Now being portable in a movie theater has not dented the vision for Kids Point. We want to have the best kids ministry in SW Florida. Now God has hand picked our Children's Pastor and she is on board and I promise you she is the Best. She ROCKS. More on that later when we do the official introduction.

But in children's ministry, I have always had a hero of sorts. Bruce Barry and Wacky World Studios. If you are in Children's Ministry you probably have heard of Bruce. A self described "big kid" himself, Bruce and his wife Vivian have been using their amazing gift of design artistry to create themed environments for children’s churches across the nation. Whether the designs are vividly colored murals of Bible scenes or elaborate 3-D sets complete with animatronics, the goal is to capture a child’s imagination and ignite the heart. "My objective is simple," says Barry, "to create fun, exciting environments that fire kids up to come to church and bring their unsaved friends and families."

Now my vision has always been to hook up with Bruce at some point to forge a realtionship where there can be a great themed environment and portability at the same time. My wife, Darlene contacted them and by the grace of God got a phone apointment with Bruce.

Well I just had a phone meeting with him for the first time and I tell you HE ROCKS. We clicked. He gets the vision not only for kids but for portable ministry and will be partnering with us to get a really cool WOW kids check in station that will be portable but yet that WOW factor.

Listen this dude is creative, passionate and loves Jesus and kids. His dad worked along side of Walt Disney. I now call Bruce my brother and friend. It was like we have known each other for awhile. So if you are portable and want a WOW kids environemt. IT CAN BE DONE. There is no such word as Can't. Bruce and his incredible staff will work with you because the bottom line is we are just trying to reach kids for Jesus in a creative, fun and exciting way. If you have not checked out there web site do so. These guys get it.

Thanks Bruce and all your team. We look forward to working with you. Can't wait to see the first phase. God is good.

So invite someone. Come and check out The Rebel's Guide To Joy.

• Quiet time gets interrupted with a phone call from a lady who has been to our church once and now goes to another church and her husband and her just had a knock down drag out fight. She could not reach her current pastor so called me.
• I then get a phone call from a good friend in SC, a church planter, and we had to deal with some issues he was having
• Then I call a person in our church for advice and chit chat and get blessed but...then
• Then I deal with some more issues with a person not even in church and find out that my integrity is being attacked because of something stupid which never happened and which is mere gossip
• Then I talk to another person again attended once months ago who is going through sever medical and emotional problems and is on the wrong medication because its making that person whacked and they don't realize it
• After that I deal with some staff stuff (this one is a good one... its coaching and teaching)
• Then I get a phone call that a dear new friend Mr. Roy died unexpectedly Friday. He and his wife are awesome people, both in their 90's. We have shared 2 meals with them and I really loved their story. But God took him home and I cried
• Then a get a scathing nasty email from a person I gave money to, me personally, not the church; to get their water and electricity turned back on and bought them food and was crucified in this email because I was honest enough to say their 16 year old daughter need some serious help. Oh by the way I was asked my opinion and gave it honestly but was crucifed nevertheless
• Then could not sleep
• Then get a call this morning from a friend in Ft. Myers and his best friend was shot or murdered yesterday in a drug deal gone bad. They have no one to do the funeral or minister to the parents
• Then I have to do a drug intervention with someone who has a huge coke problem
• Then I come home and my wife is having a little reaction to the Lyrica she is on for pain.

Now I say all this to get the point across that MINISTRY IS MESSY.  When you do ministry with unchurched people, it gets ugly. Now I am not complaining. I am counting it all joy. This is not a pity party rant but just a matter of fact of how my day went. I am not devulging confidentialites nor am I mentioning anyone who attends Life Point Church now. Its just how my day went. So don't think I am talking about ANYONE CURRENTLY ATTENDING LIFE POINT.

My point is to show that ministry is not easy. But it is well worth it. The point of this email is for pastors who are planting churches to read and get encouraged and their core group or members who need to hear this but cant or wont hear it from their pastor or planter. Remember, this blog is the sole opinions of Henry Judy and NOT those of Life Point Church or anyone who attends or other staff.

This is for all pastors and church planters and their friends and attenders out there. I am blogging about it soley for other pastors and their people and my prayer is that it helps

1: The church is not about The Pastor/ Planter nor does the Pastor/ Planter  own the church. Jesus is the head of the church. Period

2: Pastors are human and have a past and if you got questions about their past and things that have happened to them... HAVE THE GUTS TO GO TO THEM AND NO ONE ELSE. Stop gossiping thinking you know everything. There are ALWAYS 2 sides to every story.

3: Every Pastor has feelings and goes through ups and downs. Call him with some good news every now and then. Give him some kudos. You really dont know how hard it is doing true ministry unless you do it everyday.

