Total Forgiveness

This Sunday I begin a new sermon series on the power of forgiveness. While studying for this series I was amazed at how much information is out there on this subject, yet how difficult it is for us to be a people who practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is not just a good idea or something good people do. Forgiveness is the key to a healthy relationship with God and with one another. In preparation for this week's message here are a few passages to ponder regarding forgiveness.

Ephesians 4:31-32, Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Matthew 6:14-15, For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Psalms 32:1, Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Ephesians 1:7, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

Little Things

I just got off the phone with one of our guest from last Sunday. Each week I use Monday or Tuesday evening as a night to connect with our recent guests. What made this call so interesting is how appreciative the person was that the minister had called him personally. That got me thinking about how such a little thing as a phone call can make such a big difference. In all honesty, it is the small things that make a ministry; A visit, phone call, remembering names, remembering special occasions. The little things give us the opportunity to be a part of the big things in people's lives. This week do little things!

A Different Side of Ministry

Tonight I was able to experience something different in ministry - I was able to visit another church's program. I received an invitation from some guest visiting our church to see a reenactment of the Lord's Supper. For an 1 1/2 hours I was able to be ministered to rather than ministering to others. I was not responsible for any part of the program, nor did anybody know I was minister. I simply had an opportunity to experience a blessing through another's ministry.

As ministers we have the occupational hazard of doing the ministry rather than being ministered to. We can give and give, until teh tanks are empty, when that happenes we can find ourselves in need of refueling. Tonight I was refueled! When I left the church tonight I came away with a sense, I need more opportunities like tonight, so If I pop up in your church please remember I am checking in for a fill up, and thank you for ministering to me.

Sunday Night Reflections

A few thoughts from an amazing day...

• Thank you prayer and praise ministry for a great prayer vigil - much needed and much appreciated!
• Yes I did not say it is not enough to be good to enter into heaven.
• When I realize what Jesus did for me, what am I willing to do for him; answer that question and you will begin to understand what it means to be a disciple of Christ.
• The pain of the cross humbles me.
• The most amazing thing to me about the cross; it was a form of punishment that said don't miss with the Romans and now it is a symbol of salvation that says GOD'S children are forgiven.
• I still wonder what it was like in heaven to see Jesus on the cross.
• I hope the cross is never a stumbling block to you!
• Wrapped up storm series today next week new series on the power of forgiveness.
• PBCC do not miss next Sunday and be sure you bring a friend.
• We had my favorite fellowship event today - our church picnic!
• I am EXTREMELY thankful for the many hands that made the picnic a success.
• How can the month of March be over?
• My bracket is a mess, but the NCAA tournament has been great to watch.
• I am really looking forward to next Sunday

Prayer Vigil

Our Prayer and Praise ministry kicked off a prayer vigil last evening at 6 pm. They are asking for individuals to come to the church and pray for 30 minute intervals with a goal of having a our church family pray for 24 hours. The prayer vigil has 7 designated stations designed to help us in time. I was scheduled to pray from 6:30 to 7:00 am. During my prayer time I came across the following quote at one of the stations;

When we pray, it is far more important to pray with a sense of the greatness of God than a sense of the greatness of the problem.

To be honest, at times we do focus on the greatness of the problem, before we ever focus on the greatness of God. It is my prayer that I will focus on God's greatness when I pray - after all compared to God, most of our problems are inconsequential.

On a personal note - Hats off to our prayer and praise ministry for putting together a great prayer vigil.

Ready for the Weekend

I am really looking forward to this weekend at PBCC. I am closing out the series "Finding God in the Storm" This week's message focuses on the ultimate storm Jesus faced as he went to the cross. When I realize the price Jesus paid on the cross, I find myself amazed at how great is the love of God for us. I am also amazed at how people can reject such love. With that in mind it is my prayer that I am able to communicate this message in such a way as believers will have a greater appreciation for the love of God and seekers will be confronted with God's love in such a way they will respond to his invitation to following him. To help us understand the love of God for us consider some of these power parts of scripture...

