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Our "Norm" is "Different" to Others

I got a very cool email today from an attender at Meadow who got an email from a friend she had invited and who came yesterday.  Here is a portion of that email...

"It's much different than what I'm use to and will take some more getting use to, though I do plan on going next week - I have to at least see how this series goes!!!  The energy was so positive that alone was refreshing.  And like I said - everyone was so nice!!!"

Not only is this a very cool email and says A LOT about Meadow, how we do church, and the great people who come - but what grabbed my attention is the statement, "It's much different than what I'm use to and will take some more getting use to..."

What we (those of us who come to Meadow) have to continually keep in mind is that our refreshing ministry is very different to most people who come for the first time.  And I mean different in good way.

Remember the first time you walked into the movie theater to go to church?  What was going through your mind?  What were you expecting?  What were you thinking and feeling when you saw the canopies out in the mall atrium?  What went through your mind as you registered your kids and watched them disappear into a room that was overflowing with energy?  What about when you walked into the theater and saw the stage, the stage lighting, the drums, the keyboard, the guitars, the amps and speakers all set up, and the huge image on the screen?  Then the band kicked in with a song that is so not what you were expecting in church.  (This is definitely NOT what you saw on Saturday night when you came to the movie!)

All of this and more contributes to being "refreshing" - BUT... while it is the "norm" to us, it is very different to guests...a good different.

It is very impressive, but what makes it very impressive and what helps to alleviate any stress or hesitations - is you.  Keep helping people.  Keep serving people.  Never forget your first time at Meadow and what would have helped you enjoy it even more.  Then - just do that with anyone you see who you haven't met.

It is going to be HUGE!!!

You know that thing I have mentioned that is going to be huge?  It just got even more HUGE!

You are not going to believe what God is laying out for us this summer!!!!

How did it feel to you?

Okay...I NEED your input on this.  Either comment here or send me an email.

If you were in the theater yesterday - how did it feel to you?  Full?  Too full?  Where were you sitting?  From your perspective, how many empty seats did you notice (if you noticed)?

If you felt it was full or too full, what suggestions do you have to alleviate this?  (We sure don't want anyone coming and leaving because they felt it was too full!) 

BTW...all suggestions are welcome - no matter how crazy they might be!

My son with Mae

For all you music lovers.  My son is second from the left.  The others are the band members of Mae.  He spent this afternoon with them.  Yes, he is very cool!  For more pics, go to www.wvoe.fm.

 

Meadow MAX #1

I just knew it was going to be a "smokin'" day when I walked into the mall this morning and could still smell the smoke in the hallway from the fire in the women's bathroom last night.  And "smokin'" it was!  This was an outstanding morning!

Band kicked it off with Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" and THEY NAILED IT!!!  And that was just the beginning.  The worship songs and Wayde's performance of "Lifesong" were off the chart!!!  I am so proud of Tim, Patti, Brandon, Daryl, Mike, Ruth, and Wayde.  And Jeff on the sound board was a mixing master today!

I feel good about my message - one of reasons is that I felt great.  Probably the best I have felt in 3 months!  (message is posted and linked on the left margin under Teaching Podcasts).

We had several new families today - invited here by people from Meadow.  This always pumps me up!  And a BUNCH of communication cards were turned in that said people were going to be inviting friends to come back with them next week!

Feeding Myself - the Side Dishes

The primary way I feed myself spiritually is my time alone with God.  It is my "Main Course".  However, it is not the only way I feed myself spiritually.  Here are some of what you might call "side dishes".

Listening to other Bible teachers.  I currently subscribe to the teaching of 7 churches and pastors via iTunes.  They are free and automatic downloads.  I would subscribe to more, but I just don't have the time to listen to them all.  Once in awhile I will download and listen to others, but these are the regular ones.  I put them on my MP3 player and listen to them when I am working out at the gym.  These men and women influence my thinking and influence my teaching and influence my leadership.  In fact, if you listen to these men, there will be times you will hear me say something and will think, "I think I have heard that before."  Yes, you probably have.  It came from one of these men.

