I shared Sunday that one of the core values of actionchurch is to be a place that doesn’t “lecture you , bore you, or waste your time”   I think of those three values every week as I prepare to speak. 

The difficult thing is that all three values are in constant (and I think healthy) tension.

No Lectures:  As a society we are over-run with information.   Very few of us would willingly choose to attend a lecture on Sunday morning about the history of some long-dead “Bible charactor”.   Besides, Bible information without application is just Bible Trivia.   However, it’s impossible to share the life-changing principles and stories of Scripture without sharing information.

Don’t Be Boring:  I’m pretty sure that making the Bible boring is a sin.  It’s filled with the most amazing stories ever written. However, it’s also filled with mind-numbing lists, geneologies, and detailed policies.   Because it is set in cultures from thousands of years ago it’s easy to miss it’s relevance for our lives today.  On Sunday mornings we attempt every week to tie ancient scripture to things in our lives today.  We use music, movies, news events, television clips, and the occasional awkward story from my life.

Don’t waste anyone’s time:   No one HAS TO come to church.   We don’t live in a society that enforces church attendance  (either by legislation or culturally shaming non-attenders).    The last thing I want to do on a Sunday morning is to waste the time of someone who has voluntarily chosen to get up and come to church.   Here’s where the tension comes in: since we never want to lecture anyone, it would be tempting to not talk about the difficult areas and ideas of Scripture.   Since we don’t want to bore anyone it’s tempting to just play an episode of the office and laugh together when we’re not listening to the band.  That would be entertaining.  However, since I never want to waste anyone’s time I know the most important thing I can do is to share the Good News that God gifts us with in scripture.   The biggest “waste of time” I can think of on Sunday morning would be to simply try to entertain everyone without engaging and challenging them to consider the eternally important consequences of missing God’s plan for their life.  (Besides, let’s be honest…at it’s most “entertaining”…Church is not exactly going to “compete” with the entertainment options most of us have available to us at home on Sunday morning).

“What if there was a place that would never lecture you, bore you, or waste your time?    What if that place turned out to be a Church?”

Those words will always bring “tension” as we plan and prepare for Sunday morning each week…and I think that’s a very healthy thing.

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 For I am the LORD, your God,
       who takes hold of your right hand
       and says to you, Do not fear;
       I will help you.  Isaiah 41:13

I love the image this scripture paints.  God is not a “help” button.  God is not a faceless customer support worker who (in theory at least) offers us “how-to” instruction when we find ourself in a jam.  God does not serve us.  God loves us. 

God does not promise to fix our problems.   God does not promise that we will never experience “scary” situations.  God says that when we call out to him he will be there…like a Father…ready to take our hand and offer his help.

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I’m pretty sure that “God’s message” about my drug addiction that never happened was more based on its “messengers” ideas about the way I looked and dressed than ANYTHING God ever said.   (To his credit, I wish that I could blame drugs for some of the giant, Paul Stanley-esq, hair helmets I sported in the 80′s)

People say dumb things and blame them on God. 

I cringe whenever someone says “God told me” anything.   I am SO hesitant to say that “I heard God say” anything.   The great conflict that followers of Christ face is that hearing from God has become pretty much synonymous with “I’m borderline psychotic”…but hearing from God is the most important thing that we can do in life.  A life of Following Jesus without being able to hear his direction is like taking an unfamiliar road trip without a map or GPS.   “Following” is impossible without direction.

I don’t often recommend a book…and I’m pretty sure Bill Hybels doesn’t need any endorsement from me. However, I finally had a chance to read his latest “The power of a Whisper” yesterday and it was the most practical and thoughtful books I’ve ever read on the subject of Hearing God.  If you struggle as I do with the whole concept of “God told me” this book is worth a read. 