• Romans 5:8
• John 3:16-17
• 1 John 4:10

I have only listed 3 sections of scripture - but I believe they are enough to get us thinking about the love of God. So my question for you today; are you ready for the weekend - If not why not, join us at Palm Bay Christian Church Sunday and connect with the love of God - I am ready; are you?

The People I Must have at PBCC

In no particular order, here is a list of the People I Must have at PBCC to accomplish ministry every Sunday...

• Sound & Tech Team - each week this team puts their heart and soul into our worship, when something goes wrong, like feedback or the sound is not loud enough or the video does not start on time or the PowerPoint is slow everyone notices, but when everything goes right they are often taken for granted - gang I want you to know I appreciate you EVERY week! Since I have the tendency to leave my notes each week, I really appreciate the PPT team.
• Greeters - their smiling faces and kind words are often the first things a guest sees and hears as he/she comes into contact with PBCC on Sunday. I cannot tell you the number of times guest have commented on our greeters.
• Childcare Workers - while we are enjoying the worship and teaching on Sundays, there is a group of people who caring for children so parents can participate in the worship - you may not realize it, but these people are the ones who make it possible for us to reach parents - besides that Jesus has a special place in his heart for his "little ones"
• Ushers - Trying to find seats in the dark is difficult, but we have a great group of guys who help people to their seats as worship begins. I appreciate your efforts, I know at times it is difficult to help people find seats at the beginning of worship, but we are trying to set a mood and a tone for our worship at the beginning and you are playing a huge part!
• Communion Prep, Servers and Clean up - to the world it is juice and a small cracker, but to us it is a memorial that reminds us of the great sacrifice of Jesus which unites us each Sunday as we come together. Your efforts are essential if we are going to connect to God each week.
• My Prayer Warriors - Each Sunday I have a person who prays with me before worship. Bathing the worship time and me in prayer is essential for the power of God to be unleashed every Sunday morning.

When I think of the number of people I simply cannot do without on Sunday, I am so glad so many have the attitude found in Ephesians 6:7-8, Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does!

Sunday Night Reflections

• We welcomed a new person to the PBCC family today - this never, never, never gets old!
• Our Storm Series continues to make a difference in people's lives.
• Too often God calls us to faith in the storm, however we prefer to hope for miracles in the storm.
• True faith goes into action when there seems to be no answers
• You can tell a lot about a person's character by what they complain about in this life.
• Remember church God is big enough to handle your complaints just ask Habakkuk.
• I am really excited about the next two week's messages - if you are a part of the PBCC family you will not want to miss them.
• Jesus slept in the storm for 2 reasons; He had a relationship with God & He relied on scripture - we can sleep in a storm as well; if we did both of these things!
• Once again I was reminded there are no safe places in this life - praying hard for the Boden family.
• I am really excited about the next two week's messages - if you are a part of the PBCC family you will not want to miss them.
• Our new format continues to be tweaked, but we are pleased with the results so far.
• Gotta say, I really enjoyed the fellowship dinner after church, the beef stew hit the spot.
• Church picnic is this Sunday - looking forward to Chef Todd's burger and franks!
• Who are you inviting to be with you Easter Sunday?
• Summer is getting close; Our family minister held her first VBS meeting today - say it ain't so!
• I still cannot get over the fact our son Jonathan is 22 this weekend
• At least the Gators went to double overtime Thursday.

Happy Birthday Jonathan

Our middle son, Jonathan turns 22 today. (He is the one on the right in the photo) He is currently enrolled at Florida Christian College his current interest is missions ministry. Jonathan's smile is infectious as you can see. He is a hard worker and has a servant's heart. The past 22 years seem like a moment; I find it amazing he is 22 years old today. It seems like only yesterday we were bringing a baby home from the hospital and now he is attending college. As Kenny Chesney sings, "Don't Blink".

To attend FCC, Jonathan has had to overcome the obstacle of dyslexia, at times it has been a struggle, but he continues to press on. Now I could say more about "Beeps", but if I did he would be embarrassed, needless to say, Kathy and I are very proud of him and we look forward to celebrating his birthday tonight with a few friends and family.

