Yesterday's worship and Palm Sunday celebration was one of those that everyone seemed glad to have witnessed. But as always, there were some who missed. Life has a way of doing this. In fact, surveys report that the average churchgoer now attends once every 3 weeks. I get this. I sometimes wonder what my attendance at church would look like for my wife and me if it weren't quite so "mandatory." I'm SURE it would still be high (ideally!).
But what struck me the most about this Sunday was how many came up to me after each service and said they wished someone they knew would've been there. "It was exactly what [he/she] needed to hear... It would've made such a difference for [her/him]... It was as if you were speaking directly to [him/her]..."
That's an awesome remark to hear repeated on a Sunday morning. Of course, it makes a pastor feel good when he finds that he knows where his people are at in their lives. But what's far more powerful is knowing how present God is in the ministry at Horizons!
It was truly by the Spirit's leading that we have embarked upon any of our sermon series journeys, and it was only by the Spirit's leading that this last sermon series "Growing through Failure" turned out the way it did. In fact, the Holy Spirit and I did quite a bit of heavy wrestling before the path for this series became apparent to me.
And so ultimately, this is how I know that God is living and working miracles: it was God who gives us the words to speak and the timing for sharing. God looked over the life of Horizons, examined the hearts of those to be reached through Horizons, and then breathed the necessary words, guidance, and instruction into this ministry. In other words, GOD IS WORKING IN TREMENDOUS WAYS at Horizons!
It's exciting and oftentimes overwhelming. God has chosen to dwell among us!
So, the next time we think about church, about whether we should go, and about the guilt we have about not going, just remember this: It's not really your attendance we're interested in, it's your heart. You never know when God has crafted words to be spoken on a Sunday that were meant exactly for you--UNLESS of course, you're there! So instead of wishing we were there, let us not miss those moments when God is speaking directly to us.
See you at this Friday's service and Easter Sunday!
More to come!
Jason <><
Monday, March 25, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
A "7" Becomes an "8!"
At the end of our marriage retreat, Sarah and I were both asked to rate separately the quality and strength of our marriage, giving a number value to "before" the retreat, and "after." We found that even that little exercise gave us a chance for some revolutionary conversation--more which we'd been having ALL weekend.
The marriage retreat was the Family Life "Weekend to Remember (click for info)," which we have been sponsoring in conjunction with the Art of Marriage class at Horizons this spring. Sarah and I selected the Omaha retreat and took this last weekend off to focus on each other. It was fun, it was powerful, and it was challenging. Ultimately, we're very glad we went!
At the end, we were each asked to fill out an evaluation and share our feedback. It was on that sheet of paper that we were also asked to rate our before and after marriage status. I had to respond to a phone call and missed what Sarah put on her review. When I came in, the speakers had moved on to their final points, and Sarah had begun to take notes on the presentation again. I got busy catching up and quickly filled out my review. Little did I know that Sarah wasn't just peering over at me while I filled in my responses to make sure I hurried through the feedback and didn't miss too much of the last material. She was actually heavily invested in the numbers I'd put regarding our marriage.
I wasn't there when Sarah marked her 10 and 10. And Sarah, having missed my initial marking, finally whispered, "what did you put for your numbers?!" "7 and 8" I said. Personally, I thought those were honest AND really great numbers! Wow! We're only 2 away from perfect! For Sarah though, both of those numbers were a death sentence. Really?? she said.
Luckily, it didn't take too long for me to realize that my numbers had turned Sarah's face a slightly brighter pink. The difference between our ratings really affected her. After some careful thought, I leaned over and assured her, I know we're great already, but I just don't want to think we're done growing and miss out on how much more beautiful God can make our marriage!
Those words cleared up everything. Sarah and I have been married nearly 9 months now. It's been challenging and great! But even at this retreat, we learned a ton. We haven't been doing too much wrong so far, but we learned about things that we simply just hadn't been doing yet. Things that will really help for our future. Things that will take us far beyond even any 10 that we can imagine.
I was glad for Sarah's 10s, because she is the one who holds so much of our passion and energy. And after a short moment, Sarah came to like my 7/8, because I hold so much of our realistic, practical energy. One without the other could destroy a marriage, and so we learned once again, that only when truly together in our marriage will we be something that honors God!
So ultimately, I thank God for the 10 we have now. But I also give thanks for our 8, because it gives us much room to grow--room for even greater gulps of God's perfecting love to enter into our relationship and lives! Praise God!
More to come!
Jason <><
The marriage retreat was the Family Life "Weekend to Remember (click for info)," which we have been sponsoring in conjunction with the Art of Marriage class at Horizons this spring. Sarah and I selected the Omaha retreat and took this last weekend off to focus on each other. It was fun, it was powerful, and it was challenging. Ultimately, we're very glad we went!
At the end, we were each asked to fill out an evaluation and share our feedback. It was on that sheet of paper that we were also asked to rate our before and after marriage status. I had to respond to a phone call and missed what Sarah put on her review. When I came in, the speakers had moved on to their final points, and Sarah had begun to take notes on the presentation again. I got busy catching up and quickly filled out my review. Little did I know that Sarah wasn't just peering over at me while I filled in my responses to make sure I hurried through the feedback and didn't miss too much of the last material. She was actually heavily invested in the numbers I'd put regarding our marriage.
