The Heart of a Great Church

I was away much of last week and over the weekend pursuing my "fun" goal in life - to be the starter at the swimming Olympic Trials in 2012. More on that one day.

I always miss being around Cornerstone, especially for a worship gathering. This weekend I missed something else - I missed seeing the heart of Cornerstone in action.

Mid-week we received a call asking for help. The Butler family had experienced a tragedy beyond belief. Three young children died as a result of smoke inhalation and mom was still hospitalized. Aubrey, Alexander and Braden lost their lives and the family needed the faith community to serve them. They called looking for a place to have the funeral, needing a place larger than their church. They wanted their pastor to provide leadership. There was no question - yes. Please come. It's not our building. It belongs to the Lord for His use.

I missed it but I heard it was a sight to be seen. It was no doubt one of the most difficult days one could ever imagine for the family and friends. It was tough for Cornerstone people. I'm rambling a bit because it's difficult just thinking about it.

Cornerstone showed up. Cornerstone was the Church. Food was provided. Chairs were set up. Sound and lighting was cared for. Greeters were present to open doors and provide direction. Childcare workers were in the Clubhouse. All of this happened in the course of 3 days. That's the kind of church I'm looking for!

I spoke with C.M. earlier today who works at the school the children attended. She said: "Once I heard the funeral would be at Cornerstone I let it go. I knew it would be taken care of." WOW! My heart beat faster with those words. That's the church I'm looking for!

One person at the funeral commented to someone else: "I never thought they'd find a place to hold this funeral. Most churches I know wouldn't let another pastor come in to lead not knowing what they might say or do. Someone might be in attendance and Cornerstone could get a reputation they don't deserve." I guess if someone gets the wrong impression then we're in good company with Jesus. His reputation was all messed up too. That's the church I'm looking for!

I find the faith community by and large too competitive, too protective of what is perceived as "theirs." It's the church I drove past the other day that put up big gates with stop signs on them, opened only on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights and Wednesday nights.

Way to go Cornerstone! Way to be the church! Thank you for providing not only the serving hearts but also the atmosphere that enabled the staff to not hesitate to answer YES. Thank you for recognizing that it's not about the buildings. Thank you for seeing that buildings are tools for ministry. Thank you for being a light to our world. We've changed our community. Lives have been transformed. That's what it's all about. That's the church I'm looking for!

God bless the Butler family. We're glad we could serve you when you needed it. Our prayers will continue.

Thanksgiving 2007

I'm thankful for many things this year:

• Family - that we can get along and make tough decisions during difficult times
• Friends - what would I have done without our small group and the incredible staff I work with
• Faith - how can anyone go through difficulty and uncertainty in life without faith? The difference may be that without faith you survive but with faith you can thrive. That's not a trite statement to me. It's real in my life.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

This weekend we're going to talk about how God grows a thankful heart in us. One of his methods is prayer. This week I pray that you will pray and remember to be thankful - for we have far more to be thankful for that we have concerns about.

Have a great thanksgiving Cornerstone Church!

Money Matter$ 2007

Today in the Cincinnati Enquirer there was an article about debt and Christmas. Here is the statistic that caught my eye: "Two-thirds of consumers who got a store credit card during the 2006 holiday season were still paying off the debt more than six months later, according to a national survey conducted by...." (Section J, Page 1 - www.enquirer.com)

We finished up our Money Matter$ series today and once again it generated some of the most excitement of any series we've done. Of course some of the excitement might have to do with the Great Thanksgiving Outreach that culminated today in the delivery of some 225 bags of good to feed around 2000 needy people in this community. Cornerstone Church - you responded so well that we actually ran out of addresses for you to deliver bags to! I'm so sorry that some of you waited in line after worship and didn't get to deliver a bag with your family. We'll believe for more families and more food for our Great Easter Outreach!

The GEO and GTO, as we now refer to them, are relatively new ministries. During the Fall there used to be a Harvest Party and in the Spring it was a community Easter Egg Hunt. Both had their last runs in 2003. At that time, the Outreach Team, was in charge and as they considered the purpose of the events they decided a change was needed. In all the years of doing both with the goal of being a bridge between the Cornerstone Campus and the Community only 1 family could be named that came to Cornerstone as a result. The fellowship was great. The community building within the church was wonderful but it wasn't fulfilling the intended purpose. So they made a change to what is now the GTO and GEO.

Christmas - GTO - Money Matter$. What do they have in common? They are all about getting our hearts closer to the heart of God. Don't let Christmas get hijacked by stuff. Nobody needs more stuff. Stuff is temporary. Love for God and love for people is eternal.

This coming weekend we kick off our 2007 Christmas Offering for the orphans at Fundaninos in Guatemala and the impoverished children in and around Cap Haitien, Haiti. Some have suggested that we shouldn't do the offering this year and instead make a big push for the new facility for Student Ministries. After much prayer and consultation with Cornerstone leaders we decided that we can't choose the Students in West Chester, Hamilton, Fairfield and Liberty Townships over the orphans in Guatemala and children in Haiti. The Students in this community definitely have needs that can and will be met through this new ministry facility (not that the facility will reach them but it is a tool to be used). But the heart of God is with the poor and we can't move away from the heart of God in all this.

