Friend Weekend Is September 11th

The last few weeks at Skyline have been to say the least incredible.  Excitement abounds as people begin to see vision become reality.  In the last month we have seen 5 more people come to Christ, we witnessed 9 people follow Christ in baptism, we averaged 186 in total attendance (which included the biggest "non-big-day" Sunday in Skyline's history at 213) and 54 children in our ARC children's ministry.  We have had over 20 new people serving in ministry and on top of that we celebrate 38 people who have expressed their desire to take part in our Honduras medical mission trip slated for September of 2012.  Great things are happening and I for one am pumped to be part of it.  I know that you are too.

On September 11th, we will have a very special Sunday called "Friend Weekend."  While we constantly encourage the people of Skyline to be inviters, this particular Sunday is a challenge for everyone to do it in one shot.  I have already put out the challenge to make it really tough on our children's workers (which they are pumped and ready for) as numerous new families grace the doors of O'Fallon Township High School, but let's not just stop there...let's test our first impressions team as we fill the auditorium as well.

On Friend Weekend, we will begin a special sermon series all about friendship, so it is the perfect opportunity to invest in those relationships who are closest to you and you might even make a few new friends in the process.  Below is a 6 point challenge for everyone who calls Skyline their church family.  Are you up to it?

1.)  Most importantly, PRAY!  Pray for the people you will invite to friend weekend.  Pray that God will soften their heart so they are open to your invitation.  Pray for those people who are your acquaintances at work, those people who you see at the gas station everyday, or those who are the counter workers at your favorite restaurant.  (You can and should invite them too).

2.) Don't become a sheep rustler!!!  Do not....I repeat, DO NOT invite your friends who already have a church home.  We are not in the business of finding found sheep.  It is for the lost sheep (those who do not have God in their life) that we exist for.  If you don't have any friends who do not go to church, it will help you to fulfill your mission in life to make some.

3.)  Arm yourself.  We have 5,000 invitation cards available that were designed specifically for this weekend.  Use them to invite your friends, co-workers, family, or anyone else you come into contact with.

4.)  Consider inviting your friends out to eat after church that weekend.  Who can pass up a free meal?  I know it is hard for me to pass one up, especially when it is with someone I care about.

5.)  Have courage.  Don't be afraid to share what God has done in your life through Skyline.  You don't have to break scripture down word for word, you are called to be a witness to what He has done for your life.

6.)  Be excited.  If you are motivated by what is happening at Skyline, don't hide it....Shout it to the rooftops.  Life transformation is happening all around us.  Share it, be part of it.

In addition to our invitation cards, we will also be posting a series of videos called "My Skyline Story" that you can use to invite your online social networks via facebook and twitter.  You can simply paste the link to each story into your status bar which will place the video on your wall for everyone in your friend's list to see.

Also, don't miss the many other opportunities that are just around the corner.  Connection Groups are just about ready to fire up for our final semester of 2011, we have many ministry opportunities on the weekend for you to be part of, and there is a door hanger outreach with 5,000 door hangers on September 24th.  

This is only the beginning of what God can do through Skyline Church.  Don't miss your chance to get in on the action as we spread the word of the best kept secret in O'Fallon, IL.

Beautiful Feet - The Crossroads Crew

"Some beautiful feet after a long hard day of sharing the love of Christ."

"And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-16

This past week the Crossroads Student Ministry of Skyline Church journeyed west to Galveston, TX on a "Mission From God".  The Crossroads Ministry is compromised mostly of teen aged students from our church and a few sprinkled in from churches around the area.  Their heart is to serve....PERIOD!  Don't get me wrong, they do plenty of really cool things just for fun and for the sake of craziness just as any student ministry does, but this group of young men and women have it figured out.

I am thankful for the leadership of David and Joanie Ranz (as well as the other adult volunteers that help out along the way).  They have helped to instill a heart for others in the lives of those they serve.

They have been involved in so many different initiatives to help under-served people and para-church organizations and have truly shown a glimpse of what it means to be the hands and feet of God.  This particular trip was laden with trial after trial...setback after setback.  The beautiful part is that the Crossroads Crew did not allow any of this to stand in their way of sharing the love of Christ and His Gospel.  From van trouble to long layovers, Satan tried everything in his power to stop the Crossroads train to no avail.

I have alway and will always believe this statement, "Satan attacks those the most, whom he fears the most."  He was definitely scared of this rag-tag group of soldiers, but God gave them victory regardless.

I am glad their trip was fruitful for the Kingdom.  I am glad they stood firm in their mission.  I am glad they made it home safe and sound.  And I am glad they are part of Skyline Church.

Your challenge (Skyline Church) is to let them know how much this ministry of our church family means to you.  They are the future of this world, they are the future of this country, and they are the future of our faith.  The future looks bright from my perspective.  I love you guys and am proud of what you do!!!  Your feet truly are BEAUTIFUL!!!

Thoughts On Skyline This Week

I have said it before and I will proclaim it again and again and again and......"I am so thankful that God sent me to Skyline!"  The people of our church family are incredible.  Everywhere I turn, I see people helping people, I see people broken for people, I see people sharing with people.  I see the heart of Christ in soooo many that call Skyline home.

I see it on the weekend as people serve with gladness.  I see it outside of the weekend as people serve the needs of others through mission projects and community service.  I see it in the offering as people invest in the ministry of God's church through their tithes and offerings.  I see it in the Communication Cards as people share prayer requests, not only for the sick, but for the broken and the lost.  I see it in the new faces that are invited by our Skyline family.  I see it in changed lives.

I see it everywhere and it brings tears of joy to my eyes as I think of what God can and is going to do through this church.  I am humbled that I get to be part of it!  I hope you are too.  There is a feeling of intimacy that people notice, but at the same time there is a spirit of welcoming that people notice as well.  There is commitment to excellence.  There is commitment to attendance.  There is commitment to evangelism.

Need I say more?  I pastor an INCREDIBLE church!!!

As awesome as that is, there must be a challenge.  The challenge is to never be satisfied.  The hunger that we have to be all that we can be for God can never be quenched.  The hunger that we have to serve and give can never be quenched.  The hunger that we have to reach the unreached can never be quenched.  Our hunger has to be insatiable.

As we move into the fall, we are entering the time of harvest.  The time of harvest I believe has already begun.  The evidence is there.  People crossing the line of faith nearly every weekend.  New people showing up nearly every weekend.  New people serving in ministry.  New people owning the vision of our church and.....Old people leading the charge.

As we continue forward in this journey of Epic proportions, the harvest will become greater and greater...even a hundred fold.  Let's press forward together and see what God does!!!  Who's with me?

No Blog For The Broken

Last week, while on our (me and my boys) yearly camping adventure, I shared a note on facebook simply because I did not have access to my blog via my phone...so now I transfer this post to The Musing Loft....Let it challenge you.......


This week has been incredible for me and my boys. Our yearly camping adventure has provided great memories and lots of fun. One of my favorite things about the trip has been my time with God in the still of the morning.

I have always found that sleeping in is not an option for me during a camping trip. Maybe it is because of the rocks I sleep on while my children have the comfort of an air mattress, I don't know, but rising at 3 AM does have it's advantages. While the sun has still yet to rise, the peace of the fire and the gentle roar of the lantern always provides intimate time with God.

This morning I was reading the first part of Lamentations and a thought came to my mind that I desperately wanted to share in a blog. That's tough to do without having downloaded a blogging app to my phone. Thank goodness for Facebook notes.

Lamentations 2:11, "I have cried until the tears no longer come; my heart is broken. My spirit is poured out in agony as I see the desperate plight of my people. Little children and tiny babies are fainting and dying in the streets."

Brokenness. I asked myself the question, "How broken am I?". Have I cried so much that the tears have stopped flowing? Have I poured my spirit out in agony because of the desperate plight of our people? Do I even really see those who are dying spiritually in the streets?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes...and no. For those of you who know me well, know of my passion to reach those without Christ. I well see the people around us who are dying inside without the love of Christ. The problem is my agony.

While I pray continuously for the ability to reach these people I can honestly look at my life and say that my agony for them has not been as great as what is described in this verse. You must realize that this verse is not about people dying without Christ, rather the Lamentations over the nation of Israel. Regardless, God broke my heart this morning with this verse.

How desperately I want to pour out my spirit for the broken! How desperately I want to see them rescued by the love of Christ through our church and any other God fearing, truth teaching body of believers.

I find myself thankful for the brokenness I feel this morning. It has been a reawakening of a fire that has always burned inside of my heart.

There is a world beneath our very feet that is withering away from the absence of Christ. Are you broken for it? Have you poured out your heart for it? Or are your prayers of petition simply for those who are sick with a cold? It is time that we allow our hearts to once again be broken deeply for them! It is time that His passion for them becomes our passion for them!

