Lead Pastor at Holy Apostles

Start the New Year With Progress

2012-01-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

I share the following blogpost from Harvard Business Review. It's a great reminder of how to start this year off right. It was written by Teresa Amabile and Steve Kramer:

To get yourself and your team off to a good start for the new year, focus on progress. Our research discovered that fostering progress in meaningful work is the most important way to keep people highly engaged at work — even if that progress is a "small win."

We call this phenomenon the progress principle; it works because people want to feel that they are contributing to something that matters. The new year presents a great opportunity for managers to put the progress principle into action.

First, note the progress made by your team or organization over the past year — the major accomplishments and the small wins, too. And communicate the list broadly. All too often, progress gets ignored as people move from one task or project to another. Simply noting what was accomplished and how it contributed to the goals of the organization can have a big impact on how people feel about themselves, the organization, and the work they do. Wesley, a researcher at a chemicals firm that participated in our study, made clear how much it meant to him when his VP did this at a holiday celebration: "We had a wonderful Christmas celebration, during which time our VP and Director of R&D reflected on our terrific achievements over the year."
Don't stop with enumerating the year's accomplishments. Celebrate that progress and recognize all those who contributed to it. People who work hard deserve the opportunity to celebrate and rejoice in what they have accomplished. It nourishes them psychologically and motivates them to accomplish even more in the coming year. And don't recognize only the people directly responsible for a particular achievement. Recognize everyone who contributed across the organization, including support staff. For people to give their best in the future, they must feel that their hard work really matters. They benefit, through satisfying engagement in their work. And the organization benefits, too. When employees are more engaged in their work, their performance improves — contributing to the bottom line.

Map out goals for progress in the upcoming year and say why that progress matters. Be sure to include both broad, aspirational goals and smaller, interim milestones. For people to be fully engaged, they must feel that they are making steady progress, not just slogging away in hopes of a major breakthrough. And be sure to articulate why those goals matter — why they are meaningful to the organization, customers, and/or society. Making progress on meaningless work doesn't boost engagement; people must feel that they are contributing to something they value. Great leaders at every level of an organization are able to communicate not only what needs to be done, but why it is important. This means communicating the mission and values of the organization, and ensuring that all employees understand how their own work contributes to the mission.

Finally, resolve to support people's progress each day in the coming year. For the progress principle to work, people should experience progress more often than setbacks. Give them the goals, resources, and time they need to succeed, and remove or reduce any obstacles to progress. And insist that people across the organization support each other as much as possible. Create a climate of attention to progress, where everyone is looking for opportunities, every day, to help colleagues move forward on meaningful work.
These actions are not difficult or costly, but they can have a real impact on employee engagement and performance. Make it your pre-New Year's resolution to give your people meaningful work to do and to support, recognize, and celebrate their contributions now and throughout the coming year.

Serve and Honor God in All Things

2011-09-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

I have new mission statement. The title of this blog entry is it. It sounds easy, simple and direct. But it is a very challenging mission statement. My tendency is to seek calm, quiet and the "easy way." But if I am to be faithful, then I must recognize this tendency and seek God's Grace to overcome it. Jesus forewarned us that we would face difficulty. Seeking the calm is not a faithful quest. Seeking fruitfulness is.

Because discipleship is difficult, we must remember to constantly seek renewal and empowerment. It is said that Martin Luther once remarked "I generally pray two hours every day, except on very busy days. On those days, I pray three." How much time do you spend in prayer? Are you seeking renewal and empowerment to face the tasks of the day? If you're struggling with those tasks, I encourage you to reflect on how much time you are allowing to connect with your Heavenly Father.

I often find Mondays difficult days. I've thought about this over the years and the more I reflect and pray about it, the more I have come to the realization that Mondays are difficult because of Sundays. I leave our weekend worship experiences both buzzing and exhausted. God is so good and so faithful. I always am thankful that He is so tangibly present. When Monday rolls around, I am not gathered with the wonderful people of COTHA. I still feel the exhaustion of the day before. There are tasks to accomplish and the week to prepare for. I look through all of that and it's to easy to lose my focus. I forget that God is with me on Mondays as much as He is with me on the weekends. I'm not alone. He reveals Himself to me and I know He desires to draw me close to Him. But, perhaps like you, when the regular things of life present themselves, I forget.

To Serve and Honor God in All Things means to recognize that He is present with me in all places, in all times. Ministry isn't just something done in church; it's done on Mondays as well. We are called to keep Him first. Even on Mondays. And so, I seek to "Serve and Honor God in all things," even on Mondays.

Leadership Reflections by Perry Noble

2011-08-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

An Open Letter To Leaders

By Perry Noble

Dear Leader,

Leadership matters! It is listed in the Scripture as a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8), there are books in the Bible dedicated to what happens when God empowered leadership is embraced (Ezra, Nehemiah, Judges, Esther) and God has called you and raised you up for the purpose of making a difference.

You are going to have to make hard decisions…ones that will cause you to be unpopular and misunderstood. Remember, the Bible says that fear of man is a snare that leads to a place you do not desire to be (see Proverbs 29:25)…and also remember that if it is your goal to be popular, understood and loved by everyone then it is impossible to do so and be a fully devoted follower of Jesus (see Galatians 1:10). MANY people see the problems…very few people actually possess the courage to do something about it…and that is what God has called, equipped and empowered you to do what you do.

God has not called you to do this alone. One of the most amazing things about leadership is that the Lord WILL surround you with men and women to come along side to serve with you and help you do all that God has placed in your heart. LISTEN to other people (See Proverbs 15:22) and understand that being the leader DOES NOT mean that you are the smartest person in the room! (When you believe that…it’s over, the smart people will leave and eventually, over time, you will be the smartest person in the room in a room full of morons!) ASK FOR HELP OFTEN…it doesn’t mean you’re weak, it actually communicates to those you lead that you are strong!

You are going to get hurt…all great leaders do. People you thought loved and cared about you will turn on you, attack you and make false accusations against you. This will cause tremendous amounts of insecurity, pain and frustration; however, don’t allow one person who goes Judas on you cause you to believe that everyone you have around you will eventually betray you. I’ve seen so many leaders isolate themselves because of things like this happening and it just isn’t necessary. The only reason that you believe leadership is lonely is because you have most likely chosen to isolate yourself.

Your character can never be compromised–EVER!

Don’t feel the need to waste time responding to every critic. Life is too short and hell is too hot for you to come down off the wall and have a conversation with people who have a history of attacking others and who make ridiculous accusations against you but have never even taken the time to try to get to know you! (See Nehemiah 6:1-4.) AND…STOP obsessing over what “they” say about you…and my friend Craig Groeschel says, “Becoming obsessed with what people think about me is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about me.”

Pay the price to grow and develop as a leader (see Proverbs 4:7!) Don’t always expect everyone to hand you something for free. Conferences cost money! Books cost money! Quit complaining about the cost! Great leaders never whine!

And remember, He who has called you is with you…He will never leave you…He will finish what He began (Philippians 1:6)…you should NOT give up (Galatians 6:9)…and He has called you to fear no one or no thing but HIM (II Timothy 1:7!)

The world it is a changin'

2011-06-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

I just got back from spending a week at Kellogg Center for Nonprofit Management in Chicago. It was a fascinating experience and one that I will be reflecting on for some time. It was great to be affirmed in what we are doing at COTHA and to be challenged to improve on what is going on.

One of the interesting seminars dealt with the changes we are experiencing with the way we communicate. Here's some interesting data:

• 93% of Americans use mobile phones/wireless.
• 30% of Americans using smart phones
• More the two trillion text messages sent in 2010
• 56.3 billion mobile multimedia messages during the same period.
• 90% of the Global population with access to mobile networks.
• There are now 700 million subscribers on FaceBook

And what is the impact of all this? Does it really matter to us in the Church? Well, take a look at this:

The bottom line:

• More people are connected GLOBALLY in 2011 than ever before in history. Just not in person.
• Experts say these behaviors and technologies are still in their infancy and will continue to grow in the next 5 to 10 years. Therefore organizations must continue to adapt and change their marketing and communications.

What is the faithful way forward? For some, it's to bury one's head in the sand and hope it all goes away. Maybe if we wait around long enough things will return to the way they were!! Not a chance. We constantly have to be in the mode of evaluating and reevaluating what we are doing and what we should be doing. That is why we are so involved in social networking ourselves, especially with FaceBook, Twitter, and this Blog. But just as quickly as we get used to this, the world changes.

Our Saturday night service makes an attempt to bring into our worship the promise that Social Networking makes for creating community. We actively use Twitter and people can (and do!) make comments about the message and the service itself. The hope, though, is to take that technology and create further community throughout the week by connecting with each other. Does this work perfectly? Of course not. But we're not going to sit around and wait until things are perfect because the world will have changed again.

It does no good to hope this will all go away. It won't. We need to speak into the world in ways that we can be heard. We'll make mistakes with this but inaction is not an option!

Marriage

2011-03-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about marriages recently, not just mine but marriages in general. I know my mind has been on them because I'm in the midst of a message series about how to make marriages thrive. I've had a lot of conversations with people about the series as it has unfolded. As we know, marriages are under assault in our society and it seems that people don't quite understand the effect that has on everything from education to crime. Redefining marriage isn't the answer. Rediscovering the Biblical truth of what marriage means and how to live according to those Biblical standards is imperative for all of us, especially believers.

As I prepare for the last installment of the series this weekend, my mind goes back to something I talked about last weekend. Temptations are a regular part of life, whether or not one is married. There are temptations to do things that we know are wrong. Married couples experience this in their lives as do single people. Marriages are meant to last a lifetime but too often we are tempted to seek comfort and support outside of that covenant. How many times have we shook our head at how Hollywood treats marriage with outright contempt. We know that Hollywood is full of desperately unhappy people (have you followed the Charlie Sheen saga?) and yet we don't seem to question their lifestyle. As I've said, some people in Hollywood change marriage partners as often as some people change socks!

How is it that we are to live in the midst of all the temptations that life seems to hand us? Remember, since the devil cannot claim your soul, he wants to claim your effectiveness. If we succumb to the temptations we face, we will experience the same blame, shame and fear that Adam and Eve faced following their sin. There is a better way.

In order to faithfully address the issues we face, we need to remember to not wait until the desires of temptation fill our hearts. We need to address these at the doubt and deception stage. Remember what the serpent told Eve in the garden: Did God really say that? That was the doubt stage. And then the serpent replied to Eve when she told him that God had told her that if she ate of the fruit, she would surely die. The serpent replied "oh no, you will not die." That is the deception stage. She didn't do anything about the doubt and deception, which led to her desire to actually eat of the fruit. It was too late.

James 1:15 reminds us of what happen when sinful desires fill our heart. They lead to destruction and death. This is where many marriages fall into the trap of unfaithfulness and sadness. I invite you to consider, today, how you may have allowed the doubts and deception to fill your mind, affect your heart, and have led you to actions that you may regret. The good news is that God will give you His power to overcome those temptations. Temptations aren't sinful, it's what you do with those temptations that can bring you life or death.

I am the poster child of mistakes and missteps. But I also know of grace and forgiveness. I am so thankful to Julie who has helped me be a better man. We have learned together and we have grown together. God wants to help you too. Turn to Him for help. Fill your mind with God's truth about His word and character. And then continue to put Him first in all things.

This weekend concludes the series on Marriage. I invite you to be present as we learn more about the role of forgiveness in our relationships. In the meantime, continue to seek God's presence and truth in your life.

Reflections on a World Gone Mad

2011-01-20T12:42:00.001-08:00

All of us watched with horror a couple of weeks ago when the events in Tucson unfolded. If we didn't watch the news, it wasn't long before the word got out that another senseless event took place that claimed the lives of innocent people. It's not the first time, nor will it be the last, that a misguided person will do such unspeakable things. It happens all the time. We don't have to look outside the borders of our country to see it happen. When we are honest with ourselves, we don't even have to look outside of ourselves to see such darkness. Even as new creatures in Christ, the darkness within is real and destructive. If we are not diligent in seeking God's help, we are capable of hurting others. We might not shoot someone literally but we have a tendency to collude with darkness. We need the help of God Himself to overcome such sin and evil.

he Bible makes it clear that sin is real, evil is destructive and we will always encounter the devastating effects of each. All of us who are believers are not immune from this darkness. If there is any goodness in us at all, it is the presence of the Holy Spirit. As disciples (followers of Jesus) we are called to let His light shine forth in the darkness. Our opening prayer in worship this past weekend reminded us that we are called to be "illumined by Word and Sacrament." This is an ancient truth, ever new, ever renewing.

Unfortunately Satan is real and active. Sometimes he even gets a foothold in the teaching of those in the church. I read with dismay this week a sermon from a preacher where he proclaimed that pastors are to "preach and teach both new and ancient truths." If you're not careful, this seems right. Truth always sets us free, as Jesus told us. But when you look more carefully at that statement, one might ask, "what is this new truth?" The ancient truth is the revealed Word of God. It is unchanging and yet it changes us. A new truth? One can only speculate on what that means. Who determines this "new truth?" What happens when the "new truth" supplants the ancient truth of God's Word? Should we just say "tough, this makes sense to us, therefore we'll go ahead and replace the "out of touch truth?" It reminds me of the post-modern mindset I heard proclaimed on a morning news show the other day when the interviewer proclaimed that someone had discovered "her truth." Her truth? Does that mean I have my truth, you have yours, and they are both true? What happens when your truth denies my truth? Which truth wins? It makes no sense.

Here's the deal: we have one Truth. The Truth that is revealed in God's Holy Word. Sometimes that Truth comforts us. Sometimes it gets "all in our business," but it always sets us free. The sermon preached that proclaims a "new truth" is simply heresy. It's wrong. And it's dangerous. It leads people to believe that Truth isn't objective and it changes with a shifting and changing culture. It sets no one free but actually binds people to an ancient lie. We are best served when we recognize the subtle shift in language from those who would attempt to discard the ancient Truth with something that is more palatable for post-modern people.

There is no doubt that we live in challenging times. But God is good. And He is sovereign. God's Word never dies, no does it ever change. The events in Tucson remind us that our world is a dangerous place. Let us not seek a "new truth" that will do nothing for those who are without hope, it will never set anyone free, and it will lead to a further sense of hopelessness. Let us hold on to those ancient words that have set us free. I'll pray for the preacher who is leading others to a false sense of hope. You pray for me that I will always be true to God's Word, given to the apostles and us that still set sets us free.

Holy words long preserved
for our walk in this world,
They resound with God's own heart.
Oh let the ancient words impart

Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e'er we roam
Ancient words will guide us Home.

Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you,
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart

Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world.
They resound with God's own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart.

We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart

Rock Chalk Christmas 2010

2010-12-16T12:55:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a good Rock Chalk for Christmas!!

Advent: A Journey toward Christmas and Beyond!

2010-12-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

This weekend, we enter into the third week of Advent. Advent has a multi-layered meaning. For many, it simply means that Christmas is near and the lighting of the Advent wreath is a sort of "count-down" until we can get on with it and open the packages under the tree. Yet there is more to it than that. Advent is also a time when we look forward to the second coming. He who came into this world on the first Christmas has promised to come again (the First Advent). is when Christians anticipate the day when Jesus will return again (the Second Advent). Jesus promised that He would return and so we make our proclamation week after week: "Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again." That day will be unforgettable and full of joy when he our Lord say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world even began.” (from Matthew 25).

Advent reminds us to ‘watch’ and ‘be ready’ for that day, because we do not know when he will come again. It does no good to try to guess when that time will be since Jesus told us know one will know the day or hour. He just told us to be awake. And that's what Advent, at its best does as well, reminding us to be alert and to not be overwhelmed by the clamor around us that proclaims a different kind of Christmas (all about presents under the tree and economic stimulus!)

So how do we 'stay awake' ? Perhaps in the same way that we stay alert when we know that we will have guests for Christmas. We decorate the tree, we clean, perhaps cook and bake and certainly wait with expectation and excitement. Since Jesus will come again, we prepare and look forward to that great day. Even though we don't know the exact time, we can still fill our hearts with excitement that it will happen!

Keeping Advent as a time of preparation and expectation helps us feel a sense of celebration and anticipation. The message is clear: take hope. No matter what you face, if you follow Jesus as your Lord and Savior, there is hope. He is coming. He is coming! Let us prepare for the birth of our Lord in our own hearts and let us prepare for His coming again. Happy Advent!

