So What?

Amazing Volunteers

2011-04-04T14:47:00.003-05:00

I think I serve with the greatest group of volunteers in the world.

Having made such a bold statement let me now explain.

Four weeks ago I announced in our Sunday morning services, both of them, that we would be starting a third service on Sunday evening in just four weeks. I talked to our church about the amazing growth that we have seen in the past three months and how I believe that God was prompting us to make room for even more people to come Find and Experience God's Best for Their Life. So we decided to add the third service on Sunday evening at 6pm.

Last night was the first Third Service and all I have to say is, "Wow!"

The crowd was great. The service was good (a couple of minor technical things like me not turning on my mic). But the "wow factor" came from the volunteers.

I actually arrived a little later than I wanted to and when I got to the building, there were already a ton of volunteers in place. There was a buzz in the air. Everyone was excited. Everyone was anticipating something awesome. Everyone was ready to serve.

And here is something even better: Most of these volunteers were NEW volunteers. They were not already serving in our church! In just four short weeks (actually three weeks) we were able to completely staff a third service and all of our childrens classes! In fact, we had so many sign up to volunteer that we had to put some of them on an every-other-week rotation.

So I'll say it again: I serve with the greatest group of volunteers in the world.

So What?

Two things:

1. If you are not serving, your church needs you. Sign up and show up.

2. If you are leading volunteers, make sure you equip them and encourage them. They will make you a hero or a zero.

Christmas Eve Excitement

2010-12-21T13:22:00.003-06:00

I am so excited about Christmas Eve this year I can hardly stand it.

I'm not sure why I am so excited this year as opposed to any other year. Maybe it's because we are doing one huge service at the new Center at Bishop Park. It has been a lot of fun getting everything ready for the new venue. All of the sound and lights and things are coming in tomorrow and we will start getting things set up. It's going to be cool.

Maybe it's because the message God has laid on my heart just seems to be something that He is really going to use to change lives. There have been so many great comments about this series we are doing, LIGHT, and I think that finishing it on Christmas Eve is going to be really awesome.

Maybe I am so excited because of all that I have seen God doing over the last few months. It just seems to me that so many people are hurting and searching right now. I have had the awesome privilege of talking to so many people lately who are hungry for LIGHT and to see so many respond to it has really been exciting.

Maybe I'm excited because I just feel like I am doing what God put me here to do. Please don't misunderstand. I'm not being boastful or anything. I just really have a sense of purpose and fulfillment like I have not had in some time. God is doing some cool stuff right now and I am excited to be a small part of it.

Actually, I think I know what it is.

It is all of the things I mentioned above and more. It just seems that when God is doing His thing and we are walking with Him and experiencing His Best in our life, it's exciting. Life really is a BLAST when you are walking in the LIGHT. It's like Jesus said in John 8:12, "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'"(NLT)

So What?

If all the stuff that comes along with the holidays has gotten you down, I encourage you to Look for the LIGHT. The LIGHT will get you out of the funk and into the fun that only comes from walking with Jesus. He wants your life to be exciting. He is excited about you. Allow Him to put that excitement into your heart right now.

Merry Christmas!

Overwhelmed For Families

2010-11-18T13:18:00.003-06:00

From time to time I get a bit overwhelmed. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes not so good.

Lately...not so good.

I am really burdened for so many of the families in our church and community who are struggling in so many ways. Nearly everyone is struggling financially. Many are struggling in their marriage for various reasons. Some are facing difficulties with their children. It seems that our families are under serious attack right now.

In talking with many of these families I have tried to encourage them with God's Word. That is the only source of strength that I have found. In it we can find words of hope, encouragement, strength, and direction. In those meetings where things seem so bad and I have absolutely nothing to say, I am so glad that I have God's Word to go to. I am learning that His Word is really all I need and exactly what our families need.

So What?

I want to ask you to pray with me for our families. Pray for men to be real, Godly, men and lead their family the way God intends. Pray for women to be the Godly women of Proverbs 31. Pray for children to honor and obey as the Bible teaches. And pray that God will save our families so that we can be a safe place and a beacon of hope for a dark world.

Start with yourself and your family then begin to pray for others you know. Let's ask God to do something amazing in our families and ask Him to start with yours.

Will you join me in praying for our families?

Family Ties

2010-11-03T16:52:00.003-05:00

Remember that show? Michael J. Fox was brilliant. The oldest sister was good looking. The dad was kinda weird. The mom was mostly the voice of reason. And the theme song...well if Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams were singing it, you know it was amazing. (What would we do baby, without us?)

Here comes an obvious statement: TV life and real life have never been, and never will be, remotely close to similar. Obvious, I know, but it needs to be said. Our family life will never be like any of the families we see on TV, especially not like the older TV show families (though some would argue they more closely resemble some of the more Modern Family types.).

Even though the above obvious statement is true, we all still tend to learn from and even emulate what we see on TV. The result is nothing short of catastrophic because none of us can handle every crisis that comes at our family in just 30 minutes including commercials.

So you and I have to learn from a different source, a better source, a tried and tested source, if we are going to experience God's Best in our Family.

This week we start a new series called Family Ties. I am really excited about it and believe that God is going to use it to help many families get in on His Best. I am praying that God works in such a huge way over the next few weeks that our families, church, and community will never be the same because we take the Truth of His Word and apply it to our lives. I am believing that God is going to dramatically show up and make some drastic changes in our lives. I am counting on it.

So What?

I want to ask you to pray with me. I want to challenge you to pray for your family. I want to challenge you to ask God to show up in your life first and then in the life of your family. Will you open your heart to what God wants you to do to help your family get in on His Best? Give it a shot and let me know ow it goes.

Sha-la-la-laaaaa.

CAUTION: Emotional Decisions Ahead!

2010-09-02T13:42:00.004-05:00

This past weekend I was able to announce the beginning of several new serving projects that God has brought to us here at Midtowne Church. In making those announcements I found myself getting emotional. I initially apologized but then said that I thought it was OK to show that emotion as I was talking. I still believe that to be true.

I have been blown away by the response from the people in our church and even people outside our church. it is so cool to be involved in a place where people truly want to serve and want to see God's Love shown in practical ways.

However, I think sometimes we allow our emotions to make decisions for us. Remember: Emotions do not make good decisions. I am always careful with my emotions when I am teaching because I don't want people to respond to an emotion. I don't want people to respond with their emotions. I want people to respond with their heart. I want their heart to be touched by God Himself and for Him to be the one who initiates any response we make.

Don't get me wrong here. I think emotions are great. God gave us emotions and I think they are a vital part of who we are. I think we should be passionate about what we do. I think we should give all that we are and all that we have to whatever God leads us to do. We just need to make sure we are not allowing our emotions to make our decisions for us. Even if that decision is a decision regarding something that helps build God's Kingdom.

My fear is that we get caught up in the emotion and volunteer for some project only to find that once we get involved, we are not really serving from our heart, in our "giftedness," or from our passion. Then we wind up frustrated, tired, and ultimately doing damage to that cause and ourselves.

So What?

When it comes to serving, make sure that you are feeling God's calling to the ministry project and not just feeling that burrito you had last night. Make sure you are following God's leading in your heart and not just getting wrapped up in an emotional response. You will find that you will be more fulfilled and the ministry will be more successful because it is being run by the people God wants involved.

The Groove

2010-08-19T14:24:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year. The time of year where many people get back in their groove. Kids are going back to school. Vacations are wrapping up. Jobs are gearing up for the new season. And yes, some people are even getting back to church.

I think it's interesting that we do that. We tend to live our life by seasons. We have seasons of extreme busyness, seasons of relaxation, seasons of commitment, and seasons of laxness. Depending on what season we are in, our walk with God tends to model our life.

That's why I like this season. People are getting back in the groove and getting their life back on track with so many things, including their walk with God.

So What?

As you are getting your groove back, don't forget your walk with God. In fact, I want to challenge you to put God in the lead position as you get back on track after the summer. If you do, you will find that He is more than ready to lead you to His Best for you.

Welcome Back!

Healthy vs. Hurting

2010-07-28T09:10:00.002-05:00

I've been talking to a lot of people lately. A lot more counseling than usual. So many people are searching, struggling, and just plain hurting. It's been interesting to hear all the different stories but I have found some common issues and causes.

Here is an observation I have made recently.

Over time, say 3, 5, or even 10 years in a marriage or any relationship, we develop habits, or patterns. We develop these patterns of behavior that become the trade marks of our relationships. We behave a certain way in certain situations for so long that it becomes very natural for us and we will immediately default to that behavior when the given situation arises.

For example, let's say you have a conflict that needs resolution. If you don't know how to resolve conflict in a healthy way, you struggle through the conflict, a fight ensues, feelings get hurt, walls are built and a behavior is learned. Not only a behavior, but usually an escape mechanism as well. So the next time there is a conflict, since we still don't know how to resolve it in a healthy way, we fall back on our new learned behavior and repeat the process.

After repeating this process for a few months or so, we may eventually just skip the process and the pain it causes and avoid any and all confrontation. So the happy couple now simply reside together and the marriage grows, stale and stagnant and really begins to stink.

Thus the searching, struggling, and hurting.

So What?

If you can learn a destructive behavior, you can learn a healthy behavior. Can you recall a time in your relationship when things were happy or healthy? If so, what was different about that time as opposed to now? Can you replace the healthy, happy behavior of then with the hurting behavior of now? I think you can. And if you continue the pattern of healthy behavior, over time it will become the pattern. It will become your default. It will heal the hurting.

NOTE: I know this is easier said than done but it can be done. Ask for God's power and seek Christian leaders to guide you and hold you accountable. You will be amazed at how healthy your relationships can be.

2010-06-10T09:07:00.002-05:00

I've got something on my mind that I just can't seem to shake so I thought I would put it out here for who ever reads this thing and see what you have to say.

Here's the deal:

It seems to me that, in general (and I know that's dangerous), people just don't take responsibility anymore. And not only that but, in general, people really enjoy blaming others for things.

These two thoughts really struck me while watching the news one morning as I was preparing to come to the office. Whether it's the oil spill in the gulf and the way it is being handled or not handled, the war on terror, political races, or even sporting events, passing around the blame and trying to make others look bad seems to be the calling of our day.

It makes me not want to watch the news and really makes me want to show and teach my children differently.

So What?

It didn't take long to find out what God has to say about this whole thing. Here are a couple of scriptures for you to consider. I don't think either of them need much, if any, explanation.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-5 NLT

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT

I encourage you to join me in applying the principles of these verses to your life right now.

Something's Fruity Part 2

2010-05-10T17:59:00.003-05:00

You gotta love it when God does this.

As I was finishing typing the previous post about how God is developing His Fruit in my life, our internet connection went down again! We have been having a ton of problems lately and we even had a tech out this morning to work on it.

Needless to say I initially began to get upset and almost grew impatient and almost had an "outburst of anger" (see Galatians 5:19-21 NLT).

But then I laughed to myself, told God I got it, and asked Him to help me handle this "crisis" in a way that would be honoring to Him. At that moment, I allowed the Holy Spirit to control me and not my sinful nature.

Again, I am not bragging on myself. I just want to let you know how this stuff works in real life. It happens all the time. It really is a matter of who or what you allow to be in control and what you allow your mind to dwell on. I daresay that had I not been typing my blog post when this happened, I would probably not have passed the test. But because I was already focusing on the work of God in my life, I was able to handle it pretty well.

Another So What?

One of the best ways to keep the Holy Spirit in control is to keep God on your mind. You will find that you tend to behave the way you think.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. Colossians 3:1-4 NLT

Something's Fruity

2010-05-10T17:00:00.005-05:00

For the past several weeks I have been teaching about the Fruit of the Spirit as found in the Bible in Galatians 5:22. This has been a very fun and personally challenging series for me because it has made me more aware of how important it is to not only make teaching the Bible very practical, but also very personal.

A few weeks ago in the Neighborhood Group I attend, we were talking about how people have different "Aha" type experiences in their walk with God. Those moments when something just clicks and starts to really make sense. One of the members of our group said that they really like the way I teach on Sunday morning because I use "real life examples." (I'm not bragging on myself, just hang with me.) when I asked them to explain what that meant, he said that he liked the fact that I talk about my personal struggles in my teaching and give examples of ow I succeed and fail at times. Those kind of things really help him relate and "get" the message.

I love good examples of teaching points. I love to talk about ways that I mess up. I think it is very important for people to understand that just because someone is standing on the stage doesn't mean that they have it all together.

Yes I really do honk at people while I'm driving. I really do get frustrated with people and their shopping carts in Wal-Mart. I really do get mad when people are inconsiderate. And I even find myself doing some of the same things that I get mad about.

But I'm working on it.

It takes time for a fruit tree to produce fruit. Depending on how the tree was grown it can take as long at 14 years before it ever produces anything ore than leaves. The same is true for us. Giving the Holy Spirit control of our life and allowing Him to develop this Fruit in our life takes time. Some of it comes easier and faster than others. Some days certain fruit is "in stock" in our life and some days it is not. Sometimes we wonder if the order was even placed.

So What?

The key to producing Fruit in your life spiritually is giving the Holy Spirit control. The Bible says that the producer of our Fruit is obvious. Our sinful nature produces the fruit we put out on the shelf or the Holy Spirit produces the fruit we display. Giving the Holy Spirit control and crucifying our sinful nature is a daily, sometimes hourly, (or dare I say minutely") event. But God promises that when we are "guided by the Spirit" we will produce His brand of fruit.

This morning, the Holy Spirit was not in control. I have asked for forgiveness and now I am under His control again. I hope it lasts the rest of the day and in the morning I will try again.

I smell fresh fruit. Do you?

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23a NLT

Do You Know Where the Janitor's Closet Is?

2010-04-12T14:07:00.003-05:00

This morning I was told a very cool story about a lady in our church. She was talking to some people in her Neighborhood Group about being involved in the church. She was going on and on about how much she loved serving and how cool it was to be a real "part" of the Family here at Midtowne. She went on to say how much she loved the church and the people and what we are all about here. She talked about how much she loves serving and being involved and then she said, "I like knowing where the Janitor's closet is."

I know that sounds like a very strange thing to say but that statement is very powerful. That statement is full of truth and conviction. That statement says more about her heart than anything else.

Knowing where the Janitor's closet is means that you have taken ownership in your church. It means that you have completely bought in to the mission, strategy, and philosophy of your church. You are so connected in your church that you take pride in it. Not an arrogant, sinful pride that thinks we are better than everyone else. But a pride that says you want to give your best in order to help others get in on God's Best.

When you know where the Janitor's closet is, you are ready and willing to serve and do whatever it takes to help others get in on what God is doing. You are willing to do the dirty work if necessary. You are not afraid to get your hands dirty and do whatever is needed to make the building ready for our guests. You are willing to go above and beyond what is expected and help make sure that everything is done in order to help others feel welcome, connected, and important. All of those things are vital as we try to help others experience God's Best in their life.

So What?

The Janitor's closet is not a great place to be in but it is a great place to begin. Look for ways to serve in your church and don't be afraid to do the jobs no one else wants to do. Being on the inside does not mean having all the answers. It means doing your part. Getting involved and taking ownership and having pride in something will help you connect, grow, and be fulfilled.

2010-04-07T11:39:00.002-05:00

Easter was amazing! God showed up in a huge way in both of our services, and so did a ton of people. We had the largest attendance we have had in our short, two-year life. We saw 5 people baptized, very cool. And 14 people gave their life to Jesus and accepted His Love into their heart! That was the best part of all.

We always ask, "So what?" when we are done with our services but today I want to ask a different question.

Now What?

Easter is over. For all of us who serve in some capacity around here, it was the biggest day of the year. We worked very hard praying, preparing, planning, and pulling off what turned out to be a huge day. The tendency after a huge "event" like Easter is to lay back a little and enjoy the fruit of your labor. Like when you finish a big project at work or around the house or finish a big event or production at school. It's good to relax and enjoy what you have accomplished.

