Walking In

January 1, 2010 1 Comment

Man, last night was great, wasn’t it?!  You spent time with people you love and welcomed in a new year and a fresh start.  For a lot of you, your New Year resolutions have already taken effect.  Some have smoked their last cigarette in an effort to quit.  Some have taken their last bite of junk food in an effort to lose weight.  Some have hung out with their kids in an effort to be a better parent. 

Then there are those of you with that one resolution that hasn’t happened yet.  That’s because it couldn’t have; at least not until this weekend.  You are the ones who said you will start going to church.  Whether you’ve been an attendee before or this is your first time going, the next few days tend to get tougher.  You go through feelings of excitement and nervousness.  And when the time finally time finally arrives to go to church, it’s what it will be like walking in that gets to you the most.

There you are.  You’re in your element and comfortable with the way things are.  Well . . . kind of comfortable.  I mean, you already have a feeling beginning to overwhelm you to go to church.  And there’s the church that awaits you.  It’s a group of people gathering to take part in corporate worship in an environment they’re used to.  By your joining them, these two worlds are colliding.  This is the part that can get to you.

I want you to know that I’ve been there several times.  I’ve known I would walk in and out of church without a scratch on me, but whether it’s been a brief sabbatical from a church I grew up in, or beginning at a new one, it’s always tough.  I hope you go through with this particular resolution when the time comes.  These feelings are real, but are barriers that are constantly and prayerfully being broken down.

If you’re in the Central Savannah River Area or an Illinoisans in the Decatur/Forsyth area, I recommend giving TrueNorth Church a try.  I’ve been a part of TrueNorth for over four years, and have loved the way they strive to get rid of the uneasy feelings that exist with stepping back into church.  From parking to outdoors to the lobby to walking in that last set of doors, it is the desire of TrueNorth and its volunteers and staff for you feel welcome.  Find out more and get a taste of TrueNorth Church at their website: http://www.truenorthchurch.com.

Walking in may be a difficult feeling, but I pray you will go through with it.  In many cases, authentic community is waiting for you!

Happy New Year!

If you attend a great church you would like to share for people in your area to visit, please comment with the information.

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Excitement About Church

September 26, 2009 1 Comment

Do you get excited about what’s going on at your church?  I think for many, the answer is “no.”  The answer is “yes” for many more.  Some don’t give what their church is doing a second thought from the moment they leave a service.  Others go on applying what they have learned and telling people about what’s going on at their place of worship throughout the week. 

The question I would like to hear your answers about is this:

How important do you feel it is to be a part of a church you’re excited to share with others?

Comments please . . .

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It Takes Action

September 19, 2009 1 Comment

There’s a lot of talk out there and starts with a phrase like what’s wrong with the church today…People are great at forming a hypothesis about the issues around them.  If you remember from science class, a hypothesis is only the beginning of carrying out a project to conclusion.  Unfortunately, it is also where many people stop when they feel things are not as they should be in the Body of Christ.  This causes a bigger issue than what may have been the initial problem at hand.  Bitterness and apathy are now in the picture because action was never taken.

I’ve never been big on the what’s wrong with the church today…sentiments.  I try to empathize with the real people with real emotions behind them, but never find myself joining the party.  I’m more concerned about being the disciple I was called to be, making an impact with those who I was led to, and being part of the solution.  I find those three things to be a much better use of my time than the former.  If we are going to make a difference in the lives of others, our communities and the rest of the world, we need to take action.

I do, however, come back to the conclusion that there is one thing the Church cannot go without: love.  We need it to survive.  We need it to stand out.  We need it to fulfill our calling.  God is love, and the Church without God is just another secular institution among the world.  Without God, the Church  may still be a charitable, motivational, philanthropic organization, but only with God will it be what it was designed to: a living organism that is the hope of the world; making an impact for the Kingdom and leading people to the cross of Jesus Christ.

