Are You Rooted?
What Do We Need Roots For? “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least-recognized need of the human soul” -Simone Weil, French Philosopher Roots are one of the most important parts of the plant. Stretching into the soil, roots provide stability for the plant, allowing it to sustain high winds or trampling. They gather nutrients and water from the soil, feeding the plant and sustaining its life. They even store some of these nutrients to provide the plant with food in seasons of hardship. Healthy root systems can even ward off disease and keep a plant focused only on absorbing nutrients that are good for it. A few summers ago, my family took a trip to California and stood in awe in a forest of Redwoods. Redwoods are among the largest and tallest trees in the world. While their roots stay shallow in the soil, they spread 50–100 feet out from the tree. The roots intertwine themselves with the roots of all the other Redwood trees. This community of roots provide additional stability for the tree in storms and flooding. What Do Roots Need To Survive? If you’ve ever gardened, taken a walk after a storm, watched the landscape change in times of drought, or seen crops decimated by bugs, you’ll realize that simply having roots is not all a plant needs to thrive. The roots have to stretch deep into the ground, and they have to be planted in the right kind of soil. They have to be watered and fertilized, and may even need to be surrounded by other plants that provide benefits to their well-being. Growing up, my parents always kept a large garden in our backyard. As a child, I helped till the soil, plant the seeds, water, and harvest the vegetables. I used to love the fresh green beans and cucumbers, while my mom would eat tomatoes by the pound. The garden thrived, and it was something I believed I could replicate at my own home. Recently, my husband and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary, which also marks the 13th year we’ve been in our home. The first year we moved in, I planted a large garden in the back corner of our property. I watered it daily, my plants grew and flowered, and I became so excited about the fresh produce we would enjoy. As the vegetables began to grow, though, my plants began to shrivel. Some were eaten by beetles, deer, and rabbits. Some just dried up and sank back into the earth. I was so disappointed that all my hard work had amounted to nothing. I decided to stop planting things and, in fact, ripped out a bunch of plants around the house. Don’t Give Up – Dig In We put rocks in our landscaping, and I swore I wouldn’t plant again, as it was obviously something I wasn’t very good at. Sometimes, this is how our faith life can go. We try it for a season without laying any significant roots or really investigating how we can strengthen our faith. We come up fruitless. In our frustration, we don’t return to our faith or our relationship with God in a serious way. Because of fear that it won’t yield results, we may even become cynical or angry at God. Scripture often provides metaphors between plants and our relationship with God. Within Scripture, we are compared to seeds that need planting in the right kind of soil, branches that need to stay connected to the Vine, and trees planted by streams of water if we remain focused on His ways. Colossians 2:7 states, “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness (NLT).” Spiritual “Roots” Need Nourishment Too If you were to examine your life right now, where have you laid roots? Are you planted in soil that provides you nourishment and hope, or are your roots thirsting after something that leaves you dry and wanting more? When the wind blows and storms set in, are your roots planted firmly in the ground, or do you feel tossed about and unsettled? Have you surrounded yourself with other plants that enrich the soil, intertwining their roots with yours to help you stand strong and shield you, or are you attempting to stand alone and wish for the best? Beginning September 11 at all campuses of The Village Christian Church, you will have the opportunity to spread your roots into good soil. To grow in a way that will be fruitful and long-lasting. To be planted in something stable and full of truth. The Village will be offering a program called Rooted for ten weeks beginning in September. And we will celebrate your growth on November 14. Find What You Are Missing During Rooted Our mission statement here at The Village is Life Change, Life Growth, and Life Purpose. Is your life is in a place where drastic change is needed, where you need to meet God face to face and invite Him into your heart? Rooted is the place for you. Do you know God, but need to grow in your relationship with Him and His believers? Rooted is the place for you. If you’ve been walking with God awhile, but you lack purpose and vision and don’t realize all the plans that God has for you, then Rooted is also the place for you. For ten weeks, Rooted will walk all participants through the seven habits or disciplines of a relationship with God. Here at the Village, we have four core values: everybody grows, everybody serves, the Bible is our guide, and no boring here. The seven disciplines of Rooted will allow you to see these core values at play. Everybody will grow while learning how to pray and overcome strongholds in their lives, eventually learning to share their faith journey
Do You Feel Empty?
