Is The Bible Reliable?
Bible Stories Even if you weren’t raised in the church, you still know more bible stories than you think: Noah and the ______. Jonah and the ______. Joseph and the Amazing ________. Moses and the _______________. Jesus was born in a _____________. He raised from dead on the _____ day. In our culture, many people were raised with these stories and took them as truth. You either grew to understand the context of the stories, or you grew to doubt. Science, logic and history may have contradicted the Sunday School version of the Bible that you knew. In fact, you may have come to doubt if you can trust the words in the Bible. How Did The Bible Become The Bible? Before we can determine if the Bible is reliable, we have to ask, how did the Bible become the Bible? I mean, who wrote it? And why? God didn’t write it. Jesus didn’t write it. So, where did it come from? Historical documents and secular scholars agree that Jesus existed and was executed on a cross, but the story of “The Bible” does not begin in Genesis and it doesn’t starts with His birth. The story of the BIBLE starts when the women show up at an empty tomb. When hundreds of people see Jesus ALIVE in Jerusalem after he was killed publicly on a cross and buried. The resurrection was THE NEWS STORY of the first century. The Bible actually begins BECAUSE of a doctor named Luke. He was not Jewish, but Greek. He was asked to write a document for Theophilus, a wealthy man that had heard many stories of Jesus, from many different disciples. Luke had heard enough stories and met enough of the eye witnesses that he had put his faith in Jesus. So, He asked Luke to give him “the full story”. This is how his document begins: Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled (or have happened) among us, Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. – Luke 1:1 It’s unusual that more than one account occurred of same event. In ancient times there are virtually no multiple accounts of the same event. The life of Jesus actually stands out in history simply for the fact of multiple written accounts of his life. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. – Luke 1:3 Luke tells us about Mary. Have you ever wondered how we know what the angel said to Mary? It’s because Luke interviewed her. He tells us about all kinds of details, that’s how doctors are. He tells us the name of the person that paid for Jesus’ burial, and many more details that seem insignificant, but are important to the actual proof of life. Why So Many Accounts? It was expensive and unusual to write back then. Most people were illiterate. There are so many accounts because SOMETHING HAPPENED. We know that 4 of the disciples accounts ended up in this. Mark was short, to the point, and full of action. Matthew, a Jew, was saying trust me – Jesus is the Messiah we have been looking for. Luke admits that he is not the only one. John was old, why write it? Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. – John 20:30 But these are written, that you may believe. -John 20:31 That Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life bu the power in his name. -John 20:31 John’s account is all you need. If this is all you ever read, you ever know, this is enough. In addition to all of the accounts of Jesus’ life from his closest disciples, there are also a lot of writings that end up in the Bible. In addition to his account of Jesus’ life, Luke also wrote an account of the first 30 years in the life of the Church, which we call the book of Acts. Luke knew Peter, John and Matthew, he also knew James, brother of Jesus, and he really knew Paul. He traveled and planted churches with Paul. Secular historians agree that the writings of Paul shaped the culture of western civilization. Paul was more than just a Jesus follower and church planter. He explains how Christians should use the Old Testament, for inspiration and motivation, not application. Paul is important to THE BIBLE because: 1. He wrote some of it. 2. He explains the relationship between the parts. 3. He authenticates the resurrection. Some secular scholars dispute the Gospels, their timeline and authorship. They say that Christians made up the story of the resurrection after everyone that could deny it was dead, and then wrote these Gospels to give credence to their made up religion. There are so many historical reasons this doesn’t make sense. Paul’s letter to Corinth is INDISPUTABLE evidence that Jesus’ resurrection was accepted as fact IMMEDIATELY. Nobody disputes that Paul wrote the document we call 1 Corinthians. Nobody disputes that he wrote it about 55 AD, 3 years after he planted the church in Corinth. The Timeline Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. – 1 Corinthians 15:1 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, – 1 Corinthians 15:3 and that he appeared to
Stand Still And Trust
When you were a little kid, did you have trouble standing still? I’m 46 years old and I have trouble standing still. I like to be on the move and exercise. I like to lead and get things done! But sometimes, it’s important for me to just stand still. After Moses led God’s people out of Egypt and they were marching to the promised land, Pharaoh had a change of heart and chased them down. They were pinned in. The Red Sea was in front of them, Pharaoh’s army was behind them. The people cried out to Moses and said, “What have you done to us? Have you brought us out here to die?” Moses’ response was pretty amazing in Genesis 14:13: “Don’t be afraid! STAND STILL (emphasis mine) and you will see the Lord save you today.” Does this mean we shouldn’t do anything when faced with a crisis? No. We have to be engaged and doing all we can, but what it does tell us is the first thing we should do is stand still and ask for God’s help. He may choose to work in and through us for the solution and we need to be ready to do our part. Or, he may choose to do it on his own. Maybe he’d be able to do more in my life (or even in your life) if we’d first stand still and trust him…
Small Beginnings
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin… (Zechariah 4:10 NLT) This was a verse I clung to desperately in the first 3-5 years of the church because we certainly had a small beginning. In year 14, I still cling to this verse because I believe God is just getting started in what he wants to do in each person’s life in 2019. We are nearing the end of January and it’s a good time to reflect on those New Year’s resolutions you may have made. What were your New Year’s Resolutions in relation to your walk with Christ? Did you know that God REJOICES when you begin to grow in Him? My goal is to read my Bible every morning before I do anything else. I’ve never been able to carry this through successfully all year, but I’m ready to BEGIN. What’s your goal to grow closer to Christ in 2019? He REJOICES to see you begin! Did you know that God REJOICES when you begin to use what he’s given you to make a difference for Him? You might not think you have much to offer to God. You are in good company. All that Moses had was a walking stick to go up against the most powerful nation in the world. All that David had was a sling and a few rocks to go up against a giant. The one thing I have in abundance is the ability to encourage. It’s what comes natural to me. This year, my goal is to speak encouraging words to at least one person every day! Who know what God might do with my effort, but I know he REJOICES to see the work begin! God has great things in store for you today. All you have to do is begin! Get started! God will bless your efforts.
