Monday Morning QB 3/27/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: When God Gives a Hard Assignment (Dave Preached)

Scripture: Jeremiah

Service Highlights: This was a powerful sermon where Dave laid out the truth about the calling that God places in our life - being obedient to God has some hard days along the way. Dave weaved the life of Jeremiah into our lives as we struggle to understand what it means that we have a hard assignment from God. In the end, Jeremiah was faithful, even though he wasn't "successful" in most people's eyes. That is what is most important for us in our walk with Jesus.

Stats: 584 in worship + 235 in Sunday School

Having What It Takes

Last week I spent a little bit of time thinking about the question from John Wesley, "How is it with your soul?" I challenged each of you to ask yourself that question, and I went a bit farther by questioning whether we would be willing to ask that question to each other. When Kelli called from Willow Creek, I heard Maxine in the background say, "ask him how it is with his soul?" I don't know if I also heard Maxine's evil laugh behind the question or not. I have been thinking a great deal about this question this past week, especially as I am trying to order my own soul.

One of the things I am doing as part of my spiritual formation is to read through the Bible this year. I am right on target. I have never read from cover to cover like this before, well, I have attempted it many times, but I have never made it this far - I just finished Judges. I have read every book in the Bible many times - especially in seminary. But I am really trying to make this daily through the Bible in order a central part of my development as a follower of Jesus and as a leader.

The leadership of Israel during the time of the judges was either really good, or really bad.

Gideon - Good guy. Lessons learned - God uses us in spite of our limitations. Even when you make great spiritual progress you can still easily fall into sin if you aren't consistently seeking God. Leaving a legacy is very important. Gideon's was not good.

Abimelech - Bad guy. Lessons learned - Power hungry and ruthless - killed 69 brothers. Leadership isn't about power, but about serving. He didn't get it. The whole nation suffered.

Quotes from Henry Blackaby:
"Leaders do not have to prove God is guiding them. God's presence will be unmistakable."

""The definitive measure of leaders' success is whether they moved their people from where they were to where God wanted them to be."

"If your place is not great enough to suit you, make it so. The minister who is unable to make a place great is too weak to hold a great one."

"Society-shaking, world-changing, history-making thought is not produced by lackadaisical, lazy minds."

How is it with your soul today?

Monday Morning QB 3/20/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: Doing Justice (Dave Preached)

Scripture: Micah 6:8

Service Highlights: Dave challenged us to think about justice from God's point of view. If we are wronged, we expect, we even demand justice. The problem is most of us live with a double standard. We want justice when it comes to us, but we forget to extend justice to others. We are called to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

Stats: 591 in worship + 236 in Sunday school

How Is It with Your Soul?

I have to admit that when things get busy, that my first reaction to create more time and space in my life is to eliminate the things of the Spirit. My spiritual disciplines drop significantly. My to do list is long and prayer, Bible study, fasting, being quiet just don't make that list. They aren't those quantifiable activities that show productive ingenuity towards completing a project. They are practices that are just always there. And they will continue to be there tomorrow and the day after that. But this to do list is glaring at me right in the face and I must mark through these items before the end of the day.

John Wesley used ask his pastors a very important question when he met with them. He would ask them, "How is it with your soul?" A knee jerk reaction, might be to say fine, now let's get on with our meeting. But doesn't that just compound the problem?

Whose responsibility is it to order your soul? Is it Pastor Dave's job because he is the spiritual leader of our church? Is it Maxine because she is the head of Grow? Is it your spouse or your small group leader? Whose responsible to make sure that you are more like Jesus today than you were yesterday and especially more than last year?

It's your responsibility. As we move closer and closer to transitioning into our new building, we are going to be working longer and longer hours. The to do lists are going to get much longer. The time for things of the Spirit will decrease every day. Tension and stress are going to increase. Patience with each other is going to be on edge.

This is what I want you to hear - you were made for relationships. First with God. Second with each other. You were not created to transition Charter Oak Church from 214 Frye Farm Road to 449 Frye Farm Road. This is something that God has called us to do. He wants us to do it at the very best of our ability. But first and foremost comes your growing relationship with God through Jesus. Don't forget the spiritual disciplines. If you have to, put them on the to do list - at the top. Second, comes your relationship with each other. We have to protect the relationships we have with each other so carefully. If you need to go to someone and apologize do it sooner than later.

