Pastor Mike's Blog.....

Set it up - Take it down...Again

2012-02-06T11:04:00.004-06:00

What do you get when you put a Wah-pedal guitar riff, a Fat Albert video, a sick and broken man who has been made whole again, a nation released from generations of slavery, a Passover lamb, communion, and a Josh Turner song together?

Answer: Church at Branches yesterday.

But that was just the subject matter and the presentation. There were also the conversations with families wanting to be baptized. There were conversations with the families that are dealing with aging parents. There were conversations about using para-like helpers in kid’s church and what that would look like. There were conversations about funding an upcoming conference for training. There were conversations about scheduling. All this before the service even started…and that was just me, not to mention everyone else who was busy building the environment for church that day!

There is so much more that goes into a morning of setting up a portable church than just renting the space with good intentions. I thought I would share a little about what a typical Sunday morning looks like from my perspective.

On Saturday evenings I start going into Sunday morning mode. I’m thinking through all the things we’ve been putting together all week. Is there anything I forgot? Is there anything I need to do out of the ordinary routine in the morning? What is the weather supposed to be like overnight? Will the person(s) responsible for clean sidewalks and parking have it all ready for us? Will anyone get sick who is on for the set-up crew or music or kids or hospitality? These are some of the things that we have to be prepared for on the fly. It affects what we put into the content and presentation of each and every service.

There is a saying that goes, “Never take anything on a boat that you’re not willing to lose.” The same philosophy goes into preparing each Sunday service in a portable church setting; never put anything into it that you are not willing to do yourself or could do without.

Adaptable and intentional; that’s the key.

That is why our leaders and volunteers are so important and valued! It takes a team to set up chairs to creatively handle the numbers we are at in the space we’ve got. There is a team for bringing in food and setting up hospitality table(s) for hanging out and fellowship during the pre-service time. The kid’s ministry has a crew for secure registration. They have to set up with sound and video in rooms for big kids, little kids, nursery kids. We need the sound and video set up each week in the main area too. We bring this stuff with us every week in boxes. We have guest information to be set out and greeters to welcome each person into this new church space we create out of a school. We need communion set up and distribution and ushers to help with seating and information.

As all this is going on though, people are connecting with each other. It’s actually quite rewarding to jump in and be a part of these teams. Solomon observed that it was a good and pleasant thing to watch when people work together in unity. The little bit that each person does is adding to the whole of Branches Church being real. People who visit Branches often use the word "real" to describe what they have experienced. It’s affirming to know that as a church we are on the original track of what our vision and mission are.

Our goal is to be a safe place where people can share their life journey. A place where being real doesn’t scare anyone away or bring in the “Bible police” mentality in order to fix everyone or unify their behaviors under a common theology of a narrowly defined right and wrong. A place where the Bible can be explained in everyday context and everyday application. A place where we all can grow in our faith by learning what it is that God has been up to since the beginning. A place where Jesus is taught. A place where grace is taught. A place where acceptance isn’t just a religious word but an act. A place where real people can share their real life in a gathering of real people who know the real Jesus and let Him work in all of us.

So, next Saturday we'll start thinking about all we have to do, we'll show up and set it up, we'll encourage each other, strengthen our faith, apply God's Word, share our stories, and take it all down again.

Pastor Mike

If You’re not Careful You May Learn Something

2012-01-30T08:24:00.004-06:00

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope”…“for instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.” - Romans 15:4 NASB, James 5:11 NLT

Even though the book of Job is placed almost in the middle of the Bible, right before the Psalms, the story actually takes place right around the same time as Abraham’s grandson Jacob. It’s early in history. It’s early in the work of God among people. God is trying to get something foundational across right from the start.

The Bible isn’t a step by step set of instructions like those that come with buying a new bike or a grill; do this first, then this, then that, and so on. It’s a story. A story of a Creator who gave us everything of Himself, including a choice. A story of people, people that have found themselves without their Creator and longing for that relationship again. A story of what happens when foreign agents like sin and rebellion enter paradise. A story of deceit and injustice. A story of brokenness. A story of redemption and forgiveness. Read it. Listen to the heart of the people – both rebellious and good-hearted people. See the heart of God constantly showing up and giving grace and mercy, discipline and direction with tenderness and kindness and righteousness. It’s all in there.

The book of Job is about patience, trust, suffering, endurance, faithfulness, justice, friendship, hope, influence, and truth. And that’s just describing God’s role in the book. The people in the book, as well as Job himself, although they observe and learn these things from God actually example things like self-realization, self-justification, self-control, doubt, pride, confusion, false conclusions, passing the buck, finger-pointing, and ultimately helplessness.

One of the most intrinsic and human of comments in the whole story is from Job himself. He realizes that he can do nothing to control his situation and wonders if there is life after this crisis of pain and loneliness. He’s imagining what that could possibly look like. He says to God, “You would call and I would answer, and You would yearn for me, Your handiwork…instead of watching for my sins…You would cover my guilt.” - Job 14:15-17

I can't get to You, You have to come to me. I know I am Yours but I can't fix my sin; but I do know that You can.

This story is a microcosm of the story of God interacting with humanity itself.

God isn’t being mean to Job. God isn’t using Job to prove some narcissistic notion of ego or supremacy. God is unfolding His ultimate wisdom and preference that He is for us and not against us. Job is our example. Job is our school of hard knocks. Job is who God saw as close enough to Him to use him to show all of humanity that He is faithful. That life can be hard. That we can learn from pain and suffering. That God sees injustice. That our friends don’t always tell us the truth. And that ultimately faith is rewarding.

Bill Cosby, in the old Fat Albert cartoon series, used to begin each show by doing a narrative that would set up the plot. The gang was always going to get into trouble involving some misunderstanding or a choice and then learn from their mistakes. He would always end his monologue with, “…And if you’re not careful, you may learn something!”

I think this is applicable to the story of Job too.

Sitting in the Dirt

2012-01-23T07:15:00.002-06:00

Many of us go through the tough times in life without anyone to walk with us. There are multiple reasons that this happens. We are embarrassed to be in a situation so we don’t let anyone know. We are too confident in our own ability so we keep trying to do it ourselves. We keep friendships at a distance afraid of getting too close to anyone with the reality our life. Maybe it falls under not wanting to be rejected; maybe it’s that we are too proud and independent to ask for help. Maybe it’s just that there isn’t anybody around us willing to be there! Whatever the case may be there are many of us who go through tough times alone.

This need not be. This shouldn’t be – especially in the church.

Jesus asked the Father in John 17 to make the relationships of His people the same as the relationship between Him and His Father. They are one. They are interacting with unity of purpose and thinking. Just prior to this prayer He had taught His disciples that the only way that those who do not know God will know who God’s people are is by the love they see that they have for one another.

I think we’re missing it.

Church life, as we have come to know it, has leaned toward programmatic and away from relational. It’s no longer a culture, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, of people caring for one another and being there with one another and taking care of one another. We have left that up to church programs to do that for us.

We let the calendar choose when we get together. We find an addicting sense of comfort in the weekly schedule of meetings and have adjusted our priorities from looking after our neighbor to being in attendance at our church meetings. We write a check and place it in the benevolence envelope so that the people who take care of that sort of thing can do it for us. I have found that we spend more time inviting people “to church” than we do sitting with them at their table.

Now, I know that it is important to gather together as a congregation to worship, to encourage, and to strengthen each other in our faith. The Bible says that we should not forsake the gathering of ourselves together and so much the more as we see the days getting closer to Jesus’ return. (Hebrews 10:25) What I do not see anywhere in the gospels is where Jesus placed the agenda of the temple or synagogue over the needs of the people. Just the opposite in fact!

Reading through the first two chapters of Job sort of rocked our world this weekend. Job was in so much pain and suffering, he had lost so much, his business was gone, his kids and employees were dead, and thinking about his future was futile. His health had been afflicted to the point where he had nothing left to do each day but to grieve and try and stay alive.

When his close friends heard of the deep suffering he was in they came right away. As they approached him they didn’t even recognize him for the pain he was in and the disease that was covering his body. They were not afraid. The singer/songwriter, Sara Groves, has a line in one of her songs that says, “I am not afraid of you” while she is asking to sit with her friend and hear the story of their life. The Bible says that when Job’s three friends got to him they just sat down in the dirt with him and no one said a word for seven days and seven nights for there were no words for such suffering.

Like we said on Sunday; the church today has more congregations, more pastors and teachers, more youth workers that are trying to be relevant to their generation, more Bible colleges, more scholars, more summer programs and mission adventures, more weekly prayer meetings, more Sunday meetings than ever before in the history of the church. But what we have gotten away from is having a friend that will sit in the dirt of your life with you when life gets hard and the pain is unbearable and the unthinkable has just happened.

We were not meant to do life alone, who are we sitting in the dirt with this week?

Pastor Mike

There is Hope

2012-01-16T08:43:00.003-06:00

God said through the prophet Isaiah, “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established.’” - Isaiah 46:9-10 NASB.

As Branches Church goes through the bible from cover to cover this year, we find there are many details that we just cannot get covered in the hour we spend together each week on Sunday mornings. Following along with the daily and weekly readings will help fill in the details and put you in the context of the stories. And the Wednesday Night IMPACT! Men’s Group is following along week by week for more details. But the goal is not to attempt to learn all the details and become great experts on why this story or that account is written in the Bible.

