The Character of Daniel

My wife, Kelli, is in a Beth Moore Bible study right now on the book of Daniel. Every time she watches the DVD and does the corresponding work, we have some pretty incredible conversations. I have read the book of Daniel many, many times. She was pulling out things that I hadn't heard in a while or never thought of. This morning I have spent some time reading the first six chapters of Daniel.

One of the things that jumped out at me more than anything else is the character of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These are men after God's own heart. Time and time again they are given the opportunity to choose a different path than the will of God, but at every turn they are walking with God, even when it can cost them their lives. They take the narrow road. They always give God glory and never take it for themselves.

I love what people said about the character of Daniel. "The administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent." What a statement by a group of people who hated him. This made me realize that my true God-centered character is revealed by what people who don't love me or care for me say about me. It may come out negatively as did it against Daniel. But the root cause of it is because Daniel's heart and life was with God. That's right where I want to be.

Conversation

Yesterday I was given the opportunity to step into a God moment. I didn't really want to step into it. I wanted to be praying because I was praying. I needed some one-on-one time with God. But a man in our community that I have been building a relationship with for two years came to see me yesterday. He knew I was praying. He scratched on the window to get my attention, but I wouldn't look up. He knocked on the door, but I wouldn't look up. He finally came in and started talking to me.

I often challenge the people of Charter Oak Church to say yes ,when by the power of the Holy Spirit, God prompts us to step into a moment he has prepared for us. I didn't want to step into it yesterday, but God was not going to allow that to happen. I am glad that God's faithfulness is much greater than my obedience!

For about 45 minutes the man and I had an incredible conversation about faith, family, and life. He walked away from God after 9/11. He has had a major problem with God since then. But he knows that there is something or someone missing from his life and from the life of his family. He wants a change. He needs someone he can put his entire life, family, and trust. He needs Jesus and deep down inside he knows it.

This man took a risk to come see me yesterday. I wasn't open like I should have been, but God intervened and a man and his family's life trajectory is now changed. Everything changed on Easter morning and this man who felt unlovable and untouchable has received both.

Thank you God for not giving up on me and even more so on him.

After the Resurrection

What happened after the resurrection in the disciples' lives? What was going through their minds? What did they do the day after, the week after? I've been studying the aftermath of the resurrection of Jesus because that is where we are now. We call Easter weekend the Super Bowl of the church - more people and more excitement than any other time of the year. The weekend after Easter is often called the Great Letdown because those same people who had such great excitement a week before aren't back.

As I read the four Gospels, I don't think we are so different from the disciples - we should be because time gives us perspective, but we aren't. Check out what each describes as happening after the resurrection:

Matthew
Matthew 28:8-20 has Jesus appearing and wanting to meet the disciples in Galilee. The religious leaders want to play down the "disappearance" of Jesus so they bribe the guards. Then we get the Great Commission.

Mark
Mark 16:9-20 gives us a bit more information. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, then appears to two of them, then he appears to them all because they lack faith in his resurrection. We get another Great Commission and a promise of signs and wonders. Finally, Jesus ascends to heaven and the disciples go to work spreading the Gospel.

Luke
Luke 24:13-53 begins with the walk to Emmaus as Jesus joins two of his followers, but they are going away from Jerusalem, not in the direction that he asked his disciples to go. Then Jesus appears to the disciples, but they are not heading to Galilee as instructed. He appears to them again and opens their minds to everything he needed them to understand. Finally, Jesus leads them to where he is going to ascend to heaven. After he goes the disciples stick around for a while and worship.

John
John 20:19-21:25 has Jesus appearing to the disciples behind locked doors, telling them to receive the Holy Spirit and to forgive one another. Then Jesus appears two more times and then to Thomas who is doubting everything going on post resurrection, but believes after seeing Jesus. Then we get the story of the disciples fishing and Peter jumping into the water when he recognizes Jesus. It is here that Jesus and Peter have a one on one session where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him three times to represent the three denials of Peter before the crucifixion.

All of these accounts are fascinating to me. I ask myself - what do we learn from this? The life, death and resurrection of Jesus really happened, but we don't stay where we are. We are called to obediently continue the work that was started in Jesus and has now been passed on to us - that the world may know the Good News of Jesus.

What does that mean for you and me? What's our next move after the resurrection? Do we allow the resurrection to transform us? Or do we go back to our everyday, ordinary lives as if nothing happened? Our response to the resurrection today shows where our hearts are with God. It means everything, because everything changed on Easter.

Easter Weekend

What a great weekend of worship we had at Charter Oak Church this Easter. We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. We celebrated that on that first Easter morning when the tomb was empty - everything changed! My challenge to the people of Charter Oak Church was/is - have just a few things changed in your life or has everything changed? Are you transformed?

Even our time leading up to Easter weekend was special. On Thursday night Pastor Dave led the Maundy Thursday worship by talking about the impact of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Then in groups of 12 we sat around a table to share in Holy Communion. Last year we had 120 people, this year we had 178! That's a 48% increase. On Friday night we celebrated the Tenebrae service. 160 people heard the scripture readings of the betrayal, abandonment, and death of Jesus. Then over Easter weekend 1,245 people worshipped together as we magnified the risen Savior - a 10% increase over last year. What an awesome opportunity for us to join our hearts together and press play on the soundtrack of God in this world!

Who Are You Inviting

There is no better time to invite someone to church than Easter. You have a circle of friends that matter to you and more importantly, matter to God. These are people you do life with. Why not invite them into a journey that will transform their life forever?

It's a simple ask. A phone call. An email. A text message. It may be the most important thing you do this entire year. Go ahead, take the risk, invite someone to worship with you at Charter Oak Church this Easter.

Book # 7 - Sex God

I just finished reading Rob Bell's book Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between Sexuality and Spirituality. Everything I read or watch (Nooma videos) by Rob Bell challenges me to think differently and to know why I believe what I believe. I always learn something new about the Bible and what was really happening behind the words - because there is almost always something else going on behind the words. And I always learn something about myself - why I believe something or why I don't.

This book is about sex, but it is about so much more than just sex. I would put this book in the hands of every couple getting married and those who have been married, and for that matter - the hands of single people too.

The end of the book really nailed it. Marriage, God, bride of Christ, death, resurrection, wow - good, good stuff. Read it.

What I'm Praying for this Easter

As I have been preparing for this weekend, I have been praying some very specific prayers that I would love for you to join me in praying.

