Motor City Bowl

On Tuesday I went with some family and future family to the Motor City Bowl at Ford Field. The Chips of CMU were playing in their first bowl game in several years against the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, whoever that is. It was a fun atmosphere and our seats were awesome. 7 rows up on the goal line. CMU pulled out a 31-14 win. Hats off to the good ol' alma matter.

Surprise #3: The Ring

As we are sitting in the carriage, I told Hayley that I had something I wanted to read to her. She seemed a little confused like, why would I have something to read. I pulled a poem out of my pocket and read it to her. She was crying before I was done which is what I was hoping for. You know it was a success if she starts crying and she did even before I pulled out the ring. Good Stuff!!! After I finished reading the poem I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me and be my wife. Her response was, "Are you serious right now?" I laughed a little and told her I was and she said, "YES!!!!" I was an amazing moment in the Chicago streets. It was just me and her and seemed like everything just stopped. Definately something I will never forget. So there you have it. That's the story and I wouldn't change anything about. Now I look forward to planning life together with Hayley and I look forward to what God has in store for us.

Surprise #2: The Carriage

To continue the story...after Hayley and I finished dinner we started heading back in the direction of the train station. After we had walked about two blocks I asked what she would say if I told her I had another surprise. I walked her over to the horse and carriages that were stationed around the block at the Water Tower plaza. I had made a reservation to take her on a 30 minute ride and I also had them supply one red rose. We jumped in the carriage and the ride began. At this point, she still had no idea what was coming...but my heart was pounding knowing that I would be engaged in a matter of minutes.

Chicago Pics

I have added some pics from Chicago. Just scroll down to view them. I will put more on as I continue to fill you in on the story.

Rich or Poor?

Take a look at this site to see where you rank in the world in the area of annual income. You might be surprised at the result. I know I was.

Global Rich List

Surprise #1: The Dinner

The first Surprise I gave Hayley in Chicago was Dinner. I had made reservations for 5:15pm at a restaurant called Tucci Benucch. It is located on the fifth floor of the 900 Michigan Ave. shops mall. We arrived at this mall at approx. 4:15 so I had to figure out how to burn one hour. Now this was not your typical mall. There were not a ton of stores in there and the ones that were there were not that interesting. Eventually we found a Walden Books on the sixth floor that we could sit down in and rest our feet for a little while. But then around 4:45 Hayley suggested that we leave and start looking for a place to eat or else we would be waiting forever. So we made our way down one floor to where Tucci Benucch was located. I said that maybe we should look at the menu here because maybe it would be a good place. Then I said let me see how the long the wait is. I asked the hostess if it was ok that I showed up 30 minutes early and she said no problem. I motioned over to Hayley to come in and we got seated. Hayley did not know I had made reservations so after we had gotten seated I told her what I did. I said that I wanted to surprise her with something special to end the night with so I thought a nice dinner would be sufficient. And at that point it was for her because she had know idea what was coming later. So we ordered the chicken parmesan to split which really turned out to be pretty much two full dinners. It was really good food and a really big surprise for Hayley. So far so good...

ENGAGED!!!!!

That's right. Hayley and I are ENGAGED!!!! And I love it. Last night (Dec. 17th) I asked Hayley to marry me and she said, "Are you serious right now?" I told her I was and she said YES with tears in her eyes. What a moment. It is one that I will never ever forget. Not only was it the perfect day, but it was also the start of my best friend and I planning life together. What an unbelievable last eight months in my life. But anyway, I'm sure you dying to know the how, where, and when questions to this day so here is a quick timeline of events from our day of December 17th, 2006.

7:40am - Leave on train to Chicago
9:00am - Arrive in Chicago (central time now)
9-9:30am - Walk through Millennium Park
9:30-12 - Walking North, shopping along Magificiant Mile (Michigan Ave.)
12-12:45 - Lunch in the Chicago Plaza building (Great Steak and Potato Co.)
12:45-1:45 - More shopping on Michigan Ave. (niketown, Apple, watertower)
1:45-2:30 - Hancock Building (95th floor)
2:30-4:30 - more shopping (feet hurt and we are at the end of good shopping on Mich. Ave.)
4:30-5:30 - Surprise Hayley with dinner reservations at Tucci Benucch. (fancy Italian place)
5:45-6:15 - Surprise Hayley with a Horse and Carriage ride, a red rose, a poem I wrote and the
Ring!!!
6:20-6:45 - Taxi back to Millennium Park
6:45-7:45 - Walk around by outdoor skating pond and Christmas Market, bought ornament
7:45-8 - back to train and board train.
8-11:30 - Back to South Bend.

What a trip, what a night, what a thing to now look forward too. I thank God for His provision in this relationship and all that He has done to prepare us for each other. I may write more later and possibly add some pics from the day. I'M ENGAGED!!!!