The goal of going Cover to Cover in 2012 is to follow the thread of God’s hand in dealing with humanity. God’s characteristics of patience, tolerance, kindness, grace, redemption, and restoration in particular are blatantly evident as we learn how He intervenes with humanity again and again. He has always had a plan; He has always been on our side; He has always been setting things up for setting things right again!

He hears Adam and Eve tell Him about their shame and nakedness so He graciously covers them with clothes. He warns Cain ahead of time to control his temper and when he doesn’t, and kills his brother, God hears him out about his fear of being retaliated against and in His kindness provides a place for him to live and raise his family in relative safety.

We read of God’s broken heart at the global wickedness and how He concludes to wipe humanity off the earth because they never even think of Him anymore. On the surface we could read into this that God is a God of punishment and intolerance; but He takes time to recognize Noah’s faith and righteous life. In His grace, He saves not only Noah, but Noah’s family – who, by the way, the Bible never mentions any relationship with God they may have – but it’s God’s grace for Noah. God is the God of second chances also.

We learn of Abraham and his descendants and their not-so-perfect lives and choices and God shows up again and again to bless them through their good choices and bad choices. This next week we will see how the lives of two men who find themselves on the wrong side of the law, one wracked with pain and in bad health, both alone, having lost almost everything, can say that God has been in this from the start and we’re right where we’re supposed to be!

What we should be getting out of all of this is that God is for us – not against us. And regardless of where we may find ourselves in this life we should be able to say, "There’s hope for me!"

Mike

Starting the New Year from the Beginning

2012-01-09T07:59:00.003-06:00

Discipline, accountability, regiments, resolutions, good intentions, and wishful thinking are things we all have in varying degrees now and again. They help us in everything from diets and exercise to volunteering our services in our communities and reading our Bible. Most of the time it’s easy to have the good intentions and wishful thinking but we’re a little more reserved when it comes to things like discipline and accountability. I agree with the writer John Eldredge who said that the way we use accountability makes him feel like he’s expected to fail.

Of course we’re all going to fail now and again; we’re human. Finger pointing and judging only lead to negative responses from those being targeted and easily removes the individual’s drive and desire to succeed at whatever it is we want to get to. Remember the saying, “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks?” I believe it’s referring to the fact that whatever goes around comes around! Even the comedian Steve Smith says, “We’re all in this together!”

So, it still doesn’t change the fact that discipline, accountability, regiments, resolutions, and such are a part of our lives. We just have to use them in positive, life giving, and confidence building ways.

The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah saying, “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established.’” (Isaiah 46:9-10 NASB)

I see a thread that God wants us to discover and follow as He “declares the end from the beginning’ and to anticipate what the future holds by gaining understanding of what He has said already. To do this we have to be in the Bible. We have to know what He’s been up to. We have to connect the dots with this thread God has set from the beginning tying together all of history until the end of time as we know it. But it’s hard. How many times have many of us started to read the Bible all the way through only to get sidetracked by busy schedules or the book of Leviticus? We need help, not pressure!

Branches Church is starting the year 2012 at the beginning! Anyone who wishes can participate in the fifteen minute daily and weekly chronological readings through the entire Bible cover to cover. We will share the discoveries and the thread that connects the dots showing God’s purposes on Sunday mornings.

Call it accountability, discipline, a regiment, a resolution, good intentions, or just wishful thinking, but it is exciting to open the book, read what God is doing in the lives of people, and connect the dots of God’s purposes to our own daily lives.

Still Influencing

2011-12-03T07:35:00.003-06:00

I was looking at the news this week and, like most of you, I was disturbed a bit by the story of the 103 year old woman about to be evicted from her Atlanta home. Obviously, to get to that point means there is a story of issues and a track record of bad communication or inability to comply with or maintain the customer/bank agreement. Issues that are easily resolved or rewritten.

What I realized though is that when the deputies refused to evict her even though the papers in their hand gave them the right to means that morality is still being influenced by what God had laid down centuries ago as right and wrong.

Exodus 22:22-23 says, "Do not exploit widows and orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, then I will surely help them."

So, this Christmas season, remember that even though we may see more celebrating with the "what do I get" and commercialism of the economic factor, we can still rest assured that the reason for Christmas is still the same: God sent His Son into the world to save it!

Merry Christmas!

It Isn't Fair

2011-10-16T20:48:00.000-05:00

“Why did this have to happen?” the elderly mother asked me as I was leaving the hospital. Her youngest son lay there dying of cancer. It had aggressively depleted his body mass until he was barely recognizable even to those who knew him. I hugged her, and transparently told her, “I don’t know; but I do know that it’s not fair.” Sickness isn’t fair. Death isn’t fair. A mother waiting to bury her son isn’t fair. I realized I was walking dangerously close to an area that I am definitely not an expert.

As the family and I sat together in the hospital room over the next few days we talked. We talked about how it isn’t fair. That it wasn’t supposed to be this way. Where did this come from? Why? What did he do to deserve this? All the questions that come out of pain, sorrow, loss, helplessness, and fear.

But they’re right. It isn’t fair, but it is reality. It wasn’t supposed to be, but it is.

God told Adam and Eve that eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil would bring death but they were deceived and they did – and it did – and it’s not fair but it is reality. The war had begun; the battle for our lives was on. But God promised He would take care of it. He had a plan to fix it. It would take time but it would come. (Genesis 3)

When Jesus tells us in John 3:16 that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish but would have eternal life, that is what He’s talking about; the promise God made to fix it. Death. Life. God has a plan.

The apostle Paul talks about the last enemy to be destroyed by Christ would be death. (1 Corinthians 15:26) Until then, it isn’t fair. It wasn’t supposed to be that way but it is.

So here we are, living and dying dependant on the grace of God through His Son Jesus. And all the while we’re fighting over which religion is the best one or the right one and how people should think like this or that. We’re broken in our relationship with God, our Creator, and we’re in the line of fire between God and His enemy, Satan. This world is a broken, messed up place and so are we…but God...didn't send a religion into the world to fix the problem - He sent us His Son!

Jesus said in John 3:17 that He did not come into the world to condemn it but to save it. Basically, He knows it’s not fair; things aren’t right like they should be. Injustice, sickness, death, dysfunction, all are rooted in the disobedience that came from the beginning and leads to death. Jesus said in Luke 4 that He came to bind up broken hearts, set free the captives, bring joy for sorrow, give sight to the blind, and proclaim that God is for us and not against us.

Until we put our faith and belief in Christ, we sit in an unfair, unjust world. One day, God will wipe away all tears from our eyes and there will be no more sickness, death, pain, or sorrow. (Revelation 21:4)

Until then…

“For sin is the sting that results in death…but thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

It isn't fair, but that's why God came to us with life beyond what we think we know and understand. He knows.

A Good Place to Start

2011-03-09T09:13:00.000-06:00

“Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.” – Daniel 2:20-23

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. It was deeply disturbing to him and he didn’t know how to handle it or what to do. He called all the wise men of the kingdom together to help him decide what to do next. Like any good leader, he sought advice, right or wrong, from those he trusted. He wanted to get to the bottom of the trouble he was facing and deal with it.

What he ended up doing instead was succumbing to his fears and declaring a decree that would have all the wise men of Babylon executed because they wouldn’t do what he wanted them to do.

When Daniel heard of this, the bible tells us that he handled it with wisdom and discretion. He went to his God-fearing friends and the bible tells us that, He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.

God answered their prayers, they took the answer to the king, and he was truly impressed with the God of Daniel. The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries…”

Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.

I don’t believe this was Daniels “dream job”! He was now working for a foreign government; one that held conflicting convictions and practices than he had. This government didn’t even recognize the traditions and history of Daniel’s heritage. But, here he was, in charge and influential. He was right where God wanted him so that God could speak into the times and lay out and accomplish His purposes.

Solomon reminded us that, “there is nothing new under the sun.” – Eccl. 1:9

So, let’s look to the teachings of the Apostles and prophets for matters of how we believers ought to behave when we are faced with conflicting political matters and controversial legislation in our own governing system!

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior. – 1 Timothy 2:1-3

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. – Titus 3:1-3

This seems like a good place to start!

In the Mind of God

2011-02-28T15:08:00.000-06:00

Solomon wrote that “[God] has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

It’s been a difficult thing for us to find out what is in the mind of God…but we’re all curious. For centuries we have dug into the ground, looked into the stars, analyzed and criticized each other’s beliefs, gone to war for our convictions, and pursued the who, what, and why we are here, hoping to find out how it all began.

As we’ve been learning in our ten-week series, The BIG Picture, the scope of eternity is forever past; it includes the present, and moves into the forever future. That’s a lot for our finite minds to try and wrap around.

The good thing to remember is that God chose to pursue us. But, what does that look like? Would I recognize Him? Would I know who just crossed my path today? Would I understand what He wants for me? Sadly, most of us wouldn’t, actually don’t, recognize, or see, or know, or understand. But that doesn’t mean He isn’t on the job!

