What should we do on a Monday Night? Well, we decided to go out to a ball park and watch our Co-ED softball team play. What fun. the team has so much fun.. they tease each other, have some light banter with umpire and some interesting conversation with opponents. There were a few dropped balls, but some nice plays in the field to make up for it. There were some really big hits... and some not so big along the way.
But the best thing was that these people were playing NEXT to someone. The fellowship is sweet and fun. They encouraged each other and watch out for each other. They really like each other... and they share life together.
To get NEXT to somone does not mean you only do it in classes or groups. Those are the big ways we do it....but there are lots of others... like Summer Health Challenge, Softball, Basketball, exercise groups and many more.
It was fun to see this group of people having lots of fun. I know their hearts and they were there to represent christ and his church and to have fun....
Sounds like it is the way it should be.
Charlie
Monday, August 09, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
HE TAUGHT ME.....
Today, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of special people. Aboout 30 people (young and older) are part of a group called NETT. They are so awesome. Some people might sell them short, thinking that they do not have alot to contribute to a church, a school or even a family. They are the most loving and accepting group I have ever been around. No agenda's or demands... just love. Over the past few years, they have come to our church for special nights every month and a week long camp during the summer.
There are several adults and teenagers who work with them year around...I just love those adults and sponsors... they have such a love for what some might call "the least of these."
Anyway, our theme was "born to be wild." I know this may be a surprise, but I am not exactly a "wild and crazy" guy. But we did some funky and fun things... and then talked about the "wildest" guy in the Bible. John the Baptist had a weird wardrobe, ate some really strange food, and lived in a place no one wanted to live in. But the wildest thing about John was that he always pointed people to Jesus. That was a wild message! It was all about Jesus.
My friends loved the story. They listened so well, laughed hard and they got it! We did motions, told stories and reminded ourselves that everyone needs to talk about Jesus more than they talk about themselves. In the middle of my talk one of the guys burst into tears. I kept going, but one of the sponsors took him out and talked with him. Then following my talk, she came to me and said that he wanted to talk with me. So we went into a side room and talked about his life. It is a tough life. Not alot pretty about it all. Except for one thing. He said to me, "I saw Jesus and He told me that He would be with me. I don't need to be afraid."
WOW! I had tears in my eyes. So much to to deal with, and yet it all boiled down to what Jesus had told him. That was what was getting him through the day.
We prayed, talked some more and he seemed better.
And so was I. I was not the teacher today... I was the student. I needed to hear Jesus what Jesus said to my new friend. "I will be with you. You don't need to be afraid."
Alot of you have HUGE things on your plate... and I know that you sometimes wonder...really wonder... "Is Jesus there?" I have been there. Self doubt, hurtful friends and family, disappointment, goals not met, and sometimes just the junk of life overwhelm us all. And we wonder...
There are some big things on my plate right now... but alot of people have ALOT bigger things on thier plates. The great thing is that there is no plate too big for Jesus. He keeps everyone of his promises...all the time.
"And I will be with you always...even to the end of the age." He said that to some disciples right before He went back to heaven. But he meant it for me... for my friend... AND FOR YOU.
Special thanks to my new friend was my teacher today....:)
There are several adults and teenagers who work with them year around...I just love those adults and sponsors... they have such a love for what some might call "the least of these."
Anyway, our theme was "born to be wild." I know this may be a surprise, but I am not exactly a "wild and crazy" guy. But we did some funky and fun things... and then talked about the "wildest" guy in the Bible. John the Baptist had a weird wardrobe, ate some really strange food, and lived in a place no one wanted to live in. But the wildest thing about John was that he always pointed people to Jesus. That was a wild message! It was all about Jesus.
My friends loved the story. They listened so well, laughed hard and they got it! We did motions, told stories and reminded ourselves that everyone needs to talk about Jesus more than they talk about themselves. In the middle of my talk one of the guys burst into tears. I kept going, but one of the sponsors took him out and talked with him. Then following my talk, she came to me and said that he wanted to talk with me. So we went into a side room and talked about his life. It is a tough life. Not alot pretty about it all. Except for one thing. He said to me, "I saw Jesus and He told me that He would be with me. I don't need to be afraid."
WOW! I had tears in my eyes. So much to to deal with, and yet it all boiled down to what Jesus had told him. That was what was getting him through the day.
We prayed, talked some more and he seemed better.
And so was I. I was not the teacher today... I was the student. I needed to hear Jesus what Jesus said to my new friend. "I will be with you. You don't need to be afraid."
Alot of you have HUGE things on your plate... and I know that you sometimes wonder...really wonder... "Is Jesus there?" I have been there. Self doubt, hurtful friends and family, disappointment, goals not met, and sometimes just the junk of life overwhelm us all. And we wonder...
There are some big things on my plate right now... but alot of people have ALOT bigger things on thier plates. The great thing is that there is no plate too big for Jesus. He keeps everyone of his promises...all the time.
"And I will be with you always...even to the end of the age." He said that to some disciples right before He went back to heaven. But he meant it for me... for my friend... AND FOR YOU.
Special thanks to my new friend was my teacher today....:)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Thoughts on things that change and things that don't...
Mark Beeson is a preacher in Ohio who writes a blog that I follow. This week he made the following comments....
* In 2000, we sent 12 billion emails in a day. In 2010, we daily send 247 billion emails
* In 2000 there were 4 reality shows on TV. Today we have 320.
* In 2000, we sent 400,000 text messages. In 2010, we will send 4.5 billion.
* In 2000, we did 100 million Google searches a day. In 2010, we will do 2 billion searches every
day.
* We performed 0 ITUNES downloads in 2000. There will be 10 billion ITUNE downloads in
2010.
The digital revolution has changed so much about our world. There is no real way to escape it. It does not mean that we have to succumb to all of the temptations and negative things that the digital revolution brings. But the truth is that our world now thrives on instant communication and information. It has changed our economy, politics, and ministry. We will never go back to the way it was.
I think about this in relation to preaching. There is so much more out there to study from, to listen to, and to read. Christian bookselling has become a mega business. Now, E-Books are actually outselling the "old fashioned" kind of books. ( I do not have an E-book reader yet.)
All this change unnerves me in some ways. I find myself captured by the technology of our day, but still drawn to the simple things. There is a tension there that I am continually trying to balance. I am uneasy when I think about the next 10 years, wondering what kind of effect technology will have on my kids and grandkids. Will be good or bad? The likely answer is the same as what we could summarize about the last decade. It will be both. Technology is a tool. It is not the end itself. It can be used for good. ( i.e. communication with family, friends, missionaries across the world and more) It can be used for bad. ( huge time waster, pornography, false blogging etc.)
I know alot of people who have such difficulty with the pace of change in our culture. I am with you. I would like things to stay the same, as long as I get to say how things will stay the same. Somethings I want to change, other things I don't. Some technology I love... ( Skype, my IPHONE, IPOD, computers, and so much more. ) Some technology I do not like.
Today, I was listening to John Ortberg, ( On my IPOD while walking... talk about technology... I would have never been able to listen to a preacher from SF on my phone 10 years ago!). Anyway, in a sermon last fall, he said the following.... "I want to begin with two foundational truths that we all need to remember. First, "God is God," and second, "I am not."
It was so simple... yet it stopped me in my tracks. I needed the reminder. I think we should remember that technology is not God. But it is influencing our culture to the point that the church needs to leverage that technology or it risks being left behind... at the starting line... with no hope of catching up.
We also should not take our eye off the ball. As much as some things change, alot of things will never change.
- Man needs an answer to His sin and separation from God.
- That answer is Jesus.
- Grace rules the kingdom of God.
-Transformation can not happen alone, but only with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ is still about a Cross, about a Savior, a loving God and a needed
response from mankind. ( you and me) .
-Salvation is still about faith, repentance, confession and baptism. It all fits together just as well
today as it did in the first century.
So when you think that everything is changing, would you remember what is not changing. Even in the church, we are constantly changing things...( They are called methods.) But the MESSAGE... that is another story. It does not change. The old time gospel message has been around for 2000 years and will be around until the day Jesus comes back.
So hang on friends... go with the change and technology... just remember that God is in control... and what is most important in life will never change.
Beeson closes his post out with these words from scripture.
"When God wanted to guarentee his promises, he gave his word- a rock solide guarentee- God can't break His word.And because His word can not change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives for God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It is a unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God. " Hebrews 6:17-20
AMEN...
* In 2000, we sent 12 billion emails in a day. In 2010, we daily send 247 billion emails
* In 2000 there were 4 reality shows on TV. Today we have 320.
