Grace Based Parenting

Over the last six weeks I have been teaching a class entitled, "Raising Kids With A Faith That Lasts." It has been such a blessing to lead a room full of parents who desire to raise their children in the same manner that God raises us!

A major theme throughout the class has been grace. It is by grace that God has called us and leads us, and it is with grace that we as parents must raise our children. If our kids are unable to see grace lived out in our lives, than it is unlikely they will ever see and understand the grace God has for them.

In preparing for the class I stumbled upon this hilarious illustration of the challenge grace can be. Prepare yourself for a good laugh!

Letter To A Dad

A father passing by his son's bedroom, was astonished to see the bed was nicely made, and everything was picked up. Then, he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow. It was addressed, "Dad." With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter, with trembling hands.

"Dear Dad,

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend, because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I've been finding real passion with Stacy, and she is so nice, but I knew you would not approve of her, because of all her piercing's, tattoos, her tight motorcycle clothes, and because she is so much older than I am. But it's not only the passion.

Dad she's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods, and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't, really hurt anyone.

We'll be growing it for ourselves, and trading it with the other people in the commune, for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS, so Stacy can get better. She sure deserves it! Don't worry Dad, I'm 15, and I know how to take care of myself. Someday, I'm sure we'll be back to visit, so you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, your son,
John.

P.S. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that's in my center desk drawer. I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home."

May we all follow our Father's example of living out a life full of both grace and truth.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

If you are a part of our Foothills family, or are anywhere near the Molalla area, and would like to be a part of this valuable six week class, we will be diving into it a second time, beginning April 5. Whether you are a brand new parent, been at this parenting thing for many years, or yet to even see the twinkle in the eye of your first child, you are invited!

My Highest Calling

I am a blessed man. Not a day goes by that I am not in awe of the beautiful family God has blessed me with. At the same time, not a day goes by that I am not conscience of and often overwhelmed by, the enormous responsibility I have in leading my family. In my estimation, there is no higher calling.

To be a loving and godly husband is my desire. To love her as Ephesians 5:25-28 is my call.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Equally it is my desire to lead my children in the same manner that Christ leads me. To parent in a fashion that demonstrates both truth and grace.

I want my faith and trust in God to be caught by my children. I want to faithfully parent them as God has called us to in Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

In all of this I am woefully aware of the fact that I can do none of this alone. For me to love and lead my family as God desires, I must first allow Him to lead me. To seek Him daily. To stop long enough in the business of life to listen to Him.

As a spouse and a parent, make it your priority to follow God's lead. Spend time listening to Him. Learn from Him. Allow Him to lead you as you seek to lead the family He has entrusted to you.

Game of Hope

Love this!

What an amazing difference we can make when we love people the way Jesus does!



At the end of the game Isaiah, the teenage convict-quarterback surprised everybody and asked if he could pray and he prayed, "Lord, I don't know what just happened so I don't know how or who to say thank you to, but I never knew there were so many people in the world who cared about us."

On the way back to the bus, under guard, each one of the Gainsville State School players were handed a burger, fries, a Coke, a Bible and an encouraging letter from the players from Faith Academy.

Sounds like "Sheep" to me!

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:31-40

Daily Audio Bible

I'm not sure how I missed this one, but I just recently came across the Daily Audio Bible podcast, and am loving it.

Since beginning my new ministry at Foothills Community Church I have have been faced with a rather long commute. As we wait on God to send just the right buyer for our home I get to "enjoy" a 50 minute drive each way to work. Not wanting to waste that time, I have been seeking a way to redeem it for something good. One can only listen to so much talk radio!

I have always had a great love for the Word of God. I base my entire life on the truths found within it's pages. I enjoy reading it, studying it and teaching it. Now I am listening to it!

The Daily Audio Bible is a daily podcast of the God's Word. Everyday it is a community of people listening to host Brian Hardin read through the Bible in one year. Each day he reads from a portion of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and from the Psalms and Proverbs. I have found it a way to just sit and let the Word of God filter into my heart and mind and it's incredible!

If you are faced with a long commute or even if you are not, check it out.

Listen now.
Subscribe in iTunes.

Reaching The Unreached

In Matthew 28:18-20 we are called to "go"; to go and make disciples of all nations. This command is played out differently in each of our lives. For some we are called to stay and pray, for some to give, for others to pick up and move. One thing is sure, we are given no other option, other than "go." However God has called you to live out this great commission, this video produced by AsiaLink will open your eyes anew to the great reality of missions.

Looking Back

I sit here on December 31, 2010. Another year in the books. As I think back over the last twelve months I can't help but marvel. I marvel at the ride God has had me on. The year has been filled with many ups and downs and surprise twists and turns, all with one destination in mind. To be by His side trusting Him is the destination He has had in mind. As I close out the year I am left with a renewed sense that to be in the center of God's will is the best place to be!

2010 was a year filled with great ministry. For most of the year I was blessed to work with an incredible group of students at Rock Harbor Church in Sherwood, OR. I will forever remember the many adventures we found ourselves on as well as the times of life impact as we together allowed God to form us into who He wanted us to be. In the final three months of the year the Lord called me out of student ministry and into a whole new world.

