Where Is Your Airbag?

Have you crashed yet?

A member of the church was sharing with me about his car crash. He's okay now, but he didn't see the crash coming. He isn't even sure what caused it. One moment he was driving. The next moment he was stopped with the airbag deployed in front of him. In a word: scary.

Crashes can happen in churches too, especially when you are flying high and cruising along and enjoying the company of God and others. You don't expect to crash when things are going good. In so many ways Emmanuel is gaining momentum, flying high, cruising with God.

While it is an opportunity to really excel when so much momentum is going in a positive direction, it isn't a bad idea to wonder where our airbag is. Crashing can hurt so much more when you are going fast. And Emmanuel is going fast. Eventually we will slow down. So where is our airbag?

When we come down off the high boost of momentum, the letdown can be..well...like 'ugh'. The common, healthy, pace of ministry will require padding--a place to be safe when we get bumped, discourged or confused. There are a few different places to find padding in the church. Let me mention two: prayer and faith-forming groups.

Prayer is a place we find solace and peace with God. It is a reminder that our mortality is not alone and hopeless in a world that doesn't always mind if we crash. We must hang on to prayer in all cases. This should go unsaid. Sadly, it is tempting to lighten up on prayer when things are going good. Let's not do that. Let's pray.

Secondly, faith-forming groups are another airbag. Being able to lean on each other is what community is about. It's highly unlikely that everyone will crash all at the same time. Leaders can depend on one another to lift each other up when one has a crash. However, everyone in the church will be encouraged to be in such a group: youth group, bible study, sunday school, small groups and other groups that will emerge this Fall can function as an airbag. I hope you have one. And if you don't, I encourage you to get one. The blessings can't always be put into words.

So as we enjoy the awesome inspiration of God in this time of refreshing energy, in the back of our minds let's not forget where our airbags are located. It will allow us to carry on to the next day when the goodness of God can continue to be experienced.

Pastor Joe

The Rhythm Of Ministry

I love it when a plan comes together. I've had awesome meetings over the course of the past month. The reasons for this are numerous. People have been very willing to look at ministry with an open mind. I have been trying hard to listen and learn about Emmanuel. But mostly, God is so evident in the words and actions and attitudes of everyone involved.

I feel like we, as a church, are traveling at 1,000 mph. In terms of United Methodists, we are. But it isn't a reckless progress. I will continue to try very hard to keep our eyes on the purpose that God places before us: making disciples of Jesus. If we can stay focused, we will continue to have awesome meetings and things will get done that will be a product of God's presence with us.

Eventually things will slow down. And that won't be bad either. We are currently searching for that rhythm of ministry that gives us a good pace for years to come. When we find that rhythm, ministry will come easier for Emmanuel. Stress will reduce. Blessings will continue to flow. And then I can take a vacation...hehe.

Until then, hold on to your hats. God is running with us and it is good.

Filling Your Gas Tank

Many questions are floating around about the prospect of the Small Group launch this Fall. There are so many concepts of ‘Small Groups’ that it is difficult to get a handle on what Pastor Joe means when he talks about Small Groups. So many questions will be answered in my sermon on September 13^th, but let me throw out some thoughts on the subject.

Every person has a gas tank. When the tank is full, there is motivation and desire and drive to do God’s work. There is an understanding of God’s Call for their lives; a sense of fulfillment as that Call is lived out. Inner joy is revealed when woohoo moments happen. Comfort is easily found when there is fear and uncertainty. Barriers to progress are more easily knocked down and goals are achieved with a sense of support from others. Church becomes a privilege and one looks forward to it. Close friendships are celebrated and new friends are found.

When the tank is empty there can be weariness, frustration and discouragement. A person running on empty doesn’t easily understand God’s Call for them. They spiritually struggle to survive day to day. Church becomes a duty and obligation. Serving is only done because it is seen as necessary. Worship is dry, prayer is lacking and one feels like they are on an island with no help in sight.

As one gives of themselves, the tank empties a little. As one receives, the tank fills a little. Small Group is about keeping your tank filled so that you can fill the tank of others. Small group is about having a place to share about your week and having discussions that are relevant to your gas tank. Small Groups usually start out being light-hearted as people test the water to see what it will be like. But as the people become more familiar with each other, God-things start happening. Friendships strengthen; God gets heard more clearly; and the tank begins to fill. You learn to be with others who care about your walk with God.

At Emmanuel there are lots of places to empty your gas tank on. I’m learning that while there are a few places to fill your tank, there are far too few. It is not fair for you to be expected to invest yourself in a church when a church isn’t investing itself in you. The time for that is over. It is time to have your tank filled. And you will be glad.

