To be a part of something bigger.
To watch God perform the miraculous.
To let go of our own egos.
To be a part of the church instead of simply “showing up” @ church.
To be free.
To accept and trust in God’s promise.
To believe in that Jesus doesn’t make bad people good, he makes dead people live.
To give back to His church and others from the overflow of our hearts.
To be still- and experience this week after week…

Baptism: Jake & Kelly Lengel from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Dan Almos, Rick & Chrissy Hoyt Baptism from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Forefront Baptisms: Jordan Kay from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

It’s been 3+ years since this photo was taken by a reporter for the Virginian-Pilot.
The White Horse Pub brings back a whirlwind of memories.
Every Tuesday night for almost a year.
Arrive at 4:00ish, and roll out around 9-9:30pm.
All because… we were a church, in a bar.

Well, we were a church who held services in 3 different locations.
In a bar at Pembroke Mall on Tuesdays, and Sundays at Ocean Lakes High School and Cinema Cafe in Greenbrier.
Over 3 years later, and after a great deal of prayer, we are back to a single location (Ocean Lakes on Sundays).
So, what did you learn from doing multi-site and church in a bar?

Multi-site:

• It’s extremely difficult. Take everything you’ve studied, read, and heard… then increase it by 45-50%
• It stretches you, but in a good way. You begin think anew when it comes to first time visitors, volunteers, teams, etc. This helped me so much.
• No matter how well you plan, problems will show themselves quickly. Our filming of the message was a love/hate relationship. Actually, the scheduling of speaking in general for three locations was just tough.
• I learned to pour a lot of love into volunteers. You have to since you cannot be at every campus, every week. Volunteers are what make things like this happen!
• You have to do multi-site out of growth, not to promote it. If you’re not busting at the seams where you are, & haven’t already exhausted every avenue of multiple services, and space- then don’t do multi-site. Because, if you aren’t growing rapidly now, adding another monster campus to the mix isn’t going to somehow make you’re church more attractive to people. The newness of it will, for a moment. But, it will fade quickly and so will their involvement with your church.
• Multi-site teaches patience. I learned so much during the multi-site years. With the new technology and resources available, it’s enticing to swim in the multi-site waters. The patience comes when you have to learn all new systems, concepts, technology, and strategies to make it work for your situation.
• Video teaching doesn’t work for everyone. It can work for some. It’s been done great all over the country by people. It just didn’t completely work for us. We had people who would come to the Cinema Cafe Campus, and then weeks later place themselves in the live setting at Ocean Lakes. They just preferred a live pastor. Personally, I love seeing someone live. I understand where they’re coming from.
• Multi-site isn’t for everyone. As God’s church moves here at Forefront, would I be totally against it in the future? No. Would God have to confirm it with our elders and leadership without a shadow of doubt, that it was the only route for us to take? Absolutely. God has to be the center. As much as we want to impact our community, we know God’s work through Forefront cannot be hindered by us chasing a dream of ours instead of His. We always have felt that way in leading Forefront, and will continue to in the future.

Church In A Bar:

