3 Deacons, 2 Staff, and an Elder

Sunday was good day at the Chapel. It seems that each week we are improving how we do things and who is getting involved. I am loving seeing all the new people from the neighborhood. So many people walk to church.

We are improving our PowerPoint by adding sermon notes, Our worship team is adding new people and they are really finding their sound. As things smooth out it makes ministry so much easier.

The big thing about Sunday was the leadership we raised up. On Sunday we prayer for 3 deacons, 2 full time staff, and 1 elder. Our stage was packed with people but it was totally cool. I believe what it says in 1 Timothy 3:10 "But let these also first be tested, then let them serve." We have learned the hard way by promoting too quickly or promoting people who don't stand behind our core values. Each person we raised up has been with our church from the beginning and has served faithfully since then.

We are excited to add two full time staff to the church. Both Tom Tefft and Christin Anaya are now at the offices as full time employees. Tom is being released to minister to our youth and Christin to our children. Our church will only benefit from this.

As God adds to our leadership I am excited to see what He will do as our efforts are multiplied.

Dear John Q Public

I wanted to thank you for your anonymous email. Because you took great pains to remain anonymous this is the only way that I can answer your email. By the tone of your letter I know you will read this.

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to you. It seems that this is what you were searching for in between all the expletives and accusations.

I apologize for being your youth pastor all those years ago. I apologize for teaching you the word of God each week, taking you to things like camps, conventions, and the beach. I am sorry that I picked you up for events and then took you home even though I was exhausted from dealing with you and your groups immaturity.

I apologize for calling you and your group out when your actions dictated that.

I am sorry that I hurt your feelings and that you feel the need to send me such a bitter email so long after the incident happened.

What I am most sorry for is that after all these years you feel it necessary to do this in such a way where there could be no true reconciliation. I am not sure where your relationship with Christ is right now but my hope you are still following Christ. If you are let me encourage you to handle it Biblically and contact me so that we can deal with this in love. If you aren't following Christ anymore then my prayers are with you because you know what is right and you are living a life without hope.

The ball is now in your court.

Late Bloomer

When I first found out that Jennifer was pregnant with our fourth child I was a little down. The main reason was that I am 39 years old. I started to realize that I would be eligible for Social Security by time this child graduates from college. It was a little depressing and made me tired…literally.

Then I started to think about it more. I have always been a late bloomer so having children later in life is all part of my life's course. Pretty much everything for me has come later. For example I grew in height later than most of my friends. I was in eighth grade before I crested five feet tall then one summer I grew 8 inches. In high school it took me a while to fill in. My senior year I grew to 6"1 but was only 154 lbs. College took me a while to finish. I graduated with my degree when I was almost 25 years old, not old for most people but at college I was one of the oldest in my graduating class. I got married when I was almost 28 years old and waited until I was 34 to have children. I was in ministry 13 years when I became a Senior Pastor.

Most of this may not seem like a big deal but I realize that I am a late bloomer. There is nothing wrong with it and it has been God's path for me. Maybe it is because that is how long it takes for me to get it, but I like to think the best years are ahead and the best is yet to come. When I look at my growing family I know it is true. As I get older God's calling in my life has become simple and clear, I am called to be the Pastor of The Village Chapel and to be a Parent. That is it and you know what? I love doing both of those more than anything else in the world.

It may have taken me a while to get it but I have it now and I am content. Think they will let me chaperone a prom when I am 60?

Oh How the Mighty have Fallen

For those of who follow bottom dwelling teams I have had a great week! Even though my team lost again this week I came away happy because we actually showed some offense. I also have other reasons to gloat. There are some other teams that have joined mine at the bottom this week. As of this post USC (otherwise known as SUC on this blog), Florida,  and Wisconsin have all lost their games. Three teams that were supposed to have walkovers got stepped on.

If it sounds like I have a bit of glee in my voice you are right. The mighty have fallen and the collective thud is sweet music to us close to where they fell.

Update: Georgia has gopne down to Alabama. That means three of the top four lost this weekend. This means that Oklahoma will be #1 now. Great.

Front Yard Saga

To date, in my front yard, I have moved (with help of many);

• 6 tons of rock
• 1 very large and very dead tree
• 1 dump truck and a trailer full of roots
• 4.25 tons of dirt

Now I am officially able to install sprinklers and lay sod. Barring any other unforeseen problems i.e. cars, we should lay sod in about two weeks.

An then there was four!

The Musselwhite family is excited to announce the expectation of our fourth child. We will welcome this blessing sometime in May.

Great Story!

USA Today has a great story on retirement. You can read it here. This couple retired debt free and then went on to live the life they dreamed of. It'll surprise you. Go ahead and read it.

This is why I love the fact that we are doing Financial Peace University at The Village Chapel. Not just that people can get out of debt, or that they can build on their retirement, but that they can live the life that God called them to.

What is in a name?

Num 13:30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at
once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

This verse is the reason why we named our oldest son Caleb. I was reading through this morning in my devotions and was reminded of it. When people think of Caleb of the Bible they usually refer to the verse, where at 80 years old, Caleb tells Joshua he wants the hill country. I was always impressed with what Caleb did a young age.

At the age of forty Caleb was one of the spies sent into Canaan. Only Joshua and Caleb spoke up and pleaded with the people to take the land. What strikes me about that verse is that Caleb was willing to stand and speak up in the face of opposition and that he wanted what God had for Him. Fear didn't get in the way.

I have always prayed this over my son, that he would stand for God against the popular opinion of people because he desires what God has for him. It is a good lesson for all of us. Are we willing to stand in the face of opposition because that is where God wants us to go?

I want this desk

Okay where do I get one of these?

 

Rene sent me this photo.

New Digs

We did a little moving around today at the offices. I got kicked back to the back office while children and youth got moved to the front. We still have to move the secretaries desk. This will accomplish two things; it will give a place to study with fewer imterruptions plus give us several more meeting places in our offices.