A Place to Belong

A Place To  Belong

 In the 1980’s sitcom “Cheers” the theme song opens with those familiar lyrics that invite us to sing,

“Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you got
Taking a break from all your worries
It sure would help a lot
Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
The troubles are all the same
You want to be where everybody knows your name”

At the heart of the attraction of an environment in a place like “Cheers” is the opportunity to feel like you belong.  Every one of us, no matter where we are in life, needs to have a sense of belonging. Something inside of each of us longs to be valued. People desire to feel they are worthy and they are loved. Allow me to ask you a question, “Do you believe you are worthy of love and belonging?” God says you are!

Researcher/Storyteller Brené Brown shares a widely accepted truth: “Connection is why we’re here. what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Robin Williams said, “I used to think the worst thing in life is to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing is to end up with people who make you feel all alone.” We are wired for connection and created to crave belonging.

It’s exciting to feel like you belong, That feeling of arrival—like sitting down to a homemade meal with your closest friends. A Church is a place to belong, a place to grow, a place to enjoy and a place to be loved.

The word “Church” means different things to different  people, for some, it awakens warm feelings of potluck dinners and singing. For others, it might rigger a more sour feeling, a subtle tensing of the shoulders.  People’s reactions to the church are as varied as their individual histories.

But what is God’s intention for the Church? When God initiated the Church, He had in a mind a heartfelt connection of diverse people. He said the “greatest love we could show was to lay down our lives for our friends” John 15:13. There is no greater belonging than the one God intended in the Church. The Church is a community of people committed to doing life together and knowing God. The Church is a place where many people should know your name. Through thick and thin, these are the friends who you do life with struggles and all. Most importantly these are people who genuinely care about you and when others abandon you, they will stay by your side. God desires for each of us to find a place of belonging in His family.

As we build momentum for “ReStart Sunday” 9.17.17, I invite you to pray about people in your life who could benefit from a place to belong. Engage in a conversation with them and invite them to Church. Better yet, invite them into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  There are many opportunities for people to connect through our men’s and women's ministries, bible study, children’s and youth ministries. It just takes an invitation.  Let’s be a community of believers that not only welcomes others but values who they are!

Remember: The Church is not a building. It’s a community of people brought together to experience God’s love and purpose.

Lets us focus on making an invitation to those who need God’s love and sense of belonging,

Pastor Kevin

Come on Church, BE PREPARED!

As an Eagle Scout I learned early on the importance of  the Boy Scout Motto "Be Prepared!" The Scout motto means that you are always ready to do what is necessary to help others. It also means you are ready, willing, and able to do what is necessary in any situation that comes along. 

To enable that to happen, you educate yourself and learn about the situations in which you may find yourself. For instance, when packing your gear for a particular camp outing, you want to make sure you know your surrounding environment and you think ahead by preparing a list of items that you will need and ensuring that you pack them. Being prepared helps you to avoid those possible pitfalls that might happen. It doesn't ensure that you will never encounter something you are totally unprepared for, but it sure does lessen the chances. 

Lately, my heart grows concerned for what seems a lack of preparation by Christians to "Be Prepared." What I mean is this, are we as followers of Christ ready to do what is necessary to help others. Are we prepared to love one another as Christ commanded or even to love our enemies as we read in Luke 6:35, "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back." Are we prepared to love like that? Am I prepared to love like that?

While I am on the subject of "being prepared," It frustrates me when I am around other Christians and someone is asked to share their favorite scripture verse and they respond along the lines, "well now you put me on the spot" or "does John 3:16 count."

Let me address the latter first. Yes, John 3:16 counts. You bet your sweet bippy it does! It's what the good news of Jesus Christ is all about. God Loves You. God died for your sins. Believe in Him and you will be saved. But let me add that if you have been a Christian for say longer than say 6 months, you ought to have a 2nd verse tucked away in that memory bank of yours. After all Psalm 119:11 says to "hide the word in your heart so that you might not sin against God." Come on Christians we can do better than that!