Praise God And Give Thanks
Since my husband and I became parents, we have been fortunate enough to take a trip every winter. We head to the Wisconsin Dells to splash around the indoor water-parks with our children. It was a trip my husband took often with his parents, and one he wanted to recreate with his own children. After our first trip, our daughter would continuously watch the videos of her zipping down water slides. She fervently anticipate our next trip. After our second trip, she was two and able to verbalize and remember the trip better. For this most recent trip, she pretty much mentioned the water parks once a week the entire year. She would ask when we would return and tell us they were her favorite vacations ever. Through her excitement, my husband and I found ourselves just as excited. We couldn’t wait to throw on our suits, grab a tube, and have three days of water logged fun. When we arrived, our daughter ran from room to room with her sister close on her heels. She claimed her bed, got her suitcase, and told us how great she thought the room was. We unpacked, and I loaded the girls onto the luggage cart. Then they took a fun ride back to the front desk. On our elevator ride down to the lobby, our daughter crossed her hands and started to pray. She said, “Dear God, thank you for my hotel, thank you for water parks, thank you for my sister, thank you for my mom and dad, and thank you for family time.” Whoa! My eyes began to well, and I smiled down on our faithful little girl. In her mind, this vacation with these massive water slides and these luxurious rooms were all thanks to God. And, she needed Him to know immediately that she was thankful for it. She wanted to praise God. Had I done that? Had it even crossed my mind to thank the Lord? To thank Him for the wonderful things in our life that allow us to have wonderful times such as these? The obvious answer is no, I didn’t. For the rest of the week, my husband and I did model our behavior after our child. We thanked God for the little things every night at dinner, and even throughout the day. We took the time that our children were napping to read our Bibles and discuss how blessed our lives are. The Lord was doing so much in them right now. Be Childlike During one of those naps, my husband stumbled upon Luke 18, and thought of our daughter in the elevator. Reading over Luke 18, we were reminded that we are called to BE childlike in our faith. In Luke, there is the story of people bringing their children to be blessed by Jesus. His disciples rebuked these people. They may have been thinking that Jesus had more important things to do with his time than be surrounded by a bunch of children. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”Luke 18: 16-17 (NIV) Be Excited We are called to model our faith and our excitement for the kingdom of God off of children. This lesson came to my husband and I from the mouth of our own little babe. She was ready to shout her praises to God because of the blessings we have in our life. In Psalms, David proclaims, “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2 (NIV) Praise God Over the years, from other translations of the Bible, the saying “from the mouth of babes” has evolved from this Psalm into a common saying among our culture. It’s used to describe an instance where a child has said something with much more wisdom and insight than us adults can sometimes grasp. God provided us with these little vessels of wisdom, stating multiple times throughout Scripture the importance of allowing them to speak, shout praise, and voice their thoughts on our world. In Matthew, Jesus refers back to this Psalm again to explain the wisdom of a child. Jesus had just finished cleaning the Temple grounds of men who were buying and selling within the walls, telling them that the Temple was intended to be a house of prayer. Children began shouting their praises to Jesus in the Temple, knowing He was the Messiah, and to the dismay of some adults who couldn’t grasp this knowledge, they said to Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying? they asked him. ‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants, you, Lord, have called forth your praise?’” Matthew 21:16 (NIV) The children were wise enough to know who Jesus was. They were wise enough to praise Him, yet the adults had doubts and reservations when it came to this man. Sometimes, we need to put our adult thoughts to rest and remember how to praise in a childlike way, and with childlike wisdom. In addition, we need to listen to what comes out of the mouths of babes, so that we can more fully comprehend the amazing blessings that God has poured upon us. Remember Who Is Responsible On our drive home, we had more conversation about our daughter’s amazing insight into who was responsible for our vacation. We talked about how different our lives would be if we tried to praise like a child. For example, we would be thanking God all of the time for the things we have. Things that we take for granted or even start to believe are from our own doing. We would be sitting in anticipation of amazing things that are
Stop, Be Quiet and Listen
We live in a busy world and it can be difficult to stop and just slow down. Ask any person how they are and chances are they will say, “I’m really busy”. That is accentuated during the holidays. Rachelle and I were married December 14, 1996, which is a challenging time to celebrate because of the busy holiday season. Last year, we decided to escape to a beach the first week of December to celebrate, but also use the time to review the year and make plans for the next year. Rachelle loves to sit by the ocean, read, and pray. I love to swim, snorkel, play beach volleyball, run, swim with dolphins, read, and pray. As you can see, we have different ideas for vacation. 🙂 This year, I’m in a walking boot because of a broken toe that should have healed by now if I would have followed the doctor’s orders. So this year since I can’t be active, I decided to bring a bunch of books to read and be open to God’s voice. The first book I read began with this quote from Steven Furtick, Lead Pastor at Elevation Church: “Most believers aren’t in imminent danger of ruining their lives. They are facing a danger that is far greater: wasting them.” That sentence has caused me many hours of reflection. In 2019 I’m beginning my 25th year in ministry. As I’ve reflected on the last 25 years and prayed about what I hope will be the next 25, allow me to share some ideas with you that I’ve come up with in my time of sitting still… 1. Daily time with God to stay connected to Him, trust Him, and be challenged to life change. 2. Invest in relationships. I won the lottery when I married Rachelle and I’m so thankful for her. Time spent on building our marriage must take more of a priority and I can’t take her for granted. 3. Teaching your children. Teaching my boys (Kaden/Carder) to have a daily relationship with Jesus needs to be a priority. I’m amazed at the young men God is molding them to be, but just because they are older doesn’t mean my job is done. I need to continue to encourage and challenge them every day. 4. Invest in The Church, Life Change, Life Growth, and Life Purpose. Seeing God work in thousands of lives over the years never gets old and will last forever. 5. Developing leaders. The last half of my career needs to be focused on developing others to do the work of the Church. 6. Discipleship is what it’s all about. Spending time with 1-2 people per year, helping them develop a relationship with God, then challenging them to do the same for others needs to be a priority. A broken toe is a good thing. It’s helped me to slow down and listen to God’s voice. In this new year be aware of those opportunities to slow down and seize them. Reserve time this week to stop, be quiet, and listen to what God has for you.
