Day Five

Day Five - Wednesday
Ok, so the person's house that we stayed at, we met through facdebook. She is apart of my best friend's church and they stay there whenever they are in town to preach (they are traveling evangelists) and have good references. this is definately a different day that we live in.

Interesting story about her:
While praying God told her that he was going to give her a new house, so she packed everything she owned in boxes and prepared for her new house. Her possessions stayed in those boxes for the next 7 years. Could you imagine, everyone around her thought she was out of her gourd. Well Target came to her one day and offer her 250K for her 75K house and property so that they could build a parking lot on her and the neighbors property. She then moved to the side coty that she wanted to move to, built a house for her and her son, and furnished it with the money. I think of Noah and doing the crazy, but acheiving the results. Interesting lady, good conversationalist.

Anyway, we drove around and prayed a bit and then got some lunch. We went to Church on the Rise for the church tour and meeting. On the way there I recieved a call from Michael W. Smith and Billy Hornsby. They shared with me that the ARC church in Solon was pastorless and was currently looking for a pastor and that I should check it out and see what I think. Whoa! What ... Umm, ok we can do that. We cancelled our meeting with the real estate guy, because things were now kind of up in the air.
And now for our meeting with COTR. They have a great church facility (Sanctuary reminded me of Celebration Church) and youth building. We then had a quick meeting with the founding pastor. We chatted and shared for about an hour, which was much longer than we thought we would get with him. As it turned out the original pastor of Oak River (the ARC church in Solon) came out of his church and and they actually Sponsored the plant through the ARC. He had some inside info and thoughts toward the situation. He also, had some great ideas on other areas in the city that would be prime for a church plant and some other pastors in the area that I should know. A very good and timely meeting.
We got a bit to eat, checked out a local mall and started off to meet a couple that wasa recomendation from my youth pastor growing up. Sol and Jamie Gunyola. The Starbucks that we went to was one of the coolest. It used to be a bank and it was three stories with a fire place ... very cozy. They were a neat couple. They are very evangelistic and have a great heart for reaching the lost. Sol is a tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy that you definately don't have to guess what he is thinking or going through. I like that about him. His wife is very into horses ... It is her life. She has a heart for worship and she is strong, which Faith likes. They are, oddly enough, not currently plugged in anywhere and want to find a church home. They said they would help us out no matter where we went, except for Solon. haha. Anyway, we left encouraged, they are a great couple with much potential. We called it a night and went back to Chris's house for the night.

Days Three and Four

Three - Monday
Well, the previous two days have completely drained me, so, I slept in. Way in! Didn't get up until like 10. We didn't leave the house and get into cleveland until like 1:00. We left all of the kids (except Ezra) at my Mom's house for the week. Woohoo! A whole week with my wife and only one kid. I am not sure what to do with myself. In short, We had a good time talking, sharing vision and heart, and stoping at the awesome Starbuck's on the Ohio turnpike. We got into Avon the place where we have been praying about over the last year or so, and drove around a little. We stopped by the highschool to check it out. It maybe a potential great place to start services. The building is new and an incredible facility. They were practicing for a live presentation of "Highschool Musical". We called the school and the lady told us that in Avon they believe in the separation of church and state and that she didn't think they would rent to a "Religous Organiazation". She knew of a couple of other cities that might do that, but, she would give me the information anyway of who to contact. We talked to the city planner and he said that the lady had no clue what she was talking about and that they would be happy to rent the facility to us. Haha ... people are funny ... we always want to interject our own interpretation what what the law should say. Anyway, we drove around and talk to some folks in Avon and Westlake. Over a pretty good day. We drove to one of Faith's best friends to stay for the night