• I loved it. The smell of beer and grease as the band would get into the music and people would bob their heads to songs that were about God and His love. It was such a cool thing to be a part of. Honestly, it felt like we were trailblazers (although many have done this very thing before). People were shocked that we would do such a thing in Va Beach. It revived many of us in leadership to know we were doing what God laid on our hearts.
• Many church leaders are scared to try things. Mainly because of what other Christians would think. If you make decisions based on other Christians as opposed to what God is calling you to do, you’re damned from the start.
• I learned to love and appreciate the speaking talents of Vince Antonucci. Also, while I’m not into the style of music (I like more hardcore/indie stuff), Joe Heilman knew how to move the room and connect with them. The chemistry between the service and people there was interesting. I had to stash those nuggets away and learn from them as I helped run the volunteer team behind the scenes.
• “Shock and Awe” doesn’t win people to Jesus, it simply fills seats. The barrage of media attention and calls we received was almost entirely what we expected. Christians telling us we were going to Hell, people far from God packing the place out to have a beer and see what it was about. But, when the novelty wears off, it’s still church. There’s nothing really all that “cool” or “hip” about doing church in a bar/pub. We still addressed sin (even about being drunk or addicted), and discussed life past the confines of a bar stool and the daily grind.
• Life change happens in relationships. We had people who came to know God and were baptized from our pub campus. Every single one of them happened because their was some type of involvement outside of the “weekly service.” Lunch. Hanging out after small group. An email. Phone call. Just simply attending a service (no matter where you have it), won’t change your life. The preaching of the gospel or “good news” is the starting point where the Holy Spirit moves people. It’s through that relational interaction that we see it go from a prompting to a life changing decision to accept Christ and experience as God turns us into a new creation. Essentially, raising us from the dead life we were existing in before Him.
• No matter how hard you might try, good things end too. The White Horse Pub on Tuesday Nights was bitter sweet for me. It was amazing to watch people come to God and be baptized, but in another real sense, it ran it’s course. I took karate when I was 9, you know the free lessons people could win from Chuck Norris Karate Studios. Well, I kept at it for a little while after, but… it wasn’t too long before it was just done. And that was alright. It had it’s time. And… the pub campus had it’s place. It reached people. It put us in a place to love others who many Christians would never find themselves in contact with. I mean seriously, how many churches are having baby showers for pregnant bar-tending, strippers? God put us there to love on her, the owner, the bar tenders and wait staff. It was God’s time to shine. He worked magnificently. It was amazing to watch.
• Having service in a place that has temptation, showed people’s struggles. When there’s plenty of brew flowing, things happen. We had to tell volunteers that they couldn’t be a part of the team there because they struggled with alcohol addiction. Some of them even left the church entirely. It was painful. As a team, we had to minister to them and look out for them. It taught us how to be more aware and present when it came to seeing people’s needs and struggles. We had to hold people accountable. People don’t always like it. Crap, sometimes they HATE it. But, just as we’re called to love everyone, we are told to hold our brothers and sisters in Jesus accountable. That’s tough. No way of getting around it. But, it has to been done in love. Even then, it doesn’t always end well.
• Maybe it was less about the service, and more about what God was trying to teach his people. People came to God, we ruffled some conservative feathers (not on purpose), and God was honored. But, looking back, I think Forefront learned a whole lot more than the community did. How we worship God matters. People, above all programs, ideas, and things, matter. Everything we do must first stem from His plan, and no matter what people might think, we must follow Him.

It was an exciting time then, and it’s an exciting time now.
Every week people are getting baptized and Heaven is celebrating.
God has some very tough, but amazing things on the horizon for His church at Forefront.
We’ve overcome odds that were completely stacked against us.
Why?
Because God is for us. His work doesn’t end.
It may take on different forms (i.e. Vietnam, Mexico, Haiti, Joplin, P.I.N., Crisis Pregnancy Center, etc).
But, His work in you, me, and our community is far from finished.

So thankful and humbled to be where I am.
Thank you for enduring the journey, God has some great things in store.

Joe Flanagan, of 13 News, came out to take a look at what Pa & VA churches were doing for the folks down south. With all the devastation that has taken place in the southern states, someone has to help them. As a church, our call is to respond.

We teamed up with Legacy Christian Church in PA. They rallied people up north and we rallied the area in Hampton Roads. It was a great collaborative effort. David Scott, a fellow Forefronter, asked his company (US Food Services), if they would donate a truck, gas, and comp his time. They agreed. On May 12th, 2011 we filled the 18 Wheeler with food, clothing, and supplies as it headed to Alabama for delivery.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this great.
You can read mention about it here.
Check out the news story embedded below.
We’ll have a video w/ the whole project and delivery, edited and out in the coming week or so.

Forefront in the News: Channel 13 WVEC from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

*Count how many times I blink. Ha.
**Oh, and I am not the founding pastor. Just a guy trying to lead as he tells me.

Jason

Growing up, you never know what kind of lasting impression you’ll leave on people.
For many, you don’t get the chance to speak into the lives of your childhood friends, as an adult.
Fortunately, that chance came around.