Dreaming Big Dreams
When Did It Stop? When did I stop dreaming big dreams? Have you ever asked yourself that question? In my life, I never stop dreaming about what is next, but there are times where I minimize the dreams to make sure they are within reach. Then, there’s a verse from scripture that reminds me that God is bigger, greater, more powerful than anything. I’m reminded that I need to dream BIG dreams. Recently, I was reading and came across Jesus’ words to his disciples from John 14. He let them know that he was going to die, be raised again, and not to worry. And, oh by the way, after I go back to heaven it’s your job to continue my work and you better dream BIG! Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these. John 14:12 (NIV) What? Remember who is talking here…JESUS. The man who raised people from the dead, turned bread/fish into a meal for 5,000 people, turned water into wine, and walked on water. He’s saying, we will do greater things….seems unlikely, right? But It’s True God wants to use you to do great things! Jesus raised people from the dead. We are used by him to change eternities from hell to heaven. Jesus fed people who were hungry. We feed thousands of people every year with Mobile Food Pantries and hundreds of thousands of people through our partnerships with Feed My Starving Children. Jesus turned water into wine. We get to be a part of turning a cornfield into a life-changing place. Jesus walked on water. We all get to take a next step that we never thought possible. Some of those next steps could be praying out loud, reading your Bible, leading a Lifegroup, serving those less fortunate, or inviting a friend to church. God wants to do greater things in your life! If you haven’t taken a step or stretched your faith in a while….now is the time! If you have stopped or paused on dreaming big dreams for what God can do, repent and be reminded by scripture that he is wanting to work in and through you! Start dreaming, start acting in faith, start moving towards God’s dream for you!
When Serving Becomes God’s Voice
Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of serving in Kid Village a few times a month in the toddler room. Our time there consists of playing, cuddling, and distracting adorable 1-2 year olds while their parents are in church. A few weeks ago I was asked to move to the elementary aged kids space to help lead a group. We started out singing and dancing, and then settled into a Bible story. That week, they were learning about Nehemiah, and his task of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. While rebuilding, Nehemiah saw that people in the city were hungry. So he went to the officials, and demanded better treatment for his fellow people. The lesson focused on Nehemiah’s initiative – seeing something that needed done, and doing it. Nehemiah, even though busy with rebuilding the wall, saw the hungry people and knew something had to be done about it. What Happened Next I was then grouped with the kindergarten students to talk about initiative in their lives. They shared times when someone showed initiative around them, or when they themselves showed initiative. It felt awesome listening to all of their stories, and how they were starting to figure out how to act out what the word of God was teaching. A few days later, while at work, God spoke to me. It was a busy day at work, and one coworker had called in sick. This left another coworker of mine doing the work of two all by himself. While standing around, many of us began to comment on how dirty the place was getting. I immediately heard the words Nehemiah and initiative in my head. I saw that my coworker was struggling to keep up with the task by himself, and I started to help him. When caught up, he was very thankful to have had the help. This was just a little bit of initiative in my life, but the event stood out to me because it was one of the first times something specific from the Bible popped into my head and caused me to take action. Here I was thinking I was serving the children, and it ends up, I was deepening my connection with Scripture. This is why serving with purpose is so important. You never know when God is ready to connect. Find out more about serving at the Village…
You Will Do Even Greater Things
I’m a visual learner. Always have been. Draw something on a piece of paper and I’ll understand it much better than you telling me with words. So one of my mentors drew this picture on a piece of paper a few months ago. The first picture represents the church trying to get people to attend. This is great! I love this, but the second picture totally blew my mind. What if we looked at the church differently? What if we decided that instead of trying to get people to attend, we instead sent ourselves out to engage with our community? Releasing ordinary people into their communities to multiply the gospel wherever they go! I love this language! What if instead of people coming to hear 1 person speak, we had thousands of people going out and speaking to thousands of people in their sphere of influence? In John 14:12 Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death. In the first part of chapter 14, he says (my interpretation): Don’t worry. I’m going to die and be raised again. Then I’m going to heaven and will prepare a place for you and come back to take you there. In other words…your eternity is set. But until that occurs, here’s what I want you to do… Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. – John 14:12 (NIV) This is mind-blowing. Jesus is saying…you will do even GREATER THINGS than me. This is the same guy who raised people from the dead, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk again and fed thousands with just a few pieces of bread and a few fish. How is this possible? Because the goal for the disciples and the goal for us (as disciples) is to engage our world, our neighborhood, our friends, our neighbors with our love for Jesus. When His love breaks through, miracles occur. Marriages are healed, people find salvation and their eternity is changed, kids grow up to be leaders, adults serve others less fortunate, the world gets better day after day as more and more ordinary people are released to do even GREATER THINGS for Christ. Guess what…that means you have an opportunity today, right now..to make a difference for Christ. Take this day and be on the lookout for opportunities to represent Christ well. I guarantee you will have opportunity after opportunity. Step forward with courage and allow God to use you today!
