Between holidays

In year's past I've let this week in between the holidays slip away while doing a bunch of nothing. But I've made it a point to handle this year differently.

I'm spending my time:

1) playing with my children
...wrestling in the living room floor with my boys and dating my daughter.
2) practicing my guitar
...I finally conquered the riff at the beginning of David Crowder's "Oh for a thousand tongues"!
3) praying
...that sounds obligatory, but I've been praying more than usual. It's nice.
4) setting goals for 2009
...historically speaking, I'm not a goal setter. I just do what I think I'm being called to do as best I can and let God take care of the rest. But after three years of working with Pastor Chris and seeing how he does things, I'm gonna give his approach a try. I'll still be doing what I feel called to do as best I can a leaving the rest to God. I'm just gonna do my best to be a little more intentional in certain areas.
5) Watching light-hearted movies
...now that I've cancelled my cable, I don't have any TV tempting me on a regular basis. So I've treated myself to some movie rentals. They're all comedies. It's been a long, hectic December. I'm going to laugh a lot this week.

How are you spending your week? Are you ready for a new year?

Grace and Peace

Merry Christmas

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.

Grace and Peace

A quiet time

I spent some time studying in my office this morning alone. I say "alone" because the church office is closed today because of the Holiday, and for that reason none of my coworkers are here. It's quite interesting to note just how peaceful my office is on a morning such as this. Charter Oak Church's admin wing is a surprisingly loud and distracting environment to try and get in any meaningful time alone with Jesus. But not this morning...I sat at my desk and centered on Jesus as I listened to the pitter-patter of the rain on my windows. As I stilled myself and leaned in to my Abba, I became so aware of His presence that I had to remove my shoes.

I share this with you today because I've been reminded that, over the course of the remainder of the day, some seventeen hundred or more people will be coming to Charter Oak Church to celebrate the birth of the Christ...and for many of them this will be their only trip to church for the entire year, yet God is waiting. He is patiently waiting for us all to separate ourselves from the crowds, go a little out of our way, and put ourselves in an environment without distractions so that nothing can invade our thoughts except for Him...God...Christ...the baby...the King...our Savior.

I dare you to lock yourself in a room alone with Jesus today. Even if it's only for 10 minutes of silence, I dare you to leave the crowd and all of the Christmas excess to behold the Christ.

The shepherds left their flocks to see Him.
The Magi left their lives to travel in from the East.
Will you give Him quality time today?

Grace and Peace be with you.

Samoan gingerbread haka

These gingerbread men can kick your butt.



Merry Christmas

My book : All You Get is Jesus

Over the past several weeks I've had many people contact me regarding the book that I am currently writing. They've asked me to share some of its content here. So...here is the Preface of the book.

Preface

I believe in Jesus. But you might find in this book that what I believe about Jesus is different from you. I hold fast to the Apostle’s Creed and all that is contained within the 66 books of the Bible, but I’m learning to let go and walk away from that which resembles religion. In fact, I’m un-learning everything I know about this generation’s Jesus in an effort to better understand the Nazarene mentioned throughout Scripture.

I am a pastor who serves the local church to see Jesus transform people’s lives for all eternity. But many of the churches that I know of would never want me on their staff. I preach the Good News of Jesus both in season and out of season, but I’m learning that Jesus’ Gospel is not always the message of the church. In fact, I’m un-learning everything I know about this generation’s church in an effort to better understand the fellowship that spread like wildfire in the book of Acts.

I am a follower of The Way. But the discipleship that I practice, and pass on to those in my ministry, may not even remotely resemble your’s. I practice the spiritual disciplines and I am slowly (very slowly) finding these practices are making me more like Jesus, but I’m learning that discipleship should make one dirty. In fact, I’m un-learning the cleanliness that you find in most Sunday School classrooms in an effort to become covered in the dust of my Rabbi.

I am a trophy of God’s grace. But you might find that what I believe about God’s goodness has nothing to do with gifts that He would give me apart from what His Son, Jesus, gave me at Golgotha. I love the cross of Christ, and I am still amazed by grace. But I’m learning that nothing other than salvation is promised to those who call Jesus Lord. In fact, I’m un-learning the concept of having a “mansion in Glory” in an effort to appreciate having a “room in my Father’s house” (John 14: 2).

I know Jesus to be a healer. But I accept that He doesn’t always heal. For some divine, yet unknown reason, His will and His plan don’t always include that. I know God to be a provider. But I accept that on many occasions our Father allows for lean times…sorrowful times…tragic times…I don’t try to explain His behavior in those moments, and I don’t love Him any less for it. He is who He is, and who He is should be called love. In fact, I am un-learning everything I know about love in an effort to love with the heart of Jesus.

If I haven’t run you off yet by sharing my beliefs with you, you should know that this book is a “living text” for me. It is an expression of my ongoing journey with Jesus finding out (often the hard way) what it means for me to deny myself, pick up a cross, and follow Him. It is a refinement of theology and a story board of Biblical “snapshots” detailing how I’ve begun to understand that, while we serve a God who is big enough to give us anything in all of creation, the only thing that is guaranteed to us as Christ followers is Jesus. It is my prayer that God will use this book to open the eyes of your heart to this truth.

May you come to know that all you may ever get is Jesus.
And may Jesus, just Jesus, be enough for you.
Amen.

Grace and Peace be with you.

Perhaps the greatest thing ever...

RESPECT!!!!

Grace and Peace

Hillsong United is awesome!

Behold:



Grace and Peace be with you.

Scrub it like this is Jesus' house...

...that's what I said last night to a group of students who joined me at a local homeless shelter. My A.B.S. group has decided to devote the entire month of December to various "serve" projects in our community. The way we see it...there's no better way to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ child than to spend the entire month sharing His love with the needy on a weekly basis.

Last night was the first outing. A group of 18 of us went to a shelter in Greensburg for a night of serving. When we arrived, we were divided into two groups. Half of us were designated to be a "clean-up crew" and the other half was a "craft crew". The "craft crew" spent the night with the families at the shelter playing with children, and the "clean-up crew" scrubbed the place.

It was a huge success! There were smiles all around as our group of 18 stepped out of their comfort zones to be a blessing to the staff and resident's of the shelter.

Some of my favorite moments include:

-Hearing the children giggle at Alex Kessler's impersonations of cartoon characters
-Hearing one of my students sing the song "How He Loves" as he scrubbed a toilet...I just couldn't fight the tears in that moment
-Watching Christian Jonczak smile as he spent almost 35 minutes scrubbing a single deep carpet stain
-Hearing Corey Silvis say, "PM, I've never had fun cleaning before." The look on his face was priceless.
-Seeing Amber, Lorris, Cate, and Jess become like little girls as they crafted and played with the children
-Teaching Tyler Riggle how to run a carpet cleaner...and then watching him use it...he did a GREAT job!

To the group who went last night, WAY TO GO!!! You truly exemplified Christianos to everyone at that shelter. I'm so grateful to have been a part of our efforts last night. I knew you guys were gonna do a great job, but I had no clue how blown away I was going to be after seeing you give of yourself for the sake of the Kingdom.

Grace and Peace be with you.

Something we could be covering in prayer

Amber has something she would like for us to cover in prayer.

Crappy Dancers/Great Christians

I'm too blessed right now to even tell you how I feel about this. I got the prayer request below on our Student Ministry's webpage after our dance party at Powered Up tonight. To God be the glory!

PM when you asked me to come tonight I was skeptical because I have a bad history with church. But after hearing about the love of Jesus and the kingdom of God, my heart was softened. And dancing the rest of the night with a bunch of people who were willing to accept me for who I am just makes me want to give Jesus another chance. You guys are crappy dancers, but you are great Christians. I'm gonna come grow with you on a regular basis. Please keep me in your prayers.

Oh, and, thanks! Tonight saved my life.