Who are they?  Steven Furtick at Elevation, Craig Groeshel at LifeChurch, Mark Beeson at Granger, Andy Stanley at North Point, Perry Noble at New Spring, Gary Lamb at Revolution Church (church that meets in a movie theater), and Scott Hodge at The Orchard Church are the 7 I download.  Tomorrow I might add another.  Who knows.  Right now - out of these seven - Perry Noble, Gary Lamb, and Andy Stanley seem to be what I am listening to most.

Listening to 1faith.fm - This is the online streaming music I have playing most of the time on my computer when I am in the office.  It is playing at a low volume.  I don't really listen to it with focus.  It is just playing.  I consider this like breathing air.  I don't really think about breathing or the air I am breathing.  It is just there and it affects me.  Listening to Christian music like this - even without focus - affects me.

Listening to worship music - Now that the weather is nicer, I like to get out and go for walks.  When I do, I listen to worship music on my MP3 player.  And I really listen.  I focus on the words of the songs as they play.  I pray along with the songs.  These walks are very focused times of worship and prayer for me.  There are so many times that God usese these walks and music to impress on me how I can be more like Him and how we at Meadow can be more of the church He wants us to be.  Some of the artists I listen to are Chris Tomlin, Aaron Shust, The Desperation Band, David Crowder Band, Todd Agnew, Lincoln Brewster.

Reading books - most of the books I read are more in the genre of leadership, strategy, marketing, etc.  And I don't consider those part of my "spiritual" diet.  However, I will pick up here and there books that strictly are focused on my relationship with Christ.  The most recent book I read was "Facedown" by Matt Redman.  It is an amazing book on worship.

Okay...this is freaky

If you read my last post, you read that God is brewing something in my brain - something that we have never done or attempted at Meadow - something absolutely ridiculous and HUGE.  When this started perking in me last week, a number came to my mind - a scary number - a VERY scary number.  My first reaction to this number was, "How in the world will we do that?"  Then I started doing the math and dividing it by weeks and budget and people and the more I did my reasonable, common sense stuff - the more skeptical I became.

Now...this will make a lot more sense to you over the next several weeks as you hear about it all.  I am not ready to talk about it yet.  (I hope to explain it all on Sunday, April 27).

BUT...I got an email from someone at Meadow - who had no clue what I had been thinking.  It was about an event that we could possibly be a part of.  As I read this email, my jaw dropped in absolute amazing disbelief!!!  This would be one piece to seeing the BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) for this summer become reality!!!

The timing of this email and what I have been thinking...is freaky.  You might even think there was some kind of God out there who knew what He was doing!!!

How big is your God?  Mine keeps getting bigger and bigger!

Voice Trumps Budget - Everytime

Voice Trumps Budget

Great post by Jeff Maness, pastor of Element Church in Cheyenne, WY.  They meet in a movie theater and are rockin' the place out!

This post NAILS it!  Especially since I believe God is leading us to do some insanely outrageous things this summer that will go against common sense and will go against budget.  (I will be sharing more about this on April 27.)  Those of you who keep a close eye on the numbers and money are now freaking out because - although you won't admit it - you let the budget determine the will of God and what we should do.  God does guide through our budget - but there are times when God says, "You know, I am a lot bigger than your budget.  You just have to trust Me on this one."

Feeding Myself - the Main Course

This Sunday I will be teaching on the non-negotiable of spiritually feeding yourself if you want to keep your faith fresh, growing, and "invigorating".  (Here's a link to a 30 second teaser video for this new series.  "Meadow Spring MAX")

Here is how I feed myself.  If you attend Meadow, you need to know how I (and the other staff and leaders at Meadow) spiritually feed myself.  It is a non-negotiable for every Christian to feed themselves and to stay fresh in scripture - but even more so, any pastor, church leader, community group leader - must be feeding themselves.

#1 Way:  You might call this my main course.  It is my time alone with God in the mornings when I read scripture and pray.  I do this first thing in the morning.  My goal is every day.  I wish I could say I am perfect, but there are days I do miss.  You can follow what I am reading and learning at my online journal Journey of a Growing Faith.

This is actually extremely risky for me to open up my personal journey to you or anyone else for that matter.  Because as soon as I open it up, it becomes public and comes under the scrutiny of both supporters and critics.  (Yes, I have critics who come to my blog and then use what I say against me and against Meadow.)  And critics will always find something to point their fingers at and debate about.  Please understand that this is my personal "journey" (which means I have not arrived yet) of a "growing" (which means I have A LOT to learn still) faith.  It is what and how God is dealing in my heart.  Many times it is encouraging.  But be aware that there are times it gets nasty as God does surgery on my attitudes, behavior, lifestyle, perspectives, etc.  There are times I really struggle with something God is pressing on me.  And there are times I just vent to God.  Writing out my thoughts helps me process it all and let it sink in.

