Connecting People to People and People to God

Emotions overwhelm me

I hope I am ALWAYS emotionally overwhelmed when God uses my words to bring someone into His kingdom.  Honestly, sometimes I wonder what is wrong with my calloused heart.  I try to keep it tender, pliable and available.  But sometimes in my driven"ness" to lead the church and lead people I start to wonder what the heck is wrong with people.  My mentality needs to be different, it needs to be to equip, encourage and empower people to live life how God has called them to live and I need to realize I can't play God.

But in the respites of my driven"ness" I'm humbled by the power of the gospel.  I'm humbled in the fact that when I speak the words of salvation in Jesus Christ I speak a word with more power than any words ever spoke.  They aren't my words and I take comfort and encouragement in that, they are the words of the gospel.

Today The Bridge Church celebrates along with the angels in heaven that one of the lost sons has come home.  Yesterday at Alliance Christian I presented the gospel and aside from the dozens that stood to recommit or affirm their commitment to Jesus Christ there was the one that received Christ's salvation for the first time!  

All glory to God!

Fathers fight for their children.

My boys are about to have birthdays.  Nathan will turn 4 on March 3 and Seth will turn 1 on March 14.  I've been thinking much about being a father lately.  Mostly because the needs of my boys are ever changing and it seems as if I have to grow and change almost weekly, if not daily to be able to minister to the needs of my children effectively.  The affirmation that worked last week must be adapted this week, the discipline that was effective must be adapted to be effective this week.  What called for firmness last week requires extravagant grace this week.  It's challenging.

I remember when Seth was just a few days old.  We were home for the hospital and up to this point everything had been very good with Seth. He was born a health 8lb 6oz stud and was eating well.  Then suddenly we got home and he decided he was no longer interested in food.  NOT GOOD.  He ate a little for a few feedings but as watchful parents were increasingly concerned for our baby.  He finally started to show signs that he indeed needed to eat and eat immediately but he was not interested.  He wanted to sleep.  We called his doctor and he/she, I don't remember which, told Heather that we MUST get him to eat or he would need to be taken to the Children's hospital and admitted.  I don't panic in situations of crisis, if anything I am overly calm.  We tried everything to keep Seth awake so he would he but every time he would take a few drinks of milk and then fall back asleep.

So, as his father, I picked up my son.  He didn't even fill my arms.  I got the bottle and I got a little dropper and for 2 hours I dripped milk into my sons mouth so he would get the nourishment he needed.  I measured every little milliliter so I knew the amount of nourishment my son was getting.  I was not in a hurry, my mind wasn't anywhere else.  I was present, in the situation and I was diligent to the task.  Eventually there was enough nourishment to cause Seth to be hungry, to wake up and to want to eat on his own.

My point is this.  Fathers FIGHT for their children.  So men, fathers, FIGHT for your children.  Do the hard work, when it's easier to be passive, easier to be reactive, angry, frustrated; instead we fight.  We fight to mold our sons into men of God and we fight to shape our daughters into women of God.  We are raising up valiant warriors for the kingdom of God.  We are fighting for our children and we are fighting along side our children.  Because whether it be then or now our children will be in a place to be used of God in might ways, we will release them continually to God knowing we've done our part and now He will certainly do His!  He's God like that!  

And fathers (and mothers to) before you dismiss your parenting as small time remember that as others view you and your interactions with your children you are giving them a glimpse of how our heavenly father interacts with us.  Is it with patience, grace and mercy, or anger and frustration.  Of course, there are the times we lose our cool but that doesn't have to define us.  

Priorities

I been in a state of prioritizing my life lately.  I find the prioritizing has been mental more than physical.  I think the entire process was more one of remembrance.  It's forced me to remember my priorities and with that comes focus.

1.  I love Jesus Christ with my whole heart.  I am committed to doing what He leads me to do, my life is worthless without Him so why not let him call the shots?  

2.  I love my family with reckless abandon.  They are my first ministry and priority.  I believe that as a husband I am a better person, believer, and everything else because of the relationship with my wife.  I believe my children (currently 2 sons) are my greatest ministry opportunity.  I love being their father and I have aspirations for them.  In one hand I have the deepest father's love for them and would love them no matter what.  On the other hand as a result of that father's love I want to see them become valiant warriors for the kingdom of God.  I pray that God makes my sons great voices in their generation and that he will use them as His mouthpieces to see multitudes brought into the kingdom.  While I aspire to be a great communicator of the Gospel, I pray they are 100x better.