The facility will be built. Lives will be changed but not at the expense of being obedient to God's Word: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

Some people have said that they will give their Christmas Offering to the building project. I say GREAT! You can't go wrong with giving. Giving is at the heart of who God is. When you give, give generously. Give in such a way that is causes others to look on in awe and wonder!

I love this Church! You are generous - loving - gracious - full of hope - willing to risk. Stay faithful Cornerstone.

Money and Church

Today I received one of the best compliments ever in 20 years of pastoral ministry. We're in the middle of our 2007 Money Matter$ series which happens every November. It's not a series about giving to the church. It's about what God's Word says about money, it's uses and evils in our lives.

A young man approached me and said: "That's the first time I've heard a sermon on money and not wanted to leave the church!"

One of the big excuses people give for not attending worship is "the church only wants my money." Unfortunately that excuse has some true background to it. Teaching about money isn't about raising a budget, it's about supporting the mission of Jesus. Teaching about money isn't about the money it's about the heart. I learned a long time ago that money is a spiritual issue not a financial one. The way we use our money speaks mostly to the health of our heart.

Money will either be a tool to be used for Godly purposes or it will be a god to be worshiped. I don't believe there is any in between.

Life Has Happened - Church Has Happened

I can't believe it's been over a month since I visited this journal to share what's happening in, at and through Cornerstone. Life has happened as I've spent much of the last month with family as my father lies dying of cancer. It's a difficult disease as many of you know. I relish the time and the opportunity to serve my parents in this way. I'm grateful to be at a Church that knows how to be the Church.

I've finally found the church I've been looking for. I've found bits and pieces here and there before and some tremendous Christ-followers but not all in one place like at Cornerstone. God knew I'd need this Church!

Here are a few things I've learned:
1. Community is real and I need it more than ever. I've seen and experienced gifts of time and food and prayer and relationships at the personal sacrifice of others and there is no way I could ever repay it. But in community you don't have to. That's the whole point. It's about grace. If I seek to repay the gift then it's no longer a gift.

2. Prayer is the most important thing we're called to as Christ-followers. For so many years I looked for the great thing God was calling me to do when all along it was prayer. How easy it is to be distracted by other less important things. I want to do more than pray but forget that I can't do more than pray until after I've prayed. Thanks, Cornerstone, for reminding me that prayer IS the great calling of God.

3. Caring and Sharing go together. A lot of people don't like to share their hurts and needs choosing privacy instead. And so they sit in the fellowship of worship and classes listening, participating but never sharing their lives. I used to say: "That's OK, don't worry about it." My family and I have chosen to share and we've been recipients of the overflowing grace and mercy of God's Spirit through His Church. I'm coming to believe that keeping our lives private may be the most selfish thing we do - it steals a blessing from others who don't get to serve, it makes us look like we've got it all together when we're dying inside. For me it would be a lie to say: "Good" to the question "How are you doing?" Truth is always the best option.

4. Small Groups are God's best tool for life change. I'm privileged to be part of 2 small groups - the wonderful staff God has assembled at Cornerstone and the one my wife and I attend twice a month. Some people say they don't have time for a small group. After these past 5 months in our lives I can't imagine life without our small group(s). The investment of 2 hours every two weeks has reaped the benefit of close friends for the journey. Thanks group for being a part of our lives.

There is more but that's all for now. Thanks Cornerstone for being God's amazing Church. It's an honor to be a Pastor there.

Grace

"Where have you been," I've been asked a few times recently. It's been a while since I did some public reflecting on what God is doing at Cornerstone and in me. The thing for me is that life has sandwiched me (and my family) between my father's cancer and Stephanie's dad's surgery earlier this week. We keep saying to ourselves - "Thank God we're here and not 3 hours north!" By the grace of God we are here. It's the best decision we've made in at least a while and perhaps in our lives (besides getting married). About 5 years ago we were praying and talking about the timing of a move from Findlay to near Cincinnati knowing that our parents were here and our sisters (just one each) were in Colorado and in Portland, OR.

Grace. It's what we experienced when we not only were privileged to move closer to care for family perhaps seen even more when we were able to come to Cornerstone. We moved closer to family we knew and found family we didn't know about.

Grace. It's what we've experienced in these past few weeks as my dad's condition has been labeled terminal, probably before Thanksgiving. The Cornerstone Staff is incredible! Between balancing their own lives they have provided prayer, covering ministry items, food and, well, grace. The sandwich creates pressure that doesn't always allow for the my best thinking. They give me grace.

Grace. It's what we've been shown by our small group. You all are the best! We all have kids and yet they have adopted ours with offers of rides and questions of: "How are they?"

Grace. It's what is coming when some men gather next Saturday to install a new fence and spread some dirt and mulch at the parsonage. I love working outdoors but they want me to have the time to spend with my dad. That's grace.

At Cornerstone we're working our way through the book of Galatians for 6 weeks, a book about grace. Grace is about concentrating more on the inside than the outside, the eternal rather than the external, the giving of gifts without strings.

I hope you'll check out the sermon notes on the website, especially the Going Deeper portions and dive deep into the grace of God.

