Francis Chan is in my Fave 5.  I love the way he passionately communicates the gospel.  I think my favorite thing about him is that he’s not just a communicator, but he’s genuinely a pastor.  That’s his calling.  He loves his sheep.  As a bonus for the body of Christy, he also has a very solid gifting in communication.  That’s why anytime I get a chance I listen to his stuff – podcasts, conferences, etc.

I had the opportunity to hear Francis this year at the Catalyst Conference (www.CatalystConference.com) in Atlanta and picked up his most recent book, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.  I’ll say this up front, Francis is a much better oral communicator than he is author.  However, I did appreciate much of the content of this book.

This book triggered my attention immediately as it is a topic I’ve been diving into personally.  The Holy Spirit is often ignored in the church world.  We talk a lot about the roles of the Father and Jesus, but because of the supernatural nature of the Holy Spirit we tend to ignore Him altogether (by the way, the Father and Son also have a supernatural nature).  It seems that when it comes to conversations about the Holy Spirit we error on one of two sides.  One, we ignore Him completely because we’re afraid of not being in control.  Two, we emphasize the wrong parts of Him – His giftings over the person of the Holy Spirit.

Be honest…When I mention the Holy Spirit your initial reaction is either reluctant or excitement.

Francis’ point in this whole book is that the Holy Spirit is being grieved in today’s church because of how He is ignored and how much we are missing because of that.  It’s a very simple look at the Holy Spirit.  There’s nothing earth shaking or new in this book, but it’s a very good foundational look at the Holy Spirit.

It couldn’t come at a better time for our tribe.  This Sunday’s talk is on the role of the Holy Spirit in terms of hearing the voice of God.

RD

As many of you are aware, we’re in the middle of a sermon series at Orlando North called Whispers, where we are examining how to recognize and hear the voice of God in our lives.  I felt going into this series that the relevance of these talks would capture the attention of most of us as I think we’re all at least slightly curious about the potential not only to hear the Creator of the Universe speak personally to us, but just as importantly, recognize that it’s Him speaking and not simply our imagination.

What has caught me off guard is how widespread this topic is right now.  It seems like the topic of God’s voice is being discussed in a variety of outlets.  I read an article in Relevant magazine yesterday about it.  I saw that Craig Groeschel in Oklahoma was about to start a series on the voice of God at Life Church.  Several of the people in our tribe have commented on how conversations, Bible studies, or readings they’ve encountered have been in the ‘God’s voice’ vein.

I remember last year when Margaret Feinberg (www.MargaretFeinberg.com) came and gave a talk with us at Orlando North and shared on the topic of her then new book, Sacred Echoes, and the main thrust of the message was hearing the repetitive voices of God as He echoed over and over to us what He was trying to get through.

I think now is one of those times.  OR…am I simply noticing that God’s voice is a hot topic simply because I’m aware of it because of our own sermon series?  It’s like the example we shared in the second week of the series – You will begin noticing a lot more red Jeeps on the road the minute you start looking for red Jeeps.

Either way, I think God is speaking and He’s passionate about us not only hearing Him, but also recognizing that it’s Him.  What would my life look like if I was constantly aware of His voice in my life and I had the guts to walk in what He shared with me?

This Sunday we’ll continue the ride…

RD

Last Saturday we baptized four individuals at Wekiva Springs in celebration of their commitment to Jesus.  When we arrived at the water there was a snake causing quite a stir as he swam through the spring.  Patsy Hall captured the moment in a parable she wrote and I wanted to share it with you.  At the bottom are a few pictures of the baptisms.  I’ll also post the video up on my Facebook page.

The Parable of the Snake

From ONCC Baptism at Wekiva, 17 October 2009 – By:  P. Hall

One day a certain young man went to the edge of a crystal clear spring to baptize new believers.  A crowd gathered to listen and watch what he would do.  Suddenly shouts of, “Snake!  Snake!”  interrupted the peace and quiet.  A group of young boys ran wildly to the foot-bridge.  In the midst of the crowd they jumped and jostled, still shouting, “Snake!  Snake!”

In response to their shouting and jumping the crowd started looking for the snake, pointing to it as it swam from across the spring straight to where they were.  Others sitting on the water’s edge, pulled their feet out of the water, while others moved further back.  The shouts and chaos created by the young boys stirred fear in some and caused everyone to watch the snake in its slithering swim as it steadily approached.

Then an older man went into the water to chase the snake.  All eyes were on the snake.  But as he fearlessly chased it, the crowd began to settle down and watch the man rather than the snake.  Before long, the snake disappeared into the rocks and all was as before—quiet and peaceful.  The crowd and others that had gathered turned once again to the young man who had come, to listen and see what he would do.

