Perry Noble on Church Staff

10 Questions Staff Members Should Be AskingJune 2, 2011

#1 – Do I trust the leadership of this church? (If the answer is “no” then there are going to be problems because you will be unable to fulfill what God commands in Hebrews 13:17.)

#2 – Do I find myself attacking other people whom I perceive may be more skilled than me? (If so then you have insecurity issues!)

#3 – Is there anything happening privately in my life that, if it became public, would disqualify me from ministry? (”Your life” is NOT “your life!”)

#4 – Do I value my calling to serve Jesus and His church over my perceived gifting? (If the answer is yes then you will do anything at any time to move His church forward. If the answer is “no” then you will develop a deep sense of entitlement that will cause you to believe that the church should completely be sensitive to your wants and needs above the call to preach the Gospel and reach the world for Christ!)

#5 – Would I attend this church if I were not on staff? (If the answer is no then you need to do yourself, the church and God a favor and resign right now! You cannot serve a church that you do not love–period!)

#6 – Do I always have to be the expert OR am I willing to have others step into my particular area of ministry and point out my blindspots and shortcomings?

#7 – Am I always telling others how tired I am? (If so…SHUT UP! You are IN THE MINISTRY! It’s HARD! Make sure you are taking a day off to rest and relax and then GET ON WITH IT!)

#8 – Do I get angry when I do not receive the recognition and praise that I deserve? (If so…repeat this phrase, “It’s not about me!”)

#9 – Am I honestly giving my best effort? (See II Timothy 2:15!)

#10 – Would the people who are closest to me at work say that I am a walking example ofPhilippians 1:27?

Perry, thanks for posting this today on your blog perrynoble.com. Great stuff we all need to be reminded of as we co-labor together for the Kingdom!

Cat in The Hat @ PCC!

Join us at PCC this weekend and bring your kids because The Cat in the Hat will be in PCC Kidz City reading stories and taking pictures with our kids.

I'm also continuing our series, WhyI, with a message on how to trust God during transitions in life. I know this word from God is going to help a ton of people navigating the never-ending change we experience.

Services times are Saturday at 4:30pm and 6pm and Sunday at 9:30am and 11am and 2pm Spanish.

Don't forget to invite your friends!!!

Weekend Highlights

The week after Easter @ PCC was lots of fun. Here are some of the highlights:

1. We had a special guest, Comedian Michael Jr. He was absolutely hilarious. It was always my dream to own my own comedy club. But alas, I became a pastor. So it was fun to have a Christian comic come to PCC on a weekend where we gave everyone the opportunity to laugh.

2. God created us with the capacity to laugh. Prov. 17:22 says, "Laughter is like a good medicine." Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is laugh. Eccl. 3:1 says, "There is a time to laugh." King David said church should be a place of encouragement and laughter when he said in Psalm 122, "I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord to worship." One of the biggest insults to the Holy Spirit is make church boring and dull.

3. I had so many guests come up and thank me for spending a weekend in our series, "Why I" that focused on "Why I laugh." Many people said they haven't even had a reason to crack a smile in weeks. Life is tough. Sometimes you just have to LOL:) That's why Nehemiah said that "The joy of the Lord is my strength."

4. We had tons and tons of new guests and over 100 second-time guests. Our attendance was just shy of 2400. What a great way to follow up Easter Sunday.

5. Next weekend is Mother's Day weekend. Fellas, don't forget to do something nice for your mom. Also, if you are a dad with small children ... be sure to help your little kiddos honor their mother.

6. My mom and wife are going to be speaking on Mother's Day weekend at PCC. This should be awesome. They are such Godly women of faith and I'm really excited to hear what they have to say. Plus, all the moms that come are going to receive a special gift.

7. This weekend we also have special musical guest and worship leader, Sarah Kelly. You don't want to miss worshipping with her.

Comedy @ PCC This Weekend!

Comedian Michael Jr. will be at PCC this weekend. Be sure to join us:

Saturday - 4:30pm & 6:00pm

Sunday - 9:30am & 11am

Also, special musical guest Metanoiz! This weekend is going to be insanely fun and full of joy.

Bring a friend!

Phil's Story

Michael Jr. @ PCC This Weekend!

Easter Outreach Video

Easter Update

Easter @ PCC this year was crazy. Here are some of the highlights:

1) Easter Egg Drop - Due to heavy fog and rain and the low cloud ceiling we couldn't drop the 100,000 eggs from helicopters as planned. So our team improvised and stuffed the eggs in bags and handed them out to the kids and parents once they arrived. We conservatively estimate 2500 cars came through our parking lot which would represent 6000 people. Thousands toured our newly updated kids ministry area and were totally amazed.

2) Attendance Record Shattered - This year we had 4046 people in our 6 weekend worship experiences. This blew our previous attendance out of the water by more than 1,000 people. We also had a record 715 kids in our worship services. It's crazy to think that 10,000 people were touched with the Gospel in our building in less than 48 hours.

3) Life Change - Each number represents a story. And this year God began writing a new story in hundreds of peoples lives that gave their heart to Jesus Christ. It's so humbling to be part of a church that is reaching out to its community and witnessing entire families come to Christ.

4) Volunteers - On behalf of our entire staff, I want to send out a huge thank you to the 615 volunteers that served this Easter in our outreach and weekend worship experiences. I've never had the opportunity to work with more committed and sacrificial people in all my life. Without each and everyone of you, my prayers would have gone unanswered. I am forever grateful.

100,000 Easter Egg Drop & Hunt

This Saturday PCC is hosting an Easter Egg Drop and Hunt at 10am at the Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport (right next to the church on Rt. 611 N).

We are dropping 100,000 Easter Eggs from helicopters. The eggs are filled with candy and prizes (there are 5,000 prizes).

This is a FREE event and it will be held rain or shine. You don't want to miss it.

Also, come and see the new PCC Kids Ministry Space in our OPEN HOUSE on Saturday before or after the egg drop. Your kids will absolutely love it!

Easter Invitation

Watch this video on how not to invite someone to church this Easter. It's hilarious.

Easter Update

Weekend Update

This past weekend was pretty amazing at PCC. Here are some of the highlights.

1. Thanks so much to George Monroy for sharing his story. George is a high school student that just started coming to PCC the past few months and it's been really cool to see him come to faith and get so plugged in to the church family. So proud of you George! God's got BIG PLANS for you bro.

2. The worship experiences were amazing - especially the music. Thanks so much to all the musicians and singers. I loved that song, "Power of the Cross." Crazy anointed people leading us in music.

3. Enjoyed preaching on John 4 and Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well. If we are going to witness the Jesus way we have to 1) Go to the well - places to intentionally connect with lost people, 2) Give them water - truth and life and a new dimension of God through the Holy Spirit (without watering it down), and 3) Get out of the way - let the Holy Spirit work in people's lives.

4. We had almost 80 first time guests! Very cool. We had 2154 people in attendance too. God's given us great momentum as we get ready for Easter.

5. My wife, Bekah, celebrated her birthday on Sunday. I brought her up on stage during the 11am service and we all sang happy birthday to her. It was a lot of fun. My mom and dad and sister and nephew were with us for Sunday and we went out for sushi and hibachi at Desaki's for lunch. Awesome time with my family and a great restaurant.

