En Route! (on the way)

One Year Ago Today... Africa

2012-02-09T14:08:00.000-05:00

It was a year ago right around this time that our plane was touching down in the Central African Republic. It was truly an experience of a lifetime that will never be forgotten. Here are a few of the lessons that still ring true within my heart even today.

Never underestimate what God is able to do through those who are open and willing to respond to Him!
The fellowship we enjoy in Christ transcends all culturally boundaries.
Pure religion is to care for the widows and orphans of this world. I believe this pleases the heart of our father.
Lord I believe... Help my unbelief as this experience stretched my faith.
I love my wife and children as it was tough being apart from them. Being a world apart left me releasing them into the Lord's loving care which isn't easy for this husband/father to do.
The joy of the Lord seems to be found in the simple things of life!
The hope of life eternal found in Christ alone is what gets so many believers around the world through another day when surrounded with so much death.
I can't open my fridge or take a hot shower without thinking and giving thanks for all we have.
Everyone needs to experience a short term mission trip to another part of the world where there is such need to awaken us to how selfish we are in North America and how much is yet to be done for the sake of Christ our Lord.
I will forever remember the people I met and their stories of faith and trust in God.

That about does it for now... so many things going through my mind today as I reflect upon this trip.

A Rookie Cold Weather Mistake

2012-01-24T11:42:00.000-05:00

It has been nearly a month since my last post as Christmas has come and gone and we are well into the New Year. Part of my New Year here in Ottawa has been adapting to cold winters once again.

Last week I made a cold weather rookie mistake. My family and I were heading over to the Scotiabank place to watch my son's basketball coach who plays for the Carleton Ravens take on the Gee Gee’s (by the way… just found out what a Gee Gee was) It was a cold night with wind chills around -28 degrees Celsius, but I figured it would be a quick run from the car to the arena and that dressing somewhat lightly would be appropriate. I was wrong!!!Shortly after we got into the arena, I found myself shaking somewhat uncontrollably as the cold had penetrated to the deepest core. I sat there chilled to the bone for the whole night and let me just say that the walk back to the car did nothing but bring on the cold shakes once again. This had only happened to me once before when I did not dress appropriately for a PSU – U of M November football game.
As I thought about this in a spiritual context, I could not help but think of how casual we get with our spiritual lives as well. The journey from hot to lukewarm to cold isn’t as far as we think. It only takes one causal approach to sin for the heart to grow cold and penetrate to the deepest parts of our heart if we aren’t careful. God has called us to dress spiritually as defined in Colossians 3:12-17 in order for us to stay spiritually hot.
In a spiritually cold world, what are you doing to stay spiritually hot?

One Gift to Go...

2011-12-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe that another Christmas Day will soon be upon us. As the day quickly approaches so to do all of the final preparations that go into it all. To be honest, I haven't had much to do with the Auld family preparations as they fall mostly to my wife. In fact, as the day quickly approaches I find myself somewhat weary as the bucket of ministry has been poured out on so many fronts and yet there is one final gift that must be sought out.

My need to pursue this gift was birthed out of a question posed by a ministry colleague earlier this week when he challenged us to consider what we were giving Jesus this year for Christmas. At first glance, this many seem like a silly question or one that deserves a pat answer and yet it is a question that has me really thinking.

What do you give the King of Kings? What do you give the God who loves you so much He willingly took on flesh and entered fallen humanity in order to rescue us from our sin? What do you give a Saviour who has given everything for you? These are not easy questions that warrant easy answers.

So... I still have one gift to go. I am still not sure what I am going to give Jesus but it is proving to be a very soul searching exercise that I want to take quite seriously heading into 2012. I trust that all who read this will also consider what they will be giving Jesus this year as you finish up your shopping lists heading into Christmas.

Reflect and Project

2011-12-16T09:17:00.000-05:00

As the year 2011 comes to a close, I am preparing to fulfill an annual heart and mental exercise I like to do at the end of each calendar year. As with most people, I try to grab a few days of vacation/rest and travel to visit with family. This usually provides me with a few hours of drive time whereby I can usually take some time to think.

Part of this exercise relates to my need to reflect. I never want to close out a year without reflecting upon the following three things. First, I want to remind myself of God's faithfulness throughout the year. I need to pause and think through how God has showed up in love and grace throughout all of the events of year 2011. Secondly, I need to honestly reflect upon where I am at spiritually, emotionally and physically as the year closes. How am I feeling in each of these areas? What has been tested in each of these areas? An honest awareness of where you are at personally in all three is important. Finally, I need to honestly reflect upon where I am at relationally. How are the most important relationships in my life going? What tested those relationships throughout the year? What growth and great things took place in those relationships throughout the year? Again, an honest awareness of where I am at in my key relationships is important.

But I also am convinced I can't live in the past reflecting. I must also spend some time projecting and asking the Lord to help me set some concrete goals to pursue for the year in each of the areas mentioned above. I never want to grow stagnant in my life and will constantly look to the Lord for His leading in how to keep growing and becoming all that He would have me become while I have life to do so.

So, I am looking forward to some time out of the office to prayerfully reflect and project as 2011 comes to a close and 2012 launches.

Breaking out of the Squash Box

2011-12-01T11:04:00.000-05:00

I am heading out this afternoon to play a bit of squash with a friend of mine. I haven't played much squash or racquetball in life, but, I do enjoy getting out and trying new sports. One of the unique features about these two sports is the court upon which you play. You basically go and lock yourself into a concrete box with only one small door as the way out and then smack a hard rubber ball off the walls.

As I thought about this, I could not help but equate it to the lives so many find themselves living in. I even find myself fighting this temptation to view life as this box we are are forced into whereby you spend your days trying to keep the ball of life moving as it bounces out of control on the walls that surround you. There are days when you just want to break out of the box you find yourself in and yet there often appears to be no way out as the ball keeps begging to be hit. I also believe that many of us naturally return to the box as we at least feel safe and somewhat in control when in it even if we don't like it.

I really don't think the Lord has called us to live lives like this. We have been set free in Christ and I believe we have been called to be agile and ready to move as He moves within our lives. So often the daily requirements of surviving and being successful within the North American culture create and force us into the box of life whereby we stop dreaming big for God. It is here that our faith can begin to shrivel.

I guess my question to self daily is simple, "What am I doing to make sure I never stop dreaming big in Christ and for Christ so that I can move with Christ?" I don't want my remaining years on this planet to be defined as trapped in the box of daily grind but rather alive, free and moving in faith with my Saviour.

What do I need this Christmas?

2011-11-22T19:15:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, I was speaking with my mom and we were talking Christmas gifts. At one point we found ourselves going around and around trying to figure out what to buy certain individuals in the family who in reality don’t really need anything. We have so much and are so blessed and yet every year the commercials and our own greedy longings make us believe we need more.

This carries over into our spiritual lives as well. How often do we approach our God and complain like He hasn’t given us everything we need to successfully navigate life here on earth with Him and for Him. Isn’t it amazing how often we live out our lives as Christ followers with a poor man’s attitude rather than the spiritually rich people we are. Paul states it so clearly to the believers in Ephesus where he writes “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)
So as we head into the Christmas season, let’s not act like we don’t have much. We have all that we need in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let’s live like that’s true in our lives no matter what you find under the tree this Christmas. Maybe the answer to the original question above is that we give one another spiritual reality checks this year by spending some time celebrating God’s goodness to us.

Crossing the Bridge

2011-11-11T18:04:00.000-05:00

Recently my wife and I joined another couple and traveled to the quaint little town of Wakefield, Quebec. It was an absolutely beautiful Fall day and we came across this recently renovated covered bridge. As we enjoyed a leisurely stroll across the river through this covered bridge a number of thoughts crossed my mind as it relates to my journey with God.

First, there was a need for me to cross over to a holy God and I recognized long ago it was impossible for me to do on my own. There was a need for someone to provide a "bridge" over to God on my behalf because of my sin. That "bridge" is of course Jesus Christ who came and made the way for sinful human beings to cross over to the Father. Jesus paid for my sin upon the cross and I just need to cross the bridge of redemptive work found in Christ by faith. Praise the Lord there was a point in my life where I responded and took that step of faith towards Christ, our bridge to enter into a personal relationship with a holy God.

Secondly, it required some real pioneers to build the bridge over that river. In life, God will call us as both individuals and church families to take some big steps and cross some pretty big rivers in life to get to the next God sized adventure on the other side. It will always take some courageous pioneers willing to take that first step and start building the bridge over the challenges of life by God's grace. We do so in order for others to one day follow and benefit from what has been created. May God give me and other leaders the courage to take such steps.

Thirdly, may we all be willing as Christ followers to cross over to the other side where the adventure of God awaits us. There is no need for a bridge to help us cross if we are unwilling to walk across it. Sometimes in life it seems much easier to just sit down on one side of the river of life and enjoy the scenery when God is really calling us to stand up, cross the river and experience whatever He has for us on the other side.

Is there a river God is calling you to cross today? If so, by faith and with confidence in Christ the master bridge builder, take some steps to experience whatever adventure God is calling you to on the other side of the river.

Pastor's Wives

2011-10-26T18:26:00.000-04:00

Recently, a few articles have come across my desk dealing with the pressures a pastor's wife often lives under and the unfortunate outcomes of these real life stories.

When I was going through my studies in preparation to become a pastor, many wise individuals passed along great insights on how to protect ourselves from moral failings as men within a ministry. They spoke often of how women would look to their pastor's and see things in them that they did not see in their husbands thus demanding the need to place protections around ourselves in order to remain faithful to our marriage vows.

But, these articles seem to point to a new trend where more and more men are hitting on pastor's wives. As the divorce rate continues to climb and more and more middle aged people find themselves single again, the number of men looking for a "new wife" is on the increase and the pastor's wife is not immune to this reality. In fact, many would view the pastor's wife as a vulnerable person because many pastor's are not giving their wives the love and attention they truly deserve. The ministry has often become the pastor's mistress leaving his wife looking for someone to care and walk alongside of them through all of the pressure's of being a pastor's wife.

As I continue to ponder these readings, I am struck with at least two thoughts. The first revolves around my need to continue making my wife a priority far above my ministry responsibilities. She needs to know on very real and tangible levels that I am married to her and not the church. Secondly, we must be fully aware of the pressures and temptations that so many pastor's wives live under. So many face what feels like unrealistic expectations and the need and desire to "just escape" can sometimes lead to poor decisions that ruin marriages.

These are sobering realities facing even those who sit in leadership within ministries and all couples must continue to fight the good fight and make marriage a priority. Here are a couple of great resources that I've come across to help with this; Couples = www.loveandrespect.com and Pastor's wives = www.leadingandlovingit.com

Sweet Fellowship and Thanksgiving

2011-10-07T17:36:00.000-04:00

It is Friday afternoon and I am preparing to head into my first Canadian Thanksgiving in nearly six years and I have a few thoughts running through my head. So here we go...

First, last Sunday night I preached on Philippians 1:1-11 and focused in on the sweet fellowship we enjoy and must guard as saints in Christ Jesus if we partner together in the work of the Gospel. As we head into thanksgiving I continue to ask the Lord to give me a love for the church as He loves the church. We need to be incredibly thankful for who we are together in Christ and cherish the sweet fellowship we enjoy in Him.

Secondly, I've been thinking a lot this week about my brothers and sisters in the Central African Republic. As I set up my new office this week, I came across many pictures and memories from that trip that got me reflecting on the things I witnessed and experienced while over there. I am so thankful for what we enjoy here in North America and must guard my heart against grumbling. From the material blessings to the spiritual ones, there is so much to give thanks for and keeping this eternal perspective in mind is necessary in order to avoid the spiral downwards into not being satisfied with what we have been blessed with.

Thirdly, I am so thankful for my family. In a world with so much brokenness within family units, I give thanks for a marriage and family that seeks to firmly plant ourselves upon the principles and truth of God's Word. It doesn't make everything perfect, but with that foundation we believe we will experience the blessing of a strong family unit which is to be cherished, guarded and celebrated with a thankful heart.

Finally, as I reflect upon the above three thoughts they all have a few things in common. They reflect our need for others and our need to build those relationships upon who we are in Christ. May we give thanks for the sweet fellowship we enjoy in our relationships as we strive to keep Christ central.

God is Able

2011-09-30T10:45:00.000-04:00

I love music! Music has always stirred deep emotions within me as it is something I could not live without. To be honest, I'm not that musically inclined and so I am thankful for those who share with the world the gift of music.

This week, I purchased the latest Hillsong recording entitled "God is Able". I've always enjoyed the music of Hillsong and have found this latest recording an incredible encouragement and motivator. Please know that I don't state this lightly as I understand the emotional power found in music that can lead us down paths that stray from the truth of God's word. I state this because my favourite song off of the recording is rooted in a truth from Scripture (it has a good beat as well).

The song is entitled "God is Able" and speaks powerfully to the greatness and might of our God. I must confess that sometimes I get lost in the details and pressures of life and forget this truth. There are times in both my personal life and ministry life that I lose sight of God's goodness and in His ability to do more than I could humanly dream or imagine and I stop asking and dreaming big dreams in Him and for Him.

So... I have determined this week to be very intentional about dreaming God sized dreams on a weekly basis. As I reflect on both the personal side of my life and the ministry side of my life (which are very much intertwined) I am going to be sure to always have one or two God sized dreams rattling around in my heart and prayer life so as to never lose sight of the greatness and power of God. HE is ABLE!!!

So what is your God sized dream? Have you stopped dreaming God sized dreams? What are you trusting Him for that only He can do?

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Approaching a Throne with Confidence

2011-09-23T09:05:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow evening, I have the privilege of speaking to the International Fellowship at the MET Bible Church in Ottawa, ON. When they approached me to speak, they asked that I consider following their theme of "God's grace and mercy." As I thought on this, I could not help but feel a bit overwhelmed in that this theme runs richly throughout the entirety of Scripture. But, yesterday I found clarity and determined to speak briefly from Hebrews 4:14-16. What a beautiful passage of Scripture that speaks powerfully to we who are in Christ and the privilege we have to daily live as recipients of His grace and mercy.

Few quick thoughts from this passage...

First, we can approach the very throne of King Jesus with confidence. This is highly contradictory to the invitations extended by most earthly kings. Yet, for those who have trusted Jesus (our heavenly King) to save us from our sin, we have this incredible invitation to approach His throne with confidence because we are a part of the family of God and have redeemed by the blood of Jesus our High Priest.

Secondly, as we approach the throne we find a King/High Priest who is sympathetic. As humans, we all long to have people understand and feel our hurts and heartaches with us. The Bible teaches us that we find a sympathetic High Priest who understands completely the sometimes painful and hard journey we all face on earth. How good it is to know there is one who understands the deepest feelings and longings of our heart.

Finally, it is good to know that as we approach this throne with confidence we find not only one who understands, but one who has the power to help us in our times of need. This throne we approach is one of grace, mercy and power. What a wonderful combination!!!

So, when I think about God's grace and mercy my mind often goes to this Hebrews passage as the very throne of God is a throne of grace where daily I can go with confidence as one of His followers to receive what is needed to navigate this life in Him and for Him.

Margin

2011-09-16T16:42:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking quite a bit this week about "margins". For those who know me, I absolutely love "to do" lists as they keep me on track and organized and allow me to accomplish much. At the end of every week, I take about 15 mins to reflect on the week gone by and prepare my calendar and to do lists for the upcoming week. With each of these items, the concept of "margin" can clearly be seen in the print out themselves. Allow me to explain...

