Introducing Shawn Young!!!

Hello Emmanuel,

We will be officialy introducing and welcoming the new Associate Pastor, Shawn Young.  We also will be welcoming his wife Leslie and their two children, Nora and Owen, this Sunday, January 6th at both services (9:00 and 10:30).  Who is Shawn?  Here is a bio sketch he sent me.  He invited me to edit it.  It was tempting (to add stuff), but I refrained.

Shawn Young is originally from Sardinia, Ohio- a small town in Brown County. His parents brought him up in a loving home, with very little inclination as to how interesting he would become. While other kids played tag at recess, Shawn enjoyed drawing pictures in the dirt. On rainy afternoons, he would stare at encyclopedias and create tournament brackets for fight scenarios involving the cast of Sesame Street. As he got older, he sought out ways to stay unique and creative. He competed in Odyssey of the Mind, performed in school plays and marching band, and contributed to underground newsletters.

Shawn has been actively involved with non-denominational Christian churches for most of his life. He graduated from Kentucky Christian College (now University), and has been on staff as a Youth Minister with a few congregations. He has also done extensive work with media. He owns Matrimoments Productions- a wedding video business- which has led to a lot of opportunities to work with creative and technical productions within the church. He also has a serious passion for discipleship, and helping to keep followers of Christ from becoming complacent in life.

Shawn and his wife, Leslie have been married for almost ten years. They have two children: Owen and Nora. As a family, they enjoy bowling and watching "The Middle." Some of Shawn's favorites: Penn Station, Back to the Future, M.C. Escher, Foo Fighters, and old board games. He gives blood when he can, he loves collecting aluminum cans (even if it means dumpster diving), he only writes with Sharpie pens, and his favorite scripture is Acts 5:33-39.
Again, Shawn will be over-seeing the ministries of Faith-Forming Relationships and Media.  The largest part of his responsibilities will involve managing Small Group ministry in all its forms, but media is also a strength of his.  It will be a process to get him off and running because the ministries are rather large and somewhat complex.  He looks forward to getting to know you.  Please take the time to introduce yourself to him and, if you are currently fulfilling a role in either FFR or Media, be sure to mention it to him.

I am personally excited about 2013 and the potential Emmanuel as created with bringing in Shawn.  I'm going to have to be patient and not knock him over with my excitment.  I will also have challenges as I learn to let go of some ministry that is near and dear to my heart so that I can tackle other ministry challenges that are near and dear to my heart. Pray for everyone involved.  God continues to work among us.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

I Got Coal

Hello Emmanuel,

I'll start with honesty.  This has turned out to be one of the most frustrating Christmases I can remember.  First, the flu.  Then Laryngitis.  I had only missed 2 Sundays in 16 years due to sickness before this year.  This year alone I've missed 2.  Not only is it frustrating to be too sick to preach, but I've learned that being well enough to attend worship, but not being able to speak, is even more frustrating.  

To heighten the frustration is the fact that it happened on Christmas Sunday.  It is one of those few Sundays when a preacher KNOWS he is going to get the opportunity to grab someone with the Good News.  And all I could do is sit in the back row and observe.  I couldn't even greet the new people.  I was so grumpy when I left that I didn't say anything the whole drive to my in-laws' Christmas (not that I could've).

Now that I've been honest, it is time to be confessional.  Christmas isn't about the preacher.  Indeed, any given Sunday is not about the preacher.  The children's program went very well..... oh... right... Christimas isn't about the children's program.  Though Beth and the parents did well in getting it ready.... riiiiiight...... Christmas isn't about the helpers either (though do pray for Beth... I think she got what I've had.).  In my 'opportunity' to sit back and observe for once, I was put in my place.  I was grumpy, but God wasn't.  He was busy inspiring people to proclaim Good News.  Whoever said I had to be involve every single time?

Now I've been honest and confessional.  Now it is time to challenge you.  Many of you are leaders at Emmanuel.  I have news.  We are getting new leaders.  We've had as many as 15 new people commit to helping in some way in 2013 and that doesn't count the new Associate Pastor, Shawn Young (his official introduction will be January 6th and I will send some special info your way in next week's MMP).

The challenge is this.  You current leaders are going to have to scootch over just a bit and make room.  I know, I know, some of you are thrilled there is going to be more help.  But some of you are going to say it and not want to let go of some of your authority.  But dare I say it?  The Church isn't about you. The Church is about 'making disciples'. Those of us who already are disciples in the church are in charge of making room for more people to be disciples in the church.  This means to share the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

This doesn't mean any of you have to stop what you are doing and sit with me in the back and observe.  If you claim this, then that is called being a 'martyr' and it isn't the constructive kind of martyr.  It just means to be sensitive to what other people are Called to do as well as find ways to live into your Call.  Trust me, there is plenty of room for all kinds of servant leadership.  We just need to be careful to not get possessive with God's ministry.  He doesn't give us ministry to own.  He entrusts us with His ministry to implement.