Ending And Beginning
This past weekend, my wife, Rachelle, and I dropped off our oldest son Kaden at college. It’s an ending, but also a beginning. Now…before you worry about me getting sappy and mushy please read on. This is an encouraging and fun blog! When The Village Christian Church began Kaden was 4. It’s been a huge blessing to watch him grow up and see God work in his life. As a pastor, my most important priority is my wife and 2 sons. For both Kaden and Carder to have grown up in a healthy church, with great people as mentors to challenge them, I couldn’t be happier. Now comes the time for Kaden to start college and step into all kinds of new opportunities in his faith and life. It’s a beginning for him. He will attend a new church on the weekends. He’s connected in a new life group on campus. Knowing Kaden, he’ll invite new friends to connect with him in his faith. This is what we raise our kids for…to go out and change the world. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. (Psalm 127:4) Notice that God describes our kids as arrows. We encourage them, we love them, but ultimately, we release them into the world to make an impact. I’m so excited for what the future holds for Kaden and all the ways God will use him. I’m so excited for what the future holds for all our graduating seniors and all the ways God will use them. I’m so excited for YOU and what the future holds for you. God is ready to work in your life. This is your beginning. Are you ready to let him lead?
Get Up And Do Life
I knew I needed to get up because there were a ton of things to do. Tasks to accomplish, dishes to clean, floors to sweep, laundry to do, lunch with a friend…but I could not get off the sofa. I can’t explain why, I just could not do it. For hours. Days. Lunch was canceled, laundry was not done, dinner not started. For days. Weeks. The Solutions Seems Simple For many of you reading this, the solution seems simple: just get up and do it. It’s a nebulous thing, depression, it’s a weight that makes getting up impossible. Depression is a wall between you and the rest of the world. It’s a haze that makes what you know needs to get done seem impossible. It’s a voice that whispers to you how awful you are because you KNOW it’s all possible, and still you cannot manage. You cannot explain something like this. How do you lift yourself up when that whisper keeps pushing you down? How can you be honest with your loved ones when you fear that it’s you that’s damaged, no good, a problem, lazy, mean, or any other number of things? Some days and months were better than others. Many who know me would be shocked to know the reality that was my life. The struggle to get up every day. The overwhelming desire to sleep. The need to push everyone away. To isolate. To disappear. It was not then and is not now my fault. Depression can run in families, it can occur without any hereditary cause. It can be brought on by traumatic circumstances or come with the birth of a baby. It can be made better with medication or become worse with the wrong medication. Depression is bewildering, lonely, and is hard for those who love us. It is hard to live with. How Can You Help Someone Get Up? Depression can be overcome. It can be lived with. It can be better. You can help and be part of the solution for someone. You can be a support and a light. We are the hands and feet of God; we are His people and we are filled with His Spirit. God made clear that we are to be a community of believers. He made it clear that none should stand alone, for this world is fraught with hardships. God wants you to get up and help others to do the same. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV) How can we be that cord of three? Mostly, it’s a willingness to be awkward and real. Truth is powerful and wonderful when used to help others. Listen I will always remember when a friend sat me down and asked me seriously “How are you?” and then followed it up with “I really want to know because I think you are not happy.” She invited me to tell her the truth of how I was. Safely, and in a quiet and private atmosphere. I was free to answer and blubber as much as I needed (which was quite a lot as it turned out). Then she asked if my husband knew how much I was struggling, how she could help me, what did I need. And, feeling safe, I answered her. I told her that I wouldn’t do anything to help myself, that I couldn’t, that I was utterly stuck. That I needed help but had no way to reach for it. That no one really knew how I was struggling at that moment, certainly not my husband, since I was trying desperately to hide it from him. This friend listened to it all. She heard. And she told me she would follow up with me to see if I got help. And she did. That she wanted my permission to call my husband and tell him that I needed help. And she did. Care Do you know someone who struggles with depression? Can you find a time and place to honestly and openly talk to them? To let them know that you are willing to help, to listen, to care? For you will likely have to go to them, they will not come to you. You might have to start the conversation, I know I would never have done so. Ask them how you can tell when they are really struggling, how they want you to react when you see the signs, who they need you to tell if you are really hurting. And let them know you are praying for them. It will mean the world to them, it did for me. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 (NIV) Read more about being stuck in a rut.
Moments of Choice Can Change Your Course
1066AD: William the Conqueror defeats the Saxon king and the future of Britain is forever changed. 1914AD: The heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire takes a wrong turn and WW1 becomes inevitable. 33AD: A Jewish teacher is crucified and raised from the dead so all people can be saved. There are moments in time that alter the course of history. Some are big, like the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and some are small, like a driver not knowing the town he’s driving in and turning the wrong way. Like these events, our lives are made of big and small moments, and the choices we make in those moments can lead to life-changing events. I think it’s normal to wonder what it would have been like if we’d chosen another path. I’ve had a wilder, more colorful life than my current self appreciates, and I’ve been able to chat with a couple who’ve lived a more restricted life who wonders if they’ve missed out on anything. If only we could choose our consequences in advance. If only we could know the penalty for the bad choices we are about to make. Then we could pick and choose just which things we’re willing to do and which things we aren’t willing to pay the price for. I wish I had chosen like that couple. Imagine all the pain I could have avoided! A Gift For You But, I did make some bad choices. It’s given me heartache that has been years in the healing, and that healing has only been possible with the Grace of God. Because in 33AD a Jewish man was willing to make all the right choices. Because Jesus was willing to obey His Father unto death on a cross, all my bad choices are gone. Wiped out of existence the second I turned to the Father and poured out my heart, crying for forgiveness. That doesn’t mean that the consequences of those choices don’t still exist in the real world. It isn’t like my actions didn’t affect others, I still had to manage the aftereffects. But my sin was gone. My pain was gone. I cannot be hurt by it anymore, and that is a gift I wish for all of you. If you turn to God and ask, sincerely ask, for forgiveness, it will be given to you! It is promised in the Bible: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9 (KJV) Don’t Believe The Lies Some might read this and say, but what I have done is so bad, it cannot be forgiven. It should not be forgiven. I say to you: that is a lie. Don’t believe it. Every day, choose to believe that God is good enough, that God loves you enough, that He knew you enough to make a way for you. The Bible is filled with heroes, and all of these heroes have something in common – they are sinners. Murderers, adulterers, liars who are redeemed by God and put to His work. It is only after we clear our hearts of the overwhelming burden of guilt that we can hear God calling us to His work. Put your fear of forgiveness aside. You don’t deserve it, I didn’t deserve it, but God wants us to be redeemed. He has plans for you, work for you to do, life for you to live to it’s fullest. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.“ -Jeremiah 29:11 (NLV) Leave your pain, guilt, and sin behind. Leave the lie that you are not worth it behind. Instead, turn to the Lord and live in hope!