As I look at my calendar for any given week, well over half of it will be booked up with regularly scheduled meetings and appointments. But on most weeks, you will also find two to three large blocks of time that are reserved for me. I usually call them "study times" or as one of my past administrative assistants fondly called it "Tim time." Now I understand that there is an incredible temptation to fill that time with an appointment or feel as though you need to justify what that "spare" time is really being used for. Yet, without some of those moments in my weekly calendar, I would be taking work home with me every night as there are some things that just need to get done on a weekly basis. I've also always wanted to keep an open door policy with my team and so there must be margin in my calendar to accommodate that.

As I look at my "to do" list, I am committed to keeping it to one sheet weekly. I am also committed to leaving plenty of space by having somewhat large margins and white space on the print out. I've learned to do this as I know that things will arise next week that I did not see coming which will need to be added to the to do list. If I fill the sheet with all kinds of unrealistic goals and leave no room for the "write ins" then I have lost margin and will soon burn out.

To be honest, I am still growing in this as I have a real tendency to over commit if I am not careful and yet God continues to teach me how to utilize simple practices to help me "redeem the time".

"Be very careful, then how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:16-17)

O Canada, Consumed and the Faithfulness of God

2011-09-09T12:20:00.000-04:00

It has been a few weeks that will not soon be forgotten! We all have the moments/seasons of life that permanently etch themselves into our hearts and minds and this will be one of them for me. To summarize, we lived through an earthquake, hurricane, final Sunday at one church, a move, customs, new home, first Sunday at another church, first day of school, first day of work, first staff meeting at new church and that was week number one. With that being said, I am home in Canada and enjoying my daily Tim Horton's.

But, I can also say that I am enjoying the faithfulness of God as well. A few blog posts ago I spoke of my need to be a man/husband/father that walks by faith into the seasons of life whereby the only thing you know for certain is God's leading. Having sought to do that, I now wanted to take time to reflect upon God's faithfulness even when my faith grew weak.

Jeremiah writes; "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)

As I thought about the hectic pace of life over the past few weeks, I could not help but think of all the times I felt somewhat "consumed" by the pressures, emotions and fatigue of life as mere mortals. It is so easy for all of us to find ourselves consumed by the temporal things/feelings/situations of life. Yet, as Christ followers (those in Christ) we have the privilege of living in the presence of God without being consumed by His holiness. Instead we find His faithful compassion which allows us daily to avoid being consumed by the everyday situations of life that can bring us to places of fear, hopelessness and even bitterness.

Thank you LORD for your faithful compassion which is new every morning no matter what our day entails!

Thank You and Still Blogging

2011-08-25T16:02:00.000-04:00

As the time for my departure from Grace soon arrives, I wanted to take a moment to publicly give thanks. Although the days have not always been easy, there is so much in life to give thanks for daily that one would be remiss to not see and express gratitude.

First, a great big thank you to our Heavenly Father. He was (and is) faithful on the days full of laughter and smiles and He was (and is) faithful on the days when my faith was weak. I could not imagine doing life without a personal relationship with Almighty God through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Secondly, a great big thank you to the team I got to serve with day in and day out. You will not soon be forgotten and as the apostle Paul wrote "I give thanks upon my every remembrance of you." I will miss you and give thanks for the many lessons we learned together and the many lessons you taught me.

Thirdly, a great big thank you to the Grace Church family. It is not always easy to shepherd a flock and it is not always possible to be in agreement at all times with everyone. Yet, the privilege of getting to serve the Lord Jesus as a shepherd to His people is something I will never take for granted and will always give thanks for. So thank you Grace Church for letting me be one of your pastor's.

Finally, a great big thank you to my wife and children. The life of being a pastor's wife and PK is not always an easy one. What we as shepherds do day in and day out follows us always and this impacts a family. Please know that I would not have made it all these years as a pastor without the love and support of a loving, encouraging and gracious life partner. You are a blessing to me family!

Also, many from Grace have asked if I will keep on blogging and the answer is yes. I am still "En Route" in this life and until the Lord calls me home I will seek to express myself through thoughts on this blog. So many thanks for reading and may many of you continue to be encouraged through reading my thoughts on life as a Christ follower!

Transitions and Faith

2011-08-18T11:29:00.001-04:00

"And without faith it is impossible to please God..." (Hebrews 11:6)

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8)

It is well known that my family and I are in the process of a large transition to Ottawa, ON. We are very excited about this transition in that we truly believe within our hearts that we have been called by God to go to this place.

But, there have been days whereby we have felt the pressure of such a change as there are many unknowns yet to be answered which can lead to stress (especially in those of us who like every single duck in a row). In light of the pressures, I have found myself continually returning to Hebrews 11 and 12 to remind myself that this journey is not one of "every duck being neatly in a row" but rather an incredible journey of faith whereby I am left with no choice but to trust God to provide and work things out.

I am encouraged by the story of Abraham as he walked and lived an incredible journey of faith. I am also encouraged that he was considered a man of faith even though he too had his moments of doubt whereby God had to grow Him. Life is not always easy and transitions can and will stretch us. But, when we walk in the will and promises of God, you realize afresh and anew that there is no other way to walk but the walk of faith.

I am still striving to get all of my ducks in a row for this transition as I do believe we have to do our part with the minds and bodies God has given us but I continue to ask God to help me walk by faith in the things I can't control for this I know pleases Him.

So, whatever transition you may find yourself in today, walk in His will by faith for this will please our Heavenly Father and grow you immensely.

Lessons from my Rafting Experience!

2011-07-27T12:20:00.000-04:00

While on vacation, my family and I tried out a new experience together. We went whitewater rafting as a family and had an absolute blast. While on our adventure, there were a few lessons that crossed my mind that apply to my journey with Christ.

The first lesson had to do with the river itself. While on our journey the river had many different twists, turns and levels of rapids. There were portions of absolute calm where the kids hopped out of the raft and gently floated down the river and other portions where we hit level four rapids and the kids (and I) held on for dear life. It just reminded me of what life is really like. We would love for it to always be calm and yet there are all sorts of seasons that God allows us to live through. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven..." (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

The second lesson had to do with our river guide. I could not imagine going down that river without him. As we approached some of the rapids, his ability to give us instruction and navigate our boat kept us safely afloat and on course. Just as I could not imagine going down that river without our guide, I could not imagine going through life without Christ Jesus as my Shepherd. He is there to lead, protect, teach and walk with me through every season (twist/turn) of life. (John 10:1-18)

The final lesson had to do with our need on the raft to listen and act upon our guides instruction. As we got aboard and prepared to head down river, our guide gave us three simple instructions. Our only task was to listen for and then act upon his instruction to us. Failure to do so could lead to trouble on the river. How true for us as we live out our lives for Jesus. He simply asks us to trust Him, listen to Him and then act in obedience upon His instruction to us. (1 John 2:1-6)

How wonderful to live out our lives in the Lord Jesus Christ as our ultimate guide in life no matter what part of the river journey we find ourselves currently on!

Rest, Rekindle, Recalibration, Recreation

2011-07-08T14:28:00.001-04:00

The other day I was speaking with a friend and we both commented on how we feel like the summer is half over. We've just celebrated the fourth and now we start gearing up towards the Fall. But, somewhere in there are a whole lot of vacations planned by families including my own.

As I think about another family vacation and time away from the office, I always make sure to think through the primary purposes of getting away. I've touched on some of these before, but thought these four were worth sharing as I contemplate them for my life.

REST
I continue to learn that my need for physical, emotional and spiritual rest is necessary. One can only live off of adrenaline for so long without crashing. Sleep is necessary and the chance to sleep in for a few mornings will be wonderful. Emotional and spiritual rest is also necessary. It is far too easy to get caught up in just going through the motions and time is needed to just stop and think about where one is at emotionally and spiritually. God rested on the 7th day of creation not because He was tired but because He was establishing a pattern for us as His created to follow. Rest is necessary.

REKINDLE
I believe immensely in the importance of families stepping out of the ordinary patterns and systems of life to enjoy time together and rekindle relationships. As the family unit erodes within our current culture, there is something special about getting away from the routines of life to just enjoy one another over hours in a car, playing games or experiencing new things together. Time away from the office with my family gives my an opportunity to focus the most important relationships of my life.

RECALIBRATE
By taking the time to rest and remove myself from the normal business of life allows me the time needed to recalibrate spiritually. I try on a regular basis to pause long enough to make sure I am still on track for the Lord. Time away where I am feeling rested gives me the opportunity to set goals for myself that are not being tainted through a mindset of weariness or pressure that can lead to unhealthy or unrealistic personal expectations. We all need to pause long enough to recalibrate spiritually once in a while.

RECREATION
I am also a firm believer that families need to find time to intentionally step away from the routines of life to just have some fun. Please know that I don't buy into the current culture that believes you can only enjoy yourself if you spend lots of money. Time away allows families to spend time trying many news things as well as doing the things they love to do. Whether it involves spending money for a new experience or just laughing together in the car while Dad sings to the radio (its true... I do it and can still bring my wife and kids to tears from laughing so hard), families must learn to have fun and just enjoy being together. God did not create us to never laugh or enjoy life. In Him we have such freedom and joy with every day being viewed as a gift from Him.

So there you go... some of my thoughts in the season of vacations.

Not for Self

2011-06-29T10:44:00.000-04:00

I recently received my quarterly copy of PBU Today from Philadelphia Biblical University. The focus of this current publication revolved around the graduating class of 2011 and the call for them to leave the University and make a difference in this world for God's Glory.

The president, Dr. Todd Williams, wrote an article entitled "Not for Self" as noted in my title above that tied so well into all that has been going through my head as of late. Here are a few thoughts from the article that have struck a nerve and are worth chewing on I believe;

"A vision of the true God leads to a belief that His purposes and glory are the things for which we live and work." I would guess that most Christ followers would nod their heads in agreement with this statement, but what if the rubber were to hit the road and we all had to start evaluating our lives one piece at a time in light of that statement. Do we live in the house we live in for the glory of God or would something smaller work just as well in order to give away more for His glory? Do we work to build more into our retirement plans so we can someday cease to work and just enjoy life or do we work to build more into our retirement plans so I can spend the last 20 years of my life on the mission field for His glory? To truly evaluate our lives based upon the above mentioned statement may have both our lives and our churches looking quite different if we truly believed it.

"The idols of self worship, self gratification and self service must be torn down and destroyed. They have no place in the Christian life." There is not much need to say anything here other than OUCH! We may not set up wooden or golden idols in our backyards that look like a bull but we have bought hook, line and sinker into the worship of self above the one true and living God here in America and fail to acknowledge it is a form of idolatry.

A few weeks ago in a previous blog post, I quoted the following Scriptures which speaks powerfully to the above statements; "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." (Romans 1:22-23). The troubling part about this verse in light of today's blog post is that we don't even bother worshipping images of mortal man. We have moved right to worship of mortal man, namely self. Sobering and yet I have to believe God will honor those who seek to honor Him. So let us live for His Glory and not for self. Counter cultural... YES, but that's OK in light of eternity.

Blessing and Purpose: A Disconnect?

2011-06-22T14:21:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I am currently reading Radical by David Platt. As I work my way through this book, I find myself continuing to digest my February experience in the Central African Republic in order to somehow connect the realities of what I saw with my daily life on a radically different continent. One concept that came out of the book that is helping revolves around the belief that there is an honest disconnect here in North American between God's blessing (as we define it) and His divine purpose for our lives.

For those of us who have seen and experienced (even if for a very short time) the poverty so many within our world live in, we cannot help but wrestle with the question "Why did God bless me and allow me to live in North America?" We have fresh water, food to eat, the American dream to pursue etc... For many of us, we spend a lifetime grappling with this concept because you never go to your refrigerator or step into a hot shower without some tinge of guilt when you think about how the rest of the world lives.

On the flip side, we spend millions within our culture seeking to explore our purpose in life. Whether we do so with a spiritual perspective or not, so many daily wrestle with why they exist and long for life to have some sort of meaning. This is as true in the church as it is anywhere else. People who fill the pews speak often of trying to find meaning and purpose in their current level of education, promotion at work or the latest vacation home purchased for retirement 30 years down the road. And yet, they grapple as well because this stuff just doesn't lend itself to the longings of our hearts that cry out for divine purpose.

Is it possible that we need to make a connection point with these two concepts? Is it possible that the simple answer is this; God has blessed us in North America so that we can connect, merge and mesh it together with God's ultimate purposes for our lives. Is it possible that you have received a fine education to use it somewhere else in the world for God? Is it possible that God has blessed you financially so that you can have your one home and spend the rest on helping others place some sort of shelter around them? Is it possible that you have been gifted in an area (finances, medicine, handyman, music, teaching, leading, administrating etc...) for the purpose of not only earning a living here in North America but rather to be used somewhere else in the world.

If we are all about bringing glory to God (which I'm not sure we are in the American church), we must connect the dots between God's blessing and His divine purpose for our lives. Life is too short and too many people still need to experience the tangible love of Christ around this globe for us to have a disconnect in this area. Something worth chewing on I believe...

A Heart of Compassion?

2011-06-15T09:47:00.001-04:00

Over the next few weeks, I have a feeling God is going to continue working within my heart in respects to reaching out to the helpless victims of our world in the name of Jesus Christ. I have been praying lately that God continue to show me how best to lead a church/ministry leaders in ministries of compassion that will set the captives free.

Here is what transpired yesterday alone that makes me think this...

I was doing some reading in a College magazine and came across Proverbs 21:13 that states; "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."

I have begun reading "Radical" by David Platt which will no doubt challenge my thinking on what it is to radically abandon ourselves to the person, heart and ministry of Jesus Christ. There is little doubt that Jesus spoke often of the need to care for the poor and I am guessing He really meant it.

I went with my children to renew their passports last evening and we got looking at mine with the markings from my trip to the Central African Republic. That trip has shaped me for the rest of my journey here on earth and I am hopeful that I will always feel challenged to keep the lessons learned there at the forefront of my mind.

Finally, we received our Compassion magazine in the mail yesterday that was dedicated to showing how that ministry is making a difference in the lives of preganant HIV positive women who until recently have been losing their newborn infants/children at a rapid pace when it ought not be.

All that in one day... Surely the Lord is trying to get my attention on this matter. The more I think about it, the more I continue to believe that if we as the church are truly going to claim that God has raised us up to be the "Hope of the World" then we better take that call seriously.

I hope the church will continue to wrestle with finding the balance in both proclaiming the Gospel and showing the realities of it through compassion type ministry.

Trials that do not end...

2011-06-08T10:14:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking recently about how I respond to trials that don't seem like they will ever end. I believe part of our human response that helps us cope is to believe within our hearts that the various trials we face all have a shelf life. But, some are called to live with something hard for their entire lives and we need in our humanness to know what to do with that.

This has come to bear as of late as I have been thinking often of my experiences in the Central African Republic and listening to others talk about their mission experiences in some of the poorest places on earth. Many of these people will spend the remainder of their lives on earth living through some of the hardest things any human being will face. I've also been thinking about Paul who pleaded with God to take away his perpetual "thorn in the flesh" that literally "tormented" (beat him up daily). This seemed to be something that was with him for a lifetime.

As I think on these things, I am becoming more and more convinced that we must determine early in our journey with God to find our hope securely in Him. So often our hope is rooted in a belief that the trial will end or that there is some magic bullet to fix it all when in reality God is calling us to find our hope and purpose in Him and Him alone. It really comes down to a simple decision. Do I really believe that the ultimate purpose of my life is to bring glory to God which is often done through how I trust and reflect Him back to the world through my response to trials. Paul sets a good example for us and gives us the truth to hold on to in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Until we acknowledge that our spiritual sufficiency is in Christ alone, our hope lies in the empty desires that no trial will last too long before we can feel good again. I believe it is very important that all of us determine early in life how we will respond to trials that may never end this side of glory. A book that has helped me process this is called "When Life is Hard" by James MacDonald.