Are you missing a lasting satisfaction in life? Do the things that you are looking forward to having or achieving fade and leave you feeling empty again? I think I’m so passionate about Christ because I lived my life without Him for so long. Great on the outside. Inside – empty. Loving my kids and husband, of course, but constantly seeking something that I wasn’t aware I was missing. Can You Relate? I spent hours of mindless scrolling on TikTok or Facebook, emptying a few bottles of wine every night. Working out endless hours and tracking calories? Finding comfort in a political party? Binge-watching Netflix until 2 AM? Working on making the outside look great with material possessions and purchases? Brand names? The newest “fads”? I sought comfort in all of these things, yet none filled me. None of these could fill that void. When you’re living with that empty place inside that you’re not even aware of, life loses its beauty. When you love your husband or wife, but you complain about them, and you love your kids, but they’re exhausting and aggravating. You love your life, but to escape it if only for 15 minutes? Man, that would be amazing. I lived under the pretense that if I could only find “me time” for an hour, everything would somehow be better. That’s how I operated for so many years. I remember laughing off the idea of an “all-good, sovereign God” and mocking my closest friend’s faith (thank you for your forgiveness, both to my friend and to God). Jesus Fills The Void It wasn’t until Jesus literally grabbed my soul and turned me inside out that I felt that complete and total contentment. Purpose. Fulfillment. PEACE. Joy. The blessings in EVERY single season—yes, even the hard ones. Happiness in the chaos. Love inside our home. There was a black and white turning point in my life, and I’ll forever be grateful for that. I now see the true meaning of sacrificial love. Our marriage is radically transformed, renewed, and so much stronger. Our attitudes toward giving have changed so much. The way I look at those who are different from me is a complete 180 from what it used to be. Now we view our children as THE most important ministry. Not as interruptions or annoyances, but as physical proof of God’s blessings (even during temper tantrums and monumental, yes – monumental, fights). Spending hours in prayer and worship and connecting with the One who made you. Finding the beauty in everything. Living every moment in grateful response of the ULTIMATE sacrifice our creator gave for us. I remember reading a quote, and I can’t remember who it came from or what it was in. It went something like- “When you fully understand the magnitude of what Jesus did for you, you will live every single day of your life differently until you leave this Earth. If you aren’t living your life differently yet, then you don’t fully understand what he did.” From Emptiness To Peace It is my prayer that everyone would live to one day experience that peace and joy. A total and complete fulfillment that doesn’t leave you based on your circumstance. A peace that stays despite the bills, the pay cut, the kids’ school grades or sports shortcomings, or things in the news. That even in the midst of life’s terrible storms, your peace would not be shaken. That you could go confidently into whatever season of life you’re in, with the complete assurance that the creator of the universe is there, walking right alongside you. Check out these free Resources to help point to Jesus
Celebrating All That God Did
We are celebrating all that God did in and through The Village Christian Church in 2023. It was an incredible year of growth in so many ways, and we are praising God for all of it. The Lord HAS DONE THIS, and it is marvelous in our eyes. – Psalm 118:23 The Village Christian Church currently has four campuses in northern Illinois, as well as an Online Campus that is accessible across the world. Minooka, Seneca, and Coal City are the locations of the current in-person campuses, with a new one coming soon in Shorewood. The mission at The Village Christian Church is the same across all campuses – we are one church with multiple locations. MISSION: To help people experience life change, life growth, and life purpose. We are committed to this mission, and staying focused on our core values is key. CORE VALUES: The Bible is our guide Everybody grows Everybody serves No boring here Decisions For Christ We are celebrating baptisms – a public commitment to say yes to Jesus! 79 people made the life-changing decision in 2023 to take this important next step. That brings the total number of baptisms up to 541 since The Village opened in October 2004! Baptisms are happening across ALL campuses as people are introduced to Jesus and grow in their faith. Here is one of the powerful testimonies of life change that you will find in the 2023 Annual Report: My journey has not always been righteous. I struggle with anger, anxiety, and self-control. I know the devil is real and tries to steal away our trust from God, providing easy-way outs, thus isolating us farther from His goodness. The great news I’ve come to realize is the power of God’s grace, mercy, and never-ending love. I know that God has a plan for my life and with Him all things are possible. Today is the day I say thank you God and accept your Son Jesus as my Lord and Savior. – Justin / Coal City Campus In the full report you can read more of the incredible testimonies and join us in celebrating all that God did. Life Growth Through Community God did incredible things through groups and community. Lifegroups are a place of