The Gospel and Idolatry

I just re-listened with my wife to Tim Keller's talk on the Gospel and Idolatry from the Gospel Coalition Conference and have to say that the talk really hits it out of the park. If you are trying to gain a fundamental understand regarding how to win your community for Christ, this talk puts the discussion into crystal clarity. If you are hoping to gain a better understanding of your own battle with sin, this talk will aid you in discerning your personal idols. It effectively frames life and ministry within the Biblical dichotomy of idolatry and God worship. Good stuff. You can listen to the audio or watch the video here.

Godin on What's Broken

Good marketing, customer service, and communication in any business is what determines whether or not products sell or customers return. I am not suggesting the church should run like a business, but think there is a ton we can learn about how to be more effective in our communication and systems development. This video is from business guru Seth Godin regarding what is broken in the world of business. Perhaps those of us in the church can learn a thing or two from resources like this about how to better communicate with and engage our people.

iPhone on Verizon

Glory hallelujah! According to USA Today and Wired Magazine, the iPhone is getting closer to possibly cutting a deal with Verizon. Those with iPhone's in our area have long lamented the poor reception offered by AT&T. Hopefully change is on the horizon!

The Power of Illustration

As one who has become increasingly interested in preaching, I felt a bit like a kid in a candy store at this years Gospel Coalition Conference. One of the very cool things about the conference was that it hosted a very diverse yet highly skilled line up of preachers (Tim Keller, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Ligon Duncan, Bryan Chapel, C.J. Mahaney, D.A. Carson to name a few). Another interesting twist was that most of the teachers were assigned a portion of 2nd Timothy, meaning that by the end of the conference the entire book was taught in completion. Side by side I’d never seen such quality teaching done with such diverse styles. One of my takeaways was the power of good illustration. Here’s a few of my observations regarding what makes a good sermon illustration.

1. Parallel the Meaning of the Text

A good sermon illustration must closely parallel the emphasis of the subject matter within the text being taught. It’s important to remember that if an illustration doesn’t strongly tie-in with the text it’s better not to use it. A lot of Pastors use stories or movie clips because they are “hip” or “inspirational” but in doing so, totally miss the point of the text.

2. Be A Story Teller

The best preachers are great story tellers. Even if you’re a person who uses a manuscript when teaching, the illustration gives you and excellent opportunity to pull yourself away from the text and fully engage with your listener. For the less experienced teacher, it is imperative to practice your illustrations so they flow naturally and capture attention.

3. With Age Comes Wisdom

In the pastor panel at the Gospel Coalition Conference Tim Keller remarked how he is a better preacher because he is an older preacher. At his stage of life he’s helped scores of people walk through difficult suffering, struggled with personal health issues, endured persecution, etc. It’s no question that, like a good wine, preachers can become more effective with age because they bring more wisdom and experience to the illustrations they share.

4. Study Culture

In my preaching class at Covenant I remember the quote that every teacher should have a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Though today it’s probably more accurately said, “a Bible in one hand and a laptop (preferably a Macbook Pro) with Google Reader in the other” the point is the same. If we hope to relate to culture, we must be a student of what is going on around us. Using illustrations directly from the culture give us powerful points of relevance with those we teach.

5. Develop a Filing System

Recently I started trying to assemble a file folder of good illustrations. The content of these illustrations come from blogs, books, podcasts, emails, and life experiences. Many preachers find ways to organize and store good illustrations either in file systems or on their computer.

6. Don’t Overdo It

First of all, illustrations that are shared more than once or twice loose impact, so don’t become lazy by using the same illustration again and again. Second, just like the parables, illustrations are only helpful at emphasizing one or two points. Use it to make the point and then move on. It’s fine to say the egg illustrates three being also one, but the illustration breaks down quickly when you assign the yoke to God, egg white to Jesus, and shell to the Holy Spirit. I think you get the point.

Spurgeon on Reading

Today at the Gospel Coalition Conference I heard Ligon Duncan, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, Mississippi preach from 2 Timothy 4:6-22. In the opening of his message he shared this quote from Charles Spurgeon regarding Paul's request to Timothy in the final weeks of his life (4:13) to bring his books to him so he can read.

As the apostle says to Timothy, so also he says to every-one, 'Give yourself to reading.' ... He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves that he has no brains of his own... You need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritanic writers, and expositions of the Bible... the best way for you to spend your leisure is to be either reading or praying."

The fact that the apostle Paul, who knew he was in his final days, was still concerned about reading and writing, gives us a great insight into his life-practices that advanced His influence for the advance of the Gospel and building of the Kingdom of God. May his example influence us to do the same.

What To Do With Criticism?

Having worked in different aspects of music ministry for almost 15 years, I am no stranger to criticism. It has come from people who are very close to me as well as people who prefer to remain anonymous. Some criticisms are delivered in the context of anger and others are thoughtful and constructive. Here’s a few things I try to think about when criticism comes my way:

1. What can I learn?

Though it is humbling to have someone critique your work, it is important to maintain a teachable attitude.

2. Always assume the best

Unless it is substantiated that this is not the case, it is important to always assume that people have good intention when they share their concerns.

