a big move . . . an exciting adventure

God has been challenging me over the past few months to ‘live the adventure’. To take every moment in and to not just go thru the routines of life, but live every moment on purpose. I have been asking Him exactly what this looks like in our life at this point. We were invited to join the staff at Riverside 2 and 1/2 years ago. It has been such a growing experience and a major learning experience for our family. A month ago we were invited to visit The Oaks to see what God was doing in their church and if that might be a place God was leading us to. This past week we have accepted a position to be Pastors for the Gathering which is the young adult ministry at the Oaks. We are so excited, a little nervous, but confident this is the next step God has for us. We are going to miss being in Illinois. We have so many friends spread across the state in ministry that we have made the past 10 years.

I know for us this is living the adventure. This is following the voice of God into the unknown. We already have made so many friends in Texas because that is where I met Sara and attended Bible College. Please pray with our family as we walk thru these next few months of transition. We are stepping out to follow God’s voice. I know that these next days will be the best of our lives.

churches that are tearing it up . . . that i am loving

One of my great passion is the bride of Christ.  I am in love with the church.  I love reading stories, hearing sermons about churches that have caught the heart of God in reaching their community.   here are a few
[i have excluded my church, not from a lack of love, but not to sound prideful, this is a look outside of my church]

Cornerstone Church Simi Valley Teaching Pastor Francis Chan
I first got to hear Francis at the Orange Conference.  He was that speaker to me that stood out from among the rest.  He didn’t just come to speak at a conference.  But wanted to speak God’s word into our spirit.  It was different and challenging.  I immediately subscribed to the podcast.  Unstoppable Force:  This church is real and authentic in living out the church in the book of Acts.  I feel they represent what Christ’s church should be like in our nation.  Being Jesus to the broken and poor

Orchard Valley Church  Lead Pastor Scott Hodge
I had a few friends that told me about what Scott was doing in the suburbs of Chicago.  Evan & Tim – I read the story of this church and what God was doing and I immediately felt like this was a powerful story of what the church should be.  I recently got to hang out with Scott during our Related Leaders Conference.  I know that Scott is one of the most innovative and missional pastors I have meet in a long time.
Unstoppable Force:  Creative,  Innovative, and Missional.  Not afraid of change.

Generation Church:  Pastor Judah Smith
I had heard about Pastor Judah from a conference that I was attending.  i also read an article in a youth ministry magazine about spirit filled youth ministries.  Judah Smith’s sermons are refreshing and challenging.  He doesn’t hold back.  In the midst of students ministries that are struggling, and questioning ministry philosophies, Judah is bold in preaching, and calling for a lifestyle of holiness. I love there passion and desire to continue to reach students far off from God.
Unstoppable Force:  Spirit Filled, A call to holiness, and Passion for students that are far from God.

Oaks Fellowship:  Pastor Scott Wilson
This is a visionary church.  This church does ministry on purpose.  Although they don’t claim to have all the answers, they are great at engaging in conversations, and breaking new ground into the future.  They are a church that is striving to find the balance of being creative and biblically engaging.
Unstoppable Force:  Multi-site, Visionary, Creative, and Practical in reaching out.  Growing in structures and systems to become more effective

Are there churches that you are following that are changing their community, and leading the way in new ideas?  Would love to hear about them.

a random call to evangelism

had a great talk yesterday with a youth pastor from a city that is close to us.  he just called out of the blue without much connection before our phone call.  we had a great talk about evangelism.  big events, and large outreaches were the center of our discussion.  how do you cover follow-up?  do you present opportunities for salvation just once during that night?  how do you equip students to be the one that is leading them to christ as opposed to one speaker up front?

my heart was stirred once again with a passion to reach out to students.  but as we talked i was more convinced that no one should ever be at an altar alone.  the purpose is not to get a student to an altar, but into a relationship with Jesus.  i want our students to be a part of seeing their friends coming to christ.  i think that also helps with disciplining those students.  they already have a connection to come back, and someone that can talk with them about what it means to be a christian.  what are thoughts you have on bringing people to christ?  would love more voices in this conversations.

shaken to the core: So how do we start a revolution?

reading Jesus wants to Save Christians.  I was so afraid that it was going to be an expanded version of the sermon series at Mars Hill earlier this year.  It has been a great book so far.  In chapter 5 Swollen Bellied Black Babies the book goes into some statistics about where we are at in the world today.  As I am reading this and feeling shaken the list continues to go on from orphans, to water, to aids, to money we spend on random things.  It is easy to read a list like this and be moved and then move on.  but what if we are challenged to do more.  I am fighting to find a way to start a revolution.  To not just be comfortable with how we normally do things, but how do we find a way to change.  But when you have lived one way for 30 years in one culture, and the church that has been used to doing things one way for hundreds of years it will take more then just statistics.  It is a revolution we need.  So God change us from the way we are used to doing things.  God no matter how uncomfortable we get let this world look different because we are here.  God bring a revolution and let it start with me.