Great Weekend: Inspiring, fun and fulfilling

2010-11-10T10:02:00.000-08:00

I'm reflecting back on this past weekend and am so thankful about all that went on at COTHA. The obvious thing my have been the community gathering, onsite, for the annual church picnic. To see all the goodwill and fun was very satisfying. The number of people that it took to put on such a grand celebration numbered in the dozens. Thanks to all who gave of their time and energy to make sure the games were staffed, the burgers and dogs cooked, chairs and tables set up and on and on. The dunking tank was AWOL given some sort of mechanical issues. I promise, I did not sabotage it! A special thank you to Polly and Neil Stratton who went well beyond the call of duty to make sure we all had such a great time!!

I am also thankful for the wonderful testimonies at all three of all services this past weekend. We were participating in Orphan Sunday for the first time and listening to stories of families who have been involved in the foster care system as well as adoptions was inspiring. I want to thank the Thompsons, the Readings and the Lennards for inspiring us and showing us how we can respond to God's call to care for orphans and widows.

The last thing I want to mention, and there's more than just these things to celebrate, is the blessing of our people who are going to Guatemala to build a water well. They leave on Saturday. Please keep these people in your prayers as they represent us all by going into the world and putting God's word into action: Tom Kitchen, Debbie and Steve Blank, and Dessie Pierce. May God protect them and bring them back safely to us with stories of how God moved among them.

What a weekend! What a church!!

A reminder, humorous but true and sad, that Church is not about you.

2010-10-05T06:22:00.000-07:00

Complete Surrender

2010-08-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

We live in fascinating and exciting times. Not everyone sees it this way though. The church has become increasingly marginalized. The Church has reacted to this marginalization in a couple of different ways. One way is to simply ignore it and continue to do the same thing over and over, in the same way, and hope things turn out better. This "blinder" approach is the favorite of mainline churches. If things don't turn out better, they simply blame others... blame people for not being "smart" enough to see that the music and hymns that have been sung for centuries is really for sophisticates and therefore there are not many of those left anymore; therefore we can't make a difference. I've seen this in churches that use Latin phrases to describe certain parts of services and expect people to fumble around trying to hold books, finding there way around. I've seen this in the way buildings have been built, resembling the architecture of the 15th century. I love museums, but I don't think I want to live in one! I heard once pastor at a mainline pastors gathering say, "we are the church for smart people." He wasn't very smart in saying that, but I let the irony pass.

There are others who think that theology needs to change to keep pace with a changing world. Not too long ago someone phrased this way of thinking as "generous orthodoxy." This is the new way for many denominations as they hope to reach out to a larger percentage of the population. Unfortunately for them, this isn't working any better than the "blinder" approach. Not many people want to be involved in something that looks more like a social service agency than the church. Isn't there a better way?

Last Sunday I talked about the more excellent way. You see, I believe that the change in society is being engineered by God himself. It's not an accident that the church has become marginalized. God's hand is all over this. He is calling us to reclaim who He created us to be. I've mentioned that we may have more in common with the First Century than the Twentieth Century. If this is true, we need to examine what those faithful men and women did and how God used them to change the world.

It doesn't take more than a quick read of the Acts of the Apostles to see that the church changed the world. Starting with 12 men and growing to about 120 people on the day of Pentecost, the church grew to 3000 in one day. That didn't happen because they found 3000 "smart" people, or they decided to lower the bar to fit culture. No, that happened because they were totally, completely "sold-out." These people not only put God in first place in their life, they had completely surrendered to Jesus.

What would happen if we were to do the same thing? I will reflect on this over the next few weeks but let me say one thing about this: if God is truly calling us to live like an Acts 2:42 church, are we willing to do that? Can we trust Him with everything- our calendar, our money, our family, our lives? Is Jesus worth it?

I want to live this way. I want to know Jesus more completely. I want to follow him by completely surrendering. The bar is pretty high but it is definitely worth living ones life this way. I'll close today by asking you: will you do the same? Can we be the kind of church that God wants us to be? Not the kind of people who wear blinders; not the kind of church that waters down the Gospel. But the kind of Church that is full of people who have sold out to Jesus. Totally surrendered to Him!

Prosperity Gospel: Or big boat theology

2010-06-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

The airwaves are full of preachers teaching a partial, counterfeit gospel. Indeed, there are a couple of channels on TV devoted to the proclamation of a "gospel" that is literally and figuratively robbing people. I am posting a message by John Piper that takes aim at this sad, incomplete understanding of the glorious Gospel of Jesus. I am reminded, after watching this, of a song we often sing at COTHA: "Even when there's pain in the offering, blessed be His name."

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Summer time, Sabbath time and Sermon time

2010-06-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

The heat and humidity are both up, young people are excited and are at the swimming pool, vacations are beginning to dot the calendar and I'm starting to think about next year. It's summer time. The calendar suggests that we have to wait until the latter part of June for it to really be that time but there is evidence everywhere that we move quicker than the calendar.

Part of the attraction of summer for me is finding a slower pace. Julie will be home from teaching and we'll spend a lot of time on the back porch at night (a hidden secret about Houston is that once the sun goes down, being outside is very pleasant... especially if you have mosquito repellant on!). I'll use more time for reflection and planning. There are vacations to enjoy but one doesn't have to go on vacation to slow down a bit. I heard once that we should "divert daily; withdraw weekly; and abandon annually." I try to do that all the time but recommit myself this summer to live more fully into a life that leads to restoration and recreation.

I am also working toward a retreat that will take me away from all the pressing demands of daily ministry that will allow me to prayerfully seek God's direction in developing next year's preaching calendar. I find that such focus is fruitful and will allow me to know where it is God is leading us in the next year. I preach purposefully, meaning that I don't want to just approach the topics of things that I'm interested in but, rather, will help us grow as disciples. I basically seek topics that will help us all to see the following:

1. What it means to be part of the church
2. What is it we should do to grow as disciples.
3. How we can and should serve both in and outside the church.
4. How can we serve the world as Jesus has called us to?
5. What is worship? How do we do it? How can we do it better?

With that as a context, I engage in conversation with God: prayer and Bible study and seek to find His direction. You can help this process as well. I'd like to challenge you to pray about this and see if you might have a sense of what you'd like for me to address in the coming year. Is there a series you'd like to have preached? Is there a topic you'd like addressed? When I've asked these questions in previous years, I've been able to focus more directly on what I need to work toward. I can't use everyone's suggestions but sometimes more than one person will make the same suggestion and it was something I was thinking about anyway. It's that kind of confirmation that truly aids in my preparation.

If you have any ideas, please feel free to email me. Whether or not you have ideas, I do appreciate your prayers as I seek clarity about where it is we are headed in the coming year.

Blessings to all of you!!

Darrel

Repentance

2010-05-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Watch this video for an important reminder of the importance of repentance. It is easy to see sin in someone else but we overlook sin in our own lives. Unless we deal seriously with our own sin, we will never change. We'll feel bad but we won't be transformed. The end result is that we aren't putting ourselves in a position where God can truly use us.

Welcoming Guests

2010-05-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

It is easy to think that a church is welcoming to its guests. Indeed, I don't think I've ever seen or heard that a particular church would admit that it isn't very friendly. Yet, I have visited many, many churches over the years and have found that a welcoming, inviting congregation is the exception not the rule. Usually guests are called visitors and treated as such. A visitor is a bit of an intrusion, unless they can add something to you. A guest is seen as anything but an intrusion. In fact, a guest is seen as a gift. They are someone you've hoped would come and you will do anything to provide them with a an experience that reflects that. Studies show that the number one reason that people don't go to church anywhere is that they find that the people at church are unfriendly!

This problem is so nuanced that we often fail to see it as a problem. The issue must be with the visitor, right? Maybe they aren't really "one of us." If they do decide to come back, what if they try to change the way we do things? What if they vote differently, look weird, and have lifestyles we find objectionable? No one wants to stand up and say "no you can't come back," but that doesn't have to be said verbally for it to be communicated.

At COTHA we have been a welcoming church from the very beginning. I am thankful for that. We don't have to try to inject new DNA into our lives and change completely, opening ourselves to the possibility that a guest may want to visit. We have seen and continue to see guests come Sunday after Sunday. It seems like we just unlock the doors and they show up. We can celebrate this. We are a growing church and that in and of itself makes us unique. Let me pose a question to reflect on: are we truly as welcoming as we could be? Is there anything we could do to send a message, loud and clear, that we expect guests and when they arrive, we'll drop everything to welcome them?

I believe God is calling us to deepen our ability to welcome guests. What God is doing here is too big, too good, too amazing to not want to share it with others. We want people to know that we believe they come to COTHA because God has called them here. We want them to know they are a gift to us. We want them to know that the blessings we have received are blessings we want to share with others. We have been blessed in order to be a blessing.

Our welcome team has done a tremendous job. It's a great ministry and I know it pleases God. We are now poised to deepen and build on the good work that has been done. We are going to focus in on how we can remove any barrier that a guest may feel when they arrive. It is understood that a person makes a decision to return within the first five minutes that they arrive at a church. And so we are going to focus on those first five minutes (and beyond). We are going to make a list, check it again and again and push ourselves to know that we can make an even bigger difference in this corner of the world as we become an even more welcoming presence.

Here's the deal: I want you to pray about whether or not you want to be part of the Welcoming Team. We want to double the size of the team. We want people to be in the parking lots, standing and waiting for a Guest and find ways to express our gratitude for their presence with us. We want to do all in our power to let them know we were praying that they would come. If you are a member of COTHA, is God calling you to help with this? This might be an opportunity for entire families to be part of a ministry together. Let's respond to God's call to welcome the "stranger" and help them not feel strange at all.

A New Message Series Begins this Weekend

2010-04-08T09:30:00.001-07:00

I am excited to launch a new messages series this weekend. Paul tells us that our "attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus"... (Philippians 2:5). How does that resonate with you? How does it challenge you? Many people live under a dark cloud of negativity. Sometimes it's because of relationship issues. Sometimes people blame it on circumstances. If anyone had the right, it seems to me, to throw a pity party, it was Jesus. He came among His own creation and they tried to kill both the message and the messenger. Yet He not only wasn't negative, He continued his focused approach to both His message and to His people. How does one live like that.

I recently had a conversation with someone who seemed to suggest that we need to be "happy clappy" when it came to the challenges of life. Indeed, this person even accused me of that. I don't know him to well and it was a "virtual" conversation (online) but he couldn't have been more wrong. A disciple isn't someone who denies the existence of pain and struggle. Paul never suggested that. He did say, though, that we should take joy in all things, even our suffering. Suffering produces endurance. Endurance produces character and character, hope. Hope will never fail us. With an attitude like that, then we begin to grow into an understanding that happiness is based on circumstances. When circumstances are good, our happiness is present. When circumstances change, so does our attitude. Joy, on the other hand, is based on something so much more profound. Joy, as a believer, is based on a relationship. Our relationship with Jesus. There's nothing "happy clappy" about that. But there is something that allows us to escape a negative mindset and the regular experience of throwing pity parties.

Join me this weekend (remember we have three worship experiences: Saturday at 6 PM and Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 AM) as we examine how we can move beyond being yanked about because of circumstances and enter into a deeper level of discipleship. I'm looking forward to it and as always, bring a friend!!

I'm so excited

2010-03-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is it. It is Holy Week. What a marvelous, extraordinary time. Some people may be trying to turn Good Friday into "Spring Holiday" but God is still God and He is broadcasting His message of love throughout the land, in the Church. I invite you to consider bring a friend, acquaintance, or neighbor with you this weekend. It may be scary, but it's worth the risk. What God has done needs to be shared with everyone. At COTHA they will leave knowing that God is real, He loves them and is inviting them into an extraordinary way of living. See you in Church!

March Madness

2010-03-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

Not a surprise to anyone, March is an exciting time for me. I absolutely love college basketball and all the hoopla (pardon the pun) around the NCAA tournament. Once, when I serve a church in Kansas, we showed the NCAA semi-final game on our video screens following a church service. I remember getting some criticism about doing that, some thinking that I was elevating basketball to the level of a church service! I reminded them that it was AFTER the service not during... but I don't think I ever convinced her.

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking pleasure in basketball... nor football, or golf, or swimming, or gardening (well maybe I've gone too far!). The point is that I think God delights in that which delights us. Of course we need to be careful to not elevate our hobbies to the level of worship but enjoying a fun past time enhances life.

I'll be celebrating and moaning through what I hope is a fun NCAA tournament. I will do so without apology. The God of all creation delights when we have fun. After all, God is awesome and delights in all of creation, even basketball.

Happy Lent! (can you even enjoy that??).

Lent

2010-02-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we entered into a forty day journey of Lent. This journey leads us to the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the last supper, Judas' betrayal, Peter's denial, and illegal trial, a wrongful verdict, humiliation and scourging, and finally to execution on the cross. As we take these steps, as we contemplate on the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf, we are humbled, amazed and forced to our knees. Who are we that God would sacrifice so much on our behalf? Who are we that God would be willing to suffer so unjustly? Who are we that He would be willing to pay the wages of sin on our behalf?

Yesterday's message during our Ash Wednesday worship services included a reading from 2 Corinthians. This reading tells us what God has done for us through His sacrifice: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21). Think about that for a moment. We, you and me and all believers, have been made the righteousness of God. Wow. What a gift we have been given.

Not all people have received that gift because not all people are believers in God through His son Jesus. That's why we must let the world know that God so loved us that He sent Jesus to "make us the righteousness of God." An amazing and solemn responsibility we have been given.

Yesterday I said "I invite you to a Holy Lent." By that I mean I invite you to contemplate on the gift of salvation we have been given and don't hold on to that knowledge as if it is a secret. Share the news with friends and family. I challenge your lenten discipline to be a simple one this year. Invite a friend to come with you to church. If they don't accept the invitation, then keep inviting them, and start inviting others. After all, we want all to come to know the joy it is when we live into the truth of being the "righteousness of God."

Does God only give us those things we can handle?

2010-01-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we face things in life that are so difficult we wonder if we can get through it on our own. Personally I have faced these mountains many times in my life and ministry. But as I remember back, there was one situation that was one of the most difficult things I have had to face as a pastor. The condensed version is this: I was wrongly accused, found out about it but had to be quiet because of confidential reasons. I discovered that I was being lied to in order to have someone "encourage" a particular direction that person wanted to see the congregation go. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I found this out by reading an email intended for someone else. That same person forwarded an email I had sent to a number of people, leaving out the part that would have exonerated me. So, there I sat listening to many people come forward and complain to me about something I knew was wrong but couldn't speak up to defend myself.

Over the course of several weeks I listened to one person after another complain about something they had an incomplete picture of. I looked to see where I could find help and strength from others, and found no one to offer it. I'll always remember someone saying to me that "God won't allow you to handle anything more than what you can handle." Frankly, that wasn't helpful. And frankly, I found that to be an urban myth. Sometimes God does give us more than we can handle. But there is a purpose for that.

How does that work? Well, I want you to come to the church house, located at 1225 W. Grand Parkway S. in Katy this Sunday when the Church gathers, to hear the answer. In my situation, God had a lot he wanted to teach me. I was a slow learner, but I eventually learned so much about people, myself and God. Not only did I survive, but I ended up thriving. So much so that I am now happy that I had to go through one of the worst times of my ministry. I knew at the time I was "taking one for the team," and knew that Jesus would honor me if I would just remain faithful. I did. And so did He.

Join me this weekend as these difficult questions are addressed in the series "Urban Myths." If you are facing something similar to what I did, or if it's just something that seems to big to handle, then be here and listen to what God's word says. Oh, and bring a friend!

Dealing with the Hard Questions

2010-01-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

I am getting ready to teach the second in a series of the difficult questions of our faith. Last week I talked about whether or not Jesus is The way, The truth, and The life. According to many in our world, to believe such things is to be narrow minded. After all, does it really matter what I believe, as long as I am sincere?

This question was answered with a resounding yes it does matter! I encouraged all of us who are believers to examine our lives and to see if the way we live our lives reflect what we say we believe. I led us all, including myself, to recommit ourselves to following Jesus as both our Lord and Savior.

This week I look at another difficult question. Many people believe that God wants us to be happy, no matter where that might lead. Here's a couple of questions I will examine: if we're not happy, does that mean that God failed? Is there a difference between joy and happiness? Are there times when God does not want us to be happy?

Join us this Sunday as I continue this series.

Preparing for Christmas

2009-12-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

We are closing in on one of the most exciting times of the year. Christmas is a time for family and friends to enjoy one another. The giving and receiving of gifts can be a hassle but it can also be a joy. There is no end to the things we can do, the parties to attend, the gifts to buy, and the memories to build. There is that part about Jesus as well!

