I love a New Year!
Everyone gets a Clean Slate: Winning is a choice.
Choose to do the tough things that will cause you to win!
Take 60 seconds to get fired up and creatively focused for 2019.
Together, let’s fearlessly lead your church toward growth!
One of my heroes of the faith is the little-known missionary William Borden.
William Borden’s funeral took place at The Moody Church in Chicago.
During my college years, I discovered the beauty of the gospel while attending The Moody Church.
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...”
( Zechariah 4:10 )
My worship pastor had just quit and moved back to Florida.
We were meeting in a local elementary school as a portable church stuck at 60 people.
I was angry, discouraged, and our baby church was homeless.
A phone call completely out-of-the-blue from a Lydia of Thyatira (see Acts 16) led to a walk-thru of this former golf store in the shadow of Freeland, Michigan.
The latest owner had grown so frustrated at the lack of customers plus mounting bills that he abruptly locked up the facility one day and walked away, never looking back.
Bankruptcy is a funny thing: everything in Golf Mania was frozen in time.
The show room was still stocked with expensive golf gear.
It was quiet, musty, and cluttered.
Receipts were strewn everywhere from freshly-fired employees who never bothered to clean up.
The facility and furniture were exquisite.
I couldn’t believe this facility was just sitting here unused!
This facility was chock full of potential!
The facility tour was in December of 2013.
It would take eleven long, drawn-out-months before we could begin gathering inside the old Golf Mania.
2014 was a year of vision-casting to a dwindling audience, pleading with the Landlords to take a risk on our church start-up, never taking No for an answer with city officials concerned about Zoning, and intense fundraising.
I could have given up.
I felt like giving up.
Yet I didn’t.
Elisha said,
“God’s word: Dig ditches all over this desert valley. Here’s what will happen—you won’t hear the wind, you won’t see the rain, but this valley is going to fill up with water and your army and your animals will drink their fill. This is easy for God to do!” (2 Kings 3)
If He has called you to it, He will see you through it!
Do not despise the days of small beginnings.
Do not give up when you are in the very situations that are ripe for a miracle of God.
Once we opened the doors on a 24/7 leased facility (it was a huge step of faith; we could not afford the monthly rent at that point and I was scared!), the floodgates of blessings were poured out.
People started showing up.
Lives starting changing.
The facility was simply a tool for ministry… and our perseverance was paying off.
We were praying for God to fill our worship space in 3 years…
…and He literally did it in just 3 months!
Never give up.
Fight tooth-and-nail.
Kill the doubts in your head before the Liar kills the dream in your heart.
The great day finally arrived, and after the school's fanfare and acclamation, Sir Winston Churchill stood to his feet, acknowledged the introduction, and gave the following address, which is quoted in full:
'Young men, never give up.
Never give up!
Never give up!!
Never, never, never-never-never-never!'"
90% of American churches are plateaued or declining.
I want to help you beat the stats.
Let’s quickly reach people far from God.
Every Christmas the “outrage” grows on social media: “they” are trying to take Christ out of Christmas by saying “Xmas” or “Happy Holidays.”
Chill out, Hall-Monitors-for-Jesus.
Once we understand the history behind these two phrases, we can all take a deep breath, relax, and actually become totally fine with these two phrases.
Over the last decade or so, many Christians have felt like there is a “War on Christmas.”
Xmas is not an attempt to take Christ out of Christmas (or, Christ’s Mass to be more precise).
Although, some people may be deliberate in their attempts, the statement by itself is not offensive.
The first letter in the Greek word for “Christ” is chi. In the Roman alphabet, chi is represented by the symbol X.
This means that Xians don’t have to be flustered by hearing or seeing, “Merry Xmas!”
Talking heads in the media that get worked up about this second phrase are nuttier than a Snickers bar.
This statement may be an attempt at being “politically correct.” However, holiday literally means, “holy day.” Celebrating the birth of Jesus definitely makes it a holy day.
Thankfully, because of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus; everyday can be a happy holy-day.