I wasn't there when Sarah marked her 10 and 10. And Sarah, having missed my initial marking, finally whispered, "what did you put for your numbers?!" "7 and 8" I said. Personally, I thought those were honest AND really great numbers! Wow! We're only 2 away from perfect! For Sarah though, both of those numbers were a death sentence. Really?? she said.
Luckily, it didn't take too long for me to realize that my numbers had turned Sarah's face a slightly brighter pink. The difference between our ratings really affected her. After some careful thought, I leaned over and assured her, I know we're great already, but I just don't want to think we're done growing and miss out on how much more beautiful God can make our marriage!
Those words cleared up everything. Sarah and I have been married nearly 9 months now. It's been challenging and great! But even at this retreat, we learned a ton. We haven't been doing too much wrong so far, but we learned about things that we simply just hadn't been doing yet. Things that will really help for our future. Things that will take us far beyond even any 10 that we can imagine.
I was glad for Sarah's 10s, because she is the one who holds so much of our passion and energy. And after a short moment, Sarah came to like my 7/8, because I hold so much of our realistic, practical energy. One without the other could destroy a marriage, and so we learned once again, that only when truly together in our marriage will we be something that honors God!
So ultimately, I thank God for the 10 we have now. But I also give thanks for our 8, because it gives us much room to grow--room for even greater gulps of God's perfecting love to enter into our relationship and lives! Praise God!
More to come!
Jason <><
Monday, March 11, 2013
Practice is for Quitters
It has been a powerful season of learning and searching the heart in light of failure's presence in our lives. Our time focused on failure will change us, because acknowledging and owning it is half the battle. But sometimes it doesn't seem to work that way.
When I was an under-ripe, awkward third grader, I remember our PE teacher giving us a lesson before our activity time. He was fresh out of college and clearly ready to coach us to our first Olympic trials. I'll never forget what he told us that day. It went like this: "You need to quit practicing. Practicing is for quitters. If you just practice, you'll never actually get better. From now on, the only thing you should do when you're getting ready to do something is perfect practice! If you don't practice something perfectly, how can you EVER expect it to be perfect!?"
That was in third grade.
Later, this same PE teacher was moved up to a more appropriate grade level (middle school), and was given the position of assistant coach to the football team, which I was on. I think I heard that same lesson another twenty or so times. Because I'm an optimist, I let some of it sink in. In some ways, he's right. If we practice life as though we're going to fail, chances are, we will never move beyond the point of failed attempts.
But that was all I took from it. It is good to be intentional, to live life with positive hopes of success, and to believe that we can overcome obstacles, especially when our faith is fully alive within us. The rest of the lesson, however, I disagree with. Our sermon series is ALL ABOUT failing and how we can learn to incorporate Jesus into the greatest depths and pain of our failures in a way that frees us and allows us to grow, regardless of our inadequacies. How can we learn this and let it become a powerful truth and experience in our life if we never allow ourselves to fail and come to witness Jesus' redemption?
The reason why I ask this question is because in a conversation Sarah, my wife, and I were having last night about some upcoming events, I realized that both of us are absolutely terrified of failing. We get what it means to fail in our minds, but we don't live like we're ready to fail and consequently grow in Christ. We live as though we finally got to a good place and are going to do anything possible not to make any mistakes ever again! I sense this about myself far more than I do with my wife, but to some degree it is true for both of us.
What I have learned from this realization though is that it's time to get messy. So far in most things in my life, I've been playing it safe and playing hard to keep things on the exact right track--no deviations. But the hard part is that I've already committed never to teach something on Sunday mornings that I won't agree to listen to myself. At this point in our series, I'm not sure I've done a great job at that. I'm still trying to keep on the safe side of failing. I guess I've ultimately failed at failing more. Apparently I took Coach H's advice far too near to my heart and forgot that failing during practice can teach us a ton about how it can be better in the future.
So, sorry Coach H, but I think I need to fail this one out. But I'll see you on the field anyhow! Here's to failing. And here's to practicing in ways that allow us one day to QUIT making the same mistakes and move on into Christ's Joy!
More to come!
Jason <><
When I was an under-ripe, awkward third grader, I remember our PE teacher giving us a lesson before our activity time. He was fresh out of college and clearly ready to coach us to our first Olympic trials. I'll never forget what he told us that day. It went like this: "You need to quit practicing. Practicing is for quitters. If you just practice, you'll never actually get better. From now on, the only thing you should do when you're getting ready to do something is perfect practice! If you don't practice something perfectly, how can you EVER expect it to be perfect!?"
That was in third grade.
Later, this same PE teacher was moved up to a more appropriate grade level (middle school), and was given the position of assistant coach to the football team, which I was on. I think I heard that same lesson another twenty or so times. Because I'm an optimist, I let some of it sink in. In some ways, he's right. If we practice life as though we're going to fail, chances are, we will never move beyond the point of failed attempts.
