...building on the STONE...

We're on Twitter!

2009-05-19T10:26:00.003-04:00

www.Twitter.com/SpringfieldCBC

For the latest announcements...

www.Twitter.com/SpringfieldCBC

For encouragement from the Scriptures...

www.Twitter.com/SpringfieldCBC

For thoughts from the pastors...

www.Twitter.com/SpringfieldCBC

For schedule updates and reminders...

www.Twitter.com/SpringfieldCBC

For those outside our church to find out what we're about...

www.Twitter.com/SpringfieldCBC

And who knows, maybe we can get Pastor Sam to write if it's 140 characters or less :) Go ahead and update your bookmarks...instead of this site, you can find us now at:

www.Twitter.com/SpringfieldCBC

Busy in May!

2009-05-14T09:18:00.002-04:00

What's new in the worship pastor's office?

Well, the first weekend of May was Cedarville University's graduation ceremonies, and we made the "extremely long" 25-minute trek down Rt. 72 to see my brother Tom & his fiancee Allie get their diplomas. It was nice to have a bunch of family members in town (who made treks much longer than 25 minutes, by the way :), and we enjoyed a great weekend of just spending time together (and eating out a lot!)

Speaking of family, my mother-in-law came in to the office one day last week and helped me begin a massive cleaning project. (Side note: why does it seem like my office ALWAYS is in need of a "massive cleaning project"?) Anyway, we succeeded in rediscovering the color of the carpet in my office, and most of the piles have been put in their proper places.

Key word being "most".

It really is nice to be able to walk from the door to my desk without turning sideways to crawl around a drum set, stepping over a snow machine, or whatever other obstacles magically appear! :)

Last night was the final choir rehearsal for 2008-09. I told the choir I've really enjoyed this past year, probably more than any year so far. We had great numbers throughout, and I could just tell each week that they were really intent on learning more about how to worship and sing for God's glory!

Hopefully when we start up in the fall, it can be even better!

After much virtual wrestling and schedule-organizing, I was finally able to lock in reservations to attend a conference this summer, and I'm extremely excited about it. I will be traveling to Kansas City for the National Worship Leader Conference from July 20-24. I attended the same event two years ago in Austin, and really enjoyed what I learned about directing a worship choir, as well as leading worship in general. Looking forward to a great experience in Kansas! Or Missouri! Or whatever state the event's actually in :)

I know what state I'm in at the moment...

...the state of confusion! ;)

On the reading front, I'm halfway through "Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be)". It's a very interesting read by two different people, a Michigan pastor and a sportswriter who attends his church. Learning a lot about the beliefs and tendencies of the emergent church, as well as how they relate to Scripture.

Other books on the docket include "Beyond the First Visit", "The Worshiping Artist", and "The Most Loving Place in Town". Check in with me soon to see what I've learned!

Have a wonderful week!

Tim

April showers...

2009-04-30T10:54:00.002-04:00

As we reach the last day of April, it doesn't look like the weather can decide if it wants to rain or not...is there such a thing as halfway April showers? :)

This has been a busy month for me, both in the office and at home(s). That's right, we're all moved from 5230 Brookshire Lane to 2330 Leon Lane...come see us! Still have a few boxes to unpack, but we're making real progress!

There's no way we could have pulled it off without all the help from our church family, both by actually helping on moving day, as well as all the do-it-yourself projects that got accomplished in the past two months. Anyone who knows me knows that "do-it-yourself" is an oxymoron for someone with my less-than-handy abilities! :)

The choir had a great time Saturday night singing the national anthem at Crew Stadium...we've got a couple pictures up on the church website, so check those out when you get a chance. The announced crowd for the game was over 16,000! The Crew played pretty well, but ended up giving up a two-goal lead late and finished with a 2-2 tie.

Speaking of choir, we had a great time in our rehearsal last night playing the "M&M game". I let the choir members take anywhere between 1-5 pieces of candy from the bowl I passed around, but before they ate them, they had to share a personal fact for each piece.

Every red M&M was a restaurant they really liked.
Each orange M&M was a favorite memory from the choir year.
Yellow M&Ms were stories of embarrassing moments.
For green M&Ms, we heard about favorite vacation spots/destinations.
Blue represented a fear or quirk about the person.
Brown M&Ms were favorite movies or TV shows.

