Out in Left Field with Pastor Josh

The Road Ahead ...

2012-02-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

As we dive deeper into 2012, I thought it would be beneficial for us to re-look at where we are going and how we are planning to get there. As you may remember, our leaders spent the better part of 2011 evaluating, reevaluating and recommending some adjustments to our current organizational system. In that process we also identified some of our strengths, our weaknesses and how best to move forward. From these discussions, there are two key points we want to keep out in front as we move forward, as they will be the gauge we use to dream, plan, execute and evaluate all that we do as a congregation.

Our vision is to see the community of Hillsboro transformed by the Gospel, one person at a time.

We all want to see the community in which we live to thrive, grow and provide a nurturing environment for our families. At FBC, we believe this is possible as long as we realize that a community is simply a group of people living, working and interacting together. Therefore, if we want to see our community improve, we must first see improvement in ourselves. How is that possible? We believe it comes through Gospel Transformation. We believe that the God we serve is a God of Grace, Love & Transformation. We believe that as we recognize more about Him & His character, He will reveal ways in which we can be molded and shaped into the best versions of ourselves. As we transform as individuals, our community will be transformed as well.

So, how do we make all this happen? One simple statement:

Our mission is to introduce Real People to the Real Jesus.

For too long, churches have spent their time, energy and funds to get more people in the door and/or involved in their programs. For some, this was a moderately effective way to connect people with Jesus. Over time, however, many people found themselves more connected with the church than they were to Jesus; as more time passed, many people couldn’t tell the difference. We believe that the most important thing we can do is meet people where they are and connect them with Jesus; it’s not just about getting them to come through our doors, but to let them meet Jesus everywhere.

Every action we take, every word we speak, everything we do and the way in which we do it reflects directly on Christ.

Think about that statement and let it’s weight sink in.

God chose you to represent Him in this community.

As we move forward together, let us never lose sight of that fact. He wants to use us; He wants to use YOU. He believes in you enough to allow you to represent Him. Not because you ran a good campaign or raised more money than someone else, but because He sees something in you that is amazing. God loves you, offers you grace & forgiveness and ... lets you be his ambassador.

As you move farther down your journey of life, remember, you are not alone. Not only is God with you every step of the way, but so are we. We are all in this together and through the Grace of God and His power, we will see this community transformed by the Gospel, one person at a time.

It starts with you.

Religious or Relational

2012-01-02T17:21:00.002-05:00

As I sit here preparing for the calendar to switch from 2011 to 2012, I find myself reflecting on the current state of life. Each year between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, we have the opportunity to spend time with our families back in Kentucky. Without fail, the family conversations make their way around to all the happenings of the past year and what plans we have for the next. This year, these moments of reflection have caused interrupted sleep, frustration with missed opportunities, thankfulness for God’s grace and sufficiency, and hope for new beginnings and fresh starts.

Too many times as Christians we lose our focus; too many times I lose MY focus. We forget what our Mission from God is: To Love Him and Love Others. As church leaders, we are at times guilty of encouraging God's people to focus on the "things" of ministry and not the Person who makes it all possible. We can all get caught in Religion and ignore the Relationship because it is easier. Here are some warning signs that you are immersed in Religion instead of Relationship.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” - Galatians 5:1

How to know if you are immersed in Religion about God or a Relationship with God:

If you miss a Sunday Service and...
Feel guilty for not being there - Religion
Miss the community & affirmation of the Teaching of the Word - Relationship

Serving/Working at the church...
Seems to be a duty or obligation - Religion
Is a primary source of worship - Relationship

When you talk with someone & realize they are searching or hurting you...
Invite them to attend "church" with you - Religion
Share how the Gospel has transformed your life and can do the same for them - Relationship

As you reflect back on the year that was, where have you been focused?

Do you find yourself working toward being more religious or more relational?

How do you plan to stay focused in the new year?

Where are you investing?

2011-12-01T09:58:00.000-05:00

It’s approaching the end of 2011 and I continue to hear politicians, business leaders, economists and journalists telling us that the economy is still struggling even with some minor improvements over the past few months. This is in contrast to the reports that Americans spent 16% more on black friday in 2011 than they did in 2010. For a country that is struggling financially, we sure do spend a lot of money. I’m not trying to go all Dave Ramsey on you, nor am I preparing to offer a solution to all our economic woes; I simply want to make an observation.

December is routinely a month where charitable giving increases substantially. Why? Some do it for the tax benefit, some do it out of guilt, others out of genuine charity and others do it simply because it “feels right.” Whatever the motivation, people are more generous during the last 4-6 weeks of the year.

Is it bad that people increase their giving at the end of the year? No, of course not. In fact, many non-profit organizations that are designed to help meet the needs of real people depend on this yearly trend. For them, this generosity is what allows them to continue doing what they do best...helping others.

The biggest problem is that people aren’t just needy during the last 4-6 weeks of the year. And, while many are in need of financial assistance, it doesn’t stop there. With unemployment hovering between 9 & 10% nationally for the last few years, many families are finding themselves in unfamiliar situations. Not only are they struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, a whole new set of problems are developing. Financial stress, as it often does, is manifesting itself emotionally and relationally. Many people in this country find their identity through their jobs, financial status and/or their possessions. When those things disappear, they find themselves lost and alone.

Helping a family put food on the table and gifts for the kids under the Christmas tree is a great help this time of year, but what about the other 11 months? These things are valuable, but they don’t solve all the families problems. I find that these people need friends, they need a relational and emotional support system as much or more than they need the financial assistance.

Jesus was really good at pinpointing peoples needs; all of their needs. While he routinely took away people’s physical needs through healing, feeding and forgiving, he never stopped there. He recognized then and now, that everyone desires a sense of hope and belonging. Humans were created with the inherent need for relational and emotional nourishment in addition to physical nourishment; its part of our DNA.

God created us for relationships.

So, continue being generous over the next few weeks and supporting the work of organizations that are making a difference in your community and around the world, but don’t stop there. There is more to generosity than money. True generosity is an investment in people.

Find a way to invest in someones life:

Become a mentor in a local school.
Volunteer at a food pantry.
Help the residents of a homeless shelter prepare and enjoy a meal.
Connect with local seniors and provide rides to the grocery and/or doctor appointments.
Invite a neighbor over for dinner and coffee.
Create a free job training seminar at your local church or civic organization.

I will warn you, it is a lot easier, cheaper & less time consuming to simply write a check once or twice a year. Investing in people can get messy. However, everything of value has a cost. Thus, the question remains, “Where are you investing?”

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ Galatians 5:13-14

A Year in the Life...

2011-11-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

Well, we’ve made it. It took some work, patience and grace, but in the end, we all survived. What did we survive you ask? The McFarland’s first year in Ohio. Believe it or not, it has been a full year since God crossed our paths and dropped us in Hillsboro (I know some of you feel the year has zipped by and others feel as if it has been an eternity).

The past 12 months have been exciting, challenging, frustrating, heart-breaking, joyful, full of anticipation, disappointing, quiet, invigorating, cold & snowy, tiring, warm & sunny, windy, hilly, inspiring, awakening, thought-provoking, intense, energizing, interesting & fun (and that’s just what I can remember).

The one consistent theme I see from this past year is change. This theme has rattled through every area of life for our family and I’m pretty certain you have experienced the same, albeit different. You see, we all experience change; our age alone testifies to the constant change we face as humans. We experience change everywhere; it is always around us. The cool part about change is that it is biblical and part of what Jesus wants for us. Sure he wants us to be molded and shaped (changed) into the best versions of ourselves through sanctification or being made Holy, but the change I am talking about is much simpler.

In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Focus your attention on the last part:

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Some take this to mean Jesus wants us to have everything we could ever want or desire; or simply that He wants everything to be wonderful for us. Is that really what it means to “have it to the full” or as other translations read “to have it more abundantly?” To have something fully means we must experience every side. A glass isn’t full if there is still room for water. Your belly isn’t full if there is still room for Jell-O. Can you say that you are living life to the fullest if you haven’t experienced all the emotions, both good and bad? You see, most people want to live life with only the good stuff and they try to avoid or ignore the bad. The challenge with that attitude is that you are missing out on something; you are only living partial life.

God does amazing things in the lives of people and it isn’t always through the good stuff. Many times, we experience the greatest of God and the “fullness” of his love by having Grace showered upon us. In fact, I would contend that until we have experienced true Grace, forgiveness and reconciliation, we haven’t experienced the fullness of life that is available to us.

Change provides perspective and the opportunity for us to see all sides of life. If we didn’t have bad days, we wouldn’t know how to truly appreciate the good days. If we didn’t have the cold, brisk air, we couldn’t truly appreciate the heat of the summer sun. If we haven’t cried tears of sorrow, disappointment and hurt, we can’t appreciate the tears and laughter of joy, excitement and appreciation.

Living life to the full means experiencing it all, the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between.

So, when you look back on the past year, what have you experienced?

Would you say that you have lived life to the full or have you missed out because you only focused on the good or the bad?

Don’t trade the things you have experienced in life because they have all worked together, by God’s grace, to shape and mold you into who you are today.

Oh and guess what? There’s more to come, so get ready. God isn’t done with any of us yet!

Replication

2011-10-01T09:00:00.003-05:00

One of the biggest challenges & most common expectations in leadership is moving forward. On my first full day in the office of a new youth ministry job, the Pastor sat down with me and posed the question, “Now that you are here, how do you plan to leave?” What?! What do you mean leave? I don’t even have all my boxes of books out of the van and you already want me to leave? Now, while that may not be the best conversation to have with a new employee, it is a very viable and honest question to ask. How many times have we seen very successful people in both the church and secular worlds, step down from leadership and the church or business they were running tanked?

Replication is hard to do, especially when it is based on something as unique as a human being. If you hadn’t realized, we are all crazy different. One of the areas that the church has historically done a terrible job at is bringing up new leaders. Most church leaders gained all their experience the good, ole-fashioned way…OJT…On-the-Job-Training. Not only are leaders often times not trained very well, but they are also put into positions of Leadership long before they are actually ready and then are given nothing to guide them except the occasional list of expectations.

In the first chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul commends Timothy for his upbringing and home training.

3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. ~ 2 Timothy 1:3-7

Paul recognized something in Timothy’s life, a gift that was present from God. It is because of this gift that Paul takes Timothy under his wing with the sole purpose of training him up in the ways of the faith so he could send him out to do the same for others. Timothy was left in Ephesus to oversee the early churches that were being established there and in the surrounding region. Paul had worked with Timothy over a period of time, providing him opportunities to serve and also to see service in action. In this section, we see Paul lifting Timothy’s spirits in an attempt to encourage him in the midst of a challenging and possibly disheartening time.

After Jesus, Paul was the model for New Testament mentoring. He was constantly taking young men under his wing to equip them and send them on their way. Paul understood two essential truths in the reality of life: 1) He was only one man, therefore could only go and do so much by himself and 2) He would someday no longer be around. These two truths drove Paul to find younger men to invest in so that they could carry on the burden of sharing the Gospel long after he was out of the picture.

Rick Warren speaks a lot to young and up-and-coming leaders and has been instrumental in a number of mentoring projects at Saddleback Church. In a recent Podcast, he speaks to the importance of having four types of people in your life.

