You can do it too!

Today I am hanging out with guys that God has called to plant churches across the state of South Carolina. I love church planting and church planters! There is something exciting and exhilarating about launching out from the shore, crossing through the waves and breakwater, and sailing into the unknown. Committing to do something that you join God in from the very beginning. Casting a vision for something beautiful that doesn't even exist yet.

Here's the cool part........ you don't need to be a church planter to be part of something so grand. The Christian journey is the most awesome life one could find and follow! You are called to be a church planter in your family, in your workplace, and in your own neighborhood. You can paint a picture of life in Christ and people will flock to get a piece of what you have. With this honor in mind I ask you the question....... who are you pointing to Christ right now? Who are you currently praying for and asking God to reach? If you don't have a few people on your radar screen, you aren't participating in the journey as God intended.

Challenge: write the names of 3-5 people you want to see come to know Christ. Put it on your mirror, refrigerator, or breakfast table and pray for them daily. Then look for opportunities to be a friend and point people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus! Start today! Have people on your fishing list? Share their initials by commenting and we'll pray with each other! Lets hear it.

$4

There are a lot of things I don't spend money on these days. I hate spending money on over-priced food, gas, and clothes. I hardly ever buy music anymore, b/c I can listen to it on rhapsody. We've tightened the belt, and I can't remember the last time I bought a specialty coffee at Starbucks.

This weekend we took the kids to a birthday party at Skateland. Kids skate free but parents pay. I even took my own roller blades, but you know they won't let you use your own equipment without renting their floor space! Best $4 I've spent in a long time. Christie didn't skate, but I knew my 6 year old would need some help. Better than that........ I got to skate between this beautiful pair:



Made my day!

A few weeks ago I found myself complaining about spending money, this time on gas. We did a little tubing and had a family day on the lake. When it was all said and done.......... the moment was priceless! How could you put a price on this:



Moments and memories are invaluable! Thank you God!

The last 4 days........

Its been a good weekend and start of a new week! Thought I'd give a rundown of all that happened and what got me stoked:

-Christie's family came down on Friday and we hung out for the weekend. Went fishing Saturday morning and night. Her brother is new to the fishing deal, but caught a few. His head exploded with conceit! I don't think he realized that I still caught more than him :-) (that sound was my head expanding)

-Had an awesome Sunday! Worship.... off the chart! God rocked it on the message. Did something a little crazy........ I came in riding a surf board being carried by some strong dudes with a "big waves" video playing on the screen (my family vacation video ;-) I talked about how most believers never mature, but stay in the surf being rocked by the wind and the waves, instead of climbing onto the "surf board" of God's will and experiencing an awesome ride.

-The bomb of the month for me was baptizing 10 people on Sunday night! We baptized couples and parents with their children. If you missed it.... oh my goodness!!! Nothing is sweeter!

-We kick off Life Groups Next week. Can't wait to see God touching lives as people connect to grow, serve, and become more like Jesus together!

-If you are a church planter or pastor, you need to check out the Network Plus event later this week. Glenn Smith from Houston Texas (an awesome church systems, leadership, planting guru) will be at Riversprings Church in Chapin. Always worth it to hang with and learn from my friend Glenn!

I can't imagine......

I can't imagine losing a child! Christie and I have been watching Larry King Live tonight with Steven Curtis Chapman and his family sharing about the last 11 weeks since the driveway accident that took their youngest daughters life. His son said they were praying that God would heal her, and he did. Just not in the way they wanted him to! He gave her a new body and now she is dancing with Jesus.

They asked SCC if he was mad at God. He said he was mad but his anger was directed not at God, but the enemy of God. The one scripture tells us came to "steal, kill, and destroy". I don't know how I would ever be able to handle something like this, but I am proud of SCC and his family! We pray for them and for our own faith to be strengthened along with theirs.

Good things

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

We quote it, we remind others in difficult times, we hope for it........ and it is true and real! Our church got broken into on Thursday. Someone put a very large rock through my office window and proceeded to search the office for cash. They took petty cash boxes with about $550, and one cheap video camera. Could have been a lot worse. The most frustrating part was getting the glass fixed before the weekend.

I called the glass place and they had a guy there Friday morning to measure. To be honest, I was very busy and had not even submitted my outline for the Sunday program and slides. As I sat at my desk trying to work while the man measured the hole in the wall, I courteously asked him where he went to church. A divine appointment followed. 30 minutes later, I had shared my testimony and the gospel, and he was leaving with a "be my guest" card and a "steps to peace with God" track. Thanks for that conversation God!

As for the glass...... no problem turned into can't do it until Monday! grrrrrrrrr...... So Monday rolls around and another gentleman strolls in (just as I was leaving a message wondering where my glass was). It was the glass guy. "So what kind of church is this", he asked........ :-) Here we go again! Same story, second verse (minus the track).......

When we are available and listening, God lets us in on what he is doing! God is inviting you and I again today to walk with Him. He'll bring the opportunity!

Thank you God for turning a negative into a praise! Oh yeah, the kicker......... no deductible for stolen cash! Insurance reimbursed it all, and the kingdom was advanced! It doesn't get any better than that!

Can you hear me now?

It happened again! God gave me a good visual for the message on Sunday when I used my brand new hedge clippers to chop through the extension cord and come close to electrocution. What a great picture of what can happen when we don't remain rooted in Love, together with the saints! The power of God will quickly be "cut off" in our life. Spiritually speaking, its like choosing to use the rickety, manual hedge clippers over the super jacked-up power clippers.