Friends, be reminded...this is why we do what we do.
Grace and Peace be with you.

pics from Undergrounds

To view the pics from our Student Ministry's recent musical "Undergrounds", click on the "view" button below and scroll through the thumbnails in the upper right hand corner.

Grace and Peace

Important quotes from a week of vacation

I took a week away over the Thanksgiving holiday. And, as I usually do, I spent a considerable amount of time with my nose in a book and my ears tuned in to various podcasts. Here are some of the quotes that left an aftertaste.

"If the church would catch on fire, the world would come to watch it burn."
-Jentezen Franklin (talking about the Pentecostal fire of God)

"The Bible begins with Abel's blood crying out from the ground. The Bible ends with God wiping away every tear saying, 'There will be no more death or crying or pain.' Hope. The church is always about this hope."
-Don Golden

"We (followers of The Way) should not be about building Temples unto God anymore, for no building can house that much grace."
-Rob Bell

"Beware them dogs who in their perfect religiosity have built walls instead of bridges."
-Rob Bell

"An item is only worth as much as someone will pay for it. In light of that, have you considered how much God paid for you?"
-Greg Boyd

"Jesus wants to save our church from fear."
-Don Golden

"Grace and peace be with you."
-Rob Bell (his congregation replied, "and also with you" so loudly that the hair on the back of my neck stood up)

"God may you put our defense mechanisms unto your ways to an eternal rest."
-Greg Boyd (praying before he began his sermon)

"The beauty of our new life in Christ is that death is necessary, but Jesus raises us up and empowers us to really, fully, completely live this new life in Him. Regardless of how frail and hopeless you may be, once Friday is done...Sunday will come. May the redeemed of God never forget that Sunday IS coming."
-Tony Campolo

Grace and Peace be with you.

Two important books on Student Ministry (book #2)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've recently read two incredible books on the subject of youth ministry. I blogged about this first book here. And now for the second book...

Book #2 - Getting Fired for The Glory of God, Mike Yaconelli

This book is not terribly different from Duffy's, at least in perspective. The motivation behind this book is to provide the reader with practical assistance in surviving "real-world" ministry. However, "Getting Fired for The Glory of God" is focused on caring for a minister's soul.

Often times, ministers feel the pressure to give and give and give of themselves until they are totally burnt out and are ready to walk away. Often times, ministers feel the pressure to build great programs that attract huge crowds instead of building great ministries that nurture true disciples. Often times, ministers feel the pressure to preach and teach political correctness instead of timeless Biblical Truth. Often times, ministers feel that their job, and even their career, is on the line when they don't "please people". Often times, ministers feel that their church board would rather them turn out nice kids instead of radical lovers of Christ. This book is written to address a minister when they are finding them self in the midst of those types of "times". And let me tell you, this is a great book...

Mike writes as fearlessly, profoundly, and mischievously in this book as he did in "Messy Spirituality". This book made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me mad. And it spoke to the Pastor in me with great clarity. And let me also say that this is NOT just a book for youth ministers. If you have any role in nurturing the spiritual growth of a group of people, whether large or small, volunteer or paid, you should read this book. It will definitely be worth your time.

Grace and Peace

Two important books on Student Ministry (book #1)

Over the past month, I've read two incredible books on the subject of Student Ministry. Both of the books sort fell into my lap, so to speak. They were both SO good that I knew that I needed to share about them on my blog so that my friends out in youth ministry land could read about them in the event that they hadn't already actually read them.

Book #1 - Youth Ministry Nuts and Bolts, Duffy Robbins

This book is very much a survival guide of "how to's" when it comes to the reality of ministry behind the scenes. Some of the topics covered in this book are:

Gaining a vision for youth ministry
How to make decisions
Dealing with conflict
How to work with Parents
Motivating your team
Time management
Managing a budget
Evaluating your ministry

Duffy's words are time-tested and practical. This is easily the most helpful and ready-to-be-applied book that I have EVER read on Student Ministry. I used to tell people that if they could only choose one book on the subject of student ministry that they should read Doug Field's "Your First Two Year's in Youth Ministry"...now, I just hope that you will never be in a situation to have to choose just one book. Seriously, I wish I would have found Duffy's book back when I was first starting in ministry. It would have made things a lot easier.

As I read this book, I found myself thinking, "I need to re-read this book about once a year just to refresh myself on the basics." And, "This book is going to be required reading for every intern that I have from now until Jesus returns."

Grace and Peace

Another "Crazy Love" recommendation

Back in September, I posted about a book by Frances Chan entitled "Crazy Love". Well, this morning I stumbled across Perry Noble's latest blog about the same book. Perry is the lead pastor at a phenomenal church down south called New Spring. He is one of my heroes. Here is what Perry has to say about Cray Love.

Seriously, you should read this book.
Grace and Peace

Getting excited

I am getting really excited about the weekend. After attending the Musical rehearsal last night and watching the students improve right before my eyes, I'm sure that "Undergrounds" is going to be a great show! Come, and bring a friend. The performances are Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 9:30am.

Grace and Peace

A sneak peek

This is the video teaser for Pastor Dave's upcoming Christmas series. It will be shown at all 4 services this weekend. Tell your friends! It's gonna be a good time.



Grace and Peace

Insights from Duffy

This past weekend I had the great privilege of hearing Duffy Robbins speak twice at Leadapalooza and a third time on that same day at a Youth Pastor's appreciation dinner.

Duffy is one of the "wise men" of youth ministry. He teaches Youth Ministry at Eastern University. He's been a youth pastor for longer than I've been alive, and he's authored a number of outstanding books on the subject of youth ministry.

That being said, I could hardly take good notes at his seminars last Saturday because I was laughing so hard (Duffy could retire to comedy at any moment). Anyways, here is some of the good stuff that I took note of:

1) THE MORNING SICKNESS PRINCIPLE -
The process of developing new life does not always look like progress. Like a mother in the early stages of pregnancy deals with morning sickness, a lot of ministry looks just as "unpleasant" as it goes about nurturing new life. Embrace the ugly. Don't let it discourage you. The process which brings new life isn't as beautiful as the movies make it out to be. As it is in the physical, so it is in the spiritual...just go with it.

2) OUR JOB IS TO MAKE DISCIPLES -
While many people in our churches believe that our role in youth ministry is to make kids domesticated, nice, responsible, mature, appropriate-at-all-times, well-rounded members of society, the Bible teaches us that our job is to make disciples...and, frankly, disciples aren't always nice or domesticated. Rather, disciples are radical lovers of Christ who follow Him regardless of the status quo. If the process of making disciples gets traded in for the process of making kids into nice people, then we have failed Jesus. If the process of making disciples into radical lovers of Jesus offends those who want a youth ministry that is full of "good kids", then...well...be offensive.

3) THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHILDLIKE FAITH AND CHILDISH FAITH
Childish faith says:
God should be working in my life to bring me happiness, to make my life easier, to bless me, to be my friend.
Childlike faith says:
I take God at his Word to become like Jesus. He is more concerned about my holiness than my happiness. He is in my life that I may worship him, that I may know that He is my Father.

4) FARMERS DON'T MAKE COWS...COWS MAKE COWS...
Farmers are responsible for taking care of their flocks, but only the livestock can reproduce itself. So many pastors burn out because they fool themselves into thinking that they can reach every kid in their community, but the fact of the matter is that only kids can truly reach other kids within their public school systems, etc. We as pastors should care for our flocks in such a way that our flocks are positioned to reproduce themselves. Equip your kids with the skills and enthusiasm to go and make baby Christians. Let the cows make cows.

5) ROOTS AND FRUITS -
Healthy trees are about growing roots and developing fruits. Healthy ministry does the same.