Christmas is so much more than the world would have us believe. It is a cataclysmic event that happened almost 2000 years ago. An event that was so unlikely only a handful of shepherds and a couple of wise men from the east even noticed. And yet the birth of Jesus was the ultimate game changer. His entry into this world was the fulfillment of prophecy and the loudest message ever delivered from God to all of creation. As the Bible tells us "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, to the end, that all who believes in Him will have everlasting life."

In the midst of all your preparations, no matter if they are a hassle or just fun, don't lose sight of what we are celebrating. It actually goes beyond a celebration of an historical event, though it is indeed history. It goes to the reality that Jesus lives and reigns and calls all of His people to share the joy and hope with a world that only knows despair and fear.

We have one more Sunday in Advent before we pull out the stops at COTHA on December 24 (5:00 and 10:30 pm). Consider who you might invite as we sing with the heavenly choir "Glory to God in the highest!"

John Piper's Excellent sermon on free will and the sovereignty of God

2009-12-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

If you have some time, pull up a chair and listen/watch this outstanding sermon. I give God thanks for people like John Piper who challenge me, informs me and helps unpack the Gospel for me in such wonderful ways.

We are not Invisible to God!

2009-11-30T11:31:00.000-08:00

When Atheists Believe | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

2009-10-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

A great article that ties into what we are doing (or about to do) with the Truth Project. Stay tuned for more information about how to get involved in a small group examining what it means to have a Biblical worldview... we will start them after the first of the year.

When Atheists Believe Christianity Today A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

When Atheists Believe
The confounding attraction of the Christian worldview.
Chuck Colson with Catherine Larson

In recent years Great Britain's chief export to the U.S. has been a payload of books by atheist authors such as evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and literary critic Christopher Hitchens. They contend that faith is irrational in the face of modern science. Other prominent British atheists seem to be having second thoughts. Is there some revival sweeping England? No; they are examining the rationality of Christianity, the very beliefs Dawkins and others are so profitably engaging, but are coming to opposite conclusions.

Well-known scholar Antony Flew was the first, saying he had to go "where the evidence [led]." Evolutionary theory, he concluded, has no reasonable explanation for the origin of life. When I met with Flew in Oxford, he told me that while he had not come to believe in the biblical God, he had concluded that atheism is not logically sustainable.
More recently, A. N. Wilson, once thought to be the next C. S. Lewis who then renounced his faith and spent years mocking Christianity, returned to faith. The reason, he said in an interview with New Statesman, was that atheists "are missing out on some very basic experiences of life." Listening to Bach and reading the works of religious authors, he realized that their worldview or "perception of life was deeper, wiser, and more rounded than my own."

He noticed that the people who insist we are "simply anthropoid apes" cannot account for things as basic as language, love, and music. That, along with the "even stronger argument" of how the "Christian faith transforms individual lives," convinced Wilson that "the religion of the incarnation … is simply true."
Likewise, Matthew Parris, another well-known British atheist, made the mistake of visiting Christian aid workers in Malawi, where he saw the power of the gospel transforming them and others. Concerned with what he saw, he wrote that it "confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my worldview, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God." While Parris is unwilling to follow where his observations lead, he is obviously wrestling with how Christianity makes better sense of the world than other worldviews.

While we can't reason our way to God, I've long believed that Christianity is the most rational explanation of reality. Could this signal a trend? Well, not yet. But it does illustrate something I have been teaching for years: Faith and reason are not enemies. We are given reason as a gift. And while we can't reason our way to God (only the power of God can transform fallen men—I've seen that in prisons for over 32 years),I have long believed that Christianity is the most rational explanation of reality. And that fact, winsomely explained, can powerfully influence thinking people to consider Christ's claims.

A strong empirical case can be made to show that Christianity is the only rational explanation of life. For the past six years, I've been teaching students in the Centurions Program to draw a grid listing the four basic questions that most people ask about life: Where did I come from? What's my purpose? Why is there sin and suffering? Is redemption possible? Then, on the other side of the matrix, we list the various philosophies and prominent world religions. By examining how each view answers the four questions, we can determine which worldviews conform to the way things really are. This is the correspondence theory of truth—a thoroughly rational test.
Students quickly see that only Christianity teaches that humans are created in the image of God, thus protecting their dignity. It's no coincidence that Christians have waged most of the great human rights campaigns.

Or take the question of sin. If people are good, as French political philosopher Rousseau argued, problems can be solved by creating a utopian state. Yet all of history's utopian schemes have ended in tyranny. Meanwhile, Eastern religions see life as an endless cycle of suffering. There's no way for sin to be forgiven. And grace is an unknown concept in Islam.

This is nothing particularly novel. A long history of prominent atheists, interestingly concentrated in Britain, have traveled back to faith. These doubters began to examine the rationality of Christianity's claims. Whether in the Victorian era, with Thomas Cooper, George Sexton, and Joseph Barker, or in the 20th century, with T. S. Eliot, Graham Greene, and C. S. Lewis,all of them concluded that the Bible speaks most accurately to the human condition—the very definition of a rational choice. It is rational to choose the worldview that provides the best choice for living, consistent with the way life works.

What does this tell us? People today have a caricatured view of Christians, seeing us as followers, often hypocritical and judgmental, of an outdated book of mere illusions. But if we can explain why Christianity is so reasonable, our faith becomes a very winsome proposition, which will at least open the mind, if not the heart, of many a doubter.
Copyright © 2009 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Hello to the World

2009-10-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

I have a search function on my blogspot that allows me to see where people are from who are reading my blog. It's fun to see that I have people from Nigeria, Uganda, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Germany, the UK.... as well as Houston, Katy, San Francisco, Lawrence KS, Olathe KS, Denver and so on. So I just thought I'd say... hello! Thanks for checking on me and I will pray for all of you today.

May God bless you all!

Fall, Football and Forgiveness

2009-10-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

These are three things I love, not necessarily in that order. Who doesn't love fall, even in Houston! One more day of heat and humidity and then cool weather. While we don't enjoy the leaves turning colors, the benefit is in the beautiful winter that we will have.

And football. I especially like football when my team wins... but it seems that athletics can be a wonderful metaphor for life. Preparing, dealing with whatever gifts God has given us, doing your best, listening to the Coach, and then either winning or learning from a defeat. Like life, I love to win, but there's always something to learn, whether or not you win or lose.

And forgiveness. We live in a broken world. Life is full of hurts and hurting people. Sometimes we cause the hurts and sometimes we get hurt. But ultimately we realize that we, like everyone else, are broken. When we can step into that hurt and offer and receive forgiveness, the world becomes a little better place. The fruits of the Spirit are available for all believers and so often we realize them when we either forgive or accept forgiveness from others.

So this is what I'm doing this weekend: enjoying fall, football and forgiveness!

A thoughtful and helpful reflection

2009-10-15T08:12:00.001-07:00

This is from Del Tackett, the teacher for the Truth Project:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Luke 9:23-24

Most of last week was spent in Wenatchee, Washington, site of a joint Lutheran Pastor’s Conference. (Sorry about being absent from the blog—we had some technical difficulties.)

Now, I am neither Lutheran, nor a pastor. Why was I there?

Good question!

I was their speaker for the week—asked to provide them with the training to lead Truth Project small groups. It was a delightful time.

Nothing thrills me more than a humble pastor whose heart is dedicated to the Lord and to see his flock healthy and strong. We had some lively interaction… open and honest… and I was sad to leave them.

When I returned, I then had the privilege of participating in an Invocation Service for one of my former Seminary students, Jim Alexander, who was being installed as the senior pastor of a local church. I could not have been more proud of him. During the sermon, Dr. Dominic Aquila listed all of the “tasks” and “duties” of a pastor and what people expected of them. As he went through the list, I briefly wondered if my friend would raise his hand and say, “I may have to rethink this!” Of course, he didn’t, but the responsibilities of a pastor are enormous.
Most of them involve the dying to oneself. That was the heart of the sermon.

Next Sunday, take the time to look your pastor in the eye and thank him… not for his sermon… but for his service.

By the way, the trees were just turning in Washington. I had to stop over and over again on my 3-hour drive from Wenatchee to the Seattle airport.

Isn’t it amazing how the Lord has given us such beauty in the midst of death?
–Leaves that are about to die and drop to the ground give us their greatest testimony at the end of their life;
–The dying rays of a sunset;
–The sedimentary layers of the flood—the beauty of the mountains or in the Grand Canyon.

Jesus did the same. The ugliness of the trial and the scourging and the cross become a beautiful testimony of the love of God.

We don’t seek death, but neither do we fear it…for it is possible that our greatest testimony will come at our death, either our physical death or when we daily die to ourselves.

Reformed Theology and the Nicene Creed

2009-10-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

The more I study and read the more I feel like my theology is "reformed." What is that? What does it mean about my theology? Read this thought provoking article to get a sense of what I mean:

The Nicene Creed is Calvinistic

At the heart of Calvinist and Reformed theology is an assertion that God is responsible for and sovereign over everything. That would include our creation, election, justification, sanctification, resurrection and life everlasting.

If we can accept that premise, then let's also admit that other theological systems allow for powers apart from the sovereignty of God; things which God cannot or will not control. Such powers would include the will of man, the operations of science, the communication between this world and worlds beyond the grave, and the 'laws' of nature and of probability.

So let's look at what the Nicene Creed teaches:

God is described as "maker... of all things visible and invisible" That is to say, He has created not only the "seen and unseen" (as it falsely declares in some versions of the Nicene Creed) but also that which we cannot ever see.
The plan of salvation in Jesus Christ is established "... before all worlds..." He is not merely at the beginning of time, but His existence is actually before the beginning. Notably, the Nicene should not be rendered to say that Jesus Christ is "eternally begotten". This would render Him subject in part to the constraints of time. We are taught in the real Nicene Creed that the purpose of salvation was established by God before time itself existed, that events in time have no bearing on God's plan of salvation.
The Nicene's salvation storyline is very simple: He died... He rose... He sitteth (on the throne)... He shall come again. There is no intervening dependency upon the will of man, the intervention of saints (or of Mary), or operations of nature that are independent of God's sovereignty. God is plainly and simply the author of salvation.
God is the maker of "the Life of the world to come." We are not the makers of heaven. Its design God's alone, and should we be privileged to be with him in heaven, it will not be because we deserved it.

This completes the picture that the Nicene Creed paints for us. God is the maker of that which was before our world, of that which is our world, and of that which comes after our world. He is the alpha and omega, and apart from Him nothing is... and nothing happens.

Because Anglicanism purports to agree with the NIcene Creed, authentic Anglican theology must therefore be understood to agree with it and to support the principles on which it is founded. In the following five points, the reader will see that the principles drawn from the Nicene Creed are also to be found in Calvinism and in the theology of the 39 Articles, namely that:

Man's situation is such that he is in no position to save himself. Calvinists call this man's "total depravity."
God established His plan of salvation apart from the influence of His creation, that it was complete before time began. The plan of salvation is not conditioned upon things beyond His control. At the end of time the world is precisely as he elected. Calvinists call this "unconditional election."
The resurrection whether to heaven or to eternal damnation, is precisely as He wished it to be before time began. The targets of atonement are all His choosing. They do not choose themselves. He established a separation between the saved and the lost and does not allow His mind to be changed by attitudes or deeds or events of which He himself is not the author. Calvinists call this "limited atonement."
The completion of God's plan of salvation is a sure thing. The Grace of God is irresistible, and His Power is unlimited. Calvinists call this "irresistible grace."
God will let none perish from his hand, nor save more than He chose to save. His plan and sovereign Will were complete from "before all worlds" such that the "life of the world to come" which we anticipate is what He made for us before we even knew him. Calvinists call this "perseverance of the saints."

The Nicene Creed preceded the Reformation by 1200 years. It preceded Augustine, who is often claimed to be the precursor of the Reformation, by 200 years. As much like Calvinism as the Nicene Creed seems to be, it is the theology of the early church and of the Apostles.

What is astounding is that modern Anglicanism, or what I call "Neo-Anglicanism", ridicules the reformed (Calvinistic) formula (the five points), stands back from the reformed Anglican confession (39 Articles), and re-establishes many of the heresies condemned by the Council of Nicaea.

Authentic Anglican theology can be found only by returning to the 39 Articles, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and the authentic Creeds. Modern Anglo-Catholics, Anglican Evangelicals and Anglican Charismatics all take exception in one way or another to the principles of the English Reformation. They are all "Neo-Anglicans."

Now me again: I am not sure we need to return to the 1662 prayer book but I do think this has a lot to say about our preaching and teaching. If you want to learn more about this, stay tuned, for we are about to launch into the Truth Project that will unpack all of this and help us to see what a Biblical world view really is.

The Importance of Reading the Bible

2009-09-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

J. C. Ryle, one of Victorian England's greatest evangelicals, a man who became the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool in 1880, is an inspiration and theological guide for me. His writings and sermons seem to be so appropriate for the time in which we live, they address the problems that 21st century Christians face.

Listen to what he says in a sermon that has been preserved:

Next to praying there is nothing so important in practical religion as Bible-reading. God has mercifully given us a book which is "able to make [us] wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). By reading that book we may learn what to believe, what to be, and what to do; how to live with comfort, and how to die in peace. Happy is that man who possesses a Bible! Happier still is he who reads it! Happiest of all is he who not only reads it, but obeys it, and makes it the rule of his faith and practice!

Nevertheless it is a sorrowful fact that man has a sad ability to abuse God’s gifts. His privileges, and power, and abilities, are all ingeniously perverted to other ends than those for which they were bestowed. His speech, his imagination, his intellect, his strength, his time, his influence, his money—instead of being used as instruments for glorifying his Maker—are generally wasted, or employed for his own selfish ends. And just as man naturally makes a bad use of his other mercies from God, so he does of the written Word. One sweeping charge may be brought against the whole of Christendom, and that charge is neglect and abuse of the Bible.

I love that. You can be counted among the "happy" if you own a Bible, but even more so if you read it! Isn't it true that taking the time to read the Bible is often the most difficult thing we do? Some may get up early to do that, but there always seems to be distractions. And finding a time during the day, well if one is working, where does one find time? Late at night seems to be a favorite time, but how many people fall asleep or just read really fast to get it over with, as if it were a duty or obligation?

As I often say, "I'm the preacher and I struggle with this." Reading the Bible is the key to spiritual growth and no wonder the devil would try to remove it from us. If he can't make us bad he'll make us busy. So busy we don't have time to pray more than a quick "bless me or help me" prayer and too busy to read the greatest gift given to all humankind: the Bible.

The Bible is true and timeless. It is inerrant and authoritative in all matters of life. It is the key to a fuller understanding of who we are as humans and who God is. It is trustworthy and inspired. Don't miss out on the blessings and don't only buy a Bible, but read it!

See you this weekend. Remember we now have three worship opportunities every weekend. Saturdays at 6 (gather at 5:00 for conversation and connecting) and 6:00 for praise, teaching and communion. Sundays remain the same: 8:00 and 10:30. Don't forget to invite a friend or stranger!!

World View

2009-09-17T08:01:00.001-07:00

I am currently involved in two projects that are having an impact on my prayer life, my sense of where we are as a church, my role as a disciple in a non-believing society and who I am as a child of God. I am involved in something called the Truth Project and am reading a book by Francis A. Schaeffer entitled How Should We Then Live?

The Truth Project is helping me reflect on what my worldview is. A worldview, according to Wikipedia is " the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing natural philosophy, fundamental existential and normative postulates or themes, values, emotions, and ethics." The Truth Project defines a world view as "a comprehensive set of truth claims that purports to paint a picture of reality; the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world." I think it is accurate to say that a worldview is the way that one makes sense of the world around him/her, through a basic understanding of who that person is as a human and how that person relates to God.

I have been amazed as I have participated in the Truth Project and in reading Schaeffer's book, with how different a Biblical world view is from what the world would have us believe. Early on in the Truth Project, we were told that the struggle we face is not one of flesh and blood (sounds like Paul!) but with the spiritual realm. There is a force at work in the world that would keep us confused and deluded about how it is we should see the world and because of that, how we should live.

The basic challenge living in the world that we live in is facing the pernicious lie that man is basically good and that his greatest need is to self-actualize and get in touch with his inner desires. The reason this is such a huge challenge is that we have been socialized in such a way that to even question this lie makes us seem like fossils, out of touch with a progressive society.

It is easy to see how this lie has spread throughout our society. One does not have to look only at New Age religions to see the impact that this lie has had. Even in the church one can hear a theology based on this lie being proclaimed. Instead of a gospel of radical transformation, a gospel of radical inclusivity is being proclaimed. Certainly there is nothing wrong with welcoming people into the church, but if we welcome people and do not offer them a challenge to confront their sinful nature and turn to God who has solved our sin problem through Jesus Christ, then the church has become a mouthpiece for this lie.

