - fail. If people stay until the last possible moment, wanting to soak in as much of what they experienced as possible - epic win!! Tonight = epic win!! I finally left to take my kids home about an hour after the ending, and there were STILL people talking about what they experienced. The buzz of people talking and sharing, loving and fellowshipping is the sweetest sound at the end of the night.
I'm so proud of the LifePoint team for all the parts and pieces that went into this. This was a big win for the kingdom tonight!! Can't wait to see what comes next!
8.29.2010
Something Fun To Try
I like Twitter, I enjoy taking the 140 characters I've been allowed and make a message. I like reading the short, pithy comments and thoughts of people I want to hear from. It's a powerful discipline to be brief and clear in a world so full of words. I'm an extroverted, verbal processing teacher and speaker, and one of the hardest things for me to is work to keep things brief. So it's good to work hard to be concise.
Here at LifePoint Church, we've put together a team that is working to rethink, revise and reconnect to the vision God has for our church family. It's exciting work, important work, and just plain hard work. The first exercise: express a statement of belief for each of several concepts in 10 words or less.
So, reading scripture, praying, thinking, I sat down to work on this, and can I just tell you: THAT'S HARD TO DO!! Say what's really important about what you believe about prayer in 10 words or less. Go ahead. Or the Holy Spirit. Or church. It's not as easy as you think.
Now, imagine sitting in a room with a group of people who all come from different backgrounds, different church experiences, different educational experiences, and different life stages, and all of them have their 10 word statements, too. Now, you've got to combine, discuss, sift through and, most importantly agree on a single statement out of all you just did.
This is what I've been doing all weekend (around the great services at LifePoint), and it's been the most amazing experience. I'm learning a ton, sharing what I know, and growing along with the rest of the team. It's been hard, but it's been amazing. I can't tell you how great this experience has been. I'm so proud of the Lifers on this team, I'm so glad to have Dr. Bill Hoyt from Growing Healthy Churches come help, and I cannot wait to see where this whole process leads us as a church. More to come on all this, but I'm exhausted, exhilarated, and excited to see what comes next after all this work. So, in 10 words:
Preparing for God's powerful next chapter of ministry at LifePoint!
Here at LifePoint Church, we've put together a team that is working to rethink, revise and reconnect to the vision God has for our church family. It's exciting work, important work, and just plain hard work. The first exercise: express a statement of belief for each of several concepts in 10 words or less.
So, reading scripture, praying, thinking, I sat down to work on this, and can I just tell you: THAT'S HARD TO DO!! Say what's really important about what you believe about prayer in 10 words or less. Go ahead. Or the Holy Spirit. Or church. It's not as easy as you think.
Now, imagine sitting in a room with a group of people who all come from different backgrounds, different church experiences, different educational experiences, and different life stages, and all of them have their 10 word statements, too. Now, you've got to combine, discuss, sift through and, most importantly agree on a single statement out of all you just did.
This is what I've been doing all weekend (around the great services at LifePoint), and it's been the most amazing experience. I'm learning a ton, sharing what I know, and growing along with the rest of the team. It's been hard, but it's been amazing. I can't tell you how great this experience has been. I'm so proud of the Lifers on this team, I'm so glad to have Dr. Bill Hoyt from Growing Healthy Churches come help, and I cannot wait to see where this whole process leads us as a church. More to come on all this, but I'm exhausted, exhilarated, and excited to see what comes next after all this work. So, in 10 words:
Preparing for God's powerful next chapter of ministry at LifePoint!
8.22.2010
Tahoe Baptisms
Trying to get back to the blogosphere...
Today, LifePoint Church held it's 10th annual Tahoe Baptism service. We went up to the lake after church, there was food, lots of folks hanging out and having fun, and laughter filled with joy. Then we gathered by the side of the water and began to sing some worship. It was amazing to watch people's faces as they sang to the God of Creation by the side of one of His most beautiful creations.
Then, after a quick talk, a quick game of 'dunk the pastor,' and some instructions, people started coming forward to be baptized and make a public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ. I was struck by the way the crowd celebrated and cheered for each one, but what really touched by how special it obviously was to each person being baptized. There were real tears, and shouts of real joy. God has changed these people's lives, and they were ready to celebrate it with their LifePoint family! There were 35 people who went public with their faith today, on a public beach in the most public way. And I am so humbled and blessed to be a witness to it, much less a part of it.
Hours later, people were still milling and talking and laughing and playing on the beach when I packed up my family and started for home. My first Tahoe Baptism, the church's 10th, and such an amazing preview of coming attractions. The fellowship was deep, and the joy was real. So good to be a part of this!!
After I got home, ate some pizza and reflected back on what we experienced today, I am again blown away by God's amazing love and grace. That I get to be a part of a ministry like LifePoint, where God's hand of favor is obviously on us is a blessing beyond words. In a season of transition, while we work to clarify the next steps in the life of this church family, to see and celebrate so much life change is a rare and beautiful thing. All praise to God for His abundant blessings!
I'm going to bed here soon, exhausted from a great day, full of joy for the ministry God is doing, and more excited than ever before about what He has in store for us next!!
Today, LifePoint Church held it's 10th annual Tahoe Baptism service. We went up to the lake after church, there was food, lots of folks hanging out and having fun, and laughter filled with joy. Then we gathered by the side of the water and began to sing some worship. It was amazing to watch people's faces as they sang to the God of Creation by the side of one of His most beautiful creations.
Then, after a quick talk, a quick game of 'dunk the pastor,' and some instructions, people started coming forward to be baptized and make a public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ. I was struck by the way the crowd celebrated and cheered for each one, but what really touched by how special it obviously was to each person being baptized. There were real tears, and shouts of real joy. God has changed these people's lives, and they were ready to celebrate it with their LifePoint family! There were 35 people who went public with their faith today, on a public beach in the most public way. And I am so humbled and blessed to be a witness to it, much less a part of it.
Hours later, people were still milling and talking and laughing and playing on the beach when I packed up my family and started for home. My first Tahoe Baptism, the church's 10th, and such an amazing preview of coming attractions. The fellowship was deep, and the joy was real. So good to be a part of this!!
After I got home, ate some pizza and reflected back on what we experienced today, I am again blown away by God's amazing love and grace. That I get to be a part of a ministry like LifePoint, where God's hand of favor is obviously on us is a blessing beyond words. In a season of transition, while we work to clarify the next steps in the life of this church family, to see and celebrate so much life change is a rare and beautiful thing. All praise to God for His abundant blessings!
I'm going to bed here soon, exhausted from a great day, full of joy for the ministry God is doing, and more excited than ever before about what He has in store for us next!!
7.27.2010
Back from the Beach - Part 1
Today is 'back-in-the-saddle' day. Vacation is over, and much work is left to be done. I came back to a church that has kept on moving forward while I was gone, and now I get to jump on and keep rolling! I am so excited about what's in front of us, and pretty clear that the next few months are going to set the tone for the next season of ministry here at LifePoint Church.
So as I look ahead to what God's bringing, I just have to share a few tidbits that God showed me on vacation. First one is this:
I've been trying to get Mac and Rachel to learn how to swim for a few years. We tried lessons a couple years ago, but it killed me how they were being taught, and WHAT they were being taught. In 30 minutes of lessons, they would each get about 5 minutes of individual work, then spend the rest of the time sitting on the edge not doing anything. I've tried to teach them, but that hasn't gone well, mostly because they were doing what they had been taught, which wasn't helping.
So we got to Maui and rented snorkel equipment. The kids were fired up! Then we went to this protected cove where the water was not more than about 4 feet deep ever, and the rock wall kept the surf from pounding too badly. The kids got in, got used to the fins, and then wanted to go all over the place. Rachel kept holding my hand, but pulling me all over the cove, wanting to see whatever was under the water.
Later, after they got good at this, we went to a place near a wildlife reserve to snorkel. The reserve meant no fishing, so there were literally thousands of fish in the water. All colors, sizes, shapes. There, in 20 feet of water, goes Rachel. The girl who couldn't swim three strokes without stopping (the part of her lessons I couldn't seem to break her from) is now swimming all over this inlet, diving down under the water, clearing her snorkel, and having the time of her life. The last day, she even found a wolf eel and showed it to me. So much growth in two weeks!!
It just reminded me once again of how we need to bring up Christians behind us, whether it's discipleship or training in ministry. We need to give them the right equipment, then take them places where it's not too deep so they can get the confidence they need, but then take them where it's deeper, scarier, and more beautiful so they can enjoy all that God has for them. I've been telling the staff that 2 Timothy 2:2 is how we need to do business: "And the things you've heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." We need to pass on what we know so that others get the full effect and see the beauty of what God has created them to experience. Rachel will never forget her snorkel experience, her wolf eel, and her new found swimming ability. And I will never forget the joy of seeing her enjoy herself in this new and amazing way, playing with the fish.
More later. Aloha!
So as I look ahead to what God's bringing, I just have to share a few tidbits that God showed me on vacation. First one is this:
I've been trying to get Mac and Rachel to learn how to swim for a few years. We tried lessons a couple years ago, but it killed me how they were being taught, and WHAT they were being taught. In 30 minutes of lessons, they would each get about 5 minutes of individual work, then spend the rest of the time sitting on the edge not doing anything. I've tried to teach them, but that hasn't gone well, mostly because they were doing what they had been taught, which wasn't helping.
So we got to Maui and rented snorkel equipment. The kids were fired up! Then we went to this protected cove where the water was not more than about 4 feet deep ever, and the rock wall kept the surf from pounding too badly. The kids got in, got used to the fins, and then wanted to go all over the place. Rachel kept holding my hand, but pulling me all over the cove, wanting to see whatever was under the water.