Exchanging the Glory of the Immortal God

2011-06-01T14:41:00.000-04:00

I have recently been working slowly through the book of Romans as I am desirous to remind myself of all that believers have in Christ Jesus. I am also desirous to continue growing in my understanding of what it is to live life moment by moment under the control of the Holy Spirit.

As I approached this endeavor a few weeks back, I was tempted to glance through Chapter 1 as I reduced it to the chapter that is written to all of the people outside of Christ who will experience His wrath. As I began to do this, I was reminded that before being in Christ, I too was an object of God's wrath as Paul notes in Ephesians 2:3. So, with that in mind, I slowed down and began to work my way through the first chapter willing to see what God wanted to teach me.

Then it hit... Romans 1:23 where Paul is talking about those who knew of God, but willingly chose to move away from Him. I was convicted with the thought that I am tempted daily to move away from God even as one of His children. In fact, 1:23 states that many chose the path of foolishness and exchanged the glory and life that comes through a relationship with an immortal God for something else which only and always leads to destruction. As I read that, I became convinced that there are times where it seems much more enticing to "exchange the glory of our immortal God" for something of this earth.

Isn't it funny how rich we are in Christ and yet so often settle for the cheap substitutes of this world. So, before you and I as Christ followers judge those who blatantly reject the glory and majesty of our immortal God, let us pause and think about those things of the world we readily pursue and in essence exchange the glory of the immortal God for them.

May the Lord help all of us live and walk in His power and promises as anything else is a cheap substitute!

Cause Oriented vs. Christ Oriented

2011-05-23T12:24:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking quite a bit lately on whether or not I am (and the church is) more cause oriented than Christ oriented. There is little doubt in my mind that we live in a culture that is very much cause oriented. Through social media, the potential of rallying people behind the latest cause, program or product can be almost immediate. It would also seem that people are quick to jump on one of these bandwagons because there is an unwritten expectation that the commitment will make me feel good and won't last long which then allows us to move on to the next cause, program or product.

This may work to a certain extent in respects to getting things accomplished, but do we really want to be a people whose lives are defined by the latest cause we've attached ourselves to. Is it possible that it is far easier to be cause oriented rather than building upon the foundation as Christ followers by being Christ oriented in all that we do. I sometimes think that in both my personal life and in the life of the church, we find ourselves spinning our wheels because we have given ourselves over to the tyranny of the urgent and bounce from one cause, program or product to the next because we've moved away from a centralized focus upon Christ.

Imagine what each of us as individuals/church families could accomplish for God if everything we do is rooted in who we are in Christ. A proper understanding of this will only come if we are daily spending time fixed upon (gazing intently) unto the Author and Perfector of our faith and listening to Him. I would think that the natural outflow of a person/church that is Christ oriented would accomplish all that God has called us to accomplish. I really believe churches would be much more productive for the Lord if we spent more time helping one another better understand Jesus and our lives in Him instead of seeking to rally people to the latest cause.

Still much to chew on in respects to theses thoughts and the practical implications of them for the church...

Selfish, Shallow and Starving

2011-05-15T20:49:00.000-04:00

This past week I heard a great statement that has given me pause. It went something like this; "The problem with many ineffective churches is that we have selfish shepherds which leads to shallow services with the end result being starving sheep."

There is little doubt that we live in a culture that places self first with a huge desire to be comfortable and happy which unfortunatly leads to people seeking to fill the God sized void in their lives with everything and anything other than God.

As a pastor, I will be the first to admit that there are incredible pressures upon us. There is the pressure of knowing we will one day be held accountable by God's holy standard on how we fulfilled our calling. But, there is often the unspoken pressure of not only pleasing God but also the sheep and this can be exhausting and not always possible. This at times can lead to selfishness, discouragement or other forms of coping for shepherds.

Unfortunately, the end result can be unhealthy churches because both the shepherd and the sheep settle for second best (shallow services) because it is just easier and feels better. If we are not careful, we then begin to measure success by worldy standards. Or, success is measured and talked about with what I like to call "psuedo spiritual speak" that sounds godly but is really just masking what is going on in the hearts of all involved.

Once we've reached this point, we have starving sheep who don't know how to feed themselves with the Word of God and they spend their days with their mouths open whining and crying to be fed. I would suggest this is one of the reasons church hopping is so prevelant in the American church. Is it possible that we have reduced attending church as just another means to filling our happy, feel good quotient? Is it possible that people just want to be entertained and fed what they want to be fed and will continue moving from church to church like they are choosing a restaurant rather than a body of believers to belong and work alongside.

As you can see, the above statement has me thinking and these are nothing more than a few initial thoughts related to it. There are so many more rambling around in my head and yet the heart of the matter is truly this, shepherds must have the heart to serve and live out their lives like the Chief Shepherd. In fact, the Chief Shepherd is soon coming and prayerfully He will find all those who claim to be a disciple of His possessing a heart like His.

Elephants, Bones, Emotional Health, Tuna & Friends

2011-05-09T13:29:00.000-04:00

Elephants: I just received my copy of the "Elephant Room" DVDs from the conference held a month ago. I wasn't able to participate in the day but look forward to taking some time over the next few weeks to watch 7 pastor's debate and grapple with ministry philosophy.

Bones: I appreciated Dr. Jim Ayer's message on the importance of every member of the Body of Christ in accomplishing together God's purposes for the Church. He used an analogy that spoke of the four types of bones in the Body of Christ. There is the jawbone, wishbone, knuckle bone and backbone. I will let you define each of those as you wish as they are somewhat self-explanatory. The reality is that we need everyone who claims to be a follower of Christ to engage and be a part of the backbone of a ministry for the sake and glory of Christ.

Emotional Health: I am about half way through the book "The Emotionally Healthy Church" that was recently recommended to me. It is really helping me process and think through how I view people within the church and their discipleship within the church. So much of my training revolved around the need to provide people with a place to grow in their spiritual intellect while growing in their spiritual disciplines without giving much thought or credence to the individual as a holistic person uniquely created by God. God continues to grow me in my understanding of viewing ourselves and one another as holistic people who need to place priority on our spiritual, intellectual, physical and emotional health. These four areas definitely intersect and are worth giving attention to. This is well worth pastor's thinking about as the premise of the book very much builds off of the truth that as goes the leader so goes the church.

Tuna and Friends: Just enjoyed an appreciation lunch with my wife (Teacher at Lititz Christian) and other good friends put on by a group of parents from the school. Couldn't imagine doing life without solid relationships within my life.

Finishing Well

2011-05-03T21:21:00.000-04:00

As I sit watching some hockey, I find myself reflecting upon my day. It was a fun day as I spent time at Messiah College watching and cheering my children on at their track meet. I am also looking at my bright red skin as the sun was shining hot today but that is another blog post...

One of the things that stood out most to me today was how kids finished their races. There were three basic finishes I noted. The first was the athlete who was obviously new to the sport as they had to work hard to just finish. There were a few longer races whereby the majority of the field was finished and one last athlete was struggling to stay on their feet and finish. Yet, every single one of them did finish to the cheers of the crowd and through their own determination to finish well the race they set out to run.

The second type of finish I saw was from the athlete who was obviously very talented and had every reason to win the race they were in. Yet, on two occasions I saw these gifted athletes lose their race because they did not give it 110% the whole way. They coasted across the finish line and it cost two of them the win.

The final type of finisher I saw were the athletes who knew how to run their race well. From start to finish they maintained a sustainable pace and gave it their all until they crossed the finish line. Some won their races and others did not, but it was incredibly motivating to see so many work so hard to finish well the races they set out to run.

As I watched all these races, I could not help but think about the race we as Christ followers are called to run. Like these athletes, we all have a choice on how we will run it. I was motivated by those who gave it their all to finish a race they weren't necessarily equipped to run and reminded myself that we all need to strive daily to keep adding to our lives the tools and truths needed to finish the race. I felt a sense of sobriety as I watched how quickly very gifted individuals did not finish their race well. We are all prone to sin and it is far too easy to disqualify ourselves from the race. Finally, I felt the need to commit once again to running well the race set before me like so many of the atheletes. It was a call to daily make the right choices in order to sustain, maintain and attain the rewards that await those Christ followers who run well the race God has set before them.

Thank you Jesus for being our ultimate example! (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Realist and the Resurrection

2011-04-19T13:32:00.004-04:00

This year I turn 40 and as the years go by, I continue to learn more about myself and what makes me tick. It's a fresh reminder of my need to continually be submitting my life unto Christ and seeing myself as He sees me.

One of the things I know about myself is that I am a realist. I tend to see the world in which I live through a very realistic lens. Like all of our tendencies, they can have positives and negatives to them. The negative is that I can get lost in the details of reality and forget to dream. One of the positives is that I don't seek to sweep hard realities under the carpet and live in a fantasy land where things are always good.

As Easter quickly approaches, I thought about this character trait in relationship to the resurrection and saw both the positive and the negative that can come from it. The positive is that I firmly believe and hold to the resurrection of Jesus Christ as historical fact/reality and that won't soon change. It requires an element of faith but the historical proof is also overwhelming and leads me to seek to live in the confidence and power of a risen Savior.

The negative is that I can sometimes get lost in the details of arguing and building my argument for the resurrection of Jesus that I lose sight of the power of it. In the name, person, work and resurrection of Jesus Christ there is life, power and the ability to dream big dreams in Him and for Him. If I am not careful, Easter can become another Sunday where I put in my religious duty and then check it off until the next major holiday comes the churches way.

This Easter season I am praying that I not only celebrate and acknowledge by faith my belief in the resurrection as a real historical fact (which many of us do during Easter services) but also experience the fullness of Christ and the resurrection power in my real life. That would be the best of both worlds for this realist.

Waves, God and Helping Japan

2011-03-18T10:22:00.003-04:00

This past week in light of the tragedy in Japan, I have spent some time thinking about just how BIG our God really is and how quickly we love to put Him into our little spiritual boxes in order to feel as though we are in control and thus comfortable with our image/view of God.

In light of that, I took some time to read Job 38-39 again in order to remind myself of the vast power and might of our God. I was also reminded of this as a fellow team member was sharing with the ministry leaders of Grace how God had been working in her heart through the account of the sun standing still in order to grant Joshua the victory in Joshua 10. God is that big!!!

Take some time to read Job 38-39 or at least the snippet included below;

"Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt." (Job 38:8-11)

Also, if you are looking for a safe place to help the victims of Japan, you can do so through our partners at GBIM (Grace Brethren International Mission).

Always Enough

2011-03-11T06:40:00.003-05:00

I rejoice today in the truth that God in His love is capable of meeting the needs of all on our great big earth many times through the work and ministry of His Body.

Thankful for the opportunity Grace Church has to partner with believers in the Central African Republic where orphans are learning of God's love and His promise to meet their needs both physical and spiritual.

Enjoy this video: http://www.gracechurchworship.org/alwaysenough.html

A Special Song

2011-03-04T15:35:00.003-05:00

While in Africa, we had the opportunity to visit a number of orphan schools and were blessed many times with some wonderful singing. At one school, the orphans sang a song for us that moved me greatly.

They sang a song that they had made up that was firmly rooted in Scriptures like James 1:27a which states; "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." As these young children sang out to the Lord, their words spoke of the heartache they've all lived through with the loss of their parents which was very sad. But, their words were also words that gave thanks for the wonderful truth that they have a Father in Heaven who now cares for them and loves them. They sang it with absolute conviction and confidence that their Heavenly Father would meet their every need acknowledging that currently it was through our partnerships with them.

I could not help but sit in the midst of the greatest poverty I've ever seen and think to myself; This is some of the most pure religion I've ever experienced as these children simply express with heartfelt thanksgiving what is going on as they live life with a childlike faith in their Heavenly Father.

Much for us adults to learn from a group of children whose young faith exhibits such a confidence in their Father in Heaven...

Little is Much

2011-02-27T10:07:00.003-05:00

There is an old saying that states "Little is Much when God is in it." This became very apparent while in the Central African Republic as what we as Americans would deem as so little is so much in the hands of God's people as God works in the C.A.R.

It may be true that a jump rope, soccer ball, mud brick building and rice for lunch on a good day doesn't sound like much to us as Americans, but to the orphans, widows and churches over there it meant the world. To see the sheer joy in the eyes of 50 orphans when we handed out 1 jump rope and 1 soccer ball moved me in ways that can't be described as I thought about how many balls I have sitting in my garage at home.

It was wonderful to realize that our partnership of $4000.00 per school is going to educate, feed and teach the Bible to nearly 50 orphans who have nothing and they are full of joy and pray for us often because of it. We blow $4000.00 on many other "things" here in America that prove far less spiritually profitable than this. Little is definitely much when God is in it. Thanks for giving Grace Church and thanks for making a difference in the lives of these orphans. They are so grateful and I believe God is pleased as well. Let's be praying for them!

A Worthy Partnership

2011-02-23T09:47:00.003-05:00

Pastor Doug and I are safely back from Africa and have no doubt been changed and challenged for life. It was a wonderful experience that stretched us on many fronts.

One of the blessings of our trip was to witness first hand the impact our partnership is having in the C.A.R. To see the pastor and a local church taking the lead to educate, feed and teach nearly 100 orphans about Christ is incredible and resources well spent on our part. As these kids grow physically, spiritually and mentally they possess the potential to impact their country in years to come as they may well be the next movers and shakers with a Biblical worldview guiding them.

In the pictures above, you will see Pastor Doug and I with Pastor Jeremy who is the pastor of the Bodali Church and Schools we partner with. You will also see pictured Samuel (in white shirt) and Marc (blue shirt and jeans) our two teachers along with some of the very children God is working in. Please be praying for Pastor Jeremy, Samuel and Marc as they minister daily to these orphans.

What a week!

2011-02-17T15:36:00.002-05:00

Pastor Doug and I have safely made it to Paris after a wonderful and hard week in the Central African Republic. It was a wonderful week of seeing what God is doing in our orphan schools through the Grace church partnership. I am looking forward to sharing more upon our return as the lessons God has taught me far outnumber what can be contained in a few words here. So enjoy the pics and be ready to hear more upon our return.

Please be praying for our continued safety and health. We still have many miles to go and both of us are still sick from our time in the C.A.R.

Ok... Here is the deal, I am struggling to download my pictures from my iPad into my blog, so I am guessing I better get with the times and get a facebook account to better communicate in a more timely fashion.

Love and appreciate you Grace Church family. Your prayers for us have meant the world to us. See you soon.

In Paris

2011-02-09T01:57:00.002-05:00

It is Wednesday morning here in Paris while everyone back home is sleeping. We are getting ready to take the last leg of our flight into Bangui after two great flights already. Thanks to all within the Grace Church family who have been and are praying. Will attempt to keep everyone updated when we can. Pastor Doug has been updating his facebook as well if you want to follow along.

We should arrive in Banguj around 5 PM our time (11:00 AM) for you. We are praying for a good nights sleep for we head up country first thing tomorrow morning to visit our two schools in Bossangoa. We are truly honored to be representing the Grace Church family with our brothers and sisters in Christ half way around the world. Can't wait to share more.

Central African Republic... Here comes Grace Church

2011-02-04T15:29:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday, Pastor Doug and I leave for the Central African Republic. It is a missionary journey we have been preparing months for and the time has come for our soon departure. As we prepare to go, there are many people who have made this opportunity possible. Many have given sacrificially to financially support this endeavor. Families and individuals alike have been praying hard for God's will to be accomplished on this trip. Medical visits to get shots and medications to prepare our bodies have been taken. Visa's have been granted and are now in our Passports. Our hearts are open to God and the lessons He wants to teach us and have us bring back to the church family.

It is my desire to spend some time blogging while away in order to update the church family on God's activity during our trip. Due to where we will be, there is no guarantee that regular updates will make it through, but check back often as we are desirous to keep you informed and praying throughout our journey.

