Thank You

I get some emails that fire me up. I have gotten a few this week that were very encouraging.

Here is one of my top favorites:

“I really appreciated how you spoke so frankly, honestly and directly to teenagers… I wish I had had that kind of advise when I was a teenager. I think it would have changed the course of my life”.

“Our lives have been so blessed since we’ve started coming to Sanctuary. The worship is real, the messages are God-inspired, relevant, and Biblically truthful and the people beyond wonderful. I have not felt so at home in a church in a long time… there is no other church I would rather call home”.

Yea! God is so good. Keep at it church! People are being blessed and encouraged and strengthened in the Lord. I love this place.

10 Message Prep Thoughts

Message preparation is a never ending task. For me it is a lifestyle. I do not look at it just as work, but as central to my life. Here are some of the principles that guide my in my preparation.

#1 HAVE A GENERAL PLAN IN PLACE

At Sanctuary we take an expository approach to the scriptures where we unpack the bible verse by verse. We look to do both new and old testaments. We also balance this with some series on topics vital to the health of a church. Jesus took a topical approach to preaching.

We just finished a series on, “What Are You Watching?” to highlight what our culture is observing and then see what God has to say. We did this to follow up on our Easter services so the non-churched person at zero point spiritually could grab onto the series titles.

It is much easier for me to prepare to speak from books of the bible than it is to do series, because the topic is chosen for me and I simply have to explain the verses or chapter. When doing a series, you are faced with narrowing the choices down and that can be tough sometimes.

#2 GAIN INFORMATION AND INSPIRATION

The message is not simply to DISPENSE a boatload of bible facts and call it a day. I am not just giving a bible lecture.

I tend to keep working at the message until it moves me somehow. I have tossed messages that I put a fair amount of work into if in the end they do not move me. I need my heart to be touched. I need to be inspired. I need to feel like the content is helpful and worthy of people’s time.

When I am preparing the message, I am looking to explain the passage in a way that is engaging and creative if I can some up with something creative! This does not always happen! I try to gain as much information about a passage or subject as possible. I will take hand written notes on blank white pieces of paper. I also will prepare a word document.

#3 DETAILS OF THE MESSAGE

I try to work through all of my ideas in detail and think through the wording and how to best communicate an idea. Sometimes I get stuck… for days! Sometimes I panic on Saturday night!!! Most messages are 20 pages or more in length. I think in terms of laboring to get it in so I am not laboring to get it out.
I want to have clarity of thought so I do not confuse people when speaking a message.

I traffic in words and word pictures and see myself as a wordsmith. I also love stories and common and colorful examples that communicate well.

#4 IS GOD IN THE MESSAGE?

As I prepare the message, I stay mindful of the still small voice of the Holy Spirit and His leading. I want to be spirit led. I seek to prepare with diligence, but remain wholly dependent on the Holy Spirit.

#5 EDIT - EDIT - EDIT!

After the message is prepared, I read and pray through it. I slash out stuff that does not fit the whole, does not communicate well, and sometimes its just a subjective feeling that somethings needs to be cut. I do my final tweaking about an hour before the service.

#6 PRAY - PRAY - PRAY!

I pray through the message and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to me and guide me. Ideally the message is soaked in prayer if I am not too rushed in preparation.

#7 ASK FOR HELP!

In between the first and second sevices, whoever is speaking gets some feedback about the message. For example, last Sunday Ridge told me to not apoligize about the length of the message and make the point about singles and morality more clear. I then tweaked the message for the second service.

#8 BE OPEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Once the message is being given, I seek to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and edit and add points and stories and scriptures on the spot. I will mix it up for the two services. I want to speak what He wants spoken, not what Rod thinks is cool or funny. I look to speak in the fear of God, and not the frown of men. The goal is not to be popular.

There are often times when I feel prompted to elaborate points far beyond my text and edit other points. Sometimes I sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit bringing something to my mind.

#9 SHARE YOUR FAILURES I seek to be real and open and share my failures. We are called to die to ourselves, to die to our pride and projecting an image. Preachers can hide behind their exposition and Spurgeon quotes and internet preacher stories. I think that people relate to failures more than they do to success. People have tasted of failure and need to know that the speaker also faces the same struggles and offers hope.

Its hard to fake transparency and usually people are street smart enough to sniff out fakers. Be genuine.

