How will you react?

I've always wondered how I would react in a "fight or flight" situation. What would I do in a really tense or scary situation? Fight Or Flight?  I didn't really want to find out that badly, but I did. I found out this morning about 2AM. 

We are currently renting a duplex in an interesting area of town. Let's just say the crime rate is higher in this area, than in some other areas of town. My wife and I awoke this morning to what sounded like someone trying to break in through the front door. We both sat up in bed. We heard the noise again and without thinking, I sprung out of bed and yelled at the top of my voice "Hey!!" to make sure they knew there was someone in the house and that I was coming to them. I kept yelling and yelling.  I also grabbed my cell phone when I got out of bed as well....so I had it right there to dial 911 if I needed. I also yelled for our 75lb dog to "get em!!".

Well, either I scared them away, or there wasn't anyone out there in the first place. I'm not totally sure. Regardless, I didn't get much sleep after that as you can imagine. I stayed awake for another 3 hours before I could fall back to sleep. I guess I know now, that in that circumstance, I was ready "fight" to protect my wife and our house, even standing there in my underwear, armed with a cell phone and our trusty dog, yelling like a crazy man. It was like a reflex or something. I didn't have time to think about it much. I guess I thought fast enough to have my cell ready for dialing 911, but I didn't have a weapon, other than my "scary, yelling voice". And I am very thankful they got scared and left.

My questions to myself and to you are: Am I showing that same kind of response against Satan, when he is scratching at the front door of my house, trying to get to me and my family? Am I springing out of bed, taking whatever steps necessary to send him away? 

Unfortunately, Satan is at our doors waiting to attack us. He is here to steal, kill and destroy. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;" John 10:10

Fortunately, we have a protector, a shepherd, who is willing to lay down His life for us. His name is Jesus: ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11

We can "spring into action" by going to straight Jesus. Ask for Him to protect us from Satan's attacks. Ask for strength not to fall into temptation. Place our faith, hope and trust in Him. This should be our Christian "reflex". We know that He is our Good Shepherd. We can turn to Him in times of fear, crisis and attacks.

Right Where I Need To Be

Believe it or not I’ve had this country song stuck in my head for a few weeks now. It’s an old Gary Allan song that was released during my freshman year of college. Though this genre is by far not my favorite, after two years of junior college in southeastern Oklahoma, I’m quite familiar with many of its songs and artists. The premise of the song is that this dude realizes his priorities have been out of whack and it’s time for a change. There are places that he is supposed to go and expectations placed upon him by others as to where he should be, yet he finds that there is a better place, a place that’s right where he needs to be.

And it is this title that has been on repeat in my mind – right where I need to be. I’m not trying to insinuate that I’ve lived this to perfection or even come close. However, I can say that I’ve found some times here lately that I too could sing: “Yeah, I’m right where I need to be.” Let me give a few examples and then ask you a question.

I was late to a couple different meetings over the last few weeks, but not because of my usual laziness or poor planning. On both occasions I have in mind, I was tardy because another one-on–one time of discipleship had gone way longer than I anticipated. As I noticed that I should probably go, so as to not be late, I realized that I was in a place that I had prayed for. The gentleman I was meeting with was making himself vulnerable. Our conversation had gone deep and the implications of the gospel were being exposed.

So many of my meetings as a staff member are spent discussing how we might get into rich relationships like this; we pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us into such blessed opportunities. So why hurry and rush away in the midst of an obviously answered prayer? To be clear, repeatedly being late would be disobedient and poor stewardship. Yet in both of the situations I’m thinking of, I was right where I needed to be.

I can also think of a couple times recently where we have had to back out of a prior commitment. As much as I hated doing it, I knew it was right for our family. Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew, and sometimes life is just hard. The more we press into Christ, the more we are forced to trust Him for strength, guidance, and wisdom to discern what’s best. While such glorious pursuits are eternally significant and well worth our sweat and tears, it can be and should be, more days than not, extremely exhausting work. So in swallowing some pride and making ourselves open for criticism, judgment, and misperceptions, by bowing out of an engagement, we found ourselves right where we needed to be.

