Network Conference

I got to spend the last couple days at Network Conference for all the Assemblies of God ministers in the Columbus Convention Center. It is always good to see close friends and catch up on what God is doing around the state. I also, got the privilege to pray over some newly ordained ministers, which is always incredible. This year we had some open discussion in smaller rooms on some controversial topics, which I thought went well. All in all I am honored to be a part of this fellowship that is striving to change the world for Jesus Christ.

theater religion

Has the church created a "theater religion?" One where people come and sit, give a little money, are moved a little emotionally and then leave and go about their lives unchanged? How many disciples have the people in our churches made? Are the majority of people in our churches in America really experiencing life change?

Then I have to look at my life as the Pastor of a church. How many disciples am I making? Who am I growing in their faith outside of a Sunday morning service? Have I taught and demonstrated how to truly be a disciple and how to make disciples?

Questions for us all to ponder.

opportunities

Many people wait for opportunities to come to them, while others seek to create their own. I want to be someone who creates more opportunities than I will ever find waiting on me. Are you waiting on opportunities....or creating them?

Easter 2011

We had an incredible Easter Sunday. Several people gave their lives to Jesus and we had a ton of guests. We had to go to 3 services so we tried a 7:15am early service....and learned that they don't work for us. HA. I'm kind of glad, because I don't have to get up early. The 2nd and 3rd services were very full and we broke an attendance record with 724 people! God is so amazing! Starting this next Sunday we are moving to 3 services which will be 8:30 / 10:15 and Noon. We are praying for God to continue bring us people far from Him, so that we can "love people to LifeChange."

sports

I got to play some beach volleyball on Thursday night with some friends from C3. I used to play back in the day but never in 50 degrees and wet sand. My toes were literally pale white....but we won all 6 games! I also got to run a local 5k on Saturday and got my first win of the year! I can't wait for Monday when our C3 Men's team has it's first game. At 36, I'm realizing there will come a point where I will start slowing down, but I am going to fight that as long as possible. Tomorrow is Easter and I'm excited to see what Jesus is going to do. I wept while I was writing my message knowing that there will be those there on Sunday that don't know Jesus. I'm praying for Jesus to blow it up. We are doing 3 services, 7:15, 9:15 and 11:15.

offense

This morning I was reading an older book called, "The Bait of satan." John Bevere gives some great teaching on being offended. It's amazing how many people take the bait by being offended and then allow the enemy to ruin their spiritual lives or at least stunt their spiritual growth. I can always tell how spiritually mature someone is, by how much it takes to offend them. It's never the Jesus in us that get's offended, it's our flesh. Many people will keep moving from church to church every time they get offended. It's like continually pulling out a tree by it's roots and then trying to replant it. #1. It never grows deep roots. #2. The tree's growth is either stunted or the tree dies. Roots grow deep through hot summers and strong winds. Have you taken the bait of "offense?"

failure

"You are the only person that can label you a failure." There is a big difference from failing and being a failure. It really comes down to how you see yourself. I think the key is never getting under your failures, but rather staying on top of them. When I fail, I can let it bury me or stand on it so I can reach higher and farther. How do you see failure?

failure

Easter Sunday, we are going a different route. I am kicking off a series entitled, "FAILURE." I will be tying it in to how for a season, the world thought that this "Jesus" had failed. Even his closet followers thought this. They were confused, scared and swimming in what they perceived as failure. The one who they gave everything up for, was now gone and they were in hiding. BUT, with God, "FAILURE IS NOT FINAL." God used this perceived failure to change the world! It was through what the world saw as "failure" that SALVATION was brought to all mankind. With God, failure is NOT final!

great weekend

We pulled off a great 20,000 Eggstravaganza, even with some crazy weather. I'm so proud of our amazing C3'ers. Then Sunday, we had a great crowd for our last 2 service Sunday for a while. After church, I went on a date with my little girl Kali. We went to McDonald's, the dollar store then rode bumper cars, inflatables and a carousel at a nearby mall. I love that little girl. Then back to the church for a meeting, pre-marriage counseling and a "Starting Point" with 12 new potential C3'ers. God is good and I feel amazingly blessed.

simple

Why do we make everything in life so difficult? Life according to Jesus is really simple. Love God, love others. I want to live my life simply, although it can be hard to do. Life can get complicated very quickly. What if we could commit to simply loving God and loving others and enjoying the blessings of God on our lives. That's my goal.

owned

This week, we are talking about being "owned." It may be as severe as hardcore drugs to something as small as coffee. The truth is, the majority of us are "owned" by something. Here is a revealing question, "Can you go a week without it?" If you say NO...enough said. If you say, YES, but it will hurt, that reveals a lot as well. As a follower of Jesus, we are not to be a slave to anything. So, what OWNS you?

20k

Last night, we had over 100 people who came out to stuff 20,000 eggs with candy for out big Eggstravaganza this weekend. It was a blast! In the past, we have had over 2,000 people show up for this event and 40+ of them return for the following Sunday morning. We are praying for no rain!

Last nights stats:
- 100+ people
- Stuffed 20,000 eggs in 56 minutes
- That's 6 eggs per second

I'm sure that is a new World Record!

I am my greatest obstacle

The greatest obstacle to you achieving your God given purpose and dream, is you.
I am the one that hinders me the most. God's power is unlimited and He has no boundaries and He does not change. The problem is, the box of limitations that I build for myself. We all have a tendency to shrink if we are not intentionally growing and trusting in Jesus. With God's help, I must break out of my small thinking and allow Jesus to do great things in and through me.

where you are

Trials and tests will reveal where you are. They will reveal where you are spiritually by what it takes to knock you off your feet. Also, when the heat is applied to our lives, the junk inside of us rises to the top. So, where are you?

measure

Measure what matters.
I know I spend a lot of time on things that don't matter. Other times, I may think I am doing well, but many times won't do the hard work of measuring how I'm doing. What would happen though, if we measured what really matters? This means going through the hard work of figuring out what we value and what is really important in life, then figuring out ways to measure it. Once we have this done, we now have a scoreboard for deciphering how we are doing.
An example would be church. Most pastors look at only attendance and offering, but that only gives a piece of the picture. We want to look at how many salvations, baptisms, how many people in small groups, how many give financially and how many are actively serving. These things are what matter most to us because they all tie in to spiritual growth.

3 services

We are having some great problems at C3, with our parking lot being over crowded and a couple of our kids rooms are maxed out! Last month alone we had 47 guest cards turned in. Some of those were individuals and others were families. Coming up on our big Eggstravaganza 20,000 egg hunt and Easter, we are expecting even a greater influx of guests. So, we are preparing to go to 3 services starting on Easter. We want to remain ahead of the curve and to be ready for what God is gong to do. For Easter, we will continue with our 9:15, 11:15 services and add a (almost sunrise service) 7:15. Then in May, we will go to a 8:30 / 10:15 / Noon services. We are praying for God to continue doing what He has begun at C3!

80 percent

I read a quote today that says that 80% of churches today are either shrinking or have plateaued. There is too much on the line not to do something about this. The Church has to change or we will become obsolete. People vote every week with their attendance as to if we are adding value to their lives. I know the problem is not Jesus or the Gospel...so it must be us as leaders.

Healthy churches, need to plant healthy churches. Healthy Pastors must be raising up other healthy Pastors. Church planting is the most effective way to reach people for Jesus Christ. God is birthing some big ideas in my heart. I'm praying about ways how to raise up leaders and then believe God to supply the resources to launch them to turn this world upside down. This is the hill I want to spend my life living and dying on.