So what will I be doing in 2013.  More than ever, I am going to make sure that the servant leadership at Emmanuel expands.  This means I may have to be a bit bold with some of you.  I will be nice about it.  I will be encouraging about it...... with a smile on my face and a hop in my step.

Just don't get grumpy.  It isn't worth it.  Trust me.  I know.

Christ Is Born,
Pastor Joe

Adding New Leadership

Hello Emmanuel,
 

Any time there is leadership added to an organization, people can get nervous.  It doesn't even matter if the change is for the better or for the worse.  The sense of the unknown can create questions:
 

What will the new leader be like?  Will I like him?  Will he like me?

How will this affect my role in the church?  Am I going to be told to change how I do things?

Is he going to be bossy?  Not care?  Too intense?  Too relaxed?  Look weird?

... will he be as funny as Pastor Joe?.......  likely not...
 

I remember my first Sunday at Emmanuel and all the heightened sense of anticipation both for the congregation and for me and my family.  Would it be a good fit?  The church packed it in to see what the new preacher was going to be like.  From that point on, there has been a journey of mostly ups, a few downs, but a ton of blessings.
 

Starting January 1st, Emmanuel is adding a paid staff member.  Shawn Young is going to be the new part-time Associate Pastor of Emmanuel.  While it may not carry the same weight as changing the Senior Pastor, there may still be similar questions as to how his addition will affect what Emmanuel does and how it does it.
 

In the weeks ahead, we will be introducing Shawn and his family to Emmanuel (January 6th will be his first official Sunday and the day on which we will pray over him, his wife Leslie and their two children). However, this addition of the MMP is going to be about what Shawn's role will be and how it might affect ministry going forward.
 

First, why did Emmanuel hire a new position?  Simply put, my time has been maxed.  As a result, for the past 8-12 months, I have been doing what I can to help maintain the healthy ministries that are going on.  This isn't a good thing.  I need to be able to continue reaching into new areas, finding ways to make Disciples of Jesus in new ways.  I can't lead Emmanuel into the future if I'm spending all my time helping them maintain the present.  I need to hand some stuff off..... therefore....
 

Shawn is being hired to work 15-20 hours a week.  His time is going to be split to do the following:
 

1.  He is going to be put in charge of over-seeing all of Faith-Forming Relationships Ministries.

For those of you who are familiar with the Discipleship Pathway (i.e. the Circle Chart), FFR includes 3 ministry teams:  Small Groups, Sunday School and YAK (Youth and Kids).  It includes about 22 groups which is good.  However, I believe the potential is so much more.  The dream is to have more retreats, more short-term studies, and the continued growth of adding new Small Groups as Emmanuel continues to grow.
 

The intent is NOT to disrupt the current lay leadership.  Beth and James Pollitt are doing awesome with YAK and Muriel, Paula and Renee continue to do well with their respective roles (Sunday School, Small Groups and Nursery).  However, Shawn will have the time to not just help them maintain, but be a support and resource person to dream and expand as opportunities allow.  In other words, the new ideas that Beth emails me every week will have more opportunity to gain energy... lol....
 

2.  He will also over-see the media aspect of Emmanuel.  Again, we have avid and committed servants (Russ Boone on slides, Keith on the website, etc.).  However, Shawn's role is going to be the support person who equips more people to get involved and help out, especially on Sunday mornings.  He will be able to troubleshoot problems when they arise, but mainly he will be equipping other people to be servants in a ministry that also has potential to expand.
 

He will NOT be taking over anyone's role, but be that extra help and support in a ministry that often takes various turns and some unexpected ones (ever want to kick that computer?).
 

So you will be hearing more about Shawn in the days ahead.  I know Emmanuel will greet him and his family with open arms just as you did for me and my family.  I'm optimistic that this is another step forward in 'making Disciples of Jesus Christ'.
 

God is Good,

Pastor Joe

Tis the season to......

.... remember our purpose....

Hello Emmanuel,

I believe Emmanuel is a healthy church doing healthy ministry to grow healthy disciples.  Outreach is going well (over 300 came to Breakfast with Santa), Missions is as strong as ever (the Youth just donated 86 coats to Saul's Homeless shelter), Visitors are still visiting (we are still averaging over a first-time visiting household a Sunday), people are turning to Jesus (19 baptisms this year) and people are growing with each other (22 new members joined and 2 new Small Groups started this year).

That said, I would be less of a leader if I didn't push us a little bit to increase our understanding of what healthy church looks like, especially during a time of year that a church can lose focus by all the busy-ness of doing church.  Time for me to be bold (that means some of you may disagree with the following.  But, as usual, I'm ok with that.  Just don't throw anything at me).

