The Story Chapter 17 - Are You Available For God's Assignment

Sally Edwards is a highly esteemed third grade teacher at Jacksboro Elementary in Texas.  She was preparing her students for the TAKS test and compiled an exam to prepare them for it.  There were twenty questions.  Number eleven on the test was this question: “List in any order the four seasons.” 

A whopping 67% of her 3^rd grade students answered: “Dove season, deer season, duck season, and turkey season.” 

I don’t know what season of life you are in, but I do know this.  God has something for you to do.  He did for Jeremiah.  He told Jeremiah he had a work for him to do.  His assignment?  Stand in the rubble of Jerusalem and weep.  He was also told the people would not listen to him.

That was it.  And oddly enough, Jeremiah did it.  As the people of Judah were leaving Jerusalem in single file as captives, Jeremiah stood weeping and reminding them that God would bring them back with these words:  “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23).

God had something for Jeremiah to do.  And he has something for you to do too.  In the New Testament book of Ephesians the apostle Paul writes to the church, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God created in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10).

In God’s employment contract for us today, he does not ask us to be successful by the world’s standards but rather to be faithful to him to do good things.  God is not so much concerned about your ability as he is your availability.

Just like Jeremiah, God is calling you to play a role in his Grand Story.  It may be that this is your time to change the direction of your family. Turning from a focus on you alone to a concerning yourself with the things of God.  It may be that God is calling you to reach out to a neighbor.  Perhaps he is laying on your heart a ministry where there is a need you can’t even see at the moment.

  

Whatever season of life you are in God is calling you to make a difference.  And he is desiring to equip you to make that difference. Right now.  Today.  Are you available for his purposes?

The Story Chapter 11 - Facing Your Giants When You Feel Small

Imagine the scene:  a scrawny sixteen year old boy standing face to face with a 9ft giant.  The odds are not in his favor.....the giant that is.   With one rock and a sling the giant goes down.

You may not have a gigantic giant taunting you to come out and fight, but you are probably facing a few other giants of your own.  Giants like the stack of past-due bills are glaring at you.  Giants like the divorce papers awaiting your signature or the depression that looms over you like the Hulk.  Maybe your giant is low self-esteem or insecurity or child abuse from your past.  But you do have your giants and so do I.  We would do well to learn from David.

He faced his giant because he trusted God no matter what.  When he arrived at the place of the standoff between Israel and Philistine, he talked about God.  He told King Saul that, "The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." (1 Sam 17:37).  He didn't hesitate.  He confronted the giant.  Goliath came with a sword and spear, but David came with the mighty power of God.

David was God-focused, not giant-focused.  He mentions Goliath only 2 times, but God 9 times.  He knew the giant was there and he recognized his presence, but his thoughts were twice as much on God and His power.

His focus led him to face the giant rather than run away.  Goliath had taunted Israel's army for 40 days.  They were fearful and for 40 days they waited...just hoping he would go away.  But most giants don't just go away do they?  They don't go away until we face them.  So David stepped in the gap and defeated the giant.

One thing I can promise is this...After you slay one giant, there might be more to come.  As David grew up his giants took on new forms, but one thing remained the same.  David continued to trust God no matter what the world threw at him.

Are You A Deal Breaker? - Guest Blogger Kevin Brensinger

Kevin Brensinger serves as the First Impressions Director of Skyline Church.  A southern boy through and through, Kevin brings that touch of southern warmth and hospitality to his ministry.  He is the husband of 1 and daddy to 3 and he lives a life of service.  He serves God, his family, and his country as a member of the United States Coast Guard.

Are You A Deal Breaker?

What if you were the first person someone sees when visiting your church?  What kind of first impression would they have on you?  What kind of first impression are you representing for your church?  I ask myself this continuously in hopes that I am doing everything I can to help people make the choice to either visit my church or more importantly to make it their spiritual storehouse.  

We have an audacious group of volunteers in our First Impressions Team at Skyline Church, but we can't always be the first contact a guest has.  My point to this is that we all should share the responsibility to make our guests feel welcome.  Regardless of whether we are "scheduled" to serve in First Impressions, we should all go above and beyond to welcome unfamiliar faces, even if it takes us out of our own comfort zone. 

Odds are you decided to attend your church regularly because someone made you feel important enough to offer assistance, give you a tour, or offer you a cup of coffee.  Remember that EVERYONE HAS A STORY.  Every time I hear this phrase, I always think of this video made for Chic-Fil-A employees on the importance of servanthood.  (You can also click HERE)

We should strive to meet people where they are and remember that not everyone is in the same place in their walk with God.

When I ask, "Are you the deal-breaker?", I am asking if guests will be convinced or deterred by your demeanor alone to come to your church, make life changing decisions, and possibly come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Isn't that what our ultimate goal is?  What if you were the First Impression that ultimately led someone to make these decisions?  What an honorable and rewarding deed for the Kingdom.

