Rick's-Blog

On Mission - Monday, Janurary 30, 2012

2012-01-30T13:16:00.000-06:00

"Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:11-14

As I read Paul’s letter to the Colossians this morning the above passage stood out. While traveling to the "ends of the earth" as your ambassador I was intrigued by unique sea of faces that we encountered. There were different shapes, features, colors and sizes. The appearance of every person triggered responses in my own nervous system, caution, curiosity, interest, indifference. Some were inviting others standoffish, some engaging but most had a wall up that said "don't talk to me." Many laughed, smiled and moved about with a confidence but the majority looked, moved, spoke as if on auto pilot. Aimlessly marching through life.

As I observed the broad spectrum of humanity, I became aware once again that despite all of our differences, we are all the same. We are all made in the image of God. We are all broken people. We are all members of a sinful humanity. We all have the same Father, the same Creator. And that Jesus, the Son of our Father, died on the cross for every single one of us.

I have known and believed that for a long time, but it struck me in a quite different way as I observed the sea of humanity all traveling to various parts of the "ends of the earth." And as I now reflect now upon the wide range of people that I bumped into, sat beside, raced past, stood in line with, flied with, did I see them through the eyes of Jesus and did they see Jesus in me?

It is easy to come to church and love the people sitting around us, at least most of time it is, but it is a whole other thing to love the broad spectrum of people that make up the world like Jesus did and does. Today, will try to live out Paul's charge to the Colossian church and I invite you to the same. With the help of the Holy Spirit, maybe we really can help change the world, one person at a time.

Peace,
Rick

The Charcter of John 3:16

2011-11-11T13:29:00.000-06:00

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

that whosoever believes in him will not perish

but have ever lasting life. “

John 3:16

John 3:16 is the most famous verse in the Bible, known by believers and unbelievers alike. It is plastered on billboards, websites, t-shirts, jewelry and bathroom walls. It is everywhere except where it matters most, in our character.

John 3:16 is not a secret password to be repeated before entering into heaven. Neither is it an I.D. to be carried in our purse or pocket so we can get out of speeding tickets or a discount from a sister Christian. John 3:16 reveals the very character of God himself and it identifies those traits that will be found in us as we become more and more like Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that he gave…….” We are never more like God than when we love and when we give. I think that is why I love Christmas. Men, please don’t take away my man card, but one of my simple pleasures is to slip off and spend the whole day shopping for Dallas. Yes, you heard me, I like shopping for my wife! Listen again men….I don’t like shopping…... I like shopping for Dallas, for my wife. Why?

“For God so loved the world that he gave….” Those two words, loving and giving, go together. You can’t love without giving, and it is not really a ‘gift’ unless offered in love. I remember on Christmas morning the happiest people around the tree were not me and my sisters, but my parents. Why? Parents love to give to their children.

“For God so loved the world that he gave....” It is in God’s character to give. God gives because God loves. And when we give in love, we are like God. There are millions of people around the world who are longing to be loved. They just want to know that they matter, that someone cares, that they are not an accident. Some are lost, some are calloused, some are hurting, but all of them need love. Some are lonely, some are wealthy, some are poor, but all of them need love.

“For God so loved the world that he gave….” Giving is not about impressing, reciprocating or investing, it is about loving. Who do you love? How do you love? Do you love?

“For God so loved the world that he gave….” When we assemble in worship and give our offering, it is not about budget or bills, it is about a living, concrete demonstration of our love for God and what matters to God. And for some reason, the lost, the least and the poor really matter to God.

“For God so loved the world that he gave…” As you begin your Christmas shopping, please remember whose birthday we are celebrating and why God sent his Son. He came in large part to teach us how to love. Buy for your kids. Enjoy all the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas. Give to each other with generous hearts, but please remember the heart and character of God and for whom God sent his Son. He came so that whoever believes in him, especially the least and the lost, would not perish but have everlasting life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave…….” Our challenge and opportunity is for every household to match the dollars we spend on each other and give it to Jesus on his birthday. . The hope is that every household will place $1000 in the cradle on Christmas Eve so the least and the lost near and far, at home and in Ethiopia will have no doubt……“For God so loved the world, that he gave…………………”

Peace,
Rick

"Off to a Great Start"

2011-09-29T14:07:00.005-05:00

Our “EPIC” fall message series is "Off to a Great Start." I am thrilled at the number of you bringing your bibles to worship and digging into the Word. You are growing church and I am proud of you. A part of spiritual growth is sharing your faith story and inviting others to join you for worship, small group or any other ministry in which you participate. Please take seriously the charge to “share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as you can.” God uses persons to lead people into a relationship with Jesus. Let’s all step out there and help Jesus go viral by spreading the word that lives are being changed, the blind can see and the lame are walking.

293 people, a record number, ran in the 19th Annual Harvest Run. Thank you Dave Madden, our resident marathon expert, for leading over 200 servants and executing the plan with excellence. $3,604 was raised for the Harvest House. And thanks to fourteen awesome sponsors, $5,018.90 was raised for the purpose of hosting a community event for children.

Way to go St. Matthew! We are "Off to a Great Start!"

Alsbury Animal Hospital                  Mark Bernhard, MD - Texas Health
Mike Carlson Motor Co.                Cook Children's
Donnelly Construction                      Huffman Aviation, LLC

Gilco Contracting, Inc.                     Pathway Com-Tel
Huguley Memorial Medical Center
McClendon Construction Co. Inc.    Orr & Associates
Regency Office and Promotional Products

Star Group Newspapers Jerry Wood, Attorney at Law

Mark your calendars! The fortieth birthday celebration of St. Matthew begins October 12 with prayer, community thank you's, service projects, DVD testimonials and a big Celebration on November 20th at 5:32 pm. Ray and Maggie Kramer have called out an enthusiastic “party” planning team and they are ready to help us give God some praise for 40 great years. Keep your ears and eyes open and join the fun as we celebrate our grace filled history and prepare to embrace the incredible future God has planned. After forty years we are "Off to a Great Start" but we have only just begun!

In the blink of an eye Christmas and New Years will be upon us. I will blog again next week and give you the important dates and times so you can plan accordingly. Please be praying and saving up for our Birthday Gift to Jesus. Over the course of 6 years, that offering has resourced many Jesus miracles. From the Night Shelter, to Mexico to Myanmar , South Korea and Ethiopia, the good news of Jesus has been spread through your Christmas offering. You will hear more soon on the use of this years offering. For now, pray, plan and save so that we can complete the work God has “sent” us to do. We are "Off to a Great Start" but the best is yet to come!

See you in worship,
Rick

Developing and Growing Your Marriage

2011-06-11T15:21:00.002-05:00

1. Have a personal growth plan.

Growing in a relationship has nothing to do with engagements and weddings. Ask yourself some simple questions. Do I like to grow? Do I like to read? Do I like to learn? Do I like to study? Do I like to develop?

If you answered most of the questions “Yes”, make sure you marry someone who shares your passion for growing. You either desire it or you don’t desire it. And if you don’t desire to grow, go find someone who doesn’t want to maximize their life either and marry them. Choose someone you can watch TV with the rest of your life and in your final years wonder together how life passed you by.

In most cases, three years into a relationship you will look at your mate and say; “That is not the person I married” and you will be right. People change. People grow. Dallas and I have been married 32 years ago and we are not same people who stood at the altar in that little ol church in Odessa and said ‘I do.’ Life is not a static experience. Life is a growing experience. Have a personal growth plan.

2. Become best friends.

If you are going to really grow together, you have to like each other. It has nothing to do with sex. It has nothing to do with chemistry. Great sex is critical to a healthy, vibrant martial relationship, but without friendship, both the sex and marriage will wither.

3. Discover what you enjoy together.

Decide on things you both like to do. I am amazed at the number of marriages where the guy goes one way, the wife another and they each have their own friends. I think it is wonderful to have your own friends, but that should be a secondary, not a primary part of your life and certainly not at the emotional expense of your spouse. I have heard some couples say their marriage survives only because they live totally separate lives. That is an arrangement, not a marriage.

4. Develop what you enjoy together.

Not only discover what you enjoy together, but whatever it is, do it together often. Dallas and I enjoy working out together, attending sporting events, shopping at COSTCO, cooking a healthy meal, going to the movies and splurging at Taco Bueno. We enjoy going on short trips so we can visit and catch up while we drive. We enjoy watching two or three TV shows a week and we enjoy the mornings when I read the bible to her while she is getting ready for work. Discover what you enjoy together and do it.

When our children were small, one of us would have to stay at home when the other had a business trip. The one who traveled would come home and tell about their adventures. We vowed as the boys got older, we would travel together so we could share the experience together. Today we follow each other all across the Unites States supporting and enjoying each other as we hone and share our professional skills.

Personal Note: One of the ways Dallas and I grow is through reading. Many ago I was working on a marriage and family series. Dallas was reading one of the many research books I was using to stimulate message creativity. She underlined a few passages and wrote a note or two in the margins. I was at the office, studying and writing and I came across one of her margin notes. One of her comments was “Come home big boy.”

I read for another 10 minutes and thought “What am I doing here?” So I packed it up and told my assistant to cancel my appointments. “I have to make a pastoral visit.” And I did. It was the best pastoral visit I ever made!

I told that story when preaching that partiuclar series back in the day. Sherra, my assistant, got several phone calls from wives wanting to know what book pastor Owen was reading. For your information, it wasn’t the book, it was the comments in the margin. :-)

I can give you a manual on how to have a good marriage and how to grow close, what works and what doesn’t work, but the marriage that lasts is determined by what you practice………when you get home. So click off this blog and get to practicing!

I love you church family,

Rick

June 11-12, Change The World Weekend

2011-06-08T14:56:00.000-05:00

The end of year school bell and “Graduates, flip your tassels” sends most churches into slow down mode but not St. Matthew! The business of The Kingdom never goes on Vacation. God never slumbers or sleeps and he expects his church to do the same 365 days a year.

There are countless opportunities for all ages on our summer calendar to serve, grow and enjoy fellowship. Click to our website http://www.stmatthewcpc.org/ to view the menu and get on board.

We begin the summer months this weekend by launching our first annual Change the World weekend. Churches all over the world are pushing beyond their walls to impact their community and June 11-12 is our opportunity to join the movement.

For the past five years we have been sending mission teams to Mexico, Ethiopia, the Gulf Coast, blighted neighborhoods in Oklahoma, Arizona and Mississippi. Every week groups head up I -35 to the Women’s and Presbyterian night Shelter. Annually we collect school supplies and help provide Christmas to our area neighbors who find themselves in hard times.

This weekend, we mobilize the entire congregation for one hour of service in our local community. Imagine the impact of 1,000 hour of Community Service in one weekend!

Join the movement by registering on our website or simply showing up this weekend ready to go to work. Dress casual for worship and be prepared to be deployed for one hour. Single, married, families, small groups it matters not from which you come, just come. There will be opportunities for all ages, including those who have health limitations. Some will stay in the building and write letters, others will be sent out to pick up trash, others to perform minor repairs.

I am proud of being part of a congregation who chooses to put their faith into action and I know that God is going to be honored and people blessed through our efforts. Join the movement. Join the fun. Join the effort to Change the World by sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as we can this weekend.

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Jesus > Matthew 25:40

I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend.

Rick

Pray for Peace

2011-05-26T11:57:00.000-05:00

I learned of bin Laden’s death like many of you. Dallas and I were winding down on that Sunday night when “Breaking News” interrupted programming just before the 10 o’clock hour. I did not become aware of the jubilant celebrations across American until early the next morning. The headline on my computer screamed out....”Osama bin Laden is dead”….while pictures scrolled of Americans dancing in the streets waving flags and singing songs of celebration.

As an American, I felt a sense of pride in our armed forces and their resolve to protect and defend America and the world at large. I feel a sense of resolution that bin Laden’s taunting personal reign of terror is finally over and that his cowardly corpse had been disposed into the sea. In no way can his death make up for the thousands of individual lives and families impacted by his demonic actions on the day that will forever be remembered as 9-11. But in some sense, justice has been served. We are all held accountable for our actions and if one is not committed to live by grace then he or she must eventually experience the consequence of God’s law.

To be perfectly honest, I must say that I am glad that bin Laden’s personal voice for the mandate of hate has been silenced, but I am also reminded of the biblical mandate that must tenor our own response, “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not rejoice.” (Proverbs 24:17) As Jesus followers, we are to demonstrate a peculiar way, a radical way that runs contrary to our instinct “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Jesus said that children of the kingdom are to represent a higher moral law.

“You have heard it was said ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:43-44)

I find it ironic that the Pontiff of Peace, Pope Paul II was beatified on the same day Osama bin Laden was killed. The Vatican’s statement released the Monday after bin Laden’s death reflected the spirit of the ambassador of peace Pope Paul III emulated during his earthly service.

“Osama bin Laden, as we all know, must bear the responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religion for this purpose. In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects upon the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and works and hopes so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not hatred.”

I am thankful that Osama bin Laden is gone and can no longer be an inciting voice for evil, but as a Christian, I am working to align my heart with the heart of our Father God who mourns over a wayward son who sowed seeds of hate instead of seeds of peace. Let us pray that others who harbor such hatred and evil in their hearts will come to know Jesus before they unleash more destruction and they too suffer a similar demise. And while you are at it…………….

Pray for Peace!
Rick

Ash Wednesday and Lent

2011-03-07T09:56:00.000-06:00

Ash Wednesday Worship

March 9th, 7:00 PM

Arc

Lenten Message Series

“Walk the Narrow”

Begins March 12-13

Q: What is Ash Wednesday and Lent?
A: Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, which is a forty day season of repentance, self examination and self denial as a preparation for Easter.

Q: Why is Lent 40 days?
A: After his baptism, Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting, praying and resisting the temptations of the evil one before he began his 3 year ministry journey to the cross and empty tomb. Matthew 4:1-11

Q: Why is it called Ash Wednesday?
A: Actually, Ash Wednesday is its colloquial name. Its official name is the Day of Ashes. It is called Ash Wednesday because, being forty days before Good Friday, it always falls on a Wednesday and it is called Ash Wednesday because on that day at church the faithful have their foreheads marked with ashes in the shape of a cross.

After Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden of Evil, (The Fall, Genesis 3:1-7) God said to them both “for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) Dust and ashes and are often interchanged in biblical practices.

Q: Why do we have our foreheads or hands marked with a cross?
A: In the Bible a mark on the forehead is a symbol of a person's ownership. By having our foreheads marked with the sign of a cross, we are saying that we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that we belong to him.

The ashen cross is also a reminder of our baptism and our deliverance from sin. (Rom. 6:3-18) Some protestants prefer the imposition of ashes to be placed on their hands because of Jesus admonition in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 6:16-18) to be careful of showy acts of repentance.

Q: Where do the ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from?
A: They are made by burning palm fronds which have been saved from the previous year's Palm Sunday, they are then blessed by clergy. Blessed ashes having been used in God's rituals since the time of Moses (Numbers 19:9-10, 17).