Joe and I grew up together.
We ran with the wrong crowd. Wait, we were the wrong crowd.
Not all the time, but we were definitely far from perfect.
Your parents warned you about… us. Ha.
We grew up, and parted ways.
Just over a year ago, our paths crossed.
He was wrestling through a broken marriage.
I was fumbling through pastoring a church.
We sat down in the mall food court and talked about life.
He shared his mistakes, and his deep love for his wife.
Joe wanted to make things right.

Melissa had been coming to Forefront for awhile.
She was searching for healing in their marriage.
God eventually brought Joe along to experience God’s love, through His church.
A year later, this is what God is doing…

Forefront Baptisms: Joe & Melissa Hunter from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.”

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.”

John Wesley

Disaster Relief in the Southeast U.S.

As we’ve seen on the news and in the paper, the Southeastern United States was hit hard with tornadoes and disastrous weather. Well, it’s our job to do something about it.

We have been invited to join a number of other churches from the Northeast (PA & MD) and our area to donate items to be transported to Capstone Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to support the thousands affected by last weeks tornado’s. This has taken a lot of coordination within a number of organizations.

Here’s How You Can Help

Items needed include: Bottled water, sports drinks, diapers (various sizes), hand sanitizer, non-perishable POP-OPEN and eat items, and toiletries. Items donated should be boxed and labeled. Water and sports drinks that are packaged together in a bundle of a 12 pack or more can come as is. Having items boxed and labeled will make packing the truck so much easier.

Drop-Off date is May 12 at the Forefront Offices, 2697 International Parkway Suite 3-132, Virginia Beach, VA.
For directions, http://tinyurl.com/forefrontoffice
Drop off items directly behind the building from 8am-5pm.
If you need another time to get your material here, please contact jason@forefront.org or call 757-373-9171

Forefront People: You can drop your stuff off at church or at the offices during business hours.

Church/Community Leaders: We have a video below that you can play on Facebook, Twitter, etc. If you create a free vimeo.com account, you can download it from the vimeo site to play at church this Sunday.

Tornado Relief from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Jason

UPDATE: Items added to the list of donations

- personal care items, shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene, toilet paper, tooth paste, etc
- baby items – diapers (all sizes), formula, wipes (big need!!)
- new underwear, sox all sizes (Big Need!!)
- tarps
- chainsaws, chainsaw oil
- air mattresses and cots
- sheets, blankets, pillows
- food items
- can openers
- hand sanitizer
- soap
- sleeping bags

I loved watching the Batman and Robin television show as a kid.
BAM! ZAP! POW!!
It was action packed from beginning to end. A challenge would arise, Batman and Robin would go to figure it out, one would always end up in peril, and the other would save him & save the day. The show always followed that same structure, but it never got old for me.

The thing I loved the most about the show though… Batman needed Robin. As savvy and heroic as Batman was, he could get himself in a bind like no other. It was always Robin who came to the rescue and bailed him out. We all need a Robin. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be bad to have a half dozen or so Robins in our corner.

As a pastor, I have the luxury of working with 6 other amazingly talented people. They’re my Robins. Dan, Becky, Lisa, James, Justin, and Barbara make me look better than I really am. You see, Batman is great, but he would be nothing if he didn’t have Robin right by his side every step of the way. He’s more than simply a sidekick, they are a team. A dynamic duo if you will.

At Forefront, we embrace this teamwork in every aspect of the ministry that takes place here. It’s not just an “Adult” “Children’s” or “Student” ministry project, it’s a staff/volunteer project. A team effort. One aspect that this could easily be overlooked in the church is with speaking, right? “I mean, c’mon! You’re the ‘teaching pastor’ so shouldn’t you be the only one to ever speak to us? Isn’t that your job?” Well, part of my job is teaching, but if that’s all I did, I’d be one lazy leader. On top of that, getting one voice all the time is never a healthy thing. It’s nice to hear from a different vantage point.

So during this series we’re in, you’ll hear from three other voices besides myself. Dan Pollard, our Executive Pastor, Becky Bruner, our Family Pastor, and James Davis, our Student Pastor. Our elders have the final authority over the church and think it’s healthy for the church family to hear from different voices from time to time. I couldn’t agree more. Not only are their voices and ideas from a G0d-centered perspective, but they have life experiences I’ve never been through. Things I have yet to encounter, because I’m not them.