Now, to address the first response I mentioned, that of "being put on the spot." You shouldn't be "put on the spot" if you have prepared yourself. And why should you be prepared you ask? Because God's word specifically tells us in 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 

Here's a revelation for so many of us. We do not need the most glorified testimony in the world's eyes to give a reason for the hope we have. We simply talk about our experience with Christ and the scriptures he has taught us. Yes, I was never on drugs, I never had a miraculous healing, I never encountered Christ on the road to Damascus (Ohio, East of Alliance that is, not Syria.) But you know what, I have experienced him in my life and I have memorized many verses so when given the opportunity I can share one of those verses with someone else. And do you know what the scripture says about that? In Isaiah 55:11 it says "the word of God does not return void. He will accomplish what he desires to achieve the purpose for which He sent it." 

That means when asked to share your favorite verse, Yes John 3:16 is a great verse, but what else has God given you to accomplish his purpose. Challenge yourself to memorize a new verse every so often. At least a couple a year, please.

By the way, when I was in scouting my Scoutmaster would always try to surprise us at the least expected moment as he shouted, "are you prepared?" Us Boy Scouts would respond shouting at the top of our lungs, "we are prepared!" I hope the next time you are given the opportunity to share your favorite verse or your reason for hope, you will have prepared yourself? 

Come on Church, BE PREPARED!

#31for31 A 31 Day Journey through the Proverbs

Have you ever wondered where one can find the answers to many of life’s questions?  Are you pursuing the knowledge and wisdom that God provides in order to manage the difficult problems you face? Or perhaps you find yourself in a state of stagnant growth and not advancing in understanding the complexities of life? Do you realize as a person’s wisdom increases the opportunities to be generous with good sound Biblical advice increase as well? Where does one even begin to acquire this precious knowledge? I imagine we all have questions like these and certainly many more.

I wish to invite you and the whole church on a journey we will take together during the month of May. A journey that will lead us through the Book of Proverbs. Our amazing God inspired a man named Solomon, who was the wisest and richest king to ever have lived, to compose witty sayings full of practical advice for you and I to navigate the many facets of our lives. It covers just about everything we can think of and nothing is off-limits in this fantastic book of the Bible. The content is practical, as relevant today as it was back then, straight forward and deeply spiritual. There just happens to be 31 chapters and 31 days during the month of May. Allow me to encourage you to read one chapter of Proverbs each day corresponding to the day of the month.

I recall the scripture verses from Colossians 1:9-10 where the apostle Paul encourages the growth of the church in Colossae. It reads, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Proverbs provides us with the wisdom to live a life worth of the Lord and to please him in every way. I believe it will benefit the church greatly.

If you have questions about money and you are looking for the financial secret from God for his people, you will find it. Are you having struggles with parenting and providing the right kind of instruction for your children, Proverbs has sound advice. Are there questions about how you can fulfill the role as a husband/father, wife/mother, child, Proverbs addresses it. It truly is amazing how much we can gain from reading and applying the principles of this one book. But often we miss out because we are simply not reading it. Let’s become all that God has intended for us to be as we embark on this journey.  Just think about the changes that will be brought about in our lives, our families, our vocations, our church and it’s ministry if we grab a hold of and apply this Godly wisdom. I’m looking forward to this month, this journey, as God teaches us. I hope you will take of the challenge to join us?

Growing in Full Devotion in Knowledge and Wisdom,

Pastor Kevin

MY GOD DOES NOT WAVER!

This past Sunday our church celebrated the installation of me as their new Senior Pastor. It was a tremendous day filled with so many encouraging words, cards, gifts and let's not forget the food, WOW! Most of my family was with me to participate in the day and I simply could not have asked for more. As many have  already heard me say, "It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!"

I enjoyed a day off on Monday and returned Tuesday morning bright and early to begin a new day of ministry. At 8:22 my plans for the day changed in an instant. I received a call from a church member informing me that her daughter and children had been in a car accident and someone was "critical."

The eight year old boy in the accident was no stranger to me. He had lived in our home in 2005 for a little less than 4 months. My wife had convinced me that God was calling us to care for him and love him as our own providing a necessary home for him at a time when his mom needed us. Little Mark was just precious and although it took more than a few weeks for him to adjust to our lives we soon began to see him smile and enjoy living with us. My own kids enjoyed him tremendously and so did Michi and I. One of my favorite memories is Mark filling his cheeks with air and then I would pop them as he blew the air into my face. He would giggle and laugh each time we did it. It was our little game. We enjoyed some special times together including Easter that year.

