Your Pastor Dude

Every Opportunity Is Sacred!

2011-10-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

This week I re-read a great quote in Rick Warren’s book – The Purpose Driven Life. He said: “The great commission is my commission.” (page 304) See Matt 28:16-20

The quote reminded me that each and every one of us, Christian or not has a mission in life. As Christians our mission is the great commission – it is making disciples – beginning with ourselves and then moving like it says in Acts 1:8 – and moving out into every part of our lives.

This commission and pattern is easily adaptable to every part of our lives. I have a friend in the financial services industry who has been talking about this with me even. He trains his sales people to think about selling to their “whole” world – starting at home, moving out in waves to friends, to colleagues, to those far away. It is a pattern that works for other sales people too – and in every industry and in every life.

For us in the church it is a pattern we can easily follow. We can start at home – even with ourselves. Move out to immediate family, friends, colleagues and eventually into the far reaches of our world. It is a perfect and well thought out plan that God has given. It puts before us opportunity unlike we have ever seen before. And (thank you Theo Epstein, new Chicago Cubs President) EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO WIN is sacred. Every opportunity to bring a family member, a friend, a colleague, or some one you have just met off the street into relationship with Jesus is SACRED.

Let’s not miss a single opportunity!

Your Pastor Dude!

www.disciplesgurnee.org

Sharing Your Life Mission - WITH WHO?

2011-09-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I attend networking events all over Lake County. I do so for two reasons. I go sometimes as a representative of Sweet Sheila’s Treats. Most of the time though I go as a representative of the church – First Christian Church in Gurnee. At most events each attendee is allowed to give what is commonly called their “elevator” pitch – 30 seconds of information designed specifically to help people want to connect with you.

I want you to know that i have heard thousands of these “elevator” speeches, most of which I think are pretty terrible and ineffective. Most are what i would call the “Shotgun” style – where words are blurted out with the hope of hitting something – or in this case triggering someone elses desire to meet up with the speaker in order to do business.

Sharing Our Life Mission is a lot like that for most of us. We don’t really take aim at a target – we hope our words and our life actions speak loudly and cause people to want to know more about our faith, our church, our God. And what we really know is that we are pretty ineffective. The shotgun approach simply does not work. And since it doesn’t work – sometimes we just shoot more often – making lots of noise but seldom hitting anything 0r we stop shooting altogether – and never even have the chance. (but at least it is quiet)

Sharing Your Life Mission well is really like effective marketing. Effective marketing is usually done with pinpoint targeting, aiming at specific people, with specific needs, wants or hopes. Effective sharing of our life mission is done the same way. Identifying people’s needs, wants and hopes and then taking action to meet them.

So how do you identify who you share your mission with? You assess your passions and talents. You look at your five circles of relationships. Family, Friends, Acquaintances, Fun and Work and identify names of people your passsions and talents can help, then you make a plan – identifying who to help or share with and the first 2 or three steps along the way. Remembering all along that because you are sharing with people, the path, the need, the hope might change along the way.

Share your life mission – do it today!

Your Pastor Dude -

http://disciplesgurnee.org/

Sharing Your LIfe Mission Every Day

2011-09-14T05:15:00.001-07:00

Does your life have a mission? Yes. Every life has a purpose. Every life has a mission. The question is (play the theme music) will you choose to accept it?

Will you choose to accept the mission God has for your life? Will you change your agenda to God’s? Will you let God be in charge of your life?

I always loved the openings to Mission Impossible because the mission was laid out and then the message self destructed. The characters then had to decide right then and there whether or not to accept or decline the mission.

The mission is pretty simple. It is explained in scripture this way:

“Go into all the world making disciples, baptizing them, teaching them,” Matthew 28:19

“Love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:9

The single, most important way to love one another is to share the good news with them – and the best way to do that is to love them as Jesus has loved you.

To do this requires a special dedication because not everyone you meet will be lovable to our human senses. It requires a dedication to God’s will instead of our own. A dedication to God’s agenda instead of my own. A real commitment to the part of the Lord’s Prayer we often gloss over saying:

“Thy Kingdom come, THY will be done.” Matthew 6:10

You have a mission. Will you choose to accept it?

It's a TEAM Game....

2011-06-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

Baseball season is here. As a Cubs fan – I am eternally hopeful. As a follower of the White Sox and the Brewers my opportunity for seeing lots of baseball is very high. I like baseball because it is such a good example of what the church is supposed to be like in real life.

Baseball is the epitome of a “team” game. Fact is all of my favorite sports fit this description except for golf. But think with me just a bit about what it means to be a part of the team.

Every baseball team in the Major Leagues is allowed to carry 25 players. Each team carries around 10 pitchers and 15 position players. Every team has an Owner, a General Manager, a Manager and 4-6 coaches, each having varying degrees of responsiblity for the teams success. And here is one thing that I know. The team that wins the world series is the team that for one season has its management, coaching staff, pitchers and position players carry out their roles at the highest level for the whole season. Major League Baseball for the most part has the best players in the world pretty evenly divided over all the teams. (Yankee fans and haters just be quiet – they all think that the Yankees have paid for the best players)

If I were to divide the church into a baseball team it would look a little bit like this.

Owner: God - He has paid the price

General Manager: Jesus – he has developed the team

Field Manager: the Pastor – he has been given the task of casting the vision and calling the plays.

Coaching Staff: the Elders – they are teachers and supports of the managers vision and the players abilities.

Pitchers: Deacons – Have specific roles – Some long term, (starters) other short term, (relievers)

Position Players: the congregation – everyone is involved in every play – sometimes the ball is hit directly at you – sometimes you have to back someone up. You may be a starter playing nearly every day or perhaps you are a bench player, playing only when someone is hurt or your specific talent or skill is needed. Every team needs every position filled. In fact every team in the majors has 5-6 minor league teams where players are trained for the major league teams. In the church these might be small groups or

Fans: the world’s people – wanting to be a part of the team!

