Easter God's Way!

Every year we try to put together the service that we feel God wants to use to impact the right people with the message of hope and forgiveness. And every year we struggle to know what to expect - 'cause we're not God! So we pray, asking Him to be real to those who come, to meet needs in just the right time, to allow hardened hearts and sour hearts to be open to whatever it is that He wants to say. Well, turns out God did Easter His way and touched lives.

• I challenged those who already knew Christ as Lord to step up and recommit their lives to His call, His purpose and His direction for their lives. 30 + people said YES to surrendering their lives back to God. Pray for them and for us as we help get them 'reconnected' to the vine.
• The spirit of worship in the body was intoxicating at all the services. You could sense people ready to celebrate Easter and desiring to truly want to move closer to God.
  
• We prayed that God would speak to our hearts in the area of our giving to the point that we give with the right heart attitude and with a cheerful heart. God showed up! Our attendance was down 23% to last year but the giving was up over 112% to last year! Praise God!
  
• Personally, had a great encounter with God at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning (until about 4:30) that moved my enthusiasm to a new level for the Sunday services. I am humbled every time He does that and grateful for what I learn through it.

To all who served in the worship services, in children's ministry and in the family room - THANK YOU! Your servant hearts led to a welcoming atmosphere. Your willing hearts loved people enough that the pain and hurt they carried in was lifted so they could hear the Gospel. Your sacrificial service made it possible to see 30+ people follow God's call to put Him first in their lives for His Kingdom work.
Because of people like you, I can't wait to get back up and see what He's going to do next week through all of us!

God Bless!

Why You Need To Bring Someone!

What's so special about this weekend?

Well, it's Easter for one. You know - the day we celebrate the ultimate sacrifice and gift? It's KIND OF important I think!

But we're also going to be talking about what that sacrifice gives us, how it saves us from our selfish, foolish and dangerous life of sin. It will be a message of redemption and hope for not only those seeking truth, but also those who have the truth.

Studies show that 86% of people come to church because someone invited them.

• Are you part of the inviting ones?
• Is there someone in your life that needs to hear a message of hope?
• Do you know someone who is hurting and in need of rescue?
• What's holding you back from inviting them to church?

Let me encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and invite even just one person to join you at church this Saturday or Sunday. If you're saved, if you have a relationship with the Father then you have a responsibility to invite the lost. So, again, what's holding you back? Face your fears head on and take the first step.

Services times are Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

See you Sunday, and please introduce your friend to me!!!

Missions Abound!!!

We keep talking about getting opportunities for people to serve, both here and beyond the city limits. Well, this weekend has been "Opportunity Central" in the mission field arena.

• On Friday, I ran into an old friend who has sold his business here in Poky to move to his home country of India to build an orphanage. His goal is to house 100 kids and get them prepared for a new life of hope and prosperity. This guy, at his core, is a servant! He shared with me where they were in the construction phase and what the plans and needs are going forward. In the midst of building they've already taken in 11 kids WITHOUT any real place to put them. So we have a couple of opportunities to help them going forward, which I'll share about in church very soon.
• On Saturday, I had the privilege of performing a funeral in the booming metropolis of Richfield, Idaho - population 412! Not only was it an honor to do this service but we were blessed by a church plant in Richfield to use their facility for the service. The pastor, Chris and his wife, Rose, acquired the building in December of 2009 and held their first service this past Sunday. The building has been abandoned for over 2 years, but God clearly called this couple to plant this church and serve this community. It is in need of some TLC both inside and outside. We have an opportunity to bless another church with our hearts, hands and resources. Look for some information soon after Easter about how, when and where we can be a blessing to another church. And trust me, people of all ages and abilities can be a part of this one!

Is God still working and moving and showing us things? YES! The question is and will always be this - are we willing to follow Him and sacrifice for Him?

I am - hope you'll join me in being His hands and His feet!

Why Fear Is NOT An Option

We all face fears at some point in our life, and they vary in degree for each one of us from the light to the extreme. And if we're all honest with ourselves, we never like being in that spot.

Here at First Baptist, we are in a spot of transition that could easily draw us into the place where we have fear. Fear of the unknown, fear about whether we'll be okay, fear of losing our identity, and the list goes on. Fear crushes hopes - not an option. Fear robs of us of risk taking - not an option. Fear steals our joy and replaces it with anxiety - not an option!

Fear, in scripture, is a holy, reverent fear and respect of and for God alone. That fear we will live with! We've said it from the beginning and will continue to shout it out, GOD IS IN CONTROL and has been from the start. Matthew 6 talks specifically about not worrying about anything, especially those things out of our control - which is most of life in reality!

I tell people all the time you can't worry and pray at the same time. Worry is our way of saying, "I don't think God can handle this one. It's just too big!" When we worry, our prayers get pushed to the back of our minds and we focus on the what ifs instead of the HE CAN.