Lamentations 2:18-19, "Cry aloud before the Lord, O walls of beautiful Jerusalem! Let your tears flow like a river day and night. Give yourselves no rest; give your eyes no relief. Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer, pleading for your children, for in every street they are faint and hungry."

They really are faint and hungry. Give yourself no rest for their souls. Give your eyes no relief for their need of Christ. In your community, let your brokenness fuel EVERYTHING you do for the glory of God and the blood of Christ.

Community Kindness Makes A Difference

Some people are down on "Servant Evangelism". Some say, it is "buying" people to church. Some say it is too superficial to be called "evangelism". I say it is sharing God's love in a simple way.

The truth is that community kindness projects will not bring people to a church in droves. It does plant seeds that can overtime germinate into someone coming after they have been reached over and over again through other acts of kindness or mass marketing, but one single project will not bring a lot of people to your church, though you may see a few trickle in from time to time.

What it does do is put a smile on people's faces. This afternoon, a few of us from the Skyline family went out to share a little love in the Father's Day Cookie Blitz. We simply had about 500 bags of cookies complete with a Skyline card that some volunteers put together and we handed them out to men in our community with a simple, "Happy Father's Day!". No pushy invitation to church, no Roman road experience...just a simple gift and a "Happy Father's Day". Will it bring a bunch of new families to Skyline in the morning? I hope so, but maybe not. Let me share with you what it did do as evidence by this email we received just a little while ago.

"Don't know who it was, maybe you, maybe someone else but today while at Lowes in the parking lot someone came up to me with a couple of nicely wrapped cookies, gave them to me and said, "Have a good Fathers day".

I was having a bad day and that random act of kindness was greatly appreciate.
Sometimes the smallest deeds have the greatest impact.

Just wanted to say thank you."

I don't care what anyone says about "servant evangelism"...it makes a difference. Whatever the investment, it puts a smile on someone's face in the name of Jesus. In this case it made a big difference in this guy's life. GO GOD!!!!!!!

5 Things I Want Every Skyliner To Know This Summer

Summertime is upon us. Last week it was in full force (even though it is not officially here for another week) with blistering 90-100 degree weather. Today it is pleasantly cool in the morning hours...one last taste of spring I suppose before things get toasty.

I wanted to take this opportunity to offer you 5 challenges for the Summer. These are 5 things I want to challenge everyone in the Skyline family to invest in during the hot summer days.

1.) Invest In Your Family:

Summer is probably my favorite time of the year. There are lots of things to be done in lots of areas of life. I look forward to the pool, playing ball with my boys, camping, fishing, church...summer is for fun and family.

If your family is like mine, you have tons planned from weekend getaways to vacations...bbq's to picnics. I want to encourage you to invest this time in your family because summer is a time where lots of memories can be made for your kids and your marriage.

2.) Invest In Your Faith:

As busy as summer gets, one of the things that can get left behind in the hustle and bustle is your faith. Summer is a great time to invest in your faith. Consider those times when laying around the pool, catching a few rays, enjoying a quiet evening on the porch...these are all great times to invest in your faith. Grab your Bible and spend time with God when in your sun chair. Buy a great book about spiritual growth or ministry. Enjoy the cool of the early morning with prayer and a nice cup of coffee. Listen to a sermon on your ipod while you take a nice jog. Summertime offers tons of opportunities to feed your soul.

3.) Invest In Your Church Family:

Spend time with your church family outside of the Sunday morning context. Invite people over for a bbq to hang out and have some much needed fellowship. Head to the park with other families with children from the church. JOIN A CONNECTION GROUP.

Typically the summer semester of Connection Groups is down in attendance. Mainly because we are bombarded with other activities like vacations and trips, but the summer semester is one of the best times to be part of a group. We have another week or two of sign-ups available to you for the semester. Don't miss out on your opportunity to be part of one this semester.

Summer is also a down time in church attendance. Granted there are family vacations that are planned, which are important and necessary, but there are also times when people simply neglect their worship on the weekends. Keep your attendance a top priority. Be present at church. Serve the church. Invest in the church.

4.) Invest In Your Community:

Opportunities to serve your community during the summer abound. The church will be offering outreach opportunities throughout the summer for you to be part of which offers you the chance to reach out to others in our area and to serve along side of your church family. Keep an eye out for other opportunities as well... Opportunities like kid camps, community service projects, and the occasional neighbor who needs a hand mowing their lawn while away or help fixing the deck in the back yard.

If you recall from the beginning of the year, we have been preparing our soil for growth in the first part of the year and now is the time to plant seeds. Each opportunity that you take advantage of to invest in your community is an opportunity to plant seeds of love in the hearts of those you serve. Theses opportunities plant the name of Skyline in the minds of our community and they plant the heart of God into the people of our area.

5.) Invest In Prayer:

As we have prepared the soil for growth, as we have started planting the seeds for growth...we have been preparing for a harvest. We have already seen this harvest becoming reality. Our average attendance in the month of January was 132....In May our average attendance was 166. So far this year we have seen 23 people come to Christ. We have witnessed 11 people follow Christ in Baptism (with more to come this summer)...God is already moving at Skyline Church in a BIG way and I firmly believe that we have only seen the beginning.

This fall, we will begin seeing that harvest become greater and greater. My challenge is for all of us to utilize this summer in two ways. As I mentioned earlier, we are to continue investing by planting seeds...even more importantly we are challenged to invest in prayer for the harvest which is to come.

I continue to dream God sized dreams for Skyline. Do you? There are soooooo many awesome things around the corner for our church. As we invest in prayer for our friends, our neighbors, our community, our leadership, and our church family, that harvest will become more and more abundant.

My challenge is for you to pray for the seeds we have already planted. Pray for the seeds that we will continue to plant. Pray that the soil will be fertile. Pray that the leadership of Skyline Church will continue to seek God for His direction. Pray that our ministers (everyone who serves in ministry at Skyline) will serve with excellence. And pray that our God sized dreams become God sized miracles.


I can't tell you how pumped I am to be in the middle of God's move. We have only seen a glimpse of what He can do through the people of Skyline. As the song goes, "Greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city." These greater things will be done through Skyline Church by the power of His Holy Spirit.

IT CONTINUES THIS SUMMER!!!!

Why Am I In Ministry?

This morning I was chewing on some leadership nuggets that I was reminded of last week in Branson as John Ed Mathison shared his heart at the General Baptist Minister's Conference. One of his challenges was to never forget WHY I am in ministry.

Why am I in ministry? As time goes on the answer to that question can become cloudy. I think in the beginning the answer is crystal clear most of the time, but over time we may lose our way. We may get distracted from our true purpose. We may lose the power of our original motivation. We may grow weary in the rigors of the ministry trenches.

For some, the answer to this question has become, "I need to provide for my family." For some it is, "I want to climb the presbyterial ladder." For others it is, "I want more notoriety." For some, there is no clear answer.

During those times when our answer changes, the answer can become deceivingly virtuous to some and downright greedy for others. I believe the answer to that question is the single most important litmus test for anyone who serves the church. Whether it is your vocation or your volunteer ministry, the answer to that question determines the success of your ministry, the longevity of your ministry, and the eternal significance of your ministry. Of these three determinations only one is of true importance....eternal significance!

You can have a "successful" ministry. You can grow a large church. You can create a thriving youth group. You can mastermind a great club for people to be a part of. You can make lots of money. You can have huge buildings or huge budgets, but is the ministry eternally significant.

You can serve the church for decades. You can serve in multiple capacities. But is the ministry eternally significant? Is the ministry making a difference?

Why am I in ministry? Eternal significance should be the answer to that question. Any other answer to that question should lead you to believe that your heart is in need of an overhaul. As Dr. Mathison said...we exist to do three things: Reach, Teach, and Send.

We make an eternal significance when we reach the unreached...not when we recruit from the already recruited. Eternal significance happens when we win the unbelieving soul to Christ, when we turn the unrepentant heart to Christ, when we give purpose to those who lack their purpose.

We make an eternal significance when we teach the reached. Eternal significance happens when babes in the faith become students of the teacher, when the child takes on the characteristics of the father, when the consumer becomes a contributer.

We make an eternal significance when we teach the reached and send them out to reach the unreached. Eternal significance happens when the reached begin to teach, when the unloved are loved, when the broken are healed, when the lost are found....all through a vicious cycle....Reach, Teach, Send....Reach, Teach, Send.

Is this cycle happening in your ministry? If not, why? Could it be the answer to that question, "Why am I in ministry?" Do you really want to make an eternal significance or is it something else? The answer lies only within your heart. Search it.

Slaying The Giants

This week I am hanging out in Branson, Missouri at the General Baptist Ministers Conference. It's a great time for me to sort of unwind from the rigors of ministry. I have the opportunity to spend some time with my father-in-law and many other friends from the ranks of ministry that I rarely get to see. I will even have the opportunity to enjoy a round of golf or two.

