Something Interesting

Pattie and I just finished watching the John Adams miniseries from a couple of years ago.  It was very good.  I recommend it.  It was great to go back to the beginning of our nation and see the sacrifice and courage of our founding fathers.  John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were close friends but political ideology caused a rift in their friendship.  They renewed their relationship toward the end of their lives.  They were the last two surviving signers of  the Declaration of Independence and both died on July 4, 1826 which was the 50th anniversary of the signing of the document.  Its a great story.

5 Hours Ago

When I arrived at Woodstock High School this morning, the school was surrounded by police and it was in lock down.  I was one of the first busses to arrive.  They were unloading one bus at a time and moving the students directly into the gym.  It has been on the news all morning.  They have arrested three students and recovered several weapons and ammo.  I joked with the kids but was really concerned.  It was very emotional to me.  I had to fight the tears when I left.  I like the kids that ride my bus and I left them in a threatening place.  I have a grandson, Matthew, at the Middle School.  I was glad that Rayanne was at home.  When we were in Denver, we went by the Columbine Memorial.  Its very beautiful, reverent, emotional, somber, sacred.  We don't ned one of those in Woodstock.  I am thankful that this plot was uncovered and no one was hurt.  I'm thankful that they were discovered before all the students arrived.  I'm sorry that school is not a safe place.  I'm sorry that there are kids bent on destruction.  I'm thankful that God knows, cares, sees.  I'm thankful that His mercy was extended to us today.  

Yesterday

Two things happened yesterday that I want to share:

1. Ben called last night to inform us that he had been selected on the All Conference Team for the Southern States Athletic Conference.  I am thrilled for him and proud of him.  Their conference tournament begins today.  They play Berry College at 2 pm at Shorter College in Rome, GA.  If they get to the finals they will probably get a birth into the NAIA National Championship Tournament.
2. Got a lap top last night.  I am now mobile and maybe I will keep up with this blog better.

6 Days Ago - Someone Liked our House

Last Sat., potential buyers came and looked at our home.  Its always nice to have someone come by in this slow market.  They really liked our back yard.  I was later told by my realtor that they settled on another house.  My realtor assures me that things are picking up.  Her phone is starting to ring more and she is having more viewings.  She says she is confident that our house will sell this spring.  I pray that she is right.  I know God is in control but I want to do everything that I need to do in order to sell our home.  Does something else need painted?  Do we need to change or repair something?  I've been told that maybe God doesn't want us to move since we haven't sold yet.  I can't accept that.  This is not being stubborn or blind or proud but just a certainty in my heart that God wants us to go.  It is not a question of if we go but when.

9 Days Ago - Our Commissioning Service

Two Sundays ago, we had our Colorado Team Commissioning Service. It was a special time for Pattie and I and Bob and Monica. It was great to have our family and friends surround us, pray for us, hopefully catch our vision for Denver, and supporting us. Here are some highlights:

