Act of Valor

Probably the most popular movie in the theater's right now is "Act of Valor" starring some active Navy seals. I went to see it yesterday with some friends and I thoroughly enjoyed the action, bravery, teamwork and the sacrifice depicted in this film. I saw men who love their country, love their families, love their team, and love being a Navy seal.

I promise not to give away the movie, but it starts out with a man talking and quoting his father or grandfather and saying the worst part of getting old is that men don't think your dangerous anymore... or at least it was something close to that.

I liked that quote because I think there is a real need for dangerous men today. Now I don't mean we all need to become Navy seals. I am sure those days are not in my future and I am pretty sure they would not have been in my past either...those are some tough men! But without being a Navy seal and staying within the confines of the law, it is still possible for men to be dangerous out there today. I think God loves the dangerous man. He loves the guy who would storm the gates of hell with a squirt gun! God is not safe and I don't think He calls us to be safe. He wants us to be dangerous for the cause of Christ. I liked these Navy seals and how they stayed on mission, never deviating, never complaining, and never faltering. Even when they are met with great opposition and danger they never wavered in their mission. Now it is important to understand that these men were not fearless. They had fears. They feared not seeing their family again when they left on a mission. They feared not the enemy, but what the enemy would be able to do if they, the seals, did not accomplish their mission's goals.

We need some dangerous men in the leadership of today's church. We need men who are more concerned with the things of God than they are the things of men. We need men to fear what would happen if the church fails to accomplish their calling, their mission in this lost world. I want to see Journey be a church that stares down the enemy and knows that we must accomplish what God has called us to do here in Fernley. I pray that every day our resolve will be stronger, or vision clearer, and our faith will be tested so that we will grow into a church that can be counted on in the kingdom of God.

I read this quote a long time ago and have loved it ever since: It is by Dr. Bob Moorehead

I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit
Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has
been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow
down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense,
and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight
walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions,
mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or
popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised,
regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by
patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my
way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted,
or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the
pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of
mediocrity.

I won't give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I've preached up, prayed
up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a
disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop,
preach until all know, and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My
colors will be clear for "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.." (Romans 1:16)

Take care,

Rod

Big things require a Big God and some Big faith

As most, if not all of you know, I and my family have planted a church, called Journey Community in Fernley, Nevada.  If you know that, then you probably also know, that I didn't necessarily WANT to plant a church in Fernley, Nevada.  In fact, I didn't want to plant a church at all.  I was hoping to go to an established church, follow an established pastor, and do the established things a pastor does along with a little flavor of my own to make it a new and exciting place to worship.  Sounds reasonable and sounds familiar at the same time.  But for some reason God had other plans.
Now let me say this before we go any further: I DO NOT THINK THAT PLANTING A CHURCH HAS SOME SPECIAL DISPENSATION FROM GOD THAT ESTABLISHED CHURCHES DO NOT HAVE.  I do not think if you plant a church you are anything special and I cringe at the times that I read articles that make church planters something special and unique.  I do not think God smiles upon the church planter and tolerates the guy who takes over an established pulpit.
So God had other plans for me that was different than the plan I had been hoping for in my life.  And over these past three years God has shown me that some Big things require a Big God and some Big faith.  And God has shown me that time and time again.  I am thankful that He said no to my plans and moved me into His plan.  It has been a good learning experience for me and it continues to be something I am learning everyday.
Now we are at a time in the life of Journey Community where we need to hire an additional staff member.  Not because we aren't growing or doing some good things.  But because God has laid upon us a new ministry call to Fernley.  He has called us to reach into the community of 18 - 28 year olds with the gospel in a different kind of way.  It is a unique ministry that I do not believe I would reach effectively.  So I believe we are being called to step out on this and hire a man who has this call on his life.  We have found that man, actually God showed him to us, and we want to hire him.  This has potential to be a big thing here in Fernley and bring a lot of people into a relationship with Jesus.  We already know we have a big God.  So what it takes from us is some BIG FAITH.  
So what does it take to have BIG FAITH? Well first of all let me say that the true quality of my faith depends on the object of my faith. My faith may be small or weak, but my God is big and strong.  Daily, we must remind ourselves that our faith does not depend on the feelings of the situation or the circumstances that surround us. Those things always change. Remember: Feelings and Circumstances can be great servants in my faith, but they make lousy masters of my faith.  Our faith must be grounded in the Person of God. Who He is and what He does. What matters most is not the size of our faith but the size of our God. 
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
So, we are going to step out in faith, not faith in ourselves, but faith in God and hire this guy and his family.  But it is also going to require us to step up and step out when it comes to finances, prayer support, and changing the way we currently do things at Journey in order to faithfully do the call that God has laid upon our hearts here.  We need to give, serve, pray and fast more often, with more intensity, and with more surrender than ever before.  Lives are at stake, we are called, and the mission is clear.  Here we go.
So I am asking you to give more, serve more, pray more and fast more for the kingdom work God has called us to, here in Fernley NV.  
I am excited because we are being called to BIG things with our BIG God and I am ready to step out with some BIG faith.  Are you?
Take care,
Rod

I am NOT great...I've got to deal with it.

