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Who wants a better life?

All your existence in this world is a training for a better life to come. At Evergreen Community Church we believe this training is best developed in the form of serving the Lord through serving His local church.

He said to His disciples, “the harvest is great, but the workers are few.”- Matthew 9:37

Many people quote verse 37 and misconstrue this concept. They read, “the harvest is great but the workers are few,” and think “well, I guess it’s just up to us to make church happen.” Often churches run so long on empty only providing mediocre weekend experiences that aren’t reaching anyone.

Is your church working with the few who are serving week in and week out; the same ladies teaching the same Sunday school class (heaven forbid MEN become good role models for our future leaders!) The same hospitality crew serving the same coffee, the same worship team singing the same music? If you are stuck in a church with these problems, please read on to verse 38…

So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:38

God is in charge of the church. God is in charge of equipping the church with the right tools, talent and the right people. As a body of Christ’s church we are to be obedient to God’s will for our lives in the form of watching for Laziness, Procrastination, Insincerity, and Fear and replacing those defects of character with Activity, Promptness, Straightforwardness and Faith.

Many people are ready to give their lives to Christ if someone would show them how. Jesus commands us to pray that people will respond to this need. Often, when we pray, God answers our prayers by using us. BE PREPARED FOR GOD TO USE YOU TO SHOW ANOTHER PERSON THE WAY TO HIM.

Take an inventory. Are you creating liabilities in your various working environments, or striving for building assets for God’s great glory?

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Elements of a Grapevine

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. -E..E. Cummings

Who are you, really? If someone were to ask you this question, how would you answer? Identity tends to get convoluted with tasks and class systems and birth order. We tend to answer the question with an explanation of what our job is, who we are married to, how many kids we have, what habits and recreational activities we indulge in. Mostly we spend time comparing ourselves to one another, perhaps gaining the ability to actually identify with one another, but still…something is not quite right. As christians, we forget the main identifying factor; WHO ARE WE IN CHRIST? What does it mean to be a son or daughter of Christ?

“I am the Vine; you are the branches.” -John 15:5

In order to know our identity, we must look further at what a branch is and how that applies to our life with Christ. Picture a grapevine. A branch is a bit of wood, brought forth from the vine to serve the vine by bearing fruit. Bearing fruit is the job of the branch. It is of the same nature of the vine, made of the same stuff. Plants are mainly carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, so it is safe to say, the branch is a “carbon-copy” of the vine. It has one life and one spirit with it. A branch off a grapevine isn’t a plant on it’s own, dang, if it is cut off from the vine it withers and dies after a few short hours.

As believers, we have the make-up in our very being to be carbon-copies of Christ but only if we stay connected to Him. A believer has one main point in being a branch, to bear fruit, that is our purpose. But we can only bear fruit if we gather strength and nutrients from the Heavenly Vine. Happy is the heart that is surrendered to this idea of purpose. If you can truly grasp the concept of being a branch, of fully understanding that you are one in the same as the Vine but at the same time can only get your strength THROUGH the Vine, then the result is quite simple; ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS BE A BRANCH. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS! This can give us comfort and keep us humble if we grasp our purpose fully.

ARE YOU A BRANCH THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE VINE?

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More Is Less

Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.
-Ephesians 5:14

It often seems like it is human nature to look for the easier softer way. Spending the least amount of money for the best bargain. Put in the least amount of work for the most money. American culture thrives on these concepts. But this idea breeds laziness and complacency and once again we are stuck with too much of a good thing, becoming a culture of low work ethic and a misconstrued sense of entitlement.

In the church we work hard to combat the world’s ideas if they are in direct violation or at the very least misinterpretation of the teachings through Jesus Christ. But we end up fighting laziness with workaholism and thriftiness to the point of miserliness; Pastors finding themselves at burnout at the expense of their emotional and spiritual health. I know first hand the struggle of separating my priority of God first, spouse second, family third and work fourth, confusing work with God more times than I like to admit since I began ministry work as a volunteer.

