Selective Hearing

I preached a sermon from the book of Acts today on Courage. One of the things I shared was that we need to quit caring about what people think and start caring about what God thinks.

After I preached that at first service, I had one person (who seems to have a nack for delivering little barbs of discouragement) tell me that my usage of the pronouns "you and I" are in poor sorts.

How crazy is that? I preach on not caring about what people think and instead caring more about what God thinks and then this person THINKS that I would give a Crap what they think. Interesting.

You and I both know that I don't give a rat's rear end about how I use the words "you and I." BUT, I do care about what God thinks about what I say. And I am pretty sure He isn't grading my pronoun usage...but He is grading my handling of THE MESSAGE.

Cleared Path

I thought about something today while I was clearing snow from my driveway and sidewalks. One thing I try to always do as well is clear a path for our mailman. So after I do the driveway and the sidewalks I will also take time to dig out a path for our mailman through my yard that leads right up to our front porch where our mailbox is.

I know it isn't something I have to do, but it is something that makes his role easier. He can deliver the message more effectively when a good path has been cleared for him.

I think the same is true of our worship experiences on Sunday morning. When we have average worship or even lousy worship...it's kind of like I don't have a path cleared. It's not that I can't bring the message because I still can but it is more difficult for me.

When worship is kicking and everyone seems to be firing on all cylinders and people are being moved in the worship experience then when I get up to deliver the message...it's so much easier. That's because the path has been cleared for me to do that.

And when that happens...usually God rocks the lives of the people present! This happened to me yesterday during our second service. Our worship was electrifying and by the time I walked up to deliver the message people's hearts were more than ready. The path had been cleared. And when I delivered the message, God really spoke into people's lives.

It wasn't me or my message even (although I felt I hit it out of the park), it was the worship experience that cleared the path for the delivery of the message.

A Different Kind of Sermon

Yesterday I preached a message directly to my sons. It was a different kind of sermon for me. It was definitely emotional but straight from my heart. I really wanted my boys to understand there are some things that are just too important for them to miss. Here's the overview of what I shared:

1. I am learning as I go (at parenting).

2. Never settle when it comes to relationships.

A. You need to be priest (spiritual leader of your home).
B. You need to be protector (never compromise a woman in any situation).
C. You need to be provider (be a godly man and support your wife).

3. I love this church, but I love you more.

4. I will always love your mother.

5. God has a plan for your life.

6. Heaven is real, be there.

You can listen to the sermon HERE. Sometimes we have got to take whatever platform we can take and let our kids know the most important things in life. This past Sunday was one of those days.

Wow!

Take a gander at this...I am using this photo in my sermon this Sunday, but for you blog readers you can see it early. Can you believe it?! Shannon is still beautiful. I have determined two things about me from this picture. I am more of a geek than I was then and I am fatter than I was then. But I still got the pretty girl!

Parenting

This coming Sunday I am breaking a lot of rules with my sermon. I am preaching with someone in mind. In fact, I am preaching with two people in mind. I am preaching a sermon to my two boys. It's called "Some Things I Don't Want My Boys To Miss." If you are a parent, I think you need to be there this Sunday. You will be challenged. I really feel like God has come down and put this in my heart.

Come and sit in on this experience even though it really is something from my heart to my two sons' heart. I think you will glean some very useful and helpful tools for you own relationship with your kids.

Being a parent is hard. It is filled with tons of, "Oh Crap!" moments. If you don't have moments like that then you're either not doing it right or you're not a parent.

It's tough and challenging and never-ending. But there is hope for those times that we feel overwhelmed by it. God's Word is not silent to parents.


So I'll see you Sunday!

Sermon Doodling...

I found this today as I was downstairs where we worship. So do you think this was drawn by a guy or a girl? I found it quite interesting. Nice theme...love. Like the shapes.

I wonder what doodles reveal about us (other than we weren't fully engaged with the sermon)?

We find doodles like this all the time. You wouldn't believe the creativity that some people employ in their doodling.

Well...whoever our mysterious doodle-artist is on this piece, my hat's off to you...good stuff!

Sunday Night Thoughts

Wow! What a morning! I was so stoked from what God did this morning. I feel like the sermon really hit a nerve. And the icing on the cake was Katie's baptism! I was moved to tears during first service when I shared from Mother Theresa's life that she had written in her journal after a long period of not sensing God's presence in her life that she was still determined to love Him more than He has ever been loved by another person. That kind of faith wrecks me. I desire to have that level of passion in my walk with Jesus. Right now, that kind of passion is all-too foreign of an experience for me. That needs to change.

During second service, as we sang "Agnus Dei", my spirit just broke and I wept again. I almost wasn't able to get composed again before I preached. I love it when God messes with me like that.

Man! I am still jazzed about today! Next week is going to be even better! Wow, God is really moving in this series.

