Narrow The Focus

I heard Andly Stanley say this term, “narrow the focus” while listening to him speak. Right now I have a million things going on. I work for the church, I work for the YMCA, I am a husband, I am a student, and I am trying to find just a couple minutes for myself so I don’t go crazy.

I need to narrow the focus. Some day I would love to have a great blog that I could update weekly but now is not the time. I have had a few people ask me to keep telling stories on here, to keep posting my random thoughts, and I plan on it. Just not as often as I would like. I have so much to do and so little time…. I think Willy Wonka said something to that degree…. or was it backwards????

Anyways

quick update:
I am speaking this Sunday 11-12-10 @ real life community church. (10 am) We are in the series “Hell’s Kitchen.” I am speaking about discouragement/encouragement. So much to say and so little time.

quick link:
http://www.the94store.com/ bestest friends started this and Jess and I plan on being involved with it. It is going to change South Africa & the U.S. Just jump onto the site and buy at least 1 pair of stars. It makes such a difference.

I hope if you found time to read to this point you will take just a few seconds and pray for me. Pray that I have the courage to do what God wants and pray for the people to join and help along the way. Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

PJ

Big Vision Big Dream

So here is what I see:

Real Life Community Church exploding. People coming to Christ. Families & marriages restored.

A new church birthed in the streets of Minneapolis. The street is the stage, the mic is a broom. We fill theaters throughout the city. Jesus is our leader.

We transform the city in the name of Jesus. People come to Christ by the thousands.

So all of this might not be news to you…….. next part.

We take our message under bridges and in parking lots reaching the homeless. Empowering them and equipping them and loving them. Lifting up the name of Jesus.

We take our message to the reservation. The most oppressed people in Minnesota. Who is not being reached? Who needs Jesus? They do. We are going to start something on one reservation and spread it to the other 10. Jesus is going to transform the reservations of Minnesota.

We take our message to the mother land. South Africa. Not aid but trade. Empower the people, love the people, lifting up the name of Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

This is my heart. This is my vision.
It has begun.
Hope you like the little taste of what I am dreaming.
Trusting God to make it happen,

Cheers,

PJ

Couple Thoughts

I will be preaching the Word on Sunday @ Real Life giving it my all. I love how excited people are to see God move. I guess I am feeling so blessed to be apart of something so cool.
Some things I have been thinking: trying hard to prepare with excellence while giving the Holy Spirit room to work. I am feeling a little pressure which is so lame because I know that I don’t need to. I am expecting God to move big time. Praying for those far from God that will walk into the doors of our theatre, some big decisions are going to be made. Can’t wait to celebrate people walking across the line of faith.

Its all about Jesus. Always has been. Always will be.

Pray for us.

Cheers,
PJ

Living Room

Something is happening.
God is stirring.
Bringing people together.
Jesus.

Pray for me.
Pray for my leadership.
Pray for those who meet in my living room.
We are dreamers.
We trust God.
We care for the hurting.
We care for the lost.
We care because he cared first.

We want to be known for:
Our radical faith.
Our radical love.
Our radical giving.

A movement has begun in a living room of a two bedroom apartment.

Teeter Totter & Ministry

I can remember so clearly elementary school. I can recall bits and pieces that form a somewhat scewed view or my childhood. One of the things I loved to do was play on the playground at recess. Now before I really got into sports (which was around 2nd grade) I loved the playground equipment. I used to stare at the ground on the merrygoround until I became nauseas. I would jump from the peek of my swinging and land hard on the wood chips. Heck I even climbed on the oustide of the slide. These are all things I forbid the kids I work with from doing by the way.

There was one piece of equipment that I throuughly enjoyed, the teetertotter. I didn’t like to play nice on it either. Whoever I was with would go as hard as they could up and hard as they could down to see if we could get each other to fly off and get hurt. Listen we are boys and that is what boys do. I remember a few times playing this and sending some poor smaller kid flying, then crying. On occasion I was that poor little kid with a mouth full of woodchips crying to the teacher. It was as if the thrill and excitement of being up high and not staying at a consistent speed and height made me want to live!

Lately I have been doing some reflecting on my idea of what ministry in a church should look like. At points along the way I have been convinced that preaching straight from the Bible and not worrying about being creative will work. Other times I have leaned towards the shock jock approach of ministry, where we get as many people in and saved as we can no matter what the cost. I have even been inclined towards the charasmatic view of less order and constant pursuit of the “supernatural.”

I guess what I am trying to say is, I am still learning what kind of ministry God is calling me to do and to lead. I know we can’t all be the same but I am tired of the inconsistency in my life. I tend to go at things 100% so when I put my mind to something I just do it as best I can with as much enthusiasm as I can. It’s like a teeter totter, only problem is I am pushing off the ground going back and forth so much I fly off and get hurt. I start to have unreal expectations and sometimes drop the ball on people or entire ministries, because it isn’t matching up with my view of ministry any more. Not only do I get hurt but those around me do and they lose trust that I am going to be consistent in my direction. If they don’t trust, they won’t follow, if they don’t follow I have feel I have failed.

So, as I have been having conversations about my future and starting a new church. I am convinced of only one thing about my ministry, Jesus has to be the center. I want him to be the one controlling how fast, hard, & high I am going on the teeter totter of ministry. If he is the one jumping I know I am at the right pace. So what does this mean for you the reader? Possibly just another opportunity  for you to reflect on your life and ministry. My hearts desire is to see people passionately fall in love with Jesus and follow him with their entire being. I want to be consistent in my obedience to Christ if I can do that I am pretty sure I will limit the amount of times I am getting hurt or hurting other on my teeter totter of ministry.

