Choose This Day...

People of Influence

2011-03-09T15:49:00.001-08:00

Influence: the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others.

During the past week I’ve had the opportunity to view this idea of influence from a couple of different vantage points. Recently my friend Jeb & I attended the visitation of a gentlemen 83 years young. He was the grandfather of our mutual friend Scott. As Scott told us grandpa’s story he said of him “he never met a stranger.” Grandpa had been a life long resident of St Charles County MO and had spent countless hours at restaurants and ball games and days at the park. And the long line of people who had come to pay their respects gave testimony to his friendship, to his legacy, to his influence.

A couple days later I had the chance to visit our state capital with my son Joe. I had been invited to serve as chaplain for the Missouri State House of Representatives. During our time there I observed lots of influential people. Lots of people who have the civic duty to govern and propose legislation that affects the lives of the thousands of people living in Missouri. I would call that influence. I got an education into the role of a lobbyist. One paid by corporations to influence the votes of members of the House or Senate. It’s their full time occupation to influence votes.

And then there was me. As chaplain for the day the sole responsibility I had in this proceeding was to pray for God’s direction and blessing on these legislators. It was an honor. It was a privilege. It was maybe the most influential part of the day. For anytime we have the chance to seek God on behalf of another, there is nothing more influential we can do.

For those who follow Jesus daily we get the opportunity to influence the lives of others. As pray for others, speak to others, challenge others from God's Word or and warn them as they proceed down dangerous paths. The apostle Paul said 'we are God’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), as tho God is making his appeal through the likes of us.' This is no small matter. Rather it’s a great honor. To speak on behalf of Jesus Christ.
To represent the King of Kings.

Influence- use yours well my friend. For literally lives hang in the balance!

Image credit to lumaxart.com

2010-12-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

“The angel went to Mary and said, ‘Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you; You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus” Luke 1:30-31

It’s December 2nd, 2010. My radio station has been playing the Christmas Classics for a month. Thanksgiving is past. The best is coming.

In rereading Mary’s story I was struck anew with what incredible young lady she was. As she is out & about going through her daily routine an angel shows up. Now that doesn't happen every day. And Gabriel delivers his message. SURPRISE– You’re gonna have a baby. And the only questions Mary could utter was HOW?

And God’s answer back to her in verse 37 is worth noting. “Nothing is impossible with God.” We may be in some tough situations right now. Guess what? Nothing is impossible with God.” We may in the middle of something we never saw coming. Nothing is impossible with God.”

O that we would have Mary’s courage who replied to the angel “I am the Lord’s servant, be it done to me as you have said.” (verse 38)
How I wish this mindset for each of us. How can we get there?

It starts with realizing you are indeed HIGHLY FAVORED. (check out verse 28) Now that’s a SURPRISE. That our God sees you as one of his prized possessions. We are of infinite worth to him. As Gabriel began his message to Mary by reminding her who she was in the eyes of God I want to remind you that you too are highly favored. God’s Grace extends to you reading this today! His mercy and his faithfulness are new to you this morning.

SURPISED?? Don’t Be– Maybe you need to recognize God's Gift of Forgiveness found as you trust His Son Jesus Christ as your Savior. Seek to follow him. If you know Jesus then live like child of King you are. In so doing we can both be a surprise and encouragement to those around us.

Pastor Mike

2010-10-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

In recent days the world has watched in fascination and awe at the rescue of the Chilean miners . What a miraculous sight to see those men come up from under the earth. They survived over 2 months in the belly of the earth. Hoping, waiting, anticipating but never really knowing for sure if they’d ever be saved. Up above a host of people from different nations working frantically in the rescue operation. It just goes to show what can be accomplished when people are willing to work together for a greater purpose.

The same can be said of any church when they understands the purpose for which God has for them. A variety of people with different backgrounds, vocations and education coming together to work for the Lord Jesus. And for what purpose? To rescue the “trapped”. They might not be buried underground, but to many it sure feels like it. Trapped in guilt. Snared in poor decisions and living with the consequences. Buried in bad habits. Feeling abandoned even while there are people all around them.

We as the body of Christ at StoneBridge have the opportunity to do to make a difference. As we speak out of our love for Jesus Christ we offer hope. We who were once discouraged or defeated can shout with a loud voice “There is another way.” Jesus Christ came as the resurrection and the life, to offer life to anyone who would follow him. We are his representatives still sharing his message.