#10 KEEP IT SIMPLE BABY

I do not care about being sophisicated, I care abut being understood. The common man could understand the Son of God, and should be able to understand me. I try to come up with message titles and outlines that make sense. I try to have content that is memorable and potentially life transforming. I like to give people some thing TO DO WITH THE MESSAGE! Something about being “doers of the word, and not hearers only”. (James 2)

Tuesday Night Family Night

On Tuesday nights I usually buzz out to fantastic Fontana as my middle son Garrett has club soccer practice. Last week while he was at practice, I dashed off for a hospital visitation, and then dashed back to the field to get my son. I hope to do this again next week.

Garrett is SICK so I got the night off! YEA! It was nice to have Tuesday evening to spend with the family. I recognize that this is a small window and will be gone soon. I do not want to miss ANYTHING in seeing my three sons grow up.

My 9 year old son Jordan asked me yesterday morning, “Dad, are you going to watch the 7HB’s perform in Chapel May 26′th?” I wondered what the group 7HB’s was all about and inquired to Jordan. He told me that the name stands for: “The seven Harmonica Bros”. Jordan is pretty fired up to perform on his harmonica. He has never seen an audience he did not like… so I am going to be there to see the 7HB’s. Tickets are available at Ticket Master and other ticket outlets no doubt.

We are people of an EMPTY TOMB! Resident Aliens. Not of this world.

May the church be the light and force that it was meant to be in the world. Our God has limitless power. There is no end to His resources. He is more than able! Trust Him!

Great Monday Night News

I got this email today from Pastor Chris of Merthyr-Thdfil, (try to pronounce that!) Wales.
He saw our website today and emailed the following comment:

“We have scoured your web-site, and it is astonishing what has been achieved in such a short time since you began”.

It is astonishing what God has done in such a short time at Sanctuary. I am amazed by His enduring goodness and still amazing grace.

Here is an email I read today from the guest worship team this past Sunday:

“We were overwhelmed with such a gracious group of people in your congregration... We were very impressed with the amount of volunteers you had helping… All the presentation of the church experience was top notch”.

This is why I always say that our volunteers are the best of the best. You bless me.

Here is a response to the Sunday morning message: “We have been working through exactly what you talked about this Sunday, and that is what happens when you are always working, but rarely, “moving the ball up the field”.

Always good to hear that the message is making sense to someone.

I visited with a man this morning who was wondering if I was the pastor of Sanctuary. He told me that his daughter and son-in-law “loved it”. I am encouraged to hear stories like this all the time.

A man came up to me this afternoon at my son’s (Forrest) soccer game. He could not wait to tell me that, “I hear that the church is going great! It is blessed”.

What am Amazing God we serve who is doing a mighty work among us.

Sunday Night Recap

Today we finished our current series and I spoke about three things: “Surviving your schedule, surviving your work, and moral survival. It felt a tad tense when I talked about the moral and sexual stuff. People were locked into the message.

This past week I had this sense that I HAD to speak some of the contents of the message today. I felt a weight of responsibility and compelled to share some of the truths. I hope the message made sense.

The Jeff Mercer worship band was great to have as our guest worship band. We love to mix it up. It was very cool to see a number of people respond to the invitation to receive Christ at both services. I am amazed at how people respond to the gospel.

I BIG thank you to the ever expanding dream team that sets up for the Sunday morning services. We are blessed with a small army of supercool people who make Sanctuary happen every week. I thank God for you.

Mother’s Day - Is going to be incredible! It will be a day never to forget. Invite your mom or a friend.

May 18′th We have a guest worship team called “Shaka” and in June we will be having “Two or More”.

I love this church! May we portray Jesus to our neighbors, our community and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

G’nite!

How to Mess up a Marriage

I know that this post may sound 1950’s old fashioned, but here are some thoughts about ways to NOT safeguard your marriage…

HOW TO MUCK UP A MARRIAGE…

(1) Schedule regular lunches with the opposite sex… alone. Better to do the group dynamic. Its just not wise to go solo, besides it looks suspecious. I had a married woman who was a professional contact me numerous times to meet for lunch. I told my secretary to tell her, “You have to bring your husband or he is not going to meet with you”. She invited her CPA husband who was polite and sat quietly while we all had lunch.

(2) Visit On line chat rooms - A great way to muck up a marriage. People are more vulnerable for some reason and begin to go down a road they may soon regret. How many people start building a relationship and… end up chasing some dude or dudette to Texas? I had this happen once where a gal helping with the church fired up a chat room relationship. She ended up getting divorsed, moving out of state and getting married.

(3) Take frequent drives alone in the same car with the opposite sex. Yea, you are going to waste gas! Yea, it may feel ackward to climb into separate cars and then drive to the same destination only minutes away.

