The Roman Road

Yesterday I preached on the five verses found in the book of Romans that are commonly referred to as "The Roman Road."

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death - Romans 6:23a

but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord - Romans 6:23b

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 5:1

These short, five verses are a pathway that may be used as an evangelistic tool. When shared in order, they tell the story of the Gospel.

These short, five verses also help us get real with God. In order to have an authentic relationship with God, we must acknowledge who we are and what we do in contrast to God, Himself. When we get real with God, the consequences are humility before Him and an urgent burden to share Him with others.

Relay For Life Yardsale

CULPEPER REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM'S RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM YARD SALE

SATURDAY, MARCH 28th7am - 12pm RAIN or SHINE (indoors!!!)

509 S. MAIN STREET (ACROSS FROM 7-11; CRH'S FORMER OUTPATIENT PT OFFICE)

FURNITURE, ADULT - CHILDREN'S - BABY CLOTHES, BABY GEAR, TOYS, BOOKS, CD's, DVD's, ELECTRONICS, HOUSEWARES (something for every room in the house)... AND MUCH MORE!

ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.

Culpeper v.1.1

Culpeper saw more troops march through its county than any other county in the nation during the Civil War. The atrocities it saw during this time of war and the blood that soaked its ground left scars on our community that are still seen to this day.

The Anglican Church oversaw the Baptist Church in Culpeper in the 1700's. If you preached without permission from the Anglican Church, you were imprisoned. Culpeper imprisoned more Baptist preachers than any other county in the nation. Many fought back, and as a result, Culpeper was the birthplace of religious freedom.

About 50 years ago, Culpeper was voted as the second healthiest place to live in the USA, behind Asheville, NC. In 1971, the US Department of Interior designated the Culpeper-Warrenton area as one of the seven most desirable places to live. Not too long ago, Culpeper was voted as one of the top ten small towns in America.

But what about the Christian community? What kind of accolades is the Church receiving? Here are but a few transformations I believe God wants for our community:

-The Church in Culpeper reaches across ethnic boundaries. The African American and Hispanic churches unite with the "white" church to reconcile and fight prejudice with sincere love.

-Christians look beyond their church membership as not just family tradition, Sunday attendance and an opportunity to hold a seat on the Church Board, but more as an obligation to live a life that reflects Christ in our words and actions every day of the week.

-Christians no longer allow denominational labels to prevent unity within the Church of Culpeper.

-Our older generations live with such integrity and character in their relationship with Christ that the younger generations look to them with respect and adoration.

-Christians bring home from church a lifestyle and love for the community that reaches their neighbors through a relationship founded in authentic love, care and service.

-Churches grow not as a result of transfer of membership, but as a result of reaching our community with the Word of God, the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Social Services

Churches are well known as a place to receive help - help of all kinds, including financial assistance. When someone needs some financial assistance, people call churches and their leaders reach into the benevolence budget to see what they can do. Churches around Culpeper this winter have helped folks pay their heating bills, pay their mortgages and put gas in their cars.

I received a phone call yesterday from a person in Culpeper's Social Services office. It seems there is a program being instituted in our community in which all requests for benevolence funds are being routed through the Department of Social Services. Monica from Social Services will then serve as a filter and main point of coordination. She will contact churches herself and accumulate funds to meet the person's needs as funds are available.

I think this is a great idea! It relieves the stress from any one particular church. It also prevents churches from being taken advantage of by a person who may see an opportunity to request funds for the same need from several churches.

I'm not sure how many communities around our nation have this kind of program, but I can't help but think we're fairly unique. I love Culpeper!

Obadiah

Obadiah is a small book in the Old Testament. The prophet's name literally means "servant of the Lord." I believe that is now my new favorite Biblical name!

The theme of the book is what comes around goes around. In verse 15, the Lord speaks through the prophet Obadiah and says, "The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head."

In our current economic crisis, can you think of anyone you know who needs help? Are you in a position to be generous? Perhaps you could offer to buy the person's groceries one week. Perhaps you could organize some meals to be made for a family. Take a break from your hectic schedule and look around at your community. There are a number of opportunities to serve the Lord by serving your community and friends. You never know. Maybe one day, you'll need that kind of help.

Greater Than Series & Events

This weekend we're wrapping up an important series heading into the Easter season. It's the Greater Than series. We kicked things off 3 weeks ago with looking at how to have a Greater Than mentality. Last weekend, we looked at how to have a Greater Than life by being filled with the Spirit and being bold for Jesus Christ (using the early Church activities described in the book of Acts). This weekend, we'll talk about what the Greater Than life looks like when we step out of the boat like Peter did. Matthew 14:22-31 will be our source text.

