I have been really laser-beam focused on getting primed and ready for 30 Days To Live. I feel things have gotten off to a great start. I preached the first sermon and feel like it hit people where they live. My father-in-law's Testimony was received well. But listen, if I can give you a small preview...next week you will see a testimony video that will leave you very unsettled for some time to come. It will stick with you. You won't forget it. I am very excited about next week's message and video!
All in all I feel things are going well. Satan certainly is alive and well. Whenever people start to get upset about something at church...I know we're on the right track!
On another note, I had a very cool opportunity the other night to pre-screen the upcoming movie Fireproof. It opens in theaters on Friday, September 26th. Let me just tell you, you need to see this movie! This movie will blow you away. It is phenomenal! Don't miss it. Go see Fireproof on opening weekend! You won't be disappointed.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day Weekend Rest
I have been in Kewanee, IL with my in-laws for the weekend holiday. My youth pastor held down The Fort while I was gone. (It's nice to have other staff who can jump in the pulpit when you need to have a break!)
I had the opportunity to hear my father-in-law preach for the first time. He preaches at First Congregational Church in Galva, IL. Here are a couple pics from the building...
The building is beautiful on the outside, this image doesn't do it justice. It was built in 1865. There are about a dozen churches in Galva which boasts about 2,800 residents.
These stained-glass windows are stunning. There were more throughout the church but these were the centerpiece. The church members are very proud of their building (as they should be).
My father-in-law was hired to help them come back from the brink. On the Sunday I was there, there were 35 people in attendance (including the six of us)...that was a record Sunday! Pray for Bob's ministry there. Pray for the people to begin to care about their community as much as they do their building. Pray for them to wake up from their long, deep slumber!
Pretty churches with no people. I pray to God that The Fort never gets that way!
I had the opportunity to hear my father-in-law preach for the first time. He preaches at First Congregational Church in Galva, IL. Here are a couple pics from the building...
The building is beautiful on the outside, this image doesn't do it justice. It was built in 1865. There are about a dozen churches in Galva which boasts about 2,800 residents.
These stained-glass windows are stunning. There were more throughout the church but these were the centerpiece. The church members are very proud of their building (as they should be).My father-in-law was hired to help them come back from the brink. On the Sunday I was there, there were 35 people in attendance (including the six of us)...that was a record Sunday! Pray for Bob's ministry there. Pray for the people to begin to care about their community as much as they do their building. Pray for them to wake up from their long, deep slumber!
Pretty churches with no people. I pray to God that The Fort never gets that way!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Something Wicked This Way Comes...
Bill Maher, ever the controversialist, is at it again. He has linked up with Lion's Gate Films and made a movie about something that he loves to hate...religion. The movie is called Religulous and is due in limited theater showings on October 3rd.
Bill Maher hates Christianity with a passion. This film is his own vain attempt to show how "ridiculous" it is to hold any religious views. But Bill is an equal opportunity religion hater. He hates Jews and Christians and Muslims alike.
One of the interesting things to me is all the money, all the effort and energy that would go into a project of this magnitude all for the sole purpose of Bill Maher to scream through his media megaphone that God does not, cannot, should not exist and anyone who would believe in him is an idiot. It leans a little heavy on the "Thou dost protest too much" side for me.
It's almost like Bill is trying too hard to prove his unprovable point. What could cause such hurt and rage? Why does he believe that so many countless millions of well-adjusted, intelligent, non-marijuana smoking people all over the world...including presidents, chief justices, scientists, sociologists, economists as well as honorable butchers, bakers and candle-stick makers who claim they experience the love of God are in a grand delusion?
How is that possible? How can so many be so wrong at claiming they experience the forgiveness of God or the peace of God or the comfort of God?
That cannot and should not be taken so lightly. But Bill Maher has no interest in doing a sincere investigation. He just wants the opportunity to shout from the mountain tops that "God is dead." Well, he'll have his opportunity.
I think it is honestly a little humorous when Hollywood-types such as Bill Maher think that they can come up with some new and amazing argument that will shatter the faith of the faithful. I have been in the living room of just enough of the faithful to know that after having had God come near in their dark nights of the soul that there is nothing Bill Maher could say that could shake them from experiencing the supernatural comfort that only comes from a real and awesome and living God!
If you want to see a little more on this you can see this SITE but let me fore-warn you. The site contains foul language. It was put up as a marketing tool to promote the upcoming movie by Bill Maher.
Bill Maher hates Christianity with a passion. This film is his own vain attempt to show how "ridiculous" it is to hold any religious views. But Bill is an equal opportunity religion hater. He hates Jews and Christians and Muslims alike.
One of the interesting things to me is all the money, all the effort and energy that would go into a project of this magnitude all for the sole purpose of Bill Maher to scream through his media megaphone that God does not, cannot, should not exist and anyone who would believe in him is an idiot. It leans a little heavy on the "Thou dost protest too much" side for me.
