Recently I was also asked to volunteer with the Urban Girl Squad (UGS) running groups. If you are unfamiliar with Urban Girl Squad, it is a networking group for women in their 20s and 30s that offers fun activities for women in NYC (fitness classes, cocktail nights, volunteering, etc) and you should definitely check it out!! UGS and Athleta, the premiere active apparel line, have partnered up and are offering free coached runs and then afterward the women are heading over to the Athleta store for refreshments. I’m NOT a running coach for these events. But it’s also intimidating to be a volunteer because of the pressure of setting a good example and wanting to encourage these women.

There is nothing I can teach either of these two groups of runners. I’m not the fastest, strongest, or skinniest. Who would want to follow my lead or my example?

Leadership and being a leader doesn’t mean you’re the best or the most skilled. One of my biggest insecurities in participating in any sort of fitness group or fulfilling any sort of leadership position is not being skinny enough. I know it’s wrong, but I judge fitness instructors who don’t have ROCK HARD bodies. Leadership is less about ability and more about attitude. It’s a willingness to encourage people, challenge them and help them. If ability has anything to do with it, it’s the ability to move people, to stir emotions deep within them that s/he would want to improve themselves and improve the world.

I may not be a great teacher, but I want to be a great leader. I want people to see how happy it makes me to run. I want people to run and exercise because it makes them feel great, not because they have to do it. Being skinny has nothing to do with it. It’s not the fat that’s weighing you down and holding you back, it’s your attitude.

What steps do you need to take to be a leader in your field?

I think this is a good representation of what our family wants to be identified with when we talk to others about the local church.

The Church – A Pastor’s Blog from Journey Franklin on Vimeo.

Every summer our church is a host site for the Global Leadership Summit http://willowcreekglobalsummit.com The Summit is a multi-day event during which pastors, diplomats, corporate executives, and directors of nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations talk about what it means to lead in their corner of the world. The goal is to help those who are in positions of leadership or influence lead with all diligence.

In August 2010, I sat in a room with 300 other people, from all overSouthern California, who wanted to learn how to be better leaders personally, corporately, and spiritually. The opening session, hosted by Bill Hybels, was intimidating, engaging, and thought provoking. Then a couple more sessions went by and the day progressed smoothly—as it had during the last seven years I’d attended this conference. However, I was now feeling a little nervous because every year there’d been one speaker, one drama, or one song that caused me to “train wreck.” In other words, my wheels come off the track, and I have to change the way I do my life.

During a break between sessions, the band started playing a song to encourage everyone to take their seats. It was “Hosanna” by Hillsong. Not again. We sing this song at our church, and I’d made the “mistake” one day of turning the lyrics into a prayer. I’m not going to be able to get through this! I was standing among friends, singing along. Then somewhere in the middle, the lyrics “break my heart for what breaks Yours…” crushed me. My knees buckled, and I had to sit down. Leaning my head on the back of the chair in front of me, I hid my tears.

Get it together, Chris. This is a “leadership” summit. I don’t think blubbering is going to raise your leadership stock. What is the person next to me thinking? Why is that song…those lyrics…so debilitating every time I hear it?

I pulled myself together as the next speaker was introduced: Jeff Manion. He’d be speaking from his book The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions. Jeff then described in great detail my current season of life. Suddenly it was as if the room was empty and Jeff was talking only to me. I hung on to every word. How does he know? He described the Land Between as a place “where life is not as it once was, where the future is in question.” He spoke as one who’s been through this land.

Please tell me there is a path that leads out of here!

We enter this land suddenly (meteor). “The tumor is malignant,” “Mom, I’m pregnant,” “Your mom and I are getting a divorce,” “We’re eliminating your position.” The door to life as we know it has closed. The future is now in question. Jeff explained that the goal of his message was not to help us (me) find the nearest exit ramp out of the Land Between. Thanks, Jeff! Not what I want to hear! His goal was to help us navigate the Land Between so that when we reach the other side, our faith will have been stretched, tested, and eventually strengthened. It’s encouraging to know there is an “other side.”

While we may not have entered the Land Between by choice—perhaps even unwillingly or at least unknowingly—we have a choice in how we respond to the terrain of the Land. The choices we make, the actions we take in response to the challenges and tests presented to us in this Land will determine whether we exit on the other side with our faith strengthened or as a broken and bitter person.