6. The Spanish ministry celebrated their one year anniversary yesterday at PCC. It was an amazing celebration with salsa music, pinatas, empanadas, dancing and more. I love our Spanish ministry and Pastor Emilio Quinteros.

7. We had 354 kids in church this weekend. That's awesome to see so many young people excited to learn about Jesus. The PCC Kidz City renovation is really coming along. I can't wait to see it all completed.

Invite.Me

This weekend we wrap up our series, Invite.Me with a practical and provocative look at the widely-known story in John 4. In his encounter with a Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus teaches us to witness His way. Service times this weekend are Sat. 5 and 6:30pm and Sunday 9:30, 11am, 2pm (Spanish).

What I Learned at Drive

Drive2011 was an incredible experience for both me and our team.

Here are a 11 huge takeaways:

1. I am inspired more than ever to build a church that unchurched people want to attend.

2. I am motivated to be more intentional in designing weekend experiences that engage, involve and challenge both churched and unchurched people.

3. Clarifying the win at every level and in every ministry environment in the organization is essential for success.

4. I have to push leadership down. That is, empower other great leaders to raise their level of leadership in the organization. I am doing way too much and underutilizing the gifts and talents of the stellar staff within our organization.

5. I have to lean into my strengths and lead from them. I get frustrated when trying to lead outside of my giftings.

6. People resist things they don't understand and cannot control. I need to do a better job communicating the "WHY" as much as the "WHAT" in ministry.

7. The gospel is offensive. It divides because truth divides. The key into designing worship experiences is to not offend someone until the preaching event. In other words, create welcoming and fun environments that prepare the hearer to receive the truth.

8. I need to develop my personal schedule around the age and stage of my life. Your schedule will change with the changing seasons of life, family and ministry.

9. The best thing you can bring to your staff is your energy. Be sure to plan your meetings with your staff at times you have the most energy.

10. Get the best and brightest brains in the room for two hours a week to work on the organization and leadership development. I need a system to get the smartest people in the room.

11. Your approach to communication should be shaped by the goal of your communication. Approach is everything. How you say it is more important than what you say. Make it simple, memorable and portable.

Setting "The Record" Straight

The Pocono Record retracted last week's article regarding our donation to the American Red Cross. I would personally like to thank Andrew Scott and the editorial manager for setting "The Record" straight.

By Andrew Scott
Pocono Record Writer
April 05, 2011
Pocono Community Church's $10,000 donation to this year's Run for the Red has nothing to do with the marathon changing its course from previous years, according to the American Red Cross of the Poconos in Stroudsburg.

"The church's $10,000 donation is not payment to us to change this year's course," Red Cross Stroudsburg Executive Director Jim Rienhardt said Monday after returning from vacation. "It's merely a donation, like all other donations, to benefit Red Cross disaster relief services. Yes, some of it might go to help defray the cost of having the marathon, but the rest goes to disaster relief."

The Rev. David Crosby Jr., Pocono Community pastor, emailed his congregation last week after the Pocono Record raised questions about whether the donation was connected to rerouting the marathon so that it no longer affected the church's heavily attended Sunday services.

"When we were approached last year for a contribution to the American Red Cross, I, along with the rest of the leadership team, thought it presented a great opportunity to share God's blessings with our community," Crosby wrote.

Rienhardt said it's possible one of his volunteers approached the church about making a donation although he couldn't be sure.

Crosby said in his email that while he investigated the possibility of having the route changed a couple of years ago, the $10,000 donation, "like all gifts, was given with no strings attached."

He said the church had contributed to the American Red Cross organization in the past. Crosby said he participated in an American Red Cross telethon the year before last and the church gave $3,000 that year.

Rienhardt said the $10,000 marked the first time the church specifically donated to the Run for the Red.

"I believe we have received donations from other (entities) along the marathon route in the past and will probably receive more from those same sources in the future," Rienhardt said. "I can't, off the top of my head, tell you who along the route has donated to us without looking at a list."

He added: "It saddens me that someone out there apparently is trying to make it out to be something more or something other than what it is."

Whatever money we take in, whether it's a donation to our annual telethon or to Run for the Red, all goes to the same place. It all helps the community, you and your neighbors, in times of trouble."

A Response to Pocono Record Article

Dear PCC Family:

I am writing to you today to clarify and correct the article in today's Pocono Record regarding our contribution to the American Red Cross's Run for the Red. Though I am not terribly concerned with what the world at large thinks, it is important to me that our church family knows my heart and the truth about what and why we give.

When we were approached last year for a contribution to the American Red Cross, I along with the rest of the leadership team thought it presented a great opportunity to share God's blessings with our community. While I did investigate the possibility of having the route for The Run For The Red changed a couple years ago, the gift, like all gifts was given with no strings attached. Contrary to what the article states, we have given to the American Red Cross in the past and in fact, have a long standing relationship with the American Red Cross. The year before last, I participated in the American Red Cross telethon and our church family gave $3,000 that year.

Furthermore, we've hosted American Red Cross blood drives throughout our church's eight year history. We've reported our gifts to the The American Red Cross in our Annual Report for all to see. We have nothing to hide.

So, while the Pocono Record is attempting to mischaracterize our church and its generosity (even though yesterday's article gave the reasons for the route change), the truth is that our gift is just another example of God using the PCC family to bless the Pocono Mountains.

Let's continue to pray and reach out with Christ's love as we create a culture of generosity in our community.

Together is better,

Pastor Dave

Drive 2011

This week some of my staff and key leaders are headed to the Drive 2011 conference in Atlanta, GA. Here are a few reasons why I like to go to conferences:

1. To grow. Leaders are learners. If you are going to grow to the next level in life and leadership, you have to expose yourself to new ideas, new people and new information.

2. To connect. Just getting away with your team creates opportunities to bond with each other and build team chemistry. The travel time and fellowship alone is a valuable investment.

3. To network. Every time I go to a conference I meet new people and make some new friends. These friendships have proved to be valuable assets to both my professional and personal development.

4. To dream. Conferences are like dream releasers. What a great way to catch a vision for what God could do in our church or ministry when visiting other powerful ministries that are full of vision and creativity. That vision is contagious.

5. To unplug. Conferences provide a unique opportunity to switch gears for a few days and be inspired and informed. It's refreshing to unplug from the daily grind of meetings, writing, sermon preparation, responding to email, etc.

The New F Word in the Church

Authentic Worship

In John 12 we get a glimpse of the great cost of worship. While in Bethany, Jesus is at a party thrown in His honor. He was having a great time kickin' back with his friends when Mary interrupts the easy-going evening as she takes a pound of expensive ointment and anoints the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.

This one act of worship changed the entire atmosphere as the sweet aroma spread throughout the room. Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, rebuked Mary for "waisting" God's money on such frivolous activity. After all, he reasoned, that money could have been used to feed the poor.