The good news is that in the church we are all a part of the team. We all have a role – we all have tasks and just like on a baseball team a member of the team is unable to do their part – then the whole church, the whole team suffers.

I love baseball season. Come on Cubs! And I love the church! Come on First Christian!

Your Pastordude!

Do You Have The Time - PART 2!

2011-05-17T13:49:00.001-07:00

Do you have the time?

The time that it takes to become the person God has called you to be?

The time that it takes to develop your life to the fullest, to celebrate all that God has done and is doing? Time, my friends is the greatest asset each one of us has. Using the acronymn TIME we can learn to use our time more wisely, develop our time more fully and celebrate our time completely!

T – Treasure your Time!

There is nothing more valuable than your time. You get 86,400 seconds every single day and not one more or one less. These 24 hours are your daily capital.

I – Invest your Time!

Despite all the appliances and do-dads that promise to SAVE you time, you really can’t save it – you can only invest it. If you don’t use it, you will lose it! And where you invest it tells us what is most important to you. Do you know that most people after all is said and done really only have about 5 hours per day of discretionary time? Where do you use those precious minutes? Do you know?

M – Manage your Time

Like money, time will either be managed by you, or it will manage you. And of course ”time” is never really managed – as Steven Covey says in his book, you can only really manage yourself! If you are one that complains about not having enough time, just remember that you are the one who choses how your time is managed!

E – Enjoy your Time

This is the RESULT of time that is treasured, time that is invested well and time that is managed. As Christians this end result is “being” a disciple, being in a faithful, fruitful relationship that brings joy to our lives.

Time is a gift from God! Treasure it, Invest it, Manage it, and ENJOY IT!

Blessings,

Pastor David - YourPastorDude

Do You Have The Time?

2011-05-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

I am always amazed at what people tell me they either have time for or not for. Do you ever think about time? About how you use it? About how it controls you or how you control it? Have you ever thought about how many calendars you have? Or clocks? Or watches?

Time seems to always be slipping away. We never seem to have enough of it for the "important" things in life. Our relationships suffer because we don't have enough. The number one reason given by people for not reading more is "there's not enough time." The number one reason given for people not doing devotions with their family - "there's not enough time." The number one reason for not playing more with our children - "there's not enough time." Over and over again we hear this complaint. "I would, but i don't have the time." A whole electronic calendar and alarm industry has developed because "I don't have time...."

Could it be perhaps, that we don't have the time, because we have given it away? Misused it? Abused it? Could it be that we don't have the time because we don't manage our time very well, we don't keep the important things on the clock and let time slip by?

I had a class in college that started at 7:30am by the record book. But the instructor was always at least 10 minutes late - every day. We trained well, after two weeks all the students arrived 10 minutes late. Found out that the professor had 7 kids - all going to school. We cut him some slack - till we realized that he was 10 minutes late to his 9:30am class too!

Do you have that aunt, uncle or friend that when you invite them to dinner you secretly tell them 30 minutes earlier than your start time? I do - more than one. What is that about? Why is it that time seems so precious to so few and so misused and abused by so many?

A good friend of mine told me once that how people used their time told what was important to each and every person. I think its true. Another friend said that people who are late all the time usually are guilty of the sin of pride - thinking that their schedule, their activities are always more important than everyone else's. I think its true. The Bible tells us that time, every minute is a gift from God. How we use it is very important.

So let me ask you this question: How do you use your time? Who does it glorify? You or God? Who does it serve? You or God? Who reaps the benefits for how you use your time? You or God? Want to know a great secret? If your time glorifies God, serves God, benefits God - it will also benefit, serve and glorify you. If it doesn't? it won't matter what you do with your time - it will only be wasted.

Time is the one precious commodity we really have. How we use it either will change the world or cement it into place.

Keeping track of the time....I have to go.

Pastor David

TODAY I GREET THE DAY WITH LOVE IN MY HEART!

2011-04-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

Last time i shared with you that one of my very favorite books is Og Mandino's bestseller - The Greatest Salesman in the World.

It gives steps to becoming a great salesman/saleswoman and you may ask why this is important. The reason is simple. Every single one of us is selling. From Main Street to suburbia, from the church to the coffin, we are all selling. And what are we selling? We are selling ourselves. My friend Barbara Kincaid reminds us often that people want to do business with people they "know, like and trust." And the fact of the matter is this - not only do we want to do business with people we know like and trust, we want to be friends with, serve with, create with the same.

Last time I talked about deciding to make each and every day new - saying - Today I begin a new life! Take a minute - go look in a mirror and say that outloud.

The second step begins with this declaration and builds on the first: (repeat after me)

"I will greet each day with love in my heart."

This is about our attitude towards everything. We live in a polarized world. We can either grow or die. We can be passionate about life or just let is slide by. We can either love or hate. I believe these are the choices and to not choose to grow is to choose to die. To choose not to live passionately is to let life slide by. To choose not to love is to choose to hate.

This decision to greet the day with love is to decide before you get out of bed how you will relate to everyone around you, how you will spend your energy, how you will speak every word. This decision is a decision as Mandino says to encourage rather than discourage, applaud instead of criticize and to praise instead of gossip. This decision is to build bridges between people instead of walls for bridges make opportunities rise and walls keep us locked away from success.

How do I do this today? You start first with yourself - and you tell yourself first that YOU are loved and through the day you will always act like you love yourself. When you meet someone on the street or in the market or wherever you go think to yourself before you ever speak - "I love this person."
And remember this - to love someone is to expect and desire for them all the good that there is. To care for them, to see and to meet their needs, to support and build up each one you meet.

The results will be amazing. Start each day new. Greet each day with love in your heart.

Watch your world change and have a great day!

Choose this day.....to live with love in your heart!

