Things We Say – The Heartbeat

Last post I talked about “the pulse” – our Connection Cards.  But what gives the pulse life?  The heartbeat.  And the heartbeat of the Bridge is the Connection Group.  Connection Groups are otherwise known as small groups or Bible studies.  These groups come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – men’s, women’s, co-ed, youth, on Sundays, or midweek, with childcare, without childcare, etc.  Some of our Groups are ongoing, and some are close-ended. But why are they the heartbeat?

Connection Groups are the heartbeat of The Bridge b/c we believe they are the place where real life is encountered.  Sunday mornings are great, and hopefuly life-changing at times.  But Sunday mornings are a larger mass of people where we can easily blend in and get lost in a crowd.  Growth happens on Sundays, but it is only a part of the equation of how we grow and develop spiritually.  At The Bridge, we really believe that being a part of a Connection Group is essential to a healthy spiritual life.  Connect groups are a place where we are known, cared for and encouraged in our walk with God.   Connect Groups are a chance to go deeper, learn more, and put into practice what we learning.

Making the step to be a part of a Connection Group is not always an easy one.  Some people jump right in, but others aren’t as inclined.  Many of us are a little more introverted and prefer to keep it that way!  Even so, I really believe that being a part of one our groups is vital to spiritual growth.  Introverted or extroverted, we need others to help us grow.  The Bible speaks repeatedly of how followers of Christ are to “love one another” or “serve one another” or “forgive one another.”  There are TONS of these “one another’ statements!  And we can’t “one another” one another unless we are in relationships.  Connection Groups are where these “one anothers” are able to happen.

Anyway…join a Connection Group!  They are AWESOME!  If you want to make that plunge, check the box on your Connection Card Sunday or fill out a request on our website to join a group @ http://bit.ly/3VACluand write “Connection Group” in the “Comment” section!

Answers to questions websites and the New Living Translation

We’ve been studying the Bible book of 2nd Peter in my “connection group” so far in 2009.  A lot of the content has been about truth and error, discerning truth, avoiding false teachers, how do we know the Bible is true, etc.  As a result, I’ve been able to recommend to the group a few websites that they may find helpful in answering tough questions.  A couple of them are already listed in the links on this blog as “Answers to Tough Questions.”  Also, add to your list www.probe.org and check out www.Peterkreeft.com as well.

 

On a slightly different note, I’ve noticed a lot of people using the New Living Translation (NLT) of the Bible lately.  I was curious as to its origin and how accurate and what type of translation it is/was.  Sometimes I’ve found it helpful, and other times I’ve found it to be a little inaccurate compared to what I see other translations saying.  Also, there are two version of it already, with fairly substantial differences in many verses, which is frustrating.

Anyway…you can learn more about the NLT at www.newlivingtranslation.com and I particularly like their little chart on the differences in translations at this link.

Hitting the Wall…

It seems I may be “hitting the wall” in terms of blogging.  I apologize for my lack of faithfulness.  Sometimes, I just don’t feel like writing anything.

Anyway…here’s what is going on these days:

