Thought for Today

A thought occured to me yesterday. As a pastor, and having pastor friends, it seems easier to fire people up by telling them you are changing the building, ministry, music, etc. than you can fire them up to tell their friends about Jesus. I think that is crazy. It should not matter how things are changed but only that we are running after Jesus and wanting to see souls saved.

I'm really stirred up about the passion I have and the church has for our missing brothers and sisters (those who don't know Jesus yet). I've been taking a good look at myself to see where I'm at in sharing the love of Christ and I'm finding out that I'm not where I need to be. And when you hear the stories of the church in America and how people care more for (see list above) we should all be ashamed. Our hearts should beat for those who do not know Jesus. We should be doing whatever we can to tell others about Jesus. If that is changing the building, then change the building. If that is creating a better discipleship process, then create a better discipleship process. Let's get focused on the real issues. Let's get fired up to tell people about Jesus and His delivering power that can set people free.

Lord, forgive me for my lack of passion for those who do not know you yet. Forgive me for focusing on other things and caring more for those things than I do these brothers and sisters. Give me a great boldness to proclaim the gospel. Give me the understanding that this world is not my home I'm just passing through. And give me the grace to not lose the fire once it catches flame and to let it spread and spur on those in the church. Amen.

What do you think?

My Weekend

Well, what a weekend. My wife enjoyed the Penn/Del pastors wives retreat. Her, Billie, and Chloe, set off Friday at around 1 pm. After they left, Isaiah and I got ready and went to cut great grandpa's grass. Isaiah loves watching me cut grass. When I was done, he helped sweep the grass off of the sidewalk. Great grandma gave him a dollar to get a pop when we went shopping. It was fun.

This pic is from Saturday night. Him and I love drinking homemade strawberry milkshakes which consists of strawberry ice cream and milk. He got his cup and his fancy straw, layed down in front of the tv to watch Camp Rock Freestyle Jam. I thought it was cool how he set everything up and had to take a pic.

It was a great weekend. We failed to catch the Wiggles but did get to watch the Imagination Movers Saturday morning. I enjoyed the time with him but missed Bethany and Chloe. It's good to have them all home again. Isaiah would agree.

Check this Out

Check out this blog here. It is written by Paul Grabill, the assistant district superintendant of the Assemblies of God here in PA/Del. I thought it was interesting and something to think about.

I've been battleing a cold this week. Monday, I never made it to work. Tuesday, I didn't feel like doing much. Yesterday, I had to catch up. And Today, I get ready for the weekend. This weekend it will be just me and my son. Bethany and Chloe and Billie will be heading to the Penn/Del pastors wives retreat. It should be a great time for them as well as for us guys. Isaiah and I will be able to do guy things like watch the Wiggles, maybe some Doodlebops, hopefully some football, and do a birthday party for his cousin. He might even sneek some sleep time with dad. It should be really fun.

Yesterday, in my devotions, I read through the book of Joel. These verses in chapter 2 stuck out to me. 12 "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. I've been meditating on the significance of this verse. It made me think of myself and also those who have fallen recently. If we are truly tearing our hearts open and not just our clothes, God will answer us. But has the recent fallings of some well-known Christians happened because of them not truly opening their heart to God everyday?

I think of how I respond in worship and in my prayer time. And I question myself with am I truly tearing my heart open for Jesus to come and fill it or am I only tearing my clothes? Am I looking real good on the outside but on the inside I'm full of dead men's bones?

Genesis 4:7 says, "7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Sin is crouching at my door. It's crouching at your door, waiting for an opening. If we are not willing to rend our hearts to Jesus everyday, taking time to fast, weep, and mourn, where will any of us be in a few days, weeks, years? We need to be aware that Satan is prowling around looking for anyone he may devour. Put on the full armor of God. Keep the fallow ground plowed. Keep your heart open to Jesus. Put your whole self into your relationship with Jesus. Jesus will never fail you.