Investing

On Saturday night I had the privilege of praying for this years small group leaders for our teens. In my preparation I searched through some old notebooks and small group booklets from my high school days. I was in a small group all through high school. It was formative. I told the leaders that I didn't remember much of the content but I did remember the leaders and the investment they made in me.

I was privileged to be part of an enormous youth ministry averaging 200 students 7-12 each week. We didn't do Sunday School. We didn't have a youth worship. It didn't look anything like effective youth ministry today - thanks goodness for that. Who wants to be stuck in the 70's and 80's!

I don't remember the content of the retreats I attended. I do remember who was there (one person in particular whom I married years later). I remember the leaders who were my friends but more than that they were mentors, examples, coaching me along my spiritual path. I was transformed because of their investment and look at how it has paid off - the harvest has been souls saved, orphans cared for, the world transformed. It's not because of me but because of the same Lord, the same Spirit that was at work in my youth leaders that is now at work in me.

I don't remember much of the content of what was taught but I do remember the people, the leaders who showed us the way.

Thank you, Lord, for putting those people in my path: Mike, Gary, Stu & Betty, Barb, Mark and others that I can picture but can't remember their names. May I live worthy of their investment in me.

C.S.I.

My family enjoys watching CSI on TV. I like the mysteries, the search for an answer to "what happened", the determination of following the evidence wherever it takes them. I came home from vacation in the middle of this short series on eternal evidence - Connect - Serve - Invest.

(By the way, if you think INVEST this week is all about money, you're going to be surprised.)

The evidence that we at Cornerstone are looking for is the growth of 3 key relationships (WE C 3 KEYS): Committed - Care - Community. The best way to do that, as Pastor Jennifer said the first week, is to be an active part of a small group. A small group is the single best way to grow all three relationships. I believe it's time for Cornerstone to put our best efforts into growing our small group system. It's here that we can Connect - Serve - Invest the best.

Small groups come in all kinds of shapes: some meet during the week, some meet on Sunday mornings, some meet every week while some meet twice a month; a ministry team is a small group organized around a particular ministry - in other words there's no need (unless you want to) to be part of both a ministry team and another small group. Some small groups meet year round, others take the summer off (like mine does), while others meet for the length of a curriculum (like Crown Financial, Membership, or any particular theme study).

This is where INVEST comes into play. Throughout the Bible God challenges us to invest our lives in good things, Godly things, the right things: "Be prepared in season and out of season" - "Meditate day and night on the Word" - "present yourself to God as one approved."

Investing means putting our energies and efforts into things that will benefit our souls and grow us in godliness (1 Timothy 6).

The 3 Key Relationships are not three separate activities. They are not additional things for someone to do. They are the natural results of living out a relationship with Jesus, transforming all of our relationships.

The Benefit of Grace

My favorite hobby is being a USA Swimming official. Yes, swim meets really do last forever. No, it's usually not the official's fault that it goes so long. Our most important motto in swim officiating is "the benefit of the doubt always goes to the swimmer." Translated onto the deck it means this:

• If you have to think about what you saw, don't make a call
• If you don't raise your hand immediately (probably because you thought about it), don't make a call
• If you raise your hand for a possible disqualification (it's not a DQ until the referee accepts it and signs the form) and then wonder if you really saw something, put your hand back down
• If your description isn't consistent when interviewed by the Chief Judge or Referee, it will be overturned

In God's Kingdom it's not about doubt but about grace. I've applied this philosophy to Kingdom living a couple of different ways:

• In our relationships, perhaps especially marriage give the benefit of grace
  
• In our Christian living, especially in our relationship to God and grace, be God centered not rule centered. A swim official could be rule centered, i.e. looking for ways to disqualify swimmers. Or that official can be swimmer centered, i.e. looking for ways to keep the swimmer in the water but making sure it's fair to the other swimmers that they are in the water

I've been doing some thinking around this "giving the benefit of grace" way of living. We human beings don't do it very well. I'm not positive I know where this human tendency comes from, other than in general "from sin." But I know it's there. I see it in myself. I experience it from others.

It happens when we don't hear what we want to hear and blame the other person for "having it out for us." It happens when we thought one thing was going to happen and when it didn't we believe it was the other person who promised something and didn't follow through - when what really happened was a misunderstanding. We don't give the benefit of grace to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead we question their integrity or character.

When we think one thing and the other person thinks something else, could it be a misunderstanding - a miscommunication - instead of a lack of character or integrity?

When someone doesn't greet us is it because they were trying to avoid us or could it be they didn't see us?

When someone seems aloof - deep in thought - while standing there talking with us - is it because they don't care or could it be they are hurting or emotionally exhausted?

Do you see the difference? Now that I write it I see a possible specific sin root:

• me centered v other centered living - if something goes differently than I thought or hoped it would and it's about me, then you are wrong - if on the other hand it's about you then there must have been a misunderstanding or miscommunication

Maybe that's it. Kingdom living is about the King. Kingdom living is about serving others not ourselves. The benefit of grace is a Kingdom principle. Believing that God always has our best interest at heart, that He's always working things for our good - that's God's grace and our giving Him the benefit of the doubt in the face of what seems like contradictory evidence. While it may be a little harder to believe that other sinful human beings have our best interest at heart and not their own, as Christ-followers that's what we're called to do - I think. Believe in people like God believes in us. That's the Body of Christ at work.

