Building His Church

Redeeming Halloween

2010-10-31T22:23:00.001-04:00

I know different people have varied opinions on Halloween. Certainly there is some weird stuff that goes on in some places. However, I felt that this year we might try to redeem Halloween. Let me explain.

My son's 10th birthday is today, on Halloween. When he was little we used to tell him that everyone dressed up in costume for his birthday. Back then he thought that was cool. Now if I say that to him I get a look and a "Dad...,,,".

We were talking a few weeks ago about ways to reach out into our community and my wife, Ann, mentioned that she heard of someone who set up coffee for the adults who were talking their children around the neighborhood trick-or-treating. Others who heard it thought it was a good ideas.

Last night, I received a call from Jeanie and Tom on our launch team inviting our family over to their house after church with the idea that we might be able to invite some neighbors to our new church. It sounded like a great idea and we joined along with Matt and Fanny for a nice afternoon.

The kids and men went around the neighborhood in search of candy and handing out invitations while the ladies manned the coffee/candy table set up in front of their house. We had some great conversations with the neighbors.

Here was a nicely decorated house

Nobody was home, but look where we left an invitation!

It was a great opportunity to meet the neighbors. Many we spoke with seemed thankful to receive an invitation. Let's pray that they will come!

There were only two things I saw that were "evil." One, a teenage girl was dressed like a "french maid" and as a father of daughters, I couldn't imagine letting a girl out in an outfit like that. She was given the wrong kind of attention by a group of boys that were chasing her around. The other thing that was troubling was a badly thrown football pass that I made which took a bad bounce and, well, hit Matt and dropped him to the ground. Sorry buddy!

This was the best costume we saw all day!

The Kids

The most friendly neighborhood coffee stand!

We had a nice afternoon with families from the church and I really think that this year we redeemed Halloween! When else do you have all these neighbors coming to your house and have a chance to go up and greet them at their homes? Now we need to see how God works in touching their lives.

Ordinary People • Extraordinary God

2010-10-26T08:17:00.002-04:00

This past Sunday we finished our message series "Ordinary People, Extraordinary God". This was an exciting and inspiring time where we explored how "Ordinary People Who Trust in an Extraordinary God Can Do Amazing Things!" I must say that it was a new good experience to be ready each Sunday with a message that would hopefully change lives.

The first message "God Works Thru Ordinary People" explored the call of David to be king and it's key point was "God Works Thru Hearts that are His"

The second message "Living for a Giant-size Cause" we saw how David faced a giant who defied God. God's name and fame is a giant-size cause worth living for.

The final message "Meet Some Ordinary People" was an encouraging time hearing how God has worked in the lives of ordinary people. There were two great testimonies, too.. We learned that Spirit-led boldness is much better than ordinary human-boldness.

Now I have a few weeks to study for and prepare a new series that will begin later next month. Pray that God leads me in this study time.

Next week Pastor Joe will bring a message on being lead by the Holy Spirit. Then the following two weeks we'll be blessed to have Pastor Mike and Pastor Ayars share the Word!

Getting in the swing of preparing a message each week!

2010-10-14T18:37:00.000-04:00

This will now be the third Sunday in a row where I have prepared a message. While I taught each week when leading the College-n-Beyond group, it's a little different preparing a Sunday morning message week after week. The most important thing I'm finding is to be sure to keep reading and studying the Bible text over and over and being sure that I'm learning what the text says. Period!

This week we're going to be looking at David and Goliath, one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. It's tempting to gloss over the text and already have decided what it means, but there is a reward for digging and waiting on the Lord to unlock the treasure that's already there! I believe that this has helped me and trust that it will help everyone else on Sunday.

Family Fun Day was Great!

2010-10-08T13:39:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful time last Sunday at the Country Fair Park! While the weather was a bit nippy and overcast, we had lots of fun chasing each other around the Laser Tag area and racing the Go-Karts. Some brave ones swung the bat in the batting cages and lots played mini golf. We all seemed to end up together on the driving range at the end of our time and saw some pretty good (and not so good) golf swings. It was a great day and I really enjoyed hanging out with everyone.

