Porn and Pancakes

"Porn, Temptation, Lust ... All Men Struggle with it .... Some Men are Dominated by it ... Few men ever talk about it. Porn and Pancakes is all about the conversation. So let's have it.

You are invited to the greatest men's breakfast ever at Pocono Community Church this Saturday, February 27th at 9am. Nationally known guest speaker and former porn producer, Donny Pauling, from XXXChurch.com, will speak about pornography and how it can dominate our lives. Discover how to fight for the integrity of your family and marriage and walk away with hope for your future. Bring a friend and enjoy a free breakfast on us.

Check out this article in today's Pocono Record about Porn and Pancakes! This is buzz-worthy stuff and it has already captured the attention of the community.

Pure Fun

During the month of February, the Student Ministry of PCC, Underground Fellowship, has been in a series called Pure. Pure is all about learning how to live a life of sexual purity in a sin-stained, polluted culture.

Tonight, UF is hosting a night of Pure Fun. Especially designed for parents and their teenagers, Pure Fun, is all about helping teens and their parents open the door to the conversation about sex. Special guest speaker Paul Abner, will join us and the night will include a special opportunity for teens to make purity commitments before God and their friends and family.

Parents and teens, this is a must-attend event. What could be more important than fighting for the integrity and purity of your heart. God told us to "guard our hearts, for it is the well spring of life."

I Do: Take Two

One way to fight for the integrity of your marriage and purity of your home is to keep the romance alive with your spouse. To help couples fan the flame of romance in their marriage, I led an impromptu marriage vow renewal at PCC. It was amazing to see hundreds of couples stand at the altar and recommit themselves to loving each other the way that Christ loves us. Many PCCers have requested a copy of the vows I wrote, so I've included them below.

“I DO: TAKE TWO!”

Marriage Vow Renewal || Valentine’s Day @ PCC

February 14, 2009

Renewing wedding vows can be a meaningful, touching and reviving ceremony for you and your spouse and family. As a married couple, it is a time to pause and reflect on where you have been and where you are going. It is also a wonderful example to set for your children as you join hands and hearts to reaffirm your love for each other. Fellas, it’s also very romantic.

So, whether you have only been married for a month, a year, 10, 20 or 50 years, I want to give couples here today an opportunity to renew their love and vows today. Perhaps you’ve been through a crisis in your marriage or you are in the middle of one now, this is a wonderful opportunity to start anew and ask God for a fresh supply of his grace and mercy for your marriage and family.

So, here’s the altar call today: I’m inviting you now to step forward and come to the altar and give me the privilege of renewing your vows.

STATEMENT OF INTENTION:

When you first joined hands and hearts, you did not know where life would take you. You promised to love, honor and cherish one another through all things. Life has surely brought you both wonderful blessings and difficult tribulations. So, as you stand here today to and as you reflect back over time as husband and wife, do you reaffirm your vows today? Please answer: “We do.”

VOWS: Gentlemen please turn and face your wife & repeat after me:

Once before, I have stood with you, before family and friends; once again, I take your hand as my wife. I take you this day, and for all days, as my wife. I believe in you and in this marriage more strongly now than ever. It is with joy born of both experience and trust that I commit myself once again to be your husband.

I reaffirm my love for you today. I believe our love for each other will continue to grow and mature through the years. I want to be a Godly and trusting husband. I will love you as Christ loves you. From this day forward, I recommit myself to you until death separates us.

Ladies, repeat after me.

We begin anew today, a life-long oneness. I ask you to continue to be my husband. I have always loved you and I always will. My love doesn't change with health or circumstance. I want to be a good and trusting wife. I want to continue to grow with you in oneness. You are part of me and I am part of you.

We have endured together, laughed and cried together. You are my heart, my best friend, my life. I reaffirm my love and renew my commitment to you today. I promise to cherish you, respect you and grow with you for all the days of our lives.

With you as my husband, the best is yet to be. Once again, I proudly accept your love and give you mine, for the rest of my life.

Samson and David

Yesterday I preached about the devastating effects of sexual sin and the power of God to heal us and help us recover. You can listen to it here. I juxtaposed the stories of Samson and David. Two great men. Two great failures. Both were incredibly blessed and gifted by God. But at the age of about 40, both men fell into sexual sin.

You can read Samson's story in 4 brief chapters beginning in Judges 13. His sin left him in a state of blindness and bondage. He became the laughing stock of a pagan nation and never fulfilled his God-given potential.

