Divulgence

Is it just me?

2010-12-04T02:11:00.001-06:00

I know it can't be just me. Surely you've had the same thing happen to you time and again. You know, that forwarded email that finds its way to your inbox? Most of the time, it's the email that has a story about a God encounter that never really happened. The story is clearly made up to draw upon the sympathy of the reader. This isn't really the problem I have with these emails. Who doesn't like a good story, even if it's made up?

The problem I have with these forwarded emails is that when the story is done, you're required to do something...FORWARD IT YET AGAIN!!! I cannot put into words how much I dislike these emails. They're annoying. And, if you didn't know it, you're loyalty, devotion and love for Jesus is directly related to you forwarding it to at least 10 people within a specified time frame. So am I to believe that if I DON'T forward the email, I don't love Jesus? If I don't forward the email ***cough spam*** that I won't receive God's blessing in my life? If I don't forward the email that I'm not a true follower?

Since when does my loyalty, devotion and love for Christ depend upon whether or not I forward an email?

Now, I have to say, I love the friends that forward these to me, but I don't love the emails. When I get one, I can't hit delete fast enough.

Here is the ending to an email I received recently: "Send this to 10 people in 2 minutes and you will feel the Holy Spirit brightening your life in just an hour."

What if I sent it to only 8 people? What if I get side-tracked and it takes me 3 minutes to send it? Why am I required to send it in 2 minutes, but it takes the Holy Spirit a full hour to brighten my life? These are serious questions!

I don't wish to offend anyone, but these emails are ridiculous! Is it just me??

Proud Parent

2010-02-02T17:25:00.005-06:00

Gracie won 1st place at the Science Fair! I'm very proud of her. She worked hard to on this project and it paid off. While I'm "getting my brag on", I may as well point out that Gracie also received an Achievement Award for "A" Honor Roll, Highest Average in Reading, Highest Average in English, Highest Average in Science, Highest Average in Social Studies and the Principal Outstanding Behavior Award. She received the highest average in every subject except math and she only missed that by 1 point. Chase is in 2nd Grade and he also is on the "A" Honor Roll! I'm very proud of my kids' Academic accomplishments. They're just like their daddy...err, I mean Mom.

Church Marketing and more

2008-01-23T21:15:00.002-06:00

One of my goals this week was to get or info in the local newspaper. Up to this point, we have done virtually ZeRo advertising for Bayou Community Church. That's about to change. I'm going to look into billboard advertising next week as well. I read something Mark Batterson wrote some time ago and I'm paraphrasing here, "The church has the greatest story ever told and the greatest story deserves the greatest marketing".

My hesitation up to this point has been the idea of pulling people away from their current churches to "try" ours. I'm not at all interested in this type of church growth. I am believing God to open doors to share the gospel with non church attenders. Those are the people I want at BCC...not the church shopper.

I think we can effectively market our church to that demographic or try real hard to do so anyway.

I talked with the owner of the newspaper today and something cool happened. He asked if I would be interested in writing an editorial each week for the paper. He said, "We live in a world that needs encouragement so desperately and I'm looking for pastors to write weekly articles to help encourage our community".

I accepted the invitation without hesitation. Just a few hours prior, I was on the phone with my brother, and was telling him how much I'd like to write an article for the paper each week. The problem was, I didn't think I could afford the cost right now. As God would have it, the paper is offering this as a free service to the community. To write weekly articles isn't going to cost us anything! I was sToK3d!

Questions:

1. How do you view church marketing? Should churches market themselves?

2. Is marketing the church further playing into an already consumer saturated "church" experience?

Bus Driving has its Privileges

2008-01-23T12:56:00.000-06:00

I had the opportunity to drive the Varsity Boys Golf team to a 2 day tournament Monday and Tuesday of this week to Augusta Pines Golf Course. The weather wasn't ideal but the course was beautiful and I even bought a new "golf" hat. :)

I snapped a couple of

pictures with my phone so the quality isn't so great. :)

Club House

Course

I hope to go back to this course and play it for myself, soon!

One BIG Experiment

2008-01-20T18:56:00.000-06:00

Have you ever felt as if life is that way, just one big experiment? Just over six months now into our new pastorate I'm feeling this way. So we're approaching 2008 as if everything is an experiment. The thing with experiments however, is you have to be willing to fail. Yep...willing to fail. I'm reminded though of Thomas Edison's words after having tried 200 different elements before he found the right element to make the incandescent light bulb.

He said, "Don't call it a failure, call it an education. I now know 200 ways that don't work".

So, we're going to brave the chilly waters of experimentation. If experimentation leads to discovery, we will soon discover what the heart of our community is, and then be fully prepared to reach in and touch it.

Coca-Cola, in it's first year of business only sold 400 bottles of Coke.

Dr. Seuss's first book, "And to think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street", was rejected by 28 publishers. The 29th publisher Dr. Seuss approached sold six million copies of the book.

Chicken Soup for the Soul was turned down by 33 publishers. The 34th publisher sold over seven million copies in 20 languages.

There is not to be found a successful businessman, inventor, writer or even pastor who hasn't had to fail before they discovered the dream they believed so much in. I believe Bayou Community Church can and will become the church God has destined her to be. The question that remains is, "Are we willing to overcome all obstacles, discouragements, frustrations and fears to discover it?"

2008 is the year of Experiment! God will lead us to discovery. I've heard it said, "the greatest risk is to take no risk", this is my personal motto for 2008!

January 2008 Newsletter

2008-01-19T20:51:00.001-06:00

Have you ever...

2007-09-25T11:40:00.000-05:00

...Done something that you never thought you would? I'm doing it right now! I'm driving a school bus. Yes, I'm driving a school bus. I had thought about this on different occasions in the past and well this summer I decided it would serve beneficial in our adaptation to this new area we're now in. It allows me to meet many new people while also helping to make ends meet financially. Being a Contractor for all my adult life I know I could go out and build a business in this area as construction is everywhere but we didn't move here to build a business, we came here to build a church.

Another benefit to driving a school bus is the route I'm on. Others in the transportation department would argue with me but I think God has uniquely placed me where I am on my route. I transport the JJAEP Students. JJAEP stands for, Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program. Yes, I transport the "bad" kids. But you know what? Over the last month since school started here I believe God has really let me see these kids in a way other than the way many see them..."convicts". When others are referring to the students I transport, they say things like "You got those convict kids on your bus, you better watch them". I don't see "convicts", I see lives. Lives that are full of potential and lives that God loves and Christ died for. I refuse to label these kids as "convicts".

Last week I loaded an ice chest up with ice and filled it up with bottled water. When my students boarded the bus, they were amazed that I had thought of them in this way to bring them cold water. The first student on the bus asked me, "Is this on you man?" I said, yes it's on me...enjoy. He replied, "Man, not everyone would do that, thanks!". He made certain that everyone who boarded the bus thanked me for bringing cold water for them to drink.

My prayer is that this bus route would be more than a job but an avenue to do ministry even if those receiving it aren't aware it's "ministry". The vast majority of these kids are from single parent homes and are struggling at best to understand life and the hand that has been dealt them. I hope that over the course of my time as their bus driver I'll be able to have a positive influence in their lives.

Our new church work is going well and I'll be writing more about what's taking place soon! Stay tuned!

Gearing up!

2007-09-04T21:40:00.000-05:00

I've been relatively quiet on matters concerning our new ministry here in Dickinson, Texas. The reason for this silence is that there was a transition in place and I didn't feel like it would be appropriate to divulge too much information. That has now changed. As of last Sunday, September 02, Tiff and I are formally the Lead Pastors of Bayou Community Church. Along with this comes the liberty to share more of where the ministry is and where we hope it will go. We're approaching "church" from a little different perspective in comparison to our last church which we pastored for the last 9.5 years; Living Springs in Bandera, Texas. We still very much love Living Springs and the wonderful people there but our hearts were beginning to be removed from the ministry there and God has now placed us here. Living Springs, having been our first pastorate had to put up with a great deal of inexperience with us. We think that this new work will benefit in that we have grown and matured a great deal since 1998. :)

We enter into this new work considering what it means to be the "church" in a more holistic manner. I pray that will translate into many coming to know Jesus as Savior.

This Thursday is our first midweek meeting in which we will have an open dialog about what it means to be the church and how the church should influence and impact our community. It's an ITF (Invent The Future) brainstorming session where we'll talk over many ideas that we can create into ministry. Another approach to ministry that we're going to consider as a young church plant is what I'm going to call Community3 or C3 which simply means community to the 3rd power. I'll be sharing more on this as it develops.

Needless to say, we're very excited about what God is preparing to do through BCC! Already we're seeing new faces come in and expressing a willingness to become part of this work! I think God is up to good things!

More to come :)

Chi Alpha Campus Ministries

2007-08-23T19:44:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine, Will Robinson is a Campus Missionary at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and I thought I would highlight the positive things he and his group are doing there for my Thumbs Up! post this week.

As you may know, when a High School student makes the transition from home life to Dorm/Campus/College life, it can be very overwhelming and extremely intimidating. One of the things that Will and Chi Alpha do in Corpus Christi for the new Freshman coming into the University for fall classes is to assist them with help moving into their new homes. They offer them cold water, a helping hand and a smiling face willing and eager to help them . For many, Chi Alpha is the first or only welcoming they'll receive as they enter this new world. It's amazing to me how every year the members of Chi Alpha will give of themselves in this positive manner to make the uncertainties of college life fade to the background with a helping hand. For that, I applaud my good friends, Will and Jennifer Robinson and their Chi Alpha team! Pray for them and their ministry to the students and staff of Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.

Brownie

2007-08-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

Too often we fail to heed the words of Jesus, "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;"

It's all too easy to pass quick judgment upon others, all the while minimizing our own failures. This little video illustrates judging too quickly pretty well. :0)

Edit: After I posted this, I watched it to make sure I embedded the file correctly and my son walked up and saw it. He said, "Dad? What did he do?" I said, "What do you think he did? He said, "eat poop!"

Yes, he needs to learn to not judge too quickly as well. :)

Mike Yaconelli

2007-08-19T21:58:00.000-05:00

I saw this on Glenn Hagar's site and thought I'd share it here.

Super Charged!

2007-08-16T00:28:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for our District's Annual Honor Bound Men's Retreat .

Looking forward to it!

Help us!

2007-08-09T22:29:00.000-05:00

I could go on and write a lengthy post on the parallels here to the church/christians, but I'll let you draw your own conclusions. :)

Positive Influence

2007-08-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

When I read Rodney's challenge for Thumbs Up!, I was encouraged and immediately wanted to be part of it. As Colin stated in one of his comments on his inaugural Thumbs Up! post, "Already I find with this Thumbs Up! initiative, that I am being forced to think of positives. I'm liking it".

Like Colin, I find myself looking for the positives in everything. You know what? They're out there, ready to be highlighted and pointed out. As I was considering what I would post positively on this week, I just looked around and watched people. I knew none of those that I was watching but I watched and I saw some amazing things, many of which we often take for granted. I saw smiles shared between strangers, hellos exchanged and have a great day was wished to others. I noticed others helping to carry things that would have been too heavy for one to carry alone. I witnessed a concerned neighbor help a stranded motorist. I watched as so many gave of themselves for the benefit of another.

To me, that is "positive influence" at work. It happens all the time but unfortunately many times we fail to recognize it for the true beauty it is. A simple Hello accompanied by a smile could make someones other wise rotten morning brighten up and help them to say, "Today is going to be great day"! We do well to not minimize the power of positive influence.

I remember just this past November I was alone and in Chicago. I knew no one and I was in the middle of downtown. I thought I would catch a cab and visit the Sears Tower. I hailed my cab and got in. As the driver left the curb, he turned, looked at me with a smile and an African accent said, Where would you like to go?" His smile put me at ease.

We began making small talk as he drove me to my destination. As it turns out, he and his wife were Christians and when he found out that I was a pastor, he was extra excited to have me in his cab. If a taxi ride could ever be delightful, this was the one.

As I exited the cab, I offered to this gentleman $20.00 which would have been plenty for my fare and a nice tip for himself. He looked at me with a smile and said, "No sir! You're a pastor and this one is on me!" I often think about my downtown Chicago taxi ride and the "cabby" who made it so enjoyable. The only thing he did was drive me to the Sears Tower! No, he made me feel at ease and shared his taxi and his life with me for a few minutes which has left, to this day, a positive influence on me. Whenever I think about him I pray for he and his wife.

What positives are we missing out on every day? You never know just the kind of positive impact you can have on someone by simply being nice and sharing a smile with them. The little things count too...don't overlook them where you live!

Accentuating the Positive...

2007-07-30T20:08:00.000-05:00

As I was making the blogroll rounds today I read an interesting blog written by Rodney over at The Journey. Rodney has come up with a way to highlight the positive in the blogosphere. It's no secret that all one has to do to hear negativity is to turn on their television or chat with the neighbor or sadly, simply read some blogs. We're bombarded with negative communications from every side.

Join the positive discussion and link to Rodney's site via the badge code you will find at his site. Simply put it in your sidebar and post positively on someone or something every week!

There's enough people blogging about the negative aspects of life, Christianity and everything in between so let's mix it up a bit with some positive!

Alone...

2007-07-29T23:23:00.000-05:00

Here I am alone again tonight in this old empty house...

Those are the first words to an old Alan Jackson song about going crazy after the one/s you love have left. Well, that's kind of the way I feel tonight as I write this blog. I don't want to get too mushy on you tonight but I'm missing my family terribly and they've only been gone for about 9 hours. My wife and children are with Tiff's mother and two sisters on a vacation to the beach for the next week.

It's funny, the silence you crave in moments of constant noise isn't so desirable when the noise has faded. I want to hear my children laughing or even fussing about having to brush their teeth; at this point, even that would be welcome. I want noise because noise is an indication of normalcy around our house. For the next week, it won't be normal around here. Just me and the noise I make. Yes, I may begin talking to myself just to hear some noise. :)

When they were pulling out of the driveway, my wife asked me if I was alright and like any strong man would do, I said, "Yeah, I'm fine". Honestly, it sucked watching my family leave.

So now I have a week and 1 day to find something to do with myself. Oh I'll find something to do. Actually, I have plenty to do that will keep me busy during the day, but it's the night time that gets to you, ya know?

I think the bond that we all develop as a family is Godly. I believe that God creates that bond within our hearts that when we're away from those we hold dear, it hurts. We long for their voice and their laughter but all we have until they return is the memory of those sounds. If it's true what they say, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder", I'll be so fond of them when they get back I may never let them leave again! ;-)

New blog links

2007-07-27T13:23:00.000-05:00

I love to read blogs and have a few that I recommend for your reading in my blog roll on the right margin of my blog. All of them are there for unique reasons to myself. I've added two more today that I should have added a good while back but failed to.

Rodney Olsen- The Journey

and

Michael Morehart- Morehart

Stop by and join the conversation with these guys. You'll be glad you did. :)

Blog Addiction?

2007-07-27T08:42:00.000-05:00

No way I'm 71% addicted to blogging! Is denial the first sign? ;)

71%
How addicted are you?

How much do I have to change before you'll like me?

2007-07-25T23:34:00.000-05:00

Interesting indeed how often those of us who call ourselves Christians demand a change in others before we'll let our guard down and accept people just the way they are. As I read through the Gospels, I don't recall Jesus saying to the twelve he chose; to change and then come follow him. He simply invited them to "follow him". I love the way Rob Bell put it in his book titled, "Velvet Elvis". He likens the Christian journey to that of jumping on a trampoline. "We jump and simply invite people to jump with us, to live the way of Jesus and see what happens".

The radical hope of the gospel is that if we follow Jesus, change will then happen.

Perhaps if we were more "tolerant" of others as they are, they would be more tolerant in listening to our gospel and thereby be more inclined to accept an invitation to jump with us.

What are your thoughts?

1. How are you in this area? Do you typically want to see change before you accept people or are you willing to let them be themselves and allow God to effectuate change?

Have you ever done the Stupid?