So let me challenge ALL of you to do this one, simple thing: the next time you feel like you need to worry about something, especially the church, stop and thank God for what you have in that moment. Thank God for what you have in His church. Praise God for who He is and what He's done, is doing, and is ABOUT to do. Trust me - your heart and attitude toward the situation quickly begins to fade away. When we focus on Him - that's when it all starts to turn around.

So join me in praising and thanking God for His next steps for us as a family and for the city of Pocatello. No matter what, it will be greater than anything we could ever imagine!

Praying along with you!

Need versus Vision

We hear it all the time in church...we NEED people to serve; we NEED people to lead; we NEED money to do this or that - and the list goes on and on.
It's not that the need isn't real. It is, or we wouldn't be asking, right?

But I was reminded recently about the importance of a clear, concise and passionate vision in leading in the ministry.

Someone once said, "People don't respond to a need - they respond to a vision." Perhaps what we should be saying to people is we have an opportunity instead of a need.

In ministry, we will always be looking for ways to get people involved in service to God. And I'm just as guilty as the next person. I've used the 'need' word a lot more than I really should have. But I've never really thought much about it until now. And if your church is growing, even the littlest bit, you'll have opportunity for people to get connected to serving God somewhere.

Ah, but when there's a vision connected to the opportunity, there's a spark. I've recently been using this approach in getting folks to step into places of service, be it small or large - and it has an amazing impact on the response.

We are in the process of building the budget for the next ministry year. An 'update' to the look, flow and functionality of this 'form' was long overdue, so I cast a little vision to some people who have experience with this kind of thing. Nothing fancy. A goal, how to get there, what it needed to do and how to get it done. A unanimous yes from all four people, and with some excitement and joy! WOW!!! We begin the work this next week and it will be a blast!

Here's the deal: I had a vision, a plan that I shared, in detail, with people who had the skills that were necessary to fulfill that vision. Genius? No. Listening to God for the wisdom and vision and then acting on it - yes.

That's how we need to daily lead our teams. Clear vision, clear objectives, clear outcomes - all bathed in prayer. How else will we know it's God's leading, right?

Do you have a vision for the ministry you've been called to lead? Do people on your team know what it is? Are they working toward that? Are there people in your church with skills, abilities and gifts that are just 'begging' to be matched to a vision?

Step back. Change the perception of need to opportunity. Match the people to the opp' and see what God does. And be ready to have your socks blown off!!!!!

China Challenge

In a few short weeks, Sue and I will be traveling to China to spend time with my brother and his family. We've never been to another country so this will be both exciting and weird! Looking forward to eating some 'interesting' foods they have planned for me.
While visiting with them at my parents home this month, I had the privilege of 'meeting' (through Skype) a group of kids that my brother and his family have connected with. It's not just that the kids are cute and incredible that caught my attention.

They are being raised by a man who I will call 'Jim'. Jim is 51, never been married and never been a dad. He is an American living and working in China. Did I mention that he is raising these kids - all 9 of them? They range in age from 2 to 13 years old. He is simply amazing.

These are kids that are literally left on the street, simply because they aren't born perfect. The slightest defect can cause the birth parents to reject the child and they end up on the street if not in a government run orphanage. When a foreigner takes responsibility for a child they won't step in and stop them. It literally is one less mouth to feed for them.

So here's 'Jim' being Christ to these young kids. As I write this he is in the states gathering what he can to take home to his kids. And this is where the challenge comes in for anyone reading this.

Sue and I want to take a suitcase full of clothes with us and give it 'Jim' as a gift from his partners in Christ in Pocatello, ID. I am going to have a suitcase here at the church from now until the first week of March. In it will be the gender and age of each of the kids, and possibly some additional info on likes and dislikes. We'll treat this just like Angel Tree, where you come in and grab a 'tag' and then go get that for the child. Nothing expensive. Very basic.

And if we get so much that we have to take 2 suitcases - well okay!

Pray about what you can or should do. DO NOT GIVE ANYTHING TO THIS if you are not hearing God say to do so. I can support obedience all day long - disobedience gets to be a little harder to support!

I'll keep you posted on how it's going throughout the process and, once we return, share some pictures of these incredible kids and their amazing dad.

See ya in church...

We've Made it Too Hard!!!!

I've had some great time with my family these past few weeks, even in the passing of my dad. We, my brothers and I, have had some good quality time and some good fun time with family and friends back in West Virginia.

We've also had some good, frank conversations about church and the impact it should be having on people.

My youngest brother made an interesting comment about church and Christianity. He lives in China and gets to see a different perspective - one that I will say was a very refreshing one. "We've made Christianity too complex here. It really is a simple, basic decision and commitment. But the church has made it way too hard."

I can't get that out of my head. "We've made it way too hard." We 'fight' over things that have NO Kingdom impact; we argue over who 'gets' to lead what; we complain when the church teaches about basic Biblical truths such as serving and tithing - the list could go on and on.

What happened to us? Where did we get so far off track that we are more concerned about what WE want and what WE think we need more than we care about the lost, the lonely, the poor, the orphaned and the widowed?