Grace and Peace

A November sprint

It's funny really...I spent most of October laid up from my accident, and now November feels like a constant stream of activity. I went from resting to sprinting. Just last week I preached a revival service at a friend's church, spoke at a seminar at Leadapalooza for our Conference Youth Ministry Team, led worship at that same Leadapalooza, and taught confirmation class as well as my A.B.S. group. It was a busy week.

It's beginning to make sense to me now why God pushed me to read through the Bible twice as I was healing back in October. To put it bluntly, those two turns through Scripture have given me a lot to share. Otherwise, I may have already been so creatively drained that I would probably be hiding from the world and trying to refresh. But, glory to God, I'm actually quite good right now. I got a good night's sleep last night, and I'm ready to face another week.

But this week isn't going to be any easier.

The Youth Musical is scheduled for this weekend. And that means a number of dress rehearsals throughout the week. I'm also preaching for the entire congregation this Sunday. In fact, it's shaping up to be one of those weeks that only Jesus can really walk me through. Maybe that's why I've titled this weekend's message "Just Jesus". At any rate, I'm happy to report that I'm alive and well. My family is well. Jesus is alive and well, and November, though insanely busy, is shaping up to be MUCH better than October.

If you have some time, would you please raise up a prayer for this weekend. The students have been working hard on this musical, and I am incredibly excited to see them perform. Pray for them as they go through their final days of rehearsing. And pray for me as well as I prepare to preach "Just Jesus". This is going to be a great week. To God be the glory!

Grace and Peace

Fire and Rain

I just came across this video on YouTube. A lot of people can play a guitar and sing, but performances like this are why James Taylor is a legend. Maybe someday I'll learn how to finger-pick like that.



Grace and Peace

Protests at Saddleback

I was once told that, "You'll know that you're preaching the Gospel when the Romans show up to shut you down." In which case, I found this blog interesting.

God bless the guys at Saddleback. They are a huge target.

Grace and Peace

My withdrawal symptoms

So as I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I've recently cancelled my cable TV so that my family and I can be free from the temptation of giving our most precious moments together to a bunch of sitcoms...and I must say that our first weekend without cable was actually kind of difficult for me. Don't get me wrong. I loved the time that I spent with my family, but there were those hours that accumulated over the weekend after everyone else in my house had gone to bed when I usually turned on the TV. Dirty Jobs, The Office, Scrubs, LA Ink, were just some of my late night favorites. But now they're gone...

I found myself this weekend caught in those late night moments staring down at my Bible praying, "Okay, God. It's just me and Your Word here now. No one else can take my attention. Speak to me." And I wish that I could tell you that those were easy moments, but they weren't. In fact, I found myself feeling like I was dealing with the withdrawal symptoms that an addict would feel when separated from his "drug".

Eh...Hi, my name is Mark, and I'm addicted to cable television. Surprise, surprise.

So there I was sitting on my couch with my Bible in hand praying and reading.
Praying and reading...
Praying and reading...
Praying and reading...

I prayed and read every night until I was literally falling asleep, and then I went to bed. And though it was not an easy alternative to my usual late night television, I somehow sensed the approval of God flooding my soul as I spent large amounts of time with Him instead of Mike Row, Kat Von D, Dwight Shrute, or Dr. Cox. In fact, I can even tell you that I slept better this weekend than I have in a long, long time. My usual tossing-and-turning was gone. And, even if that was only for the weekend, that was greatly appreciated.

More and more, I'm beginning to feel like this is something that God has wanted for me for a long time. I can't even begin to count how many hours I've given to late night TV that I could have given to Him. I've run from the questions that have surfaced in my mind through this. Questions like:

-Where would I be in my walk with Jesus had I been doing this all along?
-What kind of worldly thinking has caused me hours and hours of restlessness?
-How could I be so foolish as to not spend the most impressionable moments of my day with Jesus?

I'm terrified of the answers to those questions. But the fact remains, I want to know Jesus. That may sound obligatory, but I don't care. I just really, really, REALLY want to know Jesus more and more. Over the past few days, I feel like God has been showing me that, while I have been progressing in my walk with Him, I've been doing it with shackles on, and maybe, just maybe, over the coming weeks and months I am going to become freed from those shackles for a few hours each night to progress and grow with Him at a much greater rate of speed. Now...I know that spiritual growth is not a race, and I know that these late night sessions with Jesus aren't going to get easier anytime soon. But, like Paul, I have become convinced of this one thing:

"...I have not yet already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on to the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Ph. 3:12-14

So I have an appointment with Jesus tonight...and tomorrow night...and the night after that. The appointment will begin somewhere around 11pm after Jean goes to bed. Whatever brings Him the most glory, is what I want to do. He is enough for me.

Grace and Peace

Some thoughts from The Deuce

Zaq Phillips (a.k.a. The Deuce) posted an interesting blog this morning. Check it out:

Obama is the President...Jesus is Lord
Current mood: calm

Before any body corrects me, I know Obama does not take office until the new year. With that out of the way let me continue.

I have been listening to my Family, friends and WORD FM explain how Obama is going to ruin are Christian society. How he is going to buck the way we live our moral lives with his liberal views. I had one friend tell me how he is going to start a civilian police force, like Hitlers S.S. Yet as I hear all this fear from the people I know the most and those at WORD FM, I cannot help but think, who is their Lord?

Do you really believe that Obama is such a threat to our way of life that God will not be able to deliver us? Need I remind you that our God is the same God who delivered our ancestors out of Egypt under the oppression of Pharaoh? Need I remind you that our God is the same God who gave the Midianites into the hands of Gideon? Need I remind you that our God is the same God who defeated Goliath with a scrawny sheep herder named David? Need I remind your our God is the same God who hung on a cross, died and rose three days later so we need not to live in fear but rather in Him!

We forget that Jesus is in control of our world not matter who is in the White House. For the next four years and forever lets not forgot that. Instead let us take this as a challenge to "Fight for the Heart of Our King," as a good friend of mine would put it. Obama obviously does not have the Christian ideals some of us would like him to have (as far as I am concerned neither did McCain). Yet I remember of a man who did not have the ideals of Christ when I was first introduced to him. In fact he would rip Christians from their homes and execute them on the spot but he went on to be a great church leader. If you are wondering who I am talking about open your Bible to the book of Acts and start reading.

So if you have not figured it out, I am not to worried about this past election. Call me a determinist but I believe Jesus in control.

Yay, Deuce!

Grace and Peace

October is over

Wow...that's all I can say about October. I'm not looking for anyone's pity-points here, but October was easily one of the worst months of my life. I spent 2 weeks of it on the couch recovering from a freak gator-over-a-cliff-Evil Knievel type of stunt. I spent the other 2 weeks of October trying to catch up on all of my work. I missed Powered Up a third time in October due to a Cold and fever. My wife exhausted herself carrying more than her share of the responsibilities of my household while I was layed up. I missed more than half of my sons deck hockey games to due my injuries and obligations, and I don't think that I spent more than 30 minutes alone with my daughter over the entire month.

That last sentence was pretty hard to type.

Needless to say, I'm glad that October is over. In fact, I just want to climb to the top of the highest mountain and shout to the world that October is over.

OCTOBER IS OVER!!!

November is here, and I'm looking forward to making the most of this month. Here's what I have in mind:

1) I'm cancelling my cable TV service.
After chatting with Jean about it, praying about it, and reflecting on my family's routine, I've concluded that my family gives the most precious opportunities that we have to "connect with one another" to a bunch of stupid sitcoms. It's actually grieved my heart to recognize that Zach and Cody, Hannah Montana, and J.D. from Scrubs receive more attention from my family than we receive from one another. That is going to change!

2) I'm going to date my daughter this month.
Everyone else has to wait in line behind her. Marley and I have plans.

