Just the other day I was talking on the phone with a fellow Forefronter. As we were chatting it up for a bit, I began to imagine he was one of the cool kids in high school. Walking the halls with a swagger that Kanye or Jay-Z would be envious of. Giving high fives & fist bumps with the other athletic kids, and enjoying “hellos and hey bros” from people as he strutted through his little kingdom, that we mere mortals call high school.

To be honest, he had confirmed many of my thoughts I was thinking in previous conversations. He was admittedly a cool guy in high school. Teachers knew him, ladies loved him, guys wanted to be him. But, there was something deeper he never mentioned when it came to being that guy.

He was lonely.

No matter how many people were around, he always felt like the only person in the room. Since he carried the facade for so long, it only made sense that it would naturally continue into adulthood. And it did. As we told stories and shared over the phone, I realized something, he wasn’t just wrestling with loneliness, he was screaming passive aggressively through the phone for a friend. For someone to talk to. What started as a simple conversation about a church event, turned into an hour and a half discourse on life, growing up, parent stories, and hashing through old wounds.

I felt for him. And, I think he heard me, but I started to get choked up a bit thinking through this. Mainly because…

In his loneliness, he’s not alone.

He isn’t alone, because- it’s you sometimes too. You go to Gel Group, attend church service, serve at events, spend time with people, hang out with your family & friends, wind down from a long day, lay your head to rest and think…

“Man, I wish I had someone to talk to about ___________.”

It’s okay. People get lonely. He’s not the only one. You’re not the only one. I’m not the only one. I get lonely, and I have human contact with friends daily. I’m not lacking for contact with people. But, contact and conversation doesn’t equal feeling together with others.

Make It Meaningful.

The next time you sit with someone- really look at them & listen.
Quit thinking about what you’re gonna say next.
Really, stop it.
You’re still thinking about it, listen to them.
What you’re THINKING of saying isn’t as important as what they ARE saying.
Be engaged.
Ask questions that matter.
If you thought someone was sad, how would you try to make them feel loved?
Okay, now do that when you are with others.
Yeah, I know it might feel weird.
Get over it.
They think you’re weird anyway.
This will just confirm it for them.
But, they’ll finally be able to say-

I have someone to talk to. And they care.

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably seen the “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” video circling YouTube (At least 16+ million have and continues to climb). Well, it stirred all kinds of controversy about whether or not it’s okay to hate religion and still love Jesus. Jay Bakker hates religion, Mark Driscoll hates it, Andy Stanley encourages you to lose it, so does R.E.M. 

It’s interesting. There are plenty of things done in the name of “religion” that are hurtful. I’ve even said “…it’s not about rules and regulations, but a relationship.” People hear religion, and they go running for the hills. It’s scary because of the stigma and social injustices that have happened in the name of God, faith, the church, etc.

But, I’m also a bit torn. I read passages like James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” So, there is a religion that is pure. In the NIV, it’s put this way, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless…”

So there is religion out there, untainted by you or I, that God looks down at and goes, “Man, they finally got it.” I pray I get there one day. I don’t think I’ve arrived- there’s plenty to learn in this journey of faith. This dialogue doesn’t look to be going away any time soon. Many different people are putting out responses (I’ve included one below), but what should our response possibly be in all of this?

As we search after God, let’s not strive to talk poorly of the church (which Jesus died for and will come back for one day), or religion (because anything can be tainted and abused by messed up people), and instead search out to honor God, share our faith, and build one another up in love.

Because after all, Love > Hate.

Carol Of The Bells from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

I loved our Christmas Eve/Eve Service. It was a great way to wrap up 2011. The year had some amazing things take place…

