The Night Before Christmas

Josh and his friend, Adam, wrote the following poem as part of a class writing assignment. I think the poem captures the meaning of the Christmas season. We need to remember that the cultural elite did not recognize God's coming in flesh.

The first Christmas witnessed the miraculous birth of a King, but it took place in a lowly manger. Mary and Joseph came to a simple inn keeper who was willing to create space for one more weary traveler. The Christ of Christmas has always been present for those who make room for Him.

Christmas was not meant to be a cultural holiday with tinsel, decorations and gift giving. This cultural imitation of Christmas is under siege and we would do well to let it die a quick and painless death. As followers of Christ who celebrate His coming to earth, Christmas is the day that God remembered us and sent His only son to save us from our sin. Christmas is Christ in us, the hope of glory; and He lives in the heart of every Christ follower.

We worship Him who is worthy 365 days a year, but we will pause on December 25th to remember and celebrate once again the miracle of His coming. In our families and in our homes, let's make room for our King! Might we know the freedom we have in Christ as we serve Him this Christmas!

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town
Not one room in the Inn, the couple left with a frown
Little did this innkeeper know he turned down The King
But God had a better plan, the angels did sing

They came across a manger; this is where they would stay
Unfit for a Savior, it offered nothing but hay
A humble baby was to be born that night
He would come to die for us without a fight

Word of a King soon traveled afar
Three wise men arrived, trusting God in the star
These men brought great gifts, for honor and praise
But we would worship Him in many other ways

Jesus didn't just come for the rich and the wise
But for the poor, the hurting, and even the ones we despise
He left a paradise in Heaven because of His love for us
To save us from sin, so we could give him our trust

Now this is what Christmas is all about
To give us life, without a doubt
Jesus is a free gift, if you choose to receive
God gave us a choice, to reject or believe

One Of A Kind Creations

We had a lot of fun this evening decorating Christmas cookies. Click on the above picture to see a short slideshow of our time.

What would Christmas be without decorating sugar cookies? Some of our cookie artists were exceptionally creative this year. I'm sure that you have never seen Christmas cookies like these! They are one of a kind creations fit for consumption. They tasted good too!

Silent Night

All Is Calm, All Is Bright

The Sojourners Adult Bible Fellowship had a Christmas social this evening. We enjoyed some great food, a "white elephant" gift exchange, and singing Christmas carols. You can click on the above picture to see a slideshow of the evening.

It was a great time of fellowship and time to connect with one another. The weather outside was cold and harsh. The climate inside was warm and comforting. The Christmas lights that brightly shine in the darkness reminds us that Christ is the light of the world. And tonight because of Christ, all is calm and all is bright.

New Friends

Friends Class

The Friends Class concluded yesterday. Click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of those who were in the class. Over 25 people attended one of the six sessions but there were about 16 who were present just about every week.

Every Friends Class is special, but this one was exceptionally so. You know that God is at work when you reach the end of the six weeks and you don't want the class to end. It never ceases to amaze me how you can grow to get to know and care for people in such a short time!

New Covenant is a family of growing disciples. God's hand is on our church in a special way. We want to make sure that we share that blessing with everyone God brings into our path. We are a family that is committed to making space for one more person. Help me welcome these new friends to our family!

A Wonderful Day

Children's Choirs

What a great time we had today. The children's choirs performed at the beginning of each worship service. The brass ensemble played Christmas carols in the lobby. And the Angel Tree was a bustle of activity with over 50 gift tags signed out today! It was a day with something for everyone in the family.

It was a day of worship and celebration. It was a day of service and sharing. It was a wonderful day!

O Christmas Tree

Our Tree

Our family enjoyed putting up our Christmas tree on Saturday. Click on the picture above to see a short Christmass tree slideshow. Our family tradition is to cut our tree and set it up on Thanksgiving weekend. Part of the fun for our boys is to run through the tree farm, playing catch with the football.

There is always healthy debate regarding which tree to select. It's mandatory to look for at least 30 minutes before settling on just the right tree. It's not unusual to hear, "How about this one" or "I like this tree" ten or fifteen times during our quest for the perfect tree.

But over the years, I have come to realize that trees are much like people - there are no perfect ones. The "right tree" somehow uniquely combines the things that are important to us - width, color, density, height, and character. It takes some time to select the "right tree," but once you find it, you know it's yours!

I have often thought that it would be easier to purchase an artificial tree. But then I recall all the great memories we have surrounding the selection of our Christmas trees. There was the time that the tree blew off the top of the car and landed in the middle of the highway! And the time that the football hit me in the face as I was cutting down the tree! And then there are the pictures each year with the boys in front of the chosen tree.

And so each year I have concluded that although artificial is easier, fresh is way more fun. And if I have to choose between convenience and memories, I will vote for memories every time. In January our Christmas tree will be turned into compost, but the memories of this Christmas season will live on into the future. There are some things in life worth the effort.

No Greater Joy

Thankful for family

It was the ultimate Thanksgiving for any father - all four of my sons were home to celebrate! Josh and Jon traveled to Chicago with me on Monday to spend time at Moody with Jason. We left Chicago on Wednesday and picked Ryan up in the Quad Cities on our trip back to Cedar Rapids.

As we were traveling together in the van on I-80, I realized that it just doesn't get any better than this! Reunited once again - we are connected at the heart even though we are physically separated by geography. It's an awesome thing to be moving through life together with companions you love!

And today we traveled together again. This time Sharon joined us and we made a trip to Waukon to be with Sharon's family. We visited Sharon's mother who is in the hospital recovering from a broken hip. It made me thankful all over again for my family and for God's goodness to us this past year.

Today we enjoyed the usual Thanksgiving pleasures - fabulous turkey, candied sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and football. But more importantly, we spent time together as family, reconnecting with one another, giving thanks to God for His many blessings. Today on this day of thanksgiving, I have no greater joy!

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 4

Chicago Visit

Moody Bible

I took Josh and Jon to Chicago to visit Jason and to make a campus visit to Moody Bible. Josh and Jon took in seven hours of class, chapel and Bible study on Tuesday. It was a good slice of campus life including sleeping with the guys on Culby 9! I forgot what it's like living in a guys dorm! We had a great trip. Click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of our visit.

My Favorite Things

Pastor Bob

We had a great Membership Class this past weekend. Click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of the class. It's always fun getting to spend uniterrupted time with new members, getting to know them better. And of course, I love sharing what God is doing at New Covenant, along with our mission, vision, values, history and structure.

The added bennefit is that I get to teach the Membership Class with Pastor Bob. A week ago Pastor Bob talked about 'teaming up' in ministry. We get to do just that in the Membership Class. Teaming up with Pastor Bob means twice as much fun and half as much work!

I was reminded of how much I enjoy teaching the Class with him this past weekend. Pastor Bob had a wedding rehearsal on Friday night, so he was unable to attend. I missed his enthusiasm and energy on Friday evening, which made me appreciate teaching with him all the more on Saturday morning.

Pastor Bob loves Membership Weekends. He tells me before each Membership Class, "Just think Kim, we get to do the Membership Class this weekend!" His enthusiasm and passion rubs off on me and helps remind me of the joy of serving together.

