Sumertime!

Summertime! Summertime! I am a big fan!

This summer is off to a great start at FCC... FX was awesome, big crowds of kids going to camp and the prep work for THE RIPPLE EFFECT is in full swing.

Every year we take the summer to study Old Testament scripture. This year's series is HERO'S. We are looking at some of the more obscure OT Hero's in the story of scripture. If you are in town, come to church at NG ( 8:30 and 11:00 ) or at Stone Canyon (10 AM) . If not go to fccowasso.com and listen. Matt Thomason will be preaching most of the series, and he is really good! You will get alot of out them.

I am on a break for a while. I will be in and out of town alot over the next several weeks. Some of it involves travel with Pam, North American Christian Convention, and some Leadership development opportunities in the Northeast. I appreciate the opportunity to refocus, rest, and do some different things than I do the rest of the year.

No matter where I am, or who I am with, I will be thinking of my FCC family , praying for you, and looking for the opportunities to influence people for Christ.

21 inches of snow

21 inches of snow... makes me thankful for the following...

- A warm house...

- online banking....

- wireless internet...

- books and hot chocolate

- a wife that I like and that likes me (insert "love" there too)

-the ability to work from home, with no meetings scheduled

- the beauty of white snow so deep that you can not figure out where the driveway ends and the street begins

- a very quiet evening with no traffic on the roads.

I am sure in another couple days I will get stir crazy... and it know it is a challenge for those of you with 3-4 kids...but enjoy the moments... a snow storm like this only comes around once in a 100 years...

And we got to experience it!

OPEN DOORS

This afternoon I went up to the church to check out a couple things. As I drove up to the property I saw a full parking lot. I remembered that today was the Pinewood Derby for the Boy Scouts.

I recall participating in the Pinewood Derby as a kid. My Dad and I worked on our cars together and we went to the races. I don't think I won... but I do remember spending time with my dad. Those are always good memories.

So as I watched dads, moms, grandpa's and grandma's helping with cars and cheering on the races, I sure felt good about a couple things.

One, it is good for our culture whenever there are opportunities for parents, grandparents and kids do things together. We believe in this as a church. Our Elementary and Youth Ministries are being built with this in mind. The most effective ways to raise children is with parental involvement. Children are chosen by God to be led by their parents. Parents are chosen by God to lead their children. That is the best way to do it. Organizations like the Scouts, sports teams and academic teams all provide great opportunities for involvement between parents, grandparents and their kids. They are not perfect, but I love seeing parents and kids doing life together. I am proud of our church and our leaders and staff who believe this and work to make it happen.

It comes in small packages too. It's not always big programs. Today I saw a dad and his two sons working on the stage set for church. I know the boys were glad to be with their dad and the dad was genuinely glad to be with the kids... and they were working for God. It's the best way to do it.

Two, I am very proud of a church who opens it's building to groups who facilitate such involvement. Our building is used every single day of the week. There are people coming and going every day. Beside the Pinewood Derby, we have special needs groups that use the building on a monthly basis, a Homeschool group that uses it regularly, moms groups that meet weekly, sports teams, Homeowners Associations, Health Challenge groups, the Local Tri-athalon clubs, and many more that use the building. Our community votes in our building. We have groups that use it for music recitals and much more.

The building we have is a tool to reach people. So imagine my joy last week when I met a woman who had started coming to church because she had been introduced to our facility and our people through the Winter Health Challenge. She had several kids and told me that she like what we were doing through the Health Challenge, and wanted to see what we were about on Sundays.

Why do we do this? Simply put, we just want an opportunity to share the gospel with people. We see the beautiful building as a tool for introducing people to Jesus. It's happening. Will we see everyone who comes through the door come to Christ? Probably not. However, we have a reputation of being a church with Open Doors. People talk in our community in a very positive way because we open our doors.

Here is the result... When people talk about needing a church, even some of our community leaders who do not attend FCC, recommend us to those who are coming to Owasso. I have been told that realtors, doctors, teachers and others have said, "you need to check out FCC." It's because of the reputation we have been able to build by being a church with open doors.

