Hey...you can now respond!

If you have wanted to respond to my ramblings on this blog site but haven't been able to in the past it is now set up so that anyone who wants to can. I hope that this can add a whole new level of community to this experience. Some of you have been letting me know that you have been reading this and how it has been helpful to you. I am looking even more forward to knowing how each article affects people differently. I look forward to your responses as we can now dig a little bit deeper into life together. I pray today that no matter who you are or what you are going through that God touches your heart and reveals Himself to you more and more as you walk through life. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

The Absolute Truth (trash?)

Have you heard of this new game show where people are hooked up to a lie detector and are forced to tell the truth about extremely personal issues in front of their family and friends? The prize is of course larger sums of money. I have to tell you that I am a fan of reality TV and like most of these types of shows. However after seeing the previews I can honestly say that this will be a show I will never ever watch. Is there anything more wrong with destroying a marriage and other important relationships for several thousand dollars?

When you see the look on the families faces after people divulge this information one is easily reminded how powerful our words really are. How in one minute we can lift someones soul to the highest peak and in the another minute our words can destroy a life and set someone ablaze with hurt. We all know it is easier to find fault with someone that it is a positive quality. It is always easier to criticize than it is to encourage. It is more popular to put down than to give positive affirmation. In the case of this show it is more profitable to verbally destroy ones relationship than it is to build bridges for a better future. My favorite line from the advertisement says that this show, "could be the greatest game show ever or the end of modern civilization as we know it." I would believe it to be the later rather than the former. It is amazing the further we get in life the more barbaric society becomes.

My prayer for us all is that we would figure out ways to find positive things to say about people... that we would be accused of being an encourager of people. What if people remembered us by the positive things we say as they look back on life and remember when we lifted them up with our words, our life, or just our willingness to come alongside of them? That would change the world. I invite you to become and encourager. I am working on it daily. It is work. Positive words are not our natural tendency and are the unpopular route to take. Just look to the game show and we will all be reminded of this fact. Keep on encouraging. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

The O.C. and Old Friends

Wow this has been cool! Recently because of this blog and our website I have received emails from a couple of old friends from college and also from my two summers in Ocean City N.J. in 1994 & 1995. Man that brings back a lot of memories. I spent 3 months living in the same house with 90 other college students! Our focus was on personal discipleship, evangelism, and leadership development. God moved in my life in ways that I cannot describe in just a few moments or even on paper. We built friendships and relationships and connected in a deep way that will last beyond any length of time. We saw God conquer giants in our life and felt His pursuit in our hearts. I will NEVER forget those two summers. So much of who I am today, what I believe, and my passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ was kindled afresh in those two summers. I learned how to share my faith in Jesus Christ with courage. I learned how to lead a Bible study with conviction. I also learned that I have a lot of growing up to do. My prayer today is that I have honored those summers, my friends, the leaders, and God; with who I have become today.

It is so good to be able to look back in life and remember the work that God has done in our life. God uses our past to remind us of who He wants to mold us to become in the future. Sometimes I forget that work He has done. Sometimes it is easy to forget His faithfulness. Often times it is easy to become dulled or numbed to His ever working presence over time. It fills my spirit to just think about those days and it gives me a renewed sense of strength to know that all 180 friends I made those summers still today would have my back and pray for me. In Hebrews it tells us we have a cloud of witnesses that cheer us on to the finish line of life. So often the journey wears us down, we become disillusioned, or just forget the capabilities of God's incredible touch. Today I am reminded of His ever loving presence and His passionate commitment to my life. Lord may my commitment to you someday be as strong and pure as your commitment to me!