2007-07-21T13:11:00.000-05:00

I have...Shortly after moving to Texas City, Texas from Bandera, Texas, I changed the address on my Driver's License to reflect my new address. $11.00 and 3 weeks later, they arrived in the mail. I took my old license from my wallet and compared the new information to the old and everything was satisfactory. So, I put what I "thought" was my new license in my wallet and placed what I "thought" was my old license on my desk for discard later. Later came and I took the license that was lying on my desk and proceeded to my kitchen. You have a junk drawer in your house right? The drawer where all of the odd things end up. We do too. The scissors are in this particular drawer. I grabbed them with confidence and began cutting up my license that had previously been lying on my desk. All is well. That is until I go to the bank to cash a check and they want to see identification. Beaming with confidence, I pull out my long, black leather wallet and extract my new license. Just because I like the look of my new address, I glanced down to see it again and what I saw stopped me in my tracks. I mumbled something under my breath. It was something like, O CRAP, NO I DIDN'T! I had cut up my NEW Driver's License not my OLD Drivers License.

I felt sooo stupid! So now I have to pay another $11.00 to get another Driver's License which will take another 3 weeks! Whoever said stupidity doesn't cost, never met me. :-)

Cultural Intimacy

2007-07-19T23:50:00.000-05:00

Depending upon whom you are asking, the question of cultural intimacy will yield a positive or negative response. Should the church or Jesus Followers be intimate with their culture? Intimate as in marked by very close association, contact, or familiarity. I think if one studies the life of Jesus they will notice a very close association with culture or the world. Ah, there's the real dirty word, the world. Have you ever noticed how many Christians insist that we are "IN" the world but not "OF" of the world? They go on to claim that if you're a friend of the world, you're an enemy of God. Could God be his own worst enemy?

I think the Scripture is clear that, "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Doesn't sound much like God hates the world to me. Does it to you? I hear so many preachers preach this sort of contorted doctrine as if we are to have no alliance with the world whatsoever. This may stand to reason why their ministries are failing and the only ones that are attending their meetings are those that don't have anything better to do anyway or habit simply gets the better of them.

Jesus spent much more time in the "world" arena than he did the "religious" arena. He was always mixing it up with "sinners" and avoiding the "saints". He spent so much time with the heathen that he was referred to as the "Friend of sinners". The shame of it all!

The problem herein is that too often we misunderstand the real meaning of the word, world. We carelessly define this word to mean "lost humanity". While there are certainly biblical passages that would support that definition, we must be careful not to use that definition in every instance the word is used. How is it Jesus could say in John 3:16 that God loved the world and then in 1John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." It would appear that God is confused and really isn't sure of what our feelings toward the world should be. But we would be wrong to think that. The words are different in use and context.

In John 3:16-17, the world would represent the whole of humanity. The word in the original Greek is Kosmos, from which we derive, world. Though this word has other meanings such as ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens, in the context of John 3:16 it represents you and I and countless others like us.

In 1John 2:15, the world would represent world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly. The word here in the original Greek is also Kosmos but within the context it calls for a separate definition, "The whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ." John is saying that we must be crucified to the world and the lusts that fill it. Our hearts are not capable of holding love for God and a love for the things of this life. The things of this life are the weeds that come up and choke us.

So then where does this idea that we should be enemies of God if we are friends with the world come from? I think it comes from a lack of proper attention and willingness to search God's heart. I cringe when I hear Preachers say we musn't fellowship with the world (sinners) because what fellowship does light have with darkness?!? Are we afraid to be like Jesus? Are we afraid to love our Kosmos and participate in its life and function within its arena? Are we afraid to be like Jesus and become deeply intimate within our culture?

A quick test will determine where we are in this. Write down on a piece of paper all the names of your friends. You know, those you go to dinner with or have over to your home for dinner or would go to their home for dinner. You know, your friends. Now, how many of those friends are sinners or un-believers? If our list has more believers than non-believers, I wonder just how intimate we are with our Kosmos.

Cooperation with God

2007-07-16T08:37:00.000-05:00

"Whatever God's dream about man may be, it seems certain it cannot come true unless man cooperates."

~Stella Terrill Mann

I love this quote because it reminds me that God and I are a team. Though God can do anything and really doesn't need my involvement, He desires my involvement. Many times we dismiss the successes in our lives or the lack thereof to the idea that "God is God and his will will be done regardless of anything else."
Perhaps the goals we have set for our lives depends very much on our cooperation with God. To work without God or against God is like swimming upstream or cutting against the grain. Both feel unnatural. We were created to work in unison with God.

Where is God trying to work in your life to bring about a dream that you have? Where are you resisting God's work? Consider how well you work with Him or against Him. It could make the difference of whether or not you see the dream accomplished!

A favorite quote of mine...

2007-07-07T23:04:00.000-05:00

“Isn’t it the task of the Holy Spirit to introduce some madness and intoxication into the world? Why this propensity for balance and safety? Don’t we all long for one moment of raw risk, one moment of divine madness?”

~Ron Rolheiser

Kids...

2007-07-05T10:47:00.000-05:00

I'm walking past my kids' bathroom this morning and as I walk past, I glance in. I see my son standing at the sink with this "stuff" all over his face. He's shaving and he's 5!

Don't get alarmed, it's a "play" shaving kit that Grandma bought him some time ago. I'm going to have to teach him that there is no need to shave one's forehead. :)

WARNING Random Thought Ahead

2007-06-29T22:41:00.000-05:00

I've had this on my mind for some time now and though I'm going to just put it out there, I'm not prepared to fully blog on the thought yet. Though I hope to do so soon. Anyway, I look around my world and I see so many people that are just so disinterested in church or anything the church has to offer. I have to ask myself why? What is it about church that people don't want or don't need? I think a great deal but I digress for now. I will leave you with my thought now. Stew over it, wrestle with it. I am.

Here it is, "Church, The Great Disconnect"

So much has taken place...

2007-06-28T21:24:00.000-05:00

In the last few weeks that I don't know where to start.

On June 1st we left Bandera and headed for Texas City, Texas where we now live. We're taking the task of a new church plant in Dickinson, Texas and were very excited about it. After getting our uhaul unloaded into our garage, we headed for Alabama for a week and a half. It was a great visit. We arrive back in Texas City to begin unpacking and settling in our new home and things were going quite nicely. It had been one week in our new home and we had one service in our new church when I got a call from my sister in Alabama telling me our dad had died earlier that morning. I cried. We packed up and headed for Memphis for my dad's funeral. On Sunday, June 24th we buried him. Without going into the long history of the relationship my dad had or didn't have with his seven children I'll just say it was a difficult time. Dad was only 58 years old. We arrived back home on Monday the 25th.

We're trying to get settled in to this new area of ministry that God has called us to but it seems that we just can't get connected like we want to. I know it's only been 2 weeks but I'm anxious to get busy doing what I came here to do. I know God's plan is in place and He's executing it as he has purposed so I have to learn to go with him and be led by him rather than try and jump in front of him. This Sunday will be our second Sunday. I'm excited about it. I have so many things that are stirring in my heart for this church. I know God is going to do so many amazing things in so many lives!

When you pray, can you say a word of prayer for us? Also, could you pray for God's direction for Bayou Community Church? We have come to build a community of believers for him, not ourselves. The new work is a step of faith for us financially. We didn't come to a huge salary. We're trusting God to provide and I'm amazed at how we've seen God do so thus far!

Well, today I've finally got connected back to the Internet and it's funny how much you miss it when it's gone :) I'll be posting much more regularly as things progress here at BCC. By the way, in case I've confused you between Texas City and Dickinson, we live in Texas City, Texas but the church is in Dickinson, Texas about 15 minutes from our home. :)

Saying Goodbye...

2007-05-28T23:31:00.000-05:00

As of today May 28th, 2007, I am no longer the lead pastor of Living Springs Church. It is still a bit surreal to me but it's my new reality. Even in the midst of packing up our house to move to a new city I find myself longing to be in my office reading or preparing a sermon. It's odd, this way I feel. I'm not sure how to express the emotions I feel inside. On the one hand I'm so incredibly excited about moving to Dickinson, Texas to begin working in this new church plant and then on the other hand I'm incredibly sad to see nine and a half years of pastoring this wonderful congregation of people come to an end. Nothing has changed yet everything has changed. I'm torn on the inside. However, I'm certain of God's call to Dickinson.

Yesterday was our farewell service. I don't think I've ever had a more difficult time speaking than when I was saying goodbye to my church. I fear I didn't properly express my sincerest feelings of love I have for them. I hope they heard my heart through my broken words.

Also, yesterday afternoon we had a dedication service. My board of advisors requested that I dedicate our new building before I leave. It was such a high honor to dedicate to God's work the wonderful building that he gave us to worship in. So much ministry is now happening and taking place that we were never able to do before God allowed us to build. I'll forever be grateful for God's direction in that. It was a wonderful dedication and farewell service. The people were kind, thoughtful and sincere in their expression of love for me and my family.

So, Friday we're leaving town with our Uhaul fully packed and ready to go we head off to our new assignment, Dickinson, Texas. I'm not afraid. I'm excited. I've seen the hand of God move so wonderfully in Bandera that I'm certain this new mission will prove to be a testament to God's goodness again. Our first Sunday will be June 17th. When we leave Bandera on the 1st of June, we'll be headed toward Dickinson and we'll arrive that night to begin unloading the Uhaul. Sunday the 3rd I'm scheduled to stop by a dear friends church in Beaumont, Texas to preach on our way to spend a couple of weeks with my folks in Alabama. After a short vacation/rejuvenation, we'll arrive back in Dickinson ready to begin work!

I'll be without an Internet connection for several weeks during the move and transition time but once we get settled in I'll be blogging on all that God is doing in our new work and lives. Pray for us and the wonderful people of both Living Springs and Dickinson (Bayou Community Church).

See ya in a few weeks!

Peace...

Reality is setting in...

2007-05-04T20:02:00.000-05:00

I took one and my wife took the other. We had to split up yesterday as Chase had T-ball practice at one place and Grace had softball practice at another. I was with Grace at hers when my wife calls me and says, "There's a surprise for you when you get home". I didn't have a clue what it could be. I still had about 30 minutes left at Grace's practice so I forgot about the "surprise". When I get home and pull into my drive way I saw it..."FOR RENT". Yes, there was a for rent sign in the front yard of the home that I had rented for the past 8.5 years. You see, we're moving. Big deal huh? Well, it is to us.

We're moving to a city just southeast of Houston about 28 miles to begin pastoring a new church plant. We're very excited about this new season that God is bringing us into but so many things have been going on in the last 2 months that I forgot to tell myself that we're going to be moving...I mean, I knew that we were but when I drove into my driveway yesterday evening, it was all too clear and reality really set in. "FOR RENT" seemed to jump off that sign as if to say, "GET OUT"! This is the home that we began our family with children 8 years ago. On the back of the house I built a 400sq. ft. deck so we could celebrate Grace's first birthday with family and friends. Now, 8 years later my two children have their teeter-totter set up on it and we still enjoy it out there. My kids both learned how to ride their bicycles in the street just a couple of feet from where the sign is methodically placed. I'm going to miss this house but we'll carry with us the many wonderful memories of our happy family.

Sunday, I'll be announcing to our church at Living Springs that we're resigning. It's going to be incredibly difficult to do! I'll post more about this later and the new work that God is calling us into. Stay tuned!

This will make a grown man cry...

2007-05-03T13:53:00.000-05:00

I certainly don't pretend to know all that is going on in Iraq but of this one thing I'm sure, Mommys and Daddys are called away from their children for the sake of defending liberty and it's a sad day in America when we forget the sacrifices they make. Whether we agree with the war in Iraq or not, we must be thankful for the men and women who defend our freedoms while putting themselves at grave risk. God bless our Troops and God bless America!

Happy Birthday, Chaser!!

2007-04-06T01:47:00.001-05:00

Tonight we celebrated my son's 5th birthday at Peter Piper's Pizza. He had a great time and received a lot of great gifts from everyone. Thanks to all who were able to be there. Your presence meant a great deal to us. It's hard to believe my little buddy is 5 and will be starting Kindergarten this year! I just can't believe it. I look at him and still see my baby boy in so many ways then other times I look at him and see the little boy he is coming to be. It's bitter sweet really. On one hand you want them to stay small and dependant upon you but you know the natural order of things is that he grows and becomes less dependant upon you. It's hard though! I thought after gowing through that stage with Gracie that it would be easier with Chase....I was wrong!

I tried to post this Mosaic of Chase's party on my new blog but it wouldn't accept the html code so I put it here. :)

To Go Or Not To Go....That is the question.

2007-03-14T13:48:00.000-05:00

There's quite a conversation taking place over at
Glenn's blog. Glenn's post is dealing with a book titled, "They like Jesus but not the Church".

In the comment section, I stated I don't like the name of that book. I still don't. I might feel better if it was, "They LOVE Jesus but not the Church." Oh Shannon, you're getting tripped up over a book title. Perhaps.

What I really want to bring out is a comment that was made that really got my mind going.

Jason said, "When people ask where I go on Sunday, I say oh about 10 feet to my couch where I take what is rightfully given to me by God, that is my Sabbath. A day of rest and rejuvenation with my family. I love it, and hope it never changes."

I have to admit, my first thought was, "What a lazy christian!" But, forget about that. Is there really a need to "attend" church? A church as in a gathering of people for the purpose of corporately worshiping God and edifying one another? Is this something that's been done away with and the Bible no longer holds any instruction in regards to this? Is it OK to not participate in a regular gatherings of God's people?

Scriptures like Hbr 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Has this scripture been mis-understood and mis-represented all these years? Has the meaning of this scripture somehow lost it's value in our post modern society? Would Jesus attend gatherings if he were living in 2007?

I'll be honest. I don't believe a person HAS to be in "church" every time the doors are open but I do believe a Jesus-Follower should be actively engaged in corporate worship often. You've heard the saying, "No man is an island to himself." That is the feeling I get when I hear someone say they don't need church or they can get as much from God sitting at home.

A key to spiritual growth is communion with other believers as we worship our God together. I wonder just how much a person grows when they aren't helping others get closer to God. When they aren't serving others, I wonder who they are serving?

Someone has said that being a Christian without being faithful to church is like:

- A student who will not go to school
- A soldier who will not join the army
- A citizen who will not vote
- A salesman without customers
- A seaman without a ship
- An author without readers
- A parent without a family
- A football player without a team
- A bee without a hive

You see, it may be possible to be a Christian without going to church but can you be a good, growing and godly Christian without participation? I don't see how. We need one another.

R. A. Torrey said it well,

"There is nothing more important in the Christian life than beginning right. If we begin right, we can go on right. And, one way we begin right is by being faithful to the house of God."

The day of Pentecost wouldn't have been the same if 119 of the people didn't participate in prayer in the upper room.

So, what do you think?

Is Church overrated and there is no Biblical mandate for such interaction with other believers?

Are you half-awake or half-asleep?

2007-03-14T00:28:00.000-05:00

William James said, "Compared to what we ought to be, most of us are half-awake?"

Half-awake, half-asleep...same thing. I love this quote and I think about it often. I'm a firm believer in that God presents opportunity to us and if we're not awake, we'll miss them.

Sometimes we're so busy with our own lives that we miss God-opportunities. Sometimes we're so busy messing up other people's lives that we miss God-opportunities. Sometimes we're just not spiritually tuned into what God is doing and we become totally disconnected so that everything God would do just flies right over our heads.

The danger in this is that a missed opportunity is just that, missed. You may never get it back again. How many God-op's have I missed because I wasn't aware? How many opportunities to help someone? How many opportunities have I let slip right through my hands because I was too busy with my own agenda? How many times have I failed others because I was so self-focused? Where has God tried to bless me but because I wasn't aware, I failed to recognize His hand in it?

God sends opportunities often so we must have our "spiritual antennas" up so that we will be able to detect what God is attempting to do through and for us. Don't miss out on what God wants to do for you and through you because you're not alert.

How do you become alert? Prayer! Pray, because when you're praying, you're alert and you're expecting God to move in your life. If you're not praying, then your spiritual antenna is not up!

1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

I pray that God will lead you into greater and greater opportunities that will bring Glory and Honor to His name!

Take it to the next level

2007-03-09T18:27:00.000-06:00

So often in church circles, especially "Pentecostal" ones, you'll hear phrases like this,

We need God to pour out His anointing
We need the Holy Spirit to move
Our worship service needs to go to the next level
Our church needs to go to the next level

There are more but I think the point is understood. I want to say first of all, I'm not against any of these things. Actually I think they're all needed in every local church. But, what I don't get is why many people saying these things act as if it's the "churches" responsibility that these things are taken to the next level. I think God will pour out His anointing. I think the Holy Spirit will move. I think worship service can go to the next level. I think churches can go to the next level. I also think we miss it many times when we stand on the outside peering in without any change or advancement in ourselves.