I have to face it; I get turned around or even lost while driving a lot. Just because I don’t know or see or recognize where I am doesn’t mean that I can’t get there from here; I just need my bearings, some understanding of where I am and then I can calculate the next move. I need a landmark, a familiar sight, or an explanation of the map.

Enter the Word of God. The Bible. What if we were to look at it not as a road map or a behavioral guidebook, but as a diary? What if God has been trying all along to unfold to us who He is and what He is like more than having been trying to tell us what He wants from us? Abraham, the father of faith, didn’t have a Bible to go by – he had a relationship with God where God saw his faith and counted his heart righteous for it.

Peter said, “God chose Him as your ransom long before the world began, but He has now revealed Him to you in these last days.” - 1 Peter 1:20 NLT

You see, God has been thinking and planning and working on this stuff for a long time. I don’t believe He would claim to create us in His image, love us so much that He would send His only Son to die a death payment for our sins, and offer abundant and eternal life to all who accept Him and not let us in on who He is and what He is thinking!

As the bible begins with the creation story, it has been debated and scrutinized and argued over for centuries about how creation was done. I don’t think that God had it written like it is for the purpose of debating things we can never know (like Solomon said) but that it is written like it is to show us who He is and what He is thinking.

The story goes that God said this and it was so and it was good. Until He said, “Let Us make man in our own image…” It was there where God reveals a bit of Himself to us. Things around us like nature and all created things, the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, are all from God speaking them into existence. But we, on the other hand, are something different. God’s spoken word at this point was not to speak into existence, but to declare what He was about to do. He rolls up His sleeves, gets His hands in the dirt, and is personally involved in creating us. We are not just a thought spoken into existence from God; we are His handiwork, formed from the dust of the ground like a potter would create a clay pot. We have His fingerprints in our DNA.

I believe He is trying to show us how all along it has been in His mind to be personally involved with His people. Do you recognize Him?

A Bit Snowed In

2011-02-21T09:01:00.001-06:00

My wife will tell you that she enjoys being snowed in once in a while. It takes the pressure off the busy schedule and everyone gets a bit of a break for the day. You can shut the alarm clock off, drink an extra cup of coffee, take a nap, and have lunch with family. Oh, it’s more work shoveling, plowing, rearranging appointments, making up homework, but for the most part it’s an interruption we can work with now and again here in the North Country; it’s actually sort of expected once in a while.

Me, I get a bit claustrophobic when it happens. I enjoy the snow, the break in the schedule, the time at home, and the extra cup of coffee for sure. But, as I look down my driveway at the snowdrifts that even my four-wheel-drive will not go through, my sense of independence is being shut down. I admit, I think it is a bit of pride too. My thoughts go to, “I can’t control this,” or, “I can’t leave the yard, how can I get anything done?” That’s where I give up my joy. I lose the child-like sense of awe and exploration. I forfeit the chance to enter in and gain from the experience choosing instead to worry and fret, when I know that all the worry in the world will not move the drifts from my driveway or open up the day’s schedule.

I like where David asks God to, “Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.” (Ps.119:18) He goes on to say that he feels like a foreigner in hostile territory; that only God’s guidance will be sufficient for him to live. He is referring to the written Word of God, the Torah, looking for wisdom and instruction; I like to think he’s feeling like I do – a bit snowed in and helpless. But let’s take this same attitude into all that God is doing around us every day. “Open my eyes that I might behold Wonderful things in what You are doing right in front of me.”

We may be feeling a bit snowed in, trapped, our sense of independence being taken away, our world may seem a bit hostile, we may feel we don’t fit in anymore, we aren’t sure what is going on. I’m reminded of the apostle writing these words: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household.” (Eph. 2:19) Thank God, there is more to this life than the mire of our everyday efforts!

This is because of what Jesus has done for us. His Kingdom is the real world. His plan for mankind is what will ultimately be accomplished. His name is what will stand the lengths of time. His purpose for each of us is His desire. The apostle John, referring to Jesus, said that the Light had come into the world and it cannot be overtaken by its darkness.

We may see controversy, we may have differing views on everything from religion to politics, but the Word of the Lord will last forever and God’s purpose will be accomplished in it all – whether I worry about it or not! So, “Lord, open our eyes that we may see Wonderful things!”

A Clear Connection

2011-02-14T08:04:00.000-06:00

“They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:46-47

Wow, what a great turnout for our time of sharing, connection, worshipping, and celebrating Branches’ 1st anniversary! THANK YOU to everyone who organized it and to all who participated in it.

It was fun to see how so many brought something to give away. There were dozens and dozens of things. Everything from babysitting to yard work, baked goods and spending time together! These are the things that make us who we are. As we begin to use our gifts and talents and share them with each other it reminds me of how the early church began living out their faith.

Acts 2 records a clear connection between our personal faith and membership in the kingdom of God. The writer, Luke, tells how this personal faith is lived out in things like sharing meals, devotion to the teaching of God’s Word, small groups meeting house to house for prayer and communion and meals in general as well as methodically taking care of the needs of the needy. It resulted in the Lord continuing to add to their number daily those who were being saved as they did these things.

Meaning…

They weren’t just hanging out and doing these things with other Christians. In their prayer meetings, at their meals, as they talked and taught about God’s Word, there were people with them who didn’t believe it yet. As the people of God lived out their faith day to day like this Luke makes a clear connection that this is what advances God’s Kingdom! This is what we have begun at Branches Church and it is a good thing!

God's Love

2010-09-21T10:11:00.002-05:00

This morning I posted my Facebook status as having been introduced to what a real problem is and that the definition of what a real problem is has been rearranged in my life.

This is in response to a day of sitting on the floor with a two year old bone marrow transplant patient struggling to breathe and fighting for her life. She’s hooked up to multiple IV’s pouring steroids into her body in hopes that the new cells won’t be rejected by her system. This brought on the side effect of filling her with water bloating her tummy out like a football and making it difficult to sleep or be comfortable in any position. She is on day 5 of 100 days of watching for rejection. This is a long road to travel for anyone and this two year old has a baby sister, two older sisters and two step-sisters, along with her mom and dad none of whom asked for this or planned this for the lives of their family.

When I see the commitment and love mom has for her baby girl, the sacrifices and devotion given by the entire family, the fight little Aryonna has in her to keep breathing and live, and the care the medical staff has for sustaining life, I know I am seeing what God is like. I know that God is love and love does not mean the absence of pain or trouble, but of acceptance, endurance, and faithfulness.

I know of a lady who for years has had a substance abuse problem, dysfunctional behaviors in relationships, and she has made bad choice after bad choice in how to find sustenance and provide for herself on the streets and yet she has found herself open before God saying she has nowhere else to go but to be honest with God and find her way back to Him.

I know a young couple who want to start their new life together on the right foot with God’s blessing and direction but have reservations about who is telling the truth out there. They have heard of God’s truth all their lives having been told one thing but having seen another. They want to serve God with all their heart, they want life to be good and pleasing to Him, but they have found they can’t trust what they’ve been told so they are keeping all of the things God has for them at an arm’s length because they don’t want to bring contradiction into their lives any longer. So, they are just staying away from God for now.

Interestingly, in all three of these situations their churches have told them that they are the problem. Their choices have made them bad people. They have been labeled as displeasing to God because they are travelling a different journey than the expected norm of the local church behaviors. I ask myself, “Has anyone read John 8:11 recently? How about John 3:17 or, Revelation 22:17?” Jesus and His church are all about the real life situations of people; their stories are all over the Bible!

Nothing has changed except we have attempted to redefine the meaning of God’s love. We want it to be the absence of pain; but Jesus said that He was here to comfort those who mourn, meaning there will be pain. We want it to be the elimination of dysfunctional behaviors and bad choices; but Jesus said He was here to set the captives free and bind up those who are brokenhearted, meaning there will be those who do selfish things and make bad choices. We want it to be sanitized and clean, what we call holy, before God and each other; but Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead us and teach us in the ways of holiness – it can’t be done by holding each other to a man-made standard of behaviors, because if the fruits of the Spirit are growing in us the more we will become productive and useful in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8).

