It’s not hard to blog.  Just get online, sign-up, and start writhing…about anything.  There is only one hard thing to blogging and that’s actually sitting down and taking the time to do it.  So……I have decided that I will blog at least once a week, even if it’s just about some random thought I have or something funny happening in life.

And I will begin right now.

Today Ambs (that’s short for Amberly…my awesome wife) called and informed me that our kids had surprised her today.  Isaac and Anna, our seven and six-year olds, cleaned the living room, dinning room and kitchen for her.  That’s right they decided to do all that work on their own; they put all the toys away, vacuumed, dusted, dishes, organized the books…the works.  All for “mommy”, Isaac said it was “pamper mommy day.”

I think we’re doing a great job!  Maybe some day they’ll decide they want to start paying the bills and buying the groceries?  Honestly our kids are amazing and I’m so glad they did that for Amberly.

I’m 30 years old…ya ya I know, I’m not old or even close to considering my self old or even older.  However, there are some tweaks I am working on making in m life.  Nothing major or profound, just things like getting up earlier to read and pray on a consistent basis,  reading a book every three months, exercising regularly, having more play time with my kids and more alone time with Amberly (my amazing wife for those of you who might not know), the list is longer but I wont bore you with it; simple they are things I want to add to my daily life because I see great value in them.  This however seems to be a challenge and a formidable one at that.  I hate to admit it!  It should be nothing at all.

When I was a bit younger late nights and early mornings had NO AFFECT on me at all.  I could add to or take away from my schedule at anytime with no difficulty what so ever.  It seemed easy to begin something and keep up with it, to initiate new habits and patterns in everyday life and make them stick.  However it seems more difficult now to do this.  It’s not because I have four kids or because we have been married for nearly 11 years or because I’m 30 or anything like that.  I think it’s because I woke up one morning (unknowingly) having set most of my patterns and habits in a mold.  You know, kind of like trying to teach an old dog new tricks.  I have learned my tricks and learning new ones can be a challenge.

This isn’t to say that change is impossible or even frustrating.  I think it’s just a fact of life.  As we get older initiating change becomes harder.  Patterns and habits get set and determined without us eve knowing it or realizing it.  Kind of like when you reach a certain age and suddenly the music you grew up with is now on the 80′s & 90′s station soon to be on the classic stations.  When the hip hop and rap you used to bump to is now “throwback”…you know…., “there’s no school like the old school.”

I guess with all that said, I enjoy getting older.  Whether or not implementing changes into my routine is harder than it used to be and as I might not have been so persistent at a younger age, I know the value in change that causes growth both spiritually and personally.  I don’t ever want to reach a point in my life where I feel that I don’t need any more personal or spiritual improvements.   I want to get better with time.  I have three sons, a daughter and I’m married to they love of my life….I want to improve as we move down this journey of life together….they deserve it.

“Practice who you desire to be now, so when your older you are that person”

Set your goals high, evaluate your self (often), and be an old dog with new tricks!

{Before I give my full opinion on this matter let me preface this post with the fact that I know that there are many feelings and other opinions on this subject than mine and I am not trying to sway anyone any way.  On the contrary I hope this brings some new views on this for some people and a greater ability to have grace on those with different opinions and reduce the outright condemnation that believers put on other believers because there is a difference.}

Now onto my opinion.  The origins of Halloween is easy to find, though it is a blend of several cultures the origin of the rituals from these cultures in not fully known.  So if you have a computer and the amazingness of the world wide web you can check the details out for your self (try www.wikipedia.org its 89% more accurate than the Encyclopedia Britannica) .  However at the core of its origins it is an evil holiday based out of pagan worship and rituals.  It is very commercialized and westernized, it’s a Hallmark holiday of the ancient celebrations.  Its origins and core are from the worship of false gods and idols.  So what does the Word of God say about things used to worship idols and false gods?