Later, after they got good at this, we went to a place near a wildlife reserve to snorkel. The reserve meant no fishing, so there were literally thousands of fish in the water. All colors, sizes, shapes. There, in 20 feet of water, goes Rachel. The girl who couldn't swim three strokes without stopping (the part of her lessons I couldn't seem to break her from) is now swimming all over this inlet, diving down under the water, clearing her snorkel, and having the time of her life. The last day, she even found a wolf eel and showed it to me. So much growth in two weeks!!
It just reminded me once again of how we need to bring up Christians behind us, whether it's discipleship or training in ministry. We need to give them the right equipment, then take them places where it's not too deep so they can get the confidence they need, but then take them where it's deeper, scarier, and more beautiful so they can enjoy all that God has for them. I've been telling the staff that 2 Timothy 2:2 is how we need to do business: "And the things you've heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." We need to pass on what we know so that others get the full effect and see the beauty of what God has created them to experience. Rachel will never forget her snorkel experience, her wolf eel, and her new found swimming ability. And I will never forget the joy of seeing her enjoy herself in this new and amazing way, playing with the fish.
More later. Aloha!
7.11.2010
Time Away
Yep, it feels like we just got here, but it's time to get away. We have not been to visit Beth's parents since Rachel was about 2 years old, so today, on Rachel's 10th birthday, we're packing to go see Hal and Dee. It will be a fun two weeks, and I know that everything at LifePoint will run just ducky without me.
Taking time to unplug is vital to our mental and emotional health, and when you're job is ministry, it's also important to unplug for spiritual health. Being 'on' all the time as a pastor leads to burn out, and taking time away is powerful medicine against it. Burn out is an epidemic in church ministry, and I don't want myself or anyone on our staff falling victim to it. Pastor Mark took his family for a break a couple weeks ago, Pastor Jeremy before that, and Pastor Roy and Pastor Tracy just got back from theirs. The time is right for me to take a break after the last six months of candidating, leaving our great life in Pocatello, moving our stuff, getting kids in school, finding our way around church and a new community, and managing somehow to get some ministry done in the meantime. Before the run up to launching the Fall season and the slow climb to Christmas (yup, I said it... :) ), it would be good to take my family and get away.
I will expect to hear good things!! Pastor Roy and Pastor Mark will be teaching, and they're primed with their parables to let it rip! I will be heading to church a couple times with Beth's folks and can't wait.
Thanks to all who have already expressed their encouragement and prayer support for our trip, it's great to know that so many understand that a pastor can't be there every weekend. I really feel prayer making a difference in my life and ministry here, so please keep it up!
I promise I'll have a story or two when I get back. Maybe even a shirt. :)
Mahalo, Ohana!! (Thanks, Family!)
Taking time to unplug is vital to our mental and emotional health, and when you're job is ministry, it's also important to unplug for spiritual health. Being 'on' all the time as a pastor leads to burn out, and taking time away is powerful medicine against it. Burn out is an epidemic in church ministry, and I don't want myself or anyone on our staff falling victim to it. Pastor Mark took his family for a break a couple weeks ago, Pastor Jeremy before that, and Pastor Roy and Pastor Tracy just got back from theirs. The time is right for me to take a break after the last six months of candidating, leaving our great life in Pocatello, moving our stuff, getting kids in school, finding our way around church and a new community, and managing somehow to get some ministry done in the meantime. Before the run up to launching the Fall season and the slow climb to Christmas (yup, I said it... :) ), it would be good to take my family and get away.
I will expect to hear good things!! Pastor Roy and Pastor Mark will be teaching, and they're primed with their parables to let it rip! I will be heading to church a couple times with Beth's folks and can't wait.
Thanks to all who have already expressed their encouragement and prayer support for our trip, it's great to know that so many understand that a pastor can't be there every weekend. I really feel prayer making a difference in my life and ministry here, so please keep it up!
I promise I'll have a story or two when I get back. Maybe even a shirt. :)
Mahalo, Ohana!! (Thanks, Family!)
7.07.2010
Keeping Your Balance, Part 2
If you've ever tried to balance a spoon on your nose, or balance a glass on your forehead, you know that it takes a little bit of time, some patience, and very...smooth...small...slow...moves.
There is a life balance that needs the same combo of smooth/small/slow moves. I wrote last time about the balance that isn't really healthy or possible in life, but the kind of balance I'm talking about today is the balance of how you let yourself feel when people give you unsolicited advice and criticism/praise.
Full disclosure: I have a deep people pleasing flaw in my personality. I want people to like me, to like what I do or say, especially when I'm using my gifts to serve. I know I represent the church and even God in the eyes of people, and how well I do that for them often is a matter of personal preference. Their opinion of how I do what I do is colored by a million different issues, from past pastors in their lives to how they view authority in general, and everything in between. So when someone comes to give me their opinion of what they see me do, I have to strike a balance between listening and absorbing. Here's what I mean:
A few weeks ago, after the 9 am service, a man came, introduced himself and asked this question: "So, is the goofiness going to stop anytime soon?" If you know me at all, you know the answer is no. He proceeded to critique my preaching style, my humor, my choice of illustrations, and basically concluded that the whole message was a waste of time to anyone over 20. I thanked him for stopping by and let him know there are other great churches in the valley he should check out.
In the past, that comment would have crashed me for a week, but God has been teaching me balance. So I shook it off and went ahead and did the same message in the 10:45 service. After that service, another man came and told me it was the best message he'd heard me do. He was totally taken by it, and was effusive in his praise.
So which of those two guys should I focus on? Neither. The best story of the day was the woman who came up with tears in her eyes and told me that her family had just started coming to church. They had very little spiritual background, but the message had taught her how to take some important steps in the right direction. God was changing her life, and I got to be a small part of that.
So the balance between sweet praise and angry criticism is to stand on the work that God is doing in me, and in other people. The balance point is Jesus. Where is He at work in what you're doing? If there is fruit, then there will be both criticism and praise. Don't let either one knock you off the firm foundation of Christ at work in you.
There is a life balance that needs the same combo of smooth/small/slow moves. I wrote last time about the balance that isn't really healthy or possible in life, but the kind of balance I'm talking about today is the balance of how you let yourself feel when people give you unsolicited advice and criticism/praise.
Full disclosure: I have a deep people pleasing flaw in my personality. I want people to like me, to like what I do or say, especially when I'm using my gifts to serve. I know I represent the church and even God in the eyes of people, and how well I do that for them often is a matter of personal preference. Their opinion of how I do what I do is colored by a million different issues, from past pastors in their lives to how they view authority in general, and everything in between. So when someone comes to give me their opinion of what they see me do, I have to strike a balance between listening and absorbing. Here's what I mean:
A few weeks ago, after the 9 am service, a man came, introduced himself and asked this question: "So, is the goofiness going to stop anytime soon?" If you know me at all, you know the answer is no. He proceeded to critique my preaching style, my humor, my choice of illustrations, and basically concluded that the whole message was a waste of time to anyone over 20. I thanked him for stopping by and let him know there are other great churches in the valley he should check out.
In the past, that comment would have crashed me for a week, but God has been teaching me balance. So I shook it off and went ahead and did the same message in the 10:45 service. After that service, another man came and told me it was the best message he'd heard me do. He was totally taken by it, and was effusive in his praise.
So which of those two guys should I focus on? Neither. The best story of the day was the woman who came up with tears in her eyes and told me that her family had just started coming to church. They had very little spiritual background, but the message had taught her how to take some important steps in the right direction. God was changing her life, and I got to be a small part of that.
So the balance between sweet praise and angry criticism is to stand on the work that God is doing in me, and in other people. The balance point is Jesus. Where is He at work in what you're doing? If there is fruit, then there will be both criticism and praise. Don't let either one knock you off the firm foundation of Christ at work in you.
7.02.2010
Keeping Your Balance, Part 1
There are two types of balance in life: the kind that isn't really possible, and the kind that you can't live without.
Some people talk about balance as if we as human beings need to be a little good at everything, as if a successful life includes at least moderate success in every possible endeavor. Being out of balance means being either too invested in one or just a few areas, or being totally out of touch in some area. I was told once by a person who was very successful in business that knowing too much about sports is a liability. His advice was to know just enough to be able to talk about it, but don't go overboard. I have managed to ignore that advice thoroughly.
I love sports. I don't love politics. You want to talk politics, I can, but I would rather talk sports. I can go at length and with depth on several sports, and glance over the surface of a few more. I am totally out of balance in this area, but it is one of my passions, one of my heartbeats, so instead of ignoring it, I lean into it and let my love for it flow through my life.
I don't believe the kind of balance where someone pretends to be interested in areas they don't care about and simultaneously tries to ignore areas of real passion and interest in the name of some false sense of 'balance.' That's not balance, that's wasting passion. Passion is so vital to success in life, in ministry, in anything; too vital to waste on 'balance.'
Truth is, you can't really live that kind of balance. There are too many issues, too many options, too many opportunities and ideas to try to 'balance' all of them in your life. Spread yourself across too many of those options and opportunities, and whatever passion you have will dwindle down from a flame to a flicker.
Instead, choose wisely the places where you invest your life. Choose God first and develop passion for Him, His Word and His Kingdom, then let Him move you to follow what you're passionate about. Don't buy the lie that says you have to 'balance' your life. Instead, be off balance, leaning heavily on God, completely tilted His direction. The rest will figure itself out.
I'll share the helpful kind of balance next time, but tell me what you think: 'Balanced' life or 'Leaning' life?
Some people talk about balance as if we as human beings need to be a little good at everything, as if a successful life includes at least moderate success in every possible endeavor. Being out of balance means being either too invested in one or just a few areas, or being totally out of touch in some area. I was told once by a person who was very successful in business that knowing too much about sports is a liability. His advice was to know just enough to be able to talk about it, but don't go overboard. I have managed to ignore that advice thoroughly.
I love sports. I don't love politics. You want to talk politics, I can, but I would rather talk sports. I can go at length and with depth on several sports, and glance over the surface of a few more. I am totally out of balance in this area, but it is one of my passions, one of my heartbeats, so instead of ignoring it, I lean into it and let my love for it flow through my life.
