TECHNOLOGY

What is our purpose here at the Gaylord E-Free Church?  It is to meet as many people as possible right where they are and help move them to where God wants them to be!  What is our vision as a church?  It is to saturate our county with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and let it bleed over into all of northern Michigan.  As a result, at the beginning of this year we embarked upon a 3-year vision plan that we believe God led us in putting together.  In my blog posting yesterday, I updated you on the aspects of our purpose and vision that dealt with radio ministry.  Today, let me update you on what God is doing in regard to other areas of technology.

As we entered 2013 we did so with a technology upgrade plan that was part of our vision plan.  Through the Ingathering offering last November and through other major donations that have come in since then, we are currently being able to accomplish this upgrade that should be done and operational by November 1.  This upgrade involves three main areas:

First, it deal with environmental projection being put into the Gospel Center and the Chapel.  Environmental Projection will allow us to visually change the entire front of our auditoriums into any scene or design we would like to help us enhance our worship and our ability to visually connect to the message.  If you want to see a very small example of what this can look like, simply click on the pictures below.

Second, it deals with a new lighting system.  This will allow us to make the stage much brighter and to use far more by way of colors to set the mood of our worship elements.  This will also allow us to broadcast with much more excellence in appearance.

Third, it deals with high definition cameras for both broadcasting and recording.

This technology upgrade will open up a whole new world of opportunities for us to be able to "meet and move" as we seek to saturate our county with the Gospel and let it bleed over into all of northern, Michigan.  Here are some added ways that we will be able to move forward in our purpose and vision due to this upgrade.

We will be able to start broadcasting the message in a quality video feed each Sunday down to the chapel so that those who attend our Classic Service will no longer have to walk down to the Gospel Center to hear the message (of course, they can still walk down if the prefer).  This will give more time for worship in our Classic Service as well.

We will be able to video all of the messages so that we have a video archive of the messages on line.  Currently we only have an audio archive of the messages available.

We will be able to live stream our services on the internet.

We will be able to produce and edit a quality copy of each message to use in starting satellite campuses as God leads.  In fact, through a connection in our church we are pretty certain that beginning this December we will be doing just that at one of the ski resorts in northern Michigan.  By the end of year we hope to have two services each Sunday at this large resort using a tape of the message from the previous week.  The first service at the resort would be an early service for those who work there and the second service would be for the guests.  We even have permission to promote these services at the resort.

Think of it this way, by the end of 2013 it is quite possible that each and every week the following opportunities will all be available to us as a church to do some serious "Meeting & Moving":

Three live services each Sunday morning here on campus including both of our Contemporary Services in the Gospel Center and our Classic Service in the Chapel with a quality video feed of the message being broadcast to the Chapel.

A live radio broadcast of our 9am Contemporary Service on The Eagle (101.5 FM)

My weekly live radio show each Wednesday morning on The Eagle (101.5 FM)

A weekly "Folks, Listen" radio broadcast of my messages on The Promise FM (90.5)

A weekly internet stream of one of our Contemporary Services each Sunday morning through our church webpage

Two satellite services at a local ski resort using a video of the previous Sunday's message 

Video archives of our preaching ministry here at E-Free available 24-hours a day through our church webpage.

This will go a long ways in allowing us to meet as many people as possible right where they are and help move them to where God wants them to be.  This will go a long ways in allowing us to saturate our county with the Gospel and let it bleed over into all of northern Michigan.  As you can imagine, this is a huge undertaking which is why our vision plan also includes the hiring of a Technical Director that oversee all of the audio, video, lighting and broadcasting areas.  It is our hope to include monies for is position to start on a part-time basis in 2014.

RADIO

One aspect of our 3-year vision plan here at Gaylord E-Free to meet as many people as possible right where they are and help move them to where God wants them to be is radio ministry.  This was something we actually were looking to put in place in year two of the plan (2014), but God opened the door for us much earlier when The Eagle (101.5 FM), a Classic Hits station here in Gaylord, approached us about the 9am slot that was becoming available on Sunday mornings.  For the last many years, this time-slot was filled by the local Catholic Church but was now going to become open.

After consulting with our leadership here at E-Free, we couldn't help but to see this as an open door from the Lord.  The initial start-up costs and the weekly air time costs was not in our current budget so we presented it to our church family asking for people to prayerfully consider a $100 gift above and beyond their regular giving, and within no time the total financial need for the rest of 2013 was completely met.  

It took a few weeks after our initial broadcast to work out all of the glitches but now our 9am Contemporary Worship service each Sunday is being broadcast live through a local secular radio station that reaches into over 20 counties in northern Michigan.  I honestly never go a week (and rarely a day) without having someone share a story with me about how God is using this extended outreach of our church.  It seems to break down into several categories of listeners:

I have heard from individuals who are part of our church that are going through physical trials and cannot make it to church.  They are so very thankful to still feel part of our worship by listening each Sunday to our live radio broadcast.

I have heard from individuals who cannot attend church on Sunday morning due to their work.  Yet, there employment is such that they are able to listen to our Sunday morning broadcast while they are at work.

I have heard from individuals from our church who do a lot of camping here in northern Michigan over the summer months and enjoy still being able to gather around their camp site on Sunday morning and listen to our broadcast.

But to me, the best stories come regarding the many who do not go to church anywhere, some of which are far from God, who are now listening to our broadcast each Sunday morning.  I am not exaggerating when I say that I hear stories about people like this each and every week.  

Some would question if having a live radio ministry on Sunday morning would result in people just staying home and listening rather than coming to church.  We have found just the opposite to be true.  In the months since we started our live radio ministry, our Sunday morning attendance is up between 20-25% over the same months a year ago.  In fact, last Sunday alone our attendance was up 40% over the same Sunday one year ago.  Most every Sunday I meet someone who is a first-time guest here at E-Free church whose first connection with us was our radio ministry.  