3. Validate people’s concerns

In most cases, the person sharing the concern is very sincere. Try your best to “walk in their shoes” and empathize with them.

4. Rebuke when needed

If people are sinning in how they confront (critical spirit, arrogance, etc.), then call them on their sin. If they are complaining about someone else then ask them to take that concern directly to the person before speaking with you.

5. Consider subjectivity

Remember that people’s opinions are often subjective. Sometimes you simply have to agree to disagree.

6. Educate

Often people disagree with a decision because they aren’t aware of all the information that went into making the decision. Do your best to inform them so they can get your perspective on the issue.

7. Empower

Sometimes our strongest critics can become our greatest ally if we get them involved in the process of coming up with solutions. If someone doesn’t like the way a specific ministry operates, then get them involved in a group working to reform or guide that ministry.

8. Let it go

Try your best to not take criticism personally. If our identity is too tied into our work, then we will allow criticism to paralyze us, making us ineffective for the Kingdom. Once you’ve received and learned all you can from criticism, the next step is to move on.

That's Easter

JT just featured this video from St. Helen's Bishopgate in London, which serves as an outreach video to be shared with unbelievers. It's a really clear teaching video on the reason believers focus so intently upon the death of Christ.

Easter Promotional Video

This weekend we put together a very last minute Easter promo video to try and make our Easter announcement a bit more memorable. I'm not sure we if accomplished that goal, but we at least had fun.

We Are All Addicts

Addiction is a worship disorder we can all relate to. Are we satisfied in God or do we turn to other things as our source of comfort, escape, or purpose? In some measure we all know what it’s like being addicts. Though our addictions may not be as dangerous, or obvious, or public, we have all struggled. For some of us, God’s grace has matured us in such a way that we’ve been freed from some of the deep entanglements we once had with certain areas of sin.

I just finished the book Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Edward Welch. Though it primarily references people struggling with addictions like alcoholism, it is a book that would greatly benefit anyone struggling with any kind of addiction. One of the things I enjoyed most was the way the book synthesized contemporary therapy-speak with a Biblical understanding of disease and slavery to sin. I now view this book as my counseling handbook as I meet with people struggling with different areas of sin. I pray many will read it and learn how to turn from their idols and embrace the transformation available only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Facebooking at the Office

Some of you may want to show this to your boss. I have never been one to ban social networking from the workplace, though I do think we must be very careful to not do it at the cost of productivity. According to this Wired magazine article, a recent study in Australia shows that people who Facebook (or use other networking sites) are actually 9 percent more productive. Here's a snip from the post:

Caught Twittering or on Facebook at work? It'll make you a better employee, according to an Australian study that shows surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.

The University of Melbourne study showed that people who use the Internet for personal reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive that those who do not.

Study author Brent Coker, from the department of management and marketing, said "workplace Internet leisure browsing," or WILB, helped to sharpened workers' concentration.

"People need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration," Coker said on the university's website (www.unimelb.edu.au/)

"Short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf of the Internet, enables the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total net concentration for a days' work, and as a result, increased productivity," he said.

Young Boomers Watch More Television

Challies recently reported on a new study by Ball State University.

According to a new "Video Consumer Mapping" study, Americans aged 65 and older spend an average of 420 minutes per day in front of a television screen. 420 minutes per day. Let that sink in for just a moment. That is seven hours; seven full hours. Every day. On average. That means that half of the days it would be more than seven hours. Is that three hours in the morning, perhaps 8 until 11 and then four more in the evening, maybe 7 until 11 PM? How is it even possible? It is unbelievable. And it does not even include time spent watching DVDs or Tivo.

But perhaps it should not be that surprising considering that the average American of any age spends just over five hours per day watching TV. Older Americans, those who have retired, simply add a couple of extra hours onto the television they have already been consuming. America is obsessed.

There's no question this growing trend will continue to shift the landscape of our culture. I'm not sure what the future fall-out will be, but it surely won't be good.

John Calvin on Worship

Challies recently sited this post from Larry Sibley regarding John Calvin's top ten worship planning ideas. It is very interesting seeing this summary of what the great reformer Calvin felt was important for the church to observe in the public gathering. Here is the complete post. Below is a snippit...

People often come to me and ask, “How can we improve or renew our worship?” My response is that we should restore the central things and practice them robustly, using contemporary forms rooted in the practices of sixteenth century pastor and liturgical reformer, John Calvin. Even though Calvin is most widely known as a systematizer (for his Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1536-1559) and exegete (he wrote commentaries on almost all the books of the Bible), his leadership in liturgical renewal should not be ignored in the twenty-first century.

Gender Roles in the Church

Resurgence recently featured a short post by Mark Driscoll on the prominent views of gender roles in the church. I had never seen them organized exactly this way, but find it interesting. Here's a clip from his post:

- - -

There are three basic views prevailing today in the home and church:

• Egalitarian (Feministic): There is no innate distinction between the roles of men and women in the home or church. Women can be pastors and men can be stay-at-home dads so that their wives can pursue their careers.

• Complementarian (Moderate): Men and women are partners in every area of life and ministry together. Though equal, men and women have complementary and distinct gender roles so that men are to lovingly lead and head their homes like Jesus, and only men can be pastors in the church.

