May Baptism

Here are some photos from Sunday's Baptism




We had a great time celebrating with those wh were being bapized. They acknowledged their commitment to follow and live for Christ before their friends and families.

I've also got some great news to share that I hope to blog about soon.

Reflections & Illumination

Reflections & Illumination

We had our first official Sunday gathering in a building yesterday, what a great morning! It seems only now in looking back that I’m getting a feel for all that happened. Saturday night before Mother’s Day, I started rethinking what I was going to talk about; in part because of a few people I know who have lost their moms recently, two in just the past year. I was also thinking of those Moms who have lost their children and I saw the realization of how “Mother’s Day”, which is supposed to be a day of recognition and celebration, becomes for some a day of remembrance and sorrow which took me (don’t ask me how) to John 8 where the religious leaders of Jesus’ day took and dragged a woman before Jesus (probably naked) caught in adultery, with the sole purpose of trying to trap Him. The connection in my mind became this: the law that was given to the Hebrew people was for their benefit and protection, but it had become a means of manipulation and bondage and what was meant for good had become very bad.

When I read through this scripture again, I was more than ever before drawn to vs. 12 where Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This passage seems to be directly connected to the account of the woman brought before Jesus and so I wondered what is this light of life exposing here? What darkness is Jesus referring to? Light is an incredible thing. The same light that exposes all that we see is also the light that blinds us if we are in a dark place and are suddenly exposed to it. In John’s passage, the darkness of adultery obviously comes to mind, but what about the darkness of the harsh religiosity that cared more about trapping someone and not at all that it would leave in its wake the complete destruction of someone else? After all, Jesus’ words were directed at that as well. Anyway, that ruined me and detoured what I ended up talking about that morning.

So, back to that morning, many of us heard people say they couldn’t believe this was our first time here on Sunday because things seemed to go so smoothly and again, looking back it really was rather amazing. Our biggest glitch was that we didn’t plan for that many people to show up and so the extra chairs were under the stage and inaccessible. But fortunately, we were able in just seconds to roll out these nifty bench things and accommodate those who were still coming in.
Someone told me that they counted over 130 people. Some were of course there because it was Mother’s Day and they came for Mom and others just came by to show us support for our first Sunday at Pioneer Jr. High, which I appreciated so much. After all was said and done, we were on a total adrenalin rush and felt that the Lord used us all and that morning to make a difference in the lives of those who came. We also felt the affirmation of a work God wants to continue doing and look forward to being a part of that work.

“Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” -Joshua 3:5

Happy Mother's Day

Well it’s Mother’s day this Sunday and it’s been exciting for us as we are having our first indoor service at Pioneer Jr. High (it was hot last week!). In the midst of all the new location preparations, the printing and handing out invitations, getting and setting up the audio / video equipment, buying changing tables, swings, crafts for the children’s ministry and let's not forget the paper work and legal insurance stuff. I noticed how so many of the things that we care about and pour ourselves into have to be patiently nurtured and cared for, even as a mom does with her child. Is it exhausting? You bet. Do we worry? Well, unfortunately we do. Is it exciting? Yes, beyond words. What a great example and illustration the Lord has given us in these relationships, even for those who may have had relationships that have been less than what they should be, there is still the hint of God’s whisper in all of our hearts to what this relationship is meant to be.

As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you… (Isaiah 66:13)

So for those of us who have had great examples from our moms and for those who know it only as a desire of what it should be, I hope this brings a beautiful, comforting and clear picture of how much God powerfully cares for you.

Happy Mother’s Day

The Core

The Core

There is a scripture where we get this real cool picture of suiting up and preparing for battle in Eph. 6, “So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you.”
I love this imagery! But then I love all that Gladiator/Braveheart kind of stuff. Of course Paul had much more in mind than just imagery and we need to be careful not to minimize the practicality of these words in our lives. So, what is this imagery about? How do we put some of this armor on?
Notice that some of the things mentioned, Truth and righteousness in particular, have a lot to do with our character, with who we are at the core, and how we live is intrinsically fixed to how we will be able to stand when we face battle.

I learned a lesson on the importance of this when I was a few years out of high school. Some friends and I would drive around in an old Chevy van that had pillows instead of seats (it was legal back then) and a hole where a moon roof was some day going to go. On weekends we’d look for opportunities to share our faith in Jesus with people and it was amazing how many things would open up to us. But there was one time that touches this point of character and being ready.

Around 2:00 a.m. we came across a man walking down the street so we pulled the van over and from inside began talking to him. There were three of us in the front, Rich was driving, my friend Rick was in the passenger seat, I was sitting on something in the middle and two more friends, Dave and Ray, were in the back. As we began small-talking with him, “Where you going, need a ride?” it was obvious that he was messed up. He seemed a little disheveled and strung out on drugs, and some of the things he said just didn’t make sense, like how old he was or where he was from and he kept telling us different names for himself. As our conversation pushed to his spiritual condition, his responses began to get quite dark and confusing, and the more we talked, the stranger, darker and more confusing things got. I distinctly remember at one point in our conversation becoming aware that this darkness and confusion wasn’t a matter of drugs or any mentally disturbance, and then it happened.

I don’t remember what brought on his response and I really don’t know how to explain what happened so I will just tell you what happened. A voice came out of this man that wasn’t his. It seemed as if his mouth wasn’t moving with what he (or it) was saying and when he locked eyes with me my blood froze and I thought to myself, “Oh God, I think this man is demon possessed.” Immediately he replied, (eyes still burning a hole in me), “Now you’ve got it!” “Wait”, I thought to myself, I didn’t say anything!!

I wish I could say that I behaved like Jesus or Paul, but the truth is I freaked out! And with a voice a lot like a schoolgirl (no offense, girls) I stood up through the moon roof and said “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus!” (It’s all I could think of). Again, I wish I could say the demon(s) ran into a herd of cats or something, and we led him to the Lord, but that didn’t happen. He just laughed at me and continued freaking us out with that voice and with the things he said and Rich just stepped on the gas and burned rubber out of there. Yeah, not quite a win or even a tie, it was a definite loss; crazy demon voice guy 1, Christian guys 0.

There are a few things I remember so clearly about that encounter. One was Rick’s reaction when the voice came out. He immediately, and I mean more than quickly, turned straight ahead away from this guy and looked absolutely horrified. Can’t blame him, he was literally inches away. The second was this heightened awareness of everything “not right” in my life. We all shared this feeling as we talked, prayed and confessed afterwards. It was as if there were a thousand post-it notes on my forehead of everything I was doing wrong or not doing right. The magazine under my mattress, what I had said to my mom in anger, my pride, etc… I was literally drowning in the truth of who I was, and it was not a life of righteous character. My armor was weak in a few places and boy, did it show.

I am not ignorant to the fact that it is in Christ’s righteousness alone that we stand. That is very much a part of the shield of faith and I love how Today’s English Version says to accept salvation as a helmet, but that is why we need to, at our core, be held together (girded) with a true and genuine life and in God’s righteousness so that we can handle skillfully the shield and sword at those times.

Some will read this and think that I (and all of us that night I suppose), were overreacting. Some may have trouble sleeping (sorry), but I hope some will see that the core of who we are really matters. That living true and right lives is an important part of the battles we face if we are going to stand firm.