* In 2000, we sent 400,000 text messages. In 2010, we will send 4.5 billion.
* In 2000, we did 100 million Google searches a day. In 2010, we will do 2 billion searches every
day.
* We performed 0 ITUNES downloads in 2000. There will be 10 billion ITUNE downloads in
2010.
The digital revolution has changed so much about our world. There is no real way to escape it. It does not mean that we have to succumb to all of the temptations and negative things that the digital revolution brings. But the truth is that our world now thrives on instant communication and information. It has changed our economy, politics, and ministry. We will never go back to the way it was.
I think about this in relation to preaching. There is so much more out there to study from, to listen to, and to read. Christian bookselling has become a mega business. Now, E-Books are actually outselling the "old fashioned" kind of books. ( I do not have an E-book reader yet.)
All this change unnerves me in some ways. I find myself captured by the technology of our day, but still drawn to the simple things. There is a tension there that I am continually trying to balance. I am uneasy when I think about the next 10 years, wondering what kind of effect technology will have on my kids and grandkids. Will be good or bad? The likely answer is the same as what we could summarize about the last decade. It will be both. Technology is a tool. It is not the end itself. It can be used for good. ( i.e. communication with family, friends, missionaries across the world and more) It can be used for bad. ( huge time waster, pornography, false blogging etc.)
I know alot of people who have such difficulty with the pace of change in our culture. I am with you. I would like things to stay the same, as long as I get to say how things will stay the same. Somethings I want to change, other things I don't. Some technology I love... ( Skype, my IPHONE, IPOD, computers, and so much more. ) Some technology I do not like.
Today, I was listening to John Ortberg, ( On my IPOD while walking... talk about technology... I would have never been able to listen to a preacher from SF on my phone 10 years ago!). Anyway, in a sermon last fall, he said the following.... "I want to begin with two foundational truths that we all need to remember. First, "God is God," and second, "I am not."
It was so simple... yet it stopped me in my tracks. I needed the reminder. I think we should remember that technology is not God. But it is influencing our culture to the point that the church needs to leverage that technology or it risks being left behind... at the starting line... with no hope of catching up.
We also should not take our eye off the ball. As much as some things change, alot of things will never change.
- Man needs an answer to His sin and separation from God.
- That answer is Jesus.
- Grace rules the kingdom of God.
-Transformation can not happen alone, but only with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ is still about a Cross, about a Savior, a loving God and a needed
response from mankind. ( you and me) .
-Salvation is still about faith, repentance, confession and baptism. It all fits together just as well
today as it did in the first century.
So when you think that everything is changing, would you remember what is not changing. Even in the church, we are constantly changing things...( They are called methods.) But the MESSAGE... that is another story. It does not change. The old time gospel message has been around for 2000 years and will be around until the day Jesus comes back.
So hang on friends... go with the change and technology... just remember that God is in control... and what is most important in life will never change.
Beeson closes his post out with these words from scripture.
"When God wanted to guarentee his promises, he gave his word- a rock solide guarentee- God can't break His word.And because His word can not change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives for God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It is a unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God. " Hebrews 6:17-20
AMEN...
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Passwords
I continue to marvel at how our world has changed. I am old enough now to begin to say, "Back before..." Back before cell phones, toll roads, 200 channel cable companies, email, back before power point. ( Yes there was a day when I preached and all I had was a Bible. No screen, no chair, no video nothing but the Bible)
I was trying to access a website recently and it asked me for my username and password. Now if you are under 25 years old, you have never known a life without a username and a password. Us old guys remember life without those dastardly little requirements to get to anything of value in our life. . Want to use your ATM card? (I know some people are convinced that the ATM card is a tool of the Anti-Christ.) Got to have a password. Want to find out what your bank balance is on the computer? Username and Password. Want to talk to your health insurance agent? Username and password. Want to go to ITUNES and download some music? Username and password.
I am all for security. The problem is that I can not remember my usernames and passwords. (This is a stunning admission!) I have multiple usernames and passwords. That is because everyone has different rules. Passwords must be 6 characters, numbers or letters, or a combination of both... but not symbols like $ or # &. But another site says that the password must be 10 characters long . Another website says, "Your password is not sufficiently strong enough." Apparently other people can figure out the password that I can not remember. And that concerns all the security nuts that are out there trying to save me from myself and the bad guys.
So after three attempts, I have to make a new password. That really complicates matters. Now I have variations of the original passwords... multiple variations... which only confuses me more.
I want to get rid of all passwords. Tim, my friend, coworker and resident computer whiz had the best solution for me when it comes to our network at the office. "The Password is Password."
Dont try to access it, it only works for me... and on my computer... no one else would be dumb enought to try it... but I am. It saves him alot of time with me.
I do have a list of usernames and passwords... It is on my computer... but the problem is that the list is , you guessed it, PASSWORD PROTECTED. Errrrr.....
So I have an old fashioned piece of paper with all of them on there ( I think )... but I can't tell you where they are because if I told you I would have to..... well you know.
All of which leads me to appreciate God even more. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and give you rest."
I am so glad He did not say, "Come to me , all you who are weary, and bring your username and password, and I will give you rest. Don't mess up, or spell it wrong, or we will have to start all over. You only get three tries... after that, it gets really complicated"
Aren't you glad that even in the age of computers and technology, God decided along time ago to keep it simple? "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."
By the way, there is a password phrase to get into heaven... It is 21 letters long... "The blood of Jesus Christ." I thank God everyday for Him...The Way, the Truth and the Life.
I think I can remember that one... and if there is a day where I can't, I know He remembers Me.
I was trying to access a website recently and it asked me for my username and password. Now if you are under 25 years old, you have never known a life without a username and a password. Us old guys remember life without those dastardly little requirements to get to anything of value in our life. . Want to use your ATM card? (I know some people are convinced that the ATM card is a tool of the Anti-Christ.) Got to have a password. Want to find out what your bank balance is on the computer? Username and Password. Want to talk to your health insurance agent? Username and password. Want to go to ITUNES and download some music? Username and password.
I am all for security. The problem is that I can not remember my usernames and passwords. (This is a stunning admission!) I have multiple usernames and passwords. That is because everyone has different rules. Passwords must be 6 characters, numbers or letters, or a combination of both... but not symbols like $ or # &. But another site says that the password must be 10 characters long . Another website says, "Your password is not sufficiently strong enough." Apparently other people can figure out the password that I can not remember. And that concerns all the security nuts that are out there trying to save me from myself and the bad guys.
So after three attempts, I have to make a new password. That really complicates matters. Now I have variations of the original passwords... multiple variations... which only confuses me more.
I want to get rid of all passwords. Tim, my friend, coworker and resident computer whiz had the best solution for me when it comes to our network at the office. "The Password is Password."
Dont try to access it, it only works for me... and on my computer... no one else would be dumb enought to try it... but I am. It saves him alot of time with me.
I do have a list of usernames and passwords... It is on my computer... but the problem is that the list is , you guessed it, PASSWORD PROTECTED. Errrrr.....
So I have an old fashioned piece of paper with all of them on there ( I think )... but I can't tell you where they are because if I told you I would have to..... well you know.
All of which leads me to appreciate God even more. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and give you rest."
I am so glad He did not say, "Come to me , all you who are weary, and bring your username and password, and I will give you rest. Don't mess up, or spell it wrong, or we will have to start all over. You only get three tries... after that, it gets really complicated"
Aren't you glad that even in the age of computers and technology, God decided along time ago to keep it simple? "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."
By the way, there is a password phrase to get into heaven... It is 21 letters long... "The blood of Jesus Christ." I thank God everyday for Him...The Way, the Truth and the Life.
I think I can remember that one... and if there is a day where I can't, I know He remembers Me.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
"Out of the dark" ( for a minute or two)
For the last two weeks or so, I have been "in the dark", so to speak. Very little email, not commenting on Facebook etc. I have been reading, thinking, and just getting away. Pam and I traveled to Florida about 10 days ago... and we had a great time. It is really good to get away and just kind of hide for a few days. I know that not everyone gets to do this so it makes me appreciate the opportunities we get to do this. We had a great time being "nobodies", laughing, eating ( too much I am afraid), hanging at the beach, going to movies, talking, reading, and exploring new things.
I am on a four week preaching break. That was very needed. Breaking the routine is good for me, and good for the church. Matt T. is preaching each week out of Jonah. They are high impact messages that people need to hear. God speaks through many voices at FCC and I am grateful for Matt and his heart for God and FCC. ( The same goes for all of the staff at FCC.)