Here's a couple thoughts on this Scritpure:

• Authentic worship requires sacrifice. If it doesn't cost you something, it's not real worship. Some scholars say that Mary's expression of worship cost her a years worth of wages. Have you ever given a years worth of your wages in one offering? Crazy, huh. Authentic worship could cost you your reputation, your time, your pride, your money...anything you that could potentially become an idol in your life.
• Authentic worship honors Jesus first. Mary puts Jesus first while simultaneously disregarding the others in the room. Her one act of worship foretells the sacrifice Jesus would soon make on the cross. Often times, we try to create worship experiences that honor the unchurched over Jesus. While we need to make guests feel comfortable in our worship services, our first responsibility is to cultivate an atmosphere that honors Jesus first, thus creating an environment where His Spirit can cultivate life change.
• Authentic worship changes the atmosphere. It releases faith. It compels an audience of spectators to become participators. It captures the attention of Jesus. Real worship changes stuff ... in our hearts, in our church and in our community.
• Authentic worship will always come under criticism. Judas criticizes Mary for waisting money in her expensive display of worship. It's kind of like people who criticize a church for spending lots of money on reaching their community for Jesus with creative outreaches meanwhile they are robbing God by not even honoring him with the tithe.
• Authentic worshippers will always be defended by Jesus. Jesus tells Judas to back off. Jesus knew Judas was a thief. He knew Judas didn't really care about the poor. Jesus also knew the true motivation of Mary's heart. Jesus and Jesus alone will ultimately decide what is pleasing to him.

Why Over What

There's a leadership principle that basically says, "People need to know WHY you are doing something, not just WHAT you are doing."

So, instead of just saying WHAT you are going to do:

• we are starting a second service
• we are going to casual dress
• we are singing contemporary music

Also, tell them WHY you are going to do it:

• to reach more people for Jesus
• to create an environment where lost people feel welcome
• to connect with people in a relevant style, etc.

Here's an example of how we did this last week at PCC. This is a snippet of a video we did to tell people WHY we are pulling out all the stops this Easter with our Easter Outreaches.

Sokojikara

Japan is experiencing the single largest recovery effort in its history since WWII. This country faces daunting challenges with the possibility of burying over 10,000 people lost in the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Not to mention the fact that they are working tirelessly to prevent multiple potential nuclear meltdowns, providing food, water, electricity and other basic necessities to tens of thousands still experiencing physical and emotional aftershocks.

Japanese scholar, Fuji Kamiya described Japan's ability to recover from seemingly insurmountable obstacles following WWII with the word sokojikara: a reserve power to overcome threats to sustainability and preeminence. Japan's uncanny knack to demonstrate sokojikara amidst overwhelming odds stacked against them is something to be admired.

Potential threats in life come from a variety of places:

• Uncontrollable situations
• Unaccountable leadership
• Ugly (negative) people
• Unacceptable excuses
• Unexpected problems

What do you do in times like these?

Philippians 4:13 reminds me that Jesus is my sokojikara - my reserve power who gives me strength in a time of need. We all need to plug into a power that is far greater than our natural strength. Supernatural power. Jesus is that strength. He's a reservoir of peace in a tumultuous times. A savior who rescues the perishing.

I pray that Japan will cry out to Jesus is their time of need. I pray that churches, pastors and people in need, wherever they might be, will find their strength and solace in Jesus - the sokojikara.

Easter 2011

Easter Fast Challenge

Today, March 9th, is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. This next 40 or so days PCC is participating in a church-wide fast in preparation for Easter.

Fasting is simply abstaining from food for spiritual reasons. Jesus expected his followers to fast for a variety of reasons:

1. To give you more time to pray. Acts 13:2-3

2. To demonstrate a depth of desire for breakthrough. Joel 1:14

3. To release supernatural power in your life. Ezra 8:23

We see many Biblical examples of the importance of fasting. Moses fasted before receiving the 10 commandments. Daniel fasted in order to receive guidance from God. Jeremiah fasted before beginning a major building project. Jesus fasted prior to launching into his public ministry.

Fasting is simply carving time out of your busy schedule to feast on the word of God. It's denying oneself food for your body so you can feed your soul. It's getting in the presence of God and spending time realigning your life with His will.

To all those PCCers out there, please join with me as we fast and pray for our church, community and the unchurched this Easter. If you would like to more information on how to fast, please go to our church website.

For some of my favorite books on prayer and fasting, check out our online bookstore here.

When God Says No

King David thought he was going to build a house for God. It bothered him that he was chillin' in his own crib while the presence of the Lord rested in a portable tent. So David shared his plan with prophet Nathan. Initially, Nathan gave the King the green light saying, "Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you." (1 Chronicles 17:2)

But that night God spoke to the prophet and told him that David would not build the temple. Instead, his son, Solomon would carry out the construction project. Nathan delivered the news to David saying, "It is not you ... you are a warrior not a builder ... your son will build the Lord a house."

Has God ever told you no?

• Don't date/marry this person.
• Don't take this ministry position/make this career change.
• Don't buy this house?

Instead of crying and complaining and second-guessing whether or not he heard from God, David simply submitted and surrendered to the Lords will. In fact, he said, "Who am I and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?" In other words, "God, this is your house, this is your dream, this is your plan ... I'm just your humble servant and you know what you need more than I know what you need ... so I will just get out of the way and play whatever role you want me to plan in your great plan."

When God says no I have a couple options:

• Resist God and plow forward and do my own thing
• Run from God and have a pity party
• Realign my plan to fit his plan knowing

God's plan is always better than your plan. God's plan is always bigger than your plan. The Bible says, "His ways are higher than our ways." God sees life through an eternal, heavenly perspective. He sees the big picture. The next time God tells you know, take a cue from take and simply realign your plan with His and understand that God knows best. He guides the steps of a righteous man. Trust him.

Weekend Highlights

This past weekend was jam packed with powerful ministry. Here are some highlights:

1. I started the weekend off by speaking at the New Jersey Honorbound Men's Ministry Retreat in Piscataway, NJ. What a great group of guys! Thanks so much Pastor Brian for the invitation. You and your team were terrific hosts.

2. I made it back to Pocono on Saturday just in time for our evening services and the kickoff of our new series, Famous Last Words. After Saturday night I was exhausted after speaking 5 times in less than 24 hours. Crazy but fun! Just to be in the presence of the Lord almost non-stop is an amazing feeling.

3. The new series, Famous Last Words, was simple, but powerful. We had 35 people give their heart to Christ this past weekend! It never gets old watching people respond to the simplicity of the Gospel.

4. We kicked off our annual Easter Fast Challenge this week with about 500 people signing up to participate in this time of prayer and fasting. This is a strategic time to being to prepare our hearts and church family as we get ready for Easter. If you would like to sign up and take the Easter Fast Challenge, go to poconocc.com.

5. Here are some of the things we are doing in preparation for Easter: Planning an Easter Egg Hunt with 100,000 candy-filled eggs that will be dropped from helicopters, Designing a brand new kids area with 3D artwork and murals called "PCC KidCity", working on the Easter theme called "Celebrate Easter in 3D" and much more. It's going to be an amazing Easter!

6. I'm looking forward to taking some time off this week and spending time with my wife and kids. It's been a fast-paced run for the past 8 weeks and I need a break.

7. One of the new students that has been attending PCC for the past few months gave his heart to Christ this past weekend. I think God has great plans for this young man. He's already brought one of his friends to Christ this week. I love this church!

Famous Last Words

This weekend we are kicking off a brand new series, Famous Last Words. For the next four weeks we are going to look at the famous last words of Jesus spoken moments before he died for the sins of the world. You don't want to miss it!