1. I'm praying for those in this region who do not go to church for whatever reason. Some of them have stepped away because of a bad experience in a former church. Some just fell away because of the speed of life. Some are new to the area. And some have never even heard the name Jesus. I am asking that God will soften their hearts, minds, and even their souls to his tender voice to seek him this Easter. I am praying that when people from Charter Oak Church invite these people they will say yes.
2. I'm praying for those who call Charter Oak Church home. We have many people who consider this church the place they connect with God, but they don't show up on a weekly basis. There are also those who are here every week or some where between the two. I am praying that this Easter will be a brand new experience for them. I am praying that they will have new eyes and ears. I am praying that they will be open to what God wants to do in them and through them this weekend and beyond. I am praying they will have courage to invite those in their circle of influence that do not go to church to worship here this weekend.
3. I'm also praying for myself. That may sound selfish to many, but I need God, probably more than any other weekend, I need God to be the point. I am praying that it will be God that speaks and not me. I am praying that I will have God's energy, passion, excitement, wisdom, words, and love. Mine are not enough. Without God I will fail. There is too much hanging in the balance - people's eternity, for me to try to do this on my own. So I am praying for myself to bring all that God has for the people of Charter Oak Church this weekend.

I hope that you will join me in these prayers. Your authentic words to God on behalf of the people of this region, the people of Charter Oak Church, and me, will make an eternal difference.

Easter at Charter Oak Church

This weekend I am starting a new series called "Transformed." This past weekend Bill Gates put together a video teaser for the series using movie clips from Transformers. He did an awesome job setting up the series. The tag line for the movie and the cartoon it is based upon is "more than meets the eye." What would happen if we as followers of Jesus went deeper than just what people see? What would happen if we lived into the Easter miracle of a transformed life - not just parts of us. I'm talking about a complete overhaul - we were once living our own way and now we are living the way of Jesus.

This Easter is a great time for you to invite the people in your circle of influence to check out God and see what God is doing in this place. Most people are open to an invitation by a friend on Easter. I am asking you to prayerfully consider who you will invite and then give them a call, go see them, stop by their office at work, send then an email or a text message. Whatever it takes because the people in your circle of influence matter to you, but even more, they matter to God.

Eyes Wide Shut

On Saturday Charter Oak Church did what it has been doing for years once a month - open our doors as a distribution center for the Westmoreland County Food Bank. We now serve over 110 people each month. On the same day we were opening our doors, our local newspaper ran an article about the hungry in Westmoreland County. Right now about 15,000 people are served through the Food Bank. However, they estimate that an additional 40,000 are eligible to receive services.

That number completely blew my mind. It haunted me through the weekend - 55,000 people in Westmoreland County potentially need help putting food on their table. That really bothers me. I don't know if it bothers me because I don't have a solution to fix it, because I don't want to become an enabler of unemployment. I don't know if it bothers me because I don't have a solution to fix it, because it would mean that the church (all churches) would have to come together in unity to meet the need. I don't know if it bothers me because I don't have a solution to fix it, because I want to get to the root of the cause and I don't think I'm going to like what I find if I can get there. So I think I am like most people and I shut myself away from the truth.

More and more God is pressing on me that "where much is given, much is required." I cannot begin to list all the ways that we have been given much at Charter Oak Church. But at the same time we are not expected to be the only church in the arena. What I am wrestling with is how we can be leaders in the arena that will cast a vision that other churches will join us in the arena and we will see God at work at His best through His bride - the church.

Join me in praying that God will reveal to us where He is already at work in this region alleviating poverty so that we may join Him in that work and help lead others to that place as well.

Book #6 - 7 Practices of Effective Ministry

While on study leave I re-read Reggie Joiner and Lane Jones' great book 7 Practices of Effective Ministry. I didn't include Andy Stanley as an author because he only has the introduction in the book, the rest is written by Reggie and Lane. I am sure that it was Andy who authored the whole idea of the 7 practices, but the book itself was written by Reggie and Lane.

I have read this book just about every year since it first came out. This time I read the book with our Senior Management Team and Church Council. I can't tell you how good it is to read the same book as the key leaders in your church. We all have a common vocabulary now. We all are starting on the same page. I would highly recommend to other pastors and leaders to read books together with your teams. I know our Senior Management Team and Church Council will be talking about this book for a very long time.

Obsession

What can I do with my obsession

With the things I cannot see

Is there madness in my being

Is it the wind that moves the trees?

Sometimes You're further than the moon

Sometimes You're closer than my skin

And You surround me like a winter fog

You've come and burned me with a kiss

And my heart burns for You

And my heart burns...for You

And I'm so filthy with my sin

I carry pride like a disease

You know I'm stubborn, Lord, and I'm longing to be close

You burn me deeper than I know

And I feel lonely without hope

And I feel desperate without vision

You wrap around me like a winter coat

You come and free me like a bird

My love burns for You

And my heart feels for You

(David Crowder)

Study Leave

From time to time Jesus would slip away for some one-on-one time with His heavenly Father. It gave Him a chance to be reminded about God's plan for His life and it re-energized Him for doing day to day ministry. I am going to follow in the footsteps of Jesus this week. I am going to the mountains for a week of one-on-one time with God.

With the speed that we do life, what would happen if we all ordered our lives after the example of Jesus? What if we really took a day of rest? It was designed with you and me in mind - to help us to re-connect with God on a weekly basis. What if we slipped away from time to time to spend long time chunks with God? Many will say, that would be impossible with my schedule. Well, if you looked at my schedule right now, you would realize that I could say the same thing. As a matter of fact, I had someone ask me how I could go away now with everything that is going on at Charter Oak Church. I simply responded that if I didn't go away, we wouldn't be able to do everything we are supposed to do going forward. We make time for what's important.

How can you schedule time to be alone with God?

Strategic Planning Process

Tomorrow morning our Church Council and Senior Management Team will join together to begin the process of creating a strategic plan for the future God has designed for Charter Oak Church. I know God must be planning some very big things because I haven't had a more difficult week in ministry in a very long time. I am asking all of you who read this to be in prayer for our time tomorrow and the entire process. We want to be right in the middle of God's will. I know there is a deceiver who does not want us to be there. Please pray for me through this, I need it right now.

The scripture I have just kept in my mind is from Ephesians 4, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Please stand in the gap for me, our Church Council, and our Senior Management Team.

Communicating Information

On Tuesday our Senior Management Team spent a couple of hours talking about communicating information to the people of Charter Oak Church. We listed all of the ways we currently communicate with people:

• Worship Folder


• Circuit Rider (newsletter)


• Platform/Stage


• Announcement Slides


• Web Sites


• Seed Planters (children's ministry newsletter)


• Blogs


• Email


• Team Meetings


• Phone Calls


• Letters


• Brochures/Pamphlets


• Information Center


• Well-Informed Leaders

We have a variety of ways to communicate information around Charter Oak Church, and yet, often times we hear that people don't know what is going on. I scratch my head and wonder why. I was taught that you have to say something six different times in six different ways for someone to really receive the information.

I am beginning to wonder if we don't have too many lines of communication. What if we really began to narrow our focus of what we are trying to communicate and how we communicate it? If people were not inundated with information and instead given the opportunity to have just a few places to go to get that information and then only the information that is important to them.

