The Letterman Effect

I watched in stunned silence David Letterman’s confession to his live audience about his inappropriate relationships with his staffers. I was not stunned because of his admission of guilt. I was more stunned by the flippant approach to apologize to the staffers and worldwide fans than I was in his futile attempt at remorse. The remorse that was sparingly there, was due to the fact that he had been caught and was being blackmailed. There was nothing too contrite about his confession.

In fact, as I watched, it was very clear that Letterman was playing the victim card. I know that he was a victim of a serious crime in regards to the blackmail. However, is the best way to deal with failure or sin to deflect responsibility and compare it to someone else’s? So in effect, Letterman’s confession had more to do with that fact that he had been ratted out rather than being sorry for the situation he had created. By they way, there wasn’t a public acknowledgement to his wife until the following Monday. I am not saying there had to be, however, it would have come across a lot better if he’d profusely apologized to her more than point his finger at his accused assailant.

Why would or should we expect more from those whose sin catches up with them? Would any of us have reacted differently? Probably not. We too would have entertained those around us with jokes or shift the blame in order to feel better about the situation. We are long past the days of calling a spade a spade. Sin is sin regardless if we want to confess it as such or not. As I stated before, I am not surprised by Letterman’s indiscretions, however, I was disgusted by his insincerity and the live audience’s light-hearted approach. This really isn’t a laughing matter. Letterman did what he does best though. I know that we expect this sort of behavior from the rich and famous. In fact, we’ve become pretty numb to sin and its effects regardless of whom it is. Regardless if Letterman’s staffer relationships were pre or post marriage, it was still a sin. Who cares if it is considered the norm in our society. We’ve become numb.

That is why I think we NEED to have a healthy understanding of sin, its consequences, and its ability to numb us to the Word of God. We cannot continue down the road of justifying our inability to live up to the standards God expects from us. This is coming from a Christian nation that has a surplus of “we can do all things through Christ” coffee mugs, t-shirts, and bumper stickers. We can’t have it both ways. He is either a conqueror of all things or nothing...not both.

So what does a healthy view of sin look like? First, let’s call sin out in our own lives. If you want a church word, it is called confession. The word confess really means to agree with God that what you did or are doing is wrong and goes against His character and will. I do not believe that daily confession is necessary for forgiveness because sin was paid for once by Jesus. However, if we are going to get beyond sin, we need to agree with God that it is sin so that we can yield to His Spirit within us to remove it from our lives. The process that God uses to remove that sin from our lives is called repentance. Repent literally means to turn away from, to do a 180 degree turn. Sin is directly opposite of who God is. Death vs. Life. Darkness vs. Light. Chaos vs. Peace. Lost vs. Found. False vs. Truth. Denial vs. Confession. To repent is to acknowledge God’s way is not just the best way, but the only way. To repent is to turn from a self-centered view of doing life to a God centered way of doing life.

We also need to understand that there may be consequences from our sin. It may result in the loss of a job, loved one, friendship, respect, and in certain situations our own lives. However, these consequences do not define who we are OR seal our final destination. What do I mean? God isn’t going to love us less because of our sin or our behavior. The presence of the Holy Spirit in my life serves as my deposit, my guarantee that He will see me through to the end because He finishes what He starts! God is not going to yank eternal life from me because I sinned. A consequence of my sin is not going to be the loss of eternal life!

Let’s call sin what it is. Let’s identify it, turn from it, learn from it, and continue to pursue the One who is pursuing us.

Sound Beliefs

I love music. I have always enjoyed singing it and listening to it. I loved it so much that I sang in choir all four years and even made our high school musical all four years! I enjoyed singing at church in the choir as well as solos while serving as “special music.” Music also helps me quite a bit in memorizing and studying. In fact, I’m listening to The Long Fall Back to Earth by Jars of Clay right now. Music is powerful. Why is it so powerful? Why does it speak so deeply within us? It may be the melody of a love song. It may be the lyrics that tug at our hearts. It may be the subtleness of the instrumentation and how it is used and/or played. For most us it is the message, the meaning, or even our own personal interpretation of it defines us or our situation.

For example, there is a song by Areosmith that reminds me of a high school breakup! My dad’s favorite hymn was The Old Rugged Cross and whenever I hear it, it reminds me of his baptism. If You Could See What I See is a song that I had the honor of singing to Kelly at our wedding. A couple of weeks ago a song on David Crowder’s new album rocked my world. Shane and Shane sing my personal anthem When I Think About the Lord.

Sound Beliefs was an idea that God put on my heart as a series to examine the messages of the songs that we listen to. (Dave came up with the title and artwork.) The messages resonate deep within us as album sales and digital downloads tells us. The purpose of the series is not to condemn the song, artist, or genre, but to help us understand what God has to say about the topic. What does God say about our words? What does He think about sin? Does He care about our integrity and/or decision making process? Where do we find our identity? How is He the bond in all our relationships? Is He pursuing me or am I pursuing Him?

Over the next few weeks, walk with us as we get a better understanding of what our music says about us but more importantly what does God say about us.

Week One

Sunday was a big day for Hamilton Village. We were surrounded by a lot of friends and family as we kicked off our first service. The past forty weeks have been an adventure and we are excited about what the future holds. The cool thing is that we only have a six day turnaround before our next one. The soft launch services were nice for us to evaluate, regroup, and pace ourselves over four weeks but four weeks has dissolved to six days!

The blog is going to change over the course of the next few weeks. First, the address will eventually change and will go through our website. We are in the process of adding some elements to our site that will allow members and guests to maneuver throughout the site without leaving the site. Second, the blog will take on more of a teaching flavor that will compliment the sermon series. The blog will become a running commentary and ongoing discussion of what God is teaching us and how we apply it. Looking forward to the discussions, thoughts, and insights.

Thanks for reading.

