Finding Your Rhythm (Part 2 of 6)
Hebrews 4:11a
Let us, therefore, labor to enter into that rest […]
We have experimented with a lot of ministry ideas and concepts at Celebration Church . . .
- service times
- number and length of services
- discipleship processes
- groups
- growth track
- multi-sites
- missions
- building campaigns
- and just about everything else!
We don’t experiment with things just to satisfy a whim. Believe me when I say it is a lot harder to change a process that isn’t effective than it is to ignore it and hope it will improve over time.
Part of the culture of Celebration Church is actually that we embrace change. We have learned to really find the fun in it and roll with it when it comes. Part of what keeps church fun is the fact that we are willing to try just about anything if it will glorify God and expand His kingdom. By being willing to stay fluid and change, God has taught us a lot about who we are as a church — our unique DNA, strength, and rhythm.
Of course when we implement change it is a risk. It’s also hard work, but I believe a growing church has to be willing to take the risk and “labor hard” to enter into their particular rest or rhythm.
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10 Responses to “Finding Your Rhythm (Part 2 of 6)”
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Pastor,
I love this one, I am always telling the new agents in my office that they have to look at all the risk associated with our business as opportiunity because those who do that are successful.
I believe this applies to every area of our life, church included. I like your use of ‘labor hard”. I was talking to the men in God’s Tuesday night group about that very subject. Walking this walk with Jesus is not always supposed to be easy. I am forced to LOVE people I don’t even like. That is hard work.
We need to examine our motives, capture our thoughts, honor each other, run away from PRIDE, and learn to SACRIFICE!!!!!!!!!!! In a time before I knew Jesus sacrifice ment Dewars instead of Glen Levitt.
Speaking of hard work, the Lord did some hard work on me over the past year, and I was reminded of it last Saturday during the Gate River run. In January 2007 I was 300 lbs and still smoking cigarettes. Last Saturday I finished the Gate River Run in 1 hour and 19 minutes (the top 15% of runners), and I weigh 194 lbs. God and I worked like animals to make that happen. I dropped to my knees in the parking lot and wept, GOD IS SOOOOOOO Good.
Next is the marathon in New York City in November. When I was on my way up the Hart Bridge, I felt God’s hand on my shoulder the whole way.
When I was a three hundred pounder, I never thought I would be running for Jesus, but after “laboring hard” to get in shape so I could be a better witness for Him, God continues to blow me away.
Press On
Until He comes back or takes us back
Jason
You never know what the email will bring forth at Celebration Church! Praise the LORD…I LOVE IT!! Never a dull moment!
Pastor Stovall,
Change is good change is important for growth for if we do not change we can not grow.
Celebration Church reflects a constant postive change with growth that has helped my wife and I grow closer to Jesus and become better people.
Thanks for being our Pastor and helping us understand what is important in our short time here in this life
-Ken
Pastor,
These last two post have really hit home with me. During my military career I found myself functioning as a agent of change most of the time. While pursuing my relationship with God in greater intensity these last seven years I have seen a greater revelation of his rhythm in my life.
First I’ll share a praise report. The last thirteen years I’ve stood on, Ezk 22:30 “I looked for a man among them who would stand in the gap of the wall on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it…”,as the priest of my house because my wife has not been by my side in church. It has been a hard journey, but I did not want to be one of those men at the very end of that verse who could not be found. Last Wednesday at 6AM my wife prayed the sinners prayer with me before I left for work! God is faithful! We have been praying together every morning since then.
Second a past demonstration of his rhythm. From 2003 to 2005 I worked as a armed security officer at JIA, in late 2004 God wrapped his hand around my situation and told me to go work as a car salesman. I say hand because he not only gave me one or to confirmations but rather five or six. I was there for three months and, there happened to be a sister from my last church who was in a difficult situation. I just gave her a Christian ear and prayed. She came to a resolution.
I then called the security firm to return to full time work. During the 90 days I was gone there had been a major personal shake up at the airport. This company is notorious for no rehiring past officers, by the way, (Gods’ favor). The first question upon my return was if I involved in any of “the mess.” The personnel director answered no because of my absence. I went back in as a shift supervisor, within three months I was the executive officer and, within six months I was the post commander with 25 officers working for me.
Some people still do not understand why I sold cars for three months.
