Good question, huh?

I can tell where you where I’ve seen Him lately.  He’s been moving through our “4 G’s” at St. Luke:

1) GATHER.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t this the first weekend in our local school district’s Spring Break?  There were almost 700 people worshipping this weekend at St. Luke.  No baptisms (added guests).  No choir at our traditional worship.  I’ve seen God gathering His people to worship Him.  In 2006, we had about 430 people gather on the same weekend.  Thanks for being faithful worshippers, St. Luke!

2) GROW. If you would have told me that our winter Alpha course would have over 50 registrations and need 12 leaders, I would have probably laughed at you.  Well, I’m laughing!  I’ve seen God stirring a hunger in us to grow in faith.

3) GIVE. I benchmark with a lot of churches and their pastors.  These are tough economic times.  Churches are struggling.  Yet, 2008 was St. Luke’s best giving year in her history.  This year, we continue to give faithfully and we are in the black.  This “G” isn’t just about money.  We asked for 90 volunteers to sign up to go to “Feed My Starving Children,” and 107 showed up!  I’ve seen God calling us to give of ourselves and our financial gifts to build His Kingdom.

4) GO. You are spreading the word, St. Luke! You are inviting your friends and neighbors to “come and see!”  Every weekend, and I mean every, I meet a new face.  Someone has invited them to worship.  Someone has told them about a missione event.  Someone has invited them to their Small Group.  I have seen God using you to reach people outside of a faith community.  Keep it up, St. Luke!

GATHER, GROW, GIVE & GO - Oh, yes, I’ve seen God lately…

Pastor Tim

So we had the opportunity at St. Luke this weekend to shred our mortgage - literally.

It was tons of fun to stand in front of everyone at all four weekend services and put a copy of the mortgage through the shredder prompting thunderous applause!  Praise God that we are now DEBT FREE!  It’s amazing to think about how God has positioned us now for future mission and ministry in our community and the world.  We had cake after all four worship gatherings - that was a lot of cake.

We celebrated.  The smiles were genuine.  Maybe even a tear of joy for those who might have been around in 1988 when the mortgage began?

On a day of a big celebration, I think it’s important to encourage us to see celebrations all around us.  You might miss them if you don’t look closely. 

*A baby was baptized at The Grove, and God’s family celebrated the welcoming of another member of God’s family.  A celebration, indeed.

*60 people came to Alpha tonight, and whether they know it or not, a lifelong friendship has begun with a simple, “Hello, my name is.”  God has created a new Christian friendship.  A celebration, indeed.

*A worshipper heard a biblical truth in a brand new way, and commented on how comforting is was for him at this time.  God’s Word is living and active.  A celebration, indeed.

*Our children’s choir, Raise the Praise, sang “Amazing Grace” with actions and beautiful voices.  A classic hymn sung with young voices stirred the memory of a much-older worshipper, and the song stirred the heart and reminded that one of a once-thriving faith.  Perhaps a new commitment to Christ ensues?  A celebration, indeed.

Keep your eyes open, St. Luke…there are celebrations all around us.  Do you think heaven is celebrating with us?

Two great stories to lift up one of our four Core Values at St. Luke: We worship God, not a worship style.

Story One: A couple I was visiting with recently, both around 30 years old, told me they have been church shopping in the area, but they finally picked St. Luke because it’s a good blend of “relevent” and “worship.”  They had gone to check out what they heard was a really “cool” church in the area, but they told me that when they went there, it felt like “we were at a seminar, and not worshipping God.”

Story Two: A couple I was visiting with recently, both in their 60’s, told me that their favorite worship gathering of our weekend four is the Saturday Night worship, “The Grove.”  Keep in mind, this is a worship gathering in which the pastors usually wear Jeans and dress very casual.  The band is loud, but awesome.  This is their favorite worship.  They like the intimacy and the authenticity of this particular worship.

We worship God - we beleive that no matter which of our four worship gatherings we are at, God is truly present.  We are not at a workshop, conference, coffee house–we are actively worshipping the living God, and He is present and actively working through His living Word and the hearts and minds of those who gather.