As part of my story, I always considered saving lives in the Coast Guard as just part of the job.  It was definitely the most rewarding part of the job, but when I do this in a physical state, it pales in comparison to the lives I may have helped save in the spiritual state...All because I wanted to make sure that I was a great First Impression.

People will make their decisions to return to your church within the first 7 minutes of their visit.  Are you doing your part to make your first impression a laying impression?

Easter Weekends And Banner Years

I want to kick things off by saying a huge, "THANK YOU" to all of our leaders and volunteers who made Easter Weekend such an amazing weekend.  We did something that was a foreshadowing of things to come as we offered multiple services.  Those of you who served did an amazing job!

Granted, there were a few hiccups along the way (as there can be when doing something new), but I was blessed beyond measure to see you in action.  In both services, every team did exactly what they needed to do and the proof is in the pudding.  Here's what a couple of our first time guests had to say  about their experience.

"Great people! Great church!  Thank you for such a warm welcome to Skyline Church!"

"Your church had a major uplifting feeling, like I'm alive and not without hope."

It really was incredible.  Not only were we able to do multiple services, but we eclipsed 400 people for the first time ever in the history of Skyline Church.  But the best part of the whole weekend was the fact that 2 people came to faith in Christ.  THAT IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO!!!

It's all part of a Banner Year in 2014.  We have always dreamed God-Sized Dreams at Skyline Church and I feel stronger than ever that we are on the edge of something amazing that God is doing.  He is beginning to bring our dreams into reality.

If you will recall at the beginning of 2014, I challenged you to begin praying prayers so great that it would take God's intervention to see them through.  As we have been praying those Sun Stand Still prayers, God has already started answering them.  Not only have we experienced greater growth than ever before, we have also seen so many people come to Christ and are on pace to baptize as many people this year as in the previous three years combined.  That's some amazing stuff and only God can have the credit.

This past weekend, I announced yet another answer to our God-Sized prayers.  In March of 2015, God has opened a door for us to launch a brand new Skyline campus in Bethalto, IL.  I know you are as excited about that as I am.  But I am also certain you may have questions.

I want to challenge each of you to stay after service on Sunday.  We will have a Question/Answer session in the cafeteria as soon as the equipment is put into the trailer.  I can't wait to share with you how this all came about and what this journey is going to look like over the next few months.  We will even have one of our Bethalto Campus core team members present to share her story with you.  You will also have a chance to ask any questions you may have.

This is going to be another amazing chapter in our journey as Skyline Church.  We are going to be able to reach even more people with the Gospel than ever before and each of us will have the opportunity to take a physical and spiritual part of the journey as we take our mission of Loving God, Loving Others, and Making A Difference to a whole new city in our region.

This is only the beginning!!!!  Let's live radically together for Jesus and His mission through our church!

Easter At Skyline Church

We have wrapped up the first part of our journey through "The Story" and it has been incredible to say the least.  I can't wait to start it all up again in a few more weeks.

As amazing as the first part of 2014 has been, it is only going to get better.  Yes, we are taking a break from "The Story", but we are not taking a break from life change.  In fact, we are going to see much more in the coming weeks.

Why?  The Easter season is upon us.  Easter Sunday is the largest attended Sunday of the year world-wide.  Even in a city that puts spring break during Easter weekend...it is still the largest attended weekend any church in our area will have.

This Sunday you will see familiar faces who may only come a few times a year.  You will see many unfamiliar faces.  You will see family.  You even have an incredible opportunity to invite friends.  People are more receptive to an invitation to Easter services than any other time.

The reason so many will attend Easter as opposed to any other time of year is because of what it represents.  It is the pivotal moment of our faith.  That pivotal moment is not the death of Christ, but HIS RESURRECTION.  What an amazing part of our story!

So let us all prepare for our Easter weekend by doing three things.

1.)  PRAY.  I hope you have already been doing this, but if not...begin NOW.  Pray for those you are inviting to come.  Pray for those who are being invited by other Skyliners.  Pray for God's move in the hearts of everyone there.  Pray for those who serve in ministry (me included) that we may literally be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone who enters our doors.

2.)  INVITE.  Again, I hope you have already been doing this, but if not...begin NOW.  As I said earlier, people are much more receptive to an invitation on Easter than at any other time during the year.  Leverage that inclination to God's advantage.  Invite your friends.  Invite your family.   Invite your neighbors, your co-workers, your waitress, your grocer, .....you get the picture.  We are having 2 services to make room for them, so let's fill up the OTHS auditorium twice this weekend.

3.)  PARK.  As I just said, we are having 2 services (9:30 & 11:00) to make room for all the new people who will come to Skyline this weekend.  Because of the new people we anticipate, we will need to make room in the parking lot as well.  For those of you who will be present for both services because you are serving in one and worshipping in another...please park in the lot BEHIND THE PANTHER DOME.  Our parking lot greeters will direct you.  There will be another entrance for you. Also, if you are a regular attender who is not going to be present for both services.  You are encouraged to park behind the Dome as well.

The staff and volunteers have been working hard over the last few weeks to prepare for this weekend.  We are ready to serve you and your guests with excellence.  Let's make this Easter the most incredible in our history as a church.