connection outside of Sunday service – a place to love Jesus, each other, and help others find and follow Jesus. In 2023, there were 395 people across ALL campuses connecting in 41 groups! Remember that core value – everybody grows – groups are the place for that to happen. We want every person, we want YOU to be connected in a group. There are different type of groups – couples, singles, young adults, ladies, men, family, and more. Each campus has a variety of groups to choose from so you can get connected and experience life growth. Life Purpose Through Service Helping people discover their life purpose is a key point to the mission of The Village Christian Church. Everybody serves is one of the core values at the church, and you can see how this is a priority as you review the 2023 Annual Report. There are local, regional and global opportunities to serve. In 2023, 1549 people served outside the church walls. Locally, the church hosted 11 mobile food pantries, providing 110,000 lbs. of free food to families in the communities of Minooka, Seneca, and Braidwood. One of the big global outreach events we hosted in partnership with Lifeline Christian Mission was a meal pack. The goal of the meal pack was for volunteers to pack 100,000 meals that would be sent overseas. The day resulted in 450 volunteers packing 104,544 meals! And it was fun! What an amazing experience bringing all of the campuses together to serve and pack meals for the hungry! $606,131 was given to missions in 2023. The giving dollars flow through Reclaimed, which exists to reclaim bad circumstances into something beautiful locally, regionally and globally. Learn more about that at reclaimedcharity.org. 2023 was an incredible year and as we look back and see all that God did we are just so THANKFUL. We are celebrating all that God did because it was an incredible year of growth in so many ways. We are praising God for all of it. God is doing great things! These opportunities for life growth are possible because of your generosity! Thank you for partnering with us!
Is Following God A Waste Of Time?
Have you ever invested time, money, or energy, or maybe all 3 into something, and then found out later it was a waste of time? Maybe you thought it was not worth what you put into it. How did that make you feel? Some Super Bowl commercials stick in your memory a long time. Over 20 years ago, E-Trade was a 5-year-old company that made a commercial with a monkey and two old guys all clapping off beat. During the last 5 seconds, they said, “Well, we just wasted 2 million dollars.” That was the cost of 30 seconds of air time during the big game that year. They urged their viewers to not waste their own money how they had. Looking a little deeper, you might find it wasn’t as much of a waste as they had let on. E-Trade was a newer company back then, providing a platform to buy stocks and options from the comfort of your own home, as the internet and personal computers were finding their way into more homes. They had a net profit of $671 million dollars the year of that “2 million dollar waste” commercial. They also added over 1 million new accounts – more than double the previous year. We might look at the commercial as a waste, but they were laughing all the way to the bank. They weren’t paying for a quality commercial or for 30 seconds of fame. They knew that money would go toward something of far greater value and return to them ten times over. How Do You Know Following God Is Worth It? In Matthew 13:45-46, Jesus says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” In the short parable, Jesus tells of a man who found something that held such great value that it was worth trading in all he owned. I bet some of his merchant buddies thought, “what a waste” or “what are you thinking?!” He saw the greater value behind it and knew it was worth the cost up front of all he could offer. What would you do in that situation? Would you risk it all? Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like that. It’s worth laying down everything, so we can take hold of it. Others may look at you and think, “what a waste.” All that time and money you put toward that God stuff – it isn’t worth it. But we have tasted and have seen that it is worth it. It’s worth everything we could offer and more. We’re getting the better end of the deal, if you could even call it that. Jim Elliot was a missionary who died doing his work and was famous for saying, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Let that sink in. No matter how you look at it, we’re all spending our lives on something. If we’re brutally honest, we see a lot of those things don’t hold their value for long. The memories fade. The clothes wear out. The things break. Spend your life on what matters and what holds value beyond this life. Jesus shows us the way in this parable, and was willing to give us His life so that we could grasp the greatest thing this world cannot offer – eternal life with our Heavenly Father. Where Do You Start? If you are looking for a place to start living a life with value, check out Rooted. Rooted is a 10-week life-changing experience where you will connect with God, the church, and your purpose. Learn and practice 7 rhythms essential to a healthy relationship with Jesus and build strong roots in the truth of God’s Word, the Bible. You were made for a purpose! Here are some Missions that are always looking for volunteers. Find one or more that break your heart and dive in! We encourage you to take that first step and just start. It will not be a waste of time. Following God is not a waste of time.