Through radio, God is using Gaylord E-Free to meet many people right where they are (home, work, camp sites, hospitals, cars, etc.) and help move them closer to where He wants them to be.  As a result, we have had 3,000 creative and attractive personal invite cards made that we will be making available to our church family beginning this Sunday that they can use to invite others that they know, who aren't ready to come inside of a church on Sunday morning, to listen to our service on The Eagle (101.5 FM).      

Along with our Sunday morning live broadcast, I also have a 15-minute live show on the same radio station every Wednesday at about 8:20am.  This show is not new as it was done for years by Pastor Jim.  This weekly broadcast is one of the highlights of my week.  It occurs at a high listening time in our community and has produced countless connections and opportunities for me and for our church in our area.

But it doesn't appear that God is done with our radio opportunities yet.  We are currently working on producing taped and edited shows of my preaching ministry here at Gaylord E-Free with the goal of launching a 30-minute weekly broadcast which we will be calling, "Folks, Listen!"  This new weekly broadcast has a goal to launch in November on The Promise FM (90.5) which is a quality Christian Radio Station located right here in Gaylord and which has a strong signal covering virtually all of northern Michigan.

Radio is just one way that God is allowing Gaylord E-Free Church to saturate our county with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and let bleed over into all of northern Michigan. Tomorrow I will talk about other aspects of technology that will be giving us many more opportunities to meet as many people right where they are and help move them to where God wants them to be!

MEETING - MOVING - SATURATE - BLEED

Here at Gaylord E-Free Church in Gaylord, Michigan, we are zeroed in on our purpose and vision as a church.  As a result, there are four words that you will hear repeated often and see in print often around our church.  This shared vocabulary is designed to help our church family as a whole to always be reminded of our purpose and vision.  Those four words are:

MEETING

MOVING

SATURATE

BLEED

Now how do these words fit?  The first two speak of our purpose as a church.  The last two speak of the main vision of our church.  Let me state them both for you.

Our purpose here at E-Free Church is MEETING as many people as possible right where they are and MOVING them to where God wants them to be.  

Our vision here at E-Free Church is to SATURATE our county with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and allow it to BLEED over into all of northern Michigan.  There you have it:  

MEETING 

MOVING 

SATURATE 

BLEED

As a result, we spent the last 6 months of 2012 formulating a 3-year vision plan to help us MEET, MOVE, SATURATE, and BLEED.  This vision plan focused on five main areas of our church ministry:  These include:

Worship Services

Children and Youth Ministry

Connection 

Outreach

Counseling

The 3-year vision plan that we believe God led us in putting together was very aggressive as we launched it back at the beginning of 2013.  But now, 9 months into it, we are amazed at the doors God has already opened up.  My hope is to use my blog posts for the rest of the week to share some exciting updates and stories as to how God has already worked.  

Will Jesus be at your church this Sunday?

You never know who you might miss when you miss church on a Sunday.  One Sunday evening when I was a youth pastor I was scheduled to preach.  As I sat on stage waiting to preach, a man caught my eye as he entered the service late while we were singing and sat in the very back pew.  He was an older gentleman who looked oddly like my own grandfather.  However, he was dressed in overalls (something my Grandfather would not have been caught dead in, especially in church).  He also wore a name tag that said “Charles Edward” and he carried with him a briefcase.

It was our tradition that our Sunday night services included a time for testimonies.  Typically people would raise their hand that wanted to share and an usher would bring them a microphone so everyone could hear.  On this Sunday Charles Edward raised his hand.  When the usher brought him the microphone, he asked if he could address the congregation from the front of the sanctuary.  He then came forward carrying his briefcase. 

He proceeded to tell us that he was “the tail of Jesus”.  That seemed strange but according to him, the Jesus that the Bible spoke of that was born in Bethlehem was the “head of Jesus” and he was in fact “the tail of Jesus.”  He then went on to tell us that in his briefcase he had something that would make worldwide news and that he was boarding a plane in the coming weeks with the contents of that briefcase bound for Israel.

Every person in the sanctuary was now thinking the same thing – this man’s got a bomb in his briefcase.  From the stage I could see mothers scurrying their children out of the auditorium while ushers prowled down the aisle looking for a chance to pounce on this mysterious visitor.  After what seemed like an eternity of his speaking, our Senior Pastor was able to discern that he was simply a harmless yet somewhat delusional old man.  He interrupted him and pointed at me saying, “See this young man.  He has prepared a sermon for us for tonight and we need to let him preach, but I’m sure that after the service he would be more than happy to spend as much time with you as you would like, hearing what you have to say.”

Charles Edward sat down and I preached.  No one in that church listened to me that night.  They all kept their eyes on the individual who claimed to be the tail of Jesus, still trying to figure out what he had in that briefcase.  When the service ended, Charles Edward came up to me, thanks to my Senior Pastor’s generous invitation of my time, and continued his very long story. 

I asked him what was in his briefcase.  He responded that in his briefcase were the blueprints to a superhighway that would be built from Jerusalem to Columbus, Ohio.  By the look on my face he knew that I was puzzled.  He then told me that when Jesus returned to set up his Kingdom, that he would return to Jerusalem but that he would then set up his throne in Columbus and this super highway would allow him to get there.  When I asked him why Columbus, his answer was very emphatic, “Because that’s where all the republicans are!”

Though completely true, this story is not a common happening in most churches.  After all, when was the last time you had a visitor in your church claiming to be “the tail of Jesus?”  That’s probably a good thing.  What’s sad is that many churches in America meet Sunday after Sunday and totally miss WHO church is all about – Jesus!  After all, according to Ephesians 5:23, Jesus is the head of the church.  As you get ready to go to your church this Sunday, be sure to take time to ready your heart to focus on WHO church is all about – Jesus!  