Being present in the moment, allowing the conversation to continue, listening to the Holy Spirit’s still small voice may mean that a meal is occasionally skipped. When prayer goes long or when the day needs to be shortened, it may cut into your work so that some things are not completed. Of course, it may mean staying up late to finish, thus losing some rest. You might be late; you may go hungry, become tired, and bump into moments of weariness. Be sure that it will cost all of us something. But if we are ministering to the world, the body, our family, or even our very own soul, is it not, right where we need to be?

To again clarify, I’m not suggesting that we throw our calendar out the window or that always being late equates to righteously serving “in the moment.” I’m simply encouraging you and I to not be so bound to our schedules that we miss the divine duty before us. Sometimes the Lord grants us sweet opportunities to love each other and participate in His work, and His timing is not designed to conform to ours.

The thing about being right where I need to be is that it is joined with a realization that so many times I’m not. Some things may need to no longer be part of my weekly routine. Without a doubt, more hours needs to be freed from my schedule to spend time with people. I need to constantly evaluate and align my days to be following the One that directs my steps… How about you? Are you right where you need to be? Are you missing moments of ministry? Is checking everything off your list a bigger priority than serving He who has graciously enlisted you into His eternal kingdom? Perhaps some things need to change, but that will be between you and the Lord. My prayer is that we might have ears to hear, spiritual eyes to see, and courage to obediently be right where we need to be.

Matt Fowler
Assoc. Pastor of Missions & Students
matt@nbchurch.info
@fattmowler

The #1 Lesson I Learned from Maui!

As some of you have heard, I was recently blessed to be able to join my daughters on a trip to Maui. It was the trip of a lifetime. I never thought I would be able to afford a trip like this and I was also a little embarrassed to be able to do something so extravagant. But, we found an inexpensive retreat location for pastors that made this trip within our reach. So we saved our money and made the trip. Because our daughters already live in California, they were able to afford to join us.
There was one very important lesson that I learned that I wanted to pass along to you. I think if you believe what I am going to tell you, it could change your outlook in a very positive way. I want to share with my favorite thing about my trip to Maui and my biggest regret about Maui.

First, let me describe my favorite thing about my trip. It wasn't the sunny and sandy beaches (they are remarkable). It wasn’t the snorkeling (we saw hundreds of magnificent saltwater fish of every color you can imagine, and even came face to face with a sea turtle as big as me). It wasn't the stunning tropical plant life (I saw trees, flowers, and vines that I had never seen or imagined before). It wasn’t the meals on the beach (we had an amazing Luau, and most meal out, right on the beach, or at least with an ocean view). It wasn’t the birds that greeted us every morning (song birds of every color came alive each morning with music at sunrise). There are plenty of other wonderful things in Maui that were not my favorite thing either.
My favorite thing about Maui was spending time with my family. I love listening to the stories and the laughter of my family. I cherish being able to love and receive their love face to face. I was able to hold, and walk, and make my grand-daughter smile every day! This was the #1 thing that made this trip so incredible.
You see, my wife and I are empty nesters. That means we experience many benefits for not having kids at home (the house stays cleaner, quieter, more peaceful, and the money doesn't fly out of our pockets as fast as it did when our kids lived upstairs). There is more money for trips to Maui. While being an empty-nester may sound like heaven to families that are hip deep in diapers and debt, there is a serious down side. You miss your family every minute of everyday.

Secondly, let me describe my greatest regret about Maui. It wasn’t the cost. It wasn’t the long flight. It wasn’t the sunburn. It wasn’t any of the things that makes travel exhausting (jet lag, airport security, flight delays, long lines, etc.). It wasn't that we had to stay in cheap housing for pastors. My greatest regret about Maui was that my son, Josh, wasn’t able to be with us. He was on tour and couldn’t afford to take time away. Josh brings an entirely different type of fun and energy to the family. He would have loved listening to the stories and the laughter too. He would have told his own stories and made us laugh even more. He would also treasure holding and making C.C. smile. Josh would also relish being able to love and receive the love of his family face to face. Carol and I, both of his sisters and their husbands, and especially C.C. would have loved for Josh to be with us.
What is the take away? Here it is.

• The best things in life are not always what you expect.
• Family time, done right, is more gratifying than just about anything else.
• The journey is just as important as the destination.
• Enjoy your family.
• Wear sun block.

God Bless and Mahalo!

