MNF: Minnesota Mauling

Had a great time at the MNF game last night...except for one thing: the game! Usually that's supposed to be the highlight of the night. Unfortunately for the Vikings the Patriots showed up and totally destroyed them!

I did predict when the Vikings would score their only score of the game -- Moore's punt return. I had turned to Kellen and told him I would cover my Chiefs jersey with a purple and gold sweatshirt I had brought and I said, "This will make the Vikings score!" Of course, I laughed my fool head off when he broke through the onslaught of tacklers and scored his TD. That was fun!

We did have a good time watching the ESPN crew do their stuff and watching all the pre-game stuff. That's the fun behind the game you don't always get to see. I'm keeping this one short because I don't have any other highlights to share. I'll get back to more 'church' stuff tomorrow. I'm sure there will be some interesting stuff tonight with the Harvest Party!
Have a good one! 

Day Trippin'

Coming home from the Pastors Retreat (from any retreat!) seems to take longer because of tiredness & the anticipation of seeing family. However, this trip home went quicker than usual. John & I had a lot to talk about -- future outreaches, summer schedules, Christmas planning, etc.

We were told to stop at a restaurant in WI that's just off the interstate. It was a cool little diner that reminded me of the Drake Diner in DSM, IA. 50s nostalgia, etc. Since it was so late in the afternoon -- @ 3pm -- we were basically the only ones there besides the waitress and the fry cook.

The gal waited on us and pretty soon we got into this cool conversation about her life (being 19) and all of its ups and downs. She shared about her family and how she didn't want her life to follow that same pattern of divorce, remarriage, divorce again, and remarriage. Yet she was also living with her boyfriend and had fallen deeply for another guy before him. She was at a place where he loved her but she wasn't willing to commit relationally to the long-term.

Do you ever ask why people share so much of their life with you -- especially when you've just met them? That's what I was wondering -- that plus, I wonder what God is doing here? You could really tell that she just wanted to be heard, to know that there was something better for her out there and that her life was going to end up alright!

She shared about a palm reader having stopped by and telling her how successful she would be in life -- she was so caught up in having this supernatural fortune! When she shared that I knew we were to talk with her more openly about Jesus. She said she knew about Jesus...that she had gone through confirmation and knew Him. I asked if she ever received him as Lord and Savior, and that since she 'knew' him if she ever talked with him?

She admitted that she hadn't asked him into her life and that she really had never talked with him. We asked if she wanted to receive Christ (and we explained what that meant) and she kind of held back, so we asked if we could lay hands on her and pray for her.

So we paid the bill and prayed for her in the middle of the diner. God provided the time and the space to really speak to her about the Father's love for her. I was amazed at how willing she was to be prayed for -- and how willingly she received all that was said. As we were finishing praying for her I felt like Jesus just wanted her to know how much she was loved by him, and that she wasn't alone in her decisions about boyfriends, the future, and especially that she wasn't alone during the painful times of watching her parents go through their divorce and subsequent remarriages.

You could see her face and demeanor change and start to falter. She was on the verge of tears when, after a few moments, she kinda shook herself and you could see the toughness facade come back over her. God was touching her heart -- going into a place that was cold and foreign, but a place where I think over time He was going to be welcomed!

She thanked us for praying and we encouraged her to pray herself about the situations facing her. Then we left...

I was so excited that God had used me to pray for her! I know that when God brings the next person into her life that shares Christ -- their job will be easier because God is softening her heart. As John and I drove away we prayed that we would see her one day in heaven. I'm trusting that the Holy Spirit will continue to point her to Jesus! And that I will see her!

I'm also praying that God will use me again and set up more divine appointments!
Have a God-blessed day!

Since I've Been Gone

I've been gone for a while attending a pastor's retreat in WI. We had a great week and the Lord really showed up and ministered to all the pastors/leaders that attended. I was amazed at the way He revealed himself to me on WED evening:

I've been very 'dry' lately...doing my daily disciplines, but just didn't feel love or felt like I could really love someone, whether individually or the church. Yes, I still loved my wife, my kids, etc. But to really love the church was another deal. And so when ministry started and we participated in communion the Lord showed up and just washed over me with his love for me as his kid.

