..finds Life. And for me, that life is leading to Edmond, OK..

After 3 years of employment at RHEMA Bible Church/Kenneth Hagin Ministries and 13 years growing up in the church, I am leaving to take an IT position at LifeChurch.tv.

I leave Rhema with much affection and still plan on being involved as an alumni of Rhema Bible Training Center. I’m going to miss my good friends and co-workers, but the internet will help with the distance.

My transition will take place over the next four weeks and I will start down there mid-July. Looking forward to new adventures and new peoples.

I’m both excited and scared as this is the first real time away from home. Good thing is, it’s not too far from home!

More later. If you aren’t, follow me on twitter..

As I was sifting through my google reader, I stopped to read a post from Mark Beeson, Pastor of Granger Community Church, that he wrote about one of the sessions at Saddleback.

Rick Warren, the Pastor of Saddleback, made this statement, “The most counter-culture statement you can make in this world is, ‘It’s not about you.’”

This reminded me of a true story in that I had heard in my Intro To Pastoral Care class my second year at Rhema. (this is my retelling so I’ll do my best)

This pastor called our ministerial association in a complete rant and rave and how he was done with the church he was at. The staff member calmed the pastor and started trying to find the cause of this outburst. After some talking, the pastor said that his congregation was just ungrateful and non-caring about him. Recently, a congregation member had given him a gift. He opened it up to find a 5×7 picture of Jesus as the gift. This, he told the staff member, was the last straw.

The staff member responded with the question, who called you to where you are? Is your pastoring really just about you? Cause it’s not about you, it’s about Jesus and the people. So every time you look at the 5×7 picture, remember that it’s about the Him.

I know I’m guilty of such things in my own life, even in doing tech work. It’s really not about me or my wants, but about Christ and loving people; helping the hurting and the lost. In that pastor’s life, it seems that 5×7 picture came just at the right time, as a reminder of our purpose.

As Rick Warren noted in 2 Cor 4:5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (ESV)

St Francis of Assisi prayed this prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Let us endeavor to stay focused on the purpose and desires Christ has for us and not to use the cliche, but More of Him and Less of Me.

For it has been to long since I have blogged, I bid your forgiveness, oh blogging world.  Alas, the toils of life and work have sorely separated me from my abilty to write in leisure.

 Soon shall there be writings again, however, poor (which normally is so) they are!

Until that time, click thy mouse o’er and on these links.

• My Friend Seth has a question he needs answered about the church and world hunger
• Non-Friend Seth Godin has a great post about talking to Apple Support
• Church IT King, Jason Powell, has an IT staff position open..(chance of a lifetime if you ask me)
• SAN’s are pretty!  Though they lack blue LED’s…  (Take Note Dell Equallogic.. blue leds in the future..)
• Lastly for tonight, go check out, join up, find someway to join up.  http://www.ONEPrayer.com

OK so yes I am excited tonight.

I get home and I find a package on my table..

What package you say…(or not really but play along)

Well, a few months ago, just after I found out about Church IT RoundTable, I was searching through the vast amount of new blogs and had ran across one I really liked.

That blog happened to be Tim Stevens of Granger Community Church in Granger, IN.

Anyway, he had a contest about finding where he was writing his book at.  Well, I happened to know the city where he was staying quite well…and I guessed it!

So I opened the package up and looked inside and was excited to see.. his book!

I’ll be sure to post about it when I read it.

Go check out Tim Stevens and give a big hello!  (and go buy his book)!

Pike’s Peak, originally uploaded by churchiee.

Ok bad pun, but alas I do work IT..

This is a picture I took this past summer while in Colorado Springs, CO looking towards Pike’s Peak.

I had this big post about strategic planning and thoughts about looking forward but.. I lost it.. I’ll have to do it later.

Enjoy!

*Edit* Oh and go check out Derrick Henslee’s blog.  He is the worship pastor for Tulsa’s Lifechurch.tv’s campus.

Heavenly Father and God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death you raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Love this song and very proper for this weekend.

Beautiful the Blood by Steve Fee

It’s only by the cross I’m saved

The King of Glory rescued me

How beautiful the blood flow

How merciful the love shown…

Never knew the nails would love unfold

Never knew these wounds would heal my soul

Never seen such beauty and sorrow meet

The King of glory poured out,

Victorious we are now…

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:8-11, NIV)

Recently, I’ve read a few blog posts that stand out to me in regards to how people are treated both in ministry settings and personal. 

There is a saying I’ve heard many times:

“No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

While I will again say that we are not trying to gain a following but to help people in their lives, we cannot do that unless we have established that we care for them in whatever state they come in. 

A good example of this is a small story that Kathy Guy, Director of Community at Granger Community Church, tells about what person visiting one of their classes said. The guest commented that “I’ve never been in church before where it’s safe for broken people. Thank you. It’s really helping me.”

The question remains for the lot of us, what are we needing to do to change perception and change our attitudes and thoughts about those who are broken and hurting and calling for help and do not fit our mold.

What are things that you all are doing to help gain people’s trust?

• @terrystorch I really am loving the new lc.tv site #
• New Blog Post: http://tinyurl.com/2ohr45 #
• Chick-Fil-A is busy. They have people taking orders at the beginning of the drive-thru #
• Doing a side job for the best auto mechanic in tulsa. #
• The Printers are demon possesed! #
• @danieljohnsonjr You from Cincy I see? #
• @davidrussell Are you streaming the service? #

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• Just got off a conference call with a Sonicwall Rep.. now to talk with Cisco #
• Ok done with that call. Almost time to head to the airport! #
• Eating at panera..they were quicker than sonic ever has been! #
• Got the Yael Naim Cd..it’s really good so far #
• Tired.. Going to walmart and to the video store. Redbox.com is awesome if you have one in your area.. #
• Back from the store..and back into my lovely spot on the couch where I will veg the rest of the night.. well work and veg #
• @thejrod What’s teh Vortex? We have a Vortex coaster in Cincinnati… but I know thats not it #

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