johnlaeger.com

Sunday Mind Dump

• Really AWESOME morning!
• I am honored to serve on the same staff as Rachel Carlson. Her heart for marriage, family, and kids really came out today.
• Rachel pulled no punches today and spoke boldly. Said some things we needed to hear!
• Great group of Meadowites too on this holiday weekend.
• Today is my parent's 56th wedding anniversary. They are truly a model for all marriages.
• Meadow volunteers are the absolute best! I can't say enough about how they so selflessly serve each week and sacrifice their time to serve others.
• I'm really pumped about the new series ("My Church Rocks") starting next Sunday. This could be the most challenging, inspiring, and motivating series we've done at Meadow.
• Starting next week, we are going to weekly communion. I am totally excited about this and believe it will raise the quality and meaningfulness of our worship to heights we can't even imagine.
• We would appreciate your prayers & suggestions because this will take some creativity and thought to make sure it stays fresh each week.
• Communion will be weekly for this next series. If it goes well and we can keep it fresh, we will continue it.
• Might take some time off this week to go fishing.
• We've hit a snag with the negotiations in our pursuit of purchasing the REX. We have a top dollar we can afford and we are close but not where the seller wants. KEEP PRAYING and don't lose hope!!!
• Offerings have been a bit low recently raising my stress level. I would appreciate your prayers. Let's ask God to keep us all faithful in our tithing and to give us wisdom in using the financial resources He brings us to do ministry.
• A disappointing conversation this week has turned into a step of hope and moving forward. I hope to be able to share more later.
• Friday's Flyball training with Buddy didn't go so well. So much depends on me and I just couldn't get my head in it. One more week and then I hope Buddy is invited to join the selected summer training.
• This morning during Rachel's message, I was reminded several times of how priviledged I am to be married to Sandy. I love her more each day.
• Did I say that I am totally stoked about the series starting next Sunday?
• You have to do everything possible to be here and invite your friends to come with you - especially friends that may have given up on the church. Ask them to give it one more chance and come to Meadow.
• I am convinced your sense of personal "wow" will be magnified a thousand times because of this series.
• If you haven't seen the video trailer - check it out here ... "My Church Rocks"
• Send it to your friends when you invite them.
• Can't believe my son is getting married in less than two weeks.
• KEEP PRAYING about the REX!! God is in this and is teaching us all patience. And pray for me that I won't "count my chickens before the hatch"!
• That's it for now. Later.
• Oh...one more thing - I'd appreciate your thoughts on anything I've said. Comments & feedback are welcome!

Looking for something to do because of the weather?

It rained this morning and this afternoon and evening. Tomorrow it's supposed to be hot (90 degrees) and humid with more severe storms in the evening. Your outdoor plans have been shattered. You're going stir crazy. What to do?

Try this.

Try church - more specifically, try Meadow Spring. Trust me, you won't regret it tomorrow. Rachel Carlson, our Family Pastor, will be speaking and the music by our live band will knock your socks off. Your kids will have a blast, we have free gourmet coffee and free bagels and pastries, AND you will stay dry and cool for the whole experience!

If it's been awhile since you've been to church - try it.

If you've been thinking about checking Meadow out - tomorrow is a great day to do just that.

We meet at 9:30 am in the Marcus Movie Theatre located in the Shakopee Town Square. For more info and directions check out our web site at MeadowSpring.org.

I hope to see you tomorrow...dry, cool, low humidity, comfortable stadium seating, great (and free) refreshments, awesome music, powerful message, and fun kids program.