And Pastor Bob was in rare form on Saturday morning. He was full of energy and humor. He was excited because he was getting to do three of his favorite things - enjoy food with friends, help teach the Membership Class, and root for his Ohio State Buckeyes!

Young At Heart

Pastor Kim, Freddie, Howard and Pastor James

I was invited to attend the Young At Heart "potluck lunch" today. The food was fantastic and the fellowship even better! I always tell James that his flock does the best food!

After the meal we took the opportunity to honor Freddie and Howard VanderSchaaf. Freddie and Howard were instrumental in starting the Retired Adult Fellowship ministry over eight years ago. They have been a friend to many, and we appreciate the contribution they have made to New Covenant over all the years. We also recognized and thanked Waldo and Joyce Spencer for their help with the group. You can click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of our meeting today.

It was a great time with some great people. It was a great day to be young at heart!

Wholehearted Worshiper

Surrender

We had a great Friends Class yesterday with over 25 people attending either the morning or evening session. What a great group of people!

This week we looked at what it means to be a wholehearted worshipper. We talked about worship style and our philosophy that utilizes a blended approach. I love the diversity, variety and creativity of our times of worship. Every week is different and you never know what to expect! That's the way worship should be - fresh, new, and heartfelt.

How about you? What helps you connect with the heart of God? Where are you at on your journey of becoming a wholehearted worshipper?

I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. Jeremiah 24:7

A Beautiful Weekend Continued

Jeff and Leah

We were able to help celebrate the wedding of Jeff Anderson and Leah Middleton on Saturday afternoon and evening in Rockford, Illinois. It was a wonderful time to be with family on this special occasion. Click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of the wedding.

Leah was everything you would expect of a new bride. She was absolutely radiant and deeply in love with Jeff. It was a day to remember. A day when family and friends gathered to witness the miracle of two becoming one. Two people coming together to commit their lives to Christ and one another. To love one another the way Christ loves the church. This kind of love is a beautiful thing. Two people - one faith, one hope, one love, one purpose, one Lord. It was a beautiful weekend.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Ephesians 5:31

A Beautiful Weekend

Elder, Deacon and Equipping Staff Retreat

We had an awesome Elder, Deacon and Equipping Staff Retreat this past weekend with over 25 people in attendance. We enjoyed the new Sill Barn meeting room at Camp Courageous. Click on the above picture to see a short slideshow of the Retreat

Each ministry area shared their vision and strategic goals for the next five years. This fall retreat is always one of my favorite meetings of the entire year! How exciting it is to hear 18 ministry areas share their vision of what the future of New Covenant could look like.

There is nothing more exciting and compelling than being around a group of people who love God, care for one another and are committed to a common mission. Our times of worship knit our hearts to God's heart. And our times of sharing knit our hearts to God's vision for our church. It's a powerful and beautiful thing when people live and move together in unity. It was a beautiful weekend!

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalms 133:1-3

Happy Birthday Sharon

Our birthday girl!

We celebrated Sharon's birthday tonight, complete with brownie cheesecake!

Sharon .... fun loving, committed, adventurous, seeker of truth, servant, multi-tasker, energetic, heart for God, generous, hard worker, faithful friend, caring, and enthusiastic. She is all this plus much more. I am a blessed man.

Happy Birthday Sharon!

A New Vision For Ministry

A new church home

What do you see when you look at the above picture? Some see an old building in need of repair. Others see a vacant structure that has out lived its original purpose. The Brethren Church in Trinec see a ministry hub that will help them reach their city for Christ!

What a joy it was to walk through the Brethren Church's new building last Thursday afternoon. Much work is needed before they can move in, but everyone is excited about how God can use this new tool for ministry. Click on the picture above to see a slideshow of the building and the many residential flats that surround it.

The generosity of the people of New Covenant helped make this vision a reality. We collected over $30,000 for the purchase of the building! One person who doesn't even attend their church contributed to the project. It's exciting to see how God has provided resources to fund His vision for ministry.

The church is committed to use this facility as an outreach center into the surrounding neighborhood. Pray that God would bless their efforts as they seek to bring Jesus to children and families in Trinec, Czech Republic. It's a privilege and honor to be able to come alongside this church as they seek to impact their culture for Christ.

The church in Trinec is being built one person at a time. God is building His church around the world. He is giving people a heart for the lost and a new vision for ministry.

Welcome Lunch

Even Bernice is welcome at New Covenant!

We had a great Welcome Lunch today with over 80 people in attendance. We had over 15 new individuals or families with us today. You can see a slideshow of our Lunch by clicking on the above picture.

Pastor Bob likes to describe New Covenant as a church of grace. I would have to agree. What other church would welcome Bernice with open arms the way we do! I am warming up to Bernice. I know that we are a casual, "come as you are" church, but I do think she could give a little more attention to what she wears. I think the red hat clashes with the straw and scarecrow look! Regardless, we are glad that Bernice is with us and we love her just the same.

Truth Prevails

John Huss

In a recent poll, the Czech people voted John Huss as one of the people they most admired. John Huss was born in Bohemia in 1371. He was a Catholic Priest and Rector of Charles University in Prague. He also preached to the poor in the chapel of Bethlehem in Prague. Huss translated Wycliffe's works into Czech; and exposed superstitions, fraudulent miracles and the sale of indulgences within the Catholic Church.

In 1414 Huss was summoned to the Council of Constance to answer false charges of heresy. Although guaranteed safety, Huss was burned at the stake in 1415 after a mockery of a trial. After Huss's martyrdom his followers organized military resistance to the Holy Roman Empire and fought under Huss's motto: "truth prevails".

Today, the Czech Republic has adopted "Truth Prevails" as their national motto. The Czech people pride themselves as being intellectual seekers of truth. Today, a new revolution is needed in the Czech Republic. Not a violent or velvet revolution, but a revolution of the soul. This movement is in need of a new kind of revolutionary - men and women who have had a life-transforming encounter with the God of Truth and who infiltrate business, villages, neighborhoods, cafe's and the public square with the message of freedom!

There is much work to do in the Czech Republic. Communism, secularism and materialism have a firm grip on the heart and soul of the Czech people. But planted strategically in this atheist country there is a small band of Christ followers quietly preparing an uprising. God is on the move and He is at work in the lives of people. The wind of the Spirit of Truth is beginning to stir. The battle is on. The enemy is engaged. Truth prevails!

I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your law. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. Psalm 119:30, 32

Partnering Together for the Gospel

Cindy Howard

It seems hard to believe that our time in Trinec has just about come to a close. How can that be possible? We just arrived. Once again, God has done above and beyond all that we could ask or think. We have absolutely loved seeing Cindy in the Czech culture. During a sharing time this evening with the Elders and their wives, Cindy expressed that she was going to be sad to see us leave. Three women immediately told Cindy, "You belong to us, you are now here!" Trinec is now Cindy's home. Pray that she will be able to learn the language as soon as possible in order to build relationships and make friends.

The Leadership Training seminar on Friday and Saturday was well received. On Saturday evening we had dinner with several people that Ed and Christine had met at the Business/English Camps. By the end of the evening two single women and one young couple told us that they would like to come to church with us on Sunday. This is quite unusual as most people do not attend church or value spiritual things.

