This month marks the one year anniversary of my family leaving Idaho, our home for 14 years, and moving to Minden, Nevada, to LifePoint Church and to a whole lot of...transitions. Change is another word, but people don't like it much. Transitions - the moving from one idea/reality/concept/place/way of thinking to another. That's all we've done for a year.
We've sold and bought a house, moved twice, engaged in negotiations about real estate both personally and on behalf of the church, and learned a lot about banking, loans and customer service. Learning is a huge part of transition, because what got you to where you are won't get you where you want to go next.
There's been staff transitions of all kinds, and changes in relationships all around. There's been much growth and learning all around, and I'm very proud of the folks who have engaged in the transition with open hearts and minds to what God is doing here. It's been hard on some folks, and some haven't managed the transitions as well as others. It's the same back in Idaho where we left: some have managed to transition gracefully and others without much grace. People are people, and we deal with the changes in life the best we can. I'm learning that.
I've transitioned my leadership style to fit the new adventure of LifePoint Church (and I'm still learning this one, too!), and I've spent the last year leading a cultural shift, because as I've come to learn recently, "Culture eats strategy for lunch!" (That might be a Peter Drucker quote, no one seems quite sure. I know it's true, whoever said it.) The culture was ready for a change, but had we started with strategy, we'd have been in trouble.
We have even now begun to transition into more strategic initiatives, like our Project 40/40, our attempt to do 40 missional projects in the community in the 40 days before Easter. The buzz is palpable! People are getting into small groups just to be a part of this opportunity to show God's love to our community with no strings attached. It's exciting to hear the projects that our groups are planning, and I can't wait to see where this ends up.
But God has orchestrated all this transition, and the ones that are coming. It has been a wild ride, with ups, downs, spirals and loop-the-loops, but God's hand has been in it all, making the transitions, however challenging, all work into HIS ultimate plan. Praise God in the transitions!
2.20.2011
Gratitude Abounds
A weekend to remember: first, after a week of snow and ice, we held our Volunteer Appreciation event, and our staff took the time to thank, encourage and entertain our amazing volunteers. It was so fun to see the smiles and hear the laughter of the folks who do the bulk of the work to move the ministry of LifePoint Church forward. If you missed it... all I can say is... You. Missed. It. If you're someone who likes to laugh until your sides hurt, then you will want to make plans to volunteer this year, and show up next year. And whether you were there or not, let me say it again: thank YOU for all you do to serve Jesus at LifePoint!!
Then, we celebrated our thirteenth birthday at LifePoint church. In 1998, a small group of people, full of God's vision for a church for people who didn't like church, launched Carson Valley Christian Center, now LifePoint. Dr. John Jackson and his wife, Pam, led the charge to launch the new church, and over the past 13 years, God has done AMAZING, life changing ministry. This weekend, Pastor John and Pam were here, and Pastor John taught about having the faith to keep going forward into the next chapter of the future of our church.
I am so excited about this crossroads between our past and our future. The celebration of the current ministry through our volunteers, then a look back and forward this weekend was a great opportunity to stop and reflect on where we are. I'm going to do a couple posts on this, but right now, it's a moment to celebrate and be thankful. Thankful for God's grace, thankful for God's vision, thankful for people like the Jacksons, Conovers and Negrettes listening to God's voice and thankful for God's hand of blessing on LifePoint. I am grateful to God for the people on who's shoulders we stand to see the future. And thank God for the future we have in front of us!
Then, we celebrated our thirteenth birthday at LifePoint church. In 1998, a small group of people, full of God's vision for a church for people who didn't like church, launched Carson Valley Christian Center, now LifePoint. Dr. John Jackson and his wife, Pam, led the charge to launch the new church, and over the past 13 years, God has done AMAZING, life changing ministry. This weekend, Pastor John and Pam were here, and Pastor John taught about having the faith to keep going forward into the next chapter of the future of our church.
I am so excited about this crossroads between our past and our future. The celebration of the current ministry through our volunteers, then a look back and forward this weekend was a great opportunity to stop and reflect on where we are. I'm going to do a couple posts on this, but right now, it's a moment to celebrate and be thankful. Thankful for God's grace, thankful for God's vision, thankful for people like the Jacksons, Conovers and Negrettes listening to God's voice and thankful for God's hand of blessing on LifePoint. I am grateful to God for the people on who's shoulders we stand to see the future. And thank God for the future we have in front of us!
2.03.2011
Getting Excited...