Final Countdown

After forty weeks of praying and planning our first service has finally arrived. Where did time go? It seems like it was just yesterday that we were finalizing the time line and putting together our leadership team. Now we are hours away from realizing the vision that God has placed in our hearts.

We have met a lot of people that God has allowed to cross our paths. People who are hurting, people who are looking for a church home, and people who are looking to fill a void in their lives. Regardless of their condition, we believe that we know what they need and hope how we deliver it resonates with them.

Lessons are ready, songs have been chosen, sermon is prepared, and the donuts have been ordered! However, if we DO everything we need to do to be prepared and fail to yield to the Spirit, Sunday will be disastrous. A win for us on Sunday is to allow the Spirit to move freely in and through us and to acknowledge that it was all Him.

Pray that those who need to be there will be there. Pray that we would continue to surrender to our Leader. Thank you for walking with us these past forty weeks. I look forward to the next forty years.

Overwhelmed

I was overwhelmed. Not by the amount of painting I needed to finish for my wife. I’m not even overwhelmed by the amount of tasks that need to be completed by our first service on September 20. No, I was overwhelmed by the love my God has for me and shows me.

It all started about 12:30 am on Monday night/Tuesday morning. I had just finished 14 hours of painting and trimming in our master bedroom and installing a ceiling fan. I was tired and drained from a long day of smelling paint fumes. My arms were tired from the strokes of the brush and lifting a fan above my head while balancing on my ladder. (Side note, I now own my own ladder. Kelly bought it for me as a “gift”. It is one of those cool 5 in 1 ladders that can be a step ladder or a 13 foot extension.) Sorry, a little excited about owning my own ladder!

After cleaning up from the day's activities, I retreated to the man cave to catch up with the day in sports and fall asleep. Our bedroom furniture was still pushed into the middle of the room as we continue to work on the “labor” day project, so sleeping in the man cave was a great option. However, as I sat down to unwind and doze off, I was intrigued by the lyrics of a song that I had been listening too and singing along with all day.

David Crowder covers a song on his upcoming album entitled “How He Loves”. As I started thinking through the lyrics, God began to press deep into my soul the necessity of understanding who He is and the purpose of my life. I have a great gig! I have a beautiful wife, two unbelievable sons, a career that I enjoy, friends that make life fun, and a God who sees beyond my past and future and still loves me. God is not waiting on some future me to show up to love, He loves me now! Yet, we spend most of our time trying to impress those around us with our spirituality, regardless if we really have it all together or not. And we just don’t stop with those around us. We try to impress God too. Our checklist relationship is often so stale and stagnate because we fail to live up to the standards we think God wants from us. Don’t get me wrong, we need Bible study, we need prayer, we need fasting, we need fellowship with other believers, but what we need more than anything is to remember that God loves us regardless. Living in that love draws me to the Bible, draws me to intimate conversations with Him, draws me to fasting for spiritual breakthroughs, draws me to other believers to share what He is doing in my life.

God is more than a priority, He is my life. Paul reminds us of that when he writes, “When Christ who is your life appears...”(Colossians 3:4). Think about these phrases from the song, “We are his portion, He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes”, “I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, and I realize just how beautiful you are and how great your affections for me.” The chorus serves as a simple reminder, “Oh, how He loves us.” Seems pretty basic, yet we have complicated it.

So when God’s love overwhelms you at 12:30 in the morning, it is hard to sleep. When you are acutely aware of His presence, there isn’t room for anything else. So what do you do? You read, your pray, you sing, you listen, and you rest! Being overwhelmed by His presence was the rest I needed and something we all should crave and desire.

September Already?

Can you believe that it is already September? I know I cannot believe it myself. We are three Sundays away from the official launch of Hamilton Village. These last eight months have flown by and I am extremely excited for the next stage of this journey. Our third service has come and gone and we were blessed by great attendance. Set up and tear down went smooth and the team has done a great job of working together.

When we went public in January with Hamilton Village, we set out with three objectives in mind. First, this process had to honor God. If God was not going to be the beginning and the end, then we didn’t want any part of it. The Author and Perfecter of our faith had to lead the way for us to continue to follow. Second, this process had to honor His bride Northside. Northside has long had a reputation of being a sending, missional church. Whenever you are piercing the darkness, the enemy will do whatever he can and however he can to disrupt the unity and community of the body. We wanted to make sure that this process had more to do with the kingdom than personalities. We wanted to make sure that the bride of Christ was the focus of our attention and not the process itself. Third, this process had to honor my pastor. My pastor has been leading our church for the past seven years to look at the need in Hamilton County for an evangelical voice that would be true to the Word of God. We have been a part of a couple of different opportunities to reach the fastest growing county in Indiana, however, this would be our first attempt via church planting. He has never swayed from the vision God has placed on his heart. That vision has turned into my passion.

My passion is not to grow the biggest and best church in America, nor Fishers for the matter. My passion is to connect people with the life changing love of Jesus because the Truth will set you free. My passion is to empower Christ followers to use their gifts, talents, and passions to join God in reaching our community. My passion is to create an environment where Christ followers can become authentic and transparent as they do life together. My passion is that we would not become complacent in our growth, but would be looking for opportunities to multiply ourselves from here to the ends of the earth. That is the DNA of Hamilton Village. That is who we are and hoping to become.

September 20 will be here before we know it. The coffee will be brewing, the donuts will be out, the brochures will be printed, the music will be current, and the message will be applicable. However, it will be the smiles, handshakes, hugs, and authenticity rooted in love that will connect us with our community. We are looking forward to becoming a church that meets with God, meets with people, and meets the needs of people who matter to God.

Soil

I’m not very patient. At least when it comes to getting ready for our third soft launch service. I am ready for it to be here but at the same time, there are some things that need some finishing touches. Our second service saw twenty-two new faces from our first service! How about them apples! We are on pace with my expectations and goals regarding our soft launch attendance. Our first service eclipsed my goal by 7 and our second service fell short by 2. With 22 new faces, I’m confident that our third service goal is within reach! It is not about the numbers, but it is about the network of people we have within the community to continually reach out!