All four showed up today at church. I preached on the life of Joseph. Over the course of the morning we learned that this was the first church service the one couple had ever attended. They were excited when I began speaking about Joseph, as they had see the Prince of Egypt movie! We pray that all four will come to place their faith in Christ.

This afternoon and evening we spent time with the Elders and their families. We had a great time of fellowship, wonderful dinner and supper, a casual walk, a question and answer time regarding the information we had covered over the weekend, and a wonderful time of prayer. One of the Elders said he has realized this weekend that the church needs to look at lost people differently. The church needs to break down walls that separates them from people and build friends with unbelievers. Under communism the church was persecuted and marginalized. Even in 1983, eight members of their church were put in jail. He said that now that they have freedom, they need to stop being afraid, and be more open with their faith.

During our Q and A session we talked about adult Sunday School or ABFs (they have never heard of anything like it), women's ministry, the role of food and refreshments :o), how we became interested in the Czech Republic and their church in particular, and the Love and Respect marriage seminar that Ed and Christine have taught before.

As we prepare to leave, it is clear that God has given us a special relationship with this group of believers. They are brainstorming and planning already about the renovation of their new building so that they can move in as soon as possible. They were making plans even this evening in preparation for their first day of work on the building tomorrow. The Trinec Church sends their thanks to New Covenant for our generous financial gift that helped make this dream a reality.

Over the past several days we have made new friends and strengthened old ones. Our love for one another has deepened. It's a joy and priviledge to partner together for the sake of the gospel!

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 1 Thessalonians 2:8

Servant Leadership Training

It's 11:15 PM Czech time so this post will be rather short. Ed and I enjoyed accompanying Bronek to his conversational English lesson. We met with Adam and Tadek at their place of work for a 1 1/2 lesson. Tadek owns a company that specializes in currency trading and exchange. We learned about their families, hobbies, and business. It was a facinating conversation.

This evening I shared from Mark 10:35-45 on Servant Leadership. There were at least five pastors and 40 people in attendance. It was a much larger turn out than I had expected. The picture above was taken at the training seminar. Pastor Marek is the person closest to the camera on the left. He is the pastor of the Brethren Church in Trinec.

Sharon accompanied Cindy to her English class and talked about life on a farm growing up in Iowa. Sharon and Cindy also spent some time in prayer together, walking around the neighborhood where their new church is located. It has been so good spending time with Cindy in the Czech culture.

Continue to pray for us. We have two more training sessions tomorro; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Pray that what we have to share about casting and implementing vision, and strategic planning will be helpful to the churches here. Pray for clarity of communication as we speak through an interpreter. Tomorrow evening we will be meeting with some of the business people from camp, many of whom do not know the Lord. Pray for that time of interaction. I will be preaching on Sunday morning, so pray that God would speak His truth through me.

The Luebe's and Pagel's feel honored to be able to represent New Covenant Bible Church on this trip. Thank you for your prayer support.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Prague Train Station

We arrived safely in Trinec this afternoon after an 8 hour flight, 5 hour train ride and an interesting taxi tour of the back streets of Prague on our way to the train station! I took this picture as we boarded the train this morning. We arrived just in time to board with all our luggage, so that meant no posing for pictures!

It was so good to see Cindy when we arrived. Sharon and I are staying with Cindy in her apartment. Larissa fixed us an awesome Czech meal this evening. We were so honored. Their little kitchen/dining room can only seat five so they served us first and Bronek and Larissa and their three children ate after we finished. Bronek and Larissa are missionaries with International Messengers. Bronek is also an elder in the Brethern Church that we are partnering with and helps set up the English/Business Camps that we help teach each summer.

Tomorrow we will be accompanying Cindy and Bronek to the English classes that they each teach. And the first training session with church leaders begins tomorrow evening. Please pray that we would be a blessing and that the things we share will be useful to the churches here. Thank you so much for your prayers. We experienced a minimal amount of jet lagg and got a great nigthts sleep last night. It's off to bed and a full day tomorrow.

Leaving Today

We are leaving today for the Czech Republic. As always there are a bunch of last minute details, including updating my blog!

Provided that I have internet connection, I plan to make posts on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Those are the days we will be in Trinec. Ed and I will be training church leaders on Friday and Saturday. We return on Wednesday, October 26.

Please pray for our trip:

• Safety as we travel
• Logistics with flight arrangements and luggage - last January our luggage arrived a day later!
• That we would be an encouragement to Cindy, Bronek and Larisa
• Wisdom for Ed and I as we teach on servant leadership and strategic planning
• That we would be available to serve God's purpose and accomplish what He wants us to do on this trip

Thanks for your prayers. We will be having some people over when we return to debrief, show pictures and share stories of what God is doing. Let me know if you would like to be part of something like this. Talk to you later!

Good Eggs

This being Pastor Appreciation Month, I thought it would be a good idea to recognize the fabulous team of people I have the privilege of working with. Pastor Ray had an endearing way of affirming people. When he wanted to pay me a compliment he would say, "Pagel, you're a good egg." So in honor of Pastor Appreciation Month, I want to hand out some "Good Egg" awards to some of the "coolest" people I know!

• Erin Bird - Erin has brought life of our church through his ministry to our young adults. He is creative, adaptable and innovative. What more can I say, Erin was born to be a flock pastor!
• Mark Eades - Mark loves his job so much he practically lives at church. Actually he lives just two houses away! He is faithful, sincere and enthusiastic. Mark is as cool as a hot tub in January without a heater!
• Mark Forstrom - Mark loves our teens and models the Christian life in an authentic way for them. He is real, creative and out of the box. Mark invented "just in time" ministry!
• Gary Hoobler - Gary brings our church family into the presence of God each Sunday, directing the talents of over one hundred musicians and vocalists. He is a team player, loyal and a great friend to many. Gary has been known to occasionally sneak over to the Nelson Meat Market when he gets a "hanker'n for some meat!"
• Tye Male - Tye has stepped into our team and contributed right away overseeing the Impact Groups this fall. He is enthusiastic, honest and an eager learner. Tye is the new kid on the block, and the only staff person that is allowed to "blow his own horn!"
• Colette Rieck - Colette has a heart for pre-school children, shepherding them with tender care. She is caring, full of grace and joyful. The only children Colette loves more than her New Covenant flock is her own grand daughters!
• Pat Rieck - Pat has endless energy and boundless enthusiasm, with a passion for helping women grow in their relationship with God and one another. She is fun, spontaneous and enthusiastic. Pat takes a back seat to no one until her older brother Ken, walks into the room!
• Mick Schultz – Mick is a kid magnet, leading children to the feet of Jesus. He is positive, flexible and fun to be around. Mick will give you the shirt off his back, and he will even throw in two or three more if he has them in your size!
• James Wartian – James has the distinction of leading two areas of ministry – Mature Adults and Missions. He just completed his first year and has done an outstanding job; helping to establish the Project CR Partnership and launching a new mature adult ABF. James is glad that Tye has arrived so that he has someone to pick on!
• Bob Westfall – Bob has a passion for communicating the Scriptures with clarity for life application. He is real, humble and balanced. The only things Bob loves more than a Flying Weenie hot dog is Leesa, his girls, Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns!