We really enjoyed getting to know each other better...it was nice to have a little extra time to have fun in rehearsal after the craziness of getting ready for Spring Celebration, Easter, and the Crew game all in the space of three weeks. I really appreciate the group and everything they've done this year - maybe you'll join us in the fall?

In the meantime, gotta go...there's leftovers to eat!

Tim

What a great concert!

2009-04-13T10:38:00.002-04:00

I'm still here!

Yes, I know it's been a while since I've posted, but life's been pretty crazy. On the personal front, Molly and I are getting ready to move into our new house in a week and a half...and it seems like we've spent every spare minute working on projects there.

If you want to help on moving day, we'll be working Thursday, April 23rd from 3 pm on. And yes, free pizza is involved!

On the work front, we just finished the busiest two-week period of the choir year that doesn't occur in December. Spring Celebration concert on April 5th, and Easter Sunday seven days later. We had 27 Worship Choir members sing with the Ball Brothers, and I think (hope) they enjoyed every minute of it! The choir sang one song by themselves, then joined with the quartet for two more. It was a great night of music and worship...if you would like to check out a couple of the highlights, you can watch a video clip of the quartet here.

Easter was also a great day of music at Cornerstone. Our numbers in the choirloft were down a little bit because of members being out of town to celebrate the holiday with their families, but we still had a wonderful worship service. The choir sang a new anthem called "Alive, Forever, Amen" and also did a neat song entitled "Yahweh" that walks through the timeline of Jesus' life on earth...from his birth in Bethlehem all the way to his resurrection.

We finish off the April "trifecta" with our national anthem performance at Crew Stadium on April 25th for a Major League Soccer game. The game will be broadcast nationally on Fox Soccer Channel - should be a fun night!

Well, that's what's new with me! What's new with you? Have a worship song you'd like us to use in a morning service? Any thoughts on the choir - or when you're going to become the newest member? I'd love to hear from you - drop me an e-mail anytime at pastortimcary@yahoo.com.

Have a great week!

Tim

Time for basketball...and yes, I'm excited!

2009-03-09T11:44:00.003-04:00

I am really looking forward to the upcoming weekend, as I will be in Indianapolis from March 12-15 for the Big Ten basketball tournament. I was able to obtain a media credential, and I will be writing articles for Bleacher Report (www.BleacherReport.com and search Tim Cary), as well as possibly syndicating some of my columns to CBSSports.com.

At this point, sportswriting is just one of my many hobbies, but this is a neat chance to do it on a bigger stage! If you get a chance, check out the college basketball page on CBSSports.com this weekend and see if you can find one of my articles!

Projects at the new house are coming along okay - thanks to all of you who have asked how things are going. We are planning to move sometime in April, but still have some big (and unfortunately expensive) tasks to complete between now and then. It'll all get done, right?

On the "work" front, I am working right now to get posters printed for our Spring Celebration concert, which is only a month away, believe it or not! Be thinking of churches, Christian ministries, radio stations, etc. that you can spread the word to...our choir is really looking forward to singing with the Ball Brothers, and I know you'll enjoy a great evening of music on April 5!

Have a blessed week!

Tim

So this is what it means to be a homeowner?

2009-02-23T11:46:00.003-05:00

Hi from the worship pastor's office! Since last I posted, Molly and I have officially become homeowners, and now we're well underway with the millions of little and big projects that seem to be involved with that! As most of you know, I'm ~~pretty~~ totally clueless when it comes to "handy" stuff, so I'm very thankful for all the people that have volunteered to help in different ways...and have put up with helpless little me standing there watching over their shoulder!

Scott Stephens told me Sunday that we should have a "painting party" at the new place...because, according to him, "it's just no fun to paint by yourself". What do you think? We'll provide the food, and the whole church can come and grab the rollers and brushes?! Sounds like a plan to me - I'll have to keep that in mind :)

Our basketball season is almost over...we're getting ready for our postseason tournament now. It will be nice to have a few extra hours in each day (but I'm sure we'll be able to fill them at the house!)

On the music front, I'm excited about our Spring Celebration concert coming up on April 5 with the Ball Brothers. Everyone seemed to really enjoy their music when they visited Cornerstone a couple years ago, and now all four brothers sing, so it's not just a trio anymore! The choir will be working hard over the next month and a half to prepare for their part in this special concert...I hope you'll be able to come!