With all of the fun I will be having with my brothers in arms, there is also much to be learned and challenged with. John Ed Mathison is the keynote speaker for the event. If you have never heard him speak, I suggest you snag the opportunity if at all possible. He is a great man of God who is filled with love and wisdom.

Last night he spoke to us about slaying the giants in our life. These giants come in many forms. They are problems in our church, in our homes, and in our personal life. They may come in the form of a situation, a power hungry parishioner, or a sin struggle. But in any case, they are giants that we face and we struggle at times to find the victory.

He shared the story of David and Goliath, a favorite story from the ranks of Sunday School and bedtime. How we often overlook the depth of theology found in these "children's" stories. In the story David had the right ATTITUDE, affirming what God had already done in his life and anticipating what God was going to do in the battle. He had the proper ASSESSMENT using what he knew how to use and facing the giant the way God had equipped him. He had ASSURANCE because he came into battle in the name of the Lord understanding it was not his ability that would give him victory, but God's. And he took ACTION charging the giant head on.

As I listened, I was reminded of the giants in our lives. Some big, some small, but we all have them. God has given us victory over many of them, but there are some that we continue to battle in life. Some giants (the 9 ft. tall ones) we constantly battle. For years and decades we fight the Goliaths of our life. Certainly, we have some victories over these giants in battle, but it seems that after these victories the giant attacks again. We may find ourself once again facing defeat.

We grow weary. We grow weary of the war. If you are like me, you grow tired of the constant battles with Goliath and if you are like me you don't want the small victories in battle. You want the outright win...you want the war to be over.

If that is you today...let me offer you a prayer to pray.

"Father, I am tired of Goliath. I am tired of fighting these battles. Through the victories and defeats in battle, I grow weary. Grant me the ultimate victory. Not victory in the battle...let it be finished. TODAY, I want victory in the war...unconditional surrender. I want to take the sword of the giant and chop off his head so that he never has the opportunity to attack again. With my slingshot in hand, show me the stones that will take him down so that victory will be mine by your might and not of my own. Victory WILL BE MINE this day and forever more. AMEN"

Stewardship Of My Time

I'm looking at my weekly to-do list this morning and there is only one word to describe what I see....FULL. In the secular work place and in ministry, the rigors of the job can be demanding at times. Granted there are moments where the to-do list isn't quite so large, but more often than not it is just as my week this week....FULL.

Not discounting the "other stuff" that life demands, just the work week itself seems almost insurmountable. Balancing life and career really is tough sometimes, but it can be done and done well to the benefit of your employer and your family.

Granted, I don't have the market cornered on this, but I thought I would share some thoughts on time management with you today. I look at it as stewardship. Just as God has given us resources to steward through giving, saving, spending, and enjoying....I also feel that God has given us the time we have to steward as well. Here are some practices I utilize when stewarding my time.

Note: Quiet time and personal Bible study are the first thing every day. You will not see them in the following points as they are non-negotiable for me.

1.) MAKE A LIST: What is it you have to get done this week? Be specific with the task at hand. Include everything that demands a piece of your time. Each week I write down a "to-do" list. After my quiet time on Monday morning, it is the very first thing I do. On my list I put big things like meetings or out of the ordinary tasks. On my list I put small things like sending out Thank You cards, dropping an email to our team or church, phone calls, etc. I also put specific family events as well.

2.) PLAN: What tasks need to get done on what day or what time of day? Some things are very specific with time and date such as a meeting or a scheduled phone call. Other things are part of my routine. For instance, any assimilation (first time guest follow-up, statistics, etc.) I do is always done on Monday. Therefore I plan them on Monday.

3.) PRIORITIZE: Some things are a must to get done in a given week...some things are flexible. Plan them as such and prioritize. Do the most important tasks first. Mark them off the list. Work your way down. At the end of the day, if something doesn't get done that is more flexible in nature...don't sweat it. Keep first things first.

4.) WORK AHEAD: If a day goes really good and I blast through my "to-do" list for the day, I move on to what I can do for the next day. When this happens, it allows me to free up more time for my family (which is most important btw).

5.) OVERTIME: I don't care what what business you are in...long work hours can be part of the picture. If at all possible don't neglect the family here. I have fallen into that trap myself and I have seen the impact on my marriage and my children.

I understand that some people simply don't have control over this aspect of your week, but if you do....let me suggest something that will require sacrifice on your part, not necessarily your family. There are times when the typical office hours simply won't cut it and you need the extra time to get the job done. If at all possible, don't take that time away from your family. Get up an hour or two early......wait until the kids go to bed, but never forget that your primary responsibilities as a parent or spouse aren't just to provide financially, but to invest your life in them.

6.) UNEXPECTED TASKS: Nearly every week, something "pops up". Maybe it is a phone call request. Maybe it is an email that needs to be sent out. For those of us in the Pastor's seat, it could be a death in the church or someone in need of counsel...The priorities pop in here. For me, people are my business. There are times when something unexpected jumps to the top of the priority list. When that happens, I may have to go back to the drawing board and re-prioritize some things. Remember, keep first things first.

There are also some smaller, insignificant things that pop up from time to time like the occasional email or phone call. A couple of years ago, I learned a tool that is useful for such things called "The Two Minute Rule". If you have a task that can be done in 2 minutes or less....go ahead and do it. Get it out of the way so that it won't get forgotten or pushed so far back on the back burner it never gets done.

7.) REST: Take a break. Schedule a break. Clear your mind so you can focus. Do something you enjoy. Do something out of the ordinary. Get your sleep. Recharge.

In our culture, rest isn't a common practice. When the Bible talks about a Sabbath Day...it is talking about a specific day in some instances...but the idea of the Sabbath that God gave to us is so much more than a religious moment. The Bible says that God worked for 6 days and on the 7th....He RESTED. He goes on to say, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. God wants you to rest. You weren't designed to go 100 mph every hour of every day. We need our rest.

8.) FAMILY: I have said it before and I will say it again....Family, family, family is most important in your life. Prioritize them. Schedule them. Make that time with them happen. Understandably, there are instances where you may have to miss an occasional game or the occasional dinner. Make those instances the exception, not the rule. Your family needs you. Your spouse needs you. Your children need you. Yes, they need your finances, but they more so need your time...your presence.

Again, let me say, I don't have the market cornered on this subject. I am still learning. I will always be learning, but I hope that these few things may just help you out a bit if you are having a difficult time "stewarding" your time.

A Letter To My Wife

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life... A short piece of Proverbs 31. I could no doubt quote the entire scripture of verses 10 - 31 and tell you that it is an exact description of my wife with no fear of embellishment or exaggeration. She is more precious than rubies, I can trust her, she is a hard worker, she is wise, she is kind and I stand and praise her. There are many virtuous and capable women in the world...but she...she surpasses them all.

Today marks 11 years of marriage to this wonderful woman. I would love to shower her with expensive gifts or some crazy trip, but sometimes budget simply doesn't allow that sort of thing. My gift to my wife this year is simple, yet holds value because it is from my heart. It is a letter and since she is the epitome of the virtuosity of womanhood, I stand and publicly praise her today.

Dear Heather,

I love you....Every day of my life I am reminded of how blessed I am to have you. I see in you every single detail of the woman I prayed for for so many years. In all honesty, before I met you, I had nearly giving up hope that I would ever find that perfect girl to share my life with, but there you were. You were, and still are, every thing I could ever dream of.

Your love for me is unmatched. You have shown me time and time again what it means to be patient, kind, caring, and forgiving. Certainly, I have experienced your wrath a few times (and I stress a few) in my life, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Your passion for our family is part of the glue that holds us together. You are uncompromising in your values and are steadfast in your faith, both of which help me to stay right and true.

You honor me as the spiritual leader of our home, expressing your thoughts and opinions...yet having faith in my direction. You are my support in life and in ministry. I know that when things are tough, no matter the circumstance, that you are there. You are there with a shoulder to cry on, with an ear to listen to, and most importantly a pair of knees to pray with. I could not be where God has placed me today if it were not for you. Jesus is my rock, but you are the dirt at his feet upon which my prayerful knees get their support.

Thank you for loving me. Very few people know the whole me, but you do and you love me anyway. Very few people have seen the complexity which is my heart, but you have and you honor me anyway. You have cheered my victories. You have walked steadfast in the struggles. You have forgiven the mistakes. You have earned every ounce of devotion and more that I could ever give you.

I am honored to be called your husband. I am honored to be the father of your children. I am honored to be your lover. I am honored to be your friend. I am honored....period. It is somewhat cheesy to quote Jerry Maguire, but I can not keep from it. "You complete me." When people talk about the better-half, that truly is what you are.

