too good not to pass along

I've never had the privilege of meeting Steven Furtick, although our coach from ISS was also his consultant for the capital campaign his church just completed in Charlotte, NC. But his post today was just too good not to pass along to everyone I know, so read this and enjoy

Sunday afternoon reflections

I had forgotten how much holidays like Thanksgiving affect attendance & offerings - but we survived this weekend, and still saw some new folks give their lives to Jesus, which makes everything we do worthwhile!

I also observed a lot of parallels between today's BEARS' game, and our church:

• you don't win football games or grow effective churches on one star player (not that I'm a star anyway, but seeing "The Ridiculous" Devin Hester couldn't beat Denver by himself lets me know this is still true!)
• when you don't have a solid team at every position, it shows (am I the only one that thinks this way, or are the Bears making every opponent look like Super Bowl champions? Man, it seems like every unsung player we face becomes a star against us)
• it's the little things that make churches effective, and win games! (too many examples to choose from, but blocked punts and 3rd-down tackles and extra-effort by Adrian Peterson after he should have been stopped all come to mind)
• What were you thinking? (Seriously, folks - why would anyone kick to Devin Hester? And, for that matter, how many times have you wondered that about churches? Or about me and some of the boneheaded decisions I've made through the years?)
• it's not over until it's over (not just today's game, but a lot of church services come to mind, too!)
• No matter how ugly, a win is a win, and it sure feels better than a loss.

Bottom-line for the Bears - I still think the season is over, and I'm really, really ready for Kyle Orton. (I really don't need to see any more tipped passes or fumbles to know Rex ain't it, Lovie - surely you know that by now)

Bottom-line for CLC - we NEED you! Regardless of how insignificant you feel your role is, the truth is, we cannot effectively minister to others without every member of the body fulfilling the ministry to which God has called you!

And speaking of your role: don't miss this weekend! Dr. Buddy Bell is not only as enjoyable and humorous a guest as we ever bring to CLC, but he will help you realize your infinite value as a "Gospel Helper" - Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 9 & 11:15 a.m., plus a special workshop on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. See you there!

What I'm Most Thankful For

Ok, I'll admit it's probably not real newsworthy, and thanks-living is better than an annual Thanks-giving, but here's my list for 2007 anyway:

1. My wife of almost 35 years - Chris, I never cease to be amazed at how you continue to grow! Your love for God and His people keeps me forever grateful that I get to share life with you, and I'm SO thankful to have you as my wife, my best friend, my lover!

2. The people of CLC - I've said it before and I'll say it again, if Chris and I were not pastors, but we lived in the south suburbs, this is where we'd go to church! I love the diversity, the sincerity, the incredible-giftings, and the energy of this church!

3. Chicawgo! I know; I know; it's cold & rainy and snow is in the forecast, but c'mon folks - you gotta admit - this is a world-class city! From the skyline as you come up Lakeshore Drive, to the incredible FOOD, to special places and events, and even our sports teams (well, that is a love-hate relationship) - where else would you rather live?

4. Did I mention food? Can't wait for tomorrow and Chris' thanksgiving delicacies - along with her parent's from Michigan, our children and 'the boys' (Jasper & Pedro) - it's going to be a good day, and I'm thankful!

5. The GOD who never gives up on me - the ever-faithful, always-powerful, wonderful Lord - I really mean this: I don't know how people make it who don't know Him (and I don't ever want to try!)

What are you thankful for? Happy Thanksgiving!

fighting at Thanksgiving?

No, I'm not asking about domestic disputes at your house or what menu to prepare for the big T-day.

I was listening to a CD teaching from my pastor, Bishop Joseph Garlington, this morning and he said something that made a lot of sense (he has a habit of doing that)

Bishop was saying that prophecy is often given to us so we have something to "fight with" while we're waiting for the promise to be fulfilled. In other words, just because God made you a prophetic promise, it doesn't mean it's going to come to pass automatically, without any pain or strain on your part. (Don't know about you, but that makes me feel better already!)

Instead, He gives us a prophetic word so we can use it in prayer as a weapon to fight the enemy's discouragement and doubt while we're waiting for the manifestation of the promise!

