fundamentals

Tonight, I begin my coaching career as a dad. Kind of exciting and scary all at the same time. I mean, how do you teach kids how to play an in depth game like baseball, when they have no concept of it? Hopefully, most of my team will have had a year of t-ball under their belt. This year they are playing "machine pitch." My dad growing up was usually coaching either my team or one of my brothers teams. One thing that I learned from him and will try to apply is to teach the "fundamentals" of the game. If I can get these kids throwing, fielding, running and hitting, I will have done my job. This is no small task with all 7 year olds, because there are so many distractions. (grasshoppers, dirt, their gloves, grass, etc)
Isn't that true for us? If we can just continue to do some "fundamental" spiritual disciplines, we can usually stay on the right track. For a believer, it may be things like Bible reading, prayer, fasting, plugging into a church and serving. These basic fundamentals are the foundation for which we can build our lives on and around, but many times they get lost amongst all our distractions. How are you doing with your fundamentals?

my first's in life

On this last missions trip to Nicaragua, I had some firsts:
- Got to dress in a clown suit. (I'm a natural!) I think it's my first
- Got to hike around the top of a volcano.
- Did a zip line canopy tour
- Got to preach in Nicaragua
- Got to ride with 19 other people in a mini-vanh
- Got my sunglasses broken and ripped of my face by a monkey (still angry about that one)
- First missions trip from C3 Church
- Heard and saw some Howler Monkeys in the wild

Nothing compares with seeing God touch someones life. I love being a part of what God is doing. When you jump in to a cause that is on God's heart, He always shows up.

Back from Nicaragua

Wow! What a trip! We took 10 people from C3 Church to Nicaragua for 7 days to work with Kings Castle. We painted, did street ministry, spoke at a church, walked around a volcano, did a huge zip line and flew home. Today's C3 service was all about "Change Your World," and it tied in great with just coming back. We gave our people 4 opportunities to respond today with prayer, giving (a specific missions need), Clean up Community day and Soup Kitchen sign ups. We had a great response.

It is good to be back in the US, but I come back changed. Every missions trip I go on, God always changes me. I again told our people, EVERY person needs to go on at least 1 missions trip. Personally, I felt like God renewed some passion for the lost and for the things that matter eternally. These trips can at times serve as a "reality check." We saw extreme poverty, and deep spiritual hunger and passion. I have come back ready, to make a DENT for the Kingdom of God!

Nicaragua here we come

Tomorrow, we meet at the airport at 4am to fly out to Nicaragua. (I think I'll be nixing my usual morning workout..ha) Please pray for the 10 of us as we go, for God's favor and protection. It's crazy how on missions trips, I always go to give, but it seems God always does something big in me. Serving others, is not only for them, but it's for us. We look the most like Jesus when we serve. The problem is, we usually don't spend much time looking like Jesus. My challenge to our people going is that "LIFE IS A MISSIONS TRIP." If serving others in Jesus name ends when we come home, then it was just something that we did, and not who we are. So, who will you serve today?
I have no clue if I will have internet access while there, so this could be goodbye till next Saturday. Adios! (Sad, but the majority of my limited Spanish, has been taught to me by a little cartoon girl with a big head, a backpack, map and a pet monkey).......Swiper no Swiping!.......My little Kali would be so proud!

a true test

This Saturday, myself, Gary Fowler (exec. dir.), Becky Medina (Childrens Dir), along with 7 others are going on C3's first overseas missions trip to Nicaragua. This means Sunday, will be a true test to see how well we have delegated, trained and empowered our leaders. On top of us not being there, Doug Clay (the big A/G cheese for Ohio) is coming in to speak both the morning services. I'm excited to see how well our leaders respond. I'm believing and hoping the rest of the church, may not even recognize we are gone. Time will tell.
Question for you: If you didn't show up to your job or church position, what would happen? Remember, there is no success, without a successor. Who are you raising up right now, to do what you do?

I'm speechless

Yesterday, I got a call from a respected minister in our Assembly of God circle, asking me if I was going to the Central Sectional Pastors meeting. I wasn't planning on it, until he said I should really think about it because he wanted to cast his vote for me for Presbyter (sectional overseer). I was speechless! Totally honored at his confidence in me, I talked to the wife, laughed and showed up to the meeting. To my surprise, as the voting went on, I was still in the running until they said my name as the new Presbyter. I almost laughed and got up and was again just about speechless. It's funny, but this is how God has always worked in my life. He puts me in positions I never asked for, nor really saw myself doing.
I will do my best to make this section of Ohio the healthiest it can be. It should be an adventure......and I'm always up for those!

faster than the pastor 5k

Today, I have a meeting to see about C3 putting on a 5k road race where all the proceeds will be given back to our community. Every year we would take on a different cause, whether the police station, local school, community pool etc. We would have all the normal awards with overall winners and age groups awards, but some extra awards for all those who can beat THE PASTOR. (There I go again talking in the 3rd person) They would get a shirt that says "I was faster than the pastor." Although that would be more great advertisement for our church, I will make sure they earn it....ha. Anyway, we are looking to find our niche of 4 major community events that we can make an area staple. Our "Eggstravaganza" is there, now we have to put a couple more events on the radar of our community.