1. Connection Group – we just finished week 6 of 10 in our Starting Point group last night.  First of all, the Starting Point material is outstanding!  If you might label yourself as a “spiritual seeker” or someone who wants to learn more about the God of the Bible, Starting Point is the place for you!  It’s incredible stuff.  And “b” (that’s a joke – let me know if you get it), I love our Starting Point Group.  Last night we met out at Jordan Lake for our meeting, where Joe and Elisa were camping.  What a great setting and I’m so appreciative of the dedication of our group members to make the drive out, and to brave the waters!
2. I ran this morning.  Yup, you read that right.  I woke up at ten minutes to 5 for some reason, and figured, “why not?”  So I got up, strapped on my two-year-old sneakers, that no one in their right mind would run in, and hit the road.  I am a s-l-o-w runner, usually running 10 minute miles.  But, I haven’t run in, geez, years.  But I was determined to make it one mile before stopping, pressed up the hill that felt like a quarter of a mile and then “sprinted” the last tenth of the mile in order to come in to the approximate 1 mile at 10 minutes.  Then it took me 16 minutes to walk/run my way back!  I hate running.  But I may toy with doing it more since my sis-in-law challenged my athletism on her blog and challenged me to run with her in a half marathon.  It will be nothing more than a small miracle for me to run a half marathon.
3. Reading a couple of different books.  On is “Experiencing God through Prayer” by Madame Guyonne.  Warning – this book is not for everyone – only those who so long to grow deeper in their relationship with God than you might ever imagine.  It is odd book, and will leave many saying, “Huh? I don’t get it.”  Give it a shot if you’d like.  It’s incredibly practical, which I like.
4. Preparing to “lead worship” on Sunday.  In theory, they (whoever they are) tell me I am the lead worshipper every Sunday at church, since I am the Lead Pastor.  I can only hope that I truly do model worship in my life.  But this Sunday, with our esteemed worship leader, Cary, out on vacation, and our usual back up out of town as well, I have accepted the responsibility.  I enjoy playing guitar and singing, but I’m not the greatest at either.  I get the job done, but I know it is not my calling.  But I welcome the opportunity and look forward to sharing the responsibility with Linda who will be leading out as well.  It will be a great day of worship!  Come prepared!

That’s it for now. 

Where I’ve Been…

Being away at camp can really put you behind.  It feels like I “hit the ground running” upon arriving home at camp and haven’t stopped since.  Surprisingly, I’ve spent precious little time blogging or tweeting in the last two weeks.  Let me catch you up:

Got back from camp on a  Saturday, barely sat down and then went to Morrisville Day at the Park, to the office, back to the park.  Church on Sunday.  Don’t remember what happened Monday, besides getting ready for Innovative Church Community (ICC) on Tuesday, where I am the default leader at this time.  Tuesday was all ICC.  Wednesday is staff meeting and who knows what else - future planning for upcoming church campaign.  Thursday, can’t remember (no surprise there).  Friday Courtney leaves for a weekend trip with her college buddies and I’m on daddy duty for the weekend.  Also Friday, my granddad dies (more on this later).  Saturday, travel with Jackson to watch Joe and Lance play in a soccer tournament in Greensboro.  Sunday is The Bridge’s “Day at the Lake” which includes a baptism, and I’m still on daddy duty and learned quickly just how hard my wife’s fulltime parenting job can be when I am not around to help.  Courtney comes home to save me on Sunday afternoon as we get ready to travel to Pinetown, NC for granddad’s funeral.  Monday is the funeral.  Drive back in time to be at our Connection Group on Monday night.  Love the Connection Group.  Am blessed to be “connected” with everyone that is a part.  Tuesday, today, feels like Monday.  I keep trying to plan things for tomorrow and then think to myself, “Wait.  Today is tomorrow!”

Anyway…I’ll survive.  But I had to admit to my “accountability” partner this morning that I need prayer.  Life has been crazy and I’m worn out and having a hard time staying connected with God such that I really feel like I’m truly living for Him and not for me.  But God is so gracious.  He’s knows my weakness/frailty.  He picks me up when I need it. 

And here’s a Bible passage that’s been on my mind:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body…Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

2 Corinthians 4:7-11, 16-18

I have no bread…

We had a great Connection Group last night.  We are currently doing a study on the life of Jesus through the book of Luke in the New Testament.  We are also using a study guide by Max Lucado to help us along.

Anyway…Chapter 11 basically starts with “The Lord’s Prayer” that most of us have either memorized or have at least heard at some point in our lives.  You know, ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come…”  You get the point.  But immediately following this Lord’s Prayer, Jesus tells another story about prayer illustrated my 3 friends.  One friend comes to another from out of town, at night, and needs a place to stay and something to eat.  The second friend receives him into his house, but doesn’t have anything for him to eat, so he goes to friend #3’s house, knocks at the door and requests bread.  Friend #3 eventually rises from bed and provides friend #2 with bread to give to friend #1.  It is a picture of prayer.  In this story, I am generally friend #2.  I have many friend #1’s, and they come to me with a need (shelter and food in the story.  In real life the needs are healed marriages, recovery from addiction, friendship, counsel, hope, healing, salvation, new life, etc.)  Friend #3 is God.  As friend #2, when friend #1 comes with a need, sometimes I have something to offer (shelter).  But I have no bread.  There is only so much I can do for them.  I wish I had the answer, the solution, the healing, the hope.  But I don’t.  I want so badly to help them, but I’m empty.  But b/c I want to help them, I go to friend #3, God, and ask for help.  He has the answer.  He has the hope.  He has the life.  He has the bread.  He is the bread of life. 

