Run to Win... Pt. 2

It is Thursday night and my calves still haven't completely loosened up. Monday I could hardly walk they hurt so bad. I should have listened (to advice and to my calves).

I read a suggestion the day before the race that you should stop and stretch your calves at the top of the hill so that they don't cramp up on the downhill. After falling behind my intended time to the summit, I didn't want to take the minute or two to stretch my calves to lose even more time. The entire 4.5 mile descent, my calves were on the brink of cramping. I had to try to run with my toes lifted in order to prevent the cramping. Who knows how much it cost me by not stopping to stretch!

I think there are many times when we feel like we can't slow down (or stop) to tend to an issue that is starting to create problems. What is it in me that makes me think that if I just keep moving, problems will take care of themselves? There are times to run through the pain, but more often than not, the damage caused by ignoring an issue is greater than the damage caused by stopping to deal with it.

Run to Win... Pt. 1

I've always read the apostle Paul's encouragement to "run in such a way as to win" and appreciated the parallels between running a race and living the Christian life. Although I've spent many years living the Christian life, I have not competed in a race until Saturday. I told my kids (who were very sad that I knew I was going to "lose") that I was only competing against the clock. I did Robie Creek, the toughest half marathon in the Northwest. It was way tougher than I imagined. I can't describe how my calves feel right now! There are so many parallels spiritually that came to mind, that I am going to spend the week sharing them here.

It was 25 days ago that a friend emailed me and said that I could buy their extra Robie number if I wanted. At first I thought, "No way, there's no way I could do it." But I decided that since I had already been in decent shape, I would give it a shot. I am planning on doing the Sawtooth Relay in June and so this winter I actually tried to keep running and am in the best Spring shape of my life. Since I was in shape, I was able to take advantage of the opportunity. (Right now my legs are wishing I didn't.)

We are talking about Stewardship right now at The Pursuit and I am a firm believer in following God's principles in our finances because we are prepared for whatever opportunity may come. How many of us, if we would have been getting out of debt and putting money into savings, would be able to take advantage of the buying (or giving) opportunities that are around us? If I hadn't been running and biking over the last few months, I would have had to let this opportunity pass by. Trust God. Do what He says with your money and the next time that perfect opportunity pops up, you might be able to take advantage of it.

He Still Trusts Us...

We had no idea what to expect for Easter. We always have a huge burst and many always return. Last year we hit 900 people at Easter, which was incredible. We averaged that in regular attendance by the following September, which is a pattern for us. Literally, every year I have prayed that God would show us at Easter what our normal Sunday attendance would be by the following September. It has always been on the dot.

If this holds true this year, we are going to have 1600 in regular attendance come the fall. This was our sixth Easter as a young church. Here are the attendance numbers for each year: 66, 225, 475, 600, 900, 1600. Does that give you chills like it does me? It is startling what God is doing but by bringing 1600 yesterday He is showing us that He still trusts us with people, but it also means that we are going to have to raise our level of commitment and leadership to make sure that we continue to care for people in the body and reach out to those who are far from God.

Praise God for the privilege of being used by Him! Let's continue to pray, invest, invite and serve to the glory of God. He is worthy!

What is God going to do...

It is a question I ask every Sunday that I preach. I know God will move but I never know how. Today could have gone either way. In our worship concert, in response to Isaiah's "Here am I, send me", I challenged the congregation to live as "sent" people. For us right now, that has to include giving generously. The Pursuit continues to struggle. I shared that The Pursuit is like the Titanic: We are going down. Except, people keep getting on because they love being on it! I said we are like a search and rescue boat that is taking on water but is still going full throttle because there are so many people to reach.

I challenged those that believe in what we are doing to give 3% more of their income if their income hasn't been cut. I figure that if teachers and state employees are being forced to cut their income, maybe some of us could voluntarily do it to further God's work here. I announced that I decided to take a 15% paycut until The Pursuit's "recession" is over. I shared the generosity of our staff, ten households that give an average of $456 a month (that's 12.4% of our income). In fact, we pay for three of our staff salaries just by ourselves! I encouraged people to visit www.investinthepursuit.org if they wanted to give but didn't come prepared to do so. It could have gone either way, but it was readily apparent by the way we sang "We Shine" after we took our offering that God moved.

It isn't going to be one day, or even one month, that turns things around for us. But as I said to a few staff in the office afterwards, "If there was ever a group of people that is so passionate about God that I would expect them to step up, it is the people at The Pursuit." It is such a joy to serve such a great family. People can keep getting on the boat. We'll keep moving ahead full throttle. We are the redeemed!

Why do people leave?

I know that it is fairly common for people to leave their churches. Sometimes it is for a really good reason, but usually not. I wonder more about why do pastors leave churches? I was reading this week of a pastor who left one really large church to go pastor another one just a bit larger (and in a nicer town). I'm not condemning him at all, but I wonder why. I know "God called him" but why?

I was listening to a leadership talk by a pastor of a mega church and he was explaining that most of the staff that he's had at the church through the years were just there for a season. Most moved on after a few years or maybe a decade.

I can't help but think, even though I'd love to be wrong, that it is usually just moving for bigger or better or more money. I don't hear of many who go to smaller or worse or less money, other than church planters. Is this corporate America or the church? Why not try to make the church where we are bigger and better and just forget about the money part? That sounds like the bigger challenge.

If we tell our congregation that God has put us into a family, shouldn't we view ourselves as part of it? Maybe that's why so many staff positions turn over in churches. Maybe that staff that God has put together at The Pursuit really is unique. We see our staff as a family. We hang out after hours. We try to vacation together. As I shared my thoughts on this with the staff this week, all of us agreed, as far as it depends on us, we want to stay together. If we keep trusting God and passionately pursuing the people He cares about, maybe He'll let us!

It Shouldn't Be This Fun...

As I prayed with our team before The Pursuit P.M. this week, I prayed, "God, it shouldn't be this fun." It wasn't until I visited Cornerstone Simi (www.cornerstonesimi.com) in 1999 that I saw people at church who appeared to be there because they wanted to be—not because they were fulfilling a duty. That certainly characterizes people at The Pursuit.

Every Sunday I am just amazed at what God is doing. To see people so passionately in love with God and displaying that love to each other is just too awesome. I don't deserve this, but I'm enjoying every Sunday (and the days in between). God is indeed too good to us!

Don't Give Up...

I am so saddened to read the story online of a capsized boat off the coast of Florida with four athletes on board. I am sure that most of you have heard at least something of this tragedy. One was miraculously rescued while three lost their lives. The waters were a chilly 63 degrees. All four were wearing life jackets. The waves kept coming. Eventually one gave up and removed his life jacket, allowing himself to be swept away. Soon another followed his friend, a victim of a relentless attack and dwindling hope. The third, likely disillusioned by hypothermia, believed he could swim to safety.

I don't know what you are going through right now, but the trials on this earth are indeed heavy. So many are currently living under an onslaught of waves, or better said, an onslaught of flaming arrows of the evil one. He is relentless and he wants you to give up hope and be swept away. Even though you may be in the valley of the shadow of death, remember who is with you. Keep your life jacket on. Keep clinging to the vessel that can save you. Rescue is coming!