Free!

I was talking with a friend the other day and he was talking about the freedom we have in Christ and how awesome it is.  You know, I have known this truth for years...in my head.  But something about the passion in his voice and his testimony to me had a huge impact on me and I haven't been able to get the notion out of my head since then. 

We are free...Galatians 5:1 says that "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."   I believe that He desires us to be free...and how awesome it is when we are.  Free from debt.  Free from sin.  Free from fear.   Free from the expectations of others.  Free from ourselves.  Free to love.  Free to be like Him.  What has He freed you from?  Better yet, what has He freed you for?  Whatever it is, be free today.  And remember the conclusion to the story in Galatians 5...from verse 13: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love..."

An Announcement...

If you worshiped with us at Cornerstone on Sunday, October 18th then you have already heard this news, but I wanted to put it into writing for those who were not able to be with us. 

 

About six years ago, Carla and I began to pray about a new direction that we felt God was leading our ministry.  We have served the Lord in pastoring a church for 13 1/2 years now and have been blessed to be able to serve Him in this way.  However, we have been increasingly convinced that He has a new ministry direction for us, and particularly for me (Brett).  I don’t know exactly what kind of direction He is taking me, but I do know that in order for me to seek that out with honesty and integrity, I must announce that I am going to step down from pastoring Cornerstone Church .

I am willing to serve as your pastor here through the end of the appointment year, which is through June 2010, provided God doesn’t open other doors for us or for Cornerstone.  I know this might seem to be an unusual approach by telling you now and continuing to serve as your pastor.  However, I believe that Cornerstone is at crossroads that provides for huge and exciting new possibilities.  I do not want to lead us through a planning time that assumes to involve me when I know I won’t be a part of it through the long term.  Also, I don’t want to announce that I’m leaving and let Cornerstone to deal with that alone.  I think it is much more honest and productive for us to work through this all together.

Although I am uncertain about many things as Carla and I go forward, let me tell you a few things of which I believe we are certain.  First of all, I am not going to pastor another United Methodist Church …the Conference is not “moving me on.”  Secondly, I am not going to pastor a church in another denomination.  I simply feel that God has a calling for ministry that isn’t leading a church, but is more a mission.

Secondly, we plan to stay in the area, at least for now.  Carla has a stable employment situation, and we feel that it is wise for her to maintain that while my ministry is in transition.  I am beginning to write my resume, and I am feeling called to some kind of ministry where I will work with people groups that are unchurched and may never hear of or see the love of Jesus unless Christians go and take Him there.  I may work with a mentoring ministry, homeless ministry, children of incarcerated parents, prison ministry, or something like that….again some kind of “missions” ministry, but here locally.

Most of all, please know this.  I am not leaving for a better offer.  I wanted to announce this now so that I can begin to search those things out with integrity.  Also, I’m not leaving because I dislike being a pastor.  I love it, but I know God has something different in store next.  And we are unsure of exactly where He is leading us; just that we know He is calling us to leave this venture and step out to where He is taking us…a ministry that He will show us.  (Genesis 12:1)

Lastly, know that I have great hopes for Cornerstone.  The Leadership Team is a very capable group of solid Christians who have supported me in this because they know that God has big things in store for Cornerstone.  Please pray for us all as we continue to seek God’s face and will for Cornerstone Church of Cranberry and for our lives as individuals. 

in the love of Jesus,

Brett

And Now Please Bow Your Heads and Mow

So last evening I had free time (yippee!) and Carla was working (bummer!) so I mowed the lawn.  I know that sounds crazy, especially since the last time I mowed the back yard it was so high that i had to put the bagger on and empty it, and I swear I'm not making this up, EVERY SINGLE TIME I MADE A LAP AROUND THE YARD!!!!  (Don't tell dad.)  But I thought, hey, what if I mowed more often....maybe it might be easier when I did.  And it was.

But alas, this hain't about mowing.  My point is this...as I was mowing, I was reminded of how I do my best praying when I'm doing something else.  Maybe I'm ADHD...maybe I'm crazy...maybe it's just how God wired me.  But as I was mowing, I was having an awesome conversation with the Guy who made the grass!  I was able to share some things on my heart from the day, and I was able to hear Him speak some things I needed to know.  So Lord, help me to use the mundane activities of life as opportunities to spend time with you...

...and now, please bow your heads and rake...

Be Creative!

So I'm not very creative.  I can't draw.  I can't paint.  I can't write songs.  I can't sculpt.  I swear when I do crafts.  Get the picture?