I may not be making much sense here, but this story is really getting to me.  I know SO many people with GREAT BIG NEEDS.  And I want to be a good friend, a good pastor.  I so want to help them.  I so want to make it right for them.  But I’m limited.  I don’t have any “bread.”  But I know who does.  God does.  So I can pray.  I can knock on the door of God and boldly and persistently ask Him for His aid.  If I truly care about these friends, I will offer what I have, and I will go to God with all I am and plead with Him on their behalf.

Do you have friends like that?  Are you a friend like that?  Honestly, our world, our community, is filled with people who are hurting and hopeless and in need of help.  Will we plead for them?  Let’s go together before God and plead for our friends.  He has the bread.  He’ll give it to us to give to them.

I Was Hoping…

I was hoping to have a nice blog entry from my Wednesday lunch invite, but no luck.  Russ had invited me to attend a fundraising luncheon by the Durham Convention and Visitor Bureau for which Russ’s company Maestro Productions was working.  The drawing card to the event was the 20th anniversary of the movie “Bull Durham” and that Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon were suppose to be there.  Alas, the stars were no shows.  Honestly, no big loss.  I’m not one to get really star struck, but it would have been interesting to get a feel for how the stars came off up close and personal.  Anyway…despite the lack of “stars”, the honorees at the event were Ron Shelton and Thom Mount who wrote, directed and produced the movie.  They were quite entertaining with their stories of how the movie was written and how it came together.  Bull Durham has been called the #1 sports movie of all time by Sports Illustrated.  It is an entertaining film, but definitely earned it’s “R” rating. 

Anyway…thanks for the invite, Russ.  Next time, let me volunteer instead of just come and get a free, hot, I mean, cold, meal.

Unrelated, here is a pic of our connection group from 2 weeks ago during our grill out!  Great steaks Ayrton!  And Aidan, I think I have your hat at my house!

Cyber Hymnal

Our church is such a mixture of people with varied spiritual backgrounds!  As a rule, most of what we do at our church is consider “contemporary.”  By contemporary, I mean that we have a worship band instead of a piano, organ and chior.  We sing mostly current Christian music and only occasionally mix in an old hymn, usually performed with a contemporary twist. 

Anyway…a couple of us were discussing in small group a few weeks back about old hymns that we love and miss.  While we do mix in the occasional hymn at church, I think people miss out on the rich Christian tradition that the old hymns pass along.  Some of the lyrics are so amazing – I wish everyone could know them.

So, if you get in a nostalgic way, go to Cyber Hymnal to find so many of the old hymn with lyrics and instrumental accompaniment.  It’s not the flashiest of sites but it may take many of you on a trip down memory lane.

Connection Group Fun

I really enjoy being a part of a “Connection” group.  Our Wednesday night group, creatively named the “Lewis Group”, has been such a great mix of people over the last two years.

 As a part of our study each week, I try and get everyone to think of specific ways to apply to their lives what we are learning about from the Bible.  One of our sayings at the Bridge (which I mostly likely borrowed from Rick Warren or some other source) is that “The bible is meant for transformation, not just information.”  In other words, the Bible does us precious little good if it isn’t changing our lives in some way.

 So here’s the funny part.  Our group has had our troubles getting specific about our applications.  So we’ve come up with a list of standard answers for when I ask, “So what are we going to do as a result of what we’ve learned tonight?”  Here’s the current list:

1. It is what it is.

2. Try Harder.

3. Obey.

4. If an angel appears to you and tells you something, believe him or you may go mute for 9 months and a week.  (That was our most recent application from our study last week in the first chapter of the book of Luke.)

