The View

Miracles in Awakening

2012-01-25T06:23:00.005-05:00

City on a Hill Church is in the midst of the 21-day event called Awakening. We're partnering with churches all over the globe for a time of awakening in our prayer, fasting and personal devotions with God.

It's no surprise then that we should be hearing of and experiencing miracles. It's no surprise then that we should be experiencing spiritual attacks. It's no surprise then that we should expect God to move in mighty ways in and through our lives!

On Sunday, I heard two testimonies of the great things God was doing.

One lady in our church family was faced with an unexpected hospital bill and medical expenses amounting to nearly $20,000. She asked me to meet with her and her husband to discuss and pray, so we met last week. The situation seemed overwhelming for the family, and there didn't seem to be any way out of the predicament as their insurance didn't cover all that was expected. We worked like it depends on us (developed a strategy to negotiate and establish a payment plan) and prayed like it depends on God. On Sunday, she told me that her husband received an unexpected check in the mail that was an extra $20,000!

Another lady in our church is currently receiving treatment for a horrible experience she endured recently. She's away from her family, on the other side of the country. When she arrived, the doctors told her that she would be there for a month. This weekend, she called her husband to tell him that God has supernaturally healed her and she's coming home this weekend!

I love our God!

New Territories

2012-01-18T06:39:00.003-05:00

A few months ago, the leadership of City on a Hill Church were faced with some challenging questions about what God was doing in our church and where He was taking us. We had meetings, discussed at length what we thought was going on, but God showed up and led our entire church family into a 40-day fast - to seek His understanding and His direction. During this time, God made it clear that He was laying the groundwork for our future and that our future would include new territories in this coming new year. One new territory is the land on which our church building sits.

That's where we are today. The Lord has brought us to a decision point as a church. We have the opportunity to move into a seven-year period with plans to raise funds to purchase land, build a new church building and position ourselves for not just the near-term, but for generations to follow.

This Friday evening at 6:30pm, the Elders and I will present the opportunities God has set before us. We invite everyone who is a part of COAHC to join us, hear and see the information, and ask questions.

As Pastor of COAHC, I can't possibly explain in words how excited I am. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve! There's so much anticipation in my heart and mind about what God is going to do. I'm excited because really no one can truly anticipate God's blessings. Even though the Elders and I have diligently worked out plans for the next seven years, we can't see the amount, the description or the intensity of God's blessings through 2018. We can't quantitatively or qualitatively describe His blessings on a spreadsheet or a PowerPoint presentation!

Even though the numbers make sense on paper, God never leads you to something great without a measure of faith being involved. Before crossing into the promised land, the Jews had to demonstrate their faith in the God who not only promised them the land, but who also led them to its borders. I'm certain that God will call us to walk by faith in this new territory as well.

Join us this Friday evening at 6:30pm for a glimpse into God's blessings and for the first step of a seven-year journey of faith for City on a Hill Church.

Goals for 2012

2011-12-30T08:41:00.003-05:00

Goal-setting is like knowing the destination when you're on a trip. If you don't know where you're going, you'll simply travel around, see a lot of different places but never arrive where at the spot where you're supposed to be.

I do agree that the journey is sometimes more important than the destination, but God does want us to have destinations. He wants us to be with Him for eternity. That's a destination. He has a purpose and plan for our lives. That's a destination. He wants us plugged into a local church, serving in ministry. That's a destination.

As an athlete, I used to write my goals in places where I would frequently see them: notebooks, shoes, and pieces of paper taped to the bathroom mirror or refrigerator. By writing them, I can remind myself of them throughout the year.

Below are some goals I've set for myself, my family and my church for this upcoming year. I hope reading these will encourage and motivate you to set some goals as well.

1) Spend more time with my family. I won't die wishing I had spent more time at work or at the church. I would like to have one date with my wife at least every other week. I would also like to take each of my children on a separate date at least monthly.

2) Pray more. In my quiet time with God, I spend the majority of my time reading and studying. I need to continue to develop my intimacy with God on my knees.

3) Lead City on a Hill Church in growth in three major ways: increase in quantity of people who are committed to our church; increase in physical territory we occupy for God's Kingdom; and increase in quality of horizontal and vertical relationships. I believe a church should always be striving to grow. A growing church is a church who is reaching more people and increasing God's Kingdom. I hope to plant a new church this year (or be well along in that process) in a foreign land. God is taking me to Guatemala and Zambia this year. Opportunities exist in both places. I also hope to lead COAHC into solving both short-term and long-term issues with regard to facilities/property. My goal is to lead us into a seven-year plan (or shorter) that gives us permanent property to build upon as well as a "bridge-property" to get us from where we are now to where we need to be. More importantly than numbers or property are the relationships our people have with God and with one another. I hope to lead our people into a relationship with God that enables God's shaping power in our lives as well as authentic relationships with one another that go beyond the surface level.

4) Be more deliberate about the little things. I feel as though I've been running through this last year, focusing on the big picture. While that's important, I've recognized that I've missed a lot of the details that need my attention. I want to spend more time initiating meaningful conversations with my kids about Christ. I want to spend time with more people from COAHC simply having fun - not "doing" ministry. I want to surprise my wife with some delightful plans for an evening. I want to spend time enjoying and exploring the community of Culpeper and the surround Piedmont area.

5) Develop deeper relationships with other Pastors in Culpeper. For the last three years, I've pursued "virtual" relationships with Pastors via blogs, conferences and social media. God is revealing to me that there are local Pastors who have something of value to offer me and I've got something that they need. I want to befriend, partner and pray with my local brothers and sisters and enjoy true relationships that stretch beyond the monthly Ministerial Association meetings.

6) Read more books. It seems I spend more time these days reading articles on the internet than I do actually reading books. The number of books I read in 2011 outside of the Bible isn't reflective of what I need to be feeding myself as a Pastor, leader and Christian. I need to get back to reading books that will engage me on levels and a duration that I don't experience from reading articles and blogs.

7) Read the Bible at least once cover to cover. This is an annual goal of mine that I seem to accomplish without any difficulty. I believe every Christian should have this goal every year.

8) Develop a more deliberate discipleship ministry at City on a Hill Church. Evidence has demonstrated that Life Groups are not as effective as everyone once thought in their discipleship. There's no substitute for one-on-one discipleship. Busy people have to make time in their schedules though. It's about maintaining the right priorities and keeping the main thing the main thing. We can't forsake the Great Commission for our personal agendas, work schedules and/or weekly programs.

9) Be a better leader. God has shown me that I haven't personally invested enough time into the ministry leaders at City on a Hill Church. I want to establish methods of imparting into them on a regular basis and raise up more effective leaders within our church.

10) Spend more time with my family. No, I'm not experiencing memory loss. I just can't state the importance of this enough. I want to take little trips and excursions with my family so we can really stay connected. As "PK's" my daughters are at high risk of being forgotten and forsaken for the ministry. In turn, their own relationship with God will suffer. As a Pastor's wife, Carrie can easily feel replaced by others. I can't overstate the value in ensuring that I live out my first callings as a husband and father before my calling as a Pastor.

The Next Level

2011-11-07T08:48:00.003-05:00

Here we are on Day 29 of our 40-day fast! Only 11 more days. I'm praying for all of you to stand strong during this time. Please remember that there is a major spiritual battle going on right now. Our church is in the midst of a journey that is going to take us to a completely different level in our relationship with God and one another. The enemy absolutely hates it! He has launched an assault on our lives to distract, disrupt and discourage us. He objective is for us to quit! God is our strength and our shield. If you've faltered, that's okay. Our Lord gives grace. Get back up and keep going. He will PROVIDE everything you need to win this battle. As Ephesians 6 instructs us... put on the full armor and engage in the battle with prayer and the sword of the spirit (Scripture). YOU CAN WIN!!!

God is doing some amazing work in our church right now. Marriages are being saved from the brink of disaster! Souls are being won into the Kingdom of God! Lives are being transformed into the image of Christ! First steps are being taken by many towards a life of discipleship! Are you seeing it? God is up to something HUGE! We continue to have a large influx of visitors each and every Sunday. People want to be where God is moving, and God is moving in a big way at City on a Hill Church!

God is using this 40-day fast and our 6-week series "God Provides" to prepare us for what He is about to do. Get ready! We're going to the next level!

A Letter to City on a Hill Church

2011-10-18T09:06:00.003-04:00

I can't tell you how proud I am of your eager desire for God by participating in the 40-day fast. I have heard many testimonies already of how God is using this in your life. I'd love to hear more. Please share what God is doing by commenting or sending me a message through email (pastorgw(at)cityonahillculpeper.org) or Facebook (facebook.com/GwDameron). Sharing our stories is one way we encourage one another and reaffirm that our struggles aren't unique to just us.

Remember that sometimes God will use an experience like a 40-day fast to open our eyes to some areas in our lives that need attention. During a fast, we become more sensitive to God, and become aware of things that would not have seemed very important earlier. Don't miss it! Take advantage of the opportunity to address the situation and make the necessary corrections in your life. And don't forget to praise God for giving you "eyes to see." Continue to rely on our Lord, and not on yourself.

As we venture through the rest of these 40 days, I'm absolutely confident that God will bring us through to a completely different level in our relationship with Him as individuals, and consequently, as a church. We've got a lot of great things coming our way, and I can't wait!

The Mission Field Awaits

2011-09-07T09:43:00.004-04:00

As believers in Christ, each one of us needs to invest four minutes of our time today to watch this video!

As we look around at churches in our community, we see a great deal of ministry and programs going on - inside the four walls of those buildings. When are we going to realize that the days of "Build it, and they will come." or "Host it, and they will come." are over? The unchurched are unchurched for a reason... They aren't interested in going to church and Christians haven't been interested in going to them!

Taking a page from Jesus' model of ministry, the Church must begin to go to the unchurched. Pastors and ministry leaders need to lead people out of the comfortable sanctuaries and into the heat of summer and coldness of winter. We need to bring the light of Christ into the dark areas of our communities.

One of the visions God gave to me when I moved to Culpeper was to be a proponent of unifying the Body of Christ in this community. Through initiatives like Pray Culpeper, 1 Culpeper and the Warming Shelter ministry, I believe our community has taken some steps in the right direction. We've been crawling. Now it's time to start walking and running. I believe the rubber meets the road when churches start partnering with other local churches to reach the lost, not just other Christians.

We've placed a great deal of emphasis on praying for our community. Great! Let's continue to do that. Now, in that covering, let's get up off of our knees and go in the power and strength the Lord has given us. Let's bring God's hope to the doorsteps of those in hopeless situations. Let's speak the empowering words of the Gospel to those in bondage to addiction. Let's walk in the boldness of the Lord Almighty into those areas where society says, "Stay away." It's going to take time, effort and money. It's easy to pray. It's easy to talk about it. Are we willing to actually do it?

I'm tired of the Church being thought of as judgmental, out of touch and boring. I'm tired of the Church not understanding how to show grace, relying on dated ministry strategies and programs that are no longer relevant to our culture today and lengthy, verbose lectures that are given by people who enjoy hearing their own voice. If we think doing church the same way it was done 30 years ago - even 15 years ago - is effective, let me encourage you to watch the video above again. It's not working! We're losing the battle in winning people to Christ!

Let's put down our pride, our traditions and our programs. Let's put aside our denominational tendencies and form relationships with local churches that carry different names and have different styles than ours. Let's stop treating the non-essentials of the Christian doctrine like they're essential. Let's be the Body of Christ and fulfill the Great Commission!

Carrying the Cross

2011-08-12T08:28:00.003-04:00

In our Thursday Life Group, we're studying Walk As Jesus Walked in the Faith Lessons series produced by Focus on the Family and hosted by Ray Vander Laan. While preparing for it this week, I was shaken to the core by its message.

The study's theme focuses on disciples not only following after Jesus, but becoming like Jesus - just as a talmadim becomes like his rabbi. This week's idea was framed around the concept that Jesus suffered. Jesus tells us in Mark 8:34, "If anyone should come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me."

My cross is definitely different than yours. Not everyone is called to martyrdom like our Messiah and countless Christians after Him. So, what is your cross? Are you sure you're not limiting your cross to only those things that you've considered in the past?

God's Spirit led me through some very important questions this week that are challenging me to re-think what my cross is and make some necessary adjustments so that I'm truly carrying my cross, not allowing someone else to do it for me.

Am I giving my best?

Can I give more? ...do more for Him?

Will I be satisfied with my life's effort when I breathe my last?

Can I justify holding on to so many material things when others have so little?

Have I really suffered as a disciple of Christ?

Just how much suffering will I accept in my life as a disciple?

What's influencing me more - my culture or my Lord?

I hope you'll take some time today to ask the tough questions. Spend a few minutes at least marinating in the Spirit's conviction about the cross you're carrying.

