When your kid gets too smart...

We started a new sermon series in our church called One Month to Live.  It is a book and series of topics that asks our church and readers to really look deep into their lives about purpose and meaning.  It is about living a life of no regrets and moving forward in relationships and in our walk with Christ.  What does Living Passionately look like for you?  That was the looming question this weekend.  You can find out more about the author at Kerry Shook .

For this series, I get to preach on the weekly topic, then we have lunch and discussion after.  This is a good format for us right now.  My prayer is that 2 groups form off of this 4 week study together and we take on various topics as we go.  For now, it becomes an "I talk, now you talk" type of format.  It is good because pastors do not usually have feedback (and sometimes don't want it) right after a message.  In this situation, it is intentional.  

As we were going around the table discussion led by our intern pastor, Derrick Wilhelmus (great guy and you should all get to know him), it came my turn to talk about what I really value in life.  I do not usually give this much thought but had a generic answer of family and God.  I thought I did pretty good but then SARAH says, "Dad, I think everyone would say that, so what else is really important."  My reply was, "Tracey, your daughter is bullying me!"  Yep, that is exactly what I said to everyone at the table, got some laughs and ready to move on.  But...SARAH the BULLY would not let it go.  She said, "no really, dad, what else?"  I had to stop and think for a little.  What was really important?  What values do I hold high enough that I make them my own, act consistently in them, and ready to argue or fight mercilessly over?  

Two such values came to mind...

1.  I value more than anything else, trust.  I know this and I have instilled it in my daughter Sarah.  Sarah can handle anything but if you say, "I don't trust you or trust what you did," it destroys her.  When she does something inconsistent with her character, she is messed up...just like her daddy.  I value trust because I value strong relationships that trust each other enough to talk openly about anything and everything in life.  If I have that, I am sailing!  When that trust is broken or the other person does not place the same value on trust, I can become very defeated.  

I can also place so much trust in someone that I miss stuff.  I want to believe everything said and done that I can be gullible at times.  This is not cool but admittedly true of me.  I think that is why God gave me the wife I have.  She is pretty good at helping me see more clearly at times.  I do not always give her credit for that but I know that is a strength about her that makes me wiser for having her in my life.  

2.  I value loyalty.  I know this because I have always tried to by a loyal person to those I worked for...to a fault I might add.  I was so loyal to one employer that I didn't know when to quit when that was what he really wanted me to do.  I worked super, extra hard to make him happy only to become more frustrated.  During that time, my wife would say, "Why are you even trying so hard?  He doesn't seem to care, so why should you?"  She didn't understand the high value I placed on loyalty...to a fault!  ;-)  So...Tracey was right, but so was I!  (or something like that...)   

       

Ultimate Fighter

Below is my talk from Sunday.  It addresses each topic we will cover in detail during our new series, Ultimate Fighter.  I hope you will join us!

The Ultimate Fighter

·         Jesus challenged false motives.

“You’re blessed when you get your inside world – your mind and heart – put right.  Then you can see God in the outside world.”  Matthew 5:8 – Message

“Appearances don’t impress me.  I x-ray every motive and make sure you get what’s coming to you.” Revelation 2:23 – Message

·         Jesus confronted religious systems.

Talking of the Pharisees Jesus said this, "Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.  When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure - 'playactors' I call them - treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks.  Just do it - quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.”                                                                            Matthew 6:1-4 – Message

“There should be no such word as 'atheism'.  If ridiculous people would stop inventing gods, then rational people would not have to deny them.”         

                                                         Twitter – Ricky Gervais

One reply…”I have no problem with the concept of faith, it is religion I reject.”

Unfortunately, Ricky Gervais is right about so many invented gods but has not accepted in the One True God.  His thoughts do mirror many in our world who are sick of religion.  Jesus confronted these systems by simple faith in Him and a change for all to worship Him in "Spirit and in Truth". 

·         Jesus fought against violence & suffering.

"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best - the sun to warm and the rain to nourish - to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.”

Matthew 5:38-45 – Message

·         Jesus wrestled traditions.

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body.  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." 

Matthew 26:26-29

·         Jesus defeated death. 

“Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”  John 11:25-26

Tale of Two...

