Ministry Culture: Chained to the Gospel!

It has been an amazing weekend and week and month at 180-degrees.  The Lord is challenging us to get off our hind parts and get the gospel message to the lost and dying world.  We have been so cut to the heart at how nobody is going to reach out to the lost if we don't.  I have been so energized reading at how the Apostle Paul was beaten with rods several times, whipped 39 times on 5 separate occasions; he was stoned once and left for dead; in prison countless times, shipwrecked, naked, persecuted and much much more.  All because he was "in chains to this gospel."  As we studied the Matthew chapter 10 study, we see that Jesus tells us that as believers we will also enter into a ministry culture of persecution.  I know I have shirked back and gotten really comfortable in my Christian walk.  Just tonight I was listening to a song and my wife asked me, "are you ready?"  I said, "ready for what?"  She said, "ready for Jesus to come back?"  I said, yes my soul is ready....but I have not fully run this race.  I have not poured myself out like the Apostle Paul.  I have not stretched my comfort zone at all like I have desire too.  I have been scared, hesitant, too busy and preoccupied.  This week and season is a new stretch for me and for 180.  We are going places we have never been before.  The quote I am using now is "PLAYING TO WIN".  Frustrated by sports teams that are looking to build esteem by everyone getting a trophy we are building a society that is based on "everyone is important".  And although that is true, in war, life, business, and even in faith, the victor comes through the victory.  Souls are lost, people are broken and I am so introspective that it makes me sick.  It is time to throw off myself and get after what I was gotten after.  Paul says it this way,

Philippians 3:12 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ^"12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."  COME ON JESUS....TIME TO GET US OUT DA WAY AND GET SOME GLORY IN MBEACH!!!!

Helping Others Turn

Scripture tells us how we are to bring the truth.  In 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul writes his young "Son" in the faith to help people be pulled out of ignorance and deception.  He writes:

"And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."  2 Tim. 2:23-26.

The reality is people in general....and often times are deceived. This is huge because they often think that they are serving Him, but scripture says they are serving him.  There are a lot of nuggets in the scripture above.... be careful not to be deceived; be on guard against satan;  acknowledgement of sin is not enough when we are wrong- repentance is necessary.  The jewel I find here today, however, is that when someone else is off, deceived or ignorant to the truth, we are to bring that person the truth.  But how we bring it is key.  First off we need to bring it without argument.  The minute our help becomes an argument is the minute our help should be withdrawn.  Teaching someone who is in deception requires gentleness and patience and humility.  When we are able to bring help we can bring it with a hammer or we can bring it with gentleness and patience (maybe requiring several confrontations, meetings or calls).  That is not what I want.  What I want is, "you listen to me so we can move on past that."  God is teaching us that His servant must be gentle, patient and humble.  If that is the character of the servant of the Lord then two more things have to occur before our friends can receive personal victory or breakthrough.  1) The Lord "perhaps" may grant the repentance (and bring them to their senses) and 2) They can break out of the snare that the devil has them in. 

All this helps me remember that I CAN'T SET PEOPLE FREE.  Only God can (perhaps)...."if" they come to their senses.  I don't have to fret or worry about being right, validated, or effective.  I just have to bring the truth.....in gentleness, humility and patiently.

God help me!-  Stu

Limp Legs

Something that has always bothered me:  People that live like the devil yet say profound and proper things about faith, proper living and/or morality.  I am sure this sounds self righteous to say, but when I have experienced this in the past, it makes me want to vomit.  Hearing someone who is irresponsible talk about the important of diligence.  Someone speaking of love and they are mean as a snake all the time.  A conversation with an unfaithful person as they discuss the importance of loyalty etc.... I often times try to overcome my sour stomach and tell myself to stop judging these folk. 

I came across a SERIOUS proverb in my studies today that at least touches on this subject.

"Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools." Proverbs 25:7

Ouch.

Well, don't want to be so quick to judge, but it is a proverb to know, it isn't wrong to want to throw up when a beautiful truth spews out of the mouth of a ....well.........fool.  Can you say handicapped speech?

