Church Family: Thank You

Earlier this month, my wife, Rebecca, and I were overwhelmed with the care and generosity of our church family. After a Family Gathering (what we call our members meeting), I was surprised with a multitude of wonderful gifts, large posters full of Thank You notes, and prayer for my family and I. It was such a blessing and I am most grateful for our church for a few reasons:

First, it is such an honor and privilege to serve Storehouse Community Church as your pastor. I love our church family and it is a blessing to grow and serve alongside of you.

Second, I love our church. Simply, you are amazing and not only do you show care for me and my family, but one another; fighting for one another and I love that.

Third, I am greatly comforted by your desire to grow, love, and know Jesus more—expanding His kingdom, proclaiming the good news of the gospel, and seeking the restoration of our city.

FINAL NOTE

If you’re reading this and you’re a part of a local church and you have NOT thanked your pastor(s) for their service and care toward you, your family, and/or your church then stop reading and give them a call! Take them out to lunch or buy them a really good cup of coffee and do not set an agenda; just hangout. Let them know that you are praying for them.

Again, to Storehouse Community, Thank You! I love being your pastor!

Reflection: Psalm 40

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching at our church (Logos Community Church). For the past several weeks, we have been looking at the presence of God throughout the Psalms and this past Sunday we visited the Will of God as seen in Psalm 40 and I have been completely wrecked by it. I decided to write a few of my thoughts on what hit me the most, namely the first 3 verses. I think they set the tone for the rest of the Psalm. Nonetheless, I think this will turn into a short series of posts in light of who we are and what God does.

Humility and Hope

The two big themes that the Lord is wrecking me on right now as seen in verse one are humility and hope under the umbrella of waiting patiently. In this verse, King David is not only waiting patiently on the Lord, but says that the Lord hears his cry. Here's a king who had all the power you can imagine and then some waiting patiently and crying out to God.

David demonstrates the kind of humility I wish to pursue. Verse 1 presents a man who is utterly broken over his sin and I am no where near a king and I am not nearly as broken and in tears over my sin as David was (Psalm 6:6). I default to a horrible attitude of "working it off" many times. David's humility, helps me to learn of his Hope that is ridiculously confident in God as he waits. David places his hope in the Lord through his word (Psalm 130:5) and I'm over here taking hope for granted because it's been a pretty good season. 

You and I don't have room or time to take a back seat to our faith. It doesn't work that way because the truth is that we quickly desire ownership instead of worship of God (Genesis 2:16-17). 

Here's what we can think and chew on over the next couple of days: humility will not be cultivated by yourself. And hope is an assurance that is only found in the Fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7) and whether God saves a week later or a year later, God inclines and hears our cry. God saves His children for the purpose of His name being glorified.

Whatever your cry is right now, waiting patiently is not sitting still, but actively pursuing humility and placing you hope in what He has spoken through His written word. 

Recommended Reading: The Treasure of David by Charles H. Spurgeon; Sound Words by Jeremy Carr

Listen/Watch Sermon (vimeo was being a little fuzzy about starting at 0:00): 

It has almost been four weeks since the passing of my friend's son, Dylan. These past several weeks have kept my wife and I on high alert so that we could best serve Victoria (Dylan's mom) and her family, encourage and grieve together, and handle our daily responsibilities. Recently, I have been given the opportunity to reflect on this season and the best way to summarize everything is by making much of community and God's sovereignty. 

While Dylan's passing was tragic and hundreds of thousands of people were impacted by his life and condition, as I look back I can clearly see God at work in the lives of Dylan's friends and family and in His own people. In fact, I believe that because of Victoria's faithfulness, the Lord chose to not only save Dylan and bring him to Himself, but also use Dylan in order to reveal Himself to hundreds, two specifically. 

C O M M U N I T Y 

Almost a month before Dylan's accident, Victoria came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ at a Women's Retreat. Throughout this time, Victoria had been in community with other women and hearing more about the gospel when it all clicked. Victoria submitted her to life to the Risen King and almost immediately became a missionary mom to Dylan.

Then, tragedy struck as Dylan suffered an accident that resulted in the Lord calling him home. I wept with Victoria, with my family, and in solitude over Dylan's passing. However, I needed to look at what God was doing in the midst of all of this to find some comfort.

While Dylan was in the hospital in addition to the time after his funeral service, I saw the church come together in radical prayer, support, and care in a way that I had never seen before. People were setting their schedules and work aside to minister to Victoria's family in tears, service, and comfort. I saw the church reflect compassion in its truest form: a time of suffering.

