Church in the Wildwood

Selfish or Lazy?

I read a multitude of blogs and came across one that hits the mark in a painful way for some.  This is from Josh Reich and his blog, “My World” He shares the following on October 5, 2009. 

Bob Franquiz in his book Zero to Sixty has a chapter on Church Hoppers. Here is his top 10 list to spot a church hopper and what they mean: 

1. “But my old church…” This usually means they want your church to be like their old church.
2. “I just need time to be fed.” This means, “I don’t want to do anything. I’m here just to sit and see what I can get out of this church, so don’t expect me to serve in any way, shape, or form.
3. “I’m looking for a church that teaches the Word.” This means, “I’m looking for a church that dispenses lots of information without challenging me to do anything.”
4. “We cam here because we are looking for deep teaching.” This usually means their last church focused too much on actually obeying the Word. They want a church that just talks about the Rapture, the Second Coming, who the Hittites were and the identity of Theophilus.
5. “I should know my pastor.” This means, “In my last church, I got to know the pastor, but when the church grew, and the pastor couldn’t have dinner with us every Tuesday night, I left and came here.”
6. “We want a church that’s focused on discipling people.” This means, “I want a church that’s focused on me, not people who are lost.”
7. “I wish you wouldn’t focus so much on what people need to do.” This means they don’t like commitment, they don’t like to be told the Bible actually tells them how to live and follow Jesus. They want to come to church, live in their sin and have no one tell them this is wrong.
8. “I wish you wouldn’t talk about money.” This is the best way to tell a pastor “I don’t give.”
9. “My old church/pastor was…” The way people come to your church is how they will leave. If your first conversation with them is all about their last church and pastor, that is how they will leave your church and how they will go to their next church.
10. “Pastor, I’ve been talking to a lot of people and they all say…” Translation: “Me, my spouse and my mother think…” If they start this way, 99.9% of the time they have no one else who thinks this way, it is just the best way to complain. If someone has a complaint and uses this line with me, they need to list all of the names or my best assumption is they talked to the same person 10 times.

Ouch, that is painful, but oftentimes true.  The real question I must ask is this, why am I at Wildwood Christian Church?  Is it for what I get out of church, or is it because God wants me here, or is it some other reason? 

Our purpose as a church is to connect people to Jesus.  The number one group we desire to connect are those outside of Jesus, who don’t have a relationship with Him.  So we often plan, organize, and direct our efforts with that group primary in our thoughts. 

My problem ... I can forget why we are here at times.  I get selfish and lazy, forgetting that our primary target group are those who don’t know Jesus.  So top 10 lists like the preceeding are good reminders to self-centered Doug ... it ain’t about me!!

From a recovering selfish guy,

Doug

Relationships

Patti and I met with Tony and Dana last night as we begin to finalize our Small Group plans for this fall.  First let me say how thankful I am for Tony and his commitment to our Small Group ministry at WCC. 
What is a Small Group at WCC?  8-12 people get together once a week for the purpose of studying the Bible, encouraging one another, and praying for one another.  It is a great opportunity to be connected to others who share a common love for Jesus. 
This fall we will have between 10 and 13 groups meeting on various nights of the week.  They meet in the homes of group members and are led by people who love Jesus and know the value of Small Groups.
Starting Sunday, August 16, we will be signing up for the newly forming small groups.  Our first meeting will take place the week of September 13, in conjunction with a new sermon series, "One Month To Live." 
Small Groups are a high value at WCC and we want you in a group.  So over the next few weeks we will be having people share testimonies of the value of a small group in their life.  We will also give you the opportunity to learn what they are all about.
Don't forget about the Back Yard Bashon Sunday evening.  It is an event for the entire church to enjoy!  More importantly, it is an opportunity to invite your friends to experience WCC!
See you Sunday,
Doug

The Seriousness of Sin

I tweeted earlier about Mike Hailey, a pastor that fell to the depths because of sin in his life.  Stories like that scare me to death, because I too am a sinner.  All of us need to be reminded of the seriousness of the sin in our lives.

