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.

200 Sunsets

Tonight I watched my 200th sunset of 2008. Each one was different. Here's some samples of the photos I took. Below the photos I'll tell you why I did it and what I discovered.

December 30, 2008

At the beginning of 2008 I made several commitments. One was to watch 200 sunsets. My criteria for it to count was I had to be outside around dusk, either during, right before, or right after the sun went down. I also had to pause, take it in, and pray. I wrote down the date of each one in my PDA and tonight (a day early), grateful to God, I met my goal. Here's what I discovered.

1. No two sunsets are the same. I'm blown away by God's variety.
2. The colors are richer AFTER the sun goes down.
3. It is so easy to miss the change from day to night. You get busy and all of a sudden it is dark outside.
4. We tend to start our days when we wake up. But God set it up so the new day begins at sunset. It is AWESOME to end your day at sunset, and begin a new one with dinner, family, sleep and THEN work.
5. The colors in the sky change dramatically at dusk. It is a good reminder for God to do his transformation in me.
6. A few minutes to pause and reflect make a huge difference in my day.
7. Getting off the freeway to watch a sunset is a great idea.
8. The green flash is real.
9. My longest sunset was on a plane flying west from Europe. Although it didn't count because I wasn't outside (fortunately) it was awesome.
10. God seems bigger when I watch a sunset.

What about you? Have any sunset stories?

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This is Christmas

My "virtual friend" Ed Stetzer recommended this Christmas video on his blog. It moved me to tears. Sit back and enjoy:

Casting Crowns I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Whatever You Need, God Is

"He who has God and many other things has no more than he who has God alone." ~ C. S. Lewis


At Christmastime it is easy to focus on what we are missing. Whether it is family members to surround us, friends to celebrate with, money to spend, or simply time to get everything done . . . this season can accentuate our lack.

Perhaps we have forgotten our best resource. We know Him as Jesus, but in the first chapter of the New Testament, God's Son is also introduced by another name. Matthew mentions His Old Testament name, which is Immanuel (Matthew 1:23). It is a Jewish name, and fortunately Matthew translates the name for us. Immanuel literally means, "God with Us."

Here then, is the amazing truth of Christmas: This God, who we have meditated on these past weeks, is revealed in the Bible as For Us, Wise, Faithful, Able, Just, Light, and Love (among other things). This Holy God is also the God who is with us in Jesus. Amazing! All that we ever needed resides with us and in us through the Spirit of Jesus.

Here's my prayer for you, as we move into Christmas: May God meet your every need, primarily and ultimately, with Himself. Because whatever you need, God is.

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Just got our tree up!

Our tree and son playing piano

Mystery Worshipper

Last Sunday, we had a surprise guest in the service -- a writer for the San Diego Reader who visits churches unannounced and writes reviews. He introduced himself after the service. As you can imagine, I was eager (and nervous) to see what he would write. You can view his article by clicking here.

Or watch the YouTube video he put together here. (The name of his column is Sheeps & Goats).


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Is love enough?

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 1John 4:7

John, who penned the words above, is sometimes called the Apostle of Love; so prominent is love in his writing.

What is amazing though is that John wouldn't have always been characterized that way. If you read about him when he was a young disciple of Jesus, he was hot-tempered and fiery. On one occasion, John suggested that Jesus call fire down from heaven and burn up an entire Samaritan village just for being rude. No wonder Jesus nicknamed John "the Son of Thunder."

But over time, God slowly molded John into a man of love. In fact, there is a legend, although it can't be verified for certain, that on John's deathbed, people gathered around him and begged for one last word. After all, he was the last living apostle.

The legend says that he breathed these words, "Love one another."

"Is there more?" they asked.

"That is enough," John replied.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we can get distracted in so many ways. As we honor God's most tangible expression of love, may He shape us into people who reflect His love in growing measures every day. That is enough.

Ancient Stained Glass Windows

If we walk in the light, as [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
(1 John 1:7).

Some people falsely think that those who claim to walk in the light, are always perfect. But according to the context of the above passage (1 John 1:5-10), that is actually the definition of walking in darkness. Only those who walk in darkness claim to be without sin (1 John 1:8).

Rather walking in God's light means being authentic. It means being genuine. It means agreeing with God that we have flaws and giving Him permission to change us (1 John 1:9).

The only light we have to offer this dark world is God's light as it shines through us. It turns out; those who walk in God's light are a lot like ancient stained glass windows. When you look closely you will see some flaws and imperfects, yet they are stunningly glorious when the light of the Son shines through.

3 reasons we need God as a consuming fire

I've been running a survey for the past several weeks (the survey is located on the right side of my blog) to see what "God is…" statements of the New Testament are most meaningful for people. If you look at the results of the survey you'll notice that only one choice has received no votes (that is, until just now when someone voted for it). It comes from Hebrews 12:29, "for our 'God is a consuming fire.'"

Let me suggest three reasons why we need God as a consuming fire.

1. We need to see God as a consuming fire to remind us that He is absolutely holy and should be respected.

From the earliest age, we learn that fire is something we should take seriously. It is dangerous and powerful. In the same way, God is good but He is not safe (a line from the Chronicles of Narnia). We need a healthy fear of God.

2. We need to see God as a consuming fire to remind us that if we draw close to Him, He will purify us.

Fire destroys what it cannot purify, but it purifies what it cannot destroy. Fire, in the Bible, is often an image of God's ability to burn away impurities in order to make us pure. He sometimes even uses trials to help us see what is really lasting. God loves us, but He doesn't leave us the way we are. He purifies us as we walk with Him.

3. We need to see God as a consuming fire to remind us that, through the death of Jesus, He has consumed all that separates us from Him.

In the pioneer days, on the prairie lands, people would sometimes find themselves about to be consumed by fire. Camped in the middle of the prairie they would see the flames of a wildfire approaching. Knowing that even their horses could not outrun the flames, they would start a fire on the ground upon which they stood. They then would stand on that burned patch of ground. The prairie fire would sweep by along the edge of the burned patch, but ultimately pass them by.

On the cross, God burned a patch of earth. His wrath poured out on Jesus. And those who stand in that place are saved by His consuming fire.

Thank God that He is a consuming fire.

A trip back to Westmont

We got a call Sunday night that Chris was invited to be at Westmont for a gathering specifically for the handful of students whose dorms were lost. We spent all day yesterday travelling and removing all the stuff from his room as he will be relocated to a new dorm when he returns after Thanksgiving. The good news, there was only smoke and water damage to his stuff, and most of his stuff will be redeemable. Not such good news for the guys in the story above him who lost everything to the fire. It actually was a long but remarkable day.

In the photo: Me, Chris, and his roommate Lawrence.

Update: Westmont fires

We just got some good news last night. Chris' RA called him, had seen his room, and said, while the upstairs was destroyed by the fire, that where he lived, downstairs, was relatively unscathed. Just some water damage, but it looks like a lot of his belongings may be redeemable. We'll see when we are allowed back on campus.