More thoughts from Sunday

I used a word picture on Sunday from my 16 hour airplane trip to South Africa. I talked about being in the small, economy class seat and drooling over the Business Elite section. My conclusion was that the reason my journey was limited and constrained was because I was unwilling to pay the price. The benefit didn't add enough value to justify the price (to me).

The analogy works well with our spiritual lives, too. God wants us to know the benefits of a life fully devoted to living His way, but there is a price...and plenty are unwilling to pay it.

I won't rehash the message, you can go hear it online if you want. But I do want to clarify a few things.

1) Every analogy breaks down at some point. So, the point was to get you to evaluate your spiritual life and determine if it was all that it could be. What are the costs and what would be the benefits to 'moving up' in the cabin.

2) In this word picture, there are only 2 seats. That's important. If you give a 3rd seat - one that is in the middle - most everyone will say that it's where they are. This is because long-time Christ followers want to be careful to not come across as arrogant. 'We can never say we've arrived'. So, we would evaluate our lives and say we're in the middle seat. But my next point is important, so keep reading.

3) After a lot of thought and prayer and hours of discussion, we developed the matrix that defines the life of a fully devoted follower as one that:

a) invests in a relationship with God (through prayer, Bible study, classes, etc.),

b) involves himself in the lives of other Christ followers (through small group and other community life, and

c) impacts her world with her faith (through missions, serving in the local church, and sharing her faith)

Nobody every 'arrives' or completely becomes a fully devoted follower of Jesus. We're all on the journey. In the plane ride analogy, we're still in the plane, on the way from where we were to where we're going. But considering that, what kind of journey are you going to make it? Will you sit in economy, where the view is limited and movement is constrained and potential is limited? Or will you stretch out and get the most out of the journey?

I would encourage you to read Philippians 3:12-14. Paul is talking about the goal of becoming perfect. He says that he's not there yet, but "this one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize..."

Paul rides in the big seats. When I evaluate my life, I have to say that I mostly am investing in my spiritual life, involving myself in the lives of other Christ followers, and impacting my world with my faith. Not always, but for the most part I am riding in the front of the plane.

The question is, are you?

How to Invest: Part 1

We talked yesterday about how to invest in your spiritual life. I am continually reminded how easy it is to get 'stuck' in a cycle that is so counterproductive to a vibrant relationship with God. It happens because of one thing: God is not the squeaky wheel. He doesn't shout his way into your life, he doesn't pout or pitch fits for attention - He Is God. He's already done all that He needed to do. The rest is our part. And when we don't invest time, energy and attention His way, we are the one's who suffer the consequences. What consequences? A spiritual rut. A God who feels distant. A questioning of our faith.

But other voices cry out for more time, more energy and more of your attention. Since God isn't screaming at you, it's easy to say, 'Well, I'll spend time praying tomorrow.' 'I'll read the Bible on Tuesday.' 'I'll go to church next Sunday.' 'I'll sign up for small group next semester.' Before you know it, you look back and you can't remember the last time you prayed, read the Bible, took a walk and listened to the voice of God, or had a great conversation about spiritual truths with a friend. It's no wonder that you also can't remember the last time you felt the presence of God.

Like any relationship, you have to invest. You will get out what you put in. The scale won't always be perfectly balanced, but it is largely true.

So, why don't you commit that this week will be the beginning of something different. Invest in your spiritual life and in your relationship with God starting today. No one can do it for you.

Experiencing Tanzania - And More

Guest blogger Jeanette Brannan.

Jeanette Brannan and her husband Mel have been at PCC since its beginning. Together, Mel and Jeanette have been small group leaders. Jeanette served on the Steering Team and led the Communications Team; Mel is one of our trustees. While still committed to PCC as their home church, both Mel and Jeanette have been led to serve in ways outside the walls of PCC. In Jeanette's case, her mission has led her thousands of miles and an entire continent away from Powhatan.

Many years ago, Jeanette felt that God wanted her to serve people in mission work. She remained focused on local activities and her family but never escaped that gentle nudge towards a specific place - Africa. In 2007, when Tim Dickson organized a trip to serve others in Tanzania, Jeanette responded to years of whispers from God, and she went to Africa. Since that time, her passion for a country and a people in need has exploded.

After her return from the 2008 trip to Tanzania, she felt God leading her to do more than go on mission trips. The result was the formation of Tanzania Health & Humanitarian Fund (TanzaniaHHF), which targets medical, educational and missional needs in Tanzania. Recently, Jeanette returned from her second trip to Tanzania, where she ventured into new territories, further explored needs and deepened relationships with Christian leaders who serve as points of contact for TanzaniaHHF. Through donations to TanzaniaHHF, orphans are being educated and four young adults are continuing studies at a seminary in southern Tanzania. Jeanette distributed over three hundred mosquito nets through joint contributions of Powhatan Community Church and Bethel Baptist Church. A church school is being completed in Arusha, Tanzania as a result of the partnership between PCC and TanzaniaHHF. In addition, TanzaniaHHF is encouraging other partnerships and sponsoring fundraisers for the repair of the UHAI Medical Clinic in southern Tanzania and the purchase of necessary medicines and medical equipment.

