Grace....

Last night I had a wonderful field trip experience with one of our Youth Leaders.   We went to a church in Easton that is doing a phenominal youth ministry.   As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, I noticed a man finishing his supper while standing at the back of his pickup.  When I got out, we established eye contact and immediately I thought to myself, "He looks familiar... but who is he!"   For the life of me, I couldn't figure it out, but I knew without a doubt that I had gone to school with him and should know him.

So finally after a while, when I couldn't recall his name, I went up to him and introduced myself and he smiled and said... "I used to be your neighbor, I am ...."     And we chatted a bit and went our way.  He was very involved in monitoring the youth gathering, setting out and putting away chairs.  During the worship time he was very engaged.   The whole while I couldn't help but beam inside... you see, the reason I didn't recognize him was... church was the last place I expected to see him and it had been 30 years since I last saw him maybe 31.... and time has a way of changing a person's looks....     And I bet church was the last place he expected to see me too!

Today as I recall that encounter, I have been smiling inside... and am so thankful for God's grace... the Apostle Paul writes about it in Romans 5:15... "But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ."

You see, if it werent for the grace of God in both our lives, we would not have had that encounter!   I am so thankful!

Don't miss this great event for children of all ages to experience the great outdoors on National Get Outdoors Day, June 9.   Right here in Wicomico County ...   

I happen to be biased but this is a great event and a great opportunity to explore a great place.... left by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hazel for the benefit of introducing children of all races to each other and the great outdoors.   One of the priveleges I have is to serve on the board of directors of the Hazel Outdoor Discovery Center  (I took most of the photos on this site!) and every year for a long while now, we host a "Get Outdoors Day" the second Saturday of June.   Tell your friends and go see what its all about.  And the best thing is it is all FREE!

The Kind of Coach I want to Be!

Emma has played many different sports in her life and I have played a few myself.   Thus I have been around my share of coaches and none hold a candle to the coaches of Wi Hi's Track and Field Team.  I have been around these folks for significant chunks of three days last week and this and a day the week before too.

Most coaches coach for success!  But success to most coaches is about winning the game!   These coaches are coaching for life success over game success and that will have a much larger impact!   I have never seen coaches that care as much about the team they are coaching as these do.  Not only do they want them to do their best, but they want them to do their best in life.  And that means that they invest themselves in the lives of these kids.   The coaches have spent hours and dollars of their own money encouraging the kids on their team to pursue goals in life that will take them places... like college and jobs.  

These coaches are true encouragers and they have taught the other members of the team to notice when someone needs a pep talk and give it.  They don't encourage the kids to win at all costs, they encourage the kids to make improvements.  I don't know how many times I heard one of them say... "Wow, just think of the time you had when you began this year compared to now."  Or as the team finished lower than the members had hoped, "that was your best time ever!"   I never heard them say... you didn't do this or that... you should have pushed harder or ran faster or jumped higher!

I truely believe that these coaches have had a life long impact on the members of their team!  And I am inspired in my own life to be more like them in my role of coaching people.   Thanks coaches for your inspiration and selfless devotion to your team and for allowing me to take a page out of your playbook!

Witness Bags are here...

It has taken a long time, but they are here.  Just this week I had to call to check on their status as the last I heard was they were backordered until May 6.  The customer service person said they were printed and would ship out on Thursday.  They did ship yesterday and UPS webiste this morning said they were on their way and would be here on May 29.  So, I printed a bulletin new sheet announcement to that affect. 

But the doorbell rang and there they were.  TODAY - May 25... not 29!  WOW!

The purpose of these is to create a greater awareness of Community of Joy in our community and to encourage practices that help us use less paper.   They are available for purchase for $3.  We did take pre-orders and will fill those first, but there are some extras.

Blueberry heaven...

The psalmist says in Psalm 85:12, "Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful harvest."

Today, I am experiencing that blessing from the act of co-laboring with the Lord in my back yard.

Prayer...

Began reading Mark Batterson's new book... "The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around You Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears."  It is a good read with lots of powerful stories giving illustration to how God works through the power of prayer.  I am just about 1/4 way through and would highly recommend it to you. 

Here is a quote I found helpful... "If you do pray, all bets are off.  You can live with holy anticipation because you never know how or when or where God is going to answer, but I promise you this: He will answer.  And His answers are not limited by your requests.  We pray out of our ignorance, but God answers out of His omniscience.  We pray out of our impotence, but God answers out of His omnipotence.  God has the ability to answer the prayes we should have prayed but lacked the knowledge or ability to even ask."

So, true!

Kingdom People...