Listen to the Catalyst PodCast with Rick Warren Here

What was passed down to you and what you are passing on to the next generation?

If you don’t have someone serving as a mentor in you life, seek one out. If you aren’t working to help equip and encourage someone else as they grow, seek one out.

So, one last question: Now that you are here, how do you plan to leave?

The Bridge Challenge

2011-08-10T10:04:00.000-05:00

In my most recent series at FBC, "The Crazies," we looked at stories in scripture of Crazy Obedience. Our constant theme throughout the series was:

"Crazy Obedience leads to Crazy Transformation."

Each week we look at a different act of obedience and how it tranformed the lives not only of the people acting but many of the people around them. In conjunction with each message, we put forth a challenge to our congregation focusing on a specific area of Crazy Obedience. Here are the details of The Bridge Challenge:

In the past few years we have all seen and/or personally felt the effects of the ailing economy. Families, businesses and organizations around the country have been seeking ways to minimize expenses while continuing their mission. While FBC is on stable ground, we have also experienced our own cutbacks. As of mid-July 2011, our regular giving is roughly $11,000.00 behind our budget for the year (that is an average of $350.00 per week). The leaders of FBC have been working diligently to minimize expenses and make cut-backs, while not falling short of our desire to minister in this community.

We believe that everyone falls into one of two categories as it pertains to giving: those who practice the discipline of sacrificial giving and those who do not. We are not implying that anyone is more spiritual than anyone else, but simply recognizing that some practice certain spiritual disciplines more than others (we understand there are various reasons behind why you may or may not practice a particular discipline).

As leaders, we want to encourage you to be growing continually in your spiritual life and that includes challenging the status quo. Therefore, we want to put two challenges before you:

For those practicing the discipline of Sacrificial Giving:
For the next 2 months (Aug. & Sept.), we would like for you to consider giving a special offering over and above your normal giving to help “bridge” the gap in our budget. All funds received will go directly into the general fund and be used for our 2011 budget expenses. There will be a special collection box in the Sanctuary for you to place these offerings as well as special envelopes to help differentiate these gifts from our normal giving.

We also believe this discipline applies to us as a congregation. While we strive to be good stewards, we do make mistakes. We feel that one of the ways we have not been the best stewards of what God has given us is by keeping too much and not giving enough away. So, as part of this challenge, the leaders at FBC have committed to giving at least 12% of this special offering away immediately. At the end of the 2 month challenge, 12% of the funds will be taken off the top and be dispersed to a number of organizations that directly assist the needs of the people of Hillsboro.

For those NOT practicing the discipline of Sacrificial Giving:
For whatever reason, if you have felt unable or chose not to give on a regular basis, we want to encourage you to consider this challenge. As leaders, we believe that God is faithful and that He always provides everything we need. We also believe that we own nothing and God owns everything (or as Pastor Josh likes to say, “We don’t own squat”). The truth that is exposed from that belief is that we are simply managers or stewards of God’s stuff. Part of that responsibility includes giving a portion of what he allows us to manage, back to him, in order for the Gospel to be proclaimed. We want to help you learn more about this discipline and see the results of putting it to practice in your life. So, here is the challenge we are putting out:

We are offering a 60-day, Money-back Guarantee.

We challenge you to commit to give a specific amount, of your choosing, over the next 2 months (given in whatever increment works best: weekly, biweekly, etc...) and we will extend to you a 60 day money-back guarantee. How does this work and why are we doing it? We believe so strongly in the promises of God and his teachings on managing money, that we want to help you see this discipline at work in your life. So, after 60 days, if God hasn’t provided everything you need and made himself visible to you through this discipline, simply claim the guarantee and we will write you a check, no questions asked.

If you are interested in participating in this challenge, please fill out a commitment card and place it in the offering plate or in the basic on the communion table.

The Dirty Feet Challenge

2011-08-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

In my most recent series at FBC, "The Crazies", we looked at stories in scripture of Crazy Obedience. Our constant theme throughout the series was:

"Crazy Obedience leads to Crazy Transformation."

Danger: Obstacle Ahead

2011-08-01T19:46:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, Lela and I completed a race called the Warrior Dash. If you aren’t familiar with the Warrior Dash, here is the base description from their website:

“Warrior Dash is a mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme run from hell.”

Pretty awesome, right?! The answer is Yes!

We enjoy doing things together and this seemed like a perfect fit; she loves to run and I love to conquer obstacles. The downside, she wasn’t pumped about the obstacles and I don’t run unless I’m being chased. While we were both a bit nervous, we knew that the point was to do it together and enjoy the challenge. To ease the anxiety of the racers (or increase it for some), the race organizers installed signs all along the course to warn us when we were about to face an obstacle. The sign simply read, “Danger: Obstacle Ahead.” Semi-random thought: It sure would be nice if we had those in life. There were also people along the course encouraging us and letting us know how far we had run and/or how far we had left.

There was a point in the race as we were running up this muddy, torturous hill (2 miles of the 3 mile race were uphill) that I thought to myself, “What is wrong with you? Why did you think you could do this? You big dummy, this hill would be a lot easier to run if you had trained for more than two days. This hill is never going to end. I think I’m gonna die. If I do die, at least I will be closer to heaven on this mountain. Lela, just go ahead and pick up my body at the end.” The fact of the matter is, I didn’t die. The funny part is that when we crossed the finish line, I kinda wanted to do it again; not immediately like one crazy guy did, but sometime in the future. I realized that as challenging as it was, there was something rewarding about crossing that finish line.

Obstacles in life are inevitable. At times, we bring them upon ourselves and yet others are placed in our path. The important thing to remember is that obstacles always pass. Obstacles are never permanent. Some may last longer than others and some have consequences (both good & bad), but the obstacle itself is only temporary.

Obstacles are never easy, but when they come, try to keep a few things in mind:

Stay Focused. Obstacles are only temporary.
Use the buddy system. Obstacles are always easier to face with someone else.
Don’t quit. Everything in life is preparing you for what is coming next; you have the tools to succeed.
Learn something. Try to evaluate things during and after the challenge; this will help you be better prepared for the next one.
Look around. Find others around you to encourage in the face of their obstacles. It is amazing how a change of perspective can breath new energy into your battle.
Smile. It never hurts anyone (unless it looks creepy).

At the end of the Warrior Dash, everyone has a medal placed around their neck as a reward/reminder of their accomplishment. Each time I walk in my office I see that medal and it reminds me of another obstacle faced and conquered. Try doing the same. As you pass through an obstacle in life, find some tangible object to keep as a reminder of what you faced and that you survived.

Life is a journey and you aren’t the same person you were 5 years ago, 5 months ago or 5 days ago.

Why? Obstacles create change. The type of change that occurs is up to you.

You can learn, grow and become stronger or just get old.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” ~ 1 Peter 5:10

Lela and I post-race!

Lost In Translation

2011-07-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows the McFarland family that a lot of talking takes place in our home. I used to try to simply push all the blame off on Lela and the girls, but the reality is that I “talk” for a living, so I too must take some responsibility. One of the most common phrases uttered in our house is, “You have 2 ears and only 1 mouth, so talk less and listen more.” While I am usually the one saying these words, I have had them directed at me numerous times.

Recently, I have begun to feel that while that phrase is adequate, it is far from complete. Sure, everyone from kids to parents to politicians to church leaders needs to do a better job of listening more, but it can’t stop there. I wonder if a piece of that saying has been lost in translation? I wonder if we are missing out on something more than just being quiet and listening? I wonder if there is more out there for us to grasp?

What if the original phrase read like this:

You have 1 mouth, 2 ears, 4 appendages and a Big Heart. Therefore, you should talk less, listen more, serve frequently and love greatly.

Wow, that’s kinda long and a lot harder to remember. Plus, it isn’t exactly easy to accomplish. Maybe that is why we just dropped the second half; that’s more efficient, right?

While it may be more efficient, it is also less effective. Oh, and a tad bit selfish.

You see, talking less and listening more will make you a much better person, but if we stop there, it’s pretty selfish. When we realize that we have been given hands and feet so that we can go and serve others, we go beyond just us; we realize that others can benefit from what we have learned. However, if we simply talk less, listen more, and serve others without a deeper purpose, we are really just again, being selfish. Sure, serving others out of our surplus is nice, but it always makes us feel good. Is everything really about us?

That is where are heart comes in to play.

You see, we are all spiritual beings; that is the way God created us. Inside each of us is a soul that will live on for eternity. A soul that is broken and is searching desperately for a way to be restored. The only answer for restoration is trusting in Jesus Christ. Jesus fixes everything, from the inside out.

So, the most important part of that whole phrase is the part about the “big heart.” Why is it big? Because it has been completely restored by Jesus Christ and is full of enough Grace to share with the world.

We should talk less, listen more, serve frequently and love greatly.

That means we have to get up and move. That means we must come to terms with the fact that our goal in life isn’t to simply get everything we want. That means we have to think of others. That means that we must first, Trust Jesus to restore us and second, share the restoration we experienced with everyone so they can have the opportunity to experience it as well.

But that all sounds really hard, time consuming and kind of messy. Couldn’t we find a way to be more efficient? Maybe we didn’t lose anything in translation after all; maybe we just hid the hard stuff so we could forget about it and make things easier.

Yeah, that sounds much better. We just need to be quiet and listen more. That’s what the church is for anyway, right?

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” ~ James 1:22

Summer of Fun & Encouragement

2011-05-31T13:51:00.003-05:00

1 Thessalonians 5:11-15

11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong. 13 Think highly of them and give them your wholehearted love because of their work. And remember to live peaceably with each other. 14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else.

As we walk down the road of life, we are constantly faced with challenges. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not faced with something that stands in the way of me accomplishing a task; I know all of you experience this daily as well. One of the things that always helps me through those times are the encouraging words from others. Just a simple phrase like, “Hey, I know things are tough, but it will all work out soon,” is enough to help me pick my head, drive forward through the obstacles and complete the task at hand. A few years ago, I lost my job working for National City Bank. As many of you know first hand, it is tough to sit down at the kitchen table with your wife and tell her that you no longer have a job to support the family. We both knew in our hearts that God was going to provide for us, but in our minds it was still difficult to handle. Many people came to us with words of encouragement and shared stories of how they had faced similar situations and were able to testify to how God pulled them through the rough spot in life. Those encouraging words are what we had to cling to for six long weeks as I tried to find another job (looking back and seeing our current economy, six weeks seems like nothing). Almost six years later we can see how God was moving in and around us and it is amazing to see where we have come since that time.

Encouragement is a gift that comes from God and not everyone is blessed with the natural ability to be an “encourager” (Just ask any of the three girls that live in my house). However, that doesn’t give us an excuse to ignore the good we see in people. Everyone appreciates an encouraging word. As part of our Memorial Day Celebration and our Summer of Fun, we are going to make a focused effort to encourage each other. In the Sanctuary, you will find a box of blank envelopes and some markers. Please take one of the envelopes and print your first & last name on it (feel free to decorate them if you like as well). Then, place the completed envelope in the appropriate basket. In early June, we will be hanging the envelopes throughout FBC as a sort of “inner-office” mail system. These envelopes will become mailboxes for our church family. They are called “Encouragrams” or “E-grams.”