• Hierarchical (Chauvinistic): Women are not only commanded to follow male leadership, but are not given a voice with male leaders, as women are often chauvinistically kept under thumb as the polar opposite of egalitarian feminism.

- - -

It is important for us to have a Biblical understanding of the roles of men and women within the church. It's perfectly wonderful to dialogue and even debate on this issue but it is important that our opinions are formed by our labor with the scriptures and not simply grounded in our opinion of what is right or wrong.

Does Satan Exist?

My wife Carrie and I just watched the recent Nightline Face-Off debate on the existence of Satan. Mark Driscoll was the pastor representing the evangelical perspective. The debate gives an interesting picture of some of the philosophical views that exist today regarding issues of faith. If you've got a little time to do it, it is definitely a good watch.

Piano Shredder

Sorry my recent posts have been somewhat "off task" in terms of ministry related issues. It's been a busy time, so a little levity has been a good change of pace. In a related vein, next time you can't find anyone to take that 5 ton old piano off your hands, maybe you should consider shredding it.

Free Voice Lesson

For all of you who want to learn to sing or improve you singing quality, you definitely want to watch this video.

Iowa City Proposes Buy Out

Some of you may have caught this evening's news on KCRG where they featured a story on Iowa City's very recent proposal to buy out buildings and land in area floodplanes. One of the proposed areas for buy out is Parkview's land south of Taft Speedway that is mostly designated wetlands. If you are a Parkview member interested in more information, please stay tuned. The elder board has pulled together a meeting Tuesday afternoon in order to review this proposal from the city. We'll be getting out information as things develop. If you click on the above link you can watch the video of the news segment.

Lance and Lynn Anderson and Agape Flights

The Anderson family from Parkview is preparing to move to Venice, Florida where they will serve with the missionary agency, Agape Flights. This agency is a logistical support to the missionaries in Haiti and Dominican Republic. Lance will be joining their staff as their IT Director. He will also be doing quite a bit of traveling, providing additional management support in other ministry areas.

To read more about the Anderson's you can check out their blog here. Please consider supporting them in prayer and through financial means.

New Musical Instruments

Wired Magazine recently posted about a contest for newly invented musical instruments. Here are a few samples of the contestants. Not sure any of these will be joining the worship band soon, but hey, maybe some day.

Unreached People of the Day

I just added an "Unreached People of the Day" box to the right of my blog page. This box is updated daily with a different unreached people group in the world. The idea being that it is our responsibility as global minded followers of Jesus to pray for the people not yet reached with the good news of Jesus Christ. Feel free to use this box as a trigger point for your prayers, or even better, check out the Joshua Project's website where you can learn even more ways about how to pray for or get involved in global mission.

More Americans Have No Religion

Not a shocker in our postmodern society, but religion is playing less of a role among the unreached. What this means is that missionally effective churches must contextualize the Gospel for the religiously illiterate. The starting point for preaching in the pulpit and proclaiming in your life must adapt to this reality in order to reach the culture.

Here's a clip from recent findings in an AP article:

A wide-ranging study on American religious life found that the Roman Catholic population has been shifting out o of the Northeast to the Southwest, the percentage of Christians in the nation has declined and more people say they have no religion at all.

Fifteen percent of respondents said they had no religion, an increase from 14.2 percent in 2001 and 8.2 percent in 1990, according to the American Religious Identification Survey.

Northern New England surpassed the Pacific Northwest as the least religious region, with Vermont reporting the highest share of those claiming no religion, at 34 percent. Still, the study found that the numbers of Americans with no religion rose in every state.

Reality Shocker

When one's goal is to expand God's Kingdom on this earth, the globalization of technology within a growing international landscape can be mind-blowing. This video illustrates the world we're called to reach in a very powerful way. Though our global context presents challenges for mission it also presents us with an unprecedented platform for the flourishing of the Gospel. Without a doubt God is up to something.



(HT: Already Been Chewed)

Love Your Wife Above All Others

In the closing chapter of Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God, C.J. Mehaney reminds husbands that nothing, aside from their love for God, should contest their love and affection for their wife. Not the children, sports, careers, etc. Because our marriage covenant is a reflection of God's covenant with the church, I wholeheartedly agree that guarding our heart for our God and our spouse is fundamental in our life having purpose and integrity for the glory of God. Here's a quote C.J. shares from the puritan John Wing:

A husbands love for his wife, "must be the most dear, intimate, precious and entire that the heart can have toward a creature; none but the love of God.... is above it, none but the love of ourselves is to follow it, all the love of others is inferior to it."

Childlike Wonder

I don't know if any of you out there are Coldplay fans, but here's one of their new creative videos, "Childlike Wonder." Funny.

Will the Church Be the Church for Homosexual Christians?

In my college days, and years of ministry since, I have had numerous friendships with homosexual men who were working desperately to reconcile their feelings with their faith. It is a difficult place to be. The church is generally uncomfortable welcoming and loving people with same-sex desires and the homosexual finds himself wrestling in the private hell of wanting close companionship, yet being unable to enjoy a relationship that is incongruous with their Biblical convictions.