To the Christ Follower, Christmas shouldn’t be a one-day celebration, but rather, a lifestyle of celebrating the truth that Jesus is Immanuel – God with us.
The Kidron Valley sits between Mount Moriah (which I am standing in front of in the photo above) and the Mount of Olives.
Abraham would have crossed the Kidron Valley enroute to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah.
3,000 years ago David stood in this valley beholding the Jebusite stronghold which would become Jerusalem, the City of David.
Hebrews believe that this valley is also where King David would have been standing when he “looked up” to see the Angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth (1 Chronicles 21).
When fleeing Absalom, King David escaped through the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives.
A thousand years later, Jesus would often stay with his best friend Lazarus in the suburb of Bethany. When Jesus would head into Jerusalem, He would cross over the Mount of Olives and through the Kidron Valley enroute to the Temple.
As Jesus predicted, the Roman Empire ransacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.
The only portion that remains standing to this day is a portion of the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. Jews revere this wall as their holiest spot since it faces where the Holy of Holies would have been (now covered by a Mosque and the Dome of the Rock).
We were not allowed to photograph directly at the Wall, and so we snapped these photos from a ledge above the area before making our way to the Wall for prayer.
We visited this historic site built under the direction of Constantinople’s mother Helena in the 4th Century. This building is so ancient that is even boasts graffitti from the Crusaders!
The entryway (pictured here) has remained virtually unchanged since the 12th Century. This site contains where many believe Jesus was crucified and His nearby empty tomb.
You can read more about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre’s history here.
Helena had this structure built over the site of the Empty Tomb.
Because of the complexity of today’s Middle East, the town Jesus was born in no longer is found in Israel; it is in the Palestinian Authority.
Trekking into Bethlehem meant passing through sophisticated, heavily-armed border security. How ironic that the birthplace of the Prince of Peace is shrouded in barbed wire and machine guns.
Inside the walls of Bethlehem, the huge security walls are covered in wall art and graffiti.
The plight of the Palestinians is wrapped in religion, culture, and politics.
Very quickly we could see that the economy inside is near-collapse.
The Palestinian soldiers were happy to wave our tour bus through when they realized we were Americans (our Hebrew guide, however, was forbidden to enter Bethlehem).
After a long walk, we finally arrived in Manger Square.
A large Catholic Church was built over the site of Jesus’ birth, one of the holiest sites in Christianity.
This church boasts the world’s longest-running worship service; it’s been perpetually worshiping Christ in one long service for about 1,500 years! Day and night, monks and holy men tend to their altars and worship.
To enter the Church of the Nativity, you literally must stoop low. This architecture is purposeful — all who enter the site of Christ’s birth should do so with great humility and reverence.
Walking inside the Church of the Nativity is like stepping back in time: darkness is everywhere, the scent of incense punches through the air, and every step takes you across ancient mosaic flooring and solid gold paintings from across the centuries.
Over the centuries, the Middle East has been conquered by Muslim invaders, Crusading knights, and various other sects and groups.
This site was nearly destroyed by Muslims wanting to eradicate Christianity centuries ago. Legend has it that before torching this church, the invaders came across this giant fresco. Although you can barely make out the painting today, it depicts the three wise from the East who came to worship the Christ child.
The Muslim invaders apparently came across this very fresco, saw the Oriental holy men depicted, and thus decided to spare destroying the site of Christ’s birth.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem near Jerusalem during the reign of King Herod.
After Jesus’ birth a group of spiritual priests from the East came to Jerusalem and inquired of the people, “Where is the child who is born king of the Jewish people? We observed his star rising in the sky and we’ve come to bow before him in worship.”
( Matthew 2 )
The closer we got to the entrance of the Cave where Jesus was born, the more extravagant, the more fragile and the more ancient the works of art became.
Everything you see that looks gold IS really gold.
High above the descending marble stairway leading into the Cave hangs this solid gold portrait:
When the time of fulfillment had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the written law.