For This Reason I Bow

Great people are people of great prayer. Great prayer leads to great power. And great prayer always begins with great posture.

Paul prays in Ephesians 3:14-21, "For this reason I bow."

To bow or to kneel or to get low is the true posture of prayer. It's the practice of humbling ones body as well as ones spirit before the Lord. Humility captures the attention of God. It's a declaration of dependence. It's says, "God if you don't show up and help me I am undone." This kind of prayer flies in the face of self-sufficiency. It's power made perfect in weakness.

It's what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane in Luke 22 when it says he "knelt down" to pray and he prayed even "more earnestly."

What would our homes, churches, and schools look like if we made ourselves low before the Lord and prayed even more earnestly as Jesus did in the garden.

Perhaps you could pray this prayer of Paul in Ephesians 3:14-20

Jesus give me STRENGTH. (Eph. 3:16-17)

• i can't do ministry on my own
• i can't do life on my own
• i can't do your will on my own

Jesus give me SCOPE. (Eph. 3:18)

• to understand the depth of your love for all people
• to comprehend the cruelty and compassion of the cross
• to put aside my personal preferences and get a vision for the lost

Jesus give me the SPIRIT. (Eph. 3:19)

• fill me with the fullness of the Spirit
• to go beyond belief and receive the Spirit of Christ (Acts 19:2)
• that Your power and presence may be with me

The result of this prayerful posture of body and soul is an immeasurable move of God in our day and generation.

Hater Heyday

I'm a huge fan of Steven Furtick, founding pastor of Elevation Church, one of the fastest growing churches in America today. Elevation Church is in the middle of a move of God and I celebrate with Pastor Steven and his team. Undoubtedly, Pastor Steven is an amazing preacher and gifted leader - truly a rising star in the evangelical community.

In his blog post today, Haters in the Church, Steven speaks passionately about those who criticize rather than celebrate the success, style and substance of other ministries in the broader body of Christ. While this video was designed for a new teaching series, Honorology, at Elevation, it's possible that its poignant release speaks to a much larger debate currently happening in the evangelical community - specifically the Rob Bell controversy.

The soon-release of Bell's new book, Love Wins, has spawned a hater-heyday among evangelical leaders and theologians. This twitter-sphere tornado - the likes of which only Charlie Sheen can comprehend, centers around a theological brouhaha regarding Bell's potential parting with the orthodox view of heaven, hell and universalism. The questions raised in the books promotional video seem to suggest to some that Bell has already said too much by simply posing provocative questions, indicating an obvious break with orthodoxy.

While I believe most have jumped the gun on criticizing, even convicting Bell based solely on what could turn out to be just a brilliant marketing strategy, I disagree with Furtick's assumption that anyone within the church body that challenges another be classified a "hater."

Consider this:

+Was Jesus a "hater" when he publicly denounced the Pharisees and called them a brood of vipers.

+Was Paul a "hater" when he challenged false teachers in the church and called them evil.

+Was Peter a "hater" when he disagreed with the church leadership at the Jerusalem Council.

I think not. In fact, these confrontation moments proved to define current church theology and culture.

I, too, believe in honor. Much like Furtick, I, too, want to be known more for what I am for, not for what I'm against. But it's equally important to honor the Gospel, as well. The fact of the matter is that there is a time to speak a word of challenge and confrontation into the lives of others, even church leaders. Why not call a spade a spade? Why not, when someone makes a clear break with orthodoxy, shouldn't others within the body of Christ call them on it in hopes of restoration?

It seems to me that this was the early practice of the New Testament church. History tells us that confrontation, even church confrontation and criticism can be constructive. The Bible clearly teaches that as "iron sharpens iron, so shall one man sharpen another." So when the sparks fly and the anvil heats up, something better can emerge.

You've got to rise above the cynics and critics. Don't stoop to their level and become a hater of haters. Love your haters. Learn from your haters. Lead your haters to Jesus.

Morning and Evening Devotional

“Behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague.”

— Leviticus 13:13

Strange enough this regulation appears, yet there was wisdom in it, for the throwing out of the disease proved that the constitution was sound. This evening it may be well for us to see the typical teaching of so singular a rule. We, too, are lepers, and may read the law of the leper as applicable to ourselves.

When a man sees himself to be altogether lost and ruined, covered all over with the defilement of sin, and in no part free from pollution; when he disclaims all righteousness of his own, and pleads guilty before the Lord, then he is clean through the blood of Jesus, and the grace of God. Hidden, unfelt, unconfessed iniquity is the true leprosy; but when sin is seen and felt, it has received its deathblow, and the Lord looks with eyes of mercy upon the soul afflicted with it. Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition.

We must confess that we are “nothing else but sin,” for no confession short of this will be the whole truth; and if the Holy Spirit be at work with us, convincing us of sin, there will be no difficulty about making such an acknowledgment —it will spring spontaneously from our lips. What comfort does the text afford to truly awakened sinners: the very circumstance which so grievously discouraged them is here turned into a sign and symptom of a hopeful state!

Stripping comes before clothing; digging out the foundation is the first thing in building—and a thorough sense of sin is one of the earliest works of grace in the heart. O thou poor leprous sinner, utterly destitute of a sound spot, take heart from the text, and come as thou art to Jesus—

“For let our debts be what they may, however great or small,

As soon as we have nought to pay, our Lord forgives us all.

’Tis perfect poverty alone that sets the soul at large:

While we can call one mite our own, we have no full discharge.”

Weekend Highlights

This past weekend was perhaps the best weekend services we've ever had in the eight year history of our church. I can't really put my finger on it, but God just moved in a extraordinary way.

Here are some of the highlights:

*We kicked the weekend off with a Group Leaders conference. Over 100 leaders showed up and many of them committed to lead a group. Thanks so much to our staff for pulling together an awesome conference.

*Even with a couple inches of snow right before our Saturday evening and Sunday morning services, we still had great attendance. We kicked off the new series, Satan's SexEd. A huge thanks to LifeChurch.tv for inspiring the series and creative elements.

*I preached a message on what Satan doesn't want you to know about sex: Sex is sacred, Sex is sticky, and Sex is serious. Go here to listen to the message.

*You could literally hear a pin drop a few different times during the message which often times was followed by people weeping as the Spirit was ministering among the crowd. Amazing.

*Bekah and I went out on a date Friday night and met a young man, Christian Porter, who was playing some live music. We ended up inviting him to perform at PCC for the new series and he agreed. What an amazingly talented young man. He played "I'm Yours" by Jason Marz and "Collide" by Howie Day. You can listen here at the 34:45 minute mark. Can't wait to hear him next week.

*My friend attended this past weekend for the first-time. He really enjoyed the service and told me he plans on attending for the next two weeks of the series. Really praying for him and his family.

*I took Bekah to see Blue Man Group last night for Valentine's Day. We had an awesome time at the show and dinner with some friends.

*Thanks so much for all those that wished me a happy birthday today. I appreciate all the kind words and sentiments.

*To top it all off, my staff bought me an iPAD for my birthday. Thanks team! You guys rock! Love being your pastor and leader.