Q: What are some biblical examples of people putting dust and ashes on their foreheads?
A: Consider the following verses from the New International Version:

• "That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh, his clothes torn and dust on his head." (1 Samuel 4:12)

• "On the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor." (2 Samuel 1:20

• "Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went." (2 Samuel 13:19)

Invite your friends and family to join us for Ash Wedneseday and the weekends of Lent as together we journey to the cross and the great Celebration of Easter.

I'm praying for you and I ask that you pray for me.
Peace,
Rick

7:15 PM Addis Ethiopia

2011-02-02T10:15:00.000-06:00

Hello from 75 and mild Ethiopia to cold and iced in St. Matthew family. Remember, though the electric power may be low we have more than enough Holy Spirit power to take care of all our needs.

We had a great day and are about to rush for the airport for a three hour wait and then a 24 hour trip. The next time we have contact will be in weekend worship. I can’t wait! Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. We will be looking for ways to give you complete reports on what God did on our church wide journey. You are going to be amazed at the impact you are having.

So stay warm church family and let’s get ready to give God some great praise this weekend! We are a richly blessed people and the best is yet to come.

Peace,

Rick

"I thank my God everytime I think of you." Philippians 1:3

10:45 PM Addis Ethiopia

2011-02-01T13:47:00.001-06:00

I am one proud pastor! I have watched Melissa grow into an even mightier and more effective leader as she spoke with confidence to some of the most infential women in Ethiopia. Claudia took her oratory skills to a whole new level as she taught pastors wives about their spritual giftedness. . Leigh Ann’s servant heart doubled in size as she poured her life into people who simply needed to be cared for and nurtured.

And you, we, the people of St. Matthew are more and more beginning to get it. God has taken your birthday gift to Jesus and multiplied it like the loaves and fishes. No exaggeration, thousands will be fed as pastors and wives take the spiritual food you have provided and feed their own congregations. Basketfuls will be left over to feed the lost who need to know Jesus. Even as Egyptian protesters challenge the status quo, I sense these women and men of God are going to do the same in the Ethiopian church. Get ready for an uprising among these people because they are eager to see the church be who she was intended to be.

I am humbled to be part of church that is literally being used by God to transform his Church to the “ends of the earth.”

Tomorrow , Wednesday will include a half day of training, closing worship, packing, eating and then to the airport to wait for our 11:00 PM outbound flight. We are all hoping and praying that weather allows us to land on time safe and sound on Thursday 2:00 pm CST. By the way, the high today was 75, low was 62.

Though I will miss this beautiful country and the passion of these growing leaders, I am ready to come home. Can’t want to see my beautify bride and walk through the door of my own home! And athen there will be worship with my own Church Family. God is good!!

We are a blessed people and I am a very proud pastor.

I love you all.

Rick

10:45 PM Addis Ethiopia

2011-01-31T13:44:00.002-06:00

I was reminded of a very important lesson in a humbling way today. It is the responsibility of the person communicating the Gospel to speak a language that the audience can understand. I had no translator today because all of the pastors present are highly educated and well versed in English. Notice I said well versed in English, not Texan!

Five minutes into the lesson I knew I was in trouble. I might as well been a visitor from Mars. Jokes and stories told in Hawassa that evoked laughter, smiles and enthusiastic head bobs sunk like a lead balloon. The more they looked at me with blank faces the harder I worked which I meant I energized my teaching with passion and a faster pace. The more excited and more enthusiastic I got the more they looked totally lost. Failure! My spirit sunk and I was ready to head for the airport right then.

I didn’t understand what was going on and then it hit me. The same material in Hawasssa worked because I had a translator who used a vernacular and images the audience could understand. In a sense, the translator acted as the Holy Spirit clarifying what I said so the listeners could understand this guy teaching in a foreign tongue, Texan. Eureka! It is my responsibility to speak the language of the listener.

One of the greatest challenges of the church today, is doing church in such a way that the unchurched, the lost and those turned off religion can understand the message of Jesus. Many American denominations are struggling because we are not working hard enough to communicate in a medium that the unchurched can grasp. It is not that they are disinterested, each of us are created with a need for God. It is just that we are not connecting.

Please join me in listening for the Holy Spirit to guide and teach us how to not only better communicate with one another, but to those who need Christ. It is an exciting challenge and one worth pursuing because it is right on with our purpose and mission. We don’t have to go to Ethiopia to do the Lord’s work. There are hundreds of people living around each of us who need a Savior and a church family.

After the break, I slowed down my delivery and teaching style. The content was exactly the same; what changed was my language and my means of communicating. Instead of using jokes I told real life stories about being a pastor, husband and a dad. I repeated lesson points over and over again in different ways. The end result was smiles, enthusiastic head bobbing, claps, laughter and most of all an understanding that the Holy Spirit used to change lives. By the end of the day, no one wanted to leave because they were learning so much. Humbling.

God left the perfection of heaven to live among a sinful people to help us understand how much He loved us. He spoke a language everyone can understand. He allowed someone he loved very much to die for our sins. That is a language all human beings can understand, love, death, loss.

How far are we willing to go to communicate the message God taught on the cross through his Son? And in case you forgot the message was and is….”I love you.”

Keep sending Dallas and me your prayer emails. We are taking seriously the opportunity to pray for you and your families.

Eager to see you this weekend in worship!

"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."
I Corinthians 9:22

Rick

10:20 PM, January 30, Addis

2011-01-30T12:22:00.002-06:00

(Saturday and Sunday postings were both done this evening because internet service just regained)

Today was a long, hard day. Most of it was spent on the road, 4 hours of which was a bone shaking, teeth clacking, brain rattling drive. It was all worth it because we got to enjoy two hours of worship with our friends in Gunchire. We couldn’t understand a single word that came out of their mouths but we understood every word that poured forth from their heart. When we stood side by side worship and received communion, our common belief in Jesus as Savior and Lord was cemented. Back home, a two worship time would have felt like forever, here it went by in a flash.

Melissa had a great meeting with the Mayor of Gunchire and the head of the Women’s Ministry last Friday afternoon. Conversations are progressing on the library that will be constructed with your birthday gift to Jesus. We are excited to hear that land has been reserved for the library in the center of town and on the path most students take on their way to school. A dialogue has started with a local organization that can help stock and maintain the library.

The coordinator of the Women’s Ministry happily reported that more and more women are claiming ownership over their bodies and not practicing the self mutilating tribal customs of their clans. Melissa has also planted a seed that may lead to us teaching them the art of canning. Much of the harvest from their crops spoils because their means of preservation is little. We hope they will embrace the canning concept and it will spread across the whole nation. You talk about making an impact!

The women’s and pastor’s training resumes tomorrow in Addis, Monday January 31, with a different group of pastor’s and their wives. We are praying that the Holy Spirit will again move in powerful ways for the 2 ½ day event. Every single one of us are physically exhausted but we are spiritually super charged. This trip has reminded me of a very important formula, work hard, prepare well and then depend on God for the rest. The depending on God part is what has enabled us to keep going when we didn’t think we could move another step. It is has also given us incredible energy and clarity of thought just when we needed it. Praise be to God!

We have slept in four different beds in four nights so though we are walking on air because of our great experience, we will all be ready to see the front door of our own homes and the smiling faces of our families on Thursday afternoon.

I woke up this morning at four to pray for the Saturday night celebration and paused to do the same at the appropriate hour for the Sunday morning celebrations. Please keep praying for us even as we pray for you.

Peace,

Rick

11:10 January 29, 2011 Walisoo, Ethiopia

2011-01-30T12:14:00.000-06:00

Today has been our only day off. After a short scenic two hour drive, we have spent the day recovering from the torrid pace of the last six days. I used this afternoon to dig into the Word for our next Spiritual Warfare message and to reflect upon all the people in my life who make me look better than I really am.

If there is anything good about my life, it is because I have won the lottery more than once when it comes to healthy community. I am blessed with an unconditionally loving family, an incredible church family, a loyal and trustworthy staff and numerous friends, three men in particular who I know have my back 24/7. And then there is the team I have the privilege of serving with here in Ethiopia.

They are doing an incredible job for the Lord. You can be proud of how you are being represented in this land that is hungry to grow in Christ. Each of them are giving God their very best and the Holy Spirit is using their gifts to change lives. I am amazed at their high level commitment to God and the purpose he has placed before us.

Read on and enjoy some of their mission trip reflections.

“Ethiopian Women love chocolate! I know I have said this before…. God’s people are the same from Texas to Ethiopia. The Women’s Conference was an amazing Holy Spirit movement. We discussed topics such as discovering our Unique God personality, finding the God passion that burns in your very soul, and the importance of women and children programs in the local church. When we left Awassa, I grieved for the personal connections that were formed in just 3 days, but I am looking forward to loving the next group of women we will be training next week in Addis . Women were empowered to be who God made them to be and it was AWESOME!!” Claudia

‘To witness such a movement of God in the women in our conference was so humbling. I am so blessed to have been part of this conference.” Leigh Ann

“’Praise the Lord, O my soul,
I will praise the Lord all of my life
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’
Psalm 146

I have not stopped praising God since we arrived in Ethiopia. The spirit has been moving in such powerful and unexpected ways. The women’s conference last week in Awassa was more than I can put into words. It was amazing to see to how the spirit was moving in the hearts of the women who attended. Listening to their personal stories of faith and boldness was moving and encouraging to all. It’s hard to really understand the sacrifices some of them have made to follow Jesus….I thank God for the freedoms that we have in our country.

God continues to move in powerful ways in Gunchire. Everyone is town is very excited about their new library. The teachers and students are especially happy….they now will have a better chance to pass their exams and attend the University. We hope construction will begin in mid February and will most likely be completed in July. Hamid, the mayor of Gunchire says thank you to everyone at St. Matthew for your continued support and also presented us with an award for Outstanding Achievement. This has never been presented to anyone from outside of their community. Looking forward to being home and sharing more stories about how God is moving in this beautiful place.”

Mimi

11:00pm Friday, Addis Ethiopia

2011-01-28T16:16:00.000-06:00

I really don’t know where to begin. Moses was speechless after coming face to face with God on Mt. Sinai. Perhaps he was awe laced with fear or maybe it was pure shock at being exposed to the fullness of God in such a personal way. Regardless, Moses was speechless.

For the first time in a long time I feel the same.

There is no way to adequately explain what took place at the training conference. We were humbled, awestruck; dumbfounded by the way God was working through all who assembled. Let’s just say God heard and answered all of your prayers and then some. A revival has been sparked among a large group of Ethiopian pastors and their wives. Simultaneously, a door has opened for our St. Matthew family that none of us ever dreamed or imagined.

Every year, two to three thousand Ethiopian evangelical pastors from all denominations assemble for a national conference. Key pastor leaders for the whole continent f Africa also attend. The conference ends with a National worship service that draws over 30,000 people. We have been extended a preliminary invitation to play a role in the training and the closing worship celebration.

Unbelievable! Humbling! Speechless!

Do you see how big our God is? He has chosen to use a little ol church in Burleson, TX to impact a whole nation and that nation’s continent for Christ. Will it come to fruition? Maybe ,maybe not, but regardless one small pebble cast into the waters has sent ripples across the entire ocean. And it all started with your decision to return Christmas to its original intent, the celebration of Jesus birthday.

Our team split up early this morning to double our efforts. Melissa, Caren Robertson and Alemayhu went to Gunchire to work on the plans for the library. Claudia, Leigh Ann, Genet and I remained in Hawassa to finish the conference. Tomorrow we will all meet in Weliso and worship in Gunchire on Sunday. Sunday afternoon we return to Addis to gear up for three more days of training.

Thank you for praying and encouraging us. We have felt the presence of God every step of the journey. Though we are having an incredible experience, we miss our church family and are eager to be reunited with you in worship on the first weekend of February. Hopefully our speech will soon return so we can better describe the miracles God has been performing the people called St. Matthew.

Peace,

Rick

11:00pm Ethiopia, January 27, 2011

2011-01-27T14:30:00.003-06:00

Greetings to all our family in Jerusalem from your brother and sisters who are now at “ends of the earth.” Though there are only four of us here from St. Matthew it feels like all of you are present. We are simply ambassadors for Christ and the good work he is doing through you.

Please forgive me ladies for even attempting such a metaphor, but I wonder if our experience is similar to what you feel after child birth. We are tired from little sleep and our bodies are somewhat sore from being on our feet hours and hours at a time, but we are full of joy because of the new life God is allowing us to nurture. We have witnessed the birth of the vision shared by us all to be a witness for Christ in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria AND to the Ends of the Earth!

I am so proud to be part of a church family who gets it. Today the ladies heard the testimony of a recent Muslim convert professing faith in Christ. You are making a difference! Today, the senior pastor of all Ethiopia, similar to our Billy Graham, thanked God and praised you for saying yes at the perfect time in the history of the Evangelical Ethiopian Church. You are making a difference! Today, Ethiopian young adults passionately requested that we show them how to reach their youth for Jesus. You are making a difference!

From Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, you are glorifying God by sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as you can.

As most of you know, conception and giving birth is the easy part. Now is the time to feed and nurture the Vision until she fully matures and takes on a life of her own. Shout for Joy people of God for you truly are changing the world one person at a time.

Pray for us even as we pray for you.

I love you all.

Rick

Wednesday 1:00am Ethiopia:

2011-01-26T16:09:00.001-06:00

Wednesday was a long but productive day. The pastors arrived at the training full of hope and gratitude. They were like sponges today soaking up everything uttered by the Spirit. Your birthday gift to Jesus is going to reap a harvest in Ethiopia for years to come.

They asked me to thank you for your incredible generosity. I quote..."Thank you St. Matthew. God's spirit is moving and the saints are being equipped. We are praying for you even as you pray for us."

Soon we hope to send pictures so you can better grasp where we are and what God is doing. The pace has been fast and the days long so there has been little time to download pictures. Yes, everyone is tired but we are energized by the Holy Spirit.

Thursday, Melissa and Claudia will begin to work with the pastor's wives and I will continue the training with the pastors. Hopefully by Friday, we will be able to send you a more thorough report.

One thing I love about the Ethiopian Christians, they really know now to worship. I don't understand one word when they are singing and yet I understand everything because of their loving spirits. Our hearts are full.

Good Night Church Family. We love and miss you.

Rick

11:30 PM Ethiopia Time

2011-01-25T15:01:00.000-06:00

We had another long day of travel to the southern most region of Ethiopia via the “oh no” highway. Vans and commercial trucks competing for the narrow roadway with hordes of donkeys, goats , cows and Bramha bulls while driving at break neck speeds. I think the game of chicken was invented in Ethiopia. The first one to turn the wheel and yell “Oh No” loses or wins depending on your perspective.

This morning, we met a young couple who have been in Adddis for two years evangelizing the migrated Somalis in eastern Ethiopia. They have a one year old son with another on the way. I was deeply moved by their obvious love for the lost tribes of Somalia. What a commitment!

We visited O Elem orphanage before heading out on “oh no” highway. The children and adults were thrilled to receive the gifts from the children of St. Matthew. Way to go kids! You are making a difference on the other side of the world. The financial gift was received with grateful hearts and hope filled sparkling eyes.