Lion Chaser: Part 2

This morning Mark Beeson held the second of three breakfast meetings with 200+ guys to discuss the book "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day." What I took away from it this morning was that we are not called to live a life of maintaining what we have. We are never called to just settle with what we have. God continues to call us to take steps. Now I'm not saying He is always calling us to live in a new area but that wherever He has us, we are called to press forward and compete for the Kingdom. Many times we regret actions that we take. But our biggest regrets will be the inaction in our lives. Those things that we chose not to do that leave us asking "what-if." I don't want to have regrets. I want to be a person who looks back twenty years from now and doesn't have many if any "what-if" questions. I want to take the steps God is calling me to no matter how hard and scary they may be. That is the life God has called us to.

Thoughts from chapters 4-6:

"I think we'd be amazed at the percentage of prayers aimed at problem reduction."

"Many of our prayers would short-circuit God's plans and purposes for our lives if He answered them. Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult circumstances ans start aking Him what He wants us to get out of those difficult circumstances."

"Our feelings are determined by our subjective focus."

"No adversity equals no opportunity. Without those extremely adverse conditions, Benaiah would have faded from the script of Scripture."

"Lion chasers are more afraid of lifelong regrets then temporary certainty."

"Faith doesn't reduce uncertainty. Faith embraces uncertainty."

"Some of the best things in life are totally unplanned and unscripted."

"Good is often the enemy of great."

"Generally speaking, you are probably never going to be more than 80 percent certain. Waiting for greater clarity may cause you to miss an opportunity." - Andy Stanley

"Faithfulness has nothing to do with maintaining the status quo or holding the fort. It has everything to do with competing for the Kingdom and storming the gates of Hell. With a squirt gun, if necessary!"

"One courageous choice may be the only thing between you and your dream becoming reality."


So there you have it. What God-ordained opportunities are you shying away from?

U2 Christmas

At GCC, we are doing a U2 Christmas. Each week follows a theme of a U2 song. Last weekend was Vertigo and it was incredible. So, if you are a U2 fan, you may want to check this out.

U2 at GCC.

Food Drop 2006

156,000 pounds of food

3,500 families fed

2,500 volunteers mobilized

It was an incredible day at GCC this last Saturday. The annual Food Drop took place here at the church and it was an event not to forget. The impact that was made in our community was felt by nearly everyone. The cool thing was that I got to play a fairly significant leadership role in all that happened that morning. This was definately one of the biggest impact events that I have ever been apart of. Politicians came, the news was there, and God prescence was made known. It was an awesome day. Below are news stories you can read about:

Story 1
Story 2
Story 3

For pictures click here
For video click here

Who Chases?

As I continue to think about what was written in my last post, Jon "Cowboy" Shupe came up with a good question. He asks, "Is actually God who chases the lions" and "Do we just need to be willing to get in the way of them?" After spending a little bit of time thinking about this here is my conclusion.

If we are people who are willing to live the life God has called us to no matter what the cost we are going to have to face lions. I love the saying that nothing good or worth while comes easy. The life God has for us is the most fulfilling, rewarding, exciting, adventurous, innovating life that we could ask for. But it may well be the hardest and most challenging lifestyle. See, when we choose to let God lead, eventually that path will lead us into situations where will meet lions face to face. And in that moment, what will we choose to do? Will we run away or will we charge? Will we drop our weapons or will we fix bayonets? If our desire is to bring God's Kingdom to earth, we must choose to stare evil in the face and eliminate it from its existance.

So who actually chases? Well I think it is ultimately up to us to decide to chase the lions. To face our fears of doubt, the unkown, failure, and persecution. To live the life God has called us to live will take hard work and much effort. But the pay off and outcome is worth all that we have.

Lion Chaser: Part 1

For the next 3 weeks, 200+ men from the church will be meeting together on Wednesday mornings at six 0'clock. We are reading together the book titled "In of Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson who is the Pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C. These meetings are being lead by our pastor Mark Beeson. Today was the first meeting and I loved it. If I told you all about it this email would be too long to read so here are a few excerpts from the morning:

(in order for some of these to make sense you may want to read 2 Samuel 23:20-21)

- "Normal people run away from lions."
- "God-given opportunities often come disguised as man-eating lions. And how we react
when we encounter those lions will determine our destiny."
- "Maybe following Christ isn't supposed to be as safe or as civilized as we've been led to
believe....Maybe God is raising up a generation of lion chasers."
- "Too often our prayers resolve around asking God to reduce the odds in our lives...But
maybe God wants to stack the odds against us so we can experience a miracle of divine
proportions."
- "How you think about God will determine who you become."
- "Our problems seem really big because our God seems really small. In fact, we reduce
God to the size of our biggest problems."
- "Half of spiritual growth is learning what we don't know. The other half is unlearning
what we do know. And it is failure to unlearn irrational fears and misconceptions that
keeps us from becoming who God wants us to be." (John 5)
- "Think of your fears as mental lions. If we don't learn to chase those fears, they can
keep us at bay for the rest of our lives."
- "Courage is putting yourself into defenseless positions."
- "If you take a second to reflect on your life, you'll discover that the greatest experiences
are often the scariest, and the scariest experiences are often the greatest."

- "So here is my question: Are you living your life in a way that is worth telling
stories about?"

