Posted by sooner4christ on July 7, 2009
For over 2 years now we have had our weekly staff meetings at the local bakery. We spend our time discussing church business, praying, sharing stories and laughing a lot. We do this all while shoving donuts, biscuits and gravy and coffee in our mouths. We have become friends with the bakery people over the last two years and when they heard I was moving they wanted to do something special for me. So I requested a foot long maple long john which is my favorite donut. Not to be outdone pastor Eric requested a two foot long chocolate long john with nuts. I didn’t know for sure if they would actually do it or if they were joking with us but when we came in this morning for my last staff meeting they had our donuts waiting. I will just tell you I didn’t finish mine. The reason being I refused to eat it all so that I wouldn’t have to spend the rest of my day feeling miserable. Again, not to be outdone pastor Eric ate his entire donut. It was impressive and when it was done his face was tingling. I think the sugar rush was a little too much. He is pretty hyper right now. I thought it was pretty awesome for the local bakery to do that as a going away gift for me. We will miss them. If you are ever in Warrenton stop by Hometown Bakery. They have THE BEST biscuits and gravy. Oh, and their long john’s aren’t to shabby either.
Customers were actually taking pictures of our donuts.
This equaled about 3 long johns
Eric's equaled about 5 long johns
Just a little left. Yes Eric ate all of his. I paced myself.
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Posted by sooner4christ on July 6, 2009
I am sitting in my office on Monday morning feeling a little sentimental because I have officially begun the whole, “this is the last time…” bit. You know like this is the last time I will have staff meeting, this is the last time I will preach, this is the last time I have to listen to Pastor Eric’s cheesy jokes. Alright that last ones not so sad. 
Taylor and I have a tremendous peace about our leaving. I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m not excited about our new opportunity in Wisconsin. We are very excited and we can’t wait to get up there. At the same time we have not already forgotten just how much the people here in Missouri mean to us. They are amazing people who have loved us and become our friends. We will miss them tremendously and we intend, to the best of our ability, to remain in touch with them.
Moving stinks. Packing boxes is no fun that is for sure but I have been thankful that we have been consistent in cleaning our our junk twice a year because it has made it much easier to pack when you don’t have to spend tons of time sorting through what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. We are moving to a much larger house than the one we have and it will definitely feel empty when we get our stuff in this because we don’t have a lot of stuff compared to most.
Sunday services went very good yesterday. It was really slim in both services but I should have expected that because it was 4th of July weekend. I wish I would have used some foresight and only had one service. Oh well. The band was still great and I felt really good about the message. I have one more message to go and it has been more difficult than I thought it would be figuring out what I’m supposed to talk about. I mean, it’s my last sermon. It’s probably the last message I will ever preach to this church. I want to get it right. We’ll just have to see what God wants to say through me. I know I can’t wait to hear.
After services we had a really busy afternoon. First we went to the Brandwein’s home for an hour or so because their son Brent was home for the weekend. Brent is an awesome kid. He is now in the Army studying to be an Apache helicopter mechanic. I had a good time eating his food and asking him a bunch of questions about what boot camp is like. My son was fascinated by their horses and fish pond. Oh and he loved their little dog Daisy. He kept going over to her to pet and kiss her. I don’t think she minded.
After the Brandwein’s we went over to the Fahland’s place. We had an AWESOME time just hanging out with them. They put together a cool final get together with the Akers and we ate lots of Casey’s pizza and desserts. We also played games. Well I mostly watched. They had washers and one of our friends, Malea, put together some silly games that involved cheese puffs, marshmallows and shaving cream. It got a little crazy but it was fun to watch. We also played some 80’s trivia which was a lot of fun. I was actually surprised with how much we all knew considering the majority of the group were just little kids during the 80’s. We were asked something like 80+ questions and combined we got 70 right. I would say that’s pretty good. It was a lot of fun although my team lost 32 to 38. We only lost because the other team cheated. 
Well that’s all I have to say this week. My week is going to be spent packing and getting ready to move next Monday. Peace out.
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Posted by sooner4christ on July 6, 2009
If you haven’t read part one you may do so HERE.
I often think back to my cross country experience because when I am struggling with life, temptation, people it reminds me to keep fighting through and finish strong. I Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Whenever I read that verse I am reminded that everything I do in life whether it’s running a race, preaching a sermon, fixing a car, surfing the web, talking to people I need to do it all for the glory of God. I work hard not for me but for God’s glory and because of that I need to finish strong. I love people for God’s glory, I spend hours upon hours in sermon preparation for God’s glory, I go to school for God’s glory, I love my wife and children for God’s glory, I spend money wisely for God’s glory, I pay taxes for God’s glory. I do none of these things for me or my personal benefit I do them all to the absolute best of my ability for God’s glory.