However, I was reminded in staff meeting this week that we cannot afford to do that. Instead of sitting back and relaxing after a great Easter celebration, it is imperative that we strive for more of God's Best. I believe every week at Midtowne should be a "big" week. I believe every week at your church should be a big week. We should give our very best each and every week so that we can get in on God's Best each and every week.

I also believe that we should not ask God to repeat what He did. I think that is too easy. In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan talks about an experience he had with a young lady on a worship team. Her prayer after and amazing night of worship want not, "God, do it again." Instead, she prayed, "God, do something bigger and better." What a great attitude! One that I think we should all strive for in our walk with God.

The Now What is this. Don't live in the victories and accomplishments of your past. Press ahead for more of God's Best. That is just what the Apostle Paul was saying in Philippians 3:12-14 NLT. I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Don't misunderstand. I totally believe in celebrating victories and accomplishments. But when it comes to getting in on God's Best for your life, don't stop and settle. Press on for more of what He has for you.

PS - for those of you who just have to have a So What, here you go. Do your part to make this week at your church as big of a deal as Easter was. Who says you can only have huge crowds and huge fun twice a year? Not God.

The Backbone

2010-03-16T17:29:00.003-05:00

"I have to be strong. I'm the backbone."

That's what the man told me as he sat in my office, tears streaming down his cheeks, venting to me about the problems he was facing in his family. It's hard to watch a grown man cry but it's also very encouraging because I'm convinced that when we begin to admit our weakness and let our rue feelings show, real healing and growth can begin.

I'm not sure why we as men think that we can't be emotional. Nor do I understand why men are so afraid to share their feelings. Somewhere along the time line of history, men got this crazy idea in their heads and for some reason have a hard time getting rid of that notion.

As I look at history though, what little bit of it I know, I can recall some great men who were not afraid to let their feelings show and admit their weaknesses. In fact, all great leaders know that the best way to compensate for their weaknesses is to surround themselves with people who make up for their weaknesses (just look at their wives. We ALL married out of our league.) Presidents have cried. Kings have cried. Military leaders have cried. Even the greatest man who ever lived cried (check out the shortest verse in the whole Bible, John 11:35).

I'm thinking if men like that can show emotion, the rest of us should not be afraid of it. I believe that showing emotion is not a wimpy thing, but one of the most manly things a man can do (and I've heard that chicks dig it too, at least my wife likes it when I am man enough to show some emotion).

So What?

Backbones were designed to bend but not break. Think about it. If your backbone could not bend, life would not be very pleasant. Obviously, if it breaks you're in serious trouble. So as a man, leader, influencer, or just everyday person, don't be afraid to bend and show some emotion. You will probably find that your "body" (i.e. family, staff, friends, etc.) is way more comfortable and effective when you do.

Long Time No Blog

2010-02-15T09:21:00.002-06:00

I know it's been a long time since my last post so I thought I would catch up a little.

After my bout with the tree and a few days in the hospital, I am now getting back to somewhat normal. I am learning a lot about concussions and the affects of them. I have learned that the dizziness, nausea, lack of concentration, fatigue, and general "funk" can last for months. Needless to say, I am tired of all of those things and ready for this to be over.

And no, I did not pray for patience prior to this.

Getting back in the groove is proving to be a little more difficult than I expected. I am hoping and praying that I am able to be back to my "normal" self soon. In the mean time I am trying to take it easy and trust God to walk with me through this. It is hard on me, my family, and my coworkers. But I believe that it's all going to be fine and I am anxious to see what God is going to teach me through this.

I realize that this cold have been a lot worse and that there are people going through way more than I am. I am thankful that God has protected me and helped me get to this point. I am thankful that He is in control. I am thankful for my family and friends who have been very patient and supportive. I am thankful for all of this situation because I know it did not catch God by surprise.

As my friend Sam says, "God's got this."

Sunday January 31

2010-01-30T16:40:00.000-06:00

We will only have out 1030 service this Sunday due to the ice storm. Help spread the word!

Thanks

Another Perspective

2010-01-13T17:15:00.002-06:00

I was talking with a friend of mine who is not a follower of Christ. He knows that Jesus died on the cross for his sins. He believes He rose from the grave. He knows that Jesus is the answer to all the junk he is going through. However, he is not ready to make Jesus his LORD (Lord just means boss). He is not ready to make that commitment and is still holding on to his own selfish ways (yes that's what I told him).

He began to tell me that he never wants to do anything half way. He said that in any relationship, (glad he recognizes that we are talking about a relationship with God) in order for the relationship to work, you have to give it all you have. He said that he is not sure he can do that and that he is not sure he can be successful at it. He is afraid that he might mess up and then what? He told me that he was concerned about what might happen if he gave his life to Christ, what would be different and what all the repercussions would be.

So here is the different perspective. I told him he is thinking the wrong way and asking the wrong question. He should be thinking and asking, "What might happen if I don't give my life to Christ?" I love it when God does that, gives me things like that to say. He gets the glory not me.

So What?

When it comes to your commitment to Christ and the way you live your life, don't focus on what you think you are missing out on. Focus on what you gain. God truly wants you to experience His Best in your life. So get up, get going, and get in on His Best right now.

1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard,and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Relationship Resolution

2010-01-05T12:48:00.004-06:00

I talked with an old friend last night. I had not spoken with him in quite a while. I knew that he had gone through a lot of junk in his life this past year and I had prayed for him a few times, but I had not called or attempted to see him for months.

So last night I called. Glad I did.

He did not really spill it all out last night. I didn't ask him to. There was no need to really. I just told him I missed him, had been praying for him, and asked him what I could do to help him. He told me a little about what was going on and how he felt. I told him how sorry I was that life was so stinkin' bad for him and hoped that this year would be better. I told him that I genuinely meant it when I said I would help him if he needed it. He assured me that he knew that and appreciated it.

Before I got off the phone I made him a promise. I told him I would do better at keeping in touch. I told him I will continue to pray for him but would also make a better effort at calling and/or trying to have lunch or hang out sometime. Again, he was grateful and we said good bye.

So What?

There are people in our life who need us to make personal contact with them. Don't get so caught up in all the things you have going on that you miss an opportunity to show God's love to someone you love. Make this New Year's Resolution with me. I will do better at staying in touch with people in need.

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:4 NLT

Bah Humbug Revisited

2009-12-15T08:37:00.003-06:00

The day after I wrote my last post about not "feeling" the Christmas spirit, something cool happened. I love it when God does stuff like this. Below is the short version.

A friend of mine from High School called me. He has been back in town for a few months and is homeless. I have been staying in touch and helping him as I can. He called to tell me that his bus pass had expired and he needed money to replace it immediately. You see, when you are homeless, you typically have no transportation either, so you have to depend on public transportation to get you to doctor's appointments, shelters, job interviews, etc.

As soon as I finished my breakfast with my family, I went to meet my friend. We drove to the bus station, got a pass, went on another errand, and just hung out for a while. When I left him I had an epiphany of sorts ("like a bolt of lightning struck me right in me brain" from the movie "Hook").

God very vividly helped me remember that Christmas is not about me, it is about others. When I quit thinking about myself and my feelings and began focusing on others and their feelings and needs, I got it. The Christmas spirit came rushing in. I have to say that, in spite of some very bad news I got that day too, I had one of the best days I have ever had. Not that anything really special happened the rest of the day or that I got to do anything amazing. I just knew that I had done what I was placed on this planet to do. I got to serve someone else and that made all the difference.

So What?

If you are looking for a "feeling" or trying to manufacture the Christmas spirit in your life, go serve someone. You will experience God's presence, power, and love like never before. Christmas is all about God serving us by sending Jesus to us. It only makes sense that we should serve others by taking Jesus to them. The shepherds got that. Check it out in Luke 2:8-20. They couldn't keep what they found to themselves.

Another thing to keep in mind. This serving others deal is not just a seasonal event. Make it a lifestyle. Then you and I won't have to worry about not "feeling" the Christmas spirit.

BTW...I'll be talking about the Shepherds and their Search this Sunday at Midtowne.

Bah Humbug?

2009-12-10T15:35:00.004-06:00

I'm really trying. Seriously. I am working hard at it but it just isn't happening yet. I know it will eventually but it's just not there right now.

I'm talking about the Christmas Spirit. I'm not feeling it yet.

I truly love Christmas. I love the lights, the music, the decorations, gifts, crowds (yes really), the food...I love it all. I enjoy the parties, the planning, the rushing around. It's a blast. But for some reason I just don't feel it yet this year.

Some would say it's still early and there is time. True. But I want it now. I'm ready now.

Here's the strange thing. I'm not sure why I'm not feeling it yet. I've already been to a party. I've received some gifts already. Our house looks like a Christmas catalog thinks to my amazing wife. The building at our church is decorated and I'm doing Christmas messages. But I'm still not there.

So What?

The Spirit of Christmas is not a feeling, it's a lifestyle.

Maybe I'm searching in the wrong place or even searching for the wrong thing. Maybe I should not be so concerned about a season of feeling but should be more concerned about an daily way of life that allows me to enjoy my relationship with God all the time. Maybe God is trying to tell me that I need to not be so concerned about feeling something awesome during the holiday season and start searching for an experience with Him daily.

After all, isn't that why He was born in the first place?

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T11:23:00.004-06:00

I have so much to be thankful for this year. I am not going to attempt to list it all here. I just want to thank you for reading this. Thanks to those who comment (and leave their name). Thanks to My Savior, Jesus Christ.

I pray that today you and your family take time to tell the Lord thanks for all He has done for you. I hope you will take time to tell those around you that you are thankful for them. I hope you will not allow this to be a one day event but that we all will be more thankful year round.

Happy Thanksgiving

I See a Storm Coming

2009-11-18T08:46:00.003-06:00

Our staff spent some time this week planning and preparing for 2010. We had a great time together and laughed, worked, and even cried a little. I am truly excited about what God has in store for us in 2010.

I shared with our staff some of what God has been telling me as I have been preparing for next year. We read 1 Kings 18 through 19:18. God's people had been experiencing a drought. It had not rained for three years, but God's man, Elijah, told them to get ready, rain was coming.

I challenged our staff to be ready for God's rain at Midtowne this year. I believe that this third year of our church is going to be a very pivotal year. This could be a "make or break" year for us and I am planning on it being the former. I truly believe that God is going to show us more of Himself and pour out more of His blessing on us than He ever has before. The past two years have been amazing but I'm convinced that, in the words of the great philosophers Bachman Turner Overdrive, we ain't seen nothing yet!

So What?

It's really simple this time. I want to ask you to pray with me for 2010. Pray that God would give us wisdom and boldness to follow Him. Pray that we would be ready when the rain comes. Pray about your role in what He wants to do this year. And remember to always give Him the glory for all of it.

Looks like rain...

After the Pep Rally

2009-11-11T18:36:00.004-06:00

Just finished Dirt09, a conference on creative elements in worship. I'm not a big conference fan because sometimes the information gets lost in the "big event." Sometimes conferences just feel like big religious pep rallies.

Pep rallies have their place. I am not against them. They are great for what they are. I remember in High School going to pep rallies before big football games and getting all hyped up and excited about the game that Friday night. It was big fun and everyone felt, at that moment, like they could take on any team in the world and win.

But the problem with pep rallies is that they end. They don't last long and when they are done, the emotions generated by them begin to fade almost immediately. The same can be true about Conferences. You leave after the closing session (pep rally) ready to take on the world only to find that those "feelings" begin to fade rather quickly.

Just like back in my High School football days, I have to take the things that I have learned and put them into action. A good football player can't ride the emotion of the pep rally very long. He has to rely on his coaching, skill, and heart. The same is true in living for God. We can't expect our church services, conferences, and other events to carry us far in our walk with God. We have to rely on our training from God's Word, coaching from His servants, the gifts His Spirit has given us, and a heart that has confidence in His mission for us.

So What?

Stand firm on the things you have gained from God, not on the feelings you get from going to the rally. Once again, nothing wrong with the rallies, they just won't sustain you in your walk. Discipline yourself to rally with God daily, not just when the big game is coming up or when the big event is coming to town. You'll be surprised at how much more you will experience God's Best in your life.

Are You Scared?

2009-10-20T09:08:00.005-05:00

For many people, October is a scary month. Why? Because it's the beginning of a change in seasons. It's a transition toward thinking about the holiday season that is fast approaching. And because of Halloween. This post is not going to be about Halloween and my opinion of it. I'll just say that we don't do Halloween at our house and leave it there.

I'm more fascinated with the idea of "fear." Not so much because I am afraid but because of some of the things I have read lately in the Bible. Just this morning I read Nehemiah 7:1-2, which says, "¹ After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. ² I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most." (NLT) Why did Hananiah fear God more than most and why was that such a big deal, so big a deal that Nehemiah mentioned it as he introduced him to us?

Understand that this "fear" mentioned here is not so much "terror" as much as reverence and respect. Much like the "fear" of a coach or your principal in school or some other authority. You are not really afraid of them, you are more afraid of messing up and disappointing them. You want them to be pleased with you so you carefully, respectfully do what you should in order to make them happy.

While there is no way to know why Hananiah feared the Lord more than others, we can draw some insight as to why it was important.

According to John Maxwell, leadership genius, everything rises and falls on leadership. In other words, your organization, team, home, etc, will only be as good as its leaders. So it makes sense that if we want those things to be the best they can be, we need the best leadership we can find. Nehemiah knew that one of the most important characteristics of the leaders he appointed was a healthy fear of the Lord. He wanted the leaders to be so in tune with God's leading and so aware of His power that they did not dare do anything without His approval and leadership. Leaders who truly fear the Lord are leaders who effectively lead others to God's Best.

So What?

Check your fear level. Don't be afraid that God is going to strike you dead if you mess up a little in your leadership. Instead, be afraid of missing out on His Best for you and those you influence. that fear should guide every decision you make, every step you take, and every word you speak.

I pray that we will all be known as those who fear the Lord more than most.

Plug It In

2009-10-13T08:55:00.003-05:00

One of our staff members, who shall remain nameless in this post, recently brought their phone to me saying it was not working. We tried everything we could think of to make it work and it would not do anything. Staff Member took the phone to the phone store and was told to purchase a $75 dollar warranty plan then file a claim. It would take a day or two to get a loaner phone and then the company would try to fix or would replace the broken phone. I thought that was a little odd so I called my friend who works for the same company and he told me to bring the phone in and he would see what he could do.

I drove 45 minutes to the other side of Little Rock last night before going home to have dinner with my family to get this problem solved.

The store employees took the broken phone and my phone and were going to swap out my phone for a new on and give Staff Member my old phone. That would save us money and get everything resolved (my plan was the only one eligible for an upgrade). As the clerk was beginning this process, my friend took the broken phone, got a power cord, and plugged it in to the wall.

The phone sprung to life! It has worked fine all night and was given to Staff Member this morning with the following instructions: Plug it in!

So What?

Do you feel broken? Are you having a hard time "powering on" today? Have you tried everything you can think of and still you feel empty and powerless?

Plug in to the Power Source today by spending time with God. Talk to Him and let Him talk to you. Read His word and apply it to your life. Allow His Spirit to direct your thoughts and decisions as you go through your day. I guaran-dog-tee you that you will find the power you need to experience His Best today.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.He is my shield, the power that saves me,and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2 NLT

Oink Oink Cough Cough

2009-10-05T13:04:00.004-05:00

Did you hear that "oinking" sound? It was coming from my house. Yep, I had the flu!

Now it may or may not have been swine flu, but it was flu. Hit me hard Thursday night but I am back at work today.

I actually missed church Sunday. The first time I can remember missing because I was sick and certainly the first time I have missed since we launched Midtowne.

But things went off without a hitch in my absence. That's good stuff.

I have learned several things in my illness as related to my role here at Midtowne. I learned that it can be done without me. We can't build churches on people or personalities. It has to be built on a love for God and a love for people. My absence helped me see that we are doing OK in that area.

I also learned that the people at Midtowne will always step up when needed. With a cold, rainy Sunday and lots of illness in the community, people still showed up and stepped up to fill in where needed. We had more volunteers out than ever before yet we had more people willing serve than we wound up needing.