That's just the first three chapters. I would highly recommend this book. I would also highly recommend chasing your fears and letting God work through that process to take you where he wants you to go. Mark finished the morning by sharing with all of us what God has spoken to him with clarity recently and it is this: "God has provisions you know not of, more than you can ask or imagine." That's is true for all of us. What he has in store for us is better than anything we have dreamed of and I have dreamed of some pretty incredible things. It must be good.

Overdue

I guess it's time for a new post. This is the longest drought to date. I apologize for putting this blog on the back burner for the last week. But now I'm back and I do have some things to share.

This past weekend Hayley and I traveled to Mt. Pleasant to take part in the third-somewhat annual-Jesus Loves Steak Christmas party. In case you don't know what Jesus Loves Steak (JLS) is, let me inform you. JLS is a group of ten guys from Pigeon, MI who grew up together through high school and parted ways to go to college. While in college we decided to stay connected by way of an e-group. We chose Yahoo! as our site and created a place where we could all communicate through email and instant messaging. This allowed us to continue to hold one another accountable and share prayer requests as well as updates about what is happening in life. So once a year we try to have a Christmas party as a way for all of us to get together again. We spent a great deal of time playing Ping-Pong, Super Tecmo Bowl (yes I said Super Tecmo Bowl) and watching a days worth of football. It may sound like a unproductive, waste of time weekend, but it was far from that. We are continuing to do life together. Despite the miles that have come between us, we are making it a point to pray, encourage and love one another. I would not be who I am today if it were not for this group of guys. And not only the guys but also the Godly women that some have chosen to add to this circle of steakers.

This year was really cool because it was the first year where there was a new generation of "Steakers" among us with the additions of Isaac Sturm and Kaylyn King. It is awesome to see us grow up and begin to take on new roles in life. Dads, Husbands, Uncles, etc. I look forward to what God still has in store for this group and how he will use each one for His Kingdom.

Thank you Jesus for the warriors you have surrounded me with and who have played a huge role in helping me to develop into the person I am today!!

The Holiday Miles Begin

This year, Hayley and I will be joining thousands of other Americans who will be doing an abundance of traveling over the holiday season. It started last Wednesday with a trip up to Vermontville, MI to eat the Thanksgiving Feast with some of Hayley's family on Thursday. Then Thursday night we left for Pestosky to spend the weekend with my mom and dad and sister. It was a good time to relax, hunt and watch a little football (which I don't wish to discuss right now because, well, I'll just say the BCS has to go). I didn't shoot the big buck like I had hoped for but I at least saw some deer and I got a chance to sit and ponder all that has developed in my life over the last 8 months (this will be an upcoming post). On Saturday, Hayley's parents came up to my parents place to hang out with us for the weekend. My first thought was that this was going to be a "Meet the Fockers" type of experience but it turned out to be just fine and I think both sets of parents enjoyed the weekend.

So the holiday craze continues. This weekend we are headed to Mt. Pleasant for a Christmas Party, the next weekend is the big Food Drop event here at GCC, the next weekend is a wedding that Hayley is in near Brighton, MI, and then it is Christmas!!! Time will fly by but I will enjoy every minute of it.

The Feast

Well, it's that time of year again. The Holidays. Family, friends, vacation, presents, travel, fun, food, football, shopping, relaxation. This is one of my favorite times of the year. And what a way to kick it off by enjoying a huge feast, which is coming in just two days!!! This year Hayley and I will be traveling to her parents place for the feast and then up to my parents place for the weekend. I will be doing some hunting and eating leftovers for three straight days. It is going to be great.

But wait...

What about those that don't experience the family, friends, vacation, presents, travel, fun, food, football, shopping, or relaxation. Today as Hayley and I handed food out to hundreds of less fortunate people I asked some of them if they had plans for Thanksgiving. Some did have plans but there were several that didn't. There feast is what was in the box. Canned foods, pasta, or whatever you can pack in a box that won't spoil. No turkey, fresh salads, or desert of any kind. Some would experience this holiday as if it were just another day because to some that is exactly what it is.

So this during this holiday of Thanksgiving, be thankful. Spend your time enjoying what you do have instead of complaining about what you don't. I know I am going to enjoy my time with family and friends. I will also enjoy shooting my first buck!!!

Are You Kidding?

I am amazed at the complete insanity that people are showing to acquire a piece of technology costing them around $600.00. I know that most people are buying and selling to make a fairly substantial profit but is what they are going through to get it really worth it? An article from MSNBC claims that one person was shot and is now it stable condition, others were victims of a drive-by BB gun shooting and many more were mugged while waiting in line. My favorite report is this:

"In West Bend, Wis., a 19-year-old man was injured when he ran into a pole racing with 50 others for one of 10 spots outside a Wal-Mart."

Wouldn't that be a great story to tell your grandkids some day? Or maybe you could tell them that you set up a tent in front of Best Buy and slept there in the rain for two days waiting to get video game system that was outdated in three years. That might be just as cool. If these people want to make such a big profit, getting a life and a job might be a better option. Just a thought. What are yours?