However, I open it up to you because you need to keep me accountable.  If I am not regularly and frequently spending time alone with God in scripture and prayer - I am disqualifying myself from being a pastor and church leader.

Keep in mind too that my journey is not your journey.  If what God is teaching me helps you - great.  But please do not substitute your time alone with God with what I am learning in my time alone with God.  You need to open up your Bible and read and ask God to teach you.  He teaches me things for my life and prepares me for things in my life and gives me direction for my life.  My life is not your life.

I just finished up reading 1 Timothy.  Acts is next.  My primary resource is my Bible.  To help me dig the gems from scripture, I consistently use two other tools ... Net Bible and Wordsearch Bible Software.

Tomorrow I will share other ways I feed myself spiritually.

Seriously Great Day

This has, without doubt, been one of the greatest days I have had in a LONG time.  I am feeling a whole lot better, went to the gym and sweat my brains out, cooked a delicious salmon dinner with Sandy tonight.

But what really made this a great day is I spent time writing my message for April 27.  I am still working on it, but I can't wait!  Seriously - this is going to be a Sunday that will pump you up as I talk about our vision.

Now...most of what you will hear you have probably heard before - because our vision does not and has not changed.  But what will be a major difference is the way we look at it this time.  God has really been pressing on my heart and brain that our vision is about people not things.  It is a vision about what we do really well and making that even better.  It is God's vision for Meadow Spring which we will pursue together and make a major difference in the lives of people.  It is not about land or buildings or capital campaigns.  It is about serving people, reaching people, teaching people, and growing people in a refreshing relationship with Jesus.

Check out Acts 2:42-47 and you will get a very good idea what has been charging me up and sitting in my brain and heart.

In additon to this, I feel extremely good about what God is teaching me in my coaching relationship through Ministry Advantage.  There are some things I have let slip - some real key elements of a healthy ministry.  Bit by bit, we are tackling this the right way - not rushing thru it (which is my tendency).

Part of this has been some extremely helpful input by community group leaders and ministry team leaders.  I can think one thing, but what the leadership of this church thinks is a huge factor in knowing where we are at and where we need to go.  We have got an awesome team of community group and ministry team leaders and today they have been sending me exactly what I need to hear (it may not be what I WANT to hear - but it is what I NEED to hear.)

Yup...this has been a seriously GREAT day!

My awesome son

I am so proud of my son.  Not only is he on staff in the programming department at KS95 where he does voice overs for commercials.  But he also has his own radio show on WVOE, the Northwestern College campus radio station.  It airs every Wednesday from 5-7 PM.  You can listen to it online at www.wvoe.fm.

Two weeks ago, he invited Kutless to WVOE where he interviewed them and they recorded two songs.  The pic is of him sitting at the board and the guys from Kutless talking to him.  This week and next, he will be meeting with and interviewing Thousand Foot Krutch, Skillet, and Mae.

Is that awesome or what!!?  MY son!!!

New Churches & Pastors

Yesterday, I had coffee with Rob O'Neil.  He is the church plant pastor for a new church Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie is starting in Shakopee this fall.  This church will not be baptist like Wooddale, but will actually be part of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.

Last week I also met Jay Perry who is the Lead Pastor of Renew Church which hopes to start weekly services this fall as well.  Renew Church is a Seventh Day Adventist Church.

I had a great conversation with Pat Simmons the new pastor of Christ Lutheran Church here in Shakopee.  It only took a few minutes for me to hear a man who has a real heart for developing community and ministry through small groups.

Someone asked me if I was concerned that new churches were coming to town.

Let me be absolutely clear on this... I am concerned that there are not MORE churches coming to town.  We need more churches!  We need more churches who are seeking to connect the disconnected and draw those who are far from God to Christ!  I am totally pumped that there are two new churches coming and a new pastor who has a heart for small groups.