This morning Pam and I attended College Heights Christian Church in Joplin. It was a powerful service about the church that lives for something beyond itself. At one point, I said to God, "You brought me here for this message on this day." Following the service and lunch with Abigail and Tyler, Pam and I talked about how we both needed that message and the service as a whole today.
Two more weeks... lots of reading,( I will write about some of the things I am learning in future blogs), some writing... no serious email or appointments... just refueling and recharging. We will attend the North American Christian Covention in Indianapolis next week. I have a special wedding to officiate the following week... and then it is back at it. I will be ready!!!
July 18th begins the "JOIN ME" series out of Nehemiah. I am really excited about these messages which lead up to the Stone Canyon launch... God is on the move and he wants us to join him in it all.
One last thing... Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday... He will be 76! I love his positive attitude. He said to me today, " I am doing great... a whole lot better than alot of people my age." It was a great reminder to me about how our attitude determines our altitude in life. I just saw him and my mom at Abigail's wedding... and they seemed really great. My dad is 24 years older than me... but I think in some ways you wouldn't know it. His outlook is so good and I really think he believes that God is not finished with him yet. ( Not just a cliche in his life.).
I am thankful to have alot of people my dad's age and older who have his kind of attitude. They are everywhere...
I have to say that when I talk with him, I am the one that is encouraged. That's a blessing. So thanks Dad for being you... and thanks for a great example of living life fully all the way through the finish line... You are not there yet, because God is not done with you yet!
So, I am going back underground ( at least electronically). I miss being around the FCC family...and look forward to getting back soon...
Blessings to you all... See you soon.
Charlie
I am on a four week preaching break. That was very needed. Breaking the routine is good for me, and good for the church. Matt T. is preaching each week out of Jonah. They are high impact messages that people need to hear. God speaks through many voices at FCC and I am grateful for Matt and his heart for God and FCC. ( The same goes for all of the staff at FCC.)
This morning Pam and I attended College Heights Christian Church in Joplin. It was a powerful service about the church that lives for something beyond itself. At one point, I said to God, "You brought me here for this message on this day." Following the service and lunch with Abigail and Tyler, Pam and I talked about how we both needed that message and the service as a whole today.
Two more weeks... lots of reading,( I will write about some of the things I am learning in future blogs), some writing... no serious email or appointments... just refueling and recharging. We will attend the North American Christian Covention in Indianapolis next week. I have a special wedding to officiate the following week... and then it is back at it. I will be ready!!!
July 18th begins the "JOIN ME" series out of Nehemiah. I am really excited about these messages which lead up to the Stone Canyon launch... God is on the move and he wants us to join him in it all.
One last thing... Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday... He will be 76! I love his positive attitude. He said to me today, " I am doing great... a whole lot better than alot of people my age." It was a great reminder to me about how our attitude determines our altitude in life. I just saw him and my mom at Abigail's wedding... and they seemed really great. My dad is 24 years older than me... but I think in some ways you wouldn't know it. His outlook is so good and I really think he believes that God is not finished with him yet. ( Not just a cliche in his life.).
I am thankful to have alot of people my dad's age and older who have his kind of attitude. They are everywhere...
I have to say that when I talk with him, I am the one that is encouraged. That's a blessing. So thanks Dad for being you... and thanks for a great example of living life fully all the way through the finish line... You are not there yet, because God is not done with you yet!
So, I am going back underground ( at least electronically). I miss being around the FCC family...and look forward to getting back soon...
Blessings to you all... See you soon.
Charlie
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Father's day blessings
Father's day is coming up in a few days. Its always been a fun day, in large part because of I have 4 kids who are great at throwing parties, even when far away ..
I was thinking about our four kids. In the last 8 years, all four of them have graduated from High School with honors... all of them have competed at high levels in Basketball, Volleyball, Vocal Music, and Student goverment. 3 of them have graduated from Colleges ( NSU, Oklahoma State and Arkansas) 1 of them has a Masters Degree from Arkansas. One of them is just a year away from graduating for Ozark Christian College. Joel has moved out to the west coast and is making his way out there. The three girls have gotten married. All of them have married super guys, who love God and love them We have welcomed Gracie into our family ( she was 2 today). We have another grandchild on the day ( to arrive very late fall).
I can think of a better way to be blessed than by having kids who love God , love their families, and love other. What a thrill it is to see their lives unfold before our eyes.
So, Nathaniel, Elizabeth and Gracie, James, Lydia and Baby, Joel, Tyler and Abigial, let me be the one says it first. You all are the greatest kids. In spite of my inattention you still love the church and all it can be. You are the product of a gracious God who gave you your mom... who is the closest think to a saint there is..the most giving and caring person I know.
I Love you all....more than you can know
Dad
I was thinking about our four kids. In the last 8 years, all four of them have graduated from High School with honors... all of them have competed at high levels in Basketball, Volleyball, Vocal Music, and Student goverment. 3 of them have graduated from Colleges ( NSU, Oklahoma State and Arkansas) 1 of them has a Masters Degree from Arkansas. One of them is just a year away from graduating for Ozark Christian College. Joel has moved out to the west coast and is making his way out there. The three girls have gotten married. All of them have married super guys, who love God and love them We have welcomed Gracie into our family ( she was 2 today). We have another grandchild on the day ( to arrive very late fall).
I can think of a better way to be blessed than by having kids who love God , love their families, and love other. What a thrill it is to see their lives unfold before our eyes.
So, Nathaniel, Elizabeth and Gracie, James, Lydia and Baby, Joel, Tyler and Abigial, let me be the one says it first. You all are the greatest kids. In spite of my inattention you still love the church and all it can be. You are the product of a gracious God who gave you your mom... who is the closest think to a saint there is..the most giving and caring person I know.
I Love you all....more than you can know
Dad
Friday, June 11, 2010
A house full of laughter.
One of the great things about my family is how well they get along. For the last 2 hours, we have had about 20 people in my living room. It has been one round of laughter after ther other. Family from Nebraska, college friends of Abigail's,( Erika, Whitney, Emily, Kara, ) Lydia, Elizabeth, Kim, Kirk, Cassie, Chris, Joel, James, Nathaniel, Gracie,Danny, Linda, Lyndsey, Glen and Evelyn, and others have been one non stop comedy routine.
These are such good times. I know that lots of people get lonely and never experience these kinds of moments. I think one of the reasons why it works at our house, is everyone can laugh at each other, and themselves. No one takes themselves too seriously. We love each other... and include others in our laughter.
Sharing memories is one of the greatest things about a family wedding.
Abigail and Tyler are soon to be married. I can't believe it..I am so happy for them. But on the other hand there is a twinge of sadness... I love her so much and look forward to more of these kinds of nights when we all get together and just laugh
Wow, what a weekend... Laughter is often the best medicine...
Thanks for praying for the FOTB... me...
Charlie
These are such good times. I know that lots of people get lonely and never experience these kinds of moments. I think one of the reasons why it works at our house, is everyone can laugh at each other, and themselves. No one takes themselves too seriously. We love each other... and include others in our laughter.
Sharing memories is one of the greatest things about a family wedding.
Abigail and Tyler are soon to be married. I can't believe it..I am so happy for them. But on the other hand there is a twinge of sadness... I love her so much and look forward to more of these kinds of nights when we all get together and just laugh
Wow, what a weekend... Laughter is often the best medicine...
Thanks for praying for the FOTB... me...
Charlie
Thursday, June 10, 2010
YIKES !!!
For the last 7 months or so I have had a workout partner who has pushed me and challenged me to get healthy. During that time I have completed a Sprint Triathalon, and 3 5K runs. I have lost some weight... learned to do some biking, done alot of swimming and in general gotten alot healthier. I feel like I am on my way to something... it is a journey for me...one that will last the rest of my life.
Late in the winter, David asked me about an idea he had to take this idea of health and wellness to a new level in our church and community. He had a ton of ideas, but after alot of thinking, talking to friends and praying, he came up with the idea of a Summer Health Challenge.
He incubated the idea over time and put together some really great plans. We talked about it in staff meeting, in Elder's meetings and David went to work. He recruited a bunch of volunteers, created notebooks, made a plan that would include both community and church leaders. Then we promoted it... David's goal was 100 people... But we did not know. A couple weeks ago only 5 people had signed up.
We had 150 people show up tonight. YIKES!
Sean Algaier, ( Biggest Loser Season 8) and FCC Technical Director got us started. We also heard from Suzanne Gauldin , who is a nutritionist... and from David.
