Things I learned from my dad...

Sunday, June 21st is Father's day so I thought I would talk a little about that this week. I wanted to start out by telling you about my dad. I am blessed by having a dad who loves the Lord and has served him in various ways his whole adult life. There are many lessons that I can tell you that I learned from my dad, but one stands out that I want to share.
In 1974 we had a huge December snow storm in Toledo Ohio. I remember it hit on a Sunday morning because after church we spent a lot of time pushing cars out of the church parking lot. (this was a time in life where people didn't let something like weather to keep them from church)
That evening we needed to get some groceries and my dad asked me to walk over to the grocery store, which was a little less than a mile away. Before we went, we walked to a few of our older neighbors and asked if they needed anything. Some did and my dad and I walked over to the shopping center in the midst of blowing, drifting, and rising snow. My dad walked in front of me and told me to walk in his footsteps, so I walked in a path my dad created for me to make it through the more than waist high drifts. Every few yards my dad would turn and ask if I was still coming and if I was okay. But that is not the most memorable part of that storm.
The next day the daily newspaper, the Toledo Blade, could not be delivered because of the snow. My dad has to read a paper each morning, so again he asked me to take a walk and we walked down to the Frisches Big Boy restaurant to see if the paper box out front would have the Blade. When we got there, the restaurant was closed but the paper box out front had that days paper. But the slot to put coins in was frozen over so you couldn't put coins in the machine. But the box door was frozen open and you could easily reach in and take a paper without paying the .25 cents. That is what my dad did, he reached in and took a paper and we walked home.
The next day, my dad asked me to take a walk again (in case you don't catch it, my dad loves to walk), so I bundled up and we walked back up to the Frisches Big Boy restaurant. By this time most of the main streets were cleared and the restaurant was open for business. We walked in and my dad walked up to the lady at the front counter, reached in his pocket and pulled out a quarter and as he handed it to the woman, said "I came here yesterday and took a paper out of the box out front. It was frozen over, so I couldn't pay for it, so I thought I would come and pay for it today. Thank you." I remember the woman behind the counter stood, not knowing what to say, and probably thought my dad was kind of strange. We turned and walked home after that. Not a whole lot was spoken on the way home. But while nothing was verbal, my dad spoke volumes to me that day. Integrity was, is and forever will be, vital to my father. I think I should walk in those footsteps too. Thanks dad. I love you.
Have a great day.
Rod

Why all the hate?

Today I heard about a man who went to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC and shot and killed a security guard. All I could think is "why all the hate?" But the truth is that I know the answer to that and that is that we live in a fallen world. Hate wasn't God's idea. All the trouble our country is in shows that we truly live in a broken world. The good news is that the church has the answer. We have the greatest message for the world to hear. To quote Bill Hybels "the church is the greatest hope in all the world." Jesus Christ is the answer to this lost and dying world.
This is the reason why Journey Community of Fernley exists today. The message of the love of Christ and His church is what we hope to bring to the town of Fernley. Our hope is to show the people that this world will fail you and disappoint you, but God never will. His love is forever. One of my favorite sayings is that "God cannot love you more and He will not love you less."
As we go through these tough trials and times I think there could not be a more important message to those who walk this earth without knowing the love of God. Instead of commiserating with those who are struggling we can tell them or maybe remind them that even in the face of these troubles the love of God will never fail us or leave us. We don't have to walk this world alone and face the trials alone. God exists and He walks beside us to give us hope to make it through, day by day. I believe the church is to stand up for truth, fight injustice, and help those who are weak and burdened. As we minister to those people, we show, prove, and express the very love of God. So, go be the message of hope God intended for us to give, the message of hope.

The trip was a trip

Hey all,
Man, it has been a while. Sorry about the long delay but I do have a pretty good excuse...or excuses.
The first is simply that my computer crashed. I was afraid that I lost all my data, documents, and other favorites I had on my computer. After turning my laptop over to a man who I have never met before and he kept it for nearly two weeks, he was able to save all my stuff...yippee!!! But the laptop is officially gone. So I am borrowing one from the church that I received from the church in California that where we bought all that start-up equipment until I can save to buy myself a MAC! My daughter installed all of my stuff back on and I am rebuilding all my "favorites" on the internet and hopefully soon will be back to "normal."
The second reason is that last week I was on the road all week. Last Monday I flew back to Washington DC and on Tuesday began a 2581 mile trek with my daughter and her roommate Becky back here to Fernley. They are now living with us until they find jobs and then they will find a place of their own.
It was a great trip and God kept us safe and out of bad weather. It is so good to have the family back together again and now we've added another (a surrogate daughter) in Becky. We travelled through Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, part of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada. I won't name the states that bored me to tears. But if you ever had to drive through Iowa or Nebraska, you know what I am talking about.
But we are glad to be home and looking forward to this summer. Awesome stuff ahead and I look forward to sharing with you all that God is doing here in Nevada.
I promise to write more often now and to make them so much more interesting. Have a great day! We love and miss you all.
Rod

