BLeach

MCM Ministry School

Just wanted to share an opportunity for anyone interested in a first class training opportunity. 

The MCM Ministry School is designed to provide a prospective student not only with classroom training but with real life experiences in ministry.  Every day students are involved in a prayer school. Once a week, they engage in practical community outreach in connection with one of the eight churches that have been planted through Allison Park Church in Pittsburgh.  Once a year, the students also participate in an international trip to work in partnership with Mission SOS to impact an unreached people group somewhere in the world.

The passion of the MCM Ministry School is to raise up faith-filled adventurers who are committed to living out the supernatural lifestyle of the Book of Acts. The practical experiences come in the context of a growing church that is actively planting churches and sending teams to reach unreached people groups.

Jeff Leake, the lead pastor at Allison Park Church, has been a great friend and mentor to me since starting Church of the King.  I love the vision behind the school!

MCM is hosting an open class day on May 8 for anyone interested.

Check out the website for more information!

3 Essentials for Sermon Prep

Help Me Catch Some Foxes

 

Had a great time this morning preparing for my message this Sunday.  We're getting into chapter 2 of Song of Songs, where the poet compares the marriage relationship to a vineyard.  Like a vineyard, a marriage also takes care, cultivation, pruning, watering, investing, and careful attention to detail if it's going to blossom.  So the Song gives this advice:

Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards.

These little foxes would sneak their way into the vineyard undetected where they'd gnaw on roots, eat fruit, and create destruction. 

So here's my question as I prepare for Sunday. 

What foxes have you had to catch while cultivating your marriage?

Leave me a comment and I may even quote you on Sunday!

The Legend Retires

He's in the Hall of Fame.
He's got his own smash hit video game.
And he's got a man crush on Brett Favre.

Here's a video to honor the legend and lighten things up on Friday!

Solomon's Story

For the next several weeks we'll be studying the Song of Songs together as a church. On Sunday I introduced the series by telling the author's story.  (You can check out the message here, or subscribe to the podcast here).

Solomon's story starts with his father, David, who may have committed the most famous sexual sin in world history. His adulterous affair with Bathsheeba and ensuing political coverup led to disastrous consequences. The baby who was born during their affair was sick for seven days, during which time David didn't eat or sleep.

I won't even hold my baby girl for another two months, and yet I still can't imagine watching her suffer, especially as the result of my sin.  I'd be a wreck too.

After the baby died, David did took two significant steps. He went to the house of God, and then back to his own house, where he ate, changed his clothes, and comforted his family.  In other words, he turned to God and moved on with his life.

Part of that process was comforting Bathsheeba.  They had sex again, and this time God blessed the fruit of their relationship.  They named their son Solomon, and God loved him.

I think we tend to underestimate both sides of this story.  On one hand, we underestimate how devastating sin can be.  It will separate us from God and damage the people we love the most.  On the other hand, we underestimate how radical the grace of God can be.  Even scandalous...

The gracious irony in this story is that God takes this young man who was born because of adultery, and uses him to pen the most poignant celebration of pure marital sex we have in the Bible. 

The Song of Solomon.

Of course, we know Solomon would go on to forget his own words and commit some monumental sexual sins of his own.  But his greatest Song remains as an enduring testament to grace.

Later, the story is even included in the genealogy of Jesus.  Matthew not only lists Solomon's name in the middle of Jesus' lineage, but specifically points out that he was the son of David and Bathsheeba (Uriah's wife).  We sometimes struggle with the Song of Songs because of Solomon's life.  Yet the Bible doesn't ignore his humanity or cover the scandal.  Instead it draws attention to it.

By using broken people to speak to sensitive issues, God reminds us that His grace alone is the answer for our broken cities.