How about you? Where have you seen God work in your past? How can looking back on that moment, good or bad, spur us on today into our future. What reminders does He have for you that can renew your spiritual endurance and cause you to once again be filled with his passionate love. My prayer for you today is that in some way God brings out voices from the past that will encourage you to keep up the fight, to keep running the race, to finish the course of life God has laid before you. There are so many people we have forgotten about that would still have our back today and are cheering for us. I pray somehow, in someway you feel that touch as I have felt in these last few days. To my O. C. friends...I love you guys and my prayers are with you. You will always hold a dear place in my heart and will continue to do work on my soul. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

Kids say the funniest things

I shared in my sermon on Sunday that my two youngest are getting to the point where they are saying some really funny things. It is kind of scary because they are repeating many of the things I say or Erin says. The other day I asked Isabel if she was done eating her sandwich. Isabel without even batting and eye looked and me and said, "not quite yet Dad." That made me laugh because I don't even speak with such articulation. I would have simply said, "nope." It just amazes me how smart they are becoming.

What I really have to be careful of is when I get angry or slip and say something I shouldn't. Usually that's when Isabel picks up on it and then later repeats it in front of mommy. Then I get in big trouble. She's getting big on the yelling thing too...maybe because there is a lot of it going on at our house at any given moment. The other day I caught E-Beth finishing her milk from her cereal bowl by drinking out of it. That's when I realized she is doing exactly what I do. Today for lunch I had a leftover cheeseburger...only I had to put it on a hotdog bun. Well Isabel had to have hers put together exactly like mine was. It makes me a little fearful to think that every move I make could be mimicked at any moment by my kids. Makes me really think twice about what I do and say around the house.

Isn't funny how much we lead by our example. It starts out when we are kids but even as adults we constantly look to others to see what they are doing in order to figure out what we should be doing. We have the chance, if Christ lives in us, to provide an example of steps people can take to grow closer to God. This can happen just by the way we live our life or how we spend our time. The next time we do something lets think about all the eyes or ears that might be watching, including God's and let that guide us in what we do. Keep dreaming! Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

Passing it around

I have to tell you one of the craziest times in our families life is when the kids get sick. Worse then that it is when mom gets sick too. When one of our kids gets something it is a certainty that the others are going to get it too. They just pass it from one to the other and pretty soon it makes its way through the entire family. This week Isabel and Elizabeth have been really sick and Erin has a sinus infection. She hasn't felt this bad in some time. Its hard when one parent is down sick. I know many of you can understand this in your own families. The stress level gets high pressures come at you from other things like work because you have to take time away. Its hard.

It just amazes me how contagious we are when it comes to colds, flu, or other things. We easily catch something someone else has. The Bible tells us our faith can be like that as well. That we can pass the love of God in our hearts to all those around us. Similarly to a cold it is contagious and people can easily catch it from you. However in this case it is a positive thing that actually blesses peoples lives. How can we expose more people to the message we carry in our life...so they too can experience the healing power of God. Lets live contagious lives and pass whatever we have in our hearts around to others. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

Celebrate Recovery

Every single one of us carries a hurt, habit, or hang up. Something that we just can't let go of, or kick away from our life. We find our lives at times defined by these things with feelings that they have just taken over and we no longer have the ability to deal with them on our own. The good news of Jesus Christ is that He came to this earth and died on the cross so that we don't have to live a life dominated by these hurts. In the month of February we are going to be officially kicking off a brand new ministry at Old Fort Church called Celebrate Recovery. This ministry will be designed to be a community of people working together to work through our hurts, habits, and hang ups. The primary time for this ministry will be on Sunday evenings as small group of people have already been meeting together. We are currently partnering with Salem UMC in Bettsville and Bascom UMC as well. People from all over are coming to recovery and experience healing in soulful and practical ways.

Part of our vision at OFC is to become a regional center of ministry that reaches out to our surrounding communities and towns with the hope and love of Jesus Christ. We want to become a center of hope and healing for the least , the last, and the lost. Celebrate Recovery is a ministry that will do just that. We will be drawing in all kinds of people from all kinds of places who have all different kinds of issues. Truthfully they won't be all that different from you and me. They are seeking a connection to God and to others to walk through life together just like us. We have been praying for "those yet to come" and with this ministry we will see a lot of new faces.