Tomorrow bright and early we begin equipping pastors to lead their churches, to reach the lost and make disciples. These pastors are willing servants with little or no education. They are eager, willing and hungry to learn. We are excited about the opportunity to be used by God to teach them how to be fishers of men, women, youth and children.

The weather today was very warm as we descended the mountain to the edge of the desert. Everyone is well, upbeat and ready to get to work.

Your continued prayers are coveted.

Rick

Hello Church Family

2011-01-25T10:51:00.002-06:00

Your Ethiopia Mission team, Leigh Ann Roy, Claudia Humphreys, Caren Robertson, Melissa Hagler and yours truly, have arrived safe and sound. After 16 ½ hours in the air, a mad dash through the Frankfurt airport and a long, slow line through customs in Ethiopia, we were greeted by our hosts with huge smiles and warm hugs. We are humbled and honored to represent you in this wonderful country. Tomorrow, while most of you are sound asleep, we will head to a local orphanage and then a 5 hour drive to get ready for our first training sessions.

We met two other mission teams while in flight and connected with several native Ethiopians. God gave me the opportunity to share the Gospel with an Ethiopian mother traveling with a 3 month old child. It was a Holy Spirit moment and a confirmation that God’s hand is upon us. A seed was planted; God will take care of the growth in His time.

Speaking of time, though our spirits are rested and full of joy, our bodies are suggesting we call it a night. The rooster will soon crow to announce another long day of travel. I will blog every day internet service is available.

Again, thank you for your generous birthday gift to Jesus. You are making huge impact in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Peace and God Night,

Rick

A Winter Harvest

2011-01-21T05:30:00.000-06:00

The ground is cold, desolate and hard. Rain is scarce, worms and other creatures that prepare the soil for seed are in hibernation. The days are short, shaded and brisk. And yet the fields are white and ready for the harvest.

God has been tilling, planting, fertilizing the souls of his people for a bountiful harvest. The seed, the Word of God, has been sown. The fertilizer, prayer, has been nourishing tender , youthful plants. And the gardener, The Holy Spirit, has been pruning in preparation for the fruit to be gathered in.

In the mist of the fierce battle for your soul, many of you have been faithfully working God’s plan. I can tell that many of you are in the Word like never before in your lives. I can tell some of your are praying with more daily fervor. I can tell that you have taken seriously the call to be in a small group. And I can tell that you are beginning to understand that the only way you keep what God has provided, Amazing Grace, is to give it away.

I am excited about what God is doing among us. I sense a Holy Spirit momentum as you are growing up and bringing people with you to worship, small groups, even to serve side by side with you. The best way to win this battle for the soul is a daily submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. So be diligent and continue to practice your spiritual disciplines. Draw close to the Lord and depend on Him in all that you do.

Leigh Ann Roy, Claudia Humphreys, Melissa Hagler and myself will be departing this Sunday evening to continue the good work you have started in Ethiopia. We will pray for you and I ask you do the same for us. Together, equally yoked in Christ….we can help God change the world, in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

I am eager to be with you in Worship this weekend for many reasons; most of all to taste and see first hand the harvest of fruit God is gleaming from your lives.

I love you Church!

Rick

P.S. I will blog daily while in Ethiopia and post as internet service allows.

Praise and Prayer!

2010-12-29T06:56:00.001-06:00

I am still basking in the glow of our Christmas Eve Celebrations! God was present and God was greatly honored by your worship. My email box has been barraged with notes from your family and friends saying they had a God encounter Christmas Eve. Thank you to all of the servants, lay and staff, who sacrificed family time to make sure everything was read to celebrate Jesus Birthday. From the parking lot to the chair and pew God was honored and people were blessed. Thank you to everyone who invited someone, brought a coat and a financial gift to Jesus. Thank you to everyone who showed up to celebrate Jesus birthday.

Below is an accounting of what God did through you on Christmas Eve. Numbers are important only because they represent the fruit of your labor and evidence of God working in the lives of his people.
3 Worship Celebrations

Attendance 1755

Coats 358

Birthday Gift to Jesus $87,762

Praise be to God! I have been worshipping and offering prayers of thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness and your obedient generosity for four straight days and counting. You are in incredible people and I am so proud to serve as your Senior Pastor.

Coats will be distributed very soon and our mission team will be heading to Ethiopia the afternoon of January 23rd. We will keep you posted on both and share pictures from both endeavors.

As you get ready for the New Year, I have a special request. I am deep into the preparation for our next message series, "Spiritual Warfare" and I sense God leading Dallas and me to pray for you and your family in a more personal way. Continue to place any prayer requests in the offering plate or contact the prayer line, but please email me, rick.owen@stmattcpc.org, with the same accompanied with more detail about the request.

What keeps you up at night? What occupies your mind? Where do you need to grow spiritually? Where is procrastination and rationalization wrecking havoc with your life? What is your life dream? Who are you concerned about? What burdens your mind and heart?

Prayers of praise are also welcome but I especially want to know where the evil one has built a stronghold and is hindering your quality of life. I will NOT be able to respond to each and every prayer request but I promise that Dallas and I will keep your prayer requests confidential and jointly pray for you as we approach this new series beginning January 8-9.

I covet your prayers also knowing full well that when darkness is exposed attacks are inevitable. I am eager to share what God is teaching me about this long ignored but important subject. I pray God’s revelation will empower and embolden you in your journey to follow Jesus.

Peace,

Rick
"Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me that when ever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel...."
Ephesians 6:18-19

Christmas Eyes

2010-12-22T06:43:00.002-06:00

Christmas Eve Services

4:00 and 5:30 Contemporary

6:30 Traditional

Christmas in its purest form is about the invisible God becoming visible. It is about blind eyes being opened to see God.

Shelby was blind for 51 years. She couldn’t see a thing. Her world was a black hall of sounds and smells. She felt her way through decades of darkness and then she could see. A skilled surgeon performed a very complicated surgery and for the first time Shelby had sight.

“I never dreamed yellow was so…….yellow. I can see the shape of the moon and I like nothing better to see a jet plane scream across the sky leaving a vapor trail. Most of all I love to stare at sunrises, sunsets and star studded nights . I didn’t know how wonderful it was to see!”

She is right. Those of us who have been given a life time of vision can’t know how wonderful it must be to be given sight, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know what it is like to be blind.

You may have seen a thousand rainbows and not seen the grandeur of one. You might walk by a flower garden every day and never see the splendor of a single rose. A man can live a lifetime with a woman and never pause to see the beauty of her soul.

And a person can be all that goodness calls him to be and never see the Author of Life. Being honest or moral doesn’t mean we will see him. We may see what other see in him. Or we may hear what he said, but until we see him for ourselves, until our own sight is given, we may think we see him but we may only see a hazy form in the gray semi darkness.

Have you seen him? Have you caught a glimpse of His Majesty? Have you seen the bronzed Galilean who spoke with thunderous authority and loved with a child like humility? Have you seen the One who claimed to be older than time and greater than death? Have you seen him?

Those who do have never been the same. In a instant gone is the pomp of religion and the meaningless controversy of opinion and theology. Time stands still, broken hearts are healed, confused minds are made clear and loveless lives are filled with …….irrational love.

Have you seen Jesus? Those who do will never be the same.

Thomas cried “My Lord and my God.”
Mary exclaimed ‘I have seen the Lord.”
John declared “We have seen his glory.”
The two on the road to Emmaus “Were not our hearts burning while he talked?”
But Peter said it best “We were eyewitnesses to his majesty.”

Has it been a while since you have seen Jesus? Join us on Christmas Eve as we celebrate the miracle of the invisible God becoming visible. Join us as we marvel at the sight of God becoming flesh and blood so that we might see love in all its beauty. Join us and first hand be an eyewitness to his majesty.

And if you really want to see Jesus, bring your family and friends who have been blinded to the beauty of life because of hardship, disappointment and meaningless days. Bring a coat so Jesus can be warm when he is walking the street among the homeless. And don’t forget to bring your birthday gift to Jesus, equal Christmas dollars spent gifting your family and friends, so that the lost and least in Ethiopia might experience Jesus first hand. One of the best ways to see Jesus is through the reflection of blind eyes being opened.

I pray by the time our Christmas Eve Celebrations are over and everyday of your life you will be able to declare with Peter….”I was an eyewitness to his Majesty.”

Merry Christmas

Rick

Christmas Traditions That I Love

2010-12-13T07:29:00.001-06:00

I love Christmas. I love the singing of Christmas Carols, the smell of fresh cookies baking in the oven and the anticipation of gathering with the family to open presents. I love shopping for that one perfect gift for Dallas and collaborating with her on what to buy our 3 sons. I love running through my neighborhood streets lined by houses lit with multicolored lights and the messages of hope, peace, joy and love.

I love seeing the eyes of children sparkle as they look at the tree and then sit in Santa’s lap. I love seeing my hulking three sons walk through the doors shouting “I’m home” and give their mother a big hug. I love the tradition of assembling with family for a delicious meal and heart warming fellowship. Shoot, I even love wrapping presents, and placing them beneath the tree.

I love Christmas. I love everything about Christmas!

But most of all, I love seeing people stepping up to serve and love their neighbors. I love seeing the angels disappear from the tree and watching gifts miraculously reappear. I love seeing you answer the call to distribute those gifts to our neighbors in need. I love listening to your sing on Christmas Eve, watching you receive communion and bringing your sacrificial gifts for the least and the lost. I love seeing our Birthday Gift to Jesus bear fruit among our Ethiopian friends.

I love Christmas and all her traditions!! Even more I love it when the light comes on for someone and they realize how much God loves them and are moved to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

I love you Church, but more importantly God does and the greatest Christmas tradition you can practice is sharing the Good News of God’s love with someone you know. Invite them to come and see the gift God wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in the manger just for them, the gift of His Son, the gift of His love, the gift of Jesus. And I suspect when you see the light of God’s love sparkle in their eyes, inviting others to “come and see” will become number one on the list of “Christmas traditions that I love”.

Merry Christmas,

Rick

Christmas Eve Worship Celebrations

Friday December 24,

Contemporary 4:00 & 5:30 PM

Traditional 6:30 PM

"What is a Thanksgiving Blowout?"

2010-11-15T07:45:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Blowout

Sunday November 21, 2010

The ARC

5:32 PM

The “Thanksgiving Blowout” was born 24 years ago and quickly became an important St. Mathew tradition. Though the venue, style and persona of this tradition has changed over the years , its importance and value have only increased. You don’t want to miss it!

The “Blowout” began as a spontaneous, last minute, thrown together fun event. It was as simple as calling 15 families and saying “Come on over this Sunday night. We’re having a party! Bring a covered dish and let’s have some fun.”

Between 40 and 50 people, gathered in what is now the former nursery for a pot luck dinner. After the meal we hastily took down the tables and did a spontaneous spoof on the what was then known as "The Gong Show.” It became a tradition to call out a different emcee each year to give comic order to the evening. It was so bad it was hilarious. We laughed till we cried. New friendships were made. Old friendships deepened and a tradition was born.

It was quickly named “The Thanksgiving Blowout” because we blew the roof off with great food, outstanding and awful talent, boisterous laughter and over capacity crowds. It was and is the largest annual gathering of the St. Matthew family.

The gathering grew each year until we had to move across the street to the Mound Elementary cafeteria. Our church family was growing by leaps and bounds and so was the talent. Every year St. Matthew stars were born in what was the “Best Little Variety Show in Texas.” Standing room only crowds gathered to share a meal, elect elders and deacons and meet their growing church family.

We had two traditional services and families were joining every month. Besides being an event where we assembled to laugh till we cried, and groaned till we rolled our eyes, it became like a family reunion. Two different worshipping congregations came together to connect to family not seen in a while and welcome those who had since joined the clan. From standing in line for food to laughing, crying and groaning during the show to cleaning up after a long night, lasting relationships were forged, memories were made and the church felt small even as we grew larger and larger.

After years of a standing room only crowd at Mound, we joyfully moved “The Blowout” back to St. Matthew in 2003 after the ARC was built. By then we had grown to three worshipping bodies. From year to year “The Blowout” format changed, talent shows, concerts, dances, skits, but the aim was always the same. As the church grew, help make the church seem small and simply enjoy the gift of life that God has provided.

Today we have 5 worshipping bodies, two Sunday morning small group hours and numerous small groups that meet throughout the week. The venue, style and persona of this tradition has changed over the years , but its importance and value have only increased.

This year we will assemble for the same purpose but the tenor of the night will have an added element. As always, we will share a covered dish feast, wear name tags, enjoy sweet fellowship and elect elders and deacons. But we also gather as 5 different worshipping congregations to give thanks to God for all he has done in St. Matthew’s 39 year history. After the meal, the choir and band will jointly lead us in a time of praise and worship. The children will sing and prayers will be offered. We will elect deacons and elders, hear a report on our financial status, celebrate the past, dream about the future, and give thanks to God for the present moment. The evening will conclude around 7:30 with the sharing of the Lord’s Supper.

So “Come on over this Sunday night. We’re having a party! Bring a covered dish and let’s have some fun.” Bring a your favorite recipe. Bring the whole family. Bring a friend. Bring an appetite. Bring a thankful spirit but whatever you do come! The whole family is coming over and it won’t be the same without you. It is time to get reaquainted with the whole family. St. Matthew now consists of five different services, but there is only one Father, one Lord, one Holy Spirit, one purpose and one family.

The tradition continues.

Proud to serve as one of your pastors,

Rick

Thank You God

2010-11-09T05:40:00.000-06:00

Thank you God…….

....for the six families who stepped out in faith 39 years ago to start St. Matthew, Fuhlendorfs, Gomers, Methenys, Swans, Vandevenders and Wallaces.

....for all of the risk, taking, faithful, obedient elders and deacons who dared to follow your vision

….for pastors Tom Campbell, Charles Wallace and Don Thomas paving the way

….for the support of our denomination as we dared to be different from the status quo

….for the generous tithe’s and offerings of God’s people.

….for all the musicians and vocalists who have led us into worship

….for Wanda Gomer playing the organ for all 39 years

….for every youth sponsor, Sunday school teacher, small group leader, and bible teacher

….for every servant who cleaned, built, painted, moved chairs, accessed technology, folded

….for every meal cooked and shared, hospital visit made, funeral hosted

....for every mission engaged hand in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth

….for every staff person who sacrificed a lucrative salary for a rich rewarded calling

….for every acre of land and square foot of building

…. for every baby born and every resident of heaven

….for every child and every teen

….for every lost person saved, spiritual battle won, depression lifted and addiction defeated

….for every relationship restored, marriage preserved and brokenness healed

…..for sins forgiven

….for every prayer offered, heard and answered

….for every small and large group where life has been shared, celebrated and enjoyed

….for a bright and promising future filled with visions and dreams

….for hope, laughter, friendship, fun, energy, passion, drive, obedience and love

Thank you God for a great 39 years and the promise that the best is yet to come. Amen.