I want to be part of a church that teaches people how to be committed, serving followers of Christ everyday. I want to be part of a church that isn't afraid to teach from God's Word - no matter who it offends. I would much rather offend man than I would God. But somehow 'the church' in America is consumed with pleasing people over pleasing God. To that I have to ask - who does the church really worship?

My hope for this year is that we'll stop making it about US and start living like it really is about Him! Let's not get caught up in stupid arguments over things that don't have a Kingdom impact. Let's get on board with those things we KNOW that GOD has called us to do and get after them. The sooner we do the more people will be in heaven with us.

See ya in church...

Heart Leadership

In an age when leadership is a commodity aggressively sought after, it has also become a lost art in the church.

We look for certain 'types' of people to lead and have a list of traits that we hope to find in people we consider to be leader material. And it's not that different from church to church, or group to group.

But I fear we've allowed too much of the worlds view of leadership to impact the culture of the church. This coming from a guy who lived in the corporate world for many, many years! Whether we're in the church or the world, as Christians we have to begin where it all began - with Him.

True leadership in the church has to begin with the heart of the leader. Where is it grounded? What does it desire? Who does it follow and who influences it? What difference does the heart of the leader make on the outside, and is it good?

We've gotten so caught up in the need for leaders in the church that we've forgotten that our leaders have to be followers first - Christ followers. And they need to be committed to the cause of Christ in everything they do. That includes the home, the office, the golf course, or wherever they spend time. It cannot be about skill or ability above the heart of the person.

We desperately need leaders who are grounded in Christ, who lead from a place of high integrity, who have this priority list - God, family, church, others - and who are not afraid to make a stand for the right things of God. That includes leading in the workplace with the same intensity and focus.

Leaders, I am calling you out. Will you live your lives in such a way that wherever you go, you impact the world for the Kingdom of God? Will your actions speak volumes about your commitment to the King? Will you risk your reputation, your success, your 'fame' for the good of Christ? My prayer is that your answer will be and emphatic YES!

Praying for you and with you...

What will your life say?

Yesterday was a great day of celebration of a man I got to call DAD.

His quiet, confident, unshakable faith and leadership impacted many, many lives around the country. Everywhere we went he had an impact on someones life for the Kingdom of God. His faith was lived out in what he did, thought and said. As was said yesterday, when you met Dean you knew exactly who he was following in his life.

As I listened to all these people share about dad, I couldn't help but think about the legacy that I will leave. I will never be the man that dad was - and he wouldn't want me to be. I have to be who God created me to be, but he left us a GREAT example of how to live for Jesus in all that we do.

His priorities were very evident - God, family, church, the rest of life. Period. Nothing EVER shook this order. I need to work on these better, and plan to from now on.

What about the rest of you? Where does your walk with Christ play out in your priorities? Do you just make time for Him on Sunday, or do others know by your faith?

I want to challenge all of you who read this to become passionate, committed followers of Christ. Let NOTHING stand in your way as you pursue Him, follow Him and lead others to Him.

Along the journey, take time to appreciate the family you have been given. Whether a single parent or a house full, celebrate the fact that you have them. Families that follow Christ are an incredible gift from God!

When it's your time to go, my prayer is this: live life in such a way that at your funeral the preacher won't have to lie!

Blessings...

Dad Is With Jesus!

Saturday may have been the worst day of my life to date. Around 10:30 in the morning I got the call from my mom that dad had been outside, on the farm, shoveling snow. She heard him come in, turned around and watched him hit his head on a table just inside the door. She went to roll him over and help him, but it appeared that he had already gone. She worked on him until the paramedics arrived and they continued for close to another hour. He was gone.

I was utterly lost. My dad - the best dad that God ever created - was gone. My mom is alone after more than 50 years of marriage. (We just celebrated their 50th in West Virgina in August of last year.)

Later, she asked the right question - now what?

I told her that she needed to do nothing now except grieve the loss and celebrate the life. Don't try to plan anything just yet. For now, simply grieve.

Dad reminded us all the time that tomorrow isn't promised to us. Scripture is very clear about it. We are to live for today. That's how dad lived. One day at a time. And every day he lived it for God, family, the church, and then others.

As we head back to the farm (my wife and I are on our way Monday)I'm recounting as much of my dad's life as I can recall. It's not easy. There is a TON of stuff.

But what I keep coming back to is something that Aaron said this morning as he shared the news with the church family - legacy. Dad left an incredible legacy, not only in us boys and his grandchildren, but in the churches he served in, the company he worked for and the communities in which he and mom lived. I've never met anyone else in my life that has had this kind of life-changing impact than dad.

So let me challenge you today - look at the legacy you're leaving. Does it point people to God or someone else? Will your legacy continue on well after you've gone? Or will someone pick up the mantle and carry it to the next generation? I can't get this line out of my head for a song lyric - "What will they say about me when I'm gone?"

We will continue to be the men that dad raised us to be. We will love our families as he did his and look after the church to which God has called us to be a part of. That's what dad would want, because that's what God desires from each of us.

Dad can stand before our Father and hear, with loud and confident voice, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

I Love you, Dad!