Schaeffer's book does an excellent job of tracing the roots of our current situation back to the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages and both the Renaissance and Reformation. I have been amazed as I contemplate both the good and the bad that have had an impact on our journey toward the present time. There have been times when the authority of the Church has claimed to take precedents over the Bible. There have been other times where it has been claimed that human reason is the ultimate authority. But through each of those times God has brought the church back to the place where the Bible is the sole authority and grace the guiding light. I truly believe we are in one of those times of re-formation now. The pernicious lie is still prevalent among us but it has been there throughout the history of Western thought and culture.

It would be easy to throw up one's hands in disgust about where we are as a society and wonder if there is a way back to the truth of God's Word. But going through both of these projects isn't making me feel hopeless. They are making me hopeful. God has not changed His job description nor has He said He won't use the Church any longer. It is our responsibility, though, to know how easy it is to be taken in by the lie, ask for forgiveness when we have, and make a fresh commitment to allow the Holy Spirit to use us to spread the really good news: It's not about us or up to us. It's about Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Our new Saturday Worship Service made the Houston Chronicle

2009-09-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

Katy pastor uses virtual community to connect in church
New interactive worship service starts Saturday
By KIMBERLY PIÑA CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
Sept. 2, 2009, 1:42PM

Suzanne Rehak For the Chronicle

Church of the Holy Apostles, 1225 S. Grand Parkway, will hold Saturday one-hour interactive contemporary services with a 5 p.m. browsing/dinner and a 6-7 p.m. service, using Twitter. Donna Matthews, the church’s pastoral assistant, uses her PC to ask a question of the Rev. Darrel Proffitt to demonstrate how the interactive service might work.

While some preachers may frown upon the use of cell phones and laptops in church on Sundays, one Katy-area pastor is encouraging people to keep their wireless devises on so they connect through the Internet and social networking sites during a new service.
Starting Sept. 12, Church of the Holy Apostles, 1225 West Grand Parkway South, will kick off its first Saturday evening service called The Gathering Place. The 6 p.m. service will feature the same elements of traditional church including music, preaching, communion and prayer as well as an interactive component that will allow members and visitors to ask questions or make comments via the Internet.

“There's a virtual community out there and we're going to tap into how that might work for the church,” said Rev. Darrel Proffitt, the church's lead pastor. “It's more than just a virtual interactive service where you can ask questions through Twitter and Facebook, but will encourage people to develop a community throughout the week.”

Social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter have allowed people to stay in touch with friends and family, even celebrities and political officials, while keeping up with what they're doing at the moment. By posting frequent updates to their sites, people stay connected and informed instantaneously.

“I think people have tapped into the benefit of Twitter and other sites, and I think it's a desire for community, a desire to connect with people,” said Proffitt, who said he follows a number of people on Twitter. “The last place many people look for community is in the church so we're really trying to reach out to a part of the population that might not consider going to church.”
During The Gathering Place service, people can use their cell phones, laptops or other wireless devices to connect to the service's Facebook page, The Gathering Place, or Twitter site, Gathering_Place, through the free WiFi available in the worship area.

Proffitt said questions and comments through Facebook and Twitter will be sent directly to his laptop, and he will take time to respond to those requests during his teaching. If a question can't be answered during the service, Proffitt said he plans to follow up during the week to maintain connections with people.

“This is more than having people come to church,” Proffitt said. “We want to tell people we have a different way to love and live, and we have community where God is present.”
While the service is interactive, members and guests don't have to use Facebook or Twitter to attend or participate. Other opportunities for questions will be available, and the message will be the same that is preached Sunday but in a relaxed atmosphere.

Craig Vickerman, the church's pastor of youth discipleship, said he's excited about the new service and the service opportunities it will bring for people who are new or faithful members, including students in the youth group.

“A lot of our students are already involved on Sunday mornings — we have completely student-run youth services where students run the sound board, lead the music, do everything,” Vickerman said. “We still want people to come to church as a family and grow together as a family so some of the kids will probably serve at the Saturday night service and still come back to church on Sunday with their family.”

Vickerman, who served on the development committee that planned the new Saturday service, said he expects that The Gathering Place to attract people in their 20s and 30s since the interactive aspect appeals to the younger generation. However, he said the service is for anyone interested in growing in their faith and serving the church.

“As a church, we're trying to be relevant to people in our community and attract people who have never been to teach or who haven't been in a while,” he said. “It's for anybody interested in doing church in a new way and who are interested in serving and being active, not being pew warmers.”

Since 1994, Church of the Holy Apostles has been serving the Katy area. The church began as a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas with 12 people meeting at a member's home.
Services were held at various Katy schools from 1995-2000 until the congregation moved into its new location in 2000 on the Grand Parkway. Membership has been consistently growing with an average Sunday attendance of about 500, said Donna Matthews, the church's pastoral assistant. Church leaders expect attendance to grow with the start of The Gathering Place service, Matthews said.

The new service will start at 6 p.m. Saturday but the church will open at 5 p.m. to serve coffee and a light dinner. Families with children are welcome and the dress is casual.

Church of the Holy Apostles also has two Sunday services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. as well as a healing service on Thursday at 12:05 p.m. and a contemplative service the first Wednesday of the month. Programs at the church include a youth group, adult small groups, Bible studies and mission trips to Galveston, Mexico and Uganda.

For more information about the church, call 713-502-6518 or visit holyapostles.cc.

KICKOFF.... Are you ready?

2009-08-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is our Kickoff Sunday, or Ministry Fair. I love this day because it challenges us to take an introspective look at where we're serving and who we're serving.

Ministry Fairs, at their best, do more than advertise to insiders what is going on in the congregation. They are opportunities to prayerfully examine the importance of serving. In fact, my message on Sunday is that very thing: how by serving we can discover that life is only fully lived when we give of ourselves to others.

Last Sunday, during our Mission presentations, I mentioned that I had witnessed an opportunity to feel how God's heart gets broken by the loneliness, the despair and the poverty (spiritual and physical) of our world. The image of the man asleep in his wheel chair along side the road still is with me. I wondered if this man had anyone in his life that loved him. It was especially poignant to me as I had just put my daughter on a plane to return to Washington DC. I so love her and was already missing her. But as I looked at this man, I could feel God say to me that the world is full of people who do not have someone to "put them on the plane." The world, even in the corner of the world where we find ourselves, has so many people who have no hope, no tangible sense that anyone cares. As I have said, our hearts need to break by the same things that breaks God's heart. As I looked on this man, I realized that my heart was breaking. The thing that stays with me is a sense that God was not only allowing me to have my heart broken (I'm thankful for that) but He was also saying to me "do something about it."

That's what the Ministry Fair is all about: doing something about it. Too often we are paralyzed by the size of the problem and therefore don't move beyond the emotion of a desperate world. I think that is a trick of the devil. If he can get us to just be "sad" and say to us "you can't really do anything about this... look at the size of the problem," then he is successful in paralyzing us. God has chosen for us a better way.

God so loved the world that he gave.... He gave! He wired us in the same way, for we have been created in His image. He has wired us to give... give of ourselves: our resources (financial and physical), our time and our hearts. What is it that we are doing at COTHA that you've wanted to do but haven't done anything about yet? Pray about that because I'm sure we have many, many people who have not made the kind of commitment that God wants us to make. Now is the time to do something about it.

God is with us, Sunday after Sunday. He is transforming lives around us through the ministry at COTHA. But He wants to do more. There is only one thing He needs to accomplish this. The one thing is YOU! So don't hold back because if you're not serving, you're not living, you're just existing.

See you Sunday and let's participate with God and change the world. That man who was sitting on the side of the road is worth it. Because God loves that guy and we do too!

New Worship Gathering at COTHA

2009-07-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

We have gathered since December to pray and discuss, dream and hope that we will follow where God is leading. And now we're within a month and a half of launching a new worship gathering at COTHA. The Gathering is being designed to reach people who have either never gone to church much or have given up on it but are willing to try one more time. It will be a service (6PM on Saturday nights) that will be interactive and relational. We will be using new forms of communication and we'll be pushing the edges while staying true to the timelessness of the Gospel and Jesus. Our values, vision and mission will help us stay on track as we "go where no Episcopal church has gone before!"

A new facebook page has been designed as well as a twitter account established for those who will be participating in this edgy service. It won't look like what we're doing on Sunday, and we're not going to change what we're doing on Sunday. This is an effort to reach out in ways we've not done before. I am excited and invite you to stay tuned to what is happening.

On Being Salt and Light

2009-06-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

Followers of Jesus are called by Jesus himself to be both salt and light. Without His followers in the world, the world would be completely dark. There would be nothing but despair, loneliness, darkness and evil. Jesus prayed for his followers on the night before he was executed. He knew what we would face; He knew it would be difficult. He knew that if we do stand for truth, if we refuse to compromise, then the world would hate us. This has always been the case; it is one of the most difficult things we face.

The challenge for all of Jesus' followers is to stand for the truth of God's Word even when it's unpopular and in the midst of the hate that always appears when the Truth is proclaimed. We live in the world. We have friends who don't understand who Jesus is nor what the Bible says. For the vast majority the Bible is simply literature at best, and irrelevant at worst. To say that it is infallible and inspired directly by God is to elicit disgust from those who disagree. To say that it is the truth, not a truth, is to be accused of narrow mindedness. When this happens, we are all tempted to just let it go. Go ahead and just go along, so that you can get along with those in the world. Jesus knew of this temptation. That is why He prayed for us that we would be protected.

When we compromise in the midst of such pressure, we are no longer salt and light in the world. And if the salt and light are gone, where is the hope? Where is the love? If the salt loses its saltiness, how can anyone taste it? If the light is hidden, how can anyone see in the darkness?

I know I feel the pressure to simply compromise. It's the path of least resistance and it is a wide and easy path to travel. But it is not the faithful path nor the journey that God calls us to take. The word used to describe right belief and right behavior is orthodoxy. Orthodoxy is under assault in our world today. The reason is simple, if we walk away from right belief and right behavior, the world will not know who God is. The world will not know that Jesus has come to set us free from the despair of sin and the pain of eternal death.

This assault on orthodoxy is being pushed by forces we cannot see. The battle is spiritual. The forces of evil are coordinated and active. Yet God has called forth His own people to stand in the midst of the darkness to be salt and light. It's a difficult challenge. Indeed Jesus said count the costs before taking this journey. It is not easy and it is dangerous. But never forget, He not only prayed for us that we would be safe, He continues to intercede to our Heavenly Father for our protection and success. With that in mind, do not waver. The world would be too dark without us.

I recommend you read and reflect on the prayer Jesus prayed on that night before He knew He would be executed. You'll find it in John 17: 1-26.

Writing

2009-06-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago I was asked by a Christian publisher if I would consider writing a book. Last fall during the Mike Flynn conference, I felt God pushing me to do that. Now, several people at COTHA have approached me asking if I'd ever consider such a thing. I think I'm getting the message. The question, though, is two fold: What would I write about and When would I do it? I decided to just sit down an jot a few things down to see if I could discern a direction that I might take if I were to write a book. A couple of hours later!!! I had a list of things that I felt called to share. I didn't want a book to be something that would either be an autobiography nor did I want to just complain about what I have experienced or the struggles I've faced (though I have threatened to one day write a book where I named names!). Instead I thought it would be great to write something that could be helpful to others (as well as us at COTHA). As far as when I'd write it... well, that's something I need to ask God!

I would like to ask for feedback from you that could help in giving me a direction, since God's voice is discerned through, among many different ways, Godly wisdom from others. So here's the deal: email me with any ideas or suggestions. I will post some of those on this blog as I begin to discern the direction of my writing. I can be reached at darrel@holyapostles.cc

Working for God

2009-06-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a fascinating spring at COTHA. Launching the capital campaign in the midst of the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression was, well, interesting!! God knows what He is doing though, and the result of the campaign has brought God glory. As I said on Sunday, we swung for the fence, and while our ultimate financial goal wasn't reached, we should feel very good about the money that was pledged. We felt God was calling us to relieve the financial pressure that our building debt was placing on the budget, and it appears that happened. For that I give all the wonderful people at COTHA my heart-felt gratitude and I give God the glory and honor!

As always when good things happen we need to remember who it is we follow and what the challenge is that He gives us. Also, when we make a difference for the Kingdom, we don't go unnoticed by the spiritual realm. I'm reminded constantly to put on the full armour of God because the battle is not with flesh and blood. The spiritual battle has been raging since our first parents and since the devil can't claim our souls, he will certainly try to remove our effectiveness.

I am given much hope through the writings of Paul. This morning I was reading in 1 Corinthians (15: 58 ff): "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." As I think about this, I am acutely aware how easy it is to go through the motions, thinking that one person or one church can't really do that much. Paul reminds us that: 1. God always calls us to big, God-sized projects; and 2. Nothing, when we do it for Him, is EVER useless.

I encourage you to keep pushing ahead, keep seeking to grow as a disciple, keep sharing your faith and never, never give up. Our God who began a good work within us, will indeed bring it to completion. And what a beautiful day that will be.

A metaphor for the Disciple's life: Go for it!!

2009-05-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

Social Networking

2009-05-14T08:07:00.001-07:00

Our lives are so full of information, and sources of information, that's it is easy to get overwhelmed by it all. While all of the noise can be overwhelming, it can also serve as a way to connect in ways that have been impossible before now. With the advent of the internet, emails and now facebook and twitter, we can be connected with people over the miles and even through the years. My own facebook has allowed me to reconnect with important people in my past as well as many people that are in my present! The use of Twitter has allowed me to learn from people I've never met. Sometimes I hear of needs for prayer, often I hear of new technology that can be used in ministry and sometimes I just laugh!

If you've not connected yet, think again. You're reading this blog which means you are connecting. But let me invite you to facebook and twitter. You can then join a group called "Friends of Church of the Holy Apostles," and even follow me as I post what I am doing and what I'm working on Twitter.

I know it can be overwhelming, but it is also a tool that can be used to reach more people. So what don't you connect and see how you can reach out to people in a very interesting and often entertaining way.

May Sermon Series

2009-05-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we are starting a new sermon series called, "I love my Church." This Sunday come and find out how we are called to ADVANCE out in to the world and find ways to overcome people's fears or indifference about what we are doing. This series is an important one to us as we seek to have an even larger influence in our world.

Holy Week

2009-04-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is a busy week and you can remember that all of our evening services start at 7 PM. I invite you to start your observances on Tuesday night at 7 for our regular Bible Study. You don't have to have been part of this to get something out of tonight. We're studying John and we'll be reflecting on the heart of Jesus tonight.

Wednesday night is a service called Tenebrae which is new to us here at COTHA. It's a moving service involving readings and candles. You will be moved by the reflections of this evening and you don't want to miss it.

Thursday night is a multi-faceted service involving a light dinner, remembrance of the first Communion, foot-washing and the stripping of the altar. Again, it begins at 7Pm.

Good Friday brings us several different opportunities to reflect on the power of the cross and the depth of the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. It starts with the reading of excerpts from a book called The Day Christ Died at noon. At 2:00 PM we will have Stations of the Cross; at 3 PM we will be watching The Passion of the Christ in the Youth Room and then at 7 PM our regular Good Friday service will be held in the worship space.

It's a busy week but an important one. I invite you to take these steps with me as we get ready to celebrate Easter. God's richest blessings be upon you and COTHA!

Geronimo!!

2009-04-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

We're on the cusp of something great at COTHA. Last Sunday we had two Town Hall meetings to discuss our Capital Campaign, "A Legacy of Love," and God was truly with us!

We have redefined our mission, vision and values and we know God is calling us to exponential growth! Wow.... What an exciting time to be part of COTHA. It will demand giving our best to God, working with great passion and excitement. I was reminded of a quote a friend of mine shared with me... it's one that I believe sums up a disciple's life and one we are called to live:

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting 'GERONIMO!' "
-Bill McKenna, professional motorcycle racer (Cycle magazine 02.1982)

Let's go for it... let's give it our best and at the end we can all say 'GERONIMO!" and Alleluia!!

Whoops!

2009-04-01T08:17:00.001-07:00

I have had every intention of keeping my blog up to date... especially during Lent... but what is it that is said about the path of good intentions!? Oh well, I do want to say something about what we're about to launch into this coming Sunday: Holy Week! If you have never taken the time to explore the depth of Holy Week, I invite you to do that this year. The power of remembering those events that led to the cross and beyond is unexpectedly transformative.

Tonight we will be looking at what the cross means to us and what each service during Holy Week is all about. Join me tonight at 7 for Journey to the Cross at COTHA!