One other thing. I learned that different is good. So far, I have not had anyone tell me that they liked the way I do things better (or less) than the way Dave lead us on Sunday. That's a very good thing. It's not about me. It's not about a style or a personality. Dave and I are very different and different is good. It's not a matter of good or bad, better or worse, it's just different, period.

So What?

Leadership is not following a person, it's following a purpose. Yes, there has to be a person to carry the banner of the purpose. A person to teach, train, equip and encourage the team, but when it all comes down, you better make sure you are leading people to a purpose and not to a person.

Glad to be back but glad to know that I can be gone. I love this place, its leadership, and people. But mostly, I love our Purpose and the One who is the inspiration and gets the glory for it.

Live, Learn, Leave

2009-09-28T13:26:00.004-05:00

I was talking with a guy recently about some things that were happening in his life. He was telling me about some very bad decisions he had made and what the outcome of them had been. He is a very smart guy. He knows what the Bible has to say about his situation, and he knows what he did was wrong. So he came to see me to figure out what to do next. He said, "I need to read a book or something." I laughed out loud.

As we talked along and I asked him some questions, he made an interesting statement regarding his life and where he was headed now. He was trying to determine how to move on from his mistakes. He said, "I guess there's nothing I can do about what happened. I mean, I lived it."

My response was quick and concise (and I'm convinced it was from God). I told him that he had lived it now he must learn from it and leave it. While it's true we can't go back and undo the past, it is also true that we can, and should, learn from it and then move on with what we have learned.

So What?

You lived it, now learn from it, and leave it. What is there in your past that has kept you down and left you feeling guilty and ashamed? Learn from it and leave it behind. God can use that in your life and maybe even in the life of someone else. He never intended you to live in guilt. While you will have to deal with the consequences of your decisions, live it, learn from it, then leave it. You will find God's Best waiting for you.

Pancake Church

2009-09-21T08:23:00.007-05:00

My wife and I went to the new IHOP in town recently. It has only been open for a week. If you have ever been to a newly opened restaurant, you will recognize this scene. There were tons of servers hovering around us. There were Managers and imported Trainers scurrying around. There were Corporate Bosses mingling about. All of the above mentioned were making sure that everything in the place was perfect for our visit.

Since they were not very busy this particular day, we probably got a little extra attention. But I was able to make a few observations that I think churches should consider.

The servers all put on their best smile. They were very attentive to us and our needs and did their best to take care of everything. Not only that, I was really impressed with the team work I saw. Our server took our order and brought our drinks but two different servers brought our food and got me some hot syrup. We were not "their" table and I dare say they did not share the tip, yet they assisted their team mate anyway.

I was especially intrigued by one of the imported Trainers. He is one of these guys who travels to different restaurant openings and gets all of the staff ready to run the new restaurant. These guys usally arrive weeks prior to the opening and stay for a week or two after the opening. Here's what I noticed about this guy. He would randomly walk up to a server and ask them questions regarding their training or the restaurant's policies and procedures. Things like, "What are the three types of guests we have?" Or, "What should you do when...?" He would then either correct the server's response or congratulate them for knowing the answer. But no matter what, He would smile, pat them on the back, and encourage them to keep serving.

One more thing. The place was spotless. I know it had only been open a week but still. No stuff on the floor. No chairs out of place. Not even anything sticky on the chairs or tables. There's an IHOP first!

So What?

What if we, as Churches and as Christians, applied these some kind of principles to the way we live our life or conduct our services on the weekend? What difference would it make?

What if you who are leaders in your work place applied this some principles to the people you lead? What difference would it make?

I can't help but believe that if we, as Christian leaders and as churches in general, began to smile more, train more effectively, encourage more, and be more attentive to our guests and facilities, we would see a greater impact on our communities. If we quit being so "territorial" in our ministries and communities, we would see more people attracted to Jesus. People want to be loved, cared for, and noticed. Little things mean a lot. If the people at IHOP have that much respect for their organization, why should we have any less for our churches and, more importantly, our Savior?

I want to encourage you to get involved in your church and serve. Show God's love in your work place and home. And take time to encourage others along the way.

The Joy of MERGE-ing

2009-09-15T13:17:00.006-05:00

This new series has been a ton of fun. I have really enjoyed teaching it and have enjoyed the comments I am getting even more!

Families are the essential building blocks of our society. For the past several decades we have seen those blocks corrode, crack, break, and even disintegrate. There are tons of reasons for this and I don't really even want to begin to try and address them. That's not the purpose of this post. What I do want to address is the hope that I am seeing as I deal with families.

Has anyone ever told you something or explained something to you in a way that you were able to immediately understand and grasp the concept? When that happened, do you remember the feeling of excitement, joy, and encouragement you received? Like when your math teacher explained that you have to show all your work when you do a problem so that he knows that you understand how to get to the solution? Bad Example...sorry.

More like this. When you are trying to figure out why the economy is so bad and you hear someone explain it in terms you completely understand. Or when you are confused about a diagnosis the doctor has given you and the nurse or a close friend or relative explains it to you and you have one of those "Oooohh, Ok!" moments. Or when you don't fully get the meaning of a song you heard on the radio so you google it and get the story behind the song and now when you hear that song you enjoy it even more because you understand where the singer is coming from when he/she sings it.

Get the point?

I have been seeing and hearing those kinds of responses to the truth that we have been discovering in God's word when it comes to families and relationships. Husbands who are finally beginning to understand that their selfishness is a big part of the problem at home. Wives who are finally beginning to understand that their poor communication skills are a major factor in the conflict they have at home. Singles who are beginning to understand that their pride and impatience are causing much of the frustration in their date life. People are starting to "get it." As a result, hope is being restored, excitement is beginning to build, and healing is taking place. Lives and families are being changed.

That's good stuff.

So What?
The Bible says in Proverbs 19:8 "To acquire wisdom is to love oneself;people who cherish understanding will prosper." When you and I gain more understanding in the area of our relationships, we will gain more success in our relationships. The more we learn, the more we experience God's Best in our marriages, dating life, and family. Do what you have to do in order to gain understanding so that you can experience God's Best in your life. The only thing you have to lose is some of the junk you are dealing with right now.

What About Time

2009-09-10T16:52:00.003-05:00

What if you had a Time Machine? What would you do with it? Of course you would first need 1.21 gigawatts of electricity, but then, what would you do?

I have been learning a lot lately about time. Especially how I manage the time that I have been given. We are all given an amount of time. Each of us has 24 hours each day to use as we please. Or as our boss pleases. Or our spouse. But I digress...

How you spend your time each day has an amazing impact on not just you, but everyone around you. Your family, co-workers, and even complete strangers. Since we only have a specified, limited amount of time available, we had better learn to use it wisely.

One of the things I am learning is that there are many things that can waste our time. Some are things that we bring on ourselves. Some are not. All time wasters are things we can control, however.

One of the biggest time wasters I have become aware of is people who waste time. Have you ever noticed that person in your office who always wants to just sit and talk? Or the one who wants you to come watch a video on his computer? Or the person who seems to always have plenty of time to just do nothing?

Don't get me wrong. I do not have any particular people in mind so don't even go there.

And there is nothing wrong with taking a little break once in a while, catching up on what's going on, and being friendly. But there is a time and place for everything.

So What?

Gently communicate to others that you appreciate their friendship and you are concerned about them but you really have to get your work done. Don't tell them that you have more important things to do or that you don't have time for them. Schedule that kind of interaction into your day. You will find that not only will you be more productive, so will those around you.

Who's There?

2009-09-02T15:22:00.005-05:00

I have the outside door to my office open getting some of this awesome, cool, fresh air in. Unseasonably cool for the first week of September, isn't it Al Gore?

I hear a small jingling sound and turn around and the dog you see in the pic is standing in my office. She comes right to me, lets me pick her up, and is sitting in my lap as I type this. I have contacted the owner and they are on their way to get her. Her name is Hershey (love me some Hershey's chocolate).

This little incident got me thinking about something.

What am I allowing into my life because I have left the door of my heart open?

The Bible says that we should "guard" our heart because it "determines the course" of our life (Proverbs 4:23). In other words, be careful what you allow into your life because whatever comes in is what will come out. If we allow good things into our life, good things will flow out of our life. Conversely, if we allow bad things into our life, bad things will flow out of our life.

So What?

Well, this one is obvious: Be careful what you allow into your life. Make sure that the things you watch, listen to, and read are going to produce good, not bad. Make sure that the people you hang around and the conversations you take part in or listen to are filling you with things that will allow you to live out God's Best in your life. Otherwise, you never know what may wander in.

She's asleep now. Guess I should probably take a nap too. Would hate to disturb her.

Life's Struggles

2009-08-10T08:40:00.003-05:00

I am constantly amazed by people. About the time I think I have them figured out, they once again surprise me.

I spend a lot of time talking to people about their life. Sometimes it's good stuff, sometimes it's not. Sometimes they are happy with their life, most of the time they are not. I find myself dealing with some of the same problems with people over and over. It seems we all have the same stuff that we deal with.

So what's the difference? Why do some people tend to handle life and all the junk that comes their way more effectively than others? I'm not totally clear on that but I do have a few observations.

People who handle life more effectively than others tend to have more structure in their life. They have a schedule, a routine, that they follow daily. They don't wait on life to throw things at them and catch them off guard. They face life head on with a plan and a purpose.

These people also have a support system in place. I seldom see people who fail to handle life's junk effectively surround themselves with the support they need. Whether it's family, friends, a group, basic knowledge of dealing with life, or any other form of support, people who don't handle life well seem to always be alone in their struggle.

Here's another thing. People who tend to handle life's junk more effectively also tend to have a healthy view of who they are. This is not just a self esteem thing. It is also a clear, or at least semi transparent, view of their purpose in life as I mentioned above. People who fail to deal effectively with life's struggles tend to buy in to the lie that they are useless, worthless, and a failure. They have failed so often, it seems, that they are now beginning to believe that they will never succeed at anything.

So What?

When life throws some junk in your path this week, I hope you are ready. It will happen. Take time to seek out your purpose in life. Write down some goals and dreams and some possible plans to accomplish them. Seek out and establish quality relationships for support and learn more about who you are and how you deal with things in life. And understand this: You are awesome. No, not just awesome, Stinkin Awesome! You are the only you on the planet. That makes you a unique, one-of-a-kind individual with all kinds of potential. The sooner you realize that, accept it, and begin to act on it, the sooner you will begin to deal with life's junk more effectively.

One more thing and this is not just a "PS" or "BTW" nor is it "preacher speak". It's a fact. People who deal with the stuff life throws at them effectively have a growing relationship with God. I know it sounds like "preacher speak" but it's true. You know why it's true? Because God made you and He made this world. Who better to give us direction for life on this planet than the One who made it and us?

Camp Kidstowne

2009-07-28T17:14:00.004-05:00

Where did all these kids come from? They were everywhere! Way more than we expected and planned for but not more than we could handle.

Last night Camp Kidstowne 09 kicked off with a bang! More than 150 kids showed up for all the games, music, crafts, fun, Bible stories, drama, and music. It was loud and wild.

But it was not out of control.

Our Children's Ministry Team did an amazing job. There were tons of volunteers, lots of supplies, plenty of plans, and more than enough smiles and hugs to go around. While the kids continued to stream in the volunteers adapted and made things go as smoothly as possible. Nobody panicked. Nobody griped. Nobody ran out screaming and pulling their hair (although I thought about it just for kicks). The entire team handled it as if they had planned it just that way. Instead of reacting negatively, everyone responded positively and saw what was happening as a blessing from God, not a disaster in the making.

So What?

First off, there is nothing better than a team with the same vision and passion. Way to go guys. Second, when things in life don't go as planned, don't spaz. Look and see if God is doing something amazing just to see if you're paying attention.

Here comes night number 2!

Good vs. Bad

2009-07-15T16:09:00.004-05:00

A lot has happened since my last post. Some very good. Some very bad. OK. Not VERY bad, but bad enough.

Let's start with some of the bad and finish with the good.

Life got the best of me. Busyness, fatigue, bad decisions, and general junk. I truly allowed it to take over. No excuses. No whining. Just the facts.

The Good: We have baptized people the last three weeks and have baptisms scheduled for the next several weeks. Very cool! I got to baptize a guy in the hospital. Awesome! Our services have been directed and attended by the Holy Spirit lately in a significant way. My youngest son and I have been riding motorcycles a lot. My daughter is getting smarter, older, and prettier (OK, that one is good and bad for a Dad). My wife is more beautiful and awesome than ever. My oldest son is having a great summer in NC. My dad turned 71 and is in great health.

I could go on for a while.

So what?

My good list is longer than the bad list. I think that's how God wants it to be for us. He never said things would always be great in life but He did say He would help is through the junk. He promises to forgive us when we are stupid and love us through the consequences of our foolishness. And, Bonus, He will even teach us through the junk if we will allow Him.

Check your lists. See how they compare. Make the necessary changes in your life to grow the good list and shrink the bad list. After all, that's what God's Best is all about.

How's Your Day Going?

2009-06-23T08:13:00.002-05:00

I just witnessed a woman get arrested for drunk driving. It happened right in front of my office. It's like 8 in the morning and this woman is drunk, and driving.

At first, I thought it was kinda cool, watching the cops in action right in front of me. I could hear the COPS theme playing in the back ground (Bad boys bad boys, whatcha gonna do...). The cops seemed very professional and handle it very well. I kept wondering if they had dash cams or not and was waiting to see if the woman was going to resist or be belligerent.

Then I saw a little dog walk up. Right behind the dog, a man who looked as if he had not been out of bed long. That's when it hit me. "That must be her husband and her dog," I thought. And as the rest of the events unfolded, it became apparent that I was right.

My curiosity and excitement turned to sadness as I watched her fail the sobriety tests, have the hand cuffs placed on her wrists, get into the police car, and be driven away. The man and the dog were able to get in her car and drive it away, the opposite way.

What a stinkin horrible way to start the day for that family.

So What?

There are people all around us today who are hurting. It may not be as obvious as what I saw this morning, but it's still there. It may be shown by a heavy sigh, a concerned expression, or a seeming disconnection. We have, as followers of Christ, the solution to the problems our friends, neighbors, and coworkers face. Will we just watch in unconcerned, distant curiosity? Or will we make an effort to share God's love and comfort?
Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive. Titus 3:14 NLT

Strength Connection

2009-06-09T08:41:00.004-05:00

"Is that your last funeral?"

That's the question that greeted me Sunday evening when I finally got home. My daughter gave me a big hug and I could tell she was ready for me to be home for a while.

Unfortunately, the answer was, "No. I have one more tomorrow."

It was a tough week at Midtowne. We had four deaths in as many days. It was a very emotionally, physically, and even spiritually draining week. At one point I told my wife that I was not sure I had anything left to give to all of these grieving people.

As always, her wisdom came through. She reminded me that I never had anything to give in the first place. I am not God. I cannot be all that He is and can be to those who are hurting. I can only be His tool, His instrument, the carrier He uses to minister His grace, love and mercy to others.

So What?

When we are having one of those days, weeks, months, lives, that makes us feel we can't go on, remember this: God is the strength of our life and He will give us what we need when we need it. All we need to do is stay in touch with Him. I was reminded this past week of two pieces of scripture.

John 15:5 (Jesus speaking) Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (NLT)

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.(NIV)

Be disciplined in developing your relationship with God. He will always give you what you need.

Sure You Can

2009-06-02T09:01:00.003-05:00

"We can't play with them! They will kill us. I don't want to play. This is stupid."

Those are some of the comments I heard last night at soccer practice when I told my son's team that we were going to practice with the older guys team. You should have heard the whining! I thought I was going to have to call the "Wambulance"! Waaaah! Waaah!

I quickly gathered them around and told them that they needed to quit talking like that. There was absolutely no reason for them to act that way or talk like that. I told them that they were going to talk themselves out of playing well and that they were just convincing themselves that they were not good enough to play with those guys (who, by the way, were only like a year or maybe two older).

If you tell yourself that you can't do something there is a really good chance that you won't do it. If you tell yourself that you are not good enough then you will most likely perform at a level lower than what you truly are capable of.