Get Off Your Donkey To Help
How many times have you seen people in situations that just break your heart? How many times have you said to yourself, “If only there was something I could do to help”? Do you ever get the urge to help out and volunteer somewhere, but you just don’t know where or how to go about it? Get Off Your Donkey is all about serving and based on the story of the Good Samaritan who got off of his donkey to help the traveler. The Story of the Good Samaritan On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and, love your neighbor as yourself.” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” – Luke 10:25-37 NIV You get busy and it’s easy to get wrapped up in your day to day life, but God built you for more. He gave you gifts and provides opportunities for you to use those gifts to help others. Here at The Village we encourage everyone to serve – both inside the church and outside in the community and beyond. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ” -Matthew 25:40 NIV If you’re looking for a place to serve, check this out… If you’re interested in purchasing a Get Off Your Donkey t-shirt, contact karol@thevillagechristianchurch.com.
The Most Terrifying Emotion
“As someone who studies shame and scarcity and fear, if you asked me, ‘What is the most terrifying, difficult emotion we experience as humans?’ I would say joy,” says Dr. Brene Brown. How many of you as parents have ever watched your child sleeping and thought, “I love you like I never imagined possible,” and then in that split second pictured something horrific happening? Or have you ever thought, “Work is going good, holy crap, what is coming? It can be terrifying. Do you know what that is? When we lose our tolerance for vulnerability, joy is foreboding. I’m not going to soften into joy because I’m scared it’s going to be taken away. Most of us try to beat joy to the punch because in the absence of vulnerability-joy is downright terrifying. However, people that choose to live with great joy feel that same shudder of fear, but instead of rehearsing tragedy, they practice gratitude. What does this have to do with Africa? Everything! The presence of God is joy. Project Canaan is the joy in the middle fo Swaziland. How do we describe what it is like there? Poverty. Orphans. Starvation. Rape. HIV. JOY! No one lives in denial that life is hard. And yet, rather than lamenting that there are problems, there is a faith that is pure and joyous, that is strong and evident in a land without distraction. In America, we cannot determine the length of our life, our birth order or our health. In America, there is rape, starvation, and HIV, however, we live with distraction. We live with the greatest distraction of all: control. We deny our vulnerability to death and despair under this false pretense that we can control the outcome of our lives through our work, behavior, and choices. On Project Canaan, no one has a false illusion or distraction that we control our own lives. Only God. God is the supplier, the savior, and the hope. In America, we crave more. We crave more friends, community, wealth, health and beauty because we misunderstand the source of joy. What is Joy? Joy is not the absence of pain and despair. It is the presence of God, acknowledging the beauty in the midst of pain and faith in the ultimate supplier. Joy is gratitude for knowing we have a Savior! Africa’s greatest lesson to our team was JOY and FAITH…more on FAITH later… Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2 NIV
Does God Answer Prayer?
A common question I hear is, “Does God answer prayer?” Here are the facts: God wants to hear from you, and He wants to know your concerns. God is not a magician. A magician makes things appear as though they are not, a deceiver. You have a God that is a God of truth! God is real, straightforward, and there is no instability in Him. The fear of the Lord, which refers to respect, not submission, is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. – Proverbs 9:10 (NIV) The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. – Proverbs 4:7 (NIV) God Always Keeps His Promises God answers prayers in his timing. That answer may be a Yes!, No! or Wait! It might not be when you want him to answer, and the answers might not be what you want to hear, but He is ALWAYS on time! God knows what’s best for you and always answers your prayers. There are a couple of things that can keep Him from giving you what you ask for: #1. Sin, which is acting outside of the will of God. #2. When you’re asking for something that goes against the will of God. Remember God knows what’s best for you, but because sin separates you from Him you must turn to his Son, Jesus Christ, who paid the price…the ultimate price for your sins. When you do, then the roadblock is removed and God hears all of your prayers! Isn’t that great? Are you ready for a real relationship with Jesus? This relationship with Jesus is the direct prayer line and will bring you to great joy and immeasurable peace. When all else has failed, don’t you think it’s time to give Jesus a try? A real try! God loves you and has a plan for success FOR YOU! The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. – John 10:10 (NIV) But understand this, man is sinful and separated from God. We have all done, said, or thought bad things, which the Bible calls sin. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23 (NIV) There Is Good News God sent his son to die for your sins! God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 (NIV) Christ died for you, but it did not end there. He was buried and raised on the third day. Now, take thought to this next key scripture giving understanding as to why you pray in the name of Jesus. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. – John 14:6 Salvation can’t be bought, earned or bargained for. We are saved only by God’s grace when we have faith in his Son Jesus Christ. All you have to do is believe you are a sinner, believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, and ask for forgiveness. Then, turn away from your sins, which is called repentance. Jesus Christ loves you and knows you. What matters to him is the attitude of your heart, your honesty. God answers your prayer through you receiving the gift of salvation. An Important Prayer Try praying this most important prayer and see what happens: I pray in the name of Jesus as I confess I am a sinner. I ask for forgiveness. I believe with my whole heart, mind , and everything within me, that Jesus is your only son. I believe that he died for my sins. I believe you, Oh God, raised him to life again! I want to trust you Jesus as my savior and follow you as Lord of my Life from this moment foward. Lord in the name of Jesus, be shepherd of my life and help me as I learn of you and do your will. It is in your son Jesus’ name I pray…Amen Read What Is Prayer? Part 1… Read What Is Prayer? Part 2…
Prayer – What Is It? Part 2