At New Covenant we value character. We look for people who aren’t interested in talking about themselves and don’t care who gets the credit. Our team is the “real deal.” Our pastors and directors are not only competent in their area of ministry, but they are also devoted to the Lord and their family and friends. Please join me in expressing your appreciation during the month of October to our equipping staff. Erin, Mark, Mark, Gary, Tye, Colette, Pat, Mick, James and Bob; you are Good Eggs!

Taking Christ into the Darkness

Christianity Today just posted an awesome article on the evangelical church in Czech Republic and Poland. You can read the entire article here. I am posting excerpts from the article. The Brethren church in Trinec that New Covenant is partnering with is part of the evangelical Brethren Church referred to in the article as one of the only denominations in Czech Republic that is growing. One remarkable survey result is that more Czechs believe in UFOs than in God! Please pray for the Czech people and for the outreach of the church in Trinec.

Common wisdom has it that the Czechs are a nation of atheists, with alcoholics outnumbering evangelicals and more believers in ufos than in God—and this isn't far from the truth. Census data from 1991 and 2001 show that in the decade after communism, the percentage of Czechs who identified as atheist surged from 40 to 60 percent, and a June 2005 Eurobarometer survey from the European Union shows that only 19 percent of Czechs believe in God.
Though priests of all denominations in the Czech Republic still get modest salaries from the government, their churches are increasingly empty. This is in part due to bad press from the most contentious property restitution process in the region. The issue has especially harmed the Roman Catholic Church, which lost a third of its members during the 1990s. Today it continues to press the government for a return of more fields, farms, cloisters, and hospitals, but the increasing perception in society is that the church is greedy.

Karel Taschner, director of the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Prague, says that when Czechs speak about the church, they say, "Ah, ah, we know. They want the property."
But decline is not inevitable. Small evangelical and Pentecostal denominations here have seen steady growth even as belief in God has plummeted. The biggest traditional Protestant church—the Protestant Church of the Czech Brethren—lost nearly half its members in the 1990s, but the Apostolic Church (Pentecostal) tripled its number in that same time, as did the evangelical Brethren Church. The renewal movements within Catholicism are growing as well.

According to the Czech Evangelical Alliance, in 2000 there were 545 evangelical congregations in the Czech Republic. The number of Czechs who claimed affiliation with an evangelical church in the 2001 census is 31,299. Though small, these churches have a sense of excitement about the future. Jiri Unger heads the Czech Evangelical Alliance, a group established at the encouragement of John Stott in 1991, and he calls it a privilege to serve in such an atheistic society. "You can influence so much," he says. "So many things are beginning."

Though believers had hoped for greater results in the heady days of 1989, the low numbers have proven to be a strange kind of blessing. The church, so damaged by 40 years of communist oppression, had turned inward and was incapable of receiving an influx of new Christians.

"We were a ghetto that had to preserve Christianity," Unger says. "But we lost a vision for society, how to equip Christians outside the congregation or its meetings. A major goal is to enlarge the vision of the church, because the church is still suspicious of everything public."

After communism collapsed, the upheavals in society produced great personal and political stress. This led to increased reports of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, marital problems, and burnout. But when people with problems came to local churches, the churches had almost no resources in place to deal with them.

The 1990s therefore became a decade of experimentation and development as the church expanded its mission and structures. One of the first lessons Christians learned was that Czechs are not open to being preached at—but they are open to relational evangelism, they love camps, and they want to speak English like a native. The result? A massive proliferation of English camps run by Christians.

Bradley Kaspar has helped run such a camp full-time for the last two years with the U.S. missionary organization Josiah Venture. "It's common for students to come to camp two or three years before they accept Christ as their Savior," he says. Many of them have never thought much about God or even know the Christian story, so it takes time both to teach and to build vital relationships. "In the end, solid arguments or convincing apologetics do some good, but the overwhelming factor that brings students to Christ is the love they say they see and experience at camp that they've never seen before."

Young believers now fill the pews of the evangelical churches. This new generation of Christians, the first to grow up without a memory of communism, wants to reach out to their peers in a fresh way, but sometimes this leads to conflict.

Not all the news about Czech society is bad: The same E.U. survey that pegged belief in God at 19 percent also shows a great spiritual hunger among the Czechs. Half the respondents said they believe in "some sort of spirit or life force." Disillusioned with traditional religious practice, many Czechs are open to a new way forward, and a new generation is finally ready to show it to them.

The last 15 years weren't supposed to be this hard—but maybe they had to be for the church to move forward. A new generation now fills the pews and is ready to make its voice heard in Europe, a voice that will sing its old song in a new way. Let's hope it will be heard.

Project CR

Trinec is on the eastern border of Czech Republic

We are excited about our upcoming trip to Trinec, Czech Republic as part of a short-term missions team from our church. We will be gone from October 18-26 and will be travel with Ed and Christine Luebe.

The purpose of our trip is to meet with the Elder Board and leadership of the Brethern Church in Trinec. New Covenant has been sending teams for the past five years to assist this church with English/Business Camps. Through the past several years we have explored ways that our two churches could work more closely together. In February 2005 Kim, Ed and two others traveled to Trinec to discuss a formal partnership with them. The result is that our two churches have now entered into a partnership called Project CR. As part of this partnership, New Covenant is committed to send several teams a year to assist the Brethren Church with English Business Camps, Children’s Camps, and leadership development.

This trip will focus on Leadership Development and Strategic Planning. Kim and Ed will be leading training sessions on Friday and Saturday with church leaders from the area. Over the years, the training that the leadership of New Covenant has received has helped us to identify our mission, vision and values. The church in Trinec is very interested in this kind of training in order to learn how to more strategically reach their city for Christ. This type of training is completely foreign to them. Under communism there was no reason for strategic planning. People were told what to do and when to do it.

As an added bonus, we will get to spend time with Cindy Howard who is a missionary from New Covenant and a long-time friend of ours. Sharon is especially looking forward to being with Cindy in various ministry settings, praying with her, and experiencing the Czech culture first-hand.

The Church of Trinec has a bountiful harvest field in front of them. Many of the Czech people have lived through years of forced atheism. What they know of Christianity is inaccurate and irrelevant. A recent global survey published in the Evangelical Missions Quarterly named the Czech Republic as holding the “dubious distinction of being one of the most secular nations on the planet. Most Czechs are either atheists or agnostics. The Jesus Christ of Scripture is almost unheard of, or at best considered a foolish fable of the past. Evangelical Christians would barely account for half of one percent of the population.” Much prayer is needed and God’s power is required in preparing their hearts to receive the Good News and respond in faith.

Please pray for our trip and all the details surrounding it. We are excited about being part of what God is doing in Trinec. You can learn more about the city of Trinec at this link. I hope to post during our trip so check back for trip updates.

And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2

Engaging Culture

Paul at Mars Hill

John Stonestreet was with us today and challenged us to engage our culture with the gospel. He spoke from Acts 17 and how Paul communicated with the Athenians at Mars Hill.

