The Bridge

The next 12 months for The Grove Church will be exciting, challenging and a bridge to new opportunities for ministry in the future. God has blessed the Grove tremendously over the past year and we have seen new people come to faith in Christ and become a part of the Grove. As such, Sunday mornings in both services have become quite crowded, and we began looking for a new place to meet.

After considerable prayer and discussion the elders decided that we needed to wait for a season before we move into a different facility. We had some financial priorities that needed to shift first, most notably changing our missions giving from 3% to 10%. We still believe that God wants us to worship in a different facility, but not yet.

However, rather than calling this a season of waiting, we believe that this is a season of building and preparation, which we are calling The Bridge. We believe that God wants to multiply the impact that we are having in the lives of people. God wants to use the Grove to REACH people who are far from God, help people GROW into committed followers of Christ and SEND people into their communities and the world with the gospel.

In order to get there, we are asking God to prepare us. We are asking God to give us hearts that are open to him using us in the lives of people. As members of the Grove we are going to need to increase our level of commitment, both in our time and our money. Through this, we expect God to continually bless the church this year in the number of people who come to know God and begin worshipping with us.

Here are some videos that explain that describe what’s next for us:

The Need for Giving

I Think I Heard That Sermon Already (Colossians Review)

People asked me last week, “What are you preaching on this Sunday?”  (Is “preaching on” the right expression?  It seems to be the one that we use regardless.  Obviously, the correct answer to that is “the stage.”  But to say that would put me on the same level as the guys I grew up with that would say “the sky” as the response to the greeting, “What’s up?”  We don’t need any of that.)

Anywho, my answer was “the same thing I preached on two weeks ago.”  Bad answer, but it’s true.  “Do you think people will notice?” “Nah, it’s summer so probably half the people there this week weren’t there before.  The other half won’t remember.”  Just in case you think I’m insulting you, the only reason I remember is I have access to my notes.  Just kidding…maybe.

Paul essentially says the same thing in Col 2:6-15 that he said in chapter 1.

Christ is fully God and the Lord of everything

We are complete in Christ, completely forgiven and fully his.

We live for God in the same way received him as a gift.

Our lives should be grateful responses to what Jesus did.

He said that in chapter 1 and says it all over again.  Didn’t he know that pastors almost 2000 years later would be looking for different sermons to preach as we go verse by verse through his letter?  Rude.

He says it in chapter 1 in the form of a prayer and an intro and repeats it as instruction and encouragement immediately after he starts the body of the letter.  Conclusion: that stuff is very important.  We have yet to be given any kind of do or don’t do command.  Paul is just encouraging the Colossians to have a different outlook on their approach to God.  Don’t view your relationship with God as a religious activity and an obligation, but as a grateful response to a gracious God.  Focus on Christ not,well, anything else.

That’s a good message for them and a good message for us.  God is not interested in simply more of our religious activity.  He certainly doesn’t want us to think that we are earning his love or “paying him back.”  He wants our hearts, our devotion and our gratitude.

“So what are you preaching on this Sunday?”  Guess.

My Favorite Metaphor: 2 Yr Old Lauren in the Parking Lot (Colossians Review)

One of the prevailing jokes in our home is that Lauren never learned to walk.  She went straight from crawling to running.  She would put her arms in the air, as if to indicate that someone had scored a touchdown.  Then she would run full force until a footstool, chair, and often a wall would get in her way.  She would fall, shake it off and do it again.  This process would repeat indefinitely.

The scariness of her in open spaces should be evident.  The worst case scenario inside our home would be hitting a wall.  What if there were no walls to contain her? What if it were just the open road?  Parking lots seemed (Did I say seemed? I mean continue to be.  10 yr old Lauren is still living the dream) to bring this out the most.  Just like Wal-Mart makes toddlers throw fits, malls make men cry and sports on TV make wives “want to talk,” 2 yr old Lauren viewed parking lots like an amusement park.

When getting her out of her car seat, you had to be completely ready to go. You got everything else out first and you kept a hand on her at all times.  Also, inside the store, you’d better get your hand on her before you hit the door. (Wow! I’ve burned over 200 words and have yet to get to anything close to resembling a point.  I really do like talking about this.)

Turning 2 yr old Lauren loose in a parking lot to find the car is both dangerous and futile.  She certainly would run with enthusiasm.  She would be going somewhere, going somewhere with zeal.  She would make progress by some limited definitions of progress. However, danger and futility are most likely to be the results rather than success.