Today I Begin a New Life

2011-03-30T04:20:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite books is Og Mandino's bestseller - The Greatest Salesman in the World. I was first introduced to this book many years ago when as a Pastor I was needing to supplement my income and began a job as the front desk clerk at a local hotel. The manager there required all of his staff to read this book. From the maids to the maintenance crew to every desk clerk and sales manager. He called them the ten commandments of sales - and he was right. As I put the 10 steps into place in my life, I became a better front desk clerk and hotel employee. But I was equally pleased that each of the 10 steps made my life as a Pastor more effective too!

For the next few weeks I am going to share some reflections about the steps Mandino puts forth in this book - because I believe if you will live his way your life will be better in every way. Every way.

Today i want to talk about the first step just a little. If you want to be better at your job, better in your relationships, better at making a difference in your life, you have to take the first step. And the first step is to realize and claim that today "I begin a new life." Say it out loud right where you are Today I begin a new life!

This first step sets the stage. We can't live in the past - we can either learn from it and move forward or let it paralyze us. We can either seize the new days opportunity or we can let life pass us by. Because each new day brings a new start we can create good new habits and stop following the impulses that always lead us int trouble. Because every day allows us to begin a new life we can shed the old skin and has for to long suffered the bruises of failure and the wounds of mediocrity. Today we get a new start, a new life, a new hope. Today I begin anew - aiming at the "more" life has to offer. More joy. More hope. More love. More.

It is a decision - to begin a new life. To not live in the past. To not be a slave to that which could have been, to not be chained to the failures of yesterday. And we have that power - the power to choose. To choose life. To choose love. To choose joy.

Choose this day.....to begin a new life.

R.E.A.L. CONNECTIONS

2011-03-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

Connected - it is how we are created to be -

Connected to God through Jesus.

Connected to the body of Christ - the church

Connected to one another-person to person.

Sunday we spent the morning learning what it means to be connected. We learned that good connections are R.E.A.L! We learned that there are 4 Keys to REAL connections!

Key # 1: Real connections are RELIABLE.

Proverbs 17:17 tells us: "a friend loves at all times.

Building relationships that matter really requires dependability. We can't love sometimes. Not just when it is convenient. Not just in the good times. But at ALL times. If you want to be REAL - be RELIABLE!

Key # 2: rEal connections are ENCOURAGING

Do you ever need an encouraging word or a hug that says it is going to be ok? Well - you are not alone. People all around you are needing the same thing. A kind word of assurance. An act of kindness, a simple touch. To have good connections we need to learn to be encouraging to the people around us. If you want to be REAL - be ENCOURAGING!

Key # 3: reAl connections are AUTHENTIC!

Being authentic means being honest with yourself about who you are! It means not putting up walls or fronts that keep people from knowing us. Being authentic changes the way people will see us. It will bring genuineness to our relationships. If you want to be REAL, be AUTHENTIC!

Key # 4: reaL connections are LOVING!

If we really want to have great connections, we have to be loving. Being loving is about watching out for the other guy first. To make sure the needs of others are being met. To hear Jesus say - "love one another - as i have loved you" and understand that this is about sacrificing ourselves for the good of others - an not just those you already like and love. If you want to be REAL, be LOVING!

LETS BE CONNECTED - AND LET'S BE REAL!

Connections - With the Community

2011-03-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

How many of you have heard someone say - "I can believe in Jesus and not go to church."? Almost every Pastor I know when they hear this simply roll their eyes to the back of their heads and walk away. It is seemingly a death sentence to a conversation. Because it is so simple it seems to be true. "Yes, you can," we tend to mutter and give up hopelessly as their is no seemingly good answer. But we know better. We know that this person's belief is short term if it is real at all. We know that the person uttering these words are still focused on themselves and their world. We know that in all reality, the person uttering these words are afraid of being connected - or are asking you to challenge them enough to help them WANT to be connected. To give them a good enough WHY to be connected - and ultimately - the HOW to be connected. I say this because even non-beleivers are wanting to be connected, wanting to have relationships that really matter.

Almost every person I have ever met WANTS to be connected to others in their heart of hearts. That is because we are created to be in relationship with others. No one is created in or for isolationism. No one comes into the family of God by themselves and staying there all alone is impossible too.

There are also some great advantages for being in the body of Christ - and these should be shared. Like:

1. being connected to the church identifies you as a genuine believer.
2. being connected to the church moves you out of self-centered isolationism.
3. being connected to the church helps you develop spiritual muscle

Each of these is true. Being in the community call the Church identifies you as a real believer - it means you belong to the family - you are one of the "in" crowd. You belong to a group - not just to yourself - that life isn't really just about you, your desires, your goals, your dreams. And in the body of Christ you can train together to grow stronger. You can pray together, worship together, study together, grow together.

There is something else. Not only do you need the body, not only do you need the church - the church needs you. That's right - the church needs you. Your gifts, your talents, your love, your gifts - and more.

Get connected - its good for you - and for the church!

Pastor David

Connections - Who's Your First?

2011-03-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

655 friends on facebook. 355 connections on linked in. 5 very different networking groups.

My message to you is It Is WHO You Know that matters in life!

There is a very important fact in life for those of us who want to make their lives better. We have seen this to be true time and time again. That fact:

YOU CAN'T DO IT BY YOURSELF!

While you are responsible for making the decision and taking the steps towards a better you in 2011, a better you next month, a better you tomorrow, you can't do it by yourself. It is going to take connections to make it happen.

That's what this series is about. Making the connections to become everything you are designed to be. You know this come straight from scripture. As human beings we are designed to be social. To have relationships. To depend on one another.

Today I want to talk a little about the first connection we need. Where do we start? I think we start with our connection to God. The John 14:6 tells us that our first connection is to be Jesus - he is the way, the truth and the life.

This first connection carries with it amazing benefits. If you are connected to Jesus, then everything God has is available to you (see Gal 4:7) If you are connected to Jesus then every need will be met (Phil. 4:19). If you are connected to Jesus, then you will receive the priceless inheritance (1 Peter 1:4)! And there is more - IF you are connected to Jesus.