Looking forward to the rest of this series”Paper House”, it’s going to be fantastic. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the first week on “Integrity”, check it out on the podcast or website here and below is the series trailer to get you pumped for next Sunday!

Jason

Paper House Sermon Intro from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

At Forefront, we embrace people’s stories.
Everyone has a story to share.
You might think it’s boring or uneventful, but you have one.
The amazing part, your story needs to be told.
It’s a part of the puzzle, a piece of the body, the scene in the movie.
Your story helps share this “good news” with others.
You telling your story matters.

We have a few people who are going to start a new chapter in their story this Sunday after church. They are taking the step to surrender to God and allow Him to transform their life. It’s another moment to watch the miraculous happen. I love it.

Here are a few recent baptisms that took place here at Forefront.
Awesome.

Forefront Baptisms: April 10, 2011 from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

Derek Smith’s Baptism from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

We had an amazing time during our visit & work with the people of Ta Phin, Vietnam. The doors opened over the last few years to do work with water, the department of education, and we’re praying for avenues with the department of health. To catch a bit of what we experienced, check out this video:

Vietnam Team: April 2011 from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

A big thanks to everyone who helped make this happen. When our June 2011 team gets on the ground, we’ll get some video/photos of the completed work.

Jason

I woke up this morning, opened up the paper and saw this:

Many different emotions swept over me.
Relief. Anger. Jubilation. Sadness. Grief. Worry. Anxiousness of the unknown future…
I remember being in a church gym with 48 other student pastors as cell phones started blazing with the news.
We huddled around a 13 inch black/white TV as we watched the replay of planes flying into the World Trade Center.
It was unbelievable and frightening.
Was this some kind of stunt?
Who could do such a thing?
What is happening?
People were asking all kinds of questions, with close to no answers being given in the hours following.

And so began “The War on Terror.”

Since that time we’ve witnessed massive casualties of our military men and women, innocent civilians caught in the midst of battle, terrorists dying for their cause, Saddam Hussein’s capture/trial/ and death, and a rise in security in every aspect of our lives. You cannot get away from this truth: the fabric and landscape of our world was changed forever by the tragedies that took place on September 11, 2001. We cannot go back to the old normal.

So, today with the news surrounding Osama Bin Laden’s death, we are hearing quite a frenzy of opinions. Across the board every news station is covering this. Newspapers are plastering the event across the headlines (i.e. the photo above), and social networking was set ablaze over night by the news. Here are some of the Twitter & Facebook updates I awoke to:

• “Just heard on the news “VB based seals” killed Osama!!!! Way to go Boys!!!!”
• “This has nothing to do with Obama. Stop celebrating him. Lets celebrate the troops who have been fighting for this day!”
• “Boy I love being military!!!!! Congrats USA!!!! And good job soldiers, you all are amazing!!!!”
• “Hell just received a new tenant. We warned you not to mess with the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!”
• “Woke up and saw that Osama Bin Laden is dead – there is no way America can have a case of the Mondays today! Now lets get to whoever terrorized these gas prices!
• “Okay, I’m hearing some Christians celebrating the recent news, and some Christians saying that celebrating someone’s death (even an evil person) is wrong. I guess I’m stuck somewhere in the middle.”
• “Not to blow up people’s news feed, but if you’re cheering the fact that Osama was killed, I urge you to check your heart. I don’t think that God cheers when one of his lost children is lost for good… Granted, God has the final say on who goes where but I can only assume by what I’ve seen that he did not accept Christ.”

Processing My Response

I was trying to process all of this and make sense of everything I was reading. The “Jason” in me began to celebrate that justice had come. The “Spirit” in me was mourning the possibility that another person more than likely will spend eternity separated from God (I don’t know where He stood with God, but his belief system point to one that was far from him). It’s like I’m schizophrenic in need of clarity. As a Christian, what am I supposed to do with all of this?

