October 2007 Entries
30th High School Reunion
In a matter of two hours I will begin my trek up to Long Island, NY to attend my HS 30th anniversary reunion.  Hard to believe 30 years have flown by -- its crazy!  The last time I went back was in 2002 at the 25th and to be honest it was a bust!  Hardly anyone showed up and the ones that did were not very engaged.  BUt it is five years later and I am willing to give a second try. I guess the reason I want to go is redemptive in nature. You see I was not a very good witness in HS -- no let me restate that -- I was not a witness.  I have many regrets and hope that I can go back and reconnect with people that I use to know.  They always give me this --- "You are a PASTOR!?!" look!!! Not to mention aks we a couple of times..."A Doctorate?" Lets hope and pray that some will show up and we will have a conversation on how things are different now then when I was in HS!
posted @ Thursday, October 18, 2007 6:55 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Youth
Consistency in the Christian Life
Prior to this BLOG -- I wrote a weekly devotional that was sent to our church family -- from time to time I am going to dust off one of those little gems and share it with the blogasphere.  Below is one I wrote in 2005 -- the topic was consistency......
Do you ever feel like life is a see-saw and you are being pulled from one side to the other? You just get something resolved and another thing pops up that needs your attention. You get one relationship healed and growing and then you have another one go haywire? You get growing in your walk with Christ and then you stumble? I read something this morning that I was amazed to read…
 
2 Peter 1:10-11 (NASB95)
10     Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
11     for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
 
Peter is challenging his readers that consistency in the Christian life is a sure way to not stumble…but isn’t that the problem. When I am inconsistent as a believer - I have already stumbled! My stumbling is my inconsistency. It is like saying that the only way to get over the fear of flying is to fly! I picture a man standing at the opening of the plane for hours contemplating boarding the plane and really wanting to board but not being able to do so. He is stuck! But wait, Peter slipped in a qualifier to the passage: “For as long as you practice these things…” Practice means to give it a try, to make an attempt, to rehearse something that later will be done for real. WHAT THINGS? They are listed in the previous verses…
 
5     Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
6     and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
7     and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
8     For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:4-8 (NASB95)
 
Peter tells us that we should be practicing these things consistently in our lives.  What do they mean?
 
•     Diligence…an earnest attention to what is expected – do what you know you must do!
•     Faith…a full commitment to Christian teaching – trust and obey!
•     Moral excellence…literally, “virtue,” or goodness – do the right things!    .
•     Knowledge…understanding drawn from God’s revelation – you can’t live the Word if you’re not in the Word!
•     Self-control…the ability to “hold yourself in.” It’s better to hold back and discipline yourself!
•     Perseverance…steadfastness in the face of opposition. Don’t give up!
•     Godliness…conduct that shows we are aware of God’s presence. Remember, He is watching you!
•     Brotherly kindness…real affection for our fellow Christians. Are you demonstrating that kind of affection to one another in the Body this week?
•     Love…a real commitment to do good to others. Express love to all you come into contact with!
 
Then Peter gives us a promise saying that such qualities will “keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 8). The more we practice them, the greater knowledge we will have of Christ. The person who is fully committed to living for Jesus is unlikely to be drawn away to follow false teachers or ungodly living – aka “stumbling.” Rather, it is the inconsistent, lukewarm and indifferent Christian who is susceptible. So what you and I need to do is to give it a try, rehearse these things and over time they will be perfected in us! I know when I have been rehearsing for a drama, I have to keep going over a line and over time I will get it! It’s the practice that makes perfect! I think that is the same when it comes to consistency in the Christian life!
 
You might be thinking like me at this moment, “I hear that but can I really do that?” Peter again has the answer to that question. Look at verse 4…
 