King David on the other hand, emerged a better man in the wake of his fall from grace. You can read his story 1 Samuel 11ff, Psalm 51. He repented, changed his ways and sought God's mercy. As a result, his legacy would be summed up as a "man after God's own heart." Unlike Samson, his final days would be spent building a temple, not tearing one down.

If you are dealing with sexual sin, ask yourself, "Do I want to end up like Samson or David?" What are you going to do about it? What kind of plan can you put into place to produce your desired results? How can you live a life that is pleasing to God (1 Thess 4:3ff)

We will talk more about it this week.

The Key To Learning

Anyone in education will be able to recite this academic axiom from memory: "Repetition is the key to learning." Samuel Johnson is famous for saying, "People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."

The power of repetition and reminders cannot be underestimated when it comes to preaching. Here are some questions I ask myself when preparing a message:

*What do people already instinctively know about this truth I am communicating?

*How can I encourage them to apply this knowledge in their everyday life?

*What stories or symbols can I use to reinforce this truth?

I'm looking forward to this weekends message and hopefully it will help people grow a little closer to God and become more like his son, Jesus.

Ed Young: A Class Act

This past weekend a national Pastor, Ed Young, of Fellowship Church in Grapevine Texas, was blasted by a scathing television news piece questioning his character and integrity as a man of God. You can read the report and view the video here.

When I was getting ready to plant PCC 7 years ago I visited Fellowship Church and had the opportunity to spend some time with Pastor Ed. Since then, he's been a source of inspiration and knowledge for me personally and for our church.

From what I know about Pastor Ed, albeit from a distance, he's a great man of God who loves Jesus, his family, his church and his city. I've seen his Constitution and By-Laws and know for a fact that he has gone to great lengths to set up appropriate checks and balances in his ministry.

Yes, he makes a lot of money and has a big house and even flies chartered air planes due to his demanding international travel ministry schedule. But I also know is an incredibly generous man, as well - giving his entire net worth to his church more than once. How many people or pastors can say that? Not many. I know of only one other, Pastor Rick Warren.

As I've watched Ed navigate this difficult moment in ministry, here are a few things I've learned in the form of personal questions:

• Is there anything in my life and ministry, that if put on display for the entire world to see, that would bring me or my family or our church public embarrassment?
• Do I need to establish even greater measures of accountability into my life and the life of our church to ensure that we are living a life above reproach?
• Do I have friends and leaders that would stand by my side and personally defend me like they defended their friend Ed?
• Would I respond with class, grace and forgiveness and stay above the fray in the face of such harsh, unwarranted allegations and malicious attacks?

These are personal and vulnerable questions every leader should ask of themselves and the organizations they lead.

Recovering

I had surgery today on a precancerous mass behind my left year. Apparently, it was a birth defect that had remained latent for most of my life and surfaced about 10 years ago. Unfortunately, like most men, I procrastinated for a decade and never had it examined. I won't make that mistake again.

Fortunately for me, the doctor still caught it early enough and removed a good portion of the mass. The doctor said is was much deeper and more widespread than he expected. So it's going to take a few more surgeries and possibly a skin graft to finalize the process. But all in all, I feel very blessed. There should be no long term problems once this process is complete.

The book of James says "the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective." I want to say a special word of thanks to the Elders, staff and church friends and family for praying for me. I'm resting at home tonight and on some pretty strong narcotics. I don't like how they make me feel but it certainly takes the edge off the pain in my ear and head. There is still a drain in my ear and it will be removed tomorrow. PCC, I want you to know how thankful I am for each of you and honored to be your friend and pastor. My prayer has always been to lead one church with my one life. Yesterday I turned 38 years old. Here's to growing old together with you! Love, Pastor Dave

New Sex Series

This Sunday is a BIG DAY at PCC and we are kicking off a brand new series called "Sexual Resolution." This is going to be one of the most practical, yet provocative message series we've ever done at PCC. You don't want to miss it. The creative team has also put together some incredibly fun, light-hearted, yet power illustrations for each week.

Take advantage of this great opportunity to invite your friends to check out PCC during this series. I promise you they will never experience church like this. It's my hope and prayer that the result of this series is for everyone to resolve to follow God's blueprint for sex.