Night Time Prayers

2010-10-28T06:34:00.000-05:00

2:00 AM Okay God, I’m up and yes the burning in my spirit continues. Millions of people are sleep walking in a catatonic trance with messed up lives and they need Jesus. Some have isolated themselves from community to deal with their private pain. Others are oblivious to the ache in their soul because they have mistaken emptiness for ambition. They cover the pain with fake smiles, weak “I’m fine how are you?” and placebo medications. They try and satisfy the emptiness in their gut with knowledge, accomplishment and power. Draw near to them Lord Jesus, met them at their point of pain. Fill the emptiness with words “I love you” from your lips. Save them I pray from themselves and give them peace. Draw them into a relationship with you……….

2:53 AM I’m back Lord. There are couples sleeping in the same bed but they are thousands of miles apart. Some live under the same roof but they might as well be strangers who meet on the street. Others are engaged in WW III. Vicious warfare has created gaping, bleeding wounds in body, mind and soul. Children bury their heads under a pillow to drown out the vile bickering and yelling. Whether it be a cold war or brutal battle send Peace into those homes. Send in angels of mediation and demand a cease fire. Bring husband and wives to the table of reason, humility, and forgiveness. Do a new thing in them Father. Save them from imminent destruction, if nothing else for the children. Teach them how to give and receive love. Heal them I pray…….

3:38 AM I praise you O God for the St. Matthew faithful who are planning on inviting their unchuched neighbors, friends and family to your place of worship. In the name of Jesus Christ, prepare the hearts of those whose names are on this stack of cards I hold. Create a hunger in their spirit so they are ready to say “yes” when they are invited to attend worship or a small group. Give wisdom to our St. Matthew family as they look for the right moment to extend an invitation. Let them know when to speak and when to listen, when to press on and when to back off, when to invite and when to follow up. Use these your servants I pray to share the love and grace of Jesus day after day after day after day. Move them to care for, respect and love people where they are in their life journey………

5:31 AM Ok, I’m up for good Lord and Hallowed be your name. I praise you for giving me a safe place to live, eat, work and pray. I praise you for my beloved wife and three sons. I praise you for surrounding me with great friends, an awesome staff and a great church. I am blessed beyond measure. My life is so rich. I have the best parents in the world, sisters whose families love the lord and in laws who I love like blood relatives. I live in the greatest nation on the face of the earth. I can breathe. I can see. I can hear. I can taste. I can feel. Thank you God for life and as you open your Word before me this morning, teach me something new about you. Teach me how to follow Jesus. Teach me how to lead our church family to the place of promise you had in mind at our conception. For 39 nine years we have stood at the river, ready to cross over. We are ready Lord. Take us to the other side that we might dwell in the land of milk and honey, where people are saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and living 24/7 for you Lord……..Teach me, guide me, love me………..and help me do for others what you have done and are doing even now for me….…….. You lead and I will follow………..

6:01 AM One more thing.......As your folowers and seekers arise this morning, grant them joy. Fill their homes with your presence. Greet them as soon as they are moving about. And fill them with the expectation that today you are going to do something new in thier lives......In Jesus name.....Amen.

Peace,
Rick

Modified Weekend Worship Schedule

2010-10-05T05:56:00.000-05:00

Make Over Weekend November 6-7

Modified Worship Schedule

Saturday

6:00 PM Contemporary

Sunday

8:15 AM Traditional

9:30 AM Contemporary

11:00 AM Traditional & Contemporary

Trial Period: Assess by Easter 2011

In November 2009, your session decided that we would launch a second Sunday morning Contemporary Worship service in 2010 for the purpose of reaching new people for Christ. This decision will come to fruition on the 39th birthday of St. Matthew, November 7, 2010 at 11:00 AM.

This was a God led, prayer driven decision influenced by gathered facts and current data. In the spring of 2010, we began the diligent work of determining the best time to host the new service. Our intuition was validated by prayer, listening to the unchuched , local and national research. All sources revealed that 11:00 Sunday morning contemporary worship is the best time and music style to attract the unchurched.

We began in earnest May 2010 having conversations with the church body, seeking creative insight as to how to launch this service with minimal negative impact among our own congregation, particularly 10:55 traditional worshippers. Based on the worship surveys taken in the summer of 2009 and the feedback received in the summer of 2010, your session and staff jointly agreed upon a schedule that consolidated our 8:15 and 10:55 traditional service into a single service at 8:30.

Since the announcement of that schedule, the grief and inability of many long time 10:55 traditional worshippers to attend an 8:30 service became apparent. Your session being wise and compassionate, revisited the proposed worship schedule and revised as above.

It is not uncommon for large churches to have simultaneous services where the message is viewed by live video feed in more than one location. We are not financially prepared to launch such an ambitious endeavor by November 7t,h so though the message will be the same in all five services, there will be rotating messengers in the 11:00 traditional service. After the new contemporary service has been solidified, I will join the 11:00 Traditional service message rotation. We will continually evaluate the simultaneous worship format and asses s the viability of such a plan by Easter 2011.

It is my personal hope and prayer that someone will soon be God led to provide the funding needed to facilitate the live feed. Rotating messengers means a program staff person will be reserving preparation time to deliver a message I have written. That means some of their primary duties will be ignored because in good conscience I will not ask any of our staff to add anymore hours to their work week on a regularly basis. Research and history indicate that congregants prefer the consistency of a primary messenger. Furthermore, off sight satellite campuses are in our future; live feed capabilities accelerate the reality of this vision and would even enable us to provide a message to churches that are in between pastors.

Our great God has given us a great vision, a powerful purpose, an awesome congregation and called out a tremendous leadership team. I am humbled to serve alongside such a large group of godly men and women. I trust they are listening to God and I am confident that we are headed in the right direction. Praise be to God for such a hard working, spirit filled loving session and staff!! Thank them every chance you get because they are doing a marvelous job.

Thirty nine years ago 6 families left their home churches to start a new church. They prayed, gathered resources, sacrificed, deliberated where and when and then invited their neighbors and friends. St. Matthew was born. We are here today because of their sacrifice and commitment to glorify God by reaching the lost and unchurched for Jesus Christ. It is out turn to do the same. Let’s do it!

TGIM, Rick

Together We Can, Together We Will

2010-09-02T17:04:00.015-05:00

Thursday 5:00 AM, Sept. 2, 2010

Beginning Nov. 6-7, 2010
Extreme Weekend Make Over Worship Schedule

Saturday 6:00 PM Contemporary

Sunday 8:30 AM Traditional

9:45 & 11:15 AM Contemporary

To some of you the thunder storm that rolled through early this morning was a welcome change. Though awakened by booming thunder and pounding rain you simply pulled up the covers, sunk deeper into your beds relishing in the comfort and shelter of your home. The lightning, bright and cracking like a loud whip in the still of night, was cleaning the air and super charging the rain with nitrogen. The dry places of planet earth were receiving much needed nourishment; God was taking care of his creation. You rolled over and went back to sleep knowing that all was well and a fresh new day would soon begin.

To others the storm was just the opposite, a startling, unwelcome interruption of your comfortable, routine sleep patterns. The loud thunder and lightning streaked sky so startled your rest that you were unable to go back to sleep. Maybe you even jumped out of bed and stared out the window hoping that your gaze could cause the storm to dissipate so the night could return to normal. Though you were awake you were not rested and dreading the approaching sunrise. You sought comfort, assurance that the storm would not last.

Some of you were surprised by the sudden sound of the heavens releasing its power but for some reason you were not shaken. You lay there eyes wide open pondering the new reality, contemplating the impact it would have upon your upcoming day and adjusting your mind and plans accordingly. Soon you went back to sleep while the fresh rain fell and the clouds collided. Change is inevitable.

A few of you were energized by the changing horizon that came when the routine of night was interrupted by the unexpected weather patterns because you know that storms means added work. Down power lines, turned over fences, interrupted internet, knocked out traffic signals, high water, broken limbs and sundry other problems will impact the lives of people. Those people expect help and demand answers.

Ten days ago a thunder storm moved across our church family when our Extreme Make Over weekend worship schedule was announced and understandably the responses have been the same. Some are excited about the change, believing that God will use the new schedule to reach new people for Christ. Some are hurt, angry, confused, startled that their service time has been changed and worried that things will never be the same. Some are surprised by the announcement and though they aren’t excited about the change see the big picture and are ready to adapt. And then there are lay leaders, elders, deacons and staff who are excited about the possibilities to reach new people for Jesus but feel a particular responsibility and burden for those 10:55 worshippers who are being asked to make the greatest sacrifice.

Your session and staff have been praying, researching, working and conversing with you since last November about this make over schedule. Go to our web site for a snapshot of the factors and criteria that led to our conclusion. Ultimately after much prayer, considering and evaluating the feedback and ideas from the body, considering all of the options and more prayer, the session acted on their understanding of the Holy Spirit’s leading.

When a storm moves across a community the experience of each member is different, not wrong, better, worse, or perfect, just different. So what do we do?

We rally the wagons. We listen and pray. We comfort, reassure, encourage and pray for those who are having a hard time adjusting. We plan, trust, communicate, execute the plan and we pray. We stay in the Word and we pray. We recite our purpose statement over and over again and we pray. We listen for the Holy Spirit, pray and act accordingly. We grieve and pray for those who will leave the St. Matthew family. We think and pray for the lost, the unchurched, and the hurting who will be reached by the new schedule. We pray and invite others to join our efforts to reach the world for Christ. We pray some more.

Ultimately, I invite you to join me in praying that God will use this storm to saturate our souls with the freshness and power of the Holy Spirit so that “streams of living water” flow in us and then through us into a world that needs Jesus. Together we can, together we will.

I love you.

Rick

“ ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit……….” John 7:37-39

Extreme Weekend Make Over!

2010-08-13T09:44:00.002-05:00

Get ready for an Extreme Weekend Make Over! From the moment a household drives on to the parking lot to the moment they drive off, we are vigorously working to raise the bar on how we connect and serve God’s people on the weekend. Though the adjustments and changes will impact the whole week, the focus is on every ministry and activity that occurs during the 24 hour period between Saturday and Sunday nights.

Already the parking lot has been restriped, play ground freshened up, ARC floor resurfaced, new door entry mats and trash cans put in place. Underway is the remodel and relocation of our nursery and children’s class rooms. Soon to come will be the repair of the wall paper in the ARC, bathroom upgrades as needed, freshening up the coffee bar outside the fellowship hall, black out window screens for the ARC and an upgrade in our Data base system. We hope to have funds to replace the projectors in the sanctuary and remodel the fellowship hall into a worship area for Family Ministry.

Funding for these upgrades come from a recent gas lease check, a generous donation and monies from the February 2010 Round Up Auction.

The Extreme Weekend Make Over is much more than a face lift to our facility.

- Session intends to approve our new Sunday morning service schedule during our August meeting. The makeover will most likely result in having one Traditional and two Contemporary services on Sunday mornings, late October launch. You will be informed when a decision is made.

- Our Children and Youth ministries are joining forces to create what is called Family Ministries. Leslie Lummus will oversee the ministry as a whole but she is partnering with Becky Prince, Children’s Minster, to help families make their homes the center of their Christian life.

- Youth programming is being turned upside down so we can intensify of our efforts to disciple St. Matthew’s own.

- Guess Services is doing a great job on the weekends, but Judy and some of her leaders are evaluating how to better connect with worshippers and build family units among those who sit next to each other, weekend after weekend.

- Jeff Gehle, small group minister, is assertively working to expand how we connect baby Christians with a small group.

- Judy Madden is recruiting and training the Body to provide pastoral care to each other.

- Allan and Lisa Latham are leveraging all of our available tools to improve the quality and frequency of our communication to the body as a whole.

- Melissa Hagler and her team is working to help every small group be engaged in a mission outreach.

- Chris Bohon is on the cusp of introducing two new worship leaders for our Contemporary services and Mike Mabry is gearing up the choir for a spirit moving fall run and Christmas Cantata rehearsal.

Time and space does not allow me to share all that is going on, but I hope you get the drift. We are not standing still. God is making us over into a new creation and the possibilities are unlimited. I invite you to join the movement of God that is taking place in our midst. I invite you to invite your friends, neighbors and family to join us as well. I invite you to be unified for a common purpose, to glorify God and share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as we can.

Peace,

Rick

Let's Do It!

2010-07-27T23:38:00.000-05:00

Dear Parents and St. Matthew Family,

156 students and 50 adults are coming back from Camp Wow as different people. That is what happens when you have a face to face encounter with Jesus Christ, but the real work has just begun.

Will you honor the promise you made when some of these kids were baptized to do what ever it takes to help them know and grow in Jesus? Will you made good on our purpose statement by providing all of them, young and old opportunities to become disciples? Will you say yes to being part of these vital ministries when your name is called?

Parents, will you get serious about reading the bible and praying as a family? Will you submit yourself to a small group so you can grow in the Lord? Will you lead by example so that he seeds grown at Camp can be nurtured and fed? Will you make every effort to have your family in worship EVERY weekend? That’s right, every weekend. Not once a month, not every once in a while, not when their ball team is not playing, but every weekend come to worship.

Church Family, are you willing to make adjustments in your own worship schedule to make sure these kids have a place to praise God and bring their parents? Are you willing to sacrifice time, money and energy to make sure these kids have the space to grow in their relationship with the Lord? Are you willing to pitch in so we can raise up strong disciples who can carry on the work of Jesus after we have joined Jesus in heaven?

Thank you to everyone who is already putting it all on the line for the Lord week after week. You are making a difference. More than ever I understand by your example that our ability to make a huge impact for the kingdom is not limited by space, money or time. We are no longer going to be waiting on a new building to go where God has been leading us. God made it very clear to me while at Camp that the time is now and it begins with our children and youth.

Together, united by a love for God and the Lordship of Christ, the Holy Spirit will lead us to claim the promise that has been ours since the beginning, changing the world for Jesus and it start with our students.

Let’s do it!!

God is Moving at Camp Wow

2010-07-26T22:49:00.000-05:00

I don’t want to leave the mountain named Camp Wow! Four nights in a row we have witnessed God move in powerful ways in worship. Four days in a row we have witnessed the Great Potter working to shape and mold young lives in a yet to be finished word. Four days in a row we have witnessed adults sent here to be a blessing getting Wowed by God with a blessing themselves.

I am encouraged. The Church has a future because even now the Holy Spirit is preparing leaders to carry on the legacy of faith and assume the mantle of leadership. I have never been more convinced that Children and Youth ministry is two of the most important things that we do. We can cannot invest to much creativity, time, financial and human resources into these two areas.

Sacrifices must be made by the whole body to adequately resource and fund children and youth ministries. Our students are not our only our future, they are our present reality. They need Jesus. They need to know that somebody cares. They need to know that they are wanted, valued and loved by ALL of us. They need to know that when life happens, when parents and the world fails them that God is there. They need to know that the Church, the Body of Christ will not complain or judge that they are to loud, to messy or in the way. By our actions, they need to experience the reality that they are Children of God.

I am committed to the vision and the mission. I invite you to join me in praying, working, serving and giving so that we can reach as many students as we can with the love of Jesus. Will you accept the invitation? Will you join me in making a sacrifice so your children and grandchildren, and your neighbor's children and grandchildren might know the Lord?

I look forward to being with you in worship this weekend. I am praying for you. Please pray for me.