2010 marked the year that I began my ministry at Foothills Community Church in Molalla, OR. The story of how God moved in lives to call me to make this move is nothing short of amazing! At Foothills we are home. We are at home with a community of people fully committed to being a part of God's story of transformation in the lives of the people of Molalla and around the world.

This last year was also a year of amazing memory making times with the family. From learning to ride a bike, to soccer games, trips to California, to our first cruise. I could not feel more blessed with the family God has given me. A true gift.

As has been the tradition of our family for the last few years, we have complied the best pictures of the year and put together a sort of Christmas e-card. A highlight reel if you will. Here is a look at 2010.



It's now 2011. Here we go!

Enjoy the ride!

Social Network Christmas

 What if Facebook and social media were around at the time of Jesus' birth?

Remember Who We Celebrate

Last week in our staff meeting we had quite the conversation all centered around this commercial.  Have you seen it?  Does it bother you like it does me?



I guess when Christmas is all about us, it changes one's perspective.  It is sentiment like this, that when asked to write an article for local paper, The Molalla Pioneer, I submitted the following.  May we not forget who it is we celebrate this season, as well as the rest of the year.


I love birthday parties.  Always have.  When I was a child my parents would often throw me great big parties and invite all my friends.  I enjoyed the games, the singing and the birthday cake, but what I really loved were the presents!  They were all for me and I loved it!

I have been to many birthday parties over the years.  One thing that has held true of all them is that it is the one being celebrated that receives the gifts.  I have never attended a birthday party expecting to receive gifts from those in attendance.  When I ponder Christmas, the birthday of Jesus, I can't help but wonder, how did we get it all mixed up?

It seems that Christmas has become more about us rather than the One in which we celebrate.  I wonder what it would look like if we instead of focusing on ourselves this Christmas, we focused more on Jesus.

In reading the story of Christ's birth we read of Magi coming to see the newborn Jesus.  What I am struck by is their response to Him.  They came to worship and in their worship they gave to Him.  What if we were to approach our Christmas celebration in like manner?  What if instead of focusing on one another, we in an act of worship, presented gifts to Him?

Giving to Jesus will look different for each of us.  Here are some ideas:

1. Write letter of love and hope to soldiers away from home.  They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home.  You don't have to know them personally.  They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Give to a trusted organization that is actively meeting the needs of the poor.
4. Donate time or goods to a local charity.
5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

We are told in Matthew 25:31-46 that when we give to those in need, we are actually giving to Jesus.  May we this year discover the joy of giving to the One in which we celebrate, and in doing so demonstrate our love for Him.

Enjoy the birthday party, but remember whom it is for.


Read Molalla Pioneer article here.

Giving Thanks

Today is a snow day.  In Oregon snow days are God's way of saying, slow down.  Every once in awhile like in 2008 it is God's way of saying stop!  As one that tends to live a fairly fast paced life, this is at times very difficult for me.  But it is good.  It is good for me to slow down a bit and appreciate being still and enjoy the beauty of the season.  That is what I am doing today.

As Thanksgiving approaches I find myself thinking about how this holiday is much like snow day.  Thanksgiving is a day set aside to slow down and focus on the things we are called to be focused upon each and every day.

I appreciated Pastor Dale's message on Sunday.  It was a good reminder that being thankful is a choice.  We are to choose the path of thankfulness every day; even when we may naturally resist it.  What does this really look like?  What does it look like to live out the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:1, "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus?"  We were encouraged to put into practice five statements to God to help us in this journey of thankfulness, and to discover the power that comes with the heart of a thankful person.

• Lord, I choose to be thankful today because it is Your will and the path of blessing.
• Lord, I choose to be thankful today for who You are and what You have done.
• Lord, I choose to be thankful today despite any painful or unpleasant circumstances.
• Lord, I choose to reject any despairing, critical, or complaining attitude today from taking control of my mind and emotions.
• Lord, I ask You for the strength and courage to live this way today in order to become a more thankful person.

I have much to be thankful for this year.

• I am thankful for the amazing family God has blessed me with.  A wife that loves and support me, and two kids that I am privileged to parent. 
• I am thankful for the many opportunities He has brought my way to love people in a way that He is seen and glorified.  
• I am thankful for the church family He has graciously allowed me to be a part of and serve alongside.  
• I am thankful for the ups and downs of this year,  the times of not knowing what was around the next corner, as they afforded me the opportunity to experience faith in a brand new way.

I am also thankful for humor.  Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

When Life Gets Strange

A lesson many of us learned very early on in life is, life is not fair.  The journey of life is filled with confusing, challenging and just flat out difficult seasons.  With each twist and turn the question most often posed to God is ... why?  Why God do you allow such pain and suffering.  Why God do you allow me to experience such difficult circumstances.  Throughout the ride of life, I have certainly asked my share of why questions.

A truth that we can hang our hat on is that God is for us.  God is for us in life's trying times and has a purpose for them all.  As I have emerged from the dark times in my life I find that I begin to see God's purposes for my life so much more clearly.

