Idolatry...

Just listened to a great podcast from Mark Driscoll about idolatry. It was great. Something I needed to hear. He asked some serious questions, and I had to think through some had answers on my end. It was a bit of a litmus test for what the idols are in your life. He asked some questions like: What is your greatest fear? Whatever you're afraid of most will most likely link to your idol. If I'm afraid of not having the respect of people, then I will idolize my ideal ofbeing respected by everyone. Also, he asked: What is your greatest passion or desire? If I'm passionate about, and deeply desire for people o respect me, then I will chase after that idol.
I think we as believers look at budhists and other religions of idols and think, I don't bow down to golden things, and yet every home in america faces it's furniture at the television.
Not that there is anything wrong with a little tv, but I guess it made me look at all the little compromises I make here and there that really do damage to my relationship with Him, and I need to knock it off! I'm tired of chasing idols.

History...

I was just thinking about the history of Grace Christian Fellowship over the last several years. I'll be brief in a timeline:

April 2002: Kari and I marry and move to Florida. I start at the "Grace Brethren Church of Maitland" as Associate Pastor of Worship and Youth (unpaid), and day camp worker and bus driver.

June 2002: Name change! Now it's Grace Christian Ministries with a 2 fold focus...The Church (Grace Christian Fellowship) and the school (Maitland Christian School).

August 2002: I'm now the 5th and 6th grade teacher and Chaplain for the school.

October 2002: Things start to unravel, and certain people begin to be seen for who they really are, and I resign my position as "elder in training" and Associate Pastor, due to stress on my marriage. I just didn't want the hassle at the time.

January 2003: Our pastor is now being forced to resign in a messy disaster that hurts a lot of people involved. Pastor Bill Smith is interim and brings much needed healing.

April 2003: we decide to go back to Indiana for me to get my Masters in Counseling. We leave in June.

October 2003: Kari and I make the decision to make Grace Community Church in Goshen our church home, and join the worship team and a small group. We are exposed for the first time to a church with visionary leadership and an exciting direction, and we catch the passion.

December 2004: Kari and I visit Maitland for Christmas, and God puts a desire to return and begins to grow a passion adn vision for our church there, and more, the state of Florida.

March 2005: After 4 months of believing that Florida is the place for us, Kari finally jumps in the boat with me, and we decide to return to Florida for whatever God has in store for us there.

Sat. May 9th, 2005: I graduate from Grace with my masters, and the next day we leave in a Uhaul truck headed for Florida yet again.

May 12th, 2005: We arrive in Florida and move in.

May 17th, 2005: My first Sunday back in Maitland. I'm worried about how to go about transitioning with the man who has been leading there. We co-lead, with myself half planning the service the way I saw that it needed to be. After the service, he gives me a hug, tells me another pastor friend of his called him the night before, and needed someone to lead for his church. He said "You'll be fine here. This is my last Sunday, and I won't be back". I'm shocked, but amazed at God's timing, and this wonderful man's willingness to move at a moment's notice to follow God's will, and I have never seen him again. I have myself, my guitar, and a few vocalists. No musicians but myself, and some vocalists.

Summer 2005: I go back on the elder board, and I set to work to help this church be a relevent place for people to worship. I have my brother make us a logo.

Fall 2005: GBNAM is interested, and gets involved. The Fellowhip begins to step up and take notice. We get visits from Tim Boal and Tom Avey. Tom has a vested interest, having attended and worked in our church in the past. Pastor Bill leaves, and John Nest becomes the interim pastor. Talks begin to look for a senior pastor, and we begin talks to sell the property. We sign a contract with Trammell Crow later, who are brokers dealing specifically with churches and schools. Tom begins feeding us resumes of men who he believes will be a goo fit to help turn te fellowship around in the state of Florida. Things are not dead, but they're not great. We interview people, and people visit. It goes well. One person stands ot to me.

December 2005: We get a drummer via a job interview contact that Kari makes. Things start off a little shaky, but later becomes very consistent and a great addition to the team.

February 2006: I'm grudgingly moving on to yet other pastoral candidates, still holding onto hope that one person will stand out. After a few, I'm still convinced that one was the best, will be again. We get a keyboard, and my sister-in-law plays it. I'm ecstatic.

Spring and Summer 2006: We begin to prepare to be a portable church by moonlighting our service at local civic centers in Altamonte. It is a success, and builds more excitement. We also field offers on the property. Not much success there at first.

Fall 2006: We get a serious offer on the property, and take it.

September 22nd, 2006: Property is closed on. The previous 2 weeks are crazy as we try to get everything out of the building. It's like reverse Christmas for me, as I get to throw away all nature of unheavenly junk that the church was keeping around.

September 24th, 2006: Our first Sunday out of the building, and we meet in my apartment complex clubhouse, and spend much time in prayer over the future of our church. We spend the next couple of weeks in a banquet room at the Embassy suites in Altamonte.

October 15th, 2006: Our first Sunday in the Picture Show Theatre in Altamonte. It was great!

November 18th, 2006: Our portable equipment from Church On Wheels arrives, and we unpack, and learn how to set everything up. It's like regular Christmas before Christmas for me. $46,000.00 later, I'm a happy camper. We're really trying to do this right, and that costs money.

November continued: I'm still in contact with past candidates. There is one that is interested, as many of the obstacles have been removed, and most of the hurdles he thought he'd have are cleared. We start the dialogue again, and phone conference again, offering him a salary package.

January 2007: He's in, basically, but then calls and says no. After feeling God tug at his heart, he contacts another pastor, and is counseled through a couple of issues he's having. He now no longer has issues, and is in, provided we line up with the ideas he outlines in an email. It's a pretty hard-core email, and I'm skeptical as to how the others will take the news. No issues from the elders, and we accept the terms.

Febrary 2007: Now we just await the telling of his congregation to make the announcement by name. I can't wait.

I can't believe where God has taken us over the last couple of years, and I look forward to the direction we are taking, trusting God all the way!

By the way...

My brother, Chris, designed the logo for our church, along with others that I will probably post later, including the logo to this site, Karate Explosion.

Observations...

I have a couple of observations from our service today. First of all, we are a portable church. We have a 24 foot trailer with all of our equipment in it. We arrive at 7:30 am to set up at the Picture Show Theatre in Altamonte Springs. When everything is up and running, we sound check, practice with the worship team, then start the service. Here is What I see. I lead the music, and for the last 2 weeks, I have preached a series called Life Happens.

Observation 1: There is a lack of emotion, people sit as far back as the seating allows, and very few clap along, or show any kind of excitement. (Therefore, I sing with my eyes closed at times to avoid the dicouragement and distraction.)

Observation 2: People don't bring their Bibles. I'm really at a loss for this one. It's church. (I fight the assumption that people don't bring their Bibles because they don't read them through the week, and then really don't know where to look for them in Sunday morning.)

It's hard to not get down, but then there are those who you focus in on during the singing. Those who I can engage with in mutual worship of my God that I can look to during these times, and be encouraged.

Next week is a business meeting. Lots of good information there! A couple of big announcements as well!

I hate blogging...

This is the first post on my 3rd try at blogging. I'm not a big fan, but I thought maybe I'd chronicle our church's journey here, and I do realize that blogging is a good way to get things out there. We'll see.