Top Ten Ways You Can Serve
Serve others – that is at the core of who we are as a church. In fact, it’s so important that it’s part of our church mission – to be a catalyst for Life Change, Life Growth and Life Purpose! Life Purpose is all about doing what God created you to do, which is to serve and help others! Reach people in need, love the world around you, support others and provide a sense of hope in a world that’s sometimes hard to handle. “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:17 Top Ten Ways You Can Serve Today: 1. Help your family. (Romans 12:10) Make dinner, vacuum, do laundry, …there are lots of opportunities! It’s easy to forget that the ones we need to serve the most are often the ones closest to us. Try it today by asking, “How can I help you?” 2. Volunteer at church. (Peter 4:10-11) Everybody gets to participate, and we all get to be part of what God is doing! How great is that? There are many serving teams at The Village to give you an opportunity to serve where you’re interested and gifted. Use what God has uniquely given to you to serve Him and the needs of others. So many ministries come together to make The Village a great experience, and our church would not be possible without the help of MANY volunteers. Where can you jump in? 3. Donate stuff. (Matthew 25:46) Most of us have more than we need, so take an inventory and clear out the clutter. Then donate to someone that needs help! 4. Send a note to thank or encourage someone. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Take a minute to think about someone you can thank or someone that may be going through a difficult time. Then write a short email, text or send a card because you can make a huge difference! 5. Provide A Meal . (Acts 20:35) People go through difficult times due to a birth, surgery, illness, etc. Because of this, they may need help. This is a way to show compassion and provide help by cooking or purchasing a meal for them. 6. Feed families at our mobile food pantries (John 12:26) We host these mobile food pantries starting in the spring through the fall in Minooka, Seneca and Braidwood / Coal City. These trucks provide food, bread, dairy, meats, veggies and more for families in need in the communities. Examples of what you can do include unpacking the food from the truck and setting it on tables, handing out food, carrying baskets, and breaking down boxes. There is a lot to do and for all ages. It’s a great way to serve with the family! 7. Give a compliment. (1 Timothy 6:18) Most people like to be recognized for their accomplishments. Be generous with your words and give a compliment. Look for opportunities every day. 8. Listen. (James 1:19) Take time to sit with your kids, a friend, your spouse, or a neighbor and just listen to them. Really listen without distraction and show them they are important. Spending time with someone can be such a great gift. 9. Babysit for free. (Hebrews 13:16) Do you know a single mom that could use some time for herself or to get errands done? Or maybe a young couple that could use a date night? If you do, this is an easy way to serve that can provide a much needed break. 10. Commit a random act of kindness. (Proverbs 11:24-25) Be on the lookout throughout your day for something nice you can do for someone. It doesn’t have to be something big. For example, help a mom unload her groceries into her car and return her shopping cart, or pay for someone’s meal at the drive through, shovel snow, cut grass, pump gas, buy someone flowers…think creatively. To summarize, the thing is to just ask God to show you opportunities. Next, keep your eyes, ears and heart open. Then, be ready to jump in whenever He whispers to you on a way that you can serve!
Invite God Into Your Decisions
Have you ever had to make decisions? There is this fascinating conversation that Moses had with God in Exodus 33… “Moses spoke with God as a man speaks with a friend.” – Exodus 33:11 Can you imagine speaking with God like that? How cool. In the conversation Moses essentially says to God, you’ve told me you will lead us, but you haven’t told us where to go or to whom we are going. God replies…I will go with you and I will give you victory. Sounds pretty good. The next sentence is to me what is so fascinating. God said 2 things… I will go with you I will give you victory In my brain, I think I would have focused on the victory part. What is going to be our next victory? Who are we going to defeat and when is the battle? Moses instead focused only on one thing. That God would go with him. Check out these amazing 2 verses in Exodus 33…. Then Moses said to him, “If you yourself don’t go with us, then don’t send us away from this place. If you don’t go with us, no one will know that you are pleased with me and with your people. These people and I will be no different from any other people on earth.” – Exodus 33:15-16 Moses says if you don’t go with us, it’s not even worth packing our bags. Your presence in our lives is the absolute most important thing. Without your presence, there’s no point in going anywhere because there will be no victory. What’s your next step in your life? What’s the next stage with your kids? Your career? Your marriage? Have you invited God’s presence into those decisions, those moments? According to Moses (and I happen to agree with him ?), the most important thing is God’s presence leading. He wants you to invite Him into your decisions. He is ready to accept that invitation. Better to stay still than to lead out without God. Better to have God’s leading, then follow.
