With rare exception does God do anything significant in a hurry. When God “tabernacle’d” with mankind through the incarnation of Jesus He only served for three years. Imagine what we would try to do in three years, and yet look at how much Jesus did in just three years. 

John was one of Jesus’ closest friends and disciples. At the end of the gospel attached to his name he concludes, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written (John 21:25).” And yet He was never in a hurry… there was no technology,  no vehicles, no microwave oven or stove or running water, or computer, or smart phone, or social media to help get the word out.

I’ve struggled for 50 years with the speed and pace of my life. I know how important it is to do less things, be committed to less causes and commitments, and to do what I do more slowly, being more present with the people I am with. This kind of living is more loving, and love requires slow. Rarely is love experienced in a hurry. And isn’t love really what life is all about? Loving God and people.

Because slowing down is to important to loving well, and I want to love well, my goals this year are centered on living in less of a hurry so I can be present and attentive to God and the people I’m blessed to be around. Here’s a list of 10 specific ways or examples of how I plan on slowing down this year:

1. Sabbatical (May-July). I will share more details in a dedicated post about this later this month. This will be my first sabbatical after 21 years of full time ministry. I’m looking forward to this time of rest, reflection & refocusing, renewal & restoration.
2. Margin. Build into my written ideal schedule and put onto my calendar.
3. Strategic days off (Mon). No more than 1 hour (15-30 mins am, 15-30 mins pm, nothing after dinner) on social media. The main focus of these sabbath days off is to “pray and play.” More of my focus will be on time with my wife Laura and our kids.
4. Start each day focused. Dedicate a brief review of my calendar and Todoist. Adjust my day and plans accordingly.
5. End each day focused. Before getting into bed do a brief review of day and preview the next day.
6. Park with purpose. Rather than try to find closest parking spot, park further away and enjoy the extra steps.
7. Pay with purpose. Pick a line rather than stressing to find the shortest line (when shopping)
8. Read with purpose. Schedule 15-30 mins of reading every morning and evening with the goal of simmering on a few great books rather than trying to read through a bunch of books
9. Drive with purpose. Work on driving within 5 miles per hour of the speed limit.
10. Margin. Schedule 5-10 mins before and after every meeting with someone to consider them, think about what’s needed, pray, reflect, & follow up.

What have you found helpful for slowing down?

I RARELY shave with a razor and keep an ongoing five o’clock shadow. After a few days it get itchy and doesn’t look very good (IMO). I HATE shaving! Maybe you can relate? During this time of physical distancing and quarantine most of us don’t have to shave as much… I’ve heard we look much smoother on camera, is that right?

So I had a thought…, “How can I combine growing a beard and helping others?” And, “How can I invite others to join me?”

Answer: The #CoronaBeardChallenge! I will outline the details of

the challenge below. But first I thought it might help to share a little beard history.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE #CoronaBeardChallenge

The Church Fathers had strong words to say about beards (not specifically related to a virus… but stay with me). This writer (me!) doesn’t necessarily hold their views, but it’s at least interesting to note what they said.

The following is taken from the 2016 post on churchpop.com, “4 Church Fathers on the Manly Power of Beards.” 

St. Augustine (5th century)

The beard signifies the courageous; the beard distinguishes the grown men, the earnest, the active, the vigorous. So that when we describe such, we say, he is a bearded man. (Exposition on Psalm 133, 6)

Lactantius (4th century)

[T]he nature of the beard contributes in an incredible degree to distinguish the maturity of bodies, or to the distinction of sex, and to the beauty of manliness and strength. (On the Workmanship of God, Chapter 7)

Clement of Alexandria (3rd century)

This, then, the mark of the man, the beard, by which he is seen to be a man… “It is therefore impious to desecrate the symbol of manhood, hairiness. […] Let the chin have the hair… For an ample beard suffices for men. And if one, too, shave a part of his beard, it must not be made entirely bare, for this is a disgraceful sight. The shaving of the chin to the skin is reprehensible. (The Instructor, Book 3, Chapters 3, 11)

HOW THE #CoronaBeardChallenge WORKS

Here’s how it works… 

STEP ONE: Grow your beard with little to no trimming every week until the coronavirus lock down is over. 

STEP TWO: For every week you go without trimming/shaving you donate to a local cause. I’m counting Sunday-Saturday and making my donations on Sunday. My cause is the Manna Food Center. Give on a weekly basis to make an ongoing difference.

STEP THREE: Document your progress with a picture and post to social media using the #CoronaBeardChallenge. Invite and challenge others to join the movement!

That’s it! Are you in?

WELL KNOWN PASTORS WHO TOOK THE #CoronaBeardChallenge

Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899)

Andrew Murray (1828-1917)

AB Simpson (1843-1919)

Ok, it wasn’t the Corona Beard Challenge. But those pastors guys rocked big beards! Not to mention these guys (ZZ Top) ??

WHAT ABOUT WOMEN AND THE #CoronaBeardChallenge

I’m glad you asked! My original idea of challenging women not to shave was met with strong opposition. Instead, simply join another man and give to his cause (spouse, BF, father, son, pastor, friend, etc.). Let’s join forces to do the most good we can!

Grow a Beard ~ Be a Blessing

QUESTION: Are you ready to accept the #CoronaBeardChallenge?

God hears us when we pray! And He ALWAYS answers EVERY prayer. But not always (or not usually) how we might think or want. 