Sunday Evening Reflections

Well, today we began a new sermon series called "Stuck." I really feel like I brought it today. I think this is a series that will really hit people where they are at. Hopefully it will also stir something in the church as a whole as well. We sure need it.

I have been praying for God to disturb us. I know He will. And once we start to get a glimpse of His vision for our church, it will be uncontainable and uncontrollable!

After church today we had a picnic in the park...on the hottest day in all of history (maybe Al Gore was right after all). There was a smaller crowd for that, but that was okay in my book. Nice food, nice visiting, just a nice (and hot) time.

Tomorrow we are all excited about something that will be happening to our youngest son, Jacob. He was chosen to throw out the first pitch at Principal Park for the Iowa Cubs. I plan on taking a video camera and uploading video of Jake's shining moment here...so make sure you watch for that! It should be really cool. We're all very proud of him.

I believe with all my heart that this will not be the only time I see my son doing something great before a large crowd. I believe that God will do more amazing things than He has in me with my sons...and I know it to be true for Jacob. I think we will see great things from him in the future!

Need some more remembrance and do...

I have been thinking about something lately. I've been wondering about why it is that we seem to not be growing numerically in the way that I would like. I believe that it's got to happen. For the ultra-spiritual person who says that spiritual growth is more important than numerical growth...I say, "You're missing the point."

If you grow spiritually, you will grow numerically. You can't separate the two. But it is possible to grow numerically and not grow spiritually. So what is the answer?

I proposed something to a few in leadership that I think is one of the keys in this. In James 1:22-25 I see a three-fold principle outlined.

#1) We need to intently HEAR God's Word.

Now I think we are doing this first step well. Not to pat myself on the back, but I know I am preaching the truth and handling God's Word correctly. I know I am preaching the Word with all my heart! So this one we are doing. We are intently hearing the Word proclaimed.

#2) We need to REMEMBER what it says.

This is the beginning of our problem. People come to church each week and listen to the sermons and walk out and by the time they have gotten into their cars, they've already forgotten what they have heard. We need to help people have a more concrete experience than this.

We need to help them "Not Forget" what they have heard. I think there are ways of accomplishing this.

#3) We need to DO what it says.

This is definitely another area of failure for us. We are not DOING the Word of God. We are simply hearers at this point, in my opinion. I think we can DO much better.

So I am intentionally going to be focusing on these two latter steps with every sermon that I preach from now on. I am going to be giving out "homework" and having little exercises to accomplish each week, so that retention is increased and the probability of application is raised as well.

I believe it has got to become an intentional act on my part to help people along in these last two steps. Now, having said that, I can't hold everyone's hand either. People are going to have to learn to do some of this on their own.

I just think part of the answer of our growth issue is that we focus largely on helping people hear the message, but not necessarily helping them remember it or do it. I want that to change. I want to work on all three areas...Hearing, Remembering and Doing.

Sunday Evening Reflections

Well...it has been a good weekend. Saturday I performed a wedding...a little on the impromptu side, but definitely a good thing. This couple took this step and really needed to do this. They decided they weren't going to "play married" anymore and really, genuinely commit themselves to each other and the relationship. So they were wed in a private ceremony where each of them covenanted to keep themselves only to each other until death. Wow! That is a God-honoring and a God-sized commitment, but one that God will honor, I believe! I am proud of both of them.

Today I began a new sermon series on Stewardship. I felt things went well. It was good to get back in the saddle after not preaching for 3 weeks because of Oneprayer.

I am excited about the future. I have been very busy. We've been filming videos for an upcoming sermon series in September...and let me tell you, this series is going to rock your world. I am so jazzed about it!

That's all for now.

Getting the Wrong Message

I finished my sermon this morning in the diner at HyVee on the southside of Des Moines. Sometimes it helps me to do that being out of the office. I really enjoy this series I am in and have come to the conclusion that I like preaching from the Old Testament more than I do the New Testament.

That's weird for me because three years ago, I definitely wouldn't have said that. But there is something magnificent and genuine about the roughness of the stories in the Old Testament.

Last week having preached on The Mistress, my son told me something funny. I guess that morning, Matt (their youth pastor) was challenging the youth to take a stand when they are exposed to inappropriate messages. If they are in a movie that is raunchy, then Matt challenged them to just walk out. If they are watching a TV show that is bad, then turn it off.

Well, my son said that the content of my sermon was "R" rated and he and the youth probably should have walked out. I told them I didn't think that was what Matt was getting at...but hey, at least they are listening!

One Prayer Trailer

God is funny

I think that God has a great sense of humor. Yesterday I preached on Encountering God Through People and part of the sermon's focus was on doing better at prioritizing coming to worship on Sunday morning. It just so happened that this was the lowest attended Sunday we have had all year. So the really faithful few heard the message.

It's kind of like trying to prove Global Warming during the coldest winter on record. It just doesn't work very well. Oh well, such is life. God gets the last laugh!