Nine Months

I am a week away from being at Fellowship for nine months and the time has flown by so quickly.  As we were practicing today for Christmas weekend it was awesome to see how everyone came together and worked so hard to put it all together.  Even though I started last Easter, I missed out on everyone rallying together to put Easter together.

To me it is awesome to see people come together for a common purpose.  To know the people that are coming this Christmas who are searching…and in a small way we all had a part of God’s bigger plan to help them find what they are looking for.

I hope you are ready to bring your best on Sunday and Monday.

West Virginia Anger

I got up today and drove down to pick up my mom in West Virginia and soon realized that they are not very friendly with “outsiders”.  Even though I was in a Jeep they could not tell I was not from around there.  But as we talked on Sunday with the teens about dealing with our anger I was tested today more than I have it months.  From traffic to “other” drivers I was tempted to run over everyone that got in my way…and in some cases I think I really could have.

One of the things we learned yesterday is there is anger that is healthy and justifiable.  Injustices that face the world such as aids, hunger and abuse in all forms that causes anger in us, but inspires us to do something about them can be healthy.  But typically we use our anger for purposes of revenge rather than for something that is profitable.

The question that we should ask ourselves is this:  Does our anger benefit the situation, the person or ourselves.

40 Keys To Success…Part 4 of 4

Here are the final 10 things I wish someone would have told me when I was 20.
1.    Talk about Jesus every time you preach.
2.    Be careful what you say. You’re being watched (and recorded).
3.    Don’t return emails when you’re angry.
4.    Check to make sure your microphone is turned off before you use the bathroom. Double-check.
5.    Check to make sure your zipper is zipped every time before you preach. Double-check.
6.    Love your wife more than you love the church. The church is Jesus’ bride, not yours.
7.    Always be caught speaking well of others.
8.    Compliment, encourage, and build up your staff and volunteers.
9.    Hand write thank you notes.
10.    Smile and look people in the eyes when you talk to them.

40 Keys To Success…Part 3 of 4

Here are the next 10 things I wish someone would have told me when I was 20.

21. When you have a tough decision to make, but you know it’s right, make it immediately.
(Like pulling off a Band-Aid: do it fast, and all at once.)
22. Hire slowly. Fire quickly.
23. You can’t change people. Only God can.
24. Don’t criticize others’ ministries. Yours isn’t nearly as perfect as you think it is.
25. Take care of yourself. Eat right. Rest. Exercise. Take time off. No one else can do that for you.
26. If you don’t take much time off, it’s because you’re proud, and you think you’re more necessary than you really are.
27. Don’t just delegate responsibility. Delegate authority.
28. Laugh frequently.
29. People will leave your church. People you love and trust will leave your church. Don’t take it personally.
30. When you suffer and hurt because of ministry, worship Jesus all the more.

Can you relate to any of these?

Missing the Mark

This in no way should be funny but I just have to share it because it put me in one of those moments of having to discipline my son and wanting to laugh.  Potty training is so fun!  Matthew and Tyler were both going number one…that would be pee.  As they both were standing there I hear a “DADDY” from Tyler…immediately followed by “it was an accident” from Matthew.

Imagine…OK enough imagining, Matthew went pee on Tyler!  As I walk into the bathroom Matthew is trying to pull up his spiderman underwear as fast as he can, while Tyler is standing there with a blank stare on his face and “wetness” on him all the way up to his nipples.

We took care of cleaning up Tyler and took care of disciplining Matthew.  Very hard to discipline your son while at the same time trying not to laugh…because it really wasn’t funny.

With Christmas coming we can get easily distracted…be careful not to miss the mark. 

Could I Ever

As I am sitting here preparing for Sunday morning Life Groups this thought crossed my mind and that is how do we make students understand and apply what God’s Word says?  In fact, how do we do that as adults? I quickly answered my own question in that we can’t “make” students understand and apply but we can teach them strategically and apply it to our own lives passionately.

One of the greatest struggles I have had as a student pastor is getting students to believe that God can and will use them to do something great for His Kingdom.  Many students doubt God would be interested in using them, and even more question what they have to offer God.  Could it be that even us as parents struggle with that same concept?

It seems as though the students who never respond to God’s call, or never exercise their spiritual gifts, are the same students who graduate from the youth group and their faith.  But those who have answered God’s call and are open and available to serve, are the ones who continue tot walk with Lord.  The ones who don’t do this seem to wander from from church to church in their college community looking for a group that “feels” like the group they left, while those who open themselves to God’s call are also open to new ministry opportunities and more likely to use their gifts to continue serving God.

Moses had a rocky past and didn’t think he was God’s man for the job.  But as he spoke one-on-one with God (how cool is that?) it became clear that he couldn’t wander from God’s call.  God used a “marked” past to mark this man for a future task.  As we study we realize that we’re a lot more like Moses than we ever thought.

