Tomorrow is actually today, since I am now writing this at 12:02 a.m.. So today I am preaching three times…it will actually become the norm of my Sabbath’s. I will be preaching twice at our main campus on Woodland in the 93277 zip code and once at our newest campus The Ark in the 93291 zip code. On top of that I am preaching a prophecy series, for those of you who may not be aware, prophecy series are often reserved for night time meetings, and many believe that is where the non-touchy-feely material of scripture should be relegated to. God convicted me to preach this stuff though so I am preaching it, but it is not easy. Trust me any preacher that chooses to preach prophecy at the main service over John 3:16 without being told to by the Lord is a masochist, this stuff is just a challenge to preach. That said I am learning a lot and really enjoying it…yes that may seem like a contradiction, but it is what it is. So where was I? Oh yeah I am preaching three times later today, prophecy stuff, and I wasn’t thinking when I decided to start our second service (third for me) tomorrow or I mean today, which is obvious, because my wife is out of town, but not with the boys, the boys are with me. Which I love! Normally 🙂 But this weekend…the thought of getting up earlier so I can be completely ready and get the boys completely ready for the first service is a ‘bit daunting. Once church starts I have help, but ’till then…oh boy. Then after first service, since C (short for Christina) is gone I will need (I usually do anyway, but on ultra busy days I am able to have a pass) to take the boys to their Sabbath schools. Oh did I mention my sister and my mom who are my life savers all the time and Christina’s too are gone. My grandma J.J. is here and she’ll help, which is awesome, but with just one to handle both my boys…yes my grandpa and my Dad are here too, but my dad is built like me, high-stress so if I hear one of their distinctive cries during the first service I am going to have to pray with all my might for the A.D.D. to stay in check, because losing your place in the book of Daniel is not like losing your place in the book of Proverbs.
Oh yeah and I’m still not asleep which is kinda buggin’ me too! Thanks for the prayers and I hope y’all aren’t reading this ’till tomorrow…or rather later today!
Happy Sabbath! May our Lord’s Kingdom Grow on His Holy Day
So I’m back on Facebook…how on earth did this happen? Especially after this post? You will notice at the end of that post I did say, “I may be back someday…” but I didn’t expect to be back, in fact my return to Facebook was quite by accident. Our church has a Facebook page, well in order to have a Facebook page there must be another account, a personal account that has set it up. I had that account set-up but had never used it and therefore no one ever asked me to be their friend. Well, I don’t know how, but one day I received an invite from a church member through that account when they invited me to be their friend suddenly I was receiving messages, “We thought you weren’t on Facebook anymore?” “Your name just popped up on my account saying I should be your friend.” “Is this you pastor, there is no picture and I don’t want to ask a stranger to be my friend?” Then I started getting messages as well, folk asking me questions, or just wanting to say “hello”. I finally responded to something and the next thing I know I had 10 or more friend requests and that was that.
So what am I doing so that Facebook won’t once again become a vacuum of my time. Two main things:
What I missed about Facebook while on my hiatus & what I found to be the great benefits of Facebook while I was away:
So I’m back, but hopefully not as imbedded in Facebook as I was last time.
Did any of you ever hear the words, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say!” What a dumb statement! The other day my colleague Pastor Carron Kuns made the statement to me, “We ask kids to do things we won’t even do.” I began to think about that statement and realized how true it is.
Let me give you a few examples:
At our church we start with an announcement time, this time is casual, but still in the sanctuary and part of the Sabbath morning activities. For this time it takes a lot to get the ADULTS to settle down and pay attention, they love to gab (which I have to say I have been in churches where no one talks to each other, so I would rather have our problem). Here is the thing though, I was taught as a kid and I see most adults at least that I am around still teaching their kids. When someone else is speaking, whether it be in a small gathering or a large gathering with someone up front, the kids are expected to be quiet and listening. We ask the kids to do it, but we don’t do it very well ourselves.
Here is one I really struggle with. Looking at folk 100% of the time in the eye when I am talking to them. Today, I said to Dayton (my almost 3 year old) two times, “Dayton look at them when you answer.” We ask kids to do it, but we don’t do it very well ourselves.
Another one is that I see a lot of parents encouraging their kids to be friendly, to make friends with other children. I am around young parents all the time and I hear this statement constantly, “Go say ‘hello’. Be nice. Tell them what your name is.” We love to encourage our kids to make small talk and to try and develop friendships or at least acquaintances. Very few adults will randomly introduce themselves to a stranger on the kids playground, but we encourage our kids to. We ask kids to do it, but we don’t do it very well ourselves.
Some others. “You need your sleep.” “Don’t eat that, it’s not good for you.” “Say please.” “Smile.” Respect your parents. “You’ll never know if you can do it ’till you try.”
We ask kids to do it, but we don’t do it very well ourselves!
What are some other things you could think of?
Sabbath afternoon our church plant/second campus is officially LAUNCHING! That means beginning on a weekly basis (we’ve been having preview services).
I’m nervous, not in an ego, what if it fails or it must succeed, kind of way. Nervous in that this is a God thing, and God things are completely unpredictable and beyond our control.
We’re going against traditional church planting logic: “start with a series about a felt need” like family stuff or finances…nope we’re launching with prophecy, yep a prophecy series, why? That is what God showed me to do…not what I probably would have chosen, but God things are unpredictable.
I’ve been told by the head of the church planting coaching network, that he has never seen a church plant really thrive and explode exponentially that isn’t meeting Sunday mornings, (“because even non-Christians understand that church is on Sunday morning. I just don’t think it can work.”) We’re meeting Saturday afternoons, also known as The Sabbath, at 4:30 p.m.. God things are unpredictable.
I have no idea what we are going to do for music after this Sabbath. We have Josh and Jackie Cunningham this Sabbath…but beyond that…God things are unpredictable!
I’m excited, because God things are unpredictable!
Please be on your knees for The Ark Church
About 3 months ago I said I would probably never run a marathon (26.2 miles) again. As of today I’ve changed my mind. I would like to give Pheidippides journey at least one more try. In order for this feat to be accomplished I’ll need my body to cooperate (especially my nagging hip injuries) and my mind to cooperate (much discipline is needed).
I am feeling the itch again though! It has been almost a year since I have done any serious distance running, that I’ve even run over 5 miles, and I am really missing it!
Running is a great blessing in my life. The benefits are enormous:
I know I could run 5k’s and 10k’s and get all these benefits as well (and I plan to run some of those in the meantime), but for me the race of choice is the Marathon! I’ve run 3 of them and I cherish the memories and the journey leading up to each!
My goal is to run my 4th marathon in May!
I solicit your prayers for a strong body and mind!
And I’ll see y’all out on the roads!