As a young boy I, like a lot of young kids, wanted to play major league baseball. I played a lot of baseball, small time college ball, but never major leagues. Not even close. I wasn't good enough.

As a pastor, I wanted to be the lead guy at a church of thousands, write books, and be on the speaking circuit. I wanted to travel, be asked my thoughts on today's issues, be sought after for advice, and generally...well, rock in the ministry world!! I've preached a lot of sermons, READ a lot of books, but I am not a speaker in demand, haven't served on councils trying to solve the issues of the day, and have not travelled by request, in order to impart my wisdom. I have friends who have done all these things. Yet, I have not.

Over the years, I have asked God "Why not?" or "What is wrong with me that you can't use me in this way?" God is often silent but sometimes He does talk to me in a small voice, barely audible, but always very clear. He simply says "I am calling you to be faithful, not great."

I admire men and women God is using in those ways of being on demand for speaking, writing books, and basically being quoted on all the issues that Christ-followers, churches, and leaders face each day. I do admire them because I read their stuff, listen to their podcasts, and ponder their ideas. I like their challenges to my soul and my way of doing things. I like their creativity, introspection and their what seems to me to be deep commitment to the will and way of God.

Now, I think, hasn't God called me to do the same? Not write the books apparently, or speak to thousands, or travel the globe to share the message, but to be faithful and follow God with a deep commitment of my own? You see, God doesn't all of us to be great, but He does call all of us to be faithful. Faithful in the pursuit of righteousness and the desire for holiness in our lives. He calls us to be faithful to the commands and precepts of the Word.

I admire the Mark Driscoll's and Craig Groeschell's in today's ministry. I really do. I think they are faithful men with a high calling. I like their willingness to face down the tough issues of the church and ministry. They do it on the local level, the national level, and the international level. Pretty impressive to say the least. But not because they are so great, but because God is so great and He will use these guys in this way. It's pretty cool to hear their background, their testimony and their heart's desire.

Unlike my dream of being a major league baseball player, it does not matter how talented I am...it only matters how faithful I am.

2 Chronicles 16:9a The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

I want to be found faithful, great in my faithfulness to Him. How about you?

Take care,

Rod

Building Update

I wanted to give just a short building update.  We plan on moving into our new worship area on our second anniversary on Sunday, September 11.  Journey will be two years strong on that Sunday and we couldn't think of a better day to start in our new worship area than that date.
I never cease to be amazed at how God works.  When we started this process we applied for a loan through a church funding organization for $100,000.  We felt that would allow us to build out this 4000+ s.f. side of the building and do some upgrading of our screen and projector.  Our screen is the wall right now and our projector is very old, we have lost some color from it and we have to turn out the lights in order to see it. So we applied for the loan and after a loooonnnngggg review period, they turned us down.  It was very disappointing and discouraging.  But instead of giving up or trying another bank we (the leadership team) turned to God, on our knees, and asked what His plans were for Journey.  You see, sometimes we get going so fast with so many "good ideas" that we just ask God to come along for the ride.  So anyway, we stopped and said, "God this is yours" and we took our hands off it.
Since that time we have had two new bathrooms installed, 4 A/C units installed, all electrical done, a sound booth built, cement floor poured, and lights installed.  We just had donated all the drywall and steel studs we needed and a company just donated all the paint and floor stain we need as well.  The labor has been donated to go along with this.
So we are a little over two weeks away from having a worship area so next, we can build out the children's area for the kids.  Now through all of this we have not paid a cent toward the building because it would a been a long while before we could have had the funds to do this.  How great is our God!!!!!
We are trusting Him to provide a new screen and projector...in HIS TIMING and HIS WAY, not ours.
I am excited, not just because we can make a nicer children's area for the kids, but because there is absolutely NO WAY we could take any credit for this expansion.  God has moved people and provided product and taught us so clearly that HIS WAY is so much better than our plans.
Would you join me in giving thanks to God on behalf of Journey Community of Fernley?


Isaiah 55:8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.


and one more....


Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.


Take care and hit 'em straight,
Rod

Bumper Sticker Faith

Dear Lord,
I think I may be mistaken in my life and sometimes I think that I am doing enough.  I think that faith is like a nice saying on a bumper sticker or a placque on a wall.  
For instance, please forgive me for the times that I quote (Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.) and yet don't live like it.  I am sorry that I need you to make sense to me before I step out.  And then I have the audacity to call that faith. It shows up in many ways Lord I know.

• I am sorry that I have said "Let go and let God".  But truth is, I don't do that and I am not sure I believe it all the time and I am definitely too scared to let completely go.
• I am sorry that I want to "Honk, if you love Jesus!" which is cool, but I don't think honking is what you had in mind.  I think if I truly loved you, then I wouldn't worry about honking, I would do more serving and more talking.  Instead, the serving takes too much time and energy and the talking can really make me and my friends uncomfortable, and I don't want to do that!  So maybe instead if you could give them a "Saul on the road to Damascus" experience.  That would be better.
• I love the WWJD bracelets and bumper stickers but man you can't expect that kind of standard!  I mean, Jesus was so good!  So maybe I can't do it, but I am confident I can do a lot better!  I don't wear the bracelet, but I don't need it to remind me.  I have known for a long time that I should try to think about what Jesus would do and then act accordingly.  
• I know I like to say, "Jesus loves you and so do I" but I am not sure if my love matches your love.  Your scripture teaches that there is no greater love than this, that  a man give his life for another.  But truthfully, I have a hard time giving up a "value meal" a week to give to those in need.
• Yep, I know that you own the cattle on a thousand hills...but c'mon really?  You can't possibly want me to give you 10% of MY income to you...do you?  The truth is that you require so little from me, but I act like mine is a sacrifice of great proportion.  All the while I proclaim with great pride about you giving up your life for us.  Those two don't quite match up do they...?
• Finally, I talk about 1 Cross + 3 Nails =4 given, but I don't forgive others too well.  I hold onto hurts, onto memories and allow them to make me an unforgiving and bitter believer.  I got to believe I need to shape up when it comes to forgiveness.  You told me that you will forgive me the way I forgive others.

God I am not willing to die and face you with bumper sticker faith.  I am afraid that I have learned to rationalize my lack of faith with words like wise and discerning faith.  I got to be honest, I want to be wise and discerning while at the same time I want to be a fool for Christ.  I have learned to accept less from myself, while I expect more and more from you.  I have learned to expect you to make sense to me while I am sure I am inconsistent and confusing to you.  I say things while doing the opposite.  I claim a great faith while living with a puny faith.  My words don't match up with my deeds.  All the while I know this, so I just simply accept it as being a flawed human being and expect you to forgive me.  The problem is that I am not seeking to change my ways and step out into arenas I have never been to before so that I might grow and look more like your Son.
Make me bold and courageous.  No check that: I will be bold and courageous.  You don't make me bold and courageous.  WE CHOOSE TO BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS because you are so worthy.  I am not going to put this on you...this is all mine.  I need to stop the compromise and give you my best, not my second best.
God I don't want to try to do your will with my bumper sticker faith.  I promise to mean what I say and do what I say.  I am your man.  So use me as you will, even when it doesn't make sense to me.  I will talk to others about you and not care that I am uncomfortable and I might lose a friend over it.  Eternity is much more important than being comfortable.  I will love people and sacrifice for them.  Giving up time and energy and money if that is what is needed for them to experience the love of Christ.  I will give you money each time I get paid.  I will give AT LEAST 10%, plus money to meet needs, to you and not complain.  Even if I don't know how I am going to pay my bills. Finally, I will forgive as I am forgiven by you.  No more bitterness and holding onto hurts.
I am sure there is a lot more God.  Search my heart and see if there is a wicked way in me.  Cleanse me.  I am your man God.  It's the LEAST I can do.    
I love you...really.
I can never do enough.
Rod

"I pledge allegiance..."

Just in case you missed it:

NYDaily News:

"The Pledge of Allegiance includes the phrase "one nation under God" -- except when it's part of NBC's coverage of the U.S. Open Championship. 

Someone in the editing room, trimmed two references to the line during an opening piece that aired Sunday on patriotism. It showed children in a classroom reciting the Pledge of Allegiance."