Four - Tuesday

We had breakfast, check email and facebook, hopped in the car and started driving back toward Avon again. We called a couple of ARC churches in the area to see if we could meet with them and talk about what we are doing, hear about their ministries and get some advise. We talked to our realtor and set up an appointment to look at some houses to rent and set up dinner for that night to review our needs again. We found an ARC church in Westlake that we didn't realize was there. We have heard about this church, but didn't know that it was and ARC church. We called our superiors to check on what advice they might give us on whether or not they thought it might be to close. Drove around looked at some more of the city and met some more people. We gave out some cards and collected info of some people that seemed interested in hear more about what we are doing. We met Realtor Mike at Red Robins for dinner. Great guy with heart for ministry. He was involved with his church plants a few years back and had some great insight into the area. We mentioned that we wanted to go check out "Church on the Rise", and he had a friend that is married to the pastor's administrative assistant. She got us in for a tour and meeting with the pastor the next day. Wow, that was interesting right. Overall it was good and full day. We drove to facebook buddy Chris's house and turned in for the night.

Day Two

Highlight from Last night and this morning ...

The kids wanted a story in the van before they went to sleep. They had watched High School Musical and and now wanted a Daddy story. So I asked, Who wants a scary story (jokingly)? Well Christian and Grace screamed yeah!! and Elise screamed no, followed by Ian's "yeah daddy ... scarry story" - he really has now clue about what that even means. So I thought, this is perfect, stranded at some gas station, we have no idea where we are with 45 other cars full of strangers, not to mention all of the semi-trucks. It is the dead of night ... wow! I could scar them for the rest of their lives, they would scream until they all peed their pants. Wait ... that would stink and I really don't like scary at all any way ... ummm. How about 3 little pigs ... with a twist.

The three pigs were named: Ipsy, Pipsy and Pipsy ... Ispy was the deep woods hillbilly sounding pig that tried the hay, lipsy had a severe st st st st studdddd studd st stammering problem and pipsy was the high brow pig with the simon cowel sounding accent who consequently also built his house with bricks. The big bad wolf was truely big and bad ... he also goes by Sam on facebook. Not to go into all the details, but the story ends with Pipsy having a sever pride problem and all but calling his brothers complete morons for building substandard housing and leting that Big bad wolf blow their houses down like that. When Sam comes to the door (AKA big bad wolf) and when Pipsy finds out it was his facebook buddy whom he wanted to meet and without thinking excitedly opens the door, he finds out that he just let the big bad wolf right in his house. Ipsy and Lipsy were playing card and Sam goes on to explain that he just wanted someone to play cards with and, since he has an anger problem, blew the houses down because he was offended that they wouldn't play with him. Anyway, that was the gist ... lots of fun and laughing ... even a couple of morals in there and we could talk about.

In the morning I went in and got some some "Dounettes". A bag of powder and a bag of chocolcate. The benefit of having a gas station as a hotel. So I come back to the van and Grace screams (followed by the rest of the clan). Awesome!! Daddy, can i have one. To which i said, of course sweety. She then said: "Daddy!! This is the best trip ever!! I am having so much fun" I thought wow ... you gotta be kidding me. I know that normally the nutritional content of Dounettes would prevent me from normally buying those, but best trip ever. haha. Snow every where, we are stranded and can't get back on the highway, it is cold, we are sleeping at a gas station, i was getting woken up every hour on the hour, taking Ian potty inside at 3 am, he then wanted to cuddle with daddy in the ever-so-huge-driver-side-area (he was cuddly and warm though) ... and this is fun. Yeah ... I guess it is fun, isn't it. Spending time with the family, daddy can't work, telling funny stories, eating dounettes, sharing memories that most other people won't have ... yeah this was a great time! Here are some more pics:

A beautiful morning. Snow outside and my beautiful wife. perfect.


You can see some of the caked ice on the road still.


one of the many cars still left.

a couple of semi trucks on the side of the road still.

This is great ... I was thinking "Wide Right Turn", but hey Wild Rigth Turn" works as well.

Still Happy!

Day One

So, we were gonna try to make it as far as we could the first day, at least Nashville if not further. We got started a little later than we wanted to today, but that's ok right? wrong. Those 2 hours made all the difference in the world. We were making great time. for the first 9-10 hours we were averaging 60 mph, including all the stops for gas, food, unexpected kid restroom stops, with 5 kids it was great. BUT then my father-in-law calls and asked:

Dad: "Where are you guys right now?