4: Show Grace. Your Pastor will make mistakes and mess up but show grace and make allowances one for another just as Jesus makes allowances for you everyday

5: If you are not completely sold out to the God Given Vision for your church... LEAVE! Go Find Another Church

6: Look at the fruit of the pastor and the church. Are lives being changed? Are people getting to know Jesus? Is the Word being taught? If it is, stop belly aching and get going doing the work of the Kingdom

7: As Lombardi said, you are part of the problem or the solution. Are you helping the ministry by your actions? Are you doing ministry by contributing or are you just consuming?

8: Before you call your pastor in anger make sure you pray, I bet most people dont do this

9: Remember, a church plant in the first year is about surviving. Dont expect your new church plant to do anything more than try to survive and keep their head above water

10: Remember to Pray for your Pastor daily. He gets hit from Family, Friends, People who attend the church, People who got mad and left the church and then he gets hit by Satan and his demons. If your pastor is not pulling a salary as alot of church planters cant for the first year or so. Bless them with some kindness every now and then. Nobody in their right mind, except by being called from God would do this without pay with all the problems and abuse.

Now having said that. I got to be honest. I love life Point Church. I love every single person who attends or has attended. I love how God is moving and how people are getting to know Jesus. I love how we just hired a Children's Pastor that gets the vision and will grow the childrens ministry. I love how two new staff members are so passionate and excited just for the chance to do ministry and will eventually go into ministry full time and be going to seminary in a few years. I love to see people "Get It... the ah hah moment" . I love to see how people have grown in a short period of time.

Because when you are walking with God, Loving Jesus with all your heart soul mind and strength, realize that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.... Then count it all joy to suffer for the Kingdom.

I had a conference call with a church planter from the great state of Georgia last week, and we began the topic of how I deal with criticism. I've been very transparent here on this site about my struggles in the past...but I shared some things with him that I don't think I've ever put into words...so I will try it here.

In my opinion-there are basically five phases in dealing with a critic.

#1 - The Explanation Phase

Early on in the days my ministry as a Senior Pastor,  I honestly felt that if I could sit down with the people that were critical of the ministry that the Lord has called me to do that I could reason with them and help them to fully understand why we did ministry the way we did it.

It didn't take me long to realize that most critics don't want an explanation...they want an argument. They want the chance to shame you, to speak down to you, to tell you how right they are...and how much you suck dirt!!! I tried the explanation phase for a short while...but it was fruitless and pointless.

#2 - The Argument Phase

The next phase is the one where I tried to argue with everyone...I mean EVERYONE who had a negative word to say about the ministry. This was dangerous for me because I developed an "us versus them" mentality and began to think that everyone who wasn't doing ministry like us just wasn't doing ministry.

The Apostle Paul warns in II Timothy 2:23 not to have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments...and it took me a long time but I finally realized that the arguments I was involved in were both foolish and stupid...so I moved past that phase and moved to...

#3 - The Anger Phase (aka...the Punch Someone In The Throat Phase!)

There was a period in my ministry (December 2004 until March of 2006) where I was letting anger get the best of me. I was allowing myself to be controlled by it. I was spending most of my time trying to respond to my critics rather than really listening to the Lord...and it damaged me emotionally and spiritually.

Paul warns in Ephesians 4:27 NOT to give the devil a foothold...but I ignored that warning and allowed it anyways.

I won't go through all that Jesus had to do to pull me out of this phase...but I will say that Craig Groeshel was a MAJOR instrument that God used to free me up from this attitude. I remember him saying once at a round table, "Some of you in the room (and he looked at me) are beating up hundreds, possibly even thousands, of people in your church up every week just because of one e-mail from a negative person."

Church leaders...DON'T ALLOW satan to control you through your critics...the price is too high...AND, you spend all of your time on defense rather than on offense!!!

#4 - The Ignore Phase

This is where I am right now...I ignore critics. I don't read their blogs...I don't receive their e-mails...and this either does one of two things to them...

First of all-it REALLY ticks them off...but then second of all...they usually go away. Seriously, if you refuse to put fuel on the fire they start...it will eventually go out.

I love what Nehemiah said in Nehemiah 6:1-4 when his critics tried to get him to take his eyes off of the work, "I am doing a great work...and I cannot come down." That has actually became a rallying cry around my friends...people actually say to me, "Hey Henry-stay on the wall...don't come down."

I will admit that it's hard at times...but...by not getting into arguments with critics...it has set me free in a major way. I do the same with attenders of Life Point. If you got a problem COME TO ME! I am open. I will listen if it is in LOVE! I WILL NOT pay attention to THEY or I HEARD or SOMEONE. I will not pay attention to gossip even if the gossip is given in "love".