This article by Wesley Hill really captures the struggle of what it's like being the person who wrestles to find hope in the midst of homosexuality. What I appreciate most about this article is the indirect appeal Wesley makes for a the church to be a caring community for people wrestling with these issues. I appreciate Wesley's heartfelt thoughts and look forward to his book, which should be coming out soon on the topic of Christianity and homosexuality.

Here's the article.

(HIT: Taylor)

Easter Times Announced

The following are the service times for this seasons Easter services.

Good Friday Services: April 10

• 5:30 pm
• 7:00 pm

Services will be located in the worship center and child-care will be provided for ages k and under.

Easter Services: April 12

• 8:00 am - Service 1
• 9:30 am - Service 2
• 11:00 am - Service 3

Services with live music will be happening in both the Chapel and Worship Center. Child-care will be provided for ages k and under. We'll be offering a complimentary breakfast (via free tickets) for those attending the early service in time increments starting at 7 am.

More information will be coming in the near future!

Land On the Horizon

By a large majority, Parkview Church voted this evening to move forward with the acquisition of a 32 acre plot of land that straddles Coralville and North Liberty two miles north of the Coralridge Mall. There are numerous contingencies that must be met for the deal to be final, but if everything lines up, we expect to close on the property no later than Fall 09. The next major steps involve making a decision regarding what to do with our existing property and beginning master plan development for our new site. Below is the recent image of the Forevergreen property we voted to purchase.

A New Way to Read

This is the future of books: Buy any book you want at half price, from anywhere, and it will be in your hands in one minute. Truly amazing. Here is Wired magazines review of the new Kindle 2 Reader by Amazon.

Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God

I am reading this little book by C.J. Mahaney entitled, "Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God" in preparation for speaking with my wife at the March 4 Hearts-In-Touch meeting at Parkview. The topic of our talk is on how to teach your children about sex. Carrie and I don't feel like we've cornered the market on how to most properly instruct children on sexuality, however, we are very passionate about God's design for healthy sexuality and are passionate about our children understanding how it is God intends sex to be enjoyed for His honor and glory. Usually Christians approach sexuality in a prohibitive way (i.e. the dangers of fornication and adultery). Certainly this must be done, but sexuality must also be understood for the beautiful intention God had behind its creation and enjoyment in the context of marriage. The more our children understand the preciousness of healthy sexuality, the more I believe they will embrace the importance of glorifying God with their body (1 Corinthians 16:20).

For those married folk out there, I highly recommend this little book. It is written to men, but does have a portion at the end dedicated to women. It paints sexuality in a holistic and Biblical way that is very encouraging and will undoubtedly strengthen the marriage of the sincere reader. You can link directly to the book through the banner to the right of this post.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter

As I mentioned a few posts ago, Matt Chandler gave a talk recently at the Desiring God conference that was really good. I know a lot of you seldom have the time to watch an entire message on the computer, so I thought I would throw up this shorter sound bite from the message he gave. This clip cuts totally to the heart of an issue that I am so very, very, very passionate about.

I am so concerned that a lot of evangelical teaching, books, methods, etc.... try to fix people's problems by only addressing surface issues. A lot of churches fall into this trap when they have "practical" teaching series that only zero in on "practical" topics and "practical" solutions. This can, at times, be like putting a band-aid on cancer. It may make the person look and feel better at the time, but it doesn't really address the problem at its root. In varying degrees the "7 steps to success" mentality can be found in churches of every denomination, from fundamentalist to charismatic so this really isn't a problem limited to one brand of church. Christless Christianity is something we must all be concerned about. To see an example of how Paul addressed the issue of people being set-free from sin and healed in Christ, read Ephesians 2. It is that example that Chandler is calling us to uphold as we try and proclaim the grace of God to our congregation and world in need.

Friday Funny

I guess I'm hurting a bit right now for meaningful content. None the less, this is one of those silly forwards that I receive on occasion. It's a pretty fascinating exercise that, in the very least, illustrates our brain's ability to automatically correct certain things for us. Supposedly only 55 of 100 people have no problem reading the following words. I did find that I could read it almost perfectly with no pauses. Not sure what this says about me, but anyway, enjoy.

- - -

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Adolescents in Music Do Better

I saw an interesting little tidbit on the church relevance blog regarding the advantages of keeping our kids in music. I remember in a philosophy class in college discussing how Socrates emphasized the importance of mathematics and music in the development of children. Here is an article about recent findings that seems to agree.

A new study in the journal Social Science Quarterly reveals that music participation, defined as music lessons taken in or out of school and parents attending concerts with their children, has a positive effect on reading and mathematic achievement in early childhood and adolescence.

Conflict Resolution

In today's all-staff devotional time, Pastor Dave Foster shared some principles on dealing with conflict from Ken Sande's book Peacemaker. Sande's treatment of the systems surrounding conflict and steps toward conflict resolution seem to be quite effective and Biblically grounded. I am excited about getting more familiar with this book and the editions focused on helping children to also understand how to deal with conflict in a healthy way. Below is a description of the book and some recommendations from monergism.com.