Do You Believe this? Then I’ll see you this Friday night at Trunk or Treat. It’s our night for a rescue operation!

No Fear

2010-09-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

“The fear of man will prove to be a snare but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Pro. 29:25

“The fear of human opinion disables; trusting God protects you from that.” The Message

There’s a lot of scary things in life and I’m not just talking about the latest Halloween outfits. Fears seem to come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Often they seem to be “tailor made” for us. Fear destroys families, friendships, our health and our peace of mind. As author Henry David Thoreau has said “Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.”

So how can we combat this enemy? Note Solomon’s words above, “Whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Were you aware that over 366 times in the Bible we are commanded by God to “FEAR NOT”? Literally one for each day of the year.

So let’s tackle just this one fear, the fear of man. You may know it by its alias, “PEER PRESSURE”. You know, keeping up with the Jone’s, Smith’s and Walton’s. It’s poor decision making to get a better name or because “everyone else is doing it.” We fear man more than God when we pass on doing the right thing because we don't want to deal with the grief. Fear of man comes into play when we want to please anyone more than we desire to please our Lord Jesus.

So what can we do?

1. Decide to do the right thing even if it’s inconvenient. Then trust God with the results. Proverbs 21:3 “to do what is right & just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifices.” (see also Pro. 23:19)

2. When unsure about #1, seek the counsel of Godly people. I say Godly, because many have an opinion, but you need input from those who already fear the Lord. Proverbs 19:20 “Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise.”

John Ortberg makes a keen observation when he writes, “You will never know God is trustworthy if you don't risk obeying him.” Were you aware both Trust & Fear have something in common? They are both contagious & can be spread to others.

God’s desire for your life is to be faithful and fruitful, not fearful. “Whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe”, is kept secure! Be Safe today!!

June 27, 2010

2010-06-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a fantastic day here at StoneBridge! During the service we had the opportunity to "officially" welcome Eric Szymanski to the SB team as Director of Student Ministries. It's a delight to have he and Darci and their children here with us.

Afterwards we had our 4th baptism service, with 6 giving their stories of God's goodness to them. One of the really neat privileges I have as a pastor is to hear from them first hand how our Lord Jesus reached out and found them along life's journey. Sunday we had two 10 year olds, two college students and 2 women a little more wiser. Their stories were unique - yet the end result for each in coming to know the love, forgiveness and grace of God through Jesus Christ as Savior is the same.

Praise to God for what he is doing in changing lives through his people!

You are welcome to join us this Sunday- but whether here or somewhere else that worships Christ, I pray that you know of his love for you!

A Real Church

2010-02-10T15:01:00.001-08:00

Dan & I recently attended a seminar where the presenter, with tongue firmly implanted in cheek, commented how "real churches first get a pastor, then hire a secretary, and you know when you're really a church, when you have your own copier." Well it looks like we made it, as ours arrived on Tuesday.

Along with a lot of hard work it's also been such a huge, fun journey being a part of a REAL CHURCH. We've been REAL for a little while now. God is working here. People are hearing about what God is doing and he's been adding people weekly. In January we celebrated the fact that our attendance has doubled over the past two years. For the last Sunday of January and first in February StoneBridge has had more people attend than in any week not labeled Easter.

We've narrowed our search process down for our next staff position and as I write this post we'll have two couples visiting us in the next couple weeks. We continue to wait on God to provide us with additional help, especially in ministering to families with students. These are exciting times!

This Sunday, Valentine's Day 2010 we'll have 5 families present their children to be dedicated to the Lord Jesus. This is a public recognition that God is the giver of our children and our desire as parents is to raise them to know the Lord and seek to follow him throughout life. It's what Mary & Joseph did with their son.

Real Churches love the Lord Jesus and they love the people he loves. They seek to serve him and care for his people. God loves people. God loves you!

TRUNK OR TREAT

2009-11-04T22:10:00.000-08:00

What a blast we had Friday October 30th with our 2nd Trunk or Treat event geared for the kids in our community. We figure we had 250-300 out for the night, with many of our SBCC family opening their "trunks" to serve out a ton of candy to the kids who came. And they came!!