From time to time, I like to share thoughts or insights that I find in my reading.  This one comes from Michael Frost's book "The Road to Missional: The Journey Back to the Center of the Church".   It is a quote from Howard Snyder..." Kingdom people seek first the Kingdom of God and its justice; church people often put the church work above the concerns of justice, mercy, and truth.  Church people think about how to get people into the church; Kingdom people think about how to get the church into the world.  Church people worry that the world might change the church; Kingdom people work to see the church change the world."

Something to think about!

Which would you say that you are?  A Kingdom person or a church person?

I confess that for too long in my life as a follower of Jesus, I have been a church person.   But I desire to become a Kingdom person.

Couldn't Agree More...

Pastor Mark Batterson tweeted one day recently..."We are not trying to grow a church, we are trying to bless a city.  If we bless our city, then God will grow our church."    Couldn't agree more!   The only thing I would change is whose church it is.  It is God's church! 

When we get focussed on the mission God has given us, a by product will be a vital and growing church.  But as long as we focus only on growing a church, we will struggle.   I beleive we are blessed by God SO THAT we can bless others.  I also think that Jesus said in response to Peter's confession that HE would build HIS church on that rock!

Some important thoughts on Church and the Mission of Jesus...

My wife, Sharon and I came to Community of Joy in 1999 when it was averaging 28 people in worship.  We were charged with the task of solidfying the foundation and building a self supporting church.   Which we have done.  But in all these years, we have struggled to break past a ceiling of 70 in average worship attendance.  And that has me puzzled!

We see cycles... as we approach 70 in average attendance, a decline begins... then we build back up and a decline begins.   In 10 months time after arrive, we approached 70 for the first of many times. In putting together the data, it produces an mind boggling picture.  So, I asked a consultant friend of mine, what he thought was happening.  And his immediate response was that it is a systems issue.  

Not knowing much about systems ( I missed those courses in Seminary), I am at a loss.  Until one day last week, I was reading from a book that is required reading for the Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership Cohort that I am part of through Bethany Theological Seminary for the next year and a half.  In one of the chapters, the author was describing our situation to a T.  And it was a chapter on systems.  That reading put me in touch with another book and author that I immediately downloaded and began reading and am excited to see some synthesis coming for me.

I do believe that we are reaping exactly what we are sowing.  Or that our system is producing what it is designed to produce.  And I believe that there are many variables that are all inter-related to the problem of our ceiling.   To break past the ceiling will involve a change in the system.

Here are some quotes from the second book that I was led to yesterday, "Multiplying Missional Leaders" by Mike Breen.

 "Dallas Willard put it this way: 'Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if he were you. '   ...How did the church go from 120 people in an upper room to more than 50 % of the Roman Empire in the course of about 250 years?  Simple.  They had a way of reproducing the life of Jeus in disciples - in real, flesh-and-blood people - who were able to do the things we read about Jesus doing in the Gospels.  And these disciples did this on purpose...."

 " I have heard Dallas Willard say that every church should be able to answer two questions: First, what is our plan for making disciples?  Second, does our plan work?  I believe most communities have a plan for discipleship.  I'm not convinces that many plans are working the way Jesus in hoping they will. and that's why we are in trouble."

"Undoubtedly, one of the key components to being a disciple is caring deeply about mission.  Disciples see bringing more of the Kingdom through themselves as one of their primary callings on earth."

"Jesus says, 'apart from me, you can do nothing.'  Apart from the active work of Jesus in our live, we cannot produce Kingdom fruit."

"If you make disciples, you will always get the church, but if you're really about building a church, you won't always get disciples. "

I am convinced that our operating system of ministry has been church and not discipleship.  And I wonder what it would look like if we had a way of making disciples of Jesus?   What would it look like if we spent most of our time and effort in producing disciples of Jesus?

5 Q Bible Study Method

Have had lots of requests from people who want to know more about the 5 Q Bible Study Method that I have been using both at Community of Joy and in the Get Nailed Men's Group.    I simply love it for lots of reasons!

It is accessible to all... no Bible knowledge is necessary.  It is reproduceable - anyone can lead it.  It doesn't require any advance work.   It works with all ages.   Whether you answer the questions or not, you think about the passage for sure!  It makes room for the Holy Spirit and in fact trusts the H.S. to lead.  It gathers the group around the Bible in a way that is captivating and engaging.  And it produces real life change.

The 5 Q Method works in this way.  We gather in a circle.  Pray for our openness to the Holy Spirit to reveal things to us.  We read a selected passage of scripture aloud 3 times (3 different readers- doesn't matter if it they are different translations).  Then ask the 5 Q's.  Always the same 5 questions.

