I am sitting at a desk in my hotel room in Wisconsin.  This week I am attending a CECL conference where I am to be learning how to lead a congregation with excellence.

Well, I don’t know about the “excellence” part.  That’s the goal, but…

After two and one-half years of this training, I will admit I have learned how to do things in a completely different manner than that to which I had become accustomed.  I have learned how to be more skillful in my dealings with people.  I have been trained in how to change the status quo. 

This training has caused me to be stretched.  A lot.

Today we’re learning about becoming  excellent preachers. Thankfully, this is a process.  "How to be excellent" in six and one-half hours.   I am not expected to be excellent by next week Sunday.  Whew.

May I add… stretching is painful. 

We’re being called to do so many things in a new manner.  To view our jobs in a totally different light.  To grow (2 Peter 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”)

We are being challenged in every area of life. 

My head is full of all of the information I have garnered from these hours of sitting on hard chairs hearing speaker after speaker tell us how to become a God-honoring, Community-serving church. 

Thankfully, I can type quickly.  I am trying to keep up with the lecturers as they flash power point after power point on the screen in the front of the room.  While I’m typing I am sure I hear God’s Spirit speaking to my heart…. “you can do this…  It’s why I brought you here….”

I am wondering if I am even going to know where to begin when I get back to the office next week.  I don’t want to just fall back into the groove…. Or rut…. I have created.  I want to be used by God.  I want to be someone who knows His voice.  His leading.  And then follow.

With excellence.

Today I will be leaving for CECL, a training ground for pastors and church leaders who want to help their churches grow and be healthy.

I've learned so much.  Particularly that the growth habits that worked when my dad was starting aren't working any more.  Oh, I'm not saying anything about changing what we preach.  It's the other stuff.  The ministries in the church outside Sunday morning.  What worked when I was a kid longer is effective.

I've been taking copious notes, reading many books.  (Many, many, many books, but don't tell anyone I may have missed a suggested reading item ... or two.)   I've participated in a lot of coaching calls.  Read and re-read my notes from previous CECL training sessions.  

And this is my last session.  I will graduate this Friday.  

I have taken my board members with me.  Twice.  I think they're catching a glimpse of what we have been learning for the past two and a half years.  They're catching the vision.  

I think the church is getting it, too.  Reaching out beyond the doors of the church is our first and most important objective.  We shouldn't be about the people in the church body.  Yes, they're important.  We need to care for them and their needs as pastors, but equipping the saints means we need to be focusing on the people who haven't heard the message of the Gospel.  The Good News.  

It's why we're having an outreach this July 14.  Inviting anyone and everyone.  

We're on the right track as a church.  Reaching out.  Following the vision God has laid out for us.  Daring to dream really BIG dreams.  And then we follow them.  

It's pretty exciting to see where this is all going.  

This is the day set aside to honor "mom."  The one with whom we would all be lost.

There is an old story about a little boy who was being questioned as to whether his mother was home.  His response was, "No, mom is in the hospital and she left dad, my sister, my grandma and me home all alone."  

Mom is the organizer, the chauffeur, the cook, the maid, the cheerleader, the laundress, the chief financial officer, the appointment-maker, the child-cuddler, the owie-fixer, the one who will listen to the tears of her daughters, and cheer on the kids from the bleachers.  She is the one who nurses the sick while feeling a little under the weather herself.  She is the family historian and keeps accurate records of immunizations, dentist appointments and it is nice she can keep track of all family fun events by making beautiful scrapbooks.  

She teaches her kids how to keep a home clean and how to survive on their own.  She multi-tasks with the flair of David Copperfield.  And makes it look easy.  This mighty mom has learned to crochet mittens and hats for her children, their clothing is of the finest quality purchased at resale shops, with the original tags still attached, while saving big bucks.  

Throw a bridal shower for a friend?  Sure.  Why not?  She has a few  extra moments.   Babysit for a friend?  Ok.  The kids can play together.   Time for a cup of coffee?  Always.

She gets some Scentsy so her home is fragrant and inviting when guests come to call.   There is freshly baked goodie in the fridge in case a friend drops by.  

The garden is well-kept and she cans and freezes the bounty her garden produced before it is wasted.

She can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan... 

Throw in some time for exercise, personal meditation on the Word of God, and a little "me" time and there you have it.

The Modern Day Proverbs 31 Woman.  

Blessed is the family who has one.

We hosted our last Ministry to Women Tea today.  At least the last one in the next few months.   