Peace,

Rick

News from Camp Wow

2010-07-25T13:05:00.000-05:00

The presence of the Lord is very evident at Camp WOW. Over 300 campers, half of them from St. Matthew, and 50 adults have zeroed in on the Salvation plan of God. They are worshipping with reckless abandon, openly sharing in small groups and joyfully playing all of the available games.

The temperature is hot and the ground dry, but God is good. The nights are short and the days are long, but God is good. The bunks are small and the food is…....you get the picture, but God is good! Some are sunburned and a few have a touch of homesickness, but even then God is good and spirits are high.

Parents, be proud of your kids because they are doing awesome. Spouses, your mates are wowing everyone with their Christ like mentoring skills. Our young adults are carrying on the legacy by leading and teaching the juniors in the ways of the Lord. And notice the number of your church family that are serving in leadership capacities.

Bonnie Schechter: Co- Camp director and Curriculum Coordinator

Chris Bohon, Andrew Dolan, Chris Kerr, Alexis Tate and Tony Swindall: Music

Julie Mason and Stephanie Prewitt: Junior Creative Expressions

Jim Perkey and Mike Richey: Senior High Recreation

Christi Lachman: Camp Nurse

Holly Fort: Power Point design and implementation

Leslie Lummus: Worship Coordinator

And then out of the blue, Kae Embry invited her Jesus painter friend , Lance Brown, to share his gift during worship and you would not believe the impact of his art. Pam Gellerup is working quietly behind the scenes as "our girl Friday" taking care of last minute details and I could go on and on and on. No doubt I am leaving somebody out but there are so many to name and EVERYONE is performing and serving at a very HIGH level. Praise be to God!

I know I am bias, but I am humbled to see the spiritual maturity, and commitment of our students and leadership team. Please pray that young and old will encounter Jesus at Camp and return home a little more transformed into his image.

I am still praying for you. I hope you are doing the same for me.

Peace,

Rick

Let's Commuicate

2010-07-16T10:00:00.001-05:00

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son." What was God doing? Communicating! God took the initiative to communicate the measure of His love for humanity and all of Creation.

Listening is an important part of communication and as we have listened to those who call St. Matthew home, we understand we need to get better at communicating. We ceased publicizing the newsletter in 2008 because only a small percentage were reading it and the production costs were escalating. Staff reductions and the rewriting of job descriptions left us without a point person to drive communications.

The E Newsletter you just received ( click here to read) is our new communication strategy that will be will be driven by church wide news the whole body needs to know. Alan Mink and Judy Gilbert will assume leadership on executing the plan.

I encourage you to use your own mediums to communicate with your small groups and ministries regarding meeting times, schedule changes etc. We will supplement your efforts as we can, but our church communication strategy will focus on matters of mission interest for the whole.

Please help us spread the word about our new approach to communicating all that God is doing in our midst. We are a multi generational church with diverse communication styles but working together we can more than meet the challenge of keeping each other informed as we strive to glorify God and share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as we can.

Side note, please continue to pray for God’s guidance as we process how to add a second contemporary worship service to our Sunday morning schedule. We are reevaluating our entire approach of connecting with people and their experience from the moment they drive into the parking lot until they drive out. We hope to communicate the first outline of a plan by August with implementation in October of this year.

I am praying for you and I ask that you pray for me.

Peace,

Rick

Help Is Only One Click Away

2010-06-28T08:25:00.000-05:00

I hope you are learning much about the Holy Spirit as we dig into the Word together this summer. My own spirit has been refreshed by the study and message preparation, even becoming more keenly aware that God desires to constantly teach us life lessons through the Holy Spirit. Please go to our home screen and click on Video Sermons to join us in our study titled, “Unleashed.”

I have read with great interest all of the articles regarding the continual flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico from the British Petroleum well breach. The Holy Spirit has pointed out more than once that the whole debacle is a perfect depiction of the Human condition.

Try though we may, we do not have the ability to prevent our own sin from leaking out and impacting the world around us. We can work hard to cap, to capture, to clean up the mess of our brokenness but our success if any will be short lived. Everyone will have an opinion as to what went wrong and what we should do to make amends. Accusations, blame and excuses will abound. People will take sides, make alliances , spread rumors and exaggerate. All the while the stain of our communal sin continues to spew and spread into the world.

So called experts will gather to collaborate on the perfect solution and may successfully curb or cease the flow of our sin into the lives of others, but down deep we know it will be a temporary fix. The breach will happen again.

Our only hope is a Savior. God sent his Son to do what experts, politicians, well meaning friends and religious leaders will never be able to do, permanently repair and clean up the mess created by the broken well head called out heart.

“If we confess that the well head of our lives is broken, God will forgive us and send the
Holy Spirit to repair the breach, clean up the mess and give us a fresh start.” I John 1:9

It begins with admitting your are powerless to repair the leak and clean up the mess caused by your brokenness and asking Jesus to come in and take over the job. Next, ask for forgiveness from God and those who have experienced the residue of your sin washing up on the beachhead of their own lives. Your next step is critical, get connected to a local church and get involved in a safe small group where you can receive support and be held accountable. We all need checks and balances in our lives to minimize the risk of repeating the same breach over and over again.

Are you tired of living in an environment that suffocates, even destroys the beauty of life? Are you weary of working to repair and clean up from the same break in the wellhead of your life over and over and over again? Are you ready for a new life, a new chance, a fresh start?

Please email me at rick.owen@stmattcpc.org if I can pray for you or connect you with a mentor to help you take your next step. Help is only one click away.

Peace,

Rick

The Perfect Response to an Imperfect Game

2010-06-09T07:26:00.004-05:00

By now even the most anti-baseball fan has heard about the umpire whose bad call denied the Detroit Tiger’s Armando Galarraga a perfect game and a place in baseball history on the very last out. The call has been reviewed numerous times and there is no doubt Jason McDonald of the Cleveland Indians was out number 27. A perfect game, 27 batters 27 outs, is a rare if not Hall of Fame guaranteeing feat. In the entire history of professional baseball, only 20 pitchers have thrown a perfect game. Armando and his teammate won the contest after facing one more batter but the deed had been done.

While fans, media experts and legislators continue to lobby for MLB commissioner Bud Selig to overturn the call and award Galarraga with his much deserved place in baseball lore, the wronged pitcher and umpire Jim Joyce, have distanced themselves from the furor. In so doing, Galarraga and Joyce are teaching us how to live out some of the most important life lessons ever taught.

Instead of ranting and raving after the call, Galarraga calmly returned to the mound and completed his job. He didn’t stomp around the infield, pout, throw a hissy fit, get in the umpire’s face or seek revenge by throwing at the next batter. He CHOSE to remain calm and quickly went back to work.

While the baseball and Detroit political community sought justice days after the game, Galarraga returned to his post game regimen to prepare for his next start. He did not hold a press conference saying he was robbed, posted nothing on face book or tweeted his indignation to riled up fans. He did not play the discrimination card; demand an apology or a reversal of the call. Here is the heart of his comments on the whole situation….”Nobody is Perfect. Everyone makes a mistake.”

Interesting, instead of berating the umpire who robbed him of the rarest feat in all of baseball, a perfect game, Armando simply stated the obvious and moved on.

What about the perpetrator? Did umpire Jim Joyce make excuses? Did he justify, get defensive, stick to his guns saying everyone else was wrong and he was right? Listen to this…..”I robbed that kid of a perfect game. I messed up.”

The life lessons in this story were first taught many years ago, but it sure is nice to see someone living them out as an example for us all.

“Do unto others as you would have them to unto you.”

“Before removing the speck out of your neighbor’s eye, remove the log from your own.”

“You who is without sin, throw the first stone (baseball).”

“All have sinned and fallen short……'of the perfect game'.”

“Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.”

“Father, forgive them, for they (umpires) don’t know what they do.”

Neither Armando Galarraga nor Jim Joyce had a perfect game on that historic night, but from where I have viewed this spectacle, both men are teaching us how to “perfectly” respond when life isn’t fair .......... or perfect.
How will you respond?
Peace,
Rick

Lessons from Ethiopia

2010-06-03T06:10:00.000-05:00

I am still processing all of the things God wants me to learn from the mission trip to Ethiopia. Here are a few of the lessons I am wrestling with.

- God’s love and grace is the universal language. It bridges all languages, cultures and ethnicity.

- Sin has created a brokenness in humanity that prevents us from being loving and lovable.

- Jesus is the catalyst of reconciliation, “for God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son.”

- The Holy Spirit is the power that transforms us into loving and lovable people.

- We must daily surrender to Jesus asking him to unleash the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that today we might be more loving and lovable.

So that has been my prayer for me and that has been my prayer for you in since arriving back in the states.

Love doesn’t mean we condone or turn the other cheek to immoral or sinful behavior. Love doesn’t mean a lack of justice or the ignoring of boundaries. Love doesn’t mean an absence of anger, disappointment or expectation. Love means that when we are offended, or hurt, or turned off by, or disagree with, or can’t relate to another person’s ideas, looks, lifestyle, politic s, beliefs, attitudes or faith we first and foremost see a person that Jesus loved and died for on the cross.

I wonder, how different would be the world, our nation, our communities, our families, St. Matthew, our denomination, and the Church as a whole if we chose to love like we have been loved by Jesus? I wonder, how different would be my life? How different would be your life?

“Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. This is how we know what love is. Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” I John 2:15-16

I am praying for you. You pray for me.

Peace,

Rick

Final blogs from Ethiopia

2010-05-27T13:01:00.001-05:00

Saturday, May 22nd 11 pm. All I can say is Wow! What started out as a simple travel day turned into a bonding experience for the team that will forever be remembered.

We are now quartered about 1 ½ hours away our final mission sight, Gunchire. The fact that we are only 25 miles away will tell you the kinds of roads we will be driving on. Our accommodations are excellent, much better than we deserve but I think it will help everyone get rested at the end of each long day.

The God moment occurred on what was described as a simple hike to and around a crater lake. We had been told the scenery would be breath taking and it was. Words cannot explain what we witnessed. When we return pictures will be placed on the website and you will quickly see that we were walking where the hands of God did some of his most amazing work. Gorgeous mountains, waterfalls, green meadows, a crystal clear glassy lake, monkeys darting through gargantuan trees, hot springs pouring out of the side of the cliffs, fresh water springs bubbling up from the grounds and that barely touches the surface. The pictures burned in our minds will never match the hundreds of digital photos taken by all of the cameras but that was not the bonding experience.

The simple picturesque hike turned into a arduous journey. Besides being over 3 miles, felt like 10,, many of the paths were narrow, steep and downright dangerous. Sometimes we were walking through wet marsh land, other times down or up dusty, narrow rocky paths. Most of our group had never experienced such a taxing physical challenge. I suspect if they knew how hard and long the journey was going to take, several would have opted out. It was tough. It was equivalent to some Extreme Sports you see on television. There were horses to assist but even that proved sometimes to be more than a simple pony ride at the county fair.

Despite the fatigue, the minor wounds, winded lungs and wet noodle legs the group hung together and completed the journey side by side. It was the Body of Christ. It was Communitas. Every member of the group made a contribution to our successful journey. Every member of the group pushed themselves beyond their normal limits. Every member of the group was exhausted as we took our final steps. Every member of the group learned how to push through pain, fear and fatigue. Every member of the group won a personal victory.

But more importantly, every member of the group learned that together we can do more than we can on our own. Two are stronger than one. Three are stronger than two. Four are stronger…….
Look out Planet Earth. We have been through our Spiritual Boot camp and are now ready to change the world, one person at a time. People of St. Matthew, will you join us?

Sunday, May 23rd 8:30 P. M. Absolutely no internet service yesterday or today because of the national elections. We stayed sequestered in our compound at the request of both American and Ethiopian officials. Hopefully I can post my Saturday and Sunday blog entries early Monday morning.

Today turned out to be a rest day. Everyone did their own thing at their own pace except for morning worship and the evening meal. I made my way early this morning and found a secluded place on a gigantic patio made in the top of the trees. The view was breath taking. God and I were having a pretty good conversation when I found myself surrounded by a 6 monkeys. One by one they took turns climbing on to the extra chair to scan the table for my breakfast. The look on their faced reflected disappointment and disgust. Each one then inspected my backpack for any open zippers. One even made a feeble attempt to open a pocket but quickly turned away when I flinched.

Their intrusion was welcomed and even led me to the creation story in Genesis 1 and the declaration in Isaiah 55 where the mountains and hills burst into song while the trees of the field clap their hands. There high in the trees as the sun climbed into the sky I worshipped the Lord among the creatures of the forest and was taken to a place of wonder and praise. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

The group assembled at 10:30 for corporate worship. There were no pews or cushy chairs. Stain glass was replaced by light reflecting off glistening foliage and there was no cross except for the one each worshipper carried in their heart. The sketchy worship order was hastily written on a piece of scratch paper. No organ, no band, only a computer with little volume to lead and carry the tune for a huge crowd of 13, the 8 of us and five more from Joe Robertson and the Adera Foundation. There was no clock or deadline. We met in an outdoor bar.

What began as a brief 30 minute small group worship experience turned into an hour and a half of praise, sharing and time in the Word. When the final Amen was said, no one moved or said a word. We just sat there in awe of what God had done and taught. The Saturday afternoon grueling hike around Lake Wenchie became a living parable that taught each of us something about ourselves and what it means to follow Jesus. The Communitas created on the mountain open the flood gates for a freedom to praise God and be transparent with one another. Once again, God took a simple little exercise and used it to bond us even tighter and teach us important life lessons.

As is most always the case when someone makes their self available to God, every person on this trip will come home a different person.
I spent most of the afternoon studying and writing for our summer sermon series, but I was distracted by this reoccurring thought. “Why can’t a group of 100, 200 or even a group of 500 plus come together and experience the same in weekend worship?” I wrestled and wrestled, trying to think of what we could do to help replicate what we experienced in that bar. God finally spoke loud and clear. “You can’t, only by my power and my spirit.”

So please join me in praying that God will take all of our worship services to a new level. Pray for the new contemporary service to be added before we even know the time it will convene. Pray that whether people sing out loud or stand in silence, kneel or raise their hands, read from the screen or a hymnbook, take notes or simply listen, that God will change lives and mobilize our church family to serve and be a witness of
God with reckless abandon. Pray that God that the Holy Spirit will pour down like rain and not cease until all who enter the St. Mathew doors are transformed into radical followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I missed being with you in worship this weekend but I know that Jeff did an excellent job. We prayed for the services last night and this morning trusting that though we are miles apart God is not hindered by distance or location. If you see Dallas or any of my sons, please give them a hug for me. Though I am exactly where God wants me to be, I miss them so.

Monday, May 24th 8:45 pm

Four years ago God planted in my heart a vision. The people called St. Matthew would plant a mission work in Africa. I didn’t know where or what, but the divine message was crystal clear. As we began to pray and seek the direction God would lead, Martha Owen introduced us to her son in law, Joe Robertson. At the same time we were seeking clarity on the African vision, God was rousting Joe from his pew saying “It is time for you to do something with your life beyond providing for your own family. Get up and serve me in Africa.”

