Monthly Archives: April 2007

The Five Most Viewed Posts of the Month

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And with no further ado the five most viewed posts of the month…

  1. After church thoughts (3-16-07) – in this post I summarized the sermon “Jesus was relevant”. This post has seen the most feedback of any post in the history of this blog.
  2. It’s not working anymore – in this post I was merely pondering what happens after what’s happening! What will the next “new thing” be and what will the creators and proponents of this “next thing” say about me/us? This post too created a lot of dialogue!
  3. Late night reflections – this was posted the Friday night before I shared the news of my resignation with our church. I’m thinking that it generated post announcement buzz plus it linked to the #1 most viewed post of the month.
  4. Why I resigned – in this post I share the thinking behind my resignation from a great church.
  5. Three ways to know when it’s time to quit – The CPR Principle – this post was written as a result of numerous discussions regarding when people should step aside from a ministry in the church. Contrary to what it might appear to be, it is not related to my decision to resign.

Honorable Mention: “What about me?” – in this post I tackle the question that is rumbling in the underworld of the church-at-large.

And there they are!

Thank you for traveling on this journey with me!

Why I resigned

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In April of 2005 I experienced one of the most amazing experiences in my life… I was appointed the Senior Pastor of Northgate church.

The journey had actually begun a few months earlier in January of 2005 when I came alongside Pastor Max Mcginnis to be mentored in my new role as Senior Pastor before he and his family left to answer God’s call to Santiago, Chili.

We had come from a smaller church (150) to a church of 600. The learning curve was obviously a big one! For five months I walked with Pastor Max and learned a ton! I memorized names from the directory, wrestled through policy manuals, read books on staffing, attended a lot of meetings, and worked a ton of hours with our awesome volunteers to get us into our new facility on time! And that was just church life!

In my own personal life we had a new baby, a new house, a new job, lots of new friends, and I started a new graduate program. Can you say WHOA! ;-)

In May of 2005 Max and his family said “Goodbye” and the transition was finalized… I became the Senior Pastor of Northgate Free Methodist church.

Our first big challenge was to get into the new facility… we did it! I loved working with you! I was so proud to be your pastor!

Over the next two years we went through multiple changes.

  • We said “Goodbye” to some staff and “Hello” to others.
  • We went from averaging 600 on the weekends to averaging over 800 on the weekends.
  • We launched a new service for 18-30 year olds at our south campus
  • We saw changes in our style of worship
  • We saw an increase in evangelism

It was an amazing two years, and yet through all of this God was stirring in my heart… a strange stirring… something that I had not anticipated… the call to church planting.

See, here’s the thing…

The “thing” ministry that totally drives me is seeing people give their lives to Christ and begin the journey… a journey that does not stop until we stand before Christ!

One of the coolest things happened in my life this year, a man that I led to Christ five years ago was approved for pastoral ministry in the Free Methodist church! There’s no greater joy! I love the journey!

I love it when people give their lives to Christ… and I’m willing to do WHATEVER it takes to lead them to Him!

Sometime ago I had a lady say to me, “It seems to me that if you had to choose between the churched and the unchurched, you would choose the unchurched.” She’s right.

Why? Because the “Churched” are “okay” (assuming that their faith is in Christ), but the “Unchurched” are not (assuming that they have not placed their faith in Christ).

I believe in Heaven and Hell. I believe that those who have placed their faith in Christ will go to Heaven and that those who have not placed their faith in Christ will go to Hell (see John 3:18 and 36).

The “churched” can go down the street to another church “doing church” the way they like it. They know how to read the Bible, pray, and of course there’s always FLN. They know where to go and what to do.

But what about those people who don’t? Where will the unchurched go? Who is reaching them? Few churches are growing because of salvation growth. In other words, most churches are not reaching the unchurched and the unsaved… and that’s not okay.

I feel a sense of desperation to bring as many people to Jesus as possible in the short time I have in this world! The words of my Leader, Jesus, sum it up for me, “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work” (John 9:4-5 NLT).

Over the last year of my life God has helped me to realize a few things:

  • I want to see the “Lost” get “Found” and I’m willing to do whatever it takes, without violating Scripture, to make that happen.
  • I am called to spend the rest of my life with a laser-tight focus on achieving this one end… Connecting the Disconnected to Christ.
  • I will fulfill this mission best “without walls” as one of my friends put it today. To pursue the “Lost” without inhibition, to do WHATEVER it takes, without violating Scripture, to reach them for my Leader, this is what calls me.

This weekend I shared with you that I have discovered that I am “Cut from a different cloth.” I was made for this one thing… to pursue the “Lost” and bring them to my Leader… and so I will.

Some have asked, “Did you resign because of someone or someones?” The answer is an unequivocal “NO!”