Also, don't forget...I have some INCREDIBLE news to share with you.  Just in case you were wondering, it has nothing to do with our Mission Central property or building.  But I promise that it is some of the greatest news I have ever shared with you.  Don't ask ahead of time because I will not tell.  :)  You will have to remain in suspense until Sunday.  See you then!

The Story Chapter 10 - Giving an Undistorted View of God

Ever since Peter Stuyvesant visited the Palace of Versailles the world has had a distorted view of itself.  

Peter was the governor of New Amsterdam—later to be renamed New York City—beginning in 1647.  He was visiting France to discuss colonial land agreements.  While at Versailles he was awed by the Hall of Mirrors.

Peter was determined to bring a similarly amazing showcase to his city.  In 1651 he founded the Peter Stuyvesant's House of Mirrors.  He charged one Dutch gulden for admission. 

This house of mirrors eventually morphed into what we know as a Fun House of Mirrors seen at many carnivals.  For a few tickets the fun begins by walking into a maze of mirrors, both convex and concave. We amuse ourselves by looking at distorted images of our figure.  

Today you don’t even have to go to the carnival for this experience.  A laptop with a webcam and a silly photo feature will allow you to take a picture of yourself that you can manipulate to look odd.

It’s all fun.  But sometimes distorted pictures can cause trouble.  It did in Israel during the time of the prophet Samuel.  One of the major distortions was found at the Tabernacle, that portable place of praise for God’s people.

It was parked at Shiloh and was meant to be a clear picture of God’s holiness and grace.  A system of sacrifices had been established that foreshadowed the coming sacrifice of the Messiah.  Yet anything but holiness was found there.

Eli the priest had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who dishonored God in their treatment of the sacrifices and also engaged in immoral sexual activity with women at the Tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:16, 22).  Because the picture of God they were giving was distorted, these two were killed in battle against the Philistines.  When news of their death reached Eli, he fell over in his chair, broke his neck, and also died.

Imagine a moment when you and your son/daughter are having a conversation about church or the Bible.  Then they ask you the question, "What does God look like?"  I for one would not know how to answer that question, so I might respond with a statement back to them.

"You tell me."  They think for a moment and say, "I think he looks like you Daddy."  Talk about a sobering moment!

Just like Eli and his sons were representatives of God, we represent Jesus to others.  We really are a picture of God to people who know that we are Christians.  The question is, "Are you giving a clear or distorted picture of who God really is?"

The Story Chapter 9 - You Don't Have To Wait To Be Accepted

We've all "been there, done that."  You've found a special someone.  You have gone out on a few dates and you find yourself feeling something down deep in your gut.  It's not mere infatuation.  It's not just something giddy.  It is something deeper.  Then you get the courage to do the unthinkable.  You say, "I love you."  You've made the first move and now you wait.  It really is only a few seconds, but it feels like an eternity waiting for them to respond.

Finally the wait is over.  You've put it out there and they respond with, "I love you too."  We're relieved.  We're excited.  

We all have that desire to be accepted don't we?  We all have that need to hear those words from that special someone.  In fact, that desire made it in to Maslow's well-known hierarchy of needs.  He theorized that acceptance is basic to our nature and to our psychological health.

Ruth had the same need as we do.  She was a Moabite living in Bethlehem who we meet in chapter 8 of The Story.  She ended up there with her mother-in-law Naomi when her husband died.  And she found herself picking up the leftovers after the harvest in the field owned by a man named Boaz.

Boaz new she was an outsider - a Moabite - the same people who would oppress his nation for eighteen years.  You might expect there to be some animosity from Boaz toward Ruth.  Instead, Boaz tells Ruth, "May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

He accepted her, but he goes even further.  Ruth finds him asleep on the threshing floor and lies down at his feet.  When he awakens, Ruth asks him to "spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a family guardian."  The word for "garment" is the same Hebrew word for "wings" in the blessing Boaz had pronounced over Ruth.  God's acceptance came to Ruth through this man Boaz.

Your acceptance did too.  You see, Boaz and Ruth had a son named Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David.  In Matthew's genealogy the lineage of Jesus is traced through David.  Boaz is there too along with his mother Rahab (Matt. 1:5).  Yes...that Rahab.  The prostitute that lived in Canaan and sheltered the spies Joshua had sent into the land.

It never ceases to amaze me that God doesn't just work through rich people or famous people or even people who have it all together.  God specializes in the unspecial, often the "undesirable" to fulfill His incredible plans.  He accepts us right where we are, no matter where we've been or what we've done.  Not only does He accept us, He desires us and He uses us.

The Story Chapter 8 - When Your Mistakes Land You Before A Judge

I will never forget my first time in a courtroom.  It was early on in my pastoral ministry and a member in my church had crossed a legal line.  He found himself in a jail cell, awaiting trial.  He had certainly committed the crime and he was about to face the consequences of his actions.  No matter his guilt or innocence, I wanted to be there to support him.  After all, we have all made mistakes.  Maybe we have even broken a few laws that we didn't get caught breaking.  He, however, did get caught.