This ministry is not just for others however. We ALL have struggles, so we are going to embark on a 7 week sermon series spelling out the world RECOVER beginning the first Sunday of February. On February 10th we will officially launch the Sunday evening ministry and pray that God will use it to change lives and bring healing and recovery to so many people. Please be praying for this ministry, our sermon series, our leaders, and for those yet to come. I believe that this is going to be a ministry that defines our success for many years to come at Old Fort church and is a ministry that will truly help us fulfill a huge part of our vision. Strap on your seat belts because God is going to do a big thing. Who do you know that you can invite to our worship services...to this ministry? Let's make sure we are Investing & Inviting this next month. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

Working as a team

I have to tell you that I may be one of the most blessed guys on this earth being married to Erin. We have been married for over 11 years and I am constantly reminded of the great partnership God has given us. I had some health issues last week that Erin and I new about so we talked about her giving the Sunday morning message yesterday. My job was to watch the kids and care for them during our 3 services and she would do my usual job of preaching. Wow! I was reminded of what a powerful spirit God has given Erin and how gifted she is as an instrument to motivate people for Jesus Christ. So many people have complimented her on how impactful her message was and so many people were in tears and they were blessed by her personal touch. God is so good I also discovered that on a normal Sunday I have the easier job as the pastor than she does as the parent. I felt like I was running all over the place chasing after the kids...especially E-Beth.

It was funny to me that she was as appreciative of me letting her speak as I was for her to do it. I just love our relationship because yesterday epitomizes us. What keeps the fires of marriage burning is a constant and steady process of working as a team in every area of our life. We try and share all of the responsibilities that we have together, making sure that each one of us is there for the other when needed. I have to admit that I am not always feeling like the team player when asked to do things. That's not Erin's fault that is mine. I just have to get over my selfishness sometimes.

The partnership things is quit simple. We realize that we can accomplish so much more, that life is so much better, so much more fulfillment together then it would be if we lived apart. Because of that we are willing to make sacrifices of our wants needs and desires as individuals in order to make the partnership work . I like to refer to this as the 80% rule. In any successful partnership the individuals need to be willing to get approximately 80% of what they want. No partnership works if the individuals in it expect to get 100% of what they want. A mutual sacrifice is needed to make life better together. This is how it has works for us. How about you? How are things going in your key relationships. Are you working as a team, sharing the responsibilities? Are you each sacrificing your own personal wants and desires for the good of the relationship? We all need work in our marriages and other relationships. If you are struggling you are not alone. Erin and I have certainly had our share of struggles. But our teamwork, partnership, and commitment to one another in Jesus Christ always brings us out on the other side of it better. I pray God works on your heart as He continues to work on mine. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

Keeping our focus on the promised land

One of my favorite leadership stories in scripture is in Exodus when God through Moses leads the Israelites out of captivity from the ruthless clutches of Pharaoh and begin a journey towards the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Now we know their journey wasn't easy and it was fraught with difficulty, frustration, the unknown, & unfamiliar challenges. It was a big change from what they had been used to back in Egypt. At least back in Egypt it was familiar to them; the lack of food, slavery, beatings, and mistreatment. Even though it was a horrible life many of the Israelites began complaining to Moses and his leadership that they would rather go back than take another step into an unknown and uncertain future. In other words the only reason they wanted to go back was because it was familiar, they had been there before. No matter how bad it was and how good the promised land might be... the fear of the unknown, the uncomfortable feelings of change & struggle made them feel they wanted to go back.

The most difficult time as a leader is when you are leading people to an unfamiliar future. A future you know God has promised and a future that will leave people better off than the past we have lived in. Here's the problem...as soon as things start changing, don't feel familiar any more, or start to become a struggle the immediate feeling of the group is to go back to the way things used to be. Because, at least we knew where we stood, at least we felt connected, at least we knew exactly what to expect, at least it was familiar.