Speaking of stepping out of the boat... City on a Hill Church has two exciting community events planned for this month and next. Tomorrow, COAHC is partnering with the Culpeper Mid-Day Lions' Club to offer the community free blood pressure screening and hearing and vision exams. We'll be at the Culpeper Wal-Mart from 9am to 1pm. Just showing God's love in a practical way.

On April 11 (1-4pm), COAHC is hosting a FREE community Easter Fun Day. Games, Egg Hunt, Moon bounces, free food and drinks. It's going to be a blast!

Effects of the Recession

Yesterday I participated in a Live WebCast featuring Rick Warren, Sr Pastor of Saddleback Church and bestselling author of The Purpose Driven Life. Pastor Rick spoke on a variety of different topics, but he focused a portion of his time discussing the effects of the economic recession on the Church in America.

Did you know that church attendance, movie attendance and bar attendance increases during recessions? Why do you think that is? It seems to me that people want to try and find hope and help by attending church, and they want to find an escape from the reality of their problems at the movies and in the bars.

In the midst of this economic crisis, there is a great possibility to make a difference in people's lives: to bring them peace, to offer them hope and to minister to their needs. Don't fall into the trap of thinking it's the pastor's responsibility to do all of these things. The pastor or church staff couldn't possibly do all of it without help from you. This is one of those great opportunities for the Church to stop doing church and start being the Church.

Love & Obedience

"Why can't you love me, GW?"

This was the question that haunted me day and night for several weeks during the late fall and early winter of 1995. This was the question that led me into the realization that my relationship with God was counterfeit.

As I wrestled with this question in my heart and mind, the Holy Spirit led me to John 14:15 - "If you love me, you will obey what I command." Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had been attending a weekly Bible study and professing to be a Christian while all the while ignoring God's commands. I was an immoral person living a publicly immoral life. Until the moment I read that verse for the first time, I had felt no remorse or expressed any repentance for my choices in life.

In December 1995 while watching a Christmas program at a local church in Wilmington, NC, I gave my life to Christ in the silence of my heart. I wish I could say that my life turned around on a dime, but it didn't. It was messy. I was so entrenched in my sin that getting out just wasn't a simple process. It involved months and many more bad decisions made by me in my immature faith. I had discovered a newfound love in my life, but I still didn't know how to love God properly.

How often do we see love relationships when one or both people are ignorant of knowing how to love properly? It's an immature love, and dysfunction becomes a part of that relationship as a result. The Bible tells us that God's love for us is perfect. So, we can rest assured that any problems in our relationship with God is solely our responsibility due to our imperfection.

How do we love God properly? It's quite simple actually. Obey him! Easier said than done, right? Jesus told us there is a cost to following Him: leaving behind your former life, putting God and others before yourself and persecution. However, there are rewards also: rest, joy and peace.

Even now, as a pastor, although I strive to love God with everything that I am, I fall short at times. The biggest difference maker for me, though, is having people in my life to encourage me, hold me accountable and pick me up when I fall. Let's strive together to obey God and love him properly.

Technology

In the last decade, the means by which ministry occurs has changed dramatically. In order for someone in the United States to minister to someone abroad, that person was forced to incur the expense of travel and time away. Now, things like the internet, CD-ROM and DVD have become some of the favorite tools for ministry. It's great that someone can record himself and upload the video on to a website like godtube.com. Within a matter of minutes, the video is available to anyone who has internet access.

To reach people in more remote areas of the world who don't have internet access, a simple medium like CD-ROM or DVD can be burned and shipped. That requires a lot less resources than sending a team of people abroad!

When reaching the lost, nothing replaces the opportunity to look into a person's eyes or embrace a person in the midst of their pain. That's powerful ministry! Technology, though, can be very useful in training, instruction or discipleship. That's powerful too!

Church Growth

Some ideas are worth sharing again. I originally posted this on July 22, 2008 (before the official launch of COAHC). This weekend's message reminded me of its importance...

"So the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied."
Acts 9:31 (American Standard Version)

City On A Hill Church hasn't even officially launched, so why in the world am I thinking about growing the church at this point? Well, it's never too early to think about building and growing the Body of Christ: the Church!!

There are a lot of ideas and gimmicks out there to attract people to a church or grow membership as the cartoon above shows. But the Scripture reference from Acts 9:31 really gives us some insight into the Lord's plan for growing His Church. Here are the key components to church growth from this one verse.

1) Peace - When there is peace, there is encouragement and growth - not growth in numbers necessarily, but growth in wisdom and maturity in Christ. The word we see used is edified. The original language indicates that there was construction going on in the heart of the Church. A church that is growing in wisdom and maturity in Christ is a church that is growing in numbers - no doubt!

