My friends, Jason and Christy, asked how they could pray for our India 2012 Team as we head out February 1-10.   I thought I would share with the entire GraceSLO Family.  Here's 6 ways to pray for us. . . 

1. Pray for health and safety. 
    
2. Pray for the care of families back home and that our team would be "fully present" in India and free from worry.
    
3. Pray for the quick cultural adjustment, flexibility and joy of our team. 
    
4. Pray for the unity and personal growth for our team. 
    
5. Pray that God would use us in a mighty way to encourage and serve our Indian brothers and sisters in Christ. 
    
6. Pray that our team would catch a vision for the great commission of "making disciples who make disciples" both globally and back here in SLO . . . and that the vision might be contagious to you, the family of GraceSLO. 

Some go, some give. . . all pray.  Thanks for your part. . . Tim

On Sunday I preached on James 1:2-4 about "Trials". . . a text, like most of James, that is fairly familiar and staightforward, but worth considering again. . . .

This week I've been encouraged to hear about folks in so many Growth Groups sharing their lives, talking about their very real trials and grappling together about what it means to "consider it all joy."  Very good stuff! 

But I was especially touched by this note I received from a mom about how her child was thinking about and applying God's Word to their "trial."  Here's the note, used by permission with names removed to protect the innocent . . .

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the great sermon yesterday! Our family was in second service, including my 8 year old son ?????, and I wanted to share with you a conversation he had with me yesterday afternoon.

I'd told ????? to clean his room and he wasn't happy about it. After about half an hour of complaining and procrastinating in his room he came into the living room with a smile on his face and he said to me, "Mommy, I've decided to do what he said in second service and I'm going to 'consider it pure joy' while I clean my room. " He then skipped back to his room and got it all cleaned up in about 15 minutes, all with a big smile on his face.

Now I'm fairly sure that neither you or James were thinking about room cleaning when you spoke of "trials," but I was tickled by ?????'s application of the sermon, and I thought you might be too.

I hope you have a happy Monday and thanks for all you do!

Sincerely,

?????

I love this.  Here's why. . .

• This 8 year old was in the worship service. (We are committed to Family Worship at GraceSLO!)
   
• This 8 year old was listening to the message/text and "got it."
   
• This 8 year old applied the message/text.
   
• This 8 year old connected God's Word to his circumstance (we talked about that in the message).
   
• This 8 year old realized he had a decision about how to see and experience his "trial."
   
• This 8 year old decided to choose to "consider it all joy when he encountered the trial of cleaning his room."
   
• This 8 years old was connected enough to his mom, to talk about God's Word and his processing of it. 
  
   

This is what it's all about.  This is following Jesus . . . for children . . . and adults. . . . regularly hearing God's Word (because it leaks and the world "preaches" to us continually) and seeking to apply in incremental ways to our life in the real world.   

Make Disciples.  

That's the mission of the church (Matthew 28:18-20).  This local church. . . GraceSLO.  Every local church.  Everything we do serves the purpose in some way.  (If it doesn't, why are we doing it?) 

Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19)  Thats a call to discipleship.  A disciple is one who is . . .

1.  Following Jesus

2.  Being changed by Jesus

3.  Committed to the disciple-making mission of Jesus

We believe Growth Groups are settings for discipleship.  We gather together to help one another follow Jesus, be changed by Jesus and commit together to the mission of Jesus.    

(The endgame is disciples who make disciples. . . . not mere sermon rehashing. . . not simply care. . . not only prayer.) 

This Winter both Tim Arlen and I are working hard to intentionally invest ourselves in our Growth Group shepherds.  We want to be discipling the disciplemakers.   To that end, we have created 4 weekly settings to connect, challenge and disciple current and potential shepherds.

I am meeting with shepherds . . . 

• Tuesdays from 6:15 - 7:15 AM at Starbucks by Walmart In A.G. 

• Thursdays from 6:30 - 7:30 AM in my office here at GraceSLO 

Tim Arlen is meeting wth shepherds . . .

• Tuesday from 4 - 5 PM here at GraceSLO

• Wednesday from 6:30 -7:30 AM in my office at GraceSLO 

These are awesome times together, sharing what's happening in our groups this quarter and talking about what it means to be be intentional disciplemakers.  I come away encouraged every time we meet.   

This quarter we have 36 faithful, growing shepherds.  We need 50!   If you are an aspring Growth Group shepherd, fire Tim Arlen an email at tima@graceslo.org.   We want to have you join us in one of these settings this winter.  

Here's a pic of our South County Shepherds meeting together this Tuesday.  Love these guys. . .  Glenn Oden, Jeff Martin, Kory Carroll, Matt Regusci, Cade Newman, Andy Gibson, Aaron Barker and myself. . . 
 