As I sat in that courtroom, I hear those words... "All rise!"  Keep in mind, I wasn't the one on trial.  I wasn't guilty of any offense.  I was there to be supportive of a member of our church who was broken.  Even though I was not on trial, I still felt that sense of uneasiness and fear when the black clad judge emerged from her chambers.

Judges elicit a sense of fear, don’t they?  They never call you in for something you have done right.  We think of them as someone who harshly tells us what we did wrong.  And they seem to be everywhere these days on television.  There’s Judge Judy and Hatchett.  Mathis and Christina.  And my favorite—Judge Brown.  

Then there are some judges you may not know.  They even have a book in the Bible with their name on it.  Judges.  These judges appeared on the scene to help sort out right and wrong.  They also helped people get out of trouble.

God’s people kept putting themselves into a never ending cycle of disobedience, discipline, declaration of wrong, and deliverance.  Judges like Deborah and Gideon and Samson helped them find their way back to God.  

What did the people do that was so bad they needed judges?  Two things.  First, they failed to put God first in their lives (Judges 1:28).  And secondly, they did not teach their children to know God (Judges 2:10).  These two “sins” led to their downfall and ruin.

Are you making the same mistakes they made?  If so, you have a judge that can help you––Jesus.

The good news is that when he “calls” you into his office after you’ve messed up, you will look up to see your judge’s face and see your savior there.  His purpose is not to incarcerate you, but to free you and redeem you.

The Story Chapter 7 - The Battle Begins

When someone keeps telling you to “be strong and courageous,” you might suspect you are up against something big.  And the Israelites were.

About to enter the land that had been promised them 600 years before, they had a giant-sized task awaiting them.  Literally.  Forty years earlier ten spies had come back and told the Israelites that the inhabitants of the land were so big they felt like they were the size of a grasshopper in comparison.  Fear took them captive without a battle and sent them off as a group to wander around in a wilderness where they took their chances against wild animals rather than face their giants.

They wandered so long that those who had grasshopper-sized faith died out.  Forty years later their children were ready to take the land.  They were physically no taller than their parents had been.  The enemies in the land were no smaller than before.  But the Israelites’ faith muscles had grown.  

There were two spies who had reported the land was theirs for the taking. One of them, Joshua, is now the Israelites’ leader.  He was courageous.  And God wanted to keep him that way. So God tells him three times in the first nine verses of the first chapter of Joshua: “Be strong and courageous.”  He also reminds him “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

My guess is you have a few giants in your life too.  Some uphill battles that appear insurmountable.  A task demanding more than you think you have to give.  One too many things on your “to do” list than you have the time or energy to do. Unemployment is staring you down.  Depression has a grip on you.  Bills have raided your bank account and left it empty.  An illness hovers in your life like a threatening storm.  You’d rather just run and wander.

But God's challenge for you is the same, "be strong and courageous."  Never forget, no matter what giant you may be facing, that He is with you and He has the power to overcome anything.

The Story Chapter 6 - The Journey And The Destination

If I may digress from the very beginning...... It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes (not really), it's dark....and we're wearing sunglasses.....Hit it.  (Just for those Blues Brothers fans out there)

Every parent has been there.  The trip ahead is long.  The travel schedule is tight.  You double check to make sure everything is packed and you hit the road with a full tank of gas.  But twenty minutes down the highway you hear a small squeaky voice from the backseat.  The artillery bombardment commences.  The questions.

Are we there yet?  How much longer?  Can we get something to eat?  I suppose after all, that's just part of the journey.  It's part of our journey of faith too.

Just like kids on a trip, we get tired of the journey.  We want to know when we can stop.  We get tired of serving.  We get tired of waiting.  We get tired of the people we are traveling with.

That's what the children of Israel did on their journey to the promised land.  They complained about the food, their destination, their origin, and about their 'driver' Moses.

At one point, they actually made it to their destination.  They were on the boarder of the Promised Land.  Then they got 2 reports about their future home.  One was a fear-filled report from ten spies.  The other was a faith-full report from Joshua and Caleb.

It was decision time.  Which report would they choose.  They were in the right place to make the right decision.  But the majority made the wrong one.  They let fear overtake them.  The people wished they had died in the desert.  So God granted them their wish.  They would wander further until this unbelieving generation died out.

They wandered for forty more years before they would enter the Promised Land for good.

Our journey as Skyline has been a bit of wandering as well.  This weekend we celebrate a decade of ministry.  It has indeed been an incredible journey.  Certainly there have been ups and downs, but the journey hasn't simply been a decade.  It has been a decade of difference.

No doubt, many have asked some of the same questions our children ask on a long journey.  Are we there yet?  How much longer?  When can we stop?  There are times we get so caught up in asking those questions that we fail to enjoy the journey itself.

Join us this weekend as we take a look at Chapter 6 in "The Story" and connect it to our lower story of the journey of Skyline Church.  We will celebrate 10-years as a church and most importantly, we will celebrate the journey through baptism.

