The Greatest of All

Brad, Bill, Jason, Jeremy and Lance

We concluded our Servant Leadership U class this morning. I have been meeting twice a month with these men along with Gary, Mike and Chris. Over the course of the last nine months we have worked on our life mission, studied various areas of theology and discussed principles of servant leadership. I have been greatly challenged by these men's heart for God and their commitment to serve His purposes in the lives of people.

At New Covenant we say that servanthood is a way of life. The way of the servant is the way of blessing. Jesus flipped the traditional chain of command upside down when he declared the servant to be the greatest of all. These men embody what it means to live as servant leaders. It's a joy to serve along side of people who understand that character is the foundation of success, that humility comes before honor, and that influence is more important than power.

In the pursuit of greatness, some seek positions of prominence. Others seek power or prestige. Still others seek to be valued and esteemed. And all the while the servant is focused on the heart of God and kingdom work, quietly becoming the greatest of all!

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:1-4

Our Czech Team Returns

Sean and Lisa

The Czech Team returned tonight. We are looking forward to hearing what God has done in and through their lives.

Cindy Howard, our missionary who is now living in Trinec, Czech Republic, wrote this report on Sunday: WOW. I don't want to steal the thunder of my teammates... but God truly did exceedingly abundant above all we ask or think. If the people's spiritual level started at 0 degrees (centigrade) or possibly negative... almost everyone moved 30 or 40 degrees warmer to spiritual things. I have no idea how many, but many people are seriously considering the claims of Christ, and what their next step should be. We had a short debriefing yesterday and Bronek said that this was the most successful camp spiritually he had ever seen.

God is so good to allow us to be part of His work in the lives of people, even people half way around the world!

The Quest for Space

The Ultra Deep Field observations represent a narrow, deep view of the cosmos. Peering into the Ultra Deep Field is like looking through an eight-foot-long soda straw.

Have you noticed that God is into spacious places? Everything He creates is full of beauty, wonder and space. Just stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon, peer up at the full moon at night or gaze out over the ocean on a sun drenched day. The wonder, the awe and the unique design of God’s creation takes our breath away. These spaces refresh our spirit and cry out about the nature of the creator.

Space has a magnetic quality. Whether it is outer space, the ocean floor or the promise of the new world, man has always been intrigued by space. There is something about the kind of space that God creates that echoes and resonates in the heart of man. In our quest to know our creator we are somehow mysteriously drawn to those spaces that whisper His name.

Studies have shown that living in over-crowded conditions contributes to stress, alienation, isolation, powerlessness, and aggression. Standardization and replication speak of man’s propensity for conformity. God’s canvas of space invites us to join Him in His creative work; to become a unique, one-of-a-kind expression of His grace and design. And so David wrote in 2 Samuel 22:18b, 20a; “He reached down from on high and took hold of me … He brought me out into a spacious place.”

Our hearts long to join God in a spacious place. Space where we can think and dream, space where we can connect with God, space where we there are no limits, space where we can explore, space where we break down walls of isolation and connect with others, space where we can become all God intended for us to become. Our hearts are on a quest, a quest for space, a quest for God.

Welcome to the Family

Pastor Bob

We held our Membership Class yesterday and today with 22 people attending. Click on the picture above to see a slide show of those who attended. Once the slide show begins you can click on an individual picture to see the first names. You will need to hit the "Back" button on your browser to return to the blog.

It's so exciting to be part of a church family that is growing spiritually and numerically. A healthy family is all about commitment, mutual care, trust, team work and support. These are also characteristics of a healthy church. Healthy families and churches always have room for one more person. Welcome to the family!

The Gift of Space

For the past three months I have been working at creating space of a different kind; the space between my waist and my pants! I haven’t been measuring, but I would guess that I have freed up at least 2-3 inches!

Sharon and I have been working at developing new, more healthy eating habits. By God’s grace we have seen encouraging results and new patterns that we feel we can maintain as a way of life. This is new territory for me as I have never been able (or have been unwilling) to lose more than 10-15 pounds.