A partnership was born and today I got to see first hand the fruit of your hard work and generosity. God has taken your birthday gift to Jesus and used it to transform a whole community. Guncherie is not the same place since St. Matthew arrived on the scene.
- Besides feeding over 100 orphans, the garden provides steady employment for area workers.
- The two cows and 64 chickens, housed in barns funded by you, provide breakfast 365 days a year at zero expense.
- Four water stations serve 1,000 families each every day, have reduced the longest walk for water to 1.5 miles, reduced disease from foul water and has spurned neighborhood construction. One water station has attracted the construction of over 100 new dwellings.
- The soccer field has been transformed from a hard dirt pavement to a lush grass playing surface. It is also protected by a beautiful fence, and serves as home to 38 teams, each clothed in uniforms with the St. Matthew name across the front.
- The junior high boys now have an 8 stall bathroom at their public school.
- The women’s ministry is educating women about their rights to take care of the bodies by not subjecting themselves to the ancient tribal custom of circumcision. They are also teaching them prenatal care, birth control options and that their children do not have to work the farm if they want to go to school. The city government is the enforcer, backing the women’s right to assert themselves to their husband.
- The Kindergartener’s now have two new class rooms, school supplies to last a year and a brand new 8 stall bathroom. The dedication of the kindergarten rooms brought out all of the city officials and the power brokers of their education system. I will post their remarks when I get a copy of their manuscripts. It is important to note that the two class rooms are identified with a plack identifying St. Matthew as the donor, dated May 2010. Those expressing their thanks to God and us for the donation were Muslim.
- We divided up our team and visited four different high school class rooms and helped them practice on their English. It was a stimulating exchange and we got to talk about our love for God and Jesus, including the meaning of Christmas and Easter.

To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement. What we saw, touched and experienced today was a witness to the power of prayer, vision, sacrifice and faith. St. Matthew, you are making a difference. God is changing lives on the other side of the world through you. I am humbled, honored and extremely proud to serve as your pastor. And yes, the best is yet to come.

Tuesday May 25th, 9:30 P.M.

We split up into two groups today. One returned to Guncheri and spent the day with the Kindergarteners. Besides relating and playing with the children, they helped them set up their resource center and showed them how to use the provided supplies. The children loved the interaction with the loving Americans and the teachers were overwhelmed with the abundance of supplies. Because of the two new class rooms, they expect enrollment to increase from 30 to 100 in the upcoming school year. Praise be to God!

The second group joined Claudia and myself as we led two different groups of pastors through a training session on how to prepare and present a message. Most of the pastors have little or no education and receive no pay for serving as a local pastor. They have full time jobs during the day and stand up on Sunday morning, open the bible and let’er rip.

Claudia did an excellent job teaching them how to develop a message by staring with scripture and prayer. She took them through a step by step process and then gave them a sermon synopsis that I had prepared from one of our Live Life Strong messages. We are going to package every six weeks a one page synopsis of each message in a series and send them to LeT, an Ethiopian pastor’s training organization. They will disburse the package to the pastors and they will write their own message using our provided templates.

These pastors are hungry for training. They know little or nothing about leading a church, preaching the Word or reaching out into the community. The Muslims are rapidly taking over their communities and they are eager to take the news of the Gospel into the community and fight the good fight for the Gospel. LeT ministries is interested in St. Matthew assisting in the training and equipping of all the Ethiopian Protestant pastors.
Imagine the opportunity a little old church in Burleson Texas how has. We are being asked to help evangelize a whole nation for Jesus Christ by helping strengthen the local church. Ethiopia is strategically positioned in the middle of hostile Muslim nations. If the Ethiopian Christians lose any more ground, the entire Christian population is at risk and the government will take a hard swing towards a Muslim bent.

I am humbled that God is giving us this opportunity. Please join your mission team in praying for this unlimited opportunity. Most of all pray that God will give us wisdom to know how, when and where to respond to this opportunity. Also pray for LeT Ministries and the protestant pastors as they make a stand for Jesus on what is becoming a ferocious battle in a rapidly growing Muslim population.

I am proud to be associated with such a bold and courageous group of people. Thank you St. Matthew for living what you teach………The purpose of St. Matthew Cumberland Presbyterian Church is to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as we can. You, we, are doing just that. Thanks be to God.

Good night. Having a great experience, but I am ready to get home.

Wednesday, May 26th 5:30 P.M.

Today was very satisfying. The work we are doing in the Gunchire community is making a huge impact. Everywhere I turned there was a child wearing a St. Matthew T shirt with pride. From the water stations, to the soccer field, to the schools, to the city government and to the churches the name “St. Matthew” opens doors and brings smiles to people’s faces. God is using you to improve the quality of life for a desperate people and giving them something for which the whole world craves, hope.

The most significant impact of our community improvements is the glory it brings to God and the credit it gives to Jesus Christ. Everyone in Gunchire Muslims included, know that every penny and minute invested by St. Matthew was because the love of Jesus compels us. Muslim, atheist and Christian alike have been loved, cared for and ministered to all the same.

If you ever get to make this trip, you will quickly find out what it means to be a rock star. The whole community knows when St. Matthew is coming to town and they eagerly look for our arrival. Once here, throngs of people, especially children, follow you all over town smiling, thankful, yearning for relationship. They might as well give you the key to the city because you own the town when you are here. Our name is plastered in so many places a visitor could easily be convinced that the name of the community is St. Matthew not Gunchire.

Again, the beauty of this scenario is that the local protestant churches are gaining respect and influence in the community. We have other community projects on tap, but I want to focus on strengthening the local church so they can be the hub around which everything revolves. The Muslim community is making their move into this community but the Church is ready to take a stand for Christ. The thousands of dollars you have invested into this tiny little town have better empowered the witness of the local church.

Traveling with this group of people has been a joy. Each member of the team has had a great attitude and a willing spirit. God called out and arranged the perfect group for this particular trip. Still, everyone is ready to go home, me included. I have fallen in love with the Ethiopian people but I bleed Texan and am eager to see my family and be rejoined with you in worship. Though I am miles away I pray for you every morning and trust you are doing the same for me. I am so proud to serve as one of your pastors.

Thursday, May 27th 8:30 P.M.

Today was a day of travel and shopping. We made the long drive from the jungle country side into the big city. The landscape of Africa is beautiful but the driving is very dangerous. Donkeys, goats, and humans have the right away on every road and highway. There are no traffic signs or signal lights. Traveling down an Ethiopian road is better than any roller coaster you have ever ridden. It is a thrill a second and only the most alert and seasoned driver dare take to the roads.

I have to give God a huge praise to wrap this up.

Thanks be to God for good friends and a loving family! Though I am thousands of miles away from home, I have received numerous texts and calls wishing me Happy Birthday. To top it all off, our Mission team surprised me with a big bowl of ice cream, a card and a keepsake gift from Ethiopia. The gift is an ancient prayer book written using Amharic letters but in the Gez language. Only an Orthodox priest can read or interpret the document. Lucky for me Melissa has a contact at an Ethiopian Orthodox church in Irving so I am in business.

I am overwhelmed with emotions. God has done an amazing work through our team. I have seen baby Christians grow before my very eyes. I have witnessed miracle after miracle and firmly believe that God has great plans for us for many years in this wonderful country. Most of all, I have experienced Communitas in the most powerful way. I pray each of you experience the opportunity to be joined with a group of people in this deepest level of community.

We head home tomorrow night and look forward to sharing all that God had done through us, in us, and among us. Thank you for your prayers. Can't wait to be with you in worship.

Egzavier yemsegene!
(May God bless you!)

Rick

The Best Is Yet To Come

2010-05-21T13:42:00.001-05:00

Day four of our trip was quite different than all the rest. The morning was spent visiting two other orphanages who have need of outside support and encouragement. Our group was prayerfully seeking to discern if God is leading us to partner with a second orphanage. Everyone was excited about the visits but as of yet, there is no sense of God's yes or no us to partner with either of these organizations.

Amanda, Cindy and Paula went shopping this afternoon with Hirut, one of the Gunchire Kindergarten Teachers. She teaches in one of the new class rooms built by our birthday gift to Jesus monies. Hirut was excited and deeply moved when she realized that she would no longer be hindered in her teaching efforts due to a lack of supplies. Barry escorted the ladies around town making sure they felt safe, paying for and carrying their supplies. As in America after four hours of shopping, Barry and the ladies arrived back at the guest house tired and hungry.

Melissa and Leigh Ann continue to work as a team making sure we are well fed, safe, nursed back to health when stomachs are queasy and spiritually nourished. Leigh Ann is the consummate caregiver. Melissa is always thinking about the next day, minimizing uncertainty by communicating the plan and ensuring every team member is equipped to complete the task God called them to do.

John and Claudia accompanied me to the pastor’s conference. For 3 ½ hours we visited with pastors about leadership issues. 56 men and women eagerly took notes, asked questions, and engaged in small group dialogue. Assembled in that room were some of the most influential up and coming leaders in the Ethiopian Protestant church. It was an honor to be in the presence of such Godly pastors. John and Claudia were invaluable to the success of the conference.

Saturday morning we pack up, leave the city and head for the simple life of the remote villages. No more smog. No more death defying traffic. No more hundreds of people marching and protesting the Sunday election. No more wondering about Embassy warnings and safety. Soon we will be in the beautiful jungles surrounding Gunchire, connecting with the people for whom you grew a garden, dug water wells, equipped the Sports Authority and worshipped with in word, sacrament and song.

In all probability we will have no internet service until we return to Addis on May 27th. I will continue the practice of blogging everyday and post them all when we return to civilization.

Here are a few profound words from some of your team members.

“It will zip.” Paula
“I am thankful God gives us second chances.” Leigh Ann
“Honk, honk, accelerate.” Barry
“Look out for the goats.” Cindy

As always we covet your prayers and are humbled to represent you and our Lord Jesus Christ among the Ethiopian people.

Peace,

Rick

All They Need Is Love

2010-05-21T00:04:00.002-05:00

Friday morning 6:30 A.M.

Our accommodations and the weather conditions are fit for queens and kings. Addis is at 10,000 plus feet elevation so the temperature vacillates between a low of 68 and a high of 78. No one has been to hot or to cold. Our home base is a six bed room “Guest House” equipped with a full time staff including a security guard at the gate and in house attendants who cook and clean. This Guest House is primarily used by couples who are working through the adoption process. The front lawn is lush, full of beautiful tropical plans arrayed in every color imaginable.

The contrast between our Addis residence and the typical lifestyle of the community at large is striking. I have heard more than once “I almost feel guilty staying in such a nice place.” But the Guest House is a welcome respite from the daily exposure to the prolific abject poverty, especially that experienced by the orphaned children.

Our time Thursday was invested at the Kechene orphanage. We have a three year relationship with this home and they were eager to see us. This is the same orphanage from which Melissa and Roger Hagler adopted Netsonnet and Seare. 180 children ranging from infant to 18 swarmed around us upon opening the van doors. Though their clothing and barrack like dormitories reflected an impoverished life, their greatest need is not clothing, food, toys or shelter. They hunger for love and the power of human touch. Ten attendants tend to one hundred and eighty children and though they obviously care for these beautiful children there are not enough of them to go around. These children crave love.

So Joe Robertson, our Christ filled mission guide, wisely told us that though we came equipped and dressed to paint the exterior of the infant/toddler barracks our primary purpose was to interact with the children. And interact our team did! Each painting crew had a child at their side, brush in hand covering the building, the ground and themselves in a fresh coat of white oil based paint. There were only 8 brushes so the remaining team members, Paula, Leigh Ann, and Melissa got to know and played with the other residents.

While Barry, Amanda, Cindy, Claudia, and Leighton (a new staff member of Joe’s team) painted, and John videoed, I had the hopeless task of keeping the smaller children from getting into the paint. Ha! Ha!

It was a great, moving, spirit filled day topped off with a traditional Ethiopian Meal and the mesmerizing dances from the 5 national tribes. Though it was late when we arrived back at our quarters, no one wanted to go to bed. We stayed up till almost midnight talking, sharing, and praying. Though our bodies were exhausted our spirits were full.

Today, Friday, we visit more orphanages in the morning and present a pastor’s conference for the national denominational leaders and area pastors. This effort is being funded by your birthday gift to Jesus this past year.

By the time most of you read this we will have completed the work of our day and began the task of packing for our Saturday journey to Guncherie. Begin your day knowing that we have prayed for you before you ever awakened your eyes. Though we are thousands of miles away, through prayer, we sense you are at our side.

Peace,

Rick

What Will Be Our Response?

2010-05-19T23:13:00.001-05:00

The Ethiopian citizens are a beautiful people. Besides having smiles that crease their faces from ear to ear, they have a sweet, sweet spirit and the gift of Hospitality. Today we ventured out to receive an Ethiopian history and culture lesson, particularly the impact of Christianity upon its development. We were warmly received every place except by one person when we visited an ancient Orthodox church.

An elderly woman acted as the “gate keeper” and perceived us as being vile intruders invading a holy and sacred space. She screamed violently and raised her arms warning us to retreat. After learning that we Jesus followers her face lit up with a smile and in her own language seemed to say “Come on in. Welcome to the house of the Lord. ”

Though the “gate keeper” changed her posture and allowed us in it caused me to wonder, “What if we had been lost people seeking God? What if we were looking for answers to the questions of life? Or what if we were worldly tourists who might be strangely warmed and changed by the God stories surrounding her sacred space? What if we were wandering vagabonds needing food and shelter?”

I know the woman thought she was doing the right thing. She was protecting her worship space. She was preventing the ways of the world from tainting that which was holy. She was trying to honor God by denying evil entrance into a place of peace. She was insuring that we wouldn’t touch , defile or change anything that meant so much to her and countless others, but she could have been turning away someone who needed the Lord.

And as soon as I started to think “How dare her deny us access to the story of God?” I was convicted that we share her guilt for we do the same thing. Like the “gate keeper” we try and preserve the holiness and sacredness of our worship space, our worship style, and our worship time. You have to dress this way, act that way, conform to my way, pray and sing this way and we believe we are doing the right thing. We judge. We criticize. We gossip. We gather in clicks. We ignore.

The world is full of people who need a relationship with Jesus Christ. Many are moving into our communities, some live next door and others are shopping church to church searching for a place to belong.

What will be our response when lost people move in next door to our place of dwelling, consternation or invitation? How will we greet those who don’t look, act, dress , or speak like us as when they enter our sacred space? “Turn away evil intruders, you are not welcome here.” Or will it be “Come on in. Welcome to the house of the Lord.”

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

Matthew 25: 45

After five hours of negotiations, pages of documents and $200 Leigh Ann Roy recovered our video camera.

Claudia finally received her suitcase packed with all her clothes.

Everyone of us are thankful for both. Thursday we will work at the Kechene Orphanage in Addis. We are praying for you even as you pray for us.

Peace,

Rick

Hello From Ethiopia

2010-05-19T00:12:00.000-05:00

Mission Team Members:

Amanda Andrews, Melissa Hagler, Cindy Huffman, Claudia Humphries, John and Paula Peckham, Leigh Ann Roy, Barry Swindall and Rick Owen.