I'm under no illusions that there are more than a few people who like personal attention from the pastor.  In this case, that would be me.  I go around on Sunday morning and shake as many hands as I can.  To be truthful, I don't do this to appease the person wanting my attention.  I greet people because I believe hospitality is a key component to making disciples.  However, I do realize that some people just LIKE me.  I can't avoid this.  God just made me like-able (and humble).

As a result, if I miss a handshake or I somehow miss someone, that someone just might feel slighted because the really cool pastor didn't shake their hand.  I even get teased about it at times.  Yet behind the teasing, I believe there might be some very minor hurt feelings.  This leads me to a dilemma.  As we continue to grow, I will slowly miss more and more people on Sunday morning.  And when the day comes when we average 500, 1,000 or 5,000 in worship (don't laugh), my handshaking will turn into the need for carpal tunnel surgery.  And while some of you will try to solve how I can shake every hand on every Sunday, I want to take a different route..... one that we decided to take 3 years ago.

Pastor-Driven Churches vs. Purpose-Driven Churches

I won't go into this too deeply because of the extent in which this was discussed over the past 3 years.  But if you want to get inside my head, read The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren.  It is a book that helped me unlock one of the keys to church growth and disciple-making.  If a purpose of 'being church' can be ingrained in a congregation, that purpose can do much more to grow God's Kingdom than can any one person.  In addition, a strong purpose can last longer than any one person (I WILL eventually retire).

To continue the example of the Sunday morning handshaking, the gist is this:  I don't greet you because I want you to know me or like me.  I greet you because I want you to know that you are welcomed in God's sacred space.  It is a purpose-driven handshake, not a personal-driven handshake.  Now most of you already know that you are welcomed in God's sacred space.  This is why my handshaking is sometimes biased toward new people in the church.  Because they may NOT know they are welcomed.  So if you are an established member in the church and you already know Jesus and I walk away from you to greet a new person, please understand my motives.  I'm not trying to make different friends or ignore you.  I'm trying to make new disciples of Jesus.

The other truth is this:  if you are an established member who already knows Jesus, the structure is in place to make sure you have the opportunity to be nurtured.  While I may still do some nurturing directly (preaching, teaching, visiting), most of the nurturing I do is to equip leaders to establish purpose-driven ministries that are created to nurture you (like Small Groups).  

Make no mistake that my leadership is deeply imbedded in every ministry in the church.  I may not be on the front lines of many ministries.  But behind the curtain you would see my face and my determination to lead, lead, lead.  So while opponents of Purpose-Driven Churches may claim it's an excuse for pastors to do less work.  I would claim that pastors of Purpose-Driven churches do just as much work, but get much more accomplished long-term.  It is just that most of the work is behind the scenes.  The focus of the church's work is on the Purpose ('making disciples of Jesus Christ'), not on the Pastor (the mostly-like-able guy who preaches too long).

So if you've ever wondered why my face isn't on the front page of the website (is it even anywhere on the website?) or on a billboard out by the road, now you know.  Or if you wondered why I am not involved in every Small Group or leading most of the ministry programs or why I'm not making every announcement at every event or why I am not personally fixing every problem that occurs among the 12 different ministry teams or the 220+ people, now you know....

Emmanuel is a Purpose-Driven Church..... even though I am so dag-gone like-able (to most people)...

and THAT is why I believe we are a healthy church doing healthy minsitry to make healthy disciples of Jesus...

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

The Mold of Servant Leaders

Hello Emmanuel,

Each local church seems to have it's own general understanding of servant leadership.   I could give you a run-down of the many different approaches, but that would take a long time.  To summarize, here are some different attitudes.

- Pay everyone to do everything that is 'important'
- Let the same 10 people do everything, regardless of how much there is to do
- Get the new people involved as quickly as possible even if they don't understand how to do it 'right'
- Tell the Pastor to do it.  Afterall, it's what we pay him for.
- Don't do it.  Laziness is cool.

There are other approaches or a mixture of the above.  I've been thinking more about the issue of servant leadership as we get ready for 2013.  The inserts in the bulletin that are reaching out to potential servant leaders and Emmanuel's process of hiring a new part-time pastor has got me thinking more about how we approach servant leadership in the church.  

First, I can't overstate the importance of servant leadership at Emmanuel.  Every person who does even the smallest task is an intrigal part of Emmanuel's ministry.  However, my main concern is to stay focused on what motivates us to serve.  The motivation to serve is what tells us the long-term implications of  the health of any ministry.  Do you serve?  Why do you serve?