SO THEN, THE QUESTION OF THE DAY IS: HOW DO I GET CONNECTED TO JESUS?

Look at Matthew 9:9-13. Jesus comes by Matthew's tax collecting booth. Looks at him and says - "follow me." Jesus words while important aren't what we need to see. The words we need to see tell us what Matthew did: "And he got up and followed him." That is how you get connected to Jesus - you follow him. And you follow him like in the child's game - Follow the Leader - you go where Jesus leads, you do what Jesus does. You talk to him, you listen to him, you follow him.

One of the coolest things about this is that Jesus never forces the issue. Nothing made Matthew get up and go. Nothing makes you go. It is your choice and your choice alone to make this connection and to make 2011 better than 2010.

Let me ask this question? Are you connected?

Follow!

Are You Connected?

2011-02-23T09:09:00.001-08:00

You have heard the phrase: "It isn't how much you know that matters - its really WHO you know that matters." I believe that this statement is really true! No matter how much you know - there are always others who know more. Most of us know people who think they know more than enough for all of us - and we can't wait to get away from them!

One of the most important things that I have learned in my almost 30 years of ministry is that knowing Jesus is far more important than knowing about him, that knowing your friend is more important than knowing about them, and that knowing your enemy makes it easier to make them your friend.
I love the story in Luke 10:2-4 about how Jesus is the gatekeeper/shepherd - and the sheep follow him - because they know him, they know his voice. In John 14 we read about how we come to know God - through knowing Jesus his son. We are reminded again and again that "knowing" someone is about more than know about them.

One day at a fancy banquet the great voice Charleton Heston stood up to read his favorite passage of scripture - the 23rd Psalm. It was magnificent and beautiful. Then another man got up to read scripture and it was the same. His voice was not beautiful or loud - not nearly as impressive - but as he quoted and recited the words it became evident that he was truly moved. Heston stood and led the applause to the man's beautiful testimony and Heston spoke one last comment..... "I knew the words on the page,....but this man knew the shepherd."

Our connections are vitally important. Our one connection with Jesus is the most important of all. Are you connected?

Blessings on the journey!

Pastor David

I Surrender - Part 3!

2011-02-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

1 part commitment to living as a living sacrifice.
1 part identifying which God you are going to love with all your heart.
3 parts Surrender
= a Life pleasing to God.

Sound easy? I don't think so. Last week I said 2 parts surrender - your past and your future. Today - there is a third surrender. What else is there you ask? What doesn't fit in the past or the future? How about - YOUR substitutes. What? What substitutes.

You know what I mean - all those things you have that you keep putting in the place of God - or in the way of your following him.

Let's make a short list of what those substitutes could be:

your job

your cash flow

your heritage

your home

your addiction - (food, drugs, alcohol, etc....)

your church (yes)

You can make this list as long as you want. But the fact of the matter is there is an endless number of possiblitites. Anything you can put the word "your" or "my" in front of can become a substitute for the real thing. It is the dilemma of the rich young ruler. Hungry for more real food we reach for anthing we can get to our mouth - to our soul - but if we have too much to choose from we will never surrender - anything of real value.

Here is the reality: no matter who we say we worship - we really worship what we believe deep down gives us life. How do we know? How do we know what we are really worshiping? Here are places to look:

Where do you spend your time?

Your money?

What do you feel you can't live without?

Where do you turn when you are frustrated or empty?

If you are thirsty for the water of life - you have to go to the ever-living spring. (Jeremiah 2:10-13) And you have to surrender everything that gets in the way.

Keep taking the steps!

Pastor David

I Surrender - Part 2!

2011-02-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

On the journey to living a life pleasing to God - we have found a series of steps and on this journey we have found:

Step 1: Make your life a living Sacrifice - Romans 12:1. This is about being all in - a whole person involvement in becoming the person God wants us to be.

Step 2: Deciding on and committing to the God that is big enough to create the universe and caring enough to love each one of us. See Psalm 145 for a description of this kind of God.

Step 3: Surrendering Our Past. This means to stop holding on to the things from our past - and most of us have things that we don't want to let go of. The longer we hold on to things that keep us from being fully committed to serving God the tighter our grip seems to get.

Step 4: Surrendering our Future: Even if we do give up, surrender our past there is more for us to surrender - including our future. We all want to think that we have one. Jeremiah 29:10 says that God has one for us. The problem is that we don't always see the future God has for us. We see only the future we have created. And the future we have created is always filled with us! It's about us, serves us, celebrates us. In order to truly have the future God has for us we have to surrender the futures we have created for us.

I wonder - who's future for you do you think will be better?

Pastor David -

I SURRENDER!

2011-01-31T18:00:00.000-08:00

Listen to this story that I had the honor of hearing:

A woman came into a courtroom asking for orders against her ex-husband. She was haggard with emotion, nervous and upset to the point that she seemed ill. Trembling, she related at length how bad her ex-husband was, how ever since their divorce he had been poisoning her son’s mind against her and was constantly interfering with their relationship.

She seemed a bit old to have a young child at home, so the attorney interrupted and asked the age of her son.

"He’s just turned 32," she said.

"Oh," said the attorney, "And how long ago was the divorce?"
"About 17 years," she said.

This woman had made her divorce a career, a way of life!
Do you know of anyone like this? Does this sound like anyone you know? Is it you?

This woman and many like her are trapped in a prison of idolatry - because the focus here is herself. It is her story, her life, her topic - I can tell you that people avoid this woman like the plague because of her self-centeredness. Wholeness will never come to her until she surrenders - and it is true for each one of us too - wholeness, health, life will never come to us until we surrender that which is keeping us the center of our own attention.

Truth is it isn't just about the negative things like divorce, death, depression, addictions, that keep us in the prison of self. Good things like our families, churches, jobs, money, possessions also keep us from being free. These must be surrendered just like the bad things, they keep us focused on ourselves, instead of God.

Surrender today.

WHO IS YOUR GOD?