Have a wonderful week - thanks for reading!

Tim

It's February...

2009-02-10T10:19:00.003-05:00

...and here's what's going on in Tim's life (RANDOM ACROSTIC VERSION)!

Finally the snow is gone! Thank goodness!

Excitedly looking forward to closing on the new house this afternoon...

Big Ten Tournament? I'm hoping to get a media pass to cover the basketball event in Indianapolis (March 12-15) as a sportswriter...

Remembering Sam and the others in prayer as they attend the Biblical Counseling conference in Lafayette this week...

Uncertain what worship event/conference to attend during the next fiscal year...much research needed...

Announcing that you can come to the Crew soccer game with us in Columbus on April 25th...tickets are on sale the next two Sundays for the discounted group rate: $14 each

Really thankful for what God has been doing in my life and the life of others over the past couple weeks! He is constantly working, and knowing that He can specifically use me, despite all my shortcomings, is an amazing thing!

Yes! Our basketball team has won four of the last five games!

Tim

CBC closed tonight!

2009-01-28T11:29:00.001-05:00

Due to the weather (and the Level 2 snow emergency in Clark County), Prayer AXIS and Worship Choir rehearsal are canceled tonight (Wednesday, January 28). Choir will still rehearse at 9 am Sunday.

Two things I learned about the Bible today...

2009-01-26T13:14:00.003-05:00

I think it's important to always be studying and learning more about the Bible...here are two random things that I found today...if I knew them before, I didn't remember.

#1. Joseph appears to have been quite the tattletale.
Gen. 37:2

#2. The early Christians were described as "turning the world upside-down".
Acts 17:6

What have you found in your Bible study lately? Send me an e-mail or Facebook message...I'd love to hear about it!

Tim

Church activities canceled tonight!

2009-01-25T15:10:00.002-05:00

Due to the weather, Cornerstone will be closed tonight (Sunday), January 25.

Wow, it's been a while!

2009-01-19T10:46:00.002-05:00

I'm still here...still planning to write on the blog...that hasn't changed...but sometimes...it takes a while before I remember to do that!

Part of the reason it's taken forever to get a new blog from me is how much stuff has been happening in our lives. For starters, we're deep into basketball season. In case you don't know, Molly and I coach girls basketball at Northwestern High School, so the winter months are a little crazier than the rest of the year! Our team hasn't won as many games as we would have hoped, but we still have eight games left this season, so we're hoping our record improves over the next few weeks.

We enjoyed spending a few days in Michigan over Christmas break with my family. It's nice to get to be at "home" for a little longer than normal...usually between Molly working Monday-Friday and me having to be here on Sundays, there's not many chances to spend a three-day stretch in "that state up north".

Our most exciting recent news is that we are buying our first house! I won the house at an auction, which was a crazy experience, to say the least. We are supposed to close by February 12, and will be living in the Northwestern school district at 2330 Leon Lane. Once we close, we'll need to decide what projects we want to do before "moving day", whenever that is. We've alternated being elated and terrified and everything in between about the "homeowning experience"...it's great to know that God is in control, though.

We actually had bid on one other house through the HUD program, and our bid ended up being exactly one dollar lower than the winning price. The HUD house had a lot more work that needed to be done, so it's neat to think that even though we were disappointed we didn't get that one, God led us to a much nicer home as a result!

In my spare time (hah!), I'm occasionally writing live blogs for Cedarville's athletics website. If you check out http://yellowjackets.cedarville.edu during some of the home basketball games, you can participate in a live blog where I provide computer analysis, answer questions, run polls, respond to comments, and much more. The next one is this Saturday night, January 24.

I've really appreciated Pastor Sam's sermon series on the Sabbath. As he mentioned Sunday, keeping the Sabbath is often the "forgotten" commandment. I hope each of you have spent some time thinking about how you can change the way you spend the Lord's Day each week to be more honoring and obedient to Him...I know I have. Maybe for some of you, it might mean trying our adult small groups on Sunday night. I'm really excited about the formation of these new mixed-age small groups that will run through 2009. If you haven't come to small groups in a while, or maybe have never checked them out...why not start Sunday? We'd love to have you!