A building is not a monument to any person. It is a message. A message that there is hope and grace for people who live in our community. It is a message that there are people who are willing to go the extra mile to help them connect with their kids, or to find help in a crisis. And most of all it is a message that says, "You are worth the price to me... my Son died for you." It is the message that counts and changes lives.

By the way... you don't even have to have a building to build a reputation of being a church with open doors. Our Stone Canyon Campus has done a great job of getting out to serve people and they are only building on that reputation. I am so proud of them.

I love our church because we believe in OPEN DOORS... and that will make a difference for alot of people.

2011 Journey- Follow Me

It's 2 hours till 2011. 2010 wasn't a bad year for me personally, just complicated. So I look forward to a new year... I am looking forward to new opportunities, new friends, new ideas and new ways to celebrate life with my wife, kids and grandkids. Even more so I am looking forward to a renewed committment to get to know Jesus better and to imitate him.

One way that I am going to do that is to read through Gospels this year. I am looking for the way that Jesus treated people, because I think I can do better at that. I am looking for the way that Jesus lifted people up, paid attention to people no one else would, even reached out and welcomed people into his life, because I think I can be better at that.

I am going to look more for how Jesus related to His Father, because I think I can do better at that too.... I want to find the little things Jesus did and see how those framed his ministry, because I think that it is the little things that make the difference.

So why don't you join me on this journey in 2011? Read the Gospels. There are 89 chapters... so that means if you and I read 1 chapter a day, we will go through the books 4 times next year.

Why should we do this? Well, Jesus said, "Follow Me." If we are going to "follow Jesus" we ought to know more about what He did , where He did it, and who He did it with. We find that in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Call it a resolution if you want... I call it a plan. And if I miss a day, its not the end of the world. I will just pick up where I left off... As one writer said, " The goal is not for getting me through the Word of God, it is for getting the Word of God through me." Its a journey... one that God directs. I figure He will reveal what I need to see, when I need to see it.

There are alot of other things I hope to accomplish in the coming year ( now 91 minutes away). But this one is something we can do together...

I like doing things together... I hope you will join me.

Charlie

Where do I start?

Recently I watched a piece on ESPN by Rick Reilly. It was a commentary about the last year of Tiger Woods' life. Reilly chronicled the story of hs fame and power and how it was all brought down by self-destructive behavior in his moral life. In the end, his immorality and impurity cost him millions and millions of dollars, prestige, and worst of all, his relationship with his wife. His relationship with his children has been changed forever.

Within a few weeks of that ill-fated 2009 Thanksgiving run in with a fire hydrant in Flordia, Tiger was busy with image rehabilitation. His handlers had a stratgey to get him back in front of the public, say the right things at the right time and then start working on the next 5 majors which would break Nicklaus's record. Over the past year we have witnessed this effort. He has talked about working on the person he is, and occassionally he would show flashes of the new nicer, kinder and gentler Tiger. But there would be flashes of the old Tiger too. Either way the changes did not translate into wins on the golf course. For the first time in his career he was winless for the year.

It should be no surprise to those of us who follow sports. Truth is that to win at any professional level, it takes the best that you have. Distractions, personal or professional are certain to doom almost anyone who plays sports at that level.

We are a "spiritually minded" people in America. Because of that, for Tiger, there were more than a few questions about his inner life. Almost all his answers were focused on his childhood religion of Buddhism. It may be something he truly believes in...but there is one problem... and it is the problem that Tiger has had all his life. It is self-centered. And therein lies the problem with our country in general. Faith has become self-centered rather than Jesus centered.

Reilly finished his piece with this insightful statement.

"What good does it to gain back everything on the outside, if so much is missing on the inside?"

Tht is a statement that sounds alot like what Jesus said. "What does it profit a man if he gainst the whole world but loses his soul?"

The two statements have the same answer. Starting on the outside and working inward is a dead end. Instead God says "start on the inside and let that be the catalyst for the changes on the outside."