God's Word is filled with such stories; beautiful narratives of God's redeeming purposes. I think of the story of Job.  A man who when all of life's joys, comforts and pleasures were ripped right out from beneath him, continued to trust that His God would not abandon him.

I think of the story of Paul.  A man who gave his life to spreading the gospel to the world around him and at the same time found himself shipwrecked, hungry, beaten, and imprisoned.  Through it all he remained set upon the call and purpose God had on his life. 

The story of Ruth is yet another amazing story.  A story of God at work in the midst of pain, confusion, and loss.  A story of a young lady who travels through a very dark season, yet because of her faithfulness to do what is right, emerges experiencing God's incredible blessing.

It is as John Piper coins it, a "Sweet and Bitter Providence."



As we navigate the twists and turns of life may we see and experience God's presence and love. May we not look for reasons to explain God away, but rather see life's strangeness as a way to allow God to reveal His divine purposes for us.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

When God Moves You On

As I have begun my new ministry this week at Foothills Community Church I have found myself thinking quite a bit about how God strategically places us where He can best use us for His purposes and glory.  Over my years of ministry I have found myself serving in 6 different churches. I have served in Gladstone, Oregon, Chula Vista, Californnia, Milwaukie, Oregon, Tigard, Oregon, Sherwood, Oregon, and now in Molalla, Oregon.  What a ride!

In each location God has had me in, I purposed to stay until He said otherwise, and that is exactly what I have done.  When I commit to something, I am one that sends my roots deep.  I am not a flighty person but rather one that is committed for the long haul.  I value longevity and relationship.  It is for that reason that it has never been easy to leave one community and begin anew in a new one.  One thing I know, is that when God is in the changes of life, it is exciting and filled with good things!  In all the places that I have served, God has clearly led.  There is not one that I went looking for.  In every move, God has made it clear that that is where He wanted me.

This last Sunday I said goodbye to Rock Harbor Church in Sherwood.  We were honored with a beautiful clock to commemorate the time spent.  I  am thankful for the time God allowed us to spend in community with the wonderful people of Rock Harbor.  We truly experienced community with them and the beautiful thing about community, it doesn't have to end.

The apostle Paul has always been a role model to me.  He is a picture of one who was radically changed by God and placed in service for Him.  He was an individual called out by God for His extraordinary purposes.  In that call God had him on the move!  He had him moving from Jerusalem to Caesarea, to Rome, Athens, Philippi, Lystra, Cyprus, Antioch, Damascus, Thesslonica, Corinth, and Ephasus.  What a resume!  I would imagine each departure was accompanied by a few tears.  Tears of sadness as well as tears of excitement for what God had next for both Paul and the people in his life.

It's never easy to say goodbye, to move on from those you love, but when God moves you, you go.  You go with enthusiasm for what is next.  Obedience to God always results in blessing.  My family and I  reap daily the blessing of following God's lead in our life. We are now eager to experience life and community with the people of Molalla.  It is already beginning and how excited we are!

When God moves you on, follow.  Follow Him into the great adventure He has for you.  As you do, you will experience His power in your life like never before.  Follow him. Love Him, and experience what Paul shared with the people of Corinth when he wrote, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9).

A New Chapter Begins

It was with a mixture of sadness and excitement that I announced on Sunday my resignation as Associate Pastor at Rock Harbor Church.  It has been my distinct pleasure to serve along side the wonderful people of Rock Harbor as we worked together to make a difference in the community of Sherwood and beyond.  My family and I are grateful for the opportunity we have had to be a part of this wonderful community. 

In recent months the financial, and personal needs of our family have grown and have driven us to seek the Lord in how these would be met.  The way in which He has chosen to meet these ever growing needs can only be described as a God thing!

It has been through a great deal of prayer and listening to God that we have come to this place.  It has not been an easy decision, yet one in which He has clearly led.  We are saddened to say goodbye to our Rock Harbor community, yet at the same time excited about joining God in what He is doing in and through the community of Foothills Community Church in Molalla, Oregon.

Beginning on October 11 I will be taking a bold new step in my life.  It is on this day that I will be following God’s lead in stepping out of the student ministry world as I begin my new role as Associate Pastor at Foothills Community Church.  It is with eager anticipation that I move forward in my mission “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:12).

To my family at Rock Harbor, know that you are loved and will always hold a special place in the hearts of my family.  It has been an absolute joy and privilege to join with you in moving God’s Kingdom forward.  To the students of Rock Harbor Student Ministries, my life remains open to you.  Never hesitate to contact me.  I am but a text message, Facebook message, email or phone call away.  You are loved.  Remain in community with one another and stay close to your leaders.  They are fully committed to loving and caring for you.  They are the best!

To our new family at Foothills, we are filled with anticipation as we look forward to joining you in your mission to reach the thousands of unchurched people in your geographic area with the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and to equip them to experience His presence and demonstrate His power.  We look forward to doing life with you and experiencing the kind of community that comes from together seeking the heart of God.

The ride continues.  Bring it on!