Jesus Changing Lives That Change the World

On Sunday I shared this battle cry for the next season of Oso Creek . . . (And if you weren't there Sunday I encourage you to go here and listen to the message)

Jesus Changing Lives
That Change the World

Some people call it a mission statement or purpose statement or whatever - but we want to be clear and unified as to what we are about!

We're about people's lives being transformed! We're about people moving from the old to the new, from death to life.

Like I said in a post last week, 'Jesus didn't come to make bad men good, but to make dead men alive!'

On Mission . . .

God has mission for every one of us, right where we are! I know it. He says it. It's just a matter of whether or not we're willing to look at life through our spiritual eyes, or if we only see through our earthly eyes.

My good friend Dan Morris (preached for me just a few weeks ago) had an awesome post the other day about a divine appointment, and God showing him that he was 'on mission' right where he was.

I encourage you to click here and read it . . . and to keep your eyes on 'things above.'

Mission 911

This afternoon I had the privilege of hanging out with Tony Reyes for a couple of hours and hearing his heart for Mission 911.

I love this guy because he's doing it! He inspires me. He gave up his hat as an Office Depot executive 9 years ago when God called him to care for the homeless and hurting and love an entire broken neighborhood. He's on mission - it's written all over his life.

Mission 911 is one of the ministries we are going to support as we give to compassion through Advent Conspiracy. I'm pumped that we get to engage with guys like Tony as they seek to change the world right where they are!

Surfside Update - 11/11

Did you know that Ike was the third most destructive hurricane to ever hit the US?
It killed 164 people - with still over 200 people missing in the US - and did an estimated $31.5 billion in damage!

It's been nearly 2 months since it hit and has faded from the frontal cortex of many of our minds.

And yet folks so many folks are still hurting and digging out.

Some of you knew Maren Harding and may have seen her at Oso Creek on Sunday. She lives near Houston (Shoreacres) and took a direct hit and she is just now getting any construction started while living in a trailer (and she's one of the first!)

All that to say, the need is still great and we are still seeking ways to help in Surfside!

The next stage of reconstruction at Surfside is helping with home repairs -- tearing out sheet rock, cleaning, painting, etc . . . Are you or your group ready to go?

We will be taking another group either this Saturday (15th) or the next (20th). Please email Rick Thornton (click here) if you need more info or are ready to go!


"Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart." Proverbs 3:3

Christmas???

Yes, it's hard to believe but I've already seen Christmas stuff in Hobby Lobby and I'm sure that the celebration of the almighty Santa dollar will soon begin all over the marketable world :)

My heart this Christmas season is that we learn to practice more and more giving ourselves away as Jesus would want us to! We are going to have three unique opportunities as a body to do that and I hope that you will consider being a part of all three! I wanted to preview them all as we get close:

1) First and very soon (like this Sunday!) you will begin seeing Operation Christmas Child decorations. We have participated in OCC for about 6 years now and it is such an easy and powerful way to impact children and families around the world. It is also a great way to begin to teach your children to give themselves away. More info will be coming at you this week and OCC collection will be November 23rd.


2) Many of you remember Advent Conspiracy from last year! This is an incredible way to use our resources for compassion instead of consumption. The gist of AC is that we will be asking you to forgo some of your normal Christmas consumption (i.e. don't buy so many gifts!) and give that money towards the poor and needy.
What makes this even cooler is that this year we have 6 or 7 other Corpus Churches participating with us! More info will roll out soon . . .


3) Compassion Trip to Mexico - What could be better than giving ourselves away by going to the Pan de Vida orphanage in Querataro, Mexico.
This trip will be December 26th-January 4th and there will be the opportunity to join in various projects with our hands as well loving the children and staff of Pan de Vida!
Because of passport and other preparation needs, this is an opportunity that you need to begin preparing for now! Tim Klaus is leading the trip and you can get any information you need by emailing him (click here to email Tim).

Compassion?

From December 26th to January 4th we will be making another compassion trip to the Pan de Vida Orphanage in Queretaro, Mexico.

I like the idea of calling these 'compassion trips' (I stole it from another pastor) because that's exactly what we are going to do . . . show compassion to the orphans and anyone else who crosses our path.

Are you up for it? Our life is changed when we give it away . . .

Here's some of the details:

When: Leave Corpus Fri 12/26 @ 10am . . . Arrive back Sun 1/4 by noon

Cost: $400 (inlcudes transportation, food, lodging, constructing materials & tourist visa)

There will be an informational meeting after the 11am Celebration THIS Sunday (10/12) . . . or you can email Tim Klaus (click here) for more info.