I find some relief, like the writer in Proverbs, who penned the words “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous, but terror to evildoers” Proverbs 21:15. I remember David in the Old Testament writing, “The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then people will say, ‘Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.’” Psalm 58:10-11. When evil is dealt with by the hands of the Lord, His people rejoice that oppression has been brought to justice. This isn’t joy in seeing that person’s demise. This joy and jubilation is a reaction to the timeless truth that God’s mighty protection has reigned above all.

The flip side of this… a death took place. The death of an individual. Was he evil in his actions? Absolutely. Did he commit heinous murders through his terror plots? There is no doubt about it. If he came to God, could God forgive Osama Bin Laden of his actions and pardon him of all his sins and allow him to enter into Heaven, as a new creation? Yes. But… here is where I struggle. Based on God’s plan of salvation, and accepting the Bible and truths there-in, it does not look like Osama Bin Laden came to that place. Now again, I’m not sure whether or not he did or did not come to Christ and turn from his ways while hiding in caves and dodging military forces. If I were to consult my childhood Magic 8 Ball, “Outlook doubtful.” With that in mind, Biblical truths would point to the strong possibility of Osama spending eternity in Hell, and that breaks my heart.

As a Christian, no matter how awful a person, I wouldn’t desire for anyone to go to Hell. God, in His justice and holiness, can have no part with sin, and that penalty is separation from Him for eternity. It reminds me that I am thankful and in eternal debt to a Creator who showed me the error of my ways and I now fully submit to each day I walk this earth. It harkens me back to the image of the cross, Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It’s His conquering over death that allows those “in Christ” to celebrate eternal life. I am thankful for God caring that much for you and I.

This is where I’m at. But…

Why Does Your Reaction Matter?

Simply put: you have influence. Around the water cooler, throughout social networking, at the dinner table with your family – you have influence. Your opinion and reaction matter. It helps mold those around you.You have the power to help guide others in an open and honest dialogue about pain,  suffering, justice, God, faith, etc. It’s an amazing opportunity to talk about things that normally wouldn’t come up in some circles you travel in.

Unfortunately, I think the overwhelming message/reaction is that somehow God is blessing America and everyone else around the world is kind of missing out. This “God Bless America” crap has got to stop. Really? Is America a “Christian” nation? (take a few seconds to watch the evening news and you’ll find the answer to that question). Is God really blessing America and leaving everyone else out to dry? We don’t have the market cornered on the “blessings” of God. Having traveled around and conversed with people outside the U.S., the view of Americans and Christian Americans especially isn’t all that great. The sentiment is, “Americans think God is on their side and everyone else is just screwed. How pretentious to think you’ve received all God’s blessings and somehow arrived.” (other people’s words, not mine).

I pray as we parse through all of our emotions, we don’t allow our love for the “land of the free and home of the brave” to cloud our understanding of “love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and soul” and “love your neighbor (no matter how far away) as yourself.”

Where Do We Go From Here?

Someone is going to (and probably has already) rise up and move into the position Osama Bin Laden left vacant with his death. Terrorism, war, fighting, and fear will always be a reality after the events on September 11, 2001. As we move forward, we can…

• Pray for our President. No matter what party you claim, his job isn’t easy and scripture calls us to honor and lift up those in leadership
• Pray for our troops & families. Being from a military family myself, I know the harm, danger, and anxiety that a family feels when a loved one is over seas. May we never forget their sacrifice.
• Celebrate today. You are breathing, you have life within you. Each day is a day of celebration for a life found in Christ. Take hold of it and don’t let anything steal your joy.
• Be aware that evil will still happen. There is no shortage of bad guys, evil henchmen, and terrorists. Bad things will continue to happen in a broken world that is in angst for the return of God upon judgement.
• Evaluate your life. What matters to you? Is God the most important thing of your list of loves? If not, what are you doing to make the strides to connect with Him? If He is, how are you taking hold of every opportunity?
• Pray for your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. The old saying, “Kill ‘em with kindness” (in my mother’s voice) is still something I hear echoing in my head.

It’s a tough thing to wrestle with. In the end, God judges all. Our job and duty is to cling to His teachings and make every effort to use today to the best of our ability.

Jason