Healer

I believe in God moments. Let me define what I'm talking about for you. God moments are those moments that are beyond coincidence, beyond chance, but where God seems to divinely just place you somewhere, put something in your lap that has a significant impact on your life.

My latest God moment happened tonight. Right here in the basement of my mom's house. I was trolling through some blogs, catching up on some reading when I came across a song on Los' blog. As I listened to the song, I was overwhelmed. It was like a burden was placed upon me to pray. As I was praying for friends and coworkers in need of healing, God reminded me of an incredible experience that Kitten and I had where we experienced His healing.

For several years, Kitten and I desperately sought to have children. We tried and tried, but the good ol' fashion way just wasn't working. We even went to see fertility specialist. Nothing. Nada. It was like the plotline to a Seinfeld episode...nothingness. Each month we would get our hopes up; each month we would feel absolutely crushed when we realized we still weren't pregnant.

In the midst of this struggle, two friends invited us over to their house for dinner. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was filled with laughter and joviality, two things we were in desperate need of. They then invited us to their back sunroom. In that back sunroom they told us that they were praying for us and they were confident that God would provide a child for us. They challenged us to act in faith and make a purchase for the baby. Then they surrounded us and prayed for us.

Kitten and I left their house that night feeling healed, not necessarily physically, but emotionally and spiritually. We did, in fact, make a small purchase. We did trust that God was in control. A few months later, God worked through some amazing circumstances to give us a daughter, Alyssa Grace. Since that time, He has blessed us twice more. Each story is different and unique. But the healing that He has brought to us each time has been amazing.

The song that inspired this story tonight can be found here. The story and song are truly inspiring. May you experience God at work in and through you today. May He bring healing into your life where you need it. May you be an agent for healing in others lives as well.

Great News

I got the word today. After waiting for a few weeks, the word finally arrived. I passed my ordination exams. I passed the Theology & Sacraments, the English Bible, and the Polity exams. In order to pass each exam, I needed to score at least a 75. I exceeded those scores. YEAH! One more step in the process of transfering my ordination is complete.

The Second Preview Service

Last week was the second preview service for Discovery Church. I'm pretty stoked about what God is up to. The band continues to improve. We are continuing to refine and add new pieces. For those of you who like the rundown of what happened where, here's the set list.


"Nothin' At All" by Third Day
Welcome
"All Because of Jesus" by Fee
"Always" by Generation Unleashed
"Draw Me Close" as arranged by Kutless
Message with clips from Get Smart & Hellboy II
"Slow Fade" video by Casting Crowns
"Everyday"

Wordle experiment

What do I talk about most here? Take a look here and see if you can figure it.

HT: Billy Chia

Photos from the First Preview Service

Check out the photos from the first Discovery Church preview service here.

Supporting Church Planting

At Discovery we believe that we are called to be live sacrificially. We also believe that we are called to reproduce (just not in the back row of Kerasotes). One way that we are merging these two beliefs together is in supporting other church plants and making plans to help plant other churches.

At our June preview service (the next one is July 20th, btw), we were so appreciative to have some of our best friends show up from out of town just to help out. Kevin and Emily are expecting. They are expecting God to add to their family in November (17th...my birthday and Ajax's due date...disclaimer: the baby will not be named Ajax, but wouldn't it be cool if it were?). They are also expecting God to add to his family through a church they are planting in Knoxville. And what better place than in amid all the pagan UT fans. The Ridge will be launching in early 2009.

What am I excited about? I'm excited that perhaps Discovery might be able to partner with Kevin & Emily and others like them in multiplying the work of being churches that are making a difference in their communities. We're committing to give 10% of all our tithes and offering each Sunday at Discovery to support new churches. Another 10% (yes, a total of 20%) will go to support missions (like our partnership with InterVarsity and others).

How are you making a difference? How are you living sacrificially?

Time flys when you're having fun...and really busy

I am a loser. I am a shame to the blogosphere. I have neglected my blogging duties and I confess my unfaithfulness in posting. I repent and ask for your forgiveness.

The past few weeks have been very busy. I am beginning to feel that I understand my responsibilities at Bob's. However, every time I think I have a handle on it, I find myself calling Anna (the woman I'm trying to somehow replace) and begging for advice/wisdom/counsel/help. Mental note: try and not replace the "Hall of Fame" employee next time around (and hopefully that will not be anytime real soon).

Discovery is moving forward as well. Big meeting with the Board/Commission on Tuesday. The worship team was hard at work on the music for July today. I'm so proud of how they are progressing as a team. They sound really good. Can't wait for July 20th!