Building on the Right Foundation

I've asked several chronologically gifted people in my life if they ever come to the place where they don't feel like life is under construction. The simple answer in return has always been, "No." But one person did add something. "And thank God."

As we talked more about it he helped me understand that being under construction has everything to do with living. Death means construction is done and while for a Christ follower that means the completion of the journey, arrival at the desired destination. All of life up to that point has been about shaping and molding, renewing and growing into the image of Christ.

Romans 12:1-2 (New Living) "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is."

I picked up a book on my desk, opening it this morning to a page that seemed to leap out at me. It's from Eugene Peterson's "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction." Peterson is the translator of "The Message" which we often use at Cornerstone. The book goes through the Psalms of Ascent, used by the Jews as they journeyed to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. Peterson writes about one of the prayers: "Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue."

"Rescue me from the lies of advertisers who claim to know what I need and what I desire, from the lies of entertainers who promise a cheap way to joy, from the lies of politicians who pretend to instruct me in power and morality, from the lies of psychologists who offer to shape my behavior and my morals so that I will live long, happily and successfully, from the lies of religionists who 'heal the wounds of this people lightly,' from the lies of moralists who pretend to promote me to the office of captain of my fate, from the lies of pastors who 'leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men' (Mk 7:8). Rescue me from the person who tells me of life and omits Christ, who is wise in the ways of the world and ignores the movement of the Spirit." (p. 23)

This is a great prayer for those who want to build on the right foundation. It's so easy to get sucked into lies - "Rescue me, LORD!" is the cry of the kingdom builder. Every lie takes a stone out of the foundation. Every truth puts one back and shores it up. Every lie is like the wind and the waves crashing against our lives. Every truth anchors us to the rock - the Rock.

What are the lies that you've believed?
Where have you found truth, as painful as it may be to hear?
Do you need to be rescued right now from some lies/liars?

Peterson goes on to write:

"The lies are impeccably factual. They contain no errors. There are no distortions or falsified data. But they are lies all the same because they claim to tell us who we are and omit everything about our origin in God and our destiny in God. They talk about the world without telling us that God made it. They tell us about our bodies without telling us that they are temples of the Holy Spirit. They instruct us in love without telling us about the God who loves us and gave Himself for us."

To build the right foundation; to live a kingdom life means looking through the lens of God instead of at God through another lens - the lens of the world. God is the center, not us. May it be so.

Ministry in the Whole Church

What a great privilege I had this past weekend, spending time teaching the children of Cornerstone! This summer the children are going on a virtual mission trip to Haiti using some material from Starfish Kids (www.starfishkids.org). It was missions that God used to fan the flame of Christ in me and I am passionate about fanning the flame in others - the younger the better.

Some thoughts from my experience:

1. The children at Cornerstone are awesome! They were attentive, asked great questions, really thought about answers to my questions and they were all about being kids. They were so perceptive about differences and similarities between them and the Haitian children.

2. The children's ministry is a key and vital piece of Cornerstone's mission. Without children's ministry (and ministry to teens too) we would not be able to reach marginally churched young families with children in the home.

3. They were amazed that children could smile and look like they were enjoying life without electronic games, refrigerators, computers, tv's, or anything requiring electricity. I walked away from that experience even more thankful for the emphasis we've placed on our Christmas Offering - spend less on your own family and give that portion to children who have nothing. What a great lesson with real life implications.

4. We watched a video of the school where the Starfish Kids supported by Cornerstone are located. 500 children in a "building" a little larger than our worship center! No real walls dividing classrooms inside. Long rows of children. No playground. Low light. It made the kids thankful for their classrooms!

5. My time there made me even more passionate about reaching more West Chester, Liberty Township and Hamilton families through Cornerstone. There is a message to share and Cornerstone can make a difference in people's lives and our communities and our world by moving in to our communities and not just waiting for people to find us.

6. I'm even more thankful for the Children's Ministry Team - a group of faithful men and women who serve and share week in and week out so that our children will know who Jesus is and grow with a great foundation. Thank you for all you do that most people never see but we see the results of your prayers and efforts.

I tell people all the time that Cornerstone is the best place on earth to serve. I still can't believe I get to be here with you to serve the mission of Jesus. And in many ways it all starts with the children.

Raising Faithful Kids

No role in society is more important than that of a parent. You can't get the role by chance only by choice and then it comes with no "how to" manual. The joys are incredible. The potential pitfalls are deep. Success is a must. We defined faithful kids as young adults who are living on their own making life choices that honor Jesus Christ. I'm sure anyone and everyone could argue for some additional things. I was just trying to get to the core.

I asked at the beginning of the message for what people thought were the enemies seeking to keep kids from being faithful and parents from helping make that happen: tv, music, drugs, sex, alcohol, peers, time/schedules to name a few. Those are definitely enemies of faithfulness.

Stephanie and I were talking last night about kids and parenting and our youth group growing up and people we met up with years later. There have always been enemies to faithfulness, even in church-going kids. One young lady we met years after graduating from College was in the same youth group. I didn't know her due to the size of the group (nearly 200 each week). As we talked she told me stories and I was shocked. I'm naive. I'm innocent of so many things that really go on around me.