When the Apostle Paul is speaking in 1Corinthians 8:1-13 (for the sake of our time please visit this set of verses on your own) he paints an amazing picture of believers doing what some other believers might view as evil, wicked or sinful…. eating things offered to idols. Paul knew fully well of all the pagan acts, ceremonies and rituals that would have been preformed over that food in the act of offering it to the false god / idol.  Yet he says, “we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” Simply put, even if it was offed to an idol in some demonic or pagan ritual know that it doesn’t matter because the idol is not a god; we serve and live for and are alive through the only God, so eat up.

BUT, “some with the consciousness of the idol eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience is defiled.” In other words you view the idol as something and to food having been made evil or bad to eat that because of the idol than don’t eat it.  And for those who are fine with the food don’t let your liberty become an offense to your brother.  Because even though you know that the idol is nothing your brother will perish.

The problem I see is not with Halloween itself, its when most believers begin to look at the precious little kids and their parents as participating in pagan worship, seeing them as the costumes they are wearing and not being able to see that they are people.  The second problem I see is that again most believers who disagree with any participation of the “Halloween” holiday in America view those believers who participate in any way as evil and joining in some act of pagan worship.  Which is farthest from the truth!  And this is where all the condemnation comes in.  If you dress up, attend a “Harvest Party”, or are out of your house doing just about anything your participating in something bad.  Well, in my opinion this is one of the best days in our 365 day year to be “in the world but not of it”.

My opinion is that I wouldn’t take my kids door to door trick-or-treating, however  I will not condem or belittle other brothers or sisters who do (Romans 12:9-21).  I will let my kids dress up and handout candy, hot chocolate and hot dogs to the community.  I will let them know we are Christians, we love them, and just because they celebrate Halloween we don’t think there are some pagan worshipers.  I will be all things to all people that some might be reached.  I will lead my family in the quest to reconcile the world to God, even on Halloween.  I will let my kids join in a Harvest Party.

REMINDER!!!!!  This is just my opinion.  You don’t have to agree with me, I still love you and understand your opinion and respect it too.  The main thing is……………be passionate for Jesus; full of zeal but tempered with His wisdom and be gracious to others!

This ones for all of us who still have a little ‘gangsta’ in us. 

You see we might drive a mini-van but, ya its got tint!  Our crew is always ready to through down….with some juice in their sippy cups.  If you mess with us you just might get some of that icky crud on you and ya…its gonna stain.  Who are we, we’re parents.  Momz and dadz workin, playin and livin.

You’ll get it after you watch this video some friends of ours showed us the other night. 

Have a happy Monday!!

Sometimes life comes at us so fast it just reaches out and…wham…Hits us right in the face when we least expect it.  We stammer and stumble; we are dazed, everything looks blurred now; it takes us to our knee or even our back.

At certain moments in life….it can be tough.  There’s an old Mike Tyson interview that I saw which paints a perfect pictture.  I don’t remember who Tyson was going to be fighting or who the interviewer was but, I remember what was said and what I took away from it.

Sitting in two chairs across from each other the interviewer begins.  “So Mike; this guy has been studying you for a long time.  He knows all your strengths and tactics; he knows your weaknesses too.  He was watching you even before he went pro.  He has been preparing.  He has a plan, the most precise plan anyone has ever had against you.  What do you think about that?”  Mike Tyson, sitts up just a little straiter then leans forward and answers in the voice only Mike has and says; “Well, everyone has a plan…until they get hit!”  Then he leans back in to his seat, not saying another word, leaving the interviewer stumped.

You see we all have plans.  Somewhere along the way we start planing and preparing for what we want our future to look like.  Then some where along the way, life happens and the a great strategy we thought we had lands us flat on our back not knowing how we got there.  Even worse than not knowing how we got there is not knowing how to get up.  I’ve been there and its horrible, you almost feel sick to your stomach. 

So what do you do?  You get back up.  But how?  A good boxer who gets knocked down wont jump right back up.  He will let the count go and get to seven or eight then get back up.  He is resting and getting his head on straight again.  After nearly getting it knocked off, he wants to evaluate his situation, get clarity and use the time as wisely as possible.

