A Hard Day

Today at ECC we started the "goodbye process" for Pastor Dale. He announced today that he and his family will be leaving to pastor People's Church in Fresno, California. While it was difficult news for me, I had time to process. Many, however, did not. I saw many tears, many shocked faces, and many people who experienced a great range of emotions in a flash. I was greatly encouraged to see so much maturity in the church, hugging Pastor Dale with love and releasing him to the place of his next calling.

I had a conversation with a good friend after our 12:12 service for about 20 minutes following the announcement of his departure. I wanted to affirm the sovereignty of God in all of this (nothing she hadn't heard before) and the joy of knowing that our future with God is brighter than our past or present. I do realize this though: We are human beings with hearts that feel, hurt, love, and mourn. I hope we embrace these feelings. So many people are ashamed of tears because they show vulnerability- but Jesus was never afraid to be vulnerable. He called on his friends when he needed them, He wept openly at the loss of a dear friend (John 11:35). He mourned with the sad, He wept with the hurting, and He was never afraid to share what was on His heart.

For those that are hurting and trying to find a cure for the pain- sort through the emotions. Process, wrestle, struggle, fight, and search for joy in all of this. It will grow your soul. There may not be a definitive answer to the pain, or a cure for that matter, but there can be faith that fills the gap between our pain and the promise of God that it is working for our good eternal joy.

Don't run from it. Talk with friends, cry with brothers and sisters, pray together, love each other, be all that the church is supposed to be in this moment. And when that happens we'll see that the church wasn't built on the shoulders of any one human being- it was built on the God-Man- Jesus Christ. He is the head and the foundation of the church, and as we wrestle through that my prayer is that He will meet us with loving arms, calling us to more of Him even in the midst of a difficult time as a body. I know He will do this, I know He will reveal much of Himself in this transition period, and I know that whoever comes will not be Pastor Dale, but will be exactly who God has called to this place for this moment. And for that I'm thankful.

In the mean time, we get to hear from a passionate preacher, and a very dear friend/boss of mine! And that sure ain't no hand me down. This boy can preach!

In Christ,
Jake

The Joy of Gathering Together

As I look over the last 3 years of serving in a youth ministry, I have often wondered whether or not I wore a "mask." We often refer to the persona that a person puts on in a certain situation as a "mask" so that people will think they are one way when, in fact, they are not. So frequently I have rough days and I come into FOS and there is a smile on my face, joy in my soul, and conversations to be had. As I contemplate this thought, it hit me- I've never had to try. Never once has my joy been deceptive, nor have I tried to fool everyone into thinking I've had it all together. I have joy because I am doing something that God created me to do- gathering for corporate worship.

In Psalm 42, the Psalter writes:
"These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival."

The author is going through an awful experience in life- his tears have been his food day and night, his adversaries taunt him, he has felt far from God for too long...and what does he do? He posts his feelings on Facebook so his 1900 "friends" can all ask, "What's wrong?" and then write on his wall how great he is! (Buzzer sound) Wrong! He preaches to himself, first, that God is still God and that he has hope in God! (There will be more to come on this idea of self-preaching). But he says as he pours out his soul he remembers how he would gather with the throng (a multitude of assembled persons) and lead them in procession in the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival! He looks back on his time WITH THE CHURCH in fondness and it is a memory that allows him to press onward! It is beautiful. He remembers his friends gathering together, he remembers how he would lead them, and that very memory serves him in his moment of despair.

Christianity was meant to be lived out in community, not in isolation. We have others to help carry our burdens, we have people to cry with us and pray for us and hurt with us! We have people to rejoice with us and to hope with us and to love with us! It is a gift- the church is a precious gift of Christ and how we spoil it by being so angry towards it!

I know that one day, when trial comes, I will look back on my time at FOS as I pour out my soul. I will remember how I stood with the kids singing praises to God and rejoicing at all that He is and does, and that very memory will push me through trial.

I hope you have that because it is there, you must want it. Thank you Lord, for the beautiful bride that is the church. We are not perfect, but you are...and we worship you for that, TOGETHER.

Hope for Young Men

On Tuesday night I preached at FOS McCleary on men. One of the things I mentioned is that nothing is more discouraging/frustrating for me to see than men in the Christian church being outnumbered 3:1. I'm not sure how it happened, but somewhere along the way men stopped leading and started becoming lazy, ignorant, stagnant little boys. Most Sundays you'll find men sitting at home watching football on the couch as their wife gets the kids ready for church, drives them to church, registers them, and then brings them home to make their lunch, along with the lunch of her husband, who is also a child.

I found hope on Wednesday night. I watched about 50 young guys gather in front of everyone- high school freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, even some middle schoolers- and worship the God of the universe with no shame. I saw these young men a month ago at camp be broken before God, cry without shame, covenant to protect women, remain pure, and ask each other the difficult questions that have been missing from American culture for so long. I saw those young men sit together with their Bibles open on Wednesday night taking notes on Biblical teaching. I have heard them recite Scripture that they have memorized to war against the desires of the flesh. I have seen them sit and read their Bibles together while everyone else fools around. I've watched silently as they help little ones, reach out to the hurt, and love a community of people who look up to them. I see them wake up on Sunday mornings to learn more about God in classroom formats. I hear them say they love each other and witness them hug. I see them play sports and not glorify themselves.

Something is different in these young men, and it's Christ. Christ is at work in them and it gives me so much hope that maybe, all around the country, other young men are being raised up to be good daddy's, loving husbands, providers, and LEADERS! Oh how I pray that young men are being gathered to do just that! How joyous it would be indeed to see a movement of men who really do care, who can get off their behinds and work for the gospel of Jesus Christ! What hope that brings to me, and I pray that it does the same for you, or that it challenges you to be a better man.

There is a shortage of good, Christian men in the world. Let's fix that.