An Opportunity

In September I had the incredible privilege of speaking at a pastor’s retreat in Port Alsworth, Alaska where the pastors’ entire families were present. The retreat was specifically designed for those who serve in the bush in small villages where the only way to travel between villages or to Anchorage is by plane.

Most of these pastors are the only staff in their churches and are often isolated and cut off from other pastors/leaders. The purpose of the retreat was to provide encouragement, refreshment, teaching, inspiration and reminders that what they do matters for all of eternity.

Alaska has the highest rate for suicide, alcoholism and sexual abuse in the nation. What stood out to me is the steadfast resolve to keep ministering and to not give up despite the obstacles and few results. I was encouraged and challenged by their level of faithfulness and perseverance.

…And in case you’re wondering, we did get to fish a bit!

One Body

I am writing this e-mail while in our nation’s capitol attending the National Association of Evangelicals board meeting. The NAE is comprised of over 40 denominations and 46,000 evangelical churches.

At this gathering of the board we passed a resolution on immigration and covered other issues such as Biblical justice in difficult times, Creation care, and financial challenges in the church. We also had the privilege of having the chaplain for the U.S. Senate, Chaplain Barry Black, speak to us. I met and am getting to know some very godly leaders who are leading Kingdom causes around the U.S. and the world. What a privilege.

What is impacting me the most is seeing so many key Christian leaders from so many different evangelical denominations or movements working together as ONE BODY to advance the purposes of the Kingdom of God!

It is becoming less and less important which particular camp or local church you’re a part of, and more and more important that we are all part of the larger Body of Christ.

A new season

One of the reasons I like living in Wisconsin is because of the “seasons.” Of course I wish the one that provides frigid temperatures and snow was shorter, but the uniqueness of each season brings something special with it. Summer is a great time for taking vacations, being with family and friends and engaging in outdoor activities. If you like to golf, hike, camp, boat, ski, fish, backpack, swim, ride a bike or just take a pleasant walk, summer provides opportunity.

My favorite time of year is autumn, for many reasons. But just as there are seasons in nature there are seasons in our lives and in our walk with God. If we are following Jesus, He will continue to lead us into new adventures and continue the good work He has started in us. My most sincere prayer is that whatever season you are in personally, that you will continue to yield yourself to the Living God and surrender your will to His and allow Him to have His way in you and through you.

Jonah

I am so excited about our Jonah series of messages that we are studying verse-by-verse. I hope you are learning some new things from this prophet who didn’t want to go where God asked him to go. Are you being stretched in living out your faith like Jonah eventually learned to do?   I encourage you to pray and read each chapter before we gather to study it together.  I believe He will do something new in each of us.

Get Connected

Can I also encourage you, that if you are not in a small group, a bible study or in a class, that you do so this fall? In Hebrews 3:13 it says that we should encourage each other DAILY, and in Hebrews 10:25 it says we should encourage each other and all the MORE as we see the day approaching. We need to stay in constant contact and connection with each other and spur one another on to love and good deeds. Please take initiative to get in some kind of Christ centered, Bible based group this season.

Finally as we enter into another new season of ministry, this is probably a good time for me to open my heart again and tell you how much I love and respect the people of this Church. You are an incredible family and I count it a great privilege to be in community with you and to be following and serving our Lord Jesus with you. We have faced some tough times together as a Body, but God has been faithful and continues to lead us forward towards our destiny in Him. I am filled with so much hope and expectation for where HE is leading us and what HE is doing in us and through us. Hey Christ The Rock family, I love you and appreciate you dearly!

What I’ve been reading

In my personal development time in the Word the past few months I’ve read through the books of Psalms, Matthew and Proverbs, and am presently reading Philippians. There is no substitute for time in the Book.

On the side, I am reading Real Church: Does it exist? Can I find it? by Larry Crabb.

I highly recommend it. Larry does an excellent job asking what being a church can look like. As I read it I felt my heart crying out, “Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord! Let us be this kind of church!”

I’ve also started two more books: The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God by Dallas Willard, as well as The Hole in Our Gospel: What does God expect of Us? The Answer that Changed my Life and Might Just Change the World by Richard Stearns.

I’m not finished with either of these books, but based on what I’ve read so far I highly recommend them both.

What’s on your reading list this summer?

Oh Canada!