God blessed me in an absolutely wonderful way today.  I had been supported financially by another church who had told us they would send their gift to me for six months.  It may not sound like much to you, but they contributed half of my income.  Half!  The six months ended in April.  

Today I received one more check in the mail.   What a blessing that was!  Not to mention a surprise.  We weren't expecting it at all.  As a matter of fact, I just mailed the thank you notes yesterday to thank the other church for their kind and generous support.  

God blessed us earlier this week as well.  We had wanted to get our grandson something really special for his first birthday.  We wanted to buy the little guy a wagon because he absolutely wants to be outside all of the time and his stroller doesn't provide a panoramic view.  God provided enough for us to purchase the primo wagon... the ultimate, ultra mega-platinum, wonder-mobile complete with sunshade.  Not only did God provide over and above our paychecks, but He gave us to the penny what we needed.  Not one cent more.  Not one cent less.  And it  wasn't for us.  It was to bless our precious little outdoors-y baby.

This is the story of our lives.  We are blessed, indeed.  We have been over and over again.  

How does all that happen?  Not because Ray and I drop a certain amount of money in the offering plate each and every week, although perhaps that has something to do with it.  (Luke 6:38  "Give and it will be given to you, A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.")  

I think it has more to do with the fact Ray and I gave our finances to God long ago.  It's not our money.  It's His.  It's not about what we have, it's about what we do with it.

And we do it gladly.  Ahhh, the proper attitude.  

Proper attitude verse:  (Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  2 Corinthians 9:6,7 NASB)

A few years ago God even called us to do more than the 10% tithe.  Substantially more.  I have to admit the first few months weren't easy.  It seemed like there was always too much month left at the end of the money.    It involved some, ok, a lot of complaining to God and perhaps a few tears (mine, not God's.)

Until my attitude changed.  (See above-referenced proper attitude verse.)  When I told Ray what I felt God was calling us to do he almost had a stroke.  Well, not really.  But it did take him by surprise.    Until he prayed about it and God spoke to his heart as well.  

Unfortunately, many will miss out on the blessings God gives, whether it pertains to finances, giving of our time, our energies or whatever He might call you to give to others.  Why?  Because we complain when we are asked to give.  We cry.  We moan.   We develop an attitude of "it should always be about ME!"   We throw whatever He asked us to give to Him for His purposes and say something like "THERE!  TAKE IT!"   There isn't any joy involved in it.  When the joy accompanies the gift, the gift is blessed.  No matter what you're giving.

I know people who drop a tithe in the offering on Sunday and expect an immediate payout, kinda like an ATM.  God never works that way.  Never.  So they stop and say giving doesn't work, they tried it a month ago and nothing happened.

I may have people who don't agree with the next statement, but here goes.  It's only money.  

Now money can't buy happiness, we all know that.    However, Ray and I came to realize quite some time ago that our true provider isn't the church treasurer who writes our paycheck.  It's God.  And God is the source of all joy, our source of blessing.  And happiness.  

We have had our backs up against financial walls many times in our years together.  Many, many times.  But God (my favorite words of all time) has never let us down.  Not once.  Even when it seemed like He might.  Even when the clocked ticked to the financial midnight... He has always come through.  

He has always blessed, and in many more ways than finances.  Always.  We have four amazing daughters we love with all we have.  Each of them are serving God in some capacity.  We have the most wonderful grandchildren to ever walk the face of the earth and are expecting yet another to cuddle and hold.    We have been given so much more than we deserve.  And we acknowledge who gives good gifts (James 1:17 - every good and perfect gift comes from God.)

As a matter of fact, this is the Vineyard's stance on giving:  We give to get to give.   The more we give, the more God gives us so we can give more.   Remember, I'm not just talking about money here.  

Did I write this today to brag about how much we give?  Absolutely not.   I never told you what we give when God asks.  I am writing today to brag on my God who has always given to us liberally and in abundance.   I wrote to give a testimony to His faithfulness in never letting us down.  To say Malachi 3:10 is true and accurate  (10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. "

As a matter of fact, I knew I was supposed to write about finances when I came into work this morning.  I didn't know why.  I was seriously thinking about writing on learning to live on less.    But I got busy doing other things which also needed to be done today so I put off writing this blog until this afternoon.  The mail comes at 11:00.  

God knew what I would be writing about today.  Being a cheerful giver.  Knowing God gives all good things.


And sometimes He delights in surprising us.  