I suspect that Tiger Woods will win more golf tournaments. I suspect that he will continue the rebuilding project that is before him. But if he does not figure out that rebuilding his soul begins and ends with God and Jesus Christ, there will be a day when he will have lots of records, trophies and the accolades of people, but still be empty inside. His life will always be defined by the events of 2009-10. On the surface it may all turn out well, but it will never be what it could have been if God had been at the center of His heart... not hmself.

There is a lesson there for all of us as well. As you contemplate new goals, new dreams and new hopes, start with your heart. Look inside first and make sure that God is at the center of what you are doing. We will be tempted to focus on the circumstances of 2010 and work hard to change things that did not turn out well. But we might take our cue from Jesus who set out to change hearts first, knowing that the rest would fall into line.

Happy New Year!

CHRISTMAS WEEK...

Christmas week is always a balance for me. It is lots of fun with kids and grandkids coming in. Yes, this year there will be two grandkids... and Lord willing there will be three next year! Pam bakes alot, there is tons of laughter and conversation. Joel wont be able to make it this year, but we will have all three of the girls and their husbands, so it will be a house full. It is always fun.

Tucked in all of that this year are two Christmas Eve Services and a Sunday Morning Christmas Service. Each of these services are special times for our church family and for those who visit or are checking out the church. I know lots of people are working on all the details to make it a meaningful time of worship and celebration.

This year we are talking about Christmas Stories... So Christmas Eve will be focused on the greatest story of all... the coming of Christ as a baby... Sunday morning we will have ONE SERVICE at 10 AM and we will talk about a "NEW DAY" for all of us because of the coming of Christ.

These are great services to invite people to... so I encourage you to get the word out any way you can... Invite friends, families, neighbors, or co-workers to celebrate Christmas WITH CHRIST at the center of everything.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES are at 5PM and 7 PM.

DEC. 26th SERVICES are at 10 AM ( North Garnett) and 11 AM ( Stone Canyon).

By the way... so far the weather looks good for Christmas Eve... no blizzard this year!

Hope to see you there!

Charlie

A "sort of vacation"

It is December. I am on a "sort of vacation." A "sort of vacation" means I have the time off, but am still preaching each Sunday and Christmas Eve .

There are two kinds of vacations for me. One is the real deal where you go away, far away, can't really be reached, get to be relatively anonymous, and unwind and relax. We did that this summer in Florida. I always look forward to those. I probably need two of those a year...but I am thankful for anything I get there.

The second one is this "sort of vacation"... which means we stay home, family comes to us, I get up when I want to, work when I want to, quit when I want to... in general, it is about me setting the schedule and doing what I want to.

So what will I do during this "sort of vacation?"

Well, I will visit Brynlee... and play with Gracie. I will talk to my daughters and their hubands. I will text Joel about games and life. I may go to the lake. I will read some books, and work on my study of James ( coming on Sundays and Wednesday in January). I will finish off some Bible reading for the year. I want to re-arrange my home office. I will putter around town some, workout, sleep in some, stay up, watch football, read some more and hang out. I will watch some basketball, high school, maybe some college. I will sit and talk with Pam. We will watch some movies. But I also will kind of stay out of her way. She has two weeks off and she doesn't need me hanging all over her. I will preach a couple Sundays, preach Christmas Eve services, and continue thoughts about what 2011 will hold. I will reflect on 2010 as well.

AND I WILL SAY THANK YOU LORD.... 2010 was a crazy year on so many levels. 2010 has forced me to depend on him more, praise him more, cry out to him more and to reach out to others more. It has been the most demanding year of my life. This was a surprise. I knew 2010 would have its challenges, but I really had no idea of the depth of those demands. We have launched a new campus, Pam and I began leading a new life group, our church has hired a couple new people, and moved some others around and I have established some new relationhips with church leaders at the North American, and in the Northeast. Pam and I celebrated 29 years of marriage, added a new son-in-law and a new granddaughter. We also have confronted some issues at church and in our own lives which have helped us to depend on Him more than ever before. We talk about "digging deep wells." so that when challenges come, you have something to draw from. 2010 was a year which really tested the depth of my wells.

Along the way I have witnessed lots of stories of how God works everything for His purpose, in my life and others.