Hear then the word about the snake.  When someone understands the plan God has lain out for the day, and gladly chooses to participate in it, let him not be distracted.  The enemy will come to disrupt and disclaim all God has established.  So be on guard, take heed that your confidence in God is secure and walk in it.  Never fear confronting the enemy, no matter his charade.  Keep your eyes on the Lord and His purposes for the moment, never forgetting that the enemy is a lion without teeth, a bear without claws, a snake without venom.  He will always flee like dry leaves before the wind.  Do not shrink back from him, but move against him in fearless faith to chase him and the fears he releases upon his entrance into the activities and thoughts of our days.

Orlando North wanted to give our children’s ministry a name that both identified with our community as well as gave strength to the kids we are ministering to.  We desire to teach our kids from an early age how they can courageously live for Christ throughout their lives and not just be survivors.  So, with that in mind, we present to you Guts Children’s Ministry:

Randomness:

• Last night a group of us went to Catalyst to say goodbye to our friends, Vinnie, Justine and Gina Zarletti.  It was a reunion of sorts as we got to see a lot of our friends and peeps from Catalyst.  Vinnie and the band absolutely rocked.  Vinnie and John Krall were their typical selves performing a Skuman Video (Skit/Human Video) to the story of Noah.  It was so Vinnie, and I about wet myself laughing so hard.  Melanie and I have been through a lot with Vinnie and Justine over their five years here in Orlando.  They were incredible partners as we ministered together, but more importantly, they were amazing friends.  We’re going to miss them very much.

• Nana and Papa (my mom and dad) fly into Orlando tomorrow!!

• Just finished Rob Bells book, Drops Like Stars.  I know I haven’t done a book review in a while, but there are several coming.  This book, like all of Rob’s books, was such an expression of God’s beauty.  It was a quick look at the struggle between pain and the beauty that’s brought out of our painful moments.  I highly recommend you give this book a read.

• This weekend is a HUGE weekend for Orlando North.  On Saturday, we’re having our church picnic at Wekiwa State Park from noon to 3:00.  All are invited.  Simply bring a dish to pass.  Also, we’ll be water baptizing several people that day and these sacred moments are what fuel my soul.  Then, on Sunday, we’re beginning an important series called Whispers, where we’ll look at recognizing and hearing the voice of God in our lives.  This is such an important word for us to hear and I think you’ll want to be there along with a few of your family and friends.  So invite, invite, invite….

Assignment, Orlando North.

This Sunday we are beginning a series entitled, Whispers, in which we’re going to address the topic of recognizing and hearing God’s voice.  I want to call upon you to write.  “Write what?,” you ask.  Great question.  I want you to call on your deepest creativity and write about God’s voice.

• Write your frustrations.
• Put an expression to poetry.
• Write a story.
• Write three words.
• Examine your heart and vent

I want to hear your thoughts and your expressions.  God’s voice – what does that mean to you?  Write something and send it to me.  It’s not necessarily for presentation’s sake.  It’s really so I can hear your heart on this matter as we begin.

Write, Orlando North, write!

We all have defining moments in our lives.  Although all moments in life play a role in the grand scheme of things, these particular moments are the ones that will be forever played as re-runs in our minds.

Last night was a defining moment for my family and me.

It started off very casually as I checked those that I follow on Twitter.  One of the people I follow is Travis Johnson, a friend from Lee College who is now a church planter in the Miami area.  Travis is a hyper-tweeter who posts about ten times a day.  In this particular Tweet he posted a link to a video that was taken at his church’s recent water baptisms.  I love water baptisms and I cry when I watch them take place even if I don’t know the people because of the exhilarating rescue stories I know are behind every one of the baptisms.

I was watching the video on my computer when Caeden, my five-year-old son, walked into the room and started watching with me.  Immediately, I knew this moment was a God moment.  In my head I began praying that God would open a teaching moment for him.  Well, it happened.  Caeden asked what they were doing.  I began to explain to him what water baptism was – that it was an expression that people make when they have asked Jesus into their lives.  I did my absolute best to explain it on a five-year-old level.  It led to a discussion about sin and how we were all born separated from God.  Then I asked him what he thought God did so that we could be together with Him and Caeden responded, “Jesus died on a cross.”  It was beautiful.  I explained simply how it all worked out; That Jesus took all our sin and all our mistakes and died for us and what He wants us to do is ask Him to be in charge of our lives.  I wanted to see if he was understanding what I was saying so I asked him to tell me about all that I had just shared and he put it all into his own words and said it perfectly.  My little boy understood.  I asked him if he wanted to ask Jesus into his life and he grinned and said, ‘Yes!’