Finally, here's a pic of Sean Cheney in action leading the kid's time in our Growth Group this last Monday night.  This quarter, I'm trying to let all our guys take a turn leading, coaching them along the way. . . 
 

• As I meditate on James 1:2-4 this week in preparation for Sunday, I realize the more I read and study the Bible, the more and more appalling it becomes to me.   The more and more comforting, too.  But still shocking!   (That sort of sounds like a sermon introduction . . . better save it!) 
   
• It was great to gather with our Growth Group for the first week of the quarter on Monday night.  The kids dig it.  We all need it.  The longer we're together, the more relaxed and close we get, but we're also beginning to talk about splitting to create room for more. It will be hard and there will be grief, but Spring will come again!   
   
• Our attendance last Sunday was 144 more than the same Sunday one year ago and it was a 3 day holiday weekend.  (The book of James or my email tease or what?  Our staff often can't pinpoint our numbers swings.)    Our numbers have been up this Fall for sure, We seem to be slowly growing.  Thats fun and encouraging.   I've learned to not get too excited about spikes and not too freaked out by the troughs.   Is it more fun to worship in a crowded house with people sitting on the back stairs or is it more comfortable to have some elbow room?   If the Lord should grow our numbers more, should we think about a 3rd service again or an overflow option?   Keep reaching out and inviting folks you know!   Keep welcoming folks around you at church that you don't know.  
   
• Our trip to India is just two weeks away.  I've been focussed on the new year stuff and haven't been thinking about the trip much.  I'm excited about spending some concentrated time with our team of 10 and being blown away at the work of God in North India. 
   
• We want to know about your use of technology at church.    Click over to our facebook page and let us know.  While you're there, like GraceSLO.  (Are you using social media to share your faith and invite people into the body of Christ at GraceSLO?  If not, why not?)  
   
• We had such a great time on vacation.  Was it really only a couple of weeks ago.  Here's a picture of my crew + a newphew. . . post surf.  Good times!  

Have a good Wednesday.

(NOTE:  This is part 4 in an ongoing, but occasional, blog series on our commitment to Covenant Membership.  To read earlier posts in the series, CLICK HERE.)

So, you've recently started attending GraceSLO
and you've been hearing this buzz
about Covenant Membership. . .

You're wondering what its all about?  

OR 

You're a long time attender here at GraceSLO,
but you're still nervous and fearful or resistant
to the idea of church membership . . .

You're wondering if this is even Biblical?

So, what do you do?  Where do you turn?  

Why not give these two messages I preached at the top of 2010 a first or fresh listen?  

The Biblical Basis for Covenant Membership

The Benefits & Blessings of Covenant Membership

 After you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts.  

How's your Monday?  As usual, I'm battling back from an exhausting Sunday.   I've got my to-do lists and I'm trying to keep the balls moving up the field and make the most of this day for the glory of God. 

My friend Josef just sent me this Rick Reilly article from ESPN.com on Tim Tebow, entiltled,  I Believe in Tim Tebow (Yes, one more Tebow thing!)

Tebow and the Broncos got crushed on Saturday by the Patriots and I have seen nothing about Tebow's response to the game, but this article makes it clear what its really about for Tebow.   It brought tears to my eyes on this Monday.  Truly inspiring. 

Here's a quote, but its worth reading the whole article . . .

Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured. He flies these people and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave & Buster's), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard-line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts.

Home or road, win or lose, hero or goat . . .

This whole thing makes no football sense, of course. Most NFL players hardly talk to teammates before a game, much less visit with the sick and dying.

Isn't that a huge distraction?

"Just the opposite," Tebow says. "It's by far the best thing I do to get myself ready. Here you are, about to play a game that the world says is the most important thing in the world. Win and they praise you. Lose and they crush you. And here I have a chance to talk to the coolest, most courageous people. It puts it all into perspective. The game doesn't really matter. I mean, I'll give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money, it's to invest in people's lives, to make a difference."

We have all have platforms, contexts and circles of influence that the Lord has placed us in.  We think its just Tebow, but its not.  Its all of us.  

Your neighborhood is a context. 
Your job or business  is a platform. 
Your material possessions are platforms. 
The sports field is a circle of influence. 
Facebook is a platform.
Your extended family is a circle of influence
Your hobbies and interests are platforms.
Your money is a platorm.
Your time is an opportunity.
Your kid's friends are a circle of influence.
Every day is a platform. 
 

The Biblical challenge is to make the most of every opportunity.  That means, first, seeing every opportunity.   Lift up your eyes on this Monday.  I'll pray for you, if you pray for me. 

