Fireproof

Just got back from a date with my wife and saw the new movie Fireproof. i must admit I was a bit skeptical as most Christian movies just dont make the cut. I was pleasantly surprised with this one! A powerful story, well done, that will impact couples across the country who see it. So take the time to go and see it, you will not be sorry. God heal our families!

How to pray for your pastor

Many times people in our congregation ask me, how can i pray for you? Well this sums it all up. What a great way to sum up how you can best pray for your pastor.

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1417_pray_more_than_you_criticize/

God bless you for your prayers!

the challenge to love

I have been thinking about the challenge that God gives all of us to love those in our families with an unconditional accepting sacrificial love. Sometimes this can be very hard, or should i say IMPOSSIBLE. But then it hit, me that is exactly it! It is impossible to do on our own, but God in His grace can do it through us if we will only follow what the Apostle Paul says in I cor 14:1 is the way of love. What a clear hard, no difficult, no impossible teaching, but what a great God who loves to do the impossible lives in each of us!

just plain fun

I guess I just want to reflect on how much fun ministry can be when you have a team that loves each other, is focused on our vision, and just enjoys being together. i felt this in a great way today as I have interacted with different members of our team, what a joy it is to work with each of these guys and gals. Thanks Lord, for giving me the opp! it is just plain fun!

and we had (I mean were) the church

God blessed yesterday in a powerful way, and i had to step back and just say, what a joy to be part of a church that is focused on the vision, and going after it with all the gusto we can imagine! From the video report in the new worship center, to calling people to present their requests as we were a house of prayer, to the concluding sunday evening congregational meeting which was more of a shot in the arm to our vision casting than anything else, we had the privilege of being the church, and to see the Holy Spirit of God work in powerful ways. What a joy, what a privilege, what a Great God we serve!

not by bread alone

Awesome kick off night for wed night alive! The place was a buzz with adults and children for all the programs. Very exciting to see the number of adults interested in both Bible Study and prayer for our church, our community, and each other. It is the beginning of something that is going to get bigger because we are focused on the right thing. thank you Lord!

house of prayer

As I am preparing the message for this week in our One prayer series I am going to focus on the prayer that our church become a house of prayer. This has been repeated over and over again in the suggestions from the congregation and I am looking foward to sharing what God has been teaching me in this regard.

Finally home

Got word today, dear friend that I visited on Labor Day weekend, was finally taken home from a battle with cancer today. Guess what He won! He is now with Jesus, and i will have the privilege of sharing the good news with those at his memorial service and comfort to all of us who are hurting. He is finally home, Thank you Jesus

What a team

No, I am not bloviating about the Cowboys, though I could :) No, I am talking about the team God has given me the opp to work with here at CBC. This is such a gifted, radically sold out group of men and women, who GET IT! ( Check out Craig Groeschel new book IT, it is shaking up our staff!) This team that I get to work with is not afraid to try something new, not afraid to step out on faith, and not afraid to step out and speak the truth in love to each other. I am so blessed and this whole congregation is blessed to have these guys on this team. Thanks Lord for making it that I am not alone, You are awesome!

Reminder of what it is all about

Had lunch recently with a dear friend, who shared something that really made me think. He spoke of a time when I spoke truth to him, and how God used that to give him direction. It brought tears to both of our eyes, and I just whispered a prayer of thanks to God that He choses to use clay pots (or cracked pots) like us (me) to do His will. What a joy to be part of His plan...

listening and not ignoring

i must admit that i have always struggled with listening and not wanting to interrupt, but I am learning to do this better as I seek to be a better leader and shepherd of God's flock. But the area that God has been really working on me, is to listen to his promptings in my daily walk and ministry. So often in the past, I feel like He was speaking to me through His spirit, and i would just chalk it up to just some random thought in my head. i would then ignore the prompting and miss the blessing that was in store if I had walked with Him where He was leading. i am asking God to show me more and more as He leads through His still small voice, for me to listen and then respond. Hard, but enjoyable to be on this journey.

post convention reflections

Well, the 2 week political conventions are over, and I am glad! I learned alot from both weeks, but I am political discussioned out! It is more interesting in our home now that both of my sons can vote in the election and to watch them grapple with the issues and the constant attacks from both sides. Honestly I like politics, but i am tired of the "he said" "she said" wrangling. Till November, i will watch, pray, and ask God for his direction for our country. Can anyone say are you ready for some football??

only one life...

Sunday afternoon I left home to make a trip 5 hours away to visit a dear friend who is in their last stage of life. What a joyous opp to spend time with a dear man who was a leader in our first church where I served as a youth pastor back in 1979. To spend time with him, to laugh, to cry, to remember the good days of ministry together, to pray with him and release him to His Savior, then to drive around the area where I ministered right after Bible college. This was a weekend filled with blessing. Came home yesterday after stopping and visiting another couple we ministered with who are in their late 80's and the man is 90. They are both serving the Lord so faithfully, and energetically. All I could say was thank you Lord for some awesome examples to me about what it means to finish well. A weekend I will not soon forget!