But I believe that we're created in the image of God...and He is the Creator!  Just think of the imagination He must have to conceive of this world (and just look at Fall on the slopes of the Western Pennsylvania mountains if you don't believe me...).  He is Creative, Creator...and we are made like Him.

So I guess I'm feeling challenged to be a little creative...perhaps with my humor, perhaps with my messages or my writing, perhaps with my guitar...idk, but I'm thinking that creativity and imagination spur a deeper connection to the Almighty...

Cough, cough...

So I'm still coughing...even though I'm done (I hope) with the swine flu.  But as I'm coughing, I'm remembering one of my favorite stories from childhood.  See, we were in second grade and I had a cough.  So mom sent me to school with Smith Brothers cough drops (see picture.  BTW, why did they come 17 in a box?  Like did the Smith Brothers have a thing for prime numbers?!).

Well, my twin sister Brenda wanted some cough drops.  And I wouldn't give her any (now this was with good reason...see the picture, Brenda:  They're MEDICATED.  This is a SPECIAL FORMULA!  They are not candy!!!).  So after our bathroom break (the bathrooms were upstairs in the old Salix school where we only had 1st-3rd grade and no cafeteria), Brenda loudly fake-coughed the whole way down the stairs. 

It didn't work.

Cowboy for an Evening...

So a few weeks ago, Carla was working 3-11 on a Friday night, so I headed off on the hawg for an evening of relaxation.  I was heading south on Route 18 in Washington County and was encountering all sorts of traffic, a rarity for this rural stretch of road.  As I tooled on, I started noticing people in the cars dressed in cowboy hats and flannel shirts.  Soon, I was at a mini traffic jam near the entrance to the concert grounds.  I asked someone (dressed in the cowboy garb) next to me what was going on, and they responded that it was a Toby Keith concert...last of the season!

So that explains it.  I have to admit, my first thought was "how stupid is this...a bunch of yinzers dressed like cowboys and cowgirls.  I bet they don't dress that way on Monday..."

But then I thought, that's what makes America great.  We are truly free...free to lose ourselves in some "other persona" if evening for an evening.  We are free to live out our dreams, if only at a concert on a Friday evening.  I love this country, and I love freedom....

G20 Scmee Scmwenty

So here are some thoughts on the G-20 Summit in Pburgh this week:

• Who cares?
• What if all the protesters went on a mission trip for a week and did some real good?
• Or what if the protesters got jobs?
• Or what if the world leaders got jobs?
• Or what if the world leaders got saved?
• Or what if the protesters got saved?
  
• This summit is pointless...in the words of the great theologian "The WHO" - "...meet the new boss, same as the old boss..."

 I'm thinking of offering my own "discount" summit in these hard economic times:

G-17.95 Summit!  You save over 10%.  But wait, we're not finished...we'll send you a second G absolutely free (just pay separate shipping and processing fees....)

There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch...or is There?

So dad always used to say that there is no such thing as a free lunch.  (Actually,  dad probably still says it...I haven't known dad not to repeat himself too much!)  But alas dad was wrong on this one. 

Today at C3, we're hosting yet another free lunch for our neighbors.  You see, we don't have a real church building so we lease space in a business park.  It's a real neato opportunity to do some different things and to bless our neighbors around us.  So with the help of our staff and few wunneful volunteers, we're cooking up some burgers and dogs and stuff and inviting our business neighbors to enjoy it with us and one another.  No strings attached.  Free.  For real.

Jesus said "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  Hey Lord....we're trying!

Life's a Trip!

So the other evening Carla was working and I was bored so I went out for a long (like 190 miles) ride on the hawg.  As I was cruising up the highway nearing sundown, I was just admiring how beautiful the sky was that evening.  The clouds were gorgeous and the colors that God had used to paint the evening sky were absolutely breathtaking.  As I cruised along, I noticed something....everyone else on the road seemed to be going somewhere!!!  I wasn't...I was just enjoying the ride.  In fact, the ride was the whole purpose for the evening.  But I seemed to be rather alone in that.  People passed me and never seemed to notice the sky, or the sumac turning red, or the deer and turkey far off in the neighboring fields.  They were all going somewhere, but they forgot to enjoy the ride...

A great theologian, John Magargee, once taught me about the dangers of destination disease.  You know, how we focus on where we're going and forget to enjoy the journey of getting there?  So that evening, I was free...free to enjoy the journey and not worry so much about where I was going.  Didn't Jesus say something about the "road to life?"  You think He was really trying to remind us the simple truth that life's a trip?