I will be the first to admit it - I am a driver. I'm not happy unless I am going a thousand miles an hour with my hair on fire. And when I do that, I leave relationships to the side, because I have stuff to do. When I have a project that I am working on at home, like putting together some furniture or one of my kids' bikes. They know what their role is - get as far from daddy as possible. That is my natural tendency. I'm working on it.

Our natural tendency needs to be in the care and development of our souls. I know I have a long way to go. But I am starting each day by asking, "How is it with your soul?" I hope you will too.

Monday Morning QB 3/13/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: Radical Trust (Dave preached)

Scripture: Isaiah 7

Service Highlights: Dave walked us through the difference between trust and fear. He used the example of Hezekiah to show us that in the face of uncertain odds and even the possiblilty of death, God is faithful. Here's a verse that is not in the Bible: "God panicked!" The great truth is you are never alone. There was a powerful drama and song that finalized the message and brought the point home for so many people.

Stats: 559 in worship + 258 in Sunday school

Leadership and Servant Training - 3/7/06

What is leadership? Are leaders born or created? Can anyone learn to be a leader?

The development of Peter

1. Matthew 4:18-19 - Peter is called to be a "fisher of men" by Jesus
2. Matthew 16:13-19 - Peter proclaims that Jesus is "the Son of the living God" and Jesus says that he will be build his church and the gates of Hades will not stand against it.
3. Mark 14:66-72 - Peter denies Jesus three times
4. Acts 2:14 - Peter preaches after Pentecost
5. Acts 2:41 - 3,000 people come to faith in Jesus after Peter's message

What we learn from Peter:

• God can use anyone
• God has a plan - it's God's plan (not yours or mine) & it's God's church (not yours or mine)
• God chooses to use people to fulfill his plan
• Jesus poured the majority of his time into developing the leaders around him to multiply his work and to ensure that it would continue going forward

I met with Nancy Ortberg about a year ago and I asked her what was the decisive factor that helped the Axis ministry at Willow Creek to grow from 500 to 2500 while she led it. She said the one definitive factor was the development of leadership. She was so completely sold out to developing the leadership of that ministry that the first thing she did was hire someone to preach, even though that was a part of her original expectation as the senior leader of that ministry. She wanted to be free to pour time, energy, and value into people's lives so that they could take the ministry to the next level. And it worked.

At Willow Creek they use the formula x + y = z to explain the model they use to develop leadership in their church. The z = God's will (that none shall parish). The x = the paid staff (a very small percentage of the church). The y factor is the leadership of the church.

It is only as the "y" factor increases that we will see the fullness of the potential of the body of Christ revealed. There is no other factor in this world that will have a greater impact on this community than when we release the full power of the leadership of this church. God works through people. God will work through you as the leadership of this church to fulfill his will. God is already working through many of you and wants to do so in a more leadership intensive way.

Peter went from a fisherman, to the first person who "got it" about Jesus, to a denier, to a leader of the church. Look at what he became because Jesus poured value into his life, he poured encouragement, and he poured discipline. Here's what I want you to hear tonight - staff and I will give our life to adding value into your life. We will give whatever it takes to help develop you to the zenith of your potential. We want to partner with you to help Charter Oak Church to reach the zenith of its potential!

There is something going on here. Our average attendance is way up. People are finding us and staying. We have a youth group that is exploding. We have more people in small groups than ever before. God is at work here. God is moving and I want us to join him where he is at work. For us to make a kingdom difference, it means we are going to have to develop our leadership. We are going to have to set the bar much higher. We need leaders who are sold out to Jesus. Let me tell you straight up - we need leaders who will take a servant's towel, put it over their arm, and serve. Will you respond?

Monday Morning QB 3/5/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: Being Real (Dave Preached)

Scripture: Isaiah 6

Service Highlights: Dave challenged our view of what worship is all about. He looked at the holiness of God and asked us about our own self-serving bias when it comes to worship and living our lives as followers of Jesus. Authentic worship always ends with a heart that's willing to follow God.