I Love Your Sanctuary

2011-08-03T09:22:00.004-04:00

In the Old Testament, the presence of God was found in the Holy of Holies, the sanctuary of the Temple. When Christ died, the curtain separating the Sanctuary from God's people was torn. After Jesus' ascent to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to all believers as a gift. We now know that the Holy Spirit resides in every believer upon conversion. All that to say, we, ourselves, have become God's sanctuary!

David wrote in Psalm 26:8 I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells. (NLT)

In light of the New Testament truth, David's sentiment takes on a whole new meaning. In other words, we should be asking ourselves, "Do I love myself simply for the fact that I am God's sanctuary?"

Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 6:19 where he tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should honor God with our bodies. Yet, this challenges us with yet a whole different level of worship.

As believers in Jesus Christ and Spirit-filled Christians, we should worship God by keeping two important things in mind:

1) We should love ourselves, knowing that our bodies have become the sanctuary for our Creator and our Savior. We are not only created in the image of God, but we are now the glorious dwelling place for our Lord.

2) We should care for our bodies as carefully as the Old Testament priests cared for the temple. We should honor our God with our bodies, which means we need to think again about how we treat ourselves - what we put in our bodies, what we put on our bodies and what we do with our bodies.

This morning, I challenge not just you, but myself as well, to capture the heart of David as he says, "I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells."

Missions Trip - Leaving Saturday

2011-07-18T09:08:00.003-04:00

After three years, City on a Hill Church is going on its first foreign missions trip. I'll be leading a team of ten people to Guatemala City. We leave Saturday, July 23 and return a week later on July 30.

We'll be joining about 50 people from different churches around the country. Mission Serve is sponsoring the trip. One team will be doing some construction at a church or two while the other team will be conducting children's ministry and VBS inside the local schools.

Words can't describe how excited I am to be going on this trip. Please pray for all of us as we venture out of our comfort zones for the sake of fulfilling the Great Commission. And in the words of the Apostle Paul from Ephesians 6:19...

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak,
words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel

The Asherah Poles

2011-06-28T08:38:00.004-04:00

In the Old Testament, we read about Asherah poles. These were man-made idols that honored Asherah, a sea goddess and the mistress of Baal. She was the chief goddess of the Canaanites. Her worship glorified sex and war and was accompanied by male prostitution.

Throughout Jewish history, God's chosen people struggled with being distracted by idols. Throughout Israel and Judah, the Jews erected these Asherah poles for worshiping a false god. In fact, an Asherah pole was established in the temple by the evil King Manasseh (2 Kings 21:7). Can you imagine having an idol in God's house?

Well, the reality is that many of us struggle with idols in our own lives. Some of those idols can be found in our home, in our work and, yes, even in our church. If we're really honest, our idols could actually be our home, our work and our church (ie, our ministry).

It's not enough to stop our idolatry. We must follow the way of King Josiah. In 2 Kings 23, we read how he removed all of the remnants of idolatry from their culture. He tore down the Asherah poles and destroyed them.

You and I are called to do the same thing. We must identify the idols we have and not just stop recognizing them, but remove them and destroy them. That means it's time to clean house! It could mean it's time to change jobs. It could mean it's time to walk away from a ministry that has consumed you. It could mean it's time to leave a relationship that has become more important to you than the Lord.

Destroy the Asherah poles in your life today!

Three Things for City on a Hill Today

2011-06-27T08:23:00.003-04:00

Hi City on a Hill Church! Here are three things I'd like to share with you today...

#1 - I had another family tell me this weekend how much of an impact you all have had on them, making them feel welcomed and at home in our church. I can't tell you how proud I am of you! There's no doubt that's one of our strengths as a church family. Let's keep it up!

#2 - You all did an incredible job with the renovations to our children's ministry rooms and office this weekend. Our kids are so blessed to have such an awesome ministry area where they will learn about Jesus in profound ways while having FUN!

The renovations on upstairs begin in just a couple of weeks. We'll need all hands on deck for the projects we have before us. I'll tell you, though. When we get it all done, you're going to love it! There will be more opportunities for ministry within COAHC and in our community. I can't wait!

#3 - As a culture, we love easy-step formulas that produce results. We just want to know what to do: 1-2-3. So, if you're looking for a sure-fire way to get closer to God, here's a three-step formula that comes straight from Scripture. We talked about this yesterday. Step 1 is understand your identity in Christ. Marinate on Ephesians 2:10, for example. Step 2 is allow your deeper understanding of your identity in Christ to grow your self-confidence and self-esteem. Step 3 is understand that Christ is our Shepherd. He is the One who protects us, provides for us and leads us where we need to be to experience the best life we could possibly imagine. Because we are His sheep, we must learn to rely on Him totally and without exception. It's when we stray from our Shepherd that we get lost and put ourselves in danger.

If we follow this three-step formula, there's no question that we can begin to experience a deeper relationship with Our Heavenly Father.

We Need to Rest

2011-06-17T05:56:00.002-04:00

Three Things for City on a Hill Today

2011-06-07T15:12:00.003-04:00

Dear City on a Hill Church,

I have three things I want to share with you on this Tuesday...

1) I'm so proud of you! So many of you showed up last night for our prayer gathering. This was a time that we spent praying specifically for other churches in our community. You get it! You get that when one part of the Body is hurting, it affects the entire Body. I praise God for your compassionate and gracious hearts! It was such pure joy to hear and see the passion in everyone last night. Let's keep this going!! The Body needs it.

2) Were those baptisms awesome or what? Even though the footing was slippery and unsteady (can anyone say, "mucky slime"?), we didn't have any premature baptisms. I already have some ideas percolating about the venue for our next baptism event, but if any of you have suggestions, send them my way. Stay tuned for a video montage of photos and music...

3) Your generosity astounds me! You must have really been listening when I preached on generosity several weeks ago!! Thank you for stepping out of the boat and helping to be part of the miracle that will be our facility renovations this summer. If any of you are still praying about giving towards this cause, we have about $2500 of expenses that needs to be covered. Keep praying! Meanwhile, we're gearing up for the actual work. We have a workday scheduled for Saturday, June 25 to tackle the downstairs work and most of July will be spent attacking all the upstairs renovations. We'll need all the help we can get!

Thank you for being an amazing church, City on a Hill. I love you all!

Pastor GW

Time and Money

2011-05-12T07:31:00.000-04:00

You just don't seem to have enough time or enough money. Is that the story of your life?

If it is, let me suggest something to you today. Maybe God is trying to get your attention. Time and money are resources in this life - resources that are meant to be used for the glory of God. Yes, that's right. Used for Him - not you, me or anyone else.

So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

When we use our time for our purposes with our desires being the primary motivating factor, we'll spend our entire lives never having enough time.

"I can't (enter here what God wants you to do) because (enter here what you're choosing to do instead)."

This is a statement we make way too often. And what's the result? We stay exhausted. We wake up in the morning and by the time we go to bed, we are further behind than when we woke up that morning. It never seems we have enough time to get everything done. And we spend our lives in "catch-up" mode.

The same is true with our money. We spend our money on what we want instead of being good stewards of the resources with which God has blessed us.

"I can't (enter here how God wants you to spend your money) because (enter here how you're choosing to spend your money instead)."

What's the result? We are consumed with debt or stress and worry as we scrape and struggle to cover all our bills each month.

Maybe God is trying to get your attention. Maybe it's time to start using your resources (time and money) for God instead of yourself. Maybe it's time to stop using excuses to rationalize your behavior.

A Letter to City on a Hill-Tuesday, May 10

2011-05-10T08:41:00.004-04:00

Here are seven things I want to share with you this morning...

1 - YOU are an amazing church! I'm so privileged to be your pastor. I had a few conversations yesterday that just reminded me how overwhelming it is to consider that God has chosen ME to be your shepherd. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life!

2 - Sunday's service was absolutely awesome! It all started in our pre-service prayer time. Walls are being broken down in lives all over our church. Real connections are being made between people where real ministry is happening. It begins with prayer, though. Don't ever forget that! How incredible would it be to have double or triple the people we have now praying before each and every service? I'm extending an invitation to every one of you to join us upstairs for a time of consecration and preparation. Please join us from 10 to 10:45 on Sunday mornings - even for just a few minutes!

3 - I loved watching our people worship at Jesus' feet at the end of our service on Sunday. I want our church to have a culture that's not embarrassed to come to the altar on our knees and bow before our King. For many, this kind of thing is foreign. I get it. It was strange for me the first few times I did it, too. From personal experience, though, I can tell you that humbling yourself before the Lord at His altar can bring breakthroughs like nothing else. Let's push that fear and "uncomfortable-ness" aside and present ourselves to God as living sacrifices.

4 - Have I made it clear I want you plugged in with a Life Group? In case I haven't, I want you plugged in with a Life Group! We have four to choose from right now, and we need to be multiplying that number in the next few weeks. If you would like to host a Life Group in your home or feel the prompting to lead a Life Group, please contact me as soon as possible. We need more hosts and leaders!

5 - Have I made it clear I want you serving? In case I haven't, I want you serving in ministry! I shared this past Sunday from James 2 which clearly teaches faith without works is dead. Works is synonymous with ministry. COAHC needs more servants and leaders in its various ministries. We have ministries ready to launch that are merely waiting for the right people. Contact a ministry leader this week to get plugged in or contact me and I'll get you started in the right direction.

6 - You may be thinking right now that I want a lot from you. Let me say this: I don't want anymore for you than what God wants for you. Yes, God wants you involved with Life Groups if COAHC is your home church. Why? Because Church was never meant to be a building or an event. Church is a group of people who share their lives TOGETHER! Life Groups facilitate this. Yes, God wants you serving. He has given you gifts and wants to be glorified through those gifts. Read Ephesians 2:10. Read the Parable of the Talents. This principle is found throughout Scripture.

7 - Get ready for something big. I mean something BIG... God's preparing and situating things at City on a Hill for something big. We can't experience something big as a church without you experiencing something big in your own, personal life. So, are you preparing your fields for rain?

For Those Struggling to Respond to God's Call

2011-05-03T04:40:00.004-04:00

Last night at our prayer gathering, the Lord laid on my heart those who are struggling with responding to God's call to serve where He has called you. For those who don't see themselves as valuable as God does, for those whose past still haunts them and for those who are in bondage to their fear, God speaks Isaiah 54 to you...

"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth... The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit - a wife who married young, only to be rejected, says your God... with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you, says the Lord your Redeemer... my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord who has compassion on you... In righteousness you will be established... no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me," declares the Lord.

Osama Bin Laden's Death

2011-05-02T07:09:00.004-04:00

I woke up early this morning to the reports that Osama Bin Laden is dead. On Facebook and Twitter, there are several posts and tweets about the celebrations that went on around the world. It's even the top story on espn.com!

I have mixed emotions about it. I'm thrilled that the man who brought terror to its pinnacle in my lifetime can no longer threaten the lives of the innocent. At the same time, I'm also saddened by the response of exhilaration by our nation. My emotions honestly confused me for a moment.

"Why am I not as excited about this as everyone else?" I asked myself. Then I saw a post on Facebook from one of my friends.

Ezekiel 18 tells us, "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord God, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?"

Proverbs 24:17 instructs us, "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your hear be glad when he stumbles."

I think these two verses help me better understand the wrestling match in my heart. My flesh cries out with victory. The fear for so many is over! My spirit soars at good conquering evil. My soul weeps over another soul damned to hell.

I don't believe God's plan for Osama Bin Laden life was to spend his last years being hunted and killed like an animal. If I know anything about God at all, it's that His love and sovereignty desires an abundant life of love, peace and joy for every man, woman and child. Of course, we know that many reject His plan, so justice prevails.

This morning, I'll continue to wrestle with my feelings. I'll continue to have a sense of relief for those families who endured loss on 9-11. And I'll continue to look in wonder at the lust for blood and vengeance by so many in our world today.

May the Lord God Almighty's presence and power sustain and lead our nation!

An Unforgettable Weekend

2011-04-25T08:30:00.006-04:00

This past weekend was the most unforgettable weekend of my life, not to mention one of the most difficult. My father passed away last Monday at the age of 75 years. In the midst of consoling my family, dealing with the funeral arrangements I was also going to be the one officiating his services. Talk about a tall order! Years ago after his mother's funeral over which I officiated, he asked me if I would oversee his. In the last several months, as his Alzheimer's Disease progressed, he would remind me from time to time that he still wanted me to oversee his funeral. On the one hand, I couldn't imagine having the strength to do it, but, on the other hand, I couldn't imagine someone else leading those services. I was the one.

It was only going to be through divine strength that I could possibly hold my emotions in check and get through the services. After sending out broadcasts via phone, texts, Facebook and Twitter, the response began pouring back to me. The prayers of so many covered not only me, but my entire family this weekend. Words can't begin to express the appreciation I have for so many lifting me up to the Lord. I could feel God's arms wrapped around me and His strength encouraging me and sustaining me.