Here are some biblical reasons to serve:

- God wants me to serve.  Service is simply a desire to be obedient.
- God calls me to serve because He wants me to be a part of sharing the Good News
- God wants me to use my gifts in order to grow the Kingdom of God
- I want to thank God for blessing me
- I want to be a part of a church community that transforms people's lives with grace

The above reasons will motivate a person long-term as long as they stay connected to the roots of their faith--- salvation by the grace of God.  Emmanuel provides opportunity to stay connected by offering groups that feed the 'tank of faith' so that it stays filled.  However, sometimes servants fall away quickly from service.  Sometimes it is a result of non-biblical reasons to serve:

- I want to fit in  (btw...none of us fit in.  We are all sinners who are not worthy to step foot in the church, yet God invites us still)
- I want the pastor to love me.  (I already love you.  I have to.  Jesus says so.)
- I want to make friends.  (Doing stuff doesn't make friends.  Making friends helps doing stuff  a whole lot more fulfilling)
- I want more influence in the church.  (You don't get points by doing stuff.  And if you think you do, that only irritates the pastor)

AND the NUMBER 1 faulty reason for serving:   (drum roll please......).....  I want to go to heaven!  (you are already saved by grace).

Each week we are having an insert in the bulletin.  You are encouraged to consider where you are called to serve in Emmanuel and let us know.  We will be contacting you for 2013.  What are you good at?  Where is your passion?  Dive on in.  Give thanks to God and be a part of a church community that wants people to know Jesus.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

How do you give thanks?

Hello Emmanuel,

Some would call me a fairly laid-back guy.  I try not to make a big deal out of the little things.  There are plenty of other people who will do that for me.  However, when it comes to the big things, I drive myself and my household crazy with anxiety.  I will pace the house and mumble to myself and sometimes say phrases out loud with so much clarity that my family members look at me sideways and wonder what is going through my head.  My daughter Hope doesn't wonder.  She just comes out and says it.  'Dad, you talk to yourself too much'.

Other than sharing a preview of what I will be like when I'm old and feeble, this month has me talking to myself.  God seems to constantly push Emmanuel into the new and unknown.  I would say that I've learned to live on the edge of my seat.  However, truth be known, I have been put there by God to constantly pay attention and try to not mess things up.   I'd rather not live on the edge of my seat.  It's too nerve-wrecking.  But it is also so exciting.  It's good that the little things don't stress me out.  The big things are clearly enough to keep me occupied.

So November is here.  We will be working on the budget for 2013.  We will be considering a new staff position.  We have already started our missions push ($1,100 went to UMCOR to help with the hurricane victims), but much more is on the way.  And yet November is also a time to find ways to give thanks.  All of this goes together in this way:  How do you give thanks?

A good Methodist would tell you how to give thanks:  prayers, presence, gifts and service.  Or a person who has been attending worship could give you different options.... the 5 love languages:  Time, Words, Touch, Gifts and Service.  Of the two suggestions, do you see a commonality?

Giving and serving in in the church is the difference between a spiritually lively church or a stifling blah church.  Iti is the difference between a frustrated church and an encouraging church.  If we believe the Holy Spirit of God is always speaking to the church, then the question becomes, 'how do we respond'?

November will give you ample opportunity.  It can be a time to let the church know how you will give and how you will serve.  Doing such will help Emmanuel plan for the future and mulitiply ministry.  If you don't get how they connect, then you can go to last Sunday's podcast.  It may not yet be up, but hopefully it will be by the middle of this week. 

I hope you consider how you will give thanks this month for all the good God has given you.  I also hope you will allow the church to multiply your thanks.  

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Politics!! ACK!!

Hello Emmanuel,

I've been feeling pretty stressed lately.  Emmanuel is on the precipice of some rather significant transition.  Over the next month, decisions will be made about Saturday worship, possible new staff and a 2013 budget that is currently looking at significant increases.  While these issues would be enough, there is one other issue that is tempting me to lose my mind.....

Political phone calls.....

In years past, I have been able to dodge and weave through the passionate, yet biased push to get me to vote for so-and-so.  This year?  I'm not sure if it is because my patience is thinner or if it is because the political push is rougher.  What I do know is that, on any given day, I am getting 10-15 phone calls in regards to something political (and the church gets the same phone calls).  Grrrrrrr.....

For those who don't know me, I am passionate about politics...  as in:  I'm convinced that politics is a mean-spirited rotten egg that has over-complicated and over-spent what should be a much simpler and straightforward process.  When it comes to facebook, I try to stay silent (and do you know how hard that is for me?).  The game of politics an insult to my intelligence.  Do I really think one side has all the answers to everything?  And do I really think that the other side constantly lies about everything?  Please!!!  I work with sinners.  I know better.  

For me, politics should be about getting the right person in the right place to do the right thing.  It's a good thing I'm not involved in politics..... oh wait... I am.....

Every so often I'll hear a person complain about politics in the church.  I won't be so naive to think or say that there isn't any at Emmanuel.  However, I do believe that 'politics' doesn't have to be a bad word.  Instead of spending our energy trying to convince everyone to one side of the fence or the other, why don't we instead find out what we have in common and organize ourselves to live into our purpose?  Granted, it's much difficult to do that on a national, secular level, but the church certainly has shown it can also get bogged down into the who-likes-who battles.