Sometimes, It Just Fixes Itself

So it isn't much, but it's my car.  It's a '99 Saturn SC-1. I'm thinkin the SC stands for super cool.  Anywho, about a year ago, the windshield wipers started sorta just coming on and off on their own volition, even though they probably don't have a volition.  So you can be driving down the highway on a bootyful sunny day and like all of the sudden they just start wiping.  Sometimes on fast, sometimes on slow, sometimes on pause, and sometimes some combination thereof.  And then they stop...sometimes down at the bottom where they're 'apposta and sometimes just right in the middle of the field of vision.

So people (read: Carla) say "why don't you get them fixed?"  Well, the car is prolly worth less than a good set of wiper blades to start with and I'm just not thinking that it is really worth it.  Do I have pride?  Do I care if my wipers are on when it's such a nice day?  Heck no!  I just care that I'm not giving some mechanic his child's next tuition payment to "fix" the problem.

Now all that to say, my car seldom does the windshield washer thing anymore.  Maybe it just got tired.  Maybe it was a battle of wills and I won.  Maybe they just fixed themselves.  Who knows.  But it gets me to thinking how much energy we put toward things that really don't need our energy at all. 

Wasn't it Jesus who told that story about the farmer who...well, you can read it here.

SIMPLE!

My how we complicate the simple... This seems to be the way of the world. And it certainly applies to the church. And it surely applies to the gospel. The good news of Jesus isn't complicated at all, and yet we've made it seem that way. On September 13th, C3 is going to embark on a journey to simplify. Won't you join us?

Doin' the Stuff

John Wimber, controversial pastor, preacher, teacher, and minister of decades gone by is sorta famous for this line "doin' the stuff." He came of out a drug life into a relationship with Jesus Christ. After reading through the New Testament and worshiping in a church for a while, he was led to ask the pastor when we "get to do the stuff." By the stuff, he meant the miracles of Jesus...the healings and the instantaneous changes of life that Jesus brought about. The pastor kinda shrugged him off and indicated that Jesus did the stuff, but we don't anymore...

What a shame. Why have we dismissed the supernatural abilities of an awesome God. Why do we do our own stuff, and often with very little kingdom impact, all the while not letting God do His?

Step Up!

Last evening, I had a great discussion with some friends from Cornerstone. Part of the conversation was about taking responsibility for our own actions. After I got home, and since Carla was working, I took Shadrach for a walk. We were walking down the little paved trail, that our ridiculously expense Homeowner's Association fees pay for, in the dark. The branches were hanging down from the nearby trees and several of them were whapping me in the face. I said aloud, as I've said before, "when is somebody gonna trim these trees?!"

And then it hit me, what about me? Why don't I trim the trees? Why do I assume someone else should? Why is it always somebody else's fault or responsibility? When will I step up, and not just to the little things of trimming tree branches, but to the big things of living like Jesus in this world instead of wondering when everyone else will...

NEVER eat your vegetables! A Blague Warning!

So the other night, Carla's working 3-11 and I was fending for myself for supper. In the fridge were some leftovers...mixed veggies and a barbecued rib from a few days ago so I decided to eat that. Well as I'm eating my veggies, I feel something weird with my teeth. You know what it was? I chipped one of my front teeth! Now it was a very small chip, and I went to the dentist today and they fixed it with a grinder and some white shoe polish or something in like 17 minutes, but it is a principle issue. I always knew veggies were dangerous, harmful, wolves in green clothing, but now I know!

Wow...This is Good Stuff!

Check this out: Philippians 3:10-16 (in the Message). What a neat and new way of reading an old and favorite passage of mine. I shared this Scripture with our Leadership Team last night as we gathered in my home. We had a very interesting conversation about how people who are not Christians have as a primary goal to not suffer. However, God seems to be saying that as a Christian, that is no longer our goal. In fact, we ought to be desiring to partner with Jesus in His suffering and be willing to do that to the point of death!!! Wow...that is powerful stuff.

It leads me to the question...am I willing to suffer in order to serve Him? Am I willing to give up everything...even life itself? And won't I know Him better if I do become willing? How 'bout you...

Ch ch ch ch changes!

So I'm preaching today on change. How do you like change? Some people seem to thrive on change, and I think I may be one of them. I love to move the furniture around in my office or in the living room or in the guitar room. I love to do new things and go new places. I like variety and stuff. Some people do not. I wonder why...