Our church is going through the book of Acts on Sunday mornings. One thing that stands out is that the early church prayed, believed in prayer, and God answered their prayers! HERE’S the video of my sermon from Acts 12 Sunday May 5th, with my notes below. My hope is that many will take a deeper dive with God and that we will pray as never before in the next 40+ days. And through this experience see God answer prayers in miraculous ways!

Three Ways God Answers Every Prayer

1. No
2. Not now
3. Yes

1. No

We don’t always know what or how to pray, do we?!

While God hears us, He’s not a genie who just gives us what WE want! Like a wise, loving parent, He often says no

For example… Parents, we like to give our kids things when they ask, don’t we! It’s often hard to say no. When they ask for the right kind of things, it’s easy to say yes. But candy before bed… NO!

In Acts 12 the Apostle James died! Why did God allow Herod to kill James but not Peter? The sovereign will of God! Sometimes God mysteriously takes someone home who is young and vibrant for no good reason, at least that we can see! There are others we might wish God would take but He leaves them for His own reasons. If God asked me, from my viewpoint as a pastor, I might say that He took the wrong one and He left the wrong one! But life and death are in the hands of a sovereign God. . . . This is God’s universe, not ours.

Sometimes we pray and pray and pray and people die; don’t get better; they don’t get healed; the relationship ends; they don’t get that job; their kids don’t stay out of trouble; on and on.

God is no less good or in control, but because He’s able to see the big picture, He often says NO!

The second way God answers our prayers can be frustrating…

2. Not Now

Isa 55:8-9 says

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

We don’t like to wait for anything, do we… not food, service, or even maturity! Even though it’s through waiting, exercising faithfulness and discipline, and yes, even pain, in which we grow. Think about sports, health, your career, or marriage… it all takes time and work to develop and grow. 

If God hasn’t said no, but hasn’t said yes, maybe it’s just not the right timing. Stay faithful where are you. FAITHFULNESS before FRUITFULNESS!

The third and usually favorite way God answers our prayers…

3. Yes

Remember 1 John 5:14-15

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

If the timing of our prayers is in line with His timing, then His answer is always YES!

Parents love to say YES, don’t we! We love to make our kids happy… at least most parents, most of the time.

God LOVES to give good gifts to His kids too… but He’s concerned about much more important things than our happiness… His ultimate plan is bringing RESTORATION to all things, for His glory. So when we pray committing to His will and surrendered to His timing, we’ll be a lot more aware of all the YES answers we get!

For example… Peter in Acts 12… the church prayed for Peter’s release and safety. He was eventually killed as a martyr, but God still had work to do for Peter! It was His will for Peter to be safely released, the church prayed, God said YES!  

God always answers every prayer: NO, NOT NOW, or YES

CONCLUSION

I am not trying to guilt you into anything. But I do want to motivate you to take action. Those who take action in life usually succeed. The same is true of prayer. Those who develop a strong prayer life usually have a strong walk with God… they’re usually less given to temptations, more self-controlled, and have a greater awareness of God in their life.

I want those things… less giving into temptations, more self-control, and a greater awareness of God in my life! And I’m sure you do too!

Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or silver bullet.

Fortunately, we can all succeed when it comes to prayer. Don’t have to have a bible degree, be a pastor, sing on the stage, or have it all together. In fact, those who are most aware of all the thing that aren’t together usually find it easier to draw close to God… they are the desperate ones!

There are a LOT of things we can and should pray for (laborers, love, the needs of our community, on and on). But there is ONE THING we see in Acts 12 that I believe God wants us to be praying over for the next couple months…

Acts 12:24 “But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.”

NOTHING could stop what God wanted to do… not the corruption and contention we see in Acts 5-6. Not the church’s enemies, as seen in chapters 4, 8, and 11. And here in Acts 12, obviously the Roman officials couldn’t control what God was doing! From here on out in the book of Acts we see the church explode into Asia Minor. God’s purposes will prevail as His people stand upon His Word! Amen!

Note what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, 2 Thess 3:1: “Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.”

One more Scripture encourages us here, from the Isa 55 passage I shared earlier…

ISA 55:10-11

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. 11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Pray with me for God’s Word to SPREAD (WIDE) and be FRUITFUL (DEEP

There’s something about 40 days and God (Moses/Jesus), so I want to invite you to pray with me for 40 days starting next Mon, May 13th. There’s a great 40 day prayer devotional that I’m going to use and invite you all to join me (Draw The Circle).  

Pray with me for God’s Word to spread and be fruitful, FIRST in your life/home (pick up the DEVO, AND/OR use this daily bible reading plan.

Pray that God’s Word would spread and be honored in your workplace, in your neighborhood, and throughout our community

BE READY TO BE THE ANSWER TO YOUR OWN PRAYER!

The resurrection of Jesus, as described in the NT of the Bible, is the foundation upon which the Christian faith is built. So you might say that Easter is a kindof a big deal for all Christians around the world!

We don’t even need to assume that the NT is inspired by God or even trustworthy. While I do believe these things, this post (notes from the sermon I preached on Easter Sunday April 21 2019, VIDEO HERE) is going to focus on three truths that even critical scholars admit. In other words, these three truths are so strong that they are accepted by serious historians, those who believe and accept the historicity of the Bible, and those who don’t.

OK, here we go, three pieces of evidence that Jesus really was raised from the dead:

1. The Empty Tomb of Jesus. Four things to consider…

First, the resurrection was preached in the same city where Jesus had been buried shortly before… not in some obscure place where no one had heard of Jesus. No one would have believed them if Jesus was still in his tomb! As Paul Althaus put it, preaching the resurrection of Jesus “could not have been maintained in Jerusalem for a single day, for a single hour, if the emptiness of the tomb had not been established as a fact for all concerned.”

