Week one - Odds and ends

So this is our first weekend where we basically have nothing to do. It's really very strange. For years the weekend was a build up towards whatever was going on sunday morning....either the message, music, or whatever. This weekend I strangely feel none of that.

Tomorrow we are taking some of our flat screen TV's to another church so they can test run them and see if they'll work in their place. I hope they do, I really wanted our stuff to go to other churches who needed things rather than just sell it to the rest of the world. If this works out, about 90% of Real Life's stuff we were able to funnel into other ministries!

We also got a offer to settle up on our lease today. We don't quite have the cash for it yet but we are praying that we'll have it soon. For April and I that's the last big hurdle we feel like we need to address before we can put everything behind us and start moving forward with whatever it is that God is going to do next in our lives.

Had a nice conversation and dinner with Ralph Thompson tonight. We are looking at putting together a band to play some stuff out at clubs. We want to be able to take some Christian crossover music and some clean fun classic rock stuff and go entertain people with a good message. Hope to get going on that soon!

A whole new phase.

For the last 4 years I served as Pastor of a great church. I loved the relationships, the people, and honestly the job of pastoring. As of Saturday, that was all gone. I have been asked by a ton of different people how I am doing and how I feel about Real Life closing and honestly it's hard to give an honest answer that would make sense to them.

Allow me to explain:

• Real Life was something that God breathed into me years ago. Now that it's no longer here it almost feels like I have lost a child. So there is a real and tangible sense of loss.
• Real Life also took up most of my available energy (emotional and physical) so while, I have a sense of loss, there is also a part of me that feels that pressure has been lifted off my shoulders because I can take some time and catch my breath.
• Real Life was the primary source for my relationships. Which was great and bad at the same time. I loved the people but my love for the people in many ways took me away from other friends and family that I should have spent more time with. Now that RL isn't there I am excited about reconnecting with some people that have been on my heart for a long time and I just couldn't get with.
• I am taking some time to go over things we did right and things we did wrong so that I can learn from my mistakes and the mistakes of the church as a whole. That is a painful process to actually look at your actions and think I coulda, and shoulda done XYZ different.
  
• I am sometimes happy as I think back and celebrate the good things that happened. Thinking about the people that stepped into ministry for the first time. Watching them stumble...then catch their feet and start to succeed. That was awesome to see and brings me joy even in the midst of feeling a sense of loss.

I could go on and on but to say that I have mixed emotions would be the understatement of the world!

We'll I need to get back to my day job. Those Papers will not write themselves!

Real Life, Blogging, and Me

Real Life: It's been a surreal kind of week since we have decided to close down Real Life. I have spoken to our folks about the details that made up that decision and why we had to end so abruptly. So I will save those details for our people and not posting them on my blog. Quite frankly, it's just so heart wrenching to keep writing them down. I want everyone who played a part in Real Life from it's inception to the end that I thank them for their service and you should know that I and many other people have been changed for the better because you allowed God to work through you!

Blogging: A few days ago I thought that I would close my blog down and move on. As I woke up this morning and have thought more about it I think that I am going to keep it open and rather than blogging about my thoughts and experiences as a pastor, church planter, and cheerleader of one of the coolest churches ever. I will write about my continuing spiritual journey. Over the next week I will share some of the emotions and struggles I have faced personally as a pastor, leader, and husband.

Me: Where will I go and what will I be doing next? Right now I don't know. April and I are going to take a few months and not go anywhere or do anything church related. After the start of the New Year we'll pick ourselves up, end our sabbatical and start the process of trying to figure out where we fit in the kingdom of God.

Will I be working in ministry again? Probably, but right now I need to step away and spend some time allowing God to fill me up, hence the need for stepping away for a season.

Sunday Mind Dump

This weekend has been a weird one! Both April and I are in some kind of funk where we just feel like crap. There is nothing specific wrong...just not feeling like ourselves. So Let's dump:

• We have one more Sunday service...then we are switching to Saturday evenings...maybe for a month...maybe longer. We'll see how things go and what everyone thinks about it.
• Nice day at church today! Brett really stepped up and took over for his wife this morning. Nice job Brett!
• Had a really long weekend! Hung out and played some outdoor games with my buddy Stu yesterday. Then April and I took off for Cleveland and the Cheesecake factory! She's been wanting Pumpkin cheesecake for the last few years and we never seem to get it. I made sure it happened for her this year.
• Terrible day of football today. Not a good game on TV period :(
• On the plus side my fantasy teams have done pretty well today!
• See everyone out at the Funeral home for Deb's Dad tomorrow evening.

