Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: church, externally focused church, life, trials, weddings
This week I learned of three deaths in my old church, various health crises in my church and I led a wedding rehearsal, officiated a wedding, and spoke in both services this morning. Tomorrow, I will be getting fitted for a tux and helping a family through a difficult transition.
Ministry is hectic. Especially externally-focused ministry. But it’s all worth it. Because of Jesus.
In the grip of amazing grace,
Neil
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: change, God, hope, mccain, obama, real change, sarah palin
WOW! Regardless of what you think of this election and the results, we can all agree that history was made yesterday. Barack Obama will become the nation’s first African-American President when he is inaugurated in January.
I feel privileged to live in a country where EVERYONE has opportunity. What an amazing story Barack Obama has.
If McCain had won, then Sarah Palin would have become the first woman Vice-President and McCain would have become the oldest man to have ever become a first-term POTUS.
It is my prayer and I hope all of your prayers that God would bless Barack Obama and lead him as he leads this nation. Now is the time to lay aside partisan bickering and to move forward to the best of our ability.
Lord, please protect Barack Obama and guide him by your truth. When he falls short, please correct him by the power of your Holy Spirit.
Lord, we thank YOU for change. We do not place our hope in anything or anyone but you.
Peace,
Neil
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: change, externally focused church, incarnational church model., the church, transformation
The church is on a journey. Really. All churches should be striving to follow Christ to a fuller extent, but at NCC, we are specifically on a journey that began at the start of this year. We’ve heard a lot about change during this Presidential campaign, but we actually want to do it, and I can’t say that I necessarily “buy it” when the candidates make that claim…but anyway, back to the point…
You see, at NCC, we’ve realized the need to pay attention not only to the people who call NCC their church home, but also to those throughout our community. We realize that it is not enough to have good Sunday services and programs to draw people into our church. Some may never come anyway. So, we have to go to them.
And afterall, isn’t this what Jesus told us to do? His parting words gave us the instructions that the church was supposed to follow…to go into the world. Well, we haven’t always been the best at that, but we are going to work at doing things a lot differently.
That is the vision that we are following, and we thank God for it. We are on a journey…not onto the latest fad.
Will you join us this Sunday to learn about what it means to become a more externally focused church?
Peace,
Neil
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Jesus, pride, arrogance, ringo starr, the beatles, greatness, ringo, ringo blog
So…I just saw a video that Ringo Starr put on his website. No, it wasn’t to thank all of his legions of fans for sticking by him through the years and it wasn’t to tell everyone about his latest tour. It was to tell all of his fans to NOT ask for autographs or send him fan mail.
Ringo is officially the most ridiculous and narcissistic rock star of today. What a pompous attitude the aging rock star has.
Pride comes before the fall, sir. If this is what celebrity does to people, then I would NEVER wish to be one.
We live in this “me first” culture and the huge egos we see are overwhelming. Jesus said that if you wish to be first that you must be last. That is greatness re-defined and greatness that the world laughs at.
God help our country and this prideful world.
Peace,
Neil
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: deception, christianity, Jesus, what really matters, churchianity, false teaching, worship styles, teaching, preaching
Yesterday at church I shared a message that was challenging to the whole church. I know that because it was hard for me, too. I talked about how if our doctrine is un-checked that dangerous teachings can slide into the church and give us the wrong view of the whole Gospel story.
One of the biggest dangers that I see today in the church is a vicious strain of consumer-driven Christianity, which is really no Christianity at all. This kind of Christianity makes us believe that church is all about us. You know what I mean, don’t you? “That pastor better preach a good one today.” “I HATE the songs that the worship guy plays.” We’ve all said it or at least thought it, right?
We must not give into this type of selfish thinking. Let’s put a little bit of this “passion” for ourselves and desires into something that really matters…reaching an unbelieving world with a Gospel that puts Jesus at the center…NOT us.
Peace,
Neil
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: counseling, Fireproof, Jodi Mitchell, marriage, marriage counseling, marriage r&r, marriage-building event, naperville christian church
About a week ago I saw the movie Fireproof with my staff. I was pleasantly surprised for a lot of reasons! It was not a typically cheesy Christian movie. Oh..come on, you know what I mean!!