All of it was encouraging and challenging... The idea that we get a second chance to do things right really hit home for me. Every breath is another chance... it is another opportunity to make a different choice. I needed to hear it.
I am excited about this because I think it shows the potential of Health and Wellness ministry and how getting our mind, body and spirit healthy can change our lives and the lives of our families and friens.
I think it also shows the potential for SPORTS ministry in general. In our community this kind of thing speaks to people...and I think it can be a great tool to reach people with something more than just health... but with the gospel. There are some great churches that are tapping into this and I hope that we can be the next one.
I also think it speaks to me because a regular guy like David had a dream put on his heart and he trusted God with it... He threw himself into it. He recruited alot of other people to it. He shared the vision whereever he went ... And he wants it to glorify God. He is passionate... but passionate about the right things. He has seen God change his life. He is into the Word, and he is all about trying to make his walk match up to his talk. He's not perfect, makes mistakes, has lots of questions etc. But in his heart of hearts he feels a responsibility to share what he has learned in his life on all levels.
I am so glad that it was hugely successful, but I know David well enough to know that if only 1 person was drawn to God and to the opportunity to be healthier in thier minds, body and spirit, it would be worth it.
Next meeting is June 24th... 7:00 at FCC... Get moving and see how God can use something like this to change your life!
Late in the winter, David asked me about an idea he had to take this idea of health and wellness to a new level in our church and community. He had a ton of ideas, but after alot of thinking, talking to friends and praying, he came up with the idea of a Summer Health Challenge.
He incubated the idea over time and put together some really great plans. We talked about it in staff meeting, in Elder's meetings and David went to work. He recruited a bunch of volunteers, created notebooks, made a plan that would include both community and church leaders. Then we promoted it... David's goal was 100 people... But we did not know. A couple weeks ago only 5 people had signed up.
We had 150 people show up tonight. YIKES!
Sean Algaier, ( Biggest Loser Season 8) and FCC Technical Director got us started. We also heard from Suzanne Gauldin , who is a nutritionist... and from David.
All of it was encouraging and challenging... The idea that we get a second chance to do things right really hit home for me. Every breath is another chance... it is another opportunity to make a different choice. I needed to hear it.
I am excited about this because I think it shows the potential of Health and Wellness ministry and how getting our mind, body and spirit healthy can change our lives and the lives of our families and friens.
I think it also shows the potential for SPORTS ministry in general. In our community this kind of thing speaks to people...and I think it can be a great tool to reach people with something more than just health... but with the gospel. There are some great churches that are tapping into this and I hope that we can be the next one.
I also think it speaks to me because a regular guy like David had a dream put on his heart and he trusted God with it... He threw himself into it. He recruited alot of other people to it. He shared the vision whereever he went ... And he wants it to glorify God. He is passionate... but passionate about the right things. He has seen God change his life. He is into the Word, and he is all about trying to make his walk match up to his talk. He's not perfect, makes mistakes, has lots of questions etc. But in his heart of hearts he feels a responsibility to share what he has learned in his life on all levels.
I am so glad that it was hugely successful, but I know David well enough to know that if only 1 person was drawn to God and to the opportunity to be healthier in thier minds, body and spirit, it would be worth it.
Next meeting is June 24th... 7:00 at FCC... Get moving and see how God can use something like this to change your life!
Monday, June 07, 2010
FX 2010
Our Family Ministry is really on to something. I saw it tonight. I saw moms and Dads, grandma's and grandpa's worshiping togehter, laughing together, celebrating together, and then doing activities together at FX.
This FX ( Family expereince) is a high paced, creative laden program built around Bible Stories and virtues.
I love the leadership of this. I love the volunteers who are getting out their comfort zone. I love the focus on our local YMCA ...
Tonight Josh Adsit came on the scene... and let's just say he came on with a bang! We are all going to love him.
I think tonights program was the best ever! Two more to go... Dont miss them!
This FX ( Family expereince) is a high paced, creative laden program built around Bible Stories and virtues.
I love the leadership of this. I love the volunteers who are getting out their comfort zone. I love the focus on our local YMCA ...
Tonight Josh Adsit came on the scene... and let's just say he came on with a bang! We are all going to love him.
I think tonights program was the best ever! Two more to go... Dont miss them!
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
"The mistakes of others do not have to derail you"
A perfect game...it has only happened 20 times in 135 YEARS of Major League Baseball. 27 batters up, 27 batters down. It is a most improbable feat. Surprisingly there have been "three" this season.
I said "three" because two of them are official. Dallas Braden and Roy Halliday both have pitched perfect games this year. One of them was not "official".
Armando Gallaraga pitched a perfect game too... sort of . There are two outs in the 9th inning. 26 up, 26 down. The Detroit Tiger pitcher is one out away from being the 21st pitcher in MLB history to pitch a perfect game. The batter hits a ball to the first baseman who throws the ball to the pitcher, covering first base. Everyone knows he is out. Everyone in the park except for one... the 1st base umpire who calls him "SAFE."
The Detroit bench erupts. The manager screams and gets in the umps face... players stand in disbelief. The fans boo... Everyone has something to say... except for the pitcher.
Gallaraga went back to the mound and pitched to the next batter... and got him out. 28 up, 27 down. He said nothing.
There is a lesson here. Sometimes, you can not control the outcome. You can not control the decisions others make. But you can always control your reaction to those decisions. You can always decide to not lose control. You can go back to work. You can move on. You can even forgive.
Tonight, as I read about Gallaraga's actions on the mound, I was challenged to remember that sometimes life is not fair. Sometimes, life even stinks... but you get back on the mound and pitch. You go back to doing your job, to treating your family right . You go back to do what you do best. You do what got you where you are in life... and not let the decisions or attitudes of other people DERAIL you from the purpose and mission of your life. You don't let disappointment DISCOURAGE you.
God will honor you and bless you if you do this... I know He well.
By the way, the umpire watched a replay and knew immediately that he missed the call. He said, " I just cost that kid a perfect game." I like that umpire... he owned his mistake and admitted it.
There are lessons we learn from him too... One, everyone makes mistakes, even umpires. Two, people who make mistakes should be big enough to admit it. He did. That makes him a better umpire and a better person.
So all the way around, there are lessons in this story for us. I hope they both get another chance to live out history on the diamond... It's good stuff to think about.
I said "three" because two of them are official. Dallas Braden and Roy Halliday both have pitched perfect games this year. One of them was not "official".
Armando Gallaraga pitched a perfect game too... sort of . There are two outs in the 9th inning. 26 up, 26 down. The Detroit Tiger pitcher is one out away from being the 21st pitcher in MLB history to pitch a perfect game. The batter hits a ball to the first baseman who throws the ball to the pitcher, covering first base. Everyone knows he is out. Everyone in the park except for one... the 1st base umpire who calls him "SAFE."
The Detroit bench erupts. The manager screams and gets in the umps face... players stand in disbelief. The fans boo... Everyone has something to say... except for the pitcher.
Gallaraga went back to the mound and pitched to the next batter... and got him out. 28 up, 27 down. He said nothing.
There is a lesson here. Sometimes, you can not control the outcome. You can not control the decisions others make. But you can always control your reaction to those decisions. You can always decide to not lose control. You can go back to work. You can move on. You can even forgive.
Tonight, as I read about Gallaraga's actions on the mound, I was challenged to remember that sometimes life is not fair. Sometimes, life even stinks... but you get back on the mound and pitch. You go back to doing your job, to treating your family right . You go back to do what you do best. You do what got you where you are in life... and not let the decisions or attitudes of other people DERAIL you from the purpose and mission of your life. You don't let disappointment DISCOURAGE you.
God will honor you and bless you if you do this... I know He well.
By the way, the umpire watched a replay and knew immediately that he missed the call. He said, " I just cost that kid a perfect game." I like that umpire... he owned his mistake and admitted it.
There are lessons we learn from him too... One, everyone makes mistakes, even umpires. Two, people who make mistakes should be big enough to admit it. He did. That makes him a better umpire and a better person.
So all the way around, there are lessons in this story for us. I hope they both get another chance to live out history on the diamond... It's good stuff to think about.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Summer time thoughts.
Summer... I like summers... I like....
- sunshine
- warm still mornings where I can walk and think, pray and listen to good preachers.
- vacation!! Florida here we come!!
- mowing my grass ( immediate gratification for me)
- grilling burgers for my family
- water....water....water...