September 11

On this day, we are reminded of what happened 7 years ago. I don't know where you were or what you were doing but I can say it is probably something that is ingrained in your memory. I was still living at my parents at the time. I had gotten up like any other day, did my devotions, fixed myself up, and headed to work. Elyn, my secretary was crying and I had no idea why. She began to explain what had happened. I couldn't believe it. I had such a weird feeling inside. It was supposed to be a day of celebration, as the Riggle family was getting together in the evening to celebrate my Grandma Riggle's birthday. It turned out to be a very solemn occassion. Bethany and I were just friends at the time but she called me because she was a little nervous about what was going on.

These memories are so vivid as I think back. I don't remember a lot of things as years go by, but that is one time where everything is burned into my memory.

So what about you? Do you remember where you were and what you were doing?

Many prayer meetings and vigils took place here in Ford City. And some continued on for a few years in rememberance. But like most things, it gets forgotten and does not take on as much meaning as it did when it first happened. We go back to living our lives but do we actually? Or like other things that have happened in history, do we just sweep it under the carpet and not truly recognize the sacrifice that many families were forced to make because of this tragedy, not to mention the sacrifices that many families are still making as the war on terror continues. America still needs us to remember. America still needs us to pray. Not just on September 11, but everyday.

Let us wake up to the reality that our time is short and we do not know the day or hour when our time will come. But I pray that whenever that day and hour is, we will be found doing the Lord's work.

What a Wednesday!

We had a great time yesterday making 800 and some hoagies. If you want to get to know people in our church, there is nothing like getting together and making hoagies. You learn about people and can grow as a family. Family is important in this church. But, be reminded, we are not an exclusive family. We invite all to be a part of our family. If you missed out on all of the fun, don't worry, another hoagie sale is only months away. (This is only a few of the many who helped out.)

Relish the Small Beginnings...

Yesterday, I shared my heart and vision for wanting to see our church become a church of small/home groups. This will consist of changing the way we do small/home groups now, as well as how we do Wednesday night. Those two things will become obsolete as we pursue redefining how we do ministry. In their place, will be small/home groups that will run in 12 week segments, like college classes. I am praying for 5 group leaders to be ready to lead their groups by January 2009. Each group will be designed to minister to 20 people, no more. The 5 groups will be set up to teach a different course and some maybe the same course just at a different time. If you got a questionnaire on Sunday and did not get a chance to fill it out, please take time to fill it out and get it back to me. If you are interested in being a leader, please let me know.

I believe that, with everyones cooperation, this will become a greater tool in discipling people in their relationship with Christ. It will encourage relationships and intamacy on a smaller scale. It will encourage growth on a personal level. It will build us up and prepare us for ministry to the body. Most importantly, I pray that it gets ALL of us involved.

I am learning to relish the small beginnings of where we are going as a church. January is closer than you think when you begin to realize how much preparation is still to be done so that we are ready for this transition. My heart can get caught up in wanting to see a great turn around today by 5:00pm. (Just an illustration.) God's agenda is to see His idea thought out and prepared with excellence through the talents and gifts that He has given each of us. Small beginnings help build a strong foundation for the future.

I know this will take time to get used to but with God's help, we will. Please, be praying. It's about people becoming fully mature followers of Christ. Be blessed as we continue this journey.

My Heart is Still Breaking...

This video shows us why it is so important to be transparent. I know that it can be very difficult to own up to the sin in our lives but it is so important. If we want to be healthy spritually, mentally, and physically we need to confess our sin so that we can overcome it.

Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

We all struggle with different sins, but we must remember and not be fooled that our sin will lead to death if we are unwilling to repent (turn away from) and let God wash over us. I included verse 11 because it is our hope. It lets us know that we can overcome the things mentioned in verse 9 and 10. There is hope and His name is Jesus!

Can we please learn how to be a church where people can be transparent and find the healing they need? Where people can admit their problems to others without getting the stares of death and surprise.

It seems like the true church arises from one black eye only to get hit again and put down because of people not knowing the Word of God and not wanting to deal with their problems. We have unscriptural prophecies, deception from Todd Bentley and others, and it is hurting people. The cause of Christ will go on and will not be stopped. The problem is the blind leading the blind. Lord, give us salve so that we all can see so that we can lead others to You.