Well, Don... , Well Done!

Last Sunday, I'm sure, will stand as one of the most remarkable days of my life. I was invited to preach at my mentor pastor, Don Smith's, retirement celebration. He has served at Christ Community Church in Laguna Hills for 25 years. I am so grateful to have been able play a role in celebrating the faithfulness of God through the tenure of an amazing pastor. (It was also one of the rare occasions I ever preach in a suit!). Two of us gathered to pray with Don before the service. He looked at us and said, "It pays to persevere." We were speechless.

What do we do when we disappoint ourselves?

What do we do when we disappoint ourselves? Simon Peter learned the hard way just how far he could fall below his own standards. Confident he would never waver in his allegiance to Jesus, Simon Peter experienced a night of denials.

What do we do when we disappoint ourselves? It is then we must remember what Jesus told Simon Peter right before his denials:

But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:32

Some quick takeaways for me:

· You will fail but it won’t be fatal

We usually don’t get the specific details ahead of time like Peter did, but we will fail somehow. Like Peter, the church has always been filled with people that are immature and broken, failing before they succeed. But, as a follower of Christ, your failures will not be fatal. This is known as God’s prevenient grace. That’s a big word, but it simply means, He gives us His grace ahead of time. There’s hope on the other side.

· Don’t get stuck there

God’s plan for you is to return. He knows this side of heaven will have its disappointments, but don’t let that cripple you. Remember Jesus is praying for you. Don’t get stuck focusing on your flaws.

· Look for ways to use what you’ve learned to strengthen others.

Embrace the grace that God offers you, utilize His strength to grow in that areas, and then help others to be victorious as well. Often the victory for us comes as we strengthen others.

Later You Will Understand

Peter didn’t get it. Why Jesus would stoop to wash Peter’s feet. Why the Messiah would mimic a slave. Peter didn’t get it.

It strikes me that we often don’t recognize what Jesus is up to in our lives. That’s why what Jesus told Peter is so applicable to me.

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." John 13:7

This is the real-life truth for those who choose to follow Jesus, captured in this passage: Later you will understand.

For whatever reason, God chooses to reveal his purposes to us on a need-to-know-basis. And often it is after the fact. In fact, some things we will only appreciate from Heaven’s balcony. Some events in our lives will only make sense in the rear view mirror. Faith means trust.

I suppose this makes you uncomfortable. It creates all kinds of Peter-like reactions. Like Peter we say to God, “You're going to do what?!? I need a little more information!”

And once again Jesus says, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. Trust Me."

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With the Watoto kids choir from Uganda

The Watoto kid's choir was at our church last Sunday. I don't stand out at all, do I?

Photo with Watoto Leader

GVC families sponsored 26 new Watoto children (which brings our total to 80 for our church). We have sponsored the most children so far on their tour. They are blown away. Here's a photo of me with their leader.

Bible scribe for a day

Yesterday I wrote a verse by hand that will be used in a completely handwritten copy of the Bible (see www.bibleacrossamerica.com). It will be the first completely handwritten Bible in over 250 years. Displayed at the Smithsonian Institute, copies of it will be published at the end of this year. As I stood in line, I wondered what my random verse would be. It was Mark 15:21 which says...

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.

Also I wrote the heading for the section, which is THE CRUCIFIXION.

I'm grateful. I want to reflect on that passage more. I want to reflect on that passage often. I'm glad to be a messenger of the CROSS in any manner possible.

Don't just go to church

Last summer I had a rare opportunity. For several weeks in a row, I was able to visit other churches on a Sunday morning. As a fulltime preacher, it was an unusual and cool experience.

But there was a part I didn’t like. I didn't like simply being an observer. I didn't like going in unknown and disconnected. And what bothered me the most was, because I was just visiting for that one Sunday, my church experience was limited to the hour and half between the time I got out of my car and the time I got back in. Church for me was over when I hit the parking lot.

And to be honest, I didn’t like it. Nevertheless, that is how many Americans do church. For them, it is a car door-to-car door experience. A lot of people have been raised with the notion that there’s going to be a reward in heaven for church attendance.

But nowhere does the Bible say that. Instead it teaches that God wants to use us, His people, to "spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." 2 Cor. 2:14

Here's the way we framed it last Sunday: Don’t just go to church; be the church wherever you go.


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You are God's signature

You are meant to be God’s signature.

In the ancient book of Haggai, God told a man named Zerubbabel how He intended to use him. The Lord said, “and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you.” (Haggai 2.23)

A signet ring was a piece of metal jewelry with an etching of a seal on it. It was worn by royalty and when pressed into wax it would seal official pronouncements. You can probably picture it.

I love the analogy of the signet ring because it reminds me of what God wants to do with you. Just as a signet ring was worn on the king’s hand or around his neck, so God longs to keep you close to His hand and heart. More than that, if you are His child, He has given you His authority to leave His impression on this world. You are His autograph, His mark, His seal. Let me put it this way: When God wants to put His autograph on this planet, you are the pen He chooses. You are His signature.