3) I've started writing again.
You can laugh at me if you want to. But...years ago I felt the leading of the Lord to write a book, and, in fear, I put it on the back burner. Well, God has reminded me of His call for this book, and I have started writing it. I'll write for 45 minutes a day until its done. I don't care how long that takes. That's what I'm prepared to do. I'm excited. I'm scared. I'm inspired. And I'm ready to see what happens with this. And...maybe nothing will happen with it...yet maybe this book will bless someone...either way...I'm just going to be obedient and write it.

4) I'm reminding myself why I'm working in ministry.
I don't care who agrees or disagrees with my next statement, but the truth of the matter is that I believe that youth ministry is one of the toughest professions in the marketplace. Add to that the fact that we are about to begin the busiest season of the Church calendar, and you have a perfect recipe for discouragement. But I'm going to do everything that I can do to rise above that by regularly and creatively reminding myself of why I do what I do. And for those of you who want to know, here's my reason for working in ministry:

Jesus has given me a personal invitation to do it.

It's not a requirement. It's an invitation to join Him in the work of loving the unlovely, helping the needy, and sharing the Good News of salvation in His blood. I could do any one of several other things: play music, sales, etc. But I choose to do this because He has given me an invitation. And frankly, I LOVE WHAT I DO! I get to work side by side with some of the best in the Kingdom here at Charter Oak Church, and it's all because of an undeserved, yet divine invitation.

If you have a few moments to pray for me, I'd appreciate it. I'm serious about everything I have shared with you in this post, and I need your support and encouragement as I focus on Christ and press on to be the man that God created me to be.

Grace and Peace

A great blog about parenting teens

DC Curry is the Pastor to Students at Grainger Community Church in Grainger, IN. He recently posted this. And I think that if you are, or are going to one day be, a parent of a teenager, then you should read it. It will take you 30 seconds to read.

Grace and Peace

Life lessons with Izzy

My youngest son, Izzy, is now at the age where he is constantly pulling up on sturdy (and sometimes not-so-sturdy) objects to get into the standing position. I love it, because it's so neat to see the satisfaction and joy that he gets on his face after conquering the struggle to stand. Though it is fun to watch, it is also quite demanding of my attention because he is easily distracted, and when he gets distracted he forgets to hold on causing him to fall and hit his head. Over the past month, my wife and I have spent hours of time standing closely to Izzy and watching him like a hawk trying to prevent him from falling and getting hurt. Which brings me to last night.

Last night Izzy was standing holding onto the back of a chair in my dining room when he became interested in a toy that was laying on the floor just out of his reach. Having seen this scenario play out many times before, I knew just what to do. I took Izzy by the hand that wasn't holding onto the chair, and I said, "Come on, tiny-man, let's go get your toy." An invitation to which Izzy has many times in the past let go of the object that he was holding onto and trusted me to safely support him as he picked up his toy. But not this time...this time was different. Izzy was so comfortable holding onto the back of the chair that he wouldn't let go even though I had him safely in my grasp.

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks...How many times has God tried to walk me to the next phase, season, or project in my life when I have been so comfortable just "holding on" that I didn't even feel my Abba take hold of my other hand? How many times has that happened to you? If you're like me, you've walked through entire seasons of your life lulled into the routine of your days holding on to yesterday's comforts only to wake up one morning and have the revelation that God has been waiting for you to let go of yesterday and simply trust Him enough to take the next step.

And so I was there with Izzy last night. As our eyes locked onto one-another, I could tell by his expression that he was confused. He wanted the toy that was on the floor, and he even took a step toward the toy. But a single step was all he could take because he had not yet let go of the chair. So I said to Izzy, "You've gotta let go of the chair and walk with me to get that toy."

And Izzy did let go and walk with me.

As I watched him play with his toy, I wiped the tears that were running down my cheeks because the same words that I had just spoken to my son were words that I constantly need my Father to remind me of.

Mark, you've gotta let go and walk with me.

If I'm going to take my next step in His work for my life,
I've gotta let go and walk with Him.
If I'm going to be the man that He made me to be,
I've gotta let go and walk with Him.
If I'm going to live and love as He lives and loves,
I've gotta let go and walk with Him.

Let me ask you something. Is there something that you need to let go of? Is there something holding you back, preventing you from letting God be the firm foundation of your life? Well...if so, then I believe that today is a good day for letting go and walking with Him. Scripture tells us time and again that He is holding our hand ready to catch us from the fall. Will you trust Him today? Will you let go and walk with Him today?

Grace and Peace

Thanks for your prayers.

As many of you know, I was involved in a bad accident last Saturday. I was touring the property of Stonehenge in Acme, PA, being driven around in a Gator (see picture), when out of nowhere the driver of the Gator had a seizure and drove us over a 20 ft. embankment. Pretty crazy stuff...

I spent the better part of Saturday in the Emergency Room at Latrobe Hospital, and I've spent the rest of the week on bed rest. I have whiplash and a bruised spinal-cord. While I am in pain and dealing with some annoying numbness, I'm praising God that my injuries aren't any worse than they are. Think about it for a second...free-falling 20 ft., landing on your butt, bouncing in the air to fly at least another 20 ft. and walking away with the very minor injuries that I sustained. Can anyone say "favor"? I can.

Praise God I can!

I had my follow-up appointment with my doctor today, and he made it very clear that I need to take it easy for a while. In fact, it looks like I'll be spending the rest of the week on my couch (sigh), but I wanted you to know that I doing fine at this point. My doctors are confident that I'll be fully healed in a period of weeks, and I'll be back on my feet in a period of days.

So in the meantime, I just want you to know that I am deeply appreciative to those who have been praying for me, cooking for me, and visiting me. I'm thanking God for friends like you.

Take heart, my friends, Sunday is coming!
Grace and Peace

Something that's been all up in my business

In my recent prayer times, there has been a phrase that has repetitively found its way into my thoughts. It's a short phrase, just three words. It is:

Do it afraid.

At first, this phrase didn't have much meaning to me, and as it kept surfacing over my prayer times I actually began to find it annoying. But here's what I'm beginning to understand after a few weeks of processing it.

To "do it afraid" means that you admit to God that you are so aware of your own inabilities to handle a set of circumstances that you are fearful...yet you are so committed to faithful obedience that you are still willing to face the circumstances regardless of your fear.

To "do it afraid" means that you are willing to give God full authority over the situation. If you don't totally turn it over to Him, then your worst fears could come true.

To "do it afraid" means that you are ready to give God full credit for whatever may come of this situation. When you live by His provision, you have to give Him all of the praise.

To "do it afraid" means that you believe that God is more reliable than that which could happen, that which you are "afraid of".

To "do it afraid" means that the approval of the King is more valuable to you than the comforts of your inactivity.

When I was 10 years old, my parents divorced. My dad left us, and my mother raised me and my two sisters. And at the time we lived in an especially rural part of Tennessee on 5 acres of land. I'll never forget one particular night in the months that followed my dad leaving. It was around 10pm and especially dark out that night, and my dog (whose pen was in the back yard) was barking incessantly. My mother and I knew immediately that there had to be some kind of critter out there because my dog never behaved like that. So...being the "man" of the house, my mom nominated me as the one who should go check on the dog. Naturally, I protested her nomination, but it was no use. Mom handed me the family's shotgun and sent me out (keep in mind I lived in the backwoods of Tennessee). I stepped one foot out of the house, and then I stepped with the other. And just as I got both feet out of the house, my mother shut AND LOCKED the back door. SHE LOCKED ME OUTSIDE WITH WHATEVER WAS BOTHERING MY DOG!!! Needless to say, at 10 years old, I was terrified. Well, I checked on the dog and got her to settle down. And later I had a conversation with my mother in which she said, "Mark that was the most courageous thing you have ever done." Her comment had left me confused. "Mom, I was terrified," I responded, "How could you think that what I did was courageous?" Her answer to that question has stuck with me ever since. She said, "Mark, courage is having the ability to do the things that you are afraid of doing. If you aren't afraid of it, it doesn't require courage to do it. But if you are afraid of it, only courage can calm your fears."