Description: In The Peacemaker, Ken Sande presents practical biblical guidance for conflict resolution that takes you beyond resolving conflicts to true, life-changing reconciliation with family, coworkers, and fellow believers.

"'Blessed are the peacemakers,' said Jesus. With crystal clarity this manual lays before us the wisdom that leads humble souls into that blessing."
--J. I. Packer, author of Knowing God

"Of people alive and writing today, I know of no more reliable guide for peacemaking in church and family than Ken Sande."
--John Piper, pastor, Bethlehem Baptist Church

Should Kids Have Cell Phones?

My oldest daughter has a cell phone and is often found texting with her friends. We have an "open phone" policy where she knows that her texts are not private and that her mother and I can and will read them regularly. This article by Russell Moore poses some interesting ideas about kids and cell phones. Though I am not planning on taking the cell phone away from my daughter, this does make me think more carefully about how and when she and my other children should posess and use cell phones. Here's a clip from his post:

A pre-teen or a teenager with unrestricted cell-phone usage (or Internet or television consumption) is being placed in a very, very difficult place of temptation. The company of that young man or woman is now away from the scrutiny of parents, and is now left only to his or her discretion or conscience. Are there some young Christians who can handle such? Of course. Should you assume your child is one of them? Your Father (meaning Heavenly Father) is more careful of you than that.

(HT: Challies)

Racist Repents to Black Man He Beat Years Before

I saw this great video clip on The Institute and really appreciated this powerful story of reconciliation and grace.

New Site Considerations

In yesterday's extended announcement I went through some information regarding Parkview's possible relocation plans. Above is a map of one of the primary sites we are considering. Below is a summary of my talking points in the announcement. Remember, if you have any comments or questions, that there will be additional forums available for you to attend after each February 22 service in the atrium.

How would relocation effect our mission and vision?

• Our primary focus and priority at Parkview has never been and, we pray, never will be land or a building. The mission that drives us is to, “Love God, Love Others, and Serve the World”.
• Though changing locations can effect how we do mission it won’t change our commitment to that mission.
• Our commitment to reaching the University of Iowa, to ministering to at-risk youth and their families at “The Spot”, and to sharing Christ with the Hispanic community in our area will continue to be at the heart of our mission, no matter where we’re located as a church.

How would a relocation of our main campus impact our college ministry?

Pastor, Nate Hobert and the students in his team have supported the idea that moving will not hinder their ability to maintain a strong ministry to college students, citing...

• That the 24/7 mid-week event, weekly bible studies, and regular discipling activities all take place at down-town or campus locations, meaning the location of our main church facility will have little impact upon the day-to-day operations of the ministry.
• In regard to our Sunday services, we’ve found that very few students actually walk here to attend the service. Many living on campus actually ride here on Parkview’s bus, which will continue to be service we provide, no matter where we are located.

What is the risk of a future floods at our Foster road location?

• Since the floods of 2008 experts have proposed that the probability of us reaching those flood levels again is anywhere from 1 in 40 to 1 in 500.
• Because annual rainfall totals have been steadily increasing and the reservoir is loosing capacity due to silt build-up, the “100 year flood” of 15 years ago, which reached to our doorstep, is now a 1 in 17 risk and is estimated to be a 1 in 5 risk in another 50 years. Reviewing all of these statistics, makes it safe to assume that the risk of future flood damage is very real.

What is our need for a larger facility or larger campus?

• We must provide adequate seating at the times people want to attend. Because this is the case, simply adding another service, at another time, won’t really fix overcrowding issues.
• In regard to prime attendance hours, church strategists have determined that once 80 percent of the seats are filled within a service, the attendance will stagnate or even decline. If you attend the 2nd or 3rd service, you realize that we are regularly filling our space to those levels.
• With the city not allowing us to expand at our present location, to not relocate is to set ourselves up for stagnation and decline.

Can we afford to purchase land at this time?

• We do have the funds that would, in addition to a small manageable loan, be enough to buy the land now. Of course, if the congregation chooses to move forward with the purchase, the Lord may also provide that shortfall through additional donations.
• This leads to the question, “How would we pay for the cost of constructing a building at this new site?” Admittedly, that is a God sized issue. Our response being that if God is leading us to move, our next step of faith will be to purchase the land and, once that’s complete, to begin addressing future construction issues.

Can we “afford” NOT to buy it now?

• The reality with this kind of property, is that If we don’t buy now, this and other possible locations will no longer be available.
• Though the asking price for this property may seem steep, if you compare it to other sites using the standard of price per usable acre, it is the superior choice.
• Though, in our search for property, we did find some more affordable tracts of land, the cost for needed roads, sewer and water hook up, access fees, and loss of unusable portions due to topography issues, made them less attractive options.
• Of the 22 sites evaluated, 7 were attractive enough to investigate, and of those 7 the land on Forevergreen is the lowest priced per usable acre.

Is the Forevergreen site the best site?