(4) Offer your free counseling services for one-on-one marriage counseling with the opposite sex. I am happy to talk to the men about their marriages, but I like to make the hand off for a woman to talk to a counselor or another woman.

(5) GO TO CLUBS WITH FRIENDS - People go to clubs not because its “two-for-one” night. Clubs are not just about entertainment either, they are a PATHWAY that leads to something else.

Being married and doing the club scene is flirting with the beginning of the end. Clubs are not just one-stop entertainment. Entering a club is setting your foot on a well traveled PATH that may lead somewhere else.

And the END of that path has pain, regret, and remorse written all over the top of it. Enter at your own risk, but it would be wise to do otherwise.

Sanctuary = Community

I cannot even begin to describe how passionate I feel about Sanctuary being a genuine community that is relationally authentic, engaging, fun, and biblical.

I wonder if we could just pause for a moment and drink in what the bible has to say about us being a community.  Consider that scripture says…

“Love one another”

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”

“Give preference to one another”

“Be of the same mind toward one another”

“Pursue the building up of one another”

“Accept one another”

“Warn and admonish one another”

“Greet one another”

“Care for one another”

“Serve one another”

“Bare one another’s burdens”

“Be kind to one another”

“Forgive each other”

“Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”

“Submit to one another”

“Regard one another as more important than yourself”

“Don’t lie to one another”

“Teach one another”

“Comfort one another”

“Encourage one another”

“Be at peace with one another”

“Don’t speak evil against one another”

“Pray for one another”

“Be hospitable to one another”

“Clothe yourself with humility toward one another”

And the list goes on and on… but you get the picture.  Would anyone disagree that God has much to say about “one another” and us being a real Christ centered community?

We can keep building community by sharing life together, being a part of one another’s lives, sharing what someone else is experiencing, caring for one another, building up one another, reaching out to one another, and loving one another.   Everyone is valued.  Everyone is invited.  All aboard!

Kiss Dating Good-by

I am not an experct, but here are some of my thoughts on dating or pursuing a relationship that could lead to marrige…

(1) BE A TRUTH TELLER - Don’t try to be cool. Tell the whole truth. Do not tell them what you think they want to hear. Be yourself. Be real. They will appreciate it. No games. No Jr. High type communication where you ask her best friend what she thinks about you.  Be secure in who God has made you. 

Once a single woman approached me after church (before I was married) and cornered me. She asked me why I did not warm up to her.  Without hesitation I asked her a question, “What to you think?”  She said, “Because I like you?”  I told her “yes”.  End of conversation.  End of her bugging me. 

(2) HONOR THE PARENTS - Build relationship with them. Ask them out
to dinner with your date. Have fun. Listen carefully. Guys, go after the Mom’s heart. Show genuine and absolute interest in her… be like a favored son… not just another dude in hot pursuit of their daughter.  You are being evaluated as a candidate to marry her / his treasure!    

I made it my point to treat Kirstin’s mother with the same respect as if she was my mother.  I am talking about showing the utmost respect.  This is the biblical thing to do.  I once told Kirstin’s mom, “I will never violate your trust in allowing me to date Kirstin”.    She is her parents treasure and not yours until the day you are married, so be ever mindful of this reality.

(3) SERVE GOD TOGETHER - Make it this your first priority.  Find something you can do together to serve God.  How is the trajectory of your relationship?  Have a godward focus. Pray!  Establish your LIFE in church.  Do not just be a casual attender.  Establish an IDENITY in your church.  Instead of only writing love letters to one another, Kirstin and I also wrote letters about how excited we were about serving God together in the moment and in the future.  What you do before marriage is what you will do after marriage. 

(4) BEST TO STAY SINGLE - rather than in a dead-end-going-no-where relationship. Get out of the relationship if you have CLARITY and it is going no where! Think trajectory.  When you stay TANGLED UP in a dead end relationship, you are delaying the relationship God has for you.  And you are DISOBEDIENT!  Its much wiser to WAIT for the right person, than to SAMPLE a bunch of duds.  Be selective and do not comprimise. 

(5) GIVE THEM SOME SPACE - Be patient. Do not RUSH the relationship. Talk direct. Be honest.  Ladies, DO NOT SMOTHER and try to figure out every little detail about the relationship!  Most guys do NOT like aggressive, controlling women.  Sometimes they just need time to figure things out.  If they are dragging their feet too long for an unreasonable period of time, HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION and state your feelings and why.  Tell him, “Here is my time frame…”.  Do not let him string you along for 7 years and them dump you when he sees some hot new babe. 