Second, the earliest Jewish arguments against Christianity admit an empty tomb. In Matthew 28:11-15, there is a reference made to the Jew’s attempt to refute Christianity be saying that the disciples stole the body. The Jews did not deny an empty tomb.

This is important because the Jewish leaders were staunchly opposed to Christianity. Admitting the reality of an empty tomb was not in their favor. Harvard historian Dr. Paul Maier calls this “positive evidence from a hostile source. In essence, if a source admits a fact that is decidedly not in its favor, the fact is genuine.”

Third, Jesus’ tomb wasn’t made into a shrine. This is significant because it was the 1st century custom to set up a shrine at the site of a holy man’s bones. There were at least 50 such sites in Jesus’ day. No shrine for Jesus means his bones were nowhere to be found!

Fourth, the empty tomb was discovered by women. Significant because the testimony of women in 1st century Jewish culture was not taken seriously.

The resurrection of Jesus really is the best explanation for the empty tomb!

2. Jesus’ Closest Followers Believed They Encountered Jesus After He Was Raised From The Dead.

Three possible options explain this…

1. They were lying

This view says they knew Jesus had not been raised from the dead, but made up the story and most of them willingly died as a result of sharing it. People will often die for a lie that they believe is the truth. But no one dies for something they know to be a lie! And it’s hard to imagine a 2000 year long cover up!

2. They hallucinated

The lying disciples theory is close to absurd, which is why almost all scholars today admit that, if nothing else, the disciples at least believed that Jesus appeared to them. So, maybe they were all hallucinating?

• Doesn’t explain them eating and drinking with Jesus
• Nearly impossible for groups of people to have the exact same hallucination.
• Imagine if I came in here and said to you, “wasn’t that a great dream I had last night?” Hallucinations, like dreams, generally don’t transfer like that.
• On top of all of that, the hallucination theory doesn’t deal with the evidence for the empty tomb.

OR… it could be that they really saw Jesus after He was raised from the dead

Since the disciples could not have been lying or hallucinating, we have one possible explanation left: the disciples believed that they had seen the risen Jesus because they really had seen the risen Jesus.

3. The Christian Church Was Immediately Established…

Jesus’ followers preached that He was raised from the dead immediately after claiming they saw Him ascend to heaven. Thousands of people immediately responded and the Christian church was established and grew quickly and significantly. For 2000 years this message has been shared around the world and literally changed the course of history!

There you go, three reasons everyone should believe that Jesus was raised from the dead!

1. The Empty Tomb
2. The Disciples Believed They Encountered Jesus After He Was Raised From The Dead
3. The Christian Church Was Immediately Established & Grew Significantly

RESPONSE

It’s interesting that so many people didn’t believe in Jesus before He was raised. Even His closest friends, who saw Him perform great miracles didn’t believe.

After He was raised several women went to His tomb, and an angel appeared, saying,

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” (Mark 16:6-7)

But Mark 16:11-12 says that when the women reported back they did not believe them!

It took Jesus appearing to them. Mark 16:14 says,

“Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.”

It wasn’t until they encountered the risen Jesus that they believed. But when they did they went and turned the world upside down. The gospel of Mark ends these words,

“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” (Mark 16:19-20)

There is great evidence that Jesus died, was burried, and rose again. But no set of evidence is enough for most people to put their faith and trust in Jesus. Like the disciples, and the Apostle Paul, we need to encounter Him personally.

The Apostle Paul was as highly educated as any Jew of his time, a Jew of Jews, and a deeply committed  persecutor of the first Christians. After Jesus was raised from the dead He appeared to Paul, suddenly, and revealed Himself, calling Paul to follow Him. You can read about that in the book of Acts chapter 9.

After Paul put his faith and trust in Jesus he gave his life to follow Him, eventually wrote most of the NT. He wrote some of the most important verses about the resurrection, that I want to leave you with…   

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also. (1 Cor 15:3-8)

Jesus lived the only perfect, sinless life ever lived and He died on a cross to bear the sins of the world. But Jesus didn’t just die… every human being dies eventually. On the third day Jesus was raised from the dead, back to life, so all people everywhere, from every nation, tribe, and tongue could have the chance to be RESTORED back to Him.

This story is being told all around the world with people who claim to have an encounter with the Risen Jesus!

Murders/haters like the Apostle Paul have been turned inexplicably into lovers of the people they once killed and hated…  thieves changed into generous givers… self-centered hypocrites turned into humble authentic servants of others.

If you have never put your trust in Jesus to save you from your sin, to forgive you and give you new life, I invite you to do just that… right now, where you are! Just talk to Him, confess that you have fallen short of perfection and sinned against Him… that you believe that Jesus died and rose again to take the penalty for your sin, and that you accept the free gift of GRACE and ETERNAL LIFE that He is offering you through His Son Jesus!

OR, maybe you just need to come back to Him. Pray and tell Him how you feel and that you are returning home!

If you’ve read this and made any decision about your relationship with Jesus I’d love to hear from you. Comment here or through the contact page.  

Christ is RISEN… He is RISEN indeed!

Incredible things happen when people step OUT of their comfort zone. We ask a future spouse out on a first date. We enter a career because of a class that stretched us in college. We start a business based on a crazy idea. Churches get planted and people get changed!

A little willingness to step out of our comfort zones and God will do MIRACLES IN and THROUGH us!
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The book of Acts is the amazing story about how God was doing just that in the early church.

