I can see the finish line!!!

If you would have spoken with me a few weeks ago, I would tell you that I was unsure how I would finish all my work before the deadline. But, as of this morning, my capstone paper is finished and off to editing! This is so good! I have one more paper to write, but I have confidence I will get it done on time.

God has been so good and faithful to me through this program. What a blessing. I can honestly say I am not the same person I was three years ago. I am pastoring a church in Iowa. Three years ago I would have said you were crazy. And yet here I am.

God is funny that way as he prepares us for His plans for us. I often think I have a hold of where we are going, and then off in a new direction the Spirit leads. Thank you Lord for your goodness and faithfulness to me and my family.

Easter Week

This Sunday is Easter Sunday. I am actually very excited as this is my first Easter as pastor here at Salem Friends. We are going to have a communion good Friday service on Friday. Then on Sunday morning we have a joint sunrise service with the other church in town. Following that we have a breakfast with the same group, and then we have our normal Easter morning service on Sunday.

It is certainly very busy trying to get caught up with school and prepare for extra services. But I am full of joy and excited because it is Easter for goodness sakes! What else can I do but rejoice.

As I prepare for the message on Sunday, I want it to be uplifting and encouraging. I do not want to sugar coat truth, but I want people to leave fired up. I am thinking I will talk about why we are all a blessed people in the risen Christ. We do not have to be blessed, because we are already blessed. This is good news!

Ministry Fair

This Sunday we are having a ministry fair at the church. The idea is for each committee to share what God is doing within their particular ministry influence. I do not know if every one understands exactly what we are doing, but the point it to inspire people to get involved wherever God may be pressing on their hearts. I am praying that is has some level of success. I also pray that in will be inspirational to those putting the booths together. I pray they will see how God is working throughout the ministries of the church.

I am also presenting a new leadership structure on Sunday. Man I hope it goes well. I believe God has given me this vision and I hope it is carried out without to much backlash. We shall see.

Pastor's Short Course

This past week we had IAYM Pastor's Short Course. I am so grateful to be part of a network of pastor's outside of Salem. I am also blessed and grateful that several of the pastor's in this network are good friends of mine. I enjoy the comradery, as well as the opportunity to share about what God is doing within the different churches, and how we can better follow God in our own leadership.

Cairistiona and I discovered that it is difficult to travel with two children. We love our kids, but they do not sleep well together in the same room. They have the tendency to wake each other up. However, even though it made for a few long nights, we have returned home refreshed.

Discipleship Group

I have a couple of guys that wanted to start a discipleship group together. I searched for a book and was not sure if it was going to be good or not. I know that discipleship is more than a book, but we needed some sort of structure. So I bought a book called Discipleship Essentials. I am so glad I did. It has been incredible. It is perfect for a new believer seeking to know how to go deeper with God.

Both of the guys are doing well and our first conversation today blew me away. God is so good. I pray the Lord continues to bless this time that I am having with these guys, and that they grow deep in their relationship with Christ.

Powerful Sunday

Wow, Sunday was a powerful service. God was certainly doing something new withing the hearts of people at Salem Friends Church. I cannot put my finger on what was different, but something changed.

My prayer is that this will not just be an event, but will be the start of something new. A new wine skin as it were. We talked about manure pits, and being redeemed. God help us to be a redeemed people who seek to take part in loving and serving others while bringing them to you to be redeemed themselves..

Next Sunday we talk about compassion. This is where the rubber hits the road. This is where our faith and deeds collide. May it be so. Amen!

Back in the Swing of Things

It has taken a while to get re-acclimated to Iowa. Colorado felt like a weird trip, but it feels a little now like we stepped back a few paces from where we were when we left. After being back a week, it is starting to get better.

Always busy, I am fearful for the final projects in each class as well as the capstone project. This is a lot of work. I am not sure where to begin. Lord please help me stay balanced in the midst of chaos. I pray you help me get the job done, and to get it done well. And then... pay back student loans. Yay! Not. :(

Last Day

Today was the last day of F2F. I will not be back to Quaker Ridge for a while. I took a picture to remember that wonderful place. I have so many good memories their both with people and with God. I am truly thankful for how He has worked in my life through that place.

It was sad to leave. I was anxious to see my family, but we will not be in that place again together like that. I am thankful for graduation to be able to see those wonderful people, but after that... disband. A bit sad. Thank God for heaven.

Weird F2F

This is the last F2F we will have and it has been a little weird. Normally their is a lot of time spent together at night. However, this year the evenings seem to be quiet. People are choosing to relax in their rooms or find quiet places to be alone to work or pray. This is not inherently bad, but different from times past.

It is hard to be away from Iowa right now because it did feel like we were gaining some ground. Now we are back in CO and I am afraid we will get out of sync again. Ezra has been sick all week, and my wife is frustrated. She is not enjoying this visit at the moment because she cannot do what she wants to do: hang with her family.

Lord please help Ezra to get better soon. Bless our time at home. Amen.