To finish the story, before Charles Edward left that night he asked me for one of our hymnals.  He also asked if I would write down my name and phone number in case he would like to talk to me more.  With a huge smile on my face I gladly wrote my Senior Pastor’s name and phone number inside of the hymnal and gave it Mr. Edwards, our mysterious Sunday night guest.

Having the Church in your Prayers - 5 WAYS TO PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH!

In Philippians chapter 1, not only does Paul say that he has the church in his mind and in his heart, but he also has the church in his prayers.  Paul then shares five ways in which he prays for the church.  These are five phenomenal ways for you to pray for your church wherever you attend.

Paul prayed that the church's love would grow.  Verse 9 says, “And this I pray that your love may abound.”  It's actually the idea of flooding.  Paul is praying that the church's love would flood or overflow.  Why is that important?  Before Jesus died, was resurrected and ascended back in to heaven, He gave a new command to his disciples which was to love one another.  Jesus said that by this one thing all men would know that we are His disciples.  That one thing was not the buildings we would build, the style of our worship, the quality of our programs, or the personality of our pastors.  The one thing Jesus spoke of was our love for one another in the church.  If we will truly love one another we will stick out like a sore thumb and the world will see it and the world will know that we are followers of Jesus Christ.  As a result, Paul prayed that the church's love for each other would grow. 

Paul prayed that the church would make wise decisions.  At the beginning of verse 10 he says, “So that you may approve the things that are excellent.”  Every day leaders in the church have to make decisions for the church.  You know what I've discovered?  It's going to shock you.  Leaders in the church never make a decision that every single person likes.  Someone is always disappointed.  I like what I heard John Ortberg say, “Leadership is disappointing people at a rate they can stand.”  That's a pretty good definition of leadership right there.  Folks, listen, we can't all be in on the decision making process but we can all be part of praying for those who do make the decisions.

Paul prays that the church would avoid sin.  The end of verse 10 says, “That you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.”  If you are old enough you will remember a time in the American church when the church of Jesus Christ took a real beating because some highly visible leaders in the church fell.  And you know what happens when one visible person in the church falls?  It affects the reputation of all in the church.  You know what happens when one person who attends your church lives a hypocritical life outside of the church?  It affects the reputation of everybody in your church.  We need to pray for each other, especially for our leaders in the church, that we will avoid sin.  It takes years, even decades, to develop credibility.  It takes minutes to lose it.  So Paul says that when it comes to praying for the church, we need to pray that the church would avoid sin. 

Paul prayed that the church would be involved in serving.  Look at verse 11 – “Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness.”  We need to pray that the church will have an influence in our community, that the church would be outward focused, that the church would make a difference.  The sad fact is that there are many churches in America that could close their doors today and their community would not even notice they were gone.

That's one of the things that drew me to the E-Free Church here in Gaylord, Michigan.  I remember when my family came, our first visit to Gaylord.  We were walking through the town and wherever we walked we would ask people about the Evangelical Free Church.  We were amazed.  People everywhere spoke so highly of it and they had all heard of it.  We went into one store where there was a greeter.  Somehow that greeter could tell we were not locals.  I'm not sure how he knew.  It's not like we had cameras around our necks but he knew.  When I asked him about the E-Free Church, he said, “That church is the best thing this town has going.”  I said, “Really?  How long have you attended?"  He said, “I don't go there.  I attend a different church but that church is the best thing this town has going.”  E-Free Church is a church that has had and is still having an impact on our community and we need to pray that this continues.

Paul prayed that the church would bring glory to God.  The end of verse 10 says, “Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”  Folks, listen.  We don't do what we do in order that someday people will go, “Wow!  What a church!”  That's not why we do what we do.  What we deeply desire is that God will use us in such a way that people all over northern Michigan will hear about it, will see it, will experience it, and go, “Wow!  What a God that church serves.”  We need to pray that we as a church will bring glory to God. 

When you get burned by the church!

In my blog post yesterday we saw the first aspect from Philippians chapter one as to how Paul had the church in his mind – how he thought about the church.  When he thought about the church he did so with thanksgiving.  Today let me share a second way that the Apostle thought about the church.

The Apostle Paul also chose to think of the church with joy.  We see this in verse 4 in which he says that he was, “always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all.”  When Paul thought about the church at Philippi, he did so with joy.  Please keep in mind that there is a big difference between joy and happiness.  He doesn't think of the church with happiness.  The truth is that the church doesn’t always make us feel happy. 

In fact, if you're to follow through the story of Paul, especially in the later portions of Philippians chapter one, you will find out that some of his experience with the church and with “church people” did not produce much happiness in his life.  There is a difference between joy and happiness.  Happiness is a feeling that comes and goes based on our circumstances.  Let me say it again - the church doesn't always make you happy.  However, Paul says, when I think of the church, I do so with joy.  Joy is an inner contentment in spite of outward circumstances.  Even though all the experiences Paul had with believers were not wonderful, he still have an inner contentment when he thought about the church. 

Let’s be honest - the truth of the matter is that the church is made up of humans and humans hurt people.  Have you ever been hurt by a church?  I bet that most every person that has ever attended church for any length of time has experienced hurt at the hands of the church.  Why?  Because churches are made up of humans – just like families are.  Who hasn’t been hurt at some point by a family member?  We all have!  Why?  Because families are made up of humans. 

The greatest hurt I have ever experienced in my life was church related.  It was a hurt that could have turned me off to the church forever.  But as I went through that time of great hurt in my life, I remember praying a prayer every single day.  My prayer was simple.  I prayed, “God, when this is all over, no matter what it looks like and no matter where I'm at (and at that point I had no idea that I would end up in Gaylord, Michigan), please let me be more in love with the local church than ever before in my life.”  And I can tell you that God answered that prayer.  As a result, even though the greatest hurt I have ever experienced came at the hands of the church, I can honestly say that I am more in love with the church and more passionate about the local church today than ever before in my life.  I can say what Paul says - I have the church in my mind and when I think about the church I choose to think of the church with joy. 