Rightnow Media Equips You
When I was a little girl, I loved the library. It was one of my favorite places to go. I loved the wealth of information available at my fingertips, the smell of the books, the anticipation of learning something new or discovering a new author. At one point, we lived in a tiny town that didn’t have a library of its own. That was the worst possible scenario to me! One day, to my surprise, a library truck pulled into town and I quickly ascertained that they came once a week. Now I wouldn’t have to be without books, and the access to learning, growing… I still feel that way because I love to learn and discover. That is one of the reasons I am so ecstatic about Rightnow Media. What a wealth of information. It is like the “Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory” of Christian resources. Just about any topic at your fingertips with so many gifted speakers, teachers and authors. Immediate access to incredible conferences. So much love and pursuit of Jesus all in one place. We study, we learn, we receive encouragement and hope as Romans 15:4 tells us, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.” Rightnow Media Is For Everyone There are over 20,000 learning options. It is easy to access, simple to navigate, and a readily available option to engage with friends or family. Our Lifegroups can choose solid curriculum that meets the current needs and interests of the people that attend. All the groups can be studying something different but equally impactful. That is awesome! Age isn’t a factor. Our children, tweens, teens and adults can all find something to engage with. It is for those that are new to faith or born and raised with it. No one is left out. You can access it from any smart device, your phone, notebook, laptop, tv. Parents, how many times do we hand our children our phone to watch something? We put parental controls in place and we hope for the best! There is no need to worry when you use Right Now Media for children’s entertainment. They will be engaged with Christ-centered content geared for them. I have been aware of and have wanted to get Rightnow Media for quite a while. It seemed like a dream to be able to have this resource for our church, like a “someday” possibility. Now, that possibility has become a reality. The “library truck” has rolled into town and isn’t just available weekly but 24 hours a day for each and every one of us. I am ecstatic to offer Rightnow Media to our church community. It is absolutely awesome. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. I hope that everyone will take advantage of this opportunity and use it to get even more equipped to do the great things God has planned for us!
Be A Disciple – Take The Next Step
What is a Disciple? I would define a disciple as someone following Jesus, who helps others to find and follow Jesus. Finding Jesus can be a process and learning to follow Him is part of that, but teaching someone to find and follow Him may seem like another ballgame altogether! We don’t just automatically know what it looks like to live a life of someone who loves Jesus, we need to learn. Thankfully, there are many incredible options available for us at the Village; attending church and learning from the Pastor’s teaching, studying the Bible, the Rooted Experience, serving and joining a Lifegroup. Matthew 28:18-20 calls us to make disciples, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” How Do You Do It? We typically understand the “what and why”, but the “how” can be tricky. What if we are asked questions, we don’t know the answer to? What if they are offended? We can easily be left feeling unsure, insecure or scared to share, however feeling equipped can make all the difference. Personal Discipleship After you have taken advantage of the opportunities listed above, the next step could be a personal discipleship. I love these words from one of our attenders who just finished her personal discipleship, “I had just ended Rooted; which significantly changed my perspective of God, Jesus, and my life. I wasn’t ready to disconnect from the deep learning Rooted offered, so I reached out for an option to continue learning. One of those options was a one-year personal discipleship with Sarah, one of the Pastors. As I started the discipleship, I was uncertain about what it would entail, but I knew it would be a commitment. Each week I learned so much more about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Any question I had and real life experiences I was facing, Sarah utilized the study to improve my understanding of who I desired to be as a follower of Jesus and who my identity is in God. In addition, I felt challenged and God made me focus on things I did not want to face. Through this process God helped me learn to forgive myself and begin the process of my new life in Him. The book we used did such a great job at detailing every area of living a Christian life. It explained questions that I did not know I had and frequent questions people have about being a Christian. It empowered me to believe I am adequate to spread the Word of God and provided a way for me to express my daily life differently than the world. This study was a foundation to grow far bigger in God than I ever imagined. Now I know the Holy Spirit is giving me the strength, knowledge, and love to reach others. I cannot express how amazing an opportunity it has been to do this discipleship. I truly believe this is a blessing all people need to experience so they can honestly see the bones of what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. Leave all the world’s misconceptions of what a follower of Jesus looks like and open one’s eyes to the humbling love of God.” Samantha Tyree What’s Next? Are you a devoted follower of Jesus? Who are you discipling? Are you willing to commit to walking with someone as a mentor and discipler? Or do you feel like you need a personal discipleship as a mentee or disciple? My prayer is that we will have people in each of these groups that will step forward. Imagine the steps we could take for the Kingdom of God with hundreds of followers feeling equipped to share and disciple others. The impact would be exponential!