2011-01-25T04:48:00.000-08:00

Have you joined the journey the last two weeks? Have you been thinking about what it means if life isn’t about you?

So many have been told all of our lives that life is about “ me” – and that it is what I think and about what I do that is important. But there it is – one line at the beginning of a powerful book: “It’s not about you.”

The journey has started with focus? Where do we look? Who is God in our lives? Is it me or is it somthing I possess? Is it cash or a job? Family or social standing? What is God in our lives? Who is God in our lives? This is a very important question for each one of us. I think it has a relatively easy answer that I would like to share. Our God is the person, place or thing that we turn to in our hour of need. Where do you turn when there seems to be nowhere else to turn? The answer to this question is your God.

Even those in the church have a hard time with this question, maybe most of all. We are supposed to have “the” answer, the God of gods! But I also know that I have kept God in my little “God-Box’ many a time, when if I had simply let him out to be powerful, life-changing, life-giving my life would have been hugely different.

When faced with a trial, a temptation, a struggle or in the face of suffering we often turn to our own strength, our own devices, our own answers instead of trusting the one who is big enough to take care of all the issues. Even life-long church members are known to only go to the Lord in prayer as a last ditch effort.

Today I want to encourage you to answer the question:

“Who is my God?”

I hope you will answer this question with Psalmist’s answer found in Psalm 145:

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and I will declare your greatness. They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you.

Have a great week -

Pastor David

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!

2011-01-19T12:11:00.000-08:00

This is the first line in Rick Warren's book - The Purpose Driven Life and in my opinion it is one of the most powerful lines ever written and here is why.

Each and everyone of us has two choices in life - we can choose to live for ourselves or we can choose to live for God. Now I know - we have lots of sub-categories that we think tell the world we are living for others... - things like our job, our families, our children, even our church. But all of these things - are about ourselves. So there two choices for who we are going to live for.

The choices I believe are choices of focus. We can focus on ourselves, our desires or we can focus on God and God's desires. Scripture tells us clearly that we can live for one or the other - but not for both. (Matt. 6:24) So which will it be for you? If life is really just about me - then it is just about you and I don't think it really can be both. Because we already know that if it is only about me - or only about you - then we will want what we want and won't care about what the other one gets - as long as we get ours...... It becomes a rather vicious circle really very quickly! But if it is about pleasing God instead of ourselves, then how we live will change - our focus will change from what "I" want to what God wants. Now here is the really cool thing - God wants you to have it all. Love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, happiness, understanding, hope, (Galatians 6:22) and more.

When we focus on what God wants for us do you know what happens? We get it all - Abundantly -(John 10:10) We end up being the blessed ones.

So what are you focused on today? Yourself & your own desires or God - and God's desires for you? Who do you think knows best?

Join us on the adventure - and live life to please God!

Pastor David

The Best Gift of All

2010-12-30T08:40:00.000-08:00

Question:

What is the best gift YOU received this Christmas?

I think that the best gift I received this Christmas was the presence of people in my life. Having so many people come to our home for the open house. Having JaiLeigh here experiencing these two weeks. On Christmas Eve I was touched by the number of people in worship with us and how they responded to the arrival of hope that night. On Christmas my family touched the lives of the boys at our Allendale Shelter by fixing breakfast for the 10 boys and 5 staff members there. Then there were presents and the feeding of family and friends – and relaxing together because of Jesus coming. My Christmas continued with worship on Sunday and finding a gift here at the church and then more time with family Sunday afternoon. Christmas just kind of seemed to drag out – peacefully and wonderfully – the presence of people being so wonderful.

What I found to be true is that the best gift we can give is the same gift that God gave to us on the first Christmas – the gift of “presence.” To be with – to spend time with, to include our loved ones in our day schedules – to touch lives with relationships that truly matter day to day.

Each gift that truly mattered to me this Christmas was the gift of presence – and I believe that this was true for each of you too. Your presence matters in the lives of the people who love you and whom you love.

As you get ready for the new year – I believe that the best resolution you can make is to be the best gift of all – to everyone you know and everyone you meet. Make your life a gift of presence – and really make a difference in your world.

Blessings with you on the journey!

YourPastorDude,

Pastor David

Excellence with A Common Purpose

2010-10-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Excellence with a Common Purpose

Question: What would happen if each one of us reading this article lived our lives with excellence for a common purpose? How would your life change?

How would your marriage relationship change if you and your spouse lived for a common purpose – only doing each and every task with excellence? How would your relationship with your children change if you lived by excellence with a common purpose? And what about the church? How would it change if every member lived by excellence with a common purpose? If the Pastor lived this way, worked this way, taught this way, preached this way? What if the choir sang this way? The greeters greeted this way? The ministry teams did ministry this way? Would there be a difference?

To live by excellence means to do everything we do to the very best standard – not just to our ability. To live by excellence means to strive to perform at a higher level in everything we do. To live by excellence means to aim higher, to live with greater distinction, quality, merit. To live by excellence means to no longer live with mediocrity. And what if we lived with a common purpose? Would that make a difference in our relationships? Paul says we are to live by watching out of the needs of others. (Phil. 2:4) In Acts 6:1-7 we read about how the church was mobilized for the first time to meet the needs of those who were suffering. The early church always moved with a common purpose.

We have a purpose at FCC in Gurnee – to be a community of intentional grace where people are loved, accepted and forgiven. What if every one of us in the church lived by excellence with this common purpose? What if we used our gifts to love God and love others? Accepted people as they really are with judgment or condemnation? And forgave as Jesus forgave?

I love this phrase. Why is this important? Because I believe that what you and I do here on this world today makes a difference for eternity and I am committing today as your Pastor to live this way beginning now.

See you Sunday!

Pastor David

http://www.disciplesgurnee.org/

Pursuing Love: 15 Minutes to a Better Life

2010-08-04T05:50:00.000-07:00

15 minutes a day to change your life.

