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Sunday Reflex 12-20-09

2009-12-21T06:54:21-05:00

Yesterday was another AWESOME Christmas service at Mountain Lake Church, and some GREAT stuff happened in my life and the lives of others. Here are a few reflex…

The day kicked off with a dancing elf video with Tricia and I. WOW!
Christmas Carols and music rocked the house. Great job, Worship Team! Your hard work pays off every Sunday!
Yesterday was Pt. 2 of our “Simply Christmas” msg. series.
It was a risk, but I couldn’t get away from it: Yesterday the focal Scripture passage for the message was John 3:16. Everyone knew the verse in their heads. God had to use me to connect it to their hearts. I think God used it!
A great gift conveys the heart of the gift giver.
I talked about God SO LOVING US that He gave what none of us would be willing to give up for anyone else: An only child.
We didn’t deserve the gift; We’re unworthy of it; but that’s what makes it a great gift!
A great gift satisfies the needs and desires of the gift receiver.
What you and I as the human race needed more than anything else 2000 yrs ago, was to be saved from ourselves. What did God bring us? A Savior!
What else did we need? Hope. And God brought it thru Jesus!
I mentioned my friend Matt Chandler, Pastor of The Village Church, in Dallas. Links to his updates and a video msg from him before he went into surgery can be found here.
One of our neighbors came to church that we’ve been praying for years would come! She said she loved it and cried through the whole service! Made my day!
At the end of the service, we brought our “simply Christmas” offerings and placed them in gift boxes throughout the auditorium, while we sang the song: “Offering”.
If you weren’t prepared to bring your “Simply Christmas” Offering, you can bring it on Christmas Eve; or next Sunday; or just mail it in before the end of the year!
Our children also brought their “Simply Christmas” offerings yesterday and I was so amazed to hear about how GLAD they were to be able to give. Oh, that we would maintain that kind of heart as we grow older! Thanks for stretching ME yesterday, kids!

3 Things Ive learned about preaching

2009-12-16T08:11:59-05:00

In part 3 of this series, I want to talk abut perhaps the most important thing I’ve ever learned about preaching, and that is the fact that:

3. Preaching is empty without passion and authority.

Passion comes from spending enough time with the Scriptures I’m teaching on that God has captured ME through them FIRST. Passion comes from an urgency of knowing that THIS MESSAGE might be the message that brings someone to faith in Christ. Passion comes from a moving of the holy Spirit in my life in such a way that I can not HELP but raise my voice to some extent when I talk about what he has laid on my heart. Passion comes from my own emotion. Passion comes with my own confessions and willingness to become vulnerable as the preacher on the platform. Passion comes from understanding that everyone in the crowd that day has showed up HOPING that the preacher possess some answer, some hope, some level of intimacy with God that they do not currently possess!

Authority comes with understanding that I AM GOD’S MESSENGER to the church. He has called me to speak for Him. He as asked me to be the spiritual leader. He has commanded me to care for the flock that He’s given me. He has celled me as and Elder to be able to teach, and as I do, to allow my life to preach on a daily basis. He has called me to live above reproach, so that I can speak with moral authority when I preach. He has called me to model the way. He has called me to speak with boldness and authority and to love for the applause of Him, not the applause of men. he has called me to preach in such a way that people are impressed by HIM, not ME. He has called me to rebuke, encourage, and lift people up with good teaching. He has anointed me, ordained me, and given me the privilege and power to proclaim His Good News. I need to preach like I believe He has!

I can say all the right things and make all the correct interpretations, be funny, be impressive, be loud, and be engaging. However, if I have not preached with passion and authority, I have failed? A sermon without passion and authority is like coke without the fizz. These days as I am finishing up prep work for a message, I ask myself: “Where’s the fizz?” Where’s the heart? Where’s the urgency? Transparency? Challenge? Emotion? Call? Pastors, let’s PLEASE covenant together that we will preach without passion and authority! It may be our greatest opportunity in ministry to worship Him!

Sunday Reflex 12-13-09

2009-12-14T06:51:53-05:00

Yesterday we kicked off our “Simply Christmas” series @mtnlakechurch, and it was just another awesome day! Here are are a few reflections:

The band did a GREAT job kicking off the series with a blend of Contemporary and traditional Christmas music. It was REALLY GOOD. GREAT JOB, BAND!
We’re talking about recapturing the beautiful simplicity of Christmas many of us experienced as children. I think more CHILDREN connect Christmas with Jesus’ bday, than adults, do!
Anna Ward, Chad and Autumn’s daughter did a GREAT job reading a selection of the Christmas story.
One of the goals during this series is to infuse some new meaning into some of the simple Christmas symbols and images we see every year around Christmas. Specifically during this series, we’ll going to talk about The Christmas Star; Christmas Gifts; and the Christmas Tree (on Christmas Eve…WOW. Don’t miss this one…).
The message was REALLY simple.
By announcing Jesus’ birth to people outside Jerusalem with a STAR, I believe God was being very intentional. Every element of the Christmas story is VERY intentional!
The Christmas star STOOD OUT. It was distinctive; It was unique; It was different. It stood in contrast to the darkness around it and made the sky more beautiful. What a beautiful picture of what our lives look like as Christ followers! We ought to STAND OUT from the darkness! I shared stats that indicated, however, that MOST Christians in America aren’t standing out like we could or should (see the msg online and I might blog on this later…).
The Christmas star SHOWED THE WAY. It pointed the way to Jesus! What a beautiful picture of God’s dream and vision for our lives!
God is really speaking in our services these days. God is speaking to MANY PEOPLE. I feel it. I hear you talking about it. I LOVE being part of a church where God speaks every single week!
Closed the service by singing Matt Redman’s “Shine”: May this be our prayer this Christmas!