When life hits you right in the face how do you deal with it?  What do you do to get back up?  Who do you look to for advice?  Who do you trust to be in your corner?  Have they proven that they can take life’s hardest and get back into the fray and win?  Does your plan of attack change or do you keep on with the same plan?  What do you do???

Think about it……..then next week I will share what I do when life hits me.

But my reason why its a great Monday…… no matter whats going on in your life, no matter what has already happened in life, no matter whats happening at work….You and I are loved.  We are desired.  We have purpose and meaning and if you feel like you don’t; you can.  Your beautiful!  Your wonderfully made!  You see, Jesus loves people, He is crazy in love with us.  In all our wonderful mess He is simply joyful at the thought of you and I.

Even if you don’t believe in Jesus or have never loved Him I have to tell you, I have to tell my self, that He loves you, He loves me, loves all of us.  Not only that but He likes us…thats right He likes you!  And to Him your beautiful, your what He wants…. mess, pain, junk and all He wants you, He want us.  Not to condemn or punish us but, to love us, to bless us, to heal the pain we have.  Its Monday and this might not be the Jesus you have heard about…one that likes us and is really glad towards us not mad.  But its true, totally true, and this is why its a good day.  Have a beautiful Monday and enjoy the song!

 you! 

I was by no means “perfect”.   C’mon, I was a kid.  Rowdy, full of crazy energy and not always thinking before I did something.  I remember one time at church when I was about nine or ten years old the pastor’s son (who was one of my best friends) and I stole the key to the “treasure chest”.  The “treasure chest” was a huge trunk full of candy used to reward us kids.  Well, we broke into the chest and took a lot of candy went into the bathroom and ate it.  We got busted and got punished; I couldn’t go over his house that day and play I had to go home and do nothing.  lol…kids.  There were great summer picnics and so many good and wonderful time I could probably bore you to tears writing more…but I wont.  Just know that for me church was great, the people were great, and I love it.  About when I was 12, which was in 1992 something happened, something pretty crappy.

The pastor had an affair.  The church fell apart and people left the faith.  At 12 I didn’t know that detail until much, later, for me…I saw my dad and mom sad, crying and telling me we were leaving the church.  I got so angry at God, why did He let my dad and mom get so hurt and sad?  Why did we have to leave? (i will endeavour to answer these questions a little later)  So I slowly yet absolutely intentionally began to do things I knew were wrong.  I wanted to make God mad, to let Him feel the pain I felt so He knew how horrible it was.           *Let me take a minute here and be really, really clear…what happened was terrible, but no one is perfect (not making an excuse it should not have happened).  No one though, not even me can let other peoples mistakes, failures or whatevers determine what we/I do in this life.*          But, that’s what I did.  I had my first “drink” that year and began destructive habits and behaviors that year as well.  Basically, I checked out of this religion thing even though we church hoped for a while landing in a church in Willowick.  I didn’t care and when I felt like I did I dug deeper into anything I could to make my self not care.

I went to church and youth group because  my parents wanted me to but I was the kid that caused most of the trouble.  Thankfully the Youth Pastor was truly a great guy and never gave up on me.  All the time living one way at church and another way outside of the church.  Ya, that was me I had not clue who I was or where I was going, then again what 12 to 16-year-old really does.  Honestly I wanted back those days when I would ride my bike and just be at peace and know God was real and good, I wanted to “live for Him”…at that time I knew He was real but felt God was angry with me and didn’t even like me.  By the time I was 16 to 17 there was no more hiding anything, I did my best to keep the parties and drinking from my parents other than that I didn’t care who knew what I was doing.  All the time though I would feel this pull (only way to describe it) somewhere inside me wanting to change…change something, I didn’t know how to, I tried saying a prayer but I still felt all the same garbage inside.  So I just kept on doing what I was doing and living how I was untill I began to even question if God was real.  This was around the time I was finishing up highschool and heading off to college.