Yesterday I preached the second part of Called Out Of Our Comfort Zone. HERE‘s the link to part one. And if you subscribe to our YouTube page you’ll get the sermons as soon as they’re up.

Below are the sermon notes:

Let’s pick up the story in Acts 10, and listen to what God has to say to us about getting out of our comfort zones…

Acts 10:23-33 Peter Arrives To Visit Cornelius

Uncomfortable way to start the visit! But Peter was firm, not allowing himself to be praised, but just an equal man.

It was an uncomfortable visit for Peter. Everything he had grown up believing about Gentiles was being questioned.

Of this passage one commentator said, “There is nothing more binding on the average person than social custom.” Social customs are actions, behaviors, and standards that are shared and expected of a particular culture.

Think about how strong social customs are…

• The way we dress, view love, dating and success
• Happy hour after work, bar scene for young professionals
• Ultra-sexualized culture
• Image for young people… and adults
• On and on and on

It was the social, or religious custom of food that was the problem for Peter. Gentiles ate food that was unclean to the Jews and didn’t clean their utensils as the Jews did, therefore, to the Jews the Gentiles were themselves unclean.

But God appeared to Peter in that strange vision with the sheet (10:9ff)… telling him that all food is clean! It’s not food that makes a person unclean. it’s not the social or religious customs that really matter to God… it’s the heart of people! And our willingness or unwillingness to get outsize our comfort zone for the sake of others says a lot about our hearts!

When Peter took that first step he had no idea what was going to happen. But seeing miracles happen and people restored takes a first step!  

This happens all the time… ever hear or read just what you needed when you needed it… from a book (Ex. “don’t need to be perfect parent, just a good parents to raise a great kid”)… sermon, or even something random on Facebook or IG. God uses all kinds of channels to speak to people, we just need to be willing to step out of our comfort zone and let God use us.

Peter and Cornelius did just that, and the impact has rippled throughout the last 2000 years. Check out what Peter had to say…

Acts 10:34-43 Peter To Cornelius

Since God deals with ALL PEOPLE equally, we also ought to treat ALL PEOPLE equally… there is no room in God’s Kingdom for prejudice or discrimination based on ethnicity or any other reason for that matter.

Peter kept the message simple and Jesus-centered, something we can all do…

“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

This is Good News! There might be someone here this morning that needed to hear this, especially the part about forgiveness! Yes, ALL your sin can be forgiven through the name of Jesus!!!

Acts 10:44-48 The Holy Spirit & The Next Step

This was important validation that the wall between Jews and Gentiles was torn down! God was accepting the Gentiles as equal children in His family with all the rights and privileges that his other children have.  

God was not done calling Peter out of his comfort zone. This story spread quickly…

Acts 11:1-3 Peter’s Explanation

When we do things outside our comfort zone it usually makes other people uncomfortable too. Start talking about Jesus in places people don’t talk about Him… make changes in your life that don’t make sense, cause others to feel convicted… CRITICISM may come!

Acts 11:4-17 Peter Told The Whole Story

Peter told them the whole story about his comfortable call to Cornelius’ house.

God uses people who are willing to step outside their comfort zone… willing to be a witness and share the Good News of Jesus in word and deed. Only God knows the impact, and at times we won’t see the fruit, we’ll be mocked for following Jesus. But when we speak and act with GRACE and TRUTH the impact is often significant! Notice how this story ends…

11:18 The Verdict

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

God is calling us out of our comfort zone…

• Not to make our lives harder… although it’s easier to stay comfortable
• Not to frustrate and keep us from enjoying the “good life!”
• He calls us OUT for the sake of others… Ed’s paraphrase of Romans 10… “How can they hear if someone doesn’t GO OUT!”
• God is not calling us all OUT to the same people… we have different SHAPE’s… we have different and unique neighborhoods and networks
• But we are ALL SENT OUT

Peter was willing to take a step… each time he stepped OUT, God used him and then called him to take another step… and the world was turned upside down!

We might not turn the world upside down, but God is calling us OUT, to join Him and the RESTORATION He is bringing to Gaithersburg, MoCo, and all the neighborhoods and networks we represent.

I love all kinds of music… (with 1 or 2 acceptions), but there is something about the ability of Hip Hop to tell stories with great detail in a short amount of time. One of my current favorite artists is Andy Mineo, and there’s a song that literally gets me teared up every time I hear it. It might make you a bit uncomfortable, but that’s OK, God is calling us OUT of our COMFORT ZONES! Listen/Read to the lyrics of Andy’s song “Wild Things” on his Heroes for Sale album…

CONCLUSION

What step OUTside your Comfort Zone is God calling you to take?

It’s going to be different for all of us, but remember,

The church is not FOR Christians… the church IS Christians FOR the world.
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 Let’s live FOR our community and world, doing what we do as means to and end… so that others can be RESTORED for the glory of God!

Take a moment right now and ask God to give you COURAGE and willingness to step outside your comfort zone for the sake of others THIS WEEK …

I gave THREE steps for our church to take… apply this as it fits to your context…

1. PRAY

• Begin with prayer: ask God to open doors to personally invite 3 people our Easter Brunch and service THIS WEEK! [or to your Easter Service]

2. INVITE

• As God gives you opportunities, simply INVITE people.
• I’m praying for every person here to personally invite 3 people to join us for Easter, and for 25+ first time guests to be here for Easter!
• For those on FB the RC page has the Easter event, invite others & share the event on your page if possible

3. REPEAT

God is at work bringing RESTORATION to and through us! He’s simply calling us to be His witnesses, willing to TAKE A STEP outside our comfort zones for the sake of others who need RESTORATION!