I don't believe the kind of balance where someone pretends to be interested in areas they don't care about and simultaneously tries to ignore areas of real passion and interest in the name of some false sense of 'balance.' That's not balance, that's wasting passion. Passion is so vital to success in life, in ministry, in anything; too vital to waste on 'balance.'
Truth is, you can't really live that kind of balance. There are too many issues, too many options, too many opportunities and ideas to try to 'balance' all of them in your life. Spread yourself across too many of those options and opportunities, and whatever passion you have will dwindle down from a flame to a flicker.
Instead, choose wisely the places where you invest your life. Choose God first and develop passion for Him, His Word and His Kingdom, then let Him move you to follow what you're passionate about. Don't buy the lie that says you have to 'balance' your life. Instead, be off balance, leaning heavily on God, completely tilted His direction. The rest will figure itself out.
I'll share the helpful kind of balance next time, but tell me what you think: 'Balanced' life or 'Leaning' life?
6.30.2010
Seeing God In The Mess
Yesterday was one of the top five hardest days in my ministry. No lie. I can only think of a couple that were much more difficult.
Our LifePoint family has been made aware of the difficult financial situation we are in as a church, and the potential of layoffs for staff. We got to that point over the weekend, and I had to deliver the bad news to both the individuals that were being laid off and to the staff team as a whole. As a pastor, called by God to love and care for the flock, being a part of that was not easy, not fun and not without real pain on my part. I love to share good news (and The Good News), but this was bad news. Hard news. News that was going to hurt when it landed.
But God did what He always does and what I too often forget that He will do: He showed up in the middle of the mess and made Himself known. All the folks who were laid off were amazingly upbeat about it, and each one was willing to offer whatever time they would have in the future to volunteer in ministry. Instead of hard feelings and running away from the pain of losing a job, they were understanding of the situation, and even encouraging in the midst of this. Honestly, I was touched deeply, humbled and blessed to have the privilege of working with such high character people.
Difficult times are what God uses to reveal our character, and the depth of maturity exhibited by these folks was very evident. I've been privileged for much of my career to work with high character, high capacity people, but this was a special moment of getting to see the bedrock of people's character revealed, and I'm just in awe of God's handiwork in their lives.
Once again, when I'm trying to look at what is happening and what might happen from it, God is already there in the middle of it all, bringing peace, pointing a way forward, and loving everyone through the mess. A friend told me recently not to run from pruning seasons in my life. While there is no escaping the pruning God is doing in this season, I also sense there are deep lessons to come in my life and in the life of our LifePoint family that come with this season. Right now, the main lesson is: God is with us in this. He doesn't abandon us when the going gets tough. He's walking through this with us, and all the work He's been doing in our lives has been preparation for these moments.
I'm clinging to that truth. I'm aiming for a better future, knowing that the mess we're feeling isn't the end of the story. God is the end of the story. Keep reading!
Our LifePoint family has been made aware of the difficult financial situation we are in as a church, and the potential of layoffs for staff. We got to that point over the weekend, and I had to deliver the bad news to both the individuals that were being laid off and to the staff team as a whole. As a pastor, called by God to love and care for the flock, being a part of that was not easy, not fun and not without real pain on my part. I love to share good news (and The Good News), but this was bad news. Hard news. News that was going to hurt when it landed.
But God did what He always does and what I too often forget that He will do: He showed up in the middle of the mess and made Himself known. All the folks who were laid off were amazingly upbeat about it, and each one was willing to offer whatever time they would have in the future to volunteer in ministry. Instead of hard feelings and running away from the pain of losing a job, they were understanding of the situation, and even encouraging in the midst of this. Honestly, I was touched deeply, humbled and blessed to have the privilege of working with such high character people.
Difficult times are what God uses to reveal our character, and the depth of maturity exhibited by these folks was very evident. I've been privileged for much of my career to work with high character, high capacity people, but this was a special moment of getting to see the bedrock of people's character revealed, and I'm just in awe of God's handiwork in their lives.
Once again, when I'm trying to look at what is happening and what might happen from it, God is already there in the middle of it all, bringing peace, pointing a way forward, and loving everyone through the mess. A friend told me recently not to run from pruning seasons in my life. While there is no escaping the pruning God is doing in this season, I also sense there are deep lessons to come in my life and in the life of our LifePoint family that come with this season. Right now, the main lesson is: God is with us in this. He doesn't abandon us when the going gets tough. He's walking through this with us, and all the work He's been doing in our lives has been preparation for these moments.
I'm clinging to that truth. I'm aiming for a better future, knowing that the mess we're feeling isn't the end of the story. God is the end of the story. Keep reading!
6.25.2010
Pass The Sunshine
This morning was not a good morning.
I ate something last night that didn't agree with me, my mind was swirling until way past midnight, and I just didn't have the good night that precedes a good morning. My family is up at Lake Tahoe for the day, having fun and goofing off, but for me, there is still much work to be done, and not all of it the fun kind of work. I like work when it's fun. But the work that feels like work, that's just... work.
I had scheduled a phone call for this morning with someone I hardly know, another church leader whom I had met at a training I attended in April. I really didn't have much in the way of expectations before the call, and as out of it as I was feeling this morning, I wasn't really seeing my expectation level moving anywhere. When the time came and I made the call, I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and the encouragement that I received. It was literally 35 minutes of non-stop ideas, encouraging words, planning for possible future ministry, news of God's kingdom moving in unlikely places, and by the time we ended in prayer, I was a different man.
Amazing what a little encouragement can do. I thanked God for my call with Patrick, big time.
Then, in my Priority Time, I read 3 John, a tiny little book with a personal and powerful message. Verse 11 said, "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good." That's direct. There's so much that we emulate in our lives that isn't good, and John says to choose better. Choose to copy the good we see in the world. Imitate, emulate the positive, Godly things we see. So I'm going to imitate Patrick. He encouraged the daylight INTO me, and according to God's word to me today, I need to copy him. So I'm going to pass the sunshine today.
Join me? Who can you encourage today? Who do you know needs a lift? Don't be stingy, give all the encouragement you have to give. I promise, there will be more tomorrow.
I ate something last night that didn't agree with me, my mind was swirling until way past midnight, and I just didn't have the good night that precedes a good morning. My family is up at Lake Tahoe for the day, having fun and goofing off, but for me, there is still much work to be done, and not all of it the fun kind of work. I like work when it's fun. But the work that feels like work, that's just... work.
I had scheduled a phone call for this morning with someone I hardly know, another church leader whom I had met at a training I attended in April. I really didn't have much in the way of expectations before the call, and as out of it as I was feeling this morning, I wasn't really seeing my expectation level moving anywhere. When the time came and I made the call, I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and the encouragement that I received. It was literally 35 minutes of non-stop ideas, encouraging words, planning for possible future ministry, news of God's kingdom moving in unlikely places, and by the time we ended in prayer, I was a different man.
Amazing what a little encouragement can do. I thanked God for my call with Patrick, big time.
Then, in my Priority Time, I read 3 John, a tiny little book with a personal and powerful message. Verse 11 said, "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good." That's direct. There's so much that we emulate in our lives that isn't good, and John says to choose better. Choose to copy the good we see in the world. Imitate, emulate the positive, Godly things we see. So I'm going to imitate Patrick. He encouraged the daylight INTO me, and according to God's word to me today, I need to copy him. So I'm going to pass the sunshine today.
Join me? Who can you encourage today? Who do you know needs a lift? Don't be stingy, give all the encouragement you have to give. I promise, there will be more tomorrow.
6.22.2010
One Foot In Front Of The Other
Sometimes making progress looks like a freight train: all kinds of noise and momentum, steam and smoke and nothing can stop it.
Sometimes making progress looks like a traffic jam: stop and go, with frustration and hopefully music playing, but not getting there quite as fast as you had planned.
Sometimes making progress looks like putting one foot in front of the other. It's just taking the next step, and then the next one, and then... pretty soon there are a few steps run together and you are further than you thought.
Right now, I feel like I'm in that season, one step at a time. The great things that God is doing in our church are real, they are obvious and they are resounding with life change. Two more people this past weekend accepted Christ in the ESL class we do on Saturdays. Ten kids made a profession of faith at our kid's camp last week. The Chiapas Mexico mission team is getting their final funding together to be able to go and bless a growing network of churches down there. I'm hearing reports of lives and marriages put back together in our Biblical counseling ministry. So much good is happening, I can't help but give praise to God each day.
This past weekend, we had a family discussion in worship concerning the church's financial situation. Tough stuff. I'm not going to lie, it's never easy to stand up and talk about those things. In church, money is one of the most, if not THE most sensitive topic to discuss. But during the weekend, many folks were bold enough to take steps of faith toward what God wants to do here at LifePoint Church, and several were kind enough to encourage the other leaders and myself who had to deliver the news.
Sometimes progress is made $5 at a time. Sometimes progress is made $500 at a time. Sometimes it's made one step at a time. I'm glad that God doesn't run a stopwatch on our steps. He just celebrates each one that brings us closer to Him. May all of our steps move in His direction.
Please continue to pray for all those who are out of work and looking for jobs right now across the country and in our own valley. God has promised to provide, so let's ask Him to take care of His people this way.
Sometimes making progress looks like a traffic jam: stop and go, with frustration and hopefully music playing, but not getting there quite as fast as you had planned.
Sometimes making progress looks like putting one foot in front of the other. It's just taking the next step, and then the next one, and then... pretty soon there are a few steps run together and you are further than you thought.
Right now, I feel like I'm in that season, one step at a time. The great things that God is doing in our church are real, they are obvious and they are resounding with life change. Two more people this past weekend accepted Christ in the ESL class we do on Saturdays. Ten kids made a profession of faith at our kid's camp last week. The Chiapas Mexico mission team is getting their final funding together to be able to go and bless a growing network of churches down there. I'm hearing reports of lives and marriages put back together in our Biblical counseling ministry. So much good is happening, I can't help but give praise to God each day.
