Growth Trends

During my quiet time this morning, I spent a large portion offering thanks to God for what we have been seeing over the last few months at Skyline Church.  I have been especially thankful for the past few weeks.  For those of you who have been around for a year or more, you have seen a lot of things changing in our church.  There have been some new leaders emerging to help propel our ministry forward, there has been a renewed vision for reaching our community and world for Christ, and there have also been a lot of new faces beginning to call Skyline their home.

In January of 2011, we averaged 130 people each week during our Sunday morning worship services.  Over the last 4 weeks that number has climbed to 230.  In fact, over the last 4 weeks we have also seen 10 people bring Jesus into their life and the ARC children's ministry has grown to over 60.  WOW!

That's a lot to praise God for, but it is not a point to grow satisfied.  I believe that God is only beginning to show us the harvest and I feel strongly that we as a church family, need to be ready to respond.  Often times, churches react to growth in the moment.  At Skyline, we need to be prepared to respond.  We have to be ready to experience what God has in store for us.

As we continue to see more and more people come to experience all that God is doing in our church, I want to challenge the people of Skyline to be proactive in making that experience all that it can be.  Below are a few things that we need to do as a church, to prepare for that growth.

1.)  WELCOME THE NEW FACES.  While it is nice to catch up with our friends that are already in the church, we can never forget what it was like the first time we ourselves entered in to O'fallon High School.  Have your antennae up for new people.  Don't be fearful of approaching them.  Offer them a smile, a kind word, and a gentle touch (a nice handshake that is).  Help them to realize that we were expecting them, we are ready to love them, and that we are excited they made the choice to experience Skyline.

2.)  INVITE THE NEW FACES.  Hopefully each of you are inviting people to come, but what I mean by inviting new faces is to extend an invitation to be part of what Skyline is doing.  Invite them to connect.  Offer to take them out to dinner.  Invite them to be part of your Connection Group.  Extend an invitation to be part of a ministry event.  Even invite them to participate in a regular ministry of Skyline.  Newcomers need to know that there is a place for them in our church family.

3.)  MAKE ROOM FOR THEM.  If you have notice over the last few weeks, the auditorium is getting more and more full.  The reality is that we are just now coming closer to 50% capacity.  That means there is still plenty of seats for people to occupy.  The more full a space becomes, the more difficult it is to find a nice seat.  Be considerate of the newcomer mentality.  Make it easy for them to find a seat.  Many of us have our personal seat, we like each weekend.  I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone.  Begin sitting closer to the front.  Begin sitting closer to the middle.  This can compact the space a little more and open more seats for newcomers to sit in.  There will come a point where we will move to multiple services, but we are not there yet, be are getting closer.  Last weekend, we had 184 people in the auditorium.  When we begin averaging 200-250 in the auditorium, we will add another service to accommodate the growth, but until that time I challenge every Skyliner to help us make the most of our space.

4.)  OPEN UP PARKING SPACES.  The parking lot in front of the school is getting more and more full as well.  The truth is (statistically) when a space (whether seating, parking, or children's space) gets past 70% capacity, a church will begin to plateau.  Again, we must be proactive.  Two things I challenge you to do.  If you are a volunteer, consider parking in the rear of the school thus freeing up parking in front.  Also, consider parking further away from the building making more convenient spaces open for our first and second time guests.

5.)  GET INVOLVED IN MINISTRY.  Two specific areas I challenge anyone who is not already involved in ministry at Skyline to be part of are First Impressions and the ARC children's ministry.  The more people who come, the more people the church needs to make them feel welcome.  While it is all of our responsibility to extend a welcome to our guests, our First Impressions team is super intentional about this.  Consider helping us expand that ministry.  Just as important, if not more-so, is our children's ministry.  We are seeing this ministry begin to explode.  As it grows, more volunteers are necessary to make this ministry all it can be.  Mrs. Jen is preparing to expand the number of age groups we now offer and she will be ready to train new volunteers to make this happen.  Whether it is through teaching a specific age group or helping in a certain area....you can make a difference.