QUESTION: What step OUTside your comfort zone could you take TODAY to make a difference in someone else’s life?

Lent… 40 days of preparation, starting on Ash Wednesday, not including Sundays. Preparation for the celebration of the greatest, world transforming event in history… the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

The Lenten season is practiced in different ways by different Christian traditions. As I stated in this post from 2014, “This is not about penance or trying to earn or merit anything from God. It’s simply a season to seek God. To reflect. To evaluate.”

Lent 2019 Plan

This year I’m doing three things and invite you to join me for one or more of them.

1. Daily Readings With Our Church Family

We are using the Chicago Bible Society plan, which you can download for free HERE. It’s a year long plan that we’re using to read Scripture together as a church family. I like it for many reasons, but especially how it breaks down the church calendar with specific dates.

2. Three Facebook Live Videos Each Week

There’s something about processing scripture out loud and with others. I’ve invited our church to join me and you’re welcome to join us! On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, around 6:45 a.m. (give or take a few mins), I’ll be live on my Facebook Page for 5-10 minutes talking about the reading of that day.

3. Weekly Blog Post

Every Friday through Lent I will share a post of reflections on the readings that week. Below are a few thoughts from Wed/Thurs of this week.

Ash Wed, March 6

1. Jesus was led by the holy spirit
2. Jesus was led by the holy spirit into the wilderness
3. Jesus was led by the holy spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
4. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil

Thurs March 7

It can be difficult to be seeking to do the right thing and live the right way and yet see the wicked or unrighteous people prosper.

Then v. 7 gives the ultimate contrast… trusting in riches is temporary. They may get riches in this life, but ultimately lose it in the next… completely miss their purpose.

Waiting, especially in grief or loss can be very hard. Or just waiting in a line to get food! But because of God’s covenant loyalty we can wait on Him, as David concluded… “for it is good.”

• Whether it’s waiting during a season of singleness, loss, grief, uncertainty, or confusion. Lean in to the Lord, pour out your heart to Him.
• Waiting is paramount to the Lenton season as we think about what Jesus did on the cross. He suffered like no human can imagine. The next few weeks are all about waiting and reflecting, leading us to the cross, and then to the victory we have because of Resurrection Sunday!
• Hallelujah… v. 9 (ESV) “I will thank you forever,  because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.”

I hope you’ll join me throughout the Lenten season and our hearts will be encouraged together.

QUESTION: do you practice Lent? If so, how do you practice it?

These are books I already have that are on my list for 2019.

Top 10 Books Read In 2018

Books To Read In 2019

Keys To Growth

Having a list of books to read is great, but that alone won’t make growth happen. Three simple keys make growth happen. I HIGHLY recommend that everyone take steps each year to grow in all three:

1. Set goals. What areas of your life do you want/need to grow in? Find a book/resource and set a SMART goal  (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Risky, Time-bound). Be sure to WRITE THEM DOWN.

2. Make a plan. Write out HOW and WHEN you’re going to do it.

3. Prioritize your plan. Don’t just hope it happens, schedule it as a priority. MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Don’t get discouraged and give up WHEN you hit bumps in the road. We all do.

Growth is not so much about avoiding the fall as it is getting up every time we fall down.

Question

What books are you planning to read in 2019? Pick books that hit areas you need to grow in, set a time goal for reading them and times you’re going to read, and then make reading a priority. Readers are leaders!

I love social media! It’s great for staying in touch, connecting with friends and keeping current with family. It’s great for news, networking, and resources. It can also be a huge waste of time. Or worse!

For the last two years I’ve taken a break from social media while on vacation. That’s been the best vacation decision I’ve ever made! This is not just a valuable principle to apply while on vacation… this has changed my life and could change yours too.

My #1 Reason To Take A Break From Social Media

Social media can be such a time waster! What I realized last year after my vacation social media break was that I didn’t really miss anything. I enjoyed time with my family that was uninterrupted by social media updates.

The most significant take away was reflecting on the fact that I wasted a lot of time checking updates that really don’t matter that much to me. As important as pictures of food, other people’s kids I’ve never met, and things that frustrate people are, they really don’t impact my life.

Lots Of Reasons To Take A Break From Social Media

Here are my top 5 reasons…

(1) Wastes Time. As stated above spending time on social media can take us away from the priorities of any day… quickly!

(2) Feel Like A Loser. The more we see the “perfect life” others post the more we can feel like a loser. However, it’s important to remember that people usually just post the good stuff. Don’t make too much of the “perfect life” you see in others. We can’t get the whole story on social media.

(3) Superficial Relationships. How many of those “Friends/Followers” do you really know? Probably only a handful. Social media can foster a facade. It can also be a catalyst for making great connections and friends, just beware of what’s real and what’s not.

(4) Distract From Important Relationships. While we’re busy connecting with all our “Friends/Followers” online it’s easy to neglect the important people around us. Fight the challenge of being gathered in one room with faces in screens rather than connecting with each other.

(5) Unnecessary Drama. It’s easy to write or comment in ways that are unnecessary and get misunderstood. This is especially true when we’re commenting or writing to people we don’t know well and don’t know us. Keep unnecessary drama away. I’ve had to learn this the hard way!

Scientific Reasons To Take A Break From Social Media

There are many reasons to take a break, as stated above. But I found this helpful article put out by Bustle.com in June 2016, “4 Science-Backed Reasons To Take A Break From Social Media,” that puts science to it.

