In the comments section answer this question:

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Church”?

Thanks in advance!

This time around we made the trek up the Natcher Parkway to Owensboro, KY. to visit Bridgepointe Church and Owensboro Christian Church. Both churches were very welcoming, and I really enjoyed being a part of worship at each church. This year, however, something unexpected happened.

As a pastor, I have the inside track on our weekly services, which is a good thing. But sometimes, I find myself, in the middle of worship, stressing about the details.

See, I know when each part of the service is supposed to happen, who is supposed to be on stage, and what their cue to actually come up on stage is supposed to be. And when that transition doesn’t go smoothly, sometimes, it really stresses me out.

If we have a technical issue–a slide out-of-order, a cord malfunction, or even a slight squeal from the sound system–I, sometimes, let it be the entire focus of my attention.

There are some mornings that I find myself completely tuning out worship and thinking about the sermon, oblivious to what is happening around me.

So, a couple Sunday’s ago, as I had no responsibilities or clue about what was supposed to happen, I actually found myself more free to worship my God.

A couple Sunday’s ago, I was reminded that first things have to be first. I am a pastor. I have responsibilities. But first, I am a worshiper of God.

A couple Sunday’s ago I was reminded that, if I want MCC to be a church that worships God well, that I must lead by example.

I want our services to be excellent. I want us to give our best effort. But I am also learning that I can do my best, and still be distracted from what, from Who, really matters.

So, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to be more focused during worship, to give God my full attention, to be completely present to Him as I sing and pray and celebrate communion and open the scriptures with my brothers and sisters.

Because before I am a pastor/leader/teacher/preacher/whatever I am, I am His.

The 10:30am service will be on regular schedule.

Glory to God, Peace on Earth

Since I am really bad at coming up with titles for things [just ask John Lovell, he has talked me out of many badly titled sermons], my column does not have a title yet. So, I was hoping that you all would help me out.

Any suggestions?

Please use your best judgment as you decide whether you venture out or not.

Hope to see you at 9 or 10:30am!

There of lots of exciting things happening at MCC, and I thought I would just share a few of them with you:

• This week we launched our new and improved website over at mcconline.org. Check it out and let me know what you think.

• We are going Christmas caroling this year! Join us on December 21, at 6pm, as we spread some holiday cheer in our community. We will meet at MCC at 6pm, go caroling, and then head back to MCC for refreshments.
• This week we have been talking a lot about our annual Christmas eve candle-light service. I hope you can join us on December 24 at 6pm.
• In January, MCC will be partnering with Feeding America to bring the “Backpack Program” to Butler County. This is an AMAZING opportunity for our church to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community!
• Also in January, we will be launching a new weekly ministry environment called “Family Ministry Night.” Each Wednesday we will have small groups in homes for youth and adults, and groups for children, which will be meeting at MCC.

This Sunday is the third week of Advent, the Sunday of Joy. If you have missed a message in our “Rediscover” series, you can download or listen to past messages here.

Our passage for this Sunday, if you want to read ahead, is Luke 2v8-11 [TNIV]:

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

This week at MCC we will continue our Advent series, “Rediscover,” by talking about Peace. I hope you will join us at 9 or 10:30am this Sunday.

If you didn’t get to pick up a copy of our 2010 Advent Reader, John has put it online for you to read or download. Simply click the link below.

2010 Advent Reader

Have a great weekend!

I especially like this passage from the book:

“The Bible is not a mere jumble of history, poetry, lessons in morality and theology, comforting promises, guiding principles and commands; instead, it is fundamentally coherent. Every part of the Bible–each event, book, character, command, prophecy, and poem–must be understood in the context of the one story line.”

The authors go on to say:

“Many of us have read the Bible as if it were merely a mosaic of little bits–theological bits, moral bits, historical-critical bits, sermon bits, devotional bits. But when we read the Bible in such a fragmented way, we ignore its divine author’s intention to shape our lives through its story.”

Wow! They hit the nail right on the head. How many of us read the Bible as if it were simply a book of morals, stories, and poems, but never see it as the beautiful, One Story that it is? It’s one thing to read the Bible for sermon preparation, or to find that verse to prove to that person that you are right and they are wrong. It’s a whole other thing, however, to read the Bible and ask the question, “Where am I in this story?”, or “What role is God calling me to play in his ongoing story of redemption and healing for the world?”

So, how do you read the Bible?

What would it be like if we read the Bible this way?

The Jewish people had been waiting for God to send a Messiah, and he had not yet come. I imagine some of their questions then would sound a lot like those many of us are asking right now.

Does God keep his promises?

Can tomorrow be better than today?

Will suffering and injustice ever cease?

Where was God when ____________________?

Matthew, one of the writers of the Christmas story, insists that God has not abandoned or forgotten us. Matthew insists that just because God hasn’t moved at our speed, it doesn’t mean that he’s not moving. Notice Matthew 1v17-18 [TNIV]:

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.  This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about…

After all that time, God had made good on his promise.

It seems to me that Advent presents us with choices:

We can choose the well-worn path of cynicism and despair,

or

we can choose hope.

We can choose to give up and give in to cynicism and despair, or we can choose to trust that God is at work, for our good, even when we can’t see the results right away.

Which path will you choose this Christmas?

I am so thankful for my little elf, Cohen, and his mommy.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!