I was hooked from the moment I read the tag-line on the cover.  “Hearing God.  Having the Guts to Respond”.  That’s about as “actionchurch” as it gets…

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Sunday was all about one idea from scripture.  “Big things start with small acts of faith”.  Throughout the Bible, the most epic and miraculous stories begin with a small act of faith.  God first spoke to Moses by asking him to take off his shoes.  God “introduced himself” to Abraham (then Abram) by asking him to move away from his relatives to a place he had never seen.  Jesus repeated the “process” over and over during his time with his followers.  Jesus asked fishermen to leave their nets and become “fishers of men”.   He asked a tax collector to leave his table in the market place and follow him.  In the passage we talked about Sunday  (Matthew 21:1-11 )  Jesus asked his followers to “hot-wire” a donkey and bring it back to him…and if the owner asked why they were taking his property…Jesus told them to simply say that “the Lord needs it”.

Big things start with small acts of Faith.  Retrieving a donkey can set off the “triumphal entry”…and the Crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord. I think we often miss the voice of God because we ignore the small and often odd requests the Spirit makes of us.  Perhaps we think that when God speaks he asks for “Big” actions.  Perhaps our embarrassment  or self-consciousness about the often odd things God’s spirit prompts us to do holds us back from obeying “whispers from God”.  

 I shared Sunday how embarrassing it felt to “admit” that we thought we should start actionchurch.   It seemed so ridiculous to say that we were starting a church when there are plenty of great churches in York County and we had absolutely no training or backing that would seem to make starting a church a “good idea”.  I am so thankful today that I made a small step of faith…I’m so glad I did not ignore God and miss out on being a small part of the Big things God is doing at actionchurch.

REALLY excited for the folks that are taking the next step in their Journey with God by being obedient in “small acts of faith”. We’ll be be having a Baptism on 9/12 for them.  Want to go public with your faith through baptism?  info@actionchurch.com or talk to me Sunday.

Thanks so much to all the great actionchurch crew for all your individual acts of faith that have made this thing possible.  YOU are responsible for what is coming for our church and county.  Thanks to all of you who generously share your time, talents and money each week.

Special thanks to the guys from ionia.  The reason why we were sound-checking at 10:45 is because they took a wrong turn on the way from New York City and arrived 20 minutes before the service started.  In spite of their late arrival they were onstage and ready to rock by 11am…and the fact that they donated their fee back to actionchurch to help finance our move  was beyond generous.

I really can not wait to kick off the “So Help me God!” series next week…

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Our friends Ionia will be laying down some seriously great heavy music, and as always actionkidz will be the best hour of your childs weekend..

If you’ve ever wondered how actionchurch came to be…and where we’re headed…or how to hot-wire a donkey, show up Sunday 11am @  Club19  (directions). 

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Please continue to pray for God’s favor and guidance this week as we continue to wait for word about the huge “ask” that actionchurch made last week. I don’t have any new information to add…but this morning  I was reminded of some “old” information that I thought I’d share…

1.  We are moving somewhere.   It’s been very clear since last October that our time at club 19 was coming to an end.  I am so thankful for the kindness and generosity of the owners for allowing us to stay on this long…that’s the amazing story.  But our time is clearly ending very soon.

2.  So far every “simple and sensible” solution has failed.  I really thought it would be a “breeze” to find a new venue.  There are SO many vacant spaces open at good prices.   I had no idea that finding a “next size up” venue would be so difficult.  (Personally I think the difficulty has been a good thing as it has forced us to rely on God instead of whatever puny resources we have.)

3.  We are a church called to action…not to an “eternal” building fund.   Venue rental has always been one of our biggest expenses.  I don’t expect that with any move that will change.   It’s expensive to rent or purchase large commercial spaces.  It’s important that we have a place to meet.  However, if that is the ONLY reason we meet…if our only call to action each week becomes raising money for some “giant thermometer building fund” we will not be doing what we set out to do.  (I am praying that God provides us with a place where MORE people can meet at a cost that is less per-person…so that together we can do MORE to serve others)

4.  With God all things are possible.   The above three facts don’t seem to go together.  In fact, they seem to set up an impossible scenario.  I’m fine with that…that gives God a great opportunity to do something “unmistakable”.   It  gives us the opportunity to learn to obey Gods “whispers”  (even when they seem a bit crazy). We have the opportunity to put more of our faith in him…and less in ourselves and “our plans”.    That’s what I’m praying for.  I hope you will join me.