I have two places I go to get news - the newspaper and the Internet. And then I narrow it from there. I read the newspaper from cover to cover, but I don't read everything, just that which is important to me. I would not be happy if the newspaper didn't cover all of the news that it does, but I get to choose what I read. The same goes for the Internet. I have a news site I read a couple of time a day and I go to espn.com a few times a day. I don't read everything that is there, I just read what I want.

We need to learn from those who are distributing information as their primary purpose in life. If we can learn from them, I believe we will be able to communicate information in a way that will help the people of Charter Oak Church know what's important to them.

Worship and Sunday School Stats

Here are the statistics for February 2008...

Feb 2/3 (Chris preached - 30 Days to Live Series)
690 in worship (4.4% increase from 2007)
286 in Sunday school (1.1% increase from 2007)

Feb 9/10 (Dave preached - Desperate Households Series)
696 in worship (14.7% increase from 2007)
267 in Sunday school (4.3% decrease from 2007)

Feb 16/17 (Dave preached - Desperate Households Series)
683 in worship (21.1% increase from 2007)
298 in Sunday school (16.9% increase from 2007)

Feb 23/24 (Dave preached - Desperate Households Series)
750 in worship (18.9% increase from 2007)
250 in Sunday school (45.3% increase from 2007)

Book #5 - Going All the Way

As I was traveling to Jamaica I finished reading Craig Groeschel's book Going All the Way: Preparing for a Marriage that Goes the Distance. This is my new source for my pre-marital meetings that I conduct with couples. I require six meetings with couples before I will preform their wedding. I share with them that while they are preparing for one day (their wedding day) by spending a ton of money, energy, and emotions, my job is to prepare them for the rest of their lives together.

I would love to get this book into every college age or even high school aged person's hands. The stuff that Craig shares is critical to a life long marriage and it begins long before a couple says their I do's and I will's.

I also appreciated Craig's honesty about his marriage now. It was good to be reminded about my role as a husband and some of the things that are expected of me that so easily fall through the cracks of life when I am so busy. This is a great book to be given away by pastors and pastors of students to those who are single.

More than Enough

This is a picture of our group at the dedication of one of the houses we built last week. Caleb and I walked into the house and I said, "This is it. This is the house of a family of six. This is it - 12 feet by 16 feet. This is it, a little bit bigger than your bedroom at home. It helps us to put into perspective what we have and what we need." Later I asked Caleb what touched him the most about the trip. He said the house dedication.

This week I have been spending a ton of time and energy getting ready for the launch of our next capital campaign. This weekend we are going to introduce the leadership team to the congregation. I know people will be asking a lot of tough questions about money. They will turn on the television and listen to the media talk about a recession. They will look at their expenses and their debt. The evil one will seek to confuse and will try to deceive.

I am here to tell you this will be a watershed season for the people of Charter Oak Church. Without a doubt this capital campaign will be unlocking the future for us in so many ways. I believe people are going to trust God, many for the first time, with everything that they have. I believe people will give sacrificially because they are putting their faith in the providence of God and not in their possessions. I believe this campaign will grow our faith more than anything else we have ever done. Without God, we will fail. I believe with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

We're Back

We are back from our mission trip to Jamaica. For the last week our family has been serving in Harmons, Jamaica. We helped to build two houses and two foundations for the next team to build upon. We built great relationships with some people who need to know the love and grace of Jesus.

It seems strange to me to say that our family went on a mission trip. It says that our every day living here in this region isn't missional when the reality is, we are always on mission - in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. Why does it seem so much more important to say I have been on a mission trip? Yes, I was in my Samaria, but that isn't the only place Jesus calls his disciples to be on mission. We are to be on mission here in the region around Charter Oak Church.

If you are reading this and you are a part of the Charter Oak Church family then you are on mission right where God has you. If you are a student, it is in school. If you work outside the home, it is at your job. If you work inside your home, it is your home. For all of us, it is our family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Remember, your life is very short, a breath, a mist, then it's gone. Do what God wants you to do and say what God wants you to say. You are on mission wherever you are.

Missional Work

I am leaving on another mission trip to Jamaica this weekend. This time I have an incredible twist to my trip. I am going with Kelli, Caleb, and Abby. I get to slip on the hands and feet of Jesus with my wife and kids. Wow! This will be Kelli's first trip since the first time she went down to Jamaica when we first met. Caleb and Abby have been saying good bye to me many many times over the years as I left to go to Jamaica. Now they get to go too. I love it!!

If you look at the map on the left, look for the town - May Pen. We will be about 30 minutes away in the middle of the mountains. Please pray for us.

Book #4 - Confessions of a Pastor

Last night before watching Lost, I finished reading my first book by Craig Groeschel, Confessions of a Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God. This was an important book for me. I was initially interested in reading this book because of the title and all of the junk that all pastors deal with that just comes along with our jobs. Every pastor deals with it differently, but I find myself wired up very similarly to Craig. He is way ahead of me in every area - especially leadership, but I do think we have many things in common. After reading this book I would say I know we have a lot in common. This should be required reading for all pastors.

Worship and Sunday School Stats

Here are the statistics for worship and Sunday school in January:

January 5/6 (I preached)
641 in worship (.8% decrease from 2007)
257 in Sunday school (7.5% decrease from 2007)

January 12/13 (I preached)
744 in worship (.7% increase from 2007)
279 in Sunday school (11.8% decrease from 2007)

January 19/20 (I preached)
687 in worship (.6% decrease from 2007)
260 in Sunday school (13.1% decrease from 2007)

January 26/27 (I preached)
685 in worship (39.6% decrease - Children's musical in 2007)
283 in Sunday school (17.4% increase from 2007)

Responding to God

I was just doing a little reading and I came across this question that in essence asked, "How do you live out your relationship with Jesus?" There were three options - worship - obey - witness. It was really looking for a singular answer. I know we all live out of each of these at one time or another through the day or week. But if you had to answer that question, what would you say is your primary way of living out your relationship with Jesus: worship, obey, witness?

The 2 Hour Delay

All of the local schools around Charter Oak Church are on a 2 hour delay. Typically, I take that as good news because I go into the office at my regualr time, but I know things are going to be quiet for a little longer. Not today. I'm taking a 2 hour delay also. I have been working such long hours this week that I am just going to read and drink coffee until my wife and kids wake up, then I'm going to have some fun with them. Today I am rejoicing over a 2 hour delay. I'm taking it as a gift from God. Enjoy moments like these.

30 Days to Live - Final Part

This weekend will be the final part of our 30 Days to Live series. We are going to finish with a very important topic - bringing reconciliation to our relationships. Because we are human, we do things and say things that we regret. We just do it. We need to bring healing to those broken relationships so that we can be in right relationship with God. If you know someone who is struggling right now with a broken relationship, invite them to join you in worship at Charter Oak Church this weekend.

