I love change. I love to mix things up. I love new technology. I am all about finding the newest, the latest, the greatest. These days it is nearly impossible to keep up with all the new things coming out all the time.
Why do we always look for the new best thing? Why do we feel the need to fill our lives with the latest? As we were singing a worship song in church last night, I was struck by the words. They were about Jesus, the precious Lamb of God, who was slain on our behalf. Jesus died to take away the sins of the world, and through Him we have the opportunity to enter into an eternal relationship with God.
That is the oldest story in the world! It is the same story that was told in Genesis 3:15. It is the same story we read in all the Gospels. It is the same story we hear preached around the world today. Why doesn't it ever get old? What drives us to show up at church 1 or 2 times a week to sing about and preach about the same old story week after week, year after year? The story never changes, yet it never gets old!
Maybe it is because this story is the only story that is able to fully satisfy the deepest longings and needs within each one of us. Maybe it is because this story is true, and there is no other truth. It is complete, it is satisfying, and it does not need to be changed in any way.
While I love all the new things the world is marketing, I would never trade all the latest and greatest for the story of God sending His own Son to die for me--so that I could experience eternity with him. If you've never asked Jesus to save you from sin, do it now.
September 27, 2007
September 25, 2007
Caffeine
Our staff took the last couple of days to gather at the beach and dream. It's been quite an amazing experience. Twelve totally different people sitting around a table for two days can produce some pretty amazing results.
Our Executive Pastor Paul Allen was kind enough to bring along his fancy shmancy Starbucks coffee maker. He gladly filled orders for mocha's and chai. It was great!
That night Pastor Rob started complaining about a headache - but we pressed on. The next morning we all placed our orders again, enjoying every last drop of coffee and chai. Then sometime around noon, Mike Cruse spoke up -- "Paul, do you have anything that is not decaf?" I thought for a second, realizing what was going on. By this time there were about 4 or 5 of us with major headaches coming on. I said "Are you telling me all that coffee we've been drinking is decaf?" Paul said "Yup." It was at that moment that all of us with headaches realized what was going on! We were suffering for caffeine withdrawals!
There, now you know, half of the staff at Southbrook Church is addicted to caffeine.
Our Executive Pastor Paul Allen was kind enough to bring along his fancy shmancy Starbucks coffee maker. He gladly filled orders for mocha's and chai. It was great!
That night Pastor Rob started complaining about a headache - but we pressed on. The next morning we all placed our orders again, enjoying every last drop of coffee and chai. Then sometime around noon, Mike Cruse spoke up -- "Paul, do you have anything that is not decaf?" I thought for a second, realizing what was going on. By this time there were about 4 or 5 of us with major headaches coming on. I said "Are you telling me all that coffee we've been drinking is decaf?" Paul said "Yup." It was at that moment that all of us with headaches realized what was going on! We were suffering for caffeine withdrawals!
There, now you know, half of the staff at Southbrook Church is addicted to caffeine.
September 21, 2007
Dream It Anyway
Martina McBride sings a song called "Do It Anyway." I think it's a great song. And yes, I like country music. "Hate me if you want to, love me if you can."
Anyway, one of the lines from her song goes like this:
Pastor Rob has been asking us as a staff to dream. To dream about the future of Southbrook Church. To dream about what God could do, and what we would love to see happen in our various ministries at the church.
I had a dream not too long ago. I hadn't really thought about it has a dream until just this week:
Two years ago I moved my family from Las Vegas, NV to the Charlotte, NC area so that I could complete my seminary studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary. We sold our home, loaded a moving truck, and drove over 2000 miles. We had no job. We had no idea what the future would hold. But we were following a dream - to finally finish school.
Soon after moving here, we were introduced to Southbrook Community Church. As we walked out of the first service we attended, I remember thinking in my head - "I want to be a part of this staff. I want to join forces with Southbrook, and work with this amazing group of people."
As I look back, I realize how far fetched that was. It scared me - I certainly wasn't as cool or smart or qualified as I needed to be. There was no way that this was humanly possible. There were no openings on staff. The church wasn't hiring. But I continued to dream it.
A few months later I was able to schedule a lunch meeting with Pastor Rob. We discussed ministry. I told him I wanted to work at Southbrook Church, and I would do it for free. He told me to just "get involved in a ministry, join a small group, take the classes, and we'll see where that goes."
So I signed up to play guitar with the worship team, I started a small group, I took the classes.
A few months later I found out that a staff position had opened up. So I sent Paul Allen and email, we met for coffee, chatted about it, and the next thing I know I am supposed to be organizing and starting small groups. I was on staff part-time (dream half realized). Now I was really scared. I completed school in May (woohoo! It only took me ten years). We made it through the summer, and then it happened - I was asked to come on staff full time.
I remember walking to my car this week thinking through the last two years. I remember very clearly saying to myself two years ago "I want to join this staff, and ministry here." God took that dream and has given me the privilege of being a part of the Southbrook staff. I am humbled, and I am grateful. I am also overwhelmed and scared out of my mind. Which I have learned is a good thing. God won't be able to use me to accomplish His will if I think I have everything under control.
Southbrook Church - I love you guys. I look forward to dreaming with you about the future. I can't wait to see the amazing things God has for us just around the corner.
Anyway, one of the lines from her song goes like this:
"You CAN chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway"
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway"
Pastor Rob has been asking us as a staff to dream. To dream about the future of Southbrook Church. To dream about what God could do, and what we would love to see happen in our various ministries at the church.
I had a dream not too long ago. I hadn't really thought about it has a dream until just this week:
Two years ago I moved my family from Las Vegas, NV to the Charlotte, NC area so that I could complete my seminary studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary. We sold our home, loaded a moving truck, and drove over 2000 miles. We had no job. We had no idea what the future would hold. But we were following a dream - to finally finish school.
Soon after moving here, we were introduced to Southbrook Community Church. As we walked out of the first service we attended, I remember thinking in my head - "I want to be a part of this staff. I want to join forces with Southbrook, and work with this amazing group of people."
As I look back, I realize how far fetched that was. It scared me - I certainly wasn't as cool or smart or qualified as I needed to be. There was no way that this was humanly possible. There were no openings on staff. The church wasn't hiring. But I continued to dream it.
A few months later I was able to schedule a lunch meeting with Pastor Rob. We discussed ministry. I told him I wanted to work at Southbrook Church, and I would do it for free. He told me to just "get involved in a ministry, join a small group, take the classes, and we'll see where that goes."
So I signed up to play guitar with the worship team, I started a small group, I took the classes.
A few months later I found out that a staff position had opened up. So I sent Paul Allen and email, we met for coffee, chatted about it, and the next thing I know I am supposed to be organizing and starting small groups. I was on staff part-time (dream half realized). Now I was really scared. I completed school in May (woohoo! It only took me ten years). We made it through the summer, and then it happened - I was asked to come on staff full time.
I remember walking to my car this week thinking through the last two years. I remember very clearly saying to myself two years ago "I want to join this staff, and ministry here." God took that dream and has given me the privilege of being a part of the Southbrook staff. I am humbled, and I am grateful. I am also overwhelmed and scared out of my mind. Which I have learned is a good thing. God won't be able to use me to accomplish His will if I think I have everything under control.
Southbrook Church - I love you guys. I look forward to dreaming with you about the future. I can't wait to see the amazing things God has for us just around the corner.
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