Surfside - THIS Saturday!

Attached is an email sent by my good friend Dan Morris who is a pastor at Christ Point Church.

He went with me on Monday and is leading a group back to Surfside on Saturday.

Read the note below for the details and then please let me know asap if you're interested in going [click here to email me]. . . I know it's a sacrifice, but God will use that sacrifice in awesome ways!

We've got another opportunity to connect with God and the world this weekend by returning to Surfside Beach.

The city has asked us to work with the homes of their elderly citizens. Most (but not all) homes in Surfside are on stilts and were somewhat saved from the title surge. But the stairs leading to these homes were destroyed. We need to rebuild those stairs so people can return home. We also will replace siding, repair roofs, and unboard windows. There also may be some debris to remove. Basically, there is work for everyone and anyone who wants to go and can withstand the heat.

Here are some details to know:

1. We'll leave CPC parking lot at 6:00 AM Saturday.
2. We'll return around 10:00ish Saturday night.
3. The Red Cross will provide us lunch.
4. You'll be responsible for buying your dinner on the way home.
5. Bring work gloves, mosquito repellent, a hat, sunscreen, and a change of clothes for the return trip (that last one is not necessary, but your fellow passengers might appreciate it!)
6. Bring tools such as hammers and saws if you have them. A chain saw or two would be helpful.
7. Call the church office (992-4567) or email me (dan@christpointchurch.com) to let me know you're coming so we can arrange transportation. [Email me or post a comment back to me on this post Creekers if you want to go . . . I'll get our numbers to Dan]
   

This is a one-day trip. To come means you take one day from your already over-crowded schedule. But that one day may make a huge difference in the lives of a few people.

Finder or Loser

I can't tell you how pumped I was last Sunday to talk about Discover. It's because I know that only as we discover God's mission for our lives, does life really become worth living. And living to the fullest.

I quoted Mark Batterson from Wild Goose Chase on Sunday: "I'm not convinced that the date of your death is the date carved on your tombstone. Most people die long before that. We start dying when we have nothing worth living for. And we don't really start living until we find something worth dying for. Ironically, discovering something worth dying for is what makes life worth living."

And then this morning I was pounded by what Jesus said in Matthew 10:39: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Jesus is saying that if we settle on living this life on our terms, in our strength, in our wisdom -- If we become enamored with 'finding ourself' --- our life will be lost. It will be wasted.

BUT . . . Jesus says that if we are willing to surrender to Him. If we are willing to 'count our lives as rubbish' without Christ. If we are willing to forsake our ways and our wisdom and give our lives - moment by moment - for the Kingdom of God . . . Then we will find LIFE. Then we will find mission that will not only fill us up to overflowing, but will echo into all eternity.

The choice is yours: You can keep it, and lose it. Or, lose it, and keep it.

Making a Difference

Whether it's on our block, in our office, at our school, somewhere in Corpus, or anywhere in the world --- God has called us to be on mission with our lives. There is just a continual pounding of the possibilities in my heart and mind.

You CAN make a difference! You can change part of the world through the Spirit of God working through you and your willingness to listen . . . and act.

Check out this cool video call Benched on Scott Hodge's blog and see how some folks used a simple idea and a small sacrifice to impact their corner of the Kingdom.

Conspiracy of Compassion

I'm pumped about how God is going to use Advent Conspiracy this Christmas season in our City!
Today I met with several other pastors to cast vision for how we as the Body of Christ can together impact our city and world!

If you weren't here last Christmas season - or don't remember AC - then you can check out the posts here, here and here as an intro/reminder.

I'm hoping that at least 10-15 churches will join us this year as give up Consumption for Compassion . . .

Tourney Time

Cindy and I stayed in our second San Antonio hotel in 3 nights last night as we stayed here after Leadership Summit for a soccer tourney that Sarah & Laura are in. (And for the record the Hampton Inn we stayed in last night beat the snot out of the Drury Inn we stayed in the last couple of nights.)

Looking forward to hanging out with my family (and the Gonzalez' as Cecy is on the team) and watching my girls play a couple of games today . . .

This is also one of the richest grounds for me in having the opportunity to hang out with and love other parents. I pray that my mind and heart are focused on Jesus and that I seize every opportunity to be the compassion of Christ . . .

Day 2 at The Summit

Wow, it's incredibly hard to describe the firehouse of wealth that we received today at Leadership Summit!

