A few days ago I had a great conversation with a young man who is seeking after God. He's in that wonderful spot where God has been working in his life -- and he knows it. He knows he needs to make decisions which will carry consequences for all parts of his life ... work, relationships, family. So we talked about windows. As I grow older, I have become a believer in windows of opportunity -- those seasons of life when God opens a new door of learning and growth for us. They may come in the form of an introduction to a person whom God has placed in our life for a reason. A window of opportunity may be a challenge to tackle a new problem or a transition at work. Slumps and struggles can be a window of opportunity, too, if we press in and press on to…
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Individually or as a group, one of the most powerful things we can do is create momentum (moh-men-tuhm). In physics, momentum is defined as the mass of an object multiplied by velocity. In simpler terms, it's the tendency of a moving object to continue moving. You know when you have momentum ... and you know when you don't. As individuals, we may sense a loss of momentum when our work becomes dull or our energy level dips low. A lack of motivation is also a symptom of waning momentum. When we're gaining momentum, external forces of motivation aren't necessary -- we get up earlier, we work longer, we play harder. Not because we're told to but because we want to. In a group setting, momentum gives birth to excitement and new ideas. There is an air of expectancy in the culture. Employees come to work expecting to have a good…
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A few weeks ago I spoke at Mountainview on the topic, "Casting Nets or Casting Stones" (listen to the podcast). The basic idea was this: you can be a person who uses your influence to cast a net, helping draw people closer to God. Or, you can be a person that is quick to cast a stone of judgment towards those who are disconnected from God. At the end of the message, I asked the crowd at all four services to look around at the empty chairs. These chairs represent the people who live in your neighborhood, work in your office, or the kids you pass in the hallway at school. These chairs are families who are on the brink of exploding, single moms wrestling with enormous challenges, or young adults contemplating suicide. Then I asked them to fast-forward to the last Sunday of 2010. Imagine no empty chairs. Imagine…
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One of the bloggers/pastors that I enjoy reading (and following on Twitter) is Tim Stevens. He is the executive pastor at Granger Community Church and his writings always give me something to think about. I'm passing along two posts that reflect on a decade of change in the church. I think you'll enjoy them, too. A Decade of Change, Part One A Decade of Change, Part Two
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Another of our new E4U classes at Mountainview is "Creation Science." Course Description: Have you ever wondered if you are hearing the whole scientific story of how we came to be? Has the age of the earth been scientifically established? What about dinosaurs, fossils and long periods of geologic formation? The information presented will be scientific in nature but should be understandable to adults and teens over the age of 13. Teacher Bio: Jeff Schuster is a professional engineer who has owned an energy engineering firm for the past 13 years. Jeff graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1987 and has been fascinated with origin science since college. Jeff has a lovely wife and two kids and has been attending Mountainview Church since the mid 1990’s.
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