Archive for July, 2009

fyi – starting next week I will be going “unplugged” for a few days (ok – somewhat unplugged). See you on the flip side!

This week we start a new series at Grace Point on the life and story of one of my favorite Bible characters – David. As I have studied the life of David, I have been reminded of how extraordinary he was (from killing lions, bears, and giants with nothing more than precision accuracy and a few rocks to conquering powerful armies to leading Israel to become the most powerful kingdom of its day) but also how ordinary he was (doubt, deception, lying, murdering, adultery – not sure all of those sins are that “ordinary” but you get what I am saying).

David was a man whose strengths make us say “wow” and whose weaknesses make us say “whoa”. He was a poet, shepherd, king, warrior, artist, friend, father, son, philanthropist, entrepreneur, millionaire, renegade – all rolled into one. His story leaves me scratching my head – this is the dude that the Bible calls the “man after God’s own heart”? But what about this and that? What about when he did this? And what about when he said that? EXACTLY. David was a real person who leaves us longing to follow his example at times and blushing in shame at his actions at times.

What I have learned about David is that David’s story was not about David. It was about God. It is about a God who takes ordinary depraved sinners and makes them extraordinary characters of faith and grace. David’s story is one of faith and grace. It is the story of a God who in His grace allows shepherds to become kings – the overlooked to become the most recognized name in Israelite history – the outcast to become heroes. It is the story of a God who uses a king to foretell how great the Messiah would be – a Messiah who would surpass the greatness of David and provide for the sinfulness of David.

David was a great king but he was not the King of kings. He was a man who pursued God but most importantly was a man pursued by a God full of grace and forgiveness.

Randomness from the weekend…

- With no family at home, I am working odd hours, playing golf, being fed by my awesome friends, and leaving my bed unmade.
- Not sure our little white Westie likes it when I am the only one at home. I don’t think I give her as much attention as she normally gets when Starla and the kids are here.
- My family seems to be having a good time with family they don’t normally see much.
- I actually mowed my yard yesterday … took about 10 minutes.
- Mixed emotions about GP today … finished our Blockbusters series by preaching on Eph 6:14-18.
- Wojo, our Worship Pastor, resigned today to move to AL and help lead worship at Epic Church in Decatur. He will be missed…more below.
- GP people are awesome.
- We had to share the facility today with a nationwide basketball tournament.
- A/C went out during the first worship service. It was fixed near the end of second service.
- Being portable is not always fun but I am grateful we have somewhere to meet.
- I had an old school G.I. Joe on the stage today which brought back childhood memories.
- Looking forward to some time away next week before our GP mission trip to San Jose to help our partner – South Bay Church.

More thoughts on Wojo and Jean…

When we moved to Las Vegas to start Grace Point Church, I was determined to find a Worship Leader from this culture. I thought it was important for a number of reasons and even turned down some really talented musicians from the East Coast because I was determined that we needed someone from Las Vegas. As we went through preview services, I was unsure we would be able to find someone. I even flew in a friend of mine to lead our worship during our preview services. We planned to launch in January and we still did not have anyone in November. And then through a God-orchestrated event, I met James “Wojo” Wojtowicz – a Las Vegas musician who had a true God-story about coming to Vegas for all the wrong reasons and finding God’s grace instead. We immediately hit it off and within a few weeks, Grace Point had a worship leader.

For the past 3 1/2 years, Wojo has done an incredible job of putting together a band in a culture as transient as Vegas and leading one of the best worship bands I have ever heard for a church our age and size. God has used Wojo to do some great things and to connect to a whole audience that I probably could never touch. He has stuck with me through some real ups and downs and has been a true friend. It has been awesome to watch him grow in many areas of his life. In many ways, we grew together through this adventure.

As of this Sunday, Wojo will no longer be the Worship Leader at Grace Point. His season with us has come to an end and it is time for him to move onto the next season of his ministry. I am excited what the future holds for Wojo and Jean and know that God is going to do great things through them. It is with mixed emotions that we say good-bye. We are sad that his time is over with us but we are excited about what the future holds for them and the next season of worship at Grace Point.

We don’t really have a person who will become the Worship Leader at GP at this point. Thankfully we have some talented musicians who will help bridge the gap as we pray and seek what God has for us next. Because Wojo has done a good job in raising up quality musicians, we will be able to continue with solid music. And we are trusting God to raise up people we don’t even know about at this point. We know God is in control and trust him during this season.

One of the hardest parts of ministry is seeing people come and go. In ministry, staff relationships are more than just employer-employee. You become friends with the people with whom you serve. And for that reason, it makes it difficult to see people leave. Wojo and Jean are our friends. We love them and will miss them. Thank you two for all you have done. I pray we have been as much a blessing to you as you have been to us.

This is the greatest wedding party entrance I have ever seen … awesome.

We finish our Blockbusters series this Sunday talking about the armor of God (Ephesians 6:14-18). The movie off which we are playing is G.I. Joe. Watching the previews, I am thinking this is a whole new G. I. Joe that the ones with which I played as a kid. I had a dozen or so G.I. Joe’s when I was little. They were basically manly looking Ken dolls who came as cowboys, indians, soldiers, rescue workers, and other manly type figures. I would play with those things for hours. I had small plastic guns, horses, helmets, outfits, ropes, and every other needed accessory to create my own imaginary world of G.I. Joe’s where the good guys always won and the bad guys always lost but went down in a blaze of glory.