When confronted by culture, we react in one of three ways:

• We are offended and withdraw from culture
• We are distracted and we assimilate into culture
• We are distressed and we engage culture

John challenged us to become worldview wise and students of our culture so that we can engage it as followers of Christ. We have what the world needs. The church, the body of Christ, is the hope of the world.

John gave us six questions that we can use to engage people to help discover their worldviews:

• What do you mean by that?
• How do you know that is true?
• Where do you get your information?
• How did you come to that conclusion?
• What happens if you are wrong?
• Have you ever considered an alternative?

What a way to launch our Impact spiritual journey! We are called to go and impact our culture. Over 80 Impact Groups will be meeting this week throughout the Cedar Rapids area to pray, care, and share for those who are far from God. It all begins with a heart that is distressed for those without Christ.

Jesus, give us your heart for people. Help us to see our city from your perspective. And when we become distressed by what we see, teach us how to engage our culture so that we can connect our community to Christ.

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. Acts 17:16-17

Worldview Weekend

John Stonestreet

We had a great day with John Stonestreet today. Around 100 people came this morning to hear John talk about Thinking Like A Christian. I just have to tell you, John is awesome! John fleshes out what it means to love the Lord with all your mind. But his is not a dry academic head knowledge that is divorced from reality. John speaks with a heart of passion that is informed by the Scriptures and shaped by the grace of God.

John defines a worldview as a framework of basic beliefs we have that determines our view of and for the world. Our worldview identifies our basic assumptions regarding:

• Origin - Where did I come from?
• Identity - Who am I?
• Meaning - Why am I here?
• Morality - How should I live?
• Destiny - What happens when I die?

Our Biblical worldview informs our values which in turn shapes our behavior. Christians are to be known not by our correct theology, but by our love. In John 13:35 Jesus says that all men will know his followers by their love. Followers of Jesus allow his teaching to impact their values and behavior. Our actions reveal our beliefs and demonstrate our worldview to a watching world. Followers of Christ are known by their fruit.

In the afternoon John met with about 30 of our teens to talk about leadership. I'm looking forward to what John has to share tomorrow in the worship service. He will also be speaking on Entertainment and Media at 3:00 tomorrow afternoon.

Information carries ideas and ideas have consequences. So let me ask you; what foundational beliefs and ideas are you building your life on? What are the consequences of your assumptions and beliefs. And what will happen if you are wrong?

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8

Lead Like Jesus

I'm presently leading three Lead Like Jesus groups and I'm lovin' it! With this much input and reinforcement, I won't have any excuse over the next several months for sloppy or self-serving leadership!

This morning we talked about the leadership EGO. EGO is an acronym that stands for Edging God Out. We Edge God Out when we:

• Put something else in God's place as the object of our worship
• Rely on other sources for our security and significance
• Put others in God's place as our major audience and judge

It's important that leaders learn to deal with their egos, learning to submit themselves to the lordship of Christ and to one another. Pastor Ray always challenged us to check our agendas at the door, seeking God's will for His church. And he made us promise that we would never promote anyone to leadership who wasn't a servant leader. I am passionate about making sure that every leader and emerging leader at New Covenant knows how to lead like Jesus.

The hardest person to lead is always myself. The journey to servant leadership begins with my heart and my motives. Why do I do what I do? Am I a self-serving leader or a servant leader? These are important questions to ask myself because I can't lead others to places that I myself am unwilling to go. I need to model what I expect of others if I want to lead like Jesus.

How about you? What do you look for in a good leader? Is it possible to be both a leader and a servant at the same time?

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. Matthew 20:26

Caring Community Member

Today in Friends Class we discussed what it means to be a Caring Community Member. We took a look at John 13:34-35 and the importance of loving one another. People will know that we are followers of Christ by the love we have for one another.

The mark of genuine fellowship is not found in the uniformity of our thoughts and behavior, but rather in the diversity of our community. We are to love one another the way God love us - unconditionally and without measure.

God finds great delight and joy when His children demonstrate love and affection for one another. I absolutely love it when my children are together, enjoying one another and relating in positive ways. And there is nothing that used to grieve my heart more as a parent than when my kids argued, complained and fought with one another.

Community demands proximity. We need to spend time with people in order to get to know and love them. Our relationships form the texture and fabric of community. Jesus is calling us to love others with His love. He is calling us to be caring community members.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35

Prepare for Impact!

Our fearless leader!

We met this morning to assign people to 80 plus Impact Groups. The Hosts pick up their materials and assignments tomorrow. We are totally excited about what God will do through this spiritual journey and the small groups. Click on the picture above to see a short slide show of our work session.

It's still not too late to become part of an Impact Group. Stop by the Impact Table in the lobby or email Tye at tye.male@newcovenantbible.org.

What can God do through a small group of people who unite their hearts to pray for the people they love? What can God do through a small group of people who model the life of Christ by the care they show for others? And what can God do through a small group of people who partner together to share their spiritual journeys with the lost?

Our Impact~Connecting Your Community to Christ spiritual journey is going to be a great adventure. Stop by this blog often to leave your comments and stories about what God is doing in your life and group. Let's trust Him for big things. Let's prepare for Impact!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Move That Bus!

We dined in style!

The Sojourners Adult Bible Fellowship that Sharon is part of had a Progressive Dinner tonight. We started at the church for appetizer, moved to the Krucher's for the main course and then came to our home for desserts. Charlie was our designated driver for the evening.

It was quite a sight having the bus parked in front of our house! Hello neighborhood! Click on the picture above to see a slide show of our evening. The food was great, the fellowship was fabulous and our driver was friendly. Let's do this again!

On Mission

This Sunday we will be concluding our Origins message series. We have gone back to the book of Genesis to understand "life as God designed."

From the very beginning God told Adam to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. He repeated the instruction to Noah. God wanted His glory to be spread among the nations, filling the entire earth. I love Isaiah 45:18. For this is what the Lord says - he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited - he says: "I am the Lord, and there is no other."

God fashioned His created universe and then He fashioned man to inhabit it - all of it. God designed his creation for a specific purpose, to display His glory. And we are on mission with Him - to display His glory to the nations.

Our natural tendency is to stay in our comfort zone; to play it safe. Without even trying, we become what Robert Quinn defines as self-focused, externally directed, internally closed, and comfort centered. This is the story of the Tower of Babel - make a name for ourselves so we won't be scattered over the face of the whole earth. They were more concerned for their own comfort that fulfilling the mission God had given to them. They didn't want to live life the way God designed.

Living with God on mission is a life of adventure and risk. It cost our Heavenly Father His only Son. When we follow God on mission we will go places we have never gone, we will do what we have never done, and we will become what we have never been. His mission hurtles us into the future, bringing us to the place where He has been all along - waiting for us to join Him.

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

It's God's desire to fill the earth with His glory. He longs to create self-sustaining, life-giving, mission-focused, reproductive communities that bear His image. This is what Adam was called to do, this is what Noah was called to do and this is what His church is called to do - go therefore and make disciples of all nations.