Sometimes when I do something stupid or make a mess, you always laugh and say, "What would you do without me?" The answer is...it frightens me to think of what I would do without you. It frightens me to think of who I would be without you. Without your hatred of high fructose corn syrup and love for whole grain, I would be a fat slob (worse than I already am). Without your diligence in tidiness, I would live in a pig sty. Without your DNA, I might be fatherless. Without your friendship, I would be lonely. Without your partnership, I would be a failure. Without you, I don't know what I would be. I am who I am today because of many things, but mostly because of you and the ministry you have given to me through prayer, love, support, and friendship...I am a man who strives to be all that God has called him to be. I know I may fall short a lot, but daily I'm working on it.....I am so thankful that God called you to be my help-mate.

Sweetheart, no words on paper or in a blog could ever do justice for what you mean to me. No words could describe how incredible the last 11 years (13 counting pre-marriage) have been for me. You are more beautiful now than ever. You are the most wonderful mother ever. You are pure, Godly, honorable, steadfast, holy and any other virtuous word that would honor you as a wife.....YOU ARE. I love you for who you are and who you help me to be.

Happy Anniversary My Love!!!

The Easter Dive

I have been reflecting this morning on post Easter expectations. Easter Sunday is unquestionably the BIGGEST Sunday worship service that most churches will have year in and year out....as it should be. Easter is the reason for our season....the season of our life. As the song goes, "You lived, you died, you said in three days you would rise. You did...You're alive...." HE'S ALIVE. For that reason alone Easter is a BIG DEAL.

But what about 1 week removed? I have seen churches double in size only to find that attendance goes right back to where it was in the first place. I suppose it is human nature to only come to church on the big days (Easter/Christmas) out of obligation or to make them feel as though they have done their good deed...but I think there is something more to it and this falls on our shoulders as a church.

As I prepare to say this, I will echo what Rick Warren posted on twitter recently, "Don't be discouraged pastors...The huge crowd you had at Easter won't be back this week. It's not that 1 week high!" That is true whether we like it or not. Wouldn't that be awesome if that same crowd and even more would be back? The truth is it won't, but the Easter Dive doesn't have to be as drastic as it has in the past.

I would be naive to think that because I post this that miraculously every person's church who reads this would benefit tomorrow morning, but I believe easing the Easter Dive is a process that takes time. It is done through creating a culture within your congregation of continual evangelism/outreach. We have sort of programmed our people to "bring 'em in" on the big days whether it be a holiday or friend weekend or some cool series...I believe that is a portion of the problem.

While listening to a Perry Noble podcast a few weeks ago, he said something that I continually need to be reminded of. I am not quoting it, but in a nutshell this is what he said. We don't have one or two big weekends a year at New Spring, we have 52.

As a pastor, am I creating a culture of excellence in my church so that people are pumped to bring their unchurched friends and family each and every weekend? As a leader, am I giving every ounce of passion I can to do ministry the best that I can so that people are impacted for Christ every weekend? As a volunteer, am I committed to being there and being great for the cause of Christ every weekend? If my pastors, my leaders, and those who serve the church are doing everything they can to create a compelling environment through which the Gospel message of Christ is shared in a relevant way, am I bringing people in to hear the Good News every week?

The Easter Dive is what it is and on some level, it will always be what it's always been. Again, it's human nature, but if we really are being all that we can be for Christ, it doesn't have to be everything that it is. Easter is a BIG deal because it represents the beginning of our faith....Easter 1 week removed...just as important because it represents the living out of that faith. Are we living it?

Exposing Children

Every night of the week my boys and I spend time reading before bed. We take time to read books from their school library and we take time to read from the Bible. I want to instill in my children the understanding that reading holds a lot of potential for their future, not only through God's Word, but also in expanding your mind from other resources too.

While some of the books we read together are silly like "Happy Birthday Bad Kitty" or "Diary of a Wimpy Kid", the book we spend the most time in is the Bible. I want to encourage every parent to do this very thing...spend time with them reading the Bible. If you struggle with reading the Bible on your own time...do it on your kid's time with them, investing in them, investing in your time with God. This can allow you to kill two or three or four birds with one stone. Reading the Bible, not just to, but with your kids helps you to spend time in their life, lets you give them spiritual direction, show them spiritual priorities, help them to learn to read better, help them to learn more about God's Word, helps you to teach them life principles, help you to learn more about God's Word.....should I go on?

I am always amazed at how much they retain. I begin by quizzing them about what we read the previous night and I will even quiz them as we are reading together and they soak it up.

Yesterday, I did something else...something I had wanted to do for a long time, but was afraid it might be too graphic for them. This week during our reading together, we spent time going through the final few days of Christ's life. We spent a lot of time from the garden to the tomb. During our reading, they had lots of questions about the flogging that Jesus took and the experience of the cross...so I finally broke down and showed them the final minutes of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". I was still a little worried about the gruesome nature of the images they would see, but in reality...that is exactly what it was for Jesus.

Our time watching the movie was a memorable one. Our youngest two (the twins) had some of the most funny little questions and comments as any 5-yr old would...things like, "I bet Jesus needed like a hundred band-aids"...but there were other questions from the mouths of babes that held deeper significance....questions that I believe will pave the way for them to cross the line of faith at the right time. For my oldest son (who is already a Christian), he gained a different perspective on what Jesus really did for us and it showed in the seriousness of our conversation afterward.

These moments don't happen if we don't expose our children to the Bible. These moments we miss out if we, as parents, aren't trying not only to live by our faith for our kids but lead by our faith for our kids.

My challenge (not just for you, but for me too) is to continue to show faith by our actions, teach faith by our words, and expose faith through our life. "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Dt. 6:6-9

LIVE IT! SAY IT! BREATHE IT! SHARE IT! EXPOSE IT!

Skyline Is Gettin Gangsta Up In Heeyah

I must confess that I went gangsta in O'Fallon this morning. I spent over an hour performing "drive-by's" all over the city. I simply drove by and prayed....I prayed for our Skyline family to invite their friends and neighbors to church this weekend. I prayed that our volunteers be filled with excellence as they serve. I even made an effort to perform a "drive-by" on O'Fallon Township High School. Community after community, street after street I drove by and prayed. I prayed for the people represented in every home. I prayed for their families. I prayed for their struggles. I prayed for their hearts to soften so that they might come and hear the Good News of Christ this weekend. I prayed specifically for them to be at Skyline with the exception that they might just go somewhere else to hear about the risen Christ.

The Bible does say to enter into your own closet. It says to not let your left hand know what the right is doing. Typically that is my practice, but as I prayed for our people and our community I felt God give me a peace in sharing this with you. Why? Because I feel that God may lead some of you to read this and be encouraged to do the same.

This week, I want to challenge our Skyline family to get a little gangsta. I want to challenge you to do so in three ways.

1.) Do drive-by's! Even if it just your community. Take 2 extra minutes out of your day and drive through your neighborhood and pray. Take a slight detour and do a drive-by at OTHS. I meet regularly with my friend Tim Clark. Tim is always good to remind me (even though I always know this, I/we still need reminding) that EVERYTHING we do has to be bathed in prayer. Everything from the ministries we serve in to the people we are called to reach, we must bathe all things in prayer. If not for prayer, we lack any power to do God's will in our community. Pray for the people of the community, pray for the service each and every weekend, and pray for your pastor as I (or whoever that may be) attempt through foolishness to bring the Word of God in a way that is understandable and life transformational.

2. Recruit! Spread the word! Do this through simple invitations. Drop an email. Send out a Facebook post. Share the Easter invitation video linked on my youtube channel. Go to the Skyline Group page and share the invitation that is on their in the events section....Some people are just waiting for you to say the word and they are in.

Also, we still have a few door hangers that need to be distributed. I would love to see everyone of them given out. Who knows, one of those door hangers could make the difference in someone's eternity. If you would like to grab a few, contact Denyse Anderson at mark_denyse@charter.net .

3. Last but certainly not least...Initiate them with love! Even if there were no marketing whatsoever, there would be more new people at church that a typical Sunday because it's Easter and you're supposed to be at church on Easter. I want to encourage the people of Skyline to make certain to focus on new people (not just this weekend, but every weekend). Spend most of your time welcoming them, not even with just a hand shake...engage them in conversation. Make certain that there is no question that you are glad they came. In my opinion, if any person enters the door of the church and leaves feeling unwelcomed or unloved....we have FAILED!!! Love is the one thing that God gives us that holds the power to crack even the stoniest heart. So let's initiate them with LOVE!

I can't tell you how PUMPED I am to see what God does at Skyline this weekend and it will happen in what God does through YOU! Never forget that YOU are the tool that He chooses to use in order that people may experience the true heart of His Son. Let's bring home a win for the BIG GUY this weekend.

Networking Outreach

I love seeing people use the world wide web to not only share the Good News of what God has done in their life, but to also use it as an avenue to extend an invitation to experience God live and in living color. Social networking has been a great tool on so many levels for people. I don't know how many people from my past I have reconnected with, but as my social network expands so does my network of influence locally.

For every church/pastor, I encourage the use of networks like Twitter and Facebook to spread the news of what is going on inside of your family of believers. This can be done through simple messages or by posting videos. Tethering video services like Vimeo and Youtube to your social networks can be a great tool to share what is happening in the Kingdom.