But that was all I took from it. It is good to be intentional, to live life with positive hopes of success, and to believe that we can overcome obstacles, especially when our faith is fully alive within us. The rest of the lesson, however, I disagree with. Our sermon series is ALL ABOUT failing and how we can learn to incorporate Jesus into the greatest depths and pain of our failures in a way that frees us and allows us to grow, regardless of our inadequacies. How can we learn this and let it become a powerful truth and experience in our life if we never allow ourselves to fail and come to witness Jesus' redemption?
The reason why I ask this question is because in a conversation Sarah, my wife, and I were having last night about some upcoming events, I realized that both of us are absolutely terrified of failing. We get what it means to fail in our minds, but we don't live like we're ready to fail and consequently grow in Christ. We live as though we finally got to a good place and are going to do anything possible not to make any mistakes ever again! I sense this about myself far more than I do with my wife, but to some degree it is true for both of us.
What I have learned from this realization though is that it's time to get messy. So far in most things in my life, I've been playing it safe and playing hard to keep things on the exact right track--no deviations. But the hard part is that I've already committed never to teach something on Sunday mornings that I won't agree to listen to myself. At this point in our series, I'm not sure I've done a great job at that. I'm still trying to keep on the safe side of failing. I guess I've ultimately failed at failing more. Apparently I took Coach H's advice far too near to my heart and forgot that failing during practice can teach us a ton about how it can be better in the future.
So, sorry Coach H, but I think I need to fail this one out. But I'll see you on the field anyhow! Here's to failing. And here's to practicing in ways that allow us one day to QUIT making the same mistakes and move on into Christ's Joy!
More to come!
Jason <><
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Youth Stole It
For all who saw this Sunday's worship with the youth providing the message, a big "amen!" was the word of the day. What happened Sunday was a rare and valuable thing. The youth showed up and so did God! CJ Ways rocked the G.O.S.P.E.L., Anna, Sydney, and Haley witnessed to the witnesses of others, and then the whole crew of 20 shared their testimonies, hearts, and "cards," inviting us to go to Jesus with our cards.
Yet, although it would be easy to continue lifting up the youth and the fabulous job they did, we all know that it goes way deeper. It's (relatively) easy to get up on the platform and say good words that please and teach the listener. But it's much more of a journey when the words shared are merely the tail ends of kites flying high in the sky. The words, thoughts, and stories didn't simply come from the desire to say something good, but rather, they came freely on their own because of the experiences, heart changes, realizations, and growing relationships with Jesus that have come before. And it is those words that changed our hearts and lives as we heard them Sunday.
Essentially, all the youth had to do was find a way to share their experiences in a way that it would make sense and impact the rest of us.
And so, what we ultimately saw Sunday is the unmistakable evidence of God working in the hearts and lives of 20+ young lives at Horizons over the course of their time here, AND we saw the clear evidence of God working in all the hearts of the youth as they presented. It might have been a strange thing for the youth to hear me remind them over and over again: "This morning really has nothing to do with you! THIS morning has only to do with the ways that God will speak through you."
But they got it. There was no doubt. And God spoke through each of them. Essentially, the youth took the lessons that all of us are learning at Horizons, about letting God use and work through us, and they stole last Sunday from the world, from the shallow end of living, ultimately giving it all to God. Amen!
All of this is made possible by Horizons' belief in the youth and the value of young people coming to Christ. It is this belief that supports exceptional staff like Nicole Feather, who pours out her own heart and lets God freely work through here. It is this belief that supports a facility that welcomes and stimulates the growth of young hearts into future faith leaders in our world.
Let us be thankful. Amen!
More to come!
Jason <><
Yet, although it would be easy to continue lifting up the youth and the fabulous job they did, we all know that it goes way deeper. It's (relatively) easy to get up on the platform and say good words that please and teach the listener. But it's much more of a journey when the words shared are merely the tail ends of kites flying high in the sky. The words, thoughts, and stories didn't simply come from the desire to say something good, but rather, they came freely on their own because of the experiences, heart changes, realizations, and growing relationships with Jesus that have come before. And it is those words that changed our hearts and lives as we heard them Sunday.
Essentially, all the youth had to do was find a way to share their experiences in a way that it would make sense and impact the rest of us.
And so, what we ultimately saw Sunday is the unmistakable evidence of God working in the hearts and lives of 20+ young lives at Horizons over the course of their time here, AND we saw the clear evidence of God working in all the hearts of the youth as they presented. It might have been a strange thing for the youth to hear me remind them over and over again: "This morning really has nothing to do with you! THIS morning has only to do with the ways that God will speak through you."
But they got it. There was no doubt. And God spoke through each of them. Essentially, the youth took the lessons that all of us are learning at Horizons, about letting God use and work through us, and they stole last Sunday from the world, from the shallow end of living, ultimately giving it all to God. Amen!
All of this is made possible by Horizons' belief in the youth and the value of young people coming to Christ. It is this belief that supports exceptional staff like Nicole Feather, who pours out her own heart and lets God freely work through here. It is this belief that supports a facility that welcomes and stimulates the growth of young hearts into future faith leaders in our world.
Let us be thankful. Amen!
More to come!
Jason <><
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