The thing about love is that we need to find it for ourselves.  It’s not hypothetical, and is as real as God.  How real is God?  That’s how real your love needs to be.  It’s the most powerful thing we have.  Don’t ever think it’s a mushy cop-out to the issues we face.  John 13:35 goes as far as to say it is by our love that the world will know us.  When people see your love, do they identify you as someone who is following Christ, or at the very least see there is something different about you they aren’t getting elsewhere?

The more action we take in the way of love–and yes, love takes doing–the more people will see us as a vibrant and vital organism that is changing the world we live in. 

Let’s stop making hypotheses about what’s wrong with the church today and start working towards the conclusion that is spelled out to all of us.  It all comes down to love.  Take action.

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YEAH, GOD!

August 24, 2009 Leave a comment

tncland

About a week ago, my church said they had a big announcement that would be made on the Sunday morning of our 5 Year Anniversary Weekend.  Leave it to TrueNorth Church to keep the “WOW” factor going with creative ways of delivering huge news.  The photo above is a screen shot of the video that played featuring the announcement.

After flying over the past and present meeting locations of TrueNorth, our pastor “stumbled upon” this while he was in the air.  God has provided in a BIG way, as our portable church has now secured 16 acres of land in a desired location!

I have several thoughts, so I’m going bullet points from here:

  • It’s great to finally have an answer to one of the most frequently asked questions in the history of TrueNorth: “When are you getting a building/land?” To anyone who goes to TNC, feel free to leave me a comment with a high-ten in it!
  • Being part of a portable church was a new experience for me when I started going to TrueNorth in August 2005. I’m glad God has taught us for the past five years (and will continue to teach us) that church is not a building.
  • The opportunities that will come out of this are great!
  • I love that TrueNorth will have a physical appearance in the community Monday-Saturday.
  • As stated, church is not a building. I hope we all remember that.
  • God doesn’t do anything a second too soon or too late.
  • I have every ounce of confidence we will still be about impacting our surroundings.
  • Whether in a building or not, church is what we make of it.
  • This rocks.
  • YEAH, GOD!

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The Pizza Experience

May 26, 2009 Leave a comment

537590_pizzaThere are two words in college ministry that always seem to draw the biggest crowds: free pizza.  It is the staple to any party, gathering or function.  You see it in the healthiest-eating doctor’s office and on the least-disciplined dieter’s plate.  It’s good hot out of the oven for dinner and cold out of the refrigerator the next morning. 

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t embrace this round, cheesy goodness.  What they get out of it may be a different experience for each individual; our taste buds make this so.  What are the numerators within this common denominator?  The toppings, the cheese, the sauce, the crust, etc.  They all come together to make something most people enjoy, even though the enjoyment may vary with personal likes.

It’s funny that a food such as pizza is such a big hit in college ministry, as each delicious slice can serve as a reminder to what works for people.  Pizza unifies a large audience by what it is.  When people eat it, they all experience pizza, and look for certain things in their pizza experience that enhance their connection.  Maybe it’s the amount of sauce, the thickness or thinness of the crust or just the right topping.  Maybe in our worship experiences, it’s the music or the speaking or the prayer time.  We all come together for ministry, but different things connect us to God, and that’s where we feel our needs are met the most.  It takes all of them to make the experience though.  If a pizza were just a bowl of sauce or stack of pepperoni, wouldn’t you be looking for something else to eat?

What makes your worship experience?  Is it the songs you sing, the message you hear, the mission work you take part in, etc?  Where do you think your encounters with God would be without those things?  Finally, are you hungry for some pizza now?  My bad.

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Ministry, Ministering and Focus

March 11, 2009 Leave a comment

I love me some ministry.  Seriously, I can see myself working for a church in a communications and/or leadership position one day.  These passions were ignited in college with my involvement with Baptist Collegiate Ministries, and even though I’m not as actively engaged in these things, they haven’t gone anywhere 10 months later.

There’s something about using my talents, skills, abilities and most of all, gifts to spread the news of Jesus Christ that lights me up inside.  However, with so many of my strengths lying in ministry, there lies weaknesses as well.

