I vividly remember the first day we brought Lindsay home from the hospital. We set her down in her car seat (she was still asleep)…we looked at eat other and thought/said, “What now?” We were new, young parents with the awesome responsibility of caring for and raising another human being (you have to pass a test to drive a car, but not a parent?). There was a mix of emotions ranging from excitement to terror at what lay ahead. Could we do this? What were we supposed to do now? What had we gotten ourselves into? Where are the Doritos?

As I sit here in the church during my first day I am struck by the similarities. The responsibility is not quite the same magnitude, but it’s awesome none-the-less. The same questions are running through my head. I want to do this right…I want to focus on the right things and not just be about programs and curriculum. I want God to lead the way, not the other way around. I have a list, but is it God’s list?

My prayer is truly to be about God’s business and not my own. I want Him to take the lead and I want to follow. I know I can’t do this in my own power. I need Him.

The similarities don’t stop with the questions and the doubts…

We need God to help us raise our kids…it’s not a solo job.

I need God to help me do this “job” (there has to be a better word than that)…it’s not a solo flight either.

I’m excited about what lies ahead. Today has already been a good day and the calendar is starting to fill up…meeting with the people who are doing the real work in the trenches and starting to build the framework of support for our growth (spiritually and numerically).

We figured most of it out with Lindsay (we’re still in the process)…I’ll figure it out here. Because I’m not alone. Thank God!

The sermon this week was about the power of community…taking from two stories in Exodus: the Battle with the Amalekites and Jethro’s Advice for Moses. We talked about the importance of living in community with another because that’s how God has made us. We need one another to help carry our burdens, helps us when we fall down, and fight our spiritual battles.

We don’t get to be “Lone Rangers” in our spiritual journey…we need share the journey with others.

For more, please take a listen to the sermon podcast.

This last Sunday (October 25) I had the privilege of preaching on the 10 Plagues as we continue our sermon series through the book of Exodus. The sermon is entitled American Idol: Egyptian Style and focused on the idol worship God was confronting and attacking with each of the 10 plagues against Egypt.

We all have idols—things that take God’s place in our lives…but God never leaves them alone and He requires that we turn our hearts toward Him and lay our idols down. Sometimes our idols are bad things (i.e.: pride, pornography, etc) and sometimes they aren’t (i.e.: work, family, etc). Regardless, we need to keep our relationship with God the most important part of our lives. Our hearts are prone to wander and we need to come back to our Father daily…He’s waiting with open arms.

For more detail, please listen to the Sermon Podcast

I got a good reminder this morning about living in community. It isn’t a new earth-shattering, light-bulb moment…just a good reminder that we need community. We need other people. And none of us is perfect. Here’s how McManus put it (better than I can)…

“Love always grows, not just deeper, but wider. Love always loves people more and always loves more people. Love calls us to community; love calls us to humanity; love calls us to each other.

A healthy community is not a place of perfect people. That place does not exist. We are all flawed. If there is a perfect community, it would be ruined the moment I joined it…strangely enough, the best opportunity for building meaningful relationships is admitting up front that you’re not perfect and that you’ve got issues. Honesty is the only context in which intimacy can develop.” (Soul Cravings, Erwin McManus, Entry 16).

So here goes…

I’m not perfect.

I’ve got issues.

There…I said it…I admit it.

I need other people in m life pushing me to grow closer to Christ. I need to be pushing others too. Thankfully, I am part of a community that does just that. They love me anyway. I love them anyway. It works.

I have mentioned before that I have been reading Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning as part of my morning routine, and couple weeks ago I read a statement he made that me say “OUCH!” (I even wrote that in the margin). It’s one of those truisms that hurts because it’s true. And it’s a statement I wish I had made myself…but I give credit where it’s due.

Here’s the statement (from page 129):

The number of people who have fled the church because it is too patient or compassionate is negligible; the number who have fled because they find it too unforgiving is tragic.

Like I said “Ouch!” It hurts because there is to much truth here. And I am sure I have contributed to the problem, but I am determined to do my part to be “too” patient and compassionate instead of too unforgiving. This is the same issue that Jesus confronted and it plagues the church yet today.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can all do our part to love one another and show compassion to a world that’s dying for a little love.

I had the privilege of preaching again this past Sunday—and on the first day of our new first service, “reFresh Cafe”. My passage was John 21 and I focused on the interaction between Jesus and Peter (his “reinstatement”). In this interaction, Jesus draws a parallel between our love for Him and our love for one another. You can’t have one without the other. Our love for others flows out of our love for Him, and our love for others is evidence of our love for Him.

Until I got to studying this passage I hadn’t always made that connection. Love God…check. Love Others…check. Love Others out of my Love for God….hmmm….not so sure about that one. I prefer to love others out of my own strength and ability. As usual…I still have plenty to work on!

Listen to the sermon podcast.

Pastor Ray used this powerful video in his message this past Sunday and I just had to share it. It has a powerful message displayed in a unique (and powerful) way. Enough said…take a look if you haven’t seen this before (and even if you have…it’s a good reminder)…

This is the Truth

Last week, at the beginning of our Spring Break trek through Kansas and Missouri, I got the privilege to preach in Grant’s new church in Topeka, KS: Western Hills Baptist Church. I had a great time. Great church. Great people. Great worship.

The sermon was on John 8:1-11, the woman caught in adultery. Grant is currently going through a sermon series entitled “conversations” that is focused on conversations that Jesus had with various people in the book of John…life changing conversations.

In my sermon, the focus is on these words that Jesus speaks to this woman after her accusers have left (after He makes them look foolish): “Neither do I condemn you.” I still have a hard time hearing this from God. I would much rather carry around my guilt than accept his scandalous forgiveness. It’s hard to hear these words and really accept them, but He means it.

I. Don’t. Condemn. You.

He loves us just the way we are…and too much to leave us there!

Here is the audio of the sermon if you really want to torture yourself:

Conversations: A Guilty Pawn

This past Sunday I had the distinct honor and pleasure to preach at our church (Pinecrest Community Church). Now, I have preach many sermons but it had been a long time and I hadn’t preach at this church. I wasn’t nervous, but I was reminded a few times (by a close and dear friend of mine) that I really should not suck if at all possible.

Upon reflection, I do not think I sucked. You can judge for yourself by listening to the podcast. Since it has been awhile since I preached there were a few little cobwebs and a returning to some old habits, but all in all God did His thing and I just tried to let Him speak and be His conduit. It was fun…I truly love teaching and preaching.

What do I need to improve? Where do I begin? The big thing I want to focus on is slowing down and using silence. I got this feedback from both of our pastors and it’s a bad habit I have worked very hard to break (my very first sermon was over in like 5 minutes instead of the 20 it should have taken…those poor people!). Speaking is a craft and it takes some honing. The more you do it, and focus on getting better, the better it gets.

For those of you that heard me…I welcome constructive criticism. I just hope and pray that God continues to us me for His glory! It’s fun when you’re doing what He has called you to do.

There is something about this morning that has me looking forward to worshiping God in community more than usual.

I am expectant. I am excited. And I can’t really explain why.

Being ready for and excited about Sunday morning is nothing new or unusual for me…I love our church and the people and the music and the pastors…you get the picture. But this morning holds even more expectation and inner-stirring than normal.

God will be there (of course He’s here too…but it’s different among a group of people who love Him and are praising Him together). So I will get up, spend some personally time with God and then go be part of His church. I think this is how God wants us to feel heading into worship (corporate and personal).

It is going to be a great day!

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the Lord.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
Psalm 84:1-2, NLT