I was standing there bathed in love, crying and just plain feeling weak...I felt vulnerable yet at peace knowing that God only gives good gifts to his kids...and this was an awesome gift I was receiving right then! I was so overcome I decided to go outside into the darkness and pray. So I went out by this huge lake (right behind the retreat center) and started talking to God about my heart and its hardness and how I didn't want that anymore...and how I really needed him to soften my heart -- and He came again! Tears fell, my knees shook, I just couldn't believe how good he was being to me!

And yet I knew there was more to come so I went back inside and they were making a ministry call for people to come receive prayer -- I went and stood in the front and just felt God's presence fall upon me again -- going into those places where I needed him to go -- restoring me, and reassuring me.

One thing that struck me is that I've not allowed people to get real close to me or myself to get real close to others because I felt like that I had been ripped out of a place of healthy relationships and intimacy and accountability in IA to move here...and that I hurt when I saw all of my old friends at the retreat (and also the people that were taking my place positionally at the church) and it made me want to guard myself...to guard my heart and not risk being hurt again! I don't know how long God has us here...but I know I'm supposed to live each day to the fullest and love people each day to the fullest whether he calls us away or says to stay. Since my life is his...so is my heart and the love he provides for me to give away.

I had shut that faucet off awhile ago and so I prayed that he would forgive me and fill me to overflowing again so that I could love others with his heart. What a cool and supernatural exchange! Then a friend prayed for me about receiving love and giving it away and he had a few other supernatural words of wisdom for me that pierced my heart! God is so good! He shows his love to me and he confirmed it through His people! What an awesome experience that I desire to have again and again and again!

I'll tell you more tomorrow about the ride home and our conversation with Nikki from WI.
Have a God-blessed day!

Prayer & the Kingdom

This prayer thing is really shaking things up...in fact, tonight we're doing a Holy Spirit Workshop where the facilitator and her ministry team have been fasting for a month and I can wait to see what God's gonna do!

Over the past few weeks we've had testimonies emailed to us about babies being born as an answer to prayer following a traumatic miscarriage...how a gal's chest had been hurting and painful for several days and she was fearful of dying because her dad had died of lung cancer. She has asthma and sinus problems and was becoming more afraid by the day. But then she received prayer. People laid their hands on her and prayed for her at a class one evening. Here's what she wrote to me:

So tonight sitting in community 101 I had this pain and was feeling concern. I like prayer but feel embarresed in front of a circle at a table but I saw John look at me and thought he was going to pull it out of me..anyway I didn't ask for prayer at the table but went up for prayer for the gift of prophesy.I was standing up there at the front feeling a bit embarresed because no one came to lay hands on me . Then Tim, at the last minute came up and put his hand on my back.While Tim was praying for me my fingers started twitching and I felt this huge warmth deep in my chest and core of my body and it radiated down from the level of his hand.Well, after prayer I walked back to get my son and I took in a deep breath which usually hurts but it didn't hurt. I was thinking about it when I walked back to you and must have looked perplexed and you asked me about it. Only then when I told Tim of the percieved healing he told me that on the way to church that night he thought God told him he was going to heal someone tonight.He was flushed and amazed because he wasn't used to hearing something like that.

She concluded with: Isn't God amazing! WOW!

What if we turned to him with all of our needs, all of our concerns, all of our worries? What could happen? Some of you may say, well, nothing will happen -- and that could be true! But what if something did happen? What if God did respond -- just like we've seen in the two examples above? How would that change your life or mine?

Try it -- try prayer...I'm encouraging our church body at the Vineyard to try it and to make it a daily part of their lives. I'm trying to grow in my time spent talking with God each day. Do I fall short some days? Oh yeah! But some days -- WOW! What an amazing connection with Him! I want more of that for myself and for you! Try it!

God's blessings to ya!

Prayer & the Kingdom

Since we've been doing this series on Prayer at the Vineyard I've received several emails on how God has answered prayer. Some (actually all!) are really incredible testimonies of how God listens, hears, and responds to our prayers! You would think with all these stories of how God wants to connect with us more in prayer that we'd be doing this alot more! More than 10-15 minutes a day -- more like an hour or two!

Bill Hybels has a book out called Too Busy Not to Pray - that title always made me wonder, but now I understand. Why wouldn't we pray more to see what God will do? Why wouldn't we lay hands on the sick and ask God to heal? Don't we expect Him to do something? I think that at some level we all expect God to do something -- whether we actually pray or not? But what if prayer is the trigger that makes things happen? What is God is just waiting for one of us to ask in the name of Jesus?