It is also my heart's desire to know that we have a church family praying hard for us as we go. Please be praying for the following items as we take this trip;

First, please pray that God would use this experience to draw us closer to His heart as we see His Sovereign hand at work half way around the world.

Secondly, please pray that God would give us a deeper love for the orphans and widows. This James tells us is pure religion both here and abroad.

Thirdly, please pray for our families as we leave them for 12 days. Pray that God would give them His peace which passes all understanding while we are apart.

Fourthly, please pray for all of our travel arrangements both to and from the C.A.R. work well. There are some narrow windows we need to make and it would be wonderful to have all of our luggage make it as well.

Finally, please pray that God would give us the wisdom needed to bring back the lessons He desires to have us as the Grace Church family learn.

We love and appreciate you Grace Church and are honored to be representing you and your generosity to those with so little. May our Lord continue to bless this partnership with our brothers and sisters in the C.A.R.

Intentionality

2011-01-27T15:23:00.004-05:00

Spring boarding off of my latest post, I want to look at another word that Maxwell referenced and is carrying some significance at present. It currently carries some significance because the Grace team is looking to spend some time next week doing some beginning stages of strategic planning.

Maxwell defined it this way, "Being intentional means that you think on the front end and reflect on the back end." It is far too easy in life to find yourself behind the eight ball and living a very reactionary lifestyle. This is very true organizational as well. For a season, this type of organizational living might seem exciting, but it eventually catches up and can lead to significant challenges. Taking the time to intentional dream big, plan big and resource big to accomplish God's purposes is crucial and provides a greater opportunity for long term success. I also believe it is equally important to take time to reflect. We always state that hindsight is 20/20 as it is important to take time to pause and evaluate that which was pursued with great intentionality in order to grow and improve off of what was learned.

I would agree that any personal life or organization needs to be flexible and go with God's leading as that is very important, but so too is intentionality. Intentionality doesn't speak to a lack of faith but rather God sized faith to dream and plan big in partnership to God's movement in a life and/or organization for long term stability, productivity and success.

I would suggest that a life lived without intentionality is a life that is not going to be as productive in the long term for God. Having a clear picture of where He wants you to go and how He wants you to get there can lead to great results as long as we keep HIM as part of the entire journey.

Charisma vs. Commitment

2011-01-25T11:41:00.002-05:00

I've recently signed up to receive John Maxwell's "A Minute with Maxwell" daily video where individuals send in a word and he responds to it with a leadership snippet. They are all very good, but there have been two that have really caught my attention and I want to speak briefly to one of them in this blog post.

The word of the day was commitment. His video's are usually not more than 60 seconds, so much has to be accomplished in this short span of time. Thus with this word, he helped me better define it in my thinking by linking it to the word charisma.

I believe we currently live in a culture whereby people are drawn very easily and quickly to a charismatic leader without much thought given to the persons character, beliefs, convictions and commitment to any given organization or group of followers. I confess, I too can be drawn to the charismatic leader as there is something very engaging and enticing about a leader who can create much fanfare and enthusiasm for something. But, I do believe there is also something to be said for leaders who possess a steadfast commitment to something even when the charisma fades (and it will fade in any given situation as there will always be another charismatic leader arise calling people to something else).

If this is true, then I believe that John Maxwell was right in stating that leaders with charisma can bring people in the front door but struggle to keep people over time from leaving through the back door. That's where commitment comes in. Leaders who possess not only charisma but a steadfast commitment even when the charisma wanes will produce longer term gains.

This particular talk has me really beginning to formulate a position of leadership that speaks to longevity in any given leadership scenario requiring a steadfast commitment and not just charisma. Charisma in a leader without commitment leads to a wide open back door. Those following a leader without commitment will never become committed themselves.

In the same way, commitment without charisma can lead to great difficulty in calling people to commitment. I guess a well balanced approach helps!

The Excitement is Building!

2011-01-14T11:30:00.009-05:00

It is hard to believe, but in just a little over three weeks, I am headed to the Central African Republic to represent Grace church and visit our sponsored orphans, schools and centers. I am blessed to be going with another Pastor from our church (Doug Kegarise) and we will be connecting with another church from Ohio in Paris.

As we've been preparing for this trip, I have been praying for a number of things and would invite you to do the same if God would so lead you.

First, I've been praying that God would teach me what it is He believes I need to be taught throughout this experience. Experiences like this stretch and grow one's faith if in tune to God's leading throughout.

Secondly, I've been praying that God would comfort my family back home while I am away. We do most things together as a family, so this will be the first time in 17 years of marriage that I've been apart from my wife for so long. Please pray that God would sustain and keep them while I am traveling. I am so thankful for their support and excited to bring my experiences home to my family.

Thirdly, I've been praying that God would use both Pastor Doug and I to communicate well to our church family our experience. The church in America must continual battle against an isolated/Western approach to doing church and following Christ and develop a more global perspective on what our Great and Sovereign God is doing all around His globe.

Fourthly, I've been praying that God would meet our financial needs. This trip when it is all said and done will cost each of us approximately $3000 with all of the expenses of the trip and preparations (i.e. medical visits, shots) for the trip. We have both committed to going but are also trusting God to provide for us.

Finally, I've been praying that God would teach me what true joy really is. I recently sat down with my wife and watched a video of the orphans we will be visiting opening up their Christmas gifts. It touched me greatly and I can't wait to give them a hug when we get over there. If you want to watch it, click the title "The Excitement is Building" above and enjoy.

New Year with New Goals

2011-01-06T20:05:00.003-05:00

It is hard to believe, but here we are in 2011. I am not really one for New Year's Resolutions, but I do seek to take time when the calendar changes to reflect upon the year that has just passed and look to the new one. So here are a few thoughts as of tonight...

I cannot help but rejoice and give thanks unto God for His faithfulness. I know this sounds corny, but it is true. Through the good, bad and ugly of life this past year, God never changed and always remained just and faithful. Thank you Lord!

I am determined to continue taking not just my spiritual health seriously but my physical, emotional and mental health. I spent some time at the end of last year to reflect upon how we have been created as human beings. God has fearfully and wonderfully created us and called upon us to be good stewards of what He has entrusted to us. This includes my body, emotions and mind. So often we as pastors fall into the trap of only taking care of the spiritual that we lose sight of the other areas which in the end doesn't help the spiritual. I am thankful for my wake up call that got me back to eating well, exercising and taking steps to remain healthy in all facets of life towards the end of 2010.

I am really open to God's leading in my life. I am really beginning to recognize how short this journey upon the earth really is and I want to make the most out of every moment for the Lord. I am praying that I would have eyes to see the doors and opportunities He places before me whether small or large and be willing to walk and/or run right through them if I know He is leading. For example... I am so excited to be heading to Africa in just over 4 weeks. God is already doing great things in my heart as I prepare and yet it took a while to really take this step. Lord may each of us live life daily with an eternal view rather than temporal.

Finally, I am turning 40 this year which means I have almost finished up with my thirties which was an interesting decade to say the least. My prayer is that the lessons learned throughout my thirties will not soon be forgotten and be used to bring even more honor and glory to Christ.

Praying we all spend each and every day of 2011 fully anticipating and looking to the return of our Savior and living in His strength and power until He comes again.

The Gift of An Experience

2010-12-22T14:19:00.005-05:00

I have spent some time today reflecting upon an experience my family and I began on this date last year. Twelve months ago today, we were packed and ready to board a plane with 8 other individuals from our church in order to fly over to Europe and serve missionary families. (Pictured above are some of the missionary kids we served and my family in Barcelona Spain)

In my reflections, I have been giving thanks for the opportunity we had last year to take a step of faith out of our comfort zone as a family in order to give my children the "gift of an experience." I love that they still enthusiastically talk about it a year later which they never seem to do with the physical gifts they find wrapped and placed under a tree.

As I contemplate all the preparations we have made for our children this year for Christmas, I am wondering how many of them will really carry long term significance compared to the "gift of an experience" they received last year. I know we will have some fun, build some good memories and enjoy life together but I can't help but wonder how I can work a little harder at providing my entire family with "faith stretching experiences" that carry more of an eternal significance than most of what the kids will receive this Christmas. I can only speculate, but I have no doubt that much of what is received this year will lose its significance in a matter of weeks, months or years at best.

As we move into 2011, I am hopeful that many Christ followers will sincerely look to our God and genuinely ask Him to open up "faith stretching experiences" for our families. I hope for this in order to see God build into our lives those lessons and opportunities that grow and shape us for the cause of Christ.

So for today... I am grateful as I reflect upon last year's experience for my children and I am trusting it will carry some lessons that will have eternal significance as they grow.

God's Timing...

2010-12-17T09:14:00.003-05:00

As Christmas quickly approaches, I've been thinking about God's timing in respects to the incarnation of God the Son. God's people lived through 400 years of silence waiting to hear from God and then at just the right time, God responded with Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:4-5

Hebrews 1:1-2

John 1:1-18

Sometimes we all get frustrated with God's timing and yet the incarnation reminds us that God responds at just the right time in human history for the purpose of accomplishing what He needs to accomplish within our lives and to bring Himself glory. In this instance God's perfect timing lead us to the truth that "GOD IS WITH US"!

Noah, An Ark and the walk of faith...

2010-12-09T11:03:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking quite a bit lately about the walk of faith. For those who know me, I am quite organized and do like to have my ducks neatly ordered as life seems to go much better when I do. Yet, I am currently looking down the barrel at a number of ministry and life situations that are requiring me to "daily" walk by faith with absolute trust in a Sovereign God.

In order to bolster my confidence (a.k.a. b/c of a lack of faith) I have been revisiting the stories of old in God's word whereby men and women of God venture out in complete obedience to God even when all the ducks aren't neatly ordered.

The one I have landed on today is Noah and the Ark and it has spoken quite powerfully to me. Forgive me, but I am about to read into the story a bit as I am picturing it right now...

God said to Noah... make yourself an ark. (Genesis 6:13-14) As these words were uttered by God to Noah, I wonder what was going on around Noah. I am guessing the sun was probably shining, the population was carrying on with their normal day to day responsibilities and Noah was wondering if he should take this leap of faith. Noah had been around for a few hundred years by this point and most likely had his own routine, business ventures and life to live. Should he stop it all and obey God? What would the neighbors think? Where would the wood come from? Who would help build it? Where would the animals all come from? Would his wife tolerate such behavior? How would it impact his kids and family reputation etc...

These are the real questions of life we all face and thoughts we all process when we sense God is calling us to walk through some very uncertain times by faith. He tends to give us the answers one day at a time and asks us to be OK with that. My prayer is that I will respond just like Noah did.

Here is the punch line that caused my heart to rejoice today and gave me the confidence to keep at it for the Lord... "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." (Genesis 6:22) One day at a time. One act of obedience at a time. One step of faith at a time. This is what pleases the heart of God and takes the pressure off of me being my own god and having all my ducks in a row.

By the way... I would have had all of the ducks ordered neatly and alphabetically on the ark.

The Truly Surrendered Life

2010-11-23T15:49:00.003-05:00

"Many give up everything to go into full time ministry except themselves. The unsurrendered self is the last thing we give up." (Rick Warren)

I've been thinking quite a bit lately about what a life lived like the Jesus presented in the Gospel Matthew would look like. As I read this quote, I could not help but think of Christ's words in passages like Matthew 20:28 where He states "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." It leads nicely right into the passion week account where we find Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane crying out to the Father in agony as He states the following two confessions; "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39) and "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." (Matthew 26:42)

As I've thought about this, I am amazed at how often pastor's are willing to publicly remind people how much they have given up to follow Jesus and serve as an undershepherd. It is as if we've settled for second best and are quick to point out how much we've surrendered for Jesus' sake. But, it would appear to me that what we remind people of,with great drama I must state, is all related to external and temporal items such as salaries, evenings at home, bigger houses and cars etc...

Rick Warren may just be on to something with his quote above as it is far easier to surrender all the worldly things that people see rather than our very hearts which King Jesus is most interested in. If Christ is truly our example, then He not only surrendered the creature comforts of planet earth but also His very heart to the Father and His will for His life. Something worth chewing on for sure...

Church on Mission

2010-11-18T14:26:00.002-05:00

This past week, I've spent quite a bit of time in the Gospel of Matthew. What a rich and powerful portion of Scripture as it looks deeply into the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I've landed in Matthew because I am trying to better understand the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) in light of the larger context of Matthew's writing. In doing so, I believe I am beginning to formalize in greater depth my understanding of Christ's commission to His disciples in light of the King/Kingdom context of Matthew.

So here is my summary as of Thursday afternoon for my message on Sunday as it relates to the church being on mission...

"The Kingdom of Heaven/God is here with one King and His name is Jesus. The King has called and sacrificially provided a way for people to enter His kingdom. Together, these people have the responsibility to be growing in Kingdom character and conduct so as to fulfill the mission of establishing outposts of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth until the King comes again."

I am thinking a great study for any church would be to take some time in the Gospel of Matthew to really flesh this out in order to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to follow and live for the King and His Kingdom in our current cultural context.

Chewing on...

2010-11-11T15:19:00.002-05:00

Currently chewing on the following two things...

The first is related to the persecuted church. To be honest, I am not fond of thinking too much about this topic as it breaks my heart, makes me feel guilty and I feel powerless to do anything about it. Horrible excuse as a Christ follower, but just being honest. I just finished speaking with Eric who is the Spiritual Life Director at Lititz Christian and my conversation has forced me once again to bring this subject to the forefront of my mind. He has been taking time with his students to pray for and grow in their awareness of the multitudes of Christ followers being persecuted around the world for their faith in Christ. We are spoiled rotten here in America. We got it so good that we lose focus as to what is really important in God's kingdom.

"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." (Hebrews 13:3)

Secondly, there is a Francis Chan quote that is messing me up. He simply states "Our concern (as Christ followers) is more about going to heaven than loving the King."

"If you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15)

The Genius of the AND Conference

2010-11-04T18:26:00.004-04:00

Well I've been up for nearly 36 hours with a few little cat naps throughout and enjoying my time away at the AND conference at Granger Community Church. It wasn't too long into the conference that we knew our time at this conference would stretch our thinking as we dialogue and think through whether or not the Attractional and Missional models of church can co-exisit together as a catalyst for a movement.

The first speaker challenged my thinking deeply and confirmed a number of things I've been feeling in my heart for many years now. His name is Alan Hirsch and he spoke on "Living in the Land of AND." There is much to be said about his talk, but here are three concepts that caught my attention and are rattling around in my head right now.

The first concpet that got me thinking challenged me to think about how the attractional model of church reaches people for Christ but pulls them from their circles/cultures and places them into the new circle/culture of the attractional church. Thus, to pull people from their sphere's of influence and plant them within the new context of the church where they can come and enjoy a show and other people just like them, they have now been extracted from the very place where God wants them on mission to be the salt and light. I acknowledge this is a very sweeping statement that is worth much more dialogue, but statistics show that most people stop reaching people for Christ after being saved (in the church) for 2+ years.

Another point made was that people will possess a somewhat positive view of some form of God, Jesus and spirituality but reject the church outright. The church must take this reality seriously and work together to think about how to reverse this trend of the outright rejection of the institutionalized church.

One final question that really has me troubled... "Is a church a church if the church isn't doing what the church is supposed to do?" Hmmmm... Let that one keep you up a night for a while!

New Environment or New Me?

2010-11-01T11:43:00.003-04:00

As I continue to slowly work my way through James MacDonald's new book "When Life is Hard" I came across a quote that I needed to share as it is one that has me reflecting upon life with a past, present and futuristic look.

He simply writes within the context of remaining under our trials the following statement;

"WE THINK THE ANSWER IS A NEW ENVIRONMENT WHEN THE REAL

ANSWER IS A NEW ME!"