3.  I love the church.  This would be the church of Jesus Christ.  I believe it is the hope of the world.  I believe that God desperately wants to use the church to speak to His creation.  

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

I was praying with some friends of mine yesterday.  They happen to be pastors of other churches.  Last week I spent two days with various district pastors and all of them/us were saying the same thing.  We want to see God work in amazing and powerful ways.  As we were praying yesterday about this very topic I felt led to repent for the church.  I believe for too long we have told God "come work" but then have told Him how he can and cannot work.  I believe this has stayed the hand of God over our lives and respective congregations.  I think it's time we start asking God to work again and as much as possible free Him to work as He wills.  That's a scary prayer!

Goal (completed)

I've had a goal for a few months now.  Since Catalyst last October I've known I was going to have to work it in somehow.  Steven Furtick, who is one of my "pastors", meaning he's a guy I study, respect highly and think God is really doing some amazing things through, is the one who gave me the idea.  

Today I did it.  I used the words Crack Smoking in a sermon.  They've been part of my vocabulary for years but never from the pulpit.  Man I feel good.

Seriously I did use the words crack smoking but that's not what I'm excited about.  I'm excited first of all because I believe what I preached today that our hope is not in our economy, our hope is not in our 401k or in our STUFF, our hope is not in our government or in some bail out plan.  Our God's economy is not based on our economy, he owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  But more than that we are the people of an eternal hope, we have a living hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  1 Peter talks about our inheritance will not perish and cannot be defiled.  That's worth getting excited about.

And more than that, I believe in the coming months God's people are going to have greater influence in our local communities to share the gospel.  In times of trial and trouble God's creation will turn to God's children.  What will our message be?  I hope that it will be of a living hope that can be found in salvation in Jesus Christ. 

I hope that no matter where you are that you will be prepared to share your hope, your living hope with all those who need to hear it.  It will come at a cost, it will not come easy but should you chose to make the tough decisions with your finances, time and resources I believe you will be used like you have never been before to see lost people found.  

Joshua 3:5 The Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

Step Back

I had a few days this week to step back from the usual and gain a little perspective.  Sunday afternoon I knew I need to take a day of no church, no church on the mind and not church to put my hands too.  I also knew I was scheduled to head up to New Freedom, PA for a committee meeting overseeing the ministry of our district churches.  In the way only God moves I was able to step back from trying to write the pages of my life and in doing so I saw that indeed I was only staring at a letter and not the entire pages and indeed I'm not the one writing the pages but that duty belongs to God.  I'll share more about this week later but first.

Today Heather and I went to the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA.  2008-2009 marks the 50th anniversary that the schools were desegregated in Norfolk.  The museum currently has a wing dedicated to this and with this was a excellent photo journal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  I stood in that hallway this afternoon staring at pictures of black students and white students and I nearly wept.  The picture that stirred me the most was in an auditorium full of students there is a gathering of white students in seats at the rear and a long black male student seated towards the front.  It was as if he had a disease, only he didn't, it was the color of his skin that those ignorant students found so repulsive.  I want to cast stones, but I don't think I should.  Because while I'd like to think I wouldn't have been one of them, that I would have been able to look past skin color and seen the human soul I can't prove it.  

I've always wondered that, if I lived in the time of an atrocity and I was on the majority side, would I stand for what I know in my heart to be right or would I let the tide of emotion carry me away.  I wonder, if ever in my life will I see my trial by fire?

A quote from Dr. King -He said this on the eve of his death.

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

So much

I've had so much I wanted to get on this blog the past two weeks but just haven't had the time.  Or perhaps I haven't made it a priority...not sure.

Last Thursday I spoke at one of the high schools I attended.  I was asked to do a series of chapels at this christian high school.  I was looking forward to it for a few reasons.

1.  I love going back to places I've come from.  I hope me being there inspires the students to think more highly of themselves and causes them to believe that with God they really can do anything.

2.  Christian school kids can be anything but Christian.  I was certain that some if not many of them had never heard the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  I wanted to be the first to give them that good news.