As I mentioned in our last update, the intentional prayer walking was a huge success. Not only were we able to obtain a ton of requests, but we were able to pray with some on the spot as well as follow up with those who requested. Our leadership team was able to follow up with those who requested a follow up and we are eagerly anticipating future correspondences with our neighbors.

This takes me back to a passage of Scripture that has resonated within me during the past 18 months or so. In Luke 8, we find the parable of the sower. Jesus describes four types of soil that the seed falls upon. He describes the hard path that doesn’t take root. He mentions the rocky soil that was unable to sustain life because of a lack of moisture. He denotes the thorny soil as a place that choked life from the sown seed. However, there was some fertile soil that consumed and harbored the seed and allowed it to grow and mature and produce a crop a hundredfold. As we read through that passage, we focus on the four types of soil and begin to identify people in our own lives that best fit those descriptions. The descriptions that Jesus uses however are used after the seed has been sown. In other words, you should not sow the seed based on your personal interpretation of the individuals you are sharing with. For example, if you believe your friend is more like the path, you are probably more likely not to share with them because you believe they will be unlikely to respond. This is not the intent of the parable. The parable is more of a reference to explain the responses of the people you share with. Therefore, the purpose of the parable is to reinforce the idea that we need to sow. We should not pick or choose where to sow, but sow regardless of a perceived outcome. That is why we knock on every door of every neighborhood. Everyone needs Jesus.

Continue to pray for the harvest. Continue to pray for more workers. Lots of seed to sow in Fishers!

Second Verse

Soft launch service number two is just a couple of days away. It is hard to believe that we are approaching our second service already. A lot has happened since our last time together.

We had five churches join us for some summer help. We are extremely indebted to our friends from Georgia, Illinois, and Missouri for all the work they did for us. While they were here they conducted Kids Clubs in various neighborhoods in Fishers (one in McCordsville). We were able to meet several families and spend some quality time with a boat load of kids. These clubs were focused on Bible stories and supported with recreation, crafts, and refreshments. We have been able to share the love of Jesus in a very real and practical way with each of these neighborhoods. We are looking forward to being an active part in the community with a strong family emphasis.

We wrapped up each each week with a block party. The goal was simple, we had met a lot of kids during the week and we wanted to meet the rest of their families. We were able to meet several siblings with moms and dads while enjoying free food with face painting, balloon animals, and games. It was a great opportunity for neighbors to get reacquainted as well as an opportunity for us to get to know them.

The highlight of each week however was the intentional prayer walking. Each team dedicated several hours during the week to go door to door with one simple request: how can we pray for you. We were not interested in gathering personal information that we could use to send mailers, email, or a quick phone call. Our purpose was simple, we want to become aware of the specific needs of our community and show them we are more interested in spiritual matters than collecting email addresses and phone numbers. Some requested that we follow up while others were more eager to give us a request so that we could be on our way. Our leadership team is faithfully following up with those who asked us to do so!

Thank you for faithfully praying for us and helping us out whenever possible. We truly appreciate the amount of prayer walking that has been done, the amount of hot dogs that were grilled, the childcare that has been provided, and the unconditional love and support you all have shown us. God is doing some amazing things and we are extremely humbled to be a part of it.

Continue to pray for our leadership team as we finalize our logo, design our website, work on our budget, and gear up for weekly services in September. God is continuing to put people in our paths that are eager to join us and walk with us. We’ve come along way, but we still have a ways to go. Looking forward to sharing about our second service.

What a Day!

Yesterday we had our first service. The set up and tear down team did a great job of preparing the facility. The tech team had everything ready for the service. The hospitality team served the best donuts and coffee in the world with happy smiley faces. The children's area hung out with the kids and taught them about Jesus. Dave did an incredible job in leading us in worship and God's Word tasted as good as always. Yesterday was a total team effort and we feel incredibly blessed that God allows us to assist Him in telling His story. The biggest thank you goes out to those who have been praying. Never underestimate the power of prayer. The downside of yesterday is knowing that we have to wait another 30 days for the next one. Lots of follow up and connecting between now and then. God is so good!

Soon

I know, I know. It has been a while. Life has been a little crazy. Having one foot in youth world and one foot in church planting world has stretched me more than I anticipated. We are less than one week away from our first soft launch service. Things are coming into place. We have the leadership team, the venue, the preacher, the worship leader, and the Holy Spirit. What a great way to celebrate Father’s Day!

In the past couple of weeks God has provided a worship leader! David Fladung has been a friend and partner in ministry for many years. Back in the day, David used to play in a Northside Student Ministry band. The band would play and I would speak at various events and we would have a good time. I remember surfing down some stairs at one event! Over the years, David and I have been able to work together at various camps and retreats. David was the first person God laid on my heart to approach about coming to Hamilton Village as the worship pastor. David is a gifted musician but more than that, he is a Spirit led leader. He will be a huge asset to the team and I look forward to serving with him for many years.

I have also had the opportunity to travel to Illinois to speak to three churches that are wanting to be apart of church planting. Meadowbrook Baptist Church, Dow Baptist Church, and Holiday Shores Baptist Church in western Illinois are going to partner with us in our church planting efforts. The pastors of these three churches realize the importance of cooperation and partnership and want to be a part of Kingdom work. All three pastors and churches are reaching their Jerusalem and are wanting to go global. All three churches will be coming to Fishers this summer to help us reach our community. I’m excited about their enthusiasm and excitement about being a part of the big picture.

Our first soft launch service is this coming Sunday. We are excited about getting started. We are excited about the new start. We are excited about the new location. We are excited about the new relationships, friendships, and life change that is going to take place. Pray for us as we kick off a new chapter in His redemption story.