This past weekend, we had a family discussion in worship concerning the church's financial situation. Tough stuff. I'm not going to lie, it's never easy to stand up and talk about those things. In church, money is one of the most, if not THE most sensitive topic to discuss. But during the weekend, many folks were bold enough to take steps of faith toward what God wants to do here at LifePoint Church, and several were kind enough to encourage the other leaders and myself who had to deliver the news.
Sometimes progress is made $5 at a time. Sometimes progress is made $500 at a time. Sometimes it's made one step at a time. I'm glad that God doesn't run a stopwatch on our steps. He just celebrates each one that brings us closer to Him. May all of our steps move in His direction.
Please continue to pray for all those who are out of work and looking for jobs right now across the country and in our own valley. God has promised to provide, so let's ask Him to take care of His people this way.
6.18.2010
Updating Along The Journey
I had a great talk with a friend from Idaho last night, and was reminded how much work and time is involved in the transition, any transition, that we walk through in life. It's hard to remember that it takes time to settle things down, to figure out what the 'new normal' will be, whether that's in a friendship after someone moves, or in a new job, or in the twists and turns of ministry. Things don't always go according to our plans, and the unintended outcomes of our decisions along the way sneak up on us from time to time.
For instance, my friend was telling me that they get that my life here is full, it's just hard to remember when they are missing me and can't talk to me every day like we used to. It's a process, getting used to the changes that God takes us through. So we took time to reassure each other of our friendship and that in the midst of finding the 'new normal,' we still pray for each other and still care for each other. It's hard, but God is in it, so it will be good.
So one of the places where I want to be effective is on this blog, but in the midst of the transition, my time to post has suffered. I'm still finding my way, and despite my ever-changing schedule, it seems I can't figure out when to post, or how to carve the time to do it. I could use your prayers for effective ministry, and that the right priorities, including time to blog, get sifted through the God filter and show up where He wants them to be.
This week has been up and down, but all good. My 100th day on the job at LifePoint Church was Tuesday, and it was marked with some good stuff and some hard stuff. Other meetings and appointments were about important, God-focused opportunities and the challenges that always accompany them, but the hand of God is clearly moving us forward.
This weekend there will be a special message for the LifePoint family. If you can be there for one of the services, please do. There will be a special time of prayer offered afterward for anyone in need, so if you need prayer, come get some, and if you want to pray, come bring some.
As the pioneer missionary Adoniram Judson liked to say, "The future is as bright as the promises of God!" Keep looking to the promises, and we'll see the future continue to light up!
For instance, my friend was telling me that they get that my life here is full, it's just hard to remember when they are missing me and can't talk to me every day like we used to. It's a process, getting used to the changes that God takes us through. So we took time to reassure each other of our friendship and that in the midst of finding the 'new normal,' we still pray for each other and still care for each other. It's hard, but God is in it, so it will be good.
So one of the places where I want to be effective is on this blog, but in the midst of the transition, my time to post has suffered. I'm still finding my way, and despite my ever-changing schedule, it seems I can't figure out when to post, or how to carve the time to do it. I could use your prayers for effective ministry, and that the right priorities, including time to blog, get sifted through the God filter and show up where He wants them to be.
This week has been up and down, but all good. My 100th day on the job at LifePoint Church was Tuesday, and it was marked with some good stuff and some hard stuff. Other meetings and appointments were about important, God-focused opportunities and the challenges that always accompany them, but the hand of God is clearly moving us forward.
This weekend there will be a special message for the LifePoint family. If you can be there for one of the services, please do. There will be a special time of prayer offered afterward for anyone in need, so if you need prayer, come get some, and if you want to pray, come bring some.
As the pioneer missionary Adoniram Judson liked to say, "The future is as bright as the promises of God!" Keep looking to the promises, and we'll see the future continue to light up!
6.04.2010
Getting REALLY Real
I'm really supposed to be finishing my message for this weekend, but I had to stop and post this. This week was another amazing time of work, prayer and faith in God at LifePoint Church. As we continue to transition (it's a longer process than you might think or that I might want), it still goes well, but there were some moments of real awe and wonder.
We had our all staff monthly meeting, and sharing some expectations I have of the staff and they can have of me led to some amazing discussions and a few tears. God has put together a great staff here, and it is my privilege to lead them toward the Big Dream God has for us together. The conversation there opened up many positive, constructive and creative discussions during the week.
There was a lunch meeting with our Global Missions Director, John Cressaty, and Pastor Craig Fuller from LifePoint Incline Village that really had me thinking about the importance of all we do in the life of our church. There are about 150 children sponsored by families in the two LifePoint churches, and the report from these guys who had just been there a couple weeks ago was amazing. The lives of these kids have been radically changed by the generosity of the folks in Carson Valley and Incline Village. What hit me as I drove away from the meeting was the truth that no other mission organization was able to work with the church and school we are partnered with over there, so without us, literally a whole community would be in danger. The discussion we were having over lunch was about literal life and death issues. It was sobering, making me wonder what silly, foolish things could we let get in the way of important, life changing, life and death work for God's kingdom if we weren't careful. Like I said, sobering.
And the rest of the week has been meetings and preparation for our Accountability Team meeting and making sure we're heading in the right direction as a church. These are good times to be sure, since most of what we get to talk about is good stuff. We keep praying (and you can join us in this prayer) for wisdom and clarity as to the future and some of the big ticket items we have facing us, like building repairs, building the next much needed building, and the site improvement plan. Lots of stuff to think, pray and plan about.
And in the midst of it, my son turned 14, and the kids entered their last week of school for the year. Exciting times, interesting times, and the constant reminder that time is moving ahead, whether we want it to or not. Mac likes to remind me that he's going to be driving in a couple years, which I feel will go by like a couple weeks. Things are really real in my life right now, big things, and important things, but even the small things are good things. They are all very real to me right now.
We had our all staff monthly meeting, and sharing some expectations I have of the staff and they can have of me led to some amazing discussions and a few tears. God has put together a great staff here, and it is my privilege to lead them toward the Big Dream God has for us together. The conversation there opened up many positive, constructive and creative discussions during the week.
There was a lunch meeting with our Global Missions Director, John Cressaty, and Pastor Craig Fuller from LifePoint Incline Village that really had me thinking about the importance of all we do in the life of our church. There are about 150 children sponsored by families in the two LifePoint churches, and the report from these guys who had just been there a couple weeks ago was amazing. The lives of these kids have been radically changed by the generosity of the folks in Carson Valley and Incline Village. What hit me as I drove away from the meeting was the truth that no other mission organization was able to work with the church and school we are partnered with over there, so without us, literally a whole community would be in danger. The discussion we were having over lunch was about literal life and death issues. It was sobering, making me wonder what silly, foolish things could we let get in the way of important, life changing, life and death work for God's kingdom if we weren't careful. Like I said, sobering.
And the rest of the week has been meetings and preparation for our Accountability Team meeting and making sure we're heading in the right direction as a church. These are good times to be sure, since most of what we get to talk about is good stuff. We keep praying (and you can join us in this prayer) for wisdom and clarity as to the future and some of the big ticket items we have facing us, like building repairs, building the next much needed building, and the site improvement plan. Lots of stuff to think, pray and plan about.
And in the midst of it, my son turned 14, and the kids entered their last week of school for the year. Exciting times, interesting times, and the constant reminder that time is moving ahead, whether we want it to or not. Mac likes to remind me that he's going to be driving in a couple years, which I feel will go by like a couple weeks. Things are really real in my life right now, big things, and important things, but even the small things are good things. They are all very real to me right now.
5.30.2010
Getting Back To The Blog Business
Sorry to all you who like to follow the blog, I wanted to leave the post up about Priority Time so folks could see it, and then things got exciting all week, so I didn't get back. Oops. :)
I'm in the process of thinking what would work best here, what the best times/days to post, the right subjects, etc... So feel free to pray for me. In the meantime, I'm going to be adding some blogs I've been reading to the side, and throwing out a book or blog review from time to time, in case that would help anyone out there.
Things are going well for us here in Minden, church is moving forward well, with some really exciting things and some definite challenges, but God is really very present and moving, so all good stuff. Family is good, healthy and looking forward to the end of school this week. Beth is getting opportunities and offers to do some cool ministry, and I'm banging away at all I need to learn.
Meantime, thanks for praying, and please keep it up! Much left to learn, much left to hear from the Spirit.
I'm in the process of thinking what would work best here, what the best times/days to post, the right subjects, etc... So feel free to pray for me. In the meantime, I'm going to be adding some blogs I've been reading to the side, and throwing out a book or blog review from time to time, in case that would help anyone out there.
Things are going well for us here in Minden, church is moving forward well, with some really exciting things and some definite challenges, but God is really very present and moving, so all good stuff. Family is good, healthy and looking forward to the end of school this week. Beth is getting opportunities and offers to do some cool ministry, and I'm banging away at all I need to learn.
Meantime, thanks for praying, and please keep it up! Much left to learn, much left to hear from the Spirit.
5.15.2010
Making Priority Time
This weekend, I'm talking about building on the basics in order to get started on the Big Dream God has for your life. The basics of our faith journey, prayer, reading the Bible (and doing what it says), being in community and continuing to serve are all a part of being prepared to hear and live out God's dream for you life.
Spending time reading God's word and praying every day is a habit that all effective Christians work to include in their lives. So, if you are going to make reading reading the Bible part of your day, here's some tips and an outline of how to make the most of your time.
Tips for a Priority Time with God:
Spending time reading God's word and praying every day is a habit that all effective Christians work to include in their lives. So, if you are going to make reading reading the Bible part of your day, here's some tips and an outline of how to make the most of your time.
Tips for a Priority Time with God:
- Schedule it. Put it in your calendar, set an alarm on your phone, make an appointment to sit down with God's word each day.