Much to be excited about these days, I just need to share:
- LifePoint Church got to celebrate 13 baptisms this past weekend, including three from one family that just started coming in the past few months. So honored to share these milestones with everyone! And Pastor Jeremy got to do three of them, so bonus!!
- Week two of the Restructure series had more people in attendance than week one, which has me fired up! Folks didn't run away from hearing God's wisdom on finances, they came back and brought friends!!
- Speaking of finances, more people buzzing about the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class, can't wait to see what happens when some of THAT wisdom drops on people.
- Children's ministry is bursting at the seams! If you are a family with kids and you attend the 10:45 service, and you can AT ALL jump to 9 am or Saturday night, it would help a bunch if you would, we are getting too full in our kids ministry at that hour.
- Read that last one again... WHAT A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE!!!!
- Hearing buzz about fresh ministry for Senior Adults... stay tuned!!!
- Pastor Mark is telling me we've got 46 small groups in our system, plus a few more that are not yet in the system - look at what God is doing there!!
- Tuesday Nights started up again, and over 80 people were there for worship, groups, classes and recovery. Pastor Roy was fired up, and word is, more folks are coming!
- Cool stuff getting planned for the run up to Easter this spring... you won't want to miss this, trust me!
- Birthday weekend is coming February 19-20, celebrating the 13th birthday of LifePoint, and our founding pastor, Dr. John Jackson is coming back to teach that weekend!! Don't miss it!
And there's more yet to come, because God is stirring things up around here. So thanks again to all who are praying for LifePoint, serving as volunteers, and giving to see God's Kingdom move ahead in this area. It's WORKING!! Keep GOING!!!
1.28.2011
Chocolate Vitamins
I have a friend or two that don't like chocolate. I'm not sure how this is possible, but it's true. I can't imagine life without chocolate, and I don't want to. Even with lactose intolerance, I just switched from milk chocolate to dark chocolate and kept going. I love chocolate.
I have learned that taking a regular multivitamin is important for my health, especially my heart, so I'm in the habit of taking one each day. I want to be more healthy and fit in my life, so a vitamin makes sense, and every night before I go to bed is a good time to be sure to take one, so that's when I grab my vitamin.
Encouragement is chocolate vitamins: taste good and it's good for you. Humans work better if they have a regular supply of encouragement in their lives. Normally, they respond positively to it, but some folks will squirm or avoid being encouraged. It's weird, but it happens. Just like people who don't like chocolate: I don't get it, but it happens. Some folks don't want to be encouraged. I believe it's a false, insecurity-turning-to-pride thing some folks get going with, like if I say stop you'll keep telling me how great I am, so... Stop, stop, stop!! But I'm off subject.
People need encouragement. Leaders need encouragement. Pastors need encouragement. Learn how to be an encourager and you'll never run out of friends. I've had the privilege of having some encouragers in my life over the years, and they have helped me survive the pitfalls and pain of serving in church. There are lots of people who will throw a wet blanket on the fire of your passion to serve Jesus, so you need some folks who will stoke that fire instead. If you have discouraging people in your life, find some encouraging people NOW and hang out with them. We all will have folks who want to tell us we'll never make it, we'll never succeed, we're not good enough - everyone has those folks in their lives, so don't try to avoid them all, just avoid being around them all the time. Make sure you're being encouraged (not lied to, encouraged... big difference!), because that will keep you in it when the going gets tough.
If you're a pastor: encourage your people! Find any excuse to tell folks they are doing a good job. They may argue and fight you on it, but it's still the right thing to do. Don't let them think that the only time you talk to them is when something is wrong. Lift them up, charge them up, fill them up with encouragement! Make it a daily habit to encourage someone.
If you have a pastor: encourage your pastor! It's a lonely job, it's a difficult job, and it's one that follows you home most days, so any time you hear encouragement, when you hear someone thinks you're making a difference or doing something well, it's a lift to the spirit, so lift up your pastor! If you got something out of a message, let them know! If you heard something good in the community about your church, let them know! If you were blessed by something they said or did, let them know! You will have a better pastor for it! It's good for their heart.
And encouragement works well in other places, too. Husbands: encourage your wife! Catch her doing things that are good and tell her about it! Wives: encouragement works better than nagging for any man I know. Parents: when you encourage your kids, they remember if far longer than the lecture. Kids: when you encourage your parents, you help them see what you want and need from them, and it works better than the silent treatment.
Encourage someone today. Then, do it again tomorrow! Make your world, your church and your family a better place!