The seriousness of sin isn't founded upon the fear of being "found out." Rather the true seriousness of sin is found in Romans 8:7, "...the sinful mind is hostile to God...."  My sin is an insult to my Holy God, a slap in is face, and a contradiction of his very nature.  Here is how R.C Sproul sums it up:

"Sin is cosmic treason.  Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign.  It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has given us life itself.  What are we saying to our Creator when we disobey Him at the slightest point?  We are saying no to the righteousness of God.  We are saying, 'God Your law is not good.  My judgment is better than Yours.  Your authority does not apply to me.  I am above and beyond Your jurisdiction' ... the slightest sin is an insult to His holiness .... what could be more serious than this?" (Sproul, R.C. The Holiness of God. 151-152)

Like you, I need to be reminded that even the slightest of my sins is open rebellion against my heavenly Father.  So recently, I have been praying this prayer straight from the mouth of David:

Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

I need the purity that can only come through the forgiveness of Jesus, (1 John 1:9) and I need His help to be steadfast in living faithfully for Him.  Why don't we commit to praying that prayer together for the next few days? 

If I Were A Rich Man

I am sitting in my sister's back porch this Saturday morning up in Chicago.  We are here because of fulfilling a final birthday present for Patti's birthday (back in April - some birthday's last longer than others!).  We went to the Broadway musical performance of "Fiddler on the Roof," at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago.  As musicals go, this one is very good (obviously not as good as a Cardinal's baseball game - but that is a different issue). 

The real reason we went was to see Chaim Topol, who played Tevye in the original 1971 movie.  This is billed as his farewell tour, and we enjoyed it emmensly.  Upon researching I discovered that he is 73 years old and has been performing his role as Tevye over 2500 times.  We went with my sister Denise and her husband Tim, their middle daughter Lauren (who is a Sophmore at Wheaton) and her boyfriend Tommy. 

Here is a sentence in the literature that I read, "It is notable however, that Topol is often replaced by an understudy for the performance, particularly the daytime showings."  Can you imagine the dissappointment of my wife if we had made plans, traveled up to Chicago, only to have an understudy? 

Thankfully, when we turn to God we are never dissappointed because He is sick or tired.  Whenever we call on the Lord, He is present and ready to meet our need.   Hebrews 86:5-7 shares this amazing truth that when we call upon the Lord, He answers our prayers.

Tomorrow is Father's Day and we are going to honor and challenge each Dad present.  Don't miss out!

Hard Head

Had an interesting evening last night.  Some of us guys play in a church basketball league on Monday nights.  It’s a fun evening and I enjoy hanging out with other bball fanatics.  Last night we were in the playoffs, and some guy on the other team sets a pick on Evan.  Only it wasn’t a legal pick, it was more of a push you out of the way pick.  He sends Evan flying where he eventually landed on his back and hit his head hard on the floor.  It took Evan a few minutes to recover, but he got up and sat down.  About 20 minutes later you could tell Evan wasn’t doing too well; he basically slumped down and was out of it.  An ambulance was called; he was taken to St. John’s hospital.  They did a cat scan and X-ray and gave him a clean bill of health.  They kept him for a couple of hours of observation, and then sent him home around 12:30am. 

He is doing well this morning (thankfully he has a hard head!), but I made him stay at home (we will see if he really listens to his boss).  Keep Katie and Evan in your prayers, they are a great family and we are blessed to have them here at Wildwood.

Saturday night was an example of the impact of the Student Ministry here at WCC.  Over 60 middle school and High school kids along with around 20 adults were at the YMCA.  This outreach event for the students brought 16 new kids into contact with our student ministry.  Thanks to Evan and his great staff for the work they do.
If you are interested in being involved in our student ministry, let Evan know!
Doug

  

Easter

I want to say a word of thanks to the many volunteers that made Easter Sunday such a special day.  We had 303 in our Worship services, present to learn more about Jesus Christ!  What a great day to celebrate and honor the Lord.  Our worship band did an excellent job of leading us in worship!  Thanks Lisa for all that your team does! 

Here is the link to the message from Sunday in case you missed it or want to pass it on. 

Saturday, Jason and the Children's ministry did a great job of hosting our Easter Egg Hunt.  Here are a couple of fun photos from the day!