I am out!

Sunday Mind Dump

For those of you who read my blog on a regular basis you'll notice I took a couple of weeks off froem blogging. Last weekend we didn't have an official church service so there was really nothing to mind dump about. I have also just been running around in a crazy busy kinda way. Hopefully, that dies down soon! So, let's dump:

• Kinda liked that new song Sing to the Lord today. Has a nice swingy feel to it!
• Announced today that Shelley Myers was taking over the kitchen manager duties. She'll be in charge of all things food, kitchen, and greeter related. So, from now all direct all your questions in her direction.
• Looking forward to being able to help the hungry and needy in our area via Food For Thought. It's a cool ministry. You can check out their web site at www.freelunchtoledo.com
• If you could take one thing out of today's message I hope it's this. Each of us are called to be servant leaders. Look at the needs right in front of you and do what you can to meet those needs.
• Only two more weekends of Sunday services. Remember we are moving to Saturday evenings from 5:30 starting the first Saturday in Nov. Getting excited about the possibilities of that.
• This weekends gathering is at our house. Looking forward to having everyone over once again. Remember, when I go for my PJ's that's your clue it's time to go home :)
• Felt like crap all day today. Just one of those days where I am in a complete funk...not sure why other than hoping a good nights sleep will do the trick.
  

I am out.

Ever Noticed?

Ever noticed that some people just seem to cause problems every where they go? They blame it on others, they say things like "I just call things like I see them," and they just don't seem to fit in anywhere. I don't know why but this afternoon I was thinking about some people I know and have known that seem to fit this description.

Maybe it hit me as I was doing a little reading in the book of Proverbs today....here is what Proverbs 4:16 says: Evil people are restless unless they’re making trouble; They can’t get a good night’s sleep unless they’ve made life miserable for somebody.

We need to understand that there are some people that sow seeds of destruction pretty much every place they go. The go from spouse to spouse because the "other person" isn't meeting their needs, they go from job to job because they see incompetent leaders, they have a hard time keeping friends because we've all let them down, and they go from church to church in search of a pastor or church that does what they like.

Sadly, in church circles, sometimes this group of people are very talented which makes them desirable people to have in church. They are often gifted musicians and teachers (notice I didn't say leaders.) This group of people often comes into a church seeking leadership position and place of influence. All the while they fail to grasp the basic concepts and precepts of the church. They use talent to try and work their way to the top. They fail to understand that in God's model of leadership a person doesn't ascend into leadership they serve their way into leadership.

If you've got people like this in your church get them out of any type of leadership position as quickly as you can. If you don't you're asking for bigger problems down the line. If you have people like this as friends or family pray for them :)

Sunday Mind Dump

Nice day today. So, let's dump:

• Felt great to be back teaching after a two week break. This might be the toughest series I have ever taught but it's stuff we all need to hear.
• Nice to have Big John back behind the drum kit today. Don't worry man, it'll all come back to you soon enough.
• Next week is our second open mic night. I am hoping for a great turnout with lot's of talented people. The last one was a blast and this one should be too! Paul Wise is doing a CD release party as part of the festivities that night.
  
• Next months open mic HallowVox is featured, so you know that'll be good :)
• No Sunday service or Friday Small Groups. We have too much going on with open mic night and the harvest party. Come out and enjoy that!
• Still looking for someone to take over our kitchen at church. If you're interested let me, April, or Tony know.
• Some great things coming up. Really good opportunities to bring people to church.
• I think we are going to change the mythbusters series around a little bit. I am taking some questions and for those that have already sent them my way I'll answer them. I think we are going to change the series and call it "Cow Tipping." I am going to take some shots are tipping some of the sacred cows in church today. Should be a hoot and I will only tick off a few people since most of our people don't have a long church history!

I am out. Looking forward to watching the San Diego Vs Pittsburgh game tonight!