When the race started I can tell you I was not prepared for what I was about to see.  My daughter started off at a good pace while all the other kids sprinted out in front trying to take an early lead.  After the first lap, my daughter was still running at the same pace she started with, while many of the other kids had now slowed down considerably because they had started out way too hard and fast.  After the second lap my daughter was still running about the same, but now many of the other contestants were walking because they were flat out exhausted. (There are a lot of lessons we can learn from that, but some other day.)

As the race continued to the final lap, I was happy for my daughter that she had now moved up into third place, but nothing could make me more proud of her than what I was about to see.  As she was completing her final lap and now passing some of the girls that were walking, too tired to continue on, my daughter as she was going past some of these girls paused for a moment and put her hand on each girl’s shoulder.  She told them that they could do it, that they could make it, to keep going, to finish the race.  As a dad I was floored by her actions.  Here in the midst of something at which she really wanted to excel, she took the time to notice others and be aware of their needs, even though it could jeopardize her finishing position in the race.

All of the sudden it hit me.  How often do we get so caught up in our lives, doing the things we want and need to do, that we forget to notice the world around us and look for opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives.  It’s easy for us to get so focused on what we need to accomplish that we ignore the many opportunities we have to encourage others and share God’s love.  Today I want to encourage you to not get so caught up in your own world that you don’t notice the world around you.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…”      1 Thess. 5:11 (NIV)

Pastor Lance

Worship Pastor

That being said, I can’t help but think about the seeds of faith we spread daily as we do our best to live out an example of what it means to be a Christ follower.  I also can’t help but think of the conscious effort of so many people who dropped seeds of faith and God’s love into my life at such a young age.  I am forever grateful.  

Working in children’s ministry for over 15 years now, I have had the privilege to see some of the seeds I have planted develop and grow in young children to teenagers, and even in young adults that are doing amazing things for God.  There is nothing more rewarding in ministry.

I admit sometimes though, I doubt if the things I am planting today into the hearts of young children will take root and grow.  Sometimes there are days when I ask myself if anything will come of this. But I do know God’s Word is faithful and true, so I will continue to plant.  Even though sometimes I may not see anything right away, I believe there will be a day when God’s Word “germinates” inside the heart of a child and they begin to grow into the fullness of God’s plan for their life.  

Meanwhile, I will watch the grass grow in my front yard and thank God for the opportunity to plant seeds of faith in young lives trusting they will take root and grow.

This blog was written by Pastor Chris Kliner.  For more from Chris click here.

As silly and mellow dramatic as this is, it is a window into the imagination of a child. I didn’t teach my son to pucker his lips and raise his play sword in the air like he is declaring victory. I believe his imagination instinctively takes over because we are all hardwired to dream like this. Our imagination is not the only thing we were born with. We were also born with the instinctive ability to sin (Psalms 51:5). Combine this raw ability to dream with a raw ability to sin and you can see how rebellion towards God can take on many different facets and forms.

Everyone is born with potential. Yet, we are quick to acknowledge our children’s potential for success and turn a blind eye to their potential to sin. Then when sin and rebellion does occur, we are shocked as if Psalms 51:5 applies to the rest of humanity including ourselves, but not our children.

As parents, the chances are we will spend a lot of time watching our children succeed as well as leading them through their own failures and sin. In return, it’s easy for us to look at their failure as our failure, while wondering what we could have done different.

Could it be that our role of parents isn’t to isolate our children from potential mistakes, but leading them through their mistakes?

God himself models this at the beginning of creation. Wasn’t it God who put the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the center of the garden where Adam and Eve lived? Why wouldn’t He have put it on top of the tallest mountain to ensure that His children couldn’t eat of its fruit? Instead of taking away His creations choice to sin, He acknowledges their potential to sin. Instead of isolating His creation and putting sin on the top shelf where they can’t reach it, He puts it right in front of them so He can lead them through their mistakes.

This is counterintuitive as parents isn’t it?

Many times our tendency is to put any and every temptation on the top shelf or tallest mountain to ensure that our children’s behavior is appropriate. The problem is that there will come a day, whether in school, in their neighborhood, or after they leave home for the first time that the temptation to sin will move from the tallest mountain to right smack in front of their face. They’ve never learned to navigate these waters. They have had people try to shelter them from, but have never had anyone guide them through their sin.

What if we looked at our children’s sin as an opportunity?
An opportunity to teach team…
An opportunity to lead them…
An opportunity to love them…

After all, isn’t the love of Jesus profound because we have sinned? Therefore our love for our children becomes more profound against the backdrop of their mistakes. Our love looks more like the love of Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t punish but disciplines, guides, loves, and always accepts His children even through the darkest of times.

If we build these bridges while our children our in the home, they will stay intact long after they leave. They will always have someone to run to in trouble times, even if the trouble is caused by their own sin.

Why?

Because you loved and guided them through their sin before…

..And they trust you will do it again.

(For more information and further reading on this subject of parenting visit lovingonpurpose.com)

This blog was written by Pastor Dave Brickey. For more of Dave’s blogs click here.

He answered with, “It’s about Jesus.”

After a quick chuckle with Amber, and letting it resonate a bit I turned to Amber and thought out loud, “I hope our bank statements tell a story about Jesus.”

Now this isn’t a money blog, it’s a priority blog.  I’m asking you to take a look at where you are spending your resources.

Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Satan knows that God has created you for an amazing purpose (Jer. 29:11) and he will do anything he can to keep you from accomplishing that goal.  When God created you He gave you talents, abilities, and resources.  When those talents, abilities, and resources are used for the His purpose amazing things happen for the Kingdom of God, but be sure that Satan will do anything he can to distract, dilute, and displace those resources.