When I ran cross country I vowed to never again finish weak. And yeah we had a great year BUT looking back I now realize my motivation and reasoning to finish strong was selfish. I wanted to finish strong so that I wouldn’t have to experience the embarrassment of losing again. I ran and trained for me. Now, as an adult, who likes to believe he’s matured a little since high school understand that I do nothing for me but instead I do all things to the best of my ability for Him. I do this because Christ Jesus has saved me from sin and hell. He has covered me with His merciful love and grace. I am redeemed, reborn, sanctified and now driven to finish the race called life strong because I want to glorify God. I want people to see his love and mercy and grace in my life. I want them to see there is hope. I want them to see there are people who truly care. I want them to see through me that they too can be saved if they will only repent and believe. Being a Christian isn’t easy. Running from sin and temptation can be very difficult at times. But if we want to finish strong we must wake up everyday choosing Christ. So I say again whatever you have to do today finish strong. Don’t complain, don’t whine, don’t have a bad attitude, don’t grumble or gossip. Be thankful, be joyful because you have been saved by grace and FINISH STRONG for Jesus because He FINISHED STRONG for you.
Let us look to the example of Paul who gave his life to serving Christ with everything he could muster. In the end when his life was about to end Paul could hold his head high because he had finished his race strong. He had done everything he was asked to do. He took beatings that none of us could imagine. He loved people, planted churches and preached the Gospel. Above all other things that we do in life and work hard to finish strong in let us first ask ourselves, “am I doing all I can with all the energy I can muster to serve God and love others? Am I on the path that at the end of my life I will be able to hold my head high like Paul and know that I have finished strong for my Savior?”
As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
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Posted by sooner4christ on July 2, 2009
I will never forget my first cross country race. It was the first year my small private Christian school had a cross country team. We didn’t even have uniforms. Well I take that back. We had the track shirts from the 80’s and we had to wear our own black shorts. We were a pretty rag tag group. We definitely got a lot of stares as we walked around looking lost and being in awe of all the other schools who had had cross country for 30+ years. To say we were intimidated was an understatement. Also to say we did bad would be another understatement. We were horrible. We had no idea how to run or work together as a team. We knew nothing about how to start a race, set a pace or finish strong. We had no idea how to breath right, relax muscles, and keep your arms below 90 degrees. We got toasted. As a team we finished dead last and as an individual I finished 34 out of 42 runners.
When it was over I didn’t say anything to anyone. I just got in my car and thought to myself as I looked at all the people, “never again.” From that moment on myself and the team committed to never finish that weak again. We started training together and as individuals. We got up at 4:00am to run before school. We started eating better and our coach put together a weekly running schedule for us. When the next race came not only did we finish strong, we won the race as a team. I finished in 5th. All in all our team won 4 out of 7 races that first season and I never finished worse than 5th place. Most times I lost to my own team mates which was fine with me.
When we made it to state we were no longer the under dogs we were the ones teams were gunning for. We went from being laughed at to having articles written about us in Oklahoma Track and Field magazine. Sadly, we didn’t win state. We finished in 5th as a team, but we ran our hearts out, we finished strong and we set the pace for those who would take our place. Since that first year where we were the laughing stock of the Oklahoma High School Cross Country world the OBA men’s team has gone on to win multiple state championships. In fact they just won state again in 2008. I can’t tell you how honored I am to have been a part of the beginning of something like that. Nobody believed in us but now nobody is laughing.
Stay tuned for the spiritual application in part 2….
If you're wondering those muscles are long gone. Taken in 1999
Oklahoma Bible Academy 2008 State Champions- LOOK UNIFORMS!!
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Posted by sooner4christ on July 2, 2009
I “borrowed” this post from Tim Stevens who is the Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church. I thought it was a good read. I have definitely felt these frustrations in trying to get volunteers for our children’s ministry.
Parent: “I’m Not Cut Out for Volunteering in Kids’ Ministry”
Since co-writing Simply Strategic Volunteers with Tony Morgan, one question that always comes up is whether a church should require parents to serve in the children’s ministry. This sentiment was worded well by a recent commenter here on LeadingSmart.com. They wrote,
I am a children’s director who spends a lot of time recruiting parents to serve in our ministry. When I hear people say, “I’m just not cut out for it”– it makes me sick. We invest hundreds of hours in your kids a year, and you can’t give up an hour of your time to help kids begin and grow a friendship with Jesus. I think it is pathetic! The church is the hope of the world. Let’s act like it.
I totally get that frustration. I’ve heard it many times and know of several churches which have an expectation that all parents volunteer somewhere in the ministry where the kid is being served.
I have a little different take on that. Let me ask…
- Do you really want adults serving in your kids’ rooms who perhaps don’t even like kids?