- Make Priority Time your best time. If you are a morning person, set it in the morning. If you're best at night, set it for night time. Give your best time to connecting with God. (Personal note: I'm a night owl by nature, but I try to have my Priority Time in the morning because if I don't do it first, the rest of my day can crowd it out. Just saying.)
- If you miss, don't beat yourself up. Like a meal, if you miss one, eat twice as much next time! Don't get down if you miss a day, just pick it up the next day and keep rolling.
- Read straight through. Don't dip-and-skip through the Bible, and don't just read your favorite parts. read systematically, through a book front to back.
- Some starting points: Start with the book of John, or Ephesians, or James in the New Testament. If you prefer, Genesis, Joshua, or Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
- Get a partner. If you have someone to talk to it about and help encourage you, it makes it easier. Get someone from your Growth Group (hint hint) to read with you, and share what you're learning.
- If prayer puts you to sleep, write it down. I suffer from the ADD, so in order to keep focused, I write down my prayers. It also lets me come back and read it later to see how God is answering my prayers.
How to structure a Priority Time: the 10 minute starter version
1 minute: Pray. Take a moment to slow down, focus and ask God to teach you something from His word today.
4 minutes: Read. Read until you come across something you feel God is saying to you. It's not about coverage, it's about hearing from God in your life.
2 minutes: Think. What is God saying in His word? Is there something to do, a truth to live by, a mistake to avoid, a promise to claim? Think about what God is saying and what you are supposed to learn from it.
2 minutes: Pray. Ask God to help you apply what you've just read, then pray for anything else that is important to you for the day. (Ask God to show you His dream for your life!)
1 minute: Thank. Thank God for His word to you, and for the lessons you are learning. Thank Him for anything else you are grateful for.
10 minutes is a great start, but as you get some momentum to this habit, you can spend more time, but remember: whatever you can do to spend time in the Bible is time well spent.
If you have tips or hints that make Priority Time work in your life, post a comment and share! If you're starting up the habit, let us know and we'll pray for you! Come get started on the basics for the dream.
5.09.2010
Sunday Wrap Up
What a great weekend!! It's really fun to see God at work in the life of our church family right now. Some examples from this weekend:
- About 30 people raised their hands to say the prayed to receive Christ in our three services. That NEVER gets old!
- What a pleasure to share in my first child dedications here at LifePoint. A wonderful time at each service of parents stepping up and declaring that they are going to raise the children that God has blessed them with in homes that honor and follow Christ. And hearing the response of the congregation as they affirmed that they were supporting and encouraging those families: priceless!!
- BONUS!! Our newest, youngest Lifer was in the house on Saturday night. In one of those, "only God could do this" stories, a family in our church got a call on Monday that they could adopt a child that was born last Sunday. In a whirlwind of joy and panic, they picked her up on Wednesday and had her in church to be dedicated on Saturday. Anna is a double gift, and her pastor loves her!!
- Great job by Pastor Tracy Conover in developing and leading the Child Dedication classes this weekend! Extra time and effort, but well worth it! Glad I could play a small part, but Pastor Tracy is the real deal!!
- Got some great feedback on the message about God having a dream for each of us that He was dreaming before we were created in our mother's womb. Cool to see people opening their eyes to the possibilities of what God has for them.
- Can't wait to see where the Dream Big series takes us! Get ready for God to do some great stuff, LifePoint!
Wrapped up my day with a trip to the theater to see Iron Man 2. Have to say, nice way to end a great day! More on that later.
And yes, I called my mom. I love that lady, and I know she loves me. I praise God for a Christian mother who dreamed big dreams for me, never gave up on me, and is proud of me to this day.
Off to bed, early morning tomorrow. God bless!
5.04.2010
THRIVE - Wrapping Up
Final Post on THRIVE 2010 -
What I will remember from this amazing time at Bayside Church:
What I will remember from this amazing time at Bayside Church:
- Hearing Ray Johnston take one of my favorite passages (Acts 2:42ff) and using it to show the "Good Deeds produce Good Will which opens the door for Good News" in one passage. I'd never seen it like that, and I've been hearing that 'new proverb' for a few years now.
- Hearing John Maxwell say that the price you pay for the dream will be greater and sooner than you think. But passion is still a big part of seeing a dream come true. His words are more true in me today.
- The Luxury Box Upgrade. I won't lie, it was cool to be that close, get the extra snacks, and chill in the front row. Plus I got like a ton of free pastorcrack - books and Lincoln Brewster CD's. All that for bringing a group of people!
- The breakout with Tony Morgan. I've been a fan of his for a few years, so to meet him, shake his hand and hear his wisdom on focus and clarity in our message and ministry was cool. BONUS: having one of my staffers there to hear the same stuff and confirm how badly we need to get after the principles Tony shared. Glad Tamy was there!
- Lunch with the LifePoint Crew on Friday. We pulled everyone together, bought them lunch, and I got to share some pre-vision and a flavor of what I believe God is calling us to take on in the next chapter of LifePoint. It was a great time, with great energy and some great people!
- So proud of Pastor Roy Conover for leading a breakout on his biblical counselling material. It's the best I've ever seen, and he got rave reviews for his presentation. Pray for him to get it put into book form sometime soon!! (no pressure, Roy...)
- Dinner with the E-Team. What a great group of people I am privileged to work with here! No business, no agenda, just laughter, sharing hearts, and sharing P.F. Chang's.
- Meeting Margaret Feinberg and her husband Leif. What neat people. Sometimes the 'platform folk' don't live up to the hype in real life. She's the real deal, and he's a funny dude. Hoping we get to cross paths again sometime soon.
- Getting to hear from a number of great leaders, but seemingly all pointed at the same word we've been hearing in the Carson Valley - get out of the building and into the community, bring Jesus to people, and let God lead people toward their next steps in their faith journey.
Honestly, I can't wait until next year. I hope that there are more surprises, more breakouts, more learning and more growing, and that we can bring more Lifers to the event.
Pastors, if you can at all make it, and if you can at all bring some people from your church, you need to make plans to be there next year. Luis Palau, Margaret Feinberg, and a cast of thousands. Don't miss it.
5.02.2010
THRIVE - Day Three
Yep, this is a day late, but that's what happens when you end the conference in Sacramento and drive like a mad man back across the Sierras to Carson Valley for the 4:30 service back home. :)
So, final day at Thrive. I was totally looking forward to hearing Ephrem Smith, having heard so much about him over the past year. I was jacked up. But I had one thing to do first.
I ended up in the Green Room backstage, once again thanks to my friend John Jackson, Executive Director of TCI and main dude for the Thrive Conference. Beth and I were back there for prayer before the session, then I got to say 'hey' to Pastor Smith. Over in the corner, sitting on the sectional with her husband Leif was Margaret Feinberg. As you might have read, I owed her an apology.
So I walked over, introduced my wife and myself, and told her that I owed her an apology. Her husband leaned forward, grin on his face, and said, "Unsolicited, this ought to be good!" I like Leif. Margaret looked surprised, but she motioned for me to sit down, and I began my apology.
I told her that I was not looking forward to her talk, that I was trying to be a good leader and set the example and pay attention, but nothing about her bio, her book titles, or her introduction made me want to hear what she was going to say. Then, she started in on her topic, which was from her book, Scouting The Divine. It was all about farming images from the Bible, like shepherds and sheep. I told her that I was a city kid that grew up on a farm and couldn't wait to leave. She laughed and understood. Then I told her that her words just broke me. I was moved by the description of how God knows our voices as distinctly as a shepherd knows the bleating of each individual sheep. God hears me when I cry to Him.
Then, as she rolled around to the time she spent with a vintner, learning about growing grapes, I lost it. She talked about how grapes needed bad soil, and how in some places, they will look at the soil around their grape vines and add more rocks. More rocks. After all the pruning, there would be fruit to make wine, but from initial planting to the first glass of wine will be way over a decade. I told her that the rocky places in my life and the pruning over the years were just slammed into perspective for me. I didn't tell her the specifics of cancer, meningitis, angry parishioners, hard transitions, relational struggles or financial setbacks, but each one was clearly in my mind when I told her that she helped me once again see God's hand in my life.
I thanked Margaret for her amazing words that touched my heart, even when I was not expecting them to. She was amazingly gracious, and Leif got up, went out and brought back the last copy of her book for her to sign and give me. I thanked them both profusely. We talked for about an hour, and had the best time. She's looking at a writing project and we brainstormed some ideas to help her talk to some folks she'd like to meet. Leif had a college roommate from Pocatello, so we talked about Poky stuff. Beth and I both tried to give them an easy way out of the conversation, in case they needed some time away from people, but they were happy to talk, so we did.
Finally, Leif looked over at my watch and asked what time it was. I told him, and they both jumped up in a panic. They were late leaving for the airport. Like really late. So Margaret hugged Beth and I, we exchanged info, and they bolted out the door.
In a bit of a daze, we walked out to sit through the last part of Ephrem's talk, and as he was bringing it home, it was once again the voice of the Holy Spirit confirming, pushing and encouraging me to lead ahead with the missional focus here at LifePoint. I was nodding my head and feeling my heart beat faster as he talked about serving in the community and making a difference to the vulnerable and overlooked in society. One more time, God is saying it loud and clear.
I'll give a final wrap later, but it was an amazing time, an amazing experience, and real confirmation of the calling and the direction of God in my life and at LifePoint Church.
Big thanks to Ray Johnston, John Jackson, David Harris and the gang at Thrive, Bayside and TCI. This was a great event, and done well.
So, final day at Thrive. I was totally looking forward to hearing Ephrem Smith, having heard so much about him over the past year. I was jacked up. But I had one thing to do first.
I ended up in the Green Room backstage, once again thanks to my friend John Jackson, Executive Director of TCI and main dude for the Thrive Conference. Beth and I were back there for prayer before the session, then I got to say 'hey' to Pastor Smith. Over in the corner, sitting on the sectional with her husband Leif was Margaret Feinberg. As you might have read, I owed her an apology.