Simple videos to elaborate videos, graphic pictorials to online testimonies...all are extremely valuable in today's age of technology. We are sometimes intimidated by the level of excellence brought forth by many, but I want to remind you that excellence doesn't have to mean complicated. Granted, there are many video editing programs out there that require a certain level of expertise and expense. There are however some programs that are very cost effective and even come standard on PC's and Macs alike.

If you are just starting out in the video editing world, might I suggest keeping it basic at first. Don't go all crazy with flashy transitions. For the most part clean is the key. Simple transitions like cuts and fades are called for more times than flying zig-zags or swirls. Even when using a 3D transition, I personally like to stay on the clean route. Choose music that fits the feel of your project and keep the font modern, yet legible.

It takes some practice and it takes gleaning from the example of others, but over time you can get the hang of it and begin to soar. There are tons of online tutorials you can access. Some of the most accessible can be found on the very same video websites like Youtube. Utilizing the expertise of others will help you increase your level of excellence....Be sure to check out why excellence is so important in Austin Powell's post - The Video Difference.

Once your video is complete and uploaded to your site of choice, there are many options to use when sharing. Most sites offer both URL's to link to your video from your social networking site and also embedding codes to place them in your blog or on your website like this:



As you utilize this awesome tool, create a culture in your congregation of passing the word along. Encourage the people of your church to share the videos with friends in their own networks and let the word Spread.

Hangin With Your Bestie

"Bestie", common slang form meaning a best friend. Men! Who is your "bestie"? Women! Who is your "bestie"? If you are married, I would like to make a suggestion...If you are married, your spouse should be your "bestie".

I in now way am suggesting that you should not have any other close friends in your life. Quite the contrary. We need close relationships with friends, but one of the closest relationships a married person should have is there spouse.

With marriages crumbling all around us, we are led to beg the question, "Why?" I can think of a number of answers, but in all honesty I don't know that there is one particular reason why, but many reasons. One reason is that the level of "intimacy" between husband and wife is nowhere near where it should be.

So, part of the answer is an off-the-chain sex life? Yes that is part of the answer, but when I am talking about intimacy, I'm not talking about how often you jump in the sack with your spouse. I'm talking about a closeness. I'm talking about the depth of the relationship. I'm talking about enjoyment of time together, whether that may mean a nice long love-making session, a simple conversation, or a trip to the bowling alley. How close are you to your spouse?

As you look at your life together and you realize that your level of intimacy might not be where it should be, you may begin looking at ways to make it better...and you should. I can think of a number of ways from more frequent date nights to quiet time alone on the couch talking....As you begin to strategize an Intimacy Improvement Initiative.... something begins to happen in your mind. EXCUSES!!!

For every solution to the problem, there is an excuse. These excuses lie in two primary areas...two areas we think we are lacking in for every area of our life.... Time & Money.

1.) I don't have time! My answer to that.... make time! Make time! If you have to cancel a golf game or a shopping session, make time! If you have a game to watch on TV....set the DVR and make time! Make Time! Make Time! Make Time! It's that important. The truth is in life, we make time for what is important in our life. If your marriage is important, make time. If you want it to fall apart, don't worry about it.

2.) I don't have the money! Don't go to the expensive restaurants...go to McDonald's. Don't go to McDonald's...pack a picnic. Don't pack a picnic... eat a triscuit. Don't go to the movies... rent one. Don't go to a concert... sing for her....(ok, that might not be a wise idea for some of you).... Just sit and talk. You don't have to have money to deepen intimacy. It's not about money, it is about time.

I want to throw something else in that I heard someone once say to me as an excuse for not spending time with their spouse and truly enjoying the moment with them. They were telling me of an occasion where they and their spouse were sitting at a restaurant and the entire time they were thinking, "All the money we are spending here, we could be buying more for our kids. We are just taking stuff away from them!"

My response was immediate, and probably could have been perceived as slightly harsh. My reply was something like this, "Are you kidding me?" If you're not spending time with your spouse are you not depriving them of seeing their parents not just love each other, but even liking each other?"

When we fail to invest time in our relationship, when we refuse to invest money in our relationship, we deprive our children of something that is vitally important for them as they grow...a beautiful example of what marriage "can" be... Are you being that example?

Our challenge: Learn to enjoy those people that God has gifted us with...our spouses. Cherish them, cherish time with them, make time with them, invest in time with them...That investment pays huge dividends for your life and the lives of your family.

Thoughts and Challenges For Skyline Church

I have spent the better part of the morning in a mode of thankfulness. When we arrived in January, I was (to use a good southern term) "chompin' at the bit" to hit the ground running and make an impact in our community. We spent our first month at Skyline casting vision of Big Dreams for God and challenged people to own that vision along with us. I can't tell you how excited I have been over the last few weeks to visibly see that very thing happening....people owning that vision of "Epic" proportions.

I wanted to take a few seconds to share with you some of the things God has been doing over the last 4 weeks. Over the last 4 weeks, we have averaged over 160 people each weekend. To some of our readers that may not seem like a lot, but as I look over the numbers from the past at Skyline, I do not see a 4 week period of time where that has happened in recent years (outside of the Easter season). I have seen our Skyline family inviting their friends and family and in turn those friends and family inviting their friends and family and so on.....Nothing pumps me up more than seeing the love and vision of our church spreading.....nothing that is but changed life. In March, we also saw seeds beginning to sprout as 5 people crossed the line of faith and gave their life to Christ...."Can I get a witness?!"

You say, "Well, it's not about numbers Lance!" I reply, "Are you crazy?!!! It's absolutely about numbers!" Every one of those numbers represent a person. Every one of those numbers represent a soul that Jesus died for. Every one of those numbers represent a person that God has called us to reach....numbers represent people and if people matter to God, then those numbers matter to God!!! Praise God for those numbers!!!

God has given our church momentum. We spent a few weeks in January and February preparing the soil, laying the foundation for what was getting ready to take place and we have now entered the season during which we will begin to plant seeds. This is a time of challenge for all of us because this cannot happen with just a few. It takes every one of us.

Easter season is upon us and now is the time for the seeds of life change to be sown. Before any harvest, the seeds MUST be planted. Guess who gets to plant them....you, me, all of us. Easter is only the beginning, but every move of God has to start somewhere....so let it begin.

I want to challenge each of you to not just maintain the momentum that God has given us, but add to it. Let our momentum grow and as our momentum grows we become a steamroller for Jesus leaving a lasting impression for the Kingdom...(please do not envision a bunch of flattened people in our wake) Let our church become a juggernaut that spreads the love of Christ. Spread the seeds of love!!! Spread the seeds to your friends. Spread the seeds to your family. Spread the seeds to your co-workers, your neighbors, your Wal-mart checkout lady, your gas station attendant.......Spread the seeds!!! Share what God is doing through your church...More importantly, share what God is doing through you and in you. We spread the seed by sharing the Good News!!! Do you have Good News to share? I do and I will do everything in my power to share it with anyone and everyone I can.

This weekend, we will have invitation cards available for you...take as many as you want and more and "share" them. Give them to people face to face. Leave them for people to find. Bless someone and hand it to them without saying a word. Share them and tell your story of what God is doing.....use them as a tool to spread God's seeds as we prepare for the harvest.

Another opportunity you have is coming up on Saturday, April 16th. We will be distributing 5,000 door hangers in the O'Fallon community. More seeds....some will fall on hard soil, some will fall on rocky soil, some on thorny ground, but some will fall on the soft soil and God can use that little piece of paper to bring someone to a place where they can experience God in a very real way. ALL HANDS ON DECK!!! Don't miss out on this opportunity to serve along side of your Skyline family to make a difference.

The most important thing you can do....PRAY...prayer is like fertilizer when it comes to seeds of faith. For those you personally invite, pray for them. For those your other Skyline family members invite, pray for them. For those who receive a door hanger, pray for them....and pray for God to move in a mighty way...We may plant the seeds, but it is He who gives the harvest.

What is around the corner for Skyline Church? Two Words....LIFE CHANGE!!! Life change will happen as more and more people are exposed to the love of God through Skyline. Life change will happen as you become more of the person God has called you to be. Life change will happen as we sow seeds together and allow God to make them grow....

I can't wait to see what is getting ready to sprout up at Skyline Church!!!

Great Pain

For those that know me well, you know that I love to hear people's stories. I am a firm believer that our story is the avenue through which God desires to do His greatest works inside of others around us. Testimonies, both big and small, are important to God because they are the stories that shaped your life.

This week I had a new friend of mine send me a heart touching story (even funny in parts) that I thought was worth sharing with you. I appreciate this story because I know the man that told it and I am thankful it has shaped him the way it has. Enjoy...