These photos and reflections are inspired by Jeanette's recent trip. If you'd like more information about the Tanzania Health & Humanitarian Fund, you can visit their website (www.TanzaniaHHF.org), or if you're interested in having Jeanette share her experiences with your family, church or small group, you can contact her through PCC (804-598-1174).

Being blessed rather than blessing, being inspired rather than inspiring, and being changed rather than changing. If you’ve ever been on a mission trip, you know very well these feelings. Perhaps you’ve had some other situation or relationship that has catapulted you to that next spiritual level – one that will always give you a different perspective of life, of possessions, and of relationships – most importantly your relationship with Jesus Christ.

No, I didn’t climb Mount Kilimanjaro or go on a safari, but I did experience spiritual pinnacles and unchartered territories while in Tanzania for three weeks in March! This trip also provided a meaningful time for relationship building and information gathering. Although I was hosted by and traveled with missionaries Elton and Barbara Cooke, I did miss having other team members to share those funny, edgy, tearful, God-filled moments, such as...

Being in the middle of nowhere and suddenly having no car brakes.

Walking along a path in the middle of another nowhere and being told wild animals are seen often in the area (yes, including lions!)

Being grateful I could slip my fatty pieces of tough goat meat to my friend Frank sitting next to me (He loves it!)

Perfecting the art of taking a shower with two bottles of water.

Sensing the fearful agony of the 14 year-old female student whose only question is whether a girl in America is allowed to return to school after she has a baby.

Having a small child cling to me and not want to loosen his grip around my neck.

Holding an infant whose family lives in an abandoned shell of a house with no roof and nothing inside.

Wanting to “rescue” the child whose eyes tell his brief story of hopelessness.

Crying as I observe how lack of funding can limit the effectiveness and sanitation of an essential clinic.

Feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit while surrounded by Maasai warriors.

Sitting on a dusty, red-clay jagged rock while listening to perfectly harmonized voices resonating against crumbling brick walls as though in the most acoustically designed theater.

Tearing up as I look at the orphan’s mud-covered bare feet, torn clothing and runny nose until I see his bright broad smile and shining eyes, and I realize my tears are not of pity but of joy for the blessing he has just given me.

Hearing thirty people praying simultaneously in their native tribal tongue while I, who doesn’t know their language, understand exactly what they are praying.

Being grateful for the opportunity to experience love for someone from whom I receive nothing but the essence of Christ’s love.

Having a grateful and proud heart for the partnership of PCC and TanzaniaHHF in completing the church school building.

Feeling moved to make a difference but realizing the difference has occurred within me.

Yes, there is no doubt I am changed and because I am changed, I am compelled to make a difference. If you would like to consider taking a leap of faith on a mission trip to Tanzania in March 2010, or if you are interested in becoming involved with other activities and events to support the needs in Tanzania, please contact me at jmbrannan{at}comcast{dot}net or check out our website at www.TanzaniaHHF.org.

A Pivotal Week At PCC

No one has ever accused me of being brief. There are many times when I can say something with fewer words than I choose. But this is one instance when it is important for me to tell you a rather lengthy story. I ask for you to bear with me, as what I have to say here is exceedingly difficult, but incredibly important - all of it.

My Heart...
In 1 Samuel, we learn that God chose one of Jesse's sons to be the new king - to lead God's people into the future. He sent the prophet Samuel to be His ambassador, but there was a problem: Samuel didn't know which son God had chosen. So, Jesse paraded each son in front of him. The first son was tall, refined...Kingly. Samuel thought, "This has to be the one!" but God spoke to Samuel these words, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7b, NIV, emphasis mine)

For my entire life, I have always thought this scripture was about how we see other people's outward appearance - how we look at their size, color, shape, build, hair (or lack of hair), etc. But this week, for the first time, I saw what I hadn't seen before. It still means those things, but I saw another angle. I saw it also pointing to the reality that people look at the outward appearance - the raw facts - of hard decisions that are made by other people, and don't always see the heart that is behind those decisions. God assured me as he brought 1 Samuel to my mind that, while people sometimes only see the outward appearance of the decisions we make, God always sees the heart.

I so badly want you to know my heart right now, so let me share a little bit of it.

I love every member of our staff.
I pronounced some of them husband and wife.
I declared some of them an ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I was there when some of them graduated from college.
I was there when some of them when through the most difficult seasons of their lives.
I have seen them grow, transition, fail, persevere, succeed, triumph, despair, doubt, trust, and experience the power of community.