• Sending a team to Joplin to help with the clean-up relief. So pumped we were able to be a part of that.
• Packing an 18 wheeler with supplies and sending it down to Alabama for hurricane relief. The news came out a did a story, it was awesome to see something on the news that positive. You guys rock!
• Two teams to Vietnam to finish the water system for 600+ people to have clean water and build dorms for kids who need a place to sleep. Our impact there over the last few years has transformed that village. This year is going to be even better!
• 17 people to Mexico to build homes for families in need. That valley is forever changed with the love our high school ministry has shared there. If you have time off during the summer and haven’t gone yet, you are TOTALLY MISSING OUT! Go this year, seriously.
• Working with PIN Homeless ministry. We have groups making lunches, people serving, and donations every week to help aid this work. I love it.
• Our Children’s Ministry collected hundreds of pais of socks for the homeless.
• Collecting supplies & throwing a huge baby shower for the moms of CPC at our warehouse space! We discussed whether or not to give other churches the opportunity to do this and not do it in 2012. The CPC reps told us they LOVE what the ladies & church have done. It’s the best shower they have all year! You guys are fantastic!
• 88 kids in the special needs program and their siblings were given an amazing Christmas thanks to the gifts you gave. There are a lot of things we could be doing with our time, but giving back to the community is HUGE. I love that our church isn’t just about what happens on Sundays and in small groups, but we are actually OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
• We saw the school lunch program happening and 100 kids have better food in Vietnam because of you. I was able to see this first hand, and let me tell you, there is no greater feeling than seeing the love of Jesus transcend in a practical way with people. Love it.
• Watching as 35 people made a decision to follow Jesus. This number is actually more, but since we don’t film every baptism, we don’t know an exact number. Anytime I get down, this is the thing that keeps me going. Every other week, and then some, people are coming to Jesus. And… those are just the salvation stories. There are dozens, even hundreds more who are making decisions every week in other ways.
• 7 Marriages that were on the brink of divorce decided to work it out. And they’re thriving! I cannot say enough how big it is that we value families and aid them in following Jesus. If you’re hurting alone, there’s no excuse. We’re here for you. We love you, please come talk to us. We are here to help.
• Saw 600+ people at our Christmas Eve/Eve Service. 3 years ago we did this and had 455 people. I was blown away then, and with all the craziness that God’s church at Forefront has seen… I was blown away again as we saw so many new faces of YOUR FRIENDS there. Remember, they want to come to church and are receptive to it. The one thing holding them back? YOU. Take a step and talk with them about God, church, your faith. You’ll be amazed at what God can do.
• The next day we went to over 58 different places and handed out thank gifts & goodies for people working on Christmas Eve. This is one of my favorite things we do every year. When we could be having a service about Jesus, for us, feeling cozy in a building, singing songs and enjoying ourselves… we went out and honored others. Because we didn’t feel right having a service for us while people are away form their homes & families working. The hospitals, naval bases, fire stations, police stations, grocery stores, McDonald house, and more were all so thankful. I love that you guys care more about others than yourselves.

We’re prepping for our December 23rd service.
It’s a Friday Night, 7pm at Ocean Lakes High School.
It’s going to be intense!

While we’ve been out filming videos for the service, we film little teasers along the way to peak your interest. Here is teaser #2 (We loaded it to YouTube & Vimeo last night, and it’s been blowing up. This is probably due to the fact I fractured 2 ribs at the hands of an angry James elf. Dr’s visit confirmed it yesterday. Merry Christmas!)

Christmas Teaser #2 from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

We’re prepping for our December 23rd service.
It’s a Friday Night, 7pm at Ocean Lakes High School.
It’s going to be intense!

While we’ve been out filming videos for the service, we film little teasers along the way to peak your interest. Here is teaser #1 (it’s been floating around Facebook & Twitter for a couple weeks now)

Christmas Service, Dec 23rd, 7pm @ Ocean Lakes High School from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Today we kicked off our series, “Coming Home.” The key text for our series is Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The first name given to Jesus is Wonderful Counselor. God counsels and speaks to us in many different ways. Today’s service was action packed, “Slow Jam the Announcements” was great (no James/Irene are not pregnant, it was a joke), and the band rocked Revelations by Audioslave. Here are some highlights from the message this morning:

• God really does have an opinion about your life, and the good news is he’s always right.
• People doubt the supernatural in church, but love kids turning into werewolves and sparkly vampires. Seriously?!
• God specializes in the supernatural.
• The Bible is awesome, alive, and active. If it was a movie it would be Rated R at best, some of it NC-17. (Hebrews 4:12-13)
• We don’t like to read scripture, because scripture begins to read us (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
• Wanting to hear God’s voice with no desire to get into God’s word is like wanting to get clean but refusing to get in the shower.
• Jesus didn’t leave us as orphans, he left the Holy Spirit (John 14)
• We need others to help us along the way (Proverbs 15:22, Proverbs 24:5-6)
• We need the church! Especially since Jesus built it, died for it, and blesses it.
• We need to be busy be still and know that he is God! (Psalm 46:10)
• God speaks to us through circumstances. What have you gone through where God taught you something?
• When God speaks, we need to acknowledge it. (Isaiah 45:19, Ezekiel 36:26-27)
• “God will never show us what’s next, until we obey what’s now.”
• When God speaks, we need to seek it. (Jeremiah 29:13)
• When God speaks, we need to obey it. (James 1:22)

Good times. Podcast will be up soon. It was great being with everyone today and kicking off this new series. I cannot wait to see everyone at the Open Mic Night & Art Show on December 9th, 7pm at the Forefront Warehouse.