So What?

Quit discounting yourself. Don't talk yourself out of something before you even attempt it. You are an awesome creation with great skills and abilities. And, if you are a follower of Christ, you have His power in you. Get in there and work hard. You may find yourself in situations where you feel like the odds are against you but you can still do your best. And your best is all anyone can expect from you.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (New Living Translation)

BTW...our guys did great!

Remember That Time...

2009-05-18T08:16:00.004-05:00

What an amazing response I have had to yesterday's service. There was such a cool spirit in the building in both services. Things went so very smoothly. The music was awesome. The teaching was pretty good too. But the highlight of the service was Communion.

I loved the song Kenny and the band did. It was a very appropriate backdrop for what we were doing. What an amazing way to remember what God did for us through the sacrifice of His Son. There truly has never been a greater love.

I spoke with several people as they left yesterday, and even had several text and email messages, from people who were struggling with things in their life. Each time, I was able, because of God's work in my life, to help them remember how God has worked in their life in the past. Those memories brought a smile to their face and gave them the motivation they needed to move on to what He has next for them.

So What?

My prayer was yesterday and still is today, that each of us will take time to remember the great things God has done for us. His mercy, grace, and love is more than sufficient for all we need and all we will face this week. Rest in it. Count on it. Thank Him for it. Remember it. Share it.

I Was Not Invovled

2009-05-05T08:17:00.003-05:00

Not me. I did not have anything to do with it. I was not even there when it happened. I saw it. Drove by it twice (not like gawking, it just took a long time to get it cleaned up and by the time I came back from what I was doing it was still there). I'm talking about the tanker truck that flipped over on the exit by the church building Sunday morning.

I started off the message Sunday morning by highlighting some truck spill accidents (courtesy of truckspills.com. Yep. It's a real web site.). It has great pictures of truck accidents involving spills. Some of them are stinkin funny and some are just stinkin gross. But I digress...

The message basically was about what we do next after our life has become a mess. We looked at the story in John 20 where Jesus appeared to Peter and some other disciples while they were fishing. This was after Jesus had died and came back to life and after Peter had denied Him. Peter had to be feeling awful and like he had really made a mess of his life. We went on to discuss some steps we should and should not take when life is a mess. It was pretty good if I do say so.

So I leave church Sunday and there is this tanker on its side on the exit ramp by our building. I have to say I laughed to myself. Hoping that no one was injured, of course, I had to appreciate the God's invovlement in my life.

Wait a minute, Doug! Are you saying God made that truck crash?

No. Not necessarily. But I do think God orchestrates things in this world in order to help us get the message because we are often so stinkin hard headed (or at least I am).

What's the point? I think God was reminding me of what the message was Sunday morning. The message I had just delivered to others yet He intended for me to hear also. I beleive every message God gives me to deliver is directed at me, too. And Sunday He was just giving me a friendly reminder.

The reminder: Don't let the mess keep you from what's next.

So What? Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open to what He is trying to tell you. There are reminders everywhere of what He wants to share with you. He wants to show you His love, grace, glory, and plan for your life. I just hope it doesn't take a truck wreck for Him to get your attention!

To hear this past Sunday's message from the series "NEXT: Life After Easter," go to the Midtowne Church web site media page.

Putting the Top On

2009-04-28T08:58:00.004-05:00

I had to put the top back on the Jeep yesterday. I was not real happy about it. But they say it's going to rain all week so, you gotta do what you gotta do.

My favorite part of the year is the part when the top is off the Jeep. I love the wind, the fresh air, the feeling of freedom...it's awesome. Yes sometimes it's loud and it even is a bit gross when you pass road kill, but overall it's awesome.

My life gets that way sometimes too. I love the fun, freedom, excitement, and then the rain comes and you have to cover up. Stuff happens. You get distracted, frustrated, and even mad. You feel as if your freedom has been taken away or your "rights" have been violated. You don't want to take time to put the top on. You want to continue enjoying the free-wheeling excitement with the wind in your hair and the sun on your increasingly balding head. But you can't. You have to deal with the things that life throws at you.

So What?

Just because you have to put the top on doesn't mean that life can't still be fun and enjoyable. This rain will not last forever. The sun will shine again. The temperature will go back up. Things will get better. They always do.

Don't hang out in the rain. Seek the shelter you need in God's grace, mercy, wisdom and power. Let Him help you deal with the stuff that happens. And look forward to taking the top off again.

So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. 2 Timothy 2:10 NLT

BTW...just checked the forecast. Top may come off Saturday!

2009-04-13T09:35:00.003-05:00

Well He did it. He showed up and a BIG way and made Himself the center of attention. Don't know why I am so surprised. Don't know why I didn't expect it. After all, that's just what He does.

Our Easter celebrations were amazing. We had the largest crowd we have ever had in the short history of our church and, most importantly, we saw 5 people give their life to Jesus! When we present a risen, living, loving Savior in the power of His Holy Spirit and leave the results to the Father, well let's just say He does His thing.

And that's what happened yesterday.

I am so proud of all the people who worked so hard last week to prepare for Easter. It is a joy and an honor to serve with you.

As many of you know, last week was crazy. The devil did his best to distract and frustrate us but we did not give in or give up. We have the power of the resurrection available to us and we used it to overcome all the junk that was thrown at us. God is so stinkin awesome!

So What? Let's make this more than just an Easter event. Our new series, NEXT: Life After Easter, is going to help us do that. Invite someone to come with you. Get ready to live in the power of the resurrection. It's going to be awesome.

"Good?" Friday

2009-04-10T10:46:00.004-05:00

What a strange name for this day. The fact is, the only thing that has ever been "good" was brutally murdered on this day. Yet we call it "good" Friday.

The crucifixion of Jesus was not a pretty thing. History tells us it was the most cruel, harsh, painful way to die. The Romans had perfected the "art" of killing in their day. When Jesus died on that cross, He was dying because of and for all of our sin: past, present, and future. You see, the only way for sin to be paid for, or forgiven, was for something to die for it. It was a system of sacrifices that God established years ago. So when Jesus died, yes all the way dead, on the cross, He paid the price for our sin. He became the sacrifice for us so that we would not have to pay the ultimate price for our own sin. He did it for us.

That's what makes it "good."

So What? On this Good Friday, take some time to thank God and Jesus for the price that was paid. God gave His one and only Son for all of mankind so that none of us has to pay the price for our sin, if we will only put our trust in Him and allow Him to control our life. All we need to do is receive Him into our life and follow His plan for us as it is laid out in the Bible.

I hope you have a GREAT Friday and remember...Sunday is coming! He did not stay dead. He is alive so now we can live.

Stinkin Awesome Sunday is Coming!

2009-04-09T20:23:00.004-05:00

I guess it's going to be an awesome day. Usually, when things go the way they have for the past two days, Sunday turns out pretty stinkin awesome!

I have had so many distractions, frustrations, and generally stupid things happen this week. Here I am trying to prepare for the biggest day that Christians celebrate and I'm facing all kinds of junk.

I have to admit, I didn't handle it well at first. I got mad. I said ugly things. I started to give up. It was not good. But this morning in the shower I got some perspective (no I am not going to go into detail about my shower. It just so happens that I do my best thinking in the shower.)

I was thinking and praying and realized what was going on. The stinkin devil was doing a number on me. He was working hard at messing me up and getting me off track. Man, he is good at what he does. But we have the power in Jesus to handle his sorry...self.

I was praying and telling the devil to step off and God helped me get my stuff together. I would like to say that things went really smoothly today, but that's not true. I just handled things a little better and everything got done that needed to be done.

So What? Don't let the junk that the devil throws at you keep you from getting in on God's best. Tell the devil to get out of your grille and call on God's power to help you through. Remember, Easter is all about the power that raised Jesus from the grave so that He could prove that He has beaten sin and the devil. As a follower of Christ, you have that same power available to you.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT

Get ready for an awesome Sunday!

Twenty Years Ago

2009-04-01T17:30:00.003-05:00

My oldest turned 20 yesterday. I know what you're thinking, "Wow Doug must have been about 15 when he had his first kid!" Thanks for that compliment.

As I think about the past 20 years, a lot has happened. Obviously, my son has changed, but I have too. He has become a very cool, mature young man. I am more proud of him than I can say. God gave us great wisdom as we raised him and we are now seeing the fruit of our labor. I can only hope that we do as good a job with our next two.

I think it's pretty cool that he still likes me a lot. We have a lot of fun together. He talks to me about everything and is really excited to share important things with me (even though sometimes it's by email or text). We are close and I hope we get closer.

I've really changed over the past twenty years. Not just physically either.

A.D.D. MOMENT-m youngest pointed out my "white streaks" on the sides of my head the other day.

OK I'm back

Changes have come in many forms. Some of them have been easy, most have not. Most of them for the good, some, not so much. Yet looking back I can't really say that I would change a thing. The good, the bad, and the ugly have all made me what I am today. And I like who I am today.

So What? Don't be afraid of change. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Learn from it. But along the way, take time to evaluate and let those that have helped you through know how much you appreciate them.

Love you Son. Very proud of you and who you have become.

I've Done Some Really Bad Things

2009-03-24T08:33:00.003-05:00

That's the answer to the question I asked a lady recently. The question? It was "Why did you say you won't go to Heaven?"

I was meeting with her to to talk about joining Midtowne Church. As I do with everyone I meet with who is interested in joining our church, I asked her if she thought she would go to Heaven. She was very matter of fact and said, "No." I was a bit caught off guard by her candor and then asked the follow up question.

Here's where it gets good. I asked if she knew what it took to get to Heaven. With the same matter-of-fact tone and expression, her reply was basically this. She said she knew she had to turn her life around and give Jesus control of it. She said that she believed that Jesus died on the cross for her sin and that He is the only way to be forgiven and the only way to Heaven.

I was very surprised. Not by her answer, because she was right. But I was surprised that, even though she knew how to get to Heaven, she had not done what it takes to get there. Since I am the type that likes to get right to the point, I asked, "What are you waiting for?" Her answer: "I'm ready."

It was amazing to share this experience with her. I prayed with her in my office and she gave her life to Jesus.

So What? It just really doesn't matter what you have done. Jesus died for you and He can and will forgive you and give you eternal life in Heaven and a fulfilling life on Earth. Also, just knowing what to do is not enough. You must take action. If you have never asked Jesus to come in to your life, why not do it right now? A simple prayer of faith saying that you believe He died on the cross for your sin and came back to life so that you can have eternal life and a meaningful life on Earth is all it takes.

But that's not the end. I am looking forward to baptizing that lady soon and helping her grow in her relationship with God and I would love to do the same for you. If you need to ask Jesus into your life, send me an email and let me know how I can help you.

Stay tuned...

Tragic

2009-03-09T16:17:00.004-05:00

Nothing short of tragic.

That's the only word I can think of to describe what happened yesterday at First Baptist Church in Maryville, Ill. A Pastor, doing what he loved to do, what he was called to do, gunned down for no apparent reason. Time will tell if there is any connection with the gunman, but for now it just appears to be a tragic, senseless crime.

It's a sad day for all of us. When people cannot go to a place that they consider safe and express their love for God and others and learn how to share that love with others, it's a sad day. That's really what we want, isn't it? We want to go to church and show love, express love, learn to love, and be equipped to love. With all that love going around, how could something so tragic happen?

We may never know the motive behind this shooting. We certainly will never understand what was in the gunman's head. But one thing is for sure: God knows. God says in Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT), "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." You may have heard this verse before, but I want you to look at the second and third words again, "I know". God knows. Period. That's all that really matters. We don't have to understand. We don't have to feel badly for our ignorance. God knows. We can find peace and comfort in those words. We can continue the mission He has given us in that promise. He knows.

So What? Don't allow this tragic event to keep you away from God or His Church. If you attend a church, continue to go and support the ministries it provides. If you don't, find one, begin to attend and get involved. Events like this will either push us closer together and to God or will drive us further away. Only you can decide what it does to you. God knows.

Pray for First Baptist Church in Maryville. Pray for the Pastor's family. Pray for the church members who were injured. And don't forget to pray for the gunman and his family too. They are facing a tough time as well.

Coffee Philosphy

2009-03-04T10:38:00.002-06:00

I met a friend of mine for coffee this week. He and I have not hung out for a long time so it was really cool to catch up on all that is going on in his life. And man, there is a lot going on in his life!

He is about 10 years older than me and a lot of fun to be around. He is a self described "questioner." He loves to ask questions. He questions everything, even himself. Not in a bad way, but in a genuine, considering, learning kind of way. He has always challenged me in many ways and has helped me get out of my comfort zone and think hard about my life and ministry.

He is also a learner. He loves to read and study. He studies a lot. He is always searching, investigating, learning, and discovering.

Something he said while we sipped our coffee really stuck with me. He told me that as he has studied the Bible something interesting and unexpected has happened. While the goal of his study was to gain insight so he could teach others, he instead discovered God in an entirely new way. In his attempt to gain information and share it with others, he fell deeper in love with God. His entire outlook on God, ministry, and life has changed. He sees God in a deeper, more intimate way and it has changed the way he lives. He has, in his own words, gone from being self seeking to a committed servant of others. His relationship with his family, coworkers, friends, and even strangers has taken a major turn.

As he told me all about what is happening in his life, I literally got goose bumps. I caught myself with a silly grin on my face and almost giggling. I reached over and touched his arm, looked him in the eye and said, "I am so excited for you! I can't wait to see how God leads you and where He takes you in this new adventure in your life!"

So What? Our walk with God is not about how much information we take in. It is all about how much deeper in love with God we become. When we truly fall deeply in love with Him, our outlook on life changes in dramatic fashion. We no longer think only of ourselves and how we can benefit from our knowledge of God, we begin to look at others and become interested in them. We desire that they truly enjoy the life God has for them and we seek ways to empower them to enjoy that life. We want what's best for others.

Seems that I remember reading something about that somewhere...

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Philippians 2:4 NLT

I Love My Lips

2009-02-23T12:27:00.002-06:00

The lips of the godly speak helpful words,but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words. Proverbs 10:32 NLT

I was absolutely shocked at the response yesterday the very simple card we handed out at the end of our services. It was just a plain white card with a huge pair of red lips on it. Yet the response was great. Many people wanted to know where they could get more of the cards and, of course, many men and women wanted to get more of them for their spouse.

So why the big response?

We used the cards as a reminder that the words we use should show the power of love. In the third part of our series, Power of Love, we talked about how the words we use tell how we love. If we are going to be the kind of lovers that God wants us to be, we need to learn how to control our mouth. The card is just a simple reminder to only speak words that will spread love, not hate, pain, and destruction.

I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised. We all need help in this part of our life. We all use words to hurt sometimes. We all say things we shouldn't say. We all speak without thinking. So a simple reminder to put a "filter on our fountain" is a really great tool.

So What? How are you doing today with the words you have spoken? Are you using words that are spreading love or are you using words that are causing pain and strife? Work hard this week at thinking before you speak and choosing your words carefully. And remember, sometimes it's not what you say but how you say it that makes all the difference.

Bueller, Bueller

2009-02-11T15:08:00.003-06:00

I had the awesome privilege of going to hear Ben Stein speak last night. I have always thought he was a very funny man, especially in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. And the quiz show Win Ben Stein's Money won 7 Emmy Awards. His latest major project was a movie titled Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. It is a movie about scientists and others who have dared to speak out against Darwinism and for Intelligent Design and therefore have been "expelled" from the scientific world (that's the Doug Pruitt synopsis and is by no means intended to be a complete review or commentary on the movie).

But last night I saw the real Ben Stein.

Ben Stein is a brilliant man. He was a speech writer for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He has written a ton of books, is a commentator on many news shows, and knows more about our country, government, and politics than most people on the planet. He spoke eloquently and intelligently about our country's current economic crisis and other current issues facing our country. He often quoted Jesus' teaching from the so-called Sermon on the Mount. He alluded to his personal belief in God and the Bible and spoke with passion about his dear friend Richard Nixon. He told the overflow crowd (I sat on the floor in the aisle) that the present crises that America is facing are the result of the moral breakdown of our society and that unless there is a restoration of God to public life, we will only see our great nation continue to decline.