First Wednesday

Tonight is our First Wednesday celebration and prayer service. You don't want to miss this opportunity to worship God, receive community and most of all - pray! We are going to be praying for our church and surrounding community.

Also, just before the prayer service, we will be holding our Annual Business Meeting at 6:30 in the Multi-Purpose Room. I was just handed the 2009 Annual Report hot-off the press and it looks great. What a night we are going to have giving thanks to God for a great 2009 and praying for an even greater year of ministry in 2010.

A Leadership Lesson from Lincoln: Listen to and Value Others

Hey everyone.....this is Ronnie, the creative worship arts pastor at PCC. I thought I would share an article I read some time ago about one of the great presidents of the United States...Abraham Lincoln. As leaders we could learn a great deal from the leadership style of the man that led during one of the turning points in our nation's history.

"Lincoln led by listening. A leader must not only have the skill to share their ideas, but to cultivate the ideas of others. This often includes the quality of empathy.

Lincoln took the time to cultivate personal relationships with his subordinates so he could learn from them. He showed them respect even when their opinions differed and he made it clear that he valued their opinions. Lincoln's emphasis on soliciting the ideas of others and his concern for them is illustrated well in a story that Paul Johnson records in his book Heroes .

“After the fall of Richmond, the Confederate capital, and on the same day Robert E. Lee finally surrendered, Lincoln went to see his secretary of state, with whom he often disagreed, and whom he did not particularly like. Seward had somehow contrived to break both his arm and his jaw. Lincoln found him not only bedridden but unable to move his head. Without a moment’s hesitation, the president stretched out at full length on the bed and, resting on his elbow, brought his face near Seward’s, and they held an urgent, whispered conversation on the next steps the administration should take. Then Lincoln talked quietly to the agonized man until he drifted off to sleep.”

Johnson concludes, “Lincoln could easily have used the excuse of Seward’s incapacity to avoid consulting him at all. But that was not his way. He invariably did the right thing, however easily it might have been avoided. Of how many other great men might this be said?”

Lincoln found time for individuals."

the day after submerge.2010

we kicked the night off with our very own underground drum line. they were going so crazy that we couldn't even keep them in focus. WAY COOL!

the house was PACKED! [500+]

so proud of our underground staff for the countless hours of hard work to make this possible!

so proud of our underground students for blowing this event up!

thank you God for allowing us to experience this!

God will cast our sins and shortcomings to the bottom of the ocean floor... a place we can't go to, and a place He won't go to. He forgives our sins, so we can forget them. we wrote them down, and watched them vanish because of His love!

79 decisions to follow JESUS!!!

grab the glue, because your face is about to get rocked off!

thank you ABANDON for partnering with pcc and underground fellowship for our BIGGEST event yet.

the beatles came out for an ENCORE!

can you pick out the newbie?

submerge.2010

hey there, this is matthew, the student ministries guy here at pcc. one of the biggest underground events EVER will take place on wednesday of this week. submerge is slotted to be a high energy / high impact night. hours of planning and preparation have been geared toward this event, and we are anticipating an incredible night.

a few of the highlights will be: a student led drum line, some fall-out-of-your-seat funny skits, some crazy games & giveaways [including an ipod touch], and a rock your face off band: ABANDON. but if you had to nail down one reason that submerge has been created, it is so our friends can be introduced to the message of God's redeeming love for them.

LEADERSHIP ISSUES:

what i want to throw out into the blogosphere today is this: big events are great opportunities for the lost to be found. no doubt, Jesus lived out a tight-nit kind of relational evangelism... but He was also into the big event setting [feeding thousands, and stuff like that]. so there should be no shame in creating over the top events for the glory of God. the key is to stay true to the purpose. when mapping out one of these big events, simply remember that the main thing is not some crazy giveaway or a goofy skit. the main thing is the message of God's love for His creation. Jesus made a habit of taking the time to tell of God's love to the crowds that gathered around Him. we should do the same. so, create some time for those unforgettable fun moments... but don't you dare forget what the people who came need the most!

Guest Bloggers

I'm taking some time off this week so two of my team members will be guest blogging regarding all things about life and ministry here at PCC. Ronnie Jordan is the Creative Worship Arts Director at PCC and Matthew Davis is the Student Ministries Pastor. I'm sure you'll enjoying hearing from these guys this week.

