kyle's blog

We've All Got A Job

2011-04-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

Just had a thought that I know a lot of people wonder about. A lot of people get stuck in the wrong thinking that they can't be used by God because they are not in full-time ministry or working in the church in some way. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." If you read that chapter you see the point. We are all created differently and with various skills and abilities and gifts to be used for God. The truth is those who volunteer are so valuable to the growth of the church (locally and world-wide) that if more people got this down, then our church group and all church groups would be so much more effective. My challenge to everyone is start to search out how you specifically can be more used in church. How can you use your abilities that were given to you by God? That's the fun part. When you start to follow and use your gifts and passions that God put in your life for Him, then it gets exciting. The possibilite are endless when God is behind us!

Reminder

2011-03-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

I think it's easy for us to just go through the motions of life and forget what God has planned for us. Look at what we do. We get up every day and probably go through the same basic routine that we do every day. You get up and get ready by showering, cleaning up, eating, brushing your teeth, and so on, until we get in our cars and head off to work. Maybe you stay at home and have a routine there. It's still the same. I beleive we waste a lot of time by just going through the motions and fogetting about our future. If you are a Christian then your home is in Heaven. You get to be with your Creator. The King of all Kings. He's made His followers royalty. Right now you and I are in the world that He created, but it's been messed up. WE're going to be with Him in perfection. Does that sink in with you? I would encourage you to, as you go through your life and do the things you need to, never forget what God has done for you. Never forget what your future is going to be all about. Keep that with you as you go and see how much that changes your day. See how that affects how you interact with others.

Radical

2010-12-28T10:56:00.000-08:00

No i haven't been watching ninja turtles (isn't that what they said?). I highly recommend a book called "Radical" by David Platt. Just thought i'd comment on it. Haven't gotten through the whole thing yet so hopefully there's nothing in there that is completely way off later on--haha! It just makes me think of how followers of Christ should really be. We don't just take on the name of being a Christian and add it to our name like we add some kind of meaningless talent to our resume. There should be a huge radical shift in our thinking and actions. Jesus hasn't called us to live the same way. He didn't say, "just be a little nicer and make the world a little better." He called us to die to ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. That's pretty deep. But what is more imporatant than living for Him and doing His work? What ways can you start to step out there a little further into being radically devoted to Jesus at whatever the cost?

The Future

2010-11-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

The Future... That sounds so mysterious and Jetsony (from the Jetsons). I just want you New Beginnings people and all who will to start praying for the next steps for us to take. Pray for us to reach out more and connect with more people. We have the most important message ever. It's the message of Jesus and his saving power. Let's get that out to as many as we can. So that's why we need to always push ourselves for growth. The more we grow, the more we get the message out. By the way, how many of you have taken on the challenge to give out invite cards? Let's push each other!

Start where you are

2010-10-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

Wow i've been off of blog too long. i always think of things to say and put a new post on, but i never get around to doing it. it's probably just me procrastin.... well you know. it got me thinking about how so many people approch their life with Christ. they get into a rut and they aren't as close to Him as they know they should be. they want to make a change, but they feel like they are too far to start changing now. that's the thing. we don't have to it all figured out before we come to Him. if you continue to think that way, then you'll never get your life straight. my advice to you is just start right now where you are by taking a simple step. start praying to God if you haven't been. just talk to Him. start reading your Bible. pick it up start reading a little bit each day and make a commitment to always do that. take something out of your life right now that doesn't need to be there. go to church sunday and just worship God. that's a small list of things that maybe you're dealing with. take a small step, but keep taking them. be consistent and intentional about it and see how God will work in your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Eternity in your hearts

2010-05-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about a passage in Ecclesiastes. In 3:11 it says, "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men." C.S. Lewis made a similar statement that goes with this verse. He said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." I like that! I love to think about what God's word says about me now that I am saved. It speaks of me being saved, forgiven, and a new creation. If you are a Christian, do you let those words sink in? God made you to where you will only be satisfied when you come to Him. Don't think that God was trying to be arrogant and needy. He knows who He is and that total perfection and greatness and all joy and love originate with Him. He just wants to share it all with you. When we realize this emptiness inside of us can't be filled with all the stuff in the world. Then we find true peace. Then we find what Paul talked about in contentment. So live this life totally sold out to God. He'll show you what He has planned for you. And don't hold anything back. No regrets. Do that so that when you come to the end of your life you can say with truth and total joy and peace like Paul did, "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." And then you go to eternity with God!