Nineteen and 20

The modern theologian Jon Bon Jovi - I know theologian is a strong word for this rocker, but his words echo in my heart and mind, “Oh, we’re half way there, oh oh, living on a prayer. Take my hand and we’ll make it I swear, oh oh, living on prayer, livin on a prayer.” Now imagine my two boys singing this song at the top of their lungs and you have a great description of my thoughts as we sit 19 weeks away from our first public service.

The first half was filled with the excitement of the news of a new church coming to Fishers, new location, new families, and a new approach to reach the lost and unchurched. Now that we are over half way there (oh oh) the work that needs to take place to lay the foundation of Hamilton Village will start getting more intensive and specific.

We are currently in the process of accumulating our prospect list to begin contacting the unChristian and the unchurched about HV. This list will be the tip of the iceberg of the sea of humanity in Fishers that needs to hear about Jesus and/or reminded of His plan for their lives. I met a guy on Friday in Fishers who had been involved in church, was active in serving, and even spent two months on a mission trip in Africa. He had his wife have not found what they are looking for in a church and have not not been in church in several years. May God continue to cross our paths with people who need to hear the Truth about Him and reintroduced to His church.

Next week, I will begin to walk through the core values of HV and explain the significance of each value and how it defines who we are as a church. The core values represent the foundation of the vision that points to what the church is all about. Without vision and values we become another social outlet rather than a vessel for life change.

On my way to New York today, I met a church planter in New Jersey. We rode next to each other on the train into New York. It was exciting to hear how God has used and blessed them and how in four short years they have become self sustaining and have already planted another church! We are actually going to worship with them in the morning.

Our first soft launch service will be here shortly and then July will be here and August will creep up on us. September will be staring us right in the face and people will be expecting to have their needs met. Although we are on the downward slope, we have a lot of planning and praying left to do. We are half way there!

21

First thing, let me apologize for not posting last week. We had a couple of deaths in our church and I was preaching on Sunday morning. With all the extra activities going on, I did not get around to posting. If I would have posted I would have given you some insight on the past weekend’s prayer team meeting and the upcoming Q & A luncheon. Since I did not post, here is what has happened.

Our April prayer team meeting did not go so well. Between the weather and other obligations, we had four people show up. Four people is four people and I am grateful for those who showed up and prayer walked some streets for us. I also know however, that if we start becoming lax, we can justify our involvement and necessity for praying. Most of our churches have lost a sense of urgency in praying and approach it as an after thought. Lord help us to not lose sight of the power and importance of prayer.

We hosted a Q & A luncheon this past Sunday. Our leadership team provided the soup, sandwiches, and desserts. We had a great turnout and great environment. We had some great questions and great interaction. Communication has proven to be very important as we are starting this new adventure. People have been very supportive and encouraging as we put one foot in front of another moving closer and closer to September. Our goal is to host one more luncheon before September rolls around. We’ll keep you posted. However, you do not have to wait for the luncheon to ask a question. Feel free to send an email or leave a comment here that you would like to see addressed. Remember, we want to be as authentic and transparent as possible.

Sunday morning we were also able to meet with the leadership team. We had a great conversation about our vision and value statements. It was great to have everyone together. This is more than laying the foundation of Hamilton Village. This is also doing life with families and allowing God to use our giftedness, personalities, and passions to provide an environment that will encourage Kingdom growth. I am blessed to be a part of what God is wanting to do.

I read this statement in a book this week that really confirmed what we are doing, “There are two kinds of people in this world: those who live outside-in and those who live inside-out.” I really believe this team lives from the inside-out. They want what is on the inside of them (triune God) to change the world, culture, friends, family around them. Change that is eternal and significant happens from the inside out. Church has its own culture, language, and system. However, sometimes we allow the church to get in the way of life change. We expect them to change on the outside so they can experience change on the inside. Jesus’ invitation have always been come as you are. This team gets that and is excited about creating this environment in Fishers that is inviting yet points to the One who can facilitate life change from the inside out! The subtitle of the book I’m reading says it all: because knowing God changes everything!

XXIII

Michael Jordan wore number 23. Perhaps, the greatest basketball player every to lace up a pair of shoes. The argument has been made that he’s one of the best but not the best. Regardless of his “rank” it is undeniable that he could play and play well. One of his biggest assets is how he can tune the crowd completely out. Jordan focused on the task at hand and played the game. It did not matter if he was playing at home or on the road, the crowds were spectators and did not influence his ability to dribble, shoot, or pass.

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve encountered a little noise as we prepare for September. If you focus on the noise, the noise takes precedent and you stray off task. It reminds me of Elijah on Mt Horeb. Elijah was running for his life and spent 40 days and nights on the mountain waiting to hear from God. He lost focus though. He was waiting to hear from God in the noise of the wind, earthquake, and fire. It wasn’t until the still small quiet voice came along that Elijah heard from God. You have to train your ear to hear it. If not, the noise will drown out the voice you are wanting to hear and the focus will be on the noise rather than the voice. And what good does it do to focus on the noise? It wastes time and you go nowhere quickly.

This week we were able to focus on the main thing and ignore the noise. We found a new home! Forum Credit Union operates a conference center in the heart of Fishers on USA Parkway. The conference center hosts, weddings, receptions, town hall meetings, and other banquets. Forum has more than adequate space and room for us to worship God in Spirit and Truth on Sunday mornings. We have signed the contracts to being using the conference center in June. Sundays at Forum is empty and quiet. Beginning with our soft launch in June, maybe we will be able to hear God’s still small quiet voice.