The Story Chapter 5 - God The Kill-Joy

Rules, rules, rules....All I see are rules.  If that is all that we see, we are completely missing the point when it comes to God and the Bible.  The truth is that many people shy away from faith because of these "rules".  I think it is fairly common knowledge that we, by nature, hate those rotten things.  We like to do our own thing.  We like to do it our way.  "How dare anyone tell us how we should do anything?  It's my life and I will live it how I want to."

As parents, it frustrates us when our children don't follow our rules.  Certainly there is frustration because they are disobedient, but for me that frustration really comes because I wish they could see why I give them rules in the first place.  I certainly don't give them rules to abide by to make life miserable.  I give them rules for their own good.

All of that said, there are times in our lives that we espouse the ideology of "Do as I say, not as I do." We are grown-ups.  Things are different for us.  We know what life is all about and we know how to navigate anything life throws our way.  We don't really need anymore rules.  Sure we have the government that sets a few laws in our way, but we are capable of making our own choices.

While that may be true, some of our choices come with consequences because we "choose" not to follow some "rules" that another parent has given us.  Do you think that our Heavenly Father sometimes can look down upon his children with frustration in his eyes?  It is not a frustration that comes from the fact we choose to be disobedient.  He, as a parent, is no different than us.  I think His frustrations come from the fact that He wishes we would understand why He gave us "rules" in the first place.

As we continue on with "The Story" in chapter 5, we read one of the most famous stories of the Bible.  This story conjures up images of Charlton Heston standing on a mountain with 2 huge stone tablets that contain some "rules" for the people of Israel.  This weekend, we will take a look at the "Why" behind The Ten Commandments and we will discover that God is not some cosmic Kill-Joy, but a loving father that wants the best for his children.

The Story Chapter 4 - When You Are Walled In, Look For The Way Out

There’s a wall in front of you.  Behind you is a past you are running from.  Beyond the wall awaits the promise of a new life.  But you’re not moving because there is this “wall.”  You feel trapped.  No way out.  This is just the sort of situation in which God does some of his finest work.  

You need only ask the Israelites.  Behind them was a life of back-breaking work and slavery.  Ahead of them was a life in the land of Promise.  Behind them was the fierce army of a fanatical Pharaoh coming towards them.  Ahead of them was a wall.  Their obstruction was made of water.

Your “wall” may be a fear of failure.  Or maybe it’s a lack of confidence that has grinded your progress to a halt.  Or it could merely be too many problems that have piled up in front of you at the same time. And you have no clue which one to tackle first.  

So you stopped.  And you aren’t sure if there is a way over, around, or under this imposing impediment.  

At this point many people panic.  Anxiety courses its way through the body, atrophies the movement muscles, and rigor mortis overtakes their resolve.  Eyes which once had clear focus now only focus on the wall just inches away.

But some look elsewhere.  The Israelites looked to Moses.  They began belting him with blame.  Have you done the same?    Blame the boss.  Blame a co-worker.  Blame your dog.  Blame God.  Maybe even blame yourself?   Blame all you want but the wall remains.

While the Israelites were body punching Moses, he opted to look elsewhere.  His options?  He could have looked at the enemy’s army.  He could have looked at the ungrateful people he led.  He could have looked at the wall of water spread out before him, sat down, and given up.  

Instead he looked to God.  And God opened an unlikely route through the wall of water.  Safely on the other side, the very wall that had halted their steps closed in on and covered the sources of their fears.  

The very name of the book where we find this story serves as a reminder when we face our “walls.”  “Exodus” is a compound Greek word meaning “the way out.”  And in case you might have missed it, the way out was not a better job, a different spouse, or a victim mentality.

No, the way out is God.  Next time you find yourself up against a wall try looking to him.  

BIGGEST SUNDAY EVER AT SKYLINE

I don't know how many of you have noticed something special happening at Skyline Church.   Energy is everywhere.  People are excited.  People are coming to Christ nearly every week.  Attendance is up more than ever.  Have you noticed?  In fact, this past weekend was the largest attendance in the history of Skyline Church on a "regular" Sunday (not a holiday or special event).  That's EXCITING!

There are 2 very visible things.  The parking lot is full and the auditorium is getting full (mostly).  As the church continues to grow, I want to challenge those of you who call Skyline home.  We constantly need to make room for more.  As God is moving, more and more people will come to experience what He is doing through our church.  What can we do to make the most of what God is doing right now in our church?  I would like to offer you 3 things.

1.)  HAVE YOUR ANTENNAE UP FOR NEW PEOPLE.  Make new guests feel welcome by offering a genuine smile, a kind word, and a warm handshake.  Never forget what it is like to be a new person in a new church.  If you don't know anyone, it can be very uncomfortable and even frightening.  Let's be intentional about letting our guests know.... "We were expecting you.", "We are excited you are here.", and "We anticipate your return."