Lesson's I've Learned # 3

You got to talk about money...a lot! I do not like talking about money. Especially when I know people are already giving to their church and other ministries. But you have to talk about it whether you like it or not because it is EXPENSIVE to plant a church. Just to have Sunday morning worship and some childcare for about 90 minutes could cost thousands of dollars per month. It makes my head swim. Then when you add all the stuff that God is laying on your heart to DO besides meet for worship each week, things like service projects, the Boys and Girls club, single mom car maintenance, tutoring, and community bridge building, it becomes a very EXPENSIVE endeavor. I don't like to ask, beg, or plead but it seems like I have to a lot. It's awkward and uneasy.
But then I remember that its not about me or about Journey Community. Its about the kingdom of God and the hearts of men. I don't ask people to give because I've got a big dream or some good ideas, or even because some people may like me enough to give. I ask and sometimes plead because its about the kingdom of God and the lost in Fernley Nevada. I love what I am doing and I am learning to love the people of Fernley. Actually that last part has come pretty easy. I prayed non-stop before I moved out here for a heart for Fernley, and God has answered that prayer.
So when you give...it's not about ME...huh, who'da thunk?
Take care. Thanks for giving to the kingdom of God for the lost of Fernley.
I love you in Christ.
Rod

Lessons I'm learning #2

Lesson’s I am learning #2

As all of you know, planting a church is new to me.  And as I go down this road I believe I am learning a few things along the way.  So I though over the next few Blog’s I would share some of those lessons with you. 

Lesson #2: It’s up to me but it’s not because of me

Another thing I am learning in this process is that there is a lot of work to do and no one to delegate it to. 

Where ever I have served before I worked with a team, and together as a team, we would accomplish what needed to get done.  Here, it is Gay and I doing all of it.  If we don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.  That means the things I love like meeting people, strategizing, and dreaming.  But it also means the things I don’t love like administrative stuff and paperwork.  So in reality, it is up to me if things get done around here.  BUT, to be successful it will not be because of me.  Does that make sense?  I know the work needs to be done and if it will get done it will be up to me, but the church will only be successful because of God. 

Sometimes I get those mixed up and I think that this church will be successful because of all the work I do.  Nope, not true.  The church will be successful because God is at work in Fernley and He chooses to use Journey as part of his work.  There’s a balance that I am learning, that I should have learned a long time ago.  The church does not become successful by the work of man, but rather by the hand of God.  I pray daily for the work to get done and that God will bless Journey and allow us to be a FORCE in Fernley for His kingdom.  Please pray for that as well.

Thanks.

Take care,

Rod

Lessons I am learning

As all of you know, planting a church is new to me.  And as I go down this road I believe I am learning a few things along the way.  So I though over the next few Blog’s I would share some of those lessons with you.  

Lesson #1: Some people are just not interested in what I am doing.

In my ministries in the past, I have always been surrounded immediately with church-goers.  They are my world when you first arrive on the scene of a new ministry.  They visit, they eat with you, have coffee, go to your meetings, and even laugh at your jokes.  Because you’re the new pastor you start on the softball team, get invited to all sorts of family activities, have numerous options for golf buddies, and people want to hear your story.

However, in church planting, you find a lot of people who have absolutely no interest in the church.  In fact, in Fernley we have found that the local church doesn’t have a great reputation in town.  I am not sure all of the bad press is warranted, but that is how many of the people feel.  So since they feel that way, they have no interest in a new church being planted somewhere in their town.  It is amazing how many conversations have stopped once the person asks me, “What brought you from Virginia to Fernley, Nevada?” and I tell them, “I am here to plant a new church.”  There has been no fanfare, no potlucks to welcome the new pastor in town, and no special meetings to hear about the vision God has laid on my heart for the church.  

I think people want to follow someone who is interested in them.  You see, I am not sure there are many people outside of God’s family who care about what God cares about until they are sure God cares about them.  I am finding that people have needs going unmet and God has put me and my family here to meet those needs.  Then and only then will they care about the vision of Journey.

Take care,

Rod

Trailer

Yesterday Gay and I drove over to the Napa Valley region and picked up a trailer full of church supplies and much needed items for starting a church.  It was an adventure for me.  I am not used to hauling a trailer and yesterday I got to do it in the driving rain and through the mountains all while being overwhelmed with allergies, sneezing and hacking all the way home.  I am glad the trip is over and we didn’t have any incidents.  Today we are going to go through all the stuff, take inventory, find out what we can use and what we still need.  It’s like Christmas!! I am sure we will find some good stuff waiting for us in all those plastic bins and cabinets.  To quote Forrest Gump “Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you’re gonna get.”  

All of this is just a microcosm of planting a church.  Doing things you have never done before while experiencing some opposition and trials.  But then at the end, you get to see what awaits you.  Some good and some not so good, but all in all, it’s worth the struggles.

Wow, I am not sure I should have gotten that out of a one day adventure with a trailer…take it easy Rod!

Take care,

Rod