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.

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.

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!

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!)

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:

• 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.

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!

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!!

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?

Learning The Rhythm

My friends have asked how my 'first' weekend at LifePoint went. I thought it went great, and I've got a lot to learn. It wasn't my first time preaching, and it wasn't my first weekend as pastor here, but it was my first time preaching as pastor here, and it was great. I was glad to get off on the right foot, and extra glad for all the folks who were praying so hard for God to show up, because He did. I can't wait for this weekend and to keep rolling on what it means to Follow Jesus. I've heard some great stories already about folks taking seriously the call to Live Like Jesus and serve the way He served. That gets me fired up!!

Now a quick confession: There's a sense of rhythm that happens to almost anything, and especially when you do something regularly, like say a pastor preaching a message each week. I have a great feel for Sunday mornings with two services, because I've done that for a long time, but the Saturday night thing baffled me. When do I start getting ready? When do I get my 'game face' on? What should I eat? Should I eat? I had no idea about any of that stuff.

Pastors and other leaders: when you're doing something that's new, like adding a new service, or starting a new schedule, do yourself a favor and learn from my mistake: ask someone who's done it what the important issues are to consider before you jump into it. When I led a church to go from one service to two, I asked folks about the difference it makes having two services, and I got great advice (number 1 thing: don't skip breakfast!), but I forgot to ask about what to think about on Saturday nights.

Asking for advice is good. The Bible is clear: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Prov. 15:22 (NIV) How did I blow that one? Not every counselor is right, but if you don't ask any, you miss the chance to get the help that God's offering you.

So pray for me (some more...) that I keep asking God to show me who to listen to, and then that I hear from God through the advice of wise counsel. And that I figure out Saturday this week. :)

Message Delivered

The first one is in the books, and I'm pretty tired, but really excited about this first weekend preaching at LifePoint as the Lead Pastor. Lots of great feedback, and I was really glad to hear that lots and lots of folks signed up to help with the Easter Services. I'm always pumped up to hear that folks heard God's word and stepped out to do what it says.

I'm excited for what's coming, and I'm pretty fired up for the weeks we have leading up to Easter. Keep praying, because it's going to take more that just what we have to bring to the table to see the big move of God that's going to come. God has big plans, and we need to step into them with prayer and faith, open hearts and open hands.

Remember: invite cards are for giving to people that you invite to Easter services! :) Come to one, serve at another. It's the best way to celebrate the Ressurection Day!!

Breaking The Silence

Okay, I'm back! After an out of town wedding and a couple other trips out of state, I am back to business here at Roof Crashers. There are big things brewing, but I'll get that to you in another post. In the meantime, let me update you on some wins:

• January saw 6 baptisms at FBC!!! Three were in response to Karl's message on baptism, and then more a few weeks later. So good to see people obeying God's clear call to go public with their faith.
• Two Sunday's ago, we talked about generosity, and I put the challenge out for folks to give an offering that very day so that we could send 10% to Haiti to help out after the earthquake. We ended up sending $1000.00!! Sure, we rounded up on the 10%, but I don't think that's going to get us in trouble with God. :)
• Financially, the church is back in the black, and giving is coming up! Keep praying, we want to continue to follow God on the path to His vision for our church, and the generosity of His people is a big part of how we get there.
• One of the baptisms this past month was of a student from the student ministry. The extra cool part: she was led to Christ by one of her friends from here at FBC. Yes, teens leading teens to Jesus. How great is that!?!

We're staying in the Signs of Life series until the end of February, so keep praying and keep inviting your friends to hear about what happens when God's life begins to flow out of our lives.

More later, just getting warmed up!

What Do You Talk About At Christmas Time?

I was at the gym the other day, and a guy whom I see there a lot stopped me with a question:

"So what are you talking about Sunday?"

What you need to know is that this man is what we in the church call 'de-churched,' he used to go to church, but he quit going years ago, let go of his faith and never looked back. We have conversations from time to time about spiritual subjects, and I've invited him to church a few times. He threatens to show up. I'm still hopeful.

Back to our conversation at the gym: he asked if I was doing the old stand-by stuff this Christmas. That's the interesting dilemma that we have as speakers in church - the Christmas story is pretty well played out for some folks. There's all the players - angels, Mary, shepherds, Joseph, the inn keeper, the wise men, the manger, the star... who hasn't heard all of that? Maybe a few people, but there are few over the age of 10 who haven't heard at least a majority of all that. What do you say that's fresh? How do you tell the same old story in a new way?