- Do you think others on the team will enjoy it if some of your volunteers are there only because of coercion…not because of passion or interest?
- Wouldn’t you rather have adult volunteers who love kids and have a passion for using their gifts with your children?
It is my guess the children’s director who wrote that comment would say, “Of course I’d rather have passionate volunteers. But that’s not the world I live in. Every week I scrape the barrel to get enough volunteers just to have safe classrooms!” I may be putting words in his mouth, but those are the words I hear from many struggling children’s leaders.
The problem comes down to culture. It takes a volunteer-centric culture in the entire church, from top to bottom, to build a ministry that is truly focused on plugging people in positions where they are wired by God. Without that, a scarcity mindset takes over and we shift to turf-guarding and silo-building. And that produces frustration, bitterness and cynicism on a church staff–which no one likes to be around.
If it were me, and my only control was over the children’s ministry, I would focus for the next semester on transitioning my entire volunteer team to only people who loved kids, had a passion for the ministry, and were truly gifted in areas we needed in the classroom. Get rid of everyone else. In the short-term, it will be awful. You will be short-staffed and there will be many things you can’t do. But in the long-term, when you have classrooms full of happy, energized volunteers–you will see other gifted and passionate people lining up to sign up.
No one wants to be on the team where the only requirement was the ability to make a baby. Everyone wants to be on a high-performing, fun-filled team.
What say you?
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Posted by sooner4christ on July 1, 2009
Many have heard of Westboro Baptist Church. They are famous for picketing at soldier’s funerals and pretty much condemning all people to hell. They are led by “pastor” Fred Phelp’s. Well I ran across this video of a song the “church” recorded to the music of Michael Jackson’s We Are The World. To say this is disturbing is an understatement. It breaks my heart to see people brainwashed with such heretical teaching. They give a false picture of who Jesus really is. My heart breaks for them because they are so blinded and I pray with everything in me that they will be broken by God’s grace and truth before it is too late.
DISCLAIMER: This video isn’t suitable for children.
done
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Posted by sooner4christ on July 1, 2009
There have been two statements made by pastors, whom I respect, in the last few weeks that have really spoken to me. The first is from Mark Batterson. He just recently wrote a blog about building altars to God and altars to self. He quotes I Samuel 14:35 which says, “Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first of the altars he built to the Lord.” Then in the very next chapter, 15:12, it says, “Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, ‘Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then went on to Gilgal.’” It seems to me like Saul was a little confused. He setup an altar to God but then he setup an altar to himself.
Pastor Mark then says, “There is a fine line between thy kingdom come and my kingdom come.” That challenged me greatly and it should challenge all Christians. Do we wake up everyday to do what we do so that we can be glorified or so that Christ can be glorified? Do I work hard for me or do I work hard for him? Do I do good works so that others will recognize my righteousness or do I do them because the gospel has so invaded my being that I have to do good works so that Christ can be glorified through me? What I see in evangelicalism right now is a lot of altars being built for man instead of God. The church is now mirroring the culture in that we are glorifying the man and not the maker. When you see websites where the pastors face is plastered all over you know right away that the church is about the man and not the maker. When thousands gather to hear a person preach pragmatism and law yet rarely mention the cross of Christ, sin, death, humility, grace and suffering then you know the church is about building altars to man and not the maker.
When the church is built around business models and the next big idea rather than Jesus Christ and him crucified then you know it’s about the man and not the maker. I love seeing God move in churches AND I also believe there must be order in churches. I love seeing these churches explode in number and see hundreds coming to know Christ. I feel no jealousy in that. I used to but I don’t anymore because I know that the temptation to grow arrogant would be big in myself so I give glory for what I am given instead of focusing on what I don’t have. I think it’s awesome to see God move in many of these new churches. But let’s give God the glory for that and not the man behind the mic. Let’s remember that it is only by God’s grace that we have anything in this life. It is only by God’s grace that we can be saved. It is only by God’s grace that I have the home, family, car, job that I do. It is only by God’s grace that I am saved from death and hell. It is only by God’s grace that I have any hope what so ever in this life and the one after. You and I must remember that. Without Christ we are nothing and we deserve nothing. We must not build altars to ourselves and spend time celebrating ourselves and our personal accomplishments. We must not waste time worshipping the man behind the mic. Because listen, the Lord may do amazing things through my ministry but in the end I will face judgement just like everyone else. I will be on my face worshipping Jesus just like everybody else. All of these great men and women of God who are worshipped as spiritual guru’s by thousands will also one day be on their faces worshipping Jesus just like everybody else.
And one day, no matter how successful you get in this life and how popular you are you too will be on your face worshipping Jesus.