I entered 2012 with new determination and hunger for what God could and would with me and in our church.  I approached the year with enthusiasm and an underlying cry for a church that is ready to move forward.  We have seen God do some incredible things and we have been basking in the glory of growth.  

The new series came with the cry of my heart.  I wanted to look at God with fresh faith and vigor.  I especially wanted us to consider what mind we were working through.  The Tale of Two..series began with exploring the 2 natures we have wrestling within us.  We can be carnal or spiritual.  We can look at things through natural eyes and ways of doing life or we can focus on Christ and look to Him for answers to our journey in life.  Why is this so important?  We have to follow so close to Christ that priorities in life make sense, we can share the love of Christ without reservation, and know what action to take in every area of life.  I want spiritual minds and passions at work because we want to see people come to Christ in salvation and baptism.  There is no greater cause!  I want everyone in our church to dream and plan for the future with spirituals minds and hearts.  

I mentioned growth and excited about it!  The carnal mind would want to take credit for this or complement our church for hard work but the spiritual mind KNOWS the God builds His church and the success is by Him and Him alone.  You can see how important this natural and spiritual struggle can be.  I continue to pray today because I still want everyone in my influence to think and act spiritually.  Wouldn't things fall into place if we were spiritually minded?  

What I thought was the way to start the year is now the prayer of my heart for the entire year.  Can we be spiritually minded so those thoughts control our emotions and dictate our actions?  Wish I could say I have been good at it but "sliding all over the ice" already this year.  :-)  But I know if I fail, I have a heavenly father who helps me up and gets me on the right track again!  My goal is to be spiritually minded...

Romans 8:5-9  5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Surviving the Tornado

Burlington Community Church has been going through some changes as we have seen God send us more people.  We have entitled the November series, Tornado Survival for Dummies.  This is a series designed to go through the storms of doctrine that sway a person with "every wind of doctrine."  My initial purpose was to teach and preach about the foundations and truths that will always guide our vision and purpose.

The series has taken a turn because I started to think systemically about the church and how to survive storms so we (as a church) stand strong.  We began with restating our vision.  This is a good place to start so we know what we are standing firm on.  BCC is Building Community in Christ!  We are to build each other up in faith, reach out to our community all for the cause of Christ and the changes He has made in our lives!  What a wonderful way to think through what God has done for us.  

Today, I focused on a Servant's Heart and what that means.  Commitment and to each other and service makes all the difference in the world!  It is also what bonds our hearts together in Christ.  I am the closest and strongest with those who I serve and serve with.  That bond is the strength like a rock that can stand the winds and storms.  

Next week we finally get to the doctrinal pieces.  It is not enough to have a vision and commitment.  It MUST be anchored in the Word of God and the truth that each church must have to stand for years to come.  We are proud of our church and can't wait to bring this message next Sunday!

October!  This month holds some very busy but fun memories for Tracey and me.  We used to lead a big event at our church in Virginia called Trunk or Treat.  It was a lot of fun and had a lot going on in a 2 hour window of time that ended with a professional fireworks display.  What a fun thing to do for trick or treaters and church families.  We had as many as 7000 in attendance one year but that crowd was a little overwhelming.  

Though we are not doing something that grandiose in Burlington, we are hosting a series of Sunday sermons called, Beyond the Grave.  A man who just started coming to our church and reconnecting after years away from the Lord did some great artwork for us.  Very happy to have him around.  

For this series, we are going to explore messages from people beyond the grave.  Hollywood has given its spin on these concepts through character popular to teenagers.  In the last few years, there has been a fascination with vampires, werewolves, zombies and other beyond the grave creatures.  Why not show what the Bible has to say about this and what really happens Beyond the Grave.  It is a scary reality unless you have faith in Christ.  

One Year!

Burlington Community Church is one year old!  We have had some tremendous things happen and have to praise God for all the He has done.  We could not have come this far if He were not our guide.  The Bible says it is foolish to build on any other foundation than Christ so that is what we have tried to do.  

On August 28, 2011, we had 64 in attendance!  To have that many is incredible and it is the highest attendance we have enjoyed so far.  There were a lot of guests both from Burlington and other places.  It is always a blessing to have family around and my parents were there to celebrate with us.  Tracey's mom also made the trip up from Windsor with an old friend from years ago.  I really appreciated them being there!