May the Lord help each of us better understand this truth as the grass is usually not quite as green on the other side. Trials lived under the care and provision of God will continue the transformational process in us that comes with a life in Christ.

Surrendered Servant = Leadership?!?!

2010-10-29T10:39:00.005-04:00

Last night at our elder meeting, Pastor Doug took some time to lead our elders in prayer and study. He spent some time talking about the concept of servant leadership. He made many great points, but there were two concepts that came together that ministered to my heart last evening.

The first one dealt with "surrender" being the key to servant leadership. At first I kind of brushed this comment off as "ya... no brainer". But, as he began to unpack this concept he started talking about how worry and stress can at times consume us as leaders which is an example of our own arrogance because we reach these levels of worry and stress when we leave God out of it all. This is anything but a surrendered life. The need to literally surrender every area of my life on a constant basis will lead to true Christ like servant leadership. I imagine I will spend a lifetime of growing in these lessons.

The second concept dealt with us only being able to "give leadership as we allow God to lead us." Again, my initial reaction was "ya... no brainer" and yet the above example proves how prone I (and all of us as humans) am to give God portions of our life to reign and lead while clinging on to others. For example, is God really leading my life as a whole if I am clinging on to pockets of worry and stress? The resounding answer is of course NO because of a lack of surrender.

At the end of the day, I will only be able to lead people for Christ and in Christ if I am willing as a leader to moment by moment surrender all that I am at the feet of Jesus and allow Him to lead me. This is also why accountability in the life of a leader is important. Nothing in our flesh wants to surrender to the One who willingly surrendered His life on our behalf. Words like surrender and servant aren't used often with the word leadership in our culture and yet that is the life we are called to live as Christ followers who give leadership in the church, our homes, our marriages etc...

I guess becoming a surrendered servant first may just be the quality someone aspiring for leadership in God's kingdom should possess. Other leadership skills can be taught, but this issue of the heart must first be caught.

How Great Are You Lord and Other Friday Musings...

2010-10-22T12:21:00.002-04:00

It is Friday noon and it has been a very busy week and it's time to decompress a bit and post some Friday musings...

First, I found a great CD I hadn't listened to for quite some time. It's Robin Mark's "Revival in Belfast" CD and it's now in my itunes library. Here is a song I've listened to over and over all week long:

How great are You Lord
How great is Your mercy
How great are the things
That You have done for me
How great are You Lord
Your loving kindness
Is filling my heart as I sing
How great are You Lord
How great is Your love
It reaches to the heavens
How great is the heart
That sought and rescued me

Secondly, enjoyed a great Team Huddle on Monday as we talked about and shared on the concept of "remaining under" our trials.

Thirdly, been a good week of multiple meetings with the elders and others to keep discussing the future of Grace Church. It is Christ's church, so I believe with all my heart that the future cannot help but be bright.

Fourth, excited to be doing a wedding this weekend. Always a fun time to connect with a bride, groom and families on one of the most exciting days of their lives.

Fifth, I enjoyed meeting for the first time, Christian and Bonnie Beuggert. Their family partners with Grace Church to take the good news of Jesus to Bangkok, Thailand. Looking forward to hearing a bit from them on Sunday morning.

Finally, glad to know Christ as my Savior and all the blessings that come from being found in HIM. Have enjoyed some good times of discussion in the pastoral letters with my fellow pastors as we grow in our Lord together through times of accountability and prayer.

Hupomeno - Remain Under

2010-10-15T11:22:00.004-04:00

I have recently started a new book entitled "When Life is Hard" by one of my favorite authors, James MacDonald. This past week I got hung up in Chapter two where he referenced James 1:2-4.

In that particular passage, there is a great word that is used two times. It is the Greek word "hupomeno" which literally means "to remain under".

There is little doubt that each of us will face difficulties in life which tests our faith. Our human tendency is to look for coping mechanisms when faced with trials for the weightiness and burden that comes with them can sometimes be overwhelming. The author did a survey of some people in their church and they found that there were four primary human responses to trials. They were; I want to complain! I want to lash out! I want to bail! I want to fold under the pressure!

As I reflected upon these four statements, I realize that I have responded to trials throughout my life with each of those at different times. In fact, there is one that jumps off the page as my natural reaction to trials which is "I want to bail".

While we can all sympathize with one another and our natural human responses, God's desire for us is to "hupomeno" (remain under) the trial so as to grow in our staying power which in turn all us the time needed to grow in real Christ like transformation.

So... whatever your current trial, let me encourage you from God's Word to "remain under" your trial for this testing of your faith we bring about godly transformation if you and I will let it!

A Good, Great and Chief Shepherd

2010-10-01T14:38:00.003-04:00

"The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (Psalm 23)

I give thanks again today for the truth that Christ Jesus is my...

GOOD SHEPHERD (John 10:1-18)

GREAT SHEPHERD (Hebrews 13:20-21)

CHIEF SHEPHERD (1 Peter 5:1-4)

I do not need to walk around in the "wilderness of want" because of who I am in Christ Jesus and this is true for His church as well.

A Weighty Entrustment (Part Four)

2010-09-09T15:46:00.002-04:00

Something happened this week that I literally HATE! I know it is a very strong word and not to be used, but I HATE GETTING SICK!!! It has been nearly eight months since I've dealt with sickness and I don't like it.

BUT... I think it may be good for me. It is good for me because it is an incredible reminder that I am a frail human being who desperately needs a vibrant relationship with the living God. Far too often I seek to accomplish far too much in my own strength and wisdom. As a somewhat young man (not quite 40 yet) and fairly healthy, I still feel somewhat independent of God at times. And then... I get sick and am reminded how much I need to take care of myself and find the rest needed both physically and spiritually.

I write of my being sick because far too often I believe I along with all who are carrying the weighty entrustment of the glorious gospel must learn to stop trying to carry it on their own. We are frail and will grow weary and will never be able to cross the finish line well for Christ if we try to do it in our own strength for our strength will fail. Our need to utterly depend daily on the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells us is essential. Even though I am in Christ, I still battle the flesh (sin) and it desperately wants to try and carry the weighty entrustment for the purpose of destroying the very testimony of Christ in and through me. Thus my need to continue submitting my life and being filled with His Spirit moment by moment becomes an essential part of sucessfully carrying this weighty entrustment.

I don't like being sick, but it does slow me down enough to remind me of my absolute need to walk in the Spirit in order to bear forth the fruit that is produced in a life submitted fully to the person and work of Christ.

A Weighty Entrustment (Part 3)

2010-09-03T11:01:00.002-04:00

For the past two weeks I've been contemplating on the weighty entrustment (the glorious gospel) God has given us. This week I'd like to talk about the concept of remaining faithful to this entrustment.

Not long ago, I had the opportunity to speak with a pastor who has been engaged in pastoral ministry for some time. He has and continues to see the good, bad and ugly of it all as the reality of serving our Lord in a fallen world is real. We talked for a bit about how one survives a lifetime of pastoral ministry (carrying this weighty entrustment) in a broken world that will creep into the church.

The concept of remaining "faithful" came up over and over again. Far too often we have preconceived ideas on what carrying the weighty entrustment for God will look like. I know I've been there. Yet, God may be calling each of us to carry it into places and circumstances we thought we would never experience and He is asking; "Will you remain faithful with it?"

As I pondered it all, it seems like an impossible task until I realize afresh and anew that the reason we can remain faithful is because our Glorious God is first and foremost faithful to us.

Yes the weighty entrustment is indeed weighty at times and the carrying of it will test our resolve and faithfulness, but praise be to God whose faithfulness towards us is a promised constant we can live securely in. Will you rest (will I) rest securely in a faithful God day by day?

A Weighty Entrustment (Part 2)

2010-08-27T10:27:00.002-04:00

Last week I posted a brief blog that dealt with the weighty entrustment that has been given to us who claim to be a disciple of Christ. We have been entrusted with the glorious gospel and all that entails.

One of the reasons this is such a weighty entrustment is due to the fact that there is coming a day when each of us will need to give account before our righteous Judge how we did here on earth for Him. It was a reminder that being faithful with the glorious gospel is more than just telling people about Jesus once in a while (evangelism). As one who has been transformed by the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and had His righteousness imputed to me, my life (all areas) should reflect back to this world the person and work of my glorious Savior. Anything less is a cheap counterfeit that disgraces and devalues my incredible Savior.

There is not a one of us who perfectly follows Jesus, but may our lives reflect Him back into this darkened world more and more. We must always remember there is coming a day when we will need to give account for what we did with the glorious gospel that has been entrusted to us.

"For we must all appear before the judgement seat (bema seat) of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10)

"And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4 spoken to elders who faithfully reflect Jesus back to their flocks)

More thoughts next week...

A Weighty Entrustment

2010-08-20T08:35:00.003-04:00

To be "entrusted" with something is to have another person commit something to you with the confidence that you will manage it appropriately.

So many people strive towards having greater responsibility often out of selfish motives. There is this false assumption that an increase in responsibility brings greater power, prestige and even people who are willing to follow. Unfortunately, many fail to see that the responsibility of being entrusted with something will bring a certain weightiness (which isn't bad) as one comes to a full understanding of the consequences of failing to faithfully carry and fulfill the entrustment.

This past week I was with a group of pastor's that began to discuss a point found often within the pastoral letters of Scripture. We were reminded yet again that God has entrusted us as shepherds and Christ followers with the glorious gospel that is found solely in the person and work of Christ Jesus.

"... the glorious gospel of the blessed God which He entrusted to me." (1 Timothy 1:11)

"Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." (1 Timothy 6:20)

"Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you, guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." (2 Timothy 1:14)

This is a weighty (defined as "of much importance and/or consequence") concept and I will look to share more of my thoughts on it in my next few blog posts.

Leadership Summit and Other Thoughts...

2010-08-06T19:52:00.002-04:00

It is Friday night and I'm just sitting down to decompress after a very busy week which ended with two days of the Leadership Summit. I always enjoy the Summit, but need the rest of the year to process and hopefully implement into my life and leadership some of the principles learned. So here is what's going through my mind at the moment...

I really enjoyed hanging out with the Children and Student Ministry department team on Wednesday night at our home as we welcomed Heidi to the team. They keep me young!

I enjoyed working with our Financial Oversight Team this week as we manage the financially tight times within the ministry. We continue to strike a good balance between fiscal responsibility and a sustained passion for our ministry.

Found a new coffee flavor I love. Carmel Toffee Coffee at the LCBC cafe.

Enjoyed Jim Collins talk on how to recognize an organization in decline and principles to bring it back. One of the comments he made related to a concept that calls leaders to live with both faith and a real awareness of the facts. One without the other can be damaging to an organization.

Also enjoyed a good talk on what motivates people. It wasn't a spiritual talk, but gave some good principles on how human beings are intrinsically motivated to achieve.

Appreciated the encouragement of fellow Christ followers at various times throughout this week. Couldn't dream of doing life in isolation. Thankful for the Body of Christ.

I was fascinated with the GORE story and how their company functions with a lattice style of leadership.

Heard one of the interviewed leaders swear multiple times. That was a first at a leadership summit.

My final thought... was challenged immensely by the pastor from Ada Bible Church on the Land in Between from Numbers 11 that we are all called to walk in. It's not a bad thing!!!

Hope and Activity in Christ Jesus alone!

2010-07-30T12:28:00.005-04:00

This past week, the five pastor's of Grace Church started meeting on Tuesday mornings for a time of studying and hopefully applying the Bible to our lives. After a recent conversation with some mentor's in Canada, they reminded me of my need to walk in faithfulness and godliness. As I spent a bit of time looking over these words in the New Testament, the concept of godliness is addressed prominently in the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus). Thus, as ironic as it may seen, the pastoral team will be spending some time in the pastoral epistles for the next few months together.

As I started reading 1 Timothy 1:1, I couldn't get past the following phrase "and of Christ Jesus our hope..." This little phrase really struck a chord as a number of months ago I came to the real conclusion that I had hit a point in my life where many pastor's end up whereby I was beginning to place my hope in religious productivity (what I was doing for Jesus) rather than in a growing love relationship with Jesus.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly we (Christ followers and the church) begin to place our "hope" in good persons, activities, policies and even accomplishments rather than in Jesus alone. For some reason, we find it easier to mark spirituality by what we do (I believe the Pharisees were guilty of this) rather than by who we are in Christ which will then produce a spiritual outflow of godly fruit.

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:4-8

A $40 Funeral

2010-07-22T18:15:00.004-04:00

Last week our church family received news that the pastor of a church/school we support in the Central African Republic suddenly died. This in and of itself caused me to pause, pray and think about the impact this man's death will have upon his family, church and orphans.

But God wasn't done rocking my world with this news. Shortly after news of his death, I received an email asking if Grace Church would be willing to cover the funeral costs for this very poor family. Without hesitation it was a resounding yes and then it hit me... The cost for this man's funeral was a mere $40. That's all it would take for this North American church with an almost $5 million budget to bless a family and a church half way around the world.

Now I am not suggesting we all take a vow of poverty and try to live on the streets for $40 but I will suggest that it is time once again for each of us here in North America to contemplate how God can use each of us to be a blessing towards someone else. It is the least we can do in God's kingdom for King Jesus and in the name of King Jesus.

One of the practical ways I am determined to keep this in the forefront of my mind (because I lose sight of this stuff) is to give pause on a monthly basis as I write the support check for our sponsored child. Far too often I just simply write the check and feel good about helping a needy child out. But I am ready to at least monthly ask God to reveal to me (and my family) what it is He is calling us to do in order to be a blessing to someone else. It may not be $40 but rather 40 minutes of my time. Whatever it is, may God help each of us to regularly put aside our selfish desires, live on mission for Him by practically fulfilling His call to Love Him and others.

If every Christ follower would commit to something as simple as $40 per month to bless someone in need, imagine the impact we could have for Christ. It was a good $40 lesson...

He is jealous for me...

2010-07-16T12:27:00.005-04:00

Over the past few weeks I've found myself returning to a song in my itunes library over and over again. It is "How He Loves" sung by the David Crowder Band from the Passion: Awakening recording.

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am the tree bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy. When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me. And oh, how He loves us oh, Oh how He loves us, How He loves us all."

So often, the word jealous carries a negative connotation, but how wonderful to know that the Sovereign God of the universe is intimately jealous for me. His love runs so deep that He is willing to do anything to be in relationship with me. In my humanness, I cannot even begin to wrap my head around the depth of His love towards me.

As I was reading Scripture related to this, I came across Hosea 11:8a where I read "How can I give you up Ephraim? How can I hand you over Israel?" Within the context of this passage, God is dealing with the rebellious nation that so deserves to be cut loose. Yet He is jealous for the nation of Israel and wants them to walk into and remain in a loving relationship with Him.

I then proceeded to do a little exercise. I replaced the word "Ephraim" with "Tim" so it just simply read "How can I give you up Tim?" That little exercise moved me greatly and helped me understand a little bit more this week that there is a jealous God pursuing me and He refuses to give up doing so.

The next time you begin to wonder whether or not the God of the universe even wants to be in relationship with you, just simply remind yourself that God is jealous for you and repeat the words of Hosea 11:8a and add your name to it.

Been Thinking about... Building Community Life

2010-07-08T16:53:00.002-04:00

This past week, I received my quarterly PBU (Philadelphia Biblical University) publication. I have fond memories of my time there and give thanks for the impact that experience had upon my life over my four years there.

In this most recent issue, they took time to speak into how they have sought to build authentic community life amongst all the participants of the institution (students and staff alike). Although it is an institution of higher learning, the need for authentic Biblical community was also important especially as their on campus students grew. With that context set, here are just a few of the items I've been thinking about as it relates to church ministry...