2.)  MAKE MORE ROOM IN THE PARKING LOT.  This is the first area that will be full.  The fact is that people will not fight for parking.  If we don't make room...no one else will.  If you are volunteering on a given weekend, consider parking behind the school and entering in through the back door.  If you park in the front of the school, park in the farthest parking spaces.  Let's reserve the prime spots for those newer folks and make sure they have a spot.

3.)  MAKE ROOM IN THE AUDITORIUM.  Last Sunday, the auditorium was packed...or so it seemed.  The reality is that the room was almost half full.  What was empty was the first 5 rows at the front.  Would you consider sitting in the front to leave the spaces further in the back open for newer guests?    I promise, I won't spit on you...:)  In all seriousness, new comers prefer a further seat.  Maybe it is to ensure a quick escape if need be, but it is most likely they want a seat in which they can simply observe what's going on.  You can make a better experience for those new guests by giving up your back seat.

In addition to those things, our First Impressions team is going to begin putting the "Ush" in "Usher". When the auditorium gets full again, please do not be offended if an usher asks you to scoot down to make room for a new guest.  Our desire is to make their experience as incredible as possible.  To make that happen, we can all do our part.

These are exciting times and I am thankful you are part of it.  As we continue to grow, we will see more and more new faces.  These are faces of people who could very well be searching for what God has to offer them.  Each of us has the privilege and responsibility to be willing to do our part as tools He uses to share the love of Christ with them.  As we do that, eternity will be impacted!

Here's to God-Sized Dreams!!!

The Story Chapter 3 - Trading Your Dreams In For Another

I was reminded today about the power of a story.  While at SWIC serving coffee and cocoa along side of several incredible Skyliners, I met a young man named Jonathon.  He was a young man with special needs and I could tell his desire was more than a cup of coffee.  He was looking for something deeper, a person to talk to, a relationship to feel.  In a brief conversation, we discovered that he was homeless and living in a shelter.  He would take the metro to SWIC to attend classes, but that didn't change the fact that he was without a home and on this day, he was hungry.

Since we were next to the cafeteria, I decided to buy him lunch.  Often we are tempted just to provide food for a hungry person, but today I felt the urge to enjoy lunch with him and I'm glad I did.  In the passing of life, we see someone who is hungry and maybe we feed them.  We see someone who is homeless, so we help them find a shelter.  All of that is well and good, but how often do we take time to talk with them and learn their story.  I have been guilty of that more times than I can count.

Jonathon told me about his life, how he is a Christian and has been blessed by churches in the area who have helped him.  He told me how he moved to the area in 2009 in search of a new life away from Chicago.  He told me about living with friends for a few years and bouncing around in a few jobs.  He told me how he had been unemployed since 2012 and had even stopped looking for work.  Luckily, he has been able to attend classes at SWIC and is pursuing a career as a CNA.

We enjoyed a nice meal together and shared in a time of prayer together.  Our time together ended and off he went with a "Thank You".  I was blessed to be able to help him out in that moment, but even more so to hear his story.  I certainly pray for his future as he pursues it.

His story reminds me of Chapter 3 in "The Story".  Randy Frazee often speaks of "The Lower Story" and "The Upper Story", the story of what we go through on a daily basis in the moment and a greater story that plays out with God's guidance over time.  As we live in the moment, we certainly experience good times and bad.  We experience times of plenty and times of need.  But the "Upper Story" is yet to be concluded.  The fact is, no matter what we are experiencing right now, we don't know what the future has in store.  That said, I have always believed that God has a plan for each of us.

We spend our lives pursuing "Our Dreams" and fail to realize "His Dreams."  Sometimes we don't see our aspirations become reality, eventually slamming our heads into a brick wall when "our dreams" aren't realized.  As a result, we give up.  Others make a bold decision for something different...to trade "our dreams" in for another's....God's Dreams....not just our story, but His Story.

That's what Joseph did in the book of Genesis.  He had some pretty big dreams.  But as his story played out, those dreams seemed to be squashed at every turn.  His faith in God remained strong.  He trusted in God's ultimate plan.  He trusted in God's dreams for his life.  Joseph's life was a roller coaster thrill ride.  One minute a favored son, the next minute a victim of brotherly jealousy.  One minute a slave, the next in charge of an Egyptian official's house.  One minute in prison, the next in charge of Egypt itself.

He didn't focus on the "Lower Story" (his story).  He focused on the "Upper Story" (God's story).  He could have lost his life getting caught up in the struggling details of his life, instead he chose to focus on a better story.

You can do the same.  If your life's dream has stalled, have you looked to God?  Maybe your dream is realized and it's not all you thought it would be, have you looked to God?  Maybe He has a better dream for your life, not according to the world's standard, but God's criterion.  His dream for you is part of His Story and it is certainly an incredible story to tell.

The Story Chapter 2 - And The First Pick Goes To...

Shouldn't this blog post have appeared during our Banner Year series?  I suppose it could have, but this really is one of the most timeless principles of God's heart and can be shared at anytime.  No time is greater than now as we enter in to chapter 2 of The Story.