I have learned that taking a regular multivitamin is important for my health, especially my heart, so I'm in the habit of taking one each day. I want to be more healthy and fit in my life, so a vitamin makes sense, and every night before I go to bed is a good time to be sure to take one, so that's when I grab my vitamin.
Encouragement is chocolate vitamins: taste good and it's good for you. Humans work better if they have a regular supply of encouragement in their lives. Normally, they respond positively to it, but some folks will squirm or avoid being encouraged. It's weird, but it happens. Just like people who don't like chocolate: I don't get it, but it happens. Some folks don't want to be encouraged. I believe it's a false, insecurity-turning-to-pride thing some folks get going with, like if I say stop you'll keep telling me how great I am, so... Stop, stop, stop!! But I'm off subject.
People need encouragement. Leaders need encouragement. Pastors need encouragement. Learn how to be an encourager and you'll never run out of friends. I've had the privilege of having some encouragers in my life over the years, and they have helped me survive the pitfalls and pain of serving in church. There are lots of people who will throw a wet blanket on the fire of your passion to serve Jesus, so you need some folks who will stoke that fire instead. If you have discouraging people in your life, find some encouraging people NOW and hang out with them. We all will have folks who want to tell us we'll never make it, we'll never succeed, we're not good enough - everyone has those folks in their lives, so don't try to avoid them all, just avoid being around them all the time. Make sure you're being encouraged (not lied to, encouraged... big difference!), because that will keep you in it when the going gets tough.
If you're a pastor: encourage your people! Find any excuse to tell folks they are doing a good job. They may argue and fight you on it, but it's still the right thing to do. Don't let them think that the only time you talk to them is when something is wrong. Lift them up, charge them up, fill them up with encouragement! Make it a daily habit to encourage someone.
If you have a pastor: encourage your pastor! It's a lonely job, it's a difficult job, and it's one that follows you home most days, so any time you hear encouragement, when you hear someone thinks you're making a difference or doing something well, it's a lift to the spirit, so lift up your pastor! If you got something out of a message, let them know! If you heard something good in the community about your church, let them know! If you were blessed by something they said or did, let them know! You will have a better pastor for it! It's good for their heart.
And encouragement works well in other places, too. Husbands: encourage your wife! Catch her doing things that are good and tell her about it! Wives: encouragement works better than nagging for any man I know. Parents: when you encourage your kids, they remember if far longer than the lecture. Kids: when you encourage your parents, you help them see what you want and need from them, and it works better than the silent treatment.
Encourage someone today. Then, do it again tomorrow! Make your world, your church and your family a better place!
1.22.2011
Fear, Feelings and Finances
I started a series on finances at LifePoint Church tonight, and it caused a stir. It always does.
I've been a teaching pastor for over 15 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how it creates so much fear in people when we talk about money in church. I've gotten the gamut of responses over the years, which I'll talk about in a sec, but let's start with me.
I used to be so afraid to talk about money. I avoided it for the first few years of my teaching ministry, just out of self-preservation. I was so scared that I would offend someone, make someone angry and they would leave the church, or any number of awful outcomes. So I did what a lot of pastor's do: I stayed away from it all together.
Later, after some conviction from the Holy Spirit and some encouragement from some great church leaders, I started teaching on it, but I kept feeling like I was annoying people with it, like it was a biblical inconvenience, or a necessary evil. But here's where it changed for me: when someone who actually gives spoke up.
A couple friends in church heard me apologize for the upteenth time for teaching on money, and they each separately pulled me aside and told me to stop apologizing. When people get God's plan for money, they said, they will thank you. Don't let anyone rattle you, don't let anyone scare you, and if they don't like hearing about it, remember: it's not about you. God has smart things to say about money, so stand behind God's word and let 'er rip! That was good advice.
So Pastors, if you're worried about teaching on money and what people will think, remember this: smart people will thank you for the help and/or encourage you to keep teaching the truth (in love, that's important!!) no matter what anyone says or does. Listen to some good teachers teach on it, learn from them, and then share God's truth about this touchy subject. I've loved Rick Warren's messages, and Andy Stanley does a great job. Of course, Dave Ramsey is the MAN on this topic, so any of his stuff will help, too. Don't be afraid, get some help, then get after it. Your people are drowning in debt, feeling the pressure, crying when no one is looking, fighting and divorcing over finances. Don't let that continue!!!