This week, I've stumbled across these two great videos at CNN.com. . .

The first is a clear, fair and balanced explanation of the Gospel in John 3:16 . . .

The accompanying article goes on explain how the rainbow wig guy, Rollen Stewart, ended up losing it, takng a hostage and is now serving a life sentence.  I didn't know that.  Sad.   But still, I felt the article and vid were fair. 

The second vid is a profile of Heisman Trophy Winner, Danny Wuerfell, and his battle with a rare neurological condition called Guillian Barre Syndrome, but also his move to ministry with Desire Street Ministries.   Even better than the video is the accompanying article, written by Danny himself, where he testifies to God's presence and purpose in the tough stuff of life.  I love this sober, real, Gospel-centered testimony sitting right there on the CNN website. . .

Life has a lot of seasons, and some of them are filled with joy, gladness and celebration. There are many times to laugh and smile.

But we shouldn’t get swept away by the illusion that life has only one season, and it’s always delightful. Why can’t we be people with the depth, courage and trust to embrace the hard and heavy things of life?

I believe God resides not only in the joy and new life associated with the season of spring, like a reward if we somehow survive winter. We can find him in every season... if we’re willing to look long and hard enough.

I just happen to be in a tough one right now. It’s winter for me.

I trust a new season is on the way. God will bring me spring when He is ready. He just wants to meet me in the winter right now.

Thanks, Danny!  I need the reminder today and every day. 

I'm not sure what's going on with CNN and I don't want to make too much of it, but I'm encouraged to see God using the channel to proclaim the Gospel and get glory for Himself. 

Check this out . . .

I'd say that's almost exact.  Have they been browsing our website or what?  

But don't miss the messaging. . .

•  grace can be found in a bottle. 
•  perfume can energize your spirit and warm your heart
•  it all comes down to one word. . . uh . . bottle

But does it smell good? 

Sounds like selling indulgences to me!  Thank the Lord grace can not be bottled, need not be bought and can't be sold.  Aren't you relieved?  Save your money.  Cast yourself on the Lord of Grace who freely gives it to those who know they need it and often on those who don't know they need it.  
 

But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him,
and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the ages to come He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7

I think I received more positive feedback on "The Life of Jacob" series than any series I've ever preached.  To God be the glory for His wondrous, relevant Word.  I, too, enjoyed the series immensely and am eager to tackle the Life of Joseph. 

Here is your final friendly reminder to go back and pick up any messages you missed in the series.  

Have no fear, the series is now permantly archived and available here at the graceslo.org website.  But I still think it's valuable to finish the story while the rest of it is still fresh in your mind. 

If you're relatively new to GraceSLO, you've missed 2 earlier mini series in our "The Gospel according to Genesis" mega series.  But these messages, too, are available on the website. 

Here's links to all three series. . . .

Genesis:  Beginnings:  Chapters 1-11

The Life of Abraham:  Chapters 12-25

The Life of Jacob:  Chapters 25-33

Enjoy and savor God's life-giving, life-changing Word. 

I lead a 1 hour OPEN men's study every Thursday morning .  We read and discuss good books together about God, the church, leadership and discipleship.   This Winter we are adjusting the time 1/2 hour earlier.   We will meet at 5:30 AM SHARP and wrap things up at 6:30 AM SHARP! 

(I know that's awefully early, but it's so worth it!)

This Winter, beginning Thursday, January 12, we will be reading Neil Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death".  This is a book I was assigned to read back in seminary.  I've thought about it again and again throughout the years and I can honestly say this book has impacted the way we live life as a family and the way we view/consume media. 

Here's a quick take on Postman's book. . .

Television has habituated us to visual entertainment measured out in spoonfuls of time. But what happens when we come to expect the same things from our politics and public discourse? What happens to journalism, education, and religion when they too become forms of show business? Twenty years ago, Neil Postman's lively polemic was the first book to consider the way that electronic media were reshaping our culture. Now, with TV joined by the Internet, cell phones, cable, and DVDs, Amusing Ourselves to Death carries even greater significance. Elegant, incisive, and terrifically readable, it's a compelling take on our addiction to entertainment.

Men, consider this your invitation.  I'd love to spend some time with you.  We all need the encouragement and accountability. 

I'm excited about our slate of Winter Sunday Seminars for Adults kicking off January 8 . . . 
 

• Donny & Stephanie Valliere will be tackling again the vital topic of "Effective Parenting in a Defective World." They do a great job.  Who of us parents does not need a parenting tune-up? 
   
• Our "Doctrine Matters" has been steadily growing.  Steve Leonard and Ron Johnston will do the lion's share of the teaching for this next segment focussing on the doctrine of man (anthropology) and the doctrine of Christ (Christology).  
   