For their part, at times they have carried me.
They have laid their hands on me.
They have cried with me.
They have stood with me during my darkest days.
They have made me better than I am.
They have encouraged me, grown our church, believed in our mission, trusted in God when no one else did, given from their hearts even when it hurt, sacrificed time with their families and time for themselves. They have proven their loyalty in many ways.

There is not one member of our staff for whom I do not deeply care or whom I do not indescribably love.

My heart also bleeds Powhatan Community Church. There is nothing in my life about which I am more passionate than our church. In spite of our challenges, we are healthy - reaching tons of people, changing lives, and helping people find a better way to live. We are making a difference around us. We are obeying God's call upon our lives, and I cannot imagine doing anything else with my life.

That is my heart. God knows my heart; and I'm hoping you will, too.

A Little History...
On October 1 of last year, I sent a letter to every family on our church's mailing list, telling you that the struggling economy was clearly beginning to affect our church's giving. At that time, we didn't really know how much, but we could sense it was happening. I made this statement:

We also have to consider cutting back on our staff expense – either by laying off folks or reducing already below-market salaries…or both. Every staff member is aware of what is happening. This is not where we want to be, but it is where we are.

I plead with our church to step up and help, but giving did not improve. In fact, while attendance continues to climb, so does unemployment. We are not failing, but we had to make adjustments. Our commitment was to keep PCC out of financial trouble, and the only way to do that was to cut our expenses.

Our Current Situation...
The 4th Quarter of 2008 was extremely difficult for PCC - as well as for many other churches. Those around us and around the country are hard hit and considering their options now, too. But that's little consolation. Here's our situation:

We passed a very reasonable budget of $1,081,600 budget for 2009. At the time, this was conservative. However, given what we know today, we are forecasting that we will fall short by $113,000. That's an estimate based on what we know right now. The economy is very unpredictable.

Further, we are approximately $300,000 behind our our building fund. We have been very creative in raising money. A few months ago, this number was half a million dollars. But we thought outside the box, prayed, were open to creative solutions, listened to people who had ideas and empowered them to implement the best ones and we've cut that number down considerably. I have every confidence that we will continue to chip away at this shortfall until it is zero by the end of the project. However, today, the shortfall exists.

So, let me be clear and concise: what we need to find in 2009 is $413,000, based on what we know right now, in addition to the income we already expect. We can find it in increased income, decreased expenses, or a combination of the two.

What We Could NOT Cut...
We tithe our budget. That means that we give away 10% of the money we receive to people in need in our community, missions projects oversees and in the US, church planting, etc. Tithing is a Biblical concept about which we feel very strongly. We cannot ask our people to do something (tithe) that we as a church are not willing to do. Since our first day, we have tithed on every dollar we have received through our offerings.

We also could not cut the mortgage payment. We are now in the middle of our building project. Expected completion is sometime this summer. When it's done, we'll owe about $3.5 million. The payment on that debt is required. It's not an option.

When you take out our missions budget (which is our tithe) and our mortgage, there is only one place left to cut for significant reductions, and that is the staff expense. So, for the past few weeks, I have been agonizing over this, looking at every option imaginable. I thought about falling on my sword and finding a way to go with no salary at all, but it would render me unable to do what I do for our church. We considered letting someone go, but this is the worst job market in 26 years. If I can find a way to avoid leaving any staff member without a paycheck right now, I'm in favor of it.

We thought about an across the board equal pay cut for all staff, but in order to get to a high enough number, we would have to place every single staff member in a position where we'd all have to go out and find part-time jobs to supplement incomes. That would be extremely detrimental to our church.

In the end, I felt that, given all the circumstances and facts, the fairest and most loving thing we could do for our staff, while still producing a major reduction in our expense, would be to cut everyone's pay and take three of our full-time folks to part-time status. This may seem harsh, but at the end of the day, everyone still has a paycheck and everyone still has a job. In an era when people are being laid off left and right, I felt like this was a silver lining in a difficult situation.

Who?
If anyone was going to go from full-time to part-time, my home would have to be affected, too. So, though our children's ministry cares for 200 children, I insisted that Susan Hughes be one of the three. Angie Frame and Kevin Salyer are the other two staff members whose status changed from full-time to part-time. This was the hardest decision I have ever made. Yesterday, Dennis Green and I gathered the entire staff together and relayed the news to them individually, then as a group. We prayed, cried, vented, then went to lunch together. They all received it well and made it far better than it could have been. Still, it was the most difficult day in my 6 1/2 years here as the Senior Pastor of our church.

The outward appearance was that we eliminated roughly $85,000 in staff expenses. But I hope you are able to catch a glimpse of my heart. The heart of it was one of the most painful things I've ever done. You see, the folks who serve you on staff don't do it for the money; they do it because they believe in the cause. They believe in what we do, in the mission of our church. They serve you with great passion and great sacrifice. And this decision impacted everyone in a way that will be deeply felt; even those who retained full-time status had their salaries cut severely. With salaries already on the low end and most staff members providing their own health insurance with private pay policies, my heart broke to have to ask them to give even more.