What is the purpose? They are there for you and I to use as a means of delivering notes of encouragement and affirmation to our fellow servants here at FBC. The envelopes will remain on the walls through the summer (maybe longer) to allow all of us the opportunity to share with each other. Take a few moments to write a quick note to someone you appreciate, when someone does something you would like to recognize or even someone you have a beef with but want to move past it by finding something nice to say. Please remember that these are to be used for ENCOURAGEMENT ONLY.

The old saying your mom used to say definitely applies here: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

God urges us to be encouragers for each other. We are to work together to build up the body of Christ so that we can have the strength and unity to go out into the world to share the love that Christ gives us each and every day. Think about the good things and figure out a way to move past the bad things. Surely if God can forget our negative past and still work in and through us, then we can do the same with each other. Let’s begin the process of turning our negative thoughts into positive ones and I promise the return will be that of a blessing.

Accomplishments, Perspectives & Change

2011-04-29T14:20:00.003-05:00

When I decided to go back to college and finish what I had started years early, I was forced to take some classes that while beneficial, were not necessarily desirable. In one class in particular, I was asked to write an essay entitled, “My Greatest Accomplishment.” The process was quite challenging and forced me to do some serious soul searching.

I ran across that essay a few weeks ago and it caused me to once again, take a look at my life and evaluate my current situation. I have been married to a wonderful woman for over 9 years and we have two beautiful & energetic daughters from whom we receive blessings daily. Are those however, really accomplishments or are they blessings I have received from God? I considered the two degrees I have earned from CU and the Kentucky Colonel plaque in my office. The more I thought, the more I realized that all the great things that have happened in my life have happened because I allowed God to work through me or He chose to do something special; I have had no control over the good things. Now ask me about the greatest catastrophe(s) in my life and I guarantee that those are things for which I had complete control.

To truly answer this question I have to look deep inside and identify my strengths and weaknesses; plus, I must recognize where those things find their root. God has given me a unique set of gifts, talents & abilities and wants to see me use them to their full potential (while my gift set may be unique, the fact that I have one is not. God gives a unique set to everyone). Alongside that gift set is a similar set of weaknesses. None of us should be so arrogant as to think we are weakness free. If you aren’t sure where your weaknesses are, just look at your strengths and you will then be able to identify the characteristics in which you are lacking. Now, be advised that when you are able to identify your weaknesses, you also find where Satan will most likely attack you. So, now that I have identified those things, can I also identify my greatest accomplishment? Well, maybe.

I think that question is very subjective. You see, what I consider to be a great accomplishment, someone else may consider a failure. It all depends on your perspective. It depends on where you stand with God. It depends on your calling & it depends on your gift set. My very best work at the piano would be considered rubbish by Mozart, because our gift sets are different.

So, here goes. I am often asked by folks, as they get to know me, what I do for a living. While I don’t hide what I do, I also don’t flaunt it around like a badge of pride. Now, the specifics of their thoughts and/or responses aren’t identical, the root is always the same, “well, you don’t look like a preacher.” My response, “Mission Accomplished.”

I can hear some of you gasp as you read that statement and a few of you even thinking of me as a heretic. I recognize your perspective, respect you for having it and even understand why you have it. My perspective is different. You see, I feel that my primary calling in life is to be a Christ-follower, a husband and a dad; in that order. While my vocation is important, it isn’t what defines me. My vocation is simply one way that I can allow God to use my unique gift mix to impact the world.

What I have found is that some people have preconceived notions about preachers (aka stereotypes) and that prevents them from ever having any serious conversations about God. My goal is to allow people to see that how I approach life, interact with my wife & children, and desire constant, personal change is a direct result of my relationship with God. The way I have found to best accomplish this is to just be Josh. You know, Josh, the guy over there in the jeans, with the receding hairline, gorgeous family and braces (ok, I can’t wait for that part to be gone). You know, Josh, the guy who loves country ham, sweet tea, telling stories and Apple products. You know, Josh, the guy who loves baseball, tattoos and gets right to the point. You know, Josh. When people see Josh, I want them to see the same guy whether its on a Sunday, Tuesday or Friday. Why? Because when they see the same guy day after day, week after week, they will also be able to recognize when things begin to change. And when they see change (or transformation) it gives me an opportunity to tell them what is at the heart of that change--Jesus.

My greatest accomplishment in life, just being Josh...the guy God created me to be.

So, what is your perspective?

What is your greatest accomplishment?

How are you being transformed?

21 Days of Redemption - A Bible Reading Plan

2011-04-02T10:00:00.002-05:00

This is the time of year that we celebrate the Great Rescue that God performed on our behalf. While Jesus’ death and resurrection was the pinnacle of God’s great rescue plan, it wasn’t the only one He initiated. If fact, God has a tremendous record of rescuing his people in spite of themselves.

As Easter approaches, I want to encourage you to spend some time reading. Starting April 3, I want to encourage you to set aside some time daily to marvel at the great rescue plan that plays out in the Bible.

Bible Reading Plan - 21 Days of Redemption

April 3 - Creation

Genesis 1:1-31, 2:1-3

April 4 - The Flood

Genesis 6:5-22, 7:1-5, 8:13-21

April 5 - Sacrificial Obedience

Genesis 22:1-14

April 6 - The Deliverance

Exodus 6:1-8, 13:17-22, 14:15-31

April 7- Faith & Determination

Numbers 14:26-38, Joshua 24:1-15

April 8 - Grace & a Second Chance

Judges 16:1-30

April 9 - Rebuke & God’s Favor

2 Samuel 12:1-25

April 10 - A Prophets Faith

1 Kings 18:16-39

April 11 - A Prayer Driven Leader

Nehemiah 1:1-11, 2:1-6, 6:15-16

April 12 - For Such a Time as This

Esther 1:1-18, 5:1-5, 7:1-6, 8:3-8, 8:11

April 13 - Honest Repentance

Jonah 3:1-10

April 14 - God-sized Love

Hosea 3:1-5, 14:1-10

April 15 - The King

Luke 19:35-44, Matthew 26:6-13

April 16 - The Meal

Luke 22:14-20, John 13:1-5, 12-17

April 17 - The Prayer

Matthew 26:36-45, John 17:1-5, 20-26

April 18 - The Arrest

Mark 14:43-52

April 19 - The Trial

Luke 22:66-71, 23:1-17, Matthew 27:15-26

April 20 - The Cross

Mark 15:21-24, Matthew 27:45-54

April 21 - In the Tomb

Luke 23:50-56

April 22 - It’s Empty

Matthew 28:1-10

April 23 - The Departure

Acts 1:1-11

Eggs, Bunnies, Chocolate, Fried Fish & a Bloody Cross

2011-04-01T13:00:00.002-05:00

The calendar says it is spring and the sun is shining, but as I step out on my porch, I am reminded that looks can be deceiving. Each season of the year brings with it a collection of images, symbols and traditions that help us focus on what is next. As the tress and flowers begin to bloom following the cold and dreariness of winter, we are reminded of life and the arrival of warmer days.

Those aren’t the only sights we see this time of year. Our magazines, TV’s, restaurants and shopping centers are filled with many more. No matter where you step, it seems like you are attacked with images of bunnies, pastel eggs and chocolate. Plus, almost every restaurant is advertising some sort of fish dinner or fish sandwich special on Fridays (not that I am complaining, I love a good fish fry!). Then, as Easter approaches, the next phase of the spring advertising begins courtesy of our local churches. I believe that there are more crosses printed, musicals sung and sermons preached (both in and out of the sanctuary) in the few weeks leading up to Easter than there are the rest of the year combined.

Is that a problem? No.

Can it be? Yes.

The biggest challenge I see is that many times, the images that surround us this time of year have a tendency to drown each other out. We have so many rituals and traditions that the life of the season gets sucked out of us, almost unexpectedly.

You see the cool part of this time of year is that it represents a great rescue. We are rescued from the dreariness and cold of the winter. The trees, flowers, plants and grass are rescued from their dormant state and encouraged to bloom and display their beautiful colors. And we as humans can celebrate that we have been rescued from our sin and sufferings through Jesus’ death on the cross. Somehow though, that truth gets pushed to the side in the midst of everything else. Let’s be honest, if you had to focus on an image, what would you pick, a soft, furry bunny or a bloody cross? That is what happens when we segment our life into seasonal images, we almost always pick the pretty and happy ones.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Easter season is a great time to celebrate the forgiveness that we can receive through Jesus’ death and the life and hope we are promised through his resurrection. I just think it needs to be a daily focus as opposed to a seasonal one. You see, the rescue that God provides for his people is a remarkable one. So much so, that we need to keep it as our daily source of life, energy and excitement. Otherwise, the cross just gets lumped together with Eggs, Bunnies, Chocolate, & Fried Fish. And that kinda ruins my appetite.

Time to Get Real

2011-03-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

It’s time to get real.

As I write these words I am sitting in my office sulking. Pouting like a 4 year old boy who didn’t get to buy the GI Joe he really wanted at Toys R Us. (I want to throw a fit but am refraining) The morning started with a wonderful argument with my wife followed by a series of text messages to try to explain my stupidity and ask for forgiveness (yes I know texting isn’t the best way to go about those things, but it will start the ball rolling so I can continue the convo in person). So, why am I so on edge and taking it out on those closest to me?

I’m a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy. Oh, and at times I’m lonely.

I am surrounded by a wonderful support system starting with my family. I could not have designed a better woman to fill the role of best friend, wife, and ministry partner and our girls are amazing. As I write and try to keep a frown on my face, I find myself being encouraged via two phone calls from close friends and a visit in the office. I serve a God who has overcome all odds and provided me freedom from sin and the promise of life eternal through Jesus and yet, here I sit at my desk starring at the wall.

WHAT’S THE DEAL! SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP! WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?!?

Oh yeah, I’m a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy. Oh, and at times I’m lonely.

I keep reciting Romans 8:9 in my head waiting for the power of the message to sink in, “You are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit, if you have the Spirit of God living in you,” but nothing happens. Where is that abundant life and overflowing Joy that Jesus speaks of in the book of John (John 10:10 & John 15:11)? Where is that contentment that Paul talks about with Timothy or the peace that transcends all understanding that is supposed to guard my heart and mind (1 Timothy 6:6 & Philippians 4:7)? Why are there days that I just can’t seem to snap out of a funk?

Oh yeah, I’m a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy. Oh, and at times I’m lonely.

I know it. God knows it. Lela knows it. And now, you know it. But, you know who else knows it? The Devil. Satan knows it. Big deal, who cares if Satan knows my weaknesses, he’s not the boss of me! He can’t control me. He can’t make me do nothin’! Yet here I sit, pouting, sulking, & feeling sorry for myself. What’s the deal?

I’m a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy..and at times I’m lonely....oh, and Satan knows it.

He is taking my weaknesses and using them against me. From time to time I find myself letting him win control of my thoughts, my actions and my feelings. Satan has found a crack in my wall and he is using that weakness to try and break me apart; and in some small ways, its working.

I’m tired. I’m tired of using my weaknesses as an excuse and a cop-out.

I’m tired of being a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy. Oh, and I’m tired of being lonely.