It was well made and I could see it going over well in churches and in the secular world, as well. The most important thing about this movie is that it well-represents the struggles that real people have in real marriages. After seeing it, my passion for marriage ministry really got ramped-up again. On November 8th, I’m pleased to tell you that we will be having our second Marriage R&R event at NCC. We will have a guest speaker, and you don’t want to miss her. Her name is Jodi Mitchell, and she is an experienced counselor and I know that she will shed her expert-insight on marital issues.
Make sure you come to this event, no matter what state your marriage is in, Oh…and go see Fireproof. I think it should be required viewing for all married couples. I believe it will be used to save many, many marriages.
Peace,
Neil
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Evan Tanner, peace, peace with God, silence, soiltude, treasure hunt, UFC
This morning, I learned that Evan Tanner, a former Ultimate Fighting champ, was found dead in the deserts of southern California. I have to say that I am absolutely intrigued by Evan’s story. Just a few weeks ago, he wrote this on his blog…
It’s Saturday night. I’m not out on the town socializing, not hanging out with friends, not chillin, watchin movies. I’m sitting on my couch beside a stack of books, listening to some Eddie Vedder, reading about the Southern California desert.
I’m hoping that very soon I’ll be sitting out in the quiet of the desert beneath a deep blue midnight sky, listening to the calm desert breeze. The idea going into the desert came to me soon after I moved to Oceanside. It was motivated by my friend Sara’s talk of treasure hunting and lost gold, and my own insatiable appetite for adventure and exploration. I began to imagine what might be found in the deep reaches of the untracked desert. It became an obsession of sorts.
“Treasure” doesn’t necessarily refer to something material.
Today, I ran to the store to pick up a few things, and with the lonesome, quiet desert thoughts on my mind, I couldn’t help but be struck with their brutally stark contrast to my current surroundings, the amazing congestion in which we exist day to day. The landscape as far as I could see, crowded, choked, with me and the rest of the species, an almost writhing mass of organisms, fighting over space and resources,….on the highways, in the parking lots, on the sidewalks, and in the ailse of the stores. And to think, there are still places in the world where man has not been, where he has left no footprints, where the mysteries stand secure, untouched by human eyes. I want to go to these places, the quiet, timeless, ageless places, and sit, letting silence and solitude be my teachers.
I’ve been gathering my gear for this adventure for over a month, not a long time by most standards, but far too long for my impatient nature. Being a minimalist by nature, wanting to carry only the essentials, and being extremely particular, it has been a little difficult to find just the right equipment. I plan on going so deep into the desert, that any failure of my equipment, could cost me my life. I’ve been doing a great deal of research and study. I want to know all I can about where I’m going, and I want to make sure I have the best equipment.
One more week. I think one more week, and I’ll be ready to go.
I had been waiting on some parts I ordered for the bike. Aluminum luggage panniers, crash bars, and other necessities for a real adventure.
It’s always like Christmas when the Wells Fargo wagon comes to town. UPS, I know.
My friend Jorge getting to work reading the instructions. I stay away from them as much as possible.
Got to work with plenty of daylight left.
It seems that aftermarket parts never seem to fit quite right. Slowed things down a bit. Got caught finishing up in the dark.
The next day. The apartments are being painted, so I had to park both bikes out front on the street. The salt air is eating up my Harley. Not liking that.
A few more small things, and the KLR will be ready for the great desert adventure.
Just this past Sunday, I spoke at church on the need to get away from it all so that we can have a chance to hear the “still, small voice” of God. A few months ago, I was completely enthralled with the movie, “Into the Wild,” which was a true story that documented the life of a man searching for meaning.
These stories capture our hearts, because the deepest parts of man long for a spiritual connection that we cannot find in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of our lives. We soak in all of the action of our lives, and we are left wanting…still.
Evan, I hope you found peace in the desert place. I pray that Jesus penetrated your heart so deeply in your time in the desert that you quietly drifted into eternity.
There is no peace without Christ. Hold onto Him.
Peace,
Neil
Filed under: Uncategorized
Yesterday was such a good day at church. Things felt smooth and our transitions were spot-on and worship was vibrant AND there were lots of newcomers.
It is incredible to me that when I am at my weakest that God always come through. When I feel that I can’t go on, God steps up and shows me that it was never about me in the first place.
I’m so excited to see what God has in store for us and for NCC. Let’s keep learning and serving the God who thrives in our weaknesses.
Peace,
Neil