Here's what I think needs to happen. I think people need to go to the next level. Not the "church". Let's not forget WE are the church so if the church is lacking, that can only be indicitive of our own lack. If we want the church or worship to go to the next level, then we first must go to the next level. Quit playing church and get serious about God's work; that is reaching the lost. Not maintaining what we have only. God will pour out His anointing, the Holy Spirit will move, worship will go to the next level and our church will go to the next level when WE go to the next level in God.

When we get out of our comfort zones and advance the kingdom of God like never before, God will be there like never before. I'm concerned that many I know have this fixed mentality of how church and God are and they're waiting on them to go to the next level but they do not understand that God is waiting on them....not them waiting on God!

We must come to the place where God is all we want. Nothing else. Just God. He is the most important need of my life!

So much to do and so little time...

2007-03-06T13:13:00.000-06:00

This is one of the busiest times of the year for me. We're preparing to have our Annual Business Meeting at Living Springs and there is so much to do and get ready for. This year we're presenting new ideas to help us achieve what God has called us to do as a church in addition to reviewing where God has brought us from last year. 2006 was a tremendous year for me personally as well as for our entire church. As I look back and consider all that God has done, I'm simply amazed. He is so good and so faithful to us. Even with all of the wonderful blessings of God throughout last year, I'm so excited about what God is doing this year. We're almost through the first quarter of the year and there's yet so much I feel God wants to lead us in that it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. I need to sit down and prioritize what are the most urgent and needed steps to take. What God is doing will certainly take everyones passion and participation. That to me is what's most exciting. Uniting with His body to bring glory and honor to His name. We're going forward with a deep thankfulness for what He has accomplished through us over the past year!

Bridge to where?

2007-03-02T15:26:00.000-06:00

My wife is out of town at a conference so it's just me and the kiddos. Last night we all went to see the movie, Bridge to Terabithia. I must admit, I was not impressed at all. The movie was very slow to get into and once it did finally become interesting, you were busy chasing the scenes in an attempt to figure out where they fit into the overall theme of the film....to be honest, I never discovered the overarching theme of the film. After leaving the theater on the way home I kept trying to put it all together but I just couldn't. The good side is, I spent some quality time with my children and ate nachos and popcorn to my hearts content. :) So it wasn't a total loss. ;)

Compelled by Eternity

2007-02-25T13:54:00.000-06:00

Today in the Assemblies of God is National Women's Ministries Day. In honor of all the women who are so very vital in Living Springs, the entire church service this morning was lead by the women in our church. They did everything from the worship service to the preaching. What an awesome job they did! It was good for me to simply sit down and be ministered to rather than being the one preaching. I'm proud of the rich ministry that our ladies bring to our church and for all that they do to share Jesus with our community! They're the best!

Feelings of Disconnect

2007-02-21T23:07:00.000-06:00

These are the feelings I often get when I haven't been able to do what I love for any length of time. Blogging has become one of those things I love to do. However, over the past couple of weeks, it hasn't been one of those things I've been able to do. Immediately after my wife and I got back from our short getaway, I got sick with the flu. It was rough to say the least and I'm still not back to myself. The mens group of my church has planned a fishing trip for this weekend and I really want to go but I'm not sure my body is ready for it. I feel like they're really wanting me to be there which makes me feel good. I think I'm going to give it a shot. Everyone says that salty air is good for me right now. I guess we shall see. We'll be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning and coming back Saturday evening. Prayerfully next week I'll begin to reconnect with my regular life. :) I miss regular life....life without medication to simply help you get through the day.

Where have I been?!?

2007-02-18T17:04:00.000-06:00

Seems like an eternity has passed since my last post. My wife and I got away for a few days and came back refreshed. I was gearing up to go to Mexico on a missions trip this weekend. That's where I should be now but I got the flu!! Yuk! I have felt horrible for the last 4 days and it seems it is hanging on. Hopefully next week I'll get back to blogging more. I've missed it really.

Going, going, gone!

2007-02-08T08:49:00.000-06:00

I'm taking my wife away for a few days. :) Cya!

The Radical Optimism of the Cross

2007-02-03T22:04:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I blogged about a video David produced from "In Rejection of Mediocrity". The video was titled, "It's about the Cross". I asked the question in my title, "Have we forgotten anything?" I've been thinking a lot about this and wanted to go a little deeper into this question. I think some of the deep spiritual significance of the Cross has been lost in our post-modern world. This is troubling to me and I hope to you. The Cross holds in it two very opposite truths and realities.

The Cross demonstrates some of the most sinful actions of men.
The Cross demonstrates that God can work through even the most sinful actions to accomplish his perfect plan.

There is a radical optimism found in the very ugly reality of the Cross. What is this radical optimism? Let's discuss this...

To begin with, we read in Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured thecross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

To the one who endured the Cross, the radical optimism was the joy awaiting him on the other side of it. Jesus no more wanted to be nailed to this cross anymore than we would want to. He pleaded with His father in the garden of Gethsemane that he would allow the plan to be diverted. Let's take plan B as I don't think I can do this! We all know that God had no plan B. The way for all men to be reconciled to God was through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Because of the joy that was before Him, Christ found radical optimism in the Cross.

Another part of the radical optimism of the cross rests in the what Jesus said in John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me."
Jesus knew He was the answer to man's sin problem. And He still is today. Remove from the Christian faith the Cross and we have no faith at all. It is foundational to our faith.

The radical optimism of the cross was that we would accept the substitutionary death of Christ and pick up our own cross to carry.
Matthew 16:24 issues the challenge, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

The radical optimism of the Cross beckons us to a life of service unto God. Paul writing to the Corinthians in his first letter to them writes in 2:2, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

I think what Paul was interested in knowing with this statement is, "Has the radical optimism of the cross changed your life? That was the important factor for Paul. Has the power and glory of the Cross, changed you?

Today some consider the Cross of Jesus Christ as something too gory to talk about at church. It's just too ugly of an event to spend much time on. Somehow the Cross has become offensive to many Christians. It's ok if it's reduced to a piece of ornamental jewelry we showcase around our neckline but that's it.

What happened to telling the story of a Savior who died a horrible death for all of humanity? Why have many churches steered away from preaching the cross? Paul even said in 1Corinthians 1:18, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

Could this be true? Is the power of God held in whether or not the cross is preached? I think it is. The power of God is demonstrated in the Cross. God took such horrible acts of sin and made it a wonderful gift to all humanity! Only God could do that and it demonstrates to us all the radical optimism God saw in the cross!

Do you see the radical optimism of the cross?

Does my REALITY match my THEOLOGY?

2007-02-01T22:34:00.000-06:00

Over the last year I've been really doing some thinking on Reality Vs. Theology. It's been heavily on my mind for the last couple of days due to some posts I've made and those made by many others that I appreciate so very much in the blogosphere.

So, the question I raise today is this. Is my Reality and my Theology in sync? Does one affect the other and is one supposed to over power the other? I think this is true for all of us, that many times our reality is much lower than our theology. The reality, where we really live, isn't matching our theology.

Our theology says something like this (I think this is true for most of us anyway).

God loves everyone
Jesus was a fan of the marginalized
Jesus touched the filth of humanities worst people.
Jesus honored the small gifts of a humble widow woman and gave no honor to the riches of the proud
Jesus partied with sinners...religious people hate when the word Jesus and partied are used in the same sentence. It makes them feel dirty.
Jesus calls me his friend
Jesus died on the cross so I could live free from the law of sin and death
God's word says I can do all things through Christ Jesus
God heals

I could go on and on and on but I think you get the point.

If my theology is correct and I think it is, why is it hard so many times to get my reality to reflect my theology? Yeah I believe God loves everyone....BUT! Yes Jesus touched filthy people but I won't. In my life and in so many others that I see around me, I sense this great disconnect between what I believe and what I do; my reality isn't matching my theology. If I believe the Bible, why can't I simply live it. Why is my reality so much lower than my theology. I believe God is unlimited in power and might but my reality isn't reflecting that at all. I believe God loves the poor, marginalized, broken, deserted, hurting, busted and disgusted people of the world but my reality is too many times disconnected from that truth. Why?!? Would it be a gross misstatement to suggest that if my reality isn't matching my theology then I must really not believe too strongly in that theology? If my understanding of God's word to us is that he wants us to feed the hungry, clothe those that are naked, give water to those that are thirsty, visit those that are imprisoned, defend the fatherless, support the widow and I don't, my reality is far below my theology and doesn't that somehow cheapen the theology I hold so dear? I think it does. What are your thoughts on this? I think this is something I'm going to be wrestling with until I get a closer match between my reality and my theology. The truth of the matter, I think, is that if my reality isn't matching my theology then my theology is worthless.

Church Lingo Translated

2007-01-31T22:17:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine emailed this to me. I thought it was funny :)

Church Lingo Translated

In a never-ending effort to attract the unchurched, some churches have considered translating their unfamiliar terminology into familiar football phrases. Although these definitions are not the best football and certainly not the best theology, they would help initiate football fans into the complexities of church life.

EXTRA POINT: What you receive when you tell the preacher his sermon was too short.
FACE MASK: Smiling and saying everything is fine when it isn't.
BLOCKING: Talking endlessly to the pastor at the church door and keeping everyone else from exiting.
DRAFT CHOICE: The decision to sit close to an air-conditioning vent.
DRAW PLAY: What restless children do during a long sermon.
END AROUND: Diaper-changing time in the nursery.
END ZONE: The pews.
FORWARD MOTION: The invitation at an evangelistic service.
FULLBACK: What the choir sees while the sermon is delivered.
HALFBACK: What the organist sees.
HASH MARKS: Stains left on the tablecloth after a potluck.
HEAD LINESMAN: The one who changes the overhead projector transparencies. (Now we have power point!)
ILLEGAL USE OF HANDS: Clapping at an inappropriate point in the service.
ILLEGAL MOTION: Leaving before the benediction.
IN THE POCKET: Where some church members keep God's tithe.
INCOMPLETE PASS: A dropped offering plate.
INTERFERENCE: Talking during the prelude.
LINEBACKER: A statistic used by a preacher to support a point just made.
PASSING GAME: The maneuver required of latecomers when the person sitting at the end of the pew won't slide to the middle.
QUARTERBACK: What tightwads want after putting 50 cents in the offering.
RUNNING BACKS: Those who make repeated trips to the rest- room.
THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS: Getting things done via the elders or church board.
TOUCHBACK: The laying on of hands.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING: The chairman of the board looking at his watch in full view of the preacher.

William Ellis, Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 3.

Is Black Still Black and White Still White? Is Right Still Right and Wrong Still Wrong?

2007-01-31T00:15:00.000-06:00

I made a comment on Jamie's post at (e)mergent Voyaguers on his post titled: Homosexuality: A Personal Reflection.

My comment was this:

Jamie,

Vulnerability with this post could almost be an understatement. I commend your willingness to share such difficult things with us all. It has only been in the last year that I have really been willing to open myself up as a person that really wants to understand the homosexual community. Admittedly, I was a hard line critic of such a life. All the while using the Bible as my hammer. God has helped me in this greatly. I have a practicing homosexual woman that comes to my church and I want her to know she is as welcomed as anyone else and she won't be "judged" by us because of the way she chooses to live. I don't think she needs to be told she's wrong, I think she needs to be understood and encouraged in finding God's love for her.

______________________________________________

A reader, whom I don't know and for her confidentiality I'll leave unnamed, emailed me this:

Dear Shannon (and Jamie),

You (neither one of you, as I lurk on Jamie's blog and only found your blog today Shannon) do not know me from anyone. But your post on (e)mergent Voyageurs
has just really prompted me to write. You say...

I have a practicing homosexual woman that comes to my church and I want her to know she is as welcomed as anyone else and she won't be "judged" by us because of the way she chooses to live. I don't think she needs to be told she's wrong, I think she needs to be understood and encouraged in finding God's love for her.

The hurt is in being told that we (I am a gay person, bi-identified, living in a committed lesbian marraige) "choose" to live as a homosexual. Not all homosexuals have this "choice" as not all homosexuals identify bi-sexual or various types of trans-persons.

While you may not agree with her practice, maybe you should get to know that "woman at the well" and see her as Jesus does. And IS she welcomed as anyone else, will she be invited to serve in leadership, and will she, should the call come, be allowed to discern her path to ordination (like Jamie was able to)? Where will her glass ceiling be? I pray there will not be one, and that she will be truly welcomed in your church and is able to discover who God is shaping her to be.

Your last sentence indicates that she has not yet discovered God's love for her. You have a wonderful and beautiful gift in your church, someone who has decided that the church may just be a place where she can find God. I don't need to tell you how many people, especially the marginalized, are NOT looking to the church to provide answers to spiritual questions. They are happy to be "spiritual not religious." I pray that when we welcome these spiritual seekers, we can truly understand them, walk with them and hear what God has been up to in each of their journeys so far.

God Bless and be with you.

_____________________________________________

I responded to her email with grace, I hope.

Some of her points, however got me thinking. She asks if the woman attending my church would be truly welcome and able to serve in leadership or pursue ordination and to what extend will her glass ceiling be?

Let me first say, I believe homosexuality is contrary to God's word and His plan for mankind. I believe it is sin, plain and simple. But, I don't believe homosexuality is anymore of a sin than I believe lying, stealing, adultery, etc... is sin. If I hold such things to be sin according to scripture, am I bound to tolerate it in such a way that would compromise my convictions? I certainly hope not. I mean these are not preferences I'm talking about here, they're convictions based on God's inspired word. I can change a preference, no problem....I'd prefer scrambled eggs over sunny side up but it's not a conviction of mine. I will eat eggs prepared sunny side up, I just prefer scrambled. I can no more have a practicing adulterer in a leadership position in my church than I can a thief, liar, murderer or homosexual. Can I?!? God forbid. This is not prejudice, this is convictions from which I cannot waver. This particular woman that has begun coming to my church is as welcomed as anyone else. God knows that is the truth, but given her "chosen" lifestyle, I could not accept her in "leadership".

Jesus with the woman at the well truly had compassion. I think this is key. He also gave her a wake up call. He called her to the attention of her sin. Sin is at the center of the encounter. Through compassion, Jesus was able to get this woman to not only consider her complete and utter failings, her sin, but his compassion motivated her to change the way she lived. She no longer bounced around from man to man. She was changed.

Complexity is an understatement when dealing with homosexuality. I have a dear elderly couple in my church who's son is in the battle of his life with AIDS. He lived a homosexual lifestyle for quite sometime. He no longer is active in that lifestyle and is very committed to God. I'm not suggesting that God is meting out punishment on him, simply stating facts. I've talked with him and though he is very compassionate toward homosexuals, he wouldn't agree with the emailer's position I'm sure.

Have we become too soft in our convictions that we're afraid to call Right, right and Wrong, wrong or White, white and Black, black? When did this grey demilitarized zone come into play?
Though Jesus was abundantly compassionate, he never wavered in his convictions. Why should we?

Missional Living

2007-01-29T21:39:00.000-06:00

Ok, this is NOT a rant, Smulo ;)

What is "missional living"? Sometimes in an attempt to gain a better understanding of what something is, it's best to look at what it's not.

Missional Living is NOT:

About you. Living Missionally means you aren't self focused on your own needs as much as you are on the needs of those around you; namely those who may not be Christ-followers.
About a Denomination. Does it really matter what "church" we attend? I don't think so. Denominations can never nurture a relationship with anyone only people can do that.
A Standardized System. It is alive and as such it seeks to bring a fresh awakening to those brave enough to live missionally. Not just talk missionally.
Rebellion. It is not rebellion toward a movement that worked so well for so long but it is a realization that cultural shifts are taking place and the church and those who comprise her must shift with it or run the risk of losing connectivity within said culture.
The Answer. But lends to it. Missional Living is a catalyst in helping us consider what it means to live out our faith in this world.
For Everyone. Quite frankly, some folks don't have to wear the button pin of "Missional" to feel like their doing something great for God. They're actively engaged in living out their faith and never even heard the world "Missional".

Would you like to add or take away from my short list of what Missional Living is NOT?

