The Fight Before Christmas

It happened, I know it happened elsewhere, and probably it happened with your pastor as well. Its one of the times of the year that Satan tries to disrupt our flow, discourage us, distract us. I began praying for our Christmas series several months ago, knowing a spiritual warfare was looming. My past few years working with church plants and hanging out with pastors at least taught me this much. However, you never know when and where the fight will take place. All you can do is endure it.

Christmas is a prime time for those far from God, disconnected from churches, or those wanting a little more faith injected into their lives to experience a worship service. Satan knows this and boy does he not like it. So this year is no different. I fought him, he lost. I hope you withstand the fight! I know why I am here and what my role within God’s kingdom is. Christ is victorious! We celebrate His birth, the coming of my savior!

Lessons from ghost & missing animals

No, this isn’t a post about animal sacrifices; it’s about miss-led expectations. Sunday, we took CB to our local zoo for the annual Boo in the Zoo. CB had to be the cutest bunny in the park. Unfortunately, if it wasn’t for the other kids dressed up as animals, we might have not seen any. Although this was my first time at the event, I figured all of the animals would be out for CB to enjoy as we walked through collecting candy. Instead we saw cutout ghost & pumpkins, some vultures and a few goats. BOOOO Boo in the Zoo.

Couple this with our Sunday experience at Waypoint I sat this morning wondering how well we are doing at letting people know what to expect when the come. Especially first-time guest! But even those who come as regularly as once a month. Are they coming with expectations? Are their expectations met, exceeded, or let down. Are they getting everything we have? Have we provided an over-the-top atmosphere? Were they challenged to Regroup, Refresh, and Realign? Or did anyone walk out and wonder if they had just hung out with some vultures & goats.

So this week I’m beginning the process of evaluating our up-front, pre-sunday appearance. Praying for guidance and wisdom!

Post Game Let Down

Monday Night Football was awesome! Last night I enjoyed watching the Miami Dolphins turn their final drive against the NY Jets into a victory. Football lives and dies in our household from Thursday to Monday. We watch pre-game, halftime, & even special web coverage for high school through the NFL.

Last night I was saddened, not from anything new; but from the abrupt ending of ESPN’s coverage. It’s the same every week but this week, the ending of the game was awesome and all I got was a 30 second commentary followed by a set-up for Sports Center. I felt like I needed some form of Post Game follow-up. I was left hanging. I tried to watch some Sports Center highlights; but to no avail, I still felt empty.

This week at Waypoint we finished one of the most difficult series we’ve had. We asked a lot of questions, we didn’t find a lot of answers. We uncovered some of the mysteries’ of God and his dealings with humanity and I woke up Monday feeling like we needed more. We needed some form of Post Series follow-up before diving into the next series. We need to process what God is up to, how does his mysteries impact my lifestyle and my future. How can I take the best of this game series and get prepared to move onto the next one.

So come to Waypoint this Sunday for our first ever Post Series Follow-up. Whether you attended one, all, or none of the Why Series; this Sunday is vital to helping us move forward in our faith. Don’t miss it!

Sheperding more

It’s hard enough to develop and grow your own spiritual life. Following disciplines, finding mentors, allowing yourself to be cut and molded, being patient, confessing!

It only got harder when I got married….all of the above now x’s 2. Leading your spouse to become the person God intended her to be all the while chasing recklessly after Him yourself: constantly wondering why I signed up for this?

Along comes a daughter; my task, propel her! Give her everything I have and opportunities I didn’t to make a kingdom impact

I knew I was called to work within the church in 2000, 9 years later I found myself as a pastor leading, shepherding the lives of others. I’m trying to bask in the goodness that God has given, celebrating the victories. Yet I’m full of fear as he continues to put more sheep into my pasture.

His Mission: Imago Dei–my task–letting it happen!

Split emotions

Today I sat in my office and suffered under the heavy hand of split emotions.

excitement filled me up as I reflected on Sunday. God showed up and blessed our worship, again. His Spirit broke through the darkness of 2 lives moving them into a relationship with Him. Healing took place, LOVE changed everything. As I’ve looked over the past 2 months I have seen God’s hand consistently bringing blessings to Waypoint….and to my family.

Yet against this backdrop is fear….fear that I’m incapable of handling the blessings God is bringing. fear that my faith isn’t strong enough to continue to take risks and challenges that I took before. Fear that I’ll screw it up! Fear, because I’m now shepherding over more lives…..

to be continued….

Monday’s Brew

Monday’s drink = chocolate milk 2 glasses

I am in amazement at what God is doing in the life of Waypoint Church right now! All I can do at this point in our life is to sit and enjoy the beauty of his workmanship!

Here are just a couple of highlights

• Highest non-Easter attendance to date!
• We’ve broken the above highlight  3 times over the past 6 weeks!
• Had 2 more individuals come up and let me know they wanted information on our Baptism service on 10/4
• Had 20 people show up for our first Music Ministry Meeting!
• For a church of our age and size: I said it, and truly belive it, we have the best worship leaders and musicians in town!
• Kicked off Why? series looking at questions that stump our faith journey
• Got to connect with lots of new people
• Several key volunteers are stepping up huge right now! Love IT!