I have the church in my MIND!

In the first chapter of the book of Philippinas we see what I like to call "Four Cheers for the Church" as we see Paul had the church in his mind, in his heart, in his prayers,and in his life.  When Paul speaks of having the church in his mind, he's speaking about his intellect.  When Paul speaks about having the church in his heart, he's speaking about intimacy.  When Paul talks about having the church in his prayers, he's speaking about intersession.  And when Paul talks about having the church in his life, he's speaking about involvement. 

I can certainly understand Paul's feelings about the church.  Like Paul, I too love the local church.  I always have.  The church I grew up in was called Goodyear Heights Community Church and it was located in my home town of Akron, Ohio.  My grandpa pastored this church and my dad, though he wasn't a pastor, was on every board and committee in this church.  When I was growing up my family's mantra was, "If the church doors were open the Distler family was there - four pews back piano side."  But my dad was also the church janitor so not only was the Distler family in church any time the doors were open, our family was also in church many times when the doors were closed.  To say that I spent more time in the church than I did in my house is not an understatement at all.

I loved being in the church.  Even as a teenager when I would come home from school I would often grab my dad's keys to the church (with his permission, of course) and I would go up to the church and I would do my homework in the church.  I'd take my trumpet with me and practice it in the church.  To this day I can close my eyes and I can take you on a tour and describe for you every nook and cranny of that church.  I can still smell that musty fellowship hall where we spent so much time.  

As a result, I grew up in love with the church.  It's my passion.  My passion in life is to see people come to faith in Jesus Christ through the local church.  So when the apostle Paul says that he has the church in his mind, in his heart, in his prayers, and in his life, I understand exactly what he's talking saying.  Paul begins by saying that he had the church in his mind and he shows four ways this was true.  

Number one, when it came to his thoughts about the church, Paul chose to thank God for the church.  When he thought about the church, he thought about it with thanksgiving.  In verse 3 of Philippians chapter 1, he says, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you."  You need to understand, when he's writing the book of Philippians, he's actually in prison in Rome.  He's writing to a church located in the city of Philippi in the region of Macedonia.  It was a church that ten years earlier Paul had started on his second missionary journey.  

He went to the city of Philippi and his first convert was a woman by the name of Lydia who was a seller of purple cloth.  It ends up, however, that Paul and Silas (his ministry colleague) get thrown into prison due to their ministry.  Acts 16 tells us that they took Paul and Silas and they beat them with rods and then threw them in jail and put them in stocks.  When you think of stocks, don't think of the Salem Witch Trial kind of stocks that you put your head and hands through.  In Bible times, a stock was a 6 to 8-foot log where they would take one of your ankles and chain it to one end of the log.  Then they would spread your legs apart, further than they're intended to go, and they would chain your other ankle to the other end of the log.  And after being beaten with rods, Paul and Silas, in excruciating pain, are now in stocks in prison.  

The Bible says that while they are in stocks they are singing praises to God.  I guarantee you that in that position they were singing soprano, but they're singing praises to God.  About midnight, God sends an earthquake.  The earthquake is so amazing that it opens all of the jail cells.  The jailer takes his sword and he's going to kill himself because in the Roman culture if you were a guard and your prisoner escaped you would be executed.  So rather than being executed he decides to kill himself.  But before he can, Paul and Silas say, "Wait, we're all still here!"  And this jailer, who heard them praising God in the midst of their pain and who experienced the earthquake, runs in to the jail cell, falls on his knees and asks, "What must I do to be saved?"  Paul says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."  This Philippian jailer puts his faith in Jesus, as does his family, and they all get baptized and this church is born in the city of Philippi. 

Now, ten years later, with Paul in prison in Rome, he says, when I think of that church, when I think of what God did, when I think of those individuals, I can't help but choose to be thankful for the church.  I feel the same way about that little church that I grew up in in Akron, Ohio.  When I think of that church I can't help but to be thankful.  It was through the ministry of that church when I was a child, at a good news club taught by my aunt, that I put my faith in Jesus Christ.  It was in that church at the age of 8 that pastor Bruce Black baptized me.  It was in my pre-teen years at a missions conference in that church that I went forward and surrendered my life to full-time Christian service.  Most of my Biblical foundation of learning the Bible and all of the stories that are in the Bible, I learned in that little church. 

I understand what Paul's saying when he says when I think of the church, I can't help but to choose to be thankful.  He had the church in his mind.  So do I.  

It's Monday - Let's Laugh a Little!

I once heard someone new to the church being asked why they had chosen to start attending.  Their answer was simple, “Because I always find a reason to laugh!”  I think that’s great.  Actually, laughing is one of my most favorite things to do.  The only home that I can think of that would be worse to grow up in than a home that never heard music would be a home that never heard laughter.  Now, I realize that there is also a place for seriousness in church, but let’s not underestimate the spiritual, emotional and physical value there is to laughing…even in church!

According to information on the Discover Health Website, by the time a child reaches nursery school, he or she will laugh about 300 times a day.  Guess how many times a day an average adult laughs?  Only 17 giggles a day, and that's just not enough. We need to laugh, and we need to laugh on a regular basis.  Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart does good like medicine."  In other words, laughter is good for your body. Laughter actually stimulates circulation, produces a sense of well-being, exercises the face and stomach muscles, stimulates the production of endorphins (the body's natural painkillers), and provides oxygen to the brain, to name just a few benefits. 