How Did We Decide Who Would Go Part-Time?
This is the most difficult question, because everyone has a passionate attachment to some ministry or staff member. It was a terribly difficult choice to make. Instead of going at it from a negative perspective ("Who can we live without?"), I came at it from a positive angle: "Who can we NOT live without on a full time basis?" I know you can make a case for every person on staff remaining full-time. If we didn't have a money challenge, I'd be right there with you, but we had to trim some money, so I had to draw a line. I started with Beth and Chauncey, and for days I prayed, yelled, argued, cried, and prayed some more. Finally, I took a plan to the Steering Team (who was well informed that we had to act).

We met together on Tuesday night until midnight. We also cried, prayed, debated, struggled...and finally agreed. There was no great plan...but this was the best one on the table, and we had to do something.

How Will This Affect Us Now?
We all count on our leaders to guide us into the future safely. Good leaders navigate difficult waters so that we arrive at our destination together, without harm, and in a position of strength. Your leadership has been proactive to keep our church strong, effective, and on task. As difficult as this season is, we are as focused as we've ever been - and just as healthy. We have no crisis because we have been smart and acted ahead of a problem. That's what good leaders do.

Specifically, Susan will continue to do what she has been doing. PCC's children's ministry is simply too big to be managed and led from a part time commitment. But PCC cannot afford to hire someone else, so she can't quit (and Susan loves what she does, so she wouldn't want to anyway). Therefore, my family is going to have to make some additional adjustments and I've got some things to figure out, but I believe that God will provide a way, and I trust Him for that.

Kevin and Angie were also dependant on their incomes to support their families. So, while they are unsure of exactly what lies ahead, they certainly are going to have to do something to replace the lost income.

The other staff members also have to make adjustments and plans to answer the question of how they will live on significantly reduced income, too. Every one of our staff had their incomes reduced.

We are committed to shouldering this challenge together; we are no different than many of you who are struggling with similar financial challenges. We are committed to the vision God has given us for this community; we know that many of you are just as passionate about PCC, about the work God has done in your life and in the lives of some of your friends and families. Let me repeat: our church is healthy. And we remain fully committed to the vision to which God has called us - to reach people who have been unaffected or untouched by traditional churches and lead them to become fully devoted followers of Christ. We may have to be more creative, more careful and more intentional - but that just might be a good thing!

What Can You Do?
First, I realize situations like this can produce heated emotions. There is a natural human tendency to talk amongst ourselves, to worry the issue to death, to allow drama and adrenaline to fuel the fire of conflict. Honor the process, your leaders and the staff members that you love by refusing to contribute to the drama. If you have questions, ask them - of me or of any staff member or steering team member. We welcome dialogue with you, as we try to learn from this situation. Remember Paul's words in Romans 12:

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Let me be very clear: I'm here and I'm available. Email me or call and we'll schedule some time to meet. The only time I'm not willing to sacrifice is message preparation time; other priorities can be pushed or rearranged each week until every person who wants to meet with me has done so. Dennis Green will do the same. The staff member that you want to speak to would also be glad to engage with you, as well as a member of the Steering Team. Let's have constructive, open dialogue that honors the future of our church and the prayerful process that we have been through.

Secondly, at the risk of appearing to manipulate the situation, I will challenge you in this way: Does your life of obedience to God include consistent giving? You see, if everyone at PCC was giving, we would not be faced with these difficult decisions. Ultimately, this issue is between you and God; however, it's not prudent of me to neglect mentioning this fact. The number of people at PCC support the size of our staff and our budget - but when people do not give, we cannot continue to do ministry effectively. Of course, you may not feel as though you are in a position to give due to your own personal financial situation. However, I encourage you to remember God's promise in Malachi, when he says:

"Test me in this, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3.10

Not so that we can restore our staff salaries; not so we can build a bigger budget - but so that you might continue to grow to be a fully devoted follower of Christ. That is our responsibility and our call from God, and we remain committed to that.

You see, the outward appearance here is that we have a financial shortfall...that we don't have enough. The outward appearance is that our church is in a situation of great need that has resulted in some difficult and painful decisions regarding staff salaries.

But the heart of the matter is this: God always provides. And I believe that the rest of this story remains unwritten. I believe that God is going to use this situation - and the personal situations of many of the individuals at PCC - to draw us to a deeper knowledge of him, a greater understanding of what it means to be a fully devoted follower. God causes all things to work together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8.28), and this situation is full of opportunity and potential.

As difficult as this season has been, I remain as committed and passionate and excited about our church as I have ever been. I hope you are, too.

Until tomorrow...