Jeff unpacked the story of Moses in the book of Exodus. The people of Israelhad been slaves in Egyptfor 400 years. As they cried out to God for help, God responded by saying, “I hear your pain. I will send someone to lead you out of slavery and into a beautiful land flowing with milk and honey.”Moses, an Israelite who’d been adopted and raised in the home of Pharaoh, is out in the desert when he sees a burning bush. As he moves closer to investigate, he hears a voice say, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). In this conversation, God tells Moses to go ask Pharaoh to “let My people go.” The cycle of Moses asking, Pharaoh appearing to release them (only to change his mind later on), and God sending judgment is repeated several times.

Moses said to Pharaoh: “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go…!’” (Exodus 5:1). The final request for freedom culminates in God’s judgment—the death of the firstborn sons of Egypt, including Pharaoh’s son. Distraught, Pharaoh tells Moses to take his people and get out. There is a dramatic scene in the film The Ten Commandments (and in the Bible) in which Moses parts theRed Sea, and the Israelites make it across on dry ground with Pharaoh’s army in hot pursuit. Then Moses raises his staff as the sea comes crashing down, drowning Pharaoh’s army. Pharaoh’s screams of anguish are heard across the water. The door is closed. Regardless of our view of life as it once was, we will never go back there again. Now only the future is in question.

You see, I like comfort. I gravitate toward routine. Predictability. I don’t enjoy interruptions. Surprises. Meteors. But during my Journey through this life, I’ve noticed that when I get too comfortable, God shakes things up. He gets me to move out of my comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory, causing me to trust Him more. Instead of taking me directly from Point A to Point C, it seems there is this space, Point B or the Land Between, where God takes me first.

While Point C, the Promised Land, sounded pretty good to the Israelites, they weren’t prepared or equipped for life in this new land. So God took them to Point B—the desert—for a season of instruction. Equipping. Preparing. This was to be a training ground designed to prove God’s faithfulness and to teachIsraelthat they could trust God with anything that came their way. They had strayed from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They’d adopted much of the local culture and religion while living inEgypt, incorporating foreign thoughts and traditions into their own lives and culture. But this way of living wouldn’t be acceptable to God once they were in the Promised Land. Thus, God gave the Israelites some guidelines and expectations (not to mention the Ten Commandments) to help them navigate this new land. And all of their training and preparation took place in the desert. Point B. The Land Between.

Manna (literally translated, “What is it?”) was a wafer-like substance that appeared with the morning dew on the desert floor. God provided this food every morning, and it sustained the million-plus Israelites out in the desert for many years. But after a few years of desert wandering, eating only manna for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, their vision of the Promised Land started to fade. Anger. Bitterness. Talks of mutiny against Moses. Yet God still responded to their complaints and provided for their needs through Moses.

Not much time passed before the people once again forgot God’s provision and constant guidance. They were caught in a never-ending cycle of crisis. Complaining, “We want REAL food!” Grumbling, “Moses, you’d better do better than this stuff. We don’t even know what it is!” And then God’s provision, “You want meat? I’ll give you meat!” Feeling the weight of the people’s constant demands, Moses collapsed in a fit of anger and discouragement, possibly even depression. Paraphrasing Numbers 11, Moses said, “What have I done to you, God? Am I not doing what you asked? These people are driving me crazy. I can’t stand the whining. I have had it!” Then Moses pleaded: “God, if you have any positive feelings toward me at all, then please just kill me now. Take me out! I am done! I cannot do this. I cannot do what you are asking of me. It’s too hard!”

There is something about enduring a season of unremitting difficulty that clarifies one’s faith.

(Jeff Manion, The Land Between)

Here’s some shots of that day:

I think this is one of the COOLEST shots! Love the ppl of Journey and their STORIES!

With a heat index of around 100 humid Missourian degrees...this makes sense.

Journey Kids...REPRESENTIN!

Gotta love the enthusiasm...Gary showin' em how it's done!

Thanks SO much to Jamie Wray (Journey Church Special Events Coordinator) and her AMAZING team for making this ALL HAPPEN! INDESCRIBABLE MOMENT FOR OUR CHURCH.

I’m telling you, I’m CRAZY about our ppl and even MORE CRAZY about what God is doing in our ppl…it’s just such an honor to be a pastor…I mean an absolute honor.

Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church).

Goose Creek Church is months away from its pre-launch (pre-launch – the process of gathering core members that feel called to the vision of Goose Creek Church).  So, if you are in the Goose Creek/Summerville/North Charleston and Hanahan area, have a passion (or questions) about God, Scripture, community, please come check us out. Currently we are a seedling of Journey Church in Ladson, and will be starting small groups this Fall 2011! Note: If you would like to give a donation click here.

We would like to thank those of you who have supported us with your prayers and finances, it has been amazingly appreciated. As we look forward we would like to recognize a few of our partnering organizations. Also, in the coming days we will create ways for you to financially support Goose Creek Church!