Yet all of this was so that he would redeem and set free all those held hostage to the written law so that we would receive our freedom and a full legal adoption as his children.
( Galatians 4:4-5, TPT )
The ceiling is low, the space is cramped, people are crammed everywhere as dimly lit Renaissance paintings peer at us from within the Cave’s blackened walls.
When they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor, and there she gave birth to her firstborn son.
After wrapping the newborn baby in strips of cloth, they laid him in a feeding trough since there was no available space in any upper room in the village.
( Luke 2:6-7 )
Back above the Cave, we walked past worship services in progress and marveled at the ancient architecture.
Look Closely…. Jesus is shushing you!
O Little Town of Bethlehem
The Birthplace of Jesus is surrounded by Mosques
Allah (the Moon god) is the focus of the Crescent Moon atop these Mosques in Bethlehem
That night, in a field near Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified!
But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah.
You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!”
Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing:
“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!
For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”
When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.”
( Luke 2:8-15, TPT)
And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years.
He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
( 1 Kings 2:11, ESV )
There are three mountains that are referenced throughout Scripture.
They are found here: Mount Zion, Mount of Olives, and Mount Moriah.
In Hebrew thought, three mountains = three letters in the Hebrew word for GOD.
Zion Gate protects the City. It was specifically designed for archers about 500 years ago by the Turks.
The walls are pock-marked with the bullet holes from past conflicts.
“And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”
( Jesus in Mark 14:15, ESV )
This is the place where Jesus and His disciples had their Last Supper.
Tradition says that the Upper Room was built above King David’s Tomb.
It originally had a rooftop (Jesus said, “Come, let us ARISE…”)
This is where the 11 disciples prayed for 40 days after Jesus ascended into Heaven.
Peter also preached on Pentecost from the roof.
According to Rabbinic tradition, the Mount (now covered by the golden Dome of the Rock by Muslims) is the site where God formed Adam from the dust of the earth.
Abram came to Mount Moriah 4,000 years ago in Genesis 22:
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
The stone (housed to this day under the Dome of the Rock) Abram used for the ram sacrifice is remembered as the foundation of the Jewish nation.
Solomon built the first temple on Mount Moriah.
450 years later Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians.
Alexander the Great took Jerusalem for 200 years, followed by the Roman Empire.
In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed the Temple, leaving only a remnant of the Western Wall (known today as the Wailing Wall, the holiest site in Judaism). Israel ceased to be a nation and would not rise again for nearly 1,900 years.
In 320 AD, Helena (mother of Emperor Constantinople) came from Rome and destroyed all the existing pagan Roman temples. Helena replaced them with churches.
In 800 AD, Muhammad was born.
50 years after Muhammad’s death, a Calyph had a dream of Muhammad on a flying horse sailing from Saudi Arabia to the sacred stone on Mount Moriah. This led to armies of Muslims invading and destroying all the Christian churches. Muslims erected the Dome of the Rock on Mount Moriah.
Years later the Crusaders came and destroyed all mosques and built churches.
A Muslim leader eventually arose - Salahadin - who defeated the Crusaders due to the heat. He destroyed all the churches and built mosques.
500 years ago the Turks came to reestablish churches.
And in 1948, Israel was reestablished as the Jewish homeland.
Mid-Michigan’s NBC & FOX News affiliates recently covered our church’s pro-active security plan roll-out. I am thankful for the positive news coverage — below is their reporting:
SAGINAW COUNTY, Mich. — Local churches have taken big steps to keep their members safe, following the recent mass shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs.
One church in particular, Life Church, is working with local law enforcement to increase security during its services.
“You think you’re going to a safe place like church, but terrible things can happen anywhere,” one church member said.
The lead pastor, Jonathan Herron, said his congregation expressed concern following the tragedy in Texas, so he took action.
“I started getting messages on my Facebook from people here at Life Church saying, ‘Does the church have a plan?'” Herron said.
He said he then reached out to the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Department and developed a more in-depth plan.