Again, this is not a rant, just my thoughts as I surf from blog to blog about missional living. I see a great deal of ideas floating around in here but I only see very few actually demonstrating that they are living missionally in their real lives. We post about the church we would love to see and the work in our communities we would love to do but I don't see many coming back to their blogs saying...HEY!! Here's what I did to demonstrate missional living today!!

I want to issue a Global Missional Challenge otherwise known as the GMC :) If you do something to demonstrate what it means to live missionally, share it with us. Tell us about your reaching out to someone. Tell us how you shared Jesus today. Share with us how you followed Jesus today. Tell us about your "missional living". Not just your apparent dissatisfaction with it all. I know, I know, I know....there is a place for expressing dissatisfaction and all that good stuff. Frustration needs to be vented and released or it will kill us. Literally perhaps ;)

Have we forgotten anything?

2007-01-28T13:31:00.000-06:00

How do we connect to Christ? There is but one way, the Cross. The cross is the connection point between us and God. If this connection point is done away with, there is no other alternative.

Has the reality of the cross and our utmost need for it lost it's place in our Traditional, Emergent and Missional minds? Sometimes I fear this is the case. We're trying to figure out a way to get to God without the traditional church system, we're trying to lead people to Christ via their own "personal" journey but have we forgot to lead them by the way of the Cross? This video is interesting in considering that question. David over at "In Rejection of Mediocrity" has produced a video with this in mind.

The Maze of Life

2007-01-27T14:43:00.000-06:00

Have you ever felt like life is just one big maze that you cannot find your way through? You know there is a way through this crazy thing but it seems there are countless dead ends...and you seem to find all of them. It would seem that just when you feel things are going right, you hit a wall. That job doesn't pan out, the relationship you thought was "the one", isn't, the health issue you're dealing with doesn't seem to be getting any better. You're overall outlook on the future seems to diminish a little more with every passing day. As a result, you find yourself simply meandering in the maze of mediocrity. You're tired of trying anymore. You’re convinced this life is as good as it gets. Ever had one of these days? Ever had one of these weeks, months or years? I certainly have. How do we get back on "track"? I want to give a few ideas that will help when life just doesn't seem to be working out for us.

I think the first thing to do is re-trace our decisions. Where ever we are in life, pleasant or unpleasant, may be as a result of a decision we made. If we're in a rather unsatisfactory place in our life, we may have made a poor decision. Everything we do as individuals is decision based. The down side to this is a bad decision will result in a bad consequence. Ah, yes, those pesky consequences. Don't you wish we didn't have to worry about those things? Well, we do. The really bad thing about bad decisions is that you don't get to choose the consequence that follows. The poor decision dictates the consequence. It would be nice to eat all the "junk" food I wanted and say, "My consequence is going to be health and wellness." But guess what, it isn't. The poor decision to eat poorly already dictates to me what will be the consequences of that poor decision. I'll be over weight and miserable trying to tie my shoes. :) The point is decisions should be carefully thought out in relation to the likely consequences to follow.

I understand that not all of our struggles in life are as a result of our own poor choices. Perhaps you're going through something right now that is the result of someone else’s poor decision. This can be a very difficult situation to work through; especially if that person is close to you. I think the thing we have to remember when someone else’s bad choices negatively affect our lives is to take a long look in the mirror. Yes it hurts and yes it's difficult to deal with but haven't we all been on the other side of this before? I mean at the very core of the matter rests the fact our bad choices sent Jesus to the Cross to die a substitutionary death that wasn't His to die. It was ours. The point is someone always pays for bad decisions. Ask God to help you forgive and to give you power to get through this ordeal...my guess is God will be there for you even if the other person isn't.

Then, preparation precedes blessings many times. I don't think this is always the case but I do believe that in many situations, we have to position ourselves for blessing. I guess this would run parallel to making good choices but I think there is another aspect involved. Keeping God in slot #1 in our lives is a good way to prepare for blessings. Jesus said, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33
I believe God wants nothing more for us, His children, than to bless us by leading us to the fulfillment of our dreams. I think the prerequisite is that God does the leading. I have an "older" gentleman in my church that once told me, "95% of the time when people's lives head toward ruin, they've gotten in front of God." We've begun trying to lead God in the way we want Him to go rather than submissively following in the way He wants us to go. Are you following Him or are you trying to lead Him? Success and blessing comes to the follower.

What do you think? Any advice on this crazy thing we call life? Would you add something that has helped you in your personal struggles?

Love Wins

2007-01-26T09:25:00.000-06:00

That's what is on my t-shirt today. I got this t-shirt last year when I, along with my youth pastor and some of the teenagers of Living Springs went on a weekend missions trip to Mexico last year. We'll be going again in just about a month. Love Wins was the theme of the outreach invasion. Every time I put this t-shirt on and I read those words, Love Wins, it puts me in a great frame of mind. When I'm wearing it and others see it, I notice they'll read the words, look up at me, read the words again and simply pass by. Others will say, I like your shirt. Whatever the case may be, Love Wins, gets your mind to thinking. If you're being treated badly, Love Wins. If your the recipient of hate speech, Love Wins. If you're sharing Jesus with someone who seems they couldn't be any less interested, Love Wins. If you are hating on someone today, Love Wins. If someone is getting on your last nerve, Love Wins. If your children are being *brats*, Love Wins. :) To live out our lives with this as our motto would go a long way in promoting peace of mind, relationships, positive attitudes and the list goes on.

So, if you're having a bad day thanks to someone or something else or even yourself remember, Love Wins.

p.s. Did I mention...Love Wins? :=)

Just thinking....

2007-01-24T23:34:00.000-06:00

Monday I went to the hospital to pray with Kenneth, a man that recently began attending my church as he was having surgery to have his left leg amputated from the knee down. He's suffering from Diabetes.

After I came home from the hospital I began reading through my daily blog reads and found out that Colin, a blogging friend, was dealing with some very serious health issues as well.

Kenneth and Colin both gave me a great deal to think about. Here is a man that is loosing part of his leg and another that is seriously ill and they both are praising God, giving thanks, encouraging others, and concerned about others. This is the mark of a real relationship with Jesus because even in the worst of situations His joy still fills their hearts and His praise is still on their lips.

It makes me wonder why I complain sometimes when things aren't going just right for me. How selfish! Right? I mean there is so much going on out there in other peoples lives that it makes me ever wonder why I would even raise the "why" question to God. Kenneth, Colin and others like them are testaments to God's goodness and they are a true encouragement to us all!

What does a healthy Church look like?

2007-01-22T23:22:00.000-06:00

Some interesting conversations are happening all across the blogosphere which lead me to this post. Discussions of Leadership, Consumerism, Slavery Preference and more have sparked a great deal of interest in me. Depending on who you talk to you'll get a variety of answers to this question: What does a healthy Church look like? I'm not going to pretend that I can be exhaustive on this issue but what I'm going to share will lend a great deal to the question.

Every pastor wants to lead a healthy, successful church that is engaged in doing the real work of God's Kingdom. I'm no different. We want to work with a church, not work for a church. There is a HUGE difference between the two. When a pastor feels like he is working for the church, he's just a hired hand that comes to church to share 3 points and a poem, makes people feel real good about themselves and disconnects until the next time. If the pastor feels he is working with the church, then he's enthusiastic about the participation level of others getting involved in what the work of the Kingdom really is.

Let's not forget what the real work of the Kingdom is: Reaching The Lost...that may not be too postmodern but it's what it is. :) Those that don't know Jesus. That's the real work of the Kingdom! Connecting people with Jesus Christ! If we're not doing that, what are we doing? Well, we're probably conducting nothing more that a social club with a sense of entitlement as it's over arching theme. Everyone feels they're entitled to this and that so they give their money and time to ensure that someone is there to give them what they are so rightfully entitled to. This is not indicative of a healthy church!

What does it take to become a healthy church?

In part, it takes a church of Thirds. Yes, Thirds. Not Turds. :=)

A healthy church should be made up of thirds.

If you have a pie and slice it into thirds, you obviously have 3 equal slices. No slice is greater than the other but they are all equal.

The Church in Thirds.

1/3 = Mature Jesus-Followers

1/3 = New Jesus-Followers

1/3 = Non-Followers. (This group is investigating what it's all about)

Every group has a place in the church (community) that is as important as the next. The mature followers are no more important that the non-followers. No one group stands alone in it's own identity but rather each group fits together with the whole to make 1 identity, the identity of the "church". Yes, the church must have "non-followers" in order to be whole. The church must be an all inclusive body. No one is left out and no one is over looked because everyone is needed to bring wholeness.

What does a church look like that is made up entirely of the first 1/3?
DEAD!! That's what. They're not duplicating themselves. They're not impacting their community or world. They are a candlestick that needs to be removed.

Revelation 2:5
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

What does a church look like that is made up entirely of the second 1/3?
Disorder!! No one is at a level of maturity to know what to do. Everyone is at the milk stage. None are ready to take on the meat. This group needs the first group to lead them into maturity. It's not the Pastor's solo act! It takes everyone to edify and built up new Jesus-Followers.

What does a church look like that is made up entirely of the final 1/3?
Hooters!! This group is not following Jesus. They're asking questions and their exploring the possibilities of following but they need time to digest some things. This group doesn't pretend to be perfect, they know they have hurts, habits and hangups, but at least they're honest about it. I mean, who among us doesn't have the 3 H's? Hurts, Habits and Hangups? This group may sit in our churches for a year or more before every taking the next step and you know what? It's OK.

I think in many modern churches today it's all about getting people down to an altar just 1 time. Somehow we've come to think that if we can get someone to the altar that their lives will magically improve with no more effort on our part to lead them and disciple them. I'm a fan of the altar and we have 2, one on each side of our sanctuary and at the end of every sermon, I give an opportunity to respond to the message. What I don't do is put all my chips on the altar. I know God is at work whether or not any come. I don't draaaag the service out waiting on someone to "make" a move. But the opportunity to make a public decision is always presented and never forced.

If a church has a good mix of these three groups, it is well on the way to becoming a healthy church. A church that is not so inward focused that they forget their is an outward importance. This kind of church is open and accepting of everyone that comes. There are no big I's and little U's in this Church. Everyone is equal and everyone is part of the family and we all help one another get a little further down the road on our journey of following Jesus!

This is the kind of church I want to be part of!

Which is better?

2007-01-18T21:27:00.001-06:00

I heard someone say this the other day.

"I'd rather aim low and make it than aim high and miss it."

That's been on my mind today. Is it OK to aim low? I've heard it said, "It's better to aim for the moon and miss than to never draw back the bow." I couldn't agree more. I believe in aiming high, setting high goals, dreaming big and believing big. Conversely I believe in hitting the mark as well. If I have to aim low to ensure I hit the mark, it's still an accomplishment of great success, right?

I believe one's present reality must work conjunctively with the goal. For example, if my goal is to become a Dentist then going to an auto body school doesn't get me there. My present reality isn't matching my goal. I believe we must position ourselves for success and we do that with the choices we make and the actions we take.

So what do you think about this? Would you rather aim low and make it or throw caution to the wind and aim high with a high probability of missing. Or, for you, would it depend on what the goal (target) is?

Last year's resolution is still good, right?

2007-01-18T21:06:00.000-06:00

Well, I've gone and done it. I've joined the local gym here in Bandera. Tonight was my first workout. I can barely feel my arms :) This is going to take some getting use to. I promised myself last year that I would begin working out again as it's been about 5 years since I steadily worked out. A year and a half ago a doctors visit revealed I had high blood pressure and at 224lbs, I was 37lbs above my "ideal" weight. When I stopped working out I was 191lbs, just 4lbs over my ideal weight of 187lbs. My goal? Get back in shape, reach my ideal weight and get off this blood pressure medicine! I know I can do it, it's going to take determination and dedication. Two things I have :) I realized how much over weight and out of shape I was on our recent trip to Colorado. I could no longer fit into my ski bibs and had to buy new ones. (don't tell anyone that!) :-) I know the oxygen is less in the higher altitude but my heavy breathing was more than lack of oxygen, it was excessive weight! I'm ready to do this and I'm going to get it done! Wish me luck :) I go back to the doctor for a routine check up on the 5th of February, I need to weigh less than my visit last year!

Doomsday Looming?

2007-01-17T10:10:00.000-06:00

I read an article earlier today and thought I'd post on it. I'm intrigued by what I read coming from Iran and Iranian President Ahmadinejad. The president of a country about to go nuclear is confirmed as a very vocal believer in the coming apocalypse. Like Judaism and Christianity, Shiite Islam has its own version of the messianic return -- the reappearance of the Twelfth Imam. Shiite Islam believes that the coming of the Twelfth Imam will happen before America's next Presidential Election or some have been quoted as saying. After his U.N. speech in September of last year, Ahmadinejad was caught on videotape telling a cleric that during the speech an aura, a halo, appeared around his head right on the podium of the General Assembly. "I felt the atmosphere suddenly change. And for those 27 or 28 minutes, the leaders of the world did not blink. . . . It seemed as if a hand was holding them there, and it opened their eyes to receive the message from the Islamic Republic."

This man is a certifiable lunatic bent on Israel's complete annihilation and America's total ruin. I happen to believe the Lord's return is imminent and I wonder if these events taking place around our world are largely overlooked by Jesus-followers and the Church as just another news story of little significance. What do you think?

We're being ICED in!!

2007-01-16T10:58:00.000-06:00

South Texas is being covered with ice! This is a rare and unwanted winter storm around here. The last time a major winter storm of any kind was 20 years ago. I've been here 9 years and have never seen it like this. I live in a small town and we're just not set up for this type of thing. They're projecting up to 5 inches of snow on top of this ice which will certainly make things worse. Initially this would all be over by mid day tomorrow but now they're saying it may even be mid day Thursday.

Making up for lost time

2007-01-13T20:11:00.000-06:00

Having been away so much before the end of 06' and after the start of 07', I feel like I've lost valuable time and I'm now having to play catch up. I almost feel that my New Year hasn't started quite yet. It feels like it won't start until Monday as I'll get back to everyday life and normalcy. My daughter will go back to school and I'll get back to my work at the church and my wife and 4 year old son will get back to their normal routine. I feel disconnected from everything. I hope that will change when I step onto the platform tomorrow morning to preach the gospel. I have missed that so much. I bet it will feel as comfortable as talking to an old friend or slipping into your favorite shirt. I envision taking a deep breath of relief as I take the platform tomorrow. I haven't preached in my church on a Sunday morning since December 17th of last year. :) That sounds so strange to me. I miss seeing all the faces of the people that God has given me to pastor and that I love so dearly. I miss shaking hands and giving/receiving hugs to/from them. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I think that is so true.

I'm ready to get back to work creating a dynamic year of ministry at Living Springs. I believe God is going to do incredible things with us this year. I'll be going right to work on a new series titled: WANTED as well as developing a new CONNEXIONS ministry. There is a lot of work to do but I'm rested and ready to tackle it.

....can't wait until 10:30 tomorrow morning!

Home sweet home

2007-01-13T18:21:00.000-06:00

It's nice to get away but it's far better to come back home! We have been away for most of the last month and I feel I'm having withdraws of normalcy. Who ever said vacations were for rest and relaxation? While I do get rest (one day out of 7), it's always fast paced and tiresome. Going here, there and everywhere. Doing this, that and the other.

We had a really good time though. My daughter, Grace, skied for the first time and she did an awesome job! My son, Chase, loves trains so we took him to Durango, Colorado to ride the Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The train ride is a 5 hour round trip that takes you high into the mountains of the San Juan National Forest. The views are breath taking.

Here are some pictures of our trip :)

Gone Skiing

2007-01-05T16:38:00.001-06:00

Be back next week. :)

Is the glass half full or is it half empty?

2007-01-03T21:25:00.000-06:00

For me, this year is definitely going to be a "glass half full" year. I'm determined to focus on the positive side of even negative situations. I firmly believe there is a positive to almost any situation we face if we're strong enough to search for it. No doubt it's not always easy to see the positive side of things. Then there are also those times when I'm so mad or disgusted with something that the last thing I'm interested in is the positive. Are you that way sometimes too? Well, let's determine that this year it's going to be different. If you're a leader in your church or place of employment, highlight the positive things about those you work with or that work for you. You'll be sure to get more out of them that way. You'll even get more out of yourself that way too. There's something that happens internally to us when we speak positively to others. We feel better about ourselves when we help someone else feel better.

Health studies have even shown that recovery after surgery is notably better for optimists than pessimists; with greater risk for post surgery depression higher for pessimists. I was listening to Klove today and they had a news spot that reported optimists generally live several years longer than pessimists do. Optimism is simply the better choice for approaching life.