4     For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Not only should we practice these things, God has given us the power to do so through salvation when He imparted to us His divine nature. He not only asks us to do these things, He gives us the ability to do them! Not a bad deal. All so that we will not stumble!
You know we have so much inconsistency and tossing from one thing to the next in our lives that we need some stability. Spiritual stability is available. That is really encouraging! But better yet, we can experience that stability – that is even more encouraging!!! Why not give it a try this week? Look over the list of practices for consistent living that Peter has given us. Which one can you work on this week? Then pick one for next week. But keep working on this week’s as well. Then the third week, add another and keep the first two going and so on and so on…until you have all nine mastered! My guess is that the whirlwind of the world will be whipping around you but you will be living with a soul anchored to the rock of your salvation – the Lord Jesus.
posted @ Thursday, October 18, 2007 6:43 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Spiritual Growth
Insights from Getz Weekend
This past weekend we had our first pastor’s conference at NewSong. Some 140 pastors and leaders joined with us to have Dr. Gene Getz share rich truths about leading the church. As I awoke this morning I had so many of the insights from this weekend flying around my brain. I figure that it would be helpful to take a moment and crystallize what five insights stood out this weekend. Here they are:
1.     Ecclesiology is the key to understanding every other doctrinal tenet.
As he began to talk on Saturday, he made this incredible statement. He believes that all other doctrine can not be understood with a clear and precise ecclesiology. Ecclesiology is the study of the church. Gene said that the New Testament is a story about the church; about Jesus coming to establish the church and the rest of the NT explaining how to grow and sustain its health. If that is true, and I believe it is, then you must interpret scripture with the filter of what the church is.
2.     The Bible can bring the like-mindedness that you long for in the church.
Gene believes that we must build a philosophy of ministry by starting with a comprehensive examination of the Biblical story. When that happens in the learning community of church leaders, the principles of church health will surface. By doing it together oneness and unity will be formed. Once the scriptural principles are found, the lens of history can be viewed to determine what has been tried and what works. Finally the lens of culture is consulted. Really you are determining how to express the scriptural principle in today’s culture. By never forget it all starts with a unifying study of the Bible.
3.     Women need training just like men do.
I was really convicted of this. In my attempt to motivate men to grow and mature into leaders, I have de-emphasized the need to train and develop the women in our church. Gene really challenged me to help deepen our women and help them reach their leadership potential – especially the wives of elders and pastors.
4.     Long term health of a church can happen – as long as the primary leader focuses on the future.
I hate to say it – “speed of the leader (esp. the pastor) – speed of the team (the church)!!! I have avoided such talk in the past but I have also known the reality of the statement. Getz told the story of how he transitioned the church into the hands of his successor. What a testimony of his grace, humility and wisdom. He serves as a model. But as he spoke I also realized of how many horror stories I have heard of pastors leaving churches after great ministries and leaving bad. All their life’s work goes up in smoke amidst disunity, pettiness and carnality. Getz said, “I told the Elders when I need the church, more than it needs me – its time for me to go!” Its that kind of selfless love and humble spirit that allows a church to last generationally!
5.     Emergent Church makes the mistake of starting with culture and then trying to find what the Bible says. Seeing that the post modern/emergent church is the latest fad on the scene of evangelical Christianity – I was interested in his position. He told a group of us at dinner on Saturday that the problem with the Emgrent Church is that it starts with culture and then tries to find room for the Bible to fit into is cultural conclusions. It makes the cultural observations the absolutes of the day, instead of surfacing the NT imperatives for church life and structure and wrapping it with relevant forms. God gives us freedom in Christ to try different forms, but if those forms are not fulfilling Biblical functions – they are hollow and meaningless.
Like I said this weekend – Getz is a treasure. If you desire to get copies of all the teaching CDs from the weekend, contact info@newsongfellowship.net and request an order form.
posted @ Tuesday, October 09, 2007 5:06 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: NewSong Post modern/Emergent Leadership Development
NewSong West's First Day in a New Home!

Sunday, October 7th is a day that the members of NewSong West will always remember. God provided a home for their church and they had their first service that day! I have to be honest -- i was not there -- we were celebrating our anniversary at "Mother NewSong" but Pastor Bill Heistand filled me in after he had a nap.  First, let me set the stage -- they only announced last week to the church that they were moving.  The deal was sealed last week and so they announced it to the congregation and packed up all their stuff.  By the way....special thanks to Pastor Nancy and the people of Trinity Church in Mountville for allowing us the chance to get started.  They have been gracious and accomedating landlords.

Secondly, Saturday was the Columbia Bridge Bust.  They shut down the bridge connecting Columbia and Wrightstown and have stands and vendors.  It is an outdoor festival.  NewSong West has two booths and so there were 100's of contacts made!

All of that to say they opened their doors on Sunday with a full house! 140 plus in attendance -- what a blessing!  God is at work in that church.  God bless, Pastor Steve Cornell and Millersville Bible Church's generousity and wisdom in giving it to NewSong West.  They acquired the church a year ago and after praying and discerning that they were not going to start a church, they gave it to NewSong West! Wow what a spirit of unity and kindness!  May God pour out His blessing on Millerville's -- to overflowing and the same to NSFC West!

posted @ Monday, October 08, 2007 9:07 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: NewSong Anniversary
Colonoscopies: A Blessed Evil

Ok what is with this entry -- colonoscopies?  That seems a bit gross??  Well the fact is-- blogs are supposed to be where you can share what is happening in your life and people can gain an insight of who you are and what is important to you. Here is one of my core values -- Never go anywhere without a clean and clear colon!!!

