Dare to Dream

J-Mac

By now you may have already heard of Jason McElwain, the 17 year-old student manager of the Greece Athena varsity basketball team outside of Rochester, New York. The story begins in a very familiar way. Jason who is too short at 5' 6", doesn't make the JV roster and becomes the student manager of the varsity boys team. Jason works hard and becomes a valued and respected part of the team. In three years as student manager he only missed one game. So far so good, nothing too unusual yet.

That is until February 15, 2006; Senior Night and the last home game of the year for Greece Athena. Coach Johnson told J-Mac that he would try to get him in the game, but couldn't promise him anything. And then with 4 minutes and 19 seconds left in the game and Greece Athena up by 20, Coach Johnson called J-Mac's number.

259 seconds later Jason had become the game's leading scorer, set a new school record for the most 3 point baskets made in a game and was carried off the floor on the shoulders of his team mates. Oh, and did I mention that Jason is autistic and this was the only varsity game he ever played? Don't believe it? Use this link and push the play button on the video to see for yourself.

This has to be the feel-good story of the year. It reminds us again that everyone, regardless of their disability or talent level, can make a valued contribution. That a community of people working together for a common purpose can transcend individual accomplishment. That great things sometimes happen to those who persevere and attend to the "small things". And that sometimes with some some help from our friends, dreams do come true.

What we all want in life is a shot. But what we do with it, that's a story we all want to tell. Jason took his, and now it's a story we can all tell. So, what's your story? Let's dare to dream!

Out of Touch

Out of Touch

An article in The Gazette today focused on the controversary over the TouchPlay gambling machines. According to The Gazette there are 140 TouchPlay machines in Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha and Marion. 90 of the machines are in neighborhoods whose median household incomes are $40,000 or less annually.

Over 4000 machines have been installed around the state and another 5000 are on the way. The Iowa Lottery Commission today announced that the TouchPlay machines have brought in $212 million over the past eight months. The state estimates that 88% of Iowans gamble. TouchPlay gambling at every corner gas station and convenience store is not what our state is about. It's time to say no to neighborhood lottery machines!

A House committee on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would ban TouchPlay machines and give owners 30 days to shut down thousands of the games statewide. "My constituents have overwhelming said 'get these things out of here,"' said Rep. Sandy Greiner, R-Keota. "They really resent taking their children into a grocery store or convenience store and having these machines all over."

Kudos to Sandy! I want to add my voice to those who say enough is enough. Let the governor and state representatives know that when it comes to TouchPlay, they are out of touch!

Pardon The Interruption

Tye with Eric Bramlett

Bob, Tye, Gary, Erin and myself just returned from a two day Multi-Site Practicum at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Illinois. Community Christian has 19 services at 8 different locations in the Chicago area. This past weekend they launched their latest site in Pilson, the second largest Hispanic community in the United States. They have been doing multi-site ministry since 1998 and are considered one of the pioneers in the movement.

It was a great experience for the five of us to interact with the Community Christian leadership team the past two days. There were over 20 churches in attendance from all over the United States. Among other things, we learned the 7 Moves to Going Multi-Site and worked on a 5 Step Strategy. You can click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of our time.

Last evening after dinner, Eric Bramlett, their Creative Arts Director, led a segment called Pardon the Interruption. Churches were encouraged to send up a representative to be "interviewed" by Eric for one minute. Tye volunteered from our team and endured 60 seconds of Eric's good-natured humor and fun. Thanks Tye for taking one for the team!

This Practicum was a great way for us to learn about what is involved if we choose to launch an additional site in the future. Our long range vision includes resourcing and helping small churches in rural areas. In addition, we need to look at how to creatively deal with our space constraints over the next four years before we relocate.

This a journey of faith. The past several days we learned about how one church is pioneering new territory in their passionate quest to help people find their way back to God. This is no time to sit idly by as people pass into a Christless eternity. We need to understand the times and help people awake from their slumber. Pardon the interruption.

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Romans 13:11

Good Stuff

We had a great Welcome Lunch today with about 90 people in attendance. We had 11 tables set up and guests were seated at 10 of them. The Kitchen Team did a great job as usual and Ken's chili was outstanding! Click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of our lunch.