When I got there last Thursday I knew right away what I had gotten into.  The chapel opened with a worship song and as I figured 98% of the students had something else on their mind besides God.  In their defense at least they weren't pretending, they just didn't care about singing a song to God.  This got me riled up a little bit and not as if I wasn't going to bring it strong anyway but I think it encouraged me even more.

I gave the message I believe God had given me, the story of Esau trading his birthright for soup.  Giving up his inheritance for a bowl of soup.  I explained how so many high schoolers give up what is rightfully theirs, what God gave them for some soup and it's sad and it's not worth it.  At the end I gave a response time for them to decide to start living for Christ and what God created them for and not soup.  All glory to God about 20-25 students responded.

I was back this morning to speak with them again.  Immediately I sensed a difference, if anything I had gained some rapport with them so I was even bolder, likely more comfortable and just as strong.  John 3 was my text, Nicodemus and Jesus.  I needed to identify the God sized hole in all of us that we keep trying to fill with crap.  We all know only one thing can fill that hole and that's Jesus Christ.  To conclude I felt led again to give a response.  About 30 students recognized their need to fill that hole with Jesus either once again or for the first time.

It was amazing.  The Holy Spirit really worked, the harvest was good.  I feel compelled to go back and not just speak but figure out some way to make sure these students are growing spiritually how they want too.  

It's time.

Tomorrow is the big day.  For the first time I'll be preaching a sermon to The Bridge Church from a different stage.  For 2 years we've shown up at Western Branch Lanes at 8:00 am, scrambled to get the band up on stage by 8:30 so they had time to practice.  We would then take care of the rest of the stuff.  We were literally doing church out of a 8'x12' trailer and you know what?  We did a pretty good job.  Week after week we pulled it off.  I can't recall one time we had a total tragedy.  We always had sound, lights and chairs.  We always got it done, sometimes it wasn't pretty but it always got done.  We were also always set up on time, it wasn't ever pretty (except maybe twice) but we always got it done.  Sometime set up was smooth and easy going, other time a mad dash to make it happen.  One thing I know for sure, 100% of the time it was stressful because of the unknown.  

Tomorrow there won't be too much of that.  In a way I'm actually afraid to type this because I know things can still go wrong.  Despite the fact that much of what needs to be set up is already set up so I guess I just need to say it.  Tomorrow we wont stress about set up, there isn't hardly any.  I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with the extra emotions.  Maybe I'll get nervous about my sermon or something? 

But more important than no set up, is the promise I believe fulfilled in this entire process.  Years ago God let me to ask Steve at the Lanes if we could have church at the bowling alley.  God worked it out in only the way he can.  This fall God led me to ask my friend Chip at Park View if we would use their church building to also have church in and in the same supernatural way God worked it out.  God has provided the money  for us to carpet and remodel both of our Bridge Kids rooms and furnish them with new toys.  We did not dip $1 from our checking or savings to pay for this move, God provided the money through special contributions.  This move has been guided and directed by God and with that fact I know that God is pleased with our worship and will be glorified tomorrow as we praise him for his provision.

If you're reading this, JOIN US tomorrow at 9AM, Park View Christian Church, 3201 Western Branch Blvd, Chesapeake, Va 23321.  God is going to do amazing things as we enter our 3rd  year of ministry!

Exciting Week

I do believe this week is laden with more potential for excitement than any week I've been a part of since last March and the week Seth was born.  Last night we held our first Vision Team meeting at our new building.  I believe I felt a shift in conversation and it makes perfect sense.  For 2 years now our emphasis has been on how we can get church set up and done in the most efficient manner.  While that is "ministry" to people you can see how the task becomes the ministry and you neglect the people that need Jesus.  I'm going to claim the words that the shift has taken place.

On Thursday of this week I get to speak at Alliance Christian High School.  This is special to me.  Not only do I get to speak to teenagers which I love doing but I get to speak to students that attend the high school I did until the 11th grade.  I feel that I am highly equipped to preach to christian high school students and it's going to be incredible.  I have a fresh word for them from God and I'm praying and ask you to join with me that lives will be radically transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Friday our worship team practices in the new building for the first time.  Let me tell you it's going to be incredible.  We've never worshipped in a placed designed for worship.  The acoustics are going to be amazing and our voices are going to fill that place.  May God be glorified as we praise his name!

Sunday, February 8, 2009 our first Sunday at our NEW LOCATION and our 2nd Year Anniversary.  I begin a series on God's promises and I'm hyped about it.