Wedding on the Beach

This past weekend I was in beautiful San Diego, CA for Shawn Cooper and Bethany Bushnell's wedding. It was truly an honor to be present as the two of them became one in the Lord. Shawn and Bethany met while attending Master's Commission. Shawn has attended Englewood most of his life and I have watched him grow up into a great young man.

It was evident to see God's hand in bringing them together. I always think it's awesome to see two different individuals living for God and following His plan, then finding one another. So many circumstances, so many opportunities, and so many things have to align themselves for such a union to come about. It's truly a "God Thing."

The wedding took place at sunset Saturday night on La Jolla Beach with about thirty close friends and family members. Some came as far as Iowa to show their support. On the trip I was able to meet many new friends and thoroughly enjoyed it. I even made my wife jealous by eating at Jack-In-the-Box.

And since I couldn't get back in time for services on Sunday, I caught up with my sister, who also lives in California, for her birthday. All in all, great weather, great time with great people.

Marginal Living: Re-Prioritizing Your Life

Yesterday, we continued our series Marginal Living, with our student ministries pastor, Brad Baker, teaching on Re-Prioritizing Your Life. Here are some key points from the message:

• Margin is the space between your current performance and your limits
• As margins decrease, stress increases
• Your time is limited; your time will be spent; someone will determine how your time gets spent
• Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Allowing God to Help Create Margin:

1. Realize your days are numbered by God - Job 14:5 "Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed."

2. Prioritize accordingly- "Your priorities determine your capacity"

3. Make your time alone with God a priority- Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

(This series is adapted from a message series originally created by Andy Stanley).

Back To School Prayer: Unusual Favor

Braeden with his Kindergarten teacher

Well, Moms & Dads....I'm sure you've settled into your school routine by now: Early to bed, early to rise; homework; packing lunches; lots of papers in your kitchen; after school activities, etc.

If your children are in a new school, like ours are, then "back to school" for this year took on a whole new meaning. New routines, new friends, new teachers & administrators, new parents, new everything. I admit, it was a little overwhelming at first, just getting used to things, but it has gone very smoothly and we are very pleased with our schools. More importantly, our kids are happy, content, and at ease.

You know, when the boys were in our church's private Christian school, they were right in the same building with their Dad all day long. I never really prayed a "back to school prayer". I had an underlying confidence in our school, the staff, and the environment. Call it a comfort zone.

But for the first few weeks of school this year, it was a call to prayer over our kids. I prayed for a good start, for them to receive the right teachers, for them to make the right friends, for them to feel at home and comfortable. My most frequent prayer was, and still is, for them to have Unusual Favor. The kind that only comes from God. The kind that puts you in the right place at the right time. The kind that goes before you. The kind that surrounds you.

Ask God for Unusual Favor in your life and your family's lives today!

Timing Is Everything

This past Sunday, as the Chiefs were preparing to play their home opener at Arrowhead Stadium, the boys heard a loud sound outside our house. They ran out to the back deck and saw four A-10 fighter jets flying overhead. They passed over our house several times for about 10 minutes before flying on over to Arrowhead. I later read that they timed their flyover just as David Cook concluded the national anthem. Too cool.

Joe ran inside and grabbed our digital camera to try to get a photo. Knowing the delay on our camera, I wasn't very hopeful that he would be successful. But he did it! He actually got all four A-10's right through a small opening in the trees. Some might say luck ...some might say GREAT TIMING.

You know, as Christians, we always want to be in God's timing. We should believe that "our steps are ordered". It's understanding that timing that causes us to struggle. When should we change jobs? When and how should we invest our money? When do we take a faith-risk? When do we have a tough conversation with someone? When, When, When?

In these situations and many more, timing is everything. In Acts chapter 1, Jesus appeared to the disciples and talked to them about timing. He said, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

Following God's lead is critical. Following our own thoughts and desires leaves the door open to major frustration. We must pray for God's timing in every area of our life so that we may see the bigger picture. With God's timing comes power, strength, and wisdom to do God's will.

Worship Changes

We are excited to announce slight changes to our Sunday services. Beginning October 5th, the first service will begin at 8:45 am and will include a worship set that captures the heart of God through a mix of hymns and contemporary songs. You will hear the same practical and relevant messages you’ve come to expect, but now preceded by a slightly different worship set.

The 10:45 am service will be designed to reach both a younger audience and the unchurched. We will use all of the audio/video/& lighting tools we currently have available to create an environment that appeals more to today’s culture.