- watching kids go off to church camp
- Church mission trips... we are sending teams to Thailand and China this year!
- youthquake send off...( That is in July)
- weddings ( especially when one of them is my daughter)
- July 4th...
- Thunderstorms.... love me some thunderboomers!
- Pam, Lydia, Gracie and my birthdays...
- Study break... reading, planning and listening... I need the down time
- North American Christian Convention in Indianapolis
- Pam is off work... love that!!!
- Fall is right around the corner... my favorite time of the year.
Summer... I don't like some things about summer... I don't like....
- heat and humidity
- bugs that fly in my mouth. Doesn't happen much, but it did yesterday, doing yard work. yech!
- paying the water and A/C bill
- Tornados, Hurricaines, drought, and heat waves...
- Pam has to go back to work in August.... booooooo! ( But I am thankful she has a job.)
- No pro or college basketball on TV... bummer... baseball is not interesting to me...
- lighter attedance and offerings at church...
After reading this, I think I like summer more than I don't like it.
Guess what... it doesnt matter what I like or don't like... "This is the day the Lord has made... let us rejoice and be glad in it." Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring... he is the creator of everyone of them.
Blessings
Charlie
-
- sunshine
- warm still mornings where I can walk and think, pray and listen to good preachers.
- vacation!! Florida here we come!!
- mowing my grass ( immediate gratification for me)
- grilling burgers for my family
- water....water....water...
- watching kids go off to church camp
- Church mission trips... we are sending teams to Thailand and China this year!
- youthquake send off...( That is in July)
- weddings ( especially when one of them is my daughter)
- July 4th...
- Thunderstorms.... love me some thunderboomers!
- Pam, Lydia, Gracie and my birthdays...
- Study break... reading, planning and listening... I need the down time
- North American Christian Convention in Indianapolis
- Pam is off work... love that!!!
- Fall is right around the corner... my favorite time of the year.
Summer... I don't like some things about summer... I don't like....
- heat and humidity
- bugs that fly in my mouth. Doesn't happen much, but it did yesterday, doing yard work. yech!
- paying the water and A/C bill
- Tornados, Hurricaines, drought, and heat waves...
- Pam has to go back to work in August.... booooooo! ( But I am thankful she has a job.)
- No pro or college basketball on TV... bummer... baseball is not interesting to me...
- lighter attedance and offerings at church...
After reading this, I think I like summer more than I don't like it.
Guess what... it doesnt matter what I like or don't like... "This is the day the Lord has made... let us rejoice and be glad in it." Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring... he is the creator of everyone of them.
Blessings
Charlie
-
Monday, May 03, 2010
Visits
Occassionally I take a Sunday and visit other churches. I find it to be a very good thing for me, and for FCC. They get to hear from Matt which is always a good thing. And it allows me to sit and listen, observe and report to staff about the things I see. It also helps me refuel.
I went to two churches....The Church at Battle Creek and First Baptist Church in Downtown Tulsa.
BC is a fast growing church with a very young demographic. They have all the "crowd" control procedures in place including parking, very visible and helpful greeters and a pretty easy to get around facility. The service itself was about 90 minutes long, with the preaching lasting about 50 minutes ( pretty standard). Alex Himaya is a strong teacher and I have to say it was one of the best sermons on Matthew 25 ( Parable of the Talents) I have heard. Chocked full of a vision to use our abilities and gifts to help people who have difficulty , this message was very missional in content. I was ready to sign up to help some people.
He made a statement that I thought was very significant for us. "We have to accept the responsibility for the city that God has given us." I just look around and see that we can grow and do a better job of being an advocate for people of all walks of life in our city. God placed us here and we have that responsibility. Good stuff.
I am always interested in the Worship services...and while it was good stuff...my appreciation for what we have at FCC grows greater every time I go some where else.
Then, I hustled up to First Baptist in downtown. Deron Spoo is a friend of mine... and the church he leads is such a different church than Battle Creek. But I love how he preaches to the Southern Baptist church in a way that challenges their suppostions and preconvieved notions and does it in a thoughtful way. It might be tempting to blow up a downtown church like that...but Deron is a teaching shepherd and it comes through loud and clear.
He message on listening to God was especially timely to me. Elijah found himself on the run and went into a cave, where he did nothing until he heard from God. Nothing... It made me ask, "Where is my cave? Where do I wait and then wait some more.? Have I substituted activity and movement for doing what Elijah did... just wait? Do I wait for the still small voice, or do I jump at the first hint of activity and noise?" The truth is that I am much better at what God wants me to be when I wait for his still voice...instead of always belieiving that he is in the wind and fire and earthquakes. ( Read I Kings 19).
It was thought provoking and humbled my spirit... which I needed.
Deron also led a meaningful communion service. I appreciated that so much. He made a statement that caught my attention..."Many of us are committed, but not really surrendered." Wow... I thought committment was the goal...But it made me think... Committment is good, but it tends to allow other things to crowd it out. We can be committed to several things.. Surrender means totally sold out... everything hinges off that surrender.
There is a ton of application for us...but as I read the life of Jesus I see one that was surrendered, not just committed. That is what pushed him through the cross. "Father, not my will, but yours." That is not committment...that is surrender.
FBC Tulsa has two services...one being contemporary and one more traditional. I attended the traditional... So meaningful in worship with the choir, orchestra, flute solo,and quiet and reflective songs. I loved it.
But I love all kinds of worship...and am thankful for the diversity of the Body of Christ. There is alot of a great work being done by churches in Tulsa. It is exciting.
Good day for me...and for FCC
I went to two churches....The Church at Battle Creek and First Baptist Church in Downtown Tulsa.
BC is a fast growing church with a very young demographic. They have all the "crowd" control procedures in place including parking, very visible and helpful greeters and a pretty easy to get around facility. The service itself was about 90 minutes long, with the preaching lasting about 50 minutes ( pretty standard). Alex Himaya is a strong teacher and I have to say it was one of the best sermons on Matthew 25 ( Parable of the Talents) I have heard. Chocked full of a vision to use our abilities and gifts to help people who have difficulty , this message was very missional in content. I was ready to sign up to help some people.
He made a statement that I thought was very significant for us. "We have to accept the responsibility for the city that God has given us." I just look around and see that we can grow and do a better job of being an advocate for people of all walks of life in our city. God placed us here and we have that responsibility. Good stuff.
I am always interested in the Worship services...and while it was good stuff...my appreciation for what we have at FCC grows greater every time I go some where else.
Then, I hustled up to First Baptist in downtown. Deron Spoo is a friend of mine... and the church he leads is such a different church than Battle Creek. But I love how he preaches to the Southern Baptist church in a way that challenges their suppostions and preconvieved notions and does it in a thoughtful way. It might be tempting to blow up a downtown church like that...but Deron is a teaching shepherd and it comes through loud and clear.
He message on listening to God was especially timely to me. Elijah found himself on the run and went into a cave, where he did nothing until he heard from God. Nothing... It made me ask, "Where is my cave? Where do I wait and then wait some more.? Have I substituted activity and movement for doing what Elijah did... just wait? Do I wait for the still small voice, or do I jump at the first hint of activity and noise?" The truth is that I am much better at what God wants me to be when I wait for his still voice...instead of always belieiving that he is in the wind and fire and earthquakes. ( Read I Kings 19).
It was thought provoking and humbled my spirit... which I needed.
Deron also led a meaningful communion service. I appreciated that so much. He made a statement that caught my attention..."Many of us are committed, but not really surrendered." Wow... I thought committment was the goal...But it made me think... Committment is good, but it tends to allow other things to crowd it out. We can be committed to several things.. Surrender means totally sold out... everything hinges off that surrender.
There is a ton of application for us...but as I read the life of Jesus I see one that was surrendered, not just committed. That is what pushed him through the cross. "Father, not my will, but yours." That is not committment...that is surrender.
FBC Tulsa has two services...one being contemporary and one more traditional. I attended the traditional... So meaningful in worship with the choir, orchestra, flute solo,and quiet and reflective songs. I loved it.
But I love all kinds of worship...and am thankful for the diversity of the Body of Christ. There is alot of a great work being done by churches in Tulsa. It is exciting.
Good day for me...and for FCC
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Baby Dedications
One of the special things that I get to do is baby dedications. There was a time where we did them on one Sunday in May. We would line up 15-25 couples with their children on the stage and say their names... then I would say something, ask a couple questions, then ask the church to committ to support the families and then pray.
It was always meaningful, but it seemed like an "add on." It was not all that personal, although our EC directors at the time ( Karen Schemet and Cathy Wheeler) did their best to make it a special moment.