After the service, I must have had 4 or 5 people tell me they have ruined power cords using power clippers as well. That helped me not feel so bad knowing there is a whole club full of idiots like me! I don't mind being an idiot as long as I'm not the only one ;-)

So leaving church feeling like we had just experienced on of the most powerful services of the year, I was really bummed to come in on Monday to discover our super cool dual-channel digital audio recorder didn't record the message during either service. Ouch! It struck me today that just as easy as it was for a piece of equipment to not work right (or for a person to forget to use it correctly), our testimony or the opportunity to be one can be missed or ruined as well. One frustrated comment degrading another person, or one moment of fear that keeps you from inviting a person to church, and a Jesus opportunity can be lost.

Today, don't allow an opportunity to point another person to Christ pass by or be ruined by self. Memorize this verse and meditate on it.......... and see what God will do through you!

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect... 1 Peter 3:15

The fish bowl......

My kids surprised Christie and I one day several months back by telling us they were saving their money for a "fish fund". Really.....??? When did we decide we were adding another family pet? Please, please, please.......
As you have guessed, they won! After all, it is a good exercise in hard work and discipline to earn and save money to purchase something yourself. Even better when something else "fun" comes along and the decision to raid the coffer is made. I was glad to see them struggle with those decisions and deal with the consequences.
The day finally came and we purchased a brand new, 16 gallon aquarium complete with all the fixin's. Funny thing is, you can't just take it out, fill it up, and then add fish! After several days of washing gravel and water additives, we are ready for the fish. I must admit I'm just as excited as the kids are! We're getting FISH.......aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

The water temperature may be the trickiest part of the aquarium. Certain fish need the water to be a certain temperature to survive. Guess what temperature the water will naturally become without intervention....... room temperature. The only way to intervene is to change the room temperature (which isn't practical) or literally insert a heater into the water.

The spiritual story behind the story: we are called by God to enter the culture and to influence it for Christ, without being changed ourselves. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:16 to “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” This is actually the theme verse for our student ministry. Pastor Josh is challenging students to let the light of Christ "illuminate" the darkness around them.

Are you allowing the light of Christ to illuminate the world you live and work in? Are you influencing for Christ or being influenced by the world and people around you?

I want to live in a way that influences people for Christ! I want to be in the world but living a counter-cultural lifestyle that takes focus off me and brings glory to God. When we do this, He will take care of the rest, drawing people to himself.

You want it...... You got it!

I've had the privilege of hanging out with other pastors and church planters for a few days this week, and we have been studying the book of Phillipians together. I have been thinking about the things I want in life, things I can't get enough of. Here's my list:

I want more passion for the word. Yes, I love it and I'm staking my eternal destiny and my earthly calling on it! But..... to be honest, there is more room in my life to be filled with it. I long for that passion and that desire to be completely saturated.

I want to be a better father and husband. Yes, I love my wife with all my heart, and my children with my life, but that doesn't make me perfect. It also doesn't excuse my deficiancies. I have room for improvement, and I don't want to look back one day and have lots of "I wishes".

I want to be a better leader, a more passionate Christ-sharer, a more committed friend, and a more disciplined man of God. Enough said!

I want to forgive and be forgiven quicker. I want to let God be God, and stop trying to take his place so often. He doesn't want his children to carry guilt, burdons, or responsibility for spiritual results. He wants obedience, he'll take care of the rest!

May the prayer of Paul be mine and yours as well:

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. Phillipians 3:8-9

Press on!

Is it bed time yet?

Have you ever been to kids camp as an adult? If you have, you know how I feel! Loved it......... kids jumping, singing, shouting with joy...... little hearts bending toward Jesus and light bulbs of understanding beginning to flicker and come alive! And....... holy guacamole am I tired! Dragging kids out of bed in the morning and begging them to shut up (not those exact words) and go to sleep at night..... "why are you not with a buddy", and "yes you have to bring your bible" have been trickling from my mouth in my sleep lately.

I need rest! Been there lately? Calgon, take me away! There are three forms of rest that will refresh the soul and keep me going. We all need all three on a regular basis. Deficiency in one area, even if the other areas are solid, causes a severe imbalance. These areas are: physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual. You knew that....... but do you do anything about it? Are you resting enough? Are you calming your mind and life enough? Are you talking with Jesus and enjoying peaceful conversation with him each day?

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matt. 11:28-30

I need rest, and most of it is found in Jesus. Lets get into His word this week and receive it! Do your SOAP devotions, and he will be everything we need. Like our theme from camp, lets "Take it in, and live it out"!

Peace

Coffee on me!

Jesus and coffee....... I love them both! Funny that we can use that one word to describe our attitude toward our master and our beverage choice. I wanted to share a cool note someone sent to us in which a North Pointer used a cup of coffee to SHOW the love of Jesus.


Dear North Point Church,

A couple of days ago, someone in the car ahead of me at the Clemson Road Starbucks bought my coffees and left behind a card with this e-mail. I just wanted to say "thank you" for your generosity!

Thanks again!

Best regards,

Eric

Now I don't know this person and I may never meet him, but I do know that if we all become the kind of Christ followers that look for opportunities every day to point people to Christ, our community would change one life at a time!

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Eph. 5:1-2

Make this your prayer today and see what happens!

Peace