JourneyChurchBlog.com

Pastor Michael in Haiti

2010-05-10T10:39:00.000-04:00

Written by Dawn Barthelette, Connections Director

Haiti Video Recap from Journey Church on Vimeo.

Pastor Michael is currently back in Haiti for 8 days, and he took with him a team of 4 guys from Journey Church. The earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010 continues to have devastating affects as the country, partnered by many volunteers from around the world, continue to slowly rebuild structures and help rebuild lives.

Please be sure to follow Pastor's updates as the team ministers and assists in Haiti, and keep them in prayer that the Lord ministers mightily to them as well during this time. We pray for health and travel safety for them, as well as protection and peace over their families. We also pray that the Lord works through this team and every volunteer in Haiti to share His love and Word with all those they come into contact with.

Follow Pastor Michael on twitter and facebook.
Follow Journey Church on twitter and facebook.

Haiti may not be found on the front page of the newspaper or mentioned on the nightly news much anymore, but the destruction & devastation from the earthquake in this underdeveloped, overpopuated, and poverty-stricken country still exists and is still very real for the people of Haiti. It is not over. Please keep in prayer all those who have lost so much and those who have given up so much.

Why Serve?

2010-04-27T09:24:00.001-04:00

3. It helps us to focus on others, taking the focus off of ourselves & our problems.

2. The Word of God calls us to serve, not be served.

1. Because Jesus did.

Isn’t that our ultimate goal? To be more like Jesus?

1 Peter 4:10-11 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The gifts & talents God has given us were never intended to be kept to ourselves or used for our own purposes. People need you. The church needs you.

I have the benefit of being someone who wasn’t raised in church. I say that because the more people I meet that grew up in church, the more people I meet that take the church for granted.

I firmly believe that if we connected more with our local church and remembered the us that we were prior to finding that home, we would do more to bring that to others.

My church is the first place where I really saw God. I saw Him and I felt Him. Your church should be that for you, too. If it’s not, find another one. Find one that lives and preaches the gospel. Find one that helps you understand that God loves you the way you are, but won’t leave you the way you are. Find one that loves people, holds them accountable, and encourages each to use their gifts to build up the body.

If we all took our role in the local church seriously, can you imagine how strong that would make the global church? Can you imagine what we could do for God?

There are people out there who desperately need Jesus. They desperately need the love, support & fellowship that your church has provided & is providing you.

Get plugged in. Start serving. Invite. Share Jesus with someone today.
Take that first step in making His name famous.

Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Turning the corner

2010-04-06T06:53:00.002-04:00

As I was thinking about writing this blog post I remembered a comedian talking about NASCAR. He said all the excitement is in the fact that whew...left turn left turn.

The same thing over and over again can be somewhat boring. However the thing I wanted you to think about today was not a left turn but a right turn. Not just getting behind the wheel and making right turns (like my mother does to avoid traffic!) but the right turn of life to a life filled with the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. Once we are in Christ we can then choose how we live our lives. We can be joyful, sad, excited, mopey, energized or lethargic. It's up to us. We can choose to live like we have always lived or make the right turn to a life where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is seen through you. Watch it right turn ahead!

Matthew 5:15-16

¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

........Just my thoughts for the day

Guest Blog: "How's Your Love Walk?"

2010-03-10T10:15:00.002-05:00

Guest Blogger: Don "The Man" Frazier | Lead Usher | Prayer Coordinator

For the past week or so, I've heard the phrase "love walk" a lot. Specifically, in the context of prayer. For instance, a TV minister said that if your prayer is not effective, how is your "love walk?" They then referred to Galatians 5:6, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love."

So, what does this have to do with prayer? I have always heard that the power of prayer lies in faith. For instance:

Matthew 21:22, "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

James 5:15, "And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."