Too many times in life we allow our weaknesses to control us. We allow the imperfect parts of who we are to dictate our thoughts and our actions. To often we allow Satan to gain a foothold in our lives because it is easier than fighting. Why is it easier? Because fighting is hard, it’s ugly and it hurts. The problem with not fighting is that you are left with only one choice: surrender. I don’t have a problem with surrender, its just I much rather choose when, where and to whom I’m going to surrender. When you surrender you hope to get something in return. If I surrender to my weaknesses, to those things Satan wants me to experience, all I get in return is to be a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy...and I get to be lonely.

In contrast, if I surrender to God and let him fight with me and on my behalf, I get something much more appealing.

I get freedom.

Freedom from being a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy. Oh, and freedom from loneliness. I get the promise that in Christ, I am a new creation because the old has gone away and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). I get to rest in Him because all this fighting has been a heavy burden and made me weary (Matthew 11:28). I begin to realize that as I move closer to God, he in turn moves closer to me (James 4:8). I get to experience hope and the promise that nothing can separate me from the love of God because Jesus conquered death, sin and oppression (Romans 8:37-39).

I know you are tired too. I know that the battle you are fighting is hard and in some cases, you have just surrendered to it because its easier that way. The result however, has not been so good and in some cases it’s been catastrophic. It’s time to start fighting again. It’s time to pick up the pieces and move on.

SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!

Admit you are a failure. Admit you are worthless. Admit your weaknesses, out loud, and get over yourself. Don’t be a selfish, self-centered, insecure guy. Oh, and don’t be lonely.

God is on your side, but you need to be on your side too. You are worth fighting for! Why do you think Satan is trying so hard? Jesus didn’t just sacrifice his life because he didn’t have anything else better to do that day.

As God’s people, we need to make a shift. For too long we have covered our tracks, thinking that what the world needed was a bunch of people acting like everything was okay and that we had it all together. Somehow we thought it would be encouraging and others would want a piece of what we had. Well, it has backfired. Not only do they not want what we are selling, but we have also disillusioned ourselves into thinking that we can’t show weakness. What the world needs and what we need is to see real people. We need to see Real People, living Real Lives, facing Real Challenges, trusting in Real Hope, and experiencing Real Transformation all because of the Real Jesus.

Don’t hold it in any longer. Don’t tuck it away and don’t try to hide. Let it out. Get those weaknesses and insecurities out on the table and let God start working. I pray that my confession is helpful to you. I hope that my candidness and willingness to be open will stir something in side of you. The quicker we can own up to our weaknesses, the quicker we will be able to recognize when the enemy is trying to use them against us.

God loves you and knows you are special. He wants to rescue you and set you free (John 3:16-18).

It’s time to get Real.

Your Time is Coming

2011-02-16T13:57:00.003-05:00

I just started reading Mark Batterson's newest book, SoulPrint, and came across the paragraph below. I hope that it will provide encouragement and renewed strength to those who feel at a loss right now; those who are waiting to get in the game.

From SoulPrint, Scene 1, ph. 25:

There is a time to be on the front lines, but there is also a time to be on the sidelines. There is a time to be in the limelight, but there is also a time to be in the shadows. Moses needed to tend sheep for forty years before he could lead the flock of Israel. The disciples needed to fish for fish before they could fish for men. And even Jesus needed to craft masterpieces in wood before He made masterpieces out of us. Every divine appoinent is preceded by a season o preparation. And if we submit to the preparation, God will fulfill His promise. If we don't, He won't. Why? Because God never sets us up to fail.

I don't know what season you are in but realize God is working. Your current location is both an opportunity for service and a training ground for the things to come. Keep a Holy perspective on life and God will blow your mind while using you in mighty ways.

Now What? - FBC Newsletter Feb. 2011

2011-02-02T17:26:00.002-05:00

Now What?

Recently, we hosted our first FBC LeaderCast, a gathering of leaders discussing current and future needs of FBC and its role in the community. Here is an excerpt from my opening talk:

We live in a community that is hurting. The people here don’t need a church. Why, because the church is quickly becoming (or in many cases has already become) irrelevant in their lives.

You want another honest take, many people in this community do not know FBC exists. They definitely don’t know where this facility is located. Being new to the community, we find it constantly.

So why, in a community with soooo many churches, has the church become irrelevant?

We Have Lost Our Focus on Christ

We spend a lot of time, money and energy doing things for Jesus, in the name of Jesus and on behalf of Jesus without ever really engaging WITH Jesus and/or introducing others TO Jesus.

As a church, a body of believers who partner together to proclaim the Gospel, we have gotten off track. We seem to have lost our focus. We say we are here for God, but the reality is that we rarely take Him or His Word into account when we prepare to move. We have gotten really good at just doing stuff.

Now, before you get completely discouraged, I want you to understand that our situation is not much different from many churches around the country. It seems that as a whole, the North American Church has gotten lazy and content with the status quo. We have done a great job at filling “church” positions and making church “run smooth,” but somewhere in the process we have pushed aside THE major component...Jesus. Christianity in the US for many is simply another religious tradition and they have forgotten the power of The Gospel. They have forgotten that following Christ is more about the movement of the Spirit of God in the lives of people than it is sustaining an organization.

We need a fresh start...We need a new beginning...We need a clearer vision...We need the power of God to be resurrected in each on of us...We NEED Jesus.

In 2011, our vision is going to come into focus. Our vision is going to drive everything we do, everything we say and how we react in every situation. Our vision is going to be what guides us as we seek to get back on track. Our vision is going to lead us into the future. Our vision is going to stretch us. Our vision, as it is implemented, may even hurt a little. Our vision is going to be simple. Our vision is going to be straight-forward. Our vision starts with each of us individually and has the potential to grow collectively as we seek guidance from the Spirit.

So, what is our vision? To Introduce Real People to the Real Jesus.

That’s it. Period. So, what does this look like? Here is an excerpt from another talk I gave recently at the 1st quarter Business Meeting:

In the book of Colossians, Paul begins his letter reminding the people of Christ’s Supremacy; the fact that He is sufficient and all they need. In chapter 3 he identifies some characteristics that should be prevalent in the life of a true Christ-follower and those that should be cast aside. He reminds them that peace should rule in their hearts and that Love is what binds it all together. In verse 17, he gives the people a stirring challenge, much like he gives to the Corinthians.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17

Paul is reminding the believers that they have purpose and meaning. He encourages them to remember that all of their actions will reflect back on Christ. No matter what the surrounding culture is teaching, no matter how significant or insignificant you feel, and now matter what life is throwing at you...remember that Christ is Supreme. He gave his life for you and now reigns on high so you can experience the promise of eternity and hope while here on earth.

On Sunday Night I shared with our leaders that our focus this year is going to be very simple: To Introduce Real People to the Real Jesus. Everything that we do as a body will be filtered through that statement...This should carry over in to every area of life...

Every action we take, every word that we speak, everything that we do and the way in which we do it reflects directly on Christ.

God has chosen us, a rag-tag bunch of lazy, selfish, insignificant people to proclaim his message to this community. Just like the disciples, we aren’t necessarily the most promising looking group, but God has chosen us anyway. It is our responsibility to live in a way that reflect the grace and love of Christ.

Our actions matter!

Whether it is a discussion in Sunday School that quickly approaches the line of gossip, a phone call to complain about something you don’t like or the manor in which we conduct our “business” here tonight, we must remember that it all points back to Christ and we must treat all of these things with great responsibility, restraint and love.

My prayer for tonight, and in the weeks, months and years to come, is that we will always think first on how our actions, words or reactions will assist in the process of Introducing Real People to the Real Jesus.

Are your actions, thoughts and reactions worthy of Christ’s Name?

Who Do We Represent

2011-01-22T10:38:00.003-05:00

In preparation for a recent Vision Casting Session with the FBC Leadership I was reading through the book of Colossians and as always, I began to see great similarities between that church and many churches today. Colossae was a thriving community before the turn of the century (BC to AD), but as times changed, it lots its appeal. In the 1st century, Ephesus (100 miles east of Colossae) was the central place for commerce in the region and while Colossae still saw its fair share of travelers, it just wasn’t getting the attention that it once received. And because of it, the community and the people were discouraged. As one scholar puts it, “they were now just a second-string market town.”

I am reminded of the movie Cars and how Radiator Springs was once a thriving community before the onset of interstate travel. After the interstate was put into place, the little town saw fewer visitors and the once bustling streets became empty.

At the time of Paul’s letter, the city of Colossae was facing decline and searching for identity. A resident of Colossae named Epaphras was traveling in Ephesus and heard the Gospel and was so moved by the work of Christ that he took the message back to his people; this was the beginning of the Colossae church. After some time though, there were other people who tried to persuade the recent converts in town that their faith in Christ was not enough. This community, which had lots its identity was searching for hope and searching for purpose. They believed they found that purpose in Christ, but were being discouraged by others whose voices were louder and had some convincing arguments.

Paul begins his letter reminding the people of Christ’s Supremacy; the fact that He is sufficient and all they need. In chapter 3 he identifies some characteristics that should be prevalent in the life of a true Christ-follower and those that should be cast aside. He reminds them that peace should rule in their hearts and that Love is what binds it all together. In verse 17, he gives the people a stirring challenge, much like he gives to the Corinthians.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17

Paul is reminding the believers that they have purpose and meaning. He encourages them to remember that all of their actions will reflect back on Christ. No matter what the surrounding culture is teaching, no matter how significant or insignificant you feel, and now matter what life is throwing at you...remember that Christ is Supreme. He gave his life for you and now reigns on high so you can experience the promise of eternity and hope while here on earth.

Before our regular quarterly business meeting this week, I challenged the people to remember that promise and to take seriously Paul’s reminder of our responsibility as Christ-followers. Here is an excerpt of my talk:

Sunday Night I shared with our leaders, many of you were present, that our focus this year is going to be very simple: To Introduce Real People to the Real Jesus. Everything that we do as a body should be filtered through that statement. Every meeting, every conversation, every program, every event, every sermon, every song, everything should focus on that one message, Introducing Real People to the Real Jesus.

This should carry over in to every area of life, but for our purposes here we are going to focus on this body of believers. We must recognize that everything we do reflects on Christ.

Every action we take, every word that we speak, everything that we do and the way in which we do it reflects directly on Christ.

God has chosen us, a rag-tag bunch of lazy, selfish, insignificant people to proclaim his message to this community. Just like the disciples, we aren’t necessarily the most promising looking group, but God has chosen us anyway. It is our responsibility to live in a way that reflect the grace and love of Christ.

Our actions matter!

Whether it is a discussion in Sunday School that quickly approaches the line of gossip, a phone call to complain about something you don’t like or the manor in which we conduct our “business” here tonight, we must remember that it all points back to Christ and we must treat all of these things with great responsibility, restraint and love.

My prayer for tonight, and in the weeks, months and years to come, is that we will always think first on how our actions, words or reactions will assist in the process of Introducing Real People to the Real Jesus.

Remember, as Christ-followers, our actions are in the name of Jesus.

Are your actions, thoughts and reactions worthy of Christ’s Name?

For the people of FBC - A Time to Refresh

2011-01-01T22:47:00.002-05:00

As you read these words, another year has passed and brought with it a fresh start. Each year, as we transition from December to January, our minds are reminded of past struggles and accomplishments while at the same time, we look forward to what is ahead.

As a church, we saw our fair share of ups and downs in 2010. Every known emotion was present as you experienced new life and the grief of life loss, the joy of a new job and the anxiety over a job loss, the excitement of new staff and the mixed emotions of staff change. Each of these events will be a mark in your history and the history of our congregation. As we look back, how have we used these events to allow God to move in, around and through us?