No greater job

2010-03-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

I find myself trying to always speak to people about how the greatest job or mission that a Christian can have is to tell others about Jesus. It really is. It's the coolest thing that you can be a part of. Now the problem I see in churches is not that we don't talk about reaching others (well some churches don't), but that we don't know how to do it. I believe that we think about it too much. This has been a crazy time at our church. There are many people who are dealing with cancer and other sicknesses and diseases and death. And so I think everyone knows that life is unpredictable and we're not guaranteed of a certain amount of time, but it becomes more real when things happen to us or around us. So at times like these we need to trust in God and pray all the time. But we also need to think about our mission. Tell the world about Jesus. Do you believe in what the Bible says?

Vision

2010-01-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

We're doing a series right now on Nehemiah. I love that book for a lot of reasons. You see God working behind the scenes whenever He plants a vision. You see people trying to stamp out someone's calling and plan, but God winning in the end. And you see people learning to trust God at all costs for when they know He has spoken. Our church is in the process of following God's vision for us. And I have repeatedly said that it is going to be amazing and we are going to see many get saved and the church is going to grow and we'll expand to have many more opportunities to follow God. That's what God is showing me and it's starting to happen. But with any great work that God will call you to be a part of there will be opposition. Nehemiah saw that firsthand. It came in lots of ways, but he never gave in and zeroed in on what he knew he was supposed to do. That's what we're called to do. Just follow what you know God is calling you to do and know from Nehemiah that He is working behind the scenes to prepare you to keep going so that His plan will succeed. Keep going guys! Don't give up!

Enjoy Life

2009-12-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking about how this time of year is really crazy. It's getting close to Christmas and everyone is worrying about getting everyone the presents they want and worrying about paying their bills with the leftover money they don't have. People are getting sick in the winter and the economy is still down. Some people are having to pick up second and third jobs to just get by. What was I writing this for? Oh yeah, for encouragement. Haha! I was sitting here in my office looking at this poster of Jesus. It's a shadow picture of Him looking up. For those of you out there who are so stressed by trying to do everything so that you can have everything, but you realize you have no time for anything (you following me?), I want you to just take some time to look up and know that God is in control. Read Psalm 46 for encouragement. It speaks of God being our refuge in times of trouble and in times when we are unsure of what to do or what's going to take place next. Then in verse 10 it says, "Be still and know that I am God." Sometimes we just need to stop and do that. So calm down a little. I don't know what you're going through, but God does. He doesn't want us to stress out. His words not mine. So my encouragement for you is to enjoy life. God wants us to. It doesn't mean we don't have responsibilities or work, but enjoy life where you are right now. I have to tell myself that a lot. There's a lot of times when I press myself too hard at the church or trying to figure out how to grow the church and reach as many people as we can. It's not bad things, but if I'm too sick to do anything or too stressed out that no one wants to be around me, then I need to slow down. So those of you who push yourself too hard, my advice is make a list of the most important things. If you are working for things that you don't need, then let them go. Then focus on the most important things. You'll be much happier then.

Why Not Us?

2009-11-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

I just want everyone to know that I think I got all the whipped cream out of my hair and ears. I can imagine people who don't go to our church saying, "What is he talking about? What kind of church is this?" Hope that was fun for everyone. For our next goal I know now to specifically say what we're going to do...haha.
I'm having a great time doing ministry with you guys and with what God is doing through us! So with all my excitement I am always looking around at other churches and seeing what God is doing in other places with other Christians and it's pretty exciting. It's great to see how much God is moving all over the world and how we should be rooting for all God's churches to have huge impacts. And so when I see some churches that are being used by God and are absolutely exploding with growth, it brings me to a thought--why not us? I'm not going to say that the way to define a successful ministry for God is by the numbers. But I do know that the mission we've been called on is bigger than ourselves. And the mission is to praise God in everything we do and to reach as many people as possible. So we need to be thinking BIG! That's where I am right now. My mind is through the roof on all the possibilities that God can do through us. He is putting ideas in me that I pray about daily and I ask you guys to pray for it too. Pray for me as your pastor to faithfully follow and for you to understand where you are a part of this and where everyone fits in. We definitely need to be praying for each other.
God is starting something here that is going to be huge. I really believe that. I just want us all to be ready so that we can run with it. I think it's only going to be a short while before we start doubling and tripling in size and then who knows how far from there. Why not us? God is the one who ultimately does the saving and the changing of lives, but he chooses to work through you and I.
So my prayer is that everyone will understand from 2 Cor. 5:17 that when we have Christ we are a new creation. Let's live that way. We are called to a very important, exciting, and life-changing mission to lead people to Jesus and to be fully devoted to Him. So I'm asking you to take on this bold mission with me and pray for each of us to be ready for what God is going to do here. Why not us?

good times!