Sunday Mind Dump

• Wow ... was the band ever on target this morning! I'm always impressed with our worship, but this morning was REALLY awesome!
• Had a lot of people gone this morning - smaller crowd but overall another great morning.
• Solid offering considering the number of people here. I'm so humbled but how giving Meadowites are! Wow!
• Had two groups of Meadowites over today for bbq burgers and to talk about Imagine and our dreams for the REX. What a great time! I love spending time with Meadowites!
• Rachel Carlson is preaching next week and I am so looking forward to her message on the family, parenting, and marriage. It is the one subject she is so passionate about.
• I really hope we hear back from the seller this week on his response to our counter offer. I believe we are so close to making a deal, I can taste it!
• I keep thinking about no more set up/tear down and what all we will be able to do with leaving things set up permanently ... IF we make a deal and purchase the REX.
• I have to be careful and not "count my chickens before they hatch" on this whole REX deal. I really do feel good about what's happening, but it's not a done deal until we have signed on the dotted line!
• I love it when people use our text prayer line both on Sunday mornings and during the week.
• Can't believe my son is getting married in 3 weeks. I'm feeling very old.
• Not only am I pumped about Rachel speaking next week, I'm pumped about taking some time off during the week. I'm really tired and will be putting some time in on the lake wetting a line.
• The next series starting June 3 is "My Church Rocks" and it's gonna be a series like no other at Meadow as we are challenged and inspired about the church on a level most do not think is possible.
• I know a teaching series on the church sounds kind of boring, but trust me...this is going to rock your world. I've never done a series like this!
• Sandy just mentioned that tonight is a lunar eclipse. I think I'll see it from the comfort of my bed with my eyes closed.
• Speaking of Sandy...I think I'm in love with her - no - I KNOW I'm in love.
• We are planning on being in both the Chaska River City Days Parade and the Shakopee Derby Days Parade - we haven't done the parades in a few years and I'm stoked about it again!
• BTW...we are looking for a large flatbed trailer and truck. If you have one or know of someone who does - let me know.
• I just finished watching the rerun of this week's "America's Got Talent" - good show but does anyone else think there's too much emphasis on Howard Stern?
• I'm beat and my brain is fried. Later.

When a good kid goes bad...

As a parent, it is the height of heartbreak, stress, frustration, and even anger. Your child begins to make choices against your will and chooses behavior and a lifestyle that's contrary to what you want and how you raised him/her.

What makes it more frustrating is that you don't know what to do. You want to sit down with your child and have a real face-to-face talk and convince them to make better choices. But you know that won't work because right now, they aren't listening to you.

This Sunday I am speaking on "When a Good Kid Goes Bad". I will be talking about common traits of a wayward child and I will be giving practical advise based on Biblical truth of what a parent can do.

It is not a hopeless situation. There can be a happy ending.

I hope you will join us this Sunday at Meadow. We meet every Sunday at 9:30 am in the Marcus Movie Theatre located in the Shakopee Town Square Mall. For more info go to www.MeadowSpring.org.

See you Sunday!

I'm All In...

You've got to read this story...

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I want to share my story, and how Meadow has brought me into a more refreshing relationship with Jesus Christ. 

I really appreciate the down to earth , easy to understand, messages. My children have a much more positive view of God from how Meadow teaches the Bible. My kids and husband are the reason I switched from my previous church to Meadow. My kids needed to enjoy church and have their souls nourished from God's Word. My husband is not a Christian and needs to meet God in a different enviroment than my previous church.

Your series on God versus religion still comes to my mind. For me that series helped me feel more comfortable at Meadow. After much prayer, and my desire to see my husband know Jesus and my kids grow in their faith, I am committed to being all in at Meadow. I know that is where God wants me now. My husband and kids absolutely love this church, especially the music and the casual feel.

And ever since I have started tithing, and made a committment to the Imagine fund, God has been changing my heart to trust Him more and I am shocked at how God has provided for my family since then.

I'm even more convinced that Meadow Spring is where God wants my family to be.

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What's your story about how Meadow has guided you into a refreshing relationship with Christ? I'd like to hear it!

 

I love how God is working in Meadow

Lives are being changed at Meadow! Check out the email I just got:  

I just watched and listened to yesterday's message. And loved it. You were dead on with what all parents needed to hear.

Also, it dawned on me when you mentioned to have Jesus restore the joy of our salvation that since I have been attending Meadow that is exactly what Jesus has done for me. I have been able to still be a Christian yet have fun laughing with my family and friends and not be boring. Fun meaning it is OK to laugh, it is OK to let this joy show. Not fun as in drinking and swearing but fun as in letting the JOY of the Lord just flow out of me.

My boss has even mentioned to me that she has noticed that I just seem happier, less stressed etc. I have to give God all the glory he has restored the joy of my salvation.

I love how God is working in Meadow.

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If you have a story of how God is using Meadow in your life, I'd love to hear it!