6 criteria for purchase:

1. a location close to a major road and accessible from many locations
2. visibility
3. buildable in the next 1-3 years rather than 5-10 years
4. the land needs to have many entrances to the parcel
5. at least 30 to 40 buildable acres and
6. cost

• The biggest negative regarding this site is its distance from our present site, which is about 7-9 minutes driving time during non rush-hour times.
• Some of the positives of this site are that it is in a fast growing area, has good visibility from highway 965, will have multiple entrances and exits for traffic, will have future access to interstate 380, is easy to find “2 miles north of the mall”, and last but not least is on high ground.

What will happen to the current site if we build on a new site?

• Though we are not making this decision at this time, how we decide the future will be based upon how the vision and mission can best be met, what resources we have to build on the new site, the market value of the present site, and future flood risk. This is an issue we’ll definitely need to work through as we look to the future.

Are we moving too fast?

In response to this, we want you to know that we are doing all we can to balance future flood risk, with real estate considerations, with the need to move forward carefully and intentionally.

• We are presently in the middle of a 4 month phase where we’ve made it our goal to listen to the congregation, gather as much information as possible, and pray in order to either reaffirm or change our direction.
• In this regard, we continue to welcome your thoughts and suggestions as we look to the future.

Patience in Providence

This weekend I'll be teaching in services about how God’s grace provides all we need to make it through life’s journey, if only we would be patient, putting our full trust in Him and His provision of the cross. After this message from the book of Numbers 21:4-9 the service will close with the celebration of the Lord’s Table.

Matt Chandler On the Gospel

Matt Chandler is pastor at Village Church and one of the young up-and-coming preachers who God is really using in powerful ways for the Kingdom of God. I just watched the message he gave at the Desiring God conference and was really moved once again by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to transform lives. I really appreciate in particular how he helps us to discern moralism versus the Gospel. I can't stress enough how epidemic moralism is within the Evangelical church and how most Christians are living in bondage both due to moralistic preaching and moralistic thinking. This video is definitely worth watching.

J-Life's Best Pick-up Lines

Nile, our Jr. High pastor sent out an email with the winning entries from their Super Bowl Party, "Best Pick-up Lines" contest. They were so good, I thought I would pass them on. If you're married or single, you might want to store these away for the right occasion. Of course, if I catch either of my junior high kids using them, they'll be grounded for a month.

• Did you just break wind? ‘Cuz you blew me away!
• If you were a buger I would pick you first.
• Are you my double chin? ‘Cuz that’s how close I feel to you right now.

Iowa is Not in the Bible Belt

This recent gallup pole asked people across the nation the question, "Is religion an important part of your daily life?" The results can be read at this link and can be seen in the map below. I've never considered Iowa part of the Bible belt and think a regional pole in our county would probably put us closer to the "least religious" category.



Albert Mohler offered his interpretation of the data below.

The radical difference between the 85% marked by Mississippi and the 42% of Vermont point to real and challenging distinctions in how we should conceive our Great Commission challenge in those states. In Mississippi, the challenge is to reach persons who think they are Christians with the reality of the genuine Gospel. In Vermont, reaching a secular population is the main challenge. Both represent important and vital Great Commission challenges.

Do Abstinence Pledges Work?

My wife and I have been looking for a purity ring for some time for our daughter Hannah. She is now 13 and it has always been our goal to be very proactive when it comes to issues of sexuality and moral purity. We've also considered taking her through a program that ends with the signing of an abstinence covenant. This is what makes this article written by Covenant Seminary Professor, Anthony Bradley so interesting. In it he shares how statistics show that young people who sign abstinence pledges are no less likely to have premarital sex than those who don't.

It honestly doesn't surprise me that this is the case, but it was pretty eye-opening to think about. In the article Bradley points out that covenants like this can be legalistic and don't really address the heart of the issue behind good moral choices. The more I've grown to understand the Gospel, the more I've realized that moral transformation does not come from rules and signed documents. The root of our growth comes from us being Gospel-disciples, understanding more deeply from God's Word who God is, what He's done in Christ, and who we are as a result. If this is the case, then helping our children to grow in their understanding of God's grace and in their love for Jesus Christ is the best way we can set them up for moral success.

The biggest problem isn't the moral covenant, but the fact that so many hide behind those covenants as some form of magic modern chastity belt. To be frank, moralistic authoritarians who primarily nurture their children with strict rules and regulations tend to raise either future moralistic authoritarians or moral anarchists.

Statistics show that signed pledges don't solve the problem. If this is the case, then let's put our energy into that which really makes a difference. Below is a clip from Anthony's article.

A recent abstinence pledge study has produced competing interpretations of pledge effectiveness. What the media seems to miss is that the study—conducted by Janet Elise Rosenbaum, published in the journal Pediatrics, and titled “Patient Teenagers? A Comparison of the Sexual Behavior of Virginity Pledgers and Matched Nonpledgers”—is about sexual behavior in young people after high school. The latest findings reveal that five years after abstinence pledges are made, pledgers and non-pledgers alike are equally promiscuous. The sexual behavior of young adults five years after taking abstinence pledges should not surprise us, regardless of their constrained sexual activity during their high school years.

The study also demonstrates that teens from supportive religious communities are much less likely to engage in premarital sex in high school. But is being less bad necessarily good? Here’s an idea: Let’s stop teens from making pledges altogether. The problem in our divorce culture is that marriage has been devalued to the point that abstinence until marriage makes less and less sense to many people.