Tornado Relief – First off Goose Creek Church wants to partner and support those affected by the recent storms and tornadoes. We want to remind you to keep everyone who has been impacted by the tornadoes in your prayers; the towns of Joplin, MO; Springfield, MA; Tuscaloosa, AL and more. We have family in Joplin and the more we hear about the gravity of the situation the more our hearts and prayers go out to the victims. Here is a support link to the Church in Joplin (you would need to contact the Church directly). We are also teaming up with Fellowship Holden Church to help those affected by the Springfield tornado. The Springfield Rescue Mission is also accepting clothes, furniture, toiletries, and money. Challenge: During spring cleaning if you find good clothes that you are not going to use or do not need I would encourage you to send them to one of the areas hit by the tornado.

Vision & DNA – Our vision is to invite people to live out the story of God. This means a lot of things; understanding the Scripture, knowing Jesus (and the cross), and our role as the Church. Living out God’s story is the reason we live and give the way we do.  As we live out this story and become more and more like Jesus we want to help those in need like Jesus did. Loving like Jesus is part of our DNA (who we are).  Here are some other core parts (the DNA) of  Goose Creek Church.  For more, visit our tenets.

• Teaching/Discipleship [Understanding God, His story, and living it out!]
• Community
• Social Justice
• Creating a diverse and relevant Church

At GCC there is a tension of growing disciples and reaching the unchurched. We will grow disciples through Small Group Environments (& training sessions). We have a high value of [life on life] community and growth; Small Groups will be a great and challenging outlet to explore one’s faith. Every Small Group will be asked to do at least one social justice activity a season.  GCC will also host events in the area designed to entertain and/or serve. i.e. Working at the Soup Kitchen or helping with Easter Egg Hunts! All this to say that giving is a big part of who we are!

Partners –

We are not called to make an impact for the Kingdom of God alone. Here are our partners. Note: These ministries have been instrumental in influencing Goose Creek Church.

We are partnering with Journey Church in Summerville, SC. Pastors Will and Clay have been exceptional in getting us plugged into the Summerville/Goose Creek community. We hope to be a light to Journey during the pre-launch of Goose Creek Church and onward.

Fellowship Church Holden has been leading the frontier in connecting with unchurched people of New England.  I’ve been proud to call them my home Church over the last year and have made some lifelong friends and connections there. My wife and I owe a debt of gratitude to Journey, Fellowship, Holden Chapel, and all the Churches that we have come in contact with.

Children of the Nations (COTN) is a non profit organization that feeds, equips, and educates children in third world countries in the name of the Gospel. I have heard several stories of the COTN going into Haiti and Sierra Leone and creating systems that last. COTN is not just a hand out, instead they create ways for people and communities to live better. Goose Creek Church is proud to support COTN.

Longtime friend Mike Schmitt started something amazing in Detroit! Elevate Detroit are Community BBQs that bridge the sharp divide between rich, poor, black, and white in the troubled city. In Detroit there is a little heaven on earth because of this ministry. More than once a month Mike and his friends get together to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ as they share more than just food- they share community with various parts of the Motor City. Communi[D] D – is for Detroit is growing a national following as ministries across the nation are following the ministries lead and creating community in less fortunate areas.

We are excited to be partnering with these ministries our other passion include teaching (I love communicating God’s word) and worship (I think Priscilla has an amazing voice). We again thank you for your prayers… Within a few days we should have our Goose Creek Church tax deductible donations page up and running. God Bless.

Drinking some Hawaiin Punch and sharing some thoughts with a friend during an Elevate BBQ.

Here is Pris packing up some clothes for the residents of Joplin!

So stoked for this series that we’re opening up this Sunday on the subject of the Bible!  I don’t know how many ppl struggle with this, but I’m certain the number is quite ‘up there’ when it comes to…understanding the bible, I know early in my path of following Jesus…this was a BIG struggle for me.  I’ve heard questions from so many ppl about it since I’ve been pastoring like…What exactly is the bible?  How did it come to be?  How do I know it’s true? Do we have to read it? and if so, why? What can it do for my life?  How do I get to the point where I understand it WHEN I read it? And speaking of ‘when’, how often should I read it? Somebody told me that the bible is ‘living’ – what the heck does that mean…it’s a book for crying out loud!?

The fact of the matter is that the bible is God’s personal TXT MSG to you (and given the cellphone age we live in, I don’t think that’s too difficult to understand)…and we’re going to prove that in this series in answering several of these questions mentioned above and many others in this TXT series that is certain to bless you in a HUGE way!  We can’t wait to see you Sunday @ Journey!  Get ready…oh, and BRING YOUR CELL PHONES!  We’re gonna use them in this message!

Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)

Kicked the event off with a PARTY in the entry lobby with a live DJ, a clown throwin' down with the kids, and over 1,000 balloons around the campus!

Loved having Pastor Steve Lummer sharing a message called 'The In-Between'! Powerful moment for me personally.

Then we headed over to El Shaddai Ranch where over 500 ppl gathered to PARTY! We had some incredible food thanks to some incredible ppl!

Some great swimming!

Jamie Wray (our Event Coordinator) and her team along with so many others made this event such a success!

Yeah, it was delish.

Congrats to Brandon Cathcart on a well deserved pie eating contest championship! Also, congrats to our Sand Volleyball Champs!

Bucket-O-Fun (inspired by Late Nite w/ Jimmy Fallon) was....FUN!

The reason for the entire event...the near 50 ppl that got baptized...it was an amazing experience gathering beachside and cheering on NEW LIFE!

Awesome moments...

It was inspiring to see a married couple get baptized together.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…after seeing pictures like these (as a pastor), I understand that statement now more than ever.

We also had our in house BOY BAND “QUINTESSENTIAL” debut their new music video  - “Drowning” – Here’s there work:

I can honestly say that God is GOOD!  I am so honored to be a part of something that is creating impact in the lives of so many ppl.  So STOKED for year 3.

(Jesse – Pastor – Journey Church)

Wow…that’s about the only word that can describe the feeling I had last night when dropping my older son Micah off last night for his first night at Journey Youth.  Now that school is out, that means he officially becomes a Junior High’r…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

I told him on the way to Youth last night that he didn’t have to go, that we could have him do 5th grade all over again so I can keep him young…but he was excited to go.  I must say, it’s pretty wild experiencing this phase as a parent, watching your child grow into a phase of life where innocence becomes a choice and a responsibility now unlike from the time they were born, it was simply child-like nature.  It’s pretty crazy, seeing him observe the world around him and choosing which parts of it he will place into his life that will be help create his identity as a young man.  I love being a part of his life and I love having the role of ‘dad’ in all of that.

When we arrived at church, I walked up to the Jr. High Youth Room and saw Jake & Nancy (our Jr. High Youth Pastors) and Kory & Amy (our Sr. High Youth Pastors) along with our Youth Leadership Team (Aaron, Jessica, & Morio) sporting their Youth Group T-Shirts, all of them ready to have a blast with our Journey Youth Students. It was so encouraging to see the excitement on their faces when Micah & other students walked into the building…as a pastor, I know the importance of this…but for the first time, as a parent…I experienced the importance of this.  I’m talking about the importance of placing your child in an environment that allows them to experience God on a level that reaches them…in a way that connects straight to them…and as a parent, that’s the most important thing I can provide my son, inside the home…and outside.

I was a youth pastor for 10 years…and I loved every minute of it…in fact, I never thought I would be anything else (I loved it THAT much and still treasure those days) until God put an overwhelming call in our lives to plant THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY CHURCH!  But I thought I would be the youth pastor to the youth group my sons would walk into…but God had other plans.  God has called a FANTASTIC group of leaders around my wife and I (not as pastors, but as parents) to help provide my son that environment that allows him to install Jesus into his life as he enters a phase in his ‘journey’ that will help mold and define him and his future.

Sorry, to keep blabbing on – I could talk (or type) about this stuff for days!  Bottom line: Thank you Journey Youth for what you are to this set of parents…we believe in what you’re doing and we’ve got your backs, b/c it’s so refreshing to know that you’ve got ours…and most of all, my son’s.

Thankful,

Jesse (PARENT – Journey Church)

Then at 4pm, the party really GETS GOING as we converge on the beautiful El Shaddai Ranch in Moscow Mills to throw down Journey style with our 2nd Annual Beach Baptism BBQ!  There will be Sand Volleyball tournaments, Crazy good food, Beach Swimming, Fishing, Chilling, Music, Giveaways, a Pie Eating Contest, and everything else a party with hundreds of ppl can bring you.  The focus of the party though is the privilege we will have in baptizing over 40 people whose lives have been transformed by God since joining us at Journey…and we’re gonna do it all right there, Beachside at the Lake!  Just thinking about it is making me pray ‘GOD, CAN YOU SPEED TIME UP AND HAVE SUNDAY GET HERE NOW?’  I am having trouble waiting…as you can read.

One thought I keep thinking is: Where in the world did 2 years just go?!  It literally seems like yesterday where I was sitting at this computer 6 days out from the launch of Journey Church…I remember my hands were a little shaky as I typed that blog post b/c I was so nervous that week.  CLICK HERE to read that blog post.