So this year, I'm going to accentuate the positive. It's easy to point out the negative, but it takes a special talent to extract the positive in many things.

So, does every cloud have a silver lining? I think so.

Avoid Dumb Mistakes Christians Make

2007-01-03T14:39:00.000-06:00

Whitney Hopler has contributed the following "dumb mistakes" to Crosswalk.com. What are your thoughts on some of these? (Please overlook the format...I can't seem to get it to work properly.)

* Dropping out of church. Don’t be one of those Christians who is missing
in action. Make sure you’re participating in worship services and other
church activities regularly, so you can keep growing and others can see
that you’re serious about your faith.

* Chronically complaining. Rather than focusing on the negative, ask God
to help you to see the positive. Make it a habit to notice your
blessings, thank God for them, and think and act in positive ways. Ask
God to help you be content, peaceful, and joyful no matter what your
current circumstances. Whenever you have a problem with particular person
or group of people (such as church leaders), go directly to them to work
it out rather than just blabbing about it to others. Try to encourage
other people on a regular basis, through kind words and actions.

* Taking without giving. Instead of taking everything the church has to
offer without giving anything back, commit to volunteering your time and
energy to help out in at least one of your churchs ministries. Know that
contributing however you can even in small ways will make a big
difference in your congregation.

* Misbehaving. Be sure to practice what you preach. When you say you
believe something, yet act in ways that are inconsistent with that
belief, you become a hypocrite who turns people away from the faith. Ask
God to help you life every part of your life with integrity. Dont
participate in any activities that youd be embarrassed about if other
people in your church knew you were engaging in them.

* Winning people to the church rather than to Christ. Remember that the
reason why youre trying to reach people with your faith isn't simply so
they can join your church its so they can have a relationship with
Christ. Focus on Him, whether or not the people youre reaching end up
worshiping in your particular church or not. When you discuss your
church, make sure youre not giving people unrealistic expectations about
what to expect there. Recognize that just joining a church wont
magically make peoples problems disappear. Be honest about the fact that
church, like any other place, has some difficult and unpleasant people
and that the church someone joins isn't always going to be like it is
currently, because change is inevitable. Emphasize that Christ (not the
church) is the way, the truth, and the life.

* Living below the level of your beliefs. Be alert to sins that can slip
past your spiritual radar and become part of your daily routine. Reject
materialism by refusing to waste time and energy on pursuing things God
isn't clearly calling you to pursue. Reject worry by trusting that God is
in control, even when youre under pressure. Reject superiority by
praying for a humble heart. Help your church become a place that presents
Gods whole message instead of watered-down, seeker-friendly principles.
Get to know the Bible well, and be ready to speak from Scripture rather
than pop psychology when talking with others. Stay connected to God
through daily prayer, and give Him your heart anew each day to stay close
to Him.

* Speaking above the level of your knowledge. Be careful about saying
more than you truly know. Resist the temptations to analyze people,
explain suffering, spread rumors, or believe everything you hear. Take
the time to think before you speak. Ask God to keep you from doing harm
through your conversations and help you do good through them instead.

* Hopping from church to church. Realize that theres no such thing as a
perfect church. Rather than constantly searching for a church that can
serve you better, decide to serve your current church. Ask God to give
you the motivation to become committed and involved. Remember the
blessings that come from a long-term commitment to one church: a sense of
belonging, a sense of accomplishment, discoveries about yourself, lots of
meaningful relationships, and a powerful witness for Christ. Start giving
your time, energy, and money on a regular basis to contribute to your
churchs work. Join a Sunday school class or small group to build
friendships with others in your congregation. Understand that there are
many biblical commands that you cant fulfill if youre church-hopping,
such as: being devoted to one another, serving one another, building
yourselves together, teaching and counseling each other, building each
other up, leaving peaceably with each other, encouraging and warning each
other, confessing your sins to each other and praying for each other, and
living in harmony with one another.

* Fighting among yourselves. Do all you can to work conflicts with other
Christians out peacefully. Understand that church feuds lead to disaster,
because: church leaders are distracted, church members not involved in
the feud are discouraged, Gods work is disrupted, the communitys
seekers are disenchanted, important beliefs such as forgiveness are
disregarded, the congregations testimony is discredited, and God Himself
is dishonored. Remember Christs statement that believers love for one
another will prove to the world that they are His disciples. Help create
a calm and loving culture in your church by obeying church leaders,
confronting troublemakers, refuting heresy, meeting hurting peoples
needs, suppressing legalism and modeling grace and kindness, discouraging
arguments, and forgiving sinners.

* Missing golden opportunities. Dont overlook the mundane moments in
life when opportunities to share the Gospel suddenly materialize. Seize
opportunities that arise at the grocery store, PTA meeting, bank window,
gas pump, ball field, or anywhere else God nudges you to witness to
someone. Know that some opportunities, if they are missed, will be lost
forever. Understand that God will give special opportunities to those who
are committed and prepared, so make sure you know Scripture well.
Recognize that some opportunities are much larger than they first appear,
and that on opportunity is too small or insignificant. Understand that
some opportunities bear immediate fruit for the kingdom. Remember that
the goal of every opportunity should be to lead people to Christ, rather
than to a church program. Ask God to give you the passion you need to
seize the opportunities He brings your way.

* Settling for mediocrity. Dont believe that the quality of your work
doesn't matter when you volunteer in ministry, because youre not a
professional. Realize that excellence matters, because: God loves
excellence, the Bible commands it, and people respond to it. Ask God to
give you the courage to make decisions for excellence. Decide to serve in
your areas of giftedness. Invest the money necessary to provide excellent
services, programs, equipment, etc. at your church. Thoroughly plan and
prepare for events. Persevere and work hard, trusting that your best
efforts are worthwhile.

* Allowing wolves to live among the sheep. Watch out for spiritual wolves
(troublemakers) among the sheep (faithful people) in your congregation.
Confront gossips, liars, caustic critics, legalists, and power-hungry
manipulators. Realize that they can be deceptive, but will eventually
reveal themselves by how they act. Dont be afraid to call evil what it
is evil. Dont allow people to destroy others in your congregation
through their bad behavior. Confront them, all the while remembering that
your goal isn't to shame them, but to bring them back into a right
relationship with God. Dont be afraid to follow biblical principles for
church discipline whenever you need to do so.

Our loss is Heaven's gain

2007-01-02T14:12:00.000-06:00

I received a phone call last night saying a gentlemen in my church had suffered a heart attack and was being transported to a hospital in San Antonio at 11:00p.m. last night. The news didn't sound good and I rushed to the hospital to find that my good friend Virgil Williams had gone home to be with the Lord. I was extremely saddened but remained as strong as I could for the family. The last thing the family needed was for their Pastor to go to pieces. After several hours at the hospital with Virgil's family and friends, I returned home at 4:00a.m. this morning. I hadn't had a good cry until I got to my office about 12:00p.m. today and I just sat down and cried for the loss that many of us are feeling through Virgil's death. It was so fast and unexpected. I still have to remind myself that he really is gone. Of all the men in the church I pastor, 2 men, without fail would give me a hug every Sunday morning; Virgil was one of them. I'll miss his hugs on Sunday morning. I'll miss his humor, authenticity and all around good nature. He was truly a one of a kind.

You will be missed my friend...

2Cr 5:8 We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Tag!

2007-01-01T15:51:00.000-06:00

I've been tagged by Jamie Swann who was tagged by John Smulo who was tagged by, well I don't know. I really think John invented this game :). The rules of this game are, once "tagged", you then share 5 things about yourself that others may not already know. I've never been tagged before so I'm enjoying this little game. For those readers who know me well, I bet I may surprise you with some things you don't know about me. :-)

5 things about me:

I am the 6th child of 7 and coming from such a large family, I really feel blessed. Life hasn't always been easy for us but I have no regrets.
I think I could have been a professional fighter. Having trained with 2 of my brothers in TaeKwonDo for several years, who still teach it professionally, I love to fight and consider myself a good fighter. I love the feeling of a well connected hit, nothing like it!
I live in the "Cowboy Capital" of the world but am not a Cowboy. When I say, I'm not a Cowboy, I mean I don't Rodeo. I have the boots, hats and Wranglers, but real Cowboys Rodeo, right?
My wife and I became the Lead Pastors of our first Church in 1998 when we were only 25 and have experienced many successes that few "first time" pastors enjoy. This January 25th will mark our 9th year. This is not a testament to us but rather it is a testament to God and his goodness!
Up until this past fall, I hosted my own game server for Call of Duty 2. I built -=SNIPERFIRE=- from the ground up and it remains one of the best servers in all of CoD2. The server is now managed by the various members who all joined my server since it's inception in December of 2005.

There it is, there are bound to be some things listed that even those who know me well didn't know :). In keeping of the tradition of "tag", I now tag 5 people.

If you're tagged here, I didn't just pick names out of a hat; you are someone I would be interested in hearing more about. :) So, TAG, you're IT!

Welcome 2007!

2007-01-01T09:19:00.001-06:00

Well, my family and I just got back in town late last night and we're already gearing up to leave again. Several months ago I booked a winter vacation for us to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. We love Pagosa and try to go on a trip there every winter. However, having just been away for 10 days, I wish I would have planned this next trip with more time in between. We had a great time visiting with my family in Alabama over the Christmas Holidays. Unfortunately there was a Stomach Virus floating around and everyone in my family was sick for some of the time with the exception of my wife. I think my wife not getting sick was God's blessing because if she would have caught it, I don't know what we would have done. She was the nurse that we all needed :) This unforeseen sickness delayed our return trip by two days so it puts even more pressure on us as we try and get ready to leave again on Thursday.

2007, I look so forward to this year with an anticipation that I can't recall in recent years. I truly believe this will be a great year of harvest for Living Springs Church. This year we will embark in new and creative ministry like we've never done before. We'll try new things without the fear of failure because we realize experimentation leads to discovery! We'll experiment and discover effective means of presenting Jesus to our community with relevance and purpose. The first sermon series that we'll be branding this year will be "WANTED!" It's a sort of spin-off from my sermon late this past year titled: Becoming a Messy Church. We're going on a search for all those that feel helpless, unwanted, unloved and hopeless. We're going to get "invitational" with messy people. Jesus invited people to himself, regardless of their problems or their past. We will do the same!

2007 represents a full year of uncharted territory and I'm eager to begin blazing a path all the way through it!

Are you? What are you most looking forward to this New Year?

Won't be posting to my blog for several days...

2006-12-20T16:55:00.000-06:00

We're going out of town until the 30th. So, if you post a comment and I don't reply, please forgive me. I'm not trying to be rude. :) Have a Merry Christmas everyone and God Bless you!!

"Consumerism" Revisted

2006-12-20T08:59:00.000-06:00

Last week I promised I would offer the positive aspect of consumerism as it relates to the Church and people. To many, there is no positive side to this. I think there is. I guess the first thing that we need to look at is, what does this word "consumerism" mean?

Consumerism is defined as: "the promotion of the consumer's interests".

You and I being the "consumers".

So if I understand this correctly, the grievances expressed over consumerism relates to the idea that the church has become to closely aligned with a capitalistic and consumeristic society in the way it "markets" itself to society. The other wrench in the wheel is the idea that the church has somehow become nothing more than just another distribution center of goods and services that self seeking people use for their own gain and advantage.

While I don't deny that there are some truths to these thoughts and that some of the church marketing that is going on today seems a bit extreme and that there are people who aren't truly interested in giving their lives in service to God but would rather just keep taking and getting from God and the local church, I think some of the ills toward "consumerism" is too extreme as well.

I like what Mark Batterson says, "The Church has the greatest story ever told and the greatest story deserves the greatest marketing." I agree with that.

Here is what many churches advertise....

Some churches advertise relevant preaching/teaching, exciting contemporary worship/traditional worship, youth and children's ministries and the list goes on. What's wrong with this? Nothing, absolutely nothing.

One of the greatest agents of advertisement was John the Baptist. He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

When John Baptized Jesus in the Jordon River another great advertisement took place, this is what happened.

Mat 17:5 "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Talk about advertisement overkill! That was some kind of "display" just to say, "Hey! This is my son, I'm happy with him and you should hear what he has to say!"

Wow, did God strike a deal with Hollywood to pull off this huge theatrical display? I'm afraid that many today would minimize this event as just another advertising campaign to cater to a consumeristic society. They would be wrong or would they be right?

Why did Jesus come to this big ball we call earth anyway? Well, if I believe the Scripture, it was to "seek and to save that which was lost". To identify with them the realities of who God is, to make known to the average person the person of God. If this is his prime objective, should ours be any different? Of course not. I think we can all agree on that. How does this objective get carried out and what does it look like is the real question at hand. I think the honest answer is, it looks different to many people depending upon where you are, geographically and demographically.

A Jesus Follower in China has to "advertise" or promote the gospel in a manner that is different than I would do here in South Texas. A little closer to home, Pastor Phil, Pastor of The Gathering posted on his blog "One Big Sorry Church". During the week of Halloween events, they made signs and posted them, advertising a "confessional booth", this wasn't an ordinary confessional booth like you might think. No, it was a booth where you would go in and not confess, but be confessed to. Apologies were made to those who came in for the many failings of the people who misrepresented God and His church. It was creative advertisement and a well thought out marketing plan that really got the point across. But, given the difference in his demographics and mine, and the meaning behind the "confessional booth", it fits much better there than it would here. People here would simply miss the point of it.

My point is, consumerism has to take place where ever we represent God and His church. Remembering that consumerism means: "the promotion of the consumer's interests".

If you have an interest in Big Macs, then McDonalds is going to advertise and market to that interest and promote the product that you are interested in. If you are interested in a new Ford Pick-up truck, then Ford Motor Company is going to advertise and market to that interest. If you have an interest in God, then the local church is going to advertise and market to that interest. There is nothing wrong with this and it's quite acceptable in fact.

Jesus was in such demand that he often sought secret places and quite times where he could withdraw from the crowds who were so interested in what He was advertising. Jesus was advertising a new way to look at God, a new way to approach God and a new way to touch God. He presented God as approachable, touchable and vulnerable. This was a new marketing plan that the religious didn't understand and quite frankly fought against. Jesus said things like, "Come and dine, Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Jesus offered peace, hope, love, forgiveness, healing, deliverance, food, sight, hearing, friendship and a host of other things to those who came to him seeking something they so desperately needed.

It would appear that Jesus was the most used, taken advantage of, under appreciated person that ever lived. Very few came to Jesus and offered Him anything. By far and large, they came to Him expecting to receive from him. The thing that is astonishing to me is that Jesus never complained about it. He never says, "Why can't you people leave me alone? You're all like a bunch of leeches that suck the life out of me! You're interest in me is based solely on what I can do for you or give you!" Those are things I would likely have said though :)

Why didn't Jesus say things like this? Because that is the reason He came....He came to give, give to whomever would be willing to receive. Churches and those people in churches should be the same. Give and be willing to give every time someone is in need. And churches should and must market and advertise their church/ministry so that those interested can readily identify with them and benefit from what is being "advertised".

Just my humble thoughts on it.

A simple Christmas poem...

2006-12-19T13:37:00.000-06:00

Charity begins where interest ends,
Having little interest but in giving,
Removing self from self, that there be space
In which a much-loved guest might feel at home.
So might one find delight, though ravens rend
The unembroidered fabric of one's being:
Miracle of unrequited grace,
A wave of wonder welling up from stone,
Singing as it breaks of selfless grieving.

I love this!

2006-12-19T00:13:00.000-06:00

I was visiting Ben Arment's blog today and was reading some comments on a recent post he made. One of the comments was as follows:

"I'm a church planter in Spartanburg, SC and we're about to embark on a similar journey of refocusing and retraining. Got any advice?"

To which Ben replied, " The ideas you say 'no' to this year because they're too big will be the ideas you say 'yes' to in 5 years because you'll realize you've got nothing to lose."

I love this quote from Ben! This is what excites me. Looking at things that are humanly impossible and accepting the challenge!

It all started with a .10 cent RC Cola

2006-12-18T15:16:00.000-06:00

This past Friday and Saturday my family and I were at my wife's Grandparent's house for an early Christmas celebration. This is an annual gathering of family and friends the week before Christmas. We always have great fun, food and the company of each other.