20

Today I walked into work here at GCC and as I looked around, the atrium or "foyer" area was being decorated with poster size images hanging from the ceiling. The images displayed captured moments of ministry that have happened here at GCC in the past 20 years. This weekend GCC is celebrating 20 years of ministry. And when I say celebrate, I mean celebrate. We will experience one giant party that will celebrate not only how God has worked here in the past, but also what God has planned for the next 20 years and beyond. Since I am new here, I'm not totally sure what to expect but from what I have experienced here so far, I know it is going to be incredible. Here is a letter from the Senior Pastor Mark Beeson on celebrating 20 years:

Dear Church:

“Left foot. Okay. Good. Now your right foot. Great. You ready?”

Now our boots were completely saturated with scent eliminator spray; no chance the deer would smell us. Aaron grinned. I caught his smile and asked, “What’re you thinking?”

“I was just remembering.” he replied, “We’ve done this since I was a little kid. It’s always the last thing we do before we head out. Now we’re doing it again. You always say, ‘Left foot. Right foot.’ And we’re on our way.”

For twenty years I’ve been hunting with my son. Doesn’t seem that long, but it’s true. Two decades of time, conversation, shared adventure and cherished memories flood back into my mind as I walk into the woods behind my son.

“Left foot. Right foot.”

I used to lead him every step of the way; now he seeks a good path for both of us. I once carried all our stuff; he now carries his gear and some of mine. I taught him to take note of each footfall, making sure he broke no sticks and made no noise; now I can’t hear him as he moves ahead of me in the woods. Once upon a time he reached up to hold my hand; now he looks me in the eye.

“Left foot. Right foot.”

It used to be that Sheila would see us off for our early morning hunts saying, “I know you’ll keep an eye on Aaron.” I remember that this day her parting words weren’t to me. She spoke to her son, “Take care of your dad, Aaron.” As I recall, he turned and gave her a nod and a smile, apparently offering enough assurance for her to wave us out the door.

“Left foot. Right foot.”

It’s been a good twenty years. A few have been easier for us than others, but we’ve shared the trek and walked together every step of the journey. Somewhere along the way we reached a tipping point, a shift in role and relationship that enriched both our lives. He grew up—all my children grew up. They know the way and we walk together even when we are apart. Our unity is not determined by our proximity; we are closer than mere distance can separate. We have our bearings. Our direction is set.

“Left foot. Right foot.”

For twenty years I’ve been serving Jesus beside you at GCC. Doesn’t seem that long, but it’s true. Two decades of time, conversation, shared adventure and cherished memories flood back into my mind as I walk beside you into our future. It’s been a good twenty years. A few have been easier for us than others, but we’ve shared the trek and walked together every step of the journey. We have our bearings. Our direction is set.

We’ve been traveling for twenty years and somewhere along the way we reached a tipping point, a shift in role and relationship that enriched all our lives. Our church grew up. For two decades we’ve walked in sync. Now we’re poised to do it again. We’ll take our next steps toward Christ – together. So, as I always say, “Left foot. Right foot.” I’ll see you this weekend at GCC’s 20th Anniversary, “and we’re on our way.”

In The News

On Monday night, a local news station did a story about the use of technology in the church. They titled the story "God-Casting" which featured GCC as one of the churches. Actually, when they were interviewing Tim Stevens (Executive Pastor), I was sitting right outside the door at my desk. I guess I don't need to tell you about it...you can watch it here:

http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/4632811.html

Change is Good

I guess this title has been somewhat debated over the years. Because we are people of habit, we do not like to keep adjusting and re-settling. We would rather get in the groove and be comfortable and not have to think about change or deal with the stress that can sometimes come with that. But I think that if we decide not to invite change, we may miss out on the discomfort and stress, but we may also miss out on learning, growth, and the excitement of the uncharted territory that lies ahead. Now I know this new change on my blog will probably not raise much debate, although some may be dissappointed that the nature feel of the previous blog is no longer (that is if anyone even remembers or visits this site). But when we say so long to the way we always used to do things, something in us wants to resist and fight. Why is that? Do you do that? Some say it's because we cherish what we had. I agree with that. There are some great memories that I'm sure we all have about family, friends, work, church, etc. Whatever it may be, we just like the way it is and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well, I'm not sure that's such a good motto to live by. If it ain't broke, maybe we ought to break it and make it stronger and better. It seems that what God chooses to do with us. In our times of brokenness it seems that we are made stronger. So maybe we need to rethink this whole change thing. Maybe we should invite it to prune the dead in what we do in order to make it more alive.

Little did I know a change in by blog would inspire this post!!

Upgrading

I am going to attempt an upgrade for my blog site. If it's not back up and running by tomorrow, send a search party.

Crunch Time

Deadlines. Does anybody like them? I guess it doesn't matter. They exist and will continue to exist. I suppose they do ensure that we are productive with our lives and that we actually get some things done, but the pressure of finishing well and on time can be a bit overwhelming. I am in the midst of my busiest time since my move down to Granger. I am currently starting to research for and write a fifteen page paper that is due in two weeks. Why did I wait until now to start? Because before this assignment I had three 8 page papers to complete and I guess I am pretty good at procrastinating. I am not sure why this is, but tend to work better and stay more focused when I am under pressure. When I know I have no choice but to work on something until it gets done because if it doesn't, I will face some harsh consequences. So I am pressing hard for the next couple of weeks. Not only for school but also for the church and the tasks that I have been assigned to here. I am enjoying everything about what I am doing but there are times when it seems that everything is happening at once and this is one of those times. So if you think of it, please keep me in your prayers for the next couple of weeks as I strive to stay focused and complete all the tasks before me.