Your excitement is contagious.  Your heart for excellence is incredible.  What God is doing through our people is amazing.  Let's continue to allow God to use us to make a real impact on our community.  As we do, more and more will want to be part of this movement as our vision becomes reality.  I do not want you to miss out on what He is already doing at Skyline and I certainly do not want you to miss out on what's around the corner.  Let us continue together Loving God, Loving Others, and Making A Difference.

Are You In A Faith Rut?

Are you in a faith rut?  Were you once on fire for God, but for whatever reason you feel disconnected?  Have you lost the sense of intimacy and passion you once felt about your faith?  Know this, you are not alone.

Every person who begins a journey with Christ will at some point (multiple points actually) reach a place where they feel as though their faith is waining or their relationship with God isn't where it once was.  Every relationship will experience these ebbs and flows of passion regardless of who the relationship is with.

I look back over my life as a Christian and I can see many instances where I felt far from God.  Maybe this feeling would last for just a few days.  Maybe this feeling would last for a few weeks.  There have even been periods of my life where I felt disconnected from God for months.  No matter the length of time, one thing that has always rang true is the fact that no matter how far away from Him I felt...He has always been right there.

Even the most important relationships in our life experience this pattern of emotion.  Outside of my relationship with Jesus, the single most important relationship I have in this world is the friendship and love affair I have with my wife.  Heather and I have been married for almost 12 years.  I am a happily, happily married man.  There is no one else in this world that I would rather spend my days with than her.  There have been many times when we have been giddy for one another like a couple of teenagers embarking on a brand new dating journey.  There have been times when passion has filled our life.  There have been times when we have been absolutely best friends.

With that said, there have also been times when we simply didn't like each other very much.  There have been moments where we did not communicate as well as we should.  Yes, we have had our share of moments.  While few and far between, those times of disconnection have been there in our relationship.  Our love has pulled us through some rocky spots in marriage and our commitment has been the glue that has made our ship strong.

My relationship with God is no different.   There have been times when I have been passionate about my relationship with Him.  There have been times when I immerse myself in His Word.  There have been times when my ministry for Him fulfills me like nothing else.  I am a Pastor and I believe most people would expect that from my life.  What you might not expect is the fact that even pastors have moments of disconnection in our relationship with God.

As in my marriage, it is love that has pulled me through some rocky spots in faith and ministry.  It is commitment that has been the glue to bring me back into the one place where I find my purpose and hope.  It is in His arms where I find my comfort.  It is in His embrace where I find healing for my brokenness.  It is in His heart where my passion bucket is filled once again.

Are you in a faith rut?  You are not alone.  Many other believers are in that same rut and every other believer has been there.  You are not alone.  Even when you feel no one else can understand what you are feeling...there is at least ONE who knows right where you are in that very moment.  You are never alone for when you feel the furthest from God, He is right there with you waiting for you to open your heart to Him. With His arms wide open, it is there where you will once again be filled with His love.  Let Him love you through your rut.

Shaping Influences

Often as part of my quiet time, I take time to listen to sermons from pastors across the country.  This morning, my choice of preacher was one of my favorites of all time.  David Calhoun of Hope Springs Church in Lexington, KY.  Some of you know him well, many of you have never even heard of him.  Regardless, he ranks at the top of my list of people I love to listen to...for sooooo many reasons.

I know that most parents are fighting to get their children out of bed in time for school, but for two of our children...that is not a problem at all.  Our twins are EARLY risers, often up on their own at 6 a.m.  This morning was no different.  Cuddled up next to the fire, they embarked on the journey with me to hear from Pastor David as Landen looks up at me with the most serious look on his face when he says, "Daddy?  He sounds just like you!"

I laughed at his innocent little observation, but as I listened further, I realized he was right.  There are a lot of similarities in both he and I.  I don't know if David would agree or even be happy about that, but I could certainly see why my son made that statement.