Oh, and did I mention it was Easter weekend, too? Talk about an emotional roller coaster... The spectrum of feelings I experienced from the visitation on Friday to the funeral on Saturday to our Easter church service on Sunday must have been similar to what the disciples felt: sorrow and disappointment being replaced with excitement and jubilation!

Yesterday was probably the best service we've ever had since we launched City on a Hill Church almost three years ago. Worship was amazing! King's Kids rocked the socks off of our children! We had a record attendance! Our ministry teams were all over the place, taking care of everything and everyone! The Holy Spirit poured out of me during the sermon and transformed lives for eternity!

This Easter weekend held so many memories for me. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it by being there in person and by supporting me through your prayers. I will never forget Easter weekend 2011!

You Talkin' to Me?

2011-04-12T10:44:00.003-04:00

"You talkin' to me?"

This was the classic line from DeNiro in the movie Taxi Driver.

There's some relevance in this line, though, for pastors, leaders and teachers. We need to know to whom we're talking. If we don't know our audience, we may talk below them or above them.

Case in point. I'm going through more training this week for my secular job. This week, my trainer is a former Junior High School teacher. As a reward for answering questions correctly, we're being given stickers. Yes, that's right - stickers...

There's nothing worse than being treated as someone you're not. So, teachers, leaders and pastors, know your class, audience and flock. Know how to reach them. Know how to teach them. Know how to inspire them!

Hands-On Training

2011-04-01T07:34:00.003-04:00

The company I'm working for is a service provider which means I'm actually working with not only my employer, but also the client. That means, I get to carry around two laptops (in addition to my personal one) and learn two company's systems. For the last few weeks, I've been completing online training about these systems. This week, I've been engrossed in hands-on training with an instructor leading us in every step to ensure we know how to use these systems in the field.

There's really nothing quite like hands-on training. I'm one of those people who can read about or watch a demonstration, but until I actually try it myself, I just don't get it. There are a lot of people like me in that regard, and there's no environment where this is more important than ministry.

Pastors, teachers and leaders need to not only teach and model ministry, but give opportunities for hands-on training to all believers. Every person in the Church needs to be given the opportunity to go out and serve. He needs to share his stories with others. We shouldn't wait until he's completed his Membership 401 classes. She shouldn't wait until she's read the Bible from cover to cover. Yes, every Christian should be involved in proper (and formal) discipleship steps. I'm all for those! But let's not let the formal training get in the way of opportunities for hands-on training. Let's make sure we're all doing ministry in the real world!

Community in Leviticus

2011-02-22T15:30:00.003-05:00

Today I was reading in the book of Leviticus. This book that's considered part of the Torah ("Instruction" or sometimes referred to as "The Law") is not exactly exciting reading that keeps a person on pins and needles. It contains detailed instructions on the rules and regulations the Hebrews were to follow in their religious life as well as their social life.

In Chapter 13, Moses details the instructions to follow if someone presents himself/herself with a skin disorder. At first glance, the reading is mundane and not terribly relevant to a culture that has the technological and medical advances we have today. Dig a little deeper...

Consider what God was doing with the Hebrews in the desert during those 40 years. Before allowing them to enter into the promised land, God was preparing His people to be a community. In other words, He wanted them to be other-centered, not self-centered. That's what community is all about!

When we begin to put others' needs before our own, we'll discover community. When we sacrifice for the good of others, we'll discover community. When we love our neighbor as we love ourselves, we'll discover community.

Community is a theme found in Scripture from the beginning of the Bible to the end. Our relationship with God isn't just vertical. It's also horizontal. When we have both the vertical and horizontal in our lives, we'll discover something more than just community. We'll discover the cross!

I Want More!

2011-02-07T09:37:00.004-05:00

Before asking for more, consider what you've done with what you already have.

The Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-29 details a story that Jesus told about three servants who were given specific amounts of money by their master. The master's money was entrusted to them. That's an important piece of the story that often gets overlooked. When you and I are entrusted with something valuable, the owner trusts that we will not squander what we've been given - that we will be good stewards!

We've been entrusted with our lives on this earth. From a Biblical perspective, our lives are not our own. God forms us in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13) and breathes life into us (Genesis 2:7). The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:20 that are bought with a price. Not only our material things and money, but also our relationships have been given to us from our Sovereign Lord. They are not our own, but we are entrusted with them as stewards.

The Parable of the Talents concludes with the moral of the story found in verse 29:

"To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away."

What an important truth for us! Before asking for more, consider what you've done with what you already have.

1Culpeper Prayer Walk

2011-01-28T08:25:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow, Christians from around Culpeper will gather together to conduct a prayer walk, consisting of a 2.5 miles loop around the Town of Culpeper. The walk will start at 12noon and begin and end at Yowell Meadow Park. All are invited to join us!

I Have a Dream!

2011-01-18T07:54:00.003-05:00

Martin Luther King, Jr wasn't the only one who had a dream. In Genesis 37, we read that Joseph had a dream. Actually, he had two dreams. They were both prophetic and gave him a glimpse of his future relationship with his family. As we read, we discover that Joseph shared these dreams with his brothers. What his motivation was in sharing the dreams, Scripture doesn't tell us. What the reaction to his dreams was, we read all to clearly.

His father scolded him. His brothers hated him, mocked him and sold him into slavery while telling their father he had been killed by a wild animal. Joseph's dream was the culprit, the straw that broke the camel's back. It was his dream, however, that actually saved the lives of not only his family, but millions of people.

When Martin Luther King, Jr gave his famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial back in 1963, he said, "I have a dream!" His dream was a God-given dream, and he shared that dream with the whole world that day. It shocked some, scared many and gave others hope. His dream saved lives as hearts turned from violence to peace.

There will be times when God gives us a dream... a vision... a purpose. It may be strange to us at first. It may even seem dangerous. After all, I can't think of a single instance where fulfilling a God-given dream didn't involve risk. In spite of the potential risk and danger, we need to not only be ready to dream these dreams, but pray for those dreams to be given to us. We must desire them and not be afraid to dream God-given dreams. Also, don't be afraid to share those dreams. Sure, you'll have some who scold you. They'll mock you. They may even be jealous or threatened by you. Don't let those things stand in your way. Dream dreams. Dream big dreams. Dream God-given dreams! You never know whose life you'll save.

My Birthday Gift To You

2011-01-11T07:35:00.004-05:00

Today is my 42nd birthday. Wow, I feel old!

On my birthday, I want to offer a gift to you by sharing some words that first touched me while read Mark Batterson. This phrase is a pearl of wisdom for me every time I hear it!

Apply these words to everything God calls you to in your lifetime... Every time you are staring at a task that seems difficult, remember these words... If you apply these words to your life, you will reach your dreams and God will use you in amazing ways!

Pray like it depends on God!

Work like it depends on you!

I'm So Excited - Part 2

2010-12-28T09:13:00.004-05:00

Some more reasons I'm excited heading into 2011...

We're growing! City on a Hill Church's growth has necessitated that we take over more space in the building where we rent. We're practically doubling our square feet in the near future.

The Dameron's are growing, too! In February, we will take our first steps in moving forward with adopting a child through foster care. Carrie, the girls and I couldn't be more excited for our family to grow!

We're going to give more to missions! COAHC has long been wanting to make missions a priority in our church. We've been praying and brainstorming about developing a business plan to launch a new business in our community that would give profits to missions work. I believe this will come to fruition in 2011.

Celebrate Recovery is coming! COAHC will launch a new ministry for our community called Celebrate Recovery, celebrating God's healing power in people with hurts, hangups and habits through 8 Recovery Principles.

I'm So Excited!

2010-12-22T12:54:00.005-05:00

Instead of reminiscing about all the great things that have happened in 2010 (there have been a lot!), I want to spend some time sharing what I'm most excited about in the coming year:

Awake 21 - This is a 21-day period of prayer, fasting and personal devotion focused on drawing closer to God. It begins January 10 and ends on January 30. In every major move of God in the Bible, prayer and fasting were a component. I can't wait to see what God does!

Guatemala Missions Trip - City on a Hill Church is taking its first foreign missions trip to Guatemala in July. We're going to get a chance to minister to a lot of people in different ways. Most of the people coming on this trip from COAHC have never been on a missions trip before. This is going to be exciting!

Apocalypse - In January, I'll be preaching the toughest sermons I've ever preached. We're going to spend several weeks looking at the Biblical accounts of the End Times. Hold on to your seat!

Lots more tomorrow...

Distractions

2010-12-16T19:12:00.001-05:00

Awakening

2010-12-14T22:35:00.004-05:00

In January, City on a Hill Church will be joining hundreds of churches worldwide in a 21-day prayer and fasting season. Our church believes strongly in the power of prayer. To cultivate the culture of prayer in a larger way, we will encourage our church family to devote themselves to prayer and fasting January 10-30, 2011. Click here for more information.

The Value of Twitter

2010-12-14T07:24:00.004-05:00

When I first heard about Twitter, I thought it was the most ridiculous idea I'd ever heard. "Who would be that interested in what someone is doing every minute of the day?" I asked. I imagined posts like, "Sitting on the couch, watching TV" and "Heading to the grocery store now." Who cares?

Little did I know the impact it would have on me! 1566 tweets later I've come to realize the incredible worth and value of Twitter in my life. I've been mentored (through tweets) by great Christian leaders like @AndyStanley, @RickWarren, @perrynoble, @MarkBatterson, @stevenfurtick, @chuckswindoll, @BethMooreLPM, @craiggroeschel, @DerwinLGray, @MattChandler74, @greglaurie, @edstetzer, @jonathanfalwell, @JohnCMaxwell, @MaxLucado, @PastorMark (Mark Driscoll) and about 150 other leaders who have great insights into the Church and our culture.

All day long, I receive mentoring, encouragement and ideas from those who have blazed the trail before me and those who are blazing the trail with me via messages that are 160 characters or less. Thank you Twitter!

Life Groups

2010-12-08T08:46:00.004-05:00

Imagine what it would be like to have a group of people who you loved and longed to be with as much as possible. Imagine being able to trust them with your most inner thoughts. Imagine that kind of relationship!

That's the kind of relationships that were shared in the early church. Luke wrote about it in the book of Acts.

They devoted themselves... to the fellowship... Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Acts 2:42, 46-47 NIV

These relationships are fostered at City on a Hill Church today through our Life Groups. We're getting ready to launch our new season of Life Groups beginning this Sunday. We offer two open groups that meet weekly on Sundays and Thursday, respectively. They're open to anyone and everyone and provide free childcare.

We also have a women's Life Group that meets on Tuesdays (free childcare) and a men's Life Group that meets on Saturdays. Click here for more information.

Life Groups are important for two primary reasons. The first reason is that we, as the Body of Christ, need strengthening and encouragement from one another on a more consistent basis than just the few minutes before and after Sunday's worship service. God designed us for intimate fellowship with one another. That's what Life Groups provide! The second reason is that the genuine relationships that demonstrate love and care for one another are witnessed by others in the community and result in favor from those people (Acts 2:47).

Another inferred result of these close relationships is what we read in the last sentence of verse 47: And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. We can conclude two important truths from this. Firstly, God liked what He saw and blessed the church. Secondly, people were attracted to it and came to know Jesus as their Savior as a result.

I believe in Life Groups. It's an important part of our vision for City on a Hill Church. Please join one as we launch this next week!

Money

2010-12-02T08:52:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, I saw an article that reminded me of the poor job most churches do in communicating matters about money. Jesus talked more about money than He did heaven and hell combined. 15% of the quotes from Jesus captured in the Gospels are about money. So why shouldn't churches talk about money as much as Jesus did?

To be honest, I was convicted by this (again!) and have committed to doing a better job of talking about money and finances from the pulpit. No, I won't be preaching fire and brimstone sermons about tithing. While I will address tithing from a Scriptural perspective, I'll talk more about how the Bible tells us to handle our finances on a day to day basis.

Let's face it, practically all of us need this kind of guidance, especially in the economy in which we find ourselves.

Making A Difference

2010-12-01T09:06:00.003-05:00

"We haven't celebrated Christmas in two years."

That's what one woman told me as I listened to her story. Another one told of her son who is legally blind while another child has a rare form of cancer. These are all stories of families who City on a Hill Church have adopted in our Angels of Love ministry this Christmas.

I'm probably more excited about this ministry than any other we've done in our community since the launch of COAHC back in August 2008. We selected one low-income apartment complex with over 150 dwelling units in our community on which to focus our love this Christmas season. The ministry isn't original, but it is going to make a difference in many lives. We're simply providing our church family an opportunity to select ornaments from our Christmas tree that have on them details of children who need some help receiving Christmas gifts. The children will attend either our Christmas Eve service or our December 26th service to receive their gift.

Jesus' ministry was constantly addressing the physical and emotional needs of those around Him while ministering to their spiritual needs, too. That's what this is all about. We're expecting many lives to be transformed this Christmas!

What's In a Name?