Paul compares the follower of Jesus to a Roman soldier. He provides particular insight into how we are to prepare ourselves for the war in which we are engaged. We are to be fully equipped with God’s armor. An ill-equipped soldier is a soldier who will be limited in their capacity and effectiveness and runs the severe risk of being maimed or killed. Each piece of the armor is vital to the soldier’s success.

I don’t think we normally consider our spiritual lives in warfare language. But Paul is clear that we are engaged in a spiritual onslaught. Battles are life and death. Battles are blood, sweat, and tears. Battles are hand-to-hand combat. Battles are fought in trenches. Battles reek of blood, death, and wounds. Battles leave casualties. Battles cause severed limbs. Battles are won or lost. As followers of Jesus in a world controlled by sin and death, we must realize that the battle we are in is real.

If we let our guard down, people die. If we let our guard down, homes are destroyed. If we let our guard down, children are take captive. If we let our guard down, the cause of Christ is damaged. Put on the whole armor of God and stand. And when you have done everything you know to do, keep standing.

Let’s not enter the battle unprepared or ill-equipped because the moment we do – the enemy will strike and we have all witnessed the damage the enemy can cause on a soldier who is not ready.

We had our first ever GP Grill-Out this past Sunday. We combined services and then had some awesome food, fun, and fellowship. The spirit of being all together is awesome. High energy – great response. But we are also reminded that we have little room to grow with just one service. Goal: fill up both services to that capacity! It was great seeing GPers connect with one another and just hang out. We had a lot of volunteers step up and make this Sunday happen. Way to go gang! Can’t wait to do it again next month.

I am not sure there is any hard evidence out there on how many accidents texting has caused but here is one I have not heard yet…

- Went to Golf Galaxy on Friday night and just hit drivers. Golfers fun.
- Ping Pong on Friday night
- 6:20 am tee time on Saturday morning
- Finished golf around 11 … it was H-O-T
- They really should have plenty of water on golf courses in Vegas in July
- Took a slobber nap on Saturday afternoon
- A group of our friends surprised Starla on Saturday night with a birthday dinner before she leaves for 4 weeks
- Macaroni Grill is a great place to eat
- UFC 100 on Saturday night
- Really good day at GP today
- Several guests
- Ron Dillon led worship and knocked it out of the park
- Taught on Reconciliation today
- Loved teaching on the idea that God calls us to come “while we are still sinners” right after 2 reconciled to God addicts led our worship
- Reconciled persons have no grounds to “not forgive”
- We are to seek reconciliation with others and proclaim reconciliation to those estranged from God
- Ambassadors represent
- The reconciled are God’s appeal to the unreconciled
- Paul instructs us to beg the unreconciled to “Be reconciled to God”
- Biblical reconciliation with God is unilateral … He reconciled us to Himself
- Amazing Grace GP style today … sweet
- Flying to Florida on Tuesday to see my older brother Dale who is the children’s pastor at this awesome church
- We will meet my parents in Florida who will bringing my oldest daughter Kayleigh
- Can’t wait to see Kayleigh who has been away for almost 3 weeks!
- I will return to Vegas on Friday. Starla and the kids will stay with grandparents for 3 weeks.
- I see lots of golf, movies, fast food, unmade beds, and video games in my near future.
- Taking our kids to hang with their friends one final time for a month.

That’s all folks

This Sunday I am teaching on reconciliation. We talk frequently at Grace Point about salvation but this is a particular aspect that I have yet to teach. I am really looking forward to it. We don’t often think of ourselves in terms of God’s enemies but that is exactly how the New Testament describes us (Rom 5:10). Our sinful thoughts and actions create an enmity between sinful humans and a God who is absolutely holy and pure. We don’t tend to think of ourselves as enemies of God because we do not comprehend how offensive our sin is to God.

Reconciliation is the idea that God had done what is necessary to reconcile us to Him. He has taken the necessary steps not only to forgive our sins but to reconcile our relationship. Paul employs a word for “reconcile” in 2 Cor 5.18-19 that lets us know that spiritual reconciliation is a one-way street. Because of our sin, we are unable to reconcile ourselves to God. However God has taken the initiative and through the cross, He provides for us what we cannot provide for ourselves.

Through reconciliation, enemies become friends. Hostility is transformed into peace. Division is turned into harmony. Slaves of sin are made children of God. Reconciliation is a beautiful doctrine that reminds us of the extensive nature of the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, he provided the necessary means to make reconciliation possible. Here’s how Paul says it in 2 Cor 5:21: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Luther referred to the “great exchange” that takes place in salvation. God exchanges our sin for His righteousness. He became sin so that we might become righteous – friends of God. Grace wins again!

How does reconciliation affect my everyday life? Paul declares that reconciliation means that we a) have no reason to maintain enmity with other humans – we are reconciled people so we should seek reconciliation with others & b) we have now been appointed ambassadors of reconciliation to those who are estranged from God. We seek reconciliation and we proclaim it to others. And who better to live it and talk about it than those who have experienced it!