Prayer is talking to God, your Father, as though he is standing, sitting or laying next to you. It’s simply telling your Father all about it. He wants to know your concerns and he wants you to grow closer to him. Prayer is given to all as a gift from God. Praying is not complicated, it just requires you to be honest with God and with yourself. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! John 15:7 (NLT) Remember what was said in What is Prayer Part 1 about God’s timing…God answers your prayer sometimes no…sometimes yes…and sometimes wait. Pray in the will of God. You do not have to yell when you’re praying because He is very close to you. In fact, God knows your thoughts even before you speak them, yes! Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. 1Chronicles 28:9 (NLT) The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NLT) Be truthful when you talk to your Father in prayer. Being truthful brings freedom to you in every area of your life. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32 (NLT) You may ask the question, “What will the truth set me free from?” The truth will indeed set you free from being held captive in your life. Things That Can Hold You Captive Unforgiveness – In all 4 gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) Jesus states how important it is to forgive others to ensure God’s forgiveness. When Jesus cried out from the cross He prayed that God might forgive his attackers. Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) 2. Rebellion – One of the clearest demonstrations in the Bible of rebellion and it’s consequences can be found in 1 Samuel 15. King Saul, chosen by God to lead Israel, got too big for his britches. He thought he knew better than God and disobeyed God’s direct instructions. 3. Strife – This means jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, control, and disorder. An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin. Proverbs 29:22 (NLT) 4. Envy – Don’t envy evil people or desire their company. For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble. Provers 24:1-2 (NLT) What You Need To Know: The Lord wants you to know: He is Lord of your life. You can trust him with the dearest things in your life. He keeps all of his promises. He will never leave you. If there’s a need in your life He will bear it, but only if you give it to Him in prayer. You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. Mathew 22:37 (NLT) Read What Is Prayer? Part 1…
Surprise Me
Surprise – some people love to be surprised and some don’t. I tend to fall in the “I’m not a fan” group. Well, recently I made a choice to be more open to the unexpected. Here’s what happened… One of our church’s key initiatives for 2018 (and in my opinion the most important) is for everyone to Pray Daily for an open door. An open door to share with another person about Jesus. This past Sunday we handed out a card to every person and asked them to write 5 names on it of people they would like to ask God to provide an open door to share about Jesus. On my card, I wrote 3 names and on the last 2 I wrote: “Surprise Me.” What Happened Next So…sometimes God answers our prayers pretty quickly. I was invited to speak on the radio this week about Spiritual wellness. An old college classmate runs the show and allowed me the opportunity to share about Jesus, the church, and spiritual wellness for 30 minutes on air with no censorship! Crazy, right? I was on a panel with three other people and afterward, each one had great questions that opened up a door to share. Please understand, I didn’t break out the bible and thump people on the head! ? I simply shared how walking with Christ was working for me and invited the others to consider how that might work for them. All three work/live in the city of Chicago. I got to share and plant a seed. That’s our job, just share and plant a seed. God provides the opportunity, we just say a few words, and then God does the rest. I like how the writer in 1 Corinthians says it… It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God’s field in which we are working. – 1 Corinthians 3:7-9 (MSG) Trust me on this…if you pray for God to open a door, HE WILL! Don’t be nervous, just share your heart, rely on him, and you get to be a part of people’s lives changing forever! Pretty cool!
Calling All Men
Men, this isn’t going to be a normal Blog post. I am not here to write about something I have read recently, or how a message from our Pastors has affected me. I am here to drop the gauntlet. I am here to swipe my proverbial glove in your face and to challenge my fellow brothers in the church family to a duel. As we enter 2018, I simply want to know “Where are the Village men at?” We have the Family Blitz event, Yoga, Village Adventurers, Kid Village, Life Groups, events for crafting, and cooking. The only event that we have listed for men is basketball. While this isn’t bad, certainly we can and must do better! So, what’s the issue? Why am I so fired up about this? Well Proverbs 27:17 is a starting point: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Let’s take that a little further and look at Deuteronomy 22:10: Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together. While this last verse is geared towards farm work, we can also apply this to our walk as Christian men. In my life, I am the ox, and my wife is the donkey, although she may disagree with that (in fact in most cases with Lisa, I am usually the donkey). The point is that as a man, I need other men in my life to help me carry the burdens of being a man. The donkey has no idea what it means to be the ox and vice versa. Iron does sharpen iron, but it is more effective if the iron is the right iron. The takeaway from this: Get to sharpening! I need you, and the other men in this church need you. We need your accountability. Your honesty, integrity, and leadership are needed. We need your life stories because another man in our church may be hurting and your story could be the tool that the Spirit uses to change his life. Action Step Get your donkey to Men’s Group! Saturdays 7 AM. Church Office. And to be clear, this is for every man in our church. Let me share with you my story. For 11 years I have attended the Village. I have played drums for about 10 of those years. I have been in Lifegroups with other couples. For 10.5 years I have made excuses for why I couldn’t attend Men’s Group. It was too early. I needed my sleep. I have kids that have activities. Brothers this was all donkey excrement! In 6 months of attending this group my life has been changed for the better. I am less afraid of sharing my faults. I have a group of brothers who care about me, forgive me, and love me. I am held accountable, and my ability to fight sin has been strengthened through my attendance. Stop making excuses. This group is for everyone. Do you play guitar in the worship band? Does that instrument sharpen you like a brother can? Do you lead a Lifegroup? Are you spending the time needed to be a better man? Get there boys; trust me when I say you will be a better man for it. But I am not done here. Again, I ask where are we men? We are called to lead. As Christian men, this means that we lead in our marriages and family, just as we lead in our church. What are we doing as the men of this church that clearly states that we are here? What are we leading?