2010-11-30T09:05:00.004-05:00

What's in a name? In many cultures, names mean a great deal. They not only identify a person, but they also describe a person. Isaac means "laughter" (Sarah laughed at the thought of giving birth at such an old age), Moses means "draw out" (Moses was drawn out of the Nile by Pharoah's daughter), Jacob means "deceiver" (He deceived his brother Esau out of his birthright and blessing), and Jesus means "Jehovah saves."

We're kicking off the Christmas season this year with a sermon series on the names given to the Messiah by the prophet Isaiah.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 NIV

Each one of these names are incredibly important when we realize the identity and role of Jesus in our lives. I encourage you to dwell and prayerfully consider each name in the next four weeks. Consider how these identifications and descriptions apply to the Savior and how He has impacted your life.

Coming Attractions

2010-11-18T12:27:00.004-05:00

Sometimes there are sermons that I get more excited about than others. That's pretty normal for pastors. For example, the series that we are currently in at City on a Hill Church entitled Climate Change is a series of three sermons that are so near to my heart because the content contains the vision for our church and the role we're to play in our community.

I've been researching and preparing for another series that I'll be kicking off in January 2011. It's a series that will focus on the Apocolypse - the End Times. Initially, the series was scheduled for four weeks. It's going to be very difficult to cover all the bases in just four weeks. We may need to go longer.

I've never taught on this subject before, but I honestly cannot wait to preach these messages. Most pastors avoid the topic of the Apocolypse because the content is so difficult to understand and there are so many interpretations of what the end times will look like. For me, I can't ever remember spending so many hours preparing for a sermon series. It's worth it, though!

So, here's to a preview of coming attractions...

Fueling Up

2010-11-17T07:06:00.003-05:00

Ministry has a way of draining every drop of energy you have. Elijah experienced it firsthand. But God has the solution...

All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."... He ate and drank and then lay down again.

The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

1 Kings 19:5-8 NIV

When you read this story, you see that Elijah was so exhausted, he prayed for his own death. He expended spiritual energy in his encounter with the false prophets on Mt. Carmel. He expended physical energy by killing the false prophets and then running for his life from Jezebel. He expended emotional energy by worrying about his people and his own life.

Elijah was fed supernaturally. God not only provided the sustenance, He actually did the cooking, too! Elijah was so strengthened by God's food, he traveled another forty days and forty nights. In this passage, we get a glimpse of what God can do for us when we're run down and have given all we have to give.

The source of our strength isn't in a retreat in the mountains. The source of our strength isn't in a weekend at the beach. The source of our strength is in God's food that He has provided through His Word. You and I have a recommended daily allowance of God's Word that not only sustains us through the ups and downs of life, but also provides strength for those very difficult times.

The next time you need supernatural strength, get fueled up with some supernatural food - your daily Bread - God's Word!

Say What?

2010-11-10T12:15:00.004-05:00

Repeating our vision is something I never get tired of talking about to our church. It's a vision that was spoken to me by God's Holy Whisper before the church was launched. It was the reason why our family moved across the country to Culpeper. And it's the reason why our church has been so blessed over the last two-and-a-half years.

Last weekend, we kicked off a series entitled Climate Change that I preached our first three weekends back in August 2008. I preached them again as City on a Hill Church celebrated our first anniversary. Am I really that lost for material on which to preach? Not at all! As the spiritual leader of COAHC, I must continue to remind our people of why God has called us to be a local body in Culpeper and what we're supposed to be doing. I must continously cast our vision before our people so that we never lose track of the big picture for COAHC.

So why keep preaching the same messages over and over again? I read a great blog post today by pastor, author and church planter, Steven Furtick, that helps answer that question. In short, I can't preach the message enough!

This certainly won't be the last time COAHC hears how to influence the spiritual climate of a community!

The Main Thing

2010-11-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

Being busy can either draw us closer to God or pull us away from Him. It's up to us!

I've had a lot of conversations lately with people who have a desire to grow in their relationship with the Lord, but who are letting their busy schedules stand in the way of discipleship. Work... Kids... Responsibilities... And, yes, even ministry... These are all commitments that overshadow our discipleship.

If there's one simple concept I remind myself of all the time, it's this:

Keep the main thing the main thing.

For me, the main thing is my relationship with Jesus Christ. That's it! My job, my family, everything else comes after my Lord. Guess what? That's exactly the way God designed it, too.

When we put Christ first in our calendars, something supernatural begins to happen. There is an increase in energy, creativity and efficiency to get done all the other things on our schedule. What's more is that there is peace about the things that can wait until tomorrow. Wouldn't it be nice to go to bed not worrying about what didn't get done today?

Let me encourage you this week to take a look at your calendar and make sure discipleship is included. Keep the main thing the main thing!

A Big Deal

2010-10-28T08:22:00.005-04:00

Learning about trust and community is a big deal to God!

According to Jewish tradition, the three central lessons the Hebrews learned during their journey in the desert are (1) trust God completely, (2) trust Moses completely, (3) be a unified community that cares for one another. The Scripture uses a plural pronoun to refer to the people as they wander in the wilderness, but a singular pronoun as they arrive in the land of promise. The Hebrews finally learned how to trust God and Moses and be a unified, caring community.

The same lessons are there for us today. The Lord wants us to not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. He also wants us to trust our leadership in the local church. Hmmm... Interesting. I think I could write a book about this issue from both sides of the fence. Nevertheless, God wants us to do it. So, are we or aren't we?

Being a unified, caring community is a nice Utopian thought. But can it really happen? It can with a little intention, swallowing of pride and other-centeredness. When we stop looking at the church from the perspective, "What can the church do for me?" and begin approaching it with the question, "What can I do for the church?" we'll be on the right track.

If it's a big deal to God, then it should be a big deal to us!

Help or Hinder

2010-10-25T08:40:00.003-04:00

Nehemiah had vision! The vision God gave to him was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Many times he was confronted with people and situations that would try and distract or prevent him from fulfilling his vision, but his response in Chapter 6, verse 3 gives us a hint at his focus and determination.

"I'm doing a great work. I cannot come down."

Have you ever noticed how often we're presented with opportunities while we're in the middle of accomplishing our God-given vision? They range from opportunities for new jobs, careers, relationships, churches and even new ministries. If these new opportunities help you accomplish your vision, say, "Yes!" If they hinder your ability to stay focused on your vision, simply say what Nehemiah did, "I'm doing a great work. I cannot come down."

Vision

2010-10-21T10:01:00.004-04:00

Vision isn't just eyesight. It's heart-sight!

God's personal will for my life is made known to me by the vision He has put into my heart. But... My heart is deceitful and deceptively wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), so I have to be careful about following my heart. How in the world can I be sure what is God's vision for me and what isn't?

My first step is becoming familiar enough with Scripture that I know if the vision lines up with God's moral will (the "do's and don'ts" of the Bible) and God's principles (the unchangeable truths that are stated, implied or illustrated in the words of the Bible). There are a lot of things we may want to do with our lives, but is the vision agreeable to God's Holy Word?

My second step is to ask the question, "Does it honor God or does it honor me?" God never calls us to do anything that doesn't honor Him above all others (including myself). The apostle Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

My last step in discerning God's vision for my life is to ensure that I'm not forsaking my God-given responsibilities for this new vision. In other words, God doesn't call me to something new that requires me to turn my back on what He has already called me to do. It doesn't mean that God doesn't bring new seasons of ministry in my life. It does mean that God won't give me a vision that requires me to neglect my duties as a father, husband or disciple of Christ.

Community

2010-10-20T10:20:00.002-04:00

The book of Ephesians teaches us that the Church - the universal group of Christians - the Body of Christ. We can break that down a little further and understand that each local church is also the Body of Christ. Being a smaller representation of the universal group of believers, each local church consists of people with different gifts. Some are hands, some are feet, eyes, ears, etc. When we begin to acknowledge each local church as the Body of Christ, we can then begin to recognize the importance of community within each local church.

Understanding community is to say that we recognize the potential of each person within the Body. We're called to respond to one another's needs because when one person is in need, it affects the entire Body. We're called to rejoice with one another in times of triumph and mourn with one another in times of sorrow. Living in community with one another is an essential part of a Christian's life!

First Step

2010-10-15T07:44:00.003-04:00

This week, we took our first step in the adoption process by contacting the authorities in Culpeper about bringing a new child into our home from foster care. We know that the details are going to be taken care of and that there is a child who has already been ordained by God to be a part of our family.

We are so excited about this next journey in our life adventure!

Extraordinary in the Ordinary

2010-10-12T09:28:00.004-04:00

Have you ever thought of yourself as someone who is too ordinary for God to use for extraordinary things? If so, you're not alone.

If we look at the Bible, though, we see God using ordinary things and ordinary people as His instruments to accomplish His providential will. He gave Moses a staff to perform miracles. God also gave him a piece of wood to throw in the well at Marah to sweeten the water. Jesus used mud and water from the Pool of Siloam to give sight to a blind man. God used an ordinary shepherd in Moses to free the Hebrews. Jesus chose ordinary fishermen in Andrew, James, John and Peter to be His disciples.

Why didn't God simply do these miracles without the use of ordinary objects? Why didn't Jesus simply speak to the blind man to heal him? Why did God choose ordinary people for such extraordinary things?

God has a beautiful way of showing the great potential in all of us. The potential rests in the supernatural power of God Himself who lives in us - not in our own abilities apart from God. When we realize that we, ordinary people, can be used by a supernatural God to accomplish extraordinary things, we see a glimpse of the depth and height of His marvelous love.

He has chosen you, yes you!

Embarrassement

2010-10-07T23:31:00.006-04:00

Last night at the Catalyst Conference, Francis Chan shared a recent experience that took him on an historical tour of many sites throughout Europe that had ties to the Church. One place he visited was a church that had "squint holes" in the exterior wall through which the lepers were forced to participate in worship services, standing in the outside weather. He toured another church that was built in front of a railroad that was used as a main railway for transporting Jews to concentration camps during World War II. As the railcars traveled by the church, the congregation could hear the screams of the doomed victims. In response, the Christians simply sang louder to drown out the screams.

Chan, accurately, pointed out that these examples in our Church history are embarrassing and don't line up with Scripture. His question was, "What is the Church doing that Christians 100 years from now will look back on and consider embarrassing and not congruent with Scripture?"

My most immediate reaction is that the culture of the American Church is embarrassing, specifically our indulgence and consumerism mentality. Our narcissistic approach to life has infected the Church and prevents us from obeying even the simplest of commandments from our Lord, much less the Great Commission.

I don't pretend to know what things will be like 100 years from now. They could very well be worse. I just know that I'm embarrassed for us now.

Adoption

2010-10-06T23:17:00.003-04:00

The Bible is full of verses that command us to care for orphans. If caring for orphans is a spiritual issue, why do Christians have to go to the internet for answers about adoption? The Church should be the place providing the necessary answers!

In the United States alone, there are over 120,000 foster children who are available for adoption. There are over 300,000 churches in our country right now. So, why is there even a need for a Foster Care system in place in our country?

As Christians, we've experienced adoption in our own lives. We were once orphans adopted into the family of God to be co-heirs with Christ Jesus. We should understand the value of adoption more than anyone else.

My wife, Carrie, and I are following through on this Biblical mandate by moving forward in the adoption process. City on a Hill Church will also be taking steps in the near future to work with specialized ministries to develop an orphan ministry in our church.

It's time for the Church to step up and respond to this urgent need in a greater way!

Three Days Later

2010-09-29T09:01:00.004-04:00

In Exodus, we read of the great miracles God does for His people as they wander through the desert on their way to the promised land. The Hebrews literally travel from miracle to miracle. Perhaps the greatest miracle they experienced was at the very beginning of their journey when God split apart the waters of the Red Sea and allowed them to cross on dry ground to escape from the charging Egyptians. The Hebrews celebrated after this great miracle and blessing from God (see Exodus 15:1-21).

Only three days later, the Hebrews grumbled against Moses (in reality, they were grumbling against God) because they could not find drinking water (see Exodus 15:22-24). Only three days after their great escape - the greatest miracle and the greatest blessing they had ever seen - they were willing to shake their fist at God!

If we're not careful, we can be a lot like the Hebrews. We can forget what God has done for us. We can forget the miracles He's done in our lives. We can forget the blessings He's given to us. Let's not forget that He's the One who has led us to where we are - not to forsake us, to forget about us or to leave us. He's led us to where we are so that we can trust in Him completely for everything instead of relying on ourselves.

Conflict

2010-09-22T09:00:00.004-04:00

At City on a Hill Church, I've been preaching a series of messages on the Beatitudes found in chapter 5 of the Gospel of Matthew. This week, we come to verse 9 where Jesus tells us,

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."

The interesting thing we need to remember is that we're all going to encounter conflict. Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. In fact, a long-lasting relationship with anyone without conflict is probably not a healthy one. What we do with conflict is truly the important focal point.