Ben Stein loves life, this country, and the people with whom he has built relationships.

Why would I devote an entire post to Ben Stein? Because I think he has something that we all need. That something is passion. Not the erotic, worldly, Valentine's Day stuff. But the stuff that makes you stand up, speak up, and step up. The passion that ignites something deep within you that cannot be extinguished. Ben Stein not only knows what he believes, but he knows why he believes it and he knows how to communicate it.

So What? John 1:1-5 (NLT)
1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

If we truly believe that Jesus is who He says He is and who the Bible says He is, we cannot allow the things of this world to extinguish it in our lives. We must allow the Truth to flow out of us like a great light that expels the darkness. We must passionately, not abrasively, share that light with others.

Let love be your highest goal! 1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT

Ben Stein is not the boring Economics teacher from that famous movie scene. He is letting his passion for what he believes flow.

Sick as a Dog, But Lovin' Anyway

2009-02-09T13:00:00.004-06:00

Funny phrase. Not sure where it came from nor am I real sure just how sick dogs get. In fact, I have seen dogs throw up, sniff it, ingest it, then just move on. But I digress...

I spent Saturday in bed. All day. Except when I was "running" to the bathroom. I went from freezing to sweating. From thinking I was going to spew to thinking I was feeling better. From sound asleep to wide awake. From pretty comfortable to hurting all over. I have always thought it would be awesome to spend a whole day in bed, just not sick in bed.

I struggled through yesterday as we kicked off our new series, "The Power of Love." What an amazing day. We had the biggest crowd we have ever had and the response to the message has been incredible. I am so excited about what I believe God is going to do in and through us as we seek to show His love to others. Learning to be the kind of lovers He wants us to be is going to radically change our lives as individuals and as a church and community.

Love is so much more than some emotion that we celebrate on Valentine's Day. It is so much more than a goofy feeling we get. It is so much more than a relationship with another person. Love is all of that plus the God powered ability to share His love with others. It is not something we just say. It is something we actually do.

So What? I want to invite you to join me on this journey of love. A journey that I believe is going to not only improve our walk with God, but will impact our relationships in such a way that we will not be able to live the way we have always lived. Everything about our life will change for the better and as a result we will experience love the way God meant it to be: Full, Fun, and Powerful.

Super Finish

2009-02-02T13:45:00.003-06:00

How bout them Steelers!

The Steelers pulled it off in dramatic fashion. Big Ben (the Pittsburgh quarterback) was amazing in that final drive as he avoided the rush and what appeared to be certain tackles. His incredibly strong arm and accuracy were just what his team needed to get the win.

And what about Santonio Holmes? Talk about strong hands. And what kid has not pretended to make that play while playing in the back yard? We let our imigination take us to the big game. Time running out. A throw to the sideline. Make the catch and keep both feet in bounds to win the championship. Nothing short of outstanding!

So What? You have the opportunity today to make an amazing play. You have the opportunity to show God's love in a way that only you can. Sure, you won't get a fancy ring or a championsip hat or shirt for it. But you will receive honor from God for making the play. So be creative. Look for an opportunity and take advantage of it. Because the fact is, the game is almost over. Time is running out. When the ball gets thrown your way, will you make the catch? Show God's love to someone today. You'll be a champion on God's team.

BTW...Though I am a Steelers fan, I am also a Kurt Warner fan, the quarterback for Arizona. I know this will upset some of you Steelers fans, but I really would have loved to see Warner take his team down the field with 30 seconds left and score the winning touchdown. He is not only a fantastic football player, but also a great guy and an outspoken follower of Christ. I am glad he had a good game and hope nothing but the best for him and his family.

The Sky Is Falling

2009-01-27T10:44:00.002-06:00

Winter Precipitation.

Just hearing those words makes you want to go out and buy bread and milk doesn't it? I am just amazed at how we respond to the very mention of anything like snow or ice. If you were brave enough to go to the store yesterday you know exactly what I am talking about. The shelves were empty. You would think that the world was about to end or everyone was going to be stranded for days with no food.

I know there is always the chance that the weather man will be wrong and the storm will be worse than predicted (what, a weather man wrong? Never!), but really, we typically don't get stranded by ice or snow around here. We probably won't need to stockpile food and supplies to ride out the winter storm. But for some reason we tend to respond like that when we hear about the possibility of a winter storm.

It's funny to me that we don't respond like that to the storms of everyday life. We know that we will have junk happen in our life. We may lose a loved one, lose our job, get really sick, or any number of things could happen that will leave us feeling "stranded" by the storms of life. Yet we fail to prepare for them. Mention snow, go to the store. Be fully aware of the storms of life, go on like nothing is happening.

So What? God does not want us to be unprepared for the storms of life. By checking in with Him daily we can prepare ourselves for whatever comes along during the day. I want to encourage you to start every day by talking to God and listening to Him with your heart. Spend a few minutes every day reading the Bible and looking for one thing that you can use to help you face the storms of life.

Consider this a "Life Weather Advisory." Storms are coming. Get ready now.

No Other Option

2009-01-21T08:39:00.003-06:00

Last night at our men's event, MAFIA, we had the privilege of hearing from Rob McCully. Rob and his family were featured on Extreme Home Makeover last October. I won't go in to all that his family has been through the past several years but here is the Reader's Digest version.

His son, Job (as in the guy in the Bible), was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 4. He has since been through tons of junk including a bone marrow transplant, lung transplant, and his heart stopping for about eight minutes one time. Job is now doing "as well as he's done in a long time" according to Rob. He is in a wheel chair and has diabetes to go along with his other difficulties.

There are two obvious questions (well, three if you include "Why did you name your kid 'Job'?"). The other two are "Why has God allowed all of this to happen to this family?" and "How in the world do you deal with all of this?"

The name question was answered in his talk. You should have been there.

The "Why" question is still being answered and might be handled in another post sometime.

The "How" question is the one I want to talk about.

Rob said about a hundred times in his talk that he and his family have had to "lean on God" through all of this. They have had to "trust in God" through it all. While those things may have different meanings to each of us, this is the statement he made that really stuck with me. In talking about giving this to God and trusting God to handle it, he kept saying, "What other option is there? What other choice do we have but to give it to God and trust Him?"

What other option is there? What a huge statement of faith (even though I know it's a question). The fact is this. When it all comes down, there really is no other viable option to handling the junk in your life than to trust God to handle it for you. To trust Him to help you get through it. Yes, it is true that you can try on your own and you can put your faith and trust in people. But those things will fail you. You run out of strength on your own and people, even the most well meaning, will let you down at some point. God won't.

So What? When you are faced with junk in your life, go ahead and take the most reliable option and trust God to handle it for you. Trust Him to walk through it with you. Trust Him to give you all you need to make it through. If you really stop and think about it, what other option is there?

You can read more about the McCully family at www.caringbridge.org/ar/job

Hitting the Towne

2009-01-14T13:00:00.002-06:00

A few of the many comments from our first Saturday of Hitting the Towne, a day of showing God's love in practical ways. We had crews washing windshields at gas stations, handing out water at Wal-Mart, helping people with their packages and buggies in parking lots, and a team who visited Nursing Home.

"I made a new friend. We told each other 'I love you'", a boy who visited a Nursing Home referring to the man he met there.

"I actually prayed with her!" - A guy who was washing windshields at a gas station referring to a lady he met who was having a tough day.

"Will you pray with us too?" - A family in a car at a gas station who witnessed our crew washing the windshield of the car in front of them and praying with the occupants of that car. Both of these families were on their way to hospitals in Little Rock to visit with sick family members.

"What's the catch?" - the frequenly asked question to those who gave away water. The correct answer? "We're just showing God's love today. Have a bottle of water."

"When can we go back?" - asked by the children of a family who visited the Nursing Home.

"It was cool! I got a hug!" - a fourth grade boy referring to his buggy helping experience.

So What? Showing God's love by serving others is not an event but a lifestyle. My prayer is that we all develop the habit of serving others everyday, no strings attached, just showing God's love.

Want to have some fun and show God's love at the same time? Join us each month for Hitting the Towne. The next one is Saturday, February 14. We meet at the building at 10 and we are done at noon. Emailme for more info.

One Down...

2009-01-05T16:18:00.005-06:00

What an amazing Birthday Celebration! Midtowne celebrated its first year this past Sunday and it was truly amazing as we set a new record attendance of over 600! Here are a few highlights in case you missed it.

As we looked back over the past year, it was beyond awesome to see how God has worked. What started with 33 people in a meeting at a golf course club house has now turned into a church averaging 460 a week. We have witnessed incredible growth in our Children's Ministry and in our Student Ministry. We added a second Sunday morning service in November. We have grown from 8 Neighborhood Groups to 15 and have added ministries to Women and Men. And in just the past three months 80 people have been taught how to have their own personal time alone with God.

But here is the best part of all. In just one year we have seen 87 people give their life to Jesus and identify with Him through Baptism! It is simply amazing when you really stop and think about it. I have cried many tears of joy as I humbly recall all God has done.

There have been some really funny times, really sad times, and some really outstanding times. We have seen God show up in some major ways and meet our every need as only He can.

So What? We can't settle in our past. We must Prepare for the Future. God has done amazing things but we believe that greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done. We will always give God the glory and will always seek His direction and ask for His favor as we continue to Help People Find and Experience God's Best for Their Life.

One down, only God knows how many more. What an amazing adventure!

Check out the Birthday Video that we showed in our services.

2008-12-31T12:32:00.003-06:00

As we finish with 2008 and look toward 2009, I wanted to say a big thanks to all of you who have been faithful readers, supporters and encouragers. It has truly been an amazing year and to even attempt to list the top few experiences would be futile.

So let me end this year with one last question.

So What?

What will you do differently in 2009? What are some things you will stop doing and start doing? What relationships do you need to end, mend, or begin? What will you do to make 2009 way better than 2008, even if 2008 was not that bad for you? I pray that each of us will seek God's direction and set lofty goals that can only be accomplished with His help.

BTW...the name of the blog is changing for 2009.

Happy New Year

Thanks

2008-12-29T13:05:00.004-06:00

"Did the innkeeper get any recognition?" Just the latest in a long line of questions from my children. This one from my daughter. Here's the conversation.

What do you mean?
Like, did Mary and Joseph tell him thanks for letting them stay with the animals?
I don't know. The Bible doesn't really say. What do you think?
I think he should have gotten some recognition. I think they should have said thanks.
I think you are right. I bet they did, don't you?
Probably.
Why do you think they should have said thanks?
Because that's the polite thing to do. That would have been nice.

So What? Be sure to give "recognition" to the people in your life who have blessed you this year. Even if it wasn't what you expected, every one loves a little recognition. Especially for the cool Christmas gifts you received.

Isn't funny how much our kids can teach us?

The Last Word

2008-12-23T08:45:00.002-06:00

I played a new game this weekend. It's called "Last Word." The object of the game is to be the last person to say something relating to the designated topic and starting with the designated letter before the timer goes off. I played with my family and we had a blast.

Are you a Last Word Person (LWP)? You know, the person who always has to say the last thing in any conversation whether you know what you are talking about or not. Or maybe you will be around a LWP during the holidays and you are REALLY excited about that.

Usually people who want to get the last word in are starving for attention and a bit insecure. Sometimes they are incredibly negative too. Those are the ones that I have trouble with. LWP's are always trying to "one up" everyone else too. They want their story or gift or experience to be so much better than everyone else's. Most of the time the LWP tends to make your time together much less than joyful.

So What? Maybe the best thing you can do this holiday season is just shut your pie hole. If the LWP wants the last word, let them. No need to argue or stir things up. If you are the LWP, don't be. Instead, enjoy the conversation and stories of others and don't seek attention for yourself. Remember, this time of year should be a time of joy and thankfulness. Don't blow it by always wanting the last word.

Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. Proverbs 17:28 NLT

BTW...I won both rounds!

Hello

2008-12-15T12:54:00.003-06:00

"You know what I like about church? When I walk down the hall people say good morning to me and call me by my name."

That's what my 9 year old said yesterday. I was really hoping he would say he loved the inspiring and educational messages from the preacher but...

We all like to feel like we are a part of something. We all like to be known. We all want to be recognized and missed. That's why we try to make sure that we speak to people and introduce ourselves to people on Sunday morning. I met three new families yesterday. One of them has been coming for a couple of weeks but I had not met them so I introduced myself. It's a bit awkward sometimes because I feel like I should already know people, especially if they have attended our church before. But I don't meet everyone and I forget names too. So I just apologize and introduce myself. Most people are very understanding. No one has acted very offended so far. But I want to do better at calling people by name when I see them.

So What? If a nine year old feels that great about being called by name, I think everyone will feel the same way. Work hard this week at calling people by name. It lets them know that you care enough to know their name, recognize them as a person, and it will make them feel loved and needed.

I guess it's OK that he likes that more than what he likes what the preacher says. I'll get over it.

Uptowne Girls

2008-12-08T13:37:00.003-06:00

It looks like a Peppermint Fantasy Land!

That was the reaction when the doors opened to Chocolate Heaven last night. More than 200 women showed up for the inaugural event of our Women's Ministry, Uptowne Girls. The decorations were amazing, The chocolate was spectacular (chocolate dipped Ruffles potato chips?). And Genni Owens!? Wow! She is amazing.

It was so cool to see all those women gather in the name of chocolate and, more importantly, God. To know that they were all joined by a common spiritual bond was an amazing thing. Seeing them enjoying each others company, the food, and the concert by Ginny, well it made me want to be a woman (not really, but you know what I mean).

So what? Isn't it obvious? Doing things with friends and being willing to identify with God at the same time is a very cool thing to do. It's not a girly thing either. It's something that we all need to work toward.

So the Women's Ministry, Uptowne Girls, is off to a great start. I am looking forward to how God is going to use this group to impact our church, our community, and the world with His love.

Great Job Ladies!

Angel Tree

2008-12-01T13:30:00.003-06:00

I had a great conversation yesterday with some people after church. We were standing there in the entrance to the Worship Center near the Angel Tree table and they mentioned that all of the Angels had been adopted.

Angel Tree is a ministry of Prison Fellowship where children of inmates receive Christmas gifts. Obviously, if a parent is incarcerated they cannot go Christmas shopping. So Prison Fellowship developed this program. Inmates enroll in the program, make a list of gifts for their kids, get that list to PF and them local organizations "adopt" the kids, Angels, and purchase those gifts in the name of the child's mother or father and then deliver the gifts to the kids before Christmas.

It is an awesome opportunity to minister to these families and it takes a lot of work on the front end. The organization, in this case Midtowne Church, must contact the care giver of the kids and make sure where they live, make sure the sizes are accurate for clothing, etc. Then the angels have to be adopted.

I was impressed when out Angel Tree Coordinator told me that she thought we should adopt more than 150 Angels. She told me that she thought we could do it. I have to admit that, once again, I was not real sure our church could do it. After all, we are a new church and have a bunch of very young Christians and a lot of "un-churched" and "de-churched" people here.

So back to the conversation with the people after church yesterday. When they told me all the Angles had been adopted, I got very excited. This was only the second Sunday that we made them available and now all of them were gone! I told the people to whom I was talking how proud I was of the people at Midtowne and their heart for ministry. It is very humbling to be a part of something like this. The people here are really catching on to this idea of ministry and just what it means to show God's love.

So What? Don't ever forget why we are here. It's not about a person, or an organzation. It's all about helping others find and experience God's Best. What will you do to show God's love to someone? How can you get in on God's Best for your life by sharing God's Best with someone else?

Midtowne People, I am proud of you and humbled to be a part of this thing called "church" with you.

Thankful

2008-11-25T09:20:00.003-06:00

I just finished looking back at some of my posts from this time last year. I was struck by a couple of things.

First, as I read them I could hear myself saying those words and I could literally feel the excitement. That was an amazing time for Midtowne Church.

The other things I noticed was how focused I was on even the "small" things that were happening at that time. Things like a small traffic jam one Sunday morning as people were showing up for one of our preview services. And the excitement over stage lights being hung in the warehouse.