For everyone else, hear me say this: ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTOR!!! If he or she is teaching on money, go out of your way to encourage them. It is scarier than it looks, and they need to be reminded that God is with them and you are, too! If you are a committed giver, let them know that they are helping others to get this important part of spiritual growth. If not, then listen, learn and grow, but don't rain on the already difficult work your pastor is doing. Encourage your pastor to take on difficult subjects that have the power to help lots and lots and lots of people, both inside and outside the church. Pour gas on that fire, not ice cubes!!!
God has a plan for money in our lives. Pastors need to talk about it, people need to hear it, and we all need to grow in this area of life and faith.
I've been a teaching pastor for over 15 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how it creates so much fear in people when we talk about money in church. I've gotten the gamut of responses over the years, which I'll talk about in a sec, but let's start with me.
I used to be so afraid to talk about money. I avoided it for the first few years of my teaching ministry, just out of self-preservation. I was so scared that I would offend someone, make someone angry and they would leave the church, or any number of awful outcomes. So I did what a lot of pastor's do: I stayed away from it all together.
Later, after some conviction from the Holy Spirit and some encouragement from some great church leaders, I started teaching on it, but I kept feeling like I was annoying people with it, like it was a biblical inconvenience, or a necessary evil. But here's where it changed for me: when someone who actually gives spoke up.
A couple friends in church heard me apologize for the upteenth time for teaching on money, and they each separately pulled me aside and told me to stop apologizing. When people get God's plan for money, they said, they will thank you. Don't let anyone rattle you, don't let anyone scare you, and if they don't like hearing about it, remember: it's not about you. God has smart things to say about money, so stand behind God's word and let 'er rip! That was good advice.
So Pastors, if you're worried about teaching on money and what people will think, remember this: smart people will thank you for the help and/or encourage you to keep teaching the truth (in love, that's important!!) no matter what anyone says or does. Listen to some good teachers teach on it, learn from them, and then share God's truth about this touchy subject. I've loved Rick Warren's messages, and Andy Stanley does a great job. Of course, Dave Ramsey is the MAN on this topic, so any of his stuff will help, too. Don't be afraid, get some help, then get after it. Your people are drowning in debt, feeling the pressure, crying when no one is looking, fighting and divorcing over finances. Don't let that continue!!!
For everyone else, hear me say this: ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTOR!!! If he or she is teaching on money, go out of your way to encourage them. It is scarier than it looks, and they need to be reminded that God is with them and you are, too! If you are a committed giver, let them know that they are helping others to get this important part of spiritual growth. If not, then listen, learn and grow, but don't rain on the already difficult work your pastor is doing. Encourage your pastor to take on difficult subjects that have the power to help lots and lots and lots of people, both inside and outside the church. Pour gas on that fire, not ice cubes!!!
God has a plan for money in our lives. Pastors need to talk about it, people need to hear it, and we all need to grow in this area of life and faith.
1.09.2011
What a Week!
So, as weeks go, this one was amazing!
I got to talk to a friend from Idaho, encourage him and get some encouragement. That was good.
My beloved Seattle Seahawks won not one, but two games, including a huge playoff win as serious underdogs. That was amazing.
My daughter's basketball team won their first game of the season. That was huge.
My church gave over 940 items, from coats and sweatshirts to gloves and blankets, to give away to folks in need in our valley and maybe even up at Lake Tahoe. I am SO EXCITED about that!!
We learned a lot in the process, and we got to see three dozen volunteers step up to sort, fix, count and bag the gifts. It was amazing to see the whole lot of them across the front of the platform last week, but I got to see the excitement of the folks sorting and fixing zippers. The enthusiasm of folks knowing that they were helping our church to be generous to others, and that we were going to help hundreds of people be warm through that generosity - I could see on their faces how much they were enjoying the experience.
As a pastor, I was blessed, blown away, and fired up for what this means for the future of LifePoint Church. God is moving, I'm so proud of our folks, and can't wait to see where this all goes next. Just a great week!!
I got to talk to a friend from Idaho, encourage him and get some encouragement. That was good.
My beloved Seattle Seahawks won not one, but two games, including a huge playoff win as serious underdogs. That was amazing.
My daughter's basketball team won their first game of the season. That was huge.
My church gave over 940 items, from coats and sweatshirts to gloves and blankets, to give away to folks in need in our valley and maybe even up at Lake Tahoe. I am SO EXCITED about that!!