The book of James helps us understand how to handle conflict. In the first three verses of chapter 4, we're reminded

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

This really helps us understand that conflict arises many times out of unmet desires in our hearts. If someone does not meet that desire, we have a tendency to condemn that person and quarrel and fight to get our way. Those desires turn to demands. When we judge and punish those who get in our way, we've allowed conflict to turn into sin. In fact, when what we want becomes more important than loving others and maintaining peace and unity, our desires and demands have become idols.

True Love

2010-09-14T08:28:00.004-04:00

From where does true love come? Many people consider love to be a feeling or emotion that becomes present only at certain times. Other people say that love is a choice that we must make. There is some truth in both of those views.

In 1 John 4: 19, the apostle tells us, "We love because he first loved us."

Love is more than an emotion. It's not just the warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you see your spouse or children. Love is more than an intellect. It's not just making a decision to act a certain way even though you don't want to. Love is the evidence of God in our lives. Love is God, Himself!

If we have God living in us, then loving one another should be the easiest thing we ever do. Loving one another should be the thing we do the most.

God's Discipline

2010-09-07T08:40:00.003-04:00

The purpose of discipline is not to punish for punishment's sake, but to correct one's attitude and behavior. Hebrews 12 makes it very clear that God discipline's his children. Why would He do this? Verse 6 reminds us that it is because of love God disciplines us.

I wonder how often we actually acknowledge God's discipline in our lives instead of dismissing it as something else. And I wonder how often we actually submit to God's discipline in our lives. We're told the results are beneficial.

... How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!... but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:9-11 NIV

Usually, before we get to the place of an attitude adjustment, we go through all kinds of emotions. Sometimes we may feel hurt or rebellious. The hope is that we would feel Godly sorrow.

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it - I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while - yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NIV

Godly sorrow isn't sadness over the consequence of our actions. It's sorrow that reveals an acknowledgment of sin and a true change in heart - ie, repentance. That's the goal of discipline!

God Can Change Me

2010-09-02T08:26:00.004-04:00

I was talking with someone recently about her past. As she dug up old stories of things that had happened and decisions she had made, it became clear to me that I needed to remind her of 2 Corinthians 5:17:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead changes us when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. That's good news! We all have hurts, and we need to know that God loves us enough to change us and/or our situation in life.

Comments that don't include a first and last name of the author will not be published.

Anonymous Comments

2010-09-01T09:28:00.003-04:00

I won't be publishing any more comments posted by "Anonymous" or pseudonyms that don't reveal a person's true identity. I encourage all to comment, but your boldness shouldn't be concealed. Let's face it, if you're too ashamed to post something with your identity attached to it, it probably shouldn't be published.

Sermon Prep: What's Your Style

2010-08-31T12:47:00.003-04:00

There have been several people who have had great influence in my walk with Christ. Perhaps the person who had the greatest influence was the man who took me under his wing when I was a mere baby Christian: Pastor Mike Quinn.

After moving to San Diego in 1997, I visited Canyon View Christian Fellowship in Tierrasanta on a Saturday evening my very first weekend in SoCal. It was a small church (about 130 people or so) that rented a Baptist Church for the venue. Over the next two years, Pastor Mike mentored me, modeled for me what the Christian walk should look like and gave me chances to explore leadership in ministry as I served on staff at the church. During this journey, Carrie and I met and got married while being a part of this church family.

Since then, God has blessed Canyon View Christian Fellowship tremendously, and today, it's known as Newbreak with multiple campuses and thousands of people all over San Diego County. Pastor Mike has been recognized as a leader within the Assemblies of God and by all sorts of churches around SoCal.

Today I stumbled across the video that Pastor Mike has shared with Church Leaders on the topic of sermon prep. For me, it's neat seeing Pastor Mike and Newbreak, knowing the whole story and knowing that I was a part of the story. Enjoy a look into the life of Newbreak's sermon prep.

Stumbling Blocks

2010-08-25T10:28:00.003-04:00

A question that haunts those in Pentecostal circles is something worth examining...

Am I doing anything that could be a stumbling block to others?

I've had a lot of conversation lately about things that could be stumbling blocks. As Christians, we have been given a great deal of freedom through the grace of Jesus Christ. We know, however, that our freedom, can sometimes lead to questions, and eventually problems, for others who are seeking God.

The Apostle Paul addressed this very issue a number of times in Scripture:

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. Romans 14:13 NIV

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Corinthians 8:9 NIV

We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
2 Corinthians 6:3 NIV

This issue becomes a valid question for Pentecostal churches who have a tendency to celebrate God's goodness in what some would consider extreme ways. Paul's conclusion found in his letter to the Church at Corinth should be something worth examining and applying into our lives as Christians - Pentecostal or not.

"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others... So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24, 31-33 NIV

Consistency in Leadership

2010-08-23T21:38:00.005-04:00

Consistency is perhaps one of the most important traits in leadership. In church leadership, consistency is even more important - especially when it comes to understanding and living out Scripture. If leadership in a local church waivers and fluxes in the face of influence from man, it can, and, in most cases, will, lead to not only distrust, but also failure in effectiveness of that leadership.

Good leaders are people who have strong convictions. The most accurate evidence of conviction is transformation. Convictions come from what we believe. When it comes to Scripture, we need to know what we believe and why we believe it. The stronger our convictions are, the more consistent we'll speak, act and lead.

A church leader who chases whatever he thinks will fill more seats is not pursuing God's vision for that church, but instead, popularity. Staying steadfast to God's vision for the church maintains consistency and keeps a church healthy.

Weeding Grows the Garden

2010-08-18T08:36:00.004-04:00

Weeding grows the garden.

If you've ever spent time in a garden, you'll realize that most of your energy is spent in weeding. Any gardener knows that weeds will always be present, so it's not if they appear - it's when they appear. A good gardener also has a plan to address the weed problem.

Of course, there are a number of different ways to weed. One may use chemicals. There's the old fashioned way of simply pulling the weeds up by their roots. Regardless of the method, the reality is that along with the weeds, some of the nearby plants get damaged as well. It's inevitable, but necessary for the overall health and growth of the garden.

In the Church, we're faced with weeds, and it's up to the overseers to serve as the gardeners. The longer we allow the weeds to be present, the more damage there will be when the weeds are removed. We never want to let the weeds remain, though, out of fear of damaging a few of the nearby plants. As overseers, it's our responsibility to protect the health of the entire garden.

Imagine

2010-08-11T08:23:00.003-04:00

Imagine... That's what God calls us to do!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

It's been a great first two years in the life of City on a Hill Church. We know, however, that this is only the beginning. We have dreams and vision that go far beyond anything we've hardly touched in our first two years.

I'd like to invite you to our annual Business Meeting on August 22 right after service. During this time, we'll, of course, go over some of the business aspects of our church. More importantly, we'll talk about the incredible things that God has done and the amazing vision that God has for our church. That means we'll be talking about what God is going to do in your life over the next year and beyond!

August

2010-08-09T08:25:00.003-04:00

August is shaping up to be the best month City on a Hill Church has ever experienced! It's still Summer, and while most churches are expecting that typical decline in attendance over the Summer months, we've had a significant spike in growth. Yesterday was the largest service we've ever hosted.

To accommodate the growth, we're preparing to expand into another 3500 square feet of space in our building. It's the next step, but I suspect it won't be the last. Long term vision is utilizing a lot more than 9000 square feet for ministry in Culpeper.

One of the coolest stories for COAHC yet happened yesterday. A family from Nebraska is moving to the area in the next couple of months. They had time to visit a church while they are here, and guess which one they chose? What a blessing it is to have COAHC as their choice! I know the Lord moved mightily as well!

Several people gather together for prayer before the service each Sunday. We always pray for God to send who needs to be there. Last weekend, I prayed that God would send someone who lives across the street. And, sure enough, someone who lives across the street attended. This weekend I prayed that God would send someone from another church family who needed to hear the specific Word that would be preached. And, sure enough, God sent not just one person, but a whole group of people from other churches to visit us. Our God is One who not just hears our prayers, but answers them!

This month, we're celebrating our 2-year anniversary with a community BBQ, including games, music and moon bounce. That's on Sunday, August 15 right after service.

On August 13 and 28, we'll be providing free school supplies to 400 kids in our community. Can't wait to light up the faces of those families who will benefit.

Our staff is going on a Play & Pray Retreat on August 20-21 in Massanutten. It will be great to spend some relaxed time with those who have been working so hard at COAHC.

I'm loving August!

Free School Supplies

2010-08-04T12:17:00.004-04:00

We're giving away free school supplies!

On August 13 (6-8pm) and August 28 (9-11am), City on a Hill Church is giving away free school supplies to the community. We're anticipating being able to give supplies to 400 students in elementary, middle and high school. Please pass the word!

Here's the inventory that you see in the picture above:
1200 No. 2 pencils
150 blue ink pens
150 black ink pens
300 glue sticks
200 bottles of glue
270 packages of loose leaf paper
1700 three prong folders
1100 spiral bound notebooks
220 composition notebooks
100 packages of colored pencils
250 packages of 24-count crayons
160 bottles of hand sanitizer
200 pairs of scissors
200 packages of ruled index cards

Come on out and receive God's love in a practical way!

Convictions

2010-08-01T22:26:00.003-04:00

The most accurate evidence of conviction is transformation. We all claim we have convictions about certain things in life: taking care of our body, having a healthy marriage, being a good parent, being a good citizen, etc. For some of us, this ends up being a lot of talk.

Let's face it. If we have a real conviction about something, not only will our attitude change, but our behavior will change as well.

If I say I have a conviction about taking care of my body, then I won't just talk about dieting and exercise, I'll eat healthy and I'll exercise. If I say I have a conviction about my relationship with God, then my attitude, words and actions will reflect my desire to follow Christ.

Take an inventory of your convictions and assess which ones have resulted in transformation. This will help you assess which ones are real to you and which ones require more serious attention.

Marriage Retreat

2010-07-30T16:43:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow Carrie and I are investing in our marriage in a big way. The two of us are going out of town for the day for a marriage retreat. It's not like other retreats where couples from all over join together to hear marriage counselors discuss details on how to improve your marriage. Nope, it's just the two of us!

We're going to proactively spend time discussing how we can enhance our relationship with one another and how we can be better parents to our children. As a pastor and pastor's wife, we not only have a large amount of responsibility on our shoulders, but we also deal with an incredible amount of spiritual warfare in our marriage and family. Why wait until crisis hits before we plan? Why not be proactive and have a game plan for when crisis hits? Why not have a strategy to accomplish, overcome and get through the everyday stuff that life throws at us as busy parents of three young children?

I'm looking forward to spending quality time with my wife, my life-partner. She's my best friend. She's an incredible inspiration to me in so many ways. It's a true joy to share my life with her!

Finishing the Task

2010-07-27T21:40:00.004-04:00

I was browsing the website of Finishing the Task this morning and came across this striking piece of information:

Today, 639 unengaged, unreached people groups with populations over 100,000, together numbering over 535,000,000 souls, are still beyond the reach of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are spiritually lost and helpless like sheep having no Shepherd. Among them Christ remains unknown, unacknowledged, and unadored.

It's hard for people like us, as Americans, to conceive of such a fact. There are people who have never even heard of a man named Jesus who was crucified 2000 years ago. These are people who have been forgotten by the rest of the world.

Our Lord told His disciples to proclaim the Good News in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the outer ends of the earth. For us today, that means sharing the Gospel with our local community, our region, our nation and the world.

Although there are some who are spiritually gifted as evangelists and missionaries, we can not turn our backs on the Great Commission that was issued to every single believer and follower of Christ. Regardless of how gifted we think we are in those particular areas, we all have been called to engage our community and the world as evangelists and missionaries.

At City on a Hill Church, we've expanded our mission work this past year from our community to children in Africa. In the next year, we're going to send people on our first mission trip overseas. We're also seeking the Lord's leading in a mission opportunity that could plant churches and orphanages all over the world.

There's a question in this for all of us. If there are that many people who haven't heard Jesus' name proclaimed, then what are you doing about it? You and I have as much responsibility to responding to the Great Commission as anyone else!

Second Saturday!

2010-07-15T14:10:00.003-04:00

This Saturday, City on a Hill Church will be at the car wash next to Wal-Mart from 9am to 11am. We'll be paying the initial deposit for all manual car washes during this time.

Our Second Saturday events are sponsored by our Kindness Ministry which specializes in demonstrating God's love in practical ways. The people of COAHC believe that Christ ministered in practical ways and met the needs of His people. We strive to do the same.

Good Enough

2010-07-15T13:45:00.004-04:00

I read a recent article by Rick Warren entitled "Why 'Good Enough' is Good Enough". It got me thinking about how serving is viewed in the Church. I agree with Rick's assertion that the local church can become performance based which can lead to a church that is immersed in entertaining its members and visitors.