Titus 3

As I was studying Titus 3 today I was struck by how emphatic Paul was in writing about the importance of our actions. Verse 8 says, "I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good." If we are followers of Jesus we must be careful (attentive, purposeful, intentional) about devoting ourselves to doing what is good. Devoting doesn't mean we just do it when we feel like it or when we get around to it, but doing it now - as if we have 30 days to live.

Then Paul finishes the letter to Titus with these words, "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good." We must learn this. The people of Charter Oak Church must learn to devote ourselves to doing what is good. It will be a learning process. What is doing good for you today, will change over time. You may not see the good that God wants to do in and through you right now because of where you are spiritually. As you grow, then you will see the new places that God wants you to join Him where He is already at work. This isn't about checking something off of a to do list, this is about an ongoing partnership with God to live beyond yourself.

If you have a chance today, read Titus and ask God what is the good thing you need to devote yourself to doing.

Book #3 - Leading with the Heart

The Chair of our Church Council handed me a book the other day that he thought I might enjoy reading - Leading with the Heart by Mike Krzyzewski, the head basketball coach at Duke University. He thought I would like it because I went to Duke and because it contained so many of the things he and I have been talking about the last few weeks in the development of Charter Oak Church's staff as a team. Stan, you were right.

I really enjoyed this book and it will stay on my shelf for a very long time. I think I really enjoyed the chapter called "Celebrate Tradition" the most. It's probably not what most people think it is, as I hope to have a very long tenure at Charter Oak Church I want to set us up for long term success, while I am here and long after I am gone. Coach K has done that at Duke in a very unique way. I really learned a lot from this book on leadership and basketball.

30 Days to Live at Work

The filter we are putting on our lives at Charter Oak Church is - How would I live my life differently if I knew I only had 30 Days to Live? Today I want to write about how I would answer that question in regards to my life at work. Here's what I have been processing...

• I would continue to work at least for the first two weeks because I spend more time with the staff of Charter Oak Church than anyone else in my life besides my family. The staff here is a very important part of my family.
• I would tell people the truth more clearly - I wouldn't play games and worry about whether or not they would be angry at me over what I said and leave the church. I would speak the truth in love.
• I would preach one more time and just share why I am looking forward to going home to spend eternity with Jesus. I would ask every person who is connected to Charter Oak Church and my circle of friends to bring at least one person who doesn't know Jesus to be there so I could have one last chance to help people find their way back to God.
• I would preach in jeans and a t-shirt.
• I would make sure that whoever was going to follow me as one of the pastors at Charter Oak Church was set up to succeed.
• I would hug everyone.

What about you? If you knew you had 30 Days to Live, how would that be manifested at your job?

30 Days to Live with My Family

The filter we are putting on our lives at Charter Oak Church is - How would I live my life differently if I knew I only had 30 Days to Live? Today I want to write about how I would answer that question in regards to my life with my family. Here's what I have been processing...

• I would speak Kelli's love language all the time we are together.
• I would not hurry through dinner - it would be an event worth staying at the table for. Plus I would be in the kitchen with Kelli preparing dinner.
• I would read more to my kids. I am reading the Little House series with Abby and the Narnia series with Caleb. I would read every night and longer.
• I would be fully engaged when I am with them, not half listening while watching tv.
• I would make sure that they knew how much God loves them and I love them.

What about you? If you knew you had 30 Days to Live, how would that be manifested in your relationship with your family?

30 Days to Live with Jesus

The filter we are putting on our lives at Charter Oak Church is - How would I live my life differently if I knew I only had 30 Days to Live? Today I want to write about how I would answer that question in regards to my life with Jesus. Here's what I have been processing...

• I would start my day the same as I do now - in prayer, but I would be more open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to talk to God throughout the day, especially at work.
• I would drink more deeply of the Bible. I wouldn't try to read through the whole Bible in those 30 days, instead I would go deeper with specific scripture passages.
• I would worship daily - I would turn up the music, I would sing loud, I would pour my heart fully into the praise of God.
• I wouldn't let the things that don't matter get to me. I would seek first the Kingdom of God.
• I wouldn't take my relationship with Jesus for granted - I know I am going to heaven and I don't have to "do" anything more, but I would be more open to where I see God at work and I would listen more openly to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I know I miss many opportunities everyday to abide in God's presence.

What about you? If you knew you had 30 Days to Live, how would that be manifested in your relationship with God through Jesus?

Titus 1:10-14

As I was studying Titus this morning I was struck by Paul's strong words against people who teach wrong doctrines and lead people into error. The note in my Study Bible really spoke to me about keeping my eyes and ears open to what people in leadership are doing. Here's what it says...

You can recognize false teachers because they will

1. focus more attention on themselves than on Christ
2. ask you to do something that will compromise or dilute your faith
3. de-emphasize the divine nature of Christ or the inspiration of the Bible
4. urge believers to make decisions based more on human judgment than on prayer and Biblical guidelines.

That's a pretty good filter to put on leaders - how we live our lives points to what we believe.

The Rigor of an Ordinary Week

Today is January 20th, but I feel like this month has slipped by. I haven't had a "normal" week yet. I am looking forward to the rigor of an ordinary week. Every week so far this year has been shortened in some way. Last week our Senior Management Team was on a retreat together. The week before it was something else. Why is it that life goes by so fast?

Right now I am teaching on the weekends a series called "30 Days to Live." We are putting a filter on our lives because of the busyness of our lives - we are asking what would we do differently if we knew we only had 30 days to live? It is giving me some great perspective - eternal perspective and I hope it is helping the people of Charter Oak Church as well. So this week, I am looking forward to the rigor of an ordinary week and I am going to try to blog each day on some thoughts about the filter of 30 days to live.

Post #300

Since this is a monumental moment in my blogging - post #300, I thought I would share a post from Jon Ferguson that I read this morning that was really great. It's called "You Know You're Not Leading When..."
You know you are not leading when . . .

• You wait for someone to tell you what to do rather than taking the initiative yourself
• You spend too much time talking about how things should be different
• You blame the context, surroundings, or other people for your current situation
• You choose not to speak the truth in love
• You are more concerned about being cool or accepted than doing the right thing
• You seek consensus, rather than casting vision for a preferable future
• You aren't taking any significant risks
• You accept status quo as the way it's always been and always will be
• You start protecting your reputation instead of opening yourself up to opposition
• You sleep a little too sound
• You procrastinate to avoid making a tough call
• You talk to others about the problem rather than taking it to the person responsible
• You don't feel like your butt is on the line for anything significant
• You think what you say doesn't matter
• You ask for way too many opinions before taking action

This is a great leadership filter that Jon gives to us. This is definitely going to be a part of my leadership development process.