But what about Emmanuel?  We are more concerned about people knowing Jesus.  Are you a right person for a right job?  Can you fit somewhere to help Emmauel live into our purpose... our process of helping others get to be disciples of Jesus?  We are looking for servant leaders in all areas:  Worship, Hospitality, Outreach, Missions, Faith-Forming Relationships, Trustees, Finance, Care, etc;  In the weeks ahead you will be invited to consider your Call within the church.  What can you offer to make Emmanuel more like the church God wants it to be?  I'm looking forward to your answer.

Who knows... you might get a phone call. 

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Oh the Conniving!!

Hello Emmanuel,

If you are reading this, then congratulations!!!  You get to read about my MASTER PLAN (insert evil... er... godly laugh here).  November is on its way.  Many don't realize it, but I believe November is the most critical month for church life at Emmanuel.  It is the month that makes the pastor and other leadership more nervous and hopeful than any other month.  Surprised?  Consider the following:

1.  November is when the Worship, Outreach and Hospitality Teams plan the Advent and Christmas seasons.   We are preparing services that are going to reach more people in any 4 week span of the year.  People will be coming to church in December that haven't been for months or maybe ever.  How we plan will say a lot on what kind of impact the Good News will have on so many people.

2.  November is when we decide how we will spend our resources in the next calendar year.  The Finance Team will estimate a budget for 2013.  We will decide how to responsibly spend your tithes and offerings so that ministry at Emmanuel will continue to impact lives and 'make disciples of Christ'.  The budget will be influenced by Consecration Sunday--- a Sunday when worshippers are invited to estimate their giving for the next calendar year.

3.  November is the month that servant leadership is organized for the next calendar year.  Emmanuel is constantly looking for servants as we continue to grow.  Honestly, Emmanuel is as hungry for servant leadership than ever.  November is when ministry teams are structured and set.  Servant leadership strongly influences the addition or subtraction of ministry programs that share Good News.

So Worship, Stewardship and Servant Leadership become critical issues for the church in November.  You think it is a coincidence I am preaching on the 5 love languages?  (insert evil... er... godly laugh here)  Why?  Because the 3 issues described above is a direct result of the languages we use to express love to God.

Planning worship?  What better way than to spend 'quality time' (love language) than preparing to share Good News to others.
Stewardship?  At the very core of tithing is the belief that 'gifts' (love language) is a way to thank God for abundant blessings.
Leadership?  Without disciples that committ to 'serve' (love language), Good News simply doesn't get shared.

How do you thank God? 

As we continue moving through the love languages, think about how you will thank God this November.... and in the year ahead.  It is not only good and right, but it also empowers the Church to lead others to being introduced to God who loves them also.  

Be a part of Emmanuel's journey.  It continues on.....

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

P.S.  The Boo Bash went AWESOME!!  We had an estimated 200 people attend, including about 50-60 children.  And everyone got invited to worship with us.... and they got candy too!!

Saturday is Born

Hello Emmanuel..... 

Where do I start?  The kick-off to the new Saturday service was awesome.  80 peple attended worship, including 18 first-time visitors.  I watched God work in a whole new way in worship at Emmanuel.  I've got lots to share in regards to this new thing.  Let me try to not write a book and whittle it down to points of celebration as well as caution.

First, celebration.....

Emmanuel has awesome leaders.  Everywhere from the Outreach Team that got the word out, to the band, to the multi-media people, to the childcare providers to the hospitality people......  it's been a blessing to witness the enthusiasm and willingess to serve.  What is born out of this committment is a vast potential.  A church that is averaging 172 worshippers on a given Sunday is now looking at averaging an easy 200 over the next 7 weeks.  IF (a big 'if') Saturday service establishes itself, Emmanuel could be looking at 250-300 worshippers this time next year.  That means MORE worshippers which means MORE disciples of Jesus.... which means living into God's Vision for Emmanuel takes on MORE steam and grows God's Kingdom even MORE.  Simply Awesome!!

Second, caution.....

The largest risk to any church going to 3 services is the impact it can have on its leaders.  The leadership can be spread too thin, extend too far and simply get worn out.  To prepare for this, I have emphasized to the leaders that I didn't want them to do double duty.  Serve on Saturday or serve on Sunday, but not both.  After experiencing my first weekend of 3 services, I quickly recognized the reality of this.  Therefore, I'm going to be more insistent over the next several weeks.  If you are doing double duty (and you know who you are), prepare for me to get a little testy.  If there is community interest in an established Saturday worship service, we are going to need leaders who are not spread too thin.

Third, invitation....