Dr. Phil Sallee, Pastor
twitter.com/philsallee
facebook.com/phil.sallee
philsallee.info
nbchurch.info
nbfamilies.info

This is My Desire

I was listening to this song by Jeremy Camp this past week. It was speaking to me over and over. Maybe it's because I had it on "repeat", OR maybe the Holy Spirit was working on my heart to remind me of what my desire should be. This is my prayer. Seems simple enough. Or is it? I pray that I have this kind of desire: "to lay down my pride"...."to be set free today"....."to lay it down before the King"....."to have purpose inside"...."to be whole"..."to have virtue and purity of mind"...."to be real"..."to be emptied inside"...."to feel you near"....."to be used by you", LORD...."to do your will." "This is MY DESIRE". Amen.

"My Desire" by Jeremy Camp

You want to be real 
You want to be empty inside 
You want to be someone laying down your pride 
You want to be someone someday 
Then lay it all down before the King 
You want to be whole 
You want to have purpose inside 
You want to have virtue and purify your mind 
You want to be set free today then lay it all down before the King 

[Chorus:]
This is my desire 
This is my return 
This is my desire to be used by you 

You want to be real 
You want to be emptied inside 
And I know my heart is to feel you near 
And I know my life 
It's to do your will 
It's to do your will 

[Chorus]

All my life I have seen where you've taken me 
Beyond all I have hoped and there's more left unseen 
There's not much I can do to repay all you've done so I give my hands to use

Discipleship Questions To Consider 1

Over the next several months, I’ll be bringing out some thoughts and questions about disciple-making that I’ve spent the last 17 years thinking, attempting, engaging, failing, and eventually learning through the many lives and relationships we’ve been privileged to do life with. I’ve also spent hundreds of hours reading and studying this area and there is a lot of good material out there on the subject. 

In this new role at New Beginnings, I'll be focusing a lot of attention on our involvement with the Relational Discipleship Network. The emphasis here is that we must be intentional with the gospel, intentional with relationships, and intentional with mission. If one of those aspects is dropped--it affects everything else. 

Sometimes, I may bring up questions in an attempt to stir more thought and discussion. 

This week, I wanted to bring out some simple questions that I believe every believer, every church leader, and every pastor/elder serving in churches must deal with. Here’s the first question:

Are you seeing lasting disciples being won to Christ, discipled to maturity by mature believers, and then released to go out and reproduce what just happened to them? 

If you were to ask leaders in the church (pastors/elders/deacons/staff guys/teachers) how well they would grade their church on disciple-making—many of them would admit that they’ve been real busy, they’ve sat and listened to many sermons and lessons given by teachers, and many have given financially to the cause—but they have not been taught and trained in how to engage with difficult people around their lives. 

Many churches have programs, meetings, and committees going on every night of the week at the building. But we must keep before us the oft quoted adage “busy-ness does not equal production.” 

Some churches focus only on Bible teaching—but when we have Bible teaching and lessons without intentional mission and intentional relationships we do not necessarily make disciples who know how to make other disciples. Here we must keep before us the rest of that adage "busy-ness does not equal production...and production does not equal reproduction." 

I saw a quote from Jeff Vanderstelt out on Facebook this week that said:

“If all your discipleship happens in a classroom or at events, people will believe following Jesus is a study or a program.” 

He is exactly right. And some churches that focus ONLY on doctrine and time spent alone in “the Word, the Word, the Word..” never break into the everyday rhythms of life with other people whom God has placed right in front of them. 

Other churches have the end goal of "creating community." But that is not the end goal. We must be communities who are intentional in clarifying the gospel as communities sent on mission. As we go along through life, gospel communities will be created (so there is our community we long for) that are able to create other gospel communities (reproducing disciples) who live on mission. 

Here’s that question again:

Are you seeing lasting disciples being won to Christ, discipled to maturity by mature believers, and then released to go out and reproduce what just happened to them? 

So, first for you as an individual believer, are you intentionally praying & expecting, intentionally planning, intentionally engaging in relationships, and intentionally clarifying who Jesus is and what Jesus has accomplished for us? 

If not, what is your Christianity about? 

For pastors/elders and church staff, are you intentionally praying/expecting, intentionally planning, intentionally engaging in relationships, and intentionally clarifying who Jesus is and what Jesus has accomplished for us? 

If not, what is your Christianity doing? 

And if not you…who is leading people to Christ, discipling them to maturity, and releasing them to reproduce what happened to them? 