Leaving for Retreat

Our Senior Management Team is leaving for retreat in 15 minutes. It is snowing outside and we are headed for the mountains! This is going to be great. If you have a few moments, would you please pray for our team and for God's anointing to be upon us. Thank you.

Book #2 - The Church Enslaved

In order to be faithful to my decision to do more reading on racial and justice issues, I just read The Church Enslaved: A Spirituality of Racial Reconciliation by Tony Campolo and Michael Battle. I read this book with a small group of pastors. We spent a few hours yesterday discussing the book and what it means for us to live into racial reconciliation. The discussion was much better than the book. It was obviously written for seminary students. It was interesting that the African American pastors in my group thought that what the authors were recommending was pretty watered down. The value for me was the questions I asked myself through reading the book and then discussing it with fellow pastors. Community is good!

Worship Stats for December 2007

Here are the statistics for Worship and Sunday School in December 2007:

December 1/2 (I preached)
697 in worship (2.8% increase from 2006)
283 in Sunday school (1.1% increase from 2006)

December 8/9 (I preached)
1123 in worship (1.9% increase from 2006) [Cantata]
165 in Sunday school (23.6% decrease from 2006)

December 15/16 (I preached)
661 in worship (2.7 decrease from 2006)
269 in Sunday school (3.9% decrease from 2006)

December 22/23 (I preached)
709 in worship (4.4% increase from 2006)
165 in Sunday school (no Sunday school in 2006)

December 24 (Dave & I split preaching)
1244 in worship (10.4% increase from 2006)

December 29/30 (Dave preached)
660 in worship (2% increase from 2006)
165 in Sunday school (7% increase from 2006)

We finished the year with an average attendance of 724 (19.1% increase from 2006). In the last two years that means we have grown 39.9%.

Book #1 - The Starbucks Experience

I am starting 2008 in the right way - by reading about one of my favorite companies. The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary by Joseph A. Michelli is a great book for pastors and church leaders to read.

Starbucks took a very simple, ordinary product - coffee and turned it into an extraordinary drink and experience that has changed the way people think about coffee and the customer connection.

I think of the value of this lesson for the church today. Most people see the church as a very ordinary option in the vast array of things to do and be a part of. What would happen if we decided that we would get back to the Acts 2 model of the church and we saw the Bride of Christ fully revealed in the world today? I think it is possible and it must be done.

Guest Blogger

Here is the latest post from the blog our Pastor to Student Ministries - Mark McMahon...

70 minutes at Charter Oak Church
There is a student in our ministry whose parents attend a different church in our community...No big deal, it's actually somewhat common considering the fact that our church is one of the few in our community that has an active student ministry. That being said, this student's parents decided to come check out one of our Christmas eve services because the times of our services were better suited to their holiday plans than their "home church's" services.

That being said, I got a phone call from the mother of that student earlier today. She thanked me for the hospitality that was extended to her while she and her family were worshipping with us. And then...THE BEST PART...she thanked me for introducing her to Jesus! She said to me, "I've spent 53 years at that other church, and all it took was 70 minutes at Charter Oak Church to really find Jesus."

Please note that I am not trying to make Charter Oak Church sound superior to any other church out there. I am merely quoting something that was said to me that I've known for a long time...and that is the fact that Charter Oak is a place where people from all walks of life can come to find their Savior. I believe that is what a church is supposed to be, by the way. Call it a hospital for sinners, the bride of Christ, a gathering of the faithful. Regardless of the titles you use, God's church has, at its core, a call which defies denominationalism and exceeds the expectations of institutionalized religion. God's church, at its core, has a call to love...no matter what...and love with Christ's love.

So say what you want about my church. I'll be the first to admit that we haven't got it all figured yet. But for at least one person last weekend God chose to attend a divine appointment that was hosted by Charter Oak Church, and that, my friends, is why we do what we do.
Praise God!

2008 Book List

Here is my first attempt at making a reading list for 2008. These are books on my "short" list. There are two without links because they will be released some time during 2008. I know there are other books that I will read that I currently have on my book shelf. These are the ones that I will be buying some time in 2008.

1. Bring Out the Best in People by Aubrey C. Daniels
2. The Power of a Positive No by William Ury
3. Leadership on the Other Side by Bill Easum
4. The Dip by Seth Godin
5. Board with God by Shawn Dunn
6. The Starfish and the Spider by Ori Bradman & Rod Beckstrom
7. This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley
8. The Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Pat Lencioni
9. Beyond Megachurch Myths by Scott Thummar & Dave Travis
10. Overcoming the Darkside of Leadership by Gary McIntosh & Samuel Rima
11. Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
12. The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch
13. Chazown by Craig Groeschel
14. Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel
15. Going All the Way by Craig Groeschel
16. Sex God by Rob Bell
17. Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller
18. To Own a Dragon by Donald Miller
19. Let Story Guide You by Donald Miller
20. The Blogging Church by Brian Bailey and Terry Storch
21. Making Vision Stick by Andy Stanley
22. Creating Community by Andy Stanley
23. Choosing to Cheat by Andy Stanley
24. Go Big by Bill Easum
25. unChristian by David Kinnaman
26. Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll
27. Go Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham
28. Wide Awake by Erwin McManus
29. The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus
30. Breaking the Missional Code by Ed Stetzer

Merry Christmas

I hope and pray that you will experience the miracle of Christmas today, tomorrow, and every day of your life. May you receive the greatest gift ever given. May you live for the One who was born of a virgin, lived life to the very fullest, was betrayed, tortured, crucified, died, and on the third day rose from the dead that you may spend eternity with God.

He is JESUS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Everything Changed

"The Adoration of the Shepherds" by Rembrandt.

In the midst of the darkness God sent his Son Jesus as the hope of the world. His light beats back the darkness of sin and brings salvation to all who will follow as his disciples.

Rembrandt doesn't paint Jesus as an angel with a halo. He is a human baby. Rembrandt doesn't follow the other Renaissance painters and have the light of heaven shining down on Jesus. Instead he has the light coming from Jesus.

The ladder and the roof's crossbeam foreshadow the coming cross for Jesus. It is difficult to see it in this picture, but there is a rooster near the ladder - betrayal awaits this child when he becomes a man.

That first Christmas - everything changed. Alleluia!

Book #19 - When Necessary Use Words

The year is coming to a close and I am trying to finish up my reading list. I know I won't read everything I wanted to for 2007, but the last week of the year I am on vacation so I will be able to put in more dedicated reading time.

Anyway, I finished reading my 19th book of the year - When Necessary Use Words: Changing Lives Through Worship, Justice, and Evangelism by Mike Pilavachi. I was challenged earlier in the year to read a little bit outside of my "normal" reading patterns. I was specifically challenged to read about justice issues and racial issues. I picked up this book in order to be faithful to the reading about justice issues.