Have an awesome week! Thanks for reading!

Pastor Tim

We made it!

2008-12-18T10:12:00.003-05:00

I have to start by saying a huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped pull off this year's Christmas musical, A Night of Wonder. There were so many people involved I couldn't even begin to list them all, or I'd certainly forget somebody.

The choir, cast, and crew did a phenomenal job in both performances, and many of our specific prayers were answered: voices held out, my wrists didn't hurt, we remembered our cues and didn't distract from the message, etc.

I really don't have a lot else to say...I'm just extremely thankful and grateful, and I hope you'll continue to join me in praying that God will use the message about the "true meaning of Christmas" in people's lives over the next few days and weeks!

Merry Christmas!

Tim

P.S. If you didn't get to see the show or want to share this with your friends, here's the opening video from the program! Enjoy!

What is it?

2008-12-02T12:26:00.002-05:00

Now that we're in the final two weeks before the big Christmas show...and since I have a one-track mind :) ....I thought I'd give you a little sneak peek at what exactly you can expect from "A Night of Wonder".

Random side note...the title of this post made me think of Old Testament manna...look up Exodus 16:15 if that doesn't make any sense to you. Now back to our regularly scheduled blog post...

For starters, ANOW is not the same type of program we have done for the past four winters. Every other show we've done since I've been here has had a main story/drama interwoven throughout the songs. ANOW is more of a Christmas variety show with songs and stand-alone skits...different settings, different characters.

Clear as mud so far?

Also, ANOW is more of a piano show than anything else we've done. Instead of me sitting on the front pew waving my arms, I'm actually going to be the host of the program, mixing in some piano numbers with the choir songs, the drama, and everything else. In that sense, ANOW is more like a cross between our normal Christmas musical and June's Summer Spectacular.

Another exciting difference is that this year's program has more familiar Christmas music...where a full-length drama usually has brand-new songs that move the story along, this show should have a lot more music your friends and family will recognize and be able to sing along with.

Still with me?

We're hoping the mix of styles, sounds, and recognizable songs will provide something every attender can enjoy. Lots of laughter too...can't forget that! In fact, during the presentation, you'll get to peek in on our marathon dress rehearsal the night before...the choir gets a little bit out of control!

In keeping with the whole "wonder" theme, we haven't been very forthcoming with inside details on the show until now, but hopefully this sneak peek will give you just enough idea what the program is to get you excited...and help you invite as many people as possible in the next week and a half!

A week and a half...oh my goodness. Gotta go.

Bye!

Pastor Tim

What about YOU?

2008-11-12T09:53:00.004-05:00

In a January 2008 survey, we asked the CBC family to list things that they saw as strengths and weaknesses of our church, as well as potential changes they would suggest in the future.

One of the common themes that we saw over and over again in the responses was a significant desire for more outreach, community service, and evangelism opportunities. As pastors and deacons, we heard your suggestions, took them to heart, and have spent this past year trying to develop intentional ways for you to make a difference in our community (outside the walls of CBC).

A lot of thought and time went into trying to improve and create other outreaches (FFF, FPU, etc.), while pointing to our annual Christmas program and brainstorming ways to improve and restructure it so that you have as many quality chances as possible to reach out to those in your sphere of influence.

Promote While They Vote was a result of that brainstorming. And now that the calendar has moved past the election, we have dozens of ways you can get involved in the musical, with the outreach and community service you asked for and helped suggest.

we need YOU to fill out a most wanted list card...it's not too late.
we need YOU to work one night in the nursery.
we need YOU to pass out posters and flyers.
we need YOU to sponsor a lunch at Mic's for a stranger from our community.
we need YOU to sign up to help with craft projects and building projects.
we need YOU to work as an usher or waiter or video camera operator.
we need YOU to make plans for an intentional follow-up dinner with your Most Wanted friends on Saturday night.
we need YOU to send an e-mail or Facebook invitation or whatever to the friends in your address book.
we need YOU to pray.

It was your surveys...now it's your opportunities. We heard what YOU asked for...now we need YOU to get involved.

Don't wait an extra week to see who signs up for that spot you've been burdened with.

we need YOU.

Thanks!
Pastor Tim

Praise the Lord!