I told him what we were doing, the Thoughtful Gifts series. I told him about having frankincense in church and how it came from trees. He asked me what myrrh was. I told him he needed to come hear for himself on Sunday. He smiled. Pray with me that he does.

It's always an interesting process to go through, figuring out what to say at Christmas time. It's interesting all the time, but especially at Christmas. So this year, my goal has been to do two things - share the same old Christmas story in the most creative and thought provoking way I can, and then not worry if people have heard any of it before. All of us need a reminder of the hope that Christmas brings, and if there is anyone who comes who doesn't know the real reason for celebrating Christmas, they'll hear it as clearly as I can say it.

I just finished the message for this Sunday. No, I don't have any myrrh, sorry. But it's going to be the most hopeful and most challenging message I've ever given at Christmas time. Don't miss it. I can't wait to see what God does with this one.

Which leads me to Christmas Eve next week. Make plans to be there, and bring someone with you who needs some hope this year. For some, it's been a hard year on many levels. Bring someone who needs to know Hope was born in a stable in Israel 2000 years ago. And if you've heard the story, don't let that get you so jaded that you forget there are thousands of people in our community that haven't. They may know the players and the plot, but they don't know how it really ends. Bring them for the Christmas surprise of their lives! Jesus came to set us free from sin! All our guilt can be gone! All our hope restored! All our hearts made new!

Remember that this is the easiest time to get someone to come to church with you. Remember that Jesus died for your friends and neighbors as much as He died for you. Remember that Christmas is a gift that you can give. Remember Jesus this Christmas.

Thoughtful Gifts

I'm getting the feeling that Christmas is for real this year. I spent my lunch hour helping Beth shop for a gift for her office Christmas party tonight. So that's Christmas shopping, presents and a party today already.

The message series for Christmas this year is Thoughtful Gifts, looking at the gifts that the Magi brought to honor Jesus. The old song, We Three Kings, while not exactly accurate about the number of kings, gets the gifts right, gold, frankincense and myrrh. Each gift was expensive, important and carried a special meaning about the birth of this special baby.

Don't miss this message series, and be sure to bring someone with you who needs some encouragement and hope this Christmas season. The message of the manger is hope, and this year there are lots of people who could use some hope.

Trying To Tie Up Loose Ends

So things have been a little complicated around here lately, and I'm feeling like I need to communicate a little harder, so here are a few issues I want to make sure everyone is up on:

• Prayer Labs are THIS THURSDAY NIGHT!! We are meeting at locations all over town for a time of prayer, then meeting back a the worship center to pray together for our valley, and to pray for our team going to New Orleans next week.
• The meeting locations for the Prayer Labs are - Highland High School, Irving Middle School, the Alameda Center, The School District Offices, Indian Hills Elementary School, The ISU SUB (meet at the Canoe Room), and the Pine Ridge Mall (meet inside in front of Party Palace). We'll gather at 6:00 pm for prayer, then head to the church at 6:45.
• Yes, the New Orleans trip is a go. Smaller crowd than we had planned, but still a gung ho group of Christ followers going down to help people in need. The word is we're going to be helping build a ramp for someone in a wheel chair and other such stuff. Sounds like fun!
• The 40 Days of Prayer series is going well. People are responding, and the questions and conversations are about deep stuff in people's lives. I can't wait to see what God does the rest of the way with this. Keep praying for God's will to be done, and for us as a church family to do it!
• Just got done planning the Christmas series, it should be amazing! "Thoughtful Gifts" will focus on the three gifts of the Magi and what they meant at the time, and what they mean today. You are going to want to bring friends to hear this series!!

Just trying to keep the lines of communication open!!

Quick Hits

Some things in the air:

• The Lions (3-3) finished their season on a sour note, losing their final game to Blackfoot 37-18. Mac played with a serious cold, having run a fever the two days before, and still had 12 tackles and two passes defended. He was a trooper. Proud dad moment.
• That said, football is over at the McCready house (except for some watching, of course), and just as the schedule starts to slow down, Rachel starts basketball practice TONIGHT!!
• Good feedback from the first message in the 40 Days Of Prayer series. People needed to know or be reminded that God is a loving Father and Friend, so we can be real and relational when we pray. Hope that it will change people's prayers to remember that.
• I stuck my head in on the Student Ministries Leader meeting - THERE WERE 12 PEOPLE THERE!!! God is up to something big in our church when there are a dozen people who want to be a part of changing the lives of teens. LOVE IT!!
  
• Stayed home with a sick girl Monday and Tuesday - Rae was running a fever, so no school for her. She's better today, and fired up for her first practice tonight.
• Had an amazing staff meeting today. I love this staff! They are dedicated to Jesus Christ, to this church family, to each other and to the work that God has called them to accomplish.
  