Peace- Stu

You Just Don't Want To Be Loved

Listening to an old jam today in my time of reading and prayer.  It was a song from the group "The WInans."  Been praying about all the people in my life who are outside of the Kingdom of God.  Listening to the lyrics put some thoughts in my mind about people refusing to come to God.  It could be because of unbelief, fear, or straight up rebellion.  What strikes me is the never ending pursuit that God has for people even being rejected daily for every type of excuse and well formed argument.  The lyrics are printed below:




If you turn your head away after hearing what I say.
You refuse to take my hand, then I'll understand
You just don't want to be loved.

If you turn away my gift follow after a myth.
If you'd rather be deceived then I must believe
You just don't want to be loved.

If you turn away the light, just to walk in the night.
I haven't heard a verbal no but your actions show
You just don't want to be loved.

You disregard all my calls as if I haven't called at all.
And all the time I know you hear, makes me really fear
You just don't want to be loved.

Oh with love and kindness I'll draw and with goodness I will lead.
With my blood I'll wash away all iniquity.
So come and take my hand, I will lead you all the way.
Your tomorrow will be much brighter than your yesterday.
So much brighter than your yesterday.

I bridle you with everything but your response is still the same
It seems all in vain you just don't want to be loved.
You always seem to hide the emptiness inside.
I will set you free If you turn to me, but
You just don't want to be loved.

Why won't you let Jesus love you?
Don't turn him away (You just don't want to be loved.)
I don't understand (You just don't want to be loved.)

Why won't you let Jesus love you.
let Him (Love you)

Don't UNBELIEVE

On Sunday I was talking about how God did so much to help the nation Israel as they traveled out of Egypt and wandered around the wilderness for forty years.  I have heard the hike they took was generally a very very short trip. It should have taken them DAYS to make the trip.  But because the people were so hard headed they never made it (at least the adults didn't....save two).  They all died in the wilderness.  

One of the interesting scriptures in Psalm 78 comes after God parts a sea, shows himself daily to the nation to remind them that He is with them through a daily cloud and a night fire in the sky.  He then splits rocks to water over 600,000 men plus women and children.  Can you imagine the water line?  You know they didn't have dixie cups.  After all of that provision, the people then say from what I can size in a very sarcastic tone in vs. 19, " “Can God really
   spread a table in the wilderness?".  I mean come on!  It is tough enough to feed a few hundred thousand people, more less in the middle of a desert!  I guess water from a rock and completely moving back water (into heaps) in order to move a nation away from the world's mightiest army and gushing water from rocks is small change to these guys.  I know what you might be thinking.... easy on the Hebrews!  The reality is that the New Testament writers implore us to look at them very closely (for an example!)  The answer to the sarcastic question of the Israeli's is YES I CAN (spread a table in the wilderness).  To those who can't seem to believe all that God did for nation Israel, then this post will more be amusing to you, but I still believe God did it!!!.  The question is "What does that matter for me?"  Everything.  In light of my life, situations, issues and challenges, I have found that I am simply not able to trust God enough.  I find ways to "unbelieve".  That is right, the red line is under that word because it is telling me that it is not a word.  But that is what I have to constantly guard against in my life.  Unbelieving God.  To believe God takes no hard work.  I mean you just take Him for what He says.  He loves me.  So many people can't seem to accept that. So they spend their time "unbelieving".  Many worry daily about their finances and future when God promises to provide for His children.  Unbelieving.  So often I wrestle with unbelieving God that it has been a smack in His face.  Lord I am sorry for unbelieving you, like the Israelites.  Help me to be believing and trust you for all that you say and will do.  And yes Lord, I do believe you can set a table for me in the wilderness (no sarcasm :) - Stuart