According to an article called the "Science of Laughter" on the Discovery Health Website, natural killer cells that destroy tumors and viruses are increased when we laugh, along with Gamma-interferon, which is a disease-fighting protein. In addition, T-cells which are important to our immune system and B-cells that produce disease-fighting antibodies also increase in number when we laugh. Plus, laughter has been known to lower a person's blood pressure.  

Laughter is good for your heart.  According to a study at the University of Maryland Medical Center, laughter may actually help prevent heart disease.  The study found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease. Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against heart disease.

Laughter is a good workout: It has been proven that hearty laughter actually burns calories, as many as equivalent to several minutes on a rowing machine or an exercise bike.  Laughter can also enhance learning:  Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain to enhance learning. In fact, laughter eases muscle tension and psychological stress, which keeps the brain alert and allows people to retain more information.

Researchers suggest that we need a minimum of 12 laughs per day just to stay healthy. So, go ahead. laugh it up.  Charles Swindol wrote, “I think it is just as sacred to laugh as it is to pray, or preach, or to witness.”  Barbara Johnson said, “Love may make the world go round, but laughter keeps you from getting dizzy.”  I agree!  Psalm 126:2 states, “Our mouth was filled with laughter.”  I hope that is always one of the characteristics of the church I pastor!

Is BIG FOOT Real?

I spent some time this week with my wife and her parents up in the Upper Peninsula here in Michigan.  I have grown to really love spending time in the U.P. and this week was no exception - especially with the fall colors sitting at about 40% of peak!  But it appears that I may not be the only one who loves spending time in the beauty of the U.P.

One night we were at a scenic overlook in Munising, overlooking the great Lake Superior where we met two gentleman doing some video taping.  As we got talking to them we discovered that they both worked with the cable television station - The Animal Planet, and they were in the Munising are of the Upper Peninsula looking for evidence of BIG FOOT!  No - I am not kidding!!!

These guys were from southern California but travel all over the world following sightings of BIG FOOT.  And, yes, there has been sightings in recent years of this creature in the Hiawatha National Forest in the U.P.  I have to be honest - learning this information didn't do me a lot of good on those nightly walks from the camper to the bath house in the pitch black with noises all around me in the woods!

So, is BIG FOOT real?  I haven't the foggiest idea!  I can tell you that I personally did not run into him (or maybe it's a her) during my week up north (for which I am very, very thankful!)!

But let's be honest - weird experiences do happen.  Many people have had experiences where they have been visited by a dead relative.  Others tell of hearing the voice of a dead relative.  Still others tell of feeling the presence of dead relatives.  Some can share stories in which it appears that a dead relative gave them a physical sign of some sort.  These experiences are real, but what exactly are they?

Last week, as we started our new series, "Mythbusters: Are Ghosts Real?"  I answered the question with a definite YES!  The spirit world is teeming with life.  God is a spirit.  The third person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit.  God created countless spirit beings called angels, many of which fell and became demons.  The spirit of every person since Adam who has ever been conceived and died still exists.  The truth is that there is more life in the spirit world than there is in the physical world. 

But how does this play into these kinds of visitation experiences?  Is it possible for the spirits of dead people to return to the physical world?  This week we will look beyond experiences to the pages of the Word of God to answer this question.  I hope you will join us through the following avenues:

ATTEND!  We have 3 services this Sunday here at Gaylord E-Free Church!  We have a Classic service that is more traditional in style at 9am in the Chapel.  We then have two Contemporary Services in the Gospel Center at 9am and 10:30am.

LISTEN!  Our 9am Contemporary Service is broadcast live on the radio on The Eagle (101.5 FM) here in Northern Michigan.  Beginning by Monday afternoon, you can also listen to the audio of the message at our church website (www.gaylordefree.org).

I'm not sure I can answer the question, "Is BIG FOOT real?"  However, I am pretty certain that I can answer the question, "Do the spirits of the dead ever return to the land of the living?"  Attend or listen this Sunday to find out!  

What Christians Can Learn From Catching Monkeys

Several years ago, a young girl wrote in to the Ann Landers advice column that was in her local newspaper with the following question:

“Dear Ann, I am a 13 year old girl who is tired of getting yelled at by my parents all of the time.  All I hear from morning until night is, ‘Clean up your room!  Pick up your clothes!  Do your homework!  Finish your chores!’  How can I get them off my back?  Signed, Sick of Parents.”

Ann Landers wisely responded in this way:

“Dear Sick, You want to get your parents off of your back?  It’s easy…clean up your room; pick up your clothes, do your homework and finish your chores!”

Why is it that so many of us struggle with being obedient and hating sin in our lives?  I think that one of the main reasons is due to the fact that we do not understand how hunters catch monkeys.  In some regions monkeys are considered a delicacy and hunting for monkeys is an art.  Here is what they do.  The take a coconut and cut a hole in the end of it that is just big enough for a monkey to get its finger and thumb into it, but if he grabs a piece of the coconut inside, he cannot get his finger and thumb back out again.  They then tie a coconut to a stake, pound the stake into the ground, and then they go wait in the bushes.

Sure enough, a monkey ultimately comes along.  He picks up the coconut and puts his finger and thumb inside the hole, grabbing a piece of the fruit inside.  Try as he might, the monkey cannot get his finger and thumb back out.  He shakes the coconut trying to free it from the stake.  Meanwhile, out of the bushes come the hunters with their knives, spears, tanks and bazookas.  The monkey sees them coming.  He knows he is in danger.  The monkey knows that all that he has to do is let go of the piece of coconut inside and scram.  But instead, the monkey becomes monkey stew.

Such is the case with many Christians.  We have coconuts in our lives.  These are sins that we know are displeasing to God.  We know that they are causing us harm.  Yet, we won’t give up the coconuts.  What does it mean to hate and forsake sin in our lives?  It means to take the coconuts that we are hanging on to and to throw them as far away from us as we possibly can.