This is the line that really grabbed hold of me - "Sometimes we have to be good news before we earn the right to preach good news." That's good stuff.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve at Charter Oak Church this year is a great opportunity for you to invite your friends, neighbors, family members, and co-workers. People are more open to an invitation on Christmas Eve than any other time of the year. Our worship times and styles are...

5:00 - Traditional Carols and special music by children's choirs

7:00 - Traditional Carols and special music by adult choirs

9:00 - Contemporary Music

11:00 - Traditional Carols and Communion

Last year the 7:00 worship service was completely full and the 5:00 worship service was just about full. If you are bringing guests, please come at the time that is most convenient for them. If you are not bringing someone, it would be great if you attended one of the later two worship services.

Christmas Eve is a time of rejoicing and worshipping the risen Savior. I am looking forward to seeing you here!

Imagine this...Christmas Love instead of Stress

This is the podcast of the third part of the Imagine This...Christmas series.

Click here.

Book #18 - Reveal: Where Are You?

There has been so much buzz about the study that was performed at Willow Creek Community Church that I decided I had better read the book written by their executive pastor Greg Hawkins. The book is called Reveal: Where Are You? By the way, you can't purchase the book anywhere except from Willow, at least I couldn't find anywhere.

First of all, let me say how disappointed I was that the book cost $12.99 and the amount of information could have fit into a 20 page .pdf. Instead it is a 100+ page book that is mostly white and very little type. It is a huge waste of resources.

But once I got past my disappointment in the design of the book, I really enjoyed the content. Willow Creek knew they needed to ask some really difficult questions. They didn't just beg off because they are seen as "successful." Instead they went deeper and asked questions we all need to be asking about our church.

The thing that I really liked was that Willow Creek didn't stop by surveying their congregation and six other congregations. They used that information to help shape a new strategic plan for their congregation going forward.

As Charter Oak Church begins the process of forming our strategic plan in 2008, this book is extremely helpful to me and will be for the process. If you are ready to ask some tough questions and really get to the heart of where your church is, then read this book and put it into action.

Just as a side note...when I went on to Willow Creek's website I found out that the name of their sermon series this Advent is "Imagine." Our series title is "Imagine this...Christmas." I couldn't believe how close they are. I would love to be able to take credit for the title of our series, but it came from Cindy Jonczak. Maybe Willow Creek called her too - it wouldn't suprise me.

Rain!

I never thought I would be so happy to see rain on a Sunday morning, but that is what we have and I am excited. With all the sensationalism lately with the weather, I thought that the world might just be ending this weekend. All kinds of reports about ice, sleet, freezing rain, and snow. I woke up this morning and it was 38 degrees. I was cracking up because everyone who was reporting the weather said today's high is 36 degrees. They don't even want to admit that it is warmer than it actually is.

I'm so thankful that it is raining today.

Imagine this...Christmas Joy instead of Stuff

This is the podcast of the second part of the Imagine this...Christmas series

Click here.

Unspeakable Joy

This weekend at Charter Oak Church - The Christmas Cantata - Unspeakable Joy

In a world whose headlines scream of war, disease, homelessness, crime and financial disaster, where is the hope, the healing? In a world awash in worry, doubt, dread, and loneliness, where is the word to life the weary heart?

"The angel said to them, 'Do not b afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great JOY which will be for all the people." Luke 2:10

Good news of a great joy! This joy, this bounteous, contagious, and overflowing joy is what has been captured in the musical "Unspeakable Joy". It is the joy of Christmas. The joy of knowing the One who was born at Christmas. It's the joy of each believer discovering the love of Jesus Christ for himself, for herself.

What will make this work a Christmas favorite is the way the theme of "Unspeakable Joy" is so warmly woven throughout the musical. The story of the stable and the star, the angels and the shepherds, the baby on a bed of straw, is delivered with the power to amaze us with its mercy and fill us with a joy unspeakable.

Job Opening

We have an employment opening at Charter Oak Church for an Office Manager. I have copied the short version of what the responsibilities for the position are. If you are interested please give Cindy Jonczak a call at the church or email her at cjonczak@charteroakumc.org.


Office Manager is responsible for overseeing all the office functions of the church. Ordering supplies, managing office equipment, preparation and publication of all communications including the weekly worship folders and monthly newsletter, maintaining and managing the church's database, scheduling and calendar management.


The Office Manager is responsible also for the front desk including answering phones, greeting visitors and being a presence as the first voice and face of COUMC.
Volunteer team development and leadership as needed including training and overseeing a receptionist staff.


Skills necessary for the position are: Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Publisher. Organization and attention to detail, people skills and ability to recruit volunteers and manage their schedules and tasks. A detailed job description will be available upon request.

Podcast of Imagine This...Christmas - Peace

This is the podcast of the first part of the Imagine This...Christmas series.

Click here.

Book #17 - Rules for Revolutionaries

This weekend I finished reading Guy Kawasaki's book Rules for Revolutionaries: The Capitalist Manifesto for Creating and Marketing New Products and Services. Guy was with Apple Computers very early on and has become a guru on thinking differently in the marketplace. He is at Garage Technology Ventures now. What most people don't know is that Guy is a follower of Jesus. He "steals" biblical words and infuses them into the business world.

There are three sections to this book - Create like a god, Command like a king, and Work like a slave. I really liked this book a lot because I read it through the eyes of someone trying to change the culture of a church and possibly a denomination that is used to doing things the way we have always done them. Guy writes the book for people in those positions in business, but I filtered it through the Church. Good book for revolutionaries.

Imagine this...Christmas

This weekend we kick-off a brand new series called "Imagine this...Christmas." It is so easy to get caught up in all of the chaos and craziness of this season. However, we are supposed to be using this time to prepare for the coming of Jesus.

What would happen if we tried to imagine living into the real point of this month? This week we will look at moving from the chaos put on us by culture and living into the peace of Christ.

This is a great time to invite those people in your circle of influence at work, school, or your neighbor. People are more open to attending a worship service during Advent than any other time of the year. Take a risk and invite someone to join you this weekend in worshipping God at Charter Oak Church.

Different Way of Thinking

As I work through Dallas Willard's book The Divine Conspiracy, I am struck time and time again with a different way of thinking about God, the Bible, and my role in the whole Kingdom of God. Here's what I was reading this morning that really grabbed me...

"A short while ago the Hubble Space Telescope gave us pictures of the Eagle Nebula, showing clouds of gas and microscopic dust reaching six trillion miles from top to bottom. Hundreds of stars were emerging here and there in it, hotter and larger than our sun. As I looked at these pictures, and through them at the past and ongoing development of the cosmos, I could not help but think of Jesus' words before he left his little band of students: 'In my father's house there are many places to live. I go to get some ready for you.'"

My small thinking of what Jesus is preparing for me and for you has just been blasted out of the water!