Me: "We are just about 40 miles from Memphis."

Dad: "Oh. Well you guys need to be careful, I heard it is getting pretty bad over there. Some big snowstorm"

Me: "Really, We got nothing. No snow ... even on the ground, beautiful and sunny here, Dad.

Dad: "Ok, call me back in a half and hour and tell me what you see."

Me: "Will do"

Well. We saw a little snow sprinkled on the trees and then on the ground and then a little more and then a little more. I talked back with my Father-in-law and he said that it is supposed to get really bad, but i am gonna push through ... I can handle this! The kids couldn't wait to get out and play a little in it. For Grace, Elise and Ian this was a first that they can remember anyway.

We were getting hungry and it was snowing pretty good, so we stopped at a Steak & Shake to get a bite to eat and to prepare for the coming snow storm. We ate and it was a blast, snow everywhere ... the kids throwning snow balls at each other. They figured out what cold really means.

We got back on the road and traffic was going about 50 mph, then 40 ... 30 ... 20 ... 10 ... 5mph. The road was bumpy from the big ice chunks and that had formed on the (road). Hey look! there's a car on the side of the road ... oh look there is another one ... I decided not to count anymore after 20. Cars, Trucks, Semi Trucks. You could tell how long they had been there by the amount of snow covering them. So, ok ... we need to get off as soon as we can. there was an exit with hotels, just a few miles up the road. Faith looked them up on google and called them, but they were both already full ... The gas station was good enough ... It had to be. About 45 other cars were apparently apart of the sleep over as well.

I realized that Chuck Taylor, even though leather, were not the shoe of choice for this kind of weather ... my feet were cold and wet. Let me show you a couple of images and then share the highlight with you tomorrow.

Christian trying to throw a snow ball at me while i am taking the picture

Me and Faith in front of Steak & Shake. woohoo!

The kids at Steak and Shake before getting back on the road.

Faith and I at the gas station parking lot car hotel.

Christian and I enjoying and snow and the cold wet feet.

A little more perspective

Life ... Going to Cleveland

Ok so 90 hour work weeks again, What am I thinking. This time there is at least a purpose behind it. We are leaveing for Cleveland tomorrow, at like 3 in the morning, about 4 hours from right now. We really aren't going to Cleveland at first. We are going to Warren, OH where my Mom and Step Dad live (where Faith and I grew up) to drop the kids off. This is an exploratory trip to our launch city, about a hour and a half away. We are pumped out of our minds at all that God has placed in our heart and seeing some of these thing finally start to come into focus. God has taken his time with us and has grown many things in us that just can't be done quickly. It has been a long journey and we haven't start, but NOT the kind of journey that wears you out. The kind that builds something new in you everyday
builds confidence,
invigorates,
builds anticipation,
builds purpose,
builds vision,
builds strength,
and all this before the first leg of the race. Pray for us as we leave tomorrow. 5 kids ... 1400 miles ... our 6 month old loves to scream in the car.

Church Plant Blog: State of the church

Here is the weekly installment from the church plant blog that I write for faithHighway found at: http://mediaoutreach.com/?p=1118

In working very closely in consulting churches across America for the last seven and a half years, you start to notice trends that include all denominations and demographics. It is always a good thing to find valid research that says the same thing that your gut has been telling you all along. In the Church Planting World, the research is very encouraging; there seems to be great momentum, but we are still in the very early stages of where this is all going. The direction of the Body of Christ as a whole is moving to a very good spot, and it would appear that much of the strong, thick constructed walls that have divided us for so many years (with relatively small issues) are cracking and getting weaker incrementally. The Conversations that I used to have with churches, even seven years ago, would actually include, websites being of the devil, marketing being a nasty word, strong business principles being a deterrent from the Holy Ghost, denominational name and usage still had very strong loyalty (the presentation has changed, not the loyalty to their roots), the word “multi-cultural” was used rarely, et cetera. The whole landscape of church culture is obviously a completely different world now.