(Special Note: One of the hats that Beth Brawley currently wears at our church is that she is coordinating our Communications efforts. To that end, she frequently edits my posts for me and helps me refine them. But she did more than that this time, and I need to give credit where credit is due. Her words were used a lot here. She didn't just edit, she wrote some. She helped shape this post and its tone, and the hours spent ensuring that I communicated what I really felt and what was really in my heart were reflected more accurately becasue she was there during part of the process, made herself available to hear my intent and then helped me write. I am grateful for her extra, beyond-the-call of duty effort during this difficult week.)

New Year's Resolutions

Perhaps you made a resolution for 2009 in regards to your spiritual life; it's pretty common, actually.  Most of us want to jump start our spiritual, physical and emotional health from time to time, and the beginning of a new calendar year seems like a logical starting point.

So - have you figured it how you're going to achieve your goal?  Do you have a plan?

The Other Bald Guy - aka Scott Gordon - has some great resources to recommend.  He's also interested in hearing from you.  Check out the blog and see what's up.

www.theotherbaldguy.com

Understanding The Bible

Guest blogger Sammy Frame will teach one of our iD courses for this upcoming semester.  Interested?  Here's what Sammy has to say...

The Bible. Sixty-six books carefully written and compiled, spanning more than two millennia. Throughout its pages you can find the words of truth, the words of life, time-honored and time-tested principles that have proven priceless for countless generations. It has structured and shaped our world in profound ways. In it, God’s story unfolds, unbroken, precious, vibrant, and compelling. Tens of thousands of words so precious, so valuable, so rare, that mankind still searches through them looking for hope, promise, and eternity. A book so delectable, so enjoyable, and so fantastic that the ancient rabbis would compare it to the sweetest thing they knew: honey.

You can get your complete copy today from christianbook.com for $1.69.

So … maybe it’s not as valuable as it once was. And, despite how easy it may be to acquire a copy (we’ll give you one for free at PCC by the way), it doesn’t always seem that easy for people to read. For many it comes across as cryptic, old, irrelevant, boring, and (depending on the translation) difficult to read. Most folks tend to think of it as more like spinach than honey: good for you, but not all that tasteful. How, then, can a book that tells the story of God, the best selling book of all time, have come to this? How could the most important document in world history not be enjoyed?

In part, the answer lies not in its age or how exciting it seems, but in how we read it, in how we understand it. Like all communication, the Bible has to be interpreted, and interpretation can be a difficult thing to do. So, starting the evening of Sunday, January 11, let’s talk about how to interpret scripture. Let’s look at the Bible and wipe away the confusion. Let’s regain the excitement that the ancients felt whenever they encountered this beautiful, powerful book. Let’s learn and exercise some methods of interpretation together that will bring forth meaning from the Bible that we’ve never encountered. Come and join me for “Understanding the Bible”, an 8 week iD course on Sunday nights from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Art Room at Powhatan Elementary.

Perhaps, though, the Bible isn’t a strong point of connection to God for you or you don’t have much difficulty with it. Part of what PCC endeavors to accomplish in our community is to guide people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. PCC’s iD program seeks to accomplish just this. If the Bible course doesn’t do it for you, try looking at some of our other course offerings that will help you along your journey of growing to become more and more like Jesus. Perhaps Chauncey Starkey's “Experiencing God” class, Bob Pino’s “The Tabernacle”, or Kevin Salyer's “S.H.A.P.E.” class can help you further your knowledge and love of Jesus. Check out all of our course offerings here.

What Does it Mean to be a Christ Follower: Part 2

Ten days ago, I gave you Part 1.  Here is Part 2.

If being a Christ Follower is NOT focusing on a list of do's and do not's, than what IS it.  Well, you may feel that this is a cheating, condescending, over-simplified, insulting answer, but here it is:  A Christ Follower is someone who...follows Christ.  When Jesus met people who wanted to be changed, transformed, start over, get into heaven, become better, get healed, gain forgiveness, etc., he usually said something like (or often exactly like) "follow me".   Let's break this down.

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus tells his listeners that unless they have a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees and the religious leaders, they won't enter the Kingdom of heaven.  This is a serious problem, because nobody was considered more 'righteous' than the Pharisees.  They were perfect keepers of the law.  The checked off every one of the 10 commandments, every item in the Law of Moses, every ordinance and interpretation of Jewish code.  They were complete rule followers.  By human standards, they had attained perfection.  But Jesus said their righteousness was so inherently flawed it would prevent them from entering heaven unless it was improved upon.  Did anyone have hope?

Yes.  Jesus wasn't looking for 1000 more rules to keep.  He was looking one relationship to make.  The Pharisees had made a religion based on moral code - we call this legalism.  Jesus wanted people to build their lives based on a relationship with the one true God.  We call this 'being a Christ Follower'.  This is why I say I can't stand it when people call me a religious person.  Religious people are stigmatized as those who are focused on what a person is allowed to do and what he or she is not allowed to do.  Jesus was focused on God.