November 2007 Worship at a Glance

November 3/4 - Dave preached
694 in worship (8.4% increase from 2006)
279 in Sunday school (2.2% increase from 2006)

November 10/11 - Mark preached
718 in worship (19.9% increase from 2006)
256 in Sunday school (.7% increase from 2006)

November 17/18 - Mark preached & Youth Musical
1038 in worship (63.2% increase from 2006)
163 in Sunday school (57.6% decrease from 2006)

November 24/25 - Dave preached
694 in worship (2.4% increase from 2006)
256 in Sunday school (18.5% increase from 2006)

Our year to date average attendance is 21% higher in 2007 than the year to date average attendance for 2006. That's 40% growth over the last two years!

Keep inviting your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members. They matter to God!

Book #16 - Mavericks at Work

Over Thanksgiving I finished reading Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win by William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre. I loved this book because it pushed me to think - really, really think about being different. In a world of churches that all look exactly the same, and is often more interested in copying other churches, how can we stand apart and do only what God is calling us to do at Charter Oak Church? What would happen if we started thinking differently about how we fulfill the call God has placed on our hearts? What if we believed - really believed - the transformational truth of Jesus Christ was to be made available to all people no matter what? What if that call burned passionately within us to the point that it was the only thing we could think about?

These are the questions that began to form in me as I read this book. Good stuff.

Gospel of Sin Management

As I was reading The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard this morning, this really jumped out at me.

"The current gospel then becomes a 'gospel of sin management.' Transformation of life and character is no part of the redemptive message. Moment-to-moment human reality in its depths is not the arena of faith and eternal living.

What right and left have in common is that neither group lays down a coherent framework of knowledge and practical direction adequate to personal transformation toward the abundance and obedience emphasized in the New Testament, with a corresponding redemption of ordinary life."

Day 6 - Thursday

Thursday was a big coffee making day! Our team ordered over 150 pounds of coffee that was grown in the Harmons community. Part of Wednesday and all of Thursday, and in to the night, was devoted to making coffee. A group of Jamaican men cooked the coffee right in front of us as we finished up the last details of putting the green house together. You have no idea how good roasting coffee smells! A group of ladies from Charter Oak Church helped to cool, bag, and sew on the labels of the coffee.

The final details were also being completed on the house we were building, a group went to the local elementary school and actually taught because a couple of teachers didn't show up for work, and the medical team open the clinic at the Harmony House for the very first time.

After lunch, everyone went to the house dedication. We all climbed up to the top of the mountain and dedicated the house to the glory of God and handed over the keys to the owners. We presented them with a Bible, a bag of rice to share with their friends, a flashlight, and a weather gizmo that would warn of coming storms. (The house we built was to replace the one the family lived in that was destroyed by a hurricane.) This is a picture of Woppy, the owner of the new house. BTW, that night we celebrated his birthday and my birthday.

Thursday night was dinner at a Jamaican's house. We were divided into groups of about 5 or 6 people and were sent to have dinner in the homes of some local Jamaicans. The food was sent by Won by One to Jamaica ahead of time. The host family prepared the food the way they wanted to and then we all ate together. The group of people I was teamed with went to the home of a single mom with one teenage son. She had a small house that was constructed a few years ago by Won by One to Jamaica. The Americans sat at a kitchen table, but our host had to sit on her bed because there wasn't enough room for her at the table and she refused to let us squeeze her in. The food was very good and it was awesome to spend some quality time building a relationship with her. She was laughing when she found out that I am a pastor. She said, "I always get the pastors!"

After dinner we had a powerful closing time that brought closure to our time in Harmons.

Day 5 - Wednesday

Day five we continued to work on the green house, building the walls of the house we were carrying all of that maul up to, other odd jobs, and the medical team also saw between 125-150 people in the morning. We worked until about 1:00, took a break for lunch, then we headed off to the Infirmary.



Every time I have been to Harmons and have gone to the Infirmary, it has been the most intense part of the trip for me. The Infirmary also called the Poor House is where people are placed that have no one to take care of them. It is a very large, one level structure made of concrete block painted white. It is very institutional looking. Most of the people are either elderly or mentally unable to take care of themselves.



We were there to spend time building relationships with people who don't have anyone else in their lives. Some on our team sang songs with the residents. Some read scripture. Some prayed. Some even handed out candy (that was very popular). As I watched our team serve "the least of these" my heart was filled to bear witness to the fact that they were way outside their comfort zone and right in the middle of God's will.



I spent my time with two elderly gentlemen. Talking about the love and grace of Jesus and reading scripture with them. I was blown away by how much they knew by heart. I don't really know if I added any value to them, but I know that they did to me. I was blessed to sit with these two men for the cause of Jesus.



Wednesday night was ladies night. They invited the local Harmons women to come and be pampered by the ladies from our group. Men were not allowed. It was a great opportunity for our ladies to build one on one relationships as they did their hair, nails, etc.

What I learned on Wednesday...

1. It is very hard to really get out of our comfort zones, but it is when God takes over and we live right in the middle of his will - there is no better place, scary, but good.
2. When a group of God's people live in this zone of the unknown and allow God to work through them, the potential is limitless.

Op-ed Piece in the Post Gazette

Here's a link to an article written by a woman who is a relatively new member of Charter Oak Church. My favorite line in the article is "Underneath the shiny surface, what the people at my new church do right is Jesus."

Check it out here.

Book # 15 - Resurrecting Excellence

I am very shamed to type that I finally finished my 15th book of the year - Resurrecting Excellence: Shaping Faitrhful Christian Ministry by L. Gregory Jones and Kevin R. Armstrong. I have been asked to join a Leadership Incubator for our denomination and this was the required reading. The book was fine. It isn't something that I would read on my own. I liked the section on the intersection of our faith and what that means for me as a pastor. Here's the quote...

"Resurrecting excellence in ministry happens in intersections, and the pastor leader is not simply a crossing guard. The pastor is an artist of the intersection, seeking connections among the often paradoxical dimensions of life - ancient texts and current dilemmas, inner experience and public responsibility, what has been an d what yet might be."

Even though I haven't finished any books lately, I am reading four books right now. I am almost finished with Mavericks at Work (love it!) by William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre. I just started reading Rules for Revolutionaries:The Capitalist Manifesto for Creating and Marketing new Products and Services by Guy Kawasaki. I am also reading The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcom Gladwell. And I have committed to taking a year to read The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard as an act of faithful discipleship to take my spiritual journey to another level. I hope to get the other books finished by the end of the year.

Day 4 - Tuesday

On Tuesday I was assigned a new project once again. This time Rusty and I were given the task of building a green house. This was such an incredible project. The green house we were to build really is very different than the ones that are built in the US. In America, green houses are constructed to keep the heat in. In Jamaica, we were building a green house to keep the heat out. The material we used was a white mesh that would reflect the sun and let the wind pass through. One other very important component - we had to build it so that when a hurricane or tropic storm hit the island, it had to be able to be torn down quickly.