We prayed together and I told him that Jesus loves him very much.  He was so excited and kept saying, “I’m a Christian, I’m a Christian!”  He then asked if he could be baptized like the people we saw on the video.  I told him, “Absolutely!”  So, we’ve adjusted the Orlando North picnic on October 17^th at Wekiwa Springs to also include water baptisms for our church.  I’ll baptize both my kids that day as well as anyone from the church who has committed their lives to Christ and wants to make this public declaration.

Water baptism is such a beautiful thing.  We don’t teach that it’s necessary for salvation, but it’s an expression that tells the world of your new love relationship with Jesus.  It’s much like the kissing of the bride at a wedding.  If the minister forgets to have the couple kiss it doesn’t nullify their marriage.  But when they do kiss it’s a statement to their friends and family who are there to celebrate that this union has just been formed.  Baptism is that statement to the world that this union between us and our Creator has just been formed.

So, on the 17^th, I have the privilege of baptizing my two children.  I’ve asked my father-in-law, Gary, to join me in the water and I’ve also called my parents in Michigan and asked them to come down and have my dad in the water as well.  P.S. If you’re in Midland, MI and are reading this I want you to get on the phone and call my parents and tell them it’s ok to leave for a couple days!!!

I’m a happy daddy.  I can’t imagine what our Heavenly Father is feeling today.  I shared with Caeden and Haley this morning the story in John 15 of the woman who had a lost coin and when she found it she celebrated.  It ends with a beautiful Scripture that declares that when a person surrenders their life to Jesus, heaven throws a party.  Caeden thought it was pretty cool that in heaven there was a party being thrown in his honor.

John 15.10 – Count on it – that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God. (MSG Version)

A proud father.

One of the things I am most proud of as the pastor of Orlando North is the involvement we have with overseas missions.  We have been very intentional from the beginning to not limit our call or our influence to just our little nook here in Central Florida.  We didn’t want to just set up a “missions department” within our church that did all the foreign work for us so we could say we accomplished something globally.  Instead, to us, missions was personal and we wanted all our people to be personally involved in ministries around the world.

Missionary Ventures International (www.MissionaryVentures.org) is our partnering ministry that helps us become participants in global missions.  MVI has field coordinators (full-time missionaries) all over the world where they send short-term teams.  These teams come in an array of formats – evangelistic, construction, medical, auto repair, etc.

As part of our ongoing partnership, Orlando North has begun being the licensing support for missionaries seeking ordination before they head overseas through MVI.  That means that missionaries seeking ordination before heading out will go through an application and interview process with Orlando North’s elders and we will then support them by credentialing them through our church.

As part of that I have been involved as part of the MVI Personnel Committee which interviews the applicants who are desiring to work in full-time missions on foreign soil.  This afternoon we are interviewing several individuals and families with this very purpose.

About six months ago I sat in on my first set of interviews with potential candidates.  I was handed a stack of applications that were completed by the potential missionaries to read before the interviews.  This past week I was handed a similar packet for today’s interviews.  As I read the applications and their stories I simply am in awe, I am inspired, but primarily I am humbled.

Today I will sit in a chair with several other people on the committee and we will pepper these applicants with questions.  The questions are simply so we can see into their heart and give them our backing as they hit the field.  We want to know for sure this is God’s calling for their lives, because if it were not we would not want to set them up for failure.  But as we ask them question after question I am reminded of what they are doing.  These are beautiful people who are surrendering the creature comforts that I so highly value for the sake of the call God has placed on their lives.  They are CHOOSING to live with peoples of different cultures, backgrounds, faiths, customs, beliefs…..all because God told them to.  And here am I asking THEM questions!  Are you kidding me?  Those in the chair being interviewed inspire me.  They teach me.

Six months ago when I sat in on the interviews we interviewed our friends Eric and Lyndsey D’Errico (Lyndsey Darby at the time).  I will never forget the pride of being their pastor, as I knew the calling on their hearts.  Six months later they are married and working together in Ireland.  They’ve been through a rough start in their ministry, however, and I want to ask you to pray for them.  This past week they were traveling through Wales on the way back from their honeymoon when their car went out.  It’s going to cost them all of their wedding gift money just to fix the car.  These are newlyweds and newly-missionaries that need our help.  The economy in Ireland has stifled much of what they were planning to do as well.  We, as the Church in America (not just Orlando North) need to step up to the plate for those who are serving globally.  If you are reading this far into the blog I want to ask you to prayerfully consider supporting Eric and Lyndsey both in your prayers as well as financially.  If you’d like to make a one-time or ongoing donation(s) to them you can do so by sending a check to:

Missionary Ventures International
P.O. Box 593550
Orlando, FL 32859

Please make a note that the support is for Eric and Lyndsey D’Errico.  You can also give Online at www.MissionaryVentures.org.