I also had a great time this week meeting with three pastors from Illinois.  Dow Baptist Church and Meadowbrook First Southern Baptist Church are going to be in Indy July 13-18.  They will be staying at Northside and serving in Fishers.  Holiday Shores Baptist Church will be coming to Indy sometime in August under the same arrangements.  All three pastors are excited about their churches being involved in church planting.  In our meeting yesterday they each expressed a desire not to make this a one and done trip.  Partnerships like this take Kingdom mentality where all those involved understand that every role is important, necessary, and crucial.  We are trying to align our schedules for me to be able to visit and share with all three churches in May.

God is good.

Twenty-four

Being a huge 24 fan and wanting to be Jack Bauer one day, I could not resist the opportunity to at least mention him and the show in this blog. There is a fascination with the heroics of Bauer. The guy does seem to save the day quite a bit. In fact, every hour he does something that is mind boggling. We are amazed by his abilities and activities and not so much by his personality or character. However, he is a fictional character and one day the show will come to an end and Jack will have to ride off into the sunset. I have spoken loosely about getting a t-shirt made that says, "I love Jesus and Jack." In all honesty tough, there are no comparisons.

Something funny happened on the way to planting a church. I have been blown away by how God continually shows up at just the right time. Not once have I have been worried about how God is going to fulfill His promises because worrying isn’t going to help the situation. So last week when it was confirmed that we were going to have to find a new place to hold services, I took it as another opportunity for God to be glorified in providing another space.

On Tuesday Jim Moran and I met with a local corporation about the possibility of renting some open space that they have available. The meeting went great and I am optimistic that we will be able to work out an agreement and contract. My faith in God would not have wavered if we were still searching for a location. My faith is rooted in who God is and NOT in what He does. As of this blog, I give God the praise for the open door that we’ve been able to knock on. If the door closes, I know that God is faithful and will complete this work that He began.

As far as week 24 goes, we are fast approaching the half way point. Beginning this month, the leadership team will begin meeting consistently. We will start discussing things like membership, assimilation, church polity, and systems. The reality is, we can set up Hamilton Village in a way that remains Biblical and yet has the flexibility to change methodologies to be the most effective. Our identity as a church is not tied to a style of worship, a program, or an event, but in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Finally, as we celebrate Easter, may we be aware of those around us that need to experience the power of His resurrection. May they see His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness and understand that they are the beneficiaries of it all. May we all fall more deeply in love with the Father for who He is and not because of what He does.

Week 25

Back in February, we hosted our first prayer meeting at Genesis Art Instruction. While I was speaking to the prayer team, I was very open and honest about the obstacles and trials that we would face in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. One would have to be naïve to think that everything would go as planned and stay on schedule. In fact, I have been encouraged by the insights of those who have gone before for us; just when you think you are ahead; you realize that you are behind. Not that I enjoy being behind or being late, but as the battle rages on, the enemy will put up a fight to keep his claim to what he thinks is his.

As I write this entry, I am reminded of those words I shared that day. We recently found out that we will not be able to meet at Genesis Art Instruction in Fishers. While I’m confident that God crossed our paths, circumstances have arisen that are out of our control. God will continue to use Kelvyn and Tami in the Fishers community for His glory. I have come to appreciate their hearts for our community and the arts.

I am confident that God has a place for Hamilton Village to meet and grow. Not only does He have a location for us to meet, but He has a place for us to call home. God is going to provide a ministry hub that meets the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of families in Fishers. Temporarily the hub will likely be a rented facility of some kind. This facility will be a place that has room for growth for our worship services as well as adequate space for our children. We are aware that a positive environment for children is key for a second visit and assimilation.

We have to remember that God is in total control of this process. He has brought us this far, He will lead us the rest of the way. Bring on the growing pains!

Prospects

Last week you met the leadership foundation of Hamilton Village. We are extremely excited about what God has in store. Next week I will do our weekly update as well as an inside peek of Genesis Art Instruction and the owners, Kelvyn and Tami Thompson.

This week I would like us to think about Hamilton Village’s prospects. Who are they? I know some, you know some, we all know some! The point is there are a lot of people out there dealing with a lot of junk in their lives. This past week I had two conversations with people who are sifting through every thing and making sense of the hand they’ve been dealt. We’ve been dealing with junk our whole lives. Here’s proof.

When we were 14 weeks old and carefree, we were swimming in amniotic fluid. By this stage of life, we have already started processing our own waste and getting rid of it. Guess where it goes? Yep, the amniotic fluid. We’ve been swimming in our own waste for a very long time!

Although the content changes after birth, the concept is the same. We continually find ways to junk up our lives, with debt, unhealthy relationships, imbalanced schedules, bad choices, family feuds, and other temporary outlets. We have this void that we are trying to fill but are unsuccessful in finding the One thing that actually fits and works. We create our own filters to get rid of the junk or ways to lessen their effects. But in the end, it doesn’t matter, the junk is still there, haunting us, mocking us, and guilting us to try one more self-help remedy. Filter after filter we attempt to clean up our lives; only adding to the convoluted mess we’ve created.

Enter Jesus. Jesus is the solution. Jesus took the weight of the world’s sin (junk) upon His shoulders. The key to filtering the junk out of our lives rests on the empty cross and in the empty grave. Self-help remedies are no longer needed. Religion is no longer needed. Condemnation is no longer the verdict. Guilt is replaced by conviction. Identity is not defined by success or failures but through grace. Death is defeated and life is now restored. All because Jesus entered the scene and changed everything. Jesus brings peace to the chaotic, purpose to the wandering, and hope to the hopeless. He instills confidence, self-worth, and meaning when nothing else worked. Jesus is the answer. Filtering the junk through Jesus helps us see the big picture of who is in control and why we go through what we go through. He defines the junk rather than the junk defining us.

My prayer is that we will begin to identify those in and around our lives that are overwhelmed by the junk in their lives and begin the process of providing the proper filter. My hope is that Hamilton Village becomes a place of refuge for weary souls longing for a place to rest. May we keep our eyes open to the probability that we are surrounded by prospects that need a relationship with Jesus.