Stressful Days

Some days are just more stressful than others, aren’t they?  In saying those words, I realize that my life is good compared to 95% of the world around me.  That is only due to the Lord that I serve and his love for me.  Yet, there are those days where life and even ministry gets frustrating, discouraging, and tough.
This weekend we found out that several more families are facing tough financial times because of job issues (or lack of jobs).  I also spoke with a couple of families and the physical issues they are struggling with.  I know that there are marriages and families that are on the brink of collapsing.  Then I had a couple of conversations with people who have decided that Wildwood isn’t for them.  Thankfully they are staying with the Lord which is the crucial decision of their life.  Yet it is hard for me to remember that we are not for everyone.  It is also tough to realize that no one person can meet everyone’s needs, no human that is.
What do I do when discouraged?  The most important truth is to remember WHO I serve and live for.  Our heavenly Father can take any situation and make it a bridge to a better tomorrow.  It is His power and His plan in our lives that we want to follow.  This morning I was reminded of Philippians 3:7-11.  What especially came to mind was verse 10, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection....”
The other thing I do when discouraged as a Pastor is to continue to learn.  I have been in ministry for over 25 years, but have so far to go.  Last week I spent in Joplin, MO, learning and relearning important priorities in being a Pastor.  I desire to be the best preacher and pastor for the Lord, and events like the Preaching and Teaching Convention help me. 
Thank you for your love and faithfulness to the Lord even in trying times.  Remember the prayer of Paul in Romans 15:13,  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Learning

One is either learning and growing, or they are dying.

That is why I am with Jake and Jerry, two of our Elders, at the Preaching and Teaching convention in Joplin, MO.  To learn, to be challenged, and to grow as a person and as a leader.

Today we were in a church growth seminar about Turnaround Churches.  Ben Merold, former minister at Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, and Tim Harlow, minister at Parkview Christian Church, were leaders.  

Here are a couple of take-aways:  

• We need to know our community and what we can do to reach it for Jesus.  Jesus has placed our church in the Wildwood, Ellisville, Eureka, Ballwin areas for a purpose.  What is our community like and what are the needs?
• I need to watch my preaching, to make sure that I take the biblical message and make it relevant and valuable to those listenting.  

  We will be in Joplin through Wednesday afternoon, I am looking forward to what God wants us to learn!

Did you know we had 29 people in the north city area on Saturday?  What an impact our church can have as we serve people.  Evan, Andy Bell, and Dana French were the key planners, but the whole crew made this possible.  Here is a part of an email from Sheri Slattery:

What an awesome work day we had today!  Just wanted to pass along some wonderful praise to Evan, Andy Bell (great organization and met the needs) and Dana French ( yummy sandwiches and plenty of food for the hungry crew!).   What stands out to me about the day was the number of kids that came along, worked really hard, and never complained.  When one job was finished, they would ask "what can I do now?"

Here are a couple of pictures from Sheri ... Great job Wildwood!!

 

 

Brickhouse

Our Concert of Prayer was a good event and so vital for our church health.  We want our church family to grow in numbers, because that means we are reaching out.  At the same time we are going to continue to help and challenge you to grow spiritually.  Our Concert of Prayer is a good model for us to follow – the bible, praise and worship, and specific prayer.  Thanks to our Prayer Ministry team for putting this together!

Jason, Evan, and I ate lunch together today.  We do that every couple of weeks.  We went to the new Brickhouse Pub and Grill over by the YMCA in Wildwood.  Good burgers.  As a staff I know that it is important that we have times to hang out together.  We also spend time talking about spiritual and ministry issues.  I hope you take time to encourage Jason and Evan in their ministry.  I appreciate these two guys and hope you support them by being involved and having your kids involved.

So how is your bible reading going?  Are you using the four words we have talked about this past week?  Adore, Dig, Listen, Yield.  If you want to listen to the message these past couple of weeks, follow this link.   I also encourage you to take advantage of the ways you can grow spiritually that are on our website in the Eat This Book resource page.  

Here is a photo of our oldest with her dear dad.  Love you Kelly!!

Messed up

I love this church, but I am often reminded that we are still messed up people.  Don’t worry, I am pointing at me more than anyone else.  But that realization reminds me how much we need the love and guidance of God!  In my reading yesterday morning I was in the book of Ephesians.  I was reminded of the prayer that Paul expressed on behalf of the Christians: 

Ephesians 3:16-17, “I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”  

I need God’s power to strengthen me to live a life that honors Him!

This week we finish up our series, “Eat This Book!”  John reminded me of a great resource available to those wanting a good study that provides an overview of the bible.  

            Check out this link to the Essential Bible Guide. 

Here is the link to the book that Evan suggested, The Story. 

Also, one of the resources that I am using for this series is by Eugene Peterson.  Here is a link to his book, Eat This Book.

If you have a suggested resource, send it to me!

Starting January 18, we will be tacking the topic, What Would Jesus Hate?  Stay tuned in!!