We are called to fuel a mission, not build a monument. We are called to press into the darkness as pioneers, rather than huddle around the light as settlers. We are sojourners, pilgrims, time travelers, and strangers just passing through. This world is not our home. We have a better one awaiting us once we finish our mission. We are following in the steps of Jesus, on mission with Him.

Faithful Witness

Bearing much fruit

Today in the Friends Class we discussed what it means to be a Faithful Witness. We took a look at John 15:8 and the importance of bearing much fruit. Our heavenly Father is glorified when we bear much fruit, showing ourselves to be his disciples.

People matter to God. God is glorified when the life of Christ is reproduced in the lives of others. We have the priviledge of sharing with others what Christ has done in our lives, introducing people to him.

I want to make sure that everyone I love is with me in heaven. I don't want to waste my life, but rather invest it in things that are eternal. This afternoon Sharon and I had the opportunity to share with one of the persons that I have been praying for daily. We told her about the transformation that Christ can make in a life and invited her to our church. There is nothing better than pointing people to Jesus.

And when we get to heaven, no one will complain that there are too many people. And no one will complain that heaven's too big. Heaven is too good of a place to keep to ourselves. We should, we can, we must tell every person we love about this place. We must tell those we love about the God of the universe who sent his only son to die in our place. He calls us to be his faithful witness.

So let me ask you, what are you learning about being a faithful witness? Who are you praying for?

Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.' Luke 14:23

A Perfect Fit

We had a Membership Class this weekend. It was a great time with 24 people in attendance. You can see a slide show of the class by clicking on the above picture.

New Covenant is a family of growing disciples. Each person who becomes part of our church family changes the texture and nature of our community. God has designed each person to make a unique, one of a kind, contribution. And a healthy church helps people find their "perfect fit," the place where they can believe, belong, and become. A healthy church is constantly changing, constantly growing.

New Covenant is committed to creating space for one more person. A space for worship, mission, community, transformation and service. A unique, one of a kind space. We are committed to help each person find their perfect fit.

Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:16 NLT

Refreshed

Charm'n with Charmin

We had a great Missions Weekend last week with 13 of our missionaries visiting with us. James and our Missions Committee did a great job! I especially enjoyed the Potluck on Saturday evening, complete with my favorite reality show, Missionary Fear Factor!

We watched our missionaries pull off amazing feats. They told stories, shared about their ministry, communicated without using words, and acted out Bible stories using toilet paper! Take a guess at what Bible story Bob Mackey and the Bejjani's acted out for us. You can click on their picture above to see a slideshow of other costumes!

Throughout the weekend our missionaries exhibited a genuine heart for God, creativity, flexibility, and a sense of humor. We were refreshed by their presence with us this past week.

Would you like to help return the blessing to our missionaries? Our Barnabas Ministry seeks to do just that through personal letters, gifts, prayers and phone calls to each of our missionaries. You can select a missionary that you want to support and then partner with a team of others from New Covenant to support them. Contact Pastor James at james.wartian@newcovenantbible.org for more information. You can also visit our website to learn more about those missionaries we support.

Take time to pass on the blessings you have received. God will reward you and you will be refreshed.

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. Philemon 1:7

Done

In repentance and rest is your salvation.

I love the word "done." Checking items off my ever growing "to do" list is always satisfying. Change car oil, done! Balance check book, done! Get hair cut, done! It always feels good to see accomplishment and completion.

It's been said that Christianity can be spelled "DONE." Every other world religion is spelled "DO." Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin and accomplished on the cross what I could not do for myself. And as he cried out, "It is finished," he purchased and completed my salvation. The penalty is paid; my salvation has been purchased; it is done. Every other religion requires a person to do something to earn their way to God. In Jesus, it is done.

Isaiah 28:13 speaks of the futility of trying to "do" enough to please a holy God. "Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there - so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and captured." Isaiah 28:16 goes on to present the solution to our dilemma. "So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed." Jesus Christ is our sure foundation and tested stone. I can trust in him.

As much as I love the word "done," I continually fall into the trap of believing that I have to "do" something to please God. Isaiah 29:13 goes on to talk about the trap of "doing" versus "being." "The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." It's so easy to confuse proximity with intimacy. God desires my heart, I give him my lip service. God desires a relationship, I settle for compliance.

In the busyness of my day, I need to remember that there is nothing I can do to add to what God has already done for me. I need to remember the cross. I need to remember that Jesus paid the price for my salvation. I need to remember that there is nothing I can ever do to cause him to love me more.

I love checking things off my "to do" list. Forgiveness of my sin, done. Reconciliation of myself with God, done. Promised inheritance in heaven, done. A life transformed by Christ, done!

Wholehearted Worshiper

Surrender

We had a great Friends Class today with over 20 people in the morning and evening classes. Our topic today was being a Wholehearted Worshiper. We took a look at Luke 14:27-33 and about what it means to take up our cross daily to follow Christ.

To me, the open hands are a metaphor for surrender. Worship is the surrender of my entire life to Christ in response to God's grace. Wholehearted worshippers surrender their rights, ownership of all that they have, and their very lives to Christ. To worship without surrender is hypocrisy.

Worship is a lifestyle that seeks to honor Christ through my daily decisions. Division over music styles and preferential forms of worship have less to do with worship and more to do with consumerism. I have certain styles and types of music that I especially enjoy. There is nothing wrong with having preferences. The problem comes when I begin to define worship by my experiences and preferences.

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that I care less about style and more about substance. I want to be around people who know how to worship with all their heart. I want to become a wholehearted worshiper.

So let me ask you, what are you learning about worship and surrender? What spiritual disciplines help you maintain an attitude and heart of surrender?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

Today's Special ~ Hope

Henry Davidson

Sharon needed some extra help this morning serving breakfast at the HD Youth Center so I volunteered to help out. I was the official dishwasher! I stayed pretty busy as we served 88 breakfasts in 1 1/2 hours.

The HD Youth Center is an amazing place. There's nothing quite like it. Just about every weekday morning you will find people from New Covenant there serving breakfast. Henry provides the vision and heart, and the volunteers provide the helping hands. Somehow, it all fits together into a beautiful mosaic. The body of Christ in action; serving, sharing, caring and giving.

And most mornings, if you look closely, you will see that there is more being served up than breakfast. The food is served with generous portions of love, courtesy, honor, and dignity. People know that the HD Youth Center is one place they can go and be treated with respect. They know that hope is always on the morning menu.

This morning I had the opportunity to pray with Larry who was going to Iowa City today for further tests to determine the source of the spot on his lung. It was a short prayer, nothing too elaborate. It was the kind of prayer that I thought Larry would want. It was a prayer for healing straight from my heart to the heart of God.

This morning at the HD Youth Center, we served eggs, pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee and toast. People came hungry and left filled. But today we also served much more than breakfast. If you looked carefully and listened closely, you would have observed that today's special was hope for the human soul.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He give strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

Welcome Lunch

We had a great Welcome Lunch today with over 60 people in attendance. Click on the picture above to see a slide show of our lunch.

If your new to New Covenant; welcome. There is always room for one more person. If you are seeking and have spiritual questions; welcome. New Covenant is a place where you can get honest answers to honest questions.