How can we continue to develop and implement something along the lines of a Community Life Covenant? There is little doubt that the Bible states very clearly that we as Christ followers have certain Biblical obligations towards one another. So how do we make sure we have a discipleship process that moves people towards the commitments the Bible asks for? Membership must be more than just people receiving benefits. It must include people fulfilling Biblical obligations to one another and the Lord not out of compulsion but out of a genuine desire to fulfill God's call within His word to practice/live out the one another's of Scripture.

At PBU when they were putting together their calendar of events, they challenged the students to "BE A PART OF IT." I like that! Like it or not, those who are genuine followers of Christ belong to the Body of Christ. We are a part of it whether we like it or not, so we should be committed to doing our part as a part of the larger whole.

Here was a great quote that I think translates into the church. "Design community life that takes what is being taught and provide opportunities to live it out." It's one of the things I love about our Pastor of Connections here at Grace. He takes that call seriously and is seeking to equip small groups to live it out in genuine Biblical community. But it also speaks again to a leaderships need to equip/disciple Christ followers towards this ultimate goal which means great intentionality must be given to what is being taught.

That's what I've been thinking about...

A Poor Trade... Integrity for Image

2010-07-02T11:47:00.003-04:00

I heard a speaker this week use the following phrase... "Men are trading integrity for image..." I believe this statement is very true as the pressure to portray a certain image often leaves integrity taking the back seat as success in certain man made arenas (wealth, career, status, title etc...) is deemed as the pathway to significance.

In my opinion, the Bible speaks clearly to the type of "image" we should portray. What the world really needs to see in us is Jesus which will only come if we are serious about walking in integrity and growing in our Christ like character. I believe this is very counter cultural and is a challenge to Christ followers, but we must strive towards such a goal.

I believe the need to strive towards this goal is firmly rooted in the truth that "image" is only skin deep with no deeply planted roots solidly grounded in the person and work of Jesus. Image is like a balloon. We can fill it for a while and it looks good when puffed up, but at some point it pops and there is nothing left.

I am convinced that Christ followers must return to being a people who walk in Biblical integrity for this is what will bring about true significance in life... a significance that is firmly rooted in Jesus bringing Him the glory.

To hit home this point, I was with a group of guys this week and the following verses were shared from Psalm 78:70-72; "He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them."

200th Post/Groaning/Vacation/World Cup/Team

2010-06-11T13:20:00.006-04:00

Life... it is never dull, always interesting and growing me every step of the way... Here are a few things going through my head on a Friday morning.

200th Blog Post... Can't say I've been counting, but noticed today that this is number 200. It has been a good exercise for me to write out my thoughts and trust they have encouraged in the faith any who have come across my musings.

Groaning... Had one of those weeks that I didn't see coming. Held on tight to the words of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 where he states "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Praise God that I am still in process and that many of the temporal challenges we all face as humans on this earth are working towards a greater purpose in our lives as we live and rest in a Sovereign God.

Vacation... Looking forward to two weeks away with my family. I am committed to intentionally pouring into my family on this trip as they represent a portion of my life that God has called me as a husband and father to faithfully love and lead. The pursuit of true Biblical rest is necessary and will be sought over the next few weeks. I've also been starting to do some reading on how we as Christ followers tend to neglect the concept of the "sabbath" which can lead to incredible shortcomings. Look forward to gaining more insight on this.

World Cup... Can't wait to watch some games with the kids while sipping Tim Hortons Coffee.

Team... I serve with a great group of people who strive to encourage, challenge and pray for one another. Thanks to those who have poured into my life lately. It is appreciated!!!

Been Thinking About...

2010-06-04T13:34:00.002-04:00

For the past two weeks I've been thinking about the following two statements that I heard preached by Pastor John Garner of Redeemer Bible Church in Niagara Falls. I've also shared them with the staff of Grace Church in order to make sure we work hard at staying on guard and working towards course correction when needed as a spiritual drift can happen so quickly within our lives and the life of a church.

"You have forsaken your first love (Jesus). This is a tolerated drift from the heart of Christ and from a disposition and behavior of love... for one another and the spiritually lost. They are pumping out religious product with a waning affection, love and loyalty for Jesus and a compassionate love for people.

"Remember how it was... before your heart started to harden and shrivel, before your work for Jesus eclipsed your relationship with Him and others. Take the warning seriously... [if not] there will be a loss of spiritual vitality and power from your midst. A sense of God's activity and grace will evaporate."

This was the warning/exhortation to the church of Ephesus and to all of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ in 2010. It is so easy to justify your life in respects to your "doing" for Christ rather than your "being" in Christ.

Spiritual Entropy

2010-05-28T11:19:00.002-04:00

"We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away." (Hebrews 2:1)

I've wrapped up my slow and intentional read of "Leading on Empty" and have been struck with my need to continue developing a very intentional life rather than reactionary. Part of seeking to lead an intentional life means one must be willing to consistently monitor and assess which requires margin. The need for this is clearly stated in the book where the author writes "Entropy, or the gradual decline back into a mediocre lifestyle defined by habit and reaction, is natural."

Even though I have been following Christ for 30+ years now, there is little doubt that I am still needing to grow. A reactionary life (defined in my last blog post) leads one to the pathway of mediocrity at rates that sometimes leave me feeling overwhelmed. How true the words from Hebrews that remind us of our need to give time and attention to an intentional life so as to avoid the spiritual drift into mediocrity that we are all susceptible to.

At the young/middle age of 38, I am beginning to realize that all the energy and good intentions I had for Christ in my 20's doesn't come as easy anymore. There is so much vying for my attention in life that I have a tendency to drift into a state of spiritual entropy whereby I am putting out mediocre "religious product" (heard a sermon last Sunday on this) at best. In fact, I would wager a guess that many other pastors/ministry teams/churches/boards struggle with this as well.

Spiritual entropy describes the North American church and reminds me of many of the warnings given to the 7 churches in Revelation. If we are to ever overcome this in our churches, then I need to make sure I am doing my part to live an intentional life so as to make a difference to the glory and honor of Jesus in whatever part of His vineyard He chooses to use me throughout the rest of my days here on earth!

A Life of Reaction?

2010-05-20T15:16:00.002-04:00

I was doing some reading and thinking on yet another concept drawn from the book "Leading on Empty" that I've been slowly wading my way through. In the later part of this book, the author challenges one to think about the life course they are choosing to walk.

One of the courses depicted was "A Life of Reaction". Here is how this life course is described; "With this paradigm - a life of reaction - we plod forward until something forces us to change direction... A life of reaction is a life lived in the twilight realms between conservatism and activism, hope and dejection, passive indifference and compulsive hyperactivity. It is a disorienting, sometimes dangerous way to live, but the majority of people have chosen this lifestyle, most of them by default."

Needless to say, this statement got me thinking hard. The ultimate challenge of the books is for us as Christ followers to pursue a life of intentionality firmly rooted and grounded in Christ, His Word and His priorities for our lives. It's worth chewing on and I will be doing it for a while as I want to do all I can do to finish well the course of life God has set me on.

Parting Words...

2010-05-14T11:03:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite books of the Bible if not my favorite is 2 Timothy. I have always appreciated the heartfelt words of the apostle Paul to his beloved son in the faith, Pastor Tim (Timothy), as Paul's life is coming to an end. But this week, I have also spent some time in 2 Peter as the church family gets ready to embark into a study of this letter. This letter also contains parting words as the apostle Peter recognizes his death is imminent (2 Peter 1:13-15).

As I thought about these two letters from the Bible, I could not help but ask myself what my parting words would be if I had a chance to write them out shortly before my death. To be honest, I am not sure I have a solid answer yet, so I am going to keep wrestling with it. But it does cause one to pause and ask yet again what type of legacy am I leaving with my family, my co-workers, my church family. Very sobering thoughts to say the least.

I also got thinking about the fact that not everyone gets the opportunity to take the time to reflect upon what parting words they would leave in writing for others. With that in mind, here are a few other thoughts that have challenged my heart this past week...

First, does my life regularly reflect an intimate knowledge of Jesus as seen in my day to day words and deeds? If so, I can confidently go at any point and know that my daily life represented a legacy that consistently pointed people towards my Savior.

Secondly, I can't let any amount of time go by with hurtful words/actions hanging over any relationship. How sad to think that my parting words/actions to someone else I love would be anything but God honoring.

There are a whole lot of other thoughts floating around in my head right now, but the parting words of the apostle Peter sure got me thinking quite a bit this week.

Let the Obedience Training Begin for My Dog and I

2010-05-09T10:48:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I did something I swore I would never do... I took my dog to obedience training. All in all he is a good dog and we enjoy him as a family, but lately he has been testing the waters by trying to be at the very top of the family pyramid as boss. So off the five of us headed for not group lessons, but private. All in all it went very well and we've already figured out a few things that are helping already, but I couldn't help but take away a few spiritual lessons from the day.

First, I can be a lot like my dog with God. Even though I know He is to be master and Lord of my life, I often find myself through my words and deeds trying to climb the hill of independence and be the boss of my life. When I take these steps, I am in essence telling God that He can take the back seat as I set up self as the primary ruler of my heart.

Secondly, disobedience leaves me feeling unsettled. My dog is at his craziest when he is trying to rule the roost. It leaves him feeling unsettled, nervous and more out of control than when he is submitting to his master. This is true for me as well. Even though trying to be the boss of my own life sounds like a great idea with incredible freedom, life gets most out of control when I forget who the master of my heart really is.

Finally, I am most at peace and content when walking in obedience to my God. Our dog is a joy to be around when we have the pecking order right and he is living in obedience to his master. This is true in the Christ followers life as well. Even though we live in a culture that states personal independence trumps all authority in our lives, the greatest peace, contentment and joy comes when we live in submission and obedience to God and His Word.

I guess both my dog and I need to prepare ourselves for a lifetime of obedience training. It just goes better for all involved when we both obey our different masters.

Advice to a Pastor Starting His Ministry Journey...

2010-04-29T12:58:00.004-04:00

I am currently reading the book entitled "Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion" by Wayne Cordeiro. It is a wonderful read on his journey back from pastoral ministry burnout.

I am not that far into the book as I am seeking to read a bit and then process it for a season. Early on in the book, I came across a section where I thought this to myself; "I sure wish someone had talked to me about this early on in my pastoral ministry." So with that thought in mind, here are a few quotes from the book which represents some great advice to all who are starting in pastoral ministry along with great advice to those of us who have been doing it for a while.

"I always felt guilty when I took a break." (This is something we got to get over quick!)

"Zeal and good intentions can fuel us in the beginning, but they won't last in the long haul."

"To finish strong, you must learn to rejuvenate your spirit early in your ministry."

"I was fixing everybody's problems except my own, and I needed time to replenish my spirit."

"Identifying something (poor emotional state) is not the same as getting it addressed and resolved."

"Wisdom and understanding are not built in a day; however they are built daily."

"Your future will oftentimes be held in trust within the simplicity of a daily walk with God."

Does Radical Disobedience + Radical Obedience = I'm OK?

2010-04-23T09:25:00.005-04:00

I heard a quote this week from one of Perry Noble's sermons that I wrote down immediately because I believe it summarizes well many Christ followers approach to sin. He stated this;

"Radical disobedience in one area is not canceled out by radical obedience in another area."

I agree with that statement because I find myself tempted to justify my sin by reminding both myself and God of all the obedient things I am engaged in. I am amazed at how quickly we as Christ followers rationalize the sin we willingly succumb to by trying to make up for it in another area of discipleship.

The bottom line is really this. There are areas within all of our lives that we have submitted to the authority of Christ and other areas that reflect a spirit of rebellion against a holy God. I think most of us would admit that it is easier to justify our sin by trying to show God that we are radically obedient in certain areas because we are unwilling to fight the hard fight of submitting the rebellious attitudes and actions we deep down enjoy pursuing and holding on to.

So, living like the devil throughout the week and in private isn't canceled out by attending church, serving in church or giving to the church. They are all good things, but don't replace our need to submit every area of our life to the authority of Christ and the Bible.

Pursuing radical obedience by submitting every area of our life to Christ Jesus must be our goal in Christ Jesus!

The Legacy of Faith

2010-04-18T13:00:00.002-04:00

This past week I moved into my new office. With each move comes the work of moving books, files and other stuff. But this move turned out to be quite special as I placed books on my shelf.

About half the books I possess have been passed on to me from my grandfather who was a pastor/evangelist. The two most cherished items I have in my collection are two Bibles that belonged to him.

The one is my grandfather's Bible that he used to preach from and thus has many of his handwritten notes in it. That alone is very special. After his death, my grandmother passed it on to me and wrote this in the front;

"Presented to Tim, my dearly loved grandson. Grandpa's greatest delight would be to know that you are reading and studying the Book. Just as Elijah pass on his mantle to Elisha, I know grandpa would pass the mantle on to you Tim and want you to carry on where he left off. In Grandpa's first Bible he wrote these words: This Book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this Book." - Love Grandma (Christmas 1989)

The other one is a Bible he used at various points, but grandma had written down the notes from my induction service into my first Senior pastoral ministry. How cool to have the Bible that grandma had on that very proud day for her. In the very front it reads the following three points from my induction service;

Induction Service - Tim - August 16, 1998

1. Guard the Gospel
2. Transfer the Truth
3. Preach the Word

2 Timothy - Dr. Launstein (the gentleman who preached the service)

I share all this as my heart was overflowing with gratitude this past week for the legacy of faith that has been passed down to me. Lord help me pass it on to the next generation!

Some Leadership Musings...

2010-04-09T11:46:00.003-04:00

Over the past week, I've taken the time to reflect upon some recent leadership articles and conversations I've had. Here is a brief summary of three of those leadership musings I been thinking through recently...

Organizational Team Stages:

The Forming Stage: This is the stage where the team starts to be pulled together.

The Informing Stage: This is the stage where goals, vision and purpose are shared.

The Storming Stage: This is the stage where systems compete, opinions are expressed and clear communication and clarification must take place. It is the place where objective input must be expressed and where everyone has the opportunity to express themselves in a safe environment.

The Norming Stage: This is the stage where a sense of normalcy is achieved for a season and the goals and vision are accomplished within a system that is viewed as the "norm".

Managing Subordinates: (I'm still chewing on parts of this one...)

One will successfully manage subordinates when time is given to the following (as noted in a book by Dee Hock entitled "One From Many" which deals with the topic of chaordic organizations.

50% of our time must be given to managing self!
25% of our time must be given to managing those who have authority over us.
25% of our time must be given to managing our peers.
Little or no time actual given to the hands on management of our subordinates.

New Staff Positions to Emerge this Decade in Larger Churches

The Network Administrator
The Multicultural Children's Director
The Chief of Staff
The Operations Pastor
The Creative Arts Director
The Boomer Director (aka - Sr.'s Pastor... but don't dare call a boomer a Senior!)
The Spiritual Growth Pastor

All in all... a lot of different thoughts processing through my head right now as I seek to keep growing in my leadership role and abilities.

Farming out Evangelism?

2010-04-02T10:35:00.002-04:00

I was reading and then listening to an interesting post today by Steven Furtick on evangelism when he used a line that really stuck with me. He spoke of how when he first started as a pastor he was looking to "farm out the salvation part (invitation to receive Christ)" to those who had proven track records doing it.

As I thought about that, I could not help but reflect upon how many Christ followers share that they in essence have come to the same conclusion. We are willing to try and live our lives in a Christ like manner. We may even be courageous enough to put a yard sign in our front yards inviting people to church. But how many of us have reduced inviting people to receive Christ to the realm of "that's the preacher's job".

This weekend, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sin has been conquered and death has been defeated. Christ is the resurrection and the life! Let us all be willing to go, tell others about Jesus but let us not stop there. Let us boldly extend the invitation to receive Him by faith as Savior of their lives.

