It's A Sign!

Here we are on the edge of The Grove's first anniversary! We've witnessed so many things during our first year as an independant church. I can't wait to read all the testimonies that will be published this weekend. I'm also looking forward to worshipping outdoors and all of the extra special things that will be happening. I'm praying you are all coming and bringing a friend or family member with you.

I'm excited to let you know that tonight Tom Winfield, Lennie Pitsenbarger and myself put our new sign atop the pole at the road. I've included some pictures for you.

Saturday morning we'll spreuce up The Grove and we'll be ready to celebrate.

Thanks to all of you that have made this church one that's made up of Real People, learning the Real Truth, Really!


Jeff

When in Rome...

You may be familiar with the end of that phrase, "do as the Romans do".

We all know that it is easy to become like those you hang around with. At the Grove we are hoping for the opposite to happen. We want to rub off on thoe around us.

While attending the church planting conference in Orlando I was challenged to more succinctly state what I believe God's vision is for The Grove. A vision statement is different from the mission statement. You all know the mission statement, "To Know, Go, Show and Sow."

A vision statement's goal is to identify a problem and the fix. In the weeks and months to follow I hope to flesh it out more so I'll just lay it out there and you can ask me if you are interested in knowing more til my next blog. Here it is, "Real People, Real Truth, Really!"

Hope you can join us over the next 15 weeks as we will be looking deeply into the Book of Romans. This week's message is entitled, "I Have Good news and Bad News".


Til next time I remain In His Grip!

Jeff

There's No Place Like Home

I had hoped to summarize the rest of our conference but got too distracted by all the fun in the sun. If you don't believe me take a close look at Dave and Lenie - they are the ying and yang of the value of sunscreen!

If I can put 35 pages of notes into a couple of thoughts they would this:

We must do all we can as individuals and a s a church to assist believers in growing to maturity. It must be woven into the very fabric of who we are - we will be talking about this thing called "Life on Life Missional Evangelism" in the weeks to come. We already have some basic processes in place, we call them Grove 101, 201, 301. I went to work developing 401 before I left for Orlando and will be rolling it out soon.

The final thought for tonight is this: the world is looking for Real People and the Real Truth, Really! More on what this means later.

I hope you will join us this Sunday at 9am at the Y for Melanie Rodriguez's baptism!

She is a young woman who has worked very hard to put herself through college - just graduated with her degree in nursing and now wants to get more serious about her walk with the Lord. I hope we can blow her away by supporting her in this Next Step.

Are you hearing God's voice tell you it's time to be baptized? Give me a call if that's the case.

Til next time - stay In His Grip

Jeff

Update From Exponential 08

Hello again!

It's been an exhausting day. Our first workshop began at 8am and we went til 5:20pm. So much to process and consider as it applies to The Grove.

It has been good on several fronts to realize that we are doing some great things already!

At the same time there are things we could be doing we are not.

I need to make sure the clear vision that God has given to me for His church is stated clearly in our vision - so expect some further writing about that. The prevailing theme throughout this conference has been the development of disciples and leaders. I have been challenged by Randy Popes definition of "Life on Life Missional Discipleship". He has 40 years of discipling men in small groups and if he ever had to choose between pastoring his church of 3,500 or raising up leaders in a small group and he wouldn't take 20 seconds to choose the small group.

In order for The Grove to fulfill it's mission of planting new churches in N/E Ohio we must raise up more leaders and more artists.

A lot of conversation has taken place over a church's DNA. At the same time I've been reading a book on the subject and am curious what others think is unique about us. What sets The Grove apart form any other church.? I don't mean better or superior, just what makes us unique?

Alan Hirsh has challenged us to look at 4 areas that we need to recover in order to get back to our "ethos" - or our characteristic spirit of our church culture.

Here are two of them (I hope you find it as interesting as I):

We must recover the absolute centrality of Jesus of His own movement. (meaning the Christian church movement)

We must recover discipleship as the core task of the church.

I especially enjoyed seeing an old friend, Steve Andrews from Kensington Community Church in Troy Michigan. I'll write more tomorrow about his thoughts and any additional insights I get in the final sessions tomorrow.

Please continue to pray for Lenie, Dave and I that we will capture all we need to in order to come home inspired and motivated to take the next step in church planting.

In His Grip,

Jeff

Delays, Alligators and 84 Degrees

Well its been way too long since I last wrote. I'd have written Sunday but we were stuck in the airport for a 3+ hour delay and didn't get here til late. Then we learned our rooms weren't set up for Internet. On top of it all I had to pay when I got to the Internet cafe.