Scrap Metal, Souls and Wilmington Partners

Came back from a quick trip with a brother to Wilmington today.  It was awesome.  Thankful for friends and partners in ministry.  In our visit we were able to visit a dear friend in town for a java.  I was thinking how this person has been so essential in the ministry being able to continue on in support of 180 even though they have not been in the area, our meetings or services.  Every time they send a check, I am overwhelmed.  I think, what have we done to deserve this?  As we were talking, we were abundantly aware that God is the one who gets the glory, but wow, how awesome it is when a friend "see's you".  When you are "seen" to me that means to be valued and recognized as a legitimate and relevant work of God.  Just recently a close friend sent me a request for old metal parts for his mission in Africa.  The metal will go to help build their ministry project with the local orphanage and outreach.  I surrendered my family heirloom (as he calls it).  A 1973 VW.  He has gone back and forth with me about giving up a treasure.  Indeed it is a treasure in that I have held onto it for time and time and time, but never have been able to make it work for our family.  I dreamed of putting Jeremiah in it one day fully restored.  But as I began to pray about it, I felt the Lord say to me, metal for souls.  What is it worth?  Gladly I released the old car, tattered and smudged with grime and years of neglect.  In some strange way, I felt more partnered, more connected with Africa and the work that they are doing there.  It has been frustrating in this season in our lives to not be able to give much of significance for months and months, so in a strange way, being able to give this truly is a blessing.   I "see" this guy and his wife and what they are doing.  So to sow it into their ministry is a true and precious honor.

I think our Wilmington partner must feel like that too.  As they said, "The Lord put it on my heart to support your ministry."  Well, that ministry has meant my family for most part.  That is near and dear to me.  More and more amazed I am of how God will go to other towns if it takes that for people to "see you".  Wilmington, thanks for seeing us at 180 way down here in Myrtle Beach.  I will never forget your generosity that truly has helped us to stand.  Every soul saved will be attributed to your contribution, much like my junk VW in Africa.  Thanks simply for the gift, for "seeing me", and for being faithful.  And thank you God for all you do to never forget me laboring here for You.

PS-  to learn more about my Africa friends,Ken and Karen, click on their link comegowithus.org

PROVERBS 25:19

"Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint." 

Another title for this post could be "A Few Good Men."  I have learned a bit in the past few years of church planting.  There is a difference in testing/training and trusting.  Testing and training comes with a learning curve.  What I mean to say is, you expect failure quite a bit.  With that it is kind of easier to deal with sloppy results, because you basically factor in helping with a project or essentially bagging an assignment from another to do it yourself.  The idea is to see where individuals perform so as to improve excellence or proficiency.  I am learning that I have often mixed the two up (testing and trusting).  When placing full trust in an untested individual, the proverb written above plays out in truth.  Many times I have fully trusted in people that I thought were truly faithful and when that proved to not be true, wow did it hurt.  Perhaps it was my fault?  At least a bit.  The scripture basically tells us to not put faith in an unfaithful person, especially in an important matter...unless we are a glutton for punishment (or a toothache :) .  What I am taking from this scripture is to asses what are the expectations that I put on people who are around me.  For those of us in leadership training and development, I am learning that to release responsibility and task to a responsible person, what a JOY!!!  So, the battle becomes, "Who is faithful?".  My focus a bit now is to make sure that what I am assigning is to a proven and tested individual, or else, I should expect a learning curve (fit with a lot of clean ups).  Knowing that will help me and my teeth and ankles.


Stu.

Don't Miss Your Window

Windows in the sense in which I will be speaking this Sunday at our church 180-Degrees, are very important.  I recognize the significance of how they let in light and how they let in air.  They are good for breaking up monotony in design and such.  However, windows in the spiritual sense often represent a time, a season or a process in which the ability from heaven is at your door.  Meaning, God is bringing you to a place to do "a work", a task or perhaps fulfill an aspect of releasing a greater portion for your destiny.  Often times we do not recognize a window as we speak a "window of opportunity."  These times are not always.  They may be with us for a moment, or they may return later, but they are not guaranteed.  I will be explaining from my experience how I have missed some windows and share how the price I have paid in missing them has caused a greater awareness of their existence, and a heightened sense of God's workings as I continue on in life.

We will discuss how God wants us to recognize His windows so that we can procure the needed assets to move forward in our divine design and destiny.  If you are floundering in life and seem to be going around a carousel, this will be an exciting teaching for you.  Also, if you or others you know seem to never gain momentum in life and seem constantly frustrated, this talk will be a neat way to process some new information and revelation to push through to a more helpful walk with the Lord.  Either way, it will prepare us to recognize and posture ourselves for when these windows are open in our lives.

 

If you miss it...check out the link at vimeo.com and search the link

http://vimeo.com/user4501567/videos/sort:date    The title should be "Don't Miss Your Window."  I will try to get it loaded by Wednesday!