I know that I've prayed many times and seen Him do incredible stuff -- I saw a man in Mexico walk for the first time in 12 years -- but I've also prayed for people that were in critical condition expecting God to heal and been disappointed later when I found out they had died.

How does that all add up? How does one continually pray with expectation and yet not get so disappointed when the opposite of what you pray for happens? How do you continue to pray and not give up?

I think it all ties back to what Jesus says in Mark 1:14 or 15: Repent & believe the Good News, for the Kingdom of God is near! You may be asking what does the Kingdom of God have to do with prayer and healing...come back later this week and I'll share what I'm starting to understand about the Kingdom.
God's blessings to ya!

Busy Weekend--'Amicable Break-up'

It's Friday night and we're prepping for a busy weekend -- playoff football games, birthday parties, Homecoming date and dance and bonfire -- and that's just our kids!

Sunday is just as busy -- 2 Celebration services, a Beginnings membership class, prayer ministry training and then a VBI class on the Kingdom of God.

Some days I wonder how this continues -- but I love the continuous action and seeing God move as He builds His church here. My simple prayer is that we be doing what God wants us to do and not trying to stir up or create anything on our own. We want to be led by His Holy Spirit.

I had a great conversation today with a couple from our church who have been wanting to plant a church. They went through the assessment for church planting that the Vineyard requires all church planters to participate in. The assessment came back in and they had a few questions and wanted to make sure things were communicated clearly.

After we discussed those things -- they felt like God had been preparing them and now finally releasing them to be doing more in the area o street ministry in downtown Minneapolis which would eventually become a church. We discussed how church planting and street ministry come from two different angles and that it was probably best to release them to minister under the umbrella of a proven street ministry organization.

We decided to separate ways knowing that God would continue to extend His kingdom through His church and through this street level ministry. I love their desire to reach the hookers, the drunks, and the junkies with the hope and love found in Jesus Christ. I think we'll see and hear incredible things from this ministry in the days to come!

It's not an easy thing to 'break-up' this way. These are people who have strong relationships within the church body -- they've been here longer than us! People will miss them and wonder what's happened to them. But I also think they will be happier and grow more as they step out in faith to do what Jesus has called them to do! I pray that God will show Himself daily to them and grant them favor as they minister. Give them boldness as the minister in the name of Jesus!

Snow in MN

It's WED night and I just drove home from the church. Brrr! It's wet and cold and I have ice on my windshield for the first time this fall -- and it's not even winter yet! What a way to finish the week!

I just left our Student Life Ministries. They meet each WED evening. It's great to see all these different kids coming and hanging out doing their thing with Jesus! We've been able to turn one room that was broken into several different smaller classrooms into a place where it's one big open space with room for a band to set up; room to have foosball, x-box, a snack area and ping pong-- basically a place where students can feel free to be themselves and not have to wear the masks that they wear to school.

Kudos to Paula & Steve for getting all the sound equipment together! Lia makes awesome food for the night -- and then each small group leader does a great job pastoring their groups. God is doing great things within our youth!

Pray for them as they prepare to go on a retreat with a couple other Vineyard student ministries up near Raymer. I think God is going to do some incredible stuff in their lives!
Pray that they have a safe trip and that the Holy Spirit comes in power to transform their lives!

God's blessings to ya!

Monday Morning QB

I've always wondered what it would be like to be a NFL quarterback...or college for that matter. I wonder what Monday would be like following a big game? What questions would you have...what would you do if you could do it over again? Would you call different plays? What would be different?

I feel that way on Mondays in some ways. As a pastor the questions always arise on MON. Did you pray enough? Was your church family inspired to become more like Jesus? Was God doing something that you may have missed and you wish you could go back and replay the day? Did you hold anything back that should have been said or should have been done?

Those are questions that run through my head on MONs. I really want to see Jesus grow his church, and I really want to see Him continue to transform the lives of people who come to the Vineyard! I don't want to be the same tomorrow as I am today! I want to be transformed, to be more like Him, to look foolish to the world knowing that my eternity is secure because I'm totally caught up in what He's doing.