Yeah, the church is supposed to be made up of the whosoever will and that means a lot of brokenness and a lot of pain and a lot of people who aren't all God wants us to be yet. I heard someone say once that if you find a perfect church, don't join it because it won't be anymore. The message of the Holy Spirit and the message of the church is supposed to be the same; "Come." Let the thirsty ones come-anyone who wants to. Let them come and drink the water of life without charge. (Revelation 22:17)

HE: Series

2010-06-09T17:57:00.000-05:00

"When man left that righteous relationship with God in the garden, there was more at stake than a curse, a sin, disobedience, and a separation from God; as if these weren’t bad enough. But, I believe that these are only the core things that we can identify and list; it’s what they “flesh out” like, or “live out” like, the subtleties of what they have done and are doing to us yet in the 21st century that I want to look into today." - excerpt from the "HE" series part 1 June 13th, 2010 at Branches Church

SHE Series Part II Excerpt

2010-05-06T21:07:00.003-05:00

"The common thread I see running through the stories of the women in Jesus’ life is that an encounter with Jesus is life changing! These women encountered Jesus while broken, sick, confused, abandoned, used, abused, neglected, poor, tired, mistreated, ill-reputed, determined and some just plain mean. But…they came to Jesus one way, and they left changed for the better. They were made whole, they were healed, and they were enlightened. They were rescued, redeemed, and relieved. They were accepted as they were and honored for who they were. They received purpose, were given respect, and handled with gentleness, goodness, and kindness, and restored back to life. 'The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.' – Jesus, in John 10:10" - excerpt from next Sunday's SHE Series Part II

SHE Part 1 Notes

2010-05-02T22:08:00.005-05:00

(These are my notes from Sunday May 2nd, 2010 for the first part of the "SHE" series)
SHE – is the crowning last piece of God’s creation. When all was created and God steps back and says it is all good…He raises the bar and says wait, I can go one better. This is good, but I can do better. We must always remember that SHE was on the mind and heart of God long before the heart or mind of any man. Ladies, if you’re alone and waiting for the right one to come along, I encourage you to remember who was thinking of you first…
SHE – is the mother of all living. God created Adam, God created Eve. SHE was the beginning of the rest. This makes her the last of God’s creation and the first of how that creation is to work itself out.
SHE – is Adam’s equal; not above him or below him but in his words, “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” Toe to toe, eye to eye, shoulder to shoulder…just like me.
SHE – is an independent thinker; a learner and adapter. SHE is more than the finishing touch on God’s creation SHE is what enables creation to be finished and flourishing.
SHE – is a friend and source of strength. SHE sticks with it through the tough times as well as the easy times. SHE is in the sweet easy life of the garden and SHE is there in the wilderness and sweat. SHE is there in the life and SHE is there in the death.
SHE – if SHE isn’t living in her God-given design…the rest of us aren’t living in ours!

Proverbs 31:10-31 is not a list of qualifications, requirements, or duties; but an observation of character traits that allow a woman to see where she is at in her life when it comes to her self-worth, or her relationship with God, or her relationship to her husband, her children, her boss, or her employees. It established her social standings and recognizes the depths of her involvement in her home and community and how capable she is to handle them.

Vs 10-12 deals with her worth to her family and their design
Vs 13-30 deals with the character traits that identify the design of this godly woman
Vs 31 deals with OUR responsibility to publicly give her recognition by letting everyone see these traits in action

I believe it all started here; where the scriptures in Genesis that say that the woman was created by God to be a “help meet” or in some translations “companion” for her husband has been reduced from “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” meaning “just like me”, or “equal”, to becoming a “domestic servant that will take care of my needs.” That’s the kind of mindset that has allowed women through the years to buy in to thinking that these verses in Proverbs are a “to do” list. We are hindered from actually seeing what is in them that allows fullness of life and the intended design for her that comes from the very heart of God.
Adam was alone. God saw that was not good so, He made him an equal; someone “just like him” - they were equal in the purposes and creation and image of God.

From the book “Captivating” by John and Staci Eldredge:
And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and conquer it, and hold sway over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the heavens and every beast that crawls upon the earth.” – Genesis 1:26-28
Call it the Human Mission – to be all and do all God sent us here to do. And notice – the mission to be fruitful and conquer and hold sway is given both to Adam and to Eve. “And God said to them…” Eve is standing right there when God gives the world over to us. She has a vital role to play; she is a partner in this great adventure. All that human beings were intended to do here on earth – all the creativity and exploration, all the battle and rescue and nurture – we were intended to do together. In fact, not only is Eve needed, but she is desperately needed.

The word used (ezer) to describe what God wanted to create for Adam is inadequately translated in English as “companion” or “helper” or “help meet”. What little girl dances through the house singing “One day I will be a help meet?” Or companion? A dog can be a companion. Or helper? Sounds like an assistant to the person who holds the real authority. The actual word used is only used twenty other times in the entire Old Testament and in every other instance the person being described is God Himself, when you need Him to come through for you desperately. It means to be there right beside you as a lifesaver. Or you’re dead!

We often blame Eve for dropping the ball first with the eating of the fruit. But I believe it was Adam who dropped the ball first. He neglected his original role as her protector, provider, and representative of God to her by not watching over her close enough to see what was going on and help her and keep her safe from the situation. He, apparently, had somehow assumed the mind-set that Eve was there for him and his purposes and needs; and because of that inward view of her role he was there with her physically but not spiritually, intellectually, or emotionally and missed the greatest need of her life.
After the disobedience in the garden when they ate of the fruit of the tree they were instructed not to, God explains that this was how it was going to be from now on…

16 Then he said to the woman,
“I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.”

This is the direct result of the sin they fell into and it is not a directive from God. We have wanted to take what God says here about her desire to control her husband and his rule over her as if God had for some “new reason” came up with a new way of relationship that will help them. This isn’t the way God set it up in the beginning…and nothing in the relationship had changed except - it is now viewed through and lived out as the result and rule of sin; it is not God’s declaration of their “new roles” in some twisted form of hierarchy…it is Him acknowledging their need.

17 And to the man he said,
“Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. 19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” – Genesis 3:16-19 NLT

He’s not referring to actual thorns and thistles or we could evade the curse and rule of sin by not working the ground and finding another career to work in. No. He’s talking about life being hard, and worry, and fear of not providing, and turmoil in relationships, and life will just be hard.

We haven’t come very far in all these years. Because of sin, both men and women have allowed this miss-guided mind-set of “God cursed Eve to be submissive and the man to be the ruler” to creep into the DNA of our relationships throughout the centuries and women have taken the brunt of the pain, slavery, isolation, shame, work, and death throughout the ages.
But her original design, and part of the redemptive purposes of God, is to be the lifesaver. This is what we see unfolding before us in the Proverbs 31 woman.

The original design for her is to be the lifesaver. Now, since sin entered their lives, SHE has become the tired worker, the slave, the sex-object, the baby machine, the cook and janitor, the maid or the trophy…the biggest complaint counselors get from women is: “I feel like a kitchen appliance.”
Proverbs 31 takes us to a new level
Verse 10 says, “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?”
Virtuous – a force of means, resources, virtue, valor, strength
This is not a quiet, mousy, hidden, and timid character trait! How does a woman find that kind of strength and valor and still not come across as overbearing turning everyone in her life away from her?

Proverbs 31 unfolds it a bit for us (actually in 17 ways)
13 – happy in her work
She looks for wool and flax And works with her hands in delight. NAS
14 – fun, treats for the family, always a surprise waiting for them, exotic
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. NLT
15 – CEO capable
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan
the day’s work for her servant girls. NLT
16 – has her “own” earnings to use at her discretion in business dealings
She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. NLT
17 – takes care of her body – lots to go wrong
She girds herself with strength And makes her arms strong. NAS
18 – business savvy and applies herself to it
She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. NLT
19 – a hands-on worker, not afraid to get it done, identify with the average “worker bee”
Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. NLT
20 – involved in the community with the less fortunate – benevolent, philanthropist – she
gives out and takes ‘em in
She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. NLT
21 – family’s satisfaction comes from her capabilities and skills
She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes. NLT
22 – likes to dress nice
Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
23 – likes to see her husband/brother/son/father looked up to because of her dealings –
the lifestyle is one of civic involvement – they belong
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of
the land. NIV
24 – an entrepreneur
She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. NLT
25 – has a plan and investing in the future
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 – a life coach
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. NLT
27 – involved in the daily lives of her kids and spouse
She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28, 29 – because of her involvement her family likes to stick around where she is – they know
by her investment in them that they are valued
Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous
and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” NLT
30 – knows that beauty is only skin deep
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will
be greatly praised.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Her priorities…

Among those who are SHE - There are those who have wasted or are wasting their influence and aggressively trying to overturn God’s design for woman by trying to make us believe that defining independence as equality will empower women with their “due” Independence does not bring equality, but one of the God-designed fruits of equality is independence
Among those who are SHE - their God-given gifts and strengths have been ignored or crushed in favor of doing what is expected of them in serving the needs of others
Among those who are SHE - there are those who have been mistreated and abused and exploited
Among those who are SHE - there are those who have never been given the opportunity to see how God has made them and how walking in that design makes them more productive and happy and fulfilled and influential, and successful
Among those who are SHE - there are those who just need to be told that Jesus is for you – regardless…because He’s not measuring you by a list of qualifications, He loves you and champions you as you are and wants you to be free and to live. (and guys, this is our example)
John 8:3-11
3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

I would assume the redemptive work of God is exactly that; redemptive?

What if we looked at this story in Jesus’ life and said it this way: Jesus, we found this girl caught up in human trafficking and we want to know what to do with her…
From the result of sins curse we want to look at the activity as a perpetration – she’s the perpetrator, she’s guilty.
From the result of redemption and God’s design and intent, we can see the activity as exploitation – a victim – and we want to do all we can to get her to a place where she can live free and be all that she can be with a safe, clean, productive, and cherished life. And not only is her heart restored with God in relationship, but her design and purpose as a woman is restored also.

So, if we were to continue thinking that the design and role of women is to be ruled under the world of men – we’re living under the curse and result of sin and not the plan of God’s redemptive purposes for us. To the women of this fellowship, I apologize.