1. What do you like about this passage?
2. What don't you like about this passage?
3. What don't you understand from this passage?
4. What do you learn about God from what you just heard?
5. If you applied one thing you learned about God from this passage to your life this week, what would it look like?

The only important thing for the facilitator to pay attention to is to keep the conversation on this passage!

Hardest Thing BUT Best....

Yesterday our church served at God's Kitchen... a soup kitchen at another church, where local churches take turns cooking and serving a meal.  We do it about 2 or 3 times a year... as often as they put us on the schedule.   It is a ministry that I love and am passionate about.  

But I didn't go yesterday - on purpose.   Not because I didn't want to.  I missed being there and really wanted to go be part of it especially since we had several first timers coming to help.  But I didn't go because I wanted the person who was leading the effort (it was her first time to do so) to be able to lead it without my influence.   And I wanted the other first timers to have a meaningful experience!

I am excited to hear the reports of what a good time it was and how well it went!

Sometimes, it is necessary to step back and out of things that you love doing so that others can find their way and participate too!  That is the first step toward empowering others and it is a necessary step for developing more leaders and participants with ownership.

For me the reward was different yesterday... it wasn't from my being there that I felt satisfaction... it was from my not being there that it came!  I am excited that it went so well and know that this was another step in the journey of leadership development and discipleship for those that stepped up... that is where my satisfaction came from... seeing others stretch their wings and use their gifts and become the hands and feet of Jesus!

Focus on Faith...

Last week our men's group studied the passage from Luke where Jesus is asleep in the boat and the disciples are panicing that the waves are tossing the boat around and battering it and coming into the boat.   Jesus didn't seem at all bothered by the storm.   He was asleep.  And when he was awakened, he by the disciples because they were afraid... he seemed bothered most by their lack of faith.  His question to them was "why do you have so little faith?"   Not "why are you afraid of the storm?"  

Jesus knows that life will be filled with storms!  He knows that some storms will rock our boats and the waves will crash in and get us wet.  Yet he doesn't seem at all concerned about those storms.  He is concerned about how we deal with the storms that come... and that is with a strong faith in him!

Storms are a part of life!  As we face them, it is best if we focus on our faith in Christ and allow him to sustain us in the midst of the storms!

Surely God Smiles When...

Surely God smiles when different churches work together!   I have always beleived that to be true.  Yet so often, I find that we treat other churches like they are the competition or enemies.  NOT SO!  If we are following Jesus, we are on the same team!

This morning I was at one of two local coffee shops I like to frequent (at the other one now) because I like to get out into the community and meet people, observe people, and frankly I get tired of being cooped up in the office.   I was attempting to work on the MOUNTAIN of reading that we have for our next Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership Cohort meeting in early June.   I got a text message from one of the guys in our cohort as we were working on sorting out the assignments.  I had noticed a neighboring pastor was also in the shop and he was busy reading... turns out he had also notice me, but thought I was busy - so when the text came, he came over to say hi.  That led to a neat conversation about what his church is up to and a deep dialogue between the two of us.

The conversation ended with us talking about the possibility of joining forces sometime in effort to love Salisbury.   That would be awesome and I would welcome that opportunity for us!   Because I believe that God smiles when churches work together!   We don't do enough of that and we need to figure out that we are on the same team and not competition!

Acupuncture Treatment # 13

Tonight I had my 13th acupuncture treatment and it will be my first black eye.  At least it looks that way now... if it doesn't turn black, I will be shocked.  Right now it has a big ole welt that is filled with blood.   Today we did "Cupping and Blooding" which had good results last time, so here's hoping that it will help more this time!

She used a total of 22 needles with 7 being in my scalp and face.  Note how close to the eyes they are!  Under the cup - which is very tight with suction, is a needle that she moved around a bit to make it bleed before putting the cup over the needle.   The second picture is what it looks like after the cup comes off.

Frustrating AND Wonderful BOTH!

Today was both a frustrating and wonderful day in the turkey woods.  Left the house later than should have at 5:05 a.m. and it was foggy so that delayed me a bit getting there.   Drove down the lane to make up time instead of walking the whole way.  As soon as I got out of the truck, I heard birds gobbling in three areas of the farm.  Closest ones were almost on top of me.  They were roosted in a place they love to roost but haven't been roosting this year yet (at least not when I was there).  Short walk in to spot I chose.  Quickly set strutting tom and stuffer hen decoys out and hid behind tall grass and sat at base of tree.  Thought I was gonna be home by 7 and able to walk at the mall.  But that didn't happen.