See, I think we get so caught up with wanting to do good and working hard, that we forget WHY we work hard. Haggai 1:2-9 tells of eating but never having enough, of drinking and never being full, earning wages but putting them in a purse with holes in it. Why? We were too busy with our own house to work in His. We may be busy, but it may be fruitless because it is the wrong kind of busy. We do this even in a church environment. The work we put in may be to satisfy our own ego or making our self-worth be tied to our work. Or because we have a hard time saying NO.This kind of thinking leads us further instead of closer to God.

Doing the right thing is hard. It usually takes more work. More determination. More willpower and more self-control. Don’t spend time worrying. Instead, use that time to develop your personal relationship with God, meditate day and night for continual life-long growth. God will teach you how to create new boundaries and what work should remain priority.

But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. Psalm 1:2 AMP

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G[u]ardening

Free will is often a double-edged sword. You are made with free will AND God-given talents and abilities. There are temptations all around you, pulling in destructive directions under the guise of self-preservation. Ego allows you to argue with your spouse, rather than humbly admit you don’t have all the answers. Fear permits you to hide behind alcohol or food or numb you through the self-propulsion of over-working instead of intentionally being God-relient. In this parable from Matthew, notice the correlation between us and the two plants that will be harvested.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weed come from?’
‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
The servant asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
‘No’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvester; first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’. – Matthew 13:24-30

The beauty of free will is that when partnered with the grace of God through Jesus, you can turn away from the self-destruction and self-propulsion. The opportunity is in you. Accepting Jesus means you have a brand new day everyday to make better choices and choose between the weeds and the wheat…as long as you follow a few simple guidelines:

Pray.Humble yourself before God and admit YOU don’t have all the answers.

Do. Doing service either at your job or volunteering provides an opportunity to focus on others so you are less-inclined to despair into self-pity.

Rest. No T.V. No radio. No computer. No iPad. No phone. Try it for five minutes and see that God has a word for you.

We all get harvested in the end. Will you be wheat or will you be weed?

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Props 2 The Local Church

WoW! I am almost speechless and still a little slap happy at the experiences I witnessed Easter 2012! The teamwork, the organization, the fun, the laughter, the prayers and the tears were SO worth seeing us reach DOUBLE what we could in our building ( we are EVERGREEN COMMUNITY CHURCH and we rented out the school auditorium for our 1Day Easter celebration!) So many more opportunities to see people come to Jesus! Every number is a life touched by Jesus, not only in Pine City, but all across the world with all the churches united. THIS is how we carry out the vision of Evergreen; to share the story of Jesus with relevance, imagination, compassion and excellence! Glory to God!

We had approximately 420 people in attendance (double our average) and 26 baptisms, half of which were spontaneous! How awesome is it to witness the spirit of God moving people to take the public step in faith that they had no idea they were going to do when they woke up yesterday morning!!
Seeing life change NEVER gets old!

Every area of ministry killed it yesterday! I saw greeters welcoming people as if to their own home, tech and worship crews focussed and ready to go, our youth group eXtremers eating all their muffins:) I KID! -they did an awesome job at their table and it was even awesome{r} seeing so many of our eXtremers get baptised. Not to mention all the new faces worshipping Evergreen style!

Our Pastor, Seth Hinrichs shared such a moving story in his relevant, capitvating way, and our worship team leading music with energy and light, partnering with DJ John Outspoken; a perfect mix of a worship experience! Evergreen staff and volunteers came with their A-game and it was so meaningful to serve and witness!

I encourage everyone that helped either at Evergreen or their own church home, to pat yourself on the back, give praise to God for the day and REST this week! Evergreeners, now we know our capabilities…there ain’t no turning back!!

Isaiah 61: 3 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory.

What was your 1Day experience this Easter 2012?

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How do we pray expectantly without the expectation?

Most of us know that God is not Santa Claus. Yet, most of us, if honest, would admit to praying in a bartering, begging, give-me-what-I-want-oh-pretty-please kinda way from time to time (or all the time!)