Yard Work

I know this is hard to believe, but I enjoy doing yard work. There is a reason for this, the nature of ministry means that you are never really finished with a task; there is always one more person to see, one more message to write one more opportunity to extend grace. It is very easy to look at ministry and ask, "Am I really getting things done?" Yard work is different, when I finish mowing, blowing and weeding, I can look at the lawn and say I am done - well at least for another week! Now this may sound silly but the lawn work gives me a sense of accomplishment - I am finished - gotta go, the phone is ringing - ministry happens!

Rest

Have you ever wondered why we are so busy? There are times when I look at my calendar and I wonder how will I get everything done? I have to admit, there are times my life is filled with so much activity that I seldom have time to stop, reflect, or adjust. At times, I feel like I am one of those circus acts keeping the plates spinning. I have to keep the plates spinning no matter what! Keeping the plates spinning is not healthy in ministry. We need times of rest. I find it Interesting the first 4 letters of the word restore is REST. I think there is a lesson here for all of us; when we rest we have the opportunity to restore ourselves physically, spiritually and mentally. Rest is more than taking a day off rest is changing your routine and pace so we will be able to continue the race. If we continue the same pace we will become ineffective. I remember a story about the Apostle John and a hunter:

One morning a hunter stumbled over a man seated under a tree and playing with a small tame bird. “Why, you’re the apostle John,” exclaimed the hunter. “I’m surprised that an important and dedicated man like you would be out wasting your time.”

John looked up at the tall stranger and asked, “Why have you left that bow dangling on your shoulder?”\

“Well, don’t you know?” replied the hunter. “If I kept it continually pulled tight, it would lose its spring and become ineffective.” John chuckled and said, “That’s the reason I play with this bird.”

Now I am not sure how factual is this story, but the principle is true, we cannot afford to continually working at the same pace all the time, if we do we will eventually become ineffective.

Tomorrow is my day off and it is already a full day filled with the "honey do's". I will check them off my list, but I will also take time to rest because I am learning the value of rest, for in my rest, I will be RESTored.

The Importance of Ministries

I serve a church that is open to new ideas and innovative ways to do ministry. Over the last few days I have been thinking about the impact our ministries have on the lives of people.

For example...

• We have a Food Pantry ministry that provides food free of charge to people in need. What I like about this ministry is the way we distribute the food. We do not simply give people a bag of groceries indiscriminately, we allow people to "shop" for the food they want. This insures the food we give out truly meets needs of those visit our food pantry.
• Our Comfort and Care ministry provides pastoral care to our family members in times of hospital stays, surgeries and other health procedures. They truly help multiply our pastoral ministry.
• Our Handyman ministry keeps our church facilities in working order, the work these men have donated has truly helped the church save money on repairs as well as be wise stewards of our resources.
• The GLOW Women's ministry connects women to one another as well as provides acts of service to meet the needs of several other ministries.
• Bead Attitudes creates and sales jewelry; a portion of the profits is sent to our missionary wives our church supports.
• Our newest ministry; Samaritan Squad meets the needs of our congregation by providing home health care advice as well as be the first responders in case of a medical emergency in our worship services.

These are just a few of the ministries of PBCC which strengthen the body and help us connect to one another through service. One of the scripture values of PBCC is found in 1 Peter 4:10, Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. The desire of our leadership is for us to continue to see our members become involved in some type of ministry where we can faithfully administer God's grace.

Staff & the Local Church

I have been fortunate to surround myself with good staff members over the years. I have served with Youth Ministers, Music Ministers, Family Ministers and several Administrative Assistants. I have worked with both part time and full time staff members as well as interns. Each staff member has brought something different to the ministry where I have served. Currently two of the staff members I served with are now leading churches and developing there own staff. Both are are doing a good work in their respective ministries. While I have had good relationships with all of the staff I have worked with, I know there are some church leaders who face staff dysfunction.When there is staff conflict everyone loses, the church is divided and the mission of Christ is halted.

So how do we develop good staff relationships?