Let me ask you, what are you looking for in a church? What is important to you when choosing a church family?

Weeping Over Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids skyline

I spent the entire day and evening with other pastors and leaders who want to share the love of Christ with our city. Larry Dewitt from Mission America shared with us how to create a culture that reaches out to the lost. To create this new DNA requires pastors and leaders who are broken, and who model the process of praying, caring and sharing. Larry's humility and love for the Lord are refreshing.

This afternoon around 30 pastors met on the 16th floor of the Crown Plaza Hotel for a Prayer Summit. We prayed that God would break us and give us his heart for our city. We shared our hearts with one another, we prayed, and at times, we wept. We concluded our prayer time by going over to the windows that overlook Cedar Rapids and prayed for our city.

Lord Jesus, give me your heart for Cedar Rapids. Help me to see people as you see them. Might my heart grieve over what you grieve over; weep over what you weep over. Help me to see Cedar Rapids through your eyes.

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes." Luke 19:41-42

Three Days and Counting!

Just a reminder that Breakfast with Kim is just three days away. I'm meeting with anyone who shows up at Panera this Saturday morning at 9:00. You can read about my conflict with Bernice here. Bring a book or passage of Scripture that God has been using in your life and we will talk and share over a cup of coffee. I'm counting on you helping me get the word out. Hope to see you at Panera on Saturday.

Hearing the Cries of the Lost and Perishing

Christina and Amy signing up for an Impact Group

New Covenant is preparing to launch a spiritual growth journey on Sunday, October 9 called, Impact ~ Connecting Your Community to Christ. Part of the journey will include participating in an Impact small group. We are praying for 125 small group Hosts so that everyone will have an opportunity to be in a small group. To date over 80 people have signed up to Host a group!

We are trusting that God will use this journey to impact our community for Christ. We are praying that the power and influence of Jesus Christ would be experienced in our homes and families, our neighborhoods, our work places and our church. We can't sit idly by as thousands in our community go into a Christless eternity.

Last week Pastor Bob asked us if we can hear the cry of the lost and dieing. He asked us to imagine the desperate cries of those outside the ark once the flood waters began to rise. The panic, the fear, the hopeless cries of those who are perishing. I asked God to give me His heart for the lost, his heart for the city of Cedar Rapids. Last Sunday I asked him to help me hear the cries of the perishing.

And then Monday came. The scenes and images I have watched this past week have pierced my heart. Peoples desperate cries for help. The helplessness and hopelessness. People rushing into a Christless eternity. I pray that I will never forget what I have witnessed this past week. I pray that God will give me ears to hear the cries of the lost and perishing.

My heart, my heart-I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries. Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly, every tent is destroyed; in a moment, every shelter is crushed. How long must this go on? How long must I be surrounded by war and death? "My people are foolish and do not know me," says the Lord. "They are senseless children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no talent at all for doing right!" I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light. I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook. I looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away. I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The cities lay in ruins, crushed by the Lord's fierce anger. Jeremiah 4:19-26 NLT

Overwhelmed

The destruction of ancient boundaries

This past week has demonstrated what happens when a system of levees and pumps designed to keep New Orleans dry are comprised by a relentless and unstoppable force called Katrina. The complex system of levees and pumps, the largest of its kind in the world, have protected the city for many years. New Orleans is on average six feet below sea level, and every drop of water that comes into the city has to be pumped out. The levee walls, 13-25 foot high, have protected New Orleans over the years; providing safety from the ravages of flood waters.

That is, until last Tuesday. The 17th Street Canal levee was compromised and water from Lake Pontchartrain began to pour into residential areas that were unprepared for the devastation that was to follow. At times, the destruction was almost unbearable to watch. Disbelief was quickly followed by shock, anger and panic. A sense of utter hopelessness and despair began to set in as we witnessed a city descend into anarchy.

And today, almost one week later, the Associated Press reports: "The last bedraggled refugees were rescued from the Superdome on Saturday and the convention center was all but cleared, leaving the heart of New Orleans to the dead and dying, the elderly and frail stranded too many days without food, water or medical care. A once-vibrant city of 480,000 people, overtaken just days ago by floods, looting, rape and arson, was now an empty, sodden tomb."

As painful as it was to watch the failure of the levee walls, it was even more troubling to watch the collapse of moral law. Just as the levee walls provide protection from the ravages of flood waters; so too, God’s Word provides moral boundaries that protect us from the depravity of the human heart. Genesis 6:8 says that “the Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”

The physical and moral devastation of New Orleans is a reminder of the condition of the human heart apart from God. Our rebellion against God and His rule of law has opened the floodgates of wickedness. God gave us His Word for our protection and moral good. The psalmist said, “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” Hurricane-like, cultural and political winds have sought to remove the ancient, restraining boundaries of absolute truth from the public square. And we are paying the price as a society.

New Orleans gave us a glimpse of a city and a soul overcome and overwhelmed by the destructive forces of nature and human nature. The images on our television screen were painful to see. A city overpowered and brought to its knees by the destruction of its ancient boundaries.

It was painful this week to look at the depths of the sinfulness of my heart. To see the devastation and destruction caused by my rebellion and sin. It was painful to realize that my depravity grieves and breaks the heart of God. It was painful to see the secret thoughts and intentions of my heart projected onto living room television screens around the world. It was painful to realize that my breaking of God’s moral law prompted the creator of the world to send his only Son on a rescue mission that cost him his life. This past week I have been overwhelmed with a sense of God’s holiness, mercy and grace.

Breakfast with Kim

Bernice

Bernice is at it again. I really struggle with her. This morning she was recruiting for Breakfast with Liz on Saturday, September 10. I tried to sign up and was told it's just for "Red Hatters" and that I couldn't attend. What is that all about? It sounds like discrimination to me! I really think she doesn't like me because I'm an Iowa State Cyclone fan!

If I can't have breakfast with Liz, I'm going to throw my own breakfast meeting. I'm officially announcing Breakfast with Kim! My breakfast meeting will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 9:00 AM at Panera's NE. You've heard it here first. Tell a friend and join me for coffee. I'm depending on my blog readers to get the word out.

Bring a favorite book or a passage of Scripture that God has been using in your life. Men, let's not let Bernice and those "Red Hatters" have all the fun! Get the word out and join me for Breakfast with Kim! Leave a comment here on my blog if you plan to attend.

Creating Space For Life

Oscillation

I'm enjoying the book, The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. The premise of the book is that managing energy, not time, is the key to high performance and personal renewal. Full engagement requires cultivating a dynamic balance between the expenditure of energy and the renewal of energy physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

The authors call this oscillation, and it represents the fundamental pulse of life. Nature itself has a pulse, a rhythmic movement between activity and rest. The ebb and flow of the ocean tides, the change of seasons, and the daily rising and setting of the sun create the rhythms of life. So too, human beings are guided by rhythms. Our breathing, brain waves, body temperature, heart rates, hormone levels and blood pressure all have rhythmic patterns.