The Long Awaited "Preacher Man: Part 4"

My Good Luck Charm for the weekend.

The finale is finally here. I know many waited in great anticipation for what would be the conclusion to the Preacher Man's weekend. Well, wait no more. Sunday, the last day of the retreat that happened almost two weeks ago.

We started this day with brunch followed by an event known as the olympics. Kids were put into teams to compete in a relay type event that consisted of many different tasks. The would have to determine which team member would do what and they had to make sure each member competed in something. They did things like bob-for-apples, chew gum and blow a bubble, eat 5 saltine crackers and whistle, and pull marshmallows out of chocolate syrup with their teeth (like in the pic). The olympics were followed by a great worship session and then I delivered my finale message. I talked about finishing strong and playing our position or role the absolute best that we could. Making sure that we leave everything on field. I told the kids that the endzone is in site. And if we press on and dig in and finish strong we will reach the endzone. I showed the end of the movie "Rudy" where Rudy goes in to the game and sacks the quarterback on the last play of the game. He is carried off the field by his teammates who are crazily celebrating. If we play the role we are supposed to play, when we get to the end, Heaven will lift us up on it's shoulders and celebrate loudly for us. So we must press on!!! Finish Strong!!!

Yummy!!

The One and Only Herb-Dogg!!!

Preacher Man: Part 3

Day two brought about a day full of activity and speaking. I started the morning off with a message on developing the fundamentals of following Chirst. I used the acronym H.A.B.I.T.S. (created by Doug Fields) which stands for 1)Hang time with God, 2)Accountability, 3)Bible memorization, 4)Involvement, 5)Tithing/Giving, 6)Study scripture. After the message was completed we played games and had lunch. In the afternoon we played a game called Survival. In this game, the students were all different animals. Some were Herbivores (who had to hunt for hidden food) and some were Carnivores (who tried to tag the carnivores and eat them). Each animal was given a certain number of lives and once they died so many times they were out of the game. So how did the carnivores die you ask? That is where I came into the game. I was the hunter. I could kill any animal I wanted and the way I did this was a ton of fun. I was given two mini, rubber, dodge-ball, balls. If I hit a kid with one it would count as a kill. I got to run around for about 2 hrs. throwing balls at kids. It was a blast!!! However, there was one point in the game where I, myself, got blasted.

I was running full speed after a kid. I was wearing football cleats because it was pretty wet out. I wasn't thinking and I chased him full speed onto a basketball court which was made out of that slick cement material. As soon as I hit that cement I was like a deer on an icy pond. I had no chance. My feet flew up in the air and landed hard...and I mean hard...right on my can. I hadn't been hit that hard since I was a junior in high school and I got pummeled by Joel Maust and Scott Anderson in football practice. I did finish game and I finished strong, pegging one kid from about 30 yards. It was a lucky shot.

The day ended with a message about being a part of the team God has called you to which is the Church. I challenged kids to write letter from God to them about what their roles are in the game and how God wanted to use them. I would have them share the next morning more of what God spoke to them that night.

Preacher Man: Part 2

I arrived at the camp around 6pm on Friday night. I actually got there before the youth group did so I did some pre-message studying. My first message was scheduled for 9pm. The theme for the weekend was football, which I was excited about, but because of the wide range of ideas that come with this topic, it was hard for me to determine which direction to go. I had worked on preparing these messages for a couple weeks and with a little help from Rob Wegner (Life Mission Pastor here at GCC) I was able to gain some direction. I narrowed it down to these four messages: 1) When was the last time you got sacked? (basically the idea when was the last time life just seemed to steamroll you?) 2) Developing Fundamentals, 3) Being part of a team, and 4) Finishing strong.

As I had mentioned before, I was a bit anxious for this whole weekend but when it came time to get up and begin speaking, it seemed as though all of that was gone. I was totally comfortable. I have to believe that the Holy Spirit was present and I was doing what God had led me there to do. At the end of the message on Friday night I gave the kids some time to get there hearts right with God and to open themselves up to what God might want to say to them throughout the rest of the weekend. I challanged them all to get up from whatever has knocked them down, from whatever had sacked them, and to get back in the game because their role on the team is far to important to just quit (and so is yours by the way).

It was a good night talking, getting to know kids and catching up with the one and only Scott Herbert (Herb-Dog). I was so glad I had chosen to take this opportunity and I was looking forward to what day 2 would bring. (pics coming soon)

Preacher Man: Part 1

How do you respond when you know you are going to be doing something for the first time in your life? This is something I have been dealing with a lot in the past few months. This is my first time living outside of Michigan, attending/working at a huge church and taking Grad. level classes. I was excited but also a little anxious when I realized all of this would be happening. And I guess that is how I usually feel for any first time thing. This past weekend was no different. At least for a little while.