I want to live in an environment where the women of my life, my wife, my daughter, my mother, my sisters, my friends, and the women of my church are living redeemed of the curse of sin; including its attitudes of submission and hierarchy that more resemble a crushed spirit and lack of identity and purpose than a righteous heart. That attitude actually reveals the fear, selfishness, greed, and lack of generosity in the hearts of men – not a plan for a woman’s “role” or design.

I, as a redeemed man, as a pastor, want to produce for those who are SHE an environment similar to the one our Lord made for us when He said to come and be set free from sin and death and its curse and begin abundantly living according to the design God intended for you through Jesus Christ; where you become a joint-heir with Christ, an equal in God’s eyes, rightfully called the children of God, and everything that is His is ours by the grace of God.

Mythbusting the Church

2010-04-06T17:23:00.003-05:00

This next series of sermon topics for Branches will be centered around the theme of, "Is it truth or is it myth?" We'll tackle some of those subjects that we too often just take for granted about religion, spirituality, expected behaviors, and long accepted practices deemed sacred...or are they?

Gone are the days of churches being able to tell their people that "we've always done it that way", or "you just have to do this or that" because of fear of disappointing God or worse yet, of missing out on your chance to go to heaven.

God is raising up leaders and churches in our country that are not willing to live in the imperial mindset; one that puts the individual second for the good of the organization and that you must do what the organization has always done in order to be right. When the church stops offering what we've got and starts offering people what they need - which is real life with a real God, not religion - then we will see lives transformed and hearts turned to God.

The Mythbusting series will take on some of those hard questions that keep people in the dark about what God's heart is for them and what we can do to respond.

See you in church!

Mike

No Fear

2010-03-12T15:13:00.005-06:00

We are going into the Easter season at Branches Church addressing the issue of not being afraid. Jesus was constantly telling His followers to not fear, not be afraid, and to have faith. We're going to be looking at how to not be afraid of God, our neighbor, and our culture, and how to live as the Body of Christ in this world.

I believe too many think that the objective of the church is to convince people they need to leave the culture in which they live and hide out in the four walls of the church --- that somehow it is the culture we live in we are to be extracted from in order to find God in the church. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is creating fear, worry and dread in our Christian churches. Jesus' last words to the church were to go out into the world. His priestly prayer in John chapter 17 asks the Father NOT to take us out of the world, but to keep us from the evil. What part of this are we supposed to be afraid of? None!

What is being twisted, or confusing here is this: it's not the culture we need to be removed from - it's our sin we need to be removed from! That's why we can separate ourselves from the surrounding world and still struggle with sin. We can stop being involved in the culture around us and still struggle with issues of indulgence, addictions, lust, envy, and pride. We can literally move ourselves to an isolated island and live alone for the rest of our lives, offering our body as a sacrifice to poverty and dedication to prayer and still die with lust and pride and envy and hatred in our hearts. It's not the culture we as the church need to extract people from - it's teaching Christ's work on the cross and Resurrection from the grave that separates us from our sin and empowers us to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. It's not separating ourselves from the world around us. Stop being afraid of it! Just stop already!

Paul asks the question, "Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?" He goes further and lists more things that are everyday occurrences in this present life: "Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away."

As we celebrate the Easter message of death and Resurrection, we know we can live without fear in this present life because Jesus has conquered it all and we are his, not our own! No Fear!

Good Words

2010-02-17T09:00:00.003-06:00

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad." - Proverbs 12:25

In the last two weeks I have seen this to be true. I have been with parents who sat in the hospital by their newborn as it fought life-threatening sickness with their only rest coming from the words of assurance that their God is with them and their church family loves them and is praying and standing by them regardless of their situation.

I have been with single dads and moms who have been through the ringer, so to speak, with the legal system draining everything they've worked for, their estranged spouses spreading confusion and then finding rest in the comfort of words that remind them that they are good and they are Gods...as they are.

I have sat and listened to dozens of personal stories from people who have been told over and over how wrong they are about this or that in their life and left with their heart heavy, filled with anxiety, and hurting, only to hear words of life that God really loves us as we are and we can't change that by believing a certain religious doctrine or following a prescribed way of doing church. But God is patient, tolerant, and kind waiting for us to hear His voice and come to Him.

I believe we can look at this proverb and accurately deduct that if it is words that bring the gladness to the heart, it it also the words that can bring the anxiety. The Bible teaches us that we will give an account of everything we say; that the tongue can be used for both blessing and cursing; that it is a hard thing to control; that it usually controls our life; and that a tree cannot bear both bitter and sweet fruit. Jesus reminded us that whatever we had in our heart would eventually come out our mouth.

The age old saying stands true: "Four things come not back: the spoken word; the speeding arrow; time past; the neglected opportunity."

Branches Church has come about because God has opened an opportunity for the doors to the Kingdom of God to be opened wider in this area. The Holy Spirit led our hearts to hear that call and we answered. But, there is nothing we can do to gain time back, to re-do yesterday, to go back to the way life was when it seemed easier or simple or worry free. There is nothing a person can do about choices made, once they were made the "arrow was speeding" and there it is. And so it is with the spoken word. We cannot get them back. But we do have a choice to control what they are BEFORE we speak them.

Branches is committed to being a safe, authentic, accepting, and growing place...

So, if our words are creating heaviness or anxiety in the hearts of others...let's be careful to consider the condition of our own eye before we try and clear the vision in another persons eye. The writer of Proverbs also said that a wise person doesn't broadcast what they think is knowledge, only a fool does that because it may be folly, and not knowledge at all.

"May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:14

It's February 14th and it's a Reality!

2010-02-12T17:54:00.011-06:00

This year, February 14th is not only Valentine's Day, but it falls on a weekend with all the winter activities of snowmobiling, skiing, sledding, hockey games, ice fishing, community fund raisers, shows, and the opening of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Oh, Yes, it is also the official day of the Branches Church launch as the newest ARC church plant in Wisconsin!

We are one of four churches launching this weekend through the Association of Related Churches. The other three are: Champion Center Church in New York City; The Freedom Church in Anniston, Alabama; and Second Place Church in Monee, Illinois. You can learn more about these and other church plants preparing to launch at the Association of Related Churches website at: http://www.arcchurches.com/

We are celebrating what God has done in opening the door to the Kingdom of God wider in the Dunn County area! We are thankful for everyone who has captured the vision of having a place where people can "come as they are" and joined the team to help build that reality. So, for Sunday, with all its activities to capture our time and attention, I say we are still going to have a celebration! I'll see you there!

Pastor Mike

Let's Start the Journey From Here

2010-02-01T18:59:00.004-06:00

We are coming to the end of our eight weeks of advertisements to the community that lead up to Branches Church officially launching on February 14th, 2010. We have tried to create interest and communicate in simple 'teasers' what Branches Church is all about. We started the week of Christmas and chose to run a different 'teaser' each week. Each ad began with, "Branches Church: Real People, Real Lives, Real Jesus" followed by:

Week #1 - "Still Jesus After all These Years"
Week #2 - "Keeping Church Uncomplicated"
Week #3 - "Thinking Outside the Box - Church"
Week #4 - "People Don't DO Church - People ARE Church"
Week #5 - "Because We Shouldn't Do Life Alone"
Week #6 - "A Safe Place to Grow"
Week #7 - "Just Come as You Are"
Week #8 - "Feel the Love"

God has a plan for the me He wants me to be, and the you He wants you to be. He is not a mass producer, but a hand-crafter. His plan for you will not look exactly like His plan for anyone else, which means it will take freedom and a little exploration for us to learn how God wants to grow each of us.

When Theodore Roosevelt Jr. landed on the Normandy beaches on June 6th, 1944 with the men he was commanding, they realized they had come ashore on the wrong beach. They were not where they had planned on being. They were not where other people thought they should be. The terrain didn't match the maps they had studied. They did not however, head back to the relative safety of the ship. They did not try to get into the 'right spot'. Roosevelt is credited with saying, "Boys, let's start the war from right here!" And they did.

From where we can see it as humans, we do not know exactly where God is working in someone as they start to form the intention of following God's leading in their life. They may not be where they thought they would be at, or where we think they should be at in this point of their life. They may not recognize God at work around them because it doesn't look like what they've been told it would look like. Or maybe they haven't left the comfort of the familiar surroundings they are in even if they are destructive or dangerous.

If the Church will stop trying to get the world to want what we've got (denominational affiliations, church membership, fellowship among ourselves, and member services) and start offering what they need, which is what people have always needed: God in their lives, we'll see transformation in those whose lives we touch. We'll see fruit OF the Spirit in lives being transformed BY the Spirit. Branches Church has been compelled by the Spirit to embark on a journey that will create a church community where people do not have to become 'like us' in order to find God.

We all learn differently, struggle with different sins, and relate to God in different ways. What we at Branches Church value as the measure of your devotion to God is not your religious life, or lack thereof, but simply your life; the trajectory of your heart toward God. We are going to start by saying, "Just come as you are, we'll start the journey from here!"

My Quote of the Week

2010-01-25T18:13:00.006-06:00

My quote of the week would be: Religion requires behavior - Relationship requires faith. I say that because it is not a prerequisite of Christian growth to do certain religious behaviors in order to please God. But the Bible says it is impossible to please God without faith. Everyone comes to Christ the same - broken and separated from God. No one is, or has ever been, or ever will be an exception. It takes faith to have a relationship with God, not how well we think we are being "good" at our religion.