I just preached the same sermon at all four worship gatherings, but each of the gatherings were very different.  You see, we worship God…not the style.

Come and find a worship gathering that fits your comfort zone, and–be warned–God shows up at all of them and does amazing things!

Now what?

I wonder if the news feed that has broken into this broken world will really make a difference…

I wonder if the visitor among the 1,400+ at St. Luke this Christmas will come back…

I wonder if the person who decided they’d give church another chance this year was touched by the good news of Jesus’ birth…

I wonder if God’s Holy Spirit will infiltrate the empy one’s hungering heart…

I wonder if Jesus will be living and active in someone’s life who is feeling all alone…

I wonder if the person who came expecting to be bored to tears but found the joy of the Lord, will be back to experience God’s joy once again…

Not sure why I wonder - God has crashed into the world by the birth of His Son, Jesus.  Why wouldn’t He keep crashing in and changing lives one heart at a time?

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Tim 

…there has been a better time for the season of Advent in our lives of faith.

Why?

These are tough times…the economy brings about layers of issues: uncertainty, anxiety, financial hardship, job transition and stress, even depression.

Morale in our country is at a low that I’ve never experienced before.

Is there any better time for the Good News of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ? 

The Good News that no matter what–no matter WHAT–God loves you and Jesus was sent for YOU.

There is HOPE right now.  Jesus is that hope.  There is JOY right now.  Jesus brings true joy, a joy that the world cannot give.  There is PEACE right now.  Jesus brings a peace that passes all human understanding and quiets our hearts, minds, and souls.

Will you join me in opening up for God’s Good News in Jesus Christ this time of year?

Pastor Tim

I continue to marvel at what God is doing in our midst at St. Luke…

We GATHER - 4 weekend services…bands to choirs…liturgy to all-out contemporary…pastors in jeans to pastors in robes…and, yet, the Good News of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed no matter what the worship style is.  800 people a weekend are gathering to Worship the living God…and God meets us by His Holy Spirit and connects with us in amazing and wonderful ways.

We GROW - if you told me 63 people would have registered for our Tuesday Night 6-week “Bible 101″ course, I might have chuckled.  Yet, that’s what happened.  St. Luke is a people hungering to grow in faith!  Whether it’s a Bible Study, Small Group, or teaching the biblical truths to our kids, we are growing as Christ-followers.

We GIVE - wondering if the Lord is up to something at St. Luke?  Look no further than our 2008 “faith” budget (that’s church talk for a big budget based on prior year’s budgets).  The economy is facing difficult and trying times.  Yet, St. Luke still finds herself “in the black” with respect to budget!  How can that be?  Answer: the Holy Spirit continues to stir hearts to be faithful, generous, and cheerful givers.  Not only do we give our financial resources to God’s mission in the world; we give our time and our talents, too.  Our local and global mission ministries are just scratching the surface with respect to what God is calling us to do to share His love with the world!

We GO!  Wonder how St. Luke has gone from 425 worhsippers a weekend in 2005 to 800 in 2008?  Simple answer.  St. Luke “goes with the gospel!”  Sometimes big churches get comfy with their size and figure they don’t need to go.  We go.  A member of St. Luke, after hearing a sermon on our call from God to go and invite others to be a part of God’s mission for St. Luke, invited some friends to worship with 3 simple biblical words: “Come and see.”  Their friends came, and they had a great experience, and now want to come back and join St. Luke.  Could it be that simple? Yep.

Way to go, St. Luke!  Isn’t it fun to have a God-given mission and ”Four G’s” to live by?  Gather, Grow, Give, & Go! 

God is a God of surprises!

How else can you explain Him starting a nation through a couple–Abraham and Sarah–in their 90’s?

How else can you explain Him using a young boy–David–to knock down the giant enemy?

How else can you explain Him choosing a young, unwed woman–Mary–to be the mother of the Messiah?

God is a God of surprises!

I wonder what He will surprise us with this fall at St. Luke?