Cheers,
PJ

Why Keith Green & His Stylish Jesus Beard Have Me Thinking

I have been inspired by a man who passed away over 28 years ago at the age of 28. Keith Green was a musician, pastor, and most important Christ follower. I am blown away by the similarities in our thinking. As of late I have grown unsatisfied with the direction of mainstream Christianity. My frustration has been birthed out of my personal pursuit to know Christ more. Anyways I just bought a Keith Green record at the Goodwill and the style is not my favorite but I respect him and his legacy.

When my mom became a Christian she didn’t have many people around her other than my dad to help her on her walk. She was bombarded by legalism and religion. But Keith Green, his music, passion and teaching helped my mom along the way. Which in return molded and shaped me who I am today.

Keith tragically died very young and I lay here in bed thinking in three years will I have made a difference in the Kingdom like this man did. I hope so. I want to know Jesus. I want people to know Jesus. I want to serve and love those around me. I am going to continue to collect Keith Green records and I’m going to continue to watch youtube videos of him playing the piano, awesome Jesus beard, and stylish fro. My mom told me tonight that she wept when she found out his plane crashed in Texas. She told me she still doesn’t understand why God took him so young. Reading up on him and listening to his music has been a joy, it has taken me to a place of wanting to be labeled a Jesus Freak.

I love my mother and listening to Keith Green is helping me understand her more. I haven’t always understood her but I see this as an awesome bridge into understanding where she comes from and how her faith has become what it is today. All from a simple record at the back of the Goodwill.

In conclusion, Keith Green was a man who helped shape an entire generation of Christians like my mother. He passionalty pursued Christ and desired to be the light of the world. I respect him and his work. Thank you Keith.

Cheers,

PJ

Pranks For Unity & Jesus

I was at the Dollar Store today purchasing some supplies for church tomorrow. I came across this magnet for a car. Faith, Hope, & Charity (w/ a dove & Rainbow).

Now you all know how much I love Christian Sub-Culture (NOT), so I purchased this magnet to put on vehicles of fellow staff members and leaders of Real Life. I hope it starts making its rounds. Who should I target first????? Keep watching the back of your vehicle!!!

Words

Here are the words from my last blog entry. Random but beautiful. I love words.

Year 24 Reflection

What have I learned from year 24 of my life? That is such a great question. I could probably talk or write for a while about it but I am going to pick the top 3 things I learned this year. Just to recap, this year was one of the most difficult and trying of my life. It was also one of the most amazing years of my life.

The highlight of my year……. I was able to marry my best friend Jessica Amy Stoe! She is the love of my life. So amazing. So encouraging. So trustworthy. She challenges me (in a good way). She is everything to me.

Three things I learned in no particular order.

1. Your faith will be tested.

2. God is faithful even when I am not.

3.  Becoming a mature believer is a process not a destination. (sanctification especially)

When I think about the past year it was filled with seasons of joy, sorrow, hurt, love, anger, and oh man brokenness. I see each step as a carful calculation of Jesus bringing me to a place of trust and understanding.

My faith was tested. Does he really care? Does he have a plan? Is this really the path I should be taking? I felt like giving up at times.

There were times I doubted God. When I cried out where are you? When I thought my life was going to crumble before me. When I thought I was going no where in ministry. But.

God is faithful even when I am not. Though I doubted him and started to lose faith that he cared about me or my future he was faithful. He pulled me through it all to a place of understanding that the testing of my faith is truly to develop perseverance. That perseverance must finish its work so I can be mature and complete not lacking anything.

I want to be mature and complete. I want to truly know Jesus and have the intimacy with him like never before. Becoming a mature believer is a process not a destination. I want to be set apart but I am being shaped each day by God. I can’t be good enough. I can’t earn grace and love. The changing of my heart has been a process that I am learning. I don’t see a finish line for it. I hope God continues to mold and shape me. I hope I never ever think I have arrived.

24 was a year I will never forget….. it will be summed up with the statement that God truly is good and I trust him with my life. I have learned that sometimes the path gets bumpy and darkness seems to never end. But the light is always there. He never left. I am thankful for year 24 and I believe 25 will be the best year ever.

I want to thank a few people for helping me along in the 24th year of my life. Jessica Stoe you are my everything. Jon & Tedi thank you for your patience. Gary & Rosh you make me want to be an amazing husband. Thank you for your daughter. Zach, Chris, David, & Collin I trust you. Coby & Noah you inspire me to be better. Brian & Amanda thank you for the new friendship. Church family…. Dienna thank you. Granny Pat, Granny Bev, And Grandpa Mickey thank you for your love and prayers. YMCA kids thanks for reminding me what it means to have faith like a child. I know I am missing people but to all who have stuck with me and loved me thank you.

Jesus thank you for saving me, for shaping me, for using me. My hearts desire is to know you more and be like you always.

Cheers to 24,

PJ

Just A Thought

Just sitting here at home reflecting on some events from today.

My thoughts are as follow:

People will always disappoint you.

God is always good.

People are selfish.

God is always faithful.

When people get serious about loving Jesus & giving radically satan starts to deceive and work against them.

Prayer & The Bible help us see through the fog put up.

As leaders in the Church we need to be slow to come to conclusions & quick to love and extend grace.

Mind is always active. Will write more soon.

Cheers,

PJ