There is good reason for his observation.  David Calhoun was my pastor when I was a teenager.  He introduced me to a more contemporary approach to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He was (and is) an incredible friend, mentor, and shepherd.  In fact, we had the opportunity many years ago to be part of the launch team of Hope Springs Church as David led the charge in birthing that congregation in Lexington.

I owe a lot of who I am to this man.  I owe a lot of my ministry influence to this man.  God placed him on my journey to shape me and prepare me.  But he is not the only one.  I have spent a lot of time this morning thanking God for the pastoral influences in my life that helped me to be where I am today.  If you will grant me the privilege, I would like to pay homage to those Godly men that influenced me from the cradle to the present.

A.G. Smith, Donnie Smith, Buddy Hix:

My lineage in the pastorate so to speak, my grandfather and two of my uncles.  All three men were passionate preachers filled with fire.  All three men stood strong in the pulpit, sharing the Word of God with intensity.  All three men, serving their purpose in their generation.  All three loved and respected by anyone who ever sat under their direction.  All three I loved and respected.  All three now home with Jesus, fierce warriors that have come home to rest after their battles were over.  Thank you God for these men and the heritage of faith that I have.

Bobby Conner, Danny Bailey:


The first people I recognize as "pastor".  They served me as my shepherds in the earliest years of my life.  As a 9 year old boy, I gave my heart to Christ under the preaching of Bro. Bobby and a few years later under the guidance of Bro. Danny, my faith really started to grow.  As a young teenager, Danny was not just an influence in ministry and the Word, but also in my love for music.  Thank you God for these men and their influence in the early years of my life.

David Calhoun:


See the opening....I could say so much more, but I will just say he is not just a spiritual influence, but probably the biggest pastoral influence for me...not to mention one of the friendships in life I cherish most.  He also introduced me to church planting and creativity in ministry.  Thank you God for this man's guidance, example, and love.

David Davis:


I am sad when people struggle with their in-laws.  I however, do not struggle in the least.  I love, honor, and respect my father-in-law.  He is an amazing man.  He is respected in his profession.  He is adored in his ministry.  He is passionate about his calling.  He has been an incredible pastor.  He has shown me how to really love a flock.  He is wise and knows how to navigate through tension in a way that helps all involved to be better in the end.  Thank you God for this man's gene's (for my wife) and for his wisdom in both my life and ministry.

Terrell Somerville:


So much could be said about this man.  Under his direction, my eyes have been opened even further in creative ministry.  Probably, the greatest influence he had in my life has been in giving me an opportunity to hone the skills necessary to lead people, reach out to a community, and be intentional about how I communicate the Gospel of Christ.  In 4 short years serving on his staff, I grew more as a man, as a leader, as a pastor, and as a preacher.  Thank you God for the opportunities for growth you gave me through this man's influence in my life.


There are many other influences that have shaped me from a distance.  This list includes those through whom God worked the most to make me the servant I am today.  Whether you like who I am or despise who I am...you can either thank these men or blame them.  I however am eternally grateful to the Lord for placing each of them on my path.  I love them all.  I respect them all.  I am thankful for them all and I pray that each of them can look at my life as a man and as a pastor and be proud of what God did through them.

I look forward to being to someone else, what these men have been to me.

A Must Read For Every Skyliner

Over the last few days, I have been looking back over all that God did through Skyline Church in 2011.  To say the least, I am blown away.  We prayed for the beginning of Great Things and He delivered.  I would love to share all of those things in this little post, but then that would ruin the anticipation for this weekend at Skyline Church.

All I am going to say is that He moved in ways that I am certain many people never noticed and in ways that everybody noticed.  2011 was indeed an Epic year, but it is only the beginning.

This weekend, I am going to share and celebrate 2011 with you.  More importantly, we are going to look ahead into 2012 and beyond.  If I may quote God Of This City, "Greater things have yet to come.  And greater things are yet to be done..."