There are 2 blog articles that I would like to reference from www.edstetzer.com. The first is a study, which I will briefly summarize, on some seemly obvious changes in the last 10 years. The Second is the “State of Church Planting.”

This is the summary of the article titled “New Research on American Congregation” (http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2008/12/new-study-reveals-changes-in-a.html) the information is mostly drawn from National Congregation Study Wave II via the Christian Post is definitely worth noting. This study, directed by Mark Chaves, Professor of Sociology, Religion, and Divinity at Duke University, compared over 1,505 congregations in 2006-2007 with 1,234 in 1998 revealing some noteworthy changes American churches have experienced in the last 10 years. Here are few points worth thinking about (please note that the sections on style and tech are taken directly from the article mentioned above, while the last point is a summary of the results):

The study shows that our American churches have become less formal in worship style over the past 10 years, but they have not robbed or replaced the biblical components of worship

In 1998, the number of congregations with Web sites was only 17 percent. The number has since risen to 44 percent in 2006-07. In other words, since 1998 another 10,000 congregations created Web sites and now 74 percent of service attendees are in congregations with Web sites. While it’s hard to imagine church life in 2009 without websites and electronic communication, 10 years ago it simply wasn’t an issue.

Ethnic Diversity has increased mostly among “white” churches.

Age of Leadership has increased by 4 years over the last 10 years (This came as a surprise to me). Size of Congregation has remained roughly the same over the last 10 years.

This next article is a very encouraging article that speaks to the Future of Christianity in America, the possible beginnings of a church planting movement. To read the “State of Church Planting” post check out this link (http://blogs.lifeway.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?search=planting&IncludeBlogs=8).

Why did Jesus have to die? Part 3

Again, I don't usually use this blog in this way, but i have thinking about this anyway, so here it is.

The last thought we have to ask ourselves is this. "Are my sins really bad enough to deserve eternal punishment, where we are constantly deteriorating and being eaten alive, but never are consumed, where the anquish and agony are so thick and deep that it feels like an unquenchable fire is always burning us, insanity is always over taking us, but yet we never die and are conpletely coherent of exactly what is happening? Complete Separation from God, FOREVER. Really"

If you write down all the "bad stuff" you think you have ever done. Most of us don't even have enough against us to end up in a regular old jail here in this physical world ruled by men. What would we have ever done to deserve eternal torment? The majority of Americans believe in a heaven (85%) and 85% of Americans believe they are going there. Why? Because if you ask a room full of people to have all the bad people raise their hands, no one will. People basically believe they are good and that they may not be as bad as some, but they surely aren't as bad as some either. Good enough fo heaven right?

Here is a great example I will end with ...

I was listening to a man tell a story about his 3 year old daughter. She took a stick and procedded to draw a picture of whatever on the hood of his car. She scratch the hood into something silly. Could he sit the 3 year old down and say: "What were you thinking? I now have to take off work and take the car down for an estimate, miss work (and money), waste time on the phone with the insurance company, pay the $500 deductable, take the car back down to the shop for the actual work to be done, get a rental car for a week (more time and money), get the car back only to realize that they didn't do everything right, take it back in ..." You get the picture. She won't be able to comprehend any of that and she will never be able to repay it (no job, no money). All he could say is: "Sweety, please don't ever do that again. It makes daddy very sad"

We truely have no clue. Our little sin causes a complete separation from God and it demands Justice, but we can't truely understand and could never pay the price. We absolutely deserve eternal separation from God ... Mercy ... Justice ... Grace (see part 2)

This is the most "fair" system in existance.
1. Everyone is Welcome
2. Everyone must enter the same way.
3. Everyone can meet the requirements

Why did Jesus have to die? Part 2

I don't do this much here but ... woohoo! Bible Study time. Don't worry, I will give the elevator version.

This is a great question. The answer is found in Romans Chapter 3.