2) Walking in the fear of the Lord - This expression doesn't refer to a traveling church. Rather it means that the Body was continuing a journey of faith where the people left behind a self-centered philosophy of life and began to focus on God, their relationship with God and obedience to God's will in their lives.

3) (Walking) in the comfort of the Holy Spirit - The original language of the text really gives a much better picture than the English language does. Imagine the Holy Spirit beckoning you nearer; and when you respond, He comforts you, consoles you and inspires you. This is the image that we should get from this phrase. Hearing His voice is where this begins. When was the last time you heard the Holy Spirit's voice?

This one verse alone is God's recipe for the growth of His Church. Yes, there are many factors that go into "doing church", etc. I understand that. But I also believe we can get distracted with a lot of logistics and details that ultimately don't have anything to do with what God's Word says in Acts 9:31.

Lord, may City On A Hill Church always follow your will for Church growth. May we experience Your peace. May we journey towards a closer relationship with You. May we hear Your voice calling us nearer to You for encouragement and inspiration and may we have the courage to respond.

Jesus' Prayer

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23 NIV

Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? He did! Before He was arrested, He prayed for Himself, His disciples and then for all believers for all time - that includes you and me.

What did He pray for us? Of all the things He could have prayed for you and me, He prayed for unity. Jesus knew of the destruction that bitter divisions within the Church causes. So, He prayed against it.

Almost from the beginning of the early Church, there have been divisions. This is the direct result of failure among Christians to agree to disagree and focus on what makes us similar instead of focusing on what makes us different. Unity, according to Jesus' prayer, is what will convince the world not only of the mission of Jesus Christ, but also of God's love for people and for Christ. So, how has Jesus' prayer affected your life?

Adjustments

In last night's Life Group, we discussed Unit 8 of Experiencing God. One of the primary themes of this unit is the adjustments that are required based on God's call in our lives. After posing the questions "What adjustments have you made in the recent past?" and "What adjustments do you foresee making in the near future?", I asked, "What adjustment would be difficult for you to make?" Prior to the final question, we were discussing things like employment, ministry and being called to the mission field. Then I challenged our perception of God by asking everyone to consider what it would look like if their expectations were reversed.

"What would it look like if God didn't call you into _______ ministry?"
"What would it look like if God didn't call you into the mission field?"
"What would it look like if God wants you to stay in that job?"

I couldn't help but think of the story found in the book of Philemon. Onesimus, a slave, stole from his owner Philemon and escaped. Once free, Onesimus met Paul and was led into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Then Onesimus' life turned upside down. God's call on his life meant an adjustment of epic proportion: he had to return to the shackles and chains of slavery!

What if your adjustment meant staying in a marriage and not leaving your spouse?
What if your adjustment meant staying in a job that you didn't want to do any longer?
What if your adjustment meant something you never expected or desired?

Paul wrote to Philemon, "Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me." (verse 11) When we submit ourselves fully and completely to God's plan, we become useful to God and to those around us.

Personal Identity Theft

This weekend my wife and I went to Williamsburg to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. It was the first time in seven years that we had gone away without the kiddos tagging along. Boy, was it a welcome and refreshing break from reality.

God really blessed our trip, too! I arrived at the hotel to find that I had been selected as "Guest of the Day" which entitled us to an upgrade to a suite and free breakfasts during our stay. Hallelujah!

On Sunday evening, I received an email from one of my Facebook friends with the details of someone impersonating me and requesting money be wired to London. The story was that "I" had been mugged at gunpoint and was stranded without any money or credit cards. "I" needed $500 wired to me for a plane ticket home. Given that my facebook account clearly shows that I was in town on Saturday and was at church on Sunday morning, I'm not sure how this person thought he was fooling too many people. I know of only one person who was tricked into sending the money.

After that experience, I must say that I feel dirty. I feel like I was robbed of my identity for those few short hours while this thief was impersonating me. Now I know what it feels like to experience personal identity theft. Personal Identity Theft is certainly a newer form of an age-old crime: thievery. Old snakes doing the same thing just in new ways and in new environments.

Failure

Billy polished four sermons he memorized from a book, a common practice. He had in his head what he figured were at least two hours of preaching. Who knew when he would be called? Sure enough, Billy soon got his call: he preached one night at a small church near Palatka. He raged on the pulpit. In fact he blasted out all four of his sermons in less than ten minutes! The wide-eyed congregation looked like they had been machine-gunned. Billy felt miserable. Why couldn't he slow down and speak like a real preacher? Night after night he agonized over doubts. For the first time in his life he could not sleep. He developed back aches and took to lying on the floor to ease the pain. Sometimes he had to leave his dorm room and wander the grounds. Maybe he shouldn't be a preacher at all.