In my estimation, there must be a balance between the truth found in Ecclesiastes 11:4 - If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. (NLT) - and excellence. If we err on the side of excellence, the local church can be frozen in fear and shackled by the expectation of perfection. If we err on the other side of the spectrum, we can lose the excellence that God calls us to strive for in Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (NIV).

For the Church, it comes down to this: we must demand the very best from ourselves. It's really that simple. Too many are serving half-heartedly with the comment, "Well, that's good enough."

In the context of sports, athletes use the phrase, "Don't leave anything on the field." Scripture uses athletics as an analogy for our life with Christ often for a reason. We can identify with athletics, but the principles in athletics are similar to our relationship with God. You and I need to make sure we haven't left anything on the field. We're called to particular ministries and we're called to give our very best effort.

Our salvation isn't performance-based, and it's not about measuring ourselves against one another. Our relationship with Christ simply calls us to take what we've been given and use it for the glory of God. We all must be satisfied with the best others offer. God is. Why shouldn't we be?

Prophecy for Pentecostals

2010-07-15T08:45:00.003-04:00

This weekend while I was visiting some dear friends, I was given a copy of a prophecy that was written down during the great revival in Whales in 1910.

"In the last days, three things will occur in the large Pentecostal movements:

1 - There will be much emphasis on power at the expense of righteousness.

2 - There will be an exaggerated accentuation on praising a God to whom nobody prays any longer.

3 - There will be a strong emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit at the expense of the Lordship of Jesus Christ Himself!"

I ask you, could we be living in the last days?

The Wal-Mart Well

2010-07-05T22:35:00.004-04:00

When it comes to ministry, it's important to know not only what to do, but when and where to do it as well.

In Jesus' day, the well was a gathering place. We're familiar with the story of the woman at the well, where Jesus had a miraculous encounter with a woman whose life was changed as a result. We don't have wells like that today. But we do have gathering places. Here in Culpeper, one example is Wal-Mart. It seems every time Carrie comes home from doing her weekly grocery shopping, she tells about seeing some friends.

One of City on a Hill Church's first organized Kindness Outreaches was a Dollar-Drop at Wal-Mart. Carrie, the girls and I walked around Wal-Mart and randomly and conspicuously dropped dollar bills on the floor of the store. Each bill was attached to a card that read

"This $1 is to give you just a little help today.
It's to show you God's love for you in a practical way."

We dropped fifty of those bills and cards all over the store.

Since then, we've used Wal-Mart as our venue to hand out carnations to ladies on Valentine's Day and host a wellness check in partnership with the Lion's Club. In fact, Wal-Mart has even awarded COAHC with small grants for the last two years to be used in our community.

Jesus engaged culture on their turf. Let's open our eyes to the opportunities that are around us. Let's get out of our church buildings, find those wells in our communities and engage our communities with the love of Christ.

Hearing From God

2010-07-02T09:25:00.005-04:00

In honor of being in Culpeper and blogging for two years about the experience of planting City on a Hill Church, I've been re-posting some of my favorite posts from those first few weeks in 2008.

Hearing From God (July 23, 2008)

After being in Culpeper a month, my wife and I are still getting an opportunity to share our story of God's call on our life to move here from beautiful San Diego. Some people praise God for His call to build His kingdom in Culpeper. Still others listen with skeptical ears. It's the latter group that I'd like to address in this post.

It's interesting to me to watch the skeptics' reactions and hear the tone in their voice when we share our story and calling. I guess there are many people that believe God wouldn't choose ordinary people like us for a radical calling like this. Hmmm... I seem to recall a similar story when a man from Nazareth called some pretty ordinary people to do some extraordinary things about 2000 years ago. The fact is that God has chosen ordinary people to do extraordinary things from the beginning of time. Why do some folks seem to have such a difficulty with that concept? I have a few ideas, I suppose.

As for me, I'm fired up about what the Lord is doing. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He's going to do amazing things in and through City On A Hill Church. In fact, He already has, and we haven't even officially launched yet!

So, what's the standard for success in this situation? Does COAHC have to have 200 members by 2010 in order for those doubters to say, "Okay, I was wrong. The Damerons' move to Culpeper was in response to an authentic call of God." Does COAHC have to have 20 converts and baptisms before 4Q2009? What's the standard that these people are using? And how does that compare to what God's standard is?

My family and I stand in agreement that the Father still speaks to His children. What kind of Father would He be if He didn't? He still uses people who are willing to submit their lives to Him. What kind of God would He be if He didn't?

We're not interested in putting God in a box. We don't put limits on what God's will is and whom He chooses to do it. We're blessed to be called by God. We're blessed to be in Culpeper doing His work for His glory! I wish everyone could have a taste of that kind of adventure... that kind of relationship with the Almighty... that kind of radical life change... that kind of success!

Problems Just Don't Disappear on Their Own

2010-06-30T06:38:00.003-04:00

The oil spill in the Gulf by the BP rig has become a conversation piece in most homes and watering holes around the country at this point. I don't claim to be the most educated person in the world on what's going on with this disaster, but it seems to me that it's taking an unusually long time for the source of the spill to be fixed.

This situation reminds me of how a lot of us have a tendency to ignore struggles and problems in our lives, hoping they'll either not get any worse or just go away all together. Sorry. Those things just don't happen.

If a problem is ignored, it only gets worse. Just look at the oil spill as an example. And I'm afraid what we've seen so far is only the tip of the iceberg of all the problems that will come our way ecologically and economically.

If you're facing a problem, the best solution is to get some help in dealing with it. Find someone who can give you mature, wise counsel. Find someone who can hold you accountable. Don't ignore it. Problems just don't disappear on their own.

Accepting Christ

2010-06-30T06:36:00.003-04:00

The event I was most excited to report in 2008 was this...

Accepting Christ (July 23, 2008)

My oldest daughter, Abby Rae (5 yrs old), made a life-changing decision on her own this weekend. She told her mommy and me, "I accepted Jesus into my heart last night," very matter of factly. That was the best news I could have heard on a Saturday!

Abby Rae is fairly independent, so it was no surprise that her decision was made in the quietness of her own heart after we put her and her sisters to bed. I'm just reminded of how blessed we are to have children being raised in a Christian home who will know the Lord and know God's Word at an early age. They won't be shielded from life's issues, but they'll have God's strength in their lives to deal with them. That's more than what my wife and I had growing up! What a blessing!

Lawn Mowing for the Lord

2010-06-29T08:24:00.003-04:00

This was COAHC's first unofficial kindness ministry outreach!

Lawn Mowing for the Lord

Sound weird? I thought so, too... at first. I remember our realtor telling us when we first started looking at houses in Culpeper not to consider the neighborhood where we eventually bought our home. "Why?" I asked. She reminded me that with all the foreclosures, homes typically aren't maintained well and the pride of ownership can be lost in a neighborhood resulting in more downward spiraling property values. Certainly makes sense to me. Ultimately, we took our chances, moved into the neighborhood anyway. And I'm really glad we did!

Today will go down as one of the milestones for City on a Hill Church (COAHC). It was an "A-ha!" moment for me. What if I (and, perhaps soon, other people from COAHC) went around our communities and maintained lawns at foreclosed homes? The eyesore of 18 inch lawns disappearing somehow has an incredible effect on people. That's God's love getting relevant in people's lives. That's the fourth foundation of purpose for COAHC: serving our community in practical and relevant ways, demonstrating that God's love is abundant and He cares about the details of our lives.

I mowed the lawn of the house across the street from me today and two neighbors came out to bring me water and ice tea. What an opportunity for God's Light to shine! I look forward to seeing the fruit of this labor.

Surround Sound

2010-06-28T12:24:00.003-04:00

Remember the old televisions and the portable tape player called "Walkman"?

Technology has advanced what seems like light years since then. One of the biggest advances is in the way we hear recordings. Back in the day, we used to listen to everything in "Mono" sound. It wasn't until the 1990's or so that we began to see a shift in practically everything going to "Stereo" sound. More recently, Stereo sound evolved into Surround Sound. Multiple speakers are set up around the listener in order for the audio to be heard with a 3-D effect.

I think most of us begin our relationship with God by hearing Him only in a Mono sound way. We hear Him only when we're praying or reading the Bible. As our relationship develops, we begin to hear Him in Stereo sound. Multiple sources provide the voice of God, speaking into our lives. I think most of us stop at that point. Our goal, of course, is to hear Him in Surround sound.

Jesus promised us that He would never leave us. We know that He desires to have a relationship with us. Isn't the foundation of a relationship communication? Therefore, we should be able to hear God's voice all around us anytime and anyplace. Let's set up our speakers and subwoofers so that God's voice becomes 3-D in our lives!

Logging On

2010-06-28T11:31:00.004-04:00

It was two years ago that Carrie, the girls and I moved to Culpeper and began the process of planting City on a Hill Church. Upon our arrival, I created this blog in order to journal as well as encourage others in our community (and anywhere else, for that matter). In observance of two years in the 'Pep, I'm going to re-publish some of the first posts that appeared on The View.

Logging On (June 30, 2008)

OK, so here's my first post...

Carrie, the girls and I arrived in Culpeper on Father's Day (Sunday, June 16). We spent the first week "camping out" as we waited for our furniture to arrive. It finally showed up on the following Saturday.

Much has happened in our first two weeks here - too much to tell here. So, here's a quick recap:
-We love our home in Culpeper! It's perfect in so many ways!!
-We immediately started making our house into *our* home by purchasing some new furnishings, appliances, etc.
-Our second night here, we had a little impromptu block party in our front yard as several of our neighbors came over to introduce themselves. We live in a great neighborhood with wonderful people. The girls are excited because they have Dominic (3 yrs old) next door and Jase and Cove (2 yrs and 4 yrs) behind us.
-It's so nice that everything we need is no more than a 5 minute drive. No more freeway driving just to go to the grocery store!

We went to Hazel River Assembly of God Church yesterday. The girls had fun in the kids' church singing praise songs and learning about Sampson. Pastor Steve Dodson and I finally met after exchanging emails in March and April. His message was "God has you in the right place at the right time!" Boy! What a great first message for Carrie and I to hear after moving across the country. Just when we begin to feel those little doubts clawing their way into our minds, God confirms that the call on our lives to come to Culpeper is authentic and something great is going to come of this!!

I spent much of the morning touching base and scheduling coffee and lunch times with those folks in the community with whom I made contact prior to our move. God has put me in touch with some people that are really plugged into the scene here, so I'm confident that He will use these relationships. I'm excited to see what happens over the next few weeks.

What We Want

2010-06-24T07:28:00.005-04:00

A healthy relationship has tension. It can be tension of a variety of sorts, but usually in a marriage, the tension has something to do with relationship and work. Men are, by nature, goal-oriented and task-driven. We allow our job and success in that job to define our identity. Women, on the other hand, are more relationship-oriented.

Seventy percent of married women would rather endure financial struggles than a lack of closeness in their marriage. (Source: For Men Only by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn, Multnomah, 2006)

The tension that exists should propel men to meet the relational needs of their family and allow women to see the value of work, goals and tasks in a man's life. Healthy tension creates a give- and-take that involves communication and compromise that is other-centered.

Ladies, men want to provide for you and give you the world. Men, ladies would rather have you than anything else. Let the tension bring you together instead of drive you apart.

Hearing and Listening

2010-06-22T09:08:00.003-04:00

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV

Let's face it. We hear a lot of things. But we only listen to some of it. When God spoke the passage in Deuteronomy known as The Shema to his people and Jesus echoed it again, the sentiment wasn't for us simply to hear him. There's an understood command within the opening phrase. In other words, God was saying "Understand and obey these things..."

The Jews were on to something when they began to implement phylacteries into their wardrobe and hang a mezuzah on their doorframes. What great reminders that we have a loving God who desires our love in return. Christians use paraphernalia like t-shirts, stickers and the occasional Scripture hanging on the refrigerator as reminders. But are these sufficient to remind us each and every day that we are to love our God with all of our heart, soul and strength? We need to be on our guard to protect ourselves and our home from the infiltration of the world and its values. Do we have the mechanisms in place to remind us of this danger? Or do we simply wait for something to happen, and then respond. Perhaps we should become a little more proactive in our approach than reactive. Perhaps we should spend a little more effort into understanding and obeying God's command of loving Him with everything that we are instead of simply hearing the command.

Reformation

2010-06-17T10:02:00.003-04:00

Have you noticed? We're in the midst of a reformation.

Not unlike the reformation of the 16th century, the Church is changing dramatically as a result of this reformation. The face of evangelicalism is shifting from the image of Billy Graham to a mosaic of those who comprise the Church today: those whose voices we hear on the radio, the faces we see on TV. More importantly, the mosaic includes you and me.

The Church is shifting from a self-centered, consumer-driven corporation to a Christ-worshiping, other-centered, missional operation with purpose and fresh inspiration. It no longer solely depends on the person standing behind the pulpit on Sunday morning, but involves the hands and feet of those sitting in the chairs and pews. Christians are standing up and shouting, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!" The tradition and rituals of our local church heritage are no longer our identity, and our faith is being lived out where the rubber meets the road.