As I rushed to the hospital Tuesday morning, I said to myself, "I can't handle this if it's Mark who is critical." Somehow I just knew Mark was in serious trouble and as I entered the Emergency room doors my suspicions were confirmed as I was told he did not make it. My body literally stopped moving as my lungs deflated and my heart broke for the family. I collected my thoughts and readied myself to minister to the family. After all, I was their pastor and they needed me and I knew God would be with me to guide me.

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 11:00 we will celebrate Mark's life in a memorial service at our church. Our congregation has been very encouraging to the family and to me. There have been many people praying and I know they will continue to pray. There has been genuine concern for me and how difficult this will be on me. Some have said, "How will he ever get through this?" How do you go from the top of the mountain on Sunday to the depths of the valley on Saturday?

Well, please allow me to take a moment to share with you that My God Does Not Waver! Psalm 57:7 says, "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music."  Like the Psalmist, I confide in God and my heart although broken remains firmly trusting in Him. You see my faith is not swayed by the events that have occured. Whether in the joys or in the the sorrows of life I will not doubt the goodness, mercy and grace of my God."  My heart is prepared, and I am ready to praise him always.

Is it more difficult today then Sunday? Yes. Is it more challenging? Yes. Will it be easy tomorrow? Absolutely not! But God is my refuge and He does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I know that sounds cliche but to me it is the absolute truth. My heart is steadfast on the salvation of Jesus Christ, grounded in His love regardless of what happens in this life. It always wil be, it has to be because that is my hope! There is promise that I will one day see Mark again in heaven because God loves his children. For those who have placed their hope in Him and trusted in His Salvation for the forgiveness of their sins their will be a happy reunion. 

From Matthew Henry's commentary and I quote, "Let us seek to have our hearts fixed to praise his boundless mercy and unfailing faithfulness; and to glorify him with body, soul, and spirit, which are his. Let us earnestly pray that the blessings of the gospel may be sent through every land."

MY GOD DOES NOT WAVER!

Back on Board, and realizing I don't know much?

Wow, Did I actually begin this blog over three years ago? For a long time I have wondered what the "real" value to blogging was. I am still not sure of this whole realm, but one thing I discovered during the last two days of a youth ministry forum I attended was this... If I am not blogging, I must be behind the times and showing my age.
Seriously, when does everyone find the time to keep up with so much of the technology world of ministry. Most days I cannot seem to get through the piles of stuff sitting on my desk. Now don't get me wrong, I don't have to get through those piles for the most part. I would rather spend my time building a relationship with someone and getting to share life together with them. In fact that is why I covet my relationship with my Wife. We LOVE to do Life Together!
Anyways, back to the age thing. It seems as if I have reached a point in my life where I am beginning to discover the real diversity that exist in people. Maybe for the past 35 years or so I have been so secluded in my own little bubble of a world that I have missed something. Once again don't get me wrong because as a youth minister I have been to numerous places, participated with many different people groups, etc... So when I say my bubble It's not like I am a hermit or something? But than again maybe I am a "Christian Hermit?" Whatever that means because I am still trying to unpack this thing. I guess the older I get the less I know, or the more appropriately the older I get the more I realize I have so much more to learn about people, ministry, life, parenting, pastoring, etc...
A Youth Pastor friend of mine posed a question to me a couple of weeks ago, it was something like this, "Do you know that you are bound for greatness?" Not sounding arrogant, I know I am bound for greatness, but I am not sure I want to be great? Maybe for the first time in a long time I need to look inward and ask some hard questions about life and ministry. Maybe I have been on cruise control a little too much?
A distant relative of mine died Monday at 59 years of age, Way too young. But for me the dilema? Could I have only 20 years or less left in life? 20 years to discover what God has in store for me? I want to remain faithful, I want to make a difference for the Kingdom, I want teenagers to fall in love with the Savior. Lord help me to do all of this and much more.