Hiring Myths

I'm in the process of hiring new staff here at PCC and I'm working hard on learning as much as I can about how to develop a strong hiring system that attracts and finds superior talent time and time again. I've made a lot of mistakes along the way when it comes to hiring and here are some stupid myths I mistakenly believed in the past:

1. The best applicants / interviewers make the best employees. Wrong! I've discovered that its usually the exact opposite. People who interview best are usually those who have done it most. Hmmmm. They know how to tell you what you want to hear.

2. The person responsible for doing the hiring knows exactly what they are looking for and what the job entails. Wrong again. Most pastors/managers doing the hiring don't even have written job descriptions or performance profiles. They fail to define the job and to describe the individuals personality, experiences and skills that will best accomplish stated goals and strategies.

3. You can't get references anymore. That's not true.

4. As the leader, I should do all the hiring by myself. It's more effective to build a multi-staff level involvement in the hiring process. Don't hire in a vacuum.

5. I can't make the process too hard or the best candidates will drop out. Don't believe it! The best applicants will rise to the occasion

6th Dimension of a Team

My friend and former professor, Earl Creps, shared his thoughts on team building this week. Earl and his wife Jan are now planting a church on the campus of Berkeley, CA. I thought it was a good read and wanted to pass it on to you. It's helping me as I rebuild the team here at PCC. Thanks Earl, for being a leader worth following.

Good teams are where you find them. And these days they are everywhere--at least in name.

For example, I've witnessed many churches transition to "team-based" ministry simply by applying the word as a suffix to their existing groups (e.g., "The Ushers" become "The Ushering Team").

This trend is indicative of just how easy it is to get a really important idea really wrong. In his classic book, Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni outlines the primary ways in which good intentions turn into bad teams. The five include:

1. absence of trust
2. fear of conflict
3. lack of commitment
4. avoidance of accountability
5. inattention to results,

As our church plant in Berkeley transitions from the resource-development phase to the team-building phase I am in the process of reconsidering all of these issues.

My conclusion is that Lencioni basically has it right, even if some of his conclusions are a bit more complicated to apply in the non-profit sector with its volunteer staffing.

However, at least one potential issue could be added to his list of five dysfunctions: the misplaced belief that my next team must be like (or unlike) my last team. This is the sixth dysfunction.

An effective pastor friend, for example, recently mentioned frustration with his inability to replicate a very positive 1980s staff experience in the groups he led in later decades, despite repeated attempts. I suspect he speaks for many others.

Looking back over my own experience, I feel very fortunate to have worked with some really great people in team settings, but only recently began to think about how radically different all of these groups were from each other.

My training taught me to beware of looking for teammates who were too much like me. And that's good advice. But no one ever warned me about two other temptations: (1) if my last team experience was positive, I may attempt to recreate it even if it does not apply, or; (2) if the preceding team environment turned out poorly I may overlook assets I need in my new situation just because they resemble some bad memories.

At first it seems easy to see why a new team should be quite distinct from the last. After all, the new task likely has requirements, goals, resources, and infrastructure that are unlike what I've experienced in the past. So putting together a completely new kind of team seems like the logical thing to do.

Until you try it. Then my last team easily becomes the standard of measurement by which I evaluate prospects and procedures for the new group.

Consequently, I can be blinded to the very people I need to recruit while bringing in those who remind me of my last positive experience. Working with those people can force me into the same pattern, substituting a sequel of my last leadership role for the fresh ways of working that are probably necessary to function in a new context.

All this to say that perhaps the first step in forming a new team is a funeral for the last one. Not that the relationships or the fruitfulness or the good memories are lost, but those things are deprived of excessive influence. Being informed by experience is fine. Being controlled by it is not.

A new team's life depends on a fresh start in which it is not compared to a group that no longer exists. In truth, our memories of the past can be as much mythology as history so their navigational value is questionable anyway.

So to build the next group, let the last one go. Pray for the laborers to be thrust into the harvest field. And ask the Holy Spirit for the discernment to see who they are and how to work with them in new ways.

Be a leader worth following,

Earl

Weekend Update

• Yesterday was part 3 of our, We Fit series, and we looked at the importance of getting "Emotionally Fit".
• Emotionally Fitness is characterized by peace.
• Colossians 3:15 says, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts."
• The opposite of peace is stress. Too many of us have more stress than peace in our lives.
• We had a great attendance in our services even though we had an ice storm begin at 11:30 before 3rd service.
• Many came forward for prayer at the altar following all three services. I'm confident that we are going to hear great reports in response to our prayers.
• I prayed for those in our church that lost loved ones in the Haiti earthquake.
• Because of the kindness of those in of our church demonstrated yesterday in the special offering to Haiti, we are going to send a very generous offering to Convoy of Hope for relief efforts.
• Today I'm feeling pretty exhausted. I've preached 10 times in the last 8 days. Need a day to recover.