The other big ticket item: I'm preaching at the Midwest Presbytery of the EPC this week in Brighton, Michigan. Just a short little trip in the middle of the week. I'm so excited/nervous about this awesome opportunity. It is one of the last steps in the transferal of my ordination to the new denomination. Major step though. More details to come this week.

The First Preview Service

The fun has begun! This past Sunday was the first preview service for Discovery Church. Here's some of the pics from the weekend. We had several people there (more than we anticipated) and had a great time. The band sounded awesome and the Starbucks Coffee was hot and good.

The Worship Service Outline

"How to Save a Life" by The Fray

Welcome

"All Because of Jesus" by Fee

"You're Worthy of Praise"

"Enough" by Tomlin & Giglio

Message

"Savin' Me" video by Nickelback

"Flood" by Jars of Clay

We're Pumped!!!

Just 3.5 days away from watching God turn the dream that was Discovery Church into reality. The first preview service begins this Sunday (June 22nd) at 9:30 at Kerasotes Stadium 16; Coffee & Donuts at 9:00.

God has done so many amazing things along the way for us. A brief recap of how we got where we are.

• February 2007...God begins to birth the dream of Discovery in the hearts of two couples.
• April 2007...I go to the session at Olivet and ask for their discernment of this calling and passion.
• Summer 2007...Begin looking for places to host Discovery when it launches a year later. Several places, including Kerasotes, are either flat out "no-s" or cost-prohibitive.
• September 2007...I announced to the congregation at Olivet that I would be resigning my ministry position effective the end of May.
• October 2007...The Board of Discovery Church organizes featuring some of the greatest Christian leaders in Evansville (and Chandler).
• November 2007...Discovery Church of Evansville, Inc. officially forms in the eyes of the state of Indiana and the Federal Government.
• January 2008...The Midwest Presbytery of the EPC begins financially supporting the church launch through a matching gift.
• February 2008...Kerasotes becomes a possibility again.
• March 2008...Kerasotes becomes a reality! God is so good.
• The team continues to grow to 20 launch team members.
• Website development begins.
• May 2008...God (and Billy Long) sell our house for nearly the asking price. A miracle in this market.
• God gets me a job on the westside. By the way, join Bob's Gym (three convenient locations: North, West & Newburgh).
• June 2008...The website goes live (mydiscoverychurch.org).
• Projector and sound system arrive.
• First preview service June 22nd!

God is so good. Stay tuned for more developments.

An Ontime God

A few weeks ago, Kitten and I were stressed. Okay, we were wigging out. We were wondering how we would pay our mortgage payment when we entered the world of unemployment. My dad kept encouraging me to remember that God was an on-time God.

In the last 7 days a lot has changed. We sold our house last Monday and expect to close in the next couple of weeks. I also got a call today that I have a job. I'll be working for Bob's Gym in management. Never doubt...God is good, all the time. He might take us to the brink, but He always shows up. He shows up and He shows off.

People of the Book (part four)

In the end, the summary of the article is that we must fall in love with the book. We must return to being a "people of the book." Like the Israelites, we should rise with a desire to hear from God afresh each day. We should listen to Him as He speaks into our lives. We must direct our attention and our affection to the One worthy of both. We must develop an insatiable appetite, an unquenchable thirst for the Word of God.

People of the Book (part three)

John Ortberg describes the prophets as the "orginal performance artists." God would give them a message, but also creative ways in which to live out that message. To illustrate the desperate situation that would be the siege and exile, He commanded one prophet to make bread over a fire fueled by excrement. He commanded the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer (to which the only appropriate reply must have been..."Golly.")

Today, as we share the message of Scripture, as we teach and live it, how are we bringing the gospel into three-dimensional reality for those around us? We must find creative and powerful ways to communicate the love of a creative and powerful God. I believe that this should include the use of video, media, art, photography, drama, comedy, poetry, prose and a variety of other expressions.

People of the Book (part two)

"In many ways our situation is increasingly like that of the early church. The gospel had to compete in a multi-religious, pluralistic environment where, as Edward Gibbon put it, "the masses considered all religions equally true, the philosophers considered them equally false, and the politicians considered them equally useful." Historians like Rodney Stark say that the reason the church exploded across the ancient world was, to a large extent it was because the church incarnated the word—cared for the poor, fed the hungry, embraced the orphan, risked sheltering the sick." (People of the Book)

As I read those words, the truths and maxims came rushing back:

• "They do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
• "You are the only Bible some people will ever read."
• "If you were charged with being a Christian, is there enough evidence to convict?"
• "I would have became a Christian if I ever met one."