I love the environment that the Welcome Lunch creates. Our staff, elders and deacons were scattered out throughout the room, engaged in conversations with our guests. The Welcome Lunch is a place where those who are new can meet others, ask questions and learn more about New Covenant. It's a place where introductions and connections are made. It's a place where God is free to work in the lives of people. Good stuff!

How To Find A Church

Last week Nicole Riehl from The Gazette called to interview me regarding an article she was writing about how young adults should go about selecting a church to attend. The article appeared in today's newspaper. For those of you who don't subscribe to The Gazette, you can click on the above picture to see a larger image of the article that is readable.

Of course I also shared about the importance of finding a church that basis its teaching on the Word of God. But all in all, I think the article could be helpful to young adults who are seeking a place to worship.

I couldn't help but be somewhat amused by the graphic layout that The Gazette used for the article. The seeker is coming into a dark, foreboding building with the only light flooding in through the doorway from the outside.

This is not the New Testament picture of what the church is to be like. Followers of Christ are the light of the world. We are to so penetrate our culture and community that everyone can see our good works and give glory to God! Let's take the light of Jesus with us this week into our neighborhood, place of work, and family activities.

I like the lyrics to the song Shine by the Newsboys.
Shine. Make ´em wonder what you´ve got, make ´em wish that they were not on the outside looking bored. Shine. Let it shine before all men, let ´em see good works, and then let ´em glorify the Lord.

What's the best way to find a church? Look for a follower of Christ and then follow the light!

3...2...1...Ignite

Steve Jenkins~Mr. Halftime

We are launching a new ministry at New Covenant called Ignite. The purpose of Ignite is to equip believers to finish strong. It's for those who have reached the midpoint of their lives and want to move from success to significance.

We are excited about the upcoming Halftime Conference on March 31 - April 1. Lloyd Reeb will be the featured speaker. You can learn more about the Halftime ministry here.

The Halftime Vision Casting event is scheduled for Friday, March 31 from 7:00-9:00 PM. Lloyd Reeb will share his personal halftime story and a compelling vision for what a significant second half looks like.

The Halftime Summit is scheduled for Saturday from 8:00 AM-12:30 PM. Each participant will explore the concept of halftime and discover how to lead a life of significance by getting a grasp on your God-given design and desires, write a personal mission statement, and develop an action plan for specific next steps.

I'm thankful for Pastor James work in forming the Ignite leadership team, and for his behind the scenes efforts to help launch this halftime ministry. And a special thank you to our great Ignite Team: Steve Jenkins (chairman), Carol Akey, Tye Male, Kim Pagel, Mike Pearson, Dave Sanders and James Wartian.

Join us as we trust God to ignite a movement of men and women who seek to impact their world for Christ.

New Friends

The Friends Class concluded today. 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 18 who came every week.

This was a very special Friends Class. 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. It's a joy to be involved in what He is doing. We are a family that is committed to making space for one more person. Help me welcome these new friends to our family!

Bible Index

Sharon got a new Bible this past week and wanted me to put a Bible index on it. I had learned how to do this in college, and have put an index or "ladder," as we called it, on all of our Bibles. But over the years I had misplaced the instructions. No problem, I'll just go online to find out how to do it. And to my surprise I couldn't find anything.

The end of the story, or so I thought. As we were moving some old files I found my Bible index instructions. And so I'm posting How to Index the Edge of A Bible here on my blog for all the world to see. As far as I know, this is the only place on the web where you can go to learn how to do this.