2008-11-07T10:44:00.002-05:00

What a great few days here at Cornerstone! I've really appreciated and enjoyed seeing the way God has worked in the building, and I wanted to make sure I shared it all with you!

TUESDAY was Promote While They Vote. We had two or three people manning a table in the hallway from the time the polls opened at 6:30 am to after they closed at 7:30 pm. What a spread we had too! Donuts, granola bars, coffee, water, pop...and that was just breakfast! As the day went on, we brought out the candy canes, Christmas cookies, sandwiches, veggies, chips, and who knows what else. It was really neat to see the reaction of those who came...they were usually confused at why we would offer something for free. That brought a great opportunity to share about the Christmas musical, and we handed out dozens and dozens of tickets as a result! Please pray that God would bring them back to our building in five weeks or so!

WEDNESDAY was Prayer AXIS. We had a record turnout (since we started this new format), and it was thrilling to have to go set up more chairs to expand our circle. Praise the Lord for a church that recognizes the importance of spending time in prayer together!

THURSDAY was the kickoff to our advertising campaign for Christmas...and the phones have been ringing basically off the hook. By the time I walked into the office that morning, we had taken three reservations already, and it's just continued from there! Praise God for the amazing response so far...it's really blown my mind!

It's easy to get bogged down in the stresses of the day, the disappointments of the week, or the frustrations of the moment. Never forget to stop and praise God...He's always working!

God is good...all the time.

And all the time...God is good!

Pastor Tim

Deep breath --it'll all get done, right?

2008-10-30T09:31:00.002-04:00

Life is starting to get crazier with each passing week, and as I told Molly yesterday, the good news is it will all calm down.

In March.

Once the musical is over, things slow down a little, but basketball season takes our lives to a different pace for a few months, and it takes some time for us to adjust, I think.

Since I haven't figured out a way to move Christmas or basketball season away from December, they still both come at the same time every year.

Oh well.

The good news is that the musical will be done in six weeks or so.

The bad news is that means the musical will be here in only six weeks or so.

Yikes.

So on a happier/calmer note...what's going on at CBC lately?

Glad you asked :) We're really excited about "Promote While They Vote" on Tuesday...a neat chance for us to get involved in the lives of those in our community...we'll be handing out free snacks and drinks to those who visit the building for the U.S. election, as well as tickets and invitations to "A Night of Wonder".

Be praying - it's not every day we get a few hundred people with no connection to our church that wander in the front door.

I'm excited.

And slightly busy, of course :)

Have an awesome week!

Tim

My little hobby...

2008-10-13T14:08:00.002-04:00

This won't come as much of a shock to anyone that knows me, but I enjoy watching sports in my spare time.

A lot.

I also like to think I know more about basketball and football than the average fan...I believe it's called education by television osmosis.

Or something like that.

Anyway, for the past year, I have been writing about sports occasionally on a website called BleacherReport.com. Not really on any specific schedule most of the time...the site just gives me a place to rant when my team is awful...or to express my opinions about why college football needs a playoff to someone besides my wife (she gets a little bit tired of that eventually, for some reason :) That kind of thing.

This fall, I started writing a weekly column on BleacherReport called "Carrying On About College Football". Yes, carrying. Bad pun, I know. Amazingly enough, some people have read the articles...and even pretended to like them. As a result, I've been interviewed about college football on two different radio shows...which was really neat.

This week, though, my spare-time hobby takes another step. On Saturday, I will be writing from the press box at Papa John's Stadium in Kentucky for the Louisville/Middle Tennessee State game. I've always wanted to be in the press box at a major sporting event....and this will be the first time!

To top it all off, the following week, I'll be writing from high atop Ross-Ade Stadium at Purdue. For a long-time Boilermaker fan, that's about as good as it gets!

Well, as good as "unpaid writing" gets :)

Have an awesome week!

Tim

Florida, here I come!

2008-09-25T10:36:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's true...Molly and I are headed to Florida tomorrow for a weekend getaway...if I had any real weather-related planning skills, we would be taking this trip in the middle of January, not late September.

But I don't.

-Sigh-

Actually, when I was growing up, my family went to Florida EVERY year for Christmas. My grandparents lived in Sebring...and my other grandparents wintered there, just a couple blocks away. It was always nice to see family...and get out of the snow for a week! I remember missing only two years all the way up through graduating from Cedarville.