How is that we allow the gospel to be proclaimed on Sunday morning, yet stay dormant within our lives the rest of the week? How can we talk about how Jesus cared for the poor, the broken, the hurting as we retreat to our middle-class, suburbian like dwellings? How can we claim God as our Father, Christ as our Lord, the Spirit as our Counselor and not care for the very same people that they care for, the widowed, the orphaned, the immigrants?

God & Politics

In light of the Indiana primaries that just occurred, I found this story particularly interesting. It seems that after years of being tightly linked to the Republican party that many evangelicals are shying away from politics altogether. The signers of this new manifesto are some of the leaders in the evangelical world, including my former ethics teacher: David Gushee.

What's your thoughts? What role should the church play in politics? What about individual Christians? What is their responsibility?

People of the Book (part one)

Just finished reading an article by John Ortberg entitled People of the Book. It caused a rush of thought and questions. Over the next four days, I'll unpack some of the ways that it knocked me around and the questions it raised.

First: the issue of passion for Scriptures within the church I serve starts with me. In our Student Ministry at Olivet, the middle school and high school students are not going to revere the Word unless they see that modeled in my life. At Discovery, the passion that I bring to my personal study of Scripture will be translated in the rest of the community. When my time with God is shallow, rushed or non-existent, how can I expect anything less from those in the pews (or in Discovery's case...the theater-seating). When I spend time in God's Word, it is a rush of exhiliration. I learn so much about who God is and what He has done throughout history and how He is moving in the future.

"By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity, a word that will not be revoked: before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear." -- Isaiah 45:23

Home Page Sneek Peak

Many of you end up here from the church urls. Soon, you'll have to come in through another portal. Why? Because within the next month, the Discovery Church website will be going live. The team at Details Communication has been working hard to put together an awesome tool for us. Here's a sneak peak of the screen capture for you.

Communion Confusion

How do those who do not go to church react to the language we use in a communion service? What do they hear when we say this is the body and blood of Christ? Here's a hint from indexed.

Perhaps we need to give more explanation or find another way in which to receive this sacrament. Could it be that because we fail to accurately explain the background and the reasoning behind our actions that we have people thinking this?

Awesome gift

What's it like to be the church that has very little? It's interesting and yet so helpful in remembering that God gives us exactly what we need. For example:

Exhibit A: Kitten's preschool classroom at Olivet recently got a new rug for the kids. Kitten was commenting to the Director of how nice it was and how she hoped that she would be able to get something like it for the kids at Discovery. She stated that she would probably settle for something plainer though for pure cost purposes. A couple of weeks later, Kitten walked into my office at Olivet to find a gift. Here's what it was. One of her co-workers had overheard the story and had got online and ordered it for Discovery. What an awesome gift.

Exhibit B: Just got done talking with one of my talented debaters from North. He said the passage he read this morning was a great reminder to trust God. Read it for yourself. Luke 12:22-31.

The Exciting Announcement

As many of you know we have been praying for a space to become available for Discovery to have their Gathering (Sunday morning) services in. We've been through many options and discussed the possibility with numerous people. This past Friday we got the confirmation of a space. And the place where we'll meet is...



Kerasotes Stadium 16
5600 Pearl Drive
Evansville, IN 47712



Over the next few days, we'll explain what this will look like. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, June 22nd for our first preview service at Kerasotes Stadium 16!

Plenary Session 5b -- Rick Warren

Rick is the author of the NY Times best seller, The Purpose Driven Life. He has also recently made it his goal to work to bring P.E.A.C.E. throughout the globe. Here's the highlight of his closing talk.

• Listen to your wife. She's often the Holy Spirit.


• Before you marry, opposites attract. After you marry, opposites attack.


• The purpose of marriage is not to make you happy; it is to make you holy.


• God gave you your wife not just for sex, not just to mother your children, but to be a counselor to you too. You don't have it all together. You need other people, especially your wife.


• God said, “I never called you to compare yourself to others. If you do, you will limit what I want you to do in your life. I want you to be you.”


• Growing churches require growing pastors. The moment you stop growing, the church will stop growing. Leaders are learners. The moment you stop learning, you'll stop leading.


• There is one thing you cannot delegate and that is faith in God.


• Rest and relaxation are so important that God put it into the Big 10 right next to murder and adultery.


• Don't call it a day off, call it a Sabbath. If you call it a day off, you'll violate it.


• Don't pay attention to critics and compliments. They are both like bubblegum: chew on it, but don't swallow it. You have to do your work for an audience of one.


• A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will grow a great church, Christian, community.