Our 24/7, always on, western society has pushed us to perform at unsustainable levels without adequate rest or recovery. Our propensity to live "linear" lives ignores our need for recovery and leads to unproductive levels of stress. "Sounds become music in the spaces between notes, just as words are created by the spaces between the letters. It is in the spaces between work that love, friendship, depth and dimension are nurtured. Without time for recovery, our lives become a blur of doing, unbalanced by much opportunity for being."

I'm learning to build in more frequent times of recovery during my day. It's not easy, but I'm learning to be more in tune with my rhythms. Taking time to talk to family and friends, listen to music, eat lunch or a healthy snack, reflect, pray, create, blog or read help recharge my physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energy reserves.

Our equipping staff and families enjoyed a great time of relaxation and refreshment tonight at the Eade's home. It was so relaxing to sit with friends I love and to enjoy the beautiful evening! Click on the picture at the top of this blog article to see a short slideshow of our evening.

Living a healthy, productive and fully engaged life requires careful attention to how I expend and recover energy. I want the second half of my life to be more successful than the first half. I want to create space for life!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3a

Guard Your Heart

Super Mario

Does this man look dangerous? Of course not! We know him as the beloved Mario from the Nintendo video games. Many of our children grew up on Mario, just like those of my generation grew up with Captain Kangaroo and Dr. Max. Surely Mario means no harm.

Although Mario is a rather harmless character, other video games are filled with first-person violence that is disturbing, and we are finding, dangerous. Based on an examination of the research that shows the negative influences of violence in interactive media on youth, the American Psychological Association (APA) today adopted a resolution recommending that all violence be reduced in video games Additionally, the APA also encourages parents, educators and health care providers to help youth make more informed choices about which games to play.

Here is a portion of their report.

The policy decision, made by the APA Council of Representatives, was adopted at the recommendation of a special Committee on Violence in Video Games and Interactive Media of the Media Psychology Division of APA, which reviewed the research indicating that exposure to violence in video games increases aggressive thoughts, aggressive behavior, and angry feelings among youth. In addition, this exposure reduces helpful behavior and increases physiological arousal in children and adolescents.

Research on media violence also revealed, that perpetrators go unpunished 73 percent of the time in all violent scenes. “Showing violent acts without consequences teach youth that violence is an effective means of resolving conflict. Whereas, seeing pain and suffering as a consequence can inhibit aggressive behavior”, says psychologist Elizabeth Carll, PhD, co-chair of the Committee on Violence in Video Games and Interactive Media.

Studies on learning also show that active participation may influence learning more than passive observation. “Violence in video games appear to have similar negative effects as viewing violence on TV, but may be more harmful because of the interactive nature of video games," says Dr. Elizabeth Carll, who is a private practitioner in New York and a past president of the Media Division of APA. “Playing video games involves practice, repetition, and being rewarded for numerous acts of violence, which may intensify the learning. This may also result in more realistic experiences which may potentially increase aggressive behavior,” added Carll.

Psychologists are merely discovering the ancient wisdom found in the Scriptures - that there is a direct correlation between what we think about and behavior. In a time of increasing violence, aggressive behavior and a preoccupation with death, followers of Christ need to stand up for life. We need to reaffirm our commitment to bring reconciliation and peace, not division and violence. We need to be careful to guard our hearts.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

Seasons of Life

Josh and Jon Then .................... Jon and Josh Now

How quickly time flies. The chill in the air this morning was a reminder that another school season is upon us. It hardly seems possible that nine years ago we sent Josh and Jon off to Kindergarten! And today they are officially high school juniors.

It's time for school to begin. It's time for Josh and Jon to be juniors. It's time for them to move into this new phase of life. And it's time for Sharon and me to move into this new phase with them.

As is our custom on the first day of school, I took Josh and Jon out for breakfast this morning. We are studying through Know What You Believe. But we also talked about the upcoming year and some of their goals. This year will involve college campus visits, learning new responsibilities and taking on new challenges in preparation for graduation.

And then I told them something that brought a lump to my throat and sadness to my heart. I uttered words that I knew had to be said, but had secretly hoped would never come. I told them that one of my jobs as their dad is to help prepare them to leave home. I told them that when the time came for them to leave that they would feel ready to go. And I told them to pray that their dad and mom would be ready too.

When people have asked me if I'm ready for fall, my response has been; "I'm ready for fall, I'm just not certain that I'm ready to be the father of two juniors." But I am looking forward to fall. I love the change of seasons. This is one of the reasons I love living in Iowa. I'm looking forward to the beautiful fall colors, crisp autumn air, Friday night football games, and marching band competitions.

And I'm also ready for a new season of life that is right around the corner for me. This new season comes with its own unique beauty and opportunities. Rather than grieve the loss of what I cannot hold on to forever, I choose to look forward to the future and to enjoy today. Its time. I'm ready for this new season of life to begin.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11a

Welcome to Our Community

Moving Crew

Tye, Andrew, Allyson and Morgan arrived today with their two moving vans. Judy and Mackenzie will drive out and join the rest of the family on Wednesday. The Male's were greeted by an energetic moving crew of teens and adults. We ripped into the two vans and had them unloaded in less than one hour. The piano took another 30 minutes to negotiate. I knew there was a reason that I don't play the piano!

It was awesome to see the body of Christ in action today - helping, carrying, unpacking, setting up beds, cooking, and loving. Tye, Judy and family; welcome to our community of faith!

Freedom!

After and Before

Jon got his cast removed today. He now has new freedom of movement and activity. Jon intends to give the new wrist a good work out today at band camp, helping the Male’s unload their moving truck, playing ultimate frisbee, and finally, swimming. Swimming is one thing you can’t do with a cast on!

On the way back from the doctors appointment we talked about how leaders use their acquired influence for the benefit of others. Leaders are called to use their freedom to serve, rather than be served. Freedom can be used for selfish pursuits, or it can be used for the benefit of others. Leaders hear the call of God to use their freedom to serve God's purpose in the lives of people.

How about you? What has God given to you, and how could you use it to serve others? Have you experienced the joy and freedom that accompany serving?

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14

A Bear Tale

Beware of Bear

There are bear everywhere in the Smokies! If you don't watch your step you can find yourself face to face with one of these ferocious creatures. Which is exactly what happened the first day we were in our cabin.

Jason exclaimed that he saw a bear in front of our living room window. We all thought he was joking. That is, until we turned around and looked out the window! There in front of us was a mama bear with her two cubs. I found my camera and opened the door in time to snap off a quick picture as they disappeared into the woods. Fortunately, I escaped with my life and lived to tell this harrowing story of danger and adventure. Click on the picture above to see some of the bears we encountered while in Tennessee. The last picture is of our visiting bear family.

Who Touches the Mountains, and They Smoke

The Smoky Mountains

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works - he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Psalm 104:31-33

The Smokies are as beautiful as people say. Photos don't do them justice. We had a very relaxing family vacation that exceeded our expectations! How often does that happen? Highlights for me included hiking in the Smokies, hanging out as a family in the cabin at night, sleeping in, discussing Knowing What You Believe each evening, taking pictures, reading and time to relax! Click on the picture above to see a slideshow of our vacation. And yes, I did see bear! I narrowly escaped with my life. I'll tell you the rest of the story, complete with pictures, at another time.