I have learned to always seek Gods’ guidance at every turn, (Ps 143:8), in my life and, the unique rhythm that he has shown me has brought some unexpected twist and turns. Coming to Celebration Church was one of these twist. I feel more in sync with God now than I’ve ever been!
God loves us just the way we are, that is why he is changing us.
The only thing constant in life is change.
philip
I got to chime in on Jason’s post. That testimony is awesome!! Prior to my second child being born about a year ago, I was an “early-AM” avid runner.
Being an “early-bird” that is when I can really spend time with God and exercise. With the time constraints that come with additional children my exercise regime took the hit. In addition, I often struggled with the thought that there is not enough time in the day with all that goes on with work and personal responsibilities. This thought was beginning to effect my “early” time (sleeping late, hitting the snooze, going to bed later than I should). I always am amazed that when times are tough it is easy to wake up early and study the Word and spend time in prayer. Relying on God in the tough times often can be easier than relying on him during the good times.
2 days ago prior to laying down for the night, I prayed to God and said, “Lord, I have a busy schedule and I am not putting you first like I should be. In addition, I need to be exercising. My body is the temple to your Holy Spirit and I need to treat it as such. Right now I am not doing a good job. Despite my struggles with time, can you see that I wake up at 5 am rested to study your Word, spend time with You in prayer, and go running. Lord, as much as I am trying to do it, I can not do it without your help. Please give me the energy to get back in rhythym spiritually and physically. I am asking these things because I know this is Your will for me to put You first. I pray all these things in Jesus mighty name! Amen.”
That next morning at 4:50am it was like someone blew air on my face to wake me up. If you could have seen me I proabably looked as if I just had my 5th espresso shot …I was awakend and rested…full of energy…ready to run down the street in my pajamas!!! I knew it was God. Its about putting Jesus first and calling on Him in all that you do!!!
You know with the time struggles we all have, we’ve got to remember that God is eternal!!! He could care less about time and whether there is not enough of it or too much of it. By putting Him first every day, and in everything that you do, it is amazing what He’ll do to free up your schedule and eliminate the busyness and get you in your “rythym”.
Praise Jesus to the highest degree!!!
As I read Pastors thoughts and the other comments I think to myself I need to be more honest as I find myself struggling to find the why behind the what or the win, but as usual God directs me to the road I need to be on which tends to the one Celegration is on. As a leader I need to keep following the lead of God through Celebration no matter how I feel many people are looking at me to be the voice of pastor at thier level so to speak. I dont always understand the changes, but for 4 years now what I do understand is Stovalls heart will always is God First, the Trinity very much knows where Celebration is and people are simply being saved. Eventhough at times I tire of the change I do at heart understand why as a church we must change. I’m reading Gen in my morning time God is I guess talking to himself, but to us as well when he says I will never again wipe the earth clean of everything. I see this as him changing his original plan for earth and its people and as a church we only gain wisdom by changing for God purpose.
Jesus, so often we miss You and Your intent for what we are doing. I pray we’d allow You to lead us to our Father. Holy Spirirt challenge us, knock us off our game, strategically speak to us and cause us to focus our affections and fasten our attentions upon the plans and puroses of a loving Heavenly Father. Far too often, Jesus, we tire of the drole or mundane, the everyday rythm of life, searching for meaning or purpose, when it’s really just all about entering into the joy of our Master !
Thank you for approving us through the eternal blood of Your Son, Father, and igniting within us the fires of His passion and zeal- the souls of those around us. Oh that we would ache and long even as You must yearn and reach, trying to show them just how vey much You love us…Your thoughts are always towards us, how can we be so shallow as to deny You the allegience and audience You so richly deserve, to the praise and honor of Jesus’s name and the glory and blessing of You forever !
If “rest” is not a result of “labor”, then one is just being lazy and getting by. I’m at Celebration Church because I was tired of just getting by.
Keep changing as God leads…
I am personally taking on a lead role in a campus ministry of which I have served on the lay leadership staff, and I am endeavoring to create this type of “culture”.
Many times, we forget that we are called to meet people where they are at, and becuase we are in a changing world (stats say that technology doubles every two years), we need to be not only changing, but also pioneers and visionaries in our own rights as pastor’s and as churches.
Ed Young (Fellowship Church) talks about the fact that the church needs to be the most creative entity in the world because of our relationship with the creator.
“Whatever needs to be done to get people in church-we are going to do!”
-Pastor Chris Foster (Family Life Church, Brunswick, GA)