1. Staff Meetings are vital - We currently have a weekly staff meeting on Monday mornings. During that time we discuss the church calendar, the previous Sunday's victories and setbacks as well as future plans. Staff meetings are the first line of communication for our church. Everyone gets on the same page at Staff Meeting. To me staff meetings are vital for communication as well as a connecting point for the week.
2. Staff "Fun" Time is essential - We make it a point at PBCC for the staff to go to lunch once a month - with only one rule; no staff or church business. Once a moth does not seem like much fellowship, but the nature of our ministry schedules does not allow for more weekly interaction at this time. In addition to our staff lunch (BTW it was today, loved the Chinese Food), we have a staff Christmas party in December; we try to develop a camaraderie that goes beyond just being staff members, we want to be partners in ministry, the staff fun time helps develop this partnership.
3. Team Philosophy - My style of leadership fits the team concept. While I am the lead pastor, I defer to others who have expertise in a certain areas. We are better as a team because of the synergy effort that comes from a teamwork mindset. The team concept gives staff a sense of being a part of the "big picture" of ministry. As well as communicates to the staff, everyone has worth and value on the team.
4. Trust - As staff we must trust one another completely, the knowledge that we have one another's back, helps us develop a sense of trust for one another.

These are just few ideas I have regarding staff relationships in the church. On a personal note, allow me to express my appreciation for all the staff who have partnered with me over the last few years. I have learned a lot from each one as we have teamed up for the glory of God.

Sunday Night Reflections

• Who came up with the idea "Spring Forward" anyway?
• Kicked off our Easter Outreach today - the first part of our outreach is prayer. Our goal is so large that if God is not in it we will not make it.
• Remember PBCC Family; Pray - Invite, Pray - Invite, Pray - Invite.
• I am praying for everyone on "Storm Watch" today.
• Remember the greatest motivation for getting out of the boat is to be with Jesus.
• Walking on water was Jesus’ gift to Peter, but getting out of the boat was Peter’s gift to Jesus.
• Too often we want the security of the boat to keep us safe – however, the boat offers a false security that is why the disciples needed be rescued by Jesus.
• Yes, I said, It is wicked to be too afraid to do what you know is right. To understand where I am coming from check out Matthew 25:14-30
• I will be wrapping up our "storm" series next week - This series has really struck a chord with our congregation.
• March is half over this year is flying by!
• Attention leaders, if you are looking for a good read, you cannot go wrong with "Killing Cockroaches" by Tony Morgan.
• Good to see the Gators made the tournament - But I don't think we are going far. Yes, I am a fan, but I am also realistic about this year's team. Besides, Football is just around the corner.
• If all goes according to plan, looks like another Kentucky/Duke rematch the first weekend in April.

Easter Outreach

I finished the final details to our Easter Outreach this week and I have to say I think we have a pretty good plan in place for Easter Sunday and beyond. The key to our outreach focuses on the beyond. It will not be enough just to have a large crowd on Easter Sunday. We want to give people the opportunity to discover the difference Christ makes in one's life. For that reason, we are trying a few new things for Easter.

• The message will share the hope of the resurrection but will be different from a typical Easter message.
• We are asking all our church family to be a part of our outreach through prayers and special invitations.
• We are launching a new class on parenting the Sunday after Easter. The class will be led by a couple of parenting veterans who have been in the trenches of parenthood.

Easter Sunday, will be a big day in every church in America, the question is what will you do after Easter Sunday to connect people with the Jesus?

Thoughts from a funeral

Today I officiated at a funeral. Before I spoke, a service organization gave a presentation. This organization does some wonderful work in the community, but their presentation was a little awkward and difficult to understand. They spoke in "Old English", read their prayers, and their presentation & rituals were more than a little confusing for the causal observer. I believe this group has the best intentions; however, they were not connecting with the audience at the funeral. Watching their presentation gave me more insight on what it must be like when guests enter our churches on Sunday; this got me thinking about how we communicate Biblical truth each Sunday...

• Are we speaking a language people do not understand?
• Are we using phrases that has very little meaning in this culture?
• Are some of our "rituals" meaningless to the casual observer?