Does that mean there are no boundaries?  Of course not.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus tells his followers to seek first the Kingdom of God and God's righteousness.   I believe that when we focus our lives on following Jesus Christ, our hearts are then open to what is right.  We are open to the truth of the Bible, the authority of the church, the care and respect we have of other Christ followers in our community of friends.  

Focus your life on Following Christ first and foremost, and let other things fall naturally into place.  That is the order that God intended.  Be less like a Pharisee and more like a Christ Follower and your life will be better for it.

Conformed Or Transformed

Guest blogger Bob Pino serves in various ways at PCC; an inspiring musician, small group host, teacher, mentor, faithful pray-er and good friend, he also helps spearhead our iD team.  Bob is passionate about discipleship and the need to grow in your faith through bible study, fellowship, accountability and the word.  Here are some of Bob's thoughts relative to iD.

In the New Testament Paul writes to the Romans to prepare the way for a visit he plans to make to the church at Rome. His plan was to work among the Christians there for a while and then head to Spain. He wrote to explain his understanding of the Christian faith and its practical implications for the lives of Christians.

I am challenged by Paul when he writes these words:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12.1-2

Before Christ I was being conformed by the world. I would see things and hear things that were mans’ ideas, desires and opinions.  I could agree with them, make up some of my own, and - by the world’s standards, as long as I wasn’t hurting anyone - I could pretty much do , say, or believe what I wanted. When I accepted Christ in my life on September 20, 1979, everything went crazy. It took over 10 years for me to realize that without pursuing a relationship with Christ through transformation, I was just another person that went to church on Sunday and did what I wanted to the rest of the week. I realized that in order to know Him and to be transformed by Him, I would have to study His Word. It was then that Christ began to go from my head to my heart. This is a daily process in the life of anyone who wants to be a Christ-follower.

The Bible says in John 1 vs. 1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. “ If I believed that, then studying the Word was to study Christ! How awesome! My life started to change because Christ started to change my life. My outlook, my thought process, and my attitude began to be different and the cool thing was that people - even my own kids - would ask,“What’s different about you?” It was my mind being transformed by the washing of the Word. 

I heard a wise Christian man say, “Imagine that you’re holding a glass of dirty water. It’s full of all kinds of particles, sand, and dirt. If you were to start pouring good, clean water into that glass and let it overflow, eventually all the dirty water would be gone and you would have a glass of perfectly clear water. Your life works the same way. You are renewed by the washing of the water of the Word of God. You may be carrying particles of dirt from the past. You may have old destructive habits or mindsets that you are trying to get rid of. But the more you pour God’s Word into yourself, the more clean and alive everything becomes. Don’t choose to sit around with that mucky, dirty water on the inside of you. Allow His Word to cleanse you by reading and declaring it over yourself every day. As you choose His Word, you choose His life, and you’ll experience His hand of blessing in ways you never dreamed.”

I am happy to tell you that the staff at PCC believes in the study of God’s Word. For my wife and me it’s the main reason we attend PCC. This January, through the iD program, we will have at our disposal several classes to choose from that will help us to be transformed by the study of God’s Word. It doesn’t matter if you are new to the journey or you’ve been following Christ for years. We never get to the point where we know it all or where we have arrived. Even our pastor, who has his PhD, is in the Word learning, seeking, understanding, and growing as he leads us.

Registration is now open and you can choose to grow and be transformed, or you can be conformed to the world around you and miss the rich blessing of our Lord who will get you through life with strength, peace in the midst of storms, joy beyond measure, and the ability to love and serve the One who gave His life for you! Come to the registration table on Sunday, or go online and register today! It will change your life!
For more information, check out the PCC website, where you can read more about specific courses, or call the church office (804.598.1174)

Leaving For China

Following is a reprint of a post from a few months ago, but it's worth repeating.  Wednesday morning, four of the five guys above, along with their chaperone David Samuel, are leaving their friends and families to spend their Christmas break in China.  Focused on their call and their mission, these guys have raised over $10,000 to invest their time and resources in a foreign country.

They impress and inspire me.  How about you?

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Last summer a team of students and adult sponsors went to Cherokee, North Carolina for a week of work projects and mission work. Like most trips of this nature, those who went came back with much more than sore muscles and finished projects. God dealt with people and, in one particular case, infected a group of five young men in an unbelieveable way.

Marc Chewning returned from Cherokee knowing that he wanted to do more to help others know and understand the love of God. Shortly after arriving back home in Powhatan, he was mowing the grass. A bird skeleton was lying in the yard; he noticed it and thought to himself, "That's gross." He passed the skeleton again and was suddenly impacted by a powerful thought.

"How many times do we do that same thing with people? Notice, think "that's gross", and turn and walk away..."

Marc couldn't shake the thought of hurt and broken people who were ignored and left in need, often by those who claim to follow Jesus and his command to "love your neighbor as yourself."

After a flurry of communication with some of his partners from the Cherokee mission trip, Marc felt certain that God was speaking, and clearly calling them to go. They weren't sure where they were to go, but the compulsion to act was undeniable.