It’s easy for me to get wrapped up in what I’m doing; so much so that the purpose gets lost in translation sometimes.  I strive for excellence in everything from events to email blasts, and can easily make those things my god if I’m not careful. 

My primary focus should not be on ministry, but rather on ministering.  After all, isn’t that why a ministry exists?  I feel incredibly blessed being able to serve God through communication, but that has to stop somewhere and turn into serving Him through serving others.  So much of what I do is to reach people, but what matters even more is what I do when I make contact.

How are you doing with using your ministry to minister?

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If Everything Was Different

March 10, 2009 2 Comments

The next time you went to your church, if everything was different–from presentation, music, dress, lighting to the way the inside of the building looked–but the people were the same, would that be enough to keep you there?

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The Exit Epidemic

February 26, 2009 Leave a comment

I may be the only one to notice this.  What I see may not reflect the facts.  However, it can still get to me.  By the way, this is something I can be guilty of.

It strikes me as odd that I can attend a worship service and walk out of it like I’ve spent the morning at Wal-Mart or doing something else.  It’s as if what’s happened in the past [insert time the service you attended lasted] didn’t occur. 

My thoughts shift to what I’m doing next; be it going to lunch, reporting back to my volunteer station, catching up with people in the lobby, etc.  This might start as soon as the preacher’s closing thoughts or during the last song. 

I’m sorry.  Did we not just gather corporately to meet with God? 

World Wrestling Entertainment is coming to town in a little over a week.  Based on past experiences, I’m pretty sure I will get in to the event, take everything in and be talking about it for the rest of the night.  I’ll be discussing what I liked and didn’t like, laugh some parts of the show off, and converse about what I saw might mean for future broadcasts and pay-per-views.

All of that devotion and thought will go in to a profession that exists for the purpose of entertainment.  Where is that in my Sunday morning experiences?  Why is it that every few months there is a service where “God shows up” and I’m in awe of it?  He’s there every week, and in our lives every day.  Why doesn’t this matter more to me when we gather in His presence?

This isn’t a post about “what’s wrong with the Church in America today;” I would just like to see our time together on Sunday mornings be expressed outwardly more than it is.  These services are blessings and privileges, and I think they deserve our all after we exit our sanctuaries.

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Verbal Gratitude for Quiet Deeds

February 11, 2009 Leave a comment

For the one thing to many things you do…

To change people’s lives,

To make a difference in the world,

For the money you give,

The work you did,

The behind-the-scenes things you do for your church,

Many of which only you and God will know about,

The one thing to many things that go unnoticed,

Unappreciated,

Lacking gratitude…

Thank You.

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Why I Still Have Love for “Big Church”

January 29, 2009 Leave a comment

There are various feelings about weekly large group church gatherings out there.  Should we always be about building community and studying the Word of God together?  Right on!  However, don’t miss the chance to see how He moves in “big church.”

Here’s the start of an update sent out via email and the TrueNorth blog:

Wow! Is all I can say after this past Sunday! It’s Wednesday and I’m still hearing the ripples from Sunday’s services at TNC! As most of you know, we kicked off the new series, ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE… and God worked in hearts as people were challenged to fill the LOVE TANKS of those closest to them.  Here’s a quote from a letter I received from a TNC couple today, ‘This past Sunday’s message has already made a positive impact on our marriage.  We will be married 32 years this September (after dating for 3 years) and I think after that period of time, you lull yourself in to thinking there is nothing new to be learned.  I now know there is still much to be learned.  My husband’s “love tank” becomes fuller when he hears words of affirmation.  I never understood that about him.  I now know I’m not “filled” by words of affirmation and couldn’t understand his need to hear those affirming words.  I am going to make an effort, however, to be sure he hears those words more often.’

So “big church” may not always be your jar of mayonnaise–and it’s a good thing to look for new and creative ways to reach people–but it definitely has its place in sharing God’s love with others.

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