(I will ALWAYS listen to someone who loves Jesus and loves me...but I will never listen to a blogger or an attender  who has no life OR someone who sends in an email with a fake address...I don't have time for them-and neither do you!)

#5 - The Compassion Phase

I am almost here...not quite. (Just being honest.) I wrestle with this. I see in Luke 15 when the prodigal son comes home and the older brother doesn't come in the house to meet him that the Father goes outside and pleads with the older brother to come in.

I think we are called to do the same because...in that story...it would seem that the oder brother (who was the critic) was just as lost as the younger one.

Jesus dealt with this as well...He did weep over Jerusalem...but He also turned over temple tables. There IS a time to respond in boldness...but there is also a time to respond with compassion because, well, people just don't understand.

Compassion does not mean trying to explain to them...or even exchanging emails with them...but praying for them (NOT the Psalm 3:7 prayer) and asking God to allow them to come into the house and celebrate what He is doing-even it it isn't their style.

I'm almost here...and, with God's help, maybe one day I will be! (Once again-just being honest!)

Tomorrow we are wrapping up the Uncertainties Series. How is your marriage? No really. How is your marriage? Are there any uncertainties in it?

We will be looking at the 3 Most important Things you can do to eliminate the Uncertainties in your marriage. Remember; 10:00 am at The Muvico Theater in the Coconut Point Mall. We got some HUGE announcements we are making tomorrow.  Invite someone and get your butt there. The Life Point Cafe Opens at 9:45 am. Starbucks and Panera Bread. Fresh baked!!

When we start reaching people (and we have in a big way) WATCH OUT... Pastors of other churches and people in general will start talking about the gimmicks we use to get people in. Well I am going to address this up front. WE WILL USE GIMMICKS TO GET PEOPLE TO JESUS.

SO...this all created a thought or two inside of me...and I admit-we are TOTALLY into gimmicks here at Life Point Church. I started to market the idea and make a million bucks off of it...but then decided that I would just share it here-so here goes-all of the gimmicks we are into.

#1 - We Talk About Jesus All Of The Time!

Seriously...HE is the reason for the church; in fact, He said in Matthew 16:18 that it is HIS CHURCH! So we decided a long time ago that if the church is supposed to be about him...well...then He should be THE MAIN FOCUS...how He is alive and is changing lives.

Let me be clear-we talk about Jesus. We do not talk about the lottery, how all Christians should watch FOX news, blue laws and snow birds. While we DO acknowledge that we live in a messed up world-we do not think that the world is messed up because bad people keep making bad decisions...but rather the world is messed up because people don't know JESUS!

Churches can choose their soapboxes and issues all day long-our issue is Jesus...He changes lives.

#2 - We Use The Bible

I have heard from some people that if you preach from the Bible then people will not come-NOTHING could be further from the truth.

I love God's Word-LOVE IT, every single verse...and I believe that NO ONE SCREWS UP THEIR LIFE by following God's Word...so, in each and every service we have we use the Bible in an unapologetic way.

From time to time we will hear in this community people say, "They don't use the Bible over at Life Point." When a person makes that statement they are merely proving their stupidity because there will never be a service in the history of this church where the Bible wasn't taught.

Where do most of our ideas come from? Uh...the Bible! It's the best book ever!!!

#3 - We Teach The Bible In A Way People Can Understand

One of the things I hear from time to time is, "Hey Henry, I wish at times we could go deeper." Let me translate this for you-what this person is usually saying is, "Hey Henry, I wish at times you could confuse the heck out of me so that there is no application point...that way I can walk away feeling smarter & also not feeling a need to actually apply anything."

In my mind I have two questions to answer in message preparation time. The first is what do I want them to know. I feel it is my job as the pastor/teacher to teach God's word in an understandable way so that when people leave Life Point Church they know at least one thing they didn't know...OR they are reminded of at least one thing they had forgotten.

The second question is what do I want them to do. I believe a message preached without any application is a great mistake. PEOPLE DO NOT NEED HISTORY LESSONS-they need practical help with their lives. And so as a pastor it is NOT my goal to confuse the people who attend Life Point by spewing out theological mumbo jumbo and having them think I am a really smart person...but rather to take God's Word and show how He desires to communicate to all of us where we are.

(To the critic who now wants to e-mail me and say that I have no love for theology...please...save it...I read that stuff all the time...and I have a doctorate degree and I love to read Piper, Spurgeon, and some others...however, I learned a long time ago that when it comes to speaking I need to do the cooking in the kitchen and bring the people a fully prepared meal.)