This is why Paul sends warning in his first letter to Timothy:

“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”  (1Tim. 6:9-10)

This blog was written by Pastor Brandon Liebe.  For more blogs from Brandon click here.

 I’m sitting here on my couch Sunday afternoon watching the Masters, pondering the future and reflecting on the flurry of activities this Easter season brought into our world. What a week it has been with record attendance at last weekend’s Pathways production, Over 7,000 people came to the Easter Egg hunt,  6 Good Friday services, 4 Easter service and, a brisk sunrise service,  and all of this to celebrate the miracle  of one resurrected Savior. WHEW!!! Praise God for his work in our midst!!!!!

Now what? How will this glorious day affect me in a few hours when Monday knocks on our door? What morsels will sustain your soul this week when you need daily bread?

As I survey everything and try to pick out what my favorite moment of the week was, you might be surprised by my answer. Wedged into the Easter weekend services was a song called “Overcome” by Desperation Band mixed with a video of people in our church family sharing how Christ has helped them overcome in their journey. The stories were compact, to the point, raw, and I wonder if they inoculated your heart against discouragement for the days you and I will face in the future.  I know my faith was given a lift by hearing testimony of God doing miracles, providing, and restoring in the lives of my brothers and sisters. I was also exponentially moved by the real stories of Jesus giving peace, tenacity and strength to those facing issues that didn’t resolve into some plasticy, hi-gloss, cute, easy to swallow life package. For me it’s easy to celebrate the power of Jesus to overcome death, hell , and the grave and somehow think it means our lives will be squeaky clean and easy to alphabetize. The ultimate power of Jesus overcoming the world gives us power to face anything life can hand us with His power at work in our weakness, confusion, anger, and troubles. The resurrection doesn’t insulate us from difficulty, darkness, and moments when all seems lost.  It whispers to us to hold on and know that the sun will rise and beauty can come from the most unlikely places. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5)

By the way…the story behind the “overcome” song is powerful and I’d encourage you to check it and put the song in your personal rotation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUWe6fKOgDE

This blog post was written by Pastor Gary Smith.

So as a devoted follower of Christ, the question quickly comes to my mind, “What would I have done had I been one of the early followers of Jesus and there in Jerusalem as this week unveiled itself?”  I like to think that I would have been bold and stand up to those who were easily persuaded by the pressures of the people around them.  I like to think that I would have been strong and defended my faith and the belief that I have in Jesus.  I hope that I would not have listened to what society around me was saying, but hold on to my conviction that Jesus really is the Son of God.  But the reality is, even in a society where being a Christian is socially acceptable, I find myself at times not being as bold as I should be.  I find myself shying away from a conversation with someone about what I believe Christ has to offer them.  I find myself from time to time not sharing the hope that Jesus has offered me to a world that is desperately in need of the hope He brings.  But as Easter approaches, I am reminded how great and powerful God is and that we don’t need to fear what this world says or may do, because greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.

This Easter, let’s be bold with our faith.  We serve a God who changed history by coming to the earth to die for our sins and three days later rose from the dead to offer us hope and new life.  Let’s be willing to confidently share the good news with the world around us and help people find the love, grace and salvation that only Jesus can bring.

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes…”  Romans 1:16

Pastor Lance

As we prepare for the weeks ahead, I am reminded once again what it truly is about.  It really is all about a loving Savior who came as a child, grew to amaze and awe the crowds, died a brutal death, and conquered the grave.  HE IS ALIVE!

This time of year I seem to recalibrate my thoughts and center myself on why we exist.  In particular I love to watch faces of children during the Easter season as many, for the very first time, begin to understand who Jesus is and that they can trust Him no matter what! Entire families will come to know the saving power of Jesus because of the sacrifice of a few this season.

I love what I get to do and I can’t wait to see what God does!

This blog post was written by Pastor Chris Kliner.  For more posts from Chris, click here.

Blog written by Pastor Dave Brickey.  For more of Dave’s blogs click here.

Our walk with Christ started with accepting Him, but quickly moved to a mandate to make sure it didn’t just stay with me.  He gave a command called the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.”  Can you imagine what our lives would look like if we actually took ownership of that command and made it the center of everything we do?

I love reading the stories of Paul throughout the New Testament.  He was passionate about everything he did (even when his passion pre-Christ was drastically opposite of his passion after the Damascus Road).  Paul immediately jumped “all-in” and started looking at his life differently.  His decisions weren’t made to cater to his own comforts, but instead to the command Christ gave.  He owned his calling as a Christ-follower.  He owned it so much that nothing was going to stop him!  I love 2 Corinthians 11:23-33 as Paul talks about what he’s suffered through for the cause of Christ.  He isn’t doing it as a “woe is me” speech to gain sympathy, but to point out that NOTHING will stop him from proclaiming Christ.

What I believe made Paul such a great tool wasn’t a position of stature, favor with political powers, or even being an amazing communicator.  It was his hard work and the actions he took because he was fueled by the call Christ had placed on his life.  He didn’t just claim to live a Christian life, he personally took ownership of his calling.

God has given you the same calling.  Will you own it?

This blog post was written by Pastor Brandon Liebe.  For more blogs from Brandon, click here.

In our quest to know Jesus, or worse yet – in our familiarity with Jesus and church – it’s easy to lose a sense of wonder and a sense of mystery regarding who Jesus is. Will you approach this Easter season with an openness or even better – a hunger to have God rekindle and renovate a sense of wonder with this story of Redemption? Ask the Holy Spirit to breath into the cadaver of familiarity and resurrect life and wonder along your spiritual pilgrimage.
Romans 5 says “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. “

No matter how broken or how cute and put together you feel – we can equally revel in God’s grace extended to us.  I invite you to allow space in your world  for the mundane to become majestic once again.