She told me of coming to youth group, signing in and going out another door to meet others - making out, smoking, sex in the bushes (ouch!). And at retreats - retreats where I remember growing spiritually and really making strides forward in faith - she told of propositions and more "stuff" going on in the woods. WOW! "Are you sure we were in the same youth group?" I asked.

The statistics are horrific. Sexual activity in teens who attend church is no different than those who do not. I've not seen other stats but I would have to assume from that stat that drinking and drug use are about the same. Raising faithful kids in todays world is tough. It's always been tough, just different enemies generation to generation.

Is it parents who are too busy to keep up with their kids?
Is it parents who don't care?
Is it parents who are selfish and self-centered, concerned more about image?
Is it kids who have too much free time?
Is it access to information like the Internet?
Is it the freedom of a car and the resources to do things?
Is it student ministry that provides a fun, safe place for kids and is satisfied with that while not realizing it innoculates teens to the truth of the Gospel? Go to church, be involved and then do whatever you want.

It could be all of those things - and more.

Life choices that honor Jesus. That's the core of it. There's no magic formula to teach it. There's no guarantee from God, only a promise. If we lay out the right path - if we display faithfulness in ourselves - our kids will catch it and even if they stray from the faith the promise is they will remember and then need to choose. We pray they choose the straight and narrow path. We pray.

Constructing Strong Marriages

Each year we spend 2-4 weekends talking about marriage from God's perspective. It never fails that I receive e-mails and notes and verbal messages in the halls saying, "Thank you." I don't think it has anything to do with me. I see it as evidence that marriages are under attack and being challenged and encouraged from God's Word is desperately needed. I'm not sure what to make of this though - many of the comments are from persons who have come through our Divorce Care ministry.

Here's one: "Pastor Jeff,you delivered a powerful message this morning.I agree that it served many different life situations.Like many others,I just wish I'd been in the "seeking/listening mode" much earlier in my life .The answers and resultant lifestyle direction,which would have prevented so much heartache for so many, were there all along."

Another person said: "I could have saved a lot of money by following God's Word."

Stephanie and I in no way have marriage all figured out. We share the same struggles and difficulties as every other married couple. What we have figured out is that God's Word has everything we need to live the kind of life He intends for us.

Marriage is, I believe, God's number 1 evangelism tool. Marriage is intended to be a picture of the love and grace God has for the Church through Jesus Christ. That's the way I understand Ephesians 5. I find that when I begin to insist on my own rights - my own needs - focusing on ME - that's when things so awry in marriage.

I shared some scriptures that I think some men might have taken one way without applying to themselves. One was Proverbs 21:19 "It is better to live alone in the desert than with a crabby, complaining wife." (New Living) The same goes for husbands. Who wants to live with a crabby, complaining spouse? Husbands, we can't miss this. We must take the whole counsel of God's Word. For instance, we can't read Ephesians 5:22-23 and quit there. We must read on. One e-mail on Monday reminded me that Ephesians 5 has twice as many words about how a husband is to love his wife than there are about how a wife is to submit to her husband. That fact should not be lost on any husband - or wife!

Here's what I have found: when I meet Stephanie's needs - when I put her first - when I love her as Christ loves her - when I am Jesus to her - then my needs are met. Transformation happens in our marriage when we serve each other rather than insist on our own needs and rights. When we try to control the meeting of our needs we end up destroying instead of building.

Married or not, the principles of loving one another apply to all our relationships. If you're married - pray for and strive for the best marriage God intends. Not married yet - develop the character you want in a spouse. Widowed - may God's richest blessings be yours. Thank you for your model of faithfulness. Divorced - rest assured that God is not through with you yet (that's our theme this summer). God wants to use you even as He brings healing to your heart and life.

Are you in a difficult marriage? I wish I could give blanket advice but I can't. Some of you have tried and prayed and worked but to no avail. Your spouse cares nothing for the marriage. I can't tell you in a blog what to do. I can't tell you it's not time to give up.

Some of you are seeing results and the relationship is growing again. Keep the faith. When two work together it can work.

My prayer for Cornerstone and the whole community in which we live is that we will see a decrease in the divorce rate. That's why we talk about marriage a couple of times a year. It's God's single greatest tool to demonstrate His love and grace.

I Can Do It!

Pastor Jennifer gave a powerful message on Sunday with an equally powerful illustration. You should listen to it! "I can do it," Jesus says to us. "I can repair the holes in your life. I can rebuild what has been destroyed. I can fill in the gaping holes in your life. I can do it."

One of my seminary professors, the late David Seamands (missionary to India, Pastor and Counselor), said many things that have stuck with me. One applies here: "We already know what we have to do, what we should do and what we ought to do. Tell people what they can do in Jesus." I thought about that phrase on Sunday and applied it to the theme: Tell people what Jesus can do in their lives. He is the God of the impossible. The things we couldn't dream of being reality can be in Him.

What I heard God say through Jennifer (one of several things) was that it sometimes takes a disaster (or something that looks like a disaster) to help us understand the incredible God we serve. He needs impossible looking situations to show that nothing is impossible. Could that be part of what James is thinking about when he writes: "1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

God seems to say in Scripture trials serve two things : 1) to grow us - our faith, our character; 2) to bring glory to God. But when we're looking at a hole in our lives; when we're gazing through a hole that shouldn't be there; when we're looking at an impossible circumstance it's all about God's work in us and through us.