There is a great misunderstanding in evangelicalism today that says if you aren’t growing to a thousand plus church then you are failing. I think that is one of the dumbest beliefs. But we believe it because we are a numbers driven culture. Which leads to what the second pastor I admire said. Pastor Matt Chandler once said and I am paraphrasing, “Maybe God’s wrath against us is that he lets us build mega churches that are centered on us.” Let that sink in. Maybe God let’s us build altars to ourselves and in our sinfulness and arrogance we are made blind. We believe we are building altars to Jesus but it’s really about us.
My prayer is that every day when you wake up you are motivated to do what you do because you want to build altars of worship to God and not to yourself. Keeps your eyes on Christ in everything. I don’t care if it’s your family, job, church keep your eyes focused on Jesus, worshipping Jesus and remember that without Jesus we are nothing.
Pride ends in humiliation,while humility brings honor. Proverbs 29:23
God blesses those who are humble,for they will inherit the whole earth. Matthew 5:5
And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. I Peter 5:5-6
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Col. 3:12
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Phil. 2:3
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Posted by sooner4christ on June 29, 2009
It was great being back in the pulpit at WWC. I definitely felt a little rusty not being there for a couple of weeks. My message was very simple but one that has challenged me in the past. I asked the question, “Are you a fan of God or a follower of God?” We looked at the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10 who wanted to know how to obtain eternal life. He wanted to get to heaven by his works but Jesus wanted all of him. He wanted him to be willing to give up everything for Jesus. The rich ruler didn’t like that idea and went away sad. He liked Jesus, he wanted to get to Heaven but he was just a fan because he wasn’t willing to truly give up everything to become a follower of Jesus.
We had 5 or 6 come forward after first service which was awesome to see. I always love seeing people being broken not by my words but by the Spirit of God moving in them.
Saturday night we had Lara Landon come and give a great show for our church. Lara is an up and coming new artist who is from California but currently lives in Nashville where she is singing professionally and has her first album being released in September by her record label. She is incredibly talented and definitely worth following. She came to 1st service Sunday and did a special that was very powerful. We also gathered around her as a church to lay hands on her and pray as she begins, what will surely be, a roller coaster ride of work and emotion in her ministry as a professional singer. I want to thank all of those from WWC who came out to support our Higher Ground young adult ministry and Lara.
Sunday was a HUGE day for both WWC and my family. WWC was meeting immediately following second service to vote on their potential next pastor. I am excited to announce the church was very unified and voted 58 to 3 in favor of calling Pastor Don Hodgson and his family to be the next lead pastor of WWC. I have worked with Pastor Don in South Dakota and believe he is a very good man and will do great things here for the Gospel.
It was also a big day for my family as we were being voted on at Sand Lake in Wisconsin. The members of Sand Lake Wesleyan Church in Holmen, Wisconsin voted 68 to 2 in favor of calling me to be their next lead pastor. Taylor and I are very excited about our new ministry opportunity. Although we are incredibly sad to leave behind the many friends we have made here in Warrenton we know, without a doubt, going to Wisconsin is God’s will for our lives. We don’t know what he has in store for us but we are excited to find out. We will be moving on July 13th.
We are experiencing a lot of change in our lives right now but we trust the Lord is going to do some incredible things at both Sand Lake and Warrenton Wesleyan. I am just thrilled that He allowed me to play a small part in history of Warrenton Wesleyan.
Unfortunately some sad change had to happen for us as well. We decided to not take one of our dogs, Ali, with us to Wisconsin. We will be moving into a parsonage with no fence and sitting very close to an elementary school and we thought it would be safer if we found a good home for her instead. We put an ad in the paper and the very first caller wanted her. They are a very nice retired couple. We spent about half an hour with them and we couldn’t be more happy with the home we have sent Ali too. I know that even as I type this she is probably being spoiled to death and loving it.
Finally, please continue to pray for us. Two things have been accomplished so far, get a job and find a home for Ali. We still have one BIG thing left to deal with and that is the selling of our home. We are praying desperately for God to move quickly in this situation. We are sooooooo thankful we have a parsonage to move into otherwise we would be in some serious financial trouble. God has provided for us perfectly so far and I don’t expect his perfect streak of provision to end anytime soon. But it definitely doesn’t hurt to get the saints praying. God bless!
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Posted by sooner4christ on June 25, 2009
I want to encourage you to read some recent post from some of the other pastors I follow on the web.
Pastor Mark Batterson really spoke to me on this post about rejection.
Pastor Tim Stevens nailed it with this post on the high expectations we pastors put on people. This is what happens when church becomes more about business models and numbers instead of Jesus and people.
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Posted by sooner4christ on June 23, 2009
Just wanted to post a couple pics of the kids that Taylor took on our trip home from Wisconsin. They are so cute!
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