This potential is so exciting.  However, the hunger for leaders is also big.  If you are one that is exploring a Call to be a part of Emmanuel's journey into the future, let me know.  pastorjoe@emmanuel-umc.com.  Making disciples of Jesus simply doesn't happen if people who already know the Good News don't answer the Call to help make more disciples.  Be a part of the journey.  God doesn't promise it will ALWAYS be fun, but God does promise that you will be blessed.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

The Grand Delusion

Hello Emmanuel,

You shouldn't be more tired after vacation than before. That is the opposite of how it is suppose to work. The purpose of vacation is to vacate. It is to go away; to vacate the daily grind of your regular activities in order to.... to.... to what?

I know a few people who never take vacation. My grandpa was one of them. I personally think there is something mentally wrong with them. But perhaps there isn't. Maybe there is a sort of logic behind their madness. Maybe... just maybe... vacation is a delusion. Or maybe vacation serves a different purpose than what I'm thinking it should serve. I always thought it was suppose to revitalize you; to re-energize you; to give you that 'umph' to continue on the daily girnd. I'm considering that I may be mistaken.

I wonder if vacation serves no other purpose than to save us from the daily repetition that lulls us to sleep and eventually into boredom. I'm not referring to the kind of boredom of doing nothing. I'm referring to the kind of boredom that results from doing the same things every week, no matter how busy we are; to repeat ourselves so often that we could live our lives while being half asleep. Can we get to the point when we sleep-walk through life because we always seem to know what to expect every Monday morning when we start yet another predictable week?

This brings me to the Church and your faith in Christ. God doesn't want you to be bored. God certainly doesn't want you to be lulled to sleep with weekly repetition. Does He? A journey of discipleship is wrought with unpredictable twists and turns. No way would I ever have thought I'd be on the east side of Cincinnati typing a weekly article at a gas station. Yet, here I am. I never thought I'd be enjoying the complexities of helping married people sort through their difficulties. Yet, I do. I never thought that I'd be a public speaker, an administrator, a mentor and certainly not a father of 5. Yet, here I am.

And yet I went on vacation. Why?

I think the anwer is this: no matter what we do, repetition lulls us to unawareness which brings boredom. It is the same for our faith. To do church the same all the time lulls us to the unawareness of God. We get bored with the 'sameness' that we think we know what to expect. Unfortunately, we tend to see what we only expect. Churches that haven't changed since 1999, 1980 or--Lord forbid--1955 are congregations that, at some point, were lulled to sleep with repetition. They never took a vacation from their daily expectations to see how else the world was living.... or how other churches were living and why.

My challenge to you is to look in the mirror and see if you are being lulled to unawareness because of your repetition. Is God trying to speak to you in a way that you wouldn't expect? Are you aware enough to consider it, hear it, understand it? Are you open-minded enough to look for it? Or are you so enmeshed with your weekly slumber that you think you know what to expect?

If so, then maybe you need a vacation.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Fear And Trepidation

Hello Emmanuel,

The Church was around 2,000 years before I got here. It will probably be around 2,000 years after I'm gone.

It is something I heard a long time ago. I don't remember where or from whom. It is a saying that I repeat to myself whenever I'm about to go on vacation. The pastor in me experiences fear and trepidation when vacations come along. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE vacation. However, I guess I admit to you that there is a little bit of 'Mother Bear' in me when it comes to the church running smoothly without my input. It's a little bit embarrassing (but not so embarrassing that I don't put it in a newsletter and send it out to 250 emails).

Of all my years of church experience, Emmanuel is best equipped with leaders who can keep the church from disintegrating while I'm gone. I should not worry so much. It's only 2 weeks.... 14 days... 336 hours.... 20,160 minutes..... DO YOU KNOW WHAT ALL COULD HAPPEN IN THAT TIME SPAN!!!! Sunday School teachers could quit; the computer could crash; the mail could be forgotten; the copier could explode; someone might go to the hospital; the church sign might get a mis-spelling; and--- Lord forbid -- someone else might give a really good sermon.

Vacation, for me, is not just a time to get away from church people (even though I love you bunches). It is a time for me to put me in my rightful place. I'm called to be an effective pastor. It isn't more or less than that. Some things I'll do well. Other things I won't. Either way, it isn't the end of the world.

The Church was around 2,000 years before I got here. It will probably be around 2,000 years after I'm gone.

Whenever leaders get too full of themselves, I find a way to work in that phrase. Unfortunately, I tell myself more than I tell others. Call it a practice in humility. But in all seriousness, it is important to keep perspective. If you don't keep perspective, when you fall down it hurts a whole lot worse because the pedestal was way higher than it ever should have been.

I'm going on vacation. I'm throwing off the label of 'pastor' and just being Joe for 2 whole weeks. If an emergency comes up, don't cause me panic. Instead, cause Bill to panic. 752-7838. Call him often if you so desire. He is under orders to call me only if the apocalypse is coming or some other distressful news that I know will absolutely not happen while I'm gone.

