Goals for 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three Things for City on a Hill Today

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

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

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

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

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

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?

"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

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

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!

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

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!

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

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!