After sitting two hours on the tarmac at DFW, ten hours to Frankfurt jammed elbow to elbow with non stop SCREAMING children and sprinting to catch our almost vacant 6 hour almost vacated flight to Addis we arrived safe and sound in Ethiopia. Our video camera was promptly confiscated by government officials until we receive a permit from the minister of communications. Claudia’s suitcase packed with all her clothes were still in Frankfurt along with two bags of aid and did I throw in we got about three to four hours of sleep?

Despite the interesting journey everyone was in good spirits and thankful that God allowed is to arrive safe and sound. We had a good night’s sleep and are ready for a day of getting acquainted with our surroundings.

God has already revealed himself in many ways. Though the flight to Frankfurt will forever be remembered for the non stop screaming of small children, God put amazing people in our paths who blessed our lives with stories of God’s love and grace.

The internet service is slow and not easily accessible so I do not know how often the blog and face book will be updated but we will communicate via these two means as often as we can.

Thank you for your prayers. After a good nights sleep and a hot shower, we are eager to follow the leading of the Lord and begin the mission He has sent us to do on behalf of the people called St. Matthew.

Peace

Rick

L.I.F.E. Purpose

2010-05-17T05:32:00.000-05:00

It is Monday morning and time to begin your quest of writing or revisiting your L.I. F.E. Purpose Statement. If you were not able to worship with us in peson this weekend, go to the website and click on video sermons to listen to the weekend message dated May 15-16. Proceed then to wrestle with these 3 L.I. F. E. questions.

1. What is the hub of your life? What is the driving force that holds everything together? Be honest with yourself and God.

2. What are you passionate about? What do you see in the world that causes your soul to burn?

I received a phone call from a pastor who wanted to discuss how to mobilize his congregation to reach more people in his area for Jesus. At the end of our conversation he asked about our new contemporary service having read about it on this blog. He replied with something like this, “There is only so much one pastor and one church can do. Don’t you think you should pace yourself and the church?”

No! There is a burning bush in my soul that compels us, me to keep pushing toward the mark of sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as we can. What are you passionate about?

3. What are you good at? Name what you do well, at home, at work, in the community. What would other people say if asked, “What does _________________ do well?”

The answers to these three questions will help you sit down and begin the work of wring your purpose statement. As you write or type, wrestle with God. Trust the Holy Spirit. Read the Word. Pray. Share your efforts with a trusted friend until you have honed in on why God gave you life.

Here is mine as an example.
Rick's Life Purpose: Glorify God on earth by finishing the work He gave me to do.

1) Raise a family that will influence future generations for Jesus.

2) Raise a church that will demonstrate the kingdom of God on earth.

3) Equip up and coming church leaders who will reach future generations for Jesus.

So this week I want to challenge you to find a quiet place and wrestle with your God destiny. In fact, that is the shorter version of my mission statement, “Connect people to their God destiny. “ I would love that to be on my tombstone.

What will be written on yours? What will you do with the dash between your two dates?

I will pray for you as I travel to Ethiopia with our team to continue the good work you have started.

Peace,

Rick

Pray With Me

2010-05-05T05:04:00.000-05:00

God awakened me in the middle of the night and led me to my prayer corner. Please join me in praying…

• For Men, women and children who do not know Jesus Christ.

• For families that are in conflict.

• That God will use all of our worship services, ministries and small groups to develop mighty warriors for the Lord.

• That God will use all of our worship services, ministries and small groups to bless and give people hope.

• For healing for those who are sick, depressed, lonely and frightened about the future.

• For clarity of vision for the adding of a Second Sunday morning Contemporary Worship Service

• For the calling out of more St. Matthew servants to serve in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.

• For the Mission Team going to Ethiopia, Amanda Andrews, Barry Swindall, Cindy Huffman, Claudia Humphries, Paula and John Peckham, Leigh Ann Roy, Melissa Hagler and Rick Owen.

• For peace on the Texas Mexico border so we can resume the work of building houses and providing Vacation Bible School for the Mexican children.

• For the 2010 summer camps and vacation bible school.

• For the new vision for our Children and Youth Ministries.

• For the leaders of our nation as they deal with critical issues, world peace, illegal immigration, the lingering recession and a unity of the American people.

• For High school and college graduates as they prepare for the next leg of the journey.

• That God will use me however he wishes to answer any prayer offered.

The list goes on and on but you get the idea. Be intentional, specific and focused in your prayer life. There is no greater work. Designate a time and a place. Make an appointment with God. Pray through the Psalms. Keep a list of people and needs prayed for. Remember the celebrations and the simple gift of a new day. Thank God for the gift of life and the simply pleasure of breathing. Just pray.

I am praying for you. You pray for me.

“Very early, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35

Peace,

Rick

Together We Can, Together We Will:New Contemporary Worship Service in 2010

2010-04-19T09:34:00.001-05:00

After much prayer, conversation and consideration, your session has concluded that we will add a second Contemporary worship service to our Sunday morning worship offerings. The goal is to launch later this year. Below are some of the factors leading to such visionary action:

• A crucial part of our purpose statement is to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with as many people as we can.

• According to Pew research, late Sunday morning continues to be the prime time that unchurched people are open to accepting a worship invitation.

• On the whole, research shows in today’s culture, the unchurched are more open to Contemporary worship than more traditional styles.

• History validates that a worship space is full when it is at 80% capacity. Our 9:40 contemporary service is operating at beyond 80% capacity.

• The delay in constructing a larger Worship Center demands a more creative use of our current time and space to maximize the fulfillment of our purpose.

So, what are the plans? What does this mean for the other 3 Sunday morning services? Your session is casting the vision and asking you to pray, think and help us discover the path that will allow us to arrive at where God is leading. Together we can, together we will.

I know that you have a heart for reaching new people for Jesus. I know that you understand the meaning of sacrifice, commitment and the importance of creativity. You have demonstrated more than once a willingness to do what ever it takes to achieve the mission God has placed before us. Together we can chart a course that will allow us to maximize and be good stewards of our time, space, people and financial resources. Together we will.

Please be in prayer for the vision and opportunity God has placed before us. Talk, brainstorm and pray about our purpose and vision in your small groups, friend and family gatherings. Read scripture, especially Matthew 10:1-42; 23: 37-40; 28: 18-20; Luke 4:14-19,Acts 1:8 & 2:14-41. Pray as you read, seeking God’s plan .

Email your ideas, thoughts, insights, prayers and possible solutions to Allan Mink, allan.mink@stmattcpc.org and Session clerk Kim Perkey, jkjjperkey@sbcglobal.net . Allan and Kim will disburse your creative ideas to the staff and session. Speak with or email an elder or staff person you are close to. They will pass on your thoughts, feelings and ideas on the rest of the staff and session as well.

Be open to an elder visiting your small group to engage with you in conversation, vision casting and prayer. Together, united as one church family, we can find a way to respond to the opportunity and challenge God has placed before us. Together we can, together we will.

When prayerfully considering how we can add a second Sunday morning Contemporary Worship Service, please consider these guidelines.

• We are committed to providing Traditional Worship on Sunday mornings.

• There are no sacred times frames. We can keep the same Sunday morning worship times, adjust them slightly or even start from a blank slate. The same is true for the meeting of our Sunday morning small groups. Think outside the box.

• Space is not sacred either. God is not limited by human architecture or design.

• Consideration must be given to the egress and regress of cars in the parking lot and people in the foyers and hall ways.

• Technology is a wonderful tool and we are committed to using it but funding has to be considered.

• We are committed to reaching the lost and providing a means where the Holy Spirit can transform them into Jesus followers.

• Small groups and discipleship groups are not limited to meeting on Sunday mornings. Most of the unchurched will give you 60 to 90 minutes at a time two different days a week.

• The goal is to add a second Contemporary Service in 2010.

We are living in exciting times. There are hundreds of people all around us who have a need for a relationship with Jesus. They have a need to be loved, belong and experience real community. They have a need for healing, forgiveness, friendship and hope. They have a need to be part of something that is wholesome, true and good. They have a need to serve and make a difference. In other words, they are waiting for your invitation to attend your church. They are waiting for us to do the work to make room in our hearts, our minds, our spirits and God’s facility.

With God’s help, together we can, together we will.

Peace,

Rick

Thank You!

2010-04-05T08:58:00.001-05:00

2,000 plus different people poured through the doors on Easter Weekend seeking to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. Some came cautiously, others out of obligation but the masses came hoping to be renewed in their faith. Many left encouraged, challenged and hopeful because of your selfless efforts.

Thank you to all of the laity who tirelessly worked to clean and make ready the building to host all of the services. The time and energy to set up and take down for 6 services in four days is enormous. From stem to stern, the church plant looked and functioned great!

Thank you to all of the laity who worked from the parking lot to the chair/pew to demonstrate hospitality to every single person who entered the parking lot.

Thank you to all of the laity who practiced and practiced to present a musical offering to the Lord that represented the joy of the Resurrection. From beginning to end, Traditional and Contemporary services were filled with inspirational music.

Thank you to all of the laity who were present at the beginning of all four services to make sure the Resurrection Drama was consistently well executed for God’s purpose.

Thank you to all of the laity who invited your friends and family to join your for worship. I hope your guests had a God encounter and will consider joining us again in the near future.

To those who joined us in the praise of our Resurrected Christ, thank you for attending St. Matthew this past weekend. There are many great churches in our community so we were honored that you chose to worship with us. Please come back.

And thank you to all of the staff who tirelessly worked from dawn to dawn for several days back to back. St. Matthew, please let your church staff, full and part time, know how much you appreciate them. We cannot afford to pay them what they are worth so please let them know their work matters and is making a difference. Honor them with a phone call, note, text or email. If you see them around the church or in the community, stop them and tell them “Thank you. You are doing a good job.”

Most of all, thanks be to God for coming to planet earth in the person of Jesus Christ and taking care of our sin on the cross and then raising Jesus from the dead. We are a blessed people Lord and it is all because of you.

Live Life Strong!

Rick

"Go and Tell"

2010-03-29T07:46:00.000-05:00

Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, several of the women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus Crucified body but they were greeted by an Angel with a surprising and exciting message, “He is not here. He is Risen! Go and tell the disciples the disciples and Peter that he will meet them in Galilee.”

How many times have you been the bearer of a “Go and tell” message? Who did you go and tell when you met your first love? And do you remember when he proposed? Who did you go and tell? And then there is the birth of your first child, her first steps, first words, first day of school, first report card and the list goes on and go and on. “Go and Tell.”

People have invested and made millions of dollars in the “Go and Tell” industry. From the Pony express to UPS, from newspapers to magazines, radio to television and now the seemingly unlimited tools of the internet, moguls and ordinary citizens spend much of their day in the mode of “Go and Tell.” Some even have the reputation “If you want to spread the word go tell ___________ and everybody will know by the end of the day.” Right?

Much of what we “Go and Tell” is exciting for a while, interesting for a moment or juicy for a day. Some messages are informative, some out of duty, others as a personal means of relieving stress and some out of a sense of pride. Whatever the content of our “Go and Tell” message, it is often delivered with a personal, selfish motive. Face, it most human beings can’t bear keeping what we know or what we have experienced to ourselves.

“Go and tell the disciples and Peter.” God knew the simplest and most effective means to communicate to the world the extent of his love made known through Jesus was “Go and Tell.” You don’t need to take a class or attend a seminar on evangelism, just “Go and Tell”. You don’t have to have some earth shattering testimony, just “Go and Tell.” You don’t have to be a gifted communicator, just “Go and tell.”

This week, “Go and Tell’ the person who works in your office, the neighbor who just moved in, the family member who relocated to the area. “Go and Tell” the cashier who always looks sad, the table server who seems preoccupied, the mechanic who is always seems tired and weary. “Go and Tell” someone this week that God has changed your life, given you hope, made life seem more manageable, made a difference in your outlook . “Go and Tell” someone about the Easter services at your church and invite them to join you.

“But Pastor, I don’t know what to say.” Sure you do. Imitate the “Go and Tell” style of the disciple Jesus loved…..”The life appeared. We have seen it. He who was with the Father has appeared to us. We tell you what we have seen and what we have heard so that you might have fellowship with us.” I John 1:2-3.

He has Risen church! He has Risen indeed! Go and Tel! Go and Tell! Go and Tell!

I look forward to seeing you and meeting those you told and invited this Easter weekend.

Peace,
Rick

Mather Owen is 80 Years Old!

2010-03-08T09:39:00.000-06:00

Mather Owen had his 80th birthday on Sunday March 7th, 2010. Mather is an ordained United Methodist minister and a licensed counselor and therapist. He retired after 30 years of service as a Chaplain in the State of Texas hospital system in Gatesville, Austin, Wichita Falls and Vernon.

Mather is 80. He has served on our Church staff since 1994 as the resident counselor and therapist, working 20-30 hours a week. He receives no financial remuneration from the church or his clients. The number of people who have been helped by Mather is mind boggling. God has used him to bring healing and hope to thousands of people in our community and beyond.

Mather is 80. He serves on the DFW Alzheimer’s Association board, works as a consultant for the Huguley Supervised Ministry and Chaplaincy program, and is affiliated with the Tarrant County AIDS outreach ministries.

Mather is 80. He reads every day keeping current on those topics that enhance his counseling skills. Mather tinkers in his shop, bakes bread, exercises, cuts down trees, put up his own Christmas lights, fells dead trees like an East Texas lumberjack and plants a garden every spring. He drives a beat up 1986 red Chevy Pick Up that runs because of Mather’s tender loving care and mechanic skills.

Mather is 80. He sings in the choir, serves on the Staff Development team, attends weekly staff meetings, preaches and helps in worship as needed and is a program resource for staff at a moment’s notice.

Mather is 80. He is till courting his wife Jane after 56 years. His four children and their spouses and ten grandchildren call upon him to repair cars and household items, and provide emergency transportation, produce from his garden and bread from his and Jane’s kitchen. Mather travels far and near attending ballgames, concerts, pageants and graduations of his grandchildren.

Mather is 80. He likes taking long walks with his Wife, rising early to cook a good breakfast after reading Gods word, staying up late to watch old Westerns and telling funny stories and corny jokes.

Mather is 80. Though it may sound like it, Mather is not perfect. He is the first to admit he is a broken, sinful man in need of a Savior and Lord. He is not a perfect husband, a perfect father, a perfect grandfather, a perfect counselor or a perfect friend. He has flaws, weaknesses and blind spots.

Mather is not perfect, but he has been and is the perfect man, example, helper, friend and dad to me.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Keep Living Life Strong!

I love you….. Rick

Staff Changes

2010-03-04T06:42:00.000-06:00

The Call of God is a mysterious and powerful directive. It comes when we least expect it asking us to go places we never dreamed and attempting things we never imagined. Though the call to serve God is a life time endeavor the scope and nature of that call can change through the seasons of life. Three of St. Matthew’s most trusted and valued paid staff have sensed God ‘s leading and blessing to adjust their role in the fulfillment of our mission. All three desire to remain tethered to the body called St. Matthew and will continue serving in various ways.

Mark Justice began an extended leave of absence from his position as 9:40 worship leader effective February 1st. Frequent out of state business travel has caused Mark to be unavailable on Sunday mornings on a consistent basis and he felt it best to step back until this season of travel subsides. Mark has done a great job leading us into the presence of God and we are grateful for all of his excellent work. I trust we will again hear his gifted voice among the worshipping throng.