I'll be back October 10th. Don't mess things up while I'm gone (and don't make things that much better either).

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Good for the Soul

Do you take Jesus everywhere you go?

For those of you who do not know, I actually do not live at the church building. In general, most of you know me as the pastor who wanders around the life of the church helping ministry happen so that disciples of Jesus can be developed. I preach and teach and try my best to interact with people, especially on Sundays (but also during the week). I try to take Jesus with me so that I can be as focused as possible on the purpose of the church.

But there are other places that I go.....

For one, I am a very competitive Dad. If you ever saw me at a Cross Country meet or a little league game, you would likely not recognize me. I'm not in khakis or a golf shirt. I probably am wearing a hat and my really cool sunglasses (even Kim says I look cool). And my behavior is ... shall we say... a bit more intense. When people say I get into my preaching, they haven't yet seen me in the midst of athletic competition, whether I am participating or observing. Over the years---especially in my younger years---I have embarrassed myself with intense behavior, whether it be out of disgust or joy. There may have been a time or two when I even made Jesus blush, though I won't recite those examples here.

Over the years I've had to remember to take Jesus with me to such competitions. The most obvious example is in the living room when the Bengals are playing. Having to persevere about 20 years of absolute hopeless football tempts a person to UNinvite Jesus just so they could throw something at the tv. I'm not going to officially claim that I've thrown anything in regards to watching the Bengals. Let's just say that Jesus knows and that's all that matters (Kim, on the other hand, refuses to stay in the same house with me when the Bengals are on. In fact, I am often alone in the house which is odd when you have 5 kids.....refreshingly odd, but odd nonetheless).

So I am thankful that Jesus, at least, is willing to be beside me on Sunday afternoons. But there are other places that I go. Where do you go? And do you invite Jesus along?

It's a tough thing to be in an attitude of confession. We don't want to think of the times when we forgot Jesus was with us and acted accordingly. However, consider the significance of living at church on Sunday but acting different on Wednesday. Even if you are not a pastor, the credibility of your Faith is carried with you through the week. Not that you need to be a perfect angel, but admitting when you are not behaving the way Jesus would prefer is important. Confession is not only good for the soul, it is good for being a witness to others that your Faith is more important than any emotional response you might make to anything else.

So in the midst of our mistakes, let's admit them and do better next time. The reality is that Jesus comes with us whether we invite Him or not.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

My Slow Leak

Hello Emmanuel,

I had a nail in my tire.

I didn't know this for sure.  My tire in my HHR (which stands for His Hot Rod) has had a slow leak for about a year and a half..... a VERY slow leak.  I would be only slightly annoyed every 3-4 weeks to have to stop and put air in it.  I never took the time to figure out why it had a slow leak.  I was always too busy going somewhere to do something.  So for a year and half I would continue to go places and do things and for a year and a half I would gauge my tire pressure until it got too low and pump it back up so that I would continue to go places and do things...... for a year and half.

I don't know what it was, but I finally stopped at a place to get it fixed.  Maybe I had a slight hesitation from going places and doing things.  I was told that the nail was found and the hole patched up.  I told him that it had been in there for a year and half.  'What!?  A year and half?  And it never got no worse?'  He was surprised by the length of time that I had chosen to deal with this slight annoyance.

But now?  It has surprised me how nice it is to go places and do things without that little, stressful annoyance of a slow leak.  Do you have a slow leak?  Do you have any of those minor annoyances that adds just that little stressor in your day?  A car problem?  A health concern?  A relationship issue?  An educational problem?

It doesn't have to be that significant, but I wonder what life would be like if we took care of all the little things.  How much nicer would our days be?  I believe that God does pay attention to detail.  He has done so in creation and has done so in redemption.  He numbers every hair on our head and cares for even the little sparrows.

We will all have big-time problem areas in our lives at one point or another.  However, wouldn't they be easier to deal with if we, along our days, took a tiny bit of time and dealt wiht our small-time annoyances?  Something to think about.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Are You Working?

Hello Emmanuel, 
Happy Labor Day! Are you working? I would say that I'm not, but I am typing this MMP. I suppose it technically is work. 

Now that it is September, it is time to switch gears. More work is in the future. While Emmanuel is relatively VERY active in the Summer, the truth of our culture is undeniable: Labor Day marks the end of vacations and the return of the day-to-day grind for many people and families. As one whose job is connected to the day-to-day lives of many of you, I feel it in how I spend my time in the life of the church. While the Summer is often a juggling of who is not going to be on vacation and when. September changes the juggling to the calendar and when are we going to schedule which program and in which room will they meet. 

As I move through this transition each year, I try very hard to keep the focus on Christ.  It is easy to get over-stressed when the routine of the weekly changes.  It is therefore easy to get distracted by the change and lose perspective on my Call.  The same can be said of the church.