I was about to become a church planter, a pastor…someone who gets the opportunity to dive into the lives of ppl and bring Jesus to their heart, their life, their hurt, their relationships, their habits, their thoughts, their home…their world.  Missy and I can sincerely say that we have loved the honor in having those experiences (and man, what experiences they have been) in these last 24 months…literally the greatest 24 months of our lives…the people that we have come to know as our church family, have changed our lives immensely…and I cannot think of a better life to have, than that of being a pastor at Journey Church.

God, thank you for what you’ve given me…thank you for these 2 years of indescribable blessing.  Here’s to one KILLER CELEBRATION coming this Sunday!

Jesse

Well…that was a QUICK 5 WEEKS!  We have been having such an incredible time digging into the HURT & HEALED SERIES at Journey this month – time has just flown right by!  This week, we will be wrapping it all up with one of the most inspirational illustrations we’ve ever done here at our church and it all happens on Sunday…and I (insert Rob Lowe – Parks & Rec voice) LITERALLY cannot wait!  Plus, we have a special presentation to our vets and those serving our country to honor Memorial Day as well as a BIG announcement concerning our Youth Group!  If you’re reading this blog and have the ability to be with us this weekend…don’t miss this Sunday @ Journey!  I promise you won’t regret it.

Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)

I have had the overwhelming privilege as a pastor to be involved in the lives of so many people over the years, through their good times and their bad times…I love being involved in standing with people…especially teenagers. I was a youth pastor for right at 10 years and it was one of the most exciting chapters of my life.  Having the opportunity to see teenagers connect with God and install Christianity into their life and future is an amazing thing to be a part of.  I got the call a few months ago from one of the teenagers from my youth group in Arizona where I youth pastored an awesome group of students in Prescott (a beautiful piece of heaven cut inside of the mountains of central AZ) for 4 years (’03-’07).

I first met one of those students in ’03 who was right around 15 years old at the time; Zach Piepmeyer…an incredible young man with a heart after truth.  He was one of the greatest students I have ever met – a kid that would literally do anything for his God and his church (ex: he walked 100 miles in 2 days to raise $$$ for missionaries overseas b/c I said we need to help ppl overseas).  Sometimes as a youth pastor, you end up getting so close to these kids, they become your best friends…they become like your own kids…they literally become your world.  To me, it’s one of the greatest jobs in the world!  But it’s also one of the toughest jobs in the world (emotionally), b/c teenagers grow up…teenagers graduate…and teenagers move on (and in walks a whole new batch of kids for you to start with – this cycle can serve to be rather emotional).  I remember Zach graduating high school and making the decision to head to California to pursue his education.  He stopped by the church to say goodbye and I remember as he was driving off, I was praying that he would never let go of his God…that he would never let go of that truth he stood up for so many times…it was a prayer that he would simply never let go.

So, it’s one of the greatest jobs in the world, one of the toughest jobs in the world…BUT…it’s also one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.  I got a call earlier this year from Zach (who I have always kept in touch with) and he asked me to do the honor of performing his wedding ceremony in Portland, OR where his wife Alison is from.  After I obviously accepted the awesome invitation, I hung the phone up…and I just felt a feeling…of reward.  Dang, all those times you sacrifice for these kids…all of those countless hours you invest in a teenager’s life…hoping and praying that the influence you’re making in their life…sticks.  It was rewarding to get that call…it was rewarding to spend time with him in the Pacific NW Mountains of Oregon and see a young man who STILL has that heart after his God…who STILL has that heart after truth and it was a rewarding privilege to be a part of a day where he was making one of the most incredible decisions a man can make in his life by marrying someone he loves more than anything…and asking me to be a part of that…again, rewarding.

Anyways…just a thought from an old youth pastor.

Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church).

Here are a few ways to get it to me…

1. The bulletin on Sunday – - you can write it on the provided lines.
2. The comments section below – just jot down your ideas
3. Facebook – - you can send me a private message or post it on my wall.
4. Email – - jeremy@ourjourney.com

I’m sure that there are other ways too… the main thing is that you get it to me!  We’ll work through all of the suggestions and pick 5 that we’ll work through (including one that Chuck will handle!! – Maybe we suggest Bob Marley??? LOL)

Let’s hear it!!!!