As most if not all of you know I’m a Pastor now getting ready to plant a new church here in Cincinnati in a town called Norwood.  So what happed?  How and why did I get back into this “church thing”?  Am I crazy or just dumb?  Next Tuesday I will continue with more of my story.  Please feel free to comment, question or whatever you would like!

Its been a very busy past few months for us.  As we move closer to the Sunday lauch date (Sep. 19, 2010) more and more  i’s have to be doted and  t’s have to be crossed.  However, even in the intense whirl wind of Holy Spirit movement, team building, meetings, Life Group, and the daily grind the Lord has been so good and so faithful to us that we are simply amazed.

Where We Are:

1. Moving into Norwood.  We have been looking at tons of houses in Norwood trusting the Lord to help us move into the city.  Right now we have one home we are looking at leasing and two others that we might be looking into lease options.  We will be selling our condo very soon.  We had a couple approach us months ago and ask to purchase our condo before we even had to put it on the market, God is so awesome!  My personal desire is to be moved into Norwood by the end of March.  Would you join us in prayer believing that the Lord will make the way for us in this matter!

2. The Free Van!  Last Thursday a woman form our home church (LifeChurch West Chester) caught me as I had just went out the door to head home for the day.  She asked if we would like her van, a nearly new Honda Odyssey Minivan.  I told her that it wasnt in our budget to buy the van at this time.  Her response, “Do you still want it?”  I didn’t know what to say…”For free???” is all I could get out.  “YUP!” “Its right over here, c’mon and take a look at it!”  It was amazing!!  We have been trusting the Lord for a second vehicle for almost a year, since our Subaru died on us we have only had the one minivan…..and its been a little crazy to say the least doing life with one vehicle and 4 kids.  But now we will have an awesome new van at the end of this month. 

3. Building the Team.  The Lord has called Amberly and I to plant a Praying Church in Norwood.  In following His will, one of the most important parts of LifeChurch Norwood is the team.  Empowering others to fulfill their destiny for the Lord is one of our core values.  Amberly and I can’t do it all and we don’t want to.  Jesus Himself tells us to pray for laborers.   Amberly and I are only one small part in the LifeChurch team and one small part in reaching a city, establishing a base for continual intercession and worship, and sharing the tangible presence of God with others.  I think Rocky Balboa put it best when he was taling to Adrien in the first movie. He said, “I got gaps, and you got gaps…but together we fill the gaps.”  As a team…as a family…as a community, we will fill the gaps by fulfilling our callings.  In love, working with Jesus to build his house, which is people!  The people are the house and to make disciples of Jesus is the work.  Our team is growing and is open for anyone to become a part.  If this is something you might like to be a part of please don’t hesitate to contact me at joshua@lifechurchnorwood.com or call me at 513-407-0502, I would love to hear your heart and what you desire to do for the Lord and His kingdom.

Well,  I could write for days and still have more to tell….but I will save that for next time.  Soon we will have our website up and much more.

We love you and pray the Lords best for you,

Joshua

            First lest clear the air, you might be wondering why I’m asking this question.  Am I angry, hurt & bitter, do I dislike church,…well you get the picture.  The answer is No to all the prior.  In fact I love the “church”, for many reasons, the simplest…the church is the family of God, the community of the redeemed and the redeeming community, but that’s another blog entry.

            For those who might not know I am the Associate Pastor here in Cincinnati at LifeChurch West Chester (www.lcwestchester.com) and will be planting a new church, LifeChurch Norwood, in Norwood Ohio this September.  So this question has been…BIG, real big!  I have asked my self this question many times and had many (well just about everyone I tell that we are planting a church) ask me.  Now, on to the answer.

            I believe that “the church must build every ministry around a culture of prayer and intercession, actively participating with Jesus in His end time purpose and ministry.”  (Ya that’s some ones quote and if you can guess who I’ll buy you a cup of coffee, but I agree with it 100%)  This culture of prayer is central to being a church and I don’t mean just talking about how important prayer is, but having the structure in place to back it up.  Where everything flows out of the place of prayer, specifically cooperate prayer, and since we are talking about the “church” the Pastor should be the one leading the prayer meeting with many others participating in leading as well.