Stats: 523 in worship + 261 in Sunday school

On Being Sick and Having Nothing to Do

I have been sick all week. I hate being sick. I have to admit, I am the biggest baby in the world. I was laying on the couch feeling miserable and pretty much sorry for myself, when some things started going through my mind. Here are some of those random thoughts:

• As I'm reading through the Bible this passage really struck me this past weekend - Deuteronomy 11:18-19, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
• As miserable as I am, I think it would be worse if Kelli was sick - then I would be in charge - SCAREY!!
• John 17:15-17, "My praer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them for the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
• When I am sick, I can't sleep. Let me just tell you - there is nothing good on television at 2:00am. There is still nothing good on at 4:00am. As a matter of fact there is so much bad stuff, I couldn't believe the stuff that was allowed to be on.
• Kelli's brother shoots commericals for FOX. He said that it is free to shoot the commerical; you just have to pay for the airtime. Depending on when you want to show it determines the cost. He said the cheapest airtime is midnight to 6:00am. It's about $75 per showing. Talk about people who need to hear God's truth!
• Not long after I got scared thinking about Kelli getting sick, she came in and reminded me that she will be going to Willow Creek for 3-4 days with Maxine and the children's ministry team and she wanted to know what I was going to do with the kids. Once again - SCAREY!!
• When I am sick, the first thing that goes for me is my memory. Don't ask me why, maybe my mind just reverts back to my IUP days. I don't know. But it dawned on me that we have our first Leadership and Servant Training event tonight. It will set the standard going forward. I need to be at my best, even though I am sick.
• Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."

Monday Morning QB 2/27/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: How to Measure a Life (Dave Preached)

Scripture: Deutronomy 24:12-22; Amos 1:1-4; 3; 5:21-24; 7:1-9

Service Highlights: Dave took a hard look at the care of the poor. He challenged the congregation to no longer be satisfied with the maginalized just being a part of our society. He said, "Anyone who neglects them neglects God and anybody who oppresses them oppresses God."

Stats: 470 in worship + 150 students on Winter Retreat + 188 in Sunday school

Final Notes: The Student Winter Retreat was life changing for most, if not all of the students. Students commited their lives to Jesus, committed their future to ministry, and all had a transformational experience with the living God.

Creating Buzz

Every leader I know is always reading. They are reading about leadership, best practices, execution, focus, and a whole host of other leadership driven ideas. (I'm re-reading a book on Excution right now.) One thing I learned early on in my leadership development is to study those who are at a level or two above you. I do that on a personal basis, but I also do it on a church basis.

The church that I study more than any other church in Granger Community Church in Indiana. On a daily basis I read one of their pastor's blogs. His name is Tony Morgan. I have learned a great deal from him in the last six months.

Granger Church has launched a new sermon series called Pure Sex. They have purchased three large billboards to promote it and have started a web page that connects the sermon series to their church - www.mylamesexlife.com

This past week Grainger Church was picked up nationally on the news for this series. There is a buzz within the Christian leadership community about what this church has been able to accomplish because they decided to be creative and to talk about something that is very current in today's culture.

Here is one of the best comments I have read on this series.

I want to create a buzz for Jesus that will impact this community. His Truth will do that if we will just allow his Truth to be heard in a relevant way that speaks to people's needs right where they are.

Monday Morning QB 2/20/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: Giving and Getting a Spiritual Legacy (Dave Preached)

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:15-21; 2 Kings 2:1-15, 4:1-7, 6:8-23

Service Highlights: This was part two of "A Life that Makes God Smile" series. Cindy Jonczak sang Nicole Nordman's Legacy.

Stats: 542 in worship + 258 in Sunday School

Monday Morning QB 2/13/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: Holding Steady in a Roller Coaster World (Dave Preached)

Scripture: 1 Kings 15:25-19:18

Service Highlights: Pastor Dave began his 8-week series called "A Life that Makes God Smile."

