Easter Season

I wish Easter season had the same kind of build up to it that Christmas season does...but it doesn't. The coming of Spring is a nice thing and helps, but we all know that there is so much surrounding the Christmas season to make it special that Easter just doesn't stack up.

That isn't really acceptable because Easter is really the high point of the Christian experience. No Easter, no salvation. And so for me it isn't OK to let the Easter season just sort of happen. At the same time Lent has gotten kind of twisted into some formalities that seem a bit out of touch and are adhered to by people in a seemingly less than authentic way.

That is why I am making Easter something special for me this year with a special emphasis on prayer and fasting. Fasting brings my body into subjection and prayer keeps me connected with my Savior. I am going to be doing an audio devotional on our Church website www.harvestcomchurch.org as an encouragement to the process.

I hope you will by these or other attempts make Easter a special season of the year. He is risen!

Change Brings Change

I was visiting with my friend Timo who is all about Church Planting in Berlin. His church, Pankow FeG, just moved from their one and only location to a location that is maybe 4-5 blocks away. They had been in their original location all of their 5 + years and so I am sure it was difficult to move. But one thing that stood out to me was that Timo has been reminding the folks that while it is a new location, other things will undoubtedly change as well. A new place will mean new folks checking them out. Their new place is near the bus/train/tram lines and so there will be a new crowd of people passing by on a daily basis. The Church will change, and not just because of a new location and new surroundings, but because the people will also change and that brings an unsettledness, but also a lot of opportunity. May we always be willing to change for the sake of the Kingdom, and for the sake of the glory of God.

Winter Retreat

We are getting closer and closer to number 7, our seventh annual Winter Retreat out at Camp Lebanon. I love our retreats at a lot of levels, but let me use our core values to be more specific.

• Changed Lives - when we talk about changed lives we are specifically referring to the change that happens as people pass from death to life, or from not having a relationship with Christ to having one. Of course being out at Camp isn't specifically evangelistic, but it is a place where people can see and sense the love of Christ. I know we have had people warm to the things of Christ because of being with us out at Camp. And if people are getting right with Jesus then they are becoming more attractive to those who do not yet have Jesus in their lives.
• Overflowing Relationships - This is the core value where we hit a home run every year! Relaxed time to simply be with people. If the Christian life is really more caught then taught, then this is a time that goes to the top of the list in helping form the life of the Christian. It is good stuff, and no one who has been out there has complained that they didn't have the opportunity to get to know people better.
• Responding to God - Worship in all its fullness is spectacular as we are in a great setting, unencumbered by all else that demands our attention. Can you focus on our God at the Winter Retreat? I think you will find it to be so.
• Equipping Followers - Growing as followers of Christ is to know Him and experience Him. We have had a fantastic line up of speakers guiding our learning each year, and this year is no exception. Steve Sanchez is going to be a good one...maybe even a 'best ever'. If you love to be challenged then prepare for it because its coming!

February 4-6...it is going to be great!

Good News for All

The angels told the Shepherds about 'Good News which shall be for all people'. One thought that I want to develop this Sunday is the idea that we can pretty easily get locked into a world that isn't very big. Technology makes the world small and we have to manage the amount of input we get, but we can easily start to hold the world at arms length and make it the world of our making. The bold proclamation of the angels is that this gospel is global and can never be something we have and hold onto as our own. It is for us and all our 'image bearing' brothers and sisters. Jesus is good news and that good news needs to be broadcast the world over. Just because we happen to live in Stearns County doesn't mean we can ignore the other 6 + billion people on the planet. They could use a little good news too.
May the joy of the season and the tender affections of family be a true blessing for you this Season. And may we consider together the Savior who is in fact the Savior of the World to whom alone belongs the praise of all peoples!

New Digs

Well now, that wasn't so bad! It was our third location in the past six months and it didn't feel all that different. It even has its advantages. I liked the lighting better than we have ever had and access to some of the 'behind the scenes' needs like water for coffee and such was easy. So all in all I would have to say that it was a pretty good move. See you in the Elementary Cafeteria next week!

Other End of the Building

This Sunday we move to the far end of the school. We started and stayed for 5 1/2 years in the Junior High Little Theater. While it wasn't perfect it did come to seem like home. I remember walking in for a swim meet one time and thinking for a brief moment, "what are all these people doing at church?". Then, due to some asbestos removal, we were moved to the Senior High cafeteria (in the middle of the school complex). That was OK in that it was temporary and it actually has had some advantages. I know as a speaker it feels nice to have people closer than they were in the auditorium. But alas, even this location in the building couldn't last and so we move again...to the third place in the last six months, and this to the north end of the school complex. Starting this Sunday, November 14th we will be in the Elementary cafeteria. It too will be a different experience but one I am sure we can adapt to readily. In it all it forces to think through our whole Sunday morning experience. What are we there for? What are we trying to accomplish? What is the real permanence of Harvest Community Church? Through it all the answer has always been and will continue to be that we gather in Jesus name, as Jesus people, to encourage and challenge one another and to worship and focus on King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That will happen again this Sunday. Even in the Elementary cafeteria. Hope to see you Sunday!

Get to it!

This past Sunday was a get to it Sunday. Birch Hills has been commissioned to go and they are gone to do what God has called them to in Melrose. The ceremonies are over, it is time to get to it! Here at Harvest Community Church we have a calling that is no less sure. We have a mission field that has been put before us and we are called just as much to get to it! With that in mind we have a couple of opportunities that will keep us on task:
Mathetes - our discipleship group for those in 10th-12th grades. Our first gathering is at Dairy Queen Wednesday night, 6:30.
The Training of the Twelve - a training group for those who are or are willing to be spiritual leaders. 6:00a.m. this Sunday is our first time with breakfast out at Trucker's Inn.
The cost will be high at times. Shoot, Jesus asks us to come and die. But He also said that His yoke was easy, i.e. the best path to follow. Let's get to it!