Now, be thinking of other things we can do together!

This Sunday I'm looking forward to beginning a message series "Ordinary People, Extraordinary God" where we are going to look at the life of David and apply it to our life. We will be back at the Hotel. Please pray that this will be a powerful time for all.

This Sunday - Family Fun Day!

2010-09-30T18:54:00.004-04:00

I'm really looking forward to this Sunday October 3 when we're at a different location to have our first (annual, maybe?) outdoor worship service and family fun day. The weather is supposed to be great, we have alot of people signed up and there's still room for more. Contact me if you would like to sign up.

My post last week already needs to be revised. I thought that last Sunday we would be

"finishing up our first series, the Foundations series. It's been a good start and challenging us to sure up the core beliefs of our faith. While we've only had three messages on this, I suspect that this may be a series that we will come back to from time to time."

Well, my suspicion is correct - there will be a fourth message in the Foundations series. I'll be giving a message to everyone - adults and kids together called "Lost and Found." Pray that this is helpful to all - it's tough to speak to all ages and keep them interested, but I'm very excited about what God has showed me and I look forward to passing it on.

We're hoping for a great day!

Can't sleep...

2010-09-24T00:39:00.000-04:00

Having a hard time getting to sleep - that's happening more lately. Realized I hadn't posted in a few days, so here's the latest.

The room changes worked out OK this past Sunday. The launch team is to be commended for their eagerness to transform a hotel into a welcoming church gathering. Kudos to the team!

This Sunday we're finishing up our first series, the Foundations series. It's been a good start and challenging us to sure up the core beliefs of our faith. While we've only had three messages on this, I suspect that this may be a series that we will come back to from time to time.

On October 3rd, we're off campus and going to hold an outdoor service followed by a family fun day. Pray for good weather and also that this will be a nice opportunity to invite friends to our gatherings.

OK...now to settle down and hopefully catch some shut-eye.

Peace!

Flood??

2010-09-18T15:52:00.002-04:00

On Thursday night when we had the big storms, our family was heading to our daughter's school when Joe called and mentioned that there was a flood in the hotel. Since we were in bad thunderstorms (and were hearing about tornado's in Queens on the radio), I assumed that the weather was the cause. However, it was not. A worker was moving a table and knocked off the sprinkler head which dumped a few inches of water on the floor in the room where our childrens area and nursery are.

This room had just been renovated a few months ago and they don't know how much damage is major or can be just cleaned up.

I went to the hotel yesterday, and it looks like the room won't be dried out for Sunday. Thankfully the hotel is arranging to put our kids in two different rooms - one for the nursery and one for the children's ministry. However, who would have thought that we would be making these kind of changes so soon?

Let's pray for the people who work in the hotel - they could use a lift.

We anticipated opposition, but I never dreamed of a flood!

The First Service

2010-09-15T20:21:00.005-04:00

(click picture for a bigger view)

Here's a picture of our first service at the Crowne Plaza on September 12.
I think we're off to a great start.

More pictures...

Thanks to the Lord for a great start!

2010-09-14T17:21:00.001-04:00

Our first Sunday went great! We really sensed God's presence during the service. The Kids service was great too. The Launch Team did an outstanding job.

Here's an email that one of the NBC pastors received from someone who attended. It lines up with my feelings:

Just wanted to share with you the blessing of SUNDAY at Island Christian Church service. Nothing like a new birth. As I entered into the hallway and was met by greeters I sensed the real Joy and expectation of God doing a special work. The chairs had almost all been filled, and worship time was just beggining. Bob welcomed all and said that this was a special "MOMENT IN TIME". From that point on God truly brought his glory, everything was right. Worship was powerful, Joe's message was joyful and commanding.... I was blessed to expierence a sense of AWE. Not awe, can't wait till Joes done speaking, but AWESOME SERVICE. Thank you for all you do.

Please pray for the new guests who God sent our way, and also for those who couldn't make it that they will get out this coming Sunday.

We thank the Lord for a great start and look forward to next week.

One Day to Go!