"We were living in Decatur and my Dad was on his way to dying. He had lived a great life and followed the Lord as closely as anyone I know. However, I sure wasn't anxious to let him go. At the same time, the dog we had had for 15 years was on the way to the end also. And to beat all of that my car was dying also. Sort of sounds like a country song doesn't it? Well, anyway, Mom had just called and Dad wasn't doing well at all. When I got home from work, I had to hustle to take my dog, Maggie to the vet before he closed because she was going down quickly. About half way to the vet's office my car sputtered a few times and I coasted off the side of the road. I was so down and angry and scared and...you can add to the list if you want. I really didn't know whether to cry or be mad and just cuss. I love to sing even though it has proven nauseating to people around me. Well, I started singing "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" over and over. When I started I was actually singing it through gritted teeth. After a couple of times through, I gradually started loosening my jaw and my spirit. In a while I realized I was fortunate to have a Godly Dad, and couldn't have had a better pet and was so fortunate to be able to own more than one car. Once we have these things we often feel entitled, but I was so thankful that I had been this fortunate. To make a long story short, the car did start and I got Maggie there before the office closed. Not long after she was gone, Dad was gone, and the car barely made it to be traded in, but I did learn that no matter what, my blessings were far more than my hardships and my pain was only great because my fortune was great. I still didn't sing any better though. I am sure that Maggie was hoping to pass on by about the second verse."

I don't really think there is anything I can add to that. Thanks Dennis!!! I will close by echoing the heart of this story....."my blessings were far more than my hardships and my pain was only great because my fortune was great." You can take that to the bank my friends.....

Find Me In The River

Just this past weekend someone suggested a song to me on their Communication Card (Thanks Dennis). I love how music has the ability to really stir someone's heart. Being a musician nearly all of my life, I am no different. As I listened to the song this morning, I found myself reminded of many times in my life where I have been "in the river" as in this Chorus...

Find me in the river
Find me on my knees
I've walked against the water
Now I'm waiting if you please

I will admit that despite the many moments of victory in my life, there have been just as many (if not more) times of struggle...times when I have been walking against the water, trying to do my own thing only to find myself weary and weak. When I was ready to stop, I would be brought to my knees feeling the water rush over me, finally at a place where I could allow myself to be open to my brokenness...

Find me in the river
Find me there
Find me on my knees with my soul laid bare
Even though you're gone and I'm cracked and dry
Find me in the river, I'm waiting here

Our brokenness is present regardless of our openness to it. Often we hold it in trying to avoid the pain. We don't want the suffering that accompanies that brokenness, but healing is only available when it is acknowledged.

I have found that in my worst times of frustration, in my times of struggle, in my times of sin...the only way for me to really achieve victory is by stopping my attempt to move against the current of God's will in my life...dropping to my knees to feel the river of His love rushing over my life, thus opening my eyes (my heart) to where His current wants to take me. Through the pain of my brokenness is found the peace of my healing.



Written by Martin Smith �1995 Curious? Music UK

WORG-Begins This Weekend!!! Don't Miss It!!!

Lent: Spiritual or Stupidity?

In just a few short weeks, we will celebrate our reason for living...the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many people in Christendom view this holiday as the "Super Bowl of Christianity". I suppose that moniker is somewhat deserving (though I am certain some would say sacrilegious). Easter weekend typically boasts the greatest church attendance of any weekend throughout the year.

Indeed it is an incredible opportunity to bring people in to hear the Gospel message of Christ. It is an opportunity to have the doors of the church wide open to love on people who may be somewhat reserved when it comes to this whole Jesus thing.

Beginning this coming Wednesday (at least for some) is a period of fasting called "Lent". I will not go into a complete history of the Lenten Holy Days because the history and various observances are too vast to include in a short blog. If you would like more detailed information about the observance, check out Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent . For simplicity's sake here is a quick definition: "Lent in the Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ."

I grew up in South Central Kentucky. In my hometown, there was one Catholic Church (which most people associate with Lent). For the most part, if you lived in Russell Springs or Jamestown, Kentucky you fit into one of three categories....Baptist (of all kinds), Methodist, or Pentecostal. Granted many of our Methodist brethren (and sistrens too...)practiced the tradition of Lent, but most of us had never even heard of it.

My first experience with Lent came through a girl I dated in high school. Not knowing much about Catholic practices, I was very inquisitive because of my ignorance. I found the practice of Lent to be both interesting and fruitful for one's spirit. The idea of "preparing" the believer for the Holy Week, while somewhat alien to me, was refreshing.

Over the years, I have learned more and more about this period of "fasting". I have seen people give up many things for Lent; things like chocolate or sodas, TV or video games; things like meat or bread. My favorite of all time though was someone who gave up cursing. CURSING? Come on, shouldn't you give that up anyway.....lol

Regardless of what was given up, the purpose should have been the same, to sacrifice something and replace it with increased focus on God. The sad thing is, that often the observance of Lent has become less of a spiritual discipline and more of a tradition lacking the true purpose behind the act.

Allow me to share this thought with you. If you are fasting without prayer and focus...you are just making your life miserable. In fact, it is just stupid because there is no benefit for either you or the Kingdom. That's what I have seen more times than not, not only during the Lent fast, but during any fast. It is not the act of fasting that is spiritual. It is the increased focus and prayer that helps the believer be prepared for what God has in store.

This Lenten season I want to challenge all believers (especially those in my Skyline family) to use this time to focus on what God has in store for our churches. Regardless of your denominational affiliation, use this time as a time of fasting and prayer for God's move. No matter what you choose to give up, let that sacrifice be a catalyst for your prayer life. Don't just starve yourself of food or entertainment, make room for the nourishment God desires to provide for you as you fast. Multiple times throughout the Bible it is quoted that man does not live by bread alone. That spiritual nourishment that awaits gives you the strength to do what God has called you to do.

Let me close with a challenge specific to the people of Skyline Church. We have been laying the foundation for God's move over the last few weeks. We are fast approaching the seed planting season and while we have been planting seeds along the way...the time is now to begin planting them in vast numbers. As you fast through the season of Lent, let your prayers focus on the soil that these seeds are being planted in...that they are fertile and ready for growth. Pray that the growing season will be rich and fruitful for those hearts in which the seeds are planted, that God will prepare a harvest that we can not handle if were not for the intervention of the Lord Himself.

Greater things have yet to come!!! I believe that without question. Do you?

Facebook Friends

As I sit here with my laptop, I savor the sweet morsels which are the puffed brown rice treats held together with the gooey goodness of honey, peanut butter, and chocolate (washed down with a glass of milk of course). Who needs birthday cake right?

I look around my life and I have gentle reminders of the blessings God has given me both in the present and the past. Thirty Four years ago, today, I entered this world a slimey gob of messy cuteness (or so I'm told). What a life it has been!!! To think back on the memories of old and to look forward to those that are to come is truly an exciting thing for me.

Today was full of even more reminders of blessing as people from both my past and present extended to me well wishes for a happy birthday. In all, 147 people said Happy Birthday in one form or another on Facebook. I thought it would be fun to see who could be the most creative and allow others reading this post to enjoy a few of the comments. Here are the honorable mentions.

Chris Sue Allen for poetic expression: "Hope your Birthday gently breezes into your life all the choicest of things and all that your heart holds dear Have A Fun- Filled Day.”

Kristen Kanaskie for a classic pig latin expose: (148 people now) "Appyhay irthdaybay, irsay."

Ronnie Foster for his offensive approach (just kidding lil bro): "‎58, 59 this year? Which is it? Happy Birthday man. Miss ya."

Jeff Anderson's non-conformists view: "I refuse to be a comformist and wish you a Happy birthday...I will however wish you semi good day for you old man..."

Gregg Regula's Short, but Sweet: "In honor of your birth."

Tony Pulley's make Lance's Head Swell (though I do truly appreciate it bro): "what a day today is the day that God brought a man into this world to lead his people to his kingdom.GOD IS GOOD................ALLTHE TIME hope you had a blessed day keep driving on see ya soon"

But the winner with the most creative expression of Birthday Well Wishing for Lance's Birthday (yes third person) goes to My Drummin Brotha From Anotha Motha....ERIC WIMBERLY....Words cannot express....so take a watch (I hope you do not find it offensive).



All joking aside, I do thank each and everyone of you for your heartfelt birthday wishes. I am also thankful for the medium from which they have flown.....Kudos for Facebook. I don't know if you have ever taken time to think about it, but without Facebook there are many names and faces that we would have completely lost contact with over the years and likely would have never seen or heard from again.

As I scroll through my friends list (who knew I knew over 700 people)(oh...149 well wishes), I can remember moments that I have shared with nearly everyone....some good, some bad, but all worth remembering because each and every moment is a moment that shaped me to be the man I am today.

Oh how thankful I am for those memories and each person that I share them with. It would certainly be an awesome thing if we were all able to make more and more of those memories again together, but the sad thing is that we won't (at least most of us). That's part of life. People grow, they move, they meet more people, they continue to make new memories.