Satan's SexED

This weekend Satan is coming to PCC. That's right. We are kicking off a brand new message series called "Satan's SexED". School is officially in session starting Saturday night and Sunday morning.

You do NOT wants to miss one week of this series. The title of the kickoff message is "What Satan Says About Sex" and we will also look at the top 3 things Satan doesn't want you to know about sex.

This series is for EVERYONE - moms, dads, teens, even grandparents.

We've got some great music, videos and worship experiences planned for this series. INVITE EVERYONE you know. This subject is way too important not to address.

Groups Conference

This Saturday PCC is hosting our Spring Groups Leaders Conference.

Groups are a huge part of what we do at PCC. In fact, they are the heartbeat of our family.

Here are some benefits of participating in or leading a group:

+A great place to make new friends.

+ Learn more about the Bible.

+ Receive pastoral care.

+ Develop your leadership skills.

+ Make a difference for Jesus.

If you are interested in leading or facilitating a group, please join us from 8:30 to Noon. Childcare and a continental breakfast will be provided.

Starting Power vs. Staying Power

Passion drives people to start things. People start all kinds of stuff: marriages, careers, businesses, non-profit organizations, friendships, churches, diets, exercise habits and the list goes on. Most likely you've started some new ventures in your life - perhaps even in the form of "new years resolution" last month.

But the same passion that leads you to start something won't be enough to make you stay with something. Starting power is easy. Everybody loves to dream and the thought of starting something new is always attractive. Dreams are free ... in the beginning.

But staying with something is another matter entirely. Staying power is the sacrifice to realize ones dreams. After the going gets tough and the love fads and the passion wanes - that's when the staying power kicks in. Staying with a marriage that's on the rocks. Staying with a church or ministry when it goes backward instead of forward. Staying with a friend who's hurt you. Staying with a sales position after three "no's" and not meeting your quarterly quota. That's tough.

Jesus' promise in Philippians 1:6 gives me staying power: "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion." Jesus always finishes what He starts. My life and your life are works in progress. Never give up on your dreams. Opposition is simply the test to discover the true mettle of a man. It builds character and resolve in the heart of a dreamer. And when the going gets tough, call on Jesus to give you the power to stay put and finish what you've started.

PCCs 4G Network

This past weekend I shared the vision of the 4G Network at PCC. Here are some of the highlights:

1. God wants me to GROW.

• PCC is a place to grow in your faith.
• 1 Peter 2:2 says "grow up" into your salvation
• 2 Peter 3:8 says "grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord"
• We grow through our commitments.

2. God wants me to be in a GROUP.

• Groups where the heartbeat of the New Testament Church
• Acts 2:42, 45 says they were committed to community.
• They met in the temple courts (corporate worship experiences) and in their homes (small groups).
• Groups are a place for connection.

3. God wants me to GIVE.

• 1 Peter 4:10 says that "each one has a gift"
• We are to give our gifts back to God by serving one another
• Luke 6:38 reminds us that we can't outgive God.
• At PCC, we are turning consumers into contributors.

4. Go wants me to GO.

• Jesus told us in Mat. 28:19 to "go and make disciples"
• The church is commanded to continue the mission of Jesus
• Jesus cames to seek and save the lost (Lk.19:10)
• At PCC, it's all about lives that are changed.

Vision Weekend @ PCC!

This weekend is Vision Weekend at PCC. I'm stoked to share the vision that God has given to me for PCC. It's the vision of our house!

Don't miss my vision talk entitled: The 4G Network. Together we will discover what God really wants us to do in and through us as we purpose to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Let me share a couple reasons why we talk a lot about vision at PCC.

The Value of Vision:

1. Visions creates CLARITY.

• That's why we are commanded to "write the vision, make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it." Habakkuk 2:2
• In a growing church there are many new people who need to know what the church is about, where we are going, what we value, etc.
• There are also people who have been around for awhile that need to be reminded about the vision in the house. Like Bill Hybels says, "Vision leaks." It's like a tire and we all need to be filled up and fired up often.

2. Visions creates UNITY.

• It gets everyone on the same page in the playbook.
• Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint."
• Vision gets everyone headed in the same direction. It creates alignment around a unified cause.
• Many churches, like many families, will often become stale, stagnant and divided because there is no vision in the house.
• If people don't know what the vision is, they will create their own.
• When you have more than one vision ... that's called division.

Breaking Growth Barriers - Part 3

7. Get a coach.

• A good coach will help you be the best you can be.
• Find a coach that leads a church at least twice your size. You need to talk to someone who's a few steps ahead of you.
• Every Timothy needs a Paul. Every Paul needs a Timothy.
• While there are many good coaching networks out there - you would be surprised at how many pastors are willing to give you their time and invest in you for nothing in return.
• The ministry can be very discouraging. You need a coach and a friend who will strengthen your hand in God when the going gets touch.
• Some coaching relationships I've had have been very informal. It would consist of a call once a month on the phone and email communication.
• Other coaching relationships have been very structured and formal.
• Some leaders I consider my coaches but I've never met them. I read their books, blogs, watch them preach online, follow them on Twitter, purchase conference DVDs, etc.
• You can learn a lot from afar.

8. Start and/or strengthen your small groups system.

• Small groups are critical to breaking growth barriers.
• You need to become an expert in small groups or hire an expert.
• Pastors need to lead or participate in a small group.
• They are a great place to provide pastoral care in a growing church, more intense Bible study and spiritual growth.
• Small groups are a great vehicle to cast vision and raise up new leaders, as well.

9. Think twice your size.

• You need to get through your next growth barrier in your head and heart until you will have the skills in your hand.
• I recall learning this when our church was 350. I specifically remember saying to my coach when he told me this: "I can never lead a church of 700 or 1500." He said, "You're right, if you keep thinking like that."
• Begin to ask: "What kind of leader would I need to be to lead a church twice my current size?"
• "What kind of staff would we need?" "What kind of budget would we need to resource that?" "How many volunteers would it take?" "How many services would we need?" "How big of a facility would we need?"
• If you can dream it, you can do it!

10. Go after lost people.

• It's all about people who need Jesus.
• Yes, we need programs, processes but it's all about lost people.
• In Matthew 28:19 Jesus says, "Go and make disciples." He didn't say build big buildings. He commanded us to build big people.
• In Luke 14 Jesus tells us to "go out into the hedges and highways and compel people to come in ... so that my house might be full." Jesus loves a room filled with lost people so that they can hear the good news, repent and be saved.
• It's no victory if we are simply reaching other Christians from other churches. There will always be an element of that in our churches, but it should never be the focus.
• We are called to rescue those that do not know God nor the power of his salvation.
• If that is our motivation, God will see to it that we are leading a growing church.

Breaking Growth Barriers - Part 2

4. Focus on making it Better before making it Bigger.

• If you make it better, it will naturally demand that it gets bigger
• Do everything with excellence
• Excellence demonstrates that what is happening in your church/organization is important.
• So make the weekend service as good as you can make it.
• Have the best possible worship service you can have. Pray and fast and plan and prepare.
• Put together the best possible message you can and preach it with all your guts as if eternity hangs in the balance because it does.
• Make your kids program an unforgettable experience for the little ones so they can learn about Jesus in an environment that is fun, kid-friendly and interactive.
• Create a warm and friendly experience for your weekend attendees and first time guests with trained car parking crews, ushers, greeters, guest services hosts, etc.
• What happens in the local church should be the talk of the town because there is nothing more important to talk about than Jesus! There is nothing more important going on than what Jesus is doing by changing lives!

