One Person at a Time...

The Importance of Retreats...

Last night and today New Life's elders, staff and Nehemiah team "retreated," or participated in our annual leader retreat.  John Nuzzo, the pastor of Victory Family Church served as our leader.  The time together was powerful!  John is an outstanding communicator and the focus of His time with us was "Dreaming Bigger."  He broke that down for us into a discussion of three types of churches and getting to a culture of yes.  John's understanding of Scripture and his having lived it out over fifteen years at Victory which has grown from 3 people to 3500 made a strong impact on each of us.  I believe we will look back on this weekend ten years from now, if the Lord tarries, and say, "That was a defining moment in New Life's history.  Our two hours of discussion around lunch after John's presentations concluded helped us to express the value of the retreat and the importance of using the momentum of this week to continue moving forward in fulfilling our mission of sharing the new life of Jesus Christ with the world--one person at a time.  A few key points from John:

• If you don't like big churches, then don't go to heaven, because there're going to be LOTS of people there!
• How long do people have to get to know Jesus--10, 20, 50, 100 years?  It isn't 400 years, so we can't take forever to decide to reach them!
• God doesn't move until you act--don't be presumptuous or foolish, but do something!
• A church should be like an emergency room--It's a "come as you are party!"
• Could it be that God is waiting to release resources for those who trust Him?
• When you stand before Jesus, what do you want to present to Him?
• You can build a house incrementally, but it won't be God's house.
• Do you operate from a "Culture of Yes?"  There are only three ways to operate--YES, MAYBE, NO!
• Di-vision is divided vision.
• Am I going to give my life for what people expect or what God says?
• A pastor's hands are anointed to equip others' hands.
• Shouldn't people have the right to direct the church? NO.  No more than children should have the right to direct the family.
• When you are operating in the will of God and when you are humble, God will take the mistake you make and bless them for His glory!
• You cannot be an "overseer" and a "doer" at the same time.
• You can do 1,000 things in mediocrity or 10-12 things really well.
• As leaders our job is to tell people why, not how.

This Sunday at New Life!

The weather has NOT been helpful these past several weeks, but THIS SUNDAY is a Sunday to BE THERE at New Life!  We start a new series titled The Three "R's" of Pressing on! [This year's theme is PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL!] The first "R" is RELATIONSHIPS, and we'll be turning to Jesus' teaching from Matthew 22:34-40 to find out which relationships in our lives are most important!  We'll celebrate the Lord's Supper and enjoy great fellowship before and after worship.  I hope to see YOU there!

Troy Polamalu...

Have you seen this interview with Troy Polamalu?  Some of the video is cut off--it's scenes of him playing in games, but the interview itself makes it clear that Troy's life focus is not football, but pleasing God!

To Serve or To Commune...

My Bible reading and my devotional reading intersected this morning.  In "Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon commented on Martha's being "cumbered" with preparing the meal for Jesus, while Mary, her sister, sat at Jesus feet.  Spurgeon pointed out that it wasn't in serving that Martha erred, or even in "much serving" that she erred, because serving Jesus is to be the activity of every believer.  Her error was that she was "cumbered" with the serving.  Spurgeon points out that it is easier to serve than to commune.  He used the example of Joshua and Moses, when the Israelites faced the Amalekites in battle.  Joshua never tired in the battle, but Moses DID tire in lifting his arms in prayer to the Lord.  My daily reading Scripture for today included the Israelites battle with the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-16).  To commune with God is the more challenging, the more difficult, than to serve Him.  As we go about this day, whatever the service we plan to offer Jesus, may we do it with a heart of fellowship.  For in the end, service without communion is not a blessing.  As Jesus told Martha--Mary chose the better part.  May we choose the better part as well!

January's a Great Time to Wash Your Car in Western PA!

I decided to wash Nancy's car today, because it was SO WARM (About 48 degrees, which compared to the last couple of weeks is REALLY WARM!).  I had never washed a car at my house in January before.  I had some pleasant surprises:

• No bugs to wash off the grill and hood!
• No tar to wash off the bottom of the car!
• I didn't get sunburned or too hot!
• The car looked AMAZINGLY better, because it started out so dirty!
• The snow melted in the driveway where I washed the car!