What’s The Big Deal?
Pulse Student Ministries held a kickoff event for the 2019-2020 school year and the turnout was incredible – 119 students ranging from 5th graders through seniors in high school. The plan was simple: play games (bags, 9 square, spikeball, etc) and cookout burgers and hot dogs. The night was a success. The students had fun, the leaders had fun, and there seemed to be no problems. As leaders, we left the night excited and energized about the atmosphere, but why did we feel this good? What’s the big deal? What’s the big deal that we got a large turnout of students for some free food and games? That doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, right? WRONG. The atmosphere and community of Sunday night sets the tone for the year. When our students get together and have fun, it sets the heart of the group. Ready to praise, ready to grow, ready to love, ready to serve, and ready to yield. Life Change, Life Growth, Life Purpose When we talk about Life Change, Life Growth, and Life Purpose, it is God who does the work when we allow him to live in and through us. There is no age limit on this. He doesn’t check your ID or ask you to submit your high school diploma. He is actively pursuing our students without hesitation and that is a big deal. In 1 Timothy 4: 12, Paul tells Timothy, “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.” At this point, Timothy was not young as our students are young, but the message rings loud. Our students don’t need to be in worship or engaged in a lesson to live this charge out. As I watched and listened at the Kickoff; it was clear this example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity was set. It wasn’t set in a worship room or with open Bibles (don’t worry, we’ll open them plenty this year), but rather, the example was set over burgers and yard games. That is a big deal. Paul later writes in 2 Timothy 2: 20-21, “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” Allow God To Work We want the students to allow God to work in them and surrender themselves to be “instruments for special purposes”. With that comes the need to cleanse, to step away from what’s common. All we did was provide food and games. The students chose to step away from their “common” to have a little fun and most importantly, cleanse and prepare their hearts to grow. We will be moving into a series over the next four weeks titled, “What’s the BIG deal?” where we will dive into what the big deal is for our students navigating some of this world’s biggest confusions and temptations. For now, a cookout and some games provided much more than a few laughs and a full stomach. And yes, it was a big deal.
Joy Even On The Worst Days
Africa-where the Lord called me to serve. Without even thinking about it or analyzing it, I said yes. There is an unspeakable joy I’ve had in my life, even on my worst days that I’ve never had before that can only be filled by God’s plan and purpose for my life. This was my second trip to eSwatini (formerly Swaziland). It was just as life-changing as the first time, if not more. The first time was taking it all in and seeing the large impact Heart for Africa has on the community, but this time my trip felt most impacted by where the Lord has called me – to the Khutsala artisans. I walked into the room, and here’s what I saw – smiles and excitement on the 100 artisans faces. Then Ncobile, Heart for Africa’s Hospitality Manager, introduced me. This was my first time being on a trip and being a Heart for Africa employee. They definitely made me feel more than welcome. They gave me a special sign, and despite the language barrier, the smiles and warmth on their faces communicated everything. I wish I could have bottled up that moment. My heart breaks for the stories I hear; for the woman that fears for her life another unable to care for her unborn baby a gentleman caring for a household of 13 children with an old gogo (grandma) since the mom passed away Healing happens as burdens are released when these artisans perform work at Khutsala. The Lord continues to work in their lives. He’s providing an opportunity for joy in the midst of tough circumstances. I am blown away by their skills, stories, love, and unshakable faith. We all immediately think about those beautiful 226 children at Project Canaan, but the truth is that it’s so much more. Heart for Africa is changing the country; providing hope and job opportunities, rescuing babies and children, teaching lifelong skills, providing opportunities, feeding children and adults in the community, educating children and adults on Project Canaan and the community and performing some unspeakable miracles all upon the foundation of Jesus Christ as the center of it all. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” – Matthew 25:35-36 (NIV)
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.