Next Sunday we’ll be looking at the next name for Jesus, “Mighty God.” Until then, check out the promo video and pass it on…

Coming Home Sermon Intro from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

I read a bunch of differnt stuff around the web. One of the things I do is keep up with other churches doing great things to see how we can learn, get better, and approach God is a fresh way. Our family celebrates Advent, and we try and teach our girls about it. If you’re interested in doing so, it’s not too late. Village Church in TX has some great resources for you and your family to get rolling today. Here is a brief snippet of their post:

“Christ is coming. He has come, and He will come again. This is the message of Advent.

Though Advent is often neglected in many contemporary churches, it has a long history of remembrance. It is a season of waiting, a time of anxious and eager anticipation for the coming (advent) of Christ to His bride.

Though it overlaps with modern Christmas celebrations, it is quite different. Whereas Christmas tends to be a season of noise and commotion, Advent is a time to slow down and reflect. It is a season to consider the first coming of Christ and patiently ponder His second.”

Here’s a short video to encourage you in the process and you can download a PDF guide for your family here.

Advent: God With Us from The Village Church on Vimeo.

This Week: The U-Factor
Theme: When it comes to prayer, there are a number of things people wrestle with. Giving God our undivided attention? What do I do about unanswered prayer? When I don’t get what I want, do I still hold to unending faith?

You can listen on our website via your computer or mobile device.
Click here to view the podcast via iTunes

I get inspiration from all kinds of places.
Movies, Blogs, TV, Pastors, Art, Music.
With all the intake, I figured I’d post some of my favorite inspiration from 2011. My hope & prayer is that it strikes a chord with you and challenges you to think differently about this world we live in.

First up, is Perry Noble.
I’ve seen him speak at conferences & workshops. Listened to his podcast, but it was this post from January 2011 that really moved me. Here is an excerpt from the post he wrote:

WHAT IF you were a non-Christian…and Christians treated you the way you treat non-Christians?

• Would you ever get invited to church?
• Would you feel looked down on?
• Would you feel condemned?
• Would you be ignored?

Reality is that most of us have forgotten what it was like to be lost (see I Corinthians 1:26-31 & Ephesians 2:1-5).

We’ve lost sight of the fact that the Bible says that Jesus LOVED THE WORLD…not just the people in the church.  (See John 3:16)

We’ve lost sight that Jesus commanded us to reach the world (see Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:48,John 20:21, Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:16-21)  AND…FYI, there is another group of people that are quite passionate about this (per THIS article on CNN today).

We’ve lost sight that we’re not just supposed to pray for people to come to Christ…we’re actually supposed to ENGAGE them in a conversation.  (See Romans 10:14 and Romans 10:17, Acts 8:26-40, John 1:35-51)

A phrase he uses quite often, and I love it, is:

FOUND PEOPLE FIND PEOPLE!

I cannot agree more with this sentiment. When you come into contact with God and He begins to work on your life, you cannot help but share that with others and bring them to church. God can do amazingly more than you could ever imagine. So, my question for you is…

Who are you bringing to church Sunday? 

You know the person you’ve been hanging out with, talking with, neighbors with, work with, spend time with. When is the right time to share with them what’s happening in your life and invite them to church? Now. You have relationships with people and they have no idea what’s happening between you and God. Share it with them, and bring them with you this Sunday as we kick off a new series, “Coming Home” which will be filled with discussion on God’s love, grace, and power to change our lives.

See you Sunday!

In short, lives are being changed.
I don’t know where you’re at, but God is up to something here…
And I’m loving it.
People keep asking:
“What is God all about?”
“Could He really love somebody like me?”
“If I give my life to him and mess up, will He give up on me?”
“Do I have to get everything right before I get baptized?”
“Is there any hope in this life?”

Here’s the great news, people are asking questions and God is providing answers. God is all about love, grace and forgiveness. He absolutely loves someone like you. If you mess up, and you will, God is there to pick up up, dust you off, and walk along this journey with you. You don’t have to have it all together, and it won’t. God is the one who begins and completes the work in you. Best of all, there is a hope that we can experience right now. It’s a hope beyond anything we have ever seen this side of heaven. God gives us a hope when all hope is lost. Man, it’s exciting times here at Forefront!

Take a look a few of the people recently who have given their lives to God. If you’re reading this and check these videos out & go, “I’m not real sure about this, but I have some questions” or “I’ve heard and seen this happening at Forefront, what is this all about?” Please email baptism@forefront.org with your contact info and I will personally give you a call. We can get together and talk about any questions you have.

Forefront Baptisms: Cheyenne from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Forefront Baptisms: Ryan Delacruz from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Forefront Baptisms: Malcolm FinkBeiner from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Forefront Baptisms: Tom & Deanna Cramblette from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Forefront Baptisms: Denielle, Tiffany, and Rickina from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Forefront Baptisms: Shelby Kay from Forefront Church on Vimeo.