So after ALL the Lord has spoken to us this year, I'm not gonna sit around and wait any longer - I'm fighting for my promises, even while I give thanks for this season. How 'bout you?

young grandpa

Chris and I did something we've never done before: we visited Grace Tibbs' preschool class this morning for "Grandparent's Day". Since her mom, Carmen, has been part of our ministry since 1984, and all her family still lives in Missouri, I guess it's only appropriate for us to serve as surrogate grandparents. (In fact, Miss Gracie is not the only CLCer who calls me, "Pastor Paw-Paw")

But I don't feel too old yet, especially because of what happened yesterday before the 11:15am service after I introduced myself to a first-time guest. She asked if I was the pastor here, and I explained that I was one of several. She then asked if I knew her father, who had attended the original church from which CLC was started, and proceeded to tell me that her family had attended here "when your dad was the pastor"! I didn't even try to correct her :-)

YESSSSS! That's another thing I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving season. How 'bout you - what are you thankful for?

weekend reflections

Here goes, in no particular order:

1. Couldn't help but notice a LOT of folks missing in TP this weekend - I'm so spoiled by usually preaching to a full auditorium that all the empty seats was really noticeable. But I've heard good reports about the attendance at our other campuses, and all told, there were lots of new guests at CLC today, so I'm thankful!

2. Heard some incredible testimonies from our GO campaign, and how folks are already being blessed as a result (they say) of their obedience in stepping out in faith to make a commitment beyond what they could afford. In at least 2 or 3 cases, new job offers have already been received, resulting in hundreds of dollars in additional monthly income!

3. Talk about proud - that's the word to describe my feelings about our missions team that just returned from Senegal! Hearing the stories of how our team served 900 patients in 3 days is incredible, and even more wonderful are the individual stories of some whose lives were changed by our going there. My hats off to Drs. Yomi & Mope Akintorin and Julie Taylor, as well as the nurses and intercessors who served so faithfully on this trip under the direction of our Missions Director, Scott Pachol. You are my heroes!

4. Just watched the Bear's frustrating loss to Seattle, and I mean it this time: I'm ready for Kyle Orton and Garrett Wolfe! C'mon, let's at least see what they've got - it can't be any worse than Rex and Cedric, can it? Anybody with me on that? Lovie, are you reading this?

after the sabbath

Well, I survived!

I gotta admit, doing without my 'crackberry' for a full day really showed me how addicted I had become, as I kept reaching for it at different odd times of the day (glad I left it off and at home).

I know Chris enjoyed the fact that she had my undivided attention, even though my cold symptoms and sore throat kept me from talking as much as we both would have enjoyed.

I was surprised by the comments of several CLCers who expressed admiration - I mean, c'mon folks, all I did was disconnect from electronic stimuli for a day! But your feedback shows me how much ALL of us need to reclaim our lives from the 24/7 world of accessibility we're in.

I was affirmed to read (after the fact) of some others who have come to same conclusions, including Perry Noble here and Mark Driscoll here. In fact, Perry's recollection of a Rob Bell quote may be the most enlightening comment of all!

So I'm determined to continue this weekly practice.

How about you? Care to join me in disconnecting for a season, so you can truly be connected with the most important people in your life?

E-sabbath

I've thought about it and talked about it for long enough; it's time to do something.

I first got the idea from Mark Batterson, but I've heard several others talk about the need and the benefits in recent months.

So, starting in just a few minutes, I'm going to observe a weekly "E-sabbath", which means on my day off each week (actually from bedtime the night before, until wake-up the morning after), I'm NOT turning on my cell phone or going on the internet or reading/sending any email. Instead, I'm going to BE with my wife instead of being distracted and "just handling this one" when we're together.

Everybody needs to recharge their batteries occasionally, or risk a more serious problem at the worst possible time. At least that's how I see it.

What do you think?

serendipitous moments

Serendipity, according to Wikipedia, is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. And that's exactly what happened to me at the Externally-Focused Church Conference this week.

We (Dan Johnson, Doug Neal, Chris Payne and I) went to the conference in search of practical tips and ideas for making a greater impact in the communities that CLC serves, and we each came away feeling that we had made some important discoveries in that regard.

However, the biggest highlight of the trip for me was in a session about Volunteers, where I learned several new ideas that I believe will make all our ministries function better, help our priceless volunteers have more fun while serving more effectively, and enable CLC to be a better equipping church than ever before! (I just reread that sentence and realize it's pretty audacious, but I really do believe it!)