Churches all have a mission.  That mission comes from Jesus and it is to go and share the Gospel, making disciples of ... well, everyone we can.

Here's the problem with that.  We don't know how.

The fact of the matter is people won't listen to you until they think you care about them.  Caring about someone cannot be faked.   If you don't really are about them, they won't listen.  If they won't listen, it's unlikely they will ever become a disciple of Jesus.  If we're not making disciples, it's apparent we're not doing what Jesus told us to do which is to care about people enough to reach out to them.  And make disciples.

That's called a conundrum.

So let's change it.

We could take the stance that we need to pray more.  That would be a good place to start, actually.  But it will never be enough. 

James tells us to not only be hearers of the Word of God, but to do it.  (James 1:22  But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.)   Let's rephrase to make it easy to understand.  We need to get off our backsides and do something.  

Show the love of God in some very real, practical ways.  Why?  Because it's a command.  Commands are not negotiable.   Luke 10:27 He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."  (The Message)

 Love God with all you've got.  Love others as much as you do yourself.

Until the church learns to rise up from the pew or its chairs and walk outside the doors and start acting like Christians (i.e. "little Christs") we are never going to be effective in our communities.  How did Christ serve?  Well, he made lunch for those who were hungry.  He shared life with them.  He provided for those in need.   The miracles always preceded the message.  The gifts got their attention so they were ready to hear the Word.

I don't care how well you worship.  How great your prayer is.  How many people speak in tongues in your church or how packed your services are. Until the church acts like we're commanded to act, we will get no where.  We're not fulfilling the mandate given to us by God.  

Let's stop worrying about how many ministries we have which serve the people within our membership rosters.  Let's move those members into action.  Imagine how a community would be served if the church knew its actions were serving people and honoring God.  The churches place is to serve, not to sit around in holy huddles talking about how God blesses.  We can stop talking about God's love to each other and start discussing how we're going to show it to those who don't already know and experience it.

Rise up, people.  We're not only to act like we love people.  We're to love them.  

Do something!  Do something that matters.  And do it now.

Sorry to have left this page blank for so long.  

I had my three grandchildren at my house and although I have not always held this stance... I am now a firm believer in family first.  With three children under the age of six, blogging was not a priority on my list of things to do.  Swinging at the park, a picnic, watching a movie about golden retrievers and going on walks took precedence.   As it should.

Thank you to those of you who contacted me asking if I was ill because I hadn't posted.  I appreciate the kind thoughts.

But back to the subject at hand.  The subject being...

Grace... that quality that is so undeserved by us, but so overwhelmingly abundant because of His love.

We tend to look at grace as something we use when we need it.   But grace is so taken for granted by us.  

God is there when we fall flat and are in deep need of His grace to pick us up once again from the place we find ourselves.   We have done nothing to earn it.  Grace is a free gift from God.  

Grace is found when we understand Jesus' death on the cross was nothing to take lightly.  When we see what the supreme cost of our sin was to Jesus, we can truly accept His grace freely and unconditionally.  
His act of grace on our behalf should make us long for a deeper, more loving and intimate relationship with Jesus.    

As with any relationship, the more intimate we become with Him, the more we are going to know Him.  The easier it will be to hear His voice... and to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is indeed His voice.  The more we hear His voice, the easier it should be to become obedient to that voice.   We should desire to draw closer, to hide under the covering He provides for us so we are protected from anything coming our way. 

Every problem, every trial, every concern that came to Jesus during His time on earth was overcome because of His relationship with His Father. He knew His Father so well, He knew exactly what God was speaking to His heart.  Even when God said "no," Jesus knew what God ordained was best.

When we are required to wait, or we are told "no" by God to a request we have proffered, we should know God's will is always best for us.  We know His timing is perfect.  And His grace will get us through the troubles of this world.  His grace is sufficient.    His grace will prepare the way before us.  It will smooth out the bumps in the road He has laid out for us to walk.  God's grace will prepare us for what is ahead.

His grace will sustain us.  His grace is enough.

 

My father used to be adamant about watching the words we say.  When I was a teenager I didn't really think too much about the words I said before they came forth.  I used words like "always," "never," "every," all of the time.  Just as most teenagers tend to do.

I was on the receiving end of many a lecture on the power of my words.

Let's look at the power of our words for a moment, shall we?  

Where did words originate?  1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.  John 1:1-5
Looks like the Word has always been around.  Creating things.  Like light. As in "let there be..."  