Meet the Sapps

Dustin and Shelley Sapp have been members of Northside since 2002. Dustin has served as a Deacon and both serve in the children’s ministry through our extended childcare service. Dustin and Shelley was also a part of our satellite strategy in Fishers in 2005. Dustin enjoys technology, hanging with friends, and watching UK sports. (N I T) Shelley is a professional scrapbooker, sewing extraordinaire and local bookworm.

The Sapps knew God had great things in store for Hamilton County when the North Campus got started. “Fishers is a young, growing, vibrant community that is screaming for God’s hand. Hamilton Village must be an integral part of that community through servant leadership. We can’t be a social group, a small “worship gathering”, or just a church. We have to be a part of Fishers – one that it depends on to see the Kingdom.” This mindset will allow Hamilton Village to plant other “villages”. Dustin and Shelley see Hamilton Village and Northside sharing a common goal in reaching Fishers – expanding the Kingdom. “There is no reason that shouldn’t be done with a dependence that makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts.” Paul said in Corinthians, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’” Together, we can be the Body of Christ.

Dustin and Shelly have three children; Evan, Nate, and Elizabeth. On Fridays, we will pray for the Sapp family as they provide servant leadership in Fishers.

Meet the Morans

Jim and Vicki Moran have been married for 22 years. Jim is from the great cheese state of Wisconsin while Vicki is a Hoosier through and through. Being from Packerland, Jim is a die hard Packers fan and misses Brett Favre. You will often find Vicki sitting somewhere knitting a scarf, blanket, or American flag. (Can you say Betsy Ross) When the weather is nice you can find them on their motorcycle finding mom and pop eateries to recommend to the rest of us!

Vicki has been a member of Northside her whole life. She has been a member for 43 years while serving in various areas. Jim has been a member for the last 21 years. Recently they have been serving in the student ministry with camps, mission trips, Sunday School, and hosting a small group on Monday nights. Jim and Vicki love the Lord wholeheartedly and want to see His Kingdom expand. They posses a servants heart and mind with an uncanny ability to roll up their sleeves to do whatever is necessary. It was with childlike faith that they decided to accept God’s invitation to join Him in Hamilton County. Their years of ministry experience at Northside will translate to a wealth of wisdom, knowledge, and insight for Hamilton Village as we look to have an impact in the community. They are looking forward to having a place of worship in Fishers where Truth and relationships intersect.

Jim and Vicki have two sons. Michael is a sophomore at Purdue and Scott is wrapping up his senior year of high school and following his brother to West Lafayette. Pray for the Moran family on Thursdays as God transitions them to a new season of ministry.

Meet the Mayers

Mark and Jill Mayer have been members of Northside for the last nine years. Jill serves in the children’s ministry as a preschool teacher while Mark teaches junior high boys. Mark and Jill are very hospitable and hardly pass on a chance to host people and grill out on the back patio. Jill enjoys reading, being outside and being with family and friends. Mark lists eating out (nice), watching football, playing with his kids and scuba diving as his personal favorites.(Hard to find a good diving hole in Indiana)

The Mayers have a heart for people who need to know Jesus. They frequently lead a bible study in their neighborhood as a way to build community as well as share the Gospel. They have infectious personalities that cause people to be drawn to them. As they look forward to Hamilton Village, they desire to, “See us in a church facility with growth that could not be explained except only by God’s grace. We would love for it to be an irresistible place that draws people to Jesus so that we continue to face the issue of ‘so now where do we put all these people?’” Mark and Jill see Northside serving as a mentor church helping Hamilton Village to become its own separate entity. Jill’s confirmation to become a part of Hamilton Village came from 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that you labor is not in vain.”

Mark and Jill have been married for almost ten years. They have two children; Simon and Anna. Please make praying for the Mayers on Wednesdays a weekly priority.

Introducing the Comers

Scott and Beth Comer have been a part of Northside for the past six years. Scott has served in the children’s ministry as well as a Deacon for the past couple of years. Beth also has served in the children’s ministry but also lends her voice to our Sunday morning praise team. Scott and Beth are from the blue state of Kentucky and are die hard Wildcat fans. (Should not be held against them.) Beth enjoys shopping, picture taking, and the arts while Scott is a working man’s man and loves to build and fix things (fixin’ if you are from KY).

The Comers enjoy worshipping together and especially like to see how God works. They have known for a while that God was leading them to be a part of Hamilton Village but was waiting for God to put all the pieces together. They are “stoked” (Beth’s exact word) to be a part of the new work. They envision God working in ways that could only be explained by the hand of God. Scott and Beth love Northside, the staff, and the church family. Northside helped them survive the experience of moving to a new place with no other family around. They see how the two churches will be able to work together to expand the Kingdom.

Scott and Beth have been married for ten years and have three children; Maddie, Will, and Wes. Join us on Tuesday’s to pray for the Comer family as they seek new ways to minister to the community of Fishers.

Introducing the Claggetts

Jason & Heather Claggett have been members of Northside for ten years. They have served in different capacities during their time at Northside in children’s ministry, student ministry, as well as being part of our satellite campus in 2005. Jason has a background in computers and technology while Heather has a background in music. Originally from Missouri, we share some common bonds; Cardinal baseball, Imo’s Pizza, and Ted Drew’s frozen custard. I knew there was something about them when I met them!

I have had the opportunity to serve with Jason and Heather over the past five years. They are hard workers who love the Lord and those who they are ministering too. Heather’s administrative gifting will be a huge asset to our early organization and Jason’s handle on technology with our computers and sound system will fill a huge need as we begin from the ground up. In their own words they said, “God has given us a desire for a change for some time and this was the opportunity to take all that we have learned from so many different ministries and use them to build something from the ground up.” When asked about the impact of Hamilton Village in the Fishers community the Claggetts responded, “We pray that it will reach many young families who are searching for faith to instill in their children.” They look forward to the day when Hamilton Village is busting at the seams; serving as a testimony to Northside’s passion of being a springboard to planting churches.