I saw the community group my wife and I lead step up in a way that brings me to tears. Our house was cared for while we were out of town, people stepped in and led on Friday nights and put in extra hours on Sunday and during the week to make sure things were taken care of. And no matter the hour or need, I saw our group step in to serve. 

It was an outer working of discipleship; giving their lives to Victoria because her and her family had become dear to them (1 Thessalonians 2:8). It was an overflow of compassion by weeping alongside of Victoria (Romans 12:15). It was God's absolute sovereignty because Victoria's daughter and her boyfriend experienced a care that was honorable, genuine, and compassionate from a people that were reminded that they were God's people and had received mercy (1 Peter 2:10-12). 

The Donate Life flag outside of Driscoll's Children's Hospital. Dylan impacted 100 other kids' lives through his donation.

Dylan (in the paintball mask) at Seth's Nerf War party last year.

The Legacy Wall: The numerous kids who donated their organs (including Dylan) to save others kids in need of life.

Tons of cars! Our community group convoy after helping move Victoria's belongings while she stayed with family.

H I S • S O V E R E I G N T Y 

I know I turned into a preacher on that last paragraph, but if you would allow me to continue. This is the paramount to my observation! As our community, the church loved Victoria's family through Dylan's accident, God was at work in the lives of Victoria's daughter, Bethany and her boyfriend, Mando. 

Two months ago, these two individuals did not know who Jesus was and now have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus! And while I really wish Dylan was here because I miss his questions, I can see the work that Jesus was doing through Dylan to rescue his big sister. I knew that Dylan's loss would be a giant ripple effect in the lives of many; a ripple we can trace all the way back to Victoria being faithful, even while young in the faith. In His sovereignty Jesus would save Victoria to save Dylan in order to use Dylan to save Bethany, Mando, and for hundreds of people to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

WHAT!? 

I miss Dylan. He was such a joy to me and my family. I cannot wait to see him one day so we can talk about the sports I don't know and play X-Box.

I do not know why Jesus chose to call Dylan home so soon, but I do know that (1) if Dylan had a choice, he wouldn't want to come back and (2) I know that Christ is sovereign even when we don't understand and by seeing and getting to be a part of these evidences of grace, I can embrace His sovereignty in order to keep moving forward in faith; in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

"The authority once given to Scripture is now ascribed to the appointment calendar." - Eugene Peterson

I have allowed myself to be called a pastor not by the authority of Scripture, but by how busy I have allowed myself to become. I am saddened that as I think through my weeks, they typically begin with an overview of calendared events and meetings. I would love to tell you that my days begin in communion with my Lord; intimacy with the Savior; a broken-ness of my sin that leads me to a place of repentance; bringing me to my knees in worship of who Jesus is and what He has done. But they don't always begin this way. 

Christ, in HIs mercy, has allowed me to be one of the pastors at Logos Community Church and while it continues to be a great honor and humbling experience, it is very easy to fall victim to meetings and schedules. While meetings and schedules are inevitable, I must remind myself that my primary call as pastor is to shepherd the flock the Lord has entrusted me with. 

"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:28). 

How heavy is that?! My central responsibility is to the flock God has appointed me to, not church wide communication or community group strategy. And while areas like communication and strategy have their place, they should not govern my life; they should not be my initial thoughts for the week. My growth should come from a place where I am filled with "the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding so that I may walk worthy of the Lord." (Colassians 1:9)

My desire is simple: to see people meet Jesus. This desire will only be made possible by making the calendar secondary, if not tertiary. I wish to be a pastor who is busy because the Lord has brought me to my knees in prayer over my sin and the weight of those I have been appointed to. I wish to be a pastor who is utterly in love with God's Word that I am immersed in what God is revealing to me; a pastor who, first, proclaims God's Word. I wish to be a pastor who embraces slowness by being still and knowing that Jesus is Lord.

I think I have communicated my wishful thinking enough, so the question becomes, what do I do? 

The best place to start is with Jesus. He knew what it looked like to be busy, but didn't allow the calendar to lead him, but was intentional about resting to get away in prayer and rest in solitude. Luke 5:16 records that Jesus "often withdrew to deserted places and prayed." If I am to be healthy and brave in order to lead those entrusted to me, then I must begin with intentionality and the worship of Jesus. 

May this be the start of realignment to the care of the flock God has appointed me to shepherd.