Here’s the scoop… wherever I have been and wherever I go, I am going to instigate and facilitate change and that will ALWAYS bring “pushback.”

If God had called me to stay and serve at Northgate… I would have done just that.

The truth is God has called me to go and start a church with a laser-tight focus on bringing the unchurched/unsaved to our Leader, Jesus.

Someone asked me, “Do you think the grass is greener on the other side?” Uhhhh… other side of what?

We are leaving a great church, a good income, good benefits, lots of friends, and a role of honor to go to…. ummmmm…. nothing. I am going to nothing but the call of God, and that’s enough.

I run from nothing. I run to the call of God on my life.

I thank you deeply for the honor of serving as your pastor.

I have learned much and am a better man for having served Christ as your pastor.

I love you deeply.

Why I resigned… coming soon

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I’m wiped out!

This weekend I shared with our church that God has called myself and “The Ladies” to plant a church, and that consequently we will be resigning effective June 30th.

I’m going to spend the next few days blogging about what all went into that decision and where we’ll be going from here.

But for right now, I’m gonna go sit in my lazy boy and watch season two of The Office.

I love you guys.

Late night reflections

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I’m up way past my bedtime… and I’ve got a few things rolling around my mind…

  • I just watched The Prestige for the second time… dang I still don’t get it!
  • This weekend’s gonna be BIG! We’re talking about “Risk” at church!
  • On Monday “The Ladies” and I are taking off for Lancaster, PA for MINE (Minister’s Institute of the Northeast). This is a retreat and teaching time for pastors and their families. This year Jim Henderson is going to be speaking.
  • I hung out with one of my buddies today and we climbed his chimney! Seriously, he’s got his chimney built like a climbing wall! We’re working on our climbing skills for the BIG climb this summer… a 600 foot climb! I can’t wait!
  • I can’t believe all the action that this post is getting!
  • It’s 12:10 a.m. this is about 2 hours later than my latest bedtime! So… see ya!

More about risk

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OK,

So this weekend we’re talking about risk and the ultimate risk-taker… Jesus!

I’m going to be sharing some upcoming “risk” around here and I’m going to be calling all of us to embrace the “risk” that Christ calls us to!

Keep this weekend in prayer… it’s gonna be a BIG one!

Jesus… risk taker

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This weekend we are talking about Jesus… the Risk Taker!

Think about it… He took a HUGE risk when He left Heaven to pursue the lost!

He chased after me, you, and St. John says, “The whole world.”

I love the fact that Jesus took a risk… He risked everything for the hope that you and I would say “Yes” to Him! (John 1:1-18)

Have you said, “Yes” to Jesus?

Are you fully surrendered to His will for your life?

Are you ready to step out and pursue His call for your life following His example… a risk taker?

Preaching…

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I’m ramping up to preach at Thursdays tonight!

We’re continuing the “Shattered…” series and tonight we’re talking about the relentless nature of Jesus!

We’ve kind of bought into this idea that “Jesus is a gentleman and He’ll accept your ‘No’ and walk away.

There is a modicum of truth there, but it is certainly NOT the full truth!

Think about the amazing chase that Christ has gone on for us! He left Heaven to come to this world and He pursues the “Lost” until they (i.e. you and me) fall down in a heap, undone by our own sin… and then He picks us up and loves us!

Jesus looks past the hurt and the pain into the deepest part of our soul and sees something redeemable!

Thank you Jesus for relentlessly pursuing me and not cutting the “chase” short the first time I said “No.”

I’m teaching from John 5:1-9  if you want to check it out.

Personal updates

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Ahhhhh… the sun is FINALLY shining!

A few “things”…

  • I’m going back to Pleasantville, PA this weekend to wrap up a class for Pastors… a Biblical studies class on the book of James. I’m looking forward to the serenity of a modern day “Mayberry.” ;-)
  • Saturday afternoon “The Ladies” and I are headed down to Georgia for a meeting with this guy. Georgia… it’s amazing how many songs talk about this place! (check them out here).
  • I just finished a good book… The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson. He discusses what it’s like to have a dream, and pursue it. It’s a quick, inspirational read.
  • Our next sermon series is going to be a good one! We’re going to work through the book of 1 John and ask this question, “How can I know for sure that I’m a Christian?” John gives four definitive marks of a Christian, and we’re going to learn them! I’m looking forward to this one!
  • I may have talked Vern and Darlene into blogging! ;-)

Whoa… let’s laugh a bit

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OK, these two posts (It’s not working anymore and After church thoughts) have been causing quite a bit of conversation!

So let’s laugh a little bit!

Perry Noble, one of my favorite bloggers, has a piece on the craziness that sometimes surrounds growing churches… my sides are hurting on this one! ;-) (read it here).

In case you’re wondering (after you read this story)… here’s what Perry looks like…

(he’s the dude on the right!)