Mom's words made a lot of sense to me that night. In fact, her words have been fresh on my mind recently as I've been dealing with this concept of "do it afraid". Just for fun, I did a word search on courage in the Bible this morning as I continue to wrestle with this idea, and here are the results. As it turns out, being courageous, or "doing it afraid" is a regularly recurring theme throughout the Bible.

Are you dealing with something that you are absolutely scared to death of? Is God calling you to something that you are so afraid of that it is stealing your joy, your peace, or your ability to rest. Then hear me today...Our God is still capable of sending manna in the morning and quail in the evening. Our God is still capable of sending a cloud by day and a fire by night. And by His power, whatever it is that you feel like He's calling you to do, YOU CAN DO IT. Even if you have to do it afraid.

Today is your day. Throw caution to the wind. Take a deep breath. Say a little prayer, and get started. Do it afraid. The approval of your King is worth it!!!

Grace and Peace

I'm not the only one...

...who loved Rob Bell's new book "Jesus Wants to Save Christians". This is what Mark Oestricher had to say about it. "Marko", as he is better known, is the Vice President of Youth Specialties and a many-year veteran of youth ministry.

Grace and Peace.

Why we love Josh from Saddleback...

Because he does stuff like this that helps us "little guys" stay on the cutting edge.

Josh you're the man!

Grace and Peace

Jesus Wants to Save Christians

I just finished reading Rob Bell's latest book "Jesus Wants to Save Christians". It's classic Rob. His conversational style and down-to-earth explanation of otherwise complex material is definitely found in this book. And...quite frankly...it was, for me, the quickest read of his three books.

What I liked about this book, aside from the fact that it was Rob Bell (I'm a huge fan!), was the way that he and co-author Don Golden walked through Scripture tracing the history of Israel from Egypt, to Sinai, to Jerusalem, and ultimately to exile in Babylon. This motif of exile and exodus, which they call the “New Exodus perspective,” is the lens through which they look at Jesus and the mission of the church. I found it refreshing and right on.

There are some fascinating quotes in the book. I won't post them all because I don't want the chapters to lose their "punch" for you (should you choose to read them), but here's one that I found eye-opening:

“Americans spend more annually on trash bags than nearly half the world does on all goods.”

Ultimately, I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it. However, the overall message of this book is not terribly different from "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne. If you've just read "Jesus for President", as I recently recommended that book as well, then you will find some repetitive themes stated in different vocabulary. On the plus side, however, if you have not read "Jesus for President" this is a way to become introduced to some of those themes in a much quicker read. Just my two-cents, for what it's worth...

Grace and Peace

Unveiled (enemy love)

Okay, I've never claimed to be the "sharpest tool in the shed". If there were an award for "Christian of the year", I wouldn't be nominated for it. And if I were Catholic...well, saint-hood probably woundn't be the track I was fit for. If front-row-seats in Jesus' throne room were given out based on merit, then I don't know if I'd even be allowed to enter the room. True story... I say that not because I've started a practice of public self-degradation, but rather I say it because over the past several months I've truly been trying to lift the veil of my "Pastor" title and do a better job of personally embracing the ugliness of simply following Jesus.

In so doing, my marriage has improved, my ministry is growing in both numbers and enthusiasm, my preaching has become more relevant, my worship has become more passionate, my prayer life has become more "real", and my Bible study time has become more fruitful. Take this morning for example, I was studying a portion of the sermon on the mount, and I had a revelation about loving my enemies.

It had never really occurred to me before that when Jesus said "love your enemies" He meant it in a very 'active' manner. What I mean by that is simply that Jesus' instructions 'to love one's enemies' are recorded in a verb tense that calls for action. I had never really taken notice of that before. In the past my practice of loving my enemies had simply manifest itself in my decision "to not hate my enemies", but what was impressed upon my heart this morning was a new depth of teaching on this love.

Yep, it's pretty basic stuff...I had the revelation this morning that "not hating one's enemies" does not fully embody "loving one's enemies", and I couldn't be more excited about it. Oh, I'm not pretending that this new revelation is going to make loving my enemies easier. In fact, I'm quite sure that it will make it harder, but I'm still excited because it has made the plan of Jesus a little clearer in my mind.

So perhaps this post should be categorized in the "DUH!" department for many of you reading this, but I've taken off the veil. "And we, who with unveiled faces, all reflect the Lord's glory." (2 Cor. 3:18) With that in mind, I'm sure that God is going to be walking me through many more "DUH!" kinds of enlightenment experiences. I'll be sharing them with you in the future because I truly feel called to do so, and I'm not at all intimidated by those super-Christians and soon-to-be-saints who already have this stuff figured out. May God bless them, and may God bless all of the rest of us whose walk with Christ looks more like a limp or a crawl. At least we're limping and crawling toward Jesus.

Grace and Peace

Jesus is my friend

If you ever needed proof that David Crowder is the coolest person too ever grace the face of the planet, behold...this video.

Grace and Peace

Song lyrics

One of the ways that I turn my eyes upon Jesus is through music. I love nothing more than putting on my iPod or cranking up my car stereo and singing to Jesus at the top of my lungs. You should see some of the strange looks I get at traffic lights. Anyways...here are some of my favorite lyrics from some of my favorite songs:

"You've stolen my heart. Yes, you have. You've stolen my heart. Yes, you have. You've wiped away the stains. You've broke away the chains. Yes, you have."
Leeland - Yes, you have

"I will go. I will go. I will go. Lord, send me to the world, to the lost, to the poor and hungry. Take everything I am. I'm clay within your hands. I will go. I will go. Send me!"
Starfield - I will go

"I will not be silent. I will not be quiet anymore."
David Crowder Band - I will not be silent

"Let it rain. Let it rain. Open the floodgates of Heaven. Let it rain."
Michael W. Smith - Let it rain

"He wraps himself in light, and darkness tries to hide. It trembles at his voice, trembles at his voice. How great is our God."
Chris Tomlin - How great is our God

"Turn your ear to Heaven and hear the noise inside. It's the sound of angels awe, the sound of rescued ones."
David Crowder Band - Oh praise him (all this for a King)

"Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, and my heart turns violently inside of my chest."
Eddie Kirkland - How he loves

"I can barely breathe without you."
Steve Fee - Who have I

"Heal my heart and make it clean. Open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how to love like you have loved me."
Hillsong United - Hosanna

"Jesus has overcome, and the grave is overwhelmed."
Chris Tomlin - I will rise

"Let me sing louder than creation to you..."
Todd Fields - let me sing

"Oh, praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead."
Kristian Stanfill - Jesus paid it all

"I want to make much of you Jesus. I want to make much of your love. I want to live today to give you the praise that you alone are so worthy of."
Steven Curtis Chapman - Much of you

"To label me a prodigal would be only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be."
Rush of Fools - Undo

"I am free to run. I am free to dance. I am free to live for you."
Newsboys - I am free

"And what was said to the rose to make it unfold was said to me here in my chest. So be quiet now and rest."
David Crowder Band - Here is our king

"Amazing grace make the people wanna holla!"
Toby Mac - Love is in the house

"Greater things are yet to come. Greater things are still to be done in this city."
Chris Tomlin - God of this city

"Oh, Christ, be the center of our lives. Be the place we fix our eyes."
Charlie Hall - Center

"I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back...no turning back."
Traditional hymn - I have decided to follow Jesus

Grace and Peace

A letter...

We began a new teaching series in Student Ministry two Sundays ago called "Irresistible Revolution". We are proudly teaching the concepts of Shane Claiborne's book with the hopes that we may all become more "christianos" or "like Christ".

