Feb. 24, 2013 " Without God in Your Life, Life Does Not Work"

    This past Sunday service was unlike any other. Why, you may ask? This service was completely different because it just so happens to be the very last service Discovery Church will ever have at the Willow Creek location. "Can I hear a Good Amen?" as said by Pastor Steve. Therefore concluding the end of a staggering era.
    The topic of Pastor Steve's sermon was, what has the church or God been saying the past 30 years that this church has been around? What words have actually stuck with you instead of flowing in one ear and right out through the other?
    Yes, Pastor, tackled the subjects of loving one another through whatever trials, silencing the gossips and rumors today's society may judge us with, and never doubting God when things don't go our way. But the one phrase that really implemented itself in not only my heart, but deep, deep down in my brain

"Without God in your life, life does not work"   

    Now, I know some of you readers are nodding in agreement with this statement, but do you really know what it means? I mean truly? Not just the everyday routine of praying before your morning cup of joe or having your daily devotional time when you get home from a busy day at work, but I mean in every little detail of life! From the short talks you have with the teller at your bank or the around-the-table stories your wife and kids tell when you all sit together for dinner. To the confusion of doing your own taxes at home or the rise and fall of the stock market. God is everywhere and in everything. He is in your heart to fill you with the endless love you have promised to share to others. He is in each word you use to spread the joy of truth to each person you come in contact with. He is in each movement you use to move through out your day and lead by example of a saved life. God is in your finances, in your work out routines, in your hobbies, in your music and video games! God is on your hiking trips, your family vacations, at your place of work, and in each of your relationships. Even when it seems like God isn't present in those times of confusion or chaos, man, that's where God is most noticeable. 

    But that is how it works. God has designed us to desire Him. How a toy car needs a battery for it's remote control to work. We, as human beings, can not even function without Him. We weren't created to run on our batteries or our own energy because we will fall short every time. God is our endless supply of strength and rejuvenation that will keep us running till the end of time and then some. I never saw this statement in the perspective Pastor Steve put it. God designed us to specifically to run off His spirit. He is our Energizer Bunny.

    I hope I didn't run off topic too much or rant without explanation, but I did want to share a little food for thought I learned a couple years back. Some of you may be familiar with Louie Giglio. He is a  respected speaker and Pastor that travels to different churches and selected areas to preach. One of my favorites is when he speaks of the human body and it's intricacies such as our DNA, our fingerprints, the hair on each head, and so on and so forth. He brings up a major protein called Laminin which are proteins in the basal lamina (one of the layers of the basement membrane), a protein network foundation for most cells and organs. Without this protein our bodies could not function. This is what holds us together and allows our cells and organs to do their jobs, in lameness terms. Now, to my point, if you have not heard of this, you probably do not know what it looks like. These pictures are actual microscopic snap shots of Laminin. 

    Try telling me, any human being can continue without our God now.

   

Valentine's Day Fellowship

    I must admit to something that some may say is pathetic or most will say is rebellious, but I have never had the pleasure of celebrating Valentine's Day with someone of the opposite sex, let a lone 9 of them. This past Thursday, Valentine's Day, I was brought on a trip to Sedona to meet the leadership team of Journey Church back in Missouri. Now, I know most of my readers already know whom I am speaking of, but this was my first introduction to this loving family and boy did I feel the love!
    We met at Grasshopper point with Steve Lummer and Jason Dyer sprinting from the car to embrace each member with a long over due reuniting. With this being my first time meeting the guys and Jamie Wray, a beat wasn't skipped to give me a proper introduction. I couldn't help but laugh as I watched all these adult men gab to each other like a group of boy crazy girls. As the talking became more relaxed we made our way down Grasshopper Point and found a nice, quaint spot to begin our devotion.
    Pastor Steve led with an introduction to our church logo and the representation it gives to outside eyes. This breakdown of our logo was taken from Pastor Steve's blog : stevelummer.com

WIND – WATER – WOOD- FIRE

  The WIND - The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (niv)

  The WATER - Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:37,38 (niv)

  The WOOD- “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:1-4 (niv)

                                                       The FIRE - Our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29
OUR CULTURE – WE CRAFT IT, WE FRAME IT, WE DESIGN IT ..WE DEFINE IT ….WE LIVE WITH IT!

Wind – our commission, what God has called us to be as a people.

Water – our community of faith and how it is intended to flow.
Wood – our connection – How structure always submits to the Spirit..
Fire – our communion – Relevance to our culture and reverence for God are not optional.

    Now I must admit, during this devotional I was snapping shots of the crew for our website and this blog, so I caught bits and pieces of the discussion. Which is the reason why I linked this devotional to Pasto Steve's website. Anyway, as the speech progressed with each man sharing their own experiences out here in Arizona, we closed with a prayer and a group picture. I can't quite explain the true feelings each person felt while they were out here in the desert but something truly Godly happened. A new bond was not only created between these men but an old one was strengthened as they venture back home to Missouri.

Feb. 10, 2013 " Hospitality Mentality"

    On a beautiful Sunday morning such as this, you can't expect nothing less than excellent from Pastor Steve and his uplifting worship team. I find myself gazing around the room as a new song is introduced to the church. "Here and Now" begins and seems to define what our congregation is growing to be and today's service.

We want to be a shelter where the broken find their place
We want to be a refuge for the weak
We want to be a light for the world to see
We want to be a love that breaks the walls and fills the streets
    
    Although our church has many strengths and the heart of a mega church, we find ourselves lacking in one department; evangelism. At the weekend seminar down in Scottsdale at The Rock Church, we learned it was not  only a problem with our church but a common area that congregations seem to step over. Who would have thought that reaching out or simply speaking The Word to others would be such a problem to churches? Interesting, correct. But not anymore
    Today's service was about creating a church with a "Hospitality Mentality". With starting a new church one of our goals is to get people in these doors and open their ears and hearts to TRUTH. So here is a direct order from our Pastor, no, from Heaven above to break our walls of self consciousness and awkwardness to greet our visitors with open arms and warm, welcoming smiles. With our visitors coming to do the exact same thing as us what makes us different? So, break out of your comfort zone and say hello with hug next Sunday morning.
    Now, I know Sunday mornings seem so fun and lively with all the meet and greet, but it can't stop there. Being children of God we have but one obligation or commitment; to serve Him. With that being said, we must continue by word of mouth or example to spread His love and grace anywhere we go. Whether it be shopping in a grocery store or having lunch with that one friend who just won't wake up before noon to attend church. We must never stop praising Him in everything we do. 

    So, Discovery, see this "Hospitality Mentality" as just one simple building block on our journey to rebuilding our beautiful church.