So my "sort of vacation" is really a good thing... I will slow down and kind of mosey through the last two weeks of the year... hopefully on Jan 3rd, I will be rejuvenated to the point that I can hit the ground running on a new and exciting year ahead.

I also hope that this "sort of vacation" will renew a passion to write more in this blog. ( I know it has been sporadic.) So look for more random thoughts about God, life, and this crazy world that we live in...

FRIENDS...

This week I had the great experience of playing golf at THE PATRIOT. THE PATRIOT is a brand new course in Owasso that is amazing. It is a course that is cut into several canyons in the southwest part of Owasso. I had walked the course before it was open, and even flew over it in a a helicopter...but there is nothing like playing it.

At first when I was asked to join a couple guys out there to play, I was intimidated. They are good golfers and everything I had heard about the course made me think that I would just "tear it up" ( not in a good way.) So I was very surprised when I started playing and realized that I could hit the ball in the fairway ( they are pretty wide). The greens are mostly huge, although they are super fast and have lots of undulations. The course takes imagination. It takes some risk. But it really does not just shut down crummy golfers like me. I mentioned to the guys I was playing with that this was a very very nice course that was playable even for a guy like me.

So I loved it! Actually had a couple pars! I hit just enough shots to think maybe I could play some more golf and do okay at it.

But what makes golf fun for me is the guys I played with. A couple weeks ago I played another course in Owasso. The course was nice. I had not played on it in a long time. It was also a very nice day. But the best part was the guy I was playing with. He is very good... but he kept me loose.. It was fun for him and it was alot of fun for me.

The same was true yesterday. The course is great, but the two guys I played with were the best.

I think there is a reminder there for me. I need good guys in my life to spend time with. Relationships matter. Whether it is golf, basketball, working out, or meetings with staff and elders, I need to slow down a little bit and enjoy the relational part of it all. I get going too fast and even in the middle of all the activity, I feel alone at times. I want to bury myself in my work. I like what I do... but it can be lonley. But I think alot of that is my fault. I may seem extroverted to alot of people, but I am really not. I am an introvert in alot of ways. Pam has told me that for years. I can't change how I am wired, but I do think I am going to work on that...working harder to sharing life with others I am close to. I need to make the effort. I have plenty of people who want to be friends... but it is up to me to let them in.

I hope I get to play THE PATRIOT again. But it was not the golf course that made yesterday good. It was the friends. I need more of that kind of interaction. It might make me more bearable to live with and to work with.

The loving hand of discipline

WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? I have been pondering that statement for a few days. I don't have a corner on love at all. Sometimes I am not as loving as I should be...other times I am more loving than I think I am. Either way, there is a sweet spot where love is both redemptive and corrective. God lives in that sweet spot... sometimes I show up there too, but more often than not, it is one or the other.

When your younger kids do things they should not do, you correct them. Sometimes you discipline them. Why do we go to the trouble of doing that? I think for most parents it is not because we want to be right...it is not a power trip. It is more that you want to save your child the grief and sorrow of making those mistakes that you made ( or that others have made). So you try to get your point across. Rarely did I ever have one of our kids say,"You know dad, I am glad you spanked me... I needed that... It really corrected my behavior." They didn't like being disciplined, but they knew that we did it because we love them.

In "church world" discipline has taken a back seat to grace, mercy, and forgiveness. That is not all bad at times...but we can not escape the fact that God disciplined his children (his people) because he loved them.

The writer of Hebrews says, "Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on however, it produces a harvest of righteousness ad peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12: 10-11

The point of disicipline is clear... it produces "righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

And that is the problem... none of us wakes up in the morning and tells God, "discipline me today so that I can have peace and more righteousness." There has to be other ways to get peace and righteousness, or so we think. But if the truth be known, I learn more through discipline. I learn more through times of sorrow. I learn more through the struggles of life.

As I get older I don't go looking for discipline from God, but as it comes, I am learning to go with it and sometimes embrace it. I want more righteousness in my life. I want more peace. If that means God has to be involved in some corrective work in my life, then so be it. He knows best. He is my Father. He also answers the first question I asked... What does love look like? It looks like a Heavenly Father who is willing to do whatever it takes to help me see that His ways are the best ways for me to live.