While on sabbatical a few years ago, I regularly attended a downtown Tulsa church who did baby dedications once or twice a month. It seemd very pastoral, personal and was something that engaged both the family and the church.
So I stole the idea from my friend and started doing them that way. It was a change that I have never regretted.
Whenever a couple or a parent wants dedicate their child, I get together with them and we talk first. We talk about how this is a dedication of the child, but even more importantly it is a dedication of the parent (s) to raise the child to love Jesus. It is about their example. It is about their faith. It is also about their church family. I think that God gives us a church family for a reason. In part it is so that no one feels like they are going through life alone. Parenting can be a difficult and even lonely journey. Church families have a responsibility to support and bless those who are raising children. So I emphasize that with the parents. Then I always get a funny story or two out of the conversation, and we talk logistics and then pray. Then the following Sunday, we have them on stage and we talk and pray together.
I appreciate the efforts that our current EC director ( Amy Bray ) goes to in order to make it a special time for the family. She has a couple photographers who take fun pictures and then it all goes into a keepsake for the family. I get such great comments about this from the families.
A few weeks ago we had a single mom with her little boy up there doing the dedication. I just thought it was an incredible moment because this little boy is so amazing. His mom and grandparents have been through alot, but here they were, committing to raise this little boy to love Jesus. He is a gift from God and I have the feeling that God is going to use him in a special way. The dedication also blessed some others who had been connected to single moms in their families. There was a huge message sent that day. They saw that our church is a church of grace... a church that looks forward to redeem situations in our lives, and a church that truly cares about everyone.
Today, I have met with two families and another one is coming in a few minutes. They all three are totally different families...but with one common thread. They love Christ, love their children and desire the blessing of God and the support of their church family in raising their children.
This is something I always look forward to... It's one of the many good things about the life I live.
It was always meaningful, but it seemed like an "add on." It was not all that personal, although our EC directors at the time ( Karen Schemet and Cathy Wheeler) did their best to make it a special moment.
While on sabbatical a few years ago, I regularly attended a downtown Tulsa church who did baby dedications once or twice a month. It seemd very pastoral, personal and was something that engaged both the family and the church.
So I stole the idea from my friend and started doing them that way. It was a change that I have never regretted.
Whenever a couple or a parent wants dedicate their child, I get together with them and we talk first. We talk about how this is a dedication of the child, but even more importantly it is a dedication of the parent (s) to raise the child to love Jesus. It is about their example. It is about their faith. It is also about their church family. I think that God gives us a church family for a reason. In part it is so that no one feels like they are going through life alone. Parenting can be a difficult and even lonely journey. Church families have a responsibility to support and bless those who are raising children. So I emphasize that with the parents. Then I always get a funny story or two out of the conversation, and we talk logistics and then pray. Then the following Sunday, we have them on stage and we talk and pray together.
I appreciate the efforts that our current EC director ( Amy Bray ) goes to in order to make it a special time for the family. She has a couple photographers who take fun pictures and then it all goes into a keepsake for the family. I get such great comments about this from the families.
A few weeks ago we had a single mom with her little boy up there doing the dedication. I just thought it was an incredible moment because this little boy is so amazing. His mom and grandparents have been through alot, but here they were, committing to raise this little boy to love Jesus. He is a gift from God and I have the feeling that God is going to use him in a special way. The dedication also blessed some others who had been connected to single moms in their families. There was a huge message sent that day. They saw that our church is a church of grace... a church that looks forward to redeem situations in our lives, and a church that truly cares about everyone.
Today, I have met with two families and another one is coming in a few minutes. They all three are totally different families...but with one common thread. They love Christ, love their children and desire the blessing of God and the support of their church family in raising their children.
This is something I always look forward to... It's one of the many good things about the life I live.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Weekend update.
Monday mornings... I like them! Especially after a great weekend.
Tackled the Sprint Triathalon yesterday. My goal was to finish.... I had a total finish time in mind and I smashed that... Great fun.... 400 meter swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run. Some serious hills... At one point I thought, " Man I am really glad they do not make us swim up hill." But I made it...in good time for me. I also know I could do alot better. Now I have a time to work against.
Great encouragement by Pam, David, Eddie , Sharon and a bunch of other friends who were there. Pam was amazing... seemed like she was there around every turn... and crying at the finish line... Triathalon's are a team sport..
Today, felt good waking up and wondering what the next challenge is... I think I know... just need to articulate it a bit...and then do a better job of executing the plan. More about that later.
And one other thing... It feels great to go do something like this fully confident in the team we have at FCC. No worries...no concerns... Thanks to the FCC Staff! You all are awesome.
Charlie
Tackled the Sprint Triathalon yesterday. My goal was to finish.... I had a total finish time in mind and I smashed that... Great fun.... 400 meter swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run. Some serious hills... At one point I thought, " Man I am really glad they do not make us swim up hill." But I made it...in good time for me. I also know I could do alot better. Now I have a time to work against.
Great encouragement by Pam, David, Eddie , Sharon and a bunch of other friends who were there. Pam was amazing... seemed like she was there around every turn... and crying at the finish line... Triathalon's are a team sport..
Today, felt good waking up and wondering what the next challenge is... I think I know... just need to articulate it a bit...and then do a better job of executing the plan. More about that later.
And one other thing... It feels great to go do something like this fully confident in the team we have at FCC. No worries...no concerns... Thanks to the FCC Staff! You all are awesome.
Charlie
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Easter Reflections
Thinking about many things this evening...
EASTER- awesome services Sunday. I loved the music... the energy... Brittany Bolt and Tim singing "He is risen, He is risen, Alleluia!" That gave me chills! The Easter Choir, Praise Team, Orchestra and tech teams were incredible. The attendance of 2237 was a all time record for our church. AWESOME! We blew away records all over the place... including in EC and Children's. It took well over 200 volunteers to put all of it together...many of whom were at the church from 6:15 to 12:30... 3 services is a challenge...but it is worth it. God gets the praise and glory for this great day. After it all, it was his idea ( the ressurection).
THOSE SERVING IN ARMED FORCES. I was thinking about some of our guys who were not here Sunday. Roger Martinez, Matt Sewell, Eric Snider and some others... They didn't miss Easter, because the Ressurection of Jesus is for the whole world...but they were far from their families. How humbling it is to serve God in this country in freedom, all because of the many who have served our country by protecting us wherever they are called upon to do so! Pray for those guys.... they are in tough spots serving the USA...
I APPRECIATE OUR VOLUNTEERS. Our Parking guys were incredible. I got alot of comments about how friendly and helpful they were. We had enough help in Early Childhood, even though it was a record breaking day. Our Cafe team fed a bunch of people! They were so good to team. David and Kristi and the rest of the gang...you are incredible. It seemed like everything worked well all over the building.
I AMAZED AT THE GENEROSITY OF OUR PEOPLE. After a record breaking year in 2009, we stretched big time with our budget needs each week. After 14 weeks, we are right at budget! Sunday's offering of over $60,000 was HUGE... You are getting it....
IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS. "A living hope can only be brought by a living Savior." Enough said!
WE ARE NOT DONE... Easter is a catalyst for movement... a call to action.... an "ON YOUR MARK" moment... Easter can change a life, a community, and the world. We are not done with our mission ... we are not done reaching people.... we are not done caring for others... we are not done with providing ministry all across the world. We are part of a great kingdom making a dramatic move across the world.
Loved Easter... and really look forward to the coming weeks as we continue to work through "the church unleashed" in Acts 4-7.
See you there.
EASTER- awesome services Sunday. I loved the music... the energy... Brittany Bolt and Tim singing "He is risen, He is risen, Alleluia!" That gave me chills! The Easter Choir, Praise Team, Orchestra and tech teams were incredible. The attendance of 2237 was a all time record for our church. AWESOME! We blew away records all over the place... including in EC and Children's. It took well over 200 volunteers to put all of it together...many of whom were at the church from 6:15 to 12:30... 3 services is a challenge...but it is worth it. God gets the praise and glory for this great day. After it all, it was his idea ( the ressurection).
THOSE SERVING IN ARMED FORCES. I was thinking about some of our guys who were not here Sunday. Roger Martinez, Matt Sewell, Eric Snider and some others... They didn't miss Easter, because the Ressurection of Jesus is for the whole world...but they were far from their families. How humbling it is to serve God in this country in freedom, all because of the many who have served our country by protecting us wherever they are called upon to do so! Pray for those guys.... they are in tough spots serving the USA...