In Matthew the disciples failed because of their little faith. Matthew 17:19-20, "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

So faith is a key component of prayer, but Galatians says the only thing that counts is faith working through love. 1 Corinthians 13:1 says, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." A quick ESV on-line search of 'love' and 'neighbor' results in ten different instances of "Love your neighbor as yourself." In John 15:12 Jesus commands, "“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." So if we are asked, "Do you love Jesus?" All believers would not hesitate to answer, "YES!!!" But in Matthew 25:40 Jesus says, "And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

So who are these neighbors and least of these my brothers? Are they the guy begging on the off-ramp? Are they the homeless under a bridge? Are they the victims of disasters? Yes, of course they are. But they are also our spouses that we are yelling at or dishonoring with our negative talk, our children we are talking down to, or our brothers and sisters that we are spitting venom at, or the person at work who slights you. What are we doing unto them? I may go out of my way to give a dollar to the needy and think, see what I did for the least of these; then go yell at my wife and kids and not think about what I just did to Jesus.

So are your prayers effective? How's your love walk?

What Holds Us Back?

2010-03-07T18:55:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to quickly ask a question.
What Holds Us Back?
I mean what things in our lives hold us back from experiencing all that God has for us?

I really would like open, honest and direct feedback on this important question.
This will determine where you are and what is important to you or as you see it.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

To kick off the JourneyChurchBlog...

2010-03-04T17:04:00.002-05:00

Why not post on the importance and role of teamwork? More specifically, character within teams?

And to preface the post:
How can this apply to you as an individual? As a Co-Worker? As a church volunteer? As a member of the most awesome team; "Team Jesus"?

Ok, before my blog rights are revoked for that last comment; Dawn and I have written our takes on Character and it's role withing teamwork. I hope you enjoy, and as always, or from now on, please feel free to leave your thoughts or comments or someone else's for that matter. Enjoy.

---------------------------
Writing #1

char·ac·ter [kar-ik-ter]
–noun
1. the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.
2. one such feature or trait; characteristic.
3. moral or ethical quality: a man of fine, honorable character.
4. qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity: It takes character to face up to a bully.

I must say, wow. At first, the impact of one's character seemed obvious in regards to a team. A given, that your character impacts the team fully, however, I was unaware the depth at which it does.

Firstly, I want to address the first definition, and also the most important part of a team; the individuals that make it up. Stressing features and traits that make up a person; a team made up of five different people could either be a very balanced team playing off of one another's strengths and weaknesses, or perhaps cause the team to head in five different directions. Also, if they were all very similar in traits or features, they might be very good at a specific goal or arena. However, that could also mean that they are terrible at most things. Therefore, dependant upon the focus of the team, the team needs to be made up of individuals with either similar or dissimilar characteristics.

On the moral and ethical side of Character, the individual’s integrity, honor, respect, honesty, reliability, attitude, and I could go on and on, all come into play to make up that team’s character. Those same five people can, as individuals, make or ruin the team’s credibility, effectiveness, productivity, momentum, and one or two people could cripple the team as a whole. Morally and ethically I don’t believe the team should differ in their beliefs and values within their character. If they, we, are to be successful the team must beat with one heart. As new ideas are introduced there must be healthy discussion and disagreement to keep the team alive and moving forward, however, upon decisions being made the team as a whole must possess the necessary trust, respect, and maturity within their individual character to move forward as one, which we definitely discuss regularly within our team.

To recap, the features and traits of character in individuals on a team can vary and make up either a very balanced, well-rounded team, or if very similar, can provide the necessary focus to move forward with a very specific goal. However a difference in morals and ethics can pull a team apart and make it so it is stagnant, ineffective, and disunified. Overall, character is absolute in the success or failure of a team.

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Writing #2

Character in Teambuilding

A team cannot be successful without fine-tuning the character of it's members. When a team member does not have character, it will stifle growth of the team, cause division, and ultimately lead to the destruction of the team.

One must be flexible so they are able to adapt to change, teachable in order to learn from all situations, people, mistakes, and counsel, and emotionally secure, so they do not view everything and everyone as a challenge or threat. As John Maxwell says “Nothing of significance was ever achieved by an individual acting alone”. A team needs each other. Confidence grows within each member as they each feel that they are supported by the rest of the team. If there is pride, insecurity, and selfishness, not only will the team not reach it's potential, but neither will it's members.

One must truly be committed to the team, it's goals, agenda, and vision, in order for the team to operate as one and be healthy. The members cannot have their own agenda or vision. Loyalty, love, commitment, understanding, and acceptance amongst the team is very important....regardless of circumstances, moods, and outside influences. Pride, selfishness, and distrust squash any opportunity or desire for interaction among team members, and interaction is one of the most important steps to teambuilding.