Let's stop farming out any part of evangelism. Let us go, tell and invite others to receive Jesus and let us do so without fear or shame. Eternal destinies are at stake!

The One Another's of the Bible

2010-03-25T17:17:00.004-04:00

I am sitting at my desk looking at a list of "One Another's" from the New Testament that Pastor Steve includes in our Understanding Grace materials that we utilize with those looking to become members at Grace Church. The reason I have this list is because I'm looking to do my brief talk on Sunday AM from Hebrews 10:24 where we are exhorted to "spur one another on" toward love and good deeds. It is one of the reasons we want to see people in Connect (small) groups here at Grace. I'd encourage all to read through the list with a prayerful spirit this week and let it speak to your heart like it has mine in how we are called as Christ followers to engage with one another.

Love One Another (Jn 13:34; Rom 13:8; 1 Th 3:12; 1 Pet 4:8; 1 Jn 4:11)
Accept one another. (Rom 15:7)
Admonish one another. (Rom 15:14; Col 3:16)
Pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. (Rom 14:19)
Carry each other's burdens. (Gal 6:2)
Have equal concern for each other. (1 Cor 12:25)
Confess your sins to each other. (Jas 5:16)
Be devoted to one another. (Rom 12:10)
Encourage each other. (1 Th 4:18; Heb 3:13; 10:25)
Forgive one another. (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13)
Greet one another. (Rom 16:16; 2 Cor 13:12)
Don't grumble against each other. (Jas 5:9)
Live in harmony with one another. (Rom 12:16)
Honor one another. (Rom 12:10)
Offer hospitality to one another. (1 Pet 4:9)
Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. (1 Pet 5:5)
Be kind and compassionate to one another. (Eph 4:32; 1 Th 5:15)
Do not lie to each other. (Col 3:9)
Stop passing judgment on one another. (Rom 14:13)
Be patient, bearing with one another. (Eph 4:2; Col 3:12-13)
Live in peace with each other. (1 Th 5:13)
Pray for each other. (Jas 5:16)
Regard one another as more important than yourselves. (Phil 2:3)
Serve one another in love. (Gal 5:13)
Do not slander one another. (Jas 4:11)
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. (Eph 5:19; Col 3:17)
Spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Heb 10:24)
Submit to one another. (Eph 5:21)
Teach...one another. (Col 3:16)

I am (We are) Bondservants

2010-03-19T10:06:00.002-04:00

This past week, I've been gearing up for my talk on serving here at Grace Church. In my preparations, I've been reminded once again as to why I and all followers of Christ must be sold out to serving. It's not an option for one who claims to follow Jesus.

In Philippians 2:5-7 we are told the Jesus took on the form of a bondservant. The Greek word (doulos) carries the following ideas for us as we too our bondservants of Christ;

First, it speaks of one who is in a permanent relationship of servitude to another. When I trusted Jesus Christ to rescue me from my sins, I entered into a permanent relationship with Him as His servant (literally slave).

Secondly, it speaks of being fully consumed with accomplishing the will of a master. As one who has been rescued from sin by Christ, I have willingly surrendered my life and my will to Him. This means I am here on this earth to accomplish His good purposes in and through me.

Thirdly, it is also a word that was used to describe the "under-rower" on a slave ship. This isn't necessarily a glamorous picture or one that many churches use to recruit volunteers, but, it is how the Christ follower is described within God's word. It's not that God is some tyrannical master beating us into service, but it does picture how we as Christ followers must give ourselves to the hard work of the Gospel in order to see it advance throughout the world as we willingly submit our lives to a gracious and merciful master.

Finally, it is important to note that this is not something new for the church. The early followers of Christ also saw themselves as "bondservants" to their Savior and lived their lives accordingly. (See Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:1, James 1:1, 2 Peter1:1)

We have not been called to serve just so we can feel good about ourselves even though helping others brings tremendous blessing. We have been called to serve first and foremost because we have been called to follow the example of Christ and His Word. When we do, HE can accomplish HIS will and purpose in our lives as we acknowledge our identity as HIS bondservants. As a follower of Christ, serving is not an option, it's my position and calling.

Added to their Number...

2010-03-11T20:26:00.003-05:00

This past week I've spent some time in the book of Acts and have been amazed yet again at the early church movement as the good news of Jesus was proclaimed. The power and rate at which the early church grew is staggering and worth celebrating. In the same vein, I also had the privilege of spending some time with one of the Executive Directors of a church that just passed the 10,000 number for average weekend attendance throughout their various sites. With these two experiences in mind, here are a few observations;

First, the book of Acts does not make any apologies for talking about growing in their numbers. (Acts 2:41, 2:47, 4:4, 5:14, 6:7, 11:21, 14:1) As one reads the following passages of Scripture, there is great excitement about the proclamation of the good news of Jesus, even amidst persecution. There is also great joy at the growth that comes when people believe and move from the darkness into the light.

Secondly, I was amazed at some of the stories my friend told me about the resistance they have faced both internally and externally as they have grown. Now I understand that there are different philosophies of ministry out there, but surely all Christ followers both internally and externally can celebrate with those that faithfully proclaim the gospel and currently sees the mighty hand of God at work. They are getting ready to baptize 80 new believers soon and that's worth throwing a party for!

Thirdly, I am still convinced there is a balance to be found. I believe with all my heart that a marketing genius could grow a "church" in America whether the good news of Jesus was preached or not. There are many ways to entice and seduce people into half truths that keep them coming even though truth may not be taught. But, I am equally disappointed with ministries that have a multitude of excuses for not wanting to grow and see numbers increase through people coming to know Christ. There's got to be a balance that sees the passion and faithful teaching of God's Word seen in the early church as God's people rely upon Him to "add to their numbers" regularly.

It's been an interesting week of reading in the book of Acts and it was a encouraging lunch meeting with my friend to hear of a modern "added to their number that day" story. Jesus is still building His church and I count myself privileged like all Christ followers to be a part of it day in and day out.

Panera Bread, Buckets and other Random Thoughts

2010-03-05T11:59:00.003-05:00

Here on Friday afternoon are some of the random thoughts flowing through my head as I reflect upon my week...

Been thinking and talking with others about making sure they keep their buckets full (their spiritual, emotional, physical and relational buckets) as empty buckets lead to poor decisions and at times unfortunate consequences.

Met with God at Panera Bread (No I'm not referring to my meeting with Pastor Steve there this week). Couple weeks ago I was feeling rather weary and tired, so I took my Bible, got a cup of coffee and an Asiago cheese bagel and read through the Psalms at Panera. Very refreshing and so thankful that God shows up wherever we land when we seek Him out.

Still gloating inside over Team Canada's gold in hockey at the Olympics since I've tried to not gloat verbally. That's kind of Pharisaical, but I guess there is a bit of Pharisee in all of us.

Have been enjoying immensely my meeting times with the pastors, ministry leaders and managers of Grace Church. The 10 of us have been having some wonderful conversations on Budgets, Communications and the creation of a Culture of Serving here at Grace.

Can't wait for Vision month and then Easter and the Face your Fears series at Grace. I believe we are going to see God do some incredible things that just blow us away.

Looking forward to surprising my wife with her birthday gift next Tuesday. Hope she likes it!

My Precious!

2010-02-25T17:42:00.004-05:00

I've been spending some time throughout the past few months in the book of Proverbs. Recently, I was challenged to think about what is really "precious" to me. In the Lord of the Ring trilogy, we were introduced to a character that was seduced by a ring to the point of insanity which ultimately took him down a path to his destruction. He called it "my precious." As I've thought through this, I must constantly be evaluating my own life to make sure that I choose to make decisions and pursue disciplines and pathways that reflect the very things God deems as precious.

One such item that we are to consider precious is "Godly, Biblical Wisdom" The pursuit of this type of wisdom will lead us down the path of obedience which ultimately leads to life rather than death and destruction. Take some time this week to reflect upon the following words from Proverbs;

"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you can desire can compare with her." (Proverbs 3:13-15)

"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." (Proverbs 8:10-11)

A Thought Provoking Letter from a Child

2010-02-19T08:41:00.002-05:00

Like many people, our family partners with Compassion International to support a young child. We have done this for years and it is the very least we can do as we have so much compared to others within this world. Like we do every year, we send away a bit extra to Compassion so our child can enjoy a Christmas gift. To be honest with you, it has never really impacted me much before as it seems so simple to send away that little bit of extra money that would have been spent on a McDonald's run or a Little Nicki's cheesesteak and pizza. But then I got the letter and it has messed me up since...

Here is what it simply read; "Auld Family, I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thank you so much for the Christmas gift which you sent me. I received 21650 shillings and used it to buy a shirt, a pair of shorts and shoes. May God bless you."

Since reading that letter, I can't shake the following verse from my head "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48b)

I am currently processing what it means to be generous. I feel like we do OK and are living in obedience to what God requires per His Word, but it may be time to step out in faith a bit more. As one who lives in North America with a roof over my head, food on my table, clothes on my back and the list goes on... what does God require of me. What does God require of you? What does God require of His church?

One day I'll have to stand before God and give account for how I lived my life including how I managed what He has entrusted to me financially. I sure don't want to stand before Him and have Him ask why I felt I had to have or even deserved that nice car or extra square footage in my home while children died of hunger without a stitch of clothing on their back. So I'm thankful our little guy was able to get a new shirt, shorts and shoes but I'm thinking the gift of his letter back to us was worth just as much if not more if it stirs me to become more generous towards the things that touch the very heart of God!

Proud Citizen of 2 Places...

2010-02-17T16:37:00.003-05:00

I recently returned from a quick trip to my "home and native land" of Canada and had the thrill of watching the opening ceremonies from the 2010 Winter Olympics on home soil. I was incredibly proud as a Canadian and loved the enthusiasm of all fellow citizens as Canadian Olympic clothing could be seen everywhere (soon to be sported here at Grace Church). One of the highlights for me was watching and listening to the young lady (Nikki Yanofsky) sing both the national anthem at the beginning and the "I Believe" song towards the end. In case anyone is interested, I've included the following link that shows the torch relay entitled "Journey to Vancouver" that is underscored by the above mentioned song which is loved by us Canadians.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v0o27BPIIk&annotation_id=annotation_533720&feature=iv

But... as excited and proud as I am to be a Canadian citizen watching the Olympic games unfold in my home country, I am even more excited about being a citizen of heaven whereby I look forward to an eternity with my Savior. Listen to the words of Paul "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21) Come Lord Jesus Come!!!

Snowing on the Righteous and Unrighteous and Lessons Learned...

2010-02-10T16:06:00.004-05:00

Like most within Lancaster County, I've been doing a whole lot of shoveling as the snow continues to fall and fall and fall and fall.... well you get the point. While shoveling I got thinking about our grand and glorious God.

First, I got thinking about Matthew 5:45 that states "He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Now I recognize that it doesn't say snow but I am sure the sentiment is the same as we are talking about another form of water. Isn't it interesting that the pleasure the sun brings and the pain the snow brings (from shoveling) isn't a respecter of persons. It is something that a Sovereign God bestows upon all of his creation whether we claim to be a follower of His or even acknowledge His existence.

Secondly, one's response to all of this snow (or weather in general) will speak volumes on someones thoughts towards God.

For those who deny the existence of a greater power, the snow is just bad luck somehow related to some geological phenomenon.

For those who believe in some higher power, they may see all the snow as some form of punishment or just plain old bad luck.

But for me... I came to a fresh realization of just how dependent I am upon a Sovereign and Awesome God. My God is SO big that He can make it snow when He wants, on who He wants and with as much as He wants. From living through a snow storm to living through daily life, I must continue to bring myself back to the place of absolute trust and dependency upon God. There are so many things outside of my control (weather included) and until I come to that place of absolute trust in Him, life will be faced with fear and worry.

So today... I sit back and give thanks for the gift of my family (yes even the dog) stuck together in our house playing the Wii. I sit and give thanks for a God who has given me a warm house while the snow blows. I give thanks to a God who has given me the physical strength and health to move inch after inch and foot after foot of snow from my driveway. I give thanks to my God who has provided me with plenty of food to sustain the family.

Just one complaint though... It has nothing to do with God but rather poor planning on my part. I am having to survive this snow storm without my Tim Horton's coffee. But still I will trustin Him... what about you???

Leading or Managing & Other Leadership Musings...

2010-02-02T12:39:00.002-05:00

One of the blogs I enjoy following is LeadingSmart which is written by Tim Stevens. In his most recent post, he discusses briefly a book he has worked through with and Executive Pastor Coaching Network entitled "Just Ask Leadership". He shares a few quotes that captured his attention which in turn have captured mine. Here were the two that jumped off of the page at me and my initial reaction to each of them.

First, I must be asking myself "Am I Leading or Managing?" It is noted that one of the ways in which one can answer this question is by reflecting on your weekly schedule. If I am handling issues that are months or even years out I am leading. If I spend the majority of my day handling immediate problems or issues, I am most likely managing. My immediate reaction to this is threefold. First, I have come to learn that there are seasons of ministry that require much more hands on managing until the season runs its course. Secondly, I need to evaluate what I've been called to as defined by my role in any given organizational setting. Am I called to manage or lead. Thirdly, based upon my answer to this question, I need to evaluate my daily schedule and "to do" lists to make sure I have found the balance and focus needed to successfully accomplish what God has called me to within any given organizational structure.

The second quote that caught my eye was "The person best equipped to solve a problem is the one who lives with it every day." This in part ties into the previous point. Leaders will let managers/co-workers solve the day to day problems and make decisions. If I am called to lead, I will help develop a culture that empowers those who manage and are engaged in the day to day stuff to make their own decisions with confidence as they are truly the ones who are best equipped to be the problem solvers in their areas of expertise.

I recognize that the church is not just an organization to be lead and managed. We are the living Body of Christ, but these principles are well worth pondering.

A Brief Trip Down Memory Lane...

2010-01-30T21:16:00.005-05:00

Today my wife and I headed into downtown Philadelphia with another couple to enjoy some cheesesteaks and do some filming for church. It was freezing cold, but it has been years since we've traveled into downtown Philadelphia apart from taking in some sort of sporting event. As we drove around, we couldn't help but take a trip down memory lane from our Philadelphia Biblical University days when we would often head into the city.

So here are a few of the random memory lane thoughts that went through my mind...

We laughed about the "fresh, warm" pretzels sold on the street corners of the city and the news story back in the early 90's that made me swear to never eat a soft pretzel again.

We celebrated what a powerful impact our days at PBU had upon our lives which has shaped the very couple we are today for the Lord.

We gave thanks for parents & grandparents who faithfully sacrificed incredible amounts of resources to see us successfully graduate with degrees in Bible so as to serve the Lord well.

We thought all about our fun dates to the city that saw us taking in ball games, the aquarium in NJ, dinner cruises, ice skating and standing on the steps of the old spectrum at 1:00 AM. (That's a whole other story...)

We laughed hard about the guys at US 1 Pizza that made the best pizza after they had enjoyed a few beers. It's true... the more beers these guys drank, the better the pizza.

All in all it was a fantastic day of looking back and celebrating God's goodness in our lives. We may not have the fanciest cars, biggest home or much money in the bank. BUT... how blessed to be serving Him together as a couple. How blessed to have been raised in families that have sought to pass on the legacy of faith. How blessed to be in a wonderful marriage. How blessed to have our health and two wonderful children. How blessed to be children of the living God. I pray my kids will one day be able to sit and reflect upon their lives with laughter, joy and a sense of God's incredible work in their lives.

The Fight Is On!

2010-01-15T09:45:00.002-05:00

It's Friday AM and I am profoundly aware of how real the cosmic spiritual battle really is today. It's not that there is a huge spiritual battle raging within me today, but rather this spiritual reality that I (along with all other Christ followers) are in a war against the Evil One and his armies.