And all you have to do is let God use you. Be a ring on his hand. Respond to His touch. So trust Him. Let Him work through you. Like a signet ring, you're the one who makes the impression, but God’s hand provides the weight.

(See the post below and photos of how our church put this into action last Sunday on our Reverse Bus Ministry Service Project)
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Reverse Bus Ministry

Imagine a hundred people arriving at church like any other Sunday completely unaware of the significant impact they would have on their community before lunch. That’s exactly what happened at this morning’s service. By the end of the morning, dozens of people had rolled up their sleeves to scrub windows, pick up trash, weed planters, and spread mulch at a local elementary school. (Photos below).


All this was a part of our current message series, “Living Outside Ourselves.” At the end of today’s message, a school bus pulled up in front of our church (unannounced beforehand) and I challenged our people to consider serving at one of our local elementary schools. Arrangements had been made with the school’s principal and custodial staff. Tools, gloves, and t-shirts were provided. Approximately 35 people participated after the first service. They served for an hour and the bus returned just in time to transport another 65 who volunteered after the second service. Overall, 100+ man-hours of labor were invested all before lunchtime.

Next week, a video of our day will be shown at church, and the principal has offered to attend to thank our folks.

Years ago, many churches had bus ministries. A fleet of buses would leave their parking lot early to bring people (usually kids) to church. Today we reversed that. A bus arrived to take our people into the community. After all, Jesus said, "Go into all the world ..."

For other ministry leaders: This idea is very transferable to any church. Feel free to duplicate it. I hope many do. Do me a favor and let me know if you do. I’d love to hear your stories.

Your Turning Point

One of the things I think is curious about the GPS unit in my car is that it zooms in closer and closer right before it is time to turn. For long periods of time she is silent (yes, our GPS is a “she,” we call her Emily), but then when it is time to turn she starts to speak; “Turn right in 1 mile.” As I get closer, she is more adamant, and a giant arrow appears on the screen. Suddenly, this is my turning point.

In the Bible, the people of God found themselves exactly there. God was quite candid with them about why so many of their efforts were frustrating. And then God reveals the longing of His heart saying, “…yet you did not turn to me” (Haggai 2:17). That, of course, is the turning point God most desires in our lives. That we would turn to Him! As we read a few verses further in the Bible, we find God offering this promise, “From this day on I will bless you.” (Haggai 2:19). The connection is clear. The life God blesses hinges precisely on this one turning point.

Is there a place in your life where God is nudging you to change directions? If so, I’m trusting that God will zoom in on the screen of your life and reveal your turning point.

It’s time to turn. It’s time to turn to Him.

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Adding a new worship service

I thought I'd let my faithful blog readers and tweeps in on this early. Here's the letter our church family will get in the mail tomorrow or Friday:

Dear Green Valley Church Family,

I’m thrilled to announce that, on March 1st, we will be adding a new worship service option for you, and for the people of our community. Specifically, we will be adding an 8am worship service and adjusting our other two service start times accordingly. Each worship gathering will be identical.

Hopefully, like us, you are convinced that God is using Green Valley Church in powerful ways in the lives of those who attend. And as our current services fill up, we want to make sure we continue to provide that same opportunity for others. A third worship service provides an additional option for you, and also provides a new “door” for guests to enter into our church family. Our elders and staff have been discussing and preparing for this for a couple years and we believe this is the right time.

As we change, let me emphasize what will always remain the same. We are as passionate as ever about being an authentic, relational, and grace-filled community committed to Jesus Christ. God’s Word will always be at the core of what we do. As much as ever we value the kind of worship that engages both heart and mind and an approach to teaching that changes people both on the inside and the outside. We long to be a place where the isolated become connected, the busy become focused, and the broken become whole through the power of Jesus. We believe that adding an additional worship venue will only enhance this mission.

I’ve included some FAQs on the back of this letter. Also I will address this at Sunday’s service. The elders will also be available at the end of each of our services, in front of the auditorium, to answer questions and dialogue with you.

Thank you for being a part of our church community and our mission.

God’s best to you,

Doug Kyle
Lead Pastor

FAQs
What times will the services be? 8:00 am; 9:20 am; and 10:50 am.

Will each service be the same? Yes, identical.

Why these times? We wanted three good options for people. Whenever a church moves to three services the center one is likely to be the fullest. But we hope that the 8:00am and 10:50am services will also be attractive, and less crowded, options.

Will the service be shorter? A little. But the core of what we do in our services will not change. We are shaving off a little time in two ways. First, we will shorten our announcements. Second, we are replacing our opening song at the beginning (our call to worship) with a live music call to worship before the service begins (during the countdown). What you need to know is that everything we now do after the announcements will remain the same. The worship sets will be the same length, and my message will not be shorter.

Will there be Sunday School at all services? Yes. Sunday school classes for children nursery through 5th grade will be offered at all three worship gatherings.

What about youth group? When will they meet? This additional service also gives us the opportunity to enhance our youth ministry. Specifically we will get to do some things we were unable to do with just two services. Instead of just one offering for each age group, we now have two. Jr. Highers can choose to go to a Jr. High discipleship session during the second service or a Jr. High Worship & Teaching Session during the third service. High Schoolers can go to a High School discipleship session during the first service or a High School Worship & Teaching Session during the second service. Additionally, High Schoolers have the option to sit together with our youth leaders and their friends at our third service.