All the guys are gathered at the playground court.  Some guys are doing their best to drop some 3's.  Others are showing off their hops by performing windmills and 360's.  Each one is showcasing their game.

Captains are chosen and the draft begins.  Who's got game?  Who's going to help our team be victorious?  Do I choose the 20 year old who stands 6'8" or the 18 year old Pete Marivich who has more moves than Michael Jackson?

Everyone watching from the sidelines has anticipated this moment.  Who will be picked first?  Then it happens and every jaw on the playground drops to the floor.  Right before their eyes, instead of the expected young, tall, toned phenom, stands a 75 year old man who is taken with the first pick.  Not exactly what they had pictured for the premium spot on the team.

And yet, this is exactly what God has chosen.  After creation, after the fall and after the flood, his story called for an unlikely man to launch a new nation that would impact the entire world.  As he would say, a nation through whom "all the nations of the earth would be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3).

Abram stands there at 75 years old, adorned perhaps by a dusty old robe and crowned with wispy white hair and wrinkled skin.  Yet, God chose him to begin His nation.  An unlikely choice for the first pick especially after considering the fact that his wife Sarai (who was pretty old herself) was barren.  How could God expect to start a nation with a couple who could no longer have children?

To complicate the story line further, it will be 25 more years before they actually have a child to fulfill God's vision.  By that time Abram and Sarai (now called Abraham and Sarah) will be 100 and 90 years old, respectively.  But the rest, as they say, is history....HisStory.

The beauty of God is that he picks people that you and I wouldn't necessarily pick first to be part of His story.  In fact sometimes we are shocked at who plays those starring roles.  Unlike the way we do business, he taps people, not merely because of their abilities, but for their availability.  God searches for people who are open to be used by him and are willing to be used for His purposes.  In this way, there is no doubt who is doing to wonder-working.

That is some good news.  You may not have the pedigree.  You may not be a Rhodes Scholar.  You may not be a blue chip athlete or have a lot of money.  But you are still sitting in a pretty good position to be a top pick for God's Work.

Join us at Skyline Church as we dive in to Chapter 2 of The Story as God Builds A Nation.  Skyline Church meets each Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m. in the O'Fallon Township High School auditorium located at 600 S. Smiley St, O'Fallon, IL 62269.

The Story Chapter 1 - God’s Great Passion is to Be With You

Some movies start at warp speed.  Case in point: Star Trek.  From the opening scene to the end it barely lets you breathe.  If you slip out for popcorn you were sure to miss something important.  And yet, people did. 

This disturbs me greatly since I am a movie snob.  I think the way to maximize the movie-going experience is to be in your seat at least 20 minutes early.  Never done that?  Then next time you go to a movie look around and spot the person that is in the prime seat—dead middle, eye level with the center of the screen.  That’s what 20 minutes early gets you.   Popcorn and drink in hand, nothing will move this person from their secured spot for the duration of the movie.

That’s where you need to be for God’s story.  Its opening scene also starts with a relentless pace that doesn’t let up.  The first line reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). 

Right off the bat we find the main character in the story is not you or me.  It’s God.  And the rest of The Story will unfold out of the nature and person of this character.  Just ten words in and there is enough action to leave you breathless. 

It doesn’t take long to find out what God’s great passion is.  Birds?  Nope.  Animals?  Not quite. Sun, moon or stars? Bright guess.  No, in Genesis 3:8 we find that God is walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve in the “cool of the day.” 

Sounds nice if you are in a hot, humid climate, doesn’t it?  It sounds even better for us in the frigid months of winter.  And yet the “cool of the day” is not the focus.  God is, and he is near.  He is right with Adam and Eve.  And he is right here with us.  His simple vision for his creation was to spend time with them every day, to take a walk with them.  God’s supreme passion is to be with us.  

Some of you have lived your life with the idea that God is some angry cosmic kill-joy who sits in the heavens and watches you, waiting for you to make a mistake so he can zap you.  Or, you feel he is distant and doesn’t care or has simply forgotten you.

But from the beginning he has shown us this is not the case.  He wants to be with you.  He has not forgotten you.   In fact, this might be the perfect time for you to go for a walk.  

That walk can begin with our journey through "The Story".  Beginning this weekend, February 9th, Skyline Church will embark on something that, I believe, will be life changing for everyone who commits to pour their heart and life into it.  

Skyline Church meets each Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m. in the auditorium of O'Fallon Township High School located at 600 S. Smiley St. O'Fallon, IL.  For more information on The Story visit our website at http://skylinecc.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=77 . 

Writing Your Life Chapter Into The Story Of Life

If you think Genesis is just a band from the ‘80’s . . .

If you think it was Dr. Dolittle who took two of each animal into a big boat . . .

If you think an epistle is a woman married to an apostle . . . 

. . . you may need to know more of The Story.  

You may be a bit intimidated by the Bible.  You’re not alone; many people are.  And no wonder,  its pages mention odd names like Jehoshaphat and Nebuchadnezzar.  It contains accounts from places you probably never heard of, like Sinai and Samaria.  And it seems to be made up of a lot of different, seemingly unrelated stories.  But it really is one big, exciting story.  