Only God in his infinite time can determine the future. Does this mean we go through life with no hopeful expectancy, ignoring our hearts? Do we just sit back and exclaim, “well, I am not in control so I’ll be over here in the corner until you decide to make me useful.” Are we not to go forward in faith that God can accomplish HUGE things with HUGE proportions? He can heal the sick and bind the broken. There are miracles abound all day everyday around the world. To move forward without knowing the outcome is the very essence of faith.

But, see, here is where I get tripped up. My expectations. Lately, I say, “Ok God, I’m praying for big things this Easter. We, at EVERGREEN, are going to reach and teach more people for Jesus than we EVER have! Lives will be changed and hearts will be healed and everyone that I invited will come and every current Evergreener will bring people who not only attend our Easter Celebration, but drop whatever their life was before and take up a calling to follow Jesus no matter what!” The problem is, I have now presumed to know the truth without truly knowing the outcome (only God knows outcomes,) so when the outcome is different than what my lil ‘ol head has fantasized, I get discouraged & doubtful and this is a slippery slope down a rabbit hole I’d rather not venture in. Anyone catch what I’m throwing?

Here are some principles I found that explain how to face a future that is unknown.

Planning without Praying is Presumption. We need to set goals according to God’s direction, therefore we need to start by praying, “God, what do YOU want me to do?”

“We may make our plans, but God has the last word.” Proverbs 16:1

Live One Day at a Time. To be mindful of God and organized allows me to do things today that help propel me forward, much of it “failing forward”.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:34

Don’t Procrastinate. We will never make a difference if we just complain about the state of the world but do nothing to contribute change.

“Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.” Proverbs 12:24

What principles do you follow to face an unknown future expectantly hopeful?

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Cuz…I love ya!

I wrote this last fall, and am bringing it forward again…see the thing of it is, I am a slow learner,a sheep who needs constant direction, constant prodding to stay on the path. I don’t think I am the only one, in fact I can pretty much guarantee it. Get to the heart of YOU. In order to know yourself you need to spend time with God. Alone. It is that simple. You cannot be effective in your marriage or with your kids or with your job if you do not have quiet time with the one who saved you. If you have already crossed the line of faith then you are being disobedient if you are not hanging with Him on a consistent basis. If you haven’t accepted Jesus into your heart, you need to and I highly encourage you to find a church home. (Mine is awesome, see below!)

We spend a lot of time speculating on the reason we exist. What is my purpose? Why am I here? Why do I have to go through this trial in my life? Instead of ruminating and speculating, why not rev-elate? When an inventor creates something, it is often asked of them, “how and why?” We can learn the hows and whys of our lives if we only think to ask the inventor. Good thing he gave us the perfect instruction manual (in case you didn’t know- I was referring to the bible.)

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11 (msg)

Before I found my way back to God I was clueless, wandering in the desert of too many hopeless thoughts and murdered dreams. Since coming home to Christ through first the 12 steps of recovery and then through my church home at EVERGREEN I have hope, I have knowledge in a savior and I have continued faith that I am worthy and there is much purpose to my life. Being a Christian is kind of like being in the mob- I know too much now to ever go back to my old life.

I forgot this for a moment. For just a moment, I wanted to go back to my old life of not caring for others, not caring about the right choices and practicing self-discipline; I wanted to go back to being a non-believer. Y’know how we romanticize our memories? Yeah, I went there. Luckily, I soon remembered the fear that cramped my life before, paralyzing my potential and the sick thinking that rendered me absolutely useless to my friends, my family and God. Blech. Naw, on second thought, I’ll take the mob of Christianity-I’m in it for life and what a beautiful life it is!

2 Timothy 2:25 “You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth.”

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Influence of Destiny

Isn’t it funny that we sometimes need permission before we can make a mind shift? It often takes another’s perspective on our situation or advice before we can take action on a problem or fear we have. Joshua 1:9 grants us the permission that may be holding us in the bondage of fear.