Church leaders are challenged by God to lead congregations into the new things that God is calling them. This means always leading people into a place that is different and unfamiliar. It means new worship styles, trying additional services, playing different updated new songs, it means trying new ministries, leading differently, & reorganizing leadership structures. However, during this process when struggles come people's natural reactions are to go back to the way things used to be because it was good back then...even though it could be better in a new future. The familiar takes over and we want to go back. Go back to the familiar songs, go back to the way Sunday School used to be, go back to the way we used to do worship services. Going back means that any chance to embrace a new future dies. Once you go back it becomes all the harder to ever get people to take a step of faith again into the future.

At OFC it is no different. God has done so many good things in our past through so many good people. This doesn't mean however that we are left to believe then that our best is found in our past? Is our future only about preserving the good feelings of the past? Or can we believe that God has a promised land in our future that in every way looks very different then what our church looked like yesterday. This means we have to move forward in faith, grace, and patience with God & our leaders. We have to shift from our personal wants, needs, and desires and look towards the needs of others. This means when we start feeling frustrated and disappointed by the new thing and find ourselves desiring the past we have to focus on the good thing God wants to do in all of us and trust that He will meet our needs and lead us to the promised land. This means embracing new songs, new styles of worship, new ways of handling prayer time on Sunday, and so many other things. Just because we have done it that way before doesn't mean thats the way we should keep doing it. Anytime you start something new it won't go smoothly, it won't go exactly according to plan, it won't always produce the results you hoped for right away. Then again it didn't for the Israelites either. They went through death, famine, dissension but in the end God brought them to a better place he brought them to a promised land. In times of frustration they just had to keep their eyes fixed forward.

OFC's best is not in its past it is in it's future. This means embracing change, the unfamiliar, and trusting that God will lead us to our promised land through the leaders He has brought us. Lets all ask ourselves where we are in this. Are we focused on what we like or don't like? Are we often wishing we could bring back the past because that was where we were most comfortable? Do we find ourselves frustrated with the new thing that is being tried? Let's figure out how to have healthy dialog about our frustrations. Let's find ways to seek out the leaders that oversee the areas we have concern with. Let's brake the old habits of going to others and commiserating, and seeking partnership in our frustrations. Let's not triangulate with others so that we can say we aren't the only ones feeling this way. Do you believe there is a promised land out there for us? I do. I am going to help our leadership do everything in our ability through God to lead us to it. Even if that means people being frustrated along the way. Lets all keep our eyes on the promised land. The Israelites eventually did and look where they wound up. There is no telling of what our potential is at OFC. But I will promise you this. I aim to help us discover it. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

Ouch...that was painful!!!

Let me see...most people would think you don't want to put a pass rush on when your opponent is punting on 4th down and 23 and you desperately need the ball back. Oh yeah and you would think that after the first four 15 yard personal foul penalties the players would figure out that it's not a good idea. Also, how many times are we going to throw to outside receivers that are covered more than I was laying in bed with strep throat. How about running the ball more...your running back only had almost 200 yrds rushing and was avg more than 7 yards a carry? How about throwing to a tight end up the middle or anywhere for that matter? One more thing...whatever happened to tackling? It might be a good idea to get someone down especially when you have three different cracks at him. But alas Buckeye nation was forced to relive the Florida Gators spanking of us one more time only the other team this year wore gold and had home field advantage, same conference, same bowl game, same outcome...a royal whipping in every way imaginable. Where every ball seemingly bounced the other way, where yellow flags flew more freely than a morning dove, where bone head plays littered the field like my plate after a KFC meal, and where dominance happened on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Here is my solution for Buckeye fans and Jim Tressel. Let's please lose a game or even two next year so they won't force us to go to another BCS championship game. I would gladly, happily, savoringly take a new years day bowl game...how about the rose bowl, Citrus bowl or even the outback bowl. That would be nice. If we get selected next year for the BCS championship game (which I think we will never again be chosen anyway) we should decline it and go somewhere else. It feels like groundhogs day and I can't keep reliving it. We are quickly becoming the Buffalo Bills of the NCAA...you know the team that made it to the Super Bowl 4 straight years only to get spanked every time. Here's to another year of hearing about the SEC and the lack of speed in the Big Ten. Another year of being reminded of another spanking every time we play a football game. Oh well...at least Buckeye faithful can rely on the Band to show up and always give an awesome performance. Lord give me strength! Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