God spoke things into existence as evidence by the book of Genesis.   Words have an amazing 

In addition to that, you have spoken words that have great importance.  When you spoke out loud and asked Jesus to be an integral part of your life, your words took you from death into eternal life.

Likewise, the words you have been speaking ever since that day have had a great impact on the people who hear them.  They are able to see Light emanating from you and your life, desiring to have what you have; or those words are speaking words of death.  "I can't do..," "I will always have trouble,"  "what goes around comes around..." and far worse.  

What do people understand about you when they hear your words?  Do they see you as someone who is an overcomer?  Someone who knows God is on your side?  Or do they hear words of defeat?  Pessimism?  Hurt and worry?

Furthermore, do your words build up?  Edify?  Or tear down?  Do you "share" what you know to be true in detail before you pray for someone in need?  Do your prayer requests do more to spread gossip than to help and heal?

Our words have power.  They have the power to heal through prayer.  They have the power to destroy.  

And they have the power to unite.   

What do you have to say about that?

We have been going through a spiritual exercise for the past three Sundays helping people discover their gifts through the S.H.A.P.E. program.  It helps us figure out our passion and our abilities based on what we know to be true about ourselves as well as taking baby steps to see exactly where God would have us.  Just because you have a passion for teaching doesn't mean you know exactly where you're going to fit, right?  It might take a little trial and error.  However, it can usually be discerned quickly enough and people are put exactly where they fit in the Body of Christ... er... the church.

One of the gifts we're going to look at this Sunday is the gift of discernment.  That gift of being able to look into the things that aren't able to be seen with the eyes.  Being able to tell when someone is a phony.  Knowing when they're for real.

When we are able to use the spiritual gift of discernment, it means we will be able to know the truth from error.  The only way we are going to be able to do that is to know who Truth really is.  

There's nothing weird about it.   It truly is a gift of God.  Discernment is knowing when something is of God.  And when it's not.  

Now I might be on a soap box here, and I hope I'm not belaboring a point, but here's the thing about spiritual discernment... God doesn't give it to anyone without first cleaning up their lives.  True.

God isn't going to allow you to see error in doctrine, in people, in reasoning, unless He first is allowed...by you... to have your own back yard cleaned up.  God very gracefully, mercifully and lovingly will clean up all of the things of which you repent.   You know,  things you take before the cross and make right before God.  

Let me re-state.  If you don't see your own need for mercy from God, you're not going to be able to give mercy to others to help them correct their ways.  

Discernment -- knowing when to wait and when to jump in with both feet.  Knowing when God is speaking to you and when it's all of those other things just getting you confused.  

It's a gift we all should seek.    It's not judgment.  It's knowing.

If you make your ear attentive to wisdom
And your mind open to discernment;
If you call to understanding
And cry aloud to discernment,
If you seek it as you do silver
And search for it as for treasures,
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord.
And attain knowledge of God 
For the Lord grants wisdom;
Knowledge and discernment are by His decree.
Proverbs 2:2-6 

It sure is easy to see the flaws of others.   I know my husband's flaws.  He doesn't see them.  He thinks they are things that make him unique, but I know better.  There they are.  Sitting there.   Just waiting for me to comment on them.  But I refrain.  After all, the door would then be open for him to comment on mine as well... and I'm just not ready to hear them today.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were all able to refrain from commenting on what we see as flaws in others?  We point out this and that about churches who believe a little different than us.  After all, we have cornered the God-market and our core values, praxis and worship are impeccable.  Not like... you know... them.  

Church people need to take a step back and wonder why people are the way they are.  Why do they worship as they worship?  Why do they do things the way they do them?  Perhaps it's because God has them in a place to deal with people who can relate to them.    

Maybe God takes former drug dealers and cleans them up so they can be pastors because they will need to relate to people still caught up in that hell.  Could it be God uses certain kinds of music to reach people who wouldn't be touched by hymns or the music our parents had in church?  We need to remember it doesn't matter how polished our worship is.   It's all about how heart-felt it is.

Perhaps some church people need to wear jeans to church because we need to display it isn't about what's on the outside that counts.  We want to make sure people coming in off the streets don't feel under dressed and thereby miss the message. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has to be the emphasis of the church, not the way we look sitting in the pew.

Some churches have ash trays next to the front door because the people who are finding their way to God still have habits they need to break.  They're trying. And we want to help.  We can't judge the people who have addictions so deep.

If people want to dance in church... let them.  David danced before the Lord.