5. Delegate more and/or hire new staff.

• Most pastors do way too much
• We need to delegate as many tasks as possible
• Find out what you can only do in your church and delegate everything else (For me, the 3 main things I do are: Lead communicator/vision castor, Lead the staff, Resource Development)
• Delegate doesn't mean dump.
• Delegate responsibility with accountability and authority
• Follow the medical adage: Watch One, Do One, Teach One
• To break growth barriers you will also need to hire staff

6. Make room to grow.

• Adequate space will often times limit growth
• Make more room for growth in every area: parking spaces, kids space, lobby space, transition between services (if you are in multiple services), auditorium space
• Do you have enough room in your auditorium to grow?
• Remember the Rule of 70% which says, "once your auditorium is 70% full, it is full"
• Make more room by adding additional seats in your auditorium (if possible), adding additional services, finding a larger space to meet in, etc.
• Americans don't like to be crowded / they like their space / they will take up 3 seats in a row if you let them.

Weekend Highlights

This weekend was a lot of fun at PCC. Here are some of the highlights:

• Despite a few inches of snow on Saturday we still had great services with 550 in attendance. Truly, I was blown away by how many people braved the weather to come out and worship. Pocono is made up good 'ol mountain people : )
• The new stage extension worked out really well. I loved preaching out in the crowd and felt more connected to the audience. A big thanks to Aaron Davis our facilities director and the volunteers who built the stage this weekend.
• We wrapped up our January series, Games People Play, this weekend with a message on forgiveness. In the 11am service I literally heard people weeping as God healed their hearts and they relinquished their right to get even.
• The Games People Play was a study on the life of King David. This weekend we learned that David has a forgiving spirit.
• The alternative to forgiveness is bitterness. Bitterness doesn't work. Read Hebrews 12:15. Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
• King David teaches us that a man forgiven of much, forgives much.
• The humbled forgiven make good forgivers. It's the man full of pride that has difficulty forgiving others.
• Forgiveness isn't fair. It's called grace. It's what God has given us when we didn't deserve. I'm so glad God didn't give me what I deserve - death. For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life.
• Pastor Brad, Andre and Emilio all did the announcements together this weekend. It was hilarious. Brad is this corn-fed white boy from the midwest. Andre is from inner city Pittsburgh. And Emilio is from Guatemala and spoke in Spanish. Perhaps my most memorable moment of the year so far.
• I heard of a girl that game to PCC the for the first time on Saturday night. She was impacted so much by the service that she came back today. She said she just sat there and wept as God moved in her heart. She went through a truckload of hurt in her life and God set her free this weekend. Yeah God!
• Pastor Ron led worship again this weekend because Nadeen was out sick with strep throat. We are praying for her complete recovery. Great worship Ron and team!
• Looking forward to our First Tuesday Prayer Meeting this week followed by our annual business meeting. That is, of course, we don't slammed with 2 feet of snow!

Breaking Growth Barriers - Part 1

Here are 10 Ideas for Breaking Growth Barriers in your church:

1. Make a decision to grow personally.

• growing churches are led by growing leaders
• in order for my church to grow, I must first grow
• i've discovered that i'm the biggest growth barrier to my church
• when i stop growing, my church stops growing
• so i must constantly ask: what am i doing to grow?
• what's my personal growth plan for 2011? for my walk with the lord? my family? my finances? my leadership? my ministry?

2. Get a vision for growth from God.

• i go on two personal prayer retreats a year so i can get alone with god, hear his voice and get a vision for what he wants to do in and through me in the days ahead
• many years ago while on a getaway, god spoke to my heart through his word that he wanted my church to grow
• i'm not saying god wants all churches to be mega churches, but god wants all churches to grow. read 2 peter 3:9, luke 14:23, mt. 28, acts 2, col. 3
• pastors need to hear from god and write the vision down
• set some growth goals / develop a strategy of how you will accomplish those goals
• a coach challenged me years ago to sit down and make a list of 100 reasons why my church should grow. this challenged me and help me develop a vision for growth.

3. Be willing to embrace the pain of growth.

• all growth requires change
• all change brings pain
• when you get a vision from god for growth and begin to implement it, the critics will show up
• develop thick skin as a leader. like really thick skin. rhinoceros thick. and don't be offended when people criticize your plan or mischaracterize your ministry.
• leadership requires thick skin and and tender heart.
• as your church grows, it will require your role to change as a pastor. this is very difficult. you won't be able to do it all by yourself anymore. you won't do all the weddings, funerals, hospital visit, counseling sessions, ad nauseum.
• acts 6 teaches church leaders that it's not our responsibility to meet all the needs of the church family. it's our responsibility to ensure that all the needs are met. big difference.
• your pain threshold will determine your growth threshold.
• if your church grows into the hundreds, even thousands, you won't even know all the people that attend your church. this was very painful for me personally and it still is today.
• but then i decided everyone can know me, or everyone can know jesus. i'd rather them know jesus.

Happy Birthday Kate!

I wanted to give a big shout out to my daughter, Kathryn, who turns 8 years old today. Happy Birthday to the most precious little girl a dad could ever hope for.

Here are just a few things I love about Kate:

+She's a great big sis' to her 3 lil' brothers.

+She has a zest for knowledge and loves to read.

+She's a very helpful little girl who is quick to jump up and help around the house.

+She loves to take care of her puppy, Holly. She feeds her and plays with her and let's her out/in to the house.

+Kate has a crazy sense of humor. She's the the life of the party. What a zany kid - always good for a laugh.

+She really values her friendships and wants to spend lots of time with her friends.

+She loves going to church and learning about Jesus.

+Kate is a very positive little person. To her, the glass is always half full.

+She really loves her mom and wants to be just like her.

+Kate has a tender heart for serving the poor and always includes them in her prayers. She is very thankful for what she has and looks for ways to give back to those in need.

I love you, Kate. Happy 8th Birthday!!!!

A Response To The Tucson Tragedy

The tragedy that occurred in Tuscon, Arizona on January 8th has captured the attention of America. In the vicious 24-hour news cycle of today's fast-paced world, the fact that this story of senseless violence is still being discussed twelve days later is evident of that fact.

Our church has been praying for all those personally impacted by this tragedy and will continue to do so in the days ahead. As a pastor, I thought I would share my perspective on the Tucson Tragedy in hopes of playing some small part in the healing process.

The Tucson Tragedy reminds me that:

1. Evil is Real - While there has been much discussion centered on the mental state of the shooter, make no mistake about it - this act of horrific violence stems from raw evil. I'm not suggesting that all who struggle with psychological problems are demonized, but this heinous act is definitive proof that evil is real.

Some say, "If God were a God of love, why would he allow things like this to happen." God is not the author of evil. He gives people a free will and when people succumb to the evil that lurks within, they hurt others and the consequence is often unconsolable pain. That's why Jesus said when you pray - pray for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus is reminding us that God's will is not always done on earth. That's why we need to pray for His will to be done. Remember that this is earth - not heaven. We live in a world that is broken and full of people that are prone to hurt others.