In the book “The Well-Managed Ministry, Discovering & Developing the Strengths of Your Team”, the author states “The first "seed" of teamwork is interaction. Interacting on and off the job, team members get to know one another and share common agendas: feelings, aspirations, frustrations, problems and so forth.”

A team needs to be unified and have each other's backs at all times no matter what. A quote by Hellen Keller goes “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." For that reason, we need people around us who will be there to catch us when we fall, support us when it feels like no one else does, love us unconditionally when we make mistakes, and encourage us to get back up and try again.

That which is unhealthy cannot grow, and what does not grow, dies.

“To improve the team, improve the individuals on the team” - John Maxwell, 'The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player'

“Hard work and togetherness. They go hand in hand. You need the hard work because it's such a tough atmosphere... to win week in and week out. You need togetherness because you don't always win, and you gotta hang tough together.” - Tony Dungy

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Be Blessed.

I've been kinda silent...

2009-06-15T16:18:00.001-04:00

here the last 2 or 3 weeks. So I'm wondering:

How are things going with you?

How has your daily worship been?

How have you enjoyed our church worship lately, as in the whole service?

Please realize that you too can take part in this blog. I would love to get some feedback. Just leave a comment or two responding to these questions or whatever you want me to blog on.

Let's see what we've got here...

New Releases...

2009-06-04T11:50:00.001-04:00

Christy Nockels and a few Various Artists have recently released 2 new CD's.

Life Light Up - Christy Nockels
We Cry Out - Various

From what I can tell there is some original music on both albums and there are some more mainstream worship anthems like "Hosanna", "Marvelous Light", and "Rain Down". Our Journey worshipers will most likely enjoy Christy Nockels version of "No Not One" , which we might introduce in the coming weeks.

I hope that you are all having a great week, and that you are finding peace and fulfillment in worship God as you go about your week.

An ending I read recently:

I'm rooting for you, Scott

Worship lifestyle...

2009-05-14T16:39:00.001-04:00

If you need to know why we worship, take a few minutes and revisit my first few posts here on this blog. However, today, I want to simply emphasize a way to worship.

OBEDIENCE. OBEYING GOD.
Maybe that doesn't get your blood pumping, but it's true. A life(style) poured out for God to be lifted high and satisfied with our actions and words.

Obedience is what got Jesus' blood pumping, literally, to death. Even Jesus, the God-man, lived a life of obedience to the Father (God) because there is no other gift or offering that smells sweeter to God; that is more satisfying to Him.

Our attempts at worship mean nothing if we are not willing to obey God. But in the process of worship, when you encounter God, trust me, EVERYTHING ELSE will mean nothing.

I pray that we are satisfied in You, God.

Set List 05-10-09...

2009-05-12T22:54:00.000-04:00

Shout Of The King - Hillsong
We Lift You Up - Jason Morant
Revelation Song - Gateway Worship
No Not One - Brandon Heath

What you seek is what you get...

2009-05-05T13:15:00.000-04:00

Deuteronomy 4:29 (Show Deuteronomy 4)
But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Matthew 7:7 (Show Matthew 7)

Ask, and It Will Be Given
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:8 (Show Matthew 7)
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

This post obviously goes beyond worship into areas of relationship with God and answers to prayer, but obviously I got a thing for worship so...

In our worship we come together to join in song and in declaration of God's glory, faithfulness, strength, beauty, etc. That right there is worship, however if we desire to go to an intimate place where we can stand in God's presence, if we desire to FEEL God and see Him move in, around, and through us then we need to seek that, show God we want it. We need to set aside our distractions whether it is our finances or relationships, we set aside that time (or any time daily) to simply show God that we are seeking to find God, to please Him, to interact with Him. It's up to us to us.

You want "intimacy" with your wife, then you better let her know :) . Don't you dare walk up to her and pick her up and take her to the bedroom (Men, sometimes this is a good thing, but not ordinarily), without asking Her or showing Her that you desire time with Her. And when you SHOW her that you just desire more of her, what happens.... (watch yo' mouth) there is connection and intimacy, and like, not the normal kind.

God loves you and wants your affections (Men, that's women talk for love). And let me tell you, you really do want more of God. There is no other who loves, satisfies, or can heal us like our heavenly father. What you seek is what you get... you want more of God? Then show Him, and enjoy...