2010-09-11T11:30:00.000-04:00

This time tomorrow morning we'll just have finished our first service. Wow!

I would ask you to be prayerful throughout the day. Pray for the service, the children's ministry, the nursery. Pray that those who received invitations, door hangers, saw or heard an ad would come. Pray that God would fill the place with the presence of his Holy Spirit. Pray that as people hear the Gospel they would "receive the Word in the good soil of their heart" and respond in faith. Pray for the message, the worship. Pray that each of us has extra strength and that we all very welcoming to our newcomers.

To God be the glory!

10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3 days til launch!

2010-09-09T23:03:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that there's just three days to go until we hold our first service!

Yesterday we had the Northport Baptist staff retreat day at the Crowne Plaza. We setup the place as a dry run for Sunday and it really gave us a tangible picture of how things might be on Sunday. It was great!

I have also updated the church website http://www.ichristianc.org/ with some more info and also created pages on Facebook and Twitter for the new church. If that doesn't mean anything to you, don't worry - ask a kid! However, I created a Facebook Event for this Sunday, so if you are on Facebook, please check it out, and use it to invite your friends. "Like it.." too!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100309590032485&ref=mf

Please pray that this is a great Sunday where God is glorified and lives are changed. Thanks!

Church Website is Online

2010-04-24T11:38:00.001-04:00

The website for the new church is online, and has information for our first public gathering. Please check out www.ichristianc.org to see details about our upcoming seminar - "The Danger of Raising Nice Kids" with Tim Smith on May 21 at the Crown Plaza hotel.

Island Christian Church

2010-03-18T11:12:00.000-04:00

The name is official - "Island Christian Church" !

We are ordinary people who serve an extraordinary God. Joe's brother designed the logo and I think it looks great.

We also had a fantastic launch team meeting last night - I can sense the excitement building as things are beginning to take shape. Please join in praying that God would equip those called to launch this church campus.

A Place! A Provision! Answers to Prayer!

2010-03-09T11:17:00.005-05:00

God has moved us along in very big ways in the past few weeks and we want to thank Him! We have found a hotel to start meeting at, and will be right at Exit 63 of the Long Island Expressway in Holtsville starting in September 2010. Over 70 families have given one week’s rent for the hotel so we can open up for at least a year! Then the following week, Pastor Ayars asked families to consider being a “missionary to Brookhaven” for a year. Close to 25 families and singles stepped out in faith saying that God might be calling them to serve!

I am so humbled to see God’s people responding in faith to support this new mission. Back in August when I was considering God’s call to be the one to start this new church plant, I must admit that while I felt that I had heard God’s call, still being completely honest I sometimes wondered whether I heard correctly. When I saw the overwhelming outpouring of support I just could say “thank you God - you are good, you will supply, and you will use this new church to build your kingdom.”

Remember our prayer bookmark? Well, we’ve now received some answers. Keep praying, but here are some updates:

Monday - The Launch Team has been called! Pray for God to refine the call and equip the called
Tuesday - We have the location! Now pray for the neighborhood including the Sachem School District.
Thursday - We have the initial financial provision! Please pray that there would be continued support to sustain and grow the young church.

Thank you Lord!

Think different!

2010-01-31T15:57:00.000-05:00

A great but simple quote we just heard is "If you are going to reach people that no one else is reaching you have to do what nobody else it doing." Pretty obvious, right? Yet, how often do we wonder why people are not coming to Christ, yet we keep pretty much the same routines and ways of spending our days.

This week we've been challenged to consider one person who we hope will come to faith in Christ. Maybe even someone who has been "hard to reach" for years. Let's step up praying for them, and even ask the Lord to reveal perhaps a different approach, maybe one nobody else is trying in order to help share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus with them.

This Thursday evening we're going to gather "out east" to share what we've found. If you're interested in joining us, drop me a line and I'll get you the directions. And keep praying!

Don't neglect your first love!

2010-01-14T14:38:00.002-05:00

We had a great first workshop meeting last night - it was great to see 17 people pack out a room at church - looks like we're gonna need a bigger room!

Here's a recap of the teaching that we looked at last night.