2. Life is Fragile - Events such as these remind us how fragile life really is. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. I think especially of the 9 year old girl who's life was cut short at such an early age. Tragic loss. My heart goes out to all the victims and their families who morn the loss of a loved one today.

The Bible says that life is like a mist, a vapor - here one moment and gone the next. This reality compels me to soak in the moments of everyday with those that I love. To never leave the house without kissing my wife and children and tell them that I love them. To cherish each and every moment as if it could be my last. Life is short.

3. Good will triumph over Evil - It's been incredibly heartwarming to see the city of Tucson, along with the state of Arizona and the national community come together to pray, to encourage one another and to take a stand for what is good and right in this world.

So far as there is a remnant of God-fearing people on the planet, good will ultimately triumph over evil. Evil will run its course and lose. Good will overcome. People of compassion will defeat evil at every turn and find a way to bring hope and light in very dark times. As the Psalmist says, "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning."

2011 Bible Reading Plan

This January hundreds of those in the PCC church family committed to read through the New Testament in 30 days. This is kind of like P90X for your heart. Saturating your soul with copious amounts of the Scripture will pay rich dividends.

Here are some of the reasons why I read the Bible everyday:

1. It gives me truth. The Word of God contains the truth of God. On the other hand, the world is full of lies. The world lies to me everyday about what will make me happy, what will bring me significance and so on. But the Word of God reminds me of what is true and real and it refocuses my mind and gives me clarity in a foggy, murky world.

2. It keeps me from sin. Sin is more an attitude than an action. It's an attitude that says I can do whatever I want without having to give an account for my actions. But God's Word teaches me that God is the ultimate authority in my life. So I read his Word and it put in my heart and it keeps my attitude in check prevents me from falling into sin.

3. It encourages me to dream big. When you read God's Word you understand that he specializes in doing great things through people who are pretty much screwed up. He works through those who have problems with: lying, sex, anger, impatience, and much more. So, when I read these stories of the kind of person God uses it encourages me to believe that God can use me - a big screw up too - to do great things.

4. It makes me want to be more like Jesus. I make it a practice to not so much read the Bible, but to let it read me. It challenges me. Corrects me. Trains me. Chisels me. And changes me into the image and likeness of Jesus. After all, Jesus is the Word. The Word is Jesus. If I have more of the Word in me than it stands to reason that I will become more like Jesus.

5. It comforts me in difficult days. We all go through some rough seasons in life. Days when we don't want to even get out of bed and face the world. It's during those dark and difficult days that I find great comfort from the deep reservoir of God's World. I guarantee that if you have a favorite Bible passage, it was written in a time when someone was going through a deep valley in life, not a mountain top experience. And if God brought them through it I know He will bring me through it too.

New Series: Games People Play

We kicked off a brand new teaching series last week called, "Games People Play." It's really a biographical study on the life of King David.

Acts 13:36 tells us that David "served God's purposes in his generation, and then he died." In other words, David lived a successful life. Amidst great failures and personal shortcomings, David still is remember as "a man after God's own heart."

The message zeroed in on a conversation David had with his son, Solomon, just before David died. He gave his soon-to-be-king son some great advice on how to have a heart for God.

Hopefully this message will give you encouragement and a plan for success in 2011 by knowing:

1) What I need to get rid of,

2) What I need to hold on to; and

3) What I need to evaluate.

To listen to the full message, go HERE. (Message title: How to live life with purpose)

Celebrate Christmas Eve @ PCC

Please join the Pocono Community Church family this Christmas Eve and celebrate the birth of Christ.

Come out and enjoy:

*Singing your favorite Christmas carols

*Candlelight ceremony

*Live Jazz Band

*Fun creative elements in the service

*Inspiring video story of faith

*Hot chocolate and cookies and more...

We have 3 Christmas Eve Services to choose from: 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.

It's going to be a lot of fun for the entire family. Please make this part of your Christmas tradition and celebrate Christmas Eve with the people of Pocono Community Church.

The Christmas Spirit

Someone asked me today if I was "getting in the Christmas spirit." For many the Christmas spirit is:

• Baking cookies
• Singing carols
• Sending cards
• Planning parties
• Buying presents
• Sipped from a glass

But no one demonstrates the Biblical "spirit of Christmas" more than Mary, the mother of Jesus. Consider Mary, this teenage girl who's life is turned upside down as the sovereign plan of God unfolds around her. She never asked for a miraculous, Holy Spirit empowered, virgin conception, but God trusted her with it anyway. Instantly, she's confronted with private and public humiliation. She comes dangerously close to losing the love of her lifetime. Can you imagine what she told her parents?

Yet amidst all chaos and confusion that first Christmas, Mary surrenders her will to the will of the Father and simply says, "Let it be." In other words, I choose to worship and obey the Father even when it doesn't make sense or seem to be working out the way I planned.

The true Spirit of Christmas is surrender. In essence, that's worship. The first time worship is used in the Scriptures is to describe Abraham's decision to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on the mountain altar. It says that he went out of obedience to worship the Lord. Worship is obedience.

Mary, in the same spirit of Abraham, worships the Lord and surrenders her plans, expectations and will to the work of the Father. That's the real spirit of Christmas.

G Willie

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:15

My grandmother, Willie Mae Brumback, at the age of 90, went to be with the Lord last Friday morning at 12:30 am.

In a letter she wrote me some years ago she asked me to preach her funeral. Of course, I agreed to my grandmother's wish and am humbled that she would even ask.

I want to thank many of you who are praying for my mom, Betty, and family during this time of sorrow. We know grandma is in heaven now and reunited with her husband Tweed Dale. More importantly, she's with Jesus for "to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord."

And while it's never easy to place a final kiss on cold lips that will not kiss in return, we can take comfort in the fact that there is life beyond the grave for those who die believing in Jesus.

Sunday Night Download

This week was an awesome weekend at PCC. Here are some of the highlights:

+The Creative Worship Arts Team did an amazing job. Worship was awesome. You totally rocked the "Mighty God" song.

+The laser light show and the Mannheim Steamroller song was crazy!!! Thanks CWA Team for your creativity and commitment to excellence. Wow!

+Saturday night service was awesome. We were just shy of 600 people! Saturday PCCers are doing a great job inviting their friends. That's why we announced this weekend that WE ARE STARTING A SECOND SATURDAY NIGHT SERVICE IN JANUARY 2011.

+Beginning the weekend of January 8/9, 2011, we will offer 5 WEEKEND SERVICES AT Saturday night 5pm & 6:30pm and Sunday at 9:30am, 11am, and 1 PM (Spanish). I can't wait to see how God is going to help us reach more people who are far from him by making more room in our weekend experiences.

+I need 200 people in the Sunday morning crowd to move to Saturday night. Please make a 6 month commitment to come to one of the services on Saturday night beginning in January. Let's make more room at the table!

+The story of PCC is really a story of sacrifice. Sacrifice is when I give up something I love for something that I love even more. We love lost people more than anything at PCC!

+The series, He Shall Be Called, is going very well. This weekend I spoke about the El Gibbor, or Mighty God. It was one of the most fun and memorable messages of 2010 for me. Lots of history, which I love. We looked at the geo-political landscape of the original hearers of the prophecy to help us better understand the prophetical context which in turn makes the message even more real and relevant to our lives today. Great stuff!