Many thanks to Char and all who gave of themselves to make the evening a success. Enjoy some of the pictures

There's No Quit

2009-10-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I traveled to Olathe KS to be with Eric & Kirsten as well as to watch Eric's soccer game for MNU. I'm not a big "road warrior" and the thought of traveling to & from Kansas City on the same day wasn't necessarily enticing. Yet, I wanted to be with my kids. I had a good time being with them and having dinner together. It was time well spent.

As the 2nd half of Eric's game began, so did a steady drizzle/rain. The guys began to slip and slide on the field making for some memorable moments. For 45 minutes they played through the cold, wet, miserable conditions. At one point with Eric's team up 5-0 I was asking the linesman when were they gonna call it a day??

Yet everyone played on until the end. Neither team quit. They braved the weather and finished the game. Both teams could be applauded for that.

And it made me consider our lives today and how easy or convienent it's become to "quit" when things get uncomfortable. When job or family or our health aren't going the way we desire or planned, do we also "quit" ministry or attending services? And if so, doesn't that speak to the real health of our heart more than the words from our lips? Do we seek our Father in Heaven only when things are well? Is our service to him contingent on how he's providing? Are we guilty of seeking the gifts of the Father more than the presence of the Father? In short, do bail when life becomes difficult or demanding?

Let's "pray on & play on" until the end. May our Father in Heaven find no quit in you! Or in me!

Pictures from Outdoor Service

2009-09-17T18:57:00.001-07:00

Wanted to pass along a couple more pics from our service Sept 13

The Generous Church

2009-09-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

This new series is aimed at helping us understand that when by the Grace of God, he gets a hold of our heart, it will change the way we view our resources. I'm not talking only our money, but also our time and how we view those around us. God's great desire is to see us become "trophies" of his love, put on display for others to see.

From day one here at SBCC we've wanted to use whatever God gives us to build up his kingdom. We've used garage sales to benefit local schools, "Trunk or Treat" for kids to have a great evening of fun with lots of candy (we get a subsidy from local dentists), to this Generous Church campaign where God has provided us the means to help families in need.

Four guys in the Old Testament posed an interesting question. They looked at each other and their less than ideal lot in life and asked this question, "Why sit here until we die?" Do you find yourself spinning your wheels, watching your life pass by, not sure what you're doing or why? "Why should you sit here doing nothing and then pass on?"

God's plan for our lives that we might know His Son Jesus as our Forgiver from sin & guilt, then trust him to lead us on our journey of life. God wants you and I to use our time & our resources in living for him. Do you want your life to count? Are you interested in writing a legacy that won't erode with the passing of time?

God of Wonders beyond our Galaxy

2009-09-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

On Sunday September 13th we celebrated God's goodness by having the worship service outdoors. It was a great day. Barely touching 80, partly cloudy, gentle breeze-one couldn't ask for a better day. As our worship team was drawing the song portion of our service to a close, my wife Patti nudged me and directed my attention to the sky. I looked up and noticed this huge cross looming over us. It was an awesome sight and great reminder as to why we had gathered. To celebrate the mercy & grace of Jesus Christ. He demonstrated his love towards us by dying on the cross & victoriously returning from the grave on the 3rd day!

If you're looking for a church that exalts Jesus Christ and desires to make him known, then join us this Sunday. We have a staffed and secure nursery & kids worship time for children. Our 1st through 5th graders remain with parents for the song portion of the service. The atmosphere is casual and our music is contemporary with a desire to turn our hearts towards Christ. Weekly we teach from God's Word. My desire to make His Word understandable in it's given context and applicable to life today.

Our methods may vary, but the message of the Grace of God reaching us through the Love of Jesus Christ is constant. If you're looking for a church cares more about where God is leading you than where you've been... I'll see you on Sunday!

New Life and Baptism

2009-07-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday June 28th was another special day in the journey of SBCC as we were privileged to baptize 9 as followers of Jesus Christ. We believe Jesus set forth baptism as an ordinance for his church, an act of obedience and devotion. It's clear in the New Testament that those who were followers of the Risen Lord Jesus were baptized in his name. They wanted to be identified as having trusted him as their Savior and Lord. Kind of like today people wear sports jerseys or other articles of clothing expressing their allegiance to a particular team or player.

In similar manner, when we realize our need for a savior from sin and place our trust in Jesus Christ who alone is able to forgive sin, we then seek to follow him. In being baptized we are declaring for those watching, we belong to Jesus and he is our savior. Here at StoneBridge we practice baptism by immersion. It's a picture, an illustration if you will, of Jesus death and resurrection.