I want to challenge every single person who calls Skyline their home to be there this weekend ready to celebrate and to be filled with anticipation.  Get your friends, your family, your gas station attendant....go out into the highways and hedges and bid them to come.  You/They DO NOT want to miss this service.  I can guarantee your mind will be racing as much as mine is right now...filled with God Sized Dreams.

Resolute

January 2nd, 2012...the old year is gone and the new year is upon us.  It's time to turn over a new leaf.  Ok, so I am beginning the year off with a cliche.  I am indeed the master of cliche's because for the most part cliche's are what they are because there is a lot of truth lying within them.  

This is the time of year that most of us become resolute, firmly resolved, determined, or set in purpose to accomplish something in our life.  For all of us that means something different.  Maybe it is to lose weight, quit a habit, be more positive, get back into church...what ever resolution that may exist in your heart right now.  The sad truth is that most of these resolutions fall short, which leaves us feeling defeated and weak, not empowered or enthusiastic.  

You very well may find yourself with the mindset of one Facebook poster who said, "It is a proven face that most every New Year's resolution will be broken within three weeks so I say, "Screw It and Pass the Cheesecake".  Why bother, right?  What's the point?

The point is that we all have a burning desire inside of us that begs us to be better than we were.  We all have a yearning to move forward in life and to make a difference in this world.  After all, that is the essence of what God calls us to everyday.  I quote the Apostle Paul when he said in Philippians 3:12-13, "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.  But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing:  Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead..."

That perfection is what we are in pursuit of.  Though unattainable by human means, our pursuit of that perfection is what causes us to become resolute this time of year.  My heart for all of us is that our pursuit would not be a stumbling block for us or an event that causes us to take a step backward, but something that helps us move forward.  The truth is that our pursuit of perfection is not attainable by living in the past...only in moving forward.  Certainly learn from your past as not to repeat the mistakes therein, but your life is in front of you.

Just a few quick pointers for making resolutions that really do count:

1.)  Make them realistic!  In 2012 is your resolution to lose 150 pounds....that's tough.  What about 40 pounds or even 15 pounds?  Rejoice in the little things because a lot of little things add up to HUGE things.

2.)  Choose resolutions that make a difference!  Does it make a difference in your character?  Does it make a difference in someone else's life?  Or does it simply feed your ego and greed?  Do you really need to make more money or do you need to make a difference?  Do you really need that promotion or do your kids need their daddy?  

3.)  Make a resolution that makes an eternal difference!  Don't just make a resolution to go to church.  Make a resolution to become the hands and feet of Christ.  Jesus didn't call us to go to church.  He called us to become like Him.  What step of faith is He calling you to?  Is there a ministry opportunity you need to be part of?  Is there someone you need to invest in?

4.)  Keep the list short!  Don't bite off more than you can chew.  If you have a list of 100 things you want to accomplish in 2012, you will be lucky to get 10 percent of them done.  If you have a list of 4 or 5 things to accomplish, there is a good chance you may be able to do them all.  If you burn through the list, there is no law that says you can't make a list of mid-year resolutions.

5.)  Share your list with someone!  Accountability is a great tool whether it is in your walk with Christ or your New Year's resolution list.  Give that person or persons the freedom and responsibility to ask you about your progress and even your struggles.

Your resolution(s) could include one or all of this little pointers, but in any case make your resolution fruitful for your life and the lives of others.  

To keep in line with number 5, I thought I might share with you my resolutions for 2012.

1.)  Spend more "fun" time with my wife and kids.

2.)  Read a minimum of 1 book per month

3.)  Read the Bible completely

4.)  Lose 30 pounds

5.)  Lead at least 3 people to Christ personally (not counting Sunday Mornings)

There are so many other things I would like to do in the course of this year, but these 5 things I believe will help me more than anything else to be all that I can be for God, my family, and my Church.  Granted, just because this list is my resolution list doesn't mean I won't be working on a few other things along the way, they just happen to be at the top of my priority list of things I want to be better at. Feel free to keep me accountable in these things.