I have never been a fan of abstinence pledge programs and generally see them as pharisaical and utilitarian when churches adopt them. In general, these programs are designed for teens to get through high school without losing their virginity, as if losing one’s virginity at 16-years-old is morally inferior to losing it at 21-years-old outside of marriage. Deep spirituality, however, should not be confused with participation in extra-biblical church programs. Many parents seem more concerned about their children’s sexuality than their children’s love for Jesus and dependence on the Holy Spirit. If teens are not in love with Jesus, what’s an abstinence program on a Sunday night, with pledge cards, purity rings, workbooks, and an annual conference going to accomplish in the long run?

(HT: Institute)

MacArthur on TBN

I was taking a little time tonight catching up on the many blogs I haven't read for months and was really shocked by this evening's post from Imonk. In it he featured two clips from a recent interview Kirk Cameron had with John MacArthur on TBN. Yes, you heard me right, MacArthur was on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

I don't share this in order to unfairly disparage TBN, but I do have great concern about the damage some of the teachings on the network has done for the cause of God's Kingdom in the world. MacArthur rightly defends the truth of the Gospel and the lack of prosperity promised in this life for followers of Jesus. More could have been said about the spiritual benefits of our union with Christ, but I appreciate how MacArthur worked very hard to define an understanding that accentuated the need for those in the prosperity camp to question some of the foundational beliefs they have embraced and taught.

Can You Say Cold?

It is so stinkin' cold that they are canceling school tomorrow. Here's tonight's temps.



Brrrr....

Move-in is going well at the church, but there is still a lot to be done. As it turns out, we may not have internet and on-site email for another week. It is cramping communication but it is what it is.

Don't forget that January 25th is a grand opening weekend for the church. We are presently collecting donations for the Iowa City School District that will help fund programs for at-risk youth. It's one way we'd like to say thanks for all that the district did to support us through the floods of 08. If you'd like to contribute in this way, you can still do so in next weekend's offering.

Cheering for the Other Team

I shouldn't be taking the time to post this right now, but I just got this link sent to me and was very moved by this story. I couldn't help but pass it on.

Internet and Email Black Hole

Remember what a black hole is? It is an area in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that even light can't escape its pull, consequently, it is a space that is completely black.. a space that sucks everything in around it.

Well... with the move into our 15 Foster location, we are not only really busy trying to move in a ton of office furniture and get offices and rooms organized, but we are completely without internet. The various schedule pressures have kept me busy dawn to dusk (dawn to late into the evening would be a better description) and the lack of email access has kept me out of touch. Please know that I'll do what I can to check things in the evening, but until things change, I will likely be very slow to respond to any form of communication. Also, I do plan on blogging in the future, but it is clearly not in the cards until the move-in is completed and life can return to a little more of a normal pace.

Welcome Home

On Friday around 2:30 pm, after a really long week of hard work, Parkview was granted building occupancy. The permit was followed by a wedding that evening and services over the weekend. That's what I call coming in under the wire. Thank you Lord!

Below I've included pictures from services. I've included a few pictures on top which illustrate what the worship center looked like just 6 months ago. It's come a long way, that's for sure!

I can't say thanks enough for all the people who poured out so much in terms of time and resources to get us back so quickly. Over 50,000 square feet of facility was about 4 feet under water creating about $800,000 in renovation expense. Thankfully, with insurance money and about $240,000 in this years Thanksgiving offering, we returned to the facility with no debt. Again, thank you Lord!

As a reminder, we still have a long way to go in terms of moving back and wrapping up construction, but we are definitely thankful to have reached this first huge milestone.

Quick Update

Sorry for my lack of posted updates. Life has been particularly busy as I try to balance typical seasonal planning, our facility renovation, being a seminary student, and trying to keep up as a father and husband. Things will continue to be pretty slim in regard to posting until I can get on the other side of things. In the mean time here's a few quick updates....

FACILITY RENOVATION

We've got a full week of work ahead, but have been given limited occupancy for the upcoming wedding and services. On Saturday from 8:30-1:30 pm people are invited to come and help clean the facility in preparation for Sunday morning.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Choir, orchestra, band and vocal team will be coming together for services on Sunday at 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 am. We should have overflow up and running in the chapel in the event of overcrowding.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Services will be at 4:30 and 6:00 pm.

A LIVING SACRIFICE

On January 4th, I am teaching in services from Romans 12:1-2. It should be an encouraging time as we consider what it means to be a living sacrifice for God.

OFFICE RELOCATION

On the week of January 5-9, the offices of Parkview will be relocating from our temporary location back to 15 Foster.

GRAND OPENING

On January 25th we are planning a grand opening that will be widely publicized throughout the community. More on that later...

Renovation Update November 21

Praise God! Several things we've been waiting on are now moving forward. Here's a few updates before some pictures.