We asked the question "What is The biggest mistake church planters make?" In their zeal to pursue the Great Commission, (go into all the world and make disciples) they ignore the One whom they’re planting for - God. The Great Commission minus the Great Commandment (love the Lord our God) reduces evangelism to a vocation, challenge or duty. The deep motivator for what we do must be a deep love for God (adapted from "Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by New Church Starts" by Jim Griffith and Bill Easum)

Andy Stanley says "It is always a mistake to decide what you want to do before you determine who you want to be on the inside." God tells us who we're to be in the form of the Great Commandment:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)

A probing question: "Are you a church planter trying to love God, or a lover of God trying to plant a church?" If we don't love God, how can we expect to attract people to follow Jesus - we'll be no different than anyone else?

Mistake #1 - Neglecting the Great Commandment in pursuit of the Great Commission

The Fix

Luke 10:38-42 speaks of two women, Mary and her sister Martha who have an encounter with Jesus. Martha is consumed by all the preparations needed and get indignant that her sister Mary is just sitting at Jesus' feet and not helping with the work. Now, I'll admit that Martha often gets a "bum rap" and we need to be diligent if we're going to accomplish anything. But Jesus says that "Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken from her." It has to do with perspective - there is a time when we need to simply commune with Jesus and put aside all the other good things that occupy our lives.

Revelation 2:1-4 is a letter to the church in Ephesus commending them for all the good things they have done. It sounds great up till the point that Jesus rebukes them for having lost their first love. Ouch! We need to be lovers of God before we are servers of God.

“It doesn’t matter how hard you work or how passionate you are about planting a church; if you forget the power behind the plant-you’re doomed to shrivel up and die on the vine.”

Let’s look back at the second greatest commandment which in Mark 12:31 comes right after the greatest commandment. “Love others as God has loved us”. This also includes our family - Don’t plant a church at the expense of our marriage or family. Let’s not be a church that our kids learn to hate because we're not there for them. Let's hold each other accountable on this point.

We need to be growing in the Lord apart from the church plant. Think about the potential effect on us as many non-believers and de-churched people come into our lives. In order to effectively help them, we need to love God, love each other and be strong in the Lord.

Well, that's a quick recap of what we talked about - many shared how God had spoken to them and I'm excited to see how we grow as a group!

Our answer...keep praying!

2009-12-23T16:50:00.001-05:00

Last week we received news from the real estate broker about our potential property that we asked you to pray about. The rental company has written in their lease agreement that this property may not be rented to Houses of Worship. Why we didn't hear about this detail 6 weeks ago when we first investigated this location is a bit puzzling, but also we found out that the broker we had been dealing with is no longer with the company, so read between the lines if you want to.

Thank you for praying - God said "No!" So, we need to keep praying for Him to show us a place where He will say "Yes!"

On a different note, we also had a nice meeting with Tom Walsh who used to be a pastor on staff at NBC and has planted two churches in Connecticut. He gave us helpful advice and he's a great guy to spend time with too. Tom will also be the speaker at our Sr. High winter retreat so I'm sure the kids are in for some great teaching.

I wish you and your family a Blessed Christmas!

Ask and you shall receive...

2009-12-08T16:25:00.004-05:00

Sorry for my recent "blog-silence." Life has been busy at NBC recently with Thanksgiving, and now the Christmas season and all the extra things happening at church this time of year.

Here's something specific to ask the Lord about. We have found a possible site to meet at on Route 25 in Selden. Please pray that the Lord would show us if this is the place for us to plant.

If this is the place, there are some issues. The rent is a great value, but there is what is called a 30 day kicker clause to the lease. Basically that means either party can give 30 days notice to leave or be allowed to leave without financial penalty. Given the current state of real-estate and the economy, this may not be an issue as these spaces have been open for some time and it's unlikely that a new tenant would show up and want this space very soon. However, contracts have conditions written in them for when things don't work out favorably between two parties. Honestly, I'm not comfortable with this clause because if we are to invest our time and resources in building out the new facility, it would be a shame if we had to clear out that quickly without a new place to meet and we also would lose the costs of construction improvements we made.

