Let’s BE THE CHURCH

Dear Meadowland,

If you were here on Sunday, you heard that we have an OPPORTUNITY to BE THE CHURCH and meet the needs of some families in our community that are in need of School Supplies for their children by partnering with one of our local food pantry partners.

All you need to do is pick up some of the following items and drop them off at the Church.  Let’s BE THE CHURCH, and make this happen!  Scripture tells us in James 2:14-17 that we are called to not only identify needs, but to also take ACTION by PROVIDING for them.

This is not an ask for you to empty your back account, or sell your house and live in a foreign country for the next 5-10 years (although that may happen), this is simple ask to take a trip to the grocery store (let’s be honest, you will go there in the next two weeks anyway), buy some of the items on the list below and bring them to Church with you.

Over the next two weeks, I am asking everyone who is a part of Meadowland Church to do ALL that you can to help us serve our community by playing your part in this effort.  I BELIEVE that as we step up to BE the Church, the needs of these Children and Families will begin to be met and through our generosity, people will meet Jesus and our community will experience lives BEING changed (2 Corinthians 9:6-15).

We will be collecting the following items until August 15th:

• Crayons
• Glue Sticks
• Folders
• Pencils
• Pens
• Backpacks
• Elmer’s Glue
• Pencil Boxes
• Tissue
• Index Cards
• Notebooks

I LOVE Meadowland Church.  Let’s BE THE CHURCH!  Can’t wait to see what happens!!

Sunday Rewind 4.25.10

- Reading through the communication cards and prayer requests this morning, it is clear that Jesus is moving in the hearts and lives of the people who make up Meadowland Church!!

- I absolutely loved the fact that it was raining this Sunday as we studied Matthew 7:24-27!!

- We have been studying the Sermon on the Mount here at Meadowland Church since the first Sunday in January.  This Sunday (May 2nd) we will begin a new series called “What Now?” as we study the last verse of the Sermon on the Mount!  You do not want to miss this!!

- Every single one of us is building around something in our life. What are you building?  How are you building it?

- We build things in our lives based on 1. Where we invest our time  2. Where we spend our Money and  3. The Habits we Form in our lives.

- Jesus promises us in Matthew 7:24-27 that there will be STORMS in our lives.  The rains WILL COME, the wind WILL BLOW and the floods, WILL RUSH IN.  Are you ready for the storms of life?

- Jesus says the difference between  STANDING and FALLING has everything to do with your FOUNDATION!!

- The Wise Man BUILDS by hearing GOD’S WORD and DOING IT.

- The Foolish Man BUILDS by hearing GOD’S WORD and NOT DOING IT.

- This Sunday we had a guest worship team “Cyrus Jones” lead worship this week. It was great being able to give our entire worship team a week off!

- Seriously, you DO NOT WANT TO MISS this upcoming series!  I BELIEVE God wants to do BIG things in the hearts and lives of people.  Do whatever it takes to be here this Sunday!!

- Meadowland Church- I love you and am honored to be your Pastor.  I am so excited to take our next steps on the Journey Together!!

Sunday Rewind- 4.18.10

- Seeing people make decisions to follow Jesus is always Amazing!

- I cannot tell you how many people have recently told me that “they used to go to church” but now they follow Jesus.  That is a HUGE CHANGE!!

- This Sunday we spent some time studying Matthew 7:21-23 – which is what I consider to be one of the most “terrifying” scripture verses.

- Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23 that on the “Day of Judgement”, there will be people who think they are saved – they know the right things to say, have witnessed some powerful thing, but LACK A RELATIONSHIP with Jesus.

- Be Saved is not about knowing all the right things to say, dressing a certain way, not doing certain things, and being a part of a great Church – being saved is about a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ and receiving HIS grace and HIS mercy!

- We also studied Luke 15:11-32 – “the parable of the lost sons”.  Jesus continues to give us all the same invitation – “COME HOME”.

- If you are distant from God, he still loves you and desires a relationship with you and wants NOTHING MORE than for you to come back to him!

- We cannot be satisfied with being close to God geographically but far from him relationally (like the older brother).

- Yes, the getting my ear pierced and tattoo stories were true.

- Someone asked me after the service why I would share those stories and if I was worried about being judged.  I told them that more than anything I want everyone to know that I am a normal guy trying my best to follow Jesus!!   Seriously, at Meadowland Church we are regular, everyday people trying are best to follow hard after Jesus (Acts 4:13)

- Had to share this – at one of our services I had the opportunity to talk to a couple who said they have been to “Church” there whole lives but have never experienced anything like the worship and the teaching they experienced here at Meadowland.  One of them asked me, “Just to be sure, this is not a cult is it?”  I assured them both that we are a Bible Believing Church that wants nothing more than to follow Jesus!  They were good with that!!

-  Sunday night we had a baptism service that was seriously amazing.  Hearing people’s testimonies to follow Jesus and go public with their faith was extremely moving! We have some video and pictures to come – if you missed the Sunday Night Baptism Service, you missed something special!!  The worship about blew the roof off this place!!

- FINAL THOUGHT- “Thank you Jesus for allowing me to be a part of all that YOU are doing in and through the people that make up Meadowland Church!  Meadowland, I am honored to be your Pastor and look forward to all that is ahead on our journey as we follow Christ together!”

Some Thoughts on Forgiveness

At Meadowland Church we are currently talking about forgiveness and how to forgive others in our current series “iForgive”.

This Sunday we will be studying Matthew 18:21-35 as we discover how the “ART of Forgiveness”.  As I was preparing for this message I found it interesting that it is difficult to find a definition of forgiveness.

If we are really going trust in the Forgiveness Christ unleashed for us on the cross and secured for us in his resurrection, and if we are really going to forgive one another when we experience relational conflict or grievances than it seems important that we would know what we are really saying when we say “I Forgive You”.

One of the best definitions I found regarding forgiveness came from Thomas Watson in the book Body of Divinity, forwarded by Charles H. Spurgeon. John Piper was instrumental in helping me form this description of forgiveness by providing his thoughts on Thomas Watson’s definition of forgiveness by providing free resources at Desiring God.  His article “As We Forgive Our Debtors” contains the same quote from Thomas Watson and my following list is built off of his list in his article, while some minor changes.  In other words, I give full credit to Thomas Watson and John Piper for this article! Thank You!

Watson commenting on the Lord’s Prayer where Jesus says,”Forgive us our debts as we for give our debtors,” asks the question “When do we forgive others?”

His answer:

When we strive against all thoughts of revenge; when we will not do our enemies mischief, but wish well to them, grieve at their calamities, pray for them, seek reconciliation with them, and show ourselves ready on all occasions to relieve them. (Thomas Watson, Body of Divinity, p. 581)

We forgive others when:

1. We resist taking revenge: Romans 12:19, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

2. We no longer seek to repay evil with evil: 1 Thessalonians 5:15, “See that no one repays another with evil for evil.

3.  We sincerely wish them well: Luke 6:28, “Bless those who curse you.”

4.  We grieve at their calamities: Proverbs 24:17, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.”

5.  We Pray  good for them: Matthew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.”

6. We seek reconciliation with them: Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

7.We are willing to come to their aid: Exodus 23:4, “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.”

What Forgiveness is Not:

8.  Forgiveness is not a lack of anger towards sin.

9. Forgiveness is not blind trust

10. Forgiveness is not lack of consequence

11.  Forgiveness is not remaining in an unsafe, unstable, hostile environment.