Once after a church service, this woman who was a control freak was trying to get me to come over for dinner.  She kept trying to pin me down and I had ZERO interest.  She would not give up! Finally, she came up to me after church and asked me, “So what night of the week are you available to come over for a chinese food dinner with your friend Dan”. 

At this point I was irritated and I told her, “I am not available to come over ANY night of the week as I have plans and I am busy every night of the week”.   STUNNED SILENCE.  WAY UNCOMFORTABLE.  I just locked  eyes with her and did not utter a single word.   Just let my words sink in… 

That was the last time I ever saw her in church.  She was at there for the wrong reasons anyway.  If you are not interested, DO NOT string someone along.  It is dishonest and unfair keep their hopes alive.

(6)  GUYS - LEAD OUT IN THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT - Do not be a pathetic whimp!  Give them something to follow!   Lead them dude!   Step up and pray with them.  Share a scripture that inspired you.  Give them a good word from God’s word.  Invite them to church or an outreach or christian concert or something.  Don’t just go to the movies!!!  Come on!  You MUST lead spiritually or you will end up with a christian woman who is irritated with you.  An intimidated man leads to a irritated woman!

(7)  DEVELOP YOURSELF - Be a man of God.  Be a woman of God.  Do not just look for Mr. Perfect or Ms. Perfect.  Develop interests.  Grow spiritually.  Go on a mission to Mexico or overseas.  Get out of your comfort zone.  Take a spirited anointed risk.  Work out and exercise.   Look your best too.  Appearence is very important, but do get obcessive over non-essentials. 

Look at not only where someone is at presently, but where are they going?   Spiritually?  Are they hungry for God?  Bored?  Career wise, where are they going?  Do they have a stable job?   A hard worker?  Good character?   Do they have dreams?  Any God breathed goals?  Look at the whole of someone’s life in determining if they are a good candidate to develop relationship with that may lead to marriage.  Do not waste your time dating if you determine they are not marriage material.   Casual friendship is another deal.

Sunday Night Reflections

Today I talked about “American Idol: You Got a Gift”. It was a bit intense as I spoke from Eph. 4 and Romans 12. I gave seven reasons why people do not use their spiritual gifts and seven reasons why we want to fire up our gifts.

I was mindful while speaking of the person who is at zero point with Jesus and church. I hope and pray that they were able to get something from the message, as it did not apply to them. Sanctuary is a church for anyone, and its very important to me to present the timeless truths of the bible in a way that people can understand.

NEW GUEST WORSHIP LEADER May 4′th - We have a fantastic guest worship leader this Sunday with a nine member band. I been wanting to bring this worship leader to Sanctuary for over a year, so I am pumped up. I am talking about “Survivor: Groups R US”. This is a such a vital message and pivotal to our future.

MOTHER’S DAY May 11′th - is going to be off the charts… it will be incredible! Wow! Come and invite a friend. It will be a wonderful day for Mom’s.

SANCTUARY VOLUNTEERS ROCK - A special thanks to our AWESOME volunteer teams who have been doing a brilliant job. You are the best of the best and I appreciate you!

G’nite!

Thoughts on God’s Blessing

Many times every week I talk with people who will reference how Sanctuary church is being blessed by God. Here are some of my thoughts about God’s blessing and what we can do with it…

1. Seek only to bless other churches, not criticize them. Last week I visited with a pastor who lost a worship leader. He was down to worship videos for Sunday morning. I offered to loan one of our worship team members to help them for a time. The pastor was very grateful. We want to be a blessing and encouragement to other churches.

2. Keep away from playing the comparison game.
It is not wise to compare ourselves to others or other churches. Its wasting energy. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus and stay focused on leading people into a growing relationship with Him.

3. Be open to learning from churches that are different in approach. I am always looking for what is bringing the blessing of God upon a church. What are they doing that is bringing God’s favor?

If God is pouring out His blessing and people are coming to Christ and growing, I want to know what is making them so effective and fruitful?

4. There is not just one way to do church. (Acts 2:42) Sanctuary has a way and an approach to doing church and reaching out to people. We are NOT THE ONLY
WAY! It takes different churches to reach different types of people.

5. Give God the glory for the great things He has done. Its His church.
His idea. We get to be a part of it. Be quick to acknowledge the hand of God’s blessing. For without his leading and blessing, we are SUNK in the water. We recognize that He blesses the work of His hands.