Field of Blog

This phone has a bigger learning curve than I expected.   I do seem to like it more and more everyday.   It feels kind of odd having it up to my ear when talking (it feels almost like I’m talking to a poptart.)  Unlimited email and internet is a nice feature though.  Do you have a smartphone or pda?  What software would you suggest?  This thing has MS Word, Excel, and Powerpoint on it. I thought that was cool, I don’t know why though.

The full keyboard is great for typing unless you are typing while driving-which is never a good idea.

Great weekend.

1.  Lauren had her co-birthday party with cousin Ella.  Both are adorable, and such blessings from our God!!!

2.  Amazing Sunday at PVBC.  Several Baptisms, challenging sermon, worship causing music.  It really was great!  Sunday night the youth led in some of the things they had been working on which made me so proud (btw, I had nothing to do with it.)

Mondays are Monday and will be Mondays.  Got to the office and worked on the bulletin with Verna.  Verna is such a great woman of God.  She is our church secretary and is a Grandmother to the entire staff.  We are changing to a new bulletin and new bulletin template which is causing a bit of confusion in Verna’s office.  I love that I am able to help out in other areas of the church beyond my job description.  Too many people in all professions (especially ministers) say  that’s not my job.  To that I would like to reply Let me help you be truthful in that statement- you’re fired.  That is another great thing about PVBC, it really seems to be a team oriented staff!

I then wrote some letters to students.  My goal is to write 10-15 letters every Monday to students.  That way every 4-6 weeks I will have written everyone at least once.  Nothing is more true than the fact that people love to get mail.  It is also a great way to connect with the youth, and their parents (even though they only see that envelope going to the student, they like to know you care about their kids too!)

Then I headed into Stanford to run errands, look for an apartment, and get some lunch.  I headed to DQ for some grub, and saw a friend, Mike B, in a nearby parking lot.  He was talking with a client, so I did what anyone would do.  I snuck to his car and pretended to steal it.  He saw me and ran over, ready to defend his ride.  I think he wanted to fight me, even after he saw it was me.  We laughed, I met his client, then Mike and I went to DQ for some lunch.  He showed me some pictures from Catlana (he was in the Tornado…) 

While eating,  a gentleman he knew came up to talk.  I soon found out he is involved in a ministry similar to the organization I used to be the COO of.  He then spent 8-14 minutes telling us (it wasn’t a  conversation at this point) why our church should be apart of it, why it was needed, and how it helped families.  He let me know that local students chose his ministry over foreign missions, etc.  He told me of all the success stories, and the feel good stories, and that our church hasn’t been apart of it.

I didn’t catch alot of what he said, but I did eat 2 great cheeseburgers and some onion rings.  Sometimes our passion can be communicated as obnoxious spiritual arrogance.  Please note- I believe that this man loves Jesus, and is doing great work for the kingdom and I DO NOT think he is an arrogant person.   Sometimes we communicate things that aren’t true (even about ourselves.)  Passion is great, thinking everyone should be as passionate about your passions as you are is not so great.   Remember when talking with people God has  a unique purpose for you and the other person.  If they aren’t interested in your calling, they aren’t the devil.  If they don’t seem too interested after the first few minutes, don’t think talking another ten will increase the excitement level.

Have you ever found yourself being frustrated at someone elses lack of interest in what God has given you passion for?  Have you ever tried to teach others the lesson God just taught you and have it to fail?    Don’t sweat it, we’ve all been there. 

If you ever find yourself on staff at a great church you may want to follow this advice.  If your first lesson, first sermon, first time in front of the youth (if you’re a youth minister) is on a Wednesday night and 49 or 50 people show up- pay attention to this.  Go completely over your sermon on Tuesday no matter how long you have to stay up.  Pay close attention to scripture references.  Don’t write Isaiah down in the place of Exodus, because chances are that your point will not match up very well.  Yes my friends, I screwed that one up.  I felt like one of balaam’s animals indeed.  Wednesday turned into a hectic, crazy, time consuming day that most staff members understand.  It was one of those days where 100 people stopped by the office to chat completely destroying my schedule and to-do list (one line on that list being CHECK SERMON NOTE FOR ERRORS.)  The coolest thing is even though I was a bit stressed, the entire time I could hear God saying “your ministry is about relationships and people, not tasks and to do lists.”    So my new rule is that sermon Prep will be 100% done, checked, and rechecked before bed on Tuesday. 