Jason and Heather have been married nearly 14 years and have two boys, Philip and Jeremiah. Join us on Monday’s as we pray for their family and their ministry opportunities in the Fishers Community.

The Doppler Effect

There are not many sounds on the face of the earth that sound better than the puttering of your unborn child’s heart. The first time you hear that sound, it is exhilarating and breathtaking. There are a couple of reasons, many more I’m sure, for this excitement. First, the heartbeat means that development is coming along. The heart is working and beating and doing what the heart is supposed to do. The very beat represents life itself. Another reason it is breathtaking is that it represents new life…you ARE going to be a parent…this really IS happening! No one can wipe the smile off of your face!

As we continue to count down to our first service in September our heartbeat is beating faster and stronger too. We have confirmed all five families of our Leadership Team. Beginning next Monday, we are going to introduce them one family at a time per day. This introduction will serve as a reminder of how to pray for us as we continue to develop and lay the foundation for the future of God’s church.

Speaking of praying, we will be meeting this Sunday at 4 pm at my house to begin prayer walking the streets and neighborhoods of Fishers. We will divide up into seven teams to begin walking in the communities of the Leadership Team and Kelvyn and Tami Thompson, owners of Genesis Art Instruction. If you were not able to join us last month, our time of fellowship and praying was very refreshing.

My next area of focus is to begin meeting with sister churches who will covenant with us on this journey. These church partnerships may include prayer support, financial support, or even ministry teams. The ministry teams would come and serve on a weekend or week to prayer walk as much as Fishers as possible before September 20. The more we can get the body of Christ involved the stronger our network will be.

There is much to be joyful about. There is a lot to smile about. But our joy is not based on the work of God; it is founded in God, period. May we continue to rejoice in the Provider of all things!

Twenty Nine (For Real This Time)

Edgar Allen Poe once stated, “Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.” This quote captures my daily thoughts as we continue to move closer to September. Excitement may be an understatement too! I am continually amazed how God puts all the pieces together and allows me to participate. I had a pastor in my office this week of a church in McCordsville who feels the same sense of urgency and anticipation as I do. God is getting ready to do something incredible through His people and we just need to be ready, willing, and obedient to be on the front lines. The times are a changing and it is very exciting!

As I look at where we are now versus eleven weeks ago, God has done some pretty cool things in our early stages of development. By contrast, an eleven week old fetus has already developed toes, eyes, ears, fingernails, and lips. The body is coming together to carry out specific functions for growth and survival. Hamilton Village too is starting to take shape as a couple of core families have been identified. The leadership team will be essential for the growth and survival of the new church in the upcoming days and months. What each family brings to the group with spiritual gifts, abilities, and passion will serve as the vessels for the Holy Spirit to work and move in and around us.

I am reminded of Paul’s letters to the Corinthians when he reminds them that each has been blessed with a spiritual gift but not the same gift. How boring and detrimental! If we all possessed the same gift how would there be substantial growth? If the makeup of the church was the same, it would only attract those with that gift or those who potentially had that gift. And if they came to realize they didn’t have that gift, how would they fit in? That is why I think there is less likely a chance for unity if we all had the same gift, because we would be jockeying for the same tasks and trying to find relevance in the ministry. This is why Paul used the human body as an analogy in his teaching about spiritual gifts. It seems ridiculous for the ear to say to the mouth it is not needed or wanted. It seems absurd to think that the foot could say to the eye we don’t need you. The parts make up the whole and function as one body. I’m glad our bodies function the way they do, that each body part only does what the head/brain tells it to do. Unfortunately the body of Christ does not operate like this all the time. Personal preferences and opinions get in the way of unity and functionality. The body of Christ functions at its best when it is dialed in to the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the will and direction of the Father rather than individual preferences.

Hamilton Village’s functionality is what stirs within me. The tears of excitement that I find myself occasionally wiping away are from a sensitive soul that appreciates the development I see and knowing what is at stake and how eternal all of this really is. It really is a thing of beauty to watch God work in a way that can only be explained as the working of God through the Holy Spirit. And just think we are still twenty-nine weeks away from our first service.

206 Days

That is right. Two hundred and six days until we open our doors to our first public worship service. We have much to do between now and then but God is slowly putting all the pieces together. Although it seems like 29 weeks is a long way off, this step by step process has been exciting, breathtaking, and dare I say...extremely fun! September will be here before we know it.

This past Sunday we had 28 members of our prayer team get together to begin to pray for specific areas of need. It was an incredible time of prayer. It was an honor and a privilege to have so many friends and fellow Christ followers there praying with us and for us. Our next gathering will be March 15 as we begin to prayer walk various streets throughout Fishers.

We were also able to hear the testimony of Kelvyn and Tami Thompson, owners of Genesis Art Instruction, on how God has blessed them as they have been obedient to God’s leading and direction. As we continue to press forward with this partnership, pray that God would allow us to work together in a way that honors Him and draws thousands to here the simplistic message of Jesus. Pray that God would continue to bring artists into their facility to take classes and sharpen their craft. The arts and ministry go hand in hand…God is the Creator!

Another area of prayer is for a worship leader. I have had a couple of discussions with a potential leader over the last couple of months. “Steve” is a friend of mine who I have had the privilege of working with for many years. God has blessed him with an authentic ability to lead in worship. “Steve” is also a gifted leader when not on the stage. He has served in several capacities in ministry over the years and would be a tremendous asset to Hamilton Village. Pray that God would give “Steve” a clear direction for ministry and that “Steve” and I both would be obedient to His calling and leading.