I am more excited today, more than ever about what God is doing in our faith community; and what He will continue to do!

Organism vs Organization

I remember in my college days hearing the new words amongst church life….”we are an organism not an organization!” I was perplexed; loved the concept, but also loved the structures and systems that organizational life provides. Low and behold, 10 years later Jim Akin, the guru of church planting from West Ridge Church posted the following:

“every organism has organization or it falls apart. Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” faith begins as a tiny atom/seed of thought in a person’s life – “is there a God?” “how did all of this stuff get here?” etc. etc. that faith is germinated and grows into a living breathing person of faith, but 99.99% of the time without an organization to attach itself too that faith will die.so we may glamorize the church as an organism, fluid, changing, alive, without the organization the organism dies.”

Love it! No longer am I perplexed  Read the entire post here

 

Weekend After-thoughts

Sitting here in a Starbucks, watching USA vs. Brazil via my computer and processing this weekend before I forget. Here’s some highlights

• Thursday night grass cutting, nothing like manual labor to prepare yourself for the weekend!
• Family Friday Rocked! Contract on house signed & accepted, followed by fun in the sun at Shipwreck Cove
• Hung out with Tuesdays Child Friday night, they led our worship today!
• Spent the entire day Saturday with Cadence so Leslie could do whatever. We hung out watching Wimbledon, playing, eating and then joined Leslie for some Monkey Joe action and Jason’s Deli
• Watched Will Ferrell join Bear Grylls on Man vs. Wild…don’t eat the Twinkie
• Awesome worship time this morning. My thoughts and heart kept going back to how big God is! Yet he cares for my life, moment by moment!
• Being challenged a lot on obedience to the entirety of Scripture.
• Love having some of our core who just get it! “It’s not about me!
• Shout outs to Mark B, Ricky B, and the Buckmasters for all the work they’ve put in helping friends this past week…that’s the church in action
• Bruce G and Larry S pour more time in volunteering than I could count!
• Loved sharing the stage with Jacob
• We use to sit in Waffle House each week and discuss one day planting a church, who’da thought today would actually happen!
• Haven’t been sleeping good; actually haven’t been sleeping! This needs to change
• Sad Tap Out series is over, loved watching people be challenged to push through the circumstances
• But excited to be doing TXT next couple of weeks….I love teaching moments!
• Reading a lot on Small Groups, Discipleship, and Social Justice
• Realizing I’m a book addict!
• Need someone who knows WordPress to help spruce up our church website, if interested comment and let me know!
• Watched Valkyrie; going to watch Curious Case of Benjamin Button tonight
• Will be helping 2 families move and move myself over the next 4 weeks (I’m going to be wiped out)
• Looking forward to a productive week!

Keeping my Soul

9″How can a young man keep his way pure?
       By living according to your word.

 ¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
       do not let me stray from your commands. (Psalm 119:9-10)

This is where I’m working at right now! I love the people at Waypoint and the partnerships we have with Marathon. I’m growing in love with the Scuffletown Community and the potential to see God do an amazing work. However, my immediate attention–everyday–is keeping my soul connected to God’s word and obeying His teachings. I believe that ministry impact/blessings can only be sustained based on my character and relationship with God. In order to see God work in and through our community I have to keep my soul pure and connected to Him!

Weekend After-Thoughts

• Overall weekend was a blur
• Poor time mangement during week resulted in eliminating some things I wish I didn’t have to do
• Last week I was not home before 11 three times, not home at all 1 night=not good!
• Friday, Saturday, & Sunday Morning spent helping one of my best friends get hitched
• Check out their rock wedding at www.tietheknotlive.com (click on clips)
• Shot under a 100 at Lakeview golf course Saturday (manged to play course with only 3 balls) not to bad for me!
• Wore skinny jeans and vans for the first time ever–lots of compliments may have to bust them out again sometime.
• Ran into an awesome and creative group of men pulling off their wedding using the most recent creative elements available
• Heard a group of teenagers (mostly freshmen & sophomores) absolutely kill their jazz set-best group of young musicians I’ve ever heard!
• Couldn’t have been prouder for Jacob & Elicia they are perfect for each other!
• My favorite Sunday service yet at Waypoint
• I didn’t even need to say anything–
• The songs and videos brought a movement to the service I was anticipating but totally blew away my expectations.
• Our panel brought it to a whole-nother level!!!
• They were open and honest about mother/daughter-hood struggles and how honor has played a part in their life.
• It was a tremendous honor to have them share!
• I had the chance to engage several people afterwards who shared sever similar struggles and are seeking God’s restoration and learning to honor from His perspective!
• My wife rocked as an MC–she’s more than just a great mother!
• What a year has brought to our family is crazy! She’s teaching our daughter some great lessons and providing a framework for our household that is essential to how we want to raise her.
• Got to spend some awesome time with my mom–some of the best moments so far this year!
• Trying to figure summer out at Waypoint and what things we can improve on
• Praying for growth when most expect decline–trusting God to continue to bless and change lives
• Had an awesome conversation about engaging our community this weekend
• Desperately seeking moments of worship in my life right now
• Needing to find a house or apartment or RV or something soon for our family–big prayers are being asked
• Still hoping someone buys me a pair of Toms and get blessed by giving two pairs away!