Legalism and pomp and circumstance are being destroyed by grace and the realization that we're all just a bunch of sinners in need of a Savior. It's no longer about what's on the surface. It's the transformation on the inside that matters the most. Church is taking on a new definition, or dare I say an old one. It's no longer a building with a steeple. It's a gathering of people who have proclaimed Jesus Christ as Savior, Redeemer, Lord and King.

We're in the midst of a reformation. Have you noticed?

Be a Good Coach

2010-06-15T09:55:00.003-04:00

For about ten years in Southern California, I coached high school cross-country and track and field. It was a thrill to coach teenagers in sports that I loved so passionately. Tom Landry's definition of coaching echoes the sentiments I learned during my coaching tenure: getting people to do things they don't want to do.

Let's face it. How many teenagers really want to go run ten miles on a hot summer morning instead of sleeping in? How many people really want to run hill repeats during the October Indian Summer heat of San Diego? The thing is, though, you can't get the victory without the work. No one wins the Championship without logging all the miles.

As parents, we face a similar battle. We're constantly coaching our kids - asking them to do things they don't really want to do. I'm not just talking about the chores around the house either. I'm talking about the important stuff: studying the Bible, carving out quality time for prayer in a busy life and serving others when it requires sacrifice.

It's not just parents, though, who face this challenge. It's any leader in any church, family or organization. There is a lot we can learn from good coaches. John Wooden, probably the best coach who ever lived, died recently. John is remembered at least as much for his approach to coaching people and the impact he had on so many as the victories he racked up during his days as the Wizard of Westwood.

Let's learn how to be good coaches. Let's learn how to motivate people to do the tough things that don't seem very fun at first glance. Let's remind those in our lives that we don't get the victory without the hard work.

Golf = Life With Christ

2010-06-11T09:40:00.004-04:00

I played golf yesterday with a few friends. It's amazing what a difference slight adjustments can make. It's also incredible how significantly a lack of focus can impact how straight the ball goes.

Several times yesterday, I found myself trying to hit the ball out of awkward situations. My ball landed on the edge of the treeline one time and I had branches hanging down all around me. The branches distracted me, and I just couldn't focus on hitting the ball. Guess what happened! I hardly hit the ball at all, and it rolled about 15 feet in front of me. At least I was out of the woods!

Life with Christ is a lot like the golf game I played yesterday. Making adjustments and focus are very important in our lives.

When I take my eyes off of Christ and get distracted by life's ups and downs, I can really miss the sweet spot God wants for me. If I'm in the midst of a trial, God may want me to make an adjustment. If I don't, guess what... It takes a little longer to get to where I want to go.

Known For Something

2010-06-02T10:26:00.005-04:00

What is your church known for in your community?

Every local congregation got its start (or should have, anyway) because God called a person or group of people together with a specific vision on how to reach people for Christ in that particular community. In other words, each and every church should have a niche in its community that is unique and specific to that particular group of believers doing ministry.

There are some who would start a church for the wrong reasons. Here are just a few wrong reasons to start a church:
-"There isn't any presence of our denomination in this community, so let's go plant a church there.
-"I need a job/steady income, so I'm going to plant a church in this community."
-"___ church is really successful in that community over there, and there's nothing like that here, so I'm going to plant that kind of church in this community."

First things first. Make sure the call is from God and not from your own personal desires for attention, prestige or greed. Make sure the vision for your church plant is the vision for your church plant, and not someone else's vision. Lastly, make sure your church is fulfilling a unique role in your community. We don't need churches on every corner just for the sake of having more churches.

Vision and Relationships

2010-06-01T08:51:00.004-04:00

One of the important lessons I've learned in ministry is that vision may well attract people, but relationships are what keep people loyal. For some of us, especially those of us who have prophetic tendencies, vision can be so very important. The Lord can give us a vision that is nothing less than divinely inspired. Before we know it, our whole lives are consumed with fulfilling this vision.

New, fresh vision excites people and attracts support, encouragement and helping hands. There will be a time when that vision isn't so new and fresh anymore. Even though it remains a divinely inspired vision, people will get tired of fulfilling the vision because the work is probably hard, much perseverance is required and sacrifice is a big part of it. Let's face it. That triple play gets old after a while.

For those of us who are leading, relationships with our co-laborers have to be just as important as the vision itself. After all, aren't we dealing with people? From the beginning, we must invest ourselves into relationships. If the relationship is stable and fruitful, people are less likely to walk away from the vision. If the vision is the top priority and the only priority, it's only a matter of time before you'll be by yourself.

Koinonia Fellowship

2010-05-24T07:37:00.003-04:00

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 NIV

Notice that the early Church considered some things of great importance: growing in their knowledge of God through learning from the apostles, prayer, observing the sacrament of communion and to fellowship. The Greek word used here for fellowship is koinonia. It refers to three very important components of life among the believers in the early Church: intimate fellowship, participation and sharing.

Koinonia means intimate fellowship. It means that you are a part of other lives and they are part of yours. In our culture, that simply means you have to spend time with people and invest in them. Believe it or not, I'm an introvert, and I understand how difficult that can be. However, I understand what God wants for me, and I make it a priority in my life over the busyness of my schedule and my comfort level.

Koinonia means participation in the body of the local church. If you're not serving in your local church, you need to find a way to participate. I've never heard of a church that doesn't have needs for servants to use their gifts and talents in a way to serve the body.

Finally, koinonia means sharing. In the early Church, Acts 2 tells us that they sold their possessions and gave as others had need. When was the last time you truly sacrificed an important resource for someone's need - time, energy, money?

As I said yesterday during the sermon, if you haven't invested yourself in at least 4 or 5 other people in your local church, you need to repent! And, no, it doesn't count if one family has that many members. We're talking 4 or 5 different people. That's what koinonia is all about.

Opportunities for Raising Money for Kindness

2010-05-20T07:40:00.005-04:00

City on a Hill Church has created a couple of opportunities for anyone and everyone to help raise a few dollars for our Kindness Ministry. Through our Kindness Ministry, we conduct neighborhood outreaches as well as support local missionaries such as Young Life and The Pregnancy Centers of Virginia.

The first opportunity comes from the generosity of Chili's restaurant. On Monday, May 24, the Chili's restaurant in Culpeper will donate 10-20% of each food bill back to COAHC for all patrons who bring this flyer with them for lunch, dinner or dessert. This goes on all day long!

The second opportunity comes from GoodSearch - a Yahoo powered search engine that also offers online shopping. From May 19 at 12noon through May 21 at 12noon (Eastern), $1 will be donated to COAHC for every GoodSearch toolbar downloaded at a unique ISP address. Go here to download the toolbar.

Thanks to all who participate in these opportunities to raise funds for our Kindness Ministry - showing God's love in practical ways!!!

Megachurch vs. Smaller Church

2010-05-14T08:01:00.003-04:00

Megachurches are so 80’s and 90’s! I think there is definitely a transition going on in America that seems to indicates churches are growing larger to smaller. People want/need to feel like they are more than just a number. They want to be connected to others in the church as well their leadership. Smaller churches afford this opportunity much more effectively than larger churches.

After reading this article, I'm even more convinced of this!

Here’s the thing though… Churches need to be careful not to be small just for smallness’ sake. The whole point of the Church is to grow – as that indicates more souls are being saved and lives transformed. However, as a church grows, we must be deliberate about sending and multiplying instead of selfishly holding on for stability and other reasons. I’m a true believer that if a person or church can do ministry in their own strength without relying on God’s provision and intercession, they’re missing out on what He wants. Regardless of size and maturity, people and churches need to pursue ministry that REQUIRES God to show up in miraculous ways to provide resources as well as accomplish the goal of that ministry.

Directions to COAHC Baptisms

2010-05-10T15:28:00.003-04:00

See below for the Google Map that includes directions to Kelly's Ford from COAHC for our baptisms on May 23. Hope this helps!!

We'll also provide directions and a map to all of those in attendance at our Sunday service on the 23rd.

View Larger Map

Sunday Morning

2010-05-10T13:40:00.003-04:00

This is a funny video that pokes some fun at what a lot of church services look like these days. There is much deliberate attempt to include many of these applications into services around the country. And, yes, even at City on a Hill Church, we are guilty of being purposeful with some of this stuff.

So laugh away and have fun poking fun at yourself and your local church! It's healthy to be able to laugh at yourself!!

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Second Saturday!

2010-05-07T07:53:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is Second Saturday!

Everyone is invited!!

Please join us tomorrow as our Kindness Ministry shares God's love in a practical way with our community. City on a Hill Church will be delivering marigold flats to our neighbors along Duke Street. Meet us at COAHC at 1pm to help prepare the flowers and we'll head out to the neighborhood by 2pm. We should be all done by 3 or 3:30.

Such a little investment. Such little requirement. Such a huge impact!

The Missional Church

2010-04-28T08:14:00.004-04:00

The Missional Church is on the move. Churches around our country are beginning to understand more completely the call that God has given us in our own communities. Here's what this looks like:

The Missional Church from 30,000 feet-
Faith, by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17 NIV

The Missional Church from 10,000 feet-
"Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Matthew 22:39 NIV

The Missional Church on the ground-
"For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'" Matthew 25:42-45 NIV

When a church becomes missional, it merely recognizes that God is calling us to not only reach the lost in foreign lands, but to reach those who are lost, hurting and in need in our own communities. It's easy to get so concerned about those in Haiti or China or Africa and forget about the person living right across the street.

That's why every month, City on a Hill Church hosts Second Saturday! by going out into the community to show God's love in practical ways. We want our community to know that God loves them and that we, as the Body of Christ, are here for them. Join us Saturday, May 7 @ 1pm as we distribute marigolds to the homes along Duke Street (behind our church building).

Ministry Through Social Media

2010-04-26T22:09:00.003-04:00

Can ministry occur through social media?

Blogs... that's so 7 years ago...

Myspace... that's so 5 years ago...

Facebook... that's so last year...

Twitter... now that's fresh!

Church leaders started with blogs about a decade ago or so. They used as it a way to journal and express their deepest sentiments about God, the Church and ministry in general. Community was found in comments left by the few select who would actually demonstrate their courage by leaving remarks about the blog entry.

Then came Myspace - an inventive way to connect with other people. Sadly, the enemy quickly saw his opportunity to prey on others and infect healthy community interaction.

Facebook was received as the new and improved social website where privacy and protection was upgraded. People developed friendships with old acquaintances from years ago as well as their neighbors. There was a safe, easy way for people to express themselves from behind their monitor. "Come get to know me," shouted the world. "But not too close, only through the distance of the internet."

And now there is Twitter. Community is expressed no longer by friends, but followers. Now, each and every one of us can be leaders! We can lead the world, limited only by profound messages expressed in 140 characters or less.

I have to confess, I've been a part of each and every one of these social media phenomenons. I value them as extensions of the ministry God is doing through me. There's a real danger, though. It's easy to get comfortable doing ministry from a distance - via the safety of the internet. We seem to be saying, "I want to get close to you, but not too close." I truly believe God has used these venues to speak to people and minister to them. Let's face it. I get mentored every day by the top leaders in the Church today, and they don't even know I exist! I connect with my followers by tweeting messages meant to encourage, challenge and lead people to the cross.

Community, connection, relationships, ministry.... Jesus modeled these concepts for us. While we can use all kinds of methods to begin these in our life, there's no substitute for being face-to-face. Let's use social media for God's glory, but let's not forget how and why He designed us - it wasn't to sit behind a computer hiding behind avatars and electrons. We're designed to be the ligaments and tendons, connecting the Body of Christ together through real, not virtual, relationships and community.

Introducing Joseph Moro

2010-04-26T07:10:00.003-04:00

City on a Hill Church is sponsoring a child through Compassion International. His name is Joseph Moro. Joseph is four years old and is from Tanzania. Please pray for Joseph and his family. We would love to have all of our church family write him letters on a regular basis. Please simply email the church your letter to be included in our mailings to him. admin(at)cityonahillculpeper(d0t)com

Ministry to Orphans

2010-04-26T06:46:00.003-04:00

James wastes no time getting real with his readers. I just love reading his letters to the twelve tribes. He's my kind of preacher. He doesn't tap dance around the issues, but hits them head-on.

The major theme of the book of James is "faith without works is dead." That's the overall point of his letter. James breaks this down a little further though and tells us

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
James 1:22 NIV

A few verses later, he tells us

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27 NIV

James gives us the big picture, but he also gives us some specifics on what our walk with God should look like. Last week, the Lord began to stir in my heart and my wife's heart independently with the same vision for City on a Hill. This vision involves our church ministering to orphans.

We're excited about this vision and what God would do through COAHC. We'll be spending some considerable time praying about what this ministry looks like as we move forward. We're asking our entire church family to please join us in prayer as our leadership begins to follow God's leading in this opportunity to minister to those in need.