2009-11-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not talking about the old show. No I mean that it's good times around here at the church. I don't know any other way to say it. I've told some of ya'll that when you see me kind of swaying back and forth to some song (maybe mighty to save, which is one of my favorites), that that means that I am really excited. I'm pretty cheesy and never been one to show a lot of emotion. However, I'm really pumped to be a part of this ministry. Remember everyone out there that we set our goal next week if we have over 50 people! It's been really great to see us do that and just how I can see us getting a lot of momentum and so many people getting involved. There are some who have gotten saved, baptized, and some feeling called into the ministry. That's what it's all about. Let's get some more people here and improve the chances for more and more people to get saved and feel called into ministry. So I want to encourage you guys to invite people and actually bring at least one person (or as many as you can)with you this Sunday. Then after this Sunday you guys can do to me whatever, because of us meeting our goal (*Remember that I would give my life for you all). Then we're going to shoot for an even bigger number. I knew we would hit this number this year, I just didn't know it would happen so early in the year. So our new number might be hit by next year, but I think we can hit it by summer. Let's shoot high!
I was also thinking about our study through Ecclesiastes and had a thought. I am in a high point in my life now, because of what God is doing in my life and the church. I know that our lives are not just high points through out though. There are times when things happen. I want to encourage you to live your life fully to God. That's the choice that we have. If you want to live this world all on your own, then you will have tough times just like everyone else. But on top of that you'll be miserable trying to find happiness and purpose in everything that Solomon tried. And you'll come up with the same answer: everything is meaningless. So don't try and jump from one high to the next. But live every moment fully devoted to Jesus and your life will be dramatically changed for the better.

Stick with God's plan

2009-10-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

God never ceases to amaze me. First off I'll always wonder why He chose me to do His work. I know that so many other people wonder the same thing (about themselves, not me...come on!). It can be so easy to lose faith in what you feel that God is doing. Sometimes it can become a faint memory and we ask, "God was that what you were meaning or did I just hear it wrong?" He's got a plan for everything and it always works out in the perfect time frame. But our time frame is not always working the same as His and that's where the doubting and frustration comes in. The life of Joseph in Genesis is a huge testimony to this. What I beleive Joseph learned and I know I've learned is that God uses the time in between where you know He wants to take you and where you are in the moment to prepare you for what's next. It's all part of His perfect plan. God's a lot smarter than us and we have to understand this. I've seen this in our church too. I've seen the journey that He's taken us on and I'm just so excited to be where we are now! I want to encourage every one else to catch that excitement and keep following God's plan. He knows what He's doing. We're about to hit our first goal in numbers in the next couple of weeks. Then we're going to set a new goal that I believe will happen even quicker. So I encourage you guys to invite as many people as you can. Remmeber it's not about the numbers for the sake of numbers. But it's about reaching as many people as we can and bringing them to Jesus. Get involved and figure out what it is that God has planned for you to be a part of even before you were ever born. And just trust in His timing.

moving forward

2009-08-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog. Blog. It sounds like you're about to throw up or something. I'm just trying to branch out in the tech world, so I started this. I know I'm way behind everyone. I figured I needed to start texting and blogging when my three-year-old starting texting me. (Huh? How da ya werk dis here thingy ma jigger?) Just kidding. I'm not quite that bad.
I'll occasionally put some thoughts that I have from the day or week and comment about them. I'd like to put some things that I'm reading as well. I just recently did a sermon on 1 Corinthians 9. I love where Paul is showing his willingness and the distance he will go to bring people to Christ. I believe all Christians need to be willing to do whatever it takes to reach people and lead them to Christ. I want to get to this point. I am constantly pushing myself to get to this point and I believe all Christians should do the same to each other. And so I'm trying with this blog and other areas that we're updating on our website to find all the ways we can reach people. I'm also working on some other outreaches that we can do to just get out there and be with people and make relationships and invite to church or just talk to them about Jesus.
So this is one of my first steps to reaching out to new crowds and using all the new and technologically advanced ways to be the most effective I can be and the most effective our church can be. I know that so many people are far more advanced than me when it comes to this and you've been doing this for a while. So to ya'll...shut-up! Just joking! Haha! I just wanted to post this to push you out there to take a step forward and try something new. If it's something that you can do and it will make a difference and open the door to more opportunities to reaching people. Then I believe we should do it. That's exactly what Paul was trying to get us to do. So take a step and move forward.