Weekend Rewind

So grateful for a great Easter weekend!  Some highlights:

• On Friday, Leah and I visited my grandma and shared communion with her.
• I love listening to my grandma pray.  So much experience, grace and insight!
• I got to see my nephew Robert for a few hours.  He's getting taller!
• I spent several hours Saturday finishing my message for Sunday. 
• I had a blast preaching yesterday.  The resurrection builds faith!
• I opened the Song of Solomon series by sharing Solomon's story.  God used a man who was born out of an adulterous relationship to give us the most concentrated theology of sexuality we have in the Bible.  Radical grace!
• Three people made decisions to follow Christ yesterday!
• There was so much joy in our church this weekend.  Lots of laughter, hands raised, smiles and energy. 
• It was fun seeing the kids hunt for eggs.  I started having visions of Gabriella in another few years!
• So many people brought friends and family with them to the Easter service.  Way to go!
• Yesterday Leah and I packed our house with friends for dinner.  We were eating all over the house!
• I got to catch the last nine holes of the Master's yesterday.  I was pulling for Kenny Perry.  Still can't believe he bogeyed the last two holes.
• Leah amazed me this weekend.  In the midst of pregnancy she continues to glow.  She was up at 4.30 Sunday morning preparing food for our friends.  She helped put together the stage design for the new series.  I could probably do another ten bullet points just writing everything that Leah did to serve others this weekend.  She is a gift!

Boy Meets Girl

This weekend we kick off a brand new, eight week series.  This one will be a book study of The Song of Solomon.  I've wanted to preach from this book for quite some time, and now that I'm married I feel like it's fair game!

Sex is something that most of us are thinking about.  And the Bible devotes an entire book to give us a healthy theology of sexuality.  The series is going to relate to those who are married and single. 

Looking forward to kicking it off in a unique way this Sunday.  If you're in the Detroit area, come out and join us for Easter!

The World Clock

I came across the world clock a few weeks ago as I was preparing for one of my weekend messages.  It's pretty sobering to see. 

The two lines that impacted me the most were the lines counting births and deaths.  On the one hand, the number of people coming into the world represent an unprecedented opportunity that the Church has to reach more people than in all of church history combined.  On the other hand, the number of people leaving the world represent an increasing urgency that we must feel to prioritize the mission of Jesus.  I know it's easy to feel pretty detached from numbers adding up on a website.  But what if we had the ability to see each face (as Jesus does)?  How might that move us to invest in the only thing that is eternal.

People.

By the way, 680 people entered eternity in the time it took me to write this post.

Sunday Night Rewind

It's been an amazing weekend!

• Michigan State made UCONN look like an eight seed.  Ford Field was rocking!
• My bracket has been busted.  This was not my year.
• It was great seeing Michigan back in the big dance.  They're my first love, and it's been a long time.
• Yesterday I spent some time in my adopted neighborhood with one of our other neighborhood pastors.
• One of the families Ernie and I met on the street visited our church today!
• Spent some much needed time working on school.  I've only got three more weeks to finish everything up.
• Leah preached this morning and did an amazing job.
  
• I'll be honest...I'm easily distracted when Leah preaches.  She's so beautiful!
• My mind has fully switched to focusing on Easter!
• I can't wait for Easter weekend.  It really is like the Super Bowl for pastors!
• On Easter I'll be kicking off a brand new series on the Song of Solomon.  I've been looking forward to taking a crack at this one for a long time.
• We'll be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt right after next Sunday's service. 
• I've got my car loaded up with Easter invites.  I'm going to be inviting people like crazy this week!
• David Okai and his family were issued their green cards over the weekend!  For those of you who know their family's story, this is the culmination of one long faith journey.
• I was glad the North Carolina - Villanova game was a blow out because I couldn't stay up for the whole thing anyway.
• I'd love to see Michigan State win tomorrow night, but North Carolina looks really strong.
• My mother-in-law drove over yesterday to see Leah preach today.  I really love spending time with her.
• Leah and I watched Slumdog Millionaire on Friday night.  I can see what all the fuss is about.  Really powerful story.
• Gabby is still kicking like crazy...especially when she hears my voice!
• I'm in Numbers, Proverbs, and Galatians in my Bible reading.
• Jonathan told me this morning that the SWAT team had the school setup in record time today!  I'm really proud of this team.  It's good to come into worship after breaking a sweat!
• Kay, our nursery coordinator, showed up to setup this morning with the flu!  JT had to send her home.  She wins the dedicated leader of the weekend award!
• Gonna eat some pizza tonight and relax with Leah.

Looks Like the Easter Bunny's a Female