The big question is where is God in the midst of change. Sometimes we control change and we must seek His face in that. (James 1:5 and James 4:13-15). Sometimes change just happens and we must search for the Lord in it all. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-9)

As a Christian, however, mostly we ought to be waiting and responding to God's call to change. And when He calls, we must be obedient. (2 Corinthians 5:17 and Joshua 1:1-9)

Now if you're reading this Sunday morning before church, you can skip it...that's my message today!

Rebel and React!

So I haven't blogged in a while...sorry. With facebook, myspace, twitter, our church website...I can't seem to keep up with it all!!!!!! Anywho, a couple of words I have written on a piece of paper on my desk:

React. Webster says "to change in response to a stimulus" or "to act in opposition to a force or influence."

Rebel. Webster says "to oppose or disobey one in authority or control."

Now those two words have been used to describe me! Can you imagine?!?! ME?! Rebel? React? NEVER!

Well, if you know me, you know that in some ways those words probably do apply to me. What I'm wondering is where and when it is healthy and where and when it is not! Lord, help me to never rebel against you and help me to know how to react to your love and grace!

Grow Up!

It's all I hear. Church growth. Grow your ministry. Growing churches. Grow, grow, grow. And I know some of it is probably guilt, jealousy, whatever because Cornerstone isn't currently growing like it has. We're in one of those plateau times. But I wonder, are we more concerned with growing churches or growing people? Are we more concerned with growing churches or living like Jesus? Are we more concerned with growing churches or loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves? After all, Jesus' own "church" didn't grow, right? People left Him left and right. But He was faithful...He defined faithful...He calls us to faithfulness...which doesn't necessarily mean growth. Right?

Why Does It Take So Long?

So yesterday I got to wondering, how long has it been since they brought the self-adhesive stamps into mainline use. I learned some very interesting things. Like they used them in tropical cultures long before here in the motherland. And that the total transition from "licky" stamps to the self-adhesive ones took 10ish years. And by 2002, they were the only consumer stamp available. Fascinating....

...if you think about why it took so long! I mean, I was born in '65 (that's 1965 for your four-digit date code people) and some of my earliest recollections were of sticker books. And some of those sticker books contained a new technology known as self-adhesive stickers! So why did it take so long for the USPS to figure that out?

But isn't that life? It seems to take us forever to become aware and to effect change. I know it's that way in the church! Maybe, just maybe, we don't use our imaginations enough! Maybe we're just too busy to sit and think! Maybe we're so focused on results that we don't ponder a completely different outcome...

I'm going down to the corner store for a pack of cigarettes...

So I used to know this guy who had a neighbor who would say that. Then he would come home three weeks later! Last night I took the hawg out to get some gas...and came back 100 miles later! If Carla wouldn't have been busy studying and hadn't stayed home, I might still be riding!

Wow....

So I just finished reading a book. That, in itself, should be the reason to blog. I never read. And when I do read a book, I never finish it. (Also, FYI, I've told you a million times, I never exaggerate.)

The book. Well you see the picture over there. It's about how we, the church, has become about us, the church instead of about God.

Now that sounds simplistic, but the author really helped me to see how, and how insidious it really is. This has been one of the rare and glorious moments when the words of a song, or just the melody, or the words of a writer will lead me to say "that's what I've been feeling! Thank you for saying it in a way that even I understand!"

I hope to blog more about the book soon, but for now: "Thank you God, and thank you Skye for saying what I think I've been feeling...and for saying it in a way even I can understand..."

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

So in the last few days, several people have come up to me and said "Brett, I think you're wrestling with ___________ right now." And do you know what, they're right!!! So I said "how did you know?" And they replied that they could tell by my facial expressions and my body language. WHOA! That's pretty cool, and pretty scary!

So it got me to thinking...how little we know ourselves. We look in the mirror but we really don't know how we appear to others. And we certainly don't know how we appear to the Lord. He even sorta warned us that this is the case in 1 Corinthians 13:12. I pray that I may see myself today as I truly am...to be completely honest with myself, with you, and with God about who I am, and who I'm not!

I forgot how to pray...

I went to see an "old" friend yesterday...at a long term in-patient drug and alcohol treatment center. He's only 21 and I hadn't seen him in 7 years. Over his teenage years, he made some really stupid decisions and ended up messing up his life royally. He is on the right road now and just recommitted his life to the Lord. Good stuff.

So he says to me..."How do you pray? I forgot how."

Great question. We had an awesome conversation about prayer and what it is and what it isn't. He said that he has a hard time praying for himself...that he is just too thankful and doesn't feel like he should ask God for anything for himself. So he prays for his family and his friends. And he prays a lot of prayers of thankfulness. And yet he isn't sure that he is praying "right" because he isn't praying for himself.