I’m wrapping up so I can head to the MVI offices and hear the stories of my heroes!

RD

Random thoughts of awesomeness:

1. Today is the first day of fall.  This marks my favorite season of the year for so many reasons.  One, the weather in Florida will hopefully start cooling down.  Two, football!  Three, the holidays are approaching.
2. My boy, Glenn Williams, is married and I couldn’t be happier for him.  Two weeks ago Glenn and Amanda got hitched in California and now they’re back home in O-town.  Glenn – you did well, my friend.  Amanda is a jewel!
3. We went and visited Seth and Sarah Macchi on their family vacation to Sanibel Island this past weekend.  I am so thankful for their friendship.  We’ve known them for a long, long time and I just cannot express how much we love them.  Our kids cried on the way home because they were already missing Eli and Josiah.  Caeden even cried himself to sleep saying, “I want Eli!  I want Eli!”
4. Did I mention football?  Michigan football is 3-0 with one of those victories coming against Notre Dame.  It brings tears of joy to my eyes.
5. My dad doesn’t have cancer!!!!
6. Caeden got beat up by a playground bully last Wednesday.  God has really used this circumstance to teach me some very valuable lessons.  It’s incredibly painful to watch your kid go through that but to see the teaching moments inside the circumstance is encouraging.
7. I cannot express how happy my heart is right now about Orlando North.  So many new people have been joining our tribe and I feel like we’re really having an impact.  I crave the times we are together whether it’s at house church or at our Sunday morning services.  I am LOVING being a part of this church.
8. Our friends, Vinnie and Justine Zarletti, are moving back north.  Vinnie’s accepted a position as the worship leader/associate pastor in a church an hour north of Minneapolis.  Having two little ones and being so far from home (Kenosha, Wisconsin) is tough and I know how thrilled they are to be closer to their family.  We’ll miss them but I am SO happy for them.
9. Praying for special people today.  Jackie Bowman is having jaw surgery.  Love her and Mark so much and am glad God brought them into our tribe.  Also, my heart is grieving for Brian and Jennifer Wika as they lost one of their twin babies Friday.
10. Very, very happy for Dave and Jess.

I pray all is well for you.  I pray you have the courage and the guts to not only hear God but to respond to what he is asking of you.  May this week be filled with opportunity.

RD

Today I had a semi-reunion with some longtime friends and mentors.  I met with Clark Whitten, Chip Kelly and Rick Nichols over at Grace Church just to reconnect with some of the guys who have had a major role in my life over the past decade.

Pastor Clark has played an enormous role not only in influencing me as a pastor, but more importantly, by influencing my spiritual thinking.  It was Pastor Clark’s message on grace that changed everything for me.  I’ve loved Jesus for the majority of my life but my relationship with him was very insecure.  I really wasn’t sure where I stood with God at any given moment because of my own misconceptions about God.  For those of you who are part of Orlando North, this is what I opened with in last week’s talk.

Anyhow, Clark opened my eyes through his teachings on grace to the truth of who I am in Christ.  I am literally eternally grateful for his teaching and his life.

I didn’t really want to blog about the theological implications of the grace message.  I just really wanted to journal my thoughts on these guys.  Clark has mentored a lot of us while we were on staff at Calvary who have gone out and either planted a church or began the exciting journey of senior pastoring an already existing church – Ed Ivie, Chip Kelly, Rick Nichols, David Velazquez, David Docusen, and myself.  We all sat under his leadership.

Today again reminded me that he’ll always be my pastor.  He sat with us for three straight hours with no agenda just talking through our lives as men and as pastors.

I know the jokes about pastors.  They’re about as common as a good lawyer joke.  I know the rumor is that we only work one day a week and all that.  Of course that’s not true.  A matter of fact, it can be pretty hard at times.  There’s a lot of prayer, a lot of frustration, a lot of joy, a lot of struggle, a lot of mistakes, a lot of people who disagree with you, a lot of pressure, a lot of happiness, etc.  Fortunately, I am part of a tribe that understands my humanity.  And outside our immediate tribe I have a pastor who’s been there and done that and provides incredible wisdom and love as I/we move forward.

My prayer is that twenty-five years from now I can influence and encourage some guys and gals the way Clark has for me.

RD