-Stu

MMMMMMM.....cafe ole!  A lot is going on in our church these days.  For now we are completing our audio and visual purchases.  We are also up and running with a nice cafe on Sunday service times.  We offer a nice tasting Joe with sodas, pies and snacks and a nice sit down bar area.  Our focus right now is beefing up our childcare area.  We don't have a lot of wee-kids but we are planning to get some new supplies to prepare for the bitty ones!

If anyone has an old babygate play yard (the kind where you keep kids contained) and a lightly used spongy type of flooring/matting for the kids, holla at a brother.  That stuff will run around $200-300 for what we are looking for and right now every dolla makes a brotha holla.

Thanks for always being interested in hearing what is going on in the life and ministry of 180-degrees!  Please pray for us, specifically Jose (with a hairnet); that he will come to faith in Christ as we reach out to him with the GOSPEL!!!

- Stu

 The song below is "You Just Gotta Know" from a rap artist named Lecrae.  Not sure about the calamity line, so someone help me out.  But truly listening to this song on the way to school with the kids.  It spoke to me in a gentle way like a dagger in the heart :).  I think my mindset was a bit frustrated with my own inability to even be the man that I know I should be, want to be and hope to be.  In it all I struggle in the reality of it all that at least I know that I am desperate for God's help in all of that and that sometimes it scares me that people all around me don't know about it, but have the intellect to fly to the moon and all that.  And even people that know God is for true, struggle to surrender to Him for fear of being dropped (note last 2 lines).  In it all I am overcome by the lyrics "I know I'm loved and I'm pursued).  Just thinking how God created this ball, split open seas to let a million people escape the world power (Egypt), made the sun stand still, delivered death row inmates from fire pits and lion cages...and He even considers my life.  Overwhelming.  Enjoy the lyrics below and if you like to get your gangsta lean on, download the song, it is sweet.  JJ gives it a 5 rating.  - Stu

"(Yeah) I sit and hear the guitars play, Wonder if they could, what would stars say or Venus and Mars say
Or say that we want it our way....Stars so desperate to shine that they go on livin' the hard way
The intellect to travel to Mars but so blind, We worship Venus but she don't even know who we are
And she never cared why cuz she wasn't there...When I was tryin' to drown my sorrows in a pool of despair
I ain't perfect, sometimes I feel worthless, Worth less than that is the image that Ive purchased
Man, from the shades to the shirt to the shoes, Just another fool tryin' to cover he's confused, that ain't cool
Sometimes I hate the man in the mirror....Cuz I know he's a liar and a cheater and a killer
People say they love him but they love what he can give 'em, But deep inside he knows that there's a reason for him livin'

(Uh) You know I need YOU like aqua, Day without ya got me so nauseous,
If I ain't cautious, I'm gonna self-inflict my sickness You know it's true, YOU as my witness
At how YOU witness my inconsistence...Yes, the ovation when I need your assistance
And I just gotta know that even though I'm a misfit, I'm still worth more than calamity's French kiss
Yes I'm loved, and I'm pursued, And though I can't feel it, still I know that it's true
Somebody woke me up, and yeah, I know it was YOU....And yet I keep tryin' to steer clear of YOUR view
Cuz if YOU get me, I know that YOU got me....But I'm so insecure I can't believe that YOU want me
But then I heardYOU went outta your way to adopt me..
Well you can have my all if you swear you won't drop me

Happy Anniversary 180-Degrees CHURCH 6 YEARS

The picture to the right is truly about the best one I could find in my limited arsenal.  It was taken about the same time we left Virginia for Myrtle Beach.  This Sunday, marks our 6 year journey mark as a local church plant in the Myrtle Beach area. 

The picture was taken on a Thanksgiving weekend with some dear friends visiting with us.  Jeremiah is pushing a late "4" years old in the picture.  J is now a 4th grader.  The warriors dress is called the "armour of God".  It was given by a dear friend in Richmond, VA upon his birth. 

As I reflect on 6 years of treading into the devils playground in Myrtle Beach, I am reminded of the many who started with us, came along side and have moved on.  As a young church we are still celebrating many firsts, but many things God has truly established.