Good news- kids didn’t think it was a big deal and one of them showed off her scripture knowledge and told me where I needed to go (in scripture, not to…)  Everything else went great.  A cool  short (short video) on worship, couple of song sets, a game, and a message. 

We talked about exaggeration and how odd it is that we exaggerate our faith to others.  How we may claim to follow Jesus daily, yet our actions clearly prove otherwise.  Why do we do that?  I believe we exaggerate to

1.  Look Cool-example:

Telling everyone you saved a woman from a rabid dog that was about to eat her- when in reality you caught your neighbors wiener dog before it peed on your great aunt’s flowers. 

2.  To Imply we are fulfilling a task or role that we should be fulfilling- Example:

Mom:  Billy did you clean your room?

Billy:  Sure mom

2 hours later

Mom:  Billy your room is a mess, you said you cleaned it!

Billy:  I didn’t say I cleaned all of it.

 We talked about how everyone in this region claims to be Christian.  Why?  Because I really believe they know they need to be and deep down inside want to be.  They may not know why, or how, but they just want Him.

That was just the start of the message (the only part I wanted to share with you.)  I also let the students that I truly believe God called me to Pleasant View to build relationships with them.  I let them know that I really do care about them and there is nothing they can do that can make me love them any more or any less. 

It was a great night.  I’m not a big numbers guy, but we had  a great crowd.  I leave you with this great nugget of info:  Never assume a computer hooked to a projector has Mediashout on it. 

I am tired.  I am tired.  I am tired.  I am refreshed.

 Physically I am as tired as I have been in a while, yet I am encouraged and excited about life and the days to come.  Yesterday morning we woke up early to pack for a trip to my parent’s house in Mt. Vernon.  We would eventually get there, but there were many stops along the way.  I packed the Explorer (traveling with a 1 year old requires plenty of luggage for the shortest of overnight stays.)  We then left the house and headed to the lovely Taylor County Health Department so that my lovely daughter could get the much feared shots.  1 in each arm and one in the leg.  It wasn’t fun, and trauma was inflicted.  Luckily the trauma was to her mother and me witnessing and holding her during the event (Lauren is fine.)  I couldn’t help but think about how a few seconds of pain can detour a life-threatening illness.  I wonder how many seemingly horrible situations I’ve found myself in that were actually God’s way of preventing something much worse.

So after the shots we traveled to our new church in Lincoln County (Pleasant View Baptist Church.)  I had packed all of my books and office things, and set off to set up my office.  Upon arrival we hung with Aaron (Pastor,) Amy (Interim Worship Leader,) and Verna (secretary/staff grandma.)  It was fun. 

The pastor showed me my new office and said something I’ve never head a pastor say  “this office has so much old material, throw as much of it away as you want.” 

It was nice having that freedom.  To not be burdened to hold on to material with copyright dates from 1987-no kidding.  Some places I’ve been never throw anything away, and to get something to the garbage can requires a 70% vote at the business meeting…Not at PVBC.  The more I spend time with Aaron the more I am excited to serve with him.  I really believe he is a great pastor.  We are very close in age, and have plenty of other things in common.  While I worked on my office Carrie and Lauren hung out with Kelly (Aaron’s wife) and their kids at their house.  Carrie and I really feel like we are going to be great friends with them, and that is so refreshing comparing to previous church staff positions I have held.

Meanwhile…

I’m going through stuff and find a plastic bag.  I open it, and to my awe and utter amazement I find two items unopened and in original packaging.  A pack of tube socks, and a huge summer sausage that is moldy and juicy (it is not supposed to have visible juices, for those whose lips have never been graced with summer sausage.)  Why is this here?  If you have any ideas, please let me know….   Aaron thought it was as hilarious as I did.

Although I filled a dumpster with old, out-dated, and irrelevant material I did some thinking.  What in my life is there because I don’t want to get rid of it.  What stuff do I have at home or in my life that isn’t useful or helpful, but exists simply because I haven’t taken the time to do some pruning?

What areas in your ministry need some cleaning?  How about in your garage or storage shed at home?  Please comment…

I’ll tell the rest of the story tomorrow.  I’m going to bed.