Good things to think about Pastor Jennifer. Thanks for sharing from your story so we could make it God's story in us.

Walking by Faith

"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. And the life I live in this body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

Walking by faith is a phrase that's easy for me to say but hard for me to live out. I hear it but I don't always get it. Maybe that's because it's faith and if I got it then it wouldn't be faith. (And by faith I type that hoping it makes sense to somebody!)

The first point last weekend was to choose the right object of faith. That's what really matters in walking by faith. Our faith is only as strong as the object of our faith. The description of faith in Habakkuk 2:4 is telling: "Look at the proud! They trust in themselves and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith."

I think walking by faith is more than just believing the best or hoping for a positive outcome.

My greatest struggle in this faith thing is wanting to be in control. Big surprise - I like to know what's next. I do find that the older I get (and hopefully more mature in my faith) that it's easier to be out of control - maybe because the older I get the more I realize I can't control anyway.

I wish I knew the outcome of my dad's cancer battle - but I don't.
I wish I knew that my kids future will be positive and safe - but I don't.
I wish I knew a lot of things - but I don't.

I do still have faith - faith in a good God who has good things in store for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and will work in every situation for my good as I trust and have faith in Him (Romans 8:28). That doesn't mean it's all a smooth path ahead. That doesn't have anything to do with health and wealth teaching. It has everything to do with the character of God - the God who loves me and desires to make me more like Jesus. For that I have faith.

Under Construction

Just in case you didn't notice, we're under construction around Cornerstone. Outside S.R. 747 is expanding to 4 lanes. Inside we're under construction by God's Spirit. We're widening our understanding of God's love and grace through digging into God's Word.

Philippians 1:6 tell us: "I feel sure that the one who has begun his good work in you will go on developing it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phillips). God is always at work in us in both known and unknown ways. As I look back on my 43 years God has used a lot of different tools: relationships, failures, victories, difficulties, the gentle voice of His Spirit, Scripture, songs...the list could go on and on. God's toolbox is limitless. He's always constructing in me. My biggest problem is that I'm not always paying attention!

I guess it's the 20/20 hindsight thing - I see God's work far more often when I'm looking back than in the present. I think that's what a life of faith is about - at least a part of it. Is it God or is it my own mind at work? It's the construction process at work.

Recently I was building a stone wall. With three different sizes of stones it was a puzzle. Switching stones in and out, putting some together, taking some apart and putting others back in their places. Eventually it took shape. Then, surprise, a fourth size was discovered at the bottom of a pile! Most of what had been built had to be dismantled. But the addition of the fourth size brough a whole new dimension to the wall. It looked even better.

I think that's some of how God's construction goes with us. He builds a little and we think we're done. Then He introduces a new thing and it feels like we're being dismantled only to be made into a creation more like Jesus.

Sometimes I think I've got it all figured out - I know who I am and how God is working, then WHAM! Something new. He takes away one thing and brings in something new and the construction continues.

I find that God's construction ways are a process and we don't see the big picture like He does. That's where faith comes in. It's also a matter of who is God to us. Can He be trusted? What's His ultimate purpose in our lives? that may be the first question to help us get in line with God's will - Who is God? Read the scripture and you'll find out.

Team Building - Ropes Course

The Cornerstone staff took Wednesday afternoon this week to do some team building at Camp Campbell Gard - where our own Rick and Deb Taylor work and lead. It was a great - scary - nerve-wracking - exhilarating - breaking through kind of day. Everybody did the course - some more than others but that wasn't the point.


The first step is safety - an hour of it. The preparation time made some more nervous standing there, listening, looking and wondering. Several of us thought out loud later - "I wonder if there's a sermon in that somewhere? An hour of safety preparation and then up we go."

Some had done a ropes course before. Others had never seen one so there was a variety of responses. But everyone made it up and down and across.

This was an especially big deal for Sarah, our Office Manager. Being a cancer survivor she's ready to try things she would have never considered before. She had a blast - and pulled her partner, Micheall, around the course with her!

Graduation

As I sat watching the high school graduates come forward last weekend I was remembering back to mine and imagining forward to my oldest daughter's next year. WOW - it's already here! Graduations are a part of life. The alternative is unacceptable. The life of a Christ-follower is all about graduations...from babies in Christ to maturity, that's God's goal.

The great danger in the Church today - I see it at Cornerstone and the Church in general as much as I see it in my own life - is we'll miss or even avoid graduations in our spiritual lives by being busy. The spiritual phrase is: "an inch deep and a mile wide." We don't ever grow we just get busier doing spiritually looking - even very good - things. But God is looking forward to our graduations.

I spoke with some of the graduates after worship - a couple from high school and at least one from college. "How does it feel?" I asked. Each of them said in their own way that while they were excited there was also some feeling of: "O my, now there is greater responsibility. I'm feeling more like an adult." I remember that feeling.

God wants us to graduate - to take steps to grow spiritually; to step out of our comfort zone (the things we know we can do) and into the learning zone (the things we know we can't do without God's help). As long as we keep overly busy we can avoid those graduations. We can also avoid them by staying only in familiar territory.