Small Groups are not for everybody, but I encourage you to find some way to fill your tank. There will be other opportunities for such and I will also talk about them on September 13^th as we worship the God who has invested Himself in you. I hope you come and join us.

Planning To Be Blessed

I had another great Sunday morning with Emmanuel. It’s wonderful to see great energy in a church that seems so hungry for God. And yet in the midst of such a refreshing place, I am reminded to be very careful about how we journey forward together.

As we get ramped up for a new Vision and new programs coming in September, I am beginning to feel the pull from so many directions (in 90 minutes this morning I was in discussions regarding: youth, music, media, worship, small groups, weddings, counseling, new members, church council, visitation and prayer concerns). While so many pulls can be a sign for exciting times to come, it can also be a warning for implosion if this renewed energy isn’t handled appropriately. Energy that isn’t handled well can end up fizzling out, leaving demoralized, burned-out people of faith.

So while I pray that the new Vision will bring even more spiritual fervor, I am also prayerful that Emmanuel will understand the need to create a strong administrative structure to support the energy that comes. We will plan to be blessed. As I preach a new Vision beginning September 13^th, I will also be working with Church Council and other leaders in the church about what it means to stop thinking and planning like a small church and start thinking and planning like the medium-sized church that you are becoming.

This is an incredibly awesome time in the life of Emmanuel. I hope you recognize it. I also hope that, working together with God, we will intentionally plan to be blessed beyond our expectations.

Bulldozer Ministry

There are those times when the church starts to get momentum in a right direction. Then there are those times when the church gets headed in an awesome, God-inspiring direction. The result is an increase in energy and more of a desire to express faithfulness.

However, I have found that there is another interesting dynamic when churches are what God wants them to be. There seems to be an increase in barriers. Now it is possible that this is just my imagination as I become more focused and more intent on leading the congregation. And yet my peers have seemed to notice similar dynamics as well. When things are moving forward for the betterment of God’s Kingdom, issues creep up that try to get in the way of ministry. Barriers are erected to slow down the process, seemingly from no one specific and mostly flukey kinds of things like websites going down. And the more churches progress forward, the more annoying and irritating these barriers become.

When I experienced this before, I was very frustrated and became discouraged. Then my mentor introduced me to the ministry of bulldozing. He showed me how to stay focused on the big picture and not let little pictures get me off track. He told me to plow ahead and keep my eyes on the purpose of disciple-making. It is in this way that, while I become frustrated about barriers to ministry, it does not distract me from tasks and goals that should be reached to dream, plan, implement and evaluate ministry that is focused on the purpose of disciple-making.

To share an example: If the website goes down, use emails. If the emails go down, use typewriters. If the typewriters go down, use a pen. If the pen goes down, use the phone. If the phone goes down, drive to people’s houses. If the car breaks down, bike, or run or walk…or crawl….or roll your way there. Whatever it takes to move forward in ministry with one another.

Bulldozer ministry: Satan hates it.

Letting Leaders Lead

It is not in the make-up of leaders to be kept from leading. I know because I am one. When a leader wants to take off and run, a leader will take off and run. So what does this mean for Emmanuel?

I feel blessed to see the leaders that are in place at Emmanuel. One of my jobs as pastor, however, is to make sure the leaders are equipped to lead in their area of ministry. Do you have passion? Have you developed the needed skills? Do you understand and relate well with who you are leading? Are you walking with God? And is your ministry area focused on the purpose of doing it’s part to make disciples?

These are a lot of questions. If the answers are ‘yes’, then may you take off and run like the wind. Don’t let me get in your way. I know that, as a leader, I get a sense of freedom when someone gives me responsibility AND authority to go and do. Responsibility isn’t much fun when you don’t have the authority to make decisions. But when you have authority? Assuming you are well equipped, strong leadership can reap so many good things. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

So know that I am looking for leaders. And when I find you, I will do whatever I can to equip you if you aren’t already. Then you can take off and run like the wind….with God right along side us.

Identify the Blessings

We had a great SPRC/Leadership meeting Monday night. I continue to learn more about you as a church and you are learning more about me. As we continue to try and find some common ground in order to provide a stronger structure for ministry, I was reminded of something regarding our journey together: identify the blessings.

Lots of good ministry is happening at Emmanuel. The rich history in combination with faithful servants provides great starting points for catapulting into the future. Thank goodness we are not starting from scratch, but have integral ministries to build upon.

We should not dwell on the past, but we must learn from the past. This includes looking at what has worked and worked well. I’m not one that fixes something that is not broken, though I have been known to try and tweak here and there.

In the midst of our transition together, let us not forget to identify the blessings and celebrate the goodness of God. It is in such blessings that goodness flows.