With the strength of their conviction and the boldness that comes from an encounter with God, these five guys starting moving. In spite of the fact that they weren't sure exactly what was ahead, they unashamedly began to declare that God had called them, and they starting looking for the next step.

Their journey led them to the front steps of the International Mission Board in Richmond (in spite of several wrong turns and a brief period of being lost), where they simply walked through the door and made themselves available. They were warmly received and graciously encouraged, and it was there that they received clarification as to the path before them.

Marc Chewning, Elijah Schiarelli, Joseph Freeman and Andrew Basic are going to spend their Christmas break in China. They will work within the specific guidelines of a Mission Board project, but what they will do is not as important as the fact that God spoke, and they said, quite simply, "Yes."

In response to the need for an adult chaperone, David Samuel also said "Yes", and he will join them. Robert Moroney will be unable to travel to China, but he said, "Yes" to the call to support those on the journey from home.

Pray for these guys.  And pray for their families, who will face the holiday with their children many miles away.  Give their moms and dads an extra hug or two.  And pray.

iD

At PCC, our mission has two parts:  to reach people, and then to guide them to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  We are pretty good at reaching people.  Not flawless.  Not perfect.  We can certainly get better.  But we're pretty good.  And reaching is easier to measure.  Attendance.  Baptisms.  It's just easier to measure the 'front door' of the church.

The rest of the journey is more nebulous.  It's harder to gauge where someone is in their faith journey or how close they are to becoming a fully devoted follower.  Nobody ever 'arrives', right?  Nobody ever wakes up one day and says, "well, I'm headed for my final exam.  If I get through this class, I'll be a fully devoted follower.  Glad that's over!"  No, we're always striving.  Paul put it like this, "Brothers and Sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of [perfection]. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philip. 3:13-14, TNIV).

At PCC, we have two primary ways that we make available for the Christ follower to "press on toward the goal" of becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ.  One is the Small Group.  Small Groups study the Bible in the context of friendships.  The other is our i.D. program.  This is where you can get some Bible teaching in the context of an instructional setting.  These are classes, and the idea is to to give you experiential learning, but to also give you information.  They are for a defined term and then they end, which is why we put them on a semester system.

These classes are designed for a wide range points on a spiritual journey - from those who are new to faith to those who have been Christ followers for decades.  If you want to go deeper, check out an i.D. class.  This program offers the completion of our package for discipleship at PCC, and we believe that those who take advantage of i.D., and small groups are well on their way to becoming fully devoted follower of Christ.  So, come check out what we're offering...you'll be glad you did!

For more information on PCC Small Groups, click here.  For course descriptions and online registration for iD courses, click here.

The Other Bald Guy

If you missed Sunday's service at PCC yesterday, you'll want to check this out.

And then you'll want to check this out.

Why PCC Doesn't Do an Invitation or Altar Call

Why Doesn't PCC Do an Invitation or Altar Call?

by Dr. Brian C. Hughes

Senior Pastor

It is a question that many people have asked me through the years.  I get asked this question regularly, especially from those who have had significant exposure to church, since most traditional churches do an ‘invitation’ or ‘altar call’ every week.  The answer is a reflection of our understanding of the culture we live in today.  Let me explain. 

Let’s say that you could plot someone’s spiritual journey on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the moment when that person crosses the line of faith and accepts Jesus as the Lord of their lives.  Forty or fifty years ago, most every non-Christian in the United States had lots of exposure to Christian teachings.  They not only had heard of Jesus, but they had been to church, to Sunday School, to revivals.  Everybody went to church, even if they weren’t Christians.  That was just what people did.  So, the average non-Christian was probably a 7 or an 8 on that scale.  It wasn’t a long journey to get from where they were spiritually to the place where they were ready to commit their lives to Christ.  A passionate plea from a respected pastor following a moving sermon accompanied by a moving hymn was effective.  Or a church revival service.  Or even a knock on their door and a visit from a deacon or the local preacher.  Non-Christians just didn’t have that far to go to become Christ followers.  

Things are different today.  People don’t go to church and aren’t expected to go to church.  There is no peer pressure.  The result is that we have at least one generation of folks who have little or no exposure to church, to Biblical teachings, or to Jesus Christ.  They aren’t unspiritual.  In fact, they are often very open to spiritual truth and they are often asking spiritual questions.  However, on the over-simplistic scale, they are more likely to be a 2 or a 3 or a 4.  They have a lot farther to go to be ready to cross the line of faith and trust Christ with their lives. 