With that in mind the Student Ministry has built a team of people who have taken on the responsibility of keeping "serve" opportunities at the fore-front of everything we do. Part of the first phase of work for that team was to identify organizations that our Student Ministry could partner with over the long haul as to make these serve projects as relational and impactful as possible. One of those organizations that we have chosen is The Hunger Garden. You can read more about The Hunger Garden here.

Over the weekend, I received a letter from Lyn Hunter, the director of The Hunger Garden. It was one of the biggest blessings I've received in a long, long time. Here it is:

Dear Pastor Mark,


I just wanted to thank you again for your youth ministry’s regular participation at The Hunger Garden this Summer. It was a real treat to meet you and your students and work alongside of you on a weekly basis, which really is why I’ve felt so compelled to write you this letter.

Pastor Mark, I’ve worked with literally hundreds of churches here at The Hunger Garden over the years, and I have to tell you that the weeks that I’ve spent with you and your students lets me know that there is something special going on at your church. What I mean by that is simply, there has never been a youth ministry follow through on their commitment to serving with us like your’s has. You and your students have become a regular fixture here, and, what’s more, is the tireless work-ethic that you all bring with you. While most groups of teens that come our way “horse around” more than they actually work, you and your group are committed to getting things done for Christ. I must say that this has altered my thinking not only about this generation of teenagers, but it has also improved my outlook on the Christian church altogether.

I do hope that Charter Oak Church’s youth ministry will be joining us in Summers to come. There are more hungry families to feed, more vegetables to harvest for them, and acres upon acres of Good News for those in need here at The Hunger Garden.

Until next time,
Lyn Hunter

As a pastor, I believe that it's letters like these that show milestones that we should celebrate. I am SO proud of the students who helped out at The Hunger Garden over the Summer and early Fall. Way to go, guys! WAY TO GO!!!

Grace and Peace be unto you today.

Is your dream worth fighting for?

This picture is a familiar sight in the Student Ministry at Charter Oak Church. It's called a thumb prayer. The thumb prayer that you see in the picture here is the closing prayer at my A.B.S. (Area Bible Study) group this past Tuesday night.

As I stared at the picture this morning I felt inspired to give you some of the history behind it. You see...We started this A.B.S. group almost 3 years ago. On our first meeting there were 4 students who showed up, and for every following meeting that month there were only 3... And, honestly, I was discouraged. I know that small groups are supposed to be small, but I also had a vision and a dream to use this particular small group to grow and give birth to many more groups. And after a full year of working with this A.B.S. group...it hadn't happened. It was one of those "moments of truth" for me as a leader. It was one of those moments when I had to sit back over the course of that first Summer and ask myself,

"Is this dream worth fighting for?"

Well....I certainly felt that it was worth fighting for. And after a little more time, a lot of prayer, and a ton of hard work you see the picture above. And what you see in the picture above is not a small group anymore...it's actually a group of students that is going to be divided into 3 small groups over the course of the next month. That's right, I said 3 small groups! It's very literally a dream come true.

Yet I'm not trying to paint a picture that the work is done. I now have a dream to see all 3 of those groups multiply themselves and give birth to new groups. My one group turned into three...in just a couple more years could that 3 turn into 9? I don't know, but I'm committed to finding out. In the meantime, I just want to encourage you a bit. Is there a place in your life for which God has given you a vision or a dream that has not yet manifest itself before you? If so, then I have some thoughts for you.

1) I believe that for every God-given-vision there is God-given-provision.
God sent three students regularly, and eventually that turned into 7 students regularly. He gave us a convenient place to meet that was conducive to that which He had shown me. And, though the growth was slower than I was hoping for, I knew all of the pieces were being put into place. Can you see God putting the pieces in place for your dream? Asking yourself this question will allow you a "lens" through which you can look to see if the foundation upon which you intend to build is solid. You see this in the Bible with the Israelites as they walked through the desert to the Promised Land. It was a LOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG process that God used to build and refine the leadership of the Hebrew nation while teaching them to rely upon Him and Him alone for their survival. ***If you see gaping holes in the foundation, then turn your prayer life onto them...for every God-given-vision there is God-given-provision. Do your part prayerfully, administratively, etc., and then give God the room to do His part.***

2) God is rarely early, but He is never late.
While you give God room to do His part, it's important to give God time to do His part, as well. One of my coworkers has a banner on her wall which reads, "God's timing is perfect." That's easy to accept on some days and hard to accept on others. There's nothing like playing "the waiting game" with God. It took 3 entire seasons of ministry to divide my small group. I had originally hoped that it would've taken more like three months. But it's being divided now. And every group is big enough to be self-sustaining. And now that it's finally happening it no longer matters how long it took. It happened in God's perfect timing, and that's good enough for me. Are you feeling impatient regarding your vision, as I was? Oh that both you and I would faithfully turn our "waiting and wondering" into "waiting to see His wonder". Be patient. Be persevering. Be about His business, and let Him come when the time is right.

3) Practice listening to constructive criticism, while letting all deconstructive criticism fall on deaf ears.
Constructive criticism can sometimes be hard to swallow, but deconstructive criticism always causes pain. My staff and friends know that I am deeply interested in their input regarding all aspects of our ministry. Yet they also know that I'm not interested in listening to anyone when they go into "attack mode". Making that clear to the people around you can give you two valuable things:

1) thoughtful observations and suggestions to help you advance the cause
2) an understanding that we're not here to tear one another down

Keep in mind that typing that is much easier than living it out, but it's so important to persevering in your dream. It seems like every couple of months or so the enemy will do his work to cause discord and discouragement on ministry teams. I've come to accept that for what it is, recognize it when it comes, and rise above it by refusing to return venom for deconstructive criticism...something Jesus called "turning the other cheek". But at the same time, I'm utterly committed to communicating value in my staff and friends by being vulnerable and humble enough to take their constructive advice when they make it known to me. Bottom line, God has called us to live and serve in community with one another. We will do a lot to see our dreams/visions come to fruition when we practice healthy communication with one another.

Are you still fighting for a dream? I am. I'm fighting to see these three new groups multiply themselves, and I'm fighting for many other advancements in the Student Ministry. Be encouraged! For every desert, there is a promised land. For every failure, there is redemption. For every opposition, there is a new measure of God's power. Keep going for it. The best is yet to be!

Grace and Peace

Daddy's Little Girl (a post for men)

I had the immense blessing of attending a Promise Keepers conference in Cleveland, OH this past weekend. For the record, I've been to 7 PK conferences in previous tours, and I've even worked on PK's executive team that put on the PK conference in Nashville back in 2005...so I have lots of history and research invested in my next comment:

This was by far the best Promise Keepers event that I've ever attended!

Every speaker hit it out of the park. The music was perfect for an event of that nature, and the "entertainment" was first-rate. Heck, even the food was better than in years past, but I'm not really focusing on any of that as my "take-away".

Rather, I am chewing on the content of a CD that I picked up while i was at the conference. It is a recording of a "Father and Daughter" seminar that Mike Silva did. Mike was one of the presenters at PK, but his personal ministry is global evangelism...anyways...Mike is married and has 4 daughters. His tag line on that fact was, "Men, I have a wife and 4 daughters. It's always someone's 'special week' at my house, so don't even try to tell me that you got problems!" That was said "tongue in cheek", of course.

The seminar CD that he did is called "Daddy's Little Girl". It is a little more than 2 hours worth of SOLID GOLD. I listened to it this morning before diving into my work day, and I can't get it out of my mind. This guy candidly shares life lessons, wisdom, and personal testimony about all kinds of things that scare most dads to death when it comes to thinking about their daughter(s) and "life"...he shares in a manner that I've never heard anywhere else and with a Biblical authority that I've never heard before on this topic. Simply put, if you are a father of a daughter, then I have a seminar CD that YOU need to borrow from me.

*I say "borrow from me" because it's not available on the internet or in stores.

Trust me, men, you need to hear this. If you would like to borrow this CD, then shoot me an email at mmcmahon@charteroakumc.org.