Even though I am one who has grown up in the church, I must confess that I don't usually spend much time throughout any given week focusing on the fact that we are daily engaged in a battle for the hearts and minds of people where eternal consequences are at stake. I know it doesn't sound real spiritual coming from a pastor, but life gets busy and the details of a day can consume all of us. Plus, it is much nicer to think about being a child of God who is a joint heir with Jesus enjoying life with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I also have no doubt that this is closely tied to the fact that we live in relative comfort here in North America and only give thought to these types of things when global or personal tragedy hit and the normacy of our weeks is disrupted.

So... what does all this mean? Well, if I am in Christ's army, here are a few realities I must be willing to accept as I live out my life in Him and for Him.

I will be confronted with the reality of causalities along the way.
I will most likely be wounded multiple times along the way where periods of healing are needed.
I will be scared at times as there is nothing pretty about war.
I will be asked to follow my general (Jesus Christ) into battles and I will have to choose whether or not I will obey.
I will be asked to give up some of my earthly comforts so as to contribute and be a part of making an eternal difference in, through and for Christ.
I will be asked to trust my general (Jesus Christ) even though I don't know what the immediate outcome of a particular battle strategy may be.
I need to be OK with giving my very earthly life for my general (Jesus Christ).
I need to be OK with using all of my resources (gifts, family, money, time etc...) for the cause.

I believe the list could go on, but the reality is that I need to be willing to face all of the above mentioned with great confidence because the outcome of this overall war has already been determined. Jesus has overcome and death has been defeated. War is ugly and the day to day battles leave us bruised, battered and weary at times, but the victory that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord makes it all worth it. The fight is on... let's keep on keeping on for Jesus!!!

What Should I Read Next?

2010-01-11T11:38:00.002-05:00

I am looking for some suggestions on books to read. I am looking at my shelf and there is really nothing there that peaks my interest right now. If you know of any good books related to any of the following topics, please leave a comment on my blog for me.

Commentary on Proverbs (Especially first nine chapters)

John Grisham Style Fiction

Contemporary Church Issues

Leadership Related

Biography on Abraham Lincoln

Book on the implications of God/Faith on the battles/people of the Civil War

Any insights or suggestions would be appreciated! I am also open to hearing about other books that you feel are a "must read" even if it doesn't relate to any of the above mentioned topics.

Global Awareness

2010-01-08T09:36:00.003-05:00

Like most, I have a tendency to get very inward focused. There is something within all of us that makes it much easier to think about "me" rather than "others". I believe this can also be true of churches as well. We can get so wrapped up in ourselves that we fail to see a great big God at work in our cities, country and world.

One of the benefits of my recent missions trip was a fresh new awareness of just how big our God really is and how much He loves all peoples of the world. He sent Jesus to die for the sins of the world and not just the people of Lititz or PA or even the USA. Therefore, it is imperative that we begin to take off our self serving glasses and put on our global glasses to be a part of God's bigger plan to reach all peoples and countries with the transforming message of Jesus Christ.

A website that has been helping me process all of this information is www.joshuaproject.net I would encourage you to check it out periodically and keep a global perspective on God's work within our world. I know I will!

A tough loss...

2010-01-06T08:53:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to the U.S. Jr. Team that beat us last night 6-5 in overtime. It was a tough home ice loss that left a nation quiet. Canada had not lost this tournament since 2004 when they last lost to the Americans. Oh well... I now have the Olympics to look forward to since my Toronto Maple Leafs leave so much to be desired this year...

Also... I will look to post some thoughts on my recent missions trip over the next few posts as I reflect and process all that we did now that I've gotten some hockey out of my blogging system.

BIG HOCKEY GAME TONIGHT!

2010-01-05T11:55:00.003-05:00

Having grown up in Canada, one of the traditions we most enjoy throughout the Christmas season is the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) Jr. Tournament. It takes place all over the globe and this year it is being played in Saskatoon, Canada.

Tonight is the Gold medal game between the Canadians and the Americans. They have met before in the finals and Canada lost back in 2004 when the Canadian goalie shot it off of his own defenceman into the net. So tonight is a big night for this Canadian as I settle in on my couch to watch the big game.

So... I am back from Europe, happy to have my lazy boy, my HDTV and my Canadian Jr's going for gold at 7 PM tonight on the NHL network against the Americans. I will have my Canadian sweatshirt on and my flag waving for the boys in red and white. Go Canada!!!

More Pics from the Trip!

2010-01-04T19:56:00.005-05:00

The 2009 GBIM European Missionary Conference participants standing along the Sea.

A great view of the Chateau in St. Albain.

There were some long days and the team grabbed sleep whenever they could. This is Josh on the Metro heading to the Paris airport after a long day.

The team enjoyed an authentic French Lunch with the Plasters (missionary couple serving in Paris) and Jay Hocking.

These two (Marlin and Brad) were the winners of a New Year's Eve tradition of finding the little toy in our dessert bread that won them these crowns. A fine pair of kings!

A great couple!

2010-01-04T19:42:00.005-05:00

(Emma, Maggie, Debbie Hocking and the Chateau cat)

One of the highlights for me on this trip was getting to hang out with Jay and Debbie Hocking who took over for Marlin and Sue Weaver at the Chateau in St. Albain. I met this young couple shortly after I arrived at Grace as they were visiting churches and raising support. I didn't know much about them before this trip, but came away with a new appreciation of who they are and what they do after this trip.

I mentioned this about the Becker family in a previous post, but I want to say it again about this couple. We at Grace Church are blessed to be partnering with a couple like this who serves the Lord with excellence. I was impressed over and over again with their servants heart as they never seemed to tire of serving and encouraging others with their actions. They in many respects are missionaries to the missionaries as they use the Chateau ministry to support and encourage those serving Christ throughout Europe. I cannot help but get excited about the fact that we at Grace Church are seeing those connected with our church meeting and moving others all around this world.

I look forward to hanging out with this couple again someday as they were a true joy to be around!

Home Sweet Home

2010-01-02T22:03:00.002-05:00

It's been a few days since I've been able to blog (Internet connections haven't been great and we've been on the go) and I wanted to let everyone know that the team is safe and sound at home.

After being up for almost 24 hours now, I'm feeling a little tired, but Susan and I have spoken to our mothers (this is a must), the kids are showered and sleeping and I'm typing away with red weary eyes still smiling over this experience we've just all had. I will look to post for a while on our trip as the pictures come in and I process all that I've seen and experienced.

Until then let me just express a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all who prayed for us. When I think about the miles we have covered and the things we have done, God's gracious hand of protection was definitely upon us all.

Well I am off to sleep in my bed. My wonderful, comfy, soft, warm, own pillows, flannel sheets bed... Can you tell I'm excited to be home!

Some Personal Reflections...

2009-12-30T17:33:00.002-05:00

The past nine days of my life (or something like that) have been some of the most special I have ever experienced. It will take me a while to process all that my family and I have experienced and there are many highlights I will blog about, but here are two that are just burning to be written about.

First, I cannot brag enough about the team Grace Church sent over on this missions trip. They are a group of people that I knew and even served with before this trip, but my love and respect for each of them has grown in ways I never expected. I know that all of us have been borderline sleep deprived and fighting some sort of sickness at some point and yet everyone has served and given of themselves for their teammates in a wonderful fashion. I have been around the block enough to know that sometimes short term mission trip teams can have relational struggles, but I can honestly say that this team has enjoyed being and serving together immensely. We have worked hard, laughed hard, prayed hard and served hard to accomplish what God set forth for us to do. More on the team in another blog...

I can also say that I am so impressed with the quality of programming, care and love they provided to those kids. I am amazed at what we were able to pull off out of five suitcases that made the trip over. Our goal was to bring five full suitcases over and return with five empty suitcases. We wanted to make sure we blessed the churches over here with supplies and other items that are so precious to them. To see that heart attitude within the team members from Grace Church just blesses me incredibly. It has been an absolute privilege to serve alongside each and every one of them.

Secondly, I had the privilege on our last night of the conference to spend a little over and hour with the Beckers (Missionary family in Ireland that Grace Church supports). In that short timeframe, this couple absolutely blew me away. To hear them speak of their passion and love for the people of Ireland moved me incredibly. To hear the stories of what it is they are dealing with in that secular setting put our petty issues in the American church to shame. Let me just say this... That is one couple that is well worth Grace Church pouring into. They are a couple of excellence serving God with excellence. They are truly an extension of the Grace Church ministry as they Meet and Move in Ireland to the glory of God. God is doing something incredible in and through them and my love and respect for them went through the roof in just that short hour. They are truly called to be shepherds for Jesus amongst a people who are so lost. Please keep the Becker family in your prayers.

Well it is late and I'm sure that my above ramblings don't communciate all that I am feeling right now, but it is a start as I continue to digest what God has impressed upon my heart these past number of days... What day is it anyhow??? Good night to all and to all a good night.

Barcelona Pics (Tuesday Afternoon)

2009-12-30T17:26:00.002-05:00

The busy streets of Barcelona.

The Auld family in the main square of Barcelona where we were dropped off.

I could not get over the number of Scooters parked every where that people rode. I also could not get over how crazy these scooter riders were as they zipped in and out of traffic. Inches at best kept them from being run over at any given moment. Entertaining to say the least!

The team enjoying Starbucks coffee!!!

The center square of Barcelona where we enjoyed our lunch.

Wednesday Update!

2009-12-30T17:07:00.002-05:00

It is Wednesday night and quite a bit has transpired since my last post. It has been a travel day so it has taken me a while to get to this. Here are a few of the highlights from the past 24 hours...

We had the opportunity to spend 3 hours in the center of Barcelona yesterday. It was a wonderful experience. The best part for me was that we found a Starbucks and I was able to get a great cup of coffee that was bigger than the tiny shot of Espresso found at the hotel. I may hook myself up to a coffee IV when we return.
We wrapped up our last session of VBS with the kids. One of the highlights was when Jill had all of the kids pray and the kids did so in the language of the country in which they were from. It was very cool to realize that no matter the language, our great big God understood it just fine.
Our VBS kids performed in the missionary talent show over dinner and they were the hit of the night with their song.
One of the highlights for some of our team members was to hear the many wonderful comments from the parents of these kids. The comment we heard over and over again is that they (as parents) never once had to force/make their kids go to our program. They were always asking mom and dad if it was time yet to go.
After a late night of packing we were up bright and early and on to the bus where nine hours later we arrived once again at the Chateau. We are all very thankful for safety with the many miles covered over the past week.
We enjoyed some French pizza, some great conversation and many laughs tonight as we sat around the Chateau dining room playing games and just relaxing a bit after a very full week of going hard.

Let me just finish this blog by stating how grateful I am for all the prayers that have been offered up on behalf of our team. We have covered thousands of Kilometers, some travel challenges, some health issues (colds, sore throats, exhaustion etc...) and yet God continues to show Himself so faithful. Please continue to pray for our team as we wrap up our time here in France and prepare for our trip home.

Tomorrow we are going to do some sightseeing in Macon and then celebrate New Year's Eve with the Macon Church Family. I am looking forward to interacting with some French Christ followers as we ring in the New Year six hours earlier than most of us have every done before.

In my next post I am going to take some time to reflect on two of my personal highlights and growing experiences on this trip.

The UnSung VBS Heros of the Week!

2009-12-29T11:48:00.004-05:00

All week long I've been posting pics of our team with the older VBS kids. What I haven't mentioned is that there were three members of our Grace Team that went above and beyond these past three days. For well over 3 hours each day, this team provided care for 3-5 young children from newborn-2 years old. They were happy in these pictures, but I can assure you that there were a few very long crying sessions that this team handled with excellence and love. So.... JOB WELL DONE Sue & Marlin Weaver and Dean Lutz for giving these missionary parents some time together as a couple without having to worry about their little children.

Tuesday AM VBS Pics

2009-12-29T04:42:00.002-05:00

Monday Beach & Girona Pics

2009-12-29T04:27:00.003-05:00

The ancient city of Girona was very cool at night. There were portions of the cathederal that dated back nearly 700 years. We also saw a doorway that was noted as dating back to the 3rd Century.

Josh & Emma Auld swimming in the Sea. It was nearly 60 degrees today but the water was still quite cold.

Jill Lutz and some other Grace Team members talking alot of the VBS girls for an afternoon walk along the coastline. Just beautiful and the kids of course got wet.

Our Hotel overlooking the Sea. Just beautiful!

Fun along the Sea & a visit to the old city of Girona

2009-12-29T04:17:00.003-05:00

Monday was a very full and fun day. Here are a few of the happenings of the day.

A couple of sessions of VBS.
A game of American football on the beach with the missionary kids. (One plays DE for an American college and he hit hard. Dean and I are a bit sore)
A long walk along an ancient path along the Med. Sea.
A game of basketball at a court in downtown Platjo D'Aro with some missionaries.
A great dinner with fish soup & four different meats (Chicken, Sausage, Rabbit, Pork)
A fun trip into an ancient city that has some stone walls that date back to the Roman period.
Some chocolate drink in a smoky cafe that had us dipping some sort of European cookies. Delicious!!!!

The bus pulled in around 12:15 AM local time and we then crashed and burned!

SLEEP..............................

It is now Tuesday morning and after a quick breakfast we are now in the middle of our next VBS session with the kids. Peter (a.k.a. Brad Lutz) paid us a visit and talked about our need to tell others the good news of Jesus all around the world. That truth resonated with the kids as they are living it daily. It all tied into our need to obey God's call to tell others about Jesus. It is hard to believe that we only have one more to go with them. We are also performing one of our VBS songs for the talent show tonight.

In the next few blogs I will post some pics from the past few days of activities.

As always... THANKS FOR PRAYING!

More Pics...

2009-12-28T09:13:00.002-05:00

Some of the kids enjoying their Cheetos snack!

Some of the kids singing and doing actions with their newly decorated VBS t-shirts.

Queen Esther (a.k.a. Larua Lutz) pays the kids a visit.

Two Groups Pics of the kids on a rock overlooking the Sea.

VBS Continues in Spain

2009-12-28T09:00:00.002-05:00

It is Tuesday afternoon here in Spain and our adventures continue. We continue to draw closer to the kids we are ministering to and are having a great time with them. They are very excited to be here and are full of energy. We are all feeling a little tired, but feel like we are pretty much over our jet lag.

Here are some of the highlights from the past 18 hours here in Spain...

The team continues to gel well and are having a wonderful time together.
The kids are just soooo excited about all that is happening within VBS. From the visits from Gideon and Queen Esther, to games, to hanging out with our kids the fun never seems to stop.
The kids are singing out at the top of their lungs already to the songs and doing the actions. We are in the talent show together on the final night of the conference. Not sure how that happened???
We loved watching the kids dig into the Amercian snacks we brought over with us. The Cheetos are the hit of the week thus far. Combos bombed.
The guys taught some of the European kids how to play American football this morning on the beach. It had to be tackle of course and let me just say that some of them had no problem hitting us older guys.
We have enjoyed a few brief moments with the Becker family (Grace Church supports them) and are looking forward to some longer conversations over the next day and a half. They are serving Jesus well in Ireland.
A few of us had the privilege of having dinner with Jay and Debbie Hocking (Grace Church supports them) and just love their servants heart.

I'll look to post some more pics of our time here over the next few posts.

Barcelona Harbor Pics

2009-12-27T12:53:00.003-05:00

Historic Building at the Barcelona Harbor.

Team Members Dean, Jill & Maggie Lutz enjoying lunch along the harborfront.

Team members Brad & Laura Lutz, Marlin & Sue Weaver and Susan, Josh & Emma Auld enjoying their lunch at the Barcelona Harbor.

Christopher Columbus pointing to the New World!