When Tragedy Strikes
2017 has been a tough year with disaster and tragedy becoming a common occurrence. Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, shootings, attacks, and the list goes on and on. You haven’t recovered from the last one when the next one hits. So much loss, so much devastation, so much hurt. It can be overwhelming and exhausting, and sometimes you may feel like the battle is being lost. Can you relate? Do you ask yourself, “When will it stop? Why does this happen? What am I supposed to do?” Evil is real. It’s a cold, hard fact of our world. You can’t run from it, hide from it, or escape it. We’ll never know why the bad stuff happens. It doesn’t make sense. What Can I Do? When that evil rears it’s ugly head, take time to remember. Remember that in the end God wins. Remember that God’s love is stronger. Remember that God’s grace is bigger. Remember that God’s plan is better. Take time to turn to God’s Word, the Bible, for direction and encouragement. Download the Youversion app on your phone, tablet, or computer. You can find reading plans based on different topics to help you with your specific questions. Add Bible time to your calendar, schedule it in and make it a priority. If you spend time every day in God’s Word, you will see a difference. Guaranteed. Try it and see what happens. Pray. Then pray some more. And when you’re done, pray again. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:21 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world. – John 16:33 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:18 In his kindness God has called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. – 1 Peter 5:10 Sometimes we don’t know what to say to our kids in the midst of the tragedy. Here is a resource that maybe helpful to you: How To Talk To Your Kids About Tragedy
A Divine Appointment Part 2
I listened intently as she spoke about her past. So much pain, layer upon layer of it. I kept thinking about how incredible God is and how he sees each one of us, exactly where we are at any given moment. With this thought in mind I dialed into the conversation, “Lord, what do you want me to say to her? She just ran into my car, we are both stuck on the side of the road. This is an opportunity to share who You are.” I considered different ways to approach delivering the Good News. The longer I considered it, the more nervous I became. “She is going to think I am nuts,” I thought to myself. She had been through so much and as I listened, there was so much that I could relate to and remember from personal experience. I remember everything from my former life, I am just no longer a slave to it. I was set free by the Blood of Jesus and she needed to be set free too. That had to be more important than her “possibly” thinking I was crazy. I looked at her and asked her if she knew that Jesus loved her. “Do you know that Jesus loves you right where you are? Right here in the mess, but he loves you too much to leave you here. He wants you to give all this pain to Him. If you do, he will turn it into something beautiful. If you will hand over the ashes of brokenness, he will give you beauty. Tomorrow doesn’t have to look like today. You have a choice to make. Choose Jesus, He already chose you.” I handed her an invite card to our church. I told her that I wasn’t just inviting her to church but more importantly, into a relationship with her Lord and Savior. Then I exhaled……… At this point the officer walked up with our paperwork from the accident. We stepped away and he went over everything with me, then he did the same with her. Before I got into my car, I walked back over and hugged her, this woman that had become my Divine Appointment. What a blessing this encounter had been, but as I pulled away from the side of the road, I knew that I should have prayed with her before I left. I prayed this prayer instead, “Lord, forgive me for not praying with her before I got back into my car. That was a missed opportunity. If you give me another chance, I will do it right.” He did give me that chance and it happened soon after! God hears our prayers and He loves to answer them. Keep an eye out for your next Divine Appointment! Read A Divine Appointment Part 1
Speak Faith Into Fear
My facebook post on August 11, 2016 was this….. I’m surrounded by great leaders. While sharing with a leader that we are a little short in our offerings this year, he responded by saying “It won’t matter when we are reaching 1000 people and we need to expand parking”. I really needed to hear that because the finances were not very strong at that point in time. In fact, we were approximately $40,000 behind in our budget. Although the finances weren’t strong, God was bringing the people and attendance continued to grow. It was clear that we would have to take a step of faith and add a service to make room for more people. What if we had focused on the finances, circled the wagons and not stepped out in faith? What if we had let the fears overcome our faith? Thankfully, a trusted leader lined me out! He said what I needed to hear, and He spoke truth in love. He spoke faith into my fear. Now it’s August 15th, 2017 as I write this, a whole year later…. We’re working on expanding the parking! In fact, we’re getting pricing to add 104 parking spaces in 2018! We’re restructuring our staff and our systems to set the church up to reach 1,000 people every week! That’s 1000 people coming to know Christ! That’s 1000 people reading the Bible and applying it to their lives! We’re making plans to add a new service in the future! Stay tuned for more details coming in the Fall on that. We’re in the process of turning over 2 rooms in the church for more kids space because we are running out of room! Oh yeah, God provided the finances. We concluded 2016 above budget. Literally an extra $50,000 came in the last days of December that brought us to where we needed to be. We are very thankful to God for always providing. At this point, we’re currently just above our budget with great opportunities to end the year strong and set up for hundreds of more people’s lives to be changed! Surround yourself with good people! Listen to people of faith, not fear!
Get Off Your Donkey To Serve
Have you ever experienced something really great and recommended it to others? And then watched your friends have the same great experience? Get Off Your Donkey is that experience. Serving is so much fun and we think everyone should get in it. To help people get started, we made some recommendations and the experiences have been incredible! The Village is currently working through a series, Get Off Your Donkey, based on the story of the Good Samaritan. During this series, we are encouraging people to volunteer. Last week, we had a big week to serve push and so many showed up! Here’s some of the highlights from my point of view….. One mom served at the food truck and brought her 9 month old and 2 year old. That took a lot of effort, but her smile and the enjoyment of serving was priceless! A frantic post on facebook that we needed more bags because so many people came to pick up clothes at the Back to School Blowout resulted in several heros stepping up. One reply was from a mom sending bags with her child who was bringing to church on her bike ? I love that! A mom posting a picture on facebook of her two girls in front of a sign saying that their group helped pack 22,000 meals at Feed My Starving Children. Those moments of kids and parents serving are so important! A lady who I’ve never met showing up with a $2500 check from her company because they could see we are all about serving the community. WOW! My parents drove up from Missouri for a visit, but I think even more because they wanted to go and serve at Miss Pearls Ministry in Roseland. You don’t have time to listen to all of the stories, but each one is important and each one is unique and each one is life changing! Here’s my prayer…. That next year 1,000 people will serve outside the walls of the church! The more people serve the more we are helping fulfill Jesus words… That you are encouraged to Get Off Your Donkey and be an example is serving others… ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ -Matthew 25:40
Don’t Let Anyone Look Down On You Because You’re Young!