Had 3 toms gobbling at every call I made for the next hour, even gobbled when I was silent.  Finally they came out to the lane I had the decoys on and wouldn't you know it, something spooked them!  They made a racket as they alarm putted, and flapped their wings and ran through the woods flying to safety and vanishing from my opportunity list!   Don't have a clue what spooked them.  And then they spooked another tom that was coming my way from a different direction.  And once again it was deadly silent.  So, I decided to make a move and go deeper on the farm where I had heard other birds gobbling earlier.

Wouldn't you know it when I got to that spot and got all set up, this time with only my stuffer hen decoy out, a bird was gobbling up where I had just left!!!

I debated going back to the front of the farm and trying to get on him, but was afraid of spooking him.  So, I got my Kindle out and started reading the Bible - read through Colossians two times and spent some time meditating on it and praying.   After a while the bird went silent, so I called to it and it responded but refused to come my way.  So, I read some more and sat quiet.

About 8 it started sounding off again but then by 9 it was silent.  And it had not come any closer.  So, I debated what to do was tempted to move toward it, but that usually results in two problems... either you bump the bird and never see it again or you trick it into thinking you are coming to it and it waits on you and doesn't come to you.  So, I read some more.  Been working on an interesting book called Veneer.     Good thing I had the book.  Or I wouldn't have stayed put!   About 9:45, I heard a gobble again and this time I called aggressively to it with my box call.  And in no time the bird was headed my way.   Only a few more calls were necessary until it came strutting down the lane and into my hen decoy.  Though at about 5 yards and before the opening I had, it decided something was fishy and it turned around like it was going to leave, so I found a place where I could get a shot through and took it.  Down it went and I had my first bird of the 2012 season!  And that is the wonderful part of this story! 

It weighed in at 19 pounds which is about a pound shy of average and had two beards (my first multiple bearded bird) one was 6.5 inches long and the other was 11 inches long.  And it's spurs are really long and straight at 1 3/8 inches long.

Here are some pics... they sure are pretty with all the feather variations!

Jumping High

Jumping high in life... involves discipline... spiritual discipline.  Like prayer, solitude, giving, worship, bible reading and reflection, serving... all of these things work together to strengthen our ability to jump high in life!    Making time for them in our lives puts us ahead of those who don't have time in their lives for them.  

What do you need to make time for today?

12th Acupuncture Treatment...

Today was my 12th acupuncture treatment... we have made so much progress, but there is still progress to be made.  So, today my practioner suggested a process called cupping and bleeding.  

She began by telling me that it would definitely bruise.  I had experienced cupping before at the massage therapists, but not this kind!  That was gentle and felt good.  This was much different.  To begin, she placed 24 needles in normal spots as previous treatments (though 2 new spots were added) and then she placed one in my cheek and moved it around a bit - I guess that was the bleeding portion.  Then she placed a large deep suction cup on my face over the needle and had an aparatus like a cualk gun that she pumped to increase the suction on the cup... it got really tight.  She left the cup on my face without anything suppporting it for the entire half hour.  And the picture is what it looked like as soon as I left her office.   Not sure what it will look like tomorrow but will find out!

Being in the right spot at the right time...

Got a text and photo this morning from a friend who lives in Garrett County MD.  The photo is below... but shows a flock of turkeys strutting in the road and not moving out of the way.   It is all about being in the right spot at the right time.  

Though as I look at the photo, I think these are not true wild turkeys as they are more gray than wild ones would be.  Still fun to see.

Fun to watch...

It is fun to watch people come alive in their relationship with Jesus!

I am seeing that happen both in the "Get Nailed" Men's Group and in the Tuesday Bible Study group at Community of Joy!  We had two new people join us last night and the time together is always rich.  One of the things I find is that when people move beyond the rules of religion and to the love of relationship... life changes and following Jesus becomes a main focus.   And one of the main helps in getting there is found in opening the Bible and reflecting on it in a group context... no pressure, just sharing insights and being open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit! 

As long as we live... we can learn and grow and come alive in new ways...   May that be true of you too!

Here is the final logo for our Men's group... created by Melissa Slocum!

When the Turkey's Don't Cooperate...

Took a friend and member of Community of Joy turkey hunting this morning for the first time ever for him.  And it was a bust!  The WIND blew hard and the thunderstorm soaked us... but we thoroughly enjoyed having meaningful conversation about poverty, discipleship, and some new ministry ideas that he has.   It was a refreshing way to have a meeting and to contemplate new ministries!

Excited to see what will come of this time together!

It was cool to find ourselves at one point standing under an eagle's nest with young in it.  Didn't know it had young in it until they called out.  The parents were gone at that point, but we saw them plenty earlier and later in the day.