This year, as Grandma and Grandpa were opening their gifts, something special happened. Earlier in the day, Grandpa shared the story on how all this happened, that is, how the family came to be what it is today. He started by saying, "It all started with a .10 cent RC Cola". He went on to say that while at the skating rink in their youth, Grandma was ordering an RC Cola and Grandpa decided to pay for the drink which cost him a staggering .10 cents. As I understand it, this was the point when their friendship began and it has lasted through 56 years of marriage. Well, when Grandma was opening one of their gifts, she found an antique bottle of Royal Crown Cola and a note from one of her grandsons. In short, he said in the note that he had remembered Grandpa sharing this story on a few occasions and with a little math be was able to conclude that this would have likely been the type of bottle Grandpa purchased that day at the skating rink. He wished for them that every time they looked at this bottle they would remember that day and the significance of the past 56 years of marriage. It was a touching tribute and I'm not sure all of the ladies weren't crying in the room and all of us men weren't holding back the tears. Later I told my wife that I was very close to letting a tear or two fall...it was truly a special moment that I'll remember for a long time.

I was sitting next to Grandpa when this was happening and after a moment or two of silence, he slapped me on the knee and said, "Well, what do you think about all this?" I replied, "I'm just glad to be part of it somehow."

It all started with a .10 cent RC Cola and I truly am just glad to be part of a such a wonderful legacy as Grandma and Grandpa Click have established in our family.

Consumerism and Syncretism at it's best...

2006-12-15T10:50:00.000-06:00

Has anyone or anything ever been more "consumerized" than Jesus? The answer to that question has to be a resounding no. Here's why...Well, I'll have to leave this for later. My family and I are going to Houston for the weekend to celebrate an early Christmas at her Grandmother's house. Have a great weekend everyone ;)

Do check back as in this post I'm going to speak on the positive aspects of "consumerism" and "syncretism". I'm really looking forward to writing this piece! :-)

Grace and UIL

2006-12-15T09:54:00.000-06:00

My 7 year old daughter, Grace, was selected to be on the UIL team for Creative Writing. Creative Writing consists of the competitors being given a paper with 4 images on it and the students then have to write a story based on the images in a 30 minute time limit. She did very well and placed 3rd! We're so proud of her and today was the awards ceremony at her school. I've posted a few pictures of her. :)

Grace is the 3rd from left. (the only one not holding up her ribbon) :0)

Excuse me while I vent....

2006-12-15T00:05:00.000-06:00

Just a bit though :)

I've been blogging now for 4 months. And just recently I've, within the last month and a half or so I've read and viewed a great deal of blogs. Most of which I thoroughly enjoy and get a lot out of. Oh no, there goes the consumerism mindset again....sorry. As I was saying, I've benefited from the wisdom of many of these blogs and the writers behind them. I won't begin naming them as I don't want to show "favortism" in this. My point is, I'm am up to here ^^^----^^^ with hearing about all of the screwed up things with "church"!! I mean what in the world is going on? If it's not consumerism, syncretism or some other "ism", It's something else that is wrong with the church. What the heck are we doing about it other than crying and moaning about it the blogosphere? Blog about it all day long, cry about it all day long, (would you like some cheese with that whine?), talk of how the church is all screwed up but at the end of the day tell me what YOU have done to bring it closer to what Jesus had in mind! I'm just sick and tired of it all....I've posted some of my concerns with the church but it seems that every site you go to it's all being re-hashed day in and day out. Tell me something funny, share with me something that will glorify God and not verbally abuse His church, tell me what you did today to make a difference in someones life TODAY. I could write a very long post about how I took an exorbitant amount of my time today to make a difference in 5 strangers' lives but it would probably go unnoticed because all we're interested in reading and commenting on seems like is where the church is screwed something up and cheapened the message to promote consumerism and syncretism or you add the "ism" here ______________.<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I hereby pledge to NOT read or post on any blog that is doing nothing more than revisiting a negative aspect of the church without offering a real solution to the problem. I mean, is it any wonder the church is faulty? She's comprised of HUMANS!! Faulty, fallible humans...like me! And you. Tell me something good about the church or don't talk to me! I'm much too positive of a person to always hear the negative. It's like telling a non-believer what's so screwed up about them...they don't need to hear that from you...they already know it themselves. What they want to hear from you is "how can I get out of this mess?"!

That is all.

Staff/Board Banquet

2006-12-14T22:21:00.000-06:00

In Romans 13, Paul instructs us to give honor to whom honor is due. Tonight we held our Staff/Board Christmas Banquet Dinner in honor of the leaders of our church to express appreciation to them for their selfless acts of love that have helped make Living Springs a wonderful Church. I believe we are to show honor to those who minister in the things of God on our behalf. I know these people very well and see the hard work and dedication they bring to their ministry in our Church and am humbled to be their Pastor. Tonight we went to a wonderful restaurant called, The Creek. The Creek is a fine dining restaurant situated on the Guadalupe River which runs through Boerne, Texas. It is a very quaint restaurant which gave a very personal setting for this banquet. The staff, waitress and food were all superb!

What is so important about events like this? Well, for one, we all are very busy in our lives with different things that it's not often we spend much time with each other outside the context of church. We see one another often but we seldom just sit down and eat together outside of the fellowship hall of our church building. Going to a neutral place helps us to relax and not think about budgets, ministry strategy and so forth. It was really a nice evening just relaxing and enjoying the company of those you work so closely with but often fail to get close to. Here are a few pictures of our evening. :)

This last picture shows my wife and I. Isn't she pretty?!?!

Patty, our Secretary was without her husband Ken tonight as he was sick and our Youth Pastors Paul and Dennine are in Florida so we missed them all not being with us tonight! To you, the viewer, these look like ordinary people, but I must tell you these are extraordinary individuals who really put themselves out in many ways to love and care for others! For this, I'm so thankful to God!

Foundation Fractures

2006-12-13T15:24:00.000-06:00

Paramount to everything built upon it is, foundational integrity. Being in the construction business for 15 years as a contractor/owner, I know very well the value of a good foundation. The integrity of the foundation will serve as a structural strength barometer for the rest of the house or building. If the foundation is weak, it compromises the complete structure.

Jesus spoke very candidly about the type of foundation we should and should not build upon in Matthew 7.

Jesus said,

24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

So, according to Jesus, a strong foundation is a mixture of 2 ingredients.

Hearing His words
Doing His words

Also, according to Jesus, a weak foundation consists of 2 ingredients as well.

Hearing His words
NOT Doing His words

So in both scenarios, there is hearing involved but the success of a strong foundation rests in doing his words, not hearing alone. I think this is precisely the truth James was reiterating to the Church in James 1: 22-25,

“22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Foundations are fractured because there is no action involved with the hearing. Churches are filled every week with hearers only. It is deeply rooted in the consumer mentality. They come to church and hear the preacher speak words of action. They are encouraged to “get out” and impact someone’s life with the truth of God’s word but do they? More often than not, many don’t. As a result, their own foundations are fractured and falling apart and yet they wonder what is going on. Doing involves feeding, clothing, giving, listening, visiting and other things that have become inconvenient in many of today’s Christians. Sadly, helping someone isn’t our prime objective for the day. Conversely, helping ourselves is. What a waste of Time, Talent and Treasure that God has so graciously given to all of us. Even if you don’t have much, you have enough to share with someone the things God has blessed you with.

I grow weary of the seemingly idle discussions about what we should be doing for those that are hurting, dying and starving, and I believe action needs to take it’s place. Do you need strength? Help someone who is weak. Do you need a financial miracle? Give to someone out of your lack. Do you need healing in your body? Pray for someone who is sick. Take action upon the words of Jesus Christ in obedience and I believe God will bless you in return. Forget about yourself for just a little bit and focus on the needs of others. Strengthen your own foundations by helping to strengthen the foundation of someone else who is weak. We can talk and blog about it until the Sun shines no more but what good have we really done? None!

If you comment on this post, please do so with an idea of what this looks like, i.e., putting action to Jesus words. What are some of the things you are doing right now not what you want to do but what you are doing! God bless you as you DO his words after hearing them!

I'm not sure how to play it in my post, but click here to watch a video that I believe touches the heart of this post.

Lesbianism in Church

2006-12-12T00:52:00.000-06:00

Several weeks ago I preached a sermon titled: Becoming a Messy Church
In this sermon, I pointed out that naturally we're taught and inclined to avoid messes. They are inconvenient and time consuming so it's best to avoid them. Well, in relating that concept of "mess avoidance" in the context of the church, what does that leave us with? Ah yes...a nicely groomed, well kept church that doesn't have the least little sign of messiness! Everyone is like us and there are no messes here. We have everything figured out in our lives and it's nice and orderly, just the way we like it. Pfft! Whatever, right?

Well, I happen to believe that church should be the messiest place on the planet. What do I mean? I mean that we shouldn't avoid people because of the messiness in their lives. We're good at that though, aren't we? We tend to navigate away from messy people. They want something from us. They expect something from us. They're going to contaminate our sterile environment where we offer "holy" worship to God. It's a shame but in many instances a reality. I don't want to Pastor that kind of church. We're a church that is geared toward messes. Our building is clean but our church (people) is messy!

Jesus not only welcomed messes, he invited them! The invitation, "Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." MATTHEW 11:28

Sinners, tax-collectors, prostitutes, beggars, the lame, the possessed, the dying, the hungry and so many more all had 1 thing in common. They had messy lives! Jesus sat with a woman at Jacobs well and helped her work through her mess until she saw God. He waited with a prostitute until all of her condemners were gone and she was able to see God's forgiveness. He took 5 loaves and 2 fish and created a hillside banquet for the hungry. Messy people are worth the involvement.

Well, when I preached this sermon, a couple in my church came to me and said, "We have a neighbor lady. She's a "lesbian" and if you don't mind, I'd like to invite her to church."

What?!? Invite her? You're asking me for permission to invite a messy person to church? By all means ask her to come!! Well, they asked and she did. She came to church the last Sunday of November, was sick the first Sunday of December and was back in church with us this past Sunday! Man, I tell you....I was so excited to see her come into the church this past Sunday! I'm honest, out of all the people that were there this past Sunday, I was most excited about seeing her! She was the special guest. I'm hoping and praying that she'll continue to come back to worship with us and learn the ways of Jesus. I'm not going to call her into my office and say, "If you don't change the way you're living, you can't come here." No way, I'm going to tell her you're welcome here just like anyone else and that we'll love you just like anyone else. I believe in leaving God's work to God. I'll let him deal with the issues of her heart. While he does, we'll just love her!

Signed,

Pastor of a Messy Church!

Choosing Slavery over Freedom

2006-12-11T23:55:00.000-06:00

A comment posted by Colin on the topic of: Don't be shy, tell us how you REALLY feel..., got me to thinking. He said, "I have never been to the point of giving up on God (in fact that smacks of complete immature junior high - or even kindergarten behaviour..."

While I commend Colin for never entertaining the idea of going back on God, however, millions of others have done just that. As a matter of fact, they've retreated so far that they no longer even believe the God they once "worshiped" even exists now. How can such a dramatic 180 degree turn happen in the life of a Christian? I have a theory. It may take me a few moments to fully articulate this theory so please keep reading... :)

First of all, let me say that though I understand there are countless people that once called lived for Jesus, they no longer do. And for some, they have what they believe are valid reasons for such a departure. I however, cannot understand any reason to walk away from Jesus as being a valid reason. Having said that, here is my theory.

God has come to the world and invited his people into a new realm of existence. Remember the Israelites in Egypt? They groaned and complained to God about being slaves, and rehearsed to him the terrible treatment they received at the hands of the Egyptians. They thought God was as cruel as their Egyptian masters since he had allowed them to become slaves. But when the good news came that God had appointed a deliverer for them, and that they were to leave Egypt, putting their slavery behind them, they were not so sure they wanted to leave. After Moses’ first visit to Pharaoh, the people wanted Moses to stop asking him to let them go. They discovered that leaving was difficult. Once they finally left, they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." NUMBERS 14:4

In the book of Acts, Stephen retells the story. God had said: “I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. . . . But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. They told Aaron, "Make us gods who will go before us." ACTS 7:34-40 Remember, that which they were asking of Aaron, in making the golden calf, was one of the gods of the Egyptians.

Why is it many prefer slavery to freedom?

This question is at the heart of the matter. How many times have I seen someone whose life is in shambles? Their life story is one of despair and ruin, yet when the opportunity for a new life is presented to them, they turn away — not because they are not in need of help, but because they cannot imagine what a life of freedom would be like. How many times have I seen someone come to Christ and experience his presence and the glory of forgiveness, only to see them turn back to their old life of bondage because they were familiar with slavery, and freedom carried with it responsibilities and work?

Leaving a life of slavery seems harder than being a slave. The Israelites found their new life difficult and said, "We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost - also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic." NUMBERS 11:5

Can you imagine? Fish and food at no cost? And of all the things to remember and long for! They were thinking of their appetites and remembering the food of Egypt, and forgetting the taskmaster’s whip and back-breaking labor!

I think the best term for this is, NOSTALGIE DE LA BOUE which is a French term meaning, “To yearn for mud: attraction to what is unworthy, crude or degrading.

The Israelites became nostalgic over going to back to the crude and degrading existence they grew weary of in Egypt! Somehow and somewhere down the road, the life of slavery began to appeal to them. In 9 years of pastoring and 22 years of following Jesus, I've seen many people start down the path of freedom only to turn around, give up and go back into the bondage of slavery they came out of! Why? I can't accept the argument that somehow the Church failed them all and that they were so sorely mistreated by "Christians" that they no longer wanted to be part of it anymore. In my own personal experiences of working with people facing difficult issues in life, I have found that 100% of the ones that no longer live for God or even question his existence "went back" because they didn't want to take responsibility and work through their issues.

Going back to the old addictions, the old way, the familiar slavery was more appetizing and much easier than working through those addictions and old ways.

You see, if we're not willing to be honest with ourselves and do the hard work of enduring through persecution, withdraws, temptations and such, we'll find it much easier to just revert back to the bondage we so desperately wanted escape from. It's easy to fall back, it takes effort to push forward.

So why do people walk away from God? Dress it anyway you want, but ultimately we become nostalgie de la boue...

Trouble Posting a Comment?

2006-12-09T21:20:00.000-06:00

Colin Lamm brought to my attention yesterday that he had a bit of trouble posting a comment on my blog. I don't think it's just mine as a blog I frequent at Moved Mountains also hosted by Blogspot is doing the same whenever I post a comment on his site. I'll be contacting tech support to see if I can find an explanation and a fix to this issue. So, if you tried to post a comment and found that you couldn't, I apologize. I have found that if you try 3 times, it generally accepts the comment. Sorry for the inconvenience. :)

Don't be shy, tell us how you REALLY feel...

2006-12-09T00:01:00.000-06:00

I came across a website today that really got me thinking. It's a site dedicated to Ex Christians. I warn you in advance, if your sensitive and tend to wear feelings on your sleeves, don't click HERE.

I came across a post on their forums board titled:
Christianity Is...

... the imagination stifler.

... the anxiety provoker.

... the community fracturer.

... the chain letter.

... the mind virus.

... a new kind of fear.

... the energy sapper.

... the mind churner.

... the emotional self-destructor.

... the ghost story.

... the macabre horror story.

... the ghoulish bad news.

... the dysfunction generator.

... the obsession mill.

... the light shrouder.

... the star quencher.

... the culture wiper.

... the myth slayer.

... the joy quencher.

... the creeping shadow.

... the deadening infection.

... the brain cancer.

... crap.

A fairy tale.................

for those who cannot bear to hear the truth.............

for those afraid to think...........

for those afraid to work towards self-awareness...........

for the weak minded who can easily believe in fantasies..............

for those happy with vapid platitudes in place of the answers to questions that mean so much to life.................

for those happy to take truth and force it into categories of their own design....................

...a bunch of promises and excuses.

...one of several forms of morontheism

...Bigoted. Really, really, bigoted.

...regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.

Does the above really describe Christianity? It's important to remember that the vast majority of the people on this site are Ex-Christians turned Atheist. They no longer even believe there is a God. What happened that caused them to walk away from their faith? Was Christianity so bad? Christianity is based on the person of Jesus Christ and the word of God. You know, when I was younger, I used to ask myself this question. How has believing in Jesus ever hurt anyone? Well, I still ask that question and I still don't have a satisfactory answer either. I guess it's all in WHO you ask the question too, isn't it? Reading this kind of thing makes my heart break because I know the love that God has for each of these people and for whatever reason, they've given up on it. This should motivate us who do serve Jesus to live as we should so that we would never be the "stumbling block" which causes another to lose faith in Jesus Christ!