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!
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?
Girls, Noise, and Jesus
I have two teenage sons. They are AWESOME! We play sports together, go to events, eat great food, and get along great. My wife, Rachelle. for the past 4 years has held a high school girls Lifegroup at our house. For those who don’t have girls, they are LOUD! When 6-8 of them gather at our house, the volume level goes from a 2 to a 10! Even our male dog runs to my office or to my car to get away from the noise ? Here’s what I’ve seen over the last 4 years with this group…. 1. These girls LOVE Jesus! They have a great mentor in my wife, Rachelle, but their love for Jesus is their own. And they love BIG! 2. These girls support each other! Three of the girls who have graduated and are now in college still text and encourage each other every day. In addition, they also text and encourage the others still in high school. What a great example of connecting and community! 3. These girls serve! Every single one serves on Sunday and all have served outside the walls of the church, some even halfway around the world in Africa. Here is a picture of them serving at Heart for Africa in Swaziland, Africa. 4. These girls share their faith. This summer one of the girls made the decision to accept Christ and be baptized. There were a 20 plus high school students and youth leaders there to cheer her on. Every day the girls are inviting their friends to check out who Jesus is. They don’t hide their faith, They share it openly. What a great example to us all! The moral to the story… Even though the volume in our house goes UP every so often, the growth in Christ that is happening amongst these teenagers is incredible! I’m so proud to see this great group head off to college and change the world and share their faith with so many. So proud! Oh…by the way…once school gets started again, my wife,Rachelle, will lead a whole new group. If you see me and the dog out walking in the neighborhood, you now know why. We are getting away from the noise and also thanking God for it!
People Are Brilliant
One of my most trusted mentors and friends in life has said to me thousands of times… “People are Brilliant.” His point is that God made each person, He made you, with a specific talent that is brilliant. I’m lucky enough to be in a position to help people use those talents for the Lord. Too many times in our world, we point out the flaws in others rather than pointing out their strengths. Think about that for a moment. Is your focus on the flaws or the strengths? Kingdom Assignment Challenge Kingdom Assignments are when our church gives cash to people so they can use it to make a difference in their community and beyond. This Kingdom Assignment is part of the Get Off Your Donkey series, based on the story of the Good Samaritan who got off of his donkey to serve. The Village is now 60 days into the 90 day Kingdom Assignment Challenge. The fun started on April 5th when we handed out $100 bills to 55 people who were ready to step out and make a difference. Here are the 3 parameters to using the Kingdom Assignment money: 1. The money isn’t yours, it’s God’s. 2. Do something outside the walls of the church to help others. 3. Report back in 90 days on what you did. The stories have been pouring in daily and it’s been so much fun to see what God is doing through His people! One family who has a heart for kids who have to be in the hospital for a long time had this to say… ” The Smith family would like to thank The Village for letting us take the “Get Off Your Donkey” Kingdom Assignment Challenge. We took $100 and turned it into this… 29 goodie bags overflowing with amazing things for kids in the hospital , 1 special bag for a local boy battling leukemia, and plenty of prizes for the games offered at Lurie Children’s Hospital. We asked on Facebook for others to get in on this movement and we were overwhelmed with monetary donations (totaling $190) and many generous gifts such as books, games, puzzles, toys, etc.” Allow God To Work Through You I’m reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6…. “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” I am confident that God has a plan for your life, a good work in store for you to do. Be confident that He will set you up to carry that plan on to completion. God thinks you’re brilliant. You are brilliant. He gave you specific strengths to use for others. Lean into those and watch God work in amazing ways! I can’t wait to celebrate how God will work through you!
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.