Stats: 517 in worship + 221 in Sunday school

Final Notes: This series concludes the Old Testament Challenge. This is the fourth eight-week series we have done in the Challenge.

Monday Morning QB 2/7/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: A New Life (Chris Preached)

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

Service Highlights: We brought in seven new families, four of those families joined by profession of faith. There were eleven children and youth in those families. This ended our series on Extreme Makeover.

Stats: 591 in worship + 248 in Sunday school

Final Notes: We are averaging 82 more people a week or 14% increase from a year ago. Pastor Dave begins an eight-week series next week called "A Life that Makes God Smile."

Relevant

I just received the latest kit from Relevant Magazine. The magazine is dedicated to helping young adults to connect with Jesus in a relevant way. The kit that they send out six times a year is a box full of good resources. Here's what I received:

Music

• Sara Groves - Add to the Beauty
• Derek Webb - Mockingbird
• The Message: Psalms

Books

• Restless Faith: Holding On to a God Just Out of Reach by Winn Collier
• Redefining Life: My Career by Nav Press
• [Re] Understanding Prayer: A Fresh Approach to Conversation with God by Kyle Lake
• Story: Recapture the Mystery by Steven James
• One Thing: Boldly Pursing All That Matters by Dwayne Roberts

Monday Morning QB 1/30/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: Can We Build It? Yes, We Can!

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:11-16 (The Message)

Service Highlights: This was the third part of our series on Extreme Makeover. The focus was upon the formation of the character of Jesus into our lives. The two contemporary worship services featured the children's musical - J-Force to the Rescue. It was a very clear presentation of how to become a follower of Jesus.

Stats: 865 in worship + 228 in Sunday school

Final Notes: This coming weekend we will conclude our Extreme Makeover series. We will be bringing back the family from the first week to see what has happened in their lives.

The Power of Momentum

John Maxwell writes "Momentum is a leader's best friend." I believe we are seeing the beginning of a momentum swing at Charter Oak Church. It started on Christmas Eve with 1,075 people at our four worship services. That was an increase of 155 people from the previous year. Then three weeks ago Pastor Dave gave one of the most inspiring vision messages for a church that I have ever heard. It was very simple - we are going to reach the people of our county and it is our goal over the next couple of years to reach 2,110 new people for Jesus and to develop our current people to be fully devoted followers of Jesus. Those were the first two waves of the building of momentum.

Next wave of momentum came with the launch of our current series "Extreme Makeover." The first week of the series we broke 600 in worship attendance for the first time on a "regular" weekend. This past week we were still well over our average with 568. I have had many conversations with people over the last two weeks about what this series has meant to them. The response has been incredible.

John Maxwell states that one of the biggest factors contributing to the building of momentum is preparation. How did we prepare over the last month to see what has happened? First, we sent out a letter to every household in the church inviting them to the Christmas Eve worship service. It was a simple, positive letter that was meant to encourage the hearts of our people. Second, Pastor Dave sent out a very motivating letter introducing his vision message and he said, "Whatever you have to do to get here this weekend, do it." Third, we shot a short promo video for the "Extreme Makeover" series. It was meant to be funny and to peak interest. All three of these things took time, energy, and most of all preparation. But they worked!

Jesus spent three and half years preparing the disciples for taking on the ministry of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of the time and energy that he poured into those men, the gospel has stood the test of time and billions of people have come to faith in Jesus. The work we do in preparing for the next month, quarter, and year will payoff with a title wave of momentum that will take us to the next level. It will take a ton of time and a great deal of energy, but it's worth it because the payoff is new believers in Jesus.

Are you ready to go surfing?

It's About People

On January 7th and 8th Pastor Dave gave one of the most inspiring vision messages I have ever heard. I told him Monday that if I wasn’t already on board here at Charter Oak Church, I would be now. I was moved by his passion to reach new people for Jesus and to develop our own people to be fully devoted followers of Jesus. Pastor Dave laid out a plan to reach new people by targeting children and youth. If we can successfully introduce Jesus into these young people’s lives, their parents will want to know why their kids have changed.