God Forbid!

Only what’s done for Christ will last

2006-12-08T12:04:00.000-06:00

Two little lines I heard one day,
Travelling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life and it will soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in that day my Lord to meet,
And stand before His judgment seat;
Only one life and it will soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me, Father, a purpose deep,
In joy, or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life and it will soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

This poem helps to remind me of the most important things in this life. I firmly believe that God's work is the most important work but there are times when I forget this truth and substitute what is divine for my own ideas, plans and goals....How silly of me!

Everybody's got a Story

2006-12-07T02:14:00.000-06:00

The more blogs I read and the more people I talk with I see this prevailing truth in it all. Everybody's God A Story! This is something that I've come to really work on in my personal walk. That is to learn about others and the stories of their lives that they are willing to share. People are amazing and if we'll just listen to their words, we'll hear their heart. It's become an active part of my thinking now when talking with someone. I'm actually "interested" in what they're sharing because I see the value of what they're telling me. I know you've never done this, "While listening to someone share something about themselves, you're mind is on picking your dry-cleaning up." Right? I know you're not guilty of such things as I am. :-)

There is so much hurt in peoples lives that when they do open up and disclose some personal information to us, we should be very attentive and interested in what they are sharing. After all, they wouldn't be sharing such things with you if they didn't feel a connection of some sort with you. It's easy to think our story trumps and thereby minimize the story of others. To them, their story is just as important as yours...and guess what, it is! Everyday we have the opportunity to listen to some one's story. At least whatever part of the story they're offering us.

I received a call last week from a gentlemen that just needed someone to talk with. I arrived at his house and we sat in his kitchen and just talked. He began to share some personal things with me about his life and how he was struggling at this particular time in his life. I didn't offer to share with him my story, because he didn't need to hear "my story". He simply needed someone to hear his. That's all. Nothing more and nothing less. Just sit down and listen to where I am at in this place of my life. I'm struggling and I'm hurting. I just need someone that will listen to me. By the time I left, he said, "Thank you for coming out and talking to me, I feel much better now." The truth is, I said very little but that was just enough. I drove 30 min one way to listen to a gentlemen share his story. It was the best use of my time that day!

There will be many opportunities to share our story, but let's be aware of the fact that everybody has a story and they're all worth hearing! I will leave you with this challenge. Find someone who is willing to share their story and just listen!

The Immutable Law of Sowing and Reaping

2006-12-05T15:31:00.000-06:00

Which is harder, Sowing or Reaping? Neither! The hardest part of this combination is the space that exists between the sowing and reaping. I believe this is why Paul told the Galatians, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." After the sowing comes cultivating and caring for the soil in which the seed has been planted. If proper care isn't administered through this time, the seed may not germinate and if it doesn't, their most definitely won't be a harvest.

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."
ICorinthians 3:6 ESV

Paul sows the seed and Apollos waters (cares) for the seed and in the right season, God gives the necessary growth. Our jobs are to sow and water, not manufacture an increase on our work. The "big thought" of this post is this. In the process of sowing and reaping it's easy to succumb to the pressures of "making" something happen. Many times we rush the process of sowing and reaping because we fear that if it takes too long, we've done an inadequate job somewhere down the line. "Don't become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!"

I see this impatience as the greatest threat to a healthy harvest. We grow impatient in the process and in frustration we either give up or become tempted to create a counterfeit harvest. We try to make something happen and in our futile attempts we damage the seed we were supposed to nurture to a harvest.

I see this in Ministry all too often. We think in terms of pre-defined time lines. We give this person "X" amount of days, weeks or months to show signs of real change and growth. If after this pre-defined time they aren't showing the outward signs we seek, we give up on them because the seed must have fallen on "bad" soil. We'll give this new ministry model, idea or new way of doing it 2 months....if after the 2 months there isn't noticeable growth, we'll cut it. These are all short-circuiting the "germination" process. We circumvent the process that is , to us, clearly failing and manufacture our way of doing it...only to find out that our way doesn't work.

One of the many things I've learned in my 9 years of pastoring...don't give up before the harvest is ripe! This, being my first attempt at pastoring, I could have given up many times. But, I wouldn't have seen the great harvest that God has brought about thus far! I'm learning everyday the importance of simply caring for the soil in which the seeds are being planted and waiting on God to bring about growth....when He thinks it's time. I don't want to be guilty of attempting to reap prematurely.

Whatever season of life God has you in right now, take confidence in the Immutable Law of Sowing and Reaping. Don't rush yourself or anyone else into a premature harvest or no harvest at all!

26 Days left

2006-12-03T22:01:00.000-06:00

I don't know why but the fact that this year is winding down and after tomorrow, Monday the 4th, there will only be 26 days left in this year to make 2006 an unforgettable year has engrossed my mind. Generally speaking, this is the time of year when many people are actually breathing a collective sigh of relief. We're almost ready to "close" the books on 06 and go head first into 07. I'm not sure what 06 has meant for you but for me it has been many things.

To name a few:

Personal Spiritual Awakening has taken place in my life this year and it all started with a trip to Mexico to do missions work. I came back with a new outlook on "Christianity" and how we are to relate the greatest story ever told to everyone we meet.
My Church has experienced wonderful growth in our congregation. Not just numerically but in every way. 2006 has definitely stood out as the greatest year in the history of Living Springs. I feel like our Church is really beginning to fire on all cylinders and 2007 will not know what hit it! I can honestly say I have never looked more forward to a brand new year as I do right now.
2006 has brought about a season of personal healing in my life as well. For the first time, my Dad met my wife and his Grandchildren. We stopped to visit with him this past July. My kids still ask about him. We'll definitely be going back to visit with Dad.
2006 has seen the emergence of a side of me that I'm beginning to become very comfortable with. The side of me that is willing to look foolish for God, risk what I would never have considered before, dare to believe what I would have never believed before, and willing to go where I might have never thought to go before. Late in this year I visited one of our local bars and sort of "hung out" with some of the guys there. I look forward to visiting more often in the coming year. Not being a drinker, I would have NEVER gone to the bar or even thought that I should. That is, until God asked me to go.

There are so many things that 2006 has meant to me that I could go on and on.

As I started to say in this post, there are yet 26 days left. What am I going to do with them? Will I sit back and just cruise the rest of the year? I think not! I will engage everyday in search of opportunities to bring honor to God. I will spend the next 26 days hoping to add value to someone who may have had a rather messed up year. My plate is full from now to the end of the year with banquets and dinners and family gatherings but I don't want to become so inward focused that I fail to see the opportunity to help someone else. Make the last 26 days something to remember 2006 by. Let's really go out with a bang for God. Find a problem and help solve it! Find a hurt and help heal it! Find a tear and wipe it away! Find laughter and join in! Find sorrow and mend it. Find hunger and feed it. Find nakedness and clothe it! Find thirst and quench it! Find the unlovely and love them!

Community Christmas Dinner

2006-12-01T17:14:00.000-06:00

On the 17th of this month we'll be hosting our 1st Annual Community Christmas Dinner. This dinner is another way that we are extending ourselves to the community in which we live. There will be no charge and we won't be "preaching" to them, we'll just eat, laugh and get to know them and they'll get to know us. I'm praying for a great turn out and that we'll be able to show the community that we really do care about them and their families. Also on this night we'll be doing our Angel Tree Outreach. Every year we contact the Elementary Schools in our area and gather names of families that may be interested in participating in this event. We'll take the children's information and families in our church will "adopt" these children for Christmas. We purchase them gifts and give those to them on this night. It's really a great opportunity to bring the church and real people in our community together! It's a great time to not only say we love them but to show them in a tangible way.

Church done right...

2006-11-30T22:23:00.000-06:00

The past week or so, I've seen a great deal on where the Church has messed up. No one can deny that there are issues with today's church that needs to be addressed and fixed. It's important to remember the church is only as effect as the people she is comprised of. If we want to fix the issues with the church, then is stands to reason, we MUST look at ourselves. Where are WE failing people? Where can we do better? Where can we be more sensitive? What is it in our own life that is lacking? What are we doing to make the Church a place non-believers would like to come?

The church is a wonderful thing. If done right, it gives healing, wholeness, encouragement, acceptance, strength and so much more to those who are willing to engage her. So, instead of what we view as lacking in today's Churches, what are some of those things we find good about it?

I will give a few and leave room for others...surely, even if you've been hurt from someone in the "Church" you had great experiences too.

Why I love the church (God's People)

1. I love the Church because when done right, it is the most powerful force on the planet! People's lives are genuinely changed when they come into contact with God's Church. Their lives are better as a result.
2. I love the Church because the time spent with God's people is the best time in the world. To have a community of believers gather in one place all for the same reason, there is nothing like it!
3. I love the Church because Jesus gave himself for her!

Why do you love the Church?

Inward Focus Stifles Outward Focus

2006-11-29T21:04:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I alluded to the idea that Church should be more OUTWARD FOCUSED rather than INWARD FOCUSED. Over the course of the last few days some pretty interesting topics have surfaced. Andrew at Moved Mountains and Jaime at MoreThanStone have both contributed great posts on the topic, "Church-The New Exodus?". I don't pretend to have all the answers but the more I think about this, the more I get extremely frustrated about it. There is a reason that millions have the left the church in recent years. Probably more reasons than we'll ever know but I think those of us willing to be honest about "Church", could name a few of those reasons. Let me say first of all, I love the Church. I love what she represents and I believe she is a wonderful work of God's Kingdom established on this earth. I do however become extremely disheartened with the way "Church" is done most of the time. My heart aches when the greatest message on the planet is rejected because "Church" has screwed something up for so many people.

I believe in organizational structure but I believe more in being led by the Spirit of God. Agendas, programs, models and the like are mostly tools to help give more to those who have been "getting" from the Church for years and years. The most oppressed of souls seem to be overlooked for what is best for the frequent attenders of the Church. There are entrance requirements and membership has its privileges. There those who are “in” and those who are “out” and the distinctions are made clear by the “ins”. There are secret passwords and dress codes. (Service times, music styles, acceptable dress). The focus is on member services. (Most of the focus is on improving member services so we can attract more people like us.) This is due to the church being INWARD FOCUSED. When we continually strategize how we can make our "services" better for the member, we've lost touch with the heart of Jesus. We've become Pharisaical to the worst degree. We have allowed the consumer mentality to infiltrate our ranks and poison the true mission of the Church Jesus said he would build. We've sought conformity and in seeking it we've achieved it. We've conformed rather than having been transformed. The elitist mindset that many Christians have is so very opposite of what Jesus demonstrated. [end rant]

So, how do we become Outward Focused...Missional in our thinking? God knows we need it. I have some thoughts on it...

Study Jesus! WWJD isn't just a catchy acronym. We must learn what Jesus would really do in today's culture. It is a must. The Bible is very clear about how Jesus went about doing ministry. If we don't love, accept, teach, care for, listen to, etc...we can forget ever being what God has called us to be in our world.
Throw away the hoops! There came a time in Jesus' ministry where He could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Why? Because word spread around that Jesus would accept anyone who came to Him. He did not have a list of hoops that they had to jump through first. Membership requires pre-qualification. If you do this or meet this standard, you can belong. If not, forget it.
Become Missional in our Methods! I love the concept of Missional. It's active and it's at work doing those things Jesus would really do. It's like living, on purpose. It's about realizing that the best "church" happens far from the proximity of a building. Why? Because the building isn't the church!
Seeing God in everyone and everything! Ok, I may loose some here...I believe God exists in everything and everyone. I believe even the worst of people have God's goodness deep inside somewhere. Somewhere hidden deep within is a beautiful creation that God knows is in there! Many times we compare ourselves to non-believers and highlight their bad and our "good". We never consider the fact that we're more alike than we are different. We're both loved unconditionally by God. And as hard as it is for some to believe, God doesn't love you more.
Admit we're not perfect! One of the greatest threats to Christianity is people who think they're perfect when in reality they are as screwed up as the neighbor they don't like.
Seek Connectivity! We must connect with the non-believer. It's not likely to happen in our buildings so we must take it to them. Jesus took ministry to the people. He didn't have a come and get it attitude.
Non-believer's matter most! Money we spend, expansions we make, ministry we do should be first and foremost geared to the non-believer or un-churched. This cuts across the grain for the consumer minded person. They thought all along it was about them! No it is not!
Let People work through their problems! There is a great deal of hurt in peoples lives and most of the time it isn't resolved quickly. People need time and room to wrestle with issues and figure out who they are in God. It's our responsibility to just be there when they need us.
No Perfect People Allowed! If you think you're perfect, you won't fit in here. If you think you're perfect, you won't like us.
Accommodate the imperfect! Go out of your way to welcome and develop relationship with messy people. A messy church is the greatest church!

These are just a few of the ways I think any church can become more outward focused than inward focused. Perhaps if the church were more outward focused, we wouldn't be even discussing the issue of "Church-The New Exodus?"

I would also like to add that Living Springs is a Church committed to being a Church that God is glorified in and where the lost are valued, cared for and sought after. We are really working on being a greater church in our area. We have been able to accomplish great things with God's direction and we're excited about what He has in store...I'm honored to be the Lead Pastor of such a Church.

Where would I be without her?

2006-11-28T00:23:00.000-06:00

As Lead Pastor, I know that there are so many people that contribute to the success of the Ministry. Usually the Pastor gets all of the recognition for things done right. The downside to that is the Pastor gets the blame for things done wrong. But most of the time it's the praise for things done right :) My point is, there are a lot of people that make the success of the church happen. Not just the pastor. In this post, I want to give praise to my wife. She is absolutely amazing. We've been pastoring Living Springs for 9 years and I don't think I could have done it without her. She doesn't know it all of the time but I look to her when I'm not sure what to do. I tell her about something and she'll give me her insight and I'm able to see things more clearly. She is the Supreme Administration Executive. It doesn't matter what it is, she's there. If she's not heading it up, she's in the mix in a big way. She's really the go-to person in the ministry. Every announcement made is followed by something like this...."If you need any additional information, see Tiff." Tiff has a wonderful singing voice and she leads the worship in our church. I think if one of us had to go, the church would keep her and let me go. :-) She's invaluable. I only hope I let her know that and that I tell her often enough how much I appreciate her dedication to me our family and our ministry. In many ways she is what keeps me going. I am in no way disillusioned in thinking that any success I've had is singular to me. We are a team and she is in many ways, the captain!

Is The Bible Central To All Life's Problems....continued

2006-11-27T14:32:00.000-06:00

Jamie Swan n has picked this conversation up on her blog.

She really put the question to the test when she said, "I think perhaps that the question we should be asking is “Is God Central To All Life’s Problems?" I love that!

Here's how I would respond to that.

Being a pastor, I am called on to counsel with individuals, families, friends, etc...quite frequently. Without fail, before every meeting I ask myself what can I share with them about their situation/problem that will really make a lasting impact in their lives? The fact is, only one thing will make a lasting change in our lives, God. I always point people to God's word for clarity and direction on their issue. The Bible speaks if we'll choose to listen. But it isn't just the text of the Bible that we should be steering them toward. Greater than the text is the author of the text. The connection with God's word is necessary but connection with God is more necessary. Though I essentially hold that the God and His word are inseparable, I agree fully with Jamie's question...I believe God Is Central To All Life's Problems!

Missional or Traditional??

2006-11-27T02:05:00.000-06:00

I've been wrestling with traditional "Church" for quite sometime now. I don't have a traditional mindset but sometimes I feel trapped in traditional thinking. I'm more missional in my mind but I'm not sure how to escape some of the tradition of "church". I feel like my church has got to begin a missional journey that will connect us to what really needs connecting to. The people outside our walls. We have to realize that Christ has to be taken and shared with people in our community. We send missionaries all over the world to take the gospel message to the lost but in our home communities it would seem that we feel they should come to us in our "church" building. I mean, after all, we're there every week. The lights are on, the doors are unlocked and the breakfast tacos are in the kitchen. But, they're not coming! We have our core group and frequent guests but we're missing something. I'm convinced that which we're missing is waiting to be discovered outside the doors and walls of our building.