That is all it takes to start developing the mind of Christ in you. So many of you have told me that you want to be better followers of Jesus, that you want to know God’s will for your life, that you want to know the one who can change your life for the better. I have heard all the excuses, I know all the reasons you can’t, now I am telling you that you can. And all it will take is 15 minutes a day.

In 15 minutes a day you can set the stage for a better day. In 15 minutes a day you can prepare your heart to be open to helping others. In 15 minutes aday you can change your attitude, your financial status, your hopes and dreams. In 15 minutes a day you can change the world by changing your world. And it all starts as soon as you say I have 15 minutes!

This is because God’s word is living. It has a life of its own through you. It lives and moves inside you. This is because God’s word is powerful – able tochange the worst ones life for the good. This is because God’s word is penetrating - touching the deepest part of your life. This is because God’s word is discerning – able to tell you between good and evil, right and wrong, best and better.

The challenge to you is the 15 minutes. Do you think a better life is worth 15 minutes? Do you think a stronger faith is worth 15 minutes a day? Will you accept the challenge to spend 15 minutes a day in reading your bible. For the next 5 weeks you won’t even have to decide what to read – I will give you that. This first week I want you to read Matthew 5 - 7.

That’s all. 3 chapters. Spend 15 minutes every day reading it. Let it soak into your soul, let it fill your mind. and let it change your life.

See you here next week -

Your Pastor Dude

Gurnee First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

What are we living for?

2010-04-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

Make sure the thing you’re living for

is worth dying for.

– Charles Mayes

Found this quote and wondered what you were living for. What I am living for. What we are living for together.

Its a great question isn’t it? Can you think about that for a minute. Can you think about this question for a minute every day this week? Answers for this question I believe will change how we live our lives together. Are we living for ourselves? Our jobs? Our bank accounts? Our children? Our God? I want to know the answer to this question because how you answer this question determines how you will live! It is as simple as that.

If you are living for the love of others – you will love others. If you live for your bank account – you will live to make it grow. And if you are living for Jesus – you will live doing it what it takes to make Jesus your primary reason.

This week – check out Luke 18:18-30 and try answering the question. Send me an e-mail or a note to let me know what it is your are living for.

See you on the journey!

Easter Came, Easter Went - So What?

2010-04-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

Easter has come and gone and I am left to ask my annual question. "So what?"

Every year I am left with the question - shouldn't there have been more? More to the story? More to the end results? More joy? More hope? More forgiveness? More love?

Jesus lived for us, suffered for us, died for us and was raised for us. Shouldn't it have mattered more? Then I am reminded that the "more" part has to do with our response.

Jesus lived- does it make a difference in how we live?

Jesus suffered-does it make a difference in how we treat the suffering in our world?

Jesus died-as a sacrifice for our redemption - do we even know we need redeemed?

Jesus rose from the dead- so we can live. Did we celebrate? Do we celebrate? Do we live accordingly? What are you going to do because he rose from the dead? Do you live life more fully alive because he lives? Do you have more, more joy, more hope, more grace, more love, in your life as a result?

Praise be to God - for you get to choose more!

Pursuing love - with you!

Your Pastordude!

Pursuing Love - Pursuing Jesus

2010-03-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

Who is Jesus?

One of my favorite books and movies is the Tolkien triology Lord of the Rings . I love it it because it is a great epic - a story for all of the ages, a story highlighted by the battle of good and evil, a story of great sacrifice and of greater victory.

Another of my favorite movies are the Star Wars collection. Again I love it because it is a great epic - a story for all of the ages, a story highlighted by the battle of good and evil, a story of great sacrifce and of greater victory.

Think with me of all the great books and movies - John Eldridge was right - they are great because they are stories for all of the ages, stories highlighted by the battle of good and evil, stories of great sacrifice and of greater victory. In a short survey look at these films and books: Mary Poppins, Braveheart, The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia and Robin Hood. The list could go on and on and what you would find is the same. Each is highlighted by a great battle. Each has a striking, alluring, tempting villain. Each requires a great sacrifice. Every story has a villain because our story does.

There is a great battle going on. A battle between good and evil. A battle for our souls, a battle for our freedom, a battle that on this earth begins the day we are born and doesn't end till the day we die. And it is not a battle that we can win on our own. David and Goliath, the Hebrews against Pharoah. And the good news is that the answer to the question "Who Is Jesus" include this answer: Jesus is our Mighty Warrior. He is the one who comes to fight our battle, to save our souls, to set us free.

Jesus is either Lord of ALL - or he is not Lord AT all.

Let's experience Jesus as our Mighty Warrior this week!

Pursuing Love: Jesus - Lord of ALL - or not at ALL

2010-02-23T06:14:00.000-08:00

Who is Jesus?

It really is a great question isn’t it. Jesus is Lord! we said on Sunday. The one who is in charge – the one who changes the world with a single word – the one we pledge allegience to – the one who we joyfully and voluntarily enter into the service of – wholehearted, absolute, non-wavering.

That’s what it means to say “Jesus is Lord.” To put ourselves totally at his beck and call, to line up our way of thinking to be HIS way of thinking, to obey his teachings instead of our own thinking, to make our resources His resources, to totally commit to following him.

Is that how you are living your life today? All of that is easy to say on Sunday morning. Easy to hear too. But what about on Monday morning when you wake up and have to go to work for a boss who thinks that he or she is the Lord of your life? Or when the car breaks down and you have to decide whether to tithe or to fix the car? When is Jesus Lord of your life – all the time or just when it is convenient?

My favorite phrase from Sunday is still this one:

Jesus is either Lord of ALL – or he is not Lord AT all.

YourPastorDude-

Pastor David

Pursuing Love: Who do you say Jesus is?