We all desire to live lives worthy of the God that loves us so much.  Often we just jump out into life thinking, “I’m going to do something.”  With reckless (The use of that word diverted me to an online dictionary.  Yes, reck is a word and it does mean caution.  Who knew?  You did?  No you didn’t) abandon we take off into the parking lot wanting to make a difference, to be spiritual, etc.

This can unfortunately lead us to exhaustion and disillusionment when it doesn’t go the way we wish (getting lost in the parking lot) or doing wrong things with right motives and hurting ourselves (running into a car).

The Colossians were being influenced by some false teachers that were telling them to not emphasize Jesus quite so much and instead focus on following certain religious regulations.  Paul is less concerned about telling them to stop that and start doing other things (at least at first, we are not even 1/4 way through the book).  He is more concerned about telling them where to focus.  Our focus (where the car is) is the gospel.  When we set our minds on the gospel, we are overwhelmed with gratitude and will be headed in the right direction.  Furthermore, we need to put on our total trust in Jesus, who Paul describes as the creator and head of all things.  When we depend on him (hold his hand in the parking lot), he can safely navigate us through the trials and difficulties of life.

Lauren’s problem never was, is, will be zeal.  It is focus.  We are not altogether much different.

What Motivates Us to Follow God? (Colossians Review)

There are a lot of ways that we try to motivate people.  This isn’t really a well-thought out statement (Duh, we know what site we are reading), but I would imagine that the top 3 are guilt, manipulation and yelling.  The great thing about those methods is that they are quite effective.  When you yell at someone, there is a high probability that they will stop doing whatever is bothering you.  Try it some time (No, don’t do that).

Guilt works the same way.  Isn’t that why you call certain people?  You know the people that you call and you’re holding your breath hoping that it’s going to go to voicemail because you don’t really want to talk to them but you feel like you have to and you contemplate hanging up after the third ring before it goes to voicemail just in case they might answer and you know that at least it will show up on their phone that you called? (That sentence really called for some commas or something, but I like the way that it looks)

Manipulation is great as well.  On an unrelated note, it doesn’t matter to me at all if you bookmark this site or subscribe to the feed. It’s no big deal.  It’s not like I look on Google Analytics multiple times a day to see if anyone ever reads these posts.  It’s not like a put a lot effort into them or anything.  You do what you want to do.

The problem with all three of these is that while they are all relatively effective, they are only effective in the short-term.  In the long-term they build resentment and harden hearts; they do not soften hearts.  They do not change people’s attitudes. All they can do is change a behavior briefly.

The Apostle Paul understood that.  His desire for the Colossians was that they would walk with God for a lifetime.  He wanted God to change their hearts and that they would be faithful followers of Jesus.  He was significantly less interested in changing their immediate behavior.  He first wanted to provide the proper foundation and motivation for living their lives and having hearts devoted to God.

Colossians 1:9-14

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians Preview

After a highly attention-grabbing title about when we will let our daughters start dating, I went the other direction and gave this the blandest title possible.  I suppose I could have put “Why Our Study of Colossians Will Rock…Your…World!”  However, that would put a lot of pressure on the post that I’m just not capable of living up to (I don’t like ending in a sentence with a preposition, but I absolutely love ending a sentence with two.)

Some things to conisder as we launch into a study of Colossians this Sunday:

This book was written by a person to a group of people living at a certain time under certain circumstances.  It is those circumstances that led the author to write the letter.  (Wait. What?)  While Colossians is Scripture given to us by God, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that this was a letter written by Paul to a group of Christians in the town of Colossae.  There was something going on with them that made Paul decide he needed to write them.

When we understand what that situation was, then we can ask, “How am I like that?”  Then we can best understand what God is wanting to show us and how he wants us to apply the truths in the letter.

Well what was going on then?  I’ll tell you but you still have to come on Sunday.  They were a new church with all new believers.  A group came to them and began to teach them that in order to maintain a good relationship with God you needed to follow certain rituals and follow certain rules.  They wanted them to follow the Old Testament laws.  “You may be saved by grace, but you maintain good standing with God by following certain religious rituals.”

We should all feel a kinship with that.  Many of us have felt, or still feel, the essential nature of certain religious acts in order to have a good relationship with God. We have probably heard it taught.

What Paul does is help them move from a perspective of “have to” to “get to.”  It is not that we have to act a certain way.  It’s that God demonstrated tremendous love for us through the gospel and we have an incredible opportunity to live for God.

When we truly understand what Jesus did for us on the cross and how amazing he is, we will want to please him, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, our hearts will change and we can become the men and women God has called us to be.