In 2002, I came down with a weird infection which attached itself to the outer wall of my colon. The net-net of that infection is that 18 inches of my colon had to be removed. God graciously brought me through the experience and in October 2002 I had a follow up colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy is a procedure where a gastronrologist uses a camera (on the end of a long, flexible tube) to examine the inside of your colon looking for any abnormalities, especially cancerous polyps. Lets be mature...but the harsh reality about a colonoscopy is that the doctor send the camera via your butt!!!  Ok I said it!!!  Get over it!  I know all the jokes... "all my problems are behind me!"

No matter how gross it maybe, the fact is colonoscopies save people's lives!  56,000 people in 2006 were spared from greater and fatal cancer issues because of early detection. The worst part of the procedure is the preparation when you have to drink 64 ounces of Gatoraid laced with a laxative!  The aftermath is explosive -- it gets you in the end (sorry one of those jokes). But once you are cleaned out the actual advasive procedure is a piece of cake.

In my case, I stayed awake and watched on a TV screen what was happening.  Dr. Rosenberg found two polyps and I watched him removed them! I will get the results in a week or two, but he is confident they are benign!  However the rest of the colon is clean and clear! Praise the Lord. Just the way I like it!

Listen, our bodies are the "temple of the Holy Spirit" and when we can do something to avoid fatal outcomes we should take advantage of every medical opportunity. The really harsh fact is that colon cancer is a killer! You get it  -- you die! Yet what is really sobering is that colon cancer is one of the ffew forms of cancer that can be avoided -- but it takes a colonoscopy.

If you are over 45..... your family has a history of cancer.... or you have had digestive tract problems.... you need to get a colonoscopy.  Thanks Dr. R...your a life saver. See you in three years for a follow up -- hope you guys can invent an easier way to "clean out the premisies" -- if you know what I mean. But a little discomfort, leads to a boat load of peace.

posted @ Monday, October 08, 2007 8:56 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: Medical Issues Colonoscopy
Still Learning from Gene Getz

Little did I know how profound a grad school class would be in 1998 or that the contents of that class would be the seeds of a church today.  I was 28 yrs old and an assistant pastor in a traditional baptist church when I took my third Moody Grad School class. The class was "Church Renewal Principles" and the teacher was Gene Getz. Getz was well know having authored dozens of books. I also knew he was a former prof at Dallas Seminary and then launched a church that was planting churches all over Dallas. The class was fantatstic and the final project was designing a church, using the principles surfaced in the class, that you would envision pastoring. It was a fantastic exercise of vision casting and putting down on paper what would be the core values and imperatives that would drive the church's evangelistic and discipling strategies. I got an A on the paper.....

Fast forward 10 years, now a 38 yr old, still idealistic pastor of a group os visionaries. We began to dream together what a church should look like and I began to teach on the things that I had heard a decade later from Getz. Amazingly, they began to come to the same conclusions that I had come to and we began to unfold a church into reality, that use to be just a write dream! That was nine years ago and we praise God for the work that has been accomplished at NewSong. We celebrated that in our service yesterday and we began our tenth year of ministry....

Yesterday, Gene getz preached at NewSong. I think it was appropriate that the "Prof" who messed with the mind an idealistic young pastor and set me on a journey to lead a church I would like to attend (in a survey of pastors, it was discovered that most pastors would not attend the churches they pastored if they had a choice).  Gene was in classic form unfolding what the book of Romans says about the phrase "one another."  Now retired from Fellowship Bible Church and devoting his time to writing a study Bible and speaking extensively. He is 75 yrs old but still has fire and passion, in a low key, relaxing, confident way -- vintage Gene!

On Saturday, Getz spoke to 140+ pastors and leaders and again did his magic. We all left in awe in how he finds insights and principles that remain a mystery to most of us! I was so glad to have him in our midst. Simply so he could see the fruit of his ministry. His faithful teaching and writing has had a major impact in the evangelical world. He is a treasure to the church. Our church was not only honored but blessed with his ministry.  Thanks Gene -- may God give you many years of multipication!!!

posted @ Monday, October 08, 2007 8:37 AM | Feedback (0) | Tags: NewSong Church