So tell me, is it true in your life?  Are there any coconuts in your life that it’s time to get rid of?  Are there any secret sins that you have been holding on to for far too long?  How true are the words of the Psalmist when he writes, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1-2).  Maybe it’s time to clean up the room, pick up the clothes, do the homework, and finish the chores.

A PARTY with a PURPOSE

Who doesn’t like a party?  Not only are they are great way to enjoy some time with friends, they also can be a wonderful tool to help people meet Jesus.  Who ever knew that evangelism could be so fun?  If you’re not convinced, just look at the story of Levi in the Gospel of Luke.  He’s a tax collector.  That would have made him one of the most hated men in Capernaum.  In the culture of that day, due to their status as traitors, they would have no social interaction with anyone else who was not also on the same low level as they were.

Levi, however, meets Jesus one day and his entire life changes in an instant.  And what is the very first thing that he does afterwards?  The Bible says that Levi gave a big reception in his house.  The Bible also says that there was a great crowd that attended.  We are talking lots of people.  That tells us that Levi’s house was pretty big from the money he made as a tax collector.  Let’s break this party down. 

According to the Bible, Jesus is the guest of honor at this party.  But remember, it’s a huge party with lots of people.  So who else is there?  The Bible says it is a great crowd of other tax collectors and sinners.  That makes sense.  Remember, if you're living in Israel at that time and Levi the tax collector called you up and said, “Hey, want to come over to my house for dinner?”  What would your answer have been?  It would have been, “Not on your life!”  No well-respecting Jew would ever go in to the home of a tax collector.  So the only people that tax collectors could hang around with were other tax collectors who were just as rotten and nasty as they were.  And with them there were other sinners.  This involved anyone else that wasn't welcomed in society like prostitutes, swindlers, robbers, and the like.  This party contained the “who's who” of riff raff in Capernaum.  Those at this party made up the underbelly of Capernaum. 

With that in mind let me ask you a question.  Do you think possibly there may have been some foul language at this party?  Do you think there may have been a few dirty jokes told at the party?  I bet there was on both accounts.  But, yet, here's Levi and Jesus.  And what are they doing?  Nowhere in the text is there any evidence that Jesus preached at this party.  Instead, the only thing it says that He did was to recline at the table with the guests.  Keep in mind that in the culture of that day you didn't sit in chairs at a dining room table.  The tables were very low and you reclined on pillows as you ate and talked. 

Folks, listen, you would never recline at a table with an enemy.  You wouldn't do it.  You only reclined at a table with a friend.  What's Jesus doing?  He's reclining at the table with tax collectors.  He's reclining at the table with sinners - with the riff raff, with the underbelly of Capernaum.  This is such an incredible story to show us that Jesus Christ is a friend of sinners. 

As Jesus reclined at the table with them, what does He do?  The only thing we can guess happened was that there was a lot of incredible conversation learning each other's names and telling about each other.  And what was the motive behind it all?  Why did Levi do it?  It's obvious from the text.  He wanted his friends, even though they were the riff raff and underbelly of society, he wanted his friends to meet Jesus.  Levi had just met Jesus.  His life had changed and he was so excited about it that he wanted his friends to meet Jesus, too.  So he throws a party designed for his friends to rub shoulders with Jesus, the ultimate friend of sinners. 

Did it have an impact?  When you read through the rest of the gospels, you discover that wherever Jesus goes, the tax collectors are trying to get close to Him.  You know why?  They did so because no other rabbi in all of Israel would dare befriend a tax collector.  But Jesus did.  And now they wanted to be with Him. 

Folks, listen, that is a powerful lesson for you and I today as individuals and as a church.  When we begin to rub shoulders with lost people and really show them that we care about them, they will be drawn to this place.  And as a result, they will be drawn to Jesus.  Party on!

Four Lessons from a Royal Wedding

The story of Esther is one of my favorites in the Bible.  Take time to go back and read it again like you were doing so for the first time.  It’s like a mixture of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast all rolled up into one.  From this amazing story you will see four amazing lessons.   

Lesson #1 - God is always at work behind the scenes orchestrating your life.  Do you realize that while you're sitting there reading this blog post, God is working behind the scenes orchestrating your life.  In the story of Esther, God was working behind the scenes orchestrating the lives of people to get them exactly where He wanted them.  I don't know about you but that gives me so much confidence.  I don't have to fear.  I don't have to worry.  I don't have to live with anxiety because God is always at work behind the scenes orchestrating my life.  God is working behind the scenes even when it looks like evil is winning.  God is even working behind the scenes when you face disappointment.  You see, God knows the future.  And even in your disappointments God is orchestrating your life.  That is amazing.  Never forget that lesson. 

Lesson #2 - The people God uses are usually the unexpected ones.  Whoever would have thought a Jewish orphan would become the queen of Persia and be used by God to save an entire nation from extinction?  If you're sitting there reading this post and you're thinking to yourself, I am the last person God would ever use, then chances are really good you might be the next person He chooses.  Because the people God uses are usually the unexpected ones. 

Lesson #3 - God is never absent in our lives and in our circumstances.  You know what's amazing about the book of Esther?  Not once, not even once, does the book of Esther ever mention the name of God.  You can't find it. In fact, there's not even a pronoun referring to God in the book.  That's why many people did not feel Ester should be part of the Bible because how can a book be part of the Bible that doesn't mention God?  But as you read this book you will discover that even though you're never going to see the name God as you read, you're going to see His fingerprints on every single page.  You see, that's how God often works.  His invisible providence is always working in our lives and you will see in this book irony after irony after irony that's well beyond coincidence because God is never absent in our lives.  He is never absent in our circumstances. 