There has been a lot of talk around campus over the past year concerning the need to revitalize programs and ministries, the desire to see people working together with the same goal in mind, the necessity to be resistant to change because eventually things will fall back into place as they used to be, the push to make drastic changes in order to rescue a dying generation of churches, and some concern revolving around the finances of this church. (Contrary to popular belief, the financial situation of FBC is not a grave one. In fact, God has blessed FBC with over $130,000 in tithes, offerings and gifts in 2010 alone. The problem is not “do we have enough money” but rather “are we capitalizing on what we have to impact people with the message of Christ.”)

There sits our dilemma as a church. Are we impacting the people of this community with the gospel of Christ? The honest answer is no. In Matthew 4:19 Jesus says to Peter and Andrew, “Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men,” and if you are a believer, Jesus has said the same thing to you. Are you being a Fisher of Men?

Jesus invested a lot of time into his disciples both through teaching and practical application. He constantly showed them what it meant to pour into people’s lives and impact them with his message of salvation. Somewhere down the road, we the church, have lost sight of that calling. We get focused on impacting people through ministries, programs and other “church” stuff, and we never take the time to really invest in an individual’s life.

As this new year begins, I want to share some questions to help spark your thinking on how you could start impacting people, not the church and not the community, but individual people with the message of Christ.

As a deacon, when is the last time you made it a goal to visit at least one family in their home over the course of one month? As a Bible Study Leader, when was the last time that you sought someone out to mentor and encourage to lead a new study? As a children or youth worker, when is the last time you showed up at a basketball game, musical performance, or other school activity? As a senior adult, when is the last time you picked up a young man or women and made it a point to build a relationship and pass on the wisdom you have gained over the years? As a young person, when is the last time that you went out and took an elderly widow or widower to lunch to help ease their loneliness? As a staff member, when is the last time that you went out and shared the gospel with someone?

When we invest time in people, changes will come and worries will go away. I promise that programs, finances & organizational structure will be the furthest thing from our minds when we are sitting in the sanctuary watching new children of God expressing their faith through baptism and hearing stories of Life Transformation.

The Speed of Life

2010-12-02T16:40:00.003-05:00

Oh Christmas, why do you come so quickly? It seems like just yesterday the girls and I were out running around in the park in shorts and t-shirts enjoying the sunshine, warm weather and popsicles. Now, here we are, bundled up and feeling like popsicles.

I am amazed at how quickly time seems to pass from year to year no matter how desperately I try to slow down. In spite of my best efforts, the clock keeps moving and the pages of the calendar continue turning. And December, it is the worst! What gives? Why can’t we just relax and enjoy the moment? Why do we have to go so fast? It appears that the faster the days go, the more “things” I have to do to fill those days, thus making the time pass at warp speed. Is there ever going to be a break?

Why are we wasting the life that God has so graciously provided to us? What are we missing out on when parents and kids are simply passing in the halls, heading from school to practice to recitals and back home to sleep and start over again the next day? What are we missing when grandparents and grandkids don’t have the time to hang out, play bingo and drink ice cream floats? What are marriages missing when husbands and wives are working at such a frantic pace that they forget to “date” and just enjoy the company of each other? What is the world missing when “christians” are so busy running to get to a church event or program to celebrate the season, instead of pausing to reflect on the greatest gift ever given in history?

HEY, WHAT’S MISSING?!?

The Christmas Season is full of activity, excitement, anxiety and obligations. You feel expected to go here, to buy this person a gift and to act a certain way. Christmas is one of the few seasons where people also feel compelled to attend church, most the time out of guilt or family tradition. Christmas has turned into a month’s worth of obligations and many people cannot wait until it is over.

In life, we ask questions to gain knowledge or understanding on a particular subject. “Daddy, why is the sky blue?” “Honey, when are you going to stop working so we can talk?” “What did I just step in?” “Does this make me look fat?”

When life seems like it is spinning out of control, when time seems to pass at a record pace and when the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is almost unbearable, what do we ask? “When is it all going to be over?” “When are we going to get life back to normal?” Questions are great ways to gain knowledge, but most of the time we are not asking the right ones. I think we need to be asking ourselves one simple question, and we need to ask it daily, no matter our current circumstance.

When all is said and done, what is really important?

We will be asking that very question this month. What would happen if you found out that you only had 30 days to live? How would you actions change? Would your obligations change?

Change and a New Perspective

2010-10-31T09:03:00.002-05:00

Well, we’re here. Welcome to Ohio.

The last 6 weeks have been full of excitement, sadness, joy, tears, goodbyes, hellos and lots of boxes; but now it’s time to get to work. For us, this is a new adventure and we couldn’t be more excited or more scared. Things around us are all new and we are quickly trying to adapt to the Buckeye way of life. Change is happening.

I remember there was a point in the mid 90’s when it seemed that the US was moving toward a national dress code. Schools, businesses, and retail centers were all moving in the same direction by encouraging their employees and students to dress in khaki pants and polo shirts. It seemed as if this was going to be the norm for many years to come; everyone owned a pair khakis and a polo. It was all about conforming and being the same.

The church culture that has developed over the past 40-50 years has done the very same thing; in fact, they have perfected it. You could easily go from one denomination to the other and know exactly what to expect when you walked through the door. The worship style, preaching style and member attire all fell within a certain criteria that was duplicated from church to church and community to community. We began to take change out of our “churches” and as a result, change also disappeared from our lives. The problem, change, or transformation, is what Jesus is all about.

The culture around us, however, has changed and so has its perception of “the church.” The word “church” for many, has negative connotations. People do not want to connect with a church because they feel that it is nothing but a club of hypocrites, full of judgment and condemnation. In recent years, many prominent church and denominational leaders have spoken out very strongly about certain things, specifically in political circles. The stances that these leaders have taken are not necessarily wrong, but they may have done more to advance their own personal agendas than introduce people to Christ. Jesus can’t be a secondary focus.

As we begin life in Hillsboro, I know that many things will be different from that of our experiences in Louisville. I know that First Baptist Church is different from Elk Creek Baptist Church and I know that my Louisville Cardinals gear will be a bit out of place. I know that serving as the Lead Pastor of FBC comes with great expectations, but I also know that my primary responsibility is not to help the church grow, but instead to simply introduce people to Jesus. That may come as a shock, but sometimes our perspectives need to change. As we move forward together in the coming months, let’s focus less on trying to connect people with our church and more on helping people connect with Jesus. After all, it is through Him and Him alone that Life Transformation is possible. And, if in the process, He chooses to use FBC as a vessel for that transformation, so be it.

So, how do we do that? I guess you will have to come and find out.

A Change is Brewing for the McFarlands

2010-09-19T15:29:00.001-05:00

Today I announced that we are ending one chapter of ministry and beginning another.

I have stepped down as the Pastor of Elk Creek Baptist Church in Taylorsville, KY. I will also be leaving my role as Regional Coordinator for Campbellsville University.

I have accepted a call to become the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church in Hillsboro, Ohio.

We are very excited about this new adventure, but also saddened at our departure from the many friends we have made at ECBC. God has great things in store for us all and we are seeking to be obedient in his leading.

More details to come, but we covet your prayers during this transition.

Here is my letter to the people of Elk Creek:

September 15, 2010

To ECBC Deacon’s & Church Family,

The fall winds are approaching, the leaves are turning and the days are getting shorter; there is change in the air. Since September of 2008, I have had the privilege of serving as your Pastor and in that time God has done some amazing things in and through many of us. The time has come for me step aside and allow the next chapter of life to begin.

I am resigning as the Senior Pastor of Elk Creek Baptist Church, effective October 17, 2010. I have accepted a call to become the Lead Pastor at First Baptist Church, Hillsboro, Ohio, as of November 1.

Lela and I have been in prayer for many weeks concerning this decision and it is with humble hearts, tempered excitement, and a sense of sadness that I make this known to you. My time at ECBC has been wonderful and I feel honored and humbled to have been able to serve along side you in the mission God has put forth. I greatly appreciate the love and support you have provided for not only me, but Lela, Jovey & Laney as well. Elk Creek will always be a place close to our hearts and the memories we have shared are etched into our minds.

I understand that as you begin this transition, there will be many questions and maybe a few concerns as you move forward. Please know that we will continue to pray for you and for God to make his plan clear. I also would ask that you pray for us as we prepare to embark on another leg of our journey as a family.

I will be more than happy to assist you in anyway I can to make this transition as smooth as possible. Remember vision that God has set before this church; a mission to Serve and Share. There are many very capable leaders among you and it is time for some of you to take that next step in following the passions God has placed in your heart.

I again want to thank each of you for the prayers, encouraging words, support, and loving critique you have provided over the last 2 years. The journey has been a tremendous blessing to my family and me and I hope and pray that God has revealed himself to you in ways that will challenge you to continue to move forward.

Serving & Sharing,

Pastor Josh & Family

Are you Immersed in Religion or a Relationship?

2009-11-14T23:05:00.001-05:00

Too many times as Christians we lose our focus. We forget what our Mission from God is: To Love Him and Love Others. As church leaders, we are at times guilty of encouraging God's people to focus on the "things" of ministry and not the Person who makes it all possible. We can all get caught in Religion and ignore the Relationship because it is easier. Here are some warning signs that you are immerses in Religion instead of Relationship. (please feel free to add, adjust or comment)

How to know if you are immersed in Religion about God or a Relationship with God:

If you miss a Sunday Service and...
   Feel guilty for not being there - Religion
   Miss the community & affirmation of the Teaching of the Word - Relationship

Serving/Working at the church...
   Seems to be a duty or obligation - Religion
   Is a primary source of worship - Relationship

When you talk with someone & realize they are searching or hurting you...
   Invite them to attend "church" with you - Religion
   Share how the Gospel has transformed your life and can do the same for them - Relationship

A Crisis of Belief

2009-10-23T23:18:00.002-05:00

Spencer County recently held a special election to decide whether or not to sell alcoholic beverages. The discussion started nearly 6 months ago when the first hint of a petition began to surface in the community. In the weeks and months that would follow, numerous conversations, newspaper articles, community meetings and dinner-table discussions would take place throughout the county supposedly centered on one central idea: should local businesses be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages. As a local church Pastor in this rural community, it was expected that I would stand up to fight this vote with fervor and conviction; many of my fellow Pastor’s did just that while a few, to the surprise of many in the community, stood up on the opposite side. I however, intentionally remained quiet on the issue.

As I sat back and listened to people in the community argue publically and privately about the issue at hand, one thing became crystal clear: the argument was moving away from the selling of alcohol and instead, whether or not drinking alcohol was okay. I am a political junkie; I love politics. I love reading, listening and watching politicians discuss and debate issues that they feel are desperately important. Over the years, I have learned one thing about debates, the more passionate the debate, the deeper the truth is hidden. You see, as people debate an issue, they often get very passionate and excited about the topic. However, the excitement is typically driven by an issue that is much deeper and more closely held than the one actually being debated. Everyone has a set of beliefs that guides their thoughts and actions. Those beliefs are what provide the fuel for debates. As the wet/dry vote approached, the debates got more passionate, less focused and, in my opinion, more off point.