Dave Orloski, Lenie Pitsenbarger and myself are attending Exponential 08 in Orlando this week. We started our week out at Kissimmee Wildlife Tours and an airboat ride which was a blast!

We ended the evening wandering around downtown Disney and watching people and the beautiful lights in the warm evening air.

Today we went to First Baptist Church of Orlando for the start of this church planting conference and were treated to an excellent band from 2/42 Community Church. (Those who helped us start 2.0 will remember visiting this church on our field trip.) Their church has grown from the 350 at the grand opening to over 1200 today.

Then Andy Stanley spoke on the subject of vision. He clarified several things for me and helped generate more conversation with Dave and Lenie and I. They're at the beach/waterfront and I'm slaving over a hot keyboard. Not really - really wanted to keep in touch with all of you.

Hope you enjoy the few pics I've attached and we ask for your prayers as we continue to seek God's revelation about our next church plant! Talk with you soon - in the meanwhile I remain,

In His Grip,

Jeff

What's Love Got To Do With It?

OK, so it's not such a religious song, but I thought I'd use it as a teaser to something very important I want to share today. It's all about love! The love of a 16 year old going on 17 when he meets his soul mate.

There I was sitting in the high school Sunday School class when she entered. Looking pretty much like her picture here. She introduced herself and I knew I needed to get to know her before one of the other male species made their move.

I had to act quick - Thursday night our group was going bowling - could she possibly need a ride?
But what if other people needed a ride too? Too bad for them, I wanted to take her by myself. I arrived at her home, met her parents, went bowling and drove her home. I had to do some fast talking for her to give me another chance - so I made my best 16 year old dorky boy move - and she gave in. We dated regularly for the rest of our junior and senior year - attended both proms (I was the envy of all the guys I knew when I walked in with her on my arm).

Right after graduation we took a break, both needing to find ourselves. Then in the spring of 1971 we went out again and talked. She couldn't live her life without me she said (or some words to that effect :) ) Maybe it was more like "nothing better had come along yet so she'd hang in there with me".

March 25, 972 we said "I do" forever and she's been hanging in there with me through more thick than thin!

Job changes, premature births, ministry successes and failures, gray hair and 30 lbs. and we love each other more than in Sunday School.

She is the most unselfish woman I've ever met (most beautiful too - gets better with age). She was and is totally dedicated to her role as mom and now grandma. Cindy has shown me unconditional love during my unlovely times, has been my biggest fan - truly a balcony person. She inspires me to keep going when it looked like all was lost.

I don't think there are enough words to express what these last 36+ years have meant to me - but I hope God grants us another 36! I know she's still pretty shy - and may even cringe when she reads this - but honey "I love you not only for who you are but because of who I am when I'm with you!"

Happy Anniversary!

Will You Pray?

I received an email from a brother pastor of mine in the Akron area. he had just returned from the Philippines where he was teaching other pastors and training leaders. He was amazed at ho God moved in his trip. This is a small part of what he wrote:

"I learned an important truth that will remain with me always. And that is the simple, yet profound privilege of bringing one's needs and concerns before the Father."

It is indeed a privilege! He continues:

"My brothers and sisters there showed me that with expectant faith a child of God can just tell Him about their need and He will supply it. A woman asked the Lord to give them rice for her family's next meal and that very day He prompted me to slip some pesos into her hand – she wept with joy. A pastor places his hands on his children's heads and prays for them before they leave for school – they do well and are protected as he expected. A young teen asked God for a guitar so that he could play it for Him in worship and the next day a generous woman calls and says that she has money to buy a guitar for the church. A lonely pastor cries out to God for his ministry to bear more fruit and God gives him the means to relocate the church near the highway and it is growing each week. I was taken to a place called Touch of Glory Prayer Mountain and I prayed alone at length in a very small cell with only a stool and small stand. It was then that I had a sweet encounter with the Lord unlike ever before and found out how weak my prayer life had become.

We need the power and encouragement found at the throne of grace, but we have settled for much less and then wonder why God does not intervene in our small world. He is far bigger than we ever imagined and He is ready and willing to bless us over and over again!"

I'm ashamed of myself over the times I haven't prayed with such conviction!

Tonight, the steering committee of The Grove is meeting to pray for each of you by name and for those concerns you have made known. We encourage you to also be praying for us as we discern God's direction for the church as we pursue our mission to know, go, show and sow.

We look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow at the pancake breakfast and easter egg hunt and on Sunday at the Sunrise Service at 8:30am.

Pastor Jeff