Grace and Peace be unto you.

a thousand words...

Grace and Peace

Hello Love

I picked up a copy of Chris Tomlin's newly-released "Hello Love" yesterday. YAY!!! True to Tomlin of old, this CD is one that instantly makes you want to memorize every word to every song so you can just sing your heart out as you listen to the music. I'm not exaggerating at all when I tell you that this is easily one of the best worship CD's that has ever been released. Here's my favorite song from "Hello Love":

This is the story behind the song:


This is the recording of "I Will Rise" from "Hello Love":


Grace and Peace to you.

Regarding "getting out of the boat" and walking on the water...

...a quote by Gregg Lovey.

"To sinful patterns of behavior that never get confronted and changed,
Abilities and gifts that never get cultivated and deployed-
Until weeks become months
And months turn into years,
And one day you’re looking back on a life of
Deep intimate gut-wretchingly honest conversations you never had;
Great bold prayers you never prayed,
Exhilarating risk you never took,
Sacrificial gifts you never offered,
Lives you never touched,
And you’re sitting in a recliner with a shriveled soul,
And forgotten dreams,
And you realize there was a world in desperate need,
And a great God calling you to be part of something bigger than yourself-
You see the person you could have become but did not; You never followed your calling. You never got out of the boat."

Takes my breath away...

Grace and Peace

It got bad for Jesus.

I've been asked by a few people to transcribe the last few minutes of the sermon that I preached last weekend (Because you can't quit). So...here it is:

When it comes to fighting for the heart of our King, we as followers of Christ ought to recognize and accept that sometimes it's just gonna get bad...sometimes things are just gonna go wrong. That's very apparent as you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and it's the core of Jesus' story as you study the final hours which led up to the crucifixion.

One of Jesus' friends betrayed him for a pile of silver.
It got bad for Jesus.
Jesus was brought up on bogus charges and arrested like a common criminal.
It got bad for Jesus.
He was brought before Caiaphas who spat on Him and struck Him in the face.
It got bad for Jesus.
He appeared before Pontius Pilate who had the authority to let Him go free, but instead of sighting His innocence, Pilate sent Him unto Herod.
It got bad for Jesus.
Pilate later sentenced Jesus to a beating so vicious and gruesome that many men would have died from it. They bound Jesus and beat Him with "the cat of nine tails" ripping the flesh off of His back.
It got bad for Jesus.
When they were through scourging Jesus they placed a crown of thorns upon His head which lacerated His head and face.
It got bad for Jesus.
They forced Him to carry a cross from the temple courts uphill to Golgotha, and when He fell, unable to carry His cross out of sheer exhaustion and dehydration, no one offered to help Him. They had to force Simon of Cyrene to help Jesus against his will.
It got bad for Jesus.
They drove nails through His hands and through His feet.
It got bad for Jesus.
Even after He had breathed His last breath, they speared Him in His side for good measure.
It got bad for Jesus.
His disciples scattered out of fear and heartbreak.
It got bad for Jesus.
And for 48 hours Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod rested...smiling...cheerfully celebrating their victory. They were certain that this King of the Jews was a king of the past.
It got bad for Jesus.

But what they didn't know....what they had forgotten was that when the Temple had been destroyed it would be rebuilt in just three days time...what they had forgotten were the ancient words spoken unto all eternity...because when the sun rose on the third day, everything that had gotten bad got better...when the sun rose on the third day the angel descended and the stone was rolled away and Jesus walked out of His tomb. And that should remind us all today and everyday that it's always too early to quit fighting for the heart of our King. We should look upon that tomb that is still empty and recognize that we have a Savior who is still alive and be reminded that we still have hope! We should look upon that empty tomb and know that, even though it may feel like Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday is coming...and coming for us...We should look upon that empty tomb and say today, "You can't quit, Jacob, because Israel, your blessing, is closer than you think!"

Grace and Peace be unto you.

Crazy Love

I sat down last night after my wife and kids went to bed and started a new book by Francis Chan entitled "Crazy Love", and two-uninterrupted-hours later I finished it...once I started reading it, I simply couldn't put it down. WOW...what a book...

In this book, Francis Chan challenges us to remember that when we are wildly in love with someone, it changes everything. Therefore, if we are wildly in love with God, as He is wildly in love with us, then we should be radically living for Him. We should be living a crazy life that reflects the crazy love that we have for a God who is so crazy in love with us...

This book spoke to the longing in my heart to know Christ and live for Christ in a manner which speaks unto Heaven saying with all that I am, "Jesus, I am so in love with you!"

I dare you to read this book.
Grace and Peace be unto you today.

Cardboard Testimonies (Week 3)

This is the video that was shown at all 4 services this weekend at Charter Oak Church. It contains the cardboard testimonies of members of our church family. What a powerful testimony it is to the work of God in our midst...Once again, to God be the glory for the things He has done.



Grace and Peace to you.

Amber wrote...

...this, and you should read it. She inspires me.

Grace and Peace

Blown away (For the Heart of Your King)

While I haven't been as frequent in posting here as I usually am, it's not from lack of trying. Believe it or not, I've sat down at my computer several times over the course of the last two weeks and stared down at the empty text-field on my blog page with full intentions of sharing my perspective on all that is going on with my ongoing sermon series here at Charter Oak Church...And, in spite of my best effort, I simply haven't been able to capture something that comes even remotely close to what is going on in my heart right now.

Over the past two weekends, I've received over a hundred different pieces of cardboard containing a written testimony of the difference that Jesus has made in someone's life, and, frankly, in many ways it's just left me speechless. These cardboard testimonies tell stories of salvation, liberation from addiction, the triumph of grace over failure, reconciled relationships, provision, and the impact of Agape love. Oh how He loves us...

And while my first intent of blogging about this sermon series was to recount the blessings and remember the "lessons", my greater aim at this point is to simply marvel at Jesus. While just three weeks ago, I was a follower of Christ. Now...well, now I don't even know how to say it...maybe lover of Christ is better, or bond-servant of Christ as Paul once put it...but still there seems to be so much more that those words fail to capture when facing the challenge of describing what's going on in my heart. I am with "I AM" right now in a way that I've never before experienced...that's all I know to say.

I, perhaps smugly, thought that the opportunity to teach this series was about getting to share the Word and Love of Christ with Charter Oak Church from the pulpit on three consecutive weeks in August, but I've been blown away with the awareness that God is using this sermon series, and His work in the people of Charter Oak Church, to give me new revelation regarding His Word and Love, new fellowship with Him. He's such a BIG GOD, and His love is unfailing.

This weekend marks the finale of this series. It's a message on perseverance. I hope that you'll come and worship with us. I'm anticipating great things. In the meantime, FIGHT FOR THE HEART OF YOUR KING!

Grace and Peace be unto you.

Cardboard Testimonies

This video shares the "stories" of the cardboard testimonies shared by our church family last weekend. To God be the glory for the things He has done.



Grace and Peace

Breath-taking

I fell in love with my wife again tonight. I walked out into my backyard and saw her playing with Izzy in our pool. The sight of her and our baby in such utter bliss with one another took my breath away. Praise God my camera was close by.

Grace and Peace

I've learned a valuable lesson today.

Last night at CHILL, a student who regularly brings homemade cookies offered me a "cookie"...I love the student's cookies, so I was eager to eat this "cookie"...This, however, was a homemade "ex-lax cookie"...I did not know this, so I ate the cookie...I've become better friends with my toilet today...ex-lax really works...

Grace and Peace to you.

Week one is "in the books"

This past weekend kicked off the first of a three part sermon series that I'm teaching here at Charter Oak Church. You may have read about it in some of my previous posts. The general thesis of this series is that we need to make the transition from "faith in the seated position" to "faith in action". That being said, here are some of my favorite moments from the weekend:

- hearing the Saturday night crowd burst into applause when they saw Amber's cardboard testimony which read, "partying, sex, self-loathing ATHEIST...forgiven, free, loved FUTURE PASTOR"

- seeing Ms. Ethel and her 12 boys in attendance at the 9:30 service. They all beamed with joy as I told her story.