The week before the election, I sat in my office at the church reading the local paper before heading into our weekly prayer service and something snapped inside of me. It was one of the moments Henry Blackaby refers to as “a crisis of belief.” As I read the details of the potential outcomes of a “yes” vote, I realized just how far off point the arguments on both sides had gotten. I then began to reflect on the time, effort and money that was being put into this public discussion and my heart started to fall apart. I understood both sides of the argument and knew how deeply the beliefs were of the people making the pleas, but I just didn’t care. All I could think about were the people in the community that were empty, lonely and hurting and how desperately they need to hear and see the love of Christ at this time in their life.

THEY DON’T NEED TO VOTE ON WHAT TYPE OF LIQUIDS TO SELL IN THE COUNTY, THEY NEED THE GOSPEL TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES.

This burden began to well up inside of me like the puss of an infected hair follicle; it looks ugly, hurts like crap and will eventually explode and when it does, it won’t be pretty. (sorry for the graphic nature, but hey, you have a clear picture of what I felt like.) Henry Blackaby says that a crisis of belief must be followed up with faith and action. So, I began to pray, “God, how do you want to move? What do you want me to do with this burden?” Along with my prayer I began to read His Word, searching for guidance and examples of His people responding to a burden placed on their hearts. I popped through many stories and accounts, but ultimately landed in the book of Habakkuk. I poured over his words and wrestled with not only Habakkuk’s questions, but also with God’s responses. Ultimately, I began to see a beautiful picture of a man, fully-devoted to God, seeking answers to questions many people would be afraid to ask and willing to trust the Lord even when he didn’t like the answer.

I was reminded of what is important in life.

Over the next few weeks, we will be digging into the 56 verses found in the book of Habakkuk and allowing God’s Word to pour over us like a refreshing and cleansing spring. We will be seeking out the burdens God has placed on our hearts and looking for specific ways to moves those burdens into action steps. We will be waiting on God’s response and submitting our prayers, hopes and dreams to Him. We will be focusing on what it important:

Loving God and Being a Reflection of Him in this World

The Gospel should always be at center stage. The spotlight should always be on Jesus and His redemptive work for the world through the Cross. Everything we do and everything we say should be about His Love. Jesus is what’s most important. No matter what is going on in our communities, in our families, in our nation or in the world in which we live, Jesus always has been and always will be what is most important.

What is your burden? What are you doing about it? Join me for the next few weeks as we explore Habakkuk and begin to reveal the steps Elk Creek Baptist Church is going to be taking to reflect what is most important to us and what is most needed in our community.

To catch the audio from this series, visit us at www.elkcreekbaptist.org.

MetroParks Beautification Projects - Saturday, June 20

2009-06-18T19:53:00.002-05:00

Well, the time has come for Crossover Louisville and here is one way in which you can participate (please feel free to pass this info on to anyone else who may be interested):

Crossover Louisville
~ MetroParks Beautification Projects ~

Saturday, June 20, 2009 ~ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

As part of the Crossover Experience, we are seeking volunteers to assist in the MetroParks Beautification Projects. We will be gathering at Sojourn Community Church (930 Mary Street, Louisville, KY 40204) at 8:00 am to break into teams and then launch into the projects. You will need to provide your own transportation to and from the projects (carpooling from Sojourn is encouraged). It would be helpful for all volunteers to have a pair of work gloves and close-toed shoes.

If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact Project Coordinator Josh McFarland at pastorjoshm@gmail.com (This is to assist in the planning, however it is not required that you pre-register to volunteer)

Elk Creek VBS 2009

2009-06-16T23:38:00.001-05:00

Check out all the excitement that was experienced at the 2009 VBS Program at Elk Creek Baptist Church in Taylorsville, Kentucky. 71 kids and over 50 adults celebrated and heard the message of Christ and his redemptive power through the Cross.

Week 7: Teachings from the Scarlet Letters

2009-06-16T23:34:00.001-05:00

Week 7: Teachings from the Scarlet Letters
Theme: Change: That's what it's all about
Main Text: Matthew 8:28-34

Scripture Memory for Week of June 14-20:
Adults: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Children: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Join me as we put God's Word in our minds and our hearts. If you have children, make it a family challenge and enjoy the time together. If you are interested in hearing the message(s) associated with each weeks verses, visit www.elkcreekbaptist.org.

Teaching from the Scarlet Letters: Week 5

2009-06-01T07:42:00.002-05:00

Over the coming months, I will be challenging you to memorize portions of the passages we will be studying or passages that are related to our teachings. The verse(s) for the current week will be posted in the Bulletin, the ECBC website, the Facebook Fan page and on Pastor Josh’s Blog (www.jmacrev.blogspot.com).

Scripture Memory for Week of May 31 – June 6:
Adults: Luke 15:8-10
Children: Luke 6:36

Week 4 Scripture Memory

2009-05-25T21:34:00.001-05:00

Week 4: Teachings from the Scarlet Letters
Theme: Authentic Humility
Main Text: Luke 18:9-14

Scripture Memory for Week of May 24-30:
Adults: Luke 18:14
Children: Mark 9:35

Join me as we put God's Word in our minds and our hearts. If you have children, make it a family challenge and enjoy the time together. If you are interested in hearing the message(s) associated with each weeks verses, visit www.elkcreekbaptist.org.

Teachings from the Scarlet Letters: Week 2

2009-05-12T10:33:00.003-05:00

Week 2 Theme: Where's Your Fruit?
Main Text: John 15:1-8

Adult Memory Verses: Luke 6:45
Child Memory Verse: John 15:9

This is week 2 of our Scripture Memory Challenge. Join me as we put God's Word in our minds and our hearts. If you have children, make it a family challenge and enjoy the time together. If you are interested in hearing the message(s) associated with each weeks verses, visit www.elkcreekbaptist.org.

Happy Learning!

Teachings from the Scarlet Letters: Week 1

2009-05-01T22:04:00.004-05:00

Week 1 Theme: Follow Me!

Main Text: Mathew 4:18-22

Adult Memory Verses: Psalm 119:10-11

Child Memory Verse: Psalm 119:11

This is the first week of our Scripture Memory Challenge. Join me as we put God's Word in our minds and our hearts. If you have children, make it a family challenge and enjoy the time together. If you are interested in hearing the message(s) associated with each weeks verses, visit http://www.elkcreekbaptist.org/.

Happy Learning!

Teachings from the Scarlet Letters

2009-04-28T20:37:00.002-05:00

We will begin a new message series at Elk Creek on May 3 called Teachings from the Scarlet Letters. Throughout the summer months, we will be digging into the words of Christ and search for His original meaning, the consequences of his radical behavior and our present-day understanding of what to do with them both.

I would like to get your thoughts on this series and some of the teachings that you would like to see covered. While I believe that all scripture is equally inspired by God, it isn't all equally applicable to our lives. With that said, we will still take time to work through all of the Word (even some of the obscure portions), but in this specific series, we will be focusing on the words of Christ.

Over the coming months, I will also be challenging you to memorize portions of the passages we will be studying. Every Sunday, the verse(s) for the upcoming week will be posted in the Bulletin, the ECBC website, the Facebook Fan page and here on my blog. I will be working on these as well, so consider it a team effort.

Join us as we challenge ourselves to live like Christ and as the Psalmist said, "Hide you Words in my Heart that I might not Sin against you." ~ Psalm 119:11

Thoughts on what you don't like doing

2009-03-31T08:01:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, I am working on a message and would like some input. Think about the following questions and let me know your responses.

What is something that you absolutely hate (don't like) doing?

What is something (task) that if possible, you will always let someone else do?

I appreciate your thoughts. Feel free to send this to your friends for their input as well.

Thanks!

Daddy / Daughter Date Night

2008-09-17T09:10:00.006-05:00

Last night, I decided to take Jovey out on a date so we could just spend some time together as Daddy and Daughter. My class schedule is about to resume and I know that my time is going to be limited in the next few months.

When I got home from the office I asked her where she wanted to go eat and she responded, "I'm not sure Daddy; let me think for a minute." Well, after a few minutes we loaded up in the truck and took off on our date. As we were driving to our first destination, I hear Jovey say from the back seat, "Daddy, I think I want to eat pancakes." I said, "That sounds great Jovey, I will think about where we can go to get some pancakes after we make our first stop." Jovey then spoke up saying, "Daddy, let's go to Jerry's! They have the best pancakes and the best syrup!" (they really do have some of the best pancakes) "Alright Jovey, that is exactly where we will go!"

Time is a precious thing that most of us take for granted on a daily basis. I recently began a new chapter in my ministry, the role of the Senior Pastor. As we embark on this new journey as a family, I know that my time is going to disappear even quicker than I am used too. I decided that along with my monthly date night with my beautiful wife, I am going to make time every couple of months to have a date night with Jovey and Laney; we are going to go out and do what they want. I am realizing that as I get busier, the more I yearn to spend time with my girls. I don’t want to be that absent Daddy that flies in to see them and writes the checks for all their fun. I want them to know that I care and that I want to be part of their life. I want to help them grow and see what a Godly Man looks like (well at least attempts to look like). I want to be the Daddy, Husband and Spiritual Leader that God has called me to be in my home. I just want to be who God wants me to be and that starts in my home.

I have had a lot of excitement the last few years, but I think some of the best times are when I see my girls beginning to grasp the concept of love and grace. I pray that as they continue to mature and learn more about God’s Love and how great it is, that they will want to share that love with their friends. It may just be a basic truth, but it is one that we all must grasp before we can move forward to the deeper things of faith.

As I remind Jovey and Laney, no matter how much you think Daddy and Mommy love you, God loves you even more than that and He will always be there for you.

"God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."

1 John 4:9-10 (NLT)

The grasp of a three year old!

2008-09-17T09:07:00.002-05:00

Lela wrote this story up before I could, so I will just allow you to read her words...

Joshua, Jovey, Laney and myself made a visit to the mall tonight to grab a quick bite to eat after our 2 hour car ride back home from Bowling Green. Joshua needed a repair to a charm that his mom and dad had gotten him for his high school graduation that he has worn since the day they gave it to him, so as Laney and I finished up our dinner, Joshua took our fidgety Jovey Kay with him to see what the damage would be to send off for the repair at a local jeweler. Since it was within our budget, Joshua filled out the paperwork to get the sentimental piece fixed and as they waited for the jeweler to finalize all the paperwork, Jovey and Joshua had a conversation, as does any person who is around Jovey for more than. . . 20 seconds!

Jovey: "Daddy, look, there's a cross like yours, what's that on it?" (referring to a very large, gold crucifix charm in the glass case)

Joshua: "Oh, that's Jesus!"

Jovey: "Yes, He died on the cross!"

Joshua: "What happened after that?"

Jovey: "On the third day, He rose for our sins!"

Joshua: "That's exactly right, Jovey!"

There is nothing that makes our hearts happier than to see our 3 year old grasp the simple concepts that God loves her, He sent his son, Jesus, to die and then to raise again for all the bad stuff we do (as Jovey says), and that now, we can live in joy when we accept that awesome gift! Never underestimate the power of God, even in the heart and mind of a preschooler who teaches me more by her childlike faith than any theologian ever could!