All I can tell those of you who weren't here is: Don't miss it next year!!

One of the church leaders from Corpus that we brought with us this year has been in ministry for 30 or so years and told me this afternoon that he had never been to anything even close to as awesome as this!

I'm going to try to find a way over the next week to share more of it with you, but for now I want to share one quote from Craig Groeschel that speaks to us as individuals and a church as we are called out to be light in the darkness and see Kingdom transformation in our world:

"In order to reach people that no one is reaching, you're going to have to do things that no one is doing . . . but in order to do things that no one is doing you can't do things that everyone else is doing."

Recycle

Yesterday I met with the Assistant of the CC Sanitation Dept and the head of recycling. We were talking about the possibility of us hosting a recycling drop-off location on our property. There's not one the south side of town at all, and they were excited about the possibility.

It was awesome to be able to tell them that our motivation was just to bless our City and to spread the Kingdom of God! That God cares about our city and our environment and we do too!

Looks like it's going to happen . . . I'm so thankful that God is allowing us to move into new domains and influence new people . . .

Major Contribution

Here's a baseball story that all of you should like!

Fernando Tatis was a Major League baseball player (and a Texas Ranger for 2 seasons) until 2004 when he quit.

Then in 2006 his church in a small town in the Dominican Republic needed land and a building. Tatis decided that the only way they could do it is if he went back to baseball.

So last year he signed with the Orioles and played in the minors. This year he's starting in left field for the Mets and having an incredible season . . . and in May his hometown church - in San Pedro de Macoris - was completed!

You can check out the story on the New York Times website here.

It got me thinking . . . What is it that God has chosen you to do? What contribution can only you make to the Kingdom???

Seeds!

It's awesome to watch folks moving out into their mission for God!

Michelle Needham (yep, that's her!) had a vision for serving Mothers and Fathers who are trying to become pregnant, who are pregnant, who have recently had their babies, or who have lost a baby.

After seeking God's wisdom, and sharing her vision with the staff - SEED's has been born. Seeds has a vision to come alongside our Life Groups (and leaders) and help to care for these families . . . . as well as reaching out to those who are not yet in groups and showing them God's love and the power of community. Michelle also has a further vision to involve the community and impact our City!

Seeds stands for:

S Serving
E expecting mothers with
E encouragement
D dedicated prayer and
S support

I can't wait to watch the impact that Michelle and her mission will have on not just Creeker Moms & Dads - but on our community - as the Seeds of Jesus are planted in the lives of parents in this vulnerable season.

Way to go Michelle!

Who Are You Hanging Out With?

A friend sent me this quote from The Tangible Kingdom . . . I haven't read the book yet, but I know that I know that this is why we are followers of Jesus.

Hebrews 9 says: "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ . . . cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Check out the quote:

"go to Africa and hang out with a village of starving children, you'll get a heart for starving African children. If you hang out with the mentally ill, you'll get a heart for the emotionally imbalanced. If you want a heart for people outside the church......you've got to be with them. As they grab your heart, your posture will change, your angle of approach will change, and the kingdom of God will be a little more tangible."

So, who do you have a heart for? Who are you hanging out with?

ON Mission!

Many of you remmber Todd & Tracy Fruehauf when they were at Oso Creek . . . Todd is deployed in Iraq right now, while Tracy & Liam await him in California where they are stationed.


I got the below email from Todd last week (and his permission to share it with you) . . .


It makes my eyes tear and my chest swell to hear Todd's courage and passion to serve our country ---- BUT, it makes me a hundred times prouder to hear how He is on MISSION serving the King of Kings!


Ephesians 6 says that we are ALL in a 'battle' - and it's not against 'flesh and blood' but 'against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.'


As we all see our Kingdom Mission as clearly as Todd does, our world will be transformed . . .





Dear Friends & Family,


. . . I would first like to thank everyone for your continued prayers for me, Tracy, Liam, and my men. God has been so faithful in response to your prayers to keep Tracy, Liam, and I connected, to keep my men and I safe, and to provide the fellowship of other men who love the Lord here at Camp Hit. . . . I miss them more than words can express but God is using this time apart to strengthen our faith and to keep us from taking each other for granted.


About a month ago, one of my teams (Bill Nesbitt, Marshall Palmer, and Matt Walther) was attacked by an IED during a post blast investigation. Luckily everyone was inside of the armored vehicle at the time of the strike and NO one was injured. The vehicle they were driving sustained significant damage but shielded the guys inside from the blast and shrapnel resulting from the explosion. I am convinced that everyone walked away from this as a direct result of the thousands of prayers lifted up on our behalf. With tears in my eyes I thank you.


