Post-Easter

I can't believe it's been 2 months since I last spent some time reflecting on what God is doing and where God is leading at Cornerstone. Of course, I've also not been told anyone is missing it so.....but it's good practice for me if no one else.

40 Days of Community was over the top! The Celebration Sunday (Palm Sunday) was over the top. The 500 adults and teens in small groups for 6 weeks was over the top. The worship that Jim led on Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday and today was over the top - a notch forward each time. God is up to something. I have felt myself in His presence more and more each time I set foot on the Cornerstone campus. And I think it's more than having those new doors we waited for for 4 months! God is opening some new doors for us. I don't know what's on the other side through them but I know who put them there and I know who holds them open. I can trust Him!

On Easter we launched our present series, Suburban Legends. I'm trying a couple of new things all at once: We're moving through the Book of Ecclesiastes which I've never done before - we've done book studies but not OT; I'm including some application points, prayers and blanks to fill in within the outline instead of just in the Going Deeper notes. The response so far has been positive. I was introduced to no less than 5 visitors personally invited by Cornerstone members. God is up to something.

What fills your life? What is it that you believe will leave you full instead of empty? The best remedy for my emptiness has always been my relationship with Jesus. I can feel sorry for myself with the best of them. But it doesn't work. I can mope around better than the best but it doesn't fill the void. Jesus does. Talking with him. Reading His Word. Spending time reflecting on His goodness. What is it that you pursue for that fullness? Together, Cornerstone, let's pursue Jesus.

40 Days of Community

We're off on another 40 Days Campaign - of course we've only done one other but it was awesome! In 2004 we did a 40 Days of Purpose Campaign and it rocketed our small groups off the deep end. I think we had 5 groups prior to that time and ended up with 30. God has blessed us from there.

You hear me talk a lot about small groups and I know some of you wonder - "How do I fit it all in?" "He expects me to come to worship, find a place to serve AND go to a small group!" Well....yes....but only if you want to grow in Christ!

Don't get me wrong, spiritual growth isn't all about DOING. It's about BEING - being a Christian - being like Jesus - but I've not found another way that works like small groups. And what we're discovering around Cornerstone is that in small groups you can find a place to serve together and many groups sit together at Sunday Worship. Some groups take on a specific ministry at Cornerstone and serve together. Others find a ministry outside of Cornerstone and serve there together.

Yesterday we talked about why we need each other. A couple of independent type people wrote me notes or came up to me and said - "You say I need other people to walk with me but they walk so slow!" One said: "You say we need people to work with us but that means I've got to explain how to do it and make sure they do it right!" We laughed! They got it. I got it.

I received a note today.

I’ve been very guilty of the “my problems are nothing compared to others” syndrome. After a recent difficult time in my life I hated depending on others for what little transportation I have needed. I’ve turned down meals and offers of assistance from several people because I didn’t want to become their “burden”. I sat teary eyed as I listened to you tell me it’s okay to accept the generosity of others and what a true gift it is to receive such offers. My “I can do it myself” attitude has caused me much frustration and now I see how silly it is to behave in such a way. I’m usually the one on the other end…offering help…not needing it. Yesterday I learned that it’s okay to say YES…and not feel guilty about it. And you’re right…the folks at Cornerstone have been awesome…offering their assistance, transportation and many prayers.

Way to go Cornerstone! It's not unlike the old hymn: "O what peace we often forfeit. O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer." When we refuse to share people cannot care and we all miss the full benefit of the family of God - the caring and the receiving. We all need to be cared for, that's one of the benefits of the Body of Christ. It's good to be in a place that understands that and is trying to live it out.

The Headlines

A vision tool I was taught last year involves working with this thought: "What do you want to headlines to read about your church in the next 3-5 years? What does the body of the article say? What are the details?"

As I've shared the past two weeks approaching our 15th anniversary I was drawn to an encounter between Jesus and Simon Peter in Luke 5. Simon and his fishing pals have been out all night fishing and they've caught nothing. Jesus instructs them to "launch out into the deep water" and when they do - against all common sense - they catch so large a catch that two boats can't handle it and they begin to sink. I chose out of that story the phrase: "Church Goes Off the Deep End" as a headline for Cornerstone. I want us to follow God off the deep end, stretching for His vision for us.

Yesterday someone said to me: "That was right on!" Whew, that's good to hear! Vision isn't going to settle well in everyone who hears it.

OK - so that was all some 8 days or so ago and then all hell broke loose in the Raker household for what seems like the umpteenth time in the last 11 months. First John got sick, immediately I got the same thing (but it's lasted much longer) then Caroline had her appendix out, then Kathryn began getting the "guys" virus and I missed worship for the 2nd time in 22 years due to illness. Stephanie, well, mom's aren't allowed to get sick.

So where was I....

Vision. I've heard positive comment after positive comment about some of the vision we shared over the past few weeks. Cornerstone, I believe, it ready to launch out into the deep water. I'm not sure what all that means but I do know it will involve risk and danger and going against some common sense - Just as was the encoutner with Jesus and Peter.

Ken came up to me at our Annual Leadership Summit on Sunday - which I attended but "sat" in the back to hear what our leaders were hearing. Thank goodness for a great team of people who kept the show going! Ken said: "You're under attack and I need to prayer harder for you." Thank goodness for people like Ken. I know there are more of you. And for people like Quinn who help serve some of the practical needs with offers of a a meal. Quinn, you are a multi-talented man. Thanks for being a servant at Cornerstone.

This weekend we kick off 40 Days of Community. We've been planning and praying and anticipating and it's finally here. Praise the Lord! My devotions this morning took me to Ephesians 3:20-21 - in summary - God is able to do more than anything we can think or dream up because of the power he has at work in us. I'm looking forward to see what that is for this 40 Days adventure. Don't miss it!