Sunday Mind Dump

• CRAZY morning. Several unplanned "issues" came up that sort of threw some of us off a bit, but thanks to our volunteers and staff - it all came together and the service went pretty well!
• I am so proud of all our volunteers...from those who come in early for set up, to those who serve in MeadowKIDS, to the band and tech teams, to those who stay late for tear down, to those who assemble programs and make coffee and set out bagels...our volunteers totally ROCK!
• Finally, after three attempts, we got to see The Avengers. GREAT movie!
• I feel really good at what is happening with the negotiations with the REX. It appears the seller really wants to work with us and our creative package/offer. 
• KEEP PRAYING!!!
• The openness of our office area is really starting to bug me. There are several private conversations I've wanted to have, but can't because anything said is heard by anyone else in the office area.
• Anybody else think this weather is AWESOME!?
• Today was the third Sunday we've had the elementary kids come in for our worship time. I'd like to know what you think? Should we make it a regular deal?
• Next Sunday my message is "When a Good Kid Goes Bad" and I will be talking boldly about the issue of when a child chooses to live a life contrary to what parents want them to live.
• We started the "My Church Rocks" promo today.  The video is REALLY great and I am always more and more impressed with the quality of what our tech team turns out.
• You can watch the video here.  My Church Rocks trailer
• I think Mother's Day is becoming less and less a day to take mom to church. Just my gut feeling, but growing up, it was a big day to go to church. I don't think its that way anymore with over 70% of our community not regularly in church.
• If you haven't "liked" the Meadow Spring Facebook page - you need to in order to keep up with all the latest news and happenings. You can get to it here... Meadow Spring Facebook
• Yesterday was fishing opener and I still have to finish getting my boat ready and my fishing license. Probably will do that this week sometime.
• Hands down...our set up and tear down teams are the hardest working and selfless volunteers we have at Meadow.
• Very strong offering today. This is great because anything beyond what we need for expenses is going into our Imagine Fund to help with the purchase and move to the REX (IF we get the REX!)
• Kids fixed lunch today for Sandy ... chicken tacos, strawberry shortcake, mmmmmmmmm!!!
• I am so pumped about the REX and I need to be careful. Too many times things like that that appear to be moving in the right direction - something happens and they come to a drastic stop.
• It is so easy to start thinking "WHEN" we move to the REX - gotta be cautious!
• We decided this week to put our band in the Shakopee Derby Days parade. We haven't done that for several years. It will be great to get in it again.
• AND...we are looking into being in the Chaska River City Days Parade. We don't want to tax our volunteers too much but if we move to the REX, exposure in Chaska would be prime!
• Well...time to go get flowers to plant outside with Sandy. It's her Mother's Day tradition (my Father's Day tradition is ... a nap.)
• Later!

Update on REX

I thought I would give a quick update on what's happening with our desire and pursuit of purchasing the REX movie theater in Chaska for our first permanent home.

First...KEEP PRAYING!!!

Two weeks ago, we submitted an offer and this week we received a counter offer from the seller. Good news is that we are in the same ballpark and the seller has a desire to work with us. Bad news is that the counter offer was beyond what we could afford.

Let me remind everyone that as badly as we want to purchase this building, we will not if it means putting Meadow in a financial position beyond what we can afford now. The staff and Leadership Team are very committed to holding the line on this - even if if means choosing not to pursue the REX anymore.

In response to the seller's counter offer (which we can't afford), we (the Leadership Team) met and decided on a response - a counter to the seller's counter. This response will be submitted to the seller sometime today (Friday) or over the weekend.

So where are we at? We will wait to hear back from the seller on our latest offer which could be early next week or could take a couple weeks. In the mean time KEEP PRAYING!!!

One positive is that the seller has offered to meet with us face to face to discuss the deal. This is very positive and we will be taking him up on that in the near future.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me at john@meadowspring.org. I can't share any of the details of the negotiations, but I will share as much as I can without jeopardizing the process.

In the meantime ... KEEP PRAYING!!!

If you like to talk on the phone...

If you like to talk on the phone, have I got a perfect volunteer ministry for you! Yes, there is an opportunity just waiting for you at Meadow where you can make a HUGE difference just by dialing a few numbers and talking.

Here's the deal, I am NOT good at talking on the phone. The shorter the phone conversation, the better in my opinion. BUT...I want to get better at staying in touch with everyone at Meadow. I want to know what's happening, what I can be praying for, questions people might have, etc.

I am looking for 8-10 individuals who will help me contact everyone at Meadow by phone just to see how they are doing and if there is anything we can be praying about. You will be given about 10 people to call and talk to a couple times a year. It's a very simple ministry but requires some great listeners and phone conversationalists.

If you would like to know more about this new ministry, please contact me via phone (612-616-7982) or via email (john@meadowspring.org).

This Coming Sunday...

I am totally looking forward to the third week in "The Perfect Kid". Here is a sneak peek at the beginning of my message:

"When your kids come home, what kind of home do they walk into? Our kids are in a battle all day long and between school, friends, home, work, dating, soccer, dance, etc., they need a place where they can come and drop their armor at the door and be safe and be themselves. It needs to be a place where they know they will be accepted not judged, protected not attacked, loved not rejected."

Invite a friend to come with you. It's Mother's Day so bring your mom too!