- on Saturday afternoon we realized that we built the backdrop too tall for the projection screen to be used on that side of the stage...so a pair of students volunteered their time to paint new "flats" late Saturday night, and Tony Harding volunteered to meet me at 5am on Sunday morning to install them once the paint was dry. The flats got painted, and Tony and I got them installed before the sun even came up on Sunday morning. To Tony, Katie, and Mallory...you guys made my weekend! Thank you so much.

- there was a woman who was so moved by the 9:30 service that she begged to be a part of the cardboard testimony presentation at the 11 o'clock service. Cindy Jonczak pulled me aside after the 11 o'clock service had already begun and asked if that was possible. I said, "Of course it is." What was interesting, however, is that I didn't know who this lady was or if she was was even going to find her way to the right place at the right time. Well, behind the scenes, their was a collective effort of several people to get her where she needed to be, and everything went off without a hitch. She walked on stage as she was cued and shared her testimony while smiling radiantly. As she walked off the stage, our eyes met for the first time. We shared a "thumbs up" at one another. It was a moment of pure joy for both of us.

- seeing a young woman who had been molested as a child write her cardboard testimony. It read, "Silenced and controlled because I was molested...tears of pain turned to tears of joy thanks to the Lord." Whoever doesn't believe that Jesus is a healer needs to speak to that woman. Glory to God!

- hearing my wife sing at all four services

I'm excited about week 2! I hope to see you there.

Grace and Peace to you.

For the Heart of Your King

This weekend marks the kickoff of my first ever sermon series preached to the entire congregation of Charter Oak Church. It's something that I've put a lot of prayer, study, and work into. Needless to say, I'm excited.

I don't want to give to much away regarding the nature of the experience this weekend, but I feel confident in saying that you'll be blessed by coming and taking part. And, in the meantime, I would just like to ask again for your prayers regarding this sermon series. My family and I have come under a great attack in the past two weeks...everything from dealing with another kidney stone to my normally-incredibly-pleasant-infant-son being a screaming mess for days on in...just to name a couple...but I'm learning to laugh at the enemy...greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.

Thanks for your prayers...I'm looking forward to the weekend!

Grace and Peace to you.

The story behind "How He Loves"

Get your tissues...



Grace and Peace to you.

Have you seen this?

I love this song! I catch myself singing this song all the time. I hope it blesses you.



Grace and Peace to you.

Prayer and Cocoa Puffs

This morning began just like every Thursday morning has begun over the summer months. A group of 13 students gathered for what has affectionately become known as "prayer and cocoa puffs". At "prayer and cocoa puffs" we begin the morning having cereal together (many of these students have just rolled out of bed), and then we spend an hour in prayer together. We pray for the church, the Student Ministry, and then each of us write a personal prayer request sheet that we pray for. It sounds kind of funny to say, but "prayer and cocoa puffs" has been one of the driving forces of our Summer ministry...in fact, it's done more to build depth in relationships than anything else we have ever done before. That being said, below are some of the personal prayer requests that were mentioned this morning. As you read them, you will begin to understand the vulnerability with which these students have begun to share. Would you help lift these requests up to Jesus?

"Coming to grips with having to move to a new state, making new friends, finding a new church, and fitting in at a new school."

"To not live ashamed anymore...Jesus has set me free from my mistakes."

"4 months today without cutting myself!" (what a praise!)

"I need help developing a better self image"

"I'm just feeling very distant from God right now."

"I'm going through a war with myself right now. the mature side that knows what is best vs. the selfish side that knows what he wants"

"making the college transition"

"I'm taking off my 'mask'. I admit that I am not strong. I am afraid. I have doubts. But in admitting this the last few days I've remembered what life was like without Jesus...it's awful." This same student later wrote, "Jesus, don't let me go. I cannot live without you."

"I feel unlovable. Nobody seems to have time to just sit down and love me."

"LUST...may I hunger only for Jesus."

"My best friend is moving across the country, and I'm heartbroken."

"I talked to my dad for the first time in four years yesterday, and, more than anything else, it's got me on the verge of falling apart."

"Abandonement issues"

"I'm just exhausted."

"I am under a huge spiritual attack this week."

"I have perfect peace right now. I want to keep it."

"that I would learn how to love Jesus"

"for all of the new students that have been hanging around...that they would find a home here"

Thank you for helping us cover these items in prayer. Grace and Peace to you.

Promo video revision

I worked with my creative team today to make a revision to the end of the promo video for my upcoming sermon series "For the Heart of Your King". Here's the finished product:



It's only 2 weeks away now, and I'm getting excited!

Grace and peace to you.

A difference maker

Many people I meet say that they want to change the world, and I resonate with them because I, too, would like to see change. But every once in a rambling moon I meet someone who is a real "difference maker". Today was one of those days.

My family and I went with a group of Charter Oak Church's Students to spend an evening serving together at The Hunger Garden where, upon our arrival, we met Mrs. Lynn (see picture). Mrs. Lynn is the keeper of The Hunger Garden and a true modern day saint. Her life's work can be found on a farm in Madison, PA...with nothing more than acres of vegetables and a vision, she is putting a dent in the population of hungry families in Westmoreland County. You see...The Hunger Garden is the largest provider of fresh vegetables to The Westmoreland County Foodbank, and Mrs. Lynn shared with me tonight through tears of joy that her farm was responsible for providing over 22,000 pounds of fresh vegetables to the hungry of our community every year.

My family and my students and I worked for about 3 hours tonight picking bushels of beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchinis as part of our ongoing efforts to make our Student Ministry, as well as our own personal walk with Jesus, something that is truly incarnate of all that Christ has called us to with regards to caring for the poor and the needy. And even though it was hot and dirty, and there were bugs everywhere (even some mice and snakes), we had a blast! You can see some pictures of our experience here

This trip to The Hunger Garden wasn't just a "one-time" deal, by the way. My family and several students and I will be going back to serve every Monday night throughout the remainder of the Summer. I tell you that because I'd love for you to join us. Do you have some free time on Monday nights and are looking for an "out-doorsey" way to follow the call of Christ? If so, then you should consider tagging along with us. I promise you this...you'll sweat, you'll laugh, you'll pick vegetables, you'll meet some sincerely remarkable people, and you'll have a great time serving Jesus by being an instrument of feeding the hungry. Think about it.

Grace and Peace to you.

A got a new guitar!!!

Dude!!! I got a new guitar, and it is amazing!!! It's craziness. I had been saving money to buy this exact guitar when all of a sudden someone showed up at my house today and said, "Here you go. God told me to buy this guitar for you. This is now yours." How cool is that!?!

And this is not just any guitar...it's a whole bunch of guitars wrapped up in one. Watch the video below to see what I'm talking about.



One more thing...this guitar is currently unavailable in the United States. The guy said that, when God told Him to do it, he had to go all the way to Canada to find one. Needless to say, I'm blown away!!!

Grace and Peace to you.

A sneak peek

As you may know, I have been given the incredible opportunity to preach my first sermon series here at Charter Oak Church for the adult congregation to begin in late August. It's something that I've been working very dilligently to prepare for. This week was an exciting week in my preparation because the promo video was completed for it. You can check it out below.

Also, would you commit this sermon series to prayer? Would you pray that, even now, God would be at work in my heart preparing and anointing me to share His Word with all boldness and effectiveness...that, even now, God would be at work in the hearts of all who are going to hear this series preparing their hearts for the kind of transformation that happens when people hear the Word of God and make application of it. Thanks so much for your support with this.

Grace and Peace to you.

ps - I'm so excited about this!