Tag Archives: Church

Responding to Rapid Cultural Changes

Posted on January 12, 2025 | Leave a comment

Our world is changing at an unprecedented pace, fueled by the rapid dissemination of ideas and trends through social media. This leaves us questioning: who sets our cultural trends and beliefs? How do we respond to a culture that swings from one extreme to another so quickly?

As a follower of Jesus, I’m reminded of my father-in-law’s wisdom. In his latest book he says, “We must intentionally make ourselves culture-shapers even when it would be far more comfortable to turn our backs and associate only with our fellow like-minded exiles.” (Peter Teague “Jesus Leader”). His words emphasize the importance of actively engaging with the world around us rather than retreating into comfortable circles of like-minded individuals.

As culture-shapers, it’s crucial to understand that we don’t have to embrace every new trend or thought that arises. Nor do we need to withdraw from society and only associate with those who share our views. We can stay true to our core values and beliefs while positively influencing the culture around us. The scriptures provide us with a solid foundation, offering timeless truths that go beyond fleeting trends and passing waves of thought.

The Bible allows us to build our lives on principles that will stand the test of time. These truths guide us toward a lifestyle of consistency and integrity, regardless of the changing cultural landscape.

I encourage you to pick up a Bible and read it. Attend a Bible study or church service and engage in Christian thought. Let’s start a trend of truth and a lifestyle of consistency together.

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Election Results- Seeing Others

Posted on November 11, 2024 | Leave a comment

The preacher got up and started talking about the election results, but his focus was a little bit different. He questioned whether or not you were able to see the excitement and disappointment of others. In these moments it’s easy to focus on how we feel. The emotions are real.

The pastor quickly turned our focus from ourselves to seeing others, to communion, which focused all of us on Jesus. We then sang songs of worship focused on God, before He got up to teach.

He Preached on Jesus pointing out to His disciples, the poor women, whom he saw give her everything at the Temple. Others should have been caring for her, but here she was down to her very last and she continued to give. Jesus saw her.

On the Sunday after the Election our Pastor saw us. Democrat, Republican, and those so confused they didn’t want to vote. He saw us and pointed us to the one who can carry our burdens. Jesus loves you. He sees you. In your pain, sorrow, brokenness. In your joy, hope and pride. Jesus sees you!

This week may we turn a corner. May we start to see others. May we start healthy conversations of listening and learning from one another.

Thank you @AaronAnderson @Living Word Community Church for seeing your people and point us to follow your lead, as you follow Jesus.

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Covid 19 Impacting both Life and Death

Posted on April 1, 2020 | 1 comment
  • The beauty of love!

On Thursday March 26th, my grandmother Charolette Blount passed away in her home under the care of hospice and our family. The past several months my grandfather, mom, sister and dad cared for her during her decline. Dementia had set in and it was next to impossible to know how long we would have with her. With Covid-19 looming large, our family did our best to spend time with Mawmaw as it seemed the time was coming near.

A few days prior to my grandmothers passing, my dad and grandfather visited the funeral home and worked through the arrangements. I, being a pastor, was asked to officiate. My grandfather, being a vet, requested a small graveside service at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. It was not long after this that COVID-19 caused “Social Distancing” to be enforced at greater measures.

On the day my grandmother passed, we were told that Indiantown Gap was no longer allowing graveside services. We were told ten people would be able to arrive in cars, but would not be allowed to exit their cars. This news was shocking and disappointing. In a moment our plans to celebrate and remember her life were gone. Our plan B options were to to do something small and then a public remembrance later, or do something small and livestream it for friends and family who would not be able to attend. With family in California and Georgia, and a desire not to prolong the grieving process, we chose the latter.

As a pastor who has not led a livestream church service, preparing for a livestream funeral was odd. My family would be present, but other family members and friends would have to choose to watch online. In many ways there was a dual gathering occurring. I felt led to be present with both my family that was in the room with me, but also address those who would be viewing the video. This service was a blessing to me and my family, but no doubt Covid-19’s impact was felt. It was so much different than I would have ever anticipated for my grandmothers funeral.

A beautiful highlight came as we left the funeral home and prepared to leave for the burial. A dear couple, who had watched the service online, was standing on the sidewalk waving to us as we passed. They came to show their love and support!

Our time at Indiantown Gap and the burial was just as strange. We were allowed out of cars, but needed to remain about 100 yards from the grave, behind a fence. In many ways it felt very depersonalized as we stood from afar and watched our dear grandmother be placed in her final resting place.

We are thankful for family and friends who have shown their love and support during this time. There is no doubt Covid-19 is impacting every aspect of life and death.

Feel free to watch our grandmother’s virtual funeral. She was an amazing woman who showed tremendous love and kindness.

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Building a Church or Being the Church

Posted on March 26, 2020 | 1 comment

Several years ago I had the privilege to be a part of a group of people who were learning to be the church. We started what we called an intentional community where we were seeking to share our faith and life with others.