Will they be different than Meadow?  Of course they will.  Their strategy, style, personality, methodology, structure, and even some points of doctrine will be different.  But different doesn't mean better or worse.  It just means "different".  It means they will reach and connect with people Meadow isn't with our strategy, style, personality, methodoloty, structure, and doctrine.

You see...south of the Minnesota River, there are over 100,000 people within a 20 minute drive.  70% of those people are not living a refreshing relationship with Jesus Christ!  70%!!!!  That is 70,000 people!  (And that figure is actually conservative!)  That should stun and rock every follower of Christ to the very depths of their soul!!!

There is no way one church, or two churches, or three churches, or four churches can reach 70,000 people.  We need more churches in this community.  And we need to pray for these new churches and we need to pray that God will bring more churches to this community.

Being concerned about new churches coming to town is having the mindset that this town belongs to us.  Guess what?  It doesn't.  It belongs to God.  It also means the mindset that other churches are our competition.  Guess what?  They aren't.  Our competition is not other churches.  Please hear me.  Meadow Spring does not compete with other churches.  Our competition is everything that may steal the hearts and interests of people away from Jesus Christ!

I ask you to pray for Rob O'Neil and Jay Perry and Pat Simmons.  Ask God to use them to lead churches toward making a mark and bringing people into the kingdom and family of God.

Not just a cool, contemporary church

I have a bazillion things running thru my brain today as I am pouring over our mission and vision.  So much I can't write fast enough of things that are popping - some are totally crazy, scary, and insanely ridiculous.  I just need to pray and pray and pray over all of this and listen to God's direction and discernment to make sure what we are doing and will be doing is His direction not mine.

Over the last several days, one of the things God has been reminding me of and pounding into my brain and heart even deeper is our commitment to reaching the 70% in our community who are not living a refreshing relationship with Jesus.  This means pursuing ministry values and strategy and methods and framework that is unorthodox, unique, different, even provocative - whatever it takes to connect those far from God to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

It means we are not going to just be a cool, contemporary church that strokes Christians in their comfort zones as they "talk" about reaching the lost and unchurched.  We are actually going to do ministry and provide experiences that culturally attract and identifies with those who are not in the church, don't know church lingo, couldn't give a rip about big spiritual words like "ecclesiology" or "dispensationalism", have zero interest in Christian music or Christian radio, and would rather be at the ball game with a Budweiser in their hand than be in church.

The Meadow Buzz

I am thinking through and sweating over our vision - making it clearer, making sure we are on target, making sure we are doing what God is calling us to do, etc.

Part of this process is to review the emails and stories and things people have sent me regarding Meadow and what God is doing in their lives through Meadow.  Here is one from Rich & Andrea...

"We love Meadow Spring, because the pastor wears blue jeans, and uses the words 'dude' and 'awesome' at least once per week.  Okay, on a more serious note ... Meadow Spring is refreshing because the concept of God is presented in a simple and easy to understand way. Church is no longer an uncomfortable, intimidating, or boring place to go. For the first time, we look forward to going to church, and we always leave feeling better than when we came in.

It's different because the message is all about having a relationship with Jesus. God is not someone we should fear or try to hide from, and there is not a long checklist of things we need to do or say to be accepted by God. The relationship is already there, we just have to embrace it.

Our kids love going to Meadow Spring because they are learning about God in fun and creative ways. We don't have to drag them to church. Church has become fun, and they look forward to going. They especially like that they get to play the air guitar while singing songs about God.

Meadow Spring is a church made up of regular everyday people. The atmosphere isn't formal or stuffy. Anyone could walk in the door and feel like they fit in, no matter what their status in life is...and the band is awesome!!!"

125th SFD Commerative Button

2008 marks the 125th year the Shakopee Fire Department has been serving the great community of Shakopee.  We are planning a MAJOR community celebration this coming fall.  This celebration will include a fire station open house, firefighter combat challenge, fire muster, water fights, antique and new fire truck parade, Shaw Brothers dance, and fire works.  In addition to all those who will be coming from our own community, we are expecting hundreds and hundreds of firefighters from all over the state to come and enjoy the celebration.

This celebration will be free to all those who come.  But putting it on is not free so we are selling "125th SFD Commerative Buttons".  $10.00 each.  The cash raised will go toward putting on this great community celebration.  This is far more than a fundraiser - it is a way to partner with the Shakopee Fire Department in providing an awesome event that our department - and more so - our community deserves.