• Because giving is not keeping up with our expenses, there are going to be some hard things happen in the life of our church family. Please pray for people's hearts to be moved toward giving, and that the blockage about finances in this church would be removed.
• There will be a direct discussion of the finances this Sunday before the message. I hope it will be heard, and I hope it will not take away people's attention from the message on prayer.
  
• Sunday's message will be life changing for someone, perhaps you. My world is being rocked by the thought of praying to a holy, holy, holy God. GOD IS BIGGER THAN MY PROBLEMS, AND HE'S BIGGER THAN YOUR PROBLEMS, TOO!!
• Getting the final details nailed down for the New Orleans trip. Looks like 5 of us going, and I can't wait! Wish I was there now...
  

Stay tuned for more on any and all of the above, but I wanted to get you caught up.

Off To A Great Start!

Our opening event for the 40 Days Of Prayer last night was amazing! We had a nice turn out, and a lot of good energy toward this campaign from the jump. We've given out over 175 Journals so far, and we've had a bunch of new folks jump into Community Groups for the series, so we're getting set up to see God move in a big way.

Big thanks to Aaron for leading a great worship time, and for teaching us a cool new song.

I'm excited for the potential this campaign has to help us throw off the guilt that gets attached to the issue of prayer for most Christians, and at the same time, blow up some myths about prayer that some folks might have. It doesn't have to be complicated, it doesn't have to be 'perfect,' and it doesn't have to be 'right' to be prayer. God just wants to hear from you because He loves you!

I'm working to finish the message for Sunday, and it's going to be a great first step on the journey after Paul Austin showed us the way forward last week. Bring a friend and get a journal for this 40 Days Of Prayer, it's going to be a great ride!

Seasons Rolling Along

The weather has certainly made a statement the last few days, and the calendar at my house is saying the same thing: the seasons are changing. Mac has his last regular season football game this Saturday (still in it for the playoffs, GO LIONS!!), and I just signed Rachel up for basketball that starts in a week or two. I'm looking in my closet for sweaters, and the kids were both telling me that they need new snow boots. There is change in the air.

The season of focusing on prayer in the life of our FBC family has begun. Paul Austin did a great job of leading off our 40 Days Of Prayer campaign with his message on Sunday, and the Kick Off event will be Wednesday night at 7 in the Worship Center. I am looking forward to this campaign for lots of reasons, but mostly, because I have felt God calling us to reach to the next level as a church, and no matter what that looks like in the ministry we do, it will be dependent on God moving, and God moves when His people pray. So the logical place to start is prayer.

I will put this out for you to prayerfully test - God wants to do more than we can imagine, He loves us and the people of our valley more than we can imagine, and He wants to work in and through us more than we can imagine, so one place where we need to see God begin to shape the future in us is in our imagination. What do you imagine God doing in your life in the next 6 months? What do you imagine Him doing in your Community Group during that time? Between now and Easter, what do you imagine God doing in our church family? In the Portneuf Valley?

As we start into the 40 Days Of Prayer, I'm asking you to pray for God to expand your imagination and mine. If God can help us to imagine a better future for ourselves, our church and our community, then He can begin to work in and through us to make that future into our present. Pray for big imaginations, big dreams, big and powerful hope to take over and lead us to where a big God wants to take us. Pray big prayers, and lets see what a Big God can do.

See you Wednesday night!!

Focus In A Busy Season

Today is Saturday. I'm in the office early because we have a Community Group Leader training, and I'm going to be introducing our 40 Days Of Prayer material to the group leaders. I'm really fired up about it, and I think that the campaign will be a help to people who are looking for a deeper connection to Christ right now.

Later, Mac and I have a football game in Fort Hall. The Lions need a win, and today is a good day to go get one.

Later, I have to pack for a retreat in Post Falls with some of the staff. Gary McIntosh, an author and speaker is the main presenter, and I'm expecting to learn a lot.

Later, I have to finish my message for Sunday. It's the last one in the Beautiful series, and I think it's going to have a huge impact on both women and men in our congregation. It's about being ready for God to move in your life, and I think God is getting ready to do a big move in our church, so it's a timely message for all of us.

Later, I have a surprise Birthday party to go to. I can't tell you who, when or where, because it's a surprise. :)

Later, I have to sleep so I can get up and share God's message on Sunday, then get in a car and drive to Post Falls.