Two days ago, my team and I responded to the District Iraqi Police Station to pick up some ordnance they had. During our visit we were introduced to several Al Qaeda insurgents who had been detained over the last couple months. I was very unprepared for the emotional roller coaster that this would take me on. One of the insurgents was only 20 years old and had been raised by his father to kill Americans. I looked at every one of them square in the eyes and every one of them looked away first. It showed me that they knew in their hearts that they had done wrong. God has written his law on the hearts of all people and it was evident even through the stone cold façade the insurgents portrayed to us. It is hard to describe how I felt, but the Lord gave me compassion toward them and I felt the need to forgive them in my own heart despite the lack of regret they showed for the things they have done.


. . . God has truly blessed me with some awesome fellowship this last month. As surrounding camps close down, more Marines have been consolidated to Hit. I have met 5 Marines who truly are passionate about the Lord and want to serve Him with their whole heart. I leave every meeting encouraged to love and pursue the Lord better and love my family more. A list of the guys to pray for: Austin Barnhill, Isaac Hanson, Daniel Harrison, Fernando Urena, and Jeremiah Farrell.
These guys are scattered throughout 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines and are actively pursuing the men they lead to share the Lord with them.


It has been so encouraging to watch the Lord move in Iraq. He is pursuing the hearts of those who do not know him and he is strengthening his children on a daily basis. We have started a Tuesday Prayer & Worship Meeting, a Wednesday night Purity Accountability Meeting, a Thursday night Bible Study, and a Sunday Evening Service in our Chapel here in Hit. On average there are 30 Marines, Soldiers, and Sailors who attend the meetings and we are seeing new faces every week. Please pray for this.


Please pray that the Lord would continue to strengthen this group of believers in Hit, that the Marines, Soldiers, and Sailors here would see their need for God and would see the greatness of his provision for sinners in Christ. Please continue to pray for Tracy, Liam, and I that we would love each other more everyday and that the Lord would begin to prepare our hearts for the reunion that isn't too far away. Please pray for Tracy and Liam's provision and protection in my absence. Finally, please continue to pray for my men and their safety. I cannot thank you enough for your continued support during this time. I look forward to the day I can see you all again.


I love you all.
Grace and Peace,
Todd

Where's Your Can?

OK, it's hard to see until you click on the pic because my photography is not too great at this point . . . but there's my can of American Value French Style Green Beans on the center of the mantle.

I can't wait till the first person asks me why it's there!

On Sunday I talked about how What God is Forming in Me Powers His Mission Through Me.

It's NOT about what's on the outside, but what's on the inside. God calls every ounce of our lives to be on Mission . . . and the power for that mission comes as we humble ourselves before God.

My can reminds that God is forming a servant nature IN me. I have to get out of the way and let Him.

Where's your can?

Hurricane or Opportunity?

As of 9:40 tonight, there is still a chance that a Category 1 (or bigger) hurricane could pass through Corpus in the next 36 hours.
Panic or Possibilities?

"Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown! He replied, "Your of little faith, why are you so afraid?" The he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." (Matt 8:23-26)

Storms are perfect opportunities for Jesus to show His peace. I don't see our potential storm as a crisis, but as a circumstance where we can show people the love and peace of Jesus. Where we can be used to help others and who knows, maybe even point them to the Peace Maker. Another opportunity to be on mission for the Kingdom!

And in the vein of help, would you be willing to help some of our singles/widows/or military wives over the next couple of days (boarding up or whatever is necessary for them to get prepared)?
If you would please call Tim Klaus (549-4813) or Jessica Gregory (774-2199).

And if you need ANY help please your Group Leader, the Church office (993-4463) or one of the above #'s.

Pray for Mexico Trip

Yesterday we had to cancel our trip to Durango, Mexcio amidst many concerns about security. There has been an increase of rebel violence in that area and several people have been killed near where we go - one only a couple of blocks away.

Because 'foreigners' only draw attention to themselves and those they are with - our host in Mexico decided that the risk was too great - both for us and those we would be working with. He and his family are also pulling out until things cool down.

Those folks from Oso Creek who were going are now checking into going back to the Pan de Vida Orphanage in Queretaro, Mexico where another group from Oso Creek went in June.

Please pray with us for wisdom and open doors if/where he would have this group love folks for Jesus.