Our gatherings were simple. Once a week we came together, ate a meal, laughed, shared stories of thankfulness, and the ways in which we were seeing God at work around us. We also had a time where both the adults and kids discussed the Scriptures together. It was not a Bible study.

Friends, neighbors, and local college students were involved. We were sharing faith and life and it was beautiful. But then our focus shifted a bit. We went from being an Intentional Community to having “services.” The expectations changed and many became uncomfortable with our gatherings. We were trying to BUILD a church versus BEING the church.

As a result of the Coronavirus, many churches are working hard to try and figure out what it means to build the church when people can’t COME to a service. As a result of technology, we are streaming services as we sit in our living rooms. We say “come watch and invite your friends to do the same”. God is using online services to do great things, He is BUILDING the Church, but how do we BE the church.

LifeStation Communities are on my heart again, simply because I feel like the CHURCH, followers of Jesus, should be looking to partner with other followers of Jesus in the places they live, work, learn, and play. The Church service one attends really should not matter. We should be working together to love and care for our neighborhoods and workplaces.

What if, in the midst of all this change, WE the Church would leverage our resources to equip one another to BE the church in the places the Church already exists. What if we would work together to simply be the church wherever our lives are stationed? What if our focus shifted from BUILDING a CHURCH to BEING the Church?

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Closing Lifestation BIC

Posted on February 3, 2018 | 1 comment

Many of you are aware that several years ago I was tasked with planting a local BIC church in York. Over the past few years my family has had the opportunity to get to know some amazing people. We have had moments where faith and life were shared in deep ways and I believe that Jesus has been honored.

Throughout this time we have learned that sharing faith and life is very difficult. Even though we believe that people matter, it didn’t make relationships any easier. Each of us brought our unique personalities and opinions as we were all walking through different seasons of life.

One of the hardest things we’ve experienced over the years was when someone made a decision to move on from LifeStation for one reason or another. Some moved, and others realized that they needed something more in a “church.” And yet, many remained faithful despite the challenges and changes.

I believe, now more than ever, that the church is people…it’s a gathering of people who believe in and desire to follow Jesus. The church is people and when two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus the opportunity for faith to grow is exponential. Now, more than ever, I believe in the church.

So why close LifeStation?

To be honest, I grew weary of the expectations that the church places on one another, as well as the pastor. Being full-time in the workplace and trying to pastor a church is extremely difficult.

The good thing is that there are a lot of good churches throughout York County that desperately need good people to join with them in what God is doing.

I love simple church without the expectations. Some of the sweetest times that I recall were when LifeStation first got started and we were simply gathering because we wanted to share faith and life with each other. It wasn’t about a church…it was about one another. I miss the simplicity of that.

This is where my hope lies. I hope that as LifeStation officially closes, God will give us all the opportunity to share faith and life in deep and meaningful ways again. I hope that people will sense a freedom to come and spend time with us, even if they are a part of another church fellowship. My family is plugging into another local church, but we want to continue to meet with you, the church, and those not yet following Jesus, in our homes and wherever else our lives are stationed.

So yes, LifeStation is officially closing. However, in many ways, this is still just the beginning.

May God bless you and keep you. May you experience the peace of Christ and power and presence of God wherever you go!

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Resigning as a Paid Pastor

Posted on December 31, 2014 | Leave a comment

It is official.  For the first time since graduating college in 2005 I will not be paid to be a Pastor. I will still be a Pastor, because it is who I am, I just won’t get paid to do it. I will still be giving Pastoral leadership to LifeStation Church, I just won’t get paid to do it.  Ok I think you get the point.

Over the past 10 years God has showed me so much about myself. Finally I feel like I can embrace the fact that I am a Pastor. So why am I leaving my paid position as a Pastor? Over the past 10 years I have unknowingly bought into the idea that the best way God can use someone who has a desire to impact people for Jesus is for them to be in full time ministry in some capacity. But God has been burdening my heart with the idea that no matter where our lives are stationed, followers of Jesus can and should have an impact. Wherever followers of Jesus are light should shine in the darkness. I think I believe that….but maybe I don’t believe that one is important as the 99.

Over the past year God has been showing me that as I share my faith and life with one or two the impact can be just as significant as the message that I share with hundreds. I am learning that my presents in the world, as a Pastor, matters just as much as what I do. As a paid Pastor I had the tendency to get caught up in what I got paid to do. Often this distracted me from being with God and others. Being paid to be a Pastor put a burden on me that made me feel like I had to produce. I had to show my self worthy as a faithful servant. I had to produce results. I think this often lead to me missing the 1 for the 99. I looked at peoples gifts and abilities and what they could do for the church and often missed them.

I am learning that as I spend time being with 1 the impact still happens. As I love and care for the 1 that God puts in front of me, God some how works in my life and theirs. He encourages us and then multiplies this effort. The 1 often goes and spends time with another and the cycle repeats itself.

Yes I am no longer going to be a PAID Pastor, but I believe that God is setting me free to love and serve people like never before. I believe God wants me to see and experience the fact that no matter where my life is stationed, as I am aware of the people who God places in front of me, I will have an impact for Christ. I will encourage others to follow Jesus as I spend time with Him and reflect His light into the world.

WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?

Starting January 1st, 2015 I will be an employee of General Construction Management based out of Mt. Joy. Several years ago my dad took over ownership of this company and he desires it to be a company that God uses for His glory! I am going to join his team and do my best to learn the business. In more ways then one I am stepping out of the boat and trusting God to give me the wisdom and understanding I will need for this new season of my life. I am trusting God to help me, a Pastor, to use my other gifts and abilities to increase my influence for Jesus.

I am thankful for LifeStation Church and the support of me on this journey. I am thankful that we are standing together to declare a different way to live life.

This year I believe God is asking me to draw closer to Him then ever before.  As a “Paid” Pastor some times my drivers was marked by shame and failure. I wanted to have an impact. I wanted to produce.  This year I am walking out of the darkness and into the light. This year I want to walk into the HOPE OF LIFE and the FREEDOM Jesus won for me!

NOTE: I do not believe that I was wrong to be a paid “Pastor”, actually I think full time “paid” pastors are important, but God is showing me that I need to believe that He can use me wherever my life his stationed.

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If Jesus is Lord, why am I not more relaxed?

Posted on October 3, 2014 | 1 comment

As a Church planter I often find myself wrestling with so many different thoughts. Many days I find myself thinking that I am not doing enough. On the flipside of things I look and am so excited about what God seems to be doing among us and in the places we live, work and play.

There are days when quite honestly I want to quite. Days when I don’t want to think about “planting a church” and what it takes to be successful.  Over the course of the past 5 years I have gone through many different stages of reacting to what I see in the Church.

Slowly, very slowly I feel like I am learning to trust Jesus as Lord. Slowly, very slowly I am starting to relax. I am starting to participate in what God is doing and it is beautiful. At the same time I wrestle because I do not want to neglect who God has called me to be. I don’t want to become to passive and miss what God is inviting me into.

To be honest this has been such a freeing season in my life, yet it has come with great cost. I have had to let go of a lot. I have had to become less judgmental and more loving. I have had to learn to trust Jesus as Lord and relax.

This Interview by David Fitch is so encouraging to me. If you have been observing my life from a distance this interview might help you to understand more of what I have been going through the past 5 years plus.

Thanks David Fitch…. ON THE MISSIONAL

……..It’s fascinating to me how nervous we get. It’s like, I have to speak for God but if I can’t find the way to articulate everything convincingly enough, then somehow the church fails. And we have this defensiveness that is a bit perplexing, almost as if we’re trying to convince the world and ourselves at the same time.

That is the great missional insight. So often we must not be truly convinced if we have to go out and try to convince everybody else in order to feel better about ourselves. Read the rest here.

 

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A part of the problem or solution?

Posted on October 28, 2013 | 2 comments

As I begin to call York home, I have had many eye opening conversations about the Church of York and the shape it is in. The past several months I have met so many people from religious backgrounds. It has me wondering “how can a city and county that has so many Churched people be in the condition it is?”

You know what I have found.  The Church is actually part of the problem.  We have become people who know all about God but are lives have not been transformed.  Just today I meet with two young women who were quoting me scriptures left and right, but their lives are a wreck.  Honestly my heart broke. They had a form of godliness, but their hearts seemed hard.

I’ve meet more then a few people who are scarred to death of the City.  They have nothing good to say about our public schools.  And they are pulling out.  But if we really believe what we say we believe shouldn’t we be jumping in?   Shouldn’t we become part of the solution?  I have no idea how God is going to use me to impact this City and County but I am jumping.  I am going to be part of  the solution.

So right now I am focused on building relationships.  I am getting to know neighbors, business men and women, local non profits, and government officials.  I am not an expert, but I having a willing heart and I believe that my God is the solution.

 

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Ramblings on a “Ministry of Presences”

Posted on October 1, 2013 | Leave a comment

Everywhere I turn these days I am hearing about the impact of relationships.

Today I attended an event called “Healing Communities” and the focus was on ministering to those who have been/are in prison and their families.  One phrase really stuck out to me today.  We don’t need prison ministries as much as we need a “ministry of presences”.

For some reason it is so easy for the Church to focus on ministries that we think we need to create instead of making a commitment to being ministers wherever our lives are stationed.  For some reason it is easy for me to get distracted on what we should be DOING versus being who God wants me to be. I get distracted on DOING and often I forget about who I am doing it FOR.

Last night is a prime example of what I mean.   LifeStation gathered for a time of prayer and somehow we all missed the anniversary of a couple that was among us.  We came together for a ministry of PRAYER and missed ministering to this beautiful couple who was there to pray with us.  I gotta be honest God has been rocking me with this all day.

So what if we trained people to be present in the lives of others?

Yes, relationships are hard. They take a lot of time and very seldom do we see the immediate results.  But what if we trained the Church to do relationships well?  Would we need all the different ministries that we currently find in our Churches?

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