Contentment with the unseen…

2008-05-18T15:02:00.002-05:00

Just over a year ago I accepted a position working for the Louisville Campus of Campbellsville University. The next 9 months would bring lots of change including the arrival of a new baby, new training, moving the campus to a new building and phasing out of my vocational ministry position at the church. As 2007 came to a close, I expected a new “ministry” door to be opened within a few months. As the weeks went by, nothing permanent seemed to be opening up; I was given opportunities to speak at a number of different places and events, but no position was presenting itself. As more time past, I found myself becoming frustrated because nothing was happening. Why wasn’t God moving?

For about 3 years, I have felt that God has been focusing the vision and gifts he has given me. My calling basically revolves around equipping those around me to do the very best with what God has given them. So God, if this is the calling you have given to me, why aren’t you opening any doors for me to do that? The past few weeks I have found myself seeking out ways to be content and satisfied with the ministry opportunities that I have been given on a daily basis. God wants to use me right where I am, even if I don’t always understand why I am, where I am.

After church today, I went upstairs to my “office” to take care of some daily business. While sitting there (use your imagination to set the scene), I picked up my copy of “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers to read today’s entry (this is part of my daily business). The headline was “Living Simply-Yet Focused,” and in the text he begins to unravel the idea that humans are the only things created by God that try to be useful on their own. Every other created thing, the ocean, the moon, and the lilies of the field just “simply are!” Those Godly creations simply exist the way He created them; they don’t try to do things on their own or find ways to be better vessels for His purposes, they just “simply are!” As I read these thoughts, they hit me like a baseball in the face. I have to understand that God is in control and it is my job to focus on Him and let Him use me as He wants. I think that anyone who calls himself a Christian has had a time where it seemed much easier to focus on telling God when, where and how he should be used, instead of just focusing attention on God. Chambers says it like this, “If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live.”

I spend my days at the university teaching people how to better use their computers and to sharpen the skills they already have. I work with students to help them get the most out of their college education and with faculty to ease their workload by better utilizing technology. God is using me to “equip” those around me, I just have to remember to stop pushing what I think is best. If I am seeking God, He is using me even if I don’t see it.

I have said these words many times, but they seem to ring true today more than ever,

“Seek God’s face and everything else will fall into place!”

“God, make me like the lilies of the field. Let me do what you have created me to do; nothing more, nothing less.”

Advice from a Three Year Old!

2008-03-26T21:39:00.003-05:00

This morning as I was leaving work Jovey had these parting words for me...

"Bye Daddy! Good luck on those traffic lights!"

If she only knew.

This is one of the many reasons I love being a Dad. There are tons of emotions that you go through as a parent, but nothing is sweeter than hearing advice from your kids that is from their heart. (Jovey somehow knew that I was about to face some excitement as I drove downtown to work a Career Fair for CU) Jovey constantly reminds me to look around and take everything in; who knows, God may want me to see something through the easy passage of stoplights I encounter on my way to work.

Thanks Jovey for not missing anything and reminding me to do the same.

The Art of Humility & Service

2008-03-19T09:56:00.004-05:00

My beautiful wife does it again. (below is an excerpt from Lela's Blog) It is amazing how your children can speak so much truth without even knowing it. It is just goes to show that God is working among all of us all of the time. I hope that this is how people view me, willing to give them the shirt off my back, literally. Thanks Lillie for reminding us to be servants for Christ. Thanks Lela for constantly capturing these God moments and allowing us all to see God's hand at work.

My best friend’s little girl, Jovey’s best friend, Lillie, is the sweetest, most precious little humanitarian I have ever met. Forget all those people who win huge prizes for world peace. The Nobel Peace Prize contenders or winners have nothing on the heart of this 3 year old, wide-eyed princess! I am so blessed to get to witness even a few of the many things this selfless child displays as what can only be explained as a gift from God.

As the girls and I were traveling to spend some much needed time with Nicole and her kiddos while our guys were away on business, Jovey decided to get car sick just 5 miles short of their house (she’s only gotten car sick one other time, so of course, she was due). I pulled over to do a quick clean up, planning to strip her down and do some laundry at Nicole’s house as soon as I could get settled from our long trip. I had called Nicole and warned her, so she was ready to help me strip her down. She had gotten some of Lillie’s clothes for Jovey to use and was explaining to Lillie that Jovey was going to need a shirt since she had gotten hers dirty. Lillie, looking a bit concerned, immediately started taking her own shirt off. We explained that Nicole had a different shirt for Jovey to use of Lillie’s, but she insisted that Jovey use the very one she had on, so Jovey dawned Lillie’s shirt proudly the rest of the day while Lillie settled for a different one.

Isn’t that what God calls us all to do? No, not take off our shirts and give to people, but to have an attitude, a constant desire to help others that are in need; to love on people, even when it means we may be cold and uncomfortable; to forget ourselves for even a moment and put other people first! I am so thankful for so many reasons for the friendships we are able to share with the Willis family and their kiddos, but it is in those simple, laughable moments that I know that God provides such friendships for more than just companionship; these are the friendships that makes us stop and think, spurring us on to grow and learn how to see ways to become better people.

"Then those ’sheep’ are going to say, ’Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ’I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:37-40 (The Message)

The Jesus Ultimatum!!

2008-01-28T12:17:00.000-05:00

My wonderful wife, who many times is a much better communicator than me, made this post today on her blog. She hit the nail on the head, so I figured would pass it on for you to read. To see more of her insightful and often hilarious posts, follow the link at the bottom right of this page.

My hubby and I just had a Bourne weekend, loving the action flick that A. satisfies his boyish love of car chases and fight scenes B.satisfies both of our loves of a good suspense and "thinking" story and of course, C. allows me to see Matt Damon take care of A and B. . . how could a movie get much better? ;-)

So, since we have Bourne on the brain, it came to mind that as Jovey was singing "Zacheus was a wee little man" today at breakfast, she made her own story up. . . The Jesus Ultimatum!

She loves to sing songs, and sometimes, gets words twisted around, seeing that she is only 3. When it comes to the end, the part that most people look to as the best part of life with Jesus: the fact that he desires to spend time with us, no matter how sinful we are, Jovey turned it to something different with just one word. Her words at the end are, "Zacheus, you come down OR I'm going to your house today, OR I'm going to your house today!" The real words are, "Zacheus, you come down, FOR I'm going to your house today, FOR I'm going to your house today!" She knows no difference, but it was the perfect opportunity to explain that "FOR I'm going to your house today meant "BECAUSE" and that it was a good thing. It wasn't a, "Straighten up, OR I'm gonna pull this car over" phrase like I heard a few times growing up. It was a loving suggestion that gave Zacheus hope and the knowledge that he was loved and cared for by the one who mattered the most!

It just goes to show how one word can change everything and even though Jovey doesn't get the difference yet, it's good to share with her how cool it would be if Jesus wanted to come and hang out at our house. . .even if it isn't always pretty or clean; a perfect picture of how he wants to come into our hearts and hang out, ugly and dirty as they are!

Big Steps for our Little Laney

2007-12-16T19:16:00.000-05:00

It has been a week of 1st's here are the McFarland house and being the good photo/videographer that I am, I tried to capture them all on film (digitally of course).

It is absolutely amazing at how quickly time goes by. It seems like just a few days ago, Lela was telling me that she was pregnant with our second (and final) bundle of joy. Well, that little bundle is now 6 months old and getting ready to celebrate her 1st Christmas. This afternoon she got to experience big girl food for the first time. (rice cereal and baby formula, mmmmmmm) She ate very well and was not ashamed to lean in for more. Check out the video below and see all the eating excitement.

Theology from a 3 year old

2007-12-12T22:58:00.001-05:00

Here is a clip of Jovey singing her first solo at church. She did wonderful and made her mommy and daddy very proud. It touches our heart to see our little girl singing for Jesus and more importantly, learning what it all means. We were walking through the flea market the other night and she saw a statue of Jesus. She said to us, "Look, it is God's Son, Jesus and He is praying for everyone." Theology can't get much sounder than that, especially from a 3 year old. I pray that as Jovey and Laney both grow, they continue to learn and understand exactly what Jesus did for them so that they can experience eternal life. God is good and this young Dad is pumped about seeing Christ through his little girls.

Different Approach: Connecting with Church or Connecting with Jesus?

2007-08-12T21:08:00.000-05:00

I remember there was a point in the mid 90’s when it seemed that the US was moving toward a national dress code. Schools, businesses, and retail centers were all moving in the same direction by encouraging their employees and students to dress in khaki pants and polo shirts. It seemed as if this was going to be the norm for many years to come; everyone owned khaki pants and polo shirts, specifically navy blue polo shirts. It was all about conforming and being the same.

The church culture that has developed over the past 40-50 years has done the very same thing; in fact, they have got it perfected. You could easily go from one denomination to the other and know exactly what to expect when you walked through the door. The worship style, preaching style and member attire all fell within a certain criteria that was duplicated from church to church. People knew what to expect.

As our culture has changed, so has the perception of “church”. The word “church” for many, has negative connotations. People do not want to connect with a church because they feel that it is nothing but a club of hypocrites full of judgment and condemnation. In recent years, many prominent church and denominational leaders have spoken out very strongly about certain things, specifically on the political scene. The stances that these leaders have taken are not necessarily wrong, but may not be the best approach at reaching out to those who do not know Jesus.

Let’s be Different. Let’s try to stand out from the crowd. As we move forward into a new school year, let’s start looking at how we can help people Connect with Jesus and not just Connect with the church. Churches come and go throughout time and each church has a life, but Jesus will remain forever. Is it more important to connect someone with a church or is it more important to connect them with Jesus?

Changes, Challenges, & Confirmations

2007-05-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

This post has been approximately 8 weeks in the making. These past 8 weeks have been a whirlwind of decisions, changes, stress and celebration. In the midst of it all, I have been able to seek out God’s face and I am happy to say that I have emerged from at least part of the craziness in one piece and much better off for not avoiding any of it.

First things first, I have a new job. As of March 26, I am officially an employee of Campbellsville University, specifically the Louisville Campus (from here on out referred to as CU Louisville – that’s for you James). I am serving as the Coordinator of the CU Louisville Computer Training Center; in basic lingo, I am an IT guy or even more basic, the resident computer nerd for the Louisville Campus.

I have been attending CU Louisville since mid-fall of 2005 pursuing my BS in Organizational Management with future plans to attain my Master’s Degree in Theology. Throughout my tenure as a student, I was amazed by the staff and all the work they did to make the life of the students as smooth as possible. Every program is on an accelerated schedule, meaning you soak in a whole semester worth of work for a particular class into a six-week period; it is very intense, but very doable for the working adult. This program was a God send to me so that I could actually pursue and finish my degree while working full-time and attempting to support a growing family.

Lela and I had been praying for direction on how we were going to fund my graduate studies and still raise a family with her staying at home. Everything seemed to point to us taking out student loans and just sucking it up; not the best option, but thousands of others do it every year. As I approach the end of my Bachelor’s (only 2 maybe 3 semesters to go) the thought of the financial obligations began to weigh on our minds more and more. Plus, as we seek God’s direction in our lives as it pertains to future church work, we are beginning to feel more open to church planting. Coming from a church plant previously, we know the time and financial constraints that are present and seeking out another job is almost mandatory in the beginning.