2010-02-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

I have it on pretty good authority that Jesus has been written about, spoken about and sung about more than any other man in history. (W Publishing Co) He has been identified in a myriad of ways, some that are positive, some that are negative. Almost everyone you meet has an answer for the question he originally posed: Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:13)

I am wondering how you answer that question yourself. Who do you say that Jesus is. Nice guy? Teacher? Counselor? Mighty God? Savior of the world? Redeemer? Miracle worker? Jesus own claims have come to be seen as controversial and I find them to be explosive in mixed company. You can end a party or start a fight with the question just as quickly as you can have a well meaning conversation about it. We take it personally and we give our opinions personally about it. We add emphasis because it is important or because we want people to think that it is.

What is amazing to me is the answers that come to me from church people all around the world. From person to person - the answers are different - because he is experienced differently by each one. What I have found to be true is that how we experience Jesus is how we share Jesus - and this is extremely important. If we share Jesus as our friend, our friends learn of him that way. If we share of Jesus the miracle worker - the feeder of millions, the healer, the teacher, the warrior, the Lord - then that is how we share him. It is in fact impossible for us to truly do otherwise and to try to do so is to betray who Jesus is.

As we enter into the season of Lent I want to encourage you to ask this question: Who do I say Jesus is? And I want to ask you to try vocalizing the answer. Start with in front of mirror. Then to a loved one. Then to someone you know who may need to know Jesus the same way. If you want to know what will happen - think about what happened when you experienced Jesus that way. It's called transformation. It will change your life.

Who do you say Jesus is?

On the journey - answering the question!

YourPastorDude

What a fellowship...what a joy divine....

2010-02-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

Pursuing Love through fellowship.

My mother told me more than once that to have a friend you have to be a friend. I have come to understand this even more when I have read Acts 2:42-47:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved."

Churches talk a lot about fellowship. We usually mean coffee and cookies after worship, a pot-luck dinner or a night out with the ladies or men. But in this description of what the church is to be and do it is easy to see that this is not what Luke understood fellowship to be. "They" - the church members are listed 4 different times and "all who believed" is a fifth notification of what it meant to be in the church.

To be in the church means to:
learn together
worship together
pray together
eat together
share together

It is about "being together" as a body - with Christ as the head. Meeting the needs of the people - physical, emotional, spiritual needs all. Real fellowship ends with miracles being done, lives being changed, hope being found, hunger being satisfied. Real fellowship results in new people coming into the church every day. Real fellowship results in a sense of "awe" being experienced by all the people. Real fellowship results in generous hearts. Real fellowship results in "good will" being expressed by ALL the people.

This is the kind of fellowship I want to be a part of. How about you? Know where it starts? Right here with each of us. Right here with you and I coming together.

Blessings on your journey - on our journey!

Pursuing Love - Prayers that Transform YOU

2010-01-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

Romans 12 - talks about being transformed by the renewing of your mind - and the transformation that is talked about here is about your "whole" being - being made new, becoming a new creation in Christ.

This week I want to give you a specific tools to help you bring that transformation in your life - the tool is prayer, faithful, believing prayer, believing God can do great things prayer. Prayers that come from your heart for the hearts and souls of others, prayers that will move mountains, bring healing in the fa...ce of disease, hope in the face of despair, love into a world of hate. Pray these kinds of prayers.I want you to encourage you to pray these kinds of prayers:

Pray - joyfilled praises when you are blessed - when you see the blessing
Pray - believing God will intervene when you are in trouble prayers
Pray - knowing that when you are sick you will be healed prayers - for you, for others.
Pray - understanding that you may be the answer when you see a need. - that the need would be met prayers
Pray - believing that God's graces is enough for forgiveness prayers- when you sin and when you are sinned
           against
Pray - authentic prayers of blessing when your enemies are working against you - for them to be loved and
           respected and then love and respect them.
Pray - for power and effectiveness believing God will work miracles through you- sharing good news and
          becoming all that God has created you to be

I believe that if you pray like this your life will be transformed in the moment - and when your life is transformed, your world will be transformed.

Pursue Love this week - by praying!

Pursuing Love - Fully Surrendered - Fully Living

2010-01-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

"Present your bodies as a living sacrifice -

Holy and acceptable to God - your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1

"and the truth is this: We all live surrendered to something or to someone."

Powerful isn't it? Because it is true. We don't like it necessarily - but we know that it is true. Think about the people in your life and ask yourself: "What are they surrendered to?

It's easy to see in some isn't it? Hard to hide being surrendered to a job, a lifestyle, a salary. Harder to see in other situations but still not too easy to hide.

But now ask that question about your life? What are you surrendered to? Don't know how to tell? Then let me give you three ways to check.

1. Look at your calendar - where do you spend your time?
2. Look at your checkbook register or your online bank account statement -
where do you spend your money?
3. Look at what you have in our life - what do you collect - things or friends?

These three things will help ou know - and if you still can't tell ask a friend - an honest friend. They will tell you. If we are a Christian we have each said we are surrending to Chirst. Ask: Is Jesus really in charge of our clandar or is it filled with what you want? Is Christ in charge of ur checkbook and finances or are you still holding the purse strings? Is your life filled with things you have collected or people you have loved and are loved by?

Surrender!

Your Pastor Dude!

Pursuing Love: Living Like a child of God!

2010-01-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Pursuing Love:

Do you live life like you are the precious child of God, lived, died and resurrected for - or do you live like Jesus is a figment of your imagination? If you really want to pusure love in your life - live like you are the recipient of a great and wonderuf gift - because you are!

One of the best ways to live this way is to live in relationship to the one who gave the gift. And there is no better way to do this than to really develop your prayer life. I know, I know - a prayer life sounds boring, it sounds dull, it sounds like something "you gotta do."

And maybe it is - but I think our relationship with God is just like any other relationship - if we don't work at it - if we don't think about creatively, spend time with it, encourage it, then we are going to lose it.

Spend time this week developing your relationship with God. Let God love you, fill you, encourage and inspire you.

Have a great week!