Chris Bohon is conducting tryouts for contemporary vocalists and musicians. Please email him at chris.bohon@stmattcpc.org if you are interested. As we continue to grow and add more services there will be an ongoing need for additional band members.

Charlene Smith transitioned into an unpaid lay staff position effective March 1st. Charlene will continue to work with traditional worship ensembles and playing the piano and organ as needed. This will allow her more flexibility for her ever changing busy life. She is a full time employee in the TCU music department and the demands are many. Charlene has been a valuable paid staff person for 11 ½ years , serving as an accompanist and director of the choir. Thank you Charlene! We love you and look forward to seeing what God will do in and through you next.

Kristen Walker will step back from her duties as Children’s Minister effective April 4th. Kristen will begin a substitute teaching position at a local elementary school soon there after. Six years ago we ventured out to hire out first full time Children’s Minister, after much prayer, God led Kristen into our lives. Since that time she and husband Will have added two more offspring into their fold for a total of five children. Family demands and the completion of one leg of her theological education, Master of Arts in Christian Service degree, have led to her decision. You will still see Kristen and her family in worship week after week and serving in the life of the church as a whole. Those who worship Saturday at 6:00 or Sunday 9:40 will continue to be blessed my Will’s vocal leadership.

There will be no immediate job posting for the Children’s Ministry position. We are prayerfully considering reorganization of the ministry structure.

Please pray for and thank these excellent servants when you see them. We have been blessed by their service and I feel honored to call each of them friend and ministry partner.

Live Life Strong,

Rick

Suicide, The Greatest Tragedy

2010-02-24T15:08:00.000-06:00

Suicide is an irrational, compuslive act to escape what "feels like" unbearble eternal suffering. Most of the time it is the result of a demonic like depression that squeezes the mind and soul of a person beyond what they "believe" is their ability to endure.

Suicide is always tragic. The pain of those left behind is dark, evil and cruel. There is NOTHING good about suicide, but it is time for something good to come out of this recent wave of young adults in our community taking their own life. The greatest tragedy would be that these young men died in vain with no lessons learned. Parents, engage in straight talk with your sons and daughters and their friends about the recent suicides in our community.

- Ask them open ended questions, questions that can not be answered with yes or no, about what they are thinking and feeling about life. Stay in touch with their thoughts and feelings. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

- Talk about suicide. Ask them if they have ever considered suicide. If so ask follow up questions like..."How would you do it?"... :"Do you have the means to do it?" If they say yes to both ask them if they have a time plan. If they answer in the affirmative to all three, seek immediate professional assistance.

- Make sure they understand suicide doesn't end suffering, it only creates more.

- Know what is happening in their lives including love interests, goals, dreams and people they are hanging with.

- Reenforce you love them unconditionally and assure them that together, there is nothing they cannot over come.

- Share your faith in God and ecnourage them to articulate thier God beliefs.

- Encourage them to stay connected to a faith community and to friends who share godly values and beliefs.

- Relentlessly speak words of hope and promise about their future. Paint a postive picture of their future, telling them that God has huge plans for their lives.

-Most of all, let them know God loves them and is always working for the good in their lives.

There is no fool proof means to prevent someone from taking their own life, we all have free will, but together we can minimize the risk of this darkness encroaching upon our young ever again. Please contact your pastor or reach out to a counselor if you need any assitance.

One more thing, the answer is "yes." People who have have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord go to heaven when they die, even if they take their own life. Romans 8:37-39.

Join me in prayng that no more of our young will enter heaven before they have lived a long, full life.

Peace,
Rick

What Lent Means

2010-02-18T10:14:00.000-06:00

   Lent got off to a great start with awesome worship on Ash Wednesday. Thank you to all of the servants who showed up early and stayed late. I am humbled by the number of you who show up week after week to do the nitty gritty hard work so that God’s people can assemble for worship.

   Below is our acronym for the next forty days. Find an accountability partner, work the plan and allow God to do the rest.

L: Leave Behind Something

   During the next 40 days, leave something behind. Leave a sin, a habit, a luxury that you have grown accustomed to in your life. Give up smoking, alcohol, caffeine, a favorite food or some other luxury addiction. Give up a video game, television show or a certain website that appeals to your appetite. You might choose to fast for a period of time, maybe even all day long. And if those have all been conquered by Christ in you already, maybe you will give up 30 minutes of sleep or a particular worry that has been nagging at your mind. Leave something behind

E: Eliminate Guilt

   We eliminate guilt through repentance and receiving forgiveness. Repentance involves leaving behind some harmful life action or practice (sin) and asking God for forgiveness. We all have something to be forgiven for. Reflect upon some life action that brings harm to yourself or people around you and impedes your relationship with God. Walk away from the life action, walk towards God and ask for forgiveness.

   It might help to reflect upon the price given for our Salvation. Salvation is free but it didn’t come cheap. Christ underwent tremendous suffering upon that cross for you and me. We are not called to be held hostage by the feelings of our guilt, but to ask and receive forgiveness when we fall short. Lent is a time we remember and reflect upon the power behind the forgiveness that comes through the blood that was shed through Jesus on the cross. Lent is a time to be strengthened by receiving and offering forgiveness. Don’t only eliminate guilt in your own life; help out others by forgiving them for wrongs done against you. Tell them.

N: New Habits

   Lent is a time to develop a new desire to serve God and to be the person God created you to be. That occurs as we create new habits that eventually develop healthier subconscious life patterns. These new habits can also be called spiritual disciplines. As you remove a habit, an action, or a period of time, replace it with a spiritual habit. Replace it with something that will allow you and God to spend time together.

   There are many spiritual disciplines and it is a good practice to combine one or more. Allow this incomplete list to prime your own creative juices and design a new habit plan that works especially for you.

   Discipline of Solitude: Find a quite place and just be silent. Turn off all gadgets including your phone. Listen and consider recording whatever thoughts that traipse through your mind.

   Discipline of Prayer: Consider combining the disciplines of solitude and prayer. Purchase a rosary and allow the five beads above the cross to be your guide to prayer. Tap into our church prayer line and pray for the requests received. Pray through one Psalm every day, allowing the verses to prompt your prayer. When stuck in traffic, instead of getting all bent of shape, pray for those around you. When you hear an emergency siren, pray for the emergency personnel and those whose lives have been turned upside down.

   Discipline of Fasting: Fasting is where you deny your body some type of pleasure, physical, mental or emotional, even all three. Every time you fast, combine it with another spiritual discipline like worship, celebration, prayer, journaling or the reading of scripture. Instead of dwelling on the hunger pain, focus on or do something that impacts your relationship with God

   Discipline of Fellowship: Join a Grace Group. Increase the time spent in the group you are already in. Join a bible study. Reserve a time to faithfully work the weekly Life Steps from the weekend message. For 40 days get connected to some form of small group.

   Discipline of Simplicity: Consider combining with the discipline of fasting. When you feel hunger, do something that eliminates clutter. Clear your calendar from the “stuff” that drains you. Decide to not to buy more “stuff.” Attack an area of your life where procrastination rules.

For those who are younger, maybe you will give up your favorite desert or snack, video game or Television show and every time you think of that particular sweet, play that Game or watch that show, you will clean up your room so as to simplify your life.

    Discipline of Service: Choose to serve somewhere in your church in the area of your giftedness. Email Jeff Gehle about setting up and tearing down the set up for worship in the ARC. Email Allan Mink about helping out with the building. Email Judy Madden about visiting people in the hospital. Email Melissa Hagler about getting involved in missions. Email Leslie Lummus or Kristen Walker about serving in our student ministries. Email Lisa Latham about helping out with our video/media needs. The list goes on and on. Serve somewhere. Call a friend each week and invite them to join you in worship. Work at the harvest house, rock babies at the hospital, visit a nursing home. Serve.

T: Today is the Day of New Life

   Today is the day God will begin growing in you a brand new life, not tomorrow, not next week, today. No more waiting. Lent is here. It is time to release something and allow God to grow something.

Think of “leaving behind” as tilling the soil in your Spirit, an agitation to what is normal. “Eliminating guilt” is a reminder that there will be some growing pains in the process. The “New Habits,” new spiritual disciplines, are a new planting into your Spirit. Today is the day God will use to grow that New Life in these next 40 days as you journey towards Easter.

Some of you have never, or rarely, completed anything that you started. If you fail at your sacrifice of leaving behind after a few days, dust off your knees, get back up and try again. Try and go 40 days straight regardless how many times you have to start over. Your Easter might not be April 3rd. It might be July 4th, but that is okay. To those who believe in and follow Jesus, every day has the potential to be Easter.

May God give you the strength to resist temptation, grace to accept His forgiveness, and the discipline to practice new habits today, tomorrow and ……

Peace,

Rick

2010-02-15T08:37:00.000-06:00

Ash Wednesday and Lent

Ash Wednesday , February 17, begins the 40 day journey to Easter. The season is traditionally a season of fasting and focus on the deep places of personal and global transformation and renewal. There is never the experience of the resurrection in any area of your life without the going through the pain of discipline and sacrifice. It is not enough to have the “want to”. It must be accompanied by the “work to.”

I have been praying for those of you have been attending worship during our “Make It Stick” series. Many of you have made some tough decisions and important commitments. Though this series is coming to a close we have just begun the process of experiencing the holiness of God in every area of our lives. Decide now to stay the course and allow the season of Lent to catapult you to a new level in your walk with Christ. God wants to take you to a new place in your work, relationships, health and faith! Make the commitment this week to take the next step in your journey with Jesus.

We will assemble every Wednesday through Lent at 6:45-7:20 pm for a brief time of worship and a short message on Prayer. The purpose will be to inspire you to pray more often and equip you with tools for your daily prayer life. Jesus himself will be our example as we examine how he prayed during the last 24 hours of his physical life on earth. Below is the schedule for our Wednesday Lenten message series:

February 17 “The Spiritual Disciplines of Lent” Pastor Rick Owen
February 24 “Praying to Resist Temptation” Pastor Jeff Gehle
March 3 “Praying for Yourself” Pastor Mather Owen
March 10 “Praying for Other Believers” Pastor Jim Uttley
March 17 “Praying for the Lost” Pastor Jim Uttley
March 24 “Praying for Strength to Finish Well” Pastor Jeff Gehle
April 1 (Thursday) Celebration of The Lord’s Supper
April 2 (Good Friday) The Crucifixion

We begin a new message series the weekend of February 20-21, “Live Life Strong.” We will be getting honest about the fears in our life that prevent us from truly living. Bring a friend and let’s keep on growing in our walk with Jesus.

For those of you who are part of other churches around the world, I am praying for you also and challenge you to stay focused on your Christ Walk. Check out the promo to our new Message series “Life Life Strong” and join us each week as together we learn how to “Life Life Strong!” .

Peace,

Rick

Why does God allow tragedy?

2010-02-03T13:35:00.000-06:00

Why would an all powerful God allow the horrific natural disasters of the past five years: the 2004 Asian Tsunami that killed close to 230,000 people, Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005, the Myanmar cyclone in 2008 and now the earthquake in Haiti? And why does a loving God allow the demon of depression to grip the minds and hearts of god fearing Christ followers until the suffering is more they can bear and the only viable source of relief is physical death?

The question of "Why God?" is not new. It is asked over 300 times in the book of Job alone. But we, like Job, are never given God's answers. Paul in Romans 8:21 reminds us that all creation, this fallen world we live in, will always be subjected to the frustrations and suffering caused by the consequences of sin until Christ returns.

Though we are never give a satisfactory answer to the question "Why," God has made clear to us the "what" of God's redemptive response to human suffering and of our requirement to respond to it. Jesus mission statement in Luke chapter 4 comes straight from Isaiah 61.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me to
proclaim Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken
hearted, to proclaim freedom for the
captives and release from darkness
the prisoners..."

We are to...."rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew their ruined cities,
that have been devastated for generations."

Romans 8:28 decrees that even God is not the cause of all things, but God works IN all things so that they come together for redemptive good.

It is amazing how tragedy brings people together. Nations of people who would typically never see eye to eye, who have deep seeded religious, political, ethnic and cultural difference have joined hands to help our fellow human beings in Haiti. In the weeks ahead we will be publicizing our response to the Haitian catastrophe. Be praying for God's guidance so you will be ready to step up when the time arrives. Be considering a monetary and time oriented gift. Besides sending financial assistance, we hope to send a crew or two every year for an extended period of time.

Since the announcement of 21 year old Luke Nevling's tragic death, scores of people from from different services and many small groups have joined forces to love on this family. Some prayed and stayed with Luke's body until the doctors could harvest his organs. Some brought food, others reached out to the youth of the community whose world was rocked by Luke's death. Others have rallied to get the church ready for the service so those who attend will experience the power and presence of God as soon as they enter. Many have called, texted and emailed the staff with words of encouraging prayer. I have been deeply moved by your compassion for the Nevling family and couldn't be more proud to be your partner in Christ.

We live in a dangerous, sinful world. The creation moans as if in childbirth and the demons of depression roam to and from upon the earth, but thanks be to God that Living Word has the final word......."Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

I am blessed to be a part of a church that knows the mission.... and lives it.

Peace,

Rick

2010-01-25T05:49:00.000-06:00

Monday, January 25, 2010 5:45 A.M.

This blog marks the end of two old friends and hopefully the beginning of a new one. For 23 years I have written a monthly Pastor's Ponderings for our monthly newsletter. There you allowed me the joyous privilege of entering your homes once a month to visit about life, matters of faith and the Church. The newsletter ceased to be published last Fall and though it will in all likelihood be replaced in due time with some type of quarterly publication, Pastor's Ponderings will not be a featured article.

For 20 years, with the invaluable assistance of Jo Anne Linch and others, I have written and mailed an annual birthday letter to those who called St. Matthew home. This exercise started out as a one man protest against the innocuous birthday cards sent out by many businesses and churches to their constituents. Soon it became a meaningful way to affirm, comfort, express gratitude and value to you who allowed me to serve in some capacity as your pastor. It grew into a love affair that eventually became a monstrous undertaking as our congregation multiplied. I am extremely sad to discontinue this practice but it is very clear that the congregation wide annual birthday letter has run its course and it is time to explore other venues of communication.

I want you to never forget how much you are loved and valued, so I will still send mile marker birthday and anniversary letters as our records indicate and will be encouraging other staff and lay leaders to bless you as they can with their own written expressions.

It is my prayer that this blog will become a good friend to us both. Intimidating would be an understatement when I consider that the typed word on the web has an unlimited audience and will eternally record my stupidity and "uh ohs." At the same time it is exciting to expand our horizons and join the efforts of countless others who are doing Kingdom business through the miracle of the web.

I have not yet determined how often or when I will blog but I trust you will help me arrive at the perfect rhythm. I am excited about this new endeavor and though this blog format will not include a response format, I hope in some way you will let me know the value of this effort.

As you venture out into the world to fulfill your duties and pursue your dreams, I pray the character of God is revealed in and through everything you do.
Make It Stick!