They state in the intro…

… recent research out of the University of Pittsburgh that found a correlation between time spent on social media and risk for depression: As the former increases, so does the latter. Although of course correlation is not causation, the increase is substantial and linear, implying a direct relationship between the two.

Wow, that’s scary and I find it increasingly true.

Here are the “4 Science-Backed Reasons To Take A Break From Social Media” from Bustle.com, with quotes taken right from their article:

(1) Social Media Can Isolate You From The Real World.

Both being alone and feeling lonely (two different things) are on the rise, with an even sharper increase in recent years. We interact face-to-face less; we gather less; we have fewer meaningful connections. Loneliness isn’t just a mental state, either; it has physiological effects, too, such as weakening our immune systems.

(2) It Encourages Your Competitive Side To Come Out, But Not In A Healthy Way

Competition is in almost everyone’s blood, but many of us will fall prey to that drive to get as many likes, followers, etc. as possible — at least more than your friends. The real danger here is that we let it define our worth as human beings, which is obviously a bad thing. No social media post validates who you are as a person; so why do we stress about how many people “like” us?

God and the truth of His word should be our source of true identity, not social media.

(3) It Feels Like It’s Constantly Comparing Your Life To Everyone Else’s

While you might assume this effect of social comparison only occurs when you browse the pages of people you perceive to be more attractive, successful, etc., the same study found that the more time you spend on social media, the more depressed you can feel while browsing anyone’s page, regardless of whether you perceive them to be better or worse than you.

(4) You Can Become Addicted

… yes, you can absolutely become addicted to social media, and it largely stems from something called FOMO: fear of missing out. People are posting some of the tiniest details of their personal lives online, and we have to see it. The inability to quit social media has even been labeled “social media reversion,” and in a study where people were challenged to stop using Facebook for 99 days, many couldn’t make it past just a few.

Helpful Tips

I’m not suggesting we cut social media out completely. I will “fast” completely from it while on vacation. But here are some helpful tips to apply year-round:

1. Don’t check social media first thing in the morning or last thing at night. The things we feed our minds with first thing in the morning stay with us throughout the day. Choose to feed your mind wisely. Similarly, at night our minds need time to wind down in order to power down for healthy rest.
2. Set appropriate times throughout the day to check social media. Get the first and most important work done BEFORE checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIN (or whatever social media you use). Take work breaks that reward productivity to check social media.
3. Put your phone down or away when you’re home. Set guidelines for yourself and your family, if you have one. For us, we put phones on the counter before dinner and leave them there with little exception.

QUESTION: what have you done that helps keep a healthy balance?

This was originally posted July 7 2017.

In August 2014 my wife and I left a steady and somewhat comfortable position to launch into the uncertain waters of church planting. Our former church financially supported us for four months, but we otherwise didn’t know how we’d survive.

We joined a missions organization and started raising financial support in February 2015, which has been very hard, to say the least. Many of you know what I’m talking about! We’ve worked hard at it but only managed to raise 41% of our total monthly need.

So, going bi-vocational wasn’t an option for me, it was the only option.

Are you a BiVo pastor or church planter?

Are you a full time vocational pastor or church planter who could use some extra income?

Stay with me. I promise to make it worth your time.

Whatever It Takes

I was willing to do whatever it took to fulfill God’s calling to plant Restoration Church. In fact, my first job after leaving our secure church was at 1-800-GotJunk. Yes, I was the Junk Pastor! The pay was minimal and the work was hard and long.

Once I realized the junk job was, well, junk, I applied for a seasonal driving position at UPS. The pay was better but the hours were long and I was working six days a week. Two weeks before Christmas I was leaving my house at 7am, returning at 8, 9, or even 10pm! Our supplemental needs were met, and I learned a lot about the struggles that many people face working that kind of job. UPS offered me a full-time position at the end of the season, and while it was hard to decline a higher paying, full benefits, union job, I sensed God calling us to step out in greater faith.

Another job I took to help supplement our income while trying to raise support was installing doors and windows. The pay was decent and I learned a lot, but once again it was hard work, leaving little energy to do the things I felt God calling me to.

I thank God for providing for my family through those times. But in the end those jobs were really just work to survive.

Is There A Better Way?

Could there be a way to make the extra money needed to provide for my family AND make a greater impact in the lives of people far from God?

Let me take you back to 2011, when I met Dave Page. Dave was overseeing church planters through the EFCA in California and co-taught a church planting boot camp at Biola University. Dave had previously planted two churches that grew to over 1000 and in both cases started by doing weddings for unchurched couples. When he shared that in the class I was instantly hooked! “How do I get started?” was my only question.

Since I didn’t know where or when we would be planting a new church I had to wait three years to start my own wedding business-ministry. I am so glad I did! In 2014 I started Wedding Pastor Ed (www.WeddingPastorEd.com) as a way to connect with couples that wouldn’t otherwise walk into a church, and as a way to supplement my income.

In the last three years I’ve been doing approximately 30 weddings a year. Of those I end up doing premarital counseling with about 10 couples a year. The majority of those couples are not church-going folks, which I LOVE! I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with couples through the premarital process, planning their weddings, doing rehearsals, mingling during cocktail hours, and even meeting with them after their wedding day. We are now seeing some of those couples visit our church.

My wedding business has generated about $15k per year of extra income. However, this year, with the addition of two associates, and more premium packages, I will make closer to $20k! That’s working just 2-8 hours a week!

Is BiVo For You?