You can see it easily if you open your Bible to the beginning and then flip all the way to the end.  

The first words found in Genesis 1:1 read: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  Then, if you turn all the way to the back of the book,  Revelation 21:1, you find, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away . . .”

In the beginning God is creating the heavens and the earth.  At the end he is creating a new heaven and a new earth.  So the big question is this: “What on earth happened between the beginning and the end of the Bible?”  If you can answer that question you will have uncovered the one seamless story of God.

Why not read God’s story with your family this year?  Studies indicate if the extent of your child’s exposure to things of the faith is a only weekly visit to church or Sunday School, the likelihood is very great that when she graduates and leaves home her relationship with the Lord will turn cold.

However, if you as a parent engage your children in the experience of reading and discussing the Bible, chances go up astronomically that they will remain strong in their faith after leaving home.  You don’t have to be an expert or have all the answers.  You just have to be willing to experience it with them.  

Get involved in The Story of God.  It will forever transform your life and your family’s life. Every day God is seeking to guide you, forming sentences that flow into paragraphs that over time write the chapter of your life––a life committed to knowing him better.  

Will you choose today to take your life chapter and make it a part of the Big Story of what God is doing on earth?  

In just 2 weeks, we will begin this journey at Skyline Church and I can not wait!  This is not just a journey for the entire family, it is a journey for the entire church.  From the weekend messaged to our Connection Groups, from our ARC children's program to our Crossroads student ministry, we will follow the same path as we explore how God's story and our stories connect.

Join us Sunday, February 9th as we begin The Story.  

Connecting To The Story Through Connection Groups - Guest Blogger Denyse Anderson

Denyse Anderson is a founding member of Skyline Church and currently serves as our Connection Group director.

I am excited about the journey that our entire church will be taking together through "The Story"!  You can continue your journey with others at Skyline by joining one of our Connection Groups.  Through your participation in a Connection Group, you will have the opportunity to learn, discuss and apply what you are experiencing.

Our Connection Groups are the best way for you to fully engage with others at Skyline Church.   Through your involvement in a Connection Group, you can expect to…     

• Make new friends that will love and accept you just the way you are
• Learn more about the Bible
• Discuss with others how to integrate your faith into everyday situations
• Discover God's answers to your tough questions
• Have fun

I would like to personally invite you to participate in one of our Connection Groups in 2014.  I believe that you will experience life change by taking this important step in your life.

Won’t you join us this semester and discover how the story of Scripture intersects with the story of your life?

You can sign up for a Connection Group HERE   

Finding Your Story In God's Story

If I were to write a book about my life, I am certain a few people might find it interesting.  The key word though is few.  I could fill it with a certain number of engaging or exciting stories.  I could fill it with obscure names like Okra, A.G., Paula or Dean.  It would chronicle my successes and failures on the gridiron or the hardwood.  The book would tell of my history growing up on a farm in south central Kentucky.

This would not be just any book; this would be a book about my family tree.  The stories would probably not be of any interest to you, but they are to me.  That’s what happens when you hear part of your story.  Something that seems lifeless comes to life.  Something that looks dull becomes dynamite, firing up your heart and igniting your imagination.  You are reminded that you are part of something bigger than you are, that began before you and will continue on after you.

That is why God wants you to know his story.  It’s found in another book. He wants to take you into his house where he has framed photos of your ancestors––folks you may not know––lining the walls of his house.

Stories of a family patriarch named Abraham whose faith was as great as any.  A matriarch named Ruth with courage that would make the most hardened warrior proud.  A stubborn Jonah and his improbable fish tale.  Impetuous Peter and his big mouth.  Persistent Paul and his adventures in preaching.

Yet who he wants most of all for you to meet in his story is his son. He desires for you to look long into the eyes of Jesus Christ and hear his claims that what he began in the first chapter of creation he will realize at the last chapter of the New Creation, where a perfect people can live in a perfect place with their perfect Lord.

The perfect place to do that is on the Storyboard.  The question is, “Are you?”  You can be there when you find your place in His Story and I guarantee you...there is a place for YOU in His Story.

Beginning February 2nd, Skyline Church will take a journey together through The Story.  The Story is a powerful book written by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee.  They have taken the narrative of God's story directly from the pages of the NIV translation and put it into chronological order.  I have personally read the book from cover to cover and it did not disappoint.

Our The Story campaign will consist of 31 weeks broken up into 3 sections.  Each weekend, we will hear a message that coincides with the reading material for the week.  In addition to the weekly sermon, we will have Connection Groups studying a special small group curriculum designed for the book as well as provide curriculum for our children and students.  This will be a journey for every single person of Skyline to take together.

My prayer is that God will use The Story to make His Word come alive in your heart.  I pray that you will truly see that your story and God's are not different stories but one in the same.  The Bible is the key to understanding that important fact and The Story really does an incredible job of painting this picture in a beautiful light.