So, please also pray that a lease agreement could be reached where we would have more notice than 30 days. In my mind 90 days would be the bare minimum, but longer would be better. The only advantage to a short kicker clause is if we outgrow the space we are not liable for the rent for a long time. Pray that God would work out an acceptable arrangement between us and the landlord.

If this is the place, then we need confirmation as well as some concessions by the landlord. If not, we need to find a place soon.

The Importance of a Clear Vision

2009-11-11T15:47:00.004-05:00

Last week we had a great meeting with Tony and Tom of Integrity Christian Fellowship in Yaphank. Tom and I worked together in the Pro-Audio Business and we've both made the jump into ministry. Tony is the senior pastor of this 4 year old church plant. They shared many great insights based on their experiences, and we also had a great time of fellowship and prayer. The lunch was pretty good too!

We asked them if there was any message that they found helpful to re-iterate often as their church was in the formative stages. Without hesitation, Tony said "Vision." Cast the vision of who the church is and who it isn't at least every month or two.

So in this week's Blog Post I will try to cast our vision. This vision is the same as that of Northport Baptist Church. However, we may express it through different methods and have different emphasis as we see who God brings our way.

The vision can be simply stated as "Reaching Up, Reaching In, Reaching Out." We "Reach Up" to God in Worship, "Reach In" to encourage each other, and "Reach Out" to share God's grace and love (the Gospel) with the world. Let me elaborate on each point. You might want to look up these verses to do your own Bible Study.

1. Reach Up - God seeks worshipers (John 4:23). We worship Him with our lives (Romans 12:1) and with our lips (Hebrews 13:15.) When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he said we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30.) We want to express our love to God. A key aspect of loving God is obeying God. Jesus said in John 14:21 "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me." In order to properly worship God with our lives, it is important that we know his commandments, which are expressed in His Word - the Bible. So we will strive to explain and unpack the treasures in the Bible with an emphasis on understanding what God requires of us in how we live. And then out of the overflow of loving and worshiping God, we will:

2. Reach In - We strive to encourage each other to love and grow in our faith (Hebrews 10:24-25.) With our busy schedules it is important that we make it a priority to meet together regularly. These gatherings need to be worth-while and leave us with the knowledge that God is really among us (1 Corinthians 14:25). A key vehicle for this will be the small group ministry - meeting in families homes throughout the week. While it is possible to encourage each other in the larger gathering on Sunday, we have found it to be much more effective to minister to each other in small groups. I have so enjoyed the fellowship and prayer times with our small group, and we want to encourage everyone to be a part of this. We will strive to not over-schedule church activities so that we crowd out vital small group ministry. Finally, out of the overflow of loving and encouraging each other, we will:

3. Reach Out - Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, he commanded his followers to go out and make other disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) who will then also follow God. And then these will reach out to others. Our mission is to be an outpost where people will share the Gospel, lives are changed, and they in turn will be used by God in reaching others. This is not "just playing Church!" Yet, I believe that this will be most authentic and effective when we reach out of the overflow of Loving God and building up His Body (the Church) first.

The Biblical pattern can be found in Acts 2:46-47: "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes...praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." Notice that the early church Worshiped God together and shared fellowship in their homes. And look who was responsible for the growth - the Lord! As we reach out we do so in the confidence that He will bring our friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to a saving Faith in Jesus Christ.

Well, that's the vision in short form. In future posts I will try to elaborate on some details of how we will express and execute this vision, but until then, please keep on praying!

7 Big Church Planting Mistakes

2009-10-27T10:29:00.004-04:00

I found this post helpful which is a summary of a talk given by Ed Stetzer on mistakes made when planting churches. I excerpted a portion below. You can read the full post over at churchrelevance.com

"All too often church planters run gung-ho into church planting like they’re storming the beaches of Normandy but then get mowed down. I share mistakes, so that hopefully you can avoid them.