In communicating the gospel, let us remember the word of Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23; I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Let us remember everyone one does not understand nor relate to the message of the gospel the same way. Therefore, let us be diligent in speaking the truth in ways everyone can understand. It is not enough to have good intentions; we must communicate our message well; if we are going to influence this culture for Christ.

On Preaching Funerals

I have the opportunity to preach at a funeral tomorrow. Note I called it an opportunity. There are few moments in ministry where we are able to intersect with people at their greatest need, the funeral is one of those moments when we can connect with a family in a substantial way. A funeral is opportunity to remember the past, but more importantly we should focus on the future. In 29 years of ministry I have had the opportunity to preach 80 funerals, each one has been unique, but each one has had one thing in common; the hope that this life is not all there is to our existence. There is something more, so tomorrow, once again I will stand in a funeral home and share the hope that is ours in Jesus Christ. It is the hope in Christ that makes it possible to officiate at a funeral and give family members the assurance that while sadness may mark the day, joy comes to us who have placed our hope in the Lord.

Are They Good Enough?

We are only one week a way from selection Sunday for College Basketball. Next Sunday, teams from all around the country will find out if they will be one of the fortunate teams to be invited to the "Big Dance." With only 65 spots available it is easy to see some of the teams are going to be on the outside looking in. Last Saturday I was able to watch a couple of games on TV. In both games the commentators were discussing the NCAA tournament and speculating on who was going to make it and who was going to be left out in the cold. In their discussions, they asked which teams were worthy of an invitation to the tournament? They had a criteria of who should be in the tournament based on a series of questions.

They asked questions like...

• What is the team's conference record?
• What is their current AP Ranking?
• What is their currnet RPI?
• What were their quality wins?
• What was their strength of schedule?

Basically they were asking was the team good enough to be invited to the tournament?

That got me thinking about our Christian Faith. Some people live out their faith as if they are playing for a spot in heaven. They think they must do enough good stuff to merit entrance into heaven, much like the NCAA teams have to do to get into the tournament.

• If I teach Jr. High Boys, God will let me in.
• If I have perfect attendance in Sunday School, I will be on the fast track for a crown.
• If I give money to an orphanage, God will notice me.
• If I take a vow of poverty, I will be first in line for the riches of heaven.
• If I serve on the leadership team, God will be pleased.
• If I (you fill in the blank), God will approve.

People who think this way, do not have a handle on God's Grace. Grace is God's gift; not based on what I do, but who I am. Grace is given to me freely because of the crazy idea that God loves me. Getting a handle on grace is very difficult for us as American believers - we have grown up with the idea we must work to get ahead, we must earn our way to notoriety and success. When we apply this teaching to grace we really get messed up. God says there is noting you can do to earn grace, there is nothing you can do work for grace, I give it to you freely. You accept me and you are in my "Big Dance". So this weekend when you are watching "Selection Sunday" remember God has already chosen you, not based on how good you are or your quality wins or even your strength of schedule, but because you are one of his children. With that in mind - LET'S DANCE!

Sunday Night Reflections

• I cannot get over the fact that Jesus is praying for us.
• Loved the new worship set up - I know the team put a lot of effort into the planning and preparation.
• I am glad to a part of a church that gives our worship team the freedom to try innovative methods to help us connect to God.
• I was humbled by the number of people requesting prayer at the end of today's message - lots of storms going on right now!
• Honored the charter members of PBCC today, amazing how much they sacrificed for PBCC to be here today!
• Remember we are either leaving a storm, in the middle of the storm or heading into the storm.
• I am pulling for "The Blind Side" tonight.
• I have to say my favorite illustration today was the one about the silversmith - to hear it, go to pbcconline and click on Sunday's sermon.
• Chip n Chew this Saturday - good food good fellowship and you need to be there.
• Busy week this week; preaching a funeral, attending a church growth conference, as well as the "usual stuff" that fills a calendar.
• I am already pumped about our Easter plans.

Coming Sunday

What will this Sunday bring?