Yes, that's right, NBC did a patriotic piece about the Congressional Golf Course where this years U.S. Open was played.  NBC hoped to show all the great dignitaries and such who have been members or played at the course over the years.  It was actually a great idea and a nice piece of entertainment.  As they showed the video you can hear children reciting the pledge of allegiance.  As they recite you hear the entire pledge with the omission of "Under God"...and they did it, not once, but twice.  Later NBC apologized for the "omission" saying it was a simple mistake.  Treating it like it was not a big deal because it was a simple error, nothing personal or intentional.
I can see that it could happen...once.  But here it happened twice.  The recitation of the pledge can be heard twice and both times it omits "under God".  
I want to give my opinion on this and this is my blog so I can do what I want...
I DO think it was intentional.  There is a false interpretation of our constitution which states that separation of church and state means that nothing religious can ever be stated, displayed, or mentioned in a public forum, building, or function.  Absolutely not the correct interpretation but it seems to be blindly believed by many in this country.  I think (my opinion here) that they don't like God, or the thought of God or the image of God.  The reason is simple.  God is in control, we are not.  We don't like that too much, but it is true.  Man has always battled God for control.  This is nothing new under the Sun.  My fear though is that we have not learned from history.
Now if I may, let me talk to you Christ-followers out there.  NOTHING is happening here on this earth, in this country, that God does not allow to happen.  God knows that the United States of America is trying to kick Him out of this country.  God knows that our culture is becoming more and more centered on man and not Him.  He knows and He has seen it before.  He has seen it in Ancient Babylon, Greece, Rome, Medo-Persia, Assyria, and many other empires that all forgot God, and have been ruined and forgotten.  I wonder if we will ever learn a lesson from past history, from experienced adversity, from former judgments on the nations, that we must NEVER forget God?

Macaulay, the English historian, wrote one hundred years ago, about America, "She will be pillaged and looted in the twentieth century by vandals, and forces within her will cause her destruction."  Hmmm, sound familiar?  Listen, I am not some conspiracy theorist.  I don't have a militia agenda.  I simply want to turn back to God.  We have been trying it our way for about 60 years now...so my question is simple:  "How's that working for us?"  

We spend more on education now than ever before in the history of mankind, yet we see the results get lower and lower.  Is it because of bad teachers?  No.  I think it is because of the bad agenda of our education system.  We have been trying to kick God out of our country for 6 decades now.  We started with the schools.  God cannot honor anything that does not honor Him.  Let's try education with God instead of against God. 

I love the freedom we have in America.  Freedom to state our beliefs, to stand up for our convictions and to hear others.  Unfortunately we have become such an arrogant nation that we actually believe that we are free because of our strength and our might and our intelligence.  I tell you we are free because of God and His gift of freedom.  We remain free because God has called us to protect that fragile freedom with our strength, might and intelligence. 

Let's keep God not just in our pledge, but much more importantly in our Country. Churches and Christ-followers alike need to pray and fast for this country.  I heard that Rick Perry, the governor of Texas has invited all Pastors to go to Houston in August to pray and fast for our country.  I am going to try to go.  But if I can't go, I am still going to fast and pray here in Fernley.  LISTEN CHURCH: RISE UP AND PRAY DON'T RISE UP AND COMPLAIN.  NBC is not God's representation...YOU ARE!  I am...His church! It matters not what NBC does.  I think we need to ask, What are we doing?  Let's begin some regulars times for fasting and prayer.    Let me recall for you a great quote: "America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."–Alexis de Tocqueville

Take care,

Rod  

Thanks to a Father and Son

I just wanted to first of all say thanks to my Dad.  I love my dad, he is one of my role models.  I admire him and am thankful that I have him as my father.  He's not a perfect man but he is a righteous man.  I love him and hope that someday I can measure up to him.  I am blessed to have a dad who had loved my mom for over 56 years and loved the Lord even longer.  He won't be reading this I know.  Computers and my dad don't get along too well.  But I will write it anyway.  Happy Father's Day Dad.  I love you.
Second let me say thanks to my Son, Brad.  Or should I say B-Rad...
I am proud to be the father of a 26 year old son.  If I could describe Brad to you I would describe him as a fighter and a friend.  He has had to fight and be an overcomer after surviving two medical trauma's in his life.  He has had to learn to read, write, walk, talk and all the basic stuff we learn as a toddler, not once, not twice, but THREE times in his life.  And he has.  I am proud of his ability to fight back when he gets knocked down.  (He gets that from his mom).
He is also quick to be a friend to people.  He wants to help people, encourage people and he has a great desire to build friendships.  He's never too busy to help a friend.  He wants to always be available to anyone who might need him.  Also, I feel like maybe...he and I are becoming better friends...I love that.
So to Dad and Brad...I love you both and I am proud of both of you.  I hope can make you proud too!
Take care,
Rod