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young! You have the potential to do great things in life. All you need to do is step up. Back in our portable church days, it was always a challenge to find space to have student ministries. Some of our best days included meeting in a warehouse space (yep, you heard that right) that also doubled as our office space. It was small, it was dirty, there weren’t many windows, it was kind of depressing to be honest. It was pretty challenging and we had to overcome a lot because of our “not so great” meeting space. To help us overcome these obstacles we needed great leaders. Today I’m writing about one of those great leaders. A young gal in High School stepped up big time and led her entire neighborhood of kids to come to Youth Group. Literally, she made sure that at least 10 kids, if not more, from her neighborhood came to church youth group every week. Then she went to college, but that’s not where the story ends. During her college years, she came home every weekend for 4 straight years to continue to lead in our student ministries. She continued to invite kids from the neighborhood. I recently attended her college graduation party. It was a great day to celebrate her and all of her accomplishments. She already has a great job and will do great things in life. At her party, she asked that all gifts be given to our church, The Village Christian Church. I’ve never seen that in my 20 plus years of ministry! The church is truly humbled and honored by her generosity. What if she would have decided that she was too young to lead in her high school years? What if she would have decided that she was too cool to lead in her college years? Dozens of student’s lives would be different today. Their relationship with God would have been much less than what it is today. Also, she would have missed out on so much growth in her leadership and her relationship with God. Thank you Paige Mass for living out this verse…. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12 I would like to challenge you as you read this to step up and do something for the Lord. Step up and do something no matter what your age. Step up and do something no matter what your circumstance may be. Just step up.
The Harvest Is Plentiful
I recently attended a really cool conference called Exponential in Orlando, Florida. The conference equips and encourages church leaders to grow their churches and ultimately God’s Kingdom. The harvest is plentiful! The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. We are in an amazing growth period at the church. Over the Easter season, we had 2 consecutive weekends over 1000 people and several hundred visitors! Incredible! If truth be told, I kind of thought the conference might just want to call on me and have me head up a workshop on how to lead a church. A little arrogant, huh? Please…if you ever get a prideful thought about work that God is doing, don’t give into it! Wrecked By God So, I walked into the first session and the pastor spoke in the passage, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2 He talked about leading a church in Alabama of 14 people for 5+ years. He never risked and he never prayed for God to perform miracles. Then, he was called to start a new church and decided he was going to do it differently. Before the church started, he set out 400 chairs (way too many for a first time start up), but he didn’t care. He just prayed and prayed and trusted that what Jesus said in the Bible was true…the harvest is plentiful (thousands of people need Christ), we just need people who will take a risk to reach them. The first Sunday, they had over 650 people and obviously ran out of chairs. Then the church sang a song after his message that was the song I came forward to in high school to dedicate my life to ministry. It was not even 45 minutes into the conference and I was wrecked. Not one or two tears….a steady flow of tears and that I couldn’t stop or hold back. It was as if God said…..let me remind you that you have not arrived and you have much more work to do…the harvest is plentiful…AND you need to set out all 400 chairs at church! Quit worrying, start praying and let me do my work! It’s so good when God wrecks us and helps us to see his plan. What Might God Want To Do In Your Life? Have you ever wondered about what might God want to do in your life? I bet it is way more than you could ever ask or imagine. 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, Ephesians 3:20 The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are FEW. Will you join me in inviting your friends and neighbors and co-workers and enemies into a life changing relationship with Jesus?
Young Eagles Need To Fly
When do your young eagles get to fly? I just got back from an incredible Pastor’s conference where a speaker asked this important question. The question simply means this….is your church a place where people are encouraged and challenged to serve and lead? OR…are there just a few spots of service and leadership and you have to wait in line (sometimes years) to be able to serve and lead? I’ve been a part of organizations and churches where it was very clear….In 10 years or maybe 20 you can sit at the big boy table, but for now, we’ve got this and don’t need your input. Everyone Gets To Play My prayer is that in my role, I lead in such a way that “Everyone Gets to PLAY!” If you want to serve, you get to serve. The more the merrier! If you want to lead (and you have that leadership gift), you get to lead! The more the merrier! Oh yeah, by the way, my job description could truly be summed up in one verse of the Bible…. 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:12) Simply put, my job is to EQUIP people to do God’s work SO THAT the body of Christ is built up! Please, understand, I don’t always get this right and struggle with this. It’s so much easier for me to just do stuff myself or call a few friends who I know and trust to serve and lead, but God says I need to equip his people (all people!) for works of service. Equipping Others Something happened this past Sunday which helped me to see we are heading in the right direction. There were three people working on the First Impressions Team that I introduced myself to. I had never met them face-to-face. Our First impressions Team Leaders have been equipped to serve and lead, and now they are equipping others to serve and lead. This is great! I’m looking forward to many more Sundays where I’m introducing myself to new leaders who are serving that I haven’t yet met. Are You Ready? Are you a young eagle who would like to serve or lead? Shoot me an email (nate@thevillagechristianchurch.com) and let’s find a time to sit and visit about what God is placing on your heart. I can help you personally or can get you connected to some great people who will get you equipped to start serving and leading. When do your young eagles get to fly? The answer is RIGHT NOW! We need you! I look forward to hearing from you soon! Thanks to Deb Sperling, one of our church family, for capturing and sharing these incredible pictures! Another example of one of the many ways you can serve here at The Village.