It's almost like Bill is trying too hard to prove his unprovable point. What could cause such hurt and rage? Why does he believe that so many countless millions of well-adjusted, intelligent, non-marijuana smoking people all over the world...including presidents, chief justices, scientists, sociologists, economists as well as honorable butchers, bakers and candle-stick makers who claim they experience the love of God are in a grand delusion?
How is that possible? How can so many be so wrong at claiming they experience the forgiveness of God or the peace of God or the comfort of God?
That cannot and should not be taken so lightly. But Bill Maher has no interest in doing a sincere investigation. He just wants the opportunity to shout from the mountain tops that "God is dead." Well, he'll have his opportunity.
I think it is honestly a little humorous when Hollywood-types such as Bill Maher think that they can come up with some new and amazing argument that will shatter the faith of the faithful. I have been in the living room of just enough of the faithful to know that after having had God come near in their dark nights of the soul that there is nothing Bill Maher could say that could shake them from experiencing the supernatural comfort that only comes from a real and awesome and living God!
If you want to see a little more on this you can see this SITE but let me fore-warn you. The site contains foul language. It was put up as a marketing tool to promote the upcoming movie by Bill Maher.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Pop Goes The Church Book Study3
I am studying this book with Dan Hudson, Kyle Phillips and Nate Liston. The last two chapters (4 and 5) were very good. In chapter four, titled "A Tale of Five Churches" Tim Stevens chronicles the journey of fives churches and their reaction to a Hollywood studio filming a not-so-nice-storyline movie in their small town. These five churches react in five different manners. We see the responses of condemnation, separation, embracing, ignoring and leveraging.
Tim Stevens shared that leveraging the pop culture to reach as many as possible is the correct response. I agree. I think he hit the nail on the head how most churches respond to the culture around them.
And by the way, we did have a very special 9/11 service immediately following that horrible event. I was in the midst of a sermon series at the time, but some things have to trump what you are doing. That was definitely one of those moments.
In chapter five Tim Stevens spoke about categorizing the culture into sacred or secular. I love the quote at the very end of the chapter, "It is easy to identify what's wrong with Eminem, but finding what's right, identifying and understanding what millions of teens connect with, takes much more work."
I believe, as I have said before, in the process of redeeming the culture. I like the group Apologetix. They take secular music and change the lyrics of it to a Christian message. That's cool.
I think it is really important that we help people in the church currently to be able to view pop culture through the lens of Biblical Christianity. They will be able to recognize spiritual themes and kernels of truth more readily. They won't mindlessly listen to music, because they like the sound...they will understand the message.
That is an important part of our role as Christians, to help others understand fully a Christian worldview. And then, as Tim Stevens says, we can leverage pop culture fully to help redeem lost people for Jesus!
Tim Stevens shared that leveraging the pop culture to reach as many as possible is the correct response. I agree. I think he hit the nail on the head how most churches respond to the culture around them.
And by the way, we did have a very special 9/11 service immediately following that horrible event. I was in the midst of a sermon series at the time, but some things have to trump what you are doing. That was definitely one of those moments.
In chapter five Tim Stevens spoke about categorizing the culture into sacred or secular. I love the quote at the very end of the chapter, "It is easy to identify what's wrong with Eminem, but finding what's right, identifying and understanding what millions of teens connect with, takes much more work."
I believe, as I have said before, in the process of redeeming the culture. I like the group Apologetix. They take secular music and change the lyrics of it to a Christian message. That's cool.
I think it is really important that we help people in the church currently to be able to view pop culture through the lens of Biblical Christianity. They will be able to recognize spiritual themes and kernels of truth more readily. They won't mindlessly listen to music, because they like the sound...they will understand the message.
That is an important part of our role as Christians, to help others understand fully a Christian worldview. And then, as Tim Stevens says, we can leverage pop culture fully to help redeem lost people for Jesus!
Friday, August 15, 2008
From my iPod...
I feel compelled to tell you that when I post from here. I had a visit tonight with a great couple. One of them witnessed a horrible tragedy. But the cool thing is seeing this person lead through it. It really was inspiring to me. Pray for this couple...even though you don't know their name. God does. They can use your prayers this weekend and this next week.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Awesome Elder's Meeting
Tonight I had an elder's meeting. Typically when most preachers mention an elder's meeting it is done along with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Not me. I had an awesome elder's meeting. Some of the highlights were a fantastic meal. Great video footage. My older son, Jonathan, smoked me in wrestling (until he got a "wedgie").
It was a blast. And just a heads-up...you are going to see some of the best communion meditations you have ever heard coming up during the 30 Days To Live series in September. My elders have done an awesome job preparing excellent meditations. I am jazzed about all of it.
You are going to be 100% blown away by it. Don't miss church and you won't miss out!
It was a blast. And just a heads-up...you are going to see some of the best communion meditations you have ever heard coming up during the 30 Days To Live series in September. My elders have done an awesome job preparing excellent meditations. I am jazzed about all of it.
You are going to be 100% blown away by it. Don't miss church and you won't miss out!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
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.
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.
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