Mission & Vision

At Cornerstone we are approaching our 15th Anniversary. A lot has happened in that time. We've seen both valleys and mountaintops. We weathered storms and celebrated victories. All along we've sought to remain faithful to our vision - Building Lives with Christ as the Cornerstone.

Pastor Andy Stanley has made popular the phrase, "vision leaks." I couldn't agree more. Vision gets lost in just a few days. It is drained out of our lives by the daily grind of life. It is sucked out of us by fatigue and frustration. It is pulled out of us by the Enemy. All around us vision is in a battle for life. And in the absence of the reminder of the vision, in a vision vacuum, people fill in the blanks the best they can...then comes confusion and frustration. I wonder if that's what's happened with the questions I've been getting about vision. Regrettably I was distracted and unavailable for much of 2007 with my dad's illness and death. No one at Cornerstone, nor myself, regrets the decisions we made to spend the time the way I did but it didn't leave time to refill the vision buckets that have holes.

I know that I have failed to realize how quickly vision leaks. I have not communicated as often nor as clearly as I need to about Cornerstone's vision.

The vision of Cornerstone has never changed from the first day - Building Lives w Christ as the Cornerstone. Everything we do has to do with that vision. In fact I've considered what one word would describe this vision - it's "transformation." When a life is built where Christ is the Cornerstone it is a transformed life.

Some might say our vision is missions. No. Missions is a tool, a vehicle to transform lives. After last week's message on how to grow spiritually in 2008 and talking about one of my personal ministry goals of helping as many as possible learn how to study the Bible on their own, someone might say our vision is Bible Study. No. It's a tool, a vehicle to transform lives. We're in the midst of a building campaign and some might say our vision is money or buildings. No. Those are tools, vehicles for transforming lives. We say a lot about small groups and emphasize we'd like everything to be in one. Some might say our vision is small groups. No. They are just a vehicle, a tool for transforming lives. After our 3rd Annual Christmas Offering some might say we're all about money and only international missions. No. It is just a tool for transforming lives - first ours and second the children in Guatemala and Haiti.

An early mentor of mine named John gave me some great advice. Pick something and stick to it. Focus on it. Keep it always in front of ministry. Don't only do that one thing but make one thing the point. He was referring to a ministry vehicle to accomplish the vision. In each church I've led the vision has been different. It's been God's call for that congregation in that specific culture. The one thing chosen has been different too. At Cornerstone it seems to have become missions - locally, nationally and globally. I never dreamed the Christmas Offering would take such a prominent place on the stage of our lives. I had no idea the transformational tool it would become. It was just a tool. Truth be told I would have chosen something else but thank God it wasn't my choice.

Regardless of what we're doing, we're about transforming lives - the lives of children, teens and adults - the transformation of the whole family. If what we're doing isn't transforming lives then we ought to stop it.

I am thrilled that it is 2008 and I have the privilege of serving at Cornerstone with you. You are the greatest congregation I have ever been associated with. That doesn't mean we do everything with excellence. That doesn't mean we don't have lots of ways to grow. It does mean that we have the right vision and God has gathered great leaders to the congregation and the staff. It is truly an honor and a privilege to be here. Thank you for being a part of this great place - great because of what God does. Now I pray I can be the leader this congregation needs. Thanks for your prayers and support.

It's a New Year

So I took most of the month of December off from blogging - let's see - 1st week was in Atlanta and Short Course Nationals (a swim meet); working lots with mom to get dad's estate straight and paperwork submitted; sick; Christmas parties; Christmas Eve worships - which were great! Way to go Jim. If you missed Christmas Eve at Cornerstone you missed God's touch. I pray you found it in a church where you were visiting family or friends.

So it's a new year and none too soon for me. But with a new year come new challenges and opportunities, like financial aid forms for college! I can't believe our oldest, Kathryn, is college-bound this Fall. How did that happen?

I'm just back from a restful vacation in Ft. Myers. I didn't check e-mail the whole time - and I survived! It's amazing what you can survive without. I've never had an MP3 player, although that may be about to change. We just replaced our home desktop computer - it lasted 5 years and the techonology was far outdated. But we survived. My children and wife didn't bring their winter coats on vacation so they weren't prepared for the bitter cold we met in northern FL. You'd think after all these years of insisting they bring coats and even boots "just in case" that they would automatically do it. NOT! I had my coat and gloves. But they survived.

So even though I was on vacation the Holy Spirit and I had many conversations. I am excited to share some messages with you this January about what the future holds for us at Cornerstone. God is busy. God is working and we get to be part of that work! This weekend we're going to talk about studying God's Word as a primary transformational tool in God's workshop. We must be a people who are all about God's Word. Without it we cannot grow into the people and therefore the Church He intends for us to be.

The following three weeks we'll be looking at what lies ahead of us in the next 3-5 years as we approach our 15th Anniversary as a chartered congregation. Then on Sunday, January 27th we'll have our annual Cornerstone Summit, laying out a theme for the year (which is "Excellence" in 2008), gathering servants from all the various ministries and anyone who wants to know what Cornerstone is going to be about. The team putting this year's Summit together is working overtime to make it a truly memorable event. You won't want to miss our keynote speaker, Tim Kerwin - former Chief Steward on Air Force One. He has some things to teach us about "Excellence."

Why talk about "Excellence?" Because our God has only given us His very best and His call deserves our very best. Doing things with "Excellence" is first about worshiping God and second about evangelism. We give our best to our Lord and we give our best so that others can come to know Him. I hope you'll plan to be there from 2-5:30.

It's good to be back. I'm glad it's a new year. See you on Sunday Cornerstone as we kick off year number 15.

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.