Wow...humbling indeed. I think that young man...that young Christian...may have just taught something huge to this old man...this seasoned Christian...

They Always Come in Threes

I'm sure you've heard it. Somebody you know dies, then somebody else, then someone says "you know these things always come in threes." Well, I'm having a little problem now. First, Ed McMahon died. Then Farrah Fawcett. So I'm ready for the third, and it was Michael Jackson. OK...theory confirmed. But then, bam, it's Billy Mays. Wow, so that makes four. Now what? Today, it's Karl Malden, which, by my count is five...

...or is it two, on the second three? Scary, huh?

Vacation Thoughts

Well we're back from vacation and here are a few quick thoughts:

- We like vacationing in the off season
- Myrtle Beach was nice but we probably wouldn't go back
- Charleston SC is a fantastic place to visit and we will go back and spend more time
- It is hot down south
- The south has different standards of cleanliness
- Kinzua Dam is a deserted but beautiful place
- There's no place like home

Bluegrass Therapy!

So what's on my iPod right now? Nothing but bluegrass! It has been a very trying and demanding week so far and one way that I connect with God in the midst of it all is through music. I love bluegrass...and it speaks to my soul and allows my soul to speak too. Thank you Lord for the gift of music...especially bluegrass!

Spiritual Giants

My friend Chris brought this to my attention a number of weeks ago. I was in the garage polishing some chrome on the hawg and checking my latest twitter updates. I posted "I'm polishing chrome." He then posted "Where are the spiritual giants of our time?" I posted "They're polishing chrome!" He then posted back that he was serious, so I had to be too!

It got me to thinking...who are they? There are so many Christian leaders today who are talking about all kinds of things, but mostly just about leadership and the church. They are church giants perhaps, but who are the spiritual giants? And in our own UM Conference leadership, we have our leaders and stuff, but who are the spiritual giants? And in our own church, Cornerstone, I am a leader and we have a capable leadership team and staff, but who are the spiritual giants?

The Bible is filled with tales of none of the types of people I've just mentioned. The reason? They did nothing to change the world. The Bible is instead filled with tales of spiritual giants...people who boldly loved and preached the Word of God. And in this day and age, who is that? It should be me, and it haunts me with the question...why isn't it?

Oh Lord, It's Hard to Be Humble...

This morning I was blessed once again to be a part of a men's Bible study group. We meet at Panera every Thursday morning and it is cool in many ways. First of all, it is great to come together to pray and study the Word in a public place. Also, I don't lead the group! A faithful and humble servant of the Lord leads it, and for sake of anonymity, I will mention him only by his stage name:

Mark Meanor!

So this morning, he was leading us in prayer for a variety of things, including his own journey to become a school teacher after years as an engineer. And he prayed for he and his family to "survive together" during this difficult time. And it struck me, what incredible humility. Most of us, especially me, would probably pray to thrive. We want to have it all...for life to be easy...to come out a winner. But Mark prayed simply for survival.

Now that, dear readers, is true humility. Thank you Mark for your faithful, humble leadership and your witness and example to us all...

Innovate

So I'm at the Dubois Harley dealer last week (and BTW Carla won us a $50 gift certificate in a drawing there...yippee...we're going back for more chromeage!!!) and I, true to my nature, had to pee. So I goes into the men's room, and what do I behold? Voila:

Cool eh? For you womenfolk readers, that's a urinal. It's something every guy wishes he had in his home. But this urinal was extra special....there were handlebars to hold onto, a rearview mirror (for safety reasons!) and, are you ready...to flush it, you pulled in the clutch!!!! No joke! I knew Carla wouldn't let me sneak her in to see it so I took this picture to show her. She was as thrilled as I was (NOT!)

So what's my point? I love it when people think...do a new thing...innovate. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, God uses Paul to talk about the newness we have. In Isaiah, God says He is doing a new thing. Jesus talked about new wine and new wineskins...God is a Creator...Innovator extraordinaire! And He created us to be the same.

So how do we exercise our creativity to honor Him and to reach those who don't know of His love and grace?

Caring Enough to Confront...

So next Tuesday I'm beginning a three week Bible study entitled "Caring Enough to Confront." In it, we will deal with how do we care enough to speak the truth in love. If we did, there would be a whole lot less gossip. If we did, there would be a whole lot less misunderstanding and whole lot more understanding. If we did, we would probably end up sharing our faith a whole lot more often and much more effectively.

So whaddya think...do you care enough to confront? When do you wimp out and why?