So here we are today, a year later and I am feeling a bit nostalgic as I look back. I know that seems weird since it has only been a year but so much has happened in a short period of time. I guess what has really hit me is that there is so much to be thankful for this year. I know a lot of us say that every year but this year it is different for me. A new church, a new "family", a new "job", a new staff, a new perspective on church and life in general, a new tire cover for my Jeep (sorry I got off a little...).

So What? It is important that we stop and truly give thanks this year so that we don't forget. Don't forget what God has done and what He is doing. Don't forget the people who have made these things possible. Don't forget the changes that He has brought in the lives of so many people. Don't forget that there is more to come, that there are still a ton of people out there who need to know about His love. Don't forget the little things.

Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for you (even though I don't know who is reading this and who is not and even though I may not even really know you at all, I am thankful that you have the opportunity to getin on God's love.).

Two Are Better Than One

2008-11-17T14:46:00.002-06:00

To borrow a line from Ecclesiastes 4:9 and apply it differently (no I am not teaching any heresy here), two services were way better than one this past Sunday.

Once again I have to confess my lack of faith. I really did not expect to see THAT many people in the 9am service. But when they all settled in my concern was that no one would come at 10:30. WRONG! The second service was bigger than the first! What an amazing day.

I am so proud of all our volunteers and the hard work they put in getting ready and then serving Sunday. I am so proud of our staff for all the hours and work they put in to getting ready for Sunday. I am so proud of everyone who attended and were a part of a record attendance. It's all about people. While it's true that numbers represent people, keep in mind that we do what we do for people not for numbers.

I feel like we just launched again. Like it's January 6, 2008, when we launched Midtowne Church. That's what it seems like we are doing by adding this service. The excitement, momentum, and presence of God is just overwhelming. I can't wait to see what He is going to do next.

So What? Get in. Jump on. Get involved in all that God is doing here. We are positioned to impact our world in an even bigger way now and we need your help. This is not about a single person or program. It is all about reaching more people with God's love so they can get in on His Best for their life. Come check us out this Sunday at 9 or 10:30. If you don't like it, that's cool. Just find somewhere to plug in and serve. That's what it's all about. Growing and serving.

Here We Go

2008-11-10T13:40:00.004-06:00

This coming Sunday, November 16, 2008, will be the first Sunday that Midtowne Church has two Sunday morning Worship Services. As I have been preparing for this monumental event, I came across a remarkable story in Mark 14:12-16.

Here is the Doug Pruitt Paraphrase.

The disciples decided it would be a good idea to celebrate the Passover meal with Jesus and asked Him where he wanted to do it. He told them to go into town and there would be a guy with a water pitcher who would lead them to a room that would already be prepared for them. When the two disciples went to town, they found everything exactly like Jesus told them it would be. (Imagine that!?)

When I read this story in my time alone with God last week, God gave me an amazing reassurance. As we began praying through the idea of starting a second service, our one desire was to do what God wanted us to do. The more we prayed the more obvious it became that this is the time of day and the time of year to start this exciting new chapter in our church. The more steps we have taken to see this change take place the more we have seen God show up. From the number of volunteers who have stepped up to serve to all of the logistical things that have fallen into place, it just could not be more obvious that this is it.

So what? As you begin to pray for and seek God's plan for your life, know that He has already mapped it out for you. All we have to do is get moving. If you have been trying to figure out what God has for you, it could be that you already know the what and are just waiting on the how. Start taking steps toward Him and doing what you already know to do and don't be surprised to find that He has already prepared the way for you. That's when you really get in on God's Best.

The Big Mo

2008-11-04T11:00:00.003-06:00

In his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell describes the "Law of the Big Mo." He describes how it is important to not only create momentum in a group or organization, but also keep it going in order to maximize its impact.

We are seeing the beginning of a huge wave of momentum right now. The excitement of starting a second Sunday morning service is welling up. The huge crowd this past week and the incredible response to the challenge to grow spiritually only increased the great swell that is coming. I have the sense that a major spiritual wave is about to break on us and I am getting ready.

Or staff has been working hard the past few weeks getting things in place for the big change. Our volunteers have stepped up in a big way. More and more people are committing to serve. And in the midst of it all, people are committing to Christ.

Yep, we will see at least two people baptized this coming Sunday (as I write this on Tuesday there is still follow up going on with others who have asked Jesus into their heart)! That's what is so exciting about it all. It's not about adding another service or seeing more bodies in a room. It's all about more and more people responding to God's love. That has always been the focus of Midtowne and it will always be.

So what? You and I have a choice when the Big Mo comes along. We can watch it or ride it. If we stand still it will pass us by and we will miss out on something amazing. If we choose to ride it, we will not only experience the thrill of all that God is doing, but we can help perpetuate it and see how far it goes.

I'm in. Are you?

Midtowne 2.0

2008-10-27T15:31:00.004-05:00

Just two more weeks. Yep, in two weeks we will launch our Second Sunday Morning Service. We will now have one at 9:00am and one at 10:30am. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!

When God lead me to this building about 14 months ago, I knew this was where we were supposed to be. The only concern the Launch Team and I had was, "Is it big enough?" Every time that question was asked, my answer was always the same, "We will do Multiple Services." I had no idea it would happen this fast but here we are only 10 months since our launch and way past due. So it happens on November 16.

Launching a second service on Sunday morning presents a ton of new opportunities. We will have more opportunities for people to serve (having a second service means having a second hour of Kidstowne and Kidstowne Live too). It gives us the opportunity to reach more people with God's Love. It provides us the opportunity to sustain the momentum that God is driving through our church right now. And we will have more opportunities to see God work in the lives of people, and He loves to do that.

Adding another service is not about becoming a bigger "church." It's all about bulding up THE Church. God's Kingdom. Not Midtowne. The fact of the matter is this: When you are following the plan that God has given you, you will see growth. That growth will be Spiritual and numerical. It's all throughout the Bible. And that's all we want to do.

So What?

Over the next two weeks I will be teaching a new series called "Grow Up." We will look at ways to grow ourselves Spiritually and anticipate growth numerically. I want to invite you to begin now asking God how He wants you to grow. Whether you attend Midtowne or any other church, God does not want you to remain an immature, inactive child of His. He wants you to Grow Up and get in on His Best.

Morning Coffee

2008-10-20T17:13:00.003-05:00

Nothing has impacted my spiritual life more than my own personal Time Alone With God. My Youth Pastor taught me a simple way to spend time with God each day when I was a Senior in High School. And last night I had the privilege of teaching 45 people at Midtowne Church how to spend quality Time Alone With God every day. It was awesome!

This morning I received several emails from people in the class who started their day by having a 'cup of coffee with God." Each of the emails expressed how excited they were and how their day had gone so much better. They expressed a different attitude and outlook on their work, friends, and family. The excitement jumped off of my computer screen as I read the words of ordinary people who had spent a short amount of time with the extraordinary, and only, God of the Universe.

So What? Maybe you should try starting your day with God. I'm not talking about a huge amount of time. Just a few minutes talking to Him, listening to Him, and reading a little from His Word. It's not All You Can Eat Pancakes at IHOP. It's a cup of coffee to get your day started right. Try it for two weeks and see if your outlook on life does not change. You might find that life doesn't stink so bad. It can be Stinkin' Awesome!

Kennybucks Coffee

2008-10-13T09:20:00.003-05:00

My Starbucks gift card ran out. Someone gave me one to use for "office expenses" and it lasted longer than I thought it would but now it's gone.

We have a cheap coffee pot in the office that we make coffee in sometimes. It hasn't been used much lately because of the awesome gift card but now it's being used. That poor coffee pot has just sat there on the counter empty. This morning, it is being used. It is slow and the coffee that comes out of it is not nearly as good as Starbucks, but it's free and convenient. We will drink it and be just fine.

So What? Doug, why are you talking about cheap coffee and whining about your gift card running out? Good question and thanks for asking.

Here's the deal. It's hard to settle for less when you have had the best. Once you get used to Starbucks each day and then have to go to Kennybucks (Kenny the worship guys makes our coffee), it's just difficult. It's not the same. It's quite a let down (no offense to Kenny, he agrees). The same is true in our relationship with God. Once you get on board and truly make Him your Leader, you begin to taste how awesome He is. You get in on the incredible life that He has for you. You begin to experience His Best.

Then it happens. Your gift card runs out. You begin to take back certain areas of your life. You quit allowing Him to control every area of your life. You begin to get lazy and miss those Spiritual Disciplines that you know you should be invovled in every day. Life just isn't as tasty.

I encourage you today, even if your gift card is empty, dont neglect the things you know you should be involved in in order to experience His Best in your life. Stop right now and talk to Him for a few minutes. Read a little of the Bible and put into practice what you read (Try reading a chapter of Proverbs). You will find that you don't have to have a full gift card. You may feel like a cheap coffee pot but when God is making the coffee, it always tastes rich, full, and bold. That's how He wants us to live our life.

I'm going to pour me some cheap coffee now.

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. 1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT

Confidence

2008-10-06T13:19:00.002-05:00

"I just told myself I could do it"

That was the statement my 9 year old son made when I talked to him about his soccer game. He had a tournament this past weekend out of town. We went to his games on Saturday and then he stayed with his big brother over night and played a game on Sunday morning. They won that game and he played his best game yet and even scored a goal. (The other parents have said that I can not attend anymore games since they won with me not there.) So I asked him about his goal and he explained to me how he was set up to receive a corner kick. The ball came all the way through everyone right in front of him and he ran right into it and scored.

Now here is the significance of it. His team has practiced that all year long and no one has scored off it yet. He and I have worked on it in the back yard and he seldom scores. I have been telling him lately about the importance of playing with confidence. I explained to him that he needs to approach every minute of his game thinking that he is going to do the right thing and that he is going to be successful. When I left him Saturday night, I was giving him some last minute encouragement and coaching and began to tell him to play with confidence. I asked, "Do you understand?" He replied, "Yes sir. Tell myself that I am going to do it."

I can't tell you how proud that made me. Not of myself and the great job I had done communicating that truth to him. But my pride was in him because he got it. And when he told me on the phone Sunday that he scored and that he did it with confidence, I nearly burst with joy.

So what? What part of your life is lacking confidence? What is it that you need to accomplish but you are just not sure you can? No, I am not saying just put your mind to it and you can. That's just not true. However, when we approach life with the attitude of "I know how this works, I have been trained to do it, I have practiced it, I can do it," we will find ourselves being more successful and, better yet, more fulfilled.

If you need a little extra boost, check out what the Apostle Paul told the church in Philippi.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 NLT

I'm So Sick

2008-09-30T16:30:00.003-05:00

What started as a really bad burning throat turned in to a whole night of "God just take me now!"

I have been so sick the past two days. I am finally feeling a ton better but not totally well yet. I have always thought that a day of lying in bed would be great, however it is not that great when you can't breathe, your head feels like it is going to burst, your body aches, and you go from freezing to sweating every 45 seconds. Ah the joy of it all.

So now I have missed a full two days of work (yes, preachers do work during the week, not just the few hours you see us on Sunday). It's serious catch up time. I have to figure out how to cram a full week's work into three days. I know everything that needs to be done will be done and I appreciate the offers of help from many of you. Just keep praying and ask God to bless my time and productivity. I'm going to need it!

Guess I'll cancel my Friday morning tee time too.

Purpose?

2008-09-16T15:28:00.004-05:00

"You've always known this is what you were supposed to do, right?"

That was the question posed to me this week. We are in the middle of our series "Got Purpose" and I am doing my best to help people understand what it means to have purpose and how to find their purpose.

I was talking with this guy and that was his statement/question to me. He was surprised at my answer, "No." In fact, I didn't even really believe that God wanted me to be involved in ministry as my career until late in my Sophomore year of college (and I was pursuing a Business Degree at the time). And those of you who have been around me for the past year have heard me say that I NEVER thought about being a Lead Pastor much less launching a church. Yet here we are just over 9 months into this thing and look at what is happening.

Purpose is a funny thing. Sometimes I think I have it figured out and sometimes I think I'm crazy. Oh yes, as I mentioned Sunday, I do have the direction, passion, confidence, and strength from knowing this is my purpose, but that doesn't mean that things are always easy. In fact, the same guy who asked me that question above also asked me this one, "Who do you talk to when you need help?" Another great question which I will answer at a later time.

For now just know this: Finding and living out your purpose is not a game of hide and seek. It is not necessarily real easy either. However, it is a very rewarding adventure that, in the end, leaves you with all the direction, passion, confidence, and strength you need.

So What? Start doing some investigating. Look at yourself, your gifts, talents, desires, and dreams. As you begin to clarify those things in your life, you will begin to see your purpose. We'll talk more about it this Sunday.

Amazing

2008-09-09T16:03:00.003-05:00

They were completely amazed and said again and again, "Everything He does is wonderful." Mark 7:36-37 NLT

Even after Jesus told the deaf man with the speech impediment and all those watching not to say anything about this, they told anyway.

When was the last time you were so amazed by something God did that you had to tell someone else about it, you just could not keep quiet about it?

I had lunch with a guy today and he asked me about Midtowne and how we started. As I began to tell the story for what is probably the millionth time (ministerially speaking), I found myself smiling and filled with amazement. God just keeps on doing amazing things here. I don't know why I am surprised but I am. He promised He would and He always keeps His word.

Why does He keep on doing amazing things? Not because of me I'm sure. But I think the answer is found in the earlier part of the story quoted above. The man in need was brought to Jesus by some people who obviously believed that Jesus could and would heal him. The man was in the right place at the right time. He put himself, or at least allowed himself to be put in, a position to be amazed. When you and I put ourselves, our friends, our family members, coworkers, neighbors, and team mates in the right place at the right time, God always does something amazing.

So What? What position do you need to be in right now? Who do you know who you can help get in a position for God to do something amazing in their life? And most importantly, why are you not taking action to make it happen?

Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly! Mark 7:31 NLT

Guidance from Gustav

2008-09-03T21:17:00.003-05:00

Gustav. When you hear that word, at least before this week, you probably thought of a Russian wrestler. Or maybe you thought of a villain in a James Bond movie. Or maybe you thought of a ride operator at Silver Dollar City during World Fest. Maybe not.

I bet now when you hear Gustav you think about all this lovely rain that is so gently watering our flowers and grass and the gentle breeze that is so lightly kissing the trees.

It's amazing to me that storms like this do such interesting things. Not just to the earth but to people. People have reacted in so many ways. Good job New Orleans for learning from Katrina. Good job FEMA for handling things better this time around too. The evacuees have taken the advice of the government and gotten out in time and have even been totally different in the way they have responded to this disaster (all very positive by the way).

So maybe this is the question we should ask ourselves: What have we learned in response to the "disasters" that have come in our life? You and I have a choice when disasters come. We can either get mad, blame others, and expect someone else to fix it, or we can look around, evaluate, plan, and prepare for the next one. In the midst of difficult times, we don't have time to blame others, we must take on these tough times and work hard to make sure that we not only make it through the difficulty, but learn from it also.

Disasters are coming. We had better get ready for them. And since you have already been through some, take the lessons you have learned and put them into action in your life today.

An Awkward Ending

2008-08-25T14:44:00.005-05:00

The flame was officially extinguished last night in Beijing. The flag was taken down and passed on the London for the 2012 games.

I don't know if he was scared or just plain nervous but the Mayor of London looked very uncomfortable last night as he entered the stadium and walked onto the stage. It was really odd to watch him climb the stairs two at a time, not know what to do with his hands while standing there, and then struggle with the flag (as they all did). But I could not help but think that this guy was coming across as a goof ball.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not coming down on the guy. I am just wondering why he seemed so out of it. I am guessing he was just really nervous and was in a situation that was totally foreign to him (pun intended).

We all feel like that sometimes. The boss calls a surprise meeting and all the other "bosses" are there. The teacher starts asking for volunteers to come to the front of the class. Dad comes home and goes straight to his room with Mom so they can talk about a "situation" that occurred at work. A neighbor invites you to a party and you know absolutely no one else who is there. The school is hosting an Open House and you are the new family in the class. All of these situations and others just like them can really make us feel very uncomfortable, uneasy, and out of place.