I wonder whom God will raise up for His will to be done to build His Kingdom?  Is it you?

Is He calling you to lead a Small Group or teach our youth?

Is He calling you to join a band or choir and share your musical gifts?

Is He calling you to share a passion for one of our local or global mission ministries?

Is He calling you to get connected to one of our Minsitry Teams and lead by sharing your gifts and serving others?

I can’t wait to see God’s surprises for us this fall at St. Luke!

Does St. Luke exist for our members, or our non-members?

Yes.

The answer is we exist for both.

There are Christ-followers here who moved chairs at Crestview Elementary School, back when St. Luke was just getting started in the late 70’s.  Since then, thousands have called St. Luke their home congregation.  We exist for these people, because Christ-followers never, ever stop growing in faith, worshiping, and being serious about mission and sharing Christ’s love with the world.

There are people who do not know Jesus Christ, or who once were connected to the church but have since drifted away and have no church home now.  “I don’t believe anymore,” or “I don’t know what to believe,” or simply, “There is no God” is what they sincerely say.  We exist for these people, because Jesus never said the church is a private club.  The church is a center for mission and we are called by Jesus to “go, make disciples of everyone, baptizing them and teaching them.”  Jesus told us to have the same passion for people who aren’t where they belong–in an authentic and real relationship with Him–as those looking for something they lost that is priceless to them.

We exist for our members.  We exist for our non-members.  That’s a church who knows God wants to draw them closer to Him; while at the same time drawing those who don’t know Him to them.  What a privilege for Christ-followers to be called to share His love with the world.

So, it’s not one or the other.  It’s “yes.”  We exist for all of God’s children–the ones who know Him, and the ones who don’t know Him yet.

GO, SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!  THANKS BE TO GOD!

Every year, our family watches fireworks on the 4th of July.

It seems every year during that time as the fireworks are exploding; I find myself thanking God in prayer for the generations of men and women who have given their very lives to provide Americans with the freedom we have.

As we say, “Thank you” to those men and women; I am also reminded of the true freedom we have from God in Christ Jesus.  Jesus gave His very life for our freedom–freedom from sin and death.

Through the cross of Jesus Christ, and our faith in Him as Lord and Savior, we have true freedom from our sins; and true freedom from death.

Freedom from sin is forgiveness–not saying, “you’re ok, I’m ok, we’re all ok” and condoning the things we know from Scripture are not God’s will for our lives.  Sin is sin; and we’re all stuck in it.  True freedom comes from knowing that and understanding that the power of the cross is not condoning sin; but forgiving it.

Freedom from death is knowing that when our earthly life ends, we will enter heaven if we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Heaven is where all believers will be forever with God.

So, in this lifetime, I’m thankful for the freedom we have in this great country thanks to the generations of men and women who have provided us with this freedom by giving their very lives for it.  Also, in this lifetime, I’m thankful for the freedom that comes from faith in Jesus Christ–from sin and death.

Thank you, American soldiers.  Thank you, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Tim

I stood on the grass two days ago to say, “Good Morning” and “Welcome” to those coming from the parking lot to our first outdoor worship gathering this summer…and I kept seeing more people…and more people…and more people.

In fact, at a few times, there was a back-up on Hinton Avenue to turn into our parking lot!

My heart started racing as God’s people just kept coming - and when everyone had their lawn chairs settled under shade or in the beautiful sunshine; there were over 340 people on our lawn worshipping our Creator in His Creation!

God keeps amazing me!

He has stirred our hearts to be a people of worship - we had 150 more people worshipping this past summer weekend than we had three years ago during the program year months!

He has stirred our hearts to be a giving people - our giving is up in an economy that’s not.

He has stirred our hearts to be mission-minded people - our MISSION MIDWAY ministry is gearing up for life-changing ministry this summer.

He has stirred our hearts to be people seeking those outside of faith - each week, I meet someone at worship who’s friends invited them to join us!

THANK YOU, ST. LUKE!  God keeps amazing me through YOU!

Pastor Tim