We may make a “Lewis Connection Group” t-shirt out of all our great applications!

Experiencing God

My Connection Group with the church is going through a course called “Experiencing God.” Part of our study this week had us go back and review some of what we had been learning from previous weeks. Throughout the course, Blackaby (the author) recounts stories of Christian missionaries and some of the things they have said and done as they have responded to God’s work in their lives. Below are a couple that I really resonate with:

Oswald Smith (missionary to Canada) – “I want Thy plan, O God, for my life. May I be happy and contented whether in the homeland or on the foreign field; whether married or alone, in happiness or sorrow, health or sickness, prosperity or adversity-I want Thy plan, O God, for my life. I want it; oh, I want it!”

And, forgive the length of the text below, but it is worth it to me:

Hudson Taylor, a great man of prayer and faith, responded to God’s call to go to China as a missionary. Because his father had already died, he had to leave his widowed mother to go to China. By the end of his life in 1905, he had been used by God to found the China Inland Mission…Hudson Taylor described something of the cost he and his mother experienced as he obeyed God’s will to go to China as a missionary:

“My beloved now sainted, mother had come to see me off from Liverpool. Never shall I forget that day, nor how she went with me into that little cabin that was to be my home for nearly six months. With a mother’s loving had sho smoothed the little bed. She sat by my side, and joined me in the last hymn that we should sing together before the long parting. We knelt down, and she prayed-the last mother’s prayer I was to hear before starting to China. Then notice was given that we must separate, and we had to say good-bye, never expecting to meet on earth again.”

“For my sake she restrained her feelings as much as possible. We parted; and she went on shore, giving me her blessing! I stood alone on deck, and she followed the ship as moved towards the dock gates. As we passed through the gates, and the separation really commenced, I shall never forget the cry of anguish wrung from my mother’s heart. It went through me like a knife. I never really knew so fully, until then, what “God so loved the world” meant. And I am quite sure that my precious mother learned more of the love of God to the perishing in that hour
than in all her life before.”

Following after God and responding to God’s call on our lives can be costly to us and to others around us. I am so encouraged by these men of faith mentioned above (and a mother’s faith). Following after God and truly wanting to live for His will is worth every sacrifice. I can only hope that I am truly up to such a task.

Connection Groups

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be a part of one of the “Connection Groups” our church offers. Being a part of a Connection Group simply means that we are a small group of people that get to know each other, care for each other, and walk together on our spiritual journey. The benefits of these “connections” for me is immeasurable.

My group has just jumped in to a course of study called Experiencing God (EG). This will be at least the third time of have gone through this course. EG is absolutely amazing to me. It happens to require 5 days of homework each week which takes a considerable amount of time – but wow – is it ever worth the time investment. EG is about learning how to connect with God and to discover His will. I’m only into Day 1 of the study and am already so encouraged by God about learning how to trust Him one day at a time.

I read in EG this morning from Matthew 6:33-34. It says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

As Pastor of The Bridge, I’ve learn to worry more than ever in my life. And I know I am not suppose to worry. In fact, I will never forget the time in my life in high school when I read a verse from the Bible that said, “Which of you by worrying can add one hour to your life?” I read that verse and thought to myself, “How true. Worry does nothing for me.” So, I quit worrying. Until about nine months ago. It is so strange – worry has just not been a part of my life. I worry because I care about people. I care about our community – Morrisville and West Cary and East Durham. I care about the people there who are apart from God and are hurting. I want to see healing and hope brought to their lives. But I’m not suppose to worry. Somehow though, I’ve crossed the line from burden to worry.

I’m really grateful for that verse above – Seek God’s kingdom, his righteousness – and all these things will be given to you. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Just focus on today.

It’s going to be hard for me not to worry about tomorrow as I continue to pray about God’s vision for our church. What is the next step for us? Where is God leading us? I know He wants us to have vision – to look ahead. But at the same time He wants me/us to walk with Him daily, trusting in His ability and willingness to provide for TODAY and that the same will be true TOMORROW.

Anyway…pray for me. Pray that I will overcome my worries and trust God. He loves Morrisville, West Cary, East Durham more than I do.