One of the things I'm becoming more sure of what He's doing here is this: I know He wants us to minister to the poor even more! I believe He wants us to open a Food Pantry at our church building. I was reading through some Psalms this afternoon and read Psalm 41. 'Blessed is he who has regard for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life.' The verses continue, but it struck me that God says to look outside of ourselves and not to get caught up in what is going on in our own lives -- but to look outside and see what God is doing around us. And when we learn to give of ourselves to the poor, to the weak, to others -- then we'll find out that we are well taken care of.

I can't remember how many times I've gone to the poor colonias in Mexico or on an outreach to the people 'on the wrong side of the tracks' and have seen the joy that they live their lives with because they are content with what they have. I have come back changed and with a desire to serve even more.

I'm glad the Lord shows me these things -- I don't like to dwell in the past (aka being a MON AM QB) and God is faithful to pull me out of the funk and point me to the future.

What's God doing with you?
God's blessings to you today!
As I was reading today

Some Kind of Wonderful

I'm reading through John 16 & 17 in preparation for this weekend's sermon and finding out some really cool things about prayer and about Jesus himself! Just reading through that whole section and knowing that Jesus himself sits at the right hand of the Father and is interceding on my behalf (and yours!) is incredible.

I think of all the stuff that we go through on a daily basis -- sick kids, broken vehicles, relationships that can sour, work environment, school, etc and to know that Jesus already has the idea to pray for me...when it sometimes takes me so long to wake up and smell the coffee. Duh! I should pray about that!

What really strikes me is this: Jesus says that he tells us these things so that we may have peace. (J16:33) What better peace is there than knowing that He is praying with us & for us! He has overcome the world! Obviously we can't put on rose-colored glasses and pretend there won't be any hardships -- that would be foolish! But we can have peace. It's something we all need. We find it in Jesus and in prayer with Him.

Keep praying friends! God is good -- all the time!

What a week already!

I am about wiped out! We've had a sick baby for the last couple of days. He's had a fever that just sets him on fire and wipes him out. He just wants to nuzzle in and lay upon someone -- then he'll feel fine for about an hour and he goes all out! Walking around, playing with his siblings, smiling and then boom! he runs out of gas and his fever hits again! And of course he can't make it through the night asleep! BUT it's almost over! He's starting to look better and acting normal again! Thank goodness!

We had our van break down -- I just got back from the shop and it was only a few wires that were not making a connection so they fixed those quickly and easily. Once again -- thank goodness! We were just in the shop a few weeks ago with a huge problem. We're teaching this series on prayer at the Vineyard and I think God is driving me to not just talk about it; but really do it more! So he allows the enemy to jumpstart my prayer life. I know it's made Nicki and I pray more together lately -- plus only having one car for a day makes you spend more time together so we would spend time praying as she drove me to the office or as we carted our son around with his fever.

Had a surprise yesterday ~ a friend called with a free ticket to the Twins playoff game! I was able to go and had a great time! We sat about 12 rows back from where Cuddyer hit his home run. It looked like the ball was coming straight at us! Plus there was the amazing blast of noise as he hit that homer followed by Morneau's homer. I read today that it was over 120 decibels. It was so loud you could feel it as people were screaming & shouting! It was amazing to be part of that crowd! Tood bad the game ended with the Twins on the short end -- but maybe they'll catch the A's this weekend and win the series!

That's all for now! My eyelids are heavy this afternoon. I think that 2 or 3 nights of 2-3 hours of sleep are having an affect on me. Have a good one!

Been a Day or 2

Had a good weekend! My family came in from IA and we took them to the major sporting events in MN this weekend -- my kids' soccer and football games! You say the Twins won the Central Division? Oh!?! I know that my son strung out a sweep right and blew up the running back! He's a future Hawkeye!

Otherwise, the weekend was laid back! We hung out with family and then did some stuff around the house. Sundays are always hard -- we had the two services, Nicki had a prayer group and then we had our leaders meeting. That can make for a long day -- but thankfully God provides the grace needed to make all this happen!

We had a surprise at the Vineyard yesterday -- good friends of ours from IA were visiting and we got to hang out with them. Bill & Angie Van Wey planted the Countryside Vineyard in Evansdale and that thing continues to grow! Almost 200 people and it sounds like they just had an awesome baptism and baby dedication service. Small groups are picking up and God is doing good stuff. You can check them out at this link: Countryside Vineyard.

I don't have much today to say. Have a great day!