Will the break between services be shorter? Yes. And you will notice there is a longer break between the 2nd and 3rd services than the earlier break. This is because the busier middle service requires more time to get people in and out from a traffic flow standpoint. One of my favorite things about our church is the “lobby time.” You are encouraged to hang out as long as you like. This is one of the great measures of a healthy church. We will close the center doors to the auditorium when the next service begins, but open wide the back side doors to the auditorium. Also, we realize that it is sometimes difficult to get everyone together to come to church. You're always on time at Green Valley Church. Get here whenever you can.

Will our values and mission change? No. In fact, this helps us stay true to our values.

Is the church getting too big? Actually, adding an additional service venue allows us to maintain the “smaller church feel” we value. Rather than crowding people tightly into our worship space, this allows for more intimate services where people can connect more easily with others.

What service should I go to? Whichever one you like. Early birds will like the 8am service (rumor has it they will be serving bagels to these morning people). The 10:50am service accommodates families and others who have a little more to do in the morning. And the 9:20am service is a nice balance between the two.

More questions? Join the elders after the service this Sunday in the main auditorium or email me at doug@greenvalleychurch.com


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So I'm helping Cindy...

Occasionally I get to change roles and join Cindy on her photo shoots. I'm basically her equipment bag boy :) Last weekend I was with Cindy at the beach as she was photographing an engaged couple. I was trying to get creative and carve the couple's wedding date in the sand for a photo. As I did a wave came in and drenched my tennis shoes, socks and jeans bottoms. Afterwards she took me to dinner. I left a trail of sand and saltwater everywhere I stepped.

But we had the most amazing sunset that night. After a year of following sunsets (see blog below) this may have been the best.

Living Outside Ourselves

"Stop asking God to bless what you're doing. Get involved in what God is doing – because it's already blessed." - Rock legend Bono

God will not bless a self-absorbed life style. More than that, He has set up this world so that a self-focused lifestyle never satisfies. It's not that God doesn't care about our temporary and worldly projects. He absolutely does. It's simply that He loves us too much to allow those things to become the central focus of our lives because He's designed us for eternity.

The Bible describes what happens when our priorities get mixed up.

Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." Haggai 1:5-6

God says, "Give careful thought to your ways." This challenge reminds me of an expression I use a lot: "Play the movie." In other words, let's look at our priorities – the way we spend our time, energy, and resources – and ask these questions:

• How does this DVD end?
  
• If I keep going like this at this rate, all this work with this little return, where will I be?
  
• Five years from now?
  
• Ten years from now?
  
• Twenty years from now?
  
• How about 100 years from now?
  
• And are these the things that I want to define my life?
  
• How will I feel about my accomplishments from Heaven's balcony?
  

God asks each of us to think specifically about what kind of return we are getting on our self-absorbed focus. Is it paying off? All our worry, our concerns, what value do we get? Put it on a spread sheet. Make a profit-loss statement. How are we doing?

And then God calls us to a better way.

Seek first [God's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt 6:33

God honors the Kingdom-centered life. It is the God-focused lifestyle that satisfies. For the next several weeks I will be challenging us all to Live Outside Ourselves as we get involved in what God is already blessing. Who can tell what could happen in a month?

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Planning

Many people begin the New Year by making new plans. But they never seem to last. And I think I know why. The problem is that plans aren't as strong as patterns.

Last weekend we went to the local mountains and found the perfect hill for sledding. It was pretty steep but safe with no real obstacles. Well, there was one obstacle. Some kids had built a four foot mogul for the thrill seeking sledder looking for airtime.

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As I prepared to sled down the hill, I made my plans. I set up as far as possible from the mogul to insure I wouldn't hit it. Then I took off down the hill. You know the rest of the story. I couldn't have planned to hit it more squarely. Apparently there was a groove in the snow that took me straight toward the launch pad. So much for my plans!

Plans aren't as strong as patterns.

In the same way, we can make all kinds of plans for change, only to discover as we take off that we have slid into old patterns.

The Bible says, Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15

The problem is that we often make our plans as if we know what future holds. 2008 should have taught all of us that that is a risky bet. Instead we must change our pattern of self-reliance. We must begin to factor God into our plans because only He knows the future. More than that, even when our plans are made, we should hold onto them loosely, leaving room for God to work. He has a way of improving our plans if we let Him.

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My year in review

Just finished reading all my blog posts for 2008. One of the reasons I love blogging is the chance to capture what God has been doing in my life. What a difficult, incredible, and amazing year.

The tough things: Lost my father; sent my oldest son off to college; fire at my son's college (his dorm burnt done).

The amazing things: Europe with my family (the trip of a lifetime); my oldest son going off to Westmont College (yes, this is a good thing and a tough thing); sabbatical over the summer; some incredible times in God's Word; Kingdom Assignment project at church; the best wife and family ever.

God is good. God is very good. I can only imagine what He has in store for 09.