If you would like a button - email me and let me know.  If you live out of town, I'll mail it to you.  (You don't need to live in Shakopee to be a part of this.)  If you own a business, maybe get several and hand them out to your staff, employees, or customers as gifts.  Make checks out to Shakopee Fire Department.

This button is NOT required to come to the celebration.  The celebration is free.  However, all those who purchase a button and come, will be entered into a raffle.  But that is minor compared to what you are contributing and helping us do for the Shakopee community.

Next Two Days

I'm taking the next two days to do some focused thinking, praying, and writing about our vision and what's next on the radar for us.  I won't be in the office.  If you think of it, pray for me that I will hear the promptings of God clearly.

Maturity = Immaturity

Every once in awhile, someone will make the comment about Meadow, "You know, Meadow is a good church, but it is more for the 'new' Christian who is still learning.  I need something deeper, more 'meatier'."  Then this Christian will usually leave Meadow to seek a more mature church where they can be fed more meat.  In reality they are actually admitting their pride and saying, "Because Meadow has many new Christians and people who have not yet made the decision to receive Christ, I need something else because I am more mature."

This post by Tim Stevens puts this in a great light.  This is one worth reading and re-reading.

Thanks Tim and thanks Mark Beeson.

Maturity = Immaturity

Speechless

I am just amazed and speechless about today.  I don't even know where to start or how to blog about it.  Both services were absolutely amazing!

The band held nothing back.  Jessi's solo of "Bring Me to Life" was even more intense than I was anticipating.  Tim's solo of "He's Alive" was nothing short of spine-tingling.  Nick Dennen's story of how God brings new life and purpose out of adversity and darkness had everyone listening to every word.

So many first time guests.  I don't think the lower section in the theater has ever been that full!  The energy was electrifying!  So many volunteers that made major sacrifices to come in early and stay late.  We have the greatest team of volunteers!

One of the objective factors we use to determine if God was working and changing hearts and lives today is what we see on Communication Cards.  Granted, not everyone fills out communication cards and I believe there are decisions that are made that are not indicated on the cards - but many said they were coming back next week and inviting a friend to come with them!

The greatest number is that 5 people became Followers of Christ today!

One of the coolest comments given was this... "Please please pray for my friends.  Please help me bring them to church and let you open their eyes like you did for me!"

Is that not an incredible thing to pray for?!!!  What would it be like if every one of us had that sense of urgency and desperation to get our friends to Meadow where they will hear about Jesus!

What if we woke up every morning pleading with God to reach our friends?!  What if every time we prayed, we asked God to show our friends His refreshing life?!  Our lives, our church, our community, our world - would NEVER be the same!

For me...and for you

• Matthew 26:50 (NIV)  "Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him."
• Matthew 26:67 (NIV)  "Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.  Others slapped him."
• Matthew 27:26 (NIV)  "...he had Jesus flogged..."
• Matthew 27:28 (NIV)  "They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him."
• Matthew 27:29 (NIV)  "...then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head."
• Matthew 27:30 (NIV)  "They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again."
• Matthew 27:31 (NIV)  "...they mocked him..."
• Matthew 27:35 (NIV)  "...they had him crucified..."

For me.

And for you.

Easter - Sneak Peak

It's all coming together today and the atmosphere here in the office is buzzing.  This Sunday is going to ROCK!!!!!

If you are going to be out of town - I'm so sorry that you are going to miss one of the best services EVER at Meadow!  You will just have to hear about it when you get back.

For those who will be here and your friends who are coming with you, here is a sneak peak at what's on the table...

• Awesome music of Joe Satriani, Rich Mullins, Ross Parsley, and Paul Baloche.
• Spine tingling performance by Tim Armstrong singing "He's Alive"
• Drama that will rip your heart out with the reality no parent wants to face.
• Intense performace by Jessi Laeger singing "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence.
• Special guest Nick Dennen telling his story and journey of a traumatic brain injury.
• The launch of our next totally awesome series that starts a week from Sunday.

This WILL BE an Easter you will never forget!

NOTE:  DO NOT BE ONE MINUTE LATE!!!  Be here, in your seat when the service starts or you will miss out!  And remember ... two services.  8:30 & 10:00 AM.