How I Unwind

The running joke is that pastors only work one day a week...that is always my favorite. Then my response to that is if anyone wants to try my job then go for it. In all seriousness things get kind of heck-tick when you are pretty much on call 7 days a week. (Some of you can relate to this in other jobs you might have.) I have had to be very persistent over the years in making sure I have the right amount of down time that can take my mind off of work or anything else crazy in my life. I am also not talking about family time either. This is time where I can recharge my tanks.

For me it means sitting on the lawn mower and cutting the grass, or playing a video game. It's funny but in both of those instances the ability to be able to clearly finish something is a great relaxer for me. At church nothing is ever really finished. After I preach on Sunday it is right back to the drawing board on Monday to start on next weeks sermon. Building into and developing people really has no end either. For me being able to see something done is great. So row by row shortening the grass is fun (most of the time). Conquering an enemy stronghold, or rescuing hostages in a video game is a blast. Usually after those moments I am ready to get back into the real world of never ending people development.

My other favorite thing to do is coach my kids sports teams. I love to develop people and in this instance it is nice because there is no pressure or expectation. There is only a group of kids who want to have fun and learn a little about the game. It is nice to work with them and make a deposit in their life. It is so satisfying to see how they develop in the short time we are together. I get great satisfaction knowing that someday they will remember their time in Little League & maybe something their coach did for them. Who knows?

Home improvement projects are another huge down time moment for me. I love to tinker and create things with my hands. It is also fun to know that your work is an investment on something you own. This has been something I've missed in the last few years as we don't own our own home...not complaining...just miss home ownership. My dream right now is to invest in a peace of property in the Port Clinton area to fix up and resell or to make a vacation home out of it. Heres to dreaming!! After all, I am the "Dreaming Pastor" Hah, Hah, Hah!

So what are your hobbies, interests that take you away from the daily grind. We all have them, we just need to make sure take advantage of them. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor

What a year...welcome 2008!

Well what a year 2007 was. I have to tell you I have not enjoyed the last few days of 2007 and the first day of 2008 because of strep throat... & I have to say the shot I got in the butt on Sunday because of it, wasn't one of my more memorable moments in 2007. But there are some things that I have seen God do in this past year. I have had the pleasure of watching God change people's lives...seen people make healthier choices and changes, witnessed relationships grow, & have watched God work on people's hearts in big ways. Probably one of the biggest highlights was my time at Lakeside, OH this summer as I finally got the Ordination thing out of the way. That is one of the moments I will never forget and on the days I actually wear a robe and stole none of us will either. I have to say the support I have received from Old Fort Church has been another highlight this year. My sense is people are for me and my family...people go out of their way to make sure we are cared for and loved. I also sense that people have been focusing on the positives of my leadership and allowing me in grace to grow in my weaknesses. I feel God has grown me so much this year as I have constantly had to adjust my leadership style. It just reminds me that all of us need to grow and change as the years go by. God has done so many other good things like my families vacation to Gatlinburg, TN, our Facing the Giants & Money Matters sermon series, watching my kids grow a year older, coaching my kids teams, another year of great marriage with Erin...just to name a few things.

What have been your highlights? What are you thankful for? How has God done a work in you in 2007? Maybe the bigger question is how will you posture yourself to allow God to do a new work in your life in 2008. As I mentioned earlier we all need to change as we grow closer to God and to one another. Instead of making new years resolutions that never stick...how about asking God for forgiveness in your life and to commit to the new thing He wants to do in you. We never get the years back that quickly move by us. How will 2008 be a significant year for you. Better yet how will God leave His mark through you as you have just one 2008 to make a lasting impact on others. Don't let it go by without making a difference & let's have even a better year in 2008 than we did in 2007. Blessings, Your Dreaming Pastor