Ever had a personal serendipity, where you went looking for one thing and 'accidently' discovered something else of great benefit? I'd love to hear about it...

good feedback

Someone anonymously commented on my latest "GO totals" posting, and they were right-on.

Someday I'll learn to pay attention to the 'nudge' of the Holy Spirit, because the truth is, when I typed my post last night thanking the 77 families who stepped up into 'generous' giving, I sensed a little twinge that I needed to also laud everyone who got on board, since 100% participation has been our #1 goal since we first envisioned GO (and interestingly enought, it's where we really fell short, with only about 59% of CLC making a commitment).

So I'll say it right this time: if you made a commitment of any size, just the fact that you participated in showing your support for what we're doing in GOing, thank you! And if you're one of those who still hasn't joined us, not necessarily in an 'equal gift', but in making an 'equal sacrifice' by going before the Lord and responding in faith & obedience to what He asks of you - then it's not too late - but we NEED you now more than ever. Thanks!

Since dialogue is what a blog is all about, let me hear from you - did you ever get good feedback that confirmed something you already knew?

On the road again

I'm headed out early this morning with each of our Campus Pastors (well, the guys, at least - our wives remain behind to hold down the fort here at home) to attend an important Conference in Baltimore regarding "Externally Focused Churches".



This meeting is important because although it's not who we are, it definitely is who we want to be at CLC! Knowing the churches and pastors who are presenting at the conference, I'm very hopeful that Dan Johnson, Chris Payne, Doug Neal and I will come away with some key principles to help us become more and more the kind of church that our communities would miss if we weren't around.



It's a quick 36-hour trip, but I'm expecting good things as we learn and share together. I'll give you an update when we return.

GO totals

In case you haven't heard, we broke ALL previous records for capital commitments (in fact, seven times our previous high!) with a total to-date of $3.5M for GO!

We're celebrating that number, and we applaud the 77 or so families who stepped up to make significant commitments of more than $15K over the next 3 years.

But the most important thing I want to say is, IT'S NOT TOO LATE! If you have not yet made your commitment to GO, there's still time for you to get onboard and help us Move, do Missions and Multiply. Simply complete one of the commitment cards and turn it in at your campus next week OR email your personal pledge to our office today. Perhaps the easiest way of all would be to go online and set up your gift to be automatically deducted from your bank account or charged to your credit or debit card.

Just today at our Tinley Park campus we had another $50,000 pledged - so don't wait; get on the bandwagon and help us GO!

weekend reflections

Sometimes after a record-breaking weekend like we enjoyed last Sunday there can be a natural 'letdown' - but, although the attendance was certainly not at record-levels today, I can honestly say it was a good weekend at CLC.

In fact, I've already heard from each campus that there was at least one brand-new family present who made the comment, after hearing today's message, that "this is exactly what I'm looking for in a church!"

Gotta admit, I'm pretty pumped about this new series, No Perfect People Allowed, because it really addresses one of the core values at CLC, and one of the primary reasons that Chris and I started this church almost 18 years ago - because we intentionally wanted a church that would not pre-judge people (that's what all prejudice is, you know), but accept people where they are, as they are, and lead them to where God wants them to be. I know that sometimes as an organization gets older and more mature, it tends to leave behind some of those core values -- but we're determined that will NOT be the case at CLC.

I'm especially excited about the opportunity now to create that kind of culture of acceptance at all 3 campuses, and the response at our newest location in South Bend today where I ministered was especially gratifying - in fact, the entire congregation came forward at the close of service to signify their commitment to help us do just that! We really have a wonderful group of folks from the former Christian Tabernacle there, led by our Campus Pastors Chris & Amber Payne, who truly want to move forward into ALL that God has for them, and I'm excited to have them onboard as part of our CLC family!

I hope you'll invite a friend for next weekend as we take a deeper look at this subject and encourage everyone to "Get Real"!

planning retreat

Just got back in the office after spending the last 48 hours or so with our pastoral staff, planning the 2008 calendar and more. Trust me, it's not as easy as it sounds - trying to make major events work among all 3 campuses without overcrowding and being sensitive to holidays and other considerations. But we did it, and I feel good about where we're headed as a church.