But this process has been more about a spiritual journey than about a diet. One of the keys for me is that Sharon and I are doing it together. The built-in accountability and support has been invaluable. Even though Sharon didn’t really need to “free up any space”, she has voluntarily joined me on this journey. For her, it has meant more meal planning and more food preparation. But it has been a rewarding process to mutually pray and work on this together. In a different kind of way, she has given me the gift of space!

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up! … A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a, 12b

Welcome Home

Saying Goodbye

I don't know about you, but I'm not a great "goodbye" kind of guy. I am much more partial to "hello." But goodbyes are an unavoidable part of life. Goodbyes remind us that this earth is not our real home.

But in the mean time, God uses goodbyes to free up space in our hearts. Goodbyes open up fissures, sometimes even cavernous holes in our hearts that can only be filled by God. Goodbyes create space that we didn't want, that we didn't look for and that we didn't even know existed. They present us with an opportunity to grow and trust God in new ways.

And so we said goodbye to Ryan today (well, it was actually yesterday now) at the Eastern Iowa Airport. Sharon and I are excited for him about this new chapter of his life. But we are also acutely aware that there is an empty space in our hearts. It's a good reminder for us that our trust needs to be in Christ, and that only He can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. Properly observed, grief serves as a companion who introduces us to new intimacy with Christ and a new capacity to care.

And that brings me back to the hope of heaven where there will be no more tears, no more separation. In heaven there will be no more goodbyes, only eternal hellos! In heaven we will finally hear the words, "Welcome home!"

We Can Only Imagine

We love Tye!

Today we created space for one more staff person with the arrival of Tye Male as our Middle Adult Pastor. Welcome aboard Tye! To celebrate the special occasion we all wore an ugly tie to our Tuesday afternoon staff meeting. Not to be outdone, Tye arrived to the meeting wearing a special tie of his own.

Today marks the completion of part of the vision that was cast in 2001. After our church survey and consultation in 2000, we decided to move to a flock model of ministry in order to be a more intentional disciplemaking church. We embarked on a simultaneous search process for a Children’s Pastor, Junior High Pastor, Young Adult Pastor, Middle Adult Pastor and Women’s Director. In addition, we envisioned an Executive Pastor working closely with the Senior Pastor and a Mature Adult/Missions Pastor. Over the past four years God has provided Mick, Mark, Erin, Bob, Pat, James and now Tye! And we are equally blessed with the additional support staff who have been added to help meet the needs of our growing church family.

Who could have imagined four years ago what God would do? As we look over the horizon to future relocation and growth, we can’t begin to imagine all that God has prepared for us. Over the course of the next five years what new ministries will be launched? What new staff will be hired? What new followers of Christ will be added to the family? What new missionaries will be commissioned from our church body? Whose life will be transformed by the power of Jesus Christ? We can only imagine!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than 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

A Waste of Space

Sharon recently asked Ryan if he wanted his old zip drive. Do you remember those ancient storage devices? It was “high tech” six years ago when I bought it for Ryan. I was amazed to think that you could get a full 100 megabytes of data on just one disk. Wow, how times have changed! In just that past few years we have moved from the 5” floppy, to the 3 ½” floppy, to the zip drive, to the CD, to the DVD and now the USB flash drive.

Ryan took one look at the oversize drive and replied, “No, I don’t want it. My little USB flash drive holds five times as much data. You can throw it away; it’s a waste of space!”

The phrase, “it’s a waste of space” began to ring in my ear. From an ergonomic standpoint, the USB drive is a more economical use of space. It’s more efficient and easy to use. And did I mention that you get five times the storage capacity for one third the cost? I don’t even like to think about what I paid for that zip drive!

It’s sort of like life. Am I creating space for others by allowing the love of Christ to flow through me, or am I taking up space by consuming the resources around me? Am I a giver or a taker? Do I create opportunities for others or consume them on myself?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to waste the space God has given to me. By the grace of God, I want to be a blessing to my family, my church and my community. Have you noticed that life doesn’t stand still? And we must be constantly growing in our relationship with Christ if we want to serve God in our generation. We can’t expect to try and serve up yesterday’s blessings for tomorrow’s spiritual needs. What a waste of space!