This year in our facility transition we are truly being blessed and experiencing freer worship of the Lord.  Our community groups are growing with new people being brought in.  Many struggling with sin and weights of life and destructive habits are experiencing new life transforming grace from the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are truly in chains to this gospel, and it is an honor to press into one more year of holding it down til He comes.

In the picture above I can remember what was going on in my head... there was so much excitement, zeal, passion and ideas in my head.  What would it look like?  Who would we reach?  What would it feel like?  Nikki, Louis, Jaimie, Caitlin, Ray, John, Michael, Jenn, Rosa, Danny, Trevor, Christopher, Maddie, Babs, Karen, Terri, Debbie....... you are why we came!  I thank God for the " ....."  those are all the others that I of course did not mention.  On the other side of 6 years there has been much press, much confusion, dissappointment, even dissillusionment, but never has the passion to serve our Lord Jesus Christ been stronger. 

As my wife cried over a gut wrenching trial in our community, she said, "I can't wait to go to Heaven."  What she meant was," it is hard"... Life, situations, people, the enemy of our own souls, the reality of tragedy and sickness and death.  She did not mean it in a negative way, but truly she is longing to be with our Jesus where there will be no more struggle, press, and trial.  Until then we will work while it is day.

Join us if you can for our 6th Anniversary service this Sunday evening at the Sea Mist Hotel.  You can check us out on FB at 180degreeschurch for more updates.

Peace-  Stu

Growing Hurts....If You Let It

Ok, ok, I ain't gonna lie, sometimes when you are building something, it gets hard.  Building people is tricky too.  You may say, what do you mean building people?  Well that is what we are in the business of as children of God.  There is a process in our growth in the spiritual just like the natural.  We go from baby and being spoon fed, to teen interdependence, to adult dependence to reproduction.  The cycle may not be cognitive as it is natural, yet there is a definite process to personal growth and development.  Some have a positive and healthy process in growing up in the natural and some are about as dysfunctional as you could imagine.  The calling is for parents to have a clue and to be formational in the shaping of their children.  Selfishness, ambition, greed and such- all hijack people from the calling of forming children into healthy and functional adults.  That we see perfectly in the natural (rude and insecure people overly needy and unbalanced). 

In the spiritual we see a similar parallel.  Jesus says to us in Matthew 28:19 to go and make disciples.  What in the heck?  How does one do that.  My coin phrase in our church is "you can't make what you are not."  Well, the spirit is not different in this case than the natural.  What I mean to say is that one has to be spoon fed, then they must become interdependent in their learning and application of spiritual truth, then they can move onto birthing other sons and daughters.  Problem is people think because they are 35 in the natural, they are mature in the spirit.  Wow.  Imagine a baby balancing a checkbook, or serving in military conflict.  But I see that every day in the spiritual.  One of the things that I am wrestling with now as a pastor/discipler is that some people will not "allow" for the process of their own spiritual growth.  The one difference in the natural and spiritual process is that natural children are "forced" into having a growth process.  In the spirit it is much more an invitation and a submitting to the process, in the natural parents come with the package.

So in understanding this process, been having some challenges on encouraging people to get in the process of their own spiritual growth process and it can at times be overwhelmingly frustrating, especially if the individual thinks they are somewhere they are not (they are in spiritual diapers, but leading a bible study etc...).  Many struggle with submitting to the process of growth.  Internalizing this makes me frustrated much like a coach is frustrated by an unwilling player on a team, or a husband is frustrated with an apathetic wife. 

Cheap answer is to not care and let people fall in their own pride.  Other answer is to shirk my responsibility as a man of God and just live my life and let people fumble.  John MacArthur in his Matthew Commentary offers some strong words about the topic of half hearted spiritual people: 

"When Jesus called the twelve to Himself, He carefully instructed them about what they would be expected to do and endure.  In so doing, He excluded the half-hearted people who wanted the benefits of the kingdom but not its commitments.  He elected to Himself only those who were willing to enter the narrow gate and walk the narrow road."

Ouch-  time to grow up-  Stu

HARVEST TIME!!!!