Facebook | David Bondurant

2009-10-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Facebook David Bondurant: "Pursuing Love - It is a matter of your heart. Did you know that the subject of the heart is addressed in scripture more than any other topic - more than works, service, belief or obedience - even more than money and worship. Course - all those things I just listed are matters of the heart. How's your heart really today?"

Pursuing Love - Pursuing Jesus

2009-06-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Pursuing Love - Pursuing Jesus

Think with me of Peter walking on the water. The story is found in Matthew 14, beginning in verse 23 - check it out.

What could have compelled him to step out of the boat? I spent a lot of time in a fishing in a boat growing up. I only once willingly jumped out of it and it wasn't in the midst of storm. It wasn't all that far from shore and it wasn't without a good reason. I can only think of one compelling reason for Peter to step out of the boat in the midst of the storm and that is the desire to be in the presence of Jesus.

Look at what Peter did: He was in the boat in the midst of the storm. He sees Jesus coming - walking on the water (doing the impossible, again). He calls out to Jesus: "Lord, bid me come if it is really you." He then is obedient when the call back says: "Come." by stepping out of the boat. What Peter really does here is an act of trust. I think he looks at Jesus and sees all the amazing things: healings, casting outs, weather control, fishing success, and recalls his wonderful words of love and steps out of the boat. He based his act of trust on the relationship that had been built and could see no reason not to trust Jesus. So he steps out of the boat and begins to walk to Jesus - to move to Jesus - to be in the one place on the sea that was safer than the boat - with Jesus. His desire to be in the presence of Jesus was stronger than his fear of the wind and his knowledge of gravity (that people sink in the water).

Now I know what you are thinking - those of you who know this story. You are already saying it to yourself: "Wait - wait - he failed. He lost his focus, his faith, saw the wind and the waves and looked down and sank." And its true. He did fail. But that's really the beauty of this story. Peter - when he took his eyes off of Jesus, when he looked at the world around him instead of focusing on his relationship with Jesus sank like a rock. And he cried out: "Jesus, save me!" Jesus reached down and immediately lifted Peter up out of the water.

His desire to be with Jesus moved him out of the boat, his failure caused him to call to Jesus for help. His being in the presence of Jesus allowed him to walk on the water back to the boat and in the boat with Jesus, the storm is stilled.

If we want to really pursue love - we must with our whole being pursue Jesus. We have to step out of our boats called lives and answer Jesus invitation to come. When we fail - cry out for help. And then walk back to the boat in the presence of Jesus so our storms will be stilled.

Get out of the boat!

Pursuing Love Brings In Power

2009-06-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Pursuing Love Brings Power

This formula when I first thought about it scared me. Love and Power in the same sentence - in the same thought pattern did not really seem to fit together. At least not the love that is talked about in 1 Corinthians 13 - that agapic - unconditional love seen in the redemptive act of Jesus. We hear the word "love" and we think "nice" "calm" "hopeful" we hear the word "power" and we think "control" "strong" "decisive." They seem at best to be contradictory and at worst inflammatory towards the other.

IN REALITY - the formula above is exactly right, pursuing love brings power to our lives. As we pursue the love of God - we find forgiveness for our own sin, reconciliation to our own God and restoration relationship with our God. As we pursue the love of humanity we also find forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration. The love talked about in the Bible - isn't a noun but a verb. It is an action that we take, not an object of affection. As we love God we are given more power for loving others. As we love others our capacity and strength for loving grows exponentially and cannot hardly be measured. But it can be seen and understood. Loving others means "doing good" to and for others. Loving means to forgive faults and accept people for who they are - even if we don't "feel" like it. When we love like this - we become powerful. When we love like this, lives are changed. When we love like this, hope is found. Broken hearts are mended. Broken relationships restored. When we love like this the lame are made to walk and the blind are made to see. The hungry are fed, the naked are clothed. That is the kind of power I want to have.

Pursue love my friends, pursue love.

On the Journey -

YourPastorDude

David

Pursue Love

2009-05-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

Pursue love. (1 Corinthians 14:1)

This concept is so vitally important - so urgent in our community and in our world that we are spending these 40 days really learning to love.

This week we look at the theme: Loving as Jesus Loved. What does it mean to love God the way Jesus loved God. What does it mean to love your neighbor the way Jesus loves? These are two very important questions for everyone of us.

As Jesus did, I believe it means we need to set aside time for worship, prayer, conversation with our "father in heaven." We need to be in relationship with God. From the heart, not just in our heads. Knowing Jesus means more than knowing about Jesus.

As Jesus did, I believe it means we need to listen to our neighbors, care for our neighbors, share the joys and the sorrows of our neighbors. If we really want to have better more fulfilling, life changing relationships we must love them - spend time with them, meet their needs, touch their lives with our lives.

To your better relationships pursue love!

Pastor David

How Connected are You?

2009-03-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

How connected are you? Most of us have a real connection with one or two people, perhaps a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend. Some of us may have a connection with the Holy, some with a community, others have no connection at all, with anyone.

Jesus had some very important words in the gospel of John about connections. In John 15:1-11 Jesus begins by saying:

"I am the vine, you are the branches."

As we approach Holy week I want to ask you about your connections - who are you connected to? When Jesus says, "I am the vine - you are the branches" He is giving us a way to picture how we are called to be connected all that is Holy. He gives us an understanding of how the community of faith is connected - first to God and then to one another. Find a grapevine and look at how everything is connected to the vine - from growing as the branches to the production of fruit nothing happens without a connection.

I invite you to connect with the Holy - the vine of life.

WTL

2009-03-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

Jesus - The Way, the truth, the life - 03/18/09

"I am the way, the truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through me."

These words from the Gospel of John (14:6) are some of the most powerful words Jesus utters - in any place. They are powerful because they tell us exactly who Jesus is. "He is the way, the truth and the life." And they are often words truly misunderstood as absolutely exclusive.

But I believe these words are exclusively inclusive - they are words that bring us together under one banner, they are words that demand from us a choice, they are words that, if we believe them require a new way of living.

The question is do you believe it?