We learned a lot in the process, and we got to see three dozen volunteers step up to sort, fix, count and bag the gifts. It was amazing to see the whole lot of them across the front of the platform last week, but I got to see the excitement of the folks sorting and fixing zippers. The enthusiasm of folks knowing that they were helping our church to be generous to others, and that we were going to help hundreds of people be warm through that generosity - I could see on their faces how much they were enjoying the experience.
As a pastor, I was blessed, blown away, and fired up for what this means for the future of LifePoint Church. God is moving, I'm so proud of our folks, and can't wait to see where this all goes next. Just a great week!!
1.05.2011
Remembering 2010 - Part 2
I've been having this ongoing nostalgia for where I was this time last year, both physically and emotionally, and it got me thinking. For those who are newer to Roof Crashers, this time last year I was in the beginning stages of interviewing for the job of Lead Pastor at LifePoint Church, and was wrestling with God about the call to leave a place I'd been for 14 years as Senior Pastor at FBC Pocatello. It's been a year of constant transition (we've had three home addresses, two moves, and bought one new couch), and like I said, it got me thinking.
Before you move, you should always decide on what goes with you and what you sell, give away, throw away or otherwise leave behind. We did that with furniture, mattresses, clothes, papers, etc... in each move this year. So I was thinking about what I would want to take with me and what I want to leave behind as we moved from 2010 into 2011. When I tweeted about it, I got some good responses. Here's what I've been thinking:
I want to leave behind 5 things:
Before you move, you should always decide on what goes with you and what you sell, give away, throw away or otherwise leave behind. We did that with furniture, mattresses, clothes, papers, etc... in each move this year. So I was thinking about what I would want to take with me and what I want to leave behind as we moved from 2010 into 2011. When I tweeted about it, I got some good responses. Here's what I've been thinking:
I want to leave behind 5 things:
- My insecurity as a leader - I'm here because I've been called by God, and affirmed by prayerful people. I have nothing to prove and no one to impress. Thanks, Larry Osborne, for that great quote and lesson!
- My fear of failure - I don't have to be right all the time, and I don't have to be perfect. I just need to try my best to hear from God and do what I hear Him say. Failure is a great teacher.
- My 'people pleaser mode' - Moving to a larger church has taught me quickly that there is no room for being a people pleaser. I thought I could please everyone in my life before, but couldn't, and it befuddled me to no end that I couldn't do it. Now, I know I can't do it, so I do my very best, trust God for the results, and leave the people pleasing in the past.
- My resume' - What got me here isn't what's going to get me there, so I need to put aside the 'gold stars' on my past resume' and focus on what I need to learn to move God's church ahead here and now.
- My fantasy job - There is no church with too much money and not enough problems. Bigger isn't better, it's just bigger. It's not worse, it's just bigger. A church is people, and people have both problems and potential. There are more opportunities for both, so don't waste time dreaming of somewhere else, make the Big Dream happen here.
And 5 things I want to take with me into 2011:
- A hunger to know God more - I am more aware of my need for God than ever before, and I want to know and hear and obey more and more the God who holds all things in His hands, who pours out Grace and Mercy from His heart to mine.
- A closer bond with my family - this move has opened up more avenues for the four of us to connect, grow closer and listen to each other. I never want to lose that.
- A deeper respect for the past - both mine and that of LifePoint Church. I see over and over again the amazing work that God did through Dr. John Jackson, his wife Pam and the founding families here at (CVC) LifePoint. This is a hard, hard area to do ministry, but God used them all to break through, and now, ministries across the valley are more effective, while this particular church continues to thrive and lead. This year has also taught me that God has been preparing me for this time, this calling, this place. All the difficult ministry of my past nearly 20 years as a pastor have been preparing and building me to face the challenges of "such a time as this." So humbling to follow a great leader, and to know that God has been preparing me to do just that.
- A deeper appreciation for my friends - the move has helped me to reconnect with some friends, deepen bonds with others, make new friends, and see the value in friendship in a fresh way. Nothing like starting over to show you that you never really start over when you have real friends in your life.
- Special memories - the last weekend in Pocatello, the send off party for the ages, the gift of a beautiful nativity set from my FBC staff, the drive to Minden, the first weekend at LifePoint Church (thanks again to Curt Harlow!!), the first staff meeting, the Easter blackout, the first Tahoe Baptism, the help of the church family to move (again), the amazing Christmas season... just a sampling of what I don't ever want to forget about 2010.
What are you taking/leaving from 2010?
12.31.2010
Remembering 2010 - Part 1
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...
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...
12.28.2010
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.
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