Graduation is fun, exciting and causes anxiety. It's the gateway into new territory. I'm glad I graduated from High School and College and Seminary. I've been privileged to be part of too much wonderful God stuff since then to wish I was back there - as incredible as those times were. But now I recognize some areas that are in need of a graduation in my spiritual life:

• to new ways of studying scripture
• to new ways of relating with other pastors in the area
• to new ways of coaching my kids in their spiritual growth

...just to name a few. To stay in one place is not good - it's called stagnation. May we not stay there as individuals or as a church.

When I am Weak - Then I am Strong

There is so much more I wanted to say - to say in some other way. This idea of a weakness becoming strength isn't understandable outside of a relationship with God. Without God we spend our time making ourselves, projecting an image to others. It means we have to be strong, forceful, confident (at least confident looking) without a hint of weakness. Definitely don't do things you can do but be confident in saying it.

On the other hand, with God it's not about us but about Him. There is no need to make ourselves and project an image. Instead we live to make God known and project His image through our lives. When I read the account in Luke 9 of what I call the "would-be disciples" I see a relevant call for our day:

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.

So much of our discipleship is about us: our comfort, our convenience or commitment on our terms. A pastor friend of mine calls it "soft secular discipleship." It's discipleship on our terms, not on Jesus' terms. It's putting Jesus' ideas into our world view instead of adopting His world view.

God's plan is to use our weaknesses, to stretch our strengths, to move us out of our world and into the economy of heaven.

At Cornerstone I think we're living into that - never as fast as I'd like us to (I don't think anything in my life happens as quickly as I'd like it to except growing older and my children growing up). But I also think we struggle with this idea. We want a Christianity of comfort, convenience and commitment on our terms.

Take the building we're seeking to build for student ministries at Cornerstone. It will take sacrifice. It will mean prioritizing our personal finances to support the Kingdom of God. It will be uncomfortable, inconvenient and a commitment on His terms. But that's the way it is with God's ways. It's not about us.

The same can be found in every ministry area and in our lives at home and at work. There is a constant temptation to make God's call about us - first let me do this. No, Jesus says. The mission is too important to wait any longer.

Our weaknesses are the highways God uses for miracles. Perhaps it's the weaknesses of seeking our own comfort; of waiting for our own convenience; of defining commitment on our terms. To get onto Jesus' plan for discipleship will mean throwing ourselves on His mercy and asking for His grace and strength to follow His terms laid out for us.

Where are you weak? God is waiting with miracles for you to embrace your weakness, thrown yourself on your knees and passionately throw yourself into His mission. It's the best place in the world to be.

Giant Problems & a Big God

I told someone earlier this week that I'm going to look more closely at the planned sermons because as we're finishing up this series on storms I find myself in a particularly difficult storm this particular week.

I've spent the week with my dad as he undergoes cancer treatments while my mom is in Colorado for my nephew's High School graduation. This is why we moved back to southwest Ohio 4 years ago, to care for aging parents. I'm glad I'm here and have this opportunity. It's been a storm but God is bigger.

This past weekend Pastor Jennifer used the story of David & Goliath to talk about navigating the storms of our lives. A giant problem and a big God make for great stories - and great adventure. I forgot some of that earlier this week. Tuesday was a difficult day. Basically I forgot God. The "problems" were giant - juggling schedules, meeting needs, preparing for this weekend from a distance just to name a few. God was bigger than the problems on Tuesday but I forgot. I was irritable, a bit spastic some might say. Looking back I can see where I went wrong...

Third Day has a song called "Cry Out to Jesus" and that's what I forgot to do. Like David, I have stories of conquering lions and bears. I know the God I serve and who loves me. The words of the song go like this:

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

Chorus:
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
And love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They've lost all of their faith in love
And they've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough

For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering

Chorus:

When your lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus

To the widow who suffers with being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight

Chorus:

That song covers just about everything. What will I do when the giants taunt me?

I talk often of not wanting to complicate God at Cornerstone. On Tuesday I complicated God in my own life. It really is as simple as crying out to Jesus. Is He not there to help? Did He not promise to never leave us or forsake us? (Hebrews 13:5) Did He not say He would be with us until the end of the age? (Matthew 28:18-20) Did He not promise to send His Holy Spirit to live within us? (John 16:7)

In Matthew 14 we read about Peter walking on the water to Jesus but sinking:

28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

"when he saw the wind" - that's what I did on Tuesday. I saw the wind, the swirling, seemingly relentless wind instead of Jesus.

Is there wind in your life, trying to distract you from Jesus? I know at Cornerstone there is. We're just on the front edge of building a new facility for our student ministries. There's a lot of wind to distract us but I am convinced that what we are doing is mission and vision driven. Eyes on Jesus. That's the key. The wind and the waves will come. What will you do? What will we do? What will I do?

Sparklers Are Here!

Yes, I know it's not July 4th but it is a celebration as the Sparks' boys have arrived. Born this morning are Austin and Caleb (the youngest by 10 minutes). Congratulations Ryan and Jenni!