Lastly, this weekend we will begin to assemble our core group that will serve as the leadership foundation of Hamilton Village. Pray for discernment as we begin to approach those whom God has placed on our hearts. My prayer is that those who are asked to remain at Northside will see the need for their ministry and leadership at the sending church. The fact is, God’s invitation to join Him at His work at Hamilton Village or Northside are equally important and both have eternal impact. May we all understand that the field is ripe for the harvest, regardless of the location.

31

Thrity one is just a number, however, in the development process of a baby, there are some significant things taking place. For instance, the baby weighs in at one gram, yet is very active and moving around. All the major organs, muscles, and nerves are in place and beginning to function at their young capacity. Fingers, eyelids, and the tonuge are visible and taking shape for their future functions that will assist in the new babies senses. There is a lot of activity that cannot be seen, however, the developmental process is taking place.

Likewise, there have been some developmental steps taken in the past week as Hamilton Village takes shape. The biggest news has been identifying the location for us to begin to meet. I have not been actively seeking a location yet due to my timeline and making sure our foundation is secure and set. However, when God is ready to move, you just get up and move. Genesis Art Instruction is an art studio in Fishers. Kelvyn and Tami are believers who have faithfully and obediently followed God's direction and vision for this studio. God has blessed them with art students and a space to use their facilities for the community. We have met with them a couple of times regarding the use of their facilities. God has not closed this door so we are walking by faith that this will be the future home of Hamilton Village. Genesis Art Instruction is located down the street from HSE High School and near 116th Street. Thousands of people drive by this location daily and we feel this will be a great location for us to anchor down for what God is wanting to do in Hamilton County. In fact, we are going to host our first prayer summit there on Sunday at 4 PM.

I am continually amazed at how God works out all of these details. I am humbled by the fact that He has chosen me to be part of something so extrodinary. I am giddy and excited about the potential impact God can have in lives of those around us if we would just be still long enough to hear His invitation to join Him in what He is doing around us. Good is good!

XXXII

I recently subscribed to a weekly maternity newsletter to continue to draw comparisons between the birth of a child and the birth of Hamilton Village. (Believe me, I felt a little wierd doing it) First, this will be a 40 week process. I know that there is Biblical significance for the number forty, but I’m really not shooting for that angle. Pregnancy is measured by the 40 week process from conception to delivery. During those 40 weeks, the development and preparation of this new person is taking place. It is not like one day you announce the upcoming birth of your child and the next day he or she is here. There are 280 days of development. There are 6,720 hours of preparation. And then one glorious day, the life that was growing on the inside, makes a special appearance to the outside world. Likewise, since the day we began talking specifics with the leadership of Northside, we knew it was going to be a 40 week process. We would have 280 days to get all of our training, funding, and partnerships lined up. We would have 6,720 hours to spiritually prepare for the birth of a new church.

Second, the relationship between the child and mother is essential. The child is dependent for nourishment, protection, and transportation. The mother feels a connection, devotion, and a duty to provide and protect this new living being. I am also convinced that there needs to be a strong bond between the new plant and the mother church. A healthy relationship that encourages interaction, cooperation, and celebration as God continues to work in the lives of both congregations. As we transparently walk through this process the relationship between Hamilton Village and Northside will be evident. There will be a healthy reliance on the mother church as we pray, plan, and implement this church planting strategy. This will be a healthy process that honors the relationship between the mother church and church plant. This will be a process that glorifies the Creator who conceived our church planting vision.

With that being said, as we sit here thirty-two weeks out we have made some progress in our development. We have incorporated and are officially recognized as Hamilton Village by the state of Indiana. The federal government recognizes us now as we have registered for our EIN which allowed us to set up our own business account. Logistically we are moving in the right direction.

We also received overwhelming support from our prayer team invitations. We are in the process of following up with those who have not yet responded as we look forward to hosting our prayer summit on February 22nd. Continue to pray for this team’s ministry and connectedness.

My next area of attention is to begin to prayerfully discern with our staff the families that God is going to set aside as our core team. I want to be very sensitive to the needs of both churches. I also want to make sure that we are surrounding ourselves with leadership that is gifted in areas of necessity for the new plant. This team will have to be cohesive and in tune with the Spirit of God as they begin to implement the strategies necessary to grow a healthy church. Please pray with us that God would enlighten us on who this core team should be and for those who are asked to continue serving at Northside. This is a Kingdom sized vision. We need everyone to play their part. Thank you for playing your part in praying for us and the process God is leading us through.

Thirty Three Weeks

I remember the ultra sound when we found out the gender of our first born. I remember being nervous yet excited. I also remember my reaction when the technician told us "it" was going to be a boy. I stood straight up and gave the touchdown signal! Not only did we know we were going to have a baby, but now we knew the sex, and the name that we would roll off our tongues forever. I also recall the websites that Kelly would frequent that would show us the size and give us insight on how our son was growing and developing. Things like, this week your child is the size of a ping pong ball and his skeletal system has developed.

On January 25, we announced that God was leading us to plant a church in Hamilton County as a continued effort to be active in one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. Forbes Magazine actually has listed Hamilton County as one of the best places in America to raise a family. Northside continues to be a missions minded church with a Kingdom mentality. With this new partership, I thought it would be a great idea to keep our friends, family, and Northside family updated with insights on how things are progressing, prayer requests, and cool stories how God is fitting all the pieces together.

With that in mind, I will be the first to tell you that I do not have all the answers. This is going to be a transparent process that will be revealed as God reveals them to me and others around me. So here is what we know thus far. God has called us to plant a church in Hamilton County. The launch date for this service is September 20, 2009. The name of this new church is Hamilton Village.

Our next step is to assemble a prayer team that is comprised of friends, family, and associates that have been involved in our lives, ministries, and churches. This team is vitally important as we begin this spiritual journey. This team will participate in prayer walks and daily intercession for very specific requests and details. This is the base of what God is wanting to build upon at Hamilton Village. We are 32 weeks away from opening our doors to a community that is growing numerically and dying spiritually.