So we rejoice with those who gave their story of being rescued by Christ, delivered from old habits. Of Jesus giving people a clean heart and a fresh start. Of the God of the 2nd chance, giving us another opportunity.

Kids Rock Camp

2009-07-01T09:16:00.001-07:00

This past week the children had a fantastic week at VBS. Every night was filled with fun and adventure, centered around the life of the Apostle Peter. The kids learned how much Jesus loves them and wants to make something really special of their life. It was so neat to see the smiles and hear the laughter of kids and adults alike.

I want to thank Jayna and Kristi and their team of adults who made this such a fun week. We believe 4 children made a profession of faith in Jesus this past week. It really is neat to observe the body of Christ rise us and make a difference in the life of someone else. When we serve the Lord and he uses us to touch another heart, only he knows the difference that will come as a result of this.

I believe that as a church reaches out to children, seeks out students, loves them, helps them to grow in their life with God, trains & provides them with meaningful opportunities to serve God, God will in turn bless that church body. For Jesus demonstrated his love for kids and we're at our very best whenever we imitate Christ!

WOW-My kids are old

2009-05-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

This week my daughter graduates from high school. I've spent a few hours putting her slide show together, which is no easy feat for a non tech guy. Besides shedding a few tears, which is no surprise to those who know me, it's also been a great time to remember... and to reflect.

I fully realize God intends for us as parents to raise our children so that they will grow, and go. We do not consider it a normal or healthy thing when grown children are still living at home. However the "change" that occompanies this growth is not necessarily easy. It's only natural and right to want to spend time with those you love and cherish. I enjoy being around my kids. They're great kids! Not perfect, but then I'm not a perfect parent either.

As I've worked on the slide show, here are a couple thoughts regarding this milestone in our lives:

1. Life is a process. The slides remnd me of her growth. From baby to little girl. Growing thru elementary years. Then making the cheer squad and all the hard work and anxiousness of tryouts. Learning to drive. Boys. Varisty tryouts. Working through relationship hassles. All the stuff that comes with growing up. And graduation is simply another step in the process. Nothing is really ever final is it??? Until Jesus comes... we're all a work in process.

2. Lots of pictures with friends, both past and present. This reminds me that much of life is lived in relationships with others. It starts in the home, but then moves outside the home to friends of the parents, to friends at school, to best friends, crushes, dates and if God leads a future husband and then maybe children of her own. But through it all, life is meant to be lived with others. And all of that God uses to teach us truth about ourselves, about love, forgiveness, acceptance, letting go, moving forward.

3rd thought- there are some relationships in life that are meant to be permanent! The love of Jesus towards us is forever. The commitment and love of family is meant to last a lifetime. Parents, our kids should always have our love, acceptance and compassion. That's the way God treats us. Hopefully you've come to know this truth in your live as well.

But you are a forgiving God, gracious adn compassionate, slow to anger & abounding in love. Nehemiah 9:17

2009-05-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

On Sunday May 3rd we noted that Nehemiah remembered God's promises and that was the basis of his confidence that God would be gracious and hear his request. I thought I would post other promises that God makes to his people. These are in no particular order.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life"

Isaiah 40:31 but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Phil 1:6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

Phil 4:19 And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
do not fear, for I am with you,

Isaiah 41:10 do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Hebrews 13:5-6 for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”

Psalm 103:8-13 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children,
so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.£ Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Ephesians 2:4-8 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ£—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake£ in serving the saints, as you still do.

Matthew 6:5-6 And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:37-30 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Week of May 3

2009-05-06T13:12:00.001-07:00

This has been a really great week. The men launched a new Bible Study on Monday & we had 17 guys show up for Tony Dungy's Study entitled "Quiet Stength". 8 men at the morning & another 9in the evening. All men are invited to join the groups at either 6:30 am or 6:30 pm.

Also this is teacher appreciation week here in OFallon & we were able to provide Bandana's lunch for the 2 elementary schools near us. We fed roughly 150 teachers and staff. This has been a great way to say THANK YOU for their influnence on the lives they touch.

Also on Saturday May 9th the women's ministry team sponsored a luncheon with about 50 women attending. Shari Wilson shared a message on the importance of building meaningful friendships. Many of the SBCC women invited friends and family and they had a great time together.