Well, needless to say, God has the plans out there, we just have to listen and walk through the doors that He opens. God placed this opportunity in front of me and after some hard prayer time and talking it over with the family, Lela and I felt that this was a step that we must take. Not only will there be a slight salary increase, but it will also provide free tuition for the remainder of my Bachelor’s and any other degree I seek in the future. WHAT A BLESSING!

The biggest challenge was stepping back from the student ministry at Maple Grove. After meeting with the Senior Pastor and the Personnel Team, we are going to step out of the student ministry at the end of the summer (Aug/Sept) and begin to look at some new responsibilities at the church on a part-time basis.

We are very excited about where God is leading us as a family and we are constantly amazed at how He answers prayers in ways that we never would expect. A good friend once told me that as long as you Seek God’s Face, everything else will fall into place. We are truly testaments of that time and time again. If you wonder about this “God thing” and aren’t sure what you think about Him, I would just say give him a chance. He will never let you down. I have to remind myself each and everyday to seek out His direction in my life. I find my disappointment arises when I try to modify God’s direction to my wants instead of the other way around.

As I sit here and write this I am reminded of the verse we are memorizing with our students right now. As always, God can say these things much better than me so lets let Him do just that.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

God is more than awesome and can and will do amazing things for those who seek Him out. The road will most likely still be bumpy, but the end result will be amazing and the things you will see and experience along the way will be blessings of their own.

The Easter Saga…Bunnies, earthquakes, New Clothes and an Empty Tomb

2007-04-08T14:16:00.000-05:00

It is a beautiful 36* April morning and time to get Jesus out of His display box for all to see. People all across this country will celebrate what Jesus has done and then put Him back in His case until they pull out the baby version in December.

We have done a great job of giving Jesus His own little piece of Easter, as long as it fits into our breakfast, family and work schedules. He got some time this morning between the Easter Baskets, Egg Hunts and Family Dinners.

You see, what appears at first glance to be a rather quick, yet remarkable occurrence in the Bible has turned into a saga of events, family gatherings and shopping specials. Many of us think the “True Easter Events” begin with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and ending with the picture of the empty tomb: in reality, the Easter Saga is much bigger than that.

The True Easter Saga began with the creation of man in the garden and it will continue until Jesus comes home and takes His proper seat, at the right hand of God.

In the time between those two extraordinary events, there are just a few things, 2 specifically, that we really need to do. I do not like to waste time so knowing those two things would greatly improve my time management, don’t you agree?

1. Jesus was killed and yet still defeated death by coming back to life 3 days later. ~ Luke 24:4-7

2. We have to tell other what we know. ~ Acts 1:8

Now What Do We Do?

You must ask yourself two questions…

Question 1) Have you given your life to Jesus? Do you know that if today was your last day here, where you would spend eternity? Do you have a ticket to Heaven?

Question 2) Are you telling others about your ticket and how they can get one too?

Where do you fit in the saga? What are your answers to the questions? Do you know Jesus? Are you sharing His story?

The saga continues, what part will you play?

Son-Burned and Proud of It!

2007-03-18T22:41:00.000-05:00

When someone is sunburned, it is obvious; there is no denying it. You get sunburned from spending extended time in the sun and if it is bad enough, it will affect you from the inside out. As Christians, we should desire to spend extended time in the "Son", thus giving us an obvious "Sonburn." God wants us to have the best. He wants us to have many, many blessings not only in Heaven, but here on earth. Just think how many of you have clothes in you drawers or in your closets that you haven't worn for a long time; I know that my family does. God wants to bless us with so many things that we don't know what to do; that doesn't necessarily mean monetarily. He may bless you with gifts and talents to use for His glory, the ability to sing, the ability to build things, or the ability to be a constant encouragement to everyone that you meet. The fact of the matter is that we should live a Son-Burned life because that is what God wants us to do. He wants us to be invisible to others so that they only see Him. He created us in His image for a reason, so that when we look at each other, we see Him. That is what it means to live a Son-Burned life. We don't have to be slaves to sin, rather we have the freedom to choose to please God in all that we do. God gave us life, so why not give Him the very best back by being His willing and true servants?

"You are not controlled by your sinful nature, but you are controlled by the spirit if you have the spirit of God living in you." – Romans 8:9

Have you ever been given a gift or card on Christmas and not had a gift to give back to that person? Did you feel like a big dork? Of course, you want to give them something back. So, you race around trying to find them the perfect gift, or take a gift from under the tree and change the name tag and give that person something you were going to give to someone else. God has given us all a gift and we should desire to give something in return. All He asks is that we live a life pleasing to Him, allowing others to see Him through us. He asks you, as His child, to live a Son-Burned Life.

What is the biggest reason that you should want to live a Son-Burned life? When you do, people are going to see Him through your life and then, maybe they will be able to spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven as they decide to seek out more knowledge about this Jesus guy that seems so evident from your actions. What better reason do you need? Let people see Jesus in you.

This morning, I challenged our congregation to begin looking for ways to start promoting Jesus, not just Maple Grove, to our local community. During the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, our goal is to send groups of people into our community to perform random acts of kindness each and every day. We will be meeting on Wednesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 28, at 6:00 pm to brainstorm some ways to make this happen.

Remember, if we are truly living a Son-Burned life, we should be living with the effects of the indwelling spirit. Let's share the love of Christ with our community through practical deeds.

It's time to kick it up a Notch!

Josh

Valentine's Day, Boy/Girl Relations and Doctrine

2007-03-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

So, the past few weeks have been very busy and thus have led me into some challenging and sometimes frustrating situations. I am amazed at how many opinions are in the world and I am doubly amazed by the number of those opinions that are different from mine. If you knew how right my opinions were, this would amaze you as well. :-)

Since January, I have been working through a teaching series with our students called "Now What: A look at how to make positive choices." We are looking at a number of different areas including parents, money, friends, boy/girl relationships, how we present ourselves, etc... A few weeks ago we looked at how we choose friends and what we should look for in a person who is going to be in our "inner circle." On Valentine's Day we focused on the Boy/Girl Relationships (I'm sure you are thinking, "How Appropriate") and how we should decide what choices to make and who to choose. I encourage any student whom I encounter to avoid any type of Boy/Girl Exclusive Relationship until after they graduate high school. I know this may be extreme, but based on what I have seen and experienced personally over the past 15 years, I feel very strongly that this will lead to the most positive outcome and end result. This idea of course, is always meet with skepticism and frustration by students and parents alike.

As I sit here and type this, I am reminded of a number of conversations I have had over the past few months with parents and students involving, let's call them challenges, with boy/girl relationships. Teenagers have so many obstacles to deal with each and every day and the idea of trying to fit a relationship in the middle of all that is just overwhelming. It is hard enough to cultivate a relationship with your spouse whom you see everyday and have made a lifetime commitment too, let alone with someone who you just think is pretty and may see at school 5 days a week. I presented these two questions to our students:

What is more important to you, hearing a boy tell you that you look Hott or having God say to you, “Well done my good and faithful servant”?

What is more important to you, getting High fives from your buddies because you talked a girl into letting you cop a feel or hearing God say to you, “Well done my good and faithful servant”?

I wish our culture was not driven by relationships and sexuality, but it is and that is the world our students live in each and everyday so we have to get over it and move forward.

My prayer is that more parents and church leaders (paid or volunteer) would spend time working with students and young adults on how to cultivate positive Christian Relationships. While I believe whole heartedly in the TRUE LOVE WAITS campaign, I feel like it just scratches the surface. Let's get back to what matters, taking Christ's teachings and helping people apply it to their lives. It is great to give folks an opportunity to read the Bible through in a year, teach them the Church Doctrine based on Romans, get in intellectual discussions about sanctification, justification, predestination and propitiation or help them to learn how the NT completes the OT, but if they can't apply it to their life then it is just another book on the shelf. What a waste!

We had our annual Valentine's Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 10 and as I sat back and enjoyed my burger and fries in our "50's diner," I just watched our students interact with each other. Yes, there were "couples" present, but more than that there were students who desperately needed some tools to help them achieve their long term goals; tools like how to make positive choices, where to find answers to the tough questions, and how to tell their friends the life saving message of Christ. These are the tools that matter, being able to recall from memory what OT text Paul is referring to in Galatians 3 is just an added bonus.

Doctrine is important, Indoctrination is ridiculous and Life Application is mandatory. What are you teaching?

Jovey's New Ride

2007-03-02T11:40:00.000-05:00

Hey, I just thought you all would like to see Jovey's Newest ride. We went to Once Upon a Child this morning while Mommy was at the Doctor and it was sitting on the top shelf all by itself. Bonus: It was only $30.00. I couldn't pass it up and Jovey has a perfect place to drive it here at the church. (One of the benefits of living in the parsonage, we have a huge place to ride bikes, cars and stuff.) Check out the the cool video we made this morning of the new convertible.

Can't wait 'til it warms up and we can be outside more frequently.

Jovey's New Ride

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Hearing a whisper amid all the yelling!

2007-02-26T20:35:00.000-05:00

As a teenager I worked at a wonderful place called Discovery Zone, a large indoor playground for kids and their families. As soon as you opened the front door, you could hear all the fun that was being had by the kids who were there running, jumping and sliding through all the tunnels, ball pits and slides. I spent three years interacting with families at DZ and one thing never ceased to amaze me. A parent could be sitting down attempting to enjoy a cold refreshing icee and slice of pizza, yet among all the laughter, noise and chaos going on around them, they were still able to hear the sound of their child's voice over all the other distractions. Whether it was a cry for help or an attempt to just say "Hey, look at me Dad," the parent was able to discern between the voice of their child and that of someone else.

Looking back on this, I now realize just how that whole process works. As a parent, I work very hard at staying in tune with Jovey and her needs; I can tell the difference between her voice and that of another child. The only reason I am able to do this is because I communicate with her and have learned to recognize the sound of her voice, her personality and her way of communicating. I will have to say that this didn't happen over night and I still have instances where I struggle to discern if it is her yelling or some other little girl, but that usually only happens because I am not focusing completely on her.

There are many instances in life where we are seeking out God and waiting for Him to communicate with us, but we just feel like He isn't there or He isn't talking. I believe the true problem is that we have never really taken the time to get to know Him, recognize the sound of His voice, His personality or His way of communicating; in many ways we say that we are seeking Him out, but the reality is, we aren't really focusing on Him at all. If we want to hear God's voice and see His direction for our lives, we must tune in to him constantly and learn to recognize how He speaks to us.

The world is full of distractions and noise. Are you able to hear God's whisper amid all the yelling? Do you feel that He speaks at all? God is not going to speak through a burning bush all the time. Sometimes it comes as a whisper, a quiet moment, a word of affirmation, or a peace during moments of frustration and confusion. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God!" If we take the time to get to know God, recognize His voice and His way of communicating to us, we will be like the parent at Discovery Zone; amid all the noise and distractions around us, we will still hear God's voice ringing in our ears and in our hearts.

And thus it begins...

2007-02-26T19:19:00.000-05:00

Here we go folks. The time has come for me to be cool and join the world of blogging. I am sure that you will be just as surprised as I am by what may be posted at times, but ultimately know that what comes out online are the thoughts that are rumbling around in my head. (that alone is a very scary thought)

I will also attempt to post audio of my messages/teachings/sermons for your review. God is still working in me and I earnestly seek your evaluation/encouragement/critique.

Happy Blogging