We have the honor of having with us at our local church  180-degrees this weekend Todd Wood.  Todd is the founder of Impact Ministries.  A dynamic Christian totally committed to reaching the lost for Jesus Christ, Todd exudes passion for Christ with a personal love for Jesus that will leave you wanting more every time you talk with him.  Right now our church is in a season of harvest, and it is essential that we know and understand how to be effective in loving the people around us into the eternal life that Christ died to give them.  Todd will help coach us on how to have the right mind set while equipping us to all be better messengers of the gospel.  We look forward to some practical application steps in partnering with Todd in reaching out to our community and specifically the Sea Mist Resort staff and employees.  If you have a heart for evangelism, or know of friends who want to share their faith but don't know how, this weekend will be a huge blessing for you all. Check out more about Todd's ministry at impactmb.org. 

Hope to see you Sunday at 6 pm at the Sea Mist.  Remember this will be our last 6 pm meeting as we move back to 5 pm in February.  -  Stuart

Look at the Snake!

This morning was reading a story to my children at the breakfast table and it was scary.  A lot of people seem to lack in the area of "hearing God speak."  This morning reading the story to my children I heard loud and clear the Lord speaking to a situation that surrounds my life and ministry.

The story in a short nutshell goes like this.  Israel, God's chosen people were wandering in the desert for 38 years.  They were having to wander in circles because all they could seem to do was complain and bellyache about how God rescued them out of their slavery to bring them to a promised land.  All they had now was 2 years left on the trip itinerary.  Now the route God took them was honestly a bit ridiculous, but He wanted to test them to see what was in their heart.  Upon finding out that they were an independent and prideful people, constantly complaining against God, the process and God's man, Moses, God told them they could stay out there in the wilderness with their ego's and ungrateful selves.  At this point I will pick up in the book of Numbers...because of the continual bellyaching, God sent a host of poisonous snakes to the camp.  They were in cookware, sleepware, bushes and tents.  In reality the hundreds of thousands of Israeli's were infested with snakes.  The camp was in dire need of intervention.  As usual, Moses went before the Lord and was asked to erect a bronze serpent on a pole and have the people look at it when they were bitten.  Think about it.  Absolutely ridiculous.  Look at the snake and don't die.  And do you want to know what happened next?  Some of the people did not look at the bronze snake on a stick!  Goober.  Are you kidding me.  Yes, the reality is people die around us all the time because of pride and arrogance against God.  Do you think God needed to put a snake on a stick to rid the camp of poisonous snakes?  NO!  But he wanted to see if the people would HUMBLE themselves, listen to Moses and FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS!  Some did, some unbelievably simply would not.  Today is no different.  If I could plead with you today....to not harden your heart against God, and what God is speaking.  It may mean life or death to you, and it might mean living a life of less than your calling and destiny, or it might mean continual wilderness.  Look at the snake-  Stu

September Prophecy: Living Out

As a local church pastor, I teach that God has not only spoken (scripture), but that He is continuing to speak to those who desire to hear His voice.  Sunday I made mention to a word that we believe God spoke to us corporately in Sept. 2010.  As I spoke Sunday, here is the prophetic word that was released to the church on the 5th of September in 2010.  We believe that we are at the Harvest time now, so it is time for us to get the invitation to all.  Pray through this word as we continue to walk it out as a church.....


"Come unto me, I have many things to show you.  Now is the hour!  Gather together my sheep and feed them, pray over them. The times are going to get turbulent.  The sheep need to be on solid ground, so they will stand in the days ahead.  My ways are not your ways, I have plans for my people.  Look unto Me for direction, stay close, keep your eyes fixed on my face.  The tempter is out to snare and destroy!  Listen for My voice in the darkess to lead you into the light.  Hold on and don't let go!  I will be right by your side.  My ways are higher and they are brighter, they are peace, happiness, they are narrow, self-less and full of LOVE.  Find my way and you will find my Glory!  Desire Me and Me alone and you will find Me.  Knock and I will answer, seek and you will find Me.  Let your hearts be ablaze for Me.  Not the world!  Spend time with me, sup with me, get to know Me.  Our time will be sweet, like the fragrance of honeysuckle.  For you are my bride and its time to prepare yourself, for the Groom is coming!  I am coming for my bride that is ready.  Fill your lamps with oil, cleanse yourself, soak in my presence, put on your wedding apparel of holiness and purity.  For the hour is drawing near.  I am preparing a place for my bride and I am ready to receive her.  Send out the 'invitation' to all, invite them all!  Go to the highways and byways, the hedges and the ditches, the high places and the low places.  It is time to gather, for the wedding will soon begin."