Allan Gallant and his group from Church By The Canal came to worship with us for the day.  This church planted last fall and will soon celebrate their one year anniversary.  There are a number of us who are partners in ministry and watching God work in our churches.  We are blessed to have other pastors starting churches and reaching out to help each other.  Allan and others are becoming great friends in ministry up here.   

Tom and Tammy Haines from FEB Central were also there.  Tom helped us get the paperwork and process done to become a legal entity in Canada.  Not only that, but he brought a check to pay off our sound system.  What a blessing to have that bill behind us so we can use our funds in greater outreach ways.  

Finally, some sweet friends from Fair Oaks Church showed up to encourage us.  The King family and Jackie Jones and some of her family arrived that morning.  We did not know they were coming but so thankful they made the trip.  To complete the day of Fair Oaks Church visitors, we were blessed to have so many great wishes from the staff and friends via video.  Pastor Stokes completed the video with his greeting.  The video was such a hit for our church family that 2 couples will probably take a trip to visit VA this fall.  I am looking forward to them getting some ideas and support from our home church!

All in all, it was a day of celebration for the things God has done.  We are working hard talking to the Burlington guests and asking them to be a part of what we are doing.  Some of these guests still need to make a faith commitment to Christ so we are busy in our witness too.  We pray we are double our size in a month then moving forward to greater things in year 2!

Looking Back

I have had a lot of reflection lately as we approach the 1 year anniversary of the Burlington Community Church. I had been warned of the difficulties of the first year as a church planter and even more so when it is just your family to start. As I think through what we have accomplished and how much there is still to do, I can get overwhelmed but have a sense of joy for the things God has done!

When I look back over the year, we have had a lot of activities and lives we have touched along the way. From neighbors we met at the beginning to church attenders, we have met people that have enriched and blessed our lives! We have seen 3 salvation decisions and hope to see more before the year is out. We are approach

ing our first baptism service and will baptize a man who has become so faithful in the church and helping with our music ministry. There are times that his growth in the Lord has been the fuel to my passion for ministry here.

Soon, another man in our church will take a post as a minister in prisons in Hamilton. He has his orientation soon and will begin leading men to Christ in that setting. Praise the Lord for that! He and I have been meeting weekly for prayer and Bible study since the church began. I love to see a committed Christian who grew up in church take a position of service. I wish all who grew up in church would see that potential and press on in Christ!

My daughters have grown in the Lord. They have a place of service and using their voices and talents for the Lord weekly. I cannot begin to describe the gift God has given this church with the work they and Tracey do.

Tracey has been helping in every aspect of ministry here and I am VERY thankful for her in my life! Last week we celebrated 21 years of marriage. Her mother and brother came up from Windsor and took us to dinner to celebrate.

Tracey is not only helping me but she has picked up a position for Toronto Church Planting. She is an administrator for them and helping us connect with more support organizations. I am so thankful for her drive and determination in this area of ministry in Canada.

We have been blessed by FEB Central helping us get planted and a group to fellowship with too. This church planting group helped us file paperwork to begin our church, took me to a conference and connected us with a group of pastors I have enjoyed working with. This group helped me get my credentials to marry people in Ontario too. Enjoying the networks God has used to help me.

Finally, we have been blessed by Fair Oaks Church that has taken care of my salary and some to begin this work in the GTA. Pastor Stokes has been there when I called for help and offers excellent advice! We had the Vision TO Team up from Fair Oaks here last summer, Mike and Brenda Zizolfo in the fall, Brooks and Izzy (and Bella) Franklin around Thanksgiving time to help with an outreach, Jenny Alt up for a visit during Christmas, Christian, Stephanie and the youth group up for a missions trip and dodge ball tournament early April, Jim and Fran Clifton dropped in during a business trip in Rochester, NY, and Phil and Amber Bassham (Penny and Nate too) and Taylor Boose up for Ceilidh's graduation and tech ministry support in June. Very grateful for Fair Oaks Church support!

Though it has taken a lot to carve out what little we have now, we are praying for God to open the windows of heaven and bless u

s more in year #2! Our highest attendance was 50 this year and lowest 8. If you haven't been up to visit, consider coming to our Anniversary Sunday! It is August 28th!

Lord Bless You and keep us in your prayers!!!