Verses 20 and 21 state:

20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. Righteousness Through Faith 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

Righteousness is "Right-standing" before a holy God ... right. This is the goal of nearly every religion around the world. In almost every religion it is also obtained by doing "good" works and sometimes physcially paying for the wrongs they have done. In these two verses Paul is saying to them that everything that they thought was true about getting right before God was wrong. He is saying that it is impossible to be righteous ... Impossible. It can only be granted by God completely apart from anything that we could do to earn it or push it away.

So how does Righteousness come then? verse 22 says "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference," This says it all, then the next verse goes on to say ... 23"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," What does this mean. In essense ... say there was a archery match and you must get 5 bulleyes in a row to progress to the next round of the competition. Let's say you miss the first bullseye by a smidge ... well you are out anyway. It doesn't matter if you shoot 15 more perfect bulleyes in a row! You still missed the first one and can't progress. In the same way, we have all sinned at least once (in my case, too many to count) and from that point on, it makes no difference how much good we do, we can never be good enough to make it to heaven on our own. There is no price we could ever pay to re-gain right standing before a perfect and Holy God.

It then says: "24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."

Here is where the answer then lies ... Jesus had to die, because God is Just ... perfectly Just ... it is against his nature to be anything but Just! Someone must pay for the injustice commited, there is absolutely no way around it, He can't break or change the rules or change the rules! ... that would be injust. Even if no one else ever knew or found out? Yeah ... He is perfectly Just and not capable of being Injust. This is so encouraging ... in a world where there are no "absolutes" and no pure justice, it is refreshing to know that we serve a God that is purely Just.

These are very heavy and complicated scriptures, but if we are to simplify it. All it is saying is:
1. Mercy - the thing that delayed God from exacting justice for as long as it could. At some point, the sin must be paid for!
2. Justice - Eventually all sin must be completely paid for, completely ... no way around it.
3. Grace - God brought perfect justice out on his sinless son ... the only one that could actually pay the price.

Jesus had to die. It is the only way.

See part 3 for the final thought...

Why did Jesus have to die??

We are having another "Connect Group" tomorrow night. I haven't really written any notes down for the discussion as I have barely enough time to sleep right now. I did however manage to watch American Idol as I was working though ... more of the same, but still interesting. Anyway, The subject is "Why did Jesus have to die?". Really ... If He is God and can do anything right, why would he choose to kill his son, instead of just declaring everyone forgiven. He could just do that right? I mean I have forgiven quite a few people of fairly cruel things and I didn't have to sacrifice our cat (which isn't that bad of an idea ... haha) or kill their first born son to do it to make that forgiveness happen, right. I just forgave them. It is done ... not really going to think about it again, except for right now when i am actually trying to remember these things. God is better and higher than I right? And He can't just forgive? How does that make sense.

Here is another one for you. If Jesus took my place so that I wouldn't have to burn in hellish torment for the rest of eternity, what could I have done to deserve that. Think about it ... but not too long, it gets wierd. Hell, eternal burning flames, constantly decaying, screaming in isolation with no one to hear me, complete separation from a God who created me and wanted to spend forever with me, but who now can't, on and on and on and on. I didn't even do anything to deserve a natural night in prison, let alone the death penalty. Did my little lying, drinking, swearing kind of sins really warrant an eternal death that I must pay for without end? Seriously?!

I will give my answer in a couple of days ... After the Connect Group has met. It is these types of questions that can't just go left undone. We need to wrestle with them, they always make faith stronger.

I am not dead!

So wow ... December hit like a tsunami and I have ignored the blog-o-sphere since. Since then I am now back to more than full time at faithHighway and the intership at my phenomenal Church, Celebration, seems to be in a more of a demanding stage and Venue stuff and transitional elements are in full swing. So what is 80 - 90 hours a week, a family of five and sleep really have to do with ignoring the blog anyway ... just a trite excuse. I know ... I am lame, right?! Anyway, I am back and hopefully have regained my sanity.

All that said, life is great! The kids are an amazing and so much fun! Life could not function without my incredible love - Faith! And I am an incredibly blessed man in more ways that I can count. This year is going to be an exciting one.