Come join us over the next couple of months as we explore deeply Paul’s letter to the Colossians and learn how we can:

live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience

Col 1:10-11

Big Easter Thanks

What a great day yesterday!  Our first Easter together at the Grove Church and our first go at 3 services.  We came home pretty tired, but it was a good kind of tired.

First some stats:

We had almost 500 people at the Grove Church and I would estimate about 1/4 to 1/3 of those were visitors

There were at least 3 people that indicated that they became followers of Jesus

Many more came up and talked to me or others about decisions and recommitments that they made

Now some thanks.

Thanks to everyone who was there all 3 services.  I know that on a day when a lot of people want to make it a day for family, you made it a day for your church family and serving others.  The worship/tech guys were there from around 7 to 1.  I also know that there were several people that rather than doing the normal serve one service/worship one service did the serve 2/worship 1.  You made a huge difference in the lives of people yesterday.

Thanks to the umbrella men.  All of the people and visitors that came were during a downpour.  One thing I noticed was that almost no one was wet.  Well, when I say no one, I am of course excluding the men that were holding the umbrellas.  You guys helped the church make a great first impression.  Even before one song was sung or word spoken, people were thinking that we were a church that loves and serves people.

Thanks to everyone who served anywhere, anytime yesterday.  There were over 50 people that took time yesterday to serve and everyone one of you made a huge difference in the lives of people.  Everyone working together from the parking lot to the Greenhouse to the worship to the info cafe to the greeters did their small part and all together you guys did a big thing.

Thanks to everyone who went to the 8:30 and 11:30 services.  We knew that the 10:00 service would be packed, and it was.  However it was not near as packed as I thought it might be.  This is because many of you chose to go to a service that was less convenient.  It may seem like a small thing, but all 3 services felt full, but everyone always had a seat.

Thanks to everyone who brought a friend, especially those that don’t know Jesus.  You are investing in people and you will see God do amazing things in your lives and theirs.  You probably already have.

Finally thanks to the staff and their families.  I know that this was a challenging couple of weeks and it got highly stressful at times.  It is great being on a team with you and there is no way we could have done yesterday without any of you and your hard work.  Thanks also to your families who often work just as hard or at a minimum forget what their spouses/parents look like.

It was an incredible day and I look forward to many, many more with all of you.

Good News, Bad News and Good Friday

From Luke 7

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

There are some people out there that think that we offend people by talking about sin.  “We need to talk about the Good News of the gospel.  When you talk about sin, it’s bad news.”  I confess I have fallen into this trap before.  However, consider this.  Good news is often made significantly better when we understand how bad the news was.

A friend has a cold and is healed is good news.  A friend has cancer and is healed is GOOD news.

A billionaire winning $1000 is good news.  Someone about to have their house foreclosed winning the same is GOOD news.

Jesus dying for the sins of someone who thinks, “Yeah, I’m a pretty good person.  I need to be more religious,” I suppose is good news.  Jesus dying for someone whose heart is often very dark and does bad things to hurt people on purpose, who feels isolated and lonely and dying, whose conscious is overwhelmed, who is desperate and hopeless is GOOD news.

When we take time to truly reflect on the fact that we didn’t simply need a boost, but because of our sin we were hopeless, desperate enemies of God, the good news of the gospel and the message of Good Friday become GOOD news on GOOD Friday.  Take some today and reflect on the bad news, not for its own sake, but so that then we can celebrate all the more, the GOOD news of GOOD Friday.

Getting Ready for Easter Sunday (AKA My Obsession with Parking)

There’s a leadership principle out there that says that once you think you have said something too much, people really begin to hear it.  It is with that made up principle that I give you another post about parking on Sunday.

In my defense, this is only the 7th time, I’ve mentioned parking (the same as I’ve mentioned Braveheart) in a blog post.  Wait a sec, I don’t think that is in fact in my defense.

Anywho, don’t forget that we have 3 services this Sunday–8:30, 10:00 and 11:30.

1) I encourage you to go to the early service.  There will most definitely be seats available in that service.  As far as the next 2 go, who knows?  My guess is that the 10 will be the most packed.  We’ll know Monday.

2) If you are staying for multiple services, park at Braums.  They allow us to park in the spots that face College and the ones that face the Grove. Please, park there.  Let’s fill those spots up first.  (Shout out, we had one of the biggest crowds 2nd service that we’ve ever had and many of the parking spots in front of the Grove were empty. Great job)

3) College students–go clown car.  I’m not suggesting that you have more people than seat belts, but how about the same amount of people and seat belts?