We can have religion by dutifully following religious behaviors but that does not equate relationship with God. It does not forgive our sin, remove guilt, or reveal God's love for us. It does, however, give us some level of comfort thinking we can have something to do with earning our salvation or that we deserve it or are even owed something from God. Dangerous territory when we start to think we are responsible for our salvation.

God so loved that He gave; John 3:16. Next verse, Jesus didn't come to condemn. How do we get so far off track and try to "fix" ourselves or each other by requiring, controlling, or even manipulating behavior? I think it has it's roots in wanting something tangible to "do" or "prove" or "see". One of my favorite movie scenes is in the movie "Contact" with Jodi Foster. She is a scientist who wants to go into space and look for intelligent life. She was given this dream as a child from her single father after her mother's death. Her minister friend tells her to not take the risk and accept things on faith. She says she cannot accept things on faith because to be real, it has to be proven. He asks her to prove that she loved her now deceased father. She is challenged to consider faith because she cannot prove that very real truth to anyone but herself.

I cannot believe that God so loved this broken, mixed up world as it is, so that He would give us His Only Son so that we could try harder to do better at following religious rules in order to please Him! That is absurd! But it is also a cannonball dive into the world of faith. Faith is evidence of things we cannot see. Faith is relationship with God. Faith is salvation through Christ. Faith is knowing God's will for our life. Faith is knowing Jesus in daily living. Faith is even righteousness according to the scriptures. That's why without it, we cannot please God no matter how well we do church, or agree with theology, or are faithful in giving and attending, or which denomination we belong to.

I want my life to be more like depending on faith and less like depending on behavior!

Pastor Mike

Friends & Family Success

2010-01-18T18:29:00.003-06:00

We've spent months seeking God and praying; organizing church government, structuring administration, building ministry groups, establishing vision and purpose; and now, Friends & Family Preview Sunday, January 17th, 2010, was a great day for Branches Church! It was the beginning of the rest of our journey as a community of believers and seekers who want to do life together as we look to live everyday life in the good things God intends for us as His people.

I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone who stepped up to fill the needs of everything it takes to do "portable church" - from doughnuts to dismissal, from sign placement to nursery and conversations. I believe we communicated our vision and purpose well to the 170 people who were there. I am very encouraged by the surveys they filled out. They spoke highly of us being in the right place at the right time doing the right thing.

As God continues to complete His work in us, know that each week will hold new and challenging things as the Spirit directs our path into the will of God for this community. Always remember that Branches Church is safe, authentic, accepting, and growing. We come as we are, but we just don't stay that way because there is so much more God has for His people than just religion...He's offering life! Let's keep doing it together!

Pastor Mike

Friends & Family Preview

2010-01-11T19:55:00.003-06:00

This Sunday, January 17th, will be what we are calling Friends & Family Preview Sunday. Even though Branches Church hasn't "officially" opened its doors yet, we want to be ready for our "Grand Opening" on February 14th. One way we are going to do that is to share our vision and purpose and the way we do church with our friends and families, giving them a survey to fill out and evaluate their experience of attending a Branches Church service.

The principle is, we shouldn't do life alone. God made the Body of Christ to be relational and not just with each other, or other churches; but in using the hope that is within us and our generosity of spirit with relationships, families, friends, and businesses in our community. Sunday Church doesn't exist for God, it exists for people and we're going to do our best to get that right from the beginning.

So invite your friends and families, no obligation, but we do need their support with understanding and their input in order to measure our vision and purpose with the needs of the world around us. We have plenty of room, coffee, food, and chairs. The music will be fun, the children will have fun and learn, the day will be filled with hope and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The topic of the day is: Why Branches Church? Because We Shouldn't Do Life Alone.

Keeping Church Uncomplicated by Thinking Outside the Church

2010-01-04T08:20:00.003-06:00

Branches Church is about people. I know there are those who would immediately cringe at that philosophy and say that church is supposed to be about God. I believe the complications of religion begin right there in the why of doing church. One of the things Branches Church values is keeping church uncomplicated. So we're going to try to think outside the box of church, or religion, and see what God is up to in the world around us.

I once spoke with a guy who said he was reading his Bible and asking God to show Himself to him, but he didn't see God anywhere in it--it was just a bunch of stories about people. I replied with, "You mean stories about people who were trying to find God in their own life situations and circumstances and responding by either accepting or rejecting Him?"

"I never thought of it like that!" he said.

You see, even the Bible is written in such a way that we would have example after example of people to learn from, their footsteps to follow in, or their choices to learn from. Yes, it's God's Word - but it's not God, it's His Word. Much like this blog is not me, it's my thoughts and words put down for you to read. If you want to get to know me, come and visit, don't just read this blog. This format is too limited for me to reveal my whole thought process in.

The same goes for church or religion-- it's not God. It's not even for God, as if He needed anything from us. I can't imagine Him saying, "Oh boy, there's something I never thought of!" or "Wow, I never knew where to get one of these, thanks!" Church is supposed to be our expression of worship to God.

If we were to make church for God, it would become a to-do list of things we wouldn't want to forget and things we would want to remember in order to gain His acceptance or approval. Things we would define as acceptable or unacceptable. Things we would consider God is more pleased with because of the way we do them. Church would ultimately become about following the rules we set down for fear of not getting it right. We would constantly be comparing our own behavior to each other's to be sure we were doing it "correctly."

But if we make church about people, our church community becomes a safe place to share the ways God is speaking into our lives. Instead of comparing our to-do lists, we begin encouraging each other by pointing out where God is already at work in us. We begin to see where His life is showing itself in our daily living! That's the "why we do church" Branches is about - people finding God in the twists and turns of daily life! Uncomplicated.

Mike

So, This is Christmas...

2009-12-16T08:01:00.004-06:00

"So, this is Christmas and what have we done? Another year over and a new one has begun..."

An extraordinarily obvious observation by the song writer and yet an insight into a little soul searching and a nudge to each of us to do the same.

Let's put aside for a minute political preferences, who's in control agendas, personal convictions about government and its motives and lawmaking procedures, worries about who's really in charge, and...hey, wait a minute, that's the same kind of political environment God sent His only Son as a baby into - and not to change it or condemn it, but to live in it and save it!!

So let's go ahead and ask ourselves the question, "So this is Christmas and what have we done?" Can we include our activities this last year with those of Jesus, who though He was God, put aside his royal privileges and became like one of us, to live as one of us, be tempted as one of us, weep like one of us, be frustrated like one of us, be denied like one of us, be betrayed like one of us, and so on?

I think that too often we as Christians think we have become something that we haven't and it keeps us from living shoulder to shoulder with those in this world we live with and keeps us so separate from those whom Jesus came to save that we end up living our lives year after year frustrated that no one is coming over to "our side". Jesus brought "His side" into the lives of the people He lived with. "But although the world was made through Him, the world didn't recognize Him when He came. Even in His own land and among His own people, He was not accepted. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God...So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness."

So to quote another famous line from our culture, "...that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

So this is Christmas and what have we done...more importantly, what are we doing with what God wants to get done?

Mike

Blueprints

2009-11-27T20:29:00.003-06:00

For a few weeks now we've been laying the groundwork for the building of Branches Church. We've compared it to drawing up blueprints, staking out the building site, digging to bedrock, laying foundation, and building up the walls and structure on that.

We can see how the body of Christ has been compared to a building. Jesus said that He would build the church, and Peter said that we, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.

Even though we cannot see bedrock from the ground we walk on everyday, we know if we dig deep enough into the earth we'll find it. Let's compare this to searching for God...from wherever we are on this earth...spiritually speaking...dig around, look, and dig some more, and we'll find Him. He promised us that. Jesus said that anyone who searches for him will find Him; and anyone who hears Him knock and opens the door will have communion with Him.

We also know that it is unwise to not build a foundation on that bedrock. The bedrock and foundation is Christs' relationship with us...Matthew 16 "Who do you say that I am?" "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." "And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church"... I know you and you know me...and the teachings of the apostles and prophets. God's Word. 2 Timothy 2:19 says, "But God's truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: 'The Lord knows those who are His'."

The "lively stones" that build the walls are you and I. Alive because of Christ, and placed in the building as He sees fit. Everyone has a place.

So, as we are drawing up the blueprints for Branches Church, we have set four corners that will set the parameters for our building. They are...
1. A Safe Place to Dialogue, Doubt, and Learn
2. Authenticity; Real People Living Real Lives in a Real World
3. Accepting: Just Come As You Are
4. Growing; Becoming More and More What Christ Intends for Us to Be

If we keep everything we do within these parameters, we will find a healthy, life-giving church community made up of people and not one that is built for people.

Mike

It's Official!

2009-11-02T16:25:00.004-06:00

It's so good to be back home after our two weeks on the road in church planting training and assessment interviews with ARC (Association of Related Churches). Robin and I are wondering how we're ever going to remember all we've taken in so we can pass it on to you guys. As situations arise we'll be better prepared and able to proactively address them. And, there's always the books to open again and again!