Prayer – What Is It? Part 1
We all need to know about prayer! God gave the gift of prayer to us so we can stay in touch with him. Many people desire to pray but do not know how. They may even feel like they are unworthy to pray because of certain things they have done in their lives that causes them to feel as though God will not forgive them. Scripture says this about forgiveness: If we confess our sins, he is just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar. 1 John 9-10 Prayer is like talking to your best friend on the phone. It’s very easy to talk to someone when you know they love you. Yes, Jesus loves you even more than you can imagine! The Bible tells us: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 Prayer is the way we communicate with God. It’s a time for you to talk to God as your friend. A time to tell Him what’s in your heart, what you’re thinking, feeling and struggling with. The Bible encourages us in our daily walk with Christ and helps us to experience the power of prayer. We read our Bible and talk to the Lord in that process, with that in mind! We learn how to pray, we learn why we should pray, and also learn God’s purpose for our life. If you desire or would like to experience life change, life growth, and life purpose, then open up the gift of communication. You do not need a cell phone for this call. This is a direct wireless line to have a little talk to our Lord through prayer. Learn more About Prayer Note: This is the first in a series of blogs on Prayer. Read Part 2.
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?
Listen and Obey
I’ve learned so much about Heart for Africa, that without even going there, I fell in love with the mission. God placed it on my heart to get involved. Then I made the choice to listen and obey even though I had no idea why. That has been one of the BEST decisions of my life. I had the opportunity to travel to Heart for Africa open up to me in August, and I gladly said yes. I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know, God knew there would be MUCH more for me to learn and experience. The most profound experience on my trip was having the opportunity to rescue a baby in a hopeless situation. The mother gave birth on a Friday and died Monday of malaria. There was no formula or means to feed him. Without Heart for Africa taking him in, he would have died. We found out about Wilson from a social worker giving Heart for Africa a call; that’s how they find out what babies need a home. Through this time, the presence of God was evident. The power of prayer helped the family slowly hand over the baby, which was difficult since it was the last thing they had to remember their sister/daughter. Watching God answer our prayers in a critical time allowed my faith to go even deeper. There were so many little signs throughout that 6-hour journey that He was present. For example, the baby’s name in Swazi is Lindani, meaning “we’ve been waiting for you,” and we waited 45 minutes in the hospital parking lot and 30 minutes at the homestead. Then on the way back, we crossed a river that was the same name as the town where Janine Maxwell (the co-founder of Heart for Africa) and her childhood friend, Lori (pictured). Please pray and ask what can you do to get involved. Maybe it’s holding babies, gathering donations, selling ornaments, taking the trip, or giving a monetary donation. I can tell you one thing from my experience: listen and obey. It doesn’t have to all make sense, for there is a purpose for you and He needs you to play your part. Find your joy in obedience. “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.” Psalm 103:20 (NIV)
GivingTuesday – Give in Gratitude
Have you heard of #givingtuesday? Here’s a challenge for you, and it starts like this… Yesterday was a fun day a church. A friend told me that he was able to sell his house and move into another. He was so grateful that he decided to give a special gift. In gratitude to God, he gave a special gift of $2000 to Destiny Rescue, a mission that rescues girls from human trafficking in Cambodia and Thailand. On #GivingTuesday I can’t think of a better cause to give towards. In 2016, Destiny Rescue rescued 485 girls out of human trafficking. In 2017, they are well past this number of rescues and anticipate being close to 600 girls rescued! Take a moment to think about that. 600 young girls being rescued from human trafficking! Incredible! The key part to the rescue is the after care. After care includes a home to live in, food for each day, emotional and physical counseling, an opportunity to learn a new trade, and then a transition back into society. The goal is to get the girls to a point where they will not return to trafficking. While the increasing number of rescues is outstanding, the funds for after care are not enough to handle the amount of rescues. So…will you consider making a $20 gift to The Village that will go directly to Destiny Rescue? Here’s the challenge: If we can get 100 people to donate $20 each, that will be $2000 going to provide after care for these young girls rescued from human trafficking! We add that to my friend’s generous $2000 gift and we have a total of $4000 to donate to this life changing mission! This is a challenge for #GivingTuesday only so act now! You can give at The Village Christian Church. All gifts are 100% tax deductible. Share this with your friends so we can hit our goal! Give Now
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
Memorial Day Thank You
On this Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those that have given their lives for our country. We think about those that will give their lives in the future as we defend freedom. Thank you to Congressman Adam Kinzinger for summing it up so well!