Being a Bivocational pastor or church planter is not for everyone. Whether you’re full time or BiVo, what matters is that you’re free to fulfill God’s calling. Could going BiVo help you do that? If yes, stay with me a few more minutes…

Let me ask two final questions…

1. How would your life be different if you could work 3-10 hours a week and make an extra $500-$2500 or more a month?
2. What would your life and ministry look like if you had couples that have been disconnected from church coming to you AND start visiting your church?!

Doing weddings provides $15-20k per year of extra income for me.

Imagine that being you…

• Imagine what your life and ministry will be like after you know how to create a stream of couples coming to you, wanting to pay you for your experience and expertise as a pastor, specifically to do their wedding, and in many cases pre and post marital counseling.

• Imagine what an extra $10-20k a year would do for you and your family!

If that’s you, then simply CLICK THE LINK BELOW to get my FREE Report For BiVo Pastors And Church Planters, “How To Make An Extra $15k A Year Reaching Unchurched Couples In Your Community Doing Weddings.”

*Note that the webinar registration page is NOT live yet… as soon as it goes live we will let you know.

CLICK HERE To Get The Report

Last August my wife and I were on a Friday lunch date when I shared with her my desire to more with weddings. “I wish there was a way to do more with weddings, to help more pastors and church planters experience this.” We committed it to prayer and had no idea what God was up to.

The answer to that prayer is the Wedding Pastors Network! Dave Page is the one who introduced me to the Wedding Pastor Business. He had a great vision but just didn’t have the time and wherewithal to grow it.

Dave (the wedding guru himself) and I are joining forces along with Travis Sinks (pastor, church planter, and tech guru in S. Florida) to launch the all NEW Wedding Pastors Network!

The Network will launch June 2017 with a FREE LIVE WEBINAR. Here’s a snapshot of the package we’re offering…

Wedding Pastors Network Membership includes:

(1) Tools and Training

1. Six weeks of training modules
   1. Intro (Getting licensed, setting up your business)
   2. Getting Clients (marketing, referrals, and follow up)
   3. The Wedding Inquiry Meeting
   4. Designing The Ceremony
   5. The Rehearsal & Ceremony
   6. Pre and Post Marital Counseling & Coaching
2. Ceremony templates, email and client meeting scripts, & marketing materials.
3. Training from the most experienced and highly reviewed wedding officiants you’ll ever meet. Dave and Ed have combined for more than 300 weddings. Plus access to pastors in the network who have done hundreds of weddings.

(2) Coaching

1. During the first six weeks of training we will coach pastors through the entire process, being available and accessible when they need it.
2. After the six weeks of training they will have access to a monthly mastermind call in which we will go through case studies, Q&A, helping solve challenges and unleash potential.

(3) BONUSES… that will be revealed in our LIVE FREE WEBINAR!

CLICK HERE To Get The Report And Stay Updated For The Webinar

QUESTION: What is the greatest challenge you face in fulfilling your calling as a Pastor or Church Planter, especially if you’re BiVo?

Yesterday I preached, “Jesus, Broken And Poured Out For Us,” from Mark 14:12-26 at Restoration Church. I hope it’s a blessing to you, especially if you’re struggling with challenges in your life and uncertain where Jesus is in the midst of it all. HERE is the audio.

Unfortunately I forgot to set my phone to airplane mode and got a call 20 minutes in, which stopped the recording! Yikes! So I’m pasting my full sermon manuscript below.

I’d love to hear from you, comment below or send me a message.

Behavioral scientists have discovered that we usually see things that we are prepared to see. It’s a network of nerve cells called the “Reticular Activating System,” which is KINDA LIKE a BRAIN FILTER. There are millions of data points floating in our brain at any one point. This “BRAIN FILTER” signals what’s IMPORTANT!

How does it know what’s important? By what we FOCUS on most!

Buy a new car, focused on it, prepared to see it, see it everywhere.

The Hyundai Sonatas were always there, but as my BRAIN FILTER kicked in, my brain thinks Sonatas are important… now I see them everywhere!

I’m sure many, if not all of you can relate, right!

Our BRAIN FILTER can prepare us to see the worst or the best. If you’re in a difficult relationship and every time you’re about to see that person you think, “Oh man, this is going to be rough!” How does it usually go? Pretty rough, right!

Likewise, when we think the best about people…

• like anticipating the presence of someone we admire or love…
• when we’re about to be with people who support us, we usually see a lot of good things, almost automatically. Why? We FOCUSED on what was important, triggering our BRAIN FILTER that we expected to have a good experience.

Let’s apply this to the way we think about God. The way we envision or picture Him deeply affects our experience with Him.

• FOCUS, TELL OUR BRAIN that GOD is Good, Gracious, Merciful = life-giving

• FOCUS, TELL OUR BRAIN that GOD is Angry, Disappointed, Judging = bad, probably avoid God, the church, the bible, and Christians!

Jesus was well aware of our BRAIN FILTER… He created it! So as He neared the end of His earthly life, He spent a LOT of time preparing His friends for what was about to happen. He was helping them FOCUS ON WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, rewiring their BRAIN FILTERS if you will.

The magnitude of what Jesus did for humanity is beyond our wildest imaginations. Knowing we would struggle to “get it,” Jesus passed on a simple way for people to apply our BRAIN FILTER in relationship to how we think about God… specifically how we think about what Jesus did for US!

Now let’s listen to God’s Word as we join Jesus and His friends at the Passover meal… one in which He Challenged All The Norms of how they celebrated that 1500 year old tradition…

MARK 14:12-16… follow along with me…

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

• Jesus knew everything that was happening and about to happen.