Jeremy

• I sincerely think that the stuff we’re walking through in Proverbs is TOP SHELF stuff!  I really think that the ideas that we’ve walked through for the past 2 weeks couple *sincerely* save marriages – restore relationships – - and cahnge lives!  If you haven’t been around, catch up at http://www.ourjourney.com and DON’T MISS NEXT WEEK!!!
• The band did a GREAT JOB today – - – particularly with “Revelation Song” – - I remember sitting at Andy’s house in Ohio talking with Andy about that being one of his favorite worship songs that he couldn’t wait to introduce to our new church.  I know that getting that one out to our congregation was a great thing for him… I am CERTAIN that it will be substantial for us in the coming weeks!
• Our set up teams are really coming together!!! It’s awesome to see the teams forming and serving together – - an I KNOW that it’s awesome for those who have been serving every week for the last 8 months!  Enjoy your weeks off guys – - – you deserve it!!!
• Our small groups (the RiDE) have been up and running for about 3 months now and I’m hearing GREAT STUFF!!! I’m pumped about starting a bunch more closer to Fall!!  I seriously love the fact that there’s more to life at Journey Church than just the worship services on the weekend!!!
• Give it up for our kids – - It was tough to concentrate to talk over them during the communion time, but I do love hearing them enjoy church!  One of our kids said “________ ________ is going to the BEST CHURCH EVER JOURNEY!!!! But it you don’t have achurch and you would like you can come to JOURNEY in Three Way @ Funzone and it starts at 10:00 so if you need one just come on out and meet new friends!!!:) I love JOURNEY CHURCH!!! You can wear jeans and a shirt!!!!!:)” yesterday on facebook!  That’s so stinkin cool!!!! (btw – for the record, I’m not a big fan of kids with facebook accounts, but if you’re gonna have one, this is a great way to use it
• did you guys see that we actually got out 3 minutes EARLY today!!! I doubt anyone in the “big room” noticed it, but I GUARANTEE that our pre-school and nursery workers were thankful!
• We’re looking for a couple of additional volunteers in the “technical” areas (lights, sound, video) – if you aren’t afraid of a computer, I promise that we can teach you everything you need to know – - and, as far as sound is concerned, if you like to play rock music loud, you’ve probably got what it takes!!!! Send me an email at jeremy@ourjourney.com if you’re interested!!!

As quickly as this video came out, the firestorm hit… News organizations began picking the story up – CNN, Good Morning America, the Today Show… Newspapers like the Chicago Tribune suddenly took an interest in theology and church calling Rob Bell “the next Billy Graham”

On the other side, pastors around the evangelical blog-o-sphere began posting “farewell” statements ousting Bell from the good-graces of the theological norm.  (As an aside, it was absolutely amazing to me to see the number of people - particularly pastors who say they hold Scripture in high regard – chanting “slay the beast” (figuratively) who had spent HOURS crafting statements, articles and opinions of Bell’s work without even having done the courtesy of actually READING the book!!  That’s a tragedy – both personally and Biblically – but that’s another article.)

Here’s the point that I’m getting to.  I believe that there is a Hell.  I believe that the Hell that the Bible talks about is both literal and eternal.  I believe that there is a place, devoid of the presence of God, where those who do not choose to repent (turn away) of their sins and become followers of Jesus Christ will spend eternity.  I’m not sure about what “is” in Hell – I’m not sure if passages of Scripture are literal or figurative when they describe this place as “fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8ff) – I’m not sure if this language is used to paint a picture for our finite minds or not – - – but I do believe this – - – it’s at least that bad!

Here’s what cracks me up (or grieves my heart, I’m not sure just yet):  Christians (and pastors particularly) are quick to form an opinion and vocalize it in defense of a theological position that is (still) largely shared among the vast majority of Bible teaching churches but we ACTUALLY LIVE every day like we completely agree with Bell’s position!  We’re quick to run to the defense of our theological position that there is a literal and eternal Hell – writing blog articles and forwarding the opinions of others with a sense of urgency that we haven’t seen since the last time we boycotted a movie – yet every single day we lackadaisically approach life like there is no actual Hell and people who we love will have an opportunity to accept Christ later!  We (Christians) get bent out of shape when someone writes a couple hundred pages saying that there is no Hell, but we live every day like we agree with Him!! No offense (actually, this should be offensive) – - – that’s freakin stupid!!!

We (Christians) get bent out of shape when someone writes a couple hundred pages saying that there is no Hell, but we live every day like we agree with Him!!

Ok… here’s the thing for those of you who are still reading… WE have to help our churches – and our lives – get back the sense of urgency to the Gospel!

Church People:

People around us – people that we know and love (we can work toward caring about the people we don’t know and love after we get this one down) – are literally headed toward Hell and we live like we don’t care!!  We need to pray that God will break our hearts for people who are far from Him!  We need to pray that God will give us a passion to see the people around us the way that He sees them – not as “those people” but as “His children” who have walked away – people for whom His heart is broken!