Here's the really cool part of this project. The green house will be used to grow tomatoes and peppers to be sold at the high end restaurants in the resorts on the north shore of Jamaica. Won by One to Jamaica will employ single moms (who typically are the last to get employment) to raise the crops and do all of the work within the green house. The proceeds from the sale of the vegetables will be divided up to pay the single moms a living wage, pay for the running of the green house, and to do more ministry in Harmons. What a great vision to impact a region!

After working all day our team came together to talk about what God thinks about the poor. It was a great conversation.

What I learned on Tuesday...

1. Cast a big vision and empower people to complete it. The green house project will have far reaching implications for a long time.
2. I'm still afraid of heights. I hated being up on top of the green house.
3. Listening to everyone's thoughts on the poor really opened my eyes to how people think and it caused me to think theologically about where I really am on my understanding of the poor and what is God's call upon my life and Charter Oak Church in response to that call.

Day 3 - Monday

We carried maul all morning long! It was my job to shovel the maul from the huge pile along the road into the burlap bags to be carried up the hill to the house site that we were building. It was some where between 90 and 95 degrees that morning.

We stopped for lunch and I was given a new assignment - build a wall at the Harmony House that would close off a space that was going to become the storage area for their coffee production. Just as we were starting to get to work - the power went off and stayed off, all afternoon and into the evening. We started up the generator and had to share power with a couple of other people who were also working at the site. It wasn't exactly the fastest work, but we make good progress.

Monday night was men's night. We played dominoes with the local men, both teens and 20 somethings. I had never played before, so I received a quick lesson and then went to playing. We were paired up - one American and one Jamaican against the same team set up. Our team won the first game, then we lost the next 15. During those games, I finally learned the strategy, I guess I'm a slow learner. Then our team won the next 15 games. It was a great night to get to know a couple of Jamaican guys and to build a relationship with them.

I Broke It

Here's a picture of the x ray of my broken foot.

Day 2 - Sunday

Did you know that roosters in Jamaica don't know the difference between dawn and 3:00am? It's true. Did you also know that dogs don't like to be awakened in the middle of the night? They don't and they let everyone know about it. I'm very thankful that I took ear plugs.

Sunday we began our time in worship with Mark and Emily. This past summer Mark and Emily moved to Harmons to live for as long as God wants them to be there. They are a young couple who love Jesus and love the people of Jamaica to such an extent that they left everything in America behind to follow God's call upon their lives. That's some serious faith!

After worship our team took a walk around Harmons. For people who had never been to Harmons before, this was a major shock as they witnessed the living conditions of the people of this small community. We talked to people living on the side of a mountain. We handed out candy to small children. It was our first time to have our hearts touched by the great need we were sent to aid and to start building relationships.

After lunch, the medical team began sorting all of the meds we brought down and the rest of us went down the road about a mile to start hauling maul. I'm not sure if that is the correct way to spell it or not, but it is the sand-like substance that is used to mix with cement to build the house we were task with for the week. We carried 10-20lbs bags of maul with out team for about 3 hours in the 90 degree weather. The work was at hand! We carried these bags about 300 yards - all up hill. There was one hill that was probably at least a 45 degree slope. There was a second hill that we could not scale, someone had to stand at the bottom of the hill and throw the bags up about 20 feet to the top. It was intense work. But good to work out the kinks of the long flight the day before.

After dinner, we had team building and then we turned up the music in the courtyard and spent the rest of the evening getting to know the locals. What a great day!

What did I learn on Day Two?

1. No matter how hard the work - when you are working with a team of people, it is always much, much better.
2. I love Jamaican food.
3. Our experience in Jamaica was well put together by Won by One to Jamaica.

Day Two complete.

Day 1 - Travel

We met at 3am in the parking lot of Charter Oak Church to carpool to the Pittsburgh Airport. When we arrived at our gate, I was extremely surprised to meet a very good friend of mine, Rusty Orner, from when I was serving as a pastor in the Du Bois area. The day was starting off in the right way.

We flew from Pittsburgh to Houston, Texas. It was a 3 hour flight and they actually gave us real food on the flight! Way to go Continental!

We had a quick layover in Houston and then on to Montego Bay, Jamaica. It was a three and a half hour flight so we had real food again and then we were able to watch the latest Harry Potter movie.

When we arrived in Montego Bay, we went through immigration and then on to pick up our luggage. One small problem, our luggage didn't make it. It took our team two plus hours to get all of the paper work filled out. Without luggage it was very easy to go through customs!

After all of the airport stuff we met Josh, Henry, Lloyd, and Leslie the team of leaders from Won by One to Jamaica and the other half of our mission team from the Kansas City Area.

We all jumped on to one of two buses and we started the four hour drive through the mountains of Jamaica to get to Harmons.

We arrived without any problems and we started to unpack and get settled. My head hit the pillow at about 11pm and I was one tired puppy.

What did I learn on Day One?

1. A simple meal on an airplane makes a lot of people happy.
2. Customer service or lack thereof can make or break a company or church's reputation.
3. There's nothing better than good friends.

Day One complete.

Jamaica Recap

Unfortunately I was not able to blog while I was on my mission trip to Harmons, Jamaica. The power was spotty and the Internet connect that was at the Harmony House was by satellite and it rained every day. So over the next few days as I re-enter the American mindset, I will try to capture what happened while we were on our trip.

Audacious

I just read this blog and I had to copy a section for you to read. Check this out...

Audacity is a practice, not a quality
There are fewer prerequisites for achieving your goals than you might first think.

You don’t need to be a great writer, or an expert at creating posts that get Dugg. You don’t need to have a network of influencers, or dozens of killer posts, or years of experience, or formal credentials.
In fact, I’m beginning to think that audacity is the most important habit a blogger can develop.

If you’re not afraid to be rejected, you keep putting your hand up. If you’re not afraid to be ignored, you keep putting yourself out there. If you’re not afraid to be criticized, you do exactly what you want. If you’re not afraid to make contact with someone more successful than you, you’ll create your own opportunities.

Whenever you find yourself thinking: “I’m just not good enough,” replace that sentence with “I’m just not being audacious enough.”

The best thing about audacity is that it’s not a quality you either possess or you don’t. It’s not the same as beauty, or a gorgeous singing voice.

Audacity is a practice. Do audacious things, and you become audacious.

The audacity of… failure
Part of being audacious is being ignored, or rejected, or brushed off, or criticized. You will sometimes fail. You’ll certainly make mistakes. I’ve experienced all of those things, and if you’re audacious, you will too.

Thankfully, both Albert Einstein and Michael Jordan (strange bedfellows, no?) have a few words of wisdom on that point:

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”– Michael Jordan

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”– Albert Einstein