#4 - We Care About Excellence

One of our core values is excellence...we believe that if it is done in God's name...then it deserves our best effort.

Keep in mind that excellence is the core value-NOT PERFECTION! We literally screw something up every Sunday...but it is NOT because we are not trying hard.

It bothers me when a church offers a half-hearted, poor, pitiful presentation of the Gospel...and then when it totally BOMBS they blame the problem on the Holy Spirit.

Uh...if the Trinity is truly a Biblical concept...and I believe it is, then why is it that we blame "God the Holy Spirit" on things that we screw up?

As I said, we believe in excellence...that means we want to offer our very best. SO...people who can't sing do not sing. Seriously-why do churches let people do this? I have heard, "Well, their heart is good." And that might be true-but their voice is awful & makes me think of a cow dying in a hail storm.

We make sure our kids get the very best in (1) facilities-we do not stick them in some basement with leaking pipes and wall paper from the 1970's and tell them to "like it or else." But rather we provide them with an atmosphere that they can actually enjoy.

(2) People-we do not stick them with a lady so old that she personally knew seven out of the twelve apostles personally and that hates kids...NO-our volunteers LOVE kids...love working with them-and are willing to go through a federal background check to do so!

If it worth doing then it is worth doing right!

#5 - We Plan Ahead

Yep, another gimmick is that we plan ahead & do not just "wing it." For example, we are already planning for Christmas and Easter. We know these things are coming our way and we want to be as ready as possible.

Our kid's area is planning months out. You know why? Because these kids matter!!!

Some people say that you can plan so much that you plan God right out of it...I disagree. I believe the Holy Spirit works just as much in my planning and preparation time as He does when I am delivering a message on a Sunday or Wednesday. God is a planner...He is Sovereign...BUT a casual journey through Scripture can show us-He has a plan-we should as well.

#6 - We Challenge People To Commit

Let me be very clear on this-Life Point Church will have THE BEST volunteers on the planet-BAR NONE! (You will get to meet many of them for yourselves if you come this Sunday

Here is the deal-I teach this all of the time, a church is NOT effective when a pastor ministers to the people. NO...a church is effective when the body ministers to the body!

Many churches simply kill their pastor...they expect that poor guy to do everything while they sit on their rear end and bark orders. Uh...where exactly is the Biblical basis for that.

I know, I know, some moron is going to e-mail me, telling me that pastors are supposed to "shepherd their flock." AND...I agree...but leading that flock DOES NOT MEAN doing the things for them that Scripture clearly indicates that they are to be doing for one another!

Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us that we are to teach the people HOW to minister-NOT to do it all. And at Life Point we have a group of people that EMBRACE that concept...and God is using their skills every weekend to IMPACT thousands of lives for Jesus Christ.

#7 - We Have An Atmosphere Where People WANT To Bring Their Unchurched Friends

When I was growing up the LAST place you took a person who didn't know Christ was to church! NO...you "got them saved" first and then took them to church...because, if you did the opposite it would mess them up forever.

We have taken a different approach...we have told people we are going to work as hard as we can, pray that God will move...and we want you to partner with us in getting your lost friends and family members here...AND...it works. We've seen people give their lives to Christ over the past few months...and the best is yet to come!!!

This Sunday we  will be looking at the Uncertainties in Faith today. It seems that most everyone believes in a "higher spiritual power". The problem is that with so many choices, which one is right?

Taking a look at the exclusivistiy of Chrisitanity is the only path to eliminate the uncertainties caused by religious pluralism. How do we know Chrisitans are right? Don't all roads lead to God? What makes Christianity so exclusive? Are Mormons, Islamics, and Jehovah Witnesses just wrong?

These and other questions will be tackled this Sunday. Come. Bring someone. 10:00 at The Muvico Theater in The Coconut Point Mall. I can't wait. See you then.

Now anyone who knows me knows I am a tech wanna be. But today, after my sweet work out at LA Fitness, I got some studying done and decided today is the day I will hook up the TV tuner so I can record some programs right on lap top. Funny thing... IT WORKS!!! I feel like a real geek. Now we will be able to record some recent TV clips for upcoming sermons I want to do. Sweeeet.

Being Wednesday, I am trying to redo Sundays Sermon. I want to do 2 more in the Uncertainties Series. This week will be "Uncertainties: In Faith." This will be a look at how many people today believe that multiple roads lead to a relationship with God and Jesus. A little of Jesus, Allah, Mormonism, Jehovah Witness shaken not stirred. All of this causes Uncertainties.

So Sunday you will want to be there. It is going to be awesome. Invite someone and bring them.