ARC has officially invited Branches Church to partner with them in planting in Menomonie! It's an honor and a privilege to have the coaching, mentoring and accountability that comes with a successful organization like this. They will help nurture our strengths and coach us in our weaknesses until the vision of what God has placed in us is launched successfully and beyond.

As we continue the process of laying the foundation of a new work, we will find it is as much work inside each of us as it is putting our hands to work setting up a portable church on a Sunday morning. To help us in that process we are going through the John Burke book, "No Perfect People Allowed". Last week we completed chapter three asking ourselves these four questions as we build this local church:

1. When was the last time you really had a dialogue with a non-Christian person to try to understand why he or she held their particular beliefs?

2. If a spiritual seeker came into your church, would the average person try to convince him/her in one conversation to change, or be willing to dialogue and listen as much as speak?

3. Do you feel comfortable creating a culture where people could hang out, question, and doubt for months or years as they wrestle to find faith? What fears or concerns does it raise for you?

4. What personal mindset shift, vision-casting, story-telling, or organizational changes could be made to better create a culture of dialogue?

Branches Church is a "come as you are" place and although that seems a little simple, it is still a journey...for all of us; come as you are but don't stay that way. For some it is a journey of selflessness, for others a journey into their fears of pain and darkness. Either way, going from A to Z with God starts with A to B...and so on. So come as you are with us and we'll build this local church and journey into faith together!

Mike

Walkin' in Memphis

2009-10-24T11:05:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, as we were passing through on our way to Atlanta, Robin and I got to spend the day in Memphis. You know, Graceland, Sun Studio where Elvis, B.B King, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and many more got their start; as well as those who have recently recorded there like U2, Maroon 5, Bonnie Raitt, and others. And don't forget the best Blues and BBQ down on Beale Street you can find. We did the whole tourist thing - ALL OF IT - food to music to tours. Even the pan-handler who wanted to be the first to welcome us to Memphis...Too fun! It was just what we needed to relax and laugh and eat after last weeks intensive 12-16 hour a day training!

We were reminded as we toured Graceland and the VERY small Sun Studio building that life is a series of choices and investments. Not necessarily in the physical things, but in the eternal things that we eventually get measured by...what we become remembered for, what mattered to us, and that it is not about how or where you get started, but how you finish that matters the most.

Branches Church has the vision of being real people, with real lives and real Jesus; and living this out by accepting people where they are on their spiritual journey and walking that journey with them into a growing relationship with Jesus. (that doesn't mean they will believe like me or you on this or that...that is not the measure of spiritual growth - more on that later)

In order to accomplish that we cannot expect the beginning of our journey to look like the end of it. We cannot start with everything God has for us...it's too much. It's a journey for the church, it's a journey for you and me, and it's a journey for the guest and for the seeker of truth that uses Branches Church to journey together toward what Jesus has for their life. The start is not the end. It's a series of choices and investments in time, prayer, people, each other, our families, our community, and our relationship with Christ as we start looking more and more like what He is doing in the world today as His body. How we finish as Branches Church and the impact we have on people because we are following hard after what God is doing in our communities is what matters the most. Let's never forget that!

Mike

What Do YOU Think?

2009-10-21T16:58:00.005-05:00

"People can be accepted just as they are and still be lovingly challenged to become what Jesus wants them to be."

I would like to hear from you what this concept would look like in the culture of Branches Church...

People = There will always be four groups of people with us as we meet together... 1. the community checking us out 2. guests socializing with us 3. attenders plugging into our ministries 4. devoted followers of Christ stepping into leadership and investing in others

Accepted = you've heard me discuss the difference between acceptance and approval

As they are = with all the baggage that comes with bad choices, weak religion, nasty attitudes, opposing political views, lack of belief in God and all

Lovingly challenged = demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit, not allowing a "clean up your life" attitude to prevail, but demonstrating and mentoring Christ's call to follow Him as you are

Become what Jesus wants them to be = many of us may be stuck thinking that this may be all there is in life...Jesus came preaching more; more life, more of God, more joy, more freedom, more hope, more faith, more good, more love, more peace, more, more, more...and this applies to everyone of us right now regardless of where we are in our walk with God; or think we are!

Let me know.

Mike

Doing versus Being

2009-10-20T06:46:00.004-05:00

Real People, Real Lives, Real Jesus.
What exactly does this look like in a church? What have you seen in your mind's eye when you've heard this statement while hanging around the people of Branches Church? Everyone of us probrably sees something different based on our 'religious experience'. Let me give you an example:

Close your eyes for a moment, and imagine a sunset. Go ahead, right now as you are reading this...the rest of the words won't go away because your eyes are closed...give it a moment and identify the locations, the colors, the scene...

Everyone has a different description of the sunset. Everyone sees a sunset, but our descriptions are different based on our experiences. Some saw the sunset of their childhood. Some saw one from their youth. Some saw the sunset of their honeymoon in an exotic place they've never been able to return to. Some saw the sunset that someone else painted for them on a canvas. Some saw the sunset from their favorite family vacation spot. Some may have had the city skyline in the background. Some may have been over water or a shoreline. Some may have had mountains or a country field and barn.

What I'm saying is that the sunset is the sunset; we can all agree on that. Our description of it is based on how we've experienced it. It may be we couldn't make up our mind on which kind of sunset we want to imagine because we've experienced some pretty cool ones. Maybe, you didn't see a sunset with colors at all...it was the end of the day and dark and it's over and I don't know what to do next. It brought feelings of abandonment or fear or aloneness. I'm convinced that the same goes for church.

When we say we want to be a church for Real People, Living Real Lives for a Real Jesus; that we want to be a 'come as you are' church; that we want to journey with people in their walk with God; that we value authenticity and truth and being culturally relevant; I believe we all see the same thing but we would all describe it differently based on our past church experiences.

This is where the leadership of Branches Church is going to get down to the nitty-gritty and teach and model the DNA of the meaning of the teachings of Christ and not the 'this is how you have to do it' templates of religiosity. Being Christ-like is more important than doing Christian things. Having Christ-like compassion is more important than what we believe about sin in somebody's lifestyle. Being the Church of Jesus Christ in this generation is more important than doing church for this generation.

This type of attitude is going to be heard and modeled over and over and over again in Branches teachings until we get it...so be encouraged and keep seeking out what God has for us in Menomonie. He who has begun a good work in us will be faithful to complete it!

Mike

Our Weekend

2009-10-18T19:34:00.005-05:00

We missed being at home in Menomonie with the Branches congregation this morning. I am glad that this is Jesus' church and not mine or any individuals. We, as parts of the body of Christ, can never say we have no need of another part. THANK YOU to all of you who kept Branches going this weekend!! You have my deepest respect.

Last night and today Robin and I were on two of four church campuses with New Life Church in Little Rock, AR participating in the Saturday night service at one and the first Sunday service at another as they were simulcast to the other three campuses. Then we became one of the 'kids' participating in the children's ministry service. I've not moved that much to music since jogging with a cassette walk-man. (Hint: there's an age time-line clue here!) We had a great time learning about ministering to K-5th graders and the different curriculum that is available to us. These connections we're making are great for resources!

After that we had lunch with the Pastor and then sat through a new-membership class the way New Life does it. Ideas for how Branches can do some of these kinds of things are filling my head and we are going to be able to get together and get it down in writing as soon as we're back with you.

We are being affirmed as we hear what God is doing in the country all around us. There are congregations just like us planting themselves where people have distanced themselves from church and ultimately God. We are on a great time-line. We have made great choices concerning our mission and values, our purpose and facility, our governing, and our leadership. God is good.

Monday brings classes on vision, communication, decision making, marketing, and finance. Robin says her brain is exploding...wait 'till tomorrow dear!

We'll fill you in more later.

Mike and Robin from Little Rock

Identifying IT

2009-10-17T23:00:00.006-05:00

"Some ministries have IT. Some don't. Most churches want IT. Few have IT. When a church has IT, everyone can tell. And when a church doesn't...everyone can tell." -Craig Groeschel

Can you imagine what our church would look like if everyone had IT? IT is not about me, the leadership team, the building, the ministries, or even the people. IT is about God. And, when we all put our focus on Him, we will see things happen that we could not even imagine before. "Whatever you do, do it with all your heart as unto the Lord and not as unto men." - Colossians 3:23

IT is being moved with compassion for the unchurched who are looking for something in this world to hope in. IT is living with integrity and sincerity so that we might be qualified to give an answer to the hope that is within us. IT is relying on God's Spirit and strength and leading. IT is being down to earth authentic and approachable to this generation. IT is about brokenness and not what I can get out of it. IT is when our life, our ministry, and our purpose becomes about God and His people and no longer about us. Can you imagine?

As Branches gets underway, we need to identify what God has called US to do. Every person has 'something' on the inside of them that is related closely to their God-given passion in life and that is what you bring to Branches Church. That is where what we collectively value will show up. That is where we will find God will supply IT - if we let Him. Ask yourself, "What is one aspect of this wrecked world, that when I see it, touch it, get near it, compels me to do something to bring about change? This is your spiritual EKG: it's what brings you to action. It's what will identify IT...or not. The choice is ours. It comes down to us. It's not a formula or a personality, or a worship style..it's Jesus at work.