Don’t wait for God to break your heart – GET TO WORK!  A great way to reach people is to start by LOVING THEM (notice that I didn’t say “judging people”) – if you can INVEST in the life of a person, you will earn the right to be able to share the love of Christ.  Remember – the cross is offensive – you don’t have to help!

Church Leaders and Pastors

We should be ashamed when we don’t LEAD our churches to be places that are literally HELL-BENT on reaching people who are far from God (and I’m not talking about a boring sermon every once in a while where we tell people “you should share your faith”).  It’s a complete TRAGEDY when Church becomes a country club for “insiders” – complete with music and atmosphere that’s centered around increasing or maintaining our donor base!  And for those of you who  are thinking that the church is about “making disciples” – I would remind you that the idea of being a disciple is about being Christ like – I agree, we need to TEACH people to become more like Jesus – - do I need to remind you that Jesus said that he came to “seek and save the lost” – - do I need to remind you that Jesus LITERALLY GAVE HIS LIFE so that the lost could be found?  Oh yeah – one more class should work great – - maybe if we taught people who Nephilim were (Numbers 13:13), then it would all click! (UGH!!!)

Ok… I know I’m fired up… I (really do) know that we need to train people well – I know that we don’t just need to evangelize and then create a ton of infant believers who are fending for themselves – I know that the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20) is about discipleship – - I get that – I really do – - but understand, it’s not about making disciples of people who are already Christians – - it’s about reaching lost people and making disciples of them!

Let me ask you this… is your local church known as a place that is friendly to people aren’t “Church people”?  Are you choosing to speak a language that people who don’t go to Church speak (I’m not talking about coarse language – I’m talking about being intentional about avoiding “church speak”) Are you bent on creating an environment where, while you encourage and train believers, people who are far from God are introduced to the reality of their sin and the simple (and profound) love of God?  Are you (personally) as passionate for people who are far from God as you are about defending your theological position (or forwarding someone else’s)?  Common Guys – we’ve gotta get with this – Eternity literally hangs in the balance!

Ok… I’ve ranted enough.

Peace, (or discomfort)

Jeremy

• Who planned the calendar?  Easter and then Mother’s Day within the same month?  I think the average American goes to church on Easter and then follows it up with Mother’s Day to keep mom happy and then says “Look… twice in the same month?  I’m churched out” LOL – - who do i need to petition to get Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to trade places?  Speaking of which – - I love the influence of Mothers – - when mom is asked what she wants to do for Mother’s Day, she says “I just want us to all go to church together” – - – when Dad is asked what he wants to do for Father’s Day, he says “let’s all just sleep in” – - Let’s just move Father’s Day to a Saturday! LOL

Now on to more “direct” thoughts about yesterday…

• We have an incredible Children’s ministry team!  I love the fact that I could hear a ton of kids LOVING being at Church – - I don’t know what you remember about church growing up, but I never remember ENJOYING Church like that when I was a kid (of course it’s difficult to actually enjoy anything in that weird short sleeved dress shirt (who actually wears those?) with that clip-on tie!!!)
• I Love our Coffee! Honestly, I don’t usually get a chance to actually drink our coffee on Sunday mornings (usually by the time it’s brewed, I’m buzzin pretty good from the stop at Starbucks before I get to church) – but what I love about our coffee is that Cheryl Johnson comes in every Sunday morning, puts the hospitality table together, prepares everything for communion and smiles at people while they help themselves to coffee… and the best part is that she enjoys serving as WORSHIP – - that’s why I love our coffee!!
• Sheol.  Yesterday during the sermon, I mentioned (briefly) that the word “Sheol” in the passage (Proverbs 7) is the Hebrew word for hell.  I’m convinced that the best English translation for “Sheol” is the Pre-school nursery (at least from my vantage point LOL).  I am so thankful for Regina Sills yesterday – she braved 10 pre-school kids in that room while we had a killer time worshiping – - THANK YOU!!!
• WELCOMING!  I love that our ushers and greeters make people feel welcome every week – it’s stinkin awesome to see people genuinely greeted and cared for!  The minute this church stops being about people, we stop being anything I want to be involved in – - you guys are on the front lines – - thank you!!!
• HOW MARVELOUS!  I don’t know about you, but I LOVED the closing song yesterday – - how appropriate it was to “stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene” – - I love old hyms (I just don’t like them done without life and passion!!)!  Interesting thought this week… what do you think about this?  The difference between a “hymn” and “worship music” today might be this simple – - Hyms talk ABOUT God, worship music today talks TO God.  (I’m not sighting a preference – just a thought about the differences) – - either way – - the band and vocalists BROUGHT IT yesterday – - you guys did a great job leading us to the throne!!!
• I can’t wait for next week!  This “Destinations” series is great stuff – - if you missed week one, check out the video here: http://vimeo.com/23778706 and come out next weekend!!!