[sources: Billy Graham: The Authorized Biography by John Pollock, 1966, and A Prophet With Honor: The Billy Graham Story by William Martin, 1991]

Anything that has great possibilities also carries with it a certain amount of risk - the risk of failure. So many of us are afraid of failure, though, that we find ourselves never attempting anything that will make a great difference in our life or other's lives.

The story about Billy Graham above simply reminds us that everyone fails. The people we regard in high esteem did not get accomplish the great things we remember them for without experiencing failure along the way. Imagine if Billy Graham was afraid of failure! Imagine if he was so embarassed at this failure that he quit the ministry!

Often God will use our failures to mold us and shape us for the success we will eventually experience. Don't be afraid of failing, and don't be embarassed of failure in your life! It's a part of the process of "less of me, more of you, Lord."

Coming Home

After a great week, I'm returning home this afternoon. I honestly can't remember a week of travel that has been so full of God. Usually my business trips are pretty stale. God has been moving powerfully in my life as of late, and the prayers that have been lifted by my COAHC family are covering and saturating my life.

I'm amped to be coming home to see all my ladies. Even though we talk to each other on the phone once or twice a day, there's nothing like some big hugs and kisses. Carrie's mom, aunt and grandmother are also coming into town this evening. It will be great to spend some quality time visiting with them over the next several days.

Greater Than

One of my prayer requests this week while I'm working in New Jersey was for God to give me an extra dose of supernatural guidance in developing my Sunday message for City on a Hill Church. I'm excited to report that God has responded in a big way!

For the next few weeks, we're going to be looking at how God wants us to live with a Greater Than mentality based on the Text found in John 14:12.

Most of us live with a "less than" mentality while Jesus told us that we can do even greater things than He did during His ministry on earth. We live in disbelief, little faith and engulfed in doubts instead of choosing to experience a "greater than" life.

Can you imagine what your life would be like if you have a "greater than" mentality?

The Call

Before time began, God knew the prophet Jeremiah. God knew that He would call Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations. Similarly, God knew you and me before time began. He also knew the call on our lives He would place.

Jeremiah was no one special. His response to God is so like ours when we receive the commissioning for His work: "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." God does not expect us to have the wisdom and ability in and of ourselves to do His work. In fact, God chooses over and over again people who are obviously incapable of doing His work so that it is more evident that it is God who is accomplishing His will through us, and, thus, He who receives the glory. He merely looks for someone who is willing to rely on Him.

God touched Jeremiah's mouth and said, "No, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."

In our lives, God touches us with His gifts and talents and then sends us to do His work. Sometimes it is to preach God's Word to others. Sometimes it is to play a musical instrument on the worship team. Sometimes it is to pray for or serve someone who has wronged us. It is our appointing - our commissioning. It is our call.

Body Sledding

We woke up to the biggest snow storm in a few years for our community. Schools were closed and flights were cancelled, so I was given the opportunity to play with the girls in the snow for a few hours before catching a flight to New Jersey.

I took Abby Rae and Emma to Mountain Run Lake Park for some body sledding. This is what you do when you are delinquent parent who hasn't bought a bobsled for your children. Dad become the bobsled while child rode on Dad's tummy and chest. I ended the day with just a little snow up my back and down my pants.

We had a blast, though. Apparently this is the place to go when it snows. There is a great slope that has a large, steep section and slowly tapers off to a much smaller incline. There were several families there sliding down the hill in the afternoon hours (mental note: go earlier in the day for smaller crowds and more snow on the hill).

Made some memories for a lifetime today. Love spending time with my kids. So glad I could do that before heading out of town.

Skins Next Year

When it snows like it is right now, it seems everyone's schedule and routine gets turned upside down. So, I thought I'd post something a little off topic this morning.

As I've mentioned before, I'm a huge Redskins fan. Ever since Dan Snyder bought the team, the Skins have "won the offseason" more times than not. Of course, the team hasn't translated the offseason winning to a Superbowl victory; thus they've become somewhat of a joke to all of the media pundits.

The Skins struck big again this offseason with the signing of Albert Haynesworth to a $100 million deal. They also retained one of their premier cornerbacks in Deangelo Hall, and they were able to get Derrick Dockery to return to Washington from Buffalo to help with their aging offensive line.

These are all fantastic moves, but this season will come down to the play at the quarterback position. Jason Campbell will need to rise to a new level this year if the Redskins are going to stretch their season into January or later.

The Skins won the offseason again. So much for that! What will the real season look like for the team?