However, now that Molly and I coach high school basketball, leaving the state in the middle of the season isn't really an option, so we've had to be creative with our scheduling trips to Grandma's house. About a year and a half ago, we went to Florida for spring break. Now, it's a quick weekend trip. We'll be at Grandma's for two nights...and I can taste the homemade cinnamon rolls already.

In the interest of full disclosure...we will also be attending the Packers/Buccaneers NFL game on Sunday afternoon.

But you probably guessed that already :)

This has been an interesting week so far...the schedule has been a little different with playing for Bob McKinney's funeral on Tuesday and then hosting the Learning to Praise worship seminar on Wednesday. I was really pleased with the great turnout for the seminar; I'm always challenged by what Jim Cato has to say about worship, and I hope our church benefits greatly from the instruction we heard.

Now I've got a day and a half left to try and get as much Christmas work done as I can. I'm so behind...I'm so behind...I'm so behind...

Oh well. :)

Enjoy the weekend!

Tim

8 GRAND AND CLIMBING...

2008-09-17T09:18:00.003-04:00

Our pastors' blog has passed the 8,000 visitor mark! Thanks for reading and checking in to see what's going on in our lives. As Sam alluded to in his last post, now that the transition phase has calmed down slightly, both he and I will be making our best effort to get new content up at least once a week.

Feel free to shoot us an e-mail if there's anything specific you'd like us to write about or if you have any other suggestions for the blog. Talk to you soon...

Tim

What does it really mean to date your wife?

2008-09-09T15:13:00.003-04:00

Hello from the long-lost blogger!

Now that I've been "on the job" for a couple weeks as senior pastor, life is almost calm enough for me to fulfill Tim's weekly blog demand...I mean request. He keeps saying that you really want to hear from me, and since I don't want to accuse him of lying, I decided it was time for me to write.

And it's a good thing, because I have an important clarification to make.

In my first sermon as senior pastor, we looked at Ephesians 5:15-16 and talked about what it means to be intentional. One of the illustrations I gave for how men could intentionally lead their homes in a godly way: taking your wife out on a date.

However, in the past few weeks, I've had discussions with certain men in the congregation (who shall remain nameless) and I feel that it is important to clarify what really qualifies as dating your wife (at least in this pastor's humble opinion).

#1 Double dates don't count.
The purpose of dating your wife is to show HER love, do something SHE likes, enjoy conversation with HER, and reconnect one-on-one. If you have kids along (as we discussed in the message), these things are hard to do. If you are with another couple, you are most likely enjoying conversation with THEM and reconnecting with THEM, not focusing solely on your wife. Obviously, this doesn't mean double dates are bad...they just don't count as dating your wife (in the intentional way we are striving for).

#2 Dates require thought and planning.
When you and your spouse look at each other in that exhausted way and say "what do you want to eat tonight? I don't know...let's just go out": that is not the kind of connection and result we are talking about. Plan ahead -- pick her favorite restaurant -- her favorite activity -- make her feel special...and remember, the purpose is to become more like the leader God wants you to be in your home.

With those clarifications out of the way, it's time for you (men) to take action! I'm looking forward to hearing stories about the dates you are planning...the love you are showing...and the efforts you are making to serve your Savior and your wife.

Special note: if you don't know what you're going to talk about on this upcoming date, please see me...I am prepared with a copy of "Fifty Questions You Can Ask Your Spouse"...seriously, anything I can do to help you grow as a godly husband and leader, just let me know: I'd be glad to talk to you.

Happy dating!

Sam

See You In September!

2008-09-08T14:55:00.002-04:00

What a great day we had yesterday at the Fall Family Festival! The sun shone, the water balloons and cornhole bags flew, the smiles abounded, and the teaching about God's creation was wonderful. Thank you SO much to everyone who donated their time to make FFF a success!

This great week keeps on rolling with both ladies' Bible studies getting underway (which I have nothing to do with, due to my gender) as well as the first official Prayer AXIS and Worship Choir rehearsal on Wednesday (which I do have a lot to do with!)

I really really really really really hope you'll join us on Wednesdays -- Sam and I are so excited about the new Prayer AXIS format, and we look forward to obeying the Biblical command to pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests always for all the saints!