            The 3 core fundamentals of a “culture of prayer” in a church:

                                    1. Obeying the great commandment (putting the first commandment back in first place)

                                    2. Fulfilling the great commission (contending for revival and Holy Spirit outpouring in geographic regions through intercession)

                                    3. Preparing people for the great judgment (discipleship,    raising up passionate followers of Christ and releasing them into their      destinies)

Everything must flow out of those three and those three begin and must be maintained in prayer, specifically corporate prayer.  So lest break down those three as simply as we can. 

Number 1: in obedience to the first commandment we find our worth and identity.  Most of the time we find our worth in what we do or can do, but that’s just off.  Our worth is in the fact that God loves us, there for we have worth and value.  We experience that worth by freely giving our love back to God, this means we get his pleasure and delight in receiving our love.  Our loving Him back is what He really wants and the best place to do this is in hidden place of prayer and corporate prayer, I don’t know anything else that I feel is so week yet kills my flesh more than anything else I know! Oh ya, this is what makes prayer enjoyable, His love for us in our weakness.

Number 2: The only way the great commission can be fulfilled is through a great prayer movement.  The corporate body of Christ singing out in a concert of prayer and intercession asking God to what He already wants to do, fulfill it.  Didn’t Jesus tell us to prayer for more laborers, didn’t the early church pray for signs and wonders and boldness to be done before they did them?  Until we have a burden for the lost in prayer the lost will remain lost.  We must still go out and be fiery witnesses preaching the gospel to all! Don’t get me wrong, we must fund missions, train up missionaries and as Paul put it, do the work of an evangelist!

Number 3: Discipleship!  The easiest people I know to disciple are those who have a really prayer life or should I say a life of prayer.  I don’t mean all of them prayer 60 hours a week but they place a very high value of prayer and make time it their day to truly withdraw and pray.  Also, those who have had a hand in discipleship me that had a life of prayer have been the ones with the greatest character of Christ towards me and had more wisdom to give me when I really needed it.  Also, Jesus walked, ate and lived with his disciples for three years.  He gave that part of his life to them, don’t you think it would be a good model to follow.  Yes, we need discipleship ministries but that’s not all we need and that’s not where it starts.  It starts with some one taking responsibility for the spiritual well being of others.  I will just say this, as leaders/pastors when we begin to let out hears be turned towards the sons and daughters of the faith, giving them opportunity to lead, forgiveness, grace and loving room to make mistakes, correcting them in those mistakes with the heart of Christ not a hammer, and release them with the power of believing in them, lives and the world will be forever changed.  (Thank you Randy)

            With that, the church should look like a group of forgiven sinners who love to love God in their weakness through corporate prayer and loving others; who long for the return of their Lord because of love which motivates them to contend in corporate intercession for the reconciliation of the world to God and go out and preach the Gospel to all because it is the power of God unto salvation; giving their lives to others in discipleship, mentoring, and serving through intentional community, the community of the redeemed and the redeeming community.

            There’s so much more to say but I believe this is the core, the center of what the church is to look like.

Certain aspects of planting LifeChurch Norwood have been taking up a large amount of my time.  We are sponcered by the Assemblies of God Ohio Network and the Association of Related Churches. (for more info on either go to www.ohioag.org & www.relatedchurches.com)  which means there is some….A TON…of paper work to do and I have my final exam for the AG at the end of this month to be credentialed. 

At the end of this month, the new year, I will have much more time to blog, to meet with you and mabey even buy you a cup of coffee (i know the best sopt in the city), share out vision for Norwood and Cincinnati with you.  I will be able to tell you about the House of Prayer we are planting simultaneously with LifeChurch Norwood.  Share how you can be a part of this , even if your not here in Cincinnati.

Thank you for your patience, thank you for you interest and support!  We are doing great! 

And special shouts to everyone reading this that I went to High School & College with.  Its been great to catch up and reconect over facebook and twitter.