Finally we're looking forward to this Sunday May 10, Mother's Day. We will honor all the moms attending. Being a mom is one of the most rewarding & challenging endeavors a woman can take on upon themself. This Sunday we will also recognize 6 sets of parents willing to dedicate themselves and their children to the Lord. Here at SBCC we encourage parents to make public their desire to raise their sons & daughters to honor God and follow after Jesus Christ. Hannah did this after the Lord provided her with Samuel (see I Samuel 1&2). This is no way "saves" a child, but is the opportunity for a mom/dad to publically thank God for the gift he has given and for us as a church to pray for these families as they seek to follow Jesus.

Thanks for looking in-

Real People at Christmas

2008-12-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

This month as we've examined Luke's account of the birth of Jesus Christ, it has occurred to me on several occasions that Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Wise Guys, Simeon & Anna, were all ordinary people. Just like you. Nothing magical or mystical about them, flesh and blood human beings. And God in his grace used them to be the parents of Jesus. He used outcast shepherds to spread the word.

If the Christmas story reveals anything of the heart of our Lord, it shouts out loud- God is full of Grace and loves us one and all. No matter what our birthplace, or past mistakes, or label placed on us by others, God sees through it all to reach us right where we find ourselves.

How about you? Are you ready to receive the message of the shepherds? Have you come to the place of realizing God's love for you was revealed in the birth of His Son, Christ the Lord? Jesus is still looking for hearts to receive him in. Is yours available?

One of those days…

2008-08-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Thought I would let you in on one of those days...

Tuesday, I was reflecting on the Smith family who was baptized Sunday. What a neat opportunity for this mom & dad to share together with their daughter as they all were baptized together. It reminded me of what it may have been like when the Philippian Jailer trusted Christ and the text reads “ he and all his family were baptized" (Acts 16). What a privilege for me as a pastor to be in the pool with this family and share in this moment with them. This is the 3rd occasion this summer where a dad has been an active participant in baptizing his child as they acknowledge Jesus as Savior. And I'm so grateful to Alan & Lori Godby for opening up their home & pool for us all to come over. In the past year 11 have given their profession of faith and been baptized in the Godby backyard pool. How neat is that??!!

At lunch today with a couple of our men I had the opportunity to encourage a woman who attended StoneBridge a while back but has been out of church a long time. God has been speaking to her about her need to return to church & worship him, but she has a checkered past and stuggles with what people might say. We laughed together as she confessed she's been struggling with coming back to chruch and then lo & behold I walk in for lunch. I tried to assure her others at SBCC won't know who she is and those who do will be glad she is with us. And even if not SBCC she needs to find a place to worship the Lord with her two children. She tells me she was glad to see me & thanks me for speaking with her & as I tell her “I’ll see you Sunday”, she agrees. Hopefully she’ll come and continue to find the God of all Grace.

As for the Rummage Sale this past weekend, God gave us a great weather, especially when mid week there was talk of showers in the forecast. Yet the Rummage Sale was great. The results of the rummage sale- SBCC raised $ 359.00 towards 5th grade camp. We met a lot of great people and had the opportunity to speak with a few about what kind of church we are and what motivated us to host the sale. That was exciting. Also Tuesday the SBCC leadership approved an additional $ 641.00 towards the schools making our gift an even $ 1,000.00. Steve Estes & I took a check to the principal of Ostmann Elementary on Tuesday afternoon. He was very appreciative of your generosity as a church for these kids. On Wednesday, Cayce Warman, a 5th grader at Twin Chimney’s will present her principal with a 500.00 check on behalf of the church for the students at her school. Many thanks to Carrie Gibbs who spearheaded this project and the number of folks who gave of themselves and their stuff to make the Love of Jesus known to the families in our neighborhood!!

Tuesday night I call Eric at college. He’s very excited because he made the travel roster for his collegiate soccer team and they’re traveling to San Diego this Labor Day weekend for 2 games. He tells me he’s been getting up a little early for his quiet time and “really enjoying it”. As a dad you’re always thrilled when good things happen in the lives of your kids- right dads!! Pray for them as travel, for safety, bonding & a good trip.

Then Tuesday night, I have misplaced my wallet after attending a meeting at the elementary school. Ugggghhhhh. Please pray with me that someone turns it in Wednesday. No cash in it, just plastic. I’ve revisited the school almost immediately and the office is advised. I’m hoping someone picked it up and intends to turn it in.
Just one of those days. The good and the frustrating, all part of following Jesus.