Speaking of Biblical commands, here's a trivia question for you. What do the first verses of Psalm 146, 147, 148, 149, and 150 have in common?

Maybe you should go check.

I'll wait.

Really, I will.

Okay, here's the answer: Each of the above-mentioned verses starts with a command to "Praise the LORD." We're commanded over and over again throughout Scripture to praise the Lord...and that's why I'm so excited about the free worship seminar we're hosting called LEARNING TO PRAISE. If praise is what we're supposed to do, then I think learning to praise is a very important topic!

Learning to Praise is scheduled for Wednesday night, September 24th at 6 pm; we'll replace Prayer AXIS and choir for that one night with an informal coffeehouse seminar led by Jim Cato, director of Cedarville University's HeartSong touring teams. Jim will be teaching about "The Songs of Worship" and "The Postures of Worship". Childcare is provided, and the whole church is encouraged (I won't quite say commanded :) to attend!

What a great month! I can't wait!

See you in September!

Tim

Should you visit "The Shack"?

2008-08-28T13:36:00.002-04:00

It's not everyday that the #1 book on the New York Times best-seller list is about a man that meets with God. Lately, though, "The Shack", a work of fiction by William P. Young, has been a fixture near the top of every such list. Maybe you've never heard of The Shack. Maybe you've been curious because all your friends are talking about it. Maybe you've already read it.

I did.

I knew this was a book I wanted to read when I heard well-known Christians giving very different opinions on it. Michael W. Smith says it will "leave you craving for the presence of God." Eugene Peterson is quoted as saying "The Shack has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress did for his". On the flip side, Al Mohler says the book "includes undiluted heresy...and falls far short of Biblical Christianity". Tim Challies wrote a review that said the book "may be an engaging read, but it is one that contains far too much error."

So what's the big deal about "The Shack"?

Here's my two cents...no spoilers included. I think the book succeeds in what must be one of the author's main goals: it helps the reader think outside the box and challenges his/her preconceived notions of God. I found myself re-thinking some images I had in my mind of what God is like and why He does what He does. This can be a valuable exercise, because a finite mind can never fully understand the majesty and wonder of an infinite God.

However, I also think the book fails in that it does not always present God the same way the Scriptures do. Thinking outside the box about God is a good thing...thinking outside the Bible about God is not. Issues that the Bible deals with clearly (such as the authority and holiness of God) come to mind as areas that The Shack shortchanged, in my opinion.

I think it's important for Christians to know what is in "The Shack" so they can intelligently dialogue with others who have read it. I thought the same thing about The Da Vinci Code. (Please don't draw too many comparisons there- I only bring it up to make the point that unbelievers can/will come away from this book, as with Dan Brown's record-setting novel, with an understanding of God...and I don't believe it to be a completely accurate portrayal). However, as an avid reader of fiction, I enjoyed the storytelling in both books.

To sum it up then, should you read "The Shack"? As a Christian who wants to know what the world is thinking about God, I think you should. As a new Christian or unbeliever who is not firmly grounded in your faith, I would suggest that you not.

If you are really curious about the book and looking for more information, I found these two sites to be very helpful. Tim Challies, a conservative blogger, identified some theological issues in his review here. Wayne Jacobsen, one of the men who collaborated on the book manuscript, defends his work here.

Ultimately, the reader's discernment (and willingness to test what he/she reads against the Scripture) is critical. One final point I would make: don't fall into the trap of assuming this book isn't about theology. By definition, theology is "the study of God and of God's relation to the world". A book that is making people feel closer to God or challenging what they think about God is a theology book -- you don't have to agree with everything in the book to read it (in my opinion), but neither should you turn your brain off and say:

"It's more important to enjoy a book that makes me feel close to God than to get worked up over every little point of doctrine." (that's my shorthand summary of a lot of reviews and comments I've heard, for what it's worth).

Tim

PRAYER AXIS

2008-08-21T10:05:00.003-04:00

Let me start by saying how excited I am about what I'm going to share with you. First of all, you may have heard there's this new senior pastor-type guy floating around the building now. Yeah, Sam something-or-other...that's him.

ANYWAY, the senior pastor-guy and I have spent a lot of time over the past few weeks brainstorming a zillion different things...and one of those brainstorms is coming to fruition on September 10th.