I know that some of you hear about 'change' so much from me that it can elicit an eye roll (yes, I've caught some of you before...  hehe).  It's okay.  I also would prefer the comfort of some same-ness.  But I believe with all of my faith that God isn't ready to tell us to relax.  The Disciple-Making process is actually on a roll.  As we received 3 more new members on Sunday (congrats to Hank and Rachel Sloan and Jackie Barber), bringing our total to 19 this calendar year,  I was reminded of the consistently in which Emmanuel has invited, welcomed, inspired and developed new disciples as well as established disciples.

And yet the unrealized potential for Emmanuel is still great.  I'm still hearing dreams that seem far too realistic to ignore.... even in the short-term.  To be honest, I don't think we've even touched what God has in store for us.  It scares me.  But it also excites me enough to work on Labor Day.

My intent in the months ahead is to make sure enough leaders are equipped to handle the potential of Emmanuel as it becomes realized.  It will take your help.  Some of you will help a lot.  Some of you will help a little.  I hope all of you will consider helping some.  We already know that only relying on leaders who were leading 3 years ago won't work any more.  I would even suggest we need to expand our leadership from 1 year ago.

I won't be brazen enough to say I know what God has in store for us.  But I do feel that Emmanuel is a place of faith and good works in the community.  And any time a church can be a positive force in the community, the community, in turn, will invest in the church.  And that opens the door for people to be drawn to Jesus.  And when people are drawn to Jesus, hope is given, more faith is had, and love is shared.

And that is where our focus should stay:  to be drawn to Jesus.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Do You Like To Sing?

Hello Emmanuel,

Do you like to sing?

For those of you who are newer to Emmanuel, you may not have yet experienced the choir.  Glenda Greene works with the choir from September through May.  Glenda is friendly.  Glenda is nice.  And even though she is a school principal, she has never ever given a choir member a time-out for misbehavior.  Practices are going to be on Wednesday evenings.  It's a fun group that also takes seriously the task of leading people in worship.  The Emmanuel choir has been very strong.  However, Glenda is on the prowl.  She is especially seeking more male voices.  She knows you are out there.  She WILL find out.  And you WILL be invited. 

The first practice will be September 5th at 7:00.  If you are not sure it will be for you, but would be willing to just try it out for a few weeks, that would be great!  Practices usually last around an hour.  Sometimes the choir even practices with the praise band to help with the praise music.  It truly does help set the tone for Passionate Worship.  

Do you like to sing?

The children also have a choir that sings once a month.  They practice at 10:00 (between worship services), upstairs in the multi-purpose room on Sunday mornings.  The children will also starting back in September and their first practice will be on the 9th of September.

I hope you consider what gifts you have to offer.  If one of them is using your voice to praise God and lead others to praise God, consider the choir.  We hope to see you there (and Glenda does too).  

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

Monday Morning Pulpit - What we got into

Hello Emmanuel,

Lauren and Amber

Many are wanting to know how our Back To School Bash went and how the UMW did on their garage sale.  Both went very well.  The UMW raised $1,400 to use for mission projects.  In addition, they also helped out many people who were in need.  The Back To School event went great.  We had 146 people register for supplies.  Because we had such good donations, we were able to give each child 2 bags of supplies.  We passed out 292 bags and had about 30 left over.  We also drew names and gave out 25 backpacks.  The leftovers will be donated to Batavia School and some will go to the Salvation Army.

And then there was Lauren and Amber.....

Lauren and Amber are examples of why we have big events such as the garage sale and the Back To School Bash.  The truth is that, according to our Discipleship Pathway, doing missions is more than just helping others.  It is also opening doors to establishing the kind of relationships that could lead to making disciples of Jesus Christ.  Lauren and Amber moved from Middletown.  They are looking for a church to attend.  They saw our sign and decided to stop by our event.  We got to meet them and talk with them and they are now excited about visiting.  Lauren and Amber are examples of why we do missions.... to build relationships.

Any time you might wonder why we wear ourselves out doing big events, consider the many stories of people who attend Emmanuel and how they got there.  You will hear stories about Easter and Christmas and Easter Eggs and Santa Claus and Boo Bash and Grill Outs and Ichthus and the list goes on.  You will hear about friendly welcomes, moving worship experiences, quality group meetings or that someone decided to show care at one very important moment.

While numbers can be used for measuring, not much measuring can be done when it comes to the human spirit bonding with another human spirit and, ultimately, with God.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe

side note:  for those who are curious about the garage sale.  All the clothes that were not sold were donated to Inter Parish Minsitry.  The other items that were not sold are going to be at Mike and Donna Wright's home on August 23-25, 8 am to 5 pm.  It is going to be  a very big sale.

Mike and Donna Wright
246 Judd Road
Amelia, Oh  45102