UPDATE ON WEDNESDAY AUG 27- My fantatic wife Patti found my wallet while doing a thorough cleaning of the van. Seems the dog left his calling card in the van, and having stepped in it made Patti have to look everywhere to clean. In cleaning, she found it had slipped down between the seat & center console. I guess we can be thankful even for dog droppings eh??

Summer College Study

2008-08-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

This summer we had 12-15 students meeting weekly to study the lessons Jesus taught his first followers. It's been really neat to be with these guys (ladies too). I've enjoyed the time spent and will miss them as many head back to school. We had students from Missou, SCCC, Murray State, CMU and Lindenwood to name a few. At first I really debated whether I would be able to relate to them or if I should even try. After all, it's been almost 10 years since my time in student ministry and longer than that with college students.

Yet the pass the couple weeks I've sensed the satisfaction that comes with knowing God has used me. Great one vs one conversations, good group dialogue and insight into the Word. After our last time together last night I'm definitely glad I took the risk.

I can only encourage you that if you believe God might be asking you to trust him in some area of your life, well as the Nike ad says "Just Do It". Choose This Day!

Our VBS

2008-08-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

Back in March we began to ask God for a person to lead a ministry to children this summer. We weren't sure what it would look like, but we knew if the Lord provided the right person we'd be alright. During the week of July 7-11 SBCC held it's first VBS and Jayna did a FANTASTIC job in leading over 30 adults in loving and teaching kids about the love Jesus has for each of them. We had 40 different kids, there were some who came to know Jesus for the first time and others who grew up just a little bit.

The week was full of choices. The children were encouraged to choose Jesus, to choose to forgive, to choose to encourage others. Our adults chose to believe God would use them if they'd give up a week of their time. It was truly an awesome week of seeing what God can do when people decide to "taste and see that the Lord is good".

Check out some of the pic's from this historic week

StoneBridge Picnic

2008-07-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

We had a great day this past Sunday with over 100 attending our kick off picnic for the upcoming Vacation Bible School coming next week July 7-11. If you've not registered please contact the church office at 272-7222.

Baptisms June 8

2008-06-14T20:13:00.001-07:00

Sunday June 8 we had 3 who identified themselves as Christ followers. Sometimes in our culture today the significance gets lost of what it means to be baptized as a follower of Jesus Christ. It is an act of obedience. Jesus asks us to do this and so we do. It is publically stating before the Lord, family and friends that you want to be identfied as a Christ One. As a pastor it is a special honor to step into the water with those who are ready to declare their allegiance to Christ. On Sunday the 8th it was also a honor to have the fathers of those being baptized join me. What a special thrill for a dad who has sought to raise their child to follow Jesus participate in baptizing them.

StoneBridge has had 8 come forward in the past year and we praise God for allowing us to share this special moment with them!!

2008-06-14T13:23:00.001-07:00

Choose This Day...

2008-06-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

I chose this name because I'm been thinking of late how often I find myself looking forward to the next BIG thing or living in the previous moment and thereby miss what is happening NOW. I'm not advocating a life lived for JUST THIS MOMENT. I believe God wants me to learn and appreciate the past and to anticipate what tomorrow may bring with a sense of curiosity and joy.

But my thoughts are drawn to the scriptures where God wants me to live for this moment and choose today to do right and follow after Jesus:

**Joshua reminds Israel of their need to Choose this Day who you will serve (Joshua 24:15)

**The Psalmist reminds us THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE-REJOICE AND BE GLAD (Ps 118:24)

**Jesus taught us to ask God for his help in providing for our needs "give us THIS DAY our daily bread" (Matt:6:11)

** Paul reminds us in Eph 5 how difficult life can be so we need to make the most of every opportunity that God sends our way, to not waste life. In essence to make good choices THIS DAY.

So you know I'm not a professional blogger, simply an ordinary guy that would like to encourage others along the journey.

So for today- choose this day- to live out God's purposes for your life this day. Don't worry about tomorrow for tomorrow has enough issues of it's own (Matt 6:34). So TODAY- Choose to do the right thing. TODAY- choose to love. TODAY- choose to forgive. TODAY make a choice to put the needs of others before yourself. TODAY- Choose Life!