Now, added to that, we know from extensive research (and from our own experience at PCC) that people today do not want to be put on the spot.  Unchurched people want to be anonymous.  They want to slip into church and slip out and check out claims of faith at their own pace and on their own terms.  By singling them out, we turn them away and they are very unlikely to return.  Unchurched people repeatedly say that they want a non-threatening, no-pressure environment to explore spiritual questions.  If we pressure them or put them on the spot, they will not come back.  And remember, because they are not as far along on their faith journey towards Jesus, it is very unlikely that they will cross the line of faith in one visit to church.  If we don’t get them back repeatedly, for a long period of time, they are unlikely to commit their lives to Christ.  

All of this is fine, and it answers the question ‘why don’t we have an altar call’, but it doesn’t answer the question, “how do we call people to commit their lives to Jesus”.  Several ways. 

1)   Come to Jesus Sundays.  Unchurched people tell us that they come to PCC for a variety of reasons.  Our children and youth programs are outstanding and kids love being a part of the activities and events designed for them.  Also, they tell us that they love the music, that church is not boring, and that the messages are relevant and meet them where they are.  Consequently, they come back.  We strategically plan times when we specifically talk about what it means to cross the line of faith and why they should commit to Jesus and become a Christ follower.  Then, I will lead them in a prayer of commitment.  Finally, I challenge them that, if they made that decision today, to not leave until they tell someone.  I invite them to tell me and I tell them where I’ll be.  I also point out other people on our staff or in leadership.  And I tell them they can share their decision with a friend or someone else they know.

2)   Baptism.  I tell everyone that Believer’s Baptism is where you ‘go public’ with your decision.  This is the Biblical model (see Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, etc.)  There were no altar calls or church service invitations in the Bible, but simply calls to follow Jesus.  (I’m not saying that it’s wrong to have an altar call, simply that it’s not wrong to not have one).  The place where that new believer tells the world is at their baptism.

3)   Small Groups.  This is where real community happens.  Small Group leaders are the real pastors of our church.  And Small Groups are the real church.  We say this is where you can ‘know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, celebrate and be celebrated.’  It is here that people often explore spiritual questions in safe, intimate settings, and where they often are guided to faith in Jesus.

4)  Personal Invitations.  This is how it worked when Jesus was here and how it worked in the early church.  People were excited about their faith in Jesus Christ and they invited those around them, at opportune moments, to also know Christ.  We won't change the world with church services.  We'll change it when people who say they love Jesus place themselves strategically in places, friendships, and situations where they can share their faith in natural, non-threatening ways without coercing and pressuring people.  This is what Jesus had in mind in Matthew 28:18-20.

The bottom line is that what we do works.  It works not because we’re right and everyone else is wrong, but because we’re doing exactly what God has called us to do.  We believe that Jesus understood and responded to the culture of his day, not changing his message, but constantly changing his method.  He said that He came for the sick, not for the healthy.  In six years, we’ve baptized almost 300 people, most of whom were adults and most were not going to church anywhere when they came to PCC.  In fact, half of the people in our church each week weren’t going to church before they came to us.

So, I hope this gives some insight to why we do what we do, and why we do things a little differently.

Parenting the Video Game Generation

Parenting the Video Game Generation

By Susan Hughes

Children's Pastor

As a parent, I am constantly aware of the TV shows, music, games, teachers, and friends that have an impact on my children. Of course I want the best for them. That may mean sometimes making choices for them – choices to not watch a certain movie or show, choices to encourage a certain friendship or discourage it. But often I am guilty of not leveraging the greatest impact in their lives – myself.

In a conference this week, I learned that the average 5th grade child spends just 40 hours a year at church, but 500 hours a year playing video games! WOW! I was convicted. Even though I am the children’s minister, my kids don’t spend much more time at church than that. And do my kids really spend that much time playing video games? Probably so. So what can I do? If I want faith and God to be an important part of my kids’ lives (and I do), then I am going to have to do more than just bring them to church on Sundays (unless they start making some Christian video games – yeah right). I can beat myself up and wish that I was a better parent, or I can take steps to make an impact on their spiritual development that complements that 1 hour on Sunday.

PCC wants to partner with parents. We want to make it easy for you to have a Godly influence in their lives. That’s why we print "take-home" pages every week:

In the First Steps with Jesus area (birth-K) your child should get a "Small Talk" page every week (or every month if they are in the youngest class). This page is designed for you to review the key concept and gives ideas for spiritual conversations at home.

In the PowerJam area (1-6th grade) your child should get a "Fridge Door" and a "God Time" page. The Fridge Door is designed for you to talk on the way home about the spiritual concepts that were reviewed in their small group at church. If you don’t have time to do it right away, stick it on your fridge and do it over a meal one day during the week. The God Time card encourages kids to spend 5 minutes with God on 4 different days during the week. Older kids can do this on their own and younger kids can do it with a parent.

I can promise you that a mom or dad who talks about the Bible or who prays with his child at night (even if it is not every night) will have a lasting impact in the life of a child! So… you don’t have to be a Bible scholar or think of these spiritual conversations on your own.

We want to help you be the best parent you can be and we want kids to grow spiritually too!
And, I’d love to hear about your conversations!