Growing Disciples

2009-02-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

From time to time, I like to sit back and reflect about where we are and where we are going (growing!). If you are a regular member or attender of Church of the Holy Apostles, you know that when I say that God is so clearly present among us, you know I am telling the truth. I have never experienced the visible and tangible presence of God in worship like I do here. I am not sure why that is true but generally speaking, I think it has to do with unity of purpose and focus. It's not that everyone that gathers on Sunday with us even knows the purpose that we gather and worship but many, many people do. I have known churches who's main purpose was individual "agendas" or being "consumers" or being stuck in tradition (with a small t). Not so here. We take seriously God's call to us to be disciples. There's little room for personal agendas when one is working hard at developing a discipled life style.

Our leadership at COTHA is a stunning group of disciples that teach me and encourage me in ways that are surprising, delightful and unexpected. Feeling love and support can make all the difference in the world. And I feel that here. What a blessing it is to know that and feel that, in both big and small ways.

God has great plans for us... I know that to the very core of my soul. He has seen us through hard times and good times.... we are entering into "God times," where our focus and clarity become even more visibily present. I am so excited about what lies ahead and I invite you to invite others to join us as we see God change the world through us!

By the way, not only do I feel love, I love the people at COTHA too! It is an awesome place! As our mission statement says "We are disciples, who make disciples!" And there is nothing more loving and encouraging to see that happening!

Adult Classes at COTHA

2009-02-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

I just finished with our staff meeting this morning and felt great about the kind of community we have within our staff. These are great people, faithful disciples growing more and more into the kind of leaders that God is calling us to become.

Part of the staff meeting reflects on what we just experienced on Sunday. We look at both triumphs and "opportunities for learning." I mentioned how great I thought the adult class that I teach was going. I always enjoy teaching the adult class but this one where we are discussing prayer is really exciting me. Prayer is such a gift but so often we treat it as a duty or obligation. If we can rediscover the truly remarkable thing that it is, our prayer life can come alive.

I want to invite you to our next class, next Sunday. We have two more weeks in this series and I'll spend the last two weeks talking about how to discern the voice of God. There are other wonderful classes that meet as well, so take a look and see you in Church!

Musings on truth and the Truth

2009-01-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

I had coffee with an Episcopal priest this morning.. not Bill. He's a priest in an Episcopal church in Houston who is leading his church through the normal, every day kind of stuff that eats up a lot of time for a pastor. I made the appointment in order to get to know him a bit better. He's a great guy. I thought I'd just ask him a few questions because I often learn from just listening to others and their struggles, triumphs... that sort of thing.

I don't know what I was expecting but it didn't really start off too well because I couldn't find the Starbucks and when I did there were TWO Starbucks about 50 yards apart. But when I got there I settled in for a conversation. I was struck with the grace-fullness of our time together.

It's not that he had keen insight into leadership or the church. Though he did have key insight into himself. I was taken with his honesty about who he was, what his motivations were and his aspirations. And then I was really moved by his real desire to be real. He wants to be used by God fully in the place where he is... not in a place where he will be one day or where he thinks he wants to be... just right where he is now. His commitment to his congregation was inspiring and I left know that what Jesus said about the truth setting you free had set this pastor free.

I then began to muse about my own ministry and COTHA. I have often said that I am blessed to be here but I'm not sure I've ever felt more that way than I did this morning. It is at COTHA that I am growing as a disciple... it is at COTHA that I am seeing lives transformed and hope discovered. I am thankful for that. It is too easy to get caught up in denominational politics, to wring one's hands over the way things used to be or one day will be, but it seems to me that is wasted energy. We are called to be in the moment. I felt that this morning. As I spent time in that moment with my new friend, I encountered the Truth. And as I drove back to COTHA my mind went many different places at once. It went back in time, forward in time and then felt the blessing of being in this time with all of you. These are wonderful times that we are in and I recommitted myself this morning to be as fully present in today... this day... as God will allow me.

You might read this days after I have written it. But whenever you do, enjoy today. Have a blessed day and know that I as the Lead Pastor at COTHA am seeking to be fully present to God on this day. And there is a great chance that I am being set free to feel the fullness of life that God desires for me.

I am thankful for all the challenges of my past, the failures, the triumphs, all of it. But I am blessed beyond comprehension to be here with you now... and to be so totally clear that today is the day that God is in... I want to be there.. with Him.

What are we going to do about it?

2009-01-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

Jesus poses a problem and opportunities for everyone. In this video, we hear a rant directed toward encouraging people who are unbelievers to risk taking a closer look at Jesus. We also hear a rant directed toward those who are believers who don't do anything about sharing the good news with others. I believe the video is both compelling and convictings.

If Life is Good, then why are there these difficult questions?

2009-01-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

This Sunday, January 18, I will look at the question: Is Sin that Important?

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight we have two opportunities to celebrate the cataclysmic event called Christmas. What God did on that first Christmas over 2000 years ago still brings humanity together in awe and thanksgiving. I hope you will join us tonight at either 5:00 pm or 10:30 pm for a wonderful celebration of God with us, Emmanuel!

I encourage you to bring a friend, your family or even a stranger because I have a sense that God is going to blow us away with His love and presence.

See you tonight, and Merry, Merry Christmas!

Humbug or Hallelujah?

2008-12-19T04:46:00.000-08:00

It's easy to forget what all the excitement around Christmas is about. When we lose focus, we tend to think it's all about the man who came down the chimney not the son of man who came down from heaven. I've found it's important to step back and prayerfully consider what I am doing to prepare myself for the real meaning of Christmas.

I've attached a scene from GOD GREW TIRED OF US which explores the indomitable spirit of the “Lost Boys” from the Sudan who leave their homeland and move to America, where they build active and fulfilling new lives but remain deeply committed to helping the friends and family they have left behind. This clip asks the question "Is Santa in the Bible?"

Happy Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

The key to being truly thankful, despite your circumstances, is to remember to focus on the right thing. Don't focus on the events you face but on our awesome God and His goodness.

May all of you have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving!

I bowled a 256!

2008-11-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

Yes you read that right! My bowling score was a 256. I accomplished this spectacular feat on Tuesday night... right after the Bible study! Well, it was on the Wii, but it was a 256!

If you don't know what a Wii is, ignore this post! Or just use your imagination. The Wii is a Nintendo game system that has each individual player create a Mii. The Mii is used in a variety of ways, but it is basically a "virtual" you. You can move the Mii around like you would move yourself around. When you bowl, it is your Mii that runs up to the line, rears back, and throws the ball.. or rolls the ball toward the pin.

I hadn't been doing too well so I decided to bowl differently. I moved my Mii to the side of the alley, pressed the "A" button so I could roll the ball at an angle (remember if you don't understand a Wii you're supposed to be ignoring this) and let it fly. After two spares I proceeded to fill my score card with strike after strike. I couldn't believe my eyes as what had once produced little results now, with a couple of adjustments, put me in an entire different (and successful) place!

I got to thinking how this is sort of like the Christian life. Sometimes things are so difficult that we wonder if we're ever going to succeed. And then, with the help of God's grace, we can make a few simple adjustments... and voila, you bowl a 256 (metaphorically speaking)!

I then decided to think about what adjustments I need to make as a disciple. I invite you to ask the same question. Do you have a favorite sin you need to confess and let go of? Do you need to start making space in your life in order to read God's word daily? How's your prayer life? Do you need to get serious about listening to God instead of doing all the talking? How's your stewardship? Do you need to trust God with your finances in a more systematic way? I don't know what it is for you but I do know how to find out. Ask God. God is very willing to help you see what adjustments you need to make in order to find that "sweet spot" in life. You may not always bowl a 256 but you can find a different, more faithful and exciting way to grow more deeply as a follower of Jesus!

256!

A new way to pledge

2008-11-19T06:00:00.001-08:00

In an attempt to make it easy to participate with what God is doing through the ongoing ministry at Church of the Holy Apostles, we have placed a safe and secure link on our website (see the link to the left) where anyone can either make a pledge or a one time gift. This is a convenient and effective way to participate with what God is doing at COTHA. Here's the link:

Make a Pledge

Stewardship is a Challenge That Brings Blessings

2008-11-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

On Sunday this video was shown to our church. Stewardship is an interesting challenge because it is the doorway through which many blessings are found. I think the reason we find tithing difficult is that God always blesses those who do. Of course the evil one hates it when God blesses His children so if he can't get our soul (he can't!) then he'll work on keeping us down and "unblessed." Malachi 3 is quoted in this video and notice it says some interesting things: first of all it says when we don't give back to God what already is His, we are stealing from Him!! Secondly, it carries a "conditional blessing." By that I mean, He tells us if you do this, then I will do that! In this case, if you trust Him by giving back to Him, He will "open up the storehouse of blessings!" Wow. Lastly, this is the only place in the Bible where you will find God saying test Him and see if it is true.

I guess the only thing left to ask is: do you believe this??? And the only answer is: Test Him and see if it is!

Blesssings to all of you. I want you to be blessed and God has shown us the way!!

COTHA

2008-11-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

This is a video we often show at COTHA to help our guests know who we are and what God has called us to do/be. I invite you to click on it and see what God has been up to at Church of the Holy Apostles!

So what do you guys believe?

2008-10-30T09:26:00.001-07:00

This is an important question that you might be asked about COTHA. Fortunately we know the answer. As we continue to grow, a focus on our mission, core values and core beliefs will both guide us and provide us with unity:

Our Core Beliefs

IN ESSENTIALS UNITY, IN NON-ESSENTIALS LIBERTY, IN ALL THINGS CHARITY.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and Great Commission grows a Great Church!

At Church of the Holy Apostles, we have unity around these beliefs. We believe:

The work of the Holy Spirit continues today with undiminished power.

· The Holy Spirit is with believers forever (John 14:16)

· His activity was not exhausted in the first century and is present among us

The Bible is the inspired, living Word of God.

· It is authoritative in all matters of faith.

· It is “God-breathed” for training in righteousness.

Worship is the central and unifying activity of Church of the Holy Apostles.

· Praise and thanksgiving usher us into the presence of God (Psalm

100)

· We offer seeker-friendly worship in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition

It is our calling to welcome others to see how our church meets the needs of today’s world.

· Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)

· We reach out our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and other people with the Gospel of Jesus.

We welcome guests and seek people in order to invite them into a personal, saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

· We follow Paul’s example in reaching out to our community (I Corinthians 9:22)

· We strive to communicate God’s message in culturally relevant ways.

We are called to grow into a deeper understanding and experience of God.

· God’s will is for every believer to become like Jesus (Ephesians 4: 13).

· We provide opportunities and support for all followers of Jesus Christ, from our children to adults, to grow spiritually.

As disciples we minister to each other and equip all in our congregation to become disciples.

· Fulfillment comes through serving others. The pastors equip the people to do the work of ministry, the work of every believer. (Ephesians 4)

· Jesus commanded all His followers to continue His ministry (Matthew 28: 18-20)

Our children and youth are extremely important to us. We help them grow into a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ.

· High quality Christian nurturing and eduction for children and teens secures them for the future (Proverbs 22:6)

· Leading succeeding generations to Jesus is both a family and congregational responsibility.

Ingathering Sunday

2008-10-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is our "Ingathering Sunday." This means that we will present our pledges for the ongoing ministry at COTHA. This is an exciting opportunity to put our faith into action. If we truly want to be blessed, then we must always put God first. Putting Him first in our finances means giving Him the first fruits, the first ten percent of our income. We call this a tithe.

Not everyone has grown to the point of making a tithe. I want to encourage everyone to begin looking at your giving to the church as a percentage of your total income. Then you can know immediately where you are and where you are headed. I've rarely met a person who wasn't a bit nervous when it came to making a decision to tithe. But I've never known anyone who ever regreted that decision. Malachi 3:10 makes it clear that God will bless those who make this decision. In fact it is the only place in the Bible where God says "test me in this." I think we should take Him up on His promise!

I think there are two ways to consider a pledge to the church. The first way is to ask yourself the question: "how much can I afford?" The second is to pray: "how much, O God, should I give?" The amazing thing is this: I want everyone at COTHA to experience the blessings and freedom that comes from tithing. I pray that this year, many, many people will take the risk of putting God first in their finances. And I pray that if you can't quite commit to a tithe this year, you will risk moving closer to that goal.

As I've said, you can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead. I know God is pleased when we give so don't miss out on experiencing what it means when God smiles on you when you've risked giving. Don't stand on the sidelines at COTHA but make a pledge and let's all enjoy the fruits of God's blessings!

Gospel of John

2008-10-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday nights a hearty group of disciples meet at COTHA to "dig deeper" into scripture and find food that endures! I've promised them that I would put the topics we cover online, so this is as good a place as any. Anyway, this is what we've talked about so far:

10/14

The Gospel of John is different than the three synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). The synoptics give us a running summary (chronological) of Jesus' life, like a DVD. John gives us one portrait (snapshots that you can sit and look at and see all the fine detail in it) after another so we can look carefully at each event of His life and be fed and challenged in wonderful ways.

Truths we can trust:

1. Jesus is God

2. Jesus is life

3. Jesus became flesh

10/21 Introducing John the Baptist

John the Baptist was a great man. Jesus said he was the greatest man that had other lived up until Jesus himself. There are three simple things that help us see his greatness:

1. John knew who he was

a. He came as a man sent by God to be a witness to the light.

b. He was a voice of one crying in the desert.

2. He knew who he wasn't

3. He knew who Jesus was.

a. He knew His presence.

b. He understood Jesus greatness.

c. He undestood the power that Jesus has

We can apply this to our own lives. We all want to be great. Here's how:

1. Ask God for wisdom to know who you are.

2. Ask God for humility to know who you are not.

Join us tonight. We have a great time!!

Recovering From the Wedding!

2008-10-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this last week but it took me almost a week to get over the wedding... I mean this in a good way! I suppose anytime one sees one's child getting married, it is emotional. But to be the father of the bride and the presider at the service, well, that's hugely emotional!

I could not have been prouder of Emily, my daughter. She was beautiful, authentic, thoughtful and loving. Tim, her new husband, was also impressive. They make such a beautiful couple and their hearts are in the right place. They desire to make a difference in the world and I know they already have. I would ask your prayers for them as they begin this wonderful adventure together.

I was also proud of my sons, Joseph and John. They love their sister and it was evident. They were groomsmen and stood up to support both Emily and Tim. Their witness to those gathered was one of support and love. They also looked very handsome.

Julie and I were reeling with various emotions as we left our children the next day. We are so thankful to be part of the family of COTHA though. While our emotions were on "high alert" we knew we belong here with all of you. Thank you for your prayers and support. We love our children, our new son Tim, and our Church family here at COTHA.

Are you Holy?

2008-09-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

I tend not to read much from Christian thinkers of the 19th century, but I stumbled across a seldom referenced Anglican priest who wrote many books, most now out of print. I have an intense interest in disciple-making and because of this I discovered Ryle's book "Holiness."

Beyond the typically 19th century vocabulary and style, this book is a treasure. He asks a question that I think goes to the core of any Christian's journey. He writes "let me ask everyone who may read these pages, are you holy? Listen I pray you, to a question I put you to today. Do you know anything of holiness?"

"I do not ask whether you attend your church regularly, whether you have been baptized, and received the Lord's Supper; whether you have the name of Christian. I ask something more than all this: are you holy, or are you not?"

"I do not ask whether you apporve of holiness in others, whether you like to read the lives of holy people and to talk of holy things, and to have on your table holy books, whether you mean to be holy, and hope you will be holy some day, or are you not?"

"And why do I ask so straitly [sic] and press the question so strongly? I do it because the Scripture says, 'Without holiness no man shall see the Lord."

Discipleship is not an optional matter for a Christian. If we are sitting in the stands as a spectator while others do ministry for us, we are not only NOT living, we are not growing, not being faithful. Ryle points out that being a Christian is not merely a matter of believing and feeling, but of DOING!

I ask that question of myself this morning... what does my "doing" reveal of my faith? Doing won't ever save us (that is a free gift from God through grace) but faith without actions is a lifeless thing. Why? Because it doesn't grow us as disciples, nor does it lead us to holiness.

Sombering thoughts but an important challenge!

Meeting the needs of those in the path of the destruction of Ike

2008-09-15T19:55:00.001-07:00

I am happy to let everyone know that we are collecting non-perishable food items and water to take to those in need. We are set up on the Grand Parkway and already have had a lot of donations. We are teaming with Katy Christian Ministries to provide this needed relief. You may have heard of this effort on KSBJ or have seen the electronic sign at Tradition Bank.

