Same Story Different Year

It seems like every year when the holidays role around, things get exponentially more busy. Is it just me or does it seem like work stays the same, yet life seems busier? How many holiday parties do we really need? Wait I’m sorry was I supposed to say Christmas parties, or can I say holiday parties? Maybe that’s part of the added stress too, we have to now have the proper word usage for things that happen in December.

I know, Christians freak out when anybody says “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” But what do you say when it’s not Christmas and you really are in the holiday season? I mean if it is in between Thanksgiving and Christmas and a store clerk says, “Happy Holidays” do we go pick up our picket sign and beat them over the head with it in a truly Christian manner? Or is it possible, slightly plausible that there truly is a HOLLIDAY time and then there is a CHRISTSMAS day? I know and believe that Christmas is Christ’s B-Day and it should be celebrated like that, but rarely do we begin celebrating our children’s B-Days a month out now do we? So I guess the point [yes I do have a point] to all of this is could it be plausible that we could reduce our Christmas/holiday/winter solstice season, if we would just put down our defensive attitudes and enjoy? Enjoy life – enjoy the falling leaves – enjoy the smell of peppermint, pine cones, and egg nog – savor the moment. Don’t make everything a fight. Don’t make everything your soap box. Just enjoy.

Mary could have easily picked up a picket sign and picketed every Inn in Bethlehem and talked about the legal housing act of 10 BC. But she didn’t. I think she humbly sat in that stable holding her new baby and simply enjoying the sweet moment in time where everything was okay.

Look around today, What can you enjoy? Don’t count the number of “Holiday” signs in direct comparison to “Christmas” signs, just enjoy the moment. The moment when everything is okay.

Thankful

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and it was great. We spent the day with Patti's family in Huntsville, AL and we really had a great time. While we ate, my niece handed out pieces of paper that said, "I'm thankful for..." and then we were all told that we were suppose to write down what we were thankful for. It was cool. We all read them out loud, and when it came around to Patti she said, "I'm thankful for the adventure." That made my wheels turn. Life was created to be an adventure. Full of surprises, full of action, and full of heart thumping fun. Of course, the mundane can never be mistaken for adventure. Check out this scripture:

1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (The Message)
7-9Just think—you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

Many people are on an adventure, but rarely stop in the middle of the adventure and give thanks. We are too preoccupied by the need, or the hunger, or the danger, or the adversity. But really aren't those things the very essence of an adventure? Without danger, adventure could not exist. Without adversity could there really be an effectual fervent prayer?

So, I have to stop this year and look at the adventure I'm in and say thank GOD! Thank you for the problems. Thank you for lack, thank you for situations that are yet to be resolved, and thank you for making life an adventure! If we stop in the middle and say thank you, then we might just enjoy the journey a little more.

WELCOME Natalie Grace Brechin!!

Let us all welcome Natalie Grace Brechin! She was born on Monday, November 20, 2006. She weighed in at 8lbs, 3 oz; and is 21 inches long.
Mom (Becki) and Natalie are doing great! Please pray for an easy transition home. Brian is going to be able to spend some time home from work helping them all adjust! Sam, Isaac, and Abby are very proud of their new little sister!

Transition Fun

Change is kind of something I thrive on. I love it. I get the feeling sometimes if we don't have change then we are stagnant and BLAH! So I'm sure you realize that right now I'm kinda liking the life thing. I mean it is daily something new. New circumstances, new people, new adventures. It is challenging and yet, at the same time, totally invigorating. The other day i was lamenting to God in one of my bi-polar Davidic states [yea I think David was the first bi-polar person. Read the Psalms, they are full of ups and downs.] {BTW, don't email me and get serious about the bi-polar comment and King David. It was a joke. If you don't get it then you are probably reading the wrong Blog}, that I needed this, and I needed that. Whah whah whah. The great thing is that a week later I'm witnessing God answering the prayers! It just blows my mind how God can take a desperate situation and turn it around to be glorious! Why would anybody want to go through life without God?

I've heard sermons preached on why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to good people, and those are great messages that we need to know and have under our belt, but i tell you what.....God has just been totally awesome to me, my family, and SouthPoint!

Right now at SouthPoint we are in the midst of a transition time. We have been meeting on Sunday nights gathering a team and growing a team. Now we are entering the phase of plugging these people into some specific spots on the team. Tonight different people are talking giving the lay of the land and what each area will look like. I'm really excited about people getting truly plugged in to an area and gaining ownership in those areas.

I was impressed yesterday about how vital this team is to the advancing of the Kingdom. I'm sure each person has no idea how important they are. Individually we are mere people. But together we are a force to be reckoned. Each working in their area, to accomplish an overall goal, that is bigger than any of us. I might be the head coach, but without a team, I'm just a guy standing there with a clipboard.