Lord we have seen the rising sun, awakening the early dawn,
And we´re rising up to give you praise.
Lord we have seen the stars and moon, see how they shine,
They shine for you,
And You´re calling us to do the same.
So we rise up with a song, and we rise up with a cry
And we´re giving you our lives.
We will shine like stars in the universe,
Holding out Your truth in the darkest place.
We´ll be living for Your glory,
Jesus we´ll be living for Your glory.
We will burn so bright with Your praise O God,
And declare Your light to this broken world.
We´ll be living for Your glory,
Jesus we´ll be living for Your glory.
Like the sun so radiantly
Sending light for all to see,
Let your holy church arise
Exploding into life,
Like a supernova´s light,
Set your holy church on fire;
We will shine.
© 2006 Sparrow

Doing everything we can to shine our lights

2009-12-12T16:55:47-05:00

This is my car. The first one done. However…

Hopefully you are about to see A TON of these around metro Atlanta!

Mountain Lakers, get it done!

Egypt 09 Pastors Conference clips

2009-12-11T21:24:16-05:00

shawn lovejoy

Football Domination

2009-12-10T06:58:21-05:00

shawn lovejoy

3 things Ive learned about preaching (pt. 2)

2009-12-09T09:11:57-05:00

In my previous post on what I’ve learned about preaching, I discussed the fact that preaching is not the most important gift. Today, however, I want to contrast that with the second most important thing I’ve learned about preaching, and that is that:

2. Preaching must be viewed as one of the most important things I do.

While I do NOT think preaching is THE most important element of church leadership, it IS ONE of the most important elements of church leadership, and I can not relegate it to something I squeeze into my schedule when the tyranny of the urgent slows down. I’ve mentioned before here that I do not believe that preaching is my greatest spiritual gift. I believe leadership is. However, I believe preaching is EXTREMELY important! God has called me as a Senior Pastor to preach His Word and preach it well: “Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.” 2Timothy 4:2 (NLT).

God has also reminded me time and time again through His people that He HAS called me and gifted me to preach His word, and I need to be faithful to that call and gifting. Anyone will tell you that while I may not be the best preacher in the world, God has given me an uncanny ability to GROW in my preaching ability over the years. When I look back to my sermons 10 years ago when I started Mountain Lake, I writhe in pain! However, this just means I can look back and SEE my growth as a preacher. Everyone on our Ministry Team will tell you also that this has not happened by mistake. I WORK HARD AT PREACHING. Below are just a few thoughts on my preaching work ethic, my priority of preaching, and my desire for preaching excellence. These things have enabled me to “fan into flame” my preaching gift:

I blocked my mornings off years ago for preparing to teach. I meet with NO ONE in my church in the mornings. Sorry, but while my mind is fresh, I need to give my best to be with God and receive His messages for my church!
I spend 20-30 hrs every week preparing to teach, including time on the weekends and Sunday mornings when I get up.
Early Sunday morning every week, I walk around in my Study and say the msg OUT LOUD at least four times to myself. God works through this audible learning time to connect ideas bouncing around in my head and connect transitions. Every week, some of my best thoughts for my sermons come during this time!
Every week, I meet with at least two other pastors and talk about what I sense God is laying on my heart and ask for input. I can’t remember a time I got up and preached that someone had not given me input before I preached it.
I ask for my wife’s input. She’s a genius, knows our church, and she listens to God. She also knows me better than anyone on the planet.
I allow critique and feedback on my sermon every Monday at 1PM by a group of people on my Ministry Team. During this time, it’s open season on the preacher. This process is sometimes painful, but the log time product is always better because of it!
I try NOT to preach more than 70% of the time. Here are some reasons for that:

My preaching will be better down the stretch if have ample weeks of the year when I allow God to speak to me w/o the urgency of preaching that Sunday!
NOT teaching on a given week allows me to look ahead to what “good teaching” looks like in the future for our church. Our church preaching calendar currently runs 6-9 mos. ahead because of this.
SITTING in the congregation of the church when I’m not teaching gives me priceless data about my own church and the preaching there.
I don’t want to build this church around my preaching personality
I want to raise up other preachers.

Suffice to say, preaching IS one of the most important things I do. It IS one of the most important gifts in the church. I must “fan into flame” the gift He’s given me and commit to delivering “good teaching” on a consistent manner to my church. To this I am committed. Pastors, are you?