16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

MARK 14:17-20

17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Jesus betrayal was part of God’s purpose, as predicted in the OT. But notice that although God was and is always in control, man is also always accountable for his actions.

God is bringing RESTORATION, He is the one doing the real work here at RC! But Pastor Rod, Pastor B, and I will be held accountable for our leadership.

Whatever part we play, whatever God is calling us to, He will do it, He will be faithful, but we will be held accountable to Him for our part.

Now notice how Jesus refocuses their BRAIN FILTERS by emphasizing that He was Broken and Poured Out For Them…

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” ~MARK 14:22

The bread represented Jesus’ body, which was about to be “broken” on an old wooden cross! “Broken in the sense that He was about to take the sins of the entire world on His body!

Isa 53:4-6

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to our own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

1 Pet 2:24

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed (RESTORED).”

The significance of Jesus’ body being “broken” is that He could then be shared! He literally shared the bread in the meal, but more importantly He was sharing Himself! All who put their faith/trust in Him can have immediate access to His presence… ALL THE TIME!

Jesus was broken so that WE could have HIM in the midst of OUR brokenness!
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Not only was Jesus BROKEN, but notice, He was also POURED OUT for US…

MARK 14:23-25

23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

They drank from a common cup, further symbolising Jesus’ desire to share Himself with His followers.

24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

“blood of the covenant”

• This covenant does not refer to an agreement between two equals. God has no equal! This refers to an arrangement established by one party, in this case God. The other party (humanity), cannot alter it; we can only accept or reject it.

• This New Covenant is God’s new arrangement in dealing with people, based on Jesus’ death. God promised this New Covenant through the OT Prophet Jeremiah. And while the physical blessings for Israel are yet to be fulfilled when Jesus comes back, the spiritual blessings are extended to us (the church, Jews and Gentiles together)… to all who put their trust in Jesus.

“many”

• As in Mark 10:45

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

• “many” – this is a common Jewish way of saying “all”. Lit. all who are many.

• This is one of the clearest moments in which Jesus brings everyone together, Jew and Gentile, near and far. There is ONE LOAF given (one broken body) and ONE CUP poured (one person’s blood)… “for many = for ALL!”

• It was the death of Jesus that founded and now sustains the new community… the church!

“I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

The Passover meal includes 4 cups of wine, representing the four-fold promise of redemption God made to His people in Exodus 6:

• ‘I will bring you out . . .
• I will rid you of their bondage . . .
• I will redeem you . . .
• I will TAKE you for my people and I will be your God’

Jesus said that He will drink that 4th cup with US… in “that day… when we drink it new together in the Kingdom of God.” Jesus was FOCUSING their BRAIN FILTERS with something new here, something of the utmost importance! = Jesus will RESTORE EVERYTHING when He comes again!

EVERY time we eat together, every time we gather together, we have the opportunity to remind each other of what is truly important… JESUS was Broken & Poured Out For US, giving us His presence for today and sure hope for the future… He is coming again!

It’s incredible to see how this part of the story ends…

26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. ~MARK 14:26

Imagine being one of those disciples… the uncertainty, the doubt, the struggle!

We don’t know for sure, but Psalm 118 was likely on Jesus’ mind that night. I’m going to read portions of it, but I encourage you to read it all on your own. Let’s marinate in God’s promises for a few minutes before we close…

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

   his love endures forever.

5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;

   he brought me into a spacious place.

6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.

   What can mere mortals do to me?

7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.

   I look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

   than to trust in humans.

9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

   than to trust in princes.

13 I was pushed back and about to fall,

   but the Lord helped me.

14 The Lord is my strength and my defense;

   he has become my salvation.

17 I will not die but live,

   and will proclaim what the Lord has done.

21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;

   you have become my salvation.

22 The stone the builders rejected

   has become the cornerstone;

23 the Lord has done this,

   and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 The Lord has done it this very day;

   let us rejoice today and be glad.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

   his love endures forever.

APPLICATION

Jesus has given us amazing FILTERS FOR OUR BRAINS. As we FOCUS them on what’s IMPORTANT, we begin to respond to life much differently.

Like seeing Hyundai Sonatas everywhere, when our BRAIN FILTERS work properly we begin to see Jesus everywhere!  

YBH? (Yes, But How?)

Think about the challenge you’re facing right now? 3 main categories I think of…

• PHYSICAL: pain, health, weight, insecurity

• RELATIONSHIPS: family, friend, neighbors, work, team, classmate
  • broken, disappointed, unmet expectations, and on and on and on!

• WORK: not enough, too much, uncertain, stress

Here’s the YBH…  when you feel the physical, relational, or work related pain, STOP & REFOCUS your BRAIN FILTER by… REMEMBERING JESUS! “Do this in remembrance of Me!”

• PHYSICAL pain/health/insecurity = “Ok Jesus, the pain is real, but I remember, You were broken and poured out for US!”

• RELATIONSHIP: Harsh word spoken/unmet expectation = “Ok Jesus, this hurts, but I remember You were broken and poured out for US!”

• WORK: Pressure = “Ok Jesus, I don’t know how to bear it, but I remember that You were broken and poured out for US!”

IMAGINE THIS… no longer seeing life as full of brokenness and challenges (although it is), but seeing Jesus everywhere, in every circumstance, in all our pain, in every relationship, and as a vital part of our work!

IMAGINE how different our day to day experience would be THIS week, if we lived in light of Jesus being broken and poured out for us!