Set List 05-03-09...

2009-05-04T09:11:00.000-04:00

Here is the set list from yesterday's services:

"I Am Free/Free To Run" by Desperation Band
"Still Standing" by Isreal and New Breed
"Majesty" by Delirious
"Beautiful The Blood" by Fee

Night Of Worship

2009-04-27T19:06:00.000-04:00

Thank you for everyone who came out and participated in our first ever multi-media night of worship!! Thank you so much to the worship team for their extra time and effort. I love you guys!

Church, please take time and thank them for their service.

If you missed the night of worship, you missed out on a great time of prayer, praise, brokenness, joy and rejoicing. People realizing that God loves them so much more than they could have ever imagined.

People came ready and expecting for the presence of God and THAT is what caused God to show up. Not the music, or lighting, or song selection, but the hearts of the people present that God looked down on and moved on behalf of, because He is faithful to His word which says those who seek shall find and to those who knock the door shall be opened. Well, we were knocking!! And God showed up which should be no surprise to those of us who attend church at Journey Church each week.

Our God is bigger than we could ever imagine that is why we have services to teach/learn about Him, to glorify Him, and that is why we live LIVES of worship to Him.

Do you want the favor of God in your life? Start obeying God, fall in love with His commands, they are life to your soul, His hard truth is your freedom! Let's get over ourselves and be childlike again in our faith and worship, who cares how silly it is to sing in your closet, that has been my secret place before, just time for me and God. No one will love me more, and no one else can promise me that they always have my needs and future in their hands. Only God. So I don't care what anyone else thinks, God has forgiven me and really made me whole again to walk with Him and just be me, so I will worship. Because I love you God.

The last few months...

2009-04-15T23:10:00.000-04:00

Have really been building to breakthrough in our church worship experience. These last 2-3 weeks have been phenomenal; people just shouting their heads off, for what? Jesus? Freedom? Joy? To glorify God?

Point is WE, the worship team, have not been playing better music, or picking songs that are proven to change lives. We have not been paying people to start yelling whenever we stop playing. You people are just doing because you want to worship God, or you are REALLY angry about something... direct all complaints and threats to SarahClark@journeychurchnow.com :) J/K. Don't you dare threaten my sister, I'll break you!

No really, this week you need to sit down and figure out what YOU have been doing differently, and start doing it more. Really, take a look at your hunger for God, or your willingness to seek Him, or your understanding of who He His or what He wants from us. Has any of that changed? Yes, then there ya go. No? Then praise God!! He is answering our prayers and breakthrough is coming no matter what you do.

I am expecting more, because God is merciful and gracious to us! Big things are coming to Journey Church, Riverview, and You.

Easter Set

2009-04-13T23:08:00.001-04:00

Here is the set for our AWESOME Easter services! If you missed it, you missed a great staple in our history as a church that is all about reaching people, because that is exactly what we did this Sunday.

Here ya go:
Happy Day - Fee
My Savior Lives - Desperation Band
Jesus Paid It All - Passion Worship Band

Holy Week...

2009-04-07T08:37:00.000-04:00

This week leading up to Easter is "Holy Week". Some denominations put more emphasis on certain traditions this week than others, but it is basically to commemorate the last week of Jesus life :( ................

BEFORE HE WAS RESURRECTED AND BLEW DEATH AND SIN APART!!! What a reason to Worship!!

Jesus followers, we can ALL use this week to get excited about what we celebrate this Sunday... Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ!! I want to take a minute and talk about Jesus. Now obviously, I cannot encapsulate Jesus in 1 blog, let alone a short one, but briefly:

Jesus Christ, through His death, burial, and resurrection, is our key to worship. He is every hope that we have to talk, sing, commune (church word for spend time with), serve, be forgiven by, ask things from, or bring glory to the Father (God). We can ONLY go to God through Jesus Christ, that's why He alone is our salvation. If we did not have Jesus Christ, we would either risk death or have God ignore us if we tried to address God in song. But, PRAISE GOD, from the beginning God's plan was to reconnect us to Him through Jesus. So this Sunday we CELEBRATE that as Jesus followers.