I want to encourage you to try something. The next time you are in one of these situations, remember that you are not the first person to feel that way. You are probably not the only person in the situation who feels that way. And this is probably not going to be the last time you feel this way. So relax. Take it easy. Don't draw attention to yourself but go ahead and introduce yourself to someone new. Take part in what is going on. Don't just sit there doing nothing and looking awkward. Wade into the situation with confidence that says, "I know this is new for me but I can get through it and will know how to handle it better next time."

I bet you will find that by taking some steps like these that others will be put at ease too and you will make some new friends at the same time.

And remember this: At least you are not on world-wide TV.

Oh No Lolo!

2008-08-20T19:22:00.003-05:00

"I could feel the gold around me." That was the comment from Lolo Jones right after she finished 7th in the final of the 100m Hurdles in the Beijing Olympics.

Lolo was winning by a huge margin as she approached the 9th (next to last) hurdle. For whatever reason, her lead foot struck the hurdle causing her to lose her balance and, more importantly, her momentum. She struggled to keep going, cleared the final hurdle, crossed the finish line and collapsed on the tack in total shock and dismay.

She was so close to wining the gold. She could see it, taste it, feel it. But she didn't get it.

So what can we learn from Lolo? How can we find anything good from this athletic disaster?

After her devastating loss, Lolo took time to be interviewed by NBC trackside reporter Bob Neumeier. She smiled as she explained what happened, She mentioned that she usually hits two hurdles a year and how crazy it was that this happened in what she termed "the most important race of my life." She mentioned how proud she was of her team mate, Dawn Harper who won the race, and how proud she was to represent America. Was she just putting on a good face for the camera? Was she just feigning athletic pride and sportsmanship? Was she just trying not to cry on world wide TV? Maybe. But I think there is more to it than that.

Lolo showed us the importance of facing the obstacles in life and still finishing the race. She showed us how to keep going even when it's tough. She showed us how to never quit, learn from your mistakes, take on the hurdles that life throws in your path and keep your eyes on the prize.

Did she get the gold, No. Did she just smile and keep going? No. She disappeared under the stadium and cried alone. Did she set any kind of record or secure a spot in the Olympic history books? No. But, she finished the race. She gave her all. She did not make excuses. She did not blame anyone else. She simply expressed her disappointment, congratulated her team mate, and moved on.

Way to go Lolo. I hate that you did not win. But I am proud of you for handling defeat with such grace. May we all handle the disappointments of life so well.

Let The Medal Count Begin

2008-08-11T09:49:00.002-05:00

China - 14. USA - 12. Korea - 8

What a blast. The Olympics are in full swing and the records are falling and the medals are being awarded! I am loving this.

Not only is China leading in the overall count but also in the Gold Medal count. They are jamming. Call it "home country advantage" if you want but the fact is China is winning.

This week we talked about the importance of training in order to win. We looked at some things that will help us get in SHAPE in order to put ourselves in position to succeed. Training is essential to winning and that's a fact.

One thing that will help you as you try to get in SHAPE is to put a goal out there. Put something out there to remind you of what you are trying to accomplish. Something that you see everyday to help you focus and recall your goal. Some kind of tangible motivation for your training. It will make all the difference in the world. It will help hold you accountable. It will keep you on track and help you win.

Get in SHAPE and Run to Win.

BTW...a guy from India won the gold medal in 10m Air Rifle! He's in the photo above.

Going For Gold

2008-08-04T12:45:00.002-05:00

Four more days. Only four more days until the 2008 Olympics begin. I can't wait! I love the Olympics. Especially the Summer Olympics because of the track and field competition.

We kicked off a new series yesterday called Going For Gold. I believe the Bible teaches that we can all be winners in the race of life. It won't be easy and there will be obstacles but we can all win. As I was preparing for this series I was struck by an interesting thought. Not every believes that. There are tons of people who believe that they are losers and will always be losers. Many people believe that since they have so much junk in their past they will never be able to be a winner in the race of life. Some people believe that they are not "good" enough to win. Some think they don't deserve to win. Some are just so tired of trying and failing that they will not put themselves through that pain of trying again.

That's too be because life goes on. No matter what has happened or even will happen, life goes on. One day, those of us who have a relationships with God through Jesus will be set free from the junk of this world but until then, life goes on. So why not get in on the best we can.

As we work through the truth of God's Word over the next few weeks, I am excited about what He is going to reveal to us about getting in on the best He has for us. He has proclaimed us winners, not whiners. He has provided all we need to win the gold. All we have to do is grab it and go.

So don't settle for silver. You are better than bronze. Go for the Gold.

Run to Win!

The O'Jays Knew

2008-07-21T13:39:00.002-05:00

Way back in the early 70's these guys did a song that seems to me was way before it's time. I don't remember much about the 70's except for the great music, but when most of us think 70's we don't think of money and affluence. Maybe there were some significant greed things going on then. I don't know. But I do know that the message of that song is "right on" today.

It was big fun yesterday to talk about money and putting it in its proper place. I really enjoyed being able to talk freely and candidly about our obsession with money and our possessions. It was refreshing to hear from so many of you already who said how much you needed to hear what God had to say about the topic. I even had some "cheerleaders" in the crowd. That was cool.

But here is the best thing of all. When it all boils down, Jesus and Paul both said the same thing" Put God first and He will take care of the rest (see Matthew 6:33 and 1 Timothy 6:6). I just wonder why so many of us have such a hard time with it. Why can't we get this one thing straight? Maybe it's out culture. Maybe it's our upbringing. Maybe it's our relationships. Maybe it's our beliefs. Maybe it's all of the above.

I'm not sure but this I do know. As the blind man told the religious leaders of the day after Jesus healed him, "All I know is I was bind and now I see." All I know is when we put God first, He takes care of the rest. If you really need any proof, ask Ray. Coincidence? I don't think so. Providence? Abso-stinkin-lutely. After Ray made a commitment to put God first in his life on Wednesday evening, Thursday morning he was given a substantial financial gift from his boss. Totally unexpected and totally out of character but totally just like God.

Now I am not saying that when you put God first in your life that you are going to receive a financial gift. You might. Ray did. But I do know this: He will meet all of your needs. As a lady in our Neighborhood Group said last night, "Every time I give as God leads me, I get more back. I don't expect it and it's not the reason I give, but it happens every time."

People don't let money, don't let money change you. - O'Jays 1974

My Eyes Are Killing Me

2008-07-10T09:58:00.004-05:00

So I've had this eye problem for about a week now. My contacts were killing my right eye and I couldn't get any relief. The really encouraging thing was that the doctor didn't know what was causing it either! They gave me some drops, told me not to wear my contacts, and see what happens. Well my eye got better but I had to wear my glasses. The problem with that is my glasses are about 20 years old which means not only are they bad out of style (and you know how I am about style) but the prescription is way out of date too. So now I am walking around with glasses on, squinting, and getting a tremendous headache because I can't wear my sunglasses either.

I go back to the doctor and they are happy my eye has cleared up and want me to try some new contacts. Here is the next problem: they don't have my prescription. They have a little less powerful lens and give it to me. I thought no big deal because it was only a little less but by the end of the day yesterday, my eyes were killing me, my head was killing me, and I can only see in blurs.

I guess now you are ready for the big spiritual truth from this story, right? Here it is: Keep your glasses up to date. Yep, that's it. If you don't, you will find yourself trying to remedy a problem with an outdated solution. You just can't rely on your past success, knowledge, or ability to get you through. You must keep on learning and improving and adding to your collection of skills and tools. Paul told the Philippians, "I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead," (Philippians 3:13 NLT). I believe he means that he won't let the junk of the past keep him back but I also think that we can't rely on the "good" of the past to get us through either. Yes the good can encourage and inspire us but you can't become stagnant in your walk with God.

So keep learning, growing, improving, whatever it takes. Keep your glasses up to date because you never know when your contacts are going to mess you up.

BTW...I am going back to the doctor today to get the correct contacts.

It's a Spirit Thing...

2008-07-01T16:13:00.004-05:00

I hope you understand.

Sunday morning one of those occasions presented itself. Maybe you have experienced one before. You know, one of those Oh-wow-God-is-here-and-I-don't-want-to-miss-out-on-what-He-wants-to-do-so-I-am-
going-to-just-get-out-of-the-way-and-let-Him-do-His-thing moments. It's one of those indescribable moments in this life where you have absolutely no doubt that God is up to something. It's one of those way too rare occasions that happens in the midst of worship through music that leaves you awestruck. It happened Sunday morning.

There I was. Singing about the greatness of God when the message of the song pushed me down into my seat. I could no longer stand. I had to bow before my God in awe. I sat there listening to the Spirit speak to me and wondering how I should respond. All I knew to do was listen and be obedient.

I love those moments. I hate that for me they are way too few and far between. I know that they cannot be manufactured (although I believe they can be manipulated and have, unfortunately, seen that happen). I just pray that when it happens again, I will be ready and obedient again. And I pray that the next time is not too far off.

Overdose

2008-06-23T16:51:00.002-05:00

I OD'd last night. The Bible says that "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." (Proverbs 17:22 NLT). That being the case, I had a HUGE dose of medicine last night as I watched and listened to Bob Smiley perform here at Midtowne Church.

Bob was a hoot. We had a blast. One person told me they didn't know whether to watch me laugh at Bob or watch Bob. I had tears coming out of my eyes and the corners of my eyes were raw from wiping the tears away. Not only was he incredibly funny, he was a great entertainer. He moved all over the stage, interacted with the crowd, and even tried to convince us that he did not have ADD. His comedy was great, clean, relevant, and, most importantly, it had a purpose.

Bob is not just a funny guy, he also is a follower of Christ. He loves God in a big way. Not only is he funny and a follower of Christ, he loves his family. His wife and kids are very important in his life and he is not shy about revealing that to everyone.

So we have an amazingly funny, Christian, husband and father who is ready to crack a joke at any time and ready to let you know that God loves you very much and wants to use you to accomplish His purpose on this planet not matter how insignificant you may feel.

Yep, I overdosed on laughter in church of all places. And it was pretty stinkin' awesome.

Long Time No Blog

2008-06-15T21:37:00.002-05:00

The two of you who read this thing have told me that I have been negligent in writing. I know that. I'm sorry. Now for the list of excuses.

First, things have been really busy. Things are good, just busy. We have moved into the offices and are in the process of getting things set up there. Family has been good. The kids are out of school and I am trying to spend time with them.

Second, honestly, there have been other things that have taken my time. I know it doesn't take long to write this but nevertheless, that's the truth.

Third, The couple of times I did start to write something, I had so much I wanted to say that I couldn't decide what to do and then just didn't do anything.

Fourth, things have been really busy. Did I already mention that?

So What? I will do better. I will not disappoint either of you again by being so negligent in writing. And I think I need to make sure that I manage my time wisely. I will be talking about time management in a few weeks.

Sacrifice and Freedom

2008-05-27T11:10:00.003-05:00

What a weekend! What a holiday! What a service! What a sacrifice!

Let's just be honest here. Typically, Sunday services are not well attended on Memorial Day weekend. Typically. I am so glad that Midtowne is no a typical church. Not only was attendance great, but the service was too.

The music was fantastic. Then we were able to witness the baptism of a mother and her daughter. And then we learned about the sacrifice of American soldiers and the sacrifice of our awesome Savior. The comparison is amazing. The fact still remains that there is no freedom with out sacrifice. Soldiers sacrificed, and still do, so we can live in a free country and Jesus sacrificed Himself for us so that we can live in freedom from the bondage of sin. It's pretty amazing when you stop and think about it.

But that seems to be the problem: stopping to think about it.

Memorial Day has become another one of those "long weekend" holidays that we really don't pay attention to. We certainly enjoy the time off but fail to realize the significance of the holiday itself. It's not just about having an extra day off. It is about the sacrifices that have been made in order to give us a day off.

As we head into the summer and you plan more time off, I hope you will take time to remember the sacrifices that have been made. Not just by our soldiers, but also by our Savior. As we kick off Midtowne's Family Fun Summer this week, it is my prayer that we remember that the only reason we can have the fun we have is because of the sacrifices that have been made for us. Especially the sacrifice of our Savior.

*If you would like to hear the Memorial Day service at Midtowne Church, visit our web site at www.midtownechurch.com and go to the media page. You can listen to the message and download the message notes.

Children or Puppies?

2008-05-13T20:15:00.004-05:00

"We were thinking about having kids until we heard your message Sunday. Sounds like too much work - we're looking for another puppy!"

Now that's funny! I got that in an email this week. I laughed out loud.

It's true though. Parenting is very hard work. It is not all fun and games. In fact, way too many parents don't play any games at all with their kids and that's part of the problem. But I digress...

Parents are a special breed. God has given us a very awesome responsibility. He has entrusted the future of His church to us. It is our job to develop children to become adults who find and experience God's Best in their life. It should be our number one job and our focus. Of course, that comes right after loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. If we are doing that, we will fully embrace this role of parenting. God has not only given us this responsibility, He has also given us all the resources we need to accomplish the task. He has not set us up to fail. He truly wants us to succeed as parents.

However, kids still have a choice. We can do all we can with God's help and resources to develop them but ultimately they have to respond to it. God equips us but then we must leave the results to Him. God is not going to rate us on how our kids turn out but on how we use the resources He provides and the methods and motives of our parenting. Just like sharing God's love with others, we just have to be obedient and leave the results up to God. People may or may not respond to His love. Doesn't matter. We just have to be obedient.

So get to work. Or go get a puppy.

Can We Play Soccer?

2008-05-06T15:27:00.002-05:00

"Mom says you're too tired but I wanted to ask you anyway."

That was what my youngest said to me yesterday. Funny how when you start talking about family and parenting that things like this happen.

Mom was right. I was tired. I had spent most of the day working on the yard. It's also funny (strange not ha-ha) how the lawn mower breaks every time I get ready to use it. Yesterday it broke twice. I replaced a pulley on the mowing deck before I could even use it and about halfway through the back yard the linkage broke on part of the steering. After about 30 minutes of working and searching for something that would work, a bolt and locking nut took care of it. Then I had to finish the mowing.

Too tired for soccer and fortunately it was getting dark, I sat down and ate dinner. Yes, without my family. They got tired of waiting on me and ate without me. Yes I know I talked about the importance of eating together as a family in the message Sunday. Yes we had every intention of doing that. No, eating by myself was not the plan. No I did not enjoy it. No I did not like telling him no.

Life is busy. Things come up. Stuff will happen. But don't panic. Don't give up the fight for your family. Don't abort the plan. Stick with it. I am thankful for an understanding kid.

Only one family. Don't waste it.

We intend to eat together tonight. And we will play soccer, if it doesn't rain...

Domino

2008-04-30T13:30:00.003-05:00

Check out this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrtMliHG3Fo

I think dominoes falling like that is one of the coolest things ever. I have never had the patience to make a very long line of dominoes but I love watching them fall like that.

Change leads to change. When we invest in others and people see the change in us they are attracted to the change. They begin to change and often times invest in others also who begin to change and are noticed by others who are attracted to the change and then begin to change...you get the picture. Dominoes.

I had a discussion yesterday with someone about this very subject. He began telling me about the people in his work place and the changes that he is seeing in them as he has tried to invest in them. Most have responded in a way that he hoped for and even expected. Some have not. One in particular has not fully accepted the gift but is still very interested and still comes to this person with her problems. Even though she knows where he will get his advice, she still comes to him. Even though she is not ready to accept it, she is drawn to the wisdom, peace, grace, and acceptance he has found in Christ. It is attractive.

If you ever line up a few dominoes and then cause them to fall, you will do it again. You will probably spend quite a bit of time on it. It tends to be somewhat addictive. So it is with investing yourself and keeping the change.

BTW...someone has to start the dominoes falling. Let the change begin.

Atta Boy

2008-04-24T09:27:00.004-05:00

I was reminded this week of the power of encouragement and the faithfulness of God.