Moses answered God, but why me?  What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and
lead the children of Israel out of Egypt? -Exodus 3:11

God how could I ever be used to lead others to worship?  God how could I ever be used to make a difference in my neighbors life?  God how could I ever take a stand at school?  God how could I ever take a stand at work?  God how could I ever make a difference in the local church?  God how could I ever share this life change that has happened in me?  God how could I ever find a way to serve behind the scenes?  God how could I ever influence teenagers? God how could you use me?

Ever say anything like that, or is it just me?  God’s response to Moses was simple yet powerful…”I’ll be with you.”  If your like me you forget that sometimes, that it isn’t us but Him.  He goes with us, in front of us, carries us and speaks through us.

God saw something in Moses that he didn’t see in himself.  Does God see something in you that you don’t see in yourself?
Christmas is coming, what an opportunity to throw out the “could I ever’s” and begin to see yourself as God sees you.

40 Keys To Success…Part 2 of 4

Continuing from yesterday with the 40 keys to success that Craig Groeschel posted on his blog.   When you think about the key areas of those in ministry, finding balance between the church and home is the toughest part.  Doesn’t there always seem like there is more to do?  I wonder if others feel the same way about their job when they leave or is it those who are blessed vocationally to be pastors that want to keep going because it is for something so much greater than ourselves.

11. Become close friends with other pastors in your town (as many as you can).
12. Your kids will be grown before you know it. Don’t sacrifice them on the altar of ministry.
13. Your ministry isn’t your god. God is your God.
14. You know how to give and how to minister to others. If you don’t learn how to receive, you’ll burn out and/or die.
15. Studying for sermons doesn’t replace your personal time with God and in His word.
16. Err on the side of generosity.
17. Believe in people that others overlook.
18. If you’re going to reach people that others aren’t, you’ll have to do things that others won’t.
19. Your integrity matters more than you can imagine.
20. Hire staff members that you like.

What speaks to you? Would love to read some feedback.

40 Keys To Success…Part 1 of 4

Usually in my blog I write for anyone to read…however, today it is for those who are involved in ministry.  Craig Groeschel wrote about 40 things every pastor needed to know, since he was turning forty years old.  I on the other hand will be turning thirty years old in the next couple months and have been made aware several times by our dear sweet teenagers that I am getting “old”.  I don’t believe that I am getting “old” even though I fear the big three oh, and do feel like I am getting older.  So I am going to post over the next four days the 40 things that Craig posts because as I have read through the first ten…I believe they to some degree apply to us all where we serve.

1. Life is short. Make every day count for God’s glory.
2. Life is short. Don’t take it too seriously.
3. Ministry is a marathon, not a sprint.
4. Jesus cares more about the church than you do.
5. You can’t please everyone…so why try?
6. People will criticize you. Quit whining. Get used to it.
7. Three months from now, you won’t even remember most of the things that are bothering you today.
8. You can’t do it all. Stop trying.
9. God called you because He is good, not because you are.
If you blame yourself for the bad results in ministry, you’ll likely also take credit for the good results.

Love it, love it, love it.  I resonate with a lot of those and it makes me analyze why I do what I do, and who do I do it for?  Each one of us that serves knows how easy it becomes to do the work of God and forget the God of the work.

Over the next days may you take the time to evaluate with me what is truly important and then excel at it.

Kingdom Wins

Yesterday was truly a great day despite the let down of no snow.  In Life Groups we had forty-two students who once again came to learn the Bible.  In Life Groups we have been taking a journey through the Bible starting in Genesis and we will eventually end up in Revelation.  Yesterday we talked about FAITH.  We talked about Abraham and the faith that he had to follow God’s command to sacrifice his only son Isaac.  [SPOILER]…In the end we see that God provided a ram in a bush for the sacrifice and Isaac lived.  A couple cool things:
-If Abraham did not give 100% and go the full distance (3 days travel), if he had gotten lazy and only went part way, there may not have been a sacrifice to replace Isaac.
-As Abraham was climbing up the mountain, God was preparing the sacrifice.
-Abraham may have lost his chance for the father of the year award.
-Abraham told the servants that WE will return after worshipping God.  Extreme FAITH!
-Isaac probably still needed to go to family counseling after this.

FUSION was awesome.  Even though we had band difficulties, technical difficulties, speaker difficulties in that I was just burned out and had no energy last night…God choose to use all of our deficiencies for His glory because in the end 4 students made a first time decision to follow Christ.  WOW!  You can plan out everything and when it begins to backfire on you, you have two options, FREAK OUT or LET GOD!  We have such a great youth staff that are flexible with change and able to adapt quickly.  Thanks to Jeff for stepping up huge again and helping us out with worship…Jeff is such a talented worship leader, make sure you take the time to tell him that.

Overall it was a great day and we are getting excited about the CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE of bringing students to church during our 4 Christmas services; Sunday 9:30 & 11:00am as well as Monday 5:30 & 7:00pm.  Remember 200 students total =dyed hair and 250 students =shaved head by John during a morning worship service.  The challenge has been set.