Within These Four Walls – The Prequel

Well I’m sitting in an awfully empty office. No books yet. No stationary. No memorabilia. Just an empty canvas.

But that’s the best way to start. With nothing in the way to hinder what you have plans on doing. I find that working with an empty room is a lot easier than trying to move every around without stepping on things or breaking things in the middle of the room.

That’s how we’re jumping into this new season… fresh.

Our first series is going to be called “Within These Four Walls”. It’s going to be a series of messages where we look at how GOD views HIS church.

The Body
The Family
The Army
The Bride

We’ll be starting THIS Sunday at Evangel during our morning gatherings at 10:30a. I’d love for you to jump in, be challenged, and add your insight as we journey together to be God’s people here on earth.

It’s going to be a great journey and I’m glad you’re going to be a part of it.

Be blessed,

Build An Altar – REMIX

Just thought I would add an addendum to the message that I gave on Sunday morning.

I was talking about Joshua 22 and how the two-and-a-half tribes of Israel made an altar before going further into the Promised Land so that they didn’t forget where they had come from.

My question to you is this… When was the last time that you stopped and thanked someone who made an indelible mark on your life? It may have been a Sunday School teacher, parent, pastor, board member, or just someone from your church that made a real difference in how you are today.

This weekend coming up we are celebrating the lives of Ps. and Pat Schwindt as they have poured themselves into our lives over the last quarter century. It’s important to acknowledge and thank God for the past before stepping forward into what He has in store for each and every one of us.

Since November I’ve had Monday, May 25 marked on my calendar with the big words, DAY ONE… I don’t want to go one day into the future as Evangel’s Lead Pastor without first acknowledging God’s goodness in my life while here at Evangel.

I believe that the days ahead are going to be AMAZING and I can’t wait for them. But I must admit that I have enjoyed His goodness and faithfulness while serving here at Evangel up until now.

At least that’s how I see it,

Craig

May 19, 2009 0

Random Conference Thoughts from Captain Obvious

I’m just wrapping up our district conference. We have one every two years where the group of credential holders in our denomination are able to elect persons to ‘serve’ our district until the next conference.

Rather than let my observations fall into the recesses of my mind, I thought I would mark them and see if others have thoughts about them.

1 – The ‘body’ functions much better when the ‘body’ is present:
I was one of the scrutineers (no, the verb of being a scrutineer is not to scrutinize) and one thing that I noticed is that the voting process took MUCH longer when people were not present to vote. They were off talking, mingling, and mulling about. To be honest, some of the time I was a little jealous because I would have loved to be able to mill around but I had a job to do.

But some things from that came to light:
a – don’t be upset with the results when you had nothing to do with them. – If you didn’t vote, then you lost your opportunity to voice your opinion.
b – If you DID vote and didn’t get your way, that’s because more people didn’t like your way than you did.

2 – Many people want to serve only when it’s ‘important’:
I always find it interesting that asking for volunteers to count or distribute or take registrations at a conference (that you’re ALREADY at) is like trying to corral cats but when it comes to letting your name stand to take days and weeks out of your schedule to sit on the Executive THEN people are ready to serve!

I think we have a lot to learn about the idea of servanthood.

I don’t need to draw parallels to how followers of Christ can sometimes conduct themselves. I’ll let the Holy Spirit do that in your own life.

At least that’s how I see it,

Captain Obvious

May 6, 2009 0

Whatcha Lookin’ At – Remix

Just sitting here at Starbucks thinking about yesterday’s service. If you weren’t there, we were talking about how we are to protect that which God has done in our lives and not let it go.

The truth is, I know of ‘many’ times when I’ve been at the altar, or the car, or the shower (yes, I pray in the shower) and I have really felt that God has ministered to me in a particular way. I (like many I’m sure) have felt the release of the bondage that has been there from past disobedience or ignorance.

I think of Ephesians 4:17 that says, “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”

What a terrible thought to be separated from the ‘light of God’ due to ignorance… or disobedience… or as Paul says it, the ‘hardening of the heart’.

I don’t know about you but I don’t think there are too many people that ‘want’ their hearts to become hard… but yet they choose to allow the good that has happened in their lives to fall away.

Each and every one of us needs to recognize as much as God desires for us to change to be more like Him, the enemy desires for us to change right back to where we were.

We need to call on Him to help us cherish what He’s done and continue to press on.

At least that’s how I see it,

May 4, 2009 0