I consider Jesus and how he did ministry. I don't see him holed up in a synagogue to just graciously receive all who would enter. Rather the majority of his ministry was outside where the people lived. The church was wherever he went, wherever he was. I told my church tonight that we have to realize the church is not a building; it's an individual, unit or body of Christ-Followers. Where we are, the Church is! I so deeply feel that we must merge into our community to make the kind of impact that God deserves from our lives. We must make a greater impact!

More on this later...

ITF Getting Geared Up!

2006-11-26T23:57:00.000-06:00

Tonight I established my 2007 ITF team. ITF stands for Invent The Future. I feel like I've selected 3 very creative minds to help me in strategizing how we will do ministry in 2007. With this year closing fast, it's time to begin gearing up for the new. I want to hit the new year running wide open. I truly believe this year is going to be a hallmark year for Living Springs Church.

The task of my ITF team is to invent means of ministry. I no longer want to just wait for things to come our way, we're going to make things happen. We'll be considering where we are as a church and inventing ways to bring our church and our community together like never before. I am so excited about what this team is going to be able to accomplish for God!

My Christmas Wish List...

2006-11-25T16:01:00.000-06:00

Every year my kids will write out a Christmas Wish List. Because Chase is only 4 and hasn't learned to write yet, Grace will write down whatever he tells her to. Inevitably, Grace will have a list of about 20 or so things while Chase will have a list of about 2 things. I'm not quite sure how that works yet.

I haven't made a Christmas Wish List since I was just a boy but this year I think I'll slip into child mode and wish. Who knows, it may just come true!

~Shannon's 2006 Christmas Wish List~

That the birth of Jesus be remembered and celebrated in my heart and family!
That I can share this wonderful gift with someone else.
That the idea of getting would be dismissed from my mind and the desire to give would fill my heart.
That I would cherish every moment of enthusiastic surprise when my children open their gifts!
That our Community Christmas Dinner and Angel Tree Outreach would change the way some in my community view church and Christians.
That when the "Season" is past, I'll continue to celebrate!

Is The Bible Central To All Life's Problems?

2006-11-25T14:20:00.000-06:00

Is there a place that exists in our world, communities, or lives where the Bible has little or no effect?

Is there such a problem in existence that the Bible does not have the answer for?

Do Christians put too much or too little emphasis and reliability on God's written word?

There is an interesting article by Rusty Benson that I ran across today at Christian.com

I for one have always held that the Bible is the ultimate answer for the ultimate problem. Throughout the ancient text we can find every problem that has ever been known to man.

Relational
Emotional
Physical
Spiritual

Wrapped in these 4 one can easily conjure up a host of dilemmas that we all have dealt with at some point in our existence. I know many Pastors who have sought out Professional Counseling to help them deal with personal issues. As a matter of fact, they openly encourage other Pastors to do the same. I haven't, yet. :) I don't think it's wrong to seek such help, I just don't understand it I guess. I think the Bible has answers to life's problems and if sought for, we will find the answer. I know I have had my fair share of problematic issues in life. However, I have always been able to go to God's word and get the strength, encouragement, desire, understanding, etc...that I needed.

"A lot of Christians seem to think that the Gospel is good for all the normal troubles of life, but when you get to the real complicated stuff, you need a more precise science." ~Tim Lane (CCEF)

What say you?

How close is too close?

2006-11-21T00:13:00.000-06:00

Jesus was very often accused of associating with sinners and even being their friends! What a tragedy! Right? I mean to be called the friend of sinners is a horrible description of the "Son of God". Or is it? I feel that many Christians today forget the fact that Jesus is our supreme example for life and living. I believe what He did, we should do. If Jesus was hanging around sinners, shouldn't we have a friends list that includes many of the forbidden types? You know, those that DON'T come to church. When is the last time you went out to eat with family that isn't following Christ? When is the last time you held a conversation with someone that doesn't appear to be interested in God? Have you engaged in any way a non-believer in the last month? Have I?

I've always believed that relationships leads to conversions. It's next to impossible to lead someone to Christ that you haven't developed some level of trust and confidence with. Loving the Unlovely isn't just a good title for a Sunday morning sermon, it must become a way of life for all Christ Followers! Love those that we would naturally not want anything to do with. Showing interest in the lives of non-believers is what Jesus did so well. He noticed them and they noticed it!

So, how close is too close? We've all been told that a little leaven ruins the whole lump, cast not your pearls before the swine and others like evil communications corrupt good manners. All of these are true but I also believe there is more to be said of these than what's easily pulled off the top.

I believe the Church has got to be outward focused. I fear that many times church is too inward focused to be of any outward good. We have to remember it's not about us....anymore. Jesus said that he didn't come to call the righteous but the sinner.

I want to solicit some feedback on this so here's the question I offer to you.

What does an outward focused church look like to you?

OOPS...

2006-11-20T23:53:00.000-06:00

I forgot about my board meeting tonight!! 0_O
All day I had plans of watching the movie "Cars" with my kids so I totally spaced my meeting that was scheduled for tonight. I have never done that before. I felt so bad because when I got my phone, they had tried to contact me several times. On a funny note, all of us fell asleep during the movie :) So I'll have to watch it again. I won't watch it on a board meeting night though :)

I'm HOME!!

2006-11-18T21:03:00.000-06:00

I'll blog about my last two weeks on the road soon! All I can say right now is, I love home! I had a great time and great visits but Dorothy was right, there's no place like home... :)

On the road again...

2006-11-07T16:20:00.000-06:00

Ok, I had a great couple of days with my brother in Lexington, Ky! I arrived on Saturday night. We went to church on Sunday at his church. Incredible church at Southland Christian. On Monday, I helped him on his remodel. He's currently remodeling his entire TaeKwonDo Academy. It's quite an undertaking. Monday night we went to a UK Basketball game. UK basketball is HUGE in Kentucky. It was a great time! Today I left and am now in Evansville, Indiana with another brother of mine, Shane. I'll be here for a couple of days. I'm going to enjoy my time here wrestling with my nephew and kissing on my niece :) and visiting with Shane and Christa. I'll be leaving here on Thursday morning on my way to Rockford where I was raised. On my way through Chicago I'm going to go to El Faro...they are said to have the BEST Burritos in the WORLD!! I can't wait :) I'll check back in later! BTW, I reserved a Chevrolet Malibu for my road trip from Lexington and they were out. They had a Cadillac CTS...can you say Luxury and Style!!??!! I love it. This car is amazing. I loved them when they came out and I'm loving it now for sure! I'll post a pic of it later. I may have to get rid of my Ford F-150 Super Crew for one of these bad boys :)

Ready, Set, Go!

2006-11-03T23:38:00.000-06:00

Well it's almost midnight and I'm all packed and ready to fly out tomorrow. I'll be gone for two weeks and I'm already missing my family, incredibly. I was in Alaska for 10 days last summer and I thought it was going to kill me :) I have an itinerary full of things to do while I'm away. It seems to change from day to day though. I guess once I get to Lexington tomorrow I can focus more and get some things in concrete. Being I have no "pressing" engagements to fulfill, the 2 weeks is really going to be off-the-cuff. Part of me likes that and the other part craves structure. I guess I'll have to find my way the next two weeks. I'll definitely be asking God to guide me. Especially when I get to Wisconsin and Rockford, Ill.

I'll be visiting my brothers in Kentucky and Indiana before heading on to Wisconsin and Illinois. I'm looking forward to seeing them both and my two nieces and nephew.

I have to leave for the airport tomorrow at 2:00p.m. so I'll be spending some quality time with my kids before I go. My wife won't be here though. Our church is hosting the San Antonio Women's Ministries Event for our Section tomorrow and being the "Pastor's" wife, she's in charge. I'll swing in and get a kiss and a hug before I leave. =)

Did I mention I'm going to miss my family?

STUPID FAITH

2006-11-03T12:41:00.000-06:00

A conversation I had last week reminded me of something. I was sharing our church story with a gentleman I had just met. In short, we purchased land to build a new church on 4 years ago. A year later, now three years ago we began building our new church facilities. Though we're near complete, we're still working. We've done all of it ourselves to save money and reduce the cost of construction. I have many pros and cons to this approach having been through it now. If you're considering it, ask me! I'll tell you no lies :) Anyway, I was sharing a story with him how that one day I was out on the church property and we had just finished our site work. A gentleman, who is a dear man, asked me this question. "How large is this building going to be?" I responded, "17,000 sq.ft. Upon hearing that he asked me, "Well, how many people do you have in your church?" I said, "25". This is where he looked at me with an amazing face of confusion. He looked at me as said, "I don't know if that's FAITH or STUPIDITY".

I didn't hesitate to answer, "Faith!" This is a faith effort. We're not building 17,000 square feet because we need it today, we're building it because we're going to need it tomorrow! Faith always sees past today into the future. To simply live for the here and now doesn't take any real degree of faith. What does require real faith is to engage in something that doesn't make sense. To do something illogical and plain stupid. So here's what I've come to believe and this is now a core conviction of mine. "Stupid Faith" To live in stupid faith. The vast majority of the time when you tell someone what God has asked you to do and you're doing it, it appears stupid in the natural. It's always illogical and almost NEVER makes any sense. I've come to believe that if it makes sense to me, it's not God and I should look real hard at what it is I'm doing. Since January of 1998, my wife and I have been living STUPID FAITH. Believing God to do amazing things through a small community church with God-sized vision and faith! We're no longer at 25 people....we're 80+ on our way to 500 or more! For a town with a population of only 950 something, it's sounds pretty stupid to think Living Springs can become a 500+ member church.

I'll take stupid faith over logic any day!

Whatever it is God is asking you to do, step out in stupid faith. It makes much more sense than you could ever imagine!

Feel like Blogging?

2006-11-02T16:49:00.001-06:00

If you're like me, you might be seeking new ways to express your thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc... If so, blogging is a great way to do that! I began blogging in August and absolutely love it! I only wish I hadn't waited so long to enter the blogosphere.

If you're seriously considering creating a blog, I want to introduce you to someone who has helped me and many others out with great advice. His name is John Smulo. John is unique and he isn't so caught up with himself and his "blog" that he won't help you with yours. I had a lot of questions and John was gracious enough to point me in the right direction. He even went so far as to create a post on his own sight addressing many of the questions I asked and his subsequent advice. It's a great read for beginning bloggers! I dare say a must read :)

Check it out here

Don't forget to read the many comments on John's post, "Advice For New Bloggers" as well! You will find many additional tips on blogging.

Joust Challenge= $300.00

2006-11-02T13:28:00.000-06:00

At our Hallelujah Festival on Halloween night, the event was almost concluded when a gentleman in my church challenged me to a jousting match. You know those inflatable jousting thingys...anyway, I couldn't refuse a challenge, could I? Especially when he stated that for every time I knocked him off his stand, he would give the church $100.00. When he said this, I was ready to rumble!!

It was best out of five. He knocked me down the first time and I thought, oh no, I just lost 100.00 for my church!! The next time he went down. I think he "fell" down cuz I didn't even touch him :). The next two falls would be all his as I knocked him down for a total of three times. I'm not convinced that he didn't let me win the matches but either way it was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it! Not to mention, the church got $300.00 for it. The best $300.00 the church ever received!

He is quite a guy and I enjoyed the challenge!

Anyone wanna joust?

Special Places

2006-11-01T17:01:00.000-06:00

If you're anything like me, you have those special places where you love to get alone. You know, those places of quiet contemplation. I love those times of just me, my thoughts and God. No distractions, no rush.

I thought I'd share a few of mine with you.

I don't know which of these I like the best but here they are none the less.
1. My office. I can sit here for hours and do nothing but think, think, think.

2. Fool Moon Cafe. This is a new spot for me but I've quickly come to love it. I take a good book with me, order a chicken salad sandwich and just read. If you ever visit the South Texas Hill Country of Bandera, Fool Moon Cafe is a must!

3. Medina River! The Medina River makes a horseshoe bend around Bandera. The waters are calm and soft flowing. It makes for a peaceful setting to listen to God speak to my heart.

So these are my favorite spots of contemplation. I firmly believe in making an exit out of the normal routine of everyday and finding a place where you can get alone with your thoughts. Some of the greatest words God has ever spoken to my spirit are in these quite places.

If you don't already, find a place where you don't have to worry about anyone asking questions, interrupting or demanding your time. You owe it to yourself!

Showers are great thinking places...Part 2

2006-11-01T10:35:00.000-06:00

Ok so I was in the shower and "reverse living" sort of pops into my head. What does it look like to live in reverse? Something like this...When leaving your house, you exit via the back door and when coming home, you enter via the back door. When getting into your car to leave, you don't use the traditional method of entry, you enter the car through the passenger side, climb over the center console and buckle up in the driver's seat. When going through McDonald's drive through, you do so backwards (I've done this before and it makes for a real good laugh :O), rather than keeping credit cards, cash, business cards, drivers license in your wallet, you just fill your front pocket with these items...We could on and on. All of these things have one thing in common, they would all be incredibly inconvenient to do.

I've lived in my house for 8 years this month and I don't ever recall leaving or entering my home from the back door. Unless you count the time I had to break my back door glass to get in :). I never get in my truck via the passenger door. I've never entertained the idea of carrying all of my "wallet" items in my front pocket! Though I have gone through McDonald's drive through backwards, I don't do it all the time, just when I'm with the right group of people. You should try it sometime it's a huge laugh and nothing illegal about it :)

Here's my point....As a pastor, having been pastor of the same church now for nearly 9 years, we can easily descend into a methodology. We do it this way because that's the way we've always done it. When my wife and I became the pastors of Living Springs, we were just 25 years old and had never pastored before. The church was very small...8 people to be exact. It was basically a new church plant as we saw it. At the very least an extreme revitalization effort. The church had 8 core people and 102.00 in the bank. We had our work cut out for us! Through God's grace and years of perseverance, we're seeing the blessing of God on our church as never before in the history of Living Springs! Within our first year of ministry, the church now had $20k in the bank and was in the process of bargaining for land to build a new church on. The new church is built and ministry is expanding very nicely in our small corner of the world.

As of February of this year, God has totally shifted my way of thinking about "Church and Ministry". I realized that after 8 years of pastoring, I was stuck! Stuck in a mindset of ministry. This is the way we do it. This is the way we've done it for 8 years! But I couldn't give a reason of why. Why do I do it like this? Why does it have to be done this way? Why can't there be room for change? Thank God I'm now living in reverse in many areas of my life. As a church, we have reversed ministry in many areas. If a ministry isn't working, we cut it or find a new way of doing it. No need for dead limbs.

Sometimes leaving the house from the back door changes our perspective and many times a change of perspective is all we need to better see what God is trying to do in us and through our ministry!

Live in reverse once in a while! You'll love it!

Showers are great thinking places...

2006-10-31T11:06:00.000-06:00

So I'm in the shower getting cleaned up to head to the church for tonight's event outreach. I begin thinking what if we lived in reverse.?.?.......I'll finish my thoughts later. Tiff is going to kill me if I don't get a move on!!

Reverse Living...hmmm.

Quick thought

2006-10-31T09:20:00.000-06:00

Sunday I preached, "Becoming a Messy Church". I was reading Mark Batterson's blog and he was writing about a the A2 Conference he had been at and he said, " It seems like one of the subplots of A2 was a simple reminder that church is messy!" Man that just jumped out of cyberspace and got in my spirit. That's what I've been trying to say for months now...I finally got it when I read it. Church is messy! Jesus' associations in this life were messy! The issues of those who came to Him were messy! It's a natural inclination of everyone to "avoid" messes. We don't like them and we're taught and trained from our childhood that messes are ugly and need to be avoided. Wow, Jesus never learnt this lesson! As I said Sunday, "Jesus welcomed the mess". He didn't avoid or ignore it, he welcomed and invited it. Why did he do this? Because the mess represents people. People are messy and their issues aren't always fun to work with. But then again, neither are mine.

So the thought that dominates my mind is this, "If Jesus were the Lead Pastor of LSC, what would it look like? What would the theme of this church be? What kind of people would fill the auditorium every week that maybe aren't right now?" These are all questions that are stretching my mind and pulling on my spirit.

Here's the thing, you don't have to create a mess, just look around. Talk to anyone long enough and you'll see the signs of a mess. Messy people are everywhere, the work of clean up is unlimited. I told my church Sunday to find a mess and help clean it up!

I want LSC to be a messy church! Bandera needs a messy church!