• Materials needed: soft-leaded pencil, extra-fine point pen with black ink (I use .2 mm pen by Micron), and art gum or other soft eraser.
• I suggest that you practice your first index on an old Bible.
• Spread out the edge of the Bible at an angle to the right and with a soft-leaded pencil make seven parallel lines across the edge approximately 1/3 way down from the top of the Bible and 3/16 of an inch apart.
• Take seven of the sections* at a time and place between each of them an index card so that when spread out there is a distinguishable space between each section. Beginning on the bottom pencil line with Genesis, make ink lines across each section and up the edge of the first page of the next section. I find that it works best when making your horizontal line to move the index card out past the edge of the Bible so that you know where to stop the line at. When the top pencil line is reached, make the vertical line down the first page of the next section to the line below. Click here to see a picture of what a completed ladder looks like.
• Taking 1/3 of the index at a time, spread out an angle to the right and hold down tightly with the left hand while lettering and strengthening the lines. All pen strokes must be made straight up and down or to the right to prevent catching on the edge of the page.
• Spread out the whole Bible at an angle to the right and erase the pencil lines with an art gum or soft eraser, making all motions up and down and to the right.

* A section is a book or group of books like those put together in the illustration shown. Note the books that are grouped together in the sections of the index. In some cases all of the books are marked; others are not for lack of space. Groupings are as follows:

• Judges, Ruth
• Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
• Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
• Daniel, Hosea
• Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah
• Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah
• Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
• Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians
• Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon
• Hebrews, James
• Peter, John, Jude

Good luck with your ladder. They are really slick. And most importantly, make sure to spend time with God, allowing His Word to shape and conform you into His image.

Red Hatters

Wow, I couldn't believe my eyes! The Red Hatters had a Fashion Show this morning. I think it was more "show" than fashion. But don't take my word for it, go ahead and click here to see for yourself.

I can't believe that they allow this kind of thing to go on in the church. Bernice must be behind all of this. I was really glad that Bernice let Joyce do most of the talking. Joyce was awesome, as usual!

The hi-lite of the day? 30 women made commitments or recommitments to Christ! Hey, with results like that, maybe we could get Bernice to come to the Men's Steak Out this summer!

Opening Day

With the Super Bowl behind us we can now get on with more important matters. Need I remind you that Major League Baseball's Opening Day is only 52 days away! I've bought my fantasy baseball magazines and I'm studying up on off season moves, pre-season rosters and player evaluation. In the next couple of days I will be signing up for my Yahoo fantasy baseball drafts. And then the countdown begins with the anticipation of the online drafts, then the first Baseball Tonight and then Opening Day!

There's just something exciting about spring time. Spring holds the promise of a fresh start and new birth. The crocus are in bloom, the red bud trees are in blossom and the smell of spring is in the air. The spring time of life always brings anticipation and hope - the hope of a new beginning and the promise of a better future.

In the spring 30 teams dream of a World Series Championship. A team that has not won a World Series in 88 years goes to spring training believing that this may be their year. Miracles do happen. Against all odds, the White Sox beat the best teams in baseball to claim the championship trophy and ring.

29 teams spent the winter anticipating a new season and a better future. In 52 days the President of the United States will throw out the first pitch and a new season will be underway. The Cubs will be tied for the league lead and hope will spring eternal. Opening Day is right around the corner. You gotta love this game!

Creating Space ~ Reflecting Values

Pastor Bob and I spent four days in Dallas last week. We attended a two day conference and spent an additional two days visiting five different church who have or are planning to build or relocate.

We toured seven churches in all. We were a bit on overload by the end of the fourth day! I enjoyed every minute of it, and brought back 650 pictures to document our trip! We saw some impressive churches and facilities. You can click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of some interior shots.

It was interesting to observe the uniqueness and difference of each church. We came to realize that a churches values and vision are reflected by the way they design and use space. We saw space that reflected creativity and color. We experience majestic space, inviting space, connecting space and relaxing space. And then there was some space that just looked fun; like The Tubes at Irving Bible.

Bob and I returned excited to apply what we learned at New Covenant. What space could we create that would help people become wholehearted worshippers, faithful witnesses, caring community members, Christlike models and equipped servants.

It's exciting to dream about what the future holds. A future that is not defined by the nature of our facilities but by the character of those who worship there. We are committed to creating space that reflects our values in order to accomplish our mission.

A Perfect Fit

Cholula Hot Sauce

Who says there is no such thing as a "perfect church?"