And I want you to join us! Here goes...

Are you ready?

Okay, this is really it:

An axis is defined as something an object is centered upon or rotates around. In the same way, our church should be built upon and revolve around prayer. For this reason, you are invited to join Pastor Sam and Pastor Tim during a group time of focused prayer on Wednesday nights. Ephesians 6:18 tells us to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests...and always keep on praying for all the saints." Since we are commanded to pray with all kinds of prayers and requests, we have divided our "Prayer Axis" points into the following four segments. If you are a worship choir member or have to work late and can't attend all four sessions, please come for as many as you can!

ADORATION 6:00-6:15 pm
During this time, we will read a passage from the Word, respond in prayer, and praise the Lord for Who He is.

XPRESSION 6:15-6:30 pm
This is the time where we will take turns sharing with each other the burdens, concerns, and requests that are on our hearts.

INTERCESSION 6:30-6:45 pm
In this segment, we will divide into smaller groups and spend time lifting each other's
requests to the Lord.

SPOTLIGHT 6:45-7:00 pm
Those who are not in worship choir will close the night by specifically lifting up selected government officials, missionaries, church leaders, and ministry programs.

Our new Wednesday night schedule will feature these AXIS segments every fifteen minutes from 6:00-7:00 pm, with worship choir rehearsal slightly overlapping. That's right, no more 7:07 choir rehearsal! Choir will now begin at 6:45 pm and finish at 8:00. Hopefully, EVERY adult in the church will consider this bookend evening of prayer and worship:

6:00 Adoration
6:15 Xpression
6:30 Intercession
6:45 Worship Choir begins
6:45 Spotlight (for those not in choir)
7:00 AXIS ends
8:00 Worship Choir ends

This "new and improved" schedule starts on September 10th with the first PRAYER AXIS and the first worship choir rehearsal. Please consider joining us for both!

Tim

August Activities

2008-08-19T11:47:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know...it's been a couple weeks since I posted...here's a roundup of what I've been up to:

Molly and I spent three days in Michigan camping with my family...which means I get my fill of great food and euchre! We were staying in South Haven, and they have (according to my mother) one of the best ice cream places in the world.

It was tasty :)

After a whirlwind day at home, we left again, this time for vacation with Molly's family in Hilton Head. The house we stayed at is the same one we were in for a week last summer, and it's BEAUTIFUL. Walking distance from the beach (which Molly loved), two HD televisions (which I loved), 49 bedrooms (or so it seemed), an elevator....the list goes on...

We spent a lot of our down time watching the Olympics...everyone had their favorite events, but I especially enjoyed keeping track of Michael Phelps and the USA men's basketball team.

We took turns sharing family devotions while we were there, and on my night, I talked about how much training and preparation it takes for an Olympic athlete to be able to compete. They don't just show up the day of the event and swim...training is a priority for their entire lives.

And then I asked myself...and the family...and now you blog readers...have you ever stopped to think if you make the Christian life a priority? A priority like swimming is for Michael Phelps? Like basketball is for Kobe Bryant? I showed the family one of Michael Phelps' sample training schedules...every tiny aspect of his sport is focused on and worked on. Do we put the same thought and time and preparation into growing the way Christ would want us to?

Paul compared living for Jesus over and over again to an athletic contest, just like the Olympics. Look at this passage from II Timothy 4: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day..."

How about this example in I Corinthians 9? "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly....I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

Don't be one of those Christians that shows up at church on Sunday because they know they're supposed to...and then live however they want the rest of the week without giving God a second thought. Set time aside for studying God's Word...for memorizing it...for fellowship with other believers...for regular prayer...run the race!

Hebrews 12: 1-2 "...Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus..."

Tim

Final Missions Trip Update

2008-08-01T15:00:00.003-04:00

The team arrived safely back in Springfield around 3:30 pm this afternoon. Thank you for your prayers during this week of ministry!

Continue to pray for Fellowship youth pastor Jeremy Hudson's father-in-law, Joe Nourse. Joe cut his finger off with a saw today, and is having surgery in Columbus to try and re-attach the finger. Jeremy just got back into town with the teens and is heading to be with his family soon. Thank you for lifting them up in prayer.