So I walked over, introduced my wife and myself, and told her that I owed her an apology. Her husband leaned forward, grin on his face, and said, "Unsolicited, this ought to be good!" I like Leif. Margaret looked surprised, but she motioned for me to sit down, and I began my apology.
I told her that I was not looking forward to her talk, that I was trying to be a good leader and set the example and pay attention, but nothing about her bio, her book titles, or her introduction made me want to hear what she was going to say. Then, she started in on her topic, which was from her book, Scouting The Divine. It was all about farming images from the Bible, like shepherds and sheep. I told her that I was a city kid that grew up on a farm and couldn't wait to leave. She laughed and understood. Then I told her that her words just broke me. I was moved by the description of how God knows our voices as distinctly as a shepherd knows the bleating of each individual sheep. God hears me when I cry to Him.
Then, as she rolled around to the time she spent with a vintner, learning about growing grapes, I lost it. She talked about how grapes needed bad soil, and how in some places, they will look at the soil around their grape vines and add more rocks. More rocks. After all the pruning, there would be fruit to make wine, but from initial planting to the first glass of wine will be way over a decade. I told her that the rocky places in my life and the pruning over the years were just slammed into perspective for me. I didn't tell her the specifics of cancer, meningitis, angry parishioners, hard transitions, relational struggles or financial setbacks, but each one was clearly in my mind when I told her that she helped me once again see God's hand in my life.
I thanked Margaret for her amazing words that touched my heart, even when I was not expecting them to. She was amazingly gracious, and Leif got up, went out and brought back the last copy of her book for her to sign and give me. I thanked them both profusely. We talked for about an hour, and had the best time. She's looking at a writing project and we brainstormed some ideas to help her talk to some folks she'd like to meet. Leif had a college roommate from Pocatello, so we talked about Poky stuff. Beth and I both tried to give them an easy way out of the conversation, in case they needed some time away from people, but they were happy to talk, so we did.
Finally, Leif looked over at my watch and asked what time it was. I told him, and they both jumped up in a panic. They were late leaving for the airport. Like really late. So Margaret hugged Beth and I, we exchanged info, and they bolted out the door.
In a bit of a daze, we walked out to sit through the last part of Ephrem's talk, and as he was bringing it home, it was once again the voice of the Holy Spirit confirming, pushing and encouraging me to lead ahead with the missional focus here at LifePoint. I was nodding my head and feeling my heart beat faster as he talked about serving in the community and making a difference to the vulnerable and overlooked in society. One more time, God is saying it loud and clear.
I'll give a final wrap later, but it was an amazing time, an amazing experience, and real confirmation of the calling and the direction of God in my life and at LifePoint Church.
Big thanks to Ray Johnston, John Jackson, David Harris and the gang at Thrive, Bayside and TCI. This was a great event, and done well.
5.01.2010
THRIVE - Day Two
At the risk of being too honest, here's the day in light of expectations blown:
- I expected to get a lot out of the preaching breakout this morning. Mission accomplished. Ray Johnston nailed it, totally encouraging, totally strategic, and yet, in case anyone was not clear on the subject, totally biblical. Yes, you can (and should) be all three.
- I expected (not proud of this, actually) to not get a lot out of Margaret Feinberg's talk. She started in talking about all the agricultural research she had done, and I was reminded how fast I wanted off the farm when I was growing up. I was a city kid raised on the farm, no doubt. But when she got rolling, so did my tears. I'm man enough to say that, and this: she ruined me. I was totally dashed against the rocks and heard clearly from God. I will buy her book, and if I see her, apologize in person for my low expectations.
- I expected to meet Tony Morgan. Mission accomplished. He's a cool dude, very humble and super smart. I got to talk to him a bit, and he's just a great leader and communicator. He took some time to sign a book for one of my staff. Just cool, plus great info on leadership and strategic thinking. Take away - simple and clear need to be values. Always.
- I expected the talk by John Ortberg to be great. Mission WAY accomplished. I'm again in awe of how God keeps talking to us about how He's not going to be put in a box, no matter how hard we try, and spiritual formation is no different. God has a plan, trust the plan, and "burn grace like a 747 burns jet fuel." Love that.
- I expected to laugh at the comics during the late session. My. Sides. Hurt. Great stuff from Bob and Bob.
- I didn't expect to cry in front of the team from LifePoint at lunch today. But God is making it so clear what He wants to do, and I'm just in awe of His amazing plan as it unfolds. So much of what we're looking at is being echoed so loudly in everything we hear while we're here. Can't wait to see what happens next.
I know there's more to come, but this has been great. Great connections with the Lifers that are here, meeting lots of new folks from Bayside and other churches, and just enjoying the experience.
More tomorrow.
4.30.2010
First THRIVE - Day 1
I'm whipped, so I'm going to bed, but I've got to share this much about my first day at my first Thrive conference.
- Musical Worship - Off. The. Chain. The Katinas, Lincoln Brewster, what a huge amount of talent pointed toward Heaven and turned loose. It was great stuff, from great guys with great hearts. Beth went to Lincoln Brewster's breakout session, and says he's got a great heart, and true priorities about family and ministry. Plus he played a Journey song, so he's that much more coolest. "When the lights... go down... in the city..."
- Teaching - Ray Johnston, Miles McPhereson, and top it off with John Maxwell tonight, that's a powerhouse line up, and I'm totally jacked about what they were saying. Biggest take away: God is telling us we need to jump up and get into the community to share Jesus with people in a real way. Earning the right to share the love of Jesus. Great stuff, and right in line with what we've been hearing at LifePoint.
- Breakout session - Heard a guy named David Chow, former pastor, now a coach and a great dude who did a great job talking on the subject of Strengths Based Leadership. Leading people with your strengths, and bringing out the strengths in others. Sounds like the job description of every pastor in America. Sure is mine.
Gotta sleep, but can't wait to see what God says tomorrow.
4.28.2010
I Need A Do-Over
Ever have one of those moments you wish you could get back? If you read my last post, I said I was worried about going all 'fan-boy' on John Maxwell, a hero of mine and the speaker at this dinner I was invited to before the Thrive Conference. So now, hours after the event, I can share the news:
- Good News - I didn't fan-boy on him. I was cool, calm and collected. I did notice that he's amazing at working the room, totally saw him connecting before he communicated (yes, I'm buying his new book!), and when he did speak, he was powerful, poignant, pertinent and whatever p-word means "he encouraged the daylights out of me!!" It was great to be there, to see him do his thing, to hear him pump up a room full of leaders, and leave us all wanting more.
- Bad News - I believe I now understand the phrase "Epic Fail" in a personal way. Let me explain:
My friend John Jackson is one of the key leaders of this event, and he had saved me a seat with him at one of the front tables. I walked over, and there were indeed three seats saved. I assumed (rightly) that one was for me, one for John Jackson, but I wasn't sure who the other one was for. So after introductions, they dismissed us to go through the line and get food. I did, and soon I'm eating with the other three guys at the table. John J. was still talking, so I was still sitting next to two empty but saved seats.
So when John Maxwell walked over to the table and looked at the empty seat... it happened so fast... I couldn't believe it was over before I could take it back... I'm such a rule follower... GGGHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
John Maxwell asked if he could sit at the table with us, and I said, "I'm sorry, but John Jackson was saving those seats, and I don't know who they are for, Mr. Maxwell."
Like I said. Epic Fail.
He was gracious and kind, walked to another table and proceeded to enrich the lives of everyone there while I sat and drank my iced tea and wallowed in my epic fail-ness. John Jackson came over and sat down, and yes, he had wanted to save that seat for someone else, but that person never sat down, and he would have been okay... I'm going to stop there.
So, like I said. I didn't fan-boy. Nope. Not me. I obeyed social etiquette to a fault. A huge, epic fail of a fault.
Sigh...
The talks were great, I got a lot out of them, then went to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. More on THRIVE tomorrow.
4.27.2010
Something A Little Dangerous...
Tomorrow I'm going to do something a little...dangerous. I'm going to break one of the unwritten rules of life: Never Meet Your Heroes In Real Life.
The idea goes like this: when you have a hero, someone you look up to and admire from a distance, they most likely cannot live up to your idea of them in real life. So don't meet them, because they will let you down. Have you ever heard something like that?
In my life, I've had a couple opportunities to meet people I've admired. I have met Rick Warren a couple times, even got his autograph. I teared up a little when I told him thanks for all the help he's given me in ministry. I met Dan Southerland a couple times, once at a conference where I got to have lunch with him, and we talked a lot. I mean a lot. He talks almost as much as me. Almost.
I got to wave at Bill Hybels once. In a parking lot. Not the same. But he did wave back.
So Wednesday, I get to go to a dinner at Bayside Church in Sacramento. At the dinner will be my friend and the founding pastor of LifePoint Church, John Jackson. Also there will be the Senior Pastor of Bayside, Ray Johnston. I'm excited to be with those guys and experience their Thrive Conference, but I'm not nervous about them. It's the other guy.
John Maxwell is a leadership guru, author, speaker, force-of-nature, and he's going to be at dinner tomorrow. I'm a big fan. Big fan. Some of his books are some of the most important things I've ever read (non-Bible division). I've heard him on CD, I've read his blog, I've read a bunch of his books, and his latest is on my 'must have' list. And I get to have dinner with him.
Is he Jesus? No. Does it make me a better person because I'm having dinner with him? NO. Does it make me special, a better leader or taller to be in the same room as him? Sadly, no. But learning and gleaning from a great leader of leaders can't hurt me. I'm hoping I get some gems of wisdom to take home with me, but I'm just hoping that I can keep my expectations in check. He's a man. A man of God, a leader, a teacher, a great example of maximizing the gifts God gives a person, but a man nonetheless. I hope I can learn from him and not over expect of him. That would make for a great evening.