• Opportunity
• Celebration
• New Life
• Transformation
• Seekers
• The Hurting
• The Needy
• The Challenged
• The Repentant
• The Sinner
• The Saint

Each Sunday people walk though the doors of our churches with all kinds of expectations. With that thought in mind, it is important that we are ready for them. A few weeks ago I wrote a post about coming to worship prepared. The focus of the post focused on what can the individual do to prepare for worship. Today I want to ask leaders, what can you do to prepare for those coming to worship?

1. Be prepared - Preaching is too important to throw together Friday evening or worst Saturday evening. Fresh Bread takes time to bake. Hopefully by now you know what you are preaching this week.
2. Be available - For many people Sundays are the only day people have access to their minister. Make sure you are available walk though the crowd slowly.
3. Be aware - Listen to what people are saying - Several years ago I watch Bob Russell (at the time, minister to the Southeast Christian Church, Louisville Ky) greet people before worship. Here was a man getting ready to preach to thousands of people, yet before worship he was giving several individuals his undivided attention. He was not look past them to see who else was coming by or who was the next person who was going to talk to him - He was focused on the conversation at hand. Because he was listening to that one person he was aware that this was an opportunity to connect with that person.

What will Sunday bring? I am not sure but with that question in mind let us remember the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:15-16; Be careful how you live; not as unwise but as wise - making the most of every opportunity.

Preaching Schedule

I changed my preaching schedule this week. Back in January I planned my preaching for the first 5 months of the year, We started with a series entitled, "I am Palm Bay Christian Church", we looked at our identity as a local church serving the city of Palm Bay. In February I taught a series on leadership. I was planning to do a Pre-Easter series based on the Impact of the cross during the month of March. However everything changed. I started thinking do people need another Easter series or should I break out of the routine and do something unexpected? You guessed it I changed. Over the next few weeks we are going to look at the topic of finding God in the storms of life. My desire is we will answer some questions on how to face life when everything goes South? You do not have to study the Bible long to know that things went south pretty quickly in scripture - Remember the events in Adam & Eve's life; a little temptation became a BIG problem. Not only does scripture tell us about times when things go south, scripture also gives us valuable lessons how to face a crisis, what to learn from a crisis and how to recover from a crisis. In fact, you could say scripture is God's Crisis Management Book.

The question you may be asking is, "Why did I change my schedule?" I had a sense that this is the direction God wanted me to go in my preaching, no I did not hear an audible voice, nor did I receive a vision, I simply sensed His hand in my preparation. As I changed directions in my preaching I have sensed a real sense of peace in my preparation time. Now I am getting ready to see what God will do through me in the coming weeks.

When it comes to preaching, planning is important, but being open to God's leading is vital if we are going to be people of influence. Looking forward to Sunday.

Leadership Revisited

Over the last 4 weeks I have been teaching a series of messages on the topic of leadership. I have to admit this is the first time I have spent a substantial amount of time teaching on this vital subject. If you were to visit my study, you would find I have over a hundred books on the topic of leadership; I have books on everything from personal to corporate leadership. However for this series of messages, I focused on what it means to be a leader in the local church, listed below are some of the highlights from the four messages;

• The church is only as healthy as the elders who oversee the local body of believers.
• God's plan for elders was and continues to be a plurality of elders.
• Leadership is the gift Christ gave to the church.
• Biblical leadership is always proactive not reactive.
• One of the greatest disappointments in the American church is the fact that our leaders do not function as the Biblical model of leadership.
• The world's form of leadership is based on performance, the church's model of leadership is based on relationships.
• The role of elders is to move people from their agenda to God's agenda.
• According to scripture, Elders have five responsibilities; Pray, protect, preach/teach the word of God, set policy and offer pastoral care.
• Good leaders look at the church through these 5 "filters" to help lead the church properly.

As you can see we covered a variety of topics regarding biblical leadership - I am glad PBCC is on the right path regarding Biblical leadership.

By the way, if any of my preacher colleagues would like a copy of the 4 manuscripts for these sermons, shoot me an email me and I will send the material.