“This is my command- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The mind shift we are afforded when we get another perspective on our situation is why it is so important to pay careful attention to the influences in our life. If we accept the advice of someone who is far from God, we will be steered far from God. If we inundate our senses with experiences that God would not approve of, we are taken further from the beam and thus further from contentment and fulfillment of our life.

The bible is the BEST way to learn who to listen to and what help we can give others. It can help with our finances (Hebrews 13:5) our relationships (1 Corinthians 13:4) and our work (2 Chronicles 15:7) . It truly is an endless resource to finding that contentment and achievement in all areas of our lives. By utilizing our time with the right influences, it becomes easier to discern any necessary action.

Are the influences in your life bringing you closer to your destiny or further from it?

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I’s on the Prize

It is human nature (or a cultural disease) to either be in denial of disobedience or justify disobedience to suit our own means. Reason: We have not put our faith and trust in God.

Exodus 32-33 show the people beginning to get worried they have not seen Moses in awhile, they don’t know what steps to take and so they take their lives into their own disillusioned hands and force Aaron to create a golden calf to idolize. “you shall have NO other gods before me” this is rule number one…but don’t we put lots of things in front of God every day? Rushing the kids off to school, rushing to work, rushing errands, collapsing in front of the idiot box, with no thought of God’s will for our lives and then we wonder why life is so hard and the bills can’t get paid and our lives have not been fulfilling.

Psalm 24-26 are great reminders of the one who is in charge.

Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”

David reminds us to pray throughout the day, with everything, in everything. We are promised prosperity and rescue if we keep our eyes on him with integrity and honesty. When we admit our faults, when we recognize our weakness, only then can we recognize God’s love and his will for our lives and in that we can recognize and live out our true potential.

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Come. Come To. Come To Believe.

Come. Come To. Come To Believe.
This is a common phrase in the rooms of 12 step recovery. No matter what your habit or hang-up, be it addiction to alcohol, drugs, spending, sex or food, in order to fully recover and continue to recover on a daily basis you must take these first steps. These steps are essential to not only addicts and those who love them, but for those accepting a christian life.

Come.Even if you have questions, heck…especially if you have questions about God and His word (the bible) and how YOU fit in it, you need to attend a church. I highly recommend my church EVERGREEN COMMUNITY CHURCH, but any church in your area will do. Most churches have websites, do a back ground check on it first if it will make you feel more comfortable. The most important thing for you to remember is This is an awesome step you are taking for yourself, and the most important one to make if you want to change your life.

When I first started attending my church, I did so because it was the only one in town that had a website, I could check them out without even walking through the doors. I liked what I saw, no hell fire or brimstone (whatever that is!) Simply Jesus. That and the Pastor used an episode of ‘The Bachelor’ to illustrate his point. Seriously.

Once you have been attending the same church for a few weeks (and don’t be afraid to shop around, most churches preach the same word, but we all do it a little differently!) It is important for you to feel welcome, for you to be engaged in the service, and for questions to continue in your heart and mind not only on Sundays but throughout your week. The next step is to Come To.

Wake up. When you have been attending the same church for awhile, you will start recognizing God working in your everyday life. You should be talking with Him privately. The more you come to, the more knowledge you will want. The bible is a mirror, the more you gaze into it, the more you will know yourself.

1 Samuel 15:29 Israel’s God-of-Glory doesn’t deceive and he doesn’t dither. He says what he means and means what he says.

Most people when they are intentional about changing, passionate about wanting to get better will naturally gravitate toward Come To Believe. You will find you can trust not only others but yourself, and life’s outcomes. Worries dissipate. Problems get solved. True Joy is found. When you Come To Believe your sense of self becomes stronger because you are seeing your value not as the world values, but your value in Christ.

Exodus 15:2 God is my strength, God is my song, and, yes! God is my salvation. This is the kind of God I have and I’m telling the world!

When you feel the strength of God working through you and in you, when you seek yourself in Christ, you can’t help but want to tell the world, to share what you have been given.

Do you share what you have been given? Or do you need to COME. TO. BELIEVE.