Help Haiti

By now I'm sure you've learned of the devastating earthquake the leveled the island nation of Haiti. My heart is so heavy with sadness for the people of Haiti today and the grief they currently suffer.

While viewing the horrific images online, instinctively I was compelled to get involved and help alleviate their suffering and pain.

Here's how we can respond at PCC to help Hait:

PRAY

"The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective," says James. Tonight we are gathering for our all-church prayer meeting during our spiritual emphasis week. One of our church members will share a personal testimony of family members that are missionaries in Haiti. You don't to miss this story. We will have a special time of prayer for the people of Haiti.

GIVE

Even though many of us are experiencing difficult economic times, we need to be generous and give toward relief efforts. This Sunday we will give a special offering for the people of Haiti. Please come prepared to give.

TELL

Cataclysmic events such as these remind me of the preeminent return of Christ. In response to his disciples asking for signs of his second coming, Jesus said, "For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains." (Mt. 24:3-14) Now is the time to share your faith with your friends and invite them to church. People need the hope and assurance that Jesus has to offer.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Losers

Dr. Colbert's new book, "I Can Do this Diet" offers up 7 Habits of Highly Effective Losers. For those of you trying to shed a few pounds this January, heed this advice:

1. Modify your food intake.

2. Increase your activity level.

3. Eat breakfast everyday.

4. Monitory your weight regularly.

5. Stay consistent with your eating.

6. Control your portion sizes and your environment.

7. Be accountable.

Spiritual Emphasis Week @ PCC

Today we begin our first ever spiritual emphasis week at PCC. This promises to be a powerful week of prayer and fasting.

Here's the plan:

Monday - I will be going on a personal 24 hour prayer and fasting retreat. Please be in prayer for me as I seek God's vision for the next 12 months of ministry here at PCC.

Tuesday - The Staff and Elders will meet for a time of prayer. Please pray for the Leadership of PCC all day on Tuesday.

Wednesday - All-Church Prayer meeting at 7pm at PCC. (Youth will also have their service)

Thursday - All Church Prayer meeting at 7pm at PCC with a special emphasis for divine healing. If you need prayer for healing or know someone who does, please be sure to come Thursday night and bring your friends.

Friday - A Sacred Assembly at 7pm for the entire family. You don't want to miss this service.

Sunday Night Reflections

We had an awesome day at PCC. Below are some of the highlights from my perspective:

• Early morning prayer with the volunteers set the tone for the entire day. We spread out through the auditorium and called out to God. He answered. Thanks to all those who come each week for early morning prayer.
• Our new series, We Fit, is off to a great start. Today we talked about getting in shape physically. Hundreds made a commitment to honor God by taking better care of their bodies.
• Our bodies house the presence of God - "temples of the Holy Spirit." Don't put anything in your body that would be harmful to you or the Spirit of God living in you.
• Physical health also promotes spiritual strength. The converse is true too. A tired and worn down physical condition will set you up for a spiritual downfall.
• God really moved in the 3rd service with a special word of encouragement for someone who was struggling with an eating disorder. I don't know who that was for but I'm praying for you this week!!!
• Worship was crazy good - huge props to the Creative Worship Team for leading us into the presence of God. You guys rock!
• We ran out of parking and seating in the 2nd service. Great attendance in 1st and 3rd services as well. All you second service attenders please consider going to 1st or 3rd next week and make room for our guests who don't know Jesus.
• I announced that our 2009 financial reports were in and PCC grew by 33% in giving last year. What an amazing stat that reveals the blessing of God on this church. To grow by 33% in an down economy is just miraculous.
• Also, $116,000 has been given towards our Christmas Offering. We decided to extend this special offering through January since many wanted to give a portion of their year end bonus or stock options/dividends that they will not receive until this month. Thanks for practicing radical generosity PCC.
• Today begins our week of spiritual emphasis. Look for my blog post tomorrow for more info. This is going to be a powerful week of prayer and fasting for our church.