Lesson #4 - In the end, God wins.  That's what happened in the book of Esther in Persia during the time of Esther and it still happens today.  Folks, listen.  We live in a time that's a disturbing time.  We live in a time in which it looks often like evil is winning but I need you to understand something.  I need you to realize that even today, even when it looks like evil is winning, God is at work behind the scenes.  His providence is real.  His providence is true.  And when the day comes when this world as we know it comes to a screeching halt, and that day will come, I want you to know that no matter how bad it looks now, on that day God wins.  And when God wins, so does His church.  

READING and RUBBING

The longer someone is in ministry the easier it is to go from a “missional” mindset to a “survival” mindset.  When we end up spending most of our week working out of a sense of “survival” rather than a sense of being “missional,” we are in a dangerous position.  To keep this from happening, we have to make time for some “self-leadership.”  For me, I have found two aspects of “self-leadership” that helps me to stay fixated on acting out of being “missional” in ministry rather than simply trying to “survive.”

The first of these two aspects is READING.  When I make it a point to read good books that inspire me and help me to stay focused, I can more easily continue to be “missional” in what I do. 

The second of these two aspects is what I call RUBBING.  By that I mean rubbing shoulders with non-churched people.  For me this includes having lunch at least 3 days a week at the same place in town where I am building relationships with people in our community who do not go to church and where I am meeting non-churched people every single week.

When I am involved in the “self-leadership” aspects of READING and RUBBING I tend to be more “missional” and focused less on “survival.”  With this in mind, I led our church ministry staff into a 5-week exercise that would give them the opportunity to do some READING and RUBBING on their own without adding any time at all to their already full time constraints. 

Here is what I did.  I bought each of our ministry staff a book of a great Christian hero from the past.  No two books were the same.  I also purchased for each of them a $10 gift card to a local restaurant or coffee shop (no two locations were the same either).  Beginning today (Monday, September 23) and for the next 3 Mondays, each of our Ministry Staff here at Gaylord E-Free is to spend the time we usually spend in staff meeting at that local restaurant READING that book and RUBBING shoulders with non-churched people.  Here are the “rules” I gave to them:

For the next 3 staff meetings they are to go by themselves to the restaurant they have been assigned in order to read their assigned biography.  They may not change or change restaurants or books.  They are to be at their assigned restaurant reading their assigned book for one full hour.  During this hour they are to have their cell phones turned OFF.  The church office will know the restaurant they have been assigned to and can be sure they are contacted in the event of an emergency.

For the two staff meetings after these three READING and RUBBING weeks, each staff member will then give a 20-MINUTE verbal report to the rest of us on the book they read.  We will be pulling names out of a hat to see in what order each person will share. 

Now it’s time for some serious READING and RUBBIBNG!  

Mythbusters: Are Ghosts Real?

It is all around us – stories of paranormal activity.  

Television shows contain it

Best-selling books contain it

Just about all of us know someone who has had a paranormal experience.  It seems like it is being talked about everywhere in our culture except in the church.  

THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE!

Beginning this Sunday here at Gaylord E-Free we will be starting a new 6-week series that we are calling

“Mythbusters: Are Ghosts Real?”  

In this series we will be answering these questions and more:

Are ghosts real?  

If they are real, what are they?

Do the spirits of the dead come back to the earth?

Is it possible to communicate with the dead?

Outside of the Bible, can we predict the future?

Are there stories of paranormal activity in the Bible?

Should we be concerned?  

Should we be scared? 

Are you ready to hear what the Bible teaches about these areas?

Be sure not to miss one Sunday of this very relevant and timely series beginning this Sunday, September 22.

Be sure also to invite those you know who may be interested in this topic to attend.  And if they can’t attend, then be sure to encourage them to listen to our 9am service each Sunday live on 101.5 FM.

Marriage and Naked Barbie Dolls

When it comes to the unchanging purpose of marriage given by God at the first wedding in human history in Genesis 2:25-25, we’ve now seen severance, permanence and interdependence in the last two blog postings.  Now let’s look at the fourth and final purpose = intimacy. 

If verse 24 describes the wedding ceremony of Adam and Eve, then verse 25 describes the honeymoon.  It says that they were, “naked and unashamed.”  What a great motto for marriage.  I think it ought to be inscribed inside of every wedding ring – “naked and unashamed.”  This is true because marriage is God's design for sexual intimacy at its best.

When I preached a sermon on this at the church I pastor here in Gaylord, Michigan, I used a “Ken” and “Barbie” doll through the whole series as object lessons.  This visual fit verse 25 more than people thought it might.  When my daughter was real little, she had dozens of Barbie Dolls.  She kept them in a big tub and she would often take most of them in to the bathtub with her.  Then she would just throw all of the dolls back in the tub all wet. 

I don't know if your daughter had Barbie Dolls or not, but if there's one thing I noticed it is that for some reason they were always without clothes.  I don't know what the situation is but they always were.  My wife one day discovered an odor coming from this tub.  All of these wet Barbie Dolls had begun to mildew.  As a good mother, my wife cleaned and bleached them all.  She then needed a place to allow them to dry.  When I drove home from the church office that afternoon, I got the surprise of my life.  As I went to pull into our driveway, I found that it was covered with literally dozens of naked Barbie Dolls sunbathing.  To this day I wonder what our neighbors must have been thinking! 

Anyway, back to Genesis 2:25 – “naked and unashamed.”  In our world today, we are inundated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the world's view of intimacy.  Here's what I need you to understand.  Any intimacy that is outside of one man with one woman in the bounds of marriage is a cheap imitation to God's best.  God created the best.  Anything else is a cheap imitation.  It is impossible in my opinion, based on scripture, to experience intimacy at its best anywhere other than one man with one woman in marriage.  In Proverbs 5:18-19, the writer describes intimacy in marriage like a fountain you drink from to be refreshed.  He says, “Let your fountain be blessed.” 