I am so happy that we've looked for a need and are meeting it. Jesus calls us to such ministry. We have said YES!

If you want to join us call the Church office and come and help. Wherever there are the lost, the least, the last and the lonely, our God calls us to respond. And that's what we are doing! BTW, it is our Youth that are leading this effort. Isn't that awesome!!!

September 11

2008-09-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

As I posted my previous entry, I noticed the date and was reminded of what this day means to our country. It's hard to believe that 9/11 was seven years ago. I watched the horrific scene unfold on television and wondered if the attacks would ever stop. I also remember that this was the very day that Greer Volkmer, the toddler daughter of former members of my church, died. I couldn't get out of town on that day to travel to Kansas City because I needed gas and the lines at every gas station in town were hundreds of cars long. I remember feeling helpless on two levels. I couldn't keep the buildings from collapsing and I couldn't do anything to keep Greer from dying.

I cried that day but in the midst of my tears, two thoughts came to mind. First was, "how long O Lord, must we wait until you come again to set things right." The other thought comes from the burial rite in the prayer book, "even at the foot of the grave, we make our cry, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

I know of people who died on that 9/11 and my prayers go to them all on this day of remembrance. My prayer also goes to all of us at COTHA that we may be witnesses of the truth of God's love. One day all things will be made right; in the meantime, we will speak of God's truth and love in the midst darkness. Alleluia!

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

We've had a couple of threats this year, but this is the first one that appears to be the real deal as far as hurricanes go. The first thing to know is, the mayor and county judge in Houston said to "hunker down," that it is safer to stay home than try to evacuate. The second thing to know is that we should pray for all of those in the path of Ike, including our friends and neighbors, indeed ourselves.

We will have services this Sunday, no matter what. If we don't have electricity we'll have an adventure, but it will still be church. No matter what we face, our first response will be "Praise the Lord, for He is risen!"

Speaking of responses, we are putting together a Response Team here at COTHA. This team will help deliver food and water to those who may find themselves without. We will depend on you to let us know if there is someone in need. If you want to serve on this team contact Sharon Cunningham at smcunn@aol.com.

The evidence of a broken world is seen all around us. Because of sin, everything is broken.. from the human condition to the earth itself. God is still God and while the devil means this for bad, God means it for good. Let us make sure, wherever we find ourselves with the winds and rain begins, that we are God's children, disciples called to reach out to those who are least, last, lost and lonely.

Know that you are all in my prayers. God's glory will be seen!

See you on Sunday!!

Vic Mitchell and the imPossible Mission

2008-09-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

Vic is the one responsible for me being at COTHA. Actually, he had very little to do with the actual call, but he is the person who led me to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Vic went away to a youth conference many, many years ago and came back totally ablaze with passion for Jesus. I thought it odd at the time, but very compelling. After running from him for an entire summer, I sat down on the living room floor of another friend, Craig Hutchinson, and accepted Jesus into my life as Lord and Savior. I hadn't really planned on doing that, but there was something about the way they shared their faith, the way they honestly explored with me what a difference Jesus had made in their life, I felt I had to see if Jesus was really real.

Well He is, praise God! I was saved that night and my life has never been the same. I am eternally grateful for Vic and Craig and their desire to be faithful in sharing their story. Their vulnerability and honesty continues to bless me all these years later.

I talked to Vic on the phone today. I'm not sure why I called him, I just felt like I should. Vic is a pastor in the Wesleyan Church and is planting a new church in Oklahoma. I asked him to put me on the mailing list so I could pray for him. He reminded me that he always prays for me as well. I knew that. I've always known that.

I am so thankful for people like Vic in my life that continue to challenge, support and love me. I don't feel like I deserve such friendship but that feels a lot like Grace. We never deserve it, but it is always freely given.

This Sunday we launch into a new series, starting with our official "Kick-off" for the school year. The theme of both is "Mission imPOSSIBLE." It is possible to meet our mission when we continue to love one another and keep pushing ahead. I have been taught that by my good friend Vic. And I know we can do this, because Jesus is the head of the Church and He will empower us, through our love for one another, to achieve impossible things!

Invite a friend this weekend and I'll see you Sunday!

Learn What You Believe So That You Can Live What You Believe

2008-08-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

Chuck Colson's new book, The Faith, is an excellent call to all in the church to take seriously the importance of knowing what we believe, why we believe it in order to know why it makes such a big difference for us and the world.

The world has changed. We are told that there is no longer an "objective truth," only several subjective truths, none of which can be said to be ultimate. The larger institutional church has seen this subjectivism introduced into its theology. Now, we are told, God speaks in a new way, old "dogma" is criticized and a new age has dawned. Now, we are told, it doesn't matter what you believe, just believe it strongly and you'll be fine. After all (this LIE continues) all paths lead to God.

This lie that is being proclaimed by many, could not come at worse time for the Church. Colson says "most Christians do not understand what they believe, why they believe it, and why it matters. How can a Christianity that is not understood be practiced? And how can it [our Faith] be presented in its true character as peace, freedom and joy? How are skeptics to understand Christianity's positive aspects?" I might add, and how can the world come to know that God is loving and forgiving, if we don't even know what the faith is, let alone practice it?

The challenge is enormous and it begins with each of us. The Bible is God's infallible, inspired Word. It is where the objective truth of God's righteousness is found. Reading the Bible is an important part of any disciple's life. Not just reading it on Sunday either, but reading it daily, systematically and prayerfully. In God's Word is found Truth. In God's Word is found Hope. In God's Word is found transformation from a world lived according to a person's individual agenda [sin] to a life lived according to God's agenda.

Colson concludes his book reminding his readers that Christians are too often wrongly described by the media and others as trying to "impose" our faith on others. This could not be more off base. Instead "Christianity does not seek to impose, it proposes. The Gospel is the great proposal: Come to the wedding feast, one and all; black, white, rich, poor, East, West, Muslim, Jew, Christian- all are welcome. God turns no man or woman away, not one. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Father brings us into His Kingodm. This is the promise He holds out to individuals and nations alike, a Kingdom no of eating and drinking or of marching armies and clashing swords, but a Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy forever in the Holy Spirit."

What a privilege it is to live during this time. Let us take the mantle of Truth, live into it ourselves, and proclaim that to the world that Jesus lives! He lives!!

Blown Away

2008-08-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

It's been several days since I travelled to the Fellowship of the Woodlands to attend the annual Leadership Summit. This summit is put on by the Willowcreek Association of Churches, of which COTHA is a member. The association partners churches who are dedicated to living into the Great Commission to make disciples. The summit is always a highlight of my leadership formation each year.

I was expecting something good again this year but instead I was simply blown away by the giftedness of the teaching and the examples of Godly leadership exhibited by the "faculty." The teachings were anointed as I found myself being profoundly challenged to ask God to "bring it on!" The bar was set high at this conference and I pray that I will seek to make it over that bar and become an even better leader, seeking to do the impossible. With God, the impossible becomes the possible.

I was also moved to see how many other leaders were gathered for this summit. We were part of group connected by satellite with others around the country and around the globe. Knowing that God is moving in His church in such a profound way is inspiring.

We were represented by many of our leaders from COTHA and I know I wasn't the only one inspired. My prayer is that God will take us deeper this year as we seek to become a "Great Church"... or as someone said at our leadership luncheon this past Sunday, a "Phenomenal Church!"

Leadership: The Honest Abe Way

2008-07-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Someone once said that everything rises and falls on leadership. I could not agree more. When you look around our society from business to government to even the church, effective leadership is in short supply. I have a passion for learning how to be a better leader and find that if I pay attention to great leaders (either from the past or even those around today) I can learn much.

Currently I am reading a book about a person who I believe was the greatest president our country has ever had: Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln emerged at a time when this country needed him the most. Among tremendous forces that worked against him, he provided the kind of leadership that led this country from civil war to reconstruction. While he wasn't able to provide leadership to the country after the war, due to his assasination, much of his legacy remained a guiding force for the United States long after his death.

I am currently studying (again!) some of his leadership characteristics. I am amazed at how applicable they are for us today. We would be well served to see how Lincoln was able to influence an entire nation during what was arguably, its darkest days. Knowing that God is on our side and calling us to influence not only the corner of the world we find ourselves in, but also the larger society and church, examining what it means to be an effective leader is imperative.

Let me conclude these brief reflections with a lesson I was studying this morning from the life of A. Lincoln: when he relieved General John C. Fremont from his command in Missouri in 1861, Lincoln wrote of Fremont: "His cardinal mistake is he isolates himself and allows nobody to see him; and by which he does not know what is going on in the very matter his is dealing with." The lesson I learn from this example is the importance of being connected to others, not hiding behind a desk or office but actually being with those one leads.

I have seen many so called "leaders" do just that. If there was ever a time when we need leaders who put aside impressive titles and claim authority based on what their "office" is, it is now. My leadership is not from having degrees and claiming that my office is enough reason to do something. Instead, I lead from among those for whom I am called to lead. As someone once said, "if you lead out front and no one follows, that's not leadership, that's just a good walk." I consicously keep myself from being isolated and seek ways to be among God's people and the ministrys of COTHA. I do know that people don't buy into a program or ministry without first buying into the person who is leading that ministry or program. And that's what we are doing at COTHA. Being authentic, transparent and open is not something new. In fact that sounds like Abraham Lincoln!

Reflections on Putting Ourselves in God's Hands

2008-07-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who is awaiting a lung transplant in St. Louis. Her name is Kim. Kim and her family are wonderful people, followers of Jesus. The sermon they preach with their lives is one that informs and encourages me in my own journey. In some ways Kim reminds me of Chuck T. who is waging a terrific and grace-inspired battle with cancer. They both have a quiet confidence about them, knowing that no matter what it might seem like on the surface, the battle is not with illness and its not even their battle. The battle is God's. To watch them both maintain a "peace which passes all understanding," is inspiring and encouraging to all of us who walk with them. I am thankful, blessed and honor to know both of these extraordinary people. I am not able to see Kim, since she is in St. Louis, but I hear her story and read of her faith constantly. Please join me in praying for Kim and her family, that a transplant will happen soon and also pray for the organ donor, for Kim's joy will be accompanied by someone else's grief.

I want to ask you to continue to pray for Chuck as well. His faith and focus are extraordinary and his life continues to shine forth with the grace that marks this man of God. Pray for his family as well as they continue to hold on to one another and provide care for their beloved father/husband.

I came across this prayer that is a wonderful reminder for us all as we face the challenges that life brings:

MY HAND IN GOD'S

Each morning when I awake I say, I place my hand in God's today.
I know He'll walk close by my side, My ever wandering steps to guide.
He leads Me with the tenderest care, When paths are dark and I despair.
No need for me to understand, If I just hold fast to His hand.
My hand in His, no surer way, To walk safely through the day.
By His great bounty I am fed. Warmed by His love and comforted.
When at day's end I seek my rest, I realize how much I'm blessed.
My thanks go out to Him and then, I place my hand in God's again.

May God's healing, life-giving and loving hands be upon Kim and Chuck and all of those we hold in our hearts and prayers.

Snake Bites and Snake Oil

2008-06-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we were called back to Kansas unexpectedly last week. It seems that my son was minding his own business, walking through the fields of a local lake, listening to music at a concert, and seems to have made a copperhead snake a little angry. I'm not sure but I think he stepped on him. John stepped on the snake that is. In reponse the pit viper bit his fourth toe. According to John, it felt like he stepped on a tack but immediately felt "boiling water" in his veins. Mercy! He jumped over a fence and ran over to a first aid station (it was an outdoor music concert so one was available). I guess that's not a good thing to do because it causes the venom to move more rapidly through one's body! Thankfully, an ambulance was there in moments and rushed him to the hospital.

When we learned of the event, it was several hours after his admittance to the hospital. I became quite concerned when, after being connected to the nurse's station, I learned that he was in ICU. Of course that was quite scary.

John sounded groggy and still in pain. It was obvious that we needed to go and be by his side. The first flight out of Houston was early Monday morning and so we boarded the plain not really knowing what we would face.

John was out of the hospital when we arrived and so we were able to take him to our (unsold) house and be a family supporting one another all week. As I mentioned in church yesterday, all those prayers that we would sell the house over the last eight months were thankfully answered by God as "wait!" I now know why. Our God is a sovereign God and certainly knows what He is doing. If we had sold our house earlier, then we wouldn't have been able to be together in what was both a comfortable and soothing environment. As our oldest son joined us, we supported John through this, and enjoyed the company of one another for several days.

I'm now ready to sell the house and praying about it again! Besides being with John, it was interesting to be back in Lawrence. But I was fascinated that my transition from Kansas to Texas feels complete as we taxied at Bush Intercontinental Airport, I knew that my home was here in Texas. We're apart from our kids, but we all know that we are deeply connected to one another and if needed, we can be together in no time at all. But God has called me here, there is no doubt, and we continue to see Him work in our lives, and in the lives of those at COTHA in real and powerful ways.

I will sell my house and I don't need snake oil to do it. God is all I need! God is at work in my life in ways that consistently surprise and delight me. I am blessed to be at COTHA (and Julie feels the same way) and look forward to what God is up to in our midst! I so appreciate all the prayers that were sent heavenward during this challenge and the devil meant it for bad, but God used this experience to grow me and my family and to reinforce my connection to my family at Church of the Holy Apostles in Katy, Texas!!

On Being Wrecked

2008-05-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in church this past Sunday that "playing at" being the church wrecks me. By that I meant that going through the motions as the church, or losing focus on what the church is, just slays me. God's call to be the church too often has been seen as a call to institutional survival. When the Holy Spirit made the church on that first Pentecost, it had nothing to do with buildings, offices, newsletters, elections, canons and constitutions, or bureaucratic posturing. The church was being called into existence, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a place of transformation, where people could come and be changed. The church was to be a place of witness, the very witness of God. People were (and are) called into the church to become disciples, where others could watch how these disciples lived and learn that God's love is real and available. When the church loses this original mandate, it becomes a lot of things, but it doesn't become the mystical body it is called to be.

At COTHA, we are being called to be the radical place of God's presence that we read in the 2nd chapter of Acts. Don't let the word "radical" scare you. All things of God, are by their very nature "radical." Radical change where despair is replaced by hope, love replaces hatred, joy overcomes estrangement, is a good change. Too often the church settles for something less. But I keep sensing God's call to step out of those old and tired modes and recapture the essence and excitement of that Church of Pentecost.

The summer is around the corner. In the old church, this meant vacation time. Not for us, not now. God's call for us to reach out with His love has never been clearer. Summer is a time for barbecues, trips to the ocean or mountains, baseball and lemonade, but it is also a time to recommit ourselves to bringing more people into the kingdom. I have a feeling that there are some people out there that just might consider coming to a cool, airconditioned building at least once this summer... all that is standing between them and that happening is an invitation. Look around your neighborhood; look around the office. I challenge you to invite one person per week all summer. The worse thing that could happen is for each person to turn you down. But you won't know until you ask.

What I promise you is this: I'll continue to be wrecked so that we don't ever "go through the motions." I know that there are many people at COTHA who feel the same way I do. Let's never grow satisfied about where we are.... let's keep pushing to be that mystical place that God intended from the beginning. Even if it's summer!

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

2008-05-06T08:08:00.001-07:00

Our very own ministry theatre company, "King's Company," put on four performances (this past weekend) of this famous story by CS Lewis. It was a pleasure to share the stage with Julie, as she had the role the housekeeper and I performed the role of the professor! We had a great time and my thanks to all of the children and adults who gave so very, very much to make the play such a huge success.

I am always uncomfortable singling out people for fear that I will leave someone off the list, but let me mention a couple (though they would be the first to say it takes many, many people to make a play such a success): first of all Karen H. needs to be thanked for sharing the King's Kid theater with us; Damon B. who directed, made sets and costumes and put up with all the chaos; Miss Jenny for all of her dedicated work organizing, reading lines, making costumes; Richard N. for his amazing creativity in making sets, acting and so much more; Simon for his working everything from blocking, sets, acting, encouraging and so on and on; Rene and Ron for all of the organizing and working.... the kids and adult actors; the workers behind the curtains pulling out sets and putting in countless hours; those who worked setting up lunches and dinners; Miss Diane for her picture taking... Cindy B. and Rick B. who worked in the lighting and sound booths... you all were incredible.

As you can see such a production could not happen without the efforts of so many, many people. For those of you who didn't get to see the show, you missed something extraordinary. Make sure you do everything you can to make next fall's production. For those of you I left off my list, thank you for all you did.

At the end of the production, it was clear that God was glorified. The story of Jesus was told through the imagination of CS Lewis and the giftedness of those who make King's Company an extraordinary production!