On Friday I traveled 1 1/2 hours Southeast of Granger to a town called Albion (not the Michigan one). I was asked by Scott Herbert (a Pigeon native, who is now a youth pastor at Maple City Chapel in Goshen, IN) to be the guest speaker at their youth retreat. I knew I already had a lot on my plate but I felt like it was a great opportunity to continue speaking and developing that gift. So I told him I was up for the challenge. It was something new for me. I had never been the "guest speaker" before. I was always on the other side of the event as the attender or the planner. Now I was going to be main input person. A part of the memories of so many kids I may never see again. An opportunity to be used to impact the lives of kids who are searching and longing for purpose and meaning in their lives. How would God use me? What kind of impact would He make through me? What was I to expect? It was these questions and more that I started asking myself, and God, as I began my drive to Bear Lake Camp.

Sprint...REST...Sprint...REST

This is an idea that most would say is easier said than done. What does it have to do with? It has to do with how we live our lives. Mark Beeson, the senior pastor here at GCC, often teaches this idea. He says our lives should be lived in this way. It is not to be lived out like a marathon with which we are constantly going and going and never take time to sit and rest. Some would ask, "How am I not supposed to keep going? If you only knew my life and everything that has to be done. You don't have a clue." That is what my life feels like right now. I have already spent about 15 hrs. in the last week typing papers and studying for my classes and I have at least 2x the work left to do before Nov. 21. This weekend I am speaking four messages in three days at a High School Youth Retreat in Albion, IN at Bear Lake Camp. When I get back the church will be in high gear getting ready for our annual food drop, which mobilzes thousands of volunteers and feeds literally thousands of people throughout Michiana.

So I am feeling a little stretched right now but I am enjoying all of it. I am in the middle a sprint but when December roles around and the school work is done, it will be time for that rest. And when it comes you can bet I will enjoy every moment of it. God calls us to rest. He did. And he's got a lot more on his plate than we do.

At the Ranch

Here are some pictures that were taken from the last 2nd Saturday event at GCC. We are at Crooked Creek Ranch hanging out elementary and junior high aged, inner city kids. It was a blast!!!

2 Down, 8 To Go

That actually is a little how I feel after my first 2 Graduate classes and here's why. I have never been one who really loves the world of academia. Not that I am a bad student, it's just that spending tons of time researching and writing papers is never something that lit my fire. So after finishing two classes now, part of me feels like I just can't wait until it's over. Now I know it will be rewarding and it will be a great accomplishment but is that all it's going to be?

I have been doing some thinking about the best way to obtain a better knowledge of scripture and ministry and how to make the most of my time here in Indiana. Is going to school for ministry really going to be as effective as, lets say, putting all of that time in at the church and gaining experience that way? Choosing to pursue a master's requires a great deal of time and money. And if I am going to give those two things, am I going to come out that much farther ahead when it is all said and done? Think of it this way. Everyday, the Church is pressing forward into uncharted territory. They are laying the ground work for new styles of ministry and new ways to be effective in building the kingdom and engaging as many people as possible in that. And so if this is all new, that means that it can't be taught in the classroom yet because it is still in documentation mode. By the time it hits the shelves and begins to be taught, it will be outdated because the Church has continued to press forward into even newer and fresher ideas.

So my question becomes, will what I learn in the classroom and the time and money spent there, really help me to be that much more effective in ministry or would it make more sense to spend that time and less money in the church where I would be part of a team that works together to blaze new trails and learn that process first hand? Just something I have been thinking and praying about. My goal is to learn to be more effective in ministry understand God's Word and to think outside of box. What are your thoughts?

Finally...

I say that for a couple reasons.

First, because this past weekend was the first weekend I was actually able to stay in Indiana since I've moved here. It felt good not to have to drive hundreds of miles and to be able to just relax and enjoy the environment I now live in. So what did my first weekend consist of? Well, it started on a high note by participating in one of GCC's ministry events called 2nd Saturday. This event happens on the 2nd Saturday of every month and an average of 250 people show up to serve in different areas of the community from 8:30am-12pm. Hayley and I both participated in the Son City Kids outreach which ministers to at-risk, inner-city kids. This part of the event took place at Crooked Creek Ranch, a fully functioning horse ranch that provides kids with the opportunity to do things they will never be able to do any other time. This includes riding horses, riding a tractor, seeing the farm animals, and many other fun activities. It was a great experience and I look forward to helping more in the future. Look for pictures of the 2nd Saturday event to be posted very soon.


The Second part of a great relaxing weekend was the walk off home run hit by Magglio Ordonez to send the Tigers to the World Series. What a story. A team who has lost over 400 games in the last 4 seasons, which is so bad it is hard to do, are now playing on the biggest stage in baseball and in my book are the favorites to win it. I was only 3 years old the last time the Tigers were champions and I don't remember any of it. So I am excited for what lies ahead. May the spirit of '84 be present!!!

Who's Your Tiger?