Ever have one of those days, meetings, sermons, where when you left you thought it really stunk? Like no one got anything out of it? Like it was a huge waste of time and if you ever do anything like that again no one will show up and you should probably just quit now and cut your losses?

I never have but some of you may have...just kidding. Happens to me often. I know it is the enemy trying to discourage me and get me to quit. So I have to rely on God's promises and faithfulness.

Here's what happens. You have one of those times that you feel like really stunk and then later that night you get an email from someone who was at the meeting and they tell you how God spoke to them and how they can't wait to come to the next one. Or the next day you get a note in the mail saying that the message was just what they needed to hear and that God is really working in their life and they thank you for being obedient. Or, since you thought the teaching was so elementary and simple that surely no one got anything out of it, someone comes up to you and tells you just how awesome it is to hear the truth communicated in a way that every one can understand and apply. I love that.

So here is the deal. Today, send a note, an email, an e-card, make a phone call, stop by a cubicle, whatever, and encourage someone. Tell them how well you think they are doing and how it is impacting your life. Nothing fancy. Nothing long. Just a quick, "Hey great job on that. I really appreciate you. I am looking forward to what is next." Or something like that. Not only will that little investment help that person, but you will feel like you have really done something worthwhile...because you have. It could also be God's way of letting that person know that they are truly doing what He wants them to do. Lots of dividends there.

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 NLT

Investment Strategy

2008-04-22T15:27:00.003-05:00

What an investment. What dividends. What excitement.

This week we had the opportunity to sign up for an investment opportunity. There were many different opportunities to invest in, each with their own risk and rewards. The cool part is, tons of people took the risk and made the investment.

One of the values we hold on to is serving. We believe that every one should serve and can find an opportunity to serve. If that is what we believe then we should be making those opportunities available. It's not enough to just talk about serving, we have to do it. So this weekend we put our faith into action.

It's amazing to see and feel the excitement that so many people have now that they have committed to these investment opportunities. I have to believe that the dividends are going to come in quickly and fully. We are going to see God do things that we can not even imagine. We are going to see lives changed. We are going to see families changed. We are going to see communities changed. We are going to be changed ourselves.

Look out. We are investing in lives and eternity.

Another First

2008-04-15T15:40:00.005-05:00

Happy and peaceful. Those are the two words that will forever describe Margaret to me.

I preached the first funeral ever at Midtowne Church this morning. Not my first funeral but the first one at Midtowne. It was awesome.

Now I know that saying a funeral was awesome seems a little strange but if you knew this family. you would understand. Paul told the church at Thessalonica that they should not grieve as people who have no hope and that is the message the the Hollis family held on to today and will for the weeks to come.

Margaret was a great lady. She was strong, loving, outspoken, talented, and faithful. Most of all, she loved people, her family, her church, and he God. Last Thursday night I had the awesome privilege of spending some time alone with Margaret. During our short visit we talked about her life and mostly her eternity. She clearly and confidently told me that she was not afraid at all but had peace because she knew that she had God's love through Jesus in her and that she would spend eternity in Heaven. Just two days later, God decided it was time for her to come home and she went.

Today we celebrated her life, her legacy, and her love. A love that stemmed from the love she found in God through Jesus. A love that she shared with all those around her. A love that we should all practice every day of our life.

It was the first. I'm sure it won't be the last. I pray that it will help us all find and experience God's Best for our life.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

It's a Twister!

2008-04-07T11:07:00.003-05:00

It just skipped and bounced right through. Unbelievable damage right next to no damage at all. Minor injuries but no deaths. Homes damaged, some destroyed. Lives changed forever. Opportunities for impact now available.

"What do you need?" That's what I asked the Office of Emergency Management person Friday. They were getting things together and were not sure of any immediate needs so I left my number. They have mentioned the flooding damage in Haskell and we are in the process of assessing the needs there to see what we can do.

It is truly amazing the power of those storms. It is amazing to see the destruction and how random it is. It is amazing that God spared so many and that things were not worse than they are. We count our blessings but pray for those who are affected. I look forward to the opportunities to serve those affected by the storms and truly show them God's love in practical ways. We actually get to DO church and not just say we are a church.

It's time to invest ourselves and see the changes God will make.

"You're Only Three Months Old"

2008-04-01T08:17:00.004-05:00

OK. I know that. Maybe I am a little impatient. Maybe I am setting my hopes too high. Maybe I am expecting too much. Or am I?

That comment came from a friend at lunch yesterday as I told him about some of my concerns at Midtowne. There are things I am wanting to do, see happen, and participate in but they don't seem to be coming together. As I mentioned some of this the reality check statement jolted me back into 2008.

When this thing started on January 6, I really didn't know what to expect. And quite honestly it has been incredible. God has done amazing things in only three months. But I want more. I so desire to see people reach their potential. I have a passion for helping people "find and experience God's Best for their life." I long to see families changed by the love of God and a community impacted with mercy and grace. So maybe I need to be more patient.

Here is what I read in my time alone with God this morning. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Galatians 3:3 NLT

We are only 3 months old. We started this thing in the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We will continue in the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I will submit to Him and His timing, not my own. I hope you will join me today in whatever it is that God is leading you to do and allow Him to lead. Funny, it's always better that way anyway.

Easter with Hefner

2008-03-25T10:44:00.002-05:00

I have had a few comments about using the quote from Hugh Hefner in my message Sunday. None of them negative by the way. All of them positive and most of them expressing concern for Mr. Hefner's situation. (BTW...to hear the quote and message you can go to the Midtowne Church web site.)

When it all boils down you have to come back to Easter. It is not enough that Jesus was born of a virgin or even that He died on the cross for our sin. The key is the resurrection. Without that, we are wasting our time.

The first Easter at Midtowne was amazing. All of the work on the building was complete (Kenny and I took a much needed day off yesterday and even took our wives out for dinner last night). The music was fantastic. The crowds at both services were great. And the teaching was not bad either, thanks to Mr. Hefner.

So now what? Easter is not the end, as we discovered Sunday. It is the beginning. It is now time for us to do what God put us here to do: go and show His love to everyone. Or as Hugh Hefner said, get in on "all kinds of things that we all hope are true." We know they are true. Now we share them with others.

It's Coming

2008-03-17T11:36:00.003-05:00

With all of the work on the building and all the other things that have been going on the past two weeks, I have allowed a few things to slip. So let me start by apologizing to any of you who I have neglected the past two weeks. Next let me say that I don't want to miss out on what is in store for us this week.

This is the most "holy" week of all for Christians. It is the celebration of the most significant event in the history of the world. This Sunday we will celebrate and remember the most courageous and loving act anyone has ever performed. This Sunday is Easter and we will recognize Easter because it an event that sets the Christian religion apart from all others.

We celebrate an empty grave. I can't think of any other religions who can claim that and be accurate about it. While there are some who still believe the resurrection of Jesus to be a hoax, I choose to believe otherwise. Because if we don't, we are wasting a lot of resources on this thing we call church.

So here is my encouragement to all of us for this week. Don't miss out on this most significant celebration. Be sure to go worship where ever you choose and take someone with you. The event we celebrate changed the course of the world and it might just change the life of your friends and family.

Overwhelmed or Excited?

2008-03-05T08:19:00.002-06:00

So are you excited?

That was the question posed to me yesterday after I told a friend of mine all about the church and all that was going on. I also told them about our plans to have two services for Easter since we have been growing so fast.

Evidently I hesitated and gave a very unconvincing "Yes."

Don't get me wrong. I am very excited. Things could not be much better. We are growing in every way. People are coming, learning, participating, committing, being baptized...it's awesome. But I would be a little less than honest if I didn't say that I am still a bit overwhelmed (and you know how I feel about honesty).

The cool thing is I know that God has called us to this ministry at this time and in this place. I also know that there is nothing that I can't handle with His help. I also know that God has put an incredible team of volunteers and others around me to serve with me. We have already seen and experienced His Best in so many ways and because He is faithful, which means He always comes through (and that is my favorite characteristic of God), I don't expect any thing less than His Best to continue.

My prayer today for you and for me is that we would continue to boldly move ahead with our mission. That we would always recognize Him in it, and that we would share this overwhelming excitement with everyone with whom we come in contact today.

Are you excited?

Getting Over It

2008-02-25T12:02:00.003-06:00

What else could go wrong? I was not real happy. Things just were not going very smoothly. Even though the crowd was there, two were baptized, music was great...I was still distracted. To top it off, my microphone was messing up.

"There must be a lot of people here who need to hear this message." That's what my wife said during one of the songs before I went on to deliver the message God had given me for yesterday. She said that because she knew all of the things that were going on that had me so distracted. So I did the only things I knew to do. I prayed.

Not only did I pray, but I invited others to join me in the "alter" to pray too. And many did.

Message delivered. Service over.

Now we begin to see the fruit of our labor. I have not been able to keep up with how many people have told me how this series has impacted their life and their family. You would not believe some of the stories that I have already heard of how God is working in lives. And it is all because we are faithful to the mission God has given us. We will stay the course. We will continue to invite and welcome people. We will continue to clearly and creatively deliver the message: God has a Best for you. Come let us help you find it and experience it.

Keep up the faithful service Midtowne. God is honoring it.

What a Job!

2008-02-20T19:36:00.002-06:00

I am convinced now more than ever that I have the coolest job in the world. How many other people can say that they get to spend their time telling people about the greatest thing in the world? Well, I guess other preacher types can but you know what I mean.

I spent the day today meeting with several people. Each of them different. Each for different reasons. But each of them got the same message. No, not because I only have one message as some people think. But because when it really comes down to it, there really is only one solution.

Some needed help with personal issues. Some had job stuff to deal with. Some had family and other relationship stuff. Each in different phases of life. Each with different backgrounds and socio-economic stratas. But each with the same need.

As I look back at how I spent my day I am content. I am satisfied that I did the best with my time. I am convinced that God used me to share His love with each of them.

And here is the cool part. You don't have to be one of those preacher types to do the same thing.

What's Love Got To Do WIth It?

2008-02-14T08:31:00.003-06:00

Did you see Tina Turner on the Grammy's? For being 123 years old she can still go. Pretty amazing.

I don't know if you remember that song or not but what an interesting question. Now I know she was not really talking about "love" but about...whatever. But still I think that today especially (V-Day) that there are a lot of people asking that question.

Here is the answer: Love has EVERYTHING to do with it. Without love we are just noise. Without love we are just going through the motions. Without love we are faking our way through life. Without love we are wasting time and energy. Without love we lose.

I want you to know, dear readers (all four of you, 5 if my mom gets her machine working), that I love you. Even if I don't know who you are, I love you. Why? Because God loves you and He has a great plan for your life. He wants you to experience His Best for you today and everyday. He will never bail out on you, run away from you, hurt you, dump you, nor talk bad about you to the people at work. He will not make fun of you. He will not do things to make you look bad. He will love you in the purest form of love. After all, He made you and love was/is His idea.

So Happy Valentine's Day! Even if you don't get a card, a flower, any candy, or even if you don't have a "date" for tonight, know that you are loved with an everlasting love. And one thing you can do today to help you experience God's Best for you is to show His love to someone else.

There's your answer Tina and I hope you experience God's Love today too.

"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

I Made a Mistake

2008-02-11T10:42:00.000-06:00

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from a friend who asked me about our service yesterday morning. This person calls me every week to see how things are going and just to encourage and rejoice with me and all of us at Midtowne Church.

Here was my mistake. He asked, "How was it today?" To which I jokingly replied, "Oh just another day at Midtowne. Huge crowd, another baptism, great worship, and decent preaching."

Now my friend knew I was only joking and we went on to talk about how amazing it is that God is working the way He is in and through us. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that what I said is a very dangerous thing. I pray that we NEVER get comfortable with what God is doing at Midtowne Church. That we NEVER become complacent and just expect things to rock along smoothly as we serve Him. May we NEVER think that we deserve His blessings on our ministry.

Don't get me wrong. That was not my mindset but I want to be careful to not fall in to that trap. Do I expect God to show up? Yes. Do I expect our ministry to make an impact? Yes. But It is not because we deserve it nor because we are making it happen. We have God's favor right now and I pray that it NEVER leaves us. I do believe that it can especially if we become comfortable and complacent.

So thank God for what HE is doing at Midtowne Church. Praise Him for His faithfulness to us. Thank Him for the blessings He gives. It's all about Him, not us. I am excited about what HE is going to continue to do in and through us but I pray that I never get used to it. May He always surprise and excite us with His work.

Around the Globe

2008-02-04T20:08:00.001-06:00

If you are in the middle of something and your cell phone rings, do you look and see who it is before you answer? If it's your wife or kid you answer immediately if not you send it to voice mail. Right?

So the other day I'm helping one of our members install a door at the building and my phone rings. I look at it and don't recognize the number but answered anyway. The guy says, "Is this Doug?"

"Yep"

"You don't know me but you talked to my mother yesterday."

Uh-oh. I immediately began thinking, "What the stink did I do or say to make this guy mad?"

He went on to say that he is in the Navy and is in Iraq. He is having some trouble and his mother suggested he call me.

What?! In the Navy? In Iraq!? How cool is that!? I was actually talking to a guy who was in the middle of the desert and in need of some comfort from God! As we say around Midtowne, "Pretty Stinkin' Awesome!"

The short version of the story is that I was able to talk with him for about 15 minutes and give him some encouragement and pray with him. He thanked me and assured me he would be back in touch. I am really looking forward to hearing from him again.

Isn't it amazing that in a few short weeks God can use us to minster to the needs of people half a world away as well as the hundreds (yes hundreds) who are coming from our community? I have also been able to talk with two other soldiers, two wives whose husbands are in Iraq, and the parents of a soldier who is now on his way home.

What an honor to serve God. What a blessing to serve those who are serving our country. What a responsibility we have as God's children to meet needs as they come up.

Pray for our soldiers. Pray for their families. Pray that we will rise to the occasion when called upon.

Respond or React

2008-01-28T20:34:00.000-06:00

You better be careful what you teach or you just might find yourself being tested.

At the end of another incredible worship service yesterday (another huge crowd, 2 baptisms, 5 people asking Jesus into their heart), I got news of a couple of things. One person backed into another car in the parking lot. Another person got bad news about their job and some health issues. React or Respond?

See that was one of the points in my message yesterday. When things get wacky, how does your faith play out in your life? Do you react and freak out or do you respond with confidence (faith)?

So I'm driving along this morning and my Jeep starts making a weird noise and smoking. Respond or React Doug? I have to confess that I did get impatient with my wife when I called her then I just started asking God to help me find the part I needed to fix it. Several phone calls, a trip to the other side of the county, $45, five hours later, the Jeep is great.

So What? If you can't practice what you preach, don't. If you want to really experience God's best, hang on. It is not always going to be smooth sailing. And one more thing, the stuff you learn in the Bible really can help you in real life.

BTW...you can listen to the enitre message on our web site, www.midtownechurch.com.

What a Splash!

2008-01-21T12:17:00.000-06:00

I really wasn't even sure he would fit. I mean, his shoulders are probably 50 inches wide. He is a huge guy! I wasn't so concerned about his height. I knew we could move him way forward and take care of that. But the shoulders...not too sure.

He climbed in the portable baptistery and I introduced him to the huge crowd that had gathered for our third service. I noticed that the room was full again and the "extra" chairs had been brought in. I briefly described baptism and began to send him down when it happened. Oh he fit just fine. But he threw himself back with such velocity that the largest wave I have ever seen in a baptistery was created! The water hit the back of the tub so hard that it curled back up and splashed me in the face. It poured out of the tub and hit the wall of the building some 10 feet away! What fun!

Just our third service and another baptism. For those who are counting, that makes 5 plus the one from our first preview service.

I am once again amazed by what God is doing. He keeps sending people our way and we keep sharing His love with them. They respond and commit. And now we have the awesome responsibility of growing them in their relationship with God. I knew it would take time and a lot of hard work. No problem there. I guess I just wasn't expecting the need for space so quickly. For get putting signs on classroom doors. We keep moving them each week.

What a great problem. What great fun. What a great splash.