And I hope I don't do a full on 'fan-boy' on him. Pray for me. :)
The idea goes like this: when you have a hero, someone you look up to and admire from a distance, they most likely cannot live up to your idea of them in real life. So don't meet them, because they will let you down. Have you ever heard something like that?
In my life, I've had a couple opportunities to meet people I've admired. I have met Rick Warren a couple times, even got his autograph. I teared up a little when I told him thanks for all the help he's given me in ministry. I met Dan Southerland a couple times, once at a conference where I got to have lunch with him, and we talked a lot. I mean a lot. He talks almost as much as me. Almost.
I got to wave at Bill Hybels once. In a parking lot. Not the same. But he did wave back.
So Wednesday, I get to go to a dinner at Bayside Church in Sacramento. At the dinner will be my friend and the founding pastor of LifePoint Church, John Jackson. Also there will be the Senior Pastor of Bayside, Ray Johnston. I'm excited to be with those guys and experience their Thrive Conference, but I'm not nervous about them. It's the other guy.
John Maxwell is a leadership guru, author, speaker, force-of-nature, and he's going to be at dinner tomorrow. I'm a big fan. Big fan. Some of his books are some of the most important things I've ever read (non-Bible division). I've heard him on CD, I've read his blog, I've read a bunch of his books, and his latest is on my 'must have' list. And I get to have dinner with him.
Is he Jesus? No. Does it make me a better person because I'm having dinner with him? NO. Does it make me special, a better leader or taller to be in the same room as him? Sadly, no. But learning and gleaning from a great leader of leaders can't hurt me. I'm hoping I get some gems of wisdom to take home with me, but I'm just hoping that I can keep my expectations in check. He's a man. A man of God, a leader, a teacher, a great example of maximizing the gifts God gives a person, but a man nonetheless. I hope I can learn from him and not over expect of him. That would make for a great evening.
And I hope I don't do a full on 'fan-boy' on him. Pray for me. :)
4.25.2010
Is It Okay To Feel Good?
Just got done with an amazing weekend at LifePoint Church. Some pieces:
- Over 170 women came together for the Beth Moore simulcast. I stopped in to see the crowd, and what an amazing sight. Heard nothing but great comments about the teaching - what would happen if all 300,000 women who were watching around the country started living without insecurities and taught their daughters and sisters how to do the same? I love the thought of that! I'm excited for what's going to happen when the women of the Carson Valley get it going on like that around here!
- We got to celebrate 15 baptisms this weekend! That has to get your pulse pounding! I love seeing the faces of people when they come up out of the water and hear their church family cheer for them, there's nothing like seeing the joy on the faces of people going public with their faith. I LOVE MY JOB!
- I'm hearing that the men's groups are filling up and getting ready to launch new groups. I'm so glad to hear the Spirit moving in the lives of guys, it's always good for the church family when men are getting lined up with God's plan.
- There's a group of people getting ready for their trip to Africa next month. God is already teaching and growing the team as they are preparing to go, and we'll get to pray for them and send them out next week. What I'm really looking forward to is the stories of what God does in them and through them while they're there.
- Invisible Children are going to be here on Wednesday night. I know the youth staff are fired up about having them come, and hearing from one of the child soldiers that was rescued out of that awful situation should be powerful.
- Last but not least: THRIVE is next week! This is my first one, so I'm extra excited. I'll be blogging about that more later, but just know that I'm fired up to learn, grow and see what's working at other churches next week.
So, is it okay if I'm feeling good about what God's up to these days?
I know that there are ups and downs on the journey of following Jesus, but right now, let's ride the high! Let's enjoy the excitement and the energy of the momentum God is building. Let's build on the good that's happening and push out in faith toward what Christ is calling us to next. What do you say?
4.18.2010
Looking For A Response
So today at LifePoint Church, we were on the second message of the Make The Connection series, talking about small group life. Last week was well received, and this week, same thing. Pastor Mark Marsella and the Growth Group team put together a Connect Expo so that, right after the message, people wouldn't have to leave the worship center, but could walk right over to a row of tables, all manned by group leaders, to sign up and get into a group.
Here's what happened: There were a good number of folks who walked over on Saturday night, but today, in both services, there was a mob! Folks were hanging out and talking at the tables for a long time after each service (yes, I intentionally finished early, so there was extra time, but still...), and as I walked by the tables afterward, lots and lots of names were on the sign up sheets!
Reflecting on the experience today, here's what I think was going on:
First, the folks at LifePoint are excited to take God's Word seriously in their lives. Big thanks to Dr. John Jackson for leading them in that direction! It's fun to talk to a church full of people who are all ready to step up and follow the clear directions of the scripture.
Second, people are hungry for connection. People want to know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served. At a time when technology has us wired, we're still longing for connection. I can't wait to see what happens at LifePoint as the relationships develop and people grow stronger together. The impact in the Carson Valley, and around the world, will be epic!
Way to go, Lifers!!
Here's what happened: There were a good number of folks who walked over on Saturday night, but today, in both services, there was a mob! Folks were hanging out and talking at the tables for a long time after each service (yes, I intentionally finished early, so there was extra time, but still...), and as I walked by the tables afterward, lots and lots of names were on the sign up sheets!
Reflecting on the experience today, here's what I think was going on:
First, the folks at LifePoint are excited to take God's Word seriously in their lives. Big thanks to Dr. John Jackson for leading them in that direction! It's fun to talk to a church full of people who are all ready to step up and follow the clear directions of the scripture.
Second, people are hungry for connection. People want to know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served. At a time when technology has us wired, we're still longing for connection. I can't wait to see what happens at LifePoint as the relationships develop and people grow stronger together. The impact in the Carson Valley, and around the world, will be epic!
Way to go, Lifers!!
4.15.2010
A Lesson on Waiting Rooms
After big events like Easter weekend, I tend to have some kind of let down. I always attribute it to the adrenaline and excitement surrounding the big days that, when it subsides, leaves my body a little more vulnerable to the bugs in the air. I thought this year was going to be different, since for a whole week after Easter I was doing really well. My energy was up, my enthusiasm was high, the rush of all God did at LifePoint this Easter was fresh on my mind and heart, so I was going great! The first weekend of the new series, Make The Connection was really good, with a good turnout and tremendous feedback.
Then Monday hit.
I woke up to get Mac off to school, and I was sick. I went back to bed and slept most of the morning. When I did wake up, I was coughing and feeling miserable. I dragged myself down to the Urgent Care Center in Minden to get looked at, and found a waiting room full of people.
Turns out I wasn't the only one sick in the Carson Valley.
So I waited. They had been slammed all day, with many admissions to the local hospital, so they were very backed up. So I waited. And I waited. I Tweeted my Twitter and I waited. I watched Food Channel and I waited. I finally got back into an exam room, and then... I waited. Finally, the doctor showed up, looked in my ears, listened to my lungs, told me I had bronchitis, and sent me on my way. Three hours (not joking) of waiting for a five minute visit to tell me what I already knew.
When I got better this week, I realized that sometimes people have the same experience with church. They come, expecting something, but instead, they wait around for something to happen. They think it's going to be good, but sometimes, in the waiting, they lose sight of why they came. They know there's something good supposed to happen, but they end up being somewhat entertained, but not really. And they wait. And if they finally get where they thought they wanted to go, it seems somewhat anticlimactic. "I knew that already."
Instead of warehousing people, instead of creating a big waiting room for people to hang out in and be somewhat entertained, what if we offered real help and real connections for people when they arrived? What if, instead of waiting to see a pastor, we had lots of people who could offer assistance, care, compassion, a listening ear, and even training to be involved. Instead of passively waiting, folks could get actively involved in something, what would that be like?
That's why the shift in churches has been toward being more missional, more focused on getting folks connected and actively involved in their own faith journey, rather than passively sitting around waiting on someone else. It makes a difference in the lives of people much more quickly, and more effectively. Here's what I mean:
One of our leaders recruited unchurched people to come be a part of her ministry during our Easter weekend. Those people might have never set foot in church otherwise, but because of their connection this leader, they came. They attended a service to see what this was all about, despite having no intention of doing so at first, and they heard the gospel loud and clear. The impact was real: afterward, they wanted to know more.
Not sitting around watching a show, but connected relationally and actively participating as they had a chance to connect to Jesus. What if church was like that, and not so much like a waiting room? Would Jesus smile?
Then Monday hit.
I woke up to get Mac off to school, and I was sick. I went back to bed and slept most of the morning. When I did wake up, I was coughing and feeling miserable. I dragged myself down to the Urgent Care Center in Minden to get looked at, and found a waiting room full of people.
Turns out I wasn't the only one sick in the Carson Valley.
So I waited. They had been slammed all day, with many admissions to the local hospital, so they were very backed up. So I waited. And I waited. I Tweeted my Twitter and I waited. I watched Food Channel and I waited. I finally got back into an exam room, and then... I waited. Finally, the doctor showed up, looked in my ears, listened to my lungs, told me I had bronchitis, and sent me on my way. Three hours (not joking) of waiting for a five minute visit to tell me what I already knew.
When I got better this week, I realized that sometimes people have the same experience with church. They come, expecting something, but instead, they wait around for something to happen. They think it's going to be good, but sometimes, in the waiting, they lose sight of why they came. They know there's something good supposed to happen, but they end up being somewhat entertained, but not really. And they wait. And if they finally get where they thought they wanted to go, it seems somewhat anticlimactic. "I knew that already."
Instead of warehousing people, instead of creating a big waiting room for people to hang out in and be somewhat entertained, what if we offered real help and real connections for people when they arrived? What if, instead of waiting to see a pastor, we had lots of people who could offer assistance, care, compassion, a listening ear, and even training to be involved. Instead of passively waiting, folks could get actively involved in something, what would that be like?