Romans

2008-04-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

We were treated to a tranformative experience this past Sunday night, as Chip Simmons presented the book of Romans to the crowd gathered. His performance was tremendous leading all of us to suspend our reality and enter into the first century, as we heard Paul exhort us to live lives worthy of our calling.

I cannot encourage you more to find time in your busy schedules when Chip returns (yes, I hope to convince him to return to COTHA!). The time flys by and you will leave, like those of us on Sunday, encouraged and amazed!

Thank you Chip and God's richest blessings be upon you and your tremendous ministry!

This Sunday Night: The Apostle Paul

2008-04-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

What if the Apostle Paul asked to talk at COTHA? Would we allow him? Would we be worried what he would say?

Well, he won't be here but Chip Simmons will. Who is Chip? Click on:

http://www.theapostle.org/the_apostle/Welcome.html and watch the clip. Then join me and others this coming Sunday night for what just might be a life changing experience.

For those of you who have travelled with me through the Book of Romans, this will be a wonderful opportunity to recapture the sense that those first hearers of Romans experienced. And for the rest of you, don't miss out on this extraordinary performance/ministry.

Chip outside of a Presbyterian church where he performed "The Apostle."

Jayhawks and Christians

2008-04-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Those that know me at all, know that the Jayhawks are "my" team. Just over a week ago, Julie and I travelled to San Antonio for the final game of this year's NCAA basketball tournament. What a time we had!! We joined our voices with all those gathered and chanted "Rock Chalk Jayhawk!"

You can imagine my surprise when I looked out in the congregation this past Sunday to see the church dressed in blue!! I also saw a lot of Jayhawks taped to shirts and blouses! It seemed appropriate that my message was on being hilarious (cheerful) givers... we had a hilarious day, indeed!

Thanks for understanding your very weird lead pastor! Oh, just so you'll know: Go Cubs!!

He is Risen!

2008-03-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

Wow! I hope all that read this blog had a chance to be present today at church as we celebrated Easter. Our time together was so uplifting as we celebrated Jesus overcoming sin and death and offering new life to all who would trust Him.

I spoke about how we so often seek the good life when God wants us to have the "better life." Nothing wrong with the good life, in and of itself, it's just that the better life, being a follower of Jesus brings with it such joy and purpose and meaning, that it's important to know the difference.

It was so wonderful greeting and hugging so many people! I felt the better life today and I give God thanks for that. I also give God thanks for our wonderful staff, who work so hard and are so committed to what God is doing here. Once again, my thanks go to Fr. Bill, Donna, Karen P., Karen H., Craig, Christi, and Diane (along with all of our volunteers who made Holy Week and Easter memorable). May God bless you all for helping COTHA shine brightly with Resurrection light!

He is risen!!

Easter

2008-03-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

Our Good Friday worship was profound! Those of us who gathered experienced God's presence in a very tangible way. And now, as I write this, we are within hours of our Easter services. I've never been so excited about celebrating Easter as I am this year. If you're reading this on Saturday evening and have any doubts about coming, know that God will be with us tomorrow in a very significant and life changing way. It's not too late to invite a friend... but whatever you do, plan on coming!! Remember we are worshipping at our regularly scheduled times: 8:00 and 10:30 am.

Reflections on our Experience Last Night

2008-03-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Last night was a profoundly reverent worship service. As I mentioned below, Maundy Thursday is a rich service, with many different components. It is easy to look at worship as something that we do to try and please ourselves. You know the attitude: "If I leave a service feeling like my needs were met, then I'm happy and think the worship was good, but if I was distracted or didn't like something, then the worship was bad." We have to remind ourselves over and over that there is an audience for our worship. An audience of One.. the Holy Other, Jesus Himself.

I believe Jesus was pleased with our worship (as I believe He is Sunday after Sunday as we focus on Him, not ourselves) as we reflected on the Great Commandment, to love one another as He loves us; as we celebrated the first Communion remembering the words of Jesus; as we symbolically witnessed the stripping of His clothes and the casting of lots for His garments; and as we began the long vigil of prayer in the garden. I believe He was pleased because we so intentionally focused on His presence and His call for us to serve and love like He has shown us.

I am only one person, but I left last night changed. And I suspect I am not the only person who had his/her heart touched in a profound way. It makes me look so forward to our Good Friday service tonight (at 7:30 pm) because I know that God will be here. And as I survey the wondrous cross, I will see my sins taken away through His crucifixion. I pray that many people will be here to share this momentous day.

Also, the Passion of the Christ will be shown at 1:00 pm in the Youth Room. Don't forget, if you are under 17 you must have a parental permission slip signed, due to the graphic nature of the film.

May God continue to bless this marvelous congregation and our worship of our Awesome God!

Maundy Thursday

2008-03-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

Today is Maundy Thursday. My children used to call it "Monday Thursday." What does maundy mean? The word "maundy" comes from the Latin for 'command' (mandatum). It refers to the command given by Jesus at the Last Supper, that his disciples should love one another. We remember the event of this command on Thursday of Holy Week. The "event" took place when the disciples had gathered with Jesus for a meal, that we now know was their last supper together before his crucifixion. At this dinner, Jesus got up and washed his disciples feet, giving them an object lesson in humility and service. And then he said that any who would choose to follow Him, should practice the same kind of servanthood.

At our service tonight (starting at 6:45 with a supper), we will literally follow where Jesus has led. This means that the congregation will be invited to slip off their shoes and allow another to wash them and then turn around and do the same to someone else. If you have never participated in such an overt act of servanthood practiced by Jesus Himself, you may be surprised by how overwhelmingly power such an act is.

This is also the night that we re-member the institution of the Eucharist (communion). As the Gospel is read we become part of the story itself and are reminded to continue to share communion until Jesus comes again. When He comes again we will be reunited with one another, and I pray, sit at the table with the banner "Church of the Holy Apostles!"

After the sharing of communion, are service tonight takes on a solemn and stark character as we witness an abrupt stripping of the altar. This is done to help us get a sense of the violent and mocking quality of those who prepared to crucify our Lord by stripping Him of His outer garments. Those items which we always treat with care and concern, knowing that when we gather around His table (altar), He is present with us, are now treated with disdain. Doing this gives us permission to enter into this drama in profound ways.

With the stripping our service ends with silence. A Garden of Repose has been created in the sanctuary and you are invited to once again enter the drama of this night by waiting, watching and praying in the garden, attempting to live fully into Jesus request when he asked His disciples to stay awake for at least one hour, while he prayed and agonized over what He knew would take place the following day: His death on the cross on our behalf.

Maundy Thursday is usually not the most attended service of Holy Week but it can be an extremely profound experience. I invite you to be present with me tonight (Agape Meal starting at 6:45) as I ponder and pray about how that first Holy Week still moves me to confession and repentance.

Beautiful Weather, Houston, Holy Week and Bible Study

2008-03-11T15:17:00.001-07:00

As I sit in my office at 5:17 PM on Tuesday, March 11th, my mind is full of a variety of thoughts. I spent a big part of the day in the city, visiting the Diocesan Center with Jim McCullouch and having lunch with Canon Andy Doyle. Jim showed me around a bit and I have to confess that I have not taken the time to explore downtown Houston by myself yet. Of course when he showed me Minute Maid Park (where the Houston Astros play) I thought to myself, "get Cubs tickets as soon as you can!" Being a Cubs fan and playing in the same division as the Astros will get me downtown, you can bet on it!

I was taken with the beauty of the city. Coupled with the beautiful Katy area, I know that God has blessed us all with a wonderful place to live. The weather continues to be beautiful and the number of people within a quick drive allows for us to make a big difference in this corner of the world.

We are just a week away from the most exciting time of the year for the church. Holy Week at COTHA will be extraordinary! Our worship resonates with God's Holy Spirit and I hope you will make a special attempt to be part of our celebration. As I've challenged all of us, make a list of people who don't go to Church and invite them here. God is stirring many, many people to seek Him and all that stands between them and God's love may be an invitation from you.

Speaking of invitations, let me invite you to come to Bible Study. We are continuing to study Paul's letter to the Romans on Tuesday evenings (starting at 7 pm). I know that God is leading all of us into a greater understanding and experience of His love and forgiveness.

There are many Bible Studies and small groups during the week (check the website) but since this is my blog!! let me recommend one other study. This one meets on Saturday mornings and is a Men's study and breakfast. We continue to grow closer to God and to one another and it is always open to more folks.

Enjoy the weather and pray for a tremendous Easter here at COTHA!

A Celebration of a New Ministry

2008-02-26T09:21:00.000-08:00

In the Episcopal Church, a new rector (lead pastor) is officially put into that position by the Bishop of the diocese of which the congregation is a part. The service is called "A Celebration of a New Ministry." This service will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7 PM. I hope that all members of COTHA will make it to this service because it is really a celebration for the whole church. We are celebrating that God has called me and you to minister in this corner of the world. Together we are seeking to be faithful and to grow the Kingdom of God.

It will be an exciting time and one that I want to celebrate with as many people as possible. For God is doing a great thing in our midst!

Diocesan Council

2008-02-22T05:55:00.000-08:00

Last week I spent two days at the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of Texas. Comparing Council with other diocesan events I've attended in the past is a pretty easy exercise. A couple of things about the Diocese of Texas were quite evident: first of all, it's big diocese! There were many more people at Council than I've ever seen at a diocesan event. Secondly, we live in a missionary diocese. Clearly the effort and work of this diocese is focused on making followers of Jesus Christ. I was pleased to learn that much good work is happening all over our diocese!

There were several opportunities to listen to a lot of speeches/sermons over the course of two days. The Cardinal of the Archdiocese of Houston was invited to preach at the opening worship service. I liked him and enjoyed listening to him. The Episcopal Bishop of Texas, Don Wimberly was also impressive in his talk on Saturday. But I was moved most deeply by a young woman who spoke on Saturday morning. Her talk focused on the youth ministry that our diocese is involved in. While hearing about the ministries was good, the part of her talk that moved me most was the sharing of her faith. This young woman, 17 years old, spoke of a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. She wasn't trying to impress anyone, she was just sharing a faith that has equipped her to live her life in a confusing and challenging world. I was moved and inspired to do the same; just share what Jesus means to me and how he helps me. And I think that is a wonderful challenge for all followers of Jesus... just share what he means to you and how he helps you. That is exactly what the disciples did in the early church. Let that be our focus as we reach out into a confusing and challenging world!

Ash Wednesday

2008-02-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

As I prepare my heart for the Ash Wednesday services, I can't help but think that in some ways hearing the words "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return," reminds me of a funeral. When I am at a funeral, I always think about my own life, what I am doing, where I am headed. I think about what will be said at my funeral.. and I am thankful that I have another day to live into what I want to be.

So as I go down to the sanctuary in a minute to preside at our first Ash Wednesday service, I am looking forward to being reminded that while one day I will return to dust, I have been given this gift of life that I do not want to squander. With God's help, presence and direction, my life will make a difference. It can for you too. Praise be to God that when we trust in Him, our bodies may rest in peace but they will one day be raised by Him to spend eternity in heaven. In the meantime, we have some important living to do!

Hard Questions

2008-01-29T11:56:00.000-08:00

We have just finished a message series on hard questions and I have to admit that I could keep going on! There are so many difficult things that we face in this life and our faith is not one that blinds us to the difficulties; instead, our faith needs to equip us to face them.

My last topic during this series was about how worrying isn't helpful and how when we worry it makes our problems bigger. I know that this unearthed a lot of things for people as we deal with concerns about children, aging parents, health issues, the economy and so on. We cannot 'grin' ourselves away from our problems but we do have a God who promises to help us.

There are over 7000 promises in the Bible. I encourage you to look through God's Word and pay attention to these promises. Some of the promises are conditional 'if you do this... God will do that,' while others are not. We need to know that God desires for us to thrive in this life, not just survive.

If you are struggling with a worry or concern, turn to God. Focus on God, not your problem. His peace is available to us all; make reading God's Word a daily practice and open your heart to receive His Word in your hearts.

Working on the Wrong Thing

2008-01-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I talked about how, like the Apostle Paul, we often do the very thing that we don't want to do. Given the reaction of the people following the service and this week, I believe that I struck a chord. That's good news because we are broken people and obviously realize our struggles are real.

As I said last Sunday, there is good news but we need to stop working on the wrong thing. If we focus on trying to change our actions but leave it at that, the vicious cycle of repeating the same mistakes over and over will continue. To bring real change to our lives, to stop making the same mistakes again and again, we need to work on the right thing. What is that?

In order to change our actions, we must first change our minds. We delude ourselves when we don't come to terms with the fact that our bad actions are giving us some sort of payback. Ultimately, we know we shouldn't live this way but our mind tells us that, in some ways, we know better than God. God's Word tells us we must be honest in all of our dealings, yet if we just tell a "white lie", well that's better for us... despite what God says.

To "change our minds" is to repent. It is to confess that we've gone our own way and ignored God's way. To change our minds is to say to God, "I trust you. I trust what your word says and I believe what You say is true." When we change our minds in this way, it changes our hearts. And when our hearts change, then our actions follow.

God wants us to live a life of purpose, meaning, significance and joy. He doesn't want us to continue to settle for the less when we could have the best! And the best thing I can tell you on this blog is that God is the God of second chances. So if you're caught in the vicious cycle of doing the wrong thing over and over (even when you know it's wrong), then focus on God's Word and let him give you the power to overcome.

Personal Change

2008-01-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

I was reflecting on the Sunday School class I teach on Sundays that I call "A Proffitt's Perspective." Last Sunday I talked some about how much change we have faced in the last several decades in our society and how we can't even imagine what may happen in the next few months and years. I recall saying that easily but my heart was pumping in my chest because I know it's not easy. Change is always difficult, especially personal change.

The state of "no-change" is called death but I wonder if there is anything more difficult in the Christian life than to allow God to change us. I'm sure we all feel great when we land at a place of comfort, a place where we know what the next day brings. It's great when we feel we're connecting to God and to one another. But even when we're there, God won't keep us there. He wants that connection to be even stronger and if that is to happen, He will have to change us.

I've seen that in my life over and over. While it may not be comfortable it's always exhilirating because God is in control and He knows what is best for me.... and for you. When we learn to trust Him more and more we can see this growth (for that is what God's changing us leads to) as part of the abundant life.

I want to be changed and I know as long as I seek His face, immerse myself in His word, and reach out to the world with His love, that is what will happen. The church has a fancy word for that process: sanctification. And sanctification is a life time process. It's part of God's plan for my life and for yours.

May God be glorified in the way He changes me and changes you!

God's Blessings

2008-01-02T05:57:00.000-08:00

I was just noting the difference between the temperature in Kansas and what we have here in Houston, and I've already decided it's great new year! There are many other reasons I feel that this year will be a blessing. It is important to focus on blessings, because it creates gratitude in our hearts and helps us live lives of blessings toward others. Here are a few of mine:

1. I am an adopted child of God through Jesus! I am an heir of His riches, there is no greater blessing than that!

2. Julie, my beautiful and sweet wife. She's moved here, left the house to be sold by the realtor, and blesses me by her presence in my life.

3. My children: Joseph, Emily and John. While they have returned to their work or colleges, my heart is full of the memories we had at Christmas. I'll see John late tonight in Miami, as we travel to the Orange Bowl to watch our beloved Jayhawks. Rock Chalk!

4. The Church of the Holy Apostles and each person who is a member and those who are joining. What an extraordinary congregation COTHA is! And we're growing... God is blessing us with more and more people because He is pleased with what we are doing. People are being called to COTHA because it is a place focused on Jesus, we don't have any distractions, and people are being fed by God's Word. If you are reading this but don't have a church home, I challenge and encourage you to come to COTHA and see/feel what I am talking about. I have never experienced the tangible presence of God any where like I do every time we gather! It is a profound blessing to be among you as the Rector/Lead Pastor.

My prayer for all of you is to have a wonderful week; plan on coming to church at COTHA this Sunday as we once again get blown away by God's tangible presence among us! May the blessings that God has placed in your life be celebrated today and this year!

Christmas at COTHA

2007-12-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

Those of you who attended the Christmas Eve services at COTHA understand what I'm about to type: wow, what a celebration! The worship space was so beautiful, the songs God glorifying and the community gathered expectant.

I am so happy to have had my first Christmas with all those at Holy Apostles. It was fun to see members, friends and families of members, and many guests who just chose to worship with us! God was glorified by our gathering and it was absolutely transcendent.

I know the children had a great celebration with the Kids of the King and by all reports it was a special, special time.