Last week I took my sons Ben, Nate and Seth and some friends to Canada on a fishing trip. We spent many wonderful moments of laughter, sharing and seeking Him, and I was blessed to spend time with each of my sons individually. We managed to catch a few fish too!  Here are a few photos.

The impact of QUEST

As I wrote to many of our friends at Christ The Rock and other churches in the Fox Valley this past week, we are clearly commissioned to make disciples of ALL nations. That’s why I am excited to invite people to QUEST 2009: GIVE ME YOUR EYES.  It’s happening Saturday, April 18th at Christ The Rock in Menasha.

This event is a one-day conference  that features some of the best speakers in the nation to inspire, equip and mobilize all of us toward reaching farther.

We’ve never done anything quite like this conference before. In the past, we’ve hosted an event called Leadership Quest and invited people in leadership positions to come. This year we asked ourselves, “What would happen if we opened this type of event up for everybody?”

The response to this idea so far has been overwhelming. We have outstanding keynote speakers  Stuart Briscoe, Os Guinness and Dan Thomas, and we’re offering a great variety of workshops and panels led by local leaders and pastors throughout the Fox Valley.

Here is the QUEST Web site so you can see the speakers, workshops and panel discussions available.  Through this ground-breaking event, we are asking God to give us His eyes, help us see what He sees and be motivated by what motivates Him.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Quest 2009 will equip us to be effective, productive workers in His harvest field.

I hope you can join me April 18 for this can’t-miss event!

A hope and a challenge

I am increasingly hopeful for what God wants to do in us and through us this year as we emphasize “Reaching Farther!”

Our staff and Elders have already experienced the 5 Day Hunger Challenge and God used it to help us identify with the hungry and the poor. We are really anticipating a great move of The Spirit in our Body as we all experience the 5 Day Hunger Challenge together.

Many in the world don’t even have this much food. We’re encouraging everyone to use the money we didn’t spend on food for those 5 days and bring it to put in a pot in the lobby. Our combined contributions will be used to help the hungry and poor in Haiti, The Saharawi Refugee Camps in Algeria and locally by supplying our local food pantry.

Be sure to experience this with others and and encourage all you know to do this. Then be sure to journal about what is stirring in you and engage in conversations with others while you go through this.

Remember the purpose is to experience for just 5 days what many people in many parts of the world experience every day.

On Beans and Rice

Last week my wife Janet and I took the 5-Day Hunger Challenge, along with our church staff and elders. Here are the three things that stood out to me:

1. Those who do not have the beans and rice rations in the world and are truly starving. They would do anything for just beans and rice. What would it feel like for us to be starving and have no way of getting food?
2. Doing beans and rice for just 5 days, the food got rather boring and bland, albeit my wife’s great spices. What would it be like if those were always the only options, without end in sight.
3. I realize how we as Americans are so used to having things exactly as we want them. How picky and fussy we can be. How easy it is to complain.

May God help all of us be less demanding and more grateful and even more than that, more generous. I hope we will continue to identify with the hungry, poor and needy in our world and DO something about it.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Christmas is the time of year that we designate to celebrate the wonder of the Incarnation. The amazing story of God wrapping Himself in human flesh and becoming one of us.

May the magic and mystery of it all, capture us and give us reason to rejoice and enjoy the indescribable gift of Jesus and the Life He brings. May it also be a special time for us to connect with those dear to us. May we avoid the trivial and take initiative to engage in meaningful conversations with loved ones and friends.

And may the God of all Hope, infuse His Hope in our hearts for the year to come. We have a lot to look forward to and a lot to live for.

Looking ahead to 2009

The general theme for our 2009 emphasis is Reaching Farther.

Our leadership teams are really excited about how God has led us in preparing for this emphasis. Please make every effort to be at one of the services the weekend of January 10 & 11, as we will cast vision for the year to come.

I don’t ever remember being more excited or having a greater sense of anticipation than I do right now regarding our future together in the year to come!

Israel Trip Meeting January 6

Indeed a trip of a lifetime. The Bible will come alive to you in ways you’ve never imagined. Just think…all of the Old Testament, all of the New Testament, and much of the future in the last days all happened or will happen in that little place of real estate on a map called Israel.

Dates for the trip are March 2-13, 2009. We’d love to have you join us!

An information meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the West Lounge. For more information click here.