The sign says it all. The team that hasn't been to the ALCS since 1987 is back. And are they ever. After closing out the biggest enemy in the league with a solid 3 games to 1 victory, the boys from Detroit came into Oakland and made another strong statement. I honestly never thought baseball could fun to watch but I was wrong. When it's your team, and as long as you can remember they've been a losing franchise and now they are one of the best teams in baseball, it is just plain exciting!! So the journey continues tonight. It's hard to believe that with just three more wins, the Tiges will be on the big stage.

MC3 - Construction Blitz

For four days last week, from 6am to 6pm, volunteers from GCC began to renovate a newly purchased building in downtown South Bend. Up until now, part of this building, known as the Monroe Circle Community Center (MC3), was being used to feed over 300 low income families twice a month. Not only will that continue, but the newly renovated section of the building will be used to start an alternative school known as The Crossing. The kids that will attend this school are the most marginalized. They are the kids that have been suspended and/or expelled or in other words, the kids that nobody wants. It is a great opportunity to bring the love of Jesus to them. The picture shows a phase of the construction from last Friday, Oct. 6th. I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead at MC3, both with families and students.

Comments!!!

Attention all readers of this blog,

If you are someone who is reading this would you please do me a favor. After you have finished reading will please leave a comment for me so I can have some kind of idea has to who is viewing this blog. I would love to hear some feed back from you. If you have any questions for me or just want to make a comment please do. Interaction with you is more fun than just typing updates. Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon.

The Newest King or Queen

On September 29th, at 10:01pm, Kaylyn Elizabeth King was welcomed into the world. It was an incredible moment. Amy, Hayley and I arrived at the hospital about 30 min. before the baby was born. We were standing just outside the door of the delivery room when we heard Kaylyn speak or cry for the first time. It was such a crazy feeling knowing that My brother was now a dad, my sister and I aunt and uncle, and my parents suddenly grandparents. We eventually went into the delivery to see Erin, Zac and Kaylyn and it was a sight to behold. As you can see by the picture, which was taken less than two hours after she was born, she is incredibly cute. It is amazing to me that God can create something so articulate and beautiful. It probably shouldn't suprise me after seeing His creation all around me but nothing is quite like a new born child. Born in the image of its Creator. Known by Him before we could even see her. And then God entrusts her to her parents to love and care for and raise in the way of Jesus. What a gift!!! So needless to say, I am more than excited about being an uncle and creating many memories with my brother and his growing family.

Coldstone!!!

Great things just keep happening here at GCC. Yesterday for our weekly staff meeting, the senior management team took everyone (60-70 people) to Coldstone Creamery for a celebration of the successful Innovative Church Confernce that happened last week. We went at 11:45 so it ended up being everybody's lunch for the day but it was worth it. That was my first trip to Coldstone but probably not my last. Strawberry-Banana Rendezvous. Excellent!!! So if you're a boss or in charge where you work, it might be a good idea to take those who work along side of you out for a special treat. It's worth the time and money to reward their efforts.

Innovation Station

I said in a previous post that I would share more of what happened at the Innonvative Church Conference here at GCC so here it is. Last week on Thursday and Friday, Granger held its annual Innonvative Church Conference. It was two days of Granger sharing what they have learned through their 20 years of ministry experience with over 600 pastors and ministry leaders from around the country and Cananda. It was a set up of large sessions and smaller breakout sessions of specific ministry components taught primarily by GCC staff. Some of the topics discussed were missions, volunteers, first impressions, maximizing the arts, blogging, leading worship, student and kids' Ministry, web strategy, staffing, etc. On Thursday, the band Shane and Shane was here leading worship throughout the day and they also did a concert in the evening. To make a long update short, the ICC was inspiring and motivating. I feel very fortunate about the position I am in because the people I am around are passionate and intentional about the ministry they do here at GCC. For anyone reading this who is a pastor or church leader or even volunteer, you should really consider attending this event next year. Until then, there is an opportunity in to attend a one day session on one of the following topics on November 10. They are Communication Workshops, Discipleship, Maximizing the Arts and Simply Strategic Volunteers. For any information on other resources or future workshops check Granger's Wiredchurches website. I hope some of you will attend one these conferences in the future. I promise it will be informative and beneficial to your ministries no matter what environment you're in. Also, the sooner you sign up, the cheaper it will be. It would be great to have some visitors for a day or two. I hope to see you here!!

Back to the Roots

I'm not sure if I spent more time inside or outside of my car this past weekend. I was on the road a lot!!! Friday after the Innovative Church Conference at GCC, which was incredible, I packed up and headed to Mt. Pleasant for the night. On Saturday, Hayley and I left for the old home town of Pigeon. We were able to spend some time with Chad and Lisa Sturm and the newlyweds, Chad and Shari Craig. On Sunday I shared at Pigeon River about what is happening in Indiana at GCC and Bethel. It was fun see everyone again but it does feel a lot different now. After church we ate lunch with Chad and Lisa and then headed to Mt. Pleasant to pick up Hayley's vehicle. Then from there to Vermontville, MI to spend the night with Hayley's parents and pack up all of Hayley's belongings. Then this morning I got up early and drove another 2 hours back to Granger and now here I am. It was a lot of miles but it was worth it to see everyone.
Today is a pretty exciting day because Hayley is finally moving down here. She found an apartment in Mishawaka, which is only about 10 minutes from me, 5 minutes from the church and about 20 minutes to where she will be working. So I am excited and looking forward to spending more time with her and venturing into this journey together. God is Good!!!