It is difficult to list all of the people who made our Christmas so special but let me just say that all who worked so hard decorating, cleaning, readying the space; all who prepared and helped the children celebrate; singers and acolytes; servers and readers... thank you.

Having all of my family present made my Christmas extraordinary. We got up early on Christmas morning and headed for the ocean, where many wonderful memories were made. We're getting ready to take our two sons to the airport and Emily will be here until Sunday evening. The best news of all is that Julie, my wife, is now here permanently! That's the greatest news that I could have!

Christmas at COTHA was so special. I definitely feel at home and thank God for calling me here to this place. As I look forward to the coming year, I know that "God has something more..." for me and us!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year indeed!

Confirmation and the Bishop

2007-12-20T06:00:00.001-08:00

Last night we had a great class of youth and adults for confirmation and reception (being received into the church). It was a wonderful time to celebrate what God is doing among us and wonderful to participate in the laying on of hands, as each of these individuals stood before God and the church to proclaim their faith.

It was also my first time to meet the Bishop, Don Wimberly. I guess I had forgotten that the Bishop and I had something in common, we had both served churches in Kansas. In fact, his church was about 40 minutes away from the one I served. Beyond that, I was taken with the graciousness and faith of both Bishop Wimberly and his wife Wendy. We left the evening feeling as if we had known each other much longer. What a blessing to have a Bishop who is so faithful and supportive of all of us at Holy Apostles!

Congratulations to all of those who were either confirmed or received. We have a wonderful journey ahead for us all!

Story Time: The Tradition

2007-12-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

I gathered with a crowd of parents, grandparents, children and youth last night for the annual Story Time. It was an evening of stories, Christmas carols, a puppet show, hot chocolate and cookies and making ornaments! It was an evening that I'll remember and look forward to including it in my preparations for Christmas from now on.

The tradition of Story Time is to have everyone wear their pajamas, bring a favorite stuffed animal, and perhaps a blanket and pillow! I boldly put on my pajamas, ran to the store and bought a robe!!, but on my slippers and headed out. It was fun to see all the children excitedly waiting for the show to begin. None of us were disappointed as we heard the story of Mortimer the Mouse and the journey of the little Star. The songs were led by Karen Henson and Bill Blomquist, and the puppet show brought down the house. We have several outstanding puppeteers who minister to our youngest week in and week out. It was a great night.

Karen does an outstanding job and I've never been around such creativity that we have in our children's ministry. I know that I will embarrass her, but if you haven't thanked Karen for all she brings to all of us, make sure you do! Thank you Karen, after last night, I feel "that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

The Youth at COTHA

2007-12-14T06:04:00.000-08:00

I had a delicious dinner and a wonderful conversation last night with many of the families connected to the Youth program at COTHA. It was great to have an opportunity to hear of the way our young people have connected to God through this ministry over the years. I left knowing that this ministry will continue to deepen and more lives will be touched by God as we find more ways to help our youth connect to God and one another.

The vision that God has given us to be stunningly spiritually mature is a vision that includes our young people. I want to find ways to help the connection that these people have with God radiate with God's love. Our youth program is as important as anything we do. It's not a "tack-on" but incredibly important. I want our young people to not only know that, but to feel it.

We talked about ways to keep our young people connected after they graduate from high school. I tossed out several ways that this might happen. We talked about how our young people in the program right now can feel connected to me and again, I tossed out some ideas how this might happen. We also talked about the importance of putting people with the spiritual gifts to help us further develop this ministry and, again, I shared some ideas.

The key to all of this of course is to seek other leaders to deepen this ministry. I also think that it is important to pay attention to the burden that God gives us for certain ministries. If God gives you the passion, then don't ignore it! I will help our current leaders and future leaders by supporting, nurturing and equipping them to lead.

If you want to learn more about our youth ministry then contact Craig. You can find his email on our website or give him a call. The link to our website is located at the top of this page on the left hand side.

May we dream big when it comes to our young people. May they, like our adults, become fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ!

Prayers for my Daughter and the Thief

2007-12-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

As you know, my family is busy getting ready to travel to Houston for Christmas. If you have ever travelled during Christmas you know how busy the highways are and how crowded the airports can be. Patience is usually a rare commodity for those travelling.

You can imagine how excited I am to be with my family. I know that all of the busy-ness surrounding their trip will be pretty breathtaking. Never the less, the excitement of the trip might be enough to overcome the hassle!

I just received a phone call from my daughter, Emily, that her preparations will be more difficult. She is in graduate school in DC and phoned to tell me that her car had been stolen!! She isn't harmed, though she is very upset. We both appreciate your prayers during this difficult time for her.

I can only imagine what might motivate a theft like this. As in all criminal activities, the end result has ripple effects on many people. Who knows what the motivation was, but I ask your prayers for the thief as well. Living a life where one steals the property of another cannot be much of a life of meaning. May God seek and find this perpetrator and lead him to a place of repentance and forgiveness.

Thank you for your prayers.

Kemper Crabb

2007-12-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

Last night, COTHA hosted a concert by Kemper Crabb and his ensemble. Kemper is an extraordinarily gifted man. On his website (http://www.kempercrabb.net/), his biography reads in part:

No one would mistake Kemper Crabb for a modern man, and this is to his credit. You might mistake him for a medieval man born 700 years too late. His musical stylings are enough to evidence that fact. You might also mistake him for a Renaissance man. His breadth of knowledge and variety of skills are enough to evidence that fact. You might also mistake him for a postmodern Christian. His distaste for the philosophical errors of the modern era is enough to evidence that fact. He fits all of these categories and none of them at the same time. He is, in fact, a Christian man whose theological perspective is at once historical and contemporary.

I love that description because it sounds so closely to the Ancient Future church that I reflected on earlier. When we ignore the "great cloud of witnesses" that have gone before us, we are diminished. To hear in both song and teaching, the power of the Gospel to transform lives in the middle ages, I sat there and wondered why so many can't see how silly it is to believe that our generation some how has figured it all out. We are diminished when we think that our present world has nothing to learn from hearing the transforming stories of those who have gone before us. In some ways, the church needs to be aware of this so we don't suffer from the "tyranny of the present." Kemper reminded us that the truth of the Gospel remains the same throughout all centuries and we are blessed when we see the unchanging Word of God shaping both us and the ancients in the same way, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We may express it differently, through images and metaphors, but the truth of God's Word, unchanging throughout the centuries, is the context for our relationship to an amazing God.

The concert was magnificient and Kemper held the crowd in rapt attention with both his music and his teaching. I left the concert richer and a little poorer. I was richer because I had been taken to a place of deep reflection through both music and word. I was poorer because I bought several of his CDs!

I recommend Kemper to anyone who has the opportunity to hear him in concert. I look forward to getting to know him better and inviting him to return to COTHA. The Holy Spirit is clearly in this gifted man's life and ministry.

My First Annual Meeting

2007-12-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

We had our annual meeting at COTHA today. We elected two new vestry members and examined our budget. It was a wonderful time and it was easy to sense God's presence and blessings on this place. After the business part of our meeting, I presented to those gathered what I believe to be our direction in the year ahead. It is a vision of becoming a Biblically functioning church where God's priorities become our priorities. It's a place where the supernatural becomes commonplace, where God's activity is felt and experienced, where hearts melt, where difference fade, where needs are met, where the unwelcome feel welcomed, racial lines are blurred, and the rich and poor come together. It's like the Church in Acts and we will experience the same power because we will have the same unity that they did. It's a big dream but a faithful one.

I recognize that being able to dream this way means that we are positioned to move forward. Again, I know that it is only because of the good work of all of you and the leadership of COTHA over the years that has positioned us in such a good place. Our current leadership is a strong group of faithful men and women. We will see this leadership group grow because we will be intentional about it.

The vision of becoming a Biblically functioning community excites me but it's a church that I haven't seen in many places. It certainly is not the church I remember as a child and young adult. It's not that those churches were "bad." Indeed many, many fine people attended and participated in those places. It's just that church was not a place where lives were transformed, they weren't places where people would do all they could do to orient their lives around the ministry of the church. It was a place for insiders, not outsiders. They were boring, if anyone found their life changed it was more by accident than on purpose.

The possibility that the mainline church might not survive unless it changed was introduced to me during my doctoral studies. What I heard and began to see startled me at first and then excited me. I began to realize that the mainline church had lost its way. In an attempt to maintain the way "we've always done it" we were ignoring the fact that we weren't reaching people. In an attempt to be relevant, we let go of God's unchanging truth, the inspired Word of God. We had become an institution. And the future wasn't bright.

Then God opened up something for me. In a variety of way, through authors, pastors and teachers, through mentors and friends, I realized that God's hand was in the slow, but rapidly increasing decline of the mainline church. God was doing this! He was replacing the tired old way of being church, where lives weren't transformed, and the lost were not being made the found. He was calling the church, from all denominations, to the way it was in the beginning. Someone called this the Ancient Future church. To say I was excited doesn't even get close!

And then God called me here. The strong beacon of light that illuminated a desire to see God bring hope to a hopeless world, through the ministry of a vibrant local church, lit the path from Kansas to Texas for me. He has brought me here so that we can become the kind of place where hearts are changed and hope overcomes despair. That beacon has not become weaker, it has become stronger.

This vision is not mine. It's a vision from God. We are being called to align ourselves with this God-sized dream and vision. Today I painted this picture. If you weren't there, let me issue you the same invitation I did today. Where do you want to invest your life? Do you want to pursue a small dream, a dream that won't make a difference eternally? Or will you take a risk and trust that the kind of place we can become will increase the population in heaven? As one of my mentors says, the local church is the hope of the world. Let us, together, reorder our lives around the ministry of COTHA and let's become a biblically functioning community. When we risk this, God will receive the praise, the honor and the glory.

Acts 2:42 Groups

2007-12-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." With this simple description, we read in the book of Acts that the early church focused on the importance of spiritual growth and community. At COTHA we are called to the same focus. I truly believe that we are called to grow larger and smaller at the same time. We grow larger through the various ministries of our congregation and by inviting others to participate. We grow smaller through our small group ministry, our 2:42 groups.

I have been attending several of our 2:42 groups at COTHA over the last several weeks. I have been blessed to see the number of people who are involved, the level of connectedness that people have with one another, and the level of spiritual maturity that is being sought. I have also eaten very well at many of these groups!

Last night I attended the Russells and left knowing that I had experienced God. It was wonderful to be with people who truly sought the truth of God's Word. I was also thrilled to see two of our newest members at the gathering!

I know that not all of the people at COTHA are part of a 2:42 group. Sometimes schedules just simply don't allow for some people's participation. But having witnessed how great these groups are, I want to encourage you to at least visit one or more of these groups. You can go to our website and see where and when these groups meet or call Karen Pettit in the office.

I felt strongly that God is calling us to broaden this ministry and offer even more 2:42 groups. To do so means we will have to raise up, train and support new leaders. I ask all of you who are reading this to prayerfully consider whether or not God is calling you into leadership or perhaps just calling you to be a member of an existing or new 2:42 group.

God is doing great things in our midst through this ministry. Indeed "God has something MORE for you!"

Study of the Book of Romans

2007-12-04T19:35:00.001-08:00

I just got back home after teaching the first installment of "Digging Deeper with Darrel." As you may know, this is a study of the book of Romans, the apostle Paul's impressive letter to the church in Rome.

The introduction tonight was intended to set the tone for the rest of the study. We had a good group of people and I felt it went very well. I love to teach because I get so much more out of it than I ever expect. I don't know why that surprises me, but it always does. What an awesome feeling to experience the Holy Spirit in the midst of studying God's Word.

If you missed tonight and want to come to our next session, we will gather at 7 PM next TWO Tuesday nights. We'll then take a couple of weeks off and get going again on January 8th. You don't have to be present at each session to get something out of it. I know people's lives are busy and I try to make each session a complete study, so you can come and go as your schedule allows.

I once heard someone say that Bible study was probably "boring." This was a person who had never spent the time going deeper into the Word. I want to encourage you to make time in your life to learn more about what God has to say to His people. It is totally amazing how His Word still speaks to us in ways that transforms us. I don't teach the Bible in order to overload you with information. Instead, I seek to allow God to lead us to transformation. There is nothing more exciting than that!

A Funny Thing Happened to My Jayhawks

2007-12-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

All of my long suffering years following Kansas Jayhawk football have been forgotten! I watched with great interest last night as the Jayhawks were chosen to play in the Orange Bowl. For those of you who follow these sort of things, KU hasn't been in the Orange Bowl since 1969, where we lost to Penn State 15-14. I guess the message here is "good things happen to those who wait!"

In the whole scheme of things, sports are the "toy store" of life. But when you are an avid supporter of a team, it's easy to forget that. I do believe, though, that God delights in that which delights us. I Timothy 6:17 says "God....who gives us richly all things to enjoy," reminds me of such.

If your team didn't make it, I certainly understand how that feels (I am a Cubs fan, and know that any team can have a bad century). But if you are or are not interested in such things, I hope you have a hobby that delights you. Because if it delights you, it delights God!

Fruitcake: The Play

2007-12-01T21:22:00.000-08:00

I hope someone reads this post before planning their Sunday afternoon. I want to highly recommend the King's Company production of Fruitcakes. The final performance is at 2 PM on Sunday afternoon and it's a "can't miss" event!

I attended the play tonight and left knowing that I had been entertained and deeply moved. It's a play about the power of forgiveness and has plenty of laughs and tears. We are blessed to have such talented people at COTHA who give so much to us. The directing, acting, make-up, set design and entire production is very impressive. If you have never gone to a King's Company production, make sure you don't miss Sunday afternoon. What an awesome play!

Thanks King's Company for giving all of us at COTHA a thought provoking and moving way to start our Christmas celebrations.

So What Exactly Have I Been Doing?

2007-11-29T07:29:00.000-08:00

Since my arrival at COTHA I have been busy getting to know people. I have been doing this in both "formal" and "informal" ways. I will continue to do this as our journey continues.

I know it's not possible to spend time with all of the people of Holy Apostles. In some ways that is why I have decided to begin blogging. While it will be a one way conversation, you will be able to see what it is I am thinking about, what I am experiencing, what it is that challenges me and so forth. My hope is that this blog will allow you to get to know me better.

Our God is such an awesome God! I know that He has plans for us that will surprise and delights us. I truly believe that God is calling us to do things that we cannot achieve on our own. All we need to do is to have faith. Faith means courage. So let us trust God and know that He has been waiting for us all to move forward. The time is now!

This Sunday (December 2nd) begins a new message series that I am calling "It's a Wonderful Life." On Sunday I will help us see how we can be the kind of people that God uses. I know that if we are willing, God will wear us out! And when God wears you out, well, "it's a wonderful life!"

I want to encourage you to invite a friend to come with you during this time leading up to Christmas. People come to church because they have been invited. Don't worry about how they will answer when you invite them. They can only answer one of two ways: yes or no. Who knows? Maybe they have been waiting for an invitation.

See you in Church and let's see what God will do this Sunday!

COTHA

2007-11-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

I am totally blown away by the level of faithfulness among the people at the Church of the Holy Apostles. When one enters a new community, there is always a bit of nervousness about what one will find. I had a sense from the Vestry that COTHA was a unique place. But now having been here for nearly a month, I continue to be amazed by the work that God has done here. I have been involved in many churches, but I have never found the desire to grow as I have here. God has blessed us and will continue to do so. I am honored, blessed and humbled to be among you as the Lead Pastor. I know God has extraordinary things in store for all of us.

On my first Sunday I recognized several people that I will always be indebted to for their Godly work in the months and years leading to my arrival. I would like to do that again on this first installment of my blog. First of all, I want to thank Bob Henson, our founding pastor. Without his vision and heart, we would not exist. Thank you Bob! I want to thank Chip Nix, who led us during the interim period. Chip taught the children to "high-five" during the procession out into the world. That tradition continues! God bless you Chip and I look forward to meeting you when I finish my journey on this earth and am called to heaven. May God bless you for your wonderful ministry, not only at COTHA, but through the years. I want to thank the Vestry that led us during some difficult times. All of you have inspired me. I want to thank the Search Committee that came to Kansas and helped me see God's hand in the process that led me to accept the call to this extraordinary congregation. I want to thank our wonderful staff who were asked to go beyond the normal demands of ministry and provided cohesiveness to COTHA when it was needed most. Lastly I want to thank our Lord Jesus Christ. His love for us can be powerfully felt every time we gather for worship. It is to His glory that we reach out into the world and bring even more people into the Kingdom.

We have much to do but it will be done because we will remain focused on Jesus Christ! An extraordinary adventure awaits us. As I said to the Vestry and Search Committee the night I accepted the call: "Buckle up!"