This past weekend we broke a new record for attendance on a “regular” Sunday. There were 607 people in worship! I was so excited. Pastor Dave jumped into my office to tell me the figure. He was definitely pumped up about the news. A week after his vision message and people were already responding. At the end of each worship service I challenged each person to invite people in their circle of influence – friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members, to join them in worship. After one of the worship services, someone grabbed me and said if people listen to me, we will have to start setting up chairs! It sounded like he was genuinely excited about that possibility.

How awesome would it be to have so many people in worship that we had to start setting up chairs! Then I started thinking about some conversations I have had with pastor friends of mine. They get on my case when I start talking about our church growing and reaching more people. They tell me I am all about the numbers. I will be honest with you, it frustrates me when they say that. I do want to celebrate when we reach a new milestone like breaking the 600 mark in worship attendance. But I don’t celebrate the number, I celebrate the people. For me, it’s all about the people.

I am called by God to introduce people into a relationship with Jesus and then to help them to become more like Him in every aspect of their lives down to the last detail. That’s why I live. What about you? If we continue to grow in our current building and we have to set up chairs, will you be willing to sit in a chair instead of a pew? Would you be willing to sit on the front pew and park farther away from the building? Would you be willing to change worship times to allow more guests to sit comfortably in our sanctuary? These are tough questions, but for me, they are easy, because it’s all about people coming into a relationship with Jesus.

God is at work at Charter Oak Church!

Monday Morning QB 1/23/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: Tear It Down (Chris Preached)

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Service Highlights: This message was the second part of a four part series based on the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. This week we looked at tearing down the old stuff in our lives by truly repenting of our sins. Bill Gates wrote a song specifically for this message, it was right on and powerful.

Stats: 568 in worship + 261 in Sunday school

Final Notes: Next weekend is the Children's Musical on Saturday night and Sunday morning at 11:00am. I will only be preaching at 8:15 & 9:30.

Monday Morning QB 1/16/06

Here's the Monday Morning QB for this week:

Message: No One Is Perfect (Chris preached)

Scripture: Romans 3:21-23

Service Highlights: We kicked off our new series Extreme Makeover. This was the first part of four. We broke 600 in worship for the first time!

Stats: 607 in worship + 236 in Sunday school

Final Notes: I challenged everyone to invite someone to come with them next week that needs an extreme makeover in their life, their marrigae, and/or their family.

The Importance of What We Do

Here are some thoughts that have been rattling around in my head this week:

1. There was a definite buzz this weekend

I could sense within the people in worship this past weekend that they were excited about the vision for 2006. There was an energy level present that if built upon will create momentum that we have not had here for some time.

2. The power of a clearly and passionately communicated vision

When people can see a preferred picture of the future that is compelling and exciting they will sign up. I have had many conversations with people who are pumped about this year.

3. Making the vision a reality

The first part of the vision is to reach our county through teens and children. There are 370,000 people and 211,000 of them are unchurched. Our vision is to reach 1% of those people - 2,110. The question becomes, who are we making relationships with that are not attending church right now? The challenge was that 100 people will bring one person each by the end of the year. Who are we praying for that doesn't know Jesus?

The second part of the vision is to reach our full giving potential. If the 400 giving units gave ten percent of the median income of our area, we would meet our budget and pay off our new building in 5 years. As leaders we must model the biblical call to give that ten percent.

4. Good to Great

A good friend of mine told me he recently read the book Good to Great by Jim Collins. He said he wished he hadn't read it because it gave voice to the leadership gap at his church. His level of expectation was raised by reading this book and he realized that they don't have what it takes to make the leap from good to great.

5. Importance of Excellence

Some people I have been praying for who are far from God went to church for the first time the first weekend of the year. They said the preaching was great, but the words on the screen never were in line with what the band was singing. They won't return because of a lack of commitment to excellence, they didn't express it that way, but that is what was behind their words. They said that the pastor apologized for the error, but it doesn't matter, the damage is done. I don't know if those people will ever try church again. Excellence is what may determine if people far from God will be open to what God wants to do in them and through them. It is critical.

The implication of these thoughts is that what we do as leaders has Kingdom realities.