I will put my life in His loving hands trusting that His plan is the best for me.

CURVE BALLS IN LIFE

Curve Balls... man they are tricky. I was watching a baseball game the other night ( a rare thing for me). The pitcher for the Texas Rangers, Cliff Lee, threw fast ball after fastball. He was on. The Tampa Bay Rays could not hit him. But over some time, they began to figure him out a bit. So what did he do? Change up.... then curve ball. Strike out after strike out... They never did figure him out. And now the Rangers are in the ALCS.

Life is alot like that. You go along and you get used to a certain cadence or a certain rythym. You think that you have life figured out. And if you are like me, you kind of like it that way most of the time. The problem is that when you live that way for a long time, you begin to depend more on yourself to control your circumstances and you depend less on the Lord. Then it happens... A curve ball. You lose your job, someone gets sick, you have a big bill come due, someone turns their back on you, an unplanned pregnancy... the list goes on and on.

Pam and I had a curve ball this last August.( Not an unplanned pregnancy !) Pam lost her job at the Mid-High. Ten years of working with 9th and 10th graders, down the drain in one phone call. It was district wide budget cuts that got her. No one was happy for this...and We were not really ready for it. ( at least I wasn't). But we took a look at it and almost immediately Pam said, "Well God must have a different plan." He did not ask us ahead of time. We did not "steal his signs." He did not ask permission. It just happened. But all along God was working.

Its about 10 weeks later, and not Pam is working with Kindergarteners. ( BIG CHANGE from 9-10th graders!) And I have to say that while it is exhausting for her in some ways, she has not been happier in her job than she is now. She mentioned this week that she was so glad that God threw this change at her at this time in her life. It has invigorated her and she sees so many ministry opportunities. And nothing against many of the great people that she worked with at the Mid-High, but she loves working with her new team at Stone Canyon. It is such a postive and uplifting environment.

Well all of that to say, " When you get a curve ball in your life remember that God is control." HE may throw it himself, or HE may have just allowed it, but either way HE is in control of it. YOU are in control of something too... you are in control of how you respond to it. You can just stand there and strike out. Or you can take a swing. But another option is to pay attention to it, and look for the opportunity that curve ball brings... you never know how it might work out 10 weeks later.

The Best gift...

It is no secret that I am not mechanically inclinded. I have a tool box, but I never know what is in it. I have a hammer, a saw, and a couple other tools. But I am not a tool guy. My dad and Pam's dad are those kinds of guys... but I am not. I am glad that Pam has never held that against me.

I have had in my mind for about 3-4 years that I wanted to finish off the privacy fence on my property. My neighbors have provided me 3/4's of the fence, which has been nice. But none of them offered to tie the fence into my house. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!

So I figured it was time. I called a fence company and their quote for about 50 feet of privacy fence was obscene. So I thought, "I bet I could figure this out and do it myself."

Well..... after today, let's just say, " I am really glad that common sense took over and I got some help." I actually asked a friend of mine to help me. He had some fence to do and I did. He is busy as can be, and I am pretty occupied most of the time myself. But we set today as the day.

Here is the big deal. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING AND I DID NOT.

So we started about 10 AM.. and by 4 PM we were whupped! Got the 7 holes dug ( auger) and got the posts set at my house. We got the 6 holes dug ( auger) at his house. We did not get the posts set at his house. It was 92 degrees and a heat index around 100. It's Owasso land, which means lots of clay, some rock and even a little hard ground. We were wasted.

But it was a great time. There is something great about spending a day with a brother in Christ who loves his family, loves his church, loves me, and loves his life! AND HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.

He tells me the hard part is done... but even if it is not, I just loved the work and the time with him. It was encouraging and uplifting. He never looked at me as if I was not really pulling my weight. I tried... I ran the auger... and it only took me for a ride one time! I learned how to set posts... and how important a string is. And I had fun.

Although I am sore as can be... and pretty tired... I have to say, "All in all, it was a pretty good day." We will finish the job soon.