Celebrations

Celebrate - that's the best word o describe this past weekend at Cornerstone. The weekend theme was "Praising God at All Times" taken from the book of Habakkuk as part of our "Navigating the Storms of Life" series. I'm constantly amazed - and disappointed that I'm amazed so much - at how God touches the hearts of people through the words he gives this instrument, flawed as I am. Time and again God reminds me that He is in charge if I will let Him lead and look for Him to guide. He's so willing and ready - and He can do it right at the moment as well as 6 months in advance with sermon planning.

A person who lost a job on Friday told me it was perfect - "Just what I needed to hear." A recent widow, on this Mother's Day, said she's seen the good things God has brought out of the last year and can praise God for the storms. One person said - "You were speaking to me, weren't you!"

God is alive and moving at Cornerstone and as if those comments weren't enough it was the Confirmation Celebration that would pull you over the edge. Hearing the testimonies of some representatives from the class talk about their faith - the privilege of baptism as an outward sign of that inward faith - the prayers for God's guidance for growth in lives that have experienced very few if any storms to this point (although some have endured tremendous storms already) - all of it gives me pause to praise.

We celebrated family - not just with Confirmation - as our Youth Pastor was home with his pregnant wife who is on bed rest until the babies (twin boys) are born. It was where he needed to be. I shared with the congregation that while he wanted to be here for Confirmation he needed to be there. It was one way to demonstrate our commitment to the priority of family at Cornerstone - Jesus first, family second, job/ministry third.

The order of those priorities is difficult to keep. I want to say it's difficult to keep "in today's world" but I'm not sure it's that different than in past generations. There have always been and will always be temptations and distractions away from those priorities. Many Christians say family is a priority and we can support it from Biblical passages but how many of us let our practice catch up with our theology? I'm by no means perfect but I do try to practice it. Praising God at all times is easier when our priorities are in order. We can see more clearly in our storms when we practice what we believe

• What can you celebrate today?
• How are the priorities in your life?
• What adjustments can you make right now to bring them closer to reality?

Before I close I have to celebrate one particular team at Cornerstone who responded in amazing ways - the Student Ministries Team! WOW! With the staff person gone the team stepped up into some unfamiliar territory while also caring for the innumerable details already on their plates. You all are a testimony to the grace of God and the priority of Jesus in your lives. Thank you for serving Him at Cornerstone Church. Sheryl, it was a pleasure to serve with you "up front." You helped make this celebration a true celebration!

Confession and Storms

One of the hardest things to do when I started into officiating swim meets was disqualifying those little ones. O, they would cry. Sometimes parents would stomp angrily and coaches would yell. We have a saying in official's circles: "Officials don't disqualify swimmers. Swimmers disqualify themselves." That doesn't make it any easier but I've learned one thing over the years. As a swimmer I am thankful I was disqualified early on in my career. To not disqualify me, to simply ignore the infractions, would be to condemn me to a career of frustration in my efforts to swim faster and better.

In thinking more about John 4, the Samaritan Woman at the Well and her encounter with Jesus, I am thankful that God helps me understand where I've gone wrong. I'm thankful that He points out sin in my life. If He didn't I might think that I'm doing better than I am.

When our lives are in chaos, in the midst of a storm, because of our sin (not all storms are the result of sin - sometimes life just happens), the way out is confession not hiding from our failures. It doesn't feel good but it's the only way through these kind of storms. All storms aren't the result of our sin (please don't go down that road) - sometimes life happens and we are thrown into a storm. But when the storm is from our sin, confession is the only solution. Telling the truth and owning our failures is the doorway to transformation.

Confession is one of those spiritual disciplines that the Protestant Church lost when it broke from the Roman Catholic Church. Something happens when we confess our sins to someone else. James tells us in 5:13-16 -- "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Satan's main focus of attack after temptation is, I think, isolation. If he can isolate us from other Christ-followers then he can get us to a place where we are more vulnerable to temptation having no network for support. (Read Luke 8 about the Gerasene Demoniac - he lived in isolation until Jesus healed him. He wanted to go with Jesus but Jesus sent him into ministry in his hometown).

God created us for interdependence with others - for support, for encouragement and for confession. I don't know how anyone lives a vital Christian faith without a small group of other companions on the journey. I am privileged to have four groups - my family, the Cornerstone Staff, a Cornerstone small group and a cluster of fellow pastors. When storms happen in my life I know that I have a support system (and probably one too many groups but the pastors cluster is required - and I do enjoy the regular interaction with other pastors).

Many of the Cornerstone family know that my father started treatments for pancreatic cancer today. My only sister lives in Colorado, that's one big reason we moved back to this area of Ohio with all our parents in Cincinnati at the time. She is able to get away regularly to be here but on a daily basis I'm the closest and I'm thankful that we're here. I'm in the midst of a storm and know that I couldn't even think of making it without the prayers and support and encouragement of these groups. Each of these groups has been a picture of the Body of Christ as it is called to be - meals brought in, prayers offered up, encouraging phone calls and e-mails, questions of "How's dad?" and then "How are you?" Because of these connections I am blessed and able to weather this storm. I don't have it all together. I need others to help me along this journey of becoming more and more like Jesus.

So, thank you to the small groups in my life who provide a place for me to be me - to confess my failures, to ask for prayers, to depend on for strength and to receive the love and care of Christ.