4) Bring a friend.  People want to come to church on Easter.  They are just waiting for you to ask.

5) Pray.  It is going to be a great morning of worship and celebration.  Pray that people who need to hear the good news of Easter will be there and that their hearts will be open.

BONUS (added after publication)  Be a host.  Look around for people that you don’t know and are visiting.  Introduce yourself, make sure they feel welcome.  How can I spot a visitor? You may ask.  They are the ones sitting in their seat before the service starts.

I am looking forward to this weekend and to see what God will do.  See you Sunday.

The Grove Church Good Friday Service by Aaron Gonzalez (aka Gonzo)

As we are entering what is often referred to as “Holy Week” my thoughts have been on communion.  Specifically the words of Jesus telling us to “do this in remembrance of Him.”  Why do we remember His death?  Why do we constantly speak of the cross of Jesus?

We remember the death of Jesus because Jesus Himself told us that by His death we can have eternal life. (John 3:14-15)  We remember the death of Jesus because He removes the guilt of our sins by His sacrifice upon the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)  We speak of the cross so often because it is the central moment of all time and history.  It is the moment when Jesus was separated from His Father that we might never be separated from Him.  It is the moment that Jesus took upon Himself the wrath of God and bore its penalty that we might instead be given life!  Not wrath, but life!!!  What an amazing God we serve.

This Good Friday let’s remember His death and what He accomplished for us by His sacrifice.  We’d love to see you at The Grove any time between 6 and 8 pm for an intimate time remembering the most important event that has ever occurred.  After that we’ll come together on Easter Sunday and celebrate His resurrection from the dead, the proof that Jesus is everything He has declared Himself to be and has done everything He has claimed to have done.  Namely, He has taken away our sins by His sacrifice and has defeated death and Satan by His power and has exchanged with us our sins for His righteousness if we place our faith and belief in Him.  What a beautiful exchange!

There is a fountain filled with blood

drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;

and sinners plunged beneath that flood

lose all their guilty stains.

Lose all their guilty stains,

lose all their guilty stains;

and sinners plunged beneath that flood

lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see

that fountain in his day;

and there may I, though vile as he,

wash all my sins away.

Wash all my sins away,

wash all my sins away;

and there may I, though vile as he,

wash all my sins away.

Why Your Church Is The Way It Is

Every now and then I drop in a blog post that possibly is only interesting to me. I feel bad about that sometimes, then I remember “Oh yeah, it’s my name on the website.  Wait, I guess that’s not my name, it’s a nickname.  Wait, it’s not my nickname, it’s a fairly common user-id associated with work e-mails (1st letter of first name + last name) that humorously (to me) becomes a made up word that could function as a nickname if anyone were to ever call me that.”  (This is what I mean by “only interesting to me”)

Anywho, I’m working on a theory.  There is a theory out there that a church takes on the personality of its Senior Pastor/Leader/Direction Leader/Team Leader/Lead Teaching Pastor/Guru of Teaching and Inchargish One.  I would like to modify that.  I agree with it to a point. I think that, left unchecked, a church will take on the weaknesses of its leader.

On the other hand, I believe that the personality of a church comes from the relationships between the leaders/staff/elders of your church.

Do your leaders love each other and get along?  You probably go to a fun, relational church.

Do your leaders fight? You probably go to a church with a lot of tension.

Do your leaders seem to not even know each other? You probably go to a corporate, cold church.

(BTW, this is one of those things that I think I said first.  Then you will quote the book you read it from, and then I will get mad)

Way too often we try to change our church culture, by changing programs, curriculum, ministries, etc.  We try to move staff around, fire one person, replace with another.  However, what many churches that struggle need are leaders that love each other, and enjoy being around each other.  From that flows love, community, and connection that seeps down to everyone else in the church.  The leaders and their relationships set the tone for the relationships that people in the church have with each other.

Are you leader in your church? Do you love (AND LIKE) the other leaders? No? Start.  Love is a choice (I know I didn’t say that first) and so is like. Definitely spend time with and get to know are choices.

Are you not a leader in your church? You can still help by setting the example from wherever you are, by modelling that you believe that loving one another is, you know, like important and stuff (Not the first to say that)

There are far too many of us out there in churches that have great ideas, solid theology, but unhealthy churches.  We think we can plan and strategize our way out of the unhealth.  We can’t, but that’s all we know.  We don’t know any other way.  However, the answer is often far more simple than we realize.

All we need is love (Pretty sure I didn’t say that first)

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