There are all kinds of gifts that we can give to people. But I am learning that sometimes the very best gift is the gift of yourself. I felt like that is gift I got today... and a gift I hope I gave in some small way to him.

So that's what I did today.

IT'S NO SURPRISE....

It never surpises me that when I plan and prepare messages on the family that there will be a torrent of issues that are unleashed. Our Homewreckers series has certainly done that, and we are only in week 2! I pray more in the lead up and during a family series than at any other time. I have learned to expect that there will be more phone calls, more emails, more sorrow and tragedy during the weeks I preach about what God wants for the family, than at any other time of the year.

This year, I started planning for this series early last spring. And I started praying more than ever. I prayed for my family, my marriage and the marriages and family life of our staff, elders and church.

Satan knows that the family was God's second best idea. ( The first was sending Jesus as our Redeemer.) He lost the first battle at Calvary, so his strategy is to divide families. It is to weaken their spiritual and moral resolve, so that there will be little left to fight off when he comes swooping into the homes of people in our community and in our church. I think when he sees preachers talking about the family, he licks his chops... He knows that under the facade of "Hi, how are you doing...fine" kind of talk in the church, there are simmering issues that He would love to bring to the surface. And this is double true when it comes to a series exposing the sin in our relationships and in the church when it comes to immorality, adultery, our thought life and so much more. It's like Satan says, " Open the door and you are really going to see... are you ready for that?" There are alot of happy homes, great marriages and strong relationships in the church. But there are also alot of hurting people, brokenness, sorrow and even hopelessness in our chuch as well , ( as well as our community.)

I knew HOMEWRECKERS would be that kind of series. But I went ahead anyway, because I knew in my heart that God wants these messages preached and shared. I knew that it would be hard, not just for me, but for our leaders...our staff... our elders... and for many who care so deeply about their families and the kingdom. It would be hard for wives whose husbands care about anything but them. It would be hard for husbands whose hearts are broken because of sin. It would be hard for families whose calendars are dominated with activity, but not with real life. It would be hard for people have made bad choices. It would be hard for people whose have been hurt deeply by others. I knew it would be hard.

My prayer has not changed. "Lord, heal broken families. Bring things to the surface so that moms and dads can know what you really intended behind closed doors in the home. Be the Lord of each home within the church. Help men to step up and lead. Help wives to love and support. Help kids to respect and honor. Help those who are single parents to persevere. And somehow Lord, restore the hope of Jesus within their home."

Satan is coming after me. He is coming after our church. But I will stand on the Word of God... and so will our church... and we will be stronger for it.

I call on all of you who are part of the Kingdom of God to stand with me in praying for our families..and standing against the enemy of God who wants nothing more than to shatter the hope, peace and joy that only a home built on God's Word can bring.

Charlie

A New Chapter

20 months ago, when I began to think and pray about "double impact", I did not know what to expect. I just knew that God wanted us to do something different. We had just relocated to North Garnett and were cruising along... But I knew that God wanted us to step out in faith...do something bold... even crazy.

I wasnt the only one. Fellow staff members, elders and members of our great church knew it too. As God began to reveal the vision for the Stone Canyon campus... I alternated between fear and fearlessness. We talked, prayed, sought God and as He opened doors and began to crystalize the vision. The last couple nights I have not slept well, but I think it was the anticipation...not a fear of what might or might not happen. I just wanted to see what would happen after all the reading, traveling, questions, praying, attending meetings and more meetings and dreaming about what it might be that God was up to.

Stone Canyon is about "helping others to know, love, serve and share Him." It is the same vision we have had as a church for years..on main street, 86th street, North Garnett and now Stone Canyon.

Today was launch day. 280 people came to Stone Canyon today. And another 1100 + came to North Garnett. There were so many new people who are looking for something. They came, worshipped , connected to God and heard a message about how important it is that we listen to the right voice in our world. I did not realize how appropriate the message would be for the launch of Stone Canyon until this afternoon... God knew exactly what needed to be said.

This is just the beginning. Over the next few weeks we will continue to "settle in" to the Multi-site strategy. We will continue to invite, reach out, connect to and pray for God's will to be done. This is a work of God that we have JOINED HIM in... and now we are off and going. There are greater things ahead for us...