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38

Creating Space For One More Person

Our family is in the process of creating space for one more person tonight after an unexpected telephone call at 11:30 PM. We had spent the evening in Dubuque at a sophomore baseball game. We got home around 10:30 and Sharon drove over to the school shortly afterward to pick up Jon and to drop several team members off at their homes. When she got to Lucas' home, things were piled up in the lawn and something was noticeably wrong.

A few minutes after Sharon and Jon got home the phone ran. We wondered who could be calling us at this late hour. Lucas was on the phone calling from Quick Trip asking if he could spend the night with us as his family had been evicted from their house. Josh and I drove the the QT in Marion to pick Lucas up. We made a quick rearrangement of bed rooms, rounded up some spare clothes and a tooth brush, and fixed something to eat. And now an hour later we are sitting in our family room with a new member of our family! You never know when the phone will ring and everything will change.

How about you, what person has God brought into your life lately? How are you and/or your family creating space for one more person? Please pray for Lucas and his mother and that God would use this in both of our families.

Partners On The Journey

Jay and Kandy

What a fun evening we had tonight. We helped Jaylene and Bobby throw a surprise 25th anniversary party for Jay and Kandy. Over forty people gathered to express their support and affirmation. We laughed at some of the stories and enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship and prayer. Who would have guessed that Kandy would marry that "young punk!" And that they would still be madly in love with one another and the Lord 25 years later. We are thankful for friends with whom we can celebrate and share life with.

25 years of marriage is a major milestone. We reflect back with gratitude to God for His faithfulness and grace that sustains us on the journey. But we look forward with eager anticipation to what God is going to do in the future. As good as the past 25 years have been, the best is yet to come. What a privilege and joy it is to walk this path together as partners on the journey.

The Most High God

Today our team left for the Czech Republic. They will be leading an English Business Camp while they are there, teaching English, leading Bible reading discussions groups and business seminars. We are excited about this outreach and trust that the Lord will minister through each team member over the course of the next two weeks.

One of the things the team is taking with them is a DVD of the movie Most. Most means "bridge" in Czech. Click on the "Most" link in the previous sentence to see a trailer of the movie. The movie was shot on location in Czech Republic and Poland and is in the Czech language with English sub-titles. The movie shares the powerful message of redemption through a very moving story of a relationship between a father and his son. This is a "must see" movie. It received a 2003 Academy Award nomination for a live action short film. Erin and I saw a screening of the movie at the Origins Conference in May followed by a Q and A time with the two directors, William Zabka and Bobby Garabedian. I believe that God has prepared this movie to help communicate the gospel to the Czech people.

Our team will be showing this moving during the English Business Camp followed by a time of discussion in small groups. Pray that God would use this movie in a unique and powerful way, and that many spiritual discussions would follow. And pray that the Czech people would come to understand the meaning of the "most" important commandment ~ that they would love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and with all their strength.

A Prepared Bride

Tyler and Erin

It was my privilege to officiate the wedding ceremony for Tyler and Erin today. As you can see from the photo, they were all smiles. There were a few tears shed and a few moments of humor - like when the unity candle wouldn't light! But it all worked out in the end, and I was able to pronounce them husband and wife. We all enjoyed a wonderful reception afterwards complete with a wedding cake on each table.

It makes me wonder what the wedding ceremony in heaven will be like. Who will be there? What will we wear? The preparations are being made, the invitations have gone out and the ceremony is about to begin. Revelation 19:9 says blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. What a celebration it will be. John had a vision and saw the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And he heard a loud voice saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."

His invitation is a simple one. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Whoever hears the invitation is invited. This is one party that you won't want to miss. Admission is open to all who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. The invitation to us today is come. Don't delay, don't make excuses, don't refuse the call of Christ. Don't be left on the outside looking in. There is always room for one more person.

The Way of Jesus

What would our families look like if we took Jesus words seriously about living as a servant? How would our places of work, our church and our community be different if we lived like Jesus?

I came across an awesome article titled, Lead Like Jesus: Becoming a Servant Manager. John Pearson shares what life would look like if we served like Jesus:

• Public restrooms would be cleaner
• Parking spaces closest to building entrances would be available for visitors and guests
• Servant leaders and managers would arrive early for meetings, make coffee, tidy up the room, and offer warm, welcoming greetings
• Frequent fliers would donate some of their miles to single parent employees who need a break

So, how are you doing living as a servant? How has the example of Christ impacted your life and leadership? Are you following in the way of Jesus? I am intersted in hearing your thoughts and ideas.

Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:14-17

New Servant Leaders

George, Dave, Bryan, Mick, Doug, Jeff and Jeremy

What a joy it has been getting together over lunch with this group of men for the past four Thursdays. I have been meeting with these men along with Ed and Bruce to help prepare and equip them for their roles as new deacons or elders. I can't think of a better way to spend my lunch time! Today we discussed the role of the servant leader as slave, servant and steward and how this should impact the way we lead. We had a great time interacting with the Scriptures and one another on this topic. And as usual, we ran out of food and time before we completed our discussion.

How about you? How has knowing Jesus impacted the way you lead at home or your place of work? What is your leadership point of view? At New Covenant, servant leadership is more than a slogan, it's a way of life. Let these men know that you are praying for them and that you appreciate them. Your words of affirmation will bring joy to their service and will enrich our entire church family.

Welcome To The Family

I had some new thougts regarding creating space for one more person. Dan Koskamp shared from 2 Samuel 9 in the Elder meeting last evening regarding David and Mephibosheth. David was actively looking for someone from the house of Saul to whome he could show kindness. Jonathan, son of Saul, was a special friend to David. And now David wanted to honor the memory of his friend and show kindness to his family. A search was made and only Mephibosheth was found, a son of Jonathan who was crippled in both feet. In a show of incredible generosity and kindness, David restored Mephibosheth's land and gave his entire family a spot at his royal table.

This story is a picture of the grace of God. We are crippled outcasts who God searches out and then invites to dine with him at his banquet table. And this isn't just a short visit or a spontaneous show of generosity. This is a permanent spot for our entire family. What an incredible picture of God's grace.

The meal table is a wonderful methaphor for the family of God. In a loving family, there is always room for one more person around the table... In the neighborhood and dropped by, no problem... Bringing friends home after school, have a seat... Just got engaged or maried, welcome to the family... A newborn just arrived, isn't she beautiful.

It's one thing to make room for those we already know. But it's quite another thing to be a family of grace that actively seeks out those who are disenfranchised to invite them in. It's one thing to welcome, it's another to invite. I want to be part of a church family that extends an open invitation and welcome to all. This Sunday, introduce yourself to someone you don't know, welcome a stranger, greet a friend. As Jesus told his disciples before sending them out, "Freely you have received, freely give."

And if you are new to New Covanant, welcome to the family and pull up a chair. There is always room at the cross and room in our church family for one more person. Welcome to the family!

Like Father, Like Son

Ryan, Kim, Josh, Bud and Jon

We spent the evening at Daniels Park for a double header. It was a beautiful evening for baseball. My dad joined us for the game and then came home with us for pizza. I always enjoy spending time with my dad, especially when it also includes my sons. All we were missing is Jason and the the picture with the Pagel men would be complete.

Have you ever noticed that the older you get the more you resemble your parents in actions, attitudes and even in physical features? This was pressed on me when I visited my dad in Florida one winter. Person after person came up to me and said, "You must be Bud Pagel's son." Now, how did they know? I have even noticed that my voice inflections and mannerism remind me more and more of my father. When did all this begin to happen? I have also noticed that all my boys sound alike. When I call home and one of my sons answers the phone I'm not sure who I am talking to. And then one day I answered the phone and the caller told me that my boys sound just like me!

I'm OK with becoming like my dad. There are a lot of things that I admire about him. He is faithful, consistent, dependable, hard working, takes initiative, and enjoys learning. I hope I can resemble him in these qualities. I'm a little more ambivalent regarding my sons becoming like me. What attitudes, actions and behaviors am I passing on to my sons? What qualities do they see in me that they want to emulate?

But most importantly, as I work on this father thing, am I becoming more like my heavenly Father in my attitudes, actions and behaviors? How much of my heavenly Father do people see when they look at me? Do I remind people of Jesus?

How about you? What qualities have your parents passed on to you? What qualities are you hoping to pass on to your children? And how are you doing becoming like your heavenly Father?