Failures Ain't That Bad

Ok, Heather hates this picture.  I wanted to make it my email picture, but she absolutely refused to get in agreement on it.  So here it is in a lone cameo.  I have no idea what I was saying but it had to do with something about "4".  A cookout/outreach to the Fresh Brewed community last summer.

Was reading from a new friends book, From Crackers to Caviar (James Cooper).  He writes about failure/success..... 

"If you haven't failed, it's because you haven't tried anything.  You have to get out there and become comfortable with the fact that there are times where you will miss the mark if you want to become a success.  You have to learn from your mistakes and you have to get your mistakes quickly out of the way so you can try again.  You can't fear failure, quite the opposite, you have to embrace it.  One of the key differences between successful and unsuccessful people is that unsuccessful people fear failing; they fear trying, because there may be a chance of failing.  But successful people understand that there's a lesson in their failure.  Michael Jordan says this, 'I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career.  I've lost almost 300 games.  26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.  I've failed over, and over, and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.'

You have to become comfortable with failure because failure is the incubator for success.....We know that Edison had 2000 failed attempts before he finally found the right material (for light bulb filament)  Edison continually questioned about his repeated attempts and subsequent failures by reporters.  When asked about all his failures he said this, "I have not failed.  Not once.  I've just found 10,000 ways that didn't work."

Don't be afraid to fail...Go for it!!! You can do it!   Stu

Charlies Angels and Membership

OK, so I do not have a clue about this picture except it totally is absolutely confusing.  And funny. Caitlin reminds me of Charlies Angel girl and Kelly like Vanna White.  So if either of you dare, you can post comment to explain.  Or not.

The Lord has been speaking to me this week, and we discussed in detail that God truly has a plan for you and not only is that plan individual in nature, but it is corporate in blessing.  By that I mean the church is to be working together by what, "every joint supplies" as in the context of being a body.  Scripture throughout, tells us that the church is a body and we are members.  Somewhere along the way, even "sensitive churches" are dropping that label altogether because of the negative connotation that "member"  brings with it:  country club, moose lodge;  and AARP (exclusivity).  Membership in church is not like that of exclusive society, it is connection and effection.  Connection meaning, when you surrender your life to Jesus, you immediately become part of His body and thus you become a "member".  Not a membership like club,  but a breathing, life giving and essential part of what God is doing, like in the human body.  Why is that important?  Because you have to now FUNCTION in a new way.  Before Christ we do as we want when we want and how we want...now??? you are a part of something greater than yourself.  But really? Sure...just read Ephesians 4: 11 thru - Chapter 5.  You have to give something only you can give.  Some of us are like a voice box, some like a tendon in the knee, some like an ear and some like a kidney.  We have to know our part and do it.

So what does that mean for me?  How do I get to understand that and flow in it?  In proverbs, the scripture says that your "gift will make room for you."  Don't sweat it...just get involved and start to do what you can do and do it well.  Listen to your passion and take a step there.  If you are unsure, find out where there is a need to be filled and serve there diligently until God releases more insight to what you are to do and what you do well.  God will begin to make a way for you to be used greater and greater in the corporate calling you have.  It is important not to forsake this calling because we need each other to fulfill the will of God in the earth.  So understand God's heart- you matter and you are needed, so get in place and let your gift "make room for you."

What do the pictures have to do with this post?  Absolutely nothing except part of Caitlin's call in the body is to be goofy and make people laugh.  Other than that the pictures don't match the articles...as you can see somebody needs to get to work in the body at 180 because I continue the legacy of random photo placement in my blog posts!

Get connected and know you matter as a MEMBER!