JB

I’m looking forward to kicking off the sequel to the ‘HURT SERIES’ this Sunday @ Journey called the ‘HEALED SERIES’ – I know it sounds a bit predictable but I’m telling you, this series will be one for the books – and the practices that will be taught in this series are CRAZY BENEFICIAL to our lives as Christ followers!  I can’t tell you how many emails, phone calls, letters, etc… we received in response to the series we did simply on the subject of ‘hurt’…it was tremendous to say the least.  People from literally all walks of life dealing with hurt.  At the close of the Hurt Series, we illustrated (as shown in the blog below) the purpose of the cross and what provision we receive today in our lives b/c of that indescribable sacrifice that Christ provided – and part of the purpose is found in Isaiah 53 – where in a nutshell it declares that Jesus was ‘hurt’ so we could be ‘healed’ – NOW, that word ‘HEALED’ can be applied to so many facets of life and we really took the focus of this subject not necessarily just in the physical sense, but also in the emotional and spiritual sense…HEALING for ppl walking around with emotional hurt and spiritual injuries in their life as well as physical affliction.

But HOW do you know if you’re HEALED?  What does HEALING feel like? (warm and fuzzy?) Once you’re ‘HEALED’, can you be ‘UN-HEALED’? (in other words, can the HURT come back?)

This Sunday, we’re gonna dive into this subject and find some pretty LIFE-CHANGING things and discover how to LIVE….HEALED.

Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church).

The scriptures declare that God sent his only Son to this earth to offer us eternal life,  and through the sacrifice He provided, we have eternal life available to us (John 3:16).  The scriptures also say according to the prophet Isaiah (53:4-6), that the CROSS is God’s response to our HURT… it’s one of the central reasons God came to earth…He was hurt, so we could be healed…and live in that healing…we just have to take the ‘hand off of the wound’ and let God do His thing in our life.  At the end of the message, we showed a video we produced to illustrate this truth…that as Christ was laying His life down for us…WE were the focus…WE were His target…WE were on His mind (as the old song says).  AND BECAUSE OF THAT – we don’t have to carry HURT alone anymore.

• The warmer weather has allowed Eliana to spend much more time outside and she has loved it!  She wants to be outdoors every chance she gets.  Often her first word in the morning is “outside?”  Such a happy little girl.  Whether she’s flying kites with Daddy, helping Maima in her garden or coloring on the porch in a hula skirt, Eliana has a blast anytime she’s in the sun.

• Leino Studios had a fabulous first week in its new location.  We are so thankful for the new space God provided for Jordan’s business.  Though we are still putting some final decorating touches on the space, Jordan has already enjoyed the benefits of having much more space for all his musical and business needs.  A step forward in every way, we’re excited to see all that is in store for the Studio in this next season.

• Our little girl loves to sing!  Any time music is playing, she’s singing and dancing along.  Maima has been teaching Eliana the words and motions for “Itsy, Bitsy Spider”.  It amazes me to watch her pick up phrases and hand motions so quickly.  I found her trying to get one of her baby dolls to do the motions this past week.  Precious!

• Journey just finished a series on Love.  Boy, has it impacted me!  Over four weeks, our church took an in-depth look into what Scripture says about Love: God’s love, our love for Him, our love for others and our love for ourselves.  I’ve found myself reading through my notes over and again, wanting to listen to the sermons more than once as they have really challenged me to grow and convicted me in areas I certainly need it.  I highly encourage everyone to take the time to listen to the messages.  Since Jesus said that the world will know His disciples by our love, its an area we all could grow in.

• Well the sunshine and an energetic little lady are calling me outside.  Be sure to check back here on Monday as I’ll be sharing the most amazing carrot cupcake recipe I have ever tasted!  Seriously….BEST EVER!  Happy weekend, everyone!

We spent part of our weekend practicing songs, making sure we knew them inside and out for the services.  It’s always an extra treat for me to hear Jordan play keys at home.  Whether he’s learning a song or creating one of his own, his playing melts my heart every time.  (*insert swoon here)  While he was rehearsing the songs for Uprising, Eliana wanted to be part of it.  I walked into our room to find her standing on his chair, dancing away as Jordan played.  She was beaming ear to ear!  Though she can’t actually play keys yet, she still wanted to help her Daddy in her own special way.  Precious!  I have a feeling Eliana will be creating her own music sooner than we think.