I APPRECIATE OUR VOLUNTEERS. Our Parking guys were incredible. I got alot of comments about how friendly and helpful they were. We had enough help in Early Childhood, even though it was a record breaking day. Our Cafe team fed a bunch of people! They were so good to team. David and Kristi and the rest of the gang...you are incredible. It seemed like everything worked well all over the building.
I AMAZED AT THE GENEROSITY OF OUR PEOPLE. After a record breaking year in 2009, we stretched big time with our budget needs each week. After 14 weeks, we are right at budget! Sunday's offering of over $60,000 was HUGE... You are getting it....
IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS. "A living hope can only be brought by a living Savior." Enough said!
WE ARE NOT DONE... Easter is a catalyst for movement... a call to action.... an "ON YOUR MARK" moment... Easter can change a life, a community, and the world. We are not done with our mission ... we are not done reaching people.... we are not done caring for others... we are not done with providing ministry all across the world. We are part of a great kingdom making a dramatic move across the world.
Loved Easter... and really look forward to the coming weeks as we continue to work through "the church unleashed" in Acts 4-7.
See you there.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Invite
How does God get His message out? I think it is alot like good advertising for almost any business. The key is variety.
When a business comes to town, they look for different ways and mediums to get their message out. It may be the paper, radio, TV, Billboards, flyers....on and on the ideas come.
But there is one medium that businesses recognize as most effective. It is the "word of mouth" method. You know how it works....
Someone finds a business or resturant that is good... they try it out a couple times and make it part of their regular routine. When they need the services this business offers, they immediately think about it and head there.
Conversations between friends, neighbors, or co-workers inevitably work thier way toward something that reminds that person of a business which met a need. So they say, "Hey, this place really worked for me... you might want to try it out." They do, and soon, another conversation is hatched...
The interesting thing is that the first conversation does not just happen once. If you really believe in that business, you will have that conversation over and over. And then, if it works for them, they will have it over and over... and the messages spreads.
It's not just true about businesses. It is true about faith. When people are really convinced that Jesus makes a difference in their lives, they talk about Jesus! When people think a specific church is effective in helping them in thier lives, they talk about thier church. And they offer an invitation.
A simple invitation for people to give Jesus a real shot in thier lives can open the door to life change. A simple invitation to people to come to church and to see what is going on there can open that same door.
By the way... I have seen stats that say that over 85% of people invited to church actually say yes and try it out.
So what works for Lowes, Home Depot, Ruby Tuesday, Red Robin, Olive Garden works for the church too...
How does God get his message out? One of the most effective ways is through the invitation of transformed people... people like you.
WE WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY AT 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00. It's Easter... Invite someone and see what God does...
When a business comes to town, they look for different ways and mediums to get their message out. It may be the paper, radio, TV, Billboards, flyers....on and on the ideas come.
But there is one medium that businesses recognize as most effective. It is the "word of mouth" method. You know how it works....
Someone finds a business or resturant that is good... they try it out a couple times and make it part of their regular routine. When they need the services this business offers, they immediately think about it and head there.
Conversations between friends, neighbors, or co-workers inevitably work thier way toward something that reminds that person of a business which met a need. So they say, "Hey, this place really worked for me... you might want to try it out." They do, and soon, another conversation is hatched...
The interesting thing is that the first conversation does not just happen once. If you really believe in that business, you will have that conversation over and over. And then, if it works for them, they will have it over and over... and the messages spreads.
It's not just true about businesses. It is true about faith. When people are really convinced that Jesus makes a difference in their lives, they talk about Jesus! When people think a specific church is effective in helping them in thier lives, they talk about thier church. And they offer an invitation.
A simple invitation for people to give Jesus a real shot in thier lives can open the door to life change. A simple invitation to people to come to church and to see what is going on there can open that same door.
By the way... I have seen stats that say that over 85% of people invited to church actually say yes and try it out.
So what works for Lowes, Home Depot, Ruby Tuesday, Red Robin, Olive Garden works for the church too...
How does God get his message out? One of the most effective ways is through the invitation of transformed people... people like you.
WE WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY AT 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00. It's Easter... Invite someone and see what God does...
Monday, March 29, 2010
Be careful who you listen to.
Get in your car at night, scan the radio and you are likely to come across a talk/music show presented by Delilah. I have listened to her when I am heading somewhere on several occassions. People call in and dedicate songs to loved ones . It is all quite mushy at times...and often kind of a feel good program. And more often than not, she gives advice about how to have healthy relationships with other people in their lives.
I ran across a news item about her and decided to do some "internet" digging. I know you can not trust everything you read...but a couple things are pretty consistent.
This radio personality, who has upwards of 8 million regular listeners on 222 radio stations, gives advice on relationships and love. She is the mother of 10 children, 7 of which are adopted. (That is pretty amazing and cool). She grew up in Reedsport Oregon, which was just down the road from where I went to high school. It's a nice coastal town.
She has been married and divorced 3 times. Not so sure that this qualifies her to give relationship advice... You never really hear about that...but that would concern me.
What concerns me more though is the statement that she posts on her own website. Here it is ...
"We don't try to fix people. We listen. We sympathize. We empathize. If the show has a message it is 'listen to your own gut. Trust your own intuition. Go where it leads. Don't give up."
There is a problem here... The Bible says, " There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12, 16:25.
I just think we all need to reminded that the strongest voice speaking into our lives , should not be a radio personality, a preacher, a mentor, a boss, a relative and especially not our own. It should be the Bible. That is what we should be listening to.
If we listen to others, or even worse, just ourselves... it will have some very bad consequences. I have seen this in my life. Human intuition... or our "gut" certainly should not be the primary source of instruction and guidance . It should be the Bible. This book has stood the test of time. What a gift to all of us!
Unfortunately, we seem to be more interested in listening to other voices... it is a good reminder to me ( and I hope to you) that God himself gave us the Word. It is a light and a lamp. ( Psalm 119).
Be in the Word... and listen to THE voice that speaks from those pages of truth.
I ran across a news item about her and decided to do some "internet" digging. I know you can not trust everything you read...but a couple things are pretty consistent.
This radio personality, who has upwards of 8 million regular listeners on 222 radio stations, gives advice on relationships and love. She is the mother of 10 children, 7 of which are adopted. (That is pretty amazing and cool). She grew up in Reedsport Oregon, which was just down the road from where I went to high school. It's a nice coastal town.
She has been married and divorced 3 times. Not so sure that this qualifies her to give relationship advice... You never really hear about that...but that would concern me.
What concerns me more though is the statement that she posts on her own website. Here it is ...
"We don't try to fix people. We listen. We sympathize. We empathize. If the show has a message it is 'listen to your own gut. Trust your own intuition. Go where it leads. Don't give up."
There is a problem here... The Bible says, " There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12, 16:25.
I just think we all need to reminded that the strongest voice speaking into our lives , should not be a radio personality, a preacher, a mentor, a boss, a relative and especially not our own. It should be the Bible. That is what we should be listening to.
If we listen to others, or even worse, just ourselves... it will have some very bad consequences. I have seen this in my life. Human intuition... or our "gut" certainly should not be the primary source of instruction and guidance . It should be the Bible. This book has stood the test of time. What a gift to all of us!
Unfortunately, we seem to be more interested in listening to other voices... it is a good reminder to me ( and I hope to you) that God himself gave us the Word. It is a light and a lamp. ( Psalm 119).
Be in the Word... and listen to THE voice that speaks from those pages of truth.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Triathalon update
Many months ago I was preaching and mentioned how much I admired those that did the Ironman Triathalon. Apparently people were listening. Several have asked about that goal and whether I was going to go for it.
One person that heard that was a friend named David. Since October he and I have been working out 5 days a week. I was working out regularly on the elyptical machine...but David has really helped me with getting stronger, faster and more balanced. Core exercises, plyometrics, and a variety of other workouts have helped me alot. The last month the focus has been on the upcoming triathalon.
Swimming was the first obstacle. It really has not been hard...because I like to swim. The stroke came back to me quickly. Most mondays I swim about a mile. Lately we have been focusing on 400 yard increments. ( That is the distance of the next triathalon.) Yesterday I set a personal best... under 8 mintues!
Running has not been to hard. I have done 3 5K's since October. Each time I have set a personal best, and although I am not too speedy, I am conistently getting better.