Perhaps even more important, it was good to be together, planning and dreaming for the ministry, but also playing some games, enjoying some food, and praying for each other. I came away with a whole new appreciation for the TEAM that God has put together here: Steve & Shae Wasmundt, Dan & Pat Johnson, Doug & Shanna Neal, Chris & Amber Payne, and our newest additions, Joe & Sarah Dascenzo.

Real folks. Real Church. Real God! Chris and I are glad to be a part!

the stories keep coming....

Still hearing reports about neat things that God did yesterday, including this one from a phone call my daughter just received at home:

Jen had asked my wife to lay hands on one of her friends in the choir who is pregnant, mainly because her last doctor's visit revealed several fibroids growing in her womb, one the size of a baseball. At the close of service, Chris climbed into the choir risers to pray for her. After her exam today, the doctor said, "Where are the fibroids? I thought you had fibroids?" All the swelling was gone and she's healed!

Anybody else got a favorite story from yesterday? Let's keep it going - the devil hates it; I love it; and Jesus gets all the glory!

oops, one more record...

I knew I was forgetting something in my last post....

a 5th record we broke today:

largest commitment for a capital campaign ever - again, I'll save that total for this weekend (you didn't really think I'd announce it here first, didja?) - but suffice it to say that we've never come close to this total in our entire history!

Speaking of commitments to GO! - if you were unable to attend for any reason, OR if you weren't quite ready to make your personal commitment during today's celebration, it's not too late - you can email or call the office to report your commitment and be included in the grand total we announce next weekend. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Record-Breaking Sunday!

Well, I'm pretty wiped out by all that led up to today, but just had to report on the incredible, record-breaking Sunday we had at the OneFamily celebration at the Tinley Park Convention Center!

Here are the records that I know we broke for our almost 18-yr history:

1. Largest-attendance ever - while I don't know the exact count, from the number of chairs in the auditorium and the number of children that we did count, we're sure that at least 2,200 people worshipped with us today! Unbelievable!!!
2. Largest offering ever - I'll save the exact numbers for next weekend's celebration, but I already know our "First Fruits" offering to GO! exceeds any single-day offering ever!
3. Wildest 'party' ever - I mean, I saw some dance moves today I have never seen before, not to mention those giant beach-balls, animated videos and more. You really had to be there to believe it was happening in church!
4. Longest Sunday service ever :-( (Everything seemed to take a little longer than we had planned, but CLCers were troopers, and no one seemed to complain about the 3-hr marathon!)

I've got so many thoughts running thru my head of everything that happened today, and I hope to have some pictures up on this site soon - but here's what I really want to know:

What was your favorite part today?

I'd love to hear from each of you as to your impressions from where you sat. If you or someone you know received a healing or miracle at the close, please tell us about that, too. Let's get some dialogue going-

I love you, Perry

I know it's probably not good blogging etiquette to just copy and paste someone else's stuff, but Perry Noble from NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC really blessed me this morning with this post. Enjoy it, because it's true of you, too!

once-in-a-lifetime

That may sound like hype, but I really believe it: this Sunday's OneFamily Celebration at the Tinley Park Convention Center is going to be off-the-chain, once-in-a-lifetime, ridiculously exciting!

I just saw the final schedule yesterday afternoon for all that we have planned (Kudos to that entire GO Celebration planning team!), and I'm speechless! We'll be doing stuff that we've never done before (in fact, I've never even seen some of it before), plus combining all the worship teams from all 4 campuses (Tinley Park, Shorewood, South Bend, and Hispanic)....

I could go on and on, but I won't....just make sure you invite someone to be your guest and set your clock back Saturday night and don't dare be late on Sunday (in fact, forget the part about setting your clock back) - it will be so worth it! See you there-

GOOD eats....and good folks!

Just got back from an 'office blessing' for some great CLCers, Davis & Marissa Ferraria and Edgar & Priscilla Castro, who just opened a new office for their business, Accord Home Health Services, in Tinley Park. Both families are from the Philippines, and in case you don't know my heart about that, I'll say it again: "if you can't love Filipino's, you've got a problem!"


Best of all, Marissa and Priscilla made all my favorites: pancit, lumpia, Filipino fried chicken & shrimp, lechon, leche flan and some other stuff I love but never learned the proper name for - ummmmmm, good!

Even got a plate of lumpia and pancit to take home to Chris, who returns tonight! Life doesn't get much better than this...