Mike and Robin from Little Rock

Basic Training

2009-10-16T21:12:00.003-05:00

Well, Robin and I have just spent our first evening with the leadership of New Life Church in Little Rock, AR. We were reminded of the reasons we plant churches...because Christ is calling us to. It's how He is reaching this generation. We should not define reaching this generation as 'doing what the church has always done' in order to wait for this generation to come to it's senses and seek out the church. No, it's hearing the voice of the Spirit calling us out of the dark corners of the safety of our church communities to step into the lives of the unchurched people in our neighborhoods and communities.
We'll do this by addressing five of the most used excuses for not going to church:
1. by not being weird and so different from them that they can't relate to us even in a casual conversation let alone the sharing of Christ.
2. by being relevant in our approach to how music is presented in our church
3. by being kid friendly, a place that is gracious and loving, a safe place, an environment for kids to grow and have fun.
4. by not asking for money in order to keep the church running, but teaching how to and allowing people to give cheerfully as directed by the Spirit and their own heart and ability.
5. by presenting sermons and teachings that are Monday through Friday relevant and practical.

We are not going to hold our personal convictions concerning how we as individuals live out our walk with Christ as the truth of the gospel, or the only way it can or should be done. But we are going to love people, we are going to be patient, and kind, with self-control, and let the fruit of the Spirit live deeply through us as we build relationships with people around us.
Branches Church is all about relationships. Relationships can be our greatest strength in establishing who we are as we begin, but also it can be our greatest weakness. If those relationships are not focused in the people around us but become contained within the culture of Branches church, we lose the reason for being laborers in the harvest, the reason Christ is calling workers to plant churches, the reason why Christ came to redeem the lost.

We'll keep you posted each day!

Mike and Robin

Be Prepared - What we learn from the Boy Scouts

2009-10-12T16:08:00.004-05:00

The Boy Scouts have a great motto: "Be Prepared". It has gotten many a boy, and man, through tough times or difficult circumstances just by giving them a fighting chance and an educated guess to work with. The preparation in living out that motto takes intentional time, effort, focus, and work on their part in order to "Be Prepared".

So too, the task before us in planting Branches Church. We say we are "Real People, Living Real Lives, in a Real World" but authenticity does not prepare us for action in our role as real people in the real world...being prepared does.

I'm thinking of two particular stories that Jesus talked about:
1. The Good Samaritan...Luke 10
2. The final judgment...Matthew 25
Both stories contain the accounts of people who had done the right thing by being prepared with what was needed at the time; medicine, money, compassion, friendship, food, water, clothing and the basic needs of life. Both stories have Jesus applauding those who were prepared for the task they found themselves in. He even went so far as to say that as they used their compassion and resources for those around them, they were actually using them for Him! It really hits home the Greatest Commandment; "love God with all your heart, soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself" and the New Commandment Jesus left His church: "love one another as I have loved you".

In wanting to be prepared, Robin and I are heading to a church planter's basic training. This training is sponsored by ARC (The Association of Related Churches) and is in Little Rock, AR and is seven days of intense unpacking of the things it is going to take to organize and establish Branches Church as a new congregation. It sheds light on what it takes to be prepared to have the best launch day we possibly can and what to expect during our first year as a new church in our community. We also have our Church Planter Assessment this month in Atlanta. It consists of a two day interview with ARC on our ministry, our game plan, our gifts and fit, the core team, Branches financial state, and how ARC can come alongside and help. Be prepared. It's a good motto. It's a lot of work and commitment. It's worth it.

I heard a story today about two farmers. They both prayed for rain at the beginning of the season but none was falling. One went out and plowed his dry field and the other waited for it to rain before he did his work...which one was living in faith? Be prepared. It's a good motto.

Mike

Sunday Night Bonfire

2009-10-10T08:44:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,

Branches Church has been invited over to the Knipfer's house Sunday night, October 11th at 5:30 - ? for a bonfire/hot dog roast. The dogs, buns, and drinks will be provided, just bring a dish to pass, a camp chair, and maybe a blanket!

Not having our regular Conference Center space avaiable to meet in this weekend makes this an excellent opportunity for fun, fellowship, and friendship as we continue to encourage one another and grow in our journey as we are developing our new church.

For directions or questions e-mail me at mrmdshay@hotmail.com

Mike

2009-10-05T18:09:00.003-05:00

What a welcoming and accepting atmosphere filled the air as people were gathering into Branches first service together! The facility was terrific, the smiles were contagious, and the coffee hit the spot.

Trevin and the worship team did a great job leading us in worship with purpose and the children were whooping it up in the kids room with Ernie and the team as the kids tried to describe God through games, drawings, and object lessons!

Thanks to everyone who was praying for us...from New Mexico to Florida, Chicago to MPLS and the churches in Menomonie! God is growing His Kingdom!

As we talk about how important knowing our own story, or journey is, we are becoming aware that the pain and successes, the joys and burdens, the trials and triumphs of our own life can be used to walk with others demonstrating the patience of the good Samaritan and as bearers of good news of the mission and message of Jesus Christ. Redemption and Life.

Remember, no service on the 11th of October - see you on the 18th!!
Mike

2009-09-29T14:35:00.003-05:00

This Sunday, October 4th, 2009 is our first group get together! 9am at the Conference Center in the Econolodge in North Menomonie. The coffee will be on and we will begin our unofficial gatherings as Branches Church.

We've been putting together our By-Laws, finances, leadership, and legal paperwork. We've heard from ARC and Robin and I will be attending a church planters basic training and assessment ASAP.

Going through the book 'No Perfect people Allowed' is stretching some of us, but it's up to us to create the DNA of our church culture from the start. If we leave out the intentionality of creating a come as you are culture, the way we do church will fall into what we are all used to - and we'll end up just like everyone else. We want to offer the gospel of Jesus to people right where people are at in life. Everyone has a story, you and I included, and we need to let those stories unfold and identify strategic mile markers where God has been at work in the midst of our daily lives!

So, see you all on Sunday!

Mike

Growing up Healthy

2009-09-23T17:50:00.003-05:00

I was remembering that Jesus taught that unless we become like little children we will not see the kingdom of God. The Apostle Paul said, "When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways." So I began pondering the difference between child-like and childish.

To me, child-like holds a connotation to pure, simple, trusting, healthy, whole, safe, ever wondering, ever learning, in awe, protected, inquisitive, relational, and growing. But, childish conjures images of temper tantrums, selfishness, anger, envy, it's all about me, immature, inappropriate, and unhealthy.

I see there are two ways in which we can live for and represent Jesus to those around us - childish or child-like. And everyday each one of us determines which way that flows. We have that same choice to make everyday over and over, every conversation, every disappointment, every phone call, every time we're faced with uncertainty, every time we're cut off on the freeway, every time we're feeling overwhelmed, every time we get it right and every time we get it wrong. I believe the key is to realize we have no more use for childish ways as we intentionally set our life toward growth and maturity in relationship to Christ Himself and His purposes for our lives. But growth and maturity doesn't come easy. There are a lot of life's lessons to be learned out there.

I don't believe we can grow our spiritual lives in a healthy, child-like manner if we are banking on the 'things we do' to get us closer to God. Things like going to church, doing good deeds, holding on to traditions, or our family's heritage. Healthy growth, whether you're a child in a family or a follower of Jesus, comes from whose we are and how we are provided for and the opportunities that are set before us to stimulate and challenge us mentally, physically, and spiritually.

So at Branches Church, we will intentionally set our activities and relationships toward healthy growth. Not from the things we do or how nice we can be, but in realizing who we belong to and that He is for us..." I am sure that God, who began this work in you, will carry it on until it is finished..." - Philippians 1:6. That sounds like maturity to me; where God does the growing in me. I know I can't get over the 'childishness' sometimes and need His guidance and reassurance that I'm on track. His grace and love are sufficient!

Mike

On your mark, get set...

2009-09-11T15:41:00.005-05:00

This being the first of many blogs for Branches Church, I have to remember that although we are excited about the vision and plans for the future of our church, we are still lining up to the starting mark. We have much work to do in the next three months. We are praying, talking together, recruiting workers, asking a lot of questions, looking for space to meet and how to use it to our best advantage. We've been working with people who have done this kind of thing before and getting their advice as well as rounding up resources. God bless us, everyone!

The most important thing we can do right now is to immerse ourselves into community with each other and continually reinforce the "come as you are" culture we want to create. As we've discovered, people are keeping church, religion, and ultimately Jesus at arms length, so we want to be prepared to meet them as they are, which can be hard for many of us. We're used to people trying to clean up their act before they come to church. We're used to putting on a "happy face" before we "do" Sunday morning with others. We cannot be offended or afraid of holding each other to the task of being accepting, loving, and nurturing. Jesus spent most of his time with people on the streets (in real life) and He championed them and their desire to be redeemed, made whole, fed, and have their questions answered. We will hold to this same mind that was in Christ.

We've been asking, "Why can't church be different?" It can if we do it like Jesus did. We must be willing to defend the vision for Branches "come as you are" culture with everything we've got. Not just "doing church", but "being the church" is the ultimate expression of Christ in the real world today.

Let's go!
Mike