Stuff.....Just Stuff

That's exactly what I have to do.....Stuff. I say stuff b/c at this point it is not all people work, ya know, ministry. It's stuff. Stuff that has to be done. Stuff that needs to be done, but nonetheless, stuff. Everyday, as I am so aptly reminded by different members of my team, how close we are to launching SouthPoint, the weight of things to be done seems to grow a wee-bit heavier. It's not that I hate it or even am disgruntled about it, it's just stuff. Calling this person about an ad, making this thing to go in this room. Preparing a talk, or preparing a blah blah blah! Stuff.

And then I read things like, "My burden is light." I wonder if that is for normal life but not church planting? Maybe parts of scripture only work for parts of life and they are not all inclusive. Ya know like maybe, : "Thou shalt not lie." Only applies to times when you are not being pulled over by the police and asked, "Do you know how fast you were going?"

That might actually make life a little easier. We would only have to do things when it was more comforable or easy.

Of course, that would mean God could be conditional too. Ya know like, "Hey God, can you hook a brother up with a little money to buy groceries for my kids? Your word says, 'I've never seen your seed out begging for bread.' I'm your seed and I might need to beg."
"Sorry, not in the mood. Go beg." God.

Yea after all that might not work out so well.

So I guess in the midst of stuff. Alot of stuff. I have to step into the 'easy' thing. i guess I'm learning more and more to trust Him and lean on Him in the middle of the stuff. I GUESS it's not really trust until it is crazy and I have to make the choice to either try it myself, or step back and trust God.

Yea, trusting God might really be a good thing, Huh?

Missionary Style

When I was packing up my life to move to Honduras, I had a myriad of thoughts and ideas. I had been on about 15 short term missions trips before. I was no neophyte when it came to being oversees, but this was the first time I was going to be living there. For months on end. I had a project. I had a village, and I had a budget. not to mention, I had a family [my family] going with me. I really wasn't scared as much as I was stoked. I was so excited I could hardly stand it. Looking back now, it amazes me how my entire mindset was to share the gospel with people. My actual job was to over see the building of a medical clinic up in the mountainous rain forest, but my passion was talking to people about Christ, setting them free from the bondage of rules and regulations and ushering them into a free relationship with Jesus. Everybody I met was my target, including those on the construction site.

What I have realized is that it is not an occupation, as much as it is a mindset. It's a 'missional' mindset. As church planters here in the grand US of A we need to be "missionally" minded. Everyday we realize that we have a higher mission than just paying our bills. Think about it.....seriously......the average american Christian goes to church on Sunday morning and then Monday through Saurday they live their lives - never sharing with others, never helping the needy, never getting involved in other peoples problems, basically not living with a mission. On the mission field I was not only sharing the gospel with them, but I was trying to figure out ways to better their everyday lives. So here in our grand nation, would it be so terrible to see others and think to ourselves creative ways to improve their lives?

I don't want SouthPoint to be just another church. Lord knows we have enough of those. What we are in desperate need of is groups of people that are "missionally" minded - people that when they leave church, they are just beginning. It's not like they have to work it up or go through some five step evangelistic outreach class, but they just simply care about people. When you care, you share.

Am I the only one that hates door to door witnessing? I mean come on! It drives me crazy when people come to my door, and if i went to theirs I would be annoyng them. But instead of going door to door, what if we went to our respected places of business with a mission. A mission to share God's love in a practical way. You know? WOW! If that were the case we really could alter Desoto County.

What an interesting and sad weekend

I have had a great weekend. First we went to watch Chris [launch team member] play soccer in the bittter cold. Then we had an awesome Game stop with fun, friends, and food. Then Sunday night.....WOW! Very cool. It was great to have Carter back on drums, and the band just basically rocked! Even though we are doing the acoustic unplugged thing right now, it was still amazing.

Of course underlying all of that great stuff were the announcments all weekend about Ted Haggard in Colorado. What a blow to the Christian-evangelical-community. I'm not really into slamming anyone even when they have done wrong....after all it is by grace that we all live. There is obvioulsy a huge need for repentence, healing, and grace.

But don't you find it amazing how valuable our lives are? I think many times we get so caught up in the daily minutia that we forget how many people are watching us live. Now if you're like me you are not the leader of a 14,000 member mega-church yet, but people are still watching. And on top of the watching, people are stll impacted by our lives. We affect people. That's what it means to live in a community. What I do does affect you, and what you do does affect me. How I raise my children inevitably affects you. We are all in this thing together and we do matter. How I handle sin and temptation does not only affect me and my life, but it affects you and yours. That is one reason why, in James, it says that teachers will be held to a higher level of accountability on judgment day. Plain and simple our lives do matter.

So even though I'm deeply saddened by Ted Haggard and the admitals of this weekend, it spurs me on to live with more character. More integrity.

Be honest in the little things, so the enemy doesn't have a chance to turn them into big things.