• I first want to thank my pastor, Brian Jones, from The Pointe and his staff and volunteers. They went above and beyong the call of duty to help us pull this off and I am truly grateful.
• Bob led us in about 4 rockin' worship songs. Bob does a great job. He truly has a heart for worship, a desire to connect people to God through music, and the work ethic and determination to pull it off. I'm so glad that he and Monica are on the team. It was also great for so many of their family and friends to see Bob lead. For many, it was the first time to see him in action and I know that they were wonderfully surprised and recognized God's call on Bob's life and were more settled with the idea of them moving to Denver. Did I ever mention that Bob lived in Denver for a few years?
• Besides Bob, the band consisted of Monica on the bass guitar, Pattie on the tamborine, my son, Joe, on the drums. Pattie and Monica also did back up vocals. Alex (the worship leader at the Pointe) and 2 other of his band members helped round out the crew.
• I want to thank Monica for all that she does. She is very versatile and will do whatever is needed to help us pull things off. She'll play the bass, run the sound or video equipment, contact people, plan the service, etc. She has a servant's heart and loves the Lord and people.
• I must also thank my wife, Pattie. I would not be doing this without her and even doubt that I would be in ministry at all if I hadn't found her when I did. Her belief in me is a huge strength. Her love for me is the fuel that powers my day. She has an incredible mind for ministry. She has a very practical vision for how things should be. I do well to listen to her. She has a wisdom that often surpasses mine.
• Now lets get to the service. I was able to share what we believe God wants to do through us and Element Church by using the 4 elements.
• Wind - This illustrates how God is moving us to Denver. There is only one good reason to move to Denver and that is because God has led us this way. We were willing to hoist our sails and let the wind of the Spirit take us to where He wants us to be and for some reason that is Denver. This leading has turned into a call and we have no choice as committed followers of Jesus Christ but to follow.
• Fire - this illustrates the passions that fuel the fire in us. A passion to connect people to the Word of God. A passion to connect people to their Creator/God and Savior/Lord. A passion to connect lives to the basic elements of Christianity - faith, hope and love. A passion to connect to the people of Denver.
• Earth - this illustrates the strategy we plan to use to plant this new church in Denver. I shared with them the Launch Strategy that has been used successfully by many church planters as well as the more unique opportunity through Apartment Life to open up new soil in the apartment communities that are prevalent in Denver. Apartment communities are relatively untapped mission fields and we feel strangely drawn to this endeavor.
• Water - this illustrates the common bond that all believers share. We must all follow Jesus through the water. There is one God, one Lord, one baptism, one body, one mission. This was an appeal for everyone to join us in this adventure through a commitment to pray for this mission or even give to it. We cannot do this alone. Everyone's participation matters.
• We had our entire family come forward and everyone laid hands on us and my friend, Jim Warrington, prayed for us. Then Bob and Monica had their family join them and we gathered around while Alex, the Pointe's worship leader, prayed for them. Then just our team gathered and all the ordained men laid hand on us and my pastor, Brian Jones, prayed over us.
• My former Pastor and friend in the ministry, Norman Hunt, closed our time together with prayer. I appreciated him coming and will always be grateful to him for giving me my first real opportunity in ministry as well as fulfilling my dream of being a youth pastor in my early ministry years.
• A generous offering was taken and valuable monthly support was gained. I am humbled by such gifts.
• I am glad for this day to have come and gone. Even though the timing of our move is uncertain our resolve is steadfast. This feels like a milestone, a significant moment. It feels like we are just that much closer to embarking on this adventure. It feels like the wind is blowing!

2 Weeks Ago

On Feb 15, I was asked to preach at our church, The Pointe. It was an honor to be asked, a privilege to preach, and I was stoked for the opportunity.

• We handed out prayer photos and letters with invitations to our commissioning service.
• I was able to talk about Denver but wanted to share most of that at the commissioning service. So I wanted to spend more time with one of the passions behind Element which is to bring to life biblical passages that have become dull with familiarity. Jesus used metaphors such as wind, fire, water, earth, to paint vivid pictures of what God is doing in this world. He used picturesque stories that brought life to spiritual truth. People constantly responded to Jesus by saying "no one teaches like this man!" I feel like we have lost much of the beauty of these truths by reducing them to steps and formulas. These truths are too free and wild to be forced into a certain formula, leashed to a denominational stance, or fenced in by tradition. I am not talking about changing the meaning of such truths but allowing them to run free so they can take us where they lead us and be the raw elements that make up our faith and life.
• I spoke from John 3 on what it means to be born again.
• I spoke of the wind of the Spirit. God is alive, near and on the move. He is not far away and trying to get us to where He is but He is close and wanting us to be involved in what He is doing here. We are children of the wind and we must go where the wind blows us.
• I spoke at both services. That is not an easy task. Its almost like speaking in an echo chamber. When I was speaking at the second service, I kept hearing what I said in the first and it wasn't coming out exactly the same. It was weird.
• Everyone was gracious and complimentary. Not really the goal of preaching but better than the alternative.
• It kind of put me in a funk for two days. Your adrenaline gets pumping when you preach and its easy to crash afterwords. That's why a lot of pastors write a resignation letter on Monday but tear it up by Wednesday. Preaching can be humbling, it can make you feel inadequate, and, according to scripture, even seem foolish but when you are called you can't help but want to do it again the next Sunday.
• I'll give you more tomorrow.

Flashbacks, Flash Forwards, and Time Delays!

In the first few seasons of Lost, they used "flashbacks" to give you the back story of the people stranded on the island. In season 4, they switched to "flash forwards" to tell you what was going to happen to the people who got off the island. This season, they use time delay by opening with the final scene of the show and going back weeks, days, or hours (whatever the episode requires) and lead you to that final scene. So in the spirit of Lost, I will begin with today by telling you that we are about to head out to The Pointe Church and things are going great and I believe the wind is blowing and God is moving. And, after church, I will begin with 2 weeks ago.