The reality is that we are all surrounded by lost culture and people far off from God—some of which know it and some of which confused. 

Jesus is worthy of their worship. 

Sankie P. Lynch

www.nbchurch.info

www.nbfamilies.info

sankie@nbchuch.info

Plant, Water, Wait...

Yesterday morning I had the privilege and honor of baptizing my little brother, Bryan. Two days after celebrating his 31^st birthday on Friday, we were able to rejoice in his rebirth in Christ Sunday. The Lord has been so gracious and faithful to pursue Bryan’s affections. When I pause to consider such goodness, my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude and I’m left in awe. Though I cannot begin to describe all the intricate details involved in the Lord bringing my brother to saving faith, I want to briefly share a portion of his story. Though I will fall short of doing it justice, I want to describe the significant role that my friend and our Executive Pastor, Terry Langenberg, played in Bryan’s conversion.

Their league trophy is
still proudly displayed on a
 mantle in Terry's office.

Years ago when my brother was a 20-something looking to get connected at the church, Terry reached out to Bryan, and like so many other men from our church, he hit it off with Terry. Their relationship developed and they soon found themselves coaching a little league baseball team together. I've heard their squad made the Bad News Bears look like the Yankees, but that's beside the point. Bryan would sometimes come over after practice to visit. When Terry and Monica were out of town, they’d occasionally have him housesit and feed their dog while they were away. The most important part of that season is that Terry established a relationship of trust and acceptance with Bryan that would later pay huge dividends.

Bryan’s job eventually forced him to move further north and he was no longer able to stay plugged into the church. Though he and Terry would see each other periodically, the weekly connection was no longer possible. When Bryan would come back to worship around the holidays, the two would always pick right back up. It was as if the Lord was keeping the conversation going by providing opportunities frequently enough, so as to not completely drift apart. In fact, last summer the two had a chance to get caught up when they each participated in the men’s ministry Mancation trip to the Rockies.

Bryan & Terry - Quandary Peak

Fast-forward to February of this year. The Holy Spirit confronted Bryan with the realization that something had to change. Though he had professed faith before as a high school student, Christ had never truly been his Lord. My brother knew that and was aware of the haunting truth that he had held onto some things that now enslaved him. So after asking for a chance to meet with Terry, the two got together on a Thursday evening after work.

After putting in a full week of work and a long day up to that point, Terry did what any faithful disciple would do. He made himself available. In their nearly three-hour conversation, Terry was able to share some of the details of his testimony that really hit home with my brother. He shared how the Lord has been using his story to impact his family. He showed Bryan the YouTube video of his mother’s baptism. Though it is very counter to what our culture considers masculine, right there in his office, Terry and my brother prayed and wept together, which resulted in my brother placing his faith in Jesus.

Bryan entered Terry’s office that evening fearful that he might possibly lose everything – his job, his spouse, his opportunity to make any real change. But he left with everything. He left with the hope of the gospel. For it was specifically for my brother’s struggles that Jesus came; it was for our failures, yours and mine, our sins and shortcomings that Jesus was sent; it was precisely because of our inability to fix things that Christ endured the cross, scorning its shame. For the joy of seeing us reconciled to our loving Father, our Savior conquered sin at Calvary, and as one of our modern poet’s has said: “Jesus Christ put death in His grave.” In that paradoxical moment that is only found in Him, Bryan was finally empowered to forfeit his everything, only to discover that he has all things in Christ.

I share this today, not to make much of Terry, but to point you to the all-powerful, majestic God that has used Terry to bring glory to Himself. The seeds that Terry planted those many years ago were seemingly scattered by the winds of time. Prior to February Terry could have stopped and considered those previous years of loving and praying for Bryan as a waste of time. Of course he may have then missed out on the blessing of one day leading him to faith in Christ. Thankfully, the Lord is always up to so much more than we can see in any given moment. Maybe we’ll get to participate in a similar harvest of souls one of these days. My prayer is that in the meantime we’ll remain faithful, trusting that nothing is impossible with God. So let’s be diligent to plant, water, and wait, leaving the details up to the only One capable of producing real growth and heart change, our Risen Jesus who is mighty to save!

Matt Fowler
Associate Pastor of Missions & Students
matt@nbchurch.info
@fattmowler