Gaining Ground

I cannot believe that we have been in Iowa for almost 6 months. Looking back at the last half year, time has flown by. It has taken a while, but I finally feel like we are starting to gain some ground and lay some foundational work.

I am working with the leadership of the church to restructure ourselves in such a way that we can be more effective in ministry. I have composed a leadership structure document that will be presented at the next business meeting. Lord I pray that they can catch the vision.

Ministry with individuals seems to finally be taking some root as well. We had an incredible break through with a couple Cairistiona and I have been meeting with. Also others are beginner to show signs of growth.

Friendships are becoming more natural as well. I am meeting regularly with other pastors in the area and this is a huge answer to prayer and a blessing.

I am thankful for all of this because I know it the God who does it and not me. Thank you Lord!!!

To Believe is more than a thought

“Trusting Christ does not take the form of merely believing certain things about him. Moreover, knowing the “right answers” does not mean we truly believe them. To believe them means that we are set to act as if these “right answers” are true. Perhaps the hardest thing for sincere Christians to come to grips with is the level of real unbelief in their own lives: the unformulated skepticism about Jesus that permeates all dimensions of their being and undermines the efforts they do make toward Christlikeness.”

Excerpt From:
Willard, Dallas. “Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice.” NavPress. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

God can be funny sometimes. I was just thinking about this yesterday, and then read about it during my evening devotions. I grew up in the church and therefore, know a lot of "Christian stuff." I even preach and teach about it all the time. The trouble is, sometimes I wonder if I really believe it. 

Do not get me wrong, I am not turning my back on the Lord or anything to that degree, but I tell people to let go of everything and run to Christ. Then I come home to all my safety and comforts. I cling to the things that are not necessarily bad, but are still worldly.  If I truly believe that Christ was all I need, wouldn't I be more willing to give these pathetic comfort and pleasures up?

I do believe Lord. May my actions show it. May my life show it. May my integrity show it.

I Will Boast...

The Lord really called out the word "boast" to me yesterday. It is funny because he brought that same work up to Cairistiona. To boast is to talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities. There is a lot I could boast about, but I am certain it is not beneficial. Lord, what all are you trying to tell us here?

I can take pride in a lot of things. I can like my clothes, my house, my material possessions, my family, my friends, even my ministry. But Scripture tells me to boast in nothing outside of Christ. The truth is everything I have and do is because He gave it to me. So why on earth would I boast about anything else? 

Lord help me to boast only in you. My my sense of self worth, dignity, and value be placed in boasting in you and not my stuff. This is something I know but needs to penetrate my heart. Holy Spirit I pray that you will root this in my heart that I would live up to boasting only in the name of Jesus.

Secret Service

“Serving those who never thank us and doing it for the love of Jesus can retrain us against our desire to be noticed or appreciated”

Excerpt From:
Willard, Dallas. “Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice.” NavPress. iBooks. 
This material may be protected by copyright.

I know for myself, I often desire for others to notice the work I am doing. If I do not get recognized, or if I don't feel appreciated, I find myself frustrated. I decide in my heart that it's not worth it. 

The reality is that if I am mature in Christ, I come to the realization that my efforts are not for my own glory, but for the glory if God. If this is true, then how people react to what I am doing ceases to matter. 

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:2-4 NIV)

Leadership Structure

I am working out a new leadership structure for Salem Friends. Currently, we have a monthly meeting every month. My idea is to have a Bi-monthly business meeting. On the off months, the leaders of the committees will gather together.

The purpose behind this shift to to give me an opportunity to bring unity and vision to our leadership core. My hope is to be able to invest in the spiritual lives of these leaders, and for them to be able to share with each other where God is leading them. It gives them an opportunity to talk with each other about their individual ministry, and hopefully help us to move in one direction as a church.

I am sure this idea is going to be hit with some opposition. But for me, it is important to invest in the lives of the leaders. I don't know how else to do it. I do not want to add an additional meeting to the meetings already in place. We will see how this goes.

Lord, I pray for unity in Salem Friends, and direction to operate well out of the gifts you have blessed us with.

Another Funeral!

I have been a part of more funerals than months I have been a Pastor. Transparently Salem is the place to have a funeral service and the Salem cemetery is the spot to be barred for this region. I am starting to get excited to have a few weddings on the horizon, but I am a little worn from all the funerals.

God is good. It is great to have the opportunity to serve people through the death of a loved one. I have discovered that it is a great time to share the Gospel. People need to hear it and death opens closed ears.

Lord I continue to pray for rest and balance. Pastoring is hard. Give us strength and equip us to do your will in this place.

Final round: searching for balance

   As I begin my last semester is the masters program, I find myself continuing in my search for balance. Balance if school, church, and family. Whenever I seem to have the leg up on one, another one slips through he cracks. And in the midst of all that, God should remain the priority. Oh how I can't let that go.

   Lord, I pray for balance. I pray to keep you my priority. I pray for wisdom to live as you have called me to live.