+Saturday night we held the last Membership Class of the year with about 100 more members added to the roster. it's crazy to think how much the church has grown in the past year. And the wild thing is, the best is yet to come!

+I had a great time preaching in the Spanish service today. I love Pastor Emilio and the Spanish congregation. We sang my favorite song of the year, Cristo Yo Te Amo. Love that song!

+The Spanish congregation prayed for me at the end of their service as Pastor Emilio informed them that I was traveling to Washington, DC to preach my Grandmother's funeral on Monday. I appreciate their love and prayers more than words can adequately express.

+A huge thanks to many that are praying for me and my family as we say goodbye to one of the matriarchs of our family, Willie Mae Brumback. I'll share more about my "G Willie" tomorrow.

+Time to review my message notes for tomorrow and call it a day.

+I love you PCC and am so honored to be your pastor.

Apple Christmas

Check out this creative approach to opening up a Northpoint Church service with Christmas music played only on iPad and iPhones. Crazy cool.

New Christmas Series

I'm really excited about the new series we are kicking off this weekend, "He Shall Be Called." It's based on the Isaiah 9 passage that describes not only the fact that Christ would be born, but what kind of man he would become.

Hopefully, this series will give all who know Him a greater appreciation for who Jesus really is. And more importantly, it will give those who have only known him from afar an invitation to know him personally.

Week #1 - Wonderful Counselor

Week #2 - Mighty God

Week #3 - Everlasting Father

Week #4 - Prince of Peace.

Remember all you PCCers, do not come alone this weekend! Invite your friends to join you and let's celebrate Christmas together as a family.

Sunday Night Download

Here are some of the highlights from this weekend at PCC:

*It was my first time back in the pulpit after two weeks off. It felt great to preach again, but the rest really did me well.

*I preached a looooooooong sermon. I went 55 minutes Saturday night and 40-45 minutes in the Sunday services. God bless the PCC attenders who listen for that length of time without walking out on me.

*We baptized lots more people this weekend. It was one of the coolest baptisms ever. Pastor Brad and Pastor Andre did all the baptisms. Great job guys! Andre actually lost his footing and he and one of the guys both went under. Priceless baptism moment!

*So far, the PCC family has given over $25,000 in the

special Christmas

offering. What an amazing act of generosity. We are well on the way to reaching the $150,000 goal.

*The Christmas Offering will be used 3 ways: $25,000 to feed the poor, $50,000 for children's ministry expansion and decor upgrades, and $75,000 for media enhancement to launch an online church and additional PCC campuses in the Pocono area.

*I'm really excited about the new Christmas series starting next weekend, "He Shall Be Called." Don't come alone!

* The PCC Christmas Choir will be singing your favorite Christmas songs next week. You don't want to miss it.

*The church family decorated the building for Christmas today. It took them all day just to get the 27 foot Christmas tree up in the lobby. It looks awesome! Thanks to the 80 plus volunteers who showed up to serve!

*The worship team wrote and performed a special song for the series. It was awesome. So thankful for the great team of volunteers we have at PCC that are willing to use their gifts to glorify God.

*We God thanks today for: the healing of a man who had bleeding and swelling behind his eyes (totally healed), a restoration of a couple who have been separated for 12 years, and a teenager who recently wanted to commit suicide has now found faith in Christ and reason for living.

Sunday Night Download

Here are some thoughts from this past weekend:

1. I took a few days off this past week and took my family to Great Wolf Lodge. We had a great time celebrating Williams first birthday. We also drove down to see my family in Harrisburg and enjoyed just hanging out with them. My dad made homemade pasta, bread, butter (yes, he churned his own butter ... I know), apple cider, cinnamon rolls and sticky buns and more. I gained a few pounds : (

2. I got the weekend off from preaching - the first one in 17 weeks! Pastor Brad, our new executive pastor, spoke for me and did a great job. You can hear his message on "The Family That God Blesses" here. It should be posted by Monday afternoon.

3. Since I didn't have to preach this past weekend I did a lot of thinking and planning for 2011. I've got my preaching calendar lined out through Easter and I also did some major work on the 2011 budget too. I'm so excited about the vision God is given me and PCC for the next year of ministry.

4. Instead of going to PCC this Sunday, me and friend went to Liquid Church in Morristown, NJ. The founding and lead pastor, Tim Lucas, is a good friend. He is doing an amazing job building a great church that is reaching tons of lost people for Jesus. I learned a ton from Tim and Liquid today and look forward to synthesizing some of those learnings into the culture and flow of PCC.

5. I'm headed to NYC tonight to leave for Haiti early in the morning. It's a vision trip with my friend and founder of Convoy of Hope International, Hal Donaldson. Convoy is an international disaster relief and compassion organization. They feeds thousands of children all over the world, including over 40,000 kids per day in Haiti alone. I'll be visiting their feeding programs as well as the new distribution warehouse that is currently under construction. This new facility will enable Convoy to feed almost 80,000 kids per day by this time next year. Please pray for my safe journey to Haiti.

6. I'm totally excited about the Thanksgiving Outreach this week to need families in the Pocono Mountains. We are reaching out to 100 families in our community and providing them with a full course Thanksgiving Meal.

7. This weekend at PCC we will be participating in the special One Day to Feed the World offering. We are encouraging all PCCers to give one-day's pay to help feed needy children through the Convoy of Hope feeding programs. Please pray that that God will move on our congregations heart to birth a spirit of generosity the likes of which we have never seen before.

8. This weekend my good friend, Michael M., will be speaking at PCC. He was a former assassin with the IRA in Ireland. Now he has given his life to Jesus Christ and he has become a missionary serving all throughout Europe, working closely with Convoy of Hope outreaches. You don't want to miss this amazing story of redemption and life-change.

Happy Birthday David III

In honor of my oldest sons 5th birthday, David III, I want to share the top 5 things that I love about him.

1. I love David's infectious laugh.

David is the funniest little kid you've ever met. His laugh is infectious. It can soften even the hardest heart and lift even the heaviest burden. One of our favorite things to do together as a family every Sunday night is watch America's Funniest Home Videos. David's laugh is actually funnier than the videos.

2. I love David's teachable spirit.

Just like any other preschooler (or adult for that matter), David can have "his moments." But even when he misses the mark and suffers at the "seat of learning", David has the ability to adjust his attitude and make things right. What a valuable character trait that I admire in my son.

3. I love David's tender heart.

David has a tender heart towards his family, especially his mother. He drives her crazy sometimes but he's certainly a momma's boy (just like his daddy). He loves his brothers and sister too and has a sweet spot in his heart for the things of God. I pray that God nourishes his heart for people.

4. I love David's competitive nature.

He loves to compete - whether that's me timing him running laps around the kitchen to the living room and dining room or even racing him on his bike. He wants to win. That desire to always be the best will take him far in life.

5. I love David's desire to be with others.

David hates to be alone. In fact, he refuses to be alone. He always wants someone close by to wrestle, snuggle, tease or talk to. I'm a lot like him. I love to be with my family and spend time with close friends. I pray that David's community-mindedness will always help him make room for others that don't like to be alone either.