1. We were hooked up to full power last week
2. Gas was repaired and hooked up to the building this week
3. We will hopefully have heaters running in the building today
4. Acoustic treatments are almost finished in the worship center
5. Final drywall repair work is being completed
6. The chapel ceiling was repaired, now making the way for the room to be carpeted
7. The cabinets came in for the kitchen and office. They will be placed and then counter tops will be measured and built.
8. Locks, windows and knobs are being placed in all the doors.
9. Information booths are in the lobby and waiting for counter tops.
10. Blinds were installed throughout the entire building this week.
11. Some cabinets are being installed in the pre-school area

This is not an exhaustive list, but certainly illustrates that things are moving along. Tomorrow (Saturday) morning we'll be doing some skilled and cleaning projects from 8:30-1:30 pm. Hopefully we'll see some of you there. Services are looking more likely on December 7th. I am praying it will be no later than that because the 14th is our Christmas celebration! (keep praying!) Here are some pics from the facility:

The kitchen and lobby now filled with cabinets. After the cabinets are set, counter tops will be ordered.





Thanks to Don Drake and Tom Aunan, the preschool has coat hooks.



Repairs to the chapel ceiling were completed Wednesday.



Cabinets and sinks are going in the preschool rooms.



Sound treatments and sound system were part of this years general budget. Our renovation has given us the opportunity to install them in one fail swoop.



Ceiling sound baffles are going up today.



Tom Sundblad and numerous others are putting a new face on our stage. Notice the teaching platform that rolls into the stage front. Parkview engineering at its best!



Blinds are now installed.



Kirk Walters has completed our information booths.

How to Write Emails

I love productivity tips like this from the What's Best Next blog. I'll be having the staff at Parkview read this one. No question, it's worth writing emails properly because it increases the likelihood that it will be read and improve your ability to communicate information effectively.

- - - -

1. Make the Subject Line Specific

Make the subject line descriptive so the person knows right away what the email is about. Don’t use a headline such as “Interesting,” “Good Article,” or even just “Proposal,” because they don’t provide anything specific about the content.

Instead, a good subject line would be something like: “Proposal for New Hires in 2009.”

2. State the Required Action, or Other Purpose, First

The very first thing should be a brief greeting, such as “Hi, Fred. Good job in the meeting today.”

But then move right to your point. State your point, as specifically as possible, in 1-3 sentences. If you have ideas that you want Fred to consider, for example, say that you have ideas for him to consider and state specifically (and briefly) what your main idea is.

Don’t just say “Fred, I have some ideas for you to consider,” and then spend 3 paragraphs getting to your main idea. Instead, state specifically what your idea is. For example, say: “I think we should consider hiring an additional widget manager next year because of the planned 23% increase in production. I am wondering what your thoughts are.”

3. Give the Background Second

After you’ve stated your main point, then provide the details.

This is key, so I’ll say it again: Give your main point, and then provide the background.

This is different from a detective story, or a novel, or any other type of writing where the discovery is part of the fun. With email, there isn’t time for this. And especially when doing work email, there is a business purpose to your email. You need to save the other person’s time by telling them your point right away, and then only after that providing the details in the event that they need to see things fleshed out more.

4. Keep Your Paragraphs Short

When providing the background, keep your paragraphs short. Wall of words are hard to read. Be short and to the point. And keep it relevant. Use bullet points when possible.

4. Close by Clarifying the Next Steps

If the background section gets longer than a few paragraphs, it is a good idea to close by summarizing the action step(s) again.

5. Don’t Forward Emails Without Summarizing the Point at the Top

Last of all, a word on forwarding: If you need someone’s opinion on something, don’t simply forward them a long email thread and say “what do you think?” Instead, summarize the main action you need from them right at the top, and then summarize the main point of the email thread.

Try to make it so that all the thread is needed for is to provide the details, if the reader feels that they are necessary.

See Ancient Rome A.D. 320

This is a very cool new feature on Google Earth. For those of you who love history, you will undoubtedly find this fascinating.



(HT: JT)

Miriam Alexander Testimony

I just discovered the site Pure Passion. It is a site/television series dedicated to helping people struggling with sexual addiction and brokeness. This is one of the featured testimonies by Miriam Alexander. Though everyone's story of healing is unique, Miriam's understanding that healing comes from knowing and loving God is really powerful.

The issue of sexual addiction is epidemic in our society and something the church must be committed to addressing aggressively.


Pure Passion Season 3 / Episode 3 - Miriam Alexander from Pure Passion on Vimeo.

November 3 Renovation Update

Well Friends, things continue to move forward at 15 Foster, though I must admit, more slowly than initially hoped. We are presently waiting on MidAmerican energy to get us the proper equipment for final hook-up. We also have a significant amount of plumbing work, some of which is contingent upon the cabinet work that is yet to come in. All of these tasks are necessary for occupancy, so until they come and are installed, we won’t have any substantial confirmation regarding when we can once again occupy the location for services. Consequently, it is looking likely that we will push back our occupancy hopes by an additional few weeks. I should have some level of confirmation on this as soon as tonight.

Despite the hold-ups, some good progress is being made, as you can see in the following pictures.

This picture shows the finish woodwork at the entryway to the main office area. This section represents the woodwork that will slowly start showing up throughout the church.



These are the bathroom patricians that will make bathroom activities a private experience.



The speakers in the worship center are now installed.



These structures will house sound baffles in the Worship Center.



Toilets waiting for a final resting place.