So, in order to keep focus on the right things with an agenda that is pushing the limits of full, RIGHT NOW I NEED TO PRAY! Right now is the time to get my head right, to listen to what He has to say to me, and to dedicate my day to His glory, not mine. My day may not include a 20 minute window for prayer, but it may include 20 windows of 3 minutes each, and I need to take every one of them. When I'm 'too busy' in my life, I have to make sure I'm not too busy to pray.

What about you? What do you do to maintain a connection to God during the busy seasons of your life?

Today Is A Day To Get Excited!!

I'm fired up today, which for a Tuesday, is a special feeling! Here's why:

• Sunday was an amazing worship day! Baptisms are always a great time at FBC, and our two candidates were excited, nervous, and blessed! Their friends and family that they invited were able to see them go public with their faith, and we as their church family got to welcome them with cheering into the family! Can't wait for the next one! (Thank you to everyone who serves, prays and gives to the ministry at FBC, we see the hand of God moving, and it's because of your faithfulness!)
• The message was a tough one for some folks, bringing up some of the struggles and brokenness in some people's lives, but pointing them toward God's grace and healing. Celebrating the forgiveness of Jesus in the elements of communion was a holy moment, especially for those who were connecting that their sexual past is something that God wants to forgive. It was tremendously powerful.
• Monday was an amazing ministry day. Aaron and Janaye Floyd welcomed their brand new son, Issac, into the world, and I got to go see them at the hospital and hold their blessing in my arms for a moment. Love that new baby smell! Big brother Micah has his work cut out for him. It was fun to see both sets of his grandparents in the room and think about the spiritual legacy that Issac will inherit. Generations of Christ followers loving, teaching, modeling and praying for him.
  
• I also had the privilege of standing with a family that Beth and I know as they said goodbye to their husband/brother/friend. A long battle with cancer finally took the life of a warrior. But Jesus was there, the Holy Spirit bringing comfort, and God the Father taking Shane by the hand.
• I'm fired up today with the opportunity to work on my message for Sunday. Finishing up the Beautiful series strong and setting up the next series - 40 Days of Prayer that starts October 4. God has been working through the messages and the conversations that they have sparked. Praise God for the women in the church, and for the women in my life.
  
• The bonus of today is that the staff is having lunch with our Senior Saints! Just a relaxed, no agenda, sit down and touch base conversation at a local restaurant. (Seniors: If you can make it, give the office a call and let us know you're coming before noon. If you can't make it, we'll do it again soon!)

God is working in our midst, and the fruit is getting ripe! Fall is the time of harvest, and we're starting to see some. Can't wait to see where this is all going!!

Why You Should Bring a Friend This Sunday

The deal with church is as simple as it gets: people are more willing to come with someone than they are to come alone, and survey after survey tells us that people would attend church if someone they ALREADY KNOW invited them to come. So if you're fired up about what God is doing in your life, or if you're fired up about what God is doing in our church family, or if you are fired up about the people in your life finding forgiveness and a fresh start from Jesus, here's three reasons why you should target this Sunday to invite a friend and bring them with you to FBC:

1. Baptisms - We have three people lined up to get baptized this Sunday!! Three people who have found Jesus and are going public with their faith, three people who have been nurtured and encouraged by our church family, and three people that are ready to celebrate the life change that God is bring in their lives right now! As a church, we do and AWESOME job of celebrating people stepping from death to life, and this Sunday will be no different. Bring a friend to come see the celebration of changed lives!!
2. Grace - the message will be about grace. God's grace in our lives, the amazing, wonderful, powerful, life changing grace of Jesus for all of us who have ever blown it in our lives. The message will be clearly about the forgiveness and restoration that Jesus wants to bring in the lives of people, and your friends who need to know that God loves them and wants to forgive them NEED TO HEAR THIS MESSAGE!! Especially the woman who has something in her past that is haunting her today. God wants to set some people free from the guilt of their past this week. Bring a friend to hear a message of freedom!
3. Jesus will be there!! The truth is, none of the 'events' of the day are more important than the presence of Jesus. The music, the message, even the baptisms are nothing without the living presence of God in the room. And He has promised to be there!! Your friend that needs hope, help or healing in their life needs a touch from Jesus, and the Bible promises that Jesus is there when we gather in His name.
   

I'm fired up about this Sunday! I'm fired up about the lives God is changing, the work He is doing in my life and the lives of others, and whatever surprises He has in store for us along the way. Bring a friend and let them see and hear the truth of God's grace this Sunday. You won't regret it, and maybe someday soon, you'll be the one lighting a candle for them (or even getting to do the dunking!) when Jesus changes their life forever!!

See you Sunday!!