As you may know, Pastor Bob and myself are in Dallas for a conference this week. We came down several days before the start of the conference to tour several churches that recently built new facilities. This morning we visited Prestonwood Baptist Church. We arrived early so we decided to have breakfast in their cafeteria. We ordered omelets and were waiting for them to finish cooking when I spotted the collection of hot sauces. And then my eyes caught the Cholula sauce, Bob's favorite. It was then that I knew that Pastor Bob had found his perfect church complete with a food court/cafeteria that serves Cholula sauce!

Not to worry though, I pulled Pastor Bob away from Prestonwood and we will both return to Cedar Rapids late Thursday evening. We are both excited to return and share all that we have learned the past two days. Who would possibly want to serve anywhere else when you already have the best? New Covenant, Pastor Bob and Pastor Kim - a perfect fit.

And by the way, the omelets where delicious!

End of the Spear

I saw the End of the Spear last week. The movie was even better than I had expected. It is well done and tells a timeless story of redemption and forgiveness.

The movie has also generated some discussion regarding the casting of Chad Allen as Nate and Steve Saint. Chad is a gay rights activist and many Christians have been critical of his inclusion in the movie.

Regardless of where you fall on the issue, I encourage you to read the Christianity Today article that explains how the decision was made. Steve Saint takes responsibility for the decision and describes how God led him to keep Chad Allen on the project.

And then Steve Saint makes this incredible statement:
"It is hard to see people have to defend a decision that I was responsible for, for people to have ugly things said about them because of a decision I made. But I have total peace about the decision, and that Chad Allen was the man God intended to act in the movie. I knew that there would be a price to pay for any position I would take on this issue, regardless of the fact that I had not wanted to be involved. I knew one thing for sure: I would rather face the anger and even hatred of people who feel I have let them down, than to take any chance of having to stand before my Savior and have to answer for messing up his plans for Chad."

Steve is more concened for Chad's salvation than for the reaction of angry Christians. After seeing the movie I'm not surprised at Steve's response. Pray that God would use this movie to touch the hearts those who are lost without Christ. I went to the End of the Spear thinking I was going to see a movie about five missionary families. I soon realized that the movie is more about the darkness of the human heart without Christ and how God is able to transform a life that is fully surrendered to Him.

God gave His one and only Son for me, even when I was still lost in my sin. Nate Saint and his family have given their lives for the Waodani people, seeing many come to Christ. Might the message of the cross so mark our lives that we would follow in His steps and that all would know that we are His disciples by our love.

Membership Commitment

Neither snow, nor sleet, nor ice covered roads could keep this group of people away from the Membership Class this past weekend! 57 people fought through icey roads and traffic on Friday night to get to the church. This was one committed group of people!

This is the largest Membership Class in my 14 years at New Covenant! You can click on the picture above to see a slideshow of our weekend. The size of our group made it necessary to hold the class in the Activity Center. The seating arrangement around tables and the use of "huddle questions" helped people to connect with one another in spite of the large class size.

We gave out some awards on Friday night. Bob won the prize for the person who has been attending the longest (25 years), and Charmaine, and Brian and Amy won the prize for those who are the newest (six weeks). It was a pleasure getting to know this group of people this weekend.

Our next Membership Weekend is scheduled for March 24-26. Hopefully the sun will be shining and the temperature will be above 32 degrees! But regardless of the weather, we are committed to growing great lives on mission for Christ! See you at the cross.

Happy Birthday Jason

I can’t believe that you will be graduating in several short months! Wow, the time has gone fast. You have really grown in your faith during the last four years and have turned into an awesome young man. I want to share some words of encouragement as you approach graduation and the next phase of your life! These are some words that come to mind as I reflect on who God has shaped you to be.