• I'm especially excited about our new seminar, "Resolving Everyday Conflict" which will center around Ken Sande's excellent book, "The Peacemaker."  Our elders and staff have read this book and it's reshaped our approach to conflict in our own lives and in our church.  I've recommended the book more than once here at "Life Together."  I've been wanting to see this material taught in our church and now it's finally happening.   Over the long haul, my hope is to see the whole family of GraceSLO go through this Gospel-centered material.  I've toyed with addressing this important topic from the pulpit.  In the meantime, check out the Winter seminar. . . . here's a preview. . . 

Ready or not, 2012 is here. 

Do you set goals for the new year?  Or are you so afraid of failing and falling short of your goals, that you refuse to set any? 

Are there Scriptures that are relevant to the topic of New Year's goal setting? 

I think there are.  Here are a few that come to my mind. . .

Lamentations 3:22-23.  The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning;  Great is Your faithfulness.

Doesn't this verse beckon us to set new goals every year and every morning, for even when we fail (and we are sure to) the Lord's compassions never fail?

James 4:13-16.  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” ¹⁴ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” ¹⁶ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

These verses aren't telling us that making plans and goals is evil, but making plans and goals apart from God is boastful and arrogant and, therefore, evil.   These verses actually encourage humble goal setting and plan making before the face of God and in submission to the will of God.  

Philippians 3:12-14. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Here Paul speaks of his goal of pressing on to eternal life in and with Christ.   Surely this involved a whole set of other smaller goals for the apostle.   We know, for example, that Paul had a goal to preach the Gospel where Christ had not yet been named (in other words, among unreached people groups).   We know that Paul had a goal of preaching Christ in Rome, the capital of the Roman empire.   The ultitmatle gaol for all of us is the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, but that does not preclude other goals in all areas of our lives. It actually necessitates them. 

1 Thessalonians 4:10.  But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, ¹¹ and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, ¹² so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Here Paul speaks of the "ambition" (goal!) of leading a quiet life which involves attending to your own business, working with your hands, behaving properly toward outsiders and providing for your own needs, so as not be a burden to others.  That sounds like a set of new year's goals to me! 

2 Corinthians 5:9. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Here Paul speaks of the "ambition" of being pleasing to the Lord throughout our lives.  Why?   Because we will all appear before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account for the deeds of our lives.   In other words, the reality of future judgment should effect the way we live every day in every area of our lives.   Pleasing the Lord involves the careful stewardship of our time, talents and treasure.  To steward well we must plan and set goals.  The addage is true. . . "If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it."

I could keep going with scores of other Scriptures, but that's probably sufficient to make the case. 

So in view of the Lord's mercies which are new every morning . . . . and because we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. . . let us press on toward eternity . . . by setting some goals for 2012. 

Here are a few pointers to get you started. 

1. Earmark 2-4 hours of time before January 15.  Get away to a lonely out of way place if you can.  Think over your life.  Start with highlights and lowlights of last year and then look toward the next year.
    
2. Be humble.  Begin with prayer.  Submit your life to the Lord.  Everything you have is a gift including your time and energy.   He owns it all.  You are just a steward.  Remind yourself and ask the Lord to guide you in the use of His resouces.
    
3. Write them down.  Just the act of recording your goals will provide some mojo for pursuing them.   Writing down your goals enables you to come back them in the middle and at the end of the year.  Evaluating your goals is critical.   
    
4. Think wholistically.   Set goals in the spiritual, mental, physical, financial and relational areas of your life. 
    
5. Be specific and measurable.  You should be able to measure if you reached the goal or not.  "Read 12 books" is a good goal.   "Read more" is a not-so-good goal. 
    
6. Be realistic.   It is better to shoot for lesser goals and reach them, than to set super high goals and fail across the baord.  Get some "wins" in the area of goal setting. 
    
7. Consult and submit to your spouse, if you've got one.  If one of your goals for 2012  is "Run 5 marathons" and your spouse is not on board, you are going to be in a world of hurt.  Your spouse will love it if they have input into your goals and vice versa.  After all, you are living life with this person and many of your goals should involve them. 
    
8. Be graceful when you fail.  You will fail and not reach some of your goals.  When it happens, run to the Gospel and His compassion which never fails.   Still, you will get further if you set goals than if you don't.  Rejoice in your progress. 
    
9. Seek the Lord's glory in all that you do.  Goals are not meant to puff us up or for self exaltation, but for the exaltaiton of Christ and the glory of God.   So sanctify your ambition and make sure your goals reflect the Lord's priorities and heart. 

Have fun, and let me know how it goes. . . .