Exponential Conference Wrap-Up

2010-04-22T13:12:00.003-04:00

A day after my attendance at the Exponential Conference, I’m still digesting everything I heard, saw and experienced for the last few days. It’s a lot to absorb, but this is what I liked and didn't like about the conference.

Top Things I Like From Exponential Conference
• “A church bldg was never meant to be the destination.” - Reggie McNeal

• Mosaix Church worship team leading the plenary group in the classic Doobie Brother's Long Train Running. "Without love..."

• Francis Chan’s message about why he stepped down from his pastoral role at his church in Simi Valley, CA. It completely wrecked me.

• “Apostles need prophets - prophetic intelligence for apostolic architecture.” - Alan Hirsch

• Sharing communion w/ thousands of other pastors/leaders. How inspiring!

• Hanging out with the guys from CMA Mid-Atlantic District.

• “We study the Great Commission, but how many disciples can we point to in our lives? Stop studying and start doing!” Francis Chan

• “If you're loving on a city without sharing the Gospel you're simply making them more comfortable on their way to hell.” - Matt Chandler

• RightNow’s mission: Are you a trader? Trade your dreams for faith in action.

• “Have you decided to follow Christ or did you invite Christ to follow you?” – Mark Batterson

Top Things I Didn’t Like About Exponential Conference
• Consumerism is still rampant in the Church – way too much marketing and promotions going on at this conference. I know it’s a conference, but can we please separate ourselves from the world just a little? Here we have thousands of church planters – many of whom are clueless about what decision to make next – and they’re being pummeled with offers to help their plant be successful. Every workshop promoted books authored by the presenters. Every time I walked through the crowded halls with vendor booths lining both sides, I felt God’s heart breaking. Has this what church planting training and preparation become - just a marketing opportunity for a book sale or contract with a coaching organization?

• One speaker would say one thing and the next speaker would contradict him. When you have dozens of presenters, you’re bound to get diverse opinions. I get that. The main issue I have is that the audience is a group of people who are planting churches (most of them for the first time ever). We’re looking for guidance. Many will leave this conference more confused than they were when they arrived.

• Some workshop presenters were much more interested in promoting their information than answering questions. Workshops by definition are supposed to include adequate time for Q and A. Many of the workshops I attended left only a few minutes at the end and were not able to field and answer the questions church planters had.

• There wasn’t enough emphasis on following God’s leading and too much emphasis on methods, models and coaching from other people who aren’t a part of your community or church plant. Transferable concepts are great, but there’s no substitute to following the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I just didn’t hear that spoken enough from the presenters.

Walking In the Same Way

2010-04-21T07:15:00.003-04:00

What Francis Chan shared yesterday wrecked me.

On Sunday, Chan stepped down from his 16-year Sr Pastor role at his church in Simi Valley, CA to pursue another adventure to which God is calling his family and him. Beginning this summer, the Chan family will begin ministering to the people of inner city Los Angeles.

Chan told us a story about a youth pastor in San Diego who frequently took people across the border to the slums of Tijuana for purposes of ministry. This youth pastor would immediately be recognized by the people. He would take a cloth and wipe the dirty faces of the children. he would bring them gifts and love on them. Those he took with him often said, "When I was with him, I felt like I was actually with Jesus."

By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1 John 2:5b-6 ESV

Chan went on to say that his own life - speaking engagements, writing books, traveling, shooting videos, etc. - didn't closely enough resemble who Jesus was. It was time to get back to basics.

There are too many people in the position of leadership in the Church who pursue the wrong kind of success. It's so easy to want to be the leader of a mega church, to get published and be recognized as a celebrity Christian. When, all the while, we're simply supposed to be like Jesus.

When was the last time someone said about spending time with you, "When I was with him, I felt like I was actually with Jesus."?

Exponential Conference

2010-04-19T22:24:00.003-04:00

This week, I'm at the Exponential Conference in Orlando, FL learning and growing as a pastor and leader. I'm convinced that no one should ever stop learning, no matter what!

Today and tomorrow, I'm attending a Pre-Conference Workshop hosted by Mark Batterson, Matt Chandler and Francis Chan focusing on the concept of being a missional church. I've taken four pages of notes already, but here are just a couple of snippets of some wonderful truth that impacted me today.

"They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep My charge. Ezekiel 44:16 NASB (emphasis mine)

Mark Batterson made an important point that many pastors and leaders spend their time ministering for the Lord instead of ministering to the Lord. The difference is that if we're ministering for the Lord, our ministry will eventually outgrow our spititual development. We need to spend more time ministering to the Lord through our personal praise and worship of God.

Matt Chandler made an excellent point about how we, as pastors, encounter too many people who say they've gone to church for twenty years but have never heard the Gospel. Obviously, there are some who simply have not had ears to hear. Sadly, there are many who truly have never heard the full Gospel preached from the pulpit in churches throughout this nation.

The Church must not get too caught up in preaching topical messages that meet socialogical needs and forget to preach the Gospel - over and over again, even to believers. The model is set for us by the Apostle Paul who shares the Gospel message to believers in Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians and Ephesians.

Gearing up for tomorrow's conclusion of the workshop with Chan sharing his heart on the subject.

Commitment

2010-04-13T10:32:00.003-04:00

What does commitment mean to you?

In this day and age, commitment means a lot of different things to different people. Commitment in marriage can be "till death do us part" to some and others it simply means "till I get tired of being married to you".

Commitment to family isn't what it used to be either. Yesterday, the world learned about a Tennessee mother who put her adopted son on a plane to return him to Russia because she thought he was too violent.

Commitment in the Church means different things as well. To some, commitment in the Church means "till something else comes along that I like better" or "till you disappoint me".

I think Christians need to be reminded that commitment in the Church is demonstrated by commitment to the Church. I'm not talking about commitment to a building, a name or a denomination. It's commitment to people.

In the context of the local Church, a person needs to make a commitment to a group of people (ie, a local Church) as a result of sharing the vision that God has called them to in that community. Vision is the most important component in making the decision of commitment. Vision dictates where you are, where you are going and how you're going to get there.

In the local Church, commitment will be demonstrated by offering your time, treasure and talent. Each local body of believers needs these three things from all of us to prosper, grow and fulfill the vision to which God has called them. When we give of these three important resources, we're saying, "I am committed to you!"

Preaching, Teaching and Serving

2010-04-09T08:40:00.003-04:00

In one simple verse in Scripture, we find Jesus' modus operandi - His method of operating - during His earthly ministry. Here it is...

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
Matthew 9:35 NIV

Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom. The Greek word for "preached" is kerusso. Think of a herald in a town square, shouting at the top of his lungs the important news for the day. That's the idea behind kerusso. Jesus went around Israel telling people of God.

There's a great Christian company called Kerusso that sells all kinds of Christian clothes and retail items. That's the idea. Share the good news and proclaim the goodness of God in your attitudes, actions and words.

Another part of Jesus' M.O. was teaching. He has charged us with this task as well.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

Jesus didn't tell us to go and make converts. He told us to go and make disciples. You can't disciple someone without imparting wisdom to them, mentoring them and investing in their lives. That's what teaching is all about!

The other thing we see Jesus doing a lot of during His earthly ministry was healing. He performed all kinds of miracles, but healing was something special. We see very clearly that when Jesus healed someone, he was meeting a need. He was serving that person practically.

...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 NIV

When you and I can find a way to serve someone and meet a practical need, we're imitating the model that Jesus set for us. It doesn't always have to be miraculous in terms of healing or multiplying loaves and fish supernaturally. It can be as simple as buying groceries for a family in need, providing a warm, dry, safe place for someone to sleep or caring for someone who is ill.

Jesus was preaching, teaching and serving. He was, is and will always be our model for ministry. Preaching, teaching and serving need to become the M.O. for the Church today.

Rug Pulled Out From Underneath You

2010-04-07T09:35:00.004-04:00

It always seems to work like this. You're on top of the world. You've tasted sweet victory. Then, BAM! It comes seemingly out of nowhere.

In our lives as Christ followers, we need to expect some rough patches that immediately follow the mountain-top experiences. This is when the enemy likes to hit us the hardest. We seem most vulnerable when things are going well. God will use these experiences to test us as well - test our character, our resolve and test where our focus is.

The same happened with Jesus. He had just been baptized and had a miraculous encounter with His Father in heaven. The Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and God spoke audibly, "This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased." From that victorious experience with the other members of the Trinity, Jesus embarked upon His 40-day wilderness experience where He was tempted and tested in the most powerful ways.

We read of a similar experience with Elijah. Elijah has victory over the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. It seems nothing could take the courage from this great prophet... except Queen Jezebel's threat of his life. Elijah, on the heels of a great victory and mountain-top experience, is faced with a great test.

Many of us experienced victory this weekend in our worship of Christ's resurrection. God did miracles in our lives and revealed Himself more to us. Now, we should expect Satan to attack. Now, we should expect the testing to begin. Don't be caught off guard. Instead put on the armor of God and be prepared to engage in spiritual warfare. Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us the best instruction for this time:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Weekend Reflections - Easter 2010

2010-04-05T07:47:00.003-04:00

There was a certain anticipation all week leading up to yesterday's service. It wasn't necessarily about the fact that it would be one of our largest services in our short two-year history of a church, although we were all excited about that. It wasn't necessarily about making sure our T's were crossed and I's dotted, although our staff, leaders and volunteers had done an incredible job making sure those things were done. It was about how many people would make life-changing and Kingdom-changing decisions - not if, but how many.

The message the Lord gave me wasn't exactly the message I was wanting to deliver. After all, it's Easter - a time when you ordinarily share a message of triumph and hope to people in light of the resurrected Jesus. No, instead, the Lord gave me a message that didn't exactly shout "good vibes." The message I shared was a no-holds-barred, pull-out-all-the-stops, "If you don't know Jesus, you're going to hell" message.

Really? Really, Lord? You really want me to share this message on Easter?

I submitted, and there it was. God did His thing in spite of me and now there are more names in the Book of Life. God really does know what He's doing!

The Lord spoke to me yesterday in a reassuring voice, "If you're not preaching to save souls or transform lives, why are you preaching?" It was a gentle reminder that God not only understands my struggles as a pastor, but He has sent me to do His will, not mine. I'm not in this for me. It's all about Jesus and bringing people to Him!

So, our Easter service was our best so far. Our attendance was just a few shy of 100 people - a record for us. Our offering was at record-level with a significant portion going towards expenses for two young men who are local missionaries from our Church family. We had 10 people make decisions for the Lord, and we are set up to baptize about a dozen people on April 18.

To some, this may seem like a drop in the bucket. To City on a Hill Church, this is who we are and this is where we're going. We will continue to be bold in following Christ at all costs in order for His Kingdom to be built in Culpeper one person at a time, one soul at a time.

The Real Reason for Easter

2010-04-02T08:42:00.001-04:00

One of the best six minutes you'll spend this Easter.

That's What He Said

2010-03-30T08:07:00.004-04:00

One truth I know about the Bible is that if Jesus said it, He meant it. In my study of the Bible, I always like to look for quotes from Jesus. During this Easter season, I'm currently studying everything Jesus is recorded saying after the resurrection.

The Gospels tell us one of the most common phrases Jesus said after His resurrection was, "Don't be afraid." John 20:19 also captures Jesus as saying, "Peace be with you."

Why do you suppose Jesus said these things to His disciples and followers?

Certainly, they would have been at least a little shocked seeing him alive after the brutal crucifixion and burial in the tomb. Jesus would have expected them to be a little taken back. I think it's more than that though.

Fear and lack of peace are perhaps the two greatest enemies in a believer's life.

Fear to go where God is calling you to go...
Unrest about what's going to happen tomorrow...
Fear that prevents you from letting go of control and giving your entire life to God...

As followers of Christ, we need not have fear or lack of peace in our lives. God is the source of courage and boldness that we need to wake up every morning knowing that He is in control and we have eternal life with Him no matter what happens. God is also the source of our peace - a peace that goes beyond human understanding. We don't need our lives to be calm and without problems to have peace. The peace that God offers us isn't the removal of those problems, but peace in the midst of those problems.

If Jesus says we don't need to be afraid and that peace is being offered to us from the living God, then I believe it and I'll take it!

Favor

2010-03-29T11:53:00.003-04:00

Not too long ago, I suggested to our staff/leaders that we begin to pray specifically for favor from God. Of course, I don't mean to infer that we weren't praying for God's blessings at City on a Hill Church. We were! But my suggestion was specific - that we begin to pray for favor.

I don't claim to fully understand the theological difference between blessings and favor or why it matters to God that these two things are different. I simply know that we've been experiencing blessings and favor in an abundance in the last several weeks. We've seen all kinds of things from increased giving to increased attendance to increased commitment to our Church.

We're not necessarily doing anything differently than we've ever done. This kind of favor can only be from the Lord God Almighty. I'm enjoying this so much!

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