Creation, Curses, Convenants, and Christ

I apologize for this being only my second post this week. It's partly because I was really busy and partly because I kept putting it off until now. I experienced my first Graduate level class this week. The class was Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8-5. That is a long time to be in class but it really wasn't too bad with the breaks and the 1 hour lunch. It also helped that the topic of study was God's Word. The class was Biblical Theology and I learned more in 3 days than I have in the last three years I think. We began the class in Genesis and work all the way through to Revelation looking at the theology of the scripture throughout. The God we serve is, wow, I can't even think of a word to describe His goodness, faithfulness, mercy, grace, love, wisdom, and righteousness. He wants us so bad. He fights for us everyday. He even died for us. I am amazed at the story God has written and that He wants me to play a part in it and on His team. I challenge you all this week to dig in to the Word and see how God is working throughout the scripture in attempt to redeem His people.

47-21

What a great weekend in the area of South Bend. It was definately the best weekend I've had here (well maybe next to celebrating the 375 people that were baptized). But it was a weekend to remember nonetheless. I'll have to admit, I was a little nervous for the big game this weekend. I really didn't think Michigan would come out on top but did they ever. It was complete domination of those rancid Irish. It was a site to behold. Not only a victory but a blowout!!! It let's the fans of Notre Dame feel for one week what it's like to cheer for the Detroit Lions on any given week. Needless to say, I was happy to come back to the South Bend area after spending the weekend in Vermontville, MI (for good reason) knowing I now have bragging rights for my whole first year here at GCC. What a weekend.

Let's Go Blue!!!!

Well, I am approaching the end to my first full week here in Granger. It is starting feel like I am slowly finding my place here at GCC. I am learning the names of a lot of the people who work here (70 paid staff) and I am feeling a little more comfortable with how things operate. This week I began creating and developing what the steps might look like for launching the family missions program. By the time I was done laying it out, I was planning into March of 2008. That is something I have never done before. So I am continually learning new things and being stretched. I am excited for next week. I will be starting my classes at Bethel and on Thursday and Friday of next week GCC is hosting its Innovative Church Conference. If you are not signed up for this thing yet you need to. It is going to be incredible. I will be posting more about this after the conference.

Also this weekend is one the biggest events of the year. The "to be praised" Wolverines of Michigan are coming to town to take on the despised No. 2 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Should be a good game and fun atmosphere. Go Blue!!!

MERGE

Last night was another big night in the life of GCC. The college age (18-25) ministry Merge got underway. It is a once a month ministry for people in the college age of life who are looking to connect with others their age in a worship experience. It started last night at 7:30pm and somewhere between 250 and 300 students showed up. The format was worship, then a message and then a little more worship. Pretty typical of what most services for this age group. If time allows, I will be volunteering with this ministry by possibly helping to connect the loner students to others so they can feel more connected and comfortable. I'm excited to see what this ministry does and how it will impact the college campuses in the area. It seems that this ministry was a long time coming and now it is finally here. I will write more about merge in the future.

Sprinkle, Pour and Immersion

It was quite a day in the life of Granger Community Church on Sunday. Between 2pm and 6pm yesterday, approx. 300 people were baptized and welcomed into the family here at GCC. It was definitely a first time experience for me to see so many people come and take part in a huge celebration. Even though it rained most of the time (sprinkled and poured) that did not stop the thousand or so people in attendance, some bringing tents and almost all bringing blankets, umbrellas, and food. It was like a huge tailgate party but not for a huge sporting event like most people were doing on the opening day of the NFL. It was for a baptism and to celebrate the public confession of faith of hundreds of people. It just seems right. Almost like a scene from the New Testament. People gathering at the edge of the water to watch and eat and celebrate the decisions of those being immersed. I will try to get some pics up of the event so you can have somewhat of a visual of the event. The Kingdom of God is growing!!!

FYI: New Information

I have recently discovered some new information for those of you that may wish to contact me as some point in the journey. Here goes:

A second email: jking@gccwired.com (otis_44@hotmail.com will still work)

A new address: 14855 Fairfield Dr. Granger, IN 46530

A work phone: 574.243.3500 ext. 317

That's all I can think of for now. Feel free to contact me anytime.

The Journey Begins

Well, it has begun. All of the waiting and wondering has finally come to an end. As of 9:00 this morning I have officially begun my new season of ministry here at GCC. As you can see in the picture, my head is full of new information, new people, new programs and new surroundings. It is going to be a challenge and I know I that I am incapable of doing what I am being asked to do which is actually right where I want to be. I am forced to rely on the strength and power of Jesus to perform. So as I continue to press on in this journey, please keep me in your prayers. Every step will be uncharted territory and every day a step in faith. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement, prayer and support. God Bless!!!