Do you realize what God's desire is for you in marriage?  God's desire is that your intimacy in marriage be blessed.  That's God's desire for you.  That tells me that intimacy between a husband and a wife in marriage is nothing short of worship.  He then says,

“Rejoice in the wife of your youth.  As a loving hide and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times.” 

The problem is that most men put a period after the word "times" and go, “Amen!”  Believe it or not, men, that line is not the best part.  It's the last line I want you to see. 

“Be exhilarated always with her love.” 

That word exhilarated is a Hebrew word that's also translated “intoxicated.”  Do you know what God's view of sexual intimacy is?  God's view is that there be a marriage relationship between a man and a woman that has intimacy that's so incredible that you become intoxicated with each other.  In fact, you become so intoxicated and addicted with each other that you would never even want to look anywhere else for sexual satisfaction.

Marriage - A Two-Headed Monster

In yesterday’s blog post we saw the first purpose of marriage given by God when He instituted marriage back in Genesis 2:24-25.  That purpose was severance – “a man shall leave his father and mother.”  Now let’s look at the second purpose which is permanence.  It says that, “A man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife.”  Now, that word “cleave,” if it were to be used today, could describe taking two pieces of steel and soldering them together to make one permanent piece.  That's God's purpose for marriage – permanence – and that purpose has not changed.  God's purpose for marriage always has been, still is, and always will be one man with one woman for one lifetime. 

What’s has changed is our culture.  Over half of marriages today in our country fail.  Over 75% of second marriages fail.  That's the culture we live in today.  So let me just say this.  When I talk to a young couple who's getting ready to marry for the first time, here's what I say to them - If you're entering into this marriage with any other thinking other than this, divorce will never be an option, then don't get married. 

Folks, listen.  Here's the key.  Whether you're married; whether it's your second marriage, third marriage, or fourth marriage; whether you're newly married or have been married for decades; whether your single but desire someday to be married; or whether you can simply say the word “marriage” - if any of those descriptions are true of you, let me just say this - Your marriage is worth fighting for.  Yes, there will be trials.  Yes there will be times of diversity.  Even so, it is God's plan, God's purpose, for you to fight for that marriage. 

We have seen the purpose of severance and the purpose of permanence.  Now let’s look at the third purpose - interdependence.   The verse says, “And they shall become one flesh.”  What's that mean?  To put it in modern-day vernacular, even though it is a horrible analogy for marriage, it means that the moment you say "I do" you become a two-headed monster. 

Think of the progression.  From the time you were born, you were in a state of total dependence.  You couldn't do anything for yourself.  You were totally dependent on your parents.  As you grew up, your parents wisely moved you from dependence to independence.  If they were wise, they did it a little at a time - not all at once.  When you became a single adult you then moved to a state of total independence.  

How does this relate to marriage?  Folks, listen, marriage isn't dependence or independence.  Marriage is interdependence.  When you get married, it's no longer, “What do I want?”  It's now, “What do we want?”  It's no longer, “What are my dreams?”  It's now, “What are our dreams?”  I really believe that the best part of being married is that you get to do life together.  The purpose of marriage is that you have that companion that God created you with a need for, so that you can do life together.  We’ve now seen severance, permanence and interdependence – we still have one more purpose of marriage to look at in tomorrow’s post.  

Gaylord E-Free Church Welcomes Julia Rupp to our Staff

I am extremely excited to announce the selection of Julia Rupp as our new full-time Director of Children’s Ministries here at Gaylord E-Free Church in Gaylord, Michigan.  Julia will begin her new full-time ministry with us beginning Sunday, October 6, as she take on the oversight of our nursery through grade six ministry. 

Julia went through quite an extensive process to reach this position including submitting a resume, filling out a very detailed and lengthy application, going through multiple and rigorous interviews, and having many reference checks completed.  The Search Team for this position was headed by Marie Sarchet and included two Elders, our CCE Team Leader, the CCE Team Liaison from the Leadership Team, along with a few educators and individuals who are involved in our children’s ministry.  This Search Team was given the job description of this new position as well as a profile of the type of person that we were looking to fill it.  Their task was to conduct a nation wide search and then narrow the field down to no more than two final candidates to turn over to me as Lead Pastor for final consideration.  This Search Team was instructed to only pass on the names of candidates that they unanimously agreed would be good for this position.  They did an outstanding job.

This team ultimately passed on to me the names and information for two final candidates.  I then, with the help and assistance of Marie Sarchet (Search Team Leader) and Jack Dutton (Director of Counseling Ministries here at Gaylord E-Free Church), conducted final interviews with both candidates.  These final interviews were very extensive and deep.  After they were over, the three of us were all in unity that God had made it clear that Julia was the right person.  We still took four additional days to pray and ponder more on this and then met again with the result being that we were still unanimously at 100% peace that Julia was the right selection.  Last night, the Elder Board gave their unanimous consent for me to offer Julia the position, which I have done and she has accepted.

Julia has a B.A. Degree in Elementary Education from Cedarville College in which she attained certification in Kindergarten through Grade Eight as well as her preschool certification.  Her course study included Children’s Ministry and her minor was in Bible.  She also has done continuing education in gifted certification, ESL Classes, and Cooperative Learning Methods from Columbia International University, as well as being certified by Child Evangelism Fellowship.  Julia has many years of teaching experience both nationally and internationally, having taught in Tennessee and in China.

Julia has served in a more unofficial role over the past year leading our Sunday morning and Wednesday evening children’s ministries and has done a fabulous job.  Most of all, Julia has an unmistakable heart for the Lord Jesus Christ, for Gaylord E-Free Church, and for meeting as many children as possible right where they are, and helping to move them to where God wants them to be. 

I am thrilled at what Julia brings to our staff and ask you to give her your great encouragement, and most of all, your fervent prayers and support.

Believing God for Great Things!

Pastor Scott