Some of you know that Friday is my Sabbath and you're thinking, "Washing a car doesn't sound like a Sabbath activity."  Not making excuses here, but it was NANCY'S car, so I was serving my wife, and the activity was OUTDOORS, where I got to enjoy God's creation and the warm sunshine, AND the activity was satisfying, because unlike ministry which often has no observable "win" in the moment, when the car was washed it was OBSERVABLY better than it was before I started.  After all, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath!  I hope you had the opportunity to enjoy the warm weather, too.

Steelers on Cover of SI for Second Straight Week!

The Steelers shrugged off the SI jinx last week as they gave the Ravens an old-fashioned thrashing on the football field.  Now, they're on the cover again!  That probably means it'll be the Cardinals on the cover next week, so they'll be going into the game with the jinx on them.  I don't actually believe in "jinxes," and I'm not superstitious since Jesus is greater than any superstition. That being said, I do have my idiosyncrasies when it comes to sports.  I never let one bat handle cross another when they're lined up along the dugout wall or backstop, for example.  When it comes to the Steelers, I know many of them have their superstitions, along with tens of thousands of fans, and while in the grand scheme of things who wins the Super Bowl doesn't really matter-----I don't have any particular pre-game rituals, and I don't even own a Terrible Towel, or a Steelers' jersey, but I can't wait for February 1st and the Steelers' sixth Super Bowl victory, which will once again put them in a class by themselves!   

This Sunday at New Life!

I hope you'll be there this Sunday as we conclude our Press On Toward the Prize Series "A God Worth Following!"  This Sunday's focus is the Holy Spirit, who is the most misunderstood member of the Godhead.  Come and hear what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit, and learn why the Holy Spirit is a God worth following!  As you make your plans to be there this Sunday, why not call up a friend, classmate or co-worker and invite them to join you, too!

Our New President...

I'm watching the inauguration of our new president, Barak Obama, as I write this post.  While there has been much hype about this day, I must say as I sit and watch it, even though Mr. Obama was not my choice, still I marvel at how our system works.  The hope, vision and unity that Sen. Feinstein has called us to is idealistic, and rightly so.  We need ideals toward which we strive.  Rev. Rick Warren's prayer rightly called us to acknowledge God first--as Father, as the one, true and living God, and rightly acknowledges the blessing of living in a land where it is possible for Mr. Obama to rise to the highest position of leadership. May Mr. Obama lead with the humility Rev. Warren called God to provide, and may we truly be forgiven when we forget that ALL our blessings come from you.  May all people of goodwill work for the things Rev. Warren asked God to give us the power to do--justice, liberty and peace.   I am so glad that Rev. Warren closed his prayer in Jesus' name in several languages and the Lord's prayer, and did not bow to the pressure of the world to offer a "generic" prayer.  My prayer is that God will lead President Obama and Vice-President Biden to in all things, and that they will listen to His voice and do His will.  I pray that I will be a faithful citizen of heaven first, and that through that citizenship, I will be a faithful citizen of the United States of America.  I pray that for all of us who bear the name of Jesus.

Winter's Here!

Remember back in the day when it used to snow every day and be really cold for long stretches at a time---OH, that's TODAY, or should I say that's THIS WEEK!  It really messed with worship attendance this morning having five inches of new snow overnight, that wasn't really expected, along with what we already had, but those of us who were there really worshiped!

Cool thing happened at home-- our next door neighbor plowed out our driveway at 11:00 p.m. (I was already in bed, due to wanting to awake for worship!), and then plowed it again this morning.  That was really great, and unexpected.  When I thanked him, he said he was just being neighborly.  That sounds like we're "back in the day" too!

Stay warm and find a tv, because THE game is on in about 25 minutes!   My prediction:  Steelers 24  Ravens 10!

Tomorrow at New Life!

It's been a full week and my usual Thursday installment "This Sunday at New Life!" didn't get checked off on my to do list!  So,  TOMORROW at New Life we're focusing on JESUS, as we continue our Press Toward the Prize Series:  A God Worth Following.  A powerful drama sets up our investigation of an even more powerful Scripture:  Philippians 2:5-13, and JESUS is the central character, as we see that God, the Son IS not just the most perfect man who ever lived, but THE Son of God, and the One worthy of following!  Yes, it's going to be cold (it IS January in western Pennsylvania), so bundle up and join us for worship and fellowship in Jesus' name!