How great the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And this is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1-2

Moving Forward In Faith

Kim, Richard, Sharon and Sharon

I don't think there is anything more lovely than the smile on the face of a new bride. Our congratulations to Richard and Sharon who were married on May 28. My wife and I enjoyed being part of their Open House today at New Covenant. The glow on Sharon's face was impossible to miss and lit up the entire room. What a joy it was to be able to celebrate this new beginning with Richard and Sharon as they move forward in their new life together.

Life is meant to be lived looking forward, but sometimes we get stuck in the past. A wound that won't seem to heal, an unforgiving heart, bitterness, hurt, loss, unmet expectations and unexpressed grief can all hold us captive to the past. The loss of a spouse is a very difficult and lonely journey. Sharon has traveresed through the valley of the shadow of death and has successfully come out the other side. Ray gave Sharon a very special gift before he passed away. Ray told Sharon that he wanted her to feel free to find someone she could spend the rest of her life with. Ray's last days were spent looking forward to his eternal home and making arrangements for those he loved. Ray's life was an arrow that pointed people forward to the future, rather than an anchor that held people to the past.

Joseph, at the end of his life, gave instructions that his body was not to be buried in Egypt, but rather his bones were to be carried out when the children of Israel returned to the promised land. Joseph's bones were a symbol of the future, pointing people to the promises that God would one day fulfill.

What are you leaving behind that inspires others to trust God's promises and to move into the future with faith and confidence in God? On this special day, we celebrate with Richard and Sharon and the promise of a new life together. And we also pause to thank God for a faithful husband and friend who always encouraged those he loved to move forward in faith.

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. Hebrews 11:22

Never Give Up

Jon Hustling To First

Friday night at the ball park under the lights, the smell of hot dogs and the sound of a fastball hitting the catchers mitt - it's time to play ball. The Linn-Mar sophomore team played two memorable games in Iowa City tonight. The first game was one they would like to forget, but the sight of goose eggs on the score board was hard to ignore - no runs, no hits, and seven errors. It's hard to forget when a game is called because of the ten run rule - ouch!

The second game started right off where the first one ended. Linn-Mar was behind 7-0 and had committed five errors after three innings. Things looked bleak. But the team continued to play hard and things began to turn around. Linn-Mar was trailing 8-5 going into the last inning and then scored three runs in the seventh to tie the game. The comeback was complete when they scored in extra innings to win 9-8! A winning outcome seemed impossible and unimaginable in the third inning. But hard work, perseverance and team work turned the entire game around. Who would have thought?

What obstacles or adversities are you facing in your life that seem impossible to overcome? Persevering through difficulties develops character and leads to the blessings of God. You will never know "what could have been" if you give up. God doesn't guarantee us last inning victories or the alleviation of suffering. But He does promise that He will never leave or forsake us, and that He will use each circumstance in our life for good. That is, if we are willing to trust Him, persevere to the end and never give up.

Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-5

A Great Way To Start The Day

Phil, Todd, Kim and Lance

I love Friday mornings! Here I am with three of the four men that meet together at Panera's every Friday morning at 6:30. John was absent this morning so didn't get included in the picture. We missed you John! It's great to know that at the end of my week I have a place I can go to share my joys, successes and struggles with a small group of men who will listen, care and pray for me. What a great way to begin the morning. I've learned all kinds of things from these men - from how to correctly put a lid on my cup of coffee to the value of friendship and feedback.

Everyone needs a small group of friends for encouragement, support and accoutability. How about you? Do you have a small group that you meet with regularly? What is important to you in a small group? I would love to hear from you.

Welcome Home

Kim, Joshua, Ryan and Sharon

We were excited to welcome Ryan home after serving on the Logos II for the past 2 1/2 years. You can learn more about the ministry of the Logos II by at this link. Ryan's ministry took him to Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribean, Africa, Spain and England. The Logos II ship has 200 followers of Jesus Christ serving on board from 40 different nations! The miracle of it all is that in spite of their differences they love one another through the love of Christ. We will enjoy having Ryan home for several weeks before he heads off to attend the University of Oklahoma.

What are your plans for the summer? Have you ever considered taking a short-term missions trip? If you could take a missions trip to any country of your choice, where would you go? Let me know what is on your heart regarding reaching the lost.