Thanks to all who have participated in this for the last 20 months. Preparation, prayers, planning and then participation today... all of it has been worth it.

I can not wait to see how it all plays out... We are in the beginning "sentences" of a new chapter in the life of our church. Its for God's glory!

More about all this later.

15 years

My track record did not suggest that I would be anywhere 15 years. I grew up in a home on the move....It was a good home, and a good life, but we were on the move alot.

My first 13 years of ministry included 5 moves. We had great experiences in Oklahoma and Iowa. But sinking down roots was not my pattern....

Then in 1994 I came to First Christian Church of Owasso. I was brought in to do children's ministry... and although I did not know much about cutting edge children's ministry, I figured I could build teams and organize things. God did the rest. There were amazing people who were passionate about kids and families. Many are still with us, and although we all have gray hair now...we loved what we did.

Now it is 2010... I was in Kentucky one year...but for nearly the last 11 years I have had the privildge of preaching, teaching and being part of a leadership team at a great church.

I could not be more thankful for the church and the wonderful people who have loved me and allowed me to grow through the years. FCC has been willing to take risks, to attempt some pretty big things and to stretch to please God. It truly is a "JOIN HIM" kind of church.

What am I a most proud of? Well there are lots of things....
* I am proud of the fact that FCC has been through some tough leadership struggles over those years... and come out of them healthy, loving and focused on His mission.
* I am super proud of the team that God has put together. There was a time when it was just 5 of us on staff ( Matt, Bob, Helen, Darla and me.) But as time has gone by we have added some amazing passionate people who love God and love this church.
* I am proud of the blessing of the Elders I have served with through the years.In tough times and good times they have stood by me. They have guided and directed me. They have protected me. And at times they have corrected me. Nobody has it better.
* I am so proud of the many people at FCC who took God up on His offer through Christ... for those who stuck in there during terribly difficult times and those who took a leap of faith and trusted God even though they could only see the next step... not the final step.
* I am most proud of my family. I take no credit for how they have turned out. The truth is that for many years, my priorities were more with the church than with them. That makes Pam even more amazing in my book... she held things together at times and always projected a love for Jesus in everything. Her influence in my life, my ministry and in our children and grandchildren can not be measured. Our kids are all super young adults... who love God, love their mom and dad and love the church. Again, I do not take credit for that... It was God. And it was our church for the last 15 years. FCC OWASSO is an unusual place because it does not put pastor's kids under a microscope. This church has let our kids grow at their own pace and in thier own way. I know the stories about how it goes in other places... so for this I will always be thanful.

The future??? Well, at this point, I would love to spend another 15 years serving here. But if the truth be known... I have always made one committment when it came to length of ministry. I will serve at FCC OWASSO for as long as God wants me to. Not a day longer... and I hope not a day shorter... I see great possibilities for kindgom work through FCC OWASSO....for me. I am excited about those dreams...I am enthused about our teams....

This morning I said, "The best journey's are shared journey's." That certainly is true for ministry. So thanks to a great church, a great staff team, great elders and a super great family.... But most of all thanks to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit... the best team of all when it comes to making dreams that really matter come true.

Launch Time....

It's just 9 days away... the launch of the Stone Canyon Campus.

Somebody asked me if I was nervous. I said, "No... It is God's mission, not mine."

I trust Him... and all the people who are working on this. The Core Team, the Launch Team, and so many more...

I know that everyone has put the work into this... I especially appreciate ALL our staff... they have worked hard and long...I am so proud of them.

We have people with a vested interest... people who will serve. People in the school. People in our partner, NOEA...

AND, there are alot of people in Owasso who need a church and need a Savior.

It will be different than our North Garnett campus... but it will still have the same mission... To connect people to God... to help others know, love, serve and share Him.

COME CHECK IT OUT: AUG 22nd.... 11:00 AM at Stone Canyon Elementary School. ( 177th and 76th Street North.)

It's launch time... I like the sound of that... just 9 days away...

NEXT

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

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....:)

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...

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.

"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