“We’re working with a lot of churches with training, but recently we did have one church in Saginaw County that asked to hire us… hire a deputy on duty, full uniform, with a car to be at their church services,” Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel said.
Herron said just having their presence makes him feel better as both a parent and a pastor.
“It makes me feel good when I bring my children to church on Sunday that they see a smiling sheriff’s deputy there to welcome them,” he said.
He said this change has encouraged more people to walk through their doors.
“Church is a light in the darkness and partnering with the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Department is just another way that we’re able to shine that light brighter, so people feel welcomed into a place full of hope and without fear,” Herron added.
Sheriff Federspiel said the department is working on holding active shooter situation training for churches in the area later in December.
The sheriff said his deputies are also making a point to make their presence known in church parking lots on Sundays.
I’ve always dealt with mood swings throughout my life. Some days my brain would be running a million miles a minute, flooded with thoughts and ideas. Other days I felt like hiding under a thick blanket and binge-watching Netflix, unable to face the world. I thought what I was experiencing was normal. It wasn’t.
About a year and a half ago God tenderly and wisely allowed some crushing moments into my life.
When you start a church from scratch and it grows really fast, the reward for ‘being a success’ is leadership conflict. In my case, a best friend blindsided me and a small group of people I loved tried to (unsuccessfully) hijack the church. We navigated through that season by trusting God, walking in transparency and integrity, and keeping our focus on the vision of reaching people far from God.
I believe in the complete rule and sovereignty of God: there is no random chance in this universe that is carefully governed by a Grand Designer. In the midst of the crushing, I knew there was a purpose.
When I noticed my mood swings becoming more intense, I made an appointment to see a Christian counselor. Listen, there is no shame in seeing a counselor. I believe everyone needs counseling! I’m married to a licensed counselor and I have seen the benefits personally. And now I’ve experienced the benefits too.
My counselor is awesome. He helped me identify trauma and create healthy boundaries. I love my counselor so much that I recommend him all the time to folks at Life Church Michigan.
Counseling alone didn’t solve the feelings I was grappling with. I had dealt with mood swings all my life, but as our church has continued growing larger at a very fast rate — and thus more people creating more complexity on my plate — I talked to my wife to see if she was noticing changes in my attitude and emotions. She encouraged me to talk to my general physician.
Long story short, I was diagnosed with mild depression, a hereditary chemical imbalance in the brain. My doctor prescribed a low dose of medicine that I take daily and in the many weeks since being on this prescription, I’ve experienced a fantastic change in my outlook on life. It’s like I can see and think more clearly now.
Further, I saw a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with something everyone who knows me has long-suspected: I have ADHD. And I am so thankful to finally have clarity on why my brain takes off like a rocket some days!
I understand the stigma of mental illness, especially in Christian circles.
Today I enter my eighteenth year of full-time ministry and I have never, ever heard a sermon or message given that addresses the reality of mental illness.
Some well-meaning Christians might advise, “You just need more faith or you need to pray it away.” Listen, I’m not insane but THAT advice is insane! I would never tell someone stricken with cancer that it was their faultand that they just need to pray it away… I would encourage them to get chemotherapy and seek health from a medical doctor!
You see, God heals both through the natural and the supernatural. Modern medicine is a miracle that we should thank the Lord for. A thousand years ago, people prayed to not get the plague. Today we just pray for a bigger television screen!
My diagnosis is a gift to me: God blessed me with a burden so that I could better understand my need for a Savior. I cannot rescue myself. Dealing with depression and ADHD allows me to lean on others. Life is a gift and love is the point.
This past Sunday I shared my story during a message on parenting as an encouragement to our people that:
It’s ok to not be ok… it’s just not ok to STAY that way!
If you are a mom or dad who struggles with their mental or emotional health, our church will stand with you, pray for you, and cheer you on as you seek counseling or psychiatric care!
For what it’s worth, you can watch more of my story from Sunday’s message below (beginning at 18:04). I hope this encourages you on your journey of discovering life and wholeness in Christ.