Both services will be prayerfully planned and implemented as God directs. My heart is to create environments that increase your worship experience. Scripture says, “God inhabits the praises of His people.” So when you enter into deeper worship, you multiply God’s manifest presence in your life.

Just as a missionary feels called to a specific type of people or region, there are some churches who God calls to focus on a select group of people or a certain demographic group. There is definitely nothing wrong with this. It's just not us, right now. The ultimate is doing what God tells you to do in reaching your community. The DNA of every church and pastor is different. Thank God for diversity!

I hope you will try both services and then choose the service that God directs you to.

Where Were You On 9/11?

7 years ago today, Brian was in the shower preparing to go to work when I turned on the TV in our bedroom. The news anchors seemed a little confused as to the "breaking news" they were handed. The World Trade Center was on fire. No- wait- it was a plane crash. No one really knew for sure, but it was an unbelievable sight.

Just three years earlier, we had taken a group of young people to New York on a missions trip, and, as part of our sightseeing day, had gone to the top of the World Trade Center. Our oldest son, Joseph, was even with us. He was only 2 at the time. We have a great picture of the three of us on the observation deck (I was a nervous wreck--very windy).

The elevator ride to the top of WTC seemed supersonic--crazy fast. The view of NYC and the Statue of Liberty was amazing. It was a beautiful day. Brian and I are both glad we decided to take the group up.

As the rest of the morning of 9/11 unfolded, I was at home, glued to the news, mesmerized by the chain of events-- like everyone else.

In the years that followed, we were privileged to meet and have as a guest speaker to our church 9/11 survivor, Stanley Praimnath. I have never seen our church so still and quiet, as when Stanley told his story. It was incredible.

You can link to Stanley's story, order his book (which mentions Englewood!), or watch a video of his testimony from this previous post.

Stanley Praimnath

Stanley Praimnath is a 9/11 World Trade Center survivor. He is a Christian and has been a guest speaker at our church twice. He has an unbeliebable testimony.

Watch a video of Stanley's testimony

Go to StanleyPraimnath.com

Order his book:

Marginal Living Intro Video

Here's a short video that was shown to introduce the Marginal Living series:

Marginal Living- Week 1

We got off to a great start this past weekend with the new series "Marginal Living." For those who may have missed it, we are talking about not living life so pushed to the limit and so close to the edge that we set ourselves up for failure. I believe Jesus wants us to live an "edgy" life, but not live "on the edge". He said, "I want you to have life, and life to the full."

The full life is found in creating margins in key areas of our lives: i.e. finances, morality, schedules and relationships. The first time I heard this concept was from an Andy Stanley message series entitled, "Take it to the Limit." He defined margin as "the extra, the reserve, the amount beyond what is needed." Just like books have margins, and highways have margins, we need margins in our lives to experience God's best.

These margins, or safety barriers, keep us from getting too far off course. I shared 3 consequences of decreased margins:

1. Stress increases

2. Our focus becomes "I" centered

3. Relationships suffer

This week, focus on what areas you need to create some margins in so you can stay on course.

Marginal Living

This Sunday I can't wait to begin our new series entitled "Marginal Living." The picture above illustrates the way many live their lives, without margins. They don't have extra space on their left or on their right. So any small mistake, or any misstep and they find themselves swept away by the storms of life.

Granted, it's sometimes fun and exciting to live life on the edge. To push ourselves to the limit. To see how far we can expand our own personal boundaries. But it is impossible to live there. Some have tried and the result is always the same: the waves of life eventually overtake them.

I believe God has a better way to live. A place of abundance, blessing and increase await those who are willing to live as God directs, a life of margin. Let's explore "Marginal Living" together this Sunday.

Top 10 Ice Cream Places in KC: Stop #10- Poppy's

We made the final stop on our summer ice cream tour with a trip to Poppy's in Lee's Summit. Poppy's used to be called Doc's, which used to be located off Blue Ridge Blvd. in Raytown.

We all had concretes that tasted great. It was just 3 of us this time, as Joe went to the Truman v. Ray-Pec football game with a friend. He's only 12 and already wanting to ditch Mom & Dad on Friday night. Sigh. Next he will want to move his room to the basement.

Talked to a couple of retired teachers as we ate outside. Everywhere we go the people that we (Brian) meet want to talk about the Indep. School District and the new schools. Jim Hinson is the rock star of Jackson County.

We had a great summer visiting all these cool spots. I'll rank them for you soon. Someone has already suggested a tour of the Top 10 mexican restaurants in KC. I'm all over that!