²⁶ Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”  Matthew 19:26

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 I love Fall.  It’s my favorite season.  I’m a guy who sweats constantly, (enjoy that beautiful mental picture) so I love the cooler temperatures.  I actually look forward to winter every year also.  I forget what a serious pain snow removal is and I always look forward to the first snow.  Winter makes me wish for spring.  Who doesn’t want spring to come when it’s freezing all the time and there are six foot snow drifts everywhere?  Of course spring makes me look forward to summer…

I am so glad that God is a creator of seasons…that just when Summer becomes unbearable, Fall is on the way.  Every year.  Without fail.  Seasons change.

Whatever “season” you are in life…whether it’s a harvest season, a growing season,  an agonizingly painful “winter” season…no matter how “stuck” you feel in your current situation-change is coming.  God is a God who changes the seasons.  Without Fail.

 ²¹ He changes times and seasons;
       he sets up kings and deposes them.
       He gives wisdom to the wise
       and knowledge to the discerning. 

 Daniel 2:21

Photo-Garrett Snyder

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We’ll be starting a new Sermon Series called “So help me God” during the month of  September.  Think of it as sort of the start of the new “season” of actionchurch.  I can’t wait.

First; though, we’re gonna do something that all “returning shows” do at the beginning of a new season.  We’re gonna catch everyone up on what has happened over the last 2 1/2 years of actionchurch.  Even if you’ve been part of the action for several “seasons” we’re gonna remind you of some things you’ve probably forgotten.   If you’re new to actionchurch next week will probably help make things make a little more “sense”.  Ok, maybe not totally…because following Jesus makes for some very interesting  ”plot lines”. 

Here’s something you won’t see in any of the “previously on” recaps you’ll see on TV.  Sunday we will also be telling some things that we believe will be coming in FUTURE “episodes” of actionchurch.  We’ll talk about possible upcoming “plot twists” as we grow and expand as a church.

Please make plans to attend Sunday now.  Think of it as a “previously on” with a “sneak peek” a “spoiler” and possibly a “cliff hanger” thrown in. 

I think I’ll go now and hopefully NEVER use another TV analogy again…

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Yesterday was “the talk” about the pantheistic, pagan ideas in the Movie Avatar (and so much of our Society).   It’s such a confusing and often uncomfortable “line” as Christians to determine how much of environmental concern is just being good managers of Gods Creation…and where it becomes a religious ”worship of things created instead of the creator”

It was a Really tough talk to give…probably an even tougher talk to listen to.     I do hope that it causes all of us to evaluate the stuff that “everyone knows” and ask if it lines up with what God says about his plan for creation.   Push Back.  Question.  Pray.  Ask for wisdom.  Do NOT become the people Paul described in Romans 1:21-22

²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. ²² Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.

Thanks to the Guys from Thru Me for rocking actionchurch Sunday!  

If you missed the update Jerry gave what is happening with our venue search…stay tuned this week.  Pray that God will continue to give us Favor, direction, and wisdom.   I know that the announcements about the Wright Brothers Dealership have been like a roller coaster over the last few weeks.  The reports have been good, bad, hopeful, hopeless, encouraging and sometimes very discouraging.  Most of all they have been (and will continue to be)  real.     Please pray with us.  Prepare yourself to act as we move to whatever venue God provides for us as a Church…do not miss this opportunity to be part of something that is unmistakably a move of God!

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So…if you loved the movie Avatar, hated the movie Avatar, or don’t care anything about the movie Avatar but love to watch stuff that can potentially turn into a train wreck  , you will not want to miss Sunday at actionchurch.  We’ll be re-activating live txt comments on Sunday…so you can join into the conversation.

Our friends Thru Me will be providing the rock on Sunday…and actionkidz will be the place your kids want to be.   Sunday we will also be giving an update on some pretty amazing developments on our quest for a new venue.

Come to think of it, Sunday at Club 19 is going to be a lot like a Summer blockbuster…although unlike any of James Camerons movies…all of the action will be crammed into only ONE hour.  Directions

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