I suppose the whole point of my rant is for all of us to be thankful for those people in our past for they help shape you. As we do that, I want to challenge all of us to cherish those friendships that we have right at our feet.

The society in which we live, lends itself to the deterioration of friendships. Friendship is so important...why do we neglect it so? Often, we lean on the past and cherish those moments through our facebook friendships. As wonderful as it is to have those relationships, they can not (for the most part) be there when the chips are down.(150 wishes now)

I believe that is why God places people directly on our path as we journey through life's road...to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

I love the passage of scripture in Ecclesastes, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

We need friendships in our life. Cherish those in the past. Nurture those in the present. Bless all who have ever influenced your life, because without them you would not be who you are today and will not become who you will be tomorrow.

Thanks again for the love on this special day of my life. Ahh 151 Birthday Wishes....from my buddy Lance "Deuce" Hammond: "Happy Birthday, Lead Pastor/bass master" I think he is talking about the instrument, not the fish.......badump shhhhhhhh

Angry God

I must admit that I tend to focus my heart on my God who loves me, my God who cherishes me as His own, my savior, my redeemer, my friend...I would guess that most everyone else does too. I was reminded this morning that both the beautiful thing and the scary thing about my God is that He is multi-faceted and not unidimensional.

I think every one of us likes the idea of the forgiving God who looks past our idiocracy. In fact anything to the contrary might "offend" someone, however as caring as my God is there is another side of Him that is just as real, but often overlooked (most of the time intentionally) and that is the side of His "anger" or "displeasure" with man kind.

Ok, now you're thinking....Lance is going OT on us and I suppose your assumption would be correct because these thoughts spawned from my study this morning in Jeremiah 25. For me, verse 27-28 were almost poetic (I suppose anytime you mention the word vomit in connection with something scriptural, it seems poetic for me because of the metaphor it creates), "Then the Lord said to me, "Now tell them, 'This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink from this cup of my anger. Get drunk and vomit; fall to rise no more, for I am sending terrible wards against you.' And if they refuse to accept the cup, tell them, 'The Lord of Heaven's Armies says: You have no choice but to drink from it..."

That's a pretty vivid picture for me that even though a person might refuse to acknowledge God's anger or displeasure, it doesn't negate the fact that it is real and can have serious consequences.

So, is the idea of God's anger "Old Testament"? According to scripture it is both New Testament and beyond...

Romans 2:7-9, "He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives for wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile."

Ephesians 5:6, "Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him."

Revelation 14:9-10, "Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God's anger. It has been poured full strength into God's cup of wrath."

Wow, that's harsh!!! But it is His Word. Don't get me wrong, I am a GRACE guy, but scripturally one can not ignore the anger of God and the consequences of such. In my opinion, those of us who ignore this characteristic of God (myself included at times) are those people mentioned by the apostle Paul in the Roman epistle at chapter 6. "Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?...."

Granted, there can be much debate over the consequences as one weighs out God's anger vs. grace. There are many opinions to this matter. The purpose of this blog is not to stir up that debate, but only to challenge all of us to take greater consideration for God's anger. Do we anger God?

I don't know how many times I have heard people talk about how our country "angers" God, but think on this...Shouldn't it begin with me....you....our churches....then maybe our country? Does my life please God or does it anger God? Does my family please God or anger God? Does my church please God or anger God?.....etc, etc.

Regardless of whether you can answer yes or no to any of those questions, they are questions worth asking. Before we cast blame or accusation anywhere, is it not fitting to first assess from the inside out. I believe it is.

Maybe you will ask yourself those questions, maybe you won't....if you do, please keep in mind the following because it ultimately rests in this fact because God's wrath is always detoured with repentance and Grace.... 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ can work through me." Repentance + Grace = The Power To Change The World.

Acknowledgment - An Act Of Worship

So often in our lives, we relegate worship to simply the singing of a song. In reality, the heart of worship is far deeper than that. It is in the act of bringing God to the center of whatever it is that we are doing, whether that is washing dishes or pouring our heart out to Him in focused prayer.

The word worship actually comes from an old english term, "Worthship". Worthship simply means to "ascribe worth to something." That's what worship is all about.

This past weekend at Skyline, our worship pastor gave an invitation for the congregation to participate in a way that is out of the norm in the typical worship service. He simply asked the people to think about their view of God for a moment and acknowledge some of His characteristics that cause them to "worship" Him and then to write that on the back of their Communication Card.

Every week, I take time to read through all of the Communication Cards from the previous weekend. Most weeks, I spend my time praying over prayer requests, following up with first and second time guests, and occasionally answering a question or two. This morning was a little bit different. While there were the typical prayer requests and newcomer cards, I was blessed to be able to read some of those responses to Scott's request during the service.

Some of these responses included quotes and interpretations of scripture acknowledging God's greatness...."His love is deeper than the ocean, higher than the mountains"; "He is faithful and His love never fails"; "He is merciful". Some quoted songs, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come". Others acknowledged the personal nature of God, calling Him their best friend or the one who forgives every sin no matter what.

Some even got very creative, "E=MC2: God out of his unending power created matter. The universe and everything we understand comes from His limitless power."

No matter how you spin it...GOD ROCKS!!! Every aspect of our worship rests upon that fact...GOD ROCKS!!! Whether we are singing praises on Sunday morning, admiring a beautiful snowfall (which has been a regular occurrence as of late), or simply basking in His forgiveness...our worship is all about ACKNOWLEDGING who God is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will continue to do. Acknowledgment is where worship begins and ends and I want to challenge anyone reading this to begin each and every day doing that very thing. As an act of worship, ACKNOWLEDGE His great worth in your life!

Important Info For Skyline Church This Week

Each and everyday I get more and more excited anticipating what God is preparing to do through the Skyline Church family.  Below are just a few things I am PUMPED about as we press forward on this journey together.

1.)  We just wrapped up our "Epic" series and man was it ever EPIC.  As the weeks progressed, I began hearing more and more stories of how God was already impacting people through our vision of Loving God, Loving Others, and Making a Difference.  People have been sharing how each message has impacted them and driven them to take steps of faith.  Some of those faith steps have included becoming involved in specific ministries, others have been to leap into God's plan for their life and make an impact in their community, and still others have shared how they have been honored to be part of people outside of the Skyline family crossing the line of faith.  Greater things have yet to come!!!!

2.)  This weekend, we will be starting a brand new series called "Wii Ones".  This series is going to be life changing for many in our church family and those who will be checking out Skyline for the first time.  At Skyline, kids are a HUGE part of our vision for reaching our community and this series will focus on our impact in their lives.  If you have anyone who is in your circle of life that does not have a church home and has children of their own...you desperately need to get them to O'Fallon High School on Sunday mornings at 10:15 a.m.  I am already praising God for the impact He is going to have through this series of messages.



3.)  Kudos goes out to everyone who has signed up to be part of a Connection Group this semester.  Overall, there are a total of 71 people who are part of a group this time around.  That is AWESOME!!!  The best thing is that there are even new faces to the Skyline family that are checking out groups so that they can be connected on a deeper level.  Let me challenge you to let the group experience become a major portion of your life because it is the place where we really learn to Do Life Together and it is a great place for newcomers to make those connections that give them a place in their new church family.  I am looking forward to what God does this semester, but even more so to what He will do in the coming semesters at Skyline Church.

4.)  Don't miss your opportunity to be a blessing to our community this weekend.  We will be meeting in the parking lot of O'Fallon High School at 1:00 p.m. this Saturday afternoon to "Kiss Our Community". This outreach is designed to simply show God's love to people in our community in a practical way.  We will be passing out small bags of chocolate kisses to people around O'Fallon in an attempt to put a smile on their face and give them a small reminder that God loves them and we do too.  I can promise you it will be as big or bigger of a blessing for those who take part.

5.)  Easter is just around the corner.  If you recall in the "Epic" series, I mentioned that during the first part of this year we were working toward laying the ground work for our journey together and that we would begin planting more seeds than ever before.  We will most certainly do that through our corporate outreach, but your challenge is to sow those seeds individually as well.  You are the most powerful form of marketing God uses to introduce people to His Son and His Church.  Begin planting those seeds for your friends, family members, and your co-workers to be part of the Skyline Family.  We are praying for over 200 people to be part of our Easter service and there is no reason why that can not begin right now. I have seen nothing but enthusiasm from our church family since I have been at Skyline and now is the time to let that enthusiasm spread so that the word will begin to spread of what God is doing through Skyline Church.

6.)  Ok so this may not be that important for the Skyline Church family, but here goes....special prayers for those Steelers fans in the Skyline family.  Granted, I was indifferent to the outcome of the Super Bowl, but it was an AWESOME game to watch.  Congrats to those Cheesehead fans out there and for you who belong to the Steeler nation....Better Luck Next Year!!!

Live Radically,

Pastor Lance

What Do People Really Look For In A Church?