Biking ? Well, that has been another story. I have borrowed a bike, which comes from a very generous friend. David has been working hard to get me out there on the road. The problem is that I am not too comfortable on the road, especially if there are cars on the road with me. But we have taken on about 4 or 5 10 mile rides...including one today. I was much more comfortable today , and did my best time. I still would prefer bike paths, but the truth is that we do not live in Oregon...( where they are everywhere.)
So , tomorrow it is a mock tri... 7 AM.... 200 yard swim, 11 mile bike and 2 mile run. I think I will finish... and may do ok.
All of this leads up to the real deal in two weeks. The Spring Sprint Tri in Claremore is a 400 yard swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run. I understand there will be 300 or more people there. My goal... to finish inside of the first 300 or so. :) (Really, it is just to finish.)
I am very thankful for my friend David, who is beginning to train other people. ( I will write more about him in the future.). And I am thankful that I have taken on this challenge and I am looking forward to seeing where it leads me. I have had alot of encouragement from several people and that is always good.
Ironman Triathalon? Well, it would be nice ...but I have a ways to go. I think I will just stick with some smaller challenges for the time being.
Thanks to all of you for your encouragement along the way.
Charlie
One person that heard that was a friend named David. Since October he and I have been working out 5 days a week. I was working out regularly on the elyptical machine...but David has really helped me with getting stronger, faster and more balanced. Core exercises, plyometrics, and a variety of other workouts have helped me alot. The last month the focus has been on the upcoming triathalon.
Swimming was the first obstacle. It really has not been hard...because I like to swim. The stroke came back to me quickly. Most mondays I swim about a mile. Lately we have been focusing on 400 yard increments. ( That is the distance of the next triathalon.) Yesterday I set a personal best... under 8 mintues!
Running has not been to hard. I have done 3 5K's since October. Each time I have set a personal best, and although I am not too speedy, I am conistently getting better.
Biking ? Well, that has been another story. I have borrowed a bike, which comes from a very generous friend. David has been working hard to get me out there on the road. The problem is that I am not too comfortable on the road, especially if there are cars on the road with me. But we have taken on about 4 or 5 10 mile rides...including one today. I was much more comfortable today , and did my best time. I still would prefer bike paths, but the truth is that we do not live in Oregon...( where they are everywhere.)
So , tomorrow it is a mock tri... 7 AM.... 200 yard swim, 11 mile bike and 2 mile run. I think I will finish... and may do ok.
All of this leads up to the real deal in two weeks. The Spring Sprint Tri in Claremore is a 400 yard swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run. I understand there will be 300 or more people there. My goal... to finish inside of the first 300 or so. :) (Really, it is just to finish.)
I am very thankful for my friend David, who is beginning to train other people. ( I will write more about him in the future.). And I am thankful that I have taken on this challenge and I am looking forward to seeing where it leads me. I have had alot of encouragement from several people and that is always good.
Ironman Triathalon? Well, it would be nice ...but I have a ways to go. I think I will just stick with some smaller challenges for the time being.
Thanks to all of you for your encouragement along the way.
Charlie
Sunday, March 21, 2010
"Undercover" greeter
Today was a snowy cold day in Oklahoma! That is never good on a Sunday. I did not preach today and had planned to visit a church in Broken Arrow, but roads were bad. So I went to FCC and hung out for the services... It was great! I don't get to talk to alot of people on Sundays...so this was a good thing!
I am watching "Undercover Boss" tonight. I can't really go undercover at the church...but I did have a moment today that reminded me of this show.
It was second service...attendance was low and we did not have a greeter at one of the doors. So I was just hanging there and decided to grab some service bulletins and started passing them out. I said, "Welcome to FCC! " then stuck my hand out and shook their hand.
What a great experience! Most preachers shake people out.... I was shaking people in ! People did not know what to make of it. Now, to be honest, most did not know that I was not preaching, so it kind of confused some people. But most people figured it out once they got in the worship center.
It was alot of fun. And while it was not "undercover", it still made me appreciate all the things volunteers do at FCC. It takes alot of different people doing different things to get a Sunday morning service up and running each week. Our Staff, ministry leaders and volunteers work hard. They know that they are BIG part of how people feel welcomed, cared for, and ministered to.
Thank you FCC volunteers! You are awesome.
I am watching "Undercover Boss" tonight. I can't really go undercover at the church...but I did have a moment today that reminded me of this show.
It was second service...attendance was low and we did not have a greeter at one of the doors. So I was just hanging there and decided to grab some service bulletins and started passing them out. I said, "Welcome to FCC! " then stuck my hand out and shook their hand.
What a great experience! Most preachers shake people out.... I was shaking people in ! People did not know what to make of it. Now, to be honest, most did not know that I was not preaching, so it kind of confused some people. But most people figured it out once they got in the worship center.
It was alot of fun. And while it was not "undercover", it still made me appreciate all the things volunteers do at FCC. It takes alot of different people doing different things to get a Sunday morning service up and running each week. Our Staff, ministry leaders and volunteers work hard. They know that they are BIG part of how people feel welcomed, cared for, and ministered to.
Thank you FCC volunteers! You are awesome.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Ready on the bench
If you are a part of a team, you want to play. But everyone can not play all the time. So some sit on the bench....sometimes for the whole season. But when you number is called, you have to be ready.
I sat on the bench alot in high school. I sat on the bench in college...but it did not matter because I loved being part of the team and I loved basketball. But there was a time when my team needed me. So I played. Neither experience produced anything dramatic, but it felt good to be on the floor.
That was not the case today for Kyle Kuric. Kyle plays for the Louiville Cardinals. They were playing #1 Syracuse in the last game at Freedom Hall. The place was charged up, emotional, and electric. You would not blame Kyle for thinking that he probably would not get in game. After all, it figured to be close.
Well..... The starting guard hurt his thumb and was out for the game. So in the second half, Kyle Kuric gets the call. And guess what???? Unknown and unheralded Kyle Kuric led the Cardinals to an upset victory of the #1 team in the land. Several steals, several rebounds, dunks, and a total of 22 points in the second half!
What a moment for Kyle Kuric! He was on the bench, but he was ready... He practiced hard, he knew his role, and then when he got the call, he put his heart out there and just played.
That is one of the great stories of this years College Basketball season.
Kyles story reminds me that even in practice, I should do my best.Much of life is practice. Much of life is full of the same things each day. But even in the mundane moments of life, there are points where you and I are being prepared for something significant in our lives. And when the call comes... we need to be ready to go!
There are no wasted moments in God's economy. And God loves surprises. I think about my friend in scripture , Peter... He spent some time on the bench....but he did not give up. Jesus got him in the game in John 21. Then in Acts 2, when the call came to him, he preached his heart out! He was ready...and boy did he preach! I love it!
Do your best in whatever you are doing, for the glory of God AND so you will be ready. It may seem boring...it may just seem like practice... the odds are you may not find yourself in the game...but You just never know when you might get the call.... and then it is your turn to shine.
I sat on the bench alot in high school. I sat on the bench in college...but it did not matter because I loved being part of the team and I loved basketball. But there was a time when my team needed me. So I played. Neither experience produced anything dramatic, but it felt good to be on the floor.
That was not the case today for Kyle Kuric. Kyle plays for the Louiville Cardinals. They were playing #1 Syracuse in the last game at Freedom Hall. The place was charged up, emotional, and electric. You would not blame Kyle for thinking that he probably would not get in game. After all, it figured to be close.
Well..... The starting guard hurt his thumb and was out for the game. So in the second half, Kyle Kuric gets the call. And guess what???? Unknown and unheralded Kyle Kuric led the Cardinals to an upset victory of the #1 team in the land. Several steals, several rebounds, dunks, and a total of 22 points in the second half!
What a moment for Kyle Kuric! He was on the bench, but he was ready... He practiced hard, he knew his role, and then when he got the call, he put his heart out there and just played.
That is one of the great stories of this years College Basketball season.
Kyles story reminds me that even in practice, I should do my best.Much of life is practice. Much of life is full of the same things each day. But even in the mundane moments of life, there are points where you and I are being prepared for something significant in our lives. And when the call comes... we need to be ready to go!
There are no wasted moments in God's economy. And God loves surprises. I think about my friend in scripture , Peter... He spent some time on the bench....but he did not give up. Jesus got him in the game in John 21. Then in Acts 2, when the call came to him, he preached his heart out! He was ready...and boy did he preach! I love it!
Do your best in whatever you are doing, for the glory of God AND so you will be ready. It may seem boring...it may just seem like practice... the odds are you may not find yourself in the game...but You just never know when you might get the call.... and then it is your turn to shine.
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