This week just spend 10 minutes a day thanking God/Jesus for what Jesus did on the CROSS. Praise him in thought or song or even in telling others about it for just 10 minutes a day this week as a simple act of worship to the God of the stars who came and died on a cross for you, me, anyone who receives it. This isn't our duty. Let all that religious garbage fall off of you. Let's use our privilege to talk with God this week and sincerely thank Him.

"Thank you Jesus, for suffering in my place!"

And this Sunday bring your friends and family and let's PRAISE Him!!

Set List 04-05-09...

2009-04-06T12:37:00.000-04:00

Another great week of worship. Church, as you continue to hunger for God, He will continue to show up in power and reveal Himself to us!

All Things - Generation Unleashed
How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin
Bless The Lord - Jeff Deyo
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Hillsong

Set List...

2009-03-31T13:42:00.001-04:00

So did you like the previous post? It is very freeing to realize that worship is not just our music on Sundays. Satan wants you to think that if what you are doing does not fit the Sunday morning context, it's not worship. Well, tell Him to shutup, and you worship God however you give Him glory.

Anyways, here is this last week's set list.
Solid Rock (On Christ The Solid Rock) - Passion Band
All Things - Generation Unleashed
Bless The Lord - Jeff Deyo

Have a great week!

Some different worship...

2009-03-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

Because He creates... pt.2

2009-03-16T22:32:00.000-04:00

^{Genesis 2:7} then the LORD God formed the man of^F)">(F) dust from the ground and^G)">(G) breathed into his^H)">(H) nostrils the breath of life, and^I)">(I) the man became a living creature. ⁸And the LORD God planted a^J)">(J) garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

^Genesis3:8And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool^c]">[c] of the day, and the man and his wife^H)">(H) hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. ⁹But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"

To keep this brief, the God of the universe created............ the universe and then decided to create man in "Their" (the trinity's) image. He came to the garden to visit and spend time with man, but because of our sin, our connection was broken. We could no longer walk with God in the garden. Our sinful nature was born.

Now, Jesus has come and removed EVERYTHING keeping us from experiencing that relationship with God. I don't know how much you know about God, how long you have been saved, or even IF you believe in God. But what I can say is that life is trash without God. Consider it all garbage... ^{Phillipians 3:8}Indeed, I count everything as loss because of^A)">(A) the surpassing worth of^B)">(B) knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I^C)">(C) have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

Worship is anything we do to thank, exalt, lift up, tell others about, or adore God, among other things. It is not limited to music. It is loving God with all that we do.

I am glad (huge understatement) that God created me to spend time with Him. Who am I?? Even after we spit in His face by first sinning He sent His Son to die for us. He loves us, and I will worship Him every day of my life because He is the most Beautiful, Mighty, All-Powerful being, and yet loves me unconditionally. Take 5 minutes and think of what you would say to God if you were walking through a beautiful Garden beside Him. Now just open your mouth and say it to Him. We might not have the garden, but we have the freedom.

Great song...

2009-03-16T22:19:00.000-04:00

Go to itunes and download "New Creation" by Fellowship Church. Ironically, the first verse refers to the scripture in the previous post, but more than that it is a beautiful song that mixes unique instruments, fresh lyrics, and a very biblical message to create a great song for personal and group worship.

Because He creates...

2009-02-17T11:47:00.000-05:00

Because He created the earth

Genesis 1
"1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

Okay, pull back a little from your snapshot of life. Let's rewind say..... a few thousand years (or more if that's what you believe). Picture the earth, but erase a lot of it and draw some heavy shading. We are not created yet. God is just having some "quiet time" in the dark. Picture the spirit of God, the Holy Spirit (whatever that brings to mind, just go with it) floating over the oceans of a void and unformed planet that HE formed. Just that basic thought. Let that overwhelm you, or freak you out. In church we talk of love and forgiveness, healing and salvation. My only goal right now is to share with you that anything or anyone that can do that gets my vote for God, and I support his desire to be worshiped. Here's the beauty though.

There is only one God, baby!! And we GET to worship Him.

Here's my challenge to you. Sit down this week, preferably right now, and take a guess at what God thinks when you worship Him, what do you think His response is to you? Want to know? Read Psalm 145 and see David's account of God's return to those who love Him. It could be you.