Stu

Second Gathering @ our New Home: And A Huge Testimony

Our second gathering at the Sea Mist Resort was awesome.  We were able to put into place 4 or 5 new positions of leadership.  The Lord is speaking to us that we are right in the timing of harvest so of course that is an amazing time.  The past 6 years have totally been groundbreaking, relational building and sometimes taking two steps forward and one step back.  There seems to be a momentum and a building that we have not seen to this level.  Spending all night Saturday with about 20 core leaders at our Community Life Kickoff was great as we are strategically aligning ourselves to better care for and nurture new believers in the Lord. One value that is huge in the ministry is COMMUNITY.  Without it, people struggle.  With so many opportunities to make connections all around us, we know the church needs to be a family dedicated to love, care and cover one another, and that not just on a Sunday morning. 

One of our immediate needs was met this past week and I just wanted to celebrate that with you.  Kelly Edwards, our Song Leader came to me at our Kickoff Event Saturday night and informed me that an annonomous donor sowed the needed $6,000 for our sound equipment!!!!!!  That was such an amazing breakthrough for our ministry and how we are looking to worship God together with a quality system.  I have always seen God work with Heather and myself on a family level, but never have I seen God move on behalf of a corporate group of people like I am eyewitnessing now.  I am seeing the community rally together in one accord, with one mind and heart and with that, much is going to be birthed in this season.

Thank all of you for your prayers as we do believe we are in the center of His will right now.

If you would like to, look below a couple of posts and see the investment we are about to make in the sound systems/A/V stuff.  I posted it right around the holiday.

Happy New Year

I spoke to a lady in the parking lot the other day, "happy New Year!" and she said, "just the New?"  Talk about speechless.....180-degrees has truly turned a corner in the Spirit, and for sure we are moving in a new level of momentum.  As we all move forward in each of our lives, I thought I would post a writing from Jonathan Edwards, the great preacher and theologian whom God used to bring revival to colonal America:



"I claim no right to myself, no right to this understanding, this will, these affections that are in me.  Neither do I have any right to this body or its members, no right to this tongue, to these hands, feet, ears or eyes.  I have given myself clear away and not retained anything of my own.  I have been to God this morning and told Him I have given myself wholly to Him, I have given every power so that for the future I claim no right to myself in any respect.  I have expressly promised Him, for by His grace I will not fail.  I take Him as my whole portion and felicity, looking upon nothing else as any part of my happiness.  His law is the constant rule of my obedience.  I will fight with all my might against the world, the flesh and the devil to the end of my life.  I will adhere to the faith of the gospel however hazardous and difficult the profession and practice of it may be.  I pray God for the sake of others to look on this as self-dedication.  Henceforth, I am not to act in any respect as my own.  I shall act as my own if I ever make use of any of my powers to do anything that is not to the glory of God or to fail to make the glorifying of Him my whole and entire business.  If I murmur in the least at affliction, if I  am in any way uncharitable, if I revenge my own case, if I do anything purely to please myself or omit anything because it is a great denial, if I trust myself, if I take any praise for any good which Christ does by me, or if I am in any way proud, I shall act as my own and not God's.  But I purpose to be absolutely His."

I pray that we could be Wholly His in 2011.  To God be the glory.....Stu

COMMUNITY LIFE KICKOFF EVENT THIS SATURDAY!!!

A little out of focus...but whatever Jaimie and Heather are getting....I want it.  Thank God for laughter.  Below is a redo of an email I sent out for our community kick off at the Springmaid Beach Resort.  Check the link above to get directions.  It is the Resort Conference Center 3rd floor (top)

RSVP LIST FOR SATURDAY KICKOFF


1) Michael Tucholski

2) Jennifer Tucholski

3) Trevor T

4) Christopher T

5) Kelly Edwards

6) Kristen Bowers

7) Karen Roady

8) Elizabeth Fletcher

9) Jaimie Baskins

10) Louis Sirvent

11) Nicole Sirvent

12) Landen

13) Maddie

14) Janet Greene

15) Zeke

16) Rayne

17) Debbie Benedict

18) Skip Benedict

19) Tom Ditzler

20) John Mashburn

21) Tim McCray

22) Ray Dynia

23) Alberto Gomez

24) Rosa Gomez

25) Tiana

26) Cassey Maye

27) Berto

28) Stuart Royall

29) Heather Royall

30) Jeremiah

31) Alexandra

32) Sydney

33) Caitlin Beidler