ED’S BIG 7 CHURCH PLANTING MISTAKES

Forgetting the mission.
Our motivations can naturally be mixed. We often focus on our own agenda rather than God’s agenda. If at the end of the day, you could have done it without God, then God isn’t in it. The goal is God’s glory. You can’t become distracted by the tools.
Being married to a model.
If you are more excited by the “how” than the “who,” then you are being distracted. I must be sure that I do not fall in love with someone else’s ministry model and mission. If you listen to other churches’ success stories, you can become distracted by the model. ...Too many church planters plant a church in their head and not in their communities.
Not taking care of yourself.
(1) First and foremost, you need to take care of yourself physically. If you don’t take care of yourself, then you will not be able to properly prioritize God in your life. If I am not taking care of myself, then I will never be able to be who God wants me to be.
(2) You also need to take care of yourself spiritually. Your people need more a pastor who has been with God than an entrepreneur that is full of ideas.
(3) And you need to take care of your family. Your family will be with you in the end, but often the people you start a church with are not the ones you finish a church with.
Arrogance.
I was too sarcastic and didn’t listen well. There are different reasons people are arrogant, but my arrogance was from trying to desperately prove myself to others. I needed to realize that my Father in heaven is already pleased with me.
Not taking believers deeper.
People who are yearning for maturity are longing for what Christ followers need. But I made the mistake of thinking their quest to go deeper was not aligning with the church’s mission to reach people. If your vision doesn’t take people deeper spiritually, then you have a bad vision.
Ignoring hidden agendas.
Every person in your church has a vision for your church, and it may not be the same as your vision for the church. Often the people you start with go away, and the people who stay try to hijack the vision a year later.
Afraid of finances.
Part of why I was afraid of finances is because of the popular mindset of the time that said that talking about finances would offend seekers. Talking about money is fine… just don’t talk about money in a creepy way."

Good things for us to remember as we pray!

Practicing the Power of our Absence

2009-10-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

Last week I had an injury that required hospitalization and I'm on the mend and doing well. I had the opportunity to as Pastor Ayars says "practice the power of my absence." When you can't be somewhere in person, be praying. Four of our pastors went to Brookhaven Town Hall and prayed with view of township in sight. In case you are not familiar, this is located on one of the higher hills on a mostly flat island and you have some pretty spectacular views. They prayed for the harvest that will come as we move out in faith reaching the new community. I've been praying more while I'm unable to do more. Funny how that is so often overlooked.

This week I joined Joe and Paul at a breakfast for pastors sponsored by the Brookhaven Coalition for Religious Freedom. It was an opportunity to meet and pray with elected officials and candidates for the town. At this breakfast I saw a friend I used to work with "back in the day" who is now also in ministry. It was a great reconnection. He's part of a recent church plant and he and his senior pastor offered to share what they've learned. What a blessing! We are so looking forward to see God work as more and more people reach out into this community.

First Steps - Prayer!

2009-10-02T10:39:00.000-04:00

Last night we had a great first gathering for those who are interested in praying for or even being a part of the church plant. It was an incredible evening. Pastor Ayars shared from the Great Commission and Acts 1:8 the motivation for going out and making disciples and moving outside of our community. Joe Garofalo has conducted extensive research on the demographics of Eastern Long Island, and he presented the findings that are helping us to focus on planting in Brookhaven township. I (Bob) challenged the group to pray, especially considering that we will be entering into "occupied territory" that is currently not being served by many God-honoring churches. There will be opposition, and the remedy is to all commit to pray.

We then had a time of intercession, where I handed out a bookmark of some current known prayer needs for the church plant. If you would like, you can download a copy of the bookmark to print out. We would so appreciate your prayers.

We are encouraged by our first gathering, and trust that God will send others to pray and be used in Building His Church!

Building His Church - a starting point...

2009-10-01T13:58:00.002-04:00

What an exciting time! We will be using this blog to chronicle the progress on our new church plant in Brookhaven township. It's important that we have people committed to pray for God to lead us and prepare the way as we move into this new area. Unlike building a physical building where you can see progress as you drive by, much of what takes place here would be invisible. However, this blog is where we hope to inform what God is doing, how we are progressing, and to share needs that come up.

Please check back in here regularly and pray as the Lord leads you. Thanks!