That's why the shift in churches has been toward being more missional, more focused on getting folks connected and actively involved in their own faith journey, rather than passively sitting around waiting on someone else. It makes a difference in the lives of people much more quickly, and more effectively. Here's what I mean:
One of our leaders recruited unchurched people to come be a part of her ministry during our Easter weekend. Those people might have never set foot in church otherwise, but because of their connection this leader, they came. They attended a service to see what this was all about, despite having no intention of doing so at first, and they heard the gospel loud and clear. The impact was real: afterward, they wanted to know more.
Not sitting around watching a show, but connected relationally and actively participating as they had a chance to connect to Jesus. What if church was like that, and not so much like a waiting room? Would Jesus smile?
4.06.2010
Easter At LifePoint, Part 2
Tuesday, and stories are coming in about lives impacted by the weekend at LifePoint Church:
- One person let me know that they led people to Christ at the dinner table over an Easter meal after the services on Sunday. You have to know how fired up that makes me! That's the definition of teamwork: The worship team opens the door, I tell the story, someone else walks people they know across the finish line, Jesus wins!!
- Some folks told a staffer that they are moving here soon, were visiting again over the holiday weekend, stopped in and were touched by the service. Now they can't wait to get back and get involved.
- Children's ministry folks heard that some of the first time volunteers were seriously looking to jump on board more regularly after Easter. Yahoo!!
- One person who did kids ministry most of the services got to pray with six kids to receive Christ!! That NEVER gets old!
- Hearing multiple stories of folks coming to multiple services in order to bring more friends to hear about Jesus.
- Folks at Guest Central noticed that more and more of our regulars were bringing their friends to the Guest Central counter to introduce them and help them get connected. WAY TO GO LIFERS!!!
- One college student ended up with eight invite tickets from all the Lifers they knew inviting them. Nice!!
- One person noticed that we had plenty of volunteer help this year. Folks stepped up and offered their time and energy to help - very servant-hearted!!
- Lots and lots of comments, notes, postings and phone calls about how folks were touched and even moved by the Friday night service and how God moved even after the lights went out. If you missed that, look here for part of the story.
And there's more where that came from! If you have a story from the Easter weekend at LifePoint, make a point to post it here. Let's share what God has done!
4.04.2010
Easter At LifePoint, Part 1
I'm so excited about what God did at LifePoint Church this weekend, I want to sing and jump up and down, but I'm my throat hurts and I'm wiped out, so my heart is dancing (or, as my friend Stacy likes to say, "my heart is pink and full of Spanish!")!!
So the first of six services was Friday night, and everything had come together. The message was done, and I got to see the dance number I in it's entirety that morning, and it looked great. A few tweaks to the order of service, and we felt like it was ready. All week we had been praying for the light board to work, and it was working great. So, 6 pm rolls around, and we start. The first song, then the dance number go off amazingly well, and the crowd was into the experience.
Then the lights flickered hard, like they wanted to go out, but came back up. All that did was take out the media and jack up the lights, but it all got put back in place pretty fast, so by the middle of the next song, it was all up and running like normal. All through it, the band played on, and the congregation sang, or tried to without the words on the screen. Pretty cool, and just a great bunch of work by the band and the team working sound and media.
So I got up to start the message, and it's rolling along well, the crowd was following right along, when suddenly, about 2/3 through, the lights flicker hard again... and stay out. Totally. Pitch. Black.
The emergency lights come on, and the crowd all laughs at the predicament. They start telling me to keep going, so I joke, "I can't see my notes!" Someone in the crowd comes up with a flashlight, and I kept going, pushing my voice a bit to get to the back row, but not too bad (years of football coaching comes in handy!).
The kids ministry folks do an amazing job keeping the kids calm and still focused, and word was that five kids received Christ in their service. Wow.
So after the service, I'm super proud of the team and all the work to get through what was obviously a difficult situation with more than just grace, but also with great presence of mind and real ministry hearts. But I'm feeling a little down that people will walk away and remember what a great job we did to finish out the service, but they won't remember Jesus.
Then, Saturday morning, I'm at the gym when a lady comes up and introduces herself to me. She tells me that she had three people she invited who had either never been to church or never been to LifePoint. She said they had a wonderful experience, and they were really excited about coming back.
I was stunned. Turns out God works, not only in the dark, but in my moment of doubt. I was worried that folks wouldn't see Jesus in all that chaos, but the truth is, He shined brighter than ever for those who needed Him the most.
That story did more to stoke my fire than anything else could have. Every service after that, I walked to the platform knowing that God was there, whether people were there to see the dance, hear the band, listen to me or for any other reason they might have listed. God was there, and He was making Himself known to people far from Him.
Such a blessing. Thank you to all the Lifers for praying, inviting, serving, giving and showing up to see Jesus be famous in our valley. And thanks to the guy who loaned me the flashlight. :)
More later...
So the first of six services was Friday night, and everything had come together. The message was done, and I got to see the dance number I in it's entirety that morning, and it looked great. A few tweaks to the order of service, and we felt like it was ready. All week we had been praying for the light board to work, and it was working great. So, 6 pm rolls around, and we start. The first song, then the dance number go off amazingly well, and the crowd was into the experience.
Then the lights flickered hard, like they wanted to go out, but came back up. All that did was take out the media and jack up the lights, but it all got put back in place pretty fast, so by the middle of the next song, it was all up and running like normal. All through it, the band played on, and the congregation sang, or tried to without the words on the screen. Pretty cool, and just a great bunch of work by the band and the team working sound and media.
So I got up to start the message, and it's rolling along well, the crowd was following right along, when suddenly, about 2/3 through, the lights flicker hard again... and stay out. Totally. Pitch. Black.
The emergency lights come on, and the crowd all laughs at the predicament. They start telling me to keep going, so I joke, "I can't see my notes!" Someone in the crowd comes up with a flashlight, and I kept going, pushing my voice a bit to get to the back row, but not too bad (years of football coaching comes in handy!).
The kids ministry folks do an amazing job keeping the kids calm and still focused, and word was that five kids received Christ in their service. Wow.
So after the service, I'm super proud of the team and all the work to get through what was obviously a difficult situation with more than just grace, but also with great presence of mind and real ministry hearts. But I'm feeling a little down that people will walk away and remember what a great job we did to finish out the service, but they won't remember Jesus.
Then, Saturday morning, I'm at the gym when a lady comes up and introduces herself to me. She tells me that she had three people she invited who had either never been to church or never been to LifePoint. She said they had a wonderful experience, and they were really excited about coming back.
I was stunned. Turns out God works, not only in the dark, but in my moment of doubt. I was worried that folks wouldn't see Jesus in all that chaos, but the truth is, He shined brighter than ever for those who needed Him the most.
That story did more to stoke my fire than anything else could have. Every service after that, I walked to the platform knowing that God was there, whether people were there to see the dance, hear the band, listen to me or for any other reason they might have listed. God was there, and He was making Himself known to people far from Him.
Such a blessing. Thank you to all the Lifers for praying, inviting, serving, giving and showing up to see Jesus be famous in our valley. And thanks to the guy who loaned me the flashlight. :)
More later...
4.02.2010
Praying a 'Paul Prayer' for Easter
I try to take time every day to spend reading the Bible and praying just for me. As much as I'm reading and studying for messages, teaching opportunities, etc... I want and need time for me and Jesus to talk, not just for what I can share with others. It helps me focus and stay grounded, and I have always struggled with keeping it regular in my life. I'm doing better these days, and calling it my Priority Time instead of my Quiet Time has helped, but that's a post for a different day.
I was reading in Colossians the other day, and Paul asks for the church folk there to pray for him. Pray that he would get opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with folks. Then, in chapter four, verse four he says, "Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should." That has really resonated with me this week.
I need to proclaim the message of the Resurrection as clearly as I should. Clear enough that folks understand that this is the hinge issue of the entire Christian faith. That this one event is the focal point of all of history. That this one piece of the puzzle is what makes the rest of the Bible and the rest of life itself make any sense. I need to get that point across as clearly as I should, so that there is no mistaking what we believe.
We as Christ followers don't believe in the philosophy and teaching of a man, or the crazy stuff he said. We believe that Jesus died a public death and was raised to life again in front of witnesses who, in turn, gave their lives for what they saw. It is powerful, life changing truth, and it needs to be spoken clearly.
So pray for me, that I might proclaim the truth of the Resurrection this weekend as clearly as I should. And pray for all the other preachers who are going to do the same thing. And pray for the musicians, the greeters, the servers, the parking attendants, the children's workers, and the singers to all do the same thing: to proclaim the powerful truth of the Resurrection as clearly as we should. This is too important to be unclear. It's too powerful to let it slip by. It's too vital to miss. Pray that I and my co-laborers in Christ will all proclaim it as clearly as we should!!
God bless, and may Easter bring effective ministry to us all in Jesus' most powerful name!
I was reading in Colossians the other day, and Paul asks for the church folk there to pray for him. Pray that he would get opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with folks. Then, in chapter four, verse four he says, "Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should." That has really resonated with me this week.
I need to proclaim the message of the Resurrection as clearly as I should. Clear enough that folks understand that this is the hinge issue of the entire Christian faith. That this one event is the focal point of all of history. That this one piece of the puzzle is what makes the rest of the Bible and the rest of life itself make any sense. I need to get that point across as clearly as I should, so that there is no mistaking what we believe.
We as Christ followers don't believe in the philosophy and teaching of a man, or the crazy stuff he said. We believe that Jesus died a public death and was raised to life again in front of witnesses who, in turn, gave their lives for what they saw. It is powerful, life changing truth, and it needs to be spoken clearly.
So pray for me, that I might proclaim the truth of the Resurrection this weekend as clearly as I should. And pray for all the other preachers who are going to do the same thing. And pray for the musicians, the greeters, the servers, the parking attendants, the children's workers, and the singers to all do the same thing: to proclaim the powerful truth of the Resurrection as clearly as we should. This is too important to be unclear. It's too powerful to let it slip by. It's too vital to miss. Pray that I and my co-laborers in Christ will all proclaim it as clearly as we should!!
God bless, and may Easter bring effective ministry to us all in Jesus' most powerful name!
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