Laughter ~ When you’re around there is always laughter! You are always coming up with new nick names, funny sayings or whacky stories. Things are just more fun when you’re around. Keep letting the joy of the Lord shine through you.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Earnest ~ You are earnest in your walk with God. You are serious about your spiritual commitments and your relationship with Christ. Your commitment to prayer and personal holiness challenge others to walk closer to Christ. Keep loving the Lord with all your heart.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Athletic ~ This was an easy one! You love athletics, competition, physical activity and action! You also hate to lose, but that’s another story! God has made you this way. Use your skills and talents for His glory and enjoy every minute of it.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Decisive ~ You are clear about what you think and believe. You may not always be right, but you are always decisive! You give specific instruction and clear direction which enable others to follow your leadership. Keep seeking Christ so that you can lead others in His ways.
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

Early ~ You love being prepared. I have always been amazed at your work ethic and how early you would start on your homework assignments! You are always prepared which enables you to give your best effort. Keep seeking the Lord early in the morning and He will prepare you for your journey.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

Realistic ~ You are realistic about your strengths and weakness and who God has made you to be. You have a good sense of who you are in Christ, and you desire to change and grow. God has a special plan for your life. Trust God for big things – He is able!
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12:3, 6

Happy 22nd Birthday Jason!

Home Brew

Well it's official, this weekend I joined the ranks of those who roast their own coffee beans. You say you've never heard of such a thing! Well, I hadn't either until a couple of months ago. And then I met Brett Mason.

Brett is a coffee connoisseur. I have always enjoyed a good cup of coffee - Java Creek and Coffeesmiths are my favorite local establishments. Jason turned Sharon and I on to Caribou coffee six months ago and we were excited to learn that we could purchase it at Sams Club locally. Little did I know that I would soon be learning to custom roast my own beans.

Brett has been roasting coffee for some time. I enjoyed some of his coffee so much that my family decided to give me a "starter kit" for Christmas. With Brett's help they selected four kinds of green coffee beans - Honduras Fabio Cabullero, Brazil Fazenda, Java Djampit, and Costa Rica La Candelita.

But the key piece of equipment for any home roaster is the West Bend Poppery II hot air popcorn popper. Believe it or not, we still had one stored away in our basement! Who knows why it hadn't been donated to Goodwill years ago. But by good fortune it found it's way under our tree this Christmas and is now being put back into service. This is taking "regifting" to a whole new level!

With Brett's help I roasted my first batch of beans this weekend. I learned about the different kinds of roast, divits, bean color, chaff, and the second crack. But as much as I enjoyed roasting the beans, I still enjoy drinking coffee even more. I had my first cup of home roasted Java Djampit this morning and it was wonderful!

Home roasted and brewed coffee - one of life's simple pleasures! It's a great way to start the day.

Friends Forever

Ella May Eggert celebrated her 90th birthday with a special party at church on Saturday afternoon. She enjoyed greeting many longtime friends and family. There were enough hugs, tears, memories, and cake to go around for everyone! You can click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of the party.

Happy Birthday Ella May!

Happy Birthday Janet

Our bulletin folders threw a surprise party for Janet Toom last Friday! Janet had to work hard to blow out all her candles! We all agreed that Janet could have another birthday next week. Cake and ice cream on Friday afternoon could become habit forming! You can click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of the party.

Happy Birthday Janet!

Better Together

ABF Training

New Covenant is a family of growing disciples. We are committed to growing both larger and smaller at the same time. And how is that done? We grow larger as people come to Christ and become part of our church family. And we grow smaller through our Adult Bible Fellowships and small groups which allow people to develop a sense of community. Our mid-size and small groups allow people to build authentic, caring relationships.

This morning we had an Adult Bible Fellowship Leadership Training seminar. We had a great time with these 39 ABF leaders. You can click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of our time together. It was encouraging to hear how God is at work in the different ABF communities.

There is great power when a group of people love and move in unison with one another. There is no limit what God to do through a people who are committed to Jesus Christ and to each other. By God's grace, we will become that kind of community. We are better together.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9

Welcome Lunch

Welcome mat made by 2nd through 4th graders this morning

We had a great Welcome Lunch today with about 100 people in attendance. You can click on the picture above to see a short slideshow of the lunch.

We like to say at New Covenant that there is always room for one more person. That a healthy church, like a healthy family, makes space around the dinner table or family room for one more person. Today we got to practice what we preach.

Pastor Bob and Leesa came to the lunch a few minutes late and all the tables were filled. So what did Bob do? What any family would do. He set up another table and and pulled up some more chairs.

No place to sit down? No problem. We can always make room for one more person. Welcome to New Covenant.