This question has been at the forefront of my mind throughout my entire ministry.  What do people really look for in a church?  I must admit that we all tend to fall into the trap of thinking that the latest technology and most eye appealing details must be the answer to that question.  I suppose on some levels there are people who really are looking for those things on the surface, but I do believe that what they are really looking for lies much deeper than those things.

These things play a huge role in the first impression that people may have in a church.  They can certainly tell if things are done with purpose or done as an after thought.  They certainly tell a story on the front end that this church either has it all together or this church has absolutely no clue what they are doing, but I also believe that these things only delay the real answer as to whether or not a church really "has" what people are looking for.

There are many things, I think, that people are looking for in a church.  I always have to keep in mind that every person and every family possess a different set of values, each and every person/family has a different set of needs.  Some people desire smaller churches or larger churches.  Some people prefer traditional worship or contemporary worship.  Some people prefer high tech and others low tech.  With that in mind, I do believe that there are some things that are universal.  As I have talked with many people who are disconnected with God's church family and as I have studied "expert" opinion on the matter, I feel as though there are 4 distinct things that both on the surface and with depth people truly are seeking in a church family.

1.)  People seek a church that does ministry with EXCELLENCE.  Some of the things I mentioned earlier fall into this category.  As people arrive at church on any given weekend, what do they see?  Do they see a trashy campus?  Do they see smiling faces who greet with intentionality?  Do they see proper signage?  Is the music presented played skillfully (that is a Biblical concept)?  Are the services done with order and purpose (again a Biblical concept)?  Is the children's ministry inviting, exciting, and loving?

Why do we do what we do?  It isn't about me.  It isn't about a church member.  I heard it once said, that the local church is the only organization in the world that exists solely for those who do not belong to it.  God wouldn't have it any other way.  The people we serve deserve nothing less than the best we have to offer.  Even more so, God deserves nothing less than the best we have to offer.  EXCELLENCE is an offering of worship.  We may not have much, but He deserves the best we do have to give.

You may not have the latest technology.  You may not have the best facility.  You may not even have hoards of volunteers to pull off ministry.  Keep in mind that EXCELLENCE is not perfection.  EXCELLENCE is doing the very best you can with the things that you have.

2.)  People also seek a church that is ACTIVE.  If I may borrow a phrase from my former pastor, church is not a place where people should go to "sit, soak, and sour".  It is not a place at all.  It is a people who are the hands and feet of Christ.  Jesus never simply sat.  He said himself that his purpose was not to be served, but to serve and give his life a ransom for many.  Jesus was ACTIVE.

So it must be within our church families.  As people come to worship with your church, do they see faith in action.  Do they see people making a difference in others who attend a worship service?  Do they see the church exist outside of the 4 walls of wherever you may meet?  Or do they see a group of people who simply take up 1 or 2 hours of their week listening and singing.

Our call as His people is to GO!!!  Our call is to be ACTIVE not only on Sunday mornings, but in every opportunity we have to make a difference in our community and in the world.

3.)  People seek a church that is founded in solid Biblical TEACHING.  Some would argue that the teaching present in a worship service or a small group or a Sunday school class should be grounded in strict interpretation of Scripture to understand the depth of God's Word.  Some would argue that the sole purpose of our teaching should be found in life application of God's Word.

In my opinion, it is both/and.  When people come to a church, typically they are seeking answers to life questions.  Therefore, it is vitally important to teach from an applicable standpoint.  It is important to help people understand how to be the best parent they can be or the best spouse they can be.  It is important to help people grasp the concepts of dealing with emotions like anger and fear.  I mean, we all have to live life and if the Bible truly is our "life's little road map"...it should be utilized as such.

The problem lies in the fact that we tend to think that people only desire to have life's questions answered as far as the day to day grind is concerned.  On a deeper level, people also come to church with other questions...questions of who God is and what He is really all about.  Sadly, we get so focused on life application that we push aside the opportunity to help people understand Scripture.

As they grow in life and their faith, there is a need to grow in both wisdom and knowledge of God's Word.  As pastors, our job is simply not to tell people how to live, but also to help people learn to digest His Word for themselves...so that they can move past spiritual milk and move toward the meat and potatoes.

Our approach to instruction should lie in both Life Application and Biblical understanding.  As the chef appointed to help prepare the meal...it is our responsibility to prepare a balanced diet for the people who attend our worship services, our small groups, and/or Sunday school classes.

4.)  Last but certainly not least, people ultimately are seeking COMMUNITY.  I think most people would agree that one thing devoid in our society is the idea of relationships.  Not just a Facebook befriending, but deeper, authentic relationship...real COMMUNITY.  I believe that this desire has been built into our hearts from the Creator Himself.  There is that desire to be with other people because it is not good for man to be alone and there is that desire for a relationship with God.

As churches, there must be specific opportunities created for people to make those connections in COMMUNITY.  As one person once put it, we need to create "Sticky Situations" for people who are guests in our church so that they can begin forming these relationships.  These opportunities come in the form of ministry events both inside and outside of the worship service.  They come in the form of small group interaction.  And they come in the form of God's tickling of their heart strings by the power of His Holy Spirit.

He desires for all of us to be in COMMUNITY with Him.  He desires that our relationship with both He and His Son go beyond the superficial and move to the meaningful and He desires that our relationships with each other do the same.

Our call as a church is to help people learn to "Do Life Together" in every aspect of life.  We need this COMMUNITY in the tough times so that we can weep with those who weep.  We need this COMMUNITY in the great times so that we can rejoice with those who rejoice.  If not for this need for COMMUNITY, what need is there of the church.  It is through COMMUNITY that we truly do become His hands and feet.

I can never begin to claim that I am the be all, end all source of expertise in this thinking, but I do feel strongly that any church can and will grow through life change....if these 4 things are taken seriously and applied to the best of their ability.  No guarantees that a mega-church will result, but life change will.  After all, isn't that what it's all about.

Snow and Ice

It has been years since I could remember this much snow fall.  One one hand, it has been really cool (pardon the pun) to see.  Some of my fondest memories of childhood have been that of snow days and sled rides.  On the other hand, it has been disconcerting knowing how dangerous road conditions have been and seeing cars demolished or flipped over in a ditch.

I suppose I think more about the latter these days because I am no longer a child, but have my own children.  It is funny to me how our mindset shifts as we grow older.  We tend not to think about the beauty and fun as much as the danger and precaution.

Though we are still living in TN for a few more weeks, I am constantly checking the forecast for my new home in O'fallon, Illinois.  Each weekend, we have a 300 mile trip to complete just to be at church with our new church family (www.skylinecc.com).  Snowfall effects everything from our departure time to the attendance in our worship services.

This week, O'fallon is anticipating up to 1/2 inch of ice with another 5-9 inches of snow on top.  The snow is enough in and of itself, but ICE....that opens up a whole new can of worms.

As you wake up in the morning to see the ground covered in snow, it creates a certain amount of anticipation.  I mean, it is beautiful.  The trees are covered, the ground is covered.  There is a lot of fun to be had in a winter wonderland such as this, but what about the danger.  Beneath the frozen tundra (yes I love football) lies a layer of danger that can bring inconvenience, hurt, and even death in some cases.

I was reminded this morning in my quiet time how this plays out in our own lives sometimes.  For the most part, we tend to put our best foot forward for those around us.  We tend to paint a beautiful picture for the world to see.  It is a work of art that says, "Hey, I've got it all together.  My life is A-OK."

The sad part is the reality at times.  The image that the picture some people paint (myself included at times in my life) is a farce.  What lies beneath the perceived happiness, holiness, and honorable gestures are some things that are apart from the intended perception.

It is the ice in our lives, the things we hide because we do not wish others to know of our humanity, our imperfection, our struggles.  For some it is the weakness of our relationships be it friendships, family, or marriage.  For some it is the struggles of our doubt.  For some it lies in those pet sins that we hold on to hoping no one will ever find out.

As we begin to hide these things from others, what happens is that we can begin to hide them from ourselves and we can begin to ignore what lies beneath the facade.  That is where the danger comes in to play.  Our unawareness leads us into life proceeding without caution...proceeding without ever trying to remedy the ice that lies beneath.

Our awareness, helps us to truly begin dealing with those things that hold us back from being all that God has called us to be.  The things we struggle with are not meant to be hidden, at least not from everyone.  Yes, we certainly need to be aware, but we also need to acknowledge those things to both God (which He already knows) and to people we trust and can lean on in the times when the ice is its thickest.

I believe with all my heart that God desires the picture we paint to be beautiful, but He also wants it to be a true representation of who we are and that is a people